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Distinguishing Circulating Tumor from Normal Cell-Free DNA: Towards Liquid Biopsies

Distinguishing Circulating Tumor from Normal Cell-Free DNA: Towards Liquid Biopsies | Longevity science | Scoop.it

Pieces of tumor DNA circulating in the bloodstream are generally shorter than circulating DNA fragments derived from healthy cells, scientists reported in PLOS Genetics.

 

Researchers from the University of Washington and the University of Utah observed the DNA difference by analyzing fragments derived from human glioblastoma and hepatocellular carcinoma cells transplanted in rats. The team observed that the human circulating tumor DNA was typically 134 to 144 base pairs long, while the rat circulating DNA was typically 167 base pairs long. 

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Wellness Resources - Mind Blog: The Keys to a Better Brain

Wellness Resources - Mind Blog: The Keys to a Better Brain | Longevity science | Scoop.it

Growing older is not the same as aging. Everyone grows older all the time, but we aren’t necessarily aging as we do so since, by definition, the aging process is one of deterioration.

But we can actually grow new brain connections and even create new neurons from stem cells as a result of our thoughts. If you want to keep your brain and body healthy, you can start by adapting our suggestions into your personal plan.

The Summer 2017 issue of Conscious Lifestyle Magazine features Ray & Terry’s recommendations for building a better brain. As a Ray & Terry’s subscriber, we are happy to share the full article with you (pdf).

Conscious Lifestyle Magazine offers powerful, practical tools, techniques, wisdom and inspiration for creating radiant happiness, health and healing.

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Memory-boosting brain prosthetic shows impressive results in human trials

Memory-boosting brain prosthetic shows impressive results in human trials | Longevity science | Scoop.it
A DARPA-funded study has raised the possibility of memory-enhancing brain prosthetics. Following animal research that had returned successful results, the new study was conducted on patients at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center who already had brain implants as part of epilepsy treatment, and they experienced marked improvements to both short- and long-term memory.
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The patients were asked to play a series of memory-related computer games, and as they were trying to remember things, the researchers recorded patterns of neural firing around the hippocampus area, which is responsible for memory. They paid particular attention to neural patterns that resulted in the correct memory being encoded.
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New Bionic Arm Blurs Line Between Self and Machine for Wearers

New Bionic Arm Blurs Line Between Self and Machine for Wearers | Longevity science | Scoop.it
At 29 years old, Canadian firefighter Rob Anderson lost his left arm and left leg to a harrowing helicopter crash into the side of a mountain. Although fitted with “top of the line” prosthetics for the last 10 years, he said, using them feels like “doing things with a long pair of pliers.”

Part of the problem is that he just doesn’t feel connected to his prosthetic hand. “There’s a disconnect between what you’re physically touching and what your body is doing,” he explained.

So when researchers at the University of Alberta offered him a place in a new prosthetics trial, he leaped at the chance.

The result, published this month in Science Translational Medicine, is a bionic arm strikingly different than anything that’s come before it.
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Promising new lung cancer treatment combines two pre-existing drugs

Promising new lung cancer treatment combines two pre-existing drugs | Longevity science | Scoop.it
An exciting new study is suggesting that a novel treatment combining two currently available and approved drugs could successfully target nearly 85 percent of current lung cancers. With fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy, the new treatment is set to move into a phase 2 human clinical trial within 12 months.
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Five important biomedical technology breakthroughs | KurzweilAI

Five important biomedical technology breakthroughs | KurzweilAI | Longevity science | Scoop.it
Now you can build your own low-cost 3-D bioprinter by modifying a standard commercial desktop 3-D printer for under $500 — thanks to an open-source “LVE 3-D” design developed by Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) researchers. CMU provides detailed instructional videos.

You can print artificial human tissue scaffolds on a larger scale (entire human heart) and at higher resolution and quality, the researchers say. Most 3-D bioprinters start between $10K and $20K, and commercial 3D printers cost up to $200,000 and are typically proprietary machines, closed source, and difficult to modify.
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Electronic socks check diabetics' feet for heat

Electronic socks check diabetics' feet for heat | Longevity science | Scoop.it

Diabetics often lack sensitivity in their feet, which means that they may not know when foot ulcers are forming. If such ulcers do form and get infected, amputations are sometimes required. The sensor-equipped Siren Diabetic Sock, however, is designed to help keep that from happening.

Made from what the company calls Neurofabric, each sock has multiple microsensors woven into the material. These sensors continuously monitor the temperature of each foot at six key locations. If the temperature spikes in any of those places, it could be caused by the inflammation that precedes a diabetic foot ulcer.

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Newly discovered metabolic mechanism could be an off-switch for inflammation

Newly discovered metabolic mechanism could be an off-switch for inflammation | Longevity science | Scoop.it
Researchers at Trinity College Dublin have uncovered a new metabolic process involved in the immune system's inflammatory processes. The discovery suggests manipulating this mechanism could essentially "switch off" inflammation, which the researchers hope could lead to the development of entirely new anti-inflammatory drugs to treat a host of auto-immune disorders.
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Did scientists really just discover a new organ in the human body?

Did scientists really just discover a new organ in the human body? | Longevity science | Scoop.it

Using a new microscopic technique, a team of scientists has identified a previously unknown human anatomical feature. Dubbed the interstitium, the discovery reveals that what was previously thought to be simply dense connective tissue sitting below the skin's surface, and surrounding our organs, is actually a complex series of interconnected, fluid-filled compartments.

The discovery came when a couple of researchers were experimenting with a new type of endoscope that uses a laser and fluorescent dyes to examine living tissue at a microscopic level while probing patients. While examining a patient's bile duct, the researchers identified a pattern of cavities that didn't fit with the known anatomy of the bile duct.

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Tooth Sensor Measures Intake of Sugar, Salt, Alcohol

Tooth Sensor Measures Intake of Sugar, Salt, Alcohol | Longevity science | Scoop.it
Having an accurate record of food and alcohol intake is important for managing a number of diseases including diabetes, various cardiovascular conditions, and alcoholism. Currently, not much practical technology is available to do this aside from smartphone apps, and apps tend to be tedious and require constant vigilance of making sure to input all the data.

Researchers at Tufts University have developed an amazing new sensor, only 2 millimeters on a side, that can be attached to the tooth and measure and transmit readings about glucose, salt and alcohol intake. The device is a combination of a novel, unpowered chemical sensor coupled with RFID (radiofrequency ID) technology. This allows the device to work without requiring a battery, as readings are performed by bouncing RF waves off of it while a special device measures the nature of the returning signal.
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MELISA utilizes a smartphone for biomedical testing

MELISA utilizes a smartphone for biomedical testing | Longevity science | Scoop.it
Presently, if a physician wants to test blood or urine samples for antibodies or antigens, a technique known as an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is used. It requires expensive and bulky lab-based equipment, which has to be operated by trained technicians.

That's why the Mobile Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (MELISA) was invented.

Currently being developed by a team led by Dr. Anna Pyayt, the 1-lb (0.5-kg) device utilizes an integrated water bath heater to incubate samples at a target temperature.
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Caloric Restriction Slows Signs of Aging in Humans | The Scientist Magazine®

Caloric Restriction Slows Signs of Aging in Humans | The Scientist Magazine® | Longevity science | Scoop.it
Studies in various animals, including rodents and monkeys, have reported that caloric restriction can extend their lifespans. Findings from a two-year, randomized, controlled trial with human participants, published last week (March 22) in Cell Metabolism, suggest that cutting down on calories may also be able to prolong the lives of people.

To investigate the effects of reducing food intake, Leanne Redman, an endocrinologist at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University, and her colleagues enrolled 53 healthy men and women between the ages of 21 and 50 and split them into two groups—one group reduced their caloric intake by 15 percent over two years, and the other remained on a regular diet.
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How parasitic worms could help us with everything from obesity to asthma

How parasitic worms could help us with everything from obesity to asthma | Longevity science | Scoop.it
A growing body of research is suggesting that parasitic worms could in fact have a positive effect on our immune system. A new study is bolstering that hypothesis, finding in animal experiments that a certain type of helminth infection can help lower obesity rates, even when fed a high-fat diet.

Although we have a huge amount still to learn, it is slowly becoming more generally accepted that our gut bacteria population has a vital symbiotic effect on our general health, potentially affecting everything from our immune response to our psychological well-being. But what about the symbiotic relationship we potentially have with larger parasitic organisms?
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How stem cell therapy could be a future cure for alcoholism

How stem cell therapy could be a future cure for alcoholism | Longevity science | Scoop.it

An intriguing new study has found that a single dose of human mesenchymal stem cells administered to rats bred to be high alcohol drinkers significantly reduced their voluntary alcohol intake. The research bolsters the growing hypothesis that stem cell treatments may be effective therapies to battle a variety of addiction disorders.

Recent research has indicated that chronic use of addictive drugs, including alcohol, cocaine and opiates, is associated with an increase in neuroinflammation. Other studies, in both humans and rats, have also suggested that pro-inflammatory conditions in the brain can increase voluntary alcohol consumption.

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New study rekindles divisive debate regarding adult brains' ability to produce new neurons

New study rekindles divisive debate regarding adult brains' ability to produce new neurons | Longevity science | Scoop.it
A newly published study suggests adult human brains can produce as many new brain cells as younger brains. The research comes only a month after a controversial study claimed the human brain most likely does not produce new neurons beyond childhood.
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DARPA-funded prosthetic memory system successful in humans, study finds | KurzweilAI

DARPA-funded prosthetic memory system successful in humans, study finds | KurzweilAI | Longevity science | Scoop.it
“This is the first time scientists have been able to identify a patient’s own brain-cell code or pattern for memory and, in essence, ‘write in’ that code to make existing memory work better — an important first step in potentially restoring memory loss,” said the paper’s lead author Robert Hampson, Ph.D., professor of physiology/pharmacology and neurology at Wake Forest Baptist.
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Top 12 Companies Bringing Blockchain To Healthcare

Top 12 Companies Bringing Blockchain To Healthcare | Longevity science | Scoop.it
Security, trust, traceability, and control – these are the promises of the blockchain, the technology with the most potential in healthcare at the moment. As these are highly attractive traits for storing sensitive health data or for the operation of supply chains, many companies aim to leverage its powers for healthcare. We collected the most promising enterprises here.
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USDA confirms it won't regulate CRISPR gene-edited plants like it does GMOs

USDA confirms it won't regulate CRISPR gene-edited plants like it does GMOs | Longevity science | Scoop.it
A statement issued by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue last week has clarified that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) currently does not, and has no plans to, regulate gene edited plants or crops. As opposed to genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that involve adding genes from other organisms such as bacteria, the USDA considers gene-edited plants as being similar to plants developed through traditional breeding techniques and therefore require less regulatory oversight.
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FDA working on a 'dozen' policies to boost copycat biotech drugs

FDA working on a 'dozen' policies to boost copycat biotech drugs | Longevity science | Scoop.it
The United States has lagged behind Europe in use of so-called biosimilars, to the frustration of FDA policymakers who are starting to approve such products but who are seeing other impediments to getting them to consumers.

Biological drugs for treating serious conditions such as cancer and rheumatoid arthritis are complex molecules made inside living cells.
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Electronic socks check diabetics' feet for heat

Electronic socks check diabetics' feet for heat | Longevity science | Scoop.it

Diabetics often lack sensitivity in their feet, which means that they may not know when foot ulcers are forming. If such ulcers do form and get infected, amputations are sometimes required. The sensor-equipped Siren Diabetic Sock, however, is designed to help keep that from happening.

Made from what the company calls Neurofabric, each sock has multiple microsensors woven into the material. These sensors continuously monitor the temperature of each foot at six key locations. If the temperature spikes in any of those places, it could be caused by the inflammation that precedes a diabetic foot ulcer.

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Harvard scientists uncover an exploitable Achilles' heel common to most bacteria

Harvard scientists uncover an exploitable Achilles' heel common to most bacteria | Longevity science | Scoop.it

Bacteria can be hardy little creatures, thanks mostly to their strong cell walls that can protect them against drugs, viruses and other dangers. Finding ways to disarm these defenses is a key component of antibiotics, and now researchers at Harvard Medical School have identified a structural weakness that seems to be built into a range of bacterial species, potentially paving the way for a new class of widely-effective antibacterial drugs.

The new study builds on previous research into a protein named RodA. While the protein itself has long been known, in 2016 the Harvard team was the first to discover that it builds the protective cell walls of bacteria out of sugar molecules and amino acids. Since RodA belongs to the SEDS family of proteins, which is common to almost all bacteria, the team realized it was the perfect target for a far-reaching antibiotic. And on closer examination of RodA, the researchers spotted a vulnerable looking cavity on the outer surface of the protein.

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High-tech visor detects strokes

High-tech visor detects strokes | Longevity science | Scoop.it

It's definitely an understatement to say that the sooner someone is treated for a stroke, the better their chances of survival and recovery. Before they can be treated, though, doctors need to know if they've indeed had a stroke. That's where the Cerebrotech Visor comes in.


Developed over the past few years by California-based Cerebrotech Medical Systems, the device utilizes a process known as volumetric impedance phase shift spectroscopy (VIPS).

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Anti-Alzheimer's antibodies clean out brain plaques in mice

Anti-Alzheimer's antibodies clean out brain plaques in mice | Longevity science | Scoop.it
Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine have tested a new weapon in the fight against Alzheimer's. In mice tests, the team has demonstrated an antibody that can clear away the disease's characteristic build-up of proteins in the brain, which may lead to an early-stage treatment to prevent symptoms from occurring.
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Ray Kurzweil & Jessica Coen | THE POWER OF IDEAS TO TRANSFORM THE WORLD | SXSW 2018 - YouTube

Ray Kurzweil is one of the world’s leading inventors, thinkers, and futurists, with a thirty-year track record of accurate predictions. Share his ideas on hacking the human brain with technology. Called “the restless genius” by The Wall Street Journal and “the ultimate thinking machine” by Forbes magazine, he was selected as one of the top entrepreneurs by Inc. magazine, which described him as the ”rightful heir to Thomas Edison.” PBS has selected him as one of the “sixteen revolutionaries who made America.”
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"Game-changing" synthesized antibiotic successfully treats infections for the first time

"Game-changing" synthesized antibiotic successfully treats infections for the first time | Longevity science | Scoop.it
Back in 2015, a team of scientists discovered an exciting new antibiotic called teixobactin. Now an international team of researchers has, for the first time, successfully synthesized the compound and used it to treat a bacterial infection in mice. This is an important milestone in the quest to develop a new antibiotic in the war against antibiotic-resistant superbugs.
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Wearable system is like an electrocardiogram for the gut

Wearable system is like an electrocardiogram for the gut | Longevity science | Scoop.it

One of the standard methods of monitoring activity in a patient's gastrointestinal tract is invasive, and has to be carried out while they lie immobile in a clinic. There may soon be another option, though, in the form of a GI tract-monitoring system that is worn by the patient while at home.

Developed by a team of scientists at the University of California San Diego's Jacobs School of Engineering, the setup consists of 10 standard electrodes of the type used in electrocardiograms, which are wired to a 3D-printed box containing the electronics and battery.

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Study reveals how hunger can override our feelings of chronic pain

Study reveals how hunger can override our feelings of chronic pain | Longevity science | Scoop.it

New research from neuroscientists at the University of Pennsylvania has found that chronic pain can be suppressed by feelings of hunger. This unique evolutionary quirk, controlled by a very small population of brain cells, could offer researchers novel new targets for pain treatments.

The research lab's focus is generally on studying the neurological ways that hunger alters perception. "We didn't set out having this expectation that hunger would influence pain sensation so significantly," says Amber Alhadeff, a postdoctoral researcher on the study, "but when we saw these behaviors unfold before us, it made sense. If you're an animal, it doesn't matter if you have an injury, you need to be able to overcome that in order to go find the nutrients you need to survive."

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