SUBJ: Daylight savings time is bad for our health
SUBtitle: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy for arthritis
“Leave your drugs in the chemists pot if you can heal the patient with food!” – Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine
“The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it” – Oscar Wilde
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SHORT NOTES:
1..Daylight savings time is bad for our health.
2.. plasma (PRP) therapy, which involves injecting a concentrated amount of a patient’s own platelets into a joint, shows promise in managing osteoarthritis.
3..Beyond wear and tear at the joint: Osteoarthritis is actually a metabolic dysfunction.
4..Almonds are a great source of fiber, healthy fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals.
5..Foods for with hidden calories: 1. Fat-free or low-fat cookies and muffins; 2. Flavored yogurt; 3. White bagels; 4. Red meat; …
6..Mitochondrial transplants can treat many diseases providing help for cancer, etc.
7..Preventive effect of Helicobacter pylori treatment on gastric cancer incidence and mortality.
8..Sport and longevity: an observational study of international athletes- The human lifespan is influenced by various factors, with physical activity being a significant contributor.
9..A link between cerebral myelination and longitudinal changes in gait speed in aging.
10..Plasma extracellular vesicles carry immune system-related peptides that predict human longevity.
11..Sarcopenia has a generally negative impact on the clinical course of those undergoing cervical and lumbar surgery, and may be predictive of mortality.
12..The pollution of the planet by microplastics is significantly cutting food supplies by damaging the ability of plants to photosynthesize.
13..A botanically inspired newsletter for plant passionate people.
14..Embryogenesis doesn’t exactly “fix” mitochondrial DNA.
15..How PGC-1α and NF-κB are key factors in aging and youthfulness.
16..Good progress on pancreatic cancer treatment.
17..New way to treat resistant cancers.
18..Cancer treatments and their effect on the tumor, pro-cancer supporting cells, and anti-cancer immune cells.
19..Preventing binding to protein CD47 prevents periodontitis, and its correlation with cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, and cancer.
20..US approves rotator cuff repair system.
LONG NOTES:
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, which involves injecting a concentrated amount of a patient’s own platelets into a joint, shows promise in managing osteoarthritis (OA) by potentially reducing pain and improving function, though more research is needed to fully understand its effectiveness. It involves giving several vials of your blood, spinning out the platelets, and reinjecting them into the area with arthritis, for instance your knee cap. Relief is almost immediate. Someone I know who could not walk 2 blocks without severe pain had it done, and in a week could walk with no pain for long distances. Not covered by medicare, it cost about $750 for one injection.
Science 4 Apr pg 30 – Ursodeoxycholic acid is a medication used to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood, dissolve gallstones, as well as treat other conditions in the liver. Thus you may be able to get it to even alleviate arthritis. Notably, Yang et al. show that supplementation with UDCA was associated with a reduced risk of osteoarthritis- related joint replacement in a cohort of 5972 individuals.
Beyond wear and tear at the joint: Bile acid metabolism meets glucagon-like peptide 1 signaling in osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent joint disorder worldwide and a leading cause of chronic pain and disability in older adults. Traditionally, it has been regarded as a degenerative disease driven by mechanical wear and tear (1, 2). However, emerging evidence highlights the role of metabolic pathways in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (3, 4). For instance, obesity predisposes individuals to osteoarthritis even in non–weight-bearing joints, indicating that chronic metabolic inflammation and altered lipid metabolism—rather than mechanical overload alone—can drive cartilage breakdown. Yang et al. (5) report compelling evidence for a gut-joint axis involving bile acid metabolism and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) signaling in osteoarthritis development, advancing the understanding of osteoarthritis pathogenesis and opening new avenues for therapy.
Yang et al. provide strong preclinical evidence that supplementation with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), a precursor of GUDCA and a clinically approved drug for liver disorders, has protective effects on joints by restoring bile acid composition and increasing GLP-1 amounts, thus reducing joint inflammation and cartilage degradation. Given that UDCA is already in clinical use, these findings offer an exciting path for clinical translation (8).
Linus Pauling Institute Spring 2025 newsletter- Almonds are a great source of fiber, healthy fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals. Because of these nutritional properties, the health benefits of almonds have been investigated in clinical trials around the world. This includes a clinical trial underway at the Linus Pauling Institute that explores the benefits of daily almond snacking in people with metabolic syndrome; . Aside from vitamin E, almonds have polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, fiber, biotin, copper, potassium, and magnesium. They also contain plant compounds known as polyphenols that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
AARP: foods for with hidden calories: 1. Fat-free or low-fat cookies and muffins; 2. Flavored yogurt; 3. White bagels; 4. Red meat; 5. Fried fish; 6. Plant-based dairy foods (with added sugar); 7. Sodas, alcohol and other sugary drinks; 8. Nuts- They’re good for your health and therefore worthy of eating; 9. Smoothies; 10. Salads-Salads can be loaded with fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals—but what you put on them matters. 11. Low calorie ultra-processed food.
Economist 5 apr pg 64- Mightychondria: This article explains how mitochondrial transplants can treat many diseases providing help for cancer, heart disease, and strokes. It is also being explored to extend healthspan by giving older people youthful mitochondria.
Preventive effect of Helicobacter pylori treatment on gastric cancer incidence and mortality. Eradication cut mortality rates by over half. (Peptobismol kills H. pylori.)
Marshall and other researchers found that most people with duodenal and gastric ulcers also have H. pylori. Bismuth subsalicylate (the active ingredient in Pepto-Bismol) turned out to be one drug already in existence that killed helicobacter. Bismuth, behaving as an antibiotic, along with other common antibiotics were found to quash H. pylori in ulcer patients, thus allowing the ulcer to heal and largely preventing relapse.
Sport and longevity: an observational study of international athletes– The human lifespan is influenced by various factors, with physical activity being a significant contributor. Despite the clear benefit of exercise on health and longevity, the association between different types of sports and lifespan is yet to be considered. The association between lifespan and popular team sports in males was positive for cricket, rowing, baseball, water polo, Australian rules, hurling, lacrosse, field hockey, minimal for rugby, canoeing and kayaking, basketball, gridiron football, and football (soccer), and negative for handball and volleyball. Racquet sports (i.e., tennis and badminton) exhibited a consistent and positive association in both male and female athletes, as shown by an extended lifespan of up to 5.7 years in males and 2.8 years in females.
White matter integrity and motor function: a link between cerebral myelination and longitudinal changes in gait speed in aging. Gait speed is a robust health biomarker in older adults, correlating with the risk of physical and cognitive impairments, including dementia. Myelination plays a crucial role in neurotransmission and consequently affects various functions, yet the connection between myelination and motor functions such as gait speed is not well understood. Myelin content was quantified using a novel multicomponent magnetic resonance relaxometry method, and both usual and rapid gait speeds (UGS, RGS). Longitudinally, lower myelin content was linked to a greater decline in UGS, particularly in brain regions associated with motor planning. These results suggest that changes in UGS may serve as a reliable marker of neurodegeneration, particularly in cognitively unimpaired adults.
Plasma extracellular vesicles carry immune system-related peptides that predict human longevity – Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play crucial roles in aging. In this National Institutes on Aging-funded study, we sought to identify circulating extracellular vesicle (EV) biomarkers indicative of longevity. The plasma EV proteome of 48 older adults (mean age 77.2 ± 1.7 years [range 72–80]; 50% female, 50% Black, 50% < 2-year survival, 50% ≥ 10-year survival) was analyzed by high-resolution mass spectrometry and flow cytometry. Among longevity-associated peptides, 437 (58 proteins) were immune system related, and 12 (2 proteins) were muscle related. Using just three to five plasma EV peptides (mainly complement components C2-C6), we achieved high predictive accuracy for longevity.
Sarcopenia and the management of spinal disease in the elderly-Sarcopenia, generally defined by the loss of skeletal mass and function, may disproportionately affect elderly individuals and heavily influence spinal disease. Muscle atrophy is associated with myriad clinical problems, including thoracic kyphosis, increased sagittal vertical axis (SVA), spinal implant failures, and postoperative complications. Sarcopenia has a generally negative impact on the clinical course of those undergoing cervical and lumbar surgery, and may be predictive of mortality in those with neoplastic spinal disease. Sarcopenia has a generally negative impact on the clinical course of those undergoing cervical and lumbar surgery, and may be predictive of mortality in those with neoplastic spinal disease.
[no references, but scary stuff] Microplastics hinder plant photosynthesis, study finds. The pollution of the planet by microplastics is significantly cutting food supplies by damaging the ability of plants to photosynthesise, according to a new assessment. The analysis estimates that between 4% and 14% of the world’s staple crops of wheat, rice and maize is being lost due to the pervasive particles; Chewing Gum Releases Thousands of Microplastics Into Our Saliva, Researchers Find. They found that chewing gum released an average of 100 microplastics per gram of gum, and that 94% of the total microplastics documented in the study were released during the first eight minutes of chewing; Scientists have observed plastic-tainted rain falling in China, India, wilderness areas in the Western United States, and even remote mountain ranges in France, signaling it’s a widespread issue. Forever chemicals, also known as PFAS, have also been found in rainwater in numerous places.
Flora & Forage by Nina Veteto: A botanically inspired newsletter for plant passionate people. Featuring Secret Stories of the Wildflowers and more…
Embryogenesis doesn’t exactly “fix” mitochondrial DNA. During embryogenesis, the mother’s egg starts with a large number of her mitochondria and, by a process that is not well understood, winnows these down to a small number (~10) that are selected to be undamaged and become the progenitors of all of the child’s mitochondria. The selection process is mysterious, but there are hints that mitochondria that have the largest mtDNA mass and consume the most oxygen are selected, thereby eliminating those with mtDNA deletions or substandard ATP production. This process usually works well, but if a damaged mitochondrion happens to get past the bottleneck, the child can inherit a genetic disease.
GRG-Back in December, I gave a 30-minute overview of how PGC-1α and NF-κB are key factors in aging and youthfulness. They aren’t just implicated in blood-factor-related interventions. They mutually inhibit each other in many ways.
Increased PGC-1a is implicated in increased health promoting Telomerase Expression younger epigenetic expression via a chemical intervention
Good progress on pancreatic cancer treatment. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Silexion Therapeutics reported that its SIL-204 pancreatic cancer treatment effectively reduces primary tumor growth and secondary cancer spread. Silexion ‘s first generation LODER treatment already had good results in Phase 2 trials on “simple” cancers.
New way to treat resistant cancers. Israel’s MitoCarex Bio has developed its MITOLINE™ algorithm and other advanced computational capabilities to identify small molecules that can fight cancer. MitoCarex has just been acquired by Israel’s N2OFF (see here previously) which is also injecting $1 million of investment.
How cells respond to treatment. Researchers from Tel Aviv University have developed scNET that tracks gene expression at the single-cell level in response to various therapies. It has exciting implications for research into cancer treatments and their effect on the tumor, pro-cancer supporting cells, and anti-cancer immune cells.
Combatting gum disease and more. (TY Nevet) Hebrew University of Jerusalem scientists have discovered how the bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis causes periodontitis infection (gum disease). Preventing it binding to protein CD47 prevents periodontitis, and its correlation with cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, and cancer.
US approves rotator cuff repair system. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Arcuro Medical (see here previously) has received US FDA clearance for its SuperBall-RC system for use in rotator cuff (shoulder) repair procedures. Arcuro’s SuperBall technology platform has now successfully been used in over 5,000 meniscus (knee) repairs.
