Bomb blast exposure may raise risk of Alzheimer s, Army-funded research finds legion.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from legion.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
By J.P. LAWRENCE | STARS AND STRIPES Published: March 2, 2021 Troops exposed to shockwaves from bomb blasts may be at higher risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological issues, even if they haven’t suffered a traumatic brain injury, recent Army-funded research suggests. Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke found that even small explosions ones unlikely to cause concussions or injuries change the molecular structure of the brain, a study published last week in the journal Brain Pathology found. “This finding may explain those many blast-exposed individuals returning from war zones with no detectable brain injury, but who still suffer from persistent neurological symptoms, including depression, headaches, irritability and memory problems,” Ben Bahr, professor of molecular biology and biochemistry at UNC-Pembroke, said in an Army statement.
By J.P. LAWRENCE | STARS AND STRIPES Published: February 3, 2021 Kombucha tea has inspired new Army-funded technology that may help troops carry out potentially life-saving tasks, such as detecting chemicals and other pollutants in the environment or purifying water in the field. Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Imperial College London used SCOBY which stands for Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast and is a byproduct of the fermentation process used to make the fizzy, often tart beverage to produce cellulose that can perform numerous functions. By modifying the yeast in the SCOBY, the researchers found they could create materials that glow in the dark, purify water or change color when sensing dangerous substances.