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All three fireplaces are open and flat. However, the new results suggest that the use of fire was sophisticated, as the fireplaces were likely to have been built and used differently in different seasons. One of the three fireplaces is larger and thicker, suggesting that higher temperatures were achieved here. "People perfectly controlled the fire and knew how to use it in different ways, depending on the purpose of the fire. But our results also show that these hunter-gatherers used the same place at different times of the year during their annual migrations," explains Nigst.

Despite these new findings, the small number of fireplaces from the Last Glacial Maximum remains puzzling. "Was most of the evidence destroyed by the ice-age-typical, alternating freezing and thawing of the soil?" asks Murphree. "Or did people not find enough fuel during the Last Glacial Maximum? Did they not use fire, but instead relied on other technological solutions?" adds Nigst. By further uncovering the role of fire in human evolution, the researchers hope to shed light on what is arguably one of the most fundamental technologies that has shaped our species' success in populating every corner of this planet.

Journal Reference:
DOI: 10.1002/gea.70006

Original Submission

The cancellations include a factory in Georgia from Aspen Aerogels, which received a $670 million loan commitment from the US Department of Energy in October. The facility would have made materials that can help prevent or slow fires in battery packs. In a February earnings call, executives said the company plans to focus on an existing Rhode Island facility and projects in other countries, including China and Mexico. Aspen Aerogels didn't respond to a request for further comment.

Hundreds of projects that have been announced in just the last few years are under construction or operational despite the wave of cancellations. But it is an early sign of growing uncertainty for climate technology.

"You're seeing a business environment that's just unsure what's next and is hesitant to commit one way or another," Timberlake says.

Original Submission

Journal Reference:
Tillett, Bree J., Dwiyanto, Jacky, Secombe, Kate R., et al. SCFA biotherapy delays diabetes in humanized gnotobiotic mice by remodeling mucosal homeostasis and metabolome [open], Nature Communications (DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-58319-y)

How Gut Microbiota Could Unlock New Treatments for Influenza - Thailand Medical News

How gut microbiota could unlock new treatments for influenza - Thailand Medical News:

Influenza is a common but potentially deadly virus that infects millions of people worldwide every year. While vaccines and antiviral drugs offer some protection, they often have limited effectiveness due to viral mutations and drug resistance. Now, researchers are exploring a novel approach: the relationship between gut microbiota and influenza. This Influenza News report highlights the key findings of a recent study that delves into how gut bacteria and their metabolites can influence influenza outcomes and offer new therapeutic targets. The research, conducted by scientists from Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine-China and Hubei University of Chinese Medicine-China, sheds light on the gut's potential to protect against influenza through various mechanisms.

Gut Microbiota: The Hidden Key to Health
Gut microbiota refers to the trillions of microorganisms that live inside our digestive tract. These bacteria are essential for breaking down food, regulating our immune system, and maintaining overall health. Recent research has shown that gut bacteria also play a role in respiratory infections, including influenza. Specifically, changes in gut bacteria can influence how well the body fights off the flu virus, making this an area of great interest for new therapies.

Gut-Lung Axis: The Cross-Talk Between the Gut and Lungs
Scientists have long understood that the gut and lungs communicate with each other through a system known as the "gut-lung axis." When the body is infected with the flu, not only do the lungs suffer, but the gut's microbiota can also be disrupted. The study revealed that individuals with a healthy balance of gut bacteria tend to have better outcomes when fighting influenza. Conversely, those with imbalanced gut microbiota, whether due to illness or antibiotic use, are more susceptible to severe flu symptoms.

The Role of Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs)
One of the primary ways the gut microbiota influences influenza outcomes is through the production of metabolites, particularly short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). SCFAs like acetate, propionate, and butyrate are produced when gut bacteria break down dietary fiber. These compounds have been shown to boost the immune response and reduce inflammation in both the gut and lungs. In the context of influenza, SCFAs can enhance the body's ability to fight off the virus by promoting the growth of beneficial gut bacteria and strengthening the immune system.

The study findings indicate that flu-infected mice had lower levels of SCFAs compared to healthy mice. When SCFAs were supplemented, the mice showed improved survival rates and reduced lung inflammation. This suggests that increasing SCFA levels could be a potential therapeutic strategy for treating influenza.

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT): A Promising Therapy
Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), the process of transferring stool from a healthy donor to the intestines of a patient, is emerging as a promising treatment for various diseases, including influenza. The researchers found that FMT could restore the balance of gut bacteria in flu-infected mice, leading to reduced lung inflammation and faster recovery. FMT helps increase the population of beneficial bacteria like Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, which are known to support immune function and fight off infections.

Interestingly, the study also showed that FMT could reverse the negative effects of antibiotics, which often disrupt gut bacteria and weaken the immune response. By restoring healthy gut microbiota, FMT has the potential to be a complementary therapy for individuals suffering from severe influenza.

Probiotics and Prebiotics: Strengthening the Immune System
In addition to FMT, the study explored the use of probiotics and prebiotics to regulate gut bacteria and improve flu outcomes. Probiotics, such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, are beneficial bacteria that can be taken as supplements to enhance gut health. Prebiotics, on the other hand, are non-digestible fibers that serve as food for these beneficial bacteria, promoting their growth.

The researchers found that supplementing flu-infected mice with probiotics significantly reduced lung inflammation and viral load. This supports the idea that probiotics can help strengthen the immune system and improve the body's ability to fight off the flu virus.

Traditional Chinese Medicine and Gut Health
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has long recognized the importance of gut health in maintaining overall well-being. The study revealed that certain TCM herbs, such as Houttuynia cordata, could regulate gut microbiota and enhance immune function. These herbs were found to increase the population of beneficial gut bacteria while reducing harmful bacteria, leading to better flu outcomes.

TCM also promotes the production of SCFAs, which, as previously mentioned, play a crucial role in fighting influenza. By incorporating TCM into treatment plans, healthcare providers may be able to offer a more holistic approach to flu prevention and treatment.

The Future of Influenza Treatment: Gut Microbiota as a Target
The study highlights the potential of gut microbiota as a therapeutic target for influenza. By regulating gut bacteria and their metabolites, it may be possible to improve flu outcomes and reduce the severity of the disease. While more research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms involved, the findings provide a promising new direction for influenza treatment.

Future studies should focus on identifying specific strains of bacteria and metabolites that have the most significant impact on flu outcomes. Additionally, researchers should explore the potential of combining FMT, probiotics, and TCM to create a comprehensive treatment plan for influenza.
The study findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal: Heliyon.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024136924

Gut Microbes Control the Body's Thermostat - Neuroscience News

upstart writes:

Gut Microbes Control the Body's Thermostat - Neuroscience News:

What's considered normal body temperature varies from person to person, yet overall, the average basal temperature of the human body has decreased since the 1860s for unknown reasons. A study points to the gut microbiome as a potential regulator of body temperature, both in health and during life-threatening infections.

The study, led by Robert Dickson, M.D., and his colleagues at U-M Medical School, used health record data from patients hospitalized with sepsis and mouse experiments to examine the interplay between the mix of bacteria residing in the gut, temperature fluctuation, and health outcomes.

Sepsis, the body's response to a life-threatening infection, can cause drastic changes in body temperature, the trajectory of which is linked to mortality.

Work published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine in 2019 has demonstrated that hospitalized patients with sepsis vary widely in their temperature responses, and this variation predicts their survival.

"There's a reason that temperature is a vital sign," said Kale Bongers M.D. Ph.D., a clinical instructor in the Department of Internal Medicine and lead author of the study. "It's both easily measured and tells us important information about the body's inflammatory and metabolic state."

Yet the causes of this temperature variation, both in sepsis and in health, have remained unknown.

"We know that temperature response is important in sepsis, because it strongly predicts who lives and who dies," said Dickson. "But we don't know what drives this variation and whether it can modified to help patients."

To try to understand the cause of this variation, the team analyzed rectal swabs from 116 patients admitted to the hospital. The patients' gut microbiota varied widely, confirming that it is a potential source of variation.

"Arguably, our patients have more variation in their microbiota than they do in their own genetics," said Bongers. "Any two patients are more than 99% identical in their own genomes, while they may have literally 0% overlap in their gut bacteria."

[...] Further research is needed to understand whether targeting the microbiome to modulate body temperature could help alter the outcome for patients with sepsis.

Journal Reference:
DOI: https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/10.1164/rccm.202201-0161OC

Gut-Brain Link May Affect Behavior in Children With Autism

upstart writes:

Gut-brain link may affect behavior in children with autism:

An imbalance in the microbiome disrupts neurotransmitter production and may manifest as social difficulties and repetitive behaviors.

A new USC study suggests that gut imbalances in children with autism may create an imbalance of metabolites in the digestive system — ultimately disrupting neurotransmitter production and influencing behavioral symptoms.

The research, published Monday in Nature Communications, adds to a growing body of science implicating the "gut-brain" axis in autism. The discovery raises the possibility of new treatment avenues. It's an example of how research at USC, and other universities, drives innovation and leads to discoveries that improve lives.

"We demonstrated that gut metabolites impact the brain, and the brain, in turn, affects behavior. Essentially, the brain acts as the intermediary between gut health and autism-related behaviors," said first author Lisa Aziz-Zadeh, a professor at the Brain and Creativity Institute at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. "Previous studies highlighted differences in gut microbiomes and brain structures in autism, but our research connects the dots."

The gut-brain connection is not as far-fetched as it might seem. From an evolutionary perspective, the gut was likely the first "brain," explained Aziz-Zadeh, who also is a professor at USC Dornsife's Department of Psychology and the USC Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy.

In fact, most of the neurons from the gut send signals to the brain; there are actually more neurons in the gut than in the spinal cord. About 90% of the neural signals between the gut and brain travel from the gut to the brain, while only 10% go in the opposite direction.

This constant communication explains why we talk about "gut instinct" or "feeling it in your gut." Many emotions are processed through gut-related mechanisms, a concept known as interoception — the perception of internal bodily sensations.

For the study, researchers collected behavioral data, brain imaging data and stool samples from 43 children with autism and 41 neurotypical children aged 8-17. From the stool samples, they analyzed metabolites produced by gut bacteria that break down food in the digestive system.

The researchers then correlated these metabolites with brain differences observed in children with autism and their behavioral characteristics. They homed in on the "tryptophan pathway" by which tryptophan, an amino acid found in many foods, is broken down into several metabolites, including serotonin.

Serotonin is crucial for emotional processing, social interaction, learning and other brain functions. Since much of the body's serotonin originates in the gut microbiome, changes in gut health can influence serotonin production.

"We know that children with autism have brain differences — certain parts of their brain are either less active or more active compared to typically developing children," Aziz-Zadeh said. "We also know they often experience gastrointestinal issues, such as constipation, stomach pain and other digestive problems. Additionally, autism is associated with various symptoms, including repetitive behaviors and social difficulties."

Sofronia Ringold, a doctoral student at the Brain and Creativity Institute who worked on the study, said she was excited by the possibility of interventions that might target the gut and influence neural activity and behavior "while also hopefully alleviating some of the symptoms that are the most uncomfortable for them."

In addition to Aziz-Zadeh and Ringold, other authors of the study are Aditya Jayashankar, Emily Kilroy, Ravi Bhatt and Christiana Butera, of USC; and Jonathan Jacobs, Skylar Tanartkit, Swapna Joshi, Mirella Dapretto, Jennifer Labus and Emeran Mayer, all of UCLA.

The research was supported by a grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01HD079432) and a grant from the Department of Defense's Idea Development Award (AR170062).

Journal Reference:
Aziz-Zadeh, Lisa, Ringold, Sofronia M., Jayashankar, Aditya, et al. Relationships between brain activity, tryptophan-related gut metabolites, and autism symptomatology [open], Nature Communications (DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-58459-1)

Gut Bacteria Turn Bile Acids Into Allies Against Cancer

upstart writes:

Gut bacteria turn bile acids into allies against cancer:

Bacteria naturally present in the human intestine, known as the gut microbiota, can transform cholesterol-derived bile acids into powerful metabolites that strengthen anti-cancer immunity by blocking androgen signaling, according to a preclinical study led by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators. The study was published on April 15 in Cell.

"I was very surprised by our findings. As far as I know, no one has previously discovered molecules like these bile acids that can interact with the androgen receptor in this way," said co-senior author Dr. Chun-Jun Guo, an associate professor of immunology in medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and a scientist at the Jill Roberts Institute for Research in Inflammatory Bowel Disease at Weill Cornell Medicine. Dr. Wen-Bing Jin, formerly a postdoctoral associate, and Dr. Leyi Xiao, a current postdoctoral associate in Dr. Guo's lab, are the co-first authors of the study.

Dr. David Artis, director of the Jill Roberts Institute and the Friedman Center for Nutrition and Inflammation and the Michael Kors Professor in Immunology, and Dr. Nicholas Collins, assistant professor of immunology in medicine, both at Weill Cornell Medicine, are co-senior authors of the study.

Primary bile acids are produced by the liver and released into the gut, where diverse groups of bacteria work together to modify their chemical structures. Researchers suspected these gut microbial modifications could affect how bile acids function and interact with human signaling pathways. To test this idea, the investigators set out to explore the full extent of bacterial modifications to bile acids and understand how these changes affect their biological roles.

It turns out that gut bacteria have remarkable potential to transform bile acids. "We discovered more than fifty different bile acid molecules modified by the microbiota—many of which had never been identified before," said Dr. Guo, who is also the Halvorsen Family Research Scholar in Metabolic Health at Weill Cornell Medicine.

These newly uncovered structures could open the door to new biological insights-particularly in how they interact with human receptors that sense bile acids. Given that bile acids share the same steroid backbone as sex hormones like testosterone and estrogen, the structural resemblance raised an intriguing question for the researchers: could these microbially modified bile acids also interact with sex hormone receptors in the body? "It seemed like a wild idea at the time," Dr. Guo said.

Surprisingly, the answer appears to be yes. When the investigators tested the 56 altered bile acids that they discovered, they found one that antagonizes the androgen receptor — a molecule that interacts with sex hormones to regulate many aspects of human development. When they tested an additional 44 microbiota-modified bile acids that had previously been characterized, the team found three more that act similarly. This unexpected finding raised exciting new questions for the team: which specific cells were affected by the altered bile acids—and what biological functions these modified molecules might influence.

In addition to its role in development, the androgen receptor is also found in certain immune cells, including CD8 T cells. Previous studies have shown that blocking this receptor can enhance the ability of these immune cells to fight tumors. The investigators wondered whether the bile acids could replicate this effect by binding to and inactivating the androgen receptor. To test the idea, they treated mice with bladder cancer using these compounds—and observed a potent anti-tumor response. Further analysis revealed that the modified bile acids specifically boosted the activity of T cells—the immune cells best equipped to kill cancer.

Our results suggest that these altered bile acids help shrink tumors by enhancing T cells' ability to survive within the tumor and destroy cancer cells."

Journal Reference: DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.02.029

Gut Microbiome Pattern Predicts Future Heart Attack Risk in Coronary Heart Disease Patients

upstart writes:

Gut microbiome pattern predicts future heart attack risk in coronary heart disease patients:

Scientists have identified a gut microbiota profile that can help forecast future cardiovascular events in patients with heart disease, paving the way for more personalized treatment and early interventions.

Study: A microbiota pattern associated with cardiovascular events in secondary prevention: the CORDIOPREV study. Image Credit: Shutterstock AI Generator / Shutterstock.com

A recent study published in the European Heart Journal identifies a gut microbiota pattern that can predict the risk of new adverse cardiovascular events in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Despite recent therapeutic advancements, the secondary prevention of new events in cardiovascular disease patients remains challenging. In fact, current evidence indicates that one in every three patients with cardiovascular disease suffers a new major adverse cardiovascular event, which subsequently increases their risk of mortality.

Several studies have reported that the gut microbiota is intricately involved in the onset of atherosclerosis, a pathological condition associated with coronary heart disease (CHD), cerebrovascular disease, and peripheral artery disease. More specifically, intestinal barrier disruption can lead to the translocation of gut microbiota-derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and low-grade systemic inflammation, both of which contribute to the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis.

The potential involvement of the gut microbiota in cardiovascular disease makes it a promising therapeutic target, as well as a potential biomarker to predict the risk of new cardiovascular events. To this end, the researchers in the current study were interested in identifying specific gut microbiota patterns that could predict the risk of developing new adverse cardiovascular events in patients with established coronary heart disease (CHD).

The current study was part of the CORDIOPREV study, an ongoing randomized controlled trial involving 1,002 CHD patients who experienced their last coronary event over six months before enrollment. Data from 679 CHD patients in the CORDIOPREV study, with available gut microbiota data, were analyzed.

CHD patients with a recent history of adverse cardiovascular events were more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes, as well as have higher waist circumference, blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, and blood pressure measurements than CHD patients who did not recently experience an adverse cardiovascular event.

Ten bacterial taxa were associated with the risk of new major adverse cardiovascular events, with equal representation among taxa that were positively and inversely associated with the future incidence of major events. By combining the baseline abundance of these bacterial taxa with the associated risk, the researchers generated an intestinal microbiota-based risk score. Given this association, the researchers suggest that this specific gut microbiota profile can be used in clinical practice to identify patients with coronary heart disease who are at higher risk of developing new adverse cardiovascular events.

A total of 375 healthy individuals without cardiovascular disease were also included in the study as controls. As compared to healthy controls, CHD patients exhibited significant differences in alpha- and beta-diversity of their gut microbiota.

A higher abundance of the Lactobacillus genus was observed in patients who recently experienced major adverse cardiovascular events as compared to CHD patients without this history. This bacterial genus has previously been detected in the blood microbiome of patients with myocardial infarction who suffered major adverse events.

Increased levels of Escherichia coprostanoligenes was also reported in patients suffering with new major events. E. coprostanoligenes is involved in the production of trimethylamine, a precursor of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) that has been implicated in the development of atherosclerosis.

Increased LPS levels were associated with new major adverse cardiovascular events, thus suggesting that CHD patients with a leaky gut are more likely to suffer cardiovascular events in the future.

The intestinal microbiota-based risk score was less effective in distinguishing between non-major adverse cardiovascular events and non-cardiovascular disease in patients without cardiovascular disease. This low discriminative resolution was due to the fact that the score was initially designed to assess the association between the gut microbiome profile and the incidence of major adverse events in conditions where cardiovascular disease-related alterations in the gut microbiota are already present.

The study findings suggest that a specific gut microbiota profile may be useful in predicting the risk of new major cardiovascular events in CHD patients. The future clinical application of this strategy has the potential to enhance treatment efficacy for these patients through targeted therapies, such as intensifying lipid-lowering treatment, promoting physical exercise, or modifying the intestinal microbiota.

Journal Reference:
DOI: https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf181/8108156
DOI: https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf181/8108156?redirectedFrom=fulltext&login=false
DOI: https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf181/8108156
DOI: https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf181/8108156

People Eating a Mixed Diet With Animal Foods Share Gut Bacteria With Vegans and Vegetarians, a New S

upstart writes:

People eating a mixed diet with animal foods share gut bacteria with vegans and vegetarians, a new study found:

A new study sheds light on the most beneficial diet for your gut – and it may have to do with the food quality and diversity you consume

Journal Reference:
DOI: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19490976.2023.2258565

See also:

• Gut microbiome signatures of vegan, vegetarian and omnivore diets and associated health outcomes across 21,561 individuals

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Original Submission #1  Original Submission #2  Original Submission #3  Original Submission #4  Original Submission #5  Original Submission #6  Original Submission #7 

In addition, the researchers used computer models to get more precise measurements of the pressure and temperature at Mercury's core-mantle boundary, besides simulating the physical conditions under which graphite or diamond would be stable. Such computer models, according to Lin, tell us about the fundamental structures of a planet's interior.

The experiments showed that minerals such as olivine likely formed in the mantle — a finding that was consistent with previous studies. However, the team also discovered that adding sulfur to the chemical brew caused it to solidify only at much higher temperatures. Such conditions are more favorable for forming diamonds. Indeed, the team's computer simulations showed that, under these revised conditions, diamonds may have crystallized when Mercury's inner core solidified. Because it was less dense than the core, it then floated up to the core-mantle boundary. The calculations also showed that the diamonds, if present, form a layer with an average thickness of about 9 miles (15 km).

Mining these gems isn't exactly feasible, however. Apart from the planet's extreme temperatures, the diamonds are way too deep — about 300 miles (485 km) below the surface — to be extracted.

But the gemstones are important for a different reason: They may be responsible for Mercury's magnetic field. The diamonds may help transfer heat between the core and the mantle, which would create temperature differences and cause liquid iron to swirl, thereby creating a magnetic field, Lin explained.

The results could also help to explain how carbon-rich exoplanets evolve. "The processes that led to the formation of a diamond layer on Mercury might also have occurred on other planets, potentially leaving similar signatures," Lin said.

More clues may come from BepiColombo, a joint mission of the European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Launched in 2018, the spacecraft is scheduled to begin orbiting Mercury in 2025.

Editor's note: This article was updated on Aug. 1, 2024 to include new quotes from the authors. The original article was published July 18.

Journal Reference: DOI: 10.1029%2F2018GL081135

Original Submission