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COVID-19 has similar effect on brain as Parkinson’s disease

<p dir="ltr">A new study from the University of Queensland has found that being infected with COVID-19 can trigger a similar reaction in the brain to Parkinson’s disease - and they have identified a possible treatment to stop Covid’s impact on the brain in its tracks.</p> <p dir="ltr">A growing number of reports have found that Covid affects more than just our lungs, with several studies finding up to 85 percent of people with Covid, including severe, mild and asymptomatic infections, have neurological complications from being infected with the virus.</p> <p dir="ltr">This can show up in a variety of symptoms, such as headaches, dizziness, confusion, seizures, and change in mood, including depression and anxiety.</p> <p dir="ltr">The team of scientists has discovered that the virus can cause inflammation in the brain, which could make people more vulnerable to developing Parkinson's and other similar conditions.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We studied the effect of the virus on the brain’s immune cells, ‘microglia’ which are the key cells involved in the progression of brain diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s,” Professor Woodruff said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Our team grew human microglia in the laboratory and infected the cells with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We found the cells effectively became ‘angry’, activating the same pathway that Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s proteins can activate in disease, the inflammasomes.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Inflammasomes are a kind of complex of proteins that activate inflammatory responses in the body.</p> <p dir="ltr">Dr Albornoz Balmaceda, another of the 33 authors of the study published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-022-01831-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Molecular Psychiatry</a></em>, said that triggering this pathway can spark a “fire” in the brain that silently kills neurons over time in a similar way to Parkinson's and Alzheimer’s.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s kind of a silent killer, because you don’t see any outward symptoms for many years,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It may explain why some people who’ve had COVID-19 are more vulnerable to developing neurological symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease.”</p> <p dir="ltr">They also found that the triggering of the inflammasome pathway was exacerbated in people who were already predisposed to developing Parkinson’s.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So if someone is already predisposed to Parkinson’s, having COVID-19 could be like pouring more fuel on that ‘fire’ in the brain,” Professor Woodruff said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The same would apply for a predisposition for Alzheimer’s and other dementias that have been linked to inflammasomes.”</p> <p dir="ltr">While the findings are concerning, the team has also found a potential treatment that could stop the inflammation and put out the “fire” in the brain.</p> <p dir="ltr">Using inhibitory drugs developed at the University of Queensland currently being trialled with Parkinson’s patients, they found that inflammasome activation was reduced in comparison to no treatment at all.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We found it successfully blocked the inflammatory pathway activated by COVID-19, essentially putting out the fire,” Dr Balmaceda said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The drug reduced inflammation in both COVID-19-infected mice and the microglia cells from humans, suggesting a possible treatment approach to prevent neurodegeneration in the future.”</p> <p dir="ltr">As a result, Professor Woodruff said that it means that potential treatments for Covid’s impact on the brain already exist.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Further research is needed, but this is potentially a new approach to treating a virus that could otherwise have untold long-term health ramifications,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Body

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John Blackman’s advice to John Farnham following similar diagnosis

<p dir="ltr"><em>Hey Hey It’s Saturday</em> star John Blackman says John Farnham has a long road to recovery following his experience with cancer.</p> <p dir="ltr">Farnham, 73, is in a stable condition following a marathon surgery due to <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/john-farnham-hospitalised-after-cancer-diagnosis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cancerous growth in his mouth</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The singer was transferred to an intensive care unit where he is currently recovering after having a part of his jaw removed.</p> <p dir="ltr">Blackman, who had a similar procedure done after being <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/hey-hey-it-s-saturday-star-s-devastating-diagnosis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">diagnosed with an aggressive form of skin cancer</a> which saw surgeons replace his chin with a leg bone, says Farnham’s recovery will take time.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Hopefully John will get through this with as little angst as possible, and he’s going to need all the support he can get,” Blackman said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I know his family is very loving and they’re all going to gather around him.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Farnham has been surrounded by family and friends following his <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/john-farnham-health-update-after-11-hour-surgery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lengthy procedure</a> with his family releasing a statement saying he is ready to “heal”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“John has been through an eleven and a half hour surgery in Melbourne yesterday and is now in a stable condition in ICU,” Jill said in a statement.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The cancer tumour was located in his mouth and it has been successfully removed.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There is still a long road of recovery and healing ahead of us, but we know John is up for that task.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Facebook/Getty</em></p>

Caring

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‘Similar to ordering a pizza’: how buy now, pay later apps influence young people’s spending

<p>Young people are often blamed for making <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/life/weekend-australian-magazine/moralisers-we-need-you/news-story/6bdb24f77572be68330bd306c14ee8a3">irresponsible choices</a> with money.</p> <p>But the real issue is not whether they eat too many <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2016/oct/18/are-millennials-actually-bad-at-saving-or-are-houses-just-unaffordable?CMP=share_btn_fb">expensive cafe breakfasts</a>. Young Australians today face an uncertain job market, rising university fees and astronomical house prices. Unfortunately, <a href="https://theconversation.com/home-ownership-falling-debts-rising-its-looking-grim-for-the-under-40s-81619">debt</a> is also an inevitable part of their lives.</p> <p>This comes amid a huge rise in the number of “buy now, pay later” apps, such as <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-how-lending-startups-like-afterpay-make-their-money-86477">AfterPay</a>, and <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/money/costs/ripoff-financial-experts-warn-of-the-dangerous-trap-of-payday-loans/news-story/1471cc4a61594cdb9e7a724a76e534d7">payday loan apps</a>, such as <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-18/payday-lending-consumer-risk-coronavirus-financial-hardship/12549412">Nimble</a>. It is possible to make purchases online with the the tap of a button, even if you don’t have the money in your account or on your credit card. It is also possible the able to borrow money <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/whats-up-with-payday-loans/7794806">within minutes</a>.</p> <p>To better understand how young people negotiate debt, we interviewed 31 people aged between 18 and 29 in the Newcastle and Hunter Valley area in 2020 and 2021. We asked them how they access credit and their views on different kinds of debt.</p> <h2>Our study</h2> <p>Our participants saw debt as a necessity if they are going to have an acceptable life in the present and plan for the future. As Steph, a 22-year-old university student, said:</p> <blockquote> <p>Large debts like the mortgage, the HECS debt […] things like that I suppose in a sense it’s useful debt. It makes sense and it gets you further by doing it because there’s still an equity in what you’re doing … It follows you not nearly as badly as some other debts.</p> </blockquote> <p>Young people also made distinctions about the way debt feels and how approachable it is. They acknowledged short-term consumer debts may not be “good”, but felt they were also part of being able to buy the things and have the experiences associated with being young.</p> <p>Those we interviewed talked about AfterPay (where you pay off the debt in four installments) as an everyday part of life. As Alexa, a 23-year-old university student, told us:</p> <blockquote> <p>AfterPay is for just those little wants that I don’t want to pay for up front.</p> </blockquote> <p>They also described it as a low-risk and almost friendly way to buy things. This was particularly when compared to a bank. Alice, a 21-year-old sales assistant, put it this way:</p> <blockquote> <p>AfterPay is like, ‘Oh, just pay this off in four quick things and you can have your item. We’ll send it out.’ But then banks are like, ‘If you don’t pay this back, you’re going to get so much interest and it’s going to suck, and you’ll have the sheriffs roll up at your house and you’re going to be sad.’</p> </blockquote> <h2>Like ordering a pizza</h2> <p>Interviewees attributed some of this friendliness to the process of accessing the money or goods. Mia, a 21-year-old paralegal, described applying for a small loan on the Nimble app:</p> <blockquote> <p>When you apply for the money […] you can track at any point on it. The Nimble app is so similar to ordering a Domino’s pizza […] Whereas a credit card through a banking app, it’s nothing like that […] They send me letters and even opening the mail terrifies me, nothing good comes via snail mail ever.</p> </blockquote> <p>The online, easy nature of these loan services closely relates to how young people engage with information more generally in their lives. In this sense, there is a familiarity and comfort to the way they work.</p> <p>As Mia continues:</p> <blockquote> <p>[It’s] positive, it’s not daunting, it’s informative, it’s instantaneous. The second the money comes out, I get a thank you email and a notification on the app. It’s like, ‘you have this many payments left, this is how much you’ve paid, this is how much you have left to pay, you will still be paid in full by this date’. I don’t have any of that with my credit card.</p> </blockquote> <h2>Familiar tactics</h2> <p>Inteviewees also spoke of how services like AfterPay and short-term loan apps used similar tactics to social media platforms to encourage increased engagement and make the experience feel informal and even social.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429684/original/file-20211102-10001-letons.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="Young people using their phones and laptops." /> <span class="caption">Applying for a loan via an app does not involve ‘scary’ paperwork, according to interviewees.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">www.shutterstock.com</span></span></p> <p>These include “on this day” reminders (such as, “this time last year, you bought this pair of shoes”) and waiting time indicators. There are also <a href="https://theconversation.com/gamification-status-you-score-ten-points-for-reading-this-article-5068">game elements</a>, including “rewards” for early repayments.</p> <p>Interviewees were aware this was manipulative. Lilian (26) works at a chain clothing store and was “rewarded ” for paying off a purchase early.</p> <blockquote> <p>I got this thing the other day saying that my first payment [on a new purchase] is actually going to come out [later] now. Of course, I’ve been rewarded for paying everything off early [before] […] Yeah it’s like it’s delaying it, it’s not an issue now, but it’s going to be an issue in two weeks’ time.</p> </blockquote> <h2>What next?</h2> <p>Our interviewees may see debt as a necessity, but they are also aware they have (some) choices within this. So they prefer to go with providers or platforms that feel less threatening, especially as using “buy now, pay later” services sometimes does not feel like being in debt.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429686/original/file-20211102-25-9gi5ho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="Young man on his phone with a coffee." /> <span class="caption">Young people see debt as an inevitable part of life, according to new research.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">www.shutterstock.com</span></span></p> <p>There is a need for <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/calls-for-tighter-regulation-as-buy-now-pay-later-costs-mount-20210610-p57zuc.html">greater regulation</a> of the ways these products are promoted. It should always be made clear that this is a form of debt, not just a way to pay.</p> <p>Beyond, this, instead of “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2016/oct/18/are-millennials-actually-bad-at-saving-or-are-houses-just-unaffordable?CMP=share_btn_fb">blaming</a>” young people for their spending habits, we need a better understanding of the economy and society they are living and working in. And how debt it is all but inevitable for people on low wages, with poor job security and insecure housing.</p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/steven-threadgold-167968">Steven Threadgold</a>, Associate Professor, Sociology, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a></em>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-farrugia-243862">David Farrugia</a>, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Science, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a></em>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/julia-coffey-129629">Julia Coffey</a>, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a></em>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/julia-cook-869068">Julia Cook</a>, Lecturer in Sociology, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a></em>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-davies-290466">Kate Davies</a>, Human Services Lecturer, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a></em>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-senior-1284499">Kate Senior</a>, Associate Professor, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/similar-to-ordering-a-pizza-how-buy-now-pay-later-apps-influence-young-peoples-spending-170024">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Claims Meghan Markle copied her children's book

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Meghan Markle delighted fans after announcing this week that she was writing her first children's book called<span> </span><em>The Bench</em>.</p> <p>The book is based on a Father's Day poem that Markle wrote after the birth of Archie.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Meghan, Duchess of Sussex has written a children's book for <a href="https://twitter.com/PenguinUKBooks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PenguinUKBooks</a>' Random House called The Bench, about the “special bond between father and son as seen through a mother’s eyes”! More here: <a href="https://t.co/ZWcRhWj2Or">https://t.co/ZWcRhWj2Or</a> <a href="https://t.co/IuZkcAj4cF">pic.twitter.com/IuZkcAj4cF</a></p> — The Bookseller (@thebookseller) <a href="https://twitter.com/thebookseller/status/1389598440275992582?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <p>However, fans on Twitter pointed out that the book is really similar to another book called<span> </span><em>The Boy on The Bench</em>.</p> <p>One person tweeted: "Almost identical to Corrinne Averiss book 'The Boy On the Bench', even the cover."</p> <p>"I hope the author she ripped off is going to sue her, the cheek of this woman! The Boy on the Bench by Corrinne Averiss," another tweeted.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Almost Identical to Corrinne Averiss book “The Boy,on the Bench” Even the cover, identical 😠😠 <a href="https://t.co/C7p1o3n3Uy">https://t.co/C7p1o3n3Uy</a></p> — Lielikealady (@JudithNeile) <a href="https://twitter.com/JudithNeile/status/1389772937402601474?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <p>Averiss herself spoke out on the issue and slammed claims that the books are similar.</p> <p>"Reading the description and published excerpt of the Duchess's new book, this is not the same story or the same theme as The Boy on the Bench," she tweeted.</p> <p>Adding: "I don't see any similarities."</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Reading the description and published excerpt of the Duchess’s new book, this is not the same story or the same theme as The Boy on the Bench. I don’t see any similarities.</p> — Corrinne Averiss (@CorrinneAveriss) <a href="https://twitter.com/CorrinneAveriss/status/1389918927073988608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><em>The Bench</em><span> </span>will be published by Random House Children's Books in the US and distributed in Australia, New Zealand and other countries via Penguin Random House.</p> </div> </div> </div>

Books

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Twin pair: Melania Trump wears similar look to Princess Diana

<p>First Lady Melania Trump has touched down in the UK with her husband, US President Donald Trump for a special three-day state visit.    </p> <p>Melania adorned a crisp white Dolce &amp; Gabbana dress with a navy collar along with a matching broadbrimmed Hervé Pierre hat and Manolo Blahnik navy shoes.</p> <p>The First Lady greeted Queen Elizabeth while donning the chic ensemble however, that was not what sent tongues wagging.</p> <p>The 49-year-old’s outfit looked eerily similar to a white and navy outfit that royal icon, Princess Diana wore over 20 years ago.</p> <p>Royal insiders cannot be sure if the First Lady wore the outfit to pay tribute to the beloved Princess Di, who wore it on the 50th anniversary of VJ Day in 1995.</p> <p>Princess Diana, who passed away in 1997 wore several immaculate white and navy outfits throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s and was considered a fashion icon throughout her time.</p> <p>Other royal insiders noted that Mrs Trump may have taken fashion inspiration from two other “English roses”: Audrey Hepburn’s character, Eliza Dolittle in <em>My Fair Lady</em>; and Kate Winslet’s character, Rose from <em>Titanic</em>.</p> <p>The Trumps enjoyed lunch with the Queen at Buckingham Palace to mark the start of their three day state visit,</p> <p>The President and Mrs Trump were greeted outside the palace by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see Melania Trump’s display of fashion since touching down in the UK. </p>

Beauty & Style

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Suri Cruise looks just like dad Tom in this eerily similar new photo

<p>We’ve always seen Suri Cruise as almost a <a href="/news/news/2017/03/katie-holmes-new-photo-of-suri/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">carbon copy of her mum, Katie Holmes</span></strong></a>, but it seems as the 11-year-old grows up, she’s <a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2017/08/suri-cruise-looks-just-like-tom/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">taking after her famous dad Tom</span></strong></a> more and more.</p> <p>Over the weekend, Katie treated her daughter to a night out at the hockey to see the New Jersey Devils take on the New York Rangers, and we couldn’t help but notice how much Suri is starting to look like Tom.</p> <p><img width="499" height="595" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/44296/1508113205010_suri-cruise-2_499x595.jpg" alt="1508113205010_suri -cruise -2 (1)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>Can’t quite see the resemblance? Take a look at this retro shot of Tom from the ‘80s.</p> <p><img width="499" height="595" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/44297/1508113209856_tom-cruise_499x595.jpg" alt="1508113209856_TOM-CRUISE" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>The similarities – especially their eyes and smiles – are striking.</p> <p>It must be bittersweet for the youngster to look so much like dad but never get to see him – in fact, <a href="http://www.intouchweekly.com/posts/tom-cruise-daughter-suri-exclusive-133056" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">recent reports</span></strong></a> suggest they haven’t had contact in almost four years.</p> <p>But Suri still has a father figure in her life after Katie debuted her relationship with actor Jamie Foxx <a href="http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/hook-ups-break-ups/all-the-times-katie-holmes-and-jamie-foxx-nearly-got-caught-out/news-story/1535f48dfa8e468613c4f11b1a9743ee" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>last month</strong></span></a> – four years after rumours began swirling that the two were dating. And judging by the grins on both Suri and Katie’s faces, they’re both more than content with family life at the moment.</p> <p>What do you think of the uncanny resemblance between Suri and Tom Cruise? Tell us in the comments below. </p>

Movies

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Spot the difference: Pets and their stuffed toy replicas are strikingly similar

<p>We’re just a little obsessed with the Instagram of Cuddle Clones, a stuffed toy company in the US which custom-makes stuffed animals of your pets.</p><p>CEO Jennifer Williams thought up the amazing idea when she couldn’t find a generic stuffed animal that was similar to her Great Dane, Rufus.</p><p>“She couldn’t buy anything off the shelf that would look like him,” co-founder Adam Greene told BuzzFeed. “We found there really was a need from this and no one really was fulfilling it out there.”</p><p>While the company do ship to Australia, the cost of creating a personalised stuffed animal and shipping doesn’t come cheap (prices start at $179). So in the meantime, we’ll just coo over other pets and their adorable stuffed toy replicas.</p><p><em>Find more at their <a href="https://instagram.com/cuddleclones/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Instagram</span></a>.</em></p><p><strong>Related links:</strong></p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/lifestyle/pets/2015/04/cats-and-kittens/">10 adorable cats and their mini-me partners in crime</a></strong></em></span></p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/lifestyle/pets/2015/03/secret-life-of-pets/">The secret life of pets: A cat who regularly visits the supermarket and a dog who rides the bus solo</a></strong></em></span></p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/lifestyle/pets/2014/09/the-benefits-of-having-a-pet/">Why having a pet is SO good for you</a></strong></em></span></p>

Family & Pets

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