New battery-free, easily implantable weight-loss devices developed by engineers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison could offer a promising new weapon for battling the bulge.
Health & Wellness
Ritalin drives greater connection between brain areas key to memory, attention
New research is a first step toward understanding the way Ritalin affects the organization of the pathways that build brain networks used in attention and learning.
It’s not a shock: Better bandage promotes powerful healing
The bandage developed by UW-Madison engineers leverages energy generated from a patient’s own body motions to apply gentle electrical pulses at the site of an injury.
Five questions with Su-Chun Zhang, forger of brain cells
In light of the 20th anniversary of James Thomson’s derivation of human embryonic stem cells, we had some questions for one of the founders of stem cell neuroscience.
Discovery opens new opportunities to slow or reverse MS
Nerve cells stripped of their insulation can no longer carry vital information, leading to the numbness, weakness and vision problems often associated with multiple sclerosis. A new study shows an overlooked source may be able to replace that lost insulation.
Beneficial gut bacteria metabolize fiber to improve heart health in mice
In support of a microbial connection between fiber and heart health, UW-Madison researchers have identified a particular fatty acid as the mechanism behind certain protective effects of a high-fiber diet in a mouse model.
Study shows movement, evolutionary history of TB in China
A genetic scan of a massive number of samples taken from tuberculosis patients across China has shown a surprising genetic uniformity: just two “strains” of the tuberculosis bacterium account for 99.4 percent of all cases.
Nanoparticles improve tumor treatment in mice
In mouse models of human lung cancer, the improved drug inhibited tumor growth more effectively than the standard drug. “Ultimately, our goal is to get this into human beings,” says pharmacy professor Glen Kwon.
Researchers trace Parkinson’s damage in the heart
Heart attacks, diabetes and other disorders cause similar damage to nerves in the heart. Those patients and potential therapies could also benefit from the new visualization method, says Parkinson’s disease researcher Marina Emborg.
Scientists take a journey into the lungs of mice infected with influenza
Using a new tool they call FluVision, UW-Madison researchers can witness an influenza infection in a living animal in action, helping them better understand what happens when a virus infects the lungs and the body responds.