longevity tagged posts

(a–c) Dose response effects on the median lifespan of select C. briggsae strains after treatment with chemicals that exhibited strong positive effects on the C. elegans strains. Dosing was performed only on strains that failed to respond positively in the initial tests (single dose experiments), as we did not attempt to identify peak responses, instead we only sought to identify whether positive effects could be obtained by altering doses. Chemical doses were chosen to center around the effective dose identified for C. elegans strains and were sometimes expanded after preliminary rounds of testing. ThT exhibited a positive effect on strain JU1348 at 25 μM, but was profoundly toxic to all strains at and above 100 μM

The amyloid dye Thioflavin T emerged as the superstar when age rese...

Schematic overview of the endogenous regulators and molecular targets of SIRT3.

Exercise and fasting do not change the location of a key enzyme involved in energy production, a study in Experimental Physiology found. SIRT3 is an important enzyme involved in fat metabolism and energy production. Located within the mitochondria of skeletal muscle, it targets certain proteins and altering their activity.

To determine if SIRT3’s location within muscle cells changes, healthy young men were split into two groups with one being subjected to endurance exercise for an hour and the other fasting for 48 hours. The researchers then took skeletal muscle biopsies at various time points post exercise and fasting and isolated the mitochondria...

Salk researchers uncover a fasting molecule, Crtc, which enhances immunity. The gastrointestinal tract of flies lacking Crtc, which is turned on during fasting (right panel), expresses more immune-related molecules compared with those of normal flies (left panel). These signs of inflammation mean that the gut barrier is compromised and more permeable to bacteria. Credit: Salk Institute

A molecular pathway activated in the brain during fasting helps halt the spread of GI bacteria into the bloodstream, according to a new study researchers at the Salk Institute. A molecular pathway by which the brain communicates with the GIT prevents unnecessary activation of the immune system during fasting by strengthening the barrier against gut microbes...

Japanese Food Guide Spinning Top

Closer adherence to Japanese dietary guidelines is associated with a lower risk of death from all causes and death from cardiovascular disease, particularly stroke, finds a study published by The BMJ today. The findings suggest that balanced consumption of grains, vegetables, fruits and adequate intake of fish and meat, can contribute to longevity in the Japanese population.

In 2005, the Japanese government developed the spinning top – a Japanese food guide – to illustrate the balance and quantity of food in the daily Japanese diet. A team of researchers, led by Kayo Kurotani at the National Centre for Global Health and Medicine in Tokyo, set out to examine the association between adherence to the food guide and total and cause specific mortality.

They used...