Working Nights Associated With Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer

In a report in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, a study notes that women working rotating night shifts have a risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

The study conducted by an international team of researchers covered 74,862 US nurses and 22 years of data as basis for their study. They note that the longer the nurses work in rotating night shifts, the higher the increase in all-cause and CVD mortality. For the study, rotating shift work is defined as working at least three nights per month in addition to days or evenings in that month

Working nights disrupts the body's circadian system, which is an internal mechanism that schedules regular body activities based on a 24 hour period. This system, together with sleep, maintains the body's cardiovascular health and antitumor activity. Because of the nature of working nights, this activity directly impacts the circadian system and increases the risk of cancer and CVD, leading to higher mortality.

In 2007 the World Health Organization classified night shift work as a probable carcinogen due to circadian disruption.

DNA Methylation Provides Accurate Genetic Clock To Measure Biological Age of Tissues and Organs

A scientist at the University of California- Los Angeles, has discovered a genetic biological clock that accurately measures the biological age of tissues and organs in the body. Using a ntural process called DNA methylation and monitoring 353 biological markers, the clock can measure how each part of the body and its age is comparable to others. The scientist, UCLA geneticist and biostatistician Steven Horvath, Ph.D., noted for example that a woman's breast tissue, age faster than the rest of the body.

DNA methylation is a genetic process that alters the expression of genes in cells as cells divide and differentiate from embryonic stem cells into specific tissues. As mentioned in the embedded video, DNA methylation is similar to a light dimmer switch where it can suppress a specific type of gene from expressing itself.

Using 8,000 samples of 51 types of tissue, Dr. Horvath narrowed focused on 353 biomarkers that change with age and are present throughout the body. These markers measure the biological age of the target tissue rather than its chronological age.

The next step in the research would be to find out if stopping or halting this clock can also stop aging.

Finding Out The Reason Why Roosters Crow

Japanese researchers are studying the reasons why roosters crow. They believe that by trying to explain why cocks crow would also help in understanding other animal behavior such as the purring of a cat or the barking of a dog.

For most, a cock's crow symbolizes the breaking of a new dawn. Like an alarm clock, it symbolizes the early morning. Although roosters can crow at any time of the day, it is during daybreak and dusk that they become more active in crowing.

There are many reasons that come up as to why roosters crow. Some of these are:

1. To announce the breaking of a new dawn

2. To show dominance among the other roosters around

3. A muscle reflex after waking up similar to a yawn

Researchers in Japan are studying whether this action is based on environmental factors or is it because of a biological or psychological trigger.

Brain Neurons In The Lateral Intraparietal Area Discovered To Keep Track Of Time

Scientists have discovered neurons in the Lateral Intraparietal Cortex that helps the brain keep track of time.

The Intraparietal Sulcus (IPS) is responsible for perceptual-motor coordination and visual attention. IPS is located on the lateral surface of the parietal lobe

Within the IPS region is an area called the Lateral Intraparietal Cortex (area LIP). This part of the brain controls the visual attention and saccadic eye movements. Saccadic eye movements are fast uncontrolled movements of the eye so that an object being observed can be processed by the brain with greater resolution.