Research in humans and monkeys suggests that lipocalin-2 (LCN2), which is a hormone that plays a role in feeling full after consuming a meal, might be able to help people lose weight.
Previous studies have suggested that when mice receive LCN2 over a period of time, it reduces their appetite and body weight, improves their sugar metabolism, and increases energy expenditure.
A new paper that appears in the journal eLife suggests that the hormone has a similar effect in primates such as monkeys and humans. This may mean that LCN2 could help people with obesity lose weight.
Obesity is an increasingly serious worldwide health concern. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least 2.8 million people die every year as a result of obesity or overweight.
This condition is also associated with other chronic health concerns, such as type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, and depression, among others.
Doctors typically class people as having overweight when they have a body mass index (BMI)of 25 or above, and they tend to class people as having obesity if they have a BMI of 30 or above.
Currently, it is difficult to reduce obesity because of researchers’ limited understanding of the body’s mechanisms that maintain a balance between weight, energy intake, and energy use.
For example, when people who have had obesity for a long time lose weight, their bodies respond by slowing down their metabolism, which can ultimately lead to weight regain.
In general, diet- and exercise-based weight loss programs tend to work in the short term, while known pharmacological therapies raise safety concerns and have a limited effect.
Lead study author Dr. Peristera-Ioanna Petropoulou and colleagues believe that conducting further research into LCN2 may lead to a new way of reducing obesity.
A retrospective, observational study has found that people who received the BCG vaccination — which prevents tuberculosis — were less likely to report symptoms of COVID-19 and less likely to have antibodies against the infection in their blood.
Scientists developed the BCG (bacillus Calmette-Guérin) vaccine more than 100 years ago to protect against the bacterial infection tuberculosis (TB).
In the United States, BCG is approved for people at high risk of developing TB and for treating some forms of bladder cancer.
But research also suggests that BCG vaccination early in life can reduce child mortality by up to 45%, mainly through reduced susceptibility to sepsis (blood poisoning) in babies, respiratory infections, and fever.
In adolescents and older people, there is also some evidence that BCG protects against viral respiratory infections.
Scientists believe the vaccine primes the “innate” immune system, the body’s first line of defense against viruses and other invading organisms. Unlike adaptive immunity, innate immunity rarely targets specific pathogens that the body has encountered in the past.
Researchers at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA, wondered whether BCG might reduce susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
“We were interested in studying the BCG vaccine because it has long been known to have a general protective effect against a range of bacterial and viral diseases other than TB, including neonatal sepsis and respiratory infections,” says co-senior author Dr. Moshe Arditi, director of the Pediatric and Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division at Cedars-Sinai.
COVID-19 symptoms and antibodies
Between May 11 and June 18, 2020, 6,201 healthcare workers gave blood samples and answered questions about their medical history, including whether they had received BCG and vaccines against two other bacterial infections and influenza.
In total, 1,836 said they had received the BCG vaccination, 4,275 said they had not received it, and 90 were unsure.
Those with the vaccination were less likely to report experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 at any time in the past 6 months.
Overall, 3.5% of the entire cohort tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.
Among those who reported receiving the BCG vaccine, 2.7% tested positive, while among those who said they hadn’t received it, 3.8% tested positive.
“It appears that BCG-vaccinated individuals either may have been less sick and therefore produced fewer anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, or they may have mounted a more efficient cellular immune response against the virus,” says Dr. Arditi.
After adjusting for age and sex, BCG vaccination — but none of the other vaccinations — was still associated with a reduced likelihood of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.
In their paper, the researchers write:
“Taken together, these results indicate that a history of BCG vaccination confers a nonspecific protective effect against infection with SARS-CoV-2 and decreases the presence of self-reported COVID-19 symptoms. This appears to be specific to BCG, as [other vaccinations] […] are not associated with similar protection against infection with SARS-CoV-2.”
Encouraging people to eat more dried fruit — without added sugar — could be an effective way to boost their intake of vital nutrients, researchers have concluded.
Low consumption of fruit in the United States and other countries is a major contributor to diet-related disease and disability, according to a recent analysis.
Fruit is a good source of nutrients, such as fiber and potassium, that many people lack in their diet. It also contains bioactive nutrients that provide extra health benefits, including and carotenoids.
Research suggests that eating fruit is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.
However, only about 24% of females and 14% of males in the U.S. eat the recommended daily amount of fruit, according to the US National Cancer Institute.
Several factors might contribute to people’s low intake of fresh fruit, including limited availability, high cost, and perishability.
Recommending that people eat more dried fruit could be one solution.
Healthful Snack
Dried fruit offers several advantages over fresh fruit in terms of cost, availability, and ease of storage and transport. It could also replace more unhealthful snack food that is high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat.
At the same time, however, there are concerns about overconsumption leading to excess calorie intake because dried fruit is such an “energy dense” form of fruit.
Previous observational studies have found that eating dried fruit is associated with health benefits. However, the evidence is inconclusive because people who eat more dried fruit may tend to have a more healthful diet and lifestyle overall.
The new study by researchers at Pennsylvania State University in University Park aimed to get around this difficulty by comparing days when particular participants reported eating dried fruit with days when they ate none.
They found that people tended to consume more key nutrients on the days they ate dried fruit, including dietary fiber and potassium. However, they also consumed more calories.
“Dried fruit can be a great choice for a nutritious snack, but consumers might want to be sure they’re choosing unsweetened versions without added sugar,” says Valerie Sullivan of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, MD, who was a grad student at Pennsylvania State University when she led the study.
“Portion sizes can also be tricky because a serving of dried fruit is smaller than a serving of fresh since the water has been taken out. But the positive is that dried fruit can help people potentially consume more fruit because it’s portable, it’s shelf-stable, and can even be cheaper.”
The cost of air tickets along several routes have doubled due to the high demand for air travel in light of the rising insecurity in the country and the cost of flight operations.
Checks on several airline websites showed that even intending passengers who booked their flights days ahead of departure were also affected.
A check on Friday on the website of Max Air showed that a one-way ticket from Maiduguri to Lagos for Saturday was put at N100,000 while the same flight costs N70,000 for Monday.
A flight from Kano to Abuja on Azman Air on Friday was put at N85,000; the same route for Saturday was put at N61,000.
A flight from Lagos to Abuja via Max Air on Monday was put at N80,000 while the same flight on Aero was fixed at N107,000.
Travelling to Kano State from Lagos on Arik Air on Saturday, cost about N70,618 while the flight would cost N65,564 for the same route on Tuesday.
It was also observed that the Lagos-Port Harcourt route, which is one of the busiest in the country, had also been affected.
A check on Arik Air’s website on Friday showed that there were no available seats till Monday and the price for the four available seats was fixed at N52, 868 each for afternoon flight and at N57,045 for morning.
Overland Airways which travels less busy routes with its much smaller aircraft also hiked its ticket prices.
Ilorin to Abuja flight was put at N56,000 on Saturday and N61, 500 on Sunday; the same route was put at a cost of N56,000 on Tuesday and N52,500 on Wednesday.
The increase in the air tickets caused a debate on social media last week as several Nigerians lamented how they had to part with large sums of money to purchase tickets.
Confirming the increments on Friday, the Managing Director of Aero Contractors, Captain Ado Sanusi, told The Punch that airlines could not access foreign exchange at the official rate while the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria had increased its fees.
Sanusi said except airlines were given special concessions, the prices would continue to rise and could hit an average of N100,000 for even the Lagos/Abuja route.
He said, “We were buying dollars at N360 and it went to N380 but you can’t get it for less than N480.
“We are paying VAT at 7.5 per cent. We are paying 15 per cent duty on our spare parts. The boarding passes, we pay 15 per cent duty on it.
“The passenger service charge has increased by FAAN. So, don’t look at one component but look at the total reason for the increase.
“Yes, there is an increase in demand but it is caused by the lack of aircraft and this lack of aircraft is caused by unavailability of spare parts which is also caused by dollar scarcity.”
Also speaking, the General Secretary, Aviation Roundtable, Mr Olumide Ohunayo, said there was a connection between the rising airfares and the insecurity in the country.
Lagos based travel agent, Mr Ndudim Nwaoma, said, his encounter with several passengers showed that many were desperate to fly because of the high level of insecurity in the country.
Heart disease is a very serious problem these days but you can avoid becoming a statistic by looking at what you eat more closely.
Read on to see which foods you should avoid to keep your heart pumping properly, and then replace these fridge offenders with heart-healthy foods instead.
Sugary cereals
Take a look at the nutrition label of your cold cereal. Does it have more than eight grams of sugar per serving to make up for its low-fat level? Skip it.Fried chicken
More fried food, more problems. Study participants who consumed larger amounts of fried food had higher risk for death from coronary artery disease.
French fries
It’s not just battered and fried bird that’s tough on your ticker, though. High levels of potato consumption has been linked to increased risk for both hypertension and type 2 diabetes in scientific research. And frying the spuds delivers a one-two punch to your cardiac health.
Potato chips
Increased servings of potato chips tacked on more pounds than any other foods including sugary drinks, processed meats and red meat.
In addition to ample calories—160 calories per serving for 15 Lay’s—chips are low in fiber and protein while offering a good shake of sodium.
Fruit smoothies
In theory they should be healthy, unless you count how many grams of sugar you are actually consuming. Plus, by drinking fruit instead of eating it whole, you lose the essential fiber that could help normalize elevated blood lipids.
Hot dogs
Hot dogs and sausages can be high in saturated fat. Even low-fat options tend to be packed with salt. It’s important to watch your sodium intake, as more dietary sodium often leads to higher blood pressure.
Ketchup
Ketchup is very high in sodium as well. Just two tablespoons contains 320 milligrams of sodium. Plus, it boasts eight grams of sugar per two-tablespoon serving.
Barbecue sauce
It’s best for your heart to steer clear of (or go light on) the sauce at your cookout. A couple tablespoons of the typical bottle variety has about 310 milligrams of sodium.
Table salt
Start by adding half of what a recipe calls for, and scale up to only use what you need. So you don’t shake on extra out of habit, leave the salt in the kitchen and only bring it to the table if you need it after the first bite.
Fat-free packaged snacks
A good rule of thumb: Avoid any product that is not normally fat-free. What it doesn’t have in fat, it makes up for in sugar.
Fat-free peanut butter
Low-fat peanut butters usually contain the same amount of calories as its conventional counterpart. Again, you’re trading fat for sugar.
Canned vegetables
Some canned vegetable products are packaged with excess added sodium which can take a vegetable with no salt and make it have more than a processed snack item.
Fruit-flavored yogurt
Sometimes, it’s good to be plain—as in plain Greek yogurt. Fruity yogurts can contain upwards of six teaspoons of sugar per serving. A better choice is to buy plain Greek yogurt and mix it with your own fresh or frozen unsweetened fruit.
Margarine
Butter isn’t so bad after all. A 2016 review in PLOS One found very little links between butter consumption and heart disease. Instead, margarine appears to be more of a villain, since it can be full of additives and saturated fats.
Pastries
Donuts and other bakery goodies are not only high in fat, sugar and white flour, but they also may be transporting trans fats into your bloodstream.
As a reminder, trans fat can increase risk of developing heart disease since they simultaneously lower good cholesterol and raise bad cholesterol.
Red meat
Aim to integrate more plant-based proteins, such as beans and nuts, for the biggest heart health boost. Red meat consumption has been shown to increase cardiovascular risk.
White bread
Whole grains come paired with fibre and more vitamins, while white bread is commonly stripped of both. Since the carbs come with no fibre to balance things out, they increase blood sugar rapidly, which can contribute to the development of diabetes or heart conditions over time.
White rice
Processed rice ranks right up there with processed breads on the heart-harming scale. Highly processed carbohydrates increase belly fat, which is a risk factor for diabetes and coronary disease.
Energy drinks
Similarly, energy drinks are often amped up with oodles of sugar—and caffeine that can cause undue stress to your heart.
Soda
For each additional sugar-packed drink, such as cola, you drink each day, you increase your risk for both heart disease and stroke. Frequent consumption of all sweetened drinks, including soda, faux fruit juices and sports drinks, makes you more likely to die of atherosclerosis.
Diet soda
Research suggests that the chemicals in diet soda and the artificial sweeteners can alter gastrointestinal bacteria that make people more prone to gaining weight.
Pizza
If you do pick pizza for dinner and order delivery, be sure to go heavy on the fresh vegetables and light on the cheese.
Marinara sauce
While you’re shifting your slice, consider the tomato sauce, too. The average half-cup of marinara packs in 400 milligrams of sodium and 4 grams of sugar. Try low-sodium marinara sauce or trade olive oil for sauce on your DIY pizza.
Alcohol
Everything in moderation. But if you already suffer from high blood pressure or know that you have high triglycerides, then drinking alcohol can boost your odds of heart disease.”
Coffee creamer
Want to be even better? Drink your coffee black. And whatever you do, don’t dump in the non-dairy coffee creamer.
The Nigerian Presidency says beneficiaries of the the proposed off-grid solar home systems across rural communities in the country are expected to pay N4,000 monthly.
25 million Nigerians are estimated to benefit from the solar power programme.
In a statement on Sunday, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Laolu Akande, said the beneficiaries of the power programme, tagged Solar Power Naija, are expected to pay N4,000 monthly over a period of three years.
“An important aspect of the scheme is the option of outright ownership by beneficiaries at a cost ranging from N1,500 per week to N4,000 monthly depending on the capacities, for a period of three years,” Akande said.
The Federal Government had previously announced that it would commence the installation of the N140 billion solar project for 5 million households in “underserved and rural communities” from the first week of December.
The government noted that the initiative is a continuation of coordinated implementation of the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
The initiative is implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).
The cost of air tickets along several routes have doubled due to the high demand for air travel in light of the rising insecurity in the country and cost of flight operations.
Checks on several airline websites showed that even intending passengers who booked their flights days ahead of departure were also affected.
A check on Friday on the website of Max Air showed that a one-way ticket from Maiduguri to Lagos for Saturday was put at N100,000 while the same flight costs N70,000 for Monday.
A flight from Kano to Abuja on Azman Air on Friday was put at N85,000; the same route for Saturday was put at N61,000.
A flight from Lagos to Abuja via Max Air on Monday was put at N80,000 while the same flight on Aero was fixed at N107,000.
Travelling to Kano State from Lagos on Arik Air on Saturday, cost about N70,618 while the flight would cost N65,564 for the same route on Tuesday.
It was also observed that the Lagos-Port Harcourt route, which is one of the busiest in the country, had also been affected.
A check on Arik Air’s website on Friday showed that there were no available seats till Monday and the price for the four available seats was fixed at N52, 868 each for afternoon flight and at N57,045 for morning.
Overland Airways which travels less busy routes with its much smaller aircraft also hiked its ticket prices.
Ilorin to Abuja flight was put at N56,000 on Saturday and N61, 500 on Sunday; the same route was put at a cost of N56,000 on Tuesday and N52,500 on Wednesday.
The increase in the air tickets caused a debate on social media last week as several Nigerians lamented how they had to part with large sums of money to purchase tickets.
Confirming the increments on Friday, the Managing Director of Aero Contractors, Captain Ado Sanusi, told The Punch that airlines could not access foreign exchange at the official rate while the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria had increased its fees.
Sanusi said except airlines were given special concessions, the prices would continue to rise and could hit an average of N100,000 for even the Lagos/Abuja route.
He said, “We were buying dollars at N360 and it went to N380 but you can’t get it for less than N480.
“We are paying VAT at 7.5 per cent. We are paying 15 per cent duty on our spare parts. The boarding passes, we pay 15 per cent duty on it.
“The passenger service charge has increased by FAAN. So, don’t look at one component but look at the total reason for the increase.
“Yes, there is an increase in demand but it is caused by the lack of aircraft and this lack of aircraft is caused by unavailability of spare parts which is also caused by dollar scarcity.”
Also speaking, the General Secretary, Aviation Roundtable, Mr Olumide Ohunayo, said there was a connection between the rising airfares and the insecurity in the country.
Lagos based travel agent, Mr Ndudim Nwaoma, said, his encounter with several passengers showed that many were desperate to fly because of the high level of insecurity in the country.
The Defence Headquarters, has faulted a report by the United Nations that 110 civilians were killed by Boko Haram in Saturday onslaught on farmers in the Jere Local Government Area of Borno State.
Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. John Enenche, said as of Monday morning, 43 corpses were recovered from the incident scene in the Zabarmari area of the northeast state.
The terrorists were reported to have tied up the farmers, who were working on rice fields, before slitting their throats.
On Sunday, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, disclosed that at least 110 persons died in the horrific attack.
But reacting on Monday morning, Enenche said the troops counted the corpses together with the locals and 43 deaths were recorded.
He spoke while featuring on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme.
Enenche, however, explained that he contacted the field commandants and “they gave me a synopsis of what happened. When the governor was to go (to the scene) and after they had recovered the dead, the troops had to move in there and they counted 43.
The DHQ Coordinator said the search for more remains of victims is still on but insisted that 43 corpses were retrieved from the scene as of today.
The massacre of the rice farmers, who were buried yesterday, has attracted strong international and national condemnations with some Nigerians calling on the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to sack the country’s service chiefs and overhaul the security architecture of Nigeria.
In case you’re dreaming about achieving sculpted arms, here’s a tip: Crank out those shoulder workouts or at least add more shoulder exercises to your current routine.
Not only will doing so sculpt your arms like you wouldn’t believe, but strengthening your shoulder muscles helps keep the notoriously unstable shoulder joint more secure, which helps you stay injury-free while doing everything from lifting weights to flowing through yoga poses.
The following shoulder exercises are perfect for gym or at-home shoulder workouts.
Time: 25 minutes
Equipment: Dumbbells, resistance band
Good for: Shoulders
1. Half Turkish Get-Up
How to: Start lying on back with right leg and arm straight on the floor and at a 45-degree angle from the body, left leg bent so the foot is flat on the floor, and left arm extended up toward the ceiling (elbow locked out) holding a kettlebell or dumbbell. Keep eyes on weight, press into the right arm, and sit up, coming onto the right forearm. Then, press through the right palm and left foot to lift hips into the air, keeping right leg straight. Slowly reverse the movement to return to the starting position. That’s one rep. Complete 10 reps per side. Repeat twice more for a total of three sets, resting only as needed. From there, continue on to your next move.
2. Halo
How to: Start kneeling on the floor with knees slightly wider than hips holding a dumbbell in both hands directly in front of the chest, elbows pointing down at sides. Keep both arms bent and slowly circle the dumbbell around the head and back in front of the chest. That’s one rep. Complete 10 reps in each direction. Repeat twice more for a total of three sets, resting only as needed. From there, continue on to your next move.
3. Upright Row
How to: Start with feet under hips, legs straight, holding a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing toward body and weights touching quads. Pull elbows up and out wide to lift the dumbbells to the chest. Reverse movement to return to start. That’s one rep. Complete 15 reps. Repeat twice more for a total of three sets, resting only as needed. From there, continue on to your next move.
4. Bear Plank Shoulder Tap
How to: Start on all fours with shoulders over wrists and knees under hips, then lift knees a few inches off of the mat. Keep back flat and shoulders and hips stable, while lifting a left hand up off the mat, bending at the elbow, and tapping right shoulder with left fingers. Replace left hand, then repeat on the opposite side. That’s one rep. Complete 10 reps per side. Repeat twice more for a total of three sets, resting only as needed. From there, continue on to your next move.
5. Tabletop Lift
How to: Start seated with legs bent, feet flat on the floor, and arms straight and behind the body, palms pressed into the mat with fingertips facing glutes and just a few inches behind them. Lift hips until thighs are parallel to the ceiling. Pause at the top, then lower back down. That’s one rep. Complete 10 reps. Repeat twice more for a total of three sets, resting only as needed. From there, continue on to your next move.
Donald Trump has tweeted his best wishes for Joe Biden after the president-elect announced he had fractured his foot while playing with his dog and will likely have to wear a medical boot.
Biden, who will most likely become the oldest US president upon his January swearing-in, suffered the injury Saturday with Major, one of his two German shepherds.
The president-elect’s personal physician Kevin O’Connor initially said x-rays had not uncovered any “obvious fracture”, but added that an additional CT scan would still be done.
That scan “confirmed hairline (small) fractures… in the mid-foot,” O’Connor said in a subsequent statement released by Biden’s office.
He added that the former vice president, who won election against Donald Trump in November, “will likely require a walking boot for several weeks”.
With both Biden and Trump in their 70s, age was an issue in the presidential race, even if it often took a backseat to pressing matters like the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Get well soon!” Trump said on Twitter, in a retweet of an NBC video showing Biden leaving an orthopedic office.
Trump’s health was briefly of intense concern when he caught Covid-19, but the president resumed campaigning after getting a series of treatments — including an experimental antibody cocktail.
Trump, a famously finicky germophobe, was the first president in over a century to not have a dog.
The Bidens fostered and then adopted Major in 2018, while Champ has been with the family since 2008.
Biden officials have said Major will become the first rescue dog to live in the White House.
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
