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After over a decade of observations of pulsars, astronomers could finally tease out the gravitational wave background of the Universe, the combined signal from merging supermassive black holes. But it was just the general presence of mergers, not specific events. A new paper proposes that the same pulsars could next be used to detect the gravitational waves from individual merging supermassive black holes. The more nearby pulsars astronomers can find, the more accurate their measurements will become.

“A major highlight of the work is our approach to achieve longevity: using computers to simulate the natural aging system and guide the design and rational engineering of the system to extend lifespan,” Hao told Motherboard. “This is the first time this computationally-guided engineering-based approach has been used in aging research. Our model simulations actually predicted that an oscillator can double the lifespan of the cell, but we were happily surprised that it actually did in experiments.”

The study is part of a growing corpus of mind-boggling research that may ultimately stave off some of the unpleasant byproducts of aging until later in life, while boosting life expectancy in humans overall. Though countless hurdles have to be cleared before these treatments become a reality, Hao thinks his team’s approach could eventually be applied to humans.

“I don’t see why it cannot be applied to more complex organisms,” Hao said. “If it is to be introduced to humans, then it will be a certain form of gene therapy. Of course it is still a long way ahead and the major concerns are on ethics and safety.”

Researchers at the University of Rochester have successfully exported a longevity gene from naked mole rats to mice – a transfer that resulted in both improved health and an extension of the mouse’s lifespan [1].

Longevity. Technology: Naked mole rats, which are known for their long lifespans and exceptional resistance to age-related diseases, have been a focus of longevity research for some time. By introducing a specific gene responsible for improved cellular repair and protection into mice, the Rochester researchers have created promising opportunities to better understand the mechanisms behind aging and potentially increase human lifespan.

“Our study provides a proof of principle that unique longevity mechanisms that evolved in long-lived mammalian species can be exported to improve the lifespans of other mammals,” says Vera Gorbunova, the Doris Johns Cherry Professor of biology and medicine at Rochester [2].

Scientists from the University of Rochester have had the naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber) in their crosshairs for some time, previously identifying how their unique cellular aging mechanisms lay the foundation for their long lifespans – up to 41 years, during which the females also remain fertile – and resistance to age-related diseases.

The modification directly led to the improved overall health of the aging mice and an approximate 4.4% increase in median lifespan.


They weigh about an ounce, spend their lives underground in sub-Saharan Africa and are unlikely to be making the shortlist for any cute animal calendars, but the naked mole-rat continues to show scientists it has incredible age-resistant biology beneath its pale, wrinkly skin.

Building on that knowledge, the researchers genetically modified mice to produce the naked mole-rat version of the hyaluronan synthase 2 gene, which makes a protein that produces high molecular weight hyaluronic acid (HMW-HA). While all mammals have hyaluronan synthase 2, the naked mole-rat’s version is somehow enhanced, driving stronger gene expression.

Inhibiting a protein on the surface of immune cells could offer new strategies for treating severe asthma, Cleveland Clinic researchers found.

Researchers discovered a new way a protein called MCEMP1 contributes to severe inflammation in the airway and lungs. The discovery, published in Nature Communications, provides critical information for developing therapeutic interventions to treat long-term lung conditions, including asthma, on a biological level.

The study was conducted in a lab led by Jae Jung, PhD, chair of the Cancer Biology Department, director of the Infection Biology program, and director of the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Global Center for Pathogen & Human Health Research.