The discovery of a specific gene, SDR42E1, has revolutionized our understanding of vitamin D’s role in human health. This essential nutrient is not only crucial for bone growth and immune function but also serves as a precursor to the hormone calcitriol. Now, researchers have successfully used CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to uncover the secrets behind SDR42E1’s vital function.

Led by Dr. Georges Nemer, a professor at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar, and his team, this groundbreaking study published in Frontiers in Endocrinology reveals that SDR42E1 is instrumental in taking up vitamin D from the gut and further metabolizing it. This breakthrough has far-reaching implications for precision medicine, particularly in cancer therapy.

The researchers’ inspiration came from earlier research that linked a mutation in the SDR42E1 gene on chromosome 16 to vitamin D deficiency. By transforming the active form of SDR42E1 into its inactive form using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, the team observed a significant decrease in cancer cell viability, with a 53% plummet in the HCT116 line’s survival rate.

The study’s first author, Dr. Nagham Nafiz Hendi from Middle East University in Amman, Jordan, notes that these results open new avenues for precision oncology. However, further validation and long-term development are necessary before this technology can be translated into clinical practice.

Moreover, the researchers discovered that SDR42E1 plays a crucial role in cell signaling and cholesterol metabolism, suggesting its potential to selectively target cancer cells while sparing healthy ones. This finding has sparked excitement among scientists, who envision various applications of this technology, including targeting vitamin D-related diseases like cancer, kidney disease, autoimmune disorders, and metabolic conditions.

However, caution is warranted when exploring broader applications, as the long-term effects of SDR42E1 on vitamin D balance remain to be fully understood. As researchers continue to unravel the mysteries of this gene, one thing is clear: this breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of vitamin D’s role in human health and unlock new avenues for precision medicine.

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Tai chi, yoga, and jogging may be the best forms of exercise to improve sleep quality and ease insomnia, suggest the findings of a comparative pooled data analysis published in the online journal BMJ Evidence Based Medicine.

The study, which involved 1348 participants and 13 different treatment approaches to ease insomnia, found that these three exercise-based interventions showed promising results. Yoga likely resulted in a large increase in total sleep time of nearly 2 hours and may improve sleep efficiency by nearly 15%. Walking or jogging may result in a large reduction in insomnia severity of nearly 10 points, while Tai Chi may reduce poor sleep quality scores by more than 4 points, increase total sleep time by more than 50 minutes, and reduce time spent awake after falling asleep by over half an hour.

Further in-depth analyses revealed that Tai Chi performed significantly better on all subjectively and objectively assessed outcomes than existing treatments for up to 2 years. The researchers suggest that Tai Chi’s focus on body awareness, controlled breathing, and attentional training may alter brain activity, thereby alleviating anxiety and depressive symptoms which often interfere with a good night’s sleep.

The study also found that exercise-based interventions, including yoga, Tai Chi, and walking or jogging, have the potential to serve as viable primary treatment options for insomnia. The researchers conclude that these interventions are well-suited for integration into primary care and community health programs due to their low cost, minimal side effects, and high accessibility.

Overall, the findings of this study further underscore the therapeutic potential of exercise interventions in the treatment of insomnia, suggesting that their role may extend beyond adjunctive support to serve as viable primary treatment options.

The Dark Ages, once thought to be a time of superstition and limited understanding, have revealed a more nuanced truth. A recent research project has uncovered that people during this period were actively engaging with medicine on a broader scale than previously believed. In fact, some medieval remedies are trending today on social media platforms like TikTok.

The Corpus of Early Medieval Latin Medicine (CEMLM), a comprehensive catalog of medical manuscripts from the Dark Ages, has been compiled by an international team of researchers. This extensive collection includes hundreds of manuscripts containing medical material predating the 11th century. By incorporating previously overlooked texts, the CEMLM nearly doubles the number of known medical manuscripts from this period.

One of the most striking aspects of these medieval remedies is their similarity to modern wellness trends. For instance, a recipe for treating headaches involves crushing the stone of a peach and mixing it with rose oil, which has been shown in studies to alleviate migraine pain. Similarly, lizard shampoo was used to promote luscious hair growth or remove unwanted locks, a technique eerily similar to waxing.

Associate Professor Meg Leja, an expert in medieval history, notes that many of these writings were found within the margins of unrelated manuscripts, such as those on grammar, theology, and poetry. This speaks to a preoccupation with the body’s health and the desire to control it through natural substances and observations.

While the Dark Ages may have lacked sources compared to other periods, the research team emphasizes that this was not due to an anti-science attitude. People during this time were indeed concerned with science, observation, and understanding the utility of different natural substances.

The CEMLM is now available online, produced by a collaborative effort from various universities. The researchers will continue to update the catalog with new manuscripts and work on new editions and translations of medical texts that can be used in teaching.

This comprehensive catalog reveals the surprising sophistication of medieval medicine, showcasing remedies that are remarkably similar to modern wellness trends. As historian Meg Leja notes, “A lot of things that you see in these manuscripts are actually being promoted online currently as alternative medicine, but they have been around for thousands of years.”