Amsterdam bans creation of new hotels
Another piece in the overall strategy to reduce tourist flows to the city
A new study to determine the overlap between physiology and psychology
The municipal website of Porto informed at the start of this week that a new scientific study is about to take place in the academic sphere of the city. Called “Microbi-A”, it will have the aim of determining how the human gut bacteria influence people’s personality traits.
The research will be led by a team composed of experts from the Institute of Research and Innovation in Health and the Faculty of Dentistry - both of which are part of the University of Porto. Its duration will be four years.
The scientists are now recruiting participants to assess psychological parameters and provide samples for analysis of their microbiomes and associated metabolites and molecules. In recent years, the human microbiome has become an important target of study as an influencer on the balance between health and disease.
It is known that microorganisms that inhabit the human body are related to inflammatory conditions and chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, among many others. But, in addition to these already established relationships, new hypotheses are also emerging and inviting further exploration.
“Since individual differences in personality are associated with differences in brain function and since gut bacteria are able to communicate with the brain through the gut-brain bidirectional axis, the microbiome may be related to personality differences,” explained Carolina Costa, a PhD student in Biomedical Sciences of the Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), whose doctoral thesis served as the origin of the project.
The scientific community has been associating the microbiome with mental health, reporting that the bacteria that inhabit the intestine have a relevant impact on the brain. Depression and anxiety are examples of mental health problems that appear to be related to an imbalance in the microbiome.
“The project aims to study the impact of the human microbiome on mental health and its interaction with personality characteristics, to understand how they are related and if their modulation by probiotics could be beneficial,” added Benedita Sampaio Maia, leader of the research team.
The building will then serve as the site for a new museum dedicated to Finnish-Russian relations
Another piece in the overall strategy to reduce tourist flows to the city
The previous mayor was forced out of office following a no-confidence vote in the city council
In addition, the federal government has launched the National Week of Action against Bicycle Theft to raise awareness of the issue and the new solution
The facility will replace the need to have water supplied by tankers from Valencia
Modern traffic lights do more than regulate the flow of vehicles at crossroads, they also collect enormous amounts of data
It also set the standards for a better European parking card for people with disabilities
Everyone’s invited free of charge, but only after registration
Italian cities and regions continue experimenting with creative proposals to curb overtourism effects
It also set the standards for a better European parking card for people with disabilities
Italian cities and regions continue experimenting with creative proposals to curb overtourism effects
The building will then serve as the site for a new museum dedicated to Finnish-Russian relations
Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment.
Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements.
Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces
Catch up with some recommendations for the 2024 European Capital of Culture programme from the mayor of Tartu
An interview with the ICLEI regional director for Europe аfter the close of COP28
An interview with a member of the No Hate Speech Network team