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Archive for the ‘biotech/medical’ category: Page 2659

Jan 31, 2016

The coming leap in human intelligence

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, robotics/AI, singularity, transportation

Interesting & a perplexing viewpoint by this author on “Singularity” and AI in general. First, I believe folks have varying views on the word “Singularity.” This author believes it is when machines become smarter than humans. In my case; I see Singularity is when humans and machines become connected to all things; not necessarily when a machine becomes smarter than myself. Also, the author definitely is not open to exploring all the possibilities around AI; thank goodness all innovators do not have this same mindset.


Human-like robots are popping up everywhere. From the factory floor to product packaging and delivery. From restaurants to the battlefield. From patient care to camel racing. And countless other places. The driverless cars we talked about in this column only a few years ago can be seen on the road today. Our electronic devices are not only talking to us, they’re beginning to understand what we need without even having to ask.

All of this has led to rampant speculation about when the so-called “singularity” is going to happen. When machines become “smarter” than humans. Sorry to disappoint, but the ultimate brain isn’t a future generation of IBM’s Watson or some super-distributed artificial intelligence network like the fictional Skynet portrayed in the Terminator movies.

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Jan 31, 2016

Health Apps Study Raises Questions About Digital Medicine’s Future

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

First, this study is very biased and flawed. Secondly, have the tech companies considered all of the resistance that we’re all going to face with the provider and payer communities plus their lobbyists when we try to promote medical AI, nanobots, etc.

I have seen some resistance mounted by some providers, some pharma, etc. against CRISPR. And, I believe this type of resistance is only going to hurt patients as well as many cancer survivors with a genetic predisposition to cancer, and other genetic mutations.


A study of mobile health apps’ impact on health care costs represents a limited but crucial step for assessing digital medicine.

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Jan 31, 2016

First-ever head transplant in history candidate says he’s ready

Posted by in category: biotech/medical

Would YOU have your body cooled to −15C, spinal cord cut, someone else’s head attached to YOUR body with special bio-glue and stay in an induced coma for 3–4 weeks?

This guy will.
#headtransplant

For more information http://www.desireforlife.org/

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Jan 31, 2016

Elon Musk identifies electric aircraft, genetics and neuron scale brain computer interfaces as high potential technologies

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, computing, cyborgs, Elon Musk, genetics, neuroscience, space travel, sustainability

Elon Musk, CEO of Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and Tesla Motors, Inc, was at Startmeup Hong Kong and talked about what he thought were areas of technological opportunity.

At 37 minutes into this video Elon Musk talks about high potential technology like Hyperloop which he currently does not have time to address electric aircraftgenetics is thorny but is our best shot at many tough diseasesbrain computer interfaces at the neuron level has potential for intelligence augmentationNeural Lace was mentioned.

Scientists from China and the US have found a pioneering way to inject a tiny electronic mesh sensor into the brain that fully integrates with cerebral matter and enables computers to monitor brain activity.

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Jan 30, 2016

McKesson launches Clinical Programs Solution for pharmacists to manage multiple clinical programs

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, health

Talk about streamlining and improved efficiencies in clinicals.


Livonia, MI — January 25, 2016 — McKesson Pharmacy Systems & Automation (MPS&A) announced the release of the McKesson Clinical Programs Solution™, a new platform that allows pharmacists to build customized wellness programs and maintain vendor programs for patients with specific medical conditions. The Clinical Programs Solution™ also saves pharmacists time and labor costs by automatically synchronizing the data of patients enrolled in a clinical program with McKesson’s EnterpriseRx® pharmacy management system.

“In today’s increasingly competitive healthcare reimbursement environment, pharmacies are under more pressure than ever to create and manage clinical programs that address patient wellness,” said Emilie Ray, president, McKesson Pharmacy Systems & Automation. “Our Clinical Programs Solution can help meet this challenge by providing pharmacists with a flexible, easy-to-use tool to build and manage clinical services that best suit their patients’ needs and positively impact their pharmacy’s bottom line.”

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Jan 30, 2016

First demonstration of a cancer arising from a single cell

Posted by in category: biotech/medical

This is huge: “An important mystery has been why some cells in the body already have mutations seen in cancer, but do not yet fully behave like the cancer” Could we finally have a consistent way to identify and treat gene mutations tied to cancer?


For the first time, researchers have visualized the origins of cancer from the first affected cell and watched its spread in a live animal. This work could change the way scientists understand melanoma and other cancers and could lead to new, early treatments before the cancer has taken hold.

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Jan 30, 2016

Celebs unite for World Cancer Day

Posted by in category: biotech/medical

Nice — definitely need this focus.


CELEBRITIES are coming together and signing up to support World Cancer Day.

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Jan 30, 2016

Research: Device Claims To Suppress Brain-Cancer Cell Growth

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

One key question can it help control Glioblastoma.


A new “wearable” device being tested to suppress brain-cancer cell growth in patients ended its clinical trials early with positive results. Optune is a battery powered device researchers claim will extend the life of a patient with “newly diagnosed glioblastoma” when it is paired with traditional temozolomide chemotherapy. Researches were confident enough in its effectiveness to end the clinical trials (which ran from July 2009 to November 2014) of the device early. The device is likely not “the cure for cancer,” but it is a step forward in extending the life expectancy of brain-cancer patients and more research will be needed to see if it may be effective on other forms of cancer.

“With this new data, it appears the tumor-treating fields should be used upfront and become a standard of care. We should add this modality to what we’re currently doing for our patients,” said Dr. Maciej Mrugala, a brain-cancer specialist who led UW Medicine’s participation in the clinical trial.

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Jan 30, 2016

Study findings confirm sugar’s role in cancer survival; could help in design of clinical trials to test PI3K inhibitors

Posted by in category: biotech/medical

PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase) is a cell-signaling molecule found tied to breast, ovarian, and endometrial cancers.


Important insights into the biology that underlies glycolysis, the metabolic process that enables cancer cells to generate biomass and energy, have been revealed by new research, confirming the importance of sugar to cancer survival.

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Jan 30, 2016

Genetic engineering could thwart the Zika virus, among other mosquito-borne diseases

Posted by in categories: bioengineering, biotech/medical, genetics, habitats, health, transportation

With the recent use of genetically engineered mosquitoes in Brazil to halt the spread of the Zika virus, we might be beginning to see some major health improvements as a consequence of the genetics revolution. A world in which mosquitoes were all but eliminated from the ecosystem would look quite different from the world of today, especially for people living in the tropics where the threat of mosquito transmitted infections does more than just mar an otherwise tranquil margarita sipped from the veranda of a beach resort. This is not to beggar the more mundane advantages of a mosquito-free habitat, but rather call attention to the fact that for large parts of the world, including Brazil, mosquitoes can be the difference between life and death.

Ironically, the genetic changes made to the Aedes aegypti mosquito in order to halt the spread of the Zika virus are deceptively simple. The company behind the project, Oxitec, used a modified version of something called the “Sterile Insect Technique” to create their hybrid specimens. The end goal of this process is to produce a male mosquito possessing a “self-limiting gene.” When these males mate with wild female mosquitoes, they create non viable offspring that perish soon after the birth. The end result is a rapid drop in the mosquito population of a given area.

When compared with some of the more hazardous forms of mosquito control currently in use such as massive spraying of DEET and chemical infusers popular throughout Asia, sterilizing mosquitoes sounds like an imminently reasonable approach. As a journalist who once saw his roadside samosa blasted by a massive spray of DEET from an oncoming municipal vehicle in India, I can personally attest to a preference for a genetic solution.

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