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    2 new Saturn-mass Exoplanets discovered

    May 8, 2017, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    Two new Saturn-mass exoplanets discovered

    Light curve of OGLE-2013-BLG-0132. The inset shows the enlargement of the caustic crossing parts of the light curve. The lower panel shows the residuals from the best-fit model. Credit: Mróz et al., 2017.

    An international team has detected 2 new giant alien worlds circling distant stars. The newly found planets are estimated to be as massive as Saturn and are orbiting M dwarfs beyond the snow line. The planets were discovered by researchers working as part of the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) group and the Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics (MOA) collaboration. OGLE uses the 1.3-m Warsaw Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile, while MOA utilizes the 1.8-m MOA-II telescope at the Mount John University Observatory, located in New Zealand...

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    Galactic Winds Slow New Star Formation

    May 8, 2017, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    This is an artist's concept of the metric expansion of space, where space (including hypothetical non-observable portions of the universe) is represented at each time by the circular sections. Note on the left the dramatic expansion (not to scale) occurring in the inflationary epoch, and at the center the expansion acceleration. The scheme is decorated with WMAP images on the left and with the representation of stars at the appropriate level of development. Credit: NASA

    This is an artist’s concept of the metric expansion of space, where space (including hypothetical non-observable portions of the universe) is represented at each time by the circular sections. Note on the left the dramatic expansion (not to scale) occurring in the inflationary epoch, and at the center the expansion acceleration. The scheme is decorated with WMAP images on the left and with the representation of stars at the appropriate level of development. Credit: NASA

    Scientists have created computer simulations of events soon after the Big Bang to better understand how stars today are being formed. Researchers have formed the clearest picture yet of massive explosions that controlled the creation of galaxies, including our own, and continue to influence star formation today...

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    Gut Microbes linked to Brain Structure in people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome

    May 7, 2017, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    Differences in gut microbial composition correlate with regional brain volumes in irritable bowel syndrome. Microbiome, 2017; 5 (1) DOI: 10.1186/s40168-017-0260-z

    Differences in gut microbial composition correlate with regional brain volumes in irritable bowel syndrome. Microbiome, 2017; 5 (1) DOI: 10.1186/s40168-017-0260-z

    A new study at UCLA has revealed 2 key findings for people with irritable bowel syndrome about the relationship between the microorganisms that live in the gut and the brain. For people with IBS research shows for the first time that there is an association between the gut microbiota and the brain regions involved in the processing of sensory information from their bodies. The results suggest that signals generated by the brain can influence the composition of microbes residing in the intestine and that the chemicals in the gut can shape the human brain’s structure.

    Additionally, they gained insight into the connections among chi...

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    Skin Cells found at Root of Balding, Gray Hair

    May 7, 2017, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    Mice lacking SCF in Krox20 lineage cells exhibit progressive hair graying. (A) A representative Scfflox/gfp; Krox20Cre mouse (top) displaying hair graying along with aging as compared with a littermate Scfflox/gfp control (bottom). n = 20. (B) Pelage hairs plucked from P20 Scfflox/gfp; Krox20Cre mice showed distinct pigment levels in distal and proximal ends; newly developed hairs in the proximal side (arrowheads) were absent of pigment. (C) Fontana-Masson staining confirmed the absence of melanin in the newly synthesized hairs (arrowheads) in P32 Scfflox/gfp; Krox20Cre mice. (D) HF section revealing normal hair pigmentation in Scfflox/gfp; Krox20Cre mice at P9 followed by a rapid loss of pigmentation beginning from the hair matrix (arrowheads) at P11 and P13. (E) Transverse HF section revealing hypopigmented hair shafts (arrowheads) in Scfflox/gfp; Krox20Cre mice at P11 and P13. (F) Quantification and statistical analysis of E showing a significant reduction of melanin density in Scfflox/gfp; Krox20Cre graying hair shafts. Melanin density was analyzed by ImageJ. Data are mean ± SEM from 100 randomly selected HFs in each group. (∗∗∗∗) P < 0.0001. (G) Gray Scfflox/gfp; Krox20Cre mice were depilated to stimulate hair regeneration; new hair shafts were completely absent of pigment. n = 3. Nuclei were stained with nuclear Fast Red in C–E. Bar, 100 µm.

    Mice lacking SCF in Krox20 lineage cells exhibit progressive hair graying. (A) A representative Scfflox/gfp; Krox20Cre mouse (top)
    displaying hair graying along with aging as compared with a littermate Scfflox/gfp control (bottom). n = 20. (B) Pelage hairs plucked from P20
    Scfflox/gfp; Krox20Cre mice showed distinct pigment levels in distal and proximal ends; newly developed hairs in the proximal side (arrowheads)
    were absent of pigment. (C) Fontana-Masson staining confirmed the absence of melanin in the newly synthesized hairs (arrowheads)
    in P32 Scfflox/gfp; Krox20Cre mice. (D) HF section revealing normal hair pigmentation in Scfflox/gfp; Krox20Cre mice at P9
    followed by a rapid loss of pigmentation beginning from the hair matrix (arrowheads) at P11 and P13...

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