SharecloseShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesScientists who discovered how our bodies feel the warmth of the sun or the hug of a loved one have won the Nobel Prize. David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian, from the US, share the 2021 prize in Medicine or Physiology for their work on sensing touch and temperature. They unpicked how our bodies convert physical sensations into electrical messages in the nervous system.Their findings could lead to new ways of treating pain.Heat, cold and touch are crucial for experiencing the world around us and for our own survival.But how our bodies actually do it had been one of the great mysteries of biology. Image source, Karolinska InstituteThomas Perlman, from the Nobel Prize Committee, said: “It was a very important and profound discovery.”Prof David Julius’s breakthrough, at the University of California, San Francisco, came from investigating the burning pain we feel from eating a hot chilli pepper. He experimented with the source of a chilli’s heat – the chemical capsaicin.Image source, Getty ImagesHe discovered the specific type of receptor (a part of our cells that detects the world around them) that responded to capsaicin.Further tests showed the receptor was responding to heat and kicked in at “painful” temperatures. This is what happens, for example, if you burn your hand on a cup of coffee. The discovery led to a flurry of other temperature-sensors being discovered. Prof Julius and Prof Ardem Patapoutian found one that could detect cold. Meanwhile, Prof Patapoutian, working at the Scripps Research institute, was also poking cells in a dish.Those experiments led to the discovery of a different type of receptor that was activated in response to mechanical force or touch. When you walk along a beach and feel the sand under your feet – it is these receptors that are sending signals to the brain. Just in! New medicine laureate Ardem Patapoutian and his son Luca, watching the #NobelPrize press conference shortly after finding out the happy news.Stay tuned for our interview with Patapoutian coming up soon!Photographer: Nancy Hong pic.twitter.com/44OCpRSTki— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 4, 2021
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on TwitterThese touch and temperature sensors have since been shown to have a wide role in the body and in some diseases. The first heat sensor (called TRPV1) is also involved in chronic pain and how our body regulates its core temperature. The touch receptor (PIZ02) has multiple roles, from urinating to blood pressure. The Prize Committee said their work had “allowed us to understand how heat, cold and mechanical force can initiate the nerve impulses that allow us to perceive and adapt to the world around us.”It added: “This knowledge is being used to develop treatments for a wide range of disease conditions, including chronic pain.”The pair will share the 10m Swedish kronor (£845,000) prize.Follow James on TwitterPrevious winners2020 – Michael Houghton, Harvey Alter and Charles Rice for the discovery of the virus Hepatitis C.2019 – Sir Peter Ratcliffe, William Kaelin and Gregg Semenza for discovered how cells sense and adapt to oxygen levels2018 – James P Allison and Tasuku Honjo for discovering how to fight cancer using the body’s immune system2017- Jeffrey Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael Young for unravelling how bodies keep a circadian rhythm or body clock2016 – Yoshinori Ohsumi for discovering how cells remain healthy by recycling waste2015 – William C Campbell, Satoshi Ōmura and Youyou Tu for anti-parasite drug discoveriesRelated Internet LinksThe Nobel Prize in Physiology or MedicineThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

SharecloseShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingimage sourceGetty ImagesMiddle-aged spread cannot be blamed on a waning metabolism, according to an unprecedented analysis of the body’s energy use. The study, of 6,400 people, from eight days old up to age 95, in 29 countries, suggests the metabolism remains “rock solid” throughout mid-life.It peaks at the age of one, is stable from 20 to 60 and then inexorably declines. Researchers said the findings gave surprising new insights about the body. Ripped musclesThe metabolism is every drop of chemistry needed to keep the body going. And the bigger the body – whether that is ripped muscles or too much belly fat – the more energy it will take to run.So the researchers tweaked their measurements, adjusting for body size, to compare people’s metabolism “pound for pound”. The study, published in the journal Science, found four phases of metabolic life:birth to age one, when the metabolism shifts from being the same as the mother’s to a lifetime high 50% above that of adults a gentle slowdown until the age of 20, with no spike during all the changes of pubertyno change at all between the ages of 20 and 60a permanent decline, with yearly falls that, by 90, leave metabolism 26% lower than in mid-life”It is a picture we’ve never really seen before and there is a lot of surprises in it,” one of the researchers, Prof John Speakman, from the University of Aberdeen, said.”The most surprising thing for me is there is no change throughout adulthood – if you are experiencing mid-life spread you can no longer blame it on a declining metabolic rate.”Childhood malnutritionOther surprises came from what the study did not find. There was no metabolic surge during either puberty or pregnancy and no slowdown around the menopause. The high metabolism in the first years of life also emphasise how important a moment it is in development and why childhood malnutrition can have lifelong consequences. “When people talk about metabolism, they think diet and exercise – but it is deeper than that, we are actually watching your body, your cells, at work,” Prof Herman Pontzer, from Duke University, told BBC News.”They are incredibly busy at one year old and when we see declines with age, we are seeing your cells stopping working.”image sourceGetty ImagesPeople’s metabolism was measured using doubly labelled water.Made from heavier forms of the hydrogen and oxygen atoms that make up water, this can be tracked as it leaves the body.But doubly labelled water is incredibly expensive, so it took researchers working together across 29 countries to gather data on 6,400 people.Drug dosesThe researchers said fully understanding the shifting metabolism could have implications in medicine.Prof Pontzer said it could help reveal whether cancers spread differently as the metabolism changes and if drug doses could be adjusted during different phases.And there is even discussion about whether drugs that modify the metabolism could slow diseases of old age.Drs Rozalyn Anderson and Timothy Rhoads, from the University of Wisconsin, said the “unprecedented” study had already led to “important new insights into human metabolism”.And it “cannot be a coincidence” diseases of old age kicked in as the metabolism fell. Obesity epidemicProf Tom Sanders, from King’s College London, said: “Interestingly, they found very little differences in total energy expenditure between early adult life and middle age – a time when most adults in developed countries put on weight. “These findings would support the view that the obesity epidemic is fuelled by excess food energy intake and not a decline in energy expenditure.”Dr Soren Brage, from the University of Cambridge, said the total amount of energy used had been “notoriously difficult to measure”.”We urgently need to turn our attention not only to the global energy crisis defined by the burning of fossil fuels but also the energy crisis that is caused by not burning enough calories in our own bodies.”Follow James on Twitter.

SharecloseShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingimage sourceGetty ImagesMiddle-aged spread cannot be blamed on a waning metabolism, according to an unprecedented analysis of the body’s energy use. The study, of 6,400 people, from eight days old up to age 95, in 29 countries, suggests the metabolism remains “rock solid” throughout mid-life.It peaks at the age of one, is stable from 20 to 60 and then inexorably declines. Researchers said the findings gave surprising new insights about the body. Ripped musclesThe metabolism is every drop of chemistry needed to keep the body going. And the bigger the body – whether that is ripped muscles or too much belly fat – the more energy it will take to run.So the researchers tweaked their measurements, adjusting for body size, to compare people’s metabolism “pound for pound”. The study, published in the journal Science, found four phases of metabolic life:birth to age one, when the metabolism shifts from being the same as the mother’s to a lifetime high 50% above that of adults a gentle slowdown until the age of 20, with no spike during all the changes of pubertyno change at all between the ages of 20 and 60a permanent decline, with yearly falls that, by 90, leave metabolism 26% lower than in mid-life”It is a picture we’ve never really seen before and there is a lot of surprises in it,” one of the researchers, Prof John Speakman, from the University of Aberdeen, said.”The most surprising thing for me is there is no change throughout adulthood – if you are experiencing mid-life spread you can no longer blame it on a declining metabolic rate.”Childhood malnutritionOther surprises came from what the study did not find. There was no metabolic surge during either puberty or pregnancy and no slowdown around the menopause. The high metabolism in the first years of life also emphasise how important a moment it is in development and why childhood malnutrition can have lifelong consequences. “When people talk about metabolism, they think diet and exercise – but it is deeper than that, we are actually watching your body, your cells, at work,” Prof Herman Pontzer, from Duke University, told BBC News.”They are incredibly busy at one year old and when we see declines with age, we are seeing your cells stopping working.”image sourceGetty ImagesPeople’s metabolism was measured using doubly labelled water.Made from heavier forms of the hydrogen and oxygen atoms that make up water, this can be tracked as it leaves the body.But doubly labelled water is incredibly expensive, so it took researchers working together across 29 countries to gather data on 6,400 people.Drug dosesThe researchers said fully understanding the shifting metabolism could have implications in medicine.Prof Pontzer said it could help reveal whether cancers spread differently as the metabolism changes and if drug doses could be adjusted during different phases.And there is even discussion about whether drugs that modify the metabolism could slow diseases of old age.Drs Rozalyn Anderson and Timothy Rhoads, from the University of Wisconsin, said the “unprecedented” study had already led to “important new insights into human metabolism”.And it “cannot be a coincidence” diseases of old age kicked in as the metabolism fell. Obesity epidemicProf Tom Sanders, from King’s College London, said: “Interestingly, they found very little differences in total energy expenditure between early adult life and middle age – a time when most adults in developed countries put on weight. “These findings would support the view that the obesity epidemic is fuelled by excess food energy intake and not a decline in energy expenditure.”Dr Soren Brage, from the University of Cambridge, said the total amount of energy used had been “notoriously difficult to measure”.”We urgently need to turn our attention not only to the global energy crisis defined by the burning of fossil fuels but also the energy crisis that is caused by not burning enough calories in our own bodies.”Follow James on Twitter.

SharecloseShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingimage copyrightGetty ImagesPeople have been told to watch out for sunburn and heat exhaustion after the Met Office issued two new-style extreme heat weather warnings.With the hot weather set to last until Friday, here’s what you need to know about its effects on the body.What does extreme heat do to our bodies?As the body gets hotter, blood vessels open up. This leads to lower blood pressure and makes the heart work harder to push the blood around the body.This can cause mild symptoms such as an itchy heat rash or swollen feet as blood vessels become leaky. At the same time, sweating leads to the loss of fluids and salt and, crucially, the balance between them in the body changes. This, combined with the lowered blood pressure, can lead to heat exhaustion. Symptoms include:dizzinessnausea faintingconfusionmuscle crampsheadaches heavy sweating tirednessIf blood pressure drops too far, the risk of heart attacks rises.Why do our bodies react this way?Our bodies strive to keep a core temperature of about 37.5C whether we’re in a snowstorm or a heatwave.It is the temperature our bodies have evolved to work at. But as the weather gets hotter, the body has to work harder to keep its core temperature down.It opens more blood vessels near the skin to lose heat to our surroundings and starts sweating.As the sweat evaporates, it dramatically increases the heat lost from the skin.What should I do if I see someone with heat exhaustion?If they can be cooled down within half an hour, then heat exhaustion is not normally serious.The NHS advice is to: Move them to a cool place.Get them to lie down and raise their feet slightlyGet them to drink plenty of water – sports or rehydration drinks are also OKCool their skin – spray or sponge them with cool water and fan them. Cold packs around the armpits or neck are good tooHowever, if they do not recover within 30 minutes, then what follows is heat stroke.It is a medical emergency and you should call 999.People with heat stroke may stop sweating even though they are too hot, their temperature may pass 40C and they may have seizures or lose consciousness. image copyrightGetty ImagesWho is more at risk?Old age or some long-term conditions, such as heart disease, can leave people less able to cope with the strain heat puts on the body.Diabetes can make the body lose water more quickly and some complications of the disease can alter blood vessels and the ability to sweat. Children and those who are less mobile may also be more vulnerable. Brain diseases, such as dementia, can also leave people unaware of the heat or unable to do anything about it.People who are homeless will also be more exposed to the sun. Those living in top-floor flats will also face higher temperatures.How to sleep in the heat?Is tea and coffee dehydrating?Sun cream: How much to use and what to do if you burnDo some drugs increase the risk?Yes – but people should keep taking their medication as normal and need to make more effort to stay cool and hydrated.Diuretics – sometimes called “water pills” – increase the amount of water the body expels. They are taken widely, including for heart failure. In high temperatures, they increase the dangers of dehydration and imbalances in key minerals in the body.Antihypertensives – which lower blood pressure – can combine with the blood vessels that are dilating to cope with the heat and cause dangerous drops in blood pressure.Some drugs for epilepsy and Parkinson’s can block sweating and make it harder for the body to cool itself.And other drugs such as lithium or statins can become more concentrated and problematic in the blood if there is too much fluid loss. Does heat kill?Yes.There are about 2,000 deaths caused by high temperatures in England every year.Most of these will be heart attacks and strokes caused by the strain of trying to keep body temperatures stable.The higher death rate starts to kick in once the thermometer passes 25C-26C.However, the evidence suggests the deaths tend to be caused by higher temperatures in spring or early summer rather than “peak summer”.This could be because we start to change our day-to-day behaviour as summer progresses and we get more used to dealing with the heat.The evidence from previous heatwaves is the increase in deaths happens very quickly – within the first 24 hours of the heatwave. How do I keep cool?Make sure you’re drinking enough water or milk. Tea and coffee are also fine. The one to watch out for is excessive alcohol as it can increase the risk of dehydration. If it’s hotter outside than inside your home, then you might be better off keeping the windows closed and the curtains drawn. Follow James on Twitter.

SharecloseShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingimage copyrightGetty ImagesChildren over 12 who are at higher risk of getting ill if they catch Covid will be offered the jab, the vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi has confirmed. But the vast majority of children in the UK, who are low risk, will not be offered the vaccine for now. However, some healthy children over 12 who live with other vulnerable people can have the vaccine, as well as those on the cusp of turning 18. It means, overall, around 370,000 children will be eligible. The UK is in marked contrast with other countries – such as the US and Canada – which have mass vaccinated children aged 12 to 17.Which children are being vaccinated and why?How can I prove I’m fully vaccinated?Covid rules from 19 July: What has changed?The decision is based on recommendations from the UK’s vaccines experts – the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). Ministers in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each then approve the plans.Those newly eligible include vulnerable children, aged 12 to 15, with:severe neurodisabilityDown’s syndromea severely weakened immune system, including some children with cancerthose with profound and multiple learning difficulties. Vulnerable 16 and 17-year-olds were already able to get the vaccine. Those aged 12 to 17 will also be offered a vaccine if they live with somebody with a weak immune system. Teenagers within three months of their 18th birthday will be offered the jab – the aim is to protect people leaving school before they start work or university. Mr Zahawi said the NHS had been asked to offer the vaccine as soon as possible and that eligible children would be contacted by the health service. Should all children get a vaccine?Heart inflammation link to Pfizer and Moderna jabsThey will all be offered the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine because it is the only one approved for use in children aged 12 to 17 in the UK.The European Medicines Agency says heart inflammation following the vaccine is a very rare side effect which can be treated with rest and anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen. Do you have any questions about masks, rule changes and vaccinations?Send your questions to yourquestions@bbc.co.ukWhatsApp us at +44 7756 165803Tweet us @BBC_HaveYourSayPlease read our terms & conditions and privacy policyProf Anthony Harnden, the deputy chairman of the JCVI, said: “The primary aim of the vaccination programme has always been to prevent hospitalisations and deaths. “Based on the fact that previously well children, if they do get Covid-19, are likely to have a very mild form of the disease, the health benefits of vaccinating them are small.”Fewer than 30 children have died with Covid in the UK. The JCVI also says the benefit of vaccinating children to prevent the virus spreading to older age groups is unclear with so many vulnerable adults already fully immunised.Nor is there good evidence that giving children the vaccine could prevent them getting long Covid, says the JCVI. But Prof Lawrence Young, a virologist Warwick Medical School, said: “This is a worrying decision at a time when we are now relying on vaccination and personal responsibility, as opposed to mandated restrictions, to get us through the pandemic. “While infected children mostly get mild symptoms, Covid-19 causes more deaths and hospitalisations in children compared to other viral diseases which have been deemed severe enough to warrant vaccination for example flu.”Follow James on TwitterBEING BRITISH BANGLADESHI: Ali Shahalom, or Ali Official, explores what it’s like to be British-Bangladeshi in the UKTHE SHOCKING FALL OF A SUPER-INFLUENCER: The influencer who claimed she had cancer

SharecloseShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingimage copyrightGetty ImagesHeart inflammation is a “very rare” side-effect of the Covid vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna, according to regulators in Europe. The European Medicines Agency said the side-effects were more common in younger men.The medicines safety body said the benefits of Covid vaccines continue to far outweigh any risks. But doctors and patients have been advised to be aware of the symptoms of heart inflammation. These include chest pain, a feeling of breathlessness and a pounding or fluttering heartbeat. Anyone with these symptoms should see a doctor. Two conditions were linked to the vaccines – inflammation of the heart muscle itself, known as myocarditis, and inflammation of the fluid-filled sac the heart sits in, known as pericarditis. The EMA analysis of cases found:Pfizer-BioNTech – 145 cases of myocarditis and 138 cases of pericarditis out of 177m doses givenModerna – 19 case of myocarditis and 19 cases of pericarditis out of 20 million doses givenFive people died. The review said they were all either elderly or had other health conditions. The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has also been investigating the link. It reported: “A consistent pattern of cases occurring more frequently in young males and shortly after the second dose of the vaccines.”These reports are extremely rare, and the events are typically mild with individuals usually recovering within a short time with standard treatment and rest,” it added.Most cases are thought to be within 14 days of vaccination. While the risk is very rare, it is more likely to develop in young people – who are currently the focus on the vaccination campaign in the UK. Concerns about the side-effects have already played into the UK debate around vaccinating children, who are at lower risk of Covid.Myocarditis and pericarditis will be officially listed as side-effects in the UK and Europe, mirroring a move by the regulators in the US last month.”The chance of these conditions occurring is very low, but you should be aware of the symptoms so that you can get prompt medical treatment to help recovery and avoid complications,” the EMA said. The link with heart inflammation was found only in the vaccines that rely on mRNA technology to train the immune system. The was no link found for vaccines such as Oxford-AstraZeneca or Janssen, which use a genetically modified virus.However, the EMA has advised anyone with a history of capillary leak syndrome should not be given the Janssen vaccine. This is a rare but serious syndrome in which fluid leaks from blood vessels in the body.Follow James on Twitter

SharecloseShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingimage copyrightWorld Mosquito ProgrammeDengue fever cases have been cut by 77% in a “groundbreaking” trial that manipulates the mosquitoes that spread it, say scientists. They used mosquitoes infected with “miraculous” bacteria that reduce the insect’s ability to spread dengue. The trial took place in Yogyakarta city, Indonesia, and is being expanded in the hope of eradicating the virus. The World Mosquito Programme team says it could be a solution to a virus that has gone around the world. Few people had heard of dengue 50 years ago, but it has been a relentless slow-burning pandemic and cases have increased dramatically. In 1970, only nine countries had faced severe dengue outbreaks, now there are up to 400 million infections a year. Dengue is commonly known as “break-bone fever” because it causes severe pain in muscles and bones and explosive outbreaks can overwhelm hospitals. The enemy of my enemyThe trial used mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia bacteria. One of the researchers, Dr Katie Anders, describes them as “naturally miraculous”.Wolbachia doesn’t harm the mosquito, but it camps out in the same parts of its body that the dengue virus needs to get into. The bacteria compete for resources and make it much harder for dengue virus to replicate, so the mosquito is less likely to cause an infection when it bites again. image copyrightWorld Mosquito ProgrammeThe trial used five million mosquito eggs infected with Wolbachia. Eggs were placed in buckets of water in the city every two weeks and the process of building up an infected population of mosquitoes took nine months. Yogyakarta was split into 24 zones and the mosquitoes were released only in half of them. The results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed a 77% reduction in cases and an 86% reduction in people needing hospital care when the insects were released.”It’s very exciting, it’s better than we could have hoped for to be honest,” Dr Anders told the BBC. The technique has been so successful the mosquitoes have been released across the whole city and the project is moving to surrounding areas with the aim of eradicating dengue in the region. Dr Anders, who is also the director of impact assessment at the World Mosquito Programme, said: “This result is groundbreaking.”We think it can have an even greater impact when it is deployed at scale in large cities around the world, where dengue is a huge public health problem.”Wolbachia are also spectacularly manipulative and can alter the fertility of their hosts to ensure they are passed on to the next generation of mosquitoes. It means once Wolbachia has been established, it should stick around for a long time and continue to protect against dengue infection. This is in sharp contrast to other control methods – such as insecticides or releasing large numbers of sterile male mosquitoes – that need to be kept up in order to suppress the blood-suckers. Dr Yudiria Amelia, the head of disease prevention in Yogyakarta City, said: “We are delighted with the outcome of this trial. “We hope this method can be implemented in all areas of Yogyakarta and further expanded in all cities in Indonesia.”The trial is a significant landmark after years of research as the species of mosquito that spreads dengue – Aedes aegypti – is not normally infected with Wolbachia.Disease modelling studies have also predicted Wolbachia could be enough to completely suppress dengue fever if it can be established.David Hamer, a professor of global health and medicine at Boston University, said the method had “exciting potential” for other diseases such as Zika, yellow fever and chikungunya; which are also spread by mosquito bites. Follow James on Twitter

SharecloseShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingimage copyrightGetty ImagesA major trial to detect one of the most elusive and deadly cancers – ovarian – has failed to save lives, after two decades of work. The researchers, at University College London, said the results were a disappointment – and thanked the 200,000 people who participated. The trial had looked promising, with annual blood tests detecting cases of ovarian cancer earlier.But routine screening for the cancer is now a distant prospect. Ovarian cancer is tricky to diagnose because the symptoms are easily mistaken for less serious health problems. They include:feeling bloateda swollen or painful stomachquickly feeling full when eatingneeding to urinate more frequently”Some women are diagnosed so late they are too sick to start treatment,” the trial’s lead investigator, Prof Usha Menon, said. And two out of every three patients die within a decade of diagnosis.The UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening – the largest in the world – tracked levels of CA125, a chemical released by ovarian tumours, in the blood and sent participants in whom they were rising for an ultrasound scan.And this led to:39% more stage-one or two cases of cancer being detected10% fewer stage-three or four cases But the final results, published in the Lancet medical journal, showed the screening had failed to save lives. Prof Menon told BBC News: “I was hoping there’d be something in this – it is disappointing news.”It is about not giving up at this point – we have suffered a setback and need to get up and march forward again.”There is some evidence the cases detected earlier than usual were still highly aggressive and hard to treat. And the researchers say they may need to find cancers even earlier and in even more women to affect survival rates. ‘Decade away’Scientists hoping to detect ovarian cancer early are now looking at other chemicals in the blood, fragments of DNA released by tumours and exosomes – microscopic fatty spheres break off cancerous cells.But these would have to go through the same long-term, large-scale trials. “Realistically, this means we have to reluctantly accept that population screening for ovarian cancer is more than a decade away,” Prof Ian Jacobs, from the University of New South Wales, said.”This is deeply disappointing and frustrating given the hope of all involved that we would save the lives of thousands of women.”‘Quite vague’About 4,000 people die from ovarian cancer every year in the UK alone. Cancer Research UK chief executive Michelle Mitchell said people needed to be more aware of the symptoms. “Symptoms of ovarian cancer can be quite vague [so] whether it’s needing to go to the toilet more often, pain, bloating or something else, raise it with your GP,” she said.”In most cases it won’t be cancer – but it’s best to get it checked out.”Follow James on Twitter