New Study Suggests That Alzheimer's Patients Can Store Memories.

A study published in Nature reportedly suggests that people with Alzheimer's are still able to make new memories even while gripped by the condition, and that while they can store memories, problems may lie in their ability to retrieve them.

The study, conducted by neuroscientist Susumu Tonegawa and his team at RIKEN-MIT, involved mice with mutated genes that cause brain conditions similar to those present in Alzheimer's patients.

First, groups of mice were placed in a box and given an electric shock.

The control mice – those without the Alzheimer's-like mutation – became fearful of the box, because they could recall the painful experience.

The mutated mice, however, did not recall the experience and did not display fear when confronted with the box. For the purpose of the experiment, these mice were further genetically engineered to produce a light-sensitive protein in a part of the brain that encodes short-term memory, according to Nature magazine. When the affected neurons were activated with light, the mice were suddenly fearful, recalling the experience of being shocked.

To solidify this effect, the researchers caused the light to repeatedly flash, strengthening the connection in the brain. Once the neural pathway was established, the Alzheimer's-like mice remembered the shock stimulus from the box without the aid of the light.

• There are cautions, though, about applying the study to human Alzheimer's patients.

The brains of mice – and the way they develop Alzheimer's-like plaques – are different than those of humans, a UCLA neurosurgeon told Nature magazine. Additionally, scientists haven't figured out how to stimulate human brains using light. 

Still, these findings could help plan a road map to treat those suffering from the disease.

Science curriculum tailored to English language learners boosts student achievement – New Study

A total of 66 elementary schools participated, with half randomly assigned to implement the P-SELL curriculum, and half using a district-adopted science curriculum. Both groups of schools spent similar amounts of science instructional time each week, and the average length of science classes was comparable.

The students' science learning was measured using both the state science test and a researcher-developed science assessment. Students in the P-SELL schools outperformed their peers in schools using the district-adopted science curriculum on both the researcher-developed science assessment and the state science test. Analyses showed that P-SELL had a positive and significant effect for each language proficiency group (ELLs, ELLs recently reclassified as proficient in English, former ELLs reclassified as proficient in English more than two years ago, and non-ELLs) on the researcher-developed test. P-SELL also had a positive effect for former ELLs and non-ELLs on the state science test, but for ELLs and recently reclassified ELLs, the effect was not statistically significant.

"The findings of our study provide strong evidence that an intervention that promotes science inquiry and language development for English language learners can be scaled up, implemented across educational settings, and result in improvements for all students," said Llosa.

Future research will look at whether the positive effects of P-SELL can be sustained over time, and what the effects are on students of varying levels of English proficiency over time.

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The above post is reprinted from materials provided by New York University. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

***Science Direct

In a large-scale study involving more than 6,000 fifth graders, an innovative science curriculum was found to have a positive impact on science learning for students with different levels of English proficiency.

The study, led by NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development and published in the American Educational Research Journal, evaluated the effects of Promoting Science Among English Language Learners (P-SELL), a fifth-grade science curricular and professional development intervention designed with English language learners (ELLs) in mind.

"Our study was motivated by the urgent need for English language learners to have access to equitable learning opportunities so that they can be successful in school and be ready for college and careers," said Lorena Llosa, associate professor of education at NYU Steinhardt and a lead author on the study.

Census data from 2013 show that 22 percent of U.S. students speak a language other than English at home. Despite the growth in diversity in the classroom, few teachers report feeling prepared to provide science instruction for diverse student groups, including ELLs. In addition, achievement gaps in science between ELLs and non-ELLs remain largely consistent and wide. "These factors highlighted the need for educational interventions to promote science learning for all students, including English language learners," said Okhee Lee, professor of childhood education at NYU Steinhardt and a lead author on the study.

The P-SELL intervention, developed by Lee, consists of a yearlong science curriculum aligned with state science standards for fifth grade, as well as professional development for teachers. The curriculum is designed to promote students' scientific inquiry and understanding while using language development strategies.

The curriculum for students is built around state science standards and focuses on four areas: the nature of science, earth and space science, life science, and physical science. By providing more structure through teacher-directed instruction in early chapters and an open-ended approach in later chapters, the curriculum fosters students' exploration.

In addition, the P-SELL curriculum addresses the learning needs of ELLs by providing guidance for English language development. Each chapter begins and concludes with key concepts in the three primary languages spoken by students in the schools studied: English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole. The lessons introduce science concepts by connecting them with prior knowledge from outside the classroom and knowledge from previous chapters. Student discussions and opportunities for writing are incorporated throughout.

P-SELL also supports teachers through a teachers' guide to assist with implementing the curriculum and professional development workshops during the summer and throughout the school year.

The study was conducted in three school districts in Florida. According to the Florida Department of Education, Florida ELLs total more than 265,000 and surpass most states in the nation.

Artificial Light Linked To Obesity - Researchers

A recent study suggests that, bright artificial lights which glare all night may cause residents of nearby homes to become obese. 

Researchers made the findings by analysing satellite images of artificial light at night (ALAN) taken by the US military alongside World Health Organisation data on obesity rates. 

The team at the University of Haifa in Israel found a “statistically significant” link between a man or a woman being overweight or obese when living near ALAN. 

N.A. Rybnikova of the University of Haifa in Israel told Reuters said that artificial light could cause people to eat after the natural dusk when metabolic processes in the body slow down.

It is believed that artificial light interferes with the body’s product of melatonin, which controls the sleep cycle. 

However, the researchers stressed that light bulbs do not cause obesity, and further studies are needed to investigate whether lights from electronic devices like smartphones can affect a person’s weight.

Laura Fonken, a researcher at the University of Colorado who had no involvement in the research, told Reuters that evidence is building that artificial light could disturb the metabolism.

She added: “Overall, it seems that there aren’t any downsides to trying to keep a consistent sleep schedule and avoid nighttime light exposure.” 

Previous research by the Cancer Research Institute in London found an association between sleeping in a room that was too bright and being overweight.

Those who slept at night in a room light enough to see across had larger waistlines than those who bedded down in darkness, the study of 113,000 women found, BBC News reported.

However, researchers stressed that the evidence was not strong enough for them to advice people to buy thicker curtains or turn off lights.

Source: Independent

The Most Distant Known Galaxy In The Universe Identified

Source: Wikipedia

Astronomers announce the identification of GN-z11, the most distant kn own galaxy in the Universe. GN-z11 is a high-redshift galaxy found at the constellation Ursa Major, and is currently the oldest and most distant known galaxy in the Observable Universe. 

GN-z11 has a spectroscopic redshift of z = 11.1, which corresponds to a comoving distance of approximately 32 billion light-years from Earth.

A galaxy is a gravitationally bound system of stars, stellar remnants,interstellar gas, dust, and dark matter

After 100 years, Albert Einstein’s Gravitational waves confirmed

Albert Einstein’s gravitational waves has been confirmed by scientists at Washington’s National Science Foundation and Moscow State University.

The discovery could be the key to new understanding of the universe; the breakthrough can possibly be the biggest in physics in a century.

“A very weak space time wiggles which propagate at the speed of light” were officially confirmed Thursday.

LIGO Laboratory Executive Director, David Reitze announced to Washington, “Ladies and gentlemen! We have detected gravitational waves, we did it!"

“These gravitational waves are produced by two colliding black holes, [that] came together, merged and formed a single black hole about 1.3billion years ago,” Reitze added.

One of the most important variables in Einstein’s theory of relativity are these ripples in the fabric of space time. Interestingly, it took astronomers decades to detect them, even though they were pretty sure that gravitational waves existed.

The discovery had been made with the use of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational – wave Observatory (LIGO) – a system of two detectors constructed to spot tiny vibrations from primary gravitational waves. Funded by the National Science foundation, LIGO’s identical detectors are located in Livingston, Louisiana, and Hanford, Washington.

The observatories, which are "the most precise measuring device ever built," recorded a signal on September 14, 2015, "nearly simultaneously," and the signal "had a very specific characteristic," the laboratories' director said.

"As time went forward, the frequency went up," he explained, adding that it took scientists months of careful checking and analysis to confirm that what had been discovered was exactly gravitational waves.

Source: www.rt.com

Unilorin Researchers Discover A New Diagnostic Method of Identifying Hepatitis "C" In Human Carriers Long Before They Express The Symptoms of the Disease.

Dr. Jide Agbede of the Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Ilorin, who leads a multi-disciplinary research team on the study, disclosed this in an interview with Unilorin Bulletin.

According to Dr. Agbede, “Hepatitis “C” virus is a very deadly viral disease that has propensity to cause cancer of the liver as carriers advance in age”. He said that the infection is not easily diagnosed because not everyone with the virus expresses the symptoms. The symptoms are Gastro Intestinal Tract (GIT) infections and abdominal discomfort.

The medical researcher explained that “it is when people need to donate blood for blood transfusion purposes and the donor's blood is screened that the virus is often discovered”, adding that “even at that, only those who have passed the 'window period' are discovered”. He explained that the 'window period' is a time between when the virus gets into human body unnoticed and the time when existing diagnostic technology can fish it out”.

He said, “Our research is to identify the core antigen, along with its antibodies. An antigen is any substance like chemicals, bacteria, viruses, pollen or even bacterial toxins or tissue cells that causes the immune system to produce antibodies against it while antibodies, also called immunoglobulins, are large Y-shaped proteins, which function to identify and help remove foreign antigens or targets such as viruses and bacteria. Every antibody recognises a specific foreign antigen.

“So if a carrier of the Hepatitis “C” virus, for instance, donates his blood for blood transfusion, because existing diagnostic method does not capture infected people at the window period, the laboratory technologist will transfuse the blood into the blood bank or to another person ultimately and he will be blameless”.

“Our effort is to track the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) - a self-replicating material which is present in nearly all living organisms as the main constituent of chromosomes which is the carrier of genetic information-of the virus on the infected person. We also note the substance produced by the virus in the process of infection”, he said

The virologist, who is working along with Prof Yisa M. Fakunle of the Department of Medicine and who until recently the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management Services), Dr. F. Oladiji of the Department of Heamatology and Mr. O.O. Adeyemi of the Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, further explained that the University of Leeds, United Kingdom, is collaborating with the team on this study and that Mr. Adeyemi is currently at Leeds working on some aspects of the research.

Source: Unilorin Bulletin

Ingredient to make humans immune to pain discovered

Another breakthrough in medicine as the ingredient for painlessness has been discovered by University College London researchers. Prior to a report obtained from the UCL website, people born with a non-functioning Nav 1.7 do not feel pain. It was also revealed that for signalling in pain pathways, sodium channel Navy 1.7 is particularly important.

Mice and people who lack Nav 1.7 produces higher than normal levels of name natural opioid peptides as reported by a study published in Nature communications.

To verify if opioids were significant for painlessness, naloxon (opioid blocker) was issued by researchers to transgenic mice (meaning they were modified to carry genetic material from another organism) lacking Nav  1.7 and found out that they started to feel pain. Thereafter naloxone was administered to a 39-years-old woman with the rare mutation and for the first time she felt pain, as reported.

According to a senior author, professor John Wood of UCL Medicine in his words said

“After a decade of rather disappointing drug trials, we now have confirmation that Nav1.7 really is a key element in human pain.
“The secret ingredient turned out to be good old-fashioned opioid peptides, and we have now filed a patent for combining low dose opioids with Nav1.7 blockers.
“This should replicate the painlessness experienced by people with rare mutations, and we have already successfully tested this approach in unmodified mice.”

Precise physiological experiments showed that the nervous systems of the transgenic mice contained around twice the levels of naturally-produced opioids as unmodified mice from the same litter.

Broad-spectrum sodium channel blockers are used as local anaesthetics, but they are not suitable for long-term pain management as they cause complete numbness (absence of sensitivity) and can have serious side-effects over time. By contrast, people born without working Nav1.7 still feel non-painful touch normally and the only known side-effect is the inability to smell.

Source: www.ucl.ac.uk, www.nature.com, www.punchng.com