First genetic adaptation to diving discovered in ‘Sea Nomads’ | Life

First genetic adaptation to diving

discovered in ‘Sea Nomads’ | Life

Published 16 hours ago on 20 April 2018

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This undated handout photo obtained April 19, 2018 courtesy of

Melissa Ilardo shows a Bajau diver hunting fish underwater using a
traditional spear off the islands of Indonesia. — AFP pic

TAMPA, April 20 — Researchers have discovered the first evidence that people

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can genetically adapt to deep diving, as shown by the unusually large spleens in
indigenous people of Indonesia known as the “Sea Nomads,” a study said
yesterday.

The spear-fishing Bajau people regularly free-dive to depths of up to 230 feet (70
metres), with only weights and a wooden mask.

They spend up to 60 per cent of their work day diving for fish, spearing octopus
and gathering crustaceans — an amount of time rivalled only by sea otters — and
can stay underwater up to 13 minutes at a time, said the report in the journal Cell.

Intrigued by this unusual ability, American researcher Melissa Ilardo, then a post
doctoral candidate at the Centre for GeoGenetics at the University of Copenhagen,
wondered if they had genetically adapted somehow to be able to spend more time
underwater than other people.

She spent several months in Jaya Bakti, Indonesia, with the help of a translator,
getting to know the Bajau and another nearby group that did not dive, the Saluan.

“I spent my whole first visit to Jaya Bakti introducing myself, the project, and the
underlying science,” she told AFP.

“I wanted to be sure that they understood exactly what I was asking of them so
they could help to direct the project to reflect their interests. They were very
curious and excited about the research.”

Before her second visit, she learned some Indonesian in order to be able to
communicate directly with the Bajau.

Scans and gene tests

She took genetic samples and did ultrasound scans, which showed that Bajau had
spleens about 50 per cent larger than the Saluan.

Spleens are important in diving — and are also enlarged in some seals — because
they release more oxygen into the blood when the body is under stress, or a
person is holding their breath underwater.

Spleens were larger in the Balau people whether they were regular divers or not,
and further analysis of their DNA revealed why.

Comparing the genomes of the Bajau to two different populations, the Saluan and
the Han Chinese, scientists found 25 sites that differed significantly.

Among them was one site on a gene known as PDE10A, which was determined to
be linked to the Bajau’s larger spleen size.

In mice, “PDE10A is known for regulating a thyroid hormone that controls spleen
size, lending support for the idea that the Bajau might have evolved the spleen
size necessary to sustain their long and frequent dives,’ said the study.

More research is needed to understand how thyroid hormone affects human

spleen size.

The findings could boost research in medicine by helping researchers understand

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how the body reacts to a loss of oxygen in various contexts, from diving to high-
latitude climbing to surgery and lung disease.

“This really tells us how valuable and important indigenous populations are
around the world that are living extreme lifestyles,” said co-author Eske
Willerslev, a professor at the University of Copenhagen.

Willerslev admitted he initially urged Ilardo not to pursue the research for her
PhD thesis, believing it was too risky and that she may find nothing.

“She said she wanted to do it anyway and that paid off. Melissa was right and our
concerns were wrong.”

Ilardo said she was aware of the risks but “believed so strongly in this project,”
that she had to push on.

“The Bajau and other Sea Nomads are simply extraordinary and I wanted to be
able to prove that to the world,” said Ilardo, now a US National Institutes of
Health postdoctoral scholar at the department of Molecular Medicine at the
University of Utah. — AFP

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Published 16 hours ago on 20 April 2018

Meghan Markle arrives at St Mary Magdalene's church for the Royal

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First genetic adaptation to diving discovered in ‘Sea Nomads’ | Life

Family's Christmas Day service on the Sandringham estate in eastern

England December 25, 2017. ― Reuters pic

LONDON, April 20 — Meghan Markle’s half-brother has accused the royal bride-
to-be of forgetting “her roots and her family” and “acting phoney” in a stinging
interview with a British newspaper.

Thomas Markle, who lives in the US state Oregon, hit out at Prince Harry’s 36-
year-old American fiancée for losing touch with relatives in recent years after
finding fame acting.

“She is giving the greatest performance of her life,” he told the Daily Mirror in an
interview published yesterday.

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Published 16 hours ago on 20 April 2018

In this picture taken on April 3, 2018 Japanese Akita dog breeder

Osamu Yamaguchi combs a one-month-old Akita puppy at his centre
in Takasaki, Gunma prefecture. — AFP pix

TAKASAKI (Japan), April 20 — Hollywood actor Richard Gere, French film star
Alain Delon and Russia’s figure skating sensation Alina Zagitova have one thing in

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First genetic adaptation to diving discovered in ‘Sea Nomads’ | Life

common: They adore Japan’s Akita dogs.

And they’re not alone. In recent years, foreign ownership of one of Japan’s most
famous indigenous breeds has skyrocketed, outstripping domestic demand for the
fluffy, perky-eared pooches.

Earlier this year, the trend hit the headlines when Zagitova proclaimed her love
for Akitas after spotting them while training in Japan, and local officials pledged
to get one to her.

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Published 17 hours ago on 20 April 2018

New research suggests that a low level of testosterone could be linked

to a higher risk of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease. —
AFP pic

NEW YORK, April 20 — New US research has found that a lower level of
testosterone could have a negative effect on a man’s risk of developing chronic
disease.

Previous research has already linked low levels of testosterone to sexual health
and muscle mass. However, the new study, carried out by researchers from

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Michigan Medicine at the University of Michigan, set out to look at whether there
was also an association between testosterone, age and chronic disease.

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Published 19 hours ago on 20 April 2018

New research has linked obesity to an increased risk of atrial

fibrillation, a heart rhythm irregularity which can lead to stroke and
heart failure. — AFP pic

NEW YORK, April 20 — New research has found that individuals who are obese
are more likely to develop atrial fibrillation, a heart rhythm irregularity which can
lead to stroke, heart failure, and other serious health conditions.

Carried out by Penn State researchers, the large-scale study looked at 67,278
participants with an average age of 43.8 and followed them for eight years.

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Published 19 hours ago on 20 April 2018

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First genetic adaptation to diving discovered in ‘Sea Nomads’ | Life

Adidas Womens has revealed its April 2018 Bras & Tights Mailer
with Danielle Acoff. — Picture courtesy of Adidas

NEW YORK, April 20 — Adidas Women’s has unveiled the latest drop in its SS18
bra and tights collection, this time teaming up with yogi Danielle Acoff.

After revealing new-season pieces with London-based blogger and runner

Adrienne LDN in March, including the Don’t Rest Bra and the How We Do Tight,
adidas has now partnered with LA-based yoga instructor Danielle Acoff to
showcase its latest designs.

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Published 21 hours ago on 20 April 2018

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First genetic adaptation to diving discovered in ‘Sea Nomads’ | Life

A study which followed 22,000 heart attack survivors aged 18-74,

found that those who boosted their exercise levels after being
discharged from hospital, halved their risk of dying within the first
four years. ― AFP pic

NEW YORK, April 20 — Exercising after a heart attack may help stave off death
for longer, Swedish researchers said yesterday.

A study which followed 22,000 heart attack survivors aged 18-74, found that
those who boosted their exercise levels after being discharged from hospital,
halved their risk of dying within the first four years.

“It is well known that physically active people are less likely to have a heart attack
and more likely to live longer,” said Orjan Ekblom of the Swedish School of Sport
and Health Sciences.

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Published 21 hours ago on 20 April 2018

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First genetic adaptation to diving discovered in ‘Sea Nomads’ | Life

The ‘Fearless Girl’ statue was supposed to be up for only a week, but
became a tourist magnet and the temporary permit was extended to
one month, and eventually one year. — AFP pic

NEW YORK, April 20 — The popular Fearless Girl statue, which has been staring
down Wall Street’s Charging Bull since last year, will soon move to face the New
York Stock Exchange, the city’s mayor said yesterday.

The bronze statue by artist Kristen Visbal — seen by many as a defiant symbol of
women’s rights under President Donald Trump’s administration — appeared on
the eve of International Women’s Day in March 2017.

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Published 22 hours ago on 20 April 2018

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First genetic adaptation to diving discovered in ‘Sea Nomads’ | Life

Eminence Organics Skin Care Instagram 2018. — Picture via

Instagram/eminenceorganics

NEW YORK, April 20 — Eminence Organic Skin Care is celebrating Earth Day
this weekend by becoming the first skincare brand to have planted 10 million
trees.

The company, which specialises in natural, organic spa products, has been
planting one tree for every product sold since 2012, as part of its “Forests for the
Future” program.

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Published 1 day ago on 19 April 2018

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First genetic adaptation to diving discovered in ‘Sea Nomads’ | Life

Leonetta Luciano Fendi, Silvia Venturini Fendi and Delfina Delettrez

Fendi star in an anniversary campaign for the ‘Peekaboo’ bag. ― AFP
pic

MILAN, April 19 ― Italian fashion house Fendi is celebrating the 10th anniversary
of its “Peekaboo” bag with a major digital campaign, reports Women's Wear Daily
(WWD), today. The “#MeAndMyPeekaboo” campaign features Silvia Venturini
Fendi ― the third-generation Fendi designer and creative director of accessories
― with her two daughters Delfina Delettrez Fendi and Leonetta Luciano Fendi.

Launched in 2009, the “Peekaboo” bag ― a timeless handbag with its subtle and
discreet design ― quickly became one of the Italian luxury label's best-sellers.
Now, as its 10th anniversary dawns, the iconic bag is being celebrated with an
advertising campaign starring the Fendi family, namely Silvia Venturini Fendi
and her daughters Delfina Delettrez Fendi and Leonetta Luciano Fendi.

The campaign launches tomorrow, April 20, and comprises a series of videos in
which the three Fendi family members discuss their relationship with the
“Peekaboo” bag, as well as their relationships with each other. The campaign
celebrates the creation of this legendary accessory and reveals the three women's
favourite versions of the bag.

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First genetic adaptation to diving discovered in ‘Sea Nomads’ | Life

Published 1 day ago on 19 April 2018

Australia's Great Barrier Reef has lost more than half its coral cover in
the past 27 years due to storms, poisonous starfish and bleaching
linked to climate change. — AFP pic

SYDNEY, April 19 ― A new study by Australian researchers suggested it's highly

unlikely the Great Barrier Reef will ever fully recover from the bleaching event in
2016, reported Xinhua news agency.

The ecology of one-third of the world's largest reef system permanently changed
in 2016, when an extended marine heatwave killed off massive amounts of coral.

“Averaged across the whole Great Barrier Reef, we lost 30 percent of the corals in
the nine month period between March and November 2016,” lead author and
director of the Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies Terry Hughes said.

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