Science and Technology Expo，Genes can make you fat and healthy
Obesity is often associated with poor health, but researchers at institutions such as the Medical University of Vienna say the two can be "compatible." The mice that had one of the genes removed, despite eating more and gaining weight,
did not develop symptoms such as high blood sugar and became healthy obese. They looked at 44 obese people, 27 of whom had early signs of insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes. The other 17 had normal indicators.
The analysis showed that the former group had much higher levels of a protein called HO-1. To further confirm the effect of the HO-1 protein on obesity, the researchers removed a gene involved in the synthesis of the protein in some laboratory mice.
They found that although the mice gained weight after eating a high-fat diet, they did not develop high blood sugar and other symptoms associated with obesity. It can be said that these mice are fat but healthy.
On the other hand, increasing the amount of this protein in laboratory mice, even if they ate a normal diet, showed some of the symptoms commonly seen in obese patients.
A gene variant increases the risk of stroke and heart disease
Researchers at King's College London have discovered a gene variant that makes blood clots more likely to form, increasing the risk of strokes and heart attacks. The researchers hope to develop new ways to screen for cardiovascular disease risk.
The research team conducted the largest comprehensive analysis to date of more than 80 studies involving about 50,000 people on genetic variations and cardiovascular disease risk.
They found that a gene variant present in platelets was strongly associated with such risk. Platelets are responsible for clotting and stopping blood, and the mutation, called PIA2, makes them overactive and more likely to form clots that can block blood vessels and trigger strokes or heart attacks.
The researchers estimate that people with this variant have a 10 to 15 percent higher risk of stroke and a corresponding increased risk of heart disease. However, the researchers also pointed out that poor lifestyle habits, such as smoking, alcohol consumption and lack of exercise, are still the most important factors that increase the risk.
Pouring hot water over herbs releases their bactericidal ingredients
Vanilla is often used to beautify the environment, and a new study from Ibaraki University in Japan shows that some herbs also have antiseptic properties. For example, spraying hot water on some herbs in the labiaceae family can cause them to release large amounts of bactericidal ingredients into the air.
The method is expected to be used in many areas, such as reducing the use of pesticides when growing crops in greenhouses. Labiaceae plants generally contain volatile aromatic oils, some of which have bactericidal effects.
The researchers found that if the leaves of the labiaceae family were soaked in water at 50 degrees Celsius for tens of seconds, the leaves would release a large amount of paracymene and terpinene, which have bactericidal effects, respectively,
reaching six and eight times the usual amount. The research team believes that this is because after the plant is stimulated by heat, it mistakenly thinks that the leaves are infected with pathogens,
which stimulates resistance and releases antibacterial substances. Moreover, even if only part of the leaves are thermally stimulated, the whole plant will show this response.
The team found that this phenomenon can be used in a number of ways, for example, when herbs sprayed with hot water are placed with fresh food, the bactericidal ingredients released by the herb leaves can inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria.
World's oldest true dolphin fossil confirmed in Japan
Researchers from Waseda University and Akita University in Japan have reanalyzed a dolphin skull fossil previously unearthed in Hokkaido and confirmed that it is an ancient dolphin fossil with a history of 8.5 million years,
and the oldest true dolphin fossil ever found. The fossil was unearthed in 1961, and in 1977, researchers thought it belonged to the genus Protoporpoise. In the latest study, the researchers conducted a site survey and found that the fossils were unearthed in strata between 13 million and 8.5 million years ago.
The researchers re-analyzed the fossil samples and studied bone morphology in detail from an anatomical perspective. It turns out that it does not belong to the existing classification of dolphin family,
but is one of the oldest true dolphins, dating back about 8.5 million years. A true dolphin fossil dating back 5.3 million years was previously unearthed in Italy. The team believes that the common ancestor of the dolphin family appeared about 11 million to 9 million years ago,
which will help to understand the origin of "close relatives" such as true dolphins and killer whales, and understand the path of dolphins' spread to the world's oceans.
