Archive for the ‘neuroscience’ category: Page 602
Mar 18, 2020
New scanner can improve the detection of cancer tissue and brain disease diagnoses
Posted by Paul Battista in categories: biotech/medical, business, engineering, neuroscience
A group of neuroscience and neurotechnology researchers have conducted extensive research and developed a new brain imaging technology in two EU projects led by Aalto University. As a result of the successful research, a new project funded by Business Finland just started with the aim of making the devices usable for patients. The project’s budget is one million euros.
“More accurate measurements can be helpful in locating epileptic brain activity before surgery. The new device is also expected to help distinguish brain tumours from healthy tissue more accurately prior to cancer surgery. In addition, the device will increase our understanding of the connections between the different brain regions. This will help us understand abnormal brain activity in connection with, for example, depression or the progress of Alzheimer’s disease,” explains Professor Risto Ilmoniemi, Head of Aalto University Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering.
The improved accuracy can also be useful in the study of stroke, autism and brain injuries; and especially as part of basic brain research.
Mar 18, 2020
A new computer chip mimics the neurocircuitry of our noses to smell
Posted by Quinn Sena in categories: computing, neuroscience
It draws inspiration from the structure and electrical activity of the brain to distinguish between odors.
Mar 16, 2020
Brain-doping produced by your own body
Posted by Xavier Rosseel in categories: biotech/medical, neuroscience
Erythropoietin, or Epo for short, is a notorious doping agent. It promotes the formation of red blood cells, leading thereby to enhanced physical performance — at least, that is what we have believed until now. However, as a growth factor, it also protects and regenerates nerve cells in the brain. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine in Göttingen have now revealed how Epo achieves this effect. They have discovered that cognitive challenges trigger a slight oxygen deficit (termed ‘functional hypoxia’ by the researchers) in the brain’s nerve cells. This increases production of Epo and its receptors in the active nerve cells, stimulating neighbouring precursor cells to form new nerve cells and causing the nerve cells to connect to one another more effectively.
The growth factor erythropoietin is among others responsible for stimulating the production of red blood cells. In anaemia patients it promotes blood formation. It is also a highly potent substance used for illegal performance enhancement in sports.
“Administering Epo improves regeneration after a stroke (termed ‘neuroprotection’ or ‘neurogeneration’), reducing damage in the brain. Patients with mental health disorders such as schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder or multiple sclerosis who have been treated with Epo have shown a significant improvement in cognitive performance,” says Hannelore Ehrenreich of the Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine. Along with her colleagues, she has spent many years researching the role played by Epo in the brain.
Mar 15, 2020
Battelle-Led Team Wins DARPA Award to Develop Injectable, Bi-Directional Brain Computer Interface
Posted by Mike Diverde in categories: biotech/medical, business, government, military, neuroscience, robotics/AI
Here’s an exciting concept that was actually first discussed in 1959 by Richard Feynman in an article entitled “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom”.
I am most interested in this technology for mind uploading.
“Battelle’s N3 concept for a minimally invasive neural interface system, called BrainSTORMS (Brain System to Transmit Or Receive Magnetoelectric Signals), involves the development of a novel nanotransducer that could be temporarily introduced into the body via injection and then directed to a specific area of the brain to help complete a task through communication with a helmet-based transceiver.”
Mar 15, 2020
Scientists find toolkit to aid repair of damaged DNA
Posted by Paul Battista in categories: biotech/medical, life extension, neuroscience
March 9 (UPI) — Scientists have developed a technique for repairing damaged DNA. The breakthrough, published this week in the journal Nature Communications, could pave the way for new therapies for cancer and neurodegenerative disorders.
The accumulation of DNA damage is responsible for aging, cancer and neurological diseases like motor neuron disease, also known as ALS.
Until now, scientists have struggled to find ways to repair this kind of damage. However, researchers have discovered a new protein called TEX264 that can combine with other enzymes to find and destroy toxic proteins that bind to DNA and trigger damage.
Mar 15, 2020
Extracellular nanovesicles for packaging of CRISPR-Cas9 protein and sgRNA to induce therapeutic exon skipping
Posted by Quinn Sena in categories: biotech/medical, neuroscience
Prolonged expression of the CRISPR-Cas9 nuclease and gRNA from viral vectors may cause off-target mutagenesis and immunogenicity. Thus, a transient delivery system is needed for therapeutic genome editing applications. Here, we develop an extracellular nanovesicle-based ribonucleoprotein delivery system named NanoMEDIC by utilizing two distinct homing mechanisms. Chemical induced dimerization recruits Cas9 protein into extracellular nanovesicles, and then a viral RNA packaging signal and two self-cleaving riboswitches tether and release sgRNA into nanovesicles. We demonstrate efficient genome editing in various hard-to-transfect cell types, including human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, neurons, and myoblasts. NanoMEDIC also achieves over 90% exon skipping efficiencies in skeletal muscle cells derived from Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patient iPS cells. Finally, single intramuscular injection of NanoMEDIC induces permanent genomic exon skipping in a luciferase reporter mouse and in mdx mice, indicating its utility for in vivo genome editing therapy of DMD and beyond.
Mar 12, 2020
How chronic stress changes the brain – and what you can do to reverse the damage
Posted by Genevieve Klien in category: neuroscience
Chemical changes in the brain associated with chronic stress can put our cognition and mood under serious strain.
Mar 12, 2020
New electrodes can better capture brain waves of people with natural hair
Posted by Genevieve Klien in category: neuroscience
Electrodes weren’t designed for people with thick, curly hair. A redesign is needed, says engineer Pulkit Grover.
Mar 12, 2020
Something strange is going on with the North Star
Posted by Brent Ellman in categories: internet, neuroscience, surveillance
Electromagnetic radiation, radar, and surveillance technology are used to transfer sounds and thoughts into people’s brain. UN started their investigation after receiving thousands of testimonies from so-called “targeted individuals” (TIs).”
Magnus Olsson, Geneva 8 March 2020
UN Human Rights Council (HRC) Special Rapporteur on torture revealed during the 43rd HRC that Cyber technology is not only used for internet and 5G. It is also used to target individuals remotely – through intimidation, harassment and public shaming.
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