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Category: health – Page 4

Our guts are home to trillions of bacteria, and research over the last few decades has established how essential they are to our physiology—in health and disease. A new study from EMBL Heidelberg researchers shows that gut bacteria can bring about profound molecular changes in one of our most critical organs—the brain.

The new study, published in the journal Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, is the first to show that bacteria living in the gut can influence how proteins in the brain are modified by carbohydrates—a process called glycosylation. The study was made possible by a new method the scientists developed—DQGlyco—which allows them to study glycosylation at a much higher scale and resolution than previous studies.

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The ancient Greek statue of Apoxyomenos, also known as the “Croatian Apoxiomenos,” is a remarkable ancient Greek bronze statue depicting an athlete scraping oil and dust from his body with a strigil, a tool used by ancient Greeks for cleaning themselves after exercise.

It dates back to the 2nd or 1st century BC and was discovered in 1996 by a Belgian tourist diving off the Croatian island of Lošinj in the Adriatic Sea.

This statue is significant not only for its artistic quality but also because it is one of the few large-scale ancient bronze statues to have survived largely intact.

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As temperatures drop, norovirus cases increase and more of its RNA ends up in sewage. This year, wastewater samples in the United States show norovirus levels have already passed the previous two seasonal peaks.

The “Ferrari of viruses” is having a banner season. Norovirus, which races through cruise ships, homes, and long-term care facilities, is experiencing a remarkable winter surge in the Northern Hemisphere, sending large numbers of people racing to the bathroom and many others to the hospital, and in rare cases, proving fatal. In the United States, for example, 91 outbreaks of the intestinal virus occurred in the first week of December 2024, far above the previous maximum, 65, for the same week between 2010 and 2024. And levels of its genes in U.S. wastewater are an order of magnitude above last year.

“The early data for the early part of the season is certainly supporting that we’re going to have a pretty intense norovirus year,” says Lisa Lindesmith, who studies the virus at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill. Some of the surge may be due to a new variant of the virus, unfamiliar to many people’s immune systems, and the resumption of cruises and other gatherings that the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted. And there’s no vaccine anywhere in sight: The most advanced candidate just failed a key trial and others won’t be ready for several years.

Norovirus thrives in cold climes, causing explosive diarrhea and vomiting that typically only last for a day. But several weeks after people recover, they can still shed the virus, and it can remain infectious for long periods on surfaces. It’s notoriously resistant to many disinfectants, and studies in adult volunteers have shown just a trace of virus is enough to sicken a person. Oysters are also a source of infection, because the filter-feeding mollusks concentrate the virus from contaminated water in their tissues. U.S. health officials issued several warnings about infected oysters in December, and France has banned oyster harvesting in certain regions because of norovirus outbreaks.

Continue reading “Why the ‘Ferrari of viruses’ is surging through the Northern Hemisphere” | >

A study confirms the positive effects of exercise on insulinInsulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, crucial for regulating blood glucose levels. It helps cells in the body absorb glucose from the bloodstream and convert it into energy or store it for future use. Insulin production and action are essential for maintaining stable blood sugar levels. In people with diabetes, the body either does not produce enough insulin (Type 1 diabetes) or cannot effectively use the insulin it does produce (Type 2 diabetes), leading to elevated levels of glucose in the blood. This can cause various health complications over time, including heart disease, kidney damage, and nerve dysfunction. Insulin therapy, where insulin is administered through injections or an insulin pump, is a common treatment for managing diabetes, particularly Type 1. The discovery of insulin in 1921 by Frederick Banting and Charles Best was a landmark in medical science, transforming diabetes from a fatal disease to a manageable condition. tabindex=0 insulin signaling proteins in the brain.

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People with pockets of fat hidden inside their muscles are at a higher risk of dying or being hospitalized from a heartattack or heart failure, regardless of their body mass index, according to research published in the European Heart Journal.

This ‘intermuscular’ fat is highly prized in beef steaks for cooking. However, little is known about this type of body fat in humans, and its impact on health. This is the first study to comprehensively investigate the effects of fatty muscles on heart disease.

The new finding adds evidence that existing measures, such as body mass index or waist circumference, are not adequate to evaluate the risk of heart disease accurately for all people.

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Physical fitness is typically associated with health benefits, and we generally consider exercise good. Many studies have shown that this relates to cancer, where exercise and maintaining a healthy weight can reduce the risk of developing cancer. Studies have shown that obesity raises the risk of mortality in cancer patients.

Data recently published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that staying fit could reduce the risk of dying from cancer. The study looked at two different readouts for fitness: muscle strength and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF).

The researchers undertook a comprehensive review and meta-analysis by examining peer-reviewed studies published before August 2023. The analysis included 42 studies encompassing over 46,000 patients.

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Has NASA canceled the SLS moon rocket? Will the Artemis Program be canceled too? Can we still beat China to the moon? See why that is vital and my role in helping to establish both the commercial space and SLS programs.

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Earth sized planet causes parent star to emit radio signals indicating presence of a magnetic field and potential for live elsewhere in the cosmos.

GoldBacks from Galactic/Green Greg’s affiliate link:
https://www.defythegrid.com/goldbacks… coupon code GreenGregs for 1% off Outstanding Antioxidant for Your Health: https://shopc60.com/ Use discount code: GreenGregs10 for 10% off Inspire your kids to love science! SAVE 20% OFF New Science Kits Using Code: NEWKITSSAVE20 https://www.pntra.com/t/SENKTExNSUhDR… For gardening in your Lunar or Mars habitat GalacticGregs has teamed up with True Leaf Market http://www.pntrac.com/t/TUJGRklGSkJGT… Awesome deals for long term food supplies for those long missions to deep space (or prepping in case your spaceship crashes: See the Special Deals at My Patriot Supply: www.PrepWithGreg.com For that off-grid asteroid homestead stock up with Lemans before you blast off: https://www.pntrs.com/t/SENJR0ZOSk9DR…

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The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) constitute the leading global framework for achieving human progress, economic prosperity, and planetary health. This framework emphasizes issues such as public health, education for all, gender equality, zero hunger, adoption of clean and renewable energy, and biodiversity conservation. Yet, despite this comprehensive agenda, questions remain about how different nations navigate their own paths toward these goals.

A recent study, published in Nature Communications provides insights into the trajectories of 166 countries as they have worked toward the SDGs over the past two decades.

By applying and the Product Space methodology, commonly used in the field of complexity economics, the researchers constructed the “SDG Space of Nations.” The elaborate model shows that countries do not simply march in lockstep toward sustainable development; instead, they cluster into distinctive groups, each with its own strengths and specializations, sometimes quite unexpected.

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