Gut Microbes may talk to the Brain through Cortisol

Serum cortisol fully mediates the relationship between fecal Ruminococcus and MRS-derived brain N-acetylaspartate. First, fecal Ruminococcus negatively predicted MRS-derived brain NAA concentrations (path A). Second, fecal Ruminococcus negatively predicted serum cortisol concentrations (path B). Third, mediation effects were assessed for serum cortisol concentrations. The indirect effect (i.e., the effect of fecal Ruminococcus through serum cortisol on MRS-derived brain NAA; path B × C) was significant, and the direct effect (path A’) was not significant. Thus, serum cortisol fully mediates the relationship between fecal Ruminococcus and MRS-derived brain NAA. Abbreviation: N-acetylaspartate (NAA).

Serum cortisol fully mediates the relationship between fecal Ruminococcus and MRS-derived brain N-acetylaspartate. First, fecal Ruminococcus negatively predicted MRS-derived brain NAA concentrations (path A). Second, fecal Ruminococcus negatively predicted serum cortisol concentrations (path B). Third, mediation effects were assessed for serum cortisol concentrations. The indirect effect (i.e., the effect of fecal Ruminococcus through serum cortisol on MRS-derived brain NAA; path B × C) was significant, and the direct effect (path A’) was not significant. Thus, serum cortisol fully mediates the relationship between fecal Ruminococcus and MRS-derived brain NAA. Abbreviation: N-acetylaspartate (NAA).

Recent studies show microbes can influence human health, behavior, and certain neurologic...

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Spaser can detect, Kill Circulating Tumor Cells to prevent Cancer Metastases, study finds

(a) Schematic of spaser as multimodal cellular nanoprobe. (b) Comparison of emission in suspensions of uranine spaser at 528 m (green peak; pump energy fluence 70 mJ cm−2), fluorescein spaser (magenta peak), QD with maximum at 576 nm (inset, red peak) and GNRs (right) with silica shell doped with DCM. TEM images shows 22-nm spaser (left inset) and GNRs (right inset).

Spacer Parameters (a) Schematic of spaser as multimodal cellular nanoprobe. (b) Comparison of emission in suspensions of uranine spaser at 528 m (green peak; pump energy fluence 70 mJ cm−2), fluorescein spaser (magenta peak), QD with maximum at 576 nm (inset, red peak) and GNRs (right) with silica shell doped with DCM. TEM images shows 22-nm spaser (left inset) and GNRs (right inset).

A nanolaser known as the spaser can serve as a super-bright, water-soluble, biocompatible probe capable of finding metastasized cancer cells in the blood stream and then killing these cells, according to a new research study...

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Physicists Resolve Long-Standing Mystery of Structure-Less Transition

Electron density distribution of the frontier orbital of a TMTTF molecule. Electrons of the constituent atoms of the molecule can be considered as either core electrons, which have no interactions with the surroundings, or electrons of frontier orbitals, which determine many physical properties of the molecule. We succeeded in visualizing the frontier molecular orbital distribution of a TMTTF by precise structural analysis using a core differential Fourier synthesis (CDFS) method. Credit: Shunsuke Kitou

Electron density distribution of the frontier orbital of a TMTTF molecule. Electrons of the constituent atoms of the molecule can be considered as either core electrons, which have no interactions with the surroundings, or electrons of frontier orbitals, which determine many physical properties of the molecule. We succeeded in visualizing the frontier molecular orbital distribution of a TMTTF by precise structural analysis using a core differential Fourier synthesis (CDFS) method. Credit: Shunsuke Kitou

Researchers probe a mysterious phase transition in an organic molecular conductor using synchrotron X-ray radiation. We normally associate conduction of electricity with metals. However, some of the high measured conductivities are found in certain organic molecular crystals...

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‘Electronic Skin’ takes Wearable Health Monitors to the next level

A research team led by Professor Kyung-In Jang of Robotics Engineering collects, analyzes, and diagnoses bio-signals wirelessly transmitted to mobile application from the soft electronic skin. Credit: DGIST

A research team led by Professor Kyung-In Jang of Robotics Engineering collects, analyzes, and diagnoses bio-signals wirelessly transmitted to mobile application from the soft electronic skin. Credit: DGIST

A soft, stick-on patch collects, analyzes and wirelessly transmits a variety of health metrics from the body to a smartphone. A new, electronic skin microsystem tracks heart rate, respiration, muscle movement and other health data, and wirelessly transmits it to a smartphone. The electronic skin offers several improvements over existing trackers, including greater flexibility, smaller size, and the ability to stick the self-adhesive patch – which is a very soft silicone about 4cm (1.5 inches) in diameter – just about anywhere on the body..

The electronic skin contains about 50 component...

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