Uncategorized

Scientists have established a clear relationship between low vitamin D levels and high levels of inflammation, giving an essential biomarker for identifying those who are at higher risk of or have a more severe case of chronic diseases with an inflammatory component.

The study’s findings were published in the journal ‘International Journal of Epidemiology.’ Inflammation is a necessary aspect of the healing process in the body. When it persists, however, it can lead to a variety of complicated disorders such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and autoimmune diseases.

The study examined the genetic data of 294,970 participants in the UK Biobank, using Mendelian randomization to show the association between vitamin D and C-reactive protein levels, an indicator of inflammation.

Lead researcher, UniSA’s Dr Ang Zhou, said the findings suggest that boosting vitamin D in people with a deficiency may reduce chronic inflammation.

“Inflammation is your body’s way of protecting your tissues if you’ve been injured or have an infection,” Dr Zhou said.

“High levels of C-reactive protein are generated by the liver in response to inflammation, so when your body is experiencing chronic inflammation, it also shows higher levels of C-reactive protein.

“This study examined vitamin D and C-reactive proteins and found a one-way relationship between low levels of vitamin D and high levels of C-reactive protein, expressed as inflammation.

“Boosting vitamin D in people with deficiencies may reduce chronic inflammation, helping them avoid a number of related diseases.”

The study, which was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council and published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, also suggests that adequate vitamin D concentrations may reduce the risk or severity of chronic illnesses with an inflammatory component, such as CVDs, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases.

Professor Elina Hypponen, senior scientist and Director of UniSA’s Australian Centre for Precision Health, said the findings are significant and explain some of the concerns around vitamin D relationships.

“We have repeatedly seen evidence for health benefits for increasing vitamin D concentrations in individuals with very low levels, while for others, there appears to be little to no benefit.” Prof Hypponen said.

Also Read: PM Modi claims that cooperative federalism enabled India to survive COVID outbreak

“These findings highlight the importance of avoiding clinical vitamin D deficiency, and provide further evidence for the wide-ranging effects of hormonal vitamin D.”

Follow Medically Speaking on Twitter Instagram Facebook

An international team of experts believes that girls and boys are more sensitive to the detrimental consequences of social media use at various stages of adolescence.

According to the study, when girls are 11-13 years old and males are 14-15 years old, there is a negative relationship between social media use and life happiness. At the age of 19, more social media use predicts worse life satisfaction. At times, the connection was not statistically significant.

According to a study published today in Nature Communications, females experience a negative association between social media usage and life satisfaction when they are 11-13 years old and boys when they are 14-15 years old. Increased social media usage predicts decreased life satisfaction at 19 years of age. At times, the connection was not statistically significant.

Social media has significantly transformed how we spend our time, share information about ourselves, and communicate with others in little over a decade. This has sparked significant worry about its possible detrimental influence, both on individuals and on society as a whole. Even after years of research, there is still a lot of doubt regarding how social media use affects happiness.

A team of scientists including psychologists, neuroscientists and modellers analysed two UK datasets comprising some 84,000 individuals between the ages of 10 and 80 years old. These included longitudinal data — that is, data that tracks individuals over a period of time — on 17,400 young people aged 10-21 years old. The researchers are from the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, and the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour.

The team looked for a connection between estimated social media use and reported life satisfaction and found key perio of adolescence where social media use was associated with a decrease in life satisfaction 12 months later. In the opposite direction, the researchers also found that teens who have lower than average life satisfaction use more social media one year later.

Adolescent and Social Media

In girls, social media use between the ages of 11 and 13 years was associated with a decrease in life satisfaction one year later, whereas in boys this occurred between the ages of 14 and 15 years. The differences suggest that sensitivity to social media use might be linked to developmental changes, possibly changes in the structure of the brain, or to puberty, which occurs later in boys than in girls. This requires further research.

In both females and males, social media use at the age of 19 years was again associated with a decrease in life satisfaction a year later. At this age, say the researchers, it is possible that social changes — such as leaving home or starting work — may make us particularly vulnerable. Again, this requires further research.

At other times, the link between social media use and life satisfaction one year later was not statistically significant. Decreases in life satisfaction also predicted increases in social media use one year later; however this does not change across age and or differ between the sexes.

Dr Amy Orben a group leader at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, who led the study, said: “The link between social media use and mental wellbeing is clearly very complex. Changes within our bodies, such as brain development and puberty, and in our social circumstances appear to make us vulnerable at particular times of our lives.”

Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience at Cambridge and a co-author of the study, said: “It’s not possible to pinpoint the precise processes that underlie this vulnerability. Adolescence is a time of cognitive, biological and social change, all of which are intertwined, making it difficult to disentangle one factor from another. For example, it is not yet clear what might be due to developmental changes in hormones or the brain and what might be down to how an individual interacts with their peers.”

Dr Orben added: “With our findings, rather than debating whether or not the link exists, we can now focus on the periods of our adolescence where we now know we might be most at risk and use this as a springboard to explore some of the really interesting questions.”

Further complicating the relationship is the fact — previously reported and confirmed by today’s findings — that not only can social media use negatively impact wellbeing, but that the reverse is also true and lower life satisfaction can drive increased social media use.

Also Read: India records most Covid-19 instances in past six and half months at 2423

The researchers are keen to point out that, while their findings show at a population level that there is a link between social media use and poorer wellbeing, it is not yet possible to predict which individuals are most at risk.

Professor Rogier Kievit, Professor of Developmental Neuroscience at the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, said: “Our statistical modelling examines averages. This means not every young person is going to experience a negative impact on their wellbeing from social media use. For some, it will often have a positive impact. Some might use social media to connect with friends, or cope with a certain problem or because they don’t have anyone to talk to about a particular problem or how they feel — for these individuals, social media can provide valuable support.”

Aolso Reads:India records most Covid-19 instances in past six and half months at 2423

Professor Andrew Przybylski, Director of Research at the Oxford Internet Institute at the University of Oxford said: “To pinpoint which individuals might be influenced by social media, more research is needed that combines objective behavioural data with biological and cognitive measurements of development. We therefore call on social media companies and other online platforms to do more to share their data with independent scientists, and, if they are unwilling, for governments to show they are serious about tackling online harms by introducing legislation to compel these companies to be more open.”

Follow Medically Speaking on Twitter Instagram Facebook

According to a recent study, a low-calorie combination that is as sweet as table sugar and nourishes “healthy” gut microorganisms in lab studies has been identified.

The work was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Artificial sweeteners have grown in popularity because they allow individuals to enjoy sweets without eating calories. Despite being regarded to be safe for human consumption, research on both people and animals reveals that some of them may stimulate hunger, resulting in increased food intake and weight gain, as well as other negative health impacts.

Scientists On Gut

As a result, scientists have been looking into low-calorie or extraordinarily sweet substances derived from natural sources as potential replacements. Galactooligosaccharides, for instance, are low-calorie sugars with a prebiotic activity that can serve as a source of energy for advantageous gut microbes, but they aren’t quite sweet enough to replace table sugar. They are found in mammalian milk.

As an alternative, mogrosides, which are 200-300 times sweeter than table sugar, are found in extracts from the Luo Han Guo fruit. However, these extracts occasionally have unpleasant flavours that enzymes can eliminate. F. Javier Moreno and colleagues used enzymes to modify mogrosides while simultaneously producing galactooligosaccharides for a novel low-calorie sweetener in order to benefit from the best features of both natural substances.

The researchers began with lactose and mogroside V. (the primary mogroside in Luo Han Guo fruit). Before adding b-galactosidase enzymes, the researchers’ mixture consisted predominantly galactooligosaccharides and a limited amount of modified mogrosides. A trained sensory panel described the novel mixture as having a sweetness similar to sucrose (table sugar), suggesting that consumers would find it palatable.

A trained sensory panel described the novel mixture as having a sweetness similar to sucrose (table sugar), suggesting that consumers would find it palatable. In test tube trials, the novel sweetener enhanced levels of numerous beneficial human gut microorganisms, including the bacterial species Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus.

Also Read: According to research, second primary lung cancer affects 4 percent of surgical patients and can impact up to 8 percent

Furthermore, based on increases in bacteria-produced metabolites such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate, the combination may have a prebiotic effect on the gut flora. According to the researchers, the novel sweetener seems promising, and their next step will be to extensively investigate the substance’s impact on human gut health.

Follow Medically Speaking on Twitter Instagram Facebook

India experienced a modest decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases on Sunday, with the country recording as many as 18,738 new COVID-19 cases.

India detected 19,406 COVID-19 instances on Saturday. With the recent increase in COVID-19 cases, India’s overall number of cases has risen to 4,41,45,732. There are 1,34,933 active instances out of the total, accounting for 0.31 percent of the total.

The recovery rate is presently at 98.50%, with 18,558 new recoveries from the illness in the previous 24 hours, bringing the overall number of recoveries to 4,34,84,110.

According to official data, 3,72,910 COVID-19 tests were performed in the previous 24 hours, bringing the daily positive rate to 5.02 percent.

Moreover, the weekly positivity rate is at 4.63 per cent.

Also Read: Education with goal-oriented activities increases pupils to choose fruits and vegetables: Study

On the COVID-19 vaccination front, 206.21 crore total vaccine doses have been administered so far under the nationwide vaccination drive.

Follow Medically Speaking on Twitter Instagram Facebook

The Centre wrote to six states and the Union Territory of Delhi on Saturday, ordering them to provide proper testing, encourage COVID-appropriate behaviour, and accelerate immunisation in order to limit the spread of viral illness quickly and effectively. The letters were issued to the State Health Secretaries of Delhi, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana in response to reports of a large number of COVID cases and a high positive rate.

According to the Health Secretary, the following months will likely see significant crowds as a result of numerous events being conducted around the nation, resulting in a high number of people travelling intra and interstate.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare ordered states to increase testing while maintaining the appropriate percentage of RTPCR antigen tests. The states are recommended to implement a five-pronged plan of testing, tracking, treatment, immunisation, and adherence to COVID-appropriate behaviour within the country.

In his letter to States, the Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said, “The states should aim to increase the pace of vaccination for all eligible population and accelerate the administration of free precaution doses for 18+ eligible population at all government vaccination centres under the covid vaccination under Amrit Mahotsav till September 30.”

Mentioning genome sequencing, the official said, “Genome sequence of prescribed samples of international passengers as well as a collection of samples from sentinel sites identified health facilities) and local clusters of new COVID-19 cases is equally important. Such samples must be sent promptly by the states and duties to the designated lab of INSACOG network for genome sequencing.”

The Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Virology examined two monkeypox cases of travellers returning from the UAE on Friday.

The investigation revealed that two patients were infected with monkeypox virus strain A.2, which belongs to the hMPXV-1A clade 3 lineage.

“The complete genome sequences obtained from skin lesions of cases 1 and 2 showed similarity of 99.91 and 99.96 per cent respectively with MPXV_USA_2022_FL001 West African clade,” read the ICMR-NIV study

“Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the two cases were infected with Monkeypox virus strain A.2 which belong to hMPXV-1A lineage of clade 3,” it added.

The study also mentioned the details about both the cases where a 35-year-old male and 31-year-old male from UAE tested positive for Monkeypox. Both the cases had no traces of sexual contact.
The background of the first male revealed a history of similar lesions amongst his friends and contact with a suspected Monkeypox case.

“Case 1, a 35-year, male, resident of UAE had developed low-grade fever and myalgia on July 5 2022. On the next day, he developed multiple vesicular rashes in the oral cavity and lips followed by a single lesion on the genital organ. The lesions were umbilicated with the size 0.5 to 0.8 cm,” the study explained the history of the first case.
Another case of a 32-year-old male from Dubai, UAE travelled to his hometown Kerala on July 13, 2022, and tested positive for Monkeypox.

“A 31-year male in Dubai, UAE had developed dysuria and genital swelling on July 8, 2022. On the next day, he developed fever with chills, myalgia, backache and headache,” the study stated.

As per the research, he developed multiple vesicular rashes on the genital organ and on both hands on July 10, 2022. The lesions progressed and later spread to the face, back, neck and forearm with cervical lymphadenopathy by July 15, 2022.

“He did not have any co-morbidity and denied any sexual or physical contact with suspected or confirmed MPXV case,” it added.

On the ninth post-onset day of sickness, July 13, 2022, and July 16, 2022, respectively, samples were obtained from different locations (lesion fluid, lesion roof, and lesion base) in both patients. For the MPXV diagnosis, they were directed to the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Emerging and Re-Emerging Diseases, ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune, India.

Using genome editing technologies, scientists were able to develop a model and examine a gene mutation linked to neuropsychiatric illnesses in humans. The research has demonstrated how the mutation impacts anxiety and sociality in the brain.

Serotonin and dopamine are monoamine neurotransmitters that play crucial roles in our cognitive and emotional functioning. While the function of linked genes is substantially evolutionarily conserved, genetic diversity within and between species has been shown to have a considerable influence on animal mental qualities such as sociality, aggressiveness, anxiety, and depression.

A research group led by Dr Daiki Sato and Professor Masakado Kawata has previously reported that the vesicular monoamine transporter 1 (VMAT1) gene, which transports neurotransmitters to secretory vesicles in neurons and secretory cells, has evolved through natural selection during human evolution.

In particular, the 136th amino acid locus of this gene has evolved in the human lineage from asparagine (Asn) to threonine (Thr), and moreover, a new allele (isoleucine, Ile) has emerged and increased in its frequencies around the world. Previous reports suggested that people with the Ile genotype are less prone to depression and anxiety than those with the Thr genotype, but it was unclear how these human-specific mutations function in the brain and lead to changes in neuropsychiatric behavior.

In this study, Sato, Kawata (Tohoku University),Yukiko U. Inoue (National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry), and their colleagues prepared Vmat1 gene-edited mice in which the 136th amino acid locus was replaced with the human genotype (Thr or Ile) via genome editing technology, and compared gene expression, neural activity, and behavior among genotypes.

Anxiety-like behaviours were reduced in Ile-type mice, which was similar with human findings. Furthermore, the genotype influenced post-synaptic gene expression as well as neuronal activity in the amygdala, a brain area involved in emotional regulation. The VMAT1 gene’s functional involvement in the central nervous system is unknown, and this work might help to shed light on its molecular underpinnings.

Furthermore, few research have used genome editing technologies to validate the consequences of single amino acid mutations under natural selection during human evolution. This work highlights the functional relevance of human-specific variations in neurotransmitter regulatory circuits involved in cognitive and emotional activities, and it is likely to offer insight on the pathogenic underpinnings of neuropsychiatric illnesses including anxiety and depression.

Researchers discovered that high levels of an amino acid called homocysteine in the blood correspond dramatically with the severity of an advanced form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. They also discovered that vitamin B12 and folic acid may be utilised to prevent or postpone illness development.

These findings might benefit persons suffering from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a phrase that refers to a group of liver disorders that afflict people who consume little to no alcohol and affects 25% of all adults worldwide and four in ten adults in Singapore. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is characterised by fat accumulation in the liver and is the main cause of liver transplants globally.

Its high prevalence is due to its association with diabetes and obesity — two major public health problems in Singapore and other industrialized countries. When the condition progresses to inflammation and scar tissue formation, it is known as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

“While fat deposition in the liver is reversible in its early stages, its progression to NASH causes liver dysfunction, cirrhosis and increases the risk for liver cancer,” said Dr Madhulika Tripathi, first author of the study, who is a senior research fellow with the Laboratory of Hormonal Regulation at Duke-NUS’ Cardiovascular & Metabolic Programme.

There are currently no pharmacological therapies for NASH since scientists do not comprehend the disease’s mechanics. Although scientists are aware that NASH is connected with high blood levels of an amino acid called homocysteine, they are unsure what function, if any, it plays in the disorder’s development.

Dr Tripathi, study co-author Dr Brijesh Singh and their colleagues in Singapore, India, China and the US confirmed the association of homocysteine with NASH progression in preclinical models and humans. They also found that, as homocysteine levels increased in the liver, the amino acid attached to various liver proteins, changed their structure and impeded their functioning. In particular, when homocysteine is attached to a protein called syntaxin 17, it blocked the protein from performing its role of transporting and digesting fat (known as autophagy, an essential cellular process by which cells remove malformed proteins or damaged organelles) in fatty acid metabolism, mitochondrial turnover, and inflammation prevention. This induced the development and progression of fatty liver disease to NASH.

Importantly, the researchers found that supplementing the diet in the preclinical models with vitamin B12 and folic acid increased the levels of syntaxin 17 in the liver and restored its role in autophagy. It also slowed NASH progression and reversed liver inflammation and fibrosis.

“Our findings are both exciting and important because they suggest that a relatively inexpensive therapy, vitamin B12 and folic acid, could be used to prevent and/or delay the progression of NASH,” said Dr Singh. “Additionally, serum and hepatic homocysteine levels could serve as a biomarker for NASH severity.”

Homocysteine may similarly affect other liver proteins, and finding out what they are is a future research direction for the team. They hope that further research will lead to the development of anti-NASH therapies.

Professor Paul M. Yen, Head of the Laboratory of Hormonal Regulation at Duke-NUS’ Cardiovascular & Metabolic Disorders Programme, and senior author of the study, said, “The potential for using vitamin B12 and folate, which have high safety profiles and are designated as dietary supplements by the US Food and Drug Administration, as first-line therapies for the prevention and treatment of NASH could result in tremendous cost savings and reduce the health burden from NASH in both developed and developing countries.”

Professor Patrick Casey, Senior Vice-Dean for Research at Duke-NUS, said, “Currently, the only treatment for patients with end-stage liver disease is to receive a transplant. The findings by Dr Tripathi and her colleagues demonstrate that a simple, affordable and accessible intervention could potentially halt or reverse the damage to the liver, bringing new hope to those suffering from fatty liver diseases. The team’s findings underscore the value of basic scientific research, through which the scientific community continues to have a major positive impact on the lives of patients.”