Archive for the ‘biotech/medical’ category: Page 2417
Apr 12, 2017
“Smart Scalpel” Can Identify Tumors in Half a Second
Posted by Shane Hinshaw in categories: biotech/medical, neuroscience
A Mexican engineer has devised a tool that can be used to differentiate between a tumor and healthy tissue while on the operating table, leading to more accurate surgeries and minimizing risks.
Brain surgery is never easy. There is always risk; however, it just got a little bit safer.
Apr 12, 2017
Octopuses Can Edit Their Own DNA, Which Might Explain Their High Intelligence
Posted by Shailesh Prasad in categories: biotech/medical, evolution, genetics, neuroscience
Octopuses are so clever that they can ignore their genetic programming, in turn slowing down their DNA evolution.
Apr 12, 2017
Scientists Witnessed DNA Protecting Itself From Radiation
Posted by Shane Hinshaw in categories: biotech/medical, innovation
DNA protects itself from damage naturally, and scientists are hoping to gain insight into how the process works. When DNA is bathed in ultraviolet light, it can eject a single proton from a hydrogen atom to rid itself of excess energy, ensuring other chemical bonds remain intact. This protective mechanism is called an excited state proton transfer, and it is the focus of new research by a team of scientists.
The researchers used the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory to generate X-ray laser pulses capable of probing the nitrogen molecule — in the simple molecule 2-thiopyridone — for quadrillionths of a second. The short period of time matters because when molecules are exposed to this kind of light they react incredibly quickly. The brightness of the light is equally important, because only very brilliant illumination renders these ultrafast changes visible to the researchers.
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Apr 12, 2017
Scientists Hacked a Cell’s DNA and Made a Biocomputer Out of It
Posted by Montie Adkins in categories: bioengineering, biotech/medical, computing, information science, neuroscience
“These re-engineered organisms will change our lives over the coming years, leading to cheaper drugs, ‘green’ means to fuel our cars and targeted therapies for attacking ‘superbugs’ and diseases, such as cancer,” wrote Drs. Ahmad Khalil and James Collins at Boston University, who were not involved in the study.
Our brains are often compared to computers, but in truth, the billions of cells in our bodies may be a better analogy. The squishy sacks of goop may seem a far cry from rigid chips and bundled wires, but cells are experts at taking inputs, running them through a complicated series of logic gates and producing the desired programmed output.
Take beta cells in the pancreas, which manufacture and store insulin. If they detect a large spike in blood sugar, then they release insulin; else they don’t. Each cell adheres to commands like these, allowing us—the organism—to operate normally.
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Apr 12, 2017
Billionaire Jim Mellon invests in anti-ageing research firm
Posted by Steve Hill in categories: biotech/medical, information science, life extension
Billionaire investor Jim Mellon has joined the push to solve age-related diseases and bring rejuvenation biotechnology to the world.
Billionaire biotechnology investor Jim Mellon has unveiled an investment in an ambitious new venture which seeks to tackle ageing and age-related diseases.
Insilico Medicine is a big data analytics company which says its mission is to ‘extend healthy longevity’.
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Apr 11, 2017
Scientists make cells RESISTANT to HIV in major breakthrough
Posted by Dan Kummer in categories: biotech/medical, innovation
A new report from The Scripps Research Institute in California has found a way to make cells resistant to HIV. Antibodies bind to cell receptors that block the virus from infecting it.
Apr 11, 2017
Liz Parrish — Human of the Future
Posted by Montie Adkins in categories: biotech/medical, education, genetics, life extension
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEGccyXSQAU
New one from Liz.
Full Video ► https://goo.gl/tHvTF5
BioViva ► http://bioviva-science.com
Apr 11, 2017
What the Wealthy’s Quest for Immortality Means for You
Posted by Alexander Rodionov in categories: biotech/medical, life extension
The ruling class tell us universal healthcare is ‘unfeasible’ while they pour millions into immortality drugs and seek godhood itself.
Apr 11, 2017
Reprogramming brain cells offers hope for Parkinson’s
Posted by Steve Hill in categories: biotech/medical, neuroscience
This week saw researchers announce a promising new approach to Parkinson’s by the use of cellular reprogramming. The team lead by Ernest Arenas used a cocktail of four transcription factors to reprogram support cells inside the brain.
The research team placed the reprogramming factors into a harmless type of lentivirus and injected them en masse into a Parkinson’s disease model mice. The viruses infected support cells in the brain known as astrocytes (a support cell that regulates the transmission of electrical impulses within the brain) which are present in large numbers. The lentiviruses delivered their four factor payload to the target cells changing them from astrocytes into dopamine producing neurons.
Within three weeks the first cells had been reprogrammed and could be detected, and after fifteen weeks there were abundant numbers of dopamine producing neurons present. This is good news indeed as it also confirms that once reprogrammed the cells remain changed and stable and do not revert back into astrocytes.
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