Knowledge Update

London, May 16 (IANS) Researchers have identified a biomarker that can not only predict the progression of a deadly lung diseased called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) but also lead to better treatment.

COPD is a group of lung diseases that block airflow and make it difficult to breathe.

According to researchers, a process initiated in neutrophils -- the most common type of white blood cells found in mammals and important for fighting infection -- may lead to worse outcomes for some patients with COPD.

"The study found that a recently identified form of neutrophil behaviour called neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation is present in the lungs of COPD patients and may weaken their ability to eat and kill bacteria," said lead author James D Chalmers from the University of Dundee in Scotland. 

For the study, the team recruited 141 patients with stable COPD. 

The findings showed that during neutrophilic airway inflammation -- when NET formation weakens neutrophils' bacteria-fighting capability -- patients experience more frequent chest infections, worse lung function and quality of life.

Further, the amount of NET complexes in the lungs of patients was directly related to the severity of their COPD and the risk of exacerbations. 

NETs increased significantly during exacerbations that did not respond to corticosteroid treatment.

The marker may also help in identifying patients at higher risk of the disease deterioration as well as those who may need treatments other than corticosteroids like anti-inflammatory medicine (steroids).

"The study stressed the need to identify new COPD treatments and further discover whether inhibiting NET formation will result in improved clinical outcomes for patients with COPD," the researchers concluded.

The results were presented at the ATS 2016 International Conference in California recently.​

London, May 15 (IANS) An international team of scientists has developed a new bio-glass material that can mimic and potentially encourage cartilage to repair or regrow.

This material developed by the researchers from Imperial College London and the University of Milano-Bicocca can be formulated to exhibit different properties and the researhers are now hoping to use it to develop implants for replacing damaged cartilage discs between vertebrae.

They believe that it also has the potential to encourage cartilage (a flexible connective tissue found in places such as in joints and between vertebrae in the spine) cells to grow in knees, which has previously not been possible with conventional methods.

"Our research shows that a new flexible version of this material could be used as cartilage-like material," said professor Julian Jones, one of the developers of the bio-glass from the department of materials at Imperial College.

"Patients will readily attest to loss of mobility that is associated with degraded cartilage and the lengths they will go to try and alleviate often excruciating pain. We still have a long way to go before this technology reaches patients," Jones added in a university statement.

The bio-glass consists of silica and a plastic or polymer called polycaprolactone. It displays cartilage-like properties such as flexibility, strength, durability and resilience.

It can be made in a biodegradable ink form, enabling the researchers to 3D print it into structures that encourage cartilage cells in the knee to form and grow -- a process that they have demonstrated in test tubes.

It also displays self-healing properties when it gets damaged, which could make it a more resilient and reliable implant and easier to 3D print when it is in ink form.​

London, May 15 (IANS) Researchers have found new evidence that humans were living in southern Arabia 10,000 years earlier than initially perceived.

The last Ice Age made much of the globe uninhabitable, but there were oases where people were able to cluster together and survive.

The findings, based on the study of a rare DNA lineage, showed that one of the oases existed in southern Arabia and modern humans dwelt in this territory during the last Ice Age also, known as the Pleistocene glaciation.

R0a -- the rare mitochondrial DNA lineage -- was found to be most frequent in Arabia and the Horn of Africa, said lead author Francesca Gandini, research fellow at the University of Huddersfield in Britain.

Also found was evidence for the movement of people in the R0a descent through the Middle East and into Europe indicating a likely trading network and a "gene flow" from Arabia into the territories that are now Iran, Pakistan and India.

Nearly 15,000 years ago when the Ice Age had receded, the people in this region disappeared.​

​London, May 15 (IANS) Researchers have identified a gene which causes inherited high cholesterol in the blood that can lead to premature heart disease, including cardiac attacks, strokes, narrowing heart valves and sudden death.

Familial hypercholesterolemia is a genetic condition that is associated with very high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) or "bad" cholesterol.

The findings showed that cholesterol-containing lipoprotein is the cause of a quarter of all diagnoses of familial hypercholesterolemia.

"Individuals diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolemia have higher levels of lipoprotein(a) in their blood than individuals without the diagnosis," said lead researcher Anne Langsted from the University of Copenhagen's Herlev Hospital in Denmark.

High levels of lipoprotein(a) in the blood add to the already very high risk of suffering a heart attack for people with familial hypercholesterolemia.

Also, individuals with familial hypercholesterolemia and high levels of lipoprotein(a) are five times more likely to suffer a heart attack than individuals without these two conditions.

"All individuals with familial hypercholesterolemia should have their lipoprotein(a) concentrations measured in order to identify those with the highest concentrations and, therefore, also the highest risk of suffering a heart attack," added one of the researchers Borge G. Nordestgaard, clinical professor at the University of Copenhagen.

The study will help identify the individuals with the highest risk of suffering a heart attack and hopefully facilitate better preventive treatment for these extremely high risk individuals," the researchers said in the paper published in the journal The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology​

New York, May 15 (IANS) Scientists have identified two statistically significant genetic variants that may lead to an increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition triggered by experiencing or seeing a terrifying event.

"We found two notable genetic variants," said Murray.B.Stein, professor at University of California in the US.

"The first was in a gene (ANKRD55) on chromosome 5 and the other variant was found on chromosome 19," he added.

In previous research, this gene was also found to be associated with various autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, including multiple sclerosis, type II diabetes, celiac disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Also, a genetic overlap was observed between PTSD and rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis, the researchers said.

The study, published online in JAMA Psychiatry, was conducted in a massive analysis of DNA samples from more than 13,000 US soldiers.

"Further research will be needed to replicate the genome-wide significant association we found with the gene ANKRD55 and clarify the nature of the added another researcher Robert.J.Ursano, professor at Uniformed Services University in the US.​

Toronto, May 16 (IANS) For decades, scientists have fiercely debated whether rapid eye movement sleep -- the phase where dreams appear -- is directly involved in memory formation. Now, a study provides evidence that this is indeed the case.

Poor sleep quality is increasingly associated with the onset of various brain disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

Results from this study, published in the journal Science, suggest that disruption in this important phase of sleep may contribute directly to memory impairment observed in Alzheimer's disease, the researchers said.

"We were able to prove for the first time that REM sleep is indeed critical for normal spatial memory formation in mice," said study co-author Sylvain Williams, professor at McGill University in Montreal, Canada.

This phase of sleep is understood to be a critical component of sleep in all mammals, including humans.

For the study, the researchers used optogenetics, a recently developed technology that enables scientists to target precisely a number of neurons and control their activity by light.

"We chose to target neurons that regulate the activity of the hippocampus, a structure that is critical for memory formation during wakefulness and is known as the 'GPS system' of the brain," Williams said.

To test the long-term spatial memory of mice, the scientists trained the rodents to spot a new object placed in a controlled environment where two objects of similar shape and volume stand. 

Mice spend more time exploring a novel object than a familiar one, showing their use of learning and recall. 

When these mice were in REM sleep, however, the researchers used light pulses to turn off their memory-associated neurons to determine if it affects their memory consolidation. 

The next day, the same rodents did not succeed the memory task learned on the previous day. Compared to the control group, their memory seemed erased, or at least impaired.

"Silencing the same neurons for similar durations outside REM episodes had no effect on memory. This indicates that neuronal activity specifically during REM sleep is required for normal memory consolidation," study's lead author Richard Boyce from McGill University noted.​

The motor bike and sidecar used in a dramatic chase in one of the Harry Potter movies is to go on display on Monday at the Museum of Liverpool.

It will be a homecoming for the famous motor cycle with magical powers. Part of a dramatic chase in the blockbuster movie was filmed in the road tunnel under the Mersey river linking Liverpool with neighbouring Birkenhead on the opposite bank, Xinhua news agency reported.

The bike belonged to Harry Potter's loyal friend, the giant Hagrid, gamekeeper at the Hogwarts School, played in the movies by British actor Robbie Coltrane.

The machine will be on display at the museum until June 9.

In the film "Harry Potter and the Deathy Hallows Part 1", the quirky motor cycle combination which was originally owned by Harry's godfather Sirius Black, has a starring role.

Its big moment comes in a hair-raising scene as Harry, played by the actor Daniel Radcliffe, and Hagrid embark on a dangerous and dramatic chase through an underground road tunnel, which was actually filmed in the Liverpool tunnel.

The poster for "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 1" features in the museum's popular exhibition Reel Stories: Liverpool and the Silver Screen (on display until September 2017), a celebration of Liverpool's starring role in films from the past 60 years through original film posters and memorabilia.

Museum urban history curator Paul Gallagher said: "We are delighted to be able to show Hagrid's bike during the run of our Reel Stories exhibition which examines Liverpool's remarkable ability to be a backdrop for filmmakers."

"We hope the motor cycle will be a hit with Harry Potter fans and film buffs."

For the technically minded, the actual bike is a Royal Enfield, Bullet 500 with a 499cc petrol engine. It was registered in 2009 and modified for the film in the same year, with a sidecar fitted.

The bike is on loan to the Museum of Liverpool from the Warner Bros. Studios, makers of the Harry Potter films.​

​London, May 15 (IANS)

​New York, May 15 (IANS) The proximity to snacks at workplace can increase your consumption behaviour, says a new study that focuses on how companies can promote healthy choices and still provide indulgent goodies.

Many companies provide free snacks and beverages to incentivise productivity and boost morale of its employees. However, unhealthy snacking may cause an office obesity epidemic.

The findings showed the proximity of snacks to free beverages increased the consumption rate.

The closer the snacks were placed to the drinks, the more people tended to eat, even a difference of a few feet mattered.

"It was a bit surprising that an extra few feet of distance between snacks and beverages yielded such a significant change in snacking frequency," said lead researcher Ernest Baskin, consumer behaviour expert and professor at Saint Joseph's University in the US.

Also, the snacking behaviour was found more in men as opposed to women.

"Factors that influence consumer behaviour without our full realisation, like convenience or relative proximity, are especially important to study to help educate individuals about healthy decision-making," Baskin noted.

The study, published in the journal Appetite, worked on how to provide the right kind of culinary indulgence that make an office so attractive to employees without.

Potential interventions for reducing snacking in the workplace include moving healthier snack options closer, or making unhealthy snacks more difficult to access (placing them in a pantry or in a free vending machine), the researchers suggested.​

​London, May 14 (IANS) Use by human societies in primordial trade routes has shaped the genetic diversity of the camel, famously known as the 'ship of the desert,' finds a interesting study of its ancient and modern DNA.

Single-humped 'Arabian camels', properly known as 'dromedaries' (Camelus dromedarius), have been fundamental to the development of human societies, providing food and transport in desert countries, for over 3000 years.

Researchers analysed genetic information from a sample of 1,083 living dromedaries from 21 countries across the world.

The findings showed that they were genetically very similar, despite populations being hundreds of miles apart.

Centuries of cross-continental trade caused this "blurring" of genetics, the researchers explained.

"Our analysis of this extensive dataset actually revealed that there is very little defined population structure in modern dromedaries. We believe this is a consequence of cross-continental back and forth movements along historic trading routes," said Olivier Hanotte, professor at Nottingham University in Britain.

"Our results point to extensive gene flow which affects all regions except East Africa where dromedary populations have remained relatively isolated," Hanotte added.

For the research, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, the team combined an examination of ancient DNA sequences from bone samples from early-domesticated dromedaries from 400-1870 AD and wild ones from 5,000-1,000 BC to reveal for the first time ever a historic genetic picture of the species.

"The genetic diversity we have discovered underlines the animal's potential to adapt sustainably to future challenges of expanding desert areas and global climate change," noted Faisal Almathen from King Faisal University in Saudi Arabia.

The dromedary continues to be a vital resource in trade and agriculture in hot, dry areas of the world, providing transport, milk and meat where other species would not survive. ​

​Washington, May 14 (IANS) The local atmosphere in Mars is clear in winter, dustier in spring and summer, and windy in autumn, show measurements by NASA's Curiosity rover that has completed recording environmental patterns through two full cycles of Martian seasons.

Curiosity this week completed its second Martian year since landing inside Gale Crater nearly four years ago. The repetition helps distinguish seasonal effects from sporadic events, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory said in a statement.

Each Martian year -- the time it takes the Red Planet to orbit the sun once -- lasts 687 Earth days. 

Measurements of temperature, pressure, ultraviolet light reaching the surface and the scant water vapour in the air at Gale Crater show strong, repeated seasonal changes, the statement added.

Monitoring the modern atmosphere, weather and climate fulfills a Curiosity mission goal supplementing the better-known investigations of conditions billions of years ago. 

Back then, Gale Crater had lakes and groundwater that could have been good habitats for microbes, if Mars has ever had any. 

Today, though dry and much less hospitable, environmental factors are still dynamic, the statement added.

Curiosity measured air temperatures from 15.9 degrees Celsius on a summer afternoon, to minus 100 degrees Celsius on a winter night. 

"Curiosity's weather station has made measurements nearly every hour of every day, more than 34 million so far," said Curiosity project scientist Ashwin Vasavada of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. 

"The duration is important, because it's the second time through the seasons that lets us see repeated patterns," Vasavada noted.

The similar tilts of Earth and Mars give both planets a yearly rhythm of seasons. But some differences are great, such as in comparisons between day and night temperatures.

Even during the time of the Martian year when temperatures at Gale Crater rise above freezing during the day, they plummet overnight below minus minus 90 degrees Celsius, due to the thin atmosphere. 

Also, the more-elliptical orbit of Mars, compared to Earth, exaggerates the southern-hemisphere seasons, making them dominant even at Gale Crater's near-equatorial location.

"Mars is much drier than our planet, and in particular Gale Crater, near the equator, is a very dry place on Mars," Germán Martinez, Curiosity science-team collaborator at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 

"The water vapor content is a thousand to 10 thousand times less than on Earth," Martinez said.

While continuing to study the modern local environment, Curiosity is investigating geological layers of lower Mount Sharp, inside Gale Crater, to increase understanding of ancient changes in environmental conditions, NASA said.​