Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/275145188?client_source=feed&format=rss
Monday, January 7, 2013
Important factor in fat storage and energy metabolism
Jan. 6, 2013 ? As part of their ongoing research on the physiologic factors that contribute to the development of obesity, Joslin Diabetes Center scientists have identified a cell cycle transcriptional co-regulator -- TRIP-Br2 -- that plays a major role in energy metabolism and fat storage. This finding has the potential to lead to new treatments for obesity. The study is being published January 6 ahead of print by Nature Medicine.
Transcriptional co-regulators manage the expression of DNA, either by activating or suppressing the expression of genes. TRIP-Br2 regulates metabolic genes involved in fat storage and energy metabolism. Joslin scientists are actively involved in studying the regulation of the many factors that control the storage, mobilization and utilization of excess energy in adipocytes (fat cells).
The scientists looked at TRIP-Br2 levels in mice fed a low-fat diet and a high-fat diet as well as obese mice: the mice on the high-fat diet and the obese mice had higher levels of TRIP-Br2 in their fat tissue. They also found that TRIP-Br2 is significantly elevated in the visceral fat (the fat that accumulates around the middle of the body which has more harmful effects than fat in other areas of the body) of obese people, especially those who store fat mostly in that area.
To illuminate the physiological role of TRIP-Br2 on fat storage and metabolism, the scientists conducted experiments on mice genetically engineered not to produce TRIP-Br2, known as KO (knock out) mice, which were fed either a low-fat diet or a high-fat diet. The KO mice on the high-fat diet showed little change in their body weights, which were similar to the KO mice on the low-fat diet. The KO mice had higher energy expenditure due to increased heat production and increased oxygen consumption. In addition, the KO mice on the high-fat diet had improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity and lower triglycerides.
When TRIP-Br2 is suppressed, the expression of hormone sensitive lipase (HSL) and Beta3-adrenergic (Adrb3) receptors, which are involved in fat breakdown (lipolysis), is significantly enhanced in fat tissue. When TRIP-Br2 is elevated by obesity and a high-fat diet, it suppresses HSL and Adrb3 receptors resulting in a decrease in energy expenditure and an increase in fat accumulation.
"TRIP-Br2 is important for the accumulation of fat," says lead author Rohit N. Kulkarni, M.D., Ph.D., Principal Investigator in the Section on Islet Cell and Regenerative Biology and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. "When an animal lacks TRIP-Br2, it can't accumulate fat."
TRIP-Br2 modulates fat storage by simultaneously regulating lipolysis, energy output and oxidative metabolism -- which work together as complementary processes. "This is the first study to identify a cell cycle transcriptional co-regulator that controls these processes. TRIP-Br2 appears to have a different mechanism of action than transcriptional co-regulators reported in previous studies," says Dr. Kulkarni.
TRIP-Br2 is a potential therapeutic target to treat obesity and its related complications, including insulin resistance. The Joslin scientists are currently investigating ways to "reduce TRIP-Br2 in visceral fat, which would allow enhanced expression of HSL and Adrb3 receptors. The ability to modify these two molecules offers a new pathway for combating obesity," says Dr. Kulkarni.
Dr. Kulkarni and his colleagues are also investigating whether the suppression of TRIP-Br2 and the resulting resistance to obesity have an impact on the development of cardiovascular disease and metabolic complications.
This study was funded in part by Graetz Bridge Funds and the National Institutes of Health. The human studies were supported by a grant from the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG).
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Joslin Diabetes Center, via Newswise.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
- Chong Wee Liew, Jeremie Boucher, Jit Kong Cheong, Cecile Vernochet, Ho-Jin Koh, Cristina Mallol, Kristy Townsend, Dominique Langin, Dan Kawamori, Jiang Hu, Yu-Hua Tseng, Marc K Hellerstein, Stephen R Farmer, Laurie Goodyear, Alessandro Doria, Matthias Bl?her, Stephen I-Hong Hsu, Rohit N Kulkarni. Ablation of TRIP-Br2, a regulator of fat lipolysis, thermogenesis and oxidative metabolism, prevents diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance. Nature Medicine, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/nm.3056
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/u11O-qnEp3Y/130106145622.htm
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Egyptian constitution crisis spiraling into chaos
CAIRO (AP) ? Supporters and opponents of Egyptian leader Mohammed Morsi fought with rocks, firebombs and sticks outside the presidential palace in Cairo on Wednesday in large-scale clashes that marked the worst violence of a deepening crisis over the disputed constitution.
Egypt's Health Ministry said 126 people were wounded in the clashes that were still raging hours after nightfall.
Three of Morsi's aides resigned in protest of his handling of the crisis. With two aides who had quit earlier, now five of his panel of 17 advisers have left their jobs since the problems began.
Mohamed ElBaradei, a leading opposition advocate of reform and democracy, said Morsi's rule was "no different" from that of former President Hosni Mubarak, whose authoritarian regime was toppled in an uprising nearly two years ago.
"In fact, it is perhaps even worse," the Nobel Peace Laureate told a news conference after he accused the president's supporters of a "vicious and deliberate" attack on peaceful demonstrators.
The opposition is demanding Morsi rescind decrees giving him nearly unrestricted powers and shelve a disputed draft constitution that the president's Islamist allies passed hurriedly last week.
The dueling demonstrations and violence are part of a political crisis that has left the country divided into two camps: Islamists versus an opposition made up of youth groups, liberal parties and large sectors of the public. Both sides have dug in their heels, signaling a protracted standoff.
The latest clashes began when thousands of Islamist supporters of Morsi descended on the area around the palace where some 300 of his opponents were staging a sit-in. The Islamists, members of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood group, chased the protesters away from their base outside the palace's main gate and tore down their tents.
The protesters scattered in side streets where they chanted anti-Morsi slogans. After a lull in fighting, hundreds of young Morsi opponents arrived at the scene and immediately began throwing firebombs at the president's backers, who responded with rocks.
"I voted for Morsi to get rid of Hosni Mubarak. I now regret it," Nadia el-Shafie yelled at the Brotherhood supporters from a side street. "God is greater than you. Don't think this power or authority will add anything to you. God made this revolution, not you," said the tearful el-Shafie as she was led away from the crowd of Islamists.
By nightfall, there were about 10,000 Islamists outside the palace. They set up metal barricades to keep traffic off a stretch of road that runs parallel to the palace in Cairo's upscale Heliopolis district. Some of them appeared to plan staging their own sit-in.
"May God protect Egypt and its president," read a banner hoisted on a truck that came with the Islamists. Atop, a man using a loudspeaker recited verses from the Quran.
"We came to support the president. We feel there is a legitimacy that someone is trying to rob," said engineer Rabi Mohammed, a Brotherhood supporter. "People are rejecting democratic principles using thuggery."
At least 100,000 opposition supporters rallied outside the palace on Tuesday and smaller protests were staged by the opposition elsewhere in Cairo and across much of Egypt. It was the latest of a series of mass protests against the president
Buoyed by the massive turnout on Tuesday, the mostly secular opposition held a series of meetings late Tuesday and Wednesday to decide on next steps in the standoff that began Nov. 22 with Morsi's decrees that placed him above oversight of any kind.
It escalated after the president's allies who dominated the constitution-writing assembly hurriedly pushed through the draft constitution without participation of representatives of liberals, minority Christians and women.
While calling for more mass rallies is the obvious course of action, activists said opposition leaders also were discussing whether to campaign for a "no" vote in a Dec. 15 constitutional referendum or to call for a boycott.
Brotherhood leaders have been calling on the opposition to enter a dialogue with the Islamist leader. But the opposition contends that a dialogue is pointless unless the president first rescinds his decrees and shelves the draft charter.
Vice President Mahmoud Mekki called for a dialogue between the president and the opposition to reach a "consensus" on the disputed articles of the constitution and put their agreement in a document that would be discussed by the next parliament. But he said the referendum must go ahead and that he was making his "initiative" in a personal capacity not on behalf of Morsi. He put the number of clauses in disputes at 15, out of a total of 234.
Speaking to reporters, ElBaradei said there would be no dialogue unless Morsi rescinded his decrees and shelved the constitution draft. Asked to comment on Mekki's offer, he said: "With all due respect, we don't deal with personal initiatives. If there is a genuine desire for dialogue, the offer must come from President Morsi."
The charter has been criticized for not protecting the rights of women and minority groups, and many journalists see it as restricting freedom of expression. Critics also say it empowers Islamic religious clerics by giving them a say over legislation, while some articles were seen as tailored to get rid of the Islamists' enemies.
If the referendum goes ahead as scheduled and the draft constitution is adopted, elections for parliament's lawmaking lower chamber will be held in February.
____
AP reporters Maggie Michael and Sarah El Deeb contributed to this report.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypt-descends-political-turmoil-201107184.html
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Wednesday, December 5, 2012
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Gases from grasses: Simulations on Ranger supercomputer help researchers understand biofuel reactions
ScienceDaily (Dec. 3, 2012) ? In a well-known fairy tale, Rumpelstiltskin used magic to weave straw into gold. Today, scientists are reversing that formula -- using gold to turn straw (and other forms of biomass) into today's global currency: energy.
The magic involves a special nanocatalyst, in which minute particles of gold dot the surface of titanium-oxide. The forces that emerge from the combination of these two materials are strong enough to breaks the O-O bond of oxygen molecules and the C-O bond of acetic acid, a byproduct of biomass conversion that, when combined with hydrogen, forms ethanol, an important precursor for fuel.
Because of its ability to split strongly bonded molecules, the gold titanium-oxide nanocatalyst is becoming a leading candidate for industrial applications that use biomass or fuel cells to create clean energy.
"Metal nanoparticles supported on oxide surface are very popular because they have high activity towards a variety of reactions, especially oxidation reactions," said Wenjie Tang, a research associate in the department of chemical engineering at the University of Virginia and a member of the Neurock group there. "People know they're active, but how they work and the real mechanism of their active sites was not quite understood."
Combining computer simulations and laboratory experiments, Tang and others from the University of Virginia discovered a reaction site on the perimeter of the gold-titanium complex that does much of the work of catalysis.
"Previously, researchers thought it might be only the gold that was active in the reaction; they didn't think the oxide surface had any influence," Tang said. "But recently we realized that the oxides play an important role in modifying the metals above them. They create this a special site at the perimeter which is really the important site for the reaction."
The researchers initial findings were reported in the August 2011 edition of Science. Further results of the study were published in the June 2012 edition of JACS. In August 2012, the scientists reported in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS) the first catalytic oxidation of acetic acid to ketenylidene (CCO) over a gold titanium-oxide catalyst. (Oxidation is the loss of electrons by a molecule -- an important process for catalysis.) The researchers think the discovery of this intermediate product, ketenylidene, will lead to the creation of valuable hydrocarbon fuels via reactions such as Fischer-Tropsch process. Further results of these studies are forthcoming.
Many analysts believe energy from oil will only grow more expensive over time. Biomass conversion has the potential to power a significant portion of the world's energy needs, however, scientists must find new ways to produce biofuels less expensively. Better catalysts are one important way to do so.
Catalysts speed up chemical reactions by altering the activation energy required for a reaction to proceed. Without a catalyst, two solvents may meet without a reaction. In the presence of a catalyst, those same molecules will be utterly transformed.
Catalytic reactions happen fast and the intermediate structures that form are not always apparent in the process. Computer simulations allow scientists to slow down the reactions in order to uncover and visualize the forces acting on molecules at the atomic level. The researchers used the Ranger supercomputer at the Texas Advanced Computing Center to explore aspects of the material reaction at the nanoscale that could not be investigated in the laboratory.
"Experiments can show many things, but they cannot reveal how the reactions take place," Tang said. "For example, we know there should be ketenylidene formation, but we were not sure whether it was on the gold or on the titanium. We also didn't know which site is the most active for turning acetic acid into ketenylidene."
Using density functional theory, a quantum mechanical modeling method used in physics and chemistry to investigate the electronic structure of molecules, the researchers calculated the interactions of more than 200 atoms using Ranger. The simulations helped the group identify the presence of an intermediate chemical in the reaction and determined that it was in fact ketenylidene.
The acetic acid-to-ketenylidene path combines dehydrogenation (oxidation) and the deoxygenation of the acetate, "which are crucial steps for biomass conversion into more valuable industrial chemicals," the authors wrote.
For Tang, the results proved the increasing usefulness of computer simulations to support physical experiment and to suggest new, more specific chemical reaction paths.
"I wouldn't have imagined calculating such a system five or 10 years ago," Tang said. "We didn't have the computing resources."
According to Jose Rodriguez from Brookhaven National Laboratory, the use of computational simulations in studies of surface catalysis is leading to new levels of understanding.
"[These are] excellent theoretical studies that help to understand the details for the mechanism of CO oxidation on Au/TiO2 surfaces," he said.
By generating gases from grasses and improving the capacity of fuel cells to separate hydrogen and oxygen, new catalysts are expected to alter fundamental energy-generating processes, promising cheaper and more sustainable fuels.
"Right now we're just trying to understand the principle of the catalysis," Tang said. "Hopefully, this will help other people when they try to choose a catalyst for certain reactions."
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Texas at Austin, Texas Advanced Computing Center. The original article was written by Aaron Dubrow.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal References:
- I. X. Green, W. Tang, M. Neurock, J. T. Yates. Spectroscopic Observation of Dual Catalytic Sites During Oxidation of CO on a Au/TiO2 Catalyst. Science, 2011; 333 (6043): 736 DOI: 10.1126/science.1207272
- Isabel Xiaoye Green, Wenjie Tang, Monica McEntee, Matthew Neurock, John T. Yates. Inhibition at Perimeter Sites of Au/TiO2Oxidation Catalyst by Reactant Oxygen. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2012; 134 (30): 12717 DOI: 10.1021/ja304426b
- Isabel Xiaoye Green, Wenjie Tang, Matthew Neurock, John T. Yates. Localized Partial Oxidation of Acetic Acid at the Dual Perimeter Sites of the Au/TiO2Catalyst?Formation of Gold Ketenylidene. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2012; 134 (33): 13569 DOI: 10.1021/ja305911e
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/matter_energy/physics/~3/swgbNcBDu-0/121204112604.htm
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Treat snoring to avoid deadly heart failure
ScienceDaily (Dec. 5, 2012) ? Patients with obstructive sleep apnea have the same early cardiovascular damage as diabetics, according to research presented at EUROECHO and other Imaging Modalities 2012. The study was presented by Dr Raluca Mincu from Bucharest, Romania.
EUROECHO and other Imaging Modalities 2012 is the annual meeting of the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI), a registered branch of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). It takes place 5-8 December in Athens, Greece, at the Megaron Athens International Conference Centre.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder that has been associated with cardiovascular disease. OSA increases the risk of hypertension, arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, stroke, sudden cardiac death and heart failure.
Dr Mincu said: "There are not enough studies in the medical literature on early cardiovascular dysfunction in patients with OSA, when active steps can be taken to prevent progression to heart failure."
She added: "Because OSA leads to so many cardiovascular disorders, we compared early cardiovascular dysfunction in OSA patients and patients with diabetes mellitus, which is a typical risk factor for cardiovascular disease."
The study assessed endothelial and arterial function in 20 patients with moderate to severe OSA (and no diabetes), 20 patients with treated type 2 diabetes mellitus (matched for age, sex and cardiovascular risk factors), and 20 healthy controls (age and sex matched).
In all subjects, arterial function was assessed by intima-media thickness (IMT). Arterial stiffness was measured by young elastic modulus, beta stiffness index, arterial compliance, first systolic peak and second systolic peak. Endothelial function was assessed by flow mediated dilatation (FMD).
Dr Mincu said: "Patients with moderate to severe OSA had endothelial dysfunction and higher arterial stiffness than controls, and their results were similar to patients with diabetes mellitus. This suggests that OSA is associated with a high risk for cardiovascular disease."
She added: "Patients in the OSA and diabetes groups had a higher intima-media thickness, which shows that their arteries are remodelled in a pathological way."
All five parameters of arterial stiffness were significantly higher in the OSA and diabetes mellitus groups compared to controls. FMD was lower in these groups, meaning they had poorer endothelial function than controls.
Dr Mincu said: "Patients should realise that behind snoring there can be a serious cardiac pathology and they should get referred to a sleep specialist. If they are diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, they are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease and need to adopt a heart healthy lifestyle to reduce that risk."
She added: "Although OSA treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is inconvenient -- it requires sleeping with a mask -- patients should use it because it can reverse the parameters measured in our study."
Dr Mincu concluded: "Our study is a signal for cardiologists, pneumologists and general practitioners to work together to actively diagnose obstructive sleep apnea, administer the appropriate treatment (CPAP) and assess arterial function. This will help avoid progression of early cardiovascular dysfunction through to heart failure, the final stage of heart disease."
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by European Society of Cardiology.
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Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
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Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Does your baby really need a Christmas gift from you? | BabyCenter ...
When our children were babies, my husband and I made the decision not to buy them Christmas gifts before the age of three. No stocking stuffers, no presents under the tree?nothing. I know, I know?blasphemy. How could we possibly pass up the chance to buy our little ones a ton of amazingly cute gifts?
It was pretty easy actually.
I just always thought it was really silly to shower an infant or a toddler with gifts. First of all, they have no idea it?s Christmas. They haven?t been brought up to speed about gift giving. They know nothing of Black Friday. They?re good. So why go out and spend a lot of money on things they don?t even care about? Your money could be better spent elsewhere.
Like gifts for loved ones who are actually aware of Christmas. Or diapers?diapers are always a good thing.
Of course, our children wouldn?t go completely without a few gifts. I knew they would receive plenty from their grandparents, their aunts and uncles, friends, etc. At the very least, the little ones will enjoy ripping apart the wrapping paper?and then move on to the next wrapping paper conquest.
All of this blissful Christmas ignorance ends around three or four years old, then they are hip to the game. That?s when we had to start coughing up gifts. But it was good while it lasted.
Do you buy your baby/toddler Christmas gifts? Is it important to you that they have something to open on Christmas day?
All you baby gift-buyers, check out Andrea Fellman?s latest post: Sweet gifts for baby?s first Christmas.
Follow @pearmama on Twitter and Pinterest and read more from Denise at Pearmama.com.
Image source: Flickr Creative Commons/erin_m
Source: http://blogs.babycenter.com/mom_stories/1242012-does-your-baby-really-need-a-christmas-gift/
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