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Oct 19, 2016
ECB Wants To Curb Bitcoin Use Over Fears It May “Lose Control Over Money Supply” | Zero Hedge
Posted by Odette Bohr Dienel in categories: bitcoin, economics, governance, law
” … the ECB urged EU lawmakers to tighten proposed new rules on digital currencies such as bitcoin …”
Oct 19, 2016
PGC-1α Gene Therapy Slows Alzheimer’s Progression in Mouse Model
Posted by Steve Hill in categories: biotech/medical, chemistry, health, life extension, neuroscience
PCG-1α therapy shows promise in treating age-related decline.
It is always a good idea to look closely at the biochemistry involved in any potential Alzheimer’s disease therapy that shows promise in mouse models. There is perhaps more uncertainty for Alzheimer’s than most other age-related conditions when it comes to the degree to which the models are a useful representation of the disease state in humans — which might go some way towards explaining the promising failures that litter the field. In the research here, the authors are aiming to suppress a step in the generation of amyloid-β, one of the proteins that aggregates in growing amounts and is associated with brain cell death in Alzheimer’s disease. They achieve this goal using gene therapy to increase the level of PGC-1α, which in turn reduces the level of an enzyme involved in the production of amyloid-β. Interestingly, increased levels of PGC-1α have in the past been shown to produce modest life extension in mice, along with some of the beneficial effects to health associated with calorie restriction.
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Oct 19, 2016
Toothpaste significantly reduces dental plaque and inflammation throughout the body
Posted by Steve Hill in categories: biotech/medical, health, life extension
Time to get the toothbrush out and brush for longevity!
For decades, research has suggested a link between oral health and inflammatory diseases affecting the entire body — in particular, heart attacks and strokes.
The results released today from a randomized trial of a novel plaque identifying toothpaste, (Plaque HD®), show statistically significant reductions in dental plaque and inflammation throughout the body. Inflammation throughout the body is accurately measured by high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), a sensitive marker for future heart attacks and strokes. These results, published today online ahead of print in the American Journal of Medicine, with an accompanying editorial by the editor-in-chief, show that Plaque HD®, produced statistically significant reductions in dental plaque and inflammation throughout the body as measured by hs-CRP.
Oct 19, 2016
Humanized organs in gene-edited animals
Posted by Steve Hill in categories: 3D printing, bioprinting, biotech/medical, genetics, life extension
Humanized organs in gene-edited animals is one potential way medicine can deal with the demand for transplant organs.
One potential avenue for research and to help solve the organ shortage is to modify animals to be closer matched to humans in order to have organs capable of being used for transplant. This short paper is an interesting primer into the subject and touches upon the technical and ethical concerns involved here.
It is one possible solution to the problem, however, 3D bioprinting increases in sophistication and other methods are also being developed that would render this approach needless. Still this is an interesting insight into regenerative medicine and one possible path research might take.
#LifespanIO #aging #crowdfundthecure
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Oct 19, 2016
Engineers have made clear wood that’s stronger than plain wood
Posted by Shailesh Prasad in category: futurism
Oct 19, 2016
The Bioservo or Soft Extra Muscles (SEM) glove mimics the human hand
Posted by Shane Hinshaw in category: electronics
Oct 18, 2016
Assistive tech helps paralysed man cycle competitively
Posted by Karen Hurst in categories: computing, cyborgs, neuroscience, transhumanism
Athletes with disabilities have been competing in a range of challenges that use assistive technology to overcome day-to-day practical challenges.
Bionic arms, powered exoskeletons, brain-controlled computer interfaces and supercharged wheelchairs all featured at the world’s first Cybathlon, near Zurich, Switzerland.
One of the races saw functional electrical stimulation (FES) used to activate the leg muscles of paralysed competitors to ride bikes.
Oct 18, 2016
Consciousness could be a side effect of ‘entropy’, say researchers
Posted by Bruno Henrique de Souza in category: neuroscience
It’s impressive enough that our human brains are made up of the same ‘star stuff’ that forms the Universe, but new research suggests that this might not be the only thing the two have in common.
Just like the Universe, our brains might be programmed to maximise disorder — similar to the principle of entropy — and our consciousness could simply be a side effect.
The quest to understand human consciousness — our ability to be aware of ourselves and our surroundings — has been going on for centuries. Although consciousness is a crucial part of being human, researchers still don’t truly understand where it comes from, and why we have it.
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