According to a recent study, changes to cells in the lining of the nose—the nasal epithelium—could one day be used to detect lung cancer. Researchers discovered that these changes in gene activity are similar to those that occur in the lungs when cancer is present. This discovery could lead to a nasal swab to help diagnose lung cancer—possibly reducing the need for invasive biopsies.

Previous research indicated cells in the nasal epithelium and the lining of the tubes that bring air to the lungs—the bronchi—respond similarly to tobacco smoke. Cells in the bronchial epithelium can be used to distinguish smokers and former smokers with lung cancer from those with benign lung disease.

In this latest study, researchers identified 535 genes in the nasal epithelium that that had different activity patterns in people with lung cancer than in those with benign disease. Genetic changes to cells from the lining of the nose combined with information about clinical risk factors for lung cancer may diagnose the disease with up to 91 percent accuracy, according to researchers.

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Sourced from: FOX News

A new study suggests that, as obesity rates continue to rise, fewer and fewer adults are trying to lose weight. Overweight/obesity—usually the result of poor diet and not enough physical activity—affects about two-thirds of the U.S. population, increasing the risk for health problems like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and other diseases.

Although rates of overweight/obesity have risen steadily and significantly in the United States since the 1980s, the percentage of people trying to lose weight has decreased by seven percent. For the study, researchers analyzed information about weight and weight loss efforts from three time periods—1988-1994, 1999-2004, and 2009-2014.

While obesity rates increased from 53 to 66 percent over the study period, the percentage of people who said they tried to lose weight in the past year fell from 56 to 49 percent, according to researchers. The study did not suggest a reason for this, but it might be that social acceptance may be to blame.

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Sourced from: MNT

Memory athletes can memorize a long list of words and numbers in seconds and recite without any mistakes hours later. What’s the secret? It’s something called the method of loci, also called the memory palace, and, according to a new study, many people can learn how to use it.

Memory strategies like the method of loci take just a few weeks to master. According to researchers, the method helps to reshape neuronal networks in the brain, inducing brain activity patterns that are similar to those observed in people with superior memories.

The method of loci is a technique that has been used for more than 2,500 years. It is one of the oldest known strategies for improving cognitive function. The method involves associating random pieces of information to memorize with familiar cues. Unfortunately, the ability to memorize doesn’t carry over into other types of memory—memory athletes still forget where they put their glasses—or other cognitive areas, but it is a fun and impressive skill!

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Sourced from: Live Science