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Is sitting always bad for your mind? A new study suggests maybe not

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It’s generally accepted health advice that adults of all ages should sit less, move more, and engage in regular exercise to feel better and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

However, when it comes to the brain and cognition, a new study of older adults from Colorado State University suggests that some sedentariness isn’t all bad, so long as basic physical activity benchmarks are being met.

The research, from Assistant Professor Aga Burzynska in the CSU Department of Human Development and Family Studies, examined the association between sensor-measured physical activity and cognitive performance in a sample of 228 healthy older adults, aged 60 to 80. [Read more…] about Is sitting always bad for your mind? A new study suggests maybe not

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  • Program to improve outcomes for surgery for older patients shows promise
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    Program to improve outcomes for surgery for older patients shows promisePeople age 65 years and older account for 40 percent of inpatient operations and one-third of outpatient procedures, and these older patients are more vulnerable to longer hospital stays and other complications after surgery than younger patients. A beta test of a program for older adults who undergo major surgery…
    Tags: older, adults, study, news, health
  • High intensity training best for older people
    31
    High intensity training best for older people"First of all, I have to say that exercise in general seems to be good for the health of the elderly. And our study results show that on top of that, training regularly at high intensity has an extra positive effect," says Dorthe Stensvold. Stensvold is a professor in the…
    Tags: study, participants, people, exercise, health

Ultrasound technique offers more precise, quantified assessments of lung health

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Researchers from North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina have developed a technique that uses ultrasound to provide non-invasive assessments of pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary edema. The technique has been shown to both quantify lung scarring and detect lung fluid in rats. A study on pulmonary edema in humans is under way.

The new ultrasound technique is significant because it would allow healthcare providers to determine how effective medical interventions are at reducing lung scarring (pulmonary fibrosis) or fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema).

“Assessing the extent of fibrosis in the lung currently requires computerized tomography (CT) scans, and sophisticated pulmonary function tests,” says Marie Muller, co-senior author of the study and an associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at NC State. “Both aspects of the assessment present challenges. [Read more…] about Ultrasound technique offers more precise, quantified assessments of lung health

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  • Making health care more personal
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    Making health care more personalThe health care system today largely focuses on helping people after they have problems. When they do receive treatment, it’s based on what has worked best on average across a huge, diverse group of patients. Now the company Health at Scale is making health care more proactive and personalized –…
    Tags: health, patients

Experiences of loneliness may differ by age

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Loneliness in adult life is experienced differently depending on age, according to a study published in the open access journal BMC Public Health.  

The research concludes that there can be no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to reducing loneliness, as factors associated with it, such as contact with friends and family, perceived health or employment, may differ across the phases of the adult life span.

Thanée Franssen, the corresponding author said: “The majority of studies focusing on loneliness have thus far been performed among specific age groups, such as the elderly or teenagers, or individuals with specific health conditions. To our knowledge, none of these studied the factors associated with loneliness among adults and how these change as people age.” [Read more…] about Experiences of loneliness may differ by age

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  • Which is more creative, the arts or the sciences?
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    Which is more creative, the arts or the sciences?International expert in creativity and innovation, UniSA's Professor David Cropley, is calling for Australian schools and universities to increase their emphasis on teaching creativity, as new research shows it is a core competency across all disciplines and critical for ensuring future job success. Conducted in partnership with visiting PhD researcher…
    Tags: life
  • Why some friends make you feel more supported than others
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    Why some friends make you feel more supported than othersIt's good to have friends and family to back you up when you need it – but it's even better if your supporters are close with each other too, a new set of studies suggests. Researchers found that people perceived they had more support from a group of friends or…
    Tags: features, life
  • To protect nature's benefits, focus on people
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    To protect nature's benefits, focus on peopleTo calculate the true value of a forest, we need to know how people benefit from it, according to new research published in Nature Sustainability. A healthy forest holds a treasure trove of benefits for people – it can filter water for downstream communities, supply timber for building, and provide a…
    Tags: features, life

Relaxed through pregnancy, better stress management is beneficial to newborns

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A group of researchers from Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin have been able to show that maternal psychological wellbeing during pregnancy has a positive effect on newborn infants.

Increased telomere length suggests a reduced rate of cell aging, which could have an effect on children’s future health. Results from this study have been published in the American Journal of Psychiatry*.

A variety of pregnancy-related factors can have an impact on child development. Until now, researchers had primarily focused on the negative effects of stress, excess weight and poor nutrition – and how these might affect, say, placental function, premature birth and children’s general health. [Read more…] about Relaxed through pregnancy, better stress management is beneficial to newborns

Soils mission will unite farmers and researchers to end degradation and restore fertility

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Soil is an abundant yet underrated asset that is rapidly degrading. Now Europe wants to save this neglected resource, with the upcoming Horizon Europe mission aiming for a 100 per cent increase in healthy soils by 2030.

The mission is one of Europe’s five research ‘moonshots’ set to launch in 2021. It is “maybe the most difficult one,” said Teresa Pinto Correia, professor at the University of Évora. “Other [missions] are on topics which people know about.”

Pinto Correia is one of fifteen members of the soils mission board that is drawing up plans for the mission in the EU’s next research programme, Horizon Europe. [Read more…] about Soils mission will unite farmers and researchers to end degradation and restore fertility

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  • Making health care more personal
    34
    Making health care more personalThe health care system today largely focuses on helping people after they have problems. When they do receive treatment, it’s based on what has worked best on average across a huge, diverse group of patients. Now the company Health at Scale is making health care more proactive and personalized –…
    Tags: health, people

Making health care more personal

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The health care system today largely focuses on helping people after they have problems. When they do receive treatment, it’s based on what has worked best on average across a huge, diverse group of patients.

Now the company Health at Scale is making health care more proactive and personalized – and, true to its name, it’s doing so for millions of people.

Health at Scale uses a new approach for making care recommendations based on new classes of machine-learning models that work even when only small amounts of data on individual patients, providers, and treatments are available. [Read more…] about Making health care more personal

Related Posts

  • High intensity training best for older people
    38
    High intensity training best for older people"First of all, I have to say that exercise in general seems to be good for the health of the elderly. And our study results show that on top of that, training regularly at high intensity has an extra positive effect," says Dorthe Stensvold. Stensvold is a professor in the…
    Tags: people, health
  • Soils mission will unite farmers and researchers to end degradation and restore fertility
    34
    Soils mission will unite farmers and researchers to end degradation and restore fertilitySoil is an abundant yet underrated asset that is rapidly degrading. Now Europe wants to save this neglected resource, with the upcoming Horizon Europe mission aiming for a 100 per cent increase in healthy soils by 2030. The mission is one of Europe’s five research ‘moonshots’ set to launch in…
    Tags: health, people
  • Program to improve outcomes for surgery for older patients shows promise
    32
    Program to improve outcomes for surgery for older patients shows promisePeople age 65 years and older account for 40 percent of inpatient operations and one-third of outpatient procedures, and these older patients are more vulnerable to longer hospital stays and other complications after surgery than younger patients. A beta test of a program for older adults who undergo major surgery…
    Tags: patients, care, health
  • Ultrasound technique offers more precise, quantified assessments of lung health
    30
    Ultrasound technique offers more precise, quantified assessments of lung healthResearchers from North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina have developed a technique that uses ultrasound to provide non-invasive assessments of pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary edema. The technique has been shown to both quantify lung scarring and detect lung fluid in rats. A study on pulmonary edema…
    Tags: patients, health