Bible 'like hand-grenade' in some countries: Pope Francis
Christians are being targeted in some parts of the world merely for wearing
a crucifix or owning a bible seen as a "hidden hand-grenade", Pope
Francis has said."...Christians are being persecuted for wearing a cross
and showing their faith in Jesus. They are being condemned for owning a
bible," Francis wrote in the preface to a new edition of the
bible."Clearly the bible is an extremely dangerous book, so perilous that
in some countries it is treated like a hidden hand-grenade" continued the
preface.The new edition of the bible, aimed at young people is due to be
published by the Italian Jesuit magazine Civilta Cattolica in the end of
December.
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New non-toxic material for stronger dental fillings
Graphene oxide could be used to make super strong dental fillings that
don't corrode, a new study says.The study suggests we chew around 800 times in
an average meal, that's almost a million times a year. We put our teeth under
huge strain, and often require fillings to repair them."The idea of the project
was to add graphene into dental materials, in order to increase their
resistance to corrosion as well as to improve their mechanical
properties," said Stela Pruneanu, one of the authors of the study from the
National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular
Technologies in Romania."There is contradictory information regarding the
cytotoxicity of graphene, so we first wanted to determine how toxic it is for
teeth.
"Thermally reduced graphene oxide was highly toxic, making it inappropriate
as a dental filling material. Nitrogen-doped graphene caused membrane damage at
high doses. However, it was shown to have antioxidant properties."The
results were very interesting and proved that graphene is appropriate for use
in dental materials," said Gabriela Adriana Filip, another author of the
study and associate professor at the Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and
Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca in Romania."We believe that this research will bring
new knowledge about the cytotoxic properties of graphene-based materials and
their potential applications in dental materials," Filip added.The study
findings were published in the recent issue of journal Colloids and Surfaces B:
Biointerfaces.
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Three-four cups of coffee can cut diabetes risk
Much to coffee lovers' delight, drinking three to four cups of coffee per
day can reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, said a new study.Danish
scientists have identified two compounds that contribute to this health
benefit, adding that this knowledge can help them develop new medications to
better prevent and treat the disease.To investigate which of coffee's many
bioactive components are responsible for diabetes prevention, the team tested
the effects of different coffee substances in rat cell lines.The researchers
investigated different coffee compounds' effects on cells in the lab.The two
compounds - cafestol and caffeic acid - increased insulin secretion when
glucose was added.The team also found that cafestol increased glucose uptake in
muscle cells, matching the levels of a currently prescribed antidiabetic drug.
According to lead researcher Soren Gregersen from Aarhus University
Hospital in Denmark, cafestol's dual benefits make it a good candidate for the
prevention and treatment of Type 2 diabetes.However, because coffee filters
eliminate much of the cafestol in drip coffee, it is likely that other
compounds also contribute to these health benefits.Patients with Type 2
diabetes become resistant to insulin, a hormone that helps turn glucose from
food into energy.
To overcome this resistance, the pancreas makes more insulin, but
eventually, it just can't make enough.High blood glucose levels can cause
health problems, such as blindness and nerve damage.Several genetic and life
style risk factors have been linked to the development of Type 2 diabetes, but
drinking coffee has been shown to help prevent its onset.The paper was reported
in ACS' Journal of Natural Products.
Bible 'like hand-grenade' in some countries: Pope Francis
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