KEY POINTS

Overeating has been an issue for most of us at some time or the other. Some people have been able to control it, but others who havent been able to do it suffer from issues such as weight gain and obesity.

A new study has looked into how food craving affects the brain. Food craving leads to loss of self-control and eating even when your brain tells you that the foodstuff may be harmful to your health. Impulsivity is one of the reasons behind overeating, binge eating, weight gain, obesity and many psychological disorders such as drug addiction and gambling addiction.

The researchers have found that a specific circuit in the brain causes impulsivity. Because the researchers have identified this circuit, this holds hope that future medical therapies to treat overeating.

"There's underlying physiology in your brain that is regulating your capacity to say no to (impulsive eating), in experimental models, you can activate that circuitry and get a specific behavioural respons." Emily Noble, an assistant professor in the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences who served as lead author on the paper, stated in the findings, which were published in a paper titled Hypothalamus-hippocampus circuitry regulates impulsivity via melanin-concentrating hormone, published in the Nature journal.

The experiment was done on rats and the researchers focused on a subset of brain cells, which produce a transmitter called the melanin concentrating hormone (MCH). The researchers trained the rats so that they could press a lever to receive a high-sugar, high fat pellet and kept a timer at 20 seconds for every press. If the rat would press the lever before 20 seconds were up, the delivery of the pellet would be delayed another 20 seconds.

The researchers confirmed the findings of previous studies, which stated that MCH was responsible for increasedfood intake but also showed for the first time that it was responsible for impulsivity. They then used advanced techniques to activate MCH neural pathways between the hippocampus and hypothalamus in these mice parts of the brain responsible for learning and memory.

MCH did not interfere with the liking for the food, but rather it acted on the inhibitory control in the rats the ability to control themselves from reaching out for the pellet before 20 seconds were up. Activating the pathway increased impulsive behavior regardless of whether their body needed the calories or not.

Activating this specific pathway of MCH neurons increased impulsive behavior without affecting normal eating for caloric need or motivation to consume delicious food. Understanding that this circuit, which selectively affectsfoodimpulsivity, exists opens the door to the possibility that one day we might be able to develop therapeutics for overeating that help people stick to a diet without reducing normal appetite or making delicious foods less delicious," Noble stated.

s According to the World Population Review, Micronesian country Nauru holds the position as the most obese country in the world. Pictured: A physiotherapist (L) assists obese patients with exercises in an obesity unit at the CHU Angers teaching hospital. Photo: Getty Images/Jean-Sebastien Evrard

Originally posted here:
Brain Circuitry Holds Key To Treating Obesity: Study - International Business Times

Female cyclists are at a lower risk of suffering Sudden Cardiac Death than male athletes, but women should still learn about ways to screen for heart problems before engaging in endurance sports.

Dr. Mehreen Quhreshi is a cardiologist with advanced training in stress testing and cardiac imaging from Columbia University Medical Center in New York. She practices in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and serves as the director of the Preventative Cardiology Program and the Nuclear Stress Lab at UPMC Pinnacle Heart and Vascular Institute. Dr. Bill Apollo, an amateur bike racer, runner, and duathlete is a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania-based cardiologist, who directs the UPMC Pinnacle Sports and Exercise Cardiology Clinic.

At the Paris Olympics in 1900, endurance sports were exclusively dominated by men; a mere 22 women participated, competing in the five gentrified events of croquet, equestrian, golf, tennis, and sailing. It took until the latter half of the twentieth century for the world to witness women competing in major Olympic endurance sports such as cycling (Los Angeles, 1984) and triathlon (Sydney, 2000).

Wider womens participation in the Olympics roughly coincided with the establishment of Title IX of the United States Educational Amendments of 1972, which mandated equal access for women in any program that received Federal funding including sports in public schools and universities. These two major developments fueled an explosion of female participation in a variety of events at all skill levels. The percentage of women finishers in marathons in the U.S. rose from only 10% in 1980 to a robust 45% by 2015. Women set a new record for Olympic participation at the 2016 Rio Olympics, with nearly equal numbers (5,176 athletes, or 45% of total), and with representation in all events included in the games.

Paradoxically, women have generally been under-represented in medical research studies looking at cardiac health, adaptation to endurance training and its potential consequences. Despite this surge of female athletic participation, we still havent achieved gender equality when it comes to understanding and caring for the female athletes heart. And recent small-scale studies suggest that there are in fact important cardiac differences between the sexes.

Some of the key questions are: to what extent do underlying genetic and hormonal factors impact normal changes in a womans heart related to exercise? How do these influences alter her risk for developing chronic heart problems or sudden cardiac death during competition? Are women better equipped to handle endurance training by design? Some recent research suggests that pregnancy subjects the female body to cardiac stresses similar to those that male athletes experience in even the most competitive events, including events like the Tour de France.

Below we examine the current understanding of cardiac development and risks in women endurance athletes, how and why women may differ from men in this regard, and recommended precautions that should be taken in training and competition by elite female endurance athletes.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) during athletic competition is fortunately a rare occurrence, and it tends to affect men more commonly than women. In fact, a womans risk of SCD during endurance sports is estimated to be some 10 times lower than for her male colleagues. Professional cycling, during the past 3 seasons, has seen a total of 6 elite men tragically die directly from heart problems during races (5 in road racing, 1 on the track), with the most recent being Robbert de Greef in March 2019. During the same time period, there were zero incidents involving women, and indeed there are no known reports of SCD during elite womens cycling events for the past 20 years. Professional female cyclists are far more likely to die from training accidents (usually involving automobile collisions) than from heart problems.

Interestingly, these observations regarding SCD in cycling seem not to be true for other endurance sports. Marathon running has a huge participant base much larger than the womens pro peloton with nearly a half million participants in 2019 alone. This huge statistical sampling clarifies the measure of SCD risk: 1 incident per 150,000 participants overall, but more commonly occurring in men (1/ 100,000), and much less likely to occur in women (1/243,000).

Despite this fairly low risk of SCD in women, the sheer volume of running participants makes it easier to find reports of SCD. For example, Taylor Ceepo, age 22, died in May 2019 less than 1 mile from the finish line at the Rite-Aid Cleveland Marathon. The medical examiners report indicated that Ceepo experienced sudden cardiac death in association with physical exertion, pseudoephedrine use (a fairly benign over-the-counter decongestant) and cardiomyopathy. Her tragedy should remind us that even in very young and apparently healthy women, undiagnosed heart disease is still a common killer (3rd behind unintentional injuries and cancer in her age group), and her autopsy findings highlight the importance of screening women for underlying heart problems.

The most common causes of SCD are generally driven by age rather than sex. Athletes under age 35 both men and women alike are susceptible to genetically inherited structural heart problems including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), as well as potentially lethal heart rhythm problems called channelopathies. Above age 35, coronary artery disease predominates, with women being preferentially protected by their higher estrogen levels, until they reach menopause. Initially, the ten-fold higher incidence of SCD in men was thought to be simply due to the much larger numbers of men participating in endurance sports. But now that participation rates are becoming nearly equal, womens risk of SCD is still not as high as that experienced in the male population.

Several theories exist that might explain why women appear to be more protected from SCD during intense competition. One explanation may lie in the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the bodys fight or flight response. Male physiology is observed to be wound more tightly, meaning that their arteries and blood vessels tend to constrict more during intense activity than women. The increased blood pressure adds resistance to blood the heart is pumping out. When this increased pressure load is coupled with an outpouring of adrenaline during competition, the strains placed on the heart may trigger lethal rhythm problems in susceptible individuals generally those with underlying inherited cardiac problems or acquired fibrosis (scarring) from long-term training. For unclear reasons, even in the context of equal training volumes, men more commonly develop potentially lethal fibrosis substrate, placing them at higher risk of SCD than women.

Another possible explanation relates to obvious hormonal differences between men and women. In some animal models, testosterone has been shown to affect the way the heart conducts impulses making men, at least in theory more susceptible than women to developing electrical instability resulting in malignant heart arrhythmias. Clinically, testosterone promotes thickening of the heart muscle, which may explain why men are more susceptible than women in developing complications from diseases like HCM and ARVC. Estrogens, on the other hand, are protective in this regard, and delay that same process of heart muscle thickening. Despite equal patterns of genetic transmission of HCM and ARVC between both sexes, hormonal differences may explain why these maladies tend to remain latent for a longer period of time in women, presumably translating to a survival advantage and lower risk of SCD.

Sports medicine screening programs are designed to identify potential cardiac risks in individuals who exhibit no outward symptoms of heart problems. Such programs aim to increase participation but to do so with a reasonable level of caution, to ensure the safety of the athlete. Despite the lower risk of SCD in women, screening is still important.

Pre-participation screening typically involves a comprehensive medical history review, focused physical examination, and in some cases an electrocardiogram (EKG). EKG tests are proven to be more sensitive than history and physical examination alone in detecting pathology, especially regarding heart rhythm issues. EKG interpretation should always be completed by a skilled reader able to distinguish the fine line between normal adaptation to exercise and pathology. Guidelines like the International Recommendations for EKG Interpretation in Athletes will increase reading accuracy and reduce the number of false findings, which often lead to expensive and unnecessary longitudinal testing. Men exhibit changes in their EKG patterns more often than women, and these variations in many instances are considered normal purely as the result of physiologic adaptation to training. On the other hand, women are less likely to stray from normal parameters, so most EKG changes are concerning and more likely represent a real problem.

Consistent endurance training induces physiologic remodeling, or normal adaptations to the heart resulting in improved efficiency of an athletes engine. Cyclists are unique because they typically perform the most prolonged exercise pattern more hours per day and more days per year than nearly any other athletes. Cyclists often sustain markedly elevated heart rates for extended periods of time during two distinct types of high cardiac output workouts. First, high intensity aerobic workouts at near peak efficiency, coupled with sustained elevations in heart rate, create a dynamic stress, or a volume load on the heart. And second, long tempo efforts punctuated by intense anaerobic dashes create static stress, exposing the heart to a pressure load because of sustained increases in blood pressure.

Cyclists therefore typically exhibit prominent changes in heart structure due to a combination of dynamic stress (volume overload) and static stress (pressure overload) resulting in generally increased cardiac mass, with mildly enlarged hearts and mildly increased heart wall thickness at least in men. Statistically, women are generally smaller than men with lower lean body mass. Due to their higher estrogen levels, women tend to adapt to exercise in a qualitatively similar manner, but quantitatively different than men showing only minimal heart enlargement and virtually no heart wall thickening. In fact, only about 7% of healthy women show any significant increase in their heart size due to habitual exercise, whereas 47% of men show cardiac enlargement.

Symptoms of heart problems in women are often different to those reported by men. For example, women are less likely to experience classic chest pain due to a heart problem, but may report more subtle symptoms like indigestion, heartburn, fatigue, or poor exercise performance. Misinterpretation of these sometimes confusing symptoms often leads to a delay in diagnosis and poorer long-term outcomes for women. An unexplained decline in athletic performance is obviously concerning to any elite athlete whether male or female because this may be the only clue to a serious underlying heart problem.

However, in young women, such nonspecific symptoms are often incorrectly blamed on things like menstrual problems, eating disorders, iron deficiency anemia, pregnancy, or thyroid disease. In many cases it is the womans primary care provider who must be savvy enough to exclude these other diagnoses, realizing there is a potential heart problem and then making an appropriate referral to a cardiologist.

Estrogen generally protects women from developing CAD at young ages, but the risk rises as they reach menopause. And paradoxically, some young women may actually be at increased risk for CAD because of a syndrome called Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports (RED-S). Sports which favor lean body mass are often associated with heavy training loads and dieting to achieve optimal body weight. In some women this results in the Female Athlete Triad of menstrual dysfunction, unexplained decline in performance (with or without an eating disorder), and decreased bone density, leading to increased probability of fractures.

Prolonged endurance training in young women can lead to menstrual irregularities resulting in the same kind of reduced estrogen levels typically seen in older postmenopausal women. These athletes should be evaluated for the more traditional cardiac risk factors such as high blood pressure, cholesterol problems, and diabetes, with appropriate intervention to modify their risk. Treatment of the Female Athlete Triad is challenging and may require a multidisciplinary approach to improve an athletes overall energy balance. Strategies include decreasing training volume, modifying dietary habits, medically replacing estrogen levels, promoting bone health with dietary supplements, and seeking appropriate professional help to correct eating disorders if present. Due to the focused and highly competitive nature of many endurance athletes, this is often a tall order to fill since they may resist decreasing their training volume.

Regular exercise is the cornerstone of prevention and treatment of many cardiac and non-cardiac diseases. But some researchers suggest that the benefits of exercise are like a drug the benefits of moderate training reach a plateau and exceeding that plateau, or overdosing, may be detrimental to the athletes health. Several studies have reported unexpected abnormalities in endurance athletes primarily in men suggesting either transient or permanent heart damage which puts them at risk for chronic heart issues. Findings have included a five-fold increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AFIB), increased coronary artery calcium deposits (which indicate clinically silent CAD), and scarring of the heart muscle. However, there are several general guidelines that all athletes should be aware of:

The biological adaptation to handle the stress of pregnancy may be a key reason for the apparently better female adaptation to endurance training. Recent research has highlighted that during pregnancy, the body functions at a basal metabolic rate of 2.2 times the normal burning up to 4000 calories a day. Extended over a period of 40 weeks, pregnancy can essentially be considered the ultimate endurance event a true test on the limits of human performance. Under typical circumstances, a body functioning above 2.5 times the normal metabolic rate over a prolonged period will begin to break down. But most women emerge from pregnancy and go on to live healthy lives, having tolerated a level of metabolic strain considered by some to be similar to that experienced by athletes participating in some of the most competitive endurance events.

There are also massive changes in the amount of fluid in a womans body during pregnancy, creating cardiac stresses similar to endurance training. In order to support the developing fetus, she must increase her blood volume by a massive 50%, and her cardiac output by 40-50% constituting the ultimate dynamic stress on the heart. The female body appears to require less adaptation by the heart muscle and chambers to accommodate these changes.

More overlap in research examining the similarities between the effects of endurance training in women and the cardiac demands placed on them during pregnancy may help to explain these gender-based differences in adaptation to exercise and related cardiac risk. Additional research specifically devoted to women is critical to a better understanding of how gender influences normal cardiac adaptation to exercise, as well as to more accurately identify pathologic conditions which sometimes seem to overlap with normal physiology.

Despite the substantially lower risk of SCD in women, cardiac risk screening of female endurance athletes and at-risk pregnant women is still important, and should be carried out by clinicians familiar with the differences in adaptive physiology between men and women. Women often experience challenging and atypical cardiac symptoms, requiring a high index of suspicion on the part of their doctors often at the primary care level to identify these underlying problems. As the current generation of elite female athletes matures into tomorrows Masters champions, we will undoubtedly learn a great deal more about the long-term cardiac implications of endurance training in women.

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The Outer Line: The impact of endurance training on the cardiac health of women - VeloNews

A 2019 study by the University of Colorado Boulder, published in the Journalof Experimental Physiology, proposed a new potential mechanism through which one can trace howsleepinfluences an individualshearthealthand overall physiology.The study states that people who do not get 7 hours ofsleepat night often suffer from lower blood levels of microRNAs that play a key role in maintaining vascularhealth.Through time, while such studies have led to the discovery that people who do not get enoughsleepare at a greater risk of experiencing a stroke orheartattack. There is an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death in persons whosleepless than 6 hours every day than those whosleepmore.Dr Santosh Kumar Dora, Senior Cardiologist, Asian Heart Institute, Mumbai lists effects of sleep deprivation and tips to sleep well.

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The effect of acutesleepdeprivation results in cognitive impairment, which includes deficits in behavioural alertness and vigilant attention, lack of logical reasoning, errors in simple tasks, accidents, poor work performance, poor mood, irritability, low energy, decreased libido and poor judgement.On the other hand, chronicsleepdeprivation (CSD) results in accidents, workplace errors, inappropriate drowsiness and unplanned naps with consequences both at home and at the workplace.

One must thus cultivate healthysleepinghabits for a healthyheart, never underestimating the importance of a good nightssleep. The prescribed duration ofsleepis nothing less than 7 to 9 hrs. The depth ofsleepis as important as its duration as this happens to be the time when the body undergoes repair, restoration and rest.

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The following are a few tips to help yousleepwell:

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Disclaimer: The content provided above is for information purposes. This is no way intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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Effects of sleep deprivation and tips to follow to sleep well - Republic World - Republic World

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Every year, members of the Swedish royal family gather for Nobel Prize Award Ceremony and banquet, honoring the 2019 Nobel laureates awarded the prizes in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, and literature in Stockholm, Sweden. (The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo, Norway, and the Norwegian royal family hosts that ceremony).

The Swedish royal family goes all-out for the occasion with King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia in attendance, along with Crown Princess Victoria and her husband Prince Daniel, Princess Madeleine, and Prince Carl Philip with Princess Sofia. The royal ladies traditionally wear sparkling tiaras and formal gowns fo the event, for added dazzle.

Last year, Silvia wore one of her favorite tiaras, the stunning Queen Sophia tiara, with a diamond and emerald necklace that perfectly coordinated with her green gown. Crown Princess Victoria, who is the heir to the Swedish throne, made a statement in the Connaught 'Forget-me-not" tiara, a diamond topper with circular detailing. Sofia went with pearls for her jewelry look, wearing the diamond and pearl Palmette tiara with a matching pearl choker.

Here, we've rounded up the standout tiaras as seen at the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony in Stockholm today:

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Queen Silvia and Crown Princess Victoria

Silvia chose a gown with intricate gold detailing, while Victoria opted for a black off-the-shoulder style. Both royals wore tiaras.

Queen Silvia

Silvia wore one of her favorite tiaras, the Queen Sophia tiara, which is also called the Nine Prong tiara,. Silvia also wore it to last year's Nobel Prize ceremony.

Crown Princess Victoria

Victoria wore the sparkling Baden fringe diamond tiara, paired with a diamond necklace and the Braganza Rose diamond brooch.

Princess Sofia and Princess Madeleine

Princess Sofia arrives at the ceremony with Princess Madeleine. Madeleine, who did not attend the Nobel Prize ceremony last year, wore a pink gown and an aquamarine tiara.

Princess Sofia

Sofia went for an all-blue ensemble, wearing a blue off-the-shoulder gown with her diamond wedding tiara, which was accented by new blue stones. The stones appear to be turquoises.

Princess Sofia

On her wedding day, Sofia's tiara was set with emeralds, but she has swapped out those stones on a few occasions. The Princess has replaced the stones with pearls in the past, like at the Nobel Prize ceremony in 2017 and 2018.

Princess Sofia

Another look at Sofia's tiara.

Princess Madeleine

Madeleine chose the Swedish Aquamarine Kokoshnik tiara, which once belonged to Princess Margaretha. The stunning diamond piece has been worn by Madeleine before, and by Crown Princess Victoria wore the tiara to the 2017 Nobel Prize Awards, per the Court Jeweller.

Princess Madeleine

A full look at her pink ensemble.

Princess Madeleine

Madeleine also wore dazzling diamond earrings and a matching bracelet with her tiara and sash.

Princess Madeleine

Another view of Madeleine's tiara at the Nobel Prize banquet.

Queen Silvia

Silvia's stunning brooch is on display as she arrives at the Nobel Prize banquet.

Princess Sofia

A look at Sofia's coordinating turquoise earrings, which perfectly match her tiara.

Princess Sofia

The new blue stones on the top of Sofia's diamond tiara were front and center as the royal sat during the Nobel Prize banquet.

Princess Madeleine

Another look at Madeleine's tiara.

Crown Princess Victoria

Victoria dazzled in the Baden fringe tiara.

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The Swedish Royal Family Wore Dazzling Tiaras to the Nobel Prize Ceremony - TownandCountrymag.com

Images of monkeys undergoing experiments in a German laboratory stirred a wave of public outrage recently, prompting questions whether such barbaric procedures are necessary in the 21st century. Technology exists today that could replace animal testing in the future, but how far is it from practical use?

In 2018, a team of Oxford University researchers announced that their computer models of human heart cells were able to predict side effects of various medications on the heart more accurately than animal studies.

While studies done on animals assessed the risk of arrythmias in human users with the accuracy of 75-85 per cent, the computer model of actual human heart cells made a correct prediction in 89-96 per cent of cases. That means that drugs could pass the animal tests but still later cause dangerous heart problems in patients, while this risk is lower when using computer models.

We took 62 drugs such as painkillers, antihistamines or antibiotics, many of which are on the market, and we looked for biomarkers indicating the risk of arrhythmias in our simulations, says Elisa Passini, a senior researcher in the Computational Cardiovascular Science team at the University of Oxford and the lead author of the paper published in the journal Frontiers in Physiology. Then we compared our results with what is known about these drugs. For example, there are reports of patients who have had a cardiac episode while taking these drugs. We compared our results with these reports and thats how we calculated the accuracy.

Passini says the difference in favour of the human heart cells computer model might arise because animal cells and organs, while having been widely used in drug development for decades, are in many ways similar to but by no means identical to human organs and cells.

Sometimes you dont see an effect in animals and then, if you give the drug to a human being, you will see an adverse effect on the heart, she adds.

In fact, according to a 2009 paper by Yale University epidemiologist Michael B Bracken, which was published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, there have been many cases in the past when drugs deemed safe in animal studies in fact caused serious harm once introduced to humans.

For example, thalidomide, a drug sold in the late 1950s and early 1960s as a sedative and treatment for morning sickness for pregnant women caused the foetuses to develop serious defects. Such side effects were not observed in animal studies.

A 2006 UK-based phase I clinical study of am immunomodulatory drug called TGN1412 (theralizumab), designed to alleviate symptoms of autoimmune diseases, caused life-threatening side-effects to all of the six previously healthy human volunteers enrolled in the study who were given the drug. Although they received doses 500 times lower than what had been found safe in animal studies, the human subjects quickly developed multi-organ failures and required lengthy hospitalisation. The drug had previously successfully passed tests not only in mice but also in rhesus monkeys, which up until then had been considered very similar to humans in their physiology.

Hazel Screen, a professor of biomedical engineering at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), says that despite decades of use and refinement, the success rate in drug development based on the current animal models is extremely low.

Today, if something goes into clinical trials because it worked in animal models, the likelihood of it coming off is terrible, says Screen, who co-leads a project developing organ-on-a-chip technology another alternative that could replace animal tests in the future.

It currently takes approximately 14 years to develop a drug and only about 5 per cent of drugs actually end up being used to treat patients, she says.

Screen agrees with Passinis statement that one of the reasons for such a poor outcome is the fact that the cells, bodies and physiological processes of animals, while in many ways similar, simply do not perfectly match those of humans.

Screens colleague Professor Martin Knight says big pharma companies, hoping to improve this abysmal success rate, are looking for alternative technologies to at least partially replace animal tests.

Big pharma companies are primarily interested in increasing profits by getting better benefits for patients, rather than reducing animal testing per se, Knight says. They want to be able to predict more accurately whether these drugs are going to work and make sure that they progress more efficiently through the development pipeline.

According to the UK Home Office, 3.52 million scientific procedures were carried out in 2018 in the UK involving living animals, with mice, rats and fish making up 93 per cent of the total number.

The amount, the Home Office said, decreased by 7 per cent compared to 2017. Of the total amount, 1.80 million procedures were for experimental purposes, focusing on basic research, the development of new treatments, safety testing of pharmaceuticals, surgical training and education. The rest focused on the creation and breeding of genetically altered animals.

The cost of these experiments is substantial, especially since regulators, pressured by the 21st-century animal-rights-conscious public, require the scientists to improve conditions and minimise pain and suffering of the creatures used.

Many pharma companies are interested in the in-silico simulations of the Oxford University team, according to Passini. The team, which is part of the EU-funded Compbiomed initiative, has developed a software called Virtual Assay, which can run on a regular laptop and complete a simulation of 100 human heart cells interacting with a certain drug in about five minutes.

Our models are built on data from human patients, says Passini. Its usually patients that have gone through some surgery during which the doctors removed some cells, which were further studied. We also use data from healthy hearts that were not suitable for transplantations. The models are based on a large number of equations that represent what we know about the cardiac cells, their behaviour, their membranes, and the transport of ions in and out of cells.

These models, Passini says, are now quite ready to replace the early stage so-called in-vitro experiments experiments conducted on animal cells or small tissue samples.

We hope that our technology could in the not so distant future replace most of the in-vitro experiments, she adds. That would already make a huge difference because very large numbers of animals are used for these early stage experiments. The scientists kill the animals and take their cells. A much smaller number of animals is used for the later-stage in-vivo experiments.

The Oxford team can already run 3D simulations of an entire human heart. The availability of computational power, or lack thereof, is, however, the major stumbling block for this type of complex simulation.

We have access to some of the most powerful supercomputers in Europe, but it still takes hours to simulate a single heartbeat in 3D, Passini adds. We can afford to do this for scientific purposes, but the availability of such computer power is still limiting the use of these simulations by the industry. We are exploring alternatives, such as GPUs, which might make it more affordable in the future.

The Compbiomed project, which has recently concluded its first stage, has the ultimate goal of creating the entire human organism in silico that could be used for drug testing and simulations of various health conditions.

QMULs Knight says that the organ-on-a-chip technology could in the future reduce the number of mice, the most commonly used animal species in medical research, needed at certain stages of the drug development process. But for that to happen, the alternative technologies have to be validated and proved as reliable (if not more) as the currently used animal models.

The regulatory authorities are understandably going to be nervous about accepting results entirely from a completely new technology compared to using a set of well-established, if not always very accurate, animal models, Knight declares.

For them to accept new technologies, such as organ-on-a-chip, you have to prove that your liver, lung or gut model works in every imaginable set-up. Thats a lot of science and validation and confirmation before you reach that point.

Organ-on-a-chip systems use living human cells in a 3D device to mimic how human organs function. These devices can be used to test both the safety and efficacy of new medicines and other products, reducing the dependency on animal experiments. Usually the size of a 50-pence coin, chips already exist simulating human liver, lung and intestine.

Creating an environment that would simulate, as closely as possible, the environment in which the cells exist in the human body is the greatest engineering challenge facing the researchers.

Its become clear recently that mechanical forces have a huge impact on cell biology and therefore on how drugs behave, says Knight. Therefore, we need to make sure that the model systems that are being developed incorporate the right mechanical forces that the different tissues experience. For example, a model of the lung has to incorporate stretching as you inflate your lung; it has to incorporate the flow of air over the surface of the cells of the lung and the flow of blood in the blood vessels. And only by incorporating these key mechanical stimuli can we hope to generate a model that is truly predictive of how a drug is to behave in a body.

Last year, QMUL received a grant from Research Councils UK to lead a network that aims to bring together the UK research community in order to advance organ-on-a-chip development and cooperate with regulators and industry on validating the technology so that it can be rolled out on a larger scale.

While the complete end of animal experiments in medical science may be decades away, the researchers are positive that with the introduction of already existing technologies, their validation and further improvement, the numbers of animals required for the advancement of science will be gradually but significantly reduced over the coming decades.

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Is the end of animal testing in sight? - E&T Magazine

The three University of Virginia professors named 2020 Outstanding Faculty Award winners Friday by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia push the boundaries of the typical classroom and of their academic disciplines, employing hands-on experiences for students and conducting game-changing scholarship to aid humanity.

Arthur Weltman, professor and founding chair of the Department of Kinesiology in the Curry School of Education and Human Development, also holds UVAs 2019-21 Cavaliers Distinguished Teaching Professorship. Kirsten Gelsdorf, a professor of practice in the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, came to UVA after working for the United Nations for two decades. Ryan Huish, an associate professor of biology at UVAs College at Wise, takes students of all ages outside, making the surrounding natural world their classroom and market.

Since 1987, the SCHEV awards have recognized faculty at Virginias institutions of higher learning who exemplify the highest standards of teaching, scholarship and service.Among the 12 awardees from Virginias colleges and universities, UVAs trio will be recognized for exemplifying the highest standards of teaching, scholarship and service at a March 9 ceremony in Richmond. Each will receive $7,500 from Dominion Energy, co-sponsor of the faculty awards.

A closer look at the awardees:

Gelsdorf was one of two professors SCHEV recognized as a Rising Star for early career achievements. Although she has only been on UVAs faculty for 3 years, she has already won teaching awards from Batten and from the University, as well as received perfect course-evaluation ratings from students.

The demand for her class, Global Humanitarian Crises, a 40-student seminar, skyrocketed to more than 200 students. She also piloted Battens first remote synchronous learning course to include students from UVAs College at Wise.

One student mentioned that Gelsdorfs weekend-long humanitarian crisis simulation required a higher level of thinking than any other college assignment he had undertaken. This experience encapsulates Professor Gelsdorfs desire to push us as students, to help bridge the gap between the theoretical and the practical, the student wrote.

As a professor of practice, Gelsdorf brings two decades of professional experience in United Nations programs to the University to bridge the academic-practitioner divide and influence policy change, activities that have operated on isolated tracks for too long, she wrote.

The field of global humanitarian aid, which has defined my lifes work, rests on the principle of the humanitarian imperative that people have the right to give and receive aid, she wrote. Through her scholarship and teaching, Gelsdorf aims to help expand and strengthen research and partnerships on Grounds and around the world that can influence policy change.

It is my clear responsibility to bring the questions of global humanity to this next generation.

- Kirsten Gelsdorf

The world will increasingly face unanswered questions and intractable challenges that result from conflict and disasters happening around the world. That is why I am so thankful that Batten and its leadership and public policy mission give me the unique opportunity to combine research and policy engagement into a portfolio where I can build partnerships between incredible faculty, students and external organizations to work on the humanitarian issues I care so deeply about, Gelsdorf wrote in an email after hearing she had won the award.

As Battens director of humanitarian policy, she has undertaken numerous high-level research and policy projects with organizations like the Red Cross, Global Emergency Groupand United Nations.

Together with other Batten faculty, she is now launching a series of research and policy labs that include work on early childhood education in crisis contexts and predictive analytics for migration that are being launched this month in London and at the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva.

This year, she also published with Daniel G. Maxwell, a colleague at Tufts University, Understanding the Humanitarian World, a book that traces the development of the modern humanitarian aid system and has already been adopted by numerous universities and international organizations.

An associate professor of biology at UVAs College at Wise, Huish specifically focuses on ethnobotany, the study of human-plant interactions.

He encourages student-centered learning in the classroom in novel ways. For example, in his General Botany course, he has asked his students to choreograph and perform an interpretive dance on the process of photosynthesis, one of the most important biochemical reactions to life on Earth, yet a very complex and difficult process to grasp.

Writing about his love for plants, which he links to his earliest memories, Huish wrote in a teaching statement, The beautiful complexity of photosynthetic organisms is what originally filled our early atmosphere with life-sustaining oxygen by splitting water molecules; sparked the dawn of modern human civilization in the Fertile Crescent with agriculture; initiated globalization with the spice trade; solicited trade wars; manufactured compounds that humans converted to pharmaceuticals and the list of connections goes on.

His passion for plants and dedication to teaching everyone to love and respect plants was so inspiring it changed my whole career path, wrote Jenni Gilliam, a former student whos an intern at the Center for Appalachian Studies.

He doesnt just teach the biology of plants to undergraduate students; he also teaches younger students and adult community members about local edible plants, plus medicinal or economic possibilities with plants.

He learns from them, too, and is currently interviewing community members to preserve not only Appalachian traditional uses and folklore, but also to work toward preserving the native plants and their habitats.

He has conducted medical botany research in the South Pacific Islands, working with local people of the Tonga islands. In addition, he leads a UVA-Wise team working with a Tongan plant that potentially could prevent the effects of MRSA, an antibiotic-resistant super bug becoming more common in hospitals.

My passion is to help others comprehend at even some small level, the vast beauty, potential and complexity of these humble yet magnificent organisms.

- Ryan Huish

Closer to home, Huish is also researching the potential of hemp to replace tobacco farming and the development of maple syrup as a product. He and his students share their knowledge with the community, and he has led a tour of his own farm to show methods of woodland management. He is collaborating with the regional nonprofit organization Appalachian Sustainable Development and Virginia Tech in the Appalachian Beginning Forest Farmer Coalition.

I am grateful and honored to have received this award, Huish wrote in an email. I feel that this award reflects the greater good and the strengths of UVA-Wise, which espouses the liberal arts paradigm of applying deep interdisciplinary collaboration and societal connections to problem-solving. I am proud that we emphasize the well-rounded development of these skills in our students and faculty for real and meaningful progress.

Arthur Weltman was awarded the 2019-21 Cavaliers Distinguished Teaching Professorship earlier this year, an endowed chair that recognizes an eminent scholar for outstanding and enduring excellence in the teaching of undergraduates.

During his 35 years at UVAs Curry School of Education and Human Development, he has led its exercise physiology program. Curry School Dean Robert Pianta appointed him the founding chair of the new Department of Kinesiology in 2013.

He also founded and directs the Exercise Physiology Core Laboratory, funded by the National Institutes of Health for 30 years, and holds a joint appointment in the School of Medicine. Weltmans research focuses on the role of intense and regular exercise in health and disease. He and his collaborators have contributed to understanding how exercise affects individuals from children to older adults.

Through his exercise physiology courses, he has influenced thousands of graduate and undergraduate students and trained scientists in exercise intervention. His students engage in the exercise research as participants as well as investigators. They have written about how much they learn in his challenging classes and how much they appreciate his laid-back approach and availability.

Weltman also helped to initiate both peer and alumni mentoring programs, and he continues to serve as a resource for students long after they graduate. Many have gone on to academic careers and point to his mentorship for influencing their success.

Recognized by the Seven Society and the Z Society for his passion and devotion to teaching at the University, Weltman wrote that the opportunity to teach and learn from students in and outside of the classroom is one of the joys of my job and among the most rewarding experiences of my career.

The opportunity to teach and learn from students in and outside of the classroom is one of the joys of my job and among the most rewarding experiences of my career.

- Arthur Weltman

He added that he is both honored and humbled to be named a recipient of this prestigious award. From my perspective, this award is a testament to the talented students, faculty and staff who I have had the pleasure of working with over the last 35 years at UVA, he wrote in an email about the SCHEV award.

His research is known nationally and internationally. The NIH has funded his research projects, many with cross-disciplinary collaborators and students, for more than 30 years. He has published 246 papers in refereed journals at last count, many with student co-authors, and his work has an exceptionally high rate of citation by other researchers.

Some of the topics he and colleagues have studied include whether strength training is safe and effective for prepubescent children, and how high-intensity exercise affects growth hormone release or cardiometabolic risk in older adults.

He has served as an exercise physiology adviser for the Department of Athletics at UVA since 1990, as well as for a number of professional sports teams.

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UVA, UVA-Wise Land Three Professors Among State's Top 12 for 2020 - University of Virginia

Tierney named student of the month

Whittier House announced Natalie Tierney, daughter of Gregory Tierney and Laura Tierney, as student of the month for November. Natalie is currently enrolled in AP Statistics, AP Literature and Composition, AP Music Theory, AP Calculus BC, Programming, Honors Band, and Nutrition. Natalie is a dedicated student and a great representation of both Whittier House and Chelmsford High School.

Natalie, also known as Nat to her softball peers, has achieved many accolades in the classroom. Nat has earned membership into the National Honor Society, National English Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society. She has reached High Honor Roll status all through her years at CHS. She has been recognized as an Emerging Leader two years in a row. She has been selected, based on highest GPA in the program, as the Scholar Athlete for both the Varsity Basketball and Varsity Softball teams. Nat has also been recognized by the John Philip Sousa National High School Honors Band and earned recognition as a Book Scholar Award recipient her junior year.

The tremendous work Nat has accomplished in the classroom is matched with exemplary work outside of the classroom. Nat is a member of the Marching Band, Pit Orchestra, Varsity Basketball and Varsity Softball teams, a Freshman Mentor and an active member in LIME. Nat is also the Flute Section Leader in the band.

Outside of CHS, Nat volunteers and works many hours. Her community service includes the local bottle and can drive, Chelmsford Public Library Book Drive, and volunteering at the CHS Girls basketball and softball camps. Nat works as an employee for Community Education during the school year and through the summer. In her free time Nat enjoys playing the flute, painting, reading, being outdoors and spending time with family and friends.

Next year Natalie plans to attend college and major in math and/or computer science with a minor in music, entering the field of mathematics after receiving a degree. Whatever the future holds for Nat, I am sure that she will continue to have a smile on her face and embrace any obstacles or challenges that she encounters. Whittier House sincerely wishes Nat the best of luck and continued success in the future.

Chaudhary named student of the month

Whittier House announced Aaryan Chaudhary, son of Ashish Chaudhary and Archana Chaudhary, as student of the month for November. Aaryan is currently enrolled in AP Calculus AB, AP English Literature and Composition, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Psychology, Anatomy and Physiology Honors, Introduction to Engineering and Design, and The Power of Choice.

Aaryan is a very successful student at CHS and major contributor to the school culture. As a result of his fantastic work in the classroom, Aaryan has earned membership into the National Honor Society, National English Honor Society and The National French Honor Society. Aaryan has also achieved AP Scholar status, High Honor Roll for all terms at CHS, and was recognized as an Emerging Leader from Whittier House in the Spring of 2019.

Aaryans work in the classroom is almost unmatched, but his work outside of the classroom truly makes CHS a better place. Aaryan is on the Freshman Mentor Board, a member of the Interact Club, DECA, Math Team, Science Team and a very active member of Class Reps. His work and dedication in all of these extra-curricular areas has resulted in Aaryan being a leader and great representation of what CHS has to offer. Aaryan was also chosen to represent Chelmsford with a group of his peers at the RYLA Leadership Summer Camp during the summer following his 10th grade year.

Aaryan stays very active outside of CHS. He is almost a decade-long participant in Taekwondo, which has resulted in him earning a third-degree black belt. He is a scooper at the recently opened Trailside Ice Cream in Chelmsford Center and a mentor at Code Academy for young aspiring coders.

Aaryan plans on studying Biomedical Engineering with the hopes of earning an undergraduate degree with the possibility of pursuing a PhD in the field. He also plans to continue to serve his community.

Whittier House is very excited to see what the future has in store for Aaryan. We wish him the best of luck during the remainder of his senior year and beyond.

LaCava named student of the month

Hawthorne House announced that Emma LaCava has been selected as the student of the month for November. Emma is the daughter of Jessica and Michael LaCava. Emma has been an outstanding academic and fine art related student at Chelmsford High School.

This year, Emma is enrolled in a variety of challenging courses at Chelmsford High School including AP English Literature, Honors Band, Calculus, AP Psychology, Physics, Nutrition, and Sociology. During her high school years, she has maintained High Honor Roll every term and is a member of the National Honor Society, the Spanish Honor Society, and the National English Honor Society.

Emma has been an active member of our theater, music, and fine art programs at Chelmsford High School. She has made a deep and lasting impact on these programs throughout her time at Chelmsford High School and these programs for years to come. Emma has been extremely active in the CHS Marching Band serving as the Drum Major for both her junior and senior years. Through her work with the Theatre Guild she has served as the Assistant Student Producer last year and the Student Producer this year. Her passionate investment in the Theater program for countless shows over the past four years in nearly every role has enriched and enlivened each production. Emma is also a member of the CHS Jazz Band, All Town Wind Ensemble, and serves as the student reporter to the Chelmsford High School Alumni Association. Emma is one of the most talented, creative, and passionate students we currently have at Chelmsford High School. She clearly balances her passion for the Fine Arts with her academic achievements.

Outside of school, Emma volunteers her talents as a Sunday School teacher at the Grace Community Church and has worked with kids in the after-school programs at both the Center Elementary and South Row Elementary Schools. It is evident that Emma gives of herself selflessly and whole heartedly to whichever activity she is involved.

Emma plans to major in either Business or Business Administration and hopes to attend either Northeastern University, Bentley University, or American University next fall. In the future, Emma hopes to work as an Event Planner and dreams of owning her own business planning private events. Emmas passion coupled with her wonderful personality and work ethic will undoubtedly make her an extraordinary success. It is with great confidence that Chelmsford High School can state that Emma will leave a lasting impact when she takes her talent, passion, and enthusiasm to her school next year.

Hawthorne House and Chelmsford High School are proud to have Emma LaCava as our Student of the month and we are confident she will succeed in anything she decides to pursue.

Boles named student of the month

Hawthorne House announced that Chase Boles has been selected as the student of the month for November. Chase is the son of Deborah and Randall Boles. Chase has been an outstanding academic and fine art related student at Chelmsford High School.

This year, Chase is enrolled in a variety of challenging courses at Chelmsford High School including AP English, AP Spanish, AP Calculus, AP Environmental Science, Common Law and Trial Procedures, and an independent study in English Dialectology and Accentology. During his high school years, he has maintained High Honor Roll every term and is a member of the National Honor Society, the National English Honor Society, the Spanish Honor Society, and is a National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalist.

Chase has been an active member of our theater, music, and fine art programs at Chelmsford High School. He has made a profound impact on these programs throughout his time at Chelmsford High School and will leave as one of the most decorated actors/singers/performers in school history. He has been a three -year member of the nationally recognized a Capella group The Thursdays. Chase has been integral to the groups success through his vocal and arranging talents helping the group make it to Nationals the last three years and placing 3rd overall last year! Chase has also been passionately involved in the CHS Musical over the past four years landing important roles in Into the Woods, Anything Goes, Fiddler on the Roof, and this years production of Chicago. Chase was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Leaf Coneybear in the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee for METG. In addition to these commitments, Chase is a member of the Vocal Jazz Ensemble, L.I.M.E, Deans Council, and Middlesex Community College Childrens Theater. Chase is one of the most talented, creative, and passionate students we currently have at Chelmsford High School. He clearly balances his passion for the Fine Arts with his academic achievements.

Outside of school, Chase gives selfishly of himself to his community. He has volunteered as a piano accompanist at the Paul Center, with the Chelmsford Friends of Music, and at the Savoy Light Opera Company in Carlisle. Chase gives of himself selflessly and whole heartedly to whichever activity he is involved. Yet what sets Chase apart is his natural empathy and kindness. Chase makes those with whom he has contact the better for it!

Chase plans to major in Linguistics/Anthropology and Applied Mathematics and hopes to attend either Brown University, McGill University or Wesleyan University. Chase hopes to join the Peace Corps in Vietnam after college, attend graduate school, and eventually become a college professor. Those who know Chase do not doubt him in the slightest! It is with great confidence that Chelmsford High School can state that Chase will be a tremendous addition to a fortunate college in the fall when he takes his talent, passion, and enthusiasm to his school next year.

Hawthorne House and Chelmsford High School are proud to have Chase Boles as our Student of the month and we are confident he will succeed in anything he decides to pursue.

Estafanous named student of the month

Emerson House announced Boula Estafanous, son of Emad Estafanous and Marian Estafanous, as student of the month for November. Boula is an exceptional student at Chelmsford High School and is currently engaged in a rigorous set of classes. He is taking five Advanced Placement courses as a senior. These AP classes include Chemistry, Calculus, Psychology, Statistics, and Literature & Composition. Along with these courses, Boula is also taking Honors Anatomy & Physiology and Principles of Engineering. His dedication to his studies and extracurricular activities is amazing and commendable. Boula is a great representation of both Emerson House and Chelmsford High School.

Boula is a very talented student and leader who is well respected and regarded at Chelmsford High School. Academically, Boula is a consistent High Honor Roll student, maintaining an impressive 4.076 GPA. He is a member of four different honor societies at Chelmsford High School. These include, the National Honor Society, the Spanish Honor Society, the National English Honor Society, and the newly formed Science National Honor Society. Along with his amazing academic accomplishments, Boula is involved in a variety of athletic and civic clubs at Chelmsford High School. He is a Freshman Mentor, a member of the GIVE, Journey, Interact, Key and Badminton Clubs. Additionally, he is a member of the Thomas Jefferson Forum Board. Boula is extremely dedicated to his family and his church. He is a Deacon at his church and a St. Mark Winter Camp Counselor. This past summer, he opted to forgo an amazing internship opportunity at UMASS Lowell in order to work to help support his family. This tremendously selfless young man loves his family and parents. Boula and his family moved to Chelmsford from Egypt when he was in the fourth grade. His long-term goal is to help his parents retire.

Boula is a highly motivated and dedicated student who has earned his recognition as a top Emerson student. He has plans to attend Tufts or Brown next fall and study Biomedical Engineering. Boula is fluent in 3 languages, English, Arabic and Spanish. He can read and write Coptic and is highly dedicated to his faith. He also enjoys biking, swimming, and playing soccer. Boula is an impressive individual and we wish him continued success.

Adams named student of the month

Emerson House announced Jasmine Adams, daughter of Angelo Adams and Donna Adams, as student of the month for November. Jasmine is currently enrolled in many rigorous courses, including three Advanced Placement courses. These AP courses include Psychology, Computer Science, and Calculus AB. Additionally, Jasmine is taking Anatomy & Physiology, Senior Odyssey, Digital Filmmaking, and Common Law & Trial Procedures II. Jasmine is one of the highest ranked students in the school and has proven herself as a leader. Her impressive achievements, both in and out of the classroom, make her an obvious choice for Emerson Student of the month.

Jasmine Adams is a highly intelligent, hardworking, personable and ambitious young woman who has a very impressive resume. Jasmine embodies many great qualities. She is a scholar, an athlete, and a leader. Academically, Jasmine has excelled earning some amazing accolades, including membership into the National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society and the English Honor Society. This consistent High Honor Roll student has also been a standout track athlete. A member of both the Indoor and Outdoor Track teams, Jasmine is a state qualifying relay runner and high jumper. Her track accomplishments have led to her receiving 2nd Team All Conference awards. In addition to her academic and athletic achievements, Jasmine is highly involved in a variety of extracurricular activities at CHS, demonstrating amazing leadership qualities. She is a member of the Interact Club, Thomas Jefferson Forum, Deans Council, and is a Freshman Mentor. Additionally, Jasmine is a volunteer, dedicating her time to her church and the Chelmsford Public Library. She also is an assistant teacher and member of the Studio A Dance Company and the videographer for Chelmsford Pop Warner Football.

Jasmine Adams is an exceptional student and while Chelmsford High will experience a void upon her departure. Jasmine has aspirations of majoring in Biomedical Engineering and is considering attending West Point and has already received an offer to attend the Naval Academy. This past summer, Jasmine attended the Harvard Summer Pre-College Program and Leadership Summits at both West Point and the Air Force Academy. Jasmine is a dedicated student, continuously creating goals for herself that she not only meets, but far surpasses. We wish her continued success in all her future endeavors.

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STUDENTS OF THE MONTH - Wicked Local Chelmsford

University of Texas professor John Goodenough will receive the Nobel Prize in Chemistry tomorrow at a ceremony in Sweden.

Goodenough won the award for his part in developing the lithium-ion battery, which powers most cell phones, electric cars and other portable electronic devices. At 97-years-old, he is the oldest person to ever win a Nobel Prize.

Hes not the first Longhorn laureate, of course.

Eight UT professors and alumni have won a Nobel Prize. Their pioneering work proves that what starts here really does change the world. They include:

Hermann Joseph Muller, a UT professor from 1920 to 1932, won the 1946 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He was the first to show that radiation from X-rays could cause gene mutations and played a key role in early efforts to promote public awareness of the dangers of radiation.

Ilya Prigogine, a former UT professor, won the 1977 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He showed how complex structures, such as life on Earth, could arise despite a law of physics that says all physical systems tend to become less organized over time. His research could also help explain the growth of cities and the dynamics of traffic jams.

UT professor Steven Weinbergwon the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physics. He proposed a theory unifying two fundamental forces of nature that led to the development of what is known as the Standard Model of particle physics the model that predicted the existence of the Higgs boson God particle. Weinberg is considered by many to be the preeminent living theoretical physicist.

UT alumnus E. Donnall Thomas, B.A.41, M.A. 43, won the 1990 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Known as the father of bone marrow transplantation, he showed bone marrow could be successfully transplanted to treat illnesses such as leukemia, a discovery that paved the way for the use of organ and cell transplants as a way to treat diseases.

UT alumnus John Maxwell J.M. Coetzee, Ph.D. 69, won the 2003 Nobel Prize in Literature. One of the most award-winning English-language authors alive, he was the first to win the prestigious Booker prize twice for The Life & Times of Michael K in 1983 and Disgrace in 1989. The Swedish Academy praised the universal and humanistic character of his literary work.

Photo courtesy of Rockefeller University

UT alumnus Michael W. Young won the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He shared the award with Jeffrey Hall and Michael Rosbash for research that led to the understanding of how plants, animals and humans synchronize their biological clocks with the Earths rotation. The three researchers analyzed genes of fruit flies and discovered that genes accumulated a specific protein at night that gradually degraded during daylight hours. Read more here.

UT alumnus James Allison, B.A. 69, Ph.D. 73, won the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Allison, who is chairman of immunology at MD Anderson Cancer Center, shared the award with Tasuku Honjo of Kyoto University for discovering a new way to attack cancer by releasing the brakes on immune cells, a major landmark in the fight against cancer.Allisons pioneering work in immunotherapy has saved countless lives and turnedonce untreatable diagnoses into ones that are now treatable and beatable. Read more here.

John Goodenough, a professor in the Cockrell School of Engineering, won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his part in developing the lithium-ion battery, which powers most portable electronic devices, including cell phones and laptop computers. The lithium-ion battery can also store significant energy from solar and wind power, which has allowed for the development of new clean energy technologies. Goodenough won the award jointly with Stanley Whittingham of the State University of New York at Binghamton and Akira Yoshino of Meijo University. In the words of the Nobel Foundation, Through their work, they have created the right conditions for a wireless and fossil fuel-free society, and so brought the greatest benefit to humankind. Read more on the lithium-ion battery here.

Original post written by Kylie Fitzpatrick and updated by Ellie Breed, University Communications.

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Longhorn Laureates - UT News | The University of Texas at Austin

Understanding the findings to translate day length encoding into seasonal physiological and behavioural responses in animals.

Biologists at Texas A&M University are making strides in understanding biological clock function in several model organisms and translating these studies into broader implications for human health, such as understanding seasonal depression.

The Merlin Laboratory in the Texas A&M Department of Biology has found genetic evidence linking circadian clock genes and clock-regulated molecular pathways to the Monarch butterflys uncanny ability to sense the changes in day length, or photoperiod an environmental cue that signals them to migrate and triggers the reproductive dormancy they exhibit in the process.

Their work establishes a clear connection between clock genes and the vitamin A pathway within the brain of this iconic insect.

The Merlin Labs study, published in theProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, not only provides genetic proof for the photoperiod-clock connection but also demonstrates for the first time that it also regulates a critical vitamin A pathway necessary for seasonal responses.

Texas A&M biologist and 2017 Klingenstein-Simons Fellow Christine Merlin, said: Nearly all organisms adapt to the seasons by adjusting their physiology and behaviour to changes in day length, or photoperiod.

Despite decades of research, the molecular and genetic mechanisms by which changes in photoperiod are sensed and translated into seasonal changes in animal physiology and behaviour have remained poorly understood.

While much remains to be learned, our findings pave the way for understanding the mechanisms by which vitamin A operates in the brain to translate day length encoding into seasonal physiological and behavioural responses in animals.

Given that seasonal changes associated with this pathway have also been reported in the mammalian brain, it is tantalising to speculate that the function of vitamin A in animal photoperiodism may be evolutionary conserved.

If this turns out to be the case, our work in the Monarch could have implications for better understanding seasonal changes in the human brain that could lead to ailments such as seasonal depression.

For the past six years, Merlins lab within the Texas A&M Center for Biological Clocks Research has been using the majestic Monarch as a model to study animal migration, the role of circadian clocks in regulating daily and seasonal animal physiology and behaviour, and the evolution of the animal clockwork.

Aided by CRISPR/Cas9 technology, her group already has succeeded in altering key biological clock-related genes in the Monarch in order to study their impact on daily circadian rhythms and seasonal migratory responses.

One of the complications the Merlin lab had to overcome in the study is that vitamin A is necessary for visual function of the Monarchs compound eyes, meaning that their ninaB1 full-body knockouts would be rendered blind. As a fail-safe, Merlins team had to find a non-genetic way to eliminate the potential function of the compound eyes as a possible tie-back to the lack of photoperiodic responses observed in these new mutant butterflies.

Merlin said: We had to be creative, so we turned to arts and crafts experiments.

By painting the compound eyes of wild-type adult butterflies with black paint, we demonstrated that visual function was not necessary for photoperiodic responses, thereby supporting the idea that the vitamin A function in the brain and not the eyes is responsible for photoperiodic sensing and responses.

Merlin says the study raises interesting questions regarding the pathways possible involvement in any number of intriguing scenarios, including the production of a deep-brain photoreceptor for photoperiodic sensing, the seasonal regulation of a retinoic acid-mediated transcriptional program, and/or the seasonal plasticity of the clock neuronal circuitry in the brain.

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Could the Monarch butterfly help us to understand seasonal depression? - Health Europa

7th Pay Commission news today: All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Jodhpur has invited applications for over 110 posts of Senior Resident. Candidates can apply for the posts through online registration of application on AIIMS, Jodhpur website, http://www.aiimsjodhpur.edu.in. Interested candidates need to check the eligibility criteria and apply before December 30, 2019. Interestingly, the selected candidates will be paid as per 7th pay commission report based salary system.

7th Pay Commissionpay scale:For Senior Resident (Medical) candidates the pay scale is Rs 18,750 + 6,600 (Grade Pay) + NPA (Non Practicing Allowance) plus other usual allowance or revised pay scale as per 7th CPC as applicable. (Level 11 of the Matrix (Pre-revised PB 3, entry pay of the Rs 67,700per month + NPA plus other usual allowance admissible under rules).

Notably, NPA is applicable for only Medical candidates.

Vacancy details:Anesthesiology and Critical Care, MD / DNB (Anaesthesiology)Anatomy, MD / MS / DNB (Anatomy) / M.Sc. (Anatomy) with PhDBiochemistry, MD / DNB (Biochemistry) / M.Sc. (Biochemistry) with PhDBurns & Plastic Surgery, M.Ch./DNB (Burn & Plastic Surgery)Cardiology, DM/DNB (Cardiology)Cardiothoracic Surgery, M.Ch./DNB (CTVS)Community Medicine and Family Medicine, MD/DNB (Community Medicine / PSM)Dentistry (Endodontics), MDS (Endodontics)Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, MD/DNB (Radiology)Endocrinology & Metabolism, DM/DNB (Endocrinology)Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, MD/DNB (Forensic Medicine)Gastroenterology, DM/DNB (Gastroenterology)General Medicine, MD/DNB (General Medicine)General Surgery, MS/DNB (General Surgery)Medical Oncology / Haematology, DM/DNB (Medical Oncology) / DM / DNB (Haematology)Microbiology, MD/DNB (Microbiology)Neonatology, MD/DNB (Paediatrics)/DM/DNB (Neonatology)Nephrology, DM/DNB (Nephrology)Neurology, DM/DNB (Neurology)Nuclear Medicine, MD/DNB (Nuclear Medicine)Orthopaedics, MS/DNB (Orthopaedics)Obstetrics and Gynaecology, MS/MD/DNB (Obs. & Gynaecology)Paediatric Surgery, M.Ch/DNB (Paediatric Surgery)Paediatrics, MD/DNB (Paediatrics)Pathology / Lab. Medicine, MD/DNB (Pathology)Pharmacology, MD/DNB (Pharmacology)Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, MD/DNB (PMR)Physiology, MD/DNB (Physiology) / M.Sc. (Physiology) with PhDPsychiatry, MD/DNB (Psychiatry)Radiotherapy, MD/DNB (Radiotherapy)Surgical Gastroenterology, M.Ch/DNB (Surgical Gastroenterology)Surgical Oncology, M.Ch/DNB (Surgical Oncology)Transfusion Medicine and Blood Bank, MD/DNB (Transfusion Medicine / Pathology)Trauma & Emergency (Medical), MD/DNB (Medicine/Geriatric Medicine/Emergency Medicine)Trauma & Emergency (Surgical), MS/DNB (General Surgery)/M.Ch (Trauma Surgery and Critical Care)Urology, M.Ch/DNB (Urology)

Application Fees:For General/OBC category candidates the application fees is Rs 1,000/- + transaction charges as applicable. For SC/ST category the application fees are Rs 800. Note that the payment should be made online only.

Candidates can also check the official notice from the official website or else from this linkhere.

Watch Zee Business Live TV below:

Selection Process:Selection will be on the basis of MCQ based written examination and Interview. Candidates will be called for Interview in the ratio of 1:6 i.e. for one post, only six candidates will be called for the interview.

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7th Pay Commission news today: Get salary upto Rs 67,700 in this sarkari institution, apply at aiimsjodhpur... - Zee Business