When an important document lands on your desk, you might file it away for safekeeping. The same thing happens with our memories: They first appear in one part of the brain and then move to another for long-term storage in a process known as memory consolidation.
Publishing in the journal Science, Kyoto University's Akihiro Goto uses mouse brains to demonstrate a new neural-optic system to manipulate memories. The technique hinders nerve activity—known as long-term potentiation or LTP—which would otherwise consolidate memory during sleep.
LTP strengthens synapses through neural activity and is critical for memory formation. When and where memories are formed in the brain can be determined by examining when and which cells undergo LTP.
A research team at the Montreal Heart Institute and Université de Montréal has shown that genes present in specific intestinal cells protect against the development of inflammatory bowel diseases. Published today in the scientific journal Genome Medicine, the study results show that more than a dozen of these genes, which contribute to the development of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, help fight viral and bacterial infections.
Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, known as inflammatory bowel diseases, are characterized by chronic digestive system inflammation. The research team screened 145 genes associated with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) risk in human digestive system cells, called intestinal epithelial cells, and found that many of these genes are significant in helping these cells detect bacteria or viruses and set up the appropriate defensive response to control such infections. Thus, researchers have identified genes that make people more likely to develop chronic gut inflammation, characteristic of IBD when disrupted by genetic variants.
US announces big hike in Medicare premiums
Source: CNN
The federal government announced a large hike in Medicare premiums Friday night, blaming the pandemic but also what it called uncertainty over how much it may have to be forced to pay for a pricey and controversial new Alzheimer's drug.
The 14.5% increase in Part B premiums will take monthly payments for those in the lowest income bracket from $148.50 a month this year to $170.10 in 2022. Medicare Part B covers physician services, outpatient hospital services, certain home health services, medical equipment, and certain other medical and health services not covered by Medicare Part A, including medications given in doctors' offices.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services played down the spike, pointing out that most beneficiaries also collect Social Security benefits and will see a cost-of-living adjustment of 5.9% in their 2022 monthly payments, the agency said in a statement. That's the largest bump in 30 years.
"This significant COLA increase will more than cover the increase in the Medicare Part B monthly premium," CMS said. "Most people with Medicare will see a significant net increase in Social Security benefits. For example, a retired worker who currently receives $1,565 per month from Social Security can expect to receive a net increase of $70.40 more per month after the Medicare Part B premium is deducted."
(TechCrunch) Of the top 10 countries for healthtech VC investment (between 2016-2021YTD), the US leads globally with $31.9bn in VC investment so far this year, according to new research. In second place was China on $4.1bn, while the UK comes in third with $3.8bn. UK healthtech investment has risen from just $420m in 2016, an increase of nine times, whilst US investment has increased by 3.4 times.
US-based healthtech companies continue to attract the lion’s share of global VC investment, clustered around the Bay Area, New York and Boston. Over the last two years investment has started to become more globally distributed, with investment less concentrated around the US and China, said the research findings released by Dealroom.co for London & Partners.
UK healthtech growth has traditionally been driven by the so-called “Golden Triangle” of London, Oxford and Cambridge, a region home to five universities in the top 25 for life sciences and medicine.
Europe is now the fastest-growing region globally for healthtech according to the findings, with European healthtech startups raising $8.1B in 2021, up from $1.7B in 2016 and growing at a rate of 4.9 times (compared to North America at 3.5x and Asia 3.7x).
(The Conversation) Autoimmune conditions like Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis arise when an immune system mistakenly attacks its own body’s proteins, cells and organs. Not only do these conditions make the body attack itself, they can also destroy the medications intended to treat them.
A reverse vaccination approach my research team and I developed, however, could train the immune system to ignore self-proteins and prevent unwanted immune responses.
Autoimmunity destroys both body and treatment
Lifesaving treatments for autoimmune conditions are complicated by immune responses that work against them.
For example, people with Pompe disease are unable to produce the enzyme needed to break down complex sugars for energy. The buildup of these sugars in the muscles and other organs impairs their ability to function and could be fatal. Though enzyme replacement therapy can help manage this condition, many people develop antibodies that direct their immune system to destroy the treatment.
Conclusion:
Our reverse vaccination technique could offer a potential way to prevent unwanted immune responses that make treatments ineffective or unusable. Translating the findings of our lab-based study in mice to human clinical trials is the next step. We’re also interested in using our reverse vaccination approach to treat other rare diseases and conditions that have limited treatment options.
The US scientists who created the first living robots say the life forms, known as xenobots, can now reproduce -- and in a way not seen in plants and animals.
Formed from the stem cells of the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) from which it takes its name, xenobots are less than a millimeter (0.04 inches) wide. The tiny blobs were first unveiled in 2020 after experiments showed that they could move, work together in groups and self-heal.
Now the scientists that developed them at the University of Vermont, Tufts University and Harvard University's Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering said they have discovered an entirely new form of biological reproduction different from any animal or plant known to science.
"I was astounded by it," said Michael Levin, a professor of biology and director of the Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University who was co-lead author of the new research.
"Frogs have a way of reproducing that they normally use but when you ... liberate (the cells) from the rest of the embryo and you give them a chance to figure out how to be in a new environment, not only do they figure out a new way to move, but they also figure out apparently a new way to reproduce."
Cool!!
And remember my friend, future events such as these will affect you in the future
raklian wrote: ↑Tue Nov 23, 2021 3:06 am
How do carnivorous humans feel about this news?
Carnivorous human checking in. This was probably on some part in response to over fishing them. I suppose when the population gets out of control things will go right back to fishing for them. But before that we may see some world record frightening crab, octopus, and lobster sizes. I know here in Florida if you scuba dive you can see some giant goliath groupers around shipwrecks like I did at Spiegel Grove years back.
The same gigantic size differences may happen with these critters given time. They will probably be the most tasty by then... well if you can get one without problems of course lol.
raklian wrote: ↑Tue Nov 23, 2021 3:06 am
How do carnivorous humans feel about this news?
Carnivorous human checking in. This was probably on some part in response to over fishing them. I suppose when the population gets out of control things will go right back to fishing for them. But before that we may see some world record frightening crab, octopus, and lobster sizes. I know here in Florida if you scuba dive you can see some giant goliath groupers around shipwrecks like I did at Spiegel Grove years back.
The same gigantic size differences may happen with these critters given time. They will probably be the most tasty by then... well if you can get one without problems of course lol.
First, Sentient is not Sapient.
second, my understanding is that it's mainly a point being made with regards to cooking live, or eating live. Basically do not allow people to cause undue suffering and torture of the creatures. it does not mean they cannot be consumed, just kill them before you start carving bits off or cooking them alive.
raklian wrote: ↑Tue Nov 23, 2021 3:06 am
How do carnivorous humans feel about this news?
Carnivorous human checking in. This was probably on some part in response to over fishing them. I suppose when the population gets out of control things will go right back to fishing for them. But before that we may see some world record frightening crab, octopus, and lobster sizes. I know here in Florida if you scuba dive you can see some giant goliath groupers around shipwrecks like I did at Spiegel Grove years back.
The same gigantic size differences may happen with these critters given time. They will probably be the most tasty by then... well if you can get one without problems of course lol.
First, Sentient is not Sapient.
second, my understanding is that it's mainly a point being made with regards to cooking live, or eating live. Basically do not allow people to cause undue suffering and torture of the creatures. it does not mean they cannot be consumed, just kill them before you start carving bits off or cooking them alive.
I understand the point being made. I should have elaborated in my post that the last time animal rights folks considered ocean wildlife to be sentient and usually change laws to save them after considering them sentient it lead to the shark population getting bigger. Australia is the example of what the article reminded me of with the same measures being taken but for sharks.
Microfluidics show promise as safer, simpler treatment option for severe neonatal jaundice
by Steve Lundeberg, Oregon State University
Credit: CC0 Public Domain
Research by the Oregon State University College of Engineering has led to a promising potential therapy for neonatal jaundice that's more safe, simple and convenient than the blood transfusions currently given to babies suffering from the most dangerous forms of the condition.
The study led by Adam Higgins, associate professor of bioengineering, suggests microfluidics and high-intensity light can correct a dangerous bloodstream buildup of bilirubin. Bilirubin is the pigment that's responsible for the yellow skin color associated with jaundice, and at high enough levels, puts the afflicted infant at risk of sometimes irreversible neurological damage or even death.
Findings were published in Biomicrofluidics.
Neonatal jaundice is a common condition among newborns, whose bodies are busy breaking down the red blood cells used in the uterus and making new ones as the infant transitions to breathing ambient air once outside the womb.
Blood's red color stems from a protein called hemoglobin that carries oxygen, and as those red blood cells are broken down, the liver modifies hemoglobin into bilirubin. When an infant's immature liver can't keep up with all of the bilirubin it's producing, the pigment leaks into the bloodstream before settling in the skin, causing a yellowish appearance.
About two-thirds of all newborns experience some level of jaundice, typically a mild case. Much of the time it clears up on its own or with minimal treatment, such as getting more water into the infant's body.
In a discovery that could one day benefit people suffering from traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer's disease, and schizophrenia, UT Southwestern researchers have identified the characteristics of more than 100 memory-sensitive neurons that play a central role in how memories are recalled in the brain.
Bradley Lega, M.D., Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery, Neurology, and Psychiatry, said his findings, published in the journal NeuroImage, may point to new deep brain-stimulation therapies for other brain diseases and injuries.
"It sheds important light on the question, 'How do you know you are remembering something from the past versus experiencing something new that you are trying to remember?'" said Dr. Lega, a member of the Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute.
The most significant finding was that firing occurs with different timing relative to other brain activity when memories are being retrieved. This slight difference in timing, called "phase offset," has not been reported in humans before. Together, these results explain how the brain can "re-experience" an event, but also keep track of whether the memory is something new or something previously encoded.
"This is some of the clearest evidence to date showing us how the human brain works in terms remembering old memories versus forming new memories," Dr. Lega said.
His study identified 103 memory-sensitive neurons in the brain's hippocampus and entorhinal cortex that increase their rate of activity when memory encoding is successful. The same pattern of activity returned when patients attempted to recall these same memories, especially highly detailed memories.
A team of researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has created and posted online a free Lyme and tick-borne disease dashboard. The group has published a paper describing the information available on the dashboard and how to use it on the open-access site PLOS ONE.
As the researchers note, tick-borne diseases are on the rise in the U.S., likely due to a warming climate. They also note that many cases of tick-borne diseases are never reported anywhere, which leaves people in certain areas unaware of the danger around them. In this new effort, the researchers created a dashboard (inspired by those used to track COVID-19) for use by people who want to know about the number of tick-borne disease cases in their area.
The dashboard made its debut last May but has been updated since then. The researchers note that Lyme disease is now the most commonly reported disease in the U.S. spread by insects or arachnids. They also note that scientists continue to discover new diseases that are spread by ticks. To help people understand it all, the researchers collected data from health departments around the country and added them to a database. The information in the database is then represented on a color-coded map of the U.S. Deeper reds, for example, show a state or county with high numbers of infections. The map can also show concentrations of different types of infections, though the researchers suspect its main use will be for tracking Lyme disease. Users can see concentration levels at the national, state and county levels. The dashboard also allows users to follow trends—tick-borne diseases are seasonal, with the most infections happening in the summer months. Users can watch the numbers increase in their area if they so choose.
The First FDA-Approved Eye Drops to Treat Blurry Vision Are Now Available in The US
DAVID NIELD
15 DECEMBER 2021
The joke about "needing longer arms" when you grow older and try to read small print is common enough.
The cause – a natural decline in our eyes' ability to focus on nearby objects, or presbyopia – is the reason so many people end up getting reading glasses in older age.
Now, for the first time, there could be another solution on hand.
In October, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted regulatory approval to the first eye drops that treat presbyopia – a product called Vuity, developed by the company Allergan.
Now, these drops have been made available on prescription, and they could mean millions of people can ditch their reading glasses, at least some of the time.
Composite hydrogels can incorporate natural polymers and bioactive glass as promising materials for bone regeneration. However, the applications of such constructs are limited by poor compatibility between organic and inorganic phases. In a new study now published in Science Advances, Xinxin Ding, and a research team in medicine, in Shanghai China, formed an electrostatically reinforced hydrogel (abbreviated CAG) with improved interfacial compatibility. To accomplish this, they introduced amino-functionalized bioactive glass to the alginate/gellan gum matrix. When compared with bioactive glass, the electrostatically reinforced hydrogel indicated a more uniform porous structure with a pore size of 200 µm and an optimal compressive strength of 66 kPa. Using the reinforced hydrogel, the team promoted the phenotype transition of macrophages and upregulated the osteogenic gene expression of stem cells. They showed how new bone formation was also accelerated in vivo with enhanced biomineralization of the electrostatically reinforced hydrogel, with biocompatibility ideally suited for bone regeneration.
Researchers are a step closer to transforming a US$70 billion global diagnostic industry with new designer biosensors that 'switch on' color or electrical responses to drugs used in cancer, arthritis, and organ transplant treatment.
Researchers from the CSIRO-QUT Synthetic Biology Alliance have proven their modular approach to constructing small molecule biosensors—artificial proteins designed to capture biomarkers of choice and produce measurable responses—in collaboration with Clarkson University in the US and Pathology Queensland.
In two separate studies, biosensors were adapted to accurately measure immunosuppressant drugs cyclosporine A, tacrolimus and rapamycin, and anticancer drug methotrexate, which requires close monitoring to reduce toxicity and organ damage.
Lead researcher Professor Kirill Alexandrov said the protein biosensors had potential to expand patient care by enabling sophisticated tests on cheaper lab equipment and new point-of-care devices.
"Proteins are at the core of a US$70-billion-dollar global diagnostic market that relies heavily on central lab processing," Professor Alexandrov said.
Scientists investigating the DNA outside our genes—the 'dark genome'—have discovered recently evolved regions that code for proteins associated with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
They say these new proteins can be used as biological indicators to distinguish between the two conditions, and to identify patients more prone to psychosis or suicide.
Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are debilitating mental disorders that are hard to diagnose and treat. Despite being amongst the most heritable mental health disorders, very few clues to their cause have been found in the sections of our DNA known as genes.
