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Category: biotech/medical – Page 2

Researchers from the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw (IIMCB) have described a new mechanism that improves the efficiency of mRNA-based therapies. The research findings could facilitate the development of novel therapeutics against cancers and infectious diseases.

The scientific experiments were carried out at IIMCB, but important contributions also came from collaborators at the Faculty of Physics and Faculty of Biology of the University of Warsaw, the Medical University of Warsaw, and the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences. The study by the Polish researchers has just been published in Nature.

“mRNA vaccines played a key role in controlling the spread of the pandemic. However, mRNA itself is an exceptionally unstable molecule. This does not affect the safety of the therapy but limits its effectiveness—for example, by shortening the duration of action. A particularly important role in mRNA stability is played by its so-called poly(A) . In our research, we examined these limitations,” says Prof. Andrzej Dziembowski from the Laboratory of RNA Biology—ERA Chairs Group at the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, one of the lead authors of the study.

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High-intensity electrical pulses have been medically used to destroy tumors while sparing healthy tissue. But lower-intensity pulses may have a different effect—they reshape the battlefield, making tumors more vulnerable to the body’s own defenses.

According to Virginia Tech researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, these lower-intensity pulses don’t kill all the outright. Instead, they alter the ’s environment, increasing blood vessel density within a day of and boosting lymphatic vessel growth by day three.

These changes may help guide to the tumor, potentially improving the body’s natural ability to fight cancer.

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A small protein involved in neurodegeneration leading to Parkinson’s disease also drives a type of skin cancer known as melanoma, new research finds.

The study, published in the journal Science Advances, suggests new avenues for drug development to reduce the risk of developing both Parkinson’s and skin cancer by targeting the alpha-synuclein protein, which appears to have a critical role in regulating cellular functions.

“Developing drugs that target alpha-synuclein may be useful in both diseases,” said the senior author.

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Both the injectable and oral forms of semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, have recently gained attention for their effectiveness in managing weight gain, high blood sugar, and even reducing alcohol cravings.

A new clinical trial, co-led by endocrinologist and diabetes specialist John Buse, MD, PhD, and interventional cardiologist Matthew Cavender, MD, MPH, at the UNC School of Medicine, has demonstrated that the oral form of semaglutide significantly lowers the risk of cardiovascular events in individuals with type 2 diabetes, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) encompasses a range of disorders affecting the heart and blood vessels, including coronary artery disease, heart attack, stroke, and hypertension. These conditions are primarily driven by atherosclerosis, a process where plaque builds up in the arterial walls, leading to narrowed or blocked arteries. Risk factors include smoking, unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, obesity, and genetic predisposition. CVD remains a leading cause of global mortality, emphasizing the importance of lifestyle changes, medical interventions, and preventive measures in managing and reducing the risk of heart-related illnesses.

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A new discovery could pave the way for more effective cancer treatment by helping certain drugs work better inside the body. Scientists at Duke University School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, and University of Arkansas have found a way to improve the uptake of a promising class of cancer-fighting drugs called PROTACs, which have struggled to enter cells due to their large size.

The new method works by taking advantage of a protein called CD36 that helps pull substances into cells. By designing drugs to use this CD36 pathway, researchers delivered 7.7 to 22.3 times more of the drug inside , making the treatment up to 23 times more potent than before, according to the study published April 17 in Cell.

Data from mouse studies shows this enhanced uptake led to stronger tumor suppression without making the drugs harder to dissolve or less stable.

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Most energy generators currently employed within the electronics industry are based on inorganic piezoelectric materials that are not bio-compatible and contribute to the pollution of the environment on Earth. In recent years, some electronics researchers and chemical engineers have thus been trying to develop alternative devices that can generate electricity for medical implants, wearable electronics, robots and other electronics harnessing organic materials that are safe, bio-compatible and non-toxic.

Researchers at the Materials Science Centre, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur recently introduced a new device based on seeds from the mimosa pudica plant, which can serve both as a bio-piezoelectric nanogenerator and a self-chargeable supercapacitor. Their proposed device, outlined in a paper published in the Chemical Engineering Journal, was found to achieve remarkable efficiencies, while also having a lesser adverse impact on the environment.

“This study was motivated by the need for biocompatible, self-sustaining energy systems to power (e.g., pacemakers, neurostimulators) and wearable electronics,” Prof. Dr. Bhanu Bhusan Khatua, senior author of the paper, told Tech Xplore.

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“Disembodied Brains: Understanding our Intuitions on Human-Animal Neuro-Chimeras and Human Brain Organoids” by John H. Evans Book Link: https://amzn.to/40SSifF “Introduction to Organoid Intelligence: Lecture Notes on Computer Science” by Daniel Szelogowski Book Link: https://amzn.to/3Eqzf4C “The Emerging Field of Human Neural Organoids, Transplants, and Chimeras: Science, Ethics, and Governance” by The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine Book Link: https://amzn.to/4hLR1Oe (Affiliate links: If you use these links to buy something, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.) Playlist: • Two AI’s Discuss: The Quantum Physics… The hosts explore the ethical and scientific implications of brain organoids and synthetic biological intelligence (SBI). Several sources discuss the potential for consciousness and sentience in these systems, prompting debate on their moral status and the need for ethical guidelines in research. A key focus is determining at what point, if any, brain organoids or SBI merit moral consideration similar to that afforded to humans or animals, influencing research limitations and regulations. The texts also examine the use of brain organoids as a replacement for animal testing in research, highlighting the potential benefits and challenges of this approach. Finally, the development of “Organoid Intelligence” (OI), combining organoids with AI, is presented as a promising but ethically complex frontier in biocomputing. Our sources discuss several types of brain organoids, which are 3D tissue cultures derived from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) that self-organize to model features of the developing human brain. Here’s a brief overview: • Cerebral Organoids: This term is often used interchangeably with “brain organoids”. They are designed to model the human neocortex and can exhibit complex brain activity. These organoids can replicate the development of the brain in-vitro up to the mid-fetal period. • Cortical Organoids: These are a type of brain organoid specifically intended to model the human neocortex. They are formed of a single type of tissue and represent one important brain region. They have been shown to develop nerve tracts with functional output. • Whole-brain Organoids: These organoids are not developed with a specific focus, like the forebrain or cerebellum. They show electrical activity very similar to that of preterm infant brains. • Region-specific Organoids: These are designed to model specific regions of the brain such as the forebrain, midbrain, or hypothalamus. For example, midbrain-specific organoids can contain functional dopaminergic and neuromelanin-producing neurons. • Optic Vesicle-containing Brain Organoids (OVB-organoids): These organoids develop bilateral optic vesicles, which are light sensitive, and contain cellular components of a developing optic vesicle, including primitive corneal epithelial and lens-like cells, retinal pigment epithelia, retinal progenitor cells, axon-like projections, and electrically active neuronal networks. • Brain Assembloids: These are created when organoids from different parts of the brain are placed next to each other, forming links. • Brainspheres/Cortical Spheroids: These are simpler models that primarily resemble the developing in-vivo human prenatal brain, and are particularly useful for studying the cortex. Unlike brain organoids, they do not typically represent multiple brain regions. • Mini-brains: This term has been debunked in favor of the more accurate “brain organoid”. These various types of brain organoids offer diverse models for studying brain development, function, and disease. Researchers are also working to improve these models by incorporating features like vascularization and sensory input. #BrainOrganoids #organoid #Bioethics #OrganoidIntelligence #WetwareComputing #Sentience #ArtificialConsciousness #Neuroethics #AI #Biocomputing #NeuralNetworks #ConsciousnessResearch #PrecautionaryPrinciple #AnimalTestingAlternatives #ResearchEthics #EmergingTechnology #skeptic #podcast #synopsis #books #bookreview #ai #artificialintelligence #booktube #aigenerated #documentary #alternativeviews #aideepdive #science #hiddenhistory #futurism #videoessay #ethics

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European research led by University College London (UCL), together with Amsterdam UMC and the University of Basel, shows that a significant proportion of patients who suffer a stroke due to carotid artery narrowing can be treated with medication only.

A risky carotid artery operation, currently still the standard treatment for many patients, may then no longer be necessary for this group of patients. This research, published in The Lancet Neurology, may lead to the global guidelines for the treatment of these patients being adjusted.

In the Netherlands, about 2,000 people with are operated on every year after they have had a stroke. Thirty years ago, large studies showed that an operation in which a narrowing in the carotid artery is removed reduced the risk of a new stroke.

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