Latest news with #UniversityOfToronto
The Sun
2 days ago
- Science
- The Sun
Haunting ‘Dragon Man' skull is first ever found from lost human cousin ‘Denisovan' species that lived 217,000 years ago
THE face of humans' most mysterious ancestor has finally been uncovered after 217,000 years. The discovery proves that the 'Dragon Man' of China is indeed a Denisovan, a long lost ancestral species. 4 It is the first time a near-complete skull has been definitively linked to the extinct people. The fossil, which is at least 146,000 years old, reveals Denisovans had a prominent brow ridge and a brain as large as modern humans and Neanderthals. They even had more modern features, like delicate cheekbones. Their relatively flat lower face doesn't jut out like it does in other primates and more ancient hominins. The massive size of the skull also suggests a very large body, which could have helped it survive brutal winters in northeastern China. "Having a well-preserved skull like this one allows us to compare the Denisovans to many more different specimens found in very different places," paleoanthropologist Bence Viola of the University of Toronto, who was not involved in the new study, told National Geographic. "This means we might be able to compare their body proportions and start thinking about their adaptations to climate, for example." Scientists have long speculated about the appearance of the mysterious Denisovans. Other bones relating to the ancient ancestor have been discovered over the decades, such as a robust jawbone found off the coast of Taiwan in the 2000s which was recently attributed to the Denisovans. But none more intact than the 'Dragon Man' or 'Harbin skull'. Face of oldest direct human ancestor, which lived 3.8million years ago, revealed by scientists A finger bone found in Denisova Cave, Siberia, in 2010 was the first example of the elusive Denisovans - and where they got their unofficial name. "It's really exciting to finally have Denisovan DNA from a nearly complete cranium," Janet Kelso, a computational biologist at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, told Nature. "We finally have some insights into the cranial morphology of the Denisovans." 4 In 2021, a team of Chinese researchers made the controversial claim that a bizarre skull they had found could belong to a previously unknown species. They dubbed this unknown species Homo longi, nicknamed 'Dragon Man', inspired by the Long Jiang Dragon River region where the skull was found. The fossil is believed to have been hidden by a Chinese labourer for 85 years, before the man's grandson handed the specimen to Qiang Ji, a palaeontologist at Hebei GEO University in Shijiazhuang in 2018. Ji, who co-authored the original Homo longi paper, suspects the man discovered the artefact himself but failed to report it to authorities. The grandson claimed the fossil was unearthed the fossil in 1933 during bridge-construction work over the Long Jiang river. The construction worker then supposedly buried it in an abandoned well, where it remained until a deathbed confession. When Ji published his findings in 2021, Qiaomei Fu of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing - who worked on the very first Denisovan DNA from the Siberian finger bone - wanted to see if they shared any ancient molecules. Ji and Fu's team first attempted to extract ancient DNA from a part of the skull called the petrous bone in the inner ear - where DNA might survive after 146,000 years - and from an attached tooth. They didn't recover any genetic material. But what they did find was sequence fragments from 95 ancient proteins from the petrous samples. One protein sequence from the Dragon Man fossil was identical to that of a protein from the Siberian finger bone, as well as Denisovan bones from Tibet and Taiwan, the experts reveal in two papers published in the journals Science and Cell this week. This protein sequence differed from modern humans and Neanderthals - suggesting the man was likely a Denisovan. "After 15 years, we give the Denisovan a face," said Fu. "It's really a special feeling, I feel really happy." It is understood the new species will adopt the Homo longi name, like we humans are Homo sapiens. 4 4
CTV News
3 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
Language revitalization linked to better Indigenous health, says UBC research
New research to come from UBC highlights the positive link between Indigenous language revitalization and the health and wellbeing of First Nations communities. (Courtesy: MoA) Editor's note: This story mentions suicide. If you or anyone you know is struggling with mental health there are a number of ways to get help, including by calling or texting Suicide Crisis Helpline at 988. A list of local crisis centres is also available here. Indigenous communities have long touted the wellness benefits of speaking and sustaining their ancestral languages, and now there's evidence that supports it – courtesy of new research from the University of British Columbia. The review, led by a UBC team and assisted by the University of Toronto and the University of Sydney, saw researchers analyze more than 260 studies from Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand for references of language use being connected to better health. The most surprising element of the findings wasn't that there was a connection between the two but the extent of that connection, with various aspects of health shown to be benefitted by First Nations members conversing in their own language. 'I think a lot of people are aware that there is a link between the two at some capacity, but there hasn't really been a thorough review to see what this link really is, how prevalent it is, what it means exactly,' said Julia Schillo, a PhD student in the department of linguistics and co-author of the study. 'I hear a lot about how language revitalization has been important for First Nations people for things like trauma healing and for mental health, but there were so many articles talking about how it played into things like physical health and diet and spiritual well-being, too,' she said, noting how around 78 per cent of the material discussed a positive correlation. Stronger educational performance, greater social connection and, in some cases, lower suicide rates, were also found to be directly connected to the use of Indigenous language. Many of the findings, particularly from studies in Australia and northernmost Canada, showed how there are typically better outcomes when health services are offered in First Nations languages, with patients more likely to better understand their treatment plans, and feel more comfortable and respected in a medical facility. Likewise, there were worse health outcomes reported when patients weren't able to receive health care in the language they needed. 'There were some reports of issues with people receiving health care without being able to provide informed consent, or translators not being called even when they were available,' said Schillo. The research process had been lengthy and involved Schillo and the study's lead author Louise Harding searching a number of databases, pulling around 10,000 potential articles and going through the summaries of those articles for relevant information. That search was then narrowed to 1,000, then a few hundred. Schillo hopes it will be the first of many studies into the relationship between health and Indigenous language use, as further research is needed to truly understand the finer elements, like the potential confounding variables. 'Socioeconomics, English language, fluency, things like that that need to be looked at in more detail to actually get a solid picture of what's going on here,' she said. Mark Turin, an anthropologist, UBC associate professor and co-author of the study, said the next step should be two-fold. First of all, there needs to be 'grounded, site-specific, ethnographically informed and culturally rich studies' of the specific Indigenous communities who have established language programs. Turin said he would also like to see a pivot towards research that focuses more on the strength and resilience of First Nations communities. 'Some of the formative research has been about negative associations, whether through causation or correlation, namely a decline in Indigenous youth suicide being related to language transmission and cultural continuity,' he said. 'This is extremely important research, but also really painful because of the devastating effects of suicide in Indigenous communities.' For further research and efforts to revive Indigenous language to get underway, however, funding, of which there is little, is required. 'Right now, so much language revitalization work is being done on short-term funding grants that are not guaranteed to be renewed,' said Schillo. 'That interruption undermines the long-term investment that it could provide to people's health.'
CNA
4 days ago
- Politics
- CNA
G7 faces challenges but shows unexpected unity on Iran and Ukraine: Analyst
Aurel Braun, Professor of International Relations at the University of Toronto, tells CNA about the complex dynamics facing the Group of Seven summit. He highlights the emerging unity on addressing Iran's nuclear threat alongside ongoing challenges in maintaining support for Ukraine.
Medical News Today
5 days ago
- Health
- Medical News Today
Ozempic and vision loss: GLP-1 drugs may double risk of eye disease
New research links GLP-1 medications such as semaglutide and tirzepatide to a doubled risk of potentially blinding eye diseases. JavierThe most commonly used types of GLP-1 receptor agonists are semaglutide and tirzepatide, which are used to treat type 2 diabetes and aid weight loss. Past studies have linked GLP-1 medications to a risk of potentially blinding eye diseases. A new study reports that older adults with diabetes taking any type of GLP-1 medication may be at a heightened risk for developing neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Originally used to help treat type 2 diabetes, these medications have gained in popularity over the last few years for weight loss. For this study, researchers analyzed health records from 2020 to 2023 of more than 139,000 Ontario residents with an average age of 66 and diagnosis of diabetes. Participants who used GLP-1 medications did so for more than six months. 'Our study included any GLP-1 receptor agonists that were prescribed during the study period in Ontario, Canada; we did not exclude any specific type of these medications,' Rajeev H. Muni, MD MSc FRCSC, associate professor and vice chair of Clinical Research in the Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences at the University of Toronto in Canada, and principal investigator of this study explained to Medical News Today. 'However, semaglutide represented the vast majority of use in our cohort, accounting for 97.5% of all GLP-1 prescriptions.' ' Lixisenatide made up the remaining 2.5%, and nearly all prescriptions of lixisenatide were in combination with insulin glargine ,' Muni continued. 'Tirzepatide was not included because it had not yet been approved in Canada during the study period.' 'Furthermore, while Wegovy was approved in late 2021, our study focused on patients with diabetes from 2020 to 2023,' he added. 'Therefore, it is very likely that the semaglutide included in our analysis was prescribed as Ozempic, which is indicated for blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes.' Upon analysis, researchers found that participants with diabetes taking a GLP-1 medication had a two-fold higher risk of developing nAMD — a type of AMD where malformed blood vessels grow underneath the retina, causing fluids to leak into the macula of the eye. There is currently no cure for nAMD and it is a condition that can potentially cause blindness. 'We found that among patients with diabetes aged 66 and older, the incidence of nAMD was approximately 1 in 1,000 in those who had never used GLP-1 receptor agonists, compared to about 2 in 1,000 among those who had been exposed to these medications for at least six months,' Muni said. 'While the absolute risk remains low, this represents a relative doubling in risk.' 'While our findings should not prompt alarm, they do warrant increased clinical awareness,' he continued. 'These medications have well-established benefits for cardiovascular, renal , and metabolic health . However, patients who may be at higher risk for nAMD, such as older adults, should be aware of the possibility of new visual symptoms. If any new changes in vision occur while taking these medications, patients should promptly inform their doctor and be referred to an ophthalmologist for further assessment.' Additionally, Muni and his team observed that the highest nAMD risk was associated with participants who had used GLP-1 medications for the longest amount of time. 'We observed a clear dose-response relationship in our analysis, with the risk of nAMD increasing as the duration of GLP-1 receptor agonist exposure increased,' Muni explained. 'This finding is clinically meaningful because it suggests that the risk may accumulate over time.' 'Given that many individuals use these medications chronically, whether for blood sugar control or for weight loss, the long-term ocular safety of GLP-1 RAs requires further investigation,' he continued. 'While observational data can't prove causation on its own, seeing a graded relationship like this suggests that prolonged exposure could play a role in increasing risk; however, this needs to be validated in future studies.' MNT also talked to Demetrios Vavvas, MD, PhD, director of the retina service at Mass Eye and Ear in Massachusetts, about this research. Vavvas commented that the study's strength is on its massive scale of real-world data, the robust statistical technique used, and the evidence it found of a 'dose-response' relationship. 'The risk of developing nAMD appeared to increase the longer a patient was exposed to the medication,' he continued. 'This type of pattern makes a potential link more compelling than a single, static finding and provides a significant signal that warrants serious follow-up investigation.' However, Vavvas did point out that the study has some limitations. 'The most significant limitation is that this study can only show an association, not prove that the drug causes this eye condition. This is because critical risk factors like smoking, obesity (BMI), and sun exposure were not accounted for in the data. Since GLP-1 RAs are often prescribed to patients with obesity, this single unmeasured factor could be the true driver of the observed risk.' — Demetrios Vavvas, MD, PhD 'Second, the results may be influenced by surveillance bias,' Vavvas continued. 'Patients starting a powerful new medication like a GLP-1 RA are likely to be monitored more closely by their doctors. This increased medical attention could lead to a higher likelihood of their eye problems being detected and treated, which is what the study measured, creating the appearance of increased risk.' 'Thirdly, the actual events were very small — less than 0.2% so despite statistical adjustment results may not be accurate,' he added. 'Lastly as the majority of GLP-1 RAs in this study were semaglutide, this may not apply to all GLP-1 RAs and additionally, because the analysis excluded over 26,000 patients who could not be matched, the results may not apply to the full spectrum of patients taking these drugs in the real world, particularly those with more complex health profiles.' MNT spoke with David I. Geffen, OD, FAAO, director of optometric and refractive services at the Gordon Schanzlin New Vision in La Jolla, CA, about this study. Geffen commented that as GLP-1 medications are being prescribed to a huge number of patients — and as it's been observed that not all patients are symptom free and not side effect free — doctors must be very careful to make sure their patients' eye health is not compromised utilizing these medications. 'It is important to make sure that we know our patients are taking these medications,' he explained. 'This study shows that as new medications are approved we need to be careful as long term side-effects may be seen that we were not aware of.' 'Diabetes is very common in our practices and many of our patients are put on the GPL-1s,' Geffen continued. 'We need (to) be vigilant in examining patients with diabetes. If using these meds, it is even more important. One study is not enough to make too many assumptions however in deciding to use these meds. The GLP-1 medications have shown many benefits for most patients.' 'It is important to carry on further studies in other countries to see if this is seen in other populations,' he added. 'It would be important to know more of the demographics of the afflicted populations. Knowing the status of the retina in the individuals before being put on the medications would be helpful in determining safety profiles.' Diabetes Type 2 Eye Health / Blindness Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
CBC
13-06-2025
- General
- CBC
One of Toronto's oldest elm trees is on its last legs. Researchers are racing to re-grow copies
One of the largest old elm trees in Toronto — possibly in all of southern Ontario — is on its last legs. But as the city finalizes plans to take down the Barton Street landmark next week, a University of Toronto tree expert is determined to ensure it will live again. Eric Davies, a forestry ecologist at the University of Toronto, visited the tree earlier this week to record its size and gather its seeds, which will be used to re-grow a copy of the tree in the future as part of the city's Tree Seed Diversity Program (TSDP). He and his students measured the trunk's height at 40 metres and its circumference at 5.5 metres. "It's sad," he said of the tree's fate. "Each one that comes down, you want to do it some kind of justice by improving our ability to maintain Toronto's trees and forests." Residents of the Seaton Village neighbourhood, in the Christie and Bloor streets area, noticed earlier this year that the old American elm remained barren this spring, while much younger nearby trees were growing leaves. Thirteen-year-old Ethan Tantram, who passes the tree every day on his way to school, said he and his father noticed this spring that the tree seemed ill. "It's heartbreaking," he said this week. "It's a big thing in our community." Unclear what's killing the tree The teen used his drone to get a closer look at the tree's branches and his father later called the city to report the tree wasn't doing well. City staff said an inspector determined during a May 30 visit that the tree was dying and posed a danger to the public. City spokesperson Shane Gerard told CBC Toronto in an email the city has tried to determine exactly what's killing the tree, but lab results have been inconclusive. "The tree was observed with a thinning crown and yellowing leaves in late summer 2024," his email reads. "Removing the tree will prevent it from becoming a hazard, as dead branches are more prone to breakage." Davies, who's recognized by the city as a seed gatherer for the seed diversity program, says he'll be on hand Tuesday when the tree is brought down. "This is one of the nicest remaining elms in Toronto (and) probably has a high quality gene stock to it," he said. "Each one is not only important ecologically but culturally." Local artist Jode Roberts, who lives within sight of the tree, agreed it's meant a lot to the community. Last year, he used old photos of the neighbourhood from the city archives to peg the tree's age at at more than 100 years. He then fashioned a heritage plaque explaining the tree's significance and attached it to a utility pole next to the tree. "There's a profound sadness when something like this disappears," he told CBC Toronto. "It survived Dutch elm disease and the development of the city around it. So sure — let's take its babies and see if we can make more majestic elms." Native trees vastly outnumbered, says researcher Once Davies has gathered the elm's seeds, they'll go into the TSDP, which will distribute them to one of several participating nurseries in the Greater Toronto Area. Once they've matured, in four to seven years, they'll be planted in one of the city's 80-odd parks and ravines — one that's been identified as a good fit for a new elm tree. Davies and a team of U of T students are spending the summer mapping the city's largest and oldest native tree species. He says those native trees are vastly outnumbered in Toronto by invasive species, and he hopes his map will allow the city to aid in their regeneration. Each tree that's mapped is measured and its seeds collected, he said. Those seeds will then be passed on to the TSDP for regrowth. One of Davies' summer students is Sam Sedgwick, who's studying toward a master's degree in forest conservation at U of T. He called the Barton Street elm the most impressive he's seen so far. "With the presence of Dutch elm disease, we've lost pretty much every large elm in the city, so the fact this one is still here really speaks to its resilience," he said. "We really want to preserve those genetics as much as we can." Sedgwick helped take measurements of the elm earlier this week. He noted the tree is more than five metres in circumference, 40 metres high and that its canopy covers five houses on Barton Street. "That's a lot of air conditioning," he said.
