Blog Archive
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2009
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October
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- News Today, November 01, 2009 (2)
- the annual Village Halloween Parade October 31, 20...
- This Is It makes $20m in one day
- In love with Cinque Terre
- Top 5: Date Ideas You Can Do Naked
- Defriending can bruise your 'digital ego'
- Is Trick-or-Treating Dangerous?
- Cartoons of the Week October 31, 2009 - November 6...
- The Hunt for Tuna: A Tough Catch
- The Omega-3 Battle: Which Margarine Is Healthier?
- Visit Animals at Zoo
- Kris Allen's 'Live Like We're Dying' Video Due Nex...
- Preview of 'Smallville' 9.07: Jor-El in Person
- 'Ghost Whisperer' and 'Medium' November 6 Previews
- Fresh 'New Moon' Clip Offers Scene From Bella's Bi...
- Miley Cyrus Describes Her 'Sex and the City 2' Sho...
- Miley Cyrus Approves of Taylor Swift and Taylor La...
- Lady GaGa Plans to Dress Down on Halloween
- Amazing Halloween Wallpapers
- Sports Today, October 31, 2009
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrives in Japan
- News Today, October 31, 2009
- Taiwan Snacks
- Dating The Same Girl ?
- Internet domain names set to appear in non-Latin s...
- Halloween Candy Without the Heartburn
- 'Supernatural' 5.08 Preview: Sounds Like Trickster...
- 'CSI' 10.06 Preview: Death and the Maiden
- Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy Confirmed for 'Mad M...
- 'Men in Black 3' Moves Forward With Writer Etan Cohen
- Paris Hilton Hasn't Decided on What She's Going to...
- Lady GaGa to Be Handed the Stylemaker Award
- Joanna Krupa's Playboy Cover Revealed
- Video: Miley Cyrus Wants Twitter to Be Banned From...
- News Today, October 30, 2009
- Sports Today, October 30, 2009
- Landscape Photographer of the Year 2009
- Surviving the Talkative Airplane Seatmate
- Google changes to aid music searches
- Top 10: Architecture Capitals
- What Does Her Halloween Costume Say About Her?
- Bad Foods to Help You Lose Weight
- The Ares Liftoff: Learning from Space Shuttle Mist...
- Exclusive Interview: Shwayze on New Album, Tour an...
- 'True Blood' Spoilers: June Premiere, Naked Eric a...
- 'Desperate Housewives' May Air Until 2013
- Michael Jackson's 'This Is It' Off to a Solid Start
- John Lennon's 'Nowhere Boy' Gets a Trailer
- Britney Spears Reportedly to Marry Boyfriend Jason...
- Mom Says Danielle Deleasa Is the Right Girl for So...
- Taylor Lautner and Taylor Swift Spotted Together A...
- Miss Thailand 2009
- News Today, October 29, 2009
- Sports Today, October 29, 2009
- Halloween Pumpkin Season 2009
- The Halloween season, Animals enjoy and play pumpkins
- Body Chemistry 101: Sweat
- 5 Foods You Should Eat Every Day
- Best Cars Are Toyota, Honda, Ford, Says Consumer R...
- What Happens to Your Facebook After You Die?
- Michael Jackson's This Is It Review: He's Still a ...
- Orangutan female, and the little 15 weeks old cub
- On-Set Pictures of Demi Lovato's 'Remember Decembe...
- Sneak Peek: Halloween at 'The Office' and '30 Rock'
- The Lizard Possibly the One and Only Villain in 'S...
- An Inside Look Into 'Ninja Assassin' Unleashed
- 'Star Trek' Collects Hollywood Movie Award
- Details of Kourtney Kardashian's Baby Shower Uncov...
- Kevin Jonas and Danielle Deleasa Already Set Weddi...
- Lauren Conrad to Be a Jester Clown on Halloween
- Marketing This Is It: How Sony Created a Global Event
- "This is it", Michael Jackson
- Sports Today, October 28, 2009
- Beautiful Lakes Scenery Wallpapers
- Loy Krathong Day
- Top 10: Tokyo Auto Show Cars We'll Never Drive
- Why You Shouldn't Pick Up The Halloween Slut
- Ares 1-X Rocket Launch Preview
- Coffee May Slow Liver Damage From Hepatitis
- Rod Stewart: 'I've been one lucky guy'
- Jackson's 'This Is It' hits record stores
- In Germany, A Better H1N1 Vaccine For Politicians?
- Jennifer Lopez to Sing New Single 'Louboutins' at ...
- Winners List of 2009 Q Awards, Lady GaGa Wins Best...
- 'Heroes' 4.08 Preview: Saving Charlie
- 'Sex and the City 2' to Be Shorter Than the First One
- J.J. Abrams: No Plan to Direct 'Mission: Impossibl...
- Jennifer Esposito Engaged to Aussie Tennis Player ...
- Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner Spotted Enjoying H...
- News Today, October 27, 2009
- Iaquinta and Totti undergo knee surgery
- Coach Ramos dismissed by CSKA Moscow
- Sports Today, October 27, 2009
- A baby wallaby
- Japan's Prince Hisahito, 3, visit to Ueno Zoo
- Making the most of Twitter
- To tweet or not to tweet?
- H1N1 Vaccine Shortages Create Panic, Concern
- Women Struggle to Quit Depo-Provera
- Report: WHO to Announce Cell Phone, Brain Tumor Link
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October
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Friday, October 2, 2009
Scientists find path to fountain of youth
by Jean-Louis Santini Jean-louis Santini WASHINGTON (AFP) – The fountain of youth may exist after all, as a study showed that scientists have discovered means to extend the lifespan of mice and primates.The key to eternal -- or at least prolonged -- youth lies in genetic manipulation that mimics the health benefits of reducing calorie intake, suggesting that aging and age-related diseases can be treated.Scientists from the Institute of Healthy Ageing at University College London (UCL) extended the lifespan of mice by up to a fifth and reduced the number of age-related diseases affecting the animals after they genetically manipulated them to block production of the S6 Kinase 1 (S6K1) protein.Scientists have shown since the 1930s that reducing the calorie intake by 30 percent for rats, mice and -- in a more recent finding -- primates can extend their lifespan by 40 percent and have health benefits.By blocking S6K1, which is involved in the body's response to changes in food intake, similar benefits were obtained without reducing food intake, according to the study published in the US journal Science.The results corroborated those of other recent studies."Blocking the action of the S6K1 protein helps prevent a number of age-related conditions in female mice," explained UCL professor Dominic Withers, the study's lead author."The mice lived longer and were leaner, more active and generally healthier than the control group. We added 'life to their years' as well as 'years to their lives.'"The genetically altered female mice lived 20 percent longer -- living a total of 950 days -- or over 160 days more than their normal counterparts.At age 600 days, the equivalent of middle age in humans, the altered female mice were leaner, had stronger bones, were protected from type 2 diabetes, performed better at motor tasks and demonstrated better senses and cognition, according to the study.Their T-cells, a key component of the immune system also seemed more "youthful," the researchers said, which points to a slowing of the declining immunity that usually accompanies aging.Male mice showed little difference in lifespan although they also demonstrated some of the health benefits, including less resistance to insulin and healthier T-cells. Researchers said reasons for the differences between the two sexes were unclear."We are suddenly much closer to treatments for aging than we thought," said David Gems of UCL's Institute of Healthy Aging, one of the authors of the study, which was primarily funded by the Wellcome Trust."We have moved from initial findings in worm models to having 'druggable' targets in mice. The next logical step is to see if drugs like metformin can slow the aging process in humans."Other studies have also found that blocking S6K1 were channeled through increased activity of a second molecule, AMPK, which regulates energy levels within cells.AMPK, also known as a master "fuel gauge," is activated when cellular energy levels fall, as takes place when calorie intake is reduced.Drugs, such as the widely-used metformin, that activate AMPK are already being used in human patients to treat type 2 diabetes.Recent studies by Russian scientists suggested that metformin can extend mice's lifespan. Another drug, rapamycin, was found to extend the lifespan of mice, according to a study published in the British journal Nature. As rapamycin is already used in humans as an immunosuppresant -- to prevent a patient from rejecting an organ after transplant -- it could not be administered as an anti-ageing drug in its current form. But rapamycin blocks S6K1 activity and could thus extend lifespan through its impact on S6K1. Seizing on the potential, US firm Sirtris Pharmaceuticals uses resveratrol, a powerful anti-oxidant found in red wine, as well as other fruits than raisin. Sirtris scientists -- including co-founder David Sinclair, also a researcher at Harvard Medical School -- have found that resveratrol activates the production of sirtuin proteins, which also unleash the same physiological effects as reducing calorie intake. Sirtris has produced highly concentrated doses of resveratrol and is currently leading clinical trials with diabetes patients and others suffering from liver and colon cancer.