Lifeboat Foundation

University of Calgary researchers designed a novel imaging and experimental preparation system, allowing them to record the activity of the enteric nervous system in mice. The new technique allows researchers to record what is sometimes referred to as the gut’s brain during the complex processes of digestion and waste elimination.

“This completely different way of conducting experiments allows us to better understand the complexity of the nerve interactions that are regulating and coordinating the responses by the gut’s nervous system,” says Dr. Wallace MacNaughton, Ph.D., co-principal investigator. “It opens up new avenues for us to understand what’s really going on, and that’s going to help us understand gastrointestinal diseases and disorders a lot better.”

Neurons, or nerve cells, embedded in the wall of the gut precisely control its movements. The team used mice genetically encoded with fluorescent labels, so the neurons in the gut’s nervous system would “light up,” glowing green under microscopes, whenever the neurons were activated. The images are already providing new insights.

QUOTE: employees are also “trapped” in a long line of approvals, legal reviews, performance reviews and meetings that leave little room for creativity or true innovation.

A former Google employee said the technology giant is inefficient, plagued by mismanagement and paralyzed by risk.

Musk’s company is far from the only group working on brain-computer interfaces, or systems to facilitate direct communication between human brains and external computers. Other researchers have been looking into using BCIs to restore lost senses and control prosthetic limbs, among other applications. While these technologies are still in their infancy, they’ve been around long enough for researchers to increasingly get a sense of how neural implants interact with our minds. As Anna Wexler, an assistant professor of philosophy in the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the University of Pennsylvania, put it: “Of course it causes changes. The question is what kinds of changes does it cause, and how much do those changes matter?”

Time to replace X-ray machines with bionic fingers.

A team of researchers at Wiyu University (WYU) in China has created a bionic finger that can create 3D maps of the interiors of any object just by poking it gently and repeatedly, according to a press release.

Imagine your son or daughter has an electronic toy train that they love to play with, but then due to some problem, the train stops working, and your kid starts crying… More.

Continue reading “This bionic finger renders 3D images of objects” »

Pilots with considerable flight experience ‘showed specific brain connectivity patterns in areas related to processing sensorimotor information’.

Research has analyzed the brain activity of F16 fighter pilots to learn how they adapt to altered gravity levels and rapidly process conflicting sensory information, which can be similar to those experienced by astronauts.

The team used MRI scans to conclude that pilots with considerable flight experience “showed specific brain connectivity patterns in areas related to processing sensorimotor information. They also showed differences in brain connectivity compared with non-pilots,” according to a press release.

The compound inside the mushroom could be used to treat Alzheimer’s.

An active compound found in an edible mushroom may just be able to improve nerve growth and enhance memory leading to treatments for debilitating diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

The mushroom can be found in North America, Europe, and Asia. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is used to boost the immune system and improve digestive health.

Continue reading “Active compound in an edible mushroom is found to boost memory” »

Some problems need a lifetime of thinking.

Nick Axten was recently awarded his doctoral degree by the University of Bristol in the U.K. While doctoral students usually take five or six years to complete their program, it took Nick 52 years to go from Mr. Axten to Dr. Axten.

Problems that take a lifetime.

Continue reading “British man awarded doctorate 52 years after starting his Ph.D” »

The Methuselah Foundation is a non-profit medical charity focused on extending the healthy human lifespan by making 90 the new 50 by 2030. Our goal is to accelerate results in the longevity field, as well as the biotechnology, regenerative medicine, life sciences sectors. We incubate and sponsor mission-relevant ventures, fund research, and support projects and prizes.

When people talk about the problems of aging, they most often focus on aches and pains, chronic conditions like heart failure or diabetes, and neurological disorders like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s. Often overlooked is the extremely common problem of loneliness.