Neural modularity helps organisms evolve to learn new skills without forgetting old skills
Video summary of Ellefsen, Mouret, and Clune (2015) Neural modularity helps organisms evolve to learn new skills without forgetting old skills. PLoS Computational Biology. Summary: A long-standin...
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Neural modularity helps organisms evolve to learn new skills without forgetting old skills - Video
Tap Shift - Artificial Intelligence playing
Tap Shift is a game that I made for iOS and Android. Out of boredom I made an Artificial Intelligence script to play the game for me. http://www.fahmid.com.
By: Fahmid Uddin
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Genetic studies in humans, zebrafish and mice have revealed how two different types of genetic variations team up to cause a rare condition called Hirschsprung's disease. The findings add to an increasingly clear picture of how flaws in early nerve development lead to poor colon function, which must often be surgically corrected. The study also provides a window into normal nerve development and the genes that direct it.
The results appear in the April 2 issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics.
About one in every 5,000 babies is born with Hirschsprung's disease, which causes bowel obstruction and can be fatal if not treated. The disease arises early in development when nerves that should control the colon fail to grow properly. Those nerves are part of the enteric nervous system, which is separate from the central nervous system that enables our brains to sense the world.
The genetic causes of Hirschsprung's disease are complex, making it an interesting case study for researchers like Aravinda Chakravarti, Ph.D., a professor in the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine's McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine. His research group took on the condition in 1990, and in 2002, it performed the first-ever genomewide association study to identify common variants linked to the disease.
But while Chakravarti's and other groups have identified several genetic variants associated with Hirschsprung's, those variants do not explain most cases of the disease. So Chakravarti and colleagues conducted a new genomewide association study of the disease, comparing the genetic markers of more than 650 people with Hirschsprung's disease, their parents and healthy controls. One of their findings was a variant in a gene called Ret that had not been previously associated with the disease, although other variations in Ret had been fingered as culprits.
The other finding was of a variant near genes for several so-called semaphorins, proteins that guide developing nerve cells as they grow toward their final targets. Through studies in mice and zebrafish, the researchers found that the semaphorins are indeed active in the developing enteric nervous system, and that they interact with Ret in a system of signals called a pathway.
"It looks like the semaphorin variant doesn't by itself lead to Hirschsprung's, but when there's a variant in Ret too, it causes the pathway to malfunction and can cause disease," Chakravarti says. "We've found a new pathway that guides development of the enteric nervous system, one that nobody suspected had this role."
Chakravarti notes that the genetic puzzle of Hirschsprung's is still missing some pieces, and no clinical genetic test yet exists to assess risk for the disease. Most of the genetic variants that have so far been connected to this rare disease are themselves relatively common and are associated with less severe forms of the disease. The hunt continues for rare variants that can explain more severe cases.
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Other authors on the paper are Qian Jiang, Stacey Arnold, Betty Doan, Ashish Kapoor, Albee Yun Ling, Maria X. Sosa, Moltu Guy, Krishna Praneeth Kilambi, Qingguang Jiang, Grzegorz Burzynski, Kristen West, Seneca Bessling, Jeffrey J. Gray and Andrew S. McCallion of The Johns Hopkins University; Tiffany Heanue and Vassilis Pachnis of the MRC National Institute for Medical Research; Paola Griseri and Isabella Ceccherini of the Istituto Gaslini; Jeanne Amiel and Stanislas Lyonnet of the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research and Paris Descartes University-Sorbonne Paris Cite; Raquel M. Fernandez and Salud Borrego of the University of Seville; Joke B.G.M. Verheij of the University of Groningen; and Robert M.W. Hofstra of the University of Rotterdam.
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New genetic clues emerge on origin of Hirschsprung's disease
Profiles in Nanomedicine Research: Cademartiri
By: ISUengineering
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Profiles in Nanomedicine Research: Cademartiri - Video
New York, NY (PRWEB) April 03, 2015
A research team showed that a nanotherapeutic medicine can halt the growth of artery plaque cells resulting in the fast reduction of the inflammation that may cause a heart attack, according to a study led by researchers from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and published April 3 in Science Advances.
In just one week our novel cell proliferation-specific approach successfully suppressed atherosclerotic plaque growth and inflammation in mice engineered to mimic human vascular disease, says lead study author Jun Tang, MS, a PhD student at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Atherosclerosis is a major cause of death around the globe, and our nanomedicine strategy promises to offer a new way to reduce the number of heart attacks and strokes.
Building upon a recent discovery by their Massachusetts General Hospital research collaborators that macrophage proliferation dictates atherosclerosis-related vessel wall inflammation, the Mount Sinai research team applied a nanomedicine strategy with a molecule of good cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein (HDL), a naturally occurring shuttle that travels from the liver to arteries. The research team took advantage of HDLs natural travel routes, loading it with the widely-used cholesterol-lowering medication called simvastatin (Zocor), which it shuttles into arterial walls.
The simvastatin-loaded nanoparticles, named S-HDL, work by targeting inflamed immune cells called macrophages within high-risk arterial plaques. These macrophages become laden with cholesterol and start proliferating in plaques, thereby increasing inflammation. This lipid-driven inflammatory process drives atherosclerotic plaque buildup and rupture leading to a heart attack or stroke.
Since patients hospitalized after heart attack or stroke have a high recurrence rate of up to 20 percent within three years, the researchers also tested the possible benefits of adding an eight-week regimen of oral statins after the one-week S-HDL nanotherapy. Mice study results showed superior long-term therapeutic benefits of a combined total nine-week S-HDL and oral statins regimen, by first rapidly reducing plaque inflammation and then continuously keeping it suppressed.
We envision our S-HDL nanomedicine therapy could be translated quickly to human clinical trials as a short-term infusion therapy for heart attack and stroke patients to rapidly suppress plaque inflammation, which can be sustained using current standard of care oral statin medication, says Zahi Fayad, PhD, Professor of Radiology and Director of the Translational and Molecular Imaging Institute at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Nanotherapeutically inhibiting local macrophage proliferation is possible and we can effectively apply it to treat inflammation inside arteries. Collectively, our results demonstrate that the two-step regimen not only reduces macrophage accumulation but also reduces the expression of key genes linked to inflammation in this cell type, says senior study author Willem Mulder, PhD, Associate Professor of Radiology in the Translational and Molecular Imaging Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Researchers look forward to translating their promising mice study findings to larger animal models and human clinical trials in the near future.
This study was funded by the NHLBI, NIH Program of Excellence in Nanotechnology (PEN) Award (HHSN368201000045C, to Z.A.F); NIH grants R01 HL118440 (W.J.M.M.), R01 HL125703 (W.J.M.M.), R01 CA155432 (W.J.M.M.), R01 EB009638 (Z.A.F.); Harold S. Geneen Charitable Trust Award (Z.A.F.); and American Heart Association Founders Affiliate Predoctoral Award (13PRE14350020-Founders, to J.T.)
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Targeting Dangerous Inflammation Inside Artery Plaque
Religion By Will Hagle, Fri, April 3, 2015
A common assumption in Western nations is that religion is decreasing in popularity. There seems to be a trend towards atheism and agnosticism, an increasing acceptance of living a secular life. In the U.S., that assumption isnt necessarily wrong. According to The Telegraph, more than one-third of Americans aged 18 to 29 claim to have no religious affiliation. That statistic contrasts with the countrys eldest generation, of which less than 10 percent lacked a religious affiliation.
On a global scale, religion is growing in size. A recent Pew Research Center report found that nonreligious individuals will make up a declining share of the worlds population by 2050. The report does note that the religiously unaffiliated population will increase in number by that year, but the overall percentage will be lower than it is today, declining from an estimated 16 percent to 13 percent.
Among the major faiths, Islam is growing the fastest. According to the same projection by the Pew Research Center, the number of Muslims will nearly equal the number of Christians around the world by 2050. The trend also applies to the U.S., as Christians are expected to decline from three-quarters of the population to two-thirds, with Islam surpassing Judaism as the second most popular religion in the country. Christianity is currently the most popular religion, with 2.17 billion followers compared to 1.6 followers of Islam.
These numbers are estimates, but they take into account important factors like fertility and mortality rates, as well as the youth populations of religions and conversion rates. Pew claims developing countries with high birth rates and decreasing infant mortality rates are likely to raise larger populations of religious individuals. Relatively nonreligious nations, on the other hand, have low fertility and aging populations.
Although the Pew poll has been thoroughly researched and takes into account all of the aforementioned important factors, theres no way to predict whether or not the youthful populations born into a particular religion will actually grow up believing in or practicing that religion. By 2050, religion as we know it today might not be as strong. People could identify with one of the worlds major faiths, but it could be considered more of an ethnic identifier than an actual belief system.
Although the projection suggests otherwise, its hard to believe that religion will continue rising while secularism decreases. Science and technology are advancing at an exponential rate, and the world is only growing increasingly interconnected. In at least three countries covered by the Pew poll France, New Zealand and the Netherlands those without any religious affiliation are expected to take over Christians as the religious majority. Religion itself may be growing, but its not safe to say that religious belief will remain a lasting concept. If it is, the best the world can hope for is that tolerance increases as well.
Sources: Pew Research Center, CNN, The Telegraph
Image Credit: Pixabay
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Religion, Especially Islam, Is Growing Worldwide
Anuttama and Kaushik on tolerance, censorship and India #39;s Daughter.
In today #39;s politically fraught world where cultural, linguistic, ethnic, sexual and other differences are articulating themselves and breaking hegemonic narratives, where is the space or even...
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Anuttama and Kaushik on tolerance, censorship and India's Daughter. - Video
Honey Badger Radio: Censorship
DIRECT DOWNLOAD: http://traffic.libsyn.com/honeybadgerradio/Honey_Badger_Radio_-_Censorship.mp3 SHOW NOTES: http://honeybadgerbrigade.com/radio/honey-badger-radio-censorship ...
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Police try to limit Abolitionist #39;s free speech
As police tried for about 30 minutes to remove me and my signs off of public property (that is freely open to the public), I respectively stood my ground. It paid off in the end because I...
By: AbolitionistSociety ofTampa
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The Last Bastion of Free Speech?
Lisa Wehden, President of the Oxford Union talks to Director of Voices from Oxford, Dr Sung Hee Kim. They discuss the highlights of her term, including vibrant debates, interesting speakers...
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Luisa Zissman on BBC Free Speech
By: Jacklyn Hyde
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Go To College To Learn How To Be A Debt Slave
Jakari Jackson reports: UNIVERSITY REQUIRES STUDENTS TO APPLY FOR FREE SPEECH PERMITS http://www.infowars.com/university-requires-students-to-apply-for-free-speech-permits/ The ...
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Chris Hedges on Roots of Terrorism, Free Speech Hypocrisy Translating #JeSuisCharlie
Abby Martin Breaks the Set on Boko Haram Apathy, Clash of Civilizations Falsehood Chris Hedges Breaks the Set. LIKE Breaking the Set @ FOLLOW Abby Martin. Abby Martin Breaks the Set on...
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Chris Hedges on Roots of Terrorism, Free Speech Hypocrisy & Translating #JeSuisCharlie - Video
US Slams Russia for Closure of Crimean Tatar TV: ATR channel was shut on Monday
The US has slammed Russian-occupying forces in Crimea for snuffing out free speech on the peninsula. The US State Department Spokeswoman condemned Russia #39;s closure of various Crimean Tatar ...
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US Slams Russia for Closure of Crimean Tatar TV: ATR channel was shut on Monday - Video
SAE Fraternity Racist Chant and Freedom of Speech
The Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity chapter of the University of Oklahoma was secretly videotaped singing a racist chant on a chartered bus. The song basically said that the members would...
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Was this Racist? Or Bigotry Banned From Amazon: Freedom of Speech Drawings
Go to http://blacksvsniggas.weebly.com/ to see even more "racist" or "prejudiced" or "biggoted" drawings. How come we can laugh at white men on sitcoms all day, but one Black joke, and...
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Was this Racist? Or Bigotry Banned From Amazon: Freedom of Speech Drawings - Video
Nerkkuner - Nerkkuner 26th March 2015|Section 66A scrapped, Supreme Court takes freedom of speech
Section 66A scrapped, Supreme Court takes freedom of speech Nerkkuner discussing current politics facebook For latest news: See more at: http://www.asianetnews.tv/ Subscribe the youtube...
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REM island and freedom of speech
Short video about the adoption of new ideas. Part of the series A Youtube A Day for Mensa international elections for chair, by Grethe van Geffen.
By: Grethe van Geffen
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UK:ID - Freedom Of Speech (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)
Official video for UK:ID #39;s debut single #39;Freedom Of Speech #39;
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A Minute in Atheism: Phil Robertson is Psychopathic
Article --- http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/phil-robertson-hypothesizes-about-atheist-family-getting-raped-and-killed Intro by DtK --- http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/DtK Outro Music ---...
By: Godless Engineer
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