Recent Comments

    NASA Neutron Star mission begins Science Operations

    July 19, 2017, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    This time-lapse animation shows NICER being extracted from the SpaceX Dragon trunk on June 11, 2017. Credit: NASA

    This time-lapse animation shows NICER being extracted from the SpaceX Dragon trunk on June 11, 2017. Credit: NASA

    NASA’s new Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) mission to study the densest observable objects in the universe has begun science operations. Launched June 3 on an 18-month baseline mission, NICER will help scientists understand the nature of the densest stable form of matter located deep in the cores of neutron stars using X-ray measurements.

    NICER operates around the clock on the International Space Station (ISS). In the two weeks following launch, NICER underwent extraction from the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, robotic installation on ExPRESS Logistics Carrier 2 on board ISS and initial deployment...

    Read More

    New Hot Jupiter marks the 1st collaborative Exoplanet discovery

    July 19, 2017, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    WASP167bKELT13b. Credit: Image courtesy of Keele University

    WASP167bKELT13b. Credit: Image courtesy of Keele University

    Researchers led by a team at Keele University have discovered a new ‘Hot Jupiter’ exoplanet. The new giant planet was jointly discovered by a WASP/KELT survey collaboration, marking the first time an exoplanet has been discovered between two planet search groups. The exoplanet, WASP-167b/ KELT-13b, is several times more massive than Jupiter and orbits its parent star every two days. Its host star, WASP-176/KELT-13, is one of the hottest and most rapidly rotating stars known to host such a planet.

    The Wide Angle Search for Planets (WASP) and the Kilodegree Extremely Little Telescope (KELT) exoplanet surveys observed the host star between 2006 and 2013 using the WASP-South telescope and the KELT-South telescope at the South African ...

    Read More

    Genetic influence on Aging into the 90s but not beyond

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

    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...

    Read More

    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...

    Read More