Posted on 03/09/2006 2:46:13 AM PST by texas booster
Brain Briefings
Proteins carry out many crucial functions in the body and brain. Researchers, however, are finding out that some have a sinister side. Recent studies indicate that negative influences can turn the protein, alpha-synuclein, into a major contributor of the movement-impairing disorder, Parkinson's disease. The insights may lead to new ways to treat the brain disease as well as other related ailments.
A protein inside the brain, dubbed alpha-synuclein, lives a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde existence. Normally, alpha-synuclein (AS) aids brain function, possibly by helping cells communicate with one another. Recent studies, however, show that certain forces negatively influence the protein, allowing Mr. Hyde a turn on stage. This "evil" AS appears to contribute to the development of the brain disorder, Parkinson's disease, which harms the movement of more than one million Americans. The new insights into the protein's sinister side are leading to:
A clearer understanding of the precise role AS plays in normal brain function and disease.
Innovative ways to protect the brain from harmful AS and potentially treat Parkinson's disease as well as related brain disorders.
Patients with Parkinson's disease experience a variety of movement problems that get worse over time. Symptoms include trembling, stiffness of the limbs and poor balance, among others. For years, researchers have known that the impairments result from a loss of cells in the brain that produce the chemical dopamine and relay movement signals. A mystery, however, remained: What launches the cell destruction?
Starting in the late 1990s evidence began to implicate AS. Researchers examined the genes passed down through the generations of several families with high incidences of Parkinson's disease. A gene that regulates the production of AS turned out to be faulty. Furthermore, scientists analyzed dense deposits commonly found in the brain cells of patients with a family history of the disease as well as patients with little or no signs of a family link. They found that AS is the main component of the deposits (see images). These discoveries led many to speculate that certain influences, such as a defective gene or environmental trigger, can propel AS to turn toxic. As Mr. Hyde, the protein may abnormally clump up, form the clogging deposits and eventually choke the dopamine cells to death.
More recently, by breeding mice and fruit flies that contained human versions of the AS gene, researchers confirmed that AS has a dastardly side. Insects genetically altered to include the same faulty AS genes found in the Parkinson's-plagued families developed brain deposits and movement problems as they aged. Furthermore, some of their dopamine cells died. In mice, the faulty AS genes also triggered some signs of Parkinson-type problems.
In addition, scientists discovered that flies and mice bred with a normal version of the human gene developed some signs of Parkinson's. They now are trying to better understand how the AS produced by this normal human gene may turn toxic. Possibly the human gene produces an excess amount of AS in the insects and animals, which creates the detrimental effects. This idea is bolstered by recent research that showed high AS-producing mice have significantly more brain deposits than low producers.
Scientists also are investigating how specific environmental factors may help push AS down a negative path. One recent study found that when rats received steady amounts of the common pesticide, rotenone, into their blood they developed evidence of AS-packed deposits in their brain tissue and other common signs of Parkinson's disease, such as movement problems and a degeneration of dopamine cells.
Researchers suspect that exposure to certain factors in normal living, such as the pesticide, may set off internal chemical reactions that produce a glut of unstable free radicals in the brain. These notoriously destructive molecules possibly latch onto AS and create intense havoc. Supporting this idea, a recent study found the AS in Parkinson's brain deposits has free radical damage...
you've got too much patience.
:)
2 million? That's a lot...
:-) :-) :-)
Not to worry, it's increasing all the time. :)
Thank you!
| Free Republic Folders - A Tribute to Ronald Reagan |
| Date of last work unit | 2006-03-10 12:08:02 |
| Active CPUs within 50 days | 987 |
| Team Id | 36120 |
| Grand Score | 2876494 (certificate) |
| Work Unit Count | 18424 (certificate) |
| Team Ranking (incl. aggregate) | 168 of 43192 |
| Home Page | http://www.freerepublic.com |
Sat AM bump
I spent last week ordering all the parts for my new "high end" folding computer, and another member of our team has done some serious research into the "Ultimate Folding Rig", and we both hope to have them online by late next week. We won't have the impact of King Dohanger, Malsua, lrenh, or the rest of the big boys, but I hope this will help blow by SISD so bad, they'll wish they were DUmmies !!!! LOL
THANKS to all, from Klutz to Cincy, I proud to be a member of this team !!!
Just kidding, Congrats to ya.
| Free Republic Folders - A Tribute to Ronald Reagan |
| Date of last work unit | 2006-03-11 13:16:57 |
| Active CPUs within 50 days | 988 |
| Team Id | 36120 |
| Grand Score | 2913846 (certificate) |
| Work Unit Count | 18624 (certificate) |
| Team Ranking (incl. aggregate) | 168 of 43200 |
| Home Page | http://www.freerepublic.com |
12 more CPUs to 1,000!
Ther are pros and cons to both the Intel and AMD lines. See http://forums.extremeoverclocking.com/
Without getting into a debate like which car is better, Ford or Chevy? My guess is that most "geek" folders go with AMD. Why? Not so much that they are better, but because they tend to be the chip of choice for homebuilders 'cause for the most part they overclock easier and they run a little cooler.
You have FReepmail
Hey, it's taking me 3 boxes to keep ahead of you, and this dang duct tape is costing me a fortune !!!!
My system has been hung up for several days trying to send a completed WU and get more work.
Connects to the assignment server 171.65.103.158
But fails to up or dwnload new work. Tried to delete the program and download a new client - I'm not doing it right.
Running console mode on XP.
Any suggestions appreciated.
I've seen issues like this before. Usually I have to delete the F@H directory, restart and reinstall.
Sometimes WU are not credited. I usually blame corruption of the work unit, but that is just a guess. I have read that the program searches for all possible combinations for folding, and that sometimes leads to impossible answers.
I'll look over at
http://forums.extremeoverclocking.com/forumdisplay.php?f=45
and see if I can find any answers.
"But fails to up or dwnload new work. Tried to delete the program and download a new client - I'm not doing it right... ...Running console mode on XP."
texas booster said:
"Sometimes WU are not credited. I usually blame corruption of the work unit, but that is just a guess."
Hey guys, you might be right about corrupt units, but here is some additional info:
From the FAH FAQS section on FAH Client Do's and Don'ts:
"Please don't manually retry to send WUs soon after a netsend failure. The netsend failure means that the server was probably overloaded and retrying will just make things worse."
From the readme.txt file in the directory you installed FAH:
WHAT'S NEW IN 5.00?
- Collection server support. If a client finishes a work unit from
a Work server with this feature enabled, then if 2 upload
attempts to that server fail, the client will return to the
work unit to a Collection server. Pending credit will be given
for the unit, becoming final when the Work server comes back up
and verifies what the Collection server has received. All work
servers will eventually be associated with a Collection server,
and many already are.
Hope this helps:
RT
Did you Uninstall it as follows?
For the Windows GUI version of Folding@Home, if Folding@Home has been installed using the official installer, there will be an "Uninstall" option available in the Folding@Home tab under the start menu. This will completely uninstall the software.
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