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Scientists develop gene delivery ‘trucks' that could treat brain diseases

Scientists develop gene delivery ‘trucks' that could treat brain diseases

Washington Post28-05-2025
Scores of researchers have produced new tools that can deliver genes and selectively activate them in hundreds of different cell types in the brain and spinal cord, a breakthrough that scientists hope advances them toward developing targeted therapies to treat neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's.
The discoveries, made through the National Institutes of Health's BRAIN initiative, show with unprecedented clarity and precision how neural cells work together, but also how diseases disrupt their tight choreography. The insight offers the promise that doctors may one day treat diseases by manipulating dysfunctional cells.
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Beat the heat with these cooling gadgets and wearables
Beat the heat with these cooling gadgets and wearables

Associated Press

time19 minutes ago

  • Associated Press

Beat the heat with these cooling gadgets and wearables

You can only sit in front of the fridge with the door open for so long. As heat waves blast the world like a blow dryer on high, folks are reaching for anything that promises a little personal chill: portable mini fans, cooling neck wraps, high-tech vests and all kinds of heat-beating headwear. Of course, cooling gear helps most when paired with basic and safe strategies against the heat: most importantly hydration, shade and rest. Stay out of extreme heat when possible, and know the signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Yet these wearable wonders and breezy gadgets can offer some relief. They might look quirky, but when the AC struggles and the sidewalk feels like a stovetop, they can start to seem like must-haves. When you're at homeIndoors, stay comfy with cool-feel sheets (like those with a silky finish or lightweight fibers), bed fans (where a nozzle inserted into the bed linens pumps a flow of air around you), or a cooling pillow or chill pad, which are filled with a gel that can stay cool for hours. Sleep-product brands include Serta, Sealy, Casper, Pluto and Threshold. The chill pads can work for your own bed and the pets' bed too. There are chillable full-size mattresses (Chilipad, 8Sleep and BedJet get good reviews from The Spruce) and smaller, simple pads (CoolCare and Sharper Image, among others). Outdoor wearablesClare Epstein, an employee safety expert with Vector Solutions in Tampa, Florida, works to reduce heat stress for at-risk employees in industries like construction, aviation and agriculture. She recommends wearables like cooling scarves and evaporative cooling vests. 'By soaking the fabric in cold water at the beginning of the day, the vest slowly cools, and keeps the wearer cool,' she says. Clothes made of 'phase change materials,' or PCMs, contain gel capsules or pads that can help moderate body temperatures. advertises a vest that stays under 60 degrees for a few hours, and AlphaCool offers a neck tube that performs similarly. Another feature of the tube, which is made of a polymer material, is that it doesn't get overly chilled, so it's safe for kids to use. Also for kids, there's a line of plush toys from Warmies that includes little critters of the farmyard, ocean, forest and safari that can be popped in the freezer before a trip to the park or playground. Wearable items that incorporate small fans or thermoelectric coolers are also good, Epstein says. And there are vests with tubed reservoirs you can fill with water or electrolytes so you can sip as you go. 'These encourage people to take more water breaks, and stay hydrated,' says Epstein. The wearables range is extensive. Along with cooling buffs, headbands, wristbands, socks and scarves, there are cooling brimmed hats and ball caps. Brands include Mission, Ergodyne, and Sunday Afternoon. If you'd prefer a refreshing breeze, USB-chargeable handheld or wearable fans might do the job. Chill advice Lynn Campbell, co-founder of 10Adventures travel company in Calgary, Alberta, takes a lot of strenuous hiking and cycling trips with her husband, Richard. They've developed some easy hacks for hot days. 'We'll wake up early, so we're done by 10 or 11 a.m., or if we're out on the trails, split the day in two, so we rest by water or in the shade over the hottest part' of the day, she says. Wear light colors and thin, breathable fabrics. And bring an umbrella. 'This is a game-changer,' Campbell says. 'Now we always pack ultralight, compact ones; they're incredible.' Also, pour cool water on your head and back. 'We freeze a few bottles of water so we can pour ice water on us to cool down,' Campbell says. 'Putting the bottles under the armpits, in the groin, or on the back of the neck can effectively cool a person down.' And Annita Katee, a contributing writer for Apartment Therapy, has another way to prep your bed on hot nights: 'Pop your sheets into the freezer at least two hours before bedtime, then pull them out right before you hit the sack,' she wrote in a recent post. She folds hers into a zipped plastic bag, flattens it, then sets it on a freezer shelf between ice packs. 'The result? A delightfully cool bed that feels like a refreshing oasis against the heat.' ___ New York-based writer Kim Cook covers design and decor topics regularly for The AP. Follow her on Instagram at @kimcookhome. For more AP Lifestyles stories, go to

Asking Eric: Parent worries past struggles caused daughter's body image issues
Asking Eric: Parent worries past struggles caused daughter's body image issues

Washington Post

time32 minutes ago

  • Washington Post

Asking Eric: Parent worries past struggles caused daughter's body image issues

Dear Eric: By the time I was 8, I knew something was wrong with me. Babies that couldn't be told not to would stare at my odd face. Sometimes I'd catch adults doing the same. It made me very uncomfortable. I felt sick all of the time. No one knew why, but as a teen my deformities spread, and I had to have two grueling surgeries for spinal abnormalities. Afterward, I came up with elaborate ways to make up my face, do my hair and dress to disguise my oddities

Gerard C. Murphy Gerry Murphy was born in Brooklyn, New York
Gerard C. Murphy Gerry Murphy was born in Brooklyn, New York

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Gerard C. Murphy Gerry Murphy was born in Brooklyn, New York

Jul. 11—Gerard C. Murphy Gerry Murphy was born in Brooklyn, New York on May 14, 1947 and left this world on June 18, 2025 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He graduated from Fordham College, Magna Cum Laude, with a B.A. in Mathematics, and also received an M.S. in Mathematics from Polytechnic Institute of New York where he completed all course work towards a Ph.D. He taught Math at the Hackley School in Tarry-town, New York from 1971 to 1990 where he became Chairman of the Department and was awarded the Wallace McLean Chair in Math and Science. He then taught Math at Albuquerque Academy from 1990 to 2011. He loved teaching, skiing, playing tennis, traveling, reading, taking photographs, music, and was a member of the Zen Buddhist community in New York. Gerry will always be remembered as smart and very funny. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends. He leaves behind his wife of 56 years, Doreen Mazza Murphy; his sister, Virginia Murphy of Durham, England and her family; and his brother-in-law, Tony Mazza and wife Mona Look-Mazza of Aspen, Colorado. He is the son of the late Francis Murphy and Dorothy Colvell Murphy and the nephew of the late Virginia Colvell, all of Brooklyn, New York. There will be a private graveside service at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, New York.

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