Xpand Your Horizons W/ P.P.V.D.x2

For more content, Click Here and experience this XYHor in its entirety! PPVDx2, ew...doesn't that sound like something that be near or in you! Well that's correct! This XYHor is devoted to Pathogens, Plagues, Parasites, Poisons, Venom, Vaccines, Drugs & Disease; showing how they work and survive, their effects on the body or why/how they got here in the first place and the roles they play in our world! XYHor: PPVDx2 sheds light on how your body combats these nasty organisms and compounds how we can best avoid them at all costs!

[eartharchives]

Never-before-seen viruses with weird DNA were just discovered in the ocean

These tailless viruses aren't easily picked up by common tests.

Scientists have discovered a previously unknown family of viruses that dominate the ocean and can’t be detected by standard lab tests.

[scishow]

You probably don’t want parasitic worms in your body… but hear us out.

[currentsinbiology]

Cannabis Linked to Bipolar Symptoms in Young Adults

Cannabis use in youth is linked to bipolar symptoms in young adults, finds new research by the University of Warwick.

Researchers from Warwick Medical School found that adolescent cannabis use is an independent risk factor for future hypomania – periods of elated mood, over-active and excited behaviour, and reduced need for sleep that are often experienced as part of bipolar disorder, and have a significant impact on day-to-day life.

Led by Dr Steven Marwaha, a clinical academic Psychiatrist, the research analysed data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children and found that teenage cannabis use at least 2–3 times weekly is directly associated with suffering from symptoms of hypomania in later years.

There was a dose response relationship such that any use still increased the risk but less powerfully.

The Warwick research is the first to test the prospective association between adolescent cannabis use and hypomania in early adulthood, whilst controlling for important other factors that might explain this connection (e.g psychotic symptoms).

Full open access research for “Cannabis Use and Hypomania in Young People: A Prospective Analysis ” by Steven Marwaha, Catherine Winsper, Paul Bebbington, and Daniel Smith in Schizophrenia Bulleting. Published online November 28 2017 doi:10.1093/schbul/sbx158

[currentsinbiology]

Bats from a single cave in China have all the building blocks of a SARS epidemic

When it struck, the contagion spread fiercely. The deadly severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in South China in 2002 infected thousands, and ultimately killed nearly 800 people.

But where did this lethal strain come from? We may now have our answer, with a study showing bats living in a single cave in China possess all the building blocks of the deadly SARS coronavirus – and potentially the means to create a new one.

Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences spent five years analysing SARS viruses found in multiple species of horseshoe bats nesting in a cave in China’s Yunnan Province.

In all, the team identified 11 new strains of SARS virus carried by the bats, and a genomic analysis of these – along with strains from the same cave identified in previous research – revealed something interesting.

Previous research had suggested bat viruses could have been responsible for SARS, but scientists had never uncovered evidence of a direct ancestor to the human-infecting coronavirus in bat strains.

In the new research, that held true again – none of the viruses from the cave by themselves displayed the genetic traits of the SARS coronavirus that spread to humans, infecting more than 8,000 people during the 2002-2003 emergency.

But together, it was a different story. In this one cave, there were enough genetic ingredients among the strains to build the virus that kills humans.

“Importantly, all of the building blocks of SARS-CoV genome, including the highly variable S gene, ORF8 and ORF3, could be found in the genomes of different SARSr-CoV strains from this single location,” the researchers explain in their paper.

Hypothetically speaking, the team suggests it’s possible – even probable – that if the right strains mixed with one another in the cave, you’d end up with the direct ancestor of a virus that can infect and kill people.

The findings are reported in PLOS Pathogens.

[currentsinbiology]

Could Amazon's Alexa help you cut down on your drinking?

It can tell you the time, read you the news and even crack a joke or two, but could Amazon's Alexa play a role in your health too?

Alexa is one of a growing number of voice technologies that are slowly becoming part of people’s everyday lives. Most smartphones have some form of voice assistant, and ‘hands-free’ speakers such as the Amazon Echo and Google Home Mini have become increasingly common in homes around the world.

We’ve blogged about this growing trend already, and how we’re exploring voice technology as a possible new way to reach people.

One area we want to explore is whether voice technology could help people make changes to their lifestyle that could improve their health. And today, tied to Alcohol Awareness Week, we’re launching an alcohol tracker that can be used with Alexa-compatible devices.

It’s well known that alcohol can lead to a sore head in the morning, but awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer is worryingly low. Drinking alcohol increases the risk of 7 different types of cancer, including some of the most common types, such as breast and bowel cancer. But the good news is the less you drink, the lower the risk of cancer, which means cutting down even a little bit can make a difference to your health.

Whether it’s a glass of wine in front of the telly, or a couple of beers after work with friends, it’s easy for the amount we drink to stack up throughout the week without us realising. To keep health risks from alcohol low, it’s recommended that we drink no more than 14 units a week – that’s about 7 pints of 3-4% beer or 6 standard glasses of wine. And the guidance is the same for everyone, no matter your build, height or gender.

[currentsinbiology]

We are doing fairly well with preventing pregnancy (despite some politicians) but sexually transmitted infections are more prevalent and more dangerous than ever. Know the risks and take care of yourself.

Facts about STI testing

The most common symptom of a sexually transmitted infection (STI) of any kind is actually no symptom. That’s why it’s so important to get tested regularly, even when nothing feels off. 

 It’s a good idea to get tested every six months, or with each new partner, especially for asymptomatic infections.

Additionally, if you’ve ever had symptoms of an STI (like sores in the genital area, abnormal discharge, itchiness, burning or painful urination), it’s time to get tested. You may also want to get tested if you or your partners have ever used injectable drugs not prescribed by a doctor or shared needles, as these can impact risk levels for STIs.

If you’re unsure about your status or whether you should get tested, talk to your healthcare provider to determine what tests might be right for you and how you and your partners can protect yourselves in the future.

[mindblowingscience]

New mechanisms discovered that bacteria use to protect themselves from antibiotics

Dr Prateek Sharma, who did much of the experimental work, adds: "The resistance mechanisms that we identified are found in many different species of bacteria therefore, our research could lead to the discovery of molecules that could be developed into new drugs that can treat bacterial infections."

Antibiotic resistance happens when bacteria evolve mechanisms to withstand the drugs which are used to treat infections.

The team of experts at the University’s Institute of Microbiology and Infection focussed their research on E. coli, which can cause urinary and blood stream infections.

Using novel experimental approaches, involving whole genome DNA sequencing never previously applied in this area of research, the team identified mechanisms or ‘strategies’ that bacteria use to protect themselves from antibiotics.

Continue Reading.

[neurosciencenews]

Frequent Alcohol Use Kills New Brain Cells in Adults: Females More Vulnerable

Researchers from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston recently discovered that alcohol killed the stem cells residing in adult mouse brains. Because the brain stems cells create new nerve cells and are important to maintaining normal cognitive function, this study possibly opens a door to combating chronic alcoholism.

The research is in Stem Cell Reports. (full open access)

[eartharchives]

See What's Controlling These Zombie Ants

New research shows a deadly fungus is carving its way into the insects' bodies.

Researchers were surprised to discover that a fungus, called Ophiocordyceps unilateralis sensu lato, invades an ant’s whole body and leaves the brain untouched.

[neurosciencenews]

Computer Simulation Suggests Multiple Sclerosis is a Single Disease

New research supports the idea that multiple sclerosis (MS), which has widely varying symptoms and progression in different patients, is nonetheless a single disease with common underlying mechanisms.

The research is in PLOS Computational Biology. (full open access)

[xyhor-ppvdx2]

6 Sleeper-Agent Pathogens That Can Make You Sick Your body usually does a great job defending you from all kinds of viruses, fungi, and bacteria. However, there are some pathogens out there that can hide from your immune system and stay dormant in your body, waiting for their opportunity to strike.

Hosted by: Hank Green

[exotic-venom]

(Atheris squamigera) variable bush viper

[neurosciencenews]

Experimental Brain Technology Can Rewind Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is considered a global challenge of the century. Alzheimer’s disease is a thief. It comes and takes away the most precious memories with which people identify themselves. It is a very clever thief. People whom it affects don’t even remember what they have lost — they just feel lost; lost in space and time.

[eartharchives]

Dolphins Just Became The First Wild Animals to Show Traces of Alzheimer's Disease

If dealing with the ravages of Alzheimer's in humans wasn't enough, the neural disease has now shown up in dolphins, marking the first time it's been spotted in a wild animal.

[thebrainscoop]

The Brain Scoop: The Case for Saving PARASITES. 

A few years ago when I was working on the video we made about the Endangered Species Act, I got an email from Janet Voight (she’s a curator here who studies octopuses and invertebrates) and her comment was something along the lines of 

yeah it’s easy enough to get people to care about tigers and pandas, but what about their endangered parasites? 

and I was like Janet please. what. 

But then I started to notice an uptick in papers, and articles with titles like Who’s Going to Save the Tapeworms? and I realized that Janet had been on to something.

So for this year’s Halloween, I bring you two of the scariest things I can think of: parasites, and extinction. 

p.s. i coordinated my outfit with a tapeworm you’re welcome 

[eartharchives]

Dolphins Just Became The First Wild Animals to Show Traces of Alzheimer's Disease

If dealing with the ravages of Alzheimer's in humans wasn't enough, the neural disease has now shown up in dolphins, marking the first time it's been spotted in a wild animal.

[eartharchives]

One of The Biggest Evolution Experiments Ever Has Followed 68,000 Generations of Bacteria

Scientists have spent the past 30 years carefully tracking evolution across more than 68,000 generations of E. coli bacteria - the equivalent of more than 1 million years of human evolution.