Category Health/Medical

Georgios Tsiminis in his photonics laboratory. Credit: University of Adelaide

A 1st step towards a low-cost, portable, broadscale vitamin B12 deficiency test has been developed. Vitamin B12 deficiency is associated with an increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Such a device would enable the tracking of vitamin B12 levels in high-risk patients and early intervention – to top up vitamin B12 levels when low – and help overcome the limitations of current testing methods which are time-consuming and costly.

“Vitamin B12 deficiency has been shown to be a potential modifiable risk factor for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and is associated with cognitive decline,” says Dr Georgios Tsiminis, Research Fellow at the University of Adelaide...

The wearable sensor uses a method called iontophoresis to induce perspiration. The unit then measures the alcohol content and sends it to the user’s cell phone. Credit: American Chemical Society

Engineers funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) have developed a small monitoring device, worn on the skin, that detects alcohol levels in perspiration. It was designed as a convenient method for individuals to monitor alcohol intake, which could help reduce unsafe drinking that can lead to vehicle crashes, violence, and the degeneration of health.

Seila Selimovic, Ph.D., director of the NIBIB Program in Tissue Chips, explains the new technology...

Highlights •Mitochondrial dysfunction and defective mitophagy shown in A-T animal models •A-T laboratory animal models exhibit NAD+ depletion and impaired SIRT1 activity •NAD+ replenishment improves lifespan and healthspan in ATM− worms and mice •NAD+ ameliorates A-T phenotypes through upregulation of mitophagy and DNA repair

The coenzyme NAD+ plays a main role in aging processes. In mice and roundworm adding the substance can both extend life and postpone the onset of aging processes. New research conducted at the Center for Healthy Aging and the American National Institute of Health shows that this new knowledge will eventually be able to help patients with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

An international team of researchers from the Center for Healthy Aging at the Univers...

Soy protein isolate (SPI) may be one such dietary factor that promotes bone accretion during early life with persistent effects into adulthood.

Move over milk, soy protein early in life might be what’s needed for strong, healthy bones in adulthood. New research, published online in The FASEB Journal, reports that early dietary nutrition heavy in soy protein isolate can protect against serious bone loss during adulthood. This also is the first time that scientists have used an animal model to show concrete evidence of a protective effect of an early-life soy protein isolate diet on adult bone loss.

“Appropriate early-life nutrition can optimize peak bone mass,” said Jin-Ran Chen, M.D., Ph.D...