A Hair-Raising Fix for Enamel
From King’s College London comes a wool-to-tooth twist. A water-based keratin film that self-assembled into beta-sheet–rich scaffolds and, during mineralization, shifted toward alpha-helices to choreograph aligned, fluoride-rich hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanocrystals—very enamel-esque. In vitro white spot lesions looked and acted healthier: surface hardness climbed from 0.07 GPa to 1.65–2.10 GPa, and elastic modulus rebounded to ~48–55 GPa (vs ~80–86 GPa in sound enamel). The film-built enamel-like prisms ~40–50 µm thick and integrated with native crystal orientation—something resin infiltration could not match (≈0.31–0.34 GPa). No harsh solvents, no fussy steps: just a scalable, biocompatible, dentist-friendly recipe that mimicked enamel hierarchy. That’s a cheap, sustainable scaffold that may let clinicians remineralize early lesions instead of drilling—plus tantalizing potential for bone and erosion repair. Cue the happy molars.
Source: Advanced Healthcare Materials
Rosemary Rubs Out Scars
In a fragrant flip of the script, rosemary, the same herb hanging out in your kitchen might just be your skin’s new best friend. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that an ethanol-based rosemary extract sped up wound healing in mice and dramatically reduced scarring. The active compound, carnosic acid, activates TRPA1 receptors on sensory neurons, switching on a pathway that favors regeneration over fibrosis. In the study, rosemary-treated wounds closed by about 90% after 4 weeks, while control wounds lagged behind at roughly 35%. Even better, the treated skin regrew hair follicles, sebaceous glands, and cartilage—clear signs of true regeneration. When the TRPA1 receptor was knocked out, the healing magic disappeared, confirming its role. Who knew your spice rack was harboring a tiny dermatology department?
Source: JCI Insight
When Brainpower Meets Background Noise
Ever tried following one conversation during a noisy conference reception? Researchers at the University of Washington put that exact challenge to the test. In this study, 49 adults, including those with autism (n=12) and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (n=10), listened to overlapping voices to see how well they could zero in on a single speaker. Everyone had normal hearing, but not everyone’s brain found the same clarity in the chaos. The finding? As IQ went down, so did the ability to focus on the right talker—proof that listening in a crowd takes more than good ears; it takes cognitive horsepower. Both verbal and nonverbal intelligence mattered, showing that the “cocktail party problem” is really a whole-brain workout. The study gently reminds us that some minds hear the world differently —and sometimes, the noise isn’t just in the room; it’s in the processing.
Source: PLOS ONE
Calories Love Company
Turns out the most common side effect of social dining is selective memory. At George Mason University, 41 students logged more than 3,000 meals over 4 weeks using a food app, because apparently, the “freshman 15” needed peer review. The data spilled the tea: eating with 2 or more friends quietly tacked on about 37 extra calories (males clocked in closer to 70 calories), and sit-down or dining hall meals came with an extra 157 calories (females racked up a whopping 216 calories). Happy moods boosted intake by about 51 calories, and higher BMIs meant even bigger bites. But when surveyed, students swore they ate less in groups or formal settings. So much for self-awareness. The mismatch between perception and app truth may hint at how mood, stress, and social vibes shape our plates. Sure, it’s a small, post-pandemic snapshot, but the message is deliciously clear, the company you keep (and your mood) may weigh more than your willpower.
Source: mHealth
A Cup of Calm for Cancer Care?
At Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital in Taiwan, a team brewed up some science to test whether Jing Si herbal tea (JSHT), a blend of eight traditional Taiwanese herbs, could help ease cancer-related fatigue in women with gynecologic cancers. In this double-blind, randomized trial, 19 participants drank either JSHT or a placebo twice daily during chemotherapy. Both groups felt less drained after 6 weeks, with significant drops in fatigue scores. While JSHT didn’t outperform the placebo in fatigue or quality-of-life scores, it sparked curiosity by lowering monocyte counts — hinting that it may calm inflammation while soothing chemo-tiredness. So while this study didn’t crown a clear fatigue-fighting champion, it leaves us wondering whether this herbal brew might one day join the pantheon as food-as-medicine.
Source: Medicine
The intersection of medicine and the unexpected reminds us how wild, weird, and wonderful science can be. The world of health care continues to surprise and astonish.
