945 replies to this topic

[Raklian]

I advise you don't follow Kurzweil's "touting" as if it was fact. Use your own brain, with all due respect.

With all due respect, did my sentence imply that I believe everything Kurzweil's predictions to be fact? A resounding NO!

I threw that sentence in because it was meant to entertain. Hint: I used the word "maybe" in the very beginning to suggest I wasn't being serious. To borrow a saying, the mark of an educated mind is to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.

In fact, I'm betting he will be wrong on a lot of his predictions beyond 2020. I'm smart enough to know that the wording in which Kurzweil used to articulate his predictions will NOT accurately capture the essence of future breakthoughs. If we were to describe a technological breakthrough as a branch of a tree, Kurzweil's predictions are too few and too simple to describe the countless of branches that will form as the tree grows - they will still grow after Kurzweil is dead.

Do me a favor? Try to be a tad bit less patronizing, with all due respect!

[wjfox]

Do me a favor? Try to be a tad bit less patronizing, with all due respect!

+1

[wjfox]

Liver cell implant 'world first'

Doctors in London say they have cured a baby boy of a life-threatening disease which was destroying his liver.

They implanted cells which acted like a temporary liver, allowing the damaged organ to recover.

The team at King's College Hospital in south London say the technique is a world first.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...health-15744176

[Zeitgeist123]

Are there any future promise for adult mild scoliosis? I cant seem to find any links, just prevention. I'm wondering if it can be corrected in the future. I mean from the ones who already have it.

[mic of orion]

Are there any future promise for adult mild scoliosis? I cant seem to find any links, just prevention. I'm wondering if it can be corrected in the future. I mean from the ones who already have it.

http://www.treatings...the-future.html
http://www.sosort.mo...0786d1b1f35f3ea
http://www.spinepati...rried-out-2786/
http://www.srs.org/
http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/19005699



u might have these resources already, but I am quite confident with in next 15-20 years there'll be really good treatment for most ailment, from genetic i.e steam cell treatment for scoliosis to what is more promising avenue for to a full spine transplant, very difficult procedure that might take 8-12 hours surgery and only best and largest clinics would be able to perform such complex surgeries even in 50 years time. Medical breakthroughs are coming fast, 10 years ago we thought Hepatitis B and C were incurable, now there's a treatment for both, including Diabetes 1 and 2, in 10 years time there will be a cure. Things are moving fast.

[Zeitgeist123]

^^whoa really?, theres a cure for hepatitis A, C and diabetes I, II?!?!

How come it never made it to the headlines?

[mic of orion]

^^whoa really?, theres a cure for hepatitis A, C and diabetes I, II?!?!

How come it never made it to the headlines?

Cure is about decade away, there are treatments right now that can indeed fight the symptoms of mentioned disease .

http://hepatitis.eme...epatitis-b.html
http://www.hepb.org/...b_treatment.htm
http://keelynet.com/...gy/hepatits.htm
http://business.inqu...b-cure-possible
http://www.diabetes....betes-Cure.html
http://www.canada.co...45-8a598ab5d1bf
http://www.petitiono...5/petition.html

and so on, many sites out there... but clearly we are at least 7-8 ears away from cure for both aliments. 12 years tops. I used to post stuff about that on other forum but cant be bothered now to search for thread in question, and forum in question is way too big, way too many threads to look through... Suffice to say, medical breakthroughs are evident and coming thick and fast, i am very optimistic regarding cure for most common ailments and many cancers by the end of this decade, but just to make sure I'll go as far and say by 2030, We'll have cure or an effective treatment for most if not all major diseases and some.Its very exciting time for biomedical research. By 2050 I ca say with some degree of certentiy we'll have cure for 99% of all disease that currently have no cure.

Oh btw most of these breakthroughs make headlines here in UK, this is how I find out as well.

[wjfox]

Computer that can read promises cancer breakthroughs

A computer system that can read scientific papers in a similar way to humans promises breakthroughs in cancer research, according to Cambridge scientists.

By Christopher Williams, Technology Correspondent
8:00AM GMT 19 Nov 2011

Called CRAB, the system is able to trawl through millions of peer-reviewed articles for clues to the causes of tumours. Already, it has uncovered a potential reason why some chemicals induce pancreatic cancer only in men.

CRAB is the latest implementation of a rapidly-emerging form of artificial intelligence called natural language processing, which is also used in the Siri personal assistant software in the iPhone 4S. It allows computers to read texts and derive meaning from them, despite their complexity and abiguities, as humans do.

Read more -- http://www.telegraph...akthroughs.html

[wjfox]

Cancer survival: Macmillan hails major improvement

Overall median cancer survival periods in England and Wales have increased from one year to nearly six years in the last four decades, figures show.

But the Macmillan Cancer Support data highlights a "woeful" lack of progress for some types of the disease, such as lung and stomach cancer.

It says the figures will help with the question: "How long have I got?"

The Department of Health says it is giving high priority to cancers where survival rates have not improved.

Read more -- http://www.bbc.co.uk...health-15726810

[wjfox]

New spray illuminates hard-to-spot tumors within minutes

By Janet Fang | November 24, 2011, 7:20 PM PST

Researchers have developed a way to light up tiny, hidden tumors with a fluorescent spray.

Within minutes, doctors can track down residual cancer that spread and scattered throughout the body – helping to ensure that no tumors are left behind during surgery.

The main ingredient in the new spray probe is a green dye called gGlu-HMRG, which triggers a chemical reaction when it comes into contact with some cancer cells.

Read more -- http://www.smartplan....der;header-sec

[wjfox]

Stem cell test is "biggest breakthrough in treating heart attacks for a generation"

A study of heart failure patients treated with their own stem cells has achieved "striking" results and could result in the biggest breakthrough in a generation.

In the trial, cardiac stem cells were used to repair the severely damaged hearts of 16 patients. It was the first time this had ever been done in humans.

After one year, the ejection fraction or ''pumping efficiency'' of the hearts of eight patients had improved by more than 12%.

All patients whose progress was followed underwent some level of recovery.

The results tripled the 4% improvement researchers had expected to see.

Although this was an early stage trial and larger studies are needed, scientists believe the promise it shows has huge implications.

Read more -- http://www.telegraph...generation.html

[mic of orion]

Erasing Signs of Aging in Human Cells Now a Reality



Scientists have recently succeeded in rejuvenating cells from elderly donors (aged over 100). These old cells were reprogrammed in vitro to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) and to rejuvenated and human embryonic stem cells (hESC): cells of all types can again be differentiated after this genuine "rejuvenation" therapy. The results represent significant progress for research into iPSC cells and a further step forwards for regenerative medicine.


Inserm's AVENIR "Genomic plasticity and aging" team, directed by Jean-Marc Lemaitre, Inserm researcher at the Functional Genomics Institute (Inserm/CNRS/Université de Montpellier 1 and 2) performed the research. The results were published in Genes & Development on November 1, 2011.
Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) are undifferentiated multiple-function cells. They can divide and form all types of differentiated adult cells in the body (neurons, cardiac cells, skin cells, liver cells, etc.). Since 2007, a handful of research teams across the world have been capable of reprogramming human adult cells into induced pluripotent cells (iPSC), which have similar characteristics and potential to human embryonic stem cells (hESC). This kind of reprogramming makes it possible to reform all human cell types without the ethical restrictions related to using embryonic stem cells.

.......

http://www.scienceda...11103120605.htm

[wjfox]

Gene therapy can protect against HIV

An introduced gene conveys long-lived resistance to HIV infection in mice.

Lauren Gravitz
30 November 2011

Gene therapy, an approach most commonly explored for curing chronic genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis, may also prove practical for disease prevention. In research published today in Nature1, scientists in California show that a single injection — which inserted the DNA for an HIV-neutralizing antibody into the muscle cells of live mice — completely protected the animals against HIV transmission.

Read more -- http://www.nature.co...inst-hiv-1.9516

[Raklian]

Erasing Signs of Aging in Human Cells Now a Reality



Scientists have recently succeeded in rejuvenating cells from elderly donors (aged over 100). These old cells were reprogrammed in vitro to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) and to rejuvenated and human embryonic stem cells (hESC): cells of all types can again be differentiated after this genuine "rejuvenation" therapy. The results represent significant progress for research into iPSC cells and a further step forwards for regenerative medicine.


Inserm's AVENIR "Genomic plasticity and aging" team, directed by Jean-Marc Lemaitre, Inserm researcher at the Functional Genomics Institute (Inserm/CNRS/Université de Montpellier 1 and 2) performed the research. The results were published in Genes & Development on November 1, 2011.
Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) are undifferentiated multiple-function cells. They can divide and form all types of differentiated adult cells in the body (neurons, cardiac cells, skin cells, liver cells, etc.). Since 2007, a handful of research teams across the world have been capable of reprogramming human adult cells into induced pluripotent cells (iPSC), which have similar characteristics and potential to human embryonic stem cells (hESC). This kind of reprogramming makes it possible to reform all human cell types without the ethical restrictions related to using embryonic stem cells.

.......

http://www.scienceda...11103120605.htm

That's fantastic. It is great that they are able to do this now while I am a young adult - this means 60 more years of progress before I get to the point of "expiring". Imagine what can be done during the time interval.

Aging reversal looks more and more plausible every year.

[Craven]

http://www.ted.com/t...thout_cuts.html

Ultrasound surgery -- healing without cuts

Imagine having a surgery with no knives involved. At TEDMED, surgeon Yoav Medan shares a technique that uses MRI to find trouble spots and focused ultrasound to treat such issues as brain lesions, uterine fibroids and several kinds of cancerous growths.

Edited by Craven, 08 December 2011 - 06:54 PM.

[Logically Irrational]

^{Gene Therapy Achieves Early Success Against Hereditary Bleeding Disorder
http://www.marketwat...rder-2011-12-10}

Symptoms improved significantly in adults with the bleeding disorder hemophilia B following a single treatment with gene therapy developed by researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis and demonstrated to be safe in a clinical trial conducted at the University College London (UCL) in the U.K.

The findings of the six-person study mark the first proof that gene therapy can reduce disabling, painful bleeding episodes in patients with the inherited blood disorder. Results of the Phase I study appear in the December 10 online edition of the New England Journal of Medicine. The research is also scheduled to be presented December 11 at the 53rd annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology in San Diego.

Four study participants stopped receiving protein injections to prevent bleeding episodes after undergoing the therapy and have not suffered spontaneous bleeding. Several have also participated in marathons and other activities that would have been difficult prior to gene therapy. The study volunteers were all treated at the Royal Free Hospital in London under the care of Edward G.D. Tuddenham, M.D., Ph.D., a pioneer in the field of blood coagulation and a study co-author.

"This is a potentially life-changing treatment for patients with this disease and an important milestone for the field of gene therapy. It could have ramifications for the treatment of hemophilia A, other protein and liver disorders and chronic diseases such as cystic fibrosis," said first author Amit Nathwani, M.D., Ph.D., a faculty member at the UCL Cancer Institute, Royal Free Hospital and NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT).

Gene therapy proves effective for hemophilia B
http://www.reuters.c...E7B90FL20111211

ISI Group analyst Mark Schoenebaum said the gene therapy could pose big competition for companies such as Biogen Idec that are producing recombinant factor concentrates. "This clearly presents a curveball to our (and much of Wall Street's) assumptions around the future of the hemophilia market," he said in an email to investors.

The analyst said estimated sales of the hemophilia factors accounted for between $10 and $17 of his $125 price target for shares of Biogen, which closed at $112.95 on Friday.

[Logically Irrational]

South Sudan Has Made Tremendous Progress in Eradicating Guinea Worm
http://allafrica.com...1112090044.html

Dr. Lori said the review meeting has come at the right as the country is engaged in an effort to eradicate guinea worm disease transmission by 2013.

[wjfox]

Study: Eating less keeps the brain young

Overeating may cause brain aging while eating less turns on a molecule that helps the brain stay young.

December 19, 2011

A team of Italian researchers at the Catholic University of Sacred Heart in Rome have discovered that this molecule, called CREB1, is triggered by "caloric restriction" (low caloric diet) in the brain of mice. They found that CREB1 activates many genes linked to longevity and to the proper functioning of the brain.

http://medicalxpress...rain-young.html

[wjfox]

Schizophrenia Risk Increases When Small Genetic Differences Combine

By Traci Pedersen Associate News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on December 18, 2011

When combined, single DNA letter difference in two separate genes may increase one’s risk for developing schizophrenia, according to Johns Hopkins researchers.

Scientists have had a difficult time pinpointing the causes for psychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia and autism, because these disorders may be triggered by several small genetic changes that alone may not trigger the disorder, but in the right combination may cause disease.

Severe DNA differences in the genetic letters of the DISC 1 gene are known to cause schizophrenia and other major mental disorders.

However, these large changes are uncommon and do not account for the majority of people with schizophrenia. Nevertheless, researchers believe DISC1 to be an entry point for studying the cause of the disease, and defects in DISC1 combined with defects in other genes may contribute to the disorder.

Read more -- http://psychcentral....bine/32715.html

[wjfox]

New approach to malaria vaccine revealed by Oxford researchers

A potential new malaria vaccine has shown promise in animal studies, according to research.

An Oxford University team is to start safety trials in human volunteers after lab tests showed the vaccine works against all strains of the parasite.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...health-16253364