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Science

We Finally Know How Sperm ‘Remember’ And Pass on Non-DNA-Coded Traits to Embryos

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Studies in mammals have shown that the ‘memories’ of various environmental effects – such as diet, weight, and stress – are being passed on from dads to offspring, despite these states not being coded for in the DNA sequences carried by sperm. Now, we have a new explanation for how it’s possible.

 

The story has much to do with epigenetics. Molecules that attach themselves to DNA can act like on-off switches that control which sections of DNA get used – but until now we haven’t known which of these molecules can carry the settings marked by a father’s life experiences, to be incorporated into an embryo via sperm.

“The big breakthrough with this study is that it has identified a non-DNA-based means by which sperm remember a father’s environment (diet) and transmit that information to the embryo,” said McGill University epigeneticist Sarah Kimmins.

Using mice, epigeneticist Ariane Lismer and colleagues were able to demonstrate that the effects of a folate-deficient diet could be passed on by altering histone molecules in sperm. Simply put, histones are really basic proteins that DNA winds around for tangle-free storage.

In mammals, when male bodies build sperm, they throw out most of the histone spools, to allow for tighter packing.

But a small percentage still remains (1 percent in mice and 15 percent in humans), providing scaffolding for DNA in regions specific to sperm creation and function, metabolism, and embryo development – to allow the cellular mechanisms to make use of these DNA instructions.

 

Chemical modification of these histones – the most common form being methylation – is what allows or prevents the DNA to be ‘read’ so that it can be transcribed into protein products. Poor diet can cause these histones to change their methylation status. 

This is why we hear about the importance of folate for women during pregnancy: A mother’s folate helps stabilize DNA methylation in their young.

By feeding male mice a folate-deficient diet from the time they were weaned, the researchers were able to track the changes to histones from the male’s sperm and in the resulting embryos. And indeed, sperm histone changes were also present in the developing embryo.

“No one has been able to track how those heritable environmental signatures are transmitted from the sperm to the embryo before,” said Lismer.

The team also discovered these effects could be cumulative and lead to an increase in the severity of birth defects.

Interestingly, the birth defects seen in the mice, including underdevelopment at birth and spinal abnormalities, are well documented in folate-deficient human populations.

The researchers hope that expanding our knowledge of inheritance mechanisms will reveal new ways to treat and prevent such conditions. But there is a lot more to work out before then.

“Our next steps will be to determine if these harmful changes induced in the sperm proteins (histones) can be repaired. We have exciting new work that suggests that this is indeed the case,” said Kimmins. 

This research was published in Developmental Cell.

 

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Entertainment

Trade Group Asks California Theme Parks To Mitigate The Effects Of Screaming On Rides – CBS Los Angeles

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Note: A previous version of this story indicated that theme parks may be required to ask visitors not to scream on rides. The state of California has not released any such protocols. 

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – When Southern California theme parks such as Disneyland, Universal Studios and Magic Mountain reopen as early as April, they will likely have to take steps to ensure that screaming on rides doesn’t lead to the spread of COVID-19.

The California Attractions and Parks Association (CAPA), a trade group which represents theme parks statewide, is backing a plan that would tamp down on the effects that shouting and yelling on rides, such as rollercoasters, could have in spreading the virus.

FILE — Visitors at Knott’s Berry Farm ride the HangTime rollercoaster in Buena Park on May 11, 2018. (Jeff Gritchen/Orange County Register/Getty Images)

California’s reopening guidelines call for businesses to limit activities that can spread the virus, such as singing and shouting.

RELATED: Disneyland To Reopen April 30

“Face covering usage and/or modifications to seat loading patterns will be required on amusement park rides to mitigate the effects of shouting,” CAPA wrote in its responsible reopening plan. “Additionally, on rides, guests generally face in one direction.”

Both Los Angeles and Orange counties moved into the red tier of the state’s reopening blueprint this week, which allows for theme parks to reopen beginning April 1. They have been closed since March of 2020. Under the guidelines, they will be allowed to reopen at 15% capacity, but with in-state visitors only.

Visitors are limited to groups of no more than 10 and from no more than three households. No indoor dining is allowed and tickets must be purchased online in advance.

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Health

Smartphone addiction: Effects on sleep and what you can do

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The study, published Tuesday in Frontiers in Psychiatry, looked at smartphone use among 1,043 students between the ages of 18 and 30 at King’s College London. Researchers asked the students to complete two questionnaires on their sleep quality and smartphone usage, in person and online.

Using a 10-question validated scale that was developed to assess smartphone addiction in children, nearly 40% of the university students qualified as “addicted” to smartphones, the study found.

“Our estimated prevalence is consistent with other reported studies in young adult populations globally, which are in the range of 30–45%,” lead author and King’s College medical student Sei Yon Sohn and her coauthors wrote in the study.

“Later time of use was also significantly associated with smartphone addiction, with use after 1 a.m. conferring a 3-fold increased risk,” the authors wrote.

Students who reported high use of cellphones also reported poor sleep quality, the study found. That falls in line with prior studies that have found overuse of smartphones at night to be associated with trouble falling asleep, reduced sleep duration and daytime tiredness. That’s likely because use of smartphones close to bedtime has been shown to delay circadian rhythm, the body’s normal sleep-and-wake clock.
In fact, the No. 1 rule is “no computers, cell phones, and PDAs in bed and at least one hour prior to bed time,” Dr. Vsevolod Polotsky, who directs sleep basic research in the division of pulmonary and critical care medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, told CNN in a recent interview.

That’s because “any LED spectrum light source may further suppress melatonin levels,” Polotsky said. Melatonin, secreted in a daily 24-hour circadian rhythm, is often referred to as a “sleep hormone,” because we sleep better during the night when levels peak.

Reaction to study

“This is a cross-sectional study, and as such cannot lead to any firm conclusions about phone usage as the cause of reduced sleep quality,” said Bob Patton, a lecturer in clinical psychology at the University of Surrey, via email.

“It does, however, provide some compelling evidence that the nature of smart phone usage and its related consequences are important considerations in addressing the emerging phenomenon of ‘smartphone addiction,'” said Patton, who is lead for the Drugs, Alcohol & Addictive Behaviours Research Group at the university.

Andrew Przybylski, a senior research fellow and associate professor at the University of Oxford, disagreed that science has validated any “so called ‘smartphone addiction,'” as it is “not recognised by any global health body and is not a psychiatric disorder.”

“Readers should be cautious of making any firm conclusions about the impact of smart phone use in the general population, or the idea that they’re addictive in any objective sense, on the basis of this work,” said Przybylski, who is also director of research at the Oxford Internet Institute, via email.

The authors acknowledged the limitations of their study, but stated: “Should smartphone addiction become firmly established as a focus of clinical concern, those using their phones after midnight or using their phones for 4 or more hours per day are likely to be at high risk.”

Fighting back to gain zzz’s

Cellphone addiction is also known as nomophobia, which stands for NO MObile PHOne phoBIA — a 21st century term for the fear of not being able to use your cellphone or other smart device. Are you one of the addicted? There is a quiz you can take to find out.

If you, or a loved one, seem to have the symptoms of smart device or internet addiction, experts have some suggestions.

Schedule timeouts. First, turn off your phone at certain times of the day, such as when you’re attending meetings, having dinner, playing with your kids and of course, driving.

Ban apps from mobile devices. Remove social media apps, like Facebook and Twitter, from your phone, and only check in from your laptop. Try to wean yourself to 15-minute intervals at set times of the day when it won’t affect work or family life.

Go gray scale. Experts suggest going black and white. Pretty colors are engaging, while gray is boring.

Substitute. Try to replace your smart device time with healthier activities such as meditating or interacting with real people.

Improve sleep. Don’t bring your cellphone and its harmful blue light to bed. Use an old-fashioned alarm to wake you.

You can also sign up for CNN’s newsletter series Sleep, but Better. We’ll teach you top tips on improving your zzz’s.

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Health

Vaccine side effects could depend on whether you previously had COVID-19

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THE VACCINE. BUT ALL NEW TONGIHT AT 6 PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS 4 REPORTER MARCIE CIPRIANI IS FINDING OUT WHY SOME PEOPLE ARE GETTING SYMPTOMS A LOT SOONER THAN OTHERS. >> WE SPOKE TO A DOCTOR ABOUT WHY THE VACCINE IS AFFECTING CERTAIN PEOPLE AT CERTAIN TIMES. WHY SOME PEOPLE EXPERIENCE SIDE EFFECTS AFTER THE FIRST DOSE, SOME AFTER THE SECOND DOSE. >> NO PROBLEMS AFTER THE SHOCK. NEXT DAY, IT WAS SORT. >> GARY AND SUE MEYERS HAD THEIR FIRST MODERNA VACCINE LAST WEEK. >> IT WAS TENDER FOR TWO OR THREE DAYS LUCKY WOOD WITH THE FLU SHOT. >> DOCTORS SAY THAT IS TYPICAL FOR PEOPLE LIKE THE MEYERS WHO NEVER HAD COVID-19- BUT IF YOU DID. EXPERTS SAY YOUR RESPONSE TO THE FIRST DOSE COULD BE MORE INTENSE >> IF YOU HAVE HAD COVID BEFORE, YOUR GENERALIZED IMMUNE SYSTEM WHICH IS THE INNATE IMMUNE SYSTEM IS READY TO GO. THEN YOU’RE FOCUSED IMMUNE SYSTEM IS ALSO PRIMED. WHEN YOU GET THE COVID SPIKE PROTEIN IN THE VACCINE, NOT COVID, JUST THE PROTEIN ALONE, YOUR BODY IS READY TO GO. >> ALLEGHENY HEALTH NETWORK DR SUNJAY MANNAN SAYS THAT FIRST VACCINATION SHOT CAN ACT IN THOSE WHO PREVIOUSLY HAD COVID LIKE THE SECOND ONE OFTEN DOES IN THOSE WHO HAVENT >> LET’S SAY YOU HAVE NEVER HAD COVID. SORE ARM, FATIGUE, LOW-GRADE TEMPERATURE FOR THE FIRST ONE. THEN, THE SECOND ONE IT COULD GO AS FAR AS HAVING A TRUE TEMPERATURE, SORE THROAT, MORE FOCUSED SYMPTOMS. >> BUT FOR THE MEYERS- WHATEVER THE SECOND DOSE BRINGS- THEY SAY IS WORTH THE PROTECTION TH FOLLOWS. >> IF WE JUST GET THE SIDE EFFECTS MOST PEOPLE GET FROM THE SECOND ONE- FLU LIKE FOR A DAY OR 2 OPPOSED TO GETTING THE CORONAVIRS ITS WELL WORTH IT >> WHILE DOCTORS SID EFFECT, THEY SHOULD NOT LAST

Vaccine side effects could depend on whether you previously had COVID-19

Dr. Mannan said most symptoms end within 72 hours.

Those who previously suffered from COVID-19 could suffer earlier side effects from the vaccine, according to doctors. Watch the full report in the video player above. “If you have had COVID before, your generalized immune system, which is the innate immune system is ready to go and then your focused immune system is also primed, so when you get that COVID spike protein in the vaccine, not COVID, just the protein alone, your body is ready to go,” said Allegheny Health Network Dr. Sanjay Mannan. Dr. Mannan said the first vaccination shot for those with previous COVID-19 infections can act like the second shot often does, for others. “Let’s say you’ve never had COVID,” said Dr. Mannan. “Sore arm, fatigue, low-grade temperature for the first one, then the second one could go as far as actually having a true temperature, sore throat so more focused symptoms.”Dr. Mannan said most symptoms end within 72 hours.

PITTSBURGH —

Those who previously suffered from COVID-19 could suffer earlier side effects from the vaccine, according to doctors.

Watch the full report in the video player above.

“If you have had COVID before, your generalized immune system, which is the innate immune system is ready to go and then your focused immune system is also primed, so when you get that COVID spike protein in the vaccine, not COVID, just the protein alone, your body is ready to go,” said Allegheny Health Network Dr. Sanjay Mannan.

Dr. Mannan said the first vaccination shot for those with previous COVID-19 infections can act like the second shot often does, for others.

“Let’s say you’ve never had COVID,” said Dr. Mannan. “Sore arm, fatigue, low-grade temperature for the first one, then the second one could go as far as actually having a true temperature, sore throat so more focused symptoms.”

Dr. Mannan said most symptoms end within 72 hours.

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Health

‘Game-Changer’ Drug Promotes Weight Loss Like No Medicine Ever Seen, Scientists Say

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In the simplest terms, obesity is the product of a body’s energy output being less than its energy input. But in reality, there’s nothing simple about this complex and mysterious disease.

 

Obesity, which has skyrocketed in recent decades – now defining the body mass of over 40 percent of adult Americans – isn’t just difficult for people to endure and scientists to understand. It’s also incredibly hard to treat.

Beyond commitment to sustained lifestyle changes – healthy eating and exercise, effectively – there are really only two potential options that may help: bariatric surgery and weight-loss medications.

The former is invasive and carries various risks and complications. As for the drugs, they don’t always work, and can have their own adverse effects too.

However, an experimental treatment recently trialled by scientists and detailed in a study published this week could open new doors for treating obesity patients with a weight-loss drug.

In the study, which involved almost 2,000 obese adults across 16 different countries, participants took a weekly dose of a drug called semaglutide, an existing medication already used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

A control group took only a placebo, in place of the medication. Both groups received a lifestyle intervention course designed to promote weight loss.

At the end of the trial, the participants who took the placebo lost a small but clinically insignificant amount of weight. But for those who took semaglutide, the effects were pronounced.

 

After 68 weeks of treatment with the drug – which suppresses appetite due to a variety of effects on the brain – participants taking semaglutide lost on average 14.9 percent of their body weight. And over 30 percent of the group lost more than 20 percent of their body weight.

Broadly speaking, this makes the drug up to twice as effective as existing medications for weight loss, the researchers say, approaching the kind of efficacy of surgical interventions.

“No other drug has come close to producing this level of weight loss – this really is a game-changer,” says obesity researcher Rachel Batterham from University College London.

“For the first time, people can achieve through drugs what was only possible through weight-loss surgery.”

In addition to losing weight, participants registered improvements in other areas, showing reductions in various cardiometabolic risk factors, and reporting quality of life improvements.

While the results are compelling, semaglutide dosage for anti-obesity effects does come with some drawbacks.

Mild-to-moderate effects were reported by many participants (in both the semaglutide and placebo groups), including nausea and diarrhoea. While the effects were temporary, they were enough for nearly 60 of participants to discontinue their treatment, compared with just five in the placebo group.

 

At present, the drug requires a weekly injection to work – whereas an oral form of the medicine would likely be preferred by patients.

More significantly, we don’t yet have data on what happened to the participants after the drug regimen ceased at the end of the trial.

For at least one individual, however, who spoke to The New York Times, her weight began to creep up after the trial was over.

“While drugs like this may prove useful in the short term for obtaining rapid weight loss in severe obesity, they are not a magic bullet for preventing or treating less severe degrees of obesity,” says nutritionist Tom Sanders, an emeritus professor at King’s College London, who wasn’t involved with the study.

“Public health measures that encourage behavioural changes such as regular physical activity and moderating dietary energy intake are still needed.”

Nobody would deny the wisdom of that, but if further analysis of semaglutide turns out to be positive, we could also be looking at an important new pharmaceutical option to help combat obesity.

 

And that option might arrive sooner than we think.

The study, funded by pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk – which sells semaglutide as an anti-diabetic medication – is now being tendered as evidence to international health regulatory authorities, in support of an application to market the drug as an obesity treatment.

The US FDA, along with its counterparts in the UK and Europe, is currently assessing the data.

The findings are reported in The New England Journal of Medicine.

 

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Health

Covid vaccine side effects: What to expect and how to plan

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We spoke with CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and visiting professor at George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, for guidance on how to plan for taking care of ourselves and our loved ones as more people get vaccinated.

Dr. Leana Wen: With vaccines in short supply, the biggest challenge that people are facing is getting an appointment for vaccination. Depending on where you are, you may be able to sign up with your local city or county health department, a local pharmacy, your doctor’s office or a local hospital.

Once you have the appointment, make sure to follow all instructions. Complete paperwork if there is any that you need to do in advance. Bring all required documentation; some places ask for identification or proof of residency, so know what you need and make sure you have it.

If you know of others who received a vaccination at that same location, you can ask what their experiences are like — for example, how long the wait was. Keep in mind that there is a lot that’s evolving as sites figure out how best to do mass vaccinations, so someone’s experience from a couple of weeks ago might look different now.

I would also urge that you get any questions you have about the vaccines answered in advance. You want to minimize your time at the vaccination site, and the people there are likely to be very busy and may not have the time to answer your questions in-depth. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a great website of FAQs. You can also ask your doctor questions specific to your medical health. When you show up for your appointment, you should be certain that you want to be vaccinated and have had all your questions answered.

CNN: Should people wear masks when they go to get vaccinated?

Wen: Absolutely. The protection from the coronavirus vaccine isn’t immediate. Sites will require that you are masked, and you will want to minimize your exposure to coronavirus while waiting in line.

If this is a drive-thru test, the risk of coronavirus exposure is minimal. It’s a little higher if you have to wait indoors with others for a prolonged period of time. In that circumstance, I’d recommend a second mask, a well-fitting cloth mask, over the three-ply surgical mask, or you could wear an N95 or KN95 if you have access to one. Try to keep physical distance from others — ideally 10 feet, but at least 6 feet, if you are indoors.

CNN: Assuming I get one of the two-dose vaccines already being used, what’s it like? Will I feel anything after the first shot?

Wen: You feel the shot itself, of course, just as you would with any injection. You could have a bit of soreness in the location where you get injected.

Many people have no symptoms beyond that. Some develop side effects in one of two categories. First, they could have more soreness, redness and swelling at the site of the injection. Second, they could have what we call systemic symptoms, meaning that they feel something throughout their body. They may develop headache, fever, fatigue and muscle aches. These could last hours and usually go away after a day.

Most people with these symptoms find them to be a minor inconvenience. They can go to work and go about their day. Some people may feel the symptoms a bit more. Rest usually takes care of the symptoms, and people can also take ibuprofen or Tylenol to help with aches and fever.

CNN: Really? Side effects don’t sound so good.

Wen: If you develop these side effects, you should know that this is normal and expected. And that these symptoms are actually good! It means that the vaccines are working. This is your body’s reaction. The vaccine is stimulating your immune system to produce antibodies that will protect you against coronavirus infection in the future.

It’s important to note that people react differently to vaccines. There are some people who have minimal or no side effects. That doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with them, either. The vaccine is also working in them, but their bodies are just reacting in a different way.

CNN: I’ve heard some people feel more side effects after the second shot.

Wen: Anecdotally, this seems to be true. Many people feel very little after the first shot, but have more side effects after the second coronavirus vaccine shot. A hypothesis is that the first shot, the primer, gets your immune system ready. The second shot, the booster, is when your body is already primed and that’s why you have stronger response. Remember that the response is a good thing and evidence that the vaccine is working!

Because some people have this stronger reaction the second time around, it’s a good idea to try to schedule the shot when you have the ability to rest if needed. Some people schedule the second shot when they are off or at least are able to work from home. If you can’t do that, you may want to let your employer know that you’re getting the vaccine in case you need to take time off that day or the next.

CNN: Why do people have to wait 15 to 30 minutes after they get the shot?

Wen: The waiting time is just in case someone develops an allergic reaction, which is very rare and on the order of two to six per million people. If a serious allergic reaction were to develop, it would happen very soon after the vaccination.

People should wait 15 minutes just in case. If this is a drive-thru vaccination, they can wait in their cars; otherwise, there is an area where people can sit or stand and be observed just in case they have a reaction. In the very rare circumstance they develop a reaction, this can easily be treated by the nurses and doctors at the site.

Those with a history of very severe allergic reactions to other medications or foods are asked to wait 30 minutes. Note that those individuals can still get the vaccine — the only reason not to get the vaccine is if they have a known allergy to a component of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine itself.

One more thing: After you get vaccinated, please register for the CDC’s V-Safe program. You can quickly enter any side effects you may have, and depending on your answers, someone from the CDC may call to check on you. Side effects are to be expected, and the government still tracks them as part of routine monitoring after a vaccine or medication is released.

CNN: I’ve heard that one shot gives you some protection. Can I skip the second shot?

Wen: No. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are studied as two-dose vaccines. You may get some degree of protection after the first shot, but you won’t receive the optimal protection unless you get two shots.

The second shot should be taken in the time period that’s approved: three weeks after the first dose for Pfizer and four weeks after the first dose for Moderna. The CDC has said that in exceptional circumstances, you could still get the second shot up to six weeks later, but this should not be the norm.

CNN: How long does it take for me to have full immune protection after getting the second shot? Can I hang out with family and friends after that?

Wen: It takes about two weeks to develop the optimal immune protection after the second shot. The vaccine is about 95% effective, meaning that you are very well protected from having coronavirus.

That’s great — but it’s not 100%. You must still use caution when around others, and keep up masking and avoiding crowded indoor settings. Remember, too, that we don’t know yet whether getting the vaccine means that you are protected against being a carrier for coronavirus. You may not get sick, but you could still infect others if you’re a carrier.

All this means that you are better protected against this deadly virus, but you need to still use caution. I know that grandparents have been so eager to see their grandkids. You can do this more safely now, but I’d still try to see people outdoors when possible, with everyone wearing masks, unless everyone has quarantined for seven days and gotten tested. But maybe you can go in for that hug that you’ve been waiting for. And if you have friends who are also fully vaccinated, it’s probably pretty safe to see them.

We will get to the point where most of the population is vaccinated and we can finally put an end to the pandemic. Until then, let’s please keep safe — and get vaccinated when it’s our turn!

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Technology

Mass Effect’s Pinnacle Station DLC is forever lost due to data corruption

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The Pinnacle Station, a training facility added to the first Mass Effect, won’t appear in Mass Effect: Legendary Edition alongside over 40 other pieces of downloadable content. Game Informer reports that the Pinnacle Station, created by Demiurge Studios for the first game, can’t be salvaged due to data corruption.

Legendary Edition repackages the original trilogy and all of its previously released content with new features and a major graphical overhaul. Speaking to Game Informer, game director Mac Walters said that trying to save the DLC was an “emotional roller coaster” that included reaching out to Demiurge and trying to obtain backups. Source code from the developer was corrupted. The original code source code has also been notoriously lost, which kept PlayStation 3 players from experiencing it when the game arrived on the platform.

Re-creating the DLC would have taken six months with “most” of Legendary Edition’s team, Walters said. “I wish we could do it. Honestly, just because this is meant to be everything that the team ever created, brought together again — all the single-player content. And so, leaving it all on the cutting-room floor, it was heartbreaking.”

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition will launch on May 14th on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

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Health

LSD Lets The Brain ‘Free Itself’ From Divisions Dictated by Anatomy, Scientists Find

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Where does the mind ‘meet’ the brain? While there’s no shortage of research into the effects of psychedelics, drugs like LSD still have much to teach us about the way the brain operates – and can shine a light on the mysterious interface between consciousness and neural physiology, research suggests.

 

In a new study investigating the effects of LSD on volunteers, scientists found that the psychedelic enables the brain to function in a way beyond what anatomy usually dictates, by altering states of dynamic integration and segregation in the human brain.

“The psychedelic compound LSD induces a profoundly altered state of consciousness,” explains first author and neuroscience researcher Andrea Luppi from the University of Cambridge.

“Combining pharmacological interventions with non-invasive brain imaging techniques such as functional MRI (fMRI) can provide insight into normal and abnormal brain function.”

The new research falls within the study of dynamic functional connectivity – the theory that brain phenomena demonstrate states of functional connectivity that change over time, much in the same way that our stream of consciousness is dynamic and always flowing.

As this happens, and the human brain processes information, it has to integrate that information into an amalgamated form of understanding – but at the same time segregate information as well, keeping distinct sensory streams separate from one another, so that they can be handled by particular neural systems.

 

This distinction – the dynamics of brain integration and segregation – is something that gets affected by psychedelic drugs, and with the advent of brain imaging technology, we can observe what happens when our regular functional connectivity gets disrupted.

In the study, a group of 20 healthy volunteers underwent brain scans in two separate sessions, a fortnight apart. In one of the sessions, the participants took a placebo before entering the fMRI scanner, while in the other slot, they were given an active dose of LSD.

In comparing the results from the two sessions, the researchers found that LSD untethers functional connectivity from the constraints of structural connectivity, while simultaneously altering the way that the brain handles the balancing act between integration and segregation of information.

“Our main finding is that the effects of LSD on brain function and subjective experience are not uniform in time,” Luppi says.

“In particular, the well-known feeling of ‘ego dissolution’ induced by LSD correlates with reorganisation of brain networks during a state of high global integration.”

In effect, the drug’s state of altered consciousness could be seen as an abnormal increase in the functional complexity of the brain – with the data showing moments where the brain revealed predominantly segregated patterns of functional connectivity.

In other words, the ‘ego dissolution’ of a psychedelic trip might be the subjective experience of your brain cranking up its segregation dynamics, decoupling the brain’s structure from its functioning – meaning your capacity to integrate and amalgamate separate streams of information into a unified whole becomes diminished.

“Thus, LSD appears to induce especially complex patterns of functional connectivity (FC) by inducing additional decoupling of FC from the underlying structural connectome, precisely during those times when structural-functional coupling is already at its lowest,” the authors explain in their paper.

“Due to the effects of LSD, the brain is free to explore a variety of functional connectivity patterns that go beyond those dictated by anatomy – presumably resulting in the unusual beliefs and experiences reported during the psychedelic state.”

The findings are reported in NeuroImage.

 

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US

OK to take Tylenol, Advil for side effects after shot

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CLOSE

Experts are weighing in on when to take pain relievers for headaches or body aches and chills.

USA TODAY

Avoid pain relief medications just before getting the COVID-19 vaccine, but they are ‘perfectly fine’ to take after, experts say.

Headache, fever, body aches and chills.

While these are completely normal side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine – and a good sign your immune system is working – they can be unpleasant.

To minimize the discomfort, some Americans may turn to pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Others worry these medications could blunt the effectiveness of the vaccine. 

Studies on the subject are sparse and inconsistent, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization both recommend against the preventive use of pain relievers,though allow them if symptoms develop after.

In a study published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Virology, researchers found nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen can reduce the production of antibodies and impact other aspects of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Researchers said the study’s results raised the possibility that pain relievers such as ibuprofen could alter the immune response to the COVID-19 vaccine.

Dr. Colleen Kelley, an associate professor of medicine at Emory University School of Medicine who was not affiliated with the study, speculates this could be caused by reducing inflammation triggered by the immune system. 

“The immune system generates a response through controlled inflammation. (Pain relievers) can reduce the production of inflammatory mediators,” she said. “So, this is the potential mechanism for a reduced immune response to vaccination if you take these medications.”

But Dr. Marian Michaels, a member of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s COVID-19 vaccine advisory committee, says studies have shown the immune system responds differently to the COVID-19 vaccine than it does to natural infection. 

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Your COVID-19 vaccine questions, answered: What are the COVID vaccine side effects? If you get the vaccine, are you contagious? From “States of America.”

USA TODAY

“We believe that the (immune) response to the vaccine is actually a better response than the wild-type virus with COVID-19,” said Michaels, who is also a pediatric infectious disease physician at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. “For that very reason, even for someone who has had the infection in the past … we recommend that people still receive the vaccine.”

‘This is fantastic’: Mass vaccination clinics to play key role in ending COVID-19 pandemic

One 2016 study from Duke University looked at the effectiveness of various vaccines among children and found those who took pain relievers before getting their regularly scheduled shots had fewer antibodies than those who didn’t.

However, the few studies that exist on pain relievers and vaccines are not robust enough to draw conclusions, experts say, as the children in the 2016 study who took pain relievers and showed fewer antibodies still had a sufficient immune response to provide protection. 

There’s no data that shows a reduced immune response if the medications are taken after getting the vaccine to treat side effects, Kelley added.

‘Actively looking at it’: Will travelers need a negative COVID-19 test to board flights within the US? The CDC says it’s under consideration

“It’s perfectly fine to take NSAIDs or Tylenol if you are feeling unwell after vaccination,” Kelley said. “The symptoms you are experiencing indicate that your immune system is functioning normally and that the immune response is ongoing.”

Michaels notes that study participants were not prohibited to take pain relievers in either the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 trials and efficacy rates were still over 95%. 

“While I don’t have the exact numbers of people in the research study … I’m sure a number of them took acetaminophen or ibuprofen because 70% had mild (side effects to the vaccine),” she said. “And yet, there was still an immunologic response.”

Follow Adrianna Rodriguez on Twitter: @AdriannaUSAT. 

Health and patient safety coverage at USA TODAY is made possible in part by a grant from the Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation and Competition in Healthcare. The Masimo Foundation does not provide editorial input.

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Technology

This a cappella group is scarily good at imitating Windows sound effects

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If you’ve ever used Windows 10 before, I need you to stop what you’re doing and go listen to this a cappella group’s terrifyingly accurate covers of Windows sound effects.

No Windows noises were spared here. The compilation includes the Windows Vista startup theme (remember that?), the recycle bin crunch, the Windows XP shutdown tones, and more. But the two segments that are unbelievably spot-on are the “USB In” and “USB Out” noises, which come about 10 seconds in. If I closed my eyes, you could convince me they were the real deal. Also, the error message straight-up stresses me out. It’s haunting.

But don’t take my word for it — give the video a watch yourself.

The group behind this video is a Korean band called Maytree. They’ve got a number of other cover videos up on Instagram, including an excellent rendition of Ariana Grande’s “Positions.”

I use Windows 10 every day and experience some of these sound effects constantly — they’ve grown so commonplace that they don’t register when I hear them. When I saw the title of this video, the cynic in me thought “Windows 10 sound effects? Really? Of all the things to cover?” But videos like this are a funny reminder that these operating systems are auditory experiences, too. And there’s a level of intricacy to even the most basic sound effects that’s hugely impressive for a group of human voices to replicate.



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