Comment

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 3 hours ago

Carcinogenic preservatives are used in many processed meats such as bacon and ham. These preservatives, known as nitrites, are added to keep meat looking fresh and pink, enhance flavor and prevent spoilage. But they are now implicated in tens of thousands of cancer cases every year in the UK.
The danger comes from the way nitrites behave once eaten. Inside the body, they can turn into compounds called nitrosamines, which are potent carcinogens that damage DNA, the genetic material that controls how cells grow and divide.

These nitrosamines can attach themselves to DNA in the liver, forming DNA adducts, which are small chemical bonds that stick to the genetic material and distort its structure. This damage can cause genetic errors that, over time, build up and allow cells to divide uncontrollably, forming tumors, particularly in the colon.

Nitrosamines can also trigger stress within cells by creating harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species, which cause additional DNA damage. This combination of oxidative stress and genetic instability can help cancer develop and spread.

https://theconversation.com/the-case-for-a-cancer-warning-on-your-b...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 3 hours ago

PFAS may be eliminated from the body faster with certain medicines, study suggests

Certain medicines can cause the environmental toxin PFAS to be eliminated from the body faster, according to a study from the University of Gothenburg. The findings highlight one more medicine as effective, but whether it brings health benefits is still unclear.

The study, published in the journal Environment International, is based on controlled studies carried out in Ronneby in Blekinge, where drinking water from a municipal water treatment plant previously contained very high levels of the environmental toxin PFAS.

The discovery was made in 2013, and the contamination was found to have originated from aqueous film-forming foam that had been used for decades during fire drills at the Air Force Wing F17 in Ronneby. The contaminated water was immediately replaced by clean water from another water treatment plant in the municipality.

A previous survey has shown that many residents had highly elevated levels of PFAS in their blood. It can take many years for PFAS to be eliminated from the body, but this varies widely between individuals. The reasons for this variation are not yet fully understood.

The study involved 10 subjects, aged 25 to 47, who were tested with different medicines to lower the levels of PFAS in their bodies. Participants were their own control subjects by taking a medication for a 12-week period, and were without medication for the same length of time.

The PFAS substances studied were more rapidly eliminated from the body by two of the medicines: the cholesterol-lowering drug cholestyramine, which confirms the findings of a Danish study last year; and the related medicine colesevelam, where the effect on elimination has not previously been demonstrated.

During the 12 weeks without medication, the level of the studied PFAS substances fell by a few percent, whereas the period with medication gave reductions of at most 40% for one of the PFAS substances.

Axel G. Andersson et al, Serum, urinary and fecal concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances after interventions with cholestyramine/colesevelam and probenecid – cross-over trials in Ronneby, Sweden, Environment International (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2025.109794

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 3 hours ago

New insights on gut microbes that prevent formation of cancer-causing compounds

Nitrogen metabolism of gut bacteria can provide health benefits. Specifically, gut microbes metabolize dietary nitrates and nitrites and prevent the formation of cancer-causing compounds called nitrosamines. New research published in The FEBS Journal sheds light on these processes and pinpoints which types of bacteria are most important.

Investigators found that Escherichia coli—and to a lesser extent, species of the genera Lactobacillus, Bacteroides and Phocaeicola—can efficiently metabolize different forms of nitrogen, thus preventing carcinogenic nitrosamine formation.

They also demonstrate that this bacterial processing is critical to enable microorganisms to survive and colonize the intestinal tract, likely preventing harmful changes in the composition of the gut microbiota.

The findings highlight the importance of the gut microbiota in preventing the formation of harmful nitrogen metabolites, potentially decreasing the risk of certain cancers. The study also illustrates how the microbiota facilitates crosstalk between our diet and the gut, thus having important implications for both health and disease.

 Distribution and activity of nitrate and nitrite reductases in the microbiota of the human intestinal tract, FEBS Journal (2025). DOI: 10.1111/febs.70299

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 3 hours ago

Stem cells derived from fatty tissue successfully repair spinal fractures in rats

 Researchers used stem cells extracted from adipose, the body's fatty tissue, to treat spine fractures in rats similar to those caused by osteoporosis in humans. These cells offer the advantages of being easy to collect, even from elderly individuals, and causing little stress to the body, suggesting a noninvasive way of treating bone diseases.

Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to become brittle and prone to fractures. 

Among osteoporosis-related fractures, compression fractures of the spine, known as osteoporotic vertebral fractures, are the most common type of fracture and pose a serious problem, leading to a need for long-term care and a significant decline in quality of life.

Stem cells taken from adipose tissue (ADSCs) are a possible solution to this problem. These cells are multipotent, meaning that they can be differentiated into many different cell types.

Forming ADSCs into three-dimensional spherical clusters, known as spheroids, has been reported to enhance their ability to repair tissue. When these spheroids are pre-differentiated toward bone cells, their capacity to promote bone healing is enhanced.

The ADSCs were developed into bone-differentiated spheroids and combined with β-tricalcium phosphate, a material widely used for bone reconstruction, to successfully treat rats with spinal fractures.

Bone regeneration and strength were significantly improved in rats transplanted with the complex. They also found that the genes involved in bone formation and regeneration were also activated.

This study has revealed the potential of bone differentiation spheroids using ADSCs for the development of new treatments for spinal fractures.

Since the cells are obtained from fat, there is little burden on the body, ensuring patient safety.

Yuta Sawada et al, Development of a new treatment for osteoporotic vertebral fractures using adipose-derived stem cell spheroids, Bone & Joint Research (2025). DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.1410.bjr-2025-0092.r1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 3 hours ago

Why does metformin blunt exercise benefits? The answer is unclear but may lie in the drug's mechanism of action. Metformin works partly by blocking parts of the mitochondria, which reduces oxidative stress and improves blood sugar control. But that same inhibition may interfere with the cellular adaptations triggered by exercise, including improvements in mitochondrial function and aerobic capacity. In other words, the very process that makes metformin effective may block the body's ability to respond fully to physical training.
Previous research has hinted at similar effects, but this trial is among the first to examine vascular insulin sensitivity, which is a key factor controlling glucose regulation and cardiovascular health.
By showing that metformin can blunt improvements in both large arteries and tiny capillaries regardless of exercise intensity, the study underscores the complexity of combining such treatments.
Now we need to figure out how to best recommend exercise with metformin, the researchers conclude, we also need to consider how other medications interact with exercise to develop better guidelines for doctors to help people lower chronic disease risk.

Steven K Malin et al, Metformin Blunts Vascular Insulin Sensitivity After Exercise Training in Adults at Risk for Metabolic Syndrome, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (2025). DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgaf551

Part 2

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 4 hours ago

Why your daily walk might not work as well if you're on metformin

A widely prescribed diabetes drug may be sabotaging one of the most trusted strategies for preventing the disease: exercise.

That is the conclusion of a Rutgers-led study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, which found that metformin blunts critical improvements in blood vessel function, fitness and blood sugar control that normally come from working out.

Since 2006, doctors have been advised to tell patients with high blood sugar to take metformin while engaging in exercise. Two proven therapies should deliver better results together, they reasoned. But Rutgers researchers said the math doesn't add up.

Most health care providers assume one plus one equals two. The problem is that most evidence shows metformin blunts exercise benefits. 

In the experiments conducted the results were clear: Exercise alone improved vascular insulin sensitivity, meaning blood vessels responded better to insulin and allowed more blood flow to muscles. This matters because insulin's ability to open blood vessels helps shuttle glucose out of the bloodstream and into tissues, lowering blood sugar after meals.

But when metformin was added, the improvements shrank. The drug also diminished gains in aerobic fitness and reduced the positive effects on inflammation and fasting glucose.

Blood vessel function improved with exercise training, regardless of intensity. Metformin blunted that observation, suggesting one type of exercise intensity is not better either with the drug for blood vessel health. 

This matters because exercise is supposed to lower blood sugar and improve physical function, crucial goals of diabetes treatment. If metformin interferes with those benefits, patients may not get the protection they expect to help lower disease risk.

If you exercise and take metformin and your blood glucose does not go down, that's a problem. People taking metformin also didn't gain fitness. That means their physical function isn't getting better and that could have long-term health risk.

The implications go beyond lab measurements. Fitness gains translate into energy for daily life. This includes activities such as climbing stairs, playing with children and staying active with friends. If those improvements stall, quality of life suffers.

The findings don't mean people should stop taking metformin or exercising, researchers say. Instead, it raises urgent questions for doctors about how the two treatments can be combined and the need for close monitoring. They hope future research will uncover strategies that preserve the benefits of both.

Part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 4 hours ago

Three newly discovered toads give birth to live young

An international team of researchers has discovered three new, bizarre, and wart-covered species of tree toads from Tanzania that give birth to fully developed toadlets.

Most textbooks tell only one story about frog reproduction: eggs hatch into tadpoles, which then metamorphose into froglets and grow into adults. That's the standard paradigm.

 Live-bearing is exceptionally rare among frogs and toads, practiced by less than 1% of frog species, making these new species exceptionally interesting.

Christian Thrane et al, Museomics and integrative taxonomy reveal three new species of glandular viviparous tree toads (Nectophrynoides) in Tanzania's Eastern Arc Mountains (Anura: Bufonidae), Vertebrate Zoology (2025). DOI: 10.3897/vz.75.e167008

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 4 hours ago

Growing transgenic plants in weeks instead of months by hijacking a plant's natural regeneration abilities

Plant biologists have developed a method for growing transgenic and gene-edited plants that cuts the slow and expensive process down from months to weeks.

Publishing in Molecular Plant, the method takes advantage of plants' natural ability to regenerate after being wounded or pruned. By injecting bacteria carrying genetic instructions for wound healing and regeneration into a pruned plant's wound site, the researchers triggered the plant to grow new shoots, some of which were transgenic and gene edited.

The method shows potential even in species that are usually difficult or impossible to regenerate, such as soybeans.

Typically, when creating transgenic or gene-edited plants, biologists edit the DNA of an individual plant cell, which they then stimulate to grow into a new plant. For species like tomatoes that are relatively easy to regenerate, this process takes at least four months; for more difficult species like cotton, it can take almost a year; and for some plants, such as beans and peppers, tissue culture is extremely difficult.

To speed up this process, the researchers took advantage of plants' natural ability to regenerate after being damaged or pruned.

When a plant gets wounded, it triggers a molecular cascade that first seals the wound by creating a hard callus and then stimulates cell division and differentiation to replace the lost tissue. This process is regulated by a protein called WIND1, which activates a string of other proteins that are involved in cell differentiation and shoot growth.

It's like a relay: once WIND1 is activated, it will activate the next step, ESR1, which then activates the next step.

To simultaneously induce regeneration and introduce new DNA into plants, the researchers used a plant-infecting bacteria, Agrobacterium, that naturally introduces its own DNA into plant cells.

They inserted the genetic instructions for WIND1, ESR1, and several other regeneration genes into Agrobacterium, along with a gene that causes red coloration. Then, they pruned plants and applied the genetically modified Agrobacterium to the wound site.

This technique could help us transform species that are usually very difficult to grow in tissue culture because it's faster and more natural.

 A synthetic transcription cascade enables direct in planta shoot regeneration for transgenesis and gene editing in multiple plants, Molecular Plant (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2025.09.017

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 4 hours ago

Scientists have unlocked a way to dye polyester using 90% fewer chemicals and 40% less water

Fizzy water was the key to making polyester dye less harmful to the environment in the creation of a new method developed by an interdisciplinary team.

Polyester makes up more than half of all global fiber output, with production increasing each year—but it takes centuries to decompose and it can be difficult to recycle from garment-to-garment. Textile production is estimated to be responsible for about 20% of global clean water pollution, largely due to chemicals released in the wastewater from dyeing.

The startup aims to tackle these challenges at the dyeing stage by reducing harmful chemicals, water waste and costs. This could also make it easier and safer to recycle polyester garments, according to researchers.

Not many people know that even more toxic chemicals are used to turn brightly colored wastewater into transparent liquid. When released into freshwater, this is a secret killer that harms people, animals and the environment.

The new method makes it easier to insert and remove dyes from the fiber by injecting a small amount of carbonated water into the dye bath. This triggers the dyes' unique switching behavior within the polyester fibers.

Switch Dye also works on other synthetic fibers, such as nylon and elastane, and is just as effective as a widely used dye, without compromising on colour. Importantly, it uses all the same equipment that manufacturers already have.

SwitchDye can be more easily removed from the fiber, making the clothes much more recyclable. Ultimately, SwitchDye helps to make the textile industry more circular and sustainable, in both the dyeing and recycling stages.

Source: University of Leeds

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 4 hours ago

Fake or the real thing? How AI can make it harder to trust the pictures we see

A new study has revealed that artificial intelligence can now generate images of real people that are virtually impossible to tell apart from genuine photographs.

Using AI models ChatGPT and DALL·E, a team of researchers  created highly realistic images of both fictional and famous faces, including celebrities.

They found that participants were unable to reliably distinguish them from authentic photos—even when they were familiar with the person's appearance.

Across four separate experiments, the researchers noted that adding comparison photos or the participants' prior familiarity with the faces provided only limited help.

The research has just been published in the journal Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications and the team say their findings highlight a new level of "deepfake realism," showing that AI can now produce convincing fake images of real people which could erode trust in visual media.

 Robin S. S. Kramer et al, AI-generated images of familiar faces are indistinguishable from real photographs, Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications (2025). DOI: 10.1186/s41235-025-00683-w

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• …
• 1136
• Next ›
• Page