Science, technology and technology news

Monash University Scientists Link Exercise To Type 2 Diabetes Prevention

Photo: Anupam Mahapatra / Unsplash

Scientists at Monash University in Australia have discovered an enzyme that plays a key role in improving health through exercise. The discovery could become the basis for drugs that promote enzyme activity and protect against the effects of aging and age-related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes. This is reported in an article published in the journal Science Advances.

One of the main causes of type 2 diabetes as an age-related disease is the development of insulin resistance or the body's inability to respond to insulin, which is often associated with decreased physical activity. The researchers found that physical activity actually increases insulin sensitivity and, in turn, promotes healthy metabolism and disease prevention.

The reduction in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in skeletal muscle during aging contributes to the development of insulin resistance. ROS provoke adaptive responses that are integral to the health benefits of exercise. The production of reactive oxygen species is enhanced with the participation of the NOX-4 enzyme. It has been shown that the content of NOX-4 in skeletal muscle decreases with age, and this correlates with an increase in insulin resistance.

Scientists say NOX-4 enhancing agents are found naturally in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower, but the amount required is significantly higher than what many people are willing to consume.

The Drive: U.S. Air Force permanently deployed F-35A Lightning II fighters in England

Photo: Axel Schmidt / Reuters

For the first time, the US Air Force (Air Force) permanently deployed its fifth generation F-35A Lightning II fighters in Europe, writes The Drive.

The first four aircraft arrived at Lakenheath AFB (England) of the Royal Air Force. In total, the facility is expected to permanently deploy 24 F-35A Lightning II units from the 495th tactical fighter squadron of the US Air Force Command in Europe and Africa. In the future, 24 of the same aircraft will be received by the 493rd squadron located in the same place. An additional six F-35A Lightning II fighters will be in reserve.

The Drive notes that the arrival in Lakenheath of two F-35A Lightning II squadrons “will provide combat commanders with a flexible and highly productive forward-based force” that must be prepared to respond to unforeseen circumstances in the region and signal US resolve to respond to “a resurgent Russian military. which increasingly test NATO members and their allies around their western borders. ”

In September, in a presentation by the American corporation Lockheed Martin, presented at the 27th international exhibition MSPO 2021, it was said that 13 permanent air bases with 450 F-35 Lightning II aircraft are planned in Europe in the current decade. According to the map shown on the corresponding slide, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Italy, Norway, Belgium and Poland will each have two air bases with such fighters, while Denmark will have one. Four of the 13 facilities have already been commissioned. The dates for the commencement of full-fledged operation of the other eight air bases have been set. The final decision on the 13th object (near the Polish city of Svidvin) has not yet been made.

These plans do not include the purchase of aircraft by Switzerland and Finland.

Rogozin instructed to create a production plan for up to four manned spacecraft “Soyuz MS” per year

Photo: Maxim Blinov / RIA Novosti

Roscosmos General Director Dmitry Rogozin instructed the Rocket and Space Corporation (RSC) Energia to create a plan to increase the production of Soyuz MS spacecraft, which are supposed to be used for tourists wishing to fly to the International Space Station (ISS), the state corporation reports.

According to him, after the start of the operation of the American spacecraft Crew Dragon, “obligations to deliver foreign astronauts to the ISS were lifted from Russia,” which provided the state corporation with “the opportunity to send crews of three Russian cosmonauts to the station.”

“Recently, we have resumed the practice of space tourism. There are now two Japanese citizens in orbit. This service brings us real money, which is spent on modernizing the rocket and space industry, “said the general director, instructing Energia to create” a specific action plan to increase production capacity in order to manufacture up to four manned spacecraft per year. “

In December, the Soyuz MS-20 spacecraft carrying Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin and Japanese tourists Yusaku Maezawa and Yozo Hirano reached the ISS.

The government will terminate the agreement of intent with the state corporation “Roscosmos” for the development in the field of advanced space systems. The corresponding statement was published on the official portal of legal information on Wednesday, Interfax reports.

“To terminate the Agreement of Intent between the Government of the Russian Federation and the State Corporation for Space Activities” Roskosmos “in order to develop the high-tech area” Advanced Space Systems “in the Russian Federation,” the order says.

Earlier, the head of Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, named the launch dates for the Russian nuclear tug Zeus. The device is planned to be launched in 2030.

In July 2020, Roskosmos reported that a roadmap for the development of the Advanced Space Systems region had been sent to the Russian government for approval. The state corporation noted that the roadmap is based on projects of multi-satellite orbital constellations and terminals for data transmission.

Also, the roadmap included a project to create devices within the framework of the “Sphere” program. A promising project involves the creation of an orbital constellation of communication satellites and Earth remote sensing.

Units of Russian intelligence, paratroopers and marines will switch to ultralight vehicles. The Russian Ministry of Defense is working on the organizational structure of new units that will receive buggies. This was reported by Izvestia with reference to sources in the defense department.

New vehicles will receive reconnaissance units of the Ground Forces, airborne assault formations of the Airborne Forces (Airborne Forces) and marines of the coastal forces of the Russian Navy (Navy).

Sources of the publication noted that new models of buggies will be created for the paratroopers. Airborne units will receive light support vehicles with machine guns, grenade launchers and flamethrowers, as well as buggies with anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM). Logistics divisions will equip buggies for transporting spare parts and supplies, and anti-aircraft gunners will be armed with vehicles with portable anti-aircraft missile systems (MANPADS) to combat air targets.

In November, the magazine “Arsenal of the Fatherland” announced the creation of a new modification of the Mi-8 helicopter for the Airborne Forces. The vehicle will provide landing, fire support and transportation of a light vehicle.

In September, the paratroopers used the Sarmat-2 buggy during the West-2021 exercise. The car received an open body and an all-wheel drive chassis. The Sarmat-2 can carry the Kord machine gun and the AGS-17 Flame grenade launcher. The unified floating vehicle was developed as part of the Strela development work.

Apple began work on the second generation of the virtual reality headset prior to the release of the first. This is reported by the MacRumors edition.

Reporters read the report of the authoritative insider Ming-Chi Kuo, who revealed new information about Apple's VR headset. According to him, the company has already begun work on the second version of the virtual reality helmet, despite the fact that Apple has not yet presented the first generation. The device, due out in 2024, will have a lighter case, a new design, and a more advanced processor.

Min-Chi Ko also noted that the first generation of mixed reality (VR / AR) headsets will be able to smoothly switch between modes. The device will weigh about 300-400 grams.

The specialist confirmed the information that the device will work autonomously from a smartphone or other equipment. In addition, the insider noted that the headset focused on communication and entertainment could replace the iPhone within the next 10 years.

In late November, Min-Chi Ko revealed that Apple's VR headset will launch in 2022. The analyst noted that the new device will support a “wide range of applications.”

Former NASA astronaut Jack Fisher explained to RIA Novosti the absence of Americans on the moon.

In his opinion, the United States is postponing sending people to a natural satellite of the Earth due to the presence of other priorities.

“Our country has certain priorities that crowd out other things. Since the Moon is not a strategic priority as much as others – especially in the face of a pandemic – they are postponing it a bit, ”the former astronaut said.

In November, Space.com, citing a report from US Space Agency Inspector General Paul Martin, announced that NASA would spend $ 93 billion on the Artemis lunar program by 2025. The publication notes that the estimate of $ 93 billion covers the period of work being carried out from 2012 to 2025 fiscal year. By comparison, from 1960 to 1973, the US spent $ 280 billion (at current exchange rates) on the Apollo program.

In October, NASA set the closest launch date for SLS from Orion to the Moon on February 12, 2022. As part of the unmanned mission Artemis 1, the spacecraft must fly around a natural satellite of the Earth. Depending on the relative positions of the Moon and the Earth at the time of the launch of the rocket, the duration of the mission will be from three to six weeks.

Yandex has unveiled the second generation of its very first smart speaker, Station. This is stated in a press release at the disposal of the editorial board of “Lenta.ru”.

The updated Yandex.Station differs from the original by the presence of more advanced speakers with a total power of 30 watts and a special acoustic grill. The latter has an aperiodic structure and distorts the sound passing through it less. Also, the device added support for room correction technology, thanks to which the “Station” compensates for the acoustic effects of the room.

The device retained its rectangular shape, however, instead of a physical ring for adjusting the sound, a luminous panel was placed on the top panel, which responds to user and speaker actions. The device has received support for the Zigbee smart home protocol, which is used by many manufacturers of home devices.

The “Station” can be combined into a stereo pair with any other column from Yandex. “We decided to focus on sound, design and smart home, so Alisa will live in ideal conditions,” said Sergey Melnik, head of Yandex smart devices.

The new Station will be available in anthracite, cobalt, sand and copper colors. The column will go on sale in the first half of 2022, its cost has not been specified.

The original Yandex.Station was introduced in 2018. In October, the Russian company released a new Mini Station with an LED display and a more powerful speaker, as well as a Modul media attachment.

The United Kingdom, the United States and Italy have raised the sunken fifth-generation fighter F-35 Lightning II from the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, which in November fell there after a crash from the British aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth, The Drive reports.

The publication notes that Russia could be interested in accessing the fragments of the lost aircraft, so it was important to retrieve its fragments as early as possible. “Successfully locating the aircraft wreckage and retrieving them was a top priority given the security risks that would arise if any part of the aircraft fell into the hands of a less friendly country, such as Russia,” the American publication writes.

In total, it took two weeks to find the fragments of the F-35 Lightning II, and another one to retrieve them. The Drive notes that human error was the most likely reason for the loss of the $ 100 million aircraft.

In November, a military expert Dmitry Boltenkov told Izvestia that the Russian side was particularly interested in the elements in the wreckage of a fifth-generation British fighter with a short take-off and vertical landing F-35B Lightning II, which could represent the recognition unit of the friend-or-foe system. and weapon control equipment.

In the same month, the British tabloid Daily Mirror wrote that the Royal Navy (Navy) of Great Britain participated in a “race against the Russians” for the F-35B Lightning II aircraft recently lost in the Mediterranean.

F-35B Lightning II fighter of the Royal Navy of Great Britain sank on the morning of November 17 in the Mediterranean Sea. The pilot managed to eject and was taken to the British aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth. The incident occurred during a scheduled flight.

Patients with COVID-19, including children, often have various rashes on their bodies, pediatrician, infectious disease specialist, vaccinologist Yevgeny Timakov told Lente.ru.

Rashes in children with coronavirus disease, especially with the delta strain, have existed before, the expert said. According to the specialist, there is even an atlas of rashes that appear in patients with COVID-19.

“There is a concept in children such as covid fingers – these fingers seem to be frostbitten, such a burn. These rashes also existed, plus we have the concept of a multisystem inflammatory syndrome, which was present in the previous strains too – this is a complication of the coronavirus, when a vasculitis-type rash appears on the body. There are various rashes for coronavirus, they are frequent, ”Timakov said.

The doctor said that rashes are alarming symptoms and require observation, since depending on the severity of the rash, one can judge how the inflammatory process in the body proceeds.

Earlier, British physician David Lloyd said that 15 percent of children who contract the new omicron strain have an unusual rash.