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As UN climate talks close in Egypt and biodiversity talks begin in Montreal, attention is on forest restoration as a solution to the twin issues roiling our planet. Forests soak up atmospheric carbon dioxide and simultaneously create habitat for organisms. So far, efforts to help forests bounce back from deforestation have typically focused on increasing one thing—trees—over anything else. But a new report uncovers a powerful, yet largely overlooked, driver of forest recovery: animals. The study by an international team from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Yale School of the Environment, the New York Botanical Garden, and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute examined a series of regenerating forests in central Panama spanning 20 to 100 years post-abandonment. The unique long-term data set revealed that animals, by carrying a wide variety of seeds into deforested areas, are key to the recovery of tree species richness and abundance to old-growth levels after only 40-70 years of regrowth. The article, published in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, is part of a theme issue focused on forest landscape restoration as part of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. "Animals are our greatest allies in reforestation," says Daisy Dent, a tropical ecologist from MPI-AB and the study's senior author. "Our study prompts a rethink of reforestation efforts to be about more than just establishing plant communities." The report also notes that situating regenerating forests near patches of old growth, and reducing hunting, encourages animals to colonize and establish. "We show that considering the wider ecosystem, as well as features of the landscape, improves restoration efforts," says Sergio Estrada-Villegas, a biologist now at Universidad del Rosario (Bogotá, Colombia) and the study's first author. Seed dispersal by animals is key to forest expansion. In the tropics, over 80% of tree species can be dispersed by animals, which transport seeds throughout the landscape. Despite this, forest restoration efforts continue to focus on increasing tree cover rather than reestablishing the animal-plant interactions that underpin ecosystem function. "Figuring out how animals contribute to reforestation is prohibitively hard because you need detailed information about which animals eat which plants," says Estrada-Villegas. The forest at the Barro Colorado Nature Monument (BCNM), in the Panama Canal, offers a unique solution to this problem. In one of the best studied tropical forests in the world, generations of scientists at have documented frugivore interactions to understand which groups of animals disperse which tree species. In the present study, the team led by Estrada-Villegas and Dent examined this unique long-term dataset to determine the proportion of plants dispersed by four groups of animals—flightless mammals, large birds, small birds, and bats—and how this proportion changed over a century of natural restoration. Their results offer the most detailed data of animal seed dispersal recovery across the longest timeframe of natural restoration. "Most studies examine the first 30 years of succession, but our data spanning 100 years gives us a rare glimpse into what happens in the late phase of restoration," says Dent. The study found that young regenerating forests were made up mostly of trees dispersed by small birds. But as the forest aged, trees dispersed by larger birds increased. Surprisingly, however, the majority of plants were dispersed by terrestrial mammals across all forest ages—from 20 years old to old growth. "This result is quite unusual for post-agricultural regenerating forests," says Dent. "It is likely that the presence of large tracts of preserved forests near our secondary stands, coupled with low hunting, has allowed the mammal po[CENSORED]tions to thrive and to bring an influx of seeds from neighboring patches." Estrada-Villegas says, "We hope this information can help practitioners to structure their restoration practices by enabling frugivorous species to help the restoration process and speed up forest recovery." https://phys.org/news/2022-11-animals-key-world-forests-long-term.html

an electric Jeep Wagoneer is in the pipeline, but it lacks the name . The house of the Stellantis group had announced it as Wagoneer S, but decided to give it a new identity with the help of the public . Jeep enthusiasts can offer their own suggestion on the dedicated website , and the creator of the name who chooses Jeep will win a prize worth $40,000, a trip to a resort in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Jeep fans have until December 2 to come up with a name that is no longer than 50 characters. Destined to arrive on the market in 2024, the electric Jeep Wagoneer is based on the STLA Large platform and will develop up to 600 HP of power, with an expected range of approximately 640 km/h. The architecture on which the Wagoneer is based allows for a two-engine configuration with all-wheel drive. Orders for the electric Wagoneer should be opened at the beginning of 2023, so it is reasonable to expect it to be presented in January, perhaps at the CES in Las Vegas, now cleared by automotive manufacturers as an event to present technological innovations and electric vehicles. The modalities of the debut of the electric Wagoneer, as well as the naming, we will find out in due course. https://www.automoto.it/news/la-jeep-senza-nome-e-in-cerca-di-suggerimenti-negli-usa.html

After a long, tiring day, what is the one thing you really look forward to? Sleep, most likely — isn’t it? But there are many people who struggle with a good night’s sleep even after hitting the bed on time and spend many hours just tossing and turning. As such, is there any remedy (or trick) that can help those who find it challenging to catch some shuteye? Turns out, there is! And that is exactly what Harshvardhan Saraf, co-founder of Satvic Movement, recently shared on Instagram. “For me, a hot foot bath is just the right sleep inducer,” he captioned the video in which he can be seen soaking his feet in warm water. “I love how it helps me relax even mentally at the end of a packed working day, and I just return to slowness! Slowness in the mind and in my breathing,” he added. According to a 2013-study published in the International Journal of Nursing Studies, lower core temperature coupled with a higher distal (hands and feet) temperature before sleep is associated with shorter sleep latency and better sleep quality. A warm footbath is thought to facilitate heat dissipation to improve sleep outcomes. Adding, Deepti Khatuja, head clinical nutritionist, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon explained that soaking feet in water helps to bring down the body temperature, which helps send a signal to the brain to release the hormone melatonin — that initiates sleep. “Additionally, soaking the feet in warm water with salt helps in relieving muscle cramps and, in turn, fatigue. This helps in better sleep,” she told indianexpress.com. According to Dr Rohini Patil, MBBS, Nutritionist and CEO of Nutracy Lifestyle, soaking one’s feet in warm water right before sleep also helps improve heart rate, breathing, and calms down the body. “It stimulates blood circulation, which helps in sleeping faster and better,” she shared https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/simple-activity-sleep-soak-feet-warm-water-benefits-8209053/

A woman with Down's syndrome has lost her appeal over a law that allows abortion up until birth for a foetus with the condition. Heidi Crowter, 27, from Coventry said she was "angry that the judges say my feelings do not matter". Judges at the Court of Appeal decided the Abortion Act did not interfere with the rights of the living disabled. Abortion care provider BPAS said the case "was a full-frontal attack on pregnant women's rights". Under current legislation for England, Wales and Scotland, there is a 24-week time limit for abortion, unless "there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped", which includes Down's syndrome. Ms Crowter, who has the condition, argued that the rules were discriminatory to people with Down's. She said the legislation "doesn't respect my life" and brought a case against the government at the High Court in July 2021 with Maire Lea-Wilson, 33, from west London, whose son Aidan has Down's syndrome. Ms Crowter said she and her team plan to "keep fighting" and take the case to the Supreme Court and "fight there". 'Heart-breaking situations' In a summary of the decision, by Lord Justice Underhill, Lady Justice Thirlwall and Lord Justice Peter Jackson, the judges said: "The court recognises that many people with Down's Syndrome and other disabilities will be upset and offended by the fact that a diagnosis of serious disability during pregnancy is treated by the law as a justification for termination, and that they may regard it as implying that their own lives are of lesser value. "But it holds that a perception that that is what the law implies is not by itself enough to give rise to an interference with article 8 rights (to private and family life, enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights)," the judges said. Clare Murphy, chief executive of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, BPAS, which provides abortion care services, said it supported the court's verdict. "There is no contradiction between a society which champions the rights of disabled people and one which allows women to make difficult decisions in heart-breaking situations," she said. "If successful, this case could have had far-reaching implications. The claimants have argued in court that foetuses should have human rights - this has never been decided in law and would go against many years of legal precedent in the UK." Ms Murphy said the case was an attack on pregnant women's rights - "not just to abortion, but to making their own decisions during childbirth". 'Keep on fighting' Speaking outside the Court of Appeal, Ms Crowter was visibly upset as she told family members "we lost". She told reporters she felt "not as valuable" as a person without Down's syndrome, and that she "felt like crying". Comforted by her husband James, who also has Down's syndrome, and mum Liz, Ms Crowter said: "I will keep on fighting because we have already informed and changed hearts and minds and changed people's opinions about the law." She added: "The law was made in 1967, when we were not even allowed to go to school because of our extra chromosome. So, I think it's time that the judges move with the times and actually meet with people with Down's syndrome." Ms Crowter and her team crowdfunded their legal fees, raising over £148,000. Solicitor Paul Conrathe called the judgement "disappointing and perplexing", and said that the Court had "further diminished a fragile voice for equal value". Abortion statistics for England and Wales in 2021 from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows that 3,370 abortions (1.6%) were performed under 'ground E', the clause Ms Crowter's team says is discriminatory. Down's syndrome is 'mentioned by medical condition' 859 times in the 2021 abortion data, with 24 mentions being at or after 24 weeks. Campaign group Don't Screen Us Out claims the true figures are likely to be much higher. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said abortion was an issue on which the government adopted "a neutral stance". "It is for Parliament to decide the circumstances under which abortions should take place, allowing members to vote according to their moral, ethical or religious beliefs." https://www.bbc.com/news/disability-63744073

Artist: 21 Savage Real Name: Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph Birth Date /Place: October 22, 1992 Age: 30 Social status (Single / Married): Single Artist Picture: Musical Genres: Hip Hop Awards: Grammy Award for Best Rap Song-MTV Video Music Award for Song of the Year-Billboard Music Award for Top Rap Song Top 3 Songs (Names): 21 savage - can't leave without it-Glock In My Lap. 21 Savage-21 Savage - a lot. 21 Savage Other Information: Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph (born October 22, 1992), known professionally as 21 Savage, is a rapper based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Born in London, he moved to Atlanta with his mother at age seven.

Music Title: DIVINE - Bornfire feat. Russ | Official Music Video Signer: DIVINE Release Date: Nov 25, 2022 Official Youtube Link: Informations About The Signer: Your Opinion About The Track (Music Video):

The Centre has proposed to overhaul The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, introducing 61 amendments in the law, which includes three years’ imprisonment for committing “gruesome cruelty” including “bestiality” with animals. A draft Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Amendment) Bill, 2022, prepared by the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, has been opened for public comments until December 7. Once the draft is final, the Bill could be brought either in the Winter Session or the Budget Session of Parliament. What are the main changes proposed in the law? Essentially, the law is proposed to be made tighter, with more stringent punishments. Several offences have been made cognizable, which means offenders can be arrested without an arrest warrant. The draft Bill has proposed to include “Bestiality” as a crime under the new category of “Gruesome cruelty The proposed subsection describes “gruesome cruelty” as any act involving animals which leads to “extreme pain and suffering” and is “likely to leave the animal in life-long disability”. It includes “mutilation or killing of animal by the use of strychnine injection in the heart or any other cruel manner that is known to cause permanent physical damage to the animal or render animal useless or cause any injury which is likely to cause death including bestiality…”. The draft proposes fines from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000 “or the cost of the animal…whichever is more or with the imprisonment of one year which may extend up to three years or with both” for the offence of gruesome cruelty. For killing an animal, the draft Bill proposes a maximum punishment of five years in jail. What is the argument for strengthening the law? In September, a doctor in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur allegedly tied a dog to his car and dragged it across the city. The dog had a fractured leg and suffered bruises. An offence such as this — fairly common in India — would currently attract charges under Section 428 (mischief by killing or maiming animal) IPC and Section 11 (treating animals cruelly) of The PCA Act, 1960. Also read |Ahmedabad court sentences man to two years in jail for letting cattle stray on road First-time offenders under the PCA Act are punished with a fine of Rs 10-50. If it is found that this is not the offender’s first such crime in the past three years, the maximum punishment would be a fine between Rs 25 and Rs 100, a jail term of three months, or both. In short, the penalty is ridiculously light in the law as it exists now, and is incapable of acting as any deterrent for potential offenders. Who has called for amendments and on what grounds? Along with animal welfare organisations, several political leaders have in the past called for the law to be amended. In 2014, the Supreme Court, in ‘Animal Welfare Board of India vs A Nagaraja & Others’, had said that “Parliament is expected to make proper amendment of the PCA Act to provide an effective deterrent” and that “for violation of Section 11, adequate penalties and punishments should be imposed”. Link:-https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/tough-law-prevent-cruelty-animals-needed-8287522/

fter a 20-year hiatus, Russia started production of the Moskvich car brand last Wednesday at a plant near Moscow . The Moskvich 3, a petrol - powered crossover sedan with alloy wheels, LED headlights and a large central infotainment display, will be one of the cars to be produced by the Russian automaker. From what we can see, it appears that the car is identical to the Sehol X4 compact SUV , from Chinese automaker JAC . According to some rumors, the design, engineering and platform appear to have been delivered from China and at the launch of the vehicle, some JAC stickers could be glimpsed. The project manager Maxim Klyushkin, denied cooperation with the Chinese company and on the occasion, said: “ We have (the Russian company) Kamaz as an external partner and we have a long-standing partner with whom we are working ". Last May, Renault sold its stake to AvtoVAZ for just one ruble and today, the former French plant has been renamed “Moscow Automobile Factory Moskvich”. The Russian government aims to produce 100,000 Moskvich vehicles a year, some of which will also be 100% electric and compared to other car manufacturers it is certainly much less than the average (for example, Tesla manages to produce 22,000 vehicles a week). Finally, by December 2022 , the first cars should be produced and the Moskvich 3 will be sold in Russia as early as next month Link:-https://www.automoto.it/news/aiuto-torna-la-moskvich-la-fabbrica-ex-renault-fara-una-suv-cinese.html

Late in the summer of 1938, as the Nazis escalated their persecution of German Jews, Ilse Hesselberger and her daughter, Trudy, traveled from Munich to Milan to visit relatives. From there the daughter went on to the United States, and safety. The mother, who was a Protestant by faith but Jewish by ethnicity, made her way back to Germany, where she had been known for years as a socialite who gave lavish parties. But upon her return, Hesselberger found little to celebrate in Munich, a city that played a key role in Adolf Hitler’s rise to power. Identified as a Jew under the Nazi race laws, she soon was forced to sell her country estate. She also lost an art collection that included a painting, “Portrait of a Young Man with a Quill and Sheet of Paper,” that she had bought in 1927 and is now viewed as a master work. Historians said that Hesselberger was assured that she would be spared resettlement if she paid, but that promise was a lie. In November 1941, just weeks after turning over 100,000 reichsmarks to help finance the camp, she was placed on the first train from there, which went to German-occupied Lithuania, where she and many other Jews were murdered by the Nazis five days later. Now the portrait that Hesselberger bought in 1927 is to be sold at auction to benefit one charity that aids Holocaust survivors, among others, and a second that helps the visually impaired. After acquiring the painting at some point, the German government returned it earlier this year to Hesselberger’s estate, which has consigned the work to Sotheby’s. Experts there have concluded that the painting, which has been attributed over the years to a number of Italian painters, is actually a portrait by Agnolo Bronzino, a leading artist of the Florentine Renaissance who is thought to have created it in roughly 1527. The work shows a figure holding a quill in one hand and seeming to point with the other to a few lines of words inscribed in Latin on a creased sheet of paper. Sotheby’s estimates that the work, which will be included in a January sale of old masters in New York, will sell for $3 million to $5 million. Works by Bronzino are not often on the open market, according to Sotheby’s, which said the last offered at auction, a painting called “Portrait of a Young Man with a Book,” sold in 2015 for more than $9 million. Link:-https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/art-and-culture/almost-safe-she-returned-to-munich-and-lost-her-painting-and-her-life-jews-war-crime-genocide-8287916/

On the side of a building, a mile and a half from the Kremlin a giant, multi-coloured mural marks a Russian sporting achievement. At full-stretch, goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev is shown saving a penalty against Spain in the 2018 World Cup. Victory in that match sent host nation Russia through to the quarter-finals, sparking jubilation across the country. Four years on, it's a very different picture. Russia has gone from a World Cup host and quarter-finalist to international pariah. Following the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine, football's governing bodies Fifa and Uefa suspended Russian clubs - and the national team - from all competitions. Other international sporting federations have also shown Russia the red card. Isolation from world sport is one of the many consequences of Russia's war in Ukraine. The Russians may not be competing in Qatar. But back home they're watching. "There's big interest here in the World Cup," says Moscow journalist Sergei Buntman. "A lot of people are watching it on TV. Some of them watch because they love football. Others watch to take their minds off the terrible situation with Ukraine." Match TV, the channel broadcasting the World Cup in Russia, is confident the tournament will deliver it a large audience. "It's a ratings success. The viewing figures have exceeded all expectations," Match TV commentator Georgiy Cherdantsev tells me. "Traditionally, Russian fans like watching England, Germany and Spain - countries whose national championships they follow. "If Italy had qualified, many Russians would have supported them. Messi and Ronaldo are special cases: like everywhere else in the world, they have their own personal supporters here. Serbia's po[CENSORED]r, too, amongst our so-called 'active football fans' with close ties to Serb fans," Mr Cherdantsev says. I often think back to 2018, when this country hosted the World Cup. For one glorious month, Russia showed what it can be: welcoming, open, friendly, inclusive. It felt as if a pause button had been pressed and all tensions with the West - over, for example, the Salisbury poisonings - had suddenly disappeared. Foreign football fans partied in the streets. Even the policemen appeared to be in a good mood. In the run-up to that tournament I remember attending a special training course for Russian railway staff. They were being taught how to smile at foreigners. Russia cared about its image. Or, at least, it seemed to. Link:-https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63746613

Artist: Ludacris Real Name: Christopher Brian Bridges Birth Date /Place: September 11, 1977 Age: 45 Social status (Single / Married): Married Artist Picture: Musical Genres: HIP HOP Awards: Grammy Award for Best Rap Song-Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture-Grammy Award for Best Rap Album-BET Award for Best Collaboration- Top 3 Songs (Names): My Chick Bad. Ludacris, Nicki Minaj-Act A Fool.-Rollout (My Business) Other Information: Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (/ˈluːdəkrɪs/, homophonous with 'ludicrous' in American English), is an American rapper, actor, and record executive. Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludacris moved to Atlanta, Georgia, at age nine where he first began rapping. He formed his own record label, Disturbing tha Peace in the late 1990s, then signed with Def Jam South, after he went on to become one of the first Dirty South rappers to achieve mainstream success with countless album releases. For his

Music Title: Lil Baby Ft. Nardo Wick - Pop Out (Official Video) Signer: Lil Baby Ft. Nardo Wick Release Date: Nov 23, 2022 Official Youtube Link: Informations About The Signer: Your Opinion About The Track (Music Video):

Steel

Artist: Unknown T Real Name: Daniel Lena Birth Date /Place: 17 August 1999 Age: 22 Social status (Single / Married): Single Artist Picture: Musical Genres: Hip-Hop/Rap-R&B/Soul-UK Rap Awards:- Top 3 Songs (Names): Unknown T - WW2-Unknown T - Homerton B [Music Video] | GRM Daily-Unknown T - Often (Official Music Video) Other Information:-

According to Charles Darwin, evolution is the process by which natural selection promotes genetic changes in various traits that favor the survival and reproduction of individual organisms. How fast this process happens depends on the abundance of its “fuel:” how much genetic difference there is in the capacity to survive and reproduce. While Darwin believed that evolution is a very slow process, visible only over geological time, an international team of scientists has now discovered that the raw material for evolution is much more abundant in wild animals than previously thought, thus often leading to cases of rapid evolution in response to dramatic environmental changes. For instance, scientists were surprised to find that British po[CENSORED]tions of the peppered moth changed their coloring in just a few decades as a result of evolution by natural selection favoring different color morphs depending on the level of air pollution. By combining 2.6 million hours of field data collection and genetic analyses over decades from 19 po[CENSORED]tions of 15 species from around the globe, the researchers found that many other po[CENSORED]tions of birds and mammals can evolve surprisingly fast, their “fuel of evolution” being two to four times higher than previously thought. This new study revealed not only higher “fuel of evolution” than expected, but also noticeable differences between species. For instance, spotted hyenas from Tanzania turned out to have the most “fuel” of all the 15 species the scientists focused on. “Spotted hyenas can live in all kinds of habitats and are the most widespread large carnivore in Africa. This suggests that they can adapt well to new environments, but we didn’t expect them to be among the best-equipped of all species studied”, said study co-author Oliver Höner, a senior scientist at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research. These findings have major implications for predicting various species’ adaptability to environmental change. “This research has shown us that evolution cannot be discounted as a process which allows species to survive in response to rapid environmental change,” said study lead author Timothée Bonnet, an evolutionary biologist at the Australian National University. “With the habitat of many species changing at an increasing rate, there is no guarantee at all that these po[CENSORED]tions will be able to keep up. But what we can say is that evolution is a much more significant driver than previously thought in the adaptability of po[CENSORED]tions to the environmental changes we are currently seeing,” he concluded. https://www.earth.com/news/wild-animals-can-evolve-faster-than-previously-thought/

After a few years of proceedings, the parties agree in a lawsuit where the British motorists, united, manage to obtain compensation for the Volkswagen dieselgate. The global cost for the German group would exceed 30 billion Do the British attack the Germans? In a sense, they are only asserting their rights, as motorists, towards the Volkswagen group. The long tail of the dieselgate today comes to a heavy toll: as much as 230 million euros (approximately) that the German manufacturer will have to spend to compensate over 90 thousand UK motorists. They are the ones who, shortly before the outbreak of the pandemic, teamed up with a class action now concluded in their favor. The VW group, guilty of mani[CENSORED]tion on the emissions of its cars according to the judges, does not seem to have commented or taken long legal steps, but nevertheless granted the payments to "go ahead" or rather "get behind" the matter as soon as possible. Something that in the Kingdom of Elizabeth alone, would have about 1.2 million cars, including the Audi, Seat and Skoda TDI. With this sum, to date it is estimated that the dieselgate has cost over 32 billion euros to the group The Fiat "KIRI" project, the program that rewards all drivers of the New 500 in their daily driving, is a great success just over a year after its debut, as evidenced by the nearly 7,300 active users, with a growth trend constant since the launch of the program, the over 1,000 tons of CO2 saved thanks to the ecological driving style and the 30 and a half million coins generated, equal to an equivalent value on the “KIRI” marketplace of over 750 thousand euros. In Italy there are currently 1,881 users with a generated value of over 132 thousand euros and 24 thousand euros already spent. To further crown the success of the program and celebrate its birth with the FIAT brand, the “KIRI Coins” generated by the drivers of the Nuova 500 will be called “FIAT e.Coins” and will be recognizable thanks to a dedicated logo. https://www.automoto.it/news/class-action-vw-nel-regno-unito.html

Water, in itself, is quintessential for survival. However, did you know that when charged under the moon, water becomes even more beneficial for your physical and mental health? “It might sound mystical to you but moon-charged water is highly essential for your physical and emotional upliftment,” Ayurvedic expert Dr Nitika Kohli said. Many believe that during a full moon, its energies are passed on to the water kept outside. “The moonlight falls on it and the water is blessed with the magic of the moon,” she added, sharing the many benefits of drinking moon-charged water. *It can help get your menstrual cycle back on track. “Ayurveda says that the 28-day cycle of the moon and your menstrual cycle are interrelated.” *Moon charged water can help revitalise and cleanse your energy. *Further, it is said to enhance the glow of the skin, especially “if used as a part of your daily beauty routine“. *For those suffering from PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), it is suggested to drink moon charged water on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning. Dr Kohli added: “Though moon charged water is completely natural and should not have any side effects on your health, we recommend you consult a doctor if undergoing medication or a treatment.” Will you give moon charged water a try? https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/moon-charged-water-health-benefits-ayurveda-nitika-kohli-7931589/

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 65.2 million people worldwide are living with cataracts, the leading cause of blindnessTrusted Source and vision impairment worldwide. When a person develops a cataract, the normally clear lens in the eye becomes cloudy. This often occurs with age, but can also be caused by the eye’s overexposure to the sun or injury, as well as smoking, medical conditions such as diabetes, and some medications. Surgery can correct the condition by replacing the lens with an artificial one. Now, a new study investigates the use of a chemical compound to clear cataract-clouded lenses in mice without surgery. The compound they used was oxysterol, which is an oxygenated derivative of cholesterol that plays a role in the regulation and transport of cholesterol. The study was published in the journal Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science (iovs). Dr. Ashley Brissette, a cataract surgery specialist from Weill Cornell Medicine who was not involved in the study, explained to Medical News Today how cataracts are currently treated. “The current treatment [for cataracts] is surgery to remove the cloudy lens and replace this with an intraocular lens implant that is clear,” she said. Cataract surgery is not universally available but the WHO and several non-governmental agencies such as SEE operate programs to help more people worldwide. Dr. Brissette underscored that treatment for cataracts was crucial as it can “lead to increased risk of dementia and increased risk of fall as we get older.” The researchers tested an assortment of 35 wild mice and mice genetically altered to develop lens cloudiness through an alteration of their αB-crystallin or αA-crystallin proteins. In the right eye of 26 mice, the researchers administered a single drop of an oxysterol compound, VP1-001Trusted Source, directly onto the ocular surface. Meanwhile, they gave a neutral drop of cyclodextrin in their left eyes. Nine mice were left untreated as a control group. The target of the treatment was the αA- and αB-crystallin mutations that often cause cataracts in aging. The VP1-001 improved lens opacity for 61% of the eye lenses the researchers treated. They observed a 1.0 improvement in the opacity gradeTrusted Source of 46% in the treated mice. Despite describing the result as “spectacular,” Dr. Haci Ugur Celik, assistant professor of clinical ophthalmology at the University of Rochester Medical Center, NY, who was not involved in the study, also expressed concerns over its value to clinical practice. He said the results focus on only one cause of cataracts. “Biochemical pathophysiology of cataract formation includes oxidant-antioxidant imbalance, stress signaling, [the] MAPK pathwayTrusted Source, [the] protein kinase pathway, protein modification and removal of modified proteins, [and] lipid peroxidationTrusted Source. The researcher’s study is based on the αA- and αB-crystallin mutation as the only one of the explained mechanisms on cataract progression,” he told MNT. “Although the study result encourages the readers, I do not think there will be another option than cataract extraction surgery with phacoemulsification to treat cataracts for long years,” he added https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/cataract-clearing-drug-shows-promise-as-treatment-without-surgery#Beyond-improved-vision