БЛОГ

Archive for the ‘biotech/medical’ category: Page 1746

Mar 3, 2020

Dynamic Role of the GTP Energy Metabolism in Cancers

Posted by in category: biotech/medical

O.o circa 2016.


Keio J Med. 2016;65:21. doi: 10.2302/kjm.65–001-ABST.

Rapid growing cells like tumor cells need a vast amount of energy to match their high metabolic demand. Guanine triphosphate (GTP) is one of major cellular metabolites and served as a building block for RNA and DNA as well as an energy source to drive cellular activities such as intracellular trafficking, the cell migration and translation. However, how cancer cells regulate GTP energy levels to adapt for their high demand remain largely unknown yet. In addition, how cells detect GTP levels remains unknown. In this seminar, I will introduce our recent findings that uncover dramatic change of GTP metabolism in cancer cells and a GTP sensing kinase that regulate metabolism for tumorigenesis.(Presented at the 1918th Meeting, March 3, 2016).

Mar 3, 2020

Is Sex for Reproduction About to Become Extinct?

Posted by in categories: bioengineering, biotech/medical, genetics, sex

As the coming genetic revolution plays out, we’ll still have sex for most of the same reasons we do today. But we’ll increasingly not do it to procreate.


Another rocket booster will be the application of gene editing technologies like CRISPR to edit the genomes of pre-implanted embryos or of the sperm and eggs used to create them. Just this week, Chinese researchers announced they had used CRISPR to edit the CCR5 gene in the pre-implanted embryos of a pair of Chinese twins to make them immune to HIV, the first ever case of gene editing humans and a harbinger of our genetically engineered future. The astounding complexity of the human genome will put limits on our ability to safely make too many simultaneous genetic changes to human embryos, but our ability and willingness to make these types of alterations to our future children will grow over time along with our knowledge and technological ability.

Continue reading “Is Sex for Reproduction About to Become Extinct?” »

Mar 3, 2020

Blood test method may predict Alzheimer’s protein deposits in brain

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, life extension, neuroscience

Researchers report an advance in the development of a blood test that could help detect pathological Alzheimer’s disease in people who are showing signs of dementia. This approach could be less invasive and less costly than current brain imaging and spinal fluid tests. The blood test detects the abnormal accumulation of a form of tau protein known as phosphorylated-tau-181 (ptau181), which is a biomarker that suggests brain changes from Alzheimer’s. The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, was published on March 2 in Nature Medicine.

Over the past 15 years, research advances in the development of biomarkers like tau protein have enabled investigators to more accurately diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, select research participants, and measure response to investigational therapies. Tau and other biomarkers can be detected with PET scans of the brain and lab tests of spinal fluid. However, PET imaging is expensive and involves radioactive agents, and spinal fluid tests require spinal taps, which are invasive, complex and time-consuming. Simpler biomarker tests are still needed.

“The considerable time and resources required for screening research participants with PET scans and spinal taps slow the pace of enrollment for Alzheimer’s disease treatment studies,” said Richard J. Hodes, M.D., director of NIH’s National Institute on Aging (NIA), which funded much of the study. “The development of a blood test would enable us to rapidly screen a much larger and more diverse group of volunteers who wish to enroll in studies.”

Mar 3, 2020

Scientists now believe there are nine “causes” of our decline, the nine horsemen of an internal apocalypse

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, genetics, life extension

1️⃣ Genomic Instability 2️⃣ Telomere Attrition 3️⃣ Epigenetic Alterations 4️⃣ Loss of Proteostasis 5️⃣ Nutrient Sensing Goes Awry 6️⃣ Mitochondrial Dysfunction 7️⃣ Cellular Senescence 8️⃣ Stem Cell Exhaustion 9️⃣ Altered Intercellular Communication.

Explore these horsemen and the strategies being deployed to defeat this decline in Chapter 10 — The Future of #Longevity ➡️ futurefasterbook.com

Mar 3, 2020

Alibaba’s new AI system can detect coronavirus in seconds with 96% accuracy

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, robotics/AI

Chinese technology giant Alibaba recently developed an AI system for diagnosing the COVID-19 (coronavirus).

Alibaba’s like Amazon, Microsoft, a video game company, and a nation-wide healthcare network all rolled into one with every branch being fed solutions from the company’s world-class AI department.

Per a report from Nikkei’s Asian Review (h/t TechSpot), Alibaba claims its new system can detect coronavirus in CT scans of patients’ chests with 96% accuracy against viral pneumonia cases. And it only takes 20 seconds for the AI to make a determination – according to the report, humans generally take about 15 minutes to diagnose the illness as there can be upwards of 300 images to evaluate.

Mar 3, 2020

Bill Gates-Led Fund Invests in Synthetic Palm Oil Startup

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, food, sustainability

C16 Biosciences uses yeast to convert food waste and industrial byproducts into a sustainable alternative.

Mar 3, 2020

Is Aging a Disease?

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, life extension, neuroscience

However, labeling aging itself as a disease is both misleading and detrimental. Pathologizing a universal process makes it seem toxic. In our youth-obsessed society, ageism already runs rampant in Hollywood, the job market, and even presidential races. And calling aging a disease doesn’t address critical questions about why we age in the first place. Instead of calling aging a disease, scientists should aim to identify and treat the underlying processes that cause aging and age-related cellular deterioration.


Aging is associated with heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and cancer, but what’s underlying all that?

Mar 2, 2020

Researchers say coronavirus likely spread silently in Washington for weeks

Posted by in category: biotech/medical

Wuhan coronavirus pandemic — washington state.

Scientists suggest it has spread in King County for 6 weeks already.

“That being so, Bedford and other researchers believe the virus has likely been spreading through the community undetected for close to six weeks. Researchers estimate that could mean anywhere from 150 to 1,500 people have been infected here, with the most likely number being between 300 and 500.”

Continue reading “Researchers say coronavirus likely spread silently in Washington for weeks” »

Mar 2, 2020

How Neanderthal DNA might have shaped some human brains

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, neuroscience

Gene variants acquired through interbreeding seem to give some people with European ancestry more elongated brains. Gene variants acquired through interbreeding give some people more elongated brains.

Mar 2, 2020

Cyborgs, Robots, And Biohackers: The First-Ever Survey of Transhumanism

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, cyborgs, life extension, neuroscience, robotics/AI, transhumanism, wearables

the photo series by vintner and fletcher illustrates three gradual stages of transhumanism from ‘testing ground’, ‘patient zero’ to ‘humanity 2.0’. at the lowest tier, ‘testing ground’ looks into individuals who have created wearable technology to expand their human abilities, improving everything from concentration to mental health.‘patient zero’ studies those who have taken permanent action to become half human and half robot. in the final chapter, ‘humanity 2.0’, the transhumanist subjects focus on life extension and immortality.