Category Health/Medical

Biofilms composed of Streptococcus mutans–a common cause of tooth decay–were much easier to remove when grown on a newly developed dental material (right image), which has an antimicrobial agent within it, compared to a control material.

Dentists rely on composite materials to perform restorative procedures, eg. filling cavities. Yet these materials, like tooth enamel, can be vulnerable to the growth of plaque, the sticky biofilm that leads to tooth decay. Researchers have evaluated a new dental material tethered with an antimicrobial compound that can not only kill bacteria but can also resist biofilm growth...

Saturated fatty acids build lipids that form ‘frozen islands’ (blue) in cell membrane (green). Credit: Nicoletta Barolini, Columbia University

Observations of saturated and unsaturated fatty acid behavior could impact public health. Researchers have developed a new microscopy technique that allows for the direct tracking of fatty acids after they’ve been absorbed into living cells. What they found using this technique could have significant impact on both the understanding and treatment of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

A new fad diet seems to pop up every few years. Atkins, Zone, Ketogenic, Vegetarian, Vegan, South Beach, Raw – with so many choices and scientific evidence to back each, it’s hard to know what’s healthy and what’s not...

X-ray of female chest with cancer (Photo: Colourbox)

A new vaccine technique can fight a certain type of breast cancer in mice. HER2-positive breast cancer accounts for between 20 and 30% of all cases of breast cancer in humans. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the University of Bologna now show that the same type of cancer can be fought in mice with help of their new vaccine.

In cases of breast cancer, the immune system has difficulties distinguishing between cancer cells and healthy cells. Therefore, it normally does not launch a protective immune response that can prevent cancer cells from growing and spreading...

This is a size comparison between 3-D printed prosthesis implant and a penny. Credit: Radiological Society of North America

Researchers using CT scans and 3D printing have created accurate, custom-designed prosthetic replacements for damaged parts of the middle ear, according to a study being presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). The technique has the potential to improve a surgical procedure that often fails because of incorrectly sized prosthetic implants, researchers said. Hearing works partly through the transmission of vibrations from the ear drum to the cochlea, the sensory organ of hearing, via 3 tiny bones in the middle ear known as ossicles...