Category Biology/Biotechnology

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...

Read More

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...

Read More

Metabolites produced in intestine play central role in controlling obesity and diabetes, study shows

Metabolites produced in the intestine play a central role in controlling obesity and diabetes
Diagram summarizing the experiments, which analyzed metabolites present in the peripheral blood and hepatic portal vein of mice with different genetic histories of susceptibility to metabolic diseases after receiving a high-fat diet. Credit: Vitor Muñoz/EEFERP-USP

A study conducted at Harvard University identified a group of metabolites that travel from the intestine to the liver and then to the heart, where they are pumped throughout the body. These metabolites play an important role in controlling metabolic pathways in the liver and insulin sensitivity. This discovery may contribute to future treatments for obesity and type 2 diabetes. The results were published in the journal Cell Metabolism.

“The hepatic portal vein drains much of the blood from the intestine to the liver...

Read More

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...

Read More