Younger generations use English words and phrases frequently and intensely

ESTONIAN RESEARCH COUNCIL

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IMAGE: HELIN KASK view more 

CREDIT: TALLINN UNIVERSITY

The role of English has become ever more prominent, not only in Estonia, but globally. Considering the socio-linguistic situation in Estonia, it is important to study the impact of English on Estonian. Although multilingual communication on the Internet has been studied using different approaches, studies concerning online language contact are rare. Helin Kask, a doctoral candidate at Tallinn University focuses on language changes taking place due to current online language contact and analyses the online language use of young Estonians.

Intense contact with English has raised alarms throughout society regarding the longevity of the Estonian language. The doctoral thesis showed that younger generations borrow (copy) English vocabulary with high frequency and intensity. However, core vocabulary is never borrowed (words such as mother or bread), instead words with specific meanings find their way into vocabularies (such as highlighter and giveaway). There are very few examples of structural changes and they do not present typological problems. In conclusion, it can be said that the English-Estonian language contact is slightly intense and belongs in the second category of Thomason and Kaufman's (2002) five-step scale.

The doctoral thesis analysed 45 fashion, beauty and lifestyle blogs (275,263 words in total) and six vlogs (around 48,000 words in total). The age range of the bloggers and vloggers was 15-30. The analysis revealed that approximately 89% of the borrowed words were exact copies or traditional loanwords, meaning that the word was carried over from English with the same form and meaning. Often these loanwords are words specific to the field that the blogger or vlogger specialises in: names of beauty products, clothing, colours, etc, for example "eyeshadow brush" instead of lauvärvi pintsel and "trench coat" instead of vihmamantel. There are considerably less mixed and selective copies, around 7% and 4% respectively. Mixed copies are compound words and phrases that have been compiled from the two different languages, for example: nude-roosa 'nude-pink' and üli-üli-thankful 'very very thankful'. Selective copies are seemingly Estonian. Most of the selective copies shown in the thesis are copies of some idioms or expressions that have been translated into Estonian, for example minu vabandused 'my apologies' that could be replaced with the more natural Estonian ma vabandan instead. Sometimes these word-for-word translations exist to create word-plays. There are very few structural changes in the material, mostly these are constructions that have become more widely used thanks to the impact of English, for example olen ümbritsetud heade inimeste poolt instead of mind ümbritsevad head inimesed ('I am surrounded by good people') or olen spaasse minemas instead of lähen spaasse ('I am going to the spa'). These changes are also common in general use of the Estonian language.

"The most commonly copied words and phrases are those with specific or metaphorical meanings," explains Kask. "Specific meanings are most likely being copied due to the words not existing in the Estonian language or their counterparts not conveying the idea of the word specifically enough. In the case of the loaned metaphorical meanings, the aim is to find new forms of expression that sound fresh and exciting. Copying also occurs due to strong emotional connotation, as strong feelings are often easier to convey in English, and frequency: the more often a word or phrase is seen in English, the more likely it is to be copied to Estonian."

Until now, very few studies have researched the integration of English words into the Estonian language. The doctoral thesis examined this through the concordance of adjectives. The material of the doctoral thesis shows slightly more examples of adjectives being discordant (55%). At the same time, the analysis showed that if the English adjective is morphologically similar to an Estonian word and can be fitted into a declension type, then the adjective will become concordant. Such concordant adjectives were, for example, two-syllable long adjectives that ended with -y and which were structurally similar to the Estonian adjective tubli: fancymaid toite 'fancier foods'. Discordant adjectives were those that had a pronunciation different from their spelling, such as 'awesome'.

The dissertation was supervised by Professor Anna Verschik from Tallinn University. The opponents are professor Albert Backus from Tilburg University and University of Tartu's associate professor Virve-Anneli Vihman.

The dissertation is available in the ETERA digital environment of TU Academic Library. https://www.etera.ee/zoom/118684/view?page=1&p=separate&search=mcnamara&tool=search&view=0,0,2067,2835

 

Alzheimer's study: A Mediterranean diet might protect against memory loss and dementia

DZNE - GERMAN CENTER FOR NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES

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In Alzheimer's disease, neurons in the brain die. Largely responsible for the death of neurons are certain protein deposits in the brains of affected individuals: So-called beta-amyloid proteins, which form clumps (plaques) between neurons, and tau proteins, which stick together the inside of neurons. The causes of these deposits are as yet unclear. In addition, a rapidly progressive atrophy, i.e. a shrinking of the brain volume, can be observed in affected persons. Alzheimer's symptoms such as memory loss, disorientation, agitation and challenging behavior are the consequences.

Scientists at the DZNE led by Prof. Michael Wagner, head of a research group at the DZNE and senior psychologist at the memory clinic of the University Hospital Bonn, have now found in a study that a regular Mediterranean-like dietary pattern with relatively more intake of vegetables, legumes, fruit, cereals, fish and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as from olive oil, may protect against protein deposits in the brain and brain atrophy. This diet has a low intake of dairy products, red meat and saturated fatty acids.

A nationwide study

A total of 512 subjects with an average age of around seventy years took part in the study. 169 of them were cognitively healthy, while 343 were identified as having a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease - due to subjective memory impairment, mild cognitive impairment that is the precursor to dementia, or first-degree relationship with patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The nutrition study was funded by the Diet-Body-Brain competence cluster of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and took place as part of the so-called DELCODE study of the DZNE, which does nationwide research on the early phase of Alzheimer's disease - that period before pronounced symptoms appear.

"People in the second half of life have constant eating habits. We analyzed whether the study participants regularly eat a Mediterranean diet - and whether this might have an impact on brain health ", said Prof. Michael Wagner. The participants first filled out a questionnaire in which they indicated which portions of 148 different foods they had eaten in the past months. Those who frequently ate healthy foods typical of the Mediterranean diet, such as fish, vegetables and fruit, and only occasionally consumed foods such as red meat, scored highly on a scale.

An extensive test series

The scientists then investigated brain atrophy: they performed brain scans with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners to determine brain volume. In addition, all subjects underwent various neuropsychological tests in which cognitive abilities such as memory functions were examined. The research team also looked at biomarker levels (measured values) for amyloid beta proteins and tau proteins in the so-called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 226 subjects.

The researchers, led by Michael Wagner, found that those who ate an unhealthy diet had more pathological levels of these biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid than those who regularly ate a Mediterranean-like diet. In the memory tests, the participants who did not adhere to the Mediterranean diet also performed worse than those who regularly ate fish and vegetables. "There was also a significant positive correlation between a closer adherence to a Mediterranean-like diet and a higher volume of the hippocampus. The hippocampus is an area of the brain that is considered the control center of memory. It shrinks early and severely in Alzheimer's disease," explained Tommaso Ballarini, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in Michael Wagner's research group and lead author of the study.

Continuation of nutrition study is planned

"It is possible that the Mediterranean diet protects the brain from protein deposits and brain atrophy that can cause memory loss and dementia. Our study hints at this," Ballarini said. "But the biological mechanism underlying this will have to be clarified in future studies." As a next step, Ballarini and Wagner now plan to re-examine the same study participants in four to five years to explore how their nutrition - Mediterranean-like or unhealthy - affects brain aging over time.

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Original publication

Mediterranean Diet, Alzheimer Disease Biomarkers and Brain Atrophy in Old Age, Ballarini et al., Neurology® (May 2021), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000012067,

URL: https://n.neurology.org/lookup/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000012067

About Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, DZNE)

The DZNE investigates all aspects of neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) in order to develop novel approaches of prevention, treatment, and health care. It is comprised of ten sites across Germany and cooperates closely with universities, university hospitals, and other research institutions on a national and international level. The DZNE is a member of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers. Website: http://www.dzne.de/en

Mediterranean diet

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The Mediterranean diet is a way of eating based on the traditional cuisine of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. While there is no single definition of the Mediterranean diet, it is typically high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nut and seeds, and olive oil

 

New method boosts syngas generation from biopolyols

DALIAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS, CHINESE ACADEMY SCIENCES

Research News

 

IMAGE: SCHEMATIC MECHANISM OF THE PHOTOINDUCED PCET PROCESS OVER [SO4]/CDS view more 

CREDIT: DICP

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Photocatalytic biomass conversion is an ideal way of generating syngas (H2 and CO) via C-C bond cleavage, which is initiated by hydrogen abstraction of O/C-H bond. However, the lack of efficient electron-proton transfer limits its efficiency. Conversional gasification of biomass into syngas needs to be operated at high temperature (400-700 °C).

Recently, a group led by Prof. WANG Feng from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in collaboration with Prof. WANG Min from Dalian University of Technology, proposed a new method to realize photocatalytic conversion of biopolyols to syngas at room temperature with high efficiency.

This study was published in Journal of the American Chemical Society on April 27.

The researchers prepared surface sulfate ions modified CdS catalyst ([SO4]/CdS), which could simultaneously increase both the electron and proton transfer, thereby facilitating the generation of syngas mixture from biopolyols with high activity and selectivity.

In situ characterizations combined with theoretical calculations demonstrated that the surface sulfate ion [SO4] was bifunctional, serving as the proton acceptor to promote proton transfer, and increasing the oxidation potential of the valence band to enhance electron transfer.

Compared with pristine CdS, [SO4]/CdS exhibited 9-fold higher CO generation rate and 4-fold higher H2 generation. Through this method, a wide range of sugars, such as glucose, fructose, maltose, sucrose, xylose, lactose, insulin, and starch, were facilely converted into syngas.

This study reveals the pivotal effect of surface sulfate ion on electron-proton transfer in photocatalysis and provides a facile method for increasing photocatalytic efficiency.

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Defective epithelial barriers linked to two billion chronic diseases

UNIVERSITY OF ZURICH

Research News

 

IMAGE: STRAIGHT AND CLEAR EPITHELIAL BARRIER OF HEALTHY BRONCHIAL EPITHELIAL CELLS (AT THE TOP) AND LEAKY AND DAMAGED ASTHMATIC EPITHELIAL CELLS (AT THE BOTTOM). view more 

CREDIT: (IMAGE: CEZMI AKDIS)

Epithelial cells form the covering of most internal and external surfaces of the human body. This protective layer acts as a defense against invaders - including bacteria, viruses, environmental toxins, pollutants and allergens. If the skin and mucosal barriers are damaged or leaky, foreign agents such as bacteria can enter into the tissue and cause local, often chronic inflammation. This has both direct and indirect consequences.

Chronic diseases due to defective epithelial barriers

Cezmi Akdis, Director of the Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), which is associated with the University of Zurich (UZH), has now published a comprehensive summary of the research on epithelial barrier damage in Nature Reviews Immunology. "The epithelial barrier hypothesis proposes that damages to the epithelial barrier are responsible for up to two billion chronic, non-infectious diseases," Professor Akdis says. In the past 20 years, researchers at the SIAF alone published more than 60 articles on how various substances damage the epithelial cells of a number of organs.

Rise in allergic and autoimmune conditions

The epithelial barrier hypothesis provides an explanation as to why allergies and autoimmune diseases have been increasing for decades - they are linked to industrialization, urbanization and westernized lifestyle. Today many people are exposed to a wide range of toxins, such as ozone, nanoparticles, microplastics, household cleaning agents, pesticides, enzymes, emulsifiers, fine dust, exhaust fumes, cigarette smoke and countless chemicals in the air, food and water. "Next to global warming and viral pandemics such as COVID-19, these harmful substances represent one of the greatest threats to humankind," emphasizes Akdis.

Asthma, Alzheimer's et al.

Local epithelial damage to the skin and mucosal barriers lead to allergic conditions, inflammatory bowel disorders and celiac disease. But disruptions to the epithelial barrier can also be linked to many other diseases that are characterized by changes in the microbiome. Either the immune system erroneously attacks "good" bacteria in healthy bodies or it targets pathogenic - i.e. "bad" - invaders. In the gut, leaky epithelial barriers and microbial imbalance contribute to the onset or development of chronic autoimmune and metabolic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis or ankylosing spondylitis. Moreover, defective epithelial barriers have also been linked to neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, autism spectrum disorders and chronic depression, which may be triggered or aggravated by distant inflammatory responses and changes in the gut's microbiome.

Prevention, intervention - and more research

"There is a great need to continue research into the epithelial barrier to advance our understanding of molecular mechanisms and develop new approaches for prevention, early intervention and therapy," says Akdis. Novel therapeutic approaches could focus on strengthening tissue-specific barriers, blocking bacteria or avoiding colonization by pathogens. Other strategies to reduce diseases may involve the microbiome, for example through targeted dietary measures. Last but not least, the focus must also be on avoiding and reducing exposure to harmful substances and developing fewer toxic products.

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Novavax COVID-19 vaccine trial results show efficacy against the B.1.351 variant in SA study

Results from the initial primary analysis of the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine trial conducted by Wits VIDA in SA have been published.

UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND

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IMAGE: PROFESSOR OF VACCINOLOGY, SHABIR MADHI IS DIRECTOR OF THE WITS VACCINES & INFECTIOUS DISEASES ANALYTICS (VIDA) RESEARCH UNIT, DEAN OF THE FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE... view more 

CREDIT: WITS UNIVERSITY

The published data provide additional detail of an initial analysis conducted in January, while more robust data from a complete analysis of the study was subsequently shared in March 2021.

Publication of initial primary analysis highlights cross-protection by the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine against the B.1.351 variant prevalent in South Africa during the study.

This is the first published study to show protection against mild Covid-19 caused by the B.1.351 variant circulating in South Africa.

An updated analysis of the study indicated 100% protection against severe Covid-19 due to the B.1.351 variant.

"An efficacy of 50% is sufficient to meet the World Health Organization criteria for regulatory approval of the vaccine," says Madhi.

The Novavax Covid-19 vaccine, known as NVX-CoV2373, is made by Novavax, Inc., a US-based biotechnology company developing next-generation vaccines for serious infectious diseases.

Gregory M. Glenn, M.D., President of Research and Development, Novavax, says: "This data publication reinforces the encouraging safety profile and cross-protective effect across variants seen in studies of our vaccine to-date."

ABOUT THE STUDY

The Phase 2b randomised, observer-blinded, placebo-controlled trial conducted in South Africa evaluated efficacy, safety and immunogenicity in healthy adults, and in a small cohort of medically stable adults living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

The study met its primary endpoint - i.e., the Novavax vaccine demonstrated an overall efficacy of 49% in the initial analysis (published in NEJM), and 49% in the subsequent complete analysis (unpublished).

Among healthy adults without HIV, the Novavax vaccine demonstrated efficacy of 60% in the initial analysis, and 55% in the subsequent complete analysis.

In the initial analysis, cases were predominantly mild-to-moderate and due to the B.1.351 variant that dominates in South Africa, and increasingly in southern Africa.

In the subsequent complete analysis, circulation of the B.1.351 variant continued to dominate, and all five cases of severe disease observed in the trial occurred in the placebo group.

The initial analysis, now being published in NEJM, suggested that prior infection with the original Covid-19 strain did not protect against subsequent infection by the variant predominantly circulating in South Africa through 60 days of follow-up.

However, with additional follow-up, the complete analysis of the South Africa trial indicates that there may be a modest protective effect of prior exposure with the original Covid-19 strain.

Among placebo recipients, at 90 days of follow-up, the illness rate was 8.0% in baseline seronegative participants and 5.9% in baseline seropositive participants.

"The data make a compelling case for use of the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine in settings where the B.1.351 variant dominates - which is most of southern Africa - to reduce the risk of mild disease and also to maximise the opportunity for protection against severe Covid," says Madhi. "Further work is required for Novavax and all other Covid-19 vaccines, particularly in people living with HIV."

The Novavax Covid-19 vaccine trial is one of two Covid-19 vaccine trials in South Africa led by Madhi and Wits VIDA, with the other being the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine trial.

In addition to directing Wits VIDA, Madhi is Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (Wits), and co-Director of African Leadership in Vaccinology Expertise (ALIVE).

ABOUT THE WITS VACCINES & INFECTIOUS DISEASES ANALYTICS (VIDA) RESEARCH UNIT

Formerly known as the Respiratory and Meningeal Pathogens Research Unit (RMPRU) and founded in 1995, the Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics (VIDA) Research Unit of the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) is an internationally recognised, African-led research unit in the field of epidemiology of vaccine preventable diseases, and clinical development of life-saving vaccines.

Under the guidance of Professor Shabir Madhi, a global leader in the field of paediatric infectious diseases and the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Wits University, Wits VIDA is conducting translational research on vaccine preventable diseases and training the next generation of clinician scientists.

Combining clinical, microbiological and epidemiological expertise in an African setting, Wits VIDA's cutting-edge scientific research informs local and global policy recommendations on the use of next-generation and novel vaccines today.

In addition to various other studies on Covid-19, Wits VIDA championed and led the first two Covid-19 vaccine trials in Africa in 2020, for the Oxford and Novavax vaccine candidates.

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ABOUT THE NOVAVAX VACCINE KNOWN AS NVX-CoV2373

NVX-CoV2373 is a protein-based vaccine candidate engineered from the genetic sequence of the first strain of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19 disease.

NVX-CoV2373 was created using Novavax' recombinant nanoparticle technology to generate antigen derived from the coronavirus spike (S) protein and is with Novavax' patented saponin-based Matrix-M™ adjuvant to enhance the immune response and stimulate high levels of neutralizing antibodies.

NVX-CoV2373 contains purified protein antigen and can neither replicate, nor can it cause Covid-19. In pre-clinical studies, NVX-CoV2373 induced antibodies that blocked the binding of spike protein to cellular receptors and provided protection from infection and disease.

It was generally well-tolerated and elicited robust antibody response in Phase 1/2 clinical testing.

NVX-CoV2373 is stored and stable at two degrees Celsius to eight degrees Celsius, allowing the use of existing vaccine supply chain channels for its distribution. It is packaged in a ready-to-use liquid formulation in 10-dose vials.

Eating sardines regularly helps prevent type 2 diabetes

Nutrients such as taurine, omega 3, calcium and vitamin D help to protect against the disease

UNIVERSITAT OBERTA DE CATALUNYA (UOC)

Research News

 

The health benefits of sardines and oily fish are widely known: their high levels of unsaturated fats help to regulate cholesterol levels and prevent the onset of cardiovascular diseases. However, the benefits don't end there. A study led by Diana Diaz Rizzolo, lecturer and researcher of the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya's (UOC) Faculty of Health Sciences and the August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), has discovered that the regular consumption of sardines helps to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes. Nutrients found in high quantities in sardines - such as taurine, omega 3, calcium and vitamin D - help to protect against this disease which, according to CIBERDEM's Di@betes study, affects around 14% of the Spanish population over the age of 18.

"Not only are sardines reasonably priced and easy to find, but they are safe and help to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes. This is a huge scientific discovery. It is easy to recommend this food during medical check-ups, and it is widely accepted by the population", explained Diana D. Rizzolo.

Researchers from the Diabetes and Obesity Research Laboratory and the Primary Care Research Group, both from IDIBAPS; the IMIM, the Fatty Acid Research Institute (EUA), the Universitat de Barcelona, CIBERDEM and the Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition of the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona also participated in the research project. The results of the study were published openly in the prestigious Clinical Nutrition journal.

Two cans of sardines a week

The study enrolled 152 patients aged 65 years and older who had been diagnosed with prediabetes (blood glucose levels between 100-124 mg/dl) from three different Primary Care centres. All of these patients were put on a nutritional programme that sought to reduce the risk of them developing the disease, but only the intervention group added 200 grams of sardines to their diet every week (two cans of sardines in olive oil). To facilitate this consumption, and with thanks to the Alicia Foundation, these study participants received a list of recipes including canned sardines. Participants were advised to eat the sardine whole, without removing the bones, as these are particularly rich in calcium and vitamin D.

Of the group that did not include sardines in their diet, 27% of the members were at a high risk of suffering from diabetes (measured via the FINDRISC questionnaire). After one year, 22% found themselves in the same category. Of the group that included sardines in their diet, 37% of the members were at a high risk of suffering from diabetes at the start of the study. After one year, only 8% remained at a very high risk. Improvements were also seen in other important biochemical parameters, such as a reduced insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), increased "good" cholesterol (HDL), increased hormones that accelerate the breakdown of glucose (adiponectin) and decreased triglycerides and blood pressure, amongst others.

The study was carried out on participants aged 65 and above because the incidence of diabetes is much higher in elderly people than in the young population: "As we get older, restrictive diets (in terms of calories or food groups) can help to prevent the onset of diabetes. However, the cost-benefit ratio is not always positive, as we found in other studies", stated doctor Rizzolo. "However, the results lead us to believe that we could obtain an equally significant preventive effect in the younger population."

The protective role of food, but not of supplements

The fact that foods such as sardines - which are rich in taurine, omega 3, calcium and vitamin D - have a clear protective effect against the onset of diabetes does not mean that taking these supplements in isolation will have the same effect. "Nutrients can play an essential role in the prevention and treatment of many different pathologies, but their effect is usually caused by the synergy that exists between them and the food that they are contained in. Sardines will therefore have a protective element because they are rich in the aforementioned nutrients, whereas nutrients taken in isolation in the form of supplements won't work to the same extent", claimed Rizzolo.

Researchers have begun studying the effect of sardines on the intestinal microbiota in a second phase of the study, "since it affects the regulation of many biological process, and we need to understand if they have played a part in this protective effect against diabetes 2", she added. They have also initiated studies on the modulation of the expression of certain genes related to inflammation, which could play a role in the onset of diabetes 2 and various other diseases.

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This research project falls under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 3: ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

Reference papers:

Type 2 diabetes preventive effects with a 12-months sardine-enriched diet in elderly population with prediabetes: An interventional, randomized and controlled trial (2021) D.A.Díaz-Rizzolo, A.Serra, C.Colungo, A.Sala-Vila, A.Sisó-Almirall, R.Gomis doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2021.03.014

Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes through Sardines Consumption: An Integrative Review (2021) Diana A. Díaz-Rizzolo, Anna Miro & Ramon Gomis https://doi.org/10.1080/87559129.2020.1867565

UOC R&I

The UOC's research and innovation (R&I) is helping overcome pressing challenges faced by global societies in the 21st century, by studying interactions between technology and human & social sciences with a specific focus on the network society, e-learning and e-health. Over 500 researchers and 51 research groups work among the University's seven faculties and two research centres: the Internet Interdisciplinary Institute (IN3) and the eHealth Center (eHC).

The United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and open knowledge serve as strategic pillars for the UOC's teaching, research and innovation. More information: research.uoc.edu. #UOC25years

New indicator for oxygen levels in early oceans developed

UNIVERSITY OF COLOGNE

Research News

 

IMAGE: WITH THE RESEARCH VESSEL ELISABETH MANN BORGESE, THE RESEARCH TEAM SET OUT TO COLLECT SEAWATER SAMPLES IN THE BALTIC SEA. THE GEOLOGISTS HOPE TO GAIN INSIGHTS INTO THE OXYGEN CONTENT... view more 

CREDIT: LEIBNIZ INSTITUTE FOR BALTIC SEA RESEARCH WARNEMÜNDE (IOW)

Oxygen is essential for the development of higher life. However, it was hardly present in the oceans of the young Earth. It was not until the evolution of photosynthetic bacteria that the oceans saw a significant increase in oxygen levels. By measuring tungsten isotope composition, an international research team with the participation of scientists from the University of Cologne's Institute of Geology and Mineralogy has now laid the foundation for a more precise determination of the development of oxygen levels in the early oceans over time. Prospectively, they expect more precise insights into the evolution of life. In cooperation with scientists from ETH Zurich, the Universities of Bern and Tübingen, and the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW), geologists led by Dr Florian Kurzweil at the University of Cologne analysed the chemical element tungsten, which could act as an indicator element for oxygen, in today's seawater. The results have been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) under the title 'Redox control on the tungsten isotope composition of seawater'. The research is part of the German Research Foundation's priority programme 'Building a Habitable Earth'.

Tungsten is present only in very small amounts in the oceans, making it difficult to accurately determine its concentration. It is even more difficult to determine the abundance of individual tungsten isotopes in seawater. Isotopes of an element have the same number of protons, but different numbers of neutrons. Hence, there are heavy tungsten isotopes with many neutrons and lighter tungsten isotopes with fewer neutrons. The analytical methods developed at the University of Cologne enable the most precise measurement of relative tungsten isotope abundances currently available worldwide.

In a basin more than 400 metres deep in the Baltic Sea, the research team took various water samples, both in the oxygen-rich surface water and in the oxygen-deficient deep water. Oxide minerals form along the boundary of both water layers, preferentially binding the light tungsten. The tungsten remaining in the seawater thus becomes relatively heavier. Oxygen is required to form oxide minerals, so the oxygen concentration of the oceans ultimately correlates with the tungsten isotope composition of the seawater.

'Increasing oxygen concentrations in the oceans of the early Earth should have led to increased formation of the oxide minerals, and thus to isotopically heavier marine tungsten,' said the head of the research expedition Dr Florian Kurzweil. The scientists now want to show that this development has been preserved in marine sediments. The composition of tungsten isotopes of the oldest sediments on Earth could then trace the development of marine oxygen levels over the course of Earth's history like a genetic fingerprint.

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Researchers find the secret behind maintaining a healthy weight loss

UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN - THE FACULTY OF HEALTH AND MEDICAL SCIENCES

Research News

 

IMAGE: CHANGE IN BODY WEIGHT. view more 

CREDIT: KARINA KJÆRGÅRD KRANKER.

Half of the Danish population have overweight, while 17 percent live with obesity. Worldwide, almost 40 procent have overweight and 13 procent live with obesity.

The condition is associated with increased risk for early death, as well as sequelae such as Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and infertility.

Weight regain after an initial successful weight loss in people with obesity, constitutes an important and unsolved problem. Until now, no well-documented study on which treatment method is best for maintaining a healthy weight loss has been available.

Researchers at University of Copenhagen and Hvidovre Hospital have completed a new, sensational study, which is being published in the world's most quoted medical journal, The New England Journal of Medicine. By testing four different types of treatment following a diet-induced weight loss, the researchers demonstrate for the first time how it is possible for people with obesity to maintain long-term weight loss, says Professor Signe Torekov at the Department of Biomedical Sciences.

In a randomized clinical trial, the group of researchers has demonstrated a highly effective treatment after a diet-induced weight loss, by combining moderate to vigorous-intensive exercise with appetite-inhibiting obesity medication, an analogue to the appetite-inhibiting hormone GLP-1.

"This is new knowledge for doctors, dietitians and physical therapists to use in practice. This is evidence that we have been missing," explains Signe Torekov, who has been heading the study.

"The problem is that people are fighting against strong biological forces when losing weight. The appetite increases simultaneously with decreased energy consumption, and this counteracts weight loss maintenance. We have an appetite-stimulating hormone, which increases dramatically when we lose weight, and simultaneously the level of appetite-suppressing hormones drops dramatically. In addition, a weight loss can provoke loss of muscle mass, while the body reduces the energy consumption. Thus, when the focus in obesity treatment has been on how to obtain a weight loss - rather than how to maintain a weight loss - it is really difficult to do something about your situation," says Signe Torekov.

Highly efficient when combining treatments

215 Danes with obesity and low fitness ratings participated in the study. The participants initially followed a low calorie diet over eight weeks, where they each lost approximately 13 kg, which brought significant improvements to their health with a drop in blood sugar level and blood pressure.

The participants were then randomly divided into four groups. Two of the groups received placebo medication, while the two other groups received obesity medication. Among the two placebo groups, one group followed an exercise program of minimum 150 minutes of physical activity at moderate intensity or 75 minutes at vigorous-intensity during the week or a combination of the two, while the other group maintained their current level of physical activity. The two groups receiving obesity medication were similarly divided into one group with and one group without an exercise program.

All participants in the study were weighed monthly and received nutritional and diet counseling with the focus on healthy weight loss according to the guidelines from the Danish health and food administrations.

After one year, the group with exercise alone and the group with obesity medication alone maintained the weight loss of 13 kg and health improvements. The placebo group gained half of the weight back with deterioration of all risk factors, for example for development of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The most dramatic improvements occurred in the combination group, which followed the exercise program and received obesity medication. The researchers observed additional weight loss in this group, and the total weight loss was approximately 16 kg over one year. The health benefits were also double that of each of the single treatments, i.e., twice the loss of fat mass while preserving muscle mass, higher fitness ratings, reduced blood sugar and improved quality of life.

The two groups that exercised increased their fitness rating, lost fat mass, and gained muscle mass. This could indicate a healthier weight loss than for people, who had only lost fat mass without increasing the fitness rating.

"It is an important aspect to highlight, as you do not necessarily get a healthier body from losing weight if, at the same time, you lose a lot of muscle mass," says Signe Torekov.

"It is great news for public health that a significant weight loss can be maintained with exercise for approximately 115 minute per week performed mostly at vigorous-intensity, such as cycling. And that by combining exercise with obesity medication, the effect is twice as good as each of the individual treatments"."

With the study, the researchers now hope people with obesity, together with their care provider, can create a useful framework for maintaining the weight loss.

CAPTION

Change in body fat mass and lean fat mass.

CREDIT

Karina Kjærgård Kranker.

Fundamental lifestyle change

Signe Torekov points out that many people with obesity have tried to lose weight before, only to regain the weight. This happens, because the general advice is to eat healthier and exercise more.

"Without a follow-up on whether people actually have support to perform exercise, the treatment will not be enough. Therefore, we also followed up with the participants on an ongoing basis to ensure that they received the support they needed in order to exercise. That is necessary, because maintaining weight loss is extremely hard. People need to understand this. Once you have lost weight, you are not "cured". "The ongoing exercise and effort will likely need to continue for many years," says Signe Torekov.

"Our study also demonstrates that without a structured treatment plan, there is a high risk of gaining the weight back. There were 12 individual consultations over the course of a year, including weighing and diet advice from Danish authorities according to guidelines for healthy weight maintenance. This was just not enough for the placebo group without exercise program, in this group all health benefits gained by weight loss during the eight week program were gone after one year, despite frequent weighing and diet and nutritional counseling based on official guidelines". Torekov says.

According to Signe Torekov, this underscores the importance of participating in a mutual weight maintenance program based on feedback when starting a weight loss programme.

"Therefore, it is important that there is a system for supporting people with obesity in maintaining the lifestyle change. Our study can help with this, because we can say this actually works to doctors, dietitians and municipalities, if they create a structured, joint treatment plan with the individual using ongoing follow-ups," says Torekov.

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Youngest children in class more likely to be diagnosed with learning disability

UNIVERSITY OF TURKU

Research News

 

Children born in December are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with a learning disorder as those born in January. ADHD was found not to affect the association between month of birth and the likelihood of a learning disability diagnosis.

The new, register based study included children born in Finland between 1996 and 2002. Of nearly 400,000 children, 3,000 were diagnosed with a specific learning disorder, for example, in reading, writing or math by the age of ten.

"We were familiar with the effects of the relative age to the general school performance, but there were no previous studies on the association between clinically diagnosed specific learning disorders and relative age, which is why we wanted to study it," says Doctoral Candidate, MD Bianca Arrhenius from the Centre for Child Psychiatry at the University of Turku, Finland.

In previous studies, children born later in the year, and therefore younger than their classroom peers, have been found to be at increased risk of psychiatric disorders, low academic achievement, and being bullied.

ADHD does not affect learning disabilities

Many children with learning disabilities are diagnosed with ADHD. The study compared children with both learning disability diagnosis and ADHD separately from children with learning disabilities but without ADHD, and ADHD was found not to affect the association between month of birth and the likelihood of a learning disability diagnosis.

"This finding was surprising. In children referred to specialist care, the problems are typically complex. We did not expect the impact of relative age on "pure" learning disorder to be so significant, given previous research findings on relative age to ADHD," says Dr Arrhenius.

"Diagnosing learning disorders with psychological tests also takes the exact age of the child better into account compared with the methods used in diagnosing ADHD. For this reason, too, we expected more moderate differences between the months of birth. It seems that relatively young children are more easily sent to specialized health care," Arrhenius ponders.

Aiming for equality

Research shows that teachers, health care personnel, and parents need to be aware of the phenomenon of relative age, especially when assessing a child's learning ability.

"There is a risk of both over- and under-diagnosis, meaning that the youngest in the class are proportionately diagnosed so much more that the older students in the class may even be deprived of the diagnosis and rehabilitation they need. A more systematic screening for learning disabilities could be one approach that would even out the effect of relative age on referrals to specialized health care," says Arrhenius.

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One third of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 have lung changes after a year

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON

Research News

 

A new study has shown that most patients discharged from hospital after experiencing severe COVID-19 infection appear to return to full health, although up to a third do still have evidence of effects upon the lungs one year on.

COVID-19 has infected millions of people worldwide. People are most commonly hospitalised for COVID-19 infection when it affects the lungs - termed COVID-19 pneumonia. Whilst significant progress has been made in understanding and treating acute COVID-19 pneumonia, very little is understood about how long it takes for patients to fully recover and whether changes within the lungs persist.

In this new study, published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, researchers from the University of Southampton worked with collaborators in Wuhan, China, to investigate the natural history of recovery from severe COVID-19 pneumonia up to one year after hospitalisation.

83 patients were recruited after they were discharged from hospital following severe COVID-19 pneumonia and were followed up after three, six, nine and twelve months. At each time point they underwent clinical assessment as well as measures of how well the lungs function, a CT scan of their chest to take a picture of the lungs, and a walking test.

Over 12 months in most patients there was an improvement in symptoms, exercise capacity, and COVID-19 related CT changes. By 12 months the majority of patients appeared to have fully recovered although about 5% of patients still reported breathlessness. A third of patients' measures of lung function were still reduced - in particular how efficiently oxygen is transferred in the lungs into the blood - and this was more frequently found in women than in men. In around a quarter of patients CT scans showed there were still small areas of change in the lungs, and this was more common in patients with more severe lung changes at time of hospitalisation.

Dr Mark Jones, Associate Professor in Respiratory Medicine at the University of Southampton and NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre who co-led the study said, "the majority of patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia appeared to fully recover, although for some patients this took many months. Women were more likely to have persistent reductions in lung function tests and further investigation is needed to understand if there is a sex specific difference in how patient's recover. We also don't yet know what happens beyond 12 months and this will need ongoing study."

The researchers acknowledged that this study only involved a small number of patients and the findings will require confirmation in additional studies, however they have identified a number of important implications.

Dr Yihua Wang, Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Southampton and NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre who co-led the study explained, "firstly, our research provides evidence that routine respiratory follow-up of patients hospitalised with COVID-19-pneumonia is required. Secondly, given the length of time it takes for some patients to recover it suggests that research into whether exercise programmes help patients recover more quickly is required. Finally, it highlights the need for treatment strategies to prevent the development of long term COVID-19 related lung changes."

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