• Unfiltered Coffee May Be Increasing Your LDL Cholesterol
    www.discovermagazine.com
    If youre already on your second cup of coffee from the office coffee machine, you may want to take a moment to reconsider. While there is plenty of information out there on the benefits and concerns of drinking coffee, a new study published in Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases reports that specific coffee machines, typically found in the workplace, contain high amounts of a substance that can elevate the body's low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. LDL cholesterol can lead to cardiovascular problems and may even lead to early-onset Alzheimers disease.However, the study team from Uppsala University and Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden say that there is a way to prevent this from happening, and it can be as simple as changing the coffee pot.Workplace Coffee Machines and LDL CholesterolFor this study, the research team focused on coffee consumed in Norse workplaces, most notably Sweden, which consumes the most coffee out of all the Nordic countries. Many workplaces in Sweden (as with other parts of the world) offer its employees access to self-serve coffee stations that use unfiltered coffee machines.While there is evidence that coffee can have health benefits, according to the researchers, there is little information on the long-term health effects of unfiltered coffee machines for employees. In the 1980s, a study from the New England Journal of Medicine found that brewing unfiltered coffee led to an increase in LDL (or bad) cholesterol. Read More: Is Coffee Good for You or Not?Raising LDL LevelsBefore this study, it was known that boiled coffee contained the diterpenes cafestol and kahweol, which are considered the worst of the cholesterol-elevating substances, according to the press release. How well these coffee machines, like the ones found in an office building, filtered out these harmful diterpenes, however, was unknown.Considering how much coffee is consumed in Swedish workplaces, we wanted to get a picture of the content of cholesterol-elevating substances in coffee from these types of machines. We studied fourteen coffee machines and could see that the levels of these substances are much higher in coffee from these machines than from regular drip-filter coffee makers, David Iggman, a researcher at Uppsala University and lead study author, said in a press release.From this, we infer that the filtering process is crucial for the presence of these cholesterol-elevating substances in coffee. Obviously, not all coffee machines manage to filter them out. But the problem varies between different types of coffee machines, and the concentrations also showed large variations over time, he added in a press release.Filtered Coffee Is BetterFor their analysis, the research team compared boiled coffee made in brewing machines in workplaces with French press coffee, espresso, percolator coffee, and drip coffee (boiled coffee passed through a paper filter). They found that the drip coffee contained the least amount of diterpenes, while the boiled coffee contained the most.The team also noted that some espresso contained higher amounts of diterpenes, but the results varied.To combat the concern of high LDL levels, the study authors suggest switching to coffee made through a paper filter, as it seems to remove the most diterpenes.Most of the coffee samples contained levels that could feasibly affect the levels of LDL cholesterol of people who drank the coffee, as well as their future risk of cardiovascular disease, Iggman said in a press release.For people who drink a lot of coffee every day, its clear that drip-filter coffee, or other well-filtered coffee, is preferable. To determine the precise effects on LDL cholesterol levels, we would need to conduct a controlled study of subjects who would drink the coffee, he concluded in a press release.This article is not offering medical advice and should be used for informational purposes only. Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases. Cafestol and kahweol concentrations in workplace machine coffee compared with conventional brewing methodsWorld Population Review. Coffee Consumption by Country 2025New England Journal of Medicine. The Troms heart study. Does coffee raise serum cholesterol?Science Direct. DiterpeneA graduate of UW-Whitewater, Monica Cull wrote for several organizations, including one that focused on bees and the natural world, before coming to Discover Magazine. Her current work also appears on her travel blog and Common State Magazine. Her love of science came from watching PBS shows as a kid with her mom and spending too much time binging Doctor Who.
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  • New Tuberculosis Vaccine Shows Promise to Treat Bladder Cancer
    www.discovermagazine.com
    Immunotherapy is an innovative way to harness the power of the bodys immune system to fight threats like cancer. Normally, our immune system can detect and destroy abnormal cells on its own. But when cancer develops, it often uses tactics to fool the immune system, allowing the cancer to grow unchecked.Chemotherapy is one of the most common cancer treatments, but it comes with a heavy toll on the body due to harsh side effects. Immunotherapy, on the other hand, holds the potential to minimize these side effects and even produce long-lasting effects on the immune system, which could lead to a sustained response against cancer.Researchers from the IrsiCaixa and IGTP research institutes in Barcelona, Spain, shared promising findings at the European Association of Urology (EAU) Congress in Madrid. Their study showed the successful use of a simple new tuberculosis vaccine to help fight the most common type of bladder cancer by boosting patients' immune responses, proving the potential of immunotherapy yet again. Tuberculosis and CancerYou might wonder what tuberculosis (TB) has to do with cancer. Well, back in the 1920s, when tuberculosis was more common, doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital noticed that patients with TB had a lower incidence of cancer. This observation led to the study of the first tuberculosis vaccine, Bacillus Calmette-Gurin (BCG), for its potential anti-tumor effects.BCG is a vaccine derived from a weakened version of Mycobacterium bovis, the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis in cattle, which is closely related to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the human tuberculosis pathogen. While BCG was originally developed to prevent tuberculosis, its anti-tumor properties were soon recognized. Over the years, BCG has been used as an immunotherapy for bladder cancer since the 1970s and remains the only FDA-approved first-line treatment for patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.Improving Cancer ProgressionNon-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is the most common form of bladder cancer. After the tumor is surgically removed, patients typically receive BCG to help boost their immune system in eliminating any remaining cancer cells. However, as many as 50 percent of patients may experience a recurrence or progression of the disease.A new tuberculosis vaccine, called RUTI, was tested on 40 patients in a pilot study to explore better treatment outcomes. In this trial, the RUTI vaccine was administered alongside the standard BCG treatment. The results were promising: RUTI significantly enhanced the immune response triggered by BCG, compared to the control group. The vaccine was also well tolerated and helped increase progression-free survival. In fact, every patient who received RUTI remained tumor-free for at least five years after the study ended.We expected that the RUTI vaccine would improve the immune response for patients, but we didnt know what effect this might have on cancer progression over five years. It was very surprising for us to see such a vast improvement in cancer progression even with such a small group of patients, said study lead Cecilia Cabrera in a press release.Potential Paradigm ShiftThis is a well-conducted pilot study and shows very promising results, commented Joost Boormans, professor of urology and member of the EAU Scientific Congress Office. With just two injections over and above standard treatment, the burden on patients is very small and I look forward to seeing whether further studies in larger cohorts continue to demonstrate the benefits to patients and improve their outcomes.According to the news release of the European Medical Journal, this approach could mark a significant shift in how bladder cancer is managed by urologists and oncologists. It offers a simple, well-tolerated addition to current therapies, potentially leading to a significant reduction in recurrence rates. Future research should focus on refining the treatment protocols, identifying patients who are most likely to benefit, and investigating potential synergies with other immunotherapies. This could pave the way for new cancer vaccines in the future.This article is not offering medical advice and should be used for informational purposes only.Read More: Dogs May Be Key in Early Bladder Cancer DetectionArticle SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:European Association of Urology: The CongressEuropean Medical Journal: EAU 2025 Double TB Vaccine Shows Promise in Bladder Cancer TreatmentJournal of Urologic Oncology: Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG): Its fight against pathogens and cancerVaccines: Bacillus CalmetteGurin Immunotherapy for CancerHaving worked as a biomedical research assistant in labs across three countries, Jenny excels at translating complex scientific concepts ranging from medical breakthroughs and pharmacological discoveries to the latest in nutrition into engaging, accessible content. Her interests extend to topics such as human evolution, psychology, and quirky animal stories. When shes not immersed in a popular science book, youll find her catching waves or cruising around Vancouver Island on her longboard.
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  • Life-giving oxygen is wafting out of lakes worldwide
    www.nature.com
    Nature, Published online: 25 March 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00876-9Machine-learning method shows declining oxygen levels in thousands of lakes as their waters warm.
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  • MFSD6 is an entry receptor for enterovirus D68
    www.nature.com
    Nature, Published online: 25 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08908-0MFSD6 is an entry receptor for enterovirus D68
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  • Elusive 'Blaze Star' nova could finally appear in our skies this week after multiple false alarms
    www.livescience.com
    Skygazers have been waiting for over a year to see a recurrent nova that creates a temporary, super-bright star every 80 years or so. A new study suggests that it could finally happen this week but nothing is certain.
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  • Alex Gray told us about recreating Zagreus from Hades in ZBrush and Marmoset Toolbag, explaining the work with colors, light, and shadows and showing ...
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    Alex Gray told us about recreating Zagreus from Hades in ZBrush and Marmoset Toolbag, explaining the work with colors, light, and shadows and showing us the personal touches used in the model.Read here: https://80.lv/articles/how-to-sculpt-zagreus-from-hades-in-3d/
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  • PSA: 80 Level is in no way affiliated with @Unity3dHub7, and we're just as baffled as everyone else by their blatant plagiarism of our social media po...
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    PSA: 80 Level is in no way affiliated with @Unity3dHub7, and we're just as baffled as everyone else by their blatant plagiarism of our social media posts, lack of credit to original authors, and the spread of misinformation.
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  • Blender Artist Spent 2 Years Recreating Interstellars Docking Scene In LEGO Style
    cgshares.com
    As Doctor Orcinus shared, this project is a tribute to Interstellar and cinema in general. With its visuals and soundtrack, Interstellar has had the most profound impact on them, and Doctor Orcinus wanted to capture the intensity and emotion of this scene in LEGO form as a tribute to the power of storytelling through film.Every detail, from the Rangers explosive detachment to the Endurances rotation, the mini figures space suits, the insides of the Lander, and even the planet in the background, was carefully recreated in 3D. Doctor Orcinus has been working on this project on and off since 2023, using Blender for animation, along with Mecabricks, BrickFX, and Flared for rendering and visual effects. Post-production and color grading were done in DaVinci Resolve, with custom textures created in Inkscape. As for explosions, they were done with EmberGen, and rigid-body simulations were handled by KaBRICK. The spacecraft models are based on LEGO fan designs, which were slightly adjusted to fit the animation.Theres also a side-by-side version available for comparing the LEGO version with the original scene:Subscribe to Doctor Orcinuss YouTube channel for more 3D animations and join our80 Level Talent platformand ournew Discord server, follow us onInstagram,Twitter,LinkedIn,Telegram,TikTok, andThreads,where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.Source link The post Blender Artist Spent 2 Years Recreating Interstellars Docking Scene In LEGO Style appeared first on CG SHARES.
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  • Squid Game Season 2 VFX Breakdown Released
    cgshares.com
    Gulliver Studios, the team behind Netflixs hit show, is back with an in-depth look at their work on Squid Game season 2, released in December, showcasing more of the creation of intense games and surreal environments that elevate the series.From high-stakes confrontations to twisted new challenges, Gulliver Studios VFX highlights tension and danger with realistic effects and seamless digital enhancements. As Gi-hun returns in search of revenge and faces off against the Front Man, this behind-the-scenes breakdown delves into the visual effects that bring the dystopian nightmare to life.Also, take a behind-the-scenes look at some of the major shows and movies VFX productions weve featured previously, including Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Venom: The Last Dance, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Gilded Age, and Shgun.Dont forget to join our80 Level Talent platformand ournew Discord server, follow us onInstagram,Twitter,LinkedIn,Telegram,TikTok, andThreads,where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.Source link The post Squid Game Season 2 VFX Breakdown Released appeared first on CG SHARES.
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  • Club Piscine - Rebranding
    www.behance.net
    Evolving an iconic brand from Quebec while preserving its heritage is a significant challenge. The rebranding of Club Piscine is the result of a collaboration between Rouge Cardinal and Caserne. The goal was to reinvent the brand's identity so that it remains true to its roots while responding to the expectations of a new generation. The first step was to study the brand's history, its iconic visual elements, and the impact of its past campaigns, ensuring a seamless transition between the past and the future. The main challenge was to update the brand's image while preserving its core identity, which evokes both the warmth of summer and the quality of its products.
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