Lifeboat Foundation

A gene linked to autism spectrum disorders plays a critical role in early brain development and may shape the formation of both normal and atypical nerve connections in the brain, according to a new study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.

The study, published Nov. 28 in Neuron, employed a combination of sophisticated genetic experiments in mice and analysis of human brain imaging data to better understand why mutations in a gene called Gabrb3 are linked to a high risk of developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and a related condition called Angelman Syndrome. Both conditions involve abnormal behaviors and unusual responses to sensory stimuli, which appear to stem, at least in part, from the formation of atypical connections between neurons in the brain.

“Neuron al connections in the brain, and developmental synchronization of neuronal networks, are perturbed in individuals with autism spectrum disorders, and there are specific genes that are implicated in the pathogenesis of ASD,” said co-first author Dr. Rachel Babij, a former student in the Weill Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan Kettering Tri-Institutional MD-Ph. D. program in the laboratory of Natalia De Marco García, an associate professor in the Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute at Weill Cornell Medicine.

One of the world’s leading hospitals is preparing to offer longevity clinical services to patients. Sheba Medical Center in Tel Aviv, Israel, is poised to open a dedicated longevity centre in 2023, with the goal of democratising the extension of healthy lifespan for the masses.

Longevity. Technology: While research, development and investment in longevity are at an all-time high, the implementation of longevity clinical practice in mainstream healthcare is virtually non-existent. While private clinical practices are now making longevity services accessible to those who can afford it, the societal benefit of improving healthspan can only be realised if everyone can access it. To learn more, we caught up with Professor Tzipi Strauss, Director of Neonatology at Sheba Hospital, who is the driving force behind the new centre.

It may seem curious that a paediatrician is the instigator of an initiative focused on improving aging, but Strauss explains that the relevance of longevity begins at birth.

Two groups have announced powerful new generative models that can design new proteins on demand not seen in nature.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbY1VkNXAsE

You will not believe what we’re about to tell you — scientists have just created the very first Dino
chicken!
Using chicken DNA, they’ve proven how evolution works, and we might just see dinosaurs roam.
the Earth again. It’s our one chance to live out a real-life version of Jurassic Park!
So, join us as we learn how scientists took chicken DNA and created the chickenosaurus’
’

Disclaimer Fair Use:
1. The videos have no negative impact on the original works.
2. The videos we make are used for educational purposes.
3. The videos are transformative in nature.
4. We use only the audio component and tiny pieces of video footage, only if it’s necessary.

Continue reading “Scientists Have Just Successfully Recreated A Dinosaur From Chicken DNA!” »

For several years now, the CRISPR/Cas9 gene scissors have been causing a sensation in science and medicine. This new tool of molecular biology has its origins in an ancient bacterial immune system. It protects bacteria from attack by so-called phages, i. e. viruses that infect bacteria. Researchers from the Institute of Structural Biology at the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the Medical Faculty of the University of Bonn, in cooperation with the partner University of St Andrews in Scotland and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Hamburg, have now discovered a new function of the gene scissors. The study was published yesterday in the renowned scientific journal “Nature”.

Bacteria and phages have been engaged in a life-and-death struggle on Earth since time immemorial. When an attacking phage injects its genetic material into a bacterium, it is forced to produce new phages, which in turn infect more bacteria. Some bacteria have evolved the CRISPR system in response. With this bacterial immune system, the phage genetic material is recognized and destroyed.

At the same time, the resulting fragments are integrated into the genome of the bacterium. This creates a kind of library that the CRISPR immune system can access again and again and is thus armed for future attacks. In addition, it was discovered that so-called type III variants of the gene scissors produce small signal molecules. With the help of these small molecules, the bacteria switch on a complex emergency plan. This ensures that a virus can be combated optimally and on a broad front.

Rates of heart failure associated with the growing illicit use of the stimulant drug methamphetamine, or meth for short, are rising worldwide and now affect a wide range of socio-economic and racial groups, finds a review of the available evidence, published online in the journal Heart.

Meth heart failure is also more severe than that experienced by those who don’t use the drug, and warrants increased public awareness and availability of treatment for meth addiction to stem the rising tide of those affected, urge the researchers.

Previously published research shows that use of the drug, also popularly known as “crystal meth,” “ice” and “speed,” is associated with serious health problems, including high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and even sudden death. But there are no comprehensive systematic reviews of published research on meth use and heart failure, and this prompted a team of U.S. and Canadian researchers to try to bridge this knowledge gap.

Cajal Neuroscience, a biotechnology company integrating human genetics, functional genomics and advanced microscopy to discover novel targets and therapeutics for neurodegeneration, has launched with the completion of a $96 million Series A financing.

The financing was led by The Column Group and Lux Capital, with additional participation from Two Sigma Ventures, Evotec, Bristol Myers Squibb, Alexandria Venture Investments, Dolby Family Ventures and other investors.

Longevity. Technology: Seattle-based Cajal is committed to discovering novel therapeutics for neurodegeneration; by focusing on the mechanistic, spatial and temporal complexity of neurodegeneration, the biotech’s powerful platform is designed to unlock the complexity of disease at unprecedented scale, and integrates expertise in neuroscience, neuroanatomy and computational biology with state-of-the-art technologies for high-throughput functional validation.

Cardiac alterations in structure and function, namely, the left ventricle, have been intensely studied for decades, in association with aging. In recent times, there has been keen interest in describing myocardial changes that accompany skeletal muscle changes in older adults. Initially described as a cardio-sarcopenia syndrome where alterations in myocardial structure were observed particularly among older adults with skeletal muscle sarcopenia, investigations into this syndrome have spurred a fresh level of interest in the cardiac-skeletal muscle axis. The purpose of this perspective is to summarize the background for this “syndrome of concern,” review the body of work generated by various human aging cohorts, and to explore future directions and opportunities for understanding this syndrome.

The traditional view of cardiovascular aging is that of age-related adaptations in the heart characterized by increased left ventricular (LV) mass (LVM) and LV hypertrophy (LVH), which are often secondary to increased systolic blood pressure mainly mediated by arterial stiffening (1, 2). These changes accumulate throughout the lifetime of an individual, increasing the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), such as heart failure (HF) and coronary artery disease. The incidence of CVD increases with age, rising from ∼78% among adults aged 60–79 years to ∼90% in those aged above 80 years. CVD is the leading cause of disease burden in the world, with global prevalence doubling from 271 million to 523 million between 1990 and 2019. Incident CVD mortality increased from 12.1 million to 18.6 million in the same period , and accounted for 32% of all deaths. With rapidly aging national populations, these numbers are expected to increase.

The researchers discovered a mutation in the thrombospondin-1 (THBS1) gene in three ethnically and geographically diverse families with a history of childhood glaucoma using advanced genome-sequencing technology. The researchers then confirmed their findings in a mouse model that had the genetic mutation and developed glaucoma symptoms due to a previously unknown disease mechanism.

ALSO READ: Check out these easy eye care tips to keep your eyes healthy as you age

This increase in pressure not only damages the optic nerve but can also affect other structures in a child’s eye like the cornea. Children with childhood glaucoma typically require surgeries as early as the first three to six months of life, followed by several more operations throughout their childhood.