OLD PHOTOS [via Cacciatore]
The first human x-ray taken by Wilhelm Roentgen in 1896, for his efforts Roentgen was the recipient of the first Nobel Prize for Physics in 1901. The image is of his wife's hand.
Times Square in 1922.
The Dalai Lama at age 2 in 1937.
The dedication of the Washington Monument in 1885.
The first photo of the Earth from the moon taken by Lunar Orbiter in 1966.
Neuroinflammation: Molecular Principles and Translational Approach August 23 - 30, 2014 Coordinator: Nicolas G. Bazan
Neuroinflammation: Molecular Principles and Translational Approach
August 23 - 30, 2014
Coordinator: Nicolas G. Bazan
LSU Center for Excellence in Neuroscience, New Orleans, USA
Faculty:
Scott Brady, University of Illinois, Chicago (USA)
David Brody, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis (USA)
Marianne Schultzberg, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (Sweden)
Thomas Moeller, Lundbeck Research, Paramus, USA
Michael T. Heneka, University of Bonn (Germany)
Haydee Bazan, LSU Center for Excellence in Neuroscience, New Orleans (USA)
The central nervous system is often referred to as an immunologically privileged site. While the blood–brain barrier (BBB) protects the central nervous system (CNS) from peripheral immune and inflammatory activation, the CNS is also able to induce the protective innate immune system in response to injury, including trauma, infection, stroke and neurotoxins. This acute inflammatory response is short-lived and generally beneficial in neutralizing potential threats to the CNS by minimizing cellular damage. On the other hand, a sustained chronic neuroinflammatory response can be detrimental and initiate neuronal damage, neuronal circuits impairments, astrocytic and microglia involvement and neurodegeneration via long-lasting formation and accumulation of neurotoxic proinflammatory mediators. New knowledge has revealed that macrophage lineage resident cells, microglia, perivascular macrophages and the other macrophage populations are engaged in homeostatic functions in the developing and adult nervous system. A critical reappraisal of their function is currently in progress in order to ascribe to these cells their full significance in pathophysiology of several neurological disorders and to understand how comorbid systemic disease and associated immune response impacts the nervous system and its inflammatory response.
The CNS's innate immune response involves intricate signaling circuitry and cellular networks. What was once considered an immune-privileged site is now recognized as having the ability to synthesize and release reactive molecules and pro-inflammatory mediators, as well as a capacity to respond to injury with anti-inflammatory, pro- homeostatic mechanisms. Understanding CNS immunity requires attention to the temporal relationship between the inflammatory response and injury. Acute inflammation is the immediate response that occurs at the initiation of injury. When the BBB is compromised, peripheral blood components such as polymorphonuclear leukocytes have access to the CNS. These cells play part of the defense response and when excessively deployed in the interstitial space they contribute to cell damage. When acute inflammation does not contribute to repair and then cease within a relatively short time period, inflammation becomes chronic and often pathological. Recent advances have begun to define protective, reparative inflammatory responses that set in motion resolution of neuroinflammation thus limiting or abrogating sustained damage. Several potent mediators that modulate the neuroinflammatory response, induce overall homeostasis and attenuate apoptotic neuronal damage are identified.
The Course is aimed at reaching a comprehensive understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms, experimental models, and methodological approaches to study neuroinflammation. These will include innovative strategies for emerging targets for clinical translation and pharmaceutical intervention. Moreover, the Course will be a forum where basic and clinical researchers from diverse disciplines can meet, interact, and bring cross-disciplinary insights on new basic findings to the translational stage.
The following are specific topic, which, among others, will be focus of discussion and analysis.
Neurotransmitter Regulation of Microglial Functions: The Locus Ceruleus involvement in Alzheimer Disease
In Alzheimer´s disease, several brain stem nuclei degenerate. Very early during the course of the disease, probably during the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) stage, the locus ceruleus, chief source of norepinephrine in the brain, is already compromized. When, where and why does this nucleus degenerate? The specific role for microglial functioning in locus ceruleus projection area and the consequences for disease progression will be a topic for discussion. Also, the function and modification of nuclear hormone receptors such as the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma and the liver X receptor in physiology and pathophysiology will be addressed. A special emphasis will be put on the fate of these receptors in neurodegeneration and their possible use as therapeutic targets in Alzheimer´s and Parkinson´s disease.
Inflammation and Axonal Degeneration: ALS and MS
Inflammatory pathways are typically activated in neurodegenerative diseases, but sites of inflammation may be a considerable distance from neuronal perikarya. How does local inflammation contribute to axonal and synaptic pathology? Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Multiple Sclerosis will serve as two examples of distinct pathologies with well-established inflammatory components.
Cell Death Pathways and Neurodegeneration
Neuronal cell death is a late event in most neuropathologies and blocking cell death may not prevent progression of neurological symptoms. Reframing the consideration of cell death in the nervous system to include early stages of axonal degeneration allows a focus on an understanding of the roles played by apoptotic signaling pathways in neurodegenerative diseases and synaptic connectivity.
Control of Chronic Neuroinflammatory diseases: Traditional and Novel Alternative Approaches
Steroids and COX inhibitors have important successes but limitations for chronic use. What are the targets and what novel anti-inflammatory drugs are in the pipeline? Are there promising alternative NSAIDs? Our focus will be on the potential for Omega-3 fatty acids.
Biomarkers of Neuroinflammation
How well can imaging probes detect and monitor active neuroinflammation? What are best CSF biomarkers? Are there any consistent plasma biomarkers? How are these markers altered by CNS diseases? Can any biomarker be used as a surrogate to monitor inflammation?
Neuroinflammation and Neurodegenerative Diseases of Aging
What is the neuropathological and biochemical evidence for a bystander or causal role? We will consider the evidence that the role of innate immune activation is stage-dependent. What is inconsistent and consistent in the epidemiology of NSAIDs for Alzheimer's or Parkinson's Diseases? What are the results of trials aimed at treatment and prevention? What is the best approach to limit chronic inflammation related to aging? Should we use modulatory rather than directly suppressive drugs? Can we break a cycle of chronic inflammation with intermittent use of anti-inflammatory agents that limits toxic effects? Is there any merit to the use of anti-TNFalpha or other passive immunization approaches to chronic inflammatory diseases?
Fever, Sickness Behavior, and Neuroinflammation
Immune "privilege" and immune capacity of the brain will be discussed together with cerebrospinal fluid physiology, transport mechanisms, epiplexus (Kolmer) cells, expression of cell adhesion molecules, microglia, and cytokine receptors on neurons and endocrine glands. Finally, the emerging field of behavioral dysfunction in systemic autoimmunity and inflammation will be addressed analysing the effects of these conditions on the limbic system, cognitive function and brain morphology.
The significance of docosanoid lipid mediators derived from omega-3 essential fatty acids in neuroinflammation
The identification of an endogenous lipid mediators made on demand at the onset of homeostasis disturbances, uncompensated oxidative stress and unresolved neuroinflammation will be discussed. The molecular principles that govern the production and bioactivity of Neuroprotectin D1 (NPD1) in experimental stroke, epilepsy, age-related macular degeneration, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other diseases will be highlighted. The following specific aspects will be presented: targeted transcription factors; COX-2; neurotrophins as agonists for NPD1 synthesis; new molecular imaging to open the DHA lipidome; aspirin-triggered NPD1 biosynthesis in the stroke penumbra; NPD1 in the homeostatic regulation of photoreceptor cell integrity; neuroinflammation and resolution in neurodegenerative diseases.
In addition, focus will be placed on:
Microglial response to CNS Trauma: Acute and chronic cellular inflammation
Immunosuppressive effects of CNS injury: Modulation of innate and adaptive immunity
Preclinical and clinical therapeutic trials targeting inflammation following traumatic brain injury: The two-edged sword
Industry's approach to drug discovery in neuroinflammation: reproducibility and wrong statistics.
Microglia as a potential target in Huntington's disease and other pathologies.
This Glorious Globe [via Nina Reznick]
Steam Towers - This geothermal phenomena is Northern Lights adjacent and has the ability to transform the night sky into an eerie green hue.
Underwater Rivers - These Mexican aquatic anomalies occur when dense matter sinks to the bottom of a body of water, thus creating its OWN flow.
Living Rocks - Though they appear to be nothing but stone, these are actually sea creatures found off the coast of Chile.
Morning Glory Clouds - Not even scientists can figure out what causes this wonder of the world. So, when you see one, just appreciate it for its overall awesomeness! Unreal.
Volcanic Lightning - Sometimes, when a volcano explodes, it releases a powerful amount of energy into the atmosphere. This sudden jolt can result in strong reactions that ultimately produce lightning from within an eruption!
Art world stunned: Second ‘Mona Lisa’ appears to be authentic!
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Leonardo
Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, left, and a newly-unveiled painting of what is
believed to be an earlier version of da Vinci's masterpiece, the
Isleworth Mona Lisa.AFP
|
Last year, art experts claimed that Leonardo da Vinci completed a version of the Mona Lisa some ten years prior to that of the famous Mona Lisa painting which hangs in the Louvre in Paris.
The original Mona Lisa was thought to be the only portrait of Lisa Gherardini (aka Lisa del Giocondo) ever created by the artist,
The painting in question, dubbed the Isleworth Mona Lisa, is slightly larger than the famous portrait and has been the subject of debate as to its authenticity, but new revelations may finally end the debate that has continued since the painting's discovery a century ago.
According to the Feb. 13, Guardian, “New tests on a painting billed as the original version of the Mona Lisa have produced fresh proof that it is the work of Leonardo, a Swiss-based art foundation has said.”
The tests were conducted at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology by a specialist in “sacred geometry.” Italian geometrist Alfonso Rubino. who had previously made extended studies of the geometry of Leonardo's Vitruvian Man [a sketch of a youth with arms and legs extended] after studying the reported copy concluded that the Isleworth portrait “matched Leonardo's geometry and must be his.”
David Feldman, vice-president of the Mona Lisa Foundation said, "When we add these new findings to the wealth of scientific and physical studies we already have, I believe anyone will find the evidence of a Leonardo attribution overwhelming."
Adding to the new evidence, the Zurich institute “carried out a carbon-dating test on the canvas of its painting and found that it was almost certainly manufactured between 1410 and 1455, refuting claims that it was a late 16th century copy.”
The Isleworth Mona Lisa was discovered shortly before the First World War by Hugh Blaker, an English art collector, while looking through the home of a Somerset nobleman. He bought the painting and took it to his studio in Isleworth, London, from which it takes its name.
Reposted from the Examiner
Pilgrimage to the Heart of Yoga
Pilgrimage to the Heart of Yoga
A Yoga Gives Back Retreat
February 22nd - March 1st, 2015
It's no secret that Yoga puts you in touch with your core essence.
Have you ever felt a deep longing channel that essence into a
life-transforming experience?
Here is an amazing opportunity to dive deeper into your practice through an unforgettable adventure of a lifetime!
Harnessing the incredible energy that Yoga generates, we can literally be the agents of transformation for the children and mothers in India, who are struggling to survive every day.
The Pilgrimage to the Heart of Yoga Retreat was designed to awaken every aspect of your being through exposure to the core spiritual disciplines of India - authentic Ayurveda, Yoga, Meditation, and Classical Indian Music.
Most transformational of all, you will get to spend time with the delightful children at Deenabandhu Trust Home, a spiritual haven for 100 orphaned children.
Many of them have been funded by Yoga Gives Back, which this Retreat supports.
Yoga Gives Back is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising
awareness and funds in order to alleviate poverty in India to help women
and children in need in the country that gave birth to yoga.
Inspired by the revolutionary micro financing breakthrough originated by Nobel Peace Prize Recipient Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Yoga Gives Back offers micro credit programs to women in India who are otherwise excluded from the conventional banking and financial systems. Funding more than 500 mothers and children this year, YGB also provides funds for orphans and education funds for disadvantaged girls and high school students for them to reach to their dreams.
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The venue of the retreat is Shreyas Retreat, rated one of the top Yoga retreat centers in the world by Gayot and the Huffington Post.It is a magical sanctuary nestled within 25 lush green acres of whispering palms.
With only 12 luxurious and individual cottages attended by servers who are themselves immersed in yogic practices, a stay at Shreyas is an unparalleled blend of understated luxury steeped in spiritual culture.
The retreat will be guided by Mariko Hirakawa, an experienced Yoga Instructor who is also an Ayurvedic physician.A former professional ballet dancer with extensive training with Yoga Masters and Vaidyas (Ayurvedic doctors) of India, she is one of the very few in the West to have completed the rigorous 5 ½ year B.A.M.S degree from one of the top Ayurvedic universities in India.
Proficient in Sanskrit and Hindi, she brings a contemporary global perspective to the traditional wisdom contained in the classical texts of Yoga and Ayurveda.
Her primary teaching style is Vinyasa, which balances the lyrical and
vigorous flow of the Ashtanga style with the precise anatomical
awareness influenced by Iyengar and Anusara styles.
Drawing on her background as a dancer as well as her medical and
spiritual studies, she places Yoga in its original context, linking the
intricacies of physical alignment with Yoga's spiritual purpose: the
attainment of inner freedom.
The retreat will also feature a sitar concert by one of India's leading Sitar Maestros, Krishna Mohan Bhatt.
A life-long disciple of the late Pandit Ravi Shankar and Pandit Nikhil Bannerjee, his music has been hailed by the New York Times as one of "great melodic beauty", and the San Francisco Chronicle as one of "exceptional craftsmanship and artistry".
This is an event not to be missed!
Because Indian classical music has its roots in the wisdom of the same ancient Sages who gave us Yoga, it brings great emotional healing, and catalyzes our spiritual growth. In addition to the daily Yoga sessions and the sitar concert, your retreat package includes:
- Accommodations for 6 nights at the luxurious Shreyas Retreat.
- THREE 60 minute Rejuvenating Ayurvedic Massages delived with love by Shreyas' highly rated therapists. (Yes, you read right - you get THREE massages in a week!)
- THREE Gourmet vegetarian meals a day, plus fresh coconut water throughout the day.
- An overnight trip to Deenabandhu Trust, where you meet the beautiful children supported by Yoga Gives Back.
- THREE Group Cooking Sessions on Healthy Vegetarian Cuisine. You will learn the secret of Shreyas' world-famous gourmet vegetarian recipes!
- TWO fun sessions in which you will learn cultural activities such as making and applying henna, how to drape a sari, etc.
- Trips to nearby temples and local villages
- Roundtrip airport transfers between Bangalore airport and Shreyas Retreat Center, so all you have to do is arrive at the airport.
- Wellness consultation upon arrival.
- Once Daily Group chanting/Sound meditation session
- Use of all recreational facilities including:
- Outdoor swimming pool
- Sauna and steam rooms
- Outdoor Jacuzzi
- Movie theater with hundreds of DVDs to watch
- Daily nature based activities in Shreyas' extensive organic vegetable garden.
Kayoko Mitsumatsu, Founder/President will be present at this retreat to share YGB's programs with a special trip to Deenabandhu Trust Home outside of Mysore as well as sharing short YGB Films she has been creating using her expertise as a documentary filmmaker.
This retreat is for you if you have been searching for a Yoga experience in India with depth, authenticity and first-rate program and facilities.
This retreat is also for you if you've dreamed of exploring India, but didn't want to do it on your own. We've taken care of all the groundwork for you, and have hand-picked the best!
If you are on a journey of self-healing, physically, mentally, or spiritually this retreat provides the perfect setting for you to tap into a deeper dimension, and make a quantum leap!
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