As a biologist, I am interested in how aging happens. I'm not directly working on it, but do read some relevant papers out of curiosity.
Following paper appeared in a prestigious journal Nature in 2011 November. It's about recent mice-based research that shed light on aging process.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22048312
The researchers ingeniously eliminated cells that are senescent (=non-proliferative; "aged") and expressing a certain marker protein (called p16INK4A in case you are interested) from the bodies of progeroid mice. These progeroid mice carry a mutation and show signs of aging at early age (hunchback, cataract , artery hardening etc). But surprise. The elimination of senescent cells actually made the progeroid mice "younger".
Their paper suggests that at least a part of aging process is caused by senescent cells in the tissue. The researchers speculate that senescent cells are secreting some factors that are detrimental to tissue/organ functions.
The paper was "the coolest paper in 2011" in my personal nomination.
The other day I read news, "A 26-year-old Vietnamese woman has left doctors baffled as she lost her once youthful appearance"
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/mystery-allergy-causes-woman-to-age-decades.html
After a severe allergy attack and some attempts of herbal medicine, a 26-years old woman mysteriously started looking like an old woman.
Why?
My speculation is that, because of her severe allergy (and wrong kind of traditional medicine, perhaps), extensive cellular damage happened. Damaged cells probably got eliminated to some extent, but some might have ended up with "senescent" cells. They do not proliferate, but they start secreting factors that "age" surrounding tissues.
Of course her case is open to many more hypotheses. But if this speculation is correct, and if we find out ways to eradicate senescent cells (two big IFs), we may be able to cure her condition, or we may be able to get "younger". Biology is fun. Seriously.
February 29, 2012
February 22, 2012
Dance: "Beginning Argentine Tango" Kindle version release
Yesterday we finished conversion of our paperback book "Beginning Argentine Tango: To the people who are interested in dancing Argentine Tango--This is how to do it" to Kindle and uploaded it to KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing).
Paperback version
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1468083473/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_g14_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1SCPN6DF1XV8D6Y1ADEV&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846)
Kindle version
(http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Argentine-Tango-Tango-This-ebook/dp/B007BUPHJG/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1)
It may take a few days to merge the information in these pages better. Amazon seems to do this kind of information arrangement as it goes. I have seen the bare bone-looking page changed to a page comparable to other pages in Amazon. It is an interesting experience.
Conversion took some reformatting from paperback edition (images to JPEG, Chapter marking, etc). To accommodate a Kindle feature, font size change, line breaks needed to be changed as well. The conversion was straightforward but not a smooth sailing. At the first a few attempts, on occasion image loading was slow and image appeared in unintended positions. We needed some browsing of the author forum to fix these issues.
Now at least on the preview page, the converted version looks nice. Hope everything comes out nicely on your Kindle.
Paperback version
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1468083473/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_g14_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1SCPN6DF1XV8D6Y1ADEV&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846)
Kindle version
(http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Argentine-Tango-Tango-This-ebook/dp/B007BUPHJG/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1)
It may take a few days to merge the information in these pages better. Amazon seems to do this kind of information arrangement as it goes. I have seen the bare bone-looking page changed to a page comparable to other pages in Amazon. It is an interesting experience.
Conversion took some reformatting from paperback edition (images to JPEG, Chapter marking, etc). To accommodate a Kindle feature, font size change, line breaks needed to be changed as well. The conversion was straightforward but not a smooth sailing. At the first a few attempts, on occasion image loading was slow and image appeared in unintended positions. We needed some browsing of the author forum to fix these issues.
Now at least on the preview page, the converted version looks nice. Hope everything comes out nicely on your Kindle.
February 17, 2012
Science: What is Translational Cancer Research and why am I talking about it?
I read following article.
"Three UCLA researchers honored for bravery in face of threats from extremests"
http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/three-ucla-faculty-honored-for-229165.aspx
According to the article, so called anti-animal research extremests did some criminal acts on UCLA scientists working on animal research. The crimes including set fire on the car and the house, flooded the house and confronted family members. In my opinion the extremests qualify as domestic terrorist.
The scientists have been recognized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science for "their strong defense of the importance of the use of animals in research and their refusal to remain silent in the face of intimidation" by anti-animal research extremests.
I don't know exact research the targeted and honored scientists do. All I know is that thay use rats and monkeys for behaviological or neurological studies.
This article caught my attention, because I work with mice, and feel some need to advocate at least for the segment of animal-based research I work on (translational cancer research).
Now, being a top cause of death, cancer has touched lives of so many people. They would know how much we still need more effective therapy, cancer-preventive diet and early diagnostic tools.
Translational Cancer research is a segment of cancer research to bridge knowledge obtained from biological/biomedical studies with model system such as cultured cells and test tubes to clinical practice to prevent, diagnose or cure cancer.
In short, it is a part of process to send a new cancer drug or new regimen or a new diagnostic tool/kit from laboratory to clinic.
For the purpose, researchers use preclinical animal models, usually rodents (laboratory mice and rats). It is out of necessity. The stance of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for the use of animals is clear. "Human diseases justify the use of animals". Since cancers develop in highly complex environments observed only in living animals, there are no substitutes.
On the other hand, for obvious ethical reasons, researchers cannot ask human to participate in such risky studies in the early stage. Besides, human-based studies take too much time. Set things up now, and we'll see the results in 10-30 years. That's too long. We want to know whether the drug works or not ASAP.
Following is a part of what we actually do. Let's say we are testing a promising cancer prevention drug on laboratory mice with cancer-prone genetic mutation. Because of the genetic mutation, the mice are supposed to get cancers in 5 month. We feed the mice with food mixed with the drug. The task is to observe the size and frequency of cancers in the mice. If the drug is working, the cancer size would be smaller, and the frequency would be rarer.
Only after the drug show a promise in this test, the drug may be approved to move toward small scale trial on human. Search for a drug is time-consuming and labor-intensive task, but is necessary.
Another task of ours is to figure out why the drug is working. Usually these drugs in question are designed to target particular biological process, and the actions are backed up by the studies in test tube and with cultured cells. But tissue- or organ-level response to a drug in living animals is entirely different issue.
I do have sentiments for the lives lost in the course of animal-based studies. But we need to determine what works and what not. I believe my priority setting is correct. Not misplaced like that of those extremests.
In Japan, there was a small tombstone next to animal research facility for animals so that you could appreciate and pray for the mice, rats, rabbits and others. Japanese native belief is animistic. As in Hayao Miyazaki movies, a lot of animals and things can have spiritual presence or a soul, and can be a god or a deity of sorts. And their souls can be consoled through prayers. As in the Grudge movies, an angry soul can turn to a harmful demon or a monster. It is better to pray for the soul to rest in peace.
Some other religions believe animals don't have souls, so that we need not to worry about it.
It is amusing to know how we deal with the sentiments associated with animals.
"Three UCLA researchers honored for bravery in face of threats from extremests"
http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/three-ucla-faculty-honored-for-229165.aspx
According to the article, so called anti-animal research extremests did some criminal acts on UCLA scientists working on animal research. The crimes including set fire on the car and the house, flooded the house and confronted family members. In my opinion the extremests qualify as domestic terrorist.
The scientists have been recognized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science for "their strong defense of the importance of the use of animals in research and their refusal to remain silent in the face of intimidation" by anti-animal research extremests.
I don't know exact research the targeted and honored scientists do. All I know is that thay use rats and monkeys for behaviological or neurological studies.
This article caught my attention, because I work with mice, and feel some need to advocate at least for the segment of animal-based research I work on (translational cancer research).
Now, being a top cause of death, cancer has touched lives of so many people. They would know how much we still need more effective therapy, cancer-preventive diet and early diagnostic tools.
Translational Cancer research is a segment of cancer research to bridge knowledge obtained from biological/biomedical studies with model system such as cultured cells and test tubes to clinical practice to prevent, diagnose or cure cancer.
In short, it is a part of process to send a new cancer drug or new regimen or a new diagnostic tool/kit from laboratory to clinic.
For the purpose, researchers use preclinical animal models, usually rodents (laboratory mice and rats). It is out of necessity. The stance of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for the use of animals is clear. "Human diseases justify the use of animals". Since cancers develop in highly complex environments observed only in living animals, there are no substitutes.
On the other hand, for obvious ethical reasons, researchers cannot ask human to participate in such risky studies in the early stage. Besides, human-based studies take too much time. Set things up now, and we'll see the results in 10-30 years. That's too long. We want to know whether the drug works or not ASAP.
Following is a part of what we actually do. Let's say we are testing a promising cancer prevention drug on laboratory mice with cancer-prone genetic mutation. Because of the genetic mutation, the mice are supposed to get cancers in 5 month. We feed the mice with food mixed with the drug. The task is to observe the size and frequency of cancers in the mice. If the drug is working, the cancer size would be smaller, and the frequency would be rarer.
Only after the drug show a promise in this test, the drug may be approved to move toward small scale trial on human. Search for a drug is time-consuming and labor-intensive task, but is necessary.
Another task of ours is to figure out why the drug is working. Usually these drugs in question are designed to target particular biological process, and the actions are backed up by the studies in test tube and with cultured cells. But tissue- or organ-level response to a drug in living animals is entirely different issue.
I do have sentiments for the lives lost in the course of animal-based studies. But we need to determine what works and what not. I believe my priority setting is correct. Not misplaced like that of those extremests.
In Japan, there was a small tombstone next to animal research facility for animals so that you could appreciate and pray for the mice, rats, rabbits and others. Japanese native belief is animistic. As in Hayao Miyazaki movies, a lot of animals and things can have spiritual presence or a soul, and can be a god or a deity of sorts. And their souls can be consoled through prayers. As in the Grudge movies, an angry soul can turn to a harmful demon or a monster. It is better to pray for the soul to rest in peace.
Some other religions believe animals don't have souls, so that we need not to worry about it.
It is amusing to know how we deal with the sentiments associated with animals.
February 12, 2012
Dance: Feed the good wolf, Nice Vietnamese party
There is a Cherokee fable, "Feed the good wolf".
A Native American grandfather was talking to his grandson.
He said, "I feel as if I have two wolves fighting in my
heart. One wolf is the vengeful, angry, violent one. The other wolf is the
loving, compassionate one".
The grandson asked him, "which wolf will win the fight
in your heart?"
The grandfather answered: "The one I feed."
While you dance a partner dance, the same applies. When you
are dancing well, you only feel joy and fun. But occasionally, there are times
that the dance is not going well; your partner is off balance and pulling you
heavy, your partner is not paying attention and non-responsive, you are
rushing, or being rushed. A response is by the vengeful wolf, "WTF?".
The vengeful wolf response is like a static noise in the music tune, ruining
nice flow of the dance.
Don't listen to the vengeful wolf. Choose to have fun and go
with the loving wolf.
Especially in some contest settings in which you dance with
someone you don't regularly dance, I heard comments like, "I couldn't do
anything", "He was rushing" and "She was too heavy".
That's the vengeful wolf talking.
Those who make this kind of comments are usually amateur
novices. Most pros are experienced enough to dismiss the vengeful wolf, knowing
the long-term negative effects. Besides, it is different kind of fun to pursue
a "perfect" dance for contest purpose and to enjoy the partner's
response on the occasion. The point is, you can always choose to be amused by
even the occasional oops situations, and
get the most fun out of them.
Last night we were invited to a party. It was a nice
Vietnamese party at a new studio in NW OKC with a large floor space (15x50 ft,
give or take), and the place was packed. A few different live bands played and
sang danceable Asian songs. I did not know Viennese waltz was popular in
Vietnam. It was fun. Thank you for invite.
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