Science Snippet: Zooming In on Nanoparticles
Nanoparticles come in many different shapes and configurations. Credit: Adapted from Stevens, et. al., under Creative Commons License 4.0.
Nanoparticles may sound like gadgets from a science fiction movie, but they exist in real life. They’re particles of any material that are less than 100 nanometers (one-billionth of a meter) in all dimensions. Nanoparticles appear in nature, and humans have, mostly unknowingly, used them since ancient times. For example, hair dyeing in ancient Egypt involved lead sulfite nanoparticles, and artisans in the Middle Ages added gold and silver nanoparticles to stained-glass windows. Over...
Source: Biomedical Beat Blog - National Institute of General Medical Sciences - December 13, 2023 Category: Research Authors: Chrissa Chverchko Tags: Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmacology Tools and Techniques Cool Tools/Techniques Cool Videos Medicines Science Snippet Source Type: blogs
Plant-Based Soft Medical Robots
Researchers at the University of Waterloo in Canada have developed plant-based microrobots that are intended to pave the way for medical robots that can enter the body and perform tasks, such as obtaining a biopsy or performing a surgical procedure. The robots consist of a hydrogel material that is biocompatible and the composite contains cellulose nanoparticles derived from plants. The researchers can tune the orientation of the cellulose nanoparticles such that they respond in predictable ways when exposed to certain chemical cues such as changes in pH. This includes changing the shape of the tiny robots so that they are...
Source: Medgadget - December 11, 2023 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Materials Medicine Surgery UWaterloo WaterlooENG Source Type: blogs
Fight Aging! Newsletter, December 11th 2023
In this study, a single treatment at the peak of disease resulted in the ablation of senescent cells in the lung and attenuation of key fibrotic and inflammatory markers, which ultimately resolved fibrosis. Deciduous Therapeutics has used computational assisted design to synthesise a suite of proprietary therapies that could be used in the clinic to re-activate tissue-resident iNKT cells. To date, the company's lead program has shown single-dose efficacy in resolving both metabolic and fibrotic diseases along with a favorable safety profile at doses significantly higher than the efficacious dose.
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Source: Fight Aging! - December 10, 2023 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Newsletters Source Type: blogs
VCAM1 and APOE Involved in Microglial Clearance of Amyloid- β
One of the characteristics of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease is the inflammatory activation and dysfunction of microglia. These are cells of the innate immune system distinct to the brain, analogous to macrophages elsewhere in the body. They undertake a similar portfolio of tasks, including chasing down pathogens, destroying errant cells, cleaning up waste and debris such as toxic aggregated proteins found outside cells, and aiding in tissue maintenance and repair. When microglia are in an inflammatory state, they are less inclined to aid in tissue maintenance and clearance of harmful metabolic wa...
Source: Fight Aging! - December 6, 2023 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Medicine, Biotech, Research Source Type: blogs
mRNA Quality Control in the Aging of Nematode Worms
The nematode worm species Caenorhabditis elegans widely used in the laboratory is far removed from human biochemistry, but nonetheless there is much that can be learned about cellular mechanisms relevant to the aging of mammals. Here researchers review what is known of the role of messenger RNA (mRNA) quality control mechanisms in the aging of nematodes. mRNA is produced from gene sequences in the process of transcription, but every operation in the cell is subject to some level of error and happenstance damage to molecular structure. Thus quality control systems must exist to ensure that broken mRNA molecules do not lead ...
Source: Fight Aging! - December 5, 2023 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs
A Longevity Industry Feature in Biopharma Dealmakers: Repair Biotechnologies, Deciduous Therapeutics, and More
In this study, a single treatment at the peak of disease resulted in the ablation of senescent cells in the lung and attenuation of key fibrotic and inflammatory markers, which ultimately resolved fibrosis. Deciduous Therapeutics has used computational assisted design to synthesise a suite of proprietary therapies that could be used in the clinic to re-activate tissue-resident iNKT cells. To date, the company's lead program has shown single-dose efficacy in resolving both metabolic and fibrotic diseases along with a favorable safety profile at doses significantly higher than the efficacious dose. (Source: Fight Aging!)
Source: Fight Aging! - December 4, 2023 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Longevity Industry Source Type: blogs
Fight Aging! Newsletter, November 20th 2023
In this study, we attempted to further explain the role, exact mechanism and target of ICA in treating AD from the ferroptosis perspective. We found that ICA could improve the neurobehavioral, memory, and motor abilities of AD mice. It could lower the ferroptosis level and enhance the resistance to oxidative stress. After inhibition of MDM2, ICA could no longer improve the cognitive ability of AD mice, nor could it further inhibit ferroptosis. Network pharmacological analysis revealed that MDM2 might be the target of ICA action.
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Particulate Air Pollution and Its Effects on the Mechan...
Source: Fight Aging! - November 19, 2023 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Newsletters Source Type: blogs
The Brain Microbiome Theory of Alzheimer's Disease
The amyloid cascade hypothesis of Alzheimer's disease suggests that the disease arises from misfolding and aggregation of amyloid-β, which grows to disrupts brain metabolism to produce inflammation and tau aggregation in later stages of the condition. While the amyloid cascade hypothesis remains the dominant view of the causes of Alzheimer's disease, there are other views. For example, that persistent infection leads directly to a runaway feedback loop of chronic inflammation and tau aggregation. In this view, amyloid-β aggregation is a side-effect, given that amyloid-β appears to be an anti-microbial peptide, a part of...
Source: Fight Aging! - November 17, 2023 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs
Particulate Air Pollution and Its Effects on the Mechanisms of Degenerative Aging
There is a great deal of data on air quality for researchers to peruse and link to the even larger set of data on human health and mortality. This has resulted in studies demonstrating strong correlations between higher levels of particulate air pollution and raised mortality, both in the context of exposure differences between large regions, and in the variations across a single metropolitan area. A large part of the problem is smoke, with industry, wildfires, and cooking fires all contributing to this issue to different degrees in different regions. Mechanistically, these particles lead to increased chronic inflammation ...
Source: Fight Aging! - November 17, 2023 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs
Invasive species in the UK
Invasive species, a term referring to non-native species introduced to new environments, often establish self-sustaining populations with negative impacts on local ecosystems, economies, or human health.
These invaders, encompassing plants, animals, fungi, or microorganisms (refer to the foot of this article for examples), typically arrive due to human activities such as trade, travel, or intentional release. In rare cases, invasive species might reach the UK through natural avenues, such as animal migration or wind dispersal. Climate change exacerbates the situation, creating new ecological niches due to shifts in tempera...
Source: David Bradley Sciencebase - Songs, Snaps, Science - November 10, 2023 Category: Science Authors: David Bradley Tags: Biology Environment Science Source Type: blogs
3D Printing In Medicine And Healthcare – The Ultimate List
3D printing has demonstrated huge potential for the future of medicine in the previous years, and its development is unstoppable. See the impressive list of 3D-printed healthcare materials and medical equipment below!
How does 3D printing in medicine work?
3D printing in medicine is part of the innovative process called additive manufacturing, which means producing three-dimensional solid objects from a digital file. How the technology works, we explained in our article on bioprinting here.
As technology evolves, researchers work on various solutions. For example, engineers from the University of Buffalo have ...
Source: The Medical Futurist - November 7, 2023 Category: Information Technology Authors: berci.mesko Tags: 3D Printing Biotechnology Future of Medicine Healthcare Design Medical Education Personalized Medicine 3d printed biomaterial tissue engineering Video bioprinting GC1 Innovation Source Type: blogs
Fight Aging! Newsletter, November 6th 2023
This study aimed to gather valuable insights from pharmaceutical experts and healthcare practitioners regarding the potential and challenges of translating senolytic drugs for treatment of vascular aging-related disorders. This study employed a qualitative approach by conducting in-depth interviews with healthcare practitioners and pharmaceutical experts. Participants were selected through purposeful sampling. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes from the interview transcripts. A total of six individuals were interviewed, with three being pharmaceutical experts and the remaining three healthcare practitioners.
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Source: Fight Aging! - November 5, 2023 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Newsletters Source Type: blogs
Epigenetic Reprogramming as a Treatment for Alzheimer's Disease
This review paper lumps together thoughts on the prospects for both epigenetic reprogramming and upregulation of autophagy as approaches to the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, the former a much more recent development in the research community, and the latter a long-running goal that has seen less concrete progress than desired. The long, slow path to any sort of success in the development of Alzheimer's therapies based on clearance of amyloid-β has led to considerable pressure to try other other avenues, but despite numerous trials and development programs, few of those have made much progress towards the clinic as of ...
Source: Fight Aging! - November 3, 2023 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs
Towards Clearance of Senescent Cells to Improve Heart Regeneration
Senescent cells accumulate with age in tissues throughout the body. Cells enter a senescent state constantly throughout life, largely the result of cells reaching the Hayflick limit on replication, but also due to stress, injury, and damage. A senescent cell ceases replication and instead produces a potent mix of pro-growth, pro-inflammatory signals. The primary purpose of senescence in an adult is to signal to the immune system that a cell needs to be removed, and potentially that the surrounding region of tissue requires further attention, such as in the case of an injury or toxic environment that is damaging other cells...
Source: Fight Aging! - October 31, 2023 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Medicine, Biotech, Research Source Type: blogs
Faculty Perspectives on Responding to Microaggressions Targeting Clerkship Students
On this episode of the Academic Medicine Podcast, Meghan O’Brien, MD, MBE, and Research in Medical Education (RIME) Committee members Tasha Wyatt, PhD, and Javeed Sukhera, MD, PhD, join host Toni Gallo to discuss new research into faculty perspectives on responding to microaggressions targeting medical students in the clinical learning environment. They explore several tensions that affected how faculty responded to the microaggressions in the study scenarios as well as some of the strategies the faculty used to respond effectively.
This episode is now available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and anywhere else p...
Source: Academic Medicine Blog - October 31, 2023 Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: amrounds Tags: AM Podcast AM Podcast Transcript Academic Medicine podcast faculty development medical education medical students microaggressions RIME Source Type: blogs
