New insights in Neurodegenerative diseases

In their new report in Nature Genetics, the International Genomics of Alzheimer’s Project (IGAP) stated the new 11 risk factors namely PICALM, CLU, CR1, BIN1, MS4A, CD2AP, EPHA1, ABCA7, SORL1 and TREM2 for Alzheimer’s disease, a neurodegenerative disease, which is more common among aged people. 

In another study, scientist of Rutgers University stated that A-T disease, a rare child hood disease, which makes excess production of protein in the brain cells can also cause neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

These findings still to be validated in a clinical setting. Rutgers University together with A-T Clinical Center at Johns Hopkins University, trying to create human neurons like those in A-T patients and study the mechanisms of disease in more detail.

Light and Nanotechnology

LED (Light Emitting Diodes) is the sources of light energy which directly converts electrical energy into light unlike incandescent bulbs. It is proven that the efficiency of the LED can be improved using QD-Quantum Dots.

QD (combines advanced spectroscopy and Nanotechnology) are semiconductor materials which are recently engineered Nanotechnology by Los Alamos National Laboratory. QD-LEDs have improved efficiency over conventional LEDs.

Another improvement in utilization of light is in measuring glucose level in blood by a team of German researchers. They published a new method in the current edition of Review of Scientific Instruments which includes measuring the skin glucose level; directly related to blood glucose. By passing a beam of laser light on top of skin (without pricking and pain) the glucose level under the skin can be measured.

Source: Eureka Alerts

Depression and Insecurity

Feeling insecure is the root cause for many psychological disorders. From childhood insecurity has been with us in various forms like witchcraft, magic, Halloweens, Rituals and the list goes on. Today people have started to believe that these rituals can control their environment. A study by Christen Legare says that belief in witchcraft and Science are incompatible.  

Depression is the key factor linking the problems of violence and insecurity. A new study out of the University of Houston Texas Obesity Research Center (TORC) shows that women especially mothers who experience violence like sexual abuse, physical abuse from their more intimate person (partner in most cases) are depressed and a feeling of insecurity for food arises in them.

Source: Eureka Alerts

Craniofacial Development

All of us have unique faces with unique craniofacial development but we inherit certain similarities form our parents. A recent study by researchers in Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) found that gene enhancers are responsible for this unique facial development.

There are thousands of these gene enhancers in our body which are important in craniofacial development. They may be inherited from parents to children.

A deletion of enhancers experiment was carried on mice which show deletions of enhancers relating to craniofacial development lead to alterations in shapes. Thus gene enhancers are vitally important in skull morphology.

Source: Eureka Alerts

July 31 – This Day in Science

31 July 1990:

Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee of the National Institutes of Health approved experiments in gene therapy by the insertion of new genes into body cells.

July 30 – This Day in Science

30 July 1898:
Corn Flakes were invented by William K Kellogg at Battle Creek Sanitarium.

July 29 – This Day in Science

29 July 1890:

U.S. patent (No. 433,311) received by Laroy Sunderland Starrett for his micrometer screw guage.

July 28 – This Day in Science

28 July 1858:

Fingerprints were used as a means of identification for the first time.