Latest news with #DanJones
Mint
30-06-2025
- Health
- Mint
Is your brain aging faster than you? New science offers clues
Dan Jones of Cedar City, Utah, has resumed playing the bagpipes after lifestyle changes. Dan Jones liked his job as a quality-control inspector and loved his hobby even more: playing in a local bagpipe band. Then he started making mistakes in the pieces he played. He found himself having to write tasks down if he wanted to remember them. In 2021, at age 56, he was diagnosed with dementia. The future he had plotted with his wife, Darla, suddenly seemed to evaporate. 'We had lots of plans, and they all ended," he says. Jones packed up his bagpipes for good and moved to a work role that offered a more predictable schedule. Then his wife learned about a study testing whether lifestyle changes could reverse early-stage Alzheimer's disease. Enrolling meant Jones had to give up his favorite foods, like roast beef, homemade spaghetti and ice cream, for a plant-based diet with minimally processed foods that are low in refined carbs and sugars. He had to do more exercise, meditate daily and meet regularly with a support group. Several months into the study, Jones picked up his bagpipes again, and by July 2022 he was performing in a parade in his hometown of Cedar City, Utah. He stopped waking up confused about where he was while traveling. Cognitive assessments showed that aspects of his memory had stabilized or improved. 'You could not pay me to quit eating the way I eat now, or to quit doing the exercise," he says. 'It made that big a difference." Jones has adopted a plant-based diet with foods that are low in refined carbs and tries to meditate for 30 minutes most days of the week. Jones wasn't alone. The full study, published in 2024 and led by the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute, found that brain function and cognition significantly improved in patients who made lifestyle changes. As tools and tests that gauge brain health become more accessible, a growing body of research suggests we can actually do something about it. The research comes as the gap widens between lifespan and healthspan—the number of years spent in good health. Americans are living longer on average, leaving more time to develop age-related diseases including dementia. New cases of dementia will double by 2060 to roughly one million annually, according to a recent study, Dr. Dean Ornish, founder of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute, spent decades testing whether and how lifestyle changes could affect other diseases such as prostate cancer, heart disease and aspects of aging itself. For the Alzheimer's study that included Jones, Ornish and a team of researchers randomly assigned 51 participants to one of two groups: a control group with no lifestyle changes, or an intensive program. Patients were tested at baseline and retested after 4½ months. In a test measuring changes in brain function over time, 71% of patients who made lifestyle changes showed improvement or no deterioration in their condition. In the control group, none improved, and 68% got worse. The study's small sample size makes the findings difficult to generalize, according to Ornish, but the results show a big difference. 'The earlier you intervene, the less intensive the lifestyle changes likely need to be to prevent it," Ornish says. 'It's really giving new hope and new choices to people who didn't have that before." A separate study published in 2024 looked at healthy people. It found that even modest levels of physical activity, as low as 25 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity a week, are linked to bigger brain sizes—a marker for better brain health. Jones says increased exercise has contributed to his improved health. 'Lifestyle matters," says Rudolph Tanzi, a professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and director of the McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital, who studies Alzheimer's disease genes and who worked on the study including Jones. Advances in diagnostic and prognostic tools are helping doctors and scientists gain new understanding of how to measure and modify cognitive function. Andrei Irimia, an associate professor at USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology who has studied brain aging for more than a decade, co-developed an artificial-intelligence model that uses MRI scans to calculate how fast a patient's brain is aging relative to chronological age. The model takes into account variables linked to brain aging, such as the size of the hippocampus, which is involved in memory, and the thickness of the cortex, the brain's outermost layer. Irimia says the model can monitor in real time how the brain reacts to problems or improvements in lifestyle. A reminder list in Jones's home. Faster brain aging is linked to a higher risk of cognitive impairment, he says. In May, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first blood test to help diagnose Alzheimer's disease. It is designed for people who are already having memory problems, not healthy people without symptoms. Various companies are developing blood tests that would let anyone determine 'brain age." NeuroAge Therapeutics, a longevity biotech company, makes a $700 blood test that tracks dozens of RNA molecules. A more expensive package includes the blood test, a brain MRI, genetic testing, memory games and an analysis that offers a comprehensive brain-age score. NeuroAge was founded by Dr. Christin Glorioso, a neuroscientist. Glorioso carries one copy of the APOE4 gene, which carries an elevated risk of developing Alzheimer's, and she says she started putting a priority on sleep after seeing her results. There is a link between insufficient sleep and dementia risk. Many doctors and researchers say biological-age testing requires rigorous research and validation before it should be widely adopted. It is also expensive—many of the blood tests cost hundreds of dollars out of pocket, and elective MRIs can cost hundreds to thousands. 'I would be extremely cautious as a consumer, and I would want to see scientific evidence that whatever they measure is relevant," says Tony Wyss-Coray, a professor of neurology at Stanford University. His lab has developed a protein-based blood test to measure the ages of the brain and other organ systems. With refinement, these tools could one day make a big difference for patients like Dan Jones. 'The people who can know those things sooner have an advantage," says Jones, who adds that he didn't take any genetic or brain health-specific tests before his diagnosis. 'I would have made the changes a lot earlier. Write to Alex Janin at
Wall Street Journal
30-06-2025
- General
- Wall Street Journal
Is Your Brain Aging Faster Than You? New Science Offers Clues
Dan Jones liked his job as a quality-control inspector and loved his hobby even more: playing in a local bagpipe band. Then he started making mistakes in the pieces he played. He found himself having to write tasks down if he wanted to remember them. In 2021, at age 56, he was diagnosed with dementia. The future he had plotted with his wife, Darla, suddenly seemed to evaporate.
The Irish Sun
07-06-2025
- The Irish Sun
My daughter was murdered & her body set on fire in Qatar – Brits need to know the truth about ‘expat paradise'
LAUREN Patterson loved her teaching job in Qatar. She had a great circle of friends, a group of expats who were also living in Qatar , attracted by the glitter, the tax-free salaries and endless sun. Advertisement 10 Lauren Patterson had been living in Qatar for several years working as an English teacher Credit: Dan Jones Images 10 The 24-year-old was killed in October 2013 after a night out Credit: Dan Jones Images 10 Lauren's mum Alison Patterson wants to warn Brits about 'expats paradise' Qatar Credit: Dan Jones Images But after a year or so, 24-year-old Kent , was beginning to feel misgivings about There seemed to be an undercurrent, a hint of a police state. Advertisement She started thinking about leaving but didn't get the chance. One night, she went out with a friend to a hotel popular with British expats. At the end of the evening, Lauren and her friend couldn't find a taxi, so they accepted a lift with two Qatari men whom the expats knew and were on friendly terms with. The pair dropped the friend off first. The full details of what happened will - tragically - never be known. What is known is that Lauren never made it home. Her body was found two days later in the desert. She had been raped and stabbed to death and her body set on fire. Advertisement Badr Hashim Khamis Abdallah Al-Jabr, one of the Qatari men who had offered her a lift, was arrested and sentenced to death the following year for her murder, but this was reduced to manslaughter in 2018 and his sentence changed to 10-and-a-half years in prison. Lauren was killed in October 2013. Her mother, Alison, feels sure he has now been released and is enjoying his freedom. She is desperate to know. So too are Lauren's friends, still in Brit airline worker, 44, 'being tortured in Qatar jail' after being caught in twisted Grindr sting by brutal morality police But being Qatar , with its secretive ways, Alison, 60, has not been able to find out if her daughter's killer is now free. 'It's farcical,' says Alison. 'Our lawyer went to the prison to try to find out if he was there. Advertisement 'He was stopped, they thought he was there to harm him. 'It is quite ridiculous in a way, he's a very well known lawyer. 'Quite a few of Lauren's work colleagues are still out in Qatar and want to know for their peace of mind if he has been released. 'The last time I spoke to our lawyer out there he said he would check but nothing came back. That's what happens every time.' SECRETIVE QATAR Lauren's killer's accomplice, Muhammad Abdullah Hassan Abdul Aziz was sentenced to just three years for helping to dispose of Lauren's body. Advertisement Today, about 20,000 Brits are living in Qatar. 10 Lauren had started thinking about leaving Qatar - but didn't get the chance Credit: Dan Jones Images 10 Lauren's killer's accomplice was sentenced to just three years Credit: Dan Jones Images 10 Many Brits are attracted to Qatar by the tax-free salaries and endless sun Credit: Getty It's glitzy and pristine and highly photogenic - an influencer's dream. Advertisement The Corniche is a waterfront promenade that stretches seven kilometres around the crescent-shaped Doha Bay. There are luxurious hotels such as the Ritz Carlton and Katara Hills, and exclusive private members clubs like The Ned Doha. Qatar is firmly on the map - the new Dubai. Expats live in spacious villas in luxurious complexes with pools and tennis courts . Rent is often subsidised by the employer; the expat schools are well regarded. Job opportunities include positions for teachers, physiotherapists, lab technicians and petroleum engineers. Salaries can be higher, but the real benefit comes from the many employers who give allowances for accommodation and pay for school fees. Advertisement As one expat currently living there puts it: 'Accommodation isn't cheap, but lots of expats usually get a housing allowance that goes towards their accommodation. 'A lot of expats will get subsidized membership of a beach club and quite often schools are paid for, too, or at least a chunk of the fees covered. 'European expats with kids really like life in Qatar because they can afford a maid or a nanny. 'And of course petrol is so cheap - around 6p a litre.' Four or five months before she died, she was looking quite seriously to move jobs to another country. There were things she wasn't comfortable with Alison But under the gloss, there are rules that expats are not so comfortable with. Advertisement Alcohol is available only at licensed hotel restaurants, bars and some clubs in this strict Muslim country and it is illegal to drink alcohol or be drunk in a public place. The introduction of what's been dubbed a 'sin tax' in 2019 saw a big increase in the price of alcohol. 'Restaurants are very expensive, especially ones that serve alcohol,' says the expat. 'Alcohol is very highly taxed at around 150% - whether it's beer , wines or spirits.' The expat adds: 'In areas like education, there is a creeping growth of conservative Islamic principles. Advertisement 'Children have to learn Arabic, which is not a bad thing if you are living in an Arab country, but then there are other problems. 'For example, at the beginning of the current school year, there was a massive backlash after parents of children aged six and above were told their children would have to completely cover their arms and legs. 10 Lauren's mother Alison feels sure her killer has now been released and is enjoying his freedom Credit: Dan Jones Images 10 Alison says Lauren had become uneasy about how things were done in Qatar Credit: Dan Jones Images 'It got to a high level and the British Embassy got involved. Eventually the plans were shelved. Advertisement 'But for the past two or three years, mothers have not been allowed to watch sons in sports competitions and fathers are not allowed to watch daughters. 'At one elite sporting academy, one swimming coach who works with males and females is not allowed to watch girls he is training when they take part in swimming competitions.' The resident adds: 'A couple of years ago, school libraries at expat schools were closed for three to six months, stopping children from accessing books , while they were censored. 'A parent had complained about a children's story book.' Alison, who has two other children and lives with her husband, Kevin, 63, near Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, says Lauren had become uneasy about how things were done in Qatar. Advertisement She loved teaching, having gained her qualification at The Open University after a spell working as a teaching assistant in Luxembourg. But other aspects bothered her. 'Four or five months before she died, she was looking quite seriously to move jobs to another country. 'She was feeling a little bit apprehensive, there were things she wasn't comfortable with. The school was good, she really enjoyed that. It was other things. 'For example, she sent me a picture of two young girls at the airports, they were trying to leave but they were taken away by the police. They probably didn't have the right paperwork. That's what it was like. 'When my mum became seriously ill and was dying, Lauren wanted to come back to see her but she was denied permission by the authorities to leave. There was a process to go through, and they wouldn't let her go. They said there wasn't time to arrange it, it was a petty reason. Advertisement 'In the end, my mum died, and Lauren was able to get back home for the funeral .' NEVER CAME BACK The funeral was held on a Thursday. Lauren flew back to Qatar on the Friday. She'd recently started a new relationship and her boyfriend was due to fly out in a couple of days. When she arrived back at her apartment, a friend came round and suggested they go out for a few drinks. Lauren left her unpacked suitcase on her bed - ready to unpack when she got home later that evening. She never came back. 'Lauren didn't get a chance to text me that she had arrived in Qatar safely and I was immediately concerned when I didn't hear from her,' says Alison. Advertisement 'None of her friends had heard from her. 'Her killer worked in security at the airport, he was seen as a man whom you could trust. 'He actually helped search for Lauren with her friends.' On the Sunday, two falconers who had taken their birds to the desert came across Lauren's body. PARENT'S NIGHTMARE Police secretly staked out and watched Lauren's killer and his accomplice come to the site to check if they'd covered up Lauren's body properly. They were immediately arrested. Advertisement Alison took the call that is every parent's nightmare and was asked to bring Lauren's dental records to Qatar to identify the body. 'Those two knew what they was doing. 'Lauren lived six minutes away, the other girl lived 15 minutes away, but they took the other girl home first 'He said all sorts of things. He said Lauren attacked him, then he said Lauren fell on the knife.' In 2019, six years after Lauren's death, another expat, Advertisement 10 Travel executive Marc Bennett was found hanging in a hotel room in Qatar - but his family back in Britain were adamant he would never have killed himself 10 Twelve years after Lauren's killing, Alison knows she will never have all the answers to questions about her daughter's death Credit: Dan Jones Images On December 24, he was found hanging in a hotel room. The police reportedly said it was suicide; his family back in Britain were adamant he would never have killed himself, and there was no note. In 2017, Marc had been appointed senior vice-president at Discover Qatar, with the role of developing tourism at the 2022 World Cup. After he resigned, he was reportedly arrested and held in a secret detention centre, where he told family he was physically and mentally tortured and told he could not leave the country. Advertisement Qatar Airways reportedly responded by saying Mr Bennett had emailed 'highly confidential documents relating to Qatar Airways to a private email address' and was consequently arrested and the case became a 'police matter'. There remain many unanswered questions. Meanwhile, twelve years after Lauren's killing, Alison knows she will never have all the answers to questions about her daughter's death. She does want to know, though, if her killer is free. 'We have written personally to the Emir but never had a reply. We gave letters to the Qatari embassy but heard nothing. Advertisement 'You don't move on, but you're putting a line under one part of it, you're coming to terms with he's out,' she says.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Seven-metre-wide artwork of Mars coming to Truro Cathedral
A seven-metre-wide artwork of Mars is coming to Truro Cathedral. The piece, created by Luke Jerram, will be on display from October 13 to November 2, 2025. The artwork, which is part of a UK-wide tour, follows on from his other astronomical pieces, Museum of the Moon and Gaia. It features 120 dpi NASA imagery of the surface of the planet, with each centimetre representing 10 kilometres of the planet, and is accompanied by a sound composition by Dan Jones. Mars by Luke Jerram. (Image: Ella Foster/ Exeter Cathedral) Sean O'Neill, chief operating officer, said: "From the moment we had Gaia here, I hoped that we would be able to host Mars next. "The red/orange hues of Mars will bring the soft Bath stone of the cathedral to life, especially during Mars by Night sessions." Entry to Truro Cathedral will remain free throughout the installation during the day, with donations encouraged to enable the cathedral to continue to bring events such as Mars to the community of Cornwall. The cathedral previously hosted Luke Jerram's Gaia artwork. (Image: James Kitto) There will also be a range of ticketed events and activities accompanying the installation for people to enjoy, including the opportunity to ascend into the roof space and view Mars from an aerial perspective. Reverend Simon Robinson, dean of Truro Cathedral, said: "It is very good to welcome Luke Jerram's great artwork Mars: War and Peace, particularly as we approach the season of Remembrance. "This vast artwork provokes us to reflect on conflict, conflict perhaps in our communities and conflict on a worldwide scale. "I am proud that Cornwall's great cathedral, a place of sacred space and common ground for us all is hosting this evocative work." Artist Luke Jerram said: 'I am delighted to be invited to bring my artwork back to Truro Cathedral. " He added that he hopes that "visitors will feel transported to the inhospitable desert wasteland of Mars".
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Crews tackle trash and water risks ahead of beach crowds in Norfolk
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — As thousands of visitors head to Norfolk's beaches this holiday weekend, city crews are gearing up to keep the shorelines both clean and safe. Previously: Beach & water safety: 'We want everybody to be prepared' From Willoughby Spit to East Beach, Norfolk's Waste Management Strike Team will be out before dawn each day, servicing more than 100 trash cans across the city's 7.4 miles of beachfront. With larger summer crowds expected, officials say maintaining the cleanliness of the sand is more than just cosmetic — it's about preserving the environment and protecting marine life. 'We have two crews that'll be working nonstop on the beach,' said Tariq DeBerry, a refuse inspector with the city's Waste Management Division. 'Be a beach hero. You know, make a splash, pick up trash.' The city is using Kubotas and compact automated trucks to safely remove litter without disturbing sand dunes or beachgoers. While the sanitation team handles what's on land, another crew is watching the water. For the first time since 2019, Norfolk has restored lifeguard coverage at two of its three public beaches: Ocean View Beach Park and Community Beach Park. 'We had a shallow water rescue yesterday,' said Dan Jones, head of Norfolk's Aquatics, Beaches and Open Water Division. 'We had a medical emergency involving an unconscious man. This is just during our training time.' Jones said swimmers should take caution, especially near sandbars and underwater troughs, where water depth can change suddenly. 'Never swim alone,' he said. 'And if you're a weak swimmer, don't go past your waist. If you get caught in a rip current, swim parallel to the shore — east or west — not straight back in.' The city has also installed a beach flag warning system at public access points. Green flags mean normal conditions; yellow flags indicate rough surf or moderate hazards; and red flags warn of electrical storms or dangerous marine life. Norfolk is also providing free public lifejackets for children and adults, available at guarded beaches throughout the summer. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
