Over the years, certain contentious issues have vexed the leadership and tested the ability of U.S. Masters Swimming to grow and develop. One of the most debated of these issues to hit the House of Delegates floor was the simple question of how old swimmers needed to be to participate in Masters Swimming.

For the first two decades or so of USMSs existence, swimmers had to be at least 25 to become members. Adult swimming, it seemed, was something you couldnt do until years after you were legally allowed to have a drink or cast a vote in an election. And a lot of that goes back to how swimmings international governing body, FINA, was set up.

FINAs official rules for Masters swimming do not extend to cover swimmers under the age of 25. USMS was in step with this until the mid-1980s when some folks began advocating for adding a younger age group. This faction wanted to see that change made so that the organization could be more inclusive and reach a segment of the swimming population that didnt have other options for swimming.

But simply adding an age group turned out to be a lot more difficult than we might expect looking back now.

We had huge arguments over this, says Tom Boak, a longtime member of the Woodland Masters Swim Club in Texas who also served as USMSs president from 1981 through 1985. One segment of the USMS leadership believed that because FINA didnt recognize swimmers younger than 25, USMS simply couldnt have swimmers younger than 25 involved either.

There was another faction that said, Thats crazy. We have all these people out here, we need to service this group, Boak recalls. The huge gap between collegiate swimmers leaving college and when they can start swimming with Masters made no sense.

To help address this issue, Boak recalls that proposals were floated starting in the mid-1980s, but it was an uphill battle to get it passed.

Nancy Ridout, longtime Masters swimmer and volunteer who served as president of the organization from 1997 to 2001, remembers the anti-younger age group faction really used scare tactics to try to sway more people to their side.

There was a rule that prohibited amateur swimmers from being tainted by professionals, Ridout says. The rule stated that an amateur swimmer couldnt swim in a pool or a meet or competition with a professional. Because Masters were considered professional, they figured that if college kids came home for the summer and wanted to work out, and the best place to do that was with a Masters group, they would forfeit their opportunity to swim in college or in the Olympics. They were afraid that leadership within FINA would not look kindly on this and it would jeopardize our American swimmers on the world and collegiate stages.

After much lobbying on both sides, a final vote was held at USMSs annual meeting in 1990. It was such a contentious issue and such a close vote that we counted the votes like five different times and every time it came out different, Boak says.

To break the stalemate and arrive at an accurate count, we had to actually physically divide the House of Delegates at the annual meeting, Boak recalls. Everybody in the House of Delegates had to stand up from their chairs and move to one side or the other of the room so that we could count the votes.

On that final vote, the proposal to add a 19- to 24-year-old age group passed by two votes, which is unbelievable, he says.

Looking back now, Boak says the opposition to adding the younger swimmers was totally illogical. But it was a hot-button issue that required a lot of time and effort to work through. In the end, however, that decision was monumental in terms of what Masters Swimming became.

The addition of the younger age group meant there would be no gap at all for someone who wanted to continue swimming after they got out of high school or college, and it helped increase USMSs membership numbers. With the more recent addition of College Club Swimming as a USMS program, the ranks of younger USMS members continue to grow.

In 2002, the age at which a swimmer could register with USMS was again loweredto 18but these 18-year-olds would have to wait until age 19 to compete. That rule was changed in 2005 when 18-year-olds were granted permission to register and compete just like any other adult.

At the other end of the age spectrum, it appears human longevity may be the only limiting factor in how many age groups get added. In 1989, the 9094 age group was added. Although FINA still doesnt recognize Masters swimmers younger than 25, it defines Masters age groups in five-year increments starting at age 25 and going as high as necessary. The organization spells out age groups through 9094 in its rule book.

USMSs rule book lists out all age groups running from 1824 right up though 100104 and includes a provision for additional five-year age groups to be added as high as is necessary. As humans continue to find ways of living longer and healthier, look for additional defined age groups to be added in the future.

Link:
USMS's 50th Anniversary: Expanding the Age Range | US Masters Swimming - U.S. Masters Swimming

Until recently, fasting has been considered the most efficient method to trigger the critical cellular renewal process, called "autophagy;" however, European aging scientists have discovered that autophagy is also triggered through a substance found in the human body, called spermidine. As the body ages, spermidine levels decrease, along with the self-renewing power of its cells. In search of a way to offset the effects of decreasing spermidine levels, Longevity Labs developed a method to isolate spermidine from plants (wheat germ) and to make it available to humans as a dietary supplement - spermidineLIFE.

TLL The Longevity Labs GmbH ("TLL") launched its first flagship product, spermidineLIFE in the EU 2019, bringing the first commercially available, safety-tested, lab-verified, spermidine-rich supplement to the global market. Quickly becoming a phenomenon in Austria and Germany, in September 2020, TLL has begun distribution of spermidineLIFE in the United States, through its subsidiary, Longevity Labs Inc., via its US website at http://www.spermidinelife.us.

"We began with a common vision to support healthy aging. Spermidine was completely unknown in Austria but the scientific research, quality of our product and its effectiveness convinced the public.spermidineLIFE was voted one of the top 3 OTC product innovations in Austria in 2019 and interest has only continued to grow worldwide," says Vedran Bijelac, CEO of Longevity Labs Inc and Director of Sales and Marketing of TLL.

"We are proud to be the first scientifically tested and naturally-extracted spermidine supplement," says Daniel Dietz, COO of Longevity Labs Inc. "Not only do we want to present the health benefits of spermidine to the American population, we also want to find additional research partners. We are already working with more than 10 research institutions in Europe but the opportunity to work with top US scientists is very exciting."

spermidineLIFE is naturally extracted from European non-GMO wheat germ using TLL's proprietary extraction process in its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Graz, Austria. spermidineLIFE is lab-tested to ensure consistently rich spermidine content and has been tested for safety and tolerability in humans.

spermidineLIFE is available to consumers via its website via a monthly subscription model starting at $99. The supplement will also be available for one or more monthly package orders starting at $109. Wholesale pricing is available for practitioners.

For additional information or questions, please contact [emailprotected].

For more information about spermidineLIFE or to place an order, please visit http://www.spermidinelife.us.

About TLL The Longevity Labs, GmbHTLL The Longevity Labs, GmbH is based in Graz, Austria. With the goal of translating scientific findings into natural solutions for a longer and healthier life, TLL worked with european university research partners to develop its novel product spermidineLIFE, with EU sales launching in 2019 and expanding worldwide. TLL continues to perform best-in-class research on life-extending products and services to bring to the global marketplace. For more information, visit http://www.spermidinelife.com(global) or http://www.spermidinelife.us(United States).

No governmental agency has reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this news release.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

SOURCE Longevity Labs Inc.

https://www.spermidinelife.us

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Award-winning Austrian supplement containing "spermidine" is now available to consumers in the US - PRNewswire

Yoshihide Suga is patient. The longest-serving chief cabinet secretary in Japanese history, hes been a loyal aide in Prime Minister Shinzo Abes government, managing his public messaging and smoothing over internal quarrels.

Eight years on, hes widely expectedto take over from Abe, who is stepping down for health reasons, with the ruling party picking a new leader on Monday.

Abes time in office provided a period of stability after years of leadership turnover, including his own previous, and brief, premiership in 2006-2007.

The son of farmers, Suga worked his way up through the party machinery, honing his negotiating tactics. Hes played an instrumental role in Abenomics, the premiers marquee economic policy.

As such, Suga is unlikely to substantially change direction. Hes being touted as a continuity candidate who will hew to Abes policies.

On some issues he may push less hard. Abe comes from a family of politicians, including his paternal grandfather and father. His maternal grandfather was prime minister. His hopes of rewriting Japans pacifist constitution were deeply personal. For Suga less so.

But he would still have to manage relationships with the U.S., China, Russia and South Korea. On foreign policy hes largely untested. There are tensions with Beijing and Seoul, especially over Japans wartime past. Suga would need to engage with whoever wins the U.S. election, including on trade.

And its unclear if, at 71, hes seen as a bridging premier, or someone with longevity. With the economy struggling under the pandemic, and structural problems with an aging society and dwindling labor force, Japan can ill-afford a return to leadership uncertainty.

Abegestures atSuga during a news conference in Tokyo on May 4.

Photographer: Eugene Hoshiko/AP

Click herefor Bloombergs most compelling political images from the past week. Tell us how were doing or what were missing atbalancepower@bloomberg.net.

China pitch, 2.0 | President Donald Trump is reviving his 2016 campaign playbook on attacking China, but running as the incumbent means defending a record of limited success in rewriting the economic relationship with Beijing. As Jenny Leonard reports, much of what the Trump team has laid out sounds like campaign promises made four years ago.

Campaign 2020

There are 53 days until the election. Heres the latest on the race for control of the White House and Congress.

Trump and his Democratic rival, Joe Biden, will signal today that their paths to the White House run through Pennsylvania, as both commemorate the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks near the town of Shanksville, where one of the hijacked planes crashed in 2001.

Other developments:

Sign up to receive daily election updates as a direct mobile notification on Twitter. Simply click on this link and like the tweet.

Talks fray | The British government rebuffed a European Union request to scrap a plan to re-write their divorce accord after the bloc gave a three-week ultimatum to do so and threatened legal action. The dispute risks jeopardizing efforts to secure a trade deal by Dec. 31 if theres no agreement by then it will trigger tariffs and snarl commerce with extra paperwork at the border.

High stakes | India and China pledged to de-escalate tensions along their disputed Himalayan border after their foreign ministers met yesterdayfor the first time since May, when the stand-off began. The nations have been increasing troop strength along the 3,488-kilometer Line of Actual Control for months and this week the first shots were fired since 1975 an indication multiple rounds of talks have done little to lower the temperature.

Election strategy | With opposition leader Alexey Navalny hit by a near-fatal poisoning, President Vladimir Putin faces a key test of support in Russian regional elections starting today. The three-day ballot, a prelude to 2021 parliamentary elections, is also a showcase for a smart voting campaign promoted by Navalny before he fell ill. It encourages voters in individual areas to back the politician most likely to defeat the ruling United Russia partys candidate.

Corruption probe | Lawmakers in Peru will vote today on whether to start impeachment proceedings against President Martin Vizcarra after the release of tapes of him discussing a minor graft case. Prosecutors are investigating allegations that a singer used contacts in the presidential palace to obtain contracts worth about $50,000, despite lacking experience.

Less than a week after Serbia agreed to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem by July as part of a deal with Kosovo brokered by Trump, the Balkan nations president has cast doubts on the plan.

French President Emmanuel Macron is meeting his government today to plan how to curb a surge in coronavirus infections almost 10,000 new cases yesterday without harming a fragile economic rebound.

Pop quiz, readers (no cheating!). Which Disney live-action remake is under pressure for filming in a sensitive region? Send your answer to balancepower@bloomberg.net.

And finally ... The newest Covid-19 vaccine candidate to start human testing is the first where volunteers wont get a painful injection. Instead, theyll receive a spray through the nose. The Chinese-made vaccine joins about 35 other candidates currently in human testing, as the global race to be first with an effective weapon against the deadly pathogen intensifies. Some scientists hope a vaccine that gets sprayed through the nose may have a better chance of stopping the spread of the virus through respiratory tracts.

A woman receives an H1N1 flu nasal spray vaccination in December 2009 in San Francisco.

Photographer: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images North America

With assistance by Karl Maier, Kathleen Hunter, Anthony Halpin, and Isabel Reynolds

Original post:
Patience to Pay Off in Japan for a Loyal Aide - Bloomberg

When it comes to healthy eating, one size does not fit all. Japanese cooking, with its emphasis on rice, fish, and vegetables, may not be the best diet for everyone, but it is marvelously suited to the physiology of the Japanese, writes physician and writer Okuda Masako.

The popularity of Japanese cuisine has soared in recent decades, and one reason is undoubtedly its healthful image. The average lifespan of the Japanese people climbed rapidly after World War II. By around 1980, Japan had the highest life expectancy of any country in the world, and it still ranks near the top. (The worlds oldest living person is also a Japanese woman.) Amid a slew of investigations into the secrets of Japanese longevity, attention quickly centered on the benefits of washoku, traditional Japanese cooking.

My research and experience have taught me that the optimal diet depends on a variety of hereditary and environmental factors. But there is no denying that washoku has contributed to the health and longevity of the Japanese people. Let us begin by examining how.

In terms of health and long life, the biggest physiological factor the Japanese have going for them is a low risk of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis occurs when fats and other substances build up along the walls of arteries, restricting or even blocking blood flow. In the brain, such a blockage is known as a cerebral infarction (stroke); in the heart, it is called a myocardial infarction (heart attack). The incidence of myocardial infarction in Japan is among the lowest in the world.

Scientists believe that both genetics and diet play a role in protecting Japanese arteries. One factor is a high level of good cholesterol, or HDL (high-density lipoproteins), in the blood. In a 2008 study, Japanese HDL levels were found to be roughly 10% higher than those of white Americans on average. Another reason is that fish is a big part of the traditional Japanese diet, and fish contains EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), two polyunsaturated fatty acids that help prevent hardening of the arteries. Since ancient times, the Japanese have been eating oily fish like mackerel, sardines, yellowtail tuna, and eel, which are abundant off the coast of Japan and are rich in EPA and DHA. In a 2015 study, the average concentration of DHA in Japanese maternal milk was determined to be up to six times that found in Western countries and about twice that found in China.

A second major contributor to Japanese health is the gut microbiota, the many and varied microorganisms living in the intestinal tract. A 2016 analysis of the intestinal microbiota of subjects from 12 countries found that the Japanese had the highest counts of beneficial bifidobacteria. (Interestingly, the gut microbiome of the Chinese subjects was closer to that of the Western subjects studied.) This can probably be attributed to the high fiber content of the traditional Japanese diet, with its emphasis on grains and vegetables. Dietary fiber provides a good nutritional environment for beneficial microbes and helps cleanse the gut of the harmful substances that unhealthy bacteria produce. Since it takes a generation or more to permanently alter the gut microbiota, todays Japanese probably owe their intestinal health to the dietary habits of their parents and grandparents.

All of this might lead one to the conclusion that eating washoku will automatically make one healthier. Unfortunately, it is not quite so simple. In general, the traditional diets that developed in various parts of the world were optimally adapted to the local environment and the needs of the native population. The physiology of the native population, in return, adapted to the diet.

There are obvious physical differences between Japanese people and Westerners. But the differences go beyond hair texture and eye color. There are also disparities in musculature, body fat, and body temperature, as well as various factors that affect digestion and metabolism of alcohol: hormone and enzyme secretion, the shape of the stomach, the composition of the gut flora, and so forth. Race is not just skin-deep.

The Japanese stomach is adapted to consumption of grain.

Figure 1 illustrates the stomach shapes typically found in Japanese people on the one hand and people of Westerners extraction on the other. The differences are the result of disparities in the traditional diet.

The Japanese have long relied on rice and other grains as their dietary staple. Grains are a good source of energy, but whole grains in particular take time to digest because of their high fiber content. The Japanese stomach is vertically elongated so as to store, mix, and break down such food before it continues on into the intestines. The intestines, in turn, are rich in the kinds of bacteria that help digest and extract nutrition from starchy foods.

By contrast, the traditional European diet, with its emphasis on meat and dairy products, is considerably higher in protein and fat. Since protein and fat are digested primarily in the intestines, the food needs to move more rapidly from the stomach to the gut. The digestive system evolved to deal with these demands. For example, a large quantity of stomach acid is produced so that the stomach can process the food quickly; comparatively thicker stomach muscles then push it smoothly into the intestines.Plenty of enzymes and other fluids are secreted to aid the digestion of fat and protein inside the intestines.

It has long been known that the ability of adults to digest milk varies by ethnicity and region. The bodys capacity to digest the lactose in milk hinges on continued production of the enzyme lactase. The map in figure 2 shows the global distribution of lactose-intolerant adults in various parts of the world, with higher concentrations indicated by darker shades. While most people in the British Isles and Scandinavia digest milk easily, close to 90% of adults in Southeast Asia and East Asia (including Japan) have trouble with it.

Darker shades indicate regions with higher rates of adult lactose intolerance.

Such differences in physiology can translate into serious health problems when people adopt different diets and lifestyles. One example involves vitamin D, which is essential to bone health, among other things. Vitamin D is produced inside the body when the skin is exposed to the suns ultraviolet rays, but it can also be obtained from dietary sources like oily fish. It has been suggested that Africans, who evolved in a part of the world where year-round UV exposure is high, may be less well equipped to absorb vitamin D from dietary sources, and this may be why African Americans tend to have relatively low vitamin-D levels. Some experts have warned that African Americans need to adjust their diets to avoid health problems resulting from vitamin D insufficiency. The optimum diet for any person depends on genetic makeup, as well as lifestyle and environment.

Genetics also influences the way our bodies accumulate fat. One characteristic of the Japanese constitution is the tendency to accumulate visceral adipose tissue, or fat inside the abdominal cavity, as opposed to the subcutaneous fat that collects under the skin. Unfortunately, visceral fat is the more worrisome kind.

Cross-sections showing the distribution of abdominal fat in representative Japanese (left) and Westerners (right) subjects.

This is a fairly recent phenomenon, mind you. In earlier times, obesity was relatively rare in Japan, and the incidence of chronic diseases associated with visceral fatincluding type 2 diabetes, along with other diseases like breast cancer and colon cancerwas correspondingly low. That began to change in the 1960s to 1980s, as the Japanese diet became increasingly westernized, leading to higher fat consumption and lower intake of fiber. And with more people doing deskwork and leading sedentary lifestyles, lack of exercise contributed to the rise of obesity and the accumulation of visceral fat. The result has been a significant increase in disease, raising concerns for the future.

Extensive studies have revealed that a traditional Japanese dietlow in meat and dairy products, high in soybeans and fish, and high in fiber from grains, vegetables, and seaweedis tied to very low accumulation of visceral fat. In other words, washoku is ideally suited to the physiological traits of the Japanese people, protecting them from their innate tendency to accumulate visceral fat. Without knowing the science, our forebears managed to develop, preserve, and pass down a dietary culture perfectly adapted to our own metabolism.

Washoku has other health benefits as well. Soybeans, green and yellow vegetables, and small fish eaten whole all help to build strong bones. Lifelong consumption of soy foods also contributes to the relativelylow incidence in Japan of diabetes, breast cancer, and colon cancer, all ailments linked closely to visceral fat levels, as compared with the West

One notable weakness of the Japanese diet as it has developed in the past two or three centuries is the overwhelming preference for polished rice. For the health-conscious, I would recommend brown rice, which has seven times the dietary fiber of white rice and contains substances that help the body burn visceral fat.

In recent years, science has made considerable progress in identifying genetic differences among ethnic groups. In 2016, a Japanese team of researchers released the first Japanese reference genome panel (JRG v1), a whole-genome assembly representing the genes of a typical healthy Japanese. Comparison with the human reference genome has revealed millions of single-nucleotide differences, many of which doubtless reflect significant differences in nutrition physiology. We need to abandon the one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition and consider what diet works best for each ethnic group.

Nowadays, the Japanese people are able to enjoy delicious cooking from every part of the world. That is a splendid thing, as long as we keep in mind that washoku is the bedrock of our much-admired health and longevity.

(Originally written in Japanese. Banner photo: Dairy and meat products figure heavily in the Western diet, while the traditional Japanese diet has much to offer in the area of human health. Pixta.)

Read more:
Nutrition and the Wisdom of Ethnic Cuisine: A Japanese Doctor's Perspective - Nippon.com

Although traveling to new places and experiencing new adventures is a great way to see the world, it is no secret that there are negative environmental effects of mass tourism. As you begin to think about your next vacation, perhaps look into a lower-impact alternative to mass tourism, which is ecotourism.

Ecotourism is a carefully curated way to see fragile, undisturbed natural areas of nature. By partaking in ecotourism and helping to conserve parts of nature and wildlife, you have the opportunity to witness magnificent, once in a lifetime nature scenes up close and personal.

In efforts to push a safer, more eco-friendly mode of tourism, here are some of the benefits of seeing unique, and oftentimes threatened, natural environments through ecotourism.

Exposure

One of the great perks of taking an ecotourism-focused adventure is that you are exposed to new, less popular aspects of nature. Although traveling to incredibly popular sight-seeing destinations and visiting highly-visible attractions or monuments is exciting, there is so much else to see and explore.

Through ecotourism, you have the chance to see some of the most unique environments and view nature closer than ever. These types of excursions are much more exciting than viewing animals at your local zoo.

You may be able to see wildlife up close and within their wild, natural habitat, which isnt something you are able to experience every day. Ecotourism takes you along vast seascapes, wildlife habitats, and more, to view nature through an environmentally low-impact medium. With that being said, not only do you get to see nature from a new lens, but you also help to conserve many of the animals and habitats that are threatened or unprotected.

One example of ecotourism that aims to expose travelers to an abundance of magic is by experiencing bioluminescence. During the warmer months on the east coast of the U.S., there are many opportunities to see majestic sea life. On the shores of Florida, bioluminescent sea life lights up the dark water, exposing you to a once in a lifetime view of a glowing ocean.

Bioluminescence is a chemical process that permits living sea life to create light within their bodies. When the water is obstructed through wave creation or splashing from humans, the seawater begins to glow bright neon blue. This type of interactive experience exposes you to a side of nature that you may not otherwise get to witness.

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Education

As you partake in ecotourism excursions, you can also receive an abundance of information educating you on topics pertaining to that areas wildlife and natural environments. For instance, you will see nature as it currently stands, as well as learn vital information on how to properly interact with wildlife and preserve these ecosystems.

Observing animals within a zoo environment does not always provide accurate insight into an animals daily life. Much of the animal culture within zoos are artificial. For instance, arctic penguin exhibits are usually not in climate-controlled areas where you can see them play on glaciers. Although zoos do a heap of good by protecting endangered animals, many animals endure stress from not being in the wild or having ample social interactions with other members of their species.

This takes away from witnessing authentic animal behavior within nature. By partaking in ecotourism, you can view animals that havent been displaced and also gather greater insight on how various species have become endangered, as well as how you can help.

As you travel, there is nothing like witnessing animals within their own wild environments where they are fully immersed in their own culture. Through these eco-tourism excursions, you are invited to submerge yourself within an animals environment and experience a small part of their daily lives.

Protection

By interacting with a natural environment through an ecotourism lens, you have the opportunity to leave it better than you found it. As a viewer and wildlife lover, ecotourism provides you with an outlet to minimize the negative impacts of tourism on these natural environments and protect what is left.

For example, you can transition from merely observing to positively interacting with these environments through participatory cleanup.

Alongside the provided education about how to conserve these environments, participatory cleanup is a great way to interact with nature on a personal level, all while ensuring that this environment and its wildlife can thrive. This can be demonstrated by cleaning up trash off the beaches and out of the ocean in efforts to prevent wildlife from dying as a result of human impact.

This acts as a way to protect species who oftentimes cannot differentiate between what is food and what is a plastic straw. By witnessing the impacts of humans on the environment while being in a proper wildlife setting, you can gather a comprehensive perspective and push to protect these habitats with proper knowledge and understanding.

Through exposure and education, we can work to protect wildlife spaces and ensure a better future for wildlife and their respective environments.

Human impact plays a large role in the longevity of the lifespans of wild animals and with your help, you can decrease the negative impacts and allow for a higher quality of life for these animals. As you begin to plan your next excursion, perhaps consider these benefits to ecotourism and push to protect the wildlife of that area. Take this opportunity to educate yourself, and your loved ones, on the many ways that animal harm can be prevented and how we can best conserve these natural areas.

Josh Myers is the owner of Florida Adventurer, a bioluminescence kayaking company. Josh is extremely passionate about ecotourism and the wildlife he interacts with on a daily basis. In order to further educate tourists around ecotourism, Josh ensures that each individual on his tours understands why and how to protect the indigenous animals that they encounter and how to conserve the natural area where he operates.

Read the rest here:
The Three Main Benefits of Ecotourism and How to Promote It - TravelPulse

Can artificial intelligence and machine learning help mankind address diseases related to ageing, and delay mortality? Gero, a Singaporean company with Russian roots, believes so. To address this biological and technological challenge, Gero has teamed up with the National University of Singapore, conducting experiments involving aged animals, reports East-West Digital News (EWDN).

These works demonstrated mortality delay (life-extension) and functional improvements after a single experimental treatment, says Gero.

Gero believes this new drug could enable patients to recover after a stroke and help cancer patients in their fight against accelerated ageing resulting from chemotherapy. Geros platform is also used to develop drugs in other areas including potential therapies for Covid-19.

Commenting on Gero, Dr. Nir Barzilai said that their research provides answers to the most important practical questions and translates the received knowledge into medical technologies to combat ageing. A professor of medicine and genetics, Dr. Nir Barzilai is director and leading aging researcher at the Einstein-Institute for Aging Research in New York City.

The company has just secured $2.2mn from an investor pool led by Belarusian fund Bulba Ventures. Gero previously raised more than $5mn, including through an undisclosed seed round in May last year, which also involved Bulba.

8 years of R&D Founded in Russia in 2012, Gero initially pursued a larger goal developing a computational technology to facilitate the discovery of small drug molecules.

We identified a series of drug candidates in-house and via partnerships, company founder Peter Fedichev told East-West Digital News.

For example, Fedichevs team identified a small molecule inhibitor of novel HIV targets as well as inhibitors for proteinprotein interactions TLR4 antagonist.

The company created a spinoff dedicated to metabolic reprogramming of neurons in excitotoxicity conditions. Another project to be announced later this year was developed with a leading US university, said Fedichev.

During these years, Gero also studied ways to use AI/ML approaches to tackle ageing.

This field became the exclusive focus of the startup in 2015. Gero gained access to large biobanks, aiming to develop next-gen modeling platforms for anti-aging targets and aging biomarkers identification.

We discovered and tested multiple life-extending interventions based on the predictive capacities of our platform, said Fedichev.

While the most promising therapeutic modalities in this field are currently under development, experiments with mice were prerequisites for future clinical trials. Such experiments were first conducted in France, then at the National University of Singapore at a much larger scale.

A single shot provides the systemic rejuvenation and mortality delay (life- extension), which is a definitive milestone for drug discovery AI, Fedichev told EWDN.

In 2019, the team published a research paper in Nature Research Journal about the application of machine learning techniques to big omics data as a means to discover anti-aging drugs. This became one of the most popular papers in the field of cell and molecular biology, notes Fedichev.

Asias anti-ageing appeal Why didnt Gero pursue its development from Russia? Fedichev points several reasons for moving to Singapore three years ago: First, this is a great place for doing business, and some of our investors were familiar with the jurisdiction. Second, we started a critically-important collaboration with the National University of Singapore. Finally, says Fedichev, it appears that the Singaporean government is ahead of the curve when it comes to ageing. It is very aggressive in tackling the related [health and wellness] challenges. The Singaporean authorities fund cutting-edge projects in this field, and contemplate innovative clinical trial strategies. Thus, Singapore is asserting itself at the forefront of ageing science and biotech developments, believes Fedichev. Asia is going to be hit hard by a silver tsunami, he notes, with 250mn senior citizens by 2025 in China only.

In 2016, researchers from Oxford Economics and AARP estimated the volume of the annual US longevity market alone at $7.1 trillion. They forecast that by 2032 this figure will almost double to $13.5 trillion.

Read the original here:
A Russian-born startup based in Singapore uses AI to penetrate the mysteries of human longevity - bne IntelliNews

DENVER, Sept. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --TLL The Longevity Labs GmbH, an Austrian-based life sciences company, and its wholly-owned, US subsidiary, Longevity Labs Inc., announce the market-launch of sales in the US of its award-winning dietary supplement,spermidineLIFE.spermidineLIFE is the world's first naturally extracted and clinically tested dietary supplement to promote cellular renewal. The active ingredient, spermidine, is considered key to slowing down the cellular aging process.

Until recently, fasting has been considered the most efficient method to trigger the critical cellular renewal process, called "autophagy;" however, European aging scientists have discovered that autophagy is also triggered through a substance found in the human body, called spermidine. As the body ages, spermidine levels decrease, along with the self-renewing power of its cells. In search of a way to offset the effects of decreasing spermidine levels, Longevity Labs developed a method to isolate spermidine from plants (wheat germ) and to make it available to humans as a dietary supplement -spermidineLIFE.

TLL The Longevity Labs GmbH ("TLL") launched its first flagship product,spermidineLIFE in the EU 2019, bringing the first commercially available, safety-tested, lab-verified, spermidine-rich supplement to the global market. Quickly becoming a phenomenon in Austria and Germany, in September 2020, TLL has begun distribution ofspermidineLIFE in the United States, through its subsidiary, Longevity Labs Inc., via its US website atwww.spermidinelife.us.

"We began with a common vision to support healthy aging. Spermidine was completely unknown in Austria but the scientific research, quality of our product and its effectiveness convinced the public.spermidineLIFE was voted one of the top 3 OTC product innovations in Austria in 2019 and interest has only continued to grow worldwide," says Vedran Bijelac, CEO of Longevity Labs Inc and Director of Sales and Marketing of TLL.

"We are proud to be the first scientifically tested and naturally-extracted spermidine supplement," says Daniel Dietz, COO of Longevity Labs Inc. "Not only do we want to present the health benefits of spermidine to the American population, we also want to find additional research partners. We are already working with more than 10 research institutions in Europe but the opportunity to work with top US scientists is very exciting."

spermidineLIFE is naturally extracted from European non-GMO wheat germ using TLL's proprietary extraction process in its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Graz, Austria.spermidineLIFE is lab-tested to ensure consistently rich spermidine content and has been tested for safety and tolerability in humans.

spermidineLIFE is available to consumers via its website via a monthly subscription model starting at $99. The supplement will also be available for one or more monthly package orders starting at $109. Wholesale pricing is available for practitioners.

For additional information or questions, please contactcontact@spermidinelife.com.

For more information aboutspermidineLIFE or to place an order, please visitwww.spermidinelife.us.

About TLL The Longevity Labs, GmbHTLL The Longevity Labs, GmbH is based in Graz, Austria. With the goal of translating scientific findings into natural solutions for a longer and healthier life, TLL worked with european university research partners to develop its novel productspermidineLIFE, with EU sales launching in 2019 and expanding worldwide. TLL continues to perform best-in-class research on life-extending products and services to bring to the global marketplace. For more information, visitwww.spermidinelife.com(global) orwww.spermidinelife.us(United States).

No governmental agency has reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this news release.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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Award-winning Austrian supplement containing "spermidine" is now available to consumers in the US - Newswise

Adrenomyeloneuropathy Treatment Marketresearch is an intelligence report with meticulous efforts undertaken to study the right and valuable information. The data which has been looked upon is done considering both, the existing top players and the upcoming competitors. Business strategies of the key players and the new entering market industries are studied in detail. Well explained SWOT analysis, revenue share and contact information are shared in this report analysis.

Adrenomyeloneuropathy Treatment Market is growing at a High CAGR during the forecast period 2020-2026. The increasing interest of the individuals in this industry is that the major reason for the expansion of this market.

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Top Key Vendors of this Market includes: Ascend Biopharmaceuticals, Novadip Biosciences, Eureka Therapeutics, Human Longevity, Regeneus, Allogene Therapeutics, BioRestorative Therapies, Immatics Biotechnologies, NewLink Genetics, Cytori Therapeutics, Talaris Therapeutics

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The cost analysis of the Global Adrenomyeloneuropathy Treatment Market has been performed while keeping in view manufacturing expenses, labor cost, and raw materials and their market concentration rate, suppliers, and price trend. Other factors such as Supply chain, downstream buyers, and sourcing strategy have been assessed to provide a complete and in-depth view of the market. Buyers of the report will also be exposed to a study on market positioning with factors such as target client, brand strategy, and price strategy taken into consideration.

Global Adrenomyeloneuropathy Treatment Market Segmentation:

Market Segmentation by Type:

Steroid Replacement TherapyStem Cell Transplant

Market Segmentation by Application:

HospitalsClinicsAmbulatory Surgical Centers

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Table of Contents

Global Adrenomyeloneuropathy Treatment Market Research Report 2020

Chapter 1 Adrenomyeloneuropathy Treatment Market Overview

Chapter 2 Global Economic Impact on Industry

Chapter 3 Global Market Competition by Manufacturers

Chapter 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by Region

Chapter 5 Global Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions

Chapter 6 Global Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type

Chapter 7 Global Market Analysis by Application

Chapter 8 Manufacturing Cost Analysis

Chapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers

Chapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders

Chapter 11 Market Effect Factors Analysis

Chapter 12 Global Adrenomyeloneuropathy Treatment Market Forecast

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Comprehensive Report on Adrenomyeloneuropathy Treatment Market Set to Witness Huge Growth by 2026 | Ascend Biopharmaceuticals, Novadip Biosciences,...

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Cellular Reprogramming Tools Market analysis

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Cellular Reprogramming Tools Market: COVID19 Impact- Recent Industry Developments and Growth Strategies Adopted by Top Key Players:Human Longevity,...

Mice given alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG) supplements were reported to be healthier as they aged, and female mice lived longer than those not given the supplement, according to the researchers at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging.

The big thing about this is that its safety profile is so good, says the University of North Dakota aging researcher Holly Brown-Borg, who was not involved with the study. It has potential and should be explored further, for sure.

AKG is naturally made in both mice and human bodies, and it is already considered to be safe by regulators. It is part of the metabolic cycle that cells use to make energy from food; sometimes it is used to treat osteoporosis and kidney disease, along with some bodybuilders to bulk up.

In 2014 researchers discovered that this molecule may have an anti-ageing possibility when a study published in Nature reported that it helped to extend the lifespan of C. elegans by more than 50%; and other studies showed it improving lifespan in fruit flies.

AKG levels will gradually decline with age, as such the researchers are looking for ways to restore levels to those seen in younger years. In this study published in Cell Metabolism 18-month-old mice, which is the equivalent of around 55 human years, were given AKG as 2% of their daily feed until they died or for up to 21 months, recording all changes.

Within a few months: They looked much blacker, shinier, and younger than control mice, says Azar Asadi Shahmirzadi, a postdoc at the Buck Institute who did the experiments as a graduate student. Animals in the AKG group also scored on average 40% better on tests of frailty as measured by 31 physiological attributes including walking gait, grip strength hearing, and hair colour. Additionally, female mice in the AKG group lived a median of 8-20% longer than the controls. It was noted that the mice in the AKG group did not perform better in tests for heart function or treadmill endurance, and they did not test for cognitive improvement.

Female mice in the AKG group were found to produce higher levels of a molecule that fights inflammation. Although these effects on health and longevity were smaller for AKG than for some other anti-ageing compounds, some of the other compounds have had safety issues, for example, rapamycin can suppress the immune system and may promote diabetes.

The researchers plan to test AKG in human volunteers in the near future, possibly in a group of people between the ages of 45-65 to investigate whether the molecule will improve ageing-related biomarkers such as inflammation, arterial hardening, and chemical signatures on DNA that are associated with ageing.

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AKG Supplement Promoted Healthy Aging & Longevity In Animal Study - Anti Aging News

A Concordia researcher, supported by Idunn Technologies, discovers new natural compounds that could promote longevity in health and reduce the incidence of associated diseases

MONTREAL, Sept. 9, 2020 /CNW/ - The recent pandemic has highlighted the importance of staying healthy so that you can better fight an infection or disease, if necessary. A Concordia University researcher has discovered 15 new plant extracts that help fight, not against infection, but against aging. These natural molecules could help prevent all the diseases associated with aging, not one at a time, but all at the same time. It is therefore a question of reducing the incidence of common ailments such as osteoarthritis, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. This approach has already been called "the ultimate preventive medicine" in the prestigious journal, Science.

Vladimir Titorenko, professor of biology at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Concordia, has been collaborating since 2013 with ric Simard, president of the company, Idunn Technologies, to discover new anti-aging molecules. This work has just been published in the scientific journal, Oncotarget. The TransBIOTech research center and the Cgep de Lvis-Lauzon also participated in these studies.

The recently published results were obtained from specific plant extracts, already recognized for various health benefits. Professor Titorenko's team identified the new anti-aging molecules from a long list of extracts from different parts of the plants studied. The new positive extracts (PE for "plant extract") are numbered as follows: PE26 (Serenoa repens), PE39 (Hypericum perforatum), PE42 (Ilex paraguariensis), PE47 (Ocimum tenuiflorum), PE59 (Solidago virgaurea), PE64 (Citrus sinensis ), PE68 (Humulus lupulus), PE69 (Vitis vinifera), PE72 (Andrographis paniculata), PE75 (Hydrastis canadensis), PE77 (Trigonella foenumgraecum), PE78 (Berberis vulgaris), PE79 (Crataegus monogyna), PE81 (Taraxacum erythrospermum) and PE83 (Ilex paraguariensis).

"We now have a large number of anti-aging plant extracts that may reduce the incidence or progression of age-related diseases in humans," said Dr. Vladimir Titorenko. This researcher devotes his efforts to understanding the molecular mechanisms that allow cells to resist aging.

Dr. Titorenko states that "With the aging of the population, the possibility of keeping people healthy longer constitutes a major advance which could have repercussions, not just in economic terms, but for the quality of life of the population and the capacity of the health care system in general."

The results of this research have clearly demonstrated that the beneficial effects observed on longevity are linked to the slowing of aging in yeast cells. "The identification of these new modulators could allow the development of new specialized products for healthy aging." explains Professor Titorenko.

A Quebec company, Idunn Technologies, is working to develop a large number of applications of these research results for human health. ric Simard is the co-editor of the article, CEO of Idunn Technologies and author of 4 books on healthy longevity (www.esimard.com). He explains that the company decided to market the fruits of this research by focusing on the optimization of natural products targeting the main health problems related to aging. These more effective products are marketed under the Vitoli brand (www.vitoli.ca).

The results presented also include analyses of the metabolic activity of mitochondria, the oxidation of membrane lipids, as well as the oxidation of proteins, DNA from mitochondria, and DNA from the cell nucleus. These anti-aging extracts, also called geroprotective or caloric restriction mimetics, increase the resistance of cells to oxidative stress and temperature. Improved cellular functioning reduces damage to cells while increasing their resistance to difficult situations. "Reduce wear and increase maintenance and cellular resistance; that's the secret to health longevity." concluded Dr. Simard.

This study was supported by a joint ARD-CRD (Applied Research and Development - Cooperative Research and Development) grant from Canada's Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). The work was also funded by the Concordia University Research Chairs Fund, a Concordia University Graduate Scholarship, and a Concordia University Excellence Scholarship.

Read the full report of the study: Discovery of fifteen new geroprotective plant extracts and identification of cellular processes they affect to prolong the chronological lifespan of budding yeast.

SOURCE Idunn Technologies

For further information: Interviews in English with Vicky Lutchman, M.Sc. researcher (among the authors of the study: 514-887-7520)

L’entreprise

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15 new groups of molecules to fight against aging and protect our cells; one step closer to staying healthy longer, new study shows - Canada NewsWire

The secret to long life expectancy lies in the details. Tiny tails at the ends of chromosomes called telomeres erode with age but can be lengthened. Deep inside a persons cells DNA-based clocks slowly tick away and determine ones "biological age." By tweaking this cell, could humans be able to boost their longevity? Researchers from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology were able to dial up and down creatures' lifespans by altering protein activity levels.

The enzyme "tweaked" by researchers allows roundworms to convert sugar into energy when cellular energy is running low - the team found a way to "control it". Humans also have these proteins, offering up the possibilities of developing longevity-promoting drugs, according to the researchers.

The roundworms used in the study experienced a boost in longevity when researchers tinkered with a couple of proteins involved in monitoring the energy use by its cells.

Using a range of different biological research tools, including introducing foreign genes into the worm, a group of researchers were able to dial up and down the activity of the gene that tells cells to produce the VRK-1 protein.

Control worms lived about 16.9 days on average typically roundworms only live about two to three weeks.

However, the first line of worms who had elevated levels of VRK-1 lived about 20.8 days.

A second line lived about 23.7 days on average. Seung-Jae Lee is a professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and the paper's senior author.

He spoke of how longevity could switch by activating "a key cellular energy sensor and anti-ageing protein" called AMPK.

The key to activating AMPK is VRK-1 and this enzyme is found in worms but also has a close relative in human cells.

"We showed that the activation of AMPK by VRK-1 occurs in human cells as well as in the roundworm C. elegans," says Professor Lee.

"Therefore, it is possible that this mechanism can be applied to promoting human longevity in the future." Metabolic disorders involve the disruption of chemical reactions in the body, including diseases of the mitochondria.

But before metabolic disorder therapeutics or longevity drugs can be contemplated by scientists, further research still needs to be carried out to better understand how VRK-1 works to activate AMPK, the team explained.

They said they also need to figure out the precise mechanics of how AMPK controls cellular energy.

The study team notes that inhibiting mitochondrial respiration "increases life span in Drosophila and mammals" though some scientists argue that this is part of a bigger, more complicated picture.

This is only a small experiment on roundworms and a few human cells.

To really prove that VRK-1 can trigger these longevity-related changes in AMPK, the team will have to replicate their findings in other mammals, like mice.

Though mouse studies are still steps away from human ones, they provide clearer parallels to human beings that worm studies do, says Lee.

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How to live longer: Scientists discover enzyme which could be used to boost longevity - Express

As the world warms and the atmosphere becomes increasingly fertilised with carbon dioxide, trees are growing ever faster. But theyre also dying younger and overall, the worlds forests may be losing their ability to store carbon. Thats the key finding of our new study, published in the journal Nature Communications.

In a world without humans, forests would exist in equilibrium, taking roughly as much carbon out of the atmosphere as they lose. However, humans have disturbed this equilibrium by burning fossil fuels. As a result, atmospheric CO levels have increased leading to an increase in temperature and fertilising plant growth. These changes have stimulated tree growth over the past decades, even in intact, old-growth forests that have not experienced recent human disturbances. This in turn has allowed forests to take up more carbon than they release resulting in large net accumulation whats often called the carbon sink.

Earth scientists like us often wonder how long forests can continue to be a sink. The extra CO will benefit trees everywhere, and temperature increases will help them grow in colder regions. So you could expect forests to continue soaking up much of our carbon emissions and that is exactly what most earth system models predict.

However, possible changes in tree lifespan may throw a spanner in the works. A few years back when studying old-growth Amazon forests, we noted that initial growth increases were followed by increases in tree mortality. We hypothesised that this could be due to faster growth reducing how long trees live for. If true, this means predictions that the carbon sink will continue may have been overly optimistic, as they did not take into account the trade-offs between growth and longevity. Our new findings provide evidence for this hypothesis.

To study the relationship between tree growth and longevity, we used tree ring records. The width of each ring tells us how fast the tree grew, while counting rings provides information on age and allows us to estimate its maximum lifespan. We analysed more than 210,000 individual tree ring records belonging to more than 80 different species from across the globe. This large undertaking has been possible thanks to decades of work by dendrochronologists (tree ring specialists) from across the world, who made their data publicly available.

Our analysis shows that trees that grow fast, die young. It has been known for a long time that faster growing species live shorter. A balsa tree, for example, grows quickly to 20 metres or more but will live for only a few decades, while some bristlecone pine trees have been growing slowly and steadily for nearly 5,000 years.

We found that this is not only true when comparing different species, but also within trees of the same species. It was a surprise to find that this trade-off occurs in nearly all types of trees and ecosystems, from closed-canopy tropical forests to the hardy trees that brave the Arctic regions. A slow growing beech tree may be expected to live several decades longer than its fast-growing relatives. It is very much like the story of the hare and the tortoise slow but steadily growing trees are the ones that live longest.

In order to study the implications of this we compared how much carbon would be accumulated under two tree simulation models. One simulation included this grow-fast, die-young trade-off, and the other used a model in which trees lived equally long, regardless of their growth rates. We found that trees growing faster and dying younger initially caused the overall level of biomass to increase, but it also increased tree mortality several decades later.

Therefore, eventually the forest starts to lose biomass again and return to the same level as in the beginning, but with faster growing and shorter-lived trees. Our models indicate that faster growth results in faster tree death, without real long-term increases in carbon storage. Some researchers predicted this long ago, and our results support their prediction.

These model predictions are not only consistent with observed changes in forests dynamics in the Amazon but also with a recent study reporting an increase in tree death across the globe.

An intriguing question is why the fast-growing trees, the rock stars of the forest, live much shorter lives. We dont yet have a conclusive answer, but we have looked at some potential mechanisms. For example, it could be that higher temperatures and other environmental variations that stimulate faster growth, also reduce tree lifespans. However, we find that reductions in lifespan are the result of faster growth itself.

One simple hypothesis is that trees die once they reach a certain maximum potential size, and the faster a tree reaches this size the younger it dies. Other possible explanations are that fast growing trees simply make cheaper wood (in terms of energy expenditure), and invest fewer resources in fighting off diseases and insect attacks, or are more vulnerable to drought. Whatever the cause, this mechanism needs to be built into scientific models if we want to make realistic predictions of the future carbon sink and thus how much CO will be in the atmosphere.

Read more here:
Across the world, trees are growing faster, dying younger and will soon store less carbon - The Conversation UK

Pharmaceutical major AstraZeneca, who is developing a coronavirus vaccine in association with Oxford university, has paused their trials after a participant fell ill due to a "suspected adverse reaction", the company stated, as reported by medical journalStat News. "As part of the ongoing randomised, controlled global trials of the Oxford coronavirus vaccine, our standard review process was triggered and we voluntarily paused vaccination to allow review of safety data by an independent committee. This is a routine action which has to happen whenever there is a potentially unexplained illness in one of the trials, while it is investigated, ensuring we maintain the integrity of the trials."

"In large trials, illnesses will sometimes happen by chance but must be reviewed independently. We are working to expedite the review of the single event to minimise any potential impact on the trial timeline," according to the statement.

The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is the most advanced one in the world, well into the third and final phase of human trials. The Moderna vaccine candidate is a close second.AstraZeneca's US-traded shares fell more than six per cent in after-hours trading following reports of the trial being paused.

Vaccine testing is a four-stage processpre-clinical testing on animals; Phase I clinical testing on a small group of people to determine its safety and to learn more about the immune response it provokes; Phase II trials, or expanded safety trials, where dosage and frequency will be tested across wider cross-sections of the population; Phase III large-scale tests where the vaccine is administered to thousands of people to confirm its efficacy. Phase I and Phase II are the early trials, which will then be followed by a rigorous, intensive Phase III clinical testing, where the longevity of the vaccine response (whether the vaccine will last for long periods of time) will be analysed.

What does an 'adverse event' mean?

According to United States Food and Drug Safety Administration (FDA), 'adverse events' are not necessarily side effects caused by vaccination. An adverse event is a "health problem that happens after vaccination that may or may not be caused by a vaccine". These events may require further investigation.

By definition, a side effect has been shown to be linked to a vaccine by scientific studies. While most vaccine trials induce some form ofpain at the injection site, hyperthermia, headache, asthenia (weakness or lack of energy), and muscle and joint pain in its participants, an adverse event would equate to something slightly more serious, possibly requiring hospitalisation.

On the flip side, temporary holds of large medical studies aren't unusual, and investigating any serious or unexpected reaction is a mandatory part of safety testing. AstraZeneca pointed out that it's possible the problem could be a coincidence; illnesses of all sorts could arise in studies of thousands of people.

During the third and final stage of testing, researchers look for any signs of possible side effects that may have gone undetected in earlier patient research. Because of their large size, the studies are considered the most important study phase for picking up less common side effects and establishing safety.

Dr Ashish Jha of Brown University said via Twitter that the significance of the interruption was unclear but that he was "still optimistic" that an effective vaccine will be found in the coming months. "But optimism isn't evidence," he wrote. "Let's let science drive this process."

Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University in New York, tweeted that the illness may be unrelated to the vaccine, "but the important part is that this is why we do trials before rolling out a vaccine to the general public".

How does the vaccine work?

The vaccine candidateAZD1222, according to AstraZeneca, uses a "replication-deficient chimpanzee viral vector based on a weakened version of a common cold (adenovirus) virus" that causes infections in chimpanzees and contains the genetic material of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. After vaccination, the surface spike protein is produced, priming the immune system to attack COVID-19 if it later infects the body.

AstraZeneca has struck a deal with Europe's Inclusive Vaccines Alliance to supply up to 400 million doses of an experimental COVID-19 vaccine. The agreement struck Saturday aims to make the vaccine available to other European countries that wish to take part.

Late last month, AstraZeneca began recruiting 30,000 people in the US for its largest study of the vaccine. It also is testing the vaccine, developed by Oxford University, in thousands of people in Britain, and in smaller studies in Brazil and South Africa.

Two other vaccines are in huge, final-stage tests in the United States, one made by Moderna Inc. and the other by Pfizer and Germany's BioNTech. Those two vaccines work differently than AstraZeneca's, and the studies already have recruited about two-thirds of the needed volunteers.

The "adverse reaction" came the same day that AstraZeneca and eight other drugmakers issued an unusual pledge, vowing to uphold the highest ethical and scientific standards in developing their vaccines. The announcement follows worries that President Donald Trump will pressure the US Food and Drug Administration to approve a vaccine before it's proven to be safe and effective.

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Oxford COVID-19 vaccine trial paused after 'unexplained' illness in participant. What does it mean? - THE WEEK

FAYETTEVILLE After beginning his NBA career with the struggling Sacramento Kings, Joe Kleine went on to play with several Hall of Famers and for teams that made 10 playoff appearances.

Being a backup on winning teams, Kleine said during a recent interview, outweighed starting and putting up better individual statistics with a losing franchise.

I liked being on good teams, because good teams just had a happier atmosphere, Kleine said. Life was better.

The NBA life for Kleine, a 7-foot center who starred for the University of Arkansas, lasted 15 seasons and was highlighted by a 1998 championship with the Chicago Bulls. He played 965 regular-season games for seven franchises with 204 starts. He also was in 50 playoff games with 11 starts.

Kleines longevity puts him at No. 9 on the Arkansas Democrat-Gazettes list of top Razorbacks in the NBA.

I never expected to play 15 seasons in the NBA, said Kleine, who is 58 and co-owns two Corkys barbecue restaurants in Little Rock and North Little Rock. I cant fathom how lucky I was. Fortunately, I never had any major injuries.

Photo byAPPhoenix Suns center Joe Kleine (right) defends San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan during a game in 1999. Kleine played 15 NBA seasons, averaging 4.8 points and 4.1 rebounds in 15.4 minutes per game.(AP file photo)

Kleine was the No. 6 overall pick by Sacramento in the 1985 NBA Draft. As a rookie, he averaged 5.2 points and 4.6 rebounds in 14.8 minutes per game as the Kings went 37-45 and made the 1986 playoffs, then were swept in a three-game series by the Houston Rockets.

In Kleines third season, he made 60 starts and averaged career-highs of 9.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 24.4 minutes, but the Kings finished 24-58 and 10th in the Western Conference for the second consecutive season.

Sacramento was on its way to a 27-55 record and another 10th-place finish when on Feb. 24, 1989, Kleine was traded with Ed Pinckney to the Boston Celtics for Danny Ainge and Brad Lohaus.

Kleine had plenty of reason to celebrate because the trade came on the same day his wife, Dana, gave birth to the couples son, Daniel.

Id had four coaches in 31/2 years in Sacramento, and probably more than 30 different teammates, Kleine said. There was no guidance from management. They couldnt make up their mind about what they wanted to do. They couldnt stick to a plan. They didnt know what they were doing. It was really dysfunctional.

Boston had won 16 NBA championships at the time of the trade.

When I got to Boston, it was very clear-cut, Were trying to win, and we dont care about anything else, Kleine said. That was very refreshing.

Kleine twice scored his career-high of 23 points for the Kings against the Los Angeles Clippers during the 1987-88 season, but Sacramento lost both games. He scored 19 or more points in his career 11 times, but the Kings finished 4-7 in those games.

Kleine was used to winning at Arkansas, where in three seasons he helped the Razorbacks to a 73-24 record. He also played on the United States gold medal-winning team at the 1984 Olympics.

When youre losing like we did in Sacramento, no matter how many points you score, its miserable, Kleine said. Its every man for himself.

Kleines Hall of Fame teammates in Boston were Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. The Celtics made the playoffs in all five of Kleines seasons with them.

I tell everybody I was like a person who was on call, Kleine said. That was my role with the Celtics.

Kleine twice scored 18 points for Boston.

I didnt play consistent minutes, but when I did play because Robert or Kevin or Larry were hurt, I always had good numbers, he said. They werent Hall of Fame numbers, but they were good numbers.

I might play 25 or 30 minutes for four or five games as needed, then the next seven I might play five minutes a game. That was my lot in the NBA, and I accepted it.

Kleines career averages were 4.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 15.4 minutes.

I tried like hell to be a big-time All-Star, he said. I worked as hard as anybody and put in the hours. But I wasnt good enough to be that type of player in the pros.

Darrell Walker, a longtime NBA player and coach, said its not hard to explain why Kleine played so long.

Some guys can never figure out what their job is in the NBA, said Walker, a former Razorback player and the current coach of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Joe figured out, Im not going to average 20 points a game. My job is to come in and make open shots if I get them, make my free throws, rebound the ball, protect the rim and guard my man.

Thats what Joe did for 15 years, and its why teams kept wanting him on their roster. Plus, he was a good teammate, a good guy to have in the locker room.

Former Razorback Oliver Miller was Kleines teammate with the Phoenix Suns during the 1993-94 season.

Joe was a great guy with a great attitude and great work ethic, Miller said. Whatever you asked Joe to do, he was going to do his best. If he wasnt playing as much as hed like, he didnt get disgruntled or upset. He just kept working hard and doing his best.

Hed talk to other guys if they were upset and help settle them down.

In addition to Bird, McHale and Parish, other Hall of Famers Kleine played with were Charles Barkley and Jason Kidd with the Suns; Kobe Bryant and Shaquille ONeal with the Los Angeles Lakers; and Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman with the Bulls.

Larry was my favorite because I was with him almost four years, Kleine said of his superstar teammates. We had a lot in common.

Kleine was from Slater, Mo. Bird was from French Lick, Ind.

We are both smalltown, country kids, Kleine said. We hit it off pretty quick and easy.

Kleine said he also has enjoyed a long friendship with Barkley, who is on the NBA on TNT show.

How can you not love Charles? Kleine said. Hes just a great guy and funny dude. He was very comfortable with himself, and he made you feel comfortable as his teammate.

Charles will take a jab at me on TV every now and then or text me something funny.

Kleine said he knew he was joining a great team when he signed with the Bulls for the 1997-98 season, but he was surprised Jordan, Pippen and Coach Phil Jackson were feuding with General Manager Jerry Krause.

I didnt know about all the turmoil they were having was so deep, Kleine said. But we were winning, and I was around great players who were good guys. The coach was a good guy.

It wasnt Shangri-La, but it was damn sure better than Sacramento.

On Aug. 31, 2000, the Portland Trail Blazers traded Kleine and Jermaine ONeal to the Indiana Pacers for Dale Davis. At the time, Kleine already had made plans to retire and live in Little Rock.

My last year in Portland, practices were harder, he said. I didnt play very much, but even the little bit I did, my body was giving out.

I was just getting old. Its a young mans game. I kind of wanted to go out on my own terms. About halfway through that year, I told Dana it was time for me to retire.

Kleine said he was thrown into the trade so the salaries of the players involved would be within the numbers needed for NBA approval.

The Pacers needed me to sign a minimum contract, Kleine said. The deal wouldnt work unless I did that. So I signed with the Pacers, and then later they waived me.

Kleine laughed recalling the circumstances.

The best thing about it was, I played 15 years but I got paid for 16, he said. The Pacers actually wanted me to come play for them. But we had already moved to Little Rock. My kids were in school. I hadnt picked up a ball in three months. I was in great shape for a human being, but was in awful shape to be an NBA player.

Kleine said he enjoyed his NBA career, especially all the friends he made, but that hes glad he never became satisfied with being a role player.

I kept a chip on my shoulder, Kleine said. That made me want to work more, because I wanted to be good, I wanted to be successful, I wanted to show people I could play.

If I hadnt always worked the way I did, I dont think I ever would have played as long as I did.

I was very lucky to come from Slater, Missouri, and play 15 years in the NBA. I didnt see that one coming at all.

Originally posted here:
Shooting with stars: Kleine carved role among all-time greats - Arkansas Online

Those unfamiliar with Frank Herberts novel Dune might be wondering whats up with the giant sandworm in the first trailer for Denis Villeneuves Dune. Turns out this mysterious critter is secretly the movies main character or at least the alien beast who first set its great conflict in motion. Heres what you need to know about the planet Arrakis, and the giant monstrosities known as the Shai-Hulud.

Sandworms are native to the desert planet of Arrakis, and cant be found anywhere else in the fictional galaxy created by Herbert. First described in the novel Dune, published in 1965, the sandworm were Herberts take on the archetypical beast, like the dragon in Beowulf. Dropping them on to a desert planet was born from his interest in environmental science.

The interdependence in our own environment is quite sketchy, he said in a 1969 conversation with The Dune Encyclopedia author Willis E. McNelly, but we do know this: to create large bodies of sand, dust, whatnot, you need water, so Ive set up multitudes of creatures who substitute for this [...] And I postulated that in one vector of their life circle, water is poison to them. We see this sort of thing on planet Earth right now where a creature can live in one environment, in one vector, but that environment will kill it in another vector. The anopheles mosquito is a good example.

Another of the creatures closest analogue is the annelid, a phylum that also includes the common earthworm. Like the common earthworm, the sandworms in Dune have segmented bodies and are fairly robust. Break off one of the segments, Herbert said, and sand worms can go on living. The only way to kill one is by electrocuting each segment individually, or by hitting the whole thing with a nuclear weapon.

Of course, unlike the varieties of annelid that you might use to bait fishing hooks, sandworms are a lot bigger. The largest portrayed in the original novel is more than 9,000 feet long and several hundred feet in diameter. Youd need a fishing pole at least as long as a Ningi is wide just to cast one off. Incidentally, theyre attracted to vibrations, making driving or even walking on Arrakis sandy surface particularly dangerous. Thats why most folks prefer to travel by ornithopter.

The Fremen human natives of Arrakis dont have ornithopters, however. Theyve adapted to life with sandworms nonetheless. They tend to settle in rocky outcroppings where sandworms cant penetrate. They also employ a seismic device known as a thumper to distract the creatures when the need arises.

Oh. The fremen also ride on sandworms.

Once on the surface, they use a wedge-like device called a maker hook to force a gap between two segments. That lets sand in, irritating the worm and preventing it from diving back down below the surface. With enough hooks the fremen can actually drive a sand worm around like a bus. Its a great way to head into battle especially when you and your friends are armed with giant blades called crysknives, made from the sandworms nearly indestructible crystalline teeth.

Are you grossed out yet? Well, Ive got one more detail for you before you go.

As part of the sandworm life cycle, the creatures larvae produce a substance known as melange. Also called spice, it just happens to be the most important substance in the galaxy. The highly-addictive stuff both tastes and smells like cinnamon. Pound enough of it and it will give you prescience, longevity, and preternaturally blue eyes. Hang out in a tank of it for most of your natural life and you can move spaceships across the vastness of space using only your mind.

Not bad for worm poop. Not bad at all.

Read the original:
Dune: The giant sandworm, explained - Polygon

Every day, children, adults, seniors, veterans, schools, non-profits, businesses and government utilize varying art forms for entertainment, inspiration, education, therapeutically and healing. Not a day goes by that each of our own personal lives are not impacted by the arts. From listening to the radio, watching a favorite movie, dancing, crafting, playing an instrument to painting and more what would our day be without the arts???

The Arts Community has taken an active role in providing opportunities for individuals, families and communities to use art for healing, as a coping mechanism, as a tool for inspiration and to engage with social distancing. In addition, many artists (novice, amateur and professional) have turned to supporting our local health and human service organization with the creation of PPE equipment needed for their safety.

As our country begins to reopen, the reliance on arts, music, culture, entertainment and tourism will continue to see a high demand. With limited opportunities for artists and art organizations to seek financial support, many programs/services previously offered will no longer be available. A survey of Berks County arts organizations has shown that 80% of programs in 2020 have been cancelled or rescheduled and the 2021 season will be significantly impacted by financial constraints. Sadly, many of our local arts organizations will go into hibernation to rebuild for 2021 and 2022 and lean more heavily on volunteers as staff will be reduced. The loss of community and economic funds to our local community based on arts programs is well over $12 million for 2020.

To assist our local arts organizations and to keep the arts vibrant, Berks Arts has kicked off an Arts Relief Campaign to raise $300,000 in support of our arts organizations and local artists. Jim Landrigan, Treasurer of Berks Arts Board of Directors, shared that the Board has committed personally over $100,000 to the campaign. It is imperative that as a community we keep the arts strong, vibrant, accessible and available during this unprecedented time and beyond.

Keith Mooney, Berks Arts Board President, shared that the campaign has two focuses:

Since 1971, Berks Arts has been promoting and supporting the arts in Berks County. Started as an advocacy organization by a local group of artists who felt Berks County needed an agency to promote and unite all of the arts. We believe the arts improve the quality of life and are an important part of revitalization and economic growth.

We invite those who love the arts and cultural scene to join Berks Arts in addressing the urgent needs of the artists, creatives and art organizations in our community and ensuring the longevity of the arts and culture sector of Berks County. Gifts and pledges can be made on-line at http://www.berksarts.org or by calling 610-898-1930 ext. 28 to learn more about the campaign.

Continued here:
Imagine A Day Without The Arts??? - bctv.org

Would knowing the date of your death influence your actions? It did for Tiberius Caesar. Convinced by the court astrologer Thrasyllus that he had many years of life ahead of him, the paranoid old emperor chose to postpone the murder of his heir Caligula.

But by believing Thrasylluss prediction and letting his guard down, Tiberius inadvertently gave Caligula enough time to poison him first. The rest, as they say, is history which Thrasyllus had altered by deliberately overestimating his employers life expectancy.

Richard Faragher, University of Brighton

While many of us are unlikely to find ourselves in Caesars position, knowing how many years we have left may influence many aspects of our life including when to retire, whether to take a long-awaited vacation, and even whether to opt for certain medical treatments.

MyLongevity, a newly developed app from researchers at the University of East Anglia, now allows each of us to be our own life expectancy astrologer. But how much trust should we place in these predictions?

Simply put, life expectancy is how long, on average, members of any given population can expect to life. This is different from lifespan, which is the maximum length of time any member of the species can survive.

Although lifespan has changed very little if at all global life expectancy has soared by more than 40 years since the beginning of the 20th century. This was achieved through a combination of scientific discoveries and public health measures that drove down infant mortality. In the UK, life expectancy at birth is now over 80 years.

Life expectancy depends a lot on where you grow up or live. So the more a disparate population can be broken down into sub-populations who have traits in common but which are still large enough to be statistically significant the more accurate predictions become. Doing this might involve subdividing the population by sex (on average females live longer than males) or smoking status (for obvious reasons) or both.

The team of researchers used a sophisticated version of this approach when developing their app, informed by its previous research. This allows its app to factor in the life expectancy effects of controlled and uncontrolled high blood pressure, the presence of related illnesses such as cardiovascular disease or rheumatoid arthritis, ongoing treatment with statins, and serious risk factors, such as high cholesterol.

Developing the app has involved dealing with some problems along the way in estimating potential health benefits for the overall population based on those seen in clinical trials. This is because discrepancies exist between trial subjects and populations for a number of reasons but usually they are cases of what is known as tight segmentation working against you.

For example, a clinical trial of the effects of orange juice in sailors with scurvy will show profound benefits because they are a tight segment with vitamin C deficiency. But anyone expecting to see the same beneficial effects on health from prescribing orange juice to everyone taking a boat trip today is going to be deeply disappointed.

How seriously you should treat the predictions from an app of this type is basically a function of how accurately it reflects the sub-population into which you best fit. I compared my life expectancy prediction from My Longevity with calculators provided by the UK Office for National Statistics and those of two insurance companies. The predictions varied from 84-90 years. As Im 54, this may not have been a completely fair test of MyLongevity because the data the team has used makes the app most accurate for the over 60s.

The major reason life expectancy calculators spit out such different figures is because there are a wide range of factors influencing the results. Being married increases your life expectancy compared to being single, as does being happy. In addition to smoking, levels of fruit and vegetable intake influence life expectancy. Perhaps unsurprisingly, levels of alcohol consumption and exercise make a profound difference to life expectancy. These are concrete lifestyle changes people can make which can add years to their lives.

The East Anglia research team hopes that access to its calculator will encourage users to adopt healthier lifestyles. Although there is some evidence that framing behaviours in terms of their effects on life expectancy is an effective way of encouraging people to embrace healthier lifestyles, superficial discussions of health and longevity often assume that everyone will seek to maximise life expectancy if only they are fed enough of the facts about it.

However, human motivation is emotional and intuitive at its core and is shaped by what a person most values in life. Propositions that accord with a persons values are typically supported. Those that dont are either ignored or rejected.

Another common mistake made by those promoting behaviour change is to assume their own dominant values are shared by the people they want to adopt the behaviour in question. This approach will only convince people who already think and feel like them. But the more developers of such apps recognise that users will only adopt certain behaviours according to their values and beliefs, the more useful these apps will be.

Richard Faragher, Professor of Biogerontology, University of Brighton

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Excerpt from:
The app that shows how long youre likely to live but will it make us healthier? - iNews