Saturday, February 29, 2020
How caloric restriction prevents negative effects of aging in cells
A new study provides the most detailed report to date of the cellular effects of a calorie-restricted diet in rats. While the benefits of caloric restriction have long been known, the new results show how this restriction can protect against aging in cellular pathways.
"We already knew that calorie restriction increases life span, but now we've shown all the changes that occur at a single-cell level to cause that," says Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, a senior author of the new paper, professor in Salk's Gene Expression Laboratory and holder of the Roger Guillemin Chair. "This gives us targets that we may eventually be able to act on with drugs to treat aging in humans."
Aging is the highest risk factor for many human diseases, including cancer, dementia, diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Caloric restriction has been shown in animal models to be one of the most effective interventions against these age-related diseases. And although researchers know that individual cells undergo many changes as an organism ages, they have not known how caloric restriction might influence these changes.
In the new paper, Belmonte and his collaborators -- including three alumni of his Salk lab who are now professors running their own research programs in China -- compared rats who ate 30 percent fewer calories with rats on normal diets. The animals' diets were controlled from age 18 months through 27 months. (In humans, this would be roughly equivalent to someone following a calorie-restricted diet from age 50 through 70.)
At both the start and the conclusion of the diet, Belmonte's team isolated and analyzed a total of 168,703 cells from 40 cell types in the 56 rats. The cells came from fat tissues, liver, kidney, aorta, skin, bone marrow, brain and muscle. In each isolated cell, the researchers used single-cell genetic-sequencing technology to measure the activity levels of genes. They also looked at the overall composition of cell types within any given tissue. Then, they compared old and young mice on each diet.
Many of the changes that occurred as rats on the normal diet grew older didn't occur in rats on a restricted diet; even in old age, many of the tissues and cells of animals on the diet closely resembled those of young rats. Overall, 57 percent of the age-related changes in cell composition seen in the tissues of rats on a normal diet were not present in the rats on the calorie restricted diet.
"This approach not only told us the effect of calorie restriction on these cell types, but also provided the most complete and detailed study of what happens at a single-cell level during aging," says co-corresponding author Guang-Hui Liu, a professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Some of the cells and genes most affected by the diet related to immunity, inflammation and lipid metabolism. The number of immune cells in nearly every tissue studied dramatically increased as control rats aged but was not affected by age in rats with restricted calories. In brown adipose tissue -- one type of fat tissue -- a calorie-restricted diet reverted the expression levels of many anti-inflammatory genes to those seen in young animals.
"The primary discovery in the current study is that the increase in the inflammatory response during aging could be systematically repressed by caloric restriction" says co-corresponding author Jing Qu, also a professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
When the researchers homed in on transcription factors -- essentially master switches that can broadly alter the activity of many other genes -- that were altered by caloric restriction, one stood out. Levels of the transcription factor Ybx1 were altered by the diet in 23 different cell types. The scientists believe Ybx1 may be an age-related transcription factor and are planning more research into its effects.
"People say that 'you are what you eat,' and we're finding that to be true in lots of ways," says Concepcion Rodriguez Esteban, another of the paper's authors and a staff researcher at Salk. "The state of your cells as you age clearly depends on your interactions with your environment, which includes what and how much you eat."
The team is now trying to utilize this information in an effort to discover aging drug targets and implement strategies towards increasing life and health span.
Other researchers on the study were Shuai Ma, Shuhui Sun, Lingling Geng, Moshi Song, Wei Wang, Yanxia Ye, Qianzhao Ji, Zhiran Zou, Si Wang and Qi Zhou of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Xiaojuan He, Wei Li, Piu Chan and Weiqi Zhang of Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University; Xiao Long of Peking Union Medical College Hospital; and Guoji Guo of Zhejiang University School of Medicine.
The work and researchers involved were supported by grants from the National Key Research and Development Program of China, the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Beijing Natural Science Foundation, Beijing Municipal Commission of Health and Family Planning, Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, the State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, the Moxie Foundation, and the Glenn Foundation.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Salk Institute.
Friday, February 28, 2020
Theories of technology often attempt to predict the future of technology
Theories of technology often attempt to predict the future of technology based on the high technology and science of the time. As with all predictions of the future, however, technology's is uncertain. Futurist Ray Kurzweil predicts that the future of technology will be mainly consist of an overlapping "GNR Revolution" of Genetics, Nanotechnology, and Robotics, with robotics being the most important of the three.
Dimethyl Ether (DME)
Dimethyl Ether (DME) || News In Science
Recently Indian scientists have developed an ingenious system to make Dimethyl ether (DME, also known as methoxymethane), from methanol.
DME is a clean fuel and alternate solution for diesel.
National Science Day
The Great scientist Sir C.V. Raman who discovered famous Raman Effect on 28th Feb 1928, Every year this day is celebrated as National Science Day.
Ayurveda recommends six Rasas that a complete diet must include.
#EatRightIndia_126
— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) February 28, 2020
Ayurveda recommends six Rasas that a complete diet must include.
Keeping this in mind, your food mix must include sweet, salty, sour, bitter, pungent & astringent.
Six rasas in food together give balanced nutrition.#EatRightIndia @fssaiindia @MoHFW_INDIA pic.twitter.com/MbHolyLFzm
Women in Science -The world over, women scientists
Excellence in Science is a concept that India has been familiar with since Vedic times and women have been an active part of this quest for knowledge. The world over, women scientists have been in the forefront of ground-breaking research across the world. But despite their remarkable discoveries, globally they still represent just 29 % of researchers. In India the number is even less. Globally only 3 % of the Nobel Prizes for science have been awarded to women, and only 11 %* of senior research roles are held by women. This year National Science Day is both an attempt to acknowledge their contribution to science and also to encourage increased participation in the field. In Depth today focuses on the achievements of the women scientists who were felicitated by President Kovind today, and his message for women scientists in India. We also take a look at what is preventing women from taking up science.
Thursday, February 27, 2020
Optimum & appropriate nutrition is essential during #TB treatment
Optimum & appropriate nutrition is essential during #TB treatment. Along with proper nutrition, take your TB medicines regularly. #EndTB #SwasthaBharat #TBHaregaDeshJeetega@PMOIndia @drharshvardhan @AshwiniKChoubey @PIB_India @NITIAayog @TBHDJ pic.twitter.com/0WmIR9tWeP— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) February 27, 2020
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Simple hygiene practices can help prevent seasonal flu
#HealthForAll— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) February 25, 2020
Simple hygiene practices can help prevent seasonal flu (#H1N1).
Do share this information to create wide awareness.#SwasthaBharat pic.twitter.com/amMmAb2GzM
Saturday, February 22, 2020
It Is Difficult To Stop Coronavirus From Spreading, Says Ebola Co-Discoverer Peter Piot
Ebola co-discoverer Peter Piot says it is difficult to contain Coronavirus and China needs to do much more to stop the virus.Speaking at the Bio-Asia Summit in Hyderabad, Piot said no travel ban has stopped an epidemic in history. “When the World Health Organisation declared coronavirus outbreak as an international concern, it explicitly recommended against travel restrictions. The ban may slow down the spread of infections, but the most important thing for slowing down the spread is that China gets the epidemic under control. They are going for very draconian measures that I do not think any other country, perhaps except for North Korea, can implement,” he said.
Friday, February 21, 2020
Swine Flu
Two employees of German software giant SAP have tested positive for H1N1 swine flu at its headquarters in Bengaluru. Thereafter SAP shut down its offices in India for extensive sanitation. Coming as it does in the middle of an ongoing global crises caused by the deadly Coronavirus infection, the software major closed two other locations in Gurgaon and Mumbai. Employees of the company were asked to work from home until further notice. Details on how the two employees contracted swine flu are awaited as medical investigations are underway. But the two cases have triggered concern in Bengaluru and adjoining areas. Previous outbreaks of the infection had claimed hundreds of lives in India in 2014 and 2015. Today IN DEPTH, we'll tell you about the symptoms of swine flu, how it spreads, the precautions that should be taken against the infection and the ways to treat it. We'll also explore how it differs from Coronavirus that has wreaked havoc in neighbouring China, with a detailed analysis on why are respiratory illnesses on the rise across the world.
Sunday, February 16, 2020
How Israel became a leader in water use in the Middle East
Over the past few years in Israel, the country's water shortage has become a surplus. Through a combination of conservation, reuse and desalination, the country now has more water than it needs. And that could translate to political progress for the country in the Middle East, one of the most water-stressed regions in the world. NewsHour's Martin Fletcher reports.
400,000 Liter/Day Atmospheric Water Generator Station
EcoloBlue's new 400,000 Liter/Day Atmospheric Water Generator Station. We present the 3D design concept video of the project. Not only can EcoloBlue's atmospheric water generators be used individually for smaller water needs, these water stations are intended for areas where the need for water is greater. Please contact us if you wish to discuss a possible project. This is just showing an example of how the machines can be bundled together to create more water than a single machine. Focusing on the palm trees, fountains, third party energy sources, etc are not the focus of the EcoloBlue Technology. They are all secondary and imaginative just to get the point across.
Secondary treatment of wastewater
Secondary treatment of wastewater lecture - This lecture explains about the secondary wastewater treatment process in details. The secondary treatment of wastewater is also known as the biological treatment of wastewater that explains how wastewater treatment is done in presence of microorganisms like bacteria and fungi. The secondary treatment of wastewater is done by mainly two systems - 1. The trickling filter system 2. Activated sludge process Know more about the trickling filter system and activated sludge process as a part of secondary wastewater treatment process in this video lecture.
Wastewater treatment process overview | wastewater treatment lecture 1
Wastewater treatment process and preliminary treatment of wastewater - This lecture explains about the wastewater treatment process overview. This explains about the preliminary treatment of wastewater including the preliminary wastewater treatment methods like screening and grit removal process. In this video Suman Bhattacharjee will guide you through a typical wastewater treatment plant to explain the process of wastewater treatment in details. Explaining the overview of primary treatment of wastewater, secondary treatment of wastewater, tertiary or chemical treatment of wastewater and then the overview of solids handling in a typical wastewater treatment plant facility. Know more about the wastewater treatment plant and wastewater treatment process with this video lecture.
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