Health & Fitness

An interdisciplinary team has determined that older adult women converse more effectively with strangers than their younger counterparts; additionally, communicating with female friends decreases stress hormone levels for women across the lifespan.

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Research lays groundwork for restoring lost oral functions with pacemaker-like devices

Even the mundane act of swallowing requires a well-coordinated dance of more than 30 muscles of the mouth. The loss of function of even one of these, due to disease or injury, can be extremely debilitating. For these people, nerve stimulation offers a ray of hope to regain some of their lost oral function.

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Variations in quantitative MRI scanners' measurements

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is widely used in medicine to detect, diagnose and treat diseases such as cancer, while relying on experts' interpretation of images. Quantitative MRI, which obtains numerical measurements during the scans, can now potentially offer greater accuracy, repeatability and speed -- but rigorous quality control is needed for it to reach its full potential, according to a new study.

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5-minute breathing workout lowers blood pressure as much as exercise, drugs

Machine learning helps in predicting when immunotherapy will be effective

Cancer cells can put the body's immune cells into sleep mode. Immunotherapy can reverse this, but it doesn't work for all patients and all cancer types. Researchers have now developed machine learning models that can predict if someone is likely to respond positively to immunotherapy. In clinical settings, this could pave the way for personalized immunotherapy approaches for patients, as well as guidance on how to best combine immunotherapy with other treatments.

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Human stem cells enable model to test drug impact on brain's blood barrier

Employed individuals more likely to contract the flu, study shows

Embryo freezing for IVF appears linked to blood pressure problems in pregnancy

A large cohort study drawn from the national IVF registry of France, which included almost 70,000 pregnancies delivered after 22 weeks gestation between 2013 and 2018, has found a higher risk of pre-eclampsia and hypertension in pregnancies derived from frozen-thawed embryos. This risk was found significantly greater in those treatments in which the uterus was prepared for implantation with hormone replacement therapies. The results confirm with real-life data what has been observed in sub-groups of patients in other studies.

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The Southern diet - fried foods and sugary drinks - may raise risk of sudden cardiac death

Participants in a large-scale study who more commonly consumed a Southern-style diet - high in added fats, fried foods, processed meats and sugary drinks - had a higher risk of sudden cardiac death than people who had lower adherence to a Southern-style diet.

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Discovery of the role of a key gene in the development of ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, attacks nerve cells known as motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, gradually leading to paralysis. The loss of function of an important gene, C9orf72, may affect communication between motor neurons and muscles in people with this disease.

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Frequent COVID-19 testing key to efficient, early detection, study finds

The chance of detecting the virus that causes COVID-19 increases with more frequent testing, no matter the type of test, a new study found. Both polymerase chain reaction and antigen tests, paired with rapid results reporting, can achieve 98 percent sensitivity if deployed at least every three days.

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Researchers look to human 'social sensors' to better predict elections and other trends

How to Avoid Being Fooled at the Supermarket

How and what you eat has radically changed over the past few decades with the all-consuming rise of the supermarket. But what price are you paying for this homogenized, cheap and convenient food? This video investigates how supermarkets have affected the food on your plate, and reveals the telltale signs that the food you buy may not have been grown in the way you think.

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Eating disorder behaviors alter reward response in brain

Investigational malaria vaccine gives strong, lasting protection

Two U.S. Phase 1 clinical trials of a novel candidate malaria vaccine have found that the regimen conferred unprecedentedly high levels of durable protection when volunteers were later exposed to disease-causing malaria parasites. The vaccine combines live parasites with either of two widely used antimalarial drugs -- an approach termed chemoprophylaxis vaccination. A Phase 2 clinical trial of the vaccine is now underway in Mali, a malaria-endemic country.

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Cross-generational consequences of lead poisoning

Thinking in 3D improves mathematical skills

Looking at tumors through a new lens

Prevalence of COVID-19 among hospitalized infants varies with levels of community transmission

Evidence SARS-CoV-2 Was in US Earlier Than Previously Thought

I. National Institutes of Health (NIH) research¹ published June 15, 2021, finds antibody evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the U.S. earlier than previously thought.

1. Why did it take NIH so long to do this experiment, or perhaps to tell us? These antibody tests take only a few minutes to perform. The blood was drawn more than 15 months ago.

2. Why is NIH relying on these two antibodies in nine individuals as evidence of COVID infection, but will not let a single U.S. person use them as evidence of prior infection and immunity?

“A participant was considered seropositive if they tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies on the Abbott Architect SARS-CoV-2 IgG ELISA and the EUROIMMUN SARS-CoV-2 ELISA in a sequential testing algorithm.

Sensitivity and specificity of the Abbott and EUROIMMUNE ELISAs and the net sensitivity and specificity of the sequential testing algorithm were estimated with 95% confidence intervals.”²

3. The old excuse that we don’t know how long immunity lasts has been crushed by the data from several studies. Perhaps unsurprisingly, one of avuncular Tony Fauci’s early emails said he expected immunity to be long-lasting. But Americans were told lies to push the vaccine program and keep people frightened of COVID even after they had recovered and were immune.

II. “The NIH report states that the CDC testing guidelines early in the pandemic had a narrow focus: Only people who had been in contact with a person confirmed to have an infection, or who had traveled to an area known to have coronavirus transmission, were advised to be tested.”³

1. What The Washington Post fails to make clear is that the test for COVID — the only test permitted to be used by federal agencies — from January 1, 2020, until early March 2020, was grossly inaccurate. CDC knew this. To cover it up, they allowed only a tiny number of people to get tested during this period, virtually restricting testing to those who already had a confirmatory clinical picture.

2. This CDC coverup had terrible consequences, possibly intended. It gave the infection two months to spread through the U.S. and become established via community transmission.

3. By this time, the tracing of contacts to control the epidemic had already been made obsolete. There was way too much unidentified spread happening. Track and trace does not work when most infections are asymptomatic.

4. It is conceivable that CDC keeps claiming that the vast majority of infections have symptoms in order to justify the many billions of dollars travelling through CDC’s hands for the track and trace program,⁴ which is still active.

5. The program cannot possibly work to control the pandemic at this late stage. The only purpose to use track and trace now is to obtain data on citizens’ social networks.

III. Seven of nine persons whose blood tested positive for antibodies were black or Hispanic. Therefore, the authors are concerned about possibly increased susceptibility in minority populations. Aha! Now we know why this story was dribbled out now. To scare black and Hispanic Americans into vaccination.

*This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health, Office of the Director and the National Cancer Institute.

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The Biggest Crime Committed During Vaccine Heist

While the list of crimes committed by authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic is a long one, perhaps the biggest crime of all is the purposeful suppression of safe and effective treatments. At this point, it seems quite clear that this was done to protect the COVID jab rollout.

The COVID shots were brought to market under emergency use authorization (EUA), which can only be obtained if there are no other alternatives available. In a sane world, the COVID gene therapies would never have gotten an EUA, as there are several safe and effective treatment options available.

One treatment that stands out above the others is ivermectin, a decades-old antiparasitic drug that is on the World Health Organization’s list of essential medications.

What makes ivermectin particularly useful in COVID-19 is the fact that it works both in the initial viral phase of the illness, when antivirals are required, as well as the inflammatory stage, when the viral load drops off and anti-inflammatories become necessary. It’s been shown to significantly inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro,¹ speed up viral clearance and dramatically reduce the risk of death.

Gold Standard Review Supports Use of Ivermectin

Dr. Tess Lawrie, a medical doctor, Ph.D., researcher and director of Evidence-Based Medicine Consultancy Ltd (video above).² in the U.K., has been trying to get the word out about ivermectin. To that end, she helped organize the British Ivermectin Recommendation Development (BIRD) panel³ and the International Ivermectin for COVID Conference,⁴ which was held online, April 24, 2021.

Twelve medical experts⁵ from around the world shared their knowledge during this conference, reviewing mechanism of action, protocols for prevention and treatment, including so-called long-hauler syndrome, research findings and real world data. All of the lectures, which were recorded via Zoom, can be viewed on Bird-Group.org.⁶

Lawrie has published several systematic reviews and meta-analyses of studies looking at ivermectin for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 infection. A rapid review performed on behalf of the Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC) in the U.S., January 3, 2021, found the drug “probably reduces deaths by an average 83% compared to no ivermectin treatment.”⁷

Her February 2021 meta-analysis, which included 13 studies, found a 68% reduction in deaths. This is an underestimation of the beneficial effect, because one of the studies included used hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in the control arm. Since HCQ is an active treatment that has also been shown to have a positive impact on outcomes, it’s not surprising that this particular study did not rate ivermectin as better than the control treatment (which was HCQ).

Two months later, March 31, 2021, Lawrie published an updated analysis that included two additional randomized controlled trials. This time, the mortality reduction was 62%. When four studies with high risk of bias were removed during a subsequent sensitivity analysis, they ended up with a 72% reduction in deaths.

(Sensitivity analyses are done to double-check and verify results. Since the sensitivity analysis rendered an even better result, it confirms the initial finding. In other words, ivermectin is unlikely to reduce mortality by anything less than 62%.)

Lawrie reviewed the February and March analyses and other meta-analyses in an interview with Dr. John Campbell, featured in “More Good News on Ivermectin.” Lawrie has now published her third systematic review. According to this paper, published June 17, 2021 in the American Journal of Therapeutics:⁸

“Meta-analysis of 15 trials found that ivermectin reduced risk of death compared to no ivermectin (average risk ratio 0.38 …) … Low-certainty evidence found that ivermectin prophylaxis reduced COVID-19 infection by an average 86% … Secondary outcomes provided less certain evidence.

Low-certainly evidence suggested that there may be no benefit with ivermectin for ‘need for mechanical ventilation,’ whereas effect estimates for ‘improvement’ and ‘deterioration’ clearly favored ivermectin use. Severe adverse events were rare among treatment trials …”

World Health Organization Refuses to Recommend Ivermectin

Despite the fact that most of the evidence favors ivermectin, when the WHO finally updated its guidance on ivermectin at the end of March 2021,^9,¹⁰ they largely rejected it, saying more data are needed. They only recommend it for patients who are enrolled in a clinical trial.

Yet, they based their negative recommendation on a review that included just five studies, which still ended up showing a 72% reduction in deaths. What’s more, in the WHO’s summary of findings, they suddenly include data from seven studies, which combined show an 81% reduction in deaths. The confidence interval is also surprisingly high, with a 64% reduction in deaths on the low end, and 91% on the high end.

Even more remarkable, their absolute effect estimate for standard of care is 70 deaths per 1,000, compared to just 14 deaths per 1,000 when treating with ivermectin. That’s a reduction in deaths of 56 per 1,000 when using the drug. The confidence interval is between 44 and 63 fewer deaths per 1,000.

Despite that, the WHO refuses to recommend this drug for COVID-19. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, a WHO representative to the Philippines, commented that using ivermectin without “strong” evidence is “harmful” because it can give “false confidence” to the public.¹¹

Why Ivermectin Has Been Censored

If you’ve been trying to share the good news about ivermectin, you’re undoubtedly noticed that doing so is incredibly difficult. Many social media companies are banning such posts outright.

Promoting ivermectin on YouTube, or even discussing benefits cited in published research, violates the platform’s posting policies. DarkHorse podcast host Bret Weinstein, Ph.D., is but one of the victims of this censorship policy.

His interviews with medical and scientific experts such as Dr. Pierre Kory, a lung and ICU specialist, former professor of medicine at St. Luke’s Aurora Medical Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the president and chief medical officer¹² of the FLCCC, and Dr. Robert Malone, the inventor of the mRNA and DNA vaccine core platform technology,¹³ have been deleted from the platform. The interview with Malone had more than 587,330 views by the time it was wiped from YouTube.¹⁴

But why? Why don’t they want people to feel confident that there’s treatment out there and that COVID-19 is not the death sentence they’ve been led to believe it is? The short answer is because ivermectin threatens the vaccine program. As explained by Andrew Bannister in a May 12, 2021, Biz News article:¹⁵

“What if there was a cheap drug, so old its patent had expired, so safe that it’s on the WHO’s lists of Essential and Children’s Medicines, and used in mass drug administration rollouts?

What if it can be taken at home with the first signs COVID symptoms, given to those in close contact, and significantly reduce COVID disease progression and cases, and far fewer few people would need hospitalization?

The international vaccine rollout under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) would legally have to be halted. For an EUA to be legal, ‘there must be no adequate, approved and available alternative to the candidate product for diagnosing, preventing or treating the disease or condition.’

The vaccines would only become legal once they passed level 4 trials and that certainly won’t happen in 2021 … The vaccine rollout, outside of trials, would become illegal.

The vaccine manufactures, having spent hundreds of million dollars developing and testing vaccines during a pandemic, would not see the $100bn they were expecting in 2021 … Allowing any existing drug, at this time, well into stage 3 trials, to challenge the legality of the EUA of vaccines, is not going to happen easily.”

The WHO and Drug Companies Are Severely Compromised

The WHO’s rejection of ivermectin only makes sense if a) you take into account the EUA requirements; and b) remember that the WHO receives a significant portion of its funding from private vaccine interests.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is the second largest funder of the WHO after the United States, and The GAVI Alliance, also owned by Gates, is the fourth largest donor. The GAVI Alliance exists solely to promote and profit from vaccines, and for several years, the WHO director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, served on the GAVI board of directors.¹⁶

As reported by Bannister, Merck, the original patent holder of ivermectin, also has severe conflicts of interest that appear to have played a role in the rejection of ivermectin. He writes:¹⁷

“Ivermectin has been used in humans for 35 years and over 4 billion doses have been administered. Merck, the original patent holder,¹⁸ donated 3.7 billion doses to developing countries … Its safety is documented at doses twenty times the normal …

Merck’s patent on Ivermectin expired in 1996 and they produce less than 5% of global supply. In 2020 they were asked to assist in Nigerian and Japanese trials but declined both.

In 2021 Merck released a statement claiming that Ivermectin was not an effective treatment against Covid-19 and bizarrely claimed, ‘A concerning lack of safety data in the majority of studies’ of the drug they donated to be distributed in mass rollouts, by primary care workers, in mass campaigns, to millions in developing countries.

The media reported the Merck statement as a blinding truth without looking at the conflict of interests when days later, Merck received $356m from the US government to develop an investigational therapeutic.

The WHO even quoted Merck, as evidence, that it didn’t work, in their recommendation against the use of Ivermectin. It’s a dangerous world when corporate marketing determines public health policy.”

FLCCC Calls for Widespread and Early Use of Ivermectin

In the U.S., the FLCCC has been calling for widespread adoption of ivermectin, both as a prophylactic and for the treatment of all phases of COVID-19,^19,²⁰ and Kory has testified to the benefits of ivermectin before a number of COVID-19 panels, including the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs in December 2020²¹ and the National Institutes of Health COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel in January 2021.²²

As noted by the FLCCC:²³

“The data shows the ability of the drug Ivermectin to prevent COVID-19, to keep those with early symptoms from progressing to the hyper-inflammatory phase of the disease, and even to help critically ill patients recover.

… numerous clinical studies — including peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials — showed large magnitude benefits of Ivermectin in prophylaxis, early treatment and also in late-stage disease. Taken together … dozens of clinical trials that have now emerged from around the world are substantial enough to reliably assess clinical efficacy.”

The FLCCC has published three different COVID-19 protocols, all of which include the use of ivermectin:

I-MASK+²⁴ — a prevention and early at-home treatment protocol
I-MATH+²⁵ — an in-hospital treatment protocol. The clinical and scientific rationale for this protocol has been peer-reviewed and was published in the Journal of Intensive Care Medicine²⁶ in mid-December 2020
I-RECOVER²⁷ — a long-term management protocol for long-haul syndrome

In addition to Lawrie’s meta-analysis in the American Journal of Therapeutics, the FLCCC has also published a scientific review²⁸ in that same journal.

This paper, “Review of the Emerging Evidence Demonstrating the Efficacy of Ivermectin in the Prophylaxis and Treatment of COVID-19,” published in the May/June 2021 issue, found that, based on a meta-analysis of 18 randomized controlled trials, ivermectin produces “large statistically significant reductions in mortality, time to clinical recovery, and time to viral clearance.”

Ivermectin Significantly Reduces Infection Risk and Death

The FLCCC also found that when used as a preventive, ivermectin “significantly reduced risks of contracting COVID-19.” In one study, of those given a dose of 0.4 mg per kilo on Day 1 and a second dose on Day 7, only 2% tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, compared to 10% of controls who did not get the drug.

In another, family members of patients who had tested positive were given two doses of 0.25 mg/kg, 72 hours apart. At follow up two weeks later, only 7.4% of the exposed family members who took ivermectin tested positive, compared to 58.4% of those who did not take ivermectin.

In a third, which unfortunately was unblended, the difference between the two groups was even greater. Only 6.7% of the ivermectin group tested positive compared to 73.3% of controls. According to the FLCCC, “the difference between the two groups was so large and similar to the other prophylaxis trial results that confounders alone are unlikely to explain such a result.”

The FLCCC also points out that ivermectin distribution campaigns have resulted in “rapid population-wide decreases in morbidity and mortality,” which indicate that ivermectin is “effective in all phases of COVID-19.” For example, in Brazil, three regions distributed ivermectin to its residents, while at least six others did not. The difference in average weekly deaths is stark.

In Santa Catarina, average weekly deaths declined by 36% after two weeks of ivermectin distribution, whereas two neighboring regions in the South saw declines of just 3% and 5%. Amapa in the North saw a 75% decline, while the Amazonas had a 42% decline and Para saw an increase of 13%.

It’s worth noting that ivermectin’s effectiveness appears largely unaffected by variants, meaning it has worked on any and all variants that have so far popped up around the world. Additional evidence for ivermectin will hopefully come from the British PRINCIPLE trial,²⁹ which began June 23, 2021. Ivermectin will be evaluated as an outpatient treatment in this study, which will be the largest clinical trial to date.

Ivermectin in the Treatment of Long-Haul Syndrome

The FLCCC believes ivermectin may also be an important treatment adjunct for long-haul COVID syndrome. In their June 16, 2021, video update, the team reviewed the newly released I-RECOVER protocol.

Keep in mind that ivermectin is not to be used in isolation. Corticosteroids, for example, are often a crucial treatment component when organizing pneumonia-related lung damage is present. Vitamin C is also important to combat inflammation. Be sure to work with your doctor to identify the right combination of drugs and supplements for you.

Last but not least, as noted by Kory in this video, it’s really important to realize that long-haul syndrome is entirely preventable. The key is early treatment when you develop symptoms of COVID-19.

While ivermectin has a good track record when it comes to prevention and early treatment, it can be tricky to obtain, depending on where you live and who your doctor is.

A highly effective alternative that anyone can use, anywhere, is nebulized hydrogen peroxide. It’s extremely safe and very inexpensive. The biggest cost is the one-time purchase of a good tabletop jet nebulizer. To learn more, download Dr. Thomas Levy’s free e-book, “Rapid Virus Recovery,” in which he details how to use this treatment.

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DJ Tigerlily on how to reset your mental health

This 5,000-year-old man had the earliest known strain of plague

The oldest strain of Yersinia pestis -- the bacteria behind the plague that caused the Black Death, which may have killed as much as half of Europe's population in the 1300s -- has been found in the remains of a 5,000-year-old hunter-gatherer. A genetic analysis reveals that this ancient strain was likely less contagious and not as deadly as its medieval version.

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Increased use of household fireworks creates a public health hazard

Computer training program for seniors can reduce hazardous driving

A new class of functional elements in the human genome?

When regions of the human genome where the DNA can fold into unusual three-dimensional structures called G-quadruplexes (G4s) are located in regulatory sequences or other functional, but non-protein coding, regions of the genome, they are maintained by selection, are more common, and their unusual structures are more stable. Together, these lines of evidence suggest that G4 elements should be added to the list of functional elements of the genome.

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Drug relieves persistent daydreaming, fatigue, and brain sluggishness in adults with ADHD

'Unlocking' the potential of viruses to fight cancer

Researchers have elucidated the mechanism through which the H-1PV cancer-destroying virus can cause cell lysis and death. At the heart of this process lie laminins, and specifically laminin gamma 1, a family of proteins on the surface of a cancer cell to which this virus binds. The findings carry significant implications for the advancement of virus-based anticancer strategies and for the prediction of a patient's response to this innovative therapeutic approach.

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Twitter and Australian Dept of Health team up to deliver credible vaccine information

Maternal diets rich in Omega-3 fatty acids may protect offspring from breast cancer, study suggests

Researchers noted a significant difference in mice from mothers that were fed a diet rich in canola oil, compared with mothers fed a diet rich in corn oil. A maternal Omega 3-rich diet affected genome-wide epigenetic landscape changes in offspring and potentially modulated gene expression patterns.

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The most curious babies become the most curious toddlers

A longitudinal study of infant curiosity found that months-old babies most captivated by magic tricks became the most curious toddlers, suggesting a pre-verbal baby's level of interest in surprising aspects of the world remains constant over time and could predict their future cognitive ability.

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Transient pacemaker harmlessly dissolves in body

The thin, flexible, lightweight device could be used in patients who need temporary pacing after cardiac surgery or while waiting for a permanent pacemaker. All components of the pacemaker are biocompatible and naturally absorb into the body's biofluids over the course of five to seven weeks, without needing surgical extraction.

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Gene discovery may hold key to better therapies for OCD

Australia opens up AstraZeneca vaccine to all adults

Wait, so not all wines are vegan? Why?

Researchers question prevailing Alzheimer's theory with new discovery

Evidence-based patient-psychotherapist matching improves mental health care

Baby reef fishes swim for gold

'Unexciting' an anxious brain: Novel drug reduces anxiety-like behavior in mice

Anxiety is considered a natural response to stress. However, a state of heightened anxiety, called anxiety disorder, prevents thousands of people from living their best lives. While several underlying mechanisms have been therapeutically targeted, much remains to be discovered about this disorder. In an effort to get closer to unraveling the mechanisms that govern this condition, researchers have identified a drug that reduces glutamate-induced neurotransmission, involved in anxiety-like behavior.

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Hundreds of lives saved in Kansas counties that adopted mask mandates, study finds

What is blue light and how can I protect my eyes from digital eye strain?

COVID-19 vaccine generates immune structures critical for lasting immunity

The first two COVID-19 vaccines authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) employed mRNA technology, which had never before been used in FDA-approved vaccines. A new study has found evidence that the immune response to such vaccines is both strong and potentially long-lasting.

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New molecule found in chestnut leaves disarms dangerous staph bacteria

New technique to treat middle ear infections

GluN3A knockout mouse: Alternative model for Alzheimer's neurodegeneration

‘Come on, Australia, this is embarrassing now’

Striking gold: Synthesizing green gold nanoparticles for cancer therapy with biomolecules

Scientists have designed an eco-friendly protocol for synthesizing gold nanoparticles with optimized morphology for near-infrared light absorption using a biomolecule called B3 peptide. They report the synthesis of triangular and circular gold nanoplates and their effectiveness in killing cancer cells by converting the absorbed light into heat, providing useful insights for the development of non-invasive cancer therapy.

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Deep machine learning completes information about the bioactivity of one million molecules

A newly developed tool predicts the biological activity of chemical compounds, key information to evaluate their therapeutic potential. Using artificial neural networks, scientists have inferred experimental data for a million compounds and have developed a package of programs to make estimates for any type of molecule.

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Blood stem cells make brain tumors more aggressive

Scientists have discovered stem cells of the hematopoietic system in glioblastomas, the most aggressive form of brain tumor. These hematopoietic stem cells promote division of the cancer cells and at the same time suppress the immune response against the tumor. This surprising discovery might open up new possibilities for developing more effective immunotherapies against these malignant brain tumors.

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Love: How the feeling of power determines happy relationships

Want to have a happy relationship? Make sure both partners feel they can decide on issues that are important to them. Objective power measured by income, for example, doesn't seem to play a big role, according to a new study. Instead, how lovers perceive power dynamics in their relationship is most important for relationship satisfaction.

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Fast IR imaging-based AI identifies tumor type in lung cancer

The prognosis and effective therapies differ based on the type of lung cancer. While it previously took several days to precisely determine the underlying mutation, a research team has been able to reliably perform this determination in just one step using a combination of quantum cascade laser-based infrared microscopy and artificial intelligence.

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New tools for pandemic prevention research: DNA sequencing from water and leeches

In new research, water from African and Mongolian waterholes as well as bloodmeals from Southeast Asian leeches were assessed for the ability to retrieve mammalian viruses without the need to find and catch the mammals. The scientists analyzed the samples using high-throughput sequencing to identify known viruses as well as viruses new to science.

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Honey, we shrunk the intense XUV laser

An international team of researchers has demonstrated a new concept for the generation of intense extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) radiation by high-harmonic generation (HHG). Its advantage lies in the fact that its footprint is much smaller than currently existing intense XUV lasers. The new scheme is straightforward and could be implemented in many laboratories worldwide, which may boost the research field of ultrafast XUV science.

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Sunflower peptide as 'template' for potential analgesic

A naturally occurring peptide in sunflower seeds was synthetically optimized and has now been identified as a potential drug for treating abdominal pain or inflammation (in the gastrointestinal tract, abdominal area and/or internal organs).

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Scientists develop simple blood test for early detection of Alzheimer's disease

Saturated fatty acid levels increase when making memories

Advanced care: Smart wound dressings with built-in healing sensors

New type of multifunctional wound dressings feature glowing nanosensors to track and monitor for infection. Harnessing the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory power of magnesium hydroxide, the smart dressings can also fight bacteria and reduce inflammation to help promote healing.

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New face mask prototype can detect COVID-19 infection

Engineers have designed a prototype face mask that can diagnose the person wearing the mask with Covid-19 within about 90 minutes. The technology can also be used to design wearable sensors for a variety of other pathogens or toxic chemicals.

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Edible Cholera vaccine made of powdered rice proves safe in phase 1 human trials, study suggests

Vaccine manufacturing made enormous strides in 2020, but the complexity of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines has highlighted the value of inoculations that can be made cheaply and transported and stored without refrigeration. A new needle-free cholera vaccine has been made by grinding up genetically modified grains of rice and can be stored long-term at room temperature. This innovation has shown no obvious side effects and a good immune response in its Phase 1 clinical trial.

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Test distinguishes SARS-CoV-2 from other coronaviruses with 100-percent accuracy

Researchers have demonstrated a tablet-sized device that can reliably detect multiple COVID-19 antibodies and biomarkers simultaneously. Initial results show the test can distinguish between antibodies produced in response to SARS-CoV-2 and four other coronaviruses with 100-percent accuracy. The researchers are now working to see if the easy-to-use, energy-independent, point-of-care device can be used to predict the severity of a COVID-19 infection or a person's immunity against variants of the virus.

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The Terrible Truth About Plastic You Never Knew

As plastic ages or is exposed to heat or stress, it can release trace amounts of some of its ingredients. Of particular concern are bisphenol-a (BPA), used to strengthen some plastics, and phthalates, used to soften others.

These chemicals are used in hundreds of household items; BPA is in everything from baby bottles to can linings, while phthalates are found in children‘s toys as well as vinyl shower curtains. They enter your body through the food, water and bits of dust you consume, or are simply absorbed through your skin.

BPA and phthalates are endocrine disrupters, which mimic hormones. Estrogen and other hormones in relatively tiny amounts can cause vast changes, so researchers worry that BPA and phthalates could do the same, especially in young children.

To cut down on your exposure, avoid plastic bottles and toys labeled with the numbers 3 or 7, which often contain BPA or phthalates, and canned foods, especially those with acidic contents like tomatoes. You should also avoid heating plastic in microwaves.

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The Secret to Raising Smart Kids

More than three decades of scientific research suggests that repeatedly telling children that they are especially smart or talented leaves them vulnerable to failure, and fearful of challenges.

Children raised this way develop an implicit belief that intelligence is innate and fixed, making striving to learn seem less important than seeming smart; challenges, mistakes, and effort become threats to their ego rather than opportunities to improve.

However, teaching children to have a “growth mind-set,” which encourages effort rather than on intelligence or talent, helps make them into high achievers in school and in life. This results in “mastery-oriented” children who tend to think that intelligence is malleable and can be developed through education and hard work.

This can be done by telling stories about achievements that result from hard work. Talking about math geniuses who were born that way puts students in a fixed mind-set, but descriptions of great mathematicians who developed amazing skills over time creates a growth mind-set.

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80 Percent of Schools are Applying Pesticides

More than 80 percent of schools in America use toxic pesticides as a preventative measure, whether it‘s needed or not.

Mark Lame, an entomologist and professor at Indiana University‘s School of Public and Environmental Affairs, believes this is an entirely unnecessary practice that carries more risks than benefits to students and faculty.

The most widely used pesticides are, in fact, nerve poisons. They cause uncontrolled nerve firing, and disrupt the delicate hormone systems.

The link between pesticide exposure and health problems in children is already well established. Research has connected these endocrine-disrupting pesticides to health problems such as ADHD, autism, and infertility -- all of which are on the rise.

Professor Lame says pest problems are better managed through an integrated approach -- by preventing the conditions that attract pests into school facilities in the first place.

Lame serves as a consultant for schools around the country, helping them reduce the toxic load by implementing his Integrated Pest Management (IPM) process.

Science Daily July 21, 2007

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Pandemic Virus Industrial Complex Is World's Greatest Threat

In the January 22, 2021, lecture above, Jonathan Latham, Ph.D., discusses what he has dubbed the pandemic virus industrial complex — who they are, how they function and interact with elements within the academic, military and commercial complexes, and how they have been trying to obscure facts that indicate SARS-CoV-2 is a manmade virus that originated in a lab.

I have previously interviewed Latham a few times. He is the publisher of Independent Science News, a website that provides critical commentary on food, agriculture and biotechnology. It's part of the Bioscience Resource Project, an educational nonprofit public interest group co-founded by Latham and Allison Wilson, Ph.D., that provides independent research and analysis of genetic engineering and its risks.

Latham points out that there are currently no data to suggest a natural zoonotic origin of SARS-CoV-2. On the other hand, there's plenty of evidence and data suggesting the virus was genetically manipulated in the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in China. Much of the related research was done by a scientist called Shi Zheng-Li, Ph.D.

He goes on to summarize the Mojiang miners passage theory. This theory postulates that the virus evolved inside the bodies of six miners who became ill with a suspected novel coronavirus infection in 2012. Some of the miners were sick for several weeks — a sufficient amount of time for the virus to mutate, Latham believes.

Viral samples from the miners were sent to the WIV. Latham and Wilson believe research on these samples was what led to an accidental release of the virus in late 2019.

The Pandemic Virus Industrial Complex

Latham describes the pandemic virus industrial complex as "an interlocking set of corporations and other institutions who feed off and support each other with goods and services in a self-reinforcing way." It is an enterprise that leverages public money for private profit. He also notes that many of these participants play unexpected roles. For example:

Philanthropic organizations act as string-pullers, influencers and profit centers
The Defense Department is both a cash cow and a provocateur
Academia provides public relations via legacy media controlled by philanthropic organizations and the drug industry
Academic nonprofits act as money launderers

"These nontraditional roles are intended to confuse and camouflage the various moving parts of what is a complex situation," Latham says, "thereby protecting the whole from scrutiny." While there are many similarities between the military industrial complex and the pandemic virus industrial complex, there's an important difference between the two.

The pandemic virus industrial complex is public facing, and is expected to be beneficial and transparent. As such, it has an image of respectability that must be maintained, and that is why academics and philanthropic and nonprofit organizations play such important roles in this scheme.

Together, they help obscure the real agenda under a veneer of respectability and public good. In essence, they maintain the illusion that everything that's taking place is for the betterment of mankind when, in reality, it's a profit-making scheme.

Latham believes the pandemic virus industrial complex has played a decisive role in the effort to obscure the likely origin of the pandemic. He also believes this is the missing framework that helps explain the politicization of the pandemic.

Previous Obscuration Attempts of Manmade Outbreaks

In his lecture, Latham reviews some of the history of this viral pandemic industrial complex. In 2014, an Ebola outbreak in West Africa was decisively blamed on zoonotic transfer from infected bats. According to a report in EMBO Molecular Medicine,¹ a 2-year-old boy playing with bats in a tree stump was Patient Zero.

However, while the paper failed to produce conclusive evidence to support its conclusion, Western media ran with this story. In West Africa, however, the rumor was that the real source of the outbreak was a hospital in Sierra Leone, which housed a biological laboratory where research on Ebola and related viruses, such as the lassa fever virus, was being done.

This research was largely funded by the U.S. Department of Defense. The reason for this funding was a recent upgrading by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the lassa fever virus as a Category A infectious substance, meaning a pathogen likely to be used as a bioweapon by terrorists. The research was carried out under the auspices of the Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Consortium, led by Harvard University.

The Consortium is also tied to other academic institutions, including Tulane University, Scripps Research Institute, the University of California, San Diego, the Broad Institute of Boston and the University of Texas, as well as a number of private drug companies. According to Latham, statements made by some of the people involved in the research suggest they were taking advantage of West Africa's lax and inferior biosecurity standards.

In his book, "The Ebola Outbreak in West Africa: Corporate Gangsters, Multinationals & Rogue Politicians," Chernoh Bah provides evidence showing the Patient Zero story was a fraud. The young boy died at 18 months of age, far too young to play with bats, and he was never diagnosed with Ebola. Neither was anyone in his family. The first recorded case of Ebola was actually found in Guinea, some three months after the little boy had died.

Bah also found other gaping holes in the narrative. For example, despite widespread sampling, no Ebola virus was ever found in any animal, and no animal die-offs occurred before the outbreak, which tends to be typical in natural zoonotic spillover events. Despite the obvious problems with the official narrative, no formal investigation of the lab leak theory was ever performed.

Follow the Money

According to Latham, we can learn a number of things from this story. First of all, lab escapes are likely more common than we think, and widely considered zoonotic outbreaks may not be zoonotic in origin at all. Another example is the AIDS epidemic, which you can learn about in the book "The River: A Journey to the Source of HIV and AIDS."

The second thing we can learn from the West African Ebola story relates to the money trail. The U.S. Department of Defense funded the research done by the Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Consortium. Other oft-used alternative sources are public health funding and international aid. Whatever the case, be it biodefense, public health funding or relief aid, the money comes from We the People.

Thirdly, corporate members of the Consortium had a specific business model in mind, and it had nothing to do with protecting vulnerable Africans from lassa or Ebola. The goal of drug companies is to sell vaccines, drugs and diagnostic tools, primarily to the U.S. or European militaries.

The fact that the 2014 Ebola outbreak narrative went unchallenged shows a disturbing lack of academic rigor, and it was certainly not the first time. As noted by Latham, scientists are failing in their role to pursue and promulgate knowledge and understanding.

"Instead, more and more frequently, academia creates fictions," he says. They create "convenient, self-serving narratives." Legacy media works hand-in-hand with such academics, acting as a megaphone for their dubious scientific claims.

Science Used for PR Purposes

One example of how businesses use academics to shape a narrative and manipulate public opinion was when, in May 2020, 77 Nobel laureates signed a public letter urging the U.S. government to reinstate funding to EcoHealth Alliance, which has subcontracted gain-of-function research on coronaviruses to the WIV. Earlier that year, then-President Trump had ordered the National Institutes of Health to cancel that funding.

The letter was organized by Sir Richard Roberts, a molecular biologist and Nobel Prize winner who also happens to be a senior executive with New England Biolabs, a manufacturer of laboratory equipment and reagents.

"Cutting funds for biotech virus research threatens their core business," Latham says. So, is Roberts really a disinterested party? Or does he have a very keen interest in keeping dangerous gain-of-function research going, risks be damned?

Back in 2016, Roberts organized a similar campaign, in which 107 Nobel laureates attacked Greenpeace for supposedly blocking the approval of GMO golden rice.

The National Press Club in Washington D.C. brought nationwide attention to the letter with a formal press conference. One of the organizers of that press event was a former Monsanto PR executive, and the website created to promote the campaign was traced to the biotech industry.

"The point here is that there's nothing spontaneous about these letters," Latham says. "They're carefully choreographed PR gambits … What is really being defended is the overlapping interests of companies like New England Biolabs and Monsanto. In this world, science and scientists are useful pawns with which to shape public opinion."

Propaganda Now Coming From the Most Unlikely Sources

One of the latest propaganda tactics employed in an effort to shape public opinion and discourage inquisitiveness is that if you're concerned about the potential for lab leaks, you're anti-science and a racist pro-Trumper.

If you file freedom of information act (FOIA) requests with scientists, you're anti-science. If you question Dr. Anthony Fauci, you're anti-science.^2,3 If you're against GMOs, you're anti-science. If you're against gain-of-function research, you're anti-science. If you're anti-nuclear energy, you're anti-science. This is a ploy and nothing else. Sadly, this propaganda is now being spewed by even the most unlikely of sources, such as Mother Jones.

June 14, 2021, Mother Jones published a hit piece on the Center for Food Safety, penned by Kiera Butler.⁴ In May 2021, the Center for Food Safety sued the NIH in an effort to force the agency to reveal its funding of gain-of-function research.

"Virologists say this kind of research is vital and has led to many important medical discoveries, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. But Center for Food Safety argues that gain-of-function research is too dangerous to pursue," Butler writes.

"Why would this lefty food and farms group … rail against high-level virology research? The key to the answer has to do with the Center for Food Safety's long opposition to the practice of genetic engineering. In a recent phone call, I spoke to CFS's Kimbrell, who explained what he sees as the connection.

'You genetically engineer bacteria and plants, then you genetically engineer animals, then you genetically engineer embryos — all that has happened, with some promise, but also a tremendous amount of danger and threat,' he said.

'Now, viruses are not technically an organism, but they are living biological elements. So, they fit certainly within that narrative: Just because we can do something doesn't mean we should do something.'

Kimbrell said he 'absolutely' thinks the pandemic was the result of an accidental lab release. Scientists at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, he believes, used gain-of-function to enhance a coronavirus. The virus then escaped out of the lab, spread uncontrollably, and caused the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, in effect, gain-of-function research caused the pandemic."

Butler also discusses the Organic Consumers Association, the U.S. Right to Know, the International Center for Technology Assessment, and Children's Health Defense — all of which have raised questions and concerns about this kind of dangerous research on pathogens. According to Butler, they have no business questioning such research, and their involvement could put us all in jeopardy.

"With tens of thousands of followers on social media, anti-GMO groups have the potential to turn the tide of public opinion; hanging in the balance is science that could potentially help prevent the next pandemic," she writes.

Butler Accused of Journalistic Malpractice

In true propagandist fashion, Butler goes on to rebut gain-of-function concerns with commentary from EcoHealth Alliance president Peter Daszak, Ph.D., one of the most conflicted individuals you could possibly find. Indeed, his conflicts of interest have become so widely known, he was recently removed from the Lancet commission charged with investigating the origin of COVID-19 because of it.^5,6

Butler also goes to great lengths trying to paint the issue in political partisan colors, and quotes Dr. Peter Hotez, another highly compromised industry-funded player who has publicly called for cyberwarfare assaults on American citizens who disagree with official COVID narratives.

In a scathing rebuttal, Center for Food Safety founder attorney Andrew Kimbrell accuses Butler of "journalistic malpractice,"⁷ and rightfully so, in my opinion. She clearly tries to confuse readers by stressing that "gain-of-function" is a broad definition and that much of the gain-of-function research being done is both harmless and valuable.

However, that's not the kind of research the Center for Food Safety or anyone else is concerned about. The Center for Food Safety's lawsuit specifically pertains to the manipulation of pathogens in order to make them more virulent and dangerous to humans, and she didn't interview a single mainstream scientist who has warned of the dangers associated with this practice, even though there are dozens of them.

Overall, Butler's piece reads like classic propaganda, created by the very people with something to hide. As noted by GM Watch:⁸

"The Gates-funded Alliance for Science was quick to promote Butler's article. They're a PR campaign based at Cornell that pushes agrichemical industry views and tries to undermine the industry's critics, particularly those critics concerned about GMOs.

As part of this effort, the Alliance for Science has been posing as an expert body on myths about the pandemic, even though they have no such myth-busting expertise. An early example of this was a piece they published by their employee Mark Lynas that branded GMWatch, among others, as conspiracy theorists for saying the virus may have accidentally leaked from a lab.

On Twitter, Mary Mangan, who sits on the Alliance's advisory board, has been carefully tracking and commenting on exactly which 'anti-GMO groups' have been calling for the lab leak hypothesis to be taken seriously …

Interestingly, a reporter told HuffPost in relation to a court case involving Monsanto that she thought Mangan had tried to 'play' her to do a hit job on one of the expert witnesses critical of the company's Roundup herbicide. Could it be that Ms Butler wasn't so resistant to being played?"

Gain-of-Function Research Poses Very Real Threat

Another clear propaganda piece was published by Hotez in The Daily Beast, June 21, 2021.⁹ In recent weeks, Fauci's role in the pandemic has become increasingly clear, and it's far from flattering. He funded dangerous research that may in fact have resulted in a global outbreak. Now, he's trying to deflect blame by saying that personal attacks on him "represent an assault on American science," and Hotez is doing what he can to strengthen that ridiculous notion.

To do so, Hotez takes it a step further, linking attacks on Fauci to attacks not only on science but also on the very foundation of democracy. According to Hotez, "moral courage and standing up for democratic values demands that the American people throw their full support behind scientists and scientific institutions. To do otherwise is to capitulate to the forces of insurrection."¹⁰

Like Butler, Hotez spends an inordinate amount of time trying to paint concerns about dangerous research on pathogens that have the potential to kill us all as a far-right, racist, anti-science, anti-democracy issue, when it's nothing of the sort.

When dangerous science has the potential to wipe out mankind, it is cause for concern among thinking individuals of all political persuasions. It's not anti-science. It's anti-recklessness, and to prevent another disaster, those responsible must be held to account for their actions. Clearly, not all science is dangerous. Being against recklessly dangerous science does not mean you're against all science or science in general.

If we want to prevent another pandemic like this from occurring in the future, we must first determine the origin of SARS-CoV-2 and how it ended up in the population. If it can be proven that it came from a lab, then we need to identify and hold those responsible for its creation and release accountable for their actions and/or neglect and, lastly, we need to prevent a reoccurrence by banning research in which pathogens are purposely manipulated to make them more dangerous.

To get to the bottom of it all, we need to look at the pandemic virus industrial complex. We need to dissect how it functions and how its members interlink and work together to obscure the truth.

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Keto Staves Off Deadly Glioblastoma

Cancer is a disease of uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. In 1971,¹ President Richard Nixon declared war on cancer with a goal to make a national commitment to find a cure. Chemotherapy has been one of the primary treatments used in cancer with the objective to destroy cancer cells.²

However, chemo is technically a poison. When administered it travels throughout your body and affects every cell, unlike radiation or surgical treatments, which target precise locations.³

Glioblastoma is a specific type of brain cancer that develops from glial cells in the brain.⁴ It is sometimes referred to as a grade 4 astrocytoma. The tumor is fast-growing, invasive and commonly spreads throughout the brain. According to the Glioblastoma Foundation⁵ it can result in death as quickly as 15 months after diagnosis.

Symptoms of a glioblastoma develop rapidly as the cells grow and fluid around the tumor increases pressure in the brain.⁶ Some common symptoms include severe headaches, nausea and vomiting. Depending on the location of the tumor, symptoms can include weakness or sensory changes in the face, arms or legs, neurocognitive or memory issues and difficulty with balance.

Despite decades of research, researchers have written that the survival rate for individuals with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) has not changed in more than 40 years.⁷ Thomas Seyfried, who I believe is one of the best cancer biologists in the world, recently published an 80-month case report follow-up on a patient with glioblastoma,⁸ who has lived far longer than expected.

Long-Term Care With Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy

Writing in the journal Nutrition & Metabolism in 2007,⁹ Seyfried and colleagues proposed that restricting calories on a ketogenic diet is an effective alternative means of treating malignant brain cancer. The researchers used an animal model to test the theory and found the method was safe and effective.

August 16, 2014, a 26-year-old man presented at University Hospital Plymouth with symptoms of a malignant brain tumor.¹⁰ The man refused the recommended standard of care and opted instead to use ketogenic metabolic therapy (KMT). He educated himself on the implementation of the diet despite pressure from health care professionals to use their treatment.

He took medication to control the seizures and strictly followed the ketogenic diet, monitoring his glucose and ketones. It took two weeks to enter therapeutic ketosis. A second MRI in January 2015 showed no noticeable progression of the tumor. Serial MRIs every three to five months showed the tumor was growing slowly, quite unlike the natural progression of a glioblastoma.

Just over two years later, an MRI showed enough tumor growth that the patient decided to undergo a debulking surgery. Histological analysis showed an invasive astrocytic tumor. The tumor cells had a chance mutation known as IDH1, which improves the length of survival.¹¹ After surgery, the patient continued the ketogenic diet, maintaining his glucose ketone index (GKI) near or below 2.0.¹²

In October 2018, an MRI showed interval progression after the patient had relaxed his strict adherence to the ketogenic diet. He returned to eating a keto diet that kept his GKI at 2 and included additional interventions such as breathing exercises, stress management and moderate physical training.

Over the following 2.5 years and seven MRIs, the tumor showed slow interval progression. As of the time of the case study writing in April 2021, the patient was “active with a good quality of life, except for occasional tonic-clonic seizures and no signs of increased intracranial pressure.”¹³

This case study is similar to one presented in 2018¹⁴ of a 38-year-old man with a diagnosis of GBM. In addition to using a calorie-restricted ketogenic diet, this patient also underwent a subtotal tumor resection and used a modified standard of care treatment including epigallocatechin gallate, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, metformin and methylfolate.

After nine months of treatment, biomarkers and clinical symptoms indicated the tumor was regressing. At the time of the case study, 24 months after the start of therapy, the patient was in excellent health and showed evidence of significant tumor regression.¹⁵

Importance of Glucose and Glutamine to Cancer Cells

Seyfried commented in a press release from Boston College:¹⁶

"We were surprised to discover that KMT could work synergistically with the IDH1 mutation to simultaneously target the two major metabolic pathways needed to drive the growth of GBM. Glucose drives the glycolysis pathway, while glutamine drives the glutaminolysis pathway.

No tumor, including GBM, can survive without glucose and glutamine. Our study has identified a novel mechanism by which an acquired somatic mutation acts synergistically with a low carbohydrate, high fat diet to provide long-term management of a deadly brain tumor."

The team postulated that the long-term survival of the first patient whose follow-up case study was written at 80 months after diagnosis may have been in part due to the IDH1 mutation¹⁷ and KMT, both targeting glycolysis and glutaminolysis essential for GBM growth.¹⁸

Glutamine is an amino acid that plays a role in intestinal health. Glucose and glutamine are fermentable fuels in the body. Studies¹⁹ have suggested microbial protein fermentation plays a role in generating a range of molecules that may increase inflammation and tissue permeability.

Seyfried writes that glucose and glutamine may drive breast cancer growth “through substrate level phosphorylation (SLP) in both the cytoplasm (Warburg effect) and the mitochondria (Q-effect), respectively.”²⁰

In an interview with me, Seyfried describes how cancer cell metabolism is different from normal cell metabolism, changing from respiration to fermentation.²¹ If you measure oxygen consumption in tumor cells it looks like they are using oxygen to make ATP. However, the mitochondria are abnormal and what Seyfried realized was that the cells were fermenting amino acids, and in particular glutamine.

Using an animal model,²² Seyfried and colleagues demonstrated that with a calorically restricted ketogenic diet and a glutamine antagonist, they could reverse disease symptoms and improve animal survival. The strategy also appeared to reduce inflammation, swelling and hemorrhaging.

He also suggests that KMT with glutamine targeting may be an effective means of improving overall survival for women with breast cancer.²³ This means targeting glucose and glutamine in the treatment of cancer all but eliminates their source of energy and starves the cells, so they can't survive.

Why Cancer Is a Metabolic Disease

Western medicine has been operating under the theory that cancer is a genetic disease. This rules everything from research funding and treatment to the entire cancer industry. Unfortunately, despite decades of relying on this dogma, it has not led to any significant breakthrough in treatment or prevention.

Seyfried and others have advanced the theory that cancer is primarily the result of defective energy metabolism in, and damage to, the cell's mitochondria. Genetic mutations that are detectable in cancer cells are not the primary cause of cellular overgrowth but are rather a downstream effect of defective energy metabolism.²⁴

Research data demonstrate that cancer growth is suppressed when the nucleus from a tumor cell is transferred to the cytoplasm of normal cells with normal functioning mitochondria.²⁵ This tells us that normal mitochondria can suppress cancer growth. Conversely, for cancer cells to proliferate, you must have dysfunctional mitochondria.

Seyfried’s research has demonstrated the growth and progression of cancer can be managed using a “whole body transition from fermentable metabolites, such as glucose and glutamine, to respiratory metabolites.”²⁶ These are primarily ketone bodies that are formed when you follow a ketogenic diet.

In “Why Cancer Needs To Be Treated as a Metabolic Disease,” I discuss many of the pathways Seyfried notes in his interview with Dr. Peter Attia. Seyfried answers questions about the different types of mitochondrial abnormalities that are found in cancer cells and why cancer cells do not self-destruct.

Changing the view of cancer from a genetic disorder to primarily a metabolic disease has a significant impact on the approaches to preventing, treating and managing cancer.²⁷

Healthy Mitochondria Help Prevent Cancer

Seyfried’s take-home message is that as long as your mitochondrial respiration remains healthy, cancer will not develop. There are several strategies you can use to help keep your mitochondria healthy. Avoiding toxic environmental factors and implementing healthy lifestyle strategies are the primary means of protecting your mitochondria.

In fact, this is the sole focus of the metabolic mitochondrial therapy program detailed in my book “Fat for Fuel.” Topping my list of strategies to optimize mitochondrial health, which you can read more about in my book, are:

Cyclical nutritional ketosis — The divergence from our ancestral diet — this massive prevalence of processed, unnatural foods and excessive amounts of added sugars, net carbs and industrial fats — is responsible for most of the damage to your mitochondria.

Calorie restriction — Another extremely effective strategy for reducing mitochondrial free radical production is to limit the amount of fuel you feed your body. This is a noncontroversial position as calorie restriction has consistently shown many therapeutic benefits.

Meal timing — Meal timing is also important. Specifically, eating too late in the evening, when your body doesn't need the energy, is one of the worst things you can do to your mitochondria, as it creates a buildup of ATP that is not being used.

Normalizing your iron level — Iron also plays an important role in mitochondrial function, and contrary to popular belief, excessive iron levels are far more prevalent than iron deficiency. Virtually all men over the age of 16 and post-menopausal women are at risk of high iron.

Exercise — Exercise upregulates genes that promote mitochondrial efficiency, helping them grow and divide so that you have more mitochondria. By placing an increased energy demand on your cells, free radicals signal that you need more mitochondria to meet the energy demand. As a result, your body adapts to your level of activity by creating more mitochondria and making them work more efficiently.

Nutritional supplements — The following nutrients and cofactors are also needed for mitochondrial enzymes to function properly:

CoQ10 or ubiquinol (the reduced form)
L-Carnitine, which shuttles fatty acids to the mitochondria
D-ribose, which is raw material for the ATP molecule
Magnesium
Marine-based omega-3
All B vitamins, including riboflavin, thiamine and B6
Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA)

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Weekly Health Quiz: COVID, Net Zero and Fact Checkers

1 Who is Dr. Robert Malone?

He's an online college biochemistry professor
He's a former U.S. Food and Drug Administration official and whistleblower
He developed the nanolipid used in mRNA gene therapy
He invented the mRNA and DNA vaccine core platform technology
Dr. Robert Malone invented the mRNA and DNA vaccine core platform technology. He has grave concerns about the lack of transparency of side effects, censoring of discussion and the lack of informed consent that these bring. Learn more.

2 Instead of encouraging the open sharing of information, the media and its "fact checkers" have succeeded in using the pandemic to:

Generate fear and control human behavior
The media and its "fact checkers" have succeeded in generating fear and in controlling human behavior via the pandemic. Learn more.
Increase their journalistic integrity
Ensure all opinions and facts are represented
Protect the freedom of speech

3 Why are variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus unlikely to pose a significantly differing or worse risk to people with natural immunity, compared to the original?

Because variants are completely new viruses, so your immune system kicks in
Because variants are at most 0.3% dissimilar from the original, so T cells can easily recognize and protect against them
Variants are unlikely to pose significantly differing risk to people with natural immunity compared to the original, as resistance is primarily based on your T cells, which have been shown to recognize and attack variants that are up to 80% dissimilar. SARS-CoV-2 variants are at most 0.3% dissimilar from the original, which means T cell immunity will easily recognize and protect against them. Learn more.
Because natural immunity against one virus means you're immune against all viruses
SARS-CoV-2 does not mutate

4 Despite there being obvious problems with the gene-based COVID-19 "vaccines," scientists are already working on which of the following?

DNA-based seasonal influenza vaccines
An mRNA AIDS vaccine
A COVID-flu mRNA combo shot and a pneumococcal-COVID combo booster
Scientists are moving full steam ahead to produce several additional gene-based vaccines, including the first COVID-flu mRNA vaccine, a pneumococcal-COVID mRNA booster shot for adults over 65, and mRNA seasonal influenza vaccines. Learn more.
An mRNA hepatitis B vaccine to be administered at birth

5 The term "net zero" doesn't mean zero emissions, as rich polluters will still be able to:

Transition to cleaner alternatives
Settle for damages of their past mistakes
Use renewable energy resources
Continue to pollute
Carbon offsets and the new accounting trick of 'net zero' does not mean zero emissions. It means the rich polluters will continue to pollute and also grab the land and resources of those who have not polluted — indigenous people and small farmers — for carbon offsets. Learn more.

6 The evidence is now overwhelming that SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 pandemic are the result of:

A laboratory release
The evidence is now overwhelming that SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 pandemic are the result of a laboratory release. Learn more.
A mutated bat virus
Humans' natural contact with animals
Completely natural origins

7 Research shows a strong correlation between the rise in celiac disease and which of the following?

Decreased usage of glyphosate due to organic farming
Increased use of glyphosate as a desiccant on wheat
There's a strong correlation between the rise in celiac disease over time and the rise in glyphosate usage on wheat, which is the primary culprit in celiac disease. Learn more.
Increased levels of arsenic and lead in irrigation water
Excessive levels of linoleic acid in processed foods

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Torah Bright on THAT viral motherhood photo

How Rebecca Maddern got into the best shape of her life in her 40s

Another week, another underboob uproar, do we have a right to enforce dress codes?

‘How I got my diabetes under control – and you can too’

Researchers find the adhesions that build the brain's networks

Researchers have discovered a crucial protein involved in the communication and coordination between astrocytes as they build synapses in the brain. Lacking this molecule, called hepaCAM, astrocytes aren't as sticky as they should be, and tend to stick to themselves rather than forming connections with their fellow astrocytes.

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Environmental Toxins Causing Early Puberty in Both Boys and Girls

By Dr. Mercola

Reaching puberty is a rite of passage that we've all been through, but children are now reaching it earlier than ever before, and while precocious puberty in girls has received most of the attention, we now know the trend applies to boys as well.

In the 19th century, the onset of menstruation in girls occurred around the age of 15. Now the average age of the first period is around 12. Some girls develop breasts as early as age seven¹ .

According to a recent study in the journal Pediatrics², boys are now beginning sexual development anywhere from six months to two years earlier than the medically accepted standard based on previous studies.

African-American boys were found to hit the onset of puberty the soonest, starting around the age of nine. Caucasian and Hispanic boys begin developing around the age of 10.

"The causes and public health implications of this apparent shift in US boys to a lower age of onset for the development of secondary sexual characteristics in US boys needs further exploration," the authors write.

Indeed, while some may shrug off the trend of earlier maturation, it's actually pretty significant, as it can affect both physical and psychological health in a number of ways, including raising the future risk for hormone-related cancers. Girls who enter puberty earlier are at an increased risk of breast cancer, for example, due to the early rise in estrogen.

The trend also raises serious questions about environmental factors spurring this development. Lead researcher Marcia Herman-Giddens told CNN Health³:

"The changes are too fast. Genetics take maybe hundreds, thousands of years. You have to look at something in the environment. That would include everything from (a lack of) exercise to junk food to TV to chemicals."

Environmental Chemicals a Likely Factor

Scientists have brought forth a number of potential explanations for the rising rates of early puberty, but one that deserves special attention is environmental chemicals, and particularly xeno-estrogens, i.e. estrogen-mimicking chemicals. These compounds behave like steroid hormones and can alter the timing of puberty, and affect disease risk throughout life.

In adults, xeno-estrogens have been linked to decreased sperm quality, stimulation of mammary gland development in men, disrupted reproductive cycles and ovarian dysfunction, obesity, cancer and heart disease, among numerous other health problems.

We're surrounded by hormone-disrupting chemicals these days, many of which are plasticizers. Bisphenol A (BPA) for example, is an industrial petrochemical that acts as a synthetic estrogen, and can be found plastics and tin can linings, in dental sealants, and on cash-register receipts. Three years ago, laboratory tests commissioned by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) detected BPA in the umbilical cord blood of 90 percent of newborn infants tested -- along with more than 230 other chemicals!

In September 2010, Canada declared BPA a toxic substance, but to date no other country has followed suit, although BPA has been banned in baby bottles in Canada, Europe and the United States. Frustratingly, the US FDA has denied the request to ban BPA, however many American companies have voluntarily removed the chemical from their products, in response to consumer demand. So, if you check around, you can find a lot of BPA-free products.

However, buyer beware, as it recently came to light that some companies are simply replacing the offending BPA with another less known but equally toxic chemical called bisphenol-S (BPS)! Not only does BPS appear to have similar hormone-mimicking characteristics to BPA, but research suggests it is actually significantly less biodegradable, and more heat-stable and photo-resistant, than BPA.

10 Top Offenders that Can Disrupt Your Hormones

Beside BPA and BPS, other top offenders you should be aware of, and watch out for, include:

Phthalates, a group of industrial chemicals used to make plastics like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) more flexible and resilient. They're also one of the most pervasive of the endocrine disrupters, found in everything from processed food packaging and shower curtains to detergents, toys and beauty products like nail polish, hair spray, shampoo, deodorants, and fragrances. Exposure to phthalates can lead to incomplete testicular descent in fetuses, reduced sperm counts, testicular atrophy or structural abnormality and inflammation in newborns. Fluoride, which is added to the majority of public water supplies in the United States. Research has shown that animals treated with fluoride had lower levels of circulating melatonin, as reflected by reduced levels of melatonin metabolites in the animals' urine. This reduced level of circulating melatonin was accompanied -- as might be expected -- by an earlier onset of puberty in the fluoride-treated female animals.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a likely carcinogen found in grease- and water-resistant coatings and non-stick cookware. Methoxychlor and Vinclozin, an insecticide and a fungicide respectively, have been found to cause changes to male mice born for as many as four subsequent generations after the initial exposure.

Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs). Known to be potent endocrine disrupters, these chemicals affect gene expression by turning on or off certain genes, and interfere with the way your glandular system works. Bovine growth hormones (rBGH) commonly added to commercial dairy have been implicated as a contributor to premature adolescence.

MSG, a food additive that's been linked to reduced fertility. Non-fermented soy products, which are loaded with hormone-like substances.

DDE (a breakdown product of the pesticide DDT) PCBs

New Concern: Metalloestrogens

Recent research has also confirmed the existence of a previously unknown class of cancer-causing estrogen-mimicking compounds: "metalloestrogens." The following metals, which are added to thousands of consumer products, including vaccines, have been identified as being capable of binding to cellular estrogen receptors and then mimicking the actions of physiological estrogens:⁴

Aluminum Antimony Arsenite Barium Cadmium Chromium Cobalt

Copper Lead Mercury Nickel Selenite Tin Vanadate

Tips to Reduce Exposure to Hormone-Disrupting Substances

While young girls and boys may show obvious signs of exposure to hormone-disrupting substances via early puberty, other signals are more insidious and may not show up until a disease is already present. You can cut back on your family's exposure to these dangerous chemicals by following these 12 guidelines. Pregnant women and women who may become pregnant should pay particular attention to reducing their exposure as much as possible to protect the health of their unborn baby:

Eat whole, preferably organic, produce and free-range, organic meats to reduce your exposure to added hormones, pesticides and fertilizers. Also avoid milk and other dairy products that contain the genetically engineered recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST)

Eat mostly raw, fresh foods. Processed, prepackaged foods (of all kinds) are a major source of soy and chemicals such as BPA and phthalates.

Store your food and beverages in glass rather than plastic, and avoid using plastic wrap and canned foods (which are often lined with BPA-containing liners).

Use glass baby bottles and BPA-free sippy cups for your little ones.

Make sure your baby's toys are BPA-free, such as pacifiers, teething rings and anything your child may be prone to suck on.

Only use natural cleaning products in your home to avoid phthalates.

Switch over to natural brands of toiletries such as shampoo, toothpaste, antiperspirants and cosmetics. The Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Database⁵ is a great resource for finding personal care products that are free of phthalates, parabens and other potentially dangerous chemicals.

Avoid using artificial air fresheners, dryer sheets, fabric softeners or other synthetic fragrances.

Replace your non-stick pots and pans with ceramic or glass cookware.

When redoing your home, look for "green," toxin-free alternatives in lieu of regular paint and vinyl floor coverings.

Replace your vinyl shower curtain with one made of fabric.

Avoid non-fermented soy, especially if you're pregnant. Also, never use soy-based infant formula.

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