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Category: biotech/medical – Page 82

Connection between autism spectrum disorder and myotonic dystrophy

A recent discovery of a molecular connection between autism and myotonic dystrophy, a type of neuromuscular disease, may provide a breakthrough on how clinicians approach autism spectrum disorder.

The new study by an interdisciplinary team of biomedical scientists, published in Nature Neuroscience, used myotonic dystrophy as a tool or model to learn more about autism – effectively using one disorder to better understand the other.

“We identified a new pathway that can lead to autism,” said the research lead. “We found that a genetic mutation in a certain gene can disrupt the expression of multiple autism-related genes during brain development, causing autism.”

BabyBot: Soft robotic infant mimics feeding behaviors from birth to 6 months old

A combined team of roboticists from CREATE Lab, EPFL and Nestlé Research Lausanne, both in Switzerland, has developed a soft robot that was designed to mimic human infant motor development and the way infants feed.

In their paper published in the journal npj Robotics, the group describes how they used a variety of techniques to give their robot the ability to simulate the way human infants , from birth until approximately six months old.

Prior research has shown that it is difficult to develop invasive medical procedures for infants and babies due to the lack of usable test subjects. Methods currently in use, such as simulations, observational instruments and imaging tend to fall short due to their differences compared to real human infants. To overcome such problems, the team in Switzerland has designed, built, and tested a soft robotic infant that can be used for such purposes.

In vivo 3D printing using sound holds promise for precise drug delivery, wound healing and more

Imagine that doctors could precisely print miniature capsules capable of delivering cells needed for tissue repair exactly where they are needed inside a beating heart.

A team of scientists led by Caltech has taken a significant step toward that ultimate goal, having developed a method for 3D-printing polymers at specific locations deep within living animals. The technique relies on sound for localization and has already been used to print capsules for selective drug delivery as well as glue-like polymers to seal internal wounds.

Previously, scientists have used to trigger polymerization, the linking of the basic units, or monomers, of polymers within living animals.

Overexpressing miRNA-27a in human dental pulp stem cells yields anti-inflammatory effect, may regenerate tissue

Dental caries (tooth decay) is a common oral health condition that often causes significant pain and discomfort and may even lead to tooth loss. In severe and untreated cases, bacterial infection combined with the host’s immune response can cause bone resorption, or the breakdown of bone tissue in the tooth root. Moreover, traditional treatments for advanced dental caries, such as surgery, can result in bone defects that require complex bone grafting procedures.

Building on this knowledge, bone tissue engineering and dental tissue regeneration have gained the attention of researchers worldwide. Recent reports suggest that microRNAs (miRNAs)—small, non-coding ribonucleic acid sequences—play a key role in bone tissue regeneration. However, the underlying mechanisms and pathways regulated by miRNAs remain unclear.

To investigate the intrinsic processes involved in dental bone repair, a team of researchers led by Associate Professor Nobuyuki Kawashima, graduate student Ziniu Yu, and Professor Takashi Okiji from the Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Science Tokyo (Science Tokyo), Japan, has conducted a series of innovative experiments using human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) and mice.

DARPA-Funded Research Develops Novel Technology to Combat Treatment-Resistant PTSD

Groundbreaking research has revealed a new method of potentially eliminating hard-to-treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnoses in patients by employing a novel kind of therapy: stimulation of the vagus nerve.

The new treatment offers new hope for those long afflicted by PTSD diagnoses that have traditionally proven to be resistant to conventional treatment methods.

Scientists from the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) and Baylor University Medical Center conducted the research, discovering that participants were symptom-free for up to six months after completing the experimental therapy.

HIV Drugs Linked to Lower Alzheimer’s Risk

Summary: New research reveals a striking gap between people’s theoretical desire to know their Alzheimer’s disease risk and their real-life decisions when results are actually offered. In a study of cognitively normal volunteers, only 60% chose to learn their estimated risk when given the chance, despite 81% expressing prior interest.

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New study finds ‘simple selfie’ can help predict patients’ cancer survival

A selfie can be used as a tool to help doctors determine a patient’s “biological age” and judge how well they may respond to cancer treatment, a new study suggests.

Because humans age at “different rates” their physical appearance may help give insights into their so-called “biological age” – how old a person is physiologically, academics said.

The new FaceAge AI tool can estimate a person’s biological age, as opposed to their actual age, by scanning an image of their face, a new study found.

Mammal’s lifespans linked to brain size and immune system function, says new study

So size does matter?

Mammal’s lifespans linked to brain size and immune system function, says new study.

The researchers looked at the maximum lifespan potential of 46 species of mammals and mapped the genes shared across these species. The maximum lifespan potential (MLSP) is the longest ever recorded lifespan of a species, rather than the average lifespan, which is affected by factors such as predation and availability of food and other resources.

The researchers, publishing in the journal Scientific Reports, found that longer-lived species had a greater number of genes belonging to the gene families connected to the immune system, suggesting this as a major mechanism driving the evolution of longer lifespans across mammals.

For example, dolphins and whales, with relatively large brains have maximum lifespans of 39 and up to 100 years respectively, those with smaller brains like mice, may only live one or two years.

However, there were some species, such as mole rats, that bucked this trend, living up to 20 years despite their smaller brains. Bats also lived longer than would be expected given their small brains, but when their genomes were analysed, both these species had more genes associated with the immune system.

The results suggest that the immune system is central to sustaining longer life, probably by removing aging and damaged cells, controlling infections and preventing tumour formation.

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These 5 Hidden Health Risks Are Aging Your Brain Faster

Hypertension and other health risks accelerate brain aging, as shown in a 16-year study using MRI data and predictive modeling.

Chinese scientists have conducted a population-based cohort study to examine the long-term impact of unhealthy lifestyles, metabolic abnormalities, and other risk factors on brain aging. The findings showed that these factors significantly accelerate brain aging, and the researchers proposed strategies to support brain health. Their study was published in Research.

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