Category Biology/Biotechnology

Exercise slows tumor growth in mice by shifting glucose uptake to muscles

mice run wheel
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

It’s well known that exercise is good for health and helps to prevent serious diseases, like cancer and heart disease, along with simply making people feel better overall. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for preventing cancer or slowing its progression are not well understood. But, a new study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reveals how exercise can increase glucose and oxygen uptake in the skeletal and cardiac muscles, instead of allowing it to “feed” tumors.

Reduced tumor growth in exercised mice
To study how exercise-induced metabolic changes affect tumor growth, the research team injected mice with breast cancer cells and fed some of the mice a high-fat diet (HFD), consisting of 60% calories from ...

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Psoriasis rates rise globally, with highest burden in wealthier regions

Psoriasis
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Researchers in China report that global incidence rates of psoriasis rose slightly from 1990 to 2021 and are projected to continue rising for both men and women through 2050.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that continues to impose a growing global burden. Understanding the rate of increase is critical for informing public health strategies, improving health care access, and supporting early diagnosis worldwide.

In the study, “Global Psoriasis Burden and Forecasts to 2050,” published as a Research Letter in JAMA Dermatology, researchers used a time-series forecasting analysis to project global psoriasis incidence through 2050 and to address age, sex, and regional differences in burden.

Analyses included age-standardized incide...

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The ‘Miracle Mineral Solution’—amazing cure or toxic illusion?

MMS – miracle cure or toxic illusion?

Miracle Mineral Solution, also known as MMS, has been marketed for years as a purported miracle cure for various conditions, including cancer, autism, and COVID-19. MMS is the marketing name for sodium chlorite (NaClOâ‚‚), a powerful disinfectant used, among other things, for water treatment. When sodium chlorite is acidified, chlorine dioxide (ClOâ‚‚) is formed. Its consumption can be hazardous to health.

A team of scientists from Wroclaw Medical University decided to investigate this.

In a study published in Scientific Reports, they analyzed the effects of acidified sodium chlorite (ASC), from which ClOâ‚‚ is produced.

Study methods and findings
Two versions of the preparation were tested—ASC1 (acidified with hydrochloric acid) and ASC2 (with gluconic acid)—on various strain...

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Helping to grow plants in space for NASA missions to the moon and mars

Helping to grow plants in space for NASA missions to the Moon and Mars
Credit: NASA/Norishige Kanai

Imagine biting into a crisp, garden-fresh salad and savoring juicy strawberries for dessert. But instead of your backyard, you’re gazing out at a stark lunar landscape, Earth hanging like a precious blue marble in the inky sky.

Sound like far-fetched sci-fi? Think again.

This cosmic cuisine scenario is fast becoming our reality, thanks to research led by University of Melbourne scientists belonging to the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space (P4S, 2024-2030), in partnership with NASA and other space scientists.

A global dream team of over 40 scientists in 11 countries and seven space agencies have united to produce a roadmap for plant science breakthroughs crucial for long-term human life on the moon and Mars.

And...

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