One vaccine for all types of flu: trials of a universal vaccine

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30/08/2022

Scientists at the University of Georgia have evaluated the performance of a universal flu vaccine on young and old mice.

Modern influenza vaccinations are based on strain-specific immunity to hemagglutinin, a highly variable immune defense target.

An annual flu shot is recommended, but the efficacy of the seasonal vaccine is unpredictable and can be below 20 percent because of constant changes in the virus. Thus, influenza remains a high risk to human health worldwide.

Researchers developed a single universal influenza vaccine with key cross-protective, less variable parts of influenza A and B viruses: protein subtypes that are prime targets for antiviral drugs, and the universally conserved ectodomain protein.

Mice vaccinated with immunostimulatory virus-like particles became protected against seasonal variants of influenza A (H1N1, H5N1, H3N2, H9N2, and H7N9) and B (Yamagata and Victoria lines).

This work provides important information about a universal flu vaccine that induces broad immunity to influenza A and B variants in young and old people. The next trial is planned with human volunteers.

Source:

University of Georgia.

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Scientists: social media-dependent parents are more likely to yell and scold their children

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30/08/2022

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Scientists: Social media-dependent parents are more likely to yell and scold their children

A University of Waterloo study in Canada found that moms and dads who spend too much time with their smartphones risk becoming bad parents.

Researchers found that those dealing with family stress often turned to social media for relaxation and distraction, but that, in turn, only made them grumpier and screamier.

They surveyed 549 adults who had at least two children between the ages of 5 and 19 about their use of digital media, mental health and parenting practices.

The study found that the more often parents used social media to avoid spending time with their family, the worse their parenting became. Negative parenting behaviors such as “nagging or yelling” were also more likely to increase when “technology interrupted family interaction.

A vicious cycle emerged in which parents with higher levels of stress were more likely to turn to their devices to relax.

However, not all parents used social media negatively, and researchers found that they could reduce anxiety and depression by maintaining friendships. This also led to “positive parenting techniques, such as listening to their children’s ideas and discussing the good things their children are doing.

Original source link:

University of Waterloo.

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Scientists: people remember foreign languages even 50 years later

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30/08/2022

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Researchers at York University have shown that people who took a foreign language test 50 years after the exams perform as well as recent students.

“We often say: if you don’t use a language, you’ll lose it, but that doesn’t seem to be true,” said Professor Monica Schmid, author of the study.

The scientists intended to understand how long our knowledge of foreign languages lasts. The team recruited nearly 500 participants who took French for A-levels between the 1970s and 2020 and tested their French vocabulary and grammar.

The participants were also asked whether they had used their knowledge of French in the years following the exams. The results showed that language proficiency had not changed over time.

Participants who took the exam in the 1970s and had not used French since then showed the same results as those who took the exam in 2020.

The study also showed that participants could quickly recall the correct French words in case of an emergency – such as a medical emergency or problems at the airport. This suggests that the brain needs only a small amount of motivation to recall a learned language.

Unfortunately, researchers report that people cannot suddenly speak a foreign language fluently after years of disuse. However, they suggest that the basics of language are preserved in the brain, and it doesn’t take much training to master a foreign language again.

Original source link:

York University Cambridge

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Smoking harms not only blood vessels: here’s what it does to the heart

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30/08/2022

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Scientists at the Herlev and Gentofte Clinic in Copenhagen found that smoking not only damages blood vessels, but also directly harms the heart, and more so than was thought.

For decades, experts have known that smoking can cause clogged arteries, which can eventually cause heart disease and strokes.

A study of nearly 4,000 people showed that cigarettes can also make heart muscles thicker and weaker than in those who have never touched tobacco.

As a result, muscle walls have difficulty pumping blood, which impairs blood flow and increases the risk of arterial thrombosis.

In addition to making the walls thicker, heavier, and worse at contracting, in people who smoke, the left ventricle – especially the important one – has less volume and less ability to pump blood through the body, further impairing blood supply.

The team also noticed that the changes in the heart increased depending on how long the person smoked. And the longer a person smoked, the worse their heart did. However, experts found that the heart muscles can return to normal to a certain extent, so even if you’re an avid smoker, it’s not too late to quit, the Danish cardiologists say.

Original source link:

Herlev and Gentofte Clinic

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Scientists tested cosmetics with prebiotics on artificial human skin

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30/08/2022

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German scientists from Rhine-Waal University created a model of human skin and tested cosmetics with prebiotics on it.

The model mimics important characteristics of human skin, including bacterial adhesion and absorption of a cosmetic formula. It helps scientists study how cosmetics containing active prebiotics affect the skin’s natural bacterial colonizers. The model was used to investigate the role of prebiotics in bacterial growth under real-world conditions.

A wide range of microorganisms, including fungi, bacteria, and viruses, reside on human skin. Generally, the abundance and composition of microorganisms varies according to the specific conditions of different skin sites. Some of the bacterial genera that are predominantly found on the skin include Cutibacterium, Staphylococcus and Corynebacterium.

Seven ubiquitous gram-positive skin bacteria were selected to analyze how they were affected by the prebiotic active ingredients tested. The active ingredients used in this study included plant-derived glycerol, diglycerol, glycerylcaprylate, and a multifunctional ingredient.

After 30 minutes of treatment with prebiotic serum without any added active ingredients, a significant effect on bacterial colonization was found: the growth of S. epidermidis, S. hominis and M. flavus was slightly stimulated, while that of S. aureus (Staphylococcus aureus) was inhibited.

Prebiotics play an important role in rebalancing the skin microbiota by enhancing the growth of beneficial microbes and inhibiting the growth of pathogens. Suspected prebiotics can be derived from various sugars, natural extracts and bacterial fermentation products.

Scientists suggest that all cosmetic manufacturers use their skin model to further confirm whether their cosmetic formula promotes the growth of pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus.

Original source link:

Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences

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Experts find sweeteners unsafe

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30/08/2022

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Scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science and Johns Hopkins University have found that artificial sweeteners make it difficult for cells to absorb sugar and alter the gut microbiome.

Researchers gave 120 people one of four sweeteners or a placebo up to three times a week for 14 days at doses below the recommended limits. To monitor how the sweeteners affected blood sugar levels, participants wore glucose meters throughout the trial. Glucose tolerance tests were also conducted. For further study, stool samples were also taken from participants and implanted in mice that did not have a gut microbiome.

The results showed problems with sugar absorption in two groups of sweeteners, while all four caused changes in the gut microbiome.

Those who received aspartame and stevia, often found in diet sodas and juices, had an altered gut microbiome. But those who received saccharin and sucralose, a common sugar substitute in baked goods, were also less able to absorb sugar.

Previous studies have also linked sweeteners to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Among the confirmed bonuses of sweeteners is that they can help with short-term weight loss.

Original source link:

Weizmann Institute

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Motorcycle helmet will filter out the most dangerous air pollution

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30/08/2022

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A motorcycle helmet that filters harmful emissions from the air has been developed at Shellios Technolabs, an Indian startup, with government support.

The scientists who developed the helmet say the filters it uses can remove PM 2.5 particles and other toxic vehicle emissions to which millions of two-wheeler drivers are directly exposed on Indian roads.

“Our helmet is equipped with patented air cleaning accessories, including a silent fan that draws air through a disposable high efficiency particulate matter (HEPA) filter membrane, and is powered by rechargeable batteries.

Because the entire cleaning system is located in the back of the fiberglass helmet, it does not interfere with movement or visibility, but creates a clean, purified air space just behind the clear visor. The new 1.5kg helmet meets government safety and ergonomics standards and has been shown to reduce PM 2.5 particles and other outdoor contaminants by 80% under controlled test conditions.

New Delhi and Calcutta were ranked as the two most polluted cities in the world in a recent report by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation on Air Quality and Health in the World’s Cities. The WHO considers PM 2.5 particles to be the greatest environmental threat to human health.

Original source link:

Shellios Technolabs.

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Enhanced flu vaccines reduce mortality in the elderly by nearly 50%

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30/08/2022

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Previous studies have examined the relationship between influenza infection and cardiovascular accidents. One study showed a sixfold increase in the risk of myocardial infarction within a week of a positive flu test, and another showed that approximately 19% of hospitalizations for heart failure could be influenza-related during epidemics. A study of adults hospitalized with influenza showed that nearly 12% had acute cardiovascular disease.

Early studies have also shown that the influenza vaccine can prevent cardiovascular accidents. The effect of high-dose quadrivalent influenza vaccines compared with standard doses on severe clinical outcomes, such as hospitalizations and mortality in the elderly in general, has not previously been evaluated.

In a new study, recipients of the “boosted” vaccine had more than half the rate of hospitalizations for influenza or pneumonia compared with standard-dose recipients and a lower all-cause mortality rate: 49%. There were no significant differences in serious adverse events between the high-dose and standard-dose groups.

Amplified high-dose flu vaccines contain 60 µg of hemagglutinin antigen for each strain, whereas standard-dose vaccines contain only 15 µg. They are approved for adults 65 years of age and older in most countries.

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Scientists find out what makes video game fans angry

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30/08/2022

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Data compiled by Time2Play shows that those most angry are those who play on Xbox, and ranked different games by emotional intensity.

Modern video games are designed to be as immersive as possible, so it’s easy to get carried away when you lose a level or fail to beat your record. So much so that nearly 56.3% of regular gamers experience bouts of extreme, uncontrollable rage at least once a week, according to a new study.

The company surveyed more than 1,000 people 18 and older who played video games for four hours or more a week. 41.9 percent say they deal with extreme anger about every week, and 8.6 percent say they deal with it every day. Just under six percent of regular players reported that they lose their temper more than once a day.

They were also asked which games make them most furious: the Call of Duty franchise came in first place with 23.5% of the study participants. The more family-friendly Mario Kart and Minecraft were named the “most infuriating” games by 22% and 21.2%, respectively.

Just behind were League of Legends, which drew the ire of 20.1%, Super Smash Bros. for 19.7% and Grand Theft Auto for 19.4%.

The degree to which a video game affects a player also seems to depend on the console: 21.3% of Xbox gamers evoked anger every day, but only 14.1% of laptop and PC gamers reported a similar frequency.

Researchers clarified that life’s setbacks–challenges in school or feelings of hunger–increased the risk of temper tantrums. Additional research on computer games from the University of Eastern Finland found that common triggers were last-minute game failures, cheating opponents, and game interruptions.

Primary source link:

Time2Play.

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Psychology of pain in atypical facial pain

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The First Doc.

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30/08/2022

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The term “atypical facial pain” was first proposed in 1924. This pathology is understood as a chronic pain syndrome not related to somatic diseases, nerve damage, but caused by a psychological factor. The vast majority of patients are middle-aged women. In this article we will talk about the psychology of pain in this disorder, consider its symptoms.

What causes atypical facial pain?

As we know, there are currently three main variants of pain:

Nociceptive;
Neuropathic;
Dysfunctional.

Nociceptive pain occurs in response to irritation of pain receptors, such as contact with high temperatures or inflammation. Neuropathic pain syndrome occurs when there is damage or organic disease of the peripheral or central parts of the somatosensory nervous system.

Dysfunctional pain, which appears in the absence of irritation of the nerve-receptor apparatus and visible organic changes, including those from the nervous system, plays the greatest role within the framework of our article.

The main factors contributing to the development of this variant of pain syndrome are psychological and social factors, emotional stress.

It is dysfunctional pain that occurs in atypical facial soreness. This pathological condition is often associated with depressive and anxiety disorders, other mental disorders.

In the overwhelming majority of cases, people who have been in a state of chronic stress for a long time encounter such pathology.

This creates a vicious circle – prolonged pain leads to decreased quality of life, negative emotions, the development of depression and increased anxiety, which, in turn, become the cause of impaired neurotransmitter metabolism, can cause chronic pain.

Symptoms of atypical facial pain

The primary symptom is a long-standing pain syndrome localized to the facial area. Initially, the pain is usually defined in the area of the nasolabial fold or the chin, but can extend to the upper or lower jaw or cover more extensive areas of the face and neck.

The severity of the soreness may vary. Most often it is of moderate intensity, dull or nagging. There is an increase in pain sensations when stressed or exposed to cold.

Sometimes the pain is displaced from one half of the face to the other, and some patients experience pain in both halves of the face at once. The pain persists throughout the day, waxing or waning.

More than half of people with this diagnosis indicate various sensory disturbances, such as burning or the feeling of running goosebumps, but no sensory disturbances are detected on neurological examination.

Sources used

Pain syndromes in neurological practice / Vein A.M. – 2001

Neurophysiological features of atypical facial pain / Maximova M.Y., Fedin P.A., Suanova E.T. et al. / / Annals of Clinical and Experimental Neurology – 2018 – № 3

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