Thursday, December 15, 2016

Remarkable New Medical Science on a Scroll

The preponderance of the articles lately have been on research into various areas of medicine and all are important but we're not so enamored we need to make full reports on all of them.

Science Daily: People can control a robotic arm with only their minds

"This is the first time in the world that people can operate a robotic arm to reach and grasp objects in a complex 3D environment using only their thoughts without a brain implant," said Bin He, a University of Minnesota biomedical engineering professor and lead researcher on the study. "Just by imagining moving their arms, they were able to move the robotic arm."


Science Daily: Zika antibodies from infected patient thwart infection in mice

Researchers have identified neutralizing antibodies against Zika virus from an infected patient that fully protected mice from infection, adding to the current arsenal of antibodies in development for much needed antiviral therapies and vaccines.


Science Daily: Scientists produce functional heart pacemaker cells

Their findings, "Sinoatrial node cardiomyocytes derived from human pluripotent cells function as a biological pacemaker," published online in Nature Biotechnology on Dec. 12, detail how human pluripotent stem cells can be coaxed in 21 days to develop into pacemaker cells, which regulate heart beats with electrical impulses. These human pacemaker cells were tested in rat hearts and were shown to function as a biological pacemaker, by activating the electrical impulses that trigger the contraction of the heart.


Science Daily: Aspirin slows spread of colon, pancreatic cancer in tumor cells

The findings detail the interaction among platelets, aspirin and tumor cells and are promising for the future treatment of nonmetastatic cancer, according to the researchers. "Our study reveals important differences and specificities in the mechanism of action of high- and low-dose aspirin in metastatic and nonmetastatic cancer cells with different tumor origins and suggests that the ability of aspirin to prevent platelet-induced c-MYC [an oncoprotein] expression might be selective for a nonmetastatic phenotype."

Do NOT start gobbling aspirin.  Talk to your doctor.


Science Daily: Study shows nanoparticles could be used to overcome treatment-resistant breast cancer

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine have been able to generate multifunctional RNA nanoparticles that could overcome treatment resistance in breast cancer, potentially making existing treatments more effective in these patients.

Note:  another hat tip to one of my ex-hometowns.  It's impressive to see how often they turn up here.


So, who loves ya, baby?

We will find the cool stuff but we really don't want to be writing about medical things all the time.  Nevertheless, all of these demonstrate radical research with immense potential for human goodness and any of which may engender some optimism for your help with your own maladies.

We're really concerned about pop medical science and that's why this material is presented straight-up.  Regardless of whether you understand the depth of the article for whatever reason, if it triggers a question to your doctor the next time you go then it's a win.

Say there, Doctor Welby, what's this about nanogizzies and breast cancer, huh?

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