A surprising reversal of our usual understanding of the second law of thermodynamics shows that it may be possible for heat to move in the “wrong” direction, flowing from a cold area to a warm one

Experiments show that illuminating the underside of a decoy seal reduces attacks by great white sharks, revealing a possible strategy to protect surfers and swimmers

Title: Biden to Sign Bill That Helps Veterans Exposed to Toxic Burn Pits
Category: Health News
Created: 8/10/2022 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/11/2022 12:00:00 AM

Title: Urban Exercise Has Its Hazards
Category: Health News
Created: 8/27/2006 2:04:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/27/2006 2:04:10 AM

Title: Pollen, Fruits, Veggies Help Trigger Oral Allergy Syndrome
Category: Health News
Created: 8/30/2007 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/30/2007 12:00:00 AM

Title: After Fits and Starts, New Hope for Psoriasis Patients
Category: Health News
Created: 8/26/2008 2:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/26/2008 12:00:00 AM

Title: In Seniors, 'Fear of Falling' Risky in Itself
Category: Health News
Created: 8/20/2010 10:10:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/23/2010 12:00:00 AM

Title: 4 Eating Habits May Help Older Women Maintain Weight Loss
Category: Health News
Created: 8/28/2012 2:05:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 8/29/2012 12:00:00 AM

Title: Measles Outbreak Hits Texas Megachurch
Category: Health News
Created: 8/27/2013 2:36:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 8/28/2013 12:00:00 AM

Title: Whole Fruits Tied to Lower Diabetes Risk
Category: Health News
Created: 8/30/2013 9:35:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/30/2013 12:00:00 AM

Title: Climate Change May Bring More ER Visits, Deaths, Study Says
Category: Health News
Created: 8/21/2015 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/24/2015 12:00:00 AM

Title: No Mental Benefits Seen for Elderly Who Stop Blood Pressure Meds
Category: Health News
Created: 8/24/2015 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/25/2015 12:00:00 AM

Title: Many Kids Tossing Fruits, Veggies in Trash Since New U.S. School Lunch Rules
Category: Health News
Created: 8/26/2015 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/26/2015 12:00:00 AM

Title: Survey Finds Support for Limits on Indoor Tanning
Category: Health News
Created: 8/19/2016 12:00:00 AM
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Title: The Benefits of a Weekly Diet Plan
Category: Health News
Created: 8/28/2017 12:00:00 AM
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Title: The Health Benefits of Eating Earlier
Category: Health News
Created: 8/27/2018 12:00:00 AM
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Title: Caw-lesterol? Fatty City Food Hits Crows' Arteries
Category: Health News
Created: 8/26/2019 12:00:00 AM
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Title: The Benefits of Strength Training During Pregnancy
Category: Health News
Created: 8/30/2019 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/30/2019 12:00:00 AM

Title: Whether From Diet or Surgery, Weight Loss Has Same Benefits: Study
Category: Health News
Created: 8/21/2020 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/24/2020 12:00:00 AM

Title: Coronavirus' Weird Trip Inside Cells Might Be Its Undoing, Scientists Say
Category: Health News
Created: 8/24/2020 12:00:00 AM
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Title: Clues to Why COVID-19 Hits Men Harder Than Women
Category: Health News
Created: 8/26/2020 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/27/2020 12:00:00 AM

Title: Moderna Readies for Full Vaccine Approval, as Pfizer Submits Data on Booster Shot
Category: Health News
Created: 8/26/2021 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/26/2021 12:00:00 AM

Title: What Are the Benefits of Drinking Tea With Milk?
Category: Health and Living
Created: 8/26/2022 12:00:00 AM
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Title: California Will Produce Its Own Insulin to Bring Down Prices
Category: Health News
Created: 7/8/2022 12:00:00 AM
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Title: Qigong Meditation for Beginners: Techniques, Benefits, and More
Category: Health and Living
Created: 8/24/2022 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/24/2022 12:00:00 AM

Title: Banded Squats: Benefits and 11 Ways to Do Them
Category: Health and Living
Created: 8/8/2022 12:00:00 AM
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Title: 7 Surprising Goat Milk Soap Benefits
Category: Health and Living
Created: 8/12/2022 12:00:00 AM
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Title: Here Is Why Men Should Take Vitamin B12: 10 Health Benefits
Category: Health and Living
Created: 7/27/2022 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 7/27/2022 12:00:00 AM

Title: 'Virtual' Museum Visits Are Good Medicine for Seniors
Category: Health News
Created: 8/16/2022 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/16/2022 12:00:00 AM

High-throughput sequencing (HTS) technologies have been instrumental in investigating biological questions at the bulk and single-cell levels. Comparative analysis of two HTS data sets often relies on testing the statistical significance for the difference of two negative binomial distributions (DOTNB). Although negative binomial distributions are well studied, the theoretical results for DOTNB remain largely unexplored. Here, we derive basic analytical results for DOTNB and examine its asymptotic properties. As a state-of-the-art application of DOTNB, we introduce DEGage, a computational method for detecting differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in scRNA-seq data. DEGage calculates the mean of the sample-wise differences of gene expression levels as the test statistic and determines significant differential expression by computing the P-value with DOTNB. Extensive validation using simulated and real scRNA-seq data sets demonstrates that DEGage outperforms five popular DEG analysis tools: DEGseq2, DEsingle, edgeR, Monocle3, and scDD. DEGage is robust against high dropout levels and exhibits superior sensitivity when applied to balanced and imbalanced data sets, even with small sample sizes. We utilize DEGage to analyze prostate cancer scRNA-seq data sets and identify marker genes for 17 cell types. Furthermore, we apply DEGage to scRNA-seq data sets of mouse neurons with and without fear memory and reveal eight potential memory-related genes overlooked in previous analyses. The theoretical results and supporting software for DOTNB can be widely applied to comparative analyses of dispersed count data in HTS and broad research questions.

Introduction:

High-quality primary care can reduce avoidable emergency department visits and emergency hospitalizations. The availability of electronic medical record (EMR) data and capacities for data storage and processing have created opportunities for predictive analytics. This systematic review examines studies which predict emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and mortality using EMR data from primary care.

Bacterial regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) are important players to control gene expression. In Staphylococcus aureus, SprC is an antivirulent trans-acting sRNA known to base-pair with the major autolysin atl mRNA, preventing its translation. Using MS2-affinity purification coupled with RNA sequencing, we looked for its sRNA-RNA interactome and identified 14 novel mRNA targets. In vitro biochemical investigations revealed that SprC binds two of them, czrB and deoD, and uses a single accessible region to regulate its targets, including Atl translation. Unlike Atl regulation, the characterization of the SprC-czrB interaction pinpointed a destabilization of the czrAB cotranscript, leading to a decrease of the mRNA level that impaired CzrB zinc efflux pump expression. On a physiological standpoint, we showed that SprC expression is detrimental to combat against zinc toxicity. In addition, phagocyctosis assays revealed a significant, but moderate, increase of czrB mRNA levels in a sprC-deleted mutant, indicating a functional link between SprC and czrB upon internalization in macrophages, and suggesting a role in resistance to both oxidative and zinc bursts. Altogether, our data uncover a novel pathway in which SprC is implicated, highlighting the multiple strategies used by S. aureus to balance virulence using an RNA regulator.

A STING (stimulator of interferon genes) agonist GSK3996915 under investigation in early discovery for hepatitis B was orally dosed to a mouse model for understanding the parent drug distribution in liver, the target organ. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) was used to quantify the distribution of GSK3996915 in liver collected from mice administered a single oral dose at 90 mg/kg. GSK3996915 was detected with a zonal distribution localized in the portal triad and highly concentrated in the main bile ducts, indicating clearance through biliary excretion. High spatial resolution imaging showed the distribution of the parent drug localized to the cellular populations in the sinusoids, including the Kupffer cells. Additionally, a series of drug-related metabolites were observed to be localized in the central zones of the liver. These results exemplify the potential of utilizing MALDI IMS for measuring not only quantitative drug distribution and target exposure but also drug metabolism and elimination in a single suite of experiments.

Hydrolases represent an essential class of enzymes indispensable for the metabolism of various clinically essential medications. Individuals exhibit marked differences in the expression and activation of hydrolases, resulting in significant variability in the pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of drugs metabolized by these enzymes. The regulation of hydrolase expression and activity involves both genetic polymorphisms and nongenetic factors. This review examines the current understanding of genetic and nongenetic regulators of six clinically significant hydrolases, including carboxylesterase (CES)-1 CES2, arylacetamide deacetylase (AADAC), paraoxonase (PON)-1 PON3, and cathepsin A (CTSA). We explore genetic variants linked to the expression and activity of the hydrolases and their effects on the PK and PD of their substrate drugs. Regarding nongenetic regulators, we focus on the inhibitors and inducers of these enzymes. Additionally, we examine the developmental expression patterns and gender differences in the hydrolases when pertinent information was available. Many genetic and nongenetic regulators were found to be associated with the expression and activity of the hydrolases and PK and PD. However, hydrolases remain generally understudied compared with other drug-metabolizing enzymes, such as cytochrome P450s. The clinical significance of genetic and nongenetic regulators has not yet been firmly established for the majority of hydrolases. Comprehending the mechanisms that underpin the regulation of these enzymes holds the potential to refine therapeutic regimens, thereby enhancing the efficacy and safety of drugs metabolized by the hydrolases.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a hallmark of many genetic neurodegenerative diseases, but therapeutic options to reverse mitochondrial dysfunction are limited. While recent studies support the possibility of improving mitochondrial fusion/fission dynamics and motility to correct mitochondrial dysfunction and resulting neurodegeneration in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) and other neuropathies, the clinical utility of reported compounds and relevance of preclinical models are uncertain. Here, we describe motor and sensory neuron dysfunction characteristic of clinical CMT type 2 A in a CRISPR/Casp-engineered Mfn2 Thr105Met (T105M) mutant knock-in mouse. We further demonstrate that daily oral treatment with a novel mitofusin activator derived from the natural product piperine can reverse these neurologic phenotypes. Piperine derivative 8015 promoted mitochondrial fusion and motility in Mfn2-deficient cells in a mitofusin-dependent manner and reversed mitochondrial dysfunction in cultured fibroblasts and reprogrammed motor neurons from a human CMT2A patient carrying the MFN2 T105M mutation. Like previous mitofusin activators, 8015 exhibited stereospecific functionality, but the more active stereoisomer, 8015-P2, is unique in that it has subnanomolar potency and undergoes entero-hepatic recirculation which extends its in vivo half-life. Daily administration of 8015-P2 to Mfn2 T105M knock-in mice for 6 weeks normalized neuromuscular and sensory dysfunction and corrected histological/ultrastructural neurodegeneration and neurogenic myoatrophy. These studies describe a more clinically relevant mouse model of CMT2A and an improved mitofusin activator derived from piperine. We posit that 8015-P2 and other piperine derivatives may benefit CMT2A or other neurodegenerative conditions wherein mitochondrial dysdynamism plays a contributory role.

Metastatic porocarcinomas (PCs) are vanishingly rare, highly aggressive skin adnexal tumors with mortality rates exceeding 70%. Their rarity has precluded the understanding of their disease pathogenesis, let alone the conduct of clinical trials to evaluate treatment strategies. There are no effective agents for unresectable PCs. Here, we successfully demonstrate how functional precision medicine was implemented in the clinic for a metastatic PC with no known systemic treatment options. Comprehensive genomic profiling of the tumor specimen did not yield any actionable genomic aberrations. However, ex vivo drug testing predicted pazopanib efficacy, and indeed, administration of pazopanib elicited remarkable clinicoradiological response. Pazopanib and its class of drugs should be evaluated for efficacy in other cases of PC, and the rationale for efficacy should be determined when PC tumor models become available. A functional precision medicine approach could be useful to derive effective treatment options for rare cancers.

Comprehensive maps of neuronal connectivity provide a foundation for understanding the structure of neural circuits. In a circuit, neurons are diverse in morphology, electrophysiology, gene expression, activity, and other neuronal properties. Thus, constructing a comprehensive connectivity map requires associating various properties of neurons, including their connectivity, at cellular resolution. A commonly used approach is to use the gene expression profiles as an anchor to which all other neuronal properties are associated. Recent advances in genomics and anatomical techniques dramatically improved the ability to determine and associate the long-range projections of neurons with their gene expression profiles. These studies revealed unprecedented details of the gene–projection relationship, but also highlighted conceptual challenges in understanding this relationship. In this article, I delve into the findings and the challenges revealed by recent studies using state-of-the-art neuroanatomical and transcriptomic techniques. Building upon these insights, I propose an approach that focuses on understanding the gene–projection relationship through basic features in gene expression profiles and projections, respectively, that associate with underlying cellular processes. I then discuss how the developmental trajectories of projections and gene expression profiles create additional challenges and necessitate interrogating the gene–projection relationship across time. Finally, I explore complementary strategies that, together, can provide a comprehensive view of the gene–projection relationship.

A nudibranch from the midnight zone has fingers on its tail, collects food with a hood, and glows.

Pitched as a mix of ‘Blade Runner’ and ‘Jurassic Park,’ Neom is the world’s biggest construction project. Twenty-one thousand people have died so far to make it happen.

Tim Miller hopes Amazon's anthology series will help viewers appreciate the "blood, sweat, and tears" Firewalk Studios put into the scrapped game.

Sony Interactive Entertainment in its financial results announced it has shipped 65.5 million PlayStation 5 consoles as of September 30, 2024.

With 65.5 million PlayStation 5 consoles shipped through the end of June that means 3.8 million units were shipped from July to September. This is down 1.1 million (-22.45%) from the same quarter in 2023 when 4.9 million units were shipped.

For reference, the PlayStation 4 had shipped 4.2 million units in the same quarter for a lifetime total of 67.7 million units shipped as of September 30, 2017. This puts the PS5 behind shipped PS4 units by 2.2 million units.

There were a total of 77.7 million games sold on the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 for the quarter. This is up 10.1 million from 67.6 million during the same period a year earlier. Digital sales accounted for 70 percent of software sales.

There were 5.3 million first-party games sold across the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. This is up 0.6 million from 4.7 million a year ago.

There were 116 million monthly active users on the PlayStation Network, an increase of nine million from 107 million a year ago. Sony did not disclose the number of PlayStation Plus subscribers. It was at 47.4 million at the end of March 2023.

Sony's Game & Network Services Segment for the quarter ending September 30, 2024, reported revenue increased 244.5 billion yen ($1.60 billion) year-over-year to 2,973.4 billion yen ($19.46 billion), while operating income increased 142.0 billion yen ($0.93 billion) to 389.3 billion yen ($2.55 billion).

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463014/ps5-ships-655-million-units-as-of-september-2024/

Publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment and developer Team Asobi in Sony's latest earnings report have announced Astro Bot has sold over 1.5 million units as of November 3, 2024.

Astro Bot released for the PlayStation 5 on September 6.

Our own Lee Mehr gave the game an 8.5 out of 10 in his review and said "As an ode to PlayStation, Astro Bot succeeds at meaningfully infusing its history; as an all-ages theme park, it succeeds by infusing each location with an overwhelming sense of joyous wonder most often felt in Nintendo platformers, but with a level of technical sophistication not yet seen from its hardware."

Read details on the game below:

Join ASTRO on a supersized space adventure.

When the PlayStation 5 mothership is attacked by ASTRO’s long-standing galactic nemesis, scrambling its wires and scattering the crew throughout space, only ASTRO can make things right! Setting off on his biggest mission yet, he needs your help to rescue the stranded crew and rebuild the mothership.

Make the most of ASTRO’s new power-ups, handcrafted to level up your immersion: from springy punches and rockets all the way to a giant sponge!

Buckle up for some epic PlayStation camaraderie, join forces with your favorite PlayStation icons and show the universe that small is mighty in this fresh new ASTRO adventure, exclusive to PlayStation 5 consoles!

Features:

• Embark on a galactic quest and explore more than 50 planets in search of ASTRO’s lost crew.
• Dash, swing, and rocket-punch your way through this journey, with all-new power-ups.
• Feel the world come to life via your DualSense wireless controller.
• Team up with iconic PlayStation heroes to save the galaxy!

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463015/astro-bot-sales-top-15-million-units/

Capcom has updated its list of Platinum Titles, games that have sold over one million units as of September 30, 2024. The list includes 122 games with sales over one million units, 64 over two million units, 14 over five million units, and six over 10 million units sold.

Resident Evil 4 remake sold 400,000 units to bring lifetime sales to eight million units, Resident Evil 2 remake sold 300,000 units to bring sales to 14.5 million units, and Resident Evil 3 remake sold 200,000 units to bring lifetime sales to 9.2 million units. 

Resident Evil 7: biohazard sold 300,000 units to bring lifetime sales to 14 million units and Resident Evil Village sold 400,000 units to bring sales to 10.5 million units.

Monster Hunter Rise sold 600,000 units in the quarter to bring lifetime sales to 16 million units. Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak sold 400,000 units to bring lifetime sales to 8.8 million units.

Monster Hunter: World sold 400,000 units in the quarter to bring lifetime sales to 20.9 million units, while the Iceborne expansion sold 600,000 units for a total of 14 million units.

Dragon's Dogma 2 sold 300,000 units in the quarter to bring lifetime sales to 3.3 million units. Street Fighter 6 sold 400,000 units in the quarter to bring lifetime sales to 4.1 million units. Devil May Cry 5 sold 300,000 units to bring sales to 8.7 million units. 

Check out the complete list below:

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463020/capcom-updates-its-best-sellers-list-monster-hunter-world-at-209m-re4-remake-at-8m-more/

Tencent Games subsidiary LightSpeed Studios has announced Hideaki Itsuno, who recently left Capcom after 30 years working for the company, will be leading a new video game studio called LightSpeed Japan Studio.

LightSpeed Japan Studio will have two locations in Tokyo and Osaka and is focused on developing original AAA games.

"Joining LightSpeed Studios is an exciting new chapter for me," said Hideaki Itsuno. "With LightSpeed’s strong development capability and global network, I look forward to creating original AAA action game titles together with the amazing team and building aesthetic and innovative experiences for the global player community. We welcome all talented and passionate game creators from the world over to join our vision."

LightSpeed Studios president Jerry Chen added, "It is our great honor to have Hideaki Itsuno join LightSpeed Studios. The establishment of LightSpeed Japan Studio is a significant step in LightSpeed Studios’ expansion and demonstrates our commitment to bringing the best possible games to our players."

Itsuno directed entries in the Rival Schools, Power Stone, Capcom VS. SNK, Devil May Cry, and Dragon’s Dogma franchises.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463041/hideaki-itsuno-to-lead-new-aaa-developer-lightspeed-japan-studio/

Billionaire Bill Ackman spent days after the ABC presidential debate promoting false claims that a network “whistleblower” had allegedly uncovered collusion between ABC and Kamala Harris’ campaign. Now, a month and multiple denials later, he sees the claims differently.

“It seems pretty clear that the alleged @abc whistleblower debate story claiming that @KamalaHarris was given questions in advance and other advantages was a fake,” Ackman posted on X alongside a blog post by Megyn Kelly discussing the dubious claims.

What Ackman, CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, did not acknowledge, however, is that he was one of falsehood’s early boosters. After an X account named “Black Insurrectionist” claimed it had been in touch with a whistleblower who alleged the Harris campaign had been given debate topics ahead of the showdown with Donald Trump and had demanded Trump—and Trump alone—be fact-checked.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

In a contentious interview with Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, Fox News host Bret Baier spent no time going after the vice president with a laundry list of the subjects often highlighted by former President Donald Trump on the campaign trail.

Immediately after the interview kicked off, Baier opened by asking: “How many illegal immigrants would you estimate your administration has released into the country over the last three and a half years?”

Harris began a carefully worded answer, but Baier consistently interrupted her before she could finish a sentence.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Remedy's Alan Wake 2 has now "recouped most of its development and marketing expenses", CEO Tero Virtala has announced in a business review for January-September 2024. Speaking as somebody who would quite like there to be more Alan Wake games - or at least, moderately weird and pretty decent blockbuster singleplayer horror games - I am both pleased by this news and a little troubled that Remedy's eldritch forest fable (which came out in October 2023) has yet to break even.

Read more

Take-Two Interactive have sold their publishing label Private Division to an unnamed party, along with five of Private Division's "live and unreleased titles". The GTA 6 publisher have also finally confirmed that they have shut down OlliOlli World and Rollerdrome devs Roll7 together with Kerbal Space Program 2 creators Intercept Games, months after performing mass layoffs at both studios.

Read more

Life simulation game Inzoi will launch on PC via Steam early access on 28th March 2025, publishers Krafton have announced. Billed as a potential Sims 4 usurper, and equipped with syrupy Unreal Engine 5 visuals, it was originally slated for launch this year.

Read more