Introduction
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News
New Brain-Computer Interface Allows Man with ALS to ‘Speak’ Again
The researchers implanted sensors in the brain of a man with severely impaired speech due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The man was able to communicate his intended speech within minutes of activating the system.
Self-adjusting brain pacemaker may help reduce Parkinson’s disease symptoms
A small feasibility study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that an implanted device regulated by the body’s brain activity could provide continual and improved treatment for the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) in certain people with the disorder. This type of treatment, called adaptive deep brain stimulation (aDBS), is an improvement on a technique that has been used for PD and other brain disorders for many years. The study found aDBS was markedly more effective at controlling PD symptoms compared to conventional DBS treatments.
Spatial transcriptomics unlocks malaria's liver stage secrets
For the malaria parasite to reach the blood of its human host, it must first enter the liver, where only a small number of parasites differentiate and replicate for upwards of seven days, making it a bottleneck in the parasite's lifecycle. This bottleneck makes the liver stage an optimal target for effective and long-lasting vaccines against the disease. Using Spatial Transcriptomics and single-cell RNA-sequencing technologies, researchers at Stockholm University have for the first time managed to create a spatio-temporal map of malaria infection in the mouse liver. A study that was recently published in Nature Communications. Link to original research: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-51418-2
UK Researchers Use Artificial Intelligence to Identify DNA Methylation Signatures Associated with Cancer
New studies proving artificial intelligence (AI) can be used effectively in clinical laboratory diagnostics and personalized healthcare continue to emerge. Scientists in the UK recently trained an AI model using machine learning and deep learning to enable earlier, more accurate detection of 13 different types of cancer.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London used their AI model to identify specific DNA methylation signatures that can denote the presence of certain cancers with 98.2% accuracy.
Zebrafish Use Surprising Strategy to Regrow Spinal Cord
Zebrafish are members of a rarefied group of vertebrates capable of fully healing a severed spinal cord. A clear understanding of how this regeneration takes place could provide clues toward strategies for healing spinal cord injuries in people. Such injuries can be devastating, causing permanent loss of sensation and movement.
A Genetic Analysis of Lyme Disease Could Improve Diagnosis and Treatment
The genetic information uncovered in this study — which explains how the bacteria evolves and spreads and the genes that are essential for survival — may help scientists develop more effective vaccines against Lyme disease.
Multiple Medical Teams Use Apple Vision Pro XR Headset During Surgical Procedures, Signaling Emergence of Extended Reality Applications in Healthcare
Technology like Apple’s VR/AR headsets may prove useful to clinical laboratories in accessioning and in pathology labs during biopsy grossing.
Scientists Remove Nanoplastics from Water with More than 98 Percent Efficiency
Linked to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in people, nanoplastics continue to build up, largely unnoticed, in the world’s bodies of water. The challenge remains to develop a cost-effective solution to get rid of nanoplastics while leaving clean water behind.
Study identifies natural molecule that reduces pain sensitivity
"Identifying a natural molecule that specifically reduces pain sensitivity offers hope for new therapeutic strategies in the management of pain"
A natural molecule called phosphatidic acid can reduce the activity of certain touch-sensing ion channels in the body, according to a study published in Nature Communications. Link to original research: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-51181-4
Nonlinear dynamics of human aging
Although many studies have explored linear changes during aging, the prevalence of aging-related diseases and mortality risk accelerates after specific time points, indicating the importance of studying nonlinear molecular changes.
This analysis revealed consistent nonlinear patterns in molecular markers of aging, with substantial dysregulation occurring at two major periods occurring at approximately 44 years and 60 years of chronological age.