Psychology & Psychiatry
Researchers show risk-averse teens sway peers to make safer choices
Your high school friends may have had a bigger influence on your behavior than you once thought.
Nov 30, 2020
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36
Virginia Tech
Medical research
'Exhaustive' study shows cloth masks help protect both wearers and those nearby
A newly released Virginia Tech study examining the efficacy of common face coverings may help a concerned public breathe a sigh of relief.
Nov 24, 2020
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363
Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes
Privacy preferences, family tensions can deter use of contact tracing apps
As a tool for controlling the spread of COVID-19, mobile applications for contact tracing are most effective when they are widely adopted and left on indefinitely. But adoption rates of such apps are low, due in part to privacy ...
Nov 16, 2020
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1
Immunology
Scientists show jet lag conditions impair immune response in mice
Imagine you've just arrived in Paris. Your body thinks it should be midnight—a restorative time when your cells typically proofread DNA, organize and store energy, and perform other essential chores—but, instead, the ...
Oct 14, 2020
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33
Neuroscience
Scientists find neurochemicals have unexpectedly profound roles in the human brain
In first-of-their-kind observations in the human brain, an international team of researchers has revealed two well-known neurochemicals—dopamine and serotonin—are at work at sub-second speeds to shape how people perceive ...
Oct 12, 2020
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612
Neuroscience
Scientists advance understanding of blood-brain barrier health
Hard skulls help protect our brains from physical injuries.
Sep 21, 2020
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78
Medical research
Cholesterol's effects on cellular membranes
For more than a decade, scientists have accepted that cholesterol—a key component of cell membranes—did not uniformly affect membranes of different types. But a new study led by Assistant Professor Rana Ashkar of the ...
Sep 8, 2020
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43
Neuroscience
Misfiring brain cells may cause swallowing woes in children with developmental disorders
Misfiring brain cells that control key parts of the mouth and tongue may be creating swallowing difficulties in children with neurodevelopmental disorders, according to neuroscientists with Virginia Tech and George Washington ...
Sep 1, 2020
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14
Genetics
Molecular cause underlying rare genetic disorder revealed
Virginia Tech scientists have revealed how a nonfunctioning version of an ordinary gene impairs brain structure and function. The findings help explain a genetic form of microcephaly—a condition where babies' heads are ...
Jul 27, 2020
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71
Oncology & Cancer
Researchers discover that mouth bacterium may cause colon cancer to spread
A diverse array of bacteria live in the human mouth as part of a vital ecosystem known as the oral microbiome. Virginia Tech researchers have discovered that one of these common bacteria can leave the mouth and potentially ...
Jul 21, 2020
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