Researchers identify new target for malaria treatment

 

The breakthrough, which focuses on a membrane separating parasites from their host cells, was made when studying Toxoplasma gondii (pictured) (Credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) A team of MIT researchers has discovered a new target for drug treatments for prevalent diseases such as malaria. The findings focus on a membrane between the parasite and its host cell, with scientists successfully identifying a family of proteins that, when targeted, could cut off nutrients to the parasite. Many diseases, such as malaria and tuberculosis, are caused by pathogens that exist in separate compartments within their host cells, known as parasitophorous vacuoles. The vacuole is separated from the host cytoplasm by a membrane, which protects the disease from the cell's defences. However, it also makes it difficult for the pathogen to access vital nutrients, and release the proteins necessary to spread the disease. This means that the parasite has to develop a way to get around its own barrier in order to access nutrients essential to its survival. Previous studies have revealed that the membrane is selectively permeable, but scientists have been unable to determine the molecular makeup of the pores. The MIT researchers were studying Toxoplasma, investigating how the parasite is able to release its proteins into the host cell and beyond, when they stumbled upon a discovery. They found that two proteins – GRA17 and GRA23 – were central to the process, and were of shared ancestry to proteins in the parasite Plasmodium, which were themselves responsible for a protein export system within their host cell. However, when the team stopped the proteins from functioning, the export process of parasite proteins beyond the vacuole was unchanged. Puzzled by the specific role of the proteins in the export process, the researchers added dyes to the host cell and disabled the proteins once more. Observing the cells again, they found that the proteins were no longer able to flow through the selective membrane and into the vacuole, strongly indicating that GRA17 and GRA23 are responsible for the small-molecule transfer between the host cell and the parasitophorous vacuole. Furthermore, when the team switched the export protein from the Plasmodium parasite into the Toxoplasma, the dyes were able to flow into the vacuole once more, suggesting that the family of proteins responsible for the process had indeed been successfully identified. "This very strongly suggests that you could find small-molecule drugs to target these pores, which would be very damaging to these parasites, but likely wouldn’t have any interaction with any human molecules," says research lead Dan Gold. "So I think this is a really strong potential drug target for restricting the access of these parasites to a set of nutrients." The findings were recently published in journal Cell & Microbe. Source: MIT

Panasonic's Lumix G7 boasts 4K video and photo skills

 

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7 is a budget-friendly 4K-shooting mirrorless camera which has inherited a number of high-end features (Credit: Panasonic) Image Gallery (6 images) Panasonic's Lumix DMC-G7 feels like it's as much a little brother to the 4K-toting GH4, as a follow-up to the G6. It's being billed as the mirrorless camera to bring the full benefits of 4K video to the rest of us, thanks to its ability to shoot 4K footage at 30 fps, and then extract 8-megapixel stills from it. While we've seen those features before, the G7 is arguably the first time they've been built into a mirrorless camera which is simultaneously powerful and accessible to the masses. The Panasonic G7 features a 16-megapixel Micro Four Thirds (17.3 x 13.0 mm) Live MOS sensor paired with an improved Venus Engine image processor to deliver high quality images in a variety of conditions. It has an extended ISO range of 100 to 25,600 and is capable of firing off bursts of full resolution images at 8 fps (frames per second) in AFS, or 6 fps in AFC when using its mechanical shutter. It can do this for around 13 frames if shooting RAW, or more than 100 if shooting JPEG files. However, while that's all well and good, it's going to be the formerly high-end 4K capabilities making their way down the Panasonic mirrorless line-up which make the G7 stand out from the crowd of mid-range mirrorless cameras on the market. First off, it can record 4K footage at a 3,840 x 2,160 resolution at 30/24 fps and 100 Mbps, along with Full HD 1080p footage at 60 fps. The camera also boasts a number of photography-based 4K features including Panasonic's 4K Photo mode which lets users select a single frame out of a 4K video to extract as a very usable 8-megapixel JPEG image. This is a function which was added via firmware to the GH4 and FZ1000, and has also featured on the LX100 and CM1 smartphone camera. In addition to extracting a still from a video, 4K photo bursts can also be recorded while the shutter button is pressed, using the shutter button to start and stop recording, or in a pre-burst mode which initiates a 4K video sequence one second before and after the shutter button is pressed, giving users 60 extra images to select from. This mode can be great for capturing very quick moments and impressed us when we tried it out on the CM1 smartphone camera, even though it only offered an additional 30 shots because of the slower frame-rate. Autofocus uses a contrast-based AF system which features 49 areas along with Panasonic's Depth From Defocus technology to ensure speedy and accurate subject acquisition with speeds of up to 0.07 seconds. A new algorithm is also said to vastly improve AF tracking by recognizing not only color, but also the size and motion vector of a target. Other autofocus modes include Eye Detection and Touch AF, while features like Focus Peaking are there for those who like to take a more manual approach. The Panasonic G7 is styled similarly to the GH4 and G6, and as such looks like a small modern DSLR. There's a chunky grip along with plenty of control dials for changing settings. It measures 124.9 x 86.2 x 77.4 mm (4.92 x 3.39 x 3.05 in) and weighs in at 410g (0.90 lb) with a battery and SD card. On the rear there's an OLED electronic viewfinder with 2,360k dots, and a three-inch free-angle LCD touchscreen with 1,040k dots. Other features of note include the ability to shoot and export time lapse videos, Low Light AF for focussing in -4EV low light conditions, and a Starlight AF mode which lets you shoot better images of the night sky. There's also the inclusion of built-in Wi-Fi which means the camera can be controlled remotely via a smart device, giving users the ability to remotely focus and shoot with a live preview, and then share the results. The Panasonic Lumix G7 is available for preorder now, and is expected to ship in June. It will set you back US$800 with a 14-42-mm kit lens, or $1,100 with a 14-140-mm lens.   Product page: Panasonic Lumix G7

World's longest glass bridge set to open in China next year

 

An artist's concept of people walking across the glass bridge high above the Zhangjiajie canyon in China (Credit: Haim Dotan Ltd) Image Gallery (5 images) In a bid to attract more tourists to the region, Hunan Province in China has commissioned the architectural firm of Haim Dotan to produce a completely transparent glass bridge spanning 370 m (1,214 ft) across the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon. Dizzyingly high at about 400 m (1,312 ft) above the canyon floor, the span is claimed to be capable of holding up to 800 people at a time. China seems to be enamored with terrifyingly high, world-beating glass structures. Gizmag recently detailed the world's longest glass-bottomed cantilever skywalk in Longgang National Geological Park, Chongqing, for example, which extends 26.64 m (87.4 ft) over a straight drop of 718 m (2,356 ft), making it some 5 m (16 ft) longer than the Grand Canyon Skywalk in Arizona. The Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon glass bridge continues this trend of oneupmanship. Funded as part the Tourism investment cooperation meeting at the Central China Expo in 2012, and slated for opening some time next year, the glass bridge is touted as a "Wonder of the World" by Hunan Province. Set to be constructed between the summits either side of the canyon, the deceptively fragile-looking structure will also have an added thrill for those that find the idea of walking across a sheer drop on a see-through bridge too tame: A bungee jump. To be located in the middle of the structure, the bungee jump is also said to be another world-first for Hunan province as the highest bungee on the planet, at around 60 m (197 ft) or so higher than the current highest commercial bungee of 233 m (764 ft) on the Macau Tower. Sources: Haim Dotan, China Glass Network

Imagens ao frigir dos ovos.

 

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Internet in real time

Mirrors reflecting the city

 

Le photographe américain Jay Lisiewski partage sur son compte Instagram 11Shots des clichés de miroirs capturés dans la ville, en haut de gratte-ciels, sur les routes ou sous les tunnels, qui reflètent le paysage urbain. Les miroirs sont des fenêtres qui complètent le tableau, montrant la vue cachée d’en face, comme une révélation.

Regular aspirin use may slow progression of early emphysema

 

Regular use of aspirin may help slow the progression of early emphysema, according to new research presented at the 2015 American Thoracic Society International Conference. "Other than smoking cessation and avoidance, there are no known methods for reducing the risk of developing emphysema," said researcher Carrie Aaron MD, of the Columbia University Medical Center in New York. "In our large general population sample, we found that regular aspirin use (three or more days per week) was associated with a slower progression of percent emphysema on computed tomography (CT) scans over 10 years." The study, which was motivated by findings of pulmonary vascular involvement in emphysema and the importance of platelet function in other vascular diseases, included 4,471 individuals participating in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Lung Study. The percentage of lung volume with emphysematous features (percent emphysema) was assessed on up to 4 CT scans performed over approximately 10 years of follow-up. Spirometry, a measure of expiratory airflow, was performed in 81% of study subjects. Of the 4,471 study subjects, 21% (921) used aspirin regularly, 55% were ever-smokers, and 25% of those with spirometry had results indicating airflow obstruction. Regular aspirin use was associated with a significantly slower progression of percent emphysema over ten years, when compared to those who did not use aspirin, even after adjustment for a number of potential confounding factors, including age, sex, race/ethnicity, cigarettes/day, pack-years, and hypertension. Results were consistent in propensity score analyses, performed to minimize effects of confounding by indication. Similar reductions in the rate of progression of percent emphysema were seen among ever-smokers, and greater reductions were observed among individuals with spirometric evidence of airflow obstruction. "Our study found that persons taking aspirin regularly had a slower progression of emphysema over 10 years compared to those who did not, and that this difference was not explained by many factors that we believe affect progression of emphysema." said Dr. Aaron. "The findings might suggest that regular aspirin use may slow the progression of subclinical emphysema, perhaps through effects on platelet activation or inflammation." Story Source: The above story is based on materials provided by American Thoracic Society (ATS). Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

History in the sand

 

link: - Spitfire P9374  In September 1980 the wreckage of a Spitfire aircraft emerged from the sands of Calais beach. It had crash-landed during the Second World War. Initially, the identity of the aircraft remained a mystery but following its recovery by the manager of the nearby Hoverport in January 1981, the Spitfire was identified as P9374, an early Mk 1 version of Supermarine’s finest creation. Further research established the detail of the build history of that aircraft, of its engine and of the story behind its arrival on a French beach and the background of its pilot.   source : www.christie.com

Seu futuro depende de muitas coisas, mas principalmente de Você !

 

Yasmin