Al's papers' citations and possibly links and excerpts or my synopses

[AlanPater]

The global burden of cancer attributable to risk factors, 2010-19: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.
GBD 2019 Cancer Risk Factors Collaborators.
Lancet. 2022 Aug 20;400(10352):563-591. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)01438-6.
PMID: 35988567 Free PMC article.
Abstract
Background: Understanding the magnitude of cancer burden attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors is crucial for development of effective prevention and mitigation strategies. We analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 to inform cancer control planning efforts globally.
Methods: The GBD 2019 comparative risk assessment framework was used to estimate cancer burden attributable to behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risk factors. A total of 82 risk-outcome pairs were included on the basis of the World Cancer Research Fund criteria. Estimated cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in 2019 and change in these measures between 2010 and 2019 are presented.
Findings: Globally, in 2019, the risk factors included in this analysis accounted for 4·45 million (95% uncertainty interval 4·01-4·94) deaths and 105 million (95·0-116) DALYs for both sexes combined, representing 44·4% (41·3-48·4) of all cancer deaths and 42·0% (39·1-45·6) of all DALYs. There were 2·88 million (2·60-3·18) risk-attributable cancer deaths in males (50·6% [47·8-54·1] of all male cancer deaths) and 1·58 million (1·36-1·84) risk-attributable cancer deaths in females (36·3% [32·5-41·3] of all female cancer deaths). The leading risk factors at the most detailed level globally for risk-attributable cancer deaths and DALYs in 2019 for both sexes combined were smoking, followed by alcohol use and high BMI. Risk-attributable cancer burden varied by world region and Socio-demographic Index (SDI), with smoking, unsafe sex, and alcohol use being the three leading risk factors for risk-attributable cancer DALYs in low SDI locations in 2019, whereas DALYs in high SDI locations mirrored the top three global risk factor rankings. From 2010 to 2019, global risk-attributable cancer deaths increased by 20·4% (12·6-28·4) and DALYs by 16·8% (8·8-25·0), with the greatest percentage increase in metabolic risks (34·7% [27·9-42·8] and 33·3% [25·8-42·0]).
Interpretation: The leading risk factors contributing to global cancer burden in 2019 were behavioural, whereas metabolic risk factors saw the largest increases between 2010 and 2019. Reducing exposure to these modifiable risk factors would decrease cancer mortality and DALY rates worldwide, and policies should be tailored appropriately to local cancer risk factor burden.

Pocket worthy

Stories to fuel your mind
Here’s What Taking a Cold Shower Does to Your Body, According to Experts
You already know the purported benefits of ice baths.
Prevention
    Ashley Mateo
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/here-s-what-taking-a-cold-shower-does-to-your-body-according-to-experts?utm_source=pocket-newtab

[AlanPater]

Leprosy: Ancient disease able to regenerate organs
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-63626239

https://www.ipsos.com/en-ca/news-polls/Germany-finishes-first-again-with-Japan-and-Canada-rounding-out-the-top-three-nations

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/oct/29/bad-weather-is-good-for-you-take-a-walk-in-the-wind-and-rain?utm_source=pocket-newtab

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20221107-energy-crisis-how-living-in-a-cold-home-affects-your-health

Artificial sweeteners and cancer risk: Results from the NutriNet-Santé population-based cohort study.
Debras C, Chazelas E, Srour B, Druesne-Pecollo N, Esseddik Y, Szabo de Edelenyi F, Agaësse C, De Sa A, Lutchia R, Gigandet S, Huybrechts I, Julia C, Kesse-Guyot E, Allès B, Andreeva VA, Galan P, Hercberg S, Deschasaux-Tanguy M, Touvier M.
PLoS Med. 2022 Mar 24;19(3):e1003950. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003950. eCollection 2022 Mar.
PMID: 35324894 Free PMC article.
Abstract
Background: The food industry uses artificial sweeteners in a wide range of foods and beverages as alternatives to added sugars, for which deleterious effects on several chronic diseases are now well established. The safety of these food additives is debated, with conflicting findings regarding their role in the aetiology of various diseases. In particular, their carcinogenicity has been suggested by several experimental studies, but robust epidemiological evidence is lacking. Thus, our objective was to investigate the associations between artificial sweetener intakes (total from all dietary sources, and most frequently consumed ones: aspartame [E951], acesulfame-K [E950], and sucralose [E955]) and cancer risk (overall and by site).
Methods and findings: Overall, 102,865 adults from the French population-based cohort NutriNet-Santé (2009-2021) were included (median follow-up time = 7.8 years). Dietary intakes and consumption of sweeteners were obtained by repeated 24-hour dietary records including brand names of industrial products. Associations between sweeteners and cancer incidence were assessed by Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for age, sex, education, physical activity, smoking, body mass index, height, weight gain during follow-up, diabetes, family history of cancer, number of 24-hour dietary records, and baseline intakes of energy, alcohol, sodium, saturated fatty acids, fibre, sugar, fruit and vegetables, whole-grain foods, and dairy products. Compared to non-consumers, higher consumers of total artificial sweeteners (i.e., above the median exposure in consumers) had higher risk of overall cancer (n = 3,358 cases, hazard ratio [HR] = 1.13 [95% CI 1.03 to 1.25], P-trend = 0.002). In particular, aspartame (HR = 1.15 [95% CI 1.03 to 1.28], P = 0.002) and acesulfame-K (HR = 1.13 [95% CI 1.01 to 1.26], P = 0.007) were associated with increased cancer risk. Higher risks were also observed for breast cancer (n = 979 cases, HR = 1.22 [95% CI 1.01 to 1.48], P = 0.036, for aspartame) and obesity-related cancers (n = 2,023 cases, HR = 1.13 [95% CI 1.00 to 1.28], P = 0.036, for total artificial sweeteners, and HR = 1.15 [95% CI 1.01 to 1.32], P = 0.026, for aspartame). Limitations of this study include potential selection bias, residual confounding, and reverse causality, though sensitivity analyses were performed to address these concerns.
Conclusions: In this large cohort study, artificial sweeteners (especially aspartame and acesulfame-K), which are used in many food and beverage brands worldwide, were associated with increased cancer risk. These findings provide important and novel insights for the ongoing re-evaluation of food additive sweeteners by the European Food Safety Authority and other health agencies globally.

Artificial sweeteners and risk of cardiovascular diseases: results from the prospective NutriNet-Santé cohort
BMJ 2022; 378 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2022-071204 (Published 07 September 2022) Cite this as: BMJ 2022;378:e071204\
Charlotte Debras, doctoral student12,  Eloi Chazelas, doctoral student12,  Laury Sellem, post-doctoral researcher in epidemiology12,  Raphaël Porcher, professor of biostatistics34,  Nathalie Druesne-Pecollo, doctor and operational coordinator12,  Younes Esseddik, senior IT manager1,  Fabien Szabo de Edelenyi, data manager1,  Cédric Agaësse, dietitian (manager)1,  Alexandre De Sa, dietitian1,  Rebecca Lutchia, dietitian1,  Léopold K Fezeu, doctor and senior researcher in nutritional epidemiology12,  Chantal Julia, doctor and professor in nutrition15,  Emmanuelle Kesse-Guyot, doctor and senior researcher in nutritional epidemiology12,  Benjamin Allès, researcher in nutritional epidemiology1,  Pilar Galan, doctor and senior researcher in nutritional epidemiology12,  Serge Hercberg, professor of nutrition and hospital practitioner in public health125,  Mélanie Deschasaux-Tanguy, doctor and researcher in nutritional epidemiology12,  Inge Huybrechts, doctor, senior researcher in nutritional epidemiology26,  Bernard Srour, doctor and post-doctoral researcher in epidemiology12,  Mathilde Touvier, doctor and senior researcher in nutritional epidemiology12
Accepted 1 July 2022
https://www.bmj.com/content/378/bmj-2022-071204
Abstract
Objectives To study the associations between artificial sweeteners from all dietary sources (beverages, but also table top sweeteners, dairy products, etc), overall and by molecule (aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose), and risk of cardiovascular diseases (overall, coronary heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease).
Design Population based prospective cohort study (2009-21).
Setting France, primary prevention research.
Participants 103 388 participants of the web based NutriNet-Santé cohort (mean age 42.2±14.4, 79.8% female, 904 206 person years). Dietary intakes and consumption of artificial sweeteners were assessed by repeated 24 h dietary records, including brand names of industrial products.
Main outcomes measures Associations between sweeteners (coded as a continuous variable, log10 transformed) and cardiovascular disease risk, assessed by multivariable adjusted Cox hazard models.
Results Total artificial sweetener intake was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (1502 events, hazard ratio 1.09, 95% confidence interval 1.01 to 1.18, P=0.03); absolute incidence rate in higher consumers (above the sex specific median) and non-consumers was 346 and 314 per 100 000 person years, respectively. Artificial sweeteners were more particularly associated with cerebrovascular disease risk (777 events, 1.18, 1.06 to 1.31, P=0.002; incidence rates 195 and 150 per 100 000 person years in higher and non-consumers, respectively). Aspartame intake was associated with increased risk of cerebrovascular events (1.17, 1.03 to 1.33, P=0.02; incidence rates 186 and 151 per 100 000 person years in higher and non-consumers, respectively), and acesulfame potassium and sucralose were associated with increased coronary heart disease risk (730 events; acesulfame potassium: 1.40, 1.06 to 1.84, P=0.02; incidence rates 167 and 164; sucralose: 1.31, 1.00 to 1.71, P=0.05; incidence rates 271 and 161).
Conclusions The findings from this large scale prospective cohort study suggest a potential direct association between higher artificial sweetener consumption (especially aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose) and increased cardiovascular disease risk. Artificial sweeteners are present in thousands of food and beverage brands worldwide, however they remain a controversial topic and are currently being re-evaluated by the European Food Safety Authority, the World Health Organization, and other health agencies.

[AlanPater]

Biotechnology
Inside the billion-dollar meeting for the mega-rich who want to live forever
Hope, hype, and self-experimentation collided at an exclusive conference for ultra-rich investors who want to extend their lives past 100. I went along for the ride.
By Jessica Hamzelou
November 16, 2022
https://www.technologyreview.com/2022/11/16/1063300/billion-dollar-mega-rich-live-forever/?utm_source=pocket-newtab

[Saul]

🙃

[Sibiriak]

 

Quote

Nir Barzilai, director of the Institute for Aging Research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, was one of the scientists in attendance. He finds it concerning. In the past, he says, he took the line that the sale of most supplements was “good for the economy” and not much else—essentially a harmless waste of money. But today, plenty of companies are leaning on science to develop supplements designed to target biological functions that seem to be linked to aging.

We don’t know exactly what these supplements are doing. None have been through rigorous clinical trials. “You don’t know how they are interacting with each other … I’m worried that we don’t know what they are doing.” says Barzilai.

I haven't gotten around to reading Barzilai's book,  by McCoy said it's pretty good.

 

 

Edited December 1, 2022 by Sibiriak

[mccoy]

8 hours ago, Sibiriak said:

I haven't gotten around to reading Barzilai's book,  by McCoy said it's pretty good.

Pretty good to understand how pharmaceutical science is trying to develop drugs based on natural metabolic signals which slow down ageing. Not about diet or lifestyle strategies, at least very little as I remember it.

At the end the book is discouraging though. Barzilai describes many potential molecules, which the FDA will maybe never approve. The only trial in progress,with metformin, is proceeding with an extremely slow pace, years of talk and maybe it's going to start before the end of this year.

 

https://longevity.technology/news/worlds-first-anti-aging-trial-gets-green-light/

 

Quote

 

After closing the final $40m of its required $75m budget with a donation from a private source, the first drug trial directly targeting aging is set to begin at the end of this year, lead researcher Dr Nir Barzilai has revealed in an exclusive interview with Longevity.Technology. Back in 2015, when his revolutionary anti-aging trial TAME finally received FDA approval, it would have been forgivable to think that Dr Barzilai had, at last, got past the hard part. But TAME went into financial limbo, with many wondering if it would ever be able to escape.

“We wasted valuable time negotiating,” said Dr Barzilai, director of the Institute for Aging Research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine,“but we’re finally on track.” His trial TAME (Targeting Aging with Metformin) had been stalled for four years while he and his colleagues engaged in funding negotiations with the US NIH (National Institute of Health).
“It was down to their conservative approach over there. They really didn’t understand what we were trying to achieve,” he said.

 

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[AlanPater]

The Bomb Didn’t Beat Japan … Stalin Did
Have decades of nuclear policy been based on a lie?
Foreign Policy
Ward Wilson
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-bomb-didn-t-beat-japan-stalin-did?utm_source=pocket-newtab

A tortoise named Jonathan just celebrated his 190th birthday — but he could be even older
Radio -As It Happens
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/jonathan-oldest-tortoise-1.6676236

[Saul]

Ward Wilson
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-bomb-didn-t-beat-japan-stalin-did?utm_source=pocket-newtab

The defn of intelligence is "reading between the lines".  The author of the above doesn't qualify.

(There is no cure for stupidity.)

  --  Saul

[AlanPater]

Pocket worthy
Stories to fuel your mind
How a Humble Mushroom Could Save Forests and Fight Climate Change
Inoculating trees with an edible fungi can produce more protein per hectare than pasture-raised beef, while reforesting, storing carbon and restoring biodiversity.
The Conversation
Paul W. Thomas
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/how-a-humble-mushroom-could-save-forests-and-fight-climate-change?utm_source=pocket-newtab

https://www.wellandgood.com/coffee-tips-2022/?utm_source=pocket-newtab
https://www.wellandgood.com/ikarian-coffee/
https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/what-bird-longevity-might-teach-us-about-human-health/?utm_source=pocket-newtab
https://getpocket.com/collections/the-fountain-of-youth-10-stories-about-our-obsession-with-living-forever?utm_source=pocket-newtab

Prospective Associations of Daily Step Counts and Intensity With Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Incidence and Mortality and All-Cause Mortality.
Del Pozo Cruz B, Ahmadi MN, Lee IM, Stamatakis E.
JAMA Intern Med. 2022 Nov 1;182(11):1139-1148. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2022.4000.
PMID: 36094529 Free PMC article.
Abstract
Importance: Recommendations for the number of steps per day may be easier to enact for some people than the current time- and intensity-based physical activity guidelines, but the evidence to support steps-based goals is limited.
Objective: To describe the associations of step count and intensity with all-cause mortality and cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence and mortality.
Design, setting, and participants: This population-based prospective cohort study used data from the UK Biobank for 2013 to 2015 (median follow-up, 7 years) and included adults 40 to 79 years old in England, Scotland, and Wales. Participants were invited by email to partake in an accelerometer study. Registry-based morbidity and mortality were ascertained through October 2021. Data analyses were performed during March 2022.
Exposures: Baseline wrist accelerometer-measured daily step count and established cadence-based step intensity measures (steps/min): incidental steps, (<40 steps/min), purposeful steps (≥40 steps/min); and peak-30 cadence (average steps/min for the 30 highest, but not necessarily consecutive, min/d).
Main outcomes and measures: All-cause mortality and primary and secondary CVD or cancer mortality and incidence diagnosis. For cancer, analyses were restricted to a composite cancer outcome of 13 sites that have a known association with reduced physical activity. Cox restricted cubic spline regression models were used to assess the dose-response associations. The linear mean rate of change (MRC) in the log-relative hazard ratio for each outcome per 2000 daily step increments were also estimated.
Results: The study population of 78 500 individuals (mean [SD] age, 61 [8] years; 43 418 [55%] females; 75 874 [97%] White individuals) was followed for a median of 7 years during which 1325 participants died of cancer and 664 of CVD (total deaths 2179). There were 10 245 incident CVD events and 2813 cancer incident events during the observation period. More daily steps were associated with a lower risk of all-cause (MRC, -0.08; 95% CI, -0.11 to -0.06), CVD (MRC, -0.10; 95% CI, -0.15 to -0.06), and cancer mortality (MRC, 95% CI, -0.11; -0.15 to -0.06) for up to approximately 10 000 steps. Similarly, accruing more daily steps was associated with lower incident disease. Peak-30 cadence was consistently associated with lower risks across all outcomes, beyond the benefit of total daily steps.
Conclusions and relevance: The findings of this population-based prospective cohort study of 78 500 individuals suggest that up to 10 000 steps per day may be associated with a lower risk of mortality and cancer and CVD incidence. Steps performed at a higher cadence may be associated with additional risk reduction, particularly for incident disease.

nationalgeographic.co.uk
When should you eat? It’s just as important as what you eat.
We crave food at night—which made sense back when humans only cared about surviving the day. But science shows
https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/science-and-technology/2022/12/when-should-you-eat-its-just-as-important-as-what-you-eat?utm_source=pocket-newtab

Would You Want to Know if You’re Going to Get Alzheimer’s Disease?
Advances in genetic research mean predicting who develops the condition is becoming more accurate, but that’s not necessarily a comfort.
The Telegraph
    David Cox
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/would-you-want-to-know-if-you-re-going-to-get-alzheimer-s-disease?utm_source=pocket-newtab

Appetite for Change | Food
What is the lowest-carbon protein?
Swapping a beef burger for a plant-based alternative can significantly reduce our individual carbon emissions (Credit: Alamy)
By Isabelle Gerretsen
15th December 2022
Finding protein-rich foods that are good for the climate can be complex. Isabelle Gerretsen digs into the data to understand which food choices can help us curb emission.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20221214-what-is-the-lowest-carbon-protein

[AlanPater]

Tiny mouse named after actor Sir Patrick Stewart takes age record
Photo of a mouse.Image source, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
By Brandon Drenon
BBC News, Washington
An endangered mouse roughly the weight of three pennies has grabbed the title for longest-living mouse in human care.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64543015

Chronic inflammation in the etiology of disease across the life span.
Furman D, Campisi J, Verdin E, Carrera-Bastos P, Targ S, Franceschi C, Ferrucci L, Gilroy DW, Fasano A, Miller GW, Miller AH, Mantovani A, Weyand CM, Barzilai N, Goronzy JJ, Rando TA, Effros RB, Lucia A, Kleinstreuer N, Slavich GM.
Nat Med. 2019 Dec;25(12):1822-1832. doi: 10.1038/s41591-019-0675-0. Epub 2019 Dec 5.
PMID: 31806905 Free PMC article. Review.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7147972/pdf/nihms-1578211.pdf
Abstract
Although intermittent increases in inflammation are critical for survival during physical injury and infection, recent research has revealed that certain social, environmental and lifestyle factors can promote systemic chronic inflammation (SCI) that can, in turn, lead to several diseases that collectively represent the leading causes of disability and mortality worldwide, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and autoimmune and neurodegenerative disorders. In the present Perspective we describe the multi-level mechanisms underlying SCI and several risk factors that promote this health-damaging phenotype, including infections, physical inactivity, poor diet, environmental and industrial toxicants and psychological stress. Furthermore, we suggest potential strategies for advancing the early diagnosis, prevention and treatment of SCI.

How saliva changes the flavor of food
The liquid that our mouths produce isn’t just a lubricant. It plays an active role in how we perceive taste and can influence what we choose to eat, researchers are discovering.
By Chris Gorski 01.18.2023
https://knowablemagazine.org/article/health-disease/2023/how-saliva-changes-flavor-food?utm_source=pocket-newtab

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiovascular disease prevention and management.
Dale CE, et al. Nat Med. 2023.
PMID: 36658423
Abstract
How the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected prevention and management of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is not fully understood. In this study, we used medication data as a proxy for CVD management using routinely collected, de-identified, individual-level data comprising 1.32 billion records of community-dispensed CVD medications from England, Scotland and Wales between April 2018 and July 2021. Here we describe monthly counts of prevalent and incident medications dispensed, as well as percentage changes compared to the previous year, for several CVD-related indications, focusing on hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes. We observed a decline in the dispensing of antihypertensive medications between March 2020 and July 2021, with 491,306 fewer individuals initiating treatment than expected. This decline was predicted to result in 13,662 additional CVD events, including 2,281 cases of myocardial infarction and 3,474 cases of stroke, should individuals remain untreated over their lifecourse. Incident use of lipid-lowering medications decreased by 16,744 patients per month during the first half of 2021 as compared to 2019. By contrast, incident use of medications to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus, other than insulin, increased by approximately 623 patients per month for the same time period. In light of these results, methods to identify and treat individuals who have missed treatment for CVD risk factors and remain undiagnosed are urgently required to avoid large numbers of excess future CVD events, an indirect impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pocket worthy
Stories to fuel your mind
Mold on Food, Explained
Even if you skim a layer of mold off of, say, a jar of preserves, there’s a chance the structure of the mold goes deeper.
Eater
    Elazar Sontag
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/mold-on-food-explained?utm_source=pocket-newtab

[AlanPater]

JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Jan 3;6(1):e2247868.
doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.47868.
CYP1A2 Genetic Variation, Coffee Intake, and Kidney Dysfunction
Sara Mahdavi  1 , Paolo Palatini  2 , Ahmed El-Sohemy  1
PMID: 36701157 PMCID: PMC9880799 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.47868
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2800839
Abstract
Importance: Caffeine is detoxified by cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2), and genetic variation in CYP1A2 impacts the rate of caffeine clearance. Factors that may modify the association between coffee intake and kidney disease remain unclear.
Objective: To assess whether CYP1A2 genotype modifies the association between coffee intake and kidney dysfunction.
Design, setting, and participants: The Hypertension and Ambulatory Recording Venetia Study (HARVEST) was a prospective cohort study of individuals with stage 1 hypertension in Italy; HARVEST began on April 1, 1990, and follow-up is ongoing. The current study used data from April 1, 1990, to June 30, 2006, with follow-up of approximately 10 years. Blood pressure and biochemical data were collected monthly during the first 3 months, then every 6 months thereafter. Data were analyzed from January 2019 to March 2019. Participants were screened and recruited from general practice clinics. The present study included 1180 untreated participants aged 18 to 45 years with stage 1 hypertension; those with nephropathy, diabetes, urinary tract infection, and cardiovascular disease were excluded.
Exposures: Coffee intake and CYP1A2 genotype rs762551 were exposures analyzed over a median follow-up of 7.5 (IQR, 3.1-10.9) years.
Main outcomes and measures: Albuminuria (defined as an albumin level of ≥30 mg/24 h) and hyperfiltration (defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate of ≥150 mL/min/1.73 m2) were the primary outcomes as indicators of kidney dysfunction.
Results: Among 1180 participants, genotyping, lifestyle questionnaires, and urine analysis data were obtained from 604 individuals (438 [72.5%] male) with a mean (SD) age of 33.3 (8.5) years and a mean (SD) body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) of 25.4 (3.4). A total of 158 participants (26.2%) consumed less than 1 cup of coffee per day, 379 (62.7%) consumed 1 to 3 cups per day, and 67 (11.1%) consumed more than 3 cups per day. Genotype frequencies for rs762551 (260 participants [43.1%] with genotype AA, 247 participants [40.8%] with genotype AC, and 97 participants [16.1%] with genotype CC) did not differ between coffee intake categories. The level of risk of developing albuminuria, hyperfiltration, and hypertension, assessed by Cox regression and survival analyses, was not associated with coffee intake in the entire group or among fast metabolizers. The risks of albuminuria (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 2.74; 95% CI, 1.63-4.62; P < .001), hyperfiltration (aHR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.17-3.80; P = .01), and hypertension (aHR, 2.81; 95% CI, 1.51-5.23; P = .001) increased significantly among slow metabolizers who consumed more than 3 cups per day.
Conclusions and relevance: In this study, the risks of albuminuria, hyperfiltration, and hypertension increased with heavy coffee intake only among those with the AC and CC genotypes of CYP1A2 at rs762551 associated with slow caffeine metabolism, suggesting that caffeine may play a role in the development of kidney disease in susceptible individuals.

[AlanPater]

Induction of a torpor-like hypothermic and hypometabolic state in rodents by ultrasound.
Yang Y, Yuan J, Field RL, Ye D, Hu Z, Xu K, Xu L, Gong Y, Yue Y, Kravitz AV, Bruchas MR, Cui J, Brestoff JR, Chen H.
Nat Metab. 2023 May 25. doi: 10.1038/s42255-023-00804-z. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 37231250
Abstract
Torpor is an energy-conserving state in which animals dramatically decrease their metabolic rate and body temperature to survive harsh environmental conditions. Here, we report the noninvasive, precise and safe induction of a torpor-like hypothermic and hypometabolic state in rodents by remote transcranial ultrasound stimulation at the hypothalamus preoptic area (POA). We achieve a long-lasting (>24 h) torpor-like state in mice via closed-loop feedback control of ultrasound stimulation with automated detection of body temperature. Ultrasound-induced hypothermia and hypometabolism (UIH) is triggered by activation of POA neurons, involves the dorsomedial hypothalamus as a downstream brain region and subsequent inhibition of thermogenic brown adipose tissue. Single-nucleus RNA-sequencing of POA neurons reveals TRPM2 as an ultrasound-sensitive ion channel, the knockdown of which suppresses UIH. We also demonstrate that UIH is feasible in a non-torpid animal, the rat. Our findings establish UIH as a promising technology for the noninvasive and safe induction of a torpor-like state.

[Saul]

Interesting.

  --  Saul

[AlanPater]

There is too much emphasis on drugs:

"Aging is “morally bad,” they argue, and it’s a problem that needs to be solved. They see existing regulations as roadblocks to progress and call for a different approach. Less red tape allows for more innovation, they say. People should be encouraged to self-experiment with unproven treatments if they wish. And companies shouldn’t be held back by national laws that limit how they develop and test drugs.

Around 780 such people gathered at this “pop-up city” in Montenegro to work out how they might create such a state—a place where like-minded innovators can work together in an all-new jurisdiction that gives them free rein to self-experiment with unproven drugs."

https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/05/31/1073750/new-longevity-state-rhode-island/?utm_source=pocket-newtab

[AlanPater]

Pocket worthy -- Stories to fuel your mind
Walking Correctly Takes Work—Here’s How to Improve Every Step
Experts explain how to make the most of your daily strolls.
Popular Science
Stan Horaczek
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/walking-correctly-takes-work-here-s-how-to-improve-every-step?utm_source=pocket-newtab

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/what-do-we-know-about-the-health-benefits-and-risks-of-cold-water-immersion-transcript-1.6868196

Common, inexpensive diabetes drug could cut long COVID risk, study finds
Metformin reduced long COVID incidence among infected patients by 41 per cent
Lauren Pelley · CBC News · Posted: Jun 10, 2023
https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/metformin-long-covid-1.6871654

[AlanPater]

Pocket worthyStories to fuel your mind
Humans Could Live up to 150 Years
A study counts blood cells and footsteps to predict a hard limit to our longevity.
Scientific American
    Emily Willingham
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/humans-could-live-up-to-150-years-new-research-suggests?utm_source=pocket-newtab
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Longitudinal analysis of blood markers reveals progressive loss of resilience and predicts human lifespan limit.
Pyrkov TV, Avchaciov K, Tarkhov AE, Menshikov LI, Gudkov AV, Fedichev PO.
Nat Commun. 2021 May 25;12(1):2765. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-23014-1.
PMID: 34035236 Free PMC article.
Abstract
We investigated the dynamic properties of the organism state fluctuations along individual aging trajectories in a large longitudinal database of CBC measurements from a consumer diagnostics laboratory. To simplify the analysis, we used a log-linear mortality estimate from the CBC variables as a single quantitative measure of the aging process, henceforth referred to as dynamic organism state indicator (DOSI). We observed, that the age-dependent population DOSI distribution broadening could be explained by a progressive loss of physiological resilience measured by the DOSI auto-correlation time. Extrapolation of this trend suggested that DOSI recovery time and variance would simultaneously diverge at a critical point of 120 - 150 years of age corresponding to a complete loss of resilience. The observation was immediately confirmed by the independent analysis of correlation properties of intraday physical activity levels fluctuations collected by wearable devices. We conclude that the criticality resulting in the end of life is an intrinsic biological property of an organism that is independent of stress factors and signifies a fundamental or absolute limit of human lifespan.

[AlanPater]

Prospective Associations of Different Combinations of Aerobic and Muscle-Strengthening Activity With All-Cause, Cardiovascular, and Cancer Mortality.
López-Bueno R, Ahmadi M, Stamatakis E, Yang L, Del Pozo Cruz B.
JAMA Intern Med. 2023 Aug 7:e233093. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2023.3093. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 37548973
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2807854?guestAccessKey=aed32847-e929-4924-91f4-9bb7746726b8&utm_source=silverchair&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=article_alert-jamainternalmedicine&utm_term=mostread&utm_content=olf-widget_08142023
Abstract
Importance: Studies examining the associations of different combinations of intensity-specific aerobic and muscle strengthening activity (MSA) with all-cause and cause-specific mortality are scarce; the few available estimates are disparate.
Objective: To examine the prospective associations of different combinations of moderate aerobic physical activity (MPA), vigorous aerobic physical activity (VPA), and MSA with all-cause, cardiovascular (CVD), and cancer mortality.
Design, setting, and participants: This nationwide prospective cohort study used data from the US National Health Interview Survey. A total of 500 705 eligible US adults were included in the study and followed up during a median of 10.0 years (5.6 million person-years) from 1997 to 2018. Data were analyzed from September 1 to September 30, 2022.
Exposures: Self-reported cumulative bouts (75 weekly minutes) of MPA and VPA with recommended MSA guidelines (yes or no) to obtain 48 mutually exclusive exposure categories.
Main outcomes and measures: All-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality. Participants were linked to the National Death Index through December 31, 2019.
Results: Overall, 500 705 participants (mean [SD] age, 46.4 [17.3] years; 210 803 [58%] female; 277 504 [77%] White) were included in the study. Compared with the reference group (doing no MPA or VPA and less than recommended MSA), the category associated with the lowest hazard ratio (HR) for all-cause mortality was more than 0 to 75 minutes of MPA combined with more than 150 minutes of VPA and 2 or more MSA sessions per week (HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.42-0.59). The optimal combinations for CVD and cancer mortality risk reduction were more than 150 to 225 minutes of MPA, more than 0 to 75 minutes of VPA, and 2 or more MSA sessions per week (HR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.15-0.57), and more than 300 minutes of MPA, more than 0 to 75 minutes of VPA, and 2 or more MSA sessions per week (HR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.23-0.82), respectively. Adjusted mortality rates represented an approximately 50% lower mortality rate for all-cause and cancer mortality and an approximately 3-fold lower mortality rate for CVD mortality.
Conclusions and relevance: This cohort study demonstrated that balanced levels of MPA, VPA, and MSA combined may be associated with optimal reductions of mortality risk. Higher-than-recommended levels of MPA and VPA may further lower the risk of cancer and all-cause mortality, respectively.

A common allele of HLA is associated with asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Augusto DG, Murdolo LD, Chatzileontiadou DSM, Sabatino JJ Jr, Yusufali T, Peyser ND, Butcher X, Kizer K, Guthrie K, Murray VW, Pae V, Sarvadhavabhatla S, Beltran F, Gill GS, Lynch KL, Yun C, Maguire CT, Peluso MJ, Hoh R, Henrich TJ, Deeks SG, Davidson M, Lu S, Goldberg SA, Kelly JD, Martin JN, Vierra-Green CA, Spellman SR, Langton DJ, Dewar-Oldis MJ, Smith C, Barnard PJ, Lee S, Marcus GM, Olgin JE, Pletcher MJ, Maiers M, Gras S, Hollenbach JA.
Nature. 2023 Aug;620(7972):128-136. doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06331-x. Epub 2023 Jul 19.
PMID: 37468623 Free PMC article.
Abstract
Studies have demonstrated that at least 20% of individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 remain asymptomatic1,2,3,4. Although most global efforts have focused on severe illness in COVID-19, examining asymptomatic infection provides a unique opportunity to consider early immunological features that promote rapid viral clearance. Here, postulating that variation in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) loci may underly processes mediating asymptomatic infection, we enrolled 29,947 individuals, for whom high-resolution HLA genotyping data were available, in a smartphone-based study designed to track COVID-19 symptoms and outcomes. Our discovery cohort (n = 1,428) comprised unvaccinated individuals who reported a positive test result for SARS-CoV-2. We tested for association of five HLA loci with disease course and identified a strong association between HLA-B*15:01 and asymptomatic infection, observed in two independent cohorts. Suggesting that this genetic association is due to pre-existing T cell immunity, we show that T cells from pre-pandemic samples from individuals carrying HLA-B*15:01 were reactive to the immunodominant SARS-CoV-2 S-derived peptide NQKLIANQF. The majority of the reactive T cells displayed a memory phenotype, were highly polyfunctional and were cross-reactive to a peptide derived from seasonal coronaviruses. The crystal structure of HLA-B*15:01–peptide complexes demonstrates that the peptides NQKLIANQF and NQKLIANAF (from OC43-CoV and HKU1-CoV) share a similar ability to be stabilized and presented by HLA-B*15:01. Finally, we show that the structural similarity of the peptides underpins T cell cross-reactivity of high-affinity public T cell receptors, providing the molecular basis for HLA-B*15:01-mediated pre-existing immunity.

How does the UK economy compare to other countries?
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-66269947

We’re No. 1! Canada claims the most Top 10 liveable cities in the world
By Michelle Butterfield
Global News
Posted June 23, 2023
https://globalnews.ca/news/9787103/canada-most-liveable-cities-top-10-2023/

A daytime nap is good for the brain
By James Gallagher
Regularly finding time for a little snooze is good for our brain and helps keep it bigger for longer, say University College London researchers.
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-65950168

Pocket worthy
Stories to fuel your mind
Your Cotton Tote is Pretty Much the Worst Replacement for a Plastic Bag
You have to use a cotton tote thousands of times to make up for its environmental impact.
Quartz
Zoë Schlanger
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/your-cotton-tote-is-pretty-much-the-worst-replacement-for-a-plastic-bag?utm_source=pocket-newtab