Andrew Marr has been filmed as he trains his body following his 2013 stroke He wanted to promote the work of stroke charities which support those affected The journalist has had to ‘struggle with physiotherapy’ but wanted to show what it is like to recover from a stroke The consequences aren’t generally obvious on television....
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Organisms created with synthetic DNA pave way for entirely new life forms
E coli microbes have been modified to carry an expanded genetic code which researchers say will ultimately allow them to be programmed A standard DNA molecule. Floyd Romesberg and his team have expanded the genetic code from four letters to six by adding two new molecules they call X and Y. Photograph: Deco Images II...
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Becoming Immortal: The Future of Brain Augmentation and Uploaded Consciousness
IN BRIEF Scientists were able to elicit a pattern similar to the living condition of the brain when exposing dead brain tissue to chemical and electrical probes. Imagine the infinite human future(s) of mind uploading, life after death, immortality. Would you still be you when we upload your mind? If you’ve ever worked with a...
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Could this prevent heart failure? Tiny robot that ‘hugs’ damaged organs to help them beat could save thousands of lives, experts say
Conventional mechanical heart pump blood through the body using a propeller But the new design fits on the outside of the patient’s heart – like that of a glove The soft silicone device stiffens and relaxes when inflated with pressurised air Many people develop the deadly condition after suffering from a heart attack But in a...
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Cancer researchers stumble onto drugs’ fat-blasting powers
The real test will be if the mouse study can be reproduced in humans While the scientific inquiry process is generally linear and highly regimented, every once in awhile, happenstance works its way in. That’s just what happened when researchers at the Mayo Clinic were studying the influence obesity has over cancer treatments and found,...
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Vaccines for three deadly viruses fast-tracked
Scientists have named three relatively little-known diseases they think could cause the next global health emergency. A coalition of governments and charities has committed $460m to speed up vaccine development for Mers, Lassa fever and Nipah virus. They are asking funders at the World Economic Forum Davos for another $500m. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness...
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Could this jab STOP genital herpes? Scientists create ‘most effective ever’ vaccine to control spread of the STI
More than 500 million people have genital herpes, or HSV2 But no vaccine candidate has ever stood up to pre-clinical trials Now a new three-pronged formula has protected monkeys from transmission It means human trials are likely, paving the way to a publicly-available vaccine The first ever effective genital herpes vaccine has succeeded in...
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Severe side effects of approved multiple sclerosis medication
The multiple sclerosis (MS) therapy alemtuzumab can trigger severe, unpredictable side effects. This was the finding by a team led by Prof Dr Aiden Haghikia and Prof Dr Ralf Gold from the Department of Neurology of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum at St. Josef’s Hospital. In the journal Lancet Neurology, the scientists report on two patients for whom...
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New Low Cost Therapy May Benefit Stroke Patients With Vision Problems
Stroke patients suffering from decreased vision could have a cost-effective therapy at their disposal soon. This therapy could potentially enhance the lives of stroke patients suffering from eye problems. A study conducted by researchers from the University of East Anglia and University of Glasgow, tested the efficiency of the visuomotor feedback training (VFT) when treating...
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Millions of people with metabolic syndrome may need more vitamin E
CORVALLIS, Ore. – New research has shown that people with metabolic syndrome need significantly more vitamin E – which could be a serious public health concern, in light of the millions of people who have this condition that’s often related to obesity. A study just published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition also made...