"Universal" PITT pathway behind cell recycling offers clues to promote longevity

Good news! Amazing stuff! 

"... "Lysosome damage is a hallmark of aging and many diseases, particularly neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's," said lead author Jay Xiaojun Tan from the University of Pittsburgh. "Our study identifies a series of steps that we believe is a universal mechanism for lysosomal repair, which we named the PITT pathway ..."

"... Today in Nature, ... researchers describe for the first time a pathway by which cells repair damaged lysosomes, structures that contribute to longevity by recycling cellular trash. ...
As the cell's recycling system, lysosomes contain potent digestive enzymes that degrade molecular waste. These contents are walled off from damaging other parts of the cell with a membrane that acts like a chain link fence around a hazardous waste facility. Although breaks can occur in this fence, a healthy cell quickly repairs the damage. ..."

From the abstract:

"Lysosomal dysfunction has been increasingly linked to disease and normal ageing. Lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP), a hallmark of lysosome-related diseases, can be triggered by diverse cellular stressors. Given the damaging contents of lysosomes, LMP must be rapidly resolved, although the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, using an unbiased proteomic approach, we show that LMP stimulates a phosphoinositide-initiated membrane tethering and lipid transport (PITT) pathway for rapid lysosomal repair. Upon LMP, phosphatidylinositol-4 kinase type 2α (PI4K2A) accumulates rapidly on damaged lysosomes, generating high levels of the lipid messenger phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate. Lysosomal phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate in turn recruits multiple oxysterol-binding protein (OSBP)-related protein (ORP) family members, including ORP9, ORP10, ORP11 and OSBP, to orchestrate extensive new membrane contact sites between damaged lysosomes and the endoplasmic reticulum. The ORPs subsequently catalyse robust endoplasmic reticulum-to-lysosome transfer of phosphatidylserine and cholesterol to support rapid lysosomal repair. Finally, the lipid transfer protein ATG2 is also recruited to damaged lysosomes where its activity is potently stimulated by phosphatidylserine. Independent of macroautophagy, ATG2 mediates rapid membrane repair through direct lysosomal lipid transfer. Together, our findings identify that the PITT pathway maintains lysosomal membrane integrity, with important implications for numerous age-related diseases characterized by impaired lysosomal function."

"Universal" pathway behind cell recycling offers clues to combat aging

PITT pathway: Scientists discover how cells repair longevity-promoting 'recycling system'

A phosphoinositide signalling pathway mediates rapid lysosomal repair (open access)

Fig. 1: An unbiased proteomic screen identifies PI4K2A-mediated PtdIns4P signalling in rapid lysosomal repair.

Transposable DNA elements yield new clues to origins of neurodegenerative disease

Good news!

"For the new study, the ... team ... — explored the role of one the most common transposable elements, known as long interspersed nuclear element 1 (LINE-1), in neurodegenerative disease.

They found that activation of LINE-1 correlated with damage to the cerebellum in patients with ataxia-telangiectasia, a rare condition that impairs coordination and causes deficits in immune and other body systems. LINE-1 elevation in the cerebellum of these patients was associated with significant neuroinflammation, they found. The median life expectancy of patients with the disorder is between 19 and 25 years of age.

In mouse models of the disorder, researchers found that the activation of LINE-1 was sufficient to cause cellular damage and death in the cerebellum of mice. However, when the mice were treated with reverse transcriptase inhibitors — such as the ones used in treatment of HIV —progression of the disorder was reduced. ...
The findings are intriguing, researchers said, because several different labs are now exploring the role of LINE-1 in onset of neurodegenerative diseases such as schizophrenia, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and Alzheimer’s disease. ..."

From the abstract:

"Dysregulation of long interspersed nuclear element 1 (LINE-1, L1), a dominant class of transposable elements in the human genome, has been linked to neurodegenerative diseases, but whether elevated L1 expression is sufficient to cause neurodegeneration has not been directly tested. Here, we show that the cerebellar expression of L1 is significantly elevated in ataxia telangiectasia patients and strongly anti-correlated with the expression of epigenetic silencers. To examine the role of L1 in the disease etiology, we developed an approach for direct targeting of the L1 promoter for overexpression in mice. We demonstrated that L1 activation in the cerebellum led to Purkinje cell dysfunctions and degeneration and was sufficient to cause ataxia. Treatment with a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor blunted ataxia progression by reducing DNA damage, attenuating gliosis, and reversing deficits of molecular regulators for calcium homeostasis in Purkinje cells. Our study provides the first direct evidence that L1 activation can drive neurodegeneration."

‘Jumping’ genes yield new clues to origins of neurodegenerative disease | YaleNews

LINE-1 activation in the cerebellum drives ataxia (open access)

By Compensating Slave Owners, Great Britain Negotiated a Peaceful End to Slavery

Recommendable! Black slave owners (not many) were also compensated!

By Compensating Slave Owners, Great Britain Negotiated a Peaceful End to Slavery

Vietnamese EV maker sets sights on U.S. market

More competition for Tesla!

Affordable ‘World-changing’ malaria vaccine developed and tested

Good news! Mass production is already planned with a manufacturer in India.

Just a small rise in Earth’s temperature could cause irreversible ecosystem and weather changes. Really!

So called climate science and pseudoscience are often inseparable! Here is another example published in the once prestigious Science.
This is not science, but naked political activism!

Do tipping points scare you? Tipping points, the jargon of demagogues! Notice also the inflation of tipping points! 16 tipping points now???

Climate tipping points (CTP) are at best a hypothetical or speculative!

Nobody can measure global atmospheric temperatures with such precision! Anybody, who claims 0.1, 0.5 or 1 degree Celsius increase or accuracy is a charlatan! Up to 1 degree Celsius is possibly within a measurement error! What a pretense of knowledge (Friedrich von Hayek)!

Nature is much more adaptable to change then these demagogues want you to know!

The often used comparison with "preindustrial levels" is also highly suspect and most likely it is a spurious comparison!

"... An expansive study of climate tipping points in this week’s issue Science is likely to fuel that discussion. It synthesizes the most current evidence on how much warming would risk passing 16 tipping points, triggering polar ice collapses, permafrost thawing, monsoon disruptions, and forest and coral reef diebacks. ... the study finds the world might already be within the warming range where the risk is elevated. It also concludes that even under the most ambitious scenario for limiting global warming—to 1.5°C compared with preindustrial levels—the planet could still see dramatic changes. ...
Overall, they found that at the current level of global warming—1.1°C since the preindustrial era—Earth has already passed the low-end risk estimate for five tipping points ..."

From the abstract:

"... We identify nine global “core” tipping elements which contribute substantially to Earth system functioning and seven regional “impact” tipping elements which contribute substantially to human welfare or have great value as unique features of the Earth system (see figure). Their estimated CTP thresholds have significant implications for climate policy: Current global warming of ~1.1°C above pre-industrial already lies within the lower end of five CTP uncertainty ranges. Six CTPs become likely (with a further four possible) within the Paris Agreement range of 1.5 to <2°C warming, including collapse of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets, die-off of low-latitude coral reefs, and widespread abrupt permafrost thaw. ...

CONCLUSION

Our assessment provides strong scientific evidence for urgent action to mitigate climate change. We show that even the Paris Agreement goal of limiting warming to well below 2°C and preferably 1.5°C is not safe as 1.5°C and above risks crossing multiple tipping points. Crossing these CTPs can generate positive feedbacks that increase the likelihood of crossing other CTPs. Currently the world is heading toward ~2 to 3°C of global warming; ..."

Just a small rise in Earth’s temperature could cause irreversible ecosystem and weather changes | Science | AAAS Scientists call for forecasting teams to join forces, improve estimates of “tipping points”

Exceeding 1.5°C global warming could trigger multiple climate tipping points (no public access)

Alphabet spinout Verily raises $1 billion as it looks to harness health data and compete with other tech giants

Good news! What is the potential!

"Verily, the life sciences business under Alphabet, said Friday that it has raised $1 billion, capital that will be used to expand its data-driven healthcare products tailored to individuals. ...

The influx of capital and executive shuffling come as Verily readies itself for a new phase of growth in a red hot healthcare sector that has attracted tech giants like Amazon and Apple. Earlier this year, Amazon acquired One Medical, a primary care provider that leverages in-person, digital and virtual interactions in its services, in a deal valued at $3.9 billion.

Verily is particularly interested in “precision health,” a term meant to describe combining research, clinical and non-clinical data and computing power to provide healthcare customized to a person’s specific needs. In other words, Verily — which was born out of Google X in 2015 — aims to use technology to provide medical care for individuals instead of everyone. ..."

Alphabet’s Verily raises $1 billion as tech giants enter red hot healthcare sector

Annalena Baerbock besucht ein Minenfeld nahe Kiew: „Mehr als erschreckend“

Ein bisschen naiv scheint die Außenministerin zu sein, aber alle Achtung dass sie nach Kiew gereist ist und dort auch ein Minenfeld besucht hat. Sie lernt hoffentlich dazu!

Bin mir nicht sicher, ob Deutschland genug tut, die Ukraine in der Abwehr des russischen Angriffskriegs zu unterstützen.

"... Baerbock sagt bei ihrem Ortstermin am Feldrand zu einer Ukrainerin aus dem Räumung-Team, sie freue sich sehr, „dass wir Ihnen helfen können, Ihre Heimat ein bisschen sicherer zu machen; das ist ein großes Privileg“. ..."

Annalena Baerbock in Kiew: „Mehr als erschreckend“ Die Außenministerin besucht ein Minenfeld nahe Kiew. Sie zeigt sich schockiert – und sagt der Ukraine weitere Unterstützung bei der Beseitigung von Kampfmitteln zu.

Ukraine retakes territory in Kharkiv region as Russian front crumbles

Good news! Stand with the brave Ukrainian forces!

Are Putin the Terrible's days counted! His terrible miscalculation and the enormous suffering he caused! The world would be a better place for it! Will the Russian people protest and finally elect a better leader!

How many Russian soldiers are deserting? Hopefully, many!

"Ukrainian forces have seized an expanding area of previously Russian-held territory in the east in a "very sharp and rapid" advance, a Russian-installed regional official said on Friday, in a breakthrough that may mark a turning point in the war. ..."

Ukraine retakes territory in Kharkiv region as Russian front crumbles | Reuters

Molecular motor is ‘DNA origami’ milestone

Amazing stuff! What is the potential?

"Physicists have built a molecular-scale motor entirely from DNA strands, and used it to store energy by winding up a DNA ‘spring’.

It is not the first DNA nanomotor, but it’s “certainly the first one to actually perform measurable mechanical work” ...
Living cells are stuffed with molecular machines, including rotary motors; these carry out a range of tasks, from wiggling a bacterium’s flagellum to producing ATP molecules that make up a cell’s energy stocks. These motors often use ratchet mechanisms, similar to the toothed wheels in clockwork that allow rotations in one direction but not the other. ..."

From the abstract:

"To impart directionality to the motions of a molecular mechanism, one must overcome the random thermal forces that are ubiquitous on such small scales and in liquid solution at ambient temperature. ... Under conditions away from thermodynamic equilibrium, directional motion may be achieved within the framework of Brownian ratchets, which are diffusive mechanisms that have broken inversion symmetry. Ratcheting is thought to underpin the function of many natural biological motors, such as the F1F0-ATPase and it has been demonstrated experimentally in synthetic microscale systems (for example, to our knowledge, first in ref. 3) and also in artificial molecular motors created by organic chemical synthesis. DNA nanotechnology has yielded a variety of nanoscale mechanisms, including pivots, hinges, crank sliders and rotary systems, which can adopt different configurations, for example, triggered by strand-displacement reactions18,19 or by changing environmental parameters such as pH, ionic strength, temperature, external fields and by coupling their motions to those of natural motor proteins20,21,22,23,24,25,26. This previous work and considering low-Reynolds-number dynamics and inherent stochasticity27,28 led us to develop a nanoscale rotary motor built from DNA origami that is driven by ratcheting and whose mechanical capabilities approach those of biological motors such as F1F0-ATPase."

Molecular motor is ‘DNA origami’ milestone Rotating device driven by Brownian motion could pave the way for more advanced nanoscale machines.

A DNA origami rotary ratchet motor

The motors are built from DNA strands arranged into triangular platforms attached to a long, rotating arm.

Alzheimer’s-defying brain offers clues to treatment, prevention

Good news! Exciting research! A very unusual case!

"... As researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and other centers first described in 2019, the woman, from Medellin, Colombia, was a member of an extended family with a mutation in a gene labeled PSEN1. The PSEN1 E280A mutation is autosomal dominant, meaning that only a single copy of the gene is required to cause disease. Carriers of the mutation typically exhibit symptoms of Alzheimer’s in their 40s or 50s, and die from the disease soon after, but this woman did not begin to show signs of Alzheimer’s until her early 70s. She died in 2020 from metastatic melanoma at the age of 77.

The key difference in the Colombian woman’s ability to fend off the disease for three decades appeared to be that in addition to having the PSEN1 E280A mutation, she was also a carrier of both copies of a mutation known as APOE3 Christchurch. ...

The APOE family of genes control production of apolipoproteins, which transport lipids (fats) in blood and other bodily fluids. The APOE2 variant is known to be protective against Alzheimer’s dementia, while the APOE4 variant is linked to an increased risk for the disease.

APOE3, the most common variant, is not typically associated with either reduced or increased risk for Alzheimer’s. ...
the woman did, in fact, have pathologic features of Alzheimer’s disease in her brain, but not in regions of the brain where the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s are typically found. ...
“This patient gave us a window into many competing forces — abnormal protein accumulation, inflammation, lipid metabolism, homeostatic mechanisms — that either promote or protect against disease progression, and begin to explain why some brain regions were spared while others were not,” ...
In this case, the tau pathology largely spared the frontal cortex, which is important for judgment and other “executive” functions, and the hippocampus, which is important for memory and learning. Instead, the tau pathology involved the occipital cortex, the area of the brain at the back of the head that controls visual perception. ...
“This exceptional case is an experiment designed by nature that teaches us a way to prevent Alzheimer’s: let’s observe, learn, and imitate nature,” ..."

From the abstract:

"We describe in vivo follow-up PET imaging and postmortem findings from an autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease (ADAD) PSEN1 E280A carrier who was also homozygous for the APOE3 Christchurch (APOE3ch) variant and was protected against Alzheimer’s symptoms for almost three decades beyond the expected age of onset. We identified a distinct anatomical pattern of tau pathology with atypical accumulation in vivo and unusual postmortem regional distribution characterized by sparing in the frontal cortex and severe pathology in the occipital cortex. The frontal cortex and the hippocampus, less affected than the occipital cortex by tau pathology, contained Related Orphan Receptor B (RORB) positive neurons, homeostatic astrocytes and higher APOE expression. The occipital cortex, the only cortical region showing cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), exhibited a distinctive chronic inflammatory microglial profile and lower APOE expression. Thus, the Christchurch variant may impact the distribution of tau pathology, modulate age at onset, severity, progression, and clinical presentation of ADAD, suggesting possible therapeutic strategies."

Alzheimer’s-defying brain offers clues to treatment, prevention – Harvard Gazette Genetic mutation found that could shed light on mechanism for disease resistance, lead to new therapies

Distinct tau neuropathology and cellular profiles of an APOE3 Christchurch homozygote protected against autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s dementia (open access)

CDU stimmt auf Parteitag für (verfassungswidrige) Frauenquote

Der Niedergang der CDU schreitet voran. Die SED Kanzlerin Merkel hat ganze Arbeit geleistet!

Friedrich Merz entlarvt sich mehr und mehr als sehr schwach und unbedarft! Insgesamt ist die gegenwärtige politische Führung der Bananenrepublik D. ziemlich mittelmäßig bis schlecht!  

Frauen brauchen keine Quote! Einstmals wurden Quotenfrauen belächelt und abgetan! Frauenquoten sind eindeutig verfassungswidrig! Von Mindestlohn zu Frauenquote, der Abstieg der Bananenrepublik D. geht weiter.

CDU stimmt auf Parteitag für Frauenquote Erfolg für Friedrich Merz: Der Parteitag stimmt einer moderaten Frauenquote zu. [??????] Nach einer ausführlichen und lebhaften Debatte setzt sich der Vorschlag der Parteiführung knapp durch.

Did this gene give modern human brains their edge?

Amazing stuff!

"More than 500,000 years ago, the ancestors of Neanderthals and modern humans were migrating around the world when a fateful genetic mutation caused some of their brains to suddenly improve. This mutation ... dramatically increased the number of brain cells in the hominins that preceded modern humans, probably giving them a cognitive advantage over their Neanderthal cousins. ..."

"... Pinson et al. report that expression of a variant of human transketolase-like protein 1 (TKTL1) increases the number of bRGs in modern humans and thereby the output of upper layer projection neurons. This genetic change could contribute to differences in cognition with extinct archaic humans."

From the abstract:

"Neanderthal brains were similar in size to those of modern humans. We sought to investigate potential differences in neurogenesis during neocortex development. Modern human transketolase-like 1 (TKTL1) differs from Neanderthal TKTL1 by a lysine-to-arginine amino acid substitution. Using overexpression in developing mouse and ferret neocortex, knockout in fetal human neocortical tissue, and genome-edited cerebral organoids, we found that the modern human variant, hTKTL1, but not the Neanderthal variant, increases the abundance of basal radial glia (bRG) but not that of intermediate progenitors (bIPs). bRG generate more neocortical neurons than bIPs. The hTKTL1 effect requires the pentose phosphate pathway and fatty acid synthesis. Inhibition of these metabolic pathways reduces bRG abundance in fetal human neocortical tissue. Our data suggest that neocortical neurogenesis in modern humans differs from that in Neanderthals."

Did this gene give modern human brains their edge? A mutation present in modern humans seems to drive greater neuron growth than does an ancient hominin version.

Human TKTL1 implies greater neurogenesis in frontal neocortex of modern humans than Neanderthals (no public access)

Scaling brain neurogenesis across evolution (no public access) A genetic change could explain increased cortical neurogenesis in modern humans

British Prime Minister Truss lifts fracking ban amid energy crisis

Bravo! The new Prime Minister is off to a very good start!

"... The newly-appointed Conservative prime minister made the announcement Thursday, explaining that she will allow oil and gas developers to request permission from the government to increase domestic fuel supplies.

Truss said that her hope is that fracking operations will start in the next six months and is approving 100 new exploration licenses for oil and gas drilling in the North Sea. ..."

British Prime Minister Truss lifts fracking ban amid energy crisis | Just The News

About the White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre

Why was she selected? She is the first female black and first openly LGBTQ WH Press Secretary! Before the WH, she worked for leftwing MoveOn.org. How much does qualifications matter if you are obsessed with such records? At least she is cute too. If you criticize her, it will immediately be labeled as racism and misogyny!

It was a very clever move by the handlers of the demented and senile 46th President to match him up with this Press Secretary. She is no challenge to the president.

Or was she selected, because more qualified candidates declined to become WH Press Secretary? Time might tell!

The good news is that the Dimocrats are running out of firsts!

Discovery reveals new gut-brain neuronal circuit driving fatty food cravings

Amazing stuff! Impressive! Beware the cravings! 😊

When will we see new and better treatments for obesity? 

"... The research found cells in our gut sense the presence of fat in food and can directly talk to parts of our brain to make us keep eating. ...
Two years ago a landmark study discovered a direct pathway between the gut and brain that communicated the presence of sugar in the intestine. ...
This new research follows on from those prior findings to explore whether similar pathways between the gut and brain communicate responses to fatty foods. ...
Charles Zuker [Zucker German for sugar; no pun, a real last name], a researcher working on both this study and the 2020 sugar study, said the discovery of this novel gut-brain pathway offers the opportunity to develop anti-obesity treatments that block this signaling mechanism. ..."

"To search for that circuit, ... measured brain activity in mice while giving the animals fat. Neurons in one particular region of the brainstem, the caudal nucleus of the solitary tract (cNST), perked up. This was intriguing because the cNST was also implicated in the lab’s previous discovery of the neural basis of sugar preference.

... then found the communications lines that carried the message to the cNST. Neurons in the vagus nerve, which links the gut to the brain, also twittered with activity when mice had fat in their intestines. ..."

From the abstract:

"The perception of fat evokes strong appetitive and consummatory responses. Here we show that fat stimuli can induce behavioural attraction even in the absence of a functional taste system. We demonstrate that fat acts post-ingestively via the gut-brain axis to drive preference for fat. Using single-cell data, we identified the vagal neurons responding to intestinal delivery of fat, and showed that genetic silencing of this gut-to-brain circuit abolished the development of fat preference. Next, we compared the gut-to-brain pathways driving preference for fat versus sugar, and uncovered two parallel systems, one functioning as a general sensor of essential nutrients, responding to intestinal stimulation with sugar, fat and amino acids, while the other is activated only by fat stimuli. Lastly, we engineered animals lacking candidate receptors detecting the presence of intestinal fat, and validated their role as the mediators of gut-to-brain fat-evoked responses. Together, these findings revealed distinct cells and receptors using the gut-brain axis as a fundamental conduit for the development of fat preference."

P.S. Dr. Zuker works at the Zuckerman Institute of Columbia University [Zucker means sugar in German] 😊

Discovery reveals new gut-brain pathway driving fatty food cravings

Cravings for Fatty Foods Traced to Gut-Brain Connection Mouse research reveals fat sensors in the intestines that stimulate the brain and drive food desires

How Fat Signals Us to Eat More of It Scientists discover how fat triggers a gut-to-brain mechanism that drives us to keep consuming more of it. Their findings could one day lead to interventions to help treat obesity and associated disorders.

Gut-Brain Circuits for Fat Preference (no public access)

Vagal neurons that carry signals from the gut to the brain (nuclei shown in blue), with cells responsible for fat preference in green.

AI that can learn the patterns of human language

Recommendable! Impressive! This is still only the beginning!

"... This model can also automatically learn higher-level language patterns that can apply to many languages, enabling it to achieve better results. ...
This system could be used to study language hypotheses and investigate subtle similarities in the way diverse languages transform words. ..."

From the abstract:

"Automated, data-driven construction and evaluation of scientific models and theories is a long-standing challenge in artificial intelligence. We present a framework for algorithmically synthesizing models of a basic part of human language: morpho-phonology, the system that builds word forms from sounds. We integrate Bayesian inference with program synthesis and representations inspired by linguistic theory and cognitive models of learning and discovery. Across 70 datasets from 58 diverse languages, our system synthesizes human-interpretable models for core aspects of each language’s morpho-phonology, sometimes approaching models posited by human linguists. Joint inference across all 70 data sets automatically synthesizes a meta-model encoding interpretable cross-language typological tendencies. Finally, the same algorithm captures few-shot learning dynamics, acquiring new morphophonological rules from just one or a few examples. These results suggest routes to more powerful machine-enabled discovery of interpretable models in linguistics and other scientific domains."

AI that can learn the patterns of human language | MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology On its own, a new machine-learning model discovers linguistic rules that often match up with those created by human experts.

Synthesizing theories of human language with Bayesian program induction (open access)

Cancers in adults below 50 have 'dramatically increased' worldwide since the 1990s. Really!

Another example of typical alarmism and hysteria journalism! This is likely  more an artifact than reality!

Too little is actually known to make such bold statements! E.g. prospective and retrospective cohort studies are lacking. Life expectancy and medical survival rates due to better treatments also have increased spectacularly! Better screening programs were introduced in many countries and we do not know what was going on before.

"A study by researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital reveals that the incidence of early onset cancers — including breast, colon, esophagus, kidney, liver, and pancreas — has dramatically increased around the world, with the rise beginning around 1990. ..."

From the abstract:

"Over the past several decades, the incidence of early-onset cancers, often defined as cancers diagnosed in adults <50 years of age ... has increased in multiple countries. Increased use of screening programmes has contributed to this phenomenon to a certain extent, although a genuine increase in the incidence of early-onset forms of several cancer types also seems to have emerged. Evidence suggests an aetiological role of risk factor exposures in early life and young adulthood. Since the mid-20th century, substantial multigenerational changes in the exposome have occurred (including changes in diet, lifestyle, obesity, environment and the microbiome, all of which might interact with genomic and/or genetic susceptibilities). However, the effects of individual exposures remain largely unknown. To study early-life exposures and their implications for multiple cancer types will require prospective cohort studies with dedicated biobanking and data collection technologies. ... In this Review, we describe changes in the incidence of early-onset cancers globally and suggest measures that are likely to reduce the burden of cancers and other chronic non-communicable diseases."

Cancers in adults below 50 have 'dramatically increased': Report - ABC News

Harvard University: Dramatic rise in cancer in people under 50 Altered microbiome, sleep deprivation, increase in alcohol consumption among possible culprits in 30-year global trend

Is early-onset cancer an emerging global epidemic? Current evidence and future implications (no public access, but the article above contains a link to the PDF file)

North Pacific ‘garbage patch’ is filled with fishing gear from just a few places

The usual media reports have for years repeatedly suggested that most of the trash was civilizational one time use plastic trash etc.!

"Fishing gear from just five regions could account for most of the floating plastic debris in the ‘North Pacific garbage patch’, a vast swathe of the North Pacific Ocean that holds tens of thousands of tonnes of plastic.

A study published on 1 September in Scientific Reports found that up to 86% of the large pieces of floating plastic in the garbage patch are items that were abandoned, lost or discarded by fishing vessels. ..."

Ocean ‘garbage patch’ is filled with fishing gear from just a few places The bulk of large plastic bits in the North Pacific garbage patch have been lost or discarded by fishing vessels.

Real number of losses of Russian army in Ukraine: silence of authorities and search for truth

With 60,000-90,000 Russian casualties (dead and wounded) in the war of aggression against the Ukraine, when will the Russian people finally say enough is enough!

Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Up Above My Head on Gospel Time TV show

Chuck Berry roll over! Here comes Sister Rosetta Tharpe rocking on her electric guitar! Notice, she even had her hair dyed blond.

US to upgrade Pakistan's F-16 fighter jets

Very recommendable! This is tricky business by the demented and senile 46th President of the U.S.!

More unusual pictures of Queen Elizabeth II

Here is my brief obituary about the Queen with other, unusual pictures of her.

The The Queen dancing in Africa:

Driving a military truck:

Working on the engine of a military truck:

Credits: Greg Kelly: Trump and Queen Elizabeth II had a genuine relationship

Tucker Carlson: This is why they are attacking Queen Elizabeth II

Very recommendable! He describes the British Empire perhaps in a bit of too rosy tones, but by and large he is right.

English for trippers: Any roosters on the roster for roasting?

 Depends on Thanksgiving! 😊

China and India approve nasal COVID vaccines — are they a game changer?

Amazing stuff! Nasal vaccination! Wow!

Western countries wake up! China and India are competing to steal the show! 😊

"... China’s new vaccine, announced on Sunday, is inhaled through the nose and mouth as an aerosolized mist, and India’s, announced on Tuesday, is administered as drops in the nose. ...
India’s vaccine, developed by Bharat Biotech in Hyderabad, is approved as a two-dose primary inoculation, rather than a booster. ..."

China and India approve nasal COVID vaccines — are they a game changer? Scientists hope the immunizations, delivered through the nose or mouth, will prevent even mild cases of illness.

New malaria vaccine could be world-changing

Good news! It is cheap too!

"The team expect it to be rolled out next year after trials showed up to 80% protection against the deadly disease.

Crucially, say the scientists, their vaccine is cheap and they already have a deal to manufacture more than 100 million doses a year. ...

Last year, the World Health Organization gave the historic go-ahead for the first vaccine - developed by pharmaceutical giant GSK - to be used in Africa.

However, the Oxford team claim their approach is more effective and can be manufactured on a far greater scale. ..."

From the abstract:

"... A booster dose of R21/Matrix-M at 1 year following the primary three-dose regimen maintained high efficacy against first and multiple episodes of clinical malaria. Furthermore, the booster vaccine induced antibody concentrations that correlated with vaccine efficacy. The trial is ongoing to assess long-term follow-up of these participants and the value of further booster vaccinations. ..."

New malaria vaccine is world-changing, say scientists - BBC News A malaria vaccine with "world-changing" potential has been developed by scientists at the University of Oxford.

Efficacy and immunogenicity of R21/Matrix-M vaccine against clinical malaria after 2 years' follow-up in children in Burkina Faso: a phase 1/2b randomised controlled trial (open access)

Credits: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: Global Health NOW

Soft on crime: Canada stabbing spree committed by a long time violent criminal released early by parole board

This is what can happen when a long time serious criminal with severe mental issues is receiving a very lenient sentence and is released early!

Simply shocking this failure of realism! Hopefully, this extreme event will be a wake up call to, in particular, do gooders!

Saskatchewan stabbing spree suspect Myles Sanderson died in police custody, previously released by parole board - TheBlaze

A hunter-gatherer surgeon? Skeleton reveals 31,000-year-old surgical amputation

Amazing stuff! The patient, a child, survived! Successful surgery among foraging people may have developed long before settled agricultural societies. 

"The amputation happened when the individual was perhaps 12 years old, the skeleton indicates. Gone is the lower portion of the left leg. And somehow, the individual survived the surgical procedure — a remarkable feat given that it happened some 31,000 years ago. ..."

From the abstract:

"The prevailing view regarding the evolution of medicine is that the emergence of settled agricultural societies around 10,000 years ago (the Neolithic Revolution) gave rise to a host of health problems that had previously been unknown among non-sedentary foraging populations, stimulating the first major innovations in prehistoric medical practices. Such changes included the development of more advanced surgical procedures, with the oldest known indication of an ‘operation’ formerly thought to have consisted of the skeletal remains of a European Neolithic farmer (found in Buthiers-Boulancourt, France) whose left forearm had been surgically removed and then partially healed. Dating to around 7,000 years ago, this accepted case of amputation would have required comprehensive knowledge of human anatomy and considerable technical skill, and has thus been viewed as the earliest evidence of a complex medical act. Here, however, we report the discovery of skeletal remains of a young individual from Borneo who had the distal third of their left lower leg surgically amputated, probably as a child, at least 31,000 years ago. The individual survived the procedure and lived for another 6–9 years, before their remains were intentionally buried in Liang Tebo cave, which is located in East Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo, in a limestone karst area that contains some of the world’s earliest dated rock art. This unexpectedly early evidence of a successful limb amputation suggests that at least some modern human foraging groups in tropical Asia had developed sophisticated medical knowledge and skills long before the Neolithic farming transition."

A hunter-gatherer surgeon? Skeleton reveals 31,000-year-old amputation

Surgical amputation of a limb 31,000 years ago in Borneo (open access)

Fig. 3: Surgically amputated site of the left tibia and fibula

Undeclared swimming pools: their hunt with AI has already brought in 10 million euros for the French tax authorities. Really!

This seems to be a disturbing and expanding trend among national tax authorities! When tax authorities spy on your private property!

When tax authorities use AI to exploit a particular quirk in the tax law, here the presence and declaration of private uncovered swimming pools, then one ought to start wondering what is next. Not to mention that home owners will quickly seek to hide or cover up their pools.

Maybe it is time for profound tax code reforms in the 21st century. Make it simple and straight forward, based on broad tax bases and remove most of the historical garbage, accidents, and quixotic rules.

Piscines non déclarées : leur traque a déjà rapporté 10 millions d’euros au fisc - Le Parisien

Credits: The Batch by Andrew Ng

Maskenpflicht in Fernzügen aber nicht in Flugzeugen?

Mehr Impressionen aus einer ausgefeilten Bananenrepublik D.! 

English for trippers: A buffeted buffet

 If you salivate too much, you probably can not get the pronunciation right! 😊

Queen Elizabeth II passed away. A long era ends

In my life, I knew no other British monarch! I am not very familiar with her reign, but I do faintly remember that she occasionally took a position on political issues or did something unusual.

What made her great? She sometimes used subtle, but strong messages in public!

A few examples:

"... the Rhodesian prime minister, Ian Smith, in opposition to moves towards majority rule, unilaterally declared independence while expressing "loyalty and devotion" to Elizabeth, declaring her "Queen of Rhodesia". Although the Queen formally dismissed him, and the international community applied sanctions against Rhodesia, his regime survived for over a decade. As Britain's ties to its former empire weakened, the British government sought entry to the European Community, a goal it achieved in 1973.

The Queen toured Yugoslavia in October 1972 ... She was received at the airport by President Josip Broz Tito, and a crowd of thousands greeted her in Belgrade. ..." (Source)

"... She met with her country's newest prime minister, Liz Truss [two days ago]. However, the queen for the first time in her 70-year reign have appointed a new prime minister somewhere other than Buckingham Palace raised speculation about her health.

Elizabeth's 73-year-old eldest son, Charles, Prince of Wales, is heir to the throne. His wife, Camilla, will be Queen Consort. ..."

Queen Elizabeth II dead at 96 | Just The News

With President Tito of communist Yugoslavia in Belgrade, 1972

Tel Aviv hosts a weeklong party to celebrate Brazil's 200th independence day

Let's celebrate! Let's dance!

What do Brazil and Israel have in common? Some of the most diverse populations and a propensity for good times.

"Brazilians are throwing a memorable party in Israel this week to celebrate the 200th anniversary of their independence, as well as the strong cultural ties between the two countries.

The event, called Casa Brasil, began on Sunday and will continue through Friday, features lectures, cultural presentations, a fashion show, a food festival and more. It’s being held at Hangar 11, a large event venue at Tel Aviv’s port, which is currently decked out in green and yellow, the colors of Brazil’s flag.  ..."

Tel Aviv hosts a weeklong party to celebrate Brazil's 200th independence day - Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Fraser Institute: Economic Freedom of the World: 2022 Annual Report released

Even within the countries of Europe economic freedom is not common!

The Fraser Institute also remarked in their introduction: "... Between 1970 and 2017, Canada ranked in the top 10 most economically free countries in the world every year except for one.

Unfortunately, we've remained outside of the top 10 since [2017].

In this year’s report, Canada ranks 14th based on 2020 data (the most recent available). ..."

That Hong Kong is still listed at No. 1 is a bit of a bad joke since Communist China annexed Hong Kong in 2020/21. Yes, this report is based on 2020 data, but ...

Economic Freedom of the World: 2022 Annual Report | Fraser Institute

Who is Liz Truss?

She is a free marketeer and a classical liberal! She is hostile to the nanny state! Good to know! Hope she will live up to it as Prime Minister!

Brexit gives on giving!

"In this video, Mark Littlewood, Director General of the Institute of Economic Affairs and long-time friend of Liz Truss, gives his take on her character, principles and future policy direction."

Metropolitan Museum of Art: Who stole the color from classical sculpture?

That classical greco-roman sculptures were not white has been revealed about 20 years ago so.

This is about a new exhibit at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art titled Chroma: Ancient Sculpture in Color

Teddy Pendergrass - All I Need Is You (Official Audio)

Enjoy! I was like a bird without a song! You've been so sweet to me! As long as you stay with me. Is you! Is you!

Doppelminister Habecks Energie-Pläne: „Sehe Riesen-Insolvenzwelle kommen“

Dieser Doppelminister Habeck ist ja völlig überfordert und unfähig, wie ein kleiner Bub! Olaf Scholz muss handeln und entlassen, aber kann der SED Kanzler Merkel Mitläufer das? Zweifelhaft!

Tucker Carlson: About John Fetterman, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate for Pennsylvania

If he wins, then there would be next to the demented and senile 46th President another high ranking Democratic politician with serious cognitive issues.

As masks are shed, medical offices pose Covid risk for some. Really!

What is the point of continuing the scaremongering about Covid-19? How about you? I am so tired of this medieval scaremongering!

The plain facts are:
1) Covid-19 is overall a fairly harmless disease comparable to a severe common cold or influenza. The large majority of young people (roughly <= age 50)  have little to fear! Perhaps, it is more infectious. Most of this was actually known since about mid-Summer 2020!
2) In record time by any historical measure, we have now so many different effective vaccines and treatments available unlike so many other diseases

Sick or healthy, it has always been risky to visit a hospital or waiting room of a doctor's office! You never quite now what the person next to you is suffering from.

"... But as the third pandemic fall looms ahead, with mask mandates dropped and isolation requirements relaxed, many high-risk individuals are increasingly anxious about contracting Covid while accessing necessary routine health care. ..."

As masks are shed, medical offices pose Covid risk for some - STAT

Deep Learning Detection of Active Pulmonary Tuberculosis at Chest Radiography Matched the Clinical Performance of Radiologists

Good news! Machine learning keeps on giving! 

Unfortunately, the group of selected human doctors is very small and and all were based in India.

"A new artificial intelligence tool by Google detected tuberculosis in chest X-rays, matching the skills of radiologists, according to a new Radiology study published yesterday; the AI system met or exceeded WHO performance standards for detecting the disease, which kills 1.4 million people annually."

From the abstract:

"... A total of 165 754 images in 22 284 subjects (mean age, 45 years; 21% female) were used for model development and testing. In the four-country test set (1236 subjects, 17% with active TB), the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of the DLS was higher than those for all nine India-based radiologists, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.89 (95% CI: 0.87, 0.91). Compared with these radiologists, at the prespecified operating point, the DLS sensitivity was higher (88% vs 75%, P < .001) and specificity was noninferior (79% vs 84%, P = .004). Trends were similar within other patient subgroups, in the South Africa data set, and across various TB-specific chest radiograph findings. In simulations, the use of the DLS to identify likely TB-positive chest radiographs for NAAT confirmation reduced the cost by 40%–80% per TB-positive patient detected. ..."

Deep Learning Detection of Active Pulmonary Tuberculosis at Chest Radiography Matched the Clinical Performance of Radiologists | Radiology (open access)

Credits: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: Global Health NOW

More Christian bakers coerced to bake cakes for LGBTQ

How many times have we heard or read this story now that a Christian baker somewhere in the U.S. is sued by some LGBTQ member over refusing to bake e.g. a wedding cake (see e.g. here).

I think, I said it here before that it is very odd by members of the LGBTQ to have an obviously Christian baker, who hesitates or refuses to bake a cake for them, to force it upon these bakers by suing them. Why don't they simply go to the many other bakers who are more than willing and glad to to business with them?

This fanatic pursuit is abhorrent! Anybody who does not conform with the tenets of LGBTQ will be persecuted! This obvious hatred of and animosity towards Christian belief is revealing! 

Were LGBTQ minority not long ago asking for tolerance, acceptance, and integration from the majority of us?

Deutsche Bank CEO Sewing summarizes economic warnings in keynote speech, but suggests mediocre solutions

This speech might be a bit unusual for a Deutsche Bank CEO! Mr. Sewing is plain speaking and gives a sober, if not gloomy, outlook!

However, he is dead wrong to repeat that ideological nonsense of "climate crisis"!!! A typical German myopia!

Unfortunately:

1. He also repeats the false mantra of concerted effort (konzertierte Aktion). A German fairy tale myth governing Germany since the 1960s. When will the Germans kick this bad habit! Did not Hitler ruin this bad idea (e.g. Volksgemeinschaft, which dates back to WW I) entirely!
2. He promotes the naive idea of bigger is better in terms of European banks to counter e.g. U.S. banks

He forgot to suggest that Germany needs to expand economic relations with India to compensate for China.

"... a time that is more challenging than anything I have experienced in more than 30 years of banking.  While the Covid pandemic proved to be a temporary shock to the world economy, Russia's war against Ukraine has destroyed a number of certainties on which we built our economic system over the past decades. 

The brakes have been applied to globalisation and, in the face of major geopolitical tensions, it is unlikely to pick up its old momentum any time soon. 

As a result, many seemingly perfect global value and supply chains have been disrupted.  

The workforce, which for a long time was thought to be available without limit, has become a bottleneck factor worldwide. 

At the same time, electricity and gas have become scarce and extremely expensive. Energy is set to stay an expensive commodity in Europe for some time. This represents a structural competitive drawback and it is a threat to our economy. In the long term, we will need to respond with structural solutions.  ...
Right now many people still have their savings to fall back on to pay the higher prices; many companies are still sufficiently financed. But the longer inflation remains high, the greater the strain and the higher the potential for social conflict.  ...

In my view, there are three main lessons:  

Firstly, we have seen how dangerous it is for us in Europe to become too dependent on individual countries or regions. At the moment the main focus is on energy and raw material imports from Russia – and rightly so. ...

That is not enough, though. When it comes to dependencies, we also have to face the awkward question of how to deal with China. Its increasing isolation and growing tensions, especially between China and the United States, pose a considerable risk for Germany.  

China is a cornerstone of our economy. About 8 percent of our exports go to China and 12 percent of our imports are from the country. More than a tenth of the sales of all DAX-listed companies are from China. ... Reducing this dependency will require a change no less fundamental than decoupling from Russian energy.  

At the same time – and this is my second lesson – we need to tackle the climate crisis with much more resolve than to date.  Climate change is already causing damage of gigantic proportions. ...

The third lesson, I believe, is that we have been under the illusion for the past 30 years that we could live forever in an ever more globalised world with no major conflicts and with steady growth.  ... we have been acting as if the world was on its way to becoming one big village where everyone is interested in economic cooperation because, after all, everyone benefits from it. That has stopped being the case for some time now, though. 

The truth is that 30 years of presumed calm will now be followed by a period of heightened volatility with economic uncertainty, regular crises and geopolitical conflicts that are also likely to drag on for decades. ...
We will only succeed through a concerted joint effort, with politics, business and society all working closely hand in hand.  ...
And sooner or later we will also need consolidation, not nationally, but Europe-wide. Size counts in banking – and if we don't want to hand over the playing field to the Americans, Europe must create the right conditions for big banks. ..."

Christian Sewing's keynote at the Handelsblatt Banken Summit 2022

On Are too many Germans converting to Judaism? The debate is roiling Germany's Jewish community

Is this a tempest in a teapot and a lot of hot air or is there something about it?

This article is not so much about German spouses converting to Judaism, because of their marriage with a Jew, but more about other Germans who converted.

Overall, these conversions seem to be few and far in between:

"... Within the past 21 years, 1,697 people converted in, according to the Central Welfare Board of Jews in Germany — an average of about 80 people a year over that period. In 2021, a total of 43 conversions were completed, and of those, the majority were Orthodox, according to a source close to the Orthodox beit din, or Jewish religious court. ..."

To give more perspective:

"As of 1 January 2016, the core Jewish population of Germany was estimated to be 117,000 (0.14% of the wider population), and the enlarged Jewish population was estimated at 225,000 (0.27% of the wider population). 

... The majority of this increase is due to immigration from the Former Soviet Union.

Between 1990 and 2015, 2,596 Germans emigrated to Israel. 

An estimated 275,000 Germans qualify for Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return.  ..." (Source)

Perhaps, the author of this opinion piece is trying to argue the point that too many of those Germans who convert are doing this out of guilt of the Holocaust. This seems to be a little preposterous 77 years after WW II ended! Judaism is one the Abrahamic religions and Judaism is the oldest, probably the most original, and perhaps the best of the three religions in terms of human progress and humanity.

"... In the column, titled “Why the increasing number of converts is a problem for Judaism,” Gerstetter charged that too many people in Germany convert for the wrong reasons — such as to atone for their family’s Nazi past or to identify with the victims rather than perpetrators — and she criticized the fact that converts fill numerous Jewish leadership roles in Germany. ..."

Are too many Germans converting to Judaism? The debate is roiling Germany's Jewish community. - Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Warum die wachsende Zahl der Konvertiten ein Problem für das Judentum ist

Harvard University: Out for Blood: Feminine Hygiene to Menstrual Equity

This subject has been covered in depth at least since the 1970s by feminists, lesbians, and others! I do not know the details on this new exhibition, but it appears Harvard University is regurgitating here well knowns!

What is menstrual equity please? This new ideological term equity is quickly attached to everything under the sun thereby becoming meaningless and a nuisance!

"Throughout the 20th century, the marketing and design of menstrual products often stigmatized menstruation as an unmentionable bodily affliction. Menstruation was wrapped in euphemism: that time of the month, a weakness, a nuisance. “Feminine hygiene” products offered sanitation, invisibility, and freedom—but at what cost? Out for Blood: Feminine Hygiene to Menstrual Equity shows how marketing and social norms around menstruation create a cultural construct with power to shape people’s lives."

Out for Blood: Feminine Hygiene to Menstrual Equity | Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University

Stealthy Linux malware Shikitega starts off small but gradually takes control

As a Linux user should I be concerned? Sounds quite scary and sophisticated! 

Until know, I thought that Linux was much less vulnerable than Windows especially when you operate Linux primarily in user mode only!

The article is unfortunately kind of unspecific about what Linux installations are  exactly affected: 

1) Administrator mode v. user mode
2) Server vs. desktop

So much for sloppy journalism although ZDNET is a technology oriented publication.

"A stealthy new form of malware is targeting Linux systems in attacks that can take full control of infected devices – and it is using this access to install crypto-mining malware. 

Dubbed Shikitega, the malware targets endpoints and Internet of Things devices that run on Linux operating systems and has been detailed by cybersecurity researchers at AT&T Alien Labs. ...
The malware is delivered in a multi-stage infection chain, where each module responds to commands from the previous part of the payload and downloads and executes the next one.
By downloading the payload bit by bit – starting with a module that is just a few hundred bytes – Shikitega can avoid being uncovered by anti-virus software. It also uses a polymorphic encoder to make it more difficult to detect. ...
The initial method of infection is still unknown, but the malware gradually downloads more and more modules to provide full functionality, starting with the initial dropper, then going through several stages – including downloading Mettle, a Metasploit offensive security tool, which allows the attacker to deploy a wide range of attacks. ..."

From the AT&T cybersecurity blog:

"... With a rise of nearly 650% in malware and ransomware for Linux this year, reaching an all-time high in the first half year of 2022, threat actors find servers, endpoints and IoT devices based on Linux operating systems more and more valuable and find new ways to deliver their malicious payloads. ...
To achieve persistence, the malware will download and execute a total of 5 shell scripts. It persists in the system by setting 4 crontabs, two for the current logged in user and the other two for the user root. ..."

This stealthy Linux malware starts off small but gradually takes control | ZDNET 'Sophisticated' Shikitega malware secretly exploits known vulnerabilities in Linux.

Shikitega - New stealthy malware targeting Linux

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina meets PM Modi and sign 7 agreements and 5 infrastructure projects

This is Big News! As Palki Sharma said the sky is the limit for these two neighbors with close historical and cultural ties.

Habecks mieser Atom-Poker: „Kann zu Stromausfällen kommen“

Habe in diesem Report den Bundesdoppelminister Habeck wohl zum ersten mal Reden hören. Er ist ja ein unglaublich herumeiernder Schwätzer!

The Economic Crisis That Threatens the Chinese Model

Very recommendable! The days of dictator Xi Jinping maybe counted!

For one, the insane zero Covid-19 policy enforced by the dictator!

China, Russia fire machine guns into Sea of Japan in major joint military excercise

These are very concerning developments!

English for trippers: Delusions of deluge

Seems contrived, maybe it is! 😊 Not to be confused with delusions of grandeur!

What about the flood/deluge myth, which is part of several different cultures?

Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he was a booster rocket

British humor can be odd at times! Boris Johnson missed his opportunity!

Will this booster rocket be recycled? 😊

Now he has more time for his third wife, he married in 2021! It was reported that her political views and activism had some influence on her husband.

"Boris Johnson said he was ‘like one of those booster rockets that has fulfilled its function’ as he gave his final speech as prime minister." (Source: The Spectator)