Knowledge Update

London, March 3 (IANS) For the first time, scientists at the University of Cambridge have managed to create an artificial structure from stem cells that resembles a natural mouse embryo.

The findings could pave the way for developing artificial human life in the lab and help researchers understand why more than two out of three human pregnancies fail at the very early stages of embryo development.

Currently, embryos are developed from eggs donated through IVF clinics.

"We are very optimistic that this will allow us to study key events of this critical stage of human development without actually having to work on embryos. Knowing how development normally occurs will allow us to understand why it so often goes wrong," said lead researcher Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz, Professor at University of Cambridge.

For growing the mouse structure in culture, the researchers used two types of stem cells -- the body's 'master cells' -- and a 3D scaffold on which they can grow.

Previous attempts to grow embryo-like structures using only ESCs have had limited success.

This is because early embryo development requires the different types of cell to coordinate closely with each other.

However, in this study published in the journal Science, the researchers described how, using a combination of genetically-modified mouse embryonic stem cells and the extra-embryonic trophoblast stem cells, together with a 3D scaffold, they were able to grow a structure capable of assembling itself and whose development and architecture very closely resembled the natural embryo.

"Both the embryonic and extra-embryonic cells start to talk to each other and become organised into a structure that looks like and behaves like an embryo," Zernicka-Goetz said.

"It has anatomically correct regions that develop in the right place and at the right time," she added.

Comparing their artificial 'embryo' to a normally-developing embryo, the team was able to show that its development followed the same pattern of development. 

The stem cells organise themselves, with ESCs at one end and TSCs at the other. A cavity opens up within each cluster before joining together, eventually to become the large, so-called pro-amniotic cavity in which the embryo will develop, the researchers said. 

While this artificial embryo closely resembles the real thing, it is unlikely that it would develop further into a healthy foetus, the researchers said. 

To do so, it would likely need the third form of stem cell, which would allow the development of the yolk sac, which provides nourishment for the embryo and within which a network of blood vessel develops. 

In addition, the system has not been optimised for the correct development of the placenta, the researchers said.

New York, March 10 (IANS) Facebook has launched "Messenger Day" that let users share with the public or a custom friend decorated photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours.

​London, March 2 (IANS) Do you have a desk-bound job? Beware, you may be at a heightened risk of developing cardiovascular diseases by 0.2 per cent and an increase in waist circumference by two cm, for every additional hour of sitting on top of five hours, researchers warned. The findings showed that those who had desk jobs had a bigger waist circumference -- 97 cm compared to 94 cm in people without desk jobs. They also had approximately one body mass index (BMI) unit difference. Further, they had a higher risk of cardiovascular disease -- 2.2 per cent compared to 1.6 per cent in people without desk jobs, over ten years. In addition, each extra hour of sitting from five hours a day, increased the levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and decreased good cholesterol (HDL). "Longer time spent in sedentary posture is significantly associated with larger waist circumference, higher triglycerides (fat in the blood) and lower HDL cholesterol, all adding up to worse risk of heart disease," said William Tigbe from University of Warwick in Britain. In contrast, walking more than 15,000 steps per day, which is equivalent to walking seven to eight miles, or spending seven hours per day upright, may be associated with zero risk factors, Tigbe added, in the paper published in the International Journal of Obesity. Although the study could be used as the basis of new public health targets for sitting, lying, standing and stepping to avoid metabolic risks, it would be very challenging to achieve unless incorporated into people's occupations. "Our evolution, to become the human species, did not equip us well to spending all day sitting down. We probably adapted to be healthiest spending seven to eight hours every day on our feet, as hunters or gatherers," said Mike Lean Professor at the University of Glasgow.

San Francisco, March 2 (IANS) Popular photo-sharing app Instagram on Thursday announced it will make available immersive, full-screen ads in its "Stories" feature for all businesses globally.

​Tokyo, March 2 (IANS) Leading professional services firm Cognizant on Thursday announced the acquisition of Brilliant Service Co. Ltd. -- a Japan-based intelligent products and solutions company that specialises in digital strategy, product design and engineering, Internet of Things (IoT) and enterprise mobility.

New York, March 2 (IANS) Wall Street closed with strong gains on Wednesday with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), the main market indicator, rising 1.45 per cent and ending the day above 21,000 for the first time in history in the wake of President Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress.

​Washington, March 2 (IANS) NASA on Thursday released its 2017-2018 software catalog, which offers an extensive portfolio of software products for a wide variety of technical applications, all free of charge to the public, without any royalty or copyright fees.

Washington, March 2 (IANS) Apple's corporate reputation took a hit in the first quarter of 2017, according to a recent market research study that placed the Cupertino-headquartered tech giant at 20th place, far behind Google, placed fifth. In 2017, Apple slipped 10 spots from last year's ranking, according to Reputation Institute's Global RepTrak 100, a ranking that measures public perception towards the world's top companies. The study assigns rankings to large corporations across a number of industries, including tech, automotive, consumer goods and luxury brands. The survey measured the public perception twoards the top companies on seven key rational dimensions of reputation -- products and services, innovation, workplace, governance, citizenship, leadership and performance. More than 170,000 ratings were compiled for the study. Luxury watchmaker Rolex took the top spot on this year's RepTrak 100 list released this week. Consumer toymaker LEGO followed in second place, while Walt Disney took the third position. Apple's rival Samsung posted the most notable decline this year, taking 70th place overall from last year's 17th. Microsoft dropped out of the top 10 in the first quarter to finish in 11th place, Appleinsider.com reported.

​Barcelona, Feb 27 (IANS) Samsung Electronics unveiled its end-to-end portfolio of 5G mobile network products and solutions for 2017 that will provide foundation for the first commercial 5G network launches expected in 2018. Showcased products included consumer devices for fixed wireless access connectivity, a 5G Radio Base Station (5G Access Unit), Next-Generation Core Network infrastructure, and more. "With pre-commercial deployment of our 5G products already underway in the US, we are starting to see some of the earliest evidence of the potential for new and compelling 5G-driven services," Paul Kyungwhoon Cheun, Executive Vice President and Head of Next Generation Communications Business Team at Samsung Electronics, told reporters here. With pre-commercial versions of the equipment already under deployment in trial networks across the globe, Samsung's commercial 5G portfolio is backed by a continually growing foundation of experience, knowledge and concrete trial results, the company said in a statement on Sunday. The 5G Home Router will provide direct and straightforward connectivity to the wireless network, with the simple placement of the 5G Home Router in a window facing a nearby 5G Radio Base Station. A peak data rate of up to 1Gbps will allow service providers to dimension networks that provide an attractive alternative to often-costly Fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) deployments. The 5G Radio Base Station itself is a natural extension of today's LTE small cells, designed to be installed in a dense configuration that allows for very high network capacities.

Melbourne, March 2 (IANS) The brains of obese people could be "wired" to seek out fatty foods, Australian scientists have found.

Researchers from the Bio-Medicine Discovery Institute at Melbourne's Monash University are investigating the messaging system between the brain and the body with hopes of discovering the neurological cause of obesity, Xinhua news agency reported.

"There is no question the brain is the key site regulating appetite and obesity," associate professor Zane Andrews from Monash told Thursday.

"There are a number of genetic mutations that increase the risk of obesity and the majority are located somewhere in the brain."

Andrews said his focus was on brain cells responsible for sensing hunger that also influenced motivation and reward.

He said that early results indicated that the brains of obese people were not sending messages to tell the body that they already have enough energy stored.

Andrews' team has identified that part of the problem could form while the brain pathways are forming during childhood, with children who are rewarded for good behaviour with sweet treats, forming an association between sugar and feeling good.

The team has been able to delete an enzyme in mice that plays an important role in stopping the brain from sending messages that the body is still hungry.

"What we think is the problem in obesity is that those cells are not receiving or sensing the signals to say the person is full so they keep firing, causing people to continue eating," Andrews added.