New cell-based targets for treating autoimmune inflammatory diseases

New cell-based targets for treating autoimmune inflammatory diseases: "A new study indicates the critical role of platelet function in this dire form of autoimmune kidney disease, crescentic glomerulonenephritis (CGN)."

Juices may reduce Alzheimer's disease risk

Juices may reduce Alzheimer's disease risk: "A juice every other day could keep Alzheimer's disease at bay, new research suggests. In a large epidemiological study, researchers found that people who drank three or more servings of fruit and vegetable juices per week had a 76 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease than those who drank juice less than once per week."

Disabling a carbohydrate trigger reduces obesity and appetite

Disabling a carbohydrate trigger reduces obesity and appetite: "The absence of a key protein prevents normally obese mice from becoming fat, lowers their blood triglycerides, a type of fat, and reduces the insulin resistance related to type 2 diabetes, researchers have found. The study provides further insight into the role that carbohydrate response element binding protein plays in converting excess carbohydrates to fatty acids for long-term storage."

Discussing the Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence (SENS)

Discussing the Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence (SENS): "If you are interested in learning more about the Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence (SENS), as well as debating its merits with knowledgeable folk, I recommend a visit to the SENS forum hosted by the Immortality Institute. Supporters of the SENS proposals and overlapping efforts - such as the LysoSENS research and MPrize for anti-aging research organized by the Methuselah Foundation - have quite different views on the future and emphasis of areas within SENS, not to mention the ethics that come with it. The ethos of full steam ahead to radical life extension is not a big tent position yet (you have to be much more moderate to obtain big tent status in 2006, sad to say), but it's big enough to shelter a number of very interesting debates and challenges. For example: Is SENS Complete? Does Achilles heel need binding? telomere loss, which part of sens deals with this? Improving SENS? Breaking it down... We'll start with chromosomal DNA damage Allotopic Expression & the 'Mitochondrial Problem' ... & alternative solutions Jump right o"

Healing potential discovered in everyday human brain cells

Healing potential discovered in everyday human brain cells: "UF McKnight Brain Institute scientists document for the first time the ability of common human brain cells to morph into different cell types. They used mature human brain cells taken from epilepsy patients to generate new brain tissue in mice. Furthermore, they can coax these cells to produce large amounts of new brain cells in culture, potentially creating a source of cells that can be used to fight a host of other brain disorders."

Better Commentary on Mitochondria, Evolution and Longevity

Better Commentary on Mitochondria, Evolution and Longevity: "I briefly noted a recent paper on evolution, mitochondrial biochemistry and longevity at the Longevity Meme a little while ago. I suggested, rather tersely, the possibility that longevity was not in fact directly selected, but rather was a pleasant side effect of other evolutionary pressures on mammalian biochemistry. The commentary at Ouroboros is of a much higher quality, needless to say: The point toward which I am laboring is this: If we are to use correlative studies as a guide to instruct future mechanistic studies, it's best to know which variables are the strongest correlates of one another, and which are merely piggybacking. In this case, since maximum lifespan is concealed from selection in the wild, one might lean toward a model in which mitochondrial proteins co-evolved with the metabolic demands of body size, with lifespan changes as a spandrel - in contrast to the author's model, in which lifespan is the driving force of mitochondrial evolution. These objections fall short of pistols-at-noon disagreement with either the model, prediction or conclusions of"

Flavanol-rich cocoa improves blood vessel function in aging baby boomer study participants

Flavanol-rich cocoa improves blood vessel function in aging baby boomer study participants: "New research published in the latest issue of the Journal of Hypertension, has found that flavanol-rich cocoa helps to improve blood vessel function, especially in older adults. Researchers at Harvard and Brigham and Women's Hospital looked at healthy adults to see how their blood vessel function was affected by a flavanol-rich cocoa beverage. At the end of the study, the greatest improvement in blood vessel function was seen in the men and women over the age of 50."

On Inflammation and Disease

On Inflammation and Disease: "Via Scenta, a popular science piece on the bugbear of chronic inflammation: 'When an infection occurs, immune cells flock to the area and secrete large amounts of highly reactive chemicals to combat the invader. But these inflammatory chemicals also attack normal tissue surrounding the infection and damage critical components of cells, including DNA. During chronic inflammation, the damage may lead to mutations or cell death and even to cancer and other diseases. [Researchers] have discovered that the DNA damage produced by one of these inflammatory chemicals, nitrosoperoxycarbonate, occurs at unexpected locations along the DNA helix. The finding counters the prevailing theory about where the DNA damage occurs and may shed light on new ways to diagnose and combat inflammation ... We need to understand the mechanisms of inflammation in order to make new drugs that will break the link between inflammation and disease and to develop predictive biomarkers.'

View the Article Under Discussion: http://www.scenta.co.uk/scenta/news.cfm?cit_id=997466&FAArea1=widgets.content_view_1
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Innovative method for creating a human cytomegalovirus vaccine outlined

Innovative method for creating a human cytomegalovirus vaccine outlined: "Each year, about 40,000 children are born infected with human cytomegalovirus, or CMV, and about 8,000 of these children suffer permanent disabilities due to the virus. Because of the dangers of the virus, the Institute of Medicine has declared that development of a CMV vaccine should be one of the highest priorities for vaccine makers. Now, researchers at the Wistar Institute outline an innovative approach that could be used to create such a vaccine."

Chemicals in curry and onions may help prevent colon cancer

Chemicals in curry and onions may help prevent colon cancer: "A small but informative clinical trial by Johns Hopkins investigators shows that a pill combining chemicals found in turmeric, a spice used in curries, and onions reduces both the size and number of precancerous lesions in the human intestinal tract."

UCLA study shows altering fatty acid levels in diet may reduce prostate cancer growth rate

UCLA study shows altering fatty acid levels in diet may reduce prostate cancer growth rate: "UCLA researchers found that altering the fatty acid ratio found in the typical Western diet to include more omega-3 fatty acids and decreasing the amount of omega-6 fatty acids may reduce prostate cancer tumor growth rates and PSA levels. This initial animal model study is one of the first to show the impact of lowering an inflammatory response known to promote prostate cancer tumor progression."