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Archive for the ‘biotech/medical’ category: Page 2233

Apr 18, 2018

Bioquark Inc. — Cracking the Entrepreneur Code Podcast — Ira Pastor

Posted by in categories: aging, biotech/medical, business, disruptive technology, DNA, economics, finance, genetics, health, life extension

Apr 18, 2018

A Review of Stem Cell Therapies for Alzheimer’s Disease

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

A new open access paper takes a look at the potential of regenerative medicine for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease [1]. The review covers approaches such as spurring the production of new neurons and transplanting new neurons while taking a look at the disease-modeling approaches and techniques that science is now using to refine approaches to treating Alzheimer’s.

The authors here investigate how induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are contributing to the growing knowledge in the field by allowing researchers to create increasingly refined models of Alzheimer’s disease. A current problem we have is that animal models do not emulate the disease closely enough to lead to translational therapies that work in humans; this is why so many new medicines that work in mice fail in clinical trials. The review takes a look at the challenges and how science is working to develop better models.

Introduction

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Apr 17, 2018

Man’s second face transplant is a world first

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, genetics, neuroscience

A man in Paris has become the world’s first to successfully receive two facial transplants.

Jérôme Hamon, 43, underwent his first face transplantation procedure in 2010 to treat neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder characterized by the growth of tumors along nerves in the skin, brain and other parts of the body. Yet Hamon’s body rejected the original transplant.

In January, a team of surgeons and paramedics at Georges Pompidou European Hospital AP-HP, led by surgeon Dr. Laurent Lantieri, performed Hamon’s second transplant.

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Apr 17, 2018

Nanoparticles Grow Bone, Cartilage Tissue Without Harmful Side Effects

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, nanotechnology

Human stem cells—the biological jack of all trades—have revolutionized modern medicine, with their ability to transform into specialized cell types.

But the current approach, which requires specialized instructive protein molecules known as growth factors, comes with risks, including the potential development of unwanted tissue, i.e., a tumor.

Researchers at Texas A&M University, however, have discovered a gentler approach.

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Apr 17, 2018

CRISPR gene editing has been tested on 86 human patients

Posted by in categories: bioengineering, biotech/medical

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Apr 17, 2018

Bioquark Inc. — Connecting The Resilient — Spinal Cord Injury Podcast

Posted by in categories: aging, bioengineering, biological, biotech/medical, disruptive technology, DNA, genetics, health, life extension, neuroscience

Apr 17, 2018

What Will the Automated City of the Future Look Like?

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

Many large cities (Seoul, Tokyo, Shenzhen, Singapore, Dubai, London, San Francisco) serve as test beds for autonomous vehicle trials in a competitive race to develop “self-driving” cars. Automated ports and warehouses are also increasingly automated and robotized. Testing of delivery robots and drones is gathering pace beyond the warehouse gates. Automated control systems are monitoring, regulating and optimizing traffic flows. Automated vertical farms are innovating production of food in “non-agricultural” urban areas around the world. New mobile health technologies carry promise of healthcare “beyond the hospital.” Social robots in many guises – from police officers to restaurant waiters – are appearing in urban public and commercial spaces.


Tokyo, Singapore and Dubai are becoming prototype ‘robot cities,’ as governments start to see automation as the key to urban living.

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Apr 16, 2018

Scientists develop AI-based deep learning drug interaction, prediction syste

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, government, robotics/AI

A group of South Korean scientists have developed a deep learning system based on artificial intelligence that can precisely predict interactions between drugs, the government said Tuesday.

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Apr 16, 2018

The ‘nanobots’ and ’ninja polymers’ transforming medicine

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

With advances in stem cell research and nanotechnology helping us fight illnesses from heart disease to superbugs, is the fusion of biology and technology speeding us towards a sci-fi future — part human, part synthetic?

In Ridley Scott’s seminal blockbuster Blade Runner, humanity has harnessed bio-engineering to create a race of replicants that look, act and sound human — but are made entirely from synthetic material.

We may be far from realising that sci-fi future, but synthetics are beginning to have a profound effect on medicine.

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Apr 16, 2018

Google made an AR microscope that can help detect cancer

Posted by in categories: augmented reality, biotech/medical, information science, robotics/AI

In a talk given today at the American Association for Cancer Research’s annual meeting, Google researchers described a prototype of an augmented reality microscope that could be used to help physicians diagnose patients. When pathologists are analyzing biological tissue to see if there are signs of cancer — and if so, how much and what kind — the process can be quite time-consuming. And it’s a practice that Google thinks could benefit from deep learning tools. But in many places, adopting AI technology isn’t feasible. The company, however, believes this microscope could allow groups with limited funds, such as small labs and clinics, or developing countries to benefit from these tools in a simple, easy-to-use manner. Google says the scope could “possibly help accelerate and democratize the adoption of deep learning tools for pathologists around the world.”

The microscope is an ordinary light microscope, the kind used by pathologists worldwide. Google just tweaked it a little in order to introduce AI technology and augmented reality. First, neural networks are trained to detect cancer cells in images of human tissue. Then, after a slide with human tissue is placed under the modified microscope, the same image a person sees through the scope’s eyepieces is fed into a computer. AI algorithms then detect cancer cells in the tissue, which the system then outlines in the image seen through the eyepieces (see image above). It’s all done in real time and works quickly enough that it’s still effective when a pathologist moves a slide to look at a new section of tissue.

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