LONGEVITY GENE

ScienceDaily (Jan. 13, 2010) — Scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have found that a "longevity gene" helps to slow age-related decline in brain function in older adults. Drugs that mimic the gene's effect are now under development, the researchers note, and could help protect against Alzheimer's disease.
The paper describing the Einstein study is published in the January 13 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

"Most work on the genetics of Alzheimer's disease has focused on factors that increase the danger," said Richard B. Lipton, M.D., the Lotti and Bernard Benson Faculty Scholar in Alzheimer's Disease and professor and vice chair in the Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology at Einstein and senior author of the paper. As an example, he cites APOE ε4, a gene variant involved in cholesterol metabolism that is known to increase the risk of Alzheimer's among those who carry it.

"We reversed this approach," says Dr. Lipton, "and instead focused on a genetic factor that protects against age-related illnesses, including both memory decline and Alzheimer's disease."

In a 2003 study, Dr. Lipton and his colleagues identified the cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) gene variant as a "longevity gene" in a population of Ashkenazi Jews. The favorable CETP gene variant increases blood levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) -- the so-called good cholesterol -- and also results in larger-than-average HDL and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles."

"We found that people with two copies of the longevity variant of CETP had slower memory decline and a lower risk for developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease," says Amy E. Sanders, M.D., assistant professor in the Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology at Einstein and lead author of the paper. "More specifically, those participants who carried two copies of the favorable CETP variant had a 70 percent reduction in their risk for developing Alzheimer's disease compared with participants who carried no copies of this gene variant."

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LIFE HAS TURNED INTO ANOTHER SOAP OPERA

It finally became clear that the major reason I find the media so disquieting is that they treat the news like the previews to an exciting serial. There is rarely a finish, inevitable for most of the stories since there is no end to war, the recession, a bad economy, and fights among those who think they are empowered or are angling to become so.

Today, an anniversary of the Berlin Wall being brought down, brought out history as well as today's state of the world. Korea is fighting with itself; Pakistan is where Al Qaeda is but we can't fight there so we are fighting Bin Laden in Afghanistan, though we know he is not there and no one admits why we really ARE there still..

The Republican party is in danger of splitting itself off into two parts. (I remember my Latin telling me that 'All Gaul was divided into three parts!_The Republicans sure have gall. (gall 1 (gôl)n. 1. See bile. 2. a. Bitterness of feeling; rancor. b. Something bitter to endure: the gall of defeat.
3. Outrageous insolence; effrontery.) The few moderate Republicans still in existence are finally rising up and realizing that their party has been hijacked by total impostors though they haven't yet figured out what to do about it after eight years of just rubber-stamping Bush.

The Catholic Church is not staying out of Washington and politics; it is trying to dictate how the rest of us should conduct our lives. So much for separation of church and state. The Pro-Lifers (at least for life that has not yet started) are trying to dictate their way to doing away with Roe v Wade.

Members of the House are trying to legislate a group of new overseers to banks and the amount of 'bonus' they can dole out. I suppose it should be filed under 'Better late than never' that they notice how banks have been robbing the public and shareholders for so many years.

We need to figure out a new definition for Independent voters since Bernie Sanders and Joe Lieberman seem not to fit under the same umbrella. My block to remembering Lieberman's name was cleared when I finally was able to associate him to Quisling.

Rupert Murdoch had an employee who reports that Murdoch hired people to destroy Obama's presidency and make him a failure. This is the kind of man we allow to control so much of the media brainwashing on Fox stations and the rest of Rupert's media empire. We are, and have been for two of Bush's terms in office, experiencing a governmental malfunction. It will take more than hair pins and duct tape to put things back together.

The state of the world used to be anxiety provoking. Now it seems just another unbelievable soap opera. The desire to fast forward through the commercials is now felt through the entire show.

BERNIE MADE OFF WITH THE MONEY

Has anyone thought of Bernard Madoff's name and its prophetic hint. He was certainly properly named, wasn't he? He 'made off' with billions but no one saw it coming.

I always thought that Bush was interesting. To have a President who 'beat around the bush' and rarely ever speak truth or gave a factual picture made G W Bush fall into my category of fitting names.

Bernie Sanders has a wonderful name. An Independent Senator from Vermont, he votes with the Democrats 98% of the time and both scratches and smooths the surface of lots of people. A woman who has always confronted debates in the Senate somewhat as a pugilist is aptly named Barbara Boxer. Since the Republicans are putting a lid on everything, Senator Robert Corker of Tennessee seems to have been well labeled for the job he was about to take; Senator Graham, SC, has been fittingly named the cracker he is. Senator Olympia Snowe, ME, is one cool lady. She has weathered many storms and retained more integrity than many in the Legislature though how she remains Republican escapes my understanding.

In Austin there is a dentist named Mike Meek...that inspires, relaxation and a sense of gentleness. In California there is a dentist, Dr. Speed, a pediatric dentist. That name offers the illusion she will get it over quickly, which may not fir passion but suits dealing with children's teeth. Robert Frost was indeed frosty. A
quote to illustrate: He said, "I hate prize fights where the victory is dependent on the referee's decision; it seems too much like the arts."

In deference to space and your time, dear readers, I shall quit this theme though material is forever available. However, Bernie Madoff brought me to this thought, so accurately named...perhaps we should look more carefully at names before we invest emotionally or financially!

A SUCCESSFUL END RUN ON THE GOVERNMENT

As long as we have a government that cares nothing for its people, the ones at the bottom of the pile have few choices. Since revolution is not the most efficient way to go, someone had to think outside the box. The CIW (Coalition for Immokalee Workers) has done just that. They did not ask for legislation to solve the problem, they thought up and implemented their own solution to be paid for by the corporations. The victory by the CIW will hopefully open doors to a better functioning democracy than to expect our least democratic 'government of a select few people at the top of the power heap' must be changed. Since change comes slowly, someone had to figure a faster way to succeed in making America behave as out forefathers intended, since it is clear that our current government has long since abandoned such intent.

Some history on this can be found in another article. What are the dynamics of the rich in our country, CEO's of corporations making billions in profit, to squeak out another nickel from the souls of their lowest and most needed workers? When will those sociopaths who have without conscience worked their way to the top be seen for what they are and a sense of pride in the values this country once stood for be allowed to return? Do they have to have a visit from Christmas ghosts of the past, present and future?

While we can occasionally get some help from the Legislative branch of our government, more is happening from groups of citizens who are getting behind causes with the power in numbers. Boycotts work. Negotiations work. We need to understand that our government does not work much, and certainly does not work efficiently or in a timely fashion.