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Category: biotech/medical – Page 1,226

Older Adults Who Sleep Less Are More Likely to Develop Multiple Chronic Diseases

Older adults who sleep just five hours a night or fewer have a greater risk of developing more than one chronic disease, new research shows. The findings underscore the importance of healthy sleep patterns throughout life, and especially in middle and old age.

The new study, published in PLOS Medicine, examined sleep duration and its effect on multimorbidity—or the occurrence of more than one chronic condition, like diabetes and cardiovascular disease, at once. People ages 50 or older who slept a total of five hours a night or less were found to have at least a 30% greater risk of multimorbidity.

Prior studies have largely focused on the link between sleep and the development of individual chronic diseases, but it’s been unclear how sleep duration contributes to the development of multiple chronic conditions. The new findings add to growing evidence suggesting that sleep deficiencies can affect health outcomes.

People with speech paralysis can now talk using this intelligent spelling device

It gives new meaning to the phrase “speak your mind.

Do you remember how legendary cosmologist Stephen Hawking communicated using his special screen-equipped chair? Well, that was a brain-computer interface (BCI), a device that allows a person to communicate using their brain signals.

There are approximately 70 million people across the globe who suffer from speech-related disorders. What if there was a BCI for each one of these patients that could at least spell out words, if not speak for them? A team of researchers from the University of California, San Fransico (UCSF) works on one such groundbreaking device.

They have created a neuroprosthesis (a type of BCI device that re-establish lost functions of the nervous system) that analyzes the brain activity of a user with speech paralysis. The device then translates the brain signals into single letters and spells sentences on a screen. Reading the sentences lets anyone know what the user wants to say.

This deep brain stimulator needs no batteries, only your breath

“This is the first system that combines all the pieces; efficient energy harvesting, energy storage, and the controlled brain stimulator.”

Researchers have devised an ingenious way to power deep brain simulators — Using the person’s breathing movements.

About 150,000 deep brain stimulators are implanted every year. Normally placed under the skin in the chest area with electrodes implanted in the brain, these stimulators are known to help with neurological and psychiatric diseases when traditional treatments fail.

These engineered viruses are delivering DNA to E.coli instead of killing it- here’s why

Turns out, altering bacteria from within could be the solution to antibiotic resistance.

In an ironic twist, researchers used viruses engineered with the CRISPR-Cas system to alter bacterial defense mechanisms and edit their genomes selectively in complex environments. Significantly, the novel approach may help address the pressing issue of antibiotic resistance.

Meletios Verras/iStock.

The CRISPR Conundrum

The future of manufacturing is iterative, collaborative and data-driven

Digital transformation has been positioned as a cure-all to many of the challenges today’s enterprises face. But to fully reap the benefits of a digital transformation, businesses need to do more than just adopt the latest tools and apps. They also have to change their attitudes, practices and processes around data and technology, throughout their own organization and in their interactions with partners and customers.

“Digital transformation requires a jump on the technology side, but it requires a leap on the people side,” says Bill Gundrey, executive director for digital engineering and operations at Raytheon Missiles & Defense. “At Raytheon, digital transformation is a team sport. It impacts every function in our company, as well as customers and suppliers. We had to change the way people think about data and technology.”

Study Offers New Insights Into Genetic Mutations in Autism Disorders and Points to Possible Treatments

Summary: Mutations of the PTEN gene cause neurons to grow to twice the size and form four times the number of synaptic connections to other neurons as a normal neuron. Removing the RAPTOR gene, an essential gene in the mTORC1 signaling pathway, prevents the neuronal and synaptic overgrowth associated with PTEN mutations. Using Rapamycin to inhibit mTORC1 rescues all the changes in neuronal overgrowth.

Source: the geisel school of medicine at dartmouth.

Findings from a new study published in Cell Reports, involving a collaborative effort between researchers at the Luikart Laboratory at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine and the Weston Laboratory at the University of Vermont, are providing further insight into the neurobiological basis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and pointing to possible treatments.

This Single Blood Test Can Detect Multiple Kinds of Cancer Early

Detecting cancer early before it spreads throughout the body can be lifesaving. This is why doctors recommend regular screening for several common cancer types, using a variety of methods.

Colonoscopies, for example, screen for colon cancer, while mammograms screen for breast cancer.

While important, getting all these tests done can be logistically challenging, expensive, and sometimes uncomfortable for patients. But what if a single blood test could screen for most common cancer types all at once?

Lab-grown blood cells transfused into people

The world’s first clinical trial of laboratory grown red blood cells transfused into humans has begun at the University of Bristol, UK.

The manufactured blood cells were grown from stem cells from donors. The red cells were then transfused into volunteers, as part of an NHS clinical trial called RESTORE (REcovery and survival of STem cell Originated REd cells).

If proved to be safe and effective, this could revolutionise treatments for people with blood disorders such as sickle cell and rare blood types. It can be difficult to find enough well-matched donated blood for some people with these disorders.

Rejuvenate Bio Launches New Office in San Diego

SAN DIEGO—()— Rejuvenate Bio, today announced the launch of its new office in San Diego, which will help foster and accelerate the discovery and development of gene therapies for human and animal health. The office will support all functions including business development and clinical operations functions.

“San Diego’s life sciences industry is one of the leading biotech hubs in the nation and Rejuvenate exemplifies the spirit of innovation for which the region is known.” Tweet this

“The launch of our new office in this leading biotech hub, allows us to aggressively pursue our business development efforts and leverage the talent and expertise San Diego offers,” said Daniel Oliver, CEO & Co-Founder, Rejuvenate Bio. “This will help with our recruiting efforts, as we launch our first clinical gene therapy trial in humans next year. We look forward to continued development of our pipeline and our team in one of the fastest-growing biotech hubs.”