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Tue, 04/09/2019 - 14:33

 

Friend or foe, how do we know?

That’s the question immune cells ask all the time, especially about gut bacteria. A study published March 7 seeks to explain how immune systems can distinguish between happy-go-lucky gut microbes and deadly pathogens. Turns out, the friendly microbes simply high five!

Cartoon illustration of germs
frithyboy/Getty Images

Well, not really. But they do have a hook-like arm, called a holdfast, which latches onto the gut lining. The holdfast is lined with vesicles that carry antigens into the gut. While antigens normally cause immune cells to attack, something about these antigens are telling T cells to hold their fire.

The authors of the study hypothesized that the packaging of the antigens – the vesicles – might be the reason for the friendliness between microbes and T cells. It’s like the immune system expects a cannonball, but is pleasantly surprised by an Amazon Prime package full of goodies showing up on their doorstep instead. Yay for presents!
 

Don’t skimp on the ’shrooms

While you’re piling onions onto your plate to reduce cancer and cheese for your heart, make sure you add mushrooms for extra brain power. Researchers conducting a 6-year study in Singapore observed cognitive decline in 600 Chinese people aged at least 60 years, and they found that those who eat more than two portions of cooked mushrooms per week have up to 50% reduced odds of mild cognitive impairment.

Mushrooms in a skillet
AnnaPustynnikova/Getty Images

Researchers here at the LOTME Lab have harnessed the power of these food studies to determine that a Philly cheesesteak with mushrooms and onions is the healthiest meal out there. Chow down!

As far as we know, all the mushrooms were standard edible fungi, and none were magic mushrooms (although, that might help, too; try that on your own time). Researchers believe that the compound ergothioneine, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that cannot be synthesized by humans, might be reason for the reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment Maybe it’s time to add a cup of cooked shiitake mushrooms to your morning routine.
 

Fuggedaboutit!

We all have unwanted memories that we’d rather forget about. An embarrassing incident, a painful experience – everyone has moments they’d rather not think about. So, the question is: How do you get rid of these bad memories?

A woman with a quizzical look holds her hand to her forehead
nicoletaionescu/Getty Images

The obvious solution is to stop thinking about it. But if you’re a regular reader of Livin’ on the MDedge, you can probably guess that the answer isn’t that simple.

And, in fact, it isn’t! A group of researchers at the University of Texas at Austin, has performed a study on intentional forgetting, and they found that the best way to forget something is ... to think about it. Study subjects were shown a series of images and told to either remember or forget those images while their ventral temporal cortex was monitored for activity. Not only were participants successfully able to forget images by thinking about it, but activity in the brain was higher when forgetting than while remembering.

Obviously, this research would be helpful for anyone dealing with trauma, and we hope doctors who have to treat such patients keep it in mind. Just don’t think about it too much, or you’ll forget about it.
 

 

 

The Golden Lobbyist

If you need health care in your neighborhood

Who you gonna call? Jack Nicklaus!

You need 20 mill to make it good

Who you gonna call? Jack Nicklaus!

Health care in general didn’t do very well in President Trump’s 2020 budget proposal; Medicare, Medicaid, and the National Cancer Institute were all targeted for cuts. But it did include one particular $20-million initiative for a mobile children’s hospital.

Stethoscope attached to a golf ball
small smiles/Getty Images


Politico reports that the nation’s golfer in chief “personally directed the Department of Health and Human Services to earmark the funds” after playing a couple of rounds with the Golden Bear himself, Jack Nicklaus. The mobile unit would be part of the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami. The golf legend turned lobbyist also had meetings off the course with HHS Secretary Alex Azar and then-OMB Director Mick Mulvaney.

Are health care ideas running through your head?

Who you gonna call? Jack Nicklaus!

He’ll golf with the prez, and get your bread

Who you gonna call? Jack Nicklaus!

He ain’t afraid of no tweets

 

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Friend or foe, how do we know?

That’s the question immune cells ask all the time, especially about gut bacteria. A study published March 7 seeks to explain how immune systems can distinguish between happy-go-lucky gut microbes and deadly pathogens. Turns out, the friendly microbes simply high five!

Cartoon illustration of germs
frithyboy/Getty Images

Well, not really. But they do have a hook-like arm, called a holdfast, which latches onto the gut lining. The holdfast is lined with vesicles that carry antigens into the gut. While antigens normally cause immune cells to attack, something about these antigens are telling T cells to hold their fire.

The authors of the study hypothesized that the packaging of the antigens – the vesicles – might be the reason for the friendliness between microbes and T cells. It’s like the immune system expects a cannonball, but is pleasantly surprised by an Amazon Prime package full of goodies showing up on their doorstep instead. Yay for presents!
 

Don’t skimp on the ’shrooms

While you’re piling onions onto your plate to reduce cancer and cheese for your heart, make sure you add mushrooms for extra brain power. Researchers conducting a 6-year study in Singapore observed cognitive decline in 600 Chinese people aged at least 60 years, and they found that those who eat more than two portions of cooked mushrooms per week have up to 50% reduced odds of mild cognitive impairment.

Mushrooms in a skillet
AnnaPustynnikova/Getty Images

Researchers here at the LOTME Lab have harnessed the power of these food studies to determine that a Philly cheesesteak with mushrooms and onions is the healthiest meal out there. Chow down!

As far as we know, all the mushrooms were standard edible fungi, and none were magic mushrooms (although, that might help, too; try that on your own time). Researchers believe that the compound ergothioneine, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that cannot be synthesized by humans, might be reason for the reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment Maybe it’s time to add a cup of cooked shiitake mushrooms to your morning routine.
 

Fuggedaboutit!

We all have unwanted memories that we’d rather forget about. An embarrassing incident, a painful experience – everyone has moments they’d rather not think about. So, the question is: How do you get rid of these bad memories?

A woman with a quizzical look holds her hand to her forehead
nicoletaionescu/Getty Images

The obvious solution is to stop thinking about it. But if you’re a regular reader of Livin’ on the MDedge, you can probably guess that the answer isn’t that simple.

And, in fact, it isn’t! A group of researchers at the University of Texas at Austin, has performed a study on intentional forgetting, and they found that the best way to forget something is ... to think about it. Study subjects were shown a series of images and told to either remember or forget those images while their ventral temporal cortex was monitored for activity. Not only were participants successfully able to forget images by thinking about it, but activity in the brain was higher when forgetting than while remembering.

Obviously, this research would be helpful for anyone dealing with trauma, and we hope doctors who have to treat such patients keep it in mind. Just don’t think about it too much, or you’ll forget about it.
 

 

 

The Golden Lobbyist

If you need health care in your neighborhood

Who you gonna call? Jack Nicklaus!

You need 20 mill to make it good

Who you gonna call? Jack Nicklaus!

Health care in general didn’t do very well in President Trump’s 2020 budget proposal; Medicare, Medicaid, and the National Cancer Institute were all targeted for cuts. But it did include one particular $20-million initiative for a mobile children’s hospital.

Stethoscope attached to a golf ball
small smiles/Getty Images


Politico reports that the nation’s golfer in chief “personally directed the Department of Health and Human Services to earmark the funds” after playing a couple of rounds with the Golden Bear himself, Jack Nicklaus. The mobile unit would be part of the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami. The golf legend turned lobbyist also had meetings off the course with HHS Secretary Alex Azar and then-OMB Director Mick Mulvaney.

Are health care ideas running through your head?

Who you gonna call? Jack Nicklaus!

He’ll golf with the prez, and get your bread

Who you gonna call? Jack Nicklaus!

He ain’t afraid of no tweets

 

 

Friend or foe, how do we know?

That’s the question immune cells ask all the time, especially about gut bacteria. A study published March 7 seeks to explain how immune systems can distinguish between happy-go-lucky gut microbes and deadly pathogens. Turns out, the friendly microbes simply high five!

Cartoon illustration of germs
frithyboy/Getty Images

Well, not really. But they do have a hook-like arm, called a holdfast, which latches onto the gut lining. The holdfast is lined with vesicles that carry antigens into the gut. While antigens normally cause immune cells to attack, something about these antigens are telling T cells to hold their fire.

The authors of the study hypothesized that the packaging of the antigens – the vesicles – might be the reason for the friendliness between microbes and T cells. It’s like the immune system expects a cannonball, but is pleasantly surprised by an Amazon Prime package full of goodies showing up on their doorstep instead. Yay for presents!
 

Don’t skimp on the ’shrooms

While you’re piling onions onto your plate to reduce cancer and cheese for your heart, make sure you add mushrooms for extra brain power. Researchers conducting a 6-year study in Singapore observed cognitive decline in 600 Chinese people aged at least 60 years, and they found that those who eat more than two portions of cooked mushrooms per week have up to 50% reduced odds of mild cognitive impairment.

Mushrooms in a skillet
AnnaPustynnikova/Getty Images

Researchers here at the LOTME Lab have harnessed the power of these food studies to determine that a Philly cheesesteak with mushrooms and onions is the healthiest meal out there. Chow down!

As far as we know, all the mushrooms were standard edible fungi, and none were magic mushrooms (although, that might help, too; try that on your own time). Researchers believe that the compound ergothioneine, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that cannot be synthesized by humans, might be reason for the reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment Maybe it’s time to add a cup of cooked shiitake mushrooms to your morning routine.
 

Fuggedaboutit!

We all have unwanted memories that we’d rather forget about. An embarrassing incident, a painful experience – everyone has moments they’d rather not think about. So, the question is: How do you get rid of these bad memories?

A woman with a quizzical look holds her hand to her forehead
nicoletaionescu/Getty Images

The obvious solution is to stop thinking about it. But if you’re a regular reader of Livin’ on the MDedge, you can probably guess that the answer isn’t that simple.

And, in fact, it isn’t! A group of researchers at the University of Texas at Austin, has performed a study on intentional forgetting, and they found that the best way to forget something is ... to think about it. Study subjects were shown a series of images and told to either remember or forget those images while their ventral temporal cortex was monitored for activity. Not only were participants successfully able to forget images by thinking about it, but activity in the brain was higher when forgetting than while remembering.

Obviously, this research would be helpful for anyone dealing with trauma, and we hope doctors who have to treat such patients keep it in mind. Just don’t think about it too much, or you’ll forget about it.
 

 

 

The Golden Lobbyist

If you need health care in your neighborhood

Who you gonna call? Jack Nicklaus!

You need 20 mill to make it good

Who you gonna call? Jack Nicklaus!

Health care in general didn’t do very well in President Trump’s 2020 budget proposal; Medicare, Medicaid, and the National Cancer Institute were all targeted for cuts. But it did include one particular $20-million initiative for a mobile children’s hospital.

Stethoscope attached to a golf ball
small smiles/Getty Images


Politico reports that the nation’s golfer in chief “personally directed the Department of Health and Human Services to earmark the funds” after playing a couple of rounds with the Golden Bear himself, Jack Nicklaus. The mobile unit would be part of the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami. The golf legend turned lobbyist also had meetings off the course with HHS Secretary Alex Azar and then-OMB Director Mick Mulvaney.

Are health care ideas running through your head?

Who you gonna call? Jack Nicklaus!

He’ll golf with the prez, and get your bread

Who you gonna call? Jack Nicklaus!

He ain’t afraid of no tweets

 

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