Monday, February 23

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Mosquito saliva may boost body’s immune system against chikungunya
Health

Mosquito saliva may boost body’s immune system against chikungunya

A team of Singaporean researchers has identified a mechanism where mosquito saliva can help boost the human body`s immune response during chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection.  The research, published in Nature Communications, showed that sialokinin -- a bioactive peptide in Aedes mosquito saliva -- binds to neurokinin receptors on immune cells and suppresses monocyte activation. This helps reduce inflammation and facilitates early viral dissemination. The findings offer new insight into how mosquito bites shape disease outcomes, said the team from the A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR IDL) in Singapore. "This study provides compelling evidence that mosquito salivary proteins are not just passive carriers of viruses but active modulators of host immunity," said Dr. Siew-Wai Fong, c...
Poilievre defends RCMP comments, denies saying Trudeau should be in jail – National
Politics

Poilievre defends RCMP comments, denies saying Trudeau should be in jail – National

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre defended his comments about the RCMP Wednesday and denied saying former prime minister Justin Trudeau should be in jail. “That’s not what I said,” he said on Parliament Hill when asked about a recent interview on a YouTube channel.In that interview, which ran on the Northern Perspective channel last week, Poilievre called the RCMP’s leadership “despicable” and accused it of covering up for Trudeau.“Many of the scandals of the Trudeau era should have involved jail time,” he said. “Trudeau broke the Criminal Code when he took a free vacation from someone with whom he had government business.”“If the RCMP had been doing its job and not covering up for him, then he would have been criminally charged,” Poilievre added in the interview. Story continue...
OpenAI’s New Web Browser Comes With Some Serious Security Risks
Life Style

OpenAI’s New Web Browser Comes With Some Serious Security Risks

OpenAI has officially entered the browser wars. On Tuesday, the company announced Atlas, a new web browser with ChatGPT integration. At the moment, it's Mac-only, but I wouldn't recommend even my Apple friends jumping on board immediately—at least not without understanding the underlying risks. Atlas' AI web browsing If you've already used other AI browsers, like Perplexity's Comet, Atlas is going to feel familiar. In fact, that's also likely true if you've used any web browser before: Atlas is built on Chromium, the engine that powers browsers like Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Opera. That means the core mechanics of Atlas are fairly standard; there's nothing particularly revolutionary happening here when it comes to sorting tabs or the browsing experience itself. The same is true ...
Karan Johar reveals at what age he lost his virginity: `I was late to the party`
Entertainment, Movies

Karan Johar reveals at what age he lost his virginity: `I was late to the party`

The man who has spent years making Bollywood spill its deepest secrets finds himself across a hosting duo just as smooth and unfiltered. Karan Johar joins Kajol and Twinkle on Prime Video’s Two Much with Kajol and Twinkle, and for once, the questions aren’t his to ask. Joining them is Janhvi Kapoor, Bollywood’s queen of candour-in-the-making, whose mix of wit and vulnerability perfectly complemented Karan’s honesty. What follows is rapid-fire banter, surprising reveals, and moments of genuine warmth, as conversations move from playful to deeply personal with absolute ease. Karan makes scandolous revelations While playing ‘truth or lie,’ Janhvi challenged Karan to spill, “Tell us one scandalous truth about yourself and make up one lie, and we’ll guess which one is true.” Karan replied wit...
Anti-allergy drugs could increase dementia risk among elderly: Study
Health

Anti-allergy drugs could increase dementia risk among elderly: Study

Some antihistamines -- anti-allergy drugs -- have the potential to raise dementia risk in elderly, claimed a new study on Wednesday.  Dementias are estimated to affect more than 57.4 million people worldwide -- a number that is expected to almost triple to 152.8 million cases by 2050. Early signs include memory loss, difficulty finding words, confusion, and changes in mood and behaviour. An analysis in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society revealed that older inpatients admitted by physicians who prescribe higher amounts of first-generation antihistamines face an elevated risk of delirium (a sudden, severe state of confusion) while in the hospital. “First-generation antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine, are among the leading causes of medication-related harms in older adult...
NDP leadership forum will see 5 candidates make their pitches – National
Politics

NDP leadership forum will see 5 candidates make their pitches – National

The five official candidates for the federal NDP leadership will get their first chance to sell themselves to party members at a forum in Ottawa on Wednesday evening. The forum is being hosted by the Canadian Labour Congress and will see CLC president Bea Bruske hold one-on-one discussions with each of the candidates.Documentary filmmaker Avi Lewis, Alberta MP Heather McPherson, union leader Rob Ashton, B.C. city councillor Tanille Johnston and organic farmer Tony McQuail have all been accepted as candidates in the race to replace Jagmeet Singh, who resigned after the last election.MP Don Davies is serving as the interim leader. 3:21 Indian agent alleged to be behind Jagmeet Singh surveillance ...
Will Carney’s budget trigger election? Liberals say that’s up to opposition – National
Politics

Will Carney’s budget trigger election? Liberals say that’s up to opposition – National

Opposition parties are being “cavalier” about the possibility of triggering another federal election, says Liberal House Leader Steven MacKinnon — something he believes Canadians do not want. MacKinnon made the comments Wednesday as opposition parties publicly laid out their demands for the upcoming federal budget, as well as their various red lines for supporting it.The minority Liberals need at least three additional votes to pass the budget, which is treated as a confidence vote. If it fails, the Parliament will be dissolved and a new election will be triggered — just over six months after the last one.“We have a minority Parliament, but we do believe we have a mandate,” MacKinnon told reporters ahead of the Liberal caucus meeting in Ottawa.“If there has to be an election, we will confi...
Carney to address Canadians on economy as budget questions grow – National
Politics

Carney to address Canadians on economy as budget questions grow – National

Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to deliver an economic speech to Canadians on Wednesday, just two weeks before the hotly anticipated federal budget. It will come as a new report from Desjardins estimates the federal budget deficit could be the highest in 30 years, outside of the Great Recession and Covid-19 pandemic years.The federal government is expected to deliver its budget on Nov. 4, which will include details on Canada’s defence spending commitments, as well as a clearer picture of how high the deficit could climb.It isn’t clear yet exactly what details for the economy Wednesday’s speech may include, but it comes amid growing warnings that Canada will see a significant deficit.Ottawa’s fiscal watchdog estimated last month that the annual deficit could climb to $68.5 billion this ye...
Indian researchers find plant compound that can help treat diabetic wound
Health

Indian researchers find plant compound that can help treat diabetic wound

Researchers at the Nagaland University have identified a naturally occurring plant compound called ‘Sinapic acid’ as a powerful therapeutic agent that can significantly enable wound healing in patients with diabetes.  A diabetic wound is a slow-healing sore, most often a foot ulcer. Also known as diabetic foot, it raises the risk of nerve damage (neuropathy) and poor blood circulation, foot ulcers, infections, and amputation in severe cases. The study, published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports, demonstrated that oral administration of Sinapic acid can accelerate diabetic wound healing in preclinical models. Sinapic acid is a naturally occurring antioxidant found in various edible plants. The research established that the compound works by activating the SIRT1 pathway, which pl...
What Counts As ‘Moderate’ Exercise?
Life Style

What Counts As ‘Moderate’ Exercise?

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Exercise is a healthy and, one might argue, necessary part of our lives. The guidelines from public health organizations tell you to aim for at least 150 minutes of “moderate” exercise each week, and that each minute of “vigorous” exercise counts double. That raises the question: What the hell is “moderate” exercise? How do you know when you’re doing it? Scientists measure METs, but you don't have to If you have any kind of smartwatch or fitness tracker, it may try to tell you that "moderate" exercise occurs at a certain heart rate. This isn't actually the case. The scientists who came up with the exercise guidelines didn't use heart rate as their guide. Instead, they used charts that measured how many "METs," or metab...