Hidden orchestra - cellular noise

We have been hearing for some time now, that the future of medicine is the one, that is based on molecular picture of the disease, which in turn will allow us to develop precise drugs. This is called personalized medicine. The traditional paradigm, based on the physiology of the disease and the search for drugs based on the symptoms, gradually is displaced by this new approach. We begin to realize, that traditional drugs are not effective, especially if they are to treat chronic diseases, or cancer.

Although today's post is not about personalized medicine, in part its topic is related to it. I would like to share with you today a new trend in science, namely the study of cellular behavior. This new field of inquiry is researched from a variety of angles, hence the need for molecular biologists, statisticians and mathematicians is required. What we have learned so far is, that not all the cells are the same. Of course it is widely accepted, that cells differ depending on the tissue they come from. However, recent studies show, that even cells, that are part of the same organ, differ significantly. It is said, that our cells are noisy.

We all have become accustomed to constant cacophony of everyday life, there is no escape from it. The background noise generated by our smartphones, cars, music, conversation is sometimes overwhelming. Hence, it is easy for us to imagine, how hard it is to perform a specific task, when we are not able to suppress this cacophony. If we are able to suppress it, or turn it off, then the task becomes easier. It turns out, that the social noise is like a fractal, meaning the key that allows us to understand the life of our cells. Recent studies show, that our cells also operate in a changing environment, and as us, react to it differently. Some are able to "turn off" the noise and do the job, and for others it is more difficult. Over time, a population of cells having the same genetic information, starts to function and react to stimuli differently.

Cellular noise is a new and vibrant scientific discipline. It is an inter-disciplinary approach of studying the behavior of cells, hence the need for various specialists of different sciences: biologists, mathematicians, statisticians and physicists. So far, most of the experiments have been conducted on single-cell organisms such as bacteria and yeast, but it can safely be inferred, that similar phenomena occur in higher organisms, including us. Not only, molecules within the cell move around and interact randomly, they also need to carry out their specific jobs, like eating, dividing, differentiating and at the same time being able to react to various toxic substances, pathogens and changing diet. Nothing is constant and everything is interdependent.

This is a new finding, because until recently it was believed that biological processes are ordered, hence predictable. Recent observations showing the extremely noisy life of our inner-selves toppled upside down our understanding of those processes. It is hard for us to imagine, how it is possible to perform a specific function in ever present internal and external noise. The development of an embryo, for example, looks like a well-programmed process, orchestrated by predictable waves of gene activity to produce a specific pattern of tissues. How could it possibly emerge amid this pervasive noise?

Not much will change over the next few years. Current research on cellular noise is the beginning and shows how science and medicine will look like in the future. But what modern science is showing and what is fascinating is, that the elements of our social life are reflected in the microscopic world and vice versa. So if cells depend on one another to acquire a specific identity and pattern, then we all also depend on each other, and life is nothing else, but one throbbing organism. Although science will not provide ready-made solutions and medicine a cure for our ailments in the near future, we can safely rely on holistic approach to our health problems. This view has been popular among supporters of alternative medicine for a long time, and now traditional medicine turns into personalized medicine, while science starts to use holistic approach by developing a new branch called systems biology.

I am not of the opinion, that cure will come in the form of a pill, medical or alternative. I simply do not believe in panacea, because the effectiveness of the cure depends largely on cellular noise, which means, that some cells will respond to the drug, while others will not. This is also the reason why we conduct statistical surveys. So far this kind of research has shown us the ineffectiveness of all drugs, because effectiveness measured in the range of 5-20% is insignificant to me. I believe, that if we want to think about health, we should think holistically, and treat ourselves as a whole, hence healthy eating, but also healthy habits, such as exercise and positive thinking are very important.

https://www.quantamagazine.org/20140522-inside-the-din-cells-fight-noise-with-noise/

Spicy Eggplant

Eggplant is a curious plant. On the one hand it is controversial, because of its ability to absorb pesticides like sponge. On the other hand it is a common ingredient in different cuisines pointing to our instinctive desires of incorporating it into our daily menu. One of my Indian friends loved eggplant and always liked to say that it was an amazing culinary experience for her. Over time I have assembled my own collection of eggplant recipes and although it is not my favorite plant (zucchini is definitely the one), I frequently use it in my kitchen.

If you are looking for an exciting eggplant recipe, I strongly recommend this one. It is my own recipe but it resembles somewhat Caponata. So why this recipe is worth trying? I have to admit that I love contrasts in my cooking and each time when the dishes are neutral in taste I tend to enhance the taste with spices. I also love Thai cooking filled with salty, sweet, sour and spicy flavors. This style of cooking is simply amazing.

My spicy eggplant is the best partner for today's Alfredo fettuccine. I love Alfredo sauce, but sometimes I want to brighten the dish by adding something spicy. This is how it all started and the reason why I prepare Alfredo fettuccine with spicy eggplant. If you happen to have a fresh thyme, then I strongly recommend, that you finish the dish with thyme. In my opinion thyme best harmonizes with eggplant and Alfredo sauce and for me it is one of the best herbs in the world.

Now the recipe...

Reflection on age identity

I am not an advocate of stereotyping and saying, that we are programmed to react and behave in a certain way. I am glad, that such a belief is being acknowledged by science. Until recently, deterministic worldview dominated and defined the laws underlying human relationships and our understanding of nature. For example, genetics, and with it, the programmed process of aging, only confirmed our sense of powerlessness and alienation. We live, grow old, we get sick ... this is our fate.

The beauty of science is, that it describes the reality. It relies on evidence and it is dispassionate. Because of it, we are now slowly learning, that our world and our lives, do not need to be described by deterministic laws. There are elements of randomness and unpredictability in our world, the elements of quantum reality. Every time we make decisions, we collapse all of the possible choices into one event. This is quantum reality collapsing into deterministic world. Our choices can always tip the balance and change the outcome. Do we prefer unpredictable reality with various choices, or are we more in favor of safe and secure world of determinism, in which our decisions determine the outcome and are limited by our previous decisions?

We are immersed in quantum reality, but live deterministic lives, like Phoenix we have the body, but also a possibility for a rebirth. Hence we are younger, than our biological age. A contradiction? Our cells renew themselves regularly, which can be interpreted as means to insure, that we are supplied with unlimited possibilities, so we can change any time. Sounds impossible? Science has shown us, that our genetic information is not deterministic, as once believed, and that we are able to change this information by adapting a particular lifestyle. Our choices are stimuli for our cells to adequately respond to them. Changes are saved and passed on - in this way, our cells accumulate knowledge. However, since epigenetic changes appear to be the response to environmental stimuli, which fluctuate, they can also change or even become erased. Therefore, it is true, that there are people who seem to defy the passage of time. Their young spirit is usually trapped in old body, but their attitude and subjective age determines their appearance and health.

Although people may think of their body, as a fairly permanent structure, most of it is in a state of constant flux, as old cells are discarded and new ones generated in their place. The cells lining our digestive track last only 5 days. The red blood cells, bruised and battered after traveling through the maze of the body's circulatory system live up to 3 months, before being dispatched to their graveyard in the spleen. The epidermis, or surface layer of the skin, is recycled every two weeks. As for the liver, the detoxifier, its life on the chemical warfare front is quite short, the cells live up to 1 year. Other tissues have lifetimes measured in years, but are still far from permanent showing, that our bodies are much younger, more vigorous, than we think.

About the only pieces of the body that last a lifetime seem to be neurons of the cerebral cortex, and perhaps the muscle cells of the heart. Although some research has shown, that heart cells possess some traces of self-renewal, the rejuvenation is a very rare phenomenon. The same goes for cells in the nervous system. Although it has been shown already, that stem cells in the nervous system possess the ability to create new cells, it is still difficult to determine, how common it is.

Although it seems, that we do not replace cells in our nervous system on a regular basis, we change the connections between them, because our brain is "plastic". As it turns out we can change our identity (or the identity of our cells) by exchanging the old cells for new ones as well as by changing the interaction between cells. In the nervous system we do that by playing with our thoughts or by changing the responses to certain stimuli. So we can change communication and interaction between the cells in the nervous system, hence their identity consciously, that is by our thoughts and our approach to life. Given our brain is the master system of our body, it can be inferred, that our thoughts can also have an indirect influence on the identity of the cells in the rest of our body. So feeling younger solely depends on us.

Studies have indicated that in middle and late adulthood feeling of being younger is positively related to mental well being, longevity, physical and cognitive functioning. Positive perception of reality and the passing of time positively influence the state of our health and resistance of growing old. For me positive thinking represents life filled with opportunities, which is not reduced to the deterministic reality with few choices to make us feel safe. So not only positive thinking, but also our physiology gives us opportunity to renew ourselves each day and feel younger, than our birth certificate indicates.