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  • Spaceflight exposes astronauts to hidden threats in their gut

    Spaceflight exposes astronauts to hidden threats in their gut

    As humanity prepares for Mars, new research reveals that safeguarding astronaut mental health means targeting the gut, where the battle for resilience in space truly begins.

    Review: Navigating mental health in space: gut–brain axis and microbiome dynamics. Image Credit: Frame Stock Footage / Shutterstock

    In a recent review in the journal Experimental & Molecular Medicine, researchers collate and discuss more than 150 publications that draw parallels between human terrestrial gut-brain axis interactions and their equivalent in astronauts in space. The review emphasises that while changes in the astronaut gut microbiome are consistently observed, the magnitude, persistence, and individual-specific nature of these shifts remain areas of ongoing research. It elucidates the challenges and extreme environments to which astronauts are exposed, as well as the cascading impact on their gut–brain communication, cognition, mood, and immunity.

    This review synthesizes astronaut-derived data and terrestrial stress studies examining the effects of radiation and circadian disruptions on microbial composition, immune function, and blood-brain barrier integrity. In a society eagerly reaching for Mars, it cautions us of the medical demands of long-duration space missions while providing recommendations (e.g., microbiome monitoring, personalized probiotic and prebiotic supplements) to support astronaut mental health on these extended missions. However, it also highlights that these recommendations are promising but require further validation before routine adoption.

    Background

    Space may present the final frontier, but it’s taking an unprecedented toll on our astronauts’ well-being. Astronauts routinely report anxiety, depression, sleep disruption, and cognitive deficits during missions, from 84-day Skylab stays to long-duration International Space Station (ISS) flights. These medical difficulties have sometimes resulted in missions being terminated early (e.g., Soyuz T14 mission), resulting in substantial economic losses.

    Consequently, a growing body of research aims to unravel the underlying risk factors associated with the unique stressors of space travel (e.g., cosmic radiation, disruptions to the light-dark cycle) and their impact on astronaut mental health outcomes. Unfortunately, while the impacts of space stressors on astronauts’ physical well-being have been extensively researched, the consequences of these stressors on astronauts’ mental health remain poorly understood.

    Simultaneously, laboratory studies on Earth demonstrate a robust association between gut microbes and the brain, known as the “gut-brain axis.” Gut microbiota produce metabolites (e.g., short-chain fatty acids, neurotransmitters, and immune modulators) that significantly influence mood, immunity, stress resilience, and even cognition. A similar understanding tailored to life in space would help inform future neurological care for this rare breed of humans. Importantly, the review notes that while these associations are well established terrestrially, causality and precise mechanisms in space remain to be determined.

    About the review

    The present review aims to leverage this terrestrial-derived data to inform astronaut care, simultaneously highlighting gaps in the literature, the unique challenges of space, and their extrapolated impacts on astronaut health, as well as how we can address potential gut microbial perturbations to ensure optimal neurological outcomes.

    The narrative review integrates diverse data streams from more than 150 publications (n = 152) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) datasets, comprising astronaut health records, terrestrial analog studies, animal models, and microbiome sequencing. It focuses on: 1. Crew microbiome data (gut and saliva samples), 2. Crew psychological and neurological assessments (objective measurements), 3. Controlled studies (impact assessments of certain stressors on specific health outcomes), and 4. Molecular assays (biochemical investigations).

    Patterns observed in terrestrial studies were juxtaposed onto similar space scenarios, allowing for correlation-based stress, microbial community changes, and depression estimations. For example, they used evidence from how actors like reduced microbial diversity, loss of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), increased gut permeability, and microglial activation correlate with mood and cognitive outcomes, and then evaluated the magnitude of those outcomes when faced with cosmic radiation, reduced gravity, and disrupted circadian rhythms. The review repeatedly notes that most links between microbiome shifts and neuropsychological outcomes, especially in astronauts, are correlational and not yet causally established.

    Key findings

    The review highlights several crucial points for space agencies and medical professionals:

    1. Limited evidence suggests that astronaut gut microbial diversity often reduces mid-flight, with Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium bacteria especially affected. This, in turn, results in reduced anti-inflammatory metabolites and SFCA secretions, which may potentially contribute to suboptimal mood and neurological outcomes.
    2. Animal models suggest that exposure to incident cosmic radiation and prolonged light exposure independently cause dysbiosis, increased gut permeability, systemic cytokine release, and disruption of markers of blood-brain barrier integrity. Carefully monitoring these parameters is essential to counter any potential imbalances before they exacerbate.
    3. Gut microbiome estimations have revealed that gut microbial imbalances are correlated with elevated anxiety, sleep disturbances, and cognitive decline in astronauts. Notably, gut microbial dysbiosis has been found to disrupt immune signaling and weaken gut-brain barriers, allowing inflammatory molecules to influence neural circuits and mood. The review also discusses how some microbial and immune changes observed in astronauts are transient, reversing post-flight, while others may persist for months after return, underscoring both short- and long-term health implications.
    4. Finally, some studies have demonstrated the beneficial and dysbiosis-reversing effects of pre- and probiotic supplementation on terrestrial and space-bound humans, a cause for relief and additional metabolomic and epidemiological research. Nutrition may also play a significant role in astronauts’ quality of life (QoL), as fiber-rich diets and fermented foods have been seen to maintain gut integrity in terrestrial clinical trials. However, the review cautions that more research is needed to confirm the efficacy and optimal protocols for these interventions in space.

    Conclusions

    The present review establishes a strong associative link between space travel, gut microbial alterations, and neuropsychological outcomes. It postulates a model in which space-related stressors lead to dysbiosis, which then triggers immune activation and subsequent biochemical changes in the brain, ultimately resulting in suboptimal mental health outcomes. Nevertheless, the authors emphasise that mechanistic details and direct causality remain incompletely understood.

    While underscoring the job-associated hazards of an astronaut’s life, this review calls for the formal integration of microbiome monitoring and nutritional interventions (probiotics, prebiotics, and diet) to ensure optimal QoL outcomes, especially against the contextual backdrop of our potential collective resilience on Mars.

    Further, they recommend integrating both noninvasive (microbiome and psychological assessments) and invasive (biomarker and hormone analysis) monitoring to enable early detection and management of neuropsychological risks.

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  • Fycompa safe, effective add-on treatment for children with Dravet

    Fycompa safe, effective add-on treatment for children with Dravet

    Daily treatment with Fycompa (perampanel), on top of standard medications, was safe and reduced seizure frequency for children with Dravet syndrome whose seizures had not been previously controlled with other therapies, according to an observational study in China.

    Fycompa’s benefits were observed in children of all ages, including those who were not yet 4 years old when starting on it — that’s younger than the age for which Fycompa currently has regulatory approval.

    “Compared with other treatment options, [Fycompa] has the advantages of good therapeutic effect, no serious adverse events, and convenient administration,” researchers wrote. “Taking it orally once daily before going to bed, [Fycompa] may become a new adjunctive option to control seizures in children with [Dravet syndrome].”

    The study, “Efficacy and tolerability of perampanel as add-on therapy in Dravet syndrome: A prospective real-world study,” was published in Epilepsia Open.

    Recommended Reading

    Fycompa designed to reduce excessive nerve cell firing that characterizes seizures

    Dravet syndrome is a rare and severe form of epilepsy, characterized by various types of seizures, as well as a range of other developmental, cognitive, behavioral, and psychiatric challenges. Seizures in Dravet usually start in the first year of life and are very difficult to control, even with multiple medications.

    Fycompa is a medication that’s designed to reduce the excessive nerve cell firing that is typical in seizures by blocking AMPA receptor proteins in the brain. It is approved in the U.S. and elsewhere for treating certain seizure types in people with epilepsy, and is sometimes used for Dravet.

    The medication was originally developed by Eisai, which markets the therapy outside the U.S., while Catalyst Pharmaceuticals has commercialization rights in the U.S. It is available in oral tablet and liquid suspension formulations, with a generic version of the tablets recently made available in the U.S.

    In China, where the study was conducted, as well as in the U.S., Fycompa is approved for treating partial-onset seizures with or without secondary generalization in people 4 years and older, and as an add-on therapy for treating generalized tonic-clonic seizures in people 12 years and older.

    The researchers noted that while some recent studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of Fycompa in people with Dravet, very few have involved children younger than 4 years old.

    Recommended Reading

    An illustration highlights the words

    More than half of children responded to treatment after 3 months

    In the recent report, the scientists described the findings from a real-world, observational study of 21 children with Dravet who were treated with Fycompa at a hospital in China, including seven children younger than 4 years old who received the therapy off-label.

    All participants had been experiencing seizures more than once a month on average prior to study enrollment despite stable treatment with one or more medications. They had been using an average of 2.57 anti-seizure medications.

    Fycompa was begun at a daily dose based on participants’ age and weight. It was adjusted as needed based on individual responses.

    More than half of the children (52.4%) responded to the treatment after three months, meaning they experienced at least a 50% reduction in seizure frequency, and 14.3% experienced complete seizure control. By six months, the response rate was 47.6%, and the seizure control rate was 19%.

    Fycompa] showed sufficient efficacy and a satisfactory safety and tolerability profile, suggesting that it could be a new adjunctive option to control seizures in children with DS, as second or even first added [anti-seizure medication].

    Response rates after six months were lower in children younger than 4 years old (28.6%) than in children 4 to 12 years old (58.3%) or older than 12 (50%), although the difference was not statistically significant. There also were no significant differences in response rates based on seizure type or genetic mutation status (genotype).

    “So, the clinical efficacy of [Fycompa] therapy at 6 months was not correlated with age of adding [Fycompa], baseline treatment, and genotypes,” the researchers wrote.

    Neurodevelopmental assessments suggested improvements after starting Fycompa, although the finding was not statistically significant.

    The most frequently reported adverse events included irritability, fatigue, unstable walking, sleepiness, and sluggish responses, but most were mild and temporary. All side effects occurred in the first month. Two children discontinued the treatment early due to lack of efficacy, and no children stopped because of side effects.

    “[Fycompa] showed sufficient efficacy and a satisfactory safety and tolerability profile, suggesting that it could be a new adjunctive option to control seizures in children with DS, as second or even first added [anti-seizure medication],” the researchers wrote. “In the future, multi-center prospective cohort studies with large samples on long-term therapy still require further study to confirm the long-term efficacy and underlying mechanism of [Fycompa] for DS.”

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  • Asia stock markets today: live updates

    Asia stock markets today: live updates

    Sunset scene of light trails traffic speeds through an intersection in Gangnam center business district of Seoul at Seoul city, South Korea

    Mongkol Chuewong | Moment | Getty Images

    Asia-Pacific markets are set to open mostly higher on Wednesday as investors digest the latest comments from U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

    Powell said Tuesday that the central bank would have already cut interest rates if it weren’t for U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff initiatives.

    Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 was set to open lower, with the futures contract in Chicago at 39,665 while its counterpart in Osaka last traded at 39,570, against the index’s last close of 39,986.33.

    Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 is set to open higher with futures tied to the benchmark at 8,558 compared to its last close of 8,541.1. Futures for Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index stood at 24,170, higher than its last close of 24,072.28.

    U.S. stock futures were little changed early Asian hours after investors began the second half of the year with a reduced appetite for technology stocks.

    Overnight stateside, the three major averages closed mixed. The S&P 500 inched down 0.11% and closed at 6,198.01, while the Nasdaq Composite lost 0.82% to settle at 20,202.89. The blue-chip Dow was the outlier, gaining 400.17 points, or 0.91%, to end at 44,494.94.

    — CNBC's Sean Conlon and Tanaya Macheel contributed to this report.


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  • India renewable power output grows at fastest pace in three years – Reuters

    1. India renewable power output grows at fastest pace in three years  Reuters
    2. India’s energy transition faces infrastructure, regulatory hurdles, says S&P Global Commodity Insights  Business Today
    3. Why India Is Not Ready to Give Up on Coal Just Yet  Earth.Org
    4. This Week In Energy Transition – India’s Renewable Energy Surge: Solar and Grid Modernization  simplywall.st
    5. Icra Cautions On Policy Ambiguity In C&I Renewable Market  BW Businessworld

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  • Myosin-Targeting Drug Sensitizes Glioblastoma to Treatment in Mice

    Myosin-Targeting Drug Sensitizes Glioblastoma to Treatment in Mice

    Credit: Westend61 / Getty Images

    Each year, about 14,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with glioblastoma, one of the deadliest primary brain tumors. With standard treatments of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy offering a median survival of 14–16 months—and approximately half of patients harboring tumors resistant to approved drugs—novel therapeutic approaches are urgently needed.

    In a study published in Cell titled “MT-125 inhibits non-muscle myosin IIA and IIB and prolongs survival in glioblastoma,” researchers from the Wertheim UF Scripps Institute, Mayo Clinic, and collaborators report a promising strategy. Their investigational compound, MT-125, directly targets non-muscle myosin II, a molecular “motor” critical for glioblastoma invasion and cytokinesis. Remarkably, MT-125 appears to render previously resistant tumors newly sensitive to both radiation and kinase inhibitors, while blocking the cancer’s ability to invade brain tissue.

    “We know glioblastoma patients are awaiting a breakthrough, and we’re moving as fast as humanly possible,” said senior author Courtney Miller, PhD, of the Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology. The team’s approach stands out by targeting non-muscle myosin IIA and IIB (NMIIA/IIB)—key players downstream of many converging cancer signaling pathways. While oncogenic kinase inhibitors have generally failed in glioblastoma, likely due to pathway redundancies, NMII sits at a convergence point that makes it a hopeful target.

    MT-125, a blebbistatin derivative, potently inhibits NMIIA/IIB with minimal impact on cardiac myosin. In mouse models, the researchers reported that the drug showed excellent brain penetrance, a strong safety profile, and did not affect cardiac function or cause significant toxicities at doses well above what is predicted to be therapeutic.

    Mechanistically, MT-125 disrupts mitochondrial fission, leading to elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS), DNA damage, and ferroptosis, a type of iron-dependent cell death. It also triggers “oncogene addiction,” causing glioblastoma cells to ramp up PDGFR and mTOR signaling to survive the stress. The upside is that this may make tumors exquisitely vulnerable to existing kinase inhibitors like sunitinib or the PI3K/mTOR inhibitor paxalisib.

    In preclinical models, combining MT-125 with sunitinib doubled survival compared to either drug alone, and yielded long-term remission in 40% of treated mice. Adding MT-125 also dramatically sensitized tumors to radiotherapy.

    “We found in mice that combining MT-125 with a number of kinase inhibitors created long periods of a disease-free state that we haven’t seen in these mouse models before,” said Steven Rosenfeld, MD, PhD, a neuro-oncologist at Mayo Clinic and study co-lead. The FDA has granted permission to advance MT-125 into clinical trials.

    Importantly, MT-125’s unique action could extend beyond glioblastoma. By exploiting cancer cells’ dependence on myosin-driven mechanics and ROS buffering, the strategy may hold promise for other difficult-to-treat malignant gliomas and other tumors.

    Nonetheless, researchers caution that while MT-125 caused multinucleation and polyploidy—hallmarks of anti-proliferative stress—long-term implications of inducing chromosomal instability require careful follow-up. Still, the prospect of a first-in-class, brain-penetrant therapy that directly targets the biomechanical underpinnings of cancer cell survival marks an exciting frontier.

    A related compound, MT-110, designed to curb methamphetamine cravings via similar myosin pathways, is also advancing toward clinical trials, underscoring the broad therapeutic reach of targeting cellular “motors.”


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  • What’s likely to move the market

    What’s likely to move the market

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  • Tianwen 2 sends back images of Earth, moon

    Tianwen 2 sends back images of Earth, moon

    Images of Earth and the moon captured by the Tianwen 2 robotic probe are released on Tuesday by the China National Space Administration. The pictures were taken by the probe”s narrow-field-of-view navigation sensor when it was about 590,000 kilometers from Earth. CHINA NATIONAL SPACE ADMINISTRATION/XINHUA

    China’s Tianwen 2 asteroid sampling spacecraft has been on its interplanetary itinerary for more than 33 days, orbiting at a distance of over 12 million kilometers from Earth, and it is in good working condition, the China National Space Administration said on Tuesday.

    The robotic probe is currently traveling on a transfer trajectory toward its destination, a near-Earth asteroid called 2016 HO3, the space administration said in a news release.

    The CNSA also released two images, showing Earth and the moon, captured by the spacecraft’s narrow-field-of-view navigation sensor when it was about 590,000 km away from Earth.

    The Tianwen 2 mission, which is China’s first attempt to bring pristine asteroid samples back to Earth, was launched on May 29, when a Long March 3B rocket carrying the robotic probe blasted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province.

    The probe’s primary objective is to reach 2016 HO3, a small asteroid that is 40 to 100 meters wide, in the summer of 2026. It will study the celestial body up close using a suite of 11 instruments including cameras, spectrometers and radars, before deploying special devices to collect surface substances.

    The asteroid, which is also known as 469219 Kamo’oalewa, orbits the sun and, therefore, is a constant companion of Earth. It is too distant to be considered a true satellite of Earth, but is the best and most stable example to date of a quasi-satellite.

    After the asteroid samples are collected, the Tianwen 2 probe will fly back to Earth’s orbit and send a capsule containing the precious materials to the ground.

    The samples will be distributed among scientists, who will examine their physical properties, chemical and mineralogical content and isotopic composition, contributing to studies on the formation and evolution of asteroids and the early solar system.

    Delivering the samples to Earth will not be the end of the mission. The Tianwen 2 spacecraft will then enter the second phase of its journey, flying toward a main-belt comet called 311P to conduct a remote-sensing survey and transmit the data back to Earth for scientific research, according to the CNSA.

    The whole mission is expected to yield groundbreaking discoveries and expand the understanding of Earth and small celestial bodies inside the solar system, scientists said.

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  • Scientists discovered microplastics in human semen and follicular fluid

    Scientists discovered microplastics in human semen and follicular fluid

    Scientists have detected microplastics — the tiny and pervasive fragments now found in our seas, drinking water, food and, increasingly, living tissue — in human semen and follicular fluid, according to new research.

    A small group of 25 women and 18 men participated in the research, published Tuesday in the journal Human Reproduction. Microplastics were detected in 69% of the follicular fluid samples and 55% of the seminal fluid samples. Follicular fluid is the liquid that surrounds an egg in an ovarian follicle.

    The research is an abstract — a short summary of completed research — and has not yet been peer reviewed. It was presented Tuesday in Paris at the 41st Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology.

    “Previous studies had already suggested this possibility, so the presence of microplastics in the human reproductive system is not entirely unexpected,” said lead research author Dr. Emilio Gómez-Sánchez, director of the assisted reproduction laboratory at Next Fertility Murcia in Spain, in a statement provided to the press. “What did surprise us, however, is how widespread it is. This is not an isolated finding — it appears to be quite common.”

    Dr. Richard Thompson of the University of Plymouth, who wasn’t involved in the research, analyzes microplastics under a microscope in 2023. – Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images

    Microplastics are polymer fragments that range in size from less than 0.2 inches (5 millimeters) to 1/25,000th of an inch (1 micrometer). Polymers are chemical compounds with long chains of large and repetitive molecular units called monomers, and are known for being flexible and durable. Most plastics are synthetic polymers.

    Plastics smaller than the measurement criteria for microplastics are considered nanoplastics, which are measured in billionths of a meter.

    “Microplastics primarily enter the body through three routes: ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact,” Gómez-Sánchez said. “From there, they can enter the bloodstream, which then distributes them throughout the body, including to the reproductive organs.”

    In previous studies, the fragments have also been detected in various body parts or fluids including the lungs, placenta, brain, testicles, nose tissue at the base of the brain, penises and human stool.

    “Decades of studies and the (US Food and Drug Administration) agree that microplastics are not a threat because exposure is extremely low and they are non-toxic,” said Dr. Chris DeArmitt, founder of the Plastics Research Council, via email.

    However, while there is little to nothing known about the potential effects of microplastics on human health, chemicals used in plastic production — that often leach from plastics — are linked with health risks including hormonal disruptions, certain cancers, respiratory diseases and skin irritation.

    Testing bodily fluids for microplastics

    The research participants were patients and donors at Next Fertility Murcia. The women were undergoing egg retrieval, formally known as follicular aspiration, for assisted reproduction, while the men were undergoing semen analysis. The authors stored and froze the samples in glass, then incubated them for two days before analyzing them using an imaging technique combining microscopy and infrared laser.

    The research team also analyzed the containers used to collect and store samples to ensure they hadn’t been contaminated with microplastics. The abstract doesn’t disclose what materials the collection containers were made of.

    Imaging revealed nine types of microplastics in the reproductive fluids. Over 50% of the follicular fluid samples contained polyamide (PA), polyurethane (PU) and polyethylene (PE), while polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were discovered in over 30% of the follicular fluid samples.

    Polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polylactic acid (PLA) appeared in over 20% of the follicular fluid samples.

    In the semen samples, 56% contained PTFE.

    Synthetic polyamide is commonly known as nylon, often used in textiles, plastics and automotive parts. Polyurethane is commonly used in coatings, foams and adhesives for furniture, construction, automotive parts, footwear and more. Polyethylene and polypropylene are often found in packaging, construction uses and consumer goods, such as toys and kitchenware.

    The plastic PTFE is widely used in nonstick cookware, while PET is found in many food and beverage containers. Polyvinyl chloride is often used in the construction, packaging and medical industries, while PLA is primarily found in food packing, medical implants and 3D-printed objects.

    In most samples, the researchers found only one or two particles, but they detected up to five in others, Gómez-Sánchez said. Microplastic concentrations were higher in follicular fluid than in semen. However, the overall concentrations of microplastics in both fluids were relatively low when compared with the concentrations of non-plastic particles. The abstract didn’t disclose what those non-plastic particles were.

    “Sadly, (the findings) are not surprising,” said Dr. Matthew J. Campen — a researcher who helped lead the discoveries of microplastics in the brain and testicles — via email.

    Though the research is preliminary, it does “set the stage for more advanced studies of the relationship between plastics exposure and reproductive fitness,” added Campen, who wasn’t involved in the study and is a regents’ professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of New Mexico.

    Important questions remain

    The research affirmed previous studies that had found microplastics in these reproductive fluids, and yet again raises important questions, including how these microplastics are absorbed in the intestine then transported to the gonads, Campen said.

    “This suggests a very natural mechanism is being hijacked,” he added. “It would also be important to assess plastics in the nanoscale range.”

    People trying to conceive naturally or via in vitro fertilization may not need to be concerned about the findings, as they are only preliminary for now, Gómez-Sánchez said.

    “We don’t know if they have a direct effect on the capacity of a couple to conceive and carry a baby to term,” he added. “Reproduction is a complex equation, and microplastics are a variable in this equation.”

    The findings also can’t yet be linked to more general health outcomes, experts said.

    “So far, the effects of microplastics on humans have been mainly extrapolated from animal studies, where microplastics were administered at high concentrations,” Gómez-Sánchez said. “We currently lack direct evidence regarding their impact on humans.”

    Betsy Bowers, executive director of the EPS Industry Alliance, echoed these disclaimers and noted that the animal research results aren’t indicative of harm at regular exposure levels. The EPS (expanded polystyrene) Industry Alliance is a North American trade association representing the EPS industry.

    The finding that follicular fluid contained more microplastics than semen may be circumstantial, Gómez-Sánchez added, because the study group was small. However, when an ovary is stimulated for assisted reproduction, blood flow to the ovary increases, which may deliver more microplastics to the ovary, he explained.

    Additional research is needed to identify the types and quantities of microplastics that could cause health problems, said Dr. Ranjith Ramasamy, a consultant urologist at Jumeirah American Clinic in Dubai. Ramasamy, who wasn’t involved in the study, led the research that found microplastics in penises.

    “The plan is to increase the number of cases and conduct a survey on lifestyle habits in order to determine if any of these habits are linked to higher concentrations of plastics found in the ovaries and seminal plasma,” Gómez-Sánchez said.

    Gómez-Sánchez and the other researchers also plan to explore whether the presence of microplastics in reproductive fluids affects the quality of sperm and oocytes, he said. Oocytes are cells in ovaries that form an ovum, a mature female reproductive cell that can divide to create an embryo upon fertilization by sperm.

    How to reduce your exposure to microplastics

    The significance of the findings isn’t yet clear, but they should be considered an additional argument in favor of avoiding the use of plastics in our daily lives, said Dr. Carlos Calhaz-Jorge, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Lisbon in Portugal, in a news release. Calhaz-Jorge wasn’t involved in the research.

    Given the ubiquity of plastics, avoidance can be challenging, said Dr. Philip Landrigan, a pediatrician and director of the Program for Global Public Health and the Common Good at Boston College, via email. In addition to reducing obvious uses of plastic, you can also avoid using plastic cutting boards and eating ultraprocessed foods.

    Also limit drinking water from plastic bottles, microwaving food in plastic containers and consuming hot food from plastic containers, Ramasamy said.

    Food can be stored in glass, stainless steel or bamboo instead of plastic.

    But “the conversation needs to shift — immediately — to policymakers,” Campen said. “Hoping that individual choices can make a difference has been clearly a losing strategy. Federal governments around the world need to make major changes to waste management and recycling policies.”

    Annual plastic production by weight has increased by 250 times in the past 75 years and is on track to triple again by 2060, Landrigan said.

    “To reduce plastic pollution and safeguard human health, it will be essential that the Global Plastics Treaty that is currently in negotiation at the United Nations impose a global cap on plastic production,” Landrigan, who wasn’t involved in the research, added.

    “But smart governments can act now,” Campen urged.

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  • ‘Beyond anything imaginable’: dozens killed at busy Gaza seafront cafe | Gaza

    ‘Beyond anything imaginable’: dozens killed at busy Gaza seafront cafe | Gaza

    Early afternoon was a busy time in the al-Baqa cafe, on the waterfront in Gaza City. Under the wooden slatted roof, seated at plastic chairs and tables, were dozens of Palestinians seeking respite from the relentless 20-month war that has devastated much of the bustling, vibrant town.

    On one side was the Mediterranean, blue and calm to the horizon. On the other, battered apartment blocks, wrecked hotels and the close-packed tents of displaced families.

    Founded almost 40 years ago, the family-run al-Baqa was for many in Gaza City a reminder of better, more peaceful times. It had long been a place to escape the claustrophobic strictures of life in the crowded territory, to talk freely, laugh and dream.

    Among those sipping coffee, tea and soft drinks in the cafe was a young artist – Amna al-Salmi – and her friend Ismail Abu Hatab, a 32-year-old photographer and film-maker. Others included another journalist and at least one family with young children, including a four-year-old child, and a mother and her two daughters.

    Then, at about 3pm, the peaceful scene at the al-Baqa cafe was transformed. Witnesses described a huge roaring explosion, flames, a plume of ash-grey smoke rising fast into the air. No one needed to ask what had happened.

    In recent days, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has escalated its offensive across all of Gaza but focused much of its firepower on the territory’s north, where Hamas remain relatively entrenched despite multiple military assaults.

    Tanks have advanced into neighbourhoods to the east of Gaza City, so-called “evacuation orders” have forced thousands from makeshift shelters and airstrikes have killed dozens.

    When the dust and smoke cleared at the al-Baqa cafe, scenes of carnage were revealed.

    People and emergency services gathered at the scene at al-Baqa cafe. Photograph: Seham Tantesh/The Guardian

    “I stepped outside briefly to get something to eat, and when I returned – just as I was close – a missile struck,” said Abu al-Nour, 60.

    “Shrapnel flew everywhere, and the place filled with smoke and the smell of cordite. I couldn’t see anything. I ran toward the cafe and found it destroyed. I went inside and saw bodies lying on the ground. All the cafe workers were killed.”

    Adam, 21, was working nearby, renting out chairs and tables on the small promenade.

    “When I reached the site, the scenes were beyond anything imaginable. I knew all the workers at the place. It was full of customers of all ages,” he told the Guardian.

    Other witnesses described seeing a dead child, an elderly man with both legs severed and many others with serious injuries.

    All said they had been surprised by the extent of the damage, which wrecked the entire cafe, warping concrete columns and scattering debris. A deck of cards and a giant stuffed toy animal could be seen amid the wreckage.

    Even hours later, the air “smelled of blood”, one witness said.

    Many expressed surprise that the cafe could be targeted at all. A 55-year-old sports teacher who lives nearby described the cafe as the “nicest in Gaza” and a place that “should have been the safest of anywhere” in the Palestinian territory.

    An IDF spokesperson said the attack was under review, adding that the Israeli military had “struck several Hamas terrorists in the northern Gaza Strip” and that “prior to the strike, steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians using aerial surveillance”.

    In a separate statement on Tuesday, the IDF said Israel’s air force had attacked more than 140 “terror targets” in Gaza over the previous day, including “terrorists, anti-tank missile launch posts, weapons storage facilities and other terrorist infrastructure”.

    Medical and other officials said that between 24 and 36 Palestinians were killed in the attack on the cafe, with dozens more injured.

    Israeli airstrike on popular Gaza beachside cafe leaves at least 30 dead – video report

    Among the dead was 35-year-old Nour al-Huda al-Husari, who had gone with her two daughters “to get some fresh air and try to lift their spirits”.

    “When I heard there had been a strike, I tried to call … I kept calling, but there was no answer,” said Mohammed al-Husari, her husband.

    “Then about an hour and a half after the strike I heard she had been killed. My first thought was: what happened to my daughters? I felt like I was dreaming … I couldn’t believe it.”

    The couple’s eight-year-old had been hurled many metres by the blast but was found standing stunned and alone, completely unharmed. But her older sister, aged 12, was badly hurt, suffering a skull fracture and internal bleeding, and could die.

    “The hospital was completely full of the wounded and the dead – because the cafe was crowded with women, children and the young. It was not a suspicious or military place,” Husari said.

    “If it had been, my wife would never have gone … she was always careful not to go anywhere risky or questionable, out of fear that something might happen nearby. The truth is there is no safe place in Gaza.”

    Fatalities included Salmi, the artist, who was involved in initiatives to bring art by Palestinians in Gaza to a wider international audience and to support the most needy among the displaced in the territory.

    A Palestinian man checks an area near the cafe that was damaged. Photograph: Jehad Alshrafi/AP

    Abu Hateb was also killed. The film-maker was badly injured early in the war and in an interview last year described how his work “haunted” him, bringing insomnia and depression.

    “I have seen many martyrs, their meals still in front of them, unable to finish eating because they were killed. I think about that moment they must have felt just before death,” he said.

    In addition to casualties from airstrikes, hundreds have died in recent weeks while seeking aid.

    Those with savings or salaries can buy enough to survive on in local markets and even pay for drinks or a snack at venues where they can also use reliable wifi. The vast majority of the 2.3 million population suffer acutely, with growing malnutrition and a continuing threat of famine.

    The war in Gaza was triggered by a surprise attack launched by Hamas militants into Israel in October 2023, killing 1,200, mostly civilians, and abducting another 250, of whom 50 are still held by the militant Islamist organisation.

    The ensuing Israeli offensive has so far killed 56,500, mostly civilians, and reduced much of the Palestinian territory to ruins.


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  • DIPPED IN BLACK: NEW RANGE ROVER SPORT SV BLACK EDITION GETS MONOCHROME TREATMENT FOR ULTIMATE SPORTING LUXURY

    About Range Rover
    Every Range Rover is curated to elevate our clients’ lives with modernist design, connected, refined interiors and electrified performance driving unrivalled luxury. Inspired by exemplary design since 1970.

    The brand encompasses Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Velar and Range Rover Evoque and is underpinned by Land Rover – a mark of trust built on 75 years of expertise in technology, vehicle architecture and world‑leading off‑road capability. 

    As part of our vision of modern luxury by design, every Range Rover is available as an electric hybrid.

    Range Rover is one of the world’s leading British luxury brands, sold in 121 countries. It belongs to the JLR house of brands together with Defender, Discovery and Jaguar. 

    Important notice 
    Jaguar Land Rover is constantly seeking ways to improve the specification, design and production of its vehicles, parts and accessories and alterations take place continually. Whilst every effort is made to produce up‑to‑date literature, this document should not be regarded as an infallible guide to current specifications or availability, nor does it constitute an offer for the sale of any particular vehicle, part or accessory. All figures are manufacturer’s estimates.

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