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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on November 29, 2024 at 9:47am

Study finds standing desks may not be the healthy alternative people think

Standing desks became popular thanks to phrases like "sitting is the new smoking," which highlighted the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle.

A new study, however, has found standing desks might do more harm than good, not improving heart health but actually leading to circulation problems.
The study focused on 83,000 people who wore devices to track their sitting, standing and other physical activity over nearly seven years.

Researchers found sitting for more than 10 hours a day was associated with a higher risk of heart disease. Simply standing did not mitigate this risk, however.

Standing for extended periods was instead found to increase the risk of circulatory problems—such as blood pooling in the legs—which could lead to varicose veins. If left untreated, varicose veins can lead to bleeding, ulcers or other complications.

So, a standing desk may not be the solution to reverse a sedentary lifestyle. There are other things you can do, however. Taking short walks throughout the day is a smart way to interrupt periods of inactivity. Stretching and other light exercises are key, as well.
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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on November 29, 2024 at 9:44am

Researchers discover that a key mechanism in fat cells protects the body against energetic excess

A research team has identified an essential mechanism in fat cells (adipocytes) that enables them to enlarge safely to store energy. This process avoids tissue damage and protects the body from the toxic effects of accumulating fat molecules (lipids) in inappropriate places.

The results, published in Nature Communications, signify a major advance in the understanding of metabolic diseases. Moreover, this discovery opens the door to the development of new therapeutic strategies to combat diseases related to chronic energetic excess, such as overweight, obesity, lipodystrophy, and metabolic syndrome, and their grave cardiovascular and metabolic complications.

In modern societies, characterized by sedentary lifestyles and high-calorie diets, adipose tissue is a key determinant of metabolic health. Adipocytes can enlarge to store energy in the form of fat, preventing excess lipids from accumulating in organs like the liver or in the blood vessel wall (especially in the heart and the brain), where they could cause irreparable damage.

Nevertheless, this process is not risk-free. When adipocytes are overloaded with fat they can rupture, releasing their toxic contents and generating inflammation and metabolic alterations.

The team found that when an adipocyte accumulates fat and its surface is under increased tensile stress, the caveolae flatten, releasing a 'reservoir' of membrane that allows the cell to enlarge without breaking apart. Conversely, when fat reserves diminish, these structures regroup to reduce the excess membrane and restore cellular stability.

As well as physically protecting adipocytes, caveolae also play an essential role in coordinating cell metabolism. Molecular components of these membrane structures travel to other cell compartments, conveying signals that adjust metabolic activity to match the level of energy reserves. This capacity for internal communication makes caveolae key elements for efficient caveolar function.

However, when these structures are absent or malfunction, adipocytes become more rigid, vulnerable to rupture, and less efficient at storing energy. The result, is an inflammatory reaction that compromises the body's metabolic health. This phenomenon is linked to conditions such as lipodystrophy, in which the body cannot store fat, leading to severe metabolic and cardiovascular alterations.

Plasma membrane remodeling determines adipocyte expansion and mechanical adaptability, Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54224-y

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on November 29, 2024 at 9:02am

A fossil first: Scientists find 1.5-million-year-old footprints of two different species of human ancestors at same spot

More than a million years ago, on a hot savanna teeming with wildlife near the shore of what would someday become Lake Turkana in Kenya, two completely different species of hominins may have passed each other as they scavenged for food.

Scientists know this because they have examined 1.5-million-year-old fossils they unearthed and have concluded they represent the first example of two sets of hominin footprints made about the same time on an ancient lake shore. The discovery will provide more insight into human evolution and how species cooperated and competed with one another, the scientists said.

"Hominin" is a newer term that describes a subdivision of the larger category known as hominids. Hominins include all organisms, extinct and alive, considered to be within the human lineage that emerged after the split from the ancestors of the great apes. This is believed to have occurred about 6 million to 7 million years ago.

The discovery, published in Science , offers hard proof that different hominin species lived contemporaneously in time and space, overlapping as they evaded predators and weathered the challenges of safely securing food in the ancient African landscape.

Hominins belonging to the species Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei, the two most common living human species of the Pleistocene Epoch, made the tracks, the researchers said.

Their presence on the same surface, made closely together in time, places the two species at the lake margin, using the same habitat.

If the hominins didn't cross paths, they traversed the shore within hours of each other.

While skeletal fossils have long provided the primary evidence for studying human evolution, new data from fossil footprints are revealing fascinating details about the evolution of human anatomy and locomotion, and giving further clues about ancient human behaviors and environments.

With these kinds of data, we can see how living individuals, millions of years ago, were moving around their environments and potentially interacting with each other, or even with other animals. That's something that we can't really get from bones or stone tools.

The footprints are significant because they fall into the category of "trace fossils"—which can include footprints, nests and burrows. Trace fossils are not part of an organism but offer evidence of behavior. Body fossils, such as bones and teeth, are evidence of past life, but are easily moved by water or a predator.

Trace fossils cannot be moved.

 Kevin G. Hatala, Footprint evidence for locomotor diversity and shared habitats among early Pleistocene hominins, Science (2024). DOI: 10.1126/science.ado5275. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ado5275

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on November 28, 2024 at 10:59am

COVID caused cancer tumours to shrink in mice – new study

A fascinating new study, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, has revealed an unexpected potential benefit of severe COVID infection: it may help shrink cancer.

This surprising finding, based on research conducted in mice, opens up new possibilities for cancer treatment and sheds light on the complex interactions between the immune system and cancer cells – but it certainly doesn’t mean people should actively try to catch COVID.

The study here focused on a type of white blood cell called monocytes. These immune cells play a crucial role in the body’s defence against infections and other threats. However, in cancer patients, monocytes can sometimes be hijacked by tumour cells and transformed into cancer-friendly cells that protect the tumour from the immune system.

What the researchers discovered was that severe COVID infection causes the body to produce a special type of monocyte with unique anti-cancer properties. These “induced” monocytes are specifically trained to target the virus, but they also retain the ability to fight cancer cells.

https://www.jci.org/articles/view/179527

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on November 28, 2024 at 10:34am

Malaria vaccine delivered by mosquito bites

A trial is looking at delivering malaria immunity through bites from mosquitoes infected with modified versions of Plasmodium falciparum, one of the parasites that cause the disease. The parasites are genetically engineered to stop developing around six days after they enter the body, during a crucial phase of infection where they replicate in liver cells. In the trial, almost 90% of participants exposed to the modified parasites avoide... after being bitten by malaria-transmitting mosquitoes.

Nature | 
Reference:

https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2313892

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on November 28, 2024 at 10:33am

Light-up brain tissue could stop seizures
Pulses of green light can shut down the hyperactive neurons that cause seizures. Researchers used a virus to deliver genes for light-sensitive proteins into brain tissue taken from people with epilepsy, then implanted fiber-optic cables into neural regions that were prone to misfiring because of the disease. Using a remote-control system, they flipped on the light when a seizure began, temporarily disabling the neurons that were driving it. If the viral-delivery system can be adapted to living people, “we’ll be able to give people much more subtle, effective control over their seizures”.

Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News | 
Reference: 

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-024-01782-5?utm_source=Live+...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on November 28, 2024 at 9:34am

No 'one size fits all' treatment for type 1 diabetes, study finds

Factors beyond carbohydrates have a substantial influence on blood glucose levels meaning current automated insulin delivery systems miss vital information required for glucose regulation, a new study has found.

A team of researchers  analyzing automated insulin delivery data from people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) has discovered that unexpected patterns in insulin needs are just as common as well-established ones.

The study, published as a preprint on JMIRx Med, aimed to identify patterns in changes in insulin needs and to analyze how frequently these occur in people with T1D who use OpenAPS, a state-of-the-art, automated insulin delivery system (AID).

The results support the hypothesis that factors beyond carbohydrates play a substantial role in euglycemia—the state when blood glucose levels are within the standard range.

However, without measurable information about these factors, AID systems are left to adjust insulin cautiously with the effect of blood glucose levels becoming too low or high.

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body produces too little insulin, a hormone needed to regulate blood glucose.

The principal treatment for T1D is insulin that is injected or pumped. The amount and timing of insulin must be skillfully matched to carbohydrate intake to avoid increased blood glucose levels.

Beyond carbohydrates, various other factors such as exercise, hormones, and stress impact insulin needs.

However, how often these factors cause significant unexpected effects on blood glucose levels has been little explored, meaning that despite all advances, insulin dosing remains a complex task that can go wrong and result in blood glucose levels outside the range that protects people with T1D from adverse health effects.

The findings highlight the complexity of glucose regulation in T1D and demonstrate the heterogeneity in insulin needs among people with T1D, underlining the need for personalized treatment approaches.

For factors beyond carbohydrates to become more systematically included in clinical practice, scientists need to find a way to measure and quantify their impact and utilize this information in insulin-dosing. This could also aid more accurate blood glucose forecasting, which the study showed is not consistently possible from information about insulin and carbohydrates alone.

Isabella Degen et al, Beyond Expected Patterns in Insulin Needs of People With Type 1 Diabetes: Temporal Analysis of Automated Insulin Delivery Data, JMIRx Med (2024)

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on November 28, 2024 at 9:24am

Drinking plenty of water helps with a variety of conditions from obesity to migraines, researchers find

Public health recommendations generally suggest drinking eight cups of water a day. And many people just assume it's healthy to drink plenty of water. Now researchers at UC San Francisco have taken a systematic look at the available evidence. They concluded that drinking enough water can help with weight loss and prevent kidney stones, as well as migraines, urinary tract infections and low blood pressure.

The study, which analyzed 18 randomized controlled trials, was published on Nov. 25 in JAMA Network Open.

The researchers found the most evidence in favor of drinking water to prevent kidney stones and to help people lose weight.

Drinking eight cups of water a day significantly decreased the likelihood of getting another kidney stone.

Several studies found that drinking about six cups of water a day helped adults lose weight. But a study that included adolescents found that drinking a little more than eight cups of water a day had no effect.

Still, the authors said that encouraging people to drink water before meals would be a simple and cheap intervention that could have huge benefits, given the increased prevalence of obesity.

Other studies indicated that water can help prevent migraines, control diabetes and low blood pressure, and prevent urinary tract infections.

Adults with recurrent headaches felt better after three months of drinking more water.

Drinking about four more cups of water a day helped diabetic patients whose blood glucose levels were elevated.

Drinking an additional six cups a day of water also helped women with recurrent urinary tract infections. It reduced the number of infections and increased the amount of time between them.

And drinking more water helped young adults with low blood pressure.

On the other hand, someone who suffers from frequent urination at times may benefit from drinking less.

There isn't a one-size fits all approach for water consumption.

Hakam N, et al. Outcomes in Randomized Clinical Trials Testing Changes in Daily Water Intake: A Systematic Review. JAMA Network Open. (2024) DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.47621

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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on November 28, 2024 at 9:16am

Researchers characterize 28 bacteria that produce bioactive substances, offering pharmaceutical potential

Researchers  have characterized 28 actinomycetes and investigated their biotechnological potential.

The results of the study show that all actinomycetes have an inhibiting effect against a panel of test bacteria and yeasts. The researchers have now published their findings in the journal Current Research in Microbial Sciences.

Actinomycetes are bacteria that are known to produce bioactive substances. Two thirds of the antibiotics in use today were originally isolated from these bacteria. The actinomycetes now being investigated were deposited in the DSMZ collection decades ago, but have not yet been characterized in detail.

In their study, the researchers investigated the natural compound synthesis potential of 28 actinomycetes and were able to prove that they have an inhibiting effect against selected other microorganisms. These include clinically relevant antibiotic-resistant bacteria that are on the World Health Organization's Bacterial Priority Pathogens List. The DSMZ's actinomycetes collection contains more than 6,000 strains, some of which have not yet been further analyzed.

Imen Nouioui et al, Biotechnological and pharmaceutical potential of twenty-eight novel type strains of Actinomycetes from different environments worldwide, Current Research in Microbial Sciences (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.crmicr.2024.100290

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on November 28, 2024 at 9:05am

Biologists identify traits correlating with all bird extinctions since 1500

Looking to inform the conservation of critically endangered bird species, biologists have completed an analysis identifying traits that correlate with all 216 bird extinctions since 1500.

Species most likely to go extinct sooner were endemic to islands, lacked the ability to fly, had larger bodies and sharply angled wings, and occupied ecologically specific niches, according to research published this month. The work appears in the journal Avian Research.

While some of these findings mirror previous research on extinct birds, they are the first to correlate bird traits with the timing of extinctions.

The team simultaneously analyzed a broad range of biogeographical, ecological and life history traits previously associated with extinction and extinction risk for bird species that have gone extinct as well as those that lack recent confirmed sightings and have therefore disappeared.

While only around 2% of the world's bird species have gone extinct since 1500, the year Kittelberger's analysis begins, even more had already disappeared by then. Before 1500, however, there is not as reliable a record of the birds that went extinct and data on their traits and characteristics.

This timing coincides with the rise of scientific observation, resulting in systematic documentation of plant and animal life.

Today, 1,314 bird species are at risk of extinction, according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, or about 12% of the total.

Importantly, they examine biological correlates of bird extinctions through the lens of when birds went extinct, providing a novel extinction timing element that helps better inform why birds with certain traits disappeared when they did.

By identifying traits that most predispose birds to extinction, the findings can help guide conservation efforts of hundreds of species that are at peril.

 Kyle D. Kittelberger et al, Correlates of avian extinction timing around the world since 1500 CE, Avian Research (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.avrs.2024.100213

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