Organismal biology

— Pilot Study Paves the Way for Larger Trials on Brain Health Assessment PHILADELPHIA -- In a preliminary investigation, intermittent calorie restriction improved executive function and memory in older adults without cognitive impairments. This 8-week randomized study involved 40 overweight, cognitively healthy seniors with insulin resistance. Researchers compared two dietary strategies: a 5:2 intermittent fasting approach versus a “healthy living” diet, which followed USDA guidelines on

The United Nations has announced that it will end the employment of nine employees affiliated with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). This decision comes after an inquiry revealed possible connections between these individuals and Hamas-led attacks on Israel that took place on October 7. The investigation, led by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), was initiated after accusations surfaced from Israel last year, alleging

Seize any chance you get to eat quickly. That was the philosophy most medicine students, including Catherine Harmon Toomer, MD, adhered to when it came to meals. "If you lack a solid plan to counteract it," she says, "unhealthy eating habits can spiral, and that's exactly what happened to me." After med school, things took a turn for the worse for Toomer. By her second year of practicing family medicine, she'd experienced significant weight gain and received

— Longer initial seizure tied to higher odds of remission Prolonged seizures during the first session of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) were associated with a greater likelihood of remission for patients with major depressive disorder, according to a large cohort study. In an adjusted analysis, individuals with an initial seizure duration of at least 30 seconds had twice the odds of achieving remission compared to those whose seizures lasted less than 20 seconds, a team led by Axel