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Health24.com | WATCH: What are the real benefits of drinking lemon water?
06 September 2019
WATCH: What are the real benefits of drinking lemon water?
It has been said that lemon water is good for you, but what exactly makes lemon water so healthy?
Stringr
When looking for solutions for weight loss, how to get clear skin and other natural remedies, lemon water always seems to appear as a result. What makes lemon water so healthy? Experts might have the answer.
Image credit: iStock
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Stress in pregnancy ‘makes child personality disorder more likely’
A study of more than 3,000 pregnant women followed up their children over 30 years.
Closing in on elusive particles
In the quest to prove that matter can be produced without antimatter, the GERDA experiment at the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory in Italy is looking for signs of neutrinoless double beta decay. The experiment has the greatest sensitivity worldwide for detecting the decay in question. To further improve the chances of success, a follow-up project, LEGEND, uses an even more refined decay experiment.
While the Standard Model of Particle Physics has remained mostly unchanged since its initial conception, experimental observations for neutrinos have forced the neutrino part of the theory to be reconsidered in its entirety.
Neutrino oscillation was the first observation inconsistent with the predictions and proves that neutrinos have non-zero masses, a property that contradicts the Standard Model. In 2015, this discovery was rewarded with the Nobel Prize.
Are neutrinos their own antiparticles?
Additionally, there is the longstanding conjecture that neutrinos are so-called Majorana particles: Unlike all other constituents of matter, neutrinos might be their own antiparticles. This would also help explain why there is so much more matter than antimatter in the Universe.
The GERDA experiment is designed to scrutinize the Majorana hypothesis by searching for the neutrinoless double beta decay of the germanium isotope 76-Ge: Two neutrons inside a 76-Ge nucleus simultaneously transform into two protons with the emission of two electrons. This decay is forbidden in the Standard Model because the two antineutrinos — the balancing antimatter — are missing.
The Technical University of Munich (TUM) has been a key partner of the GERDA project (GERmanium Detector Array) for many years. Prof. Stefan Schönert, who heads the TUM research group, is the speaker of the new LEGEND project.
The GERDA experiment achieves extreme levels of sensitivity
GERDA is the first experiment to reach exceptionally low levels of background noise and has now surpassed the half-life sensitivity for decay of 10^26 years. In other words: GERDA proves that the process has a half-life of at least 10^26 years, or 10,000,000,000,000,000 times the age of the Universe.
Physicists know that neutrinos are at least 100,000 times lighter than electrons, the next heaviest particles. What mass they have exactly, however, is still unknown and another important research topic.
In the standard interpretation, the half-life of the neutrinoless double beta decay is related to a special variant of the neutrino mass called the Majorana mass. Based the new GERDA limit and those from other experiments, this mass must be at least a million times smaller than that of an electron, or in the terms of physicists, less than 0.07 to 0.16 eV/c^2.
Consistent with other experiments
Also other experiments limit the neutrino mass: the Planck mission provides a limit on another variant of the neutrino mass: The sum of the masses of all known neutrino types is less than 0.12 to 0.66 eV/c^2.
The tritium decay experiment KATRIN at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is set-up to measure the neutrino mass with a sensitivity of about 0.2 eV/c^2 in the coming years. These masses are not directly comparable, but they provide a cross check on the paradigm that neutrinos are Majorana particles. So far, no discrepancy has been observed.
From GERDA to LEGEND
During the reported data collection period, GERDA operated detectors with a total mass of 35.6 kg of 76-Ge. Now, a newly formed international collaboration, LEGEND, will increase this mass to 200 kg of 76-Ge until 2021 and further reduce the background noise. The aim is to achieve a sensitivity of 10^27 years within the next five years.
Newfound phalanx fragment shows Denisovans closer to modern humans than Neanderthals
The genomic sequencing of exceptionally well preserved DNA in a phalangeal fragment from Denisova Cave (Siberia) in 2010 revealed it belonged to the member of a previously unknown human population, the Denisovans, who were closely related to the Neanderthals[1].
However, because few Denisovan bones have been found, the morphology of these hominins remains uncertain. Now a team of scientists from the Institut Jacques Monod (CNRS / Université de Paris) has measured and photographed another fragment found in Denisova Cave. Genomic analysis reveals it is the missing piece of the same phalanx whose proximal fragment enabled initial sequencing of the Denisovan genome.
Together with colleagues from the PACEA laboratory (CNRS / University of Bordeaux / French Ministry of Culture) and the University of Toronto (Canada), the scientists compared the new fragment to the phalanges of Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans. Their analysis indicates it is very close to the latter, and less like the former.
Yet this structural similarity does not extend to the molars and mandible found on the Tibetan plateau[2], which feature more archaic characteristics. The researchers are intrigued by the Denisovan morphological mosaic and are seeking new skeletal remains to better characterise this “third” human group.
Their findings are published in Science Advances (4 September 2019).
[1] J. Krause et al., The complete mitochondrial DNA genome of an unknown hominin from southern Siberia. Nature 464, 894-897 (2010). D. Reich et al., Genetic history of an archaic hominin group from Denisova Cave in Siberia. Nature 468, 1053-1060 (2010). M. Meyer et al., A high-coverage genome sequence from an archaic Denisovan individual. Science 338, 222-226 (2012).
[2] D. Reich et al., Genetic history of an archaic hominin group from Denisova Cave in Siberia. Nature 468, 1053-1060 (2010). V. Slon et al., The genome of the offspring of a Neanderthal mother and a Denisovan father. Nature 561, 113-116 (2018). S. Sawyer et al., Nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences from two Denisovan individuals. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 112, 15696-15700 (2015). F. Chen et al., A late Middle Pleistocene Denisovan mandible from the Tibetan Plateau. Nature, (2019).
Gut bacteria may be linked to high blood pressure and depression
A study of bacteria in the gut identified differences between people with high blood pressure compared to those with high blood pressure plus depression, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association’s Hypertension 2019 Scientific Sessions.
“People are ‘meta-organisms’ made up of roughly equal numbers of human cells and bacteria. Gut bacteria ecology interacts with our bodily physiology and brains, which may steer some people towards developing high blood pressure and depression,” said Bruce R. Stevens, Ph.D., lead author of the study and professor of physiology & functional genomics, medicine and psychiatry at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville, Florida. “In the future, health professionals may target your gut in order to prevent, diagnose and selectively treat different forms of high blood pressure.”
Stevens said there’s potential for this research to uncover treatment approaches that could improve outcomes in people with treatment-resistant hypertension. Nearly 20 percent of patients with high blood pressure don’t respond well to treatment, even with multiple medications.
The researchers isolated DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid, the carrier of genetic information) from gut bacteria obtained from the stool samples of 105 volunteers. They used a new technique involving artificial-intelligence software to analyze the bacteria, which revealed four distinct types of bacterial genes and signature molecules. Surprisingly, the investigators discovered unique patterns of bacteria from people with 1) high blood pressure plus depression; 2) high blood pressure without depression; 3) depression with healthy blood pressure; or 4) healthy subjects without depression or high blood pressure.
Stevens said the results suggest different medical mechanisms of high blood pressure that correlate with signature molecules produced by gut bacteria. These molecules are thought to impact the cardiovascular system, metabolism, hormones and the nervous system.
“We believe we have uncovered new forms of high blood pressure: ‘Depressive Hypertension’ (high blood pressure with depression), which may be a completely different disease than ‘Non-Depressive Hypertension’ (high blood pressure without depression), which are each different from ‘Non-Hypertensive Depression,'” Stevens said.
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Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals: Maternity deaths probe
A report is unable to rule out that shortcomings contributed to one of the five deaths.
Amy Allan death: Significant failings in care by Great Ormond Street Hospital
But he was not able to make a “firm conclusion” about the death of Ayrshire teenager Amy Allan.
How to Improve Your Digital Wellness, According to Experts
Today, I’ve spent 2 hours and 51 minutes scrolling through Instagram, Twitter, and other apps—and it’s not even dinnertime. I’m not alone. Comscore’s 2017 U.S. Cross-Platform Future in Focus report revealed that to be the exact amount of time the average American spends staring at his or her phone each day. Even scarier: When you add in other types of devices, that time goes all the way up to an average of 10.5 hours a day, according to the 2018 Quarter 3 Nielsen Total Audience Report. Wow is right.
Of course, you probably didn’t need to know average usage numbers to know that we all rely on technology for pretty much everything—navigating our way to new spots, connecting with loved ones, and even finding answers to questions we never knew we’d ask.
RELATED: The Surprisingly Easy Trick That Can Help You Use Your Phone a Little Bit Less
“Our devices are bringing us capabilities we’ve never had before,” says BJ Fogg, PhD, founder and director of the Stanford Behavior Design Lab and author of Persuasive Technology. “It’s like a superpower.” Plus, many apps, digital games, and social media make us feel successful. “Some of this technology is designed to make you seem like you’re getting better at something or progressing,” Fogg explains.
And with a feel-good one-two punch like that, why would we ever want to put our phones down? Experts say it can have IRL effects on your relationships, your brain, and even your body.
Giving up our devices entirely, though? Yeah, that’s impractical and unrealistic. And that’s where digital wellness—a term that’s been popping up at tech conferences, including Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in 2018—comes in. What sounds like a tech-industry catchphrase is actually pretty simple. “Digital wellness is about limiting the use of technologies that create anxiety, stress, and mood changes,” says John Torous, MD, a psychiatrist and director of the digital psychiatry division at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. “And, instead, focusing on the psychologically beneficial uses of these technologies to connect with the right people and to have meaningful experiences.”
RELATED: This Mindless Habit Is Sending Your Stress Level Through the Roof
The Damage, Explained
The irony of being connected 24/7 is that it’s actually making us less connected—to those who are important to us and to our own minds and bodies. “The connection digital technology provides is more superficial, and it interferes with deeper, more meaningful connections,” explains Jeremy McCarthy, chair of the Global Wellness Institute’s Digital Wellness Initiative. And research supports this. According to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, young adults who spent more time on social media actually felt more socially isolated.
It’s not just the blatant rudeness of texting while someone is talking to you or the casual inattention of scrolling your newsfeeds while watching TV with your partner. Just having your phone in sight can stifle closeness, trust, and empathy, a study in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships found. “It puts this buzz in your head: ‘What am I missing out on?’ ” says Larry Rosen, PhD, a research psychologist and coauthor of The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World. “It starts to make you feel like what you’re doing in person with someone is making you miss out on other important things.” Hello, FOMO.
RELATED: 3 Tricks to Help Your Eyes When You're Staring at Your Phone All the Time
That fear and anxiety of being away from mobile phones even has a name—nomophobia—and some experts are calling for the issue to be added to the bible of psychiatry, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. “With the increased use in social media, there’s also been an increase in generalized anxiety and separation anxiety,” says Rosen.
There are physical effects, too. “We’re moving our bodies less because we’re spending more time on technology and locking ourselves into anatomically unnatural positions where we’re just staring at a screen a few feet from our face,” says McCarthy. That’s led to an uptick in issues like digital eye strain and “tech neck,” or aches in your neck and shoulders from hunching over a phone and computer all day.
RELATED: 7 Scary Things You Never Knew About Cell Phone Addiction
Get Your Usage Under Control
In an interesting twist, the very technology that is causing these problems is now trying to help you adopt a healthier relationship with it. Apple’s iOS 12 update included new digital-wellness features that allow users to monitor how much time they spend on devices, set time limits on app usage, and control the distraction of notifications. Google announced similar new Android features, like “Flip to Shhh,” which switches your phone into Do Not Disturb when you place it facedown, and a “Wind Down” mode that turns your screen to grayscale at your designated bedtime.
“Use these features to gather info and get a sense of your typical behavior,” advises Rosen. See what apps you spend the most time on; then decide if you need or want to be using them so much. Your maps app may be a necessity, but is spending hours a day on social media adding to your life? Once you establish a goal of what you’d like to cut back on, find ways to help yourself achieve it. That might mean using the time-limit features to block distracting apps or going so far as to program your Wi-Fi router to turn off at 8 p.m.
Another idea: Hold yourself accountable—with a human. “It’s like having a gym buddy,” says Dr. Torous. “There’s something very powerful in telling a friend or family member what your goals are.” It creates a social contract, something that is often stronger than your own willpower.
Finally, keep in mind that what works for someone else may not work for you. Like with healthy eating or working out regularly, the only way to create lasting change is to do it on your own terms.
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Bebe Rexha Shows Off ‘Birthday Suit’ In Self-Love Post Of Herself Doing the Splits in a Thong
Bebe Rexha is showing off her, uh, assets to the world in honor of her 30th birthday.
The singer, who turned 30 in late August, shared a cheeky photo of herself before a show, giving her fans a front-row look at her butt—and her impressive flexibility.
“This is what 30 looks like," she wrote in her caption. "My #BirthdaySuit Self love. Body positivity. Unapologetically me. Pre-show stretch and lipstick application. #Not20Anymore."
RELATED: Bebe Rexha Reveals That Designers Will Not Dress Her for the Grammy Awards Because She's a Size 8
RELATED: Demi Lovato Praises Bebe Rexha for Blasting Designers Who Body Shamed Her Over Grammys Dress
But being confident in her body hasn't always come easy to the singer. In May, Rexha was featured on the cover of Health where she opened up about her body image issues throughout her career.
"Ever since I was little, I’ve been thicker," she told Health. "When I first got signed to one of my deals, my managers were like, 'Are you ready to get into boot-camp shape?' I was like, 'Sure! What does that mean?' They told me to lose 20 pounds, and it kind of messed me up." Rexha also said she "went through a point of really not liking myself," and admitted that, while she still has moments like that, she's "started trying to be nice to myself and doing things every day. I walk around the house in just underwear and a bra." Her therapist even told her to walk around her house naked, but Rexha said "I can't do that yet!"
RELATED: Bebe Rexha Reveals That She Has Bipolar Disorder: 'I’m Not Ashamed Anymore'
Rexha also said that while being in the spotlight has impacted her mental health, she's focused on living a balanced, healthy life rather than aiming for a certain body shape.
"I see pop stars who are super thin. I could definitely get there. I’ve done it before, where I was 120-something pounds—and I was just miserable," she said. "I’ve just been enjoying my life. Then I was kind of bummed because I weighed myself. I was like, 'Oh my gosh, dammit, I gained, like, six pounds, and I have my Health shoot!' But then I was like, 'You know what, when will I ever be ready?' That’s just nonsense. I think you have to do what’s best for you."
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