All posts tagged: Disease

When Salvador Dalí Created a Chilling Anti-Venereal Disease Poster During World War II

When Salvador Dalí Created a Chilling Anti-Venereal Disease Poster During World War II

Published by José

As a New York City sub­way rid­er, I am con­stant­ly exposed to pub­lic health posters. More often than not these fea­ture a pho­to of a whole­some-look­ing teen whose sober expres­sion is meant to con­vey hind­sight regret at hav­ing tak­en up drugs, dropped out of school, or for­gone con­doms. They’re well-intend­ed, but bor­ing. I can’t imag­ine I’d feel dif­fer­ent­ly were I a mem­ber of the tar­get demo­graph­ic. The Chelsea Mini Stor­age ads’ saucy region­al humor is far more enter­tain­ing, as is the train wreck design approach favored by the ubiq­ui­tous Dr. Jonathan Ziz­mor.  Pub­lic health posters were able to con­vey their des­ig­nat­ed hor­rors far more mem­o­rably before pho­tos became the graph­i­cal norm. Take Sal­vador Dalí’s sketch (below) and final con­tri­bu­tion (top) to the WWII-era anti-vene­re­al dis­ease cam­paign. Which image would cause you to steer clear of the red light dis­trict, were you a young sol­dier on the make? A por­trait of a glum fel­low sol­dier (“If I’d only known then…”)? Or a grin­ning green death’s head, whose chop­pers dou­ble as the frankly exposed thighs of two face­less, …

Alzheimer’s disease study identifies brain cells at higher risk of tau protein damage

Alzheimer’s disease study identifies brain cells at higher risk of tau protein damage

Published by José

Scientists have developed a powerful new tool to map different types of cells throughout the brain. Using this technique, researchers have discovered that specific brain cells crucial for memory, located in a region called the hippocampus, are especially susceptible to the protein buildup that characterizes Alzheimer’s disease. This finding, published in Nature Communications Biology, helps explain why Alzheimer’s disease damages memory so severely and opens new avenues for targeted treatments. Alzheimer’s disease is a devastating brain disorder that progressively erodes memory and thinking abilities, and currently has no cure. A major characteristic of Alzheimer’s is the accumulation of a protein called tau within brain cells. This buildup is thought to disrupt normal cell function and contribute to the widespread brain damage seen in the disease. Scientists have long observed that Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t affect the brain uniformly; some regions are hit harder and earlier than others. Understanding why some brain areas are more vulnerable than others is a significant question in Alzheimer’s research. Researchers from The University of Texas at Arlington and the University of …

Gene Hackman’s wife died from rare infectious disease around a week before actor’s death, medical investigator says | US News

Gene Hackman’s wife died from rare infectious disease around a week before actor’s death, medical investigator says | US News

Published by skeptic

Gene Hackman’s wife died from rare infectious disease around a week before the actor died, medical investigators have said. The couple were found dead in their New Mexico home on 26 February, along with one of their pet dogs. Police have previously said there were no apparent signs of foul play. At a press conference on Friday, chief medical investigator for New Mexico, doctor Heather Jarrell, gave an update on the results of post-mortem investigations carried out following their deaths. Doctor Jarrell said Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare infectious disease. There were no signs of trauma and the death was a result of natural causes, she said. Image: Actor Gene Hackman with his wife, Betsy Arakawa, pictured in 2003. Pic: AP The doctor said Arakawa likely died on 11 February, the date she was last known to have communicated with people via email. She said Hackman had advanced Alzheimer’s and died from heart disease, with data from his pacemaker last registering on 18 February. Due to his Alzheimer’s, “it’s …

Hearing impairment linked to Parkinson’s disease risk

Hearing impairment linked to Parkinson’s disease risk

Published by skeptic

Hearing impairment has emerged as a potential risk factor for Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that primarily manifests with motor impairments like tremors, rigidity, and bradykinesia. While Parkinson’s is often recognized for these motor symptoms, non-motor symptoms—such as sleep disturbances, depression, and cognitive decline—frequently precede the motor signs by several years. Understanding the potential early indicators of Parkinson’s is critical for improving diagnosis and care. Research led by Lancaster University and published in the journal, Parkinsonism & Related Disorders, sheds light on the possible connection between hearing loss and Parkinson’s. A study analyzing data from the UK Biobank, a biomedical database with information from over half a million participants, investigated whether hearing impairment measured through a speech-in-noise test could be an early warning sign or risk factor for Parkinson’s. The analysis included 159,395 individuals free from Parkinson’s at baseline, who underwent a Digit Triplet Test (DTT) to measure speech reception in noisy environments. Activity declines over time in different brain areas for people with Parkinson’s disease and 2 related syndromes. (CREDIT: National Institutes of …

Computer models are vital for studying everything from climate change to disease – here’s how AI could make them even better

Computer models are vital for studying everything from climate change to disease – here’s how AI could make them even better

Published by skeptic

Here’s one definition of science: it’s essentially an iterative process of building models with ever-greater explanatory power. A model is just an approximation or simplification of how we think the world works. In the past, these models could be very simple, as simple in fact as a mathematical formula. But over time, they have evolved and scientists have built increasingly sophisticated simulations of the world as new data has become available. A computer model of the Earth’s climate can show us temperatures will rise as we continue to release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Models can also predict how infectious disease will spread in a population, for example. Computer models can be rejected if experimental evidence does not support them. So there’s a kind of arms race to keep models competitive as new data appears. And the revolution occurring in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) could make these vital tools even better. Take weather and climate forecasting. The numerical models used to predict weather are large, complex and demanding in terms of the amount …

Detective dog sniffs out tree disease in the UK for first time | UK News

Detective dog sniffs out tree disease in the UK for first time | UK News

Published by skeptic

Dogs have been used to successfully identify tree diseases in the UK for the first time – proving pooches aren’t just a man’s best friend. Ivor, a six-year-old cocker spaniel-labrador cross, has been trained to identify a highly destructive and deadly pathogen which is dangerous to more than 150 plant species. The phytophthora ramorum organism can cause extensive damage and even death to plants, including larch trees, which are important for timber. Ivor’s detective training from Canine Assisted Pest Eradication included techniques such as initial scent recognition. He aced the first test by successfully identifying the pathogen in soil, plant material and sterile distilled water. The next phases included the introduction of new working environments and Ivor was able to distinguish phytophthora ramorum from other types of phytophthora. In the trials, led by Forest Research, Ivor achieved an 89% first-time detection rate. Dr Heather Dun, a forest research pathologist at the organisation, said the results of the trials are “hugely encouraging… and highlight the huge potential of dogs in our fight against pests and diseases”. …

Marburg virus: All your questions about the deadly disease outbreak answered

Marburg virus: All your questions about the deadly disease outbreak answered

Published by skeptic

A scanning electron micrograph of Marburg virus particles NIAID Rwanda is facing its first ever Marburg virus outbreak. Beginning in late September, 62 cases and 15 deaths had been reported by 17 October, mostly among healthcare workers in Kigali, the capital city. More than 800 contacts of infected people have been followed up in an effort to catch infections early and prevent further transmission, two of whom travelled to Belgium and Germany but were given the all-clear. As of October 21, no new cases or deaths had been reported in six days, but the threat of the outbreak hasn’t gone away. What is Marburg virus and what are its symptoms? Marburg virus is from the same family of viruses as those that cause Ebola, which are “among the most lethal pathogens known to infect humans”, according to a perspective article in The New England Journal of Medicine. They can cause similar symptoms, such as fever, chills and headache, as well as muscle aches and pains. Within a few days, people may develop a rash on …

NFL legend Brett Favre reveals he has Parkinson’s disease

NFL legend Brett Favre reveals he has Parkinson’s disease

Published by skeptic

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Retired NFL legend Brett Favre revealed he’s been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in a shocking address to Congress as he testified about a welfare misspending scandal on Tuesday. The former quarterback, 54, disclosed the diagnosis as he testified before the House Ways and Means Committee during a hearing on welfare reform. Favre, who has never been criminally charged, was accused in a civil lawsuit of misusing funds from Mississippi’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and receiving $1.1 million, which he has since returned, for motivational speeches that he never gave. In an admission to the court, Favre said: “Sadly, I also lost an investment in a company that I believed was developing a breakthrough concussion drug I thought would help others, and I’m sure you’ll understand why it’s too late for me because I’ve recently been diagnosed with …

Alzheimer’s Could Be A White Matter Disease, Not Gray

Alzheimer’s Could Be A White Matter Disease, Not Gray

Published by skeptic

Authored by RJ Tesi via RealClearScience, Alzheimer’s disease (Alzheimer’s) is conceptualized as a progressive consequence of two hallmark pathological changes in gray matter, in particular, extracellular amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. However, over the past several years, neuroimaging studies have implicated micro and microstructural abnormalities in white matter in the risk and progression of Alzheimer’s, suggesting that in addition to the neuronal pathology characteristic of the disease, white matter degeneration and demyelination are crucial features of patients living with the disease. A shift to focus on white matter abnormalities, rather than gray matter, can open up critical new avenues in Alzheimer’s pathology and could be potential treatment targets.  White matter vs. gray matter  The brain’s gray matter is mainly composed of neuronal cell bodies. Nerve cells in the gray matter are where memories are stored. Networks of nerve cell bodies process information in the brain. These neuronal networks are necessary for thinking, speaking, and most activities. White matter is made up of myelinated axons.  White matter disease is the degeneration of tissue in the largest and …

Scientists discover some brain cells age faster, contributing to Alzheimer’s disease

Scientists discover some brain cells age faster, contributing to Alzheimer’s disease

Published by José

Researchers at the University of California San Diego have made a significant discovery about the aging process of brain cells, revealing that some brain cells age faster than others. They found that these rapidly aging cells are more abundant in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, the study uncovered differences in how brain cells age between men and women, with female brains showing a higher proportion of “old” oligodendrocytes—cells that provide support to neurons—compared to men. These findings not only offer new insights into the cellular mechanisms behind Alzheimer’s disease but also suggest that women may be at a higher risk for certain neurodegenerative disorders due to these cellular differences. The motivation behind this research, published in the journal Nature, stemmed from a long-standing question in neuroscience: why do some brain cells deteriorate faster than others, particularly in the context of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s? The research team, led by Sheng Zhong, aimed to explore the molecular mechanisms that drive the aging process within individual brain cells. Understanding these mechanisms could provide critical clues for developing …