Nasal Drops: A Potential Solution for Preventing All Strains of Influenza

Nasal Sprays Target the Main Entry Point of the Influenza Virus

Tatyana Maksimova/Getty Images

Recent research highlights a novel antibody nasal spray that showed promise in early trials with mice, monkeys, and humans for preventing influenza infections. This spray can neutralize various strains of influenza viruses, including those transmitted from animals, potentially aiding in the fight against future pandemics.

The primary method of combating the spread of influenza remains the annual vaccine, designed to stimulate the immune system to produce targeted antibodies against circulating virus strains. However, due to the constant mutations of influenza viruses, vaccines can only offer limited protection.

To enhance vaccine efficacy, pharmaceutical innovator Johnson & Johnson has developed a groundbreaking antibody, CR9114, capable of neutralizing diverse influenza strains. This antibody recognizes and binds to invariant components of the virus, allowing for consistent defense against mutations.

Initially, CR9114 was injected into animals, but it didn’t provide adequate protection due to insufficient concentrations reaching the nasal cavity—the virus’s primary point of entry. In 2022, the Leiden Institute licensed CR9114, creating a formulation suitable for nasal administration.

Subsequent studies demonstrated that administering CR9114 via nasal spray to mice and macaque monkeys shielded them from various influenza A and B strains, including one isolated during the 1933 flu outbreak.

In addition, preliminary tests involving 143 individuals aged 18 to 55 revealed that using the nasal spray twice daily maintained steady antibody levels in their nasal passages, showing no significant side effects. Mucus samples collected afterward successfully neutralized different strains of influenza, including the avian flu strain that affected humans in China in 2013.

The next phase of research will expose nasal spray users to live influenza viruses to determine its actual effectiveness in preventing illness.

While nasal sprays may not guarantee 100% effectiveness against all entry routes of the virus, they remain a crucial defense mechanism against influenza. According to Linda Wakim from the University of Melbourne, “Even if you block entry through the nose, you’ll still be eliminating the virus at its main access point for infection.”

Wakim also notes that while the nasal spray may require more frequent dosing than a standard flu shot, it could significantly benefit high-risk populations, such as immunocompromised individuals and frontline health workers, especially during pandemics when rapid public health responses are essential.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Signs of Trouble: Preventing Counterfeit Scams on Vinted and Other Resale Platforms

WMaheen was thrilled to discover a new Dyson Airwrap listed on the resale website Vinted for an attractive £260. The seller had a stellar 5-star rating, and she felt confident in the buyer protection policy should any issues arise.

Airwraps are typically priced between £400 and £480 when bought new, but Maheen didn’t suspect anything amiss. “I’ve used Vinted numerous times and found it straightforward and hassle-free. I’ve never faced any problems,” she states.

However, after two weeks and roughly four uses, she noticed a troubling sign. “I saw the wires beginning to smoke, and the device felt unsafe,” she explains. Maheen reached out to Dyson and was instructed to send the Airwrap in for inspection.

The news confirmed her worst fears. “I received a letter from [Dyson] informing me that the product is counterfeit. They wouldn’t return it to me as it posed a danger,” she shares.

Maheen’s experience is not isolated. Almost 37% of individuals in the UK have encountered scams while engaging in online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and Vinted, according to research by credit reference agency Experian.

Younger individuals are particularly prone to this type of fraud, with over half (58%) of Gen Z respondents indicating they have fallen victim to scams, contrasted with only 16% of those older than 55.

Nearly a quarter of victims reported losses ranging from £51 to £100, while 13% faced losses exceeding £250. A small fraction indicated that their losses fell between £501 and £1,000.

The most prevalent type of fraud encountered was receiving counterfeit goods (34%), the same fate that befell Maheen. This was followed by sellers requesting payment outside the platform (31%) and items not being delivered after payment (22%).

Scam Scene

It may appear to be a genuine product, with descriptions providing a convincing facade. Over half (51%) of fraud victims told Experian that they only realized they were scammed after the item was delivered and was found to be fake, or if the item never arrived.

The images might be sourced from other websites, potentially low-resolution or resembling catalog photos.

The price could be set lower than expected; if you begin asking questions, the seller may rush you into making a purchase and propose payment outside of the Vinted platform.

What to Do

Always diligently review the seller’s profile and read customer feedback before making any purchases on the marketplace. Aim to gather as much information as possible regarding the product prior to buying. For instance, request sellers to provide videos of their items. To safeguard yourself, utilize secure payment methods and refrain from making bank transfers.

In the unfortunate event of a scam, report it to the marketplace and seek a refund. You may need to provide a screenshot of the conversation, details about the seller or buyer, and potentially bank transfer documentation.

Although Maheen’s two-day buyer protection period on Vinted had elapsed, she believed she would reclaim her money since the item was hazardous. Nevertheless, she found it “incredibly difficult to communicate with them.”

She remarks: “It felt like I was conversing with a bot.”

With assistance from Guardian Money, she has now received her refund.

A representative from Vinted stated: “The vast majority of transactions on Vinted are successful, and our team is actively working to ensure a smooth trading experience for all members.”

“When disputes occur between buyers and sellers, we collaborate closely with our shipping partners, occasionally seeking further information or evidence to mediate before reaching a final decision.”

If appealing directly to the marketplace is unsuccessful, there are alternative steps you can take.

If you used a debit card, consider requesting a chargeback from your bank. If you paid via credit card, explore the option of a Section 75 charge, which is only applicable for purchases exceeding £100. For bank transfers, the process may be more complex, but you could be eligible for a refund using a new method. Fraud Refund Protection.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Study suggests fixed bedtime more important than total sleep time in preventing tiredness

When it comes to a good night’s sleep, the quality of your sleep may be more important than the number of hours you get. A new study published in the journal sleep suggests that the regularity of your sleep schedule is a strong predictor of your overall risk of death. In fact, research shows that even those who consistently get 7-8 hours of sleep but have irregular sleep schedules are at a higher risk of stroke, heart attacks, and even cancer compared to those with a consistent sleep-wake routine.

Individuals with the most consistent sleep-wake times have been found to have up to a 48% lower risk of all-cause death compared to those with inconsistent routines. However, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule doesn’t mean you can skimp on sleep. Those who slept less than six hours or more than nine hours each night were also at a higher risk of death. Overall, the link between mortality and consistent sleep patterns was found to be stronger than the link between mortality and sleep duration.

Researchers analyzed sleep data from nearly 61,000 people in the UK biobank, totaling over 10 million hours of recorded sleep. Using advanced algorithms, they tracked mortality rates over an average of 6.3 years to identify factors associated with early death. The hope is that these findings will inform updated public health guidelines and sleep recommendations, emphasizing the importance of not only getting enough sleep but also maintaining a consistent sleep schedule for improved overall health.

Further research is needed to determine if these findings apply to populations outside the UK and to a more diverse range of individuals.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Preventing Freezing with Fur: A Guide

Ice crystals cannot stick to the fur of the polar bear

Asifphotographer1/Shatte Rstock

Anyone who saw a wildlife documentary did not stick to the skin on polar bears.

This has been known for a long time by the Arctic indigenous residents who have used this fur, but is now attracting attention and studying by scientists. Bodyl holst Norwegian University in Bergen and her colleagues indicate that the ice resistance of the arakugen's fur is not the characteristics of the fur itself, but the natural oil secreted by the hair.

Holst is a physicist who studies the surface characteristics. She started when she saw a polar bear on her fur, because she was very well insulated while watching a TV quiz program, she was barely insulated. In other words, the temperature of the outward fur is under freezing, but Horst was realized, but she had never seen a wildlife film coated with ice.

“And why did I don't think freezing is a problem? Why does ice do not accumulate in fur under these circumstances?” She says.

After all, this is a problem for many other land mammals in cold environments, from cows in Musuku to growing beards. Holst asked a researcher at Polar Research Institute in Norwegian why he knows why the arco is on ice. I didn't do anything, but I decided to investigate together.

Horst and her colleagues obtained a sample of polar bears from the Norwegian Subarbird and compared them with human hair. They discovered that the power needed to remove ice from the polar bears was one -quarter of the human hair. In other words, bears can easily shake the ice.

Washing polar bears removes ice resistance, suggesting that oil -based coating on the hair is the key to its characteristics. This substance, known as sebum, is secreted by glands connected to the hair.

There are no substances called squalene, which are commonly found in sebum, especially in aquatic mammals, especially in aquatic mammals. It also contains some abnormal fatty acids. These may be unique to polar bears, but we can't be convinced of it because there are few research on animal sebum composition.

Unlike the methods used in other fur, the Arctic people, such as Inuit, have traditionally prepared polar bears by storing sebum. They also use fur in a way to use ice resistance.

For example, the Greenland Inuit Hunter is known to have stopped sticking to ice by placing a small part of the portrogle fur under the legs of a stool used by the hunter. They also tied the pacifier's fur into the boot sole while stalking animals to avoid the noise made of ice -covered surface.

The Holst team is currently investigating potential applications, such as creating an environment -friendly ski wax, which is currently used to prevent ice, which is used for long -term full -term fluorocarbon compounds.

Hair wax based on polar bears can help people who work in a cold environment. “I didn't think about the application, but it should definitely work,” says Horst. “I think you just gave me a new idea.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Preventing Inflammation After Stroke by Blocking This Enzyme

Stroke can cause irreversible, life-altering, and long-term brain damage. A stroke can be caused by a blood clot called a thrombus. ischemic strokeor a ruptured blood vessel. hemorrhagic stroke. Our brains require large amounts of oxygen, so when blood flow is interrupted, oxygen-dependent brain substances are damaged in the short term.

Think of the blood vessels in your brain as a perfectly designed highway. When an ischemic stroke occurs, blood clots block these blood vessels, preventing oxygen from reaching the brain. When an ischemic stroke occurs, microglia It acts as our body's “ambulance” and focuses on the site of the blood clot. Scientists classify microglia into two types: anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory. Anti-inflammatory microglia help fight inflammation in the brain. Pro-inflammatory microglia cause further brain inflammation by damaging nerve cells. neuronremove the protective sheath known as . myelin.

Chinese researchers recently developed a hypothesis that inhibits an enzyme associated with inflammation called histone deacetylase 3 or HDAC3 may reduce proinflammatory microglial production in mice. They reasoned that because HDAC3 enzymes activate proinflammatory immune cells, inhibiting these enzymes may reduce inflammation.

To study how stroke affects the production of inflammatory cells, the researchers first determined which cell types in mice were most likely to be affected by HDAC3. They induced strokes in mice and found that HDAC3 was more active in the mice's microglia than in other cells. High levels of HDAC3 were present in the mice's neurons, but they were not active. The researchers interpreted this data to suggest that HDAC3 plays a more important role in microglia than in other types of brain cells.

Next, the researchers genetically engineered mice that lack microglial HDAC3. knockout mouse. They compared the knockout mice to a control group of mice that retained microglial HDAC3. They induced strokes in both groups of mice for 60 minutes. They then examined the mice's brains using MRI after three, 14, and 35 days to see how the brain damage caused by the stroke progressed in the two different groups. They found that the knockout mice had less brain damage than control mice on all three days.

The researchers also found that the knockout mice had better scores on motor, learning, memory, and behavioral tests than control mice. For example, when scientists applied sticky tape to the soles of mice's feet, the knockout mice removed the tape about 50 seconds faster than control mice. The knockout mice had less myelin loss and less degeneration of electrical pathways in the brain. The researchers interpreted these results to suggest that inhibiting microglial HDAC3 in mice prevented brain damage and improved mental performance after stroke.

The researchers also investigated which gene There were active and inactive forms in two sets of mice. They found that all pro-inflammatory genes tested were inactive in knockout mice, but highly active in mice with microglial HDAC3. They also found that the knockout mice had less activity in genes that produce inflammatory cells.

The researchers concluded that deleting microglial HDAC3 can prevent brain inflammation, myelin removal, and brain tissue damage during stroke. However, before HDAC3 deletion becomes a treatment, they recommended that future researchers determine whether there are any serious side effects. The reduction in inflammation in mice means the same technology could one day be used to reduce the inflammatory effects of stroke in humans.


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Source: sciworthy.com

A revolutionary anti-aging vaccine offers hope in preventing diseases like Alzheimer’s

I’ll be 60 in just over 5 years, which is a big deal. I already have an age-related disease (high blood pressure), and the odds are good that I haven’t been diagnosed with at least one more by then. After that, the symptoms of age will pile up and bring me to my inevitable end. Many of you will no doubt be in a similar situation. We are living longer than ever before, but those extra years don’t necessarily come with good health.

But judging by recent trends, my sons may be even luckier. Instead of facing a long list of common diseases in their 70s and 80s, they may be able to immunize themselves against them. They may be able to celebrate middle age with vaccinations that immunize them against Alzheimer’s, cancer, and hypertension. What’s more, they may even have access to an anti-aging panacea that vaccinates against all of these and more, allowing them to enter old age in better health than most of us today could hope to achieve.

Suddenly, an ancient medical technique looks set to become a game changer in the fight against diseases associated with age. Vaccines, the most commonly used injections for infectious diseases like COVID-19 and measles, are now showing promise for treating non-infectious diseases, particularly those associated with age. The field is advancing rapidly, and there are signs that, in the right winds, I and others my age might be able to benefit from these vaccinations. It’s so…

Source: www.newscientist.com

Preventing Your Child from Catching a Cold: Strengthening with a New Approach


“It is well known that the best way to prevent catching a cold is to stay in shape.” write Mariam Amankerdievna Sidikova Medical, Practice and Nursing JournalLest parents overdo it, she warns that only healthy children “can get stronger with hydrotherapy.”
While exercising may be your best bet, it’s not your only cold prevention strategy. Aman Keldievna, a researcher at Samarkand State Medical University in Uzbekistan, also recommends scrubbing. “Scrubbing should be done year-round,” she says. If done correctly, “scrubbing should begin with the arms, then the legs, chest, abdomen, and back.”
The hardening doesn’t have to be water-based: Amankerdievna also approves of air hardening. “Air hardening is a gentler factor and is allowed for children in any state of health,” she writes.
Sunbathing is another option, but hardening caused by sunlight can be problematic. “Sunbathing is only possible with the doctor’s permission,” says Amankerdievna.
We all know that
If you’re a good speed reader, it’s easy to keep up with all that’s known — just read the thousands of new research papers published every week — but not everyone is good at speed reading.
As a service to slow readers, the feedback aims to summarize some things that are officially well known, as evidenced by the scientific literature (see above), each of which is documented with a sentence beginning with “It is well known that…”
Here are some well-known examples:
Forgetful functors are well known. Cary Malkiewich and Maru Sarazola Writing in a preprint study: “It is well known that stable model structures on a symmetric spectrum cannot be transferred from stable model structures on a continuous spectrum via a forgetting function.”
It’s notoriously complicated. Frank Nielsen wrote in the Journal: entropy, Mentioned One is that “it is well known that the distorted Bhattacharya distance between probability densities of exponential families corresponds to a distorted Jensen divergence induced by a cumulant function between the corresponding natural parameters, and in the limiting case, the two-sided Kullback-Leibler divergence corresponds to the inverse two-sided Bregman divergence.”
Heinz Kohut’s paper on narcissism is well known. write In the journal Psychoanalysis, Self and Contextreminds us that “it is well known that Heinz Kohut’s work on narcissism led to a reevaluation of patients’ healthy self-esteem.”
Ronald Fagin and Joseph Halpern A new approach to belief updatingNote that “it is well known that conditional probability functions are probability functions.”
And Luca Di Luzio, Admir Greggio and Marco Nardeckia write: Physics Review Dassure us “It is well known The giant vector is yearning for ultraviolet (UV) completion.”
How many of these well-known things are known to most people? The answer to that question is unknown. If you know of any well-known things that are less well-known but should be brought to our attention, please submit them (along with documentation) to Well-known things, c/o Feedback.
Fascism Disease
Reader Jennifer Skillen shared in her feedback that thinking about thinking was what sparked her mother-son shared reading sessions, which began several years ago. The Very Hungry Caterpillar And now, embrace New Scientist, It also contains other, more mature content.
“The other day, I started reading the cancer section of “How Do You Think About…?” [New Scientist, 25 May, page 42]And my son said, ‘Mom, why don’t you just read it and replace the word cancer with the word fascist?’ And I did, because I was fine with anything that concerned my son,” Jennifer says.
“To my surprise, the article was still very readable even with the substitutions. It made sense, but was very entertaining. It seems that both cancer cells and fascist cells can respond to changes in their environment and divide rapidly.”
Feedback agrees, and offers some excerpts from the article so readers can judge for themselves: “Cancer cells compete for nutrients and only the fittest survive…Cancer cells have evolved to be the best cancer cells possible, which is usually bad news.”
Jennifer and her son were wondering about other word pair substitutions that readers might have spotted. New Scientist The article states that substitutions “add meaning, increase knowledge, and make things more interesting.”
terrible
The question “what’s in it?” has generated many surprises, sometimes involving eels. Rohit Goel and his colleagues from the Pondicherry Medical School in India have uncovered one such surprise.
writing American Journal of Forensic PathologyThe researchers said:Unusual examples “The discovery of an interesting post-mortem remains: the presence of a moray eel among the corpses.”
The research team said that to their knowledge, “this is the first time such a discovery has been reported.”
Marc Abrahams is the founder of the Ig Nobel Prize ceremony and co-founder of the journal Annals of Improbable Research. He previously worked on unusual uses of computers. His website is Impossible.
Do you have a story for feedback?
You can submit articles for Feedback by emailing feedback@newscientist.com. Please include your home address. This week’s and past Feedback can be found on our website.

Source: www.newscientist.com

Preventing Back Pain Through Regular Walking

Being active has many health benefits

Sergio Azenha/Alamy

People who suffer from recurring back pain appear to be able to avoid the discomfort for longer by taking regular walks.

Over 600 million people worldwide I feel pain in this part of my back, Initially resolved but often recursDespite this high prevalence, little research has been done on its prevention. Tash Pocovy At Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.

Pocobi and her colleagues wanted to find an affordable, relatively accessible way to prevent pain recurrence, so they designed “Walk-Back,” the first controlled trial of its kind.

The researchers selected 701 people aged between 20 and 82 years old living across Australia who had experienced and recovered from back pain in the previous six months, without any specific diagnosis such as fracture or infection.

On average, participants experienced 33 episodes of back pain each that interfered with their daily activities and lasted at least 24 hours. None of the participants went for recreational walks or participated in any kind of exercise program to manage their pain.

The scientists asked 351 participants to create an individualized walking program with the help of a physical therapist, with the goal of gradually increasing their walking to 30 minutes a day, five days a week, within six months. The program was unique to each participant to ensure they could stick to it, Pocovy said. After 12 weeks, participants were walking an average of 130 minutes a week.

Pocoví said her intention was to also inform people about the latest scientific knowledge about back pain and reassure them that moving with the supervision of a physical therapist is safe. “A history of back pain can lead many people to avoid or fear moving,” she said.

The remaining 350 volunteers received no such education or walking program recommendations. Pocobi and her team followed all of the participants for up to three years. Regardless of which group they were in, participants were free to receive additional treatment for their pain.

On average, subjects in the treatment group experienced their first recurrence of activity-limiting back pain 208 days after starting the study, compared with 112 days in the control group.

Additionally, half of the control group sought other interventions, such as massage or chiropractic care, compared with only 36% of those who participated in the walking and education program, but the latter group was more likely to experience minor exercise-related complications, such as sprains.

“I think this is probably a useful tool that clinicians can use and patients can use when they go to the clinician,” Pocoví says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

A groundbreaking treatment on the horizon for controlling and preventing cancer

It is estimated that one in two people will develop cancer during their lifetime. However, advancements in diagnosis and treatment have led to more people surviving cancer than ever before. The question now is, will this trend of increasing survival rates continue, and how close are we to finding a cure?

The trend of improving survival rates is likely to continue, but the discovery of a cure for cancer is complicated due to the fact that cancer is not a single disease, but rather a group of over 200 diseases, each with its own unique characteristics. Despite this complexity, all cancers originate from mutant cells that divide uncontrollably.

While cancer cells evade normal controls on cell division, targeted cancer therapy has emerged as a promising treatment approach. This therapy focuses on inhibiting genetic mutations that drive cancer growth and has shown to be more effective with fewer side effects than traditional treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Targeted therapies like hormone therapy and drugs such as imatinib have revolutionized the treatment of certain types of cancer, improving survival rates significantly. The development of new drugs and the repurposing of existing ones have been accelerated by genetic technologies that utilize big data to understand genetic changes driving cancer.

The power of big data

Advances in cancer treatment have been further propelled by genetic technologies and clinical trials that utilize big data to develop new drugs and repurpose existing ones. The Cancer Genome Atlas Project, for example, provides valuable genetic information for various types of cancer, allowing for targeted treatments based on individual genetic profiles.

Credit: Getty Images

While drug treatments have seen significant advancements, immunotherapy has also emerged as a promising approach in cancer treatment. Immunotherapy aims to boost the patient’s immune system to detect and destroy cancer cells more effectively. This field is rapidly evolving, with treatments like immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cell therapy showing promising results.

Vax is on track

Developments in cancer immunization, including mRNA-based vaccines, are changing the landscape of cancer treatment by utilizing the body’s immune system to target cancer cells. Early diagnosis remains crucial in cancer treatment, with advancements in AI technology offering improved diagnostic capabilities.

Prevention is also a key focus in the fight against cancer, with vaccines against infectious causes of cancer such as HPV and HBV showing promising results. Additionally, cancer prevention strategies using drugs or vaccines to eliminate cancer cells before they form detectable tumors are gaining traction.

While a single “cure” for cancer may be unlikely, ongoing advancements in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention offer new hope to cancer patients worldwide. The future of cancer treatment holds the promise of personalized medicine, targeted therapies, and innovative approaches to combat this complex disease.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Astronomers discover floating crystals preventing cooling in high-mass white dwarf stars

Astronomers have proposed a new theory to explain why a mysterious population of white dwarfs has stopped cooling for at least 8 billion years.

This diagram shows a white dwarf and the moon. Image credit: Giuseppe Parisi.

White dwarfs are the remains of stars without a nuclear energy source that gradually cool over billions of years, eventually freezing from the inside out to a solid state.

Recently, it was discovered that a population of frozen white dwarfs maintains a constant brightness for a period comparable to the age of the universe, indicating the existence of an unknown, powerful energy source that inhibits cooling.

“We find that the classical picture that all white dwarfs are dead stars is incomplete,” said astronomer Dr Simon Bruin from the University of Victoria.

“To stop these white dwarfs from cooling, we need some way to generate additional energy.”

“We didn’t know how this happened, but now we have an explanation for this phenomenon.”

The researchers say that in some white dwarfs, the dense plasma inside them doesn’t just freeze from the inside out.

Instead, the solid crystals that form when frozen tend to float because they are less dense than the liquid.

As the crystals float upwards, the heavier liquid moves downwards.

As heavy material is transported toward the star’s center, gravitational energy is released, and this energy is enough to interrupt the star’s cooling process for billions of years.

Dr Antoine Bedard, an astronomer at the University of Warwick, said: “This is the first time this transport mechanism has been observed in any type of star, and it’s very interesting because it’s not every day that a completely new astrophysical phenomenon is discovered.”

“We don’t know why this happens in some stars and not others, but it’s probably due to the star’s composition.”

“Some white dwarfs are formed by the merger of two different stars,” Dr Bruin said.

“When these stars collide to form white dwarfs, the star’s composition changes, allowing the formation of floating crystals.”

White dwarfs are routinely used as an indicator of age, and the cooler a white dwarf is, the older it is considered to be.

However, the extra delay in cooling seen in some white dwarfs means that some stars at certain temperatures may be billions of years older than previously thought.

“This new discovery will not only require a revision of astronomy textbooks, but will also require a reexamination of the processes astronomers use to determine the age of stellar populations,” Dr. Blouin said.

of the team paper Published in today’s diary Nature.

_____

A. Bedard other. Buoyant crystals stop the white dwarf from cooling. Nature, published online March 6, 2024. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07102-y

Source: www.sci.news

Slowing Aging and Preventing Dementia Through Restoration of Brain Mitochondria

Protein plaques in the brain may be caused by mitochondrial dysfunction

Sebastian Kauritzky/Alamy

If you own a car, you’ve probably noticed that your engine becomes less efficient over time. The farther you drive, the more fuel it takes to cover the same distance. Eventually, you’ll end up with so little power that you need a physical push to climb a gentle hill.

It is now becoming clear that much the same holds true for the human brain. Microscopic structures called mitochondria, found in all brain cells, are literally the engines of our thoughts and emotions. As we age, we find it increasingly difficult to generate enough energy to power mental activity. Worse, just like an old car leaves behind a cloud of smoke, the power source of our cells begins to produce unnecessary waste products that slowly pollute our brains. This means that mitochondrial dysfunction may underlie some of the most serious brain diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and motor neuron disease.

According to this “grand unified theory” of neurodegeneration, recharging neurons through restoration of their power plants can prolong healthy brain function. This idea has already inspired some exciting new treatments for age-related brain diseases, with multiple drug candidates under investigation. Some researchers are exploring the possibility of transplanting healthy mitochondria into damaged, aging brains to reactivate them. “If you keep replacing the parts in your car, it can last forever,” he says. claudio soto, a neurologist at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. “So what happens if we try to run this…

Source: www.newscientist.com

Preventing Sharks from entering the beach through Catch and Release methods.

Scarred great white shark sails through Australian waters

Philip Thurston/Getty Images

Great white sharks avoid areas where they are captured, so this could be a way to deter them from hunting near swimmers.

They say it's a flight response. paul butcher In the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Australia. “It's the same with almost any animal, and it's the same with sharks.” The animals then “resume normal locomotor behavior as if nothing happened,” he says.

Butcher and his colleagues use smart (Real Time Shark Management Alerts) Drumlines: Baited hooks attached to buoys 500 meters off the coast in approximately 20 popular areas of New South Wales. Each of the 305 drumlines in total is equipped with a system to notify local response teams, which she aims to reach by boat within 30 minutes of a hooked shark feeding. Lines are set up fresh each morning and collected the same day, so they are never left overnight.

The team records the shark's size and health and tags it. Sharks considered to be more of a threat to swimmers, such as great whites, tiger sharks and bull sharks, are then moved 500 meters offshore and released. Other species, such as hammerhead sharks and gray nurse sharks, are released where they are captured.

Butcher and his colleagues monitored 36 great white sharks (carcharodon carcharius) had a satellite-linked radio-transmitting tag attached to its dorsal fin after being captured in five locations in 2016. During the first 3 days after release, all sharks moved away from the shoreline where they were captured and mostly stayed there. offshore.

“Ten days after release, sharks gradually moved closer to shore, but 77% of sharks remained more than 1.9 kilometers from shore, with an average of 5 kilometers from their tagged location,” the study said. they wrote in their paper.

Additionally, sharks are still being detected by tracking devices an average of nearly 600 days after release, indicating that the program is not increasing the risk of shark mortality.

Since 2015, more than 1,100 great white sharks, with an average length of about 7 feet, have been captured on SMART drumlines and more than 400 capture events have taken place, Butcher said.

The drumline is part of a larger effort in New South Wales to find non-lethal ways to keep great white, tiger and bull sharks away from people in the water. Drones are currently flying over up to 50 beaches to monitor for sharks and other potential threats during the school holidays, with the department using tagged sharks to detect when they pass nearby. It operates 37 listening station buoys. This information is transmitted to the public via: SharkSmart app.

This suite of tools could mean one day the controversial beach nets that captured 228 animals in New South Wales alone during the 2022/23 reporting period can be removed. Of these 228 animals, only 85 were released alive, and more than 200 were non-target species such as turtles, dolphins and seals.

david booth Researchers at the University of Technology Sydney say the findings are very good news. “And being able to see the captured and released animals again after so many years is very moving and certainly better than slaughtering them,” he says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

A Unique Patient Mutation Offers New Hope for Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease

Researchers have discovered a unique case in a Colombian family where a woman with a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s disease remained cognitively healthy due to a rare APOE gene mutation, the Christchurch mutation. This mutation disrupts the typical progression of Alzheimer’s disease and suggests new prevention strategies. Dementia may be prevented by breaking the link between early and late stages of the disease.

The disease has plagued one large Colombian family for generations, killing half of them in their prime years. But one member of the family avoided what seemed like fate. She remained cognitively healthy well into her 70s, even though her relatives inherited her genetic defect that caused her to develop dementia in her 40s.

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis now think they know why. Previous research had reported that the woman was in possession of two copies of the rare variant, unlike her relatives. Apoe A gene known as the Christchurch mutation.

In this study, researchers used genetically modified mice to show that the Christchurch mutation was associated with early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, when a protein called amyloid beta accumulates in the brain, and another protein called tau, which causes cognitive impairment. begins to decline. So the women remained mentally alert for decades, even though their brains were filled with large amounts of amyloid.

“All protective factors are very interesting because they give us new clues about how the disease works,” said lead authors Barbara Barton, Ph.D., and Reuben M. said David M. Holzman, M.D., Morris III Professor Emeritus of Neurology.

Understanding the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, the researches found thatthe main difference was the level of activity of microglia, the brain’s waste-processing cells. Microglia tend to cluster around amyloid plaques. In mice with Apoe The Christchurch mutation activated microglia surrounding amyloid plaques, making them highly efficient at consuming and processing tau aggregates.

Reference: “APOE3ch alters microglial responses and suppresses Aβ-induced tau dissemination and spread” Yun Chen, Sihui Song, Samira Parhizkar, Jennifer Lord, Yiyang Zhu, Michael R. Strickland, Chanung Wang, Jiyu Park, G By Travis Tabor, Hong Jiang, Kevin Lee, Albert A. Davis, Carla M. Huede, Marco Colonna, Jason D. Ulrich, David M. Holtzman, December 11, 2023. cell.DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.11.029

Source: scitechdaily.com