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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on June 27, 2024 at 9:56am

Iceland's volcano eruptions may last decades, researchers find

Iceland's ongoing volcanic eruptions may continue on and off for years to decades, threatening the country's most densely populated region and vital infrastructure, researchers predict from local earthquake and geochemical data.

The eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula have forced authorities to declare a state of emergency, with a series of eight eruptions having occurred since 2021. This southwestern region is home to 70% of the country's population, its only international airport, and several geothermal power plants that supply hot water and electricity. The most recent eruption from May through June triggered the evacuation of residents and visitors from the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, a popular tourist attraction, for the third time in more than two months.

Although Iceland sees regular eruptions because it sits above a volcanic hot spot, the Reykjanes Peninsula has been dormant for 800 years. Its last volcanic era continued over centuries, however, prompting scientists to predict the renewed volcanism to be the start of a long episode.

An international team of scientists has been watching the volcanoes over the past three years. Analyzing seismic tomography imaging and the composition of lava samples, they've uncovered parts of the geological processes behind the new volcanic era. They predict the region may have to prepare for recurring eruptions lasting years to decades and possibly centuries.

 The Fagradalsfjall and Sundhnúkur Fires of 2021-2024: a single magma reservoir under the Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland?, Terra Nova (2024). DOI: 10.1111/ter.12733

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on June 26, 2024 at 11:21am

Elusive ‘polar rain aurora’ spotted

Gigantic oddball aurora seen from Earth for the first time

A camera captured the vast, diffuse glow produced after the solar wind dropped to a whisper.

As the solar wind dropped to a whisper for 28 hours in December 2022, scientists got the first-ever unimpeded view from Earth of the ‘polar rain aurora’. The rare phenomenon created a diffuse glow spanning more than 3,000 kilometres across the North Pole. Polar rain auroras form when electrons from the Sun's outermost atmosphere crash into Earth's atmosphere. Usually, the solar wind — a flood of other charged particles coming from the Sun — prevents their formation. They have only occasionally been spotted by satellites looking down on the poles from above.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02072-7?utm_source=Live+...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on June 26, 2024 at 11:18am

How gut bacteria affect cancer drugs
Gut microbiome discovery provides roadmap for life-saving cancer therapies
The balance between bacterial communities in the gut affects the likelihood of a positive response to drugs called checkpoint inhibitors.
The gut microbiome can usefully predict how people respond to certain immunotherapy drugs for treating cancer. Instead of singling out individual microbes, researchers showed that the overall balance between bacterial communities in the gut affects a person’s response. The team developed a scoring system based in part on the ratio between two different populations of gut microbes. When applied to hundreds of people with cancer, the score could mostly predict who would respond to immunotherapy. The work “is a breakthrough from a diagnostic point of view”.
The study might also improve the effectiveness of faecal microbiome transplants — when healthy volunteers donate bacterial samples to people who don’t respond well to certain drugs.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02070-9?utm_source=Live+...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on June 26, 2024 at 10:35am

2.6 million die annually due to alcohol: WHO

Alcohol kills nearly three million people annually, the World Health Organization said this week, adding that while the death rate had dropped slightly in recent years it remained "unacceptably high".

The United Nations health agency's latest report on alcohol and health said alcohol causes nearly one in 20 deaths globally each year, through drink driving, alcohol-induced violence and abuse, and a multitude of diseases and disorders.

The report said 2.6 million deaths were attributed to alcohol consumption in 2019—the latest available statistics—accounting for 4.7 percent of all deaths worldwide that year.

Nearly three-quarters of those deaths were in men, it said.

Substance use severely harms individual health, increasing the risk of chronic diseases,mental health conditions, and tragically resulting in millions of preventable deaths every year," WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

Drinking is linked to a slew of health conditions, including cirrhosis of the liver and some cancers.

Of all fatalities it caused in 2019, the report found that an estimated 1.6 million were from noncommunicable diseases.

Of these, 474,000 were from cardiovascular diseases, 401,000 from cancer and a huge 724,000 from injuries, including traffic accidents and self-harm.

Alcohol abuse also makes people more susceptible to infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV and pneumonia, the report found.

An estimated 209 million people lived with alcohol dependence in 2019—3.7 percent of the global population.

Source: AFP

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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on June 26, 2024 at 9:58am

Researchers identify potential hazards in biosolid fertilizers

Fertilizers manufactured from the sludgy leftovers of wastewater treatment processes can contain traces of potentially hazardous organic chemicals, according to a new study.

The research, published in Environmental Science & Technology, provides one of the most comprehensive looks at the chemical composition of so-called biosolids  and is the first step toward identifying common chemical contaminants that may need  regulation. 

Using analytical chemistry techniques capable of identifying thousands of chemicals, researchers screened 16 samples of biosolids from wastewater treatment facilities in nine U.S. and three Canadian cities. Samples contained traces of pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, and a variety of fragrances. Among them were bisphenol A (BPA), commonly found in plastics, and carbamazepine, a drug used to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder.

Using biosolids can be beneficial, the researchers said. They are rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and other nutrients that help plants grow. They require less energy to make than synthetic alternatives. And wastewater facilities can sell biosolids to generate revenue to offset treatment costs and reduce waste sent to landfills or incinerators.

But...

While direct contact with biosolids is likely limited to occupational exposures, the broader population could be exposed to contaminants absorbed by crops grown in such fertilizers, the researchers said.

The team plans to measure the identified compounds in the biosolids and vegetables grown in biosolid-amended soil to determine if their concentration levels warrant concern. The researchers are also investigating risks to farmers, landscapers, and composters who work with biosolids.

Combining non-targeted analysis with computer-based hazard comparison approaches to support prioritization of unregulated organic contaminants in biosolids, Environmental Science & Technology (2024). DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c02934

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on June 26, 2024 at 9:53am

China lunar probe returns to Earth with samples

A Chinese probe carrying samples from the far side of the moon returned to Earth on Tuesday, capping a technically complex 53-day mission heralded as a world first.

The landing module of the Chang'e-6 spacecraft touched down at a predetermined site in Inner Mongolia recently, the China National Space Administration said, hailing the mission a "complete success".

It comes bearing soil and rocks from the side of the moon facing away from Earth, a poorly understood region that scientists say holds great research promise because its rugged features are less smoothed over by ancient lava flows than the near side.

That means the materials harvested there may help us to better understand how the moon formed and how it has evolved over time.

Source: Various news agencies

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on June 26, 2024 at 9:47am

Dietary fiber found to regulate gut bacteria's use of tryptophan, impacting health

We get healthy dietary fiber from consuming fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. But why is fiber so good for us? A team of researchers has discovered that dietary fiber plays a crucial role in determining the balance between the production of healthy and harmful substances by influencing the behavior of bacteria in the colon.

Researchers have now uncovered an essential part of why this is the case. Different types of bacteria inside our colon compete to utilize an essential amino acid called tryptophan. This competition may lead to either good or bad outcomes for our health.

The research, published in the journal Nature Microbiology, reveals that when we eat a lot of dietary fiber, gut bacteria help turn tryptophan into healthy substances. But if we don't eat enough fiber, tryptophan can be converted into harmful compounds by our gut bacteria.

These results emphasize that our dietary habits significantly influence the behavior of gut bacteria, creating a delicate balance between health-promoting and disease-associated activities. In the long term, the results can help us design dietary programs that prevent a range of diseases.

 Dietary fibre directs microbial tryptophan metabolism via metabolic interactions in the gut microbiota, Nature Microbiology (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01737-3. www.nature.com/articles/s41564-024-01737-3

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on June 26, 2024 at 9:14am

Preserving wildlife is also key to halting and reversing the climate crisis. Preserving biodiversity means protecting the Earth's forest cover, which acts as a carbon sink: by conserving carbon-rich, wildlife-rich forested regions, we protect both threatened species and humans. While securing Conservation Imperatives is only part of the work—for example, just purchasing land won't prevent poaching—it's the first critical step we need to take.

What will we bequeath to future generations? A healthy, vibrant Earth is critical for us to pass on. So we've got to get going. We've got to head off the extinction crisis. Conservation Imperatives drive us to do that.

Conservation Imperatives: securing the last unprotected terrestrial sites harboring irreplaceable biodiversity, Frontiers in Science (2024). DOI: 10.3389/fsci.2024.1349350. www.frontiersin.org/journals/s … ci.2024.1349350/full

Part 2

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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on June 26, 2024 at 9:13am

Scientists identify safe havens we must preserve to prevent 'the sixth great extinction of life on Earth'

In a new article, a coalition of conservationists and researchers have shown how we can protect Earth's remaining biodiversity by conserving just a tiny percentage of the planet's surface. This affordable, achievable plan would make it possible for us to preserve the most threatened species from extinction, safeguarding Earth's wildlife for the future.

Most species on Earth are rare, meaning that species either have very narrow ranges or they occur at very low densities or both. And rarity is very concentrated. In a recent study, zooming in on this rarity, researchers found that we need only about 1.2% of the Earth's surface to head off the sixth great extinction of life on Earth. 

To meet ambitious conservation goals, an additional 1.2 million square kilometers of land were protected between 2018 and 2023. But do these new conservation areas effectively protect critical biodiversity? Scientists estimated that the 2018-2023 expansion only covered 0.11 million square kilometers with range-limited and threatened species. Planning protected areas is crucial, ensuring that we target our efforts and resources as effectively as possible.

The scientists started by mapping the entire world, using six layers of global biodiversity data. By combining these layers of data with maps of existing protected areas and a fractional land cover analysis, using satellite images to identify the remaining habitat available to rare and threatened species, the scientists were able to identify the most critical, currently unprotected areas of biodiversity. They called these Conservation Imperatives: a global blueprint to help countries and regions plan conservation at a more local level.

These 16,825 sites, covering approximately 164 Mha, could prevent all predicted extinctions if they were adequately protected. Just protecting the sites found in the tropics could stave off most predicted extinctions. Additionally, 38% of Conservation Imperatives are very close to already-protected areas, which could make it easier to absorb them into protected areas or to find other ways of conserving them.

These sites are home to over 4,700 threatened species in some of the world's most biodiverse yet threatened ecosystems. These include not only mammals and birds that rely on large intact habitats, like the tamaraw in the Philippines and the Celebes crested macaque in Sulawesi, Indonesia, but also range-restricted amphibians and rare plant species.

To calculate the price of this protection, the scientists modeled a cost estimate using data from hundreds of land protection projects over 14 years, and accounting for the type and amount of land acquired as well as country-specific economic factors. These numbers are approximate because a variety of land purchase or long-term lease options, each with different costs, might work well for protecting Conservation Imperatives. Stakeholders worldwide, including indigenous peoples, communities with jurisdiction over Conservation Imperative sites, and other members of civil society, will need to decide which options work best for them.

Their analysis estimated that protecting the Conservation Imperatives in the tropics would cost approximately $34 billion per year over the next five years.

This represents less than 0.2% of the United States' GDP, less than 9% of the annual subsidies benefiting the global fossil fuel industry, and a fraction of the revenue generated from the mining and agroforestry industries each year.

Part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on June 26, 2024 at 9:06am

One major limitation of the study is that, for the most part, it looked at patients' microbiomes at one point in time. It didn't look at changes to the gut microbiome or disease status over time. Future studies that build on this work include studying this link over an extended period and examining the strain-specific functions to understand better how they lead to T2D.

A benefit and a challenge of the human microbiome is that it is highly personalized. 

The fact that we each have highly distinct microbial communities and microbial genetics means that very large population studies are needed to find consistent patterns. But once we do, individual microbiomes have the potential to be reshaped to help reduce disease risk.

Mei, Z et al. Strain-Specific gut microbial signatures in Type 2 Diabetes Revealed by a Cross-Cohort Analysis of 8,117 Metagenomes, Nature Medicine (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41591-024-03067-7

Part 3

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