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Category: biotech/medical – Page 559

GeroScience: 📱 #CallForPapers focusing on #neurostimulation in #aging! 📱

Read more in the comments and submit 📧at the linkâŹ‡ïž

#brainstimulation #brainfunction #deepbrainstimulation #memory #magneticstimulation #centralnervoussystem #agerelatedmemorydecline

Advances in Neurostimulation in Aging: From Basic Science to Clinical Applications

Guest Editors Dr. Orestis Stylianou and Dr. Gianluca Susi and Associate Editors Dr. Peter Mukli and Dr. Frigyes Samuel Racz and the editorial team of GeroScience (Official Journal of the American Aging Association, published by Springer) invite submission of original research articles and review articles related to basic and clinical research focused on neurostimulation in aging.

Over the past two decades, studies have shown the potential benefits of invasive and non-invasive brain stimulation techniques in addressing age-related alterations in brain function. While invasive techniques were previously dominant in small-scale clinical investigations, recent advances have significantly reduced the invasiveness of these techniques, making them safer and more accessible for research and medical applications. Transcranial current and magnetic stimulation (tCS and tMS) as well as deep brain stimulation (DBS) have shown promising results in improving various types of memory in the elderly population, including but not limited to working, episodic, associative, semantic, and procedural memory. These interventions have the potential to play a vital role in enhancing healthy brain aging and treating age-related pathological conditions affecting the central nervous system.

Labeling cells with barcodes: New CRISPR technology reveals how cells communicate

A novel breakthrough, leveraging CRISPR gene-editing technology, is revolutionizing how scientists study sEVs. This innovative approach, known as CIBER (CRISPR-assisted individually barcoded sEV-based release regulator), enables researchers to investigate thousands of genes simultaneously.

By tagging sEVs with unique RNA “barcodes,” CIBER offers unparalleled insights into the molecular processes regulating sEV release, setting the stage for advancements in biotechnology and disease treatment.

Extracellular vesicles, which include sEVs, are small, membrane-enclosed particles released by cells into their surroundings. Their size, origin, and cargo determine their classification. sEVs, typically 30–200 nanometers in diameter, are among the smallest but most intriguing members of this group. These vesicles transport biomolecules—such as RNA, proteins, and lipids —between cells, acting as communication messengers.

CAR T cells armed with IL-15 show promise in treating solid cancers

A new study published in the journal Nature reports results of the first-in-human phase 1 clinical trials of a novel immunotherapy approach for solid tumors expressing glypican-3 (GPC3). Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Cancer Center led the study, which tested chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells enhanced with the protein interleukin-15 (IL-15).

CAR T cells have shown limited efficacy in patients with solid cancers, despite dramatic success in some hematologic malignancies. Preclinical studies showed that the addition of IL-15, which helps T cells survive and multiply, could improve the performance of CAR T cell-based immunotherapies.

In these trials, researchers tested GPC3-specific CAR T cells co-expressing IL-15 in adults with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (NCT02905188) and children with GPC3 expressing solid tumors, including HCC (NCT02932956). The first patient cohorts received GPC3-CAR T cells alone. The GPC3-CAR T cells were found to be safe, with peak cell expansion at two-weeks post-infusion; however, no objective antitumor responses were observed.

Scientists develop self-sustained protein transport and tissue assembly in artificial cells

In a new Nature Communications study, scientists have developed a novel method for artificial cells to interact with their external environment without the need for complex modification processes.

This method could open new frontiers in , , and cell processes.

Biological cells are protected by a membrane, made of phospholipids, which modulates interactions with the outside environment. Recreating this in is challenging, requiring manual external modification of the membrane.

Hidden fat may predict Alzheimer’s 20 years ahead of symptoms

Researchers have linked a specific type of body fat to the abnormal proteins in the brain that are hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease up to 20 years before the earliest symptoms of dementia appear, according to a study being presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

The researchers emphasize that lifestyle modifications targeted at reducing this fat could influence the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

“This crucial result was discovered because we investigated Alzheimer’s disease pathology as early as midlife—in the 40s and 50s—when the disease pathology is at its earliest stages, and potential modifications like weight loss and reducing visceral fat are more effective as a means of preventing or delaying the onset of the disease,” said lead study author Mahsa Dolatshahi, M.D., M.P.H., post-doctoral research associate at Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (MIR) at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri.

‘Dark Genes’ Hiding Unseen in Human DNA Have Just Been Revealed

Junk DNA may not be so ‘junky’ after all – these regions may hide genetic material coding for tiny proteins involved in disease processes like cancer and immunology.

Our records of the human genome may still be missing tens of thousands of ‘dark’ genes. These hard-to-detect sequences of genetic material can code for tiny proteins, some involved in disease processes like cancer and immunology, a global consortium of researchers has confirmed.

They may explain why past estimates of our genome’s size were way larger than what the Human Genome Project discovered 20 years ago.

The new international study, still awaiting peer review, shows our library of human genes very much continues to be a work in progress, as more subtle genetic features are picked up with advances in technology, and as continued exploration uncovers gaps and errors in the record.

GLP-1 receptor agonists reduce kidney failure risk and cardiovascular events

In a recent study published in The Lancet Diabetes Endocrinology, researchers evaluate the effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists on kidney and cardiovascular outcomes.

Improving kidney and cardiovascular outcomes

Non-communicable diseases account for nearly 70% of global deaths, with diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD) among the top causes.

Super-adhesive patches can adapt to different motions for enhanced skin interaction

A research team affiliated with UNIST has unveiled an ultra-strong adhesive patch platform that adheres effectively to rough skin surfaces and shows remarkable motion adaptiveness during dynamic body movements, all while offering irritation-free removal on demand. The key to this technology lies in the surface adaptability inspired by barnacles and armadillo carapaces, which feature a tessellated structure that balances rigidity and flexibility.

The team, led by Professor Hoon Eui Jeong from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Professor Jae Joon Kim from the Department of Electrical Engineering at UNIST, along with researchers from the National Institute of Ecology (NIE), has introduced a highly adhesive, detachable, and stretchable skin patch, known as the Motion Adaptive Tessellation Patch.

This innovative technology is garnering attention for its potential to facilitate the commercialization of wearable electronic devices, such as health care monitoring systems and transdermal drug delivery systems. The research is published in the journal Advanced Materials.

Research reveals hidden visual deficits and neural pathway alterations in mild TBI patients

Vanderbilt University Medical Center-led research reveals subtle changes in the visual pathways of individuals with chronic mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), even when standard eye examinations show no abnormalities. These findings include structural and functional deficits despite participants showing normal visual acuity during clinical examination.

Mild TBI accounts for approximately 3 million cases in the U.S. each year. Up to 85% of TBI patients, regardless of injury severity, report such as , blurred vision, or difficulty reading. Persistent symptoms including memory problems, irritability, or slowed thinking often impact quality of life. Despite these symptoms, many individuals display no abnormalities during routine clinical evaluations such as fundus examinations.

In a case-control study, “Primary Visual Pathway Changes in Individuals With Chronic Mild Traumatic Brain Injury,” published in JAMA Ophthalmology, researchers reported that 78% of participants with mild TBI exhibited visual deficits when evaluated with a comprehensive battery of tests.

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