Some joints may be primed for rheumatoid arthritis before birth

Scientists have found evidence that vulnerability to rheumatoid arthritis may begin before birth. Finger joints commonly affected by the disease develop with different tissue structures and larger populations of specialized fibroblasts than joints that are usually spared. Those cells also respond differently to inflammation, suggesting that the architecture of each joint may help determine where arthritis eventually takes hold.

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Quantum oscillations defy expectations in this exotic material

Scientists have uncovered an unusual form of electron behavior in zirconium pentatelluride, a quantum material that can act as both an insulator and a conductor. Under temperatures near absolute zero and magnetic fields reaching 60 tesla, electrons produced quantum oscillations that continued even after conventional physics predicted they should disappear.

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Harvard scientists turn knitting into shape-shifting smart fabric

Harvard researchers have transformed ordinary knitting into a platform for creating fabrics that can snap between different shapes and perform useful functions. Using elastic yarns and industrial knitting techniques, the team engineered thick textiles that naturally curve and lock into multiple stable configurations, much like a light switch flipping between on and off. By adding conductive yarn, they turned these shape-shifting fabrics into soft electronic switches capable of controlling lights, counting steps, and responding to movement.

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New injectable treatment helps the brain rebuild after stroke

Duke researchers developed an injectable scaffold that helped stroke-damaged brains grow new blood vessels, support nerve regrowth, and recover movement in mice. The treatment appears to work partly by recruiting the body’s own immune cells, including neutrophils that may switch from damaging to helpful under the right conditions.

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ADHD may have a surprising creative advantage

Some of the attention patterns that make ADHD challenging may also help spark creativity by allowing the brain to explore more ideas and unexpected connections. Researchers think creative activities could potentially channel this “defocused attention” while helping strengthen the brain systems involved in focus and self-control.

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ADHD may have a surprising creative advantage

Some of the attention patterns that make ADHD challenging may also help spark creativity by allowing the brain to explore more ideas and unexpected connections. Researchers think creative activities could potentially channel this “defocused attention” while helping strengthen the brain systems involved in focus and self-control.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/MGyhkQN

Your neighborhood in your 20s may shape your heart decades later

Where you live in early adulthood may quietly shape your heart health for decades. Researchers found that adverse neighborhood conditions were linked to a higher risk of coronary artery calcification in midlife, an early warning sign of cardiovascular disease.

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