Progressive Radio Network

Media Roots Radio - 04.10.22

Abby and Robbie Martin talk about the Oscars 2022, Hollywood's hawks, the scorched earth nature of the information war over Ukraine, mass censorship of Russian media and the latest assessment of the horrors on the ground.

Keeping Democracy Alive - 04.10.22

Shock Therapy. That was the US policy toward Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union. That brought economic anarchy, a real depression, and the clamoring for a strongman government. And today we see the results. According to our guest Professor Robert Toplin, in the 1990s, Russians were actually hopeful. A gradual shift with help toward democracy from the west might have avoided the predatory oligarchs. And the fearsome dictatorship of Putin.

Meria Heller Show - 04.10.22

"The Big Picture" 

Resistance Radio: Interview of Julia Barnes

Julia Barnes is an award winning documentary filmmaker. She is the director of Sea of Life and Bright Green Lies. Her current work focuses on opposing deep sea mining. 

AJC Radio - Breaking News in the Colorado Case Part 5

Join the Hosts as they continue to discuss new developments in the previously reported fasley accused case, speaking with family members and how members of the United States justice system has targeted and uprooted the lives of individuals who were fasley accused of comitting a crime. What does "justice" in the justice system really mean? 
 
Although the American system of justice is the most-respected worldwide, it is still a system designed, and operated, by humans, which means it's not perfect. The hosts will highlight ongoing struggles against "the system" and what happens when justice miscarries against our American citizens.
 
 
A Just Cause is continues campaign for "FreeTheIRP5," who were wrongly convicted for a crime they didn't commit. Read full story: www.freetheirp6.org. 

The Gary Null Show - 03.28.22

Study Finds Green Tea may Heal Neurodegenerative Conditions like Alzheimer’s
 
University of Southern California, March 27, 2022 
 
According to the research recently published in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, green tea catechins may be able to assist the brain in healing, potentially even assisting in the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and Parkinson’s diseases. Specifically, the study sought to investigate how catechins from green tea may work to increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), or the activity of a nerve growth factor that is essential for the “growth, maintenance, and survival of neurons. It’s believed catechins are able to increase BDNF and as such are a method worth researching further for the treatment and prevention of neurodegeneration. But the researchers acknowledge that only a small amount of EGCG (the active component of green tea polyphenols) is able to reach the brain, indicating the need for greater research into just how much EGCG is needed to make a notable difference.
 
(NEXT)
 
Green Mediterranean diet could be a ‘win-win’ for health and the planet
 
People who eat a traditional Mediterranean diet have lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. But new research suggests that a “green” Mediterranean diet — which avoids all meat and provides extra greens — may be even better for human health. If the diet catches on, the benefits for planetary health could be equally impressive. 
 
Ben Gurion University (Israel) and Harvard University, March 26, 2022
 
ResearchTrusted Source notes that global production of animal-based foods — including livestock feed — accounts for 57% of total greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, whereas production of plant-based foods accounts for only 29%. Another study estimates that if everyone became vegan, this would reduce the amount of land worldwide that farmers need to grow food by 3.1 billion hectares or 76%. A series of clinical trials now suggests that eating a “green” Mediterranean diet, or green Med diet, may provide additional benefits on top of those provided by the regular Mediterranean diet.  The diet, which adds extra plant foods rich in polyphenols and aims to avoid meat completely, is also better for the planet.
 
(NEXT)
 
Use of antibiotics by women in midlife linked to later cognitive decline
 
Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, March 24, 2022
 
A team of researchers has found a link between the use of antibiotics by middle-aged women and cognitive decline later in life. Prior research has suggested that there is a connection between gut microbiome health and mental health—communication between the gut and the central nervous system has been labeled the gut-brain axis. And some studies have shown an apparent link between problems in the gut and mental diseases, such as depression and schizophrenia. Prior research has also shown that antibiotics use can lead to serious disruptions in the microbiome. This is not surprising, since the microbiome is made up partly of bacteria. In this new effort, the researchers found a link between antibiotics use by women during middle age and a larger than normal degree of cognitive decline. They analyzed data from 15,129 female nurses describing antibiotics use and the results of cognitive scores collected several years later, comparing those who took antibiotics over different duration periods with those who did not.
 
(NEXT)
 
More than a gut feeling: Bilberries are good for gastrointestinal and overall health 
 
University Hospital of Zurich, Switzerland, March 27, 2022
 
According to experiments based out of University Hospital of Zurich, Switzerland, eating bilberries can lessen the effects of these diseases by reducing inflammation and providing overall gastrointestinal relief. In the experiment, mice were given dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) to induce colon inflammation which led to colitis. They were then broken into groups where each one was given meals with varying percentages of dried bilberries or anthocyanins (a water-soluble flavonoid) from bilberries. The results? "Highly positive effects" in both chronic and acute forms of the disease were noted in each case. There were even instances where full recoveries were observed. According to the scientists, "Oral administration of bilberries during acute DSS-induced colitis ameliorated disease severity.... Dried bilberries also improved chronic DSS-colitis." While these results were promising, it was noted that additional research should be taken to further study the effects of bilberry in helping people suffering from IBD.

The Gary Null Show - 03.25.22

Higher CoQ10 levels linked with improved physical capacity, reduced cardiovascular risk among older individuals
Universidad Pablo de Olavide (Spain) March 23 2022. 
A study published on January 29, 2022 in Antioxidantsfound lower levels of blood factors related to cardiovascular disease and greater physical capacity and among participants with higher plasma levels of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), a factor in the production of energy within the mitochondria of the cells.
Higher CoQ10 levels were significantly associated with lower total and non-HDL cholesterol among women (who comprised the majority of participants), indicating lower cardiovascular disease risk. Higher CoQ10 levels were correlated with less sitting time and, among women, were moderately or strongly correlated with better physical activity test scores. “In general, it is clear that higher activity and performance is associated with higher levels of CoQ10 in plasma,” authors Rocío de la Bella-Garzó and colleagues wrote. 
CoQ10 levels were higher among participants whose physical assessments indicated low or no frailty risk. When participants were evaluated according to whether their plasma CoQ10 concentrations were below or above average, higher levels were associated with better physical test scores in general, which reached significance in a measurement of balance while moving. “Combination of CoQ10 with physical activity could be an important therapy for avoiding sarcopenia and maintaining higher capacity during aging,” de la Bella-Garzó and associates concluded. 
 
 
Study: Zinc deficiency linked to immune system response, particularly in older adults
Oregon State University, March 23, 2022
 
Zinc, an important mineral in human health, appears to affect how the immune system responds to stimulation, especially inflammation, new research from Oregon State University shows.
Zinc deficiency could play a role in chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes that involve inflammation. Such diseases often show up in older adults, who are more at risk for zinc deficiency. When you take away zinc, the cells that control inflammation appear to activate and respond differently; this causes the cells to promote more inflammation.
In the study, researchers set out to better understand the relationship between zinc deficiency and inflammation. They conducted experiments that indicated zinc deficiency induced an increase in inflammatory response in cells. The researchers were able to show, for the first time, that reducing zinc caused improper immune cell activation and dysregulation of a cytokine IL-6, a protein that affects inflammation in the cell, Ho said.
Researchers also compared zinc levels in living mice, young and old. The older mice had low zinc levels that corresponded with increased chronic inflammation and decreased IL-6 methylation, which is an epigenetic mechanism that cells use to control gene expression. Decreased IL-6 methylation also was found in human immune cells from elderly people, Ho said.
Together, the studies suggest a potential link between zinc deficiency and increased inflammation that can occur with age. Zinc deficiency is probably a bigger problem than most people realize," she said. "Preventing that deficiency is important."
 
 
 
Lipid and glucose levels at age 35 associated with Alzheimer's disease
Boston University School of Medicine, March 23, 2022
 
Living your best life at 35, ignoring cholesterol and glucose levels, may impact your chances of getting Alzheimer's disease (AD) later in life. According to researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), lower HDL (high-density cholesterol) and high triglyceride levels measured in blood as early as age 35 are associated with a higher incidence of AD several decades later in life. They also found that high blood glucose measured between ages 51-60 is associated with risk of AD in the future.
"While our findings confirm other studies that linked cholesterol and glucose levelsmeasured in blood with future risk of Alzheimer's disease, we have shown for the first time that these associations extend much earlier in life than previously thought," explains senior author Lindsay A. Farrer, Ph.D., chief of biomedical genetics at BUSM.
The researchers found that lower HDL (the good cholesterol) is predictive of AD in early (35-50 years) and middle (51-60 years) adulthood and that high glucose in the blood (a precursor of diabetes) during mid-adulthood is also predictive of AD "These findings show for the first time that cardiovascular risk factors, including HDL which has not been consistently reported as a strong risk factor for AD, contribute to future risk of AD starting as early as age 35," says first and corresponding author Xiaoling Zhang, MD, Ph.D., assistant professor of medicine at BUSM.
 
Exercise holds even more heart health benefits for people with stress-related conditions
Massachusetts General Hospital, March 24, 2022
Regular physical activity had nearly doubled the cardiovascular benefit in individuals with depression or anxiety, compared with individuals without these diagnoses, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology’s 71st Annual Scientific Session.
The research findings add to mounting evidence that exercise improves cardiovascular health by helping to activate parts of the brain that counteract stress. Overall, the study found that people who achieved the recommended amount of physical activity per week were 17% less likely to suffer a major adverse cardiovascular event than those who exercised less. These benefits were significantly greater in those with anxiety or depression, who had a 22% risk reduction vs. a 10% risk reduction in those without either condition.
For the study, researchers analyzed health records of more than 50,000 patients in the Massachusetts General Brigham Biobank database. Just over 4,000 of the patients had suffered a major adverse cardiovascular event, which included experiencing a heart attack, having chest pain caused by a blocked artery or undergoing a procedure to open a blocked artery in the heart.
 
 
Vitamin B3 to stay younger? A global increase in antioxidant defenses of the body may delay aging and its diseases
 
Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (Spain), March 15, 2022
 
The gradual accumulation of cell damage plays a very important role in the origin of ageing. There are many sources of cellular damage, however, which ones are really responsible for ageing and which ones are inconsequential for ageing is a question that still lacks an answer.
A group of scientists from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre have tried to increase the global antioxidant capacity of the cells, rather than just one or a few antioxidant enzymes. To achieve this global improvement in the total antioxidant capacity, researches have focused on increasing the levels of NADPH, a relatively simple molecule that is of key importance in antioxidant reactions and that, however, had not been studied to date in relation to ageing.
The results, published today in the journal Nature Communications, indicate that an increase in G6PD and, therefore, in NADPH, increases the natural antioxidant defences of the organism, protecting it from oxidative damage, reducing ageing-related processes, such as insulin resistance, and increasing longevity.
"As anticipated, the cells in these transgenic animals are more resistant to highly toxic artificial oxidative treatments, thus proving that an increase in G6PD really improves antioxidant defences," explains Sandrina Nóbrega-Pereira, first author of the study.
Furthermore, when researchers analysed long-lived transgenic animals, they noted that their levels of oxidative damage were lower than in non-transgenic animals of the same age.  The greatest surprise for the team was when they measured the ageing process in the transgenic mice: the animals with a high G6PD expression and, therefore, high levels of NADPH, delayed their ageing, metabolised sugar better and presented better movement coordination as they aged. In addition, transgenic females lived 14% longer than non-transgenic mice, while no significant effect on the longevity of males was observed.
 
 
 
Artificial sweeteners may not be safe sugar alternatives: study
French National Institute for Health and Medical Research (Inserm) and Sorbonne Paris University, March 24, 2022
 
Artificial sweeteners reduce added sugar content and corresponding calories while maintaining sweetness. A study publishing March 24th in PLOS Medicine suggests that some artificial sweeteners are associated with increased cancer risk.
Many food products and beverages containing artificial sweeteners are consumed by millions of people daily. However, the safety of these additives has been a subject of debate.
The researchers found that enrollees consuming larger quantities of artificial sweeteners, particularly aspartame and acesulfame-K, had higher risk of overall cancer compared to non-consumers (hazard ratio 1.13, 95% confidence interval 1.03 to 1.25). Higher risks were observed for breast cancer and obesity-related cancers.
Results from the NutriNet-Santé cohort (n=102,865) suggest that artificial sweeteners found in many food and beverage brands worldwide may be associated with increased cancer risk, in line with several experimental in vivo / in vitro studies. These findings provide novel information for the re-evaluation of these food additives by health agencies."

Alternative Visions - When the Fed Raises Interest Rates…Déjà vu Another 1981-82 Recession?

Dr. Rasmus discusses the widespread narrative in the business media that the Fed will start raising interest rates rapidly next month in March. The argument of mainstream economics is that rate hikes will cool down accelerating inflation (7.5% at latest official report—but really 10% or more).  Rasmus explains Fed rate hikes can only impact Demand but current inflation is a combination of Supply problems and monopoly like corporations price gouging. The latest CPI inflation report is discussed, as well as why Fed rate hikes (now predicted at 7 just in 2022) will likely precipitate a major slowdown of the real US economy in 2023 and possibly provoke a financial instability event thereafter as well. The effect of aggressive Fed rate action will also negatively impact global currency markets, Rasmus argues, as the US dollar rises sharply in value in wake of rate hikes. Emerging market economies therefore will experience the negative impacts as well. So why is there consensus that the Fed is the only solution to inflation at this point? And is there another solution? And why is it being ignored?

Leid Stories - 02.11.22

It's "Free Your Mind Friday" on Leid Stories, a free-wheeling forum to share information, opinions and ideas that matter.
 

The Gary Null Show - 02.11.22

Higher vitamin D levels linked to longer telomeres: Study
Harvard Medical School and University of Tromsoe (Norway), February 10, 2022
 
Increased levels of vitamin D are associated with longer telomeres, reported to be a marker of biological aging, says a new study.
 
Every 10-nmol increase in levels of 25- hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), the non-active 'storage' form of the vitamin) was associated with a 0.03-kbp longer telomere in leukocytes in middle-aged adults, according to data extracted from the National Healthand Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001–2002.
 
The findings, published in the Journal of Nutrition , show correlation and not causation, but could have implications for our understanding of healthy aging and potential cancer risk reduction.
 
The scientists analyzed data from 1,542 younger adults aged between 20 and 39, 1,336 middle-aged adults aged between 40 and 59, and 1,382 adults 60 and over.
 
After adjusting the numbers to account for potentially confounders such as gender, race/ethnicity, BMI, and other factors, the researchers found that 25(OH)D levels of at least 50 nmol/L were associated with 0.13-kbp longer LTL in middle-aged adults with, compared with the same aged adults with 25(OH)D levels less than 50 nmol/L.
 
The results also presented a potential mechanism of action for the reported anti-cancer effects of vitamin D, which were first proposed in 1941 when Frank Apperly demonstrated a link between latitude and deaths from cancer, and suggested that sunlight gave "a relative cancer immunity".
 
 
Vitamin C supplementation promotes mental vitality in healthy young adults: results from a cross-sectional analysis and a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Seoul National University (South Korea), February 3,2022
We aimed to investigate the link of vitamin C status with vitality and psychological functions in a cross-sectional study, and examine their causal relationship through a randomized controlled trial (RCT).
Methods
We first conducted a population-based cross-sectional investigation of healthy young adults (n = 214, 20–39 years), and analyzed the associations of serum vitamin C concentrations with vitality (fatigue and attention) and mood status (stress, depression, and positive and negative affect) using Pearson’s correlation and multiple linear regression analyses. Next, we performed a double-blind RCT in healthy subjects whose serum vitamin C concentrations were inadequate (