Narrow Results

We present a model of evolution of the age structured population based on the Monte Carlo method. We have assumed that the health status of an individual is described by variance of its fluctuations. Each expressed deleterious mutation increases the fluctuations. Additionally, the fluctuations of the environment are superimposed on the fluctuations of individuals in the population. An individual dies if the combination of both stochastic processes trespass the limit (level of homeostasis) set as the model parameter.

The genes are switched on chronologically, what leads to accumulating defective genes expressed during the late periods of life in the genetic pool of the population. That results in the specific age structured population, in accordance with the predictions of Medawar's hypothesis of ageing and the results of the Penna model simulations. A decrease of the variation of the environmental noise increases the average expected lifespan of individuals.

We have adapted the Penna ageing model to simulate the profound changes in the age structures of populations caused by the better life style, medical care and decrease in birth rate. In Poland, after the political transformations in the last decade of the twentieth century, the increase in the expected lifespan has been accompanied by very deep decrease in birthrate, much below the minimum necessary for keeping the constant size of the population. Our microscopic model describes the changes in the age structure which have already happened and predicts the future, assuming that our attitudes in respect to life style and social relations will not change.

It has been observed that a higher mutation load could be introduced into the genomes of children conceived by assisted reproduction technology (fertilization in-vitro). This generates two effects — slightly higher mutational pressure on the whole genetic pool of population and inhomogeneity of mutation distributions in the genetic pool. Computer simulations of the Penna ageing model suggest that already a small fraction of births with enhanced number of new mutations can negatively influence the whole population.

We investigate the effect of an age-dependent mutation rate in the Penna model of ageing and then we observe that the high mortality for human babies can be reproduced by the model if one assumes babies to be weaker than adults.

This work presents a simple simulation of the differences in male and female mortality and ageing. The simulation is based on Penna's bit-string model of biological ageing.

In this paper we study the importance of parental care for the survival of semelparous species, that reproduce only once in life. We perform our simulations for sexual and asexual reproductions and show that catastrophic senescence (death soon after reproduction) is delayed if parental care is considered.

Facing a rapidly ageing population, Singapore is presented with urgent policy challenges. Yet there is very little data on the economic, health and family circumstances of older Singaporeans. In response, the Centre for Research on the Economics of Ageing (CREA) at Singapore Management University has been collecting monthly data on a panel of Singaporeans aged between 50 and 70 years. We detail the methodology by which the Singapore Life Panel® (SLP) was constructed using a population-representative sampling frame from the Singapore Department of Statistics. Contact was made with 25,000 households through postal, phone and in-person canvassing. More than 15,200 respondents from over 11,500 households enrolled in the panel. Comparisons between SLP and official statistics show close matching on age, sex, marital status, ethnicity, education, labor force status, income and expenditure. This suggests that the panel is a representative of Singapore’s elderly population. Monthly surveys continue to be administered over the internet, supplemented by phone and in-person outreach to ensure the panel remains representative and hence reliable for informing policy makers. Response rates are remarkably stable at over 8,000 per month. The SLP contains rich data on demographics, health status, socio-economic indicators, contact with government programs and subjective perceptions and is likely to be a key resource for economic research into ageing in Singapore.

Building on an analogy with conformal invariance, local scale transformations consistent with dynamical scaling are constructed. Two types of local scale invariance are found which act as dynamical space–time symmetries of certain nonlocal free field theories. The scaling form of two-point functions is completely fixed by the requirement of local scale invariance. These predictions are confirmed through tests in the 3D ANNNI model at its Lifshitz point and in ageing phenomena of simple ferromagnets, here studied through the kinetic Ising model with Glauber dynamics.

The effect of long-term room temperature ageing on structure and thermal stability of as-cast and inhomogeneously deformed Pd${}_{40}$Ni${}_{40}$P${}_{20}$ metallic glass has been investigated. It is found that the first crystallization peak temperature decreases and this indicates that the thermal stability decreases after ageing for these as-cast and inhomogeneously deformed metallic glass samples. The high density of shear bands formed after deformation disappears and nanocrystallization has been observed after ageing for the inhomogeneously deformed Pd${}_{40}$Ni${}_{40}$P${}_{20}$ metallic glass.

This paper presents a comprehensive survey of discrete probability distributions used in reliability for modeling discrete lifetimes of nonrepairable systems. The basic properties of each model are given. A classification into two families is proposed, highlighting the interest of using a Pólya urn scheme. The quality of the estimation of models parameters is numerically assessed. Some criteria are given in order to select among the presented distributions the most useful for applications.

We consider a repairable system that progressively wears out. Instantaneous preventive and corrective maintenance actions are carried out to slow down the ageing phenomenon. Our aim is to fit a multi-state process which describes degradation and maintenance efficiency. We show how to use the EM algorithm to estimate the parameters of the model, assuming that the preventive maintenance policy is known and that maintenance times are observed.

In this article some properties of the mean time to failure in an age replacement model is presented by examining the relationship it has with hazard (reversed hazard) rate and mean (reversed mean) residual life functions. An ordering based on mean time to failure is used to examine its implications with other stochastic orders.

This prospective study investigated static scapholunate dissociation (SLD) in wrists associated with distal radius fractures. SLD was detected as a widening of the scapholunate (SL) joint interval by SL gap view. Ninety-six distal radius fractures and 154 normal wrists were investigated by SL gap view, which is better for detecting SLD than the standard posteroanterior (PA) view. Incidences of non-symptomatic SLD detected by SL gap view in normal wrists increased by age. In the young age bracket, incidences of SLD in distal radius fractures were significantly higher than in normal wrists. Our results indicated that in patients younger than 30 years old, SLD in distal radius fractures was a fracture-caused abnormality. In those over 30, ascribing SLD to the fracture was difficult. Close examinations, like arthroscopy and dynamic cineradiography, need to be made in patients with SLD associated with distal radius fractures, especially in those younger than 30.

Human Model of Rare Genetic Disease Reveals New Clues to Ageing Process.

Singapore Scientists Discover a Possible Off-Switch for Anxiety.

Researchers Find Indirect Path to Attack Breast Cancer Stem Cells.

Nanomaterials to Solve Corneal Blindness Developed by Indo- Japan Research Team.

Researchers Discover Compound that can Fight Different Types of Viral Diseases.

Study on Dengue Identifies Candidate Susceptibility Genes.

Study Sheds New Light on Ageing Effect on Brain.

A*STAR Scientists First to Identify Stem Cell Key to Lung Regeneration.

EUROPE – Avastin + Metformin = Drastic reduction in skin cancer.

EUROPE – Skin barrier puzzle solved.

EUROPE – Ageing population could boost economy.

EUROPE – Social amoeba replace animals in Bipolar Disorder research.

JAPAN – Rogue DNA plays key role in heart failure.

JAPAN – New photonics technology to spot and help cure diseases earlier.

JAPAN – Researchers at University of Bonn convert skin and umbilical cord cells directly into nerve cells.

SINGAPORE – IBN's 'Fish and Chips' may help accelerate drug discovery.

USA – Non-cancerous brain tumors linked to frequent dental X-rays.

USA – New cellular mechanism against viral infections uncovered.

USA – Study shows unified process of evolution in bacteria and sexual eukaryotes.

USA – Sugar production switch in liver may offer target for new diabetes therapies.

USA – Dengue changes gene activity, function of mosquito salivary glands.

USA – ORNL, Yale take steps toward fast, low-cost DNA sequencing device.

USA – Normal tissue cells have "personal space" issues.

USA – Scientists discover key enzymes that uncross chromosomes.

USA – New Brain-Machine Interface Moves Paralyzed Hand.

USA – Researchers Find Evidence of Banned Antibiotics in Poultry Products.

JHL Biotech Opens Innovative Biosimilars Manufacturing Facility in China

Chinese Researchers Find Direct Evidence that Zika Causes Microcephaly in Mice

President Xi Jinping Stresses Science and Technology

Intertek CEO Visits China and Signs Strategic Partnership with CCIC and CQC to Promote Technical Innovation and Quality Assurance

Chinese Academy of Sciences Tops Global Science Institutions

Gene Decides How Young We Look

China Makes Plan to Accelerate Commercialisation of Research Findings

HONG KONG NEWS – Prenetics Launches iGenes Test with Quality HealthCares

HONG KONG NEWS – ORI Healthcare Fund Invests in Pillar Biosciences

Infinitus Establishes Three Additional Scientific Research Platforms to Facilitate Its Product Innovation.

BGI Partners with NRGene to Provide Broadest Genomic Analysis Available.

CHINA AID - A Platform for Chinese Senior Care Industry.

Modern Biotechnological Tools Contribute to Biodiversity Conservation.

Older Adults Use Brain Regions Involved in Speaking to Compensate for Bad Hearing.

Chinese Scientists Discover Molecules to Repair Organs.

CAS Sits Atop of Nature Index 2016 Rising Star List.

Chinese Researchers to Develop 3D Skin Printing Technology.

Varian Chosen to Equip First Government Owned Proton Centre in China.

HONG KONG NEWS – Amgen Launches Commercial Office in Hong Kong.

Ageing in the age of science.

Assistive technology: a benison for the disabled and elderly.

How to make value-based care a reality?

Impactful interventions to maximise healthspan.

Viral hepatitis in Arkhangai: How Asia’s first micro-treatment program’s successes can be leveraged to treat a “silent killer”.

The long-suffering challenge of vaccination.