Archive | 2012 | March

Bar-Ilan University team discovers gene that can prolong mammals’ life

A team of Israeli scientists has been able to crack the code to mammals’ longevity: The team, led by by Dr. Haim Cohen, of Bar-Ilan University’s Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, has discovered a gene that promotes longer life in mammals.

The team includes researchers from Hadassah Medical Center, the Hebrew University and Carnegie Mellon University, the discovery of the gene – in mice – increases the likelihood that similar activity can be found in a human gene.

According to a Bar Ilan press release, researchers are focusing on a group of genes, known as Sirtuins, which can be found in every species developed over the course of evolution and are, in one way or another, found in single-celled organisms, such as yeast, and in complex organisms, such as humans.

The most highly researched gene in this group is SIR2 (Sirtuin 2) which has been found to prolong life in yeast, worms and flies.

Research of the SIR2 gene in mammals yielded a set of seven genes – Sirtuins 1-7 or SIRT 1-7 – each of which works in key reactions in the process of life.

Dr. Cohen’s team examined gene number 6 from the Sirtuin group (SIRT6) in mice. He used two groups of mice. In one group SIRT6 was removed from the mice and in the second group he created an over-expression of the gene in mice.

“Originally in mice without the gene, researchers saw premature aging,” says Cohen. “They suffered spinal curvature, calcium deficiency and osteoporosis, immune system problems, and diabetes – conditions which are familiar to us in aging humans. We called the second group, which we created in the laboratory, the ‘MOSES’ mice (an acronym for mice over-expressing exogenous SIRT6), and compared their lifespan to that of wild-type mice, which possess a normal amount of SIRT6.”

Cohen and his team fed two groups of wild-type and MOSES mice a high-fat diet containing 60% more fat calories than average. The wild mice developed the diseases associated with aging, while the MOSES mice remained healthy.

MOSES bodies contained 30% less fat, about 40% fewer triglycerides (which increase cholesterol) and 30% less diabetes compared to the MOSES mice. Concerning lifespan, wild strain female mice usually live longer than males. In the tests conducted by Cohen on 250 wild and MOSES mice, they found that with normal diet the MOSES male mice lived 15% longer than the male wild species. However, among the MOSES females, no change was recorded. What, then, gives the females a longer life expectancy?

“We found that the rise in life expectancy among males is based on the calorie restriction known to us as a basic mechanism of life extension. There is overlap between these pathways, and the SIRT6 gene is involved in it. Females from the very beginning have a longer life expectancy than males because the basic mechanism is already active, so the engineered males just catch up to females,” concludes Cohen.

“In the current study, published today, we’ve made a huge evolutionary leap in the transition from yeast cells to mice. We were the first to show that these sirtuin genes regulate life span in mammals.

“The research was conducted in laboratory animals under very sterile conditions. Is this what happens in nature? It’s not clear. The human SIRT6 gene is very similar to that in mice. It could be that drugs designed to activate the gene will have a positive impact on our ability to treat age-related diseases whose frequency increases in the elderly and in the physiological damage caused by obesity.”

Source: Ynetnews.com

The cheapest model is a Maserati GT, for NIS 901,000, and the most expensive is a Ferrari FF coupe, for NIS 2.36 million.

Ferrari and Maserati importer Auto Italia Israel Ltd. today opened its showroom in Tel Aviv. The 2,000-square meter showroom at Kardan House, includes a museum of the cars, and will also have a café. Ferrari and Maserati designers helped design the showroom to reflect the legendary cars’ standards and identity.

Auto Italia Israel CEO Zohar Alon said, “The Israeli market is thirsty and ready for the import of Ferraris and Maseratis. The number of cars have been been delivered and the lengthening waiting list proves that our move was the right one.”
The cheapest model is a Maserati GT, with a list price of NIS 901,000. The cheapest Ferrari is the California with a 4.3-liter engine, with a list price of NIS 1.63 million. The most expensive Ferraris that will be imported is the Ferrari FF coupe, with a list price of NIS 2.36 million and the 599GTB with a list price of NIS 2.33 million.

Auto Italia Israel is jointly owned by Kardan NV (TASE: KRNV;AEX:KARD) subsidiary Kardan Vehicle Ltd. (TASE: KVCL) (the Avis franchisee in Israel) and Alon Group. The company is authorized to import by order all Ferrari and Maserati models.
Car industry sources believe that 20 Ferraris and Maseratis have already been ordered.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news – www.globes-online.com – on March 29, 2012

At least 25,000 people hit the pavement for the highly-promoted 2012 Gillette Tel Aviv Marathon Friday morning, which sent racers speeding down seven different tracks winding throughout the White City.

Kenyan runner Sammy Too finished the 42.195 km race first, with a local record time of 2:15:15. He won a prize of $10,000 for breaking the previous record.

The race began in the early hours of the morning, with Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai greeting runners at the starting line.

“Good morning Tel Aviv!” he cheered, “This morning marks the largest marathon Israel has ever seen!”

“Some 17,00 runners are participating in the full marathon, and at least 25,000 people are taking part in all seven tracks,” he added.

Touting the race’s international draw, the mayor happily announced that citizens of at least 43 different countries took part in Friday’s competitive race.

“We made sure you got great weather,” he called out to the runners, “All that’s left is to jump-start the race!”

The runners were forced to contend with daylight savings time, which came the night before and left runners with one less hour of sleep ahead of the marathon.

The day’s events also included a half marathon, a 10km. urban run, an inline skating marathon and a 30km. hand cycle race for people with special needs.

Magen David Adom paramedics opted out of running the race, choosing instead to race through the stream of runners on Segways and bicycles.

Their presence was much needed, however, as medical staff treated around 100 people throughout the course of the race, mostly for dehydration, fainting or injuries related to running.

Magen David Adom paramedics treated most people on site, or in the race’s paramedics tent. Around 10 participants required extra care and were taken to local hospitals for treatment.

Story via JPost

Equality Forum coordinates LGBT History Month, produces documentary films, undertakes high-impact initiatives and presents the largest annual national and international LGBT civil rights summit.

Equality Forum produces these innovative events in collaboration with learning institutions, professional associations, research centers, for profit companies and nonprofit organizations.

Israel will be this year’s featured nation, speakers to include: 

Tuesday, May 1st to Sunday, May 6th

• Israeli photographer David Adika featured at 13th annual Gay and Lesbian Art Exhibit

Wednesday, May 2nd

• Israeli Delegation to be recognized at VIP Kickoff

Thursday, May 3rd

• Israel: Featured Nation Panel includes Israeli Moderator and Panelists
• Sister Cities Event

Friday, May 4th

• Israeli Speaker at Congregation Beth Ahavah Shabbat Service
• Tel Aviv Drag Performer/Singing Sensation Osher Sabag entertains at Drag Show at Tabu

Saturday, May 5th

• Israeli Panelist on National Same-Sex Marriage Panel at Doubletree Hotel
• Israeli Tourism Panel at University of the Arts
• Ambassador of Israel to the U.S. Michael Oren as Keynote Speaker at  International Equality Dinner
• Tel Aviv DJ Maya Jakobson at Sisters
• Tel Aviv DJ Yoav Arnon at Voyeur

Sunday, May 6th

• Israeli Pop Star Shorty Performs at SundayOUT! at The Piazza
• Israeli DJs Spin at SundayOUT! at The Piazza
• Tel Aviv Drag Performer Osher Sabag Entertains at SundayOUT! at The Piazza
• Israel Tourism booth at SundayOUT! at The Piazza

Let’s play Guess who… Who is Enrique’s makeout partner in ‘Somebody’s me’

CLUE: She’s in a track that is a huge hit in Romania (read more)

Israel’s “Gil Productions”, who’s behind the successful local edition of the “Dancing with the Stars” reality competition show, is reportedly in talks to bring along one of the dancing celebrities from the US version of the BBC format to make a special cameo during the upcoming seventh season. According to Israeli media outlets, the most serious of the ongoing negotiations are with Jewish American actor and producer David Arquette, but more so with actress Kirstie Alley and fashionista Kelly Osbourne.

The 40yo Arquette, a second generation to a Holocaust refugee, competed on DWTS’s 13th season last fall and finished 6th overall. Estranged from wife, “Friends” alum Courteney Cox for well over a year now, he has battled with alcoholism and went to rehab, and noted DWTS for helping him come to terms with his post addiction life status. However Arquette’s busy work schedule in coming months might derail a possible visit to the holy land, leaving it open for one of the ladies.

Alley, who at the age of 60 competed with professional dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy in last year’s 12th season, was a crowd favorite all throughout her run and finished as the runner up. Much of the media attention revolved around her body weight, as during that time Alley has began promoting the first USDA-certified organic weight loss product, having gone on record to say that she lost 100 lbs by using the program.

The 27yo Osbourne, who competed during the 9th season and finished as the 2nd runner up, owes a lot of her current celebrity status to the show. Aside fromOsbourne’s own weight watching frenzy media focused on during her stint on Dancing, she came off the show as a fashion icon and a matured public figure, no longer Ozzy Osbourne’s trouble rebellious daughter. She currently is co host of E!’s Fashion Police and is the face of Madonna and daughter Lourdes’ fashion line Material Girl.

If Osbourne or even Arquette will be heading to Israel, it would not be unprecedented. In 2010 sex bomb and the hottest “Baywatch” lifeguard ever, Pamela Anderson, had a cameo on the 6th season of the Israeli version of Dancing. Anderson is also a US Dancing alum, having competed in the 10th season and finishing 6th. But while Arquette & Osbourne came off the show rejuvenated and received better public attention, Anderson in recent years is in decline and more notably in debts, thus making her appearances in reality shows worldwide a new career.

While the new season of Israel’s “Dancing with the Stars” is scheduled to premiere on channel 2′s Reshet Broadcasting on May 3rd, it still remains to be confirmed which American celebrity will pop in to say Shalom, as an official statement from Reshet goes on to say that “the new season will bring along new innovations and when there will be something to announce, it will be done formally”.

Source: Abbanibi.com

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