Scientists of University of Southern California and Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences said they may have found the beginnings of a path toward increasing human lifespan.

Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences published the research on Friday that shows the drug mifepristone can extend the lives of two very different species used in laboratory studies, suggesting the findings may apply to other species, including human beings, reports news-medical.net.

Fruit fly Drosophila findings

John Tower, professor of biological sciences, and his team found that the drug mifepristone extends the lives of female flies that have mated.

The researchers went through one of the most common laboratory models used in genetic research- the fruit fly Drosophila.

Mifepristone, also known as RU-486, is used by clinicians to end early pregnancies as well as to treat cancer and Cushing disease.

During mating, female fruit flies receive a molecule called sex peptide from the male.

Previous research has shown that sex peptide causes inflammation and reduces the health and lifespan of female flies.

Tower and his team, including Senior Research Associate Gary Landis, lead researcher on the study, found that feeding mifepristone to the fruit flies that have mated blocks the effects of sex peptide, reducing inflammation and keeping the female flies healthier, leading to longer lifespans than their counterparts who did not receive the drug.

The drug's effects in Drosophila appear similar to those seen in women who take it.

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Read Also: Metabolic Signatures of Life Span Regulated by Mating, Sex Peptide and Mifepristone/RU486 in Female Drosophila melanogaster

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Juvenile hormone effects

Searching for a better understanding of how mifepristone works to increase lifespan, Tower and his team looked at the genes, molecules and metabolic processes that changed when flies consumed the drug.

The researchers found that a molecule called juvenile hormone plays a central role.

Juvenile hormone regulates the development of fruit flies throughout their life, from egg to larvae to adult.

Sex peptide appears to escalate the effects of juvenile hormone, shifting the mated flies' metabolism from healthier processes to metabolic pathways that require more energy to maintain.

Further, the metabolic shift promotes harmful inflammation, and it appears to make the flies more sensitive to toxic molecules produced by bacteria in their microbiome and Mifepristone changes all of that.

When the mated flies ate the drug, their metabolism stuck with the healthier pathways, and they lived longer than their mated sisters who did not get mifepristone.

Notably, these metabolic pathways are conserved in humans, and are associated with health and longevity, said Tower.

New hope for human beings!  

Tower and collaborators Chia-An Yen, who obtained her Ph.D. last spring from USC Dornsife College, and Sean Curran, associate professor of gerontology and biological sciences at USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and USC Dornsife College, also gave mifepristone to another common laboratory model, a small roundworm called C. elegans.

The scientists found the drug had the same life-extending effect on the mated worm.

Drosophila fruit flies and C. elegans worms sit on relatively distant branches of the evolutionary tree, Tower believes the similar results in such different species suggest other organisms, including humans, might see comparable benefits to lifespan.

Tower said that "In terms of evolution, Drosophila and C. elegans are equally as distant from each other as either one is distant from humans."

He also said that the fact that mifepristone can increase lifespan in both species suggests the mechanism is important to many species.

Tower emphasized that a clearer understanding of the intricacies of mifepristone's actions is needed before drawing any firm conclusions.

"Our data show that in Drosophila, mifepristone either directly or indirectly counteracts juvenile hormone signaling, but the exact target of mifepristone remains elusive."

Revealing that target may give scientists critical insight needed to extend lifespan in people.

Using artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, an international research team led by Chinese scientists has developed a rapid and accurate screening model to detect lymph nodes, which can assist doctors in cancer treatment.

Lymph nodes are the human immune system's first line of defense, protecting people from illnesses and virus infections. In the human body, lymph nodes are hundreds of small, round or bean-shaped glands that gather in the neck, armpit, abdomen and groin, reports Xinhua.

However, the current MRI screening methods are time-consuming and can not identify all the lymph nodes in the scan regions, lowering the detection accuracy.

Based on MRI image data selected from 293 patients with rectal cancer at the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University from 2013 to 2016, researchers developed the AI-assisted screening model.

The researchers tested the AI model in patients at four medical centers in Guangzhou, Beijing, Suzhou and Guizhou, and compared its results with those of four Chinese radiologists, specializing in gastrointestinal diseases.

The results showed that it can accurately identify 3-mm-diameter lymph nodes with a detection accuracy of 80 percent.

The results were recently published in the journal EBioMedicine under The Lancet. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health also participated in the study.

The AI model can also be used to detect metastatic cancers in other human organs or tissue, according to lead researcher Gao Xin.

"We believe the AI-assisted screening model can save a great deal of manual labor and improve clinical efficiency, which will benefit more patients," said Gao.

Xiaomi has launched their Redmi Note 9 Series (9s, 9 pro, and 9 Pro Max) Smartphone on March 12 in 2020. According to the advertisement of Xiaomi, the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max offers the best performance in these series. The Pro Max version shares almost similar features like its Pro version. Read this article to know whether Redmi Note 9 Pro Max is worth buying.

Redmi Note 9 Pro Max Key Features

Design and Build Quality

Redmi Note 9 Pro Max Smartphone’s front side display has a punch hole in the middle area of its top surface. On the rear side, the quad-camera series has been confined in a square-shaped platform resembling the Apple iPhone 11. It comes with a gorgeous rear panel boasting gradient color embellished with a glossy look which makes it look gorgeous. While purchasing, do not forget to check out the Redmi logo in the lower portion on its backside.

Weighing 209gm, this device is quite difficult to hold by one hand. Though Redmi 9 Pro Max has a hefty body, the smart side carves make this device comfortable to hold. Especially, its slick shape featuring 2.8mm width makes this Smartphone quite manageable by two hands. Unlike the cheaper budget phones, this 9 Pro Max is blessed with glass built surface on both front and the rear surfaces. The protection of Corning Gorilla Glass 5 makes this Smartphone compatible with rough use in daily life.

The volume rocker and fingerprint scanner are found on the right side, while SIM card slots rest on the left side. Like the contemporary Smartphone devices, Redmi Note 9 Pro Max provides 3 slots for dual SIM and a microSD card. On the upper edge, you will find IR bluster and noise cancellation. On the bottom, it has a 3.5mm headphone jack, USB type C port, Primary Microphone, and Speaker Hole. 

The Pro Max model comes in three color options: Interstellar Black, Aurora Blue, and Glacier White. Pick the one which suits your personality.

Read Realme 6i Review: Can This Smartphone Fulfill Users’ expectations?

Display

Redmi Note 9 Pro Max has a 6.67-inch IPS LCD capacitive touch-screen offering 16M colors. Its screen-to-body ratio is 84.5%. Xiaomi claims that ‘Pro Max’ version will offer 4HD plus resolution (1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratios with ~395 PPI density), which is the main attraction of this Smartphone.

If you are looking for a budget Smartphone with a giant screen to enjoy advanced games, YouTube videos, or Netflix movies with greater comfort, do not miss this Smartphone! The color sharpness would definitely amuse the gamers! Brightness is great under low light situations. However, its outdoor performance is quite average.

In this Smartphone, Xiaomi has provided 450 nits typ. Brightness, which could not overcome its ancestor Redmi Note 8 Pro. However, instead of 90Hz or 120Hz refresh rate, Note 9 Pro Max features only 60Hz which keeps it behind the competitor Realme 6 pro. While the contemporary Smartphone technology is moving towards speedier refresh rates, Xiaomi truly disappoints their fans at this point.

Read Realme C3: Superb Budget Gaming Smartphone for PUBG Lovers

Performance

Redmi Note 9 Pro Max runs on MIUI 11 which is based on the latest operating system Android 10. This Smartphone appears with a 64-bit octa-core CPU featuring Qualcomm SM7125 Snapdragon 720G (8 nm) chipset. Its 16-core GPU Graphic unit is enriched with Adreno 618 GPU. However, you have seen quite a similar configuration in the Realme 6 Pro and Redmi Note 9 Pro models, which naturally question the ‘Max’ title of the ‘Pro Max’ device.

You can smoothly play PUBG Mobile and other advanced level games in this Smartphone with the highest HD graphics. However, if can experience some frame drops, while playing for long hours. Unlike other Smartphone devices, Pro Max shows less heating issues, which is a bonus for game lovers. On the whole, the Redmi Note 9 pro max is a good gaming Smartphone.

Read Realme 5i Review: Affordable Smartphone to Overturn Pricier Competitors

Quad Camera Feature

The primary camera of Redmi Note 9 Pro Max has a 64-megapixel lens (1.72” aperture) with the Samsung ISOCELL GW1 sensor. Though it is a noticeable upgrade from the ‘Pro’ version’s 48MP main camera, it lags behind Sony’s IMX series sensor. However, while taking pictures with the main camera you need to hold the device in the steady pose for several moments; otherwise, the image can carry a blurry effect.

The ‘Portrait’ mode offers nice portraits featuring smart edge detection with efficient sharpness. You can enhance the zooming option up to 10 times. However, it can dishearten many Xiaomi fans, as the competitor Realme 6 pro is offering about 30x zooming power.

The main rear camera is accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide lens featuring a 2.2-inch aperture. In low light conditions, the captures may not impress you. But in ample light situation, the secondary camera can shoot nice photos, with good sharpness and nice detailing like any other 8MP wide lens camera.

The third camera bears 5MP macro shooter which out wins the average Smartphones bearing 2MP lens. If you have a passion for macro photography, Pro Max can be your great companion! In addition to this, you will get a 2MP depth lens.

Overall, the color quality and sharpness of these quad-cameras are quite satisfactory for normal photography. However, the photos captured by ‘Pro Max’ are more radiant, than its ‘Pro’ model.

Using the rear camera, you can shoot a 4K video at 30fps, but you cannot use stabilization. While shooting at 1080p, you get 60fps video performance with EIS mode offering good stability. At the highest capacity, this device is capable of shooting 720p video at 960fps in slow motion.

On the front side, Redmi Note 9 Pro Max holds a 30MP selfie camera which mounts over the 16MP front shooter of its ‘Pro’ version. The photos feature an imposed softness even if you turn off the ‘Beauty’ mode. The photo quality may lack the exact detailing and sharpness, but the ‘Portrait’ mode works fine.

Its ‘Vlog’ mode is no less than a windfall for the vloggers, YouTubers, or Instagram influencers who are looking for a professional device under budget price. Using the front camera you can record a 30fps video. Furthermore, it can shoot a slow-motion video at 120fps.

Read Huawei Y7P: Budget Smartphone with Exclusive App Gallery.

 

Memory and Battery

Redmi Note 9 Pro Max is available in 3 variants: 64GB/6GB RAM, 128GB/6GB RAM, 128GB/8GB RAM. This device is equipped with LPDDR4x RAM with UFS 2.1 ROM.

This Smartphone is powered by a 5020mAh battery. You can easily use this gadget for more than a day upon a single charge session. For normal usage, this device can stay active for up to 2 days. If you are a heavy gamer,  this gaming device can support you for up to 8 hours.

This Pro Max version comes with a 33-watt Fast Charger, which is a noticeable upgrade from Note 9 pro’s 18W charger. It takes 30 minutes to get about 50% charge and 65 minutes to fully charge up this device.

What is more? Xiaomi deserves applause for delivering necessary sensors like Notifications light, IR Bluster, Remote controlling features, which you can hardly find other budget gaming Smartphone devices.

Read Redmi Note 8 Pro: Expert Gaming Smartphone Under Budget.

Redmi Note 9 Pro Max Price in Bangladesh

The unofficial price of Redmi Note 9 pro Max series is BDT 23,500 for 6/64 GB variant, BDT 25,500 for 6/128 GB and BDT 28,000 for 8/128 GB. However, the price may vary a bit depending upon circumstances.

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Amazon has said  an internal email went out Friday to its employees asking them to delete the popular video app TikTok from their phones, was sent mistakenly

The online retailing giant appeared to backtrack roughly five hours after sending the message.

“This morning’s email to some of our employees was sent in error," Amazon emailed reporters just before 5 p.m. Eastern time.

“There is no change to our policies right now with regard to TikTok.”

Company spokeswoman Jaci Anderson declined to answer questions about what caused the confounding turnaround or error.

The initial internal email, which was disseminated widely online, told employees to delete TikTok, a video app increasingly popular with young people but also the focus of intensifying national-security and geopolitical concerns because of its Chinese ownership.

The email cited the app's “security risks.”

An Amazon employee who confirmed receipt of the initial email but was not authorized to speak publicly had not seen a retraction at the time of Amazon's backtrack.

Amazon is the second-largest U.S. private employer after Walmart.

Moving against TikTok could have escalated pressure on the app in a big way, particularly if other companies did the same.

The U.S. military already bans TikTok on employee phones and the company is subject to a national-security review of its merger history.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said this week that the government was “certainly looking” at banning the app, setting off confused and irritated posts as well as jokes by TikTok users.

Chinese internet company ByteDance owns TikTok, which is designed for users outside of China; it also makes a Chinese version called Douyin. Like YouTube, TikTok relies on its users for the videos that populate its app.

It has a reputation for fun, goofy videos and is popular with young people, including millions of Americans.

But critics have cited concerns, including the possibility of TikTok censoring videos, such as those critical of the Chinese government, sharing user data with Chinese officials, and violating kids’ privacy.

TikTok has said it doesn’t censor videos based on topics sensitive to China and it would not give the Chinese government access to U.S. user data even if asked.

NeckSense, a new technology, can detect in the real world when people are eating, how fast they chew, how many bites they take and how many times their hands head to their mouths, according to a study of Northwestern University (NU).
 
The data, along with other information like heart rate, will help scientists understand what leads to binging or troublesome eating behaviors and how to intervene to stop those behaviors in real time, said the study posted on the website of NU on Wednesday.
 
The data also will include self-reported physical details such as and how hungry or satiated you feel or psychological details such as how depressed or how anxious you are. The user also will upload photos of their food via a smartphone app.
 
The technology includes wearing a tiny camera pendant to validate what the necklace is sensing. Eventually the camera will be removed.
 
A Northwestern Medicine study with 20 participants has validated the technology.
 
"The arsenal of the dietician has been upgraded," said lead study author Nabil Alshurafa, an assistant professor of preventive medicine at NU Feinberg School of Medicine. "The ability to easily record dietary intake patterns allows dieticians or even laypeople making use of our tech to deliver timely digital interventions that occur as eating is happening to prevent overeating."
 
"The beauty of this is that it requires almost no effort on the part of the wearer," he said.
 
Measuring people's eating patterns allows scientists to begin to understand how these variables are associated with overeating, providing them with new ways to intervene.
 
Currently, dieticians must rely on self-reporting based on 24-hour recall by the patient, a notoriously unreliable method because people forget what they ate or fabricate their diet. Another method, journaling food/drink consumption as it occurs, is subject to error because it is burdensome and disruptive to day-to-day routine.
 
In the next step, the researchers will test NeckSense along with several other wearable devices with 60 participants who have obesity and validate the device against standard 24-hour recall, and will tweak the necklace to make it more fashionable and test the feasibility of real-time interventions.
 
NeckSense is part of a broader study called SenseWhy, which will assess if wearing sensors will help us understand people's problematic eating behaviors in real time.
 
The technology has been published in the Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies.