Parkinson’s disease, this new virus could be the reason behind it

According to the study conducted by the American Society for Microbiology, bacteriophages play a certain role in the onset of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The researchers, led by George Tetz, showed that the abundance of lytic Lactococcus phages was higher in PD patients when compared to healthy individuals. This abundance led to a 10-fold reduction in neurotransmitter-producing Lactococcus, suggesting the possible role of phages in neurodegeneration. Comparative analysis of the bacterial component also revealed significant decreases in Streptococcus spp. and Lactobacillus spp. in PD. Lactococcus are regulators of gut permeability and…

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This new blood test can predict due date and premature birth

Researchers from Standford University have developed a new blood test for pregnant women that may detect whether their pregnancies will end in premature birth. The technique can also be used to estimate a foetus’s gestational age — or the mother’s due date — as reliably and less expensively than ultrasound. There have been several studies on preterm births in the past, and the reasons for it. A study by the University of Pennsylvania linked such births to changes in the mother’s bacteria. Another study by CHU Sainte-Justine in Canada found that having a baby…

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Stokvel members love island holidays, this travel agency found

Earlier this year, Flight Centre launched a new product aimed at stokvel members.  It found that, apart from local destinations, members were saving up for holidays in Mauritius and Thailand. Earlier this year, the travel agency Flight Centre started a stokvel for travel. More than 80 stokvels have signed up, and so far the most popular destinations (apart from domestic trips) are Thailand and Mauritius. A maximum of 30 people can form part of a stokvel – but they don’t have to travel together. To sign-up, members complete a application form,…

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This Is What It’s Like To Travel As A Gay Asian Man

Romey Louangvilay in Lombok, Indonesia. As a gay Asian man who works in the tourism industry and loves to travel himself, Romey Louangvilay’s goal is to make travel more inclusive for everyone. A finalist in Forbes’ 2016 Top 30 Under 30 in Marketing & Advertising, Louangvilay is head of communications, overseeing public relations, social media and influencer marketing, at a full-service New York City-based marketing agency where his accounts include Tourism Authority of Thailand, Guana Island in the British Virgin Islands and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). In honor…

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This anti-clot drug could reduce stroke risk too

A drug to treat bleeding may benefit some stroke patients as well, according to a study. The research, led by experts at The University of Nottingham, found that giving tranexamic acid (TXA) to people who had experienced intracerebral haemorrhage reduced the number of deaths in the early days following the stroke. It also found that both the amount of bleeding in the brain and number of associated serious complications were lower in the patients who had received the TXA treatment. However, the trial found no difference in the number of…

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This widely used pesticide is messing up your hormones

The most widely used pesticides in the world may disrupt our hormones and adversely affect human health, a study has found. Neonicotinoids frequently make headlines because of their harmful effects on honeybees and other insect pollinators. Neonicotinoids act on insects’ nervous systems, killing them by paralysis. Very little research has been done on their effects on human health. The study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, shows that they may also have an impact on human health by disrupting our hormonal systems. “Endocrine disrupters are natural or synthetic molecules that…

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