Lifeboat Foundation

A new biodefense council looks to get ahead of the next pandemic.

Regrowing the cells of the human retina on a scaffold of synthetic, tissue-like material showed substantial improvements over previously used materials such as cellulose, and the scientists hope they can move on to testing their method in the already blind.

Macular degeneration is increasing in prevalence in the developed world. It’s the leading cause of blindness and is caused by the loss of cells in a key part of the eye called the retina.

Humans have no ability to regrow retinal pigment cells, but scientists have determined how to do it in vitro using pluripotent stem cells. However as the study authors describe, previous examples of this procedure saw scientists growing the cells on flat surfaces rather than one resembling the retinal membrane.

An injection of a specific blood factor can replicate exercise’s brain benefits, offering potential treatments for age-related cognitive decline.

Pre-clinical trials by University of Queensland scientists have found that an injection of a specific blood factor can replicate the benefits of exercise in the brain.

Dr. Odette Leiter and Dr. Tara Walker from UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute led a team that discovered platelets, the tiny blood cells critical for blood clotting, secrete a protein that rejuvenates neurons in aged mice in a similar way to physical exercise.

It can be time consuming to test food and drink for potentially harmful bacteria, but viruses that naturally attack the bacteria can be gene edited to speed up the process.

By Karmela Padavic-Callaghan

Countering China and bolstering national security dominated the conversation in a Hilton hotel on Guam, 15 hours before and oceans away from the Milwaukee arena hosting the first Republican primary debate.

Nine members of the GOP-led House committee on natural resources convened in the US-governed Pacific island territory for a rare field hearing – during the summer recess – on countering China’s influence in the region.

At a time when Democrats and Republicans view China as an economic and global security threat, island nations who offer the US military proximity to China in exchange for aid emphasized they are especially vulnerable to Chinese cyber-attacks and economic exploitation as they struggle to recover from the pandemic.

Staging is the process of determining how much cancer is within the body (tumor size) and if it has spread. Learn about the TNM system and other ways that stage is described.

A recent study found increased cardiac arrhythmia risk to stay long term in individuals with epilepsy, specially in people who use carbamazepine and valproic acid. The findings of the study were published in European Heart Journal.

Using UK Biobank data, the research also explores the potential roles of genetics and antiseizure medications (ASMs) in this complex relationship. Encompassing 329,432 participants, the study included 2,699 with epilepsy, was initiated between 2006 and 2010. Using advanced statistical techniques like Cox proportional hazards models and competing risk models, the researchers aimed to determine the association between epilepsy history and the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias over an extended period.

Individuals with epilepsy displayed a staggering 36% increased risk of experiencing any form of cardiac arrhythmia compared to those without the condition. This risk extended to specific arrhythmia subtypes, including atrial fibrillation, where a 26% increased risk was identified. More alarmingly, the risk of other cardiac arrhythmias was found to be 56% higher in epilepsy patients.

Transhumanism — advocates strongly for humans to develop and make widely available sophisticated technologies that enhance human physiology and intellect greatly. In layman’s terms, transhumanists would like for human beings to become cyborgs; cybernetic organisms.

As such, transhumanist concepts feature greatly in science fiction. Cyborgs are commonly seen in all forms of science fiction media…

Continue reading “Transhumanism: Will Humans Become Cyborgs?” »

Nominations are now open for the 3D Printing Industry Awards 2023. Who are the leaders in 3D printing? Find out on November 30th when the winners across twenty categories will be announced during a London-based live awards ceremony.

A team of scientists from the University of Sydney and the Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI) at Westmead have leveraged 3D photolithographic printing to fabricate functional human tissues that accurately mimic an organ’s architecture.

The researchers utilized bioengineering and cell culture techniques to instruct stem cells derived from blood cells and skin cells to become specialized. These specialized cells can then form organ-like structures.