Lifeboat Foundation

In particular I like the 3D modeling segment.

Here Dr Seranova talks about stem cell use in helping with research into diseases of aging, particularly generating organiods of the brain by growing them from stem cells.
Some links are affiliate links so we will earn a commission when they are used to purchase products.

Continue reading “The Promise Of Stem Cells In Aging Research | Dr Elena Seranova Interview Series Ep3” »

Refractory organic pollutants, including phenols, perfluorinated compounds, and antibiotics, are abundant in various industrial wastewater streams such as chemical, pharmaceutical, coking, and dyeing sectors, as well as municipal and domestic sources. These pollutants pose significant threats to ecological well-being and human health.

The imperative to achieve complete removal of organic contaminants from water and facilitate water recycling is paramount for enhancing environmental quality and ensuring sustainable economic and social progress. Addressing the efficient removal of recalcitrant organic pollutants in water is not only a focal point in environmental chemical pollution control research but also a pivotal technical challenge constraining industrial wastewater reuse.

Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), especially heterogeneous AOPs, yield strongly reactive oxygen species including ·OH, ·O₂^-, and ·SO₄^- to oxidize organic pollutants under ambient conditions, are appealing wastewater treatment technologies for decentralized systems. AOPs often need excessive energy input (UV light or electricity) to activate soluble oxidants (H₂O₂, O₃, persulfates), thus more cost-effective AOPs are urgently required.

Macrophages, small but essential cells in the immune system, hold promise for cell-based therapies in numerous health conditions. Unlocking the full potential of macrophage therapies depends on our ability to observe their activities within the body. Now, researchers from Penn State have potentially developed a method to monitor these cells in action.

In a study published in the journal Small, the Penn State researchers report a novel ultrasound imaging technique to view macrophages continuously in mammal tissue, with potential for human application in the future.

“A macrophage is a type of immune cell that is important in nearly every function of the immune system, from detecting and clearing pathogens to wound healing,” said corresponding author Scott Medina, the William and Wendy Korb Early Career Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering. “It is a component of the immune system that really bridges the two types of immunity: innate immunity, which responds to things very quickly but in a not very precise way, and adaptive immunity, which is much slower to come online but responds in a much more precise way.”

For decades, researchers have sought ways to precisely manipulate and identify individual molecules like DNA in liquid environments. Such capabilities could revolutionize areas ranging from disease diagnosis to drug development. However, the randomness of molecular movements in fluids has hindered progress.

Now, scientists from Shenzhen University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong report promising advances in optical tweezing techniques that allow exquisite control over nanoscale biological particles (Light: Science & Applications, “CRISPR-powered optothermal nanotweezers: Diverse bio-nanoparticle manipulation and single nucleotide identification”).

A The diagrammatic sketch of the three components in the solution: DNA@AuNS conjugate, CRISPR/Cas12a complex, and target ssDNA. b Optical setup, the BS, SPF, and TL are beam splitter, short pass filter, and tube lens (f = 200 mm), respectively. Additional details of the setup are provided in the Materials and Methods section. c Dispersion of the three components in the solution without optical heating. d Optothermal net force induced migration and DNA@AuNS conjugate cleavage upon optical heating, the heating laser power is 0.5 mW. e Observation of the cleavage after the optical heating is switched off. (© Light: Science & Applications) (click on image to enlarge)

Pew Research Center surveys show that Americans are increasingly cautious about the growing role of AI in their lives generally. Today, 52% of Americans are more concerned than excited about AI in daily life, compared with just 10% who say they are more excited than concerned; 36% feel a mix of excitement and concern.

Despite these cautious overall views, Americans see some specific uses of AI positively, and attitudes depend a great deal on the context of how and why AI is being used.

This post summarizes what we know so far about how Americans view AI in everyday life, the workplace, and health and medicine.

While currently available PCSK9 inhibitor medications to lower cholesterol must be administered every few weeks by injection, a new, investigational PCSK9 inhibitor called recaticimab safely lowered bad cholesterol more than 50% when injected every 1–3 months, depending on dose.

A new PCSK9 inhibitor (recaticimab) injected every one to three months may work safely and provide more flexible dosing to lower cholesterol, according to late-breaking science presented today at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2023. The meeting, Nov. 11–13, in Philadelphia, is a premier global exchange of the latest scientific advancements, research and evidence-based clinical practice updates in cardiovascular science.

“Previous studies found that 30% to 40% of people discontinued their current PCSK9 therapies, given every two to four weeks, during or after six months of beginning treatment. More flexible dosing with recaticimab, given up to every 12 weeks, might increase the proportion of people with high levels of bad cholesterol to stick with their recommended treatment to lower bad cholesterol levels and reduce risk of heart disease,” said lead study author Xin Du, Ph.D., a professor of cardiology at Beijing Anzhen Hospital and the Capital Medical University in Beijing, China.

Two Eötvös Loránd University researchers have made an exciting breakthrough in understanding how we age.

Researchers Dr. Ádám Sturm and Dr. Tibor Vellai from Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary have achieved a significant discovery in the study of aging. Their research centered on “transposable elements” (TEs) in our DNA

DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is a molecule composed of two long strands of nucleotides that coil around each other to form a double helix. It is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms that carries genetic instructions for development, functioning, growth, and reproduction. Nearly every cell in a person’s body has the same DNA. Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it is called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria (where it is called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA).

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has made a groundbreaking development in brain-computer interface technology. They have unveiled an AI system that can decode visual representations and even “hear” what someone is hearing by studying their brainwaves. These advancements in brain-machine interface technology have the potential to transform our relationship with artificial intelligence and its potential applications in healthcare, communication, and virtual reality.

The University of Texas at Austin has developed a new technology that can translate brain activity into written text without surgical implants. This breakthrough uses functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) scan data to reconstruct speech. An AI-based decoder then creates text based on the patterns of neuronal activity that correspond to the intended meaning. This new technology could help people who have lost the ability to speak due to conditions such as stroke or motor neuron disease.

Despite the fMRI having a time lag, which makes tracking brain activity in real-time challenging, the decoder was still able to achieve impressive accuracy. The University of Texas researchers faced challenges in dealing with the inherent “noisiness” of brain signals picked up by sensors, but by employing advanced technology and machine learning, they successfully aligned representations of speech and brain activity. The decoder works at the level of ideas and semantics, providing the gist of thoughts rather than an exact word-for-word translation. This study marks a significant advance in non-invasive brain decoding, showcasing the potential for future applications in neuroscience and communication.

A speech prosthetic developed by a collaborative team of Duke neuroscientists, neurosurgeons, and engineers can translate a person’s brain signals into what they’re trying to say.