Success is not the ability to exploit the poor.

Nelson Raglione

July 31 2019

Gentle People:

The claim we are attempting to destroy the economy by redirecting money towards creating sustainable products and projects, is bogus! Totally false! The idea is to protect our air and water and food production and hey! Who's money is it anyway? Money is a power coupon created by our elected governments for the purpose of maintaining an economy based on the distribution of goods and services. It was never meant to be hoarded by a few corporate moguls in order for them to dictate how we so called 'consumers' survive. In fact company executives created the concept of consumerism in the first place for the purpose of helping themselves get very rich very fast!
The title of 'successful person' today is claimed by millionaires and multi-millionaires and some politicians who have by various means, managed to accumulate more money than they need for basic survival. More than one millionaire has become rich by converting natural resources into cheap destructible consumer products without understanding or caring how the destructive nature of his or her industry creates dangerous repercussions within and to our Biosphere!
We are not trying to take away personal success! We are simply trying to survive as best we can and all we ask today is that our industrial companies around the world take responsibility for their actions!
Would it not be nicer if you became a millionaire by growing and selling millions of fruit bearing trees and vegetable plants? How about building a recycling plant that converts millions of discarded rubber car tires into powder and that powder applied to maintaining existing roads and highways? Don't forget to remove the wire from the powdered tire. Metal has value and is worth recycling!

How about building water filtration plants here and around the world to help provide clean water for the desperate poor who are running out of drinking water? You can recycle tons of plastic by making thick water distribution pipes for countries without such pipes.

One good idea now in the works is to create plastic molecules that can be easily recycled back into usable plastic so that all plastic can be recycled and reused by the company who makes a product.

Creating stronger and better containers made from glass and metal and stronger plastic and then reclaiming the containers after a “consumer” has 'consumed' the contents” is an idea I can live with and so can you! The idea is now in progress and has been adopted by many large companies and it is called “Looping.” why not get into the loop?

How to Loop.
Remember the old milk bottle concept? Full glass milk bottles were left on door steps and empty bottles were collected for cleaning and reuse. One company was responsible for recycling and reusing the bottles. The same can be done by hundreds of companies for thousands of products around the world whether they be plastic or not.
The economy will not miss a beat and in fact will be more enjoyable for everybody. People will feel less cheated and exploited by greedy companies and that will be a good thing for everybody? The idea is to protect our air and our water and our food production. Mother Nature is delicate and is presently being beaten to death by uncaring industries around the world and all in the name of profit and success!

We can do better if we stop buying inexpensive products created to self destruct in order to keep selling more products. We can do better if we do not have a “throw away” society because products today are packaged from cheap but indestructible plastic presently found floating within our Oceans. What is less well known is that we are also breathing and eating tiny molecules of plastic carried by wind currents around the world.

Sometimes something may look like a quality product but also self destructs and rather than bothering to fight with the sales people to refund our money, we find it expedient to simply dump the broken product in a recycle bin and then go buy another cheap product. The sad fact is that the broken product does not get recycled by our local communities.
Our local municipal recycling plants and garbage dumps are full! There is no more room for our discarded products whether we try to recycle them or not using the current system. We need the companies who make the products to take full responsibility and take back the packaging after the product they contained has been used.
If a product is made from: glass, metal, plastic or even rubber, the company who created the product, small or large, must take it back when the consumer who bought the product signals its end of use.

It is difficult not to sound sarcastic but our so called brilliant and educated politicians and company CEO's are now sending our garbage to other countries who, by the way, will be delivering our garbage back to us.
Here is a thought! Forget planning the quick demise of cheap products in order to maintain large profit margins. You honestly do not need millions of dollars. All that creates is jealousy! What you need is a good circle of friends and some honest love.

Thanks for reading!
Signed: Nelson Joseph Raglione
Executive director: The world friendly peace and ecology movement.
human4us2.blogspot

THE MAGIC BULLET HAS ARRIVED!

CRISPR advances have been coming so frequently that it’s hard to keep track.

In just a few years, it’s evolved from a nifty genome word editor to a full-on biological Swiss army knife. There’s the classic shutdown-that-faulty-gene version. There’s the change-and-replace-single-DNA-letters version. There are even spinoffs that let you add a gene, edit a bunch of genes, or irreversibly alter the genetic information of an entire species.

But before your eyes glaze over: this new family of upgrades is fundamentally different.

Rather than targeting DNA, a team at MIT repurposed CRISPR to edit single letters in RNA, the messengers that carry DNA information to the protein-building parts of the cell. Without RNA, most of DNA’s coding is moot: it’s similar to writing pages of software code, only unable to compile it into an executable program.

The effort is led by the legendary Dr. Feng Zhang, who was one of the first to realize CRISPR’s powerful editing abilities in mammalian cells. The tool, RESCUE, builds on Zhang’s previous attempt at using CRISPR to precisely swap one RNA letter for another—already hailed as a “tour de force” by outside experts.

This time, however, the editing is multiplexed. RESCUE can swap two letter pairs at the same time, doubling the number of disease-causing mutations translated by RNA that can be neutralized. Even more valuably, the tool can fundamentally change the way molecules in our cells communicate information, amping up—or temporarily blocking—the delicate amorphous “phone lines” that tell cancer cells to grow, or neurons to wither away from Alzheimer’s and other diseases.

“To treat the diversity of genetic changes that cause disease, we need an array of precise technologies to choose from…we were able to fill a critical gap in the toolbox,” said Zhang.

RNA: Biomedicine’s Frontier

Zhang’s results are neat—but they’re not the takeaway. To understand why they matter, it helps to gain a broader perspective on why scientists are eager to target RNA in the first place.

Think of RNA as a CliffsNotesversion of DNA. When a gene needs its message heard, it recruits a group of middlemen to rapidly build short, clover-leaf-shaped RNA strands from scratch, which faithfully contain all the “coding” information in a gene to make a protein. Similar to DNA, RNA also has four letters—A, G, C, and U, which acts like DNA’s T—that bind with DNA in specific pair-wise ways. Three-letter combinations in RNA form a dictionary that mostly encodes different proteins; occasionally it means “stop.” In all, a total of 64 combinations of RNA triads generate 20 different proteins, forming a second version of life’s base code.

RNA skyrocketed into prominence as a way to control gene expression almost two decades ago, and last year, the FDA finally approved the first RNA-targeting gene silencing drug. Despite the exploding popularity of DNA-focused CRISPR, however, targeting RNA never lost steam, for three main reasons.

One, it’s the no-commitment gene therapy alternative. Because RNA rapidly regenerates, any mistakes in editing will wash out within hours, allowing scientists to quickly scan for another alternative.

Two, it achieves the same outcome as genome editing without adding risk. Without editing the genome—which, as we’ve seen in CRISPR babies, can go very wrong—there’s no risk of triggering permanent cancerous mutations or other lifelong side effects.

Three, targeting RNA can alter hotspots on a protein that are essential to its function. Not to overwhelm you with too much biochemistry, but proteins often “talk” to each other by adding—or deleting—certain chemical groups. It’s like either putting up or removing a “do not disturb” sign on your hotel room door—the cell’s staff will know whether or not to continue with their tasks. This is huge.

Life runs on these signs: should a brain cell die after a stroke? Should neurons build up protein clumps that further trigger neurodegeneration? Should that cancer cell keep dividing? These chemical signs are a goldmine for treating all sorts of diseases. RNA-editing CRISPR is a simple, robust, and effective way to open them up for intervention.

REPAIR and RESCUE

Back in late 2017, Zhang’s team described the first CRISPR alternative that snips RNA into bits, simultaneously destroying any carried genetic information in the molecules. Just a month later, they presented the first RNA base-editing tool: REPAIR, a CRISPR variant that precisely changes the letter “A” to an artificial form of “G.”

In humans, a G-to-A mutation is extremely common, implicated in health conditions such as epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The new tool re-jiggles those mutations into benevolent forms while leaving the letters surrounding the troubled area alone.

To build REPAIR, the team strung two parts together like a molecular buddy cop tag-team. One is Cas13, a CRISPR family “scissor” protein that likes to cut RNA instead of DNA. The team made a neutered version that stripped the protein of its cutting ability, but retained its capability to grasp onto specific RNA sequences. They then chemically linked the Cas13 mutant with ADAR2, a protein word processor that forces A to I. Together, the deactivated Cas13 hunts down a target sequence in RNA, and ADAR2 swaps the letters.

The new system RESCUE uses REPAIR as its template. By analyzing the structure of ADAR2, the team made a few educated guesses to gradually change its activity, so that the protein learns to turn “C” to “U” in an RNA molecule. Using a process called directed evolution, they screened 16 rounds of RESCUE constructs in yeast cells until they found one with up to 80 percent editing efficiency. A quick test with 24 clinically-relevant mutant synthetic RNAs found editing proficiencies around 40 percent (however, going as low as single digits). Further optimization reduced off-target hits to around 100 without disrupting on-target abilities

In cultured human cells, the team found they could efficiently alter the cell’s “do not disturb” molecular signs using RESCUE. In one case the team was able to boost cell growth, similar to the process seen in prostate and other cancers. Another interesting target is APOE2, the team explained, which increases the risk of Alzheimer’s. RESCUE could, in theory, alter the RNA transcripts so that they resemble the more brain-protective version, thus potentially helping at-risk individuals without altering their brain’s genetic profile.

An RNA Future

RESCUE combines the top traits of RNA editing with the strength and resources of CRISPR, bridging two of biomedicine’s most promising approaches into a single tool. Compared to DNA-targeting CRISPR, it could finally put “undruggable” molecular targets within reach.

To be fair, RESCUE’s efficacy and specificity need years more tinkering to be acceptable for clinical use. And because RNA regenerates, the editing effects are temporary, which could become problematic if counteracting a lifelong genetic disease. But to some, that’s a feature, not a bug—it makes the tool useful for temporary conditions such as inflammation, stroke, or infectious diseases that only need brief treatments.

“Applications of the CRISPR system to RNA are heating up,” said Dr. Gene Yeo at UCSD, who funded a startup that uses CRISPR to target and cleave RNA for incurable conditions such as Huntington’s disease. His previous efforts engineered Cas9 variantsthat left DNA alone while destroying toxic RNA buildup to block the progression of neurodegeneration.

“RNA targeting has many advantages, and I think this will grow much more because there are many more things you can do to RNA than DNA,” said Yeo.

Image Credit: petarg / Shutterstock.com

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SHELLY FAN

Shelly Xuelai Fan is a neuroscientist-turned-science writer. She completed her PhD in neuroscience at the University of British Columbia, where she developed novel treatments for neurodegeneration. While studying biological brains, she became fascinated with AI and all things biotech. Following graduation, she moved to UCSF to study blood-based factors that rejuvenate aged brains. She is the ...

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How we live in Quebec, Canada.

Dear Brittany Andrew-Amofah:

Not only Muslim icons but all religious icons in Quebec are banned within our provincial and municipal governments. This assures that all groups are treated fairly and equally by government employees. What creates racism and mistrust is personal fear generated by cultural isolation and unusually large culture gaps which unfortunatelly are often created by religious beliefs and religious icons. Tolerance and understanding is what we strive for in Quebec. That is not easy when you have so many different religions and nationalities and languages competing for money and power all in one province.

'Malnourished' black hole breaks all the rules

And we'll need Albert Einstein's help to understand why.

CHRISTIAN COTRONEO

July 15, 2019, 8:26 a.m.

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Researchers used Hubble's Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph to observe matter swirling deep inside the disk. (Photo: NASA, ESA, S. Bianchi, A. Laor and M. Chiaberge)

Black holes don't give up their secrets easily.

Despite decades of scientific speculation, we didn't even lay eyes on one until earlier this year when astronomers finally captured an image of Powehi — an apt Hawaiian term meaning "adorned fathomless dark creation."

And now, scientists have detected another supermassive black hole that's even more "fathomless." In fact, it breaks the few rules we expect even black holes to abide by.

The light-sucking anomaly, described in a newly published study, lies at the heart of spiral galaxy NGC 3147, about 130 million light-years from where you're currently sitting. The farther away, of course, the better. This supermassive black hole is very hungry. In fact, researchers say it's malnourished because it can't find enough material to hoover into its gaping maw.

And yet, despite lean offerings at the galactic buffet, this hungry hippo has a flat, compact disk of matter embedded in its gravitational field. The matter is whirling around 3147's black hole at a frantic pace of about a 10th of the speed of light.

An artist's rendering of the black hole in galaxy NGC 3147. (Photo: NASA, ESA, and A. Feild and L. Hustak)

As NASA explains in a press release, that kind of disk typically accompanies an engorged black hole — one that's getting plenty of nourishment from its surroundings. And yet, this black hole, despite having about 250 million times the mass of our sun, is faint and famished.

Indeed, it took a very close scan by Hubble's Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph to even detect its presence.

"Without Hubble, we wouldn't have been able to see this because the black-hole region has a low luminosity," noted study co-author Marco Chiaberge of the European Space Agency in the NASA release. "The luminosities of the stars in the galaxy outshine anything in the nucleus. So if you observe it from the ground, you're dominated by the brightness of the stars, which drowns the feeble emission from the nucleus."

For answers, not surprisingly, we may have to turn, yet again, to Albert Einstein. Specifically, researchers want to test his theories of relativity on the galactic carnivore. The brilliant and much-misquoted German physicist did, after all, predict black holes existed long before we found them.

His theories of relativity, when tested on this black hole's unlikely gas disk, could give astronomers an unprecedented glimpse into the previously "fathomless" processes that occur close to a black hole.

"This is an intriguing peek at a disk very close to a black hole, so close that the velocities and the intensity of the gravitational pull are affecting how the photons of light look," noted study co-author Stefano Bianchi of Italy's Roma Tre University in the release. "We cannot understand the data unless we include the theories of relativity."

It seems this black hole may defy most current astronomical theories. It may even defy the rules of existence itself. But we'll have to wait and see if it can defy Einstein.

For now, here's a top-down view of that very strange disk:

Abundance Insider: July 12th, 2019

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In this week's Abundance Insider: AI-powered "aging clocks," VR in professional testing, and the first "solar sailing" spacecraft. P.S. Send any tips to our team by clicking here, and send your friends and family to this link to subscribe to Abundance Insider. P.P.S. Do you meditate? I do. I use Sam Harris’ Waking Up app, and think of him as my meditation coach. He’s also a neuroscientist, philosopher, author, blogger, and podcast host. On July 17th at 2:00pm PDT, Sam and I will be sitting down for a LIVE conversation about meditation, the brain, and how to improve your productivity. You can register for the live conversation at this link. SpaceX's Falcon Heavy Is Set To Launch The First-Ever 'Solar Sailing' Spacecraft Powered Purely By Light What it is: Just last month, SpaceX launched its third Falcon Heavy rocket, deploying 24 satellites into orbit and unleashing a novel type of spacecraft: the LightSail 2. The first successfully deployed “solar sailing” spacecraft, LightSail 2 leverages tiny amounts of force exerted by the Sun’s emitted photons, which transfer some of their momentum upon contact. While far more negligible than forces on Earth, this “solar radiation pressure” adds up in the zero gravity of space, providing continuous acceleration without any pre-loaded fuel. Why it's important: One of the most significant obstacles for the future of long space missions is the (seemingly) insurmountable constraint of fuel. LightSail 2 and its upcoming iterations, however, could soon change how vehicles propel themselves through space, capable of self-orienting and driven by the Sun’s constant beams at zero cost. Now that the Planetary Society’s mission is proving successful, we are fast approaching an era in which spacecrafts will set sail on cross-galactic journeys or pursue nearby solar systems, guided indefinitely by the “fuel” of our own star.  Share on Facebook With Little Training, Machine-Learning Algorithms Can Uncover Hidden Scientific Knowledge What it is: Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have now developed an AI algorithm that can learn outside its training parameters. Scanning scores of articles, the AI system analyzes the relationships between words, effectively teaching itself the subject. In application, the algorithm “read” 3.3 millionabstracts of research articles within materials science, successfully learning complex concepts, from the periodic table of elements to the crystal structure of metals. The AI even demonstrated an unprecedented ability to identify gaps in materials science research, accurately predicting the discovery of entirely new thermoelectric materials. Why it's important: In success, algorithms such as this one could soon plug into any subject material, instantaneously becoming an expert, identifying existing research limitations, and proposing new ideas for expansion. Over a lifetime, human researchers can probe only a tiny fraction of what AI is now capable of devouring in a day. Streamlining the time-intensive process of cross-referencing articles, however, AIs could free human scientists to pursue open gaps and outstanding research questions. Driven by a newfound ability to digest tomes of research spanning decades and disciplines, scientific knowledge and resulting innovation are about to explode in scale. How can you use AI to ride this wave of data-driven innovation?  Share on Facebook Cooling/Heating Window Film Captures And Releases Solar Energy What it is: A research team led by Professor Kasper Moth-Poulsen at Sweden’s Chalmers University has developed a window film capable of absorbing solar energy during the day and releasing it as heat into building interiors at night. A novel iteration on the same team’s MOlecular Solar Thermal (MOST) system, developed a few years ago, the clear film adapts the technology whereby solar energy is stored in a liquid medium, embedding a norbornadiene-quadricyclane molecule. When exposed to sunlight, this incorporated molecule absorbs the majority of solar energy emitted by the rays that bathe it, soon releasing the energy as heat once no longer in direct daylight. Why it's important: Beyond the obvious application of energy-efficient materials to skyscraper exteriors and home windows, similar materials science breakthroughs stand to transform the energy industry in numerous other settings. Moreover, while popular debate often targets solar energy in the context of the environment, innovative films and coating materials could have tremendous economic impacts, meeting global demands at a fraction of current prices. Long-term, how might we utilize energy-efficient materials in spacecrafts, clothing, or even smart city infrastructure?  Share on Facebook