🌞 Dog Saves Life

Daily Upsider - Wednesday, October 16th, 2024

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James Linder & Julia Mejia
October 16, 2024

Wednesday, October 16th, 2024

Good morning! 🌞 

Make sure to read today’s article about a dog saving her owners life!! 🥲 

Today’s Upside

Health Sciences

Treating Hemophilia

AI Generated Picture from Freepik

A Phase III clinical trial by the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine found that adults with hemophilia B experienced a 71% reduction in bleeding episodes after a single infusion of gene therapy. Hemophilia B, caused by a deficiency in clotting factor IX, affects around 30,000 people in the U.S., mainly men. This gene therapy allows the liver to produce factor IX, improving blood clotting and significantly lowering bleed frequency.

Dr. Adam Cuker, the study's lead author, noted that patients began producing factor IX within days of treatment. While he urged caution in calling this a "cure," he acknowledged its transformative impact. After at least a year of follow-up, more than half of the 45 participants reported no bleeds post-treatment, a notable improvement over their prior year on standard infusions. The FDA approved this gene therapy, fidanacogene elaparvovec, in April 2024, making it the second approved treatment for hemophilia B, following etranacogene dezaparvovec-drlb in November 2022.

Unlike regular factor IX infusions, which patients often self-administer several times a week, this gene therapy requires only a single dose, significantly reducing treatment burden. However, gene therapies necessitate specific eligibility criteria and careful patient monitoring. The most common side effect observed was immune reactions against liver cells, which were managed with steroids. Participants will continue to be monitored for at least five years for potential long-term effects.

For more information about gene therapy for hemophilia, appointments can be scheduled online or by calling 800-789-7366 at Penn Medicine.

Good News

Dog Saves Owner’s Life

credit – Stevens County Sheriff’s Department

In Washington state, an 84-year-old man was saved by his dog, Gita, after he fell and couldn’t move due to a leg injury.

On September 25th, the unnamed man fell outside his home. Gita ran to a main road, where she stood in traffic to get help. Deputy Wright, who was patrolling the area in Stevens County, noticed the dog but didn’t see any houses or her owner. He tried to coax Gita into his patrol car, but she refused to move. After checking nearby residences with no luck, Deputy Wright returned to Gita, who had laid down in the center of the road.
When he attempted to move her again, she took off down a steep, unmarked side road. Wright followed her, which led him to a small cabin. There, he found the elderly man on the ground, calling for help. He had been lying there for hours and had other medical conditions requiring regular medication. If Gita hadn’t led Wright to him, the situation would have ended badly.

World News

The Mystery of the Nazca Culture

Sakai et al. Yamagata University Institute of Nasca, via PNAS, CC 4.0. BY SA

After nearly a century of searching, archaeologists used AI to survey the Nazca Desert in Peru, uncovering an additional 303 geoglyphs in a single study period.

Nazca’s geoglyphs remain one of anthropology’s great puzzles. Why did the Nazca culture, active around the first century BCE, carve these vast patterns of animals and human figures into the desert floor? The research team—scientists and archaeologists from Japan, France, Germany, and New York—trained their AI model with only 430 known geoglyphs, unlike medical AI that studies thousands of images. When tasked with scanning aerial photographs of the desert, the AI flagged 47,000 potential matches. The team narrowed this down to 1,309 high-potential candidates and then identified 303 new geoglyphs through field verification and drone support.

Of these 303, 178 were suggested by the AI, while 125 were discovered in the field. Notably, 66 were part of an AI-identified cluster, while 59 were found independently of AI. The purpose of the Nazca lines remains unclear. Theories suggest they could be a calendar, a ceremonial site, or have played a role in communication or ritual. The symbols, classified as either line-type or relief-type, vary significantly. Line-type geoglyphs are large, geometric, and visible only from the air, averaging about 90 meters (300 feet). Relief-types, depicting humans, heads, or animals, are much smaller, often visible from the ground.

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Mindful Eating: Enhancing Digestion and Meal Satisfaction

Mindful eating is the practice of being fully present during meals, paying attention to the sensory experiences of eating—savoring the flavors, textures, and aromas. By focusing on each bite, we can better recognize our body’s hunger and fullness signals, which often get lost amid distractions like screens and multitasking.

Benefits for Digestion

  1. Improved Digestion: Mindful eating encourages thorough chewing and slower eating, aiding the digestive process. Well-chewed food breaks down into smaller particles, making it easier for the stomach and intestines to digest.

  2. Reduced Overeating: By tuning into our hunger cues, we’re less likely to eat past fullness, preventing discomfort associated with overeating and reducing the risk of digestive issues like bloating and indigestion.

  3. Better Nutrient Absorption: Focusing on meals allows our bodies to better assimilate nutrients. A relaxed state during eating promotes optimal digestion, enhancing the absorption of vitamins and minerals.

Enhancing Meal Satisfaction

  1. Increased Enjoyment: Mindful eating allows for a fuller appreciation of food, enhancing flavors and textures, which leads to greater overall satisfaction with meals.

  2. Emotional Connection: This practice helps cultivate a healthier relationship with food. By recognizing emotional triggers and sensations of hunger and fullness, we can make more conscious food choices that align with our well-being.

  3. Mindfulness Beyond the Table: The skills developed through mindful eating can extend into daily life, leading to reduced stress and improved mental clarity.

How to Practice Mindful Eating

  • Create a Calm Environment: Reduce distractions by turning off devices and dimming the lights to focus on the dining experience.

  • Engage Your Senses: Observe your food before eating—notice the colors, smells, and textures. Focus on the flavors and sensations as you eat.

  • Chew Thoroughly: Aim to chew each bite 20-30 times before swallowing, which aids digestion and enhances appreciation of the food.

  • Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to hunger and fullness cues. Eat when hungry and stop when satisfied, not stuffed.

Incorporating mindful eating into your routine can transform your relationship with food, leading to better digestion and a more fulfilling dining experience. By being present at the table, we nourish both our bodies and minds.

Mind Stretchers

⁉️ 

Current, serious, steady, or fast, It can also be either painful or beautiful, And sometimes it can forever last. What is it?

Yesterday’s Answers to the Mind Stretchers:
What did the ocean say to the ship's captain?

  • Nothing, it just ‘waved’ 🌊 Chris Hostetler got this correct first! 🌞 

Be the first to send us the correct answer for today’s mind stretcher for a shout-out with the answer tomorrow. Just send us the answer and your name to [email protected] or reply to email.


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