| Tuesday, August 19, 2003 |  |
| Transformation and Human Foibles | 4 comments |
 19 Aug 2003 @ 20:12 There's been immense transformation in my life lately, changes, difficult decisions made that affect not only myself but those around me. I trust this process when others may not. It's familiar ground, an old friend yet different in its' newness. I have delved deep into the abyss of my Soul, questioning my motives, coming to understand potentials and possibilites, facing my humanity and fragility of my humanness, also my strength and courage to follow my heart, daring to put myself first, for my own health and well Being and....happiness. I've been graceful and dreadfully ungraceful. I've been compassionate as well as irresponsible. Yet, I stand by my choices, I stand for my Souls yearnings, I stand where I can be in peace not war, I stand at the precipice looking into the unknown and looking into the faces of those who would judge me. Judge me for cowardice, or immaturity, or deceitfulness. For running away. Judging me as they no doubt judge themselves as well, for we hone our skills on the shores of our inner terrain. Yet, even knowing this, my ego gets bruised, seeking to be understood, wanting to defend myself, my voice heard, my experience of Life expressed and shared. Angry at sides taken, opinions formed, character assessment. Though I have not always been forthright and honest, I am a champion for truth. Sometimes fear has me act otherwise and I apologize for my foibles. With all the struggle and suffering we endure it's amazing how easily some forget unconditional love, compassion, forgiveness and allow themselves to slip into sleep walking, a fall from grace, embracing instead the critic and juror. Can the rhetoric of attack be transformed? Can relationship and communication replace assumption and story? My wish is to have community that shares, dreams and creates together. That asks the hard questions to whom they concern, and is willing to hear the answers even if in disagreement. That holds a vision gently, with ease and allows for change. Where each individual supports their relation with every other person and with the consciousness of the group. Where personal freedom is honored side by side with collective agreement. Where judgement is tempored by forgiveness and understanding. Where the earth is honored and Spirit is emobodied. This is the grand social experiment called human Being to which I wish to grow and grow my-Self up in. Sometimes this, and usually, requires that I stop trying to look good, to fit in, to appease everyone else and make choices that might stir the hornets nest. And it stings. The hornets come out in force and I must breathe deep and dive into waters relief, where stingers cannot reach me. Here magic dwells, Merlin resides and I feel safe to weave my dream, my life, the fabric of my emotion and mind, explore the gifts of vision and a knowing that only I seem to trust at times. A trust I believe in, as I kneel at the altar that holds the torch of truth. More > |
| Nanoparticles Keep Brain Cells Alive | 0 comments |
 19 Aug 2003 @ 08:15Nanoparticles Keep Brain Cells Alive Dwayne Hunter Betterhumans Staff Friday, August 15, 2003, 8:46:55 PM CT Nanoparticles originally developed for industry have an unexpected effect: They triple or even quadruple the life of rat brain cells, suggesting that they could help extend human lifespan and decrease age-related health problems. It has been predicted that nanotechnology will revolutionize modern medicine, through such things as new materials that are more easily absorbed by human cells. Discovering the health effects of one such material, a nano-oxide particle, involved a collaboration between a molecular biologist and a nanoscientist at the University of Central Florida. Antioxidant nanotechnology The two researchers are Beverly Rzigalinski, an assistant molecular biology professor, and Sudipta Seal, an associate engineering professor. Rzigalinski focuses on how brain cells "talk" to each other and most recently has been focusing on microglia -- specialized cells that respond to brain injury and initiate a response to either repair or destroy damaged neurons. Seal creates nanomaterials and recently developed a process for engineering particles on a nanoscale to be more efficient in industrial applications. In response to publicity surrounding antioxidants and their antiaging properties, Rzigalinski decided to introduce some of Seal's particles to the brain cells of rats. "In culture, rat brain cells usually live about three weeks," Rzigalinski said. "The cells exposed to the engineered nanoparticles lived three to four times longer." Longer life Rzigalinski repeated the experiment multiple times to confirm the results, and found that cells exposed to a single dose of engineered nano-oxide particles routinely outlived untreated cells by three to four times. Next, Rzigalinski explored the quality of the aged neurons and found they were signaling or "talking" to each other in the same manner as their youthful counterparts. "This shows there is a potential not just to extend the lifespan but to preserve function," says Rzigalinski. Free radicals The particles appear to address free radical damage, thought to be a major component of aging. They also appear to regenerate once they penetrate a cell, which if true means that one dose could provide therapeutic effects indefinitely. Based on their results, Rzigalinski and Seal have received US$1.4 million from the US National Institute on Aging to further study the reaction as well as possible future applications. Rzigalinski first introduced the collaboration to her colleagues at the Nature Biotechnology symposium in Miami earlier this year. She has also submitted an abstract of the work to the National and International Neurotrauma Symposium and the Society for Neuroscience. |