CHENNAI 22 | LIFE THE HINDU WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015 Gene linked to prevention of heart failure Stressed fish too run emotional fever Smith buys notebook to treasure song ideas In a breakthrough, researchers have identified a gene that appears Researchers say that fish can express emotions like humans when in Sam Smith is putting together his favourite new songs into a to reduce the risk of heart failure and improve treatment stress. They observed an increase in body temperature of between two notebook so that he can “treasure” the ideas forever. Earlier, the outcomes. It could also be a target for development of new drugs. to four degrees in zebrafish when subjected to stressful situations. Grammy-winning singer used to jot his ideas down on scrap paper.

STAR TREK ART BEAT Dubai honour for Naseeruddin Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah will be awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 12th edition of Portrait of an inspiring teen the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF). The news was confirmed by the official Facebook page of the A painting of the world’s youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, film festival in their post. “Honored to present the legendary actor Malala Yousafzai, by Pakistan-born British artist Nasser Azam is being Naseeruddin Shah with its presented at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts at University of Birmingham prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. Shah has appeared STEVEN MORRIS sented at the Barber Institute in over 200 films in of Fine Arts at the University a remarkable and he pose is calm, of Birmingham on Monday. It diverse career even stately; the ex- will be digitally displayed at spanning 40 years.” DIFF will take place in pression on the the Library of Birmingham Dubai from December Tface open but and electronic copies will be 9-16. — ANI knowing. A new portrait of added to the National Por- Malala Yousafzai, the teenag- trait Gallery’s archive. er shot by the Taliban after Yousafzai officially opened speaking out for girls’ rights the library last year, address- Drake tops Spotify list to education in Pakistan, is ing the crowd as “fellow potify users are clearly listening to Drake. The being presented in her adop- Brummies”. She said: “Bir- rapper was the most streamed artist of the year tive city of Birmingham. mingham is very special for Sglobally. Spotify announced its end-of-the-year Standing three metres me because it is here that I list on Tuesday and high, the scale of the painting found myself alive, seven said Drake earned 1.8 is intended to reflect the days after I was shot.” billion streams in 2015. huge impact Yousafzai, the “It is now my second In a first, retinal nerve Rihanna was the year’s youngest recipient of the No- home, after my beloved Pa- most streamed female bel peace prize, has had on kistan. The doctors and nurs- performer with 1 billion the world. But the modest es of this town worked hard cells grown in lab streams. background, featuring a to help me recover. The NEW YORK: Researchers from Major Lazer’s plump sofa, also hints at a teachers of this town strived Johns Hopkins University Eventually, it may ubiquitous hit, ‘Lean sense of homeliness, of to rehabilitate my education- have developed a method to lead to therapies On’, was the most domesticity. al career, and the great peo- efficiently turn human stem that will help streamed song of the Yousafzai arrived in the ple of this city gave me great cells into retinal nerve cells year with 540 million West Midlands in 2012 for moral support,” she said. that transmit visual signals restore vision in streams. — AP treatment after she was at- Yousafzai said she thought from the eye to the brain. patients tacked during a school bus the painting was wonderful. Death and dysfunction of trip in the north-west Pakis- “It’s more than a painting for these cells cause loss of sight different cells into a highly pu- Priyanka’s rich fan following tani district of Swat. She was me. It’s the support that it in conditions like glaucoma rified cell population for the s Priyanka Chopra scored four million followers nursed back to health and re- gives to the education cam- and multiple sclerosis (MS). study. on Instagram, Bollywood’s ‘Desi Girl’ sent out sumed her studies in Artist Nasser Azam says he was inspired to create the portrait paign that I stand for. That’s “Our work could lead… to a “The cells showed biologi- Alove to her virtual family, and thanked her Birmingham. after ollowing her activism and then reading her why it means so much to me. cell-based human model that cal and physical properties admirers for showering her with love and The British-Pakistani art- autobiography, I Am Malala. — PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES It shows that people are could be used to discover seen in retinal ganglion cells appreciation. “Four million and counting...my ist Nasser Azam said he was standing with me to make drugs that stop or treat blind- produced ,” Zack noted. Instagram family continues to grow. Thank you all for inspired to create a portrait said Azam. “She was confi- get across a sense of her hu- sure no child is out of school. ing conditions,” said Donald the love! This is...because you,” the Mary Kom actor of Yousafzai, who is still only dent but also very down-to- mility. She is, Azam conclud- It is that support that streng- Zack from Johns Hopkins’ Increasing efficiency tweeted. The actor, who made her debut in 18, after following her activ- earth. It was truly humbling ed, both an ordinary person thens me — we are together,” School of Medicine, the leader Researchers also found that Bollywood with 2003 film The Hero: ism and then reading her au- but also inspirational for me and an extraordinary human she said. of the research group. adding a naturally occurring Love Story of a Spy, also shared tobiography, I Am Malala. to spend time with Malala.” being. “When I was brought here Eventually, it could lead to plant chemical called forsko- a photograph in which her face is superimposed on “I felt compelled to meet Azam made studies and Azam heightened the three years ago for treat- the development of cell trans- lin on the first day of the proc- the names of her her and make a work in re- took photographs of Yousaf- prominence of her headscarf ment, when I looked out of plant therapies that restore vi- ess helped improve the cells’ followers. The actor is sponse to her,” he said. He zai. “There was a homely feel as a homage to the Pakistan the window I was looking for sion in patients with glauco- efficiency of becoming retinal an avid social media approached Malala’s father, to it all,” he said. “There were that she and her family are mountains and rivers. This is ma and MS. cells. user through which Ziauddin Yousafzai, who was family members coming in closely tied to. And he also what I used to see every day. I Using a genome editing lab- The researchers, however, she stays connected encouraging and supportive. and out while I was there.” made the painting impres- realised there was just oratory tool, investigators in- caution that forskolin, , is not with her fans. The artist and the subject He worked on the painting sively large. This was impor- houses and roads and cars. serted a fluorescent protein scientifically proven to be Priyanka was last met at the family’s home in back at his studio. “I wanted tant, he said, because it was a Later, I realised that there is a gene into the stem cells’ DNA. safe. seen in Dil Dhadakne Birmingham. “She was very to convey the feeling that reminder of the massive con- lot in this city — love, pas- They used a technique called In follow-up studies, the Do, and is caught up articulate on the subjects she stayed with me after I had left tribution she has made to the sion. Other than the cold fluorescence-activated cell team is looking to find other witht Quantico. is most famous for but we al- her. I found her knowing, world. “It’s the largest paint- weather, I love this place,” sorting to separate newly dif- genes that are important for — IANS so had very intelligent con- calm, welcoming,” he said, ing I’ve ever done,” he added. she said. — © Guardian ferentiated retinal ganglion ganglion cell survival and versations about creativity,” adding that he also wanted to The painting is being pre- Newspapers Limited, 2015 (nerve) cells from a mixture of function. — IANS

Vin Diesel, Gibson pay All for a good cause Anxiety can kill your tribute to Paul Walker social status: study

Gibson says he still struggles with Walker's death WASHINGTON D.C.: Researchers metabolism. This involves have identified a brain re- the mitochondria, which LOS ANGELES: Actor Vin Diesel gion that links anxious tem- are the cell’s organelles that and Tyrese Gibson have paid perament to low social are in charge of breathing tribute to late actor Paul walk- status. and energy production. er on the second anniversary In the study, researchers The researchers found that of his tragic death. performed a series of ex- the high-anxious rats Walker died in a car crash periments on rats to identi- showed lower mitochon- on November 30, 2013. fy the brain areas involved drial function than more Gibson shared a photo- in trait anxiety and social relaxed ones. graph of the two together on competition. The experi- When rats received Instagram, confessing that he ments involved categoris- blocking agents, their so- continues to struggle with ing rats on a spectrum of cial competitiveness drop- Walker’s death, reports peo- trait anxiety, from low-anx- ped, taking their social sta- ple.com. “It’s still not easy... Actor Vin Diesel posted a ious to high-anxious rats, tus with it. Two years ago today, we lost photograph with Walker on which model trait anxiety. Whereas, when high- our brother. Today I’m just Instagram, superimposed The experiments high- anxious rats were given en- going to lay low and process. with a text that read: lighted an area of the brain hancers, rats performed Clarity through prayers and “Brotherhood has no limits.” known as the ‘nucleus ac- significantly better social- perspective is what I always — FILE PHOTO cumbens,’ which has been ly, thereby achieving higher seek and pray for [sic],” Gib- long-associated with moti- social status. son captioned the image. “No matter where you are vation, reward and depres- However, the effects “With a heavy heart I post in the universe... You will al- sion, in humans too. were not permanent. When this... Please continue to pray ways be my brother,” Diesel When competing social- the drugs wore off, the rats for the Walker family and his wrote on Facebook. ly, most of the high—an- generally returned to their real friends who were with The actor also posted a xious rats took on a lower original rung of the social him every single day. They’re photograph of the two togeth- social status, technically ladder. some of the best and strongest er on Instagram, superim- described as becoming ‘so- The study confirmed people I know. I know you’re posed with a text that reads: cially subordinate.’ that trait anxiety can ac- in heaven smiling and rooting “Brotherhood has no limits.” The nucleus accumbens tually predispose an indi- for us all,” he added. Diesel al- Diesel has paid tribute to his FIGHTING ON AGAINST HIV: Volunteers in Bhubaneswar perform a street play during an awareness campaign on the of these particular rats vidual to a lower social sta- so took to social media to re- late friend several times in the occassion of World AIDS day on Tuesday. — PHOTO: PTI showed a reduced energy tus. — ANI member his “brother.” past. — IANS Debating the ethics of human gene editing Spoonful of sugar before long ‘Germline’ editing can have an impact on future generations. But is it a line science shouldn’t cross? running kills fatigue, says study WASHINGTON: Rewriting your Doudna co-invented the bryo research, it’s nowhere line editing altering sperm, LONDON: If you are a long-dis- Combining different maintain a stable blood sugar DNA is getting closer to real- most-used gene-editing tool, near ready for real-world use, eggs or embryos to affect fu- tance runner and feel “mara- level. ity. A revolutionary technolo- and her calls for scientists, but there’s controversy over ture generations has been thon fatigue” quite often, try sources of sugars “However, while we have a gy is opening new frontiers policymakers and the public whether and how to continue widely regarded as a line sci- a spoonful of sugar first and improves rate of relatively good understand- for genetic engineering a to determine the right bal- such experiments to see if it ence shouldn’t cross. hit the ground running like ing of the changes in our mus- promise of cures for intracta- ance in how it’s eventually eventually will work. They argue that standard never before. absorbption by the cle carbohydrate stores with ble diseases along with anxie- used led to this week’s gather- On one side are scientists in-vitro fertilization tech- According to researchers, human body exercise and nutrition, we ty about designer babies. ing. who say the ultimate goal is to niques to test the genetics of stirring in table sugar from know very little about opti- It’s a question that gained At issue are tools to edit prevent mom and dad from embryos before they’re im- the baking cupboard into a can absorb these from the mising liver carbohydrate urgency after Chinese re- precisely genes inside living passing devastating diseases planted, or before adoption, water bottle before a big gut. stores during and after exer- searchers made the first at- cells, finding specific sec- Critics of gene-editing to their children. “This tech- are alternatives. And they physical event could be the Although many sports- cise,” lead researcher Javier tempt at editing genes in hu- tions of DNA to slice and re- technologies are raising the nology is poised to transform raise the spectre of parents difference between success performance drinks designed Gonzalez said. man embryos, a laboratory pair or replace much like a bi- spectre of parents who can preventive medicine,” Har- who can afford designer ba- and failure. to provide energy during ex- They tested various su- experiment that didn’t work ological version of afford designer babies with vard geneticist George bies with specific traits. This helps stave off tire- ercise now use sucrose, or crose and glucose-based well but did raise the pros- cut-and-paste software. specific traits. Church wrote in Nature. “The medical arguments dness faced by weary mara- mixtures of glucose and fruc- drinks to see how different pect of one day altering hu- There are a few methods but are tenuous and the possible thon runners — or other tose, many still rely on glu- carbohydrates could help. man heredity passing modi- one with the wonky name tial treatments for muscular Counterproductive social consequences are long-distance athletes — cose alone. Their experiment, con- fied DNA to future CRISPR-Cas9 is so fast, cheap dystrophy, sickle cell disease Doudna adds that a com- grave,” said Marcy Darnovsky when they hit the wall, said The researchers warn that ducted on long-distance cy- generations. and simple for biologists to and cancer. plete ban on such research of the Center for Genetics and the team from University of such glucose-only drinks clists, showed that ingesting “This is a technology that use that research is booming. They’re trying to grow could block important dis- Society advocacy group. Bath in Britain. could produce gut discom- carbohydrates in the form of could have profound implica- transplantable human organs coveries. British researchers, In the U.S., the National In- Both sucrose — in the form fort and suggest sucrose- either glucose or sucrose pre- tions for permanent alter- Testing on animals inside pigs. They’re even for example, plan to alter em- stitutes of Health has said it of table sugar — and glucose based alternatives, or sugar in vents the decline in liver gly- ation of the human genome,” Scientists are engineering hatching mutant mosquitoes bryos to study early human won’t fund human germline are important carbohydrates water, can help make exercise cogen “carbohydrate stores” molecular biologist Jennifer animals with humanlike dis- designed to be incapable of development, work that editing research, although often referred to as “simple easier. and can avert tiredness. Doudna of the University of orders to unravel the gene de- spreading malaria, and ex- could shed light on miscar- private funding is still possi- sugars”. The carbohydrate stores in The findings were publish- California, Berkeley, wrote in fects that fuel them. They’re ploring ways to wipe out inva- riages. ble. Laws and guidelines in It appears combining dif- our liver are vitally important ed in the American Journal of the journal Nature on the eve building stronger immune sive species. On the other side are critics other countries vary widely. ferent sources of sugars im- when it comes to endurance Physiology — Endocrinology of the international summit. cells, and developing poten- As for that preliminary em- who say that so-called germ- —AP proves the rate at which we exercise as they help us to & Metabolism. — IANS

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