Latest news with #RobertDoyle
Time of India
15 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Shortcut to weight loss? Scientists discover 'hidden' brain shortcut without nausea
Weight loss is the kind of ever-evolving and ever-elusive goal we keep on chasing throughout our whole lives. Whether it's due to reasons related to better health or just for the sake of a better appearance, weight loss ranks quite high on our to-do list. Simultaneously, shedding pounds is one of the hardest tasks to do, especially if it's the stubborn visceral fat you're trying to lose. Even with proper diet, rigorous workout, and other wellness rituals, losing a considerable amount of weight is a tough job. Unless you're resorting to fast solutions like Ozempic, Mounjaro, and medications of a similar kind. But they do come with their fair share of downsides. Enter nausea, vomiting, and whatnot! But, imagine losing weight without the nausea that often makes popular drugs like Ozempic impossible to stick with. A team led by Syracuse University's Prof. Robert Doyle has identified a brain peptide that can curb appetite and improve glucose control, without causing nausea or vomiting. Read on to know more. A 'shortcut' to weight loss: What's the science? Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) is an anti-diabetic medication used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and an anti-obesity medication used for long-term weight management. It is a peptide similar to the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1, modified with a side chain. It can be administered by subcutaneous injection or taken orally. Now, these traditional weight-loss drugs, such as GLP-1 receptor agonists (e.g., Ozempic, Wegovy), focus on neurons in the brain's hindbrain region. While effective at curbing appetite, they often cause nausea and vomiting, which causes about 70% of patients to stop treatment within a year. Enter the research team from Syracuse University, led by chemistry professor Robert Doyle. They looked beyond neurons to explore the role of brain 'support cells,' like glia and astrocytes, cells that don't transmit electrical signals but help neurons function properly. Talk about introducing science and smart work, packed together! The appetite-suppressing molecule: ODN to TDN The research team discovered that astrocytes in the hindbrain generate a natural peptide, octadecaneuropeptide (ODN), which reduces appetite and improves glucose metabolism in lab animals. Because ODN itself isn't suitable for human use, researchers created a modified version named tridecaneuropeptide (TDN). When injected into obese mice and musk shrews, TDN triggered weight loss and better blood sugar control, without causing nausea or vomiting. Why is this a shortcut? Doyle compares current drugs to running a marathon from the very start. They must navigate many steps, some causing side effects, before appetite suppression occurs. TDN, in contrast, starts the race halfway through by directly activating downstream support cells, skipping the early neuron-focused steps that provoke nausea. As quoted by Science Daily, Doyle explained, 'Instead of running a marathon from the very beginning like current drugs do, our targeting downstream pathways in support cells is like starting the race halfway through, reducing the unpleasant side effects many people experience,' adding, 'If we could hit that downstream process directly, then potentially we wouldn't have to use GLP-1 drugs with their side effects. Or we could reduce their dose, improving the toleration of these drugs. We could trigger weight loss signals that happen later in the pathway more directly.' What's next This discovery opens the door to new obesity and diabetes treatments that are potentially more tolerable and easier to stick with. To bring this to reality, a new biotech company called CoronationBio has been formed. It holds the licensing rights from Syracuse University and the University of Pennsylvania, and plans to start human clinical trials around 2026–2027. Why this discovery is 'groundbreaking' Syracuse University's discovery of a brain 'shortcut' via support cells marks a potential turning point in obesity treatment. Why? Without nausea, patients may stick to treatment longer, which means better compliance and quality of life. Moreover, TDN or similar drugs could make obesity treatments safer and more appealing to more people. Additionally, bypassing the neuron-heavy path might allow lower doses of traditional drugs when combined with this approach. Bonus point? Shifting focus from neurons to support cells could inspire more targeted approaches in brain-related treatments.
Irish Times
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Tipperary player ratings: Darragh McCarthy shines on famous day at Croke Park
1. Rhys Shelly (Moycarkey-Borris) Little he could do about Shane Barrett's goal, but a dream final otherwise, wrapped up with a beautiful point from play. Cool under the series of shots rebounding off the posts, excellent puck-outs throughout. Rating: 8 2. Robert Doyle (Clonoulty-Rossmore) A magnificent marking job on Alan Connolly, physical and tight throughout, scoring an excellent long-range point to boot. Repeatedly won key possessions in the second half, clear contender for Young Hurler of the Year. Rating: 8 3. Eoghan Connolly (Cashel King Cormacs) Tipperary's Eoghan Connolly. Photograph: Inpho Grew into the game with his blocking and tackling, with energy levels to match. Made sure Diarmuid Healy was kept quiet, and also got in on free-scoring act too. Stood up in the second half. Rating: 8 4. Michael Breen (Ballina) Rolled back the clock with one of the best games on his career, using all his experience and physicality to limit the damage done by Patrick Horgan. Never let up in his task, setting up some big scores too. Rating: 8 READ MORE 5. Craig Morgan (Kilruane McDonaghs) Brought reliability and versatility in the half-back line, matching up with Shane Barrett. Helped set the mood from the start, ran himself into the ground by the hour mark. Rating: 7 6. Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields) Tipperary's Ronan Maher. Photograph: Inpho A captain's role on All-Ireland final day won't come more memorable. Exceptional energy levels and concentration, helping ensure Brian Hayes got very limited possession. Never let up in inspiring the Tipp defence. Rating: 9 7. Bryan O'Mara (Holycross Ballycahill) Also lead by example, taking on the sweeping roll from the throw-in, allowing Willie Connors to drop back. Worked a treat. O'Mara also ran himself into the ground, injury forcing his replacement. Rating: 8 8. Willie Connors (Kiladangan) Energy levels and commitment were astonishing, Connors dropping back into the half-back line and covering an extraordinary amount of ground. Helped mark out Declan Dalton, and also helped himself to a much-deserved point. Rating: 9 9. Conor Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields) Tipperary's Conor Stakelum. Photograph: Inpho Helped lord midfield with his sheer strength and physicality, occasionally pressing things a little too hard, but his leadership was invaluable. Repeatedly got the better of Tim O'Mahony, his point from play further raising Tipp spirits. Rating: 8 10. Jake Morris (Nenagh Éire Óg) Tipp needed a big game from him, and he mostly delivered. His blocking and catching was impeccable, with some magnificent touches wrapped up in two points from play. A dream end to an excellent season already. Rating: 8 11. Andrew Ormond (JK Brackens) Shot selection was a little off at the start, but still finished with two points from play, despite the close attention of Mark Coleman. Involved in a lot of attacking play in the second half. Rating: 8 12. Sam O'Farrell (Nenagh Éire Óg) Dropped back to midfield to good effect, the 20-year-old also defying his relative lack of experience with some excellent touches against bigger men around him. Didn't score, but helped set up plenty. Rating: 8 13. Darragh McCarthy (Toomevara) Tipperary's Darragh McCarthy scores a penalty. Photograph: Inpho A stunning All-Ireland final by any standards, but rose above all expectations for a 19-year-old. Had 15 scoring chances, scored 1-13, including four from play. His coolness over the placed ball, including the penalty, was awesome. Rating: 10 14. John McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney) Had to wait for his goal chances, but when they did come, he took them with majestic vision and execution. His fetch which resulted in the penalty was a sight to behold. Rating: 9 15. Jason Forde (Silvermines) Well-marked by Seán O'Donoghue, so didn't enjoy his usual amount of possession, but still chipped in with two points from play. Worked tirelessly. Rating: 8 Bench No need for any goal heroics from Oisín O'Donoghue or the like this time, Tipp already well in their ascendency as the changes were made. Noel McGrath had the last word with his point from play, utterly fitting. Rating: 7 Management Tipperary manager Liam Cahill celebrates after the game. Photograph: Inpho Liam Cahill, Michael Bevans, Declan Laffan, and TJ Ryan can all take a bow, combining to orchestrate one of the great All-Ireland upsets of modern times. For a team considered to be in bonus territory, a performance for the ages. Rating: 9
Irish Examiner
19-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
The Tipperary club corner-forward on track for a hurling All-Star at corner-back
A week before the beginning of his debut season with Tipperary, Robert Doyle lined out at left half-forward on the TUS Midwest side that drew their Fitzgibbon Cup opener. Barring a difficult final Sunday, this debut inter-county season will conclude with All-Star corner-back selection. In last summer's local Tipp championship, Doyle lined out at corner-forward for Clonoulty-Rossmore, even further up the field again than he was for TUS Midwest in subsequent months. In their final group outing, and needing a result against Templederry Kenyons to avoid the relegation play-offs, Doyle struck 2-1 to top-score from play and steer Clonoulty clear of any trapdoor argument. But despite a club campaign that included three goals in three outings, the Tipp management didn't want him breaking lines and pilfering flags, they wanted him putting the brakes on the game's most revered forwards. Management's first job, mind, was to get him on board. Full-back for the Tipp U20s in 2023, Doyle had turned down the 2024 invitation to graduate straight into the senior set-up. 'Somebody asked me after the All-Ireland semi-final did we have a bit of a job to get him to come in, as if he wanted to be guaranteed a spot! Twas anything but that,' Tipp selector Declan Laffan clarified at the county's All-Ireland final press day. 'I won't say he needed a little bit of poking to get him on board this year. I'd be telling lies to say he didn't. It was whatever he wanted to do in his own life at the time and obviously we had spoken to him the year before, but he's in now and he's hugely important to the group and he's really delivering.' Laffan reckons Doyle's versatility may have come against him at times in the recent past. Case in point was his complete lack of defensive selection and defensive exposure between the conclusion of his Tipp U20 career in April 2023 and his senior debut 20 months later. 'With Robert, we always viewed him as a defender, and obviously when you're involved in this end of things, you're watching everything, inter-county, minor, U20, whatever's on, you're aware of it.' His debut was his half-time introduction, replacing corner-back Michael Corcoran, in the facile opening round League win over Galway. Tipperary have played 13 games since. The 22-year-old debutant has started all 13. And outside of his half-time withdrawal in the non-event that was their All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final against Laois, he's finished the other 12. Tipperary's Robert Doyle in action against Eoin Cody of Kilkenny in the All-Ireland SHC semi-final. Pic: ©INPHO/James Crombie If minutes clocked aren't enough of an indicator of the esteem management hold him in, look at the jobs he's been detailed on the run to the decider. On the Saturday evening in Ennis when winless Tipperary's championship involvement hung by a thread, the brief of the debutant was to shadow and stifle the 2024 All-Ireland final man of the match. No biggie, sure. Tony Kelly had seven first-half possessions and involvement in 1-2. Doyle, though, had four possessions, including the assist for Tipperary's third goal and secondary assist for their fourth. The first half, so, to the blue corner. And while Kelly had two second-half assists, won a converted free, and won a penalty he converted himself, Liam Sheedy would remark on the Irish Examiner's Dalo's Hurling Show that the Tipp No.2 'more or less' put Kelly 'to sleep'. A week later he issued a stronger anesthetic to Dessie Hutchinson. The Waterford captain managed one point in total. It was also the only shot at the target he managed off Doyle. Hutchinson went into the game boasting a 3-16 tally against Tipp across the four previous summer clashes. Doyle limited the corner-forward to one white flag and three possessions in the 65 minutes before he was whipped. 'For a young lad who played up front with Clonoulty, what management have done with him is off the charts,' Sheedy added. Kilkenny's Eoin Cody was another to receive short shrift last time out. Of course, Doyle's outstanding piece of semi-final interruption was to block on the goalline John Donnelly's injury-time green flag attempt. Tomorrow, he'll renew acquaintances with Alan Connolly. They've already danced this year. Connolly thrives in the company of the blue and gold. Five goals during the last three times he's shared a field with the Premier. Doyle wasn't present for the May afternoon last year when the Rockies kid raided Thurles for a championship hat-trick. He was instead preparing for a club championship where he intended to do similar. On Sunday, his latest job is to render ineffective a returned-to-form Connolly. 'He's a real quiet chap, he's not a guy that'll stick out within the group. I won't say you'll have to go looking for him but you're not going to hear him shouting around the place,' Laffan continued. 'He quietly goes about his business and look, he's a superb player and has done a huge job for us this year. We are really seeing now the true value of what he is capable of.'
Irish Times
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
All-Ireland hurling final: Nicky English's Tipperary player profiles
1. Rhys Shelly Age : 24 Club : Moycarkey-Borris SHC debut : 2023 v Limerick READ MORE Shelly has reclaimed the number-one spot after the early-season rotation. He has been very solid and like the team, is improving. Getting more confident in his puckouts and their range were seen to particularly good effect against Kilkenny. Shot stopping is also reliable. 2. Robert Doyle Age : 22 Club : Clonoulty-Rossmore SHC debut : 2025 v Limerick At this stage, he's in the running for Young Hurler of the Year. Consistently outstanding, very tight, quite wiry, strong and not afraid to play from the front. He has also used the ball very well in possession. Vital intervention at the end of the semi-final spared the GAA's blushes, bearing in mind the scoreboard controversy. Robert Doyle (left) during the All-Ireland semi-final against Kilkenny. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho 3. Eoghan Conolly Age : 25 Club : Cashel King Cormacs SHC debut : 2023 v Limerick Nominally a three but can play anywhere (he was a midfielder last year) and was outstanding at wing back against Kilkenny. Not particularly effective at full back on Alan Connolly earlier in the season, although he still scored his usual quota of impressive, long-range points. Cork came pretty hard through the middle that day. 4. Michael Breen Age : 31 Club : Ballina SHC debut : 2015 v Limerick Very experienced, strong and fast, he often picks up the opposition danger man. Has already marked Conor Whelan and Brian Hayes. Maybe his only flaw is that he over-commits in the first challenge and as a result has been rounded easily on a few occasions. Key defender for Tipp. 5. Craig Morgan Age : 26 Club : Kilruane McDonaghs SHC debut : 2022 v Waterford Versatile and dependable, he's been used at midfield during this year's league and was a corner back at underage level. Morgan is primarily a defender and a very good one. Strong and powerful, he can be a bit understated because he's not spectacular, but does a really good job. A very good player. 6. Ronan Maher Age : 29 Club : Thurles Sarsfields SHC debut : 2014 v Galway Outstanding for many years even when battling in isolation, but now well supported by younger players. Evolution into man-marking rather than stand-up central defence suits him better. Marking TJ Reid, Peter Duggan and potentially Brian Hayes appears a better fit than the pace of Darragh Fitzgibbon. Best long-distance sideline cutter around. Tipperary captain Ronan Maher taking instructions from manager Liam Cahill. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho 7. Bryan O'Mara Age : 25 Club : Holycross Ballycahill SHC debut : 2023 v Clare Since his UL Fitzgibbon days, I've been a big admirer of O'Mara. I say this even though, at times, he's left me scratching my head a bit. Recently though, he's found his feet and against Kilkenny, was outstanding in defence. Now emerging as the leader he always looked destined to become. 8. Willie Connors Age : 28 Club : Kiladangan SHC debut : 2018 v Limerick Has emerged as a key midfielder in a year of rotating partners. A very neat hurler, able to pick off scores when he gets a chance. Sometimes he is over-inclined to shoot, but he can be very happy with his year. Does his bit for 50 minutes and holds his own in most games. 9. Conor Stakelum Age : 26 Club : Thurles Sarsfields SHC debut : 2022 v Waterford Vying for second midfield position with three or four others, including his brother Darragh. They are all good players – energetic, able to tackle and compete very hard. Stakelum scored three points in a big contribution against Kilkenny when Tipp looked out of it. Has had plenty of hurling and also strengthened up. 10. Jake Morris Age : 26 Club : Nenagh Éire Óg SHC debut : 2018 v Cork If Tipp take the All-Ireland, Morris is likely to be Player of the Year as they'll hardly win without a big game from him. Beautiful touch. Outstanding even in the defeat against Cork when he carried the fight with Tipp down to 14. Has grown not just physically, but also into a major leadership role. When Jake Morris is at his best, Tipperary are generally in with a good chance of winning. Photograph: John McVitty/Inpho 11. Andrew Ormond Age : 26 Club : JK Brackens SHC debut : 2024 v Limerick Injury and bad luck delayed the fast blossoming I had expected. Returned as sub against Cork and had a real go. A fixture since and brilliant against Clare. An absolute dynamo, playing hard and thinking cleverly. Had big moments against Kilkenny, when he won hard ball and vital frees. Game changer. 12. Sam O'Farrell Age : 20 Club : Nenagh Éire Óg SHC debut : 2025 v Limerick Beautiful hurler and captained the victorious under-20s. Another versatile player who is probably suffering for it. Exceptional number seven, which is where his future probably lies, but doing a fine job at wing forward. Not at his best against Kilkenny but a significant contributor during what's been a long year for him. 13. Darragh McCarthy Age : 19 Club : Toomevara SHC debut : 2025 v Limerick An underage star and outstanding since his senior call-up in the league. McCarthy has built on that since: really good against Limerick and played well against Kilkenny, regardless of missed frees. Issue is his carelessness with the hurley. Needs to find a different way to tackle, as he can't keep putting referees in that position. 14. John McGrath Age : 30 Club : Loughmore-Castleiney SHC debut : 2016 v Cork Outstanding club hurler – and footballer – who has battled injury, especially to the Achilles tendon. McGrath's intercounty career looked done against Cork in Thurles last year. He regained confidence with the club and now, back to his best, is scoring goals. He is even creating uncertainty for Huw Lawlor, the best full back in the game. 15. Jason Forde Age : 31 Club : Silvermines SHC debut : 2013 v Kilkenny A different animal to the one missing frees in last year's league semi-final. Bright prospect and a top Fitzgibbon player with UL, but struggled at times to deliver on reputation. Excelled against Kilkenny when he took over frees from Darragh McCarthy and nailed vital ones, having scored a marvellous goal. Replacements : The midfield cover - Darragh Stakelum, Alan Tynan and Peter McGarry - is nearly interchangeable with the starters. As a result, they have been impactful and energetic. Noel McGrath brings guile and a steady hand, while Oisín O'Donoghue has brought menace up front. Management : Liam Cahill, Michael Bevans, Declan Laffan, TJ Ryan. For someone under such pressure last year, Liam Cahill couldn't have scripted this better. Most of the youngsters he introduced in the league are still there. Getting out of Munster was the main target, getting to a league final and All-Ireland semi-final has been bonus territory. This, however, is off the charts.
Irish Times
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Joe Canning: Kilkenny must get big calls right to be successful again
Kilkenny win so many matches every year that everyone has a clear idea of how they do it. It's never a mystery when they win. They're probably the most predictable team in the country. Last Sunday, all of that went out the window. It wasn't just that they lost, but how they lost: conceding four goals; not scoring a goal; not being able to manage the game against 14 men; surrendering a lead going down the stretch. None of that tallies with the way Kilkenny normally do their business. Goals were the theme of the weekend. Over the two semi-finals, 13 goals were scored. Even Dublin managed two and threatened a couple of others. Kilkenny didn't look remotely like scoring a goal until John Donnelly's shot in stoppage time was blocked on the line by Robert Doyle. The last time Kilkenny failed to score a goal in Croke Park was the 2022 Leinster final, a low scoring game that they won. Before that, you must go back another three years. READ MORE TJ Reid has always been a goal threat throughout his career but that didn't materialise on Sunday. The most effective way for Kilkenny to get the ball into his hand now is to drop it on his head, but there wasn't enough high ball going into him. His free taking was terrific on a tricky day, and he picked off his points from play, but Kilkenny needed to do more to get him into the game. Tipperary's Bryan O'Mara and Ronan Maher compete for a high ball with Kilkenny's TJ Reid and Adrian Mullen. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho They also needed a lot more from Eoin Cody and especially Adrian Mullen. He came up with two points just before he was taken off, but that substitution had been on their minds for a good while before they eventually got Stephen Donnelly on to the field. Cody and Mullen need to lead this Kilkenny attack. Not scoring a goal is a much bigger issue when you concede four. Over the years, Kilkenny have been ruthless in defence of their own goal. That wasn't the case on Sunday. Darragh McCarthy and Jason Forde got through much too easily and Oísin O'Donoghue should never have been allowed get his shot away. All three were brilliant finishes but they weren't well defended. In those situations, you would expect someone to give away a foul. You might say that's cynical but every team thinks like that. The black card penalty is obviously a deterrent but if the move gets that close to goal somebody hasn't done their job farther out. The John McGrath goal that gave Tipp a lifeline in the first 15 minutes was different. I thought it was actually well defended but the ball just broke to McGrath and his finish was top class. He used the wall of players in front of him as a shield and Eoin Murphy didn't have a clear sight of McGrath as he was striking the ball. That was pure class. This Kilkenny team are at a crossroads now. The same bunch of core players have been around for the last few years without winning an All-Ireland. In that time, they've won six Leinster titles in a row, but I don't know how much value Kilkenny people would place on that. I'd say it's a bit like Kerry with the Munster football championship; it only matters when they don't win it. In Kilkenny, just like Kerry, the year is only a success if you win the All-Ireland. Of the four teams left last weekend, Kilkenny had by far the most experience of playing big games in Croke Park, and yet they came up short again. Apart from Richie Reid, who was a sub goalie in 2015, Eoin Murphy and TJ Reid were the only players in the Kilkenny set-up last weekend who had All-Ireland medals. The worrying thing for them is that when you looked through the subs it was hard to see players who could change the game. In the last couple of years, Richie Hogan, Walter Walsh, Cillian Buckley and Conor Fogarty have all retired and with them a wealth of experience left the dressingroom. They all did a stint as impact subs before they finished up. Kilkenny had a good under-20 team this year but were well beaten by an exceptional Tipperary team in the final. It is extremely unusual that three players from that team have made a breakthrough with the Tipp seniors this season – McCarthy and Sam O'Farrell starting, O'Donoghue coming on – because it is a huge jump to make. Tipperary's Darragh McCarthy celebrates scoring his side's second goal against Kilkenny last weekend. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho None of the Kilkenny under-20s were able to make that leap, but Kilkenny will have to try to bring some of them through next year. If Derek Lyng stays on as manager he will have some big calls to make. If Kilkenny come back with the same team, it's hard to see them winning the All-Ireland next year. Liam Cahill made a lot of changes since last year. He took a chance on some young players, and his faith has been rewarded. Darragh McCarthy hasn't been scoring much from play in recent games, but he worked very hard last Sunday and held up the ball. His discipline is obviously something that needs to be cleaned up. You'd often hear fellas saying if you're going to get a yellow card or a red card, make sure it's a good one. Neither of his bookings last Sunday were good. The first one was worse than the second, but they were both needless. For a young player, especially a forward, two red cards in the same year is not good. He needs to learn fast. There's going to be a massive buzz around both counties for the next 10 days. I'm sure Tipp and Cork will have A versus B games this weekend and in my experience the B team often wins those matches because those players have nothing to lose. Some of them are only trying to break into the match day 26. At this stage Cork and Tipp don't have any secrets from each other. Coming up with something new on Sunday week could swing it.
