Evolution&Security- the site on things which really matter

  • When security kills. NATO country inflicting humanitarian crisis, Russia’s civilized rule of war

    By Marta Koblańska, 8.08.2025, 11:00 Poland’s time, photo: Gaza, thanks to Hosnysalah, Pixabay

    Are we witnessing a shift in NATO policy toward civilians? Israeli plans to take over Gaza and get rid of Palestinians may be an example. At the same time, Russia is washing its hands in its war against Ukraine.

    The fact that Russia inflicted a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine’s Mariupol at the beginning of the ongoing war in Ukraine should not be a topic for discussion. However, the country finally opened humanitarian corridors and slightly modified its war tactics against Ukraine. That does not mean attacks on and destruction of energy infrastructure do not impose such a crisis. They do, but not immediately; nevertheless, seasonally, particularly during the winter, the results of destroyed infrastructure are acute. Of course, Russians, as CNN recently showed, are keen to show their mercy. Undertaken moves to split off Cherson after the bridge connecting both parts of the city has been blown up, and displace its citizens (they were given a week to leave) may be an example of a new occupation strategy.

    Russians may say ,,look, we are in, but we save lives of people – women, so please, do not imply we are not a civilized nation”. Of course that’s better than killing and showing it in a TV –  ,,see what we can do, when you do not accept our rule”. But, no matter if one likes it or not, Ukraine is losing ground as earlier reports stipulated about 100-120 losses in people in Ukraine’s troops daily.

    In Gaza climate is hot, so any disturbance can cause diseases, famine, and, as a consequence, a substantial increase in hate. And that should not be ignored by any side of the conflict, no matter who started it. CNN recently suggested an immediate ceasefire in the region for 30 days on condition that Hamas would release the living hostages by that time. If it fails, Israel can automatically renew its military strikes. Some moves have been undertaken to alleviate the humanitarian crisis, such as controlled trade, airdrops, or allowing more lorries with aid to enter.

    However, still, as the World Health Organization states, the majority of children’s nutrition status in Gaza is highly questionable. Images from the region are horrifying, and they are not just Hamas propaganda. Of course, there are more children in Gaza needing help, both in medical services and nutrition intake, than hostages taken by Hamas, so the time to repair the damages made to the youngest ones will last substantially longer. But it does not mean Hamas can stop delivering a minimum food and water to hostages. Moreover, the organization should care for the hostages as much as possible. Why? Paradox, but those innocent people represent the only chance that the Israeli Prime Minister abandons his plans and shows will to negotiate the second ceasefire deal for Gaza.

  • Why does the most advanced country in medicine wipe out another that needs health aid?

    By Marta Koblańska, August 1, 13:00 Polish time, Photo thanks to Elstef, Pixabay

    Israel continues its harsh response following Hamas’s dumb attack on the country, which resulted in the deaths and abductions of innocent and politically uninvolved individuals. As a result, Palestinians are suffering hell.

    If one were to assess the value of a single life in the Middle East, the calculations would vary greatly between different countries in the region. This difference can partly be attributed to the fact that these assessments were made some time ago and are updated periodically. Currently, a Palestinian life seems to carry less value, and unfortunately, this devaluation can be seen in various parts of the world, where some nations are regarded as less valuable than others. The fairness of this situation is irrelevant.

    Eighty years after the end of the Second World War and the establishment of new global norms, Israel—which has made enormous efforts to save its citizens—is simultaneously inflicting suffering and starvation on others. However, in 2022, the number of work permits for Gazans in Israel increased. 

    Following the breakdown of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, which both parties had responsibly upheld, recent data from Palestinian health officials indicates around 8,500 new deaths in the Gaza Strip. Since the onset of Israel’s military response in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, approximately 70,000 Palestinians have been killed, with some sources estimating total casualties to be around 100,000.

    Israel initially lost 1,200 people in the Hamas attack in October 2023, and 251 individuals were taken into captivity under conditions that are better not specified. Fortunately, some of them were released. 

    Tragically, Hamas eventually refused to release all of them on schedule, despite this being outlined in the ceasefire agreement reached in January 2025. According to reports from aid and medical agencies, now, approximately 10 to 12 Palestinians die every hour, not including those already killed or counted as deceased. 

     

  • How do power prices account for the security of social welfare?

    By Marta Koblanska, 29 July 2025, 12.10 Polish time, Photo thanks to geralt, Pixabay

    After Poland jumped to the top of the global rating of electricity prices for business at the end of 2023, the country suddenly downgraded its position at the end of 2024.

    Security of power supply stipulates a suitable amount of energy delivered when needed on condition accepted by a buyer in the short and medium-term (long-term in case of investments that need a longer period of return, which usually are the green-field ones. Those bring job places but also cost money for an investor). That means the power price is crucial for the competitiveness of businesses and their security to continue. Consumption of goods depends on their price and whether these are goods critical for existence, while power is always critical for existence.

    We can choose not to buy chocolate, but we must purchase essentials like bread and medicine. Therefore, the price of goods for individual consumers must be affordable, while investors providing these products should still achieve the planned rate of return outlined in the business feasibility study. Sometimes, countries waive taxes to preserve or create jobs, but this usually occurs when a company’s operating costs exceed its expected profits. The general principle to encourage business stability is to maintain a consistent legal framework, along with manageable operating costs that include labor and energy expenses, relative to the product’s price and forecasted demand. The link here is thus clear – the more energy costs, the cheaper the labor has to be. 

    Moreover, the more power weights in the total costs of production or functioning of any business, the higher the price of a product. In the worst scenario, the price of the final product becomes impossible to afford for the consumer, or there are available similar goods at a lower price. And that means business bankruptcy or withdrawal from the area it was set due to the decline of its feasibility. Power prices for Poland may explain why many companies are now facing employment reductions, closure, or simply canceling their planned investments. But at the same time, too low a power price may bring instability, and the assessment of the area it applies to may not be in favour. Why? Because of possible or foreseen disruptions. And in this case, it is not really important whether the perceived disruptions are a genuine threat or just the effect of the government’s policy.

    According to ,,Global Petrol Prices,” the price per 1kwh of power at the end of 2023 accounted for 2,175 zł (PLN) in Poland. Italy paid 1,851 and the UK 1,837 zł at that time. An average-sized bakery may need roughly 100 thousand kWh of electricity a year. That makes the total cost about 217 thousand PLN annually in Poland. In comparison, the price in the US equaled 0,527 zł for kWh and in Portugal 0,598 at the end of 2023. At the end of 2024, the power price for businesses in Poland amounted to 1,19 zł per kWh zł (0,329 USD), in Germany 0,292 USD, 0,478 USD in the UK, 0,423 USD in Italy, 0,185 USD in France, and 0,143 USD in the US. ( Cruel but true, rapid price drop can mean the economy is shrinking and energy intake is no longer sufficient for its buyers, i.e., quotas are somehow limited.) So, how can the business in Poland compete with this one operating in another area, particularly on the EU free market? The natural way is a bonus for the location. But it matters only for domestic or surrounding markets. Exports also cost as transport needs energy as well, and this energy comes in majority, so far from oil.

    What’s not very popular, but true, electricity is usually more expensive in more developed countries and countries with, what is a paradox, more stable economy (apart from those with the majority of nuclear power in general intake– i.e. France or the US, where historically energy is very cheap). The key is how the energy cost is shared in an average income or profits earned from the location business operates. For instance, Norway maintains quite high power prices despite its natural reserves and being an exporter, so does the UK, but at the same time, the countries keep salaries and other costs at a level that allows businesses to cope with power prices. Luxembourg’s prices place in the middle of the rating (0,22 USD per kWh in December 2024). But Poland further ranks behind such tax-free zones as Cayman (0,384 USD) or the Bahamas (0,354 per kWh) despite the obvious bonus due to location. Nevertheless, to be fair, with no advantages in terms of taxes and the population size. The only consolation, although in question, is that Slovakia’s position is not so far from Poland’s. But still with a price for business much below 2 zł per kWh in 2023 and 0,297 USD per kWh at the end of 2024. The Czech Republic’s price for business is 0,239 USD per kWh in December 2024. Ukraine’s – 0,166 USD.

    Why does the situation in Poland look as it does? Partly because Polish Oil and Gas Company PGNiG, a part of Orlen Group now, is buying a substantial share of natural gas in Amsterdam. That gas has to be delivered to the country. That means transit fees for the Netherlands and Germany if transported via pipes or stockpiling and shipping fees if transported via sea. This is why the stock price is different than the price for the final buyer. Some costs are included in tariffs. Small business in Poland constitutes 40 percent of the gas market share, and it has to pay more for gas because of the location, although this is not so bad (in the middle of Europe). The transport from the Netherlands is for a longer distance, so automatically, Poland pays more than Germany for the same gas or oil (the price also depends on the quantities). However, Germany is now taking a substantial portion of oil also from India at favourable prices as India can give discounts because it benefits from them anyway. In Poland, the government guarantees, instead, a pension after 10 years of work in India and one payment to Poland’s retirement incumbent ZUS. (An open question could be if the UK finally managed to sign a new trade deal with India?). This all ends with lower electricity prices for Germany and better-paid labor, while in Poland, the government is trying to further cut labor costs. In addition, business in Poland pays some costs of individual consumption of natural gas in line with old legal obligations. The average price for gas used for cooking, i.e., in the group of weakest consumption, equals in Poland about 6,5 percent of income. In Germany, almost 12 percent of the group with the lowest earnings. But the minimum wage per hour in Poland is about PLN 32-33 zł (gross), in Germany, almost double. That all makes the costs of living comparable or sometimes higher in Poland than in Germany. Why? Partly due to the currency used for shopping payments, and different interest rates set in line with inflation targets. In Europe, the latter one also depends on an average power price and the market size, as well as the property’s appraisal, which in the case of Warsaw is similar to Helsinki.

    So what about humans’ security in this case? It is disrupted. The lower the energy price, it can be disrupted to a higher degree. And opposite. Moreover, people living in modern civilization need a job to cover their living expenses, heat during the winter, cooling during the summer, food, and medications to sustain life. Although Western countries have secured the distribution of a portion of income to people in need in the form of social support, this may still be too low to cope with the conditions created by mature economies and their requirements, as well as opportunities. The living costs are therefore high. For most people, the only way to reach an average standard is to work. But when companies have to pay a high energy price, living costs are surging while individual income is limited. When the price is almost nothing, it means huge savings are in use.

    Interestingly, Poland’s government has foreseen the situation that Poles, particularly the disabled, may need a kind of an additional support, with its amount depending on the degree of health loss. (Sometimes it is cheaper to get rid of people, even paying for leave, than keep job places. However, that lies in contradiction to Poland’s strategy during the COVID pandemic when the government i.e. all taxpayers, paid companies to maintain job places even without real work at the same time cutting those which, despite their contribution to the budget, turned out to be virtually too costly). However, this latest support may harm future pensions as it is shared within administrative law. The risk is that this money taken from the state wallet (possibly coming from the EU budget, but as a loan, not a gift) may need to be returned, or the pension/retirement money may be lowered in line with the amount provided for the so-called support.

  • Is male or female a weak sex?

    by Marta Koblańska, July 26, 18:10, Photo: DNA, author TyliJura, Pixabay

    The relationship between the male sex code and the female body is unclear. However, a virtual degradation leads to a selective advantage, though this may be misleading, according to a study conducted by Austrian scientists.

    Sex determinants, namely the X and Y chromosomes, emerge from the process of mitosis, which involves the division of genetic material in a cell’s nucleus at an average speed of approximately 8 hours. If this process occurs too quickly or too slowly, it can disrupt vital bodily cycles; nonetheless, sometimes such changes are necessary (i.e., during cancer treatment).

    Where does the sex code begin?

    The Austrian researchers confirm that the initial step in the evolution of sex chromosomes involves an autosome acquiring a sex-determining gene. This finding challenges the previous understanding that autosomes are solely responsible for the majority of an organism’s traits, excluding those related to sex. 

    Next comes recombination, a process that results in the loss of certain features and functions, while the sex-determining chromosomes gain others. This occurs during meiosis. For example, the male Y chromosome pairs with the originally female X chromosome, losing some of its length while accumulating fewer deleterious mutations. This may provide certain advantages and enrich its function. However, the process is entirely random, and the outcomes can be unpredictable, meaning some luck is involved. Fortunately, recombination helps protect against extensive gene loss (degradation), while its suppression prevents mistakes during the pairing of chromosomes (XY) and reduces the potential for errors.

    Do disappearing traits make adaptation more difficult?

    Austrian scientists state that while the emergence of proto-sex chromosomes and the degeneration of Y chromosomes are relatively well understood, the reasons for the suppression of recombination between the X and Y chromosomes remain largely speculative. Unfortunately, one explanation for this phenomenon is that alleles (gene variants) that benefit one sex, specifically males in this case, can be harmful to the other sex. Conversely, the stronger the association between the male sex determinant and its expression within the genetic code, the less likely it is to be expressed in females. Additionally, scientists claim that mutations arising on a Y chromosome can theoretically lead to inversions on the X chromosome, which also suppress X-Y recombination when present in males.

    What is the primary conclusion of the study? According to the authors, no harm should be expected between the sexes when selection is sex-specific but not sexually antagonistic. In other words, if the gene versions on sex chromosomes carry sex-characteristic traits but do not negatively affect the determinants of the opposite sex, then there should be no detrimental impact. This applies as long as the chromosomes do not act against each other, aside from acquiring sex-typical features.

    In the case of male sex, the process is linked to a reduction in chromosome size, which is necessary to avoid disadvantageous mutations. As a result, male sex can be considered weaker in this context. However, a scenario can arise where the male sex determination system includes both the male-determining gene and an allele that benefits males but negatively impacts females. This is advantageous because the harmful effects will not be expressed in females due to a phenomenon known as positive selection, which promotes beneficial traits. Interestingly, all chromosomes within a population may carry some harmful mutations, but the occurrence of these mutations can vary, with some chromosomes carrying more than others by chance.

    The study was published in “Trends in Ecology & Evolution” with the title “Sex chromosome evolution in action in fourspine sticklebacks.”

     

     

  • How and why does the hippocampus decline? Some facts

    by Marta Koblańska, 16.07.2025, 16:30 Polish time Photo: Brain, Thanks to geralt, Pixabay

    Alzheimer’s disease, the most common neurodegenerative disorder globally, is often linked to atrophy of the hippocampus. However, a new study conducted by scientists at ShanghaiTech University has revealed that this decline may also be a result of the disease’s progression. Their findings were published in *Cell Reports Medicine*.

    Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is currently the most advanced non-invasive technique in medicine for diagnosing and differentiating diseases, particularly those affecting the nervous system and brain. There are several types of MRI machines that can be used for specific situations. The capabilities and diagnostic potential of MRI depend on the strength of the magnetic field generated by the device, as well as the parameters that can be examined during the scanning session. These parameters include blood flow in nervous tissue, water diffusion between cells and regions, the overall structure of the brain and its segments, and, in the latest version of the device—multimodal MRI—the voxel size. Why is all of this important? Because simultaneously with the technology upgrade, more and more changes in the tissue building up of the human body, including the brain, can be captured. These advancements aim to enhance our understanding of how specific elements of human tissue, including the brain, develop and change. This knowledge is crucial for identifying diseases, as accurate identification can lead to effective treatment options.

    Treating Alzheimer’s disease is quite challenging. While there are some medications and interventions, such as tailored physical activities that consider a patient’s overall condition, these may only slow the progression of the disease. Unfortunately, the overall outlook is not very positive. This disorder can significantly alter a person’s behavior and lead to the loss of skills, memories, speech, and overall cognitive function.

    Although people with Alzheimer’s disease experience significant cognitive impairment, this does not mean they cannot feel or cease to be human. Their decline is much more profound than the typical cognitive changes associated with aging, which usually begin in the 60s and can progress gradually or rapidly. Recently, a remarkable discovery has been made regarding the hippocampus—small structures located in the upper side of the brain, near the temples. The decline of these structures may lead to severe problems with memory, learning, cognitive performance, and emotions. The importance of the hippocampus lies in its role as a critical component of our conscious existence.

    What’s astonishing is that modern science has largely dismissed the conclusions of Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck, particularly his idea that unused organs can undergo a process of atrophy. This concept may frighteningly apply to the hippocampus. However, some experts argue that this is only partially true. To support Lamarck’s theories on the workings of nature, an additional point can be made. Atrophy may occur following an injury or inflammation, or when an organ is not needed during the evolutionary process. An example of this is the appendix, located in the lower right side of the abdomen, where the small intestine connects to the large intestine (colon).

    For our ancestors, an appendix helped them digest tough plant matter, such as tree bark. Today, we can live without this part of our digestive system. The appendix is often removed when it becomes inflamed due to injury or when it cannot handle certain types of food. Another example is the spleen, which is frequently damaged in road accidents because of its fragile structure. The spleen can be removed without causing significant problems for the patient, and sometimes this is the only way to save a life, as bleeding from the spleen can be fatal.

    Some may ask a difficult question: Is there time for evolution to get rid of the hippocampus? Alzheimer’s disease begins with the overproduction of certain proteins, which ultimately damage healthy neurons in the brain and trigger an inflammatory process.

    It is already recognized that inflammation is a significant feature of the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, and it is worsening the course of the disease over time. What’s new, recently, scientists from the School of Biomedical Engineering and the State Key Laboratory of Advanced Medical Materials and Devices in Shanghai, China, utilized a new multimodal MRI technique. This approach has revealed that there can be a loss of hippocampal volume even in cases of mild cognitive impairment. Alarmingly, this new technique, which involves deep and detailed analyses of the tissue’s texture, has shown that there can be up to an 86 percent decline in hippocampal volume, depending on the stage and advancement of Alzheimer’s disease, which has three identified stages.

    Specifically, our approach retains 86% of the average volume difference between AD (Alzheimer’s disease) and NC (normal control) (648 versus 751 mm3) and 65% between MCI (mild cognitive impairment) and NC (270 versus 416 mm3)

    claim Yulin Wang. and Dinggang Shen, of the School of Biomedical Engineering and the State Key Laboratory of Advanced Medical Materials and Devices, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.

    The assessment made by the new MRi can be mistaken in approximately 3-4 percent of the total volume loss. At the same time, according to scientists, ,, visually, the images generated by TUMSyn ( a text-guided universal MRI synthesis model capable of generating brain MRI specified by textual imaging metadata from routinely acquired scans) can most accurately delineate the anatomical structures of various brain regions, providing promising contrast between the hippocampus and surrounding areas” – conclude scientists.

  • Rzeczywiste i iluzoryczne kontrowersje wokół ciąży

    Autor tekstu: Marta Koblańska, 30 maja 2025. Zdjęcie: Zapłodnienie. Licencja TBIT, Pixabay

    Im cięższa jest wada genetyczna zarodka i późniejszego płodu, tym szybciej jest on eliminowany z organizmu kobiety. Lżejsze wady z reguły pozwalają na donoszenie ciąży, choć nie oznacza to, że dziecko przeżyje po urodzeniu – mówią eksperci z zakresu ginekologii i położnictwa oraz neonatologii.

    Organizm ludzki powstaje stopniowo, po połączeniu się komórek płciowych męskiej i żeńskiej oraz skutecznym przemieszczeniu się powstałej zygoty i zagnieżdżeniu się zarodka w jamie macicy kobiety. To ten narząd wyłącznie przypisany kobietom tworzy warunki do rozwoju nowego człowieka. Nieodzownym elementem tego procesu jest podział komórkowy zygoty i późniejszego zarodka. Wraz z następowaniem kolejnych etapów ciąży poszczególne komórki różnicują się budując wyspecjalizowane tkanki, narządy i wreszcie cały organizm zdolny do życia w środowisku zewnętrznym. Tak w skrócie wygląda życie płodowe, ale po drodze może zdarzyć się wiele zakłóceń.

    Ewolucja tak „zaplanowała” zarówno genetykę, jak i anatomię, że w przypadku modelowego rozwoju ciąży dziecko rodzi się około 39. tygodnia, kiedy wykształcony jest szkielet zdolny do utrzymania ciała, a narządy wewnętrzne mogą już przyswajać pokarm poza organizmem kobiety. Płuca są zaś na tyle dojrzałe i sprawne, że podejmują wymianę gazową z otoczeniem zewnętrznym. Serce, którego zalążki albo zalążek mogą kształtować się już w około 5. tygodniu ciąży oplecione jest wydolnymi naczyniami, z których najważniejsze są tętnice dostarczające tlen do powstających narządów oraz mózgu (żyły kształtują się później). Mózg zaś dojrzewa jeszcze przez wiele lat po narodzinach, podobnie jak układ kostny, istotnie warunkujący osiągnięcie wieku dojrzałego oraz długość życia.

    Ale tak jak w toku każdego procesu tworzenia, przekształceń i w każdym życiu, w czasie jego trwania może dojść do mniej lub bardziej nieoczekiwanych zwrotów. Te zwroty to albo wady genetyczne ,,zapisane” już w komórkach płciowych rodziców, często dziedziczone od zamierzchłych przodków, albo inne problemy. Nie oznacza to, że wady zawsze się ujawnią, bo dziecko tych samych rodziców może urodzić się zdrowe, jak i ciąża może zginąć samoistnie. Wady mogą wynikać z nieprawidłowego połączenia się komórki żeńskiej i męskiej przy zapłodnieniu (następuje w jajowodzie), albo z niesprzyjającego środowiska jamy macicy, które również może uniemożliwiać prawidłowy rozwój zarodka. To dlatego wiele ciąż jest eliminowanych samoistnie z organizmu kobiety jeszcze przed wykształceniem się łożyska (które zajmuje miejsce ciałka żółtego i tworzy się ze specjalnych komórek zwanych trofoblastami w około 12. tygodniu ciąży), albo obumiera. Kiedy tak się dzieje? Przykładowo wówczas, gdy choć rozwija się zalążek serca brakuje tętnic będących nieodzownym elementem do jego dalszego rozwoju i funkcjonowania. Kiedy zanika puls, ciąża obumiera wewnątrz macicy i jest to wskazanie do usunięcia jej z organizmu kobiety z uwagi na stan zagrożenia dla jej życia. Ciąża może obumrzeć na każdym etapie jej rozwoju. W zależności od mniejszego lub większego zaawansowania dobiera się inne metody eliminacji z organizmu (jeżeli nie zostanie wydalona samoistnie), które obejmują również sztuczne wywołanie porodu. Jeżeli jednak ciąża, pomimo wady lub wad, w tym ciężkich, nie obumrze w ciele kobiety, kobieta, zgodnie z obecnym stanem prawnym, musi dziecko urodzić. I podobnie, dziecko, mimo cierpienia musi przejść poród. Wówczas pozostaje opieka paliatywna: dba się o nawodnienie, ciepło, natlenienie, odżywienie oraz o to, aby dziecko nie odczuwało bólu.

    Ciężkie wady rozwojowe, takie jak na przykład brak łożyska lub niewykształcenie się wydolnych tętnic, mogą uniemożliwić dalszy rozwój ciąży, gdyż są jego warunkiem koniecznym. Bez krążenia, natlenienia i odżywienia nie ma mowy o kolejnych etapach ciąży. Ale wady lżejsze, które z reguły pojawiają się później i również mogą być efektem mutacji genetycznych przenoszonych międzypokoleniowo (albo świeżych mutacji) , mogą pozwalać na dalszy rozwój płodu. Nie oznacza to jednak, że przestają być wadami tzw. letalnymi, czyli śmiertelnymi, już po urodzeniu. Współczesna medycyna rozszerzyła katalog możliwych do leczenia chorób płodu zarówno w organizmie matki, jak i już po urodzeniu się dziecka. Nie wszystkie wady jednak do leczenia się nadają – zaznaczają lekarze, przyznając, że jest to problem etyczny, a nie medyczny. Przykładem mogą być wybrane wady serca. Z jednej strony część z nich można leczyć jeszcze w życiu płodowym pod warunkiem odpowiedniego zaawansowania ciąży, ale część jedynie po to, aby dziecko urodziło się żywe. Z drugiej strony, nie zawsze warto to robić z uwagi na późniejszy efekt, który w większości może pozostać mizerny. Dziecko, pomimo leczenia, i tak umiera. Te najpoważniejsze wady oczywiście nie pozwolą na rozwój ciąży w ogóle, ale przyjmuje się, że w razie urodzenia się dziecka z wadą serca, która, jeśli pozwala na rozwój płodu, jest zazwyczaj lżejsza, dzieci takie się leczy – wyjaśnia jeden z lekarzy ginekologów i położników. Neonatolog ma obowiązek ratowania wszystkich, żywo urodzonych dzieci, nawet jeśli nie mają szansy na długie przeżycie, ale szansę przeżycia mają. 

    Obecnie, dysponując odpowiednim zapleczem, można ratować życie maluszków ważących niespełna pół kilograma. W praktyce oznacza to możliwość przeżycia dzieci urodzonych w około 23 tygodniu ciąży, czasem w 22. Możliwe są również konsultacje w sytuacjach, kiedy, zazwyczaj w drugiej połowie ciąży, występują jakieś nieprawidłowości. Są też sytuacje, w których lepiej jest ciążę skrócić zarówno z perspektywy dziecka, jak i matki – przyznają niektórzy eksperci. Około 20. tygodnia ciąży można już, za pomocą coraz bardziej szczegółowych badań prenatalnych obejmujących również jedną z najbardziej, jak dotąd, zaawansowanych technologii medycznych, jaką jest badanie rezonansu magnetycznego, wykryć ewentualne wady płodu z uwzględnieniem tych dotykających ośrodkowego układu nerwowego. Nie znaczy to, że do 20. tygodnia ujawnią się wszystkie możliwe wady ciąży. – Najwięcej z nich powstaje do 20. tygodnia ciąży, ale nie wszystkie. Te najpoważniejsze jednak już do tego czasu zazwyczaj widać – wskazują niektórzy eksperci.

    Badania prenatalne mają ocenić anatomię rozwijającego się płodu z uwzględnieniem w szczególności układu kostno-szkieletowego oraz ośrodkowego układu nerwowego i kształtującego się mózgu. Mózg to jest być, albo nie być. W przypadku wad układu kostno-szkieletowego decydujący może być stopień ciężkości takiej wady, bo może wpływać na stopień upośledzenia samej jego budowy. To z kolei może znaleźć przełożenie na objętość płuc, które osiągają dojrzałość około 36. tygodnia ciąży. Przy wadach układu kostno-szkieletowego mózg kształtuje się zazwyczaj prawidłowo – wskazują eksperci. Ale, jak wyjaśniają inni, upośledzona zostaje wydolność płuc.

    Obecnie około dwóch trzecich dzieci przedwcześnie urodzonych, nawet z zanikiem/niedostatecznym rozwojem istoty białej mózgu warunkującej prawidłowy przepływ impulsów pomiędzy neuronami, udaje się uratować. Mogą być utrzymywane przy życiu, ale ich szanse na prawidłowy rozwój pozostaną mocno ograniczone, jeżeli nie niemożliwe. Najczęstszą przyczyną niedorozwoju mózgu jest niedotlenienie. Te dotykają również w przeważającej mierze dzieci przedwcześnie urodzone. Dlatego naśladowanie warunków panujących w organizmie kobiety w inkubatorze, który poza zapewnieniem odpowiedniej temperatury umożliwia również dostarczenie do jeszcze nie w pełni rozwiniętego organizmu, w tym mózgu, tlenu, może pozwolić na uratowanie życia dziecka przedwcześnie urodzonego albo urodzonego z niską masą urodzeniową. Jednocześnie wadami letalnymi, czyli śmiertelnymi, są te dotyczące nieprawidłowości w samej budowie mózgu. Może to być brak mózgu w ogóle, nieprawidłowy podział, czyli brak wykształcenia się półkul mózgowia, czy też brak określonych struktur składających się na mózg. I te najpoważniejsze wady właściwie uniemożliwią przeżycie dziecka poza organizmem kobiety. Do katalogu można dodać jeszcze jedno zdarzenie – rozległy wylew krwi do mózgu. Z drugiej strony, negatywne skutki tego mniej rozległego można zminimalizować – wskazują niektórzy lekarze.

    Podobnie, jeżeli w czasie ciąży kobieta zmaga się z problemami psychicznymi o niezbyt dużym nasileniu, ale powinna przyjmować leki stabilizujące jej stan, a są one bezpieczne dla płodu, dziecko zazwyczaj rodzi się zdrowe. – Nie jestem w stanie ocenić zdrowia psychicznego nowo narodzonego dziecka, którego matka przyjmowała leki psychiatryczne w okresie ciąży, ale jako neonatolog mogę ocenić czy jego anatomia oraz odruchy na stymulację układu nerwowego są prawidłowe – wskazuje jeden z neonatologów – I z reguły są z zastrzeżeniem, że neonatolodzy monitorują dzieci do 3. roku życia -precyzuje.

    Do prawidłowego rozwoju dziecka niezbędne jest jeszcze środowisko, a w szczególności dotyk matki. Jeżeli matka jest poważnie chora i nie jest w stanie nawiązać więzi, jaką warunkuje dotyk, dziecko może rzeczywiście zostać umieszczone w pieczy zastępczej. Ale przesłanka ściśle psychiatryczna pozwalająca na usunięcie ciąży, gdy może zagrażać zdrowiu lub życiu kobiety, może być widziana jako kontrowersyjna. Z jednej strony psychiatrzy twierdzą, że potrafią odróżnić faktyczne groźby samobójcze od tych ,,udawanych”, z drugiej strony może to być ryzykowne.

    Tekst powstał na podstawie rozmów z ginekologami, położnikami i neonatologami oraz na bazie literatury naukowej

    Autorka urodziła się 50 lat temu z masą urodzeniową 2 kg jako noworodek płci żeńskiej

  • Energy security in the Baltic may hinge on Poland’s plans for N power

    Photo: Geopolitical map of Europe, author: Hidalgo, Pixabay

    Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has accelerated the efforts of the Baltic states to extricate themselves from the Moscow-controlled BRELL power grid system. Despite facing synchronization issues and energy quota challenges, these nations have abandoned their ties with Russia. In this context, Poland could play a crucial role in ensuring their independence from the Putin regime if the planned nuclear power plant becomes a reality.

    The Brell power grid system was based on a 2001 agreement that focused on technical aspects of electricity transmission and operates synchronously with the US/IPS zone, which includes Russia, Belarus, and the CIS countries. Despite the collapse of communism in Russia and a political desire to join the European Union, former Soviet Union republics that exited Russian control had to secure energy flows. The power grid of these countries constitutes lines featuring voltage from 110kV to 330kV, while the regional network primarily consists of 110kV lines. Together with neighbouring electrical networks of Russia and Belarus, the electrical networks of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania form the “Baltic ring,” comprising 330 kV and 750 kV lines.

    The Russian power system provided primary power reserves needed to maintain the frequency of electricity flow in line with EU requirements. For example, Poland’s average voltage was 220 kV (currently 230 kV), which is typical for the entire EU with 50 Hz frequency of electricity flow (UCTE system’s highest voltage is also 380 kV instead of 1,150 kV top for power grids in the former Soviet Union). Thus, integration with systems of western countries like Germany, the Czech and Slovakia as well as connection with Sweden was simpler for Poland and less cost sensitive. Poland was part of the EU UCTE electricity network almost 10 years before official accession. Among the Baltic, only Estonia’s electricity supply situation is close to western standards lines with the presence of 220 kV. This has enabled integration with the Nordic grid, particularly Finland. Estonia is able to cater to peak loads and also facilitate net export of energy to Latvia and Russia — and even back to Finland in case of favourable electricity prices. Latvia has connections with Estonia and Russia, which result in considerable dependence on imports from these countries, though the country is a net exporter to Lithuania.

    Among the three Baltic states, Lithuania is most vulnerable in terms of power demand in relation to supply. This is an effect of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant decommissioning (1500MW capacity) – a critical condition of EU accession. Ignalina produced almost 40 percent of the electricity consumed in the Baltic states. The shutdown caused a substantial power shortage in Lithuania of about 150-180 MW generation capacity during the winter peak demand in 2014 and a 130-160 MW deficit during the summer peak, according to Gianluca Fulli in the Politecnico di Torino doctorate thesis. The European Commission’s economic snapshot of Lithuania from 2023 says the country is importing around two-thirds of its electricity due to insufficient domestic power generation. The amounts are lower than in 2013, when the country had to import 70 percent of the electricity consumed, and 50 percent originated from third countries. Still, the situation leads to high energy prices and inflation. This is why Lithuania is struggling to meet the aim of increasing the generation of electricity from renewable sources to 70 percent of the total domestic consumption by 2030 and 100 percent in 2045 after a ban on a new nuclear power plant in Visaginas.

    In the meantime, in 2015, Lithuania secured 500 MW of electricity transmission capacity in both directions via a connection with Poland that was seen as a country politically willing and militarily capable of facing up to coercion, according to the Baltic States report of the International Centre for Defence and Security. Russia is well-known for using energy as a tool of pressure. Before the Ukrainian war, in 2021, Lithuania used the link with Poland for electricity exports, while substantial amounts of electricity came from a cable of 700 MW capacity connecting it with Sweden. Imports from Poland in 2021 accounted for 31 percent of Lithuania’s power imports, in line with Tomas Janeliunas’s report for the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Foundation.

    After the Ukrainian war started and the so-called rejection of Russian energy by the EU in solidarity with Kyiv, Lithuania still had a green light to import electricity from Kaliningrad. In 2021, power from this source accounted for 16 percent of Lithuanian electricity imports. The capacity of the connection allowing for import from Kaliningrad to Lithuania is 600 MW, and for exports it is 680 MW. The electricity import capacity decreased to 150 MW for Lithuania after Russian aggression against Ukraine. Yet, imports continued as per Tomas Janeliunas. Russian electricity exports have been transmitted through a part of the European electricity systems, according to a statement of The Forum for Research on Eastern Europe and Emerging Economies (Free Network). Apart from Latvia, which has one connection with Russia on the border (its import capacity has also decreased after the war in Ukraine started), Lithuania has four connecting points with Belarus, which is a part of the Brell grid. This is why, as Free Network stated in November 2022, some eight months after the war began, desynchronization from the Brell network is not currently feasible. The Baltic was still receiving Russian or Belarusian energy. Moreover, during 2023, two years after hostilities broke out, Lithuania’s electricity imports from Poland amounted to USD 106 million, while Poland’s imports from Lithuania exceeded USD 307 million, according to the UN database.

    The case for desynchronization from the Brell system by European Union members was not new. The process sped up after the Russian aggression. Technical problems, tensions between countries, and costly investments needed to join the European Union electricity network in order to fully abandon the Soviet era ties have extended the process, which is not easy to complete. The first strong signals of disconnection appeared after the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014. Before the war against Georgia, Russia was perceived as a “partner” by many countries of the EU and NATO. Crimea annexation and the ongoing war in Donbas changed the perception, and Russia is seen as a threat to Western countries. The 2018 agreement between the Baltic states and Poland — which is supporting the Brell desynchronization — aimed to reach the goal by late 2025, although it has already happened, however, with a three-year transition period. Disconnection would, though, isolate Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave with a window to the Baltic Sea, and Russia has been aware that this is a threat to its interests. The country has been playing its own games with Baltic states and the European Union (energy supply disruptions to some countries, disinformation, cyber-warfare, political and economic corruption, military threats), and at the same time, it is securing its interests in electricity supply for the region. It has been modernizing the transmission grids in Kaliningrad, equipping the region with new power generating capacities, expanding generation and transmission capacities in the North-West (Sankt Petersburg).

    In practice, as the Baltic Security and Strategy report from 2019 states, the Russian government has accepted the prospect of Brell exit. As long as the Baltic states display a strong will to get rid of the Brell network, Russia may not be able to use electricity as a tool of political and economic pressure. Moreover, among the Baltic, only Lithuania has been highly dependent on Russian electricity, as Latvia has hydroelectric power. Disconnection from the Brell system may be a problem for the European Union (particularly Finland, Sweden, and Poland) though accession of Sweden to NATO may change perceptions. Russia cut off the power supply to Finland after the war in Ukraine started and the latter declared its willingness to join NATO. On the other hand, Finland has become a part of NATO along with Sweden. Meanwhile, Russian electricity exports to Lithuania, which is also a NATO member, continued.

    In this context, Poland’s role with its planned nuclear power plant may be crucial to secure electricity for the Baltic under the condition that Lithuania and others are going to access substantial amounts of power. Before the Ukrainian war, Poland was reluctant to build a second overland interconnector to the Baltic states. The country is also blocking the opening of its domestic electricity market to competition from other EU members and limits imports from the east (Baltics) in order to protect local power production, still mainly generated from coal. But the political decision within the EU to abandon coal has been made. Poland, anyway, needs to secure its demand for energy,y which is temporarily declining due to high prices. Nuclear power is considered clean energy in what matters from the EU perspective. This is why the new nuclear power plant in Poland may get the EU green light in contrast to the past one planned in Żarnowiec, which was almost completely ready to launch the works (the political decision of the first Polish fully democratically elected government halted it). Still, energy security costs, and Poland is struggling to establish a reference price for nuclear power in the EU. That means, if the EU agrees, the domestic economy’s requirement to adjust to new conditions will remain limited, and prices, particularly in a closed market, may not surge and remain affordable. In this context, spare production might be sold outside, possibly to Baltic states and notably Lithuania, after the Brell system is disconnected. But the question of whether Russia moves against the West, as seen in Ukraine, military threats to NATO, and the recent election in the US, may help Poland’s nuclear plans as the EU recognizes the need for Warsaw and the Baltic to secure energy supplies.

     

    Author’s note: the article has been offered to the Polish Public Television TVP World in the recruitment process on February 29, 2024. Written by mid-February 2024. Paid PLN 100 (returned). 

     

     

     

  • Why are genes less similar better for studying diseases?

    Photo: Baboon, Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Pixabay

    Baboons show greater resilience to diseases despite their diverse genome, whereas humans, with a singular set of chromosomes, exhibit increased susceptibility – according to a new study published in ,,Cell Genomics”. 

    Genetic variations differ in humans as a whole body or within the body in certain tissues. Genetic variation, simplifying, is the number of chromosomal sets expressed in a cell, lining up to tissue further organs. There may be haploid and diploid sets, meaning that in the first case, a single cell contains only one set of homologous chromosomes, i.e. chromosomes that are similar in their shape and size. In the other case, within the cell, a double set of chromosomes is expressed. Different individuals carry similar genetic information, but their variants can differ. These variants are known as alleles, and sometimes the first allele can be completely different from the second. This variation can occur in different regions of the genome. This is why, for example, children from the same parents may have different eye colors, or it can indicate which genes are inherited from the mother, while others may remain hidden unless they are still present.

    Now, scientists of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, USA in a recent study titled,, Genome-wide allele-specific expression in multi-tissue samples from healthy male baboons reveals the transcriptional complexity of mammals” published in ,,Cell Genomics”, prove that these tiniest alleles being two copies of the same gene or a single nucleotides that build up the structure called allele-specific expression are pivotal for the genetic underpinnings of phenotypic variation within species. What’s more than they are crucial to differences in disease susceptibility and responses to environmental factors.

    When is it more advantageous to reverse an evolutionary path?

    Unexpectedly, they (the allele-specific expression) are to a greater extent profitable for baboons, being more resilient to disease due to their higher gene diversity than for humans. Why? Astonishing paradox in line with the study is that humans may be seen as a product of evolutionary loss in the context of a number of diploid sets of chromosomes, and this is why they become more vulnerable to illnesses. But there is a good message as well. The one is that baboons’ genome, despite being just 94 percent similarity shared with humans (chimpanzee similarity accounts for approximately 98 percent), represents the best example for studying the diseases harming humans and thus their possible cure. How?

    Allele-specific expression (ASE) occurs in human genomes, similar to baboons, where roughly 70 percent of the entire protein-coding gene set is involved. These expressions contribute to specific tissues and are influenced by genotypes, which represent the complete genetic material of an organism. The genes we inherit from our ancestors can make us more or less susceptible to disease. For example, as the scientists claim in their study, previous studies have linked ASE to the risk of Crohn disease, cancer development, aging rates, susceptibility to cardiac diseases, and complex phenotypes in other outbred mammals. The fact that baboons have higher levels of coding sequence heterozygosity (higher genetic variation, i.e, two different alleles of the same gene in a selected location/loci) than do humans facilitates the identification of the number of genes that can be assessed for ASE. These factors make baboons an ideal proxy for humans in biomedical studies, write scientists. Why? Because that makes it possible to identify, let’s say, aggressive allele switching observed for instance during tumorigenesis (that leads to cancer). The difference also makes clear the distinction between healthy tissue and abnormal one. It was observed that the switching of aggressive alleles also takes place between healthy, distinct tissue types. The process is enhanced when haplotypes (with less genetic variability) are better expressed and more stable. Why? This is likely because tissue-specific genes experience stronger selection pressure. As a result, they may be more frequently associated with certain loci in genetic material that are more predictive of diseases. Therefore, in this context, unification does not provide a real advantage.

  • How do we cope with propaganda? Is it clear for most of us or not?

    Photo: Radio waves, Credit: Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Pixabay

    Does repeating a lie a hundred times make it true? Unfortunately, more often than we would like, the answer is yes. This phenomenon is a key aspect of how propaganda operates. 

    Propaganda has existed since the emergence of different organized human societies and countries. Innovations in communication tools and methods that favor the dissemination of messages favorable for those in power have expanded the reach of propaganda. In the past, it was clearer who the propagandists were and who made up the audience. Today, that distinction has become blurred. Why? Because now everyone can comment on, like, or share content on social media, according to scientists Tetsuro Kobayashi and Takashi Sakaki from Waseda University and Tokyo University, who shed light on this issue. Their study was originally published in the Chinese Journal of Communication and later featured in Taylor & Francis.

    Social media serves as a tool for broadcasting propaganda and enables its audience to engage through ‘likes’ and comments and further share content,

    claim Tetsuro Kobayashi and Takshi Sakaki of the Waseda and Tokyo University.

    In this context, the scientists write, the line between propagandists and their audience becomes unclear. Ordinary citizens and astroturfing agents in the target countries work together to interpret and spread narratives. At times, facts can assist; at other times, they can hinder, depending on the audience and the intention.

    Terryfying conclusions?

    However, this is not the major conclusion of the study. The main conclusion is that the acceptance of propaganda might be autonomous from the ideology or values shared within the society. Moreover, this does not mean a free-standing judgment of a specified narrative/message. According to scientists, the agents of propaganda on social media are currently not limited to conventional propagandists such as state-sponsored media or diplomats. Propagandists include ordinary citizens from the targeted countries who disseminate the message further to their friends and followers, frequently not realizing what they are supporting or the potential implications as such. This shift makes participatory propaganda increasingly relevant – write scientists.

    Interestingly, the study focused on how narratives propagated by China, generally perceived as an illiberal or authoritarian country, are received and disseminated on social media in an East Asian democracy: Japan. An example was the 2019 anti-government protests in Hong Kong. As scientists write, China was trying to demonstrate that the riots were instigated by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). The narrative was accepted and disseminated by the left and right wings within Japan’s social media space, say scientists. A survey experiment revealed that aversion to political protests in Japan led typically China-critical rightists to accept this narrative. To make it clear, as scientists claim, rightists generally maintain a strong alliance with the US while often adopting a tough stance towards China. 

  • What influences cognition? The exchange in purine bases and amino acids in the brain.

    Photo: Adenine structure, one of the purine bases, specifically connects to thymine via hydrogen bonding in DNA and uracyl in RNA, as discovered by James Watson and Francis Crick in the 50s. Credit:kropekk_pl

    Of the about 20,000 metabolites discovered so far in human blood serum, over 1,300 and 140 lipids have been observed to profile the brain’s uptake and release.

    A new study led by Chinese scientists, published in the journal ,,Neuron,” explains why the human brain, which accounts for only 2% of body weight, consumes nearly 20% of the body’s glucose and oxygen resources. In simpler terms, neuronal activity requires these fuels, along with amino acids and lipids, to develop and maintain proper functions. The scientists observed differences in the quantities of the studied substances among individuals from whom blood samples were taken for testing. However, they noted that the participants were under anesthesia during the study, which could have influenced the results. This impact is believed to affect the functioning of the brain more than the abundance of the critical compounds themselves.

    How do we use energy?

    What’s fascinating, the observed differences in byproducts between participants were seen as greater than those between the brain and leg blood ingredients, although in the case of leg blood vessels, over 1,500 compounds circulate. The differences in vessel size are likely to be clear; for instance, the femoral artery is one of the largest arteries in the human body, while the blood vessels in the brain are much smaller. Moreover, it is already established that the brain consumes glucose at a rate exceeding 10%, according to comparisons of arteriovenous glucose levels. A key method for studying tissue metabolism involves measuring the quantities of substances across different tissues. Recent advancements in metabolomics, the study of organic compounds either produced within the body or obtained from external sources, have enabled the application of arteriovenous metabolomics in selected species. This has allowed for the quantification of metabolite exchanges that are specific to different organs or tissues. As a result, this approach has provided valuable insights into how, for example, the human heart utilizes energy. Is it now time to focus on the brain?

    We observed a high net uptake of glucose, taurine, and hypoxanthine and identified glutamine and pyruvate as significantly released metabolites by the brain,

    say Yilong Wang and Woo-ping Ge of Chinese Institute for Brain Research in Beijing.

    Out of the 5,384 compounds analyzed, 738 (13.7% of all measured features) were taken up by the brain, while 627 (11.6%) were released from the brain. The remaining 74.7% of the compounds showed no significant difference in values between arterial and venous plasma samples, indicating they remained stable – write scientists.

    What is contained within neuronal tissue?

     The brain utilizes both purines and amino acid derivatives in varying amounts, along with various released byproducts. Some of these byproducts are not yet fully classified in terms of their biological properties. Nevertheless, the research suggests that at least one of these substances is absorbed at a net rate of about 26% into the brain’s structural tissue. The predictive formula for this substance, along with its structure, suggests the presence of hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen forming bonds with boron, which in turn binds with sulfur. Is this essential for brain plasticity and, consequently, overall health? As the scientists claim, some compounds are absorbed or released more during youth, while others remain stable in adulthood even when their uptake occurred earlier in life. Around 50 of these compounds maintain remarkable stability during the 40s, despite having been released earlier. Additionally, no compound was found to be absorbed more by the human brain in the ≥40 age group compared to its absorption in the 20s age group. However, according to the study, with age, the brain consumes less glucose, taurine, and 3MGA, while releasing more asparagine, biliverdin, choline, trimethylamine, and caprylate. At the same time, scientists indicated the importance of the liver and its vessel’s role in absorbing substances necessary for the brain from the blood.

    ,, The arteriovenous data presented in this study were collected from human subjects who were under anesthesia and had fasted overnight to closely approximate resting state. Given this fasting condition, there is a potential increase in lipid utilization and a decrease in carbohydrate utilization. However, it is important to recognize that the effects of anesthesia and fasting on brain metabolic exchange can be unpredictable. Therefore, caution should be exercised when concluding about all metabolites,” – scientists claim. 

  • When and why might the genetic code change? Groundbreaking research addresses these questions.

    Photo: Evolved macroscopic “snowflake” yeast from the MuLTEE experiment. The large size of the nuclei (yellow) and cells (cyan) are results of whole-genome duplication and aneuploidy. Credit: Georgia Institute of Technology

    The specific chromosomal configurations and changes in their numbers may persist or disappear depending on population size and environmental conditions.

    Can we live outside of Earth while considering the impact of population size on our general condition? A recent experiment from the laboratory at the Georgia Institute of Technology, published in ,,Nature”, suggests that it may be possible. How? Through the duplication of selected parts of the genome, specifically chromosomes. This isn’t just science fiction; researchers in the U.S. have demonstrated that cells with four sets of chromosomes (tetraploids) can maintain a specific number of chromosomes that differs from the standard (aneuploidy) under the right selective conditions. Although these newly created polyploid genomes are highly unstable, there are ways for the new cells, built according to the “updated” instructions, to persist in the genome for a certain amount of time and across a limited number of generations, as seen in the snowflake yeast used in the experiment.

    There may be challenges in applying the study results to humans, as yeast has only 16 chromosomes, while humans typically have 46. However, the research indicated evolutionary pathways along with genetic mechanisms, specifically during the phases of mitosis when chromosomes condense and duplicate before being divided into a specific set within a single cell. In normal conditions, the standard chromosomal set is diploid, meaning two sets of chromosomes align at the edge of a dividing nucleus or cell during mitosis. Notably, the experiment demonstrated that under selection for larger multicellular size, yeast can rapidly evolve to become tetraploid. This means that the four sets of chromosomes evolved because they offer immediate fitness benefits, contributing to larger cell sizes and the ability to form more complex structures. However, it is important to remember that evolution not only produces new traits but also leads to the loss of others. The question then arises: When does this loss occur?

    In our experiment, we observed that certain chromosomes were consistently gained or lost in specific lineages, particularly in the anaerobic populations that evolved macroscopic size. For example, chromosomes VIII and XIV were frequently lost in strains that reverted from macroscopic to microscopic size, suggesting these specific chromosomal configurations can be selectively maintained when they provide adaptive benefits in particular environments,

    says William C. Ratcliff in a special comment for evolutionandsecurity.com.

    Chromosome VIII in yeast plays a vital role in biosynthesis, which is essential for anabolism—the process of building up the body and supporting its vital functions. Additionally, this chromosome triggers adaptive mechanisms. In humans, chromosome VIII contains approximately 700 genes that provide instructions for producing proteins crucial for developmental health, particularly for bones and the brain. This chromosome also transmits genetic information from one generation to the next and is responsible for cell replication. The deletion of chromosome XIV in humans may trigger epilepsy and other diseases associated with tubulin disruption, which is a critical structure for signaling pathways in the nervous system.

    The study results clearly demonstrate the evolutionary mechanisms that contribute to an increase in population size. However, a less optimistic aspect is that this growth may be accompanied by a rise in the number of diseases affecting humans. On the other hand, scientists believe that polyploidy, despite its instability and limitations, can be preserved through molecular mechanisms that stabilize duplicated genomes, thus enhancing adaptive traits. What’s more, they write that ,,the instability of nascent polyploid genomes may provide an evolutionary advantage under novel environments by rapidly generating genetic variation, especially via aneuploidy. This has been shown to facilitate the rapid evolution of microorganisms and cancer”.

    Yeast is are single-celled eukaryote, whereas humans are multicellular eukaryotes. Yeast can reproduce both asexually and sexually. Asexual reproduction occurs through a process called budding, where mitosis creates similar cells or cells with variations in phenotype, allowing them to adapt better to their environment. Sexual reproduction, on the other hand, involves meiosis, which promotes genetic recombination, specifically among eukaryotes.

    Both processes serve essential but different evolutionary functions. Mitosis enables growth and asexual reproduction across all domains of life, while meiosis facilitates genetic recombination and sexual reproduction specifically in eukaryotes. If I were to address which might be more fundamental evolutionarily, I would suggest mitosis, as it’s universal across all cellular life and enables basic cellular proliferation. However, meiosis has been crucial for creating the genetic diversity that has allowed for the evolution of complex multicellular organisms,

    emphasizes William C. Ratcliff in a special comment for evolutionandsecurity.com.

    The scientists concluded that they demonstrated how even complex aneuploid karyotypes (the number of chromosome sets) can be maintained over thousands of generations, despite the inherent instability of the genomes. They achieved this by better tolerating the potential costs associated with reduced gene dosage effects.

  • Who will pay more and who will pay less for oil in 2025?

    Photo: Oil facility, eyeonicimages, Pixabay

    As China’s refineries’ product demand may reach its limits in 2025, the oil price for those in other locations can surge despite the foreseen global fuel surplus. Why?

    According to the International Energy Agency’s forecast for 2025, global oil demand is to increase to an average of one million barrels per day from the level of approximately 830 thousand barrels per day in 2024. This weaker demand growth is in line with the original forecast, however, the largest supply increase is to come from the US, which is already on output records. OPEC+ is also to unwind production cuts in April, which may result in cheaper oil for those who take from the Middle East.

    But the US, followed by Canada, Brasil, and Guyana, will also attempt to sell oil on the market. Shall the prices decline in this case? Not necessarily. Why? Because production costs along with transport are different. The cheapest oil extraction is in the Middle East, and this oil is the most productive one, while in the rest of the world, despite sometimes more advanced and efficient technologies, it is not so easy. So, in this case, the global surplus estimated for roughly 600 thousand barrels per day in 2025 may cost. Who will pay? The one who can afford or at least is perceived as the one who can afford.

    Economies in Asia are projected to account for nearly 60% of the increase in global oil demand this year. This growth will primarily be driven by China, where petrochemical feedstocks are expected to be the main factor behind this demand, as the need for refined fuels reaches a plateau, according to a statement from the IEA. However, this plateau cannot last indefinitely. Refineries have a limited production capacity, and until that capacity is expanded, the demand for domestically refined fuel in China is likely to decline. While this may pose a challenge for China, it simultaneously creates opportunities for other Asian countries to acquire surplus oil at favorable prices. This situation reflects the structure of China’s economy. Why?

    According to the IEA’s statement, Chinese oil demand growth is dominated by petrochemical feedstocks, which are used for plastics and fibers rather than burned as fuels. Meanwhile, shifts in China’s economy, a slump in the country’s construction sector, the expansion of high-speed rail, and strong sales of electric vehicles are limiting oil demand growth for fuels in this country. Economy structure in, for instance, European countries is different, although it is gradually changing in line with the clean energy policy.

    The structure of oil use is also changing as there is a boost in energy mix from other sources, including brand new ones. They, in common, may even prevent additional emissions, although at the same time they are boosting them in, for example, cooling demand rising due to global warming.

    The IEA emphasizes that any escalating trade tensions, whose macroeconomic effects are currently difficult to quantify, may disrupt the recent forecast.

  • Why does mitochondrial disruption cost so much?

    Photo: Mitochondrium, SkieTheAce, Pixabay

    Does evolution know the paths of the past and future? That’s possible according to new research published in ,,Cell”. How? By tracking the transport of signals and nutrients inside a cell.

    The mitochondrion is a cell organelle with a separate from the cell nucleus genetic material inherited only from a female line. The body serves as a powerhouse for cells enabling proper functioning of either specific cell lines forming organs or the whole organism. There are theories the organelle is a footprint of the origin of life and thus the tiniest and the most important proof of evolution.

    Mysterial connection with life

    How? Due to its constitution from a more primordial and prior organism which could have given the beginning of eukaryote cell shape and ingredients that all latter life contains in bodies including humans. But there is something more. Microtubules that emerged in prehistoric selected bodies and eukaryote cells are responsible for transport processes within the cell and, what is of significant importance, the code they posses is in charge of the segregation of chromosomes during cell division. Mistakes during this process called mitosis may be costly for health and threaten life of the organism. Some of them we can cure nowadays dependently on how much harm and in which location occurred. Some of them remain impossible to fix or we can only alleviate the consequences of those mistakes.

    However, according to Swizterland-based scientists, the key is the cytoskeleton, an essential step in the evolution of eukaryote cells. And these are microtubules and tubuline proteins enabling action that, among all keep the cell organelles in dedicated locations within the structure. What’s fascinating the key to ensuring the stable functioning of the entire machinery is an adequate and stable binding of adenosine-triphosphate, a chemical energy that is then absorbed by microtubules and the tubuline protein for exchange inside.

    This remarkable cytoskeleton was probably at the beginning of the development of the eukaryotic cell,

    says Jingwei Xu of the University of Zurich

    The significance of the newly published study lies in its ability to establish a foundation for future research, potentially leading to solutions for increasingly disrupted evolutionary mechanisms. How might this be achieved? One possibility is to integrate chemical and biological processes that are influenced by their underlying strengths. However, this is merely a speculative suggestion.

  • Why do women put on weight during pregnancy? Mouse example

    Photo: Sunflower, Joshrowe, Pixabay

    Why do women gain more weight during pregnancy than the size of the fetus? Because of small intestine growth apart from the growing off-spring.

    Although pregnancy is a natural stage for females and generally does not require specific treatment if both the mother and child are healthy, the bodies of many female animals, including humans, undergo significant changes during reproduction. For example, the heart shifts position upwards, while the urinary tract narrows and moves downward. Recent research from the Francis Crick Institute, published in the highest-impacted journal ,,Cell” , reveals that in mice, the small intestine may increase in length by approximately 18% by the end of pregnancy, a change similar to that seen in lactating females. Notably, this lengthening is already evident by day 7 of pregnancy in mice, according to the study’s findings.

    Natural limits of reproduction

    The entire pregnancy in mice lasts about 20 days, while women carry their babies for approximately 9 months. This difference is due to the longer development time required for human fetuses. Mice give birth to offspring that are not fully mature, which means that their young need more time and care to become independent, especially with their lifespan. In line with many studies, as scientists write in their paper, the intestine is a remarkably plastic organ: its epithelium is the fastest self-renewing tissue in mammals. In the small intestine, proliferating cells located within crypts give rise to cells that migrate upward into the villus and differentiate. It is a superficial paradox that slimmer women tend to get pregnant more easily than those with higher fat tissue. However, fat does impact fertility and thus the potential for conception.

    The reproductive growth of the maternal intestine and other organs was suggested nearly 100 years ago and has since been shown to involve increases in intestinal length and absorptive area,

    claim Irene Miguel-Aliaga and Tomotsune Ameku of The Francis Crick Institute.

    What does it mean? Although the specific mechanisms underlying the process are not in-depth known, yet, reasons may include nutrients and microbiota. The latter ones are changing along with changes in the environment living organisms share and consume. And all of this brings consequences for reproduction action.

    Is pregnancy evolving into a more energy-dense process?

    Pregnancy is an effort for the female organism. Yet, previous studies have shown that remodeling of the maternal intestine is not confined to mammals. For example, as scientists write, the intestine of oviparous Drosophila fruit flies, which differs between males and females, grows and is metabolically remodeled in females during reproduction. What’s interesting, is that intestinal growth is anticipatory and genetically-controlled. In general, the gut tract’s work and shape are driven by specific hormones that play crucial roles in the digestive process as well as preserving the functions of the cells responding to a protein trigger obtained during millions of years of evolution. However, this does not imply some pieces remain completely stiff. Scientists observed accelerated migration of the enterocyte progeny up the villus in early pregnancy and, particularly, lactation. What’s new is that the researchers stated that the first pregnancy enables full reversibility of anatomical changes induced with pregnancy, while the subsequent ones make the process more difficult. Why? As scientists claim, villi grow during pregnancy by increasing the proliferation of their progenitors and the migration and size of differentiated epithelial cells.

    Consistent with the dynamics of villus growth/shrinkage, these reproductive changes in epithelial cell dynamics are already apparent in early pregnancy, peak at the end of pregnancy, persist in lactation, and yet are fully and rapidly reversible post-lactation,

    say Tomotsune Ameku and Irene Miguel-Aliaga of The Francis Crick Institute.

    Experiments indicate that the remodeling of the villus is specific to reproductive status. According to scientists, the height, width, and depth of the villus—which is responsible for absorbing nutrients and eliminating unnecessary or harmful food components—return to their pre-pregnancy values. Notably, the height of the villus remains similar between the first and second pregnancies, in contrast to changes observed in gut elongation.

  • Who is in Jamaica discussing the future of deep-sea minerals?

    Photo: Sea turtle, Andresfho, Pixabay

    The UN’s ISA started talks on sharing deep sea minerals in the Pacific, which might be as crucial as danger for humans and green transformation.

    The International Seabed Authority (ISA) was established in 1982 under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. This agreement has been signed by nearly 170 countries and the European Union. According to the legal provisions, the ISA has a dual mission: to authorize and regulate mineral-related operations in the international seabed, which is regarded as the “common heritage of mankind.” The ISA is responsible for overseeing any exploration or mining of essential resources, such as cobalt, nickel, and manganese, in international waters, while also protecting the marine environment.

    Why are seabed resources so important?

    Polymetallic nodules are considered critical for life, as manganese may have played a significant role in the formation of ribonucleic acids (RNA), which are present in every living organism on Earth. However, the approval for mining these resources comes with conditions. According to Agence France Presse, any organization seeking a contract to mine the ocean floor must be sponsored by a specific country.

    Minerals play a vital role in the engines of electric vehicles, significantly helping to reduce harmful emissions in the atmosphere. Some estimates suggest that polymetallic nodules, which contain essential metals for electric vehicle batteries and are located offshore, could lead to a 90 percent reduction in CO2 emissions compared to the extraction of ores from land.

    What is on the table? 

    The negotiations to begin discussions on the future of the sea floor took about 10 years. Some activists, concerned about protecting hard-to-reach ocean ecosystems, find it nonsensical that there is a mandate to start talks on a framework for using seabed resources.

    According to resource law, each entity that obtains a concession to extract minerals owned by all of humanity is required to pay royalties to the International Seabed Authority (ISA). However, there is currently no consensus among member states regarding the appropriate royalty fee. The values of the metals and the costs for countries to utilize them remain unclear, leading to varying demands from interested parties. 

  • Why is fentanyl so perfect cure for increasing pain grade?

    Photo: Rowan berry, chulmin1700, Pixabay

    Fentanyl, a currently popular opioid, effectively relieves pain by enhancing neuronal responses in selected brain pathways, according to a new study published in Neuron.

    Pain grades have been classified by the World Health Organization in 1986 as more and more humans started to get cancer. The author of the first assessment of suffering grades is not widely known, but the approach changed the fate of many people previously convicted by some religions for enormous distress. Some experts compare cancer to an inside cannibalism of tissues. The health one is steadily unplaced by the strange one in terms of different molecular bases (DNA), which may result from a mistake in the originally given code. There are random and facilitated mistakes. Nowadays we are aware not only of pain severity but also of its origin, that along with civilization advancement and longer lifespans increase.

    Over 50 percent of US adults are affected by pain or are classified as affected. One or another, the number is alarming throughout the world. Opioids are widely spread at the same time, impairing the functioning of many humans, although they are desperately needed when functioning is impaired by pain. One of the most modern drug examples is fentanyl, an opioid prescribed for pain relief. However, its work is highly dependent on sex hormones like estradiol and testosterone, both present in either women’s or men’s bodies, although their concentration is different, as stated by scientists from Washington University in the journal ,,Neuron”.

    Despite sex and gender differences in pain and opioid use—with women reporting greater pain, while men are more frequently misusing opioids and overdosing, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear – say Jessica A. Higginbotham and Jose A. Morón of Washington University.

    They add that opioid misuse liability also varies with age, and the putative role of gonadal hormones has been largely ignored.

    According to the US Food and Drug Administration, fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid drug approved by the FDA for use as an analgesic (pain relief) and anesthetic. It is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin as an analgesic. In line with the new study, its major target is the balance reaction of dopamine neurons for a dose of fentanyl while estradiol protects against too strong inhibition of dopamine pathways activation in males. At the same time, in females, ovariectomy enhances fentanyl self-administration as the female hormone concentration may decrease. However, the protective effects of ovarian hormones are not solely mediated by estradiol. Instead, pain and high estradiol states—naturally occurring in intact females or artificially produced in males—suppress fentanyl self-administration and associated VTADA activity through VTA estrogen receptor beta signaling – according to the scientists.

     

     

  • Are wind farms causing harm to cognitive functioning? Balancing between health and clean energy

    Wind turbine, Photo: Viniane6276, Pixabay

    Wind farms are a substantial source of clean energy needed for green transformation. Is the noise they produce harmful for people and nature or not?

    Clean energy from various renewables may decrease dependence on fossil fuels as a major energy course. There are several ways to get the so-called green electricity. One of them includes wind farms. These include large or small fans located in places with favorable weather conditions that stipulate strong enough and continuous wind. However, it does not mean they are completely oil-free as large turbines need some of this fuel or other power. Equally, the capacity, i.e, the amount of electricity produced by the single one substantially increased. Off-shore turbines work more effectively, but at the same time they are a challenge for migrating birds.

    Differing noise tolerance

    Yet, some time ago those fans’ turbines generating the electricity caused huge noise, in particular, when they were large at a specific speed of spin. This is why their location was and still is important, as too loud noise measured in decibels may cause health and functioning problems. The same speed of fans should be adequate to the strength of the wind. The height of the fan and the number of fans in the turbine, as well as the size of the entire wind farm, matter for birds. Although they have their migration paths rather stable, what makes it possible to locate a wind farm in a distance on the land, they still may feel confused due to the generated noise and thus lose their route more easily on the sea. Noise tolerance for humans and birds varies as there are larger and smaller seas.

    Now, scientists of the University of Adam Mickiewicz in Poznań in a recent study published in the journal ,,Nature” call for a new approach in research on the impact of wind turbine noise on human functioning. Based on the most recent studies, it is impossible to conclude whether the impact of wind turbine noise on physical-mental health is objective or merely a socio-culturally constructed stressor. However, Poland-based scientists thought they managed to catch a sign of worsening of cognitive state dependent on the time of noise exposure.

    The length of exposure

    A deterioration in TBR by 0,04 has been observed (from 1.15 to 1.19, t = 2.273, df = 42, Tukey’s p = 0.028). TBR is s a widely recognized biomarker for cognitive control (EEG). What is a paradox, lower TBR indicates a higher level of attentional. Therefore, a decrease in TBR is indicative of an enhancement in cognitive functioning, whereas an increase in TBR suggests a decline in cognitive performance. However, the change in TBR over the entire measurement duration merely showed a trend (F1,42 = 3.296, p = 0.077, η²p = 0.073) toward worsening – according to scientists. Moreover, the longer is the time of measurement, i.e. exposure for noise, the deterioration of cognitive state could be, but not necessarily stronger.

    The scientists analyzed a single wind turbine impact recorded outdoors at one of the wind farms located near Poznan, Wielkopolska Region in Poland. Participants of the study were not informed about the purpose of the experiment as scientists’ intention was to objectively asses the link between health and the noise. Scientists obtained approval for the experiment from The Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Educational Studies at Adam Mickiewicz University and adhered to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. The authors of the study include Agnieszka Rościszewska, Maciej Buszkiewicz, Gabriela Dobrzyńska-Kobylec, Anna Klichowska, Tomasz Przybyła, Blanka B. Nagy, Andrzej Wicher, Michał Klichowski.

     

  • What makes aging more friendly? X chromosome

    Photo: Blueberries, congerdesign, Pixabay

    The later activation of the X chromosome may enhance cognitive function, which could partly explain why women tend to have longer lifespans.

    Each of us inherits our genetic background from our parents, grandparents, and even distant ancestors that we may have forgotten. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, with one set coming from each parent. The chromosome inherited from the father determines the biological sex of the child, but we receive genes from both parents equally. The dominant genes are sometimes expressed during development and in life outside the womb, while recessive genes may remain hidden and not visibly affect traits.

    The X chromosome is present in the gametes of both women and men, while men also receive a Y chromosome, the determinant of male sex. This results in women having two X chromosomes (XX) and men having one X and one Y chromosome (XY). In women, the second X chromosome, known as the silent X, is inactivated during the developmental stage and early life to prevent a double dose of X-linked genes.

    When silent genes awake

    Recently, scientists from the University of California, San Francisco, published a study in ,,Science Advances” claiming that this silent X chromosome is activated later in life as aging begins, particularly with expression in the hippocampus, a crucial part of the brain for learning and memory. This activation occurs due to elevated levels of a specific protein linked to the protection of signaling pathways in the brain. The researchers suggest that this phenomenon may enhance cognitive abilities and influence longevity in both women and men. However, they noted that the elevated levels of this protein are found to be naturally higher in women.

    The X chromosome is about 155 million DNA building blocks long (base pairs) and accounts for roughly 5 percent of the total DNA in cells. Individuals with two X chromosomes have only one functional copy of the X chromosome in each cell. X-inactivation occurs randomly, so it is unclear whether the X chromosome inherited from the mother or the one from the father will be switched off.

    Researchers in California have found that, alongside aging, the previously silent chromosome X activates about 20 additional genes that were expected to remain inactive.

    Aging had awakened the sleeping X,

    says Dena Dubal of the University of California, San Francisco, USA.

    How does all of this contribute to brain function? The activation of the second X chromosome, driven by a specific protein, enhances the brain’s connections and increases cognitive abilities. Simplifying the chromosome can suddenly cause it to detach from its loci, which typically happens during cell division when a piece of genetic material separates in the cell’s nucleus.

    The escapee activates when a protein, a component of myelin that protects nerve fibers, triggers the process. This causes previously silent genes to express, enhancing connections between brain cells and improving communication. As a result, signal transmission improves, boosting cognitive function. In the hippocampus, crucial for memory and emotion, this slows cognitive decline and helps women better resist the effects of aging.

  • Plant protection is the key to sustaining life. Singapore’s example

    Photo: The Singapore General Hospital Bicentennial Garden, authors: Abner Herbert Lim, Bin Tean Teh

    Genomic gardens of plants necessary to cure impaired people may be the only way to secure biodiversity, as urbanization and climate change lead to green destruction.

    Modern medicine would not have reached the level of today’s advancement without plants. They have been accompanying humans since the beginning, healing wounds and securing food. The learning of their properties was strictly protected within the first societies, at the same time being one of the first goods to exchange with separate groups, establishing the first allies. Healers held the highest position in prehistoric society, possessing great power to either cure or kill. Today, medicine also draws from this past; however, modern legal and ethical standards make its application more challenging, though not impossible, in the western hemisphere. Modern medicine is based on evidence-based knowledge, which requires plenty of studies, proofs, and technologies before being released to practice. However, this does not change the fact that plants further constitute a crucial base for modern medications, enabling them to heal and extend the lifespans of those who need them most often because of civilization’s diseases.

    As urbanization and climate change accelerate, humans are losing biodiversity that has developed over millions of years, beginning with the emergence of lycophytes as possibly the first plants. Countries in Southeast Asia have not been spared from the biodiversity loss seen across the globe. Scientists at the SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Biodiversity Medicine in Singapore have proposed the creation of a genomic garden. In a newly published study in ,,Cell Genomics”, they suggest that this collection of selected genomes could help preserve biodiversity and, in turn, protect human life.

     – The biodiversity conservation efforts may be further enhanced by leveraging the latest technological advances. One such avenue is the establishment of a genomic garden, where the genome of each plant grown in the garden is sequenced, assembled, and analyzed,

    say Abner Herbert Lim and Bin Tean Teh of the SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Biodiversity Medicine, Singapore.

    Singapore, both a city and a nation that achieved its independence through self-determination, has created a notable garden known as the “Garden City.” This designation comes after the loss of 34 percent of its flora due to urban development. Scientists report that the first genomic garden was established at the SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Center, and it is named the Singapore General Hospital Bicentennial Genomic Garden. The current size of the garden is 3,400 m2, with plans to expand the space to 8,500 m2. Currently, the garden includes a curated selection of 100 SEA regional ethnobotanical species. The scientists emphasize that the genomic garden can be organized into distinct sections based on the types and functions of the plants in each area. This arrangement not only simplifies navigation but also enhances the educational experience.

    – Priority can be given to species that help fill genomic data gaps in underrepresented taxa, contributing to the conservation of genetic diversity. Ethnobotanical knowledge provides further insight by identifying plants with traditional medicinal uses, which may contain bioactive compounds with nutraceutical potential,

    claim Abner Herbert Lim and Bin Tean Teh of the SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Biodiversity Medicine, Singapore.

    Equally important are species with unique adaptive traits that can drive agricultural innovation, enhance ecological restoration, and strengthen food security. For developed countries like Singapore, the genomic garden epitomizes one of the practical ways to preserve biodiversity and promote human health while serving the needs of modern nations with forward-looking economies – conclude scientists, adding that in 2015, Singapore Botanic Gardens was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, becoming the first and only tropical botanic garden on the list.

  • Paradox of evolution. What can capture and unleash us from Earth?

    Photo: Molecules, wastedgeneration, Pixabay

    A tiny insertion of a highly charged, binding potential helix into the space of RNA after the prokaryote code was lost or removed could change the direction of life’s evolution.

    RNA is a single-strand of ribonucleic acid, which is more primordial to DNA built with two strands and slightly different bases. It could be RNA that assembled the first pieces of life out of the prebiotic soup at the ancient Earth. Then it could transform into the more complex structure, which has been recognized as the original base for further evolution. However, the two structures still coexist in bodies in every life. Now, scientists of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, in the last study published in ,,Cell”, claim that RNA may be reprogrammed to enable changes in the strength of the binding regions, guiding to both a slight loss of an original sequence of fast-moving alkalies and the gain of a new sequence transforming more than half of the original ancestor code within the strand.

    What is elusive, what is persistent in the genome?

    How is this possible that an action based on a primitive organism that, whether we like it or not, is in the majority on our planet, unleashes changes that might be key for modern medicine? This is possible due to an evolutionary mechanism called CRISPR, which subsists only with eukaryote organisms, while prokaryotes were the prior. The main difference between the two groups is the way of genetic material protection. Concerning prokaryotes, it is located in separate chromosomes and plasmids. In the case of eukaryotes, the genetic code gathered from the progenitor is located in the nucleus of the cell. Simplifying the CRISPR mechanism that is currently crucial for our disease susceptibility/resilience, cuts off a portion of the original version of the code in selected loci (locations). But, what’s awesome and discovered by the scientists, the transforming RNA is acquiring a boost of energy with a highly charged duplex binding and thought the capability for a new dedicated amino. That compensation enables us to reach the final change and thus continue repeats. However, those are changing. And this is it, what alters the direction of the evolutionary mechanisms driving life-origin, at the same time, leaving the core genome without persistent changes.

    What’s fascinating is that pieces of prokaryotic tracings remain in future RNA expressions and are found in non-coding RNA. These segments of the single strand do not bind to amino acids. Previously, some scientists referred to these sequences as “junk DNA,” believing they were not essential for the organism’s functioning, as amino acids trigger actions within the body. However, it is now clear that this so-called “junk” is quite stable and integral to cellular functions. Additionally, it is linked to the ability to eliminate unwanted infections. So, could it be that bacteria are crucial for our existence on Earth?

    The origin of the RNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas13 and, more generally, the origin of RNA-guided targeting mechanisms in CRISPR systems have remained elusive,

    claim Shai Zilberzwige-Tal and Feng Zhang of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.

    But, simultaneously, the structure being original for CRISP-Cas13 evolution is a toxin-antitoxin (TA) system with an RNA antitoxin – the scientists claim. The answer, what is our protection here might be more astonishing. A toxin called AbiF. Furthermore, characterization of the AbiF system revealed a distinct mechanism of action.

    We discovered that Cas13 likely evolved from an abortive infection F (AbiF) protein associated with a non-coding RNA (ncRNA). AbiF is a toxin-antitoxin (TA) system with an RNA antitoxin,

    say Shai Zilberzwige-Tal and Feng Zhang of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.

    In other words, unlike CRISPR, the relationship between the toxic protein and the non-coding RNA functions on a specific path, involving a reaction and an anti-reaction in the toxin-antitoxin system. The non-coding RNA can inhibit the active site of the AbiF nuclease, creating harmful effects while also introducing errors. The issue arises from a significant duplication of available binding sites, which consequently leads to the loss of interaction with the antitoxin encoded by certain non-coding RNAs. However, a new interaction with CRISPR RNA has emerged, facilitated by a small set of helical insertions and a single Recognition (REC)-like insertion in the effector protein. This modification likely enables the recognition of the duplex formed by guide RNA and target RNA, allowing the two complementary strands of RNA to function as part of a defense-related system linked to the AbiF toxin, according to the scientists’ conclusions.

  • Are power users critical for grid resilience? The perception of the security of supply is changing.

    Photo: Bharat Siddam, Pixabay

    Cyberattacks on grids may disrupt power supply as nowadays computers are steering the volumes. Are we willing to have a transforming station at home?

    Power grids are a kind of skeleton or nervous system of the country. There are grids with higher and lower frequencies that are subordinated to the volumes of transmitted energy/electricity. Electricity can be transmitted via cables like the undersea one connecting Poland and Sweden as well as via the transmission network that we all see out of our windows. People use cables for their phones, computers, air-conditioners, kitchen appliances, and other stuff without which we can not efficiently function in the current reality.

    Scientists from Princeton and MIT have published a study in PNAS titled “Resilience of the Electric Grid Through Trustworthy IoT-Coordinated Assets.” In their research, they propose that devices connected to each other via the Internet could be a solution to the increasing number of cyberattacks on electrical grids. These attacks can disrupt the operations of hospitals, as medical equipment relies on a continuous power supply, and they can also impact critical industries, where production lines depend on electricity.

    Who is to pay for the security?

    The power market shapes the electricity volumes needed to feed appliances and equipment to work. There are peak loads as well as lower demand for the electricity during daily cycle. We therefore tend to sleep at night and factories are closed at that time as the main human activity occurs during the day. Of course, there are economy branches that work the whole day/night shift but, in general, the use of electricity is lower at night.

    Cyberattacks aiming to disrupt the transmission usually during the peak load are directed to transmission stations to switch off a certain group of users. The facilities, simplifying, are sharing electricity inflows via a high-frequency network for smaller volumes distributed via the lower-frequencies network and then to final receivers. The key is to ensure timely amounts are on the covered land because a blackout, or loss of power in the network, causes problems for everyone. This is why the resilience against cyberattacks and thus disruption of electricity volumes or changes in volumes scheduled to a certain distribution area is crucial for the security of the power supply.

    • The resilience could be enhanced through the coordination of resources at the grid edge that are trustable and resilient, say Vineet J. Nair, Partha S. Sarker, and Vincent Poor of MIT, West Virginia University, and Princeton. 

    They add, that such coordination can be enabled through a suite of market operators suitably located in a distribution grid. In other words, these should be located where electricity is being supplied. And that means receivers who need it to perform/undertake daily tasks. Moreover, as the scientists claim,  this coordination may mitigate attacks of different levels of severity, with attack magnitudes that range from 5 to 40 percent of the total peak load. However, that approach might signal the necessity to change the grid topology as usually in many grid systems transforming stations are located at the entry point for electricity inflow not at the point of its final use.

    Does it mean an additional price for power use or yet another space for certification of appliances that are widely used.? That has not been emphasized, yet. The clear thing is though the perception of the security of the electricity supply is changing. Why? Possibly because the scale of remote disruptions is increasing.

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If anyone could give me a paid job in line with my qualifications, not because I do not want to work at shop or warehouse, but due to my low section spine impairment since mid- 2020 (sometimes very paintful) or even since mid-2003 (up-section hyperextension confirmed in medical exam) and very serious sight impairment since early childhood that excludes heavy or even moderate lifting or too exessive effort, I would strongly appreciate it.

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That could help me to upgrade the site and continue work on it, unless no one wants me to write or say anything more. For now, in June 14408 valid views, 9188 so-called errors, 5781 sessions with 1:54 for a single one. Since the beginning of 2026 – 14593 valid views for 6904 sessions with 1:48 sec. of an average duration. Last year 167315 with 44820 sessions. Last 7 days: 2758 with 0:42 of an average session duration. The number of sessions: 1690. Have not gotten a penny for my hard work. Total views in June 2026: about 15000. Bots account for 13.9% share in total access in 2026. For the last month bots obtained 9.1% share in views. The valid pages access increased within the last 30 days by 17% to 12827, while client error pages soared by 16.9% versus 30 previous days to 4868. Last month valid increase amounted to 21% to 12811, error pages dropped by 2%. China share: 20% with 894 sessions. The US – 27.8% with 1247 sessionins. Singapore – 6.2% share. Poland – 138 with 3.1% share for the last month- June 2026 and 2.8% share with 144 sessions for the last 30 days. The total number of vires since the beginning of this year – 2026 – about 127000. I resigned from these ,,professional” sources, as I am not going to perform unpaid highly-skilled work. No single word from me about medicine or energy. Unless anyone is willing to pay me – on my banking account for the content she/he used/uses at various meetings, conferences, decision-making sittings, etc. The banking account number has been specified on the website – above. The tax is to be paid. People do not wish me to be journalist – fine. I accept.

And again, as still dirty attempts are made: I do not wish any contact with my parents, especially so-called farther, so-called family, and any former boyfried, former fiances or would-be husbands. True friends are welcome!

To confess: my main regret is given help in 1999 and the British Chevening Scholarship in 2002/03 in Oxford (anyway stolen, as I could notice living in a huge trauma for the recent over 20 years), as well as baptism and brain-washing in the Polish mafian church with my (fortunately dead) lovely aunty.

My email, if someone wants to return my 50 birthday present (purchased myself) ,,How the Female Body Drove 200 million Years of Human Evolution” is evolutionandsecurity@proton.me. Just read about a half. But sometimes read from the end! The decision to clear me out has been made on January 20, 2024, when I was in London for my birthday. Did anyone wish me anything nice for my birthday in the recent years? Apart from those realy unfortunate wishes you want to breake me again to accept. No. It has been clear for many, many years.

My heart stopped on February 28, 2024 after 3 years of hard and heart-given work along with very sore spine for Polish Public Television, Science Unit because I wanted to have normal life and on May 8, 2025 after tremendously hard work for Medonet/Onet, because I wanted my Oxford Diploma/background to be published on their website and wanted to write a decent story about the medical boundaries in human development to cut or at least decrease life-costing mistakes. I just needed more medical information.

Lesson: never help others, even though their life is threaten. Why? Because you will not even receive information about a mass in the intention of their health improvement. You will be accused of bringing insects to the flat because you do not have time to stay long and you do not want to clean as this is not your home. The keys will be immediately taken with the message – go for a holiday, rest! Others will ask: why are you doing this? Going to the rehabilitation place? You want this flat, don’t you? – when you give a paid advert to contact someone close to smooth suffering because of the illness. For your birthday present you will receive an evicion of allegedly unpaid invoices for funded from your money rehabilitation of the person life you accidentally saved, which had been paid a year ago. And when you need a job, you get an offer to be a free caregiver. You really did not want to save, as you did not want to open the door in the early morning, alone, not seeing, who is knocking and why. Was my door the only one knocked to? You can be paid caregiver but far away from your country with broken spine. So never again!

So my heart will not beat anymore, as it used to. Too much dirt. Fingers crossed for those, who have faith! One message – I was scheduled for an upgrade surgery of my low-back spine twice, as the first one is not well-done. Who received it instead, as my ,,injury” was less important for medics and the so-called familiy and former friends?

My final thoughtful request is: I would kindly ask to take under consideration that I would like to receive my upgraded Oxford Diploma along with the Alumni Number for the paper I researched and wrote within 3 months, when the stipulated time was one year, upgraded University of Warsaw Diploma and a decently-paid job in line with my qualifications, along with the reunion to the society and people at my age, instead of constantly hearing – no place, go somewhere else, we do not like you, take your medicines and shut up, go to bed, you are a course and useless slut, as it was a very nice summary of my work for Polish Public Television along with pictures of mine which were not mine in line with the philosopy – you are that much slut, another time makes no difference. I have a deal with someone and I would like to start my own life for myself at once at the age of over 52. Of course I can do nothing if you are not wishing or willing to accept my requests. But, anyway all of them, now, have been expressed clearly and openly. With restrictions: no former boyfrieds, fiances, would-be husbands or the so-called family that can be easily checked in records. No trust from me anymore after so many humililiations and infractings to check whether I deserved life and job or not deserved.

And yes, I was waiting for theoretically my friends to call and say a good word about me. Spontanously, to invite me somewhere to spend some time with me, to ask how I am, to say something nice, to say my writing improved, my look, just to talk and not to use everything they hear against. Not the old ones. At my age. Instead I got imairment in exchange for money, that I had to take. I look in the mirror. What can I see? Empty. Wishing you smile and happiness, when you are happy because of someone’s else breakdown! And yes, I feel deeply hurt, constantly hurt, despite all my efforts and trials to deserve for a normal life – job, someone close, flat renovation, cat, sometimes restaurant. Instead I can not get connexion with anyone, even if I see that someone called, I am hungry, as I do not have money to buy food, bank refuses a loan as the perspective has been downgraded. Why? Because I smoke? If I had a tiny chance for a normal, stable life with someone with me (apart from the mentioned above who the most substantial help was given not only in 1999, with this I did not want and I do not want anything – it would not be different this time), that I want to be with, not because others want, I would have given up smoking many years ago. I smoke nearly 40 years. That happen, if you sell your child, when you do not need to or you buy it, because you have your own plan for its life. Can not forgive? I can. Did it many times and many times was asking it for myself. No one wished. Why? Maybe because they think I should forgive this I do not want to, as one or two of my former friends suggested. And really this time, I do not want to. Why? No trust. Simple.

And to be honest, I would not trust God at least on Earth taking into account the numbers of dead in wars, because of fanatics actions and brain-clearing catholic propaganda along with money for births, baptisms, weddings and funerals. The quantity of the latter substantially increased in the recent years. People decide about their faith. And the only way to stop fault deaths is fair-play, free choice and respect to ,,no” instead of constantly destroying, what someone else is trying to build, not to mention someone elses’ work robbery, depriving or helping others just to build its own connexions and image. Hell and devils welcome!

Happy Chevening meeting in Warsaw! Would be nice to be invited. No one called to say a word. Instead of me those who ruined, stole my life, paper, health and money and I do not wish any contact with. But I would come, if anyeone else had told me. So another proof how totally I was excluded and recognized as disgraced, persona-non-grata. As I said no contact with the so-called farther and his holly wife. I returned the parcel from them without opening. Another proof how totally they do not respect what I am saying and what I am asking for. To AstraZeneca – no consent from me to store my data anymore. Wishing you a nice evening raut!

It would be also, first of all, nice to enter the place of meeting because of my Grandma Birthday Commemoration. As usually since the recent 23 years – the door was closed. With kind regards and best wishes! I am not expecting anything from you, you don’t expect anything from me. For me, you are both dead for these all years of heart and help from my side, sent money and support as such. Never again.

To University of Warsaw. You do not have me among those you can be proud of. I have not turned out to be human. Another form to join an event and find out there is no place for me. Thank you!

marta.koblanska@evolutionandsecurity.com, evolutionandsecurity@proton.me

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