Neat News - Neat things do happen

In experiments with mice, scientists established the positive effects of restricting the daily intake of food to a 10 hour window. Mice for which the food intake was restricted to a 10 hour window did not develop obesity and related problems unlike mice which had 24 access to food.

In a meta-study, researchers looked at data of more than a million persons and concluded that too little as well as too much sleep is not optimal for the heart, but that a range of 6 to 8 hours of sleep per night is optimal.

Scientists have discovered a new type of human brain cells, which have not been observed in other animals. They may be an indication that human brains are different from brains of other animals.

Thinning of the retina may be an indication that people are in an early stage of Alzheimer's disease when they do not yet show any other symptoms. Since this can be established in a non-invasive way by looking the patients in their eyes, it may form an early test before invasive diagnostics is used. More research is needed.

A study of artifacts from Samarra dating from the 9th century suggests that the city 125km north of Baghdad, Iraq, did not only import glass, but was also a major centre for the fabrication of high-quality glass.

In a recent count it has been found that the Amazonian wetlands have with 3,615 species three times as many tree species as expected.

There is a danger that antibiotics are becoming less and less effective, since bacteria are becoming more and more resistant. For this reason there is a new draft recommendation by the British National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and Public Health England (PHE) to treat standard infections such as a cough in the first instance without the use of antibiotics and rely on traditional methods such as honey.

A new drug has been developed against acute myeloid leukemia, an aggressive form of leukemia against which there are only very limited teatment options. In experiments with mice, the drug had a cure rate of 50%. A main feature of the drug is that it makes it difficult for leukemia cells to block the drug.

The European Space Agency (ESA) has launched a new satellite that will map wind using laser light. The information may lead to better weather forecasts, but also to forecasts of energy generation by wind turbines.

A new drug, vistusertib, has been developed which can be applied when all other chemotherapy drugs do not work any more. In tests with patients with ovarian cancer and lung cancer, it stopped cancer cells from growing for 5.8 months on average. In some cases the cancer even shrunk considerably.

A third of men over 50 have an enlarged prostate causing problems such as difficulties emptying the bladder. In a new heat treatment hot steam is used to destroy some of the cells. The method is minimally invasive and has fewer side effects than an operation.

Diabetes is in general on the rise. However, it has been found out that blood glucose levels can be lowered throughout the day by the consumption of high-protein milk at breakfast, for instance, with cerials.

Many people rely on desalination for their drinking water. The standard approach for this is reverse osmosis, in which water is pressed through a membrane. By a new technology this membrane can be made very thin and as a consequence the energy needed for the reverse osmosis is smaller. Also the material seems to be more durable.

Moderate consumption of carbohydrates seems to be superior to low carb diets or high carbohydrate diets as has been found in a new study observing more than 15,000 people and a meta-analysis on more than 400,000 people. People with a moderate carbohydrate consumption live on average four years longer than those on a low carb diet and one year longer than those with a high carbohydrate consumption.

On a mummy that is more than 5500 years old forensic tests have been carried out and the basic recipe for mummification has been found. It consists of plant oil such as sesame oil, a root extract, some gum as from acacia, and some tree resin such as pine resin. The latter is important for its antibacterial properties.

The liver is a vital organ and has the ability to repair itself. However, it may lose this ability, for instance in case of injury or drug overdoses. A liver transplant is then often the only chance of survival for a patient. Now it has been found out that a cancer drug has the potential to restore the regeneration capability of the liver. This may make some liver transplants unnecessary.

In order to deal with the new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, there is hope that infected people may be treated for the first time with an experimental antibody, called mAB114, which has been isolated from the blood of an Ebola survivor.

By using artificial tactile sensation and virtual reality two patients were able to feel their artificial limb as if it were part of their body. The sensation is partly due to nerve stimulations transmitted to the stump.

Cycling has many health benefits. In a study conducted in seven European cities it has been shown that people using a bicycle as main mode of transport perform better in many health categories including mental health.

In experiments with mice it has been found that autistic mice become more sociable if their levels of serotonin - a messenger chemical - is increased. The findings may lead to a therapy for autism.

The simple measure of increasing the taxes is an effective and cost-effective measure to reduce the consumption of alcohol and in consequence the harms caused by it.

There is research that seems to point in the direction that glaucoma is an autoimmune disease. This may lead to a new treatment of the disease that may lead to blindness.

Three to five exercises of 45 minutes a week, such as team sports, cycling, or aerobics, have a significant positive impact on the mental health of people. This has been found in a study with 1.2 million participants. This is also the case for people with depression; people in this group who do not do exercises had on average 11 days of poor mental health compared to just 7 days for those who do exercises.

In Southeast Finland a prehistoric settlement has been found in a lake - Lake Kuolimojarvi. It gives insights on how people lived in the Early Neolithic Stone Age between 6000 and 10000 years ago.

Blue diamonds are very rare - they make about 0.1 percent of all diamonds found. Now it has been found out that they were formed in great depth - more than 660 kilometres below the surface of the Earth.

A new vaccine against Zika has been developed and proved effective in experiments with mice. It contains two of the three proteins of Zika and causes an immune reaction.

Chile has decided on a complete ban of supermarket plastic bags within two years in order to end their very bad impact on the environment.

Weight loss leads to remission of diabetes type 2 in half of the cases even up to six years after the diagnosis.

Pope Francis has changed the catechism and with it the teachings of the Catholic Church. It states now that the death penalty is inadmissible in all circumstances, since "it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person"

While many parts of Europe are aching under very hot weather, a study has been published that summarizes many of the health benefits of regular sauna bathing. It is good for the blood pressure and other vascular problems, skin conditions, arthritis, headaches, and the flu, inter alia.

CO₂ in the atmosphere leads also to increased levels in the oceans. Seagrass meadows cannot solve but alleviate the problem.