Latest news with #Galen
LeMonde
10-07-2025
- Health
- LeMonde
Is the postcoital moment always a sad one?
The expression dates back eighteen centuries – to the Greco-Roman physician Galen, who wrote: "Every animal is sad after coitus, except the woman and the rooster." Today, science uses less colorful language. The phenomenon is now referred to as "postcoital dysphoria," characterized by crying, anxiety, sadness, irritability or even aggression. These symptoms may appear after sexual intercourse or even after masturbation. Contrary to Galen's assertion, this dysphoria also affects women. In 2011, a study in the International Journal of Sexual Health found that one-third of women had experienced at least one episode of post-coital dysphoria. However, the numbers are indeed higher among men. In 2019, a study published in the Journal of Sexual Marital Therapy showed that 41% of men had experienced post-coital sadness. Around 3% felt it after every encounter. In an extreme (and much rarer) form, some men suffer from "POIS," or post-orgasmic illness syndrome. Ejaculation then brings on flu-like symptoms that can last for several hours or even days. Why so much distress? There are about 20 explanatory theories, but current research suggests multiple factors are involved. This makes treatment complicated.
Mint
21-06-2025
- Health
- Mint
From wine with vinegar to Gatorade, the strange history of the evolution of sports drinks
It would be almost unthinkable nowadays to consume salted and diluted wine before participating in an athletic event. And yet, a mixture of wine and vinegar was one of the first attempts to create a sports drink. It was a potion evolved from a more rudimentary mixture of water, herbs and honey. An even older form of performance drink was apparently a suggestion from Galen, an ancient Greek physician in the 2nd-3rd century CE. His formula was to eat dates and a plant-ash solution. 'Potassium nitrate or saltpeter, known as niter, became a key ingredient. When mixed with date palm resin, it helped replace the potassium, magnesium and calcium lost in sweat and urine during intense gymnastic training," states a History Oasis article titled The Unknown History Of Sports Drinks. It all sounds unbelievable nowadays, with electrolytes and IV drips and all sorts of minerals like potassium, magnesium and zinc available either as pills, or soluble powder form and even gels. Some might say things have gone a little too OTT nowadays, with so many choices that it's tough to know what is good for you and what is just a glorified version of salts and sugars in water. 'The number of electrolyte powders on the market today is quite overwhelming, even for me as a registered dietitian. It can be difficult for the average consumer to understand what's actually going to be beneficial and what's just advertising hype," Rachel Gargano tells Lounge. Gargano is the chief dietician at health and wellness brand Live It Up and is a specialist in sports dietetics. Also Read Why the barbell hip thrust is the perfect exercise for stronger core and glutes While the main elements to look for in an electrolyte drink is sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, Gargano warns that many of these drinks contain much more sodium than we actually need. 'Some have up to 1,000mg sodium or more. Most of us get enough sodium from our diet, and chronically consuming too much may lead to negative health effects. So if an every-day consumer would really enjoy an electrolyte powder—many of them taste delicious and may help someone drink more water—I highly recommend finding one that has minimal sodium and less than 100% of the daily value of the other electrolytes." The turning point in sports drinks came with the emergence of two famous brands—Lucozade and Gatorade. The latter would go on to completely change the game in this sector by the 1960s. Lucuzade 'was devised by a chemist called William Owen as a way of delivering quick, digestible energy and fluids to anyone made sick by a host of common illnesses. Although the idea was at heart very simple—basically it was citrus flavoured sugar water—Lucozade was a big hit…by the 1950s Lucozade had cemented itself as one of Britain's best known brands," states an article on titled, A Short History Of Sports Drink (And The Science Behind It). Also Read 5 lateral exercises for a strong core and enhanced stability Robert Cade's emergence at the University of Florida was another turning point. It's a brilliant story of innovation where a chance question which led to a performance spike after half-time for the university's [American] football team. Cade, who studied exercise biochemistry, led the research which showed that athletes were losing a lot more sodium and potassium in their sweat compared to general sweating. In a 2003 article on the University of Florida website, Cade recalled how the coach of the football team asked him why football players don't 'wee-wee" after a game. 'That question changed our lives," Cade said. A drink and a powder form were created in 1965 to battle this lack of hydration, and Gatorade was born. No one knows if anyone asked Galen the same question around 2,000 years ago, but it's easy to imagine the same curiosity. What they didn't know (and Cade found out) was the numbers. 'Cade and colleagues determined that a football player could lose 16 to 18 pounds during the three hours it takes to play a game. They further found that 90 to 95 percent of the weight loss was due to water loss, and plasma volume was decreased about 7 percent and blood volume about 5 percent. In addition, the average loss of sodium and chloride was 25 percent of the total body stores of these electrolytes," says the university article, titled Dr. Robert Cade…saga of the world's best-selling sports drink and the creative physician scientist behind it. Also Read How to turn your home into a gym with just one kettlebell and 5 great workouts From salted wine and plant-ash to IV drips, replenishment has come a long way. But all is not lost if you don't have a sports drink handy. 'Foods rich in potassium include many plants, including bell peppers, beans and legumes, bananas, avocado, potatoes, and leafy greens. Plants are nature's multivitamin, without enough we may be lacking important micronutrients, antioxidants, and fiber," Gargano says. Pulasta Dhar is a football commentator, writer and podcaster. Also Read How to master the drop jump and work with gravity to increase your strength and speed
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
How stress shapes cancer's course
About two millennia ago, the Greek physicians Hippocrates and Galen suggested that melancholia—depression brought on by an excess of "black bile" in the body—contributed to cancer. Since then, scores of researchers have investigated the association between cancer and the mind, with some going as far as to suggest that some people have a cancer-prone or "Type C" personality. Most researchers now reject the idea of a cancer-prone personality. But they still haven't settled what influence stress and other psychological factors can have on the onset and progression of cancer, Knowable Magazine notes. More than a hundred epidemiological studies—some involving tens of thousands of people—have linked depression, low socioeconomic status and other sources of psychological stress to an increase in cancer risk, and to a worse prognosis for people who already have the disease. However, this literature is full of contradictions, especially in the first case. In recent decades, scientists have approached the problem from another angle: experiments in cells and animals. These have revealed important mechanisms by which stress can alter tumors, says Julienne Bower, a health psychologist at UCLA who coauthored a 2023 article on the connection between the brain and the immune system in diseases, including cancer, in the Annual Review of Clinical Psychology. Such studies are showing that "psychological factors can influence aspects of actual tumor biology," she says. On the flip side, studies in people and animals suggest that blocking the chemical signals of stress may improve cancer outcomes. Today, a growing number of researchers think that psychological factors can influence cancer's progression once someone has the disease. "I don't think anyone appreciated the magnitude by which even mild stress, if it's chronic, can have such a negative influence on cancer growth," says Elizabeth Repasky, a cancer immunologist at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York. New interest in the relationship between stress and cancer growth emerged in part from research into how stress affects the body's response to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In the 1990s and early 2000s, genomics researcher Steve Cole and his team at UCLA investigated why people infected with HIV who were under high stress tended to have worse outcomes, including larger viral loads and poorer responses to antiretroviral drugs. Cole's team discovered several routes through which stress could worsen HIV infections. In monkeys, they found, the lymph nodes of stressed animals had many more connections to sympathetic nerve cell fibers—which execute the body's fight-or-flight response—than the nodes of unstressed monkeys. Lymph nodes contain immune cells, and the nerve fibers reduced the antiviral function of these cells, which, in turn, led to an increase in the replication of a version of HIV that infects monkeys and apes. Lymph nodes, in addition to housing immune cells, also act as the body's drainage system, flushing away toxins through a network of tissues, organs and nodes called the lymphatic system. Importantly, cancer cells can hijack this system, using it to travel through the body. Erica Sloan, a postdoctoral trainee of Cole who was involved in the HIV work, wondered whether stress, via the sympathetic nervous system, might also affect lymph nodes in those with cancer. Sloan, now a cancer researcher at Monash University in Australia, went on to discover in mice that chronic stress increases the number of connections between the lymphatic system and breast tumors, making the cancer cells more likely to spread. Strikingly, treatment with a drug—a beta blocker that blunts the activity of key molecules of the sympathetic nervous system such as norepinephrine—prevented these effects. Research by other groups has shown that stress can lead to molecular changes, particularly within the immune system, that influence how cancer progresses. Some of this work suggests that, when stress leads to inflammation—a broad immune reaction typically brought on by injuries and infections—it can boost the growth of tumors. Stress can also impair the activity of immune cells that play an active role in fighting cancer. In the early 2000s, research by University of Iowa behavioral scientist Susan Lutgendorf and her colleagues found that in patients with ovarian cancer, depression and anxiety were associated with impaired tumor-fighting immune cells. In another study of people with ovarian cancer, the researchers found that poor social support was linked to higher levels of a growth factor that stimulates blood vessel growth around tumors. This growth, called angiogenesis, enables new blood vessels to supply nutrients to tumors and—like the lymphatic system—provide pathways through which cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body. Lutgendorf and her colleagues have since found that stressful situations have a similar effect on mice with ovarian cancer, enhancing tumor angiogenesis and cancer spread. Equally important, they've found that these effects can be reversed with beta blockers. Other groups have found similar effects of blocking stress signals on other types of cancer in rodents, including blood and prostate cancer. In addition, researchers have found that increasing levels of stress hormones such as norepinephrine and cortisol in mice can make previously dormant cancer cells more likely to divide and form new tumors. Studies like these are revealing that stress can trigger a cascade of biochemical changes and alter a cancer cell's environment in a way that may promote its spread. "Stress signaling and stress biology really have an impact on most—if not all—of these processes," says Jennifer Knight, a cancer psychiatrist at the Medical College of Wisconsin. If stress can make cancer worse, how can the process be stopped? Little by little, new treatments are emerging. For about half a century, clinicians have used beta blockers to treat hypertension. By scouring data from patient registries, researchers found that people with cancer who already had been taking certain kinds of beta blockers at the time of diagnosis often had better outcomes, including longer survival times, than those who were not on the medicines. Over the past few years, several clinical trials—most of which are small and early-stage—have directly tested whether beta blockers could benefit people with cancer. In one pair of studies, a research team led by neuroscientist Shamgar Ben-Eliyahu at Tel Aviv University, administered the beta blocker propranolol along with an anti-inflammatory drug to people with colorectal or breast cancer five days before surgery. The team chose this timing because earlier research had shown that while surgery is an opportunity to remove the tumor, it can also paradoxically provide the chance for the cancer to spread. So blocking any potential effects of stress on cancer spread, they reasoned, could be crucial to a patient's long-term prognosis. These trials, which involved dozens of patients, revealed that the tumor cells of those who received the drugs showed fewer molecular signs of being able to spread—a process known as metastasis—less inflammation, and an increase in some tumor-fighting immune cells. For colorectal cancer patients, there were also hints that the intervention could reduce cancer recurrence: Three years after the procedure, cancer returned in two of the 16 patients who received the drugs, compared to six of 18 patients who didn't receive those meds. Other studies have assessed the effect of using beta blockers alone, without anti-inflammatory drugs. In 2020, Sloan and her colleagues published a study including 60 breast cancer patients, half of whom were randomly assigned to receive propranolol a week before surgery, while the other half received a placebo. They, too, found that tumor cells from patients who received beta blockers had fewer biomarkers of metastasis. Stress-reducing beta blockers may also benefit other cancer treatments. In a 2020 study, Knight and her team looked at the effect of beta blockers in 25 patients with multiple myeloma who were receiving blood stem cell transplants. Patients who took beta blockers had fewer infections and faster blood cell recovery—although the study was too small to properly evaluate clinical outcomes. And in a small study of nine people with metastatic skin cancer, Repasky and her colleagues found hints that beta blockers might boost the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy treatments. While studies on beta blockers are promising, it's not clear that these drugs will improve outcomes in all kinds of cancers, such as lung cancer and certain subtypes of breast cancer. Some patients can react badly to taking the medications—particularly those with asthma or heart conditions such as bradycardia, in which the heart beats unusually slowly. And, crucially, the drugs only block the endpoint of stress, not its cause, Repasky says. They will therefore likely need to be combined with mindfulness, counseling and other stress-reducing strategies that get closer to the root of the problem. Such interventions are also in the works. Bower and her team have conducted clinical trials of mind-body interventions such as yoga and mindfulness meditation with breast cancer survivors, to improve health and promote lasting remission. They've found that these therapies can decrease inflammatory activity in circulating immune cells, and they speculate that this may help to reduce tumor recurrence. Ultimately, bigger clinical trials are needed to firmly establish the benefits of beta blockers and other stress-reducing interventions on cancer survival outcomes—and determine how long such effects might last. The timing of treatment and the type of cancer being treated may play a role in how well such therapies work, researchers say. But lack of funding has been a barrier to conducting the larger follow-up studies needed to answer such questions. The work isn't yet backed by pharmaceutical companies or other organizations that support large studies in oncology, Knight says. And for now, whether stress can increase a person's risk of developing cancer in the first place, as the ancient Greeks once postulated, remains a mystery. Population studies linking stress to cancer risk are often complicated by other factors, such as smoking, poor nutrition and limited access to health care. "We have no definitive way of saying, 'If you're stressed out, you're going to develop cancer,'" says Patricia Moreno, a clinical psychologist at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and coauthor of an article in the 2023 Annual Review of Psychology about stress management interventions in cancer. But for people who already have a cancer diagnosis, many researchers argue that the evidence is strong enough to include stress management in clinical practice. On average, cancer patients do not receive psychological therapies that can reduce stress at the level for which they are needed, says Barbara Andersen, a clinical psychologist at Ohio State University. Although they won't be necessary for every patient, many can benefit from mind-body interventions, she says. "I'm not saying they should be a first priority, but they shouldn't be the last." This story was produced by Knowable Magazine and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
America's Oldest Cheesemaker Seeks New Stewardship
HEALDVILLE, Vt., June 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Crowley Cheese, America's oldest continuously operating cheesemaker, is seeking new ownership. A true heritage brand, Crowley traces its cheesemaking roots in Healdville, Vermont to the late 1700s, with commercial production beginning in 1824. Since then, it has operated just a few hundred feet from its original site—first in the Crowley family's farmhouse kitchen, and since 1882, in its now-iconic cheese factory. Today, the Crowley Cheese Factory stands as the oldest remaining cheese factory in the United States and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A beloved Vermont destination, it draws visitors year-round to witness traditional cheesemaking firsthand, tour the preserved factory, and sample its celebrated cheeses. True to its origins, Crowley still produces its signature handcrafted raw milk cheddar using the same time-honored recipe that has earned acclaim around the world. For much of the 20th century, the local post office operated out of the Crowley Farm due to the sheer volume of cheese shipments leaving for global destinations. Today, Crowley continues to ship nationwide and can be found in select retailers across Vermont and the Northeast. While the recipe has remained unchanged, Crowley's product line has expanded with six different aging levels and a dozen flavored varieties. In addition to its classic Holstein-based cheddar, Crowley now also produces cheese using A2 Jersey cow milk. Since 2009, Galen and Jill Jones have lovingly owned and operated Crowley Cheese. Now preparing for retirement, they are seeking the next passionate steward to carry the legacy forward. "It's been a privilege to be part of this incredible tradition," says Galen Jones. "Preserving the integrity of Crowley's recipe and the authenticity of its historic factory has always guided our work. But it's time for fresh leadership to shepherd Crowley into its third century. With so much potential for growth, we believe the best chapters are still ahead." Interested parties are encouraged to contact the owners directly to learn more about this rare opportunity to steward a living piece of American food history. For additional information on Crowley Cheese visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Crowley Cheese Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Irish Post
28-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Post
Co. Armagh pharmaceutical company Almac Group announces annual sales of more than £1bn
A PHARMACEUTICAL firm based in Co. Armagh has announced that annual sales have exceeded £1bn for the first time. Almac Group, which has its global headquarters in Craigavon, reported revenues of £1.027bn for the year to September 2024, marking a 7 per cent (£69.5m) increase on the previous year. Pre-tax profits also rose by 27 per cent to £119m, up from £93.8m the previous year "Today's results mark another successful year of growth for Almac," said chairman and chief executive Alan Armstrong. Almac Group was founded in 2002 by Co. Tyrone native Allen McClay. He had previously founded the Galen pharmaceutical company in Craigavon in 1968 — which subsequently became Northern Ireland's first £1bn company — before leaving the firm in 2001. After McClay established Almac with the purchase of several Galen businesses, the group acquired pharmaceutical manufacturing operations from Galen in 2003 before purchasing the firm in 2004. Today, Almac is at the forefront of developing, manufacturing, testing and distributing essential medicines to patients around the world. 'Innovate and expand' During this financial year, the group was involved in the development of hundreds of life-saving drugs spanning more than 20 therapeutic areas including oncology, cardiology, immunology, gene therapy and neurology. The company's latest figures cover the third year of the group's £400m global expansion plans, which were announced in November 2021. As part of the plans, the group opened a new state-of-the-art, £65m commercial manufacturing facility at Craigavon in March of this year. The 100,000sq ft facility enhances existing capabilities in commercial manufacture of oral dose treatments for a variety of therapeutic areas. As well as its global headquarters in Craigavon, Almac Group — which employs more than 7,700 people at 18 facilities across the globe — also has its European headquarters in Dundalk. The company's US and Asia Pacific headquarters are in Pennsylvania and Singapore respectively, while it has dozens of sites across Europe, Asia, North and South America as well as Africa and Australia. "As a privately-owned and independent company, we re-invest all our profits back into the business, enabling us to innovate and expand to meet the growing needs of our global clients, working in partnership to advance human health," added Mr Armstrong. "I am proud of the continued progress we are making, which is thanks to the dedication of our valued global workforce." See More: Almac Group, Armagh, Tyrone
