Comment

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 21, 2025 at 11:28am

Radon exposure linked to increased asthma symptoms in children

A radioactive gas could be contributing to asthma among schoolkids, researchers have found.

Children exposed to elevated levels of radon gas tended to have more asthma symptoms, results show.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that's odorless and invisible, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It emanates from the breakdown of trace amounts of uranium found in soil. Homes can fill with radon as it seeps out of soil and up through cracks and crevices, the CDC says. It is the second-leading cause of lung cancer deaths in some countries after cigarette smoke.

 Tina M. Banzon et al, Effect of radon exposure on asthma morbidity in the School Inner‐City Asthma study, Pediatric Pulmonology (2023). DOI: 10.1002/ppul.26429

Joyce E. Yu, Effect of Radon Exposure on Asthma Morbidity in the School Inner-City Asthma Study, Pediatrics (2024). DOI: 10.1542/peds.2024-069114KG

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 21, 2025 at 11:24am

Screen time linked to bipolar and manic symptoms in  preteens

Preteens who spend more time on screens are more likely to develop manic symptoms two-years later, according to a new study published in Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology.

The findings reveal that 10–11 year-olds who engage heavily with social media, video games, texting, and videos show a greater risk of symptoms such as inflated self-esteem, decreased need for sleep, distractibility, rapid speech, racing thoughts, and impulsivity—behaviors characteristic of manic episodes, a key feature of bipolar-spectrum disorders.

Adolescence is a particularly vulnerable time for the development of bipolar-spectrum disorders. Given that earlier onset of symptoms is linked with more severe and chronic outcomes, it's important to understand what might contribute to the onset or worsening of manic symptoms in teenagers.

Symptoms of social media and video game addiction, characterized by the inability to stop despite trying, withdrawal, tolerance, conflict, and relapse, may play a role. Screen addictions and irregular sleep patterns may exacerbate manic symptoms in susceptible teens.

The study adds to the wealth of knowledge on the associations between screen use and poor mental health in adolescents.

Jason M. Nagata et al, Screen time and manic symptoms in early adolescents: prospective findings from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology (2025). DOI: 10.1007/s00127-025-02814-6

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 21, 2025 at 11:19am

Experts strongly recommend against spine injections for chronic back pain

Spine injections should not be given to adults with chronic back pain because they provide little or no pain relief compared with sham injections, say a panel of international experts in The BMJ.

Their strong recommendations apply to procedures such as epidural steroid injections and nerve blocks for people living with chronic back pain (lasting at least three months) that is not associated with cancer, infection or inflammatory arthritis.

Their advice is based on the latest evidence and is part of The BMJ's "Rapid Recommendations" initiative—to produce rapid and trustworthy guidance based on new evidence to help doctors make better decisions with their patients.

Chronic back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide. It is estimated to affect one in five adults aged 20–59, with higher rates likely among older adults.

Procedures such as epidural steroid injections, nerve blocks and radiofrequency ablation (using radio waves to destroy nerves) are widely used to stop pain signals reaching the brain, but current guidelines provide conflicting recommendations for their use.

So an international panel, made up of clinicians, people living with chronic spine pain, and research methodologists, carried out a detailed analysis of the latest evidence using the GRADE approach (a system used to assess the quality of evidence).

This evidence, based on reviews of randomized trials and observational studies, compared the benefits and harms of 13 common interventional procedures, or combinations of procedures, for chronic, non-cancer spine pain against sham procedures.

After careful consideration, the panel concluded that there was no high certainty evidence for any procedure or combination of procedures, and all low and moderate certainty evidence suggests no meaningful relief for either axial pain (in a specific area of the spine) or radicular pain (radiating from the spine to the arms or legs) for spine injections compared with sham procedures.

As such, they strongly recommend against their use.

This includes injections of local anesthetic, steroids, or their combination; epidural injections of local anesthetic, steroids, or their combination; and radiofrequency ablation with or without local anesthetic plus steroid injections. The panel added that these procedures are costly, a burden on patients, and carry a small risk of harm. As such, they say almost all informed patients would choose to avoid them.

Finally, they acknowledge that further research is warranted and may alter future recommendations, in particular for procedures currently supported by low or very low certainty of effectiveness. Further research is also needed to establish the effects of interventional procedures on important outcomes for patients, such as opioid use, return to work, and sleep quality.

Commonly used interventional procedures for non-cancer chronic spine pain: a clinical practice guideline, The BMJ (2025). DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2024-079970

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 21, 2025 at 11:01am

Possible evidence of windborne H5N1 viral infections in chickens

A team of government veterinarians with the State Veterinary Institute Prague in the Czech Republic has found possible evidence of windborne H5N1 infections in chickens. In their paper posted on the bioRxiv preprint server, the group describes how chickens in a closed environment became infected with the H5N1 virus despite no contact with other chickens, wild birds, or their feces, leaving the wind as the only likely source.

The H5N1 virus is responsible for a worldwide avian flu pandemic in chickens. The virus has been determined to be a subtype of the influenza A virus and was first observed in China in 1996. Since then, it has infected birds across the world, with epidemics rising and falling in different countries at different times.

Prior research has suggested that birds infect one another via the transfer of saliva, mucus or contact with feces. Infections between other types of animals have been seen due to the transfer of bodily fluids such as saliva, milk or even blood. Once an infection occurs in a single location, such as a chicken farm, it can spread rapidly. Research has also suggested that infections at sites such as chicken farms most likely occur due to wild birds dropping feces near the chickens. In this new effort, the research team found an incident where a chicken farm was infected without any known outside source, suggesting the wind carried the virus.

In their case, the veterinarians were conducting research on a highly secure chicken research farm—the birds there were not allowed out of their cages or barns. The water came from a secure well and was filtered to remove pathogens. The barns have large fans that create a one-way airflow, and the entire facility is surrounded by a highly secure fence. Also, no employees came into contact with any other birds when not on duty. Still, the farm experienced an infection. The veterinarians suggest the only possibility left is that the virus was carried aloft by the wind and wafted into the barn, settling on the captive birds. No evidence of the virus traveling via the wind has been found. The evidence is circumstantial, but the team suggests the virus could have hitched a ride on a bit of dust from hay exposed to wild bird excrement.

Alexander Nagy et al, Genetic data and meteorological conditions: unravelling the windborne transmission of H5N1 high-pathogenicity avian influenza between commercial poultry outbreaks, bioRxiv (2025). DOI: 10.1101/2025.02.12.637829

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 20, 2025 at 9:29am

The results of this now published research provide a strong impulse to intensify the exploration for natural H2 in mountain ranges. In fact, various exploration efforts are already underway in places such as the Pyrenees, the European Alps, and the Balkans, where researchers have previously found indications of ongoing natural hydrogen generation.

Frank Zwaan, Rift-inversion orogens are potential hotspots for natural H2 generation, Science Advances (2025). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adr3418. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adr3418

Part 3

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 20, 2025 at 9:28am

Natural hydrogen can be generated in several ways, for instance by bacterial transformation of organic material or splitting of water molecules driven by decay of radioactive elements in the Earth's continental crust.

As a result, the occurrence of natural H2 is reported in many places worldwide. The general viability of natural hydrogen as an energy source has already been proven in Mali, where limited volumes of H2 originating from iron-rich sedimentary layers are produced through boreholes in the subsurface.

However, the most promising mechanism for large-scale natural hydrogen generation is a geological process in which mantle rocks react with water. The minerals in the mantle rocks change their composition and form new minerals of the so-called serpentine group, as well as H2 gas.

This process is called serpentinization. Mantle rocks are normally situated at great depth, below the Earth's crust. In order for these rocks to come in contact with water and serpentinize, they must be tectonically exhumed, i.e. being brought near the Earth's surface.
There are two main plate tectonic environments in which mantle rocks are exhumed and serpentinized over the course of millions of years: 1) ocean basins that open as continents break apart during rifting, allowing the mantle to rise as the overlying continental crust is thinned and eventually split (for example in the Atlantic Ocean), and 2) subsequent basin closure and mountain building as continents move back together and collide, allowing mantle rocks to be pushed up towards the surface (for example in the Pyrenees and Alps).
A thorough understanding of how such tectonic environments evolve is key to properly assess their natural hydrogen potential. Using a state-of-the-art numerical plate tectonic modeling approach, calibrated with data from natural examples, the GFZ-led research team simulated the full plate tectonic evolution from initial rifting to continental break-up, followed by basin closure and mountain building.

In these simulations, the researchers were able to determine for the first time where, when, and how much mantle rocks are exhumed in mountains, and when these rocks may be in contact with water at favorable temperatures, to allow for efficient serpentinization and natural hydrogen generation.

It turns out that conditions for serpentinization and thus natural H2 generation are considerably better in mountain ranges than in rift basins. Due to the comparably colder environment in mountain ranges, larger volumes of exhumed mantle rocks are found at favorable serpentinization temperatures of 200–350°C, and at the same time, plenty of water circulation along large faults within the mountains can allow for their serpentinization potential to be realized.

As a result, the annual hydrogen generation capacity in mountain ranges can be up to 20 times greater than in rift environments. In addition, suitable reservoir rocks (for example sandstones) required for the accumulation of economically viable natural H2 volumes are readily available in mountain ranges, but are likely absent during serpentinization and hydrogen generation in the deeper parts of rift basins.
Part 2

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 20, 2025 at 9:27am

Mountain ranges could be hidden treasure troves of natural hydrogen, plate tectonic modeling finds

The successful development of sustainable georesources for the energy transition is a key challenge for humankind in the 21st century. Hydrogen gas (H₂) has great potential to replace current fossil fuels while simultaneously eliminating the associated emission of CO₂ and other pollutants.

However, a major obstacle is that H2 must be produced first. Current synthetic hydrogen production is at best based on renewable energies but it can also be polluting if fossil energy is used.

The solution may be found in nature, since various geological processes can generate hydrogen. Yet, until now, it has remained unclear where we should be looking for potentially large-scale natural H₂ accumulations.

A team of researchers present an answer to this question: using plate tectonic modeling, they found that mountain ranges in which originally deep mantle rocks are found near the surface represent potential natural hydrogen hotspots. 

Such mountain ranges may not only be ideal geological environments for large-scale natural H₂ generation, but also for forming large-scale H₂ accumulations that can be drilled for H₂ production.

The results of this research have been published in Science Advances.

Part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 20, 2025 at 9:18am

Through additional experiments with skin, breast, and lung cancer cells, the researchers determined that a key source of nutrients for cancer cells comes from oligopeptides—pieces of proteins made up of small chains of amino acids—found outside the cell.

Where this process becomes cooperative is that instead of grabbing these peptides and ingesting them internally, the scientists found that tumor cells secrete a specialized enzyme that digests these peptides into free amino acids. Because this process happens outside the cells, the result is a shared pool of amino acids that becomes a common good.
Determining the enzyme secreted by cancer cells, called CNDP2, was an important discovery.

Carlos Carmona-Fontaine, Cooperative nutrient scavenging is an evolutionary advantage in cancer, Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08588-w. www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08588-w

Part 2

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 20, 2025 at 9:17am

Cancer cells cooperate to scavenge for nutrients, scientists discover

Cancer cells work together to source nutrients from their environment—a cooperative process that was previously overlooked by scientists but may be a promising target for treating cancer.

Researchers identified cooperative interactions among cancer cells that allow them to proliferate. Thinking about the mechanisms that tumor cells exploit can inform future therapies.

Scientists have long known that cancer cells compete with one another for nutrients and other resources. Over time, a tumor becomes more and more aggressive as it becomes dominated by the strongest cancer cells.

However, ecologists also know that living organisms cooperate, particularly under harsh conditions. For instance, penguins form tight huddles to conserve heat during the extreme cold of winter, with their huddles growing in size as temperatures drop—a behavior not observed during warmer months.

Similarly, microorganisms such as yeast work together to find nutrients, but only when facing starvation.

Cancer cells also need nutrients to thrive and replicate into life-threatening tumors, but they live in environments where nutrients are scarce. Is it possible that cancer cells work together to scavenge for resources?

To determine whether cancer cells cooperate, the researchers tracked the growth of cells from different types of tumors. Using a robotic microscope and image analysis software they developed, they quickly counted millions of cells under hundreds of conditions over time.

This approach allowed them to examine tumor cultures at a range of densities—from sparsely populated dishes to those crowded with cancer cells—and with different levels of nutrients in the environment.

It is well-known that cells uptake amino acids in a competitive manner. But when the cancer cells studied were starved of amino acids such as glutamine, all of the cell types tested showed a strong need to work together to acquire the available nutrients.

Surprisingly, the researchers observed that limiting amino acids benefited larger cell populations, but not sparse ones, suggesting that this is a cooperative process that depends on population density. It became really clear that there was true cooperation among tumor cells.

Part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 20, 2025 at 9:04am

The researchers then demonstrated that the mice's elevated insulin levels fueled the growth of fatty plaques in the mice's arteries, suggesting that insulin may be the key link between aspartame and cardiovascular health.

Next, they investigated how exactly elevated insulin levels lead to arterial plaque buildup and identified an immune signal called CX3CL1 that is especially active under insulin stimulation.

Because blood flow through the artery is strong and robust, most chemicals would be quickly washed away as the heart pumps. Surprisingly, not CX3CL1. It stays glued to the surface of the inner lining of blood vessels. There, it acts like a bait, catching immune cells as they pass by.

Many of these trapped immune cells are known to stoke blood vessel inflammation. However, when researchers eliminated CX3CL1 receptors from one of the immune cells in aspartame-fed mice, the harmful plaque buildup didn't occur. These results point to CX3CL1's role in aspartame's effects on the arteries.

Artificial sweeteners have penetrated almost all kinds of food, so we have to be careful not to consume such food, say the researchers.

Sweetener aspartame aggravates atherosclerosis through insulin-triggered inflammation, Cell Metabolism (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2025.01.006. www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/f … 1550-4131(25)00006-3

Part 2

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