CryoNet #32923 - #32926

CryoNet - Tue 12 Oct 2010

    #32923: silymarin may prove to be an effective antiaging drug [oberon]
    #32924: Re: CryoNet #32920 - #32922 [Freeposity]
    #32925: StratoSolar [Keith Henson]
    #32926: Re: Copies [Mike Perry]

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Message #32923
Date: Mon, 11 Oct 2010 06:40:36 -0700 (PDT)
From: [email protected]
Subject: silymarin may prove to be an effective antiaging drug

[While Rapamycin extends rodent lifespan, rodents do not age the same way humans do. Unlike rodents, human aging is characterized by significantly shortened telomeres, which rapamycin can shorten even more. In contrast, silymarin increases telomerase activity in EPCs, while lowering it in cancer cells. Silymarin might prove to be an effective anti-aging drug in humans, by selectively modulating telomerase.]

J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2010 Aug 31. [Epub ahead of print]
Silymarin Inhibits Endothelial Progenitor Cells Senescence and Protects Against the Antiproliferative Activity of Rapamycin. Preliminary Study. Parzonko A, Naruszewicz M. Department of Pharmacognosy and Molecular Basis of Phytotherapy, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
Abstract
    Rapamycin, an antiproliferative agent used on drug-eluting stents, induces endothelial progenitor cells senescence through telomerase inactivation, and may impair the re-endothelisation of an injured arterial wall, leading to thrombosis. We examined whether silymarin, a complex of flavonolignans with hepatoprotective and antioxidative properties, can protect EPCs against rapamycin-induced senescence. Mononuclear cells were isolated from peripheral blood of healthy volunteers. EPCs were cultured in endothelial cell growth medium-2 in the presence or absence of rapamycin (0.1 ng/mL) and/or silymarin (12.5 to 50 I g/mL). EPCs senescence associated I -galactosidase activity, telomerase activity and prolifertive activity were measured. The influence on tubular-like structure formation in vi
 tro was investigated and colony forming assay on methylcellulose plates was performed. Silymarin increased telomerase activity threefold, reduced the number of senescent cells and increased 
 EPC proliferative activity (up to 64%) in comparison with cells cultured with rapamycin alone. Moreover, silymarin partially prevented impairment of tubular-like structure formation in Matrigel by rapamycin. These findings suggests, that silymarin counteracts the inhibitory effects of rapamycin in EPCs. Silymarin may protect EPCs against the anti-proliferative effects of rapamycin and restore their reconstructive ability.
PMID: 20838231

Iran J Immunol. 2009 Mar;6(1):33-9.
The influence of iron loading and iron chelation on the proliferation and telomerase activity of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
Bagherpour B, Gharagozloo M, Moayedi B. Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Iron is an essential trace element in cell proliferation. Several investigations demonstrate that iron deprivation inhibits cell proliferation. However, the impact of iron on telomerase activity of activated lymphocytes remains unexplained to date.
OBJECTIVE: In this study, the effect of iron on the proliferation and telomerase activity of lymphocytes stimulated by phytohemagglutinin (PHA) were investigated.
METHODS: Iron loading was performed by incubating peripheral blood mononuclear cells in 500microM FeSO4.7H2O for 24 h and iron chelation was done by exposing cells to desferrioxamine, a potent iron chelator. The effects of silymarin, a flavonoid with both antioxidant and iron chelating activities, on the proliferation and telomerase activity of PHA-activated lymphocytes were also compared with desferrioxamine. Proliferation and telomerase activity were assessed using BrdU incorporation assay and Telomeric Repeat Amplification Protocol (TRAP), respectively.
RESULTS: The proliferations of lymphocytes were significantly inhibited by 10 and 20 microg/ml desferrioxamine in a dose dependent manner, while iron loading recovered suppressed cell proliferation to the normal level. Silymarin at 20 microg/ml significantly increased the proliferation of lymphocytes in both normal and iron-treated conditions. Telomerase activity of lymphocytes was markedly increased by iron treatment and suppressed by desferrioxamine. Conversely, iron treatment had no effect on the telomerase activity of lymphocytes incubated with silymarin.
CONCLUSION: Iron plays a significant role in the proliferation and telomerase activity of lymphocytes. The effects of silymarin on the proliferation and telomerase activity of lymphocytes were completely different from those of desferrioxamine, suggesting that the immunomodulatory effect of silymarin is probably not associated with its iron chelating activity.
PMID: 19293476

[Activating telomerase in cancer cells, could be expected to increase cancer mortality. Fortunately silibinin, which is the active main ingredient in silymarin, actually lowers telomerase activity in cancer cells.]

J Urol. 2004 May;171(5):1934-8.
Inhibition of telomerase activity and secretion of prostate specific antigen by silibinin in prostate cancer cells.
Thelen P, Wuttke W, Jarry H, Grzmil M, Ringert RH. Department of Urology, Institute of Human Genetics, Georg-August-University, GA ttingen, Germany.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The androgen sensitive prostate cancer cell line LNCaP is strongly positive for dihydrotestosterone (DHT) dependent telomerase activity, which is an important factor in cellular immortality and carcinogenesis. In this study we determined the potential of silibinin as an anticancer drug that down-regulates telomerase activity and prostate specific antigen (PSA) together with the co-activator of the androgen receptor prostate epithelium specific Ets transcription factor.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: LNCaP cells were treated with various concentrations of silibinin in the presence or absence of 5alpha-DHT. We used real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction to quantify mRNA expression of PSA, prostate epithelium specific Ets transcription factor and the catalytic subunit of telomerase vs the housekeeping gene porphobilinogen deaminase with gene specific, dual labeled fluorescence probes. PSA secretion from LNCaP cells in conditioned medium was measured with an Elecsys System 2010 (Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany) and telomerase activity in extracts from LNCaP cells was measured with a TRAP (telomeric repeat amplification protocol) assay.
RESULTS: Silibinin down-regulated PSA mRNA expression and PSA secretion in conditioned medium. Simultaneous stimulation with silibinin and 10(-8) M DHT also resulted in PSA down-regulation, whereas DHT alone increased PSA secretion. Telomerase catalytic subunit mRNA decreased significantly after silibinin stimulation. Telomerase activity was down-regulated by silibinin and stimulated by DHT. The 2 agents in combination resulted in telomerase down-regulation.
CONCLUSIONS: The down-regulation of PSA by silibinin and its counteraction on DHT effects indicate that this compound can interact with the expression of genes that are regulated through the androgen receptor. Silibinin can also inhibit the telomerase activity that mediates cell immortality and carcinogenesis. The 2 effects underline the possible therapeutic use of silibinin as an antiproliferative agent in intervention for prostate cancer.
PMID: 15076315

[Silymarin may offer additional benefits against some of the diseases associated with human aging.]

Br J Pharmacol. 2009 Aug;157(7):1270-7. Epub 2009 Jun 22.
Silibinin prevents amyloid beta peptide-induced memory impairment and oxidative stress in mice.
Lu P, Mamiya T, Lu LL, Mouri A, Zou L, Nagai T, Hiramatsu M, Ikejima T, Nabeshima T. Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Meijo University, 150 Yagotoyama, Tempaku-ku, Nagoya, Japan.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Accumulated evidence suggests that oxidative stress is involved in amyloid beta (Abeta)-induced cognitive dysfunction. Silibinin (silybin), a flavonoid derived from the herb milk thistle (Silybum marianum), has been shown to have antioxidative properties; however, it remains unclear whether silibinin improves Abeta-induced neurotoxicity. In the present study, we examined the effect of silibinin on the memory impairment and accumulation of oxidative stress induced by Abeta(25-35) in mice.
EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Aggregated Abeta(25-35) (3 nmol) was intracerebroventricularly administered to mice. Treatment with silibinin (2, 20 and 200 mg.kg(-1), once a day, p.o.) was started immediately after the injection of Abeta(25-35). Locomotor activity was evaluated 6 days after the Abeta(25-35) treatment, and cognitive function was evaluated in a Y-maze and novel object recognition tests 6-11 days after the Abeta(25-35) treatment. The levels of lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde) and antioxidant (glutathione) in the hippocampus were measured 7 days after the Abeta(25-35) injection.
KEY RESULTS: Silibinin prevented the memory impairment induced by Abeta(25-35) in the Y-maze and novel object recognition tests. Repeated treatment with silibinin attenuated the Abeta(25-35)-induced accumulation of malondialdehyde and depletion of glutathione in the hippocampus.
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Silibinin prevents memory impairment and oxidative damage induced by Abeta(25-35) and may be a potential therapeutic agent for Alzheimer's disease.
PMID: 19552690
Free text>
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2743846/pdf/bph0157-1270.pdf

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Message #32924
References: <[email protected]>
Date: Mon, 11 Oct 2010 12:28:18 -0500
Subject: Re: CryoNet #32920 - #32922
From: Freeposity <[email protected]>

On Mon, Oct 11, 2010 at 4:00 AM,  Mike Perry  <[email protected]> wrote:
 A quantum computer uses
> unpredictability in an essential way and would not repeat its
> behavior  exactly on successive runs.


This is not true. A quantum computer is still going to come up with
the same results that a classical computer would come up with.
Otherwise the quantum computer would be useless.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_computer




-- 
Money isn't speech.
A Corporation isn't a person.
http://www.movetoamend.org/

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Message #32925
Date: Mon, 11 Oct 2010 15:10:12 -0700
Subject: StratoSolar
From: Keith Henson <[email protected]>

StratoSolar

This is off NDA so I can go into detail.

For a few years, I was working on a way to reduce the cost of
space-based solar power to the point it could displace fossil fuels.
That's two cents or less per kWh, which is half the price of electric
power from coal, and low enough that (off peak) it can be used to make
synthetic hydrocarbon transport fuels for about a dollar a gallon.

The rough economic analysis is based on a ten-year repayment of
capital cost.  Run 80,000 hours in ten years the return is $800 per kW
per penny payment for a kWh.  For power satellites, assuming 5kg/kW,
$100 per kg lifted to GEO and about 1/3 of the cost going to
transport, you get the required $1600/kW for 2 cents per kWh.

With the help of Jordin Kare, Howard Davidson, Ron Clark, Spike Jones
and others, by last January I had a proposal that looked like it would
reach $100/kg cost to GEO.  The general approach was discussed in an
article in The Oil Drum about a year ago.  It proposes huge lasers to
get the average exhaust velocity up to the mission velocity.  This
gives a mass ratio to LEO of about 3 	and a throughput to GEO upwards
of 100 t per hour.

Late last year Howard became aware of a project an old friend of his,
Ed Kelly, was working on.  Ed is best known as a principal with
Transmeta, a company that developed low-power processors some years
ago.  Howard introduced me to Ed.  I have spent a lot of time going
over Ed's spreadsheets and other details since last January.

In the post-analysis, the reason ordinary ground solar power is so
expensive is the huge amount of materials that are needed because
solar energy is so dilute.  (Wind has the same problem.)  Ed's
approach, which he named StratoSolar, was to reduce the mass from
hundreds of kg per kW to a few tens of kg by moving the solar
concentrator into the stratosphere as a large, lightweight, buoyant
structure.

This has significant advantages over being on the ground.

There are no clouds at 20 km.  The winds are light and steady and the
low air density reduces the force on the structure.  Because the
primary concentrator can be pointed directly toward the sun, it gives
close to full power whenever the sun is above the horizon.  (Rough
pointing--one to two degrees--can be done with combinations of
thrusters, aerodynamic fins and reaction motors, fine pointing by
stepper motors moving the mirror segments.)

They work as far north as Stockholm.

The concentrated sunlight gets to the ground via a hollow light pipe
lined with highly reflective prismatic plastic.  Preliminary
optimization for kg/kW leads to a 30-meter diameter light pipe with
less than 10% loss.  A larger pipe has lower losses but uses more
total material per kW.

Because the mass is dependent on the pipe diameter and the power
capacity on the area, StratoSolar plants optimize in large sizes,
around 1 GW.

That means the primary collector is a bit over 2 km in diameter and
100-200 meters thick.  That gives plenty of room for gasbags to offset
its weight.

While the concentrator has neutral buoyancy, the light pipe has a lot
of excess buoyancy.  If you just think about it as a force diagram,
the buoyancy needs to be 3-4 times the wind force to keep the angle
the light pipe makes with the ground within 15-20 degrees of vertical.

The materials required-aluminum, plastic, steel wire, and hydrogen
(for buoyancy)-are all inexpensive and do not need to be processed to
tighter specifications than the norm for commercial products.

The sunlight is absorbed and converted to heat at the bottom.  The
heat is used to run an ordinary, 45%-60%-efficient, one or two stage
power plant.  About half the heat during the day is used to heat a
solid heat thermal storage medium.  This will provide enough stored
heat to run the plant overnight.

Graphite is a good choice, but any high temperature solid would work.
Cowper blast furnace stoves (regenerators, dating from 1837) produce
air as hot as 1400 deg C, just about the limit for turbine inlet
temperature.

While stoves for this application are big  (typically 70,000 cubic
meters), they are dead simple and should cost well under $100 million
for a GW plant.  That cost adds 1/8 of a cent per kWh to the cost of
power.  This is less than 1/10th the cost of any other proposed
storage mechanism.

Our rough estimate for the cost is around $1.2 B per GW, or $1200 per
kW.  Using the above ten-year payback, the cost to generate power
should be around 1.5 cents per kWh.

It will take building a few to learn how to manufacture them and get
accurate cost numbers.  However, if this is close, it will solve the
long-term energy problems and get the human race off fossil fuels by
simply under pricing them.

Like any other large project, there are a million details.  We have
given thought to such topics as ozone, lightning, hydrogen fires,
thunderstorms, icing, interaction with aircraft, high wind loads,
aerodynamic shrouds, UV damage, turbine throttling, maintenance
access, and manufacturing (to name those I can think of at the
moment).

Of course, with only a few people working on it, the models are not
very detailed yet.

You can find a PowerPoint presentation if you Google for StratoSolar.
There is a Web site, but the content is not yet up.  For those with a
serious interest, there is a 50-page technical tutorial available.

Since the 1970s, US politicians have given lip service to "National
Energy Self-sufficiency."  The US has failed to achieve anything,
largely because nobody had a good idea of how to make it work at the
same or lower cost than importing oil.  This method might not work
either.  However, it passes first-order physics and economics analysis
and seems to deserve serious further study.

Keith Henson

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Message #32926
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 2010 00:49:24 -0700
From: Mike Perry <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: Copies
References: <[email protected]>

At 02:00 2010-10-11, Robert Ettinger wrote:
> >Any attempt to have two copies of a person running in parallel would
> >surely diverge very quickly
>
>I don't see the relevance here. I was talking about an original and a
>simulation, not two copies.
>

I should have made myself clearer. In any case I don't see a problem 
if you left the original person running along with the simulation, 
and the two diverged. The simulation could still be valid in a 
reasonable sense, just as if you could make an atom-for-atom copy of 
the original and run that alongside the original. (Such a prospect 
could arguably become a reality with future nanotechnology, if , say, 
you started with a cryopreserved original with the atoms locked in 
place and used a general-purpose assembler/disassembler.) In this 
case you'd have a perfect "simulation" yet the two would diverge 
quickly and become increasingly different over time. Unpredictability 
is built into the type of system we are, and might be present in the 
system doing the simulation, but I don't see how its presence would 
preclude uploading. The prospect of more than one version of oneself 
does not pose an ontological problem for me--one person could fission 
into two or more separate individuals who have a common past.

MP

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