StemCell Therapy

The first time the titular God of Thunder appears in 2011s Thor, the Asgardian hero is obscured by a swirling cloud of dust after landing in New Mexico. As a result, he is struck by a van and knocked out cold before even getting the chance to introduce himself. The next time Chris Hemsworths Thor appears, though, its on the day that the prince of Asgard is to be crowned its new king.

As Thor struts his way through Odins throne room, past a crowd of adoring Asgardians, he flips his ancient, mystical hammer in the air as if it were a toy, roaring back at his fans and relishing the spotlight. When a group of Frost Giants are caught stealing from Asgards weapons vault moments later, interrupting Thors coronation, the prince decides to act against his fathers wishes and leads a small team of warriors to the Frost Giants homeworld to essentially start a war. The God of Thunder acts like a petulant child when Odin intervenes and reprimands him for his disobedience, and in turn, Thor is exiled to Earth so that he can learn to become worthy of his mighty hammer and the power that comes with it.

The Thor that will return for an eighth MCU film appearance (excluding cameo-sized roles) later this week in Thor: Love and Thunder has changed tremendously from the one first seen in those introductory Thor scenes. In his first two solo movies, Thor and 2013s The Dark World, Thor shifts from being an arrogant manchild who cares only about glory and succeeding his father to the Asgardian throne to, well, still being an arrogant manchildbut at least one who becomes capable of subordinating his selfish desires to the greater good, and understanding that he is better suited to be Asgards protector than its king. But while the character was still figuring out what sort of god he wanted to be, Marvel Studios was trying to decide what to do with the Thor franchise after two lackluster films.

In Thor, Marvel chose Kenneth Branagh to set the tone for the franchise and its star, bringing in the noted Shakespearean filmmaker and actor to lend his dramatic touch to the ancient world of Asgard and its royal family. (In an interview with The Washington Post in 2011, Branagh even likened Thor to the reckless Prince Hal and Loki to his Hotspur in Henry IV, and he saw similar themes and conflicts in Thor as Hamlet and Henry V.) For The Dark World, the studio turned to future Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins, but she left the project over concerns about the script and was replaced by Game of Thrones director Alan Taylor. Even then, the movie that Taylor made was not at all the one he had envisioned or wanted to see himself. In the first two Thor films, the franchise felt aimless, and the growth of its lead character was stifled. The movies were often too dramatic and self-serious for their own good, caught in a strange tonal midpoint between The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars; Thors story had heavy fantasy and sci-fi elements, unfolding on various planets in modern times. The fact that characters would speak as if they were written by the Bard didnt help, either.

And then, for the third installment, Thor: Ragnarok, Marvel called on Taika Waititi to direct.

[Thor] is the franchise that has the least amount of identity, Waititi told The Hollywood Reporter ahead of the release of Ragnarok in 2017. It sort of doesnt know what it is yet. So I came in saying, Well it could be THIS. I ignored the source material and even the first two films and tried to do my own thing.

Even before Ragnarok hit theaters to near-universal acclaim and an improved performance at the box office compared to its predecessors, fans could see Hemsworths Thor in a new light and witnessed the impending tonal shift for the franchise in a pair of mockumentary-style short films directed by Waititi and released in 2016 and 2017. The two-part Team Thor series reveals what the God of Thunder was up to while he was sidelined in 2016s Captain America: Civil Warnamely, how he moved to Australia and roomed with some guy named Darryl. But above all, the shorts were a showcase for the heros underutilized secret weapon: his humor.

Comedy is key to the success of Ragnarok, and Marvel selected Waititi, whose previous credits included What We Do in the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople, to lead the charge in creating this tonal shift. [Marvel Studios] wanted it to be a departure from what they had done before, Waititi told THR in the same 2017 interview. And Chris had wanted to do something that felt less familiar. The secret weapon to all of this was letting Chris be more himself, because he is very funny and that part of Thor was not exploited in the right ways. I know he wanted to do more in the other movies, but there are just so many characters. And the other ones, like Iron Man, have already been established a bit stronger.

Speaking to ET Canada ahead of the release of Ragnarok, Hemsworth expressed similar sentiments about a need for change when asked about his past MCU appearances: They were all a lot of fun, but I just became a little sick of what I was doing, Hemsworth explained. It became too familiar, I felt like Id built these walls on what the characters expectations were and what he could and couldnt do. So in [Ragnarok], we just sort of broke the mold, and anything that was familiar, we just threw it out the window and tried something different.

In Thor and The Dark World, much of the movies comedic relief was entrusted to supporting players like Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings), while Thors chances to be funny were rather few and far between. But Waititi keyed in on those sparing moments from the character, such as when Thor smashed a coffee cup with glee in Thor, or when he casually hung his hammer on a coat rack in The Dark World, both of which were improvised by Hemsworth, according to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige. In Ragnarok, Funny Thor is unleashed in full force, while characters that never really worked in previous movies, like the Warriors Three, die quick deaths to make room for the likes of Korg, the rock warrior voiced by Waititi, and the Grandmaster, an absurd villain embodied by Jeff Goldblum, whos basically playing himself.

Few moments in Ragnarok serve as a better representation of the difference between the former Thor films and the characters new comedic direction than the early scene that sees Thor returning to Asgard to discover that Loki has disguised himself as Odin. After making a fool of Surtur, the fire demon, Thor arrives in Asgard to find a theatrical production in progress that depicts the death of Loki. With Matt Damon, Luke Hemsworth, and Sam Neill playing Asgardian actors, the in-world performance is melodramatic and wildly over the top. It also happens to be a spoof of Lokis actual (faked) death from The Dark World, which was unironically just as melodramatic. Ragnarok even goes as far as using some of the same lines.

The reimagination of Thor in Ragnarok brought new life to the franchise, and to the character as well, as Thors new comedic side followed him into Infinity War and Endgame as he left his hyperdramatic image further behind. (Fortunately, the misguided Fat Thor phase that transpired between Waititis films comes to an end early in Love and Thunder.) Its also a big reason, with Love and Thunder, Thor will become the first MCU franchise to earn a fourth installment.

Even with Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) gone, Hemsworths Thor remains, and the latest entry in the Thor saga looks to recreate everything that worked in Ragnarok while reinventing itself in new ways. There are flying goats and new gods, and Natalie Portman returns as Jane Foster after sitting out Ragnarokand this time, she plays a role that allows her to be much more than Thors love interest. In Love and Thunder, Foster is set to pick up Odinsons broken, famed hammer and become the Mighty Thor herself.

On Friday, Thors journey continues, and the evolutions of both the character and the franchise are ongoing. Those bleached eyebrows may be long gone, but if Love and Thunder can build off of the success of Ragnarok, and if Hemsworth gets his wish to remain in the role, Thor might just stick around for whatever apocalyptic crossover event awaits the MCU in the years to come.

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The Evolution of Thor, Marvels Mainstay - The Ringer

Exercise is an important part of addiction recovery. When you are trying to overcome an addiction, it is crucial to make healthy choices for your body. This includes getting regular exercise. Exercise has a number of benefits for people in recovery, including improving mental health, reducing stress levels, and helping to prevent relapse. In this blog post, we will discuss the benefits of exercise during addiction recovery and provide tips on how to get started!

Exercise is a vital part of addiction recovery for numerous reasons. First, exercise can improve your mental health. When you are trying to overcome an addiction, it is common to experience anxiety and depression. Exercise has been shown to help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Exercise helps produce natural endorphins.

These endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce pain signals and can promote a positive mental state. It is critical to focus on your mental health throughout recovery, and exercise is one way that can help you to do so.

Stress can also be exacerbated through all stages of recovery. In early recovery, it is important to keep stress low because it can trigger positive memories of using or even a desire to relapse. Exercise can help prevent relapse by improving self-esteem and providing a sense of accomplishment. Exercise can also reduce stress as it promotes physical health, which in turn helps to regulate the bodys stress response and reduce stress response during times of rest.

Individuals in recovery can benefit greatly from this stress response regulation, as well as the minimization of stress response during times when a stress response is not needed. Exercise has been shown to be an effective way of managing stress for all individuals, especially those in recovery.

In addition to reducing stress, exercise can also help improve your sleep. It is common for people with addictions to have difficulty sleeping. Lack of sleep can cause irritability, fatigue, and even increase cravings for drugs or alcohol. Exercise can help to improve the quality of your sleep by promoting deeper and more restful sleep. One reason why you may be getting less sleep in early recovery is that many substances disrupt sleep patterns. Exercise can help promote better sleep by helping to regulate the bodys natural sleep cycle.

Exercise also has physical benefits that can help in addiction recovery. For example, exercise can help improve your overall health and increase your energy levels. When you are trying to recover from an addiction, it is important to have enough energy to participate in treatment and other activities. Regular exercise can help improve your overall health.

Koldunov/Shutterstock

So how do you get started with exercise? If you are in early recovery, it is essential to start slow. Try taking a brisk walk around the block or going for a light jog. As you get stronger, you can increase the intensity of your workouts. It is also critical to find an activity that you enjoy so that you are more likely to stick with it. For some people, this may be running, while others may prefer playing tennis or biking. The most essential thing is to find something that works for you and that you can commit to doing on a regular basis.

Another way to get started with exercise is to find a social group or class that meets regularly to work out. This can be a great way to meet new people and stay motivated. There are often free or low-cost options available through your local community center or recreation department.

The internet is also a great resource to find free or low-cost options for social exercise groups. There are many sites such as Facebook or Twitter where you can join a group that meets near you to take part in a range of exercise options such as jogging or yoga.

If you are looking for more structure and support, there are many excellent exercise programs available specifically for people in addiction recovery. These programs can provide much-needed accountability and motivation, as well as a sense of community. If you are interested in finding a rehab program in your area, there are sources online created to help you do just that. Specifically, comprehensive directories of addiction treatment programs across the country, including many that offer exercise classes or other fitness activities.

One of the most important benefits of exercise during addiction recovery is that it helps you to take control of your life again. Exercise is just one tool that can be used to support addiction recovery. If you are struggling with an addiction, please reach out for help. There are many resources available to you, and there is no shame in seeking treatment. Addiction is a disease, and it is one that can be effectively treated with the right level of care.

Please remember, if you are struggling with addiction, help is available. Please do not hesitate to reach out for assistance.

Sources:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25397661/

Who is the author?

Joe Gilmore has been working in the addiction industry for nearly half a decade and currently works for Renaissance Recovery, an evidence-based treatment center in Southern California.

Link:
The Benefits of Exercise During Addiction Recovery - Longevity LIVE

Memory foam is one of the most popular mattress materials, at least partly for its durability but mostly for its instant body-hug comfort. It suits pretty much all sleeping positions and body types, which is why you'll see so many all-foam mattresses in our best mattress guide.

But how long does a memory foam mattress last? And what affects their longevity? Firstly, it depends on what theyre made of - theres a big difference in quality and durability between cheaper models and the best memory foam mattresses. Here we look at how long you can expect yours to last, and how to extend that lifespan so that you get more value for your money.

Memory foam (also known as viscoelastic polyurethane foam) is a type of polyurethane foam. Developed by NASA in the 1960s for use in space aircraft seats, this synthetic foam has since been rolled out for use in a variety of consumer products from mattresses to slippers.

The name memory foam was coined because the foam has the ability to temporarily hold the shape of something pressing into the foam. So, if you lie on a memory foam mattress and stand up again, youll see the shape of your body for a short while as the foam holds the memory of your body.

Because memory foam adapts itself more to the body as heat and pressure continue, these mattresses are famous for contouring and hugging the body for excellent pressure relief.

In the case of memory foam, polyurethane is treated with certain chemicals to increase its density and viscosity, causing the material to react with your body heat and slowly adapt to your shape.

Interesting fact: memory foam isnt a single material but a name for a wide group of similar foams. Depending on the brand, you'll come across memory foam with a number of different response times (how quickly or slowly they contour to you then later regain their shape), in various firmness ratings, and infused or cut in different ways to promote airflow.

A memory foam mattress lasts six to ten years on average before loosing its shape and ability to contour to your body, but some can last 15 years or longer. Many factors affect longevity and dictate whether your mattress ends up on the shorter or longer end of that lifespan.

Good quality beds naturally last longer than cheaper models because they use more durable foams. The upside to this is enhanced sleep comfort for you, as you'll feel cooler and better supported.

In general, memory foam mattresses are among the most durable bed types and can last longer than hybrids as they're constructed from fewer components (such as coils) that are prone to deteriorating faster.

There are other ways to gauge how long a memory foam mattress will last, and they include the following:

Density When used in relation to memory foam, density is measured in pounds per cubic feet (PCF). Low PCF foams degrade faster than high PCF foams (the most long-lasting), so the more high-density foams used in your mattress, the longer it will last. These cost more, as high-density memory foam is expensive to make.

Indentation Load Deflection (ILD)This scientific-sounding term refers to the foam's firmness, and it's usually tested by a heavy duty machine that compresses a sample of the foam to 25% of its original thickness (height).

A high ILD is usually found on firmer foams, whereas softer foams have a low ILD. Thicker layers of foam will also have a higher ILD as more pressure will be needed to compress them, so they'll withstand more wear and tear in years to come.

Warranty The length of warranty offered is a good indicator of how long you can expect your memory foam mattress to last - or at least how long you can expect some level of coverage for. Most warranties run for ten years, but there are lifetime warranties on all-foam mattresses from the likes of Saatva, Nectar, DreamCloud and Avocado.

You'll still need to air and rotate your mattress regularly, and always keep it covered with a good quality mattress protector to reduce sweat, body oils and spills seeping into the mattress as these can cause the foam to deteriorate faster. If you bounce or jump on your memory foam mattress, it will also sag and dip quicker.

The bed frame you place it on can also cause premature sagging if you have a slatted base where the slats are too widely spaced apart - the foam will spill through, causing early sagging and physical discomfort to your spine because you won't be properly supported and aligned. Getting a supportive base is one way to fix a sagging mattress.

Mattresses naturally decay over the years regardless of their materials, and yellow stains on a mattress is a tell-tale sign of mattress old age.

Clean it at least twice a year

All mattresses should be regularly cleaned, with removable covers being washed frequently and the mattress vacuumed to remove dust and debris. Learning how to clean a mattress properly will help your memory foam mattress to last longer, as it will be subjected to less sweat, oils, bacteria and other nasties that can infiltrate.

To boost your bed's longevity, aim to clean your foam mattress at least twice a year. If you spill food or drink on it (or vomit or urine gets on there), tackle that immediately with spot-cleaning to reduce deep-staining and damage to the material.

Give it a proper foundation to rest on

Make sure that your memory foam mattress is placed on a good quality, solid base. Check your mattress manufacturers guidelines, as some mattresses can only be used on specific bases. But in general, solid bases or slatted bases are fine. Make sure the slats aren't spaced too far otherwise your memory foam bed won't be properly supported and the material could get damaged.

Its vital to follow the manufacturers guidelines here as not using a supportive base not only damages a mattress, but it could also void your warranty. Improper support will cause sagging, indentations and loss of shape.

Rotate it every three months

Memory foam naturally softens over time, so it should be rotated regularly to spread out wear and tear. How often should you rotate a mattress? Every three months. Check that your mattress can be rotated though, as those with zoned support can't be. A few mattresses can also be flipped, but this is unusual with mattresses in a box, which are generally designed with a specific top and bottom.

Use a bed topper

These clever accessories absorb some of the natural wear and tear that happens to memory foam mattresses, helping them to last longer. They can also be used to add firmness or softness to an all-foam bed that's not quite to your comfort liking. For our expert recommendations, check out our guide to this year's best mattress toppers for all budgets.

There are certain telltale signs that mean your memory foam mattress needs replacing. While the average foam bed will last six years or longer, cheaper models or those that aren't properly cared for will show signs of replacement sooner. On the flipside, a well-cared for bed will take longer to display signs of wear.

But if three or more of the following resonates with you, its time to consider replacing your memory foam mattress:

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This is how long a memory foam mattress lasts and when to replace yours - TechRadar

Navigating your spouses addiction with a family is incredibly challenging. While seeking treatment and rehabilitation is an excellent step forward, the process is a marathon rather than a sprint. Spouses guiding their partners through substance abuse recovery run the gauntlet as they try to balance family life, navigate their own emotional health, and offer support.

Keeping your family healthy mentally and physically should be the number one priority during this trying time. Here are some key considerations in pursuit of this goal.

Photo by August de Richelieu

Even at young ages, children are extremely intuitive and pick up on more than you may realize. That is why practicing open, age-appropriate communication with your children is essential while your partner navigates their recovery. Alcohol abuse and drug addiction impacts our family in many ways, and keeping lines of communication open about these impacts is going to help reduce resentment and feelings of being lied to.

Parents often try to shield their children from negative subjects. Its important to adjust the phrasing and language to help your child understand, but negative conversations must happen.

Create a safe space for your child to ask you questions and share their concerns without judgment. Validate their feelings and offer reassurance throughout the journey ahead. Remind them that substance abuse is a complex disease and that nothing that happens is ever their fault.

Protecting your childrens mental health while enduring the emotional processing of a substance abuse spouse is tough. However, its paramount that whatever youre feeling, while valid, should be filtered for your children. Regardless of what happens, your children will still feel unconditional love for their other parents.

Avoid using derogatory terms, casting blame, or putting down the other parent when speaking to your children. Find a safe space to vent your frustrations when away from them, reaching out to an online support group or trusted friend.

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

Recovery is a family journey. Many families of people facing addiction endure traumatic events, high levels of stress, and challenges in developing healthy coping skills. Children raised in families with addiction are more likely to become substance abusers themselves. Putting support systems in place now can positively shape their path forward.

Reach out to a licensed mental health professional or take advantage of local support programs and groups. Talk to your doctor or local mental health initiatives for additional resources.

One of the best things you can do to support the health and wellness of your family is to refuse to engage in enabling behavior. Many spouses unknowingly enable their partners addiction. While these actions typically stem from love or protection of the family unit, they can make things worse.

Some examples of enabling behavior include:

If youve engaged in enabling behavior, allow yourself some grace. Their choices are not your fault; you did what you thought was best at the time. Now that you know better, you can do better.

Its important to consider this aspect of the recovery process because the risk of relapse is always there, especially during the early days. When facing this situation, you must know what to do and what not to do.

Financial strain is another huge stressor put on families of those with addictions. This issue stems from the purchasing of substances to job insecurity related to substance abuse. Unfortunately, theres no easy way to limit your spouse from accessing your shared assets.

Opening a separate account and putting away money is necessary to protect your familys health and wellness. You should use this emergency fund for you and your children to provide food and shelter as needed. This could mean paying the mortgage when your partner is unable to work or finding a place to stay the night if a potentially damaging situation arises.

Carving out time for joyful experiences for you and your children will create happy memories during a difficult time. Put together a list of experiences and activities you and your children can do together to escape the stress of daily life.

If possible, incorporate movement into your joyful activities. Run around and play tag, have a dance party in your kitchen, or go on a scavenger hunt on a local hiking trail. These moments are excellent for being present and fostering a loving connection.

Substance abuse often stems from trauma or as a coping mechanism for chronic stress. Stress also has long-term health effects that impact longevity and quality of life.

Work with your children to develop healthy stress management skills, using professional guidance as needed. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques like progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) and positive visualization can help. You can also find short meditations to help your children unwind and let go of negative emotions.

Stress management also requires the prioritization of physical health. Prioritize eating nutritious food, moving the body, and getting quality rest.

As a parent, youll always feel the need to put your children first during this challenging situation. Meanwhile, you may be putting your strong emotions on the back burner to support yourself. Its essential to remember to practice self-care as well. Remember: you cant pour from an empty cup.

Find time to unplug and put yourself above others. This likely sounds easier said than done. If possible, reach out for support from others. Ask a trusted friend to watch your kids for an afternoon or evening while you take care of yourself.

Try to find micro-moments throughout the day. Maybe you cant invest in a day alone just now. However, you can sit out in the sun with your eyes closed for five minutes. You can treat yourself to a baked good or luxurious coffee drink from the local caf now and then. You can lose yourself in a book or podcast while waiting in line. Get creative and carve out these moments for yourself.

Finally, know when to draw a line in the sand with your spouse. Make the expectation clear with your partner as they navigate their recovery. Youre agreeing to be a supportive spouse, not put your children or yourself at risk. Set clear boundaries and stick to them.

This journey is difficult for everyone involved. Prioritizing the health and wellness of yourself and your children will help you navigate this difficult time and live a long, healthy life.

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Keeping Your Family Healthy During Addiction Treatment - Longevity LIVE

For mostof us,stressis just apart of life. It can last for a few hours like the time leading up to a final exam or for years like when youre taking care of an ailing loved one.

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Stress is sometimesa motivator that helpsyou rise to the occasion. At other times, its simply overwhelming. Whatever the case, if its chronic, it can takea toll on your immune system.

Clinical immunologistLeonard Calabrese, DO, offers insights on how stress impacts your immunity and what you can do to minimize the effect.

Eliminating or modifying these factors in ones life is vital to protect and augment the immune response, he says. Its necessary to buffer the inevitability of the aging process.

Stress occurs when life events surpass your abilities to cope. It causes your body to produce greater levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

In short spurts, cortisolcan boost your immunity by limitinginflammation. But over time, your body can get used to having too much cortisol in your blood. And this opensthe door for more inflammation, Dr. Calabrese says.

In addition, stress decreases the bodys lymphocytes the white blood cells that help fight off infection. The lower your lymphocyte level, the more at risk you are for viruses, including the common cold and cold sores.

High stress levels also can causedepressionand anxiety, again leading to higher levels of inflammation.In the long-term, sustained, high levels of inflammation point to an overworked, over-tired immune system that cant properly protect you.

If you dont control high stress levels, chronic inflammation can accompany it and can contribute to the development and progression of many diseases of the immune system such as:

Under sustained, long-term stress, you also can develop cardiovascular problems, including a fast heart rate andheart disease, as well as gastric ulcers. Youll also be at greater risk fortype 2 diabetes, various cancers and mental decline.

Stress reduction strategies not only give your mind a break, but they can also relieve the pressure on your immune system. You can take steps to reduce short-term and long-term stress, Dr. Calabrese says. Two tactics are most effective:

Stress in acute situations, however, can be healthful and protective, so its not all bad for us. Remember: its chronic stress that we seek to control.

Original post:
What Happens When Your Immune System Gets Stressed Out? - Cleveland Clinic

Clinicians have long observed an association between excessive alcohol consumption and adverse immune-related health effects such as susceptibility to pneumonia. In recent decades, this association has been expanded to a greater likelihood of acute respiratory stress syndromes (ARDS), sepsis, alcoholic liver disease (ALD), and certain cancers; a higher incidence of postoperative complications; and slower and less complete recovery from infection and physical trauma, including poor wound healing.

This issue of Alcohol Research: Current Reviews (ARCR) summarizes the evidence that alcohol disrupts immune pathways in complex and seemingly paradoxical ways. These disruptions can impair the bodys ability to defend against infection, contribute to organ damage associated with alcohol consumption, and impede recovery from tissue injury. It is our hope that a greater understanding of the specific mechanisms through which alcohol exerts its effects on the immune system may lead to development of interventions to prevent, or at least mitigate, the negative health consequences of alcohol misuse.

Contributors to this issue of ARCR lay the groundwork for understanding the multilayered interactions between alcohol and immune function by presenting an overview of the immune system (see the article by Spiering) and by reviewing current research on the effects of alcohol on innate immunity (see the article by Nagy) and on adaptive immunity (see the article by Pasala and colleagues). As reviewed by Szabo and Saha, alcohols combined effects on both innate and adaptive immunity significantly weaken host defenses, predisposing chronic drinkers to a wide range of health problems, including infections and systemic inflammation. Alcohols widespread effects on immune function also are underscored in the article by Gauthier, which examines how in utero alcohol exposure interferes with the developing immune system in the fetus. This exposure increases a newborns risk of infection and disease; additional evidence suggests that alcohols deleterious effects on immune development last into adulthood.

The gastrointestinal (GI) system is typically the first point of contact for alcohol as it passes through the body and is where alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream. One of the most significant immediate effects of alcohol is that it affects the structure and integrity of the GI tract. For example, alcohol alters the numbers and relative abundances of microbes in the gut microbiome (see the article by Engen and colleagues), an extensive community of microorganisms in the intestine that aid in normal gut function. These organisms affect the maturation and function of the immune system. Alcohol disrupts communication between these organisms and the intestinal immune system. Alcohol consumption also damages epithelial cells, T cells, and neutrophils in the GI system, disrupting gut barrier function and facilitating leakage of microbes into the circulation (see the article by Hammer and colleagues).

These disruptions to the composition of the gut microbiota and to gut barrier function have important implications beyond the intestinal system. For example, Nagy discusses how the leakage of bacterial products from the gut activate the innate immune system in the liver, triggering inflammation that underlies ALD, a condition that affects more than 2 million Americans and which eventually may lead to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Infection with viral hepatitis accelerates the progression of ALD, and end-stage liver disease from viral hepatitis, together with ALD, is the main reason for liver transplantations in the United States. The article by Dolganiuc in this issue explores the synergistic effects of alcohol and hepatitis viruses on the progression of liver disease as well as alcohol consumptions injurious effect on liver antiviral immunity. Mandrekar and Ju contribute an article that homes in on the role of macrophages in ALD development, including recent insights into the origin, heterogeneity, and plasticity of macrophages in liver disease and the signaling mediators involved in their activation and accumulation.

In addition to pneumonia, alcohol consumption has been linked to pulmonary diseases, including tuberculosis, respiratory syncytial virus, and ARDS. Alcohol disrupts ciliary function in the upper airways, impairs the function of immune cells (i.e., alveolar macrophages and neutrophils), and weakens the barrier function of the epithelia in the lower airways (see the article by Simet and Sisson). Often, the alcohol-provoked lung damage goes undetected until a second insult, such as a respiratory infection, leads to more severe lung diseases than those seen in nondrinkers.

In a clinical case study reviewed in this issue, Trevejo-Nunez and colleagues report on systemic and organ-specific immune pathologies often seen in chronic drinkers. In such patients, alcohol impairs mucosal immunity in the gut and lower respiratory system. This impairment can lead to sepsis and pneumonia and also increases the incidence and extent of postoperative complications, including delay in wound closure. HIV/AIDS is a disease in which mucosal immunity already is under attack. Bagby and colleagues review substantial evidence that alcohol further disrupts the immune system, significantly increasing the likelihood of HIV transmission and progression.

Alcoholimmune interactions also may affect the development and progression of certain cancers. Meadows and Zhang discuss specific mechanisms through which alcohol interferes with the bodys immune defense against cancer. They note, too, that a fully functioning immune system is vital to the success of conventional chemotherapy. The clinical management of all of these conditions may be more challenging in individuals who misuse alcohol because of coexisting immune impairment.

Alcohol consumption does not have to be chronic to have negative health consequences. In fact, research shows that acute binge drinking also affects the immune system. There is evidence in a number of physiological systems that binge alcohol intake complicates recovery from physical trauma (see the article by Hammer and colleagues). Molina and colleagues review research showing that alcohol impairs recovery from three types of physical traumaburn, hemorrhagic shock, and traumatic brain injuryby affecting immune homeostasis. Their article also highlights how the combined effect of alcohol and injury causes greater disruption to immune function than either challenge alone.

Not only does the immune system mediate alcohol-related injury and illness, but a growing body of literature also indicates that immune signaling in the brain may contribute to alcohol use disorder. The article by Crews, Sarkar, and colleagues presents evidence that alcohol results in neuroimmune activation. This may increase alcohol consumption and risky decisionmaking and decrease behavioral flexibility, thereby promoting and sustaining high levels of drinking. They also offer evidence that alcohol-induced neuroimmune activation plays a significant role in neural degeneration and that the neuroendocrine system is involved in controlling alcohols effects on peripheral immunity.

Much progress has been made in elucidating the relationship between alcohol consumption and immune function and how this interaction affects human health. Continued advances in this field face several challenges, however. The regulation of immune function is exceedingly complex. Normal immune function hinges on bidirectional communication of immune cells with nonimmune cells at the local level, as well as crosstalk between the brain and the periphery. These different layers of interaction make validation of the mechanisms by which alcohol affects immune function challenging. Significant differences between the immune system of the mousethe primary model organism used in immune studiesand that of humans also complicate the translation of experimental results from these animals to humans. Moreover, the wide-ranging roles of the immune system present significant challenges for designing interventions that target immune pathways without producing undesirable side effects.

By illuminating the key events and mechanisms of alcohol-induced immune activation or suppression, research is yielding deeper insights into alcohols highly variable and sometimes paradoxical influences on immune function. The insights summarized in this issue of ARCR present researchers and clinicians with opportunities to devise new interventions or refine existing ones to target the immune system and better manage alcohol-related diseases.

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Alcohol and the Immune System - PMC - PubMed Central (PMC)

News Release

Tuesday, July 5, 2022

Findings could give insight into long-term neurological symptoms of COVID-19.

A study from the National Institutes of Health describes the immune response triggered by COVID-19 infection that damages the brains blood vessels and may lead to short- and long-term neurological symptoms. In a study published in Brain, researchers from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) examined brain changes in nine people who died suddenly after contracting the virus.

The scientists found evidence that antibodiesproteins produced by the immune system in response to viruses and other invadersare involved in an attack on the cells lining the brains blood vessels, leading to inflammation and damage. Consistent with an earlier study from the group, SARS-CoV-2 was not detected in the patients brains, suggesting the virus was not infecting the brain directly.

Understanding how SARS-CoV-2 can trigger brain damage may help inform development of therapies for COVID-19 patients who have lingering neurological symptoms.

Patients often develop neurological complications with COVID-19, but the underlying pathophysiological process is not well understood, said Avindra Nath, M.D., clinical director at NINDS and the senior author of the study. We had previously shown blood vessel damage and inflammation in patients brains at autopsy, but we didnt understand the cause of the damage. I think in this paper weve gained important insight into the cascade of events.

Dr. Nath and his team found that antibodies produced in response to COVID-19 may mistakenly target cells crucial to the blood-brain barrier. Tightly packed endothelial cells help form the blood-brain barrier, which keeps harmful substances from reaching the brain while allowing necessary substances to pass through. Damage to endothelial cells in blood vessels in the brain can lead to leakage of proteins from the blood. This causes bleeds and clots in some COVID-19 patients and can increase the risk of stroke.

For the first time, researchers observed deposits of immune complexesmolecules formed when antibodies bind antigens (foreign substances)on the surface of endothelial cells in the brains of COVID-19 patients. Such immune complexes can damage tissue by triggering inflammation.

The study builds on their previous research, which found evidence of brain damage caused by thinning and leaky blood vessels. They suspected that the damage may have been due to the bodys natural inflammatory response to the virus.

To further explore this immune response, Dr. Nath and his team examined brain tissue from a subset of patients in the previous study. The nine individuals, age 24 to 73, were chosen because they showed signs of blood vessel damage in the brain based on structural brain scans. The samples were compared to those from 10 controls. The team looked at neuroinflammation and immune responses using immunohistochemistry, a technique that uses antibodies to identify specific marker proteins in the tissues.

As in their earlier study, researchers found signs of leaky blood vessels, based on the presence of blood proteins that normally do not cross the blood brain barrier. This suggests that the tight junctions between the endothelial cells in the blood brain barrier are damaged.

Dr. Nath and his colleagues found evidence that damage to endothelial cells was likely due to an immune responsediscovering deposits of immune complexes on the surface of the cells.

These observations suggest an antibody-mediated attack that activates endothelial cells. When endothelial cells are activated, they express proteins called adhesion molecules that cause platelets to stick together. High levels of adhesion molecules were found in endothelial cells in the samples of brain tissue.

Activation of the endothelial cells brings platelets that stick to the blood vessel walls, causing clots to form and leakage to occur. At the same time the tight junctions between the endothelial cells get disrupted causing them to leak, Dr. Nath explained. Once leakage occurs, immune cells such as macrophages may come to repair the damage, setting up inflammation. This, in turn, causes damage to neurons.

Researchers found that in areas with damage to the endothelial cells, more than 300 genes showed decreased expression, while six genes were increased. These genes were associated with oxidative stress, DNA damage, and metabolic dysregulation. This may provide clues to the molecular basis of neurological symptoms related to COVID-19 and offer potential therapeutic targets.

Together, these findings give insight into the immune response damaging the brain after COVID-19 infection. But it remains unclear what antigen the immune response is targeting, as the virus itself was not detected in the brain. It is possible that antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein could bind to the ACE2 receptor used by the virus to enter cells. More research is needed to explore this hypothesis.

The study may also have implications for understanding and treating long-term neurological symptoms after COVID-19, which include headache, fatigue, loss of taste and smell, sleep problems, and brain fog. Had the patients in the study survived, the researchers believe they would likely have developed Long COVID.

It is quite possible that this same immune response persists in Long COVID patients resulting in neuronal injury, said Dr. Nath. There could be a small indolent immune response that is continuing, which means that immune-modulating therapies might help these patients. So these findings have very important therapeutic implications.

The results suggest that treatments designed to prevent the development of the immune complexes observed in the study could be potential therapies for post-COVID neurological symptoms.

This study was supported bythe NINDS Division of Intramural Research (NS003130) and K23NS109284, Roy J. Carver Foundation, and the Iowa Neuroscience Institute.

NINDSis the nations leading funder of research on the brain and nervous system.The mission ofNINDSis to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH):NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

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Small NIH study reveals how immune response triggered by COVID-19 may damage the brain - National Institutes of Health (.gov)

Investigators at Cedars-Sinai have proposed a theory for howSARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, infects the body. Their hypothesis,published inFrontiers in Immunology, could explain why some people still have symptoms long after the initial infection.

Weve put together different pieces of datato create a bigger picture that may explain what causes some peoples immune systems to go haywire, leading to post-acute syndromes, includingmultisystem inflammatory syndrome in children(MIS-C)and long COVID in children and adults, saidMoshe Arditi, MD,executive vice chair of the Department of Pediatrics for Research,part of Cedars-Sinai Guerin Childrens,and senior author of the paper.

MIS-C is a rare but dangerous condition in children that may occur weeks after infection with SARS-CoV-2.Long COVID-19often referred to as long COVIDis a termused to describe a constellation of health problems that some people experience as a result of their infection withSARS-CoV-2. Symptoms can last months or even years.

SARS-CoV-2 is thought to latch on to cells via spikes that exist on the surface of the virus. These spike proteins are comprised of molecular motifs,stretches of amino acids that make a protein. These tiny molecular motifs may have what the scientists call superantigen characteristics, meaning that the immune system can overreact to their presence.

The spike protein, according to the authors, may also have neurotoxic motifs that can cross the blood-brain barrier and damage brain cells. This hypothesis could explain the brain fog and other neurological symptoms associated with COVID-19 and long COVID.

The hypothesis is based on several published studies on COVID-19 and other diseases caused by viruses. One such study by Arditi and his longtime collaboratorIvet Bahar, PhD,was publishedin theProceedings of the National Academy of Sciencesin 2020. Bahar and Arditi created a computer model showing how molecular motifs onthe spike protein interact with immune cells. The superantigen molecular motifs cause the immune cells to release an abundance ofinfection-fighting proteins known as cytokinesthat fight the virus but alsomay mistakenly attack the bodys organs. In children, this may manifest as MIS-C.

Other studies have reported that people with long COVID may carry fragments of the virus in their gut or other parts of their bodies months after initial infection. Continuous exposure to motifs that lodge themselves in different parts of the body and have superantigen-like properties may cause autoimmune symptoms in people with long COVID and MIS-C, according to the authors.

We need to conduct more research to prove if this is indeed the mechanism that causes long COVID so that we can develop treatments to block it,saidMagali Noval Rivas, PhD,an investigator at Cedars-Sinai and first author of the paper.

Arditi,theGUESS?/Fashion Industries Guild Chair in Community Child Healthat Cedars-Sinai who leads theInfectious and Immunologic Diseases Research Center,and colleagues are currently conducting a study in which they are analyzing cerebral spinal fluid samples from people with long COVID symptoms for evidence of neurotoxic motifs.

Rebecca A. Porritt, PhD, assistant professor in the departments of Pediatrics and Biomedical Sciences at Cedars-Sinai, also contributed to this work.

Funding: The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health (award numbersR01AI072726, R01AI072726-10S, GM103712, R01GM139297, R01HL139766 and R01HL159297) the American Heart Association (Career Development Award AHA 20CDA35260258), and the Cedars-Sinai Precision Health Award.

Frontiers in Immunology

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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Hyperactivation of the immune system may cause post-COVID syndromes - EurekAlert

We all know that stress is bad for us, but now researchers have revealed that stress actually accelerates the rate at which our immune system ages. In other words, stress causes premature aging of the immune system.

Stress can be influenced by many factors, including the death of a family member, a relationship breakdown or financial concerns. Research is now suggesting that stress can increase a persons risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and illness from infections such as COVID-19.

These ground-breaking findings may explain why there are such disparities in age-related health and why some seemingly healthy individuals fared much worse than others during the height of the pandemic.

It is important for another reason too it could also identify possible interventions to prevent avoidable illnesses.

The research was published June in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Lead study author Eric Klopack, a postdoctoral scholar in the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, commented: As the worlds population of older adults increases, understanding disparities in age-related health is essential. Age-related changes in the immune system play a critical role in declining health. This study helps clarify mechanisms involved in accelerated immune aging.

As we age, the immune system begins the process of downgrading. The condition is called immunosenescence. As an older persons immune profile weakens, it includes too many worn-out white blood cells circulating and too few fresh, naive white blood cells ready to take on new invaders.

This process isassociated not only with cancer, but with cardiovascular disease, increased risk of pneumonia, reduced efficacy of vaccines and organ system aging.

USC researchers decided to investigate this very question and see what they could find.

The authors were looking for a connection between lifetime exposure to stress and declining vigour in the immune system.

Bycross-referencing enormous data sets from University of Michigans Health and Retirement Study, a national longitudinal study of the economic, health, marital, family status, and public and private support systems of older Americans, they managed to come to a conclusion.

Researchers analysed responses from a national sample of 5,744 adults over the age of 50 to calculate exposure to various forms of social stress. They assessed respondents experiences with social stress, stressful life events, chronic stress, everyday discrimination and lifetime discrimination to determine their results.

Blood samples from the participants were then analysed through flow cytometry, a lab technique that counts and classifies blood cells as they pass one-by-one in a narrow stream in front of a laser.

As expected, those who achieved a higher stress score also had older-seeming immune profiles, with lower percentages of fresh disease fighters and higher percentages of worn-out white blood cells.

The association between stressful life events and fewer ready to respond, or naive, T cells remained strong even after controlling for education, smoking, drinking, BMI and race or ethnicity.

Undoubtedly some stress is natural, and also impossible to control, but there may be a way of mitigating it, researchers claim.

T-cells, a critical component of immunity, mature in a gland called the thymus, which sits just in front of and above the heart.

As people age, the tissue in their thymus shrinks and is replaced by fatty tissue, resulting in reduced production of immune cells. Past research suggests that this process is accelerated by lifestyle factors like poor diet and low exercise, which are both associated with social stress.

In this study, after statistically controlling for poor diet and low exercise, the connection between stress and accelerated immune aging wasnt as strong, said Klopack. What this means is people who experience more stress tend to have poorer diet and exercise habits, partly explaining why they have more accelerated immune aging.

Additionally, statistically controlling cytomegalovirus (CMV) positivity may also reduce the connection between stress and accelerated immune aging. Widespread CMV vaccination could be a relatively simple and potentially powerful intervention to the immune aging effects of stress.

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While there is no magic bullet for stress, there are a lot of things you can do to prevent it. Obviously, the goal isnt to get rid of stress completely (thats impossible) but to find ways to minimize and manage it.

Your immune system is the first to suffer when youre stressed about work, family, finance, or current life events. Its also the first to fight viruses unless stress hits. Its ability to fight off infection gets weakened by psychological stress, especially if its chronic. In this post, well explore the effects of stress, highlighting the important line between stress and diet and how nutrition can help us better deal with it.

There are a lot of causes of stress. We might feel stressed because of one situation or one big vent in our life. Or it might be an amalgam of lots of smaller things. More often than not,we may experience stress if we:

No matter the cause, its essential to remember that stress is a natural feeling of not being able to cope with particular events and demands. But if you dont take steps to manage it, stress can become a chronic condition. And because our bodys stress response system shouldnt constantly be in fight or flight mode, the impact of this on well-being and health can be detrimental.

Our immune system is often the most affected by stress. Whenever we feel under pressure, the immune systems ability reduces to fight off stress. That makes us more susceptible to infections or, in most cases, more likely to adopt unhealthy behavioral coping strategies, such as smoking or drinking, just to fight off stress.

Luckily there are many healthier ways you can fight off stress, and you probably already know how to start with the basics: sleep, self-care, management, and sport. But did you know there are some foods that reduce stress levels, too?

Dietitians explain how certain nutrients can help lower your levels of cortisol the hormone responsible for stress. What you eat, therefore, may help stabilize blood sugar or, better yet, your emotional response.

Stress and digestion are two distinct things that often go hand in hand. Stress can affect your appetite (youre either too hungry or not at all) and cause digestive problems likeirritable bowel syndrome.

A growing body of research shows that our brain and gut communicate via body chemicals, which is why stress can exacerbate gastrointestinal symptoms. AUCLA study found that consuming probiotics in yogurt can reduce brain activity in areas that manage emotions, including stress.

While more research is required to confirm the results knowing that yogurt is full of protein and calcium in addition to probiotics, you really cant go wrong by adding it to your daily meals.

Stress causes our anxiety hormones to spikes, such as cortisol and adrenaline. You may counteract the negative effects of these hormones by simply adding more salmon to your diet. One study found that people who consumed omega-3 fatty acids in fish or supplements had a 20% reduction in anxiety.

For example, a 3-ounce slice of cooked wild salmon can have up to 2,000 milligrams of omega-3s, double the dosage recommended by nutritionists for people with heart disease.

Its tempting to choose tacos instead of greens when fed up with work. But going green can help you face and fend off day-to-day challenges much easier.

Leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, cabbage, and microgreens contain folate, which produces the pleasure-inducing chemical known as dopamine. One study found that those who often included green leafy vegetables in their meals had a lower risk of depression symptoms than those who took in the least amount of folate.

Another study found that college students tended to be happier, more energetic, and calmer on days when they consumed more veggies and fruits.

Whats more, adding to your diet certain supplements may help keep your immune system strong when faced with life uncertainties that play havoc with your health both in the short and long term.

The levels of magnesium in the blood can work wonders for our immune systems ability to fight off stress and tackle pathogens. A growing body of research suggests magnesium could play an important role in regulating the bodys response to stress.

Chronic mental or physical stress depletes our body of magnesium, and reduced magnesium levels intensify stress creating a vicious cycle. Magnesium can help regulate our bodys stress-response system, and studies point out that increasing magnesium intake may ease stress, reduce anxiety, and minimize the response to fear.

This mushroom species began gaining attention over the last few decades due to its health benefits. Some early lab studies on Chaga mushrooms found that they can strengthen our immune system and fight cancer, among others.

Chaga contains naturally occurring beta-glucan, a carbohydrate that can improve your immune system. Early research in mice found thatChaga extract may also regulate cytokine production, strengthening the immune systems means of communication by simulating blood cells.

Umpaporn/Shutterstock

B vitamins, such as B1, B2, B3, B6, and B12, can help maintain a healthy nervous system. Thats partly where anxiety relief comes in, which is why you need a strong nervous system to combat the symptoms of stress.

Research shows that theres alink between vitamin B and stress levels. For example, one study found that including a B complex in our diet (a supplement containing a combination of B vitamins) can significantly reduce self-perceived stress.

Although we cant avoid stress entirely, there are a lot of things we can do, like paying more attention to what we eat, exercising, and meditating.

More often than not, the best approach to stress is a combination of different proven stress-relieving strategies.

Mashum Mollah

Mashum Mollah is an entrepreneur, founder, and CEO at BloggerOutreach.io, a blogger outreach agency that drives visibility, engagement, and proven results. He blogs at Blogstellar.

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Fight off Stress With Immune-Boosting Nutrients the right way - Longevity LIVE

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A study revealed that the toxic chemical was 29 to 81 times higher than the prescribed limit.

"Nonylphenol is a toxic chemical and a well-known endocrine disruptor associated with a number of adverse effects on human health. Daily intake of Nonylphenol through drinking water can have adverse health impacts on citizens," said Piyush Mohapatra, Senior Programme Coordinator, Toxics Link.

It is common to use nonylphenol in the production of nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs). A variety of consumer products, such as detergents, wetting agents and dispersants, contain NPEs as surfactants.

Upon entering the environment, NPEs break down into nonylphenols, which can enter the soil, water, and other environmental matrices.

"Countries like the US, European Union, Japan and China have already acknowledged the dangers of this chemical and have come up with regulations to phase out its use in many of the products, including detergents, for minimising the risks at the downstream level," Omkar Gaonkar, the programme coordinator of the research, said.

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Toxic chemical that can disrupt reproductive and immune system found in drinking water across country: Report - Times Now

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease where the primary risk factor is age. Its caused by the deterioration of cartilage, a type of tissue that cushions your joints. This results in pain, stiffness, and loss of mobility.

Research into the effect of COVID-19 on osteoarthritis symptoms is still ongoing. However, COVID-19 seems to worsen symptoms of osteoarthritis in some people. This may be due to the increase in system-wide inflammation while your body responds to the virus.

Read on to learn about what we know so far about how COVID-19 and life during the pandemic may impact people with osteoarthritis.

Currently, there is not a large body of evidence suggesting that COVID-19 triggers the onset of osteoarthritis. Research into the potential impact of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, on cartilage degeneration or synovial inflammation in joints is still in its early stages.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus causes an inflammatory response in the body. Low grade inflammation of the synovial membrane, which lines your joints (synovitis), has been found to trigger the onset of osteoarthritis.

Data indicates that low grade inflammation can also generate a large number of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which may contribute to cartilage destruction. This could ultimately cause or worsen osteoarthritis. However, a definitive connection between COVID-19, inflammation, and osteoarthritis has not been established in research.

Theres a number of other factors that can worsen osteoarthritis symptoms that arent directly related to SARS-CoV-2 effects on your body. This includes impact due to lifestyle changes during the pandemic, as people have spent more time in quarantine, temporarily lost access to spaces to exercise, and gone out less.

A 2021 review of multiple studies found that people with physical disabilities and chronic conditions became more sedentary during the pandemic. Participation in physical activities that support joint health often lessened due to gym closures and reduced social activity.

Exercises that support muscle strengthening and flexibility have been shown to improve OA symptoms. The inability to enjoy physical pursuits and sports might also lead to weight gain, which can contribute to osteoarthritis severity.

The pandemic has also caused a worsening of mental health conditions and symptoms. Depression and anxiety can increase stress levels and contribute to you forgoing hobbies and activities that can be good for overall well-being and joint health.

Common osteoarthritis symptoms include joint and muscle pain. These are also commonly reported symptoms of COVID-19. Not everyone will experience muscle and joint pain during a case of COVID-19, and those who do often have symptoms temporarily.

COVID-19 has been tentatively linked to worsening osteoarthritis symptoms. It has not been proven to trigger the onset of osteoarthritis. For many people, the muscle and joint pain you experience during your illness is not due to osteoarthritis.

However, 2022 research explains that studies on musculoskeletal pain in people with COVID-19 indicate that these symptoms can persist for 6 months or longer after the initial infection. Some affected people experienced widespread joint and muscle pain throughout the body. Others had pain in specific joints, including the knee, foot, ankle, and shoulder. These areas of the body are also affected by osteoarthritis.

Its hard to know how COVID-19 will continue to impact our daily lives moving forward. Taking care of your overall health is essential, even if this viral infection limits your access to regular hobbies, exercise, or social spaces.

Consider incorporating some of these tips for staying active and engaged during the pandemic:

You and your doctor can continually assess your treatment regimen based on your symptoms. Your doctor may recommend that you see a physical or occupational therapist, particularly if you are unable to exercise at home.

Treatments for OA include:

Having osteoarthritis should not stop you from getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

Vaccinations and booster shots are your best way of reducing your risk for serious or fatal disease. Vaccination may not be advisable for some people who are immunocompromised or who have drug allergies. Reach out to your doctor for vaccine counseling.

Other strategies that reduce your risk of getting or spreading COVID-19 include social distancing and wearing a face mask. Make sure to wear a high quality mask, such as a KN95 or KF94.

In general, avoid crowded areas, prioritizing outdoor gatherings or events with a vaccination or mask requirement. Avoid contact with people who have COVID-19 and follow quarantine measures from your doctor if you contract the virus.

Have rapid home tests on hand for if and when you need them and seek out COVID-19 testing after a possible exposure. COVID-19 Test-to-Treat centers are now an option and may also potentially provide access to anti-viral medications, like Paxlovid, at no cost.

Regular testing, even if you dont have any symptoms, may catch a case of COVID-19 early, helping you take proper quarantine measures. Some cases of the viral infection are asymptomatic, so you may transmit the virus without ever feeling sick.

Both osteoarthritis and COVID-19 can cause muscle and joint pain. Many people who manage these symptoms during a case of COVID-19 will only have to do so temporarily, although some have to manage them for several months.

For people with existing osteoarthritis, COVID-19 may worsen symptoms by increasing systemic inflammation. However, no concrete connection has been made between COVID-19 and osteoarthritis onset or symptom impact, so these findings are tentative, and research is ongoing.

The wide-ranging lifestyle impact of the pandemic has reduced peoples activity levels and increased rates of depression, anxiety, and stress. These factors can also worsen OA symptoms and other chronic conditions.

OA and COVID-19 are both treatable, together and separately.

However, the best way to help ensure you do not contract SARS-CoV-2 and develop COVID-19, and experience its potential impact on your joints is to practice scientifically proven measures for preventing viral transmission. This includes masking, social distancing, and getting vaccinated if eligible.

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COVID-19 and Osteoarthritis: Potential Connection and Outlook - Healthline

In Functional Medicine, the gut, or gastrointestinal (GI) tract, is often considered the gateway to health. Most of us limit considerations of gut function to eating and nutrition, but as we explore connections with the rest of our body, there is so much more. Important aspects of gut health include barrier function, nutrition, immune balance, the microbiome, and even mental status.

Consider this. The GI tract is like a hollow tube going through our body with an opening on either end. As such, this hollow space (gut lumen) is actually outside our body making it the largest interface with the external environment. Flattening the numerous folds of the gut results in a surface area equal to the size of half a badminton court-about 20x20 feet! The integrity of the gut lining is critical for providing a protective barrier while allowing nourishmentkeeping the bad out and allowing the good in. This is astounding intelligence at work.

The immune system is an integral collaborator with our GI tract. Incredibly, it is estimated that the gut-associated immune system accounts for 70-75% of our entire immune system. It provides an additional vital layer of protection from external environmental threats. At the same time, the interplay between the gut and the immune system influences immune function. Exposures in the gut teach the immune system to tolerate things that are not threatening and to react to things that are potentially harmful. When a healthy gut is working well, the immune system learns for example, that a peanut should be safe and an infectious organism is not.

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We cant talk about gut health without talking about the gut microbiome, the micro-organisms in our GI tract also known as our gut flora. Consisting primarily of bacteria (but also fungi and viruses) our gut microbiome is comprised of approximately a trillion cells (similar to the number of cells making up our body) and contains 100 times more genes than the human genome. The composition of our microbiome (favorable vs. unfavorable organisms) greatly influences the health of our gut and in turn our overall health and vitality. This ecosystem is easily thrown off by such things as dietary choices, toxin exposures and medications we may need to take (think antibiotics).

One of the most fascinating connections to health and well-being is the so called gut-brain axis. This is a bidirectional path of communication between the gut and the brain and is very much influenced by our gut microbiome. Information between brain and gut occurs through nerves (especially the vagus nerve), hormones, metabolic channels and the immune system. These modes of communication allow the brain to influence intestinal activities and the gut to influence mood, cognition, and mental health. Ever experience nausea or sudden diarrhea when stressed? How about making a decision from your gut? This is the gut-brain axis in action.

Gut health can be compromised for many reasons and we dont necessarily experience this as GI symptoms; problems can manifest in skin, brain, joints and more. Thus, when working with my patients, we usually start by assessing gut health often with the aid of specialized testing looking at the microbiome, digestive function, inflammatory markers and more. Many tools are available for healing and optimizing gut health. This effort alone can have a profound impact on ones quality of life.

In upcoming articles, we will take a deeper dive into GI health and associated maladies. In the meantime, consider these first steps with dietgo plant centered with more fiber rich veggies while minimizing processed foods and refined sugars.

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What is Your Gut Telling You? - Shepherd Express

Stanford Medicine researchers have developed a new technique that allowed three children to receive kidney transplants without needing to take immunosuppressant drugs for the rest of their lives.

Its a development that could change the lives of countless people in need of new organs.

The Holy Grail of transplantation is immune tolerance This is ground-breaking, Amit Tevar, surgical director of the Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, who wasnt involved in the study, told NBC News.

Immunosuppressants leave a transplant recipient at greater risk from infection.

The challenge: For most people, their immune system is a powerful weapon against illness by detecting and attacking foreign invaders in the body, it can stop everything from common colds to potentially deadly infections.

But for people who need organ transplants, the immune system is an obstacle to a healthy life if they dont take immunosuppressant drugs, it will identify their new organ as foreign and attack it, too.

These drugs typically have to be taken for the rest of a transplant recipients life, and while they do help prevent organ rejection, they can have nasty side effects and leave a person at greater risk from infection.

The Stanford team gave each child a new kidney and a new immune system from the same donor.

A two-parter: The three children who received kidney transplants at Stanford have a rare disease called Schimke immuno-osseous dysplasia (SIOD), which affects both their kidney function and their immune systems.

Successfully treating them without immunosuppressants required the Stanford team to perform what it calls a dual immune/solid organ transplant (DISOT) essentially, they gave each child a new kidney and a new immune system from the same donor.

The donated stem cells were processed using a technique designed to prevent a potentially fatal complication.

First, the kids underwent a grueling regimen of chemotherapy, radiation, and immune-suppressing medications to destroy their own immune systems.

Then they received a stem cell transplant from one of their parents. That gave them a functional immune system something they previously lacked due to their disease.

Before transplantation, the donated stem cells were processed using a technique developed by lead author Alice Bertaina to prevent graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). That is a potentially fatal complication in which the new immune cells attack the recipients body.

The children were then given 5 to 10 months to recover from the stem cell transplants before they underwent kidney transplants, with each donated organ coming from the same parent who donated the stem cells.

They are doing everything They are having completely normal lives.

The results: One child experienced a mild case of GVHD that was cleared up with medication. Two received immunosuppressants for just 30 days after the kidney transplants. The third stopped taking them even sooner due to short-term side effects.

Its now been around 2-3 years since the kidney transplants, and all three children are living without any signs of immune disease or organ rejection. They have fully functioning kidneys with no immunosuppressants required.

They are doing everything: They go to school, they go on vacation, they are doing sports, Bertaina said. They are having completely normal lives.

Looking ahead: The Stanford team isnt the first to try transplanting a donors immune system along with a new organ, but in past attempts, patients still ended up needing to use immunosuppressants or were at high risk of developing GVHD.

Bertainas stem cell processing technique appears to be the key to a successful two-transplant combination, and in May 2022, the FDA approved DISOT to treat patients with a variety of conditions related to kidney disease, including SIOD, cystinosis, and systemic lupus.

Thats a challenge, but its not impossible.

The Stanford team now plans to trial the protocol in other patients, including children whose bodies have already rejected kidney transplants. They also plan to investigate its use for other types of transplants, including ones where the organs come from deceased donors.

Thats a challenge, but its not impossible, Bertaina said. Well need three to five years of research to get that working well.

Wed love to hear from you! If you have a comment about this article or if you have a tip for a future Freethink story, please email us at tips@freethink.com.

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How three kids got kidney transplants without immunosuppressants - Freethink

One of the best ways to combat COVID-19 is by understanding how your immune system responds to the virus.

That said, our body's immune system is divided into two separate systems namely, the innate and adaptive (or acquired) immune systems.

Innate immune system is the first line of defense against viruses, which includes barriers like the skin and layers in our throat or gut, chemicals in our blood, and different immune cells.

On the other hand, the adaptive or acquired immune system helps with the production of antibodies and white blood cells to both attack and remember the virus, also known as B cells, which also helps fight off the virus, if it attacks a second time. This type of immune response is slower and may take days or weeks to generate.

There is also something called the T cells, which are also part of your adaptive immune system. Some of these stimulate B cells to make antibodies, while some others eliminate the cells that have been infected by the virus.

With that brief account of how the immune system functions under a virus attack, we can also determine why some people get more sick than others. Those with asymptomatic or mild infections, both innate and adaptive immune responses seem to work as planned and normally, however, in people who develop a more severe form of infection, experts believe it is due to a weakened immune system.

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Coronavirus explainer: Can drinking green tea help with COVID symptoms? - Times of India

The first month of life is the most critical time for a childs survival after birth since they are sensitive to diseases as newborns. Therefore, immunization is highly crucial for the survival of newborns. In addition, timely immunizations limit illness transmission and protect newborns and toddlers from potentially fatal illnesses.

Sustainable Development Goals prioritize reducing the child mortality0020rate to at least as low as 2.5% in all countries by 2030. Furthermore, to build appropriate immunity and decrease susceptibility to disease in newborns, vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) require an early receipt of the recommended number of doses of a given vaccine.

An extensive immunization program, adequate nutrition, hygiene, and quality baby care products can increase newborn survival and health. In addition, timely care, immunization, and necessary nutritional support eliminate unnecessary stillbirths by increasing access to high-quality antenatal care, skilled birth care, and postnatal care for mothers and newborns.

Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, approximately 23 million children were denied crucial immunizations in 2020, increasing by roughly 4 million over 2019. Conflict, underinvestment in national immunization programmes, vaccine stock-outs, and disease outbreaks such as Covid-19 contribute to the disruption of health systems and limit the sustainable supply of vaccination services. In addition, approximately 42% (9.6 million) of unvaccinated and under-vaccinated babies live in fragile or humanitarian environments, including conflict-affected nations. These are the most vulnerable children to illness outbreaks.

It recommended that all parents follow (CDC) the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions recommended immunization schedule for their children, protecting them from 14 potentially deadly diseases before their second birthday. In addition, doctors must diagnose any life-threatening symptoms in time at the hospitals or at home. Furthermore, the newborns should immediately get referred to the appropriate provider for further diagnosis and care.

In 2022, Indias infant mortality rate will be 26 deaths per 1000 live births, a 3.74 percent decrease from 2021. Pneumonia, diarrhoea, birth abnormalities, and malaria are the leading causes of death from the end of the newborn period until the first five years of life.

Malnutrition is the underlying condition that makes children more sensitive to severe diseases. However, with the increase in approximately 80 percent of hospital deliveries worldwide, there is an excellent potential for delivering necessary infant care and detecting and mitigating high-risk newborns.

Apart from providing ART (Preventive Antiretroviral Treatment) to mothers and newborns to prevent opportunistic infections, doctors and healthcare workers must conduct HIV testing and care for exposed infants and counseling and assistance for moms regarding infant feeding.

So why should all newborns get timely vaccination?

Timely Vaccination Helps Combat Diseases in Infants

The immunization schedule suggested by the CDC is both safe and effective in safeguarding your infant. It focuses on how your newborns immune system reacts to immunizations at different ages and how probable your infant is to get exposed to a specific disease. It ensures that the child receives vaccination against 14 potentially dangerous diseases at the right moment.

Prevent Chronic Health Complications

Delaying immunizations may expose your baby to disease when they are most vulnerable to dangerous illnesses. Newborn infants are most susceptible to severe disease complications. For example, whooping cough may cause a persistent cough for several weeks and can become fatal for some newborns in the first 12 months. Therefore postponing immunizations will expose your infant to infections such as diphtheria when they are most vulnerable, causing severe health complications.

Administering Complete Course of Doses Helps Curb Diseases

Each recommended vaccination get meticulously designed to protect against a specific disease. A few require multiple doses to create strong enough immunity to safeguard your baby or strengthen immunity that has weakened over time. Others require additional vaccination doses to protect your child if the first dose does not create adequate antibodies.

In some cases, the flu virus evolves, and infants need to complete the full flu vaccine every year. Therefore each vaccines prescribed dose on the schedule is critical.

Spreading Diseases To Other

Infants who dont get vaccinated on time are at risk of becoming ill and transferring infections to other babies and adults with weak immune systems. Timely immunization also helps protect and safeguard the health of the newborns friends, family, and community members.

Strengthening The Immune System For Long-Term Protection

The antibodies the mother passes on to your baby before birth can help protect them from ailments in the first few months of life. Breastfeeding protects against several infections while your babys immune system develops. However, breast milk does not create adequate antibodies to protect newborns against all chronic illnesses. What works best is the immune system must finally combat diseases on its own. Vaccines safeguard infants when maternal antibodies have worn off. Parents could only pass on immunity for diseases to their infants, which they are resistant to, which will only protect your infant for the first few months after birth.

Views expressed above are the author's own.

END OF ARTICLE

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Immunization reduces the death rate in newborns - Times of India

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has publishedfour final guidance documents that are part of a comprehensive policy framework to address how the agency plans to support and expedite the development of regenerative medicine products, including human cells, tissues, and cellular and tissue-based products (HCT/Ps). These guidance documents build upon FDAs risk-based, flexible regulatory framework, and underscore the agencys commitment to help bring new and innovative treatment options to patients.

The first two final guidance documents are:

The final guidance on minimal manipulation and homologous use are intended to provide clarity in the determination of whether HCT/Ps are subject to FDAs premarket review requirements. The final guidance on the same surgical procedure exception is intended to provide clarity as to whether an establishment may qualify for an exception from the requirements under Part 1271 by meeting the exception in 21 CFR 1271.15(b).

The FDA also published twofinal guidances intended to aid in the effort to bring innovative, safe, and effective products to patients as efficiently as possible:

Thefinal guidance on expedited programs describes several programs, such as Fast Track designation and Breakthrough Therapy designation, that are available to sponsors of regenerative medicine therapies, and information about the requirements for, and benefits of, the new RMAT designation program that was created by the 21st Century Cures Act. The final device guidance, which FDA is publishing as required by section 3034 of the 21st Century Cures Act, provides the agencys current thinking about concepts related to the evaluation of devices used in the recovery, isolation and delivery of RMATs.

05/21/2019

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Framework for the Regulation of Regenerative Medicine Products

CHARLOTTE, NC, July 08, 2022 /24-7PressRelease/ An estimated 30 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis or degenerative arthritis is the most common type of arthritis. Its a painful, often debilitating, a condition caused when the cartilage or cushion between our joints breaks down, leaving bone to rub on bone. Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of hospitalization, resulting in over 600,000 joint replacement surgeries annually.

Baby boomers want to stay active, but there is an added factor to developing osteoarthritis from prior injuries. You have an increased risk of developing arthritis from injuries, such as a cartilage tear in the knee, even minor ones, in your 20s or 30s.

Once osteoarthritis sets in, common treatments include over-the-counter pain relievers, prescription medications, physical therapy, or chiropractic adjustmentsnone help improve the joints quality. When the pain gets too great, the last option is joint replacement.

For years, orthopedic surgeons have used regenerative medicine, such as Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP), to help patients recover faster. As the field of regenerative medicine has grown, experienced physicians are emerging.

Dr. James Altizer, MD, is a board-certified medical doctor who has performed thousands of stem cell and PRP procedures since January 2016, making him the most experienced doctor in the Carolinas.

Osteoarthritis and Regenerative Medicine Treatment

Typically, traditional osteoarthritis treatment aims to control the symptoms and cover up the pain until its too late to save the joint. Dr. Altizer treats underlying arthritis by stimulating the bodys natural healing process using regenerative medicine.

Regenerative medicine deals with the process of replacing or regenerating human cells or tissues to restore normal function naturally. This new therapeutic strategy helps prevent osteoarthritis from advancing by stimulating tissue regeneration in the joints and reducing inflammation, which leads to a significant reduction in pain and improved physical activity levels.

At Neogenix, a leading regenerative medicine provider, we treat the patient, not just the pain. Our team provides a personalized treatment plan to improve the lives of those suffering from osteoarthritis using natural regenerative therapies. The first step is where we get to know the patient and give a thorough assessment to determine the root cause of their pain.

We are at a tipping point in medicine when it comes to using our bodies to heal ourselves, says Dr. Altizer. Our patients see a significant reduction in their arthritis pain level and improvement in overall function, which can prolong their active lifestyle for many years.

If you are suffering from arthritis pain and want to put off future joint replacement surgery, schedule a consultation with Dr. Altizer. Find out now if regenerative medicine can help repair tissue damage in your joints.

ABOUT NEOGENIXNeogenix has been a leading regenerative medicine provider in the Carolinas since 2020. Dr. James Altizer, MD, is a board-certified medical doctor who has performed thousands of stem cell and growth factor procedures since January 2016, making him the most experienced doctor in the Carolinas. These powerful, all-natural treatments regenerate and heal damaged tissues to get you back to living the life you deserve. They offer realistic assessments, not false hope or high-pressure sales tactics. Patients experience little to no downtime, and these all-natural, non-surgical treatments carry none of the potentially life-threatening risks of surgery.

Press release service and press release distribution provided by http://www.24-7pressrelease.com

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Regenerative Medicine is an Early Treatment for Osteoarthritis - Digital Journal

Privately-held UK-based company Mogrify and Japanese drugmaker Astellas (TYO: 4503) have signed a collaborative research agreement on in vivo regenerative medicine approaches to address sensorineural hearing loss.

Using Mogrifys proprietary direct cellular reprogramming platform, the collaboration will seek to identify novel combinations of transcription factors involved in cell differentiation to generate new cochlear hair cells.

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Mogrify and Astellas link up on regenerative medicine approaches in sensorineural hearing loss - The Pharma Letter

Dublin, July 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Stem Cell Assays Market by Type (Viability, Proliferation, Differentiation, Apoptosis), Cell Type (Mesenchymal, iPSCs, HSCs, hESCs), Product & Service (Instrument), Application (Regenerative Medicine, Clinical Research), End User - Global Forecast to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The stem cell assay market is projected to reach USD 4.5 Billion by 2027 from USD 1.9 Billion in 2022, at a CAGR of 17.7% during the forecast period.

The growth of the market is projected to be driven by collaborations and agreements among market players for stem cell assay products & services, the launch of new stem cell analysis systems such as flow cytometers, and increase in R&D expenditure by biopharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.The viability/cytotoxicity assays accounted for the largest share of the type segment in the stem cell assays market in 2021Cell viability assays help to determine the number of live and dead cells in a culture medium. The viability/cytotoxicity assays include various types such as tetrazolium reduction assays, resazurin cell viability assays, calcein-AM cell viability assays, and other viability/cytotoxicity assays. The cell viability/cytotoxicity market is likely to be driven by rising R&D spending on stem cell research, an increase in demand for stem cell assays in drug discovery, and development of new stem cell therapies..The adult stem cells segment accounted for the largest share of the cell type segment in the stem cell assays market in 2021.Adult stem cells account for the largest share of the stem cell assay market. The adult stem cells include mesenchymal stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells, umbilical cord stem cells, and neural stem cells. The growth of the adult stems cells segment is driven by the increasing usage of adult stem cells in regenerative medicine and the development of advanced therapies.Asia Pacific: The fastest-growing region in the stem cell assays marketThe Asia Pacific is estimated to be the fastest-growing segment of the market, owing to the rising prevalence of cancer & other diseases, increasing R&D spending on biopharmaceutical projects, and focus on developing stem cell-based therapies. In this region, China and Japan are the largest markets.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Introduction

2 Research Methodology

3 Executive Summary

4 Premium Insights4.1 Stem Cell Assays Market Overview4.2 North America: Stem Cell Assays Market, by Product & Service and Country (2021)4.3 Stem Cell Assays Market Share, by Type, 2022 Vs. 20274.4 Stem Cell Assays Market Share, by Application, 20214.5 Stem Cell Assays Market: Geographic Growth Opportunities

5 Market Overview5.1 Introduction5.2 Market Dynamics5.2.1 Drivers5.2.1.1 Increasing Awareness About Therapeutic Potency of Stem Cells5.2.1.2 Increasing Funding for Stem Cell Research5.2.1.3 Rising Demand for Cell-Based Assays in Drug Discovery5.2.1.4 Collaborations and Agreements Among Market Players for Stem Cell Assay Products & Services5.2.1.5 Rising Incidence of Cancer5.2.2 Restraints5.2.2.1 Issues in Embryonic Stem Cell Research5.2.2.2 High Cost of Stem Cell Analysis Instruments5.2.3 Opportunities5.2.3.1 Emerging Economies5.2.3.2 Government Initiatives to Boost Stem Cell Research5.2.4 Challenges5.2.4.1 Lack of Infrastructure for Stem Cell Research in Emerging Economies5.2.4.2 Dearth of Trained and Skilled Professionals5.3 Ranges/Scenarios5.4 Impact of COVID-19 on Stem Cell Assays Market5.5 Trends/Disruptions Impacting Customers' Business5.6 Pricing Analysis5.6.1 Average Selling Prices of Products Offered by Key Players5.6.2 Average Selling Price Trend5.7 Technology Analysis

6 Stem Cell Assays Market, by Type6.1 Introduction6.2 Viability/Cytotoxicity Assays6.3 Isolation & Purification Assays6.4 Cell Identification Assays6.5 Proliferation Assays6.6 Differentiation Assays6.7 Function Assays6.8 Apoptosis Assays

7 Stem Cell Assays Market, by Cell Type7.1 Introduction7.2 Adult Stem Cells7.3 Human Embryonic Stem Cells

8 Stem Cell Assays Market, by Product & Service8.1 Introduction8.2 Instruments8.3 Kits8.4 Services

9 Stem Cell Assays Market, by Application9.1 Introduction9.2 Regenerative Medicine & Therapy Development9.3 Drug Discovery & Development9.4 Clinical Research

10 Stem Cell Assays Market, by End-User

11 Stem Cell Assays Market, by Region

12 Competitive Landscape

13 Company Profiles

Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/2i79h7

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Global Stem Cell Assays Market Projected to Reach $4.5 Billion by 2027 - GlobeNewswire