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Archive for the ‘biotech/medical’ category: Page 2393

Aug 2, 2017

A living programmable biocomputing device based on RNA

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, computing, engineering, nanotechnology, sustainability

“Ribocomputing devices” ( yellow) developed by a team at the Wyss Institute can now be used by synthetic biologists to sense and interpret multiple signals in cells and logically instruct their ribosomes (blue and green) to produce different proteins. (credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University)

Synthetic biologists at Harvard’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and associates have developed a living programmable “ribocomputing” device based on networks of precisely designed, self-assembling synthetic RNAs (ribonucleic acid). The RNAs can sense multiple biosignals and make logical decisions to control protein production with high precision.

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Aug 2, 2017

You can change your eye color permanently with a laser surgery

Posted by in category: biotech/medical

Aug 2, 2017

Can we, as adults, grow new neurons? YES: Sandrine Thuret

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, life extension, robotics/AI

Can we, as adults, grow new neurons? Neuroscientist Sandrine Thuret with a background in food science, molecular, cellular, behavioural and ageing biology says that we can, and she offers research and practical advice on how we can help our brains better perform neurogenesis—improving mood, increasing memory formation and preventing the decline associated with aging along the way.

“Can we, as adults, grow new nerve cells? There’s still some confusion about that question, as this is a fairly new field of research. For example, I was talking to one of my colleagues, Robert, who is an oncologist, and he was telling me, “Sandrine, this is puzzling. Some of my patients that have been told they are cured of their cancer still develop symptoms of depression.” And I responded to him, “Well, from my point of view that makes sense. The drug you give to your patients that stops the cancer cells multiplying also stops the newborn neurons being generated in their brain.” And then Robert looked at me like I was crazy and said, “But Sandrine, these are adult patients — adults do not grow new nerve cells.” And much to his surprise, I said, “Well actually, we do.” And this is a phenomenon that we call neurogenesis.”

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Aug 2, 2017

Pharma-controlled Journal of the American Medical Association waging full-scale attack on Vitamin D in effort to push flu shots for toddlers

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, health

(Natural News) A recent headline in the U.K.’s Daily Mail boldly declares, “Vitamin D will NOT protect your child from a cold: Myth-busting study says ‘more isn’t always better’ to help toddlers stay healthy.” This disingenuous headline infers that vitamin D has no protective effect against colds and flu. In fact, the study it goes on to cite, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), only compared the effects of two different dosages of vitamin D administered to children. It did not compare the health of children who were not given vitamin D supplements at all, to those who were.

For some time now, researchers have understood that there is a link between a lack of sunshine, as experienced in most northern hemisphere countries in winter time, and the increased prevalence of viral infections, particularly upper respiratory tract infections, or the common cold. The production of the hormone vitamin D is directly linked to exposure to direct sunlight.

Researchers at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Canada, decided to investigate whether giving children doses higher than the daily recommended amount of vitamin D would reduce their risk of getting sick. Their study included 700 healthy children between the ages of 1 and 5. Half the children were given the standard recommended dose of 400IU of vitamin D daily during winter, while the other half were given a higher dose of 2000IU each day. There was no statistically significant difference in the number of colds and flus reported by the children’s parents for the duration of the study – all the kids in both groups had an average of about 1.9 colds each.

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Aug 2, 2017

Expert warns ‘cancer moonshot’ could open the door to DNA bioweapons

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, innovation

Scientists around the world have long been searching for a cure for cancer, and recent advancements in technology coupled with rigorous new efforts such as Joe Biden’s ‘cancer moonshot’ have ignited hopes that it could soon become a reality.

But, experts warn that such a breakthrough, despite its obvious benefits, could have unexpected global consequences.

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Aug 2, 2017

We Should Be Optimistic But Not Complacent About Progress

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, education, life extension

In the last year or so we have seen remarkable progress with a number of interventions that target the aging processes to prevent and treat age-related diseases.

Senescent cell clearance has enjoyed lots of media attention and is entering human clinical trials later this year with Unity Biotechnology. We have LysoClear from Ichor Therapeutics moving towards the clinic with a therapy based on the LysoSENS approach advocated for by the SENS Research Foundation, which seeks to treat age-related blindness caused by the accumulation of waste products in the retina cells of patients. Dr. David Sinclair is moving into human trials this year with a therapy aimed at repairing DNA damage, one of the main reasons we are thought to age.

We have had amazing progress in immunotherapy, where the immune system is taught to detect cancer and other diseases far more efficiently. For instance, immunotherapy has been used to allow the immune system spot cancer that uses the same “Do not eat me” signals that healthy cells use to avoid destruction.

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Aug 2, 2017

Stem cells transplants can heal damaged knees

Posted by in category: biotech/medical

Aug 2, 2017

J. Craig Venter and Elon Musk discussed faxing genomes through space

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, Elon Musk, space

Starting with just a digital file, scientists manufactured the common flu virus.

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Aug 2, 2017

More Colorful Vegetables and Fruits Can Protect You From Alzheimer’s and Dementia: Neal Barnard

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, food, health, robotics/AI

Dr. Neal Barnard says: “More colorful vegetables and fruits, a 40-minute brisk walk, vitamin E and less dairy products, cheese, and milk can protect you from alzheimer’s and dementia.”

Dr. Neal Barnard has led numerous research studies investigating the effects of diet on diabetes, body weight, and chronic pain, including a groundbreaking study of dietary interventions in type 2 diabetes, funded by the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Barnard has authored over 70 scientific publications as well as 17 books.

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Aug 1, 2017

9 Dangerous Diseases That Could be Prevented

Posted by in category: biotech/medical

One of the best defenses we have against viral infections is the vaccine.

Vaccines prime the body’s immune system to fight an incoming infection; they’ve been credited with the widespread eradication of smallpox and the near-eradication of polio.

There have been many major advances to vaccines since their inception in the 1700s, but there are still many diseases for which no vaccine exists.

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