Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/98w5gUNBqw8

Drinking more than 6 cups of coffee a day versus 1-2 was associated with a 53% greater risk of dementia.  Australian investigators studied the coffee consumption of 398,646 persons with records in the UK Biobank that included 17,702 who also had brain MRI data.

Though heavy coffee drinkers had a high risk of dementia, those who never drank coffee also had some risk compared with moderate coffee drinkers.  Analysis of the data also showed that the 6 cup a day plus coffee drinkers also had smaller brains overall and less grey matter.  They also had a 17% increased risk of stroke.

This data reminds us once again that moderation is always the best policy.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1028415X.2021.1945858

#coffee #dementia #stroke

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/gkpk2JdkK9M

Mini-antibodies derived from alpacas, when coupled together as triplets, can neutralize any of the CoVid variants 30,000 times better than a single antibody configuration and can be efficiently produced in huge quantities.  Molecular biologists at Germany’s Max Planck Institute report this very good news as the world faces the onslaught of the dangerous Delta variant.

These small but powerful nanobodies begin by vaccinating 3 alpacas with coronavirus spike protein.  Their resultant antibodies are tested for potency, and the very best are isolated and amplified in an industrial process.  Then, by combining 3 nanobody molecules into a therapeutic triad, the researchers produced an agent that binds so strongly to any of the CoVid variants including delta that all are effectively neutralized.

The best news: these nanobodies can be produced quickly and in huge quantities, and, when a new mutation occurs, the entire process from alpaca immunization to final product may be repeated in a timely and cost-effective manner.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/07/210729122158.htm

https://www.embopress.org/doi/abs/10.15252/embj.2021107985

#nanobodies #alpacas #CoVid #variants

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/N67KnO0DKUg

When you learn during spaced sessions, you activate the same set of neurons repeatedly and that improves your recall over time.  German neurobiologists draw this surprising conclusion from their experimental studies with mice in mazes.

The classic thinking is that learning by cramming repeatedly activates the same brain circuits and facilitates retention.  Studies of frontal lobe electrical activity during maze learning showed just the opposite as neuron-firing patterns fluctuate more and retention reduces if the learning takes place without spaced sessions.  It turns out spacing such sessions with one hour intervals produced optimal retention.

Given this information and an impending exam, you might want to separate any repeated study sessions by at least an hour.

https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(21)00914-3?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0960982221009143%3Fshowall%3Dtrue

#memory #retention #spacing

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/lr-3xylsZeI

Farnesol is a form of alcohol found naturally in berries and other fruit.  In its synthetic form, farnisol is often used for food flavoring.  Neurologists at John’s Hopkins announce that this compound may prevent the onset and progression of Parkinson’s disease.

For their mouse experiments, the researchers selected farnisol from a herd of other drugs known to inhibit a protein called PARIS that kills off dopamine-producing cells and leads to the neurological decline of Parkinson’s disease.  The farnisol-fed mice were better able to maintain normal neurologic function when subjected to a biochemical agent that triggers a Parkinson’s-like disease, and they maintained twice as many healthy dopamine neurons.

Human trials remain in the future.

https://stm.sciencemag.org/content/13/604/eaax8891

#farnesol #parkinsons #paris #dopamine

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/0uw1p_PfNK8

A fully vaccinated person developing Delta CoVid is 93% less likely than someone unvaccinated to require any oxygen supplementation, has a viral load that fades faster, and develops a significantly larger burst of anti-CoVid antibodies.  Singapore researchers report these findings from their study of 218 individuals with a B.1.617. or Delta CoVid infection.

The 71 vaccinated persons who developed Delta CoVid were 3 times less likely to be symptomatic, 2.5 times less likely to develop frank pneumonia, 7 times less likely to require supplemental oxygen., and 4 times less likely to require CoVid-specific ancillary therapy including antibody cocktails and cytokine suppression therapy.  Only the unvaccinated were admitted to the ICU, required intubation, or died.

Delta Covid is nasty but tame-able in the vaccinated.

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.28.21261295v1.full.pdf

#CoVid #delta #vaccination

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/ntN4U0O6tM8

Today’s medical discoveries that point to future therapy:

A Blood Test Can Reveal Your Biological Clock

Genetically Engineered Cancer Immunotherapy 

A Thumb-sized Device Detects Bad Breath

Spider Venom Rescues Damaged Hearts

Rapid Smartphone Diagnosis of Infection

University of Colorado at Boulder physiologists announce a strategy for determining the settings of your internal biological clock, your so-called circadian rhythms, from a single blood test.  This info can help determine the best time for various therapies.  By measuring the levels of some 65 metabolites in the blood, the researchers could pinpoint volunteer’s circadian phase.  The test’s accuracy was within one hour of a gold standard melatonin analysis.

Cancers protect themselves by triggering Tregulating or Treg cells to inhibit killer T cells.  British and Italian geneticists have teamed to genetically turn off a family of enzymes called PIP4k that the Treg cells need to effective control good T cells.  Now the search is on for medications that can inhibit PIP4K proteins as part of an immunotherapy regimen.

Bad breath, technically called halitosis, is difficult to self-detect, and it’s embarrassing to ask others to monitor.  Korean materials scientists have developed an alkali-tungsten nanofiber that changes its electrical conductivity when exposed to the halitosis gas hydrogen sulfide.  They incorporated the detector into a tiny portable device that correctly identifies bad breath 86% of the time.  Work is underway to improve the accuracy before commercialization.

When heart muscle loses its blood supply, it becomes acidic and self-destructs.  Australian biochemists have isolated a molecule, Hi1a, from the venom of the deadly Fraser Island funnel web spider that blocks this self-destruct signal and permits the cardiac muscle to heal and live another day.  Hi1a could not only help heart attack victims but it could also prolong the viability of donor hearts awaiting transplantation.

Bioengineers at Canada’s McMaster University have developed a micro-sensor capable of identifying various microorganisms when it’s plugged into a smartphone.  The sensor, employing electroactive RNA-cleaving DNAzymes, can diagnose a bacterial infection in an hour versus days when cultures are used.  It can also be repurposed for rapid CoVid detection.

These and other cutting edge solutions are coming to your doctor’s office and our hospitals…….some day soon!

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/07487304211025402

https://www.pnas.org/content/118/31/e2010053118

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsnano.1c01350

https://www.technology.org/2021/07/28/deadly-spider-venom-to-be-used-as-a-life-saving-treatment-for-heart-attack-victims/

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/vLEj0tbGlWc

The FDA and Whole Foods are recalling Cahill Cheddar Porter and Whiskey Cheddar Cheeses.  These cheeses are contaminated with listeria monocytogenes.  This microorganism may cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in the very young, elders, and those who are frail or have weak immune systems.  It can cause miscarriages and stillbirths.  If you bought these cheeses, do not consume them.  Bring your receipt back to a Whole Foods store for a refund.  For more information, contact Whole Foods by phone at 1-844-936-8255.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/cahill-cheddar-cheeses-voluntarily-recalled-44-whole-foods-market-stores-due-possible-health-risk

#wholefoods #cahill #cheddarcheese #listeria #recall

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/aLCPxug9JOo

The FDA and Old Soul’s Farms, LLC have recalled Old Soul’s Farms Greenhouse Leafy Green Products.  These leafy products are contaminated with listeria. This microorganism may cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in the very young, elders, and those who are frail or have weak immune systems.  It can cause miscarriages and stillbirths.  The recall includes Arugula, Basil, Finstar, Green Bibb, Romaine, and Spring Mix. If you purchased these products, do not consume them but destroy them.  For more information and refunds, contact Old Soul’s by calling 1-937-802- 9192.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/old-souls-farms-llc-recalls-leafy-green-products-due-possible-health-risk

#oldsouls #greens #listeria #recall

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/N2kmW0p25og

The FDA and Excalibur Seasoning Co. are recalling Haen Meats 1959 House Blend Seasoning.  This product is contaminated with listeria monocytogenes.  This microorganism may cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in the very young, elders, and those who are frail or have weak immune systems.  It can cause miscarriages and stillbirths.  If you purchased this product, return it to the place of purchase or dispose of it.  Questions about refunds or this product should be directed to Excalibur by phone at 1-309-347-1221.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/excalibur-seasoning-company-recalls-seasoning-blend-because-possible-health-risk

#excalibur #houseblend #seasoning #listeria #recall

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/sDXG7I762aU

The FDA and McCormick and Co.. now recall McCormick Perfect Pinch Italian Seasoning, McCormick Culinary Italian Seasoning, and Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Ranch Seasoning.  These products are contaminated with salmonella.  This bacterium may cause severe and sometimes fatal gastroenteritis and sepsis in the very young, elders, and those with weakened immune systems.  These seasoning are sold nationwide and in Canada.  If you bought any of these products, destroy them and contact McCormick Consumer Affairs at 1-800-635-2867 to receive a full refund or replacement product.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/voluntary-recall-notice-mccormick-italian-seasoning-products-and-franks-redhot-buffalo-ranch

#mccormick #italianseasoning #franks #buffaloranch #salmonella #recall