Lifeboat Foundation

The mass of human chromosomes, which contain the instructions for life in nearly every cell of our bodies, has been measured with X-rays for the first time in a new study led by University College London (UCL) researchers.

For the study, published in Chromosome Research, researchers used a powerful X-ray beam at the UK’s national synchrotron facility, Diamond Light Source, to determine the number of electrons in a spread of 46 chromosomes which they used to calculate mass.

They found that the chromosomes were about 20 times heavier than the DNA they contained – a much larger mass than previously expected, suggesting there might be missing components yet to be discovered.

The American Academy of Pediatrics also called on parents Thursday to get their children up-to-date on routine shots as families prepare for the return of in-person classes in the fall.

“We understand many families understandably delayed visits to their doctors during the pandemic,” Yvonne Maldonado, who chairs the group’s committee on infectious diseases, said in a statement. “We urge families to get their children caught up with their routine immunizations now. States have begun opening up, and as families move about in their community, we are concerned that we could see outbreaks of measles, whooping cough and other life-threatening diseases that could spread rapidly.”

The CDC data from 10 jurisdictions provides further evidence of the pandemic’s impact on routine childhood and adolescent vaccination rates, which were documented last year as parents across the country canceled well-child checkups to avoid coronavirus exposure.

Preliminary results from young blood plasma transfusions in mice are showing some really promising results!

For organisms like us, survival is a team sport. I do not mean in the sense of being a pack animal that forms mutually beneficial relationships with others in order to increase the likelihood of acquiring protection and resources (although this is certain true), but instead to the fundamental functions of our biology. The cells which make up our body are all in essence working towards the goal of survival, and in turn work with one another in a variety of different ways. As anyone who has ever worked in a team will tell you, communication is key, and without it a team is doomed to failure. However, often poor or incorrect communication can be even worse than no communication at all.

Summary: A new deep neural network can accurately predict a healthy person’s brain age based on EEG data collected from a sleep study.

Source: AASM

A study shows that a deep neural network model can accurately predict the brain age of healthy patients based on electroencephalogram data recorded during an overnight sleep study, and EEG-predicted brain age indices display unique characteristics within populations with different diseases.

Trial of Wolbachia-infected insects draws praise for new disease control method.

As more kids go down the ‘deep, dark tunnel’ of long Covid, doctors still can’t predict who is at risk.

“She was a completely healthy, active kid and this just totally changed her life,” her mother, Sara Dardis, said. “So obviously, Covid is real and it’s real for kids. It needs to be taken seriously.”

Kate’s story makes clear that long Covid is not an adults-only phenomenon. Numbers are hard to come by, but more children and adolescents are experiencing chronic symptoms after Covid even as the pandemic ebbs in the U.S., say doctors at the few clinics devoted to caring for them. Although the disease has played out in ways that differ between adults and children, long Covid is posing the same mystery in kids as in adults.

Continue reading “As long Covid affects more kids, doctors cant predict who is at risk” »

The Hong Kong team behind celebrity humanoid robot Sophia is launching a new prototype, Grace, targeted at the healthcare market and designed to interact with the elderly and those isolated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

#RobotGrace #RobotSophia #HumanoidRobot.

Continue reading “Meet Grace, the healthcare robot COVID-19 created | Celebrity Humanoid Robot Sophia | Robot Nurse” »

Immortal gut biome o.o

Our genetic material is stored in our cells in a specific way to make the meter-long DNA molecule fit into the tiny cell nucleus of each body cell. An international team of researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Aging, the CECAD Cluster of Excellence in Aging Research at the University of Cologne, the University College London and the University of Michigan have now been able to show that rapamycin, a well-known anti-aging candidate, targets gut cells specifically to alter the way of DNA storage inside these cells, and thereby promotes gut health and longevity. This effect has been observed in flies and mice. The researchers believe this finding will open up new possibilities for targeted therapeutic interventions against aging.

Our genetic material lies in the form of DNA in every cell nucleus of our body cells. In humans, this DNA molecule is two meters long—yet it fits into the cell nucleus, which is only a few micrometers in size. This is possible because the DNA is precisely stored. To do this, it is wound several times around certain proteins known as histones. How tightly the DNA is wound around the histones also determines which genes can be read from our genome. In many species, the amount of histones changes with age. Until now, however, it has been unclear whether changes in cellular histone levels could be utilized to improve the aging process in living organisms.

Continue reading “Rapamycin changes the way our DNA is stored” »

A detailed concept for a lunar habitat, created by one of the world’s leading architectural firms with ESA technical support, is currently on show at the Biennale in Venice. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, originator of many of the world’s tallest skyscrapers, worked with ESA on a semi-inflatable habitat design which could be part of a long-term vision for an international Moon settlement.

The resulting design is on show at the 17th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. While the theme of the overall exhibition is ‘How will we live together?’, the SOM installation is called ‘Life Beyond Earth’, peering beyond our post-COVID-19 planet to show how human life can be sustained in the hostile space environment.