HUMODS.com

Stephen Hawking talks about our humods future

2009-07-04T00:01:00.001-04:00

Theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking recently outlined his personal philosophy, which turns out to include most of the humods memes. "At first, evolution proceeded by natural selection, from random mutations." But now, says Hawking, we are entering a new phase of "self designed evolution" in which we will extensively modify our own DNA. "At first, these changes will be confined to the repair of genetic defects controlled by single genes." Then humans will move on to modding more complex combinations . "I am sure that during the next century, people will discover how to modify both intelligence and instincts like aggression," says Hawking.

Hawking also points out the importance of another key part of the humods worldview, the vital importance of advancing our species by developing and spreading the most effective memes. "Some people would use the term, evolution, only for the internally transmitted genetic material, and would object to it being applied to information handed down externally. But I think that is too narrow a view. We are more than just our genes."

Optical transistor brings ultrafast light-based computers closer

2009-07-03T08:57:00.006-04:00

An optical transistor that uses one laser beam to control another could form the heart of a future generation of ultrafast light-based computers, say Swiss researchers. Conventional computers are based on transistors, which allow one electrode to control the current moving through the device and are combined to form logic gates and processors. The new component achieves the same thing, but for laser beams, not electric currents.

Gene's novel role may provide key to treating neurodegenerative diseases

2009-07-03T00:10:00.000-04:00

Scientists at Singapore's Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI) have discovered that the gene, "Fas-apoptosis inhibitory molecule" (FAIM) triggers a mechanism that ultimately impedes an important pathway to apoptosis (programmed cell death), which is mediated by a key protein called Fas. According to Drs. Huo and Xu, there is also significant evidence that FAIM prevents neuron death and promotes neural outgrowth, making it a potential therapeutic target for reversing the effects of neurodegenerative diseases.

Curing cancer by blocking the stem cells that allow it to spread

2009-07-02T14:53:00.009-04:00

AML is a cancer of the white blood cells that does not respond well to conventional chemotherapy. "Previous research has suggested that leukemia stem cells (LSCs) may lie at the heart of post-treatment relapse and chemoresistance," said study author Associate Professor Richard Lock from the University of New South Wales. LSCs initiate AML and are critical for its growth. The molecule CD123 is expressed at very high levels on LSCs but not on normal blood cells. CD123 is part of the interleukin-3 receptor, a protein that interacts with a growth factor (called a cytokine) that influences cell survival and proliferation. Researchers have created a molecule that can recognized and bind to CD123. After promising results in mouse studies, the CD123-targeting antibody is now in clinical trials with no signs of treatment-related toxicity.

Reprogrammed pluripotent stem cells differ from embryonic stem cells

2009-07-02T14:42:00.003-04:00

UCLA researchers have found that embryonic stem cells and skin cells reprogrammed into embryonic-like cells have inherent molecular differences. Embryonic stem cells and the reprogrammed cells, known as induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, have overlapping but still distinct gene expression signatures. The differing signatures were evident regardless of where the cell lines were generated, the methods by which they were derived or the species from which they were isolated. "We need to keep in mind that iPS cells are not perfectly similar to embryonic stem cells," said William Lowry, an assistant professor of molecular, cell and developmental biology. "It could be biologically irrelevant, or it could be manifested as an advantage or a disadvantage."

A revolutionary new light, thin printable battery seems sure to boost development of wearware

2009-07-02T11:42:00.006-04:00

For a long time, batteries were bulky and heavy. Now, a new cutting-edge battery is revolutionizing the field. It is thinner than a millimeter, lighter than a gram, and can be produced cost-effectively using using a silk-screen printing method similar to that used for t-shirts and signs. This battery should really give wearware a huge boost. All sorts of wearable technologies are suddenly practical. The researchers have already produced the batteries on a laboratory scale and say that their process is so simple and scalable that the batteries could be available on a commercial scale as quickly as the end of this year.

Hummingbird-like spy bot takes wing

2009-07-02T11:36:00.000-04:00

Engineers at AeroVironment are developing the Nano Air Vehicle (NAV) (or flying spy-bot) under a DARPA sponsored research contract to develop a new class of air vehicle systems capable of indoor and outdoor operation. Employing biological mimicry at an extremely small scale, this unconventional aircraft could someday provide new reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities in urban environments. Watching these clips of various prototypes designed to fly just like a hummingbird is fascinating.

Breakthrough open source computer interface device

2009-07-02T11:26:00.003-04:00

The open source AcceleGlove reinvents the concept of a computer input device, replacing the need for gamepad, joystick, trackball or mouse. As a Controller, AcceleGlove can use hand or finger movement to act as commands for controlling video games, robots, simulators, virtual reality environments, or any other application you might imagine.

Rat-bot uses whiskers to navigate any environment

2009-07-02T10:46:00.008-04:00

Engineers at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory are at it again. Their latest fascinating bot designed, called Scratchbot, is really more of a rat-bot, since like rats, it uses whiskers to navigate through a complex environment. To watch this bot in action click here, or to see a gallery of all of BRL's amazing bot creation, click here.

Stem cell control discovery could spawn powerful regenerative therapies

2009-07-02T00:04:00.002-04:00

The telomerase molecule, best known for enabling unlimited cell division of stem cells and cancer cells by fixing the telomeres end caps of DNA, has a surprising additional role in the expression of genes in an important stem cell regulatory pathway, say researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Study of a component of the telomerase complex, a protein called TERT, found that TERT was directly regulating the important Wnt pathway that controls the maintenance and proliferation of stem cells.

World's smallest LCD screen for Reality Enhancement System (RES) devices

2009-07-01T17:31:00.004-04:00

The Kopin Corporation has created a Cyberdisplay only 0.27 inches along its diagonal with a resolution of 600 x 480. The device is said to be the smallest full-color VGA screen in the world,and hopefully, will give a boost to the Reality Enhancement System (RES) market.

Experiencing life with a smart bot constantly overlaying the reality around us with useful information will radically boost the capabilities of humans. RES is likely to be the net cloud's most powerful killer app.

Scientist thinks humans can be modded to regenerate like a salamander

2009-07-01T17:10:00.005-04:00

The salamander can regenerate lost limbs, damaged lungs, sliced spinal cord and even bits of lopped-off brain. Now, based on experiments on genetically modified axolotl salamanders, researchers have shown that cells from the salamander's different tissues retain the memory of those tissues when they regenerate, contributing with few exceptions only to the same type of tissue from whence they came. Since standard mammal stem cells operate in this same way, albeit with far less dramatic results, the new findings suggest that harnessing the salamander's regenerative powers for human medical science is possible. "It's more mammal-like than was ever expected," said Malcolm Maden, a professor of biology at the University of Florida Genetics Institute, and author of the paper.

Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (GCSF) improves cognition

2009-07-01T15:54:00.005-04:00

GCSF, a human growth factor that stimulates blood stem cells to proliferate in bone marrow, reverses memory impairment in mice genetically altered to develop Alzheimer's disease, a new study has found. GCSF significantly reduces levels of the brain-clogging protein beta amyloid deposited in the brain. In the image, microglia (shown in green) attack the beta amyloid deposits (shown in red) in GCSF-treated brain tissue.

American Dietetic Association changes position on vegetarian diets

2009-07-01T11:06:00.003-04:00

"It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life-cycle including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood and adolescence and for athletes."

Signaling pathway mod could boost brain repair capability

2009-07-01T10:48:00.007-04:00

Scientists have discovered a signaling pathway (called Wnt) may be a critical key to developing therapies to enable the restoration of damaged brain tissues. The Wnt pathway plays an active role in the maintenance and proliferation of stem cells, as a crucial determinant of whether oligodendrocytes can efficiently make myelin. The new study demonstrates that if the Wnt pathway is abnormally active, then the process is inhibited. This opens up the exciting possibility that brain repair can be enhanced by blocking the Wnt pathway. The team found that the expression of a gene called Tcf4 was strong in damaged areas where repair attempts were under way. Tcf4 is involved in the cascade of biochemical events known as the Wnt (pronounced wint) pathway, whose importance has been well recognized in normal development of many tissues, including the brain. Until now, however, Wnt had not been linked to myelin production or repair.

Deleting genes that fix oxygen's damage to DNA causes cancer

2009-07-01T10:34:00.004-04:00

Although all cells need oxygen to survive, oxygen can damage DNA, causing lesions, breaks, cross-links and deletions-errors in our normal genetic codes that, if left unchecked, accelerate the aging process and increase susceptibility to several cancer and other diseases. Deleting the neil1 and nth1 genes responsible for repairing DNA strands damaged by oxidation leads to several types of tumors. The image shows a section of lung tissue from a double knockout mouse, stained to show lung tumors. Mice lacking both genes were particularly prone to pulmonary and liver tumors during their second year.

Brain mechanism discovery could switch-off alcohol dependency

2009-06-30T18:49:00.002-04:00

Researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have discovered a new brain mechanism involved in alcohol addiction involving the stomach hormone ghrelin. When ghrelin's actions in the brain are blocked, alcohol's effects on the reward system are reduced. It is an important discovery that could lead to new therapies for addictions such as alcohol dependence.

Scientists claim to have found a potential 'biological fountain of youth'

2009-06-30T18:20:00.004-04:00

Scientists say their new discovery could lead to the single most important medical breakthrough in human history -- significantly longer lifespans. "Ultimately we are trying to discover what underlying mechanisms allow for some animal species to live a very long time with the hope that we might be able to develop therapies that allow people to age more slowly," said Asish Chaudhuri, Professor of Biochemistry, VA Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas and the senior researcher involved in the work.

Asish and colleagues made their discovery by extracting proteins from the livers of two long-lived bat species (Tadarida brasiliensis and Myotis velifer) and young adult mice and exposed them to chemicals known to cause protein misfolding. After examining the proteins, the scientists found that the bat proteins exhibited less damage than those of the mice, indicating that the bats have a mechanism for maintaining proper protein structure under extreme stress that other organisms lack. Once this mechanism is fully understood, the researchers believe that it could lead to therapies capable of significantly extending human lifespans.

Brain section multitasks to handle both phonetics and decision-making

2009-06-30T18:10:00.003-04:00

A front portion of the brain that handles tasks like decision-making also helps decipher different phonetic sounds, according to new Brown University research. This section of the brain - the left inferior frontal sulcus - treats different pronunciations of the same speech sound the same way. This solves the mystery of how the brain is able to equate sounds that can sound radically different when spoken by different people.

First implant of what could prove to be a much better cyborg heart

2009-06-30T17:55:00.004-04:00

Abiomed recently announced the successful implant of its AbioCor Total Replacement Heart, performed at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital by Mark Anderson, M.D., associate professor of surgery at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. This is the first AbioCor implant since the completion of clinical trials and Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE) approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The heart was implanted in a 76-year-old male patient diagnosed with congestive, end-stage heart failure, who did not qualify for a heart transplant or other available therapies, making him eligible for the AbioCor implant.

Can studying super babies find the strength gene?

2009-06-30T17:47:00.002-04:00

Myostatin is the protein that tells your muscles when to stop growing. Two babies Super Babies have been born recently with a mutant gene that prevents them from producing enough myostatin. Scientists are studying this myostatin mutation to see if we could all become as muscle bound as these tots.

Suggestions for surviving in troubled times

2009-06-30T17:32:00.004-04:00

There is growing evidence for the theory that the last half of the 20th century was a period of extraordinary stability. But now we have returned to the more typical human condition, as previously experienced in the first half of the 20th century. A period that saw two World Wars, a flu outbreak that killed 50 to 100 million, a Great Depression and numerous 'great leaders' that slaughtered tens of millions of their own citizens to consolidate their power.

Let's hope things won't get that bad, but a good Civilization 2.0 thinker, John Robb over at Global Guerrillas, has some interesting suggestions for surviving in troubled times.

A 'perfection tool' that will let Big Brother track you everywhere

2009-06-30T16:59:00.006-04:00

It's a frequent scene in television crime dramas: clever police technicians zoom in on a security camera video to read a license plate or capture the face of a hold-up artist. But in real life, enhancing low-quality video has not been an easy task -- until now. Researchers at Tel Aviv University have developed a new video perfection tool that can see what the naked eye cannot in either live or recorded video, in either color or black-and-white. "This enhancement of resolution can be a critical factor in locating terrorists or identifying criminal suspects," says Prof. Yaroslavsky.

The millions of security video cameras being installed are on the verge of being able to track you everywhere you go. Do you really want to live in a Big Brother state?

Daily sex helps to reduce sperm DNA damage and improve fertility

2009-06-30T16:16:00.002-04:00

Daily sex improves men's sperm quality by reducing the amount of DNA damage. "I thought that frequent ejaculation might be a physiological mechanism to improve sperm DNA damage, while maintaining semen levels within the normal, fertile range," explained Dr David Greening, specialist in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Sydney IVF. To investigate this hypothesis, Dr Greening studied 118 men who had higher than normal sperm DNA damage as indicated by a DNA Fragmentation Index (DFI). The men were instructed to ejaculate daily for seven days. When the men's sperm was re-assessed on the seventh day DFI had dropped from 34% to 26%.

One step test finds genetic and chromosomal abnormalities in embryos

2009-06-30T15:58:00.002-04:00

A one-step embryo test for both genetic and chromosomal abnormalities has been developed by researchers based in the USA and the UK. The technique, known as genome-wide karyomapping, was capable of not only detecting diseases caused by a specific gene mutation, in this case cystic fibrosis, but that it was also capable of detecting aneuploidy (an abnormal number of any of the 23 pairs of chromosome) at the same time. Clinical trials for couples seeking fertility treatment will begin later this year.