Latest news with #UniversityofEastAnglia
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
This drug can extend lifespan? Scientists find a pill that may boost longevity
For decades, scientists have explored ways to slow aging and extend human lifespan. From strict calorie restriction diets to gene editing experiments, many strategies have shown promise in lab animals but proved challenging for humans. Now, new research suggests that a combination of existing drugs may offer a more practical alternative. A study by the University of East Anglia's School of Biological Sciences found that two FDA-approved medications — Rapamycin and Metformin, already used for other purposes — could mimic the effects of dietary restriction and potentially increase lifespan. While results are largely based on animal studies, the findings are generating excitement among biologists and longevity researchers, with human trials currently underway to determine whether the same benefits might apply to people. How the drug mimics calorie restriction to extend lifespan One of the most consistent findings in aging research is that eating less, without malnutrition, can extend lifespan in many species. However, maintaining long-term dietary restriction is difficult for most people. The new study focused on Rapamycin and Metformin, drugs that replicate the cellular response to fasting. These medications act on nutrient-sensing pathways in the body, essentially 'tricking' cells into behaving as if they are in a low-calorie environment. In mice, this has led to increased longevity and improved metabolic health. Scientists examined over 160 studies involving vertebrates like fish, rodents, and monkeys to assess how these drugs affect lifespan. They discovered that while calorie restriction consistently produced longevity benefits across sexes and species, Rapamycin, when used individually, also showed a notable increase in lifespan — in some cases by as much as 30 percent. However, results weren't always uniform. In rare cases, the same drugs or diets led to shortened lifespan, highlighting the need for more targeted research. Early signs from human trials Although most of the existing evidence is from animal models, early human trials of Rapamycin have already begun. Researchers are testing low doses of the drug to reduce side effects while preserving its longevity-enhancing effects. Preliminary results are not yet published, but early data suggest potential improvements in immune response and cellular repair. Scientists remain cautiously optimistic, emphasizing that it will take several years before conclusive evidence in humans is available. Risks and limitations Despite the excitement, experts urge caution. Rapamycin, in particular, is known to suppress the immune system at higher doses — a serious concern for long-term use. Metformin, commonly prescribed for type 2 diabetes, has shown fewer risks but also weaker effects on longevity. Additionally, what is effective in rodents doesn't always translate to human biology. Until large-scale, peer-reviewed clinical trials confirm safety and effectiveness, these pills remain a possibility rather than a prescription for longer life.
Daily Mail
14-07-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
Heartbreaking footage reveals a plastic 'death trap' in birds' nests - with chicks getting entangled in ropes that strangle their limbs
Next time you drop rubbish on the ground, it could end up killing a bird in its own nest. Heartbreaking photos and video footage reveal white storks – one of Europe's biggest birds – tangled up in plastic waste, rope and other harmful human debris. Scientists at the University of East Anglia (UEA) say the species, once common in the UK, is harvesting carelessly disposed trash to build their nests. It is turning their home into a plastic 'death trap' – often killing young chicks through limb loss, strangulation, ingestion and more. The photos, snapped in Portugal, reveal several white stork nests littered with blue rope, plastic bags, wrappers, tissues, fabric and even a soft toy. White storks are opportunistic foragers when searching for food or building nests, meaning they often end up collecting our junk. Aldina Franco, a professor in ecology and global environmental change at UAE who took some of these images, said the birds 'suffer a horrible death', calling it a 'serious issue'. 'These chicks get entangled in synthetic ropes when they are very young and the ropes slowly strangle their limbs as they grow, mostly legs and feet,' he said. The UAE scientists worked with colleagues in Portugal to examine the impact of plastics and rope in the nests of white storks there. They monitored and photographed 32 white stork colonies and 568 nests in Alentejo and the Algarve, southern Portugal, over four years. Overall, they found human-derived materials present in a whopping 91 per cent of the 568 stork nests monitored during the period. Soft plastic, like plastic bags, was the most common material, found in 65 per cent of the nests, followed by synthetic ropes (the main cause of entanglement) in 42 per cent of nests. Baler twine, a slow-degrading polypropylene rope, accounted for 63 per cent of the entanglements and was present particularly in colonies surrounded by agricultural areas. Overall, white stork chicks in nests containing a higher number of rope material were more likely to become entangled and had lower survival rates. During one year of weekly checking (2023), 35 out of 290 birds too young to leave their nest (nestlings) became entangled in some type of synthetic material. Many of these nestlings died, often due to injuries such as necrosis (death of body tissue) and limb loss. Where possible, researchers accessed nests with ladders to free the nestlings from the materials – but many other nests were inaccessible. White stork leg has become tangled in tightly-wound fibre, causing pain and leaving a potentially permanent mark. The leg is still swollen from the entanglement 'In some cases they still died from the consequences of their wounds,' lead author Ursula Heinze, a postgraduate researcher at UEA, told MailOnline. The white stork (Ciconia ciconia) has a wide range across Europe, but is clustered in the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) and much of eastern and central Europe. The species – known for clattering their bills as a form of communication – frequently nests near or within human settlements and tends to rely on landfills as foraging grounds. 'White storks are known to incorporate discarded human-made materials into their nests, frequently nest near or within human settlements and often forage on organic waste at landfill sites,' said co-author Dr Inês Catry at the University of Lisbon. 'The reasons for using these materials in nest-building are not fully understood. 'But they may relate to their availability and the scarcity of natural ones, while some might also be mistaken for food, being inadvertently incorporated in the nests.' The authors acknowledge that their study, published in the journal Ecological Indicators, only looked at one species in one country. But they say white stork is an 'indicator species', meaning it will reflect a broader trend in the environment – not limited to Portugal. Pictured, healthy chicks in a nest built with no synthetic waste. On land, the incorporation of human-derived materials into bird nests is already well documented White storks are native to the British Isles and evidence suggests that they were once widely distributed here before their decline, due to factors such as overhunting with guns and habitat loss. Thanks to reintroduction efforts, white storks are making a comeback in Britain, including at Knepp Estate in Sussex. The research team, including researchers from the University of Montpellier and University of Lisbon, know pollution like this is widespread – on land and in the sea. Such materials are also now being found in nests in the UK and other countries, such as Ukraine. 'In Ukraine, for example, solders are finding nests with fibre optic wires from remote controlled drones,' said Professor Franco. 'In the UK, several passerines, such as goldfinches and wrens, have also started using different colour polypropylene threads to build their nests. 'People spotting empty nests at the end of the breeding season may have started to notice this. 'Impact of plastic in the nests can be underestimated because the negative effects of human-produced materials tend to happen in the early life of the chicks, at an average age of two weeks, and the deaths can go unnoticed.' White storks are now enjoying a population boom of their own amid a conservation project that has seen them return to English skies for the first time in centuries. The White Stork Project, which is based at the Knepp Estate in West Sussex, has 25 home-grown storks which have chosen to spend the winter in the UK. The birds first laid eggs in 2020 and conservationists say the numbers are getting close to a 'critical mass' which could see the birds finally recover to numbers not seen for centuries. 2024 saw 53 chicks fledge at Knepp - double the previous year's 26 - giving high hopes that storks will start to recolonise other parts of England. The secret of Knepp's success is creating a colony of more than 20 non-flying storks rescued from accidents with powerlines and roads in Poland. These are kept in a six-acre pen in the middle of the rewilding project. This helps attract wild birds from Europe and also gives Knepp's free-flying storks - offspring of the penned birds - confidence and security in numbers. As well as stretching their wings in the air, the overwintering white storks can be found following the Tamworth pigs and longhorn cattle around the rewilding estate, trailing them for unearthed worms in the disturbed soil.
Daily Mail
25-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Top experts flag 2 deadly risks of Mounjaro that EVERYONE must watch out for
Experts have issued GPs with crucial guidance on weight loss jabs to avoid deadly complications, as the injections are offered to millions more Britons on the NHS. The advice tells doctors to look for signs of two life-threatening conditions that can be triggered by the drugs; acute pancreatitis and biliary disease. Both diseases involve significant damage to the digestive organs, which can lead to body-wide complications and eventually death, if untreated. The experts, from King's College London and the University of East Anglia, warned of four 'red flag' symptoms that could indicate these diseases, or other harmful side effects—dizziness, falls, gastrointestinal symptoms or rapid weight change. Additionally, doctors should ask in a 'non-judgemental' manner if patients are using weight loss jabs, as many access them privately and will not always disclose it to their GP. GPs must also warn patients using the jabs to stop if they are planning to become pregnant due to unknown risks to unborn babies, the team of experts in obesity and general practice said. Patients on the injections must also stop a week before surgery to lower the chance of the potentially deadly complication of liquid and food entering the lungs. It comes as patients in England this week became able to get the so-called 'King Kong' of weight loss jabs, Mounjaro, through their GP for the first time. The weekly injection, also known as tirzepatide, will be offered to around 220,000 people over the next three years under new NHS prescribing rules. Previously the potent drug, which helps patients shed up to a fifth of their body weight in a year, was available privately and at a small number of specialist NHS weight loss clinics. GPs can now prescribe the drug to patients with a BMI over 40—classed as severely obese—and at least four obesity-related health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or sleep apnoea. Mounjaro is a GLP-1 injection, which mimics the effect of a hunger hormone that is released by the stomach in response to eating and tells the brain when it is full. In 2021, Wegovy—which contains the drug semaglutide, also found in Ozempic—became the first GLP-1 injection to be approved for use in the UK. Studies suggest that around 1.5million people in the UK are using GLP-1 jabs to lose weight. However, as the popularity of the injections has risen, so too has concern about a number of little-known ill-effects. These include including nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, bone fractures, tooth damage, severe anxiety and depression, as well as more serious conditions like organ damage. Earlier this month, it was reported that more than 100 British deaths have been linked to weight loss jabs like Mounjaro and Wegovy. None of the fatalities, which have all been reported since the jabs were licensed for use in the UK, are proven to have been caused directly by the drugs. However, health chiefs tasked with policing the safety of medicines admit reports of side effects indicate 'a suspicion' they may have been to blame. In November last year, news broke of the death of Scottish nurse Susan McGowan, 58, who experienced multiple organ failure, septic shock and pancreatitis after taking just two doses of Mounjaro. Hers is the only confirmed fatality linked to the jabs in the UK. While scientists aren't completely clear on the reasons why GLP-1 drugs can trigger deadly pancreatitis, experts have suggested the medication may 'overstimulate' cells in the organ. Medications like Mounjaro interact with the pancreas by enhancing insulin release, helping to stabilise blood sugars. However, this could cause put excess strain on the organ, causing it to become severely inflammed. Speaking of the latest warning to doctors, Dr Laurence Dobbie, a general practice expert from King's College London and one of the authors of the guidance, said: 'I've seen patients in primary care who are clearly taking the medications, but they haven't been given wrap-around care. 'More than a million people are taking these medicines privately and seeing GPs with lots of different problems. 'We want GPs to have the basic knowledge to prioritise patient safety and demystify side effects.' Dr Dobbie and the other experts also warned that those on the jabs may need to review other medicines due to potentially harmful interactions. These include high blood pressure medications, and those that lower glucose levels in the blood, but also levothryoxine that are used to treat thyroid conditions, opiate painkillers and anti-epileptics medications. The guidance is the first output of Obesity Management Collaborative UK, a network set up in 2024 to support clinicians managing patients with obesity. The network's chair, Professor Barbara McGowan from King's College London, said: 'These tips aim to upskill GPs in the management and monitoring of patients on these medications. 'By embedding these recommendations into routine clinical practice, we can ensure patient safety and optimise the care of individuals living with obesity.'
Indian Express
20-06-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Scientists say they may have found a way to extend human lifespan
For decades, scientists have been trying to find a way to extend human lifespan, and while studies have shown that select lab animals can live longer by eating less, they haven't conducted these studies on humans. A century-old study on lab rats has shown that mice who eat less often outlive their fed counterparts, but it can be almost impossible for most humans to follow a permanent diet. However, a new study by the School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, claims that a combination of FDA-approved drugs that mimic the effects of dieting might be the answer to a longer life. The two drugs – Rapamycin and Metformin are known to extend the lifespan of mice as much as up to 30 per cent. Rapamycin, which was first found in the 1970s in bacteria living on the Easter Island soil, has been traditionally used as a powerful immunosuppressant to prevent organ-transplant rejection. The drug works by disabling a particular switch which is used to inform cells when a cell has an abundance of nutrients. As for Metformin, it is a synthetic compound that is found in French Lilac or Goat's Rue, which doctors prescribe to control sugar levels in type 2 diabetes. Since both of these drugs are used to sense the nutrient and energy levels in the human body, biologists wanted to see if the combination of these drugs could have the same effect as eating less. To know more about their effects, scientists say they examined thousands of existing studies and came across 167 studies that focused on eight vertebrate species, like fish and monkeys, which offered them a detailed insight into how these drugs affected animals. Out of three strategies that help with longevity, eating less, taking Rapamycin and consuming Metformin, scientists say the most dependable way to increase the lifespan is to eat less, irrespective of the animal's sex. They also noted that the second most effective strategy to increase lifespan was to take Rapamycin, while Metformin had no substantial effect. However, scientists did say that the effect of Rapamycin on animals wasn't consistent, as, in some cases, studies have shown that eating less or taking Rapamycin reduced an animal's lifespan. Another thing to note here is that most of these positive effects were on mice and rats, which have genes similar to humans but are not exactly the same. And since Rapamycin does come with some side effects, like reduced immunity, scientists are now trying to see if lower doses of the drug offer some advantages without the side effects. According to an ongoing Rapamycin trial on humans, it was noted that lower doses of the drug might help increase the lifespan. But, as of now, the trial is still in progress and will take a few years before the results are out.
Morocco World
14-06-2025
- General
- Morocco World
My Experience of Taking Shahada, Joining the Moroccan Ummah
Rabat – My name is Iskandar; I am a British Muslim revert from Norwich. I fell in love with Allah and Islam during my A Levels, and I have deeply appreciated the chance to become involved with the global religious community . I first reverted to my new faith, and took the Shahada, while I was studying Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Exeter, but due to the fact that I struggled to learn Arabic I later moved to the University of East Anglia. Knowing that I was going to come to do an internship at Morocco World News, I reverted for a second time at Cambridge Central Mosque in Cambridge. Upon arriving in Morocco, I immediately noticed the strong religious community around me. The country is 99% Muslim with most of its citizens being followers of the faith. I first discussed taking the Shahada with my program director Ali at MCAS Arabic, and he informed me that it would be possible to take the Shahada and revert to Islam in Morocco. I felt that to take the Shahada again in a Muslim-majority nation would be a wonderful way to reaffirm my faith. The mosque that I visited to perform the Shahada was the Sidi Mohammed Laghmari Masjid, located near the Restaurant De La Liberation on Mohammed V Avenue. When I entered the Masjid, I decided to wear the traditional Moroccan clothing of the djellaba as well as a 'Tarbouch' hat, as a sign of respect for Moroccan culture. When I was welcomed into the Masjid, I immediately noticed the Islamic architecture and the ornate designs of the building's interior. I entered the Masjid removing my shoes and placing them along with my bag on the edge of the Musalla. I then went to the location of the Wudu basin to perform the ablution. I felt cleansed and refreshed ready to perform the Jummah. The midday Jummah prayer began at around 1:30 p.m., with the Islamic Qur'anic recitation being performed through the Masjid speakers. I sat in the direction towards the Qiblah in Mecca, the centre of spiritual Islam. The Imam then came to the Mihrab to perform their Khutbah. I do not understand Arabic, but I feel it is one of the most beautiful languages in the world. While I might not have understood the words, my heart filled with love and appreciation for Allah as I took part in the prayer. My program host Ali introduced me to a number of important people within the Masjid, including the Nazir and the Imam. Both were extremely kind and welcoming and accepted me because of shared faith. The Nazir is the caretaker of the Masjid and its religious position. The Imam is the spiritual leader who leads the prayer and delivers the sermons. After we had performed Jummah I was invited to the front of the congregation. I was supported by a translator, and I took the Shahada, delivering my declaration of faith as I repeated after the Imam, 'There is no God, but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.' As I performed the Shahada I was filled with joy from Allah's greatness and love for me. In front of the congregation, I then confirmed my new Islamic name, 'Iskandar'. Many of the congregation then came to greet me into the Ummah as a fellow brother of faith. This was an incredibly important religious declaration as I formally renewed my pledge of faith to Allah and joined the Moroccan Ummah. As I am going to be in Morocco over the next few months, I would like to become further integrated into the Islamic community performing prayers in Moroccan Masjids and meet fellow brothers and sisters. I arrived in Morocco the weekend before the religious holiday and celebration Eid Al Adha, and I took my Shahada in the corresponding Jum'ah, Friday prayer. I was able to attend the Eid prayers, a practice I now have in common with the fellow Moroccan citizens. I feel privileged and honored to have taken part in such a spiritual and meaningful commitment to Islam . Tags: IslamMoroccan UmmahReligion
