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Category Archives: Transhuman News

Orbital ATK Cygnus set to deliver research to space station – Phys.org – Phys.Org

Posted: March 21, 2017 at 11:26 am

March 20, 2017 by Jenny Howard The Cygnus spacecraft reenters the Earth's atmosphere, as observed by Expedition 40 crewmembers aboard the space station. RED-Data2, a soccer-ball sized companion to a spacecraft reentering the Earth's atmosphere, will be a test-bed for the testing and demonstration of high-heat materials. Credit: NASA

Orbital ATK is targeted to launch its Cygnus spacecraft into orbit for a resupply mission to the International Space Station March 24, 2017 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Cygnus will launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying crew supplies, equipment and scientific research to crew members aboard the station. The flight will deliver investigations that study magnetic cell culturing, crystal growth and atmospheric reentry.

Here are some highlights of research scheduled to be delivered to the station:

ADCs in Microgravity could provide better drug designs for cancer patients

In microgravity, cancer cells grow in 3-D, spheroid structures that closely resemble their form in the human body, allowing to better test the efficacy of a drug. The Efficacy and Metabolism of Azonafide Antibody-Drug Conjugates in Microgravity (ADCs in Microgravity) investigation tests new antibody drug conjugates, developed by Oncolinx.

These conjugates combine an immune-activating drug with antibodies and target only cancer cells, which could potentially increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy and potentially reduce the associated side-effects. Results from this investigation could help inform drug design for cancer patients, as well as more insight into how microgravity effects a drug's performance.

3-D cell culturing in space may lead to improved drug development costs

Cells cultured in space spontaneously grow in 3-D, as opposed to cells cultured on Earth which grow in 2-D, resulting in characteristics more representative of how cells grow and function in living organisms. The Magnetic 3-D Cell Culture for Biological Research in Microgravity (Magnetic 3-D Cell Culturing) investigation will test magnetized cells and tools that may make it easier to handle cells and cell cultures. As a result, this could help investigators improving the ability to reproduce similar investigations on Earth.

This investigation will test ways to manipulate and culture cells in 2-D and 3-D in space and on the ground, which may help isolate the effects of gravity in experiments. If investigators can identify these effects on the cell's growth, data will be used to help design environments on Earth which mimic microgravity, which could reduce the cost of drug development.

SUBSA Furnace and Inserts provide for improved crystal growth in microgravity

The Solidification Using a Baffle in Sealed Ampoules (SUBSA) investigation was originally operated successfully aboard the space station in 2002. Although it has been updated with modernized software, data acquisition, high definition video and communication interfaces, its objective remains the same: advance our understanding of the processes involved in semiconductor crystal growth.

Many crystal growth investigations, such as CLYC Crystal Growth and Detached Melt and Vapor Growth of InI, will occur within SUBSA Furnace and Inserts. Samples can be observed with high-definition video in real-time, along with remote commanding of thermal control parameters by investigation teams.

Understanding how space debris reenters the atmosphere can lead to improved spacecraft materials

Out-of-function satellites, spent rocket stages and other debris frequently reenter Earth's atmosphere, where most of it breaks up and disintegrates before hitting the ground. However, some larger objects can survive atmospheric reentry. The ability to predict how an object will break apart is valuable in the protection of people and property. The Thermal Protection Material Flight Test and Reentry Data Collection (RED-Data2) investigation studies a new type of recording device that rides alongside of a spacecraft reentering the Earth's atmosphere, recording data about the extreme conditions it encounters during reentry, something scientists have been unable to test on a large scale thus far.

Understanding what happens to a spacecraft as it reenters the atmosphere could lead to increased accuracy of spacecraft breakup predictions, an improved design of future spacecraft and the development of materials that can resist the extreme heat and pressure of returning to Earth.

IceCube CubeSat seeks to improve understanding of weather and climate models

IceCube, a small satellite known as a CubeSat, will measure cloud ice using an 883-Gigahertz radiometer. Used to predict weather and climate models, IceCube will collect the first global map of cloud-induced radiances. The key objective for this investigation is to raise the technology readiness level, a NASA assessment that measures a technology's maturity level.

Advanced Plant Habitat supports plant research

Joining the space station's growing list of facilities is the Advanced Plant Habitat, a fully enclosed, environmentally controlled plant habitat used to conduct plant bioscience research. The habitat integrates proven microgravity plant growth processes with newly-developed technologies to increase overall efficiency and reliability. The ability to cultivate plants for food and oxygen generation aboard the space station is a key step in the planning of longer-duration, deep space missions where frequent resupply missions may not be a possibility.

Explore further: Stem cells seem speedier in space

Growing significant numbers of human stem cells in a short time could lead to new treatments for stroke and other diseases. Scientists are sending stem cells to the International Space Station to test whether these cells ...

The tenth SpaceX cargo resupply launch to the International Space Station, targeted for launch Feb. 18, will deliver investigations that study human health, Earth science and weather patterns. Here are some highlights of ...

Orbital ATK's unmanned Cygnus space capsule departed from the International Space Station on schedule Tuesday, three months after delivering 7,500 pounds (3,400 kilos) of supplies, material for scientific experiments and ...

Newly 3-D printed wrenches, data to improve cooling systems, protein crystals and seedling samples returned Feb. 10 aboard SpaceX's fifth contracted resupply mission to the International Space Station. Researchers will use ...

The crew of the International Space Station soon will be equipped to perform dozens of new scientific investigations with cargo launched Monday aboard NASA's latest commercial resupply services mission from the agency's Wallops ...

There will be more Dragons in space! The SpaceX Dragon's next launch to the International Space Station has been scheduled for Sunday, October 7, 2012, NASA and SpaceX announced today. This will be the first of 12 contracted ...

A new computer simulation helps explain the existence of puzzling supermassive black holes observed in the early universe. The simulation is based on a computer code used to understand the coupling of radiation and certain ...

What sounds like a stomach-turning ride at an amusement park might hold the key to unravelling the mysterious mechanism that causes beams of radio waves to shoot out from pulsarssuper-magnetic rotating stars in our Galaxy.

(Phys.org)A large international team of researchers has found that a hot Jupiter called KELT-16b is likely to offer a unique opportunity for research for many years to come. In their paper published in The Astronomical ...

The next rovers to explore another planet might bring along a scout.

As children, we learned about our solar system's planets by certain characteristicsJupiter is the largest, Saturn has rings, Mercury is closest to the sun. Mars is red, but it's possible that one of our closest neighbors ...

(Phys.org)Astronomers have inspected a mysterious isolated star cluster complex designated SH2 in the galaxy NGC 1316 (also known as Fornax A). The results of their study, which were published Mar. 1 in a paper on arXiv.org, ...

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SAGE III Achieves First Light from Space Station Perch – Space Daily

Posted: at 11:26 am

The Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment III, or SAGE III, reached another in a series of major recent milestones Friday, March 17, by collecting first light data from its new home on the International Space Station.

In an email sent to SAGE III team members early Friday afternoon, acting SAGE III Project Manager Joe Gasbarre said, "After the mission operations and science teams had a chance early this morning to review the data received overnight, it was clear several successful solar occultations occurred, thus proving First Light had been achieved on the instrument."

Solar occultation is a type of measurement that involves looking at the light from the sun as it passes through Earth's atmosphere at the edge, or limb, of the planet. SAGE III uses both solar and lunar occultation to measure ozone and aerosols in Earth's atmosphere.

Autonomous operations of the instrument will continue over the weekend. Next week, the mission operations team will settle into what Gasbarre referred to as a "cadence of adjustments and data analysis" as instrument commissioning moves into full swing. Complete commissioning and calibration of SAGE III will take approximately 90 days.

The SAGE III mission operations team is based at the Flight Mission Support Center at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

"I cannot say enough about the efforts of this entire team stretching back many years," said Gasbarre in his email. "This success is only possible due to the hard work, sacrifice and support of the entire team as well as our stakeholders."

Once fully commissioned, SAGE III will take occultation measurements about 15 or 16 times a day. The space station's unique orbital path will allow SAGE III to make observations during all seasons and over a large portion of the globe.

SAGE III launched to the station Feb. 19 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon spacecraft. Following docking of the Dragon capsule, the station's robotic Canadarm2 removed the SAGE III instrument payload and its Nadir Viewing Platform and installed them on the station. Installation was completed March 7.

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Human Stem Cells Sent To International Space Station Seem Speedier In Space – SpaceCoastDaily.com

Posted: at 11:26 am

By NASA // March 20, 2017

Growing significant numbers of human stem cells in a short time could lead to new treatments for stroke and other health issues. (NASA Image)

(NASA) Growing significant numbers of human stem cells in a short time could lead to new treatments for stroke and other health issues.

Scientists are sending stem cells to the International Space Station to test whether these cells proliferate faster in microgravity without suffering any side effects.

Therapeutic uses require hundreds of millions of stem cells and currently no efficient way exists to produce such quantities. Previous research suggests that microgravity could help, and the space station is home to the nations only national lab in microgravity.

Some types of stem cells grow faster in simulated microgravity, according to Abba Zubair, a researcher at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Zubair is principal investigator for the Microgravity Expanded Stem Cells investigation, which is cultivating human stem cells aboard the space station for use in clinical trials back on Earth.

Cultured stem cells. (BioServe Inc. Image)

He holds a doctor of medicine degree in transfusion medicine and cell therapy and a doctorate of philosophy in tumor immunology.

Human stem cells are cells that have not yet specialized in function and can divide into a spectrum of cell types, rejuvenating and repairing tissue throughout a persons lifetime. Stem cells in every organ of the body, including skin and bones, maintain those organs and repair tissue by dividing and differentiating into specialized cells.

Harvesting a persons stem cells and growing enough of them for use in therapies has proven difficult, though. Researchers have successfully grown mesenchymal stem cells, found in bone marrow, but growing sufficient quantities takes weeks. That could be too late for treatment of some conditions.

Stem cells are inherently designed to remain at a constant number, Zubair explains.

We need to grow them faster, but without changing their characteristics.

The Plate Habitat (PHAB) containing BioCell cassettes for the Expanded Stem Cell investigation aboard the space station. (BioServe Inc. Image)

The first phase of the investigation, he adds, is answering the question: Do stem cells grow faster in space and can we grow them in such a manner that they are safe to use in patients?

Investigators will examine the space-grown cells in an effort to understand the mechanism behind microgravitys effects on them. The long-term goal is to learn how to mimic those effects and develop a safe and reliable way to produce stem cells in the quantities needed.

The second phase will involve testing clinical application of the cells in patients. Zubair has been studying treatment of stroke patients with lab-grown stem cells and plans to compare those results with use of the space-grown stem cells.

What is unique about this investigation is that we are not only looking at the biology of the cells and how they grow, but focusing on application, how we can use them to treat patients, he says.

The investigation expands existing knowledge of how microgravity affects stem cell growth and differentiation as well as advances future studies on how to produce large numbers of stem cells for treating stroke and other conditions.

Abba Zubair in his lab at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. (BioServe Inc. Image)

The faster that happens, the better for those who could benefit from stem cell therapies.

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Mars Colonization: Will Humans Have To Upgrade Their Bodies, Resort To Human Cloning? – Science World Report

Posted: at 11:26 am

First Posted: Mar 21, 2017 06:59 AM EDT

Can humans survive in the hostile conditions of Mars? (Photo : Mars One/YouTube screenshot)

A human mission to Mars is not a far-fetched dream with various nations and private organizations planning their own itineraries. However, living on the Red Planet and colonizing it is hugely different from just stepping on its soil. The planet -- its atmosphere, environment and ambience -- is not only completely hostile for human habitation, but living there would also mean a tremendous psychological and physical toll on humans.

In a study published in the journal Space Policy, Polish cognitive scientist Konard Szocik from Rzeszows University of Information Technology and Management has raised an argument that just training the astronauts in the International Space Station (ISS) is inadequate for humans to survive on Mars. Moreover, according to the scientist, human bodies need to be changed drastically to endure life on the Red Planet.

According to Szocik, the first group of astronauts on Mars can suffer from a severe psychological damage even after undergoing a training that sets them through an utmost psychological examination and conditioning -- such as the one NASA is currently conducting. At present, the American Space Agencys promising experiment HI-SEAS has a small crew sealed inside a dome near Hawaiis Mauna Loa volcano, to simulate the Red Planets conditions.

Other experiments that have been proposed to prepare humans for Mars mission include putting the astronauts into coma before their journey to Mars. According to researchers, such a step will help in decreasing energy lack, protect muscle disintegration in astronauts and save their body from extreme space radiation. The Marshalltown reported that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has suggested removing the gall bladder and appendix of astronauts on Mars mission, to maintain their safety because surgery can not only be unpleasant but also impossible in the event of bursts.

Szocik has argued that no amount of preparation can make humans ready to survive on the Red Planet for a long term. I think that medicine can be insufficient and that there will be necessary some permanent solutions like genetical and/or surgical modifications, Szociksaid. The scientist has also added that mankind should use the idea of transhumanism to survive in environments vastly different from Earth.

In addition, since mankind still does not know how the human reproduction will be affected by reduced gravity and radiation, nor can humans maintain a human colony on Mars without inbreeding unless tons of people are sent to Mars. Thus, Szocik has suggested this, thinking about an opportunity of human cloning.

TagsMars, Red Planet, Mars colonization, Mars mission, HI-SEAS, Cloning, transhumanism

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This Valkyrie R5 humanoid robot is put to the test with Mars colonization on the horizon – Fox News

Posted: at 11:26 am

NASA's Space Robotics Challenge awarded Northeastern University with a $2-million Valkyrie Robonaut 5 (R5) robot, which is now undergoing tests in a Massachusetts warehouse to prepare for the finalist round this June in a virtual simulation of a red-planet landing.

The robot arrived at Northeastern in 2015 as part of a proposal that Engineering Professor Taskin Padir sent to NASA for the Space Robotics Challenge software testing, reports Tech Crunch.

"They've done all of the hardware and we're developing these high-level capabilities so Valkyrie does more than just move limbs," Northeastern PhD student, Murphy Wonsick told Tech Crunch. "She can autonomously make decisions, move around, and accomplish tasks."

Researchers moved the R5 to "NERVE (New England Robotics Validation and Experimentation) Center, a large warehouse space operated by UMass Lowell that houses large obstacle courses designed to put test robots and drones through their paces," just outside of Boston.

On-board vision systems, bipedal locomotion, and navigation in tight spaces are some the criteria being tested at the NERVE research site, according to the same report.

NASA reportedly produced three other R5 models. One was held in-house, and NASA "awarded two as research loans to Northeastern University and nearby MIT, while a fourth was acquired by Scotland's University of Edinburgh."

According to NASA, in the finalist round, "each team's R5 will be challenged with resolving the aftermath of a dust storm that has damaged a Martian habitat. This involves three objectives: aligning a communications dish, repairing a solar array, and fixing a habitat leak."

The Space Robotics Challenge is part of NASA's Centennial Challenges program set to award $1 million to the team that can "develop capabilities of humanoid robot dexterity to better enable them to work alongside and independent of astronauts in preparation for future space exploration."

NASA announced the 20 finalists in February.

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Autism Blood Test Incorporates Big Data Techniques – Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News

Posted: at 11:26 am

The research team used blood sample data, collected at Arkansas Children's Hospital, from 83 children with autism and 76 neurotypical children, all between 3 and 10 years old. With the help of advanced modeling and statistical analysis tools, the metabolic data allowed the researchers to correctly classify 97.6% of the children with autism and 96.1% of the neurotypical children.

"Because we did everything possible to make the model independent of the data, I am very optimistic we will be able to replicate our results with a different cohort," Dr. Hahn remarked. "This is the first physiological diagnostic, and it's highly accurate and specific."

Previously, researchers had looked at individual metabolites produced by the methionine cycle and the transsulfuration pathways, finding possible links with ASD, but the correlation has been inconclusive. Dr. Hahn said the more sophisticated techniques he applied revealed patterns that would not have been apparent with earlier efforts.

"A lot of studies have looked at one biomarker, one metabolite, one gene, and have found some differences, but most of the time those differences weren't statistically significant, or the results could not be reliably replicated," Dr. Hahn stated. "Our contribution is using big data techniques that can look at a suite of metabolites that have been correlated with ASD and statistically make a much stronger case."

The research team was excited by their findings and are looking ahead to replicate the results with a new cohort. In the long run, the researchers hope the model and diagnostic tool will aid in developing improved treatment options.

"If these pathways are different, what happens if I can manipulate the pathway so that it works similarly to the neurotypical ones?" Dr. Hahn proposed. "What do I need to prod? Which molecules do I need to add or take away? Having a model that describes these pathways makes it a lot easier to adjust them."

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The Next Pseudoscience Health Craze Is All About Genetics – Lifehacker Australia

Posted: at 11:25 am

Recently, Vitaliy Husar received results from a DNA screening that changed his life. It wasn't a gene that suggested a high likelihood of cancer or a shocking revelation about his family tree. It was his diet. It was all wrong.

Illustration: Angelica Alzona/Gizmodo

That was, at least, according to DNA Lifestyle Coach, a startup that offers consumers advice on diet, exercise and other aspects of daily life based on genetics alone. Husar, a 38-year-old telecom salesman, had spent most of his life eating the sort of Eastern European fare typical of his native Ukraine: Lots of meat, potatoes, salt and saturated fats. DNA Lifestyle Coach suggested his body might appreciate a more Mediterranean diet instead.

"They show you which genes are linked to what traits, and link you to the research," Husar told Gizmodo. "There is science behind it."

DNA Lifestyle Coach isn't the only company hoping to turn our genetics into a lifestyle product. In the past decade, DNA sequencing has gotten really, really cheap, positioning genetics to become the next big consumer health craze. The sales pitch a roadmap for life encoded in your very own DNA can be hard to resist. But scientists are sceptical that we've decrypted enough about the human genome to turn strings of As, Ts, Cs and Gs into useful personalised lifestyle advice.

Indeed, that lifestyle advice has a tendency to sound more like it was divined from a health-conscious oracle than from actual science. Take, for instance, DNA Lifestyle Coach's recommendation that one client "drink 750ml of cloudy apple juice everyday to lose body fat".

"Millions of people have had genotyping done, but few people have had their whole genome sequenced," Eric Topol, a geneticist at Scripps in San Diego, told Gizmodo. Most consumer DNA testing companies, like 23andMe, offer genotyping, which examines small snippets of DNA for well-studied variations. Genome sequencing, on the other hand, decodes a person's entire genetic makeup. In many cases, there just isn't enough science concerning the genes in question to accurately predict, say, whether you should steer clear of carbs.

"We need billions of people to get their genome sequenced to be able to give people information like what kind of diet to follow," Topol said.

Husar stumbled upon the Kickstarter page for DNA Lifestyle Coach after getting his DNA tested via 23andMe a few years earlier. He wondered whether there was more information to be gleaned from his results. So six months ago, he downloaded his 23andMe data and uploaded it to DNA Lifestyle Coach. Each test costs between $US60 ($78) and $US70 ($91).

"I'm always looking for some ways to learn about my health, myself, my body," said Husar, who contributed to the company's Kickstarter back in 2015.

The advice he got back was incredibly specific. According to DNA Lifestyle Coach, he needed to start taking supplements of vitamins B12, D and E. He needed more iodine in his diet, and a lot less sodium. DNA Lifestyle Coach recommended that 55 per cent of his fat consumption come from monounsaturated fats like olive oil, rather than the sunflower oil popular in Ukraine. Oh, and he needed to change his workout to focus more on endurance and less on speed and power.

He switched up his workout and his diet, and added vitamin supplements to his daily routine. The results, he found, were hard to dispute: He lost 3kg, and for the first time in memory didn't spend Kiev's long harsh winter stuck with a bad case of the winter blues.

Image: A sample of a DNA Lifestyle Coach customer's fitness recommendations provided by a customer.

For now, DNA Lifestyle Coach's "interpretation engine" only offers consumers advice on diet and exercise, but in the coming months it plans to roll out genetics-based guidance on skin care, dental care and stress management. The company wants to tell you what SPF of sunscreen to use to decrease your risk of cancer, and which beauty products to use to delay the visible effects of ageing. Its founders told Gizmodo that eventually they envision being able to offer their customers recipes for specific meals to whip up for dinner, optimised for their genetic makeup.

DNA Lifestyle Coach joins a growing list of technology companies attempting to spin DNA testing results into a must-have product. The DNA sequencing company Helix plans to launch an "app store for genetics" later this year. One of its partners is Vinome, a wine club that for $US149 ($194) a quarter sends you wine selected based on your DNA. Orig3n offers genetics-based assessments of fitness, mental health, skin, nutrition and even obviously unscientific which superpower you are most likely to have. The CEO of the health-focused Veritas Genetics told Gizmodo that the company hopes to create a "Netflix for genetics", where consumers pay for a subscription to receive updated information on their genome for the rest of their life.

"It's not going to happen overnight, but we believe that DNA will become an integrated part of everyday life," Helix co-founder Justin Kao told Gizmodo. "The same way people use data to determine which movie to see or which restaurant to eat at, people will one day use their own DNA data to help guide everyday experiences."

Few would debate that our capability to decipher information from our genetic code is getting a lot more sophisticated. Just a decade ago, a bargain-basement deal on whole genome sequencing would run you $US300,000 ($391,491). Recently, DNA sequencing company Illumina announced plans do it for just $US100 ($130) within the next decade. Every day, researchers discover new links between our health, our environment and our genetics.

But much of this research is still preliminary, and many of the studies are small. DNA Lifestyle Coach's advice to drink 750ml of cloudy apple juice for fat loss, for instance, stemmed from a study of just 68 non-smoking men. Those results, while promising, still require much larger studies to confirm. Suggesting that the same regiment might work for consumers is a little like reading the leaves at the bottom of a tea cup extracting meaning from patterns that aren't necessarily there.

Not to mention that the information our genes offer up is probabilistic, not deterministic. You may have run into this if you've done an ancestry DNA test and received results indicating that your parents are only "very likely" your parents. More often than not, many genes contribute to a specific trait like taste and how those genes all interact is a complex and poorly understood web. To complicate matters further, the expression of genes is often impacted by our behaviour and the environment. If you have a gene that raises the risk for skin cancer, but live in overcast Seattle and don't ever go outside, your chances of getting cancer are probably slimmer than someone who lives in Sydney and spends every day in the sun without slapping on some sunblock.

DNA Lifestyle Coach, though, wants to offer its customers simple, actionable advice, and so omits all this confusing grey area from its results. Instead, the recommendations are clear and specific, from how much Vitamin A to take to how many cups of coffee a day are most beneficial. It's a bit reminiscent of a long-term weather forecast spitting out predictions for sunshine or rain 30 days in advance yes, such predictions can be made, but most meteorologists will tell you they're borderline useless.

Image: A sample of a DNA Lifestyle Coach customer's diet recommendations provided by a customer.

"We use a series of algorithms which rank studies by reliability of results," the company website explains. "Studies are then analysed for their relation to real-world dietary and nutritional needs, and the user is given straightforward recommendations."

Pressed on the questionable nature of that apple juice study, DNA Lifestyle Coach's founders responded that the "data is not as strong" as the the other studies it pulls from. "But it is a harmless recommendation," the company said.

When asked whether it was possible that DNA Lifestyle Coach's claims might have any validity, Topol laughed.

One day, he said, it's likely we'll have some genomic insight into what types of diets are better suited for certain people. But, he added, it's unlikely that we will ever accurately predict the sort of granular details DNA Lifestyle Coach hopes to, like exactly what SPF of sunscreen you should be using on your skin.

"There are limits," he said.

Image: A sample of a DNA Lifestyle Coach customer's diet recommendations provided by a customer.

DNA Lifestyle Coach was founded by a chemist and a business consultant who met over an interest in the biohacker scene, a subculture focused on ideas like DIY life extension. The company that runs DNA Lifestyle Coach, Titanovo, actually started as a blog. The name is meant to invoke superhumans. "It's like the rise of the titans," said Corey McCarren, the business side of the duo, when Gizmodo met with him at a health "moonshots" conference last month.

Their first foray into genetics was a home telomere length test, which launched in 2015 with help of $US10,000 ($13,050) raised on Indiegogo. Telomeres are little bits of DNA at the end of chromosomes. Each time a cell divides, its telomeres get shorter, and so they provide some insight into our biological age. Titanovo wanted to develop an easy test to tell consumers how long or short their telomeres were. The company initially pitched the test as a way to measure both longevity and health, but eventually was forced to clarify for customers that it is not at present possible to discern biological age from telomeres alone, after receiving emails from customers panicked about their own short telomeres.

Instead, they suggest, the $US150 ($196) telomere testing kit is a way to discern information about health. One finding from their data: Vegetarians and vegans who use the service have, on average, longer telomeres. The company recommends going veg if you find your telomeres are in need of a boost. Even this, however, seems like a stretch: Data on telomere length, like genomics, is not quite ready for public consumption. For every paper that finds a potential cause of telomere shorting, there's one that finds the opposite effect.

Undaunted by the rocky rollout of its telomere testing kit, Titanovo is now pressing forward into genomics. The Kickstarter campaign for DNA Lifestyle Coach wound up raising more than $US30,000 ($39,149). The company says it now has more than 1000 customers who either pay $US215 ($281) for the full DNA testing kit along with one panel, or the $US60 ($78) to $US70 ($91) to run panels with data from services like 23andMe.

While it might seem harmless to take part in a little science-based superstition and find out whether you're more Batman or Superman, such indulgence can have serious side effects. For years, we've been sold on DNA as the answer to almost everything. Decode the human genome, and decode the "mysteries of the human spirit". This gives companies like DNA Lifestyle Coach dangerous authority. If your DNA testing results say you're prone to obesity, why spend time exercising and eating right when your health seems beyond your control?

Joshua Knowles, a Stanford Cardiologist who studies applied genetics, told Gizmodo that he recently had a patient who was unwilling to try a certain class of drug based on their genotyping, even though they had a high risk of heart disease that might be drastically reduced by use of those medications.

"We're doing a poor job of educating patients on risk-benefit analysis," Knowles said. "In some cases, when it comes to genetics, we're placing a lot of weight on some things that have very small overall effects."

In 2008, an European Journal of Human Geneticsarticle argued for better regulatory control of direct-to-consumer genetic testing, asking whether in the end, tests ran the risk of being little better than horoscopes that told people information they were already predisposed to believe.

It was these kinds of concerns that moved the US Food and Drug Administration to crack down on 23andMe in 2013, ordering the company to cease providing analyses of people's risk factors for disease until the tests' accuracy could be validated. The company now provides assessments on a small fraction of 254 diseases and conditions it once scanned for it still processes the same information, but is restricted in what it can tell consumers. Where it once reported "health risks" alongside specific tips and guidance on how to reduce them, it now reports on your "carrier status", framing the results in terms of whether you might pass down a specific genetic variant to your offspring rather that whether you might develop the condition yourself.

Companies like DNA Lifestyle Coach have moved in to offer the sort of tips 23andMe no longer can.

"We have much too many companies doing nutrigenomics and other unproven things like that," said Topol. "That can give consumer genomics a really bad name. That's unfortunate."

Kao, of Helix, said that educating consumers on what these results really mean alongside actionable information will be the industry's greatest challenge and what distinguishes it from just another pseudoscientific health fad.

"It's typically been very hard to interpret DNA information," Kao said. "DNA is most valuable with context, rather than as the only piece of the puzzle."

The industry, he argues, is young, but will get more accurate the more consumers use DNA-testing products. "Just as Netflix improves the more you rate shows you watch, so would many DNA-based products," he said.

Husar told Gizmodo that he got blood work done to confirm what he could about his DNA Lifestyle Coach results. The tests indeed confirmed that he was low on vitamins B12, D and E, as DNA Lifestyle Coach had suggested. Of course, Hussar still can't be sure his genes are responsible. It could be that he's simply not eating enough meat or cheese. Still, the blood work was enough to convince Husar that DNA Lifestyle Coach's analysis was worth taking seriously. And, for the most part, the results felt right it made sense that a boost of vitamin B12 might counteract the emotional toll of winter, and that cutting out potatoes and saturated fats might be beneficial.

The tests's fitness results though, he did find a tad shocking.

"I was really surprised to learn that I'm not fast or powerful, but I have a high endurance," he said. "I can do Iron Man. This is what my genetics say. I'm trying to change my workout to see if that's true."

Husar may never be sure whether the advice divined from his genetics was really helpful. He can only hope it doesn't hurt.

Originally published on Gizmodo Australia.

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All it takes is a single tweet or text for some people to reveal their poor grasp of the English language. Homophones words that sound alike but are spelled differently can be particularly pesky. Regardless, you should never choose incorrectly in these nine situations.

When it comes to nude beaches, there are some simple rules of etiquette that transcend borders. This video from the folks at Rev3 breaks them all down nicely.

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The Next Pseudoscience Health Craze Is All About Genetics - Lifehacker Australia

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Should companies be allowed to demand your genetic test results? – THV11.com

Posted: at 11:25 am

CBS , WTSP 6:26 AM. CDT March 21, 2017

A bill from a North Carolinarepresentative would allow companies to ask employees for genetic information. William Thomas Cain/Getty Images (Photo: William Thomas Cain, 2006 Getty Images)

Your genetic profile can reveal whether you have a disease or a predisposition to problems like cancer. So there is concern over a bill that would let companies request genetic testing, and effectively charge employees more for health insurance if they refuse.

The bill aims to clarify rules for workplace wellness programs. Employers would be able to offer discounts of up to 30 percent to those who participate. For the average family of four, that could be a difference of more than $1,500 a year.

But critics of this new bill say theres no telling how companies could use that information in the future. To them, its a choice between losing privacy or losing what could be thousands of dollars in savings.

Joselin Linder told correspondent Tony Dokoupil that, most of the time, she doesnt mind discussing the genetic illness that runs through her family attacking a vein in the liver.

So my grandmother passed it to two sons and watched two sons die of this gene, she said.

But she wouldnt want a boss to know the details of her family tree.

Dokoupila asked, How do you think you would feel if an employer said, We want to see your genetic test or were going to charge you 30% more for health insurance?

I think it would feel like a penalty, she replied.

What Linder calls a penalty, North Carolina congresswoman Virginia Foxx sees as motivation. She introduced a bill that would allow companies to offer insurance premium discounts to workers who undergo genetic testing as part of a workplace wellness program.

If they dont participate in the wellness program, their premium is going to be the same as everyone else, Foxx said.

With the exception of the people who participate in the program, said Dokoupil.

Well, its an incentive to participate in the program, Foxx replied.

Nancy Cox, president of the American Society of Human Genetics, countered, Its hard to imagine a good reason for wanting this information.

In a letter to Congress, her organization (and dozens of others) said the bill would impose draconian penalties on employees.

Federal law bans companies from using genetic information to hire, fire or discriminate. But critics say a simple blood or saliva test could eventually reveal so much about a persons health and abilities that the urge to peek might be irresistible.

There are possibilities for misusing genetic information that make it very important for this information to be private, Cox said.

When asked about the opposition to her bill, Rep. Foxx said, We are totally surprised.

She points to the benefits of companies engaging in workers health: It will save people money, and it also will help them achieve a better quality of life.

Most large companies offerwellness programs, which are supposed to encourage healthy living, prevent disease, and lower health costs.

But Joselin Linder doesnt think shed ever join one if it meant handing over her genetic information. I think all of us deserve our privacy, Linder said, and I think all of us deserve healthcare.

The Kaiser Family Foundation reports theres little evidence so far that wellness programs actually improve workers health.

Foxxs bill passed a House committee this month, and she is is optimistic about its chances of becoming law.

But with opposition mounting, it could be a tough sell in the Senate.

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Should companies be allowed to demand your genetic test results? - THV11.com

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DNA Definition: Shape, Replication, and Mutation

Posted: at 11:24 am

Definition: DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is a type of macromolecule known as a nucleic acid. It is shaped like a twisted double helix and is composed of long strands of alternating sugars and phosphate groups, along with nitrogenous bases (adenine, thymine, guanine and cytosine). DNA is organized into structures called chromosomes and housed within the nucleus of our cells. DNA is also found in cell mitochondria.

DNA contains the genetic information necessary for the production of cell components, organelles, and for the reproduction of life. Protein production is a vital cell process that is dependent upon DNA. Information contained within the genetic code is passed from DNA to RNA to the resulting proteins during protein synthesis.

DNA is composed of a sugar-phosphate backbone and nitrogenous bases. In double-stranded DNA, the nitrogenous bases pair up. Adenine pairs with thymine (A-T) and guanine pairs with cytosine (G-C). The shape of DNA resembles that of a spiral staircase. In this double helical shape, the sides of the staircase are formed by strands of deoxyribose sugar and phosphate molecules. The stair steps are formed by the nitrogenous bases.

The twisted double helix shape of DNA helps to make this biological molecule more compact. DNA is further compressed into structures called chromatin so that it can fit within the nucleus.

Chromatin is composed of DNA that is wrapped around small proteins known as histones. Histones help to organize DNA into structures called nucleosomes, which form chromatin fibers. Chromatin fibers are further coiled and condensed into chromosomes.

The double helix shape of DNA makes DNA replication possible.

In replication, DNA makes a copy of itself in order to pass genetic information on to newly formed daughter cells. In order for replication to take place, the DNA must unwind to allow cell replication machinery to copy each strand. Each replicated molecule is composed of a strand from the original DNA molecule and a newly formed strand. Replication produces genetically identical DNA molecules. DNA replication occurs in interphase, a stage prior to the start of the division processes of mitosis and meiosis.

DNA translation is the process for the synthesis of proteins. Segments of DNA called genes contain genetic sequences or codes for the production of specific proteins. In order for translation to occur, the DNA must first unwind and allow DNA transcription to take place. In transcription, the DNA is copied and an RNA version of the DNA code (RNA transcript) is produced. With the help of cell ribosomes and transfer RNA, the RNA transcript undergoes translation and proteins synthesis.

Any change in the sequence of nucleotides in DNA is known as a gene mutation. These changes can affect a single nucleotide pair or larger gene segments of a chromosome. Gene mutations are caused by mutagens such as chemicals or radiation, and can also result from errors made during cell division.

Constructing DNA models is a great way to learn about DNA structure, function and replication. You can learn how to make DNA models out of cardboard, jewelery, and even learn how to make a DNA model using candy.

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DNA Definition: Shape, Replication, and Mutation

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DNA samples used to reconstruct face of killer 30 years later …

Posted: at 11:24 am

After a 30-year wait, investigators have pictured the face of an Army specialists killer.

Investigators used a process called phenotyping, relying on DNA samples obtained from the crime scene to reconstruct the likely face of the mysterious man who murdered Spc. Darlene Krashoc and dumped her body behind a Korean restaurant in Colorado Springs on St. Patricks Day in 1987.

COLORADO POLICE SEARCH FOR MISSING PURPLE HEART RECIPIENT

These cases never die, Colorado Springs Police Lt. Howard Black toldThe Colorado Springs Gazette.

Krashoc was only 20 years old when someone beat her, bit her, sexually assaulted her and strangled her with a coat hanger and leather straps. She alsomay have been tossed from a moving vehicle, according to her autopsy.

COMBAT-HARDENED WWII PT BOAT MAKES TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO THE WATER

A week before her grisly murder, the Fort Carson soldier told her mom she was upset and wanted to leave the Army, though she didnt say who or what was troubling her, The Gazette reported.

The night of her murder, Krashoc went out dancing and drinking with fellow soldiers. She left the Shuffles nightclub at 1 a.m. on March 17, 1987. Just over four hours later, she was found dead.

The Armys Criminal Investigation Command, working with a DNA tech company, extracted DNA from crime scene evidence in 2003 and, in 2016, those samples were used to reveal the face of Krashocs killer,Stars and Stripes reported.

To be sure, the science is not perfect.

It is important to note that the composites are scientific approximations of appearance based on DNA, and are not likely to be exact replicas of appearance, the Army reported in a news release.

But even an imperfect picture could turn up the temperature on a decades-old cold case.

Any opportunity that can move a homicide case forward, well take that opportunity, Black told The Gazette.

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DNA samples used to reconstruct face of killer 30 years later ...

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