Lifeboat Foundation: Safeguarding Humanity
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Category: biotech/medical

Researchers have developed a tiny magnetic robot that can take 3D scans from deep within the body and could revolutionise early cancer detection.

The team, led by engineers from the University of Leeds, says this is the first time high-resolution three-dimensional ultrasound images taken from a probe deep inside the gastrointestinal tract, or gut, have been generated.

It paves the way to transforming the diagnosis and treatment of several forms of cancer by enabling ‘virtual biopsies’ – noninvasive scans that provide immediate diagnostic data. These scans allow doctors to detect, stage, and potentially treat lesions in a single procedure, eliminating the need for physical biopsies.

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Wenzhou Medical University and collaborating institutions have identified a population of human neural retinal stem-like cells able to regenerate retinal tissue and support visual recovery.

Vision loss caused by affects millions worldwide. Conditions such as and age-related macular degeneration involve the irreversible loss of light-sensitive neural cells in the retina. While current treatments may slow progression, they do not replace damaged tissue.

For decades, scientists have explored whether stem cells could be used to regenerate the retina, but the existence of true retinal stem cells in humans has remained uncertain. In fish and amphibians, the outer edge of the retina houses stem cells that regenerate tissue continuously. Whether a comparable system exists in the human eye has been debated for more than two decades.

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A team of MIT researchers recently created the first synthetic muscle actuator that can flex in multiple directions. This study opens the door for more capable soft robots and other advanced medical breakthroughs. Here’s how the team utilized a new 3D printing method, alongside specially made stamps, to grow synthetic muscles in the lab that can replicate the real thing.

Understanding Muscle Architecture and Movement

To understand why you can’t just make a motor that does what a muscle does, you first need to look at how your body operates. When you move your hand, there is a lot more going on than just your muscles pulling in a single direction. Many multidirectional skeletal muscle fibers form intricate patterns and are mounted at angles to produce the exact motions of the human body.

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Mitochondria play a crucial role in maintaining energy balance and cellular health. Recent studies have shown that chronic stress in neuronal mitochondria can have far-reaching effects, not only damaging the neurons themselves but also influencing other tissues and systemic metabolic functions.

A new study led by Dr. Tian Ye’s research team at the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) reveals that chronic mitochondrial stress in neurons promotes serotonin release via TMBIM-2-dependent calcium (Ca²⁺) oscillations, which in turn activates the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) in the intestine. The findings are published in the Journal of Cell Biology.

The researchers found that TMBIM-2 works in coordination with the plasma membrane calcium pump MCA-3 (a PMCA homolog) to regulate synaptic Ca²⁺ balance, sustaining persistent calcium signaling oscillations at neuronal synaptic sites.

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The provincial government of Andhra Pradesh (AP) in India has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gates Foundation to advance the use of technology in various sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, and education. The agreement was discussed in a meeting between AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Bill Gates, the Foundation’s chair. Naidu reiterated his administration’s dedication to utilizing innovative technology to propel the state’s development.

The MoU focuses on applying technology in ways that will benefit the public, emphasizing affordable and scalable solutions across essential sectors such as healthcare, medical technology, education, and agriculture. According to Naidu, the collaboration will harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance predictive health analytics and automate diagnostic processes. In the agricultural sector, AI-based platforms for expert guidance and satellite technology will be employed to optimize farming practices and resource management through precision agriculture techniques.

“This MoU formalises a strategic collaboration in which the Gates Foundation will provide support to implementation partners, co-identified with the AP government, for targeted interventions within state-driven programmes,” Naidu said.

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Research findings focus on people with a sleep disorder, but could have broader implications. For people with a certain sleep disorder, a simple blood test could help predict the development of dementia years before symptoms appear, a new study indicates.

Idiopathic REM sleep behaviour disorder (iRBD) causes people to physically act out their dreams while sleeping.

The disorder is also associated with a very high risk of Parkinson’s disease and a related condition called Dementia with Lewy Bodies.

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A new Science Immunology study shows that disruptions to immunosuppressive intraepithelial lymphocytes and intestinal immunity occurs prior to the onset of chronic ileal inflammation in mouse models of Crohn’s Disease.

Multiple layers of γδ IEL dysregulation and loss of their immunosuppressive capacity occur before the onset of chronic ileitis.

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The authors show that neuroprotective and neurotoxic astrocytes representional cellular substates present during neuroinflammation and that targeting mTOR in astrocytes reduces neurotoxicity, suggesting a potential therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases.

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