Caffeine is well-known for its ability to help people stay alert, but a team of researchers at MIT and Brigham and Women’s Hospital has now come up with a novel use for this chemical stimulant - catalyzing the formation of polymer materials.

A brain arteriovenous malformation is a tangle of weakened blood vessels connecting arteries and veins. Arteriovenous malformations only occur in about 1 in every 700 people. Dr. Bernard Bendok, a neurosurgeon at Mayo Clinic, says, "While they’re not real common, they can be dangerous."

Medical imaging exams - including computerized tomography (CT) scans - have been directly linked to greater life expectancy and declining cancer death rates. Medical imaging exams are also generally less expensive and safer than invasive procedures, such as exploratory surgery.

A hyperextended knee occurs when the knee is bent backward, often as a result of landing wrong after a jump. A hyperextended knee can damage ligaments, cartilage and other stabilizing structures in the knee.

Dietary fat has gotten a bad reputation. Low-fat, reduced fat, and fat-free foods are marketed as being heathier for us. Some are, and some aren’t. But the fact is, your body needs fat to survive. Fat, along with protein and carbohydrates, provides energy to the body in the form of calories. It also works to store extra calories, maintain healthy skin and hair, and insulate the body. However, eating too much fat can lead to obesity and extra weight and raise the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some cancers.

The rates of American adults with obesity have continued to increase over the past decade according to researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the years between 2007-2008 and 2015-2016, the report says the rates of obesity rose significantly among adults, from 33.7% to 39.6%. Rates of severe obesity increased during this time from 5.7% to 7.7%. The report was published online March 23, 2018 as a research letter in the Journal of the American Medical Association.