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The Gary Null Show Notes - 04.30.21

  1. Washington’s Weirdest Think Tank

  2. How Hindutva socio-psychopaths rule India

  3. The secret credit card that’s only for the rich

  4. Human activity alters Earth’s spin on its axis

  5. The patriot paradox

  6. EU Commission backs removing safety checks for new GMOs

  7. So now ‘Covid anxiety syndrome’ is a thing? We can’t escape one crisis of inflated health risk by dreaming up new ways to be ill

  8.  8,430 DEAD 354,177 Injuries: European Database of Adverse Drug Reactions for COVID-19 “Vaccines”

    Omega-3 supplements help kids with high cholesterol improve lipid profile

    Fatty acid supplementation could fend off later heart disease in high-risk children

    Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (US), April 27, 2021

    Fatty acid supplements may protect children with high cholesterol from heart disease later in life by increasing their blood levels of healthy omega-3 fatty acids, according to a new study. Researchers from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, will present their work virtually this week at the American Physiological Society’s (APS) annual meeting at Experimental Biology 2021.

    Previous research has shown that high blood levels of beneficial fatty acids, including omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) found in seafood, are associated with a lower risk of coronary artery disease and a higher likelihood of healthy aging. “Since coronary artery disease develops early in life in children with high cholesterol, there needs to be lifelong treatment started in childhood,” said Marguerite M. Engler, PhD, first author of the new study. This is especially important as global obesity rates in young people are rising and the long-term safety of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs in children is not known.

    The researchers of the current study examined children ages nine to 16 who had a history of high blood cholesterol levels. The children followed a Mediterranean diet–known for being rich in lean proteins, vegetables, whole grains and “healthy” fats such as olive oil and fish–for six weeks, followed by the continuation of the diet plus an EPA supplement for another six weeks. The research team measured the children’s fatty acid levels before beginning and after the Mediterranean diet for six weeks, and again after the combination of the diet and EPA supplement for six weeks. Taking the EPA supplement for six weeks raised the blood levels of both EPA and DPA. DPA is anti-inflammatory in nature and keeps platelets from sticking together, which gives the fatty acid cardioprotective properties.

    “The good news is that our findings show that we can change the lipid profile in the blood of children at high risk for heart disease with an omega-3 fatty acid supplement to a more favorable anti-inflammatory [lipid profile] that has been associated with decreased risk of heart disease and [with] healthy aging,” Engler said.

    Vitamin B3 ameliorates amyloid beta-induced oxidative stress-mediated neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration 

    Gyeongsang National University (South Korea), April 29, 2021

    According to news reporting out of JinJu, South Korea, research stated, “Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most predominant age-related neurodegenerative disease, pathologically characterized by the accumulation of aggregates of amyloid beta Ab [ [1-42] ] and tau hyperphosphorylation in the brain. It is considered to be the primary cause of cognitive dysfunction.”

    Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from Gyeongsang National University: “The aggregation of Ab [ [1-42] ] leads to neuronal inflammation and apoptosis. Since vitamins are basic dietary nutrients that organisms need for their growth, survival, and other metabolic functions, in this study, the underlying neuroprotective mechanism of nicotinamide (NAM) Vitamin B3 against Ab [ [1-42] ] -induced neurotoxicity was investigated in mouse brains. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) Ab [ [1-42] ] injection elicited neuronal dysfunctions that led to memory impairment and neurodegeneration in mouse brains. After 24 h after Ab [ [1-42] ] injection, the mice were treated with NAM (250 mg/kg intraperitoneally) for 1 week. For biochemical and Western blot studies, the mice were directly sacrificed, while for confocal and ‘immunohistochemical staining’, mice were perfused transcardially with 4% paraformaldehyde. Our biochemical, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemical results showed that NAM can ameliorate neuronal inflammation and apoptosis by reducing oxidative stress through lowering malondialdehyde and 2,7-dichlorofluorescein levels in an Ab [ [1-42] ] -injected mouse brains, where the regulation of p-JNK further regulated inflammatory marker proteins (TNF-a, IL-1b, transcription factor NF-kB) and apoptotic marker proteins (Bax, caspase 3, PARP1). Furthermore, NAM + Ab treatment for 1 week increased the amount of survival neurons and reduced neuronal cell death in Nissl staining.”

    According to the news editors, the research concluded: “We also analyzed memory dysfunction via behavioral studies and the analysis showed that NAM could prevent Ab [ [1-42] ] -induced memory deficits. Collectively, the results of this study suggest that NAM may be a potential preventive and therapeutic candidate for Ab [ [1-42] ] -induced reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and neurotoxicity in an adult mouse model.”

    Adversity in early life linked to higher risk of mental health problems

    RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, April 22, 2021

    New research has found that childhood adversity, such as parental conflict, death of a close family member or serious injury, before the age of nine was associated with mental health problems in late adolescence.

    However, the research also shows that improving the relationship between parents and children could prevent subsequent mental health problems, even in children who have experienced severe adversities. The research also indicated that improving a child’s self-esteem and increasing their levels of physical activity can help to reduce the risk of developing mental health problems.

    The study, led by researchers from RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, is recently published in Psychological Medicine.

    The research team analyzed data from over 6,000 children in Ireland who took part in the Growing Up in Ireland study. The results showed that just over a quarter of children had experienced childhood adversity before the age of nine.

    At age 17 and 18, almost one in five of the  were experiencing significant mental health difficulties. 15.2% had developed internalizing problems, such as anxiety or depression, and 7.5% had developed externalizing problems, such as conduct problems or hyperactivity.

    Those who experienced childhood adversity were significantly more likely to report mental health problems in late adolescence.

    Parent-child conflict explained 35% of the relationship between childhood adversity and late adolescent externalizing problems. The conflict also accounted for 42% of the relationship between childhood adversity and internalizing problems.

    The child’s self-esteem (also called ) explained 27% of the relationship between child adversity and later internalizing problems. The child’s level of physical activity explained 9% of the relationship between  and later internalizing problems.

    “Children who experience multiple or severe life events are at an increased risk of mental health problems, but not all of those exposed to such events develop such problems. Our research points to some factors that can be useful for off-setting the risk of mental health problems in those who have been exposed to difficult life events,” said Dr. Colm Healy, the study’s lead author and postdoctoral researcher at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences.

    The work was funded by the Health Research Board in Ireland and the European Research Council.

    “Among children who have experienced adversity, we found that reducing conflict between the parent and child and fostering a warm relationship can protect them from a broad range of later ,” said Professor Mary Cannon, the study’s principal investigator and professor of Psychiatric Epidemiology and Youth Mental Health at RCSI.

    “We also found that improving a child’s self-esteem and encouraging  may also be useful intervention targets for preventing difficulties with mood and anxiety following earlier adversity. On the whole, this is a hopeful story that points towards effective interventions to improve outcomes for  who had experienced difficulties early in life.”

    Orange essential oil may help alleviate post-traumatic stress disorder

    George Washington University, April 25, 2021 

    About 8 percent of people will develop post-traumatic stress disorder at some point in their lives, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, yet treatments for this debilitating condition remain limited. In a new study, mice exposed to orange essential oil after a stressful situation showed improvements in markers of stress and fear, suggesting essential oil may offer a non-pharmaceutical option to help alleviate PTSD.

    “Relative to pharmaceuticals, essential oils are much more economical and do not have adverse side effects,” said Moshfegh. “The orange essential plant oil showed a significant effect on the behavioral response in our study . This is promising, because it shows that passively inhaling this essential oil could potentially assuage PTSD symptoms in humans.”

    Essential oils are aromatic compounds produced naturally by plants. Orange essential oil is typically extracted from the peel of the orange fruit. People use  for therapeutic purposes by diffusing them into the air, applying them to the skin or ingesting them in foods or beverages.

    The researchers tested the effects of orange essential oil using Pavlovian Fear conditioning, a behavioral mouse model used to study the formation, storage and expression of fear memories as a model for PTSD. Mice were exposed to the orange essential oil by passive inhalation 40 minutes before and after fear conditioning. Typically mice freeze in fear when they hear a certain audial tone later, a response that diminishes gradually over time.

    Twelve mice received the tone by itself, 12 mice received water and fear conditioning, and 12 mice received an orange essential oil and fear conditioning. Mice exposed to orange essential oil by passive inhalation showed a significant reduction in freezing behavior and stopped freezing earlier than the water-exposed, fear-conditioned mice. They also showed significant differences in the types of immune cells present after . The immune system contributes to the inflammation associated with chronic stress and fear, so immune cells are a marker of the biochemical pathways involved in PTSD.

    Preliminary results point to differences in the gene expression in the brain between the mice that were exposed to essential oil and those that were not, hinting at a potential mechanism to explain the behavioral results. Moshfegh said further studies would be needed to understand the specific effects of orange essential oil in the brain and nervous system and shed light on how these effects might help to reduce  and stress in people with PTSD.

    Exercise reduces risk of airway disease

    Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, April 27, 2021

    Exercise appears to reduce the long-term risk of bronchiectasis, a potentially serious disease of the airways, according to a study published in the journal Radiology.

    Bronchiectasis is characterized by repeated cycles of inflammation and exacerbations that damage the airways, leaving them enlarged, scarred and less effective at clearing mucus. This creates an environment ripe for infections. Risk increases with age and the presence of underlying conditions like cystic fibrosis. There is no cure. 

    Computed tomography (CT) is used to confirm or rule out the disease in patients with symptoms like shortness of breath and coughing up mucus. Bronchiectasis has also been found on CT in asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic individuals. 

    Little is known about factors that can reduce the risk of bronchiectasis. While some studies have tied higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness to a reduced risk of declining lung function and airway diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, its benefits in reducing the risk of bronchiectasis are unknown. 

    To examine the association between cardiorespiratory fitness and bronchiectasis, researchers analyzed data from the long-running Coronary Artery Disease in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. CARDIA was launched in 1984 across the U.S. to examine the risk factors for coronary artery disease in young adults. 

    The researchers looked at 2,177 healthy adults who were ages 18 to 30 years at the beginning of the study period. The study participants were followed up over a 30-year period with fitness tests and CT.

    “We used year zero and year 20 cardiorespiratory fitness measured as exercise duration on a treadmill and ascertained bronchiectasis on chest CT at year 25,” said study lead author Alejandro A. Diaz, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and associate scientist at Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. “We assessed whether differences in treadmill duration between year zero and 20 were associated with bronchiectasis on CT at year 25.”

    Of the 2,177 participants, 209, or 9.6%, had bronchiectasis at year 25. Preservation of cardiorespiratory fitness reduced the odds of bronchiectasis on CT at year 25. 

    “In an adjusted model, one minute longer treadmill duration between year zero and year 20 was associated with 12% lower odds of bronchiectasis on CT at year 25,” Dr. Diaz said. “Having preserved fitness at middle age is associated with lower chances of bronchiectasis.” 

    The researchers pointed to several possible explanations for the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and bronchiectasis. For one, a high level of cardiorespiratory fitness is linked with lower levels of systemic inflammation, which might help preserve the health of the airway. Good cardiorespiratory fitness also reduces the risk of certain diseases associated with bronchiectasis, such as asthma and pneumonia. Finally, high fitness levels may improve the ability of the airway to clear mucus. 

    The researchers observed a higher prevalence of bronchiectasis than found in previous studies. The difference may be explained by the use of CT for detecting bronchiectasis in the new study rather than the physician-based diagnosis used in previous studies.

    “This study suggests that bronchiectasis on CT scans might be more frequent than previously thought,” Dr. Diaz said. “However, the clinical implications of finding bronchiectasis on CT scans in people with no or mild symptoms remain to be determined.”

    The researchers are studying bronchiectasis in other populations like smokers to look for features of the airways and lung tissue associated with bronchiectasis flare-ups.

    “These results amplify the benefits of fitness to human health when a sedentary lifestyle is a concerning world epidemic,” Dr. Diaz said. “It also highlights that fitness might be a tool to preserve lung health. The airways are challenged by what we breathe in every minute, and fitness may help to preserve lung health from injuries.”

    Processed diets might promote chronic infections that can lead to disorders such as diabetes

    Georgia State University, April 28, 2021

    Processed diets, which are low in fiber, may initially reduce the incidence of foodborne infectious diseases such as E. coli infections, but might also increase the incidence of diseases characterized by low-grade chronic infection and inflammation such as diabetes, according to researchers in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University.

    This study used mice to investigate how changing from a grain-based diet to a highly processed, high-fat Western style diet impacts infection with the pathogen Citrobacter rodentium, which resembles Escherichia coli (E. coli) infections in humans. The findings are published in the journal PLOS Pathogens. 

    Gut microbiota, the microorganisms living in the intestine, provide a number of benefits, such as protecting a host from infection by bacterial pathogens. These microorganisms are influenced by a variety of environmental factors, especially diet, and rely heavily on complex carbohydrates such as fiber. 

    The Western-style diet, which contains high amounts of processed foods, red meat, high-fat dairy products, high-sugar foods and pre-packaged foods, lacks fiber, which is needed to support gut microbiota. Changes in dietary habits, especially a lack of fiber, are believed to have contributed to increased prevalence of chronic inflammatory diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, metabolic syndrome and cancer.

    In this study, the researchers found switching mice from a standard grain-based rodent chow to a high-fat, low-fiber Western-style diet resulted in a rapid reduction in the number of gut bacteria. Mice fed the Western-style diet were frequently unable to clear the pathogen Citrobacter rodentium from the colon. They were also prone to developing chronic infection when re-challenged by this pathogen.

    The researchers conclude the Western-style diet reduces the numbers of gut bacteria and promotes encroachment of microbiota into the intestine, potentially influencing immune system readiness and the body’s defense against pathogenic bacteria. 

    “We observed that feeding mice a Western-style diet, rather than standard rodent grain-based chow, altered the dynamics of Citrobacter infection, reducing initial colonization and inflammation, which was surprising. However, mice consuming the Western-style diet frequently developed persistent infection that was associated with low-grade inflammation and insulin resistance,” said Dr. Andrew Gewirtz, senior co-author of the study and professor in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences. “These studies demonstrate potential of altering microbiota and their metabolites by diet to impact the course and consequence of infection following exposure to a gut pathogen.”

    “We speculate that reshaping gut microbiota by nutrients that promote beneficial bacteria that out-compete pathogens may be a means of broadly promoting health,” said Dr. Jun Zou, senior co-author of the study and assistant professor in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State.

    Self-reported daytime sleepiness is associated with telomere shortening

    Shorter telomere length was found in people without sleep apnea

    Mayo Clinic, April 27, 2021

    People who self-report daytime sleepiness were found to have shorter telomeres regardless of whether they had obstructive sleep apnea, according to a new study from researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. The findings will be presented virtually at the American Physiological Society’s (APS) annual meeting at Experimental Biology 2021.

    Telomeres protect DNA from biological stressors, and shortened telomeres are associated with multiple cardiovascular diseases, according to the research team. This study found people reporting daytime sleepiness had similar telomere length compared to those without sleepiness; however, obstructive sleep apnea influences telomere length and was more prevalent in the sleepy group. When the researchers matched individuals between groups for the presence of sleep apnea, among other variables (e.g., age, weight), they found sleepy people without sleep apnea had shorter telomeres compared to those without sleepiness. In addition, there were no differences in telomere length between sleepy and non-sleepy individuals with sleep apnea. In essence, the study concluded daytime sleepiness was found to be linked to telomere shortening in the absence of sleep apnea. 

    Researchers are hopeful additional study will lead to reducing the rate of telomere shortening or reversing it altogether, which will could lower cardiovascular risk in people who report daytime sleepiness.