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Category: biotech/medical – Page 1,554

Researcher develops new methods to measure ‘forever chemicals’ in both the atmosphere and in aerosol particles

From regulators to researchers and most industries in between, all eyes are on PFAS, per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a class of highly fluorinated human-made compounds that have been used for decades in everything from nonstick cookware and personal care products to fire-fighting foams and school uniforms. Their commonality and extreme resistance to environmental degradation has made them ubiquitous in ground water, soil, and worst of all humans. Linked to a slew of health risks including liver toxicity, bladder cancer, and decreased immune response to vaccinations, exposure to PFAS is concerning. So, how can we eliminate these “forever chemicals?”

Historically, PFAS substances have only been characterized in water and soil, but the emission of these compounds during chemical manufacturing, use, and disposal results in their emission into the air. Ryan Sullivan, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University, has been developing new methods to measure PFAS in both the atmosphere and in aerosol particles to answer outstanding questions regarding PFAS atmospheric components that lead to human exposure. His group is also developing new approaches to destroy forever molecules that are not removed by conventional water treatment plants.

The research is published in the journal Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts.

New testing approach diagnoses COVID-19 with near-perfect accuracy

Most existing COVID-19 tests “rely on the same principle, which is that you have accumulated a detectable amount of viral material, for example, in your nose,” says study lead author Frank Zhang, who worked on the project as a Flatiron research fellow at the Flatiron Institute’s Center for Computational Biology (CCB) in New York City. “That poses a challenge when it’s early in the infection time window and you haven’t accumulated a lot of viral material, or you’re asymptomatic.”

The new technique is instead based on how our bodies mount an when invaded by SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. When the assault starts, specific genes turn on. Segments of those genes produce mRNA molecules that guide the building of proteins. The particular blend of those mRNA molecules changes the types of proteins produced, including proteins involved in virus-fighting functions. The new method can confidently identify when the body is mounting an immune response to the COVID-19 virus by measuring the relative abundance of the various mRNA molecules. The new study is the first to use such an approach to diagnose an infectious disease.

Study supports the concept of atherosclerosis as a T-cell autoimmune disease targeting the arterial wall

In a recent study published in Nature Cardiovascular Research, researchers assessed T-cell tolerance checkpoints observed in atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the arteries. It is characterized by the presence of atherosclerotic plaque present in the inner layer of arteries. Plaques that rupture result in strokes or heart attacks. Significant innate immune cells that contribute to atherosclerosis have been identified.

In addition, certain subtypes of T cells, such as CD4+ regulatory T (Treg) cells and CD8+ T cells, promote or suppress the illness in mice. Yet, fundamental problems regarding T cell immunity noted in atherosclerosis are unanswered. In particular, it is unknown whether T cell responses linked with atherosclerosis are incident in the circulation.

First-of-its-kind gecko robot could one day help doctors in surgeries

“Nature is a great source of inspiration, and nanotechnology is an exciting way to apply its lessons.”

A small robot that could one day help doctors perform surgery was inspired by the incredible grasping ability of geckos and the efficient motion of inchworms.

What is GeiwBot, the soft robot in healthcare?

University of Waterloo.

The new robot, created by engineers at the University of Waterloo, moves on any surface-even up walls and over ceilings-by tapping into the ultraviolet (UV) light and magnetic force technologies. Better yet, it’s the first of its kind to operate without an external power source, allowing for remote control and versatility in hard-to-reach areas.

New cell therapy for chronic heart failure actually works, here is how

The new development is promising a potential treatment option for patients with chronic heart failure.

There are over six million patients in the U.S. who suffer from chronic heart failure, and now there is a cell therapy that might help all these patients.

They have proposed a treatment called MPC (mesenchymal precursor cell) therapy.

Rasi Bhadramani/iStock.

A team of researchers from the Texas Health Institute (THI) recently published results of the biggest cell therapy trial conducted in 565 heart patients from 51 different cities in the U.S. (also referred to as DREAM HF trials).

AI, An Amplifier Of Human Intelligence

I attended Celesta Capital’s TechSurge Summit on February 13, 2023 at the Computer History Museum. In this piece I will talk about interview with Nic Brathwaite Founder and Managing Partner of Celesta Capital as well as Sriram Viswanathan (Founding General Manager of Celesta and heavily involved in venture investments in India), and a panel discussion by John Hennessy (Chairman of Alphabet).

In a companion article I will talk about my interview with John Hennessy, Chairman of Alphabet (Google’s parent company) and Vint Cerf, also with Google, during the TechSurge Summit.

He also said that the current cost of inference is too high and that Chat GBT is too often busy. He thought that there were opportunities to build AI systems trained and focused on particular uses, which would lead to smaller models and they would be more practical. He thought we are 1–2 years away from useful products, particularly in business intelligence. He also said that the use of AI allows us to program with data rather than lots of lines of code. Google was hesitant to produce something like Chat GBT, they didn’t want the system to say wrong or toxic things. He said that the tech industry needs to be more careful to encourage a civil society and that many tools, such as the Internet, were not anticipated to be used to do evil things.

John said that AI can be an amplifier of human intelligence. It could be used to help teach kids in a classroom with customized instruction to match their rate and type of learning. He said that the chance of making a true general AI is much more likely than it was in the past. He also made comments on defensive technologies, blockchain, fighting climate change, the future of semiconductor technology in the US and medical innovations.

Celesta’s TechSurge Summit covered investment trends in deep technology and included insights on data growth and demand. John Hennessy, CEO of Alphabet, covered many topics, including how AI can be an amplifier of human intelligence.

New Study Finds Neurons Derived from Stem Cells Predict Psychosis and Cognitive Deficits in Individuals with Schizophrenia

Baltimore, Md. (January 11, 2022) – In a breakthrough that holds significant promise for early diagnosis and better treatment of psychiatric illness, researchers have for the first time used neurons derived from human stem cells to predict the cardinal features of a psychiatric illness, such as psychosis and cognitive deficits in patients with schizophrenia.

A study published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) by scientists at the Lieber Institute for Brain Development/Maltz Research Laboratories (LIBD) shows that the clinical symptoms of individuals with schizophrenia can be predicted by the activity of neurons derived from the patients’ own stem cells.

This connection — between the physiology of cells and symptoms like delusions, hallucinations and altered cognition— has never been made before. That is, no other study has demonstrated a robust association between neuronal models derived from a patient’s stem cells and clinically relevant features of the psychiatric disorder in the same person.

3D bioprinting inside the human body could be possible thanks to new soft robot

Engineers from UNSW Sydney have developed a miniature and flexible soft robotic arm which could be used to 3D print biomaterial directly onto organs inside a person’s body.

3D bioprinting is a process whereby biomedical parts are fabricated from so-called bioink to construct natural tissue-like structures.

Bioprinting is predominantly used for research purposes such as tissue engineering and in the development of new drugs — and normally requires the use of large 3D printing machines to produce cellular structures outside the living body.

Paper Advanced Sciences:

Advanced soft robotic system for in situ 3D bioprinting and endoscopic surgery.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/advs.

Continue reading “3D bioprinting inside the human body could be possible thanks to new soft robot” | >

Crabs Have Evolved Five Separate Times—Why Do the Same Forms Keep Appearing in Nature?

It’s not only body forms that evolve independently, but also organs and other structures. Humans have complex camera eyes with a lens, iris and retina. Squid, and octopuses, which are molluscs and more closely related to snails and clams, also evolved camera eyes with the same components.

Eyes more generally may have evolved independently up to 40 times in different groups of animals. Even box jellyfish, which don’t have a brain, have eyes with lenses at the bases of their four tentacles.

The more we look, the more we find. Structures such as jaws, teeth, ears, fins, legs and wings all keep evolving independently across the animal tree of life.

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