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"  "As humans, we are strongly motivated to seek out   social bonds   that are warm, dependable, friendly and supportive," explained George Slavich. He directs the Laboratory for Stress Assessment and Research at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA. "Losing someone close to us terminates that bond and the social and physical protection they provided, which historically could have put the body at an increased risk of physical danger," he added in a UCLA article. Much of that danger comes from a hypervigilant, but in some ways weakened, immune system." For more details: Grief affects the body, not just the mind

 " Sight loss in certain inherited eye diseases may be caused by gut bacteria, and is potentially treatable by antimicrobials, finds a new study in mice co-led by a UCL and Moorfields researcher." For more details: Blindness from some inherited eye diseases may be caused by gut bacteria, news study suggests

For details: 16th Annual Tapping World Summit And a book: The Tapping Solution for Weight Loss and Body Confidence

 " Stress is inevitable. But too much of it can be terrible for our health. Chronic stress can increase our risk for heart disease and strokes. It may also help cancer spread. How this works has remained a mystery—a challenge for cancer care." "The team arrived at their discovery by mimicking  chronic stress  in mice with cancer. They first removed tumors that had been growing in mice's breasts and spreading cancer cells to their lungs. Next, they exposed the mice to stress. What He observed was shocking." For more details: How chronic stress spreads cancer And a related book: Cancer, Stress & Mindset: Focusing the Mind to Empower Healing and Resilience

"  Scientists have gained new insights into how neurons in the brain communicate during a decision, and how the connections between neurons may help reinforce a choice. The study—conducted in mice and led by neuroscientists at Harvard Medical School—is the first to combine structural, functional, and behavioral analyses to explore how neuron-to-neuron connections support decision-making." For more details: Neuroscientists explore how the brain makes decisions And a related book: Neuroeconomics: Decision Making and the Brain

 " A pair of new studies from the University of Chicago explores sex-specific differences in the development of Alzheimer's-like symptoms in mice, including the impact of  estrogen , the primary female reproductive hormone, on the formation of  amyloid plaques  and inflammation in the brain—two hallmark symptoms of the disease. The research also strengthens evidence of the gut microbiome's role in mediating these symptoms, providing clues that could someday help develop treatments." For more details: Microbiome studies explore why more women develop Alzheimer's disease And a related book: Brain's Got the Sh*ts Again: Finding Joy and Some Purpose Along The Gut Brain Axis

 " High levels of niacin, an essential B vitamin, may raise the risk of heart disease by triggering inflammation and damaging blood vessels, according to new research. The report, published Monday in Nature Medicine, revealed a previously unknown risk from excessive amounts of the vitamin, which is found in many foods, including meat, fish, nuts, and fortified cereals and breads." For more details: High levels of niacin linked to heart disease, new research suggests And a related book: Vitamin B: New Research

"Rheumatoid arthritis is a debilitating disease and can affect the body in many ways, including negatively impacting the cardiovascular system. Researchers based in Taiwan and China conducted a comparative study using data available on people with rheumatoid arthritis to see what sort of cardiovascular benefits acupuncture provided. Acupuncture involves treating pain by inserting needles strategically in the body. Their findings showed that people with rheumatoid arthritis who underwent acupuncture had a 43% reduced risk of having a stroke."   For more details: Acupuncture may help reduce stroke risk in people with rheumatoid arthritis And some related MOOCs: https://imp.i384100.net/anmxEM https://imp.i384100.net/KjLqnN

 " Ancient viruses that infected vertebrates hundreds of millions of years ago played a pivotal role in the evolution of our advanced brains and large bodies, a study said Thursday." For more details: Ancient viruses responsible for our big brains and bodies: Study And a related book: Discovering Retroviruses: Beacons in the Biosphere "Approximately eight percent of our DNA contains retroviral sequences that are millions of years old. Through engaging stories of scientific discovery, Anna Marie Skalka explains our evolving knowledge of these ancient denizens of the biosphere and how this understanding has significantly advanced research in genetic engineering, gene delivery systems, and precision medicine".

"Towards the end of the 10th century, there was an account of a woman, possibly a young girl, going to the monastery to report her own grandfather for having abused her (as stated in Latin:  venit ipsa mea nepta in presentia iudices in concilio ). The granddaughter’s name is not known, because the document focuses on the grandfather himself, who went by the name Tusto. In the written account he acknowledges his guilt, and explains that his granddaughter’s report ( queremonia ) was what brought him before the authorities. In the end, the aggressor agrees to hand over a number of family possessions as punishment for illicit relations ( adulterio ), which then pass into the hands of the monastery. The account is surprisingly explicit in mentioning both the family connection and the acknowledgement of guilt. Unfortunately, we know nothing more about Tusto and his anonymous granddaughter, but we do know from this account that she had the opportunity to successfully report her aggressor...

 " Astronomers have reconstructed nearly nine billion years of cosmic evolution by tracing the X-ray glow of distant clusters of galaxies. The analysis supports the standard model of cosmology, according to which the gravitational pull of dark matter — a still-mysterious substance — is the main factor shaping the Universe’s structure." For more details: This new map of the Universe suggests dark matter shaped the cosmos And a related book: Dark Matter and Dark Energy: The Hidden 95% of the Universe

"  Rice has been used as a scaffold to grow beef muscle and fat cells, resulting in an edible, “nutty” rice–beef combo that can be prepared in the same way as normal rice. The study, published today in  Matter 1 , uses manufacturing methods similar to those for other cultured meat products, in which animal cells are grown on a scaffold in a laboratory, bathed in a growth medium. Using rice as the scaffold has the benefit of adding nutrition to the rice, with the beef–rice having a slightly higher fat and protein content than standard rice. The team of South Korean researchers behind the project hopes that the beef–rice will find use as a supplement for food-insecure communities or to feed troops, and will reduce the environmental impact of rearing cattle for beef. “Finding alternative protein sources or making conventional livestock production more efficient is critical,” says Jon Oatley, an animal biotechnologist at Washington State University in Pullman. “It’s probably one o...

 " Anyone who has ever been to a loud concert knows the feeling of ringing ears. Some people experience temporary or even permanent hearing loss or drastic changes in their perception of sound after the loud noises stop. Thanos Tzounopoulos, Ph.D., director of the Pittsburgh Hearing Research Center at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine has focused his scientific career on investigating how hearing works and developing ways to treat tinnitus and hearing loss." For more details: Scientists discover biological mechanism of hearing loss caused by loud noise, and find a way to prevent it And for related books: Hearing Loss Remedies

  Abstract "Childhood diseases remain an increasing health problem in many developing countries and also associated with an enormous financial burden. In South Africa, many people still rely on traditional medicine for their primary healthcare. However, inadequate documentation of medicinal plants used to manage childhood diseases remain a prominent gap. Hence, the current study explored the importance of medicinal plants to treat and manage childhood diseases in the North West Province, South Africa. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted with 101 participants using semi-structured interviews (face-to-face). Ethnobotanical indices such as Frequency of citation (FC), Use-value (UV) and Informed Consensus Factor (ICF) were used for data analysis. A total of 61 plants from 34 families were recorded as medicine used for managing seven (7) categories of diseases resulting from 29 sub-categories. Skin-related and gastro-intestinal diseases were the most prevalent childhood health condi...

 " I recently completed a study which showed that A celatus was associated with a component of brain function known as   executive function . This relates to complex cognitive tasks we perform daily, including doing math in our head, or reorganizing the day's tasks in our mind when something unexpectedly changes. I found that the more A celatus bacteria were in healthy older adults aged 50 to 80 (measured by sequencing stool samples), the greater their scores on an executive function test. But it's important to note that these findings are yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal. This  research  appears promising, but we need more evidence to confirm the  potential benefits  of both A celatus bacteria and soy foods in helping  older people  maintain their brain health as they age." For more details: Gut microbiome: Meet Asaccharobacter celatus—the brain health bug And a related book: The Microbiome and the Brain

"Africa’s last dinosaurs, especially its diverse predatory dinosaurs, suggest that immediately before their extinction, the dinosaurs thrived. For over 100 million years, they evolved and diversified, producing a remarkable range of species: predators, herbivores, aquatic species, even flying forms, the birds. Then in a single, catastrophic moment, everything was wiped out in the months of darkness caused by dust and soot from the impact. Everything, except a half-dozen or so bird species. Evolution is driven by rare, improbable events like asteroid impacts. Curiously, science is often driven forward by improbable events as well – like the unlikely discovery of dinosaurs buried millions of years ago, at the bottom of the sea." For more details: Morocco dinosaur discovery gives clues on why they went extinct   And some related books: Dinosaurs of Africa African Dinosaurs Unearthed: The Tendaguru Expeditions (Life of the Past) Quest for the African Dinosaurs: Ancient Roots of t...

"The premise of fecal microbiota transplants (FMT) is, admittedly, not the most pleasant. The process involves transferring donor stool (or derivatives thereof) to a recipient for a therapeutic purpose—namely, to restore the microbiota to a state capable of resisting the gut pathogen Clostridioides difficile. But where did the idea for FMTs even come from? What's new in the field of transferring feces—and what does the future hold?"   For more details: Fecal microbiota transplants: Past, present and future

"  A new dinosaur-like species has been uncovered in Scotland, giving palaeontologists a precious insight into animal life in the Middle Jurassic. Researchers from the UK’s Natural History Museum first noticed a few bones sticking out of a boulder during a field trip to the Isle of Skye in 2006. That fossil has now been revealed as a new species of pterosaur, named ‘Ceoptera evansae’. These flying reptiles - pterosaur literally translates as ‘wing lizard’, like helicopter means ‘spiral wing’ - existed from the Late Triassic to the same extinction event that killed the  dinosaurs  around 66 million years ago. But their patchy fossil record during the Middle Jurassic has left us largely in the dark about how they evolved." For more details: New dinosaur-like reptile discovered in Scotland after bones found on field trip And a related post: https://mysciencehealthmooc.blogspot.com/2023/12/five-things-you-probably-have-wrong.html

" A  series about the rich constellation of bacteria, viruses, archaea and fungi that live in people’s digestive tracts. Scientists are increasingly realising their importance in shaping our health – both physical and mental. Each week we will look at a different microbe and bring you the most up-to-date research on them." For the articles: Articles on Meet Your Gut MIcrobes

  "Salmon contains unique compounds that are associated with improved cardiometabolic health indicators, such as lower cholesterol, a new nutrimetabolomic study shows. The study explored the health benefits of salmon in the context of a Mediterranean diet, known for focusing on healthy oils and fats. As part of the study, participants ate two servings of salmon a week, for two five-week periods. Nutrimetabolomics is a cutting-edge means of investigating food nutrients, however, not everyone is sold on it." For more details: Scientists find compounds in salmon that may lower cholesterol, heart disease risk

"Cinnamon, a spice from the inner bark of trees from the genus  Cinnamomum , is widely used in cooking. It is also taken as a food supplement, with health benefits that may include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic effects. Adding to the evidence for potential antidiabetic effects, a new study has found that a 4-week course of cinnamon supplements reduced blood glucose (sugar) levels in people with obesity or overweight and prediabetes."   For more details: Can a daily dose of cinnamon help lower blood sugar? And for a related post: https://mysciencehealthmooc.blogspot.com/2023/12/cinnamon-historic-spice-medicinal-uses.html

"Highlights • Flaxseed has ω-3 fatty acid, Ca, P and lignan, boosting bone density and strength. • Flaxseed enhances bone thickness, surface area, mineral content and structural build. • Linolenic acid lowers bone loss and osteoporosis by reducing chronic inflammation. • Lignan, a phytoestrogen of flaxseed, potentiates post-menopausal bone health. • Various  in vivo  studies showed that flaxseed in all forms enhanced bone density."   For more details: Exploring flaxseed's potential in enhancing bone health: Unveiling osteo-protective properties

"The new  preprint  describes “viroid-like colonists of human microbiomes”. If “viroid-like” sounds non-committal, that is entirely deliberate. The newly discovered biological entity falls somewhere between viruses and viroids. In fact, the name obelisks was proposed not only because of their shape, but also to provide wiggle room in case they turn out to be more like RNA plasmids (a different type of genetic element that resides inside bacteria) than either viruses or viroids." For more details: A new virus-like entity has just been discovered – ‘obelisks’ explained  

 " All cancers begin in a single organ or tissue, such as the lungs or skin. When these cancers are confined in their original organ or tissue, they are generally more treatable. But a cancer that spreads is much more dangerous, as the organs it spreads to may be vital organs. A skin cancer, for example, might spread to the brain. This new growth makes the cancer much more challenging to treat, as it can be difficult to find all the new tumours. If a cancer can invade different organs or tissues, it can quickly become lethal." For more details: How does cancer spread to other parts of the body? And a related MOOC: Understanding Cancer Metastasis

Microscopic fragments of protein and DNA recovered from bones discovered in 8-meter-deep cave dirt have revealed Neanderthals and humans likely lived alongside one another in northern Europe as far back as 45,000 years ago. "The genetic analysis of the fossils, which were found in a cave near the town of Ranis in eastern Germany, suggested that modern humans were the makers of distinctive, leaf-shaped stone tools that archaeologists once believed were crafted by Neanderthals, the heavily built hominins who lived in Europe until about 40,000 years ago. Modern humans, or homo sapiens, weren’t previously known to have lived as far north as the region where the tools were made." For more details: Bones found in 8-meter-deep pit may ‘fundamentally change’ history of humans in Europe  

 For more details: Gut bacteria can process dietary fiber into an anti-allergy weapon, finds new study And some related MOOCs: https://imp.i384100.net/q4qgMy