Coffee may protect against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
While drinking coffee has previously been linked to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, recent research has found that it is because phenylindanes (chemical compounds that form during the brewing process) inhibit the growth of proteins associated with degenerative brain diseases. Researchers analysed the chemical components of three different samples of instant coffee – light roast, dark roast, and decaffeinated dark roast – and exposed extracts of each sample to two types of proteins, amyloid beta and tau, which are known to be hallmarks of Alzheimer’sand Parkinson’s. All three coffee extracts prevented the ‘clumping’ of these proteins,which happens when Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s progress, suggesting that something in the coffee may be protective against the progression of disease.
New eye implant to manage glaucoma
Glaucoma, a group of related eye disorders that cause damage to the optic nerve, causing blindness,may be corrected with a new implant that could reduce intraocular pressure.Although there are already a number of implants to reduce the pressure,majority of them stop working within five years owing to films of organisms growing inside them and blocking their drainage channels. The new implant is activated via externally-applied magnetic fields; its drainage tube contains tiny magnetic microactuators, which vibrate when exposed to a magnetic field. These vibrations shake loose any biomaterials that have built up within the tube, allowing them to be flushed out along with the fluid.
