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Category: biotech/medical – Page 505

They look like storm clouds that could fit on the head of a pin: Organoids are three-dimensional cell cultures that play a key role in medical and clinical research. This is thanks to their ability to replicate tissue structures and organ functions in the petri dish. Scientists can use organoids to understand how diseases occur, how organs develop, and how drugs work.

Single-cell technologies allow researchers to drill down to the molecular level of the cells. With spatial transcriptomics, they can observe which genes in the organoids are active and where over time.

The miniature organs are usually derived from . These are cells that haven’t differentiated at all, or only minimally. They can become any kind of cell, such as heart or kidney cells, , or neurons. To make stem cells differentiate, scientists “feed” them with growth factors and embed them in a nutrient solution.

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Continue reading “NMN Ban? No Problem, Low Dose Niacin (60 mg/d) Increases NAD” | >

Engineered vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) pseudotyping offers an essential method for exploring virus–cell interactions, particularly for viruses that require high biosafety levels. Although this approach has been employed effectively, the current methodologies for virus visualization and labeling can interfere with infectivity and lead to misinterpretation of results. In this study, we introduce an innovative approach combining genetic code expansion (GCE) and click chemistry with pseudotyped VSV to produce highly fluorescent and infectious pseudoviruses (clickVSVs). These clickVSVs enable robust and precise virus–cell interaction studies without compromising the biological function of the viral surface proteins. We evaluated this approach by generating VSVs bearing a unique chemical handle for click labeling and assessing the infectivity in relevant cell lines.

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These risks may be amplified with longer-lasting treatments, as Dr. Shafipour cautioned:

“Higher levels of GLP-1 are associated with more gastrointestinal side effects, including nausea, acid reflux, constipation, and bloating, which in some individuals, could be a cause for discontinuation of the drug.”

However, she added: “If this is not a side effect due to this novel technology, this could be a great advantage over the current GLP-1 receptor agonists.”

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Epigenetics, the chemical mechanisms that controls the activity of genes, allows our cells, tissues and organs to adapt to the changing circumstances of the environment around us. This advantage can become a drawback, though, as this epigenetic regulation can be more easily altered by toxins than the more stable genetic sequence of the DNA.

An article recently published at Science with the collaboration of the groups of Dr. Manel Esteller, Director of the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC-CERCA), ICREA Research Professor and Chairman of Genetics at the University of Barcelona, and Dr. Lucas Pontel, Ramon y Cajal Fellow also of the Josep Carreras Institute, demonstrates that the substance called formaldehyde, commonly present in various household and cosmetic products, in polluted air, and widely used in construction, is a powerful modifier of normal epigenetic patterns.

The publication is led by Dr. Christopher J. Chang, of the University of California Berkeley in the United States, whose research group is pioneer in the study of the effects of various chemical products on cell metabolism. The research has focused on investigating the effects of high concentrations of formaldehyde in the body, a substance already been associated with an increased risk of developing cancer (nasopharyngeal tumours and leukaemia), hepatic degeneration due to fatty liver (steatosis) and asthma. Dr. Esteller points out that this is relevant because “formaldehyde enters our body mainly during our breathing and, because it dissolves well in an aqueous medium, it ends up reaching all the cells of our body”.

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In recent years, the field of artificial intelligence has witnessed remarkable advancements, with researchers exploring innovative ways to utilize existing technology in groundbreaking applications. One such intriguing concept is the use of WiFi routers as virtual cameras to map a home and detect the presence and locations of individuals, akin to an MRI machine. This revolutionary technology harnesses the power of AI algorithms and WiFi signals to create a unique, non-intrusive way of monitoring human presence within indoor spaces. In this article, we will delve into the workings of this technology, its potential capabilities, and the implications it may have on the future of smart homes and security.

The Foundation of WiFi Imaging: WiFi imaging, also known as radio frequency (RF) sensing, revolves around leveraging the signals emitted by WiFi routers. These signals interact with the surrounding environment, reflecting off objects and people within their range. AI algorithms then process the alterations in these signals to form an image of the indoor space, thus providing a representation of the occupants and their movements. Unlike traditional cameras, WiFi imaging is capable of penetrating walls and obstructions, making it particularly valuable for monitoring people without compromising their privacy.

AI Algorithms in WiFi Imaging: The heart of this technology lies in the powerful AI algorithms that interpret the fluctuations in WiFi signals and translate them into meaningful data. Machine learning techniques, such as neural networks, play a pivotal role in recognizing patterns, identifying individuals, and discerning between static objects and moving entities. As the AI model continuously learns from the WiFi data, it enhances its accuracy and adaptability, making it more proficient in detecting and tracking people over time.

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The Nobel Awards Season just ended, with the “Oscars of Science” awarded to some of the world’s brightest minds. The entire science world was watching, and just like with the Oscars, there was an element of suspense, drama, envy, celebration, and happiness. Most of the Nobel Laureates are also phenomenal speakers and communicators with decades of teaching experience, and thousands of people across the world are glued to their monitors to hear their inspiring stories. The Nobel Prizes are awarded in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, Peace, and Economic Sciences. Unfortunately, there is no Nobel Prize for Computer Science, Mathematics, or Engineering. So, it seems like it… More.

While there is no Nobel Prize for AI, Jumper and Hassabis may be the frontrunners for a Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their discovery of AlphaFold.

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Designing a heat engine capable of producing maximum power while maintaining maximum efficiency has long been a significant challenge in physics and engineering. Practical heat engines are constrained by a theoretical limit to their efficiency, known as the Carnot limit, which sets a cap on how much heat can be converted to useful work.

In a breakthrough, researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) have devised a novel “micro heat engine” that has overcome this limitation at the lab scale. The study was recently published in the journal Nature Communications

<em> Nature Communications </em> is a peer-reviewed, open-access, multidisciplinary, scientific journal published by Nature Portfolio. It covers the natural sciences, including physics, biology, chemistry, medicine, and earth sciences. It began publishing in 2010 and has editorial offices in London, Berlin, New York City, and Shanghai.

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Researchers led by a team at UT Southwestern Medical Center have developed a device that can isolate blood flow to the brain, keeping the organ alive and functioning independent from the rest of the body for several hours.

The device, tested using a pig brain model and described in Scientific Reports, could lead to new ways to study the human brain without influence from other bodily functions. It also could inform the design of machines for cardiopulmonary bypass that better replicate natural blood flow to the brain. The findings build on previous research by study leader Juan Pascual, M.D., Ph.D., and his colleagues.

This novel method enables research that focuses on the brain independent… More.

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Researchers in South Korea developed a technique for encapsulating NK cells in a hydrogel that could be 3D printed into a porous shape and later implanted at the site of a removed tumor.⁠.

A new 3D-printing-based approach could unleash a cutting-edge immunotherapy against solid tumors, which account for 90% of all cancers.

Natural killers: Some immune system cells only know to attack a threat if they’ve encountered it at least once before (or been instructed to attack it by other cells that have). Natural killer (NK) cells, however, can recognize diseased cells the first time they cross paths with them — and then alert other members of the immune system, too.

This makes them a valuable first-line defense against illness, but, unfortunately, cancer cells multiply too fast and NK cells die too quickly for them to outright stop many cancers from spreading.

Continue reading “Natural killer cells now have a better shot at destroying cancer” | >