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☆ A good dog with great genes - 1920s Alaska sled-relay hero Balto
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Cleveland Museum of Natural History/Handout via REUTERS. Balto was feted as a hero, the subject of books and movies, and the dog's taxidermy mount still stands on display at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Balto, belonging to a population of working sled dogs in Alaska, also was found to have possessed greater genetic diversity and genetic health than modern canine breeds. Sled dogs were the only viable option. Balto was found to share ancestry with modern Siberian huskies and Alaskan sled dogs as well as Greenland sled dogs, Vietnamese village dogs and Tibetan mastiffs, with no discernible wolf ancestry.

☆ From Alpacas to Yaks, Mammal DNA Yields Its Secrets
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Emily Anthes | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A team of Zoonomia researchers has now used a small piece of that taxidermied tissue to learn more about the celebrity sled dog and his canine contemporaries. What can we say about his genome?”Balto, they found, was genetically “healthier” than modern purebred dogs, with more inherited genetic variation and fewer potentially harmful mutations. That finding likely stems from the fact that sled dogs are typically bred for physical performance and may be a mixture of breeds. Balto also had an assortment of genetic variants that were not present in wolves and were rare or missing in modern purebred dogs, the researchers found. Many variants were in genes involved in tissue development and may have affected a variety of traits important for sled dogs, such as skin thickness and joint formation.

Unlike the chubby, fluffy image of her younger self, 22-year-old Ya Ya has appeared skinny in recent photos, with her black and white coat missing clumps of fur. But Le Le died suddenly of heart disease in early February, further fueling suspicions of mistreatment. Throughout the past weeks, Ya Ya regularly appeared as a top trending topic on Weibo, each time attracting hundreds of millions of views. Allegations of mistreatmentWhen Ya Ya and Le Le arrived at Memphis in 2003, it was a huge deal for the city. A petition by Panda Voices to bring Ya Ya and Le Le back to China on change.org has garnered 193,000 signatures.

☆ Humans can't live forever, but we haven't even come close to the limit for how long our bodies could last
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Emily Swaim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Mysteries like cellular senescence, telomere length, and DNA methylation hold the keys to our longevity. But so far, no one has figured out how to completely prevent or eliminate harmful senescent cells. DNA methylation is linked to several age-related diseasesTreating or preventing age-related diseases is one of the keys to unlocking longer, healthier lives. Similar to telomeres, DNA methylation is another way scientists can measure your biological age to help predict your life expectancy. For example, telomere shortening can lead to DNA damage, which in turn disrupts your mitochondria.

☆ More people with Down syndrome are living longer, but medical systems aren’t keeping up
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Tony Leys | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Marilyn researched online and learned the University of Kansas Health System has a special medical clinic for adults with Down syndrome. The clinic Marilyn found is in Kansas City, Kansas, 80 miles northwest of the family’s cattle farm in central Missouri. A directory published by the Global Down Syndrome Foundation lists just 15 medical programs nationwide that are housed outside of children’s hospitals and that accept Down syndrome patients who are 30 or older. But she has felt treated like a child by other health care providers, who have spoken to her parents instead of to her during appointments. Advocates and clinicians say it’s crucial for health care providers to communicate as much as possible with patients who have disabilities.

☆ Scientists find an ancient virus might be the key to treating lung cancer
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The remnants of ancient viruses that remain in human DNA can help people fight lung cancer. Scientists have found endogenous retroviruses can be awoken in cancer tissue and evoke an immune response. This could be the key to developing a cancer treatment vaccine and aiding survival rates. This discovery puts scientists closer to creating more effective treatments for lung cancer, he said. According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer is the second most common cancer in both men and women in the United States (when discounting skin cancer), with the organization estimating that 2023 will see roughly 238,340 new cases of lung cancer and 127,070 deaths from the disease.

☆ I've treated bulldogs' health issues for over 30 years. I now help more Frenchies than ever and recommend knowing about all their medical needs before getting one.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Crystal Raypole | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

It's an unfortunate irony — one that means only a few vets have adequate experience treating bulldogs. How I became an expert in treating French bulldogsDr. Kraemer has treated thousands of bulldogs. I even treated some rescued French bulldogs with stem cell therapy, a cutting-edge regenerative medicine. But in my experience, with the improvement of preventive care, wellness, and medicine, the average French bulldog may live 11 to 12 years. In fact, I've treated French bulldogs who competed in local fundraising physical activities, like Cherie the Surf Dog who raises funds for French Bulldog Rescue.

☆ At 100 years old, I'm the 'world's oldest practicing doctor'—5 things I never do to live a long, happy life
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Dr. Howard Tucker | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

When I was born in 1922, the average life expectancy in the U.S. was 58 years old for men, and 61 years old for women. So as a 100-year-old practicing medical doctor and neurologist, patients often ask me for tips on how to stay healthy, happy and mentally sharp. I've been working for more than 75 years, and was even named as the world's oldest practicing doctor by the Guinness World Records. (My hospital just shut down, so I'm currently doing medical legal review work while I look for another role.) Moderation allows us to live life to the fullest while also keeping us from going overboard and impacting our health in the long run.

When we've been awake for a long time, our sleep drive kicks in and tells us we need to sleep. During REM sleep, the cortex – responsible for cognition and emotion-processing – is activated in some regions and deactivated in others. After cycling through non-REM and REM sleep around 4 to 5 times, the basal forebrain and other structures receive signals to start exiting sleep. WHEN SLEEP GOES WRONGIn the U.S. alone, 50 to 70 million people experience some type of chronic sleep disorder, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). In the United States, a list of board-certified sleep medicine physicians and accredited sleep disorders centers is available from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

☆ Here are all of the Republican elected officials backing Trump's 2024 campaign
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Bryan Metzger | Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Michael Burgess — the Texas congressman endorsed Trump in March after being named to the former president's campaign's Texas leadership team. Eli Crane — the Arizona freshman tweeted his support for Trump's 2024 bid the night of his announcement. Barry Moore — the Alabama congressman endorsed Trump in a radio interview in December, citing the former president's "experience level." 3 House Republican endorsed Trump days before his widely expected 2024 announcement in November. Roger Williams — the Texas congressman endorsed Trump in March after being named to the former president's campaign's Texas leadership team.

☆ Why fighting the urge to sleep may be bad for our health
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +17 min

What happens when we sleep Sleep itself has cycles, in which the brain and body move through phases, marked by varying brain activity. Moving into REM sleep A region in the upper brainstem kickstarts the move into REM sleep. Waking up After cycling through non-REM and REM sleep around 4 to 5 times, the basal forebrain and other structures receive signals to start exiting sleep. Then we transition back to lighter sleep, into REM sleep and back down again, and so on until we wake up. Tips for better sleep Good sleep habits can contribute to better sleep, studies have found.

☆ Small ears, frizzy hair and dry ear wax - the genetics of mammoths
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Researchers on Friday said they had analyzed the genomes of 23 woolly mammoths - including 16 newly sequenced ones - based on remains preserved in Siberian permafrost. "We find that woolly mammoths had molecular adaptations in genes related to coping with cold Arctic environments, such as thick fur, fat storage and metabolism, and thermal sensation, among others," Díez-del-Molino added. Woolly mammoths were about the size of modern African elephants, around 13 feet (4 meters) tall, but had much smaller ears to guard against losing body heat from a larger ear surface. One of them in humans is associated with Uncombable Hair Syndrome, a condition characterized by dry and frizzy hair that cannot be combed flat. The study helped clarify variable shades of mammoth hair color - brownish with a touch of red.

☆ The Supreme Court allowed a transgender girl to continue playing sports, but a Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissent signals their willingness to review the hot-button issue
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Supreme Court allowed a transgender girl to continue playing on her school's girls track team. Yet two conservative justices — Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas — dissented from the decision, suggesting the court may soon wade into the Republican-led culture war over trans athletes. Her lawyers argued that the ban violated the Constitution's 14th Amendment, which guarantees equal protection, as well as Title IX, the 1972 federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination. West Virginia then turned to the Supreme Court to lift that ruling. "Among other things, enforcement of the law at issue should not be forbidden by the federal courts without any explanation."

☆ Locks of hair compose a symphony of genetic information on Beethoven
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Researchers said on Wednesday his genome showed the German composer was both genetically predisposed to liver disease and had hepatitis B virus infection. The new findings suggest there were multiple factors behind his liver disease including genetics, viral infection and alcohol consumption. "Prior to this study, alcohol was the only definitely known risk factor for Beethoven's liver disease." Beethoven experienced progressive hearing loss starting at age 29 and by 44 his hearing loss was complete, though he continued to compose masterpieces. There was no evidence found for conditions hypothesized by some experts such as otosclerosis or Paget's disease, Begg said.

☆ Asteroid discovery suggests ingredients for life on Earth came from space
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/3] The carbonaceous asteroid Ryugu is seen from a distance of about 12 miles (20 km) during the Japanese Space Agency's Hayabusa2 mission on June 30, 2018. Scientists said on Tuesday they detected uracil and niacin in rocks obtained by the Japanese Space Agency's Hayabusa2 spacecraft from two sites on Ryugu in 2019. Scientists long have pondered about the conditions necessary for life to arise after Earth formed about 4.5 billion years ago. "It was directly sampled on the asteroid Ryugu and returned to Earth, and finally to laboratories without any contact with terrestrial contaminants." The U.S. space agency NASA during its OSIRIS-REx mission collected samples in 2020 from the asteroid Bennu.

☆ Data released by China suggests COVID-19 virus may have come from raccoon dogs and 'strengthens' Wuhan wet-market theory
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Newly released genetic data from Wuhan has found raccoon dog DNA blended with the COVID-19 virus. Since the first COVID-19 death in Wuhan on January 11, 2020, the virus has killed 6,873,477 people worldwide. This suggests that the virus may have infected the animals, according to the scientists. "We continue to call on China to be transparent in sharing data and to conduct the necessary investigations and share the results. Since the first COVID-19 death — which was recorded in Wuhan, China, on January 11, 2020 — the virus has killed 6,873,477 people around the world, according to WHO data.

☆ President Biden and the Science of Aging
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Allysia Finley | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

There’s no shame in growing old. Our 80-year-old president looks and acts every bit his age. There’s something to the adage that age is only a number. Someone can be biologically younger or older than his years on earth, depending on how his body and cells age. The best measure of that number comes from our telomeres—strands of DNA that cap chromosomes and protect genes.

☆ Thousands of Buildings Collapsed in One Turkish City. Thousands More May Have to Come Down.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Leanne Abraham | Lauren Leatherand Scott Reinhard | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +8 min

Four of the complex’s five buildings collapsed. About 3,100 buildings collapsed in Antakya, trapping residents and killing more than 20,000 people in the city, Lutfu Savas, the metropolitan mayor, said on Feb. 19. Shake intensity Moderate Severe TURKEY 7.8-magnitude earthquake Antakya TURKEY mediterranean SEA SYRIA Area of detail SYRIA TURKEY Area of detail SYRIA TURKEY 7.8-magnitude earthquake Antakya SYRIA Source: USGS Shake intensity shown only for the first Feb. 6 earthquake. Shops’ higher ceilings and wider windows often come at the expense of structural support against earthquake damage. Two of the complex’s five buildings collapsed, trapping residents inside.

☆ Scientists have created mice with two biological fathers. They say the technique could one day be replicated in humans.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Speaking at a conference, they said they made female eggs from male cells. He then used that technique to make female eggs, called oocytes, from male cells and fertilized them to create seven mice with two biological dads. REUTERS/Alan Trounson/California Institute for Regenerative Medicine/HandoutThey then deleted the Y chromosomes in the cells and duplicated the cells' X chromosomes, before prompting the cells to turn into egg cells with two X chromosomes. The technique could also help women and people with two X chromosomes who have a genetic issue with one of the X chromosomes to have children, he said. Human reproductive cells are very complex and much less well-known than mice cells.

☆ Are left handed people more creative? Brain scans reveal why these individuals might be wired differently
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Erin Heger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

In particular, they display less brain lateralization than right-handers, said Eric Zillmer, a professor of neuropsychology at Drexel University. Because lefties rely less on the left hemisphere, researchers describe this as displaying less brain lateralization, Zillmer said. Zillmer said these differences in brain lateralization may help left-handers think more outside the box and therefore have a more creative edge. "Our creative brain is utilized when we are engaging in new, unfamiliar experiences," Bajaj said. If you want to use your left hand more often, practice.

☆ Children as young as 10 and rape victims were sterilized in Utah as late as the 1970s. Time is running out to get justice.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Victims as young as 10 were sterilizedA picture of the Utah State Hospital from the late 1800s. Sterilizations were carried out in this hospital before the Utah State Training School was opened. 'He felt there was nothing he could do to prevent the operation'An entrance to the Utah State Training School, American Fork, Utah, February 1942. Utah State Historical SocietyLike many other states in the US, the people who were deemed unfit in Utah — labeled as "feeble-minded"— would be sent to off to state institutions — first at the Utah State Hospital they at the Utah State Training School from 1931. At the Utah State Training School, students were meant to learn practical skills like housework, sewing, and shoe mending.

☆ Most Republicans are on the fence about Trump's 2024 re-election bid. Here are the few elected officials backing him so far.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Bryan Metzger | Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

As of Monday, five senators and about a dozen House members have announced they're backing Trump in 2024 or expressed support for his bid. As president, Trump maintained an ironclad grip over the GOP. Eric Schmitt — the newly elected senator told Politico last month he's backing the former president in 2024, who also endorsed Schmitt in Missouri's GOP primary last year. Tommy Tuberville — the Alabama senator endorsed Trump in a tweet just days after he launched his 2024 bid, becoming the first Republican senator to do so. 3 House Republican endorsed Trump days before his widely expected 2024 announcement in November.

☆ Fact Check-No evidence ‘RNA technology’ in chicken feed behind infertility or U.S. egg shortage
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Some posts also reference studies unrelated to the contents of chicken feed, to chicken fertility or to RNA to imply that a feed additive is behind egg shortages and increased prices. One post says, “RNA technology in chicken feed causing chickens to stop laying“ and can be seen (here) . There is also no evidence of alleged additives in chicken feed affecting the laying habits of chickens. “Also, there is no such thing as adding RNA to chicken feed,” Abasht said. There is no evidence that “RNA technology” is present in chicken feed, or causing infertility in chickens or involved in the current egg shortage in the United StatesThis article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team.

☆ Some Neanderthals couldn't smell their own stink, suggests a new study recreating early humans' noses
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Meanwhile, one group of a related species — Neanderthals — developed a mutation that could have spared them the smell of their own body odors. It's a popular idea that humans have a bad sense of smell, as compared with dogs, for instance. Will Oliver/PA Images/Getty"We have to really understand ourselves within our own context," rather than comparing humans to dogs or monkeys, as previous research on smell receptors has done, Hoover said. To Hoover's surprise, the Neanderthals, Denisovan, and humans all appeared to have the same repertoire of smells. More research like it, with more samples of ancient genomes, could reveal a clearer picture of Neanderthal and Denisovan life.

☆ Fact Check-COVID-19 vaccines do not add a ‘third strand’ of DNA
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Moderna’s mRNA COVID-19 vaccine does not alter human DNA or add a third strand to people’s DNA, as claimed in a video circulating on social media and viewed more than 400,000 times on Twitter. This gave me chills.”However, the video offers no evidence for its claim about the vaccine altering human DNA. The messenger RNA (mRNA) in approved COVID-19 vaccines does not interact with human DNA inside cells, and does not enter the cell nucleus where DNA is housed. Reuters has also addressed other false claims that mRNA vaccines alter human DNA (here, here, here). COVID-19 vaccines based on mRNA do not alter human DNA or add a third strand to the DNA double helix.

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