Podcasts about Karolinska Institute

Medical university located in Stockholm, Sweden

  • 197PODCASTS
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Best podcasts about Karolinska Institute

Latest podcast episodes about Karolinska Institute

Mornings with Simi
How does tickling work?

Mornings with Simi

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2025 9:24


How does tickling work? Guest: Dr. Konstantina Kilteni, Assistant Professor in the Neuroscience Department at the Karolinska Institute and Head of the Tickle Lab Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mornings with Simi
Full Show: Rising HIV cases, Ending the 50-50 rule in BC & What is tickling?

Mornings with Simi

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2025 48:27


How can Canada reduce its rising number of HIV cases? Guest: Dr. Julio Montaner, Executive Director of the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS Should BC end its 50-50 rule? Guest: Bridgette Anderson, President and CEO of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade How does tickling work? Guest: Dr. Konstantina Kilteni, Assistant Professor in the Neuroscience Department at the Karolinska Institute and Head of the Tickle Lab What's happening with the LA riots? Guest: Reggie Cecchini, Washington Correspondent for Global News Are we digitally illiterate? Guest: Anita Hagh, Researcher at McGill University Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Science Magazine Podcast
Tickling in review, spores in the stratosphere, and longevity research

Science Magazine Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2025 53:30


First up on the podcast, Online News Editor Michael Greshko joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about stories set high above our heads. They discuss capturing fungal spores high in the stratosphere, the debate over signs of life on the exoplanet K2-18b, and a Chinese contender for world's oldest star catalog.   Next on the show, a look into long-standing questions on why and how our bodies respond to tickling. Producer Meagan Cantwell talks to Konstantina Kilteni, an assistant professor at the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour and the Department of Neuroscience at the Karolinska Institute. They discuss how standardizing approaches to testing tickling in the lab could get us closer to answers.   Finally in this episode, the first in our book series on the science of death, with books host Angela Saini. Saini interviews Nobel Prize–winning biologist Venki Ramakrishnan about developments in longevity research and his book Why We Die: The New Science of Aging and the Quest for Immortality.   This week's episode was produced with help from Podigy.   About the Science Podcast Authors: Sarah Crespi, Angela Saini, Michael Greshko, Meagan Cantwell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Food Junkies Podcast
Episode 231: Dr. Filippa Juul "Ultra-Processed Food: The Hidden Crisis"

Food Junkies Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2025 49:19


In this illuminating episode we speak with Dr. Filippa Juul. An epidemiologist and leading researcher on the impact of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) on human health. Together, we unpack what ultra-processed really means, why it's not just about calories or macros, and how these foods are stealthily contributing to the global rise in obesity, chronic illness, and food addiction. Dr. Filippa Juul is a nutritional epidemiologist and Faculty Fellow at the Department of Public Health Policy and Management at the New York University School of Global Public Health (NYU GPH). She earned her PhD in Epidemiology from NYU GPH in 2020, following a MSc in Public Health Nutrition from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, and a BA in Nutrition and Dietetics from Universidad Autónoma de Madrid in Spain. Dr. Juul's research focuses on improving cardiometabolic health outcomes at the population level, with a particular interest in the role of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in diet quality, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. She utilizes large U.S. population studies to examine these associations and is also exploring the biological mechanisms underlying the impact of UPFs on cardiometabolic health.  Dr. Juul explains the NOVA classification system, dives into recent groundbreaking studies, and offers insights into why UPFs are so difficult to resist—and what we can do about it, both individually and at the policy level. Key Takeaways 

Science Signaling Podcast
Tickling in review, spores in the stratosphere, and longevity research

Science Signaling Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2025 53:30


First up on the podcast, Online News Editor Michael Greshko joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about stories set high above our heads. They discuss capturing fungal spores high in the stratosphere, the debate over signs of life on the exoplanet K2-18b, and a Chinese contender for world's oldest star catalog.   Next on the show, a look into long-standing questions on why and how our bodies respond to tickling. Producer Meagan Cantwell talks to Konstantina Kilteni, an assistant professor at the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour and the Department of Neuroscience at the Karolinska Institute. They discuss how standardizing approaches to testing tickling in the lab could get us closer to answers.   Finally in this episode, the first in our book series on the science of death, with books host Angela Saini. Saini interviews Nobel Prize–winning biologist Venki Ramakrishnan about developments in longevity research and his book Why We Die: The New Science of Aging and the Quest for Immortality.   This week's episode was produced with help from Podigy.   About the Science Podcast Authors: Sarah Crespi, Angela Saini, Michael Greshko, Meagan Cantwell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Strefa Psyche Uniwersytetu SWPS
A Life Worth Living – How to Talk About Suicide, Suffering, and Survival

Strefa Psyche Uniwersytetu SWPS

Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2025 41:12


How can we cope with the loss of life's meaning and the helplessness that often accompanies it? What are the most common causes behind such a crisis? How can we signal our emotional state to those around us, and how can we support others in similar pain? How do we talk about difficult emotions, loneliness, and a sense of meaninglessness? What helped people who were close to that edge? What does science say about suicidal tendencies as a phenomenon? Can we better understand these circumstances and prevent tragedies more effectively? How does contemporary culture affect an individual's mental well-being? How is euthanasia perceived in light of today's psychiatric knowledge? These fundamental and deeply challenging questions were explored by psychiatrist Prof. Christian Rück from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, in conversation with psychologist and psychotherapist Dr. Marta Porębiak. Strefa Psyche Uniwersytetu SWPS is a project that promotes psychological knowledge at the highest substantive level and explores the practical applications of psychology in various areas of both private and professional life. The project includes online initiatives aimed at supporting personal growth for anyone in need or interested — regardless of where they are. Learn more about the project: https://web.swps.pl/strefa-psyche

Irish Tech News Audio Articles
A Discovery that Transformed Prostate Cancer Radiotherapy

Irish Tech News Audio Articles

Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2025 10:45


In 1991, Professor Sten Nilsson and his PhD student Bo Lennernäs realised that the prostate, contrary to prevailing beliefs, is a mobile organ. A study confirmed their observations, and the new findings were included in Bo Lennernäs's doctoral thesis in 1995. The discovery quickly influenced prostate cancer radiotherapy practices across the world. In the papers of the thesis, they also demonstrated that it was possible to track the prostate's movements in a phantom model by inserting a small magnet that transmitted signals to an external receiver. These two findings led to the founding of Micropos Medical AB. Discovering more about Prostate Cancer Sten Nilsson, now a retired senior consultant at Karolinska University Hospital and Professor Emeritus at the Karolinska Institute, has dedicated over 40 years of his career to oncology, with a particular focus on prostate cancer. He has been involved in numerous pioneering research projects and developed new, crucial treatment concepts that are now used globally. Decades of Development When Sten Nilsson treated his first prostate cancer patients in the late 1970s, very few were cured. The tools and techniques for diagnosing and assessing whether the cancer was local or had spread were insufficient, as was radiotherapy. The available X-ray technology could visualise the pelvic skeleton but not the prostate, meaning its position had to be estimated based on the anatomy of the pelvic bones. Radiotherapy was cumbersome and time-consuming to administer, with limited impact on the tumours. "Patients whose cancer was assessed as local received radiotherapy with what we called a 'curative intention'. But in practice, most returned after a while, and the disease remained - eventually spreading," says Sten Nilsson. In the mid-1980s, surgery for localised prostate cancer began delivering better outcomes than radiotherapy. However, radiotherapy also advanced rapidly. Computed tomography (CT) became available, allowing the prostate and sometimes the tumour area to be visualised, which created entirely new conditions for treatment. Subsequently radiotherapy equipment, radiobiological research, and various imaging technologies like CT, MRI, ultrasound and others, also underwent enormous development. The 1990s saw the introduction of high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT), a method to which Sten Nilsson made significant contributions. It involves inserting 15-20 hollow needles through the skin into the prostate, through which radiation is delivered. Today, HDR-BT is often combined with external beam radiotherapy in cases of locally advanced prostate cancer. A Discovery that Overturned Accepted Knowledge It was during HDR-BT procedures in 1991 that Sten Nilsson and Bo Lennernäs discovered that the prostate changes position under various conditions. "We used ultrasound to correctly position the needles in the prostate. We then observed that if a patient was anxious, perhaps coughed, raised an arm to scratch their head or simply spoke, the prostate moved. It was a true 'aha' moment. The common belief around the world was that the prostate is firmly anchored in the pelvis. We immediately realized that we had to find a way to describe and document the movement of the prostate, how much and in which directions the prostate moved", Sten Nilsson explains. Years earlier, he had treated prostate cancer patients by implanting radioactive gold seeds into the prostate to deliver a strong local radiation dose. The method was abandoned when seed production ceased, but the treated patients retained the seeds (they were not surgically removed) - creating an opportunity to document the discovery of prostate movement. "The gold seeds, and thus the prostate's position, are visible on X-rays. We called in a number of the former patients and took images under various conditions. For example, while straining versus relaxing, with full versus emptied bladder, and so forth. We found that the prostate frequently moved by ...

Food Junkies Podcast
Episode 230: Dr. Cynthia Bulik

Food Junkies Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2025 53:11


Dr. Cynthia Bulik is a clinical psychologist and one of the world's leading experts on eating disorders. She is the Founding Director of the University of North Carolina Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders and also the founder director of the Centre for Eating Disorders Innovation at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden. Dr. Bulik is Distinguished Professor of Eating Disorders in the Department of Psychiatry at UNC, Professor of Nutrition in the Gillings School of Global Public Health, and Professor of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Karolinska Institute.  Dr Bulik has received numerous awards for her pioneering work, including Lifetime Achievement Awards from the National Eating Disorders Association, the Academy for Eating Disorders, and the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics. She has written over 750 scientific papers, and several books aimed at educating the public about eating disorders.  Currently, Dr. Bulik's focus  is in the reconceptualization of eating disorders as being a metabo-psychiatric diseases. Food Junkies is keen to explore this interest in how metabolic disease plays a role in disordered eating: can this construct be the  common ground to start to understand the muddy waters  between eating disorders and food addiction?  In This Episode, You'll Learn:

Surfing the Nash Tsunami
S6 - E2 - MetALD Epidemiology, MASLD Mortality and a PCP "Unicorn"

Surfing the Nash Tsunami

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2025 71:36


00:00:00 - Surf's Up: Season 6 Episode 2Surfing the MASH Tsunami continues its coverage of the AASLD Emerging Trends Conference on MASLD, MetALD and ALD. This week, the panelists focus on disease epidemiology and what it can teach us about the relative importance of alcohol and diet on disease progression. Our newsmaker, hepatology KOL and frequent Surfer Hannes Hagstrom, discusses what a recent paper demonstrates about the impact of MASLD on 15-year mortality and cause of death and how this information can improve patient care. Finally, our Expert, Shelbyville, Indiana internist Emily Ann Andeya, discusses her path from practicing internal medicine to focus on liver health (HINT: the common theme is insulin resistance).00:04:40 - IntroductionHost Roger Green briefly describes this episode's three sections and one key lesson from each.00:05:49 - Roundtable: Highlights from the AASLD Emerging Trends Conference, Part 2 The second portion of our Roundtable focuses on relative impact of alcohol and diet on disease progression and overall mortality and morbidity. It starts with Aleksander Krag sharing the highlights of his epidemiology presentation at the Emerging Trends Conference. Dr. Krag points out that while the vast majority of SLD patient live with MASLD, the vast majority of hospitalized patients and those living with late-stage cirrhosis live with ALD. Similarly, for the average patient, living with MetALD is more lethal than living with MASLD. Aleksander points out another challenge in defining where a patient lives on the ALD -> MetALD -> MASLD spectrum: patients' level of alcohol consumption is likely to change over time and many ALD or MetALD cirrhosis patients stop drinking altogether. The rest of this section considers the importance of stigma in correctly classifying patients and why genetics may become key to a message that minimizes patient stigma.00:25:50 - Newsmaker: Hepatology Researcher and KOL Hannes Hagstrom of the Karolinska Institute joins Roger to discuss cause-specific mortality in Swedish MASLD patientsOn March 24, the Journal of Hepatology posted a paper titled Cause-specific mortality in 13,099 patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease in Sweden. Co-author Hannes Hagstrom joins Roger to discuss the paper's key findings and implications for care. The key finding: living with MASLD leads to a significant increase in 15-year mortality. The most frequent cause of death among MASLD patients is cardiovascular disease, but the greatest increases in relative risk were due to HCC (HR ~ 35) and extra-hepatic cancers (HR ~ 26). Hannes points out that these results can serve as the beginning of a process where physicians can compute the risk at which individual patients place themselves through diet or alcohol patterns, which can aid patient understanding of the disease.00:44:22 - Experts: Internist Emily Ann Andeya discusses how she developed the commitment to treating liver disease that made her a "unicorn" in the words of one AASLD panelist and also brought her to attend the Emerging Trends Conference last monthRoger first met Emily Ann Andeya when she asked a question at a session of last fall's The Liver Meeting, and again at the Emerging Trends Conference, where Emily and her colleagues were likely the only primary care physicians in the room. Emily describes the path by which she went from wanting to be a cardiologist during medical school in the Philippines through years of nursing in the US to primary care practice and, how, focus on the liver as a key to overall metabolic health. Listen as Emily explains the importance of understanding insulin resistance in her transition, and how her vision affects the way she and her colleagues practice, the goals they set, and the exceptional levels of care they achieve.01:08:56 Business Report

The Dr CK Bray Show
Episode 570 The Antidepressant Dilemma

The Dr CK Bray Show

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2025 11:10


For years, antidepressants have been the default solution for dementia patients struggling with depression, anxiety, and aggression. But what if they're actually making things worse? A groundbreaking new study from the Karolinska Institute has found that dementia patients on SSRIs like Lexapro, Celexa, and Zoloft experience faster cognitive decline than those not on medication. Are we treating symptoms at the cost of accelerating the disease itself? In this episode, Dr. Bray dives into the science behind these findings. We'll explore: -How SSRIs impact the aging brain—and why they may be ineffective for many people -The hidden risks of antidepressants, including cognitive fog, emotional blunting, and increased fall risk -A smarter approach to dementia care—why non-drug interventions should be considered first The truth is, there's no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to mental health and dementia. What works for one person may not work for another. That's why it's critical for patients, caregivers, and medical professionals to stay informed, ask questions, and do their own research before making treatment decisions. If you or a loved one is facing a decision about antidepressants and dementia, this is an episode you can't afford to miss. Listen now, and make sure you have all the facts before choosing a treatment plan because better decisions start with better knowledge. QUOTES BY DR. BRAY "Your brain health and your physical health are your responsibility. Do not abdicate them to somebody else." "Consider non-drug interventions first—therapy, lifestyle changes, and social engagement can be powerful tools." "We need to ask questions and look for signs—because sometimes, the biggest tragedies come from what we didn't see."  

RTL Today - In Conversation with Lisa Burke
Dementia is not inevitable, 07/03/2025

RTL Today - In Conversation with Lisa Burke

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2025 50:59


Many of us are lucky to grow older, and in Europe there is an aging demographic. With this come the diseases of aging such as dementia and a burden on family and society for care. For a long time people have thought this inevitable but we will learn today that, as with so many diseases, lifestyle changes from a young age can counteract this, to reduce the risk of getting dementia and also stabilising mental decline. In 2021, 20.8% of the EU population was aged 65 years or older. In 2019, an Alzheimer Europe report on the prevalence of dementia estimated that there were about 9 million people living with the disease in Europe. This number is projected to double by 2050, rising towards 19 million in the European region. Globally, there are around 55 million people worldwide who are living with dementia. However, research is now showing that up to 45% of dementias could be prevented: by addressing a range of modifiable risk factors, at different stages of our lives. My guests today are: Dr. Ange Bradshaw: Director for Research at Alzheimer's Europe Dr. Joëlle Fritz: Research and Strategy Specialist, Luxembourg Institute of Health Dr. Francesca Mangialasche: Geriatrician, Division of Clinical Geriatrics: Alzheimer Research Center Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Executive Director of the World-Wide FINGERS Global Scientific Coordinating Center at the FINGERS Brain Health Institute Hassan Fadli: Founder, 5 Ironmans Beat Alzheimer's Association The 2024 World Alzheimer's report noted that 80% of people think dementia is a normal part of ageing, and 65% of healthcare professionals. Only 2% of the population are affected by rare genetic factors but for most of us this is not the case. ‘Modifiable risk factors' can be replaced to deter and stall dementia. Francesca Mangialasce is based at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, and also works as executive director of the ‘FINGERS' Brain Health Institute, founded by Professor Mija Kivipelto, a world renowned researcher in the field of Alzheimer's disease and Dementia. FBHI is dedicated to promoting healthy brain aging and preventing cognitive impairment and dementia through innovative multi-domain clinical research and the fast translation of these results into personalised clinical practice. Brain is our main capital, and there is so much we can do to promote brain health. Studies have show that cardiovascular and metabolic disorders such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, high blood sugar or diabetes are risk factors for dementia. There are many other emerging factors such as hearing impairment, vision loss, impaired oral health.  Being mentally, physically and socially active during life is important to reduce the risk of memory problems in old age. Secondary and tertiary prevention is also really important, even at the later stages of disease with therapies including art, dance and cognitive stimulation therapy .  The FINGER study across 70 countries shows that a multi-domain approach can benefit cognition:exercise, healthy diet, cognitive training, good control of metabolic/vascular disorders, and social stimulation. Stigma Hassan Fadli's father faced stigma in the village he lived all his life. This stigma deepens the pain of the suffering, knowing you are losing ‘yourself'. It is also a burden for the caregivers at a time when family and friends need the most help to support their loved one.   Hassan promised his father to work towards breaking this stigma and founded the 5 Ironmans initiative. Hassan has also made a documentary of his advocacy work alongside the endurance sport to reach people from children in schools across Europe to the Queen of Sweden.  His aim is to bring brain health into normal conversation, break the stigma, and integrate brain health awareness into public discourse.  Luxembourg support Joëlle Fritz is working  as Research and Strategy Specialist at the Luxembourg Institute of Health where she aims to bridge research to clinical care. "Programme démence prevention" (pdp) is a programme raising awareness on modifiable risk factors for dementia prevention and promotes life style changes. PDP is an integrated prevention concept funded by Luxembourg's Ministry of Health and Social Security. PDP is currently coordinated by the Centre Hospitalier  de Luxembourg in collaboration with national institutions (Luxembourg Institute of Health and Luxembourg Centre for System's Biomedicine at the University of Luxembourg) and partner associations (listed below). It is important to start as early as possible in the prevention of dementia, and so the PDP Braincoach app was created, accessible via browser to everyone also outside Luxembourg: www.pdp-app.lu Associations related in Luxembourg: L'Association nationale des diététiciens du Luxembourg: www.andl.lu ZithaAktiv: www.zithaaktiv.lu   Club Seniors of HELP asbl: www.help.lu Club Senior “Schwaarze Wee” Dudelange:   www.schwaarzewee.lu Lëtzebuerger Verein fir Gediechtnistraining: www.lvgt.lu NEUROvitalis home and digital Info-Zenter Demenz:   www.demenz.lu Association Luxembourg Alzheimer (ala) : www.ala.lu  Longevity with health  The results are clear, for dementia and living a long life with good health: we need to put in place good habits of physical, social and mental health.  Links to the notes above: https://www.5ironmansbeatalzheimer.com www.pdp.lu https://www.alzheimer-europe.org https://fbhi.se/sv/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/fingers-brain-health-institute/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/miia-kivipelto-8a8b1b3b/ https://www.chl.lu/fr https://m3s.gouvernement.lu/en.html https://www.uni.lu/lcsb-en/ https://ki.se/en

Being and Doing
Being and Doing with Elena Hoffer on getting into industry as a life scientist - ep. 58

Being and Doing

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2025 57:56


To support the channel make your donation here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/t5kvv-being-and-doing-podcast-to-sustain-and-thrive?utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet-first-launch&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customerTHIS IS A PLACE WHERE SUCCESS MEETS SERENITY.I am Aleksandra Vancevska, gestalt therapeutic counsellor and UKCP student therapist. I support you to transform overachieving burnout, stress, perfectionism and stuckness into fulfilling self-confidence and authentic success.To start therapy with me schedule a free consultation: https://calendly.com/aleksandra-vanch...If you like what you hear please share, like and subscribe so these stories can reach more people.⁠Elena Hoffer is passionate about helping early career researcher finding full filling careers outside of academia. She received her PhD from Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden in November 2023. During her PhD she organized careers session for PhDs and postdocs to help them to understand their options after academia. Since 2024, she is running the company Alma.Me which equips early career researchers with tools and knowledge to empower them in their transition. Follow Elena on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-hoffer-/Find all the links to work with me in one place:Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/being_and_doing This podcast represents my own and my guests views and opinions. The content here should not be taken as medical, financial or any other advice. The content is for informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult the appropriate professional for any specific questions you have.Thank you for joining me on this journey

Oxford+
Bringing Science to Society with Molly Stevens, John Black Professor of Bionanoscience at the University of Oxford

Oxford+

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2025 31:26 Transcription Available


How can cutting-edge nanoscience transform medicine and inspire groundbreaking startups within Oxford? In this episode, Susannah de Jager sits down with Professor Dame Molly Stevens, John Black Professor of Bionanoscience at the University of Oxford. Together, they explore Molly's extraordinary journey in interdisciplinary research, the process of spinning out successful companies from academia, and the unique opportunities Oxford offers for scientific innovation. Molly also shares insights on fostering diverse teams, driving impactful research, and the future of quantum sensing in biomedical applications.(00:00) - Bringing Science to Society with Molly Stevens (00:18) - Meet Professor Dame Molly Stevens (03:59) - Innovative Biomedical Applications (04:38) - Breakthrough Technology: SPARTA (06:38) - Interdisciplinary Opportunities at Oxford (09:51) - UK-Wide and International Collaborations (11:08) - Spinning Out Companies: Challenges and Insights (23:10) - Championing Diversity in Entrepreneurship (27:44) - The Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery About the Guest:Molly Stevens is the John Black Professor of Bionanoscience at the University of Oxford, with part-time positions at Imperial College London and the Karolinska Institute. As a world-leading expert in biomaterial interfaces, her multidisciplinary research spans regenerative medicine, advanced therapeutics, and diagnostics. She is a serial entrepreneur, founding successful companies such as Spot by Discovery and she serves as Deputy Director of the Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery. Recognised internationally, Molly is a Fellow of the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering, and numerous other prestigious academies.Connect with Molly on LinkedInAbout the host:Susannah de Jager is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in UK asset management. She has worked closely with industry experts, entrepreneurs, and government officials to shape the conversation around domestic scale-up capital.Connect with Susannah on LinkedInVisit our website to learn more and subscribe to our newsletter - oxfordplus.co.ukIf you have a question for Susannah, please get in touch - oxfordplus.co.uk/contactOxford+ is hosted by Susannah de Jager, supported by Mishcon de Reya and produced and edited by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.

Science Friday
‘Common Side Effects' And An All-Healing Mushroom | The Unique Smell Of Snow

Science Friday

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2025 18:27


In "Common Side Effects," the starring scientist finds a mushroom that can heal any ailment. But powerful people will do anything to stop him from cultivating it. And, a combination of environmental factors and the way our bodies function play a role in how we perceive the smell of snow.In ‘Common Side Effects,' A Clash Over An All-Healing MushroomIn the new Adult Swim show “Common Side Effects,” an eccentric scientist has a secret: He's discovered a strange mushroom that can cure any illness or injury, and he wants to get it to people in need. The only problem is that a pharmaceutical company doesn't want that secret to get out and will do anything to make sure he's stopped.Joining Host Flora Lichtman to break down this fungal drama, and the science that inspired it, are the show's creators, Steve Hely, who previously wrote for “30 Rock” and “Veep;” and Joe Bennett, creator of the animated sci-fi show “Scavengers Reign” on Max.Why Snow Has That Crisp, Clean SmellIf you know snow, you might know that it has a particular smell to it. It has to do with where you are and how cold it is. It may even involve the memory parts of your brain.Producer Rasha Aridi talks with Host Flora Lichtman about the science behind that snowy smell, featuring Dr. Johan Lundström, snow aficionado and professor of psychology at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.Transcripts for each segment will be available after the show airs on sciencefriday.com. Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.

Inside Exercise
#89 - Concurrent training with Dr Tommy Lundberg

Inside Exercise

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2025 91:24


Dr Glenn McConell chats with Dr Tommy Lundberg from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. He is an expert on resistance training (RT) and has focussed on the effect of concurrent training on exercise adaptations. That is, does doing concurrent resistance and endurance training affect the responses to resistance and endurance training compared to doing either alone. His research has specifically focused on the effects of endurance training on resistance training adaptations although we also discussed the effect of resistance training on endurance training adaptations. It appears that in many people concurrent training has either no interfering effect or may even be beneficial. However there is some limited research that endurance training, although not affecting hypertrophy, may reduce strength and/or speed of contraction. He has also done a lot of work on biological males been involved in female sports (which will be converted in a future podcast). I found it a very interesting chat. Enjoy! X: @TLexercise. 0:00. Introduction 3:03. Tommy's background 5:25. Aland Islands 7:25. What is concurrent training? 9:40. Resistance training (RT) can benefit endurance performance 13:35. Does RT affect injuries? 15:05. The amount/volume of training and concurrent training 18:32. Little effect of endurance training on hypertrophy but might effect strength 21:30. Glenn's frustrations at the gym 24:15. Single-leg research studies vs whole body exercise 31:20. AMPK and metabolism etc 34:00. Potential mechanisms involved 35:40. Interference of endurance on strength hasn't been clearly shown 38:00. RT can improve endurance performance and economy 41:10. Specificity of RT adaptations 45:55. Running straight after the gym 48:55. How much RT is enough/sufficient/optimal 51.20. Benefits of circuit training 53:05. Endurance exercise interfering with strength/contraction speed 54:20. Relationship between muscle size and strength 59:05. Explosive RT best for endurance exercise 1:04:35. Order of the concurrent training 1:06:35. Arterial stiffness/health and concurrent training 1:10:25. Team sports and concurrent training 1:12.08. Different sports a concurrent training 1:13:05. Mechanisms: gene expression etc 1:16:22. Fatigue and concurrent training 1:17:40. If short on time what exercise would you recommend? 1:19:55. Sex differences? 1:20:45. Age effects? 1:21:20. Controversies in the field 1:24:25. Things that influencers can get wrong 1:25:45. Other areas that he is investigating 1:27:50. Anti inflammatories can reduce resistance training gains 1:30:08. Takeaway messages 1:31:14. Outro Inside Exercise brings to you the who's who of research in exercise metabolism, exercise physiology and exercise's effects on health. With scientific rigor, these researchers discuss popular exercise topics while providing practical strategies for all. The interviewer, Emeritus Professor Glenn McConell, has an international research profile following 30 years of Exercise Metabolism research experience while at The University of Melbourne, Ball State University, Monash University, the University of Copenhagen and Victoria University. He has published over 120 peer reviewed journal articles and recently edited an Exercise Metabolism eBook written by world experts on 17 different topics (https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-94305-9). Connect with Inside Exercise and Glenn McConell at: Twitter: @Inside_exercise and @GlennMcConell1 Instagram: insideexercise Facebook: Glenn McConell LinkedIn: Glenn McConell https://www.linkedin.com/in/glenn-mcconell-83475460 ResearchGate: Glenn McConell Email: glenn.mcconell@gmail.com Subscribe to Inside exercise: Spotify: shorturl.at/tyGHL Apple Podcasts: shorturl.at/oFQRU YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@insideexercise Anchor: https://anchor.fm/insideexercise Google Podcasts: shorturl.at/bfhHI Anchor: https://anchor.fm/insideexercise Podcast Addict: https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/4025218 Not medical advice

Inside GRAPPA
Breaking New Ground in Predicting Psoriatic Arthritis

Inside GRAPPA

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2025 14:31


How close are we to predicting psoriatic arthritis (PsA) before it strikes? In this episode of Inside GRAPPA, Dr. Fabian Proft sits down with two esteemed researchers, Dr. Axel Svedbom and Professor Mona Ståhle, from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, to discuss their groundbreaking study on predicting PsA in patients with new-onset psoriasis. Funded by the GRAPPA Pilot Research Grant, this project is poised to revolutionize early detection and intervention strategies for psoriatic disease.Listen as they discuss: The innovative predictive models combining machine learning with clinical data. Key findings, including the significance of arthralgia as a predictive marker for PsA. How their research could reshape clinical practices and improve patient outcomes.Featured Guests Dr. Axel Svedbom: Postdoctoral researcher specializing in registry-based research and health economics, with over a decade of focus on psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Professor Mona Ståhle: Dermatologist and researcher dedicated to advancing understanding and treatment of psoriatic disease.Resources & Links Stay updated with GRAPPA's initiatives: GRAPPA Website. Explore previous episodes of Inside GRAPPA: Podcast Archive.

The Anti-Doping Podcast
140 - Conducting Research to Improve Doping Tests for Steroids and Other Substances - Lena Ekström, PhD

The Anti-Doping Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2024 32:13


Dr. Lena Ekström is a Hospital Chemist at Karolinska University Hospital and an Adjunct Professor of Pharmacology in the Department of Laboratory Medicine at the Karolinska Institute, where she specializes in Doping Research. In this interview, we discuss her career and some of the research she has conducted examining various factors that can influence anti-doping test results including interactions with other substances, genetics, hormone cycles, biological variability, and micro-dosing.

Psych Matters
Telepsychiatry and Digital Mental Health

Psych Matters

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2024 35:55


In this episode, Dr Choong-Siew Yong and Associate Professor Jeffrey Looi discuss the benefits and drawbacks of telepsychiatry and digital mental health delivery for general psychiatric care and specifically for children and adolescents. The pre- and post-pandemic approaches are discussed, including the emergency response for younger people. The conversation also examines the benefits and risks of telepsychiatry, including equitable digital technology access and technical challenges.  It also covers the use of telepsychiatry in rural and remote settings, and to allow videoconferencing when patients and their families are in different locations.  The discussion also explores new business models of telepsychiatry and the associated benefits and risks. Dr Choong-Siew Yong is a child and adolescent psychiatrist in Sydney, NSW. He has long-standing interests in medical workforce and education, practitioner regulation, doctors' health and mental health policy. He has served on the executive committees of the Australian Medical Association, NSW Medical Board and Medical Council, and the NSW Doctors' Health Advisory Service. For the RANZCP, he has served as the Chair of the Committee for Education Evaluation, Monitoring and Reporting and Continuing Medical Education (now known as the Committee for Continuing Professional Development). He is the current Chair of the Member Wellbeing Subcommittee. A/Prof Jeffrey Looi, MBBS Syd, MD ANU, DMedSc Melb, FRANZCP, AFRACMA, is a clinical academic neuropsychiatrist, in private and public practice, and Head of the Academic Unit of Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine at the Australian National University School of Medicine and Psychology. Jeffrey leads the Australian, United States, Scandinavian-Spanish Imaging Exchange and the Consortium of Australian-Academic Psychiatrists for Independent Policy and Research Analysis. He has received multiple research and leadership awards including: a Fulbright Scholarship and Australian-Davos-Connection Future Summit Leadership Award and Fellowship of the AMA. He is a co-author on more than 330 peer-reviewed papers, involving UCLA, Karolinska Institute and University of Melbourne. Journal articles:Telepsychiatry & face-to-face psychiatric consultationsCOVID-19 medicare benefits schedule telehealth for private psychiatric careComparison of out-of-pocket costs of Medicare-funded consultationsTrends of MBS telepsychiatry & consultant physician telehealth servicesClient perspectivesTopic suggestion:If you have a topic suggestion or would like to participate in a future episode of Psych Matters, we'd love to hear from you.Please contact us by email at: psychmatters.feedback@ranzcp.orgDisclaimer:This podcast is provided to you for information purposes only and to provide a broad public understanding of various mental health topics. The podcast may represent the views of the author and not necessarily the views of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists ('RANZCP'). The podcast is not to be relied upon as medical advice, or as a substitute for medical advice, does not establish a doctor-patient relationship and should not be a substitute for individual clinical judgement. By accessing The RANZCP's podcasts you also agree to the full terms and conditions of the RANZCP's Website. Expert mental health information and finding a psychiatrist in Australia or New Zealand is available on the RANZCP's Your Health In Mind Website.

Smart Biotech Scientist | Bioprocess CMC Development, Biologics Manufacturing & Scale-up for Busy Scientists
111: AI Meets Biology: Why Domain Expertise Still Rules in the Age of Large Language Models with Lars Brandén - Part 1

Smart Biotech Scientist | Bioprocess CMC Development, Biologics Manufacturing & Scale-up for Busy Scientists

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2024 19:08


Send us a textIn this episode, we explore the delicate dance between artificial intelligence and biological research with Lars Brandén, Director of Biology at Kolibri. From his early fascination with gene therapy to pioneering high-throughput screening centers at prestigious institutions, Lars shares invaluable insights on bridging the gap between academic innovation and industrial application.What sets this conversation apart is Lars' compelling perspective on why the popular "agile development" model doesn't always translate smoothly to bioprocess development – and why that matters for the future of drug development. His journey from the Karolinska Institute to leading cutting-edge biological research offers a unique lens on the evolution of biotech.Key takeaways for listeners:Learn why scientists must develop broader cross-disciplinary knowledge to effectively leverage AI tools in researchDiscover how AI could dramatically reduce drug development timelines and costs within the next five yearsUnderstand the potential for AI to democratize access to cell and gene therapies through optimized production methodsJoin us for this fascinating exploration of how domain expertise and artificial intelligence can work in harmony to accelerate breakthrough therapies. Whether you're a biotech professional or simply curious about the future of medicine, this episode offers valuable insights into the transformation of drug development in the AI era.Listen now to discover how the intersection of human expertise and artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of personalized medicine.Connect with Lars Brandén:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larsbrandenNext Steps:Wondering how to develop cell and gene therapies with peace of mind? Schedule your free assessment to propel your success: https://bruehlmann-consulting.com/assessmentDevelop biologics better, faster, at a fraction of the cost with our Fractional CTO services. Curious? DM us at hello@bruehlmann-consulting.com

JAMA Author Interviews: Covering research in medicine, science, & clinical practice. For physicians, researchers, & clinician

A new JAMA study examines the association between severe maternal morbidity in a first birth and the probability of a subsequent birth. Authors Neda Razaz, PhD, and Eleni Tsamantioti, MD, MMedSc, both from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, discuss this and more with JAMA Associate Editor Melissa A. Simon, MD, MPH. Related Content: Association of Severe Maternal Morbidity With Subsequent Birth Severe Maternal Morbidity and Subsequent Birth—Understanding and Informing a Woman's Choice

This Week in Virology
TWiV 1159: Eliminating cervical cancer, and endometrial immunity

This Week in Virology

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2024 85:32


Vincent travels to the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm to meet up with Niklas Björkström and Joakim Dillner to review their research on the endometrial immune system, and the plan to eliminate cervical cancer in Sweden. Host: Vincent Racaniello Guests: Niklas Björkström and Joakim Dillner Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MicrobeTV Discord Server Endometrial immune system variation (Sci Immunol) Immune defense in the womb (News from Karolinska) HPV vaccination and screening for elimination (Nat Comm) Cervical cancer elimination strategies (Int J Cancer) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

The Retrospectors
Invasion of the Identical Twins

The Retrospectors

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2024 11:36


A boatload of Swedish identical twins, aged 11 to 80, descended into Felixstowe on 7th October, 1977 - wearing matching outfits - for a shopping trip.  The eye-catching stunt was part of a scientific project led by ship captain Sune Dahlström, a twin himself, in collaboration with the Swedish Twin Register at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, and aimed to study the similarities and differences in their behaviours. Twin studies have a long history, with dark roots in Victorian eugenics and, infamously, Nazi experiments. However, the Swedish Twin Register became a more positive force for scientific discovery, meticulously based on twin birth records from parishes across Sweden, and today holding data on nearly 100,000 pairs of twins, making it the most comprehensive collection of its kind. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly celebrate the accomplishments of the Swedish Twin Register; discover how education impacts longevity; and consider why on Earth Felixstowe, of all places, played host to this unusual event… Further Reading: • ‘“As twins we're useful”' (Karolinska Institutet, 2017): https://ki.se/en/research/popular-science-and-dialogue/spotlight-on/spotlight-on-participating-in-research/as-twins-were-useful • ‘Seeing Double: How History Became Obsessed With Twins' (Google Arts & Culture): https://artsandculture.google.com/story/seeing-double-how-history-became-obsessed-with-twins/XgIiH-H78-86LQ • ‘What identical twins separated at birth teach us about genetics' (BBC REEL, 2022): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMlJcOSRX-8 Love the show? Support us!  Join 

The Psychology of Self-Injury: Exploring Self-Harm & Mental Health
Emotion Regulation Individual Therapy for Adolescents (ERITA) Who Self-Harm, with Dr. Johan Bjureberg

The Psychology of Self-Injury: Exploring Self-Harm & Mental Health

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2024 73:55


Emotion Regulation Individual Therapy for Adolescents (ERITA) and its internet-delivered version (IERITA) is just one of a couple of treatments developed specifically to address nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) among adolescents. In this episode, Dr. Johan Bjureberg from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden walks us through in detail each of the 11 sessions of IERITA and IERITA's 6 parallel sessions for parents.Learn more about Dr. Bjureberg's work here, and follow the Bjureberg Research Lab and their projects and publications at https://bjureberglab.se/. Below are links to his research on ERITA/IERITA referenced in this episode:Bjureberg, J., Ojala, O., Hesser, H., Häbel, H., Sahlin, H., Gratz, K. L., Tull, M. T., Knutsson, E. C., Hedman-Lagerlöf, E., Ljótsson, B., & Hellner, C. (2023). Effect of internet-delivered Emotion Regulation Individual Therapy for Adolescents with Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Disorder: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Network Open, 6(7), e2322069.Bjureberg, J., Sahlin, H., Hedman-Lagerlof, E., Gratz, K. L., Tull, M. T., Jokinen, J., Hellner, C., & Ljotsson, B. (2018). Extending research on emotion regulation individual therapy for adolescents (ERITA) with nonsuicidal self-injury disorder: Open pilot trial and mediation analysis of a novel online version. BMC Psychiatry, 18, 326.Bjureberg, J., Sahlin, H., Hellner, C., Hedman-Lagerlof, E., Gratz, K. L., Bjarehed, J., Jokinen, J., Tull, M. T., & Ljotsson, B. (2017). Emotion regulation individual therapy for adolescents with nonsuicidal self-injury disorder: A feasibility study. BMC Psychiatry, 17, 411.Want to have a bigger role on the podcast?:Should you or someone you know be interviewed on the podcast? We want to know! Please fill out this Google doc form, and we will be in touch with more details if it's a good fit.Want to hear your question and have it answered on the podcast? Please send an audio clip of your question (60 seconds or less) to @DocWesters on Instagram or Twitter/X, or email us at thepsychologyofselfinjury@gmail.comWant to be involved in research? Send us a message at thepsychologyofselfinjury@gmail.com and we will see if we can match you to an active study.Want to interact with us through comments and polls? You can on Spotify!Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter/X (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter/X (@ITripleS).The Psychology of Self-Injury podcast has been rated as one of the "10 Best Self Harm Podcasts" and "20 Best Clinical Psychology Podcasts" by Feedspot  and one of the Top 100 Psychology Podcasts by Goodpods. It has also been featured in Audible's "Best Mental Health Podcasts to Defy Stigma and Begin to Heal." Goodpods Top 100 Parents Podcasts Listen now to The Psychology of Self-Injury: ExploringSelf-Harm & Mental Health podcast Goodpods Top 100 Research Podcasts Listen now to The Psychology of Self-Injury: ExploringSelf-Harm & Mental Health podcast 

This Week in Virology
TWiV 1139: Long COVID with Dr. Judith Bruchfeld

This Week in Virology

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2024 46:59


Vincent travels to the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm on 31 May 2024 to meet with Dr. Judith Bruchfeld and discuss her research on the etiology and treatment of Long COVID. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello Guest: Judith Bruchfeld Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MicrobeTV Discord Server Immune system perturbations in Long COVID (J Immunol) Post-COVID immune system perturbations (J Immunol) Systems disregulation in Long COVID (Sci Rep) Clincal standards for diagnosing, treating, and preventing Long COVID (Intl J Tuberc Lung Dis) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

The Midwives' Cauldron
Kangaroo mother care and zero separation with Dr Nils Bergman

The Midwives' Cauldron

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2024 71:06


Want to send us a message? Fan mail? Thoughts on the episode?Dr Nils Bergman calls himself a Public Health Physician, and currently promotes and researches skin-to- skin contact on a full time basis. He is a Research Associate at the Karolinska Institute, Sweden. Dr. Bergman was born in Sweden and raised in Zimbabwe, where he also later worked as a mission doctor. He received his medical degree (MB ChB) at the University of Cape Town, a Diploma in Child Health at Uppsala University, and later a Masters in Public Health at the University of the Western Cape. During his years in Zimbabwe he completed a doctoral dissertation (MD, equivalent to PhD) on deadly scorpion stings. He has worked in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Sweden, and his last posting was Senior Medical Superintendent of Mowbray Maternity Hospital in Cape Town, overseeing 18000 births per year. He is married to Jill, and father to Rebecka, Simon and Emma, and has five grandchildren.In this episode, Dr. Bergman delves into the critical importance of maintaining skin-to-skin contact throughout the first day of a newborn's life. He explains how this practice not only connects and wires the baby's brain but also has profound effects on the mother.Dr. Bergman sheds light on the pivotal role of Oxytocin, often dubbed the 'love hormone,' which he eloquently describes as the hormone of resilience, vital for both mother and baby.We further explore the crucial significance of focusing not only on the first 1000 days of a child's life but also on the first 1000 minutes. Dr. Bergman passionately explains how these early moments are foundational for long-term health and emotional resilience.Additionally, we dive into the detailed work behind the latest version of the WHO Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) document. Dr. Bergman shares insights into the creation of this and introduces us to the concept of 'nurture-science.' He discusses how this emerWant to listen to the new podcast 'The Feeding Couch'? Find it here or on all good podcast hosting platforms! Get 10% off Katie's Breastfeeding & Lactation: the fundamentals online course today with code POD10 at checkout. Support the Show. Please support the show via Patreon or BuyMeACoffee MERCH here! Music Joseph McDade Like this podcast? Leave us a review here Want more from Katie and Rachel? Katie's website Rachel's website DisclaimerThe information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute medical or legal advice; instead, all information available on this site are for general informational purposes only. The Midwives' Cauldron podcast reserves the right to supplement, change or delete any information at any time.The information and materials on the podcast is provided "as is"; no representations are made that the content is error-free. Whilst we have tried to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information we do not warrant or guarantee the accurateness. The podcast accepts no liability for any loss or damage howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.

Surfing the Nash Tsunami
S5 SPECIAL 2 - Reviewing EASL Congress: Louise Campbell I

Surfing the Nash Tsunami

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2024 20:13


This week, Surfing the MASH Tsunami looks back on interviews Roger Green conducted during the EASL Congress itself. This conversation with SurfingMASH co-host and Tawazun Health Founder and Clinical Director Louise Campbell took place on the first day of the Congress.Roger's first interview with Louise took place at the end of Thursday, the opening day of the formal Congress and the first day of research presentations and posters. She starts by describing the "really nice vibe" of the meeting, dampened by the fact that Stephen Harrison was not there, and is no longer with us.The first session Louise chose to discuss was the previous day's Patient Advocate session. To her, the key point was to learn a key question that every provider should share with every patient once a year. She mentioned briefly the one presentation from the day's General Session she was able to attend, a retrospective analysis of the predictive value of VCTE.Next, Louise discussed two sessions she attended that delivered powerful, somewhat novel messages. The first was a symposium sponsored by Novo Nordisk that looked at using the liver "to manage cardiometabolic side" through the liver "rather than focusing on liver disease." The second was the "Healthy Livers, Healthy Lives" presentation that presented "very startling figures" about healthcare costs and lack of productivity in the US and how and why India has targeted this disease aggressively. After Louise and Roger both commented on the building momentum in MASLD and mentioned why they believe this is happening, Louise noted how many conversations about AI and quicker population detection were occurring despite the lack of ability to act on these today. This let Roger recall his major takeaway from the Preview episode (S5 E17), which was the emerging importance of data development and large datasets. He mentioned a paper from the Karolinska Institute that Hannes Hagstrom discussed in that episode.

STEM-Talk
Episode 170: Charles Serhan discusses the use of specialized pro-resolving mediators to resolve inflammation

STEM-Talk

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2024 100:08 Transcription Available


Today Dr. David LeMay steps in to co-host with Dr. Ken Ford for our interview with Dr. Charles Serhan. Charles is a Harvard professor best known for his discovery of specialized pro-resolving mediators. SPMs are molecules that can activate the natural resolution of inflammation and help people avoid anti-inflammatory drugs. The discovery of SPMs spurred a paradigm shift in our understanding of inflammation and human disease. Charles is the Simon Gelman Professor of Anesthesia at Harvard Medical School and the director of the Center for Experimental Therapeutics and Reperfusion Injury at Brigham and Women's Hospital. He also is a co-director of the Brigham Research Institute. David, who was our guest on Episode 69 of STEM-Talk, is a sports medicine and rehabilitation physician with a Pensacola, Florida practice that focuses on lifestyle and performance medicine. He also is a visiting research scientist here at IHMC. Show notes [00:03:33] David opens the interview mentioning that Charles grew up in New York City with a passion for music. David explains that Charles learned to play the vibraphone in junior high and played professionally for a year before going to college. David asks Charles why he decided to pursue science instead of music. [00:04:22] Ken asks Charles what kind of vibraphone he plays. [00:06:02] Ken asks, aside from the desire to help people, if there was something particular about studying science that Charles really enjoyed. [00:06:45] David asks about Charles' experience at the State University of New York at Stonybrook studying biochemistry and immunohistochemistry. [00:07:16] David asks if there was any carry over of skills for Charles from his career in music to his career in science. [00:08:16] Ken mentions that after Charles earned his bachelor's degree, one of his professors persuaded him to go to New York University for a master's and Ph.D. Ken also mentions that at the time Charles worked in the lab of Gerald Wiseman at Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory and asks about that experience. [00:12:37] David asks if this experience led Charles to a focus on neutrophil membrane remodeling for his Ph.D. [00:13:59] David asks Charles if it was at the Karolinska Institute where he met his future wife. [00:14:38] Ken asks Charles about one of his mentors, Michael Heidelberg, who gave Charles advice about how to be a good scientist. [00:17:13] David explains that in the 1990's Charles discovered Specialized Pro-Resolution Mediators and has since pioneered a new field on the utility of SPMs for a variety of inflammatory diseases. [00:25:01] Ken backs up to ask Charles what drew him to study inflammation in the first place and how that led him to do more research on the subject than any other scientist. [00:26:26] David asks Charles to touch on some different types of inflammation that the body experiences. [00:35:12] Ken asks Charles about how a trip to Asia during which he developed a hole in his intestines, resulted in first-hand experience on the importance of controlling inflammation. [00:41:00] David asks if Charles was taking any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications when he developed peritonitis. [00:41:53] David asks Charles to explain what non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications do to the healing process. [00:45:35] David brings up a recent discovery in animal models that as animals age, their ability to produce resolution mediators declines, possibly contributing to the loss of muscle mass with age. [00:48:09] Ken asks Charles to talk about the explosion of research into the potential therapeutic applications of SPMs in the treatment of a variety of chronic diseases known to be driven in part by chronic inflammation. [00:51:06] David asks Charles to explain the differences between resolvins, protectins, and maresins, as well as what role each plays in the healing process. [00:56:04] Ken mentions a review article that Charl...

Sweden in Focus
'How can Sweden leave behind a citizen who was sentenced to death?'

Sweden in Focus

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 6, 2024 22:24


In this week's Sweden in Focus we speak to Vida Mehrannia, the wife of the Karolinska Institute researcher Ahmedreza Djalali who was sentenced to death in Iran in 2017 and was not part of a recent prisoner exchange that saw two Swedes return home. Host Paul O'Mahony is joined this week Vida Mehrannia. She talks about why the family moved to Sweden, what life was like for them here before her husband's arrest. Also, after the release last month of two other Swedish prisoners in Iran, she tells us about what attempts have been made to secure Ahmedreza Djalali's release and if more could be done. READ ALSO: 'Why not me?' Imprisoned academic Djalali delivers stinging rebuke over prisoner swap Wife of imprisoned academic 'disappointed' after meeting Swedish foreign minister LISTEN: Anger over Sweden's prisoner swap with Iran Get Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcastsSign up now and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday.Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+For new members: Get Membership+ Read more about Membership+ in our help centre.Already have Membership+ but not receiving all the episodes? Go to the podcast tab on your account page to activate your subscription.  Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ground Truths
Euan Ashley: Exercise may be the single most potent medical intervention ever known

Ground Truths

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2024 48:18


Recently, a series of papers were published in Nature and Nature journals illuminating the physiologic effects of exercise from an NIH initiative called MoTrPAC. To understand the wealth of new findings, I spoke with Professor Euan Ashley, who, along with Matt Wheeler, heads up the bioinformatics center.Earlier this week, Stanford announced Evan Ashley will be the new Chair of the Department of Medicine. He has done groundbreaking work in human genomics, including rapid whole genome sequencing for critically ill patients and applying the technology for people with unknown diseases. A few years ago he published The Genome Odyssey book. As you'll see from our conversation, he has also done extensive work on the science of exercise.Video snippet from our conversation. Full videos of all Ground Truths podcasts can be seen on YouTube here. The audios are also available on Apple and Spotify.Transcript with audio and external linksEric Topol (00:06):Well, hello, it's Eric Topol with Ground Truths, and I'm really delighted today to welcome my friend, Euan Ashley. He is the Roger and Joelle Burnell Chair of Genomics and Precision Health at Stanford. He's done pioneering work in genomics, but today we're going to talk about something very different, which he also is working in exercise. Exercise the cover of a Nature paper in May regarding this MoTrPAC, which we're going to talk about this big initiative to understand the benefits of exercise. But before I hand it over to Euan, and I just want to mention his description of the paper that he posted to summarize started with, “Exercise may be the single most potent medical intervention ever known.” So Euan welcome.Euan Ashley (01:01):Yeah, well, great. It's wonderful to be here, Eric, and so nice to see you.Eric Topol (01:06):Yeah. Well, we have a lot to talk about because exercise is a fascinating topic. And I guess maybe we'd start with the MoTrPAC, which is an interesting acronym that you all came up with. Maybe tell us a bit about that with the 800 rats and the 2,400 people and the 17,000 molecules, there's a lot there.Euan Ashley (01:24):Right, right. Yeah. Well, first of all, of course, before you do any scientific study, especially with a large number of people in a consortium, you need a good acronym. So that was where we started with the idea was to focus on the molecular transducers of physical activity. As you pointed out there at the beginning, we really don't have a more potent medical intervention, especially for prevention of disease. I mean, it's just such a powerful thing that we have, and yet we don't really understand how it works. And so, the MoTrPAC Consortium was designed to really work together, bring groups of people across the US together who all have some interest in exercise and some ability to measure molecules and really put together the world's largest study of exercise to try and start answering some of the questions about where the potency of this intervention come from.Eric Topol (02:20):So the first crop of papers, and there were several of them that came out all on the same day in Nature publications, was about the rats. The people part is incubating, but can you give us a skinny on, there was a lot there, but maybe you could just summarize what you thought were the main findings.Key MoTrPAC FindingsEuan Ashley (02:43):Yeah, of course, of course. And the MoTrPAC Consortium, I'll say first of all, yeah, large group is probably I think 36 principal investigators funded by the Common Fund. And so, it brings together large numbers of people, some of whom who spend most of their time thinking about let's say animal exercise. Some have spent a lot of time thinking about humans in exercise and many of whom think about measuring technologies. And as you say, these first group of papers were focused on the rat study, but actually the study goes much more broadly than that. But of course, there are some advantages to the animal protocols. We can look at tissue and we'll talk about that in a moment. But the humans, of course, are where we're most interested in the end. And we do have tissues coming from humans blood and adipose tissue and skeletal muscle, but those are obviously the only organs we can really access.(03:31):So there's a rat study, which is this one we'll talk about, and that's aerobic exercise and training. There's human studies that include aerobic exercise, strengths studies as well. There's a study in kids, pediatric study and then also a study of people who are very fit because here we're focusing on the change from sedentary to fit. And so that gives us the key exercise signal. So this first crop of papers was really our first look, cross-tissue, cross multi-omics, so multiple different modalities of measurement. And I think, yeah, we were like about nine and a half thousand assays, 19 tissues, 25 different measurement platforms, and then four training points for these rats. So let's talk about the rats for a minute. What do they do? So they normally live at night. They're active at night. In this study, we reverse that so that we can actually do the studies during the day.(04:25):So we reverse their at night cycle and they do their treadmill exercise over the course of several weeks. They start with about 20 minutes, and they do more every day. There's a control group of rats that just get placed on the treadmill and then don't do any exercise. And so, this is a controlled study as well. And over the course of time, we work more, it's about eight weeks in total and then two days after each of those bouts of exercise. So it's not an acute study, we measure to see where we are. So we also have this time trajectory of exercise. So what did we find? I mean, I think the first thing I would say, we talked about just how potent exercise is. It's very, very clear from looking at all these tissues that when you exercise regularly, you are just a different person, or in this case a different rat.(05:15):Like literally every tissue is changed dramatically and some in quite surprising ways. So I give you a couple of the things that surprised me or that I thought were most interesting. The first thing was this question of how does exercise actually work? Because exercise is a stress. You go out and you pound the pavement or you're on the bike or whatever, and then your body recovers. And so, there's been this idea, it's referred to as hormesis, this idea that some of the benefit of exercise might come from this recurrent stress. So your body learns how to deal with stress. And so given that we were very interested that this heat shock response was so prominent across multiple tissues. So heat shock proteins are molecular chaperones and they take care of protein folding to make sure it's appropriately done and they prevent protein aggregation. And when proteins need degraded because they're damaged, the heat shock system jumps in.(06:10):So perhaps not surprising, but pretty interesting that the heat shock proteins were very prominent part of the stress response to exercise. And remember, this is not acute exercise, so these are benefits that are built up over time, so that was one. A surprising one to me, the adrenal gland. So we're used to thinking of adrenaline as an epinephrine, as a stress hormone, but actually we saw dramatic changes in the adrenal gland and we don't necessarily think too much. You think about the exercising muscles, you think about the heart, we think about the lungs, when we think about exercise, you don't necessarily think that you're changing your adrenal gland, but it was one of the most changed tissues. The immune system was a common upregulated system. We saw that. And in fact, some of the tissues in which the immune genes were most changed were somewhat surprising.(07:02):So the small intestine, for example, was a place where there was a highest enrichment of immune mediated pathways. And then some tissues changed pretty early, like the small intestine changed after just one or two weeks of training other tissues like the brown adipose tissue. It was more like seven or eight weeks of training before we saw the real changes in there. So just one or two little things that struck out, but I think this really the first molecular map of exercise. So we're looking across the whole system across multiple modalities of measurement across multiple tissues.Simulating StressEric Topol (07:34):So as far as understanding the benefits of exercise, does this tell us that it really does simulate stress that it's conditioning the body to deal with stress as reflected by the various points you just summarized?Euan Ashley (07:51):Yeah, I think that is exactly right. I mean, part of what we were trying to understand was in what way are you changed after you do exercise regularly? And I think if we think about things that are positive, then the ability to deal with stress at a cellular level, quite literally repair mechanisms seems to be a big part of it. The other aspect that was interesting is that when you're measuring this many analytes, you can also compare that with disease. And so, we understand that exercises is preventive benefit against disease. So in some cases, and this was work highlighted by my colleague Maléne Lindholm in the mitochondrial paper that came along with the main paper and she looked with a team across all mitochondrial changes across all of the tissues of the cell. So these are the workhorses of the individual cells that like the batteries inside the cells of the mitochondria.(08:54):And we saw big changes across, it's not surprisingly, but it's the energy source for cells, big changes across many tissues. But interestingly for two specific really important diseases, a liver disease in one case and type 2 diabetes on the other, it was very clear that the training upregulated a network that was exactly the opposite of that of the disease. And so, it really was intervening in a way that was very specifically opposite to the way we know disease mechanisms go. So it does seem like, I mean people talk about an exercise pill. I think this shows that that is just not going to be possible. There may be ways we could mimic some elements of exercise, but there's no pill. This is a multisystem, multi-tissue, multidimensional response to exercise.Eric Topol (09:44):Yeah, I think it's really important. That was one of the questions I was going to ask you is whether this would ever be simulated by a drug. And I think you already answered that, and the fact that it's so comprehensively sweeping across every organ and all these different signals, tens thousand plus signals across them, it's really striking. We never really understood the benefits of exercise and not that it's all resolved by any means. Some of the things that were interesting too was the sex specific findings. Maybe you want to comment about that because we don't spend enough time thinking about how sex does have a big effect on physiology.Sex-Specific FindingsEuan Ashley (10:24):Yeah, I mean that's a really good point and one that I think was really underlined for us at every corner, every turn of the analysis here. So really no matter which measurement modality, no matter which tissue, no matter which point of training, if we just asked these computer models to sort of separate the data according to the prominent signals without giving it a clue of what to do, the so-called unsupervised models, then sex basically came out every single time. So I think you say you're absolutely right that we so often overlook the difference. For years we've said, oh, it's too expensive to do animal studies in both sexes, so we'll just pick one. And males were picked more often. But there are plenty of studies that were just females, and I mean that clearly is wrong, and we are really, sometimes it appeared like we're almost dealing with two different species.(11:18):They were so different. But I think we can also learn from what those differences were. Interestingly, some of them were most profound in adipose tissue, so in fat, and that was the case both at rest, sedentary and amplified by exercise. So we saw big difference between females and males in relation to the kinds of signals that were prominent in the white adipose tissue. So this fat storage tissue, for example, in sedentary females, insulin signaling and the trigger to make fat and store fat was very prominent. But whereas in the males, even before any exercise, the fat signals were more related to metabolism, and we could have wild speculation about in evolutionary terms why that might be. Obviously, males and females have different biological many differences in their biology and obviously thinking about hormone systems and specifically pregnancy of course. And so, we could probably come up with some theories. In reality, all we know now are these observations were found and they're pretty interesting and they show us that we really always need to think separately about both sexes and look at both independently.Eric Topol (12:39):Well, and the other thing that you already pointed out, but I just want to underscore, you can't do this stuff in people. You can't just do fat biopsies and whatnot. So I mean, the fact that you can do this multi-omic, multi-organ type assessment is just really an extraordinary opportunity for learning. And while we're on the white fat story just briefly, we would rather have a lot more brown fat, but as we age, and I assume it's the same in rats, they don't have much as they get older brown fat. Does exercise help us get more brown fat or are we just stuck with the white adipose tissue?Brown vs White FatEuan Ashley (13:21):Yeah, well, it certainly allows us to have less of a white adipose tissue, and I think it's potential that our brown adipose tissue maybe more functional, and for those who are listening who are not familiar, I mean these really are different colors that relate to the actual color of the tissue, but the color is different because the brown adipose tissue contains lots of mitochondria and lipid droplets, and the brown adipose is there to help essentially generate heat. It has a very different function in a way, but even white adipose tissue that we think of as just being about storing energy, people think of fat as a very metabolically neutral or inert tissue, but in reality it's not. It's signaling. It's constantly, it's a tissue that's as alive as any other and not just a storage for excess energy, but exercise definitely appears to alter both in this sexually dimorphic way as we noted already and clearly both in a positive health way where I think the makeup of the brown tissue is different. The white tissue, there is less of it obviously with exercise, which is something that is well known, but not new here for the first time. But still important to have seen that even in the rats.Eric Topol (14:49):And there's even, we talked a moment go about drugs, but there are some molecules that are thought to be able to help convert white to brown fat that are understudy and we'll see if they get anywhere that's interesting. But also, you talked about aerobic exercise and with us both being cardiologists, and I know throughout my earlier part of my career, we only talked about aerobic exercise. There was no such thing as strength training, and we even discouraged that or we never talked about it. Now we know how important strength training is and not just strength and resistance training, but balance and posture and all these other things. I assume you can't study that in the rats.Euan Ashley (15:32):Well, it's not impossible. This study of course is about endurance, but as you say, and there are some models, I mean I've even seen models in trying to trigger flies to do strength training.Eric Topol (15:46):Wow, I didn't know that.Intensity of ExerciseEuan Ashley (15:46):That somewhere, yeah, we'll have something, there are various methods of making animals hang off things, and this was treadmill. So it's a fairly routine and standard I think part of a rat's life to run. So this was not so different. As we mentioned at the beginning in the human study, we do have a strength portion and the endurance portion, which I think is very important because as you say, the benefits of exercise are found really across both of those. And indeed, as you say, flexibility and other often neglected element of physical activity. But yeah, those benefits are there for both aerobic exercise and endurance. And in fact, they are perhaps even higher for higher intensity exercise. Although I think we don't necessarily recommend everybody do higher intensity exercise. I don't think it's necessary to get most of the benefits of exercise, but there is some additional benefit.(16:42):One of my favorite facts, I think I first saw it probably on a presentation a few years ago, but I looked up the original and recalculated it. But if you look at this very big study of half a million people and look at their physical activity over the course of years and correlate it with their likelihood of being alive or being dead, then it was clear that one minute of exercise bought you five minutes of extra life. And I just thought that was just a really interesting way of putting it essentially. And actually it's a little more, if you did high intensity exercise, one minute would give you seven or eight minutes of extra life. So I tell this to my patients when they come in and tell me they don't have enough time to exercise. I said, oh, well, one minute of exercise. I'm not very popular when I tell them that, but anyway.Eric Topol (17:30):You think it's true. Do you think it's based on good data?Euan Ashley (17:34):Well, the data is large, I mean half a million people. I think we've also seen it currently since the early fifties when we were first doing the London bus conductor study that Jerry Morris did that you will know well, where he compared bus conductors on the London to the bus drivers and found a significantly reduced cardiovascular mortality among the conductors because they were on their feet all day up and down stairs and the driver otherwise in the same environment the drivers were sitting. So I think we have a wealth of epidemiologic correlative evidence that exercise leads to a greater length of life, greater longevity, maybe more than for anything else. The causal evidence is less of course, but we do have causal evidence too. There are enough randomized trials and now increasingly some genetic causal evidence that helps us understand that this is really a causal link and that we actually can change our outcome if we do additional exercise.Mental Health BenefitEric Topol (18:32):Oh, and I don't question at all what you said about the enhancing healthy aging health span and even possibly lifespan. I just wondered about the one to five ratio if we could assert that. I mean that's really interesting and it's a good motivating factor because as you well know by that WHO criteria, one out of four people aren't even close to the modest exercise recommendation. So we got ways to go to get people to spruce up exercise. Now speaking of people, I do want to come back to MoTrPAC and the people plan, but I do want to before that get your sense about a couple of really fascinating studies. So earlier this year there was a study of every exercise study that's been looking at mental health along with SSRIs that name drugs that are used for mental health. And it was a pretty fascinating study. I think I'm just going to pull it up. They looked at everything that this is for depression, walking, jogging, yoga, strength training, SSRIs. And what was fascinating is that dancing, walking, jogging, it made the drugs look like a joke. They didn't seem to work at all. So this was 218 studies with over 14,000 people. And so, I don't know that enough people recognize this fact that this Prozac nation and all this stuff about the SSRIs, but exercise seems to do wonders for people who are depressed, anxious, stressed. What do you think about that?Euan Ashley (20:26):Yeah, I mean it's exactly right. I mean I think that it's very clear from the data and as you mentioned, you and I tend to focus first on the cardiovascular benefit, which is very significant, potentially 50% reduction in risk, but there are similar sorts of numbers when you look at mental health and exercise as an intervention for mental health has been very well studied and has these really dramatic benefits. And I think even if we go in the more general population and think about the fact people talk about a runner's high or an exercise high, and many, many of us, myself included, feel that. And a few years ago, I started exercising every morning and now if I don't do that, I really feel like I'm missing something, there's something in the chemistry of my brain is not quite right. And so, I think that benefit for those who have mental health issues is also very much felt and is real at the brain chemical signaling level and with this few adverse effects as exercise has, I do think we need to think of it earlier and more prominently for almost every disease.Eric Topol (21:40):Yeah, you're I think alluding to the opioids that are released with exercise and addiction to exercise, which is what ideally if everybody could be addicted to exercise, that might help a lot of things. As you mentioned in your post that I started with, “its benefits in prevention outstrip any known drugs: 50% reduction in the cardiovascular disease, 50% reduction in risk of many cancers, positive effects on mental health that we just discussed, pulmonary health, GI health, bone health, muscle function. You name it.” So you said it really well there, and that was just one recent report that substantiated the mental health. I want to also mention another report that's fascinating on cancer that is a publication again recently was looking at both mice and people with pancreatic cancer. And what was fascinating about it is the more exercise of the mice and in the people, the more survival that is from pancreatic cancer, which as we both know and all the listeners will know, is that one of the worst cancers of humankind. So the affecting cancer is fascinating. Now can you dial up your immune system response with exercise?Euan Ashley (23:02):Yeah, I think you can. And I think we were at some level expecting to see it because it's certainly a known thing, but I think again, this is able, our ability to measure it in this study is just much deeper than we've ever had in any study before. And so, I think when we think about mechanisms that might relate to reduced risk of cancer, as you say, we think first of the immune system and that signal was there in many places. As we mentioned at the very beginning, sometimes to me in some slightly surprising places like the small intestine, we don't think of that necessarily as the seat of immune activation, but I think what we were doing, what we were seeing is those signals really across all the tissues and ultimately the immune system is a distributed system. It senses in multiple places and then obviously has implementation.(23:53):Now exactly in what way we've turned up our T or B cells, for example, to be able to attack those cancers or support the therapy that's been given. I don't think we understand that yet. But actually, you bring up another great point, which is part of MoTrPAC was to create this molecular map and analyze it and put the first analysis out there. So that's what we've done, but just as big and maybe even a bigger reason is that to release the data and to make it accessible for everyone and anyone in the world as of the moment this paper came out can go to our data portal at https://motrpac-data.org/ and download the data and then use that in their own work. They can do their own analysis just of this data, but also what we're hoping is that they'll start to use the data, let's say as control data for a cancer study or for a diabetes study or for others. So we really hope it'll fuel many, many more studies over many years from now.Eric Topol (24:52):Yeah, I mean that open science approach to applaud that it's so vital and amplifies what's good to come out of this really important initiative. Now you mentioned the opioids and proteins that are secreted with exercise, exerkines is a term that's used and also I guess these extracellular vesicles (EVs) not electric vehicles. Can you tell us about exerkines and EVs and are they part of the story?Euan Ashley (25:25):Yeah, and actually in the human study there's a specific exosome analysis that will be reported there. Yeah, I think that when we think about this multi-system nature of exercise, and one of the fascinating things was to be able to have these omics in multiple tissues and think about how those tissues were signaling to each other. So obviously there are some tissues that are more fundamental to the exercise response. We think of those as the skeletal muscles. They literally the effectors of our ability to exercise. And I think we think of the heart and lungs in particular in the blood system of course, but we were seeing changes everywhere and it's one of the reasons we were seeing changes everywhere is that there are molecules that are essentially secreted into the circulation or locally by these exercising muscles, exerkines that have a number of positive benefits.(26:21):And it is possible if there's some mechanism towards mimicking some of what exercise does with a drug, then that's a good place to go look for it. And I think that this will also fuel those thoughts. I think we both, we'd agree that there isn't going to be one pill that will do all the magic of exercise, but I think there are probably things we will learn from the study where we say, well, this was a very positive benefit and it seems to be mediated by this particular molecule, and that's something that could potentially lead towards a more targeted drug. I think we'll definitely get into that and understanding just we're systems people are, again, I think we think in physiology, so when we see the tissues like connecting and communicating with each other, I think that just makes a lot of sense from a systems perspective.Eric Topol (27:10):Now getting onto the forthcoming work that's going to come out with the 2,400 people and the different groups that you mentioned, I wonder if it'll include things like biologic aging with DNA methylation, will it have immunomes to characterize the differences in the immune system? What kind of things might we expect? Obviously, you can't get tissue, but for blood samples and things like DNA methylation, can we get some more illumination on what's going on?Euan Ashley (27:41):Yeah, I think we can. And of course, ultimately the human is the organism we're most interested in. Interestingly, I'll say interestingly as well, we can get some tissue and huge credit to both the investigators who are doing this and most credit of all to the individuals who agreed to join the study because they actually agreed not just to give blood samples, but actually to give skeletal muscle samples. So a biopsy of the skeletal muscle and a biopsy of the fat pad. So we will actually have two other tissues in the humans, not this obviously vast range that we talked about with the rat study, but we'll have those two other tissues and we'll also then have the rat data, which is the other great thing. So we'll have this foundational insight that we can then bring to the human study with the humans as we mentioned before as well, we'll have not just endurance but strength trained, we'll have it in kids as well, and we'll have these higher intensity exercise.(28:36):I think we will be able to connect with this, as you mentioned, longevity literature or the health span literature where we can start to think about DNA methylation. We do have genomes of course, on all of the individuals. It won't be a study powered because it's thousands individuals, these kinds of numbers. It won't be powered to give us genetic predictors. If you think about the studies had to be hundreds of thousands of people and even more now in order to give us, let's say common variant predictive. So we won't be able to do that, but there's lots of connections we'll be able to make by being much closer to the effector systems, which is to say the proteins and the metabolites and those signals we're already seeing are very significant. And so, I do think that there'll be a lot of new signals that we'll see that are specific to humans that will connect into other bodies of work, for example, the longevity, and we'll see those in blood and I hope that we'll be able to connect also the skeletal and adipose tissue data as well.Eric Topol (29:37):One of the things that would be wonderful to connect if you can, our mutual friend and your colleague at Stanford, Tony Wyss-Coray has these organ clocks that have been validated now in the UK Biobank, and then you can see what's happening with the wealth of plasma proteins that have been validated across each organ. So without having to do tissue, you might get some real insights about organ clock. So I mean, I'm really looking forward to the people part of this. When do you think the next wave of output's going to come from MoTrPAC?Euan Ashley (30:11):Well, I think that another element of the study is that we have ancillary studies, so investigators who said, I want to be able to use MoTrPAC data and use some of the infrastructure, but I'm looking for funding for my parallel study. So some of those ancillary studies will start to come out over time, which I think will be interesting and will be a very good place to see the breadth of activity that has been triggered by this one investment. The human study is coming along. We're actually just now plotting the last two or three years of the consortium. Time has really gone by pretty fast, and we've had to scale back just a little bit on the total numbers of humans, but it should still be, I think probably the largest multi-omics study of humans that there has been. And I think if we were going to plan one of those, then planning it to study around exercise definitely, definitely makes sense. So there is some data that was, of course Covid happened in the middle of this, so that was a major challenge with hitting the original numbers. But there's some data from the humans who were recruited before Covid hit that will be coming out and hopefully in the relatively near future. And then the big study may still be a year or two away to get it finished. But after that, as we say, we hope that the data and the science will continue for I hope decades beyond just the collection of this repository.Eric Topol (31:41):That's great. You mentioned Covid and I did want to ask you about the folks with Long Covid who are suffering from fatigue and exercise intolerance and what do you think about this kind of vicious cycle? Because if they could exercise, it could help them get into a better state, but because of not being able to, it's just a negative feedback loop. Any thoughts about that?Exercise and the Immune SystemEuan Ashley (32:13):I mean, it's such a good point and it's one of course that we talk to many of our patients where they, for whatever reason, sometimes it's because they are struggling with weight or they're struggling with other mobility challenges, and now we have this very large population who are struggling with fatigue. As you mentioned, it's a group that we were somewhat familiar with because of flu and because EBV and other, I mean long syndromes were something we were familiar with. They were just kind of rare, and so there wasn't really much work done on trying to understand them. Now as you've, I think articulated better than anyone, we have this entire population of people because of the scale of Covid who have these symptoms that are recognizable for the first time and including on your podcast, you have had folks on that have discussed it. Some of the insights that have happened from actually applying science, I wish there was an answer that was buried here in MoTrPAC and maybe there is, there will certainly have data from before and after the pandemic and maybe there may be some insights that we can bring to that.(33:20):I certainly think we have a lot of insights on the interaction between infection and the immune system. We talked about the potential for the immune system to be ramped up in that potentially being one of the mechanisms through which this might help cancer. There's also the idea of, and we've seen this with the effect of vaccination on Long Covid, which perhaps surprisingly does seem to have a significant benefit for at least a group of people. The assumption there is that we're ramping up the immune system and it's having that extra effect on whether it's actually pools of hidden antigens that are hidden from the immune system or whether it's some other element of the kind of ensemble attack of the immune system that is related to the symptoms. But either way, I think we feel that having a more ramped up immune system is likely to be beneficial, but at a very real human level, the point you made is the hard one. If you're really fatigued and you just feel you can't exercise, then these benefits are just out of reach and you're in this negative feedback cycle and breaking that cycle is hard. I think we try to suggest people do it very gradually because you can get a lot of benefit from just a little exercise and that's something, so that's some way, and then hopefully people can build up slowly over time, but it's a really big challenge.Eric Topol (34:43):I hope we can crack the case on that because I know that's something holding these folks back and there's just millions of them out there. Now let's talk about the healthy folks that you see in clinic. What do you advise them about exercise besides the fact that one minute we'll give them five minutes, but do you advise them to have X amount of aerobic and X amount of resistance and in the general person, what would you tell them patients?Euan Ashley (35:13):Yeah, yeah, I do. So I suggest habit is everything. So I suggest to people that they exercise every day or take one day of rest because I think there is some benefit with the stress response and having a rest day. So I suggest five or six days a week if possible, trying to get into a habit of doing it. So pick a time that works for you. It could be first thing in the morning, could be last thing at night. The jury's out on when the best time to exercise is. What it's very, very clear is that getting the exercise done is what counts. Accumulating time is also what counts. I mean, if you're not someone who wants to pull on running kit and go out running, that's fine, but accumulating steps, accumulating physical activity and moving is key. So not having people overshoot being too ambitious, but if they're really motivated to do something, then I would say five or six times a week a combination of both aerobic and endurance exercise and strength.(36:07):Usually I suggest two to one in favor of aerobic exercise, but it's also possible I think to alternate and do more 50/50. I think the key is that both are featured and then I think a bit neglected because to be honest, our data on it is just not as good, but flexibility is really critical and particularly in the senior population and for a group who sit all day long, I think for those two groups in particular, flexibility is really under-recognized as a major component. Even in my cardiology clinic, I've helped several patients just get over their back pain by teaching them some back stretching exercises. And so, I think that's neglected. So I suggest all three of those and really it's whatever works for the individual. I think the key is to find, it might be working in a group format, it might be going to a gym, it might just be taking regular walks. The key is to get moving and not sit. Get moving and do it regularly and get into the habit.Individualized Exercise?Eric Topol (37:09):Yeah, and actually on that point about potential individualization in the future, I noticed that you and some people that worked in your lab and others, Svexa is a company you started for exercise. Can you tell us about that?Euan Ashley (37:26):Yeah, this was a PhD student who was in my lab many years ago and was doing his PhD joint between the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. And of course, the country of Sweden has a long history of exercise physiology, science, and as he came out, we realized that there was the potential for optimization of training for individuals, whether they're recreational athletes or elite athletes in the Olympics. And he was interested in taking this and running with it, which he did. So the company originally Silicon Valley exercise analytics, but shortened now to Svexa builds, builds products to help people basically individualize their training. And we work, say with recreational athletes on an individual basis, we work with a lot of Olympic athletes in multiple countries and the technology building the sort of magic sauce that many of these coaches even up to and including Olympic coaches have into a format that can be spread and amplified to many more people is one of the themes.(38:29):And when we think about professional athletes and the company works with a number of well-known brand name teams that are in soccer leagues and in national football league here in the US and really across professional sport, what we're thinking of there is optimizing performance. Of course, all the teams want to win, but reducing injury is the other key part because the management of load, these are professional athletes, they're getting up every day in training and they're trying to optimize their training and their coaches are trying to do that. And it's been a fairly data free zone over the years, but meanwhile, we actually have learned a lot about how to measure individuals and how to measure what training works, and if you think about a team that might be paying 20 million a year for their star player, if that player gets injured, that's a pretty expensive thing. And so, investing a little bit in understanding the training load, helping the coaches understand the data, and then adapting that to each individual in the team so that their chance of injury is lower. That's really a lot of what the company spends its time thinking about.Eric Topol (39:36):Now, do you use sensors like lactate and glucose and AI of their body and how do you figure this stuff out?Euan Ashley (39:45):Yeah, all of that is possible. It's interesting, some sports have a kind of culture of measurement. For example, lactate measurements, which as your listeners will know, is it requires a small blood sample usually from the finger or from the ear lobe. Some sports like swimming have done that for years. But other sports, it's just not been so much in the culture. So I would say that from the company perspective, we work with whatever data is available and we'll make recommendations if people want to think about wearable devices. Of course, the digital era is around us, and you can get a lot from just a standard watch in terms of heart rate, heart rate variability in terms of accelerometry and movement. You can do a lot with just that, but there's lots more. Many of these teams have GPS signals so they know how far an athlete moves in a given game, how fast they move, how much time they spend at tool speed versus medium speed.(40:37):So we can use all of that. And as you say, yes, AI for sure is a large part of what we do and a couple of different ways actually. One is just for the analysis of the data, but another is this idea of scaling expertise. This is something in the AI community. I know you talked about a lot where you could take the expertise of let's say a physician with a very specialized practice or an Olympic coach for a marathon runner and basically make a language model that contains that expertise and then allow many people, thousands of people potentially to benefit from that expertise that we'd otherwise be sort of locked up with next available appointment is 18 months down the road, but if your AI can potentially reflect a lot of what you have, a lot of your expertise, not all of it, we hope, but probably a lot of it, then that expertise could potentially be offered much more broadly. And if it's to help people exercise more and more effectively, it's going to be a lot of good that I think can come from that.Eric Topol (41:33):Yeah. No, it's really interesting. I think there's unlimited opportunities there. It's like Moneyball to the 10th power. It's like all this data that's in sports that gets me, I guess to the last question I had for you, and that is the elite athlete or athlete hard. These are people that are working out endurance just to the max, these extremists, and they're prone to heart issues like atrial fibrillation. Why is that? What's going on with these people that they exercise too much? Is it just the lack of moderation, extremism or what's going on?Euan Ashley (42:10):Yeah, well, so it's interesting that of course you mentioned atrial fibrillation. I think that really is the only downside of exercise, even fairly extreme exercise that I've ever been, I think that we've ever had really good data for. And I would say that over the years, and I've been one way or another touching the exercise science world for 20 years and more now and certainly have been asked very often, surely these people are doing themselves harm. And the reality is, although every now and again there's a study that shows some harm or they measure troponin, they measure something in the blood and someone says, oh, they must be doing themselves harm. It's been very hard to find it. The reality is atrial fibrillation though really is, especially for those ultra endurance athletes, that's for real. And that is, we don't know that it's associated with a mortality impact necessarily, but it's definitely annoying and it slows down.Endurance Athletes and Atrial Fibrillation(43:03):We have athletes who come in and say they're cycling up a hill and suddenly they drop their power drops and they realize they've gone into atrial fibrillation. I used to play basketball with someone who would go into atrial fibrillation, so I would know when to try and get past him once he went into atrial fibrillation. But that's a real thing, and I think one of your questions was why I think I have a lot of close friends who are ultra endurance runners. They're among some of the most chilled and happiest people I know. I think those benefits of exercise are what they're enjoying, and I think there's a literature on addiction to exercise. So there is a small number of people who get addicted to that feeling and addicted to the chemical matter in their brain and can't stop, and they really do get to the point of doing themselves harm.(43:53):Fortunately, I think that's a pretty small number. And overall, although there are many consequences of chronic long-term exercise, almost all of them seem to be positive. The other one that you and I are probably very familiar with is the calcium scans that we see now much more often, it's common for people who've exercised a lot to have more calcium in their hearts. Now they have a lower risk of that. They have lower risk of heart attacks in general, one or two studies muddied the waters just a little. But in general, it's very clear they have very positive health benefits and yet they have more calcium. So they are an exception. We've seen in our sports cardiology clinic here at Stanford, several athletes every month, several will come in with this finding and we are explaining to them, this doesn't mean they have the same risk as someone who hasn't exercised at that level who would have that calcium score. It does seem to be very different, and it may be that there's a stabilization of those plaques in the arteries. I don't think we understand the biology that well, but we understand the epidemiology quite well, which is that their risk really is still low.Eric Topol (44:59):Yeah, no, it's interesting that there's still some uncertainties there and MoTrPAC may help guide us or at elucidate some of them. I guess it does bring up one other thing I got to get to with you because we didn't really get to the question of moderate to higher intensity, not to the level of the ultra exercises, but if you just do steps or do you sweat like hell, where do you draw the line? Or is that really part a function of age and ability? When you recommend exercise, because obviously you're rational and there's others out there that are exercising three or four hours a day and they're going to extreme craziness, but just in a reasonable thing, do you think just telling people who are 70 that walking is good enough or do you try to encourage them to push it?Euan Ashley (45:59):Yeah, I do encourage people to push it a bit because I think there's clear evidence that higher intensity, some degree of higher intensity exercise really does provide more benefit. But I think my main message first is because for most people, the potential of moderate versus high is in the distance and in the future for most people, we need to get them off the couch and get them on their feet. So my emphasis is that you can go a long way with just a little movement, even a little standing. And then I think if they're really getting into the habit and really doing some exercise then, and if they don't have a prior history of let's say, heart attack or other medical issues that might make high intensity exercise risky, if they don't have those, then I absolutely do get to the point where I recommend some amount of higher intensity exercise, because I think there is some evidence that it has a little extra benefit.Eric Topol (46:51):Oh, that's great. Well, this is the most in-depth conversation I've ever had with anybody on exercise, so Euan I really appreciate it. I mean, I knew you from all your work in genomics of course, and we've had some overlap from time to time, but the exercise stuff is fantastic. Did I miss anything?Euan Ashley (47:09):No, I don't think so. Just underline again to anyone who's listening if they're interested to play with this data, it's very much out there. It's a tool for the world, and they can go to https://motrpac-data.org/ and even you can do some analysis without downloading any data either. If you just have a favorite gene or a favorite protein, you can type that in and take a look at some of the tools we have there. But yeah, really appreciate the conversation and very fun to chat about what has been a really, really fun project.Eric Topol (47:39):Well, thank you and all the folks at MoTrPAC, all the hard work and of course the funding that got it going to give it that runway of several years. So we'll look forward to more. I hope to convene with you again when some of the other studies come out, and thanks so much.*****************************************************Thanks for listening, reading or watching!The Ground Truths newsletters and podcasts are all free, open-access, without ads.Please share this post/podcast with your friends and network if you found it informativeVoluntary paid subscriptions all go to support Scripps Research. Many thanks for that—they greatly helped fund our summer internship programs for 2023 and 2024.Thanks to my producer Jessica Nguyen and Sinjun Balabanoff for audio and video support at Scripps Research.Note: you can select preferences to receive emails about newsletters, podcasts, or all I don't want to bother you with an email for content that you're not interested in. Get full access to Ground Truths at erictopol.substack.com/subscribe

Terrain Theory
Dr. Olle Johansson on EMFs, electrohypersensitivity, and the astronomical increase in exposure

Terrain Theory

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2024 92:50


Dr. Olle Johansson is a retired professor of basic and applied neuroscience from the Karolinska Institute and the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden and he's considered a world-leading authority in electromagnetic fields and their biological effects on living organisms.In this conversation with Dr. Johansson we discuss:His first (coincidental) introduction into the issue of EMF exposureThe troubling scientific findings on EMF exposureThe similarities to having an allergyFunctional impairment electrohypersensitivityThe challenge of holding anyone accountableTools and tests to help protect yourself and your family...and more!Learn more about Dr. Johansson and his work and how you can help support it at https://research.radiation.dk/.For those interested in exploring some of the meters mentioned in the episode, learn more here:Cornet ED98QPro5G (0.1-8GHz) Quad-Mode Electrosmog MeterEMRSS Cornet ED88TPlus 5G Latest Version Tri Mode Meter EMF/RF Detector/Acoustic and Low Frequency Gaussmeter and Electric Field Meter with Sound Signature and DataloggerSupport Terrain Theory on Patreon! Our recently-launched member platform gives you access to a ton of free & exclusive content. Check it out: https://www.patreon.com/TerrainTheoryTerrain Theory episodes are not to be taken as medical advice. You are your own primary healthcare provider.If you have a Terrain Transformation story you would like to share, email us at ben@terraintheory.net.Learn more at www.terraintheory.netMusic by Chris Merenda

New Books Network
Carl Elliott, "The Occasional Human Sacrifice: Medical Experimentation and the Price of Saying No" (Norton, 2024)

New Books Network

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2024 48:30


The Occasional Human Sacrifice: Medical Experimentation and the Price of Saying No (Norton, 2024) is an intellectual inquiry into the moral struggle that whistleblowers face, and why it is not the kind of struggle that most people imagine. Carl Elliott is a bioethicist at the University of Minnesota who was trained in medicine as well as philosophy. For many years he fought for an external inquiry into a psychiatric research study at his own university in which an especially vulnerable patient lost his life. Elliott's efforts alienated friends and colleagues. The university stonewalled him and denied wrongdoing until a state investigation finally vindicated his claims. His experience frames the six stories in this book of medical research in which patients were deceived into participating in experimental programs they did not understand, many of which had astonishing and well-concealed mortality rates. Beginning with the public health worker who exposed the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and ending with the four physicians who in 2016 blew the whistle on lethal synthetic trachea transplants at the Karolinska Institute, Elliott tells the extraordinary stories of insiders who spoke out against such abuses, and often paid a terrible price for doing the right thing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

New Books in History
Carl Elliott, "The Occasional Human Sacrifice: Medical Experimentation and the Price of Saying No" (Norton, 2024)

New Books in History

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2024 48:30


The Occasional Human Sacrifice: Medical Experimentation and the Price of Saying No (Norton, 2024) is an intellectual inquiry into the moral struggle that whistleblowers face, and why it is not the kind of struggle that most people imagine. Carl Elliott is a bioethicist at the University of Minnesota who was trained in medicine as well as philosophy. For many years he fought for an external inquiry into a psychiatric research study at his own university in which an especially vulnerable patient lost his life. Elliott's efforts alienated friends and colleagues. The university stonewalled him and denied wrongdoing until a state investigation finally vindicated his claims. His experience frames the six stories in this book of medical research in which patients were deceived into participating in experimental programs they did not understand, many of which had astonishing and well-concealed mortality rates. Beginning with the public health worker who exposed the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and ending with the four physicians who in 2016 blew the whistle on lethal synthetic trachea transplants at the Karolinska Institute, Elliott tells the extraordinary stories of insiders who spoke out against such abuses, and often paid a terrible price for doing the right thing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

New Books in Medicine
Carl Elliott, "The Occasional Human Sacrifice: Medical Experimentation and the Price of Saying No" (Norton, 2024)

New Books in Medicine

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2024 48:30


The Occasional Human Sacrifice: Medical Experimentation and the Price of Saying No (Norton, 2024) is an intellectual inquiry into the moral struggle that whistleblowers face, and why it is not the kind of struggle that most people imagine. Carl Elliott is a bioethicist at the University of Minnesota who was trained in medicine as well as philosophy. For many years he fought for an external inquiry into a psychiatric research study at his own university in which an especially vulnerable patient lost his life. Elliott's efforts alienated friends and colleagues. The university stonewalled him and denied wrongdoing until a state investigation finally vindicated his claims. His experience frames the six stories in this book of medical research in which patients were deceived into participating in experimental programs they did not understand, many of which had astonishing and well-concealed mortality rates. Beginning with the public health worker who exposed the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and ending with the four physicians who in 2016 blew the whistle on lethal synthetic trachea transplants at the Karolinska Institute, Elliott tells the extraordinary stories of insiders who spoke out against such abuses, and often paid a terrible price for doing the right thing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/medicine

New Books in Intellectual History
Carl Elliott, "The Occasional Human Sacrifice: Medical Experimentation and the Price of Saying No" (Norton, 2024)

New Books in Intellectual History

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2024 48:30


The Occasional Human Sacrifice: Medical Experimentation and the Price of Saying No (Norton, 2024) is an intellectual inquiry into the moral struggle that whistleblowers face, and why it is not the kind of struggle that most people imagine. Carl Elliott is a bioethicist at the University of Minnesota who was trained in medicine as well as philosophy. For many years he fought for an external inquiry into a psychiatric research study at his own university in which an especially vulnerable patient lost his life. Elliott's efforts alienated friends and colleagues. The university stonewalled him and denied wrongdoing until a state investigation finally vindicated his claims. His experience frames the six stories in this book of medical research in which patients were deceived into participating in experimental programs they did not understand, many of which had astonishing and well-concealed mortality rates. Beginning with the public health worker who exposed the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and ending with the four physicians who in 2016 blew the whistle on lethal synthetic trachea transplants at the Karolinska Institute, Elliott tells the extraordinary stories of insiders who spoke out against such abuses, and often paid a terrible price for doing the right thing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

New Books in the History of Science
Carl Elliott, "The Occasional Human Sacrifice: Medical Experimentation and the Price of Saying No" (Norton, 2024)

New Books in the History of Science

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2024 48:30


The Occasional Human Sacrifice: Medical Experimentation and the Price of Saying No (Norton, 2024) is an intellectual inquiry into the moral struggle that whistleblowers face, and why it is not the kind of struggle that most people imagine. Carl Elliott is a bioethicist at the University of Minnesota who was trained in medicine as well as philosophy. For many years he fought for an external inquiry into a psychiatric research study at his own university in which an especially vulnerable patient lost his life. Elliott's efforts alienated friends and colleagues. The university stonewalled him and denied wrongdoing until a state investigation finally vindicated his claims. His experience frames the six stories in this book of medical research in which patients were deceived into participating in experimental programs they did not understand, many of which had astonishing and well-concealed mortality rates. Beginning with the public health worker who exposed the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and ending with the four physicians who in 2016 blew the whistle on lethal synthetic trachea transplants at the Karolinska Institute, Elliott tells the extraordinary stories of insiders who spoke out against such abuses, and often paid a terrible price for doing the right thing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Books in Science, Technology, and Society
Carl Elliott, "The Occasional Human Sacrifice: Medical Experimentation and the Price of Saying No" (Norton, 2024)

New Books in Science, Technology, and Society

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2024 48:30


The Occasional Human Sacrifice: Medical Experimentation and the Price of Saying No (Norton, 2024) is an intellectual inquiry into the moral struggle that whistleblowers face, and why it is not the kind of struggle that most people imagine. Carl Elliott is a bioethicist at the University of Minnesota who was trained in medicine as well as philosophy. For many years he fought for an external inquiry into a psychiatric research study at his own university in which an especially vulnerable patient lost his life. Elliott's efforts alienated friends and colleagues. The university stonewalled him and denied wrongdoing until a state investigation finally vindicated his claims. His experience frames the six stories in this book of medical research in which patients were deceived into participating in experimental programs they did not understand, many of which had astonishing and well-concealed mortality rates. Beginning with the public health worker who exposed the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and ending with the four physicians who in 2016 blew the whistle on lethal synthetic trachea transplants at the Karolinska Institute, Elliott tells the extraordinary stories of insiders who spoke out against such abuses, and often paid a terrible price for doing the right thing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science-technology-and-society

New Books In Public Health
Carl Elliott, "The Occasional Human Sacrifice: Medical Experimentation and the Price of Saying No" (Norton, 2024)

New Books In Public Health

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2024 48:30


The Occasional Human Sacrifice: Medical Experimentation and the Price of Saying No (Norton, 2024) is an intellectual inquiry into the moral struggle that whistleblowers face, and why it is not the kind of struggle that most people imagine. Carl Elliott is a bioethicist at the University of Minnesota who was trained in medicine as well as philosophy. For many years he fought for an external inquiry into a psychiatric research study at his own university in which an especially vulnerable patient lost his life. Elliott's efforts alienated friends and colleagues. The university stonewalled him and denied wrongdoing until a state investigation finally vindicated his claims. His experience frames the six stories in this book of medical research in which patients were deceived into participating in experimental programs they did not understand, many of which had astonishing and well-concealed mortality rates. Beginning with the public health worker who exposed the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and ending with the four physicians who in 2016 blew the whistle on lethal synthetic trachea transplants at the Karolinska Institute, Elliott tells the extraordinary stories of insiders who spoke out against such abuses, and often paid a terrible price for doing the right thing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Run with Fitpage
Ep 177: Usage of Ketones as an Energy Source for Fueling with Dr Brendan Egan

Run with Fitpage

Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2024 48:06


In this episode of Run with Fitpage, we have a leading researcher in the field of ketones - Dr Brendan Egan. Dr Egan discusses about the basics of ketosis, the current studies around usage of ketones for athletic performance and a lot more, with our host Vikas Singh. Dr. Brendan Egan is an Associate Professor of Sport and Exercise Physiology and the Head of the School of Health and Human Performance at Dublin City University (DCU). With a focus on skeletal muscle function and adaptation across the lifespan, his research delves into the interplay between nutrition and exercise interventions for both athletes and older adults. Dr. Egan holds a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science from the University of Limerick, an MSc in Sport and Exercise Nutrition from Loughborough University, and a PhD from DCU. He completed post-doctoral training at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, where he investigated skeletal muscle development and insulin resistance mechanisms using animal models and in vitro cell systems. As a Principal Investigator at DCU's Life Sciences Institute and a Visiting Research Scientist at the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, Dr. Egan leads human trials focused on performance, recovery, and adaptation. His team utilizes advanced molecular analysis tools, including transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, to explore the effects of acute exercise and training on circulating factors like metabolites and extracellular vesicles. Dr. Egan's research aims to uncover how these factors contribute to the adaptive responses and health benefits of exercise, enhancing our understanding of exercise physiology and its applications in health and performance.Dr. Egan's full profile including publications may be found at:www.dcu.ie/researchsupport/research-profile?person_id=35443About Vikas Singh:Vikas Singh, an MBA from Chicago Booth, worked at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, APGlobale, and Reliance before coming up with the idea of democratizing fitness knowledge and helping beginners get on a fitness journey. Vikas is an avid long-distance runner, building fitpage to help people learn, train, and move better.For more information on Vikas, or to leave any feedback and requests, you can reach out to him via the channels below:Instagram: @vikas_singhhLinkedIn: Vikas SinghTwitter: @vikashsingh101Subscribe To Our Newsletter For Weekly Nuggets of Knowledge!

Heart podcast
Does AF ablation reduce mortality?

Heart podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2024 18:22


In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Prof Finn Akerstrom from Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. They discuss his observational study on AF ablation and mortality. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a podcast review wherever you get your podcasts - it's really helpful. Link to published paper: https://heart.bmj.com/content/110/3/163

Where To Be A Woman
Loneliness

Where To Be A Woman

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2024 32:12


What can we learn about loneliness, and how to avoid it, from two countries in two different continents? As Sophia Smith Galer and Scaachi Koul continue their quest for true women's wellbeing, this time they're exploring social connections from a global perspective. They hear from Sweden about how an appreciation for the arts, particularly singing, could be helping women feel more connected. Meanwhile in Egypt, large networks of extended families and friends help many women avoid loneliness.Guests: Dr Eva Bojner Horvitz, professor of music and health at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, and Alexandra Kineas, an author and gender equality advocate.Further information:https://www.gallup.com/analytics/509675/state-of-social-connections.aspx https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2910600/Let us know what you think. Share your thoughts on this episode and suggest ideas for a new one by sending us a voice note on WhatsApp: +44330 123 9459You can read the full privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2pj25vkld7tZ2Lq2d0Z3YjT/where-to-be-a-woman-privacy-notice

The Crossover with Dr. Rick Komotar
Dr. Lewis Cantley: Diet and Cancer - is sugar toxic?

The Crossover with Dr. Rick Komotar

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2024 30:09


Lewis C. Cantley, PhD, is a Professor of Cell Biology at Harvard Medical School. Prior to this appointment, he was the Margaret and Herman Sokol Professor and Meyer Director of the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medical College/Ronald P. Stanton Clinical Cancer Program at New York Presbyterian Hospital (2012-22). Dr. Cantley is a graduate of West Virginia Wesleyan College, obtained a PhD in biophysical chemistry from Cornell University, completed postdoctoral training at Harvard University, and subsequently taught and conducted research in biochemistry, physiology and cancer biology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School. His laboratory discovered the PI 3-Kinase pathway that plays a critical role in insulin signaling and in cancers.Dr. Cantley was elected to the National Academy of Inventors in 2020, the Institute of Medicine in 2014, the National Academy of Sciences in 2001, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1999. Among his other awards are the ASBMB Avanti Award for Lipid Research in 1998, the Heinrich Wieland Preis for Lipid Research in 2000, the Caledonian Prize from the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2002, the 2005 Pezcoller Foundation–AACR International Award for Cancer Research, the 2009 Rolf Luft Award for Diabetes and Endocrinology Research from the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, the 2011 Pasrow Prize for Cancer Research, the 2013 Breakthrough in Life Sciences Prize and the 2013 Jacobaeus Prize for Diabetes Research from the Karolinska Institute and the 2015 AACR Princess Takamatsu Memorial Lectureship.

Health Check
Cape Verde eliminates malaria

Health Check

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2024 26:28


It has been another ‘milestone week' for the fight against malaria. The archipelago island nation Cape Verde became the third country in Africa to officially eliminate the disease. Meanwhile in Cameroon, a ‘world first' routine malaria vaccination programme has begun. A little girl called Daniella received the first vaccine in a clinic near capital city Yaoundé on Monday. BBC health reporter Philippa Roxby joins Claudia Hammond in the studio to gauge what progress we are making against a disease which kills 600,000 people in Africa every year.Philippa also brings brand new research from the US that shows how air pollution, particularly from forest fires, can cause more people to suffer with eczema. Figures from one study suggest that dermatology visits rose eightfold in Boston in August 2023 compared to the same period a year earlier, while wild fires raged in Canada.Mike Powell updates on his journey to having a kidney transplant. David Mataix-Cols, professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Science at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden discusses his new research that helps to explain why some people who suffer with health anxiety have a higher risk of dying. It has become known as the ‘hypochondria paradox.' And Philippa and Claudia hear about a collaboration between a cardiovascular surgeon and a two-Michelin-starred chef, Doctor Nirav Patel and Fredrik Berselius, who have created a free cookbook designed as a training tool to improve heart surgeons' dexterity, called The Heart Surgeon's Cook Book. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producers: Jonathan Blackwell and Clare Salisbury Researcher: Imaan Moin

Clownfish TV: Audio Edition
Video Games DON'T Make You Violent (But They Make You DEAF?!)

Clownfish TV: Audio Edition

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2024 9:54


Good news, everybody! Violent video games don't lead to a lack of empathy, which in turn could lead to real-world violence, according to a new study. However, ANOTHER new study says they CAN make you go deaf. Well, so much for the good news... ➡️ Tip Jar and Fan Support: http://ClownfishSupport.com ➡️ Official Merch Store: http://ShopClownfish.com ➡️ Official Website: http://ClownfishGaming.net Additional Context: Good news and bad news for gamers around the world: While recent research suggests that playing violent video games does not lead to a lack of empathy or an increased propensity for real-world violence, another study raises concerns about the risk of hearing loss and tinnitus among gamers. First, let's delve into the empathy aspect. A comprehensive study conducted by neuroscientists from the University of Vienna and the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm explored whether exposure to violent video games affects human empathy. The study involved 89 adult male subjects with minimal prior experience with violent video games. These participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) before and after playing either a violent or non-violent version of a video game over two weeks. The results indicated no significant impact of violent video games on the behavioral and neural correlates of empathy for pain or emotional reactivity to violence. This challenges the long-held belief that such games desensitize players to violence and reduce their empathic abilities​​​​​​​​​​. However, a separate study published in BMJ Public Health raises concerns about hearing health among gamers. This review of 14 studies, involving over 50,000 participants, found that the sound levels in video games often approach or exceed safe exposure limits. Prolonged exposure to high-intensity sounds, especially through headphones, increases the risk of hearing loss and tinnitus—a ringing, buzzing, or roaring sound in the ears. Gamers, including children and teenagers, are particularly at risk due to the popularity of gaming and the tendency to play for extended periods at loud volumes. The study urges greater public health efforts to raise awareness of these risks and promote safe listening practices. According to the World Health Organization, over 1 billion young people globally are estimated to be at risk of hearing loss due to unsafe listening habits, emphasizing the need for caution and preventive measures​​​​​​​​. So while violent video games may not diminish empathy or lead to increased real-world violence, they do pose a significant risk to hearing health, underscoring the importance of balancing gaming enjoyment with the need for safe listening practices. About Us: Clownfish Gaming is Video Game News and Commentary, Gaming Let's Plays, Animation, and more. We discuss the current video game industry and retro gaming and do gameplay videos on PC, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation as well as classic consoles. Also, we do occasional livestreams featuring the Clownfish Family. Please subscribe for more video game-related content! Disclaimer: This series is produced by Clownfish Studios and WebReef Media, and is part of ClownfishTV.com. Opinions expressed by our contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of our guests, affiliates, sponsors, or advertisers. ClownfishTV.com is an unofficial news source and has no connection to any company that we may cover. This channel and website and the content made available through this site are for educational, entertainment and informational purposes only. These so-called “fair uses” are permitted even if the use of the work would otherwise be infringing. #Gaming #Games #VideoGames #Gameplay #GameNews #ClownfishGaming #Doom #gta6

TNT Radio
Abrie Snyman & Dr Thomas Jackson on The Pelle Neroth Taylor Show - 12 January 2024

TNT Radio

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2024 54:20


On today's show, Abrie Snyman discusses falling standards in education and how they can be turned around, with an election in South Africa coming up, and what lessons can be drawn for Europe. GUEST 1 OVERVIEW: Abrie Snyman is a Pretoria, South Africa-based architect and entrepreneur who talks about the South African education system. Once the best in Africa, it now ranks in 75th place out of 76 countries in a recent international table of education achievements. GUEST 2 OVERVIEW: Thomas Jackson MD graduated in 1979 from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. He is registered as a doctor in Sweden, Norway, and the United Kingdom. He is a specialist in general adult psychiatry. A few years ago, Dr. Jackson exposed the absurd medical hoax of the "apathetic children," apparently catatonic children who were actually being used and abused by their parents for right-to-reside purposes. He highlighted how the whole Swedish journalistic and medical community was taken in. There was even a very bad Netflix documentary about the subject. On an issue where medical professionals dared not speak out, Jackson stood up for the truth and paid the price for it.

ASTRO Journals
Red Journal Podcast December 1, 2023

ASTRO Journals

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2023 58:00


Editor-in-Chief Sue Yom hosts Dr. Karin Lindberg, a Clinical Oncologist at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and the supervising author of a new paper this month, "Expanded HILUS trial - a pooled analysis of risk factors for toxicity from SBRT of central and ultra-central lung tumors," and Dr. David Palma, a Radiation Oncologist at the London Health Sciences Centre who co-authored the accompanying editorial, "Beyond the HILUS Trial: How Can We Improve the Safety of SABR for Ultra-Central Thoracic Tumors?" Dr. Palma also describes the design and findings of the new clinical trial SUNSET, which he presented in the Multidisciplinary Thoracic Cancer Symposium plenary session simultaneously with this podcast release.

seX & whY
Sex and Gender Differences in Aging

seX & whY

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2023 39:27


Show Notes for Episode Twenty-Six of seX & whY: Sex and Gender Differences in Aging Host: Jeannette Wolfe Guest: Sara Haag Dr Haag is a researcher in molecular epidemiology who studies human biological aging at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. Background - Dr Haag has a PhD in functional genomics and Post Doc in genetic and molecular epidemiology. She studies telomeres and molecular association with telomere length, she also has experience in molecular biology and computer science. Definitions and discussion points from podcast Geroscience - a new field of biomedical science that looks at how the molecular, genetic, and cellular mechanisms associated with the aging process itself may interact and even trigger many diseases associated with aging. This research provides a different angle for potential intervention to enhance health and longevity.  Life Span - time between birth and death. Heath Span - time within life span of good health. Frailty Index and Clinical Frailty Scale are tools that evaluate a patient's overall physical conditioning and their vulnerability to certain adverse outcomes including falls, increased care requirements, hospital admission,  and mortality.  Epigenetics - the study of how DNA expression can be modified by behavior or environmental factors (versus alteration in the actual DNA itself). One way I think of this is to imagine a huge library full of books, and that each book represents a gene coded from our DNA- epigenetics help determine which books get pulled off the shelfs and get read or pushed back deeper into the shelfs.  This process is different than buying new books for the library (which would be equivalent to changing the DNA itself.)  Aging Scales - as different elements of the body age differently, there is not a gold standard to measure aging. Dr Haag recently published a study that evaluated a bunch of these different scales and determined that the “ideal” scale will vary dependent upon what you are studying- such as overall function or the biological aging of a specific organ (i.e. heart or liver).   Two major theories of aging: Senescence theory of aging - the belief that with age, cellular systems due to repeat exposure to intracellular and extracellular stressors, eventually start to malfunction and breakdown.  Things start slowly falling apart due to wear and tear.  Programmed theory of aging - Aging is an innate active process which is highly regulated by an internal time clock.  As the field of Geroscience and epigenetics evolves, the “truth” around aging is likely to be a combo of both theories.  Sex Differences Hormones Estrogen Dr Haag talked about research involving telomere length (telomeres are the cap of the chromosome and they help protect the chromosomes from damage.) Typically, telomeres shorten with repeated division in somatic cells and when they shrink to a certain length the cell is more vulnerable to error and damage. Females have longer telomere length at birth compared to males and there is evidence that women with longer exposure to estrogen have longer telomeres.                    Testosterone Here is the Korean Eunuch study mentioned in the podcast.  The researchers examined a genealogical record of 385 eunuchs and compared their life span to several other groups of men who lived during the same time periods including a bunch of kings. They found that the average life span of a eunuch was 70 which was 15-19 years longer than the comparison groups. One theory behind this difference in longevity is “the disposable soma theory”. This postulates that in males there is competition between two different intrinsic systems - somatic aging and reproduction- and that as both systems require significant energy to maintain,  when energy is diverted to one system the other suffers.   Sex Chromosomes In females each cell has two X chromosomes. In female cells, one of the X chromosomes is typically inactivated so that some cells have genes expressed that are inherited by their father, while others express genes inherited from their mother. Complicating this further is that several genes do not fully inactivate that second X chromosomes so that females may have an “extra” expression of some genes. A concrete example of this is the gene Toll like receptor 7 which codes for proteins that helps the immune system recognize the early invasion of certain types of viruses. As this gene doesn't undergo X inactivation, it may give females an extra boost in warding off certain types of viral infections.  With aging there can be “skewing” of the X chromosome in that females may have a disproportionate percentage of cells that express the X chromosomes of a single parent.   As male cells age, some may actually lose their Y chromosome. This news release suggests that his may happen relatively frequently as their work implied that 40% of all 70-year-olds had cellular evidence of it.  The loss of Y chromosome can be associated with Alzheimer's and heart disease in males.    Take home points: 1)    The field of aging is absolutely exploding. Someday it may be possible to actively manipulate epigenetic signaling to slow or even reverse aging processes.   2)    Different biological processes in our bodies age at different rates. Plus, if you follow a group of people over time, as they get older there will be greater and greater differences within that group in their markers of aging. 3)    In aging research, there has historically been two different camps- the senescence camp, and the programmed theory one. In the senescence camp is the belief that as we age, things just start breaking down due to natural wear and tear. This contrasts with the programmed theory camp which believes that aging is a pre-designed active process that is triggered with age. The “truth” likely is a combination of both theories with epigenetics being the bridge.  4)    Sex differences in aging include the mortality-morbidity paradox in that although females tend to have poorer health and greater fragility risk, males still tend to die sooner.  5)    Sex differences with aging may include changes in the X chromosome with increased skewing and even the loss of the expression of the Y chromosome, both of which can be associated with an increase of health-related issues.  Thanks for listening. May you be well (and curious).  Jeannette.

The Delingpod: The James Delingpole Podcast

Olle Johansson, associate professor, head of the Experimental Dermatology Unit, Department of Neuroscience, at the Karolinska Institute (famous for its Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine) in Stockholm, Sweden, is a world-leading authority in the field of EMF radiation and health effects.   He has published more than 500 original articles, reviews, book chapters and conference reports within the field of basic and applied neuroscience.   https://stop5g.cz/us/prof-olle-johansoon/   / / / / / /   Today's podcast is in association NutraHealth365 who manufacture a superb high potency Vitamin D3 supplement called ImmuneX365. As we approach winter, your body's defences are under constant attack from flu, respiratory diseases and the common cold. So now, more than ever, is it essential that you have a robust immune system and as we all know, Vitamin D3 plays an essential role in this. ImmuneX365 is an exclusive and unique formulation that combines effective levels of Vitamins D3, C, and K2, as well as Zinc and Quercetin.   This unique combination of nutrients ensures efficient bioavailability of D3, thereby giving your immune system an optimum boost. Take back your health with just two capsules of ImmuneX365 every day.   For your peace of mind, all NutraHealth365 orders come with free two day tracked delivery, Go to http://NutraHealth365.com to get yours now."    That's http://NutraHealth365.com.   —   Following on from the grand success of last year's Delingpod event in London with guest Maajid Nawaz and earlier this year with the great Neil Oliver - James has decided to bring his popular Delingpod LIVE UP NORTH this time with his extremely special guest, David Icke! Please note that the exact location of the event will be disclosed within 48 hours of the date. Link to buy tickets: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/thedelingpodlive/1012094?fbclid=IwAR1C_3Vldrr8w0ifxPL81j-6qiQa1c6QB3BZ1lFfxcoDSiLooSCeoDbU--g   ↓ ↓ ↓   If you need silver and gold bullion - and who wouldn't in these dark times? - then the place to go is The Pure Gold Company. Either they can deliver worldwide to your door - or store it for you in vaults in London and Zurich. You even use it for your pension. Cash out of gold whenever you like: liquidate within 24 hours. https://bit.ly/James-Delingpole-Gold   / / / / / /   Earn interest on Gold: https://monetary-metals.com/delingpole/   / / / / / /   Buy James a Coffee at: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/jamesdelingpole Support James' Writing at: https://delingpole.substack.com Support James monthly at: https://locals.com/member/JamesDelingpole?community_id=7720

Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley
Breathe Through Your Nose

Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2023 14:25


Take a nice deep breath in… through your nose. It's a simple way to get healthier gums, a better memory, and improved lung function. How? Well, it may partly be due to a special molecule called nitric oxide. Michael Mosley speaks to Professor Jon Lundberg from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden who made the fascinating discovery that nitric oxide is produced in your nose and travels to your lungs where it has some surprising benefits, including boosting oxygen uptake and possibly helping you fight off infections. Our volunteer Joe tries out a few tips to make nasal breathing a habit. New episodes will be released on Wednesdays, but if you're in the UK, listen to new episodes, a week early, first on BBC Sounds: bbc.in/3zqa6BB Producer: Nija Dalal-Small Science Producer: Catherine Wyler Assistant Producer: Gulnar Mimaroglu Trainee Assistant Producer: Toni Arenyeka Executive Producer: Zoe Heron A BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds / BBC Radio 4.

KoopCast
Exogenous Ketones-Claims vs Reality with Brendan Egan, PhD. #194

KoopCast

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2023 86:24 Transcription Available


Brendan is an Associate Professor of Sport and Exercise Physiology and Head of School for the School of Health and Human Performance at DCU. His current research investigates skeletal muscle function and adaptation across the life course, with special interest in the synergy between nutrition and exercise interventions ranging from athletes to older adults. His research group performs human trials involving both acute and chronic interventions for outcomes around performance (physical and cognitive), recovery, and adaptation. It has employed various experimental designs and has been complimented by molecular analysis tools, including transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. Nutrients recently and presently under investigation include caffeine, creatine, omega-3 fatty acids, resveratrol, leucine, protein hydrolysates, beetroot juice, and exogenous ketones.Brendan received his BSc in Sport and Exercise Science from the University of Limerick in 2003, MSc in Sport and Exercise Nutrition from Loughborough University in 2004, and Ph.D. from Dublin City University in 2008 before completing two years of post-doctoral training with Prof. Juleen Zierath's Integrative Physiology group at the Karolinska Institute, Sweden. His doctoral studies focussed on skeletal muscle adaptation to exercise, and in particular, the continuity between acute molecular responses to individual bouts of exercise and adaptations induced by exercise training, whereas his post-doctoral training utilized animal models and in vitro cell systems to investigate the transcriptional regulation of skeletal muscle development and mechanisms of insulin resistance. He joined the faculty in the School of Public Health, Physiotherapy, and Sport Science at University College Dublin in 2011, where he spent five years before moving to DCU. He is also a Visiting Research Scientist at the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, Pensacola, FL, USA, and a Principal Investigator at the National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology at DCU.Outside of academia, through his sporting career as an inter-county Gaelic footballer with Sligo from 2003 to 2017, Brendan has had a lifelong association with sport, training, and performance at all levels of competition, from grassroots to elite level, and also practices in the field as a performance nutritionist with emphasis on field-based team sports, and endurance athletes.Papers discussed- Exogenous Ketone Supplements in Athletic Contexts: Past Present and FutureKetone monoester ingestion increases postexercise serum erythropoietin concentrations in healthy menExogenous ketosis increases circulating dopamine concentration and maintains mental alertness in ultra-endurance exerciseThe Effect of Novel Exogenous Ketone Supplements on Blood Beta-Hydroxybutyrate and GlucoseAcute Ingestion of a Ketone Monoester without Co-Ingestion of Carbohydrate Improves Running Economy in Male Endurance RunnersKetone IQ claimsHVMN Ketone IQ vs original product claimsDelta G claims (scroll to bottom)

Health Check
Disgraced surgeon appeals prison sentence

Health Check

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2023 26:29


When former transplant surgeon Paolo Macchiarini first implanted a synthetic trachea into a patient more than a decade ago, it was hailed as a breakthrough. But the person he operated on died, as did subsequent patients. And in 2013, Macchiarini was reported to Sweden's Karolinska Institute, where he had carried out the operations, for scientific misconduct. Over the years, Health Check has followed the story and in this programme we hear the latest as Macchiarini appeals against a prison sentence in Sweden for gross assault. Claudia Hammond is joined by BBC health and science correspondent James Gallagher who has been finding out whether eating his meals quickly or slowly is better for his health. And he brings us news from the USA of one of the first functional kidney transplants from a pig into a human. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Dan Welsh