Following a heart attack, the brain processes signals directly from sensory neurons in the heart, indicating a crucial feedback loop that involves not only the brain but also the immune system—both vital for effective recovery.
According to Vineet Augustine from the University of California, San Diego, “The body and brain are interconnected; there is significant communication among organ systems, the nervous system, and the immune system.”
Building on previous research demonstrating that the heart and brain communicate through blood pressure and cardiac sensory neurons, Augustine and his team sought to explore the role of nerves in the heart attack response. They utilized a groundbreaking technique to make mouse hearts transparent, enabling them to observe nerve activity during induced heart attacks by cutting off blood flow.
The study revealed novel clusters of sensory neurons that extend from the vagus nerve and tightly encompass the ventricles, particularly in areas damaged by lack of blood flow. Interestingly, while few nerve fibers existed prior to the heart attack, their numbers surged significantly post-incident, suggesting that the heart stimulates the growth of these neurons during recovery.
In a key experiment, Augustine’s team selectively turned off these nerves, which halted signaling to the brain, resulting in significantly smaller damaged areas in the heart. “The recovery is truly remarkable,” Augustine noted.
Patients recovering from a heart attack often require surgical interventions to restore vital blood flow and minimize further tissue damage. However, the discovery of these new neurons could pave the way for future medications, particularly in scenarios where immediate surgery is impractical.
Furthermore, the signals from these neurons activated brain regions associated with the stress response, triggering the immune system to direct its cells to the heart. While these immune cells help form scar tissue necessary for repairing damaged muscle, excessive scarring can compromise heart function and lead to heart failure. Augustine and colleagues identified alternative methods to facilitate healing in mice post-heart attack by effectively blocking this immune response early on.
Recent decades have indicated that communication occurs between the heart, brain, and immune system during a heart attack. The difference now is that researchers possess advanced tools to analyze changes at the neuron level. Matthew Kay from George Washington University noted, “This presents an intriguing opportunity for developing new treatments for heart attack patients, potentially including gene therapy.”
Current medical practices frequently include beta-blockers to assist in the healing process following heart attack-induced tissue damage. These findings clarify the mechanism by which beta-blockers influence the feedback loops within nervous and immune systems activated during heart attacks.
As Robin Choudhury from the University of Oxford remarked, “We might have already intervened with the newly discovered routes.” Nevertheless, he cautioned that this pathway likely interacts with various other immune signals and cells that remain not fully understood.
Moreover, factors like genetics, gender differences, and conditions such as diabetes or hypertension could affect the evolution of this newly identified response. Hence, determining when and if a pathway is active in a wider population remains essential before crafting targeted drugs, Choudhury added.
Adult mice employed their paws and mouths to assist newborns stuck in the birth canal of pregnant females.
Violet J. Ivan/New York University Grossman School of Medicine
Mice have been observed aiding pregnant females during difficult births, particularly among seasoned mothers. This represents a significant discovery as it marks the first documented instance of such behavior in non-primate animals, broadening our understanding of caregiving behaviors across species.
While humans are recognized as the only animals that consistently assist each other during childbirth due to the challenging nature of the process—characterized by larger-than-average infant head sizes navigating a narrow birth canal—other primates, like black-nosed monkeys and bonobos, have shown instances of mutual aid during births, albeit rarely.
Research conducted by Robert Froemke and colleagues at NYU Langone Health in New York City stumbled upon this behavior while studying the brain activity of mouse subjects during birthing events for a different purpose. They noticed that fellow mice in the cage seemed to assist the birthing mice during their delivery processes.
To delve deeper, scientists genetically modified pregnant mice to lack receptors for oxytocin, a hormone that triggers uterine contractions essential for childbirth. Without these contractions, the mother mouse might struggle to move and face fatal consequences. Consequently, survival for both the mother and her pups becomes more precarious.
In a structured experiment, 10 modified mice were caged individually and each paired with a previously birthing female. A separate group of seven pregnant mice without oxytocin receptors were isolated in their cages.
During delivery, when the modified pregnant mouse could not move, the experienced female stepped in. “She acts like a mini midwife, using her mouth and paws to carefully extract the pups,” shared Dr. Froemke at the Society for Neuroscience conference in San Diego, California. The assisting mouse even broke open the sac surrounding the young, ensuring they could breathe.
A remarkable nine out of ten pregnant mice paired with these midwives successfully birthed, with approximately 90 percent of their pups surviving. By contrast, only one from the isolated group succeeded in giving birth, with all pups not surviving. “Mammals are social creatures, and the primary reason is due to mutual assistance during such vulnerable moments,” Froemke noted. “Even rats experience challenges during childbirth and rearing; their social structures provide support, reflecting traits akin to humans.”
To investigate if the presence of experienced mice was crucial, researchers placed 14 pregnant mice, lacking oxytocin receptors, in a different environment. Seven were coupled with male mice, while four were with females untouched by childbirth and three with females lacking oxytocin receptors. In addition to their role in uterine contractions, these receptors are known to be critical for social interactions.
Assistance from other mice significantly enhanced survival rates
Violet J. Ivan/New York University Grossman School of Medicine
Results revealed that nearly 60 percent of pregnant mice paired with male companions and half of those with non-mother females endured the birthing process. Notably, these non-mother mice did not assist in pulling the pups out; instead, the male mouse mounted the female, exerting pressure to facilitate the birth, while the non-mother female groomed and applied belly pressure similarly. Differences in approaches among groups remain unclear. Of the group with non-oxytocin receptor females, merely one mouse survived.
The pups did not survive due to the unbroken fluid-filled sacs, indicating the necessity for maternal experience for successful outcomes. “I essentially play the midwife role,” Froemke remarked.
The findings bolster the notion that caregiving behaviors may be more prevalent in the animal kingdom than previously acknowledged. For instance, research has shown that rats are capable of administering first aid to their unconscious peers. These new findings suggest that the birthing and nurturing of offspring are pivotal elements shaping animal social dynamics and relationships, according to Froemke.
“Parental care stands as one of the most significant social interactions,” says Bianca Jones Marlin from Columbia University, underscoring the necessity of support during these critical moments.
Froemke speculates that similar midwife-like behaviors might occur among wild rodents and other animals. “Childbirth represents one of the most vulnerable periods in an animal’s life,” he observes. “Due to their need to evade predators, many animals exhibit concealment behaviors, explaining why field researchers see such assistance less frequently in species outside of humans.”
Lichens, comprising symbiotic fungi and algae (and/or cyanobacteria), are crucial ecological components that inhabit various substrates, including fossils. A recent study highlights their role as biological indicators of fossils in western North America, and demonstrates that they can be identified through remote sensing techniques.
Preferential colonization of dinosaur bones by lichens. Image credit: Pickles et al., doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.09.036.
Dr. Brian Pickles from the University of Reading noted, “This research showcases how extant organisms can assist in uncovering ancient life forms.”
“It’s fascinating to realize that these lichens, which essentially represent miniature ecosystems, thrive on the remains of dinosaurs that went extinct over 75 million years ago.”
“Utilizing drone technology to identify spectral signatures in lichens could transform how paleontologists search for fossils.”
In their research, Dr. Pickles and his team identified two lichen species, Rusabschia elegans and Xanthomendoza trachyphylla, which colonized 50% of exposed fossil bones while affecting less than 1% of nearby rock fragments.
This preference can be attributed to the alkaline, calcareous, and porous nature of dinosaur bones that these lichens favor.
“Although the tendency of lichens to thrive on fossil bones has been observed for decades, it has never been quantitatively assessed until now,” stated Dr. Caleb Brown, a researcher at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology.
“During our first encounter with a high concentration of exposed fossil bone, such as in a bone bed, our attention often shifts from the bones themselves to the vibrant orange lichen ‘meadows.’
The researchers deployed a drone fitted with specialized sensors to pinpoint lichen-colonized fossils from aerial imagery boasting a resolution of 2.5 cm.
Lichens reveal distinct spectral characteristics, exhibiting lower reflectance in blue wavelengths and increased reflectance in the infrared spectrum.
This innovative method presents considerable benefits for exploration in paleontology, particularly in remote locations where conventional ground surveys are challenging.
This strategy could expedite fossil discoveries while minimizing field expenses and ecological impacts.
The findings are rooted in decades of anecdotal observations made by paleontologists.
In 1980, paleontologist Darren H. Tanke observed that the orange pigmentation of lichens on centrosaurus bones might soon be detectable via satellite. The potential for locating bones using aerial drone technology appears more achievable than ever.
“This drone study sets the foundation for employing aircraft and satellites to map larger expanses,” remarked Dr. Derek Peddle, a researcher at the University of Lethbridge.
“Our newly developed lichen index will aid in fossil identification across vast terrains.”
“It’s exhilarating to merge our imaging technology with the expertise of this international team to enhance dinosaur discovery through remote sensing of lichens.”
The team’s publication appears in this week’s issue of Current Biology.
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Brian J. Pickles et al., 2025. Remote sensing of lichens by drone to detect dinosaur bones. Current Biology 35 (21): R1044-R1045; doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.09.036
I didn’t think too much when I asked my partner to repeat what they said. But I found myself doing it again and again. Eventually, my audiologist confirmed that I had moderate high-frequency hearing loss due to years spent near loud noises in a war zone. I needed hearing aids. The options she presented were around $7,000.
The price tag had a greater impact on me than the diagnosis itself. In the U.S., hearing aids generally lack insurance coverage, requiring out-of-pocket payment. I found a feasible alternative at Costco, where I bought the Jabra Enhance Pro 20s for $1,600. It took a month for me to adapt to the digital adjustments, but I finally restored my ability to hear normally.
Now, there’s another possibility: Apple’s AirPods Pro 3, priced at $249. They cater to 28.8 million Americans who require hearing aids but avoid them due to cost, stigma, or sheer obstinacy. The FDA gave the green light for its predecessor, the AirPods Pro 2, as an over-the-counter hearing aid in September 2024, and the new version is reported to provide even more fidelity. A friend gifted me a pair for my birthday, offering the ideal chance to evaluate their performance in everyday situations.
Apple AirPods Pro 3
Photo: Provided by Amazon $249 on Amazon
$249 at Walmart
Nearly 50 million Americans see that only 16% of adults between 20 and 69 with some hearing loss have ever used hearing aids. The consequences can be severe: adults with hearing loss are 58% more likely to be unemployed and earn 25% less when they are. Untreated hearing loss is a major risk factor for dementia, as highlighted by the 2020 Lancet Commission.
The average American tends to wait 7 to 10 years from the onset of symptoms to seek assistance. Financial constraints are often the primary barrier to treatment, with traditional hearing aids running anywhere from $2,000 to $7,000. Stigma also plays a role—no one relishes the idea of appearing older.
Assessing Hearing Loss
Photo: Club Photo/Getty Images
Before utilizing AirPods as a hearing aid, you can complete a 10-minute self-test to pinpoint the specific areas of hearing loss or upload the results of a professional audiogram from an audiologist. I had just undergone such an exam 18 months prior and compared the lab results to what Apple could offer.
My clinical examination indicated typical noise-induced damage: mild to moderately severe sensorineural hearing loss, particularly at higher frequencies where consonants are detected. iPhone tests conducted in my quiet home office matched this pattern but with less intensity. My average loss registered at 33-34 dBHL (decibel hearing level), compared to 35-45 dBHL from my audiologist.
“AirPods won’t match the precision of calibrated devices in a testing booth, but they’re surprisingly effective,” noted Dr. David Zappala, president of the American Academy of Audiology. “The improvements from prior models and other devices are distinct…A standard audiogram can have a variation of plus or minus 5 dB, so a 10 dB difference falls within expected fluctuations.”
After a day of comparing my professional audiogram to the profile generated by Apple, certain distinctions emerged. The iPhone settings dulled some sibilance; the “s” sound lost sharpness, and hard consonants like “k” and “d” were slightly punchy. Still, conversational clarity remained intact. My partner noticed no differences in the sound of my voice, regardless of the device I was using.
Do AirPods Really Compete with Hearing Aids?
Photo: Christopher Allbritton/The Guardian
Sound quality: Jabras aim for “acoustic transparency,” enabling ambient sounds to blend seamlessly with enhanced audio, achieving a natural listening experience. They perform adequately in restaurant settings by distinguishing speech from background noise.
AirPods create what I refer to as “amplified reality.” The sound is bright and clear, yet retains a digital sheen that never completely subsides.
Battery life: No issues here. My Jabra lasts 24-30 hours on a single charge, while the AirPods last up to 10 hours. Although a quick 15-minute charge can extend usage by about 3 hours, it’s essential to consider your schedule regarding charging opportunities.
Occlusion effect: This effect results in a muffled sound when the ear canal is blocked, resonating within the skull and altering voice perception. Both devices seek to mitigate this issue, albeit in different ways.
Jabra design does not fully seal the ear, allowing external sounds to blend naturally with the amplified audio. On the other hand, AirPods close off the ear, requiring all incoming sounds, including one’s voice, to undergo digital processing, potentially making it sound overly loud.
Photo: Christopher Allbritton/The Guardian
Social recognition: Jabra is nearly invisible, with a small clear wire extending into my ear from a discreet component behind my ear. My partner mentions that people need to be looking carefully to even notice them.
Conversely, AirPods are quite noticeable. Most people assume I’m listening to music, but there are instances when they hesitate to engage with me, thinking I could either be busy with music or on a call. Once I’ve clarified that I’m using them as a hearing aid, conversations flow as usual, often with surprise over AirPods’ capabilities.
Real-World Limitations
In noisy environments: At social gatherings and bars, Jabra effectively manages overlapping dialogues, while AirPods might unintentionally amplify the wrong audio or create confusion amid multiple conversations.
Music: It’s no surprise that AirPods outperform Jabras in music performance. AirPods leverage the same audiogram to enhance media streaming. Listening to Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue, each instrument stood out vividly; whereas Jabra rendered music resembling a small AM radio, which didn’t meet my expectations. But then again, that’s not their primary function.
Cost
My $1,600 Jabra package included three years of complimentary tune-ups, cleaning, and customer support. In contrast, AirPods ($249) lack any professional assistance. If you can’t adjust the amplification to match your specific hearing loss, you’re left with only Apple’s algorithms and some trial and error.
Who Should Buy What?
Photo: Christopher Allbritton/The Guardian
Consider AirPods Pro if:
You have mild to moderate hearing loss.
You need occasional situational support rather than all-day use.
You frequently use an iPhone or AirPods.
You want to test hearing aids before committing significant funds.
Stick with traditional hearing aids if:
You have moderate to severe hearing loss.
You need batteries that endure all day.
You can afford higher costs.
You want professional support.
If You’re Unsure, Give Them a Try
While AirPods Pro 3 aren’t flawless hearing aids, at $249, they serve as an excellent first choice for the 28 million Americans who haven’t sought treatment for hearing loss. They are accessible, budget-friendly, and help reduce stigma.
I primarily rely on my Jabra, a specialized device made for one purpose. However, I keep AirPods handy for music and calls, and occasionally, I prefer something that doesn’t sit deeply inside my ear canal. Sometimes, you can achieve 80% effectiveness for just 15% of the price.
If you think you could benefit, I encourage you to try them. You might catch a distant chat with your grandchild or a joke you missed at a dinner gathering.
“When I suggest them, I’m guiding people to opt for an easy first step,” Zappala states. “Try AirPods. There’s minimal risk in terms of money or time. Even if they fall short, you’ll still enjoy your music.”
Learning to play an instrument encompasses both cognitive and creative pursuits
Andrew Fox/Alamy
Engaging in music training seems to enhance reading comprehension among young children by boosting their ability to discern and manipulate the sounds that constitute words.
Research has long suggested a connection between learning to play musical instruments and improved early reading skills, as shown in studies like Improved early reading ability and Mathematics. However, the mechanics behind this connection were previously unclear, as mastering an instrument requires a plethora of skills.
“Beyond reading musical notes—which necessitates learning a new form of written language—you must also perceive the sounds and adjust your physical movements accordingly,” highlighted Maria Garcia de Soria from the University of Aberdeen, UK. This process indicates that music education can enrich our cognitive abilities, enhance memory, and improve sound perception.
To further investigate the relationship between music training and reading abilities, Garcia de Soria and her team assessed 57 children aged 5 to 9. Approximately half of these children had engaged in instrumental study for at least one month with a practice schedule of a minimum of 30 minutes per week, while the others participated in non-musical extracurricular activities.
The researchers discovered that the children involved in music lessons outperformed their peers on phonological awareness tests. This skill relates directly to the capacity to recognize and manipulate the individual sounds—or phonemes—that constitute words, such as the three phonemes found in “dog.” Additionally, they demonstrated enhanced reading proficiency.
The research team accounted for various factors that could influence literacy levels, including socioeconomic status and overall cognitive capability.
In a separate component of the study, researchers utilized EEG to monitor and analyze the brain activity of the children while they were exposed to the Gingerbread Man fairy tale.
They observed that heightened neural activity in the language-related regions of the left hemisphere of the brain correlated with better reading performance across all participants. Notably, the music group recorded higher reading scores despite lower levels of this neural activity, suggesting a more developed capacity for adult-like language processing.
“Adults typically engage music and speech processing across both hemispheres, occasionally favoring the right side. It appears that children receiving music training develop more adult-like capabilities in this area,” noted Garcia de Soria.
This finding connects to the way individuals adapt their reading strategies as they mature, moving from sounding out phonemes to recognizing words and their meanings without mental rehearsal, explained team member Anastasia Klimovich-Gray at the University of Aberdeen.
Phonological recognition is a crucial precursor to learning how to read, which supports the idea that music education can enhance literacy by fostering increased sensitivity to phonological structures, according to Klimovich-Gray. However, it’s not necessarily a one-sided relationship; Garcia de Soria added, “Music fosters reading skills, but reading may also bolster future music performance.”
Demonstrating that these skills can mutually enhance one another may assist children who struggle with reading, Klimovich-Gray explained. “For those facing phonological challenges early on, potentially before a dyslexia diagnosis, music training could provide supplementary support alongside phonics instruction.”
“The revelation that music training refines the phonological encoding processes in the left hemisphere aligns with broader academic findings,” stated Alice Mado Proverbio at the University of Bicocca in Milan, Italy. Furthermore, music education may also cultivate specialization in the right hemisphere of the brain, which promotes faster reading development, she concluded.
Latin inscriptions from ancient times provide insights into the proclamations of the Roman emperor the voices of the enslaved for those who understand them. Today, advancements in artificial intelligence assist historians in piecing together often incomplete texts, even allowing for predictions about the origins and contexts of specific inscriptions within the Roman Empire.
“Analyzing history through inscriptions resembles solving an enormous puzzle. There are tens of thousands of them,” stated Thea Sommerschield during a media briefing at the University of Nottingham, UK. “This is everything that has endured through the centuries.”
The AI tools developed by Sommerschield and her team can identify missing characters in Latin inscriptions and indicate that they relate to the same individual or location as similarly styled inscriptions. They named the tool Aeneas, after the legendary hero reputed to have fled the fall of Troy, eventually becoming an ancestor to the Romans.
“Aeneas can help restore unknown lengths of text that are missing,” remarked Giannis Assael, co-leader of Aeneas’s development at Google DeepMind. “This versatility is beneficial for historians, particularly with heavily damaged materials.”
The team trained Aeneas using the most extensive dataset of ancient Latin texts, comprising over 176,000 inscriptions and nearly 9,000 accompanying images. This training enables Aeneas to propose missing phrases. Furthermore, when tested against a set of known inscriptions, researchers found that Aeneas could estimate inscription dates within a 13-year range and achieved a 72% accuracy rate in discerning the origins of different regions in Rome.
“Inscriptions are crucial for understanding the lives and experiences of those in the Roman Empire,” noted Charlotte Tapman, a researcher at the University of Exeter, UK, who was not directly involved in this study. “They encompass a variety of topics including law, trade, military affairs, political life, religion, death, and personal matters.”
Such AI technologies “are poised to be implemented for studying inscriptions from other eras and adapted for various languages,” according to Tupman.
In tests involving intentionally damaged inscriptions, Aeneas achieved a 73% accuracy in filling gaps of up to 10 Latin characters. However, when the total length of missing text was unknown, accuracy dropped to 58%. Nonetheless, the AI’s logic for its suggestions enables researchers to evaluate the legitimacy of its findings.
When nearly 20 historians evaluated AI-assisted restorations on intentionally damaged inscriptions, those using AI outperformed both the individual historians and the AI itself. Furthermore, historians reported that the comparative inscriptions highlighted by Aeneas served as valuable starting points for 90% of their research.
“Utilizing this technology accelerates work related to inscriptions, especially when seeking to build broader analyses of local or empire-wide patterns and epigraphic traditions,” stated Elizabeth Meyer from the University of Virginia. “However, it remains essential for human scholars to examine the results and ensure their plausibility within the given historical context.”
“Employing a generic AI model to assist in ancient historical tasks often yields unsatisfactory results,” commented Chiara Senati from the University of Vienna, Austria. “Thus, the creation of tools specifically catered to Latin epigraphy research is greatly valued.”
The ultimate vision is for historians to be able to “redirect their energies towards museums and archaeological sites,” Sommerschield shared during a press event.
Astronomers are focused on discovering planets that closely resemble Earth in size, composition, and temperature.Earth-like planets face numerous challenges in this quest. These planets are small and rocky, making them hard to detect. The current methods of planet hunting tend to favor gas giants, complicating matters. For a planet to have temperatures similar to Earth, it must orbit its host star at a similar distance, similar to Earth’s orbit around the Sun. This means it takes about a year to complete its orbit around the star. This raises an additional challenge for astronomers: locating Earth-like planets around a star requires telescopes to be dedicated to monitoring them for more than a year.
To maximize efficiency and reduce time spent on monitoring, scientists are seeking alternative methods to identify promising stars for in-depth searches before committing resources. A team of astronomers explored whether observable characteristics of planetary systems could indicate the presence of Earth-like planets. They found that the arrangement of known planets, along with their mass, radius, and proximity to their nearest star, could help predict the likelihood of Earth-like planets existing in those systems.
How effectively did the team test their approach using Machine Learning? They initiated their study by compiling a sample of planetary systems, some with Earth-like planets and some without. Since astronomers have only discovered about 5,000 stars that host orbiting planets, this sample size was too small for training machine learning models effectively. Consequently, the team generated three sets of planetary systems using a computational framework that simulates how planets form, based on the Bern model.
The Bern model initiates with 20 dust clumps, measuring around 600 meters, which is approximately 2,000 feet. These clumps help kickstart the accumulation of gas and dust into full-sized planets over a timespan of 20 million years. The planetary system evolves to a stable state over more than 10 billion years, leading to a Synthetic Planetary System that astronomers can utilize in their datasets. Using this model, they created 24,365 systems with sun-sized stars, 14,559 systems with similar stars, and 14,958 systems with different types of stars. Each group was further subdivided into those containing Earth-like planets and those without.
With these larger datasets in hand, the team utilized machine learning techniques known as Random Forest Models to categorize planetary systems based on their potential to host Earth-like planets. In a random forest setup, outputs are determined as either true or false through various components called trees that outline subsections of the entire training dataset. The team concluded that if a planetary system could host one or more Earth-like planets, the Random Forest algorithm should categorize it as “true.” They evaluated the algorithm’s accuracy using a metric known as the Precision Score.
The random forests made decisions based on specific characteristics within each synthetic planetary system. These factors included the number of planets, the presence of similar systems observed by astronomers, the system’s total planet count, and the mass and distance of planets over 100 times that of Earth, as well as the characteristics of the stars involved. The team allocated 80% of the synthetic planetary systems for training data, reserving the remaining 20% for initial testing of the completed algorithm.
The findings revealed that the random forest models accurately predicted where Earth-like planets are likely to exist with an impressive precision score of 0.99. Building on this success, they tested the model against data from 1,567 stars of similar sizes, each with at least one known orbiting planet. Out of these, 44 met the algorithm’s threshold for having Earth-like planets, suggesting that the majority of systems in this subset are stable enough to host such planets.
The team concluded that their models can effectively identify candidate stars for hosting Earth-like planets; however, they issued a caution. One concern is that the synthesis of planetary systems is time-consuming and resource-intensive, limiting the availability of training data. A more significant caution is rooted in the assumption that the Bern model accurately simulates the layered structure of planets. They urged researchers to rigorously validate their models for future theoretical work.
A stroke occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is cut off, preventing brain tissue from getting oxygen and nutrients. Strokes are the leading cause of disability in adults over the age of 55. Despite advances in medical care and rehabilitation, 35% of stroke patients still have difficulty performing daily tasks because they have trouble walking or standing. Approximately 70% of stroke patients have problems with walking, including slower walking speed, problems with coordination, and uneven stride length.
Doctors have found that these problems often occur when the pathways that spinal cord neurons use to transmit information from the brain to the body are disrupted. By applying electrical pulses to the brains of stroke patients, doctors have attempted to reactivate the neural pathways that control movement. Researchers have shown that electrical pulses to the brain can help stroke patients regain control of fine movements, but the ability to maintain basic walking patterns relies on neural pathways in the spinal cord. So a team of scientists from the US and Russia hypothesized that targeting the spinal cord could help stroke patients recover.
To test whether spinal cord electrical stimulation could help stroke patients walk again, the team attached electrodes to the skin of the patients' spinal cord. Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation or tSCS. Researchers have previously found that tSCS can help stroke patients walk more steadily and smoothly in the short term. But the team wanted to test whether tSCS could improve nerve and muscle function and help patients walk better in the long term.
To measure how tSCS affected the walking ability and muscle function of stroke patients, the researchers recruited two groups of four people each. Both groups of participants were matched for age, time since stroke, and walking speed to minimize experimental bias. All participants were over 18 years old, had experienced a stroke at least one year ago, and were able to walk without support. The researchers conducted gait training in both groups three times a week for eight weeks to improve balance and movement. The first group, called the control group, was assigned to only gait training, while the second group, called the stimulation group, was assigned to a combination of gait training and tSCS.
The researchers assessed how well each participant walked before, immediately after, and three months after walking training. The researchers measured each participant's step symmetry using two metrics: step length and stride length. They also measured participants' walking speed and the distance they walked in a six-minute period. The researchers collected this data through a combination of observation by physical therapists and direct measurements using sensor-equipped mats.
The team found that after gait training, the stimulation group's stride symmetry improved by 64%, while the control group's stride symmetry improved by only 33%. The stimulation group also had faster walking speeds and more consistent swing times than the control group. All participants in the stimulation group and one participant in the control group walked greater distances than they had before gait training, but only one participant in each group maintained this progress after three months. The researchers interpreted these changes as meaning that combining tSCS with gait training enabled stroke patients to walk faster and longer. However, they warned that patients could lose these gains if they did not continue treatment, as only gait symmetry showed a sustained improvement.
The researchers also measured changes in the participants' muscles and neurons before and after tSCS treatment and walking training. The researchers explained that the more complex and numerous a person's muscle groups are, the better they can control leg movements when walking. So they wanted to see how the patients' muscle groups work together when walking, i.e. Muscle synergy. To investigate muscle synergy, the researchers measured the activity of the leg muscles of five participants by attaching sensors to the participants' skin to detect electrical signals when the muscles contracted. The results showed that participants in the two stimulation groups had improved muscle coordination after walking and tSCS. The researchers interpreted this result as meaning that tSCS helped participants improve muscle coordination while walking.
The researchers concluded that electrical stimulation of the spinal cord allowed some stroke patients to walk better than before. However, they suggested that the effectiveness of tSCS could be improved with individualized training and customized stimulation settings to address each patient's challenges. They also suggested that studies be conducted for a longer period of time and with a larger number of participants to better understand the lasting effects of tSCS and to apply the findings to a wider range of stroke patients.
VOR NVS is located on the edge of the village of Navas del Rey in Spain
Ignacio Evangelista
These isolated structures were once vital pillars of aviation navigation, but are little known today due to their remote location. Ignacio Evangelista’s The stunning shot highlights these beacons, known as VORs (Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range Stations), and the role they play in charting routes in the skies for aircraft.
VOR CMA
Ignacio Evangelista
VORs are essentially giant antennas that send out radio signals from remote locations to help planes locate and stay on course by flying from VOR to VOR. You can think of the signals as “breadcrumbs,” Evangelista says. The separation is necessary to avoid broadcast interference between VORs.
Stations like the ones mentioned here are disappearing as they are increasingly being replaced by satellite-based GPS, but while GPS is a more accurate means of navigation, VORs provide a backup during events like solar storms and GPS interference that could wreak havoc without them, Evangelista said.
Vol Brai
Ignacio Evangelista
Their locations are public, so anyone can find the remaining VORs simply by using a GPS — “an interesting technical gyre,” in Evangelista’s words — which prompted him to document some of the more photogenic stations before they disappear forever.
Seen from above, the first two stations are in Spain: VOR NVS, located on the edge of the village of Navas del Rey, 50km from Madrid, VOR CMA, 1.5km from the village of Calamocha, and the last one, VOR BRY, located on the edge of the French village of Bray-sur-Seine.
Type 2 diabetics who have stopped taking weight loss drugs such as Ozempic or Wegovy can avoid regaining lost weight by adopting a ketogenic diet. This finding from a small study challenges the concept that people must take these drugs indefinitely to prevent unwanted weight gain.
Ozempic and Wegovy belong to a class of drugs called GLP-1 agonists, which reduce appetite and stimulate the release of insulin. These are commonly prescribed to help people with type 2 diabetes regulate their blood sugar and lose weight. However, the assumption was that people would have to continue taking the drug over a long period of time or they would regain the weight they had lost.
Shaminy Athinarayanan The woman and her colleagues at Virta Health, a US telemedicine company that treats type 2 diabetes, decided to test that assumption. Their inspiration to do so came from previous research showing that low-carbohydrate diets like the ketogenic diet help people with type 2 diabetes manage blood sugar levels and weight.
Researchers tracked the weight and blood sugar levels of 308 adults with type 2 diabetes living in the United States who received nutritional therapy at Virta Health. They were all using GLP-1 agonists at enrollment. Participants were advised to follow a ketogenic diet. They were instructed to eat less than 30 grams of carbohydrates each day, or less than 50 grams if vegan, and about 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day. They were encouraged to eat until they were full, regardless of calories. Health coaches and qualified medical professionals communicated virtually with participants as needed.
After 3 to 9 months, half of the participants stopped using the GLP-1 agonist. All participants continued on the ketogenic diet for an additional year. At this point, the researchers found no significant differences in body weight or blood sugar levels between the two groups. On average, participants who stopped taking GLP-1 agonists gained only about 1 kg. In contrast, those who continued taking the drug gained about 2 kg. Most participants in both groups had blood sugar levels below the diagnostic criteria for diabetes.
“This study suggests that continued use of GLP-1 agonists is not necessary for many people if: [they] Appropriate intervention is required,” says Athinarayanan. “You can stop. [these medications] Maintain weight and blood sugar levels safely and effectively. ”
It says this could be helpful for people who can’t take the drug due to shortages or side effects. priya jaisinghani At New York University Langone Health. But she says people should talk to their doctor before starting a low-carb diet, as there can be risks, especially for people with underlying health conditions like kidney disease or eating disorders. He also noted that the study was sponsored by Virta Health and had a small number of participants. So “this is not the be all and end all,” Jaisinghani said. “But it shows the difference that diet makes.”
Are hearing aids really worth the investment? Recent research suggests that they may be more beneficial than previously thought. In fact, a new study indicates that using hearing aids can decrease the risk of premature death by about 25%. Despite this, a large portion of adults with hearing loss in the US and UK do not use hearing aids, even though they could greatly benefit from them.
Researchers at the University of South Carolina conducted the study and are hoping that their findings will encourage more people with hearing loss to utilize hearing aids. Dr. Janet Choi, the study’s principal investigator, stated that the results are particularly interesting as they point to the possibility that hearing aids can contribute to overall health and longevity.
The study, which was published in the Lancet Health and Longevity journal and involved 10,000 participants, found that regular users of hearing aids had a considerably lower risk of death compared to non-users. The research also suggested that consistent use of hearing aids, rather than occasional use, was key to reaping the benefits for longevity.
This research indicates that hearing aids can lead to improved mental health and cognitive function, ultimately contributing to a longer and healthier life. Interestingly, the study found that factors such as degree of hearing loss, age, ethnicity, and income did not impact the benefits of hearing aids on lifespan.
These findings suggest that the benefits of using hearing aids go beyond improved hearing and may actually play a crucial role in promoting overall health and well-being.
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