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.

 

.

 

 

[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

[AlanPater]

Applies more to Mom, 1923-2020; 98 years:

>>>

Those Winter Sundays
By Robert Hayden
Sundays too my father got up early
and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold,
then with cracked hands that ached
from labor in the weekday weather made
banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him.

I’d wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking.
When the rooms were warm, he’d call,
and slowly I would rise and dress,
fearing the chronic angers of that house,

Speaking indifferently to him,
who had driven out the cold
and polished my good shoes as well.
What did I know, what did I know
of love’s austere and lonely offices?

[KHashmi316]

From "Those Winter Sundays" to The Sundays ...

Quote

.... So I cynically, cynically say the world is that way
Surprise, surprise, surprise, surprise, surprise
… Here's where the story ends

 

[AlanPater]

Hear that? It’s the sound of leaf blower bans.
As restrictions spread, neighborhoods are getting quieter — and cleaner.
https://grist.org/solutions/leaf-blower-bans-air-pollution-noise/?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us

Mystery of Why Humans Die Around 80 May Finally Be Solved
Scientists have been studying the ageing processes of mammals, from humans to mice and giraffes.
The Telegraph
Sarah Knapton
The mystery of why humans die at around 80, while other mammals live far shorter or longer lives, may finally have been solved by scientists.
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/mystery-of-why-humans-die-around-80-may-finally-be-solved?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Somatic mutation rates scale with lifespan across mammals.
Cagan A, Baez-Ortega A, Brzozowska N, Abascal F, Coorens THH, Sanders MA, Lawson ARJ, Harvey LMR, Bhosle S, Jones D, Alcantara RE, Butler TM, Hooks Y, Roberts K, Anderson E, Lunn S, Flach E, Spiro S, Januszczak I, Wrigglesworth E, Jenkins H, Dallas T, Masters N, Perkins MW, Deaville R, Druce M, Bogeska R, Milsom MD, Neumann B, Gorman F, Constantino-Casas F, Peachey L, Bochynska D, Smith ESJ, Gerstung M, Campbell PJ, Murchison EP, Stratton MR, Martincorena I.
Nature. 2022 Apr;604(7906):517-524. doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-04618-z. Epub 2022 Apr 13.
PMID: 35418684 Free PMC article.

Pocket worthy  Stories to fuel your mind
‘Too Many Antioxidants Can Give You Cancer,’ and Other Facts About the Misunderstood Molecules
And free radicals aren’t always bad for you.
Popular Science
    Sara Chodosh
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/too-many-antioxidants-can-give-you-cancer-and-other-facts-about-the-misunderstood-molecules?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us

By Zaria Gorvett
23rd August 2023
Weathered or unhealthy skin is emerging as a major risk factor for almost every single age-related disease, from Parkinson's to type 2 diabetes.
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230823-the-curious-ways-your-skin-shapes-your-health

Pocket worthyStories to fuel your mind
The Hollywood HIV Doctor Who Was Secretly Peddling Eternal Youth
How did a respected and beloved medical professional end up leading a multi-million-dollar anti-aging scheme—and staring down decades in prison?
    Jeffrey Arlo Brown
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-hollywood-hiv-doctor-who-was-secretly-peddling-eternal-youth?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us

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 Co
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/would-you-want-to-know-if-you-re-going-to-get-alzheimer-s-disease?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us

" phytoncides, antibacterial and antimicrobial substances that trees and other plants release into the air to help them fight diseases and harmful organisms. When humans breathe in these substances—typically by spending time in nature—their health can improve. Across several studies, phytoncides have been shown to boost immune function, increase anticancer protein production, reduce stress hormones, improve mood, and help people relax."
>>>>>>>>>>
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-simple-dutch-cure-for-stress?utm_source=pocket_collection_story

[AlanPater]

Can You Think Yourself Young?
Research shows that a positive attitude to ageing can lead to a longer, healthier life, while negative beliefs can have hugely detrimental effects.
The Guardian
David Robson
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/can-you-think-yourself-young?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us 

[AlanPater]

When one twin goes vegan and the other doesn’t
What a plant-based diet can and cannot do for you, explained by Netflix’s You Are What You Eat.
By Kenny Torrella@KennyTorrella Jan 12, 2024, 9:00am EST
https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/24034578/vegan-twin-study-stanford-you-are-what-you-eat-netflix
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Cardiometabolic Effects of Omnivorous vs Vegan Diets in Identical Twins: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
Landry MJ, Ward CP, Cunanan KM, Durand LR, Perelman D, Robinson JL, Hennings T, Koh L, Dant C, Zeitlin A, Ebel ER, Sonnenburg ED, Sonnenburg JL, Gardner CD.
JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Nov 1;6(11):e2344457. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.44457.
PMID: 38032644 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10690456/
Abstract
Importance: Increasing evidence suggests that, compared with an omnivorous diet, a vegan diet confers potential cardiovascular benefits from improved diet quality (ie, higher consumption of vegetables, legumes, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and seeds).
Objective: To compare the effects of a healthy vegan vs healthy omnivorous diet on cardiometabolic measures during an 8-week intervention.
Design, setting, and participants: This single-center, population-based randomized clinical trial of 22 pairs of twins (N = 44) randomized participants to a vegan or omnivorous diet (1 twin per diet). Participant enrollment began March 28, 2022, and continued through May 5, 2022. The date of final follow-up data collection was July 20, 2022. This 8-week, open-label, parallel, dietary randomized clinical trial compared the health impact of a vegan diet vs an omnivorous diet in identical twins. Primary analysis included all available data.
Intervention: Twin pairs were randomized to follow a healthy vegan diet or a healthy omnivorous diet for 8 weeks. Diet-specific meals were provided via a meal delivery service from baseline through week 4, and from weeks 5 to 8 participants prepared their own diet-appropriate meals and snacks.
Main outcomes and measures: The primary outcome was difference in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration from baseline to end point (week 8). Secondary outcome measures were changes in cardiometabolic factors (plasma lipids, glucose, and insulin levels and serum trimethylamine N-oxide level), plasma vitamin B12 level, and body weight. Exploratory measures were adherence to study diets, ease or difficulty in following the diets, participant energy levels, and sense of well-being.
Results: A total of 22 pairs (N = 44) of twins (34 [77.3%] female; mean [SD] age, 39.6 [12.7] years; mean [SD] body mass index, 25.9 [4.7]) were enrolled in the study. After 8 weeks, compared with twins randomized to an omnivorous diet, the twins randomized to the vegan diet experienced significant mean (SD) decreases in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration (-13.9 [5.8] mg/dL; 95% CI, -25.3 to -2.4 mg/dL), fasting insulin level (-2.9 [1.3] μIU/mL; 95% CI, -5.3 to -0.4 μIU/mL), and body weight (-1.9 [0.7] kg; 95% CI, -3.3 to -0.6 kg).
Conclusions and relevance: In this randomized clinical trial of the cardiometabolic effects of omnivorous vs vegan diets in identical twins, the healthy vegan diet led to improved cardiometabolic outcomes compared with a healthy omnivorous diet. Clinicians can consider this dietary approach as a healthy alternative for their patients.

What's the best time of the day to exercise?
6th January 2024, 08:00 CST
By Annabel Bourne
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240105-whats-the-best-time-of-the-day-to-exercise
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Circadian rhythms and exercise - re-setting the clock in metabolic disease.
Gabriel BM, Zierath JR.
Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2019 Apr;15(4):197-206. doi: 10.1038/s41574-018-0150-x.
PMID: 30655625 Review.
Abstract
Perturbed diurnal rhythms are becoming increasingly evident as deleterious events in the pathology of metabolic diseases. Exercise is well characterized as a crucial intervention in the prevention and treatment of individuals with metabolic diseases. Little is known, however, regarding optimizing the timing of exercise bouts in order to maximize their health benefits. Furthermore, exercise is a potent modulator of skeletal muscle metabolism, and it is clear that skeletal muscle has a strong circadian profile. In humans, mitochondrial function peaks in the late afternoon, and the circadian clock might be inherently impaired in myotubes from patients with metabolic disease. Timing exercise bouts to coordinate with an individual's circadian rhythms might be an efficacious strategy to optimize the health benefits of exercise. The role of exercise as a Zeitgeber can also be used as a tool in combating metabolic disease. Shift work is known to induce acute insulin resistance, and appropriately timed exercise might improve health markers in shift workers who are at risk of metabolic disease. In this Review, we discuss the literature regarding diurnal skeletal muscle metabolism and the interaction with exercise bouts at different times of the day to combat metabolic disease.

Nighttime ambient temperature and sleep in community-dwelling older adults.
Baniassadi A, Manor B, Yu W, Travison T, Lipsitz L.
Sci Total Environ. 2023 Nov 15;899:165623. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165623. Epub 2023 Jul 19.
PMID: 37474050
Abstract
This longitudinal study examines the association between bedroom nighttime temperature and sleep quality in a sample of community dwelling older adults. Using wearable sleep monitors and environmental sensors, we assessed sleep duration, efficiency, and restlessness over an extended period within participants' homes while controlling for potential confounders and covariates. Our findings demonstrated that sleep was most efficient and restful when nighttime ambient temperature ranged between 20 and 25 °C, with a clinically relevant 5-10 % drop in sleep efficiency when the temperature increased from 25 °C to 30 °C. The associations were primarily nonlinear, and substantial between-subject variations were observed. These results highlight the potential to enhance sleep quality in older adults by optimizing home thermal environments and emphasize the importance of personalized temperature adjustments based on individual needs and circumstances. Additionally, our study underscores the potential impact of climate change on sleep quality in older adults, particularly those with lower socioeconomic status, and supports increasing their adaptive capacity in the face of a changing climate.
Keywords: Environment; Older adults; Sleep; Temperature; Wearable.

[AlanPater]

The evolution of menopause in toothed whales.
Ellis S, Franks DW, Nielsen MLK, Weiss MN, Croft DP.
Nature. 2024 Mar 13. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07159-9. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 38480878
Abstract
Understanding how and why menopause has evolved is a long-standing challenge across disciplines. Females can typically maximize their reproductive success by reproducing for the whole of their adult life. In humans, however, women cease reproduction several decades before the end of their natural lifespan1,2. Although progress has been made in understanding the adaptive value of menopause in humans3,4, the generality of these findings remains unclear. Toothed whales are the only mammal taxon in which menopause has evolved several times5, providing a unique opportunity to test the theories of how and why menopause evolves in a comparative context. Here, we assemble and analyse a comparative database to test competing evolutionary hypotheses. We find that menopause evolved in toothed whales by females extending their lifespan without increasing their reproductive lifespan, as predicted by the 'live-long' hypotheses. We further show that menopause results in females increasing their opportunity for intergenerational help by increasing their lifespan overlap with their grandoffspring and offspring without increasing their reproductive overlap with their daughters. Our results provide an informative comparison for the evolution of human life history and demonstrate that the same pathway that led to menopause in humans can also explain the evolution of menopause in toothed whales.

Relative intake of macronutrients impacts risk of mild cognitive impairment or dementia.
Roberts RO, Roberts LA, Geda YE, Cha RH, Pankratz VS, O'Connor HM, Knopman DS, Petersen RC.
J Alzheimers Dis. 2012;32(2):329-39. doi: 10.3233/JAD-2012-120862.
PMID: 22810099 Free PMC article.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3494735/
Abstract
High caloric intake has been associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment. Total caloric intake is determined by the calories derived from macronutrients. The objective of the study was to investigate the association between percent of daily energy (calories) from macronutrients and incident mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia. Participants were a population-based prospective cohort of elderly persons who were followed over a median 3.7 years (interquartile range, 2.5–3.9) of follow-up. At baseline and every 15 months, participants (median age, 79.5 years) were evaluated using the Clinical Dementia Rating scale, a neurological evaluation, and neuropsychological testing for a diagnosis of MCI, normal cognition, or dementia. Participants also completed a 128-item food-frequency questionnaire at baseline; total daily caloric and macronutrient intakes were calculated using an established database. The percent of total daily energy from protein (% protein), carbohydrate (% carbohydrate), and total fat (% fat) was computed. Among 937 subjects who were cognitively normal at baseline, 200 developed incident MCI or dementia. The risk of MCI or dementia (hazard ratio [HR], [95% confidence interval]) was elevated in subjects with high % carbohydrate (upper quartile: 1.89 [1.17–3.06]; P for trend=0.004), but was reduced in subjects with high % fat (upper quartile: 0.56 [0.34–0.91]; P for trend=0.03), and high % protein (upper quartile 0.79 [0.52 – 1.20]; P for trend=0.03) in the fully adjusted models. A dietary pattern with relatively high caloric intake from carbohydrates and low caloric intake from fat and proteins may increase the risk of MCI or dementia in elderly persons.
Keywords: Mild cognitive impairment, dementia, dietary proteins, dietary fats, dietary carbohydrates, caloric intake, energy intake, prospective studies, community-based
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Dietary Macronutrient Intake and Cardiovascular Disease Risk and Mortality: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies.
Ma Y, Zheng Z, Zhuang L, Wang H, Li A, Chen L, Liu L. Nutrients. 2024 Jan 2;16(1):152. doi: 10.3390/nu16010152.
PMID: 38201983 Free PMC article. Review.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10780780/pdf/nutrients-16-00152.pdf
Abstract
Many epidemiological studies have evaluated the intake of macronutrients and the risk of mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, current evidence is conflicting and warrants further investigation. Therefore, we carried out an umbrella review to examine and quantify the potential dose-response association of dietary macronutrient intake with CVD morbidity and mortality. Prospective cohort studies from PubMed, Embase, and CENTRAL were reviewed, which reported associations of macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrate) with all-cause, CVD, cancer mortality, or CVD events. Multivariable relative risks (RR) were pooled, and heterogeneity was assessed. The results of 124 prospective cohort studies were included in the systematic review and 101 in the meta-analysis. During the follow-up period from 2.2 to 30 years, 506,086 deaths and 79,585 CVD events occurred among 5,107,821 participants. High total protein intake was associated with low CVD morbidity (RR 0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.82-0.94), while high total carbohydrate intake was associated with high CVD morbidity (1.08, 1.02-1.13). For fats, a high intake of total fat was associated with a decreased all-cause mortality risk (0.92, 0.85-0.99). Saturated fatty acid intake was only associated with cancer mortality (1.10, 1.06-1.14); Both monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) intake was associated with all-cause mortality (MUFA: 0.92, 0.86-0.98; PUFA: 0.91, 0.86-0.96). This meta-analysis supports that protein intake is associated with a decreased risk of CVD morbidity, while carbohydrate intake is associated with an increased risk of CVD morbidity. High total fat intake is associated with a low risk of all-cause mortality, and this effect was different in an analysis stratified by the type of fat.
Keywords: cardiovascular disease; macronutrient intake; meta-analysis; mortality.

Persistent complement dysregulation with signs of thromboinflammation in active Long Covid.
Cervia-Hasler C, Brüningk SC, Hoch T, Fan B, Muzio G, Thompson RC, Ceglarek L, Meledin R, Westermann P, Emmenegger M, Taeschler P, Zurbuchen Y, Pons M, Menges D, Ballouz T, Cervia-Hasler S, Adamo S, Merad M, Charney AW, Puhan M, Brodin P, Nilsson J, Aguzzi A, Raeber ME, Messner CB, Beckmann ND, Borgwardt K, Boyman O.
Science. 2024 Jan 19;383(6680):eadg7942. doi: 10.1126/science.adg7942. Epub 2024 Jan 19.
PMID: 38236961
https://www.science.org/doi/epdf/10.1126/science.adg7942
Abstract
Long Covid is a debilitating condition of unknown etiology. We performed multimodal proteomics analyses of blood serum from COVID-19 patients followed up to 12 months after confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. Analysis of >6500 proteins in 268 longitudinal samples revealed dysregulated activation of the complement system, an innate immune protection and homeostasis mechanism, in individuals experiencing Long Covid. Thus, active Long Covid was characterized by terminal complement system dysregulation and ongoing activation of the alternative and classical complement pathways, the latter associated with increased antibody titers against several herpesviruses possibly stimulating this pathway. Moreover, markers of hemolysis, tissue injury, platelet activation, and monocyte-platelet aggregates were increased in Long Covid. Machine learning confirmed complement and thromboinflammatory proteins as top biomarkers, warranting diagnostic and therapeutic interrogation of these systems.

[AlanPater]

5 minutes ago, AlanPater said:

PS:

The evolution of menopause in toothed whales.
Ellis S, Franks DW, Nielsen MLK, Weiss MN, Croft DP.
Nature. 2024 Mar 13. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07159-9. Online ahead of print.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38480878/

Whale menopause linked to longer lifespan
23 hours ago
By Helen Briggs and Victoria Gill,Science correspondents,
BBC News
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-68528499
Killer whales are among five whale and dolphin species that go through menopause
Whales that go through the menopause live longer, enabling them to care for extended family, scientists have found.

 

[AlPater]

See the most detailed map of human brain matter ever created
Explore the tiny 'pizza slice' down to the neuron.
By Lauren Leffer | Published May 9, 2024
https://www.popsci.com/science/see-the-most-detailed-map-of-human-brain-matter-ever-created/?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us
"“I would love people to think about this the same way they think about the Hubble or James Webb telescope,” says Lichtman. “We’re peering into an unknown domain, and one that is much more relevant to us than distant outer space. It’s this inner space that each of us have on our shoulders that we use, but know almost nothing about.” "