-
On the Brink in 2026
-
Can Doctors Save their Jobs and the World
-
A World of Total Illusion and Fantasy: Noam Chomsky on the Future of the Planet
-
Critical race theory battles are driving frustrated, exhausted educators out of their jobs
-
Keeping society open: The endemic solution
-
A third of teens, young adults reported worsening mental health during pandemic
-
What to Do When COVID Strike Force Teams Come Knocking
-
An army of Big Biotech companies is using psych tactics to ‘create vaccine demand’
Today’s Videos:
1. Whitney Webb on The Corbett Report Start 2:52
2.Gravitas: Everything that’s wrong New York Times’ job ad
3. Mitchell Cohen Steven Donziger piece 4 mins
How vitamin C protects babies from brain health challenges
Cambridge University, July 7, 2021
All parents dream of having healthy children that will be able to enjoy life in all its fullness, while being physically and mentally fit to achieve their dreams. This dream usually becomes a reality for most people.
But in some cases, unborn children may experience certain hurdles in the womb, which end up impeding their optimal development and general well-being.
For instance, pregnancy related complications such as maternal obesity, gestational diabetes, placenta infections and pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy) can lead to low oxygen levels in the womb. The condition is medically referred to as chronic foetal hypoxia. The low oxygen levels usually interfere with the proper growth of the child and can lead to brain health problems such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), cerebral palsy, learning disabilities and brain changes that have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease in later life.
Health experts note that to avert these challenges, more emphasis should be put in helping mothers embrace recommended health practices and behaviours during pregnancy, so as to forestall complications that are detrimental to the well-being of the unborn child. This entails encouraging women to embrace healthy diets and to attend all antenatal care (ANC) visits. The check-ups enable doctors to identify and tackle emerging complications early enough, before they can harm the baby.
Preliminary research conducted on mouse models also offers insights into the role that nutrition can play in the prevention of brain health problems caused by low oxygen levels in the womb. A new study published in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Journal indicates that increased intake of nutrients rich in anti-oxidants may protect unborn children from brain problems caused by common pregnancy complications that reduce oxygen levels in the womb.
Antioxidants are compounds or substances that help defend body cells from damage caused by potentially harmful molecules known as free radicals.
One major source of antioxidants is Vitamin-C, which was found by the study to be effective in averting brain development problems caused by low oxygen in the womb. The nutrient is found in many foods, particularly citrus fruits and vegetables. In addition, Vitamin-C is well known for being a potent antioxidant and immune booster. Since the human body cannot produce or store vitamin-C, it is essential for people – especially pregnant women – to consume it regularly in sufficient amounts. Those who fail to meet the recommended rations, based on their nutrition assessment results, are often given supplements to boost Vitamin-C levels in the body.
During the study, Vitamin-C supplements given to pregnant rats with low oxygen levels in the womb, was shown to protect the future brain health of the offspring.
“It’s hugely exciting to think we might be able to protect the brain health of an unborn child by a simple treatment that can be given to the mother during pregnancy,” said Professor Dino Giussani, the lead author of the study from the University of Cambridge’s Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience.
“In medicine today there has to be a shift in focus from treatment of the disease, when we can do comparatively little, to prevention, when we can do much more. This study shows that we can use preventative medicine even before birth to protect long term brain health.”
While conducting the research, a group of pregnant rats were kept in an environment with deprived air (13 percent oxygen), while the rest enjoyed normal air (21 percent oxygen). Half of the rats in each group were given Vitamin C in their drinking water throughout the pregnancy, which was closely monitored. After they delivered, the baby rats were raised to four months old, which is equivalent to early adulthood in humans. Thereafter, the researchers proceeded to perform various tests aimed at assessing their brain health and function.
The results of the study showed that rats born to pregnant women with deprived oxygen took longer to perform memory tasks and could not remember things as well. On the contrary, affected rats whose mothers had been given Vitamin-C throughout their pregnancy, performed the memory task just as well as offspring from mothers that enjoyed normal pregnancies with sufficient oxygen levels.
The study also revealed that the hippocampus part of the brain (area associated with forming memories) was less developed in rats born to mothers that suffered from low oxygen levels in the brain. “Impairing oxygen delivery at critical periods of development of the baby’s affects the number of nerve connections and cells made in the brain. This surfaces in adult life as problems with memory and an earlier cognitive [brain function] decline,” said Dr Emily Camm, another author of the study from the University of Cambridge’s Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience. The researchers seek to conduct further studies to determine the ideal dose of Vitamin-C that would be ideal for use in human beings – among pregnant women with deprived oxygen in their wombs – so as to avert brain health complications in affected offspring.
Dandelion leaf extract blocks spike proteins from binding to the ACE2 cell surface receptor
University of Freiburg (Germany)
The engineered spike proteins from SARS-CoV-2 can be STOPPED by a common “weed” that is exterminated from lawns every year. A German university study found that the common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) can block spike proteins from binding to the ACE2 cell surface receptors in human lung and kidney cells. The water-based dandelion extract, taken from the plant’s dried leaves, was effective against spike protein D614 and a host of mutant strains, including D614G, N501Y, K417N and E484K.
Dandelion extract blocks SARS CoV-2 spike proteins and their variants
The researchers used high molecular weight compounds taken from a water-based dandelion extract and put them to the test in human HEK293-hACE2 kidney and A549-hACE2-TMPRSS2 lung cells. The dandelion blocked the protein-to-protein interactions between the S1 sub unit of the spike protein and the human ACE2 cell surface receptor. This effect was also true against the spike protein mutations from the predominant variants in circulation, including the United Kingdom (B.1.1.7), South African (B.1.351) and Brazilian (P.1) variant.
The dandelion extract stopped SARS-CoV-2 spike pseudotyped lentivirus particles from attaching to lung cells and stopped an inflammatory process called interleukin-6 secretion. Because the study was conducted in vitro, further clinical studies are needed to understand how the dandelion extract is absorbed and utilized in biological systems of the human body.
Vocal music boosts the recovery of language functions after stroke
University of Helsinki (Finland), July 9, 2021
Research has shown that listening to music daily improves language recovery in patients who have experienced a stroke. However, the neural mechanisms underlying the phenomenon have so far remained unknown.
A study conducted at the University of Helsinki and the Turku University Hospital Neurocenter compared the effect of listening to vocal music, instrumental music and audiobooks on the structural and functional recovery of the language network of patients who had suffered an acute stroke. In addition, the study investigated the links between such changes and language recovery during a three-month follow-up period. The study was published in the eNeurojournal.
Based on the findings, listening to vocal music improved the recovery of the structural connectivity of the language network in the left frontal lobe compared to listening to audiobooks. These structural changes correlated with the recovery of language skills.
“For the first time, we were able to demonstrate that the positive effects of vocal music are related to the structural and functional plasticity of the language network. This expands our understanding of the mechanisms of action of music-based neurological rehabilitation methods,” says Postdoctoral Researcher Aleksi Sihvonen.
Listening to music supports other rehabilitation
Aphasia, a language impairment resulting from a stroke, causes considerable suffering to patients and their families. Current therapies help in the rehabilitation of language impairments, but the results vary and the necessary rehabilitation is often not available to a sufficient degree and early enough.
“Listening to vocal music can be considered a measure that enhances conventional forms of rehabilitation in healthcare. Such activity can be easily, safely and efficiently arranged even in the early stages of rehabilitation,” Sihvonen says.
According to Sihvonen, listening to music could be used as a cost-efficient boost to normal rehabilitation, or for rehabilitating patients with mild speech disorders when other rehabilitation options are scarce.
After a disturbance of the cerebral circulation, the brain needs stimulation to recover as well as possible. This is the goal of conventional rehabilitation methods as well.
“Unfortunately, a lot of the time spent in hospital is not stimulating. At these times, listening to music could serve as an additional and sensible rehabilitation measure that can have a positive effect on recovery, improving the prognosis,” Sihvonen adds.
Milk Thistle: not just silymarin and flavonolignans
University Federico II (Italy), July 8, 2021
According to news reporting originating in Portici, Italy, research stated, “The use of Silybum marianum L. for therapeutic purposes has been known since ancient times. Its phytocomplex reduces transaminases and other biohumoral indices in the course of liver disease and also in hepato-renal syndrome.”
The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from University Federico II, “In particular, the flavonolignan component has shown properties that would partially explain the ability of the phytocomplex to induce a certain regeneration of liver cells, stimulate the cellular elimination of toxins and reduce the inflammatory component, present in fatty, alcoholic and hormonal therapies with steroids. S. marianum is also successfully used in the treatment of patients with symptomatic chronic hepatitis, with complete disappearance of clinical symptoms, such as asthenia, loss of appetite, severe meteorism, dyspepsia, and with normalization of transaminases. The same results can be obtained in patients undergoing heavy chemotherapy cycles. Modern herbal medicine uses it in decoction or infusion, however with some caution in patients suffering from hypertension, due to the presence of tyramine. In addition, the extracts of the roots have antioxidant, diuretic and febrifugal properties and those of the leaves have aperitif properties.”
According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “It is therefore interesting to provide a picture of the different non-flavonolignanic components (terpenes, steroids and essential oils) of the plant and their properties, which have perhaps been wrongly neglected over the past few years.”
Turn off the blue light!
Researchers find that exposure to light with less blue before sleep is better for energy metabolism
University of Tsukuba, Japan, July 9, 2021
Extended exposure to light during nighttime can have negative consequences for human health. But now, researchers from Japan have identified a new type of light with reduced consequences for physiological changes during sleep.
In a study published in June 2021 in Scientific Reports, researchers from University of Tsukuba compared the effects of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which have been widely adopted for their energy-saving properties, with organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) on physical processes that occur during sleep.
Polychromatic white LEDs emit a large amount of blue light, which has been linked with many negative health effects, including metabolic health. In contrast, OLEDs emit polychromatic white light that contains less blue light. However, the impact of LED and OLED exposure at night has not been compared in terms of changes in energy metabolism during sleep, something the researchers at University of Tsukuba aimed to address.
“Energy metabolism is an important physiological process that is altered by light exposure,” says senior author of the study Professor Kumpei Tokuyama. “We hypothesized that compared with LEDs, OLED exposure would have a reduced effect on sleep architecture and energy metabolism, similar to that of dim light.”
To test this hypothesis, the researchers exposed 10 male participants to LED, OLED, or dim light for 4 hours before they slept in a metabolic chamber. The researchers then measured energy expenditure, core body temperature, fat oxidation, and 6-sulfatoxymelatonin–which is a measure of melatonin levels–during sleep. The participants had not recently traveled or participated in shift work.
“The results confirmed part of our hypothesis,” explains Professor Tokuyama. “Although no effect on sleep architecture was observed, energy expenditure and core body temperature during sleep were significantly decreased after OLED exposure. Furthermore, fat oxidation during sleep was significantly lower after exposure to LED compared with OLED.”
In addition, fat oxidation during sleep was positively correlated with 6-sulfatoxymelatonin levels following exposure to OLED, suggesting that the effect of melatonin activity on energy metabolism varies depending on the type of light exposure.
“Thus, light exposure at night is related to fat oxidation and body temperature during sleep. Our findings suggest that specific types of light exposure may influence weight gain, along with other physiological changes,” says Professor Tokuyama.
Many occupations and activities involve exposure to artificial light before sleep. New information about the effects of different kinds of light on physical processes may facilitate the selection of alternative light sources to mitigate the negative consequences of light exposure at night. Furthermore, these findings advance our knowledge regarding the role of light in energy metabolism during sleep.
An orange a day keeps macular degeneration away: 15-year study
Westmead Institute for Medical Research, July 12, 2021
A new study has shown that people who regularly eat oranges are less likely to develop macular degeneration than people who do not eat oranges.
Researchers at the Westmead Institute for Medical Research interviewed more than 2,000 Australian adults aged over 50 and followed them over a 15-year period.
The research showed that people who ate at least one serving of oranges every day had more than a 60% reduced risk of developing late macular degeneration 15 years later.
Lead Researcher Associate Professor Bamini Gopinath from the University of Sydney said the data showed that flavonoids in oranges appear to help prevent against the eye disease.
“Essentially we found that people who eat at least one serve of orange every day have a reduced risk of developing macular degeneration compared with people who never eat oranges,” she said.
“Even eating an orange once a week seems to offer significant benefits.
“The data shows that flavonoids found in oranges appear to help protect against the disease.”
Associate Professor Gopinath said that until now most research has focused on the effects of common nutrients such as vitamins C, E and A on the eyes.
“Our research is different because we focused on the relationship between flavonoids and macular degeneration.
“Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants found in almost all fruits and vegetables, and they have important anti-inflammatory benefits for the immune system.
“We examined common foods that contain flavonoids such as tea, apples, red wine and oranges.
“Significantly, the data did not show a relationship between other food sources protecting the eyes against the disease,” she said.
One in seven Australians over 50 have some signs of macular degeneration. Age is the strongest known risk factor and the disease is more likely to occur after the age of 50.
There is currently no cure for the disease. It is one of the world’s largest epidemiology studies, measuring diet and lifestyle factors against health outcomes and a range of chronic diseases.
“Our research aims to understand why eye diseases occur, as well as the genetic and environmental conditions that may threaten vision,” Associate Professor Gopinath concluded.
Study: Impulsiveness tied to faster eating in children, can lead to obesity
University of Buffalo, July 7, 2021
Children who eat slower are less likely to be extroverted and impulsive, according to a new study co-led by the University at Buffalo and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
The research, which sought to uncover the relationship between temperament and eating behaviors in early childhood, also found that kids who were highly responsive to external food cues (the urge to eat when food is seen, smelled or tasted) were more likely to experience frustration and discomfort and have difficulties self-soothing.
These findings are critical because faster eating and greater responsiveness to food cues have been linked to obesity risk in children, says Myles Faith, PhD, co-author and professor of counseling, school and educational psychology in the UB Graduate School of Education.
The research, published in June in Pediatric Obesity, supports the integration of temperament into studies of and treatment for childhood obesity, a connection Faith deemed in need of further exploration in a previous study he co-led.
“Temperament is linked to many child developmental and behavioral outcomes, yet despite emerging evidence, few studies have examined its relationship with pediatric obesity,” said co-lead investigator Robert Berkowitz, MD, emeritus professor at the University of Pennsylvania and director of the Weight and Eating Disorders Research Program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Co-lead investigator Alyssa Button, doctoral candidate in the UB Graduate School of Education, is the first author.
The researchers surveyed 28 participants beginning a family intervention program to reduce eating speed among 4- to 8-year-old children with or at risk for obesity.
The study examined the associations between three eating behaviors and three facets of temperament. The eating behaviors included responsiveness to feeling full (internal food cues); responsiveness to seeing, smelling and tasting food (external food cues); and eating speed. Temperament consisted of extroversion and impulsivity (also known as surgency); self-control; and the inability to self-sooth negative emotions such as anger, fear and sadness.
Among the findings is that children who respond well to feeling full exhibit more self-control. More research is needed to understand the role parents play in their children’s temperament and eating behavior, says Button.
“Parents may use food to soothe temperamental children and ease negative emotions,” says Button, also a senior research support specialist in the Department of Pediatrics in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB. “Future research should examine the different ways parents feed their children in response to their temperament, as well as explore whether the relationship between temperament and eating behaviors is a two-way street. Could the habit of eating slower, over time, lead to lower impulsiveness?”
“This study established relationships between temperament and eating patterns in children; however, there is still the question of chicken-and-egg and which comes first?” says Faith. “Research that follows families over time is needed to untangle these developmental pathways.”
LOA Daily
