Free Republic

A Texas politician was stabbed and her husband was killed after their grandson allegedly attacked them at their Lewisville home early Monday morning. Republican Denton County Commissioner Bobbie Mitchell, 76, and her husband were stabbed early Monday morning by their grandson, according to police. Fred Mitchell, Bobbie Mitchell's husband, was pronounced dead just after 5 a.m. Bobbie Mitchell was taken to a local hospital and is expected to survive her injuries. The Lewisville Police Department said on Facebook that the double stabbing happened on Monday at 3:53 a.m. Mitchell Blake Reinacher, the couple's 23-year-old grandson, was arrested at the house...

The UK Supreme Court's landmark ruling limiting the definition of a woman to biological sex stirred outrage among the stars of BBC’s "RuPaul’s Drag Race UK," who pledged to "fight back" against the decision they say will "marginalize" the transgender community. "The fight back starts today," season one runner-up Divina De Campo wrote in an X post last Wednesday, adding, "We will not go back into the shadows to make you comfortable. F--- all the way off." LGBTQ+ news outlet PinkNews reported on season two finalist Tayce's rage expressed through Instagram with posts calling the UK Supreme Court a "POS...

As we age, blood stem cells, the essential source of new blood cells in the body, can accumulate genetic mutations. Now, scientists have not only discovered the mechanism that fuels their unchecked growth but have also found a way to stop it. The study reveals that a common aging-associated mutation in the gene Dnmt3a boosts the power-generating function of mitochondria in blood stem cells. This mutation allows the cells to make copies of themselves more readily than normal and creates fertile ground for the development of clonal hematopoiesis, a condition that dramatically increases the risk of heart disease, blood cancers,...

Metformin, a widely used diabetes drug, could prevent a form of acute myeloid leukemia in people at high risk of the disease, a study in mice has suggested. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive form of blood cancer that is very difficult to treat. Thanks to recent advances, individuals at high risk of AML can be identified years in advance using blood tests and blood DNA analysis, but there's no suitable treatment that can prevent them from developing the disease. In this study, Professor George Vassiliou investigated how to prevent abnormal blood stem cells with genetic changes from progressing...

April 21 (UPI) -- A brewery in Belgium swapped painted eggs for frothy brews when it celebrated Easter with the "World's Biggest Beer Hunt." The fifth annual Easter event at the Aywiers Gardens in Lasne, Belgium, saw over 1,000 registered hunters searching the grounds for 12,000 hidden bottles of Lutgarde beer. Hidden among the beers was a special golden bottle, which earned its finder a prize of his weight in beer. The event began Sunday with a chocolate egg hunt for children at noon, and the beer hunt then commenced at 12:30 p.m. A barbecue at 1:30 p.m. allowed the...

KAIST researchers have developed a groundbreaking drug that restores vision by inducing retinal nerve regeneration, marking the first long-term neural regeneration in mammalian retinas. This treatment works by blocking the PROX1 protein, a key inhibitor of retinal regeneration, and has shown lasting effects in mouse models of retinal disease. ************************************************************ Blocking the PROX1 protein allowed KAIST researchers to regenerate damaged retinas and restore vision in mice. Vision is one of the most important human senses, yet more than 300 million people around the world are at risk of losing it due to various retinal diseases. Although recent treatments have helped...

In a nutshell Vegan diets support muscle protein synthesis at the same rate as omnivorous diets when protein intake is matched (1.1-1.2g per kg of body weight). How you distribute protein throughout the day (evenly across meals vs. mostly at dinner) doesn’t significantly impact muscle growth. Vegan dieters reported higher energy levels and less fatigue, while omnivorous dieters reported greater meal satisfaction. ******************************************************************* CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Forget what you’ve heard at the gym about needing chicken breasts and steaks to build muscle. Science just delivered a win for plant-based eaters everywhere. Researchers found that vegan diets support muscle growth just...

A 41-year-old Long Island attorney is taking the U.S. Navy to federal court after claiming recruiters deliberately dragged their feet on her application to become the first female Navy SEAL — until it was too late. Amanda S. Reynolds, a self-described “Viking-like” warrior, has filed an age discrimination lawsuit against the Navy, accusing officials of stalling her application process long enough for her to miss the service’s age cutoff, according to The New York Post. “I could have gone to officer candidate school in February,” Reynolds told The Post. “But they delayed my application without reason or cause and then...

Our immune systems weaken as we get older, making fewer cells that fight infection and help us recover from illness and injury. Crews' lab has found that decreased function of an enzyme called ELOVL2 (short for "elongation of very long chain fatty acids-like 2") speeds up immune system changes associated with aging. ELOVL2 plays a critical role in synthesizing certain types of lipids (fatty compounds), and its abundance is known to decline with age. Inadequate ELOVL2 changes the balance of lipids in cells, impairing the development of B cells, the lymphocytes (white blood cells) responsible for making antibodies to fight...

Chronic pain—or pain that lasts at least three months—is closely intertwined with depression. Individuals living with pain's persistent symptoms may be up to four times more likely to experience depression, research shows. Now, a new study shows that a person's risk of depression increases alongside the number of places in the body in which they experience pain. Furthermore, inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (a protein produced by the liver in response to inflammation) help explain the association between pain and depression. This finding suggests that the mechanisms underlying chronic pain and depression may be driven by systemic inflammation, the...

Researchers have revealed a novel link between body fat (adipose tissue) and anxiety, shedding light on the intricate relationship between metabolism and mental health. The findings are particularly relevant given the rising rates of anxiety and obesity, highlighting the importance of understanding the underlying biological processes. "Understanding the link between adipose tissue and anxiety opens up new avenues for research and potential treatments," says Gregory Steinberg. "Our findings highlight the complex interplay between metabolism and mental health, and we hope this will lead to better outcomes for individuals suffering from anxiety," says Steinberg. The research team discovered that psychological stress,...

Recently, researchers have discovered an increasing correlation between some liver cancers and non-viral chronic liver disease (CLD). One liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is associated with CLD in about 15%–25% of cases. In order to investigate how healthy liver tissue differs from that of HCC patients with CLD, scientists analyzed which metabolites were present in CLD and normal tissue to identify metabolic pathways that may be dysregulated. By investigating differences in gene expression and metabolites, the investigators were able to identify possible disease-causing pathways and potential therapeutic targets for HCC prevention. "The molecular mechanisms underlying the development of HCC from...

We’ve all watched the way paying for things has changed over the years. First it was coins, then cards, then phones and smartwatches. But now, it looks like the next big step is… you. Literally. Your face, your fingerprint, even your eyes could soon be all you need to pay for your next coffee, your weekly food shop, or even your pharmacy run. It might sound futuristic, but this is already in the works here in Spain. Banks and big-name retailers are gearing up for pilot programmes as soon as 2026, and if all goes well, we’ll be seeing biometric...

Not to be blunt, but Gail Zanchelli hated marijuana as a teen growing up on Long Island. “Tried it, never liked it,” Zanchelli, 64, told The Post. Now it’s part of her nightly routine. The Deer Park resident takes 60 milligrams of gummies infused with THC — the main active ingredient in marijuana — before bed to relieve chronic throbbing in her tailbone. She’s part of a budding group of seniors who use cannabis to relax, ease pain, sleep better or manage their mental health.

Founded in 2023 by National Day Calendar® and the North American Renderers Association (NARA). Average Amy Monette, CEO & Partner NATIONAL RENDERING DAY National Rendering Day is on April 21 and we are celebrating by bringing awareness to reducing and eliminating food waste through a process known as rendering. #NationalRenderingDay North Americans consider roughly 50% of an animal inedible. This leaves a lot of leftover material that ends up as food waste. On National Rendering Day, we learn about how we can eliminate this waste, what rendering means, and why using the rendering process is the smart choice. What is...

Major depressive disorder (MDD) affects approximately 280 million people globally and is one of the leading causes of disability. One in every three people suffering from MDD also has to deal with treatment-resistant depression (TRD), a condition where patients do not respond to at least two antidepressant trials. Esketamine nasal spray, a rapid-acting anti-depressant, is known to be effective against TRD when administered alongside antidepressants like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) or a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). A study retrospectively compared the effectiveness of both the combinations in treating TRD and found that esketamine plus SNRI showed significantly better overall...

Blue laser vaporization alleviates lower urinary tract symptoms while preserving sexual function in patients undergoing benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) surgery, according to a study. Zun-Jie Hu and colleagues assessed the impact of 450-nm blue laser vaporization on sexual function in 67 patients (median age, 65 years) undergoing BPH surgery and followed for three months. The researchers found that blue laser vaporization significantly improved International Prostate Symptom Score, quality of life, and International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire for Male Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (ICIQ-MLUTS) scores. Blue laser vaporization was also significantly associated with a reduction in postvoid residual volume. There...

Today, millions of believers in Christ Jesus here in the United States and billions in other countries around the world celebrated The Resurrection of The Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. Now His Holy Spirit dwells within each and every believer, and Christ is seated at the right hand of His Father God, pleading the case of every believer before Him to refute the evil wiles of Satan to accuse and say, "Look! look what they've done this time--another slip up, another mistake! They're not worthy to be called one of your children, God--cast them out, blot them out of...

Hold the tofu. New research suggests that vegans may be more likely to suffer from nutritional deficiencies than their meat-eating Worse still, scientists found that even vegans who hit their daily protein goals with plant-based sources often fall short on two essential amino acids, putting their health at risk. In the US, an estimated 1% to 5% of the population follows a vegan diet, which eliminates all animal products, including meat, dairy and eggs. Over the years, researchers have found that following a plant-based diet can reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers, as well...

This is getting whacked on a whole different level. John Alite, a former Gambino crime family enforcer-turned-mob turncoat now serving as a councilman in the sleepy New Jersey borough of Englishtown, was heckled during his first town hall meeting by a former underling of John Gotti Jr. However, Alite didn’t have to lay a finger on his critic — 39-year-old Christopher George of Huntington, LI — as dozens of townspeople shouted him down. George stepped up to a microphone and confirmed he once worked for “Junior” Gotti, Alite’s ex-best friend and the son of late Gambino godfather John Gotti Sr....