The smallest grooves on the brain's surface, unique to humans, have largely been ignored by anatomists, but recent studies show that they're related to cognitive performance, including face recognition and reasoning ability. A new study shows that the depths of these tertiary sulci are also linked to increased interconnectedness between areas of the brain associated with reasoning and high-level cognitive functions. The sulci may decrease the length of neural connections, improving communication efficiency.
Read more …Are groovy brains more efficient?

Bats are known as natural hosts for highly pathogenic viruses such as MERS- and SARS-related coronaviruses, as well as the Marburg and Nipah viruses. In contrast to the severe and often fatal disease outcomes these viruses cause in humans, bats generally do not show obvious signs of viral illness following infection. An international research team has developed an innovative organoid research platform that allowed them to closely investigate the cellular antiviral defense mechanisms of mucosal epithelial tissues of bats. The results could pave the way for the development of new therapies against viral diseases.
Read more …Unlocking the secrets of bat immunity

For patients hospitalized with chest pain, the amount of time they spend sedentary afterward is linked to a greater risk for more heart problems and death within a year. That’s the key finding of a new peer-reviewed study[1] my colleagues and I published in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

We asked 609 emergency room patients experiencing chest pain — average age of 62 — to wear a physical...

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