Tuesday 29 July 2014

Lipoic acid helps restore, synchronize the ‘biological clock’

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Researchers have discovered a possible explanation for the surprisingly large range of biological effects that are linked to a micronutrient called lipoic acid: It appears to reset and synchronize circadian rhythms, or the “biological clock” found in most life forms. The ability of lipoic acid to help restore a more normal circadian rhythm to aging animals could explain its apparent value in so many important biological functions, ranging from stress resistance to cardiac function, hormonal balance, muscle performance, glucose metabolism and the aging process. The findings were made by biochemists from the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, and published in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, a professional journal. The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, through the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Lipoic acid has been the focus in recent years of increasing research by scientists around the world, who continue to find previously unknown effects of this micronutrient. As an antioxidant and compound essential for aerobic metabolism, it’s found at higher levels in organ meats and leafy vegetables such as spinach and broccoli.   With age, circadian rhythms can lose their proper synchronization, and also become less pronounced. (Graphic courtesy of Oregon State University)

The post Lipoic acid helps restore, synchronize the ‘biological clock’ has been published on Technology Org.

 
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Hubble Hits - Best of Hubble Print

Here's a great poster featuring a beautiful image from deep space


tagged with: astronomy, nebula, stars, planets, galaxies, telescope, space, hubble, space images

Infant galaxies, distant quasars, exploding stars, mysterious black holes, colliding galaxies. Since its launch on April 24, 1990, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has provided a stunning view of our universe by making unique discoveries and capturing spectacular images.

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This biological pacemaker is all muscle

Science Focus

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Scientists working in pigs have used gene therapy to convert a small area of heart muscle into a specialized group of cells that can initiate a heartbeat, essentially creating a biological pacemaker.

Normally, the heartbeats of pigs, as in humans, originate from a specialized clump of cells called the sinoatrial node. Sometimes diseases of the heart's electrical system can compromise this node and cause abnormal heart rhythms, which are often treated by implanting an electronic pacemaker to regulate the heartbeat. Some 300,000 electronic pacemakers are implanted in the U.S. alone every year...

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 » see original post http://theweek.com/article/index/264931/this-biological-pacemaker-is-all-muscle
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Physicists propose molecular clock to expose new physics

Science Focus

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Credit: S. Schiller et al., Phys. Rev. Lett (2014) A trio of researchers from Germany, Bulgaria and Russia has proposed the idea of using a molecular clock to determine if the electron-proton mass ratio changes over time. In their paper published in Physical Review Letters, Stephan Schiller, Dimitre Bakalov, and Vladimir Korobov describe a theoretical method for building such a clock and why if one were built, it might lead to new physics. Everyone knows that atomic clocks are the gold standard for timing accuracy—they work by measuring the frequency of radiation as electrons from a single atom move from one energy level to another. In their paper, the researchers suggest that amolecular clock could be constructed by using a molecule with just two atoms and simultaneously combining multiple frequencies. They suggest such an approach could provide a more accurate assessment of whether the electron-proton mass ratio changes over time. Read more at: Phys.org  

The post Physicists propose molecular clock to expose new physics has been published on Technology Org.

 
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 » see original post http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TechnologyOrgPhysicsNews/~3/irkZu4CL6MU/
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Secret of sandstone shapes revealed

Science Focus

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Geologists discover that the stress applied by gravity is what controls the shape of dramatic sandstone landmarks. 
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 » see original post http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-28365410#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
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Superconductivity could form at high temperatures in layered 2-D crystals

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An elusive state of matter called superconductivity could be realized in stacks of sheetlike crystals just a few atoms thick, new analysis determined. Electrons and 'holes' would accumulate in separate layers of a 2D semiconductor compound in response to an electrical field forming a superfluid gas of indirect excitons. Counterflow superconductivity would result.

via Science Daily

NASA long-lived Mars Opportunity rover passes 25 miles of driving

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NASA's Opportunity Mars rover, which landed on the Red Planet in 2004, now holds the off-Earth roving distance record after accruing 25 miles (40 kilometers) of driving. The previous record was held by the Soviet Union's Lunokhod 2 rover.

via Science Daily

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Printing the metals of the future

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3-D printers can create all kinds of things, from eyeglasses to implantable medical devices, straight from a computer model and without the need for molds. But for making spacecraft, engineers sometimes need custom parts that traditional manufacturing techniques and standard 3-D printers can't create, because they need to have the properties of multiple metals. Now, researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, are implementing a printing process that transitions from one metal or alloy to another in a single object.

via Science Daily

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Cassini spacecraft reveals 101 geysers and more on icy Saturn moon

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Scientists using mission data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft have identified 101 distinct geysers erupting on Saturn's icy moon Enceladus. Their analysis suggests it is possible for liquid water to reach from the moon's underground sea all the way to its surface.

via Science Daily

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Cool-burning flames in space, could lead to better engines on Earth

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Scientists have discovered a new type of cool burning flames that could lead to cleaner, more efficient engines for cars. The discovery was made during a series of experiments on the International Space Station.

via Science Daily

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Next-generation thirty meter telescope begins construction in Hawaii

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Following the approval of a sublease on July 25 by the Hawaii Board of Land and Natural Resources, the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) announces the beginning of the construction phase on Hawaii Island and around the world throughout the TMT international partnership. Contingent on that decision, the TMT International Observatory (TIO) Board of Directors, the project's new governing body, recently approved the initial phase of construction, with activities near the summit of Mauna Kea scheduled to start later this year.

via Science Daily

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Glow in space is evidence of a hot bubble in our galaxy

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A recent study shows that the emission is dominated by the local hot bubble of gas -- 1 million degrees -- with, at most, 40 percent of emission originating within the solar system. The findings should put to rest the disagreement about the origin of the X-ray emission and confirm the existence of the local hot bubble.

via Science Daily

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A Sky Portal in New Zealand

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Zazzle Space Gifts for young and old

Gaia: ‘Go’ for science

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Following extensive in-orbit commissioning and several unexpected challenges, ESA’s billion-star surveyor, Gaia, is now ready to begin its science mission.




via ESA Space Science

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Gaia/Gaia_Go_for_science

Eta Carinae Nebula Wall Skin

Here's a great wall decal featuring a beautiful image from deep space


tagged with: eta carinae nebula, eta carinae, carinae, nebula, carinae nebula, space, astronomy, stars, outer space, wr 22

This spectacular panoramic view combines a new image of the field around the Wolf–Rayet star WR 22 in the Carina Nebula (right) with an earlier picture of the region around the unique star Eta Carinae in the heart of the nebula (left).

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‘Nanocamera’ takes pictures at distances smaller than light’s own wavelength

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Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have demonstrated that an array of novel gold, pillar-bowtie nanoantennas (pBNAs) can be used like traditional photographic film to record light for distances that are much smaller than the wavelength of light (for example, distances less than ~600 nm for red light). A standard optical microscope acts as a “nanocamera” whereas the pBNAs are the analogous film. This is an image of the Illinois “Block I ” logo recorded by the plasmonic film. Each bar in the letter is approximately 6 micrometers. “Unlike conventional photographic film, the effect (writing and curing) is seen in real time,” explained Kimani Toussaint, an associate professor of mechanical science and engineering, who led the research. “We have demonstrated that this multifunctional plasmonic film can be used to create optofluidic channels without walls. Because simple diode lasers and low-input power densities are sufficient to record near-field optical information in the pBNAs, this increases the potential for optical data storage applications using off-the-shelf, low-cost, read-write laser systems.” “Particle manipulation is the proof-of-principle application,” stated Brian Roxworthy, first author of the group’s paper, “Multifunctional Plasmonic Film for Recording Near-Field Optical Intensity,” published in the journal, Nano Letters. “Specifically, the trajectory

The post ‘Nanocamera’ takes pictures at distances smaller than light’s own wavelength has been published on Technology Org.

 
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Venus Express: up above the clouds so high

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ESA’s Venus Express spacecraft has climbed to a new orbit following its daring aerobraking experiment, and will now resume observations of this fascinating planet for at least a few more months.




via ESA Space Science

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Venus_Express/Venus_Express_up_above_the_clouds_so_high

Monogram - Eagle Nebula, Pillars of Creation Stickers

Here's a great sheet of stickers featuring a beautiful image from deep space


tagged with: breathtaking astronomy images, eglneb, young stars clusters, star forming nebulae, messier 16 ngc 6611, pillars of creation, inspirational, eagle nebula, monograms, initialled, heavens, eso, european southern observatory, vista, initials, monogrammed, monogram

Galaxies, Stars and Nebulae series A breathtaking outer space picture showing a spectacular three-colour composite mosaic image of the Eagle Nebula (Messier 16, or NGC 6611). It's based on images obtained with the Wide-Field Imager camera on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at the La Silla Observatory.

At the centre, the so-called “Pillars of Creation” can be seen and this wide-field image shows not only the central pillars, but also several others in the same star-forming region, as well as a huge number of stars in front of, in, or behind the Eagle Nebula.

The cluster of bright stars to the upper right is NGC 6611, home to the massive and hot stars that illuminate the pillars. The “Spire” - another large pillar - is in the middle left of the image.

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image code: eglneb

ESO/J. Emerson/VISTA www.eso.org
Reproduced under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.

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Planet, stars and Sun in Galaxy Fantasy Art Room Sticker

Here's a great wall decal featuring a beautiful image from deep space


tagged with: planets, galaxy, universe, solar system, fantasy art, nebula, stars, cosmos, sun, astronomy, sci fi, science fiction

Planet, stars and sun in the galaxy fantasy art design with a graphic design of a gas planet with rings in colors of beige against a solar system of pink, mauve, and light purple, and a sun with a solar flare, and a nebula. Stars dot the cosmic sky. This fantasy art of the universe can be printed on many different products.

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Ring Nebula (NASA/Hubble Telescope) Cover For The iPad Mini

Here's a great iPad case from Zazzle featuring a Hubble-related design. Maybe you'd like to see your name on it? Click to personalize and see what it's like!


tagged with: space, nasa, hubble space telescope, space photography, astronomy, geek present, nerd gift, outer space, rainbow, colorful, star, starry, night sky, astronomer gift

Travel to outer space without leaving the dinner table, when you have these plates featuring this Hubble Telescope image of the Ring Nebula, courtesy of NASA.

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