Month: October 2024

Scientists Spot Which Gut Germs Trigger Compulsive Eating

Gut bacteria may bacteria may be linked to food addiction: Researchers found that an abundance of Proteobacteria in the gut is linked to food addiction in both humans and mice, while higher levels of Blautia and Actinobacteria appear to have protective effects against this condition. The findings, presented at the Federation of European Neurosciences Societies meeting and published in Gut, highlight the potential for manipulating gut microbiota to treat food addiction and related eating disorders.

First Radioactive Rhino Horns To Curb Poaching In South Africa

Radioactive chips may protect rhinos from poaching: Scientists in South Africa injected tiny radioactive pellets into the horns of twenty (20) live rhinoceros in an antipoaching project led by the University of the Witwatersrand’s Radiation and Health Physics Unit. The radioactive chips will not harm the environment or the rhinos’ health; however, they will render the horns useless for human consumption and will make them easier to detect at borders, airports, and harbors

Will it soon be possible for doctors to use AI to detect and diagnose cancer?

AI (Artificial Intelligence) detects 13 cancer types with 98.2% accuracy: An AI model, EMethylNET, was 98.2% accurate in detecting 13 cancer types and other non-cancer samples using DNA data from tissue samples, researchers reported in the journal Biology Methods and Protocols. “Depending on the availability of training data, this method can be extended to detect hundreds of cancer types,” researchers said.

World’s 1st epilepsy implant cuts seizures by 80%, recharges via headphones:  Seven months post-operation, Oran has been reported to be “more alert and has not experienced any drop seizures during the day.”

Brain implants significantly reduces boy’s severe seizures: A young patient with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS), a treatment-resistant form of epilepsy, is the first to receive a neurostimulator implant to control seizures. The device sends electrical signals deep into the brain and appears to have lessened the boy’s severe daytime seizures by at least 80%.

Bionic leg moves like a natural limb — without conscious thought:  Computer interface links signals from the brain to an artificial limb, giving the wearer better balance, flexibility and speed.

Bionic leg enables amputees to walk naturally and faster: A bionic leg that boosts brain and spinal cord signals has enabled seven amputees to walk 41% faster than those with standard robotic prosthetics, with peak speeds comparable to those without amputations, offering a more natural walking experience for amputees. “This is the first study that demonstrates natural gait patterns with a full neural modulation where the person’s brain is 100% in command of the bionic prosthesis, not a robotic algorithm,” said Hugh Herr, Co-Author of the study in Nature Medicine.