Latest news with #Mimosa
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Circadian rhythms: how your body's internal clock regulates your health
Awake all night? Taken a flight across time zones? Each of these events makes us tired, grumpy and out-of-sorts. A short nap may not be enough to catch up on either sleep or a sense of wellness, because the biological rhythm of the body has been disrupted. There are many biological rhythms in nature, one rhythm familiar to all, is the seasonal flowering of plants. Another such rhythm is the 24-hour-cycle circadian rhythm. The word 'circadian' is derived from the Latin words circa which means 'about' and dies meaning day. The earth's day-night cycle directly impacts the biological clock of all living organisms, including plants and microorganisms. How were circadian rhythms discovered? The French astronomer Jean Jacques d'Ortous de Mairan was the first to observe circadian rhythms in the Mimosa plant. He observed that the plant unfurled its leaves in the morning and closed them in the evening. This behaviour continued despite the plant being kept in the dark, and was the first demonstration that the behaviour of leaves could continue, independent of light input. The molecules that control circadian rhythms were discovered in the 1960s through Ronald J. Konopka's elegant work with Seymour Benzer. He discovered the period or per gene, whose variants either shortened, lengthened or abrogated the 24-hour circadian rhythm of the fruit fly, Drosophila. This showed that the period gene was a component of the 24-hour clock, and not its output. In the 1980s and 1990s, Jeffrey Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael Young built on Konopka's work identifying: (i) the cycling expression of the period gene that was entrained by light, (ii) light-sensitive genes like timeless and cryptochromes, that act along with the period and (iii) feedback regulation that led to the cycling of the period protein. This pioneering research laid the foundations of understanding how the central 24-hour circadian clock operated in the fruit fly brain. Their work was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology (Medicine) in 2017. Joseph Takahashi's work in mice showed that central clock genes in this organism were similar to those identified in fruit flies, and these genes showed similar light-dependent feedback regulation. Such experiments revealed the existence of an evolutionarily conserved ancient mechanism to tie light input from the natural rotation of the earth to cycling molecules in the brain. How do circadian rhythms work? A 'master' clock called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is present in the brain and consists of both neurons and supporting glial cells. This master clock drives several peripheral clocks in the heart, liver, spleen, skin, skeletal muscles, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, etc. The SCN integrates several sensory inputs called zeitgebers which mean 'time givers'. Zeitgebers for the circadian clock include light, food, noise, stress, social environment and temperature. Among these, light is the strongest zeitgeber. The process of synchronisation of the circadian clock in response to external cues is called 'entrainment'. Light is sensed by the photosensitive retinal ganglion cells and transmits information to the SCN, which in turn synchronises the peripheral clocks of the body. Exposure to light at dawn advances and entrains the clock and at dusk delays the clock. This entrainment releases hormones, such as cortisol to help us wake up and stay alert (activity rhythm) and suppresses melatonin, the hormone that assists sleep and is sometimes used as a sleep aid to help with jet lag. Aside from these 'activity rhythms', these released molecules control feeding, blood pressure and body temperature. The clock's impact on wellness The circadian rhythm sets up physiological rhythms with consequences on wellness. For instance, in the afternoon our reaction times are the fastest. By late evening, cardiovascular strength, blood pressure and body temperature are at their peak. As the sun sets and it becomes dark outside, the pineal gland in the brain releases melatonin. Watching television or working on electronic devices during this time, exposes us to blue light from screens, which has similar effects as the sunlight during the day. This blue light interferes with the action of melatonin and delays not only the onset of sleep, but also disrupts our circadian rhythm. Many other factors can also disrupt the circadian rhythm. The most common ones include traveling across time zones, shift work, age, medications, food intake and its timing, and neurological disorders. For healthy individuals, exposure in the morning to sunlight outdoors provides the strongest light input to reset and entrain the circadian clock. Food timings Food is another zeitgeber that impacts circadian rhythms, eventually controlling metabolism. However, controlling the quality and size of our meals alone is insufficient; the timing of meals is equally important for most living organisms. Researchers have shown that fruit flies fed at the wrong time laid fewer eggs. Mice fed during their 'rest period', were more prone to diabetes and obesity and showed cognitive impairment. Similarly, in humans, the mistiming of food can affect health. The timing of our meals directly affects the secondary clocks in organs such as the liver, pancreas and gastrointestinal tract. The genes that control the secondary clocks show rhythmic expressions, meaning the levels of proteins they produce also rise and fall in a 24-hour cycle. Genes linked to sugar (glucose), protein and fat metabolism also show stereotypical oscillations in synchrony with circadian rhythms. Even short delays in mealtimes can alter the expression of some genes that provide feedback to circadian rhythms. Two hormones are key to regulating our appetite: ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin levels increase during hunger and fall with food intake, while leptin has the opposite effect– it is low when we are hungry, and surges when we feel full, reducing food intake. Thus, ghrelin levels peak and leptin levels are low just before our regular mealtimes. Disruptions in circadian rhythms, typically due to shift-work or sleep deprivation, also perturb the rhythmic release of ghrelin. Food types and meal timings affect circadian activity and physiological rhythms. Morning fasting affects the metabolism of subsequent meals and affects physical activity and nocturnal feeding. High fat and alcohol consumption disrupt circadian rhythms. Glucose metabolism is directly related to sleep patterns. Shorter sleep durations or disrupted sleep cause a spike in fasting blood glucose and reduce insulin sensitivity. The response of tissues to insulin (sensitivity) is critical to maintaining blood glucose levels. Lack of sufficient sleep and disrupted circadian rhythms can lead to poor regulation of food intake, as well as conditions such as diabetes and weight gain. The link to exercise Exercise is not as strong a zeitgeber as light, but, like food, it is a non-photic zeitgeber, and can potentially delay or advance circadian rhythms. Thus, exercise is an additional input to reset disrupted rhythms. Apart from the mode and intensity of exercise, its timing has an equally beneficial effect on the circadian rhythm through the modulation of clock genes. A study has shown that 45 minutes of aerobic exercise in the evening, as opposed to the morning helps reduce blood pressure in people with hypertension. Another study has shown that evening walks are better at reducing low-density lipoprotein, also known as the 'bad cholesterol', and fibrinogen – elevated levels of which can clot blood, creating blockages in blood vessels. Overall, the mode and timing of exercise helps alleviate the risk of cardiovascular diseases. A combination of exercise and its timing can help maintain a good circadian rhythm, which benefits health. Medication timings Circadian rhythm also affects the metabolism of drugs in the liver, thus medications are ingested along with our meals or at bedtime. The time of the day also determines how vulnerable we are to infections and how well we respond to vaccines. In other words, our immune responses also oscillate with circadian rhythms. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading causes of death across the world. A mainstay of delaying CVD is treating elevated cholesterol through statins, a class of cholesterol-reducing drugs. Statins are usually prescribed to be taken in the evening for two main reasons. First, cholesterol biosynthesis in the liver peaks during the night controlled by the peripheral liver circadian clock. Second, most statins have a short half-life. This means half of the drug is eliminated from the bloodstream within a few hours. Taking statins in the evening thus synchronises the effectiveness of the drug during peak periods of cholesterol biosynthesis. Chronotype, sleep in teenagers and school/work timings We spend around a third of the day sleeping. Sleep is essential for several processes such as tissue growth, repair and regeneration, elimination of metabolic waste products from the central nervous system etc. It is not just the duration: the time of day that a person sleeps is also important for health. Whether in adults or in children, timely and adequate sleep is essential for a healthy body and mind. While adults need 7-8 hours of sleep, adolescents require more sleep, approximately 8-10 hours. An undisturbed circadian rhythm is important to promote wakefulness and alertness during the day and rest through sleep during the night. However, several global studies report shorter durations or disturbed sleep among adolescents. Chronotype, a person's natural inclination with regard to the time of day when they prefer to sleep or when they are most alert or energetic, is important to account for, in how societies function. 'Larks' naturally wake up early and are active in the morning while 'owls' wake up later, or are active during the later part of the day. Likewise, teenagers normally experience a delayed onset of sleep due to an approximately two-hour shift in their circadian rhythms. This shift is driven by hormonal changes during their growing years. Thus, teenagers sleep late but have to wake up early, around 6 a.m. or 7 a.m., as schools often begin early in the morning. This delayed sleep phase leaves teenagers with fewer hours to sleep and causes major disturbances to their circadian rhythms. This disruption is often exacerbated by access to social stimulation from the internet/messaging, blue light from electronic devices and poor sleep hygiene. Such disturbances lead to difficulties in waking up, daytime sleepiness, an inability to stay attentive, absenteeism, poor school performance etc. It may also lead to anxiety and depression and can worsen the mental health of teenagers. Researchers and experts hence recommend school timings be rescheduled so that classes start later for adolescents in synchrony with their natural circadian rhythms. This will ensure they do not compromise on their sleep duration and quality, thereby promoting good mental and physical health. There is increasing evidence that shows that a delay in school start timings helps teenagers have better sleep quality and better educational outcomes. Taking adult chronotypes into consideration in a work environment can also help individuals be both productive and healthy. To sum up, physiology, a central pillar of human health, is driven by the master circadian clock in the brain that acts on, and via, several peripheral clocks. The clock is entrained primarily by light, but also by meal timings and exercise to maintain normal circadian rhythms. Additionally, the output of the clock in concert with a variety of zeitgebers provides feedback to maintain healthy rhythms. These rhythms likely differ slightly depending on the chronotype of the individual. Disruption of rhythms has been shown to have a variety of detrimental effects leading to sleep disruptions, diabetes, obesity and poor mental health. (Rohini Karandikar is a science communicator, educator, and facilitator. She currently works as a consultant with the TNQ Foundation. Sandhya P. Koushika is a cellular neurobiologist who works at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai.)
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mimosa Networks Announces Partnership with MTN to Drive Wireless Connectivity Across Africa
SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Mimosa Networks, a leading global provider of wireless broadband solutions, is pleased to announce its latest strategic engagement with Cambridge Broadband Networks Africa Limited (CBNLA) to deliver Mimosa's award-winning range of products to MTN, Africa's largest mobile network operator. CBNLA is now partnering with Mimosa to provide products and services to the MTN Group, enabling all MTN locations to secure and deploy Mimosa's high-performance fixed wireless products. With 288 million customers across 14 African markets, MTN plays a crucial role in connecting communities, businesses, and underserved regions with transformative telecommunications solutions. By integrating Mimosa's cost-effective, fiber-like wireless products, MTN can now expand its service offerings to provide faster, more reliable broadband to both urban and rural areas. The Mimosa and CBNLA engagement provides MTN with seamless access to Mimosa's comprehensive product portfolio, including high capacity backhaul and broadband access points and client radios. Mimosa's solutions deliver fiber-like speeds over the air through unlicensed spectrum, supporting MTN's work to bridge connectivity gaps, especially in underserved regions. With CBNLA acting as a regional service partner and Systems Integrator, MTN can efficiently scale wireless deployments across rural and urban markets, meeting growing broadband demand while enhancing network reliability. "We are thrilled to collaborate with MTN and CBNLA to expand broadband access across Africa," said Jim Nevelle, SVP and General Manager of Mimosa Networks. "This partnership aligns with our goal of delivering high-speed, affordable connectivity to both established and underserved regions, creating new opportunities for economic growth and digital inclusion." The collaboration represents another milestone in Mimosa's strategy to extend affordable, high-speed broadband across Africa through relationships with leading operators and infrastructure providers. About Mimosa Networks Mimosa Networks provides fixed wireless broadband solutions that offer fiber-like speeds over licensed and unlicensed spectrum at a fraction of the cost of fiber. With a robust portfolio of products designed for point-to-point and point-to-multipoint connectivity, Mimosa empowers internet service providers, mobile operators, and enterprises worldwide. About CBNLA CBNLA revolutionized the use of microwave and millimetre wave spectrum to deliver high-speed, point-to-multipoint networks with its VectaStar Point-to-Multipoint radios. In response to market demands, CBNLA has since evolved into a solution-focused Systems Integrator, partnering with diverse technology providers to deliver cutting edge solutions to its tier-1 customers across East, West, Central and Southern Africa About MTN MTN is Africa's largest mobile network operator, serving 288 million customers across 14 countries. MTN is committed to providing access to a modern connected life through innovation and reliable telecommunications services. Mimosa® is a registered trademark of Mimosa Networks, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All rights reserved. All other company or product names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. ©2025 Mimosa Networks, Inc. – Information provided in this press release is accurate at time of publication and is subject to change without advance notice. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Mimosa 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
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Brazilian ritual root gets second life as potential anti-depressant
Long used in Indigenous Brazilian rituals, the jurema preta plant, which contains a potent psychedelic, is gaining ground as a potential treatment for depression. At street stalls where medicinal herbs are sold, customers can buy the plant's root which contains dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a hallucinogenic substance that researchers say could be used to alleviate symptoms. Following instructions he found on the internet, Guaracy Carvajal extracted DMT at home in 2016 from roots he bought on the street. The 31-year-old software programmer, who had tried various treatment for chronic depression he has suffered since adolescence, said the drug makes it "feel like you've solved something in your life." Physicist Draulio Araujo, who has conducted extensive research on the drug, said "the response is rapid. One day after treatment, (patients) already showed a significant improvement in their depression symptoms." Yet he also warned that it "is not a magic cure" and that psychedelics "are not for everyone." As a researcher at the Brain Institute of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Araujo and his team treated 14 people with the drug for six months. The patients inhaled vaporized DMT, under medical supervision. "It's common for our patients to say that something changed, that a key opened something," he said. His patients also received psychological therapy, and some continued with conventional pharmaceutical drugs. Neuroscientist Fernanda Palhano-Fontes, also of the Brain Institute, said "we have patients who improve significantly, others who don't improve at all." Araujo's findings were published in the scientific journal Nature in April. In 2024, he published another study with promising results in the journal Psychedelic Medicine. As for Carvajal, who stopped using jurema preta some time ago, he said the drug really allows a person to "start to have a lighter life." It helped him get through a time when he was in "a state of questioning myself" about "work, day-to-day life," he said. - Spiritual channels - Brazil occupies a fairly prominent place in DMT research due to the substance's prominence in society, Araujo said. While there is no ban on the cultivation or possession of jurema, which is also known as Mimosa tenuiflora, consumption of DMT is prohibited, except for religious and scientific use. Jurema's roots are combined with other plants in a wine-like beverage that is consumed at rituals that include dancing and drums, part of Indigenous tradition in northeast Brazil where the plant grows. "It's not hallucination," said Joyce Souza, a young woman attending a jurema ceremony in Planaltina, on the outskirts of Brasília. "My spiritual channels become more accessible, I can communicate better with myself," Souza said. Gathered in a house courtyard and dressed in white, the group of mostly novices waited for more seasoned practitioners to enter a trance and bring messages from ancient spirits. Meanwhile, back in the lab, Araujo is hoping to expand his DMT research to a study of 100 patents. "Let's say that in five years we'll have... a clear picture on when it will reach a real clinical setting," he said. jss/bfm/bjt
France 24
05-05-2025
- Health
- France 24
Brazilian ritual root gets second life as potential anti-depressant
At street stalls where medicinal herbs are sold, customers can buy the plant's root which contains dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a hallucinogenic substance that researchers say could be used to alleviate symptoms. Following instructions he found on the internet, Guaracy Carvajal extracted DMT at home in 2016 from roots he bought on the street. The 31-year-old software programmer, who had tried various treatment for chronic depression he has suffered since adolescence, said the drug makes it "feel like you've solved something in your life." Physicist Draulio Araujo, who has conducted extensive research on the drug, said "the response is rapid. One day after treatment, (patients) already showed a significant improvement in their depression symptoms." Yet he also warned that it "is not a magic cure" and that psychedelics "are not for everyone." As a researcher at the Brain Institute of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Araujo and his team treated 14 people with the drug for six months. The patients inhaled vaporized DMT, under medical supervision. "It's common for our patients to say that something changed, that a key opened something," he said. His patients also received psychological therapy, and some continued with conventional pharmaceutical drugs. Neuroscientist Fernanda Palhano-Fontes, also of the Brain Institute, said "we have patients who improve significantly, others who don't improve at all." Araujo's findings were published in the scientific journal Nature in April. In 2024, he published another study with promising results in the journal Psychedelic Medicine. As for Carvajal, who stopped using jurema preta some time ago, he said the drug really allows a person to "start to have a lighter life." It helped him get through a time when he was in "a state of questioning myself" about "work, day-to-day life," he said. Spiritual channels Brazil occupies a fairly prominent place in DMT research due to the substance's prominence in society, Araujo said. While there is no ban on the cultivation or possession of jurema, which is also known as Mimosa tenuiflora, consumption of DMT is prohibited, except for religious and scientific use. Jurema's roots are combined with other plants in a wine-like beverage that is consumed at rituals that include dancing and drums, part of Indigenous tradition in northeast Brazil where the plant grows. "It's not hallucination," said Joyce Souza, a young woman attending a jurema ceremony in Planaltina, on the outskirts of Brasília. "My spiritual channels become more accessible, I can communicate better with myself," Souza said. Gathered in a house courtyard and dressed in white, the group of mostly novices waited for more seasoned practitioners to enter a trance and bring messages from ancient spirits. Meanwhile, back in the lab, Araujo is hoping to expand his DMT research to a study of 100 patents. "Let's say that in five years we'll have... a clear picture on when it will reach a real clinical setting," he said.
Telegraph
02-05-2025
- Telegraph
I visited Patagonia… where Welsh culture is alive and well
It was a Sunday evening in Moriah Chapel, and the congregation were belting out the words to the famous hymn, Calon Lân. Once their song was sung, a hush settled and the minister began to share his thoughts – in Welsh – on a passage from the Book of Jeremiah. At the same time, a few of the locals shuffled into the vestry to start making tea for the post-service refreshments. One might easily mistake this setting for a chapel in Caerphilly or Ceredigion. However, a sign above the doors in Spanish saying salida (exit) suggests otherwise. That's because this isn't Wales, but Argentina. To be precise, the town of Trelew in Chubut province, which occupies a chunk of northern Patagonia. In these parts, this year marks the 160th anniversary of the arrival of the Mimosa, a converted tea-clipper carrying 150 Welsh men, women and children. They had set sail intent on starting a new life in the new world, and on founding what they called 'a little Wales beyond Wales '. They felt that national identity was being eroded back home, due to fast-growing English interest in Welsh coal mines. 'These people travelled half way around the globe, without a clue what awaited them, and in many ways it was their sense of patriotism that drove them on through the dark times,' says Milton Rhys, an Argentinian citizen whose great-grandfather (from Port Talbot) was one of the early settlers. I met and chatted to him after the service at Moriah, one of the biggest of this province's 30-plus Welsh chapels. The dark times to which Rhys refers came in the years immediately after the Mimosa crossed the Atlantic and landed at Puerto Madryn on 28 July 1865. Now a small city, back then Puerto Madryn was just a bay, and visitors to it today barely believe their eyes when they see the grotto-like openings in the cliffs, where the immigrants spent their first nights. Built above those cliffs and offering a fine view of the sea, the Museum of Disembarkation tells the story of the Welsh arrival. It is modestly sized, but still contains several objects of interest, such as a doll and a bassinet made by women on board the Mimosa for the first Welsh child to be born in Patagonia. The settlers soon moved westwards – ie. inland. The region was as empty as they had expected. However, it boasted none of the lush green terrain one associates with Wales. This was a hard and dry place of wide-open expanses, and one which Argentina's government, based 1,000 miles north in Buenos Aires, had little interest in – a view still held in the following century when the writer, Jorge Luis Borges, asserted 'there is nothing in Patagonia'. The local area's only inhabitants were the indigenous Tehuelche, nomadic people whose lessons in hunting beasts such as the guanaco (a type of llama) proved invaluable. Eventually, the Welsh settled in the lower valley of the River Chubut: a semi-hospitable zone, around 50 miles long, where they set up farms. The key moment came, though, when one of the settlers – reportedly a woman called Rachel Jenkins – had the idea of irrigating the valley through a system of canals using waters from the river. 'From then on, things really took off,' Rhys told me, with a glint in his eye. Wheat, in particular, began to be grown successfully, and was exported far and wide. Waves of further Welsh settlers duly arrived, and towns such as Trelew, Gaiman and Dolavon were founded. It's here that the Welsh influence is most keenly felt today: each town full of bilingual road signs and flags with red dragons on. And that's not to mention the tea houses, of which Gaiman alone has five. I tried Ty Gwyn, just off the town square. After admiring the Welsh dressers, containing items ranging from rugby balls to toy sheep, I politely asked for a menu – only to be ignored by the waitress. She soon placed on my table her whole trolley's worth of homemade cakes, tarts, sponges and breads, including the biggest slice of bara brith (traditional Welsh tea bread) I've ever seen. 'No menu here,' she said, pouring tea into my cup from a bulbous pot covered with a knitted cosy. Each customer gets served all the above for a flat fee of around £20. Interestingly, the waitress spoke to me in English: a sign of the rise in international tourism in Chubut province in recent years, owing chiefly to its coastal wildlife. Spotting southern right whales is especially popular. By the end of the 19 th century, the Welsh had built a railway linking the towns of the lower Chubut valley with Puerto Madryn (newly established as a port). The railway is nowadays defunct, but the erstwhile station in Gaiman serves as the Regional Historical Museum. One can browse old copies of local Welsh-language newspapers and look at photographs of early settlers – the likes of Benjamin Brunt, who won the Best Wheat prize at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. The settlers also went on to occupy a part of Chubut hundreds of miles west, by the Andes. However, Welsh immigration fell away after the outbreak of the First World War, and the 20 th century saw an influx of Argentinian, Spanish and Italian people. Today, only around 10 per cent of Chubut province's 600,000 population have Welsh origins. Yet the Celtic influence remains strong, in part thanks to an initiative launched by the Welsh government in 1997 (and administered by the British Council) which funds the teaching of Welsh at schools and adult learning centres across the province. As for Rhys, he's a retired choirmaster who volunteers at Asociación San David, a centre in Trelew aimed at promoting all things Welsh. Every October, it hosts an eisteddfod. 'You won't see any people walking down the street with leeks,' he said. 'But here, Welsh culture here is still very much alive.' Essentials Alastair was a guest of Journey Latin America (020 3553 9647), which offers an 11-day holiday to Argentina combining Buenos Aires with Gaiman and Puerto Madryn, from £5,574 per person, including international flights, transfers, excursions and good-quality hotels on a B&B basis. Numerous airlines operate indirect flights between London and Buenos Aires. Aerolineas Argentinas flies 28 times a week between Buenos Aires and Trelew – each flight takes two hours. Posada Los Mimbres, a converted farmhouse just outside Gaiman, offers a comfortable and well-located base from which to explore the surrounding area. Doubles from £68 per night.
