Mahantesh Biradar

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Researchers have devised a way to generate spherical, free-floating balls of human brain cells that mimic the architecture of the cerebral cortex, the outer layer of brain tissue responsible for how we experience and perceive the world around us and how we interact with others. The spheres contain functional neurons, working synapses and even critical support cells called astrocytes that maintain neural function. They also express genes in patte rns similar to a human fetal brain midway through pregnancy. These “human cortical spheroids” developed (published in Nature Methods) using a single human skin sample can grow to be as large as 5 millimeters in diameter and can be maintained in the laboratory for nine months or more. They exhibit complex neural network activity and can be studied with techniques well-honed in animal models. The researchers hope that tracking the development of the cortex-like spheroids over time and observing the interactions of their cells may she...

I think that one of the scariest parts of being President of the Society for Developmental Biology is coming up with topics for these editorials in the Newsletter. This time, however, I want to write about an issue that has bothered me for many years: how people apply for postdoctoral positions. In my experience most people (around 99%) apply incorrectly for their postdocs, and I suspect that many people do not get the postdoc that they want because of their applications. I’d like to change that situation. So what do the 99% do that I feel is wrong? These applicants usually send a letter or email (either is fine) saying that they are interested in doing a postdoc and like the research done in the lab. Then they include their CV and the names of three references that can be contacted. Very little thought needs to be put into such applications, and they can be (and probably are) sent to tens if not hundreds of people. I am convinced that the usual reply to such letters is, “Sorry...

1. You feel like an imposter all the time 2. You worry that your students will outsmart you 3. Sometimes you read what you’ve written and find you’re in awe of yourself 4. You are addicted to studying 5. When your research is going well, you get so engrossed you practically forget to draw breath 6. You go through nocturnal periods 7. You dream about your research 8. You are more likely to quote papers written by people with memorable names 9. You know where all the cheapest coffee shops are 10. You know exactly where all electrical outlets are located in all the cheapest coffee shops 11. You know more than anyone in the world about one teeny tiny thing… 12. …But you’re the only person who cares about that teeny tiny thing 13. You bore even yourself sometimes 14. You get really excited if your research topic is even tangentially relevant in every day life 15. Your idea of fame is being quoted in New Scientist 16. You can’t...

Researchers analysed the genetic make-up of 11 families across Europe and Asia affected by an inherited condition known as congenital insensitivity to pain (CIP). This enabled them to pinpoint the cause of the condition to variants of the gene PRDM12. Family members affected by CIP carried two copies of the variant; however, if they had only inherited one copy from their parents, they were unaffected. PRDM12 had previously been implicated  in the modification of chromatin, a small molecule that attaches to our DNA and acts like a switch to turn genes on and off (an effect known as epigenetics). The researchers showed that all the genetic variants of PRDM12 in the CIP patients blocked the gene's function. The team looked at nerve biopsies taken from the patients to see what had gone wrong and found that particular pain-sensing neurons were absent. From these clinical features of the disease, the team predicted that there would be a block to the production of pain-sensing neur...

After months of speculation and leaks, Vietnamese tech firm Bkav finally unveiled its flagship Bphone on Tuesday, with its CEO proudly telling a 2,000-attendee event in Hanoi they have succeeded in making the world’s best smartphone. Nguyen Tu Quang, who founded Hanoi-based Bkav in 2001, took the stage to deliver a presentation on his brainchild in what obviously reminded viewers of the way late Apple CEO Steve Jobs or his successor Tim Cook told the world about their iPhones. “This is the best smartphone in the world. We did it!” Quang told more than 2,000 tech enthusiasts and the media who filled the Vietnam National Convention Center, which was hosting what is believed to be the biggest tech event in Vietnam so far. Bkav had intended to invite only 1,000 guests but eventually had to double the number as the Bphone has been making headlines for more than four months since it was first introduced at the Consumers Electronics Show in Las Vegas early this year. All eyes of t...

Chromatin, the structure composed of DNA and proteins that makes up chromosomes. Its main role is to package DNA molecules containing all the organism's genes into the cell nucleus, which is approximately 20,000 times smaller than the DNA itself. Chromatin is carefully organized in such a way that genes remain "accessible" to the various proteins required for gene expression, or the interpretation of the genic  information stored in DNA. Chromatin therefore provides the organism with another layer of information, referred to as epigenetic information, which is made available, in part, through specialized histones called histone variants. This extreme compaction is made possible by proteins called histones, which condense the DNA much like thread is wound around a spool. Authors studied one histone variant called H2A.Z. H2A.Z is located in specific regions of the gene called promoters, which are involved in controlling gene expression. It is known that H2A.Z is ne...

Only females feast on human blood, transmitting not only yellow fever but also dengue and several other diseases. But what if you could turn all mosquitoes into males? That’s a possibility raised by new research that pinpoints the gene that determines whether a mosquito becomes male. To find the gene, scientists sequenced thousands of pieces of DNA from male and female mosquitoes belonging to two different strains of A. aegypti and look ed for stretches that were more common in males of both strains. They found 164 such sequences and matched them against data showing what genes are active in embryos, looking for sequences that seemed to be active in early male embryos. In the 24 sequences that remained, they found one new gene, which they named Nix. The scientists injected Nix into mosquito embryos and found more than two-thirds of the female mosquitoes developed male genitals and testes. When they removed Nix using a genome-editing method known as CRISPR-Cas9, male mosquitoes...

As a hiring manager, let me tell you why I’m asking you to sell me the pen: When I ask someone to sell me an arbitrary thing, I am looking to see if they do discovery or not. I want to know if they are going to learn about my needs regarding the imaginary product, how I use it, what I liked about my last one, etc. If I ask you to sell me a toaster and you immediately start telling me about features and benefits, how many slices it can toast, how it can burn in a picture of Darth Vader, you are not getting hired. If you ask me how often I toast bread, how many slices I need to toast per hour, what I liked about my last toaster, etc. then you made it through the question. If you get asked this question, start asking questions! —  Mike Hillyer , ( Professional Pre-Sales  Professional and Certified Product Manager) You could answer similar to the way that reportedly the best salesman in the world answered to Johnny Carson. While the salesman was a guest on th...

Indian science is a study in contrasts. With its vast population and rapidly expanding economy, the country has ramped up scientific production at an impressive rate. India started the twenty-first century well behind Russia, France, Italy and Canada in terms of yearly publications and it now leads them all by healthy margins. It is quickly closing in on Japan. Despite those gains, India is not yet a major player in world science. Its publications generate fewer citations on average than do those of other science-focused nations, including other emerging countries such as Brazil and China. Relative to its size, India has very few scientists; many Indian-born researchers leave for positions abroad and very few foreign scientists settle in India. The country invests a scant portion of its economy in research and development (R&D), and it produces relatively few patents per capita compared with other nations. But there are bright spots. India boasts several world-class c...

1. A $1,000 Human Brain 2. A Trillion-Sensor Economy 3. Perfect Knowledge 4. 8 Billion Hyper-Connected People 5. Disruption of Healthcare 6. Augmented and Virtual Reality 7. Early Days of JARVIS 8. Blockchain Bottom Line: We Live in the Most Exciting Time Ever We are living toward incredible times where the only constant is change, and the rate of change is increasing. Full Article: http://singularityhub.com/2015/05/11/the-world-in-2025-8-predictions-for-the-next-10-years/ 

1. They live in the present 2. They are kind to people 3. They dream big dreams 4. They speak well of others 5. They express gratitude for what they have 6. They forgive others 7. They surround themselves with happy people 8. They stay true to themselves 9. They are honest

Learn more about a type of kidney cancer called advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC) and the pathways involved in the disease in this animated whiteboard video.

A new study revealed that having a regular bedtime routine is associated with better sleep in young children up to 6 years of age, and the positive impact on sleep increases with the consistency of the nightly routine. The results of the study are published in the May issue of the  journal  Sleep . The study found that children with a consistent bedtime routine had better sleep outcomes, including earlier bedtimes, shorter amount of time in bed before falling asleep, reduced night wakings, and increased sleep duration. Children with a bedtime routine every night slept for an average of more than an hour longer per night than children who never had a bedtime routine. Institution of a regular bedtime routine also was associated with decreased sleep problems and daytime behaviour problems, as perceived by mothers. According to the  American Academy of Sleep Medicine , positive bedtime routines involve the institution of a set sequence of pleasurable and calming a...

Us presentem el gos motorista! Posted by FEEDBAC on Tuesday, July 1, 2014

In this video let's unbox Xiaomi's Yi Action Camera, set it up and spend some hands on time with it. Highlights of the the Yi Action Camera Ambarella A7LS DSP + 16MP Sony Exmor R BSI Back-illuminated CMOS Image Sensor  1080P 60/30FPS FHD Video Recording  WiFi Connection for Android devices  Aspheric HD Optical Glass Lens / F2.8 Large Aperture 155° Ultra Wide Angle  High Performance 3-Axis G-sensor  Small appearance, two colors available  Multiple photo shooting modes: Single shot, Self-Timer, Time-lapse, Burst Shot  Panasonic high efficiency Lipo Battery with low power consumption design, 1010mAh Battery  Supports Micro SD cards up to 64GB maximum (Micro SD Class10+ recommended)  Standard 1/4"-20 tripod mount compatible 

Check out 10 tips to help you to work smarter and faster. 1. Avoid Multitasking 2. Turn Off Your Non-Essential Technology 3. Shut The Door While You Work 4. Create A Personalized Structure 5. Set A Finish Time 6. Pre-Plan Breaks 7. Remember Some Tasks Are More Important Than Others 8. Set A Bedtime And Keep To It 9. Keep Your Desk And Laptop Clutter Free 10. Make Sure You Have Everything You Need

#1: Inbox Zero isn’t actually about getting your email inbox to zero. #2: Procrastination can actually be a good thing. #3: Pinterest can be a powerful productivity tool. #4: Striving for a work-life balance can actually be counter-productive. #5: You don’t have to know your life’s calling to do meaningful work.  #6: Storytelling can help you focus and boost your productivity. #7 Building strong habits can make you wiser. #8: Focusing on who you don’t want to be can be inadvertent self-sabotage. #9: The right kind of music really can improve your focus (neuroscience says so). #10: A strong task management system like GTD let’s you take greater risks in work and life. #11 Your morning routine matters, even if you’re not a morning person. #12:  Sometimes focusing on one small win leads to bigger results.

THIS MESSAGE IS FOR PHDs/POSTDOCTORs CURRENTLY RESIDING OR STUDIED/WORKED/TRAINED IN US IN RECENT PAST. While the number of PhDs conferred in the U.S. has increased over the past several decades, the number of tenure-track faculty positions has remained flat. Recent studies have illuminated the change in career decisions of some PhDs over time, but none has described or visualized a career map detailing where recent PhDs are currently employed. The study “Identifying Career Pathways for PhDs in Science” will endeavor to accomplish this visual representation by collecting current employment data from PhDs who have studied, worked, or trained in the U.S. and received a doctorate in the last ten years. The study author and administrator is Melanie Sinche, Senior Research Associate in the Labor and Work-life Program at Harvard Law School. If you have received a PhD in any of the physical, life, engineering, computational, or social sciences between 2004 and 2014 from any institutio...

1. Lead a healthful lifestyle. 2. Consider calorie restriction. 3. Enjoy a glass of non-alcoholic red wine daily. 4. Incorporate plenty of fish into your diet. 5. Eat dark chocolate. 6. Drink three cups of tea a day. 7. Abstain from smoking and alcohol consumption. 8. Deal with stress. Article Sources: nutraingredients.com/Research/Tea-drinkers-may-have-younger-biological-age sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121108141018 sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111123133522 news-medical.net/health/Telomere-Lengthening orthopedicsportsdoctor.com/2012/03/17/telomeres-resveratrol-and-anti-aging-studies-sports-medicine-physician-richmond-tx http://extremelongevity.net/2012/06/15/resveratrol-found-to-reduce-senescence-and-activate-telomerase http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=185234 http://www.antioxidantalley.com/blog/2009/12/30/dark-chocolates-effect-on-dna http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120501134209

1. ROBERT IGER: GET UP EARLY 2. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN: HAVE A PLAN 3. TIMOTHY FERRIS: DON’T MULTI-TASK 4. ANNA WINTOUR: STAY ACTIVE 5. STEVE JOBS: PRIORITIZE WHAT’S IMPORTANT 6. WARREN BUFFET: MAKE TIME FOR HOBBIES 7. OPRAH: PRACTICE STILLNESS 8. RANDI ZUCKERBERG: FORGET FOMO, EMBRACE JOMO 9. BILL GATES: TAKE TIME TO REFLECT 10. RICHARD BRANSON: GIVE BACK 11. JACK DORSEY: GET READY FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK 12. JAY Z: KEEP UP THE MOMENTUM

Labor Day  in the  United States  is a  holiday  celebrated on the first Monday in September. It is a celebration of the  American labor movement  and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of their country. Labor Day was promoted by the  Central Labor Union  and the  Knights of Labor , who organized the first parade in  New York City . After the  Haymarket Massacre , which occurred in Chicago  on May 4, 1886, U.S. President  Grover Cleveland  feared that commemorating Labor Day on May 1 could become an opportunity to commemorate the affair. Thus, in 1887, it was established as an official holiday in September to support the Labor Day that the Knights favored. [1] The equivalent holiday in Canada,  Labour Day , is also celebrated on the first Monday of Se...