A lot of work has taken place in recent years on killing cancer cells by heating targeted nanoparticles. Here is an example of the present state of the art: “When irradiated with light, gold nanoparticles become hot quickly, hot enough to generate explosive microbubbles that will kill nearby cancer cells … To boost this approach, [...]

CNN Money is running a longer piece on calorie restriction mimetic research and the goal of slowing down aging to extend healthy life: “In early 1934, Depression-weary Americans were beginning to see tendrils of hope poking out of the bleak landscape. … But one of the new year’s most promising developments passed almost unnoticed. … [...]

A brace of popular science books on gerontology and engineered longevity have been written in past years - one of the many signs that the field is growing in profile in the public eye, an important step on the way to obtaining funding for more rapid progress. Here the Village Voice notes an irreverent forthcoming [...]

From Impact Aging earlier this year, an open access paper on some of the mechanics of hormesis: a little stress on your system improves longevity. “Oxidative stress constitutes the basis of physio-pathological situations such as neurodegenerative diseases and aging. However, sublethal exposure to toxic molecules such as reactive oxygen species can induce cellular responses that [...]

Some people do have better genes than others when it comes to a long life, though lifestyle choices do still seem to play a greater role. Here, researchers were looking to “determine whether offspring of parents with exceptional longevity (OPEL) have a lower rate of dementia than offspring of parents with usual survival (OPUS). … [...]

Raised levels of heat shock proteins can protect against sarcopenia, age-related loss of muscle mass and strength: “HSP10 (Heat Shock Protein), helps monitor and organise protein interactions in the body, and responds to environmental stresses, such as exercise and infection, by increasing its production inside cells. Researchers [found] that excessive amounts of HSP10 inside mitochondria [...]

Researchers here demonstrate that comparatively simple stem cell transplants may be effective in regenerating lung injuries: “Human stem cells administered intravenously can restore alveolar epithelial tissue to a normal function in a novel ex vivo perfused human lung after E. coli endotoxin-induced acute lung injury (ALI) … ALI is a common cause of respiratory failure [...]

From the Technology Review: “Support cells in the brain called astroglia can be turned into functioning neurons. … Researchers found that they could transform the cells into two different classes of neurons, and that the neurons could form connections with one another in a dish. Although the research is at an early stage, the finding [...]

Via EurekAlert!: “excess abdominal fat places otherwise healthy, middle-aged people at risk for dementia later in life. … [The study] included 733 community participants who had a mean age of 60 years with roughly 70% of the study group comprised of women. Researchers examined the association between Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference, waist to [...]

Another paper looks at some of the consequences of becoming obese. In a more fair and productive world, medical costs would be an individual responsibility rather than being socialized as they are at present: “The prevalence of adult obesity has increased in recent decades. It is important to predict the long-term effect of body weight, [...]