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Researchers Use Computers and ‘Exoskeletons’ to Help Stroke Survivors

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Stroke survivor Ken Allsford focused intensely on how he wanted to bend his elbow. And then the robot exoskeleton attached to his left arm obeyed his unspoken command, moving his crippled limb. “It was a combination of exciting and trepidation, because sometimes nothing would happen,” Allsford, 61, of Katy, Texas, recalled. “But when you actually see it move without actually making the moves yourself, that’s very exciting.” The experiment with Allsford was part of an ongoing project to see if such a brain-machine interface can help improve the rehabilitation of stroke patients. Ten stroke patients had clinically significant improvements in their arm movement after more than a dozen therapy sessions with a robot exoskeleton powered by their own brains, researchers reported recently in the journal NeuroImage: Clinical. “We found that there was an improvement in 80% of the participants,” said senior researcher Jose Contreras-Vidal, director of the Non-Invasive Brain Machine Interface Systems Laboratory at the University of Houston. Most patients retained their improved function for at least two months after therapy ended, suggesting the potential for long-lasting gains, he added. Physical therapists often help stroke patients overcome paralysis by manually moving the person’s limbs again and again, with the hope that the brain will rewire itself to restore control over the arm or leg, Contreras-Vidal said. This type of therapy has started to rely on…  read on >  read on >

Omega-3s From Fish Might Curb Asthma in Kids, But Genes Matter

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Consuming greater amounts of certain omega-3 fatty acids found in fish may reduce the risk of asthma in kids — but only those with a common gene variant, British researchers say. They focused on the long chain omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are known to have anti-inflammatory properties. “Asthma is the most common chronic condition in childhood and we currently don’t know how to prevent it,” said study senior author Seif Shaheen, of Queen Mary University of London. “It is possible that a poor diet may increase the risk of developing asthma, but until now most studies have taken ‘snapshots’, measuring diet and asthma over a short period of time,” he said in a university news release. To find out if intake of omega-3s might matter, the researchers analyzed data on more than 4,500 Britons who were born in the 1990s and whose health has been tracked since birth. The researchers analyzed the association between intake of EPA and DHA from fish at 7 years of age and rates of newly diagnosed asthma in these kids as they reached 11 to 14 years of age. Overall, omega-3 intake from fish was not associated with asthma onset. But it did seem tied to a lower odds for asthma in a subgroup of children with a particular genetic makeup. The DNA…  read on >  read on >

No Gym Required: How Seniors Can Exercise During Lockdown

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s crucial for homebound older adults to find safe and effective ways to exercise, an expert says. At-home workouts can help strengthen muscles, improve balance, increase blood flow to the heart, boost the immune system and reduce stress, according to Summer Cook, an associate professor of kinesiology and an expert on senior fitness at the University of New Hampshire, in Durham. “People in their 20s and 30s often set health goals like running marathons or losing weight, but as people age there is a point where they shift their priorities to maintaining health, not necessarily for athletics or looks but for improving the ability to do their daily activities,” she said in a university news release. Being inactive can worsen existing health problems, so it’s crucial for older adults to find ways to get extra exercise beyond their typical daily activities. “My goal is to keep older adults as independent as possible as they age,” Cook said. “And while most seniors find themselves not getting out of the house as much these days, it’s important for them to know that there are still plenty of ways to work on their health at home.” The first thing older adults should do is talk to their doctor about any exercise plan to ensure that it is safe and effective. The focus should be…  read on >  read on >

Pandemic May Be Affecting How Parents Feed Their Kids

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There have been good and bad changes to U.S. children’s diets during the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers say. “Providing healthy meals and snacks to our kids can be a challenge even when we’re not experiencing a pandemic,” said senior study author Susan Carnell. She’s an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, in Baltimore. “The pandemic has massively disrupted families and caused a lot of stress, and this has naturally affected interactions around food,” Carnell said in a school news release. To find out how the pandemic is affecting children’s diets, the Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers surveyed 318 parents of children aged 2 to 12 across the United States. Parents who reported higher levels of stress due to the pandemic were more likely to use food to manage children’s emotions and behaviors. For example, they might use less healthy food and snacks, such as cookies, to reward their children, the study found. Stress specifically related to COVID-19 among parents was also associated with children eating more sweet and savory snacks throughout the day. But the survey also revealed some positive trends. For example, 75% of respondents said their children had regular breakfast, lunch and dinner times. The researchers also found an association between lower stress levels, consistent mealtimes and routines, and positive food-related interactions, such as parents eating…  read on >  read on >

Race Plays Role in Kids’ Food Allergies: Study

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Black American children have higher rates of shellfish and fish allergies than white children, a new study finds. The research confirms the important role that race plays in children’s food allergies, the study authors said. “Food allergy is a common condition in the U.S., and we know from our previous research that there are important differences between African American and white children with food allergy, but there is so much we need to know to be able to help our patients from minority groups,” said study co-author Dr. Mahboobeh Mahdavinia. She is chief of allergy and immunology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. “In this current paper, our goal was to understand whether children from different races are allergic to similar foods, or if there is a difference based on their racial background,” Mahdavinia said in a medical center news release. The research team studied 664 children, aged 12 and under, who’d been diagnosed with a food allergy. Of those, 36% were Black and 64% were white. Compared to white kids, Black children were more likely to have shellfish and fin fish allergy, and to have a wheat allergy, the investigators found. Cockroach exposure can trigger shellfish and fin fish allergy in children, and there are higher levels of cockroach allergens in poorer inner-city neighborhoods where many Black children live, the study authors noted.…  read on >  read on >

Prior Exposure to SARS Virus Provides Little Protection Against New Coronavirus

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Previous exposure to other coronaviruses may enhance a person’s immune response to COVID-19 infection, but new research suggests that antibodies triggered by the SARS outbreak of 2003 provide only limited protection against the new coronavirus. Antibodies are blood proteins made by the immune system to protect against infection, the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) researchers explained. “Our finding has some important implications concerning immunity toward different strains of coronavirus infections, especially as these viruses continue to mutate,” said senior study author Fikadu Tafesse. He’s an assistant professor of molecular microbiology and immunology at OHSU School of Medicine, in Portland. Mutations occur quickly — about one to two per month — so it’s not surprising that an antibody generated from a virus 18 years ago (such as severe acute respiratory syndrome, also known as SARS) provides little defense against the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), the study authors said. The findings suggest that more research is needed to assess how long COVID-19 vaccines are effective, Tafesse noted. “I don’t think there is any one-size-fits-all vaccine, although the vaccines coming out now may break the momentum of the virus and end the pandemic, they may not be the end game,” Tafesse explained in a university news release. Study lead author Timothy Bates, a fourth-year molecular microbiology and immunology graduate student at OHSU, said the findings weren’t that worrisome.…  read on >  read on >

Fat Loss in Face Does Make Folks Look Older: Study

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It’s not just sagging that ages a face, but loss of fat under the skin as well, according to a new study. The findings could help plastic surgeons give their patients a more natural look, the study authors said. For the study, researchers analyzed CT scans of the faces of 19 people, taken at least a decade apart. The study participants were an average age of 46 at the time of the first scan and 57 on average at the second scan. The patients weren’t undergoing facelift surgery or other cosmetic procedures. The scans were useful for measuring changes in fat deposits in the midface, which is the area between the eyes and the mouth. The total volume of facial fat decreased by about 12% at the follow-up scan. Fat volume in the superficial compartment, which is just under the skin, decreased by an average of about 11%, while there was a greater loss in the deep facial fat compartment, an average reduction of more than 18%, the investigators found. The findings support the volume loss theory, according to the report published in the February issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. “In particular, we think that deep facial fat loss removes support from the overlying fat,” said study author Dr. Aaron Morgan, of the Medical College of Wisconsin, in Milwaukee. “That causes deepening of the…  read on >  read on >

Omega-3s From Fish Might Curb Asthma in Kids, But Genes Matter

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Consuming greater amounts of certain omega-3 fatty acids found in fish may reduce the risk of asthma in kids — but only those with a common gene variant, British researchers say. They focused on the long chain omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are known to have anti-inflammatory properties. “Asthma is the most common chronic condition in childhood and we currently don’t know how to prevent it,” said study senior author Seif Shaheen, of Queen Mary University of London. “It is possible that a poor diet may increase the risk of developing asthma, but until now most studies have taken ‘snapshots’, measuring diet and asthma over a short period of time,” he said in a university news release. To find out if intake of omega-3s might matter, the researchers analyzed data on more than 4,500 Britons who were born in the 1990s and whose health has been tracked since birth. The researchers analyzed the association between intake of EPA and DHA from fish at 7 years of age and rates of newly diagnosed asthma in these kids as they reached 11 to 14 years of age. Overall, omega-3 intake from fish was not associated with asthma onset. But it did seem tied to a lower odds for asthma in a subgroup of children with a particular genetic makeup. The DNA…  read on >  read on >

No Gym Required: How Seniors Can Exercise During Lockdown

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s crucial for homebound older adults to find safe and effective ways to exercise, an expert says. At-home workouts can help strengthen muscles, improve balance, increase blood flow to the heart, boost the immune system and reduce stress, according to Summer Cook, an associate professor of kinesiology and an expert on senior fitness at the University of New Hampshire, in Durham. “People in their 20s and 30s often set health goals like running marathons or losing weight, but as people age there is a point where they shift their priorities to maintaining health, not necessarily for athletics or looks but for improving the ability to do their daily activities,” she said in a university news release. Being inactive can worsen existing health problems, so it’s crucial for older adults to find ways to get extra exercise beyond their typical daily activities. “My goal is to keep older adults as independent as possible as they age,” Cook said. “And while most seniors find themselves not getting out of the house as much these days, it’s important for them to know that there are still plenty of ways to work on their health at home.” The first thing older adults should do is talk to their doctor about any exercise plan to ensure that it is safe and effective. The focus should be…  read on >  read on >

Pandemic May Be Affecting How Parents Feed Their Kids

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There have been good and bad changes to U.S. children’s diets during the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers say. “Providing healthy meals and snacks to our kids can be a challenge even when we’re not experiencing a pandemic,” said senior study author Susan Carnell. She’s an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, in Baltimore. “The pandemic has massively disrupted families and caused a lot of stress, and this has naturally affected interactions around food,” Carnell said in a school news release. To find out how the pandemic is affecting children’s diets, the Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers surveyed 318 parents of children aged 2 to 12 across the United States. Parents who reported higher levels of stress due to the pandemic were more likely to use food to manage children’s emotions and behaviors. For example, they might use less healthy food and snacks, such as cookies, to reward their children, the study found. Stress specifically related to COVID-19 among parents was also associated with children eating more sweet and savory snacks throughout the day. But the survey also revealed some positive trends. For example, 75% of respondents said their children had regular breakfast, lunch and dinner times. The researchers also found an association between lower stress levels, consistent mealtimes and routines, and positive food-related interactions, such as parents eating…  read on >  read on >