Study: Smartphone addiction creates imbalance in brain
Reading Time: 2 minutesRESEARCHERS have found an imbalance in the brain chemistry of young people addicted to smartphones and the internet, according to a study presented recently at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). According to a recent Pew Research Center study, 46 percent of Americans say they could not live without their […]
sKan-ning skin cancer earlier and cheaper
Reading Time: 3 minutesBY SHAWN KENG IT started as a final year engineering project. A team of four Canadian graduate students at McMaster University in Canada developed a simple yet practical skin cancer sensor. This prototype device named “sKan” differentiates a harmless skin spot and a cancerous pigment on your skin. This prototype has huge potential to help […]
S’pore scientists in major breakthrough
Reading Time: 3 minutesProgress achieved in treating fibrotic diseases RESEARCHERS from Duke-NUS Medical School (Duke-NUS) and the National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS) have discovered that a critical protein, known as interleukin 11 (IL11) is responsible for fibrosis and causes organ damage. While it is surprising that the importance of IL11 has been overlooked and misunderstood for so long, […]
S’pore University develops microfibre sensor for healthcare
Reading Time: 4 minutesA RESEARCH team from National University of Singapore (NUS) has developed a soft, flexible and stretchable microfibre sensor for real-time healthcare monitoring and diagnosis. The novel sensor is highly sensitive and ultra-thin with a diameter of a strand of human hair. It is also simple and cost-effective to mass produce. Wearable and flexible technology has […]
Paraplegic rats walk, regain feeling after human stem cell treatment
Reading Time: 2 minutesENGINEERED tissue containing human stem cells has allowed paraplegic rats to walk independently and regain sensory perception. The implanted rats also show some degree of healing in their spinal cords. The research, published in Frontiers in Neuroscience, demonstrates the great potential of stem cells — undifferentiated cells that can develop into numerous different types of […]
Why is burnt meat potentially carcinogenic?
Reading Time: < 1 minuteDO you love barbequed meat? Or perhaps the smoky flavour of charred meat? Well, according to the National Cancer Institute in the USA, heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are chemicals formed when muscle meat, including beef, pork, fish, or poultry, is cooked using high-temperature methods, such as pan frying or grilling directly […]
How does water exist inside a coconut?
Reading Time: < 1 minuteWATER absorbed by the root system flows against gravity through the capillaries to the nut. Freshwater that gets accumulated in coconut is actually ‘endosperm’ or the food or nourishment for the coconut’s growth. Nourishing endosperm is in the liquid form in the initial stage of the green coconut. After some weeks the liquid form starts […]
What happens when you stare at the solar eclipse?
Reading Time: < 1 minuteTHERE are no pain receptors to inform your brain that the retinas are being fried. It is more likely to that many of us are overreacting to standard aches and pains after watching the eclipse despite the warnings. The real sign of retinal damage shows up around 12 hours later, where you woke up with […]
Why food left out for too long be dangerous for consumption?
Reading Time: < 1 minuteSOMETIMES we accidentally leave out food for a while in the open while we go about our work. While the uncovered food in itself poses some health risks (flies, other creepy crawlies and such that might decide to crawl into our food), it is really the microorganisms in the food that we should be worried […]
What is the difference between a migraine and a headache?
Reading Time: < 1 minuteDIFFERENTIATING a migraine headache from a traditional headache, and vice versa is important. It can mean faster relief through better treatments. Headaches are unpleasant pains in your head that can cause pressure and ache. The pain can range from mild to severe, and they usually occur on both sides of your head. Some specific areas […]