Gut bacteria could be responsible for side effect of Parkinson's drug

Bacteria in the small intestine can deaminate levodopa, the main drug that is used to treat Parkinson's disease. Bacterial processing of the unabsorbed fractions of the drug results in a metabolite that reduces gut motility. These findings were described in the journal BMC Biology on 20 October by scientists from the University of Groningen. Since the disease is already associated with constipation, processing of the drug by gut bacteria may worsen gastrointestinal complications.

Alibaba pays $3.6 bn to take over China hypermarket giant SunArt

China's e-commerce behemoth Alibaba has bought a controlling $3.6 billion stake in SunArt which runs hundreds of hypermarkets on the mainland for French shopping giant Auchan.

Can't remember the name of that song? Now you can hum it to Google

Ever had a song stuck in your head that just keeps playing over and over but you can't recall the name or even the words?

Italian PM announces stricter measures to counter virus

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Sunday announced a new series of measures to tackle the rising number of virus cases, with restrictions placed on bars and restaurants and push to increase working from home.

French court tries Russian for multi-million-euro cyberfraud

A Russian goes on trial in Paris Monday accused of having defrauded nearly 200 victims across the world of 135 million euros using ransomware.

As virus flares globally, new strategies target hot spots

After entire nations were shut down during the first surge of the coronavirus earlier this year, some countries and U.S. states are trying more targeted measures as cases Israel and the Czech Republic have reinstated nationwide closures, other governments hope smaller-scale shutdowns can work this time, in conjunction with testing, contact tracing and other initiatives they've now built up.

Canada's Cogeco 'definitively' rejects Altice takeover bid

Canadian telecom giant Cogeco on Sunday definitively rejected an increased takeover bid from Altice U.S., citing the company's "enviable" market position and continued profitability under current ownership.

Irish data regulator probes Instagram: media reports

Ireland's data protection agency is investigating Instagram following concerns over how the image-sharing social platform handled children's personal data, according to media reports.

Big babies could be at higher risk of common heart rhythm disorder in adulthood

Elevated birth weight is linked with developing atrial fibrillation later in life, according to research presented at the 31st Great Wall International Congress of Cardiology (GW-ICC).

Early-arriving endangered Chinook salmon take the brunt of sea lion predation

The Columbia River is home to one of the West Coast's most important Chinook salmon runs. Through late spring and early summer, mature fish return from the sea and begin their arduous journey upriver to spawn. In recent years, these fish have faced an additional challenge: hungry California sea lions.

CBD helps reduce lung damage from COVID by increasing levels of protective peptide

One way CBD appears to reduce the "cytokine storm" that damages the lungs and kills many patients with COVID-19 is by enabling an increase in levels of a natural peptide called apelin, which is known to reduce inflammation and whose levels are dramatically reduced in the face of this storm.

68% of deaths from firearms are from self-harm, majority in older men in rural regions

A new study of gun injuries and deaths in Ontario found that 68% of firearm-related deaths were from self-harm, and they most often occurred in older men living in rural regions, pointing to the need for targeted prevention efforts. The study is published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

Mystery over decline in sea turtle sightings

The number of sea turtles spotted along the coasts of the UK and Ireland has declined in recent years, researchers say.