The Malaysian Insider :: Features
The Malaysian Insider :: Features |
| Big-hearted snakes offer clues to healing humans Posted: 30 Oct 2011 08:24 AM PDT  The secret to the giant Burmese python's success is in a massive amount of fatty acids that circulate in the snake's blood after eating a meal. – AFP pic The secret to the giant Burmese python's success is in a massive amount of fatty acids that circulate in the snake's blood after eating a meal, which could be as big as a deer, according to the study in the journal Science. Scientists at the University of Colorado at Boulder found that as the snake starts digesting its catch, natural oils and fats called triglycerides spike by more than 50 times the usual level. But there is no fat deposited in the snake's heart, due to the activation of a key enzyme that protects the thumping organ as it grows in mass by as much as 40 per cent in the first few days after a meal. Scientists identified the chemical composition of the python's blood after eating, and injected either the fed python's plasma or a mixture devised to imitate it into pythons that were fasting. "In both cases, the pythons showed increased heart growth and indicators of cardiac health," said the study, noting that Burmese pythons are as thick as a telephone pole, grow to around eight metres long and can go without food for up to a year. Researchers then tried the experiment on mice, and found that mice injected with either fed python plasma or the fatty acid mixture showed the same results. "It was remarkable that the fatty acids identified in the plasma-fed pythons could actually stimulate healthy heart growth in mice," said researcher Brooke Harrison. Researcher Cecilia Riquelme said the next step is to figure out how the concoction works so that it may be one day adapted for use in people. "Now we are trying to understand the molecular mechanisms behind the process in hopes that the results might lead to new therapies to improve heart disease conditions in humans," she said. Not all heart growth is good. Conditions like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, in which the heart muscle thickens and can lead to sudden death in young athletes, is one example. However, the kind of heart growth exhibited by most elite athletes is a reflection of their superior cardiac health. "Well-conditioned athletes like Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and cyclist Lance Armstrong have huge hearts," said Leslie Leinwand, a professor in the molecular, cellular and developmental biology department and leader of the study. "But there are many people who are unable to exercise because of existing heart disease, so it would be nice to develop some kind of a treatment to promote the beneficial growth of heart cells." The trio of fatty acids identified in the snake's blood were myristic acid, palmitic acid and palmitoleic acid. The enzyme that protected their hearts was superoxide dismutase, which also exists in humans. "We are trying to understand how to make those signals tell individual heart cells whether they are going down a road that has pathological consequences, like disease or beneficial consequences, like exercise," Leinwand said. – AFP Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| Highly sexed crickets take to the ring in China Posted: 30 Oct 2011 02:05 AM PDT  Chinese men watch a cricket fight at a street market in Hefei, in east China's Anhui province. Cricket fighting is believed to have started in China during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) and enjoyed its height of popularity during the Sung Dynasty (960-1279 AD) period. – AFP pic "Crickets need lots of sex," said Guo Junxiong, 60, after watching one of his long-antennaed insects overpower an opponent in a bloodless battle held in Beijing during the annual cricket fighting season. "They should live as couples otherwise the male won't fight." Cricket fighting, a Chinese tradition dating back more than a thousand years to imperial times, remains a popular pastime for many men who gather every autumn to watch their insects fight in specially designed glass enclosures. At a recent tournament in the Chinese capital dozens of men – mostly middle-aged and smoking heavily – crowded around white plastic tables to watch pairs of male crickets fight for a gold trophy and US$300 in prize money. "I always want to be the winner," said Zhao Boguang, vice president of the Singing Insects Association in Beijing and owner of a store specialising in cricket equipment. The best fighting crickets – always male – are found in the eastern province of Shandong where they are reputed to be the biggest in China. A single insect can cost between a few dollars and US$300 – or more. Enthusiasts spend hours every day feeding and watering their chirping pets, with some keeping them in their bedrooms so they can be easily checked during the night. Yang Yupeng, 82, said he has been playing with crickets since he was 10 and credits the harmless creatures with keeping him healthy in body and mind. "The more I watch them fight the happier I am," said Yang, wearing a grey suit of a kind made famous by former Chinese leader Mao Zedong. "Playing with crickets can alter your mood – it can keep you feeling calm, happy and solve your worries." Before a tournament begins, each cricket must be weighed on a tiny set of scales. Owners carefully remove their crickets from small clay pots using wooden scoops and then gently slide them into a plastic cup or modified beer can, which is hooked onto the scales. After their weight is recorded on a white strip of paper, the crickets are returned to their container where they wait for battle. "I've been playing with crickets since I was very young," said Yu Xin, 30, one of the youngest participants at the tournament in Beijing. "Now I work in an office with computers and playing with crickets brings me closer to nature." In the seconds before a fight begins, owners "tease" their crickets by stroking their backs, head and antennae with a long piece of dry grass. Aroused and ready to fight, the crickets grab at each other with their front legs for an intense but shortlived battle before breaking apart and one of them – the loser – scurrying away. Although betting on cricket fights – or any other type of competition – is illegal in China, it is common for Chinese to have a discreet flutter. "I've been involved in cricket fighting for 40 years and I still find it interesting, they can bring you happiness," said Man Zhiguo, 48. Cricket fighting is a male dominated sport and, according to Man, that is the way it should be. Women "don't have the skills to buy, raise or fight crickets and also going to the countryside to find the crickets is hard and hot work," he said. During their short life – about 100 days – crickets are fed a diet of soya beans, carrots and corn, while some enthusiasts even give their beloved insects doses of Chinese traditional medicine to boost their performance in the ring. And, of course, there is the "excessive sex" needed to enhance their fighting prowess. "Crickets must have female companions so their bodies can be strong," said Yang. "I check them every day to see if their mood is good or not. If not, I have to find them a new partner." – AFP Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
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