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    Category Health/Medical

    Genetic influence on Aging into the 90s but not beyond

    July 18, 2017, Categories  Biology/Biotechnology, Health/Medical

    The role of FoxO3 in longevity may involve upregulation of target genes involved in stress resistance, metabolism, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis. Effective control of FoxO3 in response to environmental stimuli is likely critical to prevent ageing and age-related diseases including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. The diagram shows how the well-known longevity-associated intervention of caloric restriction helps to maintain the redox state of the cell by cycling calories through the mitochondria so as to restore NAD+. Caloric restriction results in activation of sirtuins, leading to activation of FoxOs, improved autophagy, amino acid recycling via inhibition of mTOR activity, and other mechanisms leading to a healthy ageing phenotype. On the other hand, excess calories, particularly from carbohydrates, increase the NADH/NAD+ ratio and leads to lipogenesis, overproduction of ROS by mitochondria, poor autophagy and activation of mTOR as a result of an excess of protein intake. AKT1 is a term derived from the ‘Ak' mouse strain that develops spontaneous thymic lymphomas (AKT1 is also known as protein kinase B). CAD = Coronary artery disease; HNF4a = hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α; GCN1l1 = general control of amino acid synthesis 1-like 1; O-GlcNAc = O-linked N-acetylglucosamine; OXPHOS = oxidative phosphorylation; PPARγC1α = peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1α; TCA = tricarboxylic acid.

    The role of FoxO3 in longevity may involve upregulation of target genes involved in stress resistance, metabolism, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis. Effective control of FoxO3 in response to environmental stimuli is likely critical to prevent ageing and age-related diseases including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. The diagram shows how the well-known longevity-associated intervention of caloric restriction helps to maintain the redox state of the cell by cycling calories through the mitochondria so as to restore NAD+. Caloric restriction results in activation of sirtuins, leading to activation of FoxOs, improved autophagy, amino acid recycling via inhibition of mTOR activity, and other mechanisms leading to a healthy ageing phenotype...

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    Omega-3 fatty acids fight Inflammation via Cannabinoids

    July 18, 2017, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    Image result for Omega-3 fatty acids via cannabinoids immune cells

    Naturally occurring omega-3–derived endocannabinoid epoxides are formed via enzymatic oxidation of omega-3 endocannabinoids by cytP450s. The epoxides are anti-inflammatory and vasodilatory and reciprocally modulate platelet aggregation

    A new study in animal tissue reveals the cascade of chemical reactions that convert omega-3 fatty acids into cannabinoids that have anti-inflammatory benefits – but without the psychotropic high. Foods such as meat, eggs, fish and nuts contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which the body converts into endocannabinoids – cannabinoids that the body produces naturally, said Aditi Das, a University of Illinois professor of comparative biosciences and biochemistry...

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    Breathable, Wearable Electronics on skin for Long-Term Health Monitoring

    July 17, 2017, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    The electric current from a flexible battery placed near the knuckle flows through the conductor and powers the LED just below the fingernail. Credit: 2017 Someya Laboratory

    The electric current from a flexible battery placed near the knuckle flows through the conductor and powers the LED just below the fingernail.
    Credit: 2017 Someya Laboratory

    New nanomesh structure lets skin breathe, prevents inflammation. A hypoallergenic electronic sensor can be worn on the skin continuously for a week without discomfort, and is so light and thin that users forget they even have it on, says a Japanese group of scientists. The elastic electrode constructed of breathable nanoscale meshes holds promise for the development of noninvasive e-skin devices that can monitor a person’s health continuously over a long period.

    Wearable electronics that monitor heart rate and other vital health signals have made headway in recent years, with next-generation gadgets employing lightweigh...

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    Protein may Protect against Heart Attack

    July 16, 2017, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    DDK3 could ultimately be used to prevent heart attacks and strokes.

    DDK3 could ultimately be used to prevent heart attacks and strokes.

    DDK3 could be used as a new therapy to stop the build-up of fatty material inside the arteries. A naturally occurring protein, dickkopf-related protein 3 (DKK3), could hold the key to protecting against heart attacks and strokes caused by atherosclerosis, according to new research by King’s College London researchers. The study suggests that the protein could ultimately be used to prevent heart attacks and strokes.

    Scientists measured the level of DKK3 in blood samples collected from 574 people over 5 years. They found that those people with higher levels of DKK3 were less likely to develop atherosclerosis over the course of the 5 year period and were also less likely to die from a heart attack or stroke...

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