Neat News - Neat things do happen

In a new study with 75 participants it was found that intermittent fasting where people ate only in an eight hour time window per day, shows better results with respect to weight loss and blood sugar levels after six months than fasting where people were told to reduce their calorie intake by 25 percent. This means that it may be a good diet regime to follow by diabetics.

related: #intermittent_fasting #diabetes

In a new study in England and Wales, the risk of accidents when doing sport has been investigated. It has been found that most sports (such as cycling, football, running) are very safe and the health benefits of doing them far outweigh the risks from accidents. [The highest risks are found in motorsports, equestrian activity, and gliding.]

related: #sport #accident #health

For Americans, two simple changes would make their diet not only (marginally) healthier, but also have a big impact on their carbon footprint. Food contributes in the USA between a quarter and a third to the carbon footprint. This part could be reduced by a third just by replacing beef by chicken and cow milk by plant based milk drinks.

related: #carbon #diet

A conservationist reintroduces glow worms to the south of England by breeding and releasing them. The male beetle can fly and is attracted by the light of the female one for mating. The larvae are as small as a grain of rice. So far more of than a thousand of them have been released.

related: #glowworm #conservation

A new study finds that paradoxically people who are very curious are also more patient. The strong interest in learning the answer encourages people to stay engaged rather than looking for an immediate response.

related: #curiosity #patience

In an early study with 44 patients, the biotechnology company BioNTech found indication that a novel therapy based on mRNA-vaccination is effective in the treatment of cancer. For 95 percent of participants their cancer stopped growing or did even shrink. A phase-2 study is needed. However, if successful it may take 10 years before a therapy becomes available.

related: #mRNA_vaccination #cancer

Although the first Malaria vaccine has an efficacy of only 36 percent, it is effective in reducing child mortality by 13 percent over nearly four years, the WHO has reported. The analysis conducted in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi also showed a 22 percent reduction in severe malaria in children who received the three-shot series.

related: #vaccine #malaria

A new solid state type of rechargeable lithium-ion battery is being developed that is to be smaller, lighter, more powerful, and safer. It is based on a lithium ceramic.

related: #battery #lithium_ion #ceramic

In the meat industry, around 40 million tonnes of chicken feathers are incinerated every year. Now a way has been found how they can used to extract some fibres that can be used for the production of membranes of fuel cells, an important part in the use of hydrogen in renewable energy production. They would be cheaper and more sustainable than traditional membranes.

related: #chicken #feather #membrane #fuel_cell

A new study finds that many complex natural systems evolve, that is, evolution is not limited to life, but occurs also in other complex systems, be they on a macroscopic or microscopic scale, when certain criteria are met such as static and dynamic persistence and novelty generation.

related: #evolution #complexity

A new gel has been developed, in which in addition to other components there are some magnetic particles so that the wound can be externally magnetically stimulated for one to two hours a day. In tests, this stimulation activated the skin cells and accelerated the wound healing process in diabetic patients by a factor of three.

related: #magnet #wound #healing

In experiments with mice with high blood pressure, it was found that two probiotics in the gut, the useful bacteria Bifidobacterium lactis and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, can bring the blood pressure back to normal levels. If confirmed for humans this could show a way how some dietary intake of probiotic food could supplement other hypertension treatment.

related: #hypertension #probiotics

New research finds that the conversion of the energy production from carbon-based to zero-carbon energy sources has reached such a momentum to the production of solar electricity that they will dominate global electricity markets even without explicit climate policies. Problems are still grid stability, money in underdeveloped countries, and the resistance from regions that lose employment in the transition.

related: #solar #electricity #carbon

The European Commission bans microbeads in cosmetics from this year, since the small plastic particle contribute to a pollution of plastic that is very difficult to get rid of. For other products a transition period of 4 to 12 years is planned. By 2030, microplastics waste should be reduced by 30 percent.

related: #microplastics #ban #EU

In a new study with women, a reason why sleep is important for our health has been found. If sleep is shortened by 90 minutes over six weeks then an accumulation of damaging oxidants can be found in the cells of these women. It is recommended to sleep at least 7 to 8 hours per night.

related: #sleep #oxidants

Asian hornets are a big problem for many bees in Europe. Now scientists have observed that bumblebees have developed a successful method of fighting Asian hornets: When attacked the bumblebee drops to the ground and tries to sting the hornet until it gives up. In 120 observed attacks the method was always successful.

related: #hornet #bumblebee

A new study finds that restricting the calorie intake by 12 percent but maintaining a good supply of vitamins and minerals can delay the progression of age-related problems, for instance, by leading to lower inflammation.

related: #rejuvenation #calorie_restriction

By 3D-printing stem cells, tissue was built that successfully integrated with slices of a mouse brain. The technique may one day lead to an effective treatment of brain injuries.

related: #3d_printing #brain_tissue #stem_cells

Studying differences in the way how the bodies of Americans of European, African, and Hispanic descent use Omega-3 fatty acids researchers found similarities but also differences. The research can be seen as a step in the development of advice for a diet that is tailored to the precise needs of people with different genetic composition.

related: #omega3 #precision_nutrition #gene

In a study that uses data from 10000 people in the UK, it has been found that children with a warm and loving relationship to their parents at the age of three have fewer mental health problems and show greater social skills when they reach adolescence.

related: #parent #love #prosociality

In Sweden there is a policy to encourage fathers to take 30 days of parental leave after the birth of their child. When this was introduced the percentage of fathers taking parental leave rose from 43 to 75. At the same time the number of fathers being hospitalized for alcohol-related problems decreased by more than a third in the two years after the birth. To a smaller extend the effect shows even 18 years after the birth.

related: #father #parental_leave #alcohol

A system has been developed based on a camera, an image recognition software, and an ultrasound device to stop foxes and badgers fouling in someone's garden. Instructions and code are available for everybody online.

related: #deter #fox #badger

It has been known that low levels of the ABCA7 protein give a greater risk of getting Alzheimer's disease. Now it has been found that these levels can drop themselves in certain cell lines in case of halving the cholesterol levels.

related: #Alzheimer #cholesterol

In recent research, a cause for Parkinson's disease has been found. So-called mitochondria, which are vital energy producers for brain cells, take damage by the spread of damaged genetic material. The insight may result in new diagnosis possibilities as well as novel therapies.

related: #Parkinson #mitochondria

A new study finds that people who want to reduce their waist line or their cholesterol level should consider replacing meat by quorn, a meat substitute produced from fungus cultures. First results show already after two weeks.

related: #quorn #health #cholesterol

Narges Mahammadi, imprisoned by the Iranian state, has received this year's Nobel Peace Prize for "her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all". Her fight has come at a "tremendous personal cost", since she is currently serving a 10-year prison term in Tehran.

related: #Nobel #peace #human_rights

A great breakthrough in skin regeneration has been achieved that should speed up wound healing. An approach to bioprinted skin in full thickness has been developed that can be used to help, for instance, burn victims.

related: #wound #skin #print

Scientists found that yeast cells with accumulated amyloid peptides, the chemical that accumulates in the brains of Alzheimer's patients, can recover when given graphene dioxide nanoflakes. The insight may lead to a new treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

related: #Alzheimer #graphene

New research finds that humpback whales in different populations in different parts of the oceans all play with kelp clumps.

related: #play #whale

This year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine goes to two scientists who paved the way for the mRNA technology, which inter alia was a means to quickly build a vaccine again Covid-19, and is currently used to develop vaccines against cancer.

related: #Nobel #medicine #mRNA

In a new study of 68 to 78 year old people that go about 4000 steps per day it was found that when they go an additional 3000 steps a day their blood pressure fell by seven and four points. This has many health benefits such as a 36 percent reduction of getting a stroke.

related: #steps #blood_pressure