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#health #healthtip #organic #organicfood #food #fitness #weightloss #run #yoga #exercise #gym #vegetarian...
Originally shared by Bio E
#health #healthtip #organic #organicfood #food #fitness #weightloss #run #yoga #exercise #gym #vegetarian #vegetables #organicfarming #herbalremedy #fruit #motivation #digestion #foodporn #eat #diet #vegan #herbs #gut #guthealth #probiotics #quote #biogenicsmd #gmo #pesticide #environment #farming #processed #junkfood #fastfood #sugar #smoking #environment #nature #eco #gmofree #gmofarming
A good and healthy way to start the year.
A good and healthy way to start the year.
Originally shared by Jason Vale – Juice Tube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vV6_1Q5LF04&feature=autoshare
Originally shared by Jason Vale – Juice Tube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vV6_1Q5LF04&feature=autoshare
SciTech #ScienceSunday Digest - 51/2016.
SciTech #ScienceSunday Digest - 51/2016.
Permalink here: http://www.scitechdigest.net/2016/12/writing-dna-macro-quantum-effects-deep.html
Writing DNA, Macro quantum effects, Autonomous drone advances, Deep learning music, Reversing stem cell development, Reversing animal aging, Photovoltaic atomic veins, Noninvasive mind control, Microfluidic blood sensors, Deep learning supercomputing.
1. Writing DNA with Twist
Twist Bioscience has developed a new silicon chip for writing and synthesising DNA sequences, taking the conventional 96 well approach producing one gene to a new architecture that produces 9,600 genes that makes DNA synthesis significantly faster and cheaper https://medium.com/@Hello_Tomorrow/is-dna-the-next-silicon-c88e6e89754d#.v26ntfksi. Combined with rapid, cheap DNA sequencing chips, rapid, cheap DNA synthesis chips will accelerate the transformation of biotechnology, allowing custom DNA sequences to be produced for quickly engineering organisms of interest.
2. Quantum Effects in Macro Materials
A new type of topological insulator (conductor on surface, insulator in bulk) made from bismuth and selenium, happens to slightly rotate and change a beam of terahertz light shone through the material http://www.sciencealert.com/this-new-material-might-show-the-link-between-classical-and-quantum-physics. This quantum effect is typically observed only at atomic scales and never in macro materials; it obeyed the same mathematics and is the first time such a quantum effect has been observed in large topological insulators. It is hoped that the link might allow further probing between quantum and classical mechanics.
3. Advances with Autonomous Drones
First, an optimal reciprocal collision avoidance strategy has been developed to allow large numbers of drones to fly through the same airspace, dynamically avoid colliding, and all while minimising g-forces for the purpose of future passenger-transport drones http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/drones/limiting-jerks-for-comfortable-commuting-by-personal-drone. Second, Amazon demonstrated its first autonomous drone product delivery https://www.amazon.com/b?node=8037720011. Finally, drones are being used for cheap but difficult environmental monitoring applications such as methane monitoring, an area we can expect to rapidly expand into drone monitoring of a great many things http://spectrum.ieee.org/energywise/energy/environment/drones-take-to-the-skies-to-screen-for-methane-emissions.
4. Deep Learning Music Composition
A new deep learning system called DeepBach was trained and validated against music composed by the composer Bach, and is able to produce new music in the same style as Bach to the extent of convincing humans about 50% of the time that they were actually written by Bach https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603137/deep-learning-machine-listens-to-bach-then-writes-its-own-music-in-the-same-style/. Interestingly the same humans only picked 75% of the compositions actually written by Bach. This marks another big step on the way of machines producing creative outputs and artworks, suggesting that future deep learning systems might produce novel music (or other works) in any particular artist’s style given some general starting parameters.
5. Reversing Human Embryonic Stem Cell Development
A mixture of three different chemical inhibitors has been demonstrated to further wind back the developmental clock of human embryonic stem cells, finally achieving the same long-hoped-for flexibility that researchers have enjoyed with embryonic stem cells from mice https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-12/jhm-rtb121416.php. These stem cells are now much easier to keep alive and the technique successfully reset 25 human stem cell lines, showed more malleable gene expression profiles, avoided abnormal DNA changes sometimes characterised by other techniques, and could be subsequently differentiated into vascular or neural cell types (for example) at double or triple the frequencies of conventional human embryonic stem cells. Meanwhile stem cells are being used to create and study amniotic sac formation http://ns.umich.edu/new/releases/24415-how-does-the-amniotic-sac-form-u-m-team-uses-stem-cells-to-study-earliest-stages.
6. Reversing Aging in Animals
In related work using conventional reprogramming techniques with four factors that turn cells into induced pluripotent stem cells, researchers demonstrated that administering these factors for short durations had rejuvenating, anti-aging effects https://www.salk.edu/news-release/turning-back-time-salk-scientists-reverse-signs-aging/. Skin cells showed reversal of aging hallmarks while remaining skin cells, mice with progeria looked younger with improved organ function and lived 30% longer, while normally aged mice had improved regenerative and healing capacity. As promising as this is it should be approached with caution due to a number of reasons outlined here https://www.fightaging.org/archives/2016/12/temporarily-applying-pluripotency-reprogramming-factors-to-adult-mice/. Meanwhile microRNA levels over time appear to correlate well with life span https://www.fightaging.org/archives/2016/12/microrna-differences-across-the-course-of-aging-correlate-with-life-span/.
7. Atomic Veins Boost Photovoltaic Performance
Adding a network of linear atomic defects by removing atoms on two-dimensional material surfaces such as molybdenum diselenide creates the equivalent of atom-thick wires that can channel electrons and light http://phys.org/news/2016-12-lines-atoms-thin-electronic-materials.html. Early stage research but offering promising avenues to boost photovoltaic performance and explore new properties on these surfaces that influence electrical and optical performance and both semi- and super-conductivity.
8. Noninvasive Mind Control of Robotic Hands
A new 64 electrode EEG system allows people to operate a robotic arm to reach and grasp objects using just their thoughts and without an invasive brain implant https://twin-cities.umn.edu/news-events/umn-research-shows-people-can-control-robotic-arm-their-minds. Studies with human volunteers required them to devote time with the system to learn to imagine moving their own arm, and the robotic arm, without actually moving their arm. In related news a soft prosthetic hand utilises stretchable optical waveguides to detect curvature, elongation, and force and designed to give robots and prosthetics a much better sense of touch http://mediarelations.cornell.edu/2016/12/12/new-robot-has-a-human-touch/.
9. Sensors & Microfluidics for Real-time Blood Monitoring
A microfluidic biosensor chip uses gold electrodes patterned with DNA aptamers to measure molecules of interest in real-time, significantly boosting the accuracy and frequency of measurements and solving other problems that an earlier prototype chip possessed http://spectrum.ieee.org/the-human-os/biomedical/devices/sensor-system-offers-realtime-control-of-drug-levels-in-blood. In one demonstration the concentration of a chemotherapy drug was monitored in rabbits in order to continuously dose the animal with precise amounts of the drug to maintain optimal therapeutic effect while minimising side effects. Different DNA aptamers can be engineered to capture just about any molecule (or combination) of interest, so this is a very interesting platform. In related news another microfluidic chip rapidly detects metastatic cancers cells in drops of blood https://www.wpi.edu/news/wpi-researchers-build-%E2%80%9Cliquid-biopsy%E2%80%9D-chip-detects-metastatic-cancer-cells-drop-blood.
10. Big & Small Supercomputing Initiatives
First, Cray announced the results of a deep learning supercomputing collaboration with Microsoft and the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre that runs larger deep learning models and significantly accelerating the deep learning training process, obtaining results in hours that previously might have taken weeks or months http://investors.cray.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=98390&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2228098. Second, Nvidia’s DGX-1 supercomputer is a complete dedicated package for machine learning, the size of a briefcase and costing $129,000 that seems to be producing decent advances for ever-more customers https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603075/the-pint-sized-supercomputer-that-companies-are-scrambling-to-get/.
SciTech Tip Jar: http://www.scitechdigest.net/p/donate.html
Permalink here: http://www.scitechdigest.net/2016/12/writing-dna-macro-quantum-effects-deep.html
Writing DNA, Macro quantum effects, Autonomous drone advances, Deep learning music, Reversing stem cell development, Reversing animal aging, Photovoltaic atomic veins, Noninvasive mind control, Microfluidic blood sensors, Deep learning supercomputing.
1. Writing DNA with Twist
Twist Bioscience has developed a new silicon chip for writing and synthesising DNA sequences, taking the conventional 96 well approach producing one gene to a new architecture that produces 9,600 genes that makes DNA synthesis significantly faster and cheaper https://medium.com/@Hello_Tomorrow/is-dna-the-next-silicon-c88e6e89754d#.v26ntfksi. Combined with rapid, cheap DNA sequencing chips, rapid, cheap DNA synthesis chips will accelerate the transformation of biotechnology, allowing custom DNA sequences to be produced for quickly engineering organisms of interest.
2. Quantum Effects in Macro Materials
A new type of topological insulator (conductor on surface, insulator in bulk) made from bismuth and selenium, happens to slightly rotate and change a beam of terahertz light shone through the material http://www.sciencealert.com/this-new-material-might-show-the-link-between-classical-and-quantum-physics. This quantum effect is typically observed only at atomic scales and never in macro materials; it obeyed the same mathematics and is the first time such a quantum effect has been observed in large topological insulators. It is hoped that the link might allow further probing between quantum and classical mechanics.
3. Advances with Autonomous Drones
First, an optimal reciprocal collision avoidance strategy has been developed to allow large numbers of drones to fly through the same airspace, dynamically avoid colliding, and all while minimising g-forces for the purpose of future passenger-transport drones http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/drones/limiting-jerks-for-comfortable-commuting-by-personal-drone. Second, Amazon demonstrated its first autonomous drone product delivery https://www.amazon.com/b?node=8037720011. Finally, drones are being used for cheap but difficult environmental monitoring applications such as methane monitoring, an area we can expect to rapidly expand into drone monitoring of a great many things http://spectrum.ieee.org/energywise/energy/environment/drones-take-to-the-skies-to-screen-for-methane-emissions.
4. Deep Learning Music Composition
A new deep learning system called DeepBach was trained and validated against music composed by the composer Bach, and is able to produce new music in the same style as Bach to the extent of convincing humans about 50% of the time that they were actually written by Bach https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603137/deep-learning-machine-listens-to-bach-then-writes-its-own-music-in-the-same-style/. Interestingly the same humans only picked 75% of the compositions actually written by Bach. This marks another big step on the way of machines producing creative outputs and artworks, suggesting that future deep learning systems might produce novel music (or other works) in any particular artist’s style given some general starting parameters.
5. Reversing Human Embryonic Stem Cell Development
A mixture of three different chemical inhibitors has been demonstrated to further wind back the developmental clock of human embryonic stem cells, finally achieving the same long-hoped-for flexibility that researchers have enjoyed with embryonic stem cells from mice https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-12/jhm-rtb121416.php. These stem cells are now much easier to keep alive and the technique successfully reset 25 human stem cell lines, showed more malleable gene expression profiles, avoided abnormal DNA changes sometimes characterised by other techniques, and could be subsequently differentiated into vascular or neural cell types (for example) at double or triple the frequencies of conventional human embryonic stem cells. Meanwhile stem cells are being used to create and study amniotic sac formation http://ns.umich.edu/new/releases/24415-how-does-the-amniotic-sac-form-u-m-team-uses-stem-cells-to-study-earliest-stages.
6. Reversing Aging in Animals
In related work using conventional reprogramming techniques with four factors that turn cells into induced pluripotent stem cells, researchers demonstrated that administering these factors for short durations had rejuvenating, anti-aging effects https://www.salk.edu/news-release/turning-back-time-salk-scientists-reverse-signs-aging/. Skin cells showed reversal of aging hallmarks while remaining skin cells, mice with progeria looked younger with improved organ function and lived 30% longer, while normally aged mice had improved regenerative and healing capacity. As promising as this is it should be approached with caution due to a number of reasons outlined here https://www.fightaging.org/archives/2016/12/temporarily-applying-pluripotency-reprogramming-factors-to-adult-mice/. Meanwhile microRNA levels over time appear to correlate well with life span https://www.fightaging.org/archives/2016/12/microrna-differences-across-the-course-of-aging-correlate-with-life-span/.
7. Atomic Veins Boost Photovoltaic Performance
Adding a network of linear atomic defects by removing atoms on two-dimensional material surfaces such as molybdenum diselenide creates the equivalent of atom-thick wires that can channel electrons and light http://phys.org/news/2016-12-lines-atoms-thin-electronic-materials.html. Early stage research but offering promising avenues to boost photovoltaic performance and explore new properties on these surfaces that influence electrical and optical performance and both semi- and super-conductivity.
8. Noninvasive Mind Control of Robotic Hands
A new 64 electrode EEG system allows people to operate a robotic arm to reach and grasp objects using just their thoughts and without an invasive brain implant https://twin-cities.umn.edu/news-events/umn-research-shows-people-can-control-robotic-arm-their-minds. Studies with human volunteers required them to devote time with the system to learn to imagine moving their own arm, and the robotic arm, without actually moving their arm. In related news a soft prosthetic hand utilises stretchable optical waveguides to detect curvature, elongation, and force and designed to give robots and prosthetics a much better sense of touch http://mediarelations.cornell.edu/2016/12/12/new-robot-has-a-human-touch/.
9. Sensors & Microfluidics for Real-time Blood Monitoring
A microfluidic biosensor chip uses gold electrodes patterned with DNA aptamers to measure molecules of interest in real-time, significantly boosting the accuracy and frequency of measurements and solving other problems that an earlier prototype chip possessed http://spectrum.ieee.org/the-human-os/biomedical/devices/sensor-system-offers-realtime-control-of-drug-levels-in-blood. In one demonstration the concentration of a chemotherapy drug was monitored in rabbits in order to continuously dose the animal with precise amounts of the drug to maintain optimal therapeutic effect while minimising side effects. Different DNA aptamers can be engineered to capture just about any molecule (or combination) of interest, so this is a very interesting platform. In related news another microfluidic chip rapidly detects metastatic cancers cells in drops of blood https://www.wpi.edu/news/wpi-researchers-build-%E2%80%9Cliquid-biopsy%E2%80%9D-chip-detects-metastatic-cancer-cells-drop-blood.
10. Big & Small Supercomputing Initiatives
First, Cray announced the results of a deep learning supercomputing collaboration with Microsoft and the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre that runs larger deep learning models and significantly accelerating the deep learning training process, obtaining results in hours that previously might have taken weeks or months http://investors.cray.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=98390&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2228098. Second, Nvidia’s DGX-1 supercomputer is a complete dedicated package for machine learning, the size of a briefcase and costing $129,000 that seems to be producing decent advances for ever-more customers https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603075/the-pint-sized-supercomputer-that-companies-are-scrambling-to-get/.
SciTech Tip Jar: http://www.scitechdigest.net/p/donate.html
Robot Swarms Are Colonizing the Lagoon of Venice: We’re ‘Trying to Establish a Robotic Society' http://rgn.bz/0xXs
Originally shared by Before It's News
Robot Swarms Are Colonizing the Lagoon of Venice: We’re ‘Trying to Establish a Robotic Society' http://rgn.bz/0xXs
Would you dive into a body of water populated by about 150 robots? That’s what could happen if you were to fall off a “gondola” in the Venice lagoon, where scientists from an initiative of seven European research institutes, are giving birth to the world’s largest population of autonomous robots.
“We’re actually trying to establish a robotic society”, says Thomas Schmickl, head of the artificial intelligence Lab of the Karl-Franzens University of Graz, Austria, which is coordinating the study. “Our robots would not just carry out operations for which they are programmed or trained, but they would also develop social skills, learning how to communicate and interact with other robots, as well as with the surrounding environment.”
More http://rgn.bz/0xXs
Oceans Poisoned by Plastic –‘No Matter Where You Go, the Sea Is Covered in Plastic’ http://rgn.bz/Tnmq
Originally shared by Before It's News
Oceans Poisoned by Plastic –‘No Matter Where You Go, the Sea Is Covered in Plastic’ http://rgn.bz/Tnmq
Here in this fishing village, on the island of Java, the surf teems with kaleidoscopic color. Each wave is littered with garish bibs and bobs.
The water is speckled with synthetic hues: Coca-Cola red, day-glo green and every other color in the crayon box. There are monochromes as well: buoyant white blobs that, at a distance, look like 1,000 invading jellyfish.
It’s all plastic trash, of course.
Here floats the detritus of 21st-century consumption: soda bottles, Pampers and, since this is Indonesia, lots of instant noodle wrappers.
More http://rgn.bz/Tnmq
Math: is it real, or is it made up?
Originally shared by Wayne Radinsky
Math: is it real, or is it made up?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnEqfTjp66A
Math: is it real, or is it made up?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnEqfTjp66A
Genetics Link Sleep Disturbances With Restless Leg Syndrome, Schizophrenia and Obesity
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
Genetics Link Sleep Disturbances With Restless Leg Syndrome, Schizophrenia and Obesity
A team of American and British scientists have for the first time discovered genetic connections between sleep disturbance and a range of medical disorders including obesity.
The research is in Nature Genetics. (full access paywall)
http://neurosciencenews.com/sleep-genetics-obesity-schizophrenia-5776
Genetics Link Sleep Disturbances With Restless Leg Syndrome, Schizophrenia and Obesity
A team of American and British scientists have for the first time discovered genetic connections between sleep disturbance and a range of medical disorders including obesity.
The research is in Nature Genetics. (full access paywall)
http://neurosciencenews.com/sleep-genetics-obesity-schizophrenia-5776
12|19|2016
Originally shared by Irina T.
12|19|2016
https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2016/dec/19/driverless-buses-arrive-in-australia-smart-and-green-but-what-now-for-drivers
12|19|2016
https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2016/dec/19/driverless-buses-arrive-in-australia-smart-and-green-but-what-now-for-drivers
Missing Link Between Gut and Brain Discovered With Big Implications for Disease
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
Missing Link Between Gut and Brain Discovered With Big Implications for Disease
A rare and powerful type of immune cell has been discovered in the meninges around the brain, suggesting the cells may play a critical but previously unappreciated role in battling Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, meningitis and other neurological diseases, in addition to supporting our healthy mental functioning. By harnessing the cells' power, doctors may be able to develop new treatments for neurological diseases, traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injuries - even migraines.
The research is in Journal of Experimental Medicine. (full access paywall)
#microbiome
http://neurosciencenews.com/immune-cell-gut-brain-5770
Missing Link Between Gut and Brain Discovered With Big Implications for Disease
A rare and powerful type of immune cell has been discovered in the meninges around the brain, suggesting the cells may play a critical but previously unappreciated role in battling Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, meningitis and other neurological diseases, in addition to supporting our healthy mental functioning. By harnessing the cells' power, doctors may be able to develop new treatments for neurological diseases, traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injuries - even migraines.
The research is in Journal of Experimental Medicine. (full access paywall)
#microbiome
http://neurosciencenews.com/immune-cell-gut-brain-5770
Why Morning People Should Not Work at Night
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
Why Morning People Should Not Work at Night
It has been known for a long time that early risers work less efficiently at night than night owls do. But researchers from the Higher School of Economics and Oxford University have uncovered new and distinctive features between the night activities of these two types of individuals. At night, early risers demonstrate a quicker reaction time when solving unusual attention-related tasks than night owls, but these early risers make more mistakes along the way.
The research is in Experimental Brain Research. (full open access)
#sleep
http://neurosciencenews.com/morning-people-night-work-5758
Why Morning People Should Not Work at Night
It has been known for a long time that early risers work less efficiently at night than night owls do. But researchers from the Higher School of Economics and Oxford University have uncovered new and distinctive features between the night activities of these two types of individuals. At night, early risers demonstrate a quicker reaction time when solving unusual attention-related tasks than night owls, but these early risers make more mistakes along the way.
The research is in Experimental Brain Research. (full open access)
#sleep
http://neurosciencenews.com/morning-people-night-work-5758
Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Improves Cognitive Control
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Improves Cognitive Control
A cutting edge, non-invasive brain stimulation technique could improve cognitive control for people with conditions such as schizophrenia and autism.
The research is in Journal of Neuroscience. (full access paywall)
#tDCS #neuroscience
http://neurosciencenews.com/tdcs-cognitive-control-5763
Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Improves Cognitive Control
A cutting edge, non-invasive brain stimulation technique could improve cognitive control for people with conditions such as schizophrenia and autism.
The research is in Journal of Neuroscience. (full access paywall)
#tDCS #neuroscience
http://neurosciencenews.com/tdcs-cognitive-control-5763
Antibiotic resistance will hit a terrible tipping point in 2017
Originally shared by Ward Plunet
Antibiotic resistance will hit a terrible tipping point in 2017
A major menace looms over us. In 2017, many more people could begin dying from common bacterial infections. As resistance to antibiotics booms, diseases from gonorrhoea to urinary tract infections are becoming untreatable – a situation that looks set to get worse as the world reaches a new tipping point next year. “We are about to reach the point where more antibiotics will be consumed by farm animals worldwide than by humans,” says Mark Woolhouse, at the University of Edinburgh, UK. This will mean more resistant bacteria, which could be a big threat. The livestock industry has long played down any risk to human health caused by using antibiotics in farming, but the danger is now accepted, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23231044-000-antibiotic-resistance-will-hit-a-terrible-tipping-point-in-2017/
Antibiotic resistance will hit a terrible tipping point in 2017
A major menace looms over us. In 2017, many more people could begin dying from common bacterial infections. As resistance to antibiotics booms, diseases from gonorrhoea to urinary tract infections are becoming untreatable – a situation that looks set to get worse as the world reaches a new tipping point next year. “We are about to reach the point where more antibiotics will be consumed by farm animals worldwide than by humans,” says Mark Woolhouse, at the University of Edinburgh, UK. This will mean more resistant bacteria, which could be a big threat. The livestock industry has long played down any risk to human health caused by using antibiotics in farming, but the danger is now accepted, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23231044-000-antibiotic-resistance-will-hit-a-terrible-tipping-point-in-2017/
Brain blocks new memory formation on waking to safeguard consolidation of existing memories
Originally shared by Ward Plunet
Brain blocks new memory formation on waking to safeguard consolidation of existing memories
During consolidation, the brain produces new proteins that strengthen fragile memory traces. However, if a new experience occurs while an existing memory trace is being consolidated, the new stimuli could disrupt the consolidation process. Some memory consolidation occurs while we are asleep. But what happens if we wake up during consolidation? How does the brain prevent events that occur just after awakening from interrupting the consolidation process? Researchers have the answer.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161206110138.htm
Brain blocks new memory formation on waking to safeguard consolidation of existing memories
During consolidation, the brain produces new proteins that strengthen fragile memory traces. However, if a new experience occurs while an existing memory trace is being consolidated, the new stimuli could disrupt the consolidation process. Some memory consolidation occurs while we are asleep. But what happens if we wake up during consolidation? How does the brain prevent events that occur just after awakening from interrupting the consolidation process? Researchers have the answer.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161206110138.htm
Researchers uncover why morning people should not work at night
Originally shared by Betsy McCall
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161216115532.htm
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161216115532.htm
Researchers uncover how hippocampus influences future thinking
Originally shared by Ward Plunet
Researchers uncover how hippocampus influences future thinking
Over the past decade, researchers have learned that the hippocampus -- historically known for its role in forming memories -- is involved in much more than just remembering the past; it plays an important role in imagining events in the future. Yet, scientists still do not know precisely how the hippocampus contributes to episodic imagining -- until now. Researchers have determined the role of the hippocampus in future imaging lies in the process of constructing a scene in one's mind.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161206111715.htm
Researchers uncover how hippocampus influences future thinking
Over the past decade, researchers have learned that the hippocampus -- historically known for its role in forming memories -- is involved in much more than just remembering the past; it plays an important role in imagining events in the future. Yet, scientists still do not know precisely how the hippocampus contributes to episodic imagining -- until now. Researchers have determined the role of the hippocampus in future imaging lies in the process of constructing a scene in one's mind.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161206111715.htm
Riding in Uber’s self-driving cars
Originally shared by Igor Gabrielan
Riding in Uber’s self-driving cars
pr.ai/post61697
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKQ-6YnrKNc
Riding in Uber’s self-driving cars
pr.ai/post61697
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKQ-6YnrKNc
"A deep-learning machine uses MRI scans to determine your brain age." "The method is a standard deep-learning...
Originally shared by Wayne Radinsky
"A deep-learning machine uses MRI scans to determine your brain age." "The method is a standard deep-learning technique. Giovanni Montana at King’s College London and co use MRI brain scans of over 2,000 healthy people between 18 and 90 years old. None had any kind of neurological condition that might influence their brain age. So their brain age should match their chronological age."
"Both deep learning and Gaussian process regression accurately determine the chronological age of patients when given preprocessed data to analyze." "However, deep learning shows its clear superiority when analyzing raw MRI data, where it performs just as well, giving the correct age with a mean error of 4.66 years. By contrast, the standard method of Gaussian process regression performs poorly in this test, giving a rough age with a mean error of almost 12 years."
"What's more, the deep-learning analysis takes just a few seconds compared with the 24 hours of pre-processing required for the standard method."
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603112/deep-learning-machine-uses-mri-scans-to-determine-your-brain-age
"A deep-learning machine uses MRI scans to determine your brain age." "The method is a standard deep-learning technique. Giovanni Montana at King’s College London and co use MRI brain scans of over 2,000 healthy people between 18 and 90 years old. None had any kind of neurological condition that might influence their brain age. So their brain age should match their chronological age."
"Both deep learning and Gaussian process regression accurately determine the chronological age of patients when given preprocessed data to analyze." "However, deep learning shows its clear superiority when analyzing raw MRI data, where it performs just as well, giving the correct age with a mean error of 4.66 years. By contrast, the standard method of Gaussian process regression performs poorly in this test, giving a rough age with a mean error of almost 12 years."
"What's more, the deep-learning analysis takes just a few seconds compared with the 24 hours of pre-processing required for the standard method."
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603112/deep-learning-machine-uses-mri-scans-to-determine-your-brain-age
Train your robot to walk with a neural network with this Hackaday project.
Originally shared by Wayne Radinsky
Train your robot to walk with a neural network with this Hackaday project. "This is all made possible by a port of the Fast ANN library to the Cortex M4 microcontrollers, which in turn required [Basti] to port a small read-only filesystem to the chips."
http://hackaday.com/2016/12/11/train-your-robot-to-walk-with-a-neural-network
Train your robot to walk with a neural network with this Hackaday project. "This is all made possible by a port of the Fast ANN library to the Cortex M4 microcontrollers, which in turn required [Basti] to port a small read-only filesystem to the chips."
http://hackaday.com/2016/12/11/train-your-robot-to-walk-with-a-neural-network
Nutrition Linked to Intelligence and Brain Health in Older People
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
Nutrition Linked to Intelligence and Brain Health in Older People
A study of older adults links consumption of a pigment found in leafy greens to the preservation of "crystallized intelligence," the ability to use the skills and knowledge one has acquired over a lifetime.
The research is in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. (full open access)
#diet #aging
http://neurosciencenews.com/nutrition-aging-intelligence-5737
Nutrition Linked to Intelligence and Brain Health in Older People
A study of older adults links consumption of a pigment found in leafy greens to the preservation of "crystallized intelligence," the ability to use the skills and knowledge one has acquired over a lifetime.
The research is in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. (full open access)
#diet #aging
http://neurosciencenews.com/nutrition-aging-intelligence-5737
Neurons Paralyze Us During REM Sleep
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
Neurons Paralyze Us During REM Sleep
During REM sleep, the brain inhibits the motor system, which makes the sleeper completely immobile. CNRS researchers working in the Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon have identified a population of neurons that is responsible for this transient muscle paralysis.
The research will appear in Brain.
#sleep #parasomnia
http://neurosciencenews.com/paralysis-rem-sleep-5738
Neurons Paralyze Us During REM Sleep
During REM sleep, the brain inhibits the motor system, which makes the sleeper completely immobile. CNRS researchers working in the Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon have identified a population of neurons that is responsible for this transient muscle paralysis.
The research will appear in Brain.
#sleep #parasomnia
http://neurosciencenews.com/paralysis-rem-sleep-5738
"Artificial intelligence is keeping this colony of flies alive." "The computer takes care of their needs, giving the...
Originally shared by Wayne Radinsky
"Artificial intelligence is keeping this colony of flies alive." "The computer takes care of their needs, giving the insects water and nutrients in the form of powdered milk and sugar. The flies, of course, are unaware that their ultimate fate depends on whether or not a machine correctly identifies blobs of pixels flitting across a camera -- if it fails, they die."
"At the core of the installation is a type of machine learning software known as 'deep learning,' which essentially trains itself to perform a task: in this case, correctly identifying flies and feeding them. As the flies move across a camera installed in their enclosure, the computer makes its best guess as to what it's looking at, and if it's a fly, a pump releases life-giving water and nutrients for them to sip on."
http://motherboard.vice.com/read/artificial-intelligence-is-keeping-this-colony-of-flies-alive
"Artificial intelligence is keeping this colony of flies alive." "The computer takes care of their needs, giving the insects water and nutrients in the form of powdered milk and sugar. The flies, of course, are unaware that their ultimate fate depends on whether or not a machine correctly identifies blobs of pixels flitting across a camera -- if it fails, they die."
"At the core of the installation is a type of machine learning software known as 'deep learning,' which essentially trains itself to perform a task: in this case, correctly identifying flies and feeding them. As the flies move across a camera installed in their enclosure, the computer makes its best guess as to what it's looking at, and if it's a fly, a pump releases life-giving water and nutrients for them to sip on."
http://motherboard.vice.com/read/artificial-intelligence-is-keeping-this-colony-of-flies-alive
Study links nutrition to brain health and intelligence in older adults
Originally shared by Ward Plunet
Study links nutrition to brain health and intelligence in older adults
A study of older adults links consumption of a pigment found in leafy greens to the preservation of "crystallized intelligence," the ability to use the skills and knowledge one has acquired over a lifetime. The study is reported in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. Lutein (LOO-teen) is one of several plant pigments that humans acquire through the diet, primarily by eating leafy green vegetables, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, or egg yolks, said University of Illinois graduate student Marta Zamroziewicz, who led the study with Illinois psychology professor Aron Barbey. Lutein accumulates in the brain, embedding in cell membranes, where it likely plays "a neuroprotective role," she said. "Previous studies have found that a person's lutein status is linked to cognitive performance across the lifespan," Zamroziewicz said. "Research also shows that lutein accumulates in the gray matter of brain regions known to underlie the preservation of cognitive function in healthy brain aging."
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-12-links-nutrition-brain-health-intelligence.html
Study links nutrition to brain health and intelligence in older adults
A study of older adults links consumption of a pigment found in leafy greens to the preservation of "crystallized intelligence," the ability to use the skills and knowledge one has acquired over a lifetime. The study is reported in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. Lutein (LOO-teen) is one of several plant pigments that humans acquire through the diet, primarily by eating leafy green vegetables, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, or egg yolks, said University of Illinois graduate student Marta Zamroziewicz, who led the study with Illinois psychology professor Aron Barbey. Lutein accumulates in the brain, embedding in cell membranes, where it likely plays "a neuroprotective role," she said. "Previous studies have found that a person's lutein status is linked to cognitive performance across the lifespan," Zamroziewicz said. "Research also shows that lutein accumulates in the gray matter of brain regions known to underlie the preservation of cognitive function in healthy brain aging."
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-12-links-nutrition-brain-health-intelligence.html
Alphabet, Google's holding company, is spinning out its autonomous car technology into a separate company called...
Originally shared by Wayne Radinsky
Alphabet, Google's holding company, is spinning out its autonomous car technology into a separate company called Waymo. John Krafcik will be Waymo's CEO.
"Although Alphabet's project is widely seen as the most advanced in the world, the company faces a more complex route to commercialization because it has no existing auto or transportation business."
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603115/alphabet-sets-up-a-new-company-to-commercialize-autonomous-car-technology
Alphabet, Google's holding company, is spinning out its autonomous car technology into a separate company called Waymo. John Krafcik will be Waymo's CEO.
"Although Alphabet's project is widely seen as the most advanced in the world, the company faces a more complex route to commercialization because it has no existing auto or transportation business."
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603115/alphabet-sets-up-a-new-company-to-commercialize-autonomous-car-technology
SciTech #ScienceSunday Digest - 49/2016.
SciTech #ScienceSunday Digest - 49/2016.
Permalink here: http://www.scitechdigest.net/2016/12/allen-crispr-cells-advanced-synbio.html
Allen CRISPR cells, Advanced Synbio tools, Radioelectric diamond power, High temperature ice, Programmably disordered DNA, Endohedral fullerene clocks, Dendrimer atom mimicry, Linked enzyme molecular synthesis, Wireless optogenetic control, Nvidia’s Xavier chips.
1. Allen CRISPR Stem Cell Collection
The Allen Institute for Cell Science has released the Allen Cell Collection, comprising five induced pluripotent stem cell lines genetically engineered with CRISPR to fluorescently tag or label critical structural proteins in the cell http://www.alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/cell-science/news-press/press-releases/allen-institute-cell-science-releases-gene-edited-human-stem-cell-lines. Tagged structures that can be easily visualised include the nucleus, mitochondria, microtubules, cell junctions, and cell adhesion complexes. Because these are human stem cells the differentiation into specialised cells and tissues can also be tracked with the same ease and efficiency. Additional collections will be released next year. These tools provide a very useful means by which to study the effects of other mutations and genetic modifications.
2. Advancing Synthetic Biology Tools
First, a number of easy, convenient mini-laboratories are being developed and launched to better allow people to edit, engineer, create, and test their own modified cells http://spectrum.ieee.org/the-human-os/biomedical/devices/tools-for-would-be-biohackers-here-come-3-mini-labs. The core ethos here is to continually reduce the cost and complexity required to tinker and edit cells, in the same way that the cost and complexity of computers was reduced, and so better unleash biological innovations. Second, at the industrial scale synthetic biology development is being driven by advances in automation http://spectrum.ieee.org/biomedical/devices/the-robot-revolution-comes-to-synthetic-biology, for driving high-throughput screening and selection to build organisms to required specifications. I feel like we’re approaching a tipping point here.
3. Radioelectric Diamond Energy Generators
Like thermoelectric materials that generate electricity from heat and piezoelectric materials that generate electricity from movement, a new prototype diamond-based material functions as a radioelectric material to generate electricity from radioactive sources http://www.bris.ac.uk/news/2016/november/diamond-power.html. The prototype synthetic diamonds use Nickel-63 as the radioactive source, but the next version should use Carbon-14 from radioactive graphite nuclear waste as the source incorporated into the synthetic diamonds. One gram of Carbon-14 in a battery would generate 15 Joules of energy per day, and would take over 5,000 years to reach half power. I wonder if future variations might increase the energy output for proportionally lower lifetimes. In other news work continues to develop diamonds as the ultimate semiconductors http://www.titech.ac.jp/english/research/stories/faces21_hatano.html.
4. High Temperature Ice in Nanotubes
When inside carbon nanotubes water remains “frozen” solid even at temperatures above the boiling point of water http://news.mit.edu/2016/carbon-nanotubes-water-solid-boiling-1128. The behaviour of the water at these temperatures is dependent on the diameter of the carbon nanotube, such that 1.05nm tubes vs 1.06nm tubes resulted in a tens-of-degrees temperature difference in the apparent freezing point - the team claim an ice-like phase for the solid water but need additional experiments to confirm it is ice. A couple of thoughts: first, the pressure exerted by the nanotubes must be significant, second, I wonder if there are superconducting applications here for example, confining materials to a superconducting phase that otherwise would not be possible at high temperatures.
5. Programmably Disordered DNA Origami
For the first time DNA origami building blocks or tiles have been engineered to self-assemble in both deterministic and random ways in order to generate large-scale emergent features with tunable statistical properties - what is known as programmable disorder http://www.caltech.edu/news/programmable-disorder-53104. An example of these designs include Truchet tiles, which fit together deterministically, but in one of two different random ways, in order to generate complex patterns. The structures formed are more organic, like trees or dendrites. In related programmable materials news shape-memory polymers are enabling new applications http://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2016/Q4/programmable-materiels-showing-future-potential-for-industry.html.
6. Endohedral Fullerenes as Atomic Clocks
Endohedral fullerenes, which are buckyball cages encasing a particular atom or ion, are being produced industrially for a range of miniature devices and applications http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2016/11/millimeter-accurate-gps-in-smartphones.html. Endohedral fullerenes encapsulating nitrogen atoms might be used to produce tiny low-power on-chip atomic clocks that might provide cars and phones with GPS accuracy to 1mm, which would be a game changer. I’ve also wondered for about 15 years how arrays of suitable endohedral fullerenes might be used as high density digital memory devices. Other applications include energy harvesting and sensing.
7. Atom Mimicry with Dendrimers
Dendrimers, large molecules with precise branches extending from a central core, can now not only be engineered to mimic the electron valency of atoms but also linked into dendrimer arrays that mimic the covalent electron pair bonding between atoms in a molecule http://phys.org/news/2016-12-aspect-atom-mimicry-nanotechnology-applications.html. The group produced large 2D arrays of these “molecules” whose geometry and pitch can be controlled by the design of the dendrimer and linker molecules. This is a fascinating new atom-mimicry tool, similar to certain types of quantum dots, with applications no one has yet thought of.
8. Daisy-Chained Sperm Enzymes for Molecular Synthesis
A precise ten-step biological synthesis pathway for converting glucose into lactate has been demonstrated with a system that mimics the way enzymes in sperm tails rapidly ferry molecules and metabolites along the length of the tail http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2016/12/fast-efficient-sperm-tails-inspire-nanobiotechnology. Instead of enzymes vibrating in solution and randomly encountering their particular molecule, the group tethered all of the necessary enzymes to nanoparticles, which resulted in much lower concentrations of intermediate molecular products in solution. This is another step on the path towards atomically precise manufacturing. Add the particular enzymes for your synthetic pathway of interest to nanoparticles (perhaps further advances will lock in precise positions to ensure molecule-by-molecule handoff and transfer with no wastage) and drop into a solution or environment of choice, or inject into blood in order to perform the needed reaction as therapy, sensor, stimulant, industrial production or clean up agent.
9. Latest Wireless Optogenetic Animal Control
This week saw a nice update and review of wireless optogenetic animal control tools that we’ve covered previously over the years http://spectrum.ieee.org/biomedical/devices/neuroscientists-wirelessly-control-the-brain-of-a-scampering-lab-mouse. The key development has been tiny LEDs that can be implanted and wirelessly powered and controlled, requiring the mice or rats to be observed in cages equipped with radio frequency generators that can both power and send control signals to the tiny implanted chips connected to the LEDs. Instead of needing large receiving antennas new devices are able to track and use the body of the animal itself for resonant coupling.
10. Towards Exascale Computing with Nvidia
Nvidia has introduced Xavier, its most ambitious single-chip computer, which has 7 billion transistors and computes at 20 trillion operations per second (OPS) for just 20 watts of power. 50 of these chips would provide a petaOPS of processing for 1 kilowatt of power, while in 2018 50,000 units would reach exaOPS for 1 megawatt of power. Coverage at NBF here http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2016/11/nvidia-xavier-chip-20-trillion.html and here http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2016/11/50000-nvidia-xavier-chips-would-deliver.html. Commercial drivers include ramping up AI, deep learning, and autonomous vehicle data processing applications.
SciTech Tip Jar: http://www.scitechdigest.net/p/donate.html
Permalink here: http://www.scitechdigest.net/2016/12/allen-crispr-cells-advanced-synbio.html
Allen CRISPR cells, Advanced Synbio tools, Radioelectric diamond power, High temperature ice, Programmably disordered DNA, Endohedral fullerene clocks, Dendrimer atom mimicry, Linked enzyme molecular synthesis, Wireless optogenetic control, Nvidia’s Xavier chips.
1. Allen CRISPR Stem Cell Collection
The Allen Institute for Cell Science has released the Allen Cell Collection, comprising five induced pluripotent stem cell lines genetically engineered with CRISPR to fluorescently tag or label critical structural proteins in the cell http://www.alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/cell-science/news-press/press-releases/allen-institute-cell-science-releases-gene-edited-human-stem-cell-lines. Tagged structures that can be easily visualised include the nucleus, mitochondria, microtubules, cell junctions, and cell adhesion complexes. Because these are human stem cells the differentiation into specialised cells and tissues can also be tracked with the same ease and efficiency. Additional collections will be released next year. These tools provide a very useful means by which to study the effects of other mutations and genetic modifications.
2. Advancing Synthetic Biology Tools
First, a number of easy, convenient mini-laboratories are being developed and launched to better allow people to edit, engineer, create, and test their own modified cells http://spectrum.ieee.org/the-human-os/biomedical/devices/tools-for-would-be-biohackers-here-come-3-mini-labs. The core ethos here is to continually reduce the cost and complexity required to tinker and edit cells, in the same way that the cost and complexity of computers was reduced, and so better unleash biological innovations. Second, at the industrial scale synthetic biology development is being driven by advances in automation http://spectrum.ieee.org/biomedical/devices/the-robot-revolution-comes-to-synthetic-biology, for driving high-throughput screening and selection to build organisms to required specifications. I feel like we’re approaching a tipping point here.
3. Radioelectric Diamond Energy Generators
Like thermoelectric materials that generate electricity from heat and piezoelectric materials that generate electricity from movement, a new prototype diamond-based material functions as a radioelectric material to generate electricity from radioactive sources http://www.bris.ac.uk/news/2016/november/diamond-power.html. The prototype synthetic diamonds use Nickel-63 as the radioactive source, but the next version should use Carbon-14 from radioactive graphite nuclear waste as the source incorporated into the synthetic diamonds. One gram of Carbon-14 in a battery would generate 15 Joules of energy per day, and would take over 5,000 years to reach half power. I wonder if future variations might increase the energy output for proportionally lower lifetimes. In other news work continues to develop diamonds as the ultimate semiconductors http://www.titech.ac.jp/english/research/stories/faces21_hatano.html.
4. High Temperature Ice in Nanotubes
When inside carbon nanotubes water remains “frozen” solid even at temperatures above the boiling point of water http://news.mit.edu/2016/carbon-nanotubes-water-solid-boiling-1128. The behaviour of the water at these temperatures is dependent on the diameter of the carbon nanotube, such that 1.05nm tubes vs 1.06nm tubes resulted in a tens-of-degrees temperature difference in the apparent freezing point - the team claim an ice-like phase for the solid water but need additional experiments to confirm it is ice. A couple of thoughts: first, the pressure exerted by the nanotubes must be significant, second, I wonder if there are superconducting applications here for example, confining materials to a superconducting phase that otherwise would not be possible at high temperatures.
5. Programmably Disordered DNA Origami
For the first time DNA origami building blocks or tiles have been engineered to self-assemble in both deterministic and random ways in order to generate large-scale emergent features with tunable statistical properties - what is known as programmable disorder http://www.caltech.edu/news/programmable-disorder-53104. An example of these designs include Truchet tiles, which fit together deterministically, but in one of two different random ways, in order to generate complex patterns. The structures formed are more organic, like trees or dendrites. In related programmable materials news shape-memory polymers are enabling new applications http://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2016/Q4/programmable-materiels-showing-future-potential-for-industry.html.
6. Endohedral Fullerenes as Atomic Clocks
Endohedral fullerenes, which are buckyball cages encasing a particular atom or ion, are being produced industrially for a range of miniature devices and applications http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2016/11/millimeter-accurate-gps-in-smartphones.html. Endohedral fullerenes encapsulating nitrogen atoms might be used to produce tiny low-power on-chip atomic clocks that might provide cars and phones with GPS accuracy to 1mm, which would be a game changer. I’ve also wondered for about 15 years how arrays of suitable endohedral fullerenes might be used as high density digital memory devices. Other applications include energy harvesting and sensing.
7. Atom Mimicry with Dendrimers
Dendrimers, large molecules with precise branches extending from a central core, can now not only be engineered to mimic the electron valency of atoms but also linked into dendrimer arrays that mimic the covalent electron pair bonding between atoms in a molecule http://phys.org/news/2016-12-aspect-atom-mimicry-nanotechnology-applications.html. The group produced large 2D arrays of these “molecules” whose geometry and pitch can be controlled by the design of the dendrimer and linker molecules. This is a fascinating new atom-mimicry tool, similar to certain types of quantum dots, with applications no one has yet thought of.
8. Daisy-Chained Sperm Enzymes for Molecular Synthesis
A precise ten-step biological synthesis pathway for converting glucose into lactate has been demonstrated with a system that mimics the way enzymes in sperm tails rapidly ferry molecules and metabolites along the length of the tail http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2016/12/fast-efficient-sperm-tails-inspire-nanobiotechnology. Instead of enzymes vibrating in solution and randomly encountering their particular molecule, the group tethered all of the necessary enzymes to nanoparticles, which resulted in much lower concentrations of intermediate molecular products in solution. This is another step on the path towards atomically precise manufacturing. Add the particular enzymes for your synthetic pathway of interest to nanoparticles (perhaps further advances will lock in precise positions to ensure molecule-by-molecule handoff and transfer with no wastage) and drop into a solution or environment of choice, or inject into blood in order to perform the needed reaction as therapy, sensor, stimulant, industrial production or clean up agent.
9. Latest Wireless Optogenetic Animal Control
This week saw a nice update and review of wireless optogenetic animal control tools that we’ve covered previously over the years http://spectrum.ieee.org/biomedical/devices/neuroscientists-wirelessly-control-the-brain-of-a-scampering-lab-mouse. The key development has been tiny LEDs that can be implanted and wirelessly powered and controlled, requiring the mice or rats to be observed in cages equipped with radio frequency generators that can both power and send control signals to the tiny implanted chips connected to the LEDs. Instead of needing large receiving antennas new devices are able to track and use the body of the animal itself for resonant coupling.
10. Towards Exascale Computing with Nvidia
Nvidia has introduced Xavier, its most ambitious single-chip computer, which has 7 billion transistors and computes at 20 trillion operations per second (OPS) for just 20 watts of power. 50 of these chips would provide a petaOPS of processing for 1 kilowatt of power, while in 2018 50,000 units would reach exaOPS for 1 megawatt of power. Coverage at NBF here http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2016/11/nvidia-xavier-chip-20-trillion.html and here http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2016/11/50000-nvidia-xavier-chips-would-deliver.html. Commercial drivers include ramping up AI, deep learning, and autonomous vehicle data processing applications.
SciTech Tip Jar: http://www.scitechdigest.net/p/donate.html
"When we are in a deep slumber our brain's activity ebbs and flows in big, obvious waves, like watching a tide of...
Originally shared by Wayne Radinsky
"When we are in a deep slumber our brain's activity ebbs and flows in big, obvious waves, like watching a tide of human bodies rise up and sit down around a sports stadium." "Those same cycles exist in wake as in sleep, but with only small sections sitting and standing in unison rather than the entire stadium. It's as if tiny portions of the brain are independently falling asleep and waking back up all the time."
"What's more, it appears that when the neurons have cycled into the more active, or 'on,' state they are better at responding to the world. The neurons also spend more time in the on state when paying attention to a task. This finding suggests processes that regulate brain activity in sleep might also play a role in attention."
http://news.stanford.edu/2016/12/01/portions-brain-fall-asleep-wake-back-time-stanford-researchers-find
"When we are in a deep slumber our brain's activity ebbs and flows in big, obvious waves, like watching a tide of human bodies rise up and sit down around a sports stadium." "Those same cycles exist in wake as in sleep, but with only small sections sitting and standing in unison rather than the entire stadium. It's as if tiny portions of the brain are independently falling asleep and waking back up all the time."
"What's more, it appears that when the neurons have cycled into the more active, or 'on,' state they are better at responding to the world. The neurons also spend more time in the on state when paying attention to a task. This finding suggests processes that regulate brain activity in sleep might also play a role in attention."
http://news.stanford.edu/2016/12/01/portions-brain-fall-asleep-wake-back-time-stanford-researchers-find
Interview with Jeff Dean
Originally shared by Erik Jonker
Interview with Jeff Dean
A nice but short interview with Jeff Dean , the Google Brain leader, he explains unsupervised learning and reinforcement learning.
http://fortune.com/2016/11/26/google-artificial-intelligence-jeff-dean/
Interview with Jeff Dean
A nice but short interview with Jeff Dean , the Google Brain leader, he explains unsupervised learning and reinforcement learning.
http://fortune.com/2016/11/26/google-artificial-intelligence-jeff-dean/
Development of AI mimics our brain in some aspects
Originally shared by Erik Jonker
Development of AI mimics our brain in some aspects
Fascinating that neural networks develop some characteristics we also encounter in human brains.
https://www.engadget.com/2016/12/02/mit-s-ai-figured-out-how-humans-recognize-faces/
Development of AI mimics our brain in some aspects
Fascinating that neural networks develop some characteristics we also encounter in human brains.
https://www.engadget.com/2016/12/02/mit-s-ai-figured-out-how-humans-recognize-faces/
Data Scientists Find Causal Relation in Characteristics of ADHD
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
Data Scientists Find Causal Relation in Characteristics of ADHD
Hyperactivity seems to be the result of not being able to focus one’s attention rather than the other way around.
The research is in PLOS ONE. (full open access)
#bigdata #adhd
http://neurosciencenews.com/adhd-characteristics-data-science-5673
Data Scientists Find Causal Relation in Characteristics of ADHD
Hyperactivity seems to be the result of not being able to focus one’s attention rather than the other way around.
The research is in PLOS ONE. (full open access)
#bigdata #adhd
http://neurosciencenews.com/adhd-characteristics-data-science-5673
Warehouse hiring has leveled off, even though massive new warehouses are still being built. Because robots.
Originally shared by Wayne Radinsky
Warehouse hiring has leveled off, even though massive new warehouses are still being built. Because robots.
http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-fi-warehouse-robots
Warehouse hiring has leveled off, even though massive new warehouses are still being built. Because robots.
http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-fi-warehouse-robots
Choose what you put into your mouth.
Originally shared by Bio E
Choose what you put into your mouth.
#health #healthtip #organic #organicfood #food #fitness #weightloss #run #yoga #exercise #gym #vegetarian #vegetables #organicfarming #herbalremedy #fruit #motivation #digestion #foodporn #eat #diet #vegan #herbs #gut #guthealth #probiotics #quote #biogenicsmd #gmo #pesticide #environment #farming #processed #junkfood #fastfood #sugar #smoking #environment #nature #eco #gmofree #gmofarming #monsanto #bayer
Bad memories stick around if you sleep on them
Originally shared by Ward Plunet
Bad memories stick around if you sleep on them
Don’t go to bed angry. Now there’s evidence for this proverb: it’s harder to suppress bad memories if you sleep on them. The discovery could reveal new ways to treat people who suffer from conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder, and reinforces an earlier idea that it is possible to suppress bad memories through sleep deprivation. “The results are of major interest for treating the frequent clinical problem of unwanted memories, memories of traumatic events being the most prominent example,” says Christoph Nissen at the University of Freiburg Medical Center in Germany, who was not involved in the work.
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2114556-bad-memories-stick-around-if-you-sleep-on-them/
Bad memories stick around if you sleep on them
Don’t go to bed angry. Now there’s evidence for this proverb: it’s harder to suppress bad memories if you sleep on them. The discovery could reveal new ways to treat people who suffer from conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder, and reinforces an earlier idea that it is possible to suppress bad memories through sleep deprivation. “The results are of major interest for treating the frequent clinical problem of unwanted memories, memories of traumatic events being the most prominent example,” says Christoph Nissen at the University of Freiburg Medical Center in Germany, who was not involved in the work.
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2114556-bad-memories-stick-around-if-you-sleep-on-them/
How the Hippocampus Influences Future Thinking
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
How the Hippocampus Influences Future Thinking
Over the past decade, researchers have learned that the hippocampus--historically known for its role in forming memories--is involved in much more than just remembering the past; it plays an important role in imagining events in the future. Yet, scientists still do not know precisely how the hippocampus contributes to episodic imagining--until now. Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have determined the role of the hippocampus in future imaging lies in the process of constructing a scene in one's mind.
The research is in Cerebral Cortex. (full access paywall)
#hippocampus #neuroscience
http://neurosciencenews.com/future-thinking-hippocampus-5680
How the Hippocampus Influences Future Thinking
Over the past decade, researchers have learned that the hippocampus--historically known for its role in forming memories--is involved in much more than just remembering the past; it plays an important role in imagining events in the future. Yet, scientists still do not know precisely how the hippocampus contributes to episodic imagining--until now. Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have determined the role of the hippocampus in future imaging lies in the process of constructing a scene in one's mind.
The research is in Cerebral Cortex. (full access paywall)
#hippocampus #neuroscience
http://neurosciencenews.com/future-thinking-hippocampus-5680
#health #healthtip #organic #organicfood #food #fitness #weightloss #run #yoga #exercise #gym #vegetarian...
Originally shared by Bio E
#health #healthtip #organic #organicfood #food #fitness #weightloss #run #yoga #exercise #gym #vegetarian #vegetables #organicfarming #herbalremedy #fruit #motivation #digestion #foodporn #eat #diet #vegan #herbs #gut #guthealth #probiotics #quote #biogenicsmd #gmo #pesticide #environment #farming #processed #junkfood #fastfood #sugar #kahokoso #nature #eco #gmofree #gmofarming
Brute force card data because the backend fails to consolidate logs. #visa
Originally shared by Christoph Puppe
Brute force card data because the backend fails to consolidate logs. #visa
http://thenextweb.com/security/2016/12/05/credit-card-hackers/
Brute force card data because the backend fails to consolidate logs. #visa
http://thenextweb.com/security/2016/12/05/credit-card-hackers/
Amazon Automates the Convenience Store
Originally shared by Gideon Rosenblatt
Amazon Automates the Convenience Store
Amazon says that what makes the store tick is a combination of computer vision, the aggregation of data from different sensors and machine learning. It calls the whole cocktail “Just Walk Out technology.”
It can tell, say, when a particular shopper picks up a carton of milk from a shelf, and the technology puts it in that shopper’s virtual cart. It can also tell when an item is put back on the shelf — and removes it from the virtual cart accordingly.
Shoppers walking into the store call up the Amazon Go app and hold their smartphone to a scanner as they would at an airport security line. That opens a gate. Then they just pick any combination of products and walk out. Amazon charges them after they leave the store.
http://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazon/amazoncom-unveils-self-driving-brick-and-mortar-convenience-store/
Amazon Automates the Convenience Store
Amazon says that what makes the store tick is a combination of computer vision, the aggregation of data from different sensors and machine learning. It calls the whole cocktail “Just Walk Out technology.”
It can tell, say, when a particular shopper picks up a carton of milk from a shelf, and the technology puts it in that shopper’s virtual cart. It can also tell when an item is put back on the shelf — and removes it from the virtual cart accordingly.
Shoppers walking into the store call up the Amazon Go app and hold their smartphone to a scanner as they would at an airport security line. That opens a gate. Then they just pick any combination of products and walk out. Amazon charges them after they leave the store.
http://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazon/amazoncom-unveils-self-driving-brick-and-mortar-convenience-store/
"Amazon just unveiled a grocery store without lines or checkout counters.
Originally shared by Wayne Radinsky
"Amazon just unveiled a grocery store without lines or checkout counters. Amazon Go, a 1800-square-foot retail space located in the company's hometown of Seattle, lets shoppers just grab the items they want and leave; the order gets charged to their Amazon account afterwards."
"Amazon Go works by using computer vision and sensors to detect what items you're taking out of the store. You start by scanning an app as you enter the Amazon Go shop. You do your normal shopping, and the sensors throughout the store identify the items in your cart and charge them to your account when you walk out the door."
http://www.theverge.com/2016/12/5/13842592/amazon-go-new-cashier-less-convenience-store
"Amazon just unveiled a grocery store without lines or checkout counters. Amazon Go, a 1800-square-foot retail space located in the company's hometown of Seattle, lets shoppers just grab the items they want and leave; the order gets charged to their Amazon account afterwards."
"Amazon Go works by using computer vision and sensors to detect what items you're taking out of the store. You start by scanning an app as you enter the Amazon Go shop. You do your normal shopping, and the sensors throughout the store identify the items in your cart and charge them to your account when you walk out the door."
http://www.theverge.com/2016/12/5/13842592/amazon-go-new-cashier-less-convenience-store
Flying Robotic Ambulance Completes First Solo Test Flight
Originally shared by Rob Jongschaap
Flying Robotic Ambulance Completes First Solo Test Flight
'A new automated, flying ambulance completed its first solo flight, offering a potential solution for challenging search and rescue missions.
Completing such missions in rough terrain or combat zones can be tricky, with helicopters currently offering the best transportation option in most cases. But these vehicles need clear areas to land, and in the case of war zones, helicopters tend to attract enemy fire. Earlier this month, Israeli company Urban Aeronautics completed a test flight for a robotic flying vehicle that could one day go where helicopters can't.
On Nov. 14, the company flew its robotic flyer, dubbed the Cormorant, on the craft's first solo flight over real terrain. The autonomous vehicle is designed to eventually carry people or equipment (as reflected in its former name, the AirMule) without a human pilot on board. [9 Totally Cool Uses for Drones]'
http://www.livescience.com/57080-flying-robotic-ambulance-completes-test-flight.html
http://www.livescience.com/57080-flying-robotic-ambulance-completes-test-flight.html
Flying Robotic Ambulance Completes First Solo Test Flight
'A new automated, flying ambulance completed its first solo flight, offering a potential solution for challenging search and rescue missions.
Completing such missions in rough terrain or combat zones can be tricky, with helicopters currently offering the best transportation option in most cases. But these vehicles need clear areas to land, and in the case of war zones, helicopters tend to attract enemy fire. Earlier this month, Israeli company Urban Aeronautics completed a test flight for a robotic flying vehicle that could one day go where helicopters can't.
On Nov. 14, the company flew its robotic flyer, dubbed the Cormorant, on the craft's first solo flight over real terrain. The autonomous vehicle is designed to eventually carry people or equipment (as reflected in its former name, the AirMule) without a human pilot on board. [9 Totally Cool Uses for Drones]'
http://www.livescience.com/57080-flying-robotic-ambulance-completes-test-flight.html
http://www.livescience.com/57080-flying-robotic-ambulance-completes-test-flight.html
It took thousands of years, but we finally have a digital sundial - ScienceAlert
Originally shared by Rob Jongschaap
It took thousands of years, but we finally have a digital sundial - ScienceAlert
'... Created by a French engineer who goes by the name of Mojoptix, the outdoor clock uses a number of carefully calibrated holes in the triangular part of the sundial - officially known as a gnomom - to make sure the right time is projected on the plate below.
So, when it's 10am, you'll see 10:00am projected onto the shadow below.
There are some limitations to the design - it obviously doesn't work at night, and is only designed to be accurate between the hours of 10am and 4pm.
And it only tells the time in 20-minute intervals, so it's probably not going to help you get to your next meeting on time.
But it does all of this using nothing but beams of sunlight - the same thing our ancestors from 3,600 years ago used to tell the time of day with, so it's a pretty cool upgrade.
...'
http://www.sciencealert.com/it-took-thousands-of-years-but-we-finally-have-a-digital-sundial
http://www.sciencealert.com/it-took-thousands-of-years-but-we-finally-have-a-digital-sundial
It took thousands of years, but we finally have a digital sundial - ScienceAlert
'... Created by a French engineer who goes by the name of Mojoptix, the outdoor clock uses a number of carefully calibrated holes in the triangular part of the sundial - officially known as a gnomom - to make sure the right time is projected on the plate below.
So, when it's 10am, you'll see 10:00am projected onto the shadow below.
There are some limitations to the design - it obviously doesn't work at night, and is only designed to be accurate between the hours of 10am and 4pm.
And it only tells the time in 20-minute intervals, so it's probably not going to help you get to your next meeting on time.
But it does all of this using nothing but beams of sunlight - the same thing our ancestors from 3,600 years ago used to tell the time of day with, so it's a pretty cool upgrade.
...'
http://www.sciencealert.com/it-took-thousands-of-years-but-we-finally-have-a-digital-sundial
http://www.sciencealert.com/it-took-thousands-of-years-but-we-finally-have-a-digital-sundial
Its all in the painting....wow.....
Originally shared by Marianne Sansum
Its all in the painting....wow.....
Google recognised my cat, now i can let Amazon recognise my dog
Originally shared by Erik Jonker
Google recognised my cat, now i can let Amazon recognise my dog
Good article about Amazon's new AI services from the cloud. A pity they are not free to experiment with everywhere.
http://www.theverge.com/2016/11/30/13799582/amazon-rekognition-machine-learning-image-processing
Google recognised my cat, now i can let Amazon recognise my dog
Good article about Amazon's new AI services from the cloud. A pity they are not free to experiment with everywhere.
http://www.theverge.com/2016/11/30/13799582/amazon-rekognition-machine-learning-image-processing
SciTech #ScienceSunday Digest - 47/2016.
SciTech #ScienceSunday Digest - 47/2016.
Permalink here: http://www.scitechdigest.net/2016/11/compartmentalised-gene-circuits-crispr.html
Compartmentalised gene circuits, CRISPR human trial, Google’s machine learning, Parabiosis twist, Carbon nanotube terahertz scanner, Automated drug discovery, DNA origami muscles, Magnetic hand tracking, Photonic neuromorphic computing, Nanoantenna optical switches.
1. Compartmentalised Synthetic Gene Circuits
The utility and power of synthetic biology has been boosted with new modular tools that involve placing different genetic circuits into separate liposomes within the modified cells http://news.mit.edu/2016/synthetic-cells-isolate-genetic-circuits-1114. This solves the potential problem of too many genetic circuits interfering with each other, while allowing the same circuit to be used in a different way at the same time. As a demonstration a circuit in one liposome reacted to a drug by releasing another molecule from its liposome, which entered a second liposome and genetic circuit that responded by producing a light-emitting protein. Other triggers include forcing the liposomes to merge and combine contents. I think of this system as producing basic little custom-engineered and custom-programmed nanofactories in cells. Such modularity makes this a very powerful platform for pushing synthetic biology applications forward.
2. CRISPR Therapy in First Human Trial
A Chinese group has introduced a CRISPR-based therapy into humans as part of a human trial for the first time http://www.nature.com/news/crispr-gene-editing-tested-in-a-person-for-the-first-time-1.20988. In this case the CRISPR modification took place in immune cells extracted from the patient, disabling the PD-1 gene that inhibits cellular immune response, and then these cells were reintroduced back into patients with lung cancer in the hope that the unhindered immune cells would defeat it. 2017 will see an number of other CRISPR human trials begin, most of which will be targeting various cancers. As CRISPR tools get better I’m expecting this space to explode.
3. Google Machine Learning Advances
First, Google demonstrates RAISR, a machine learning based tool that upscales low resolution images to high resolution copies, which might improve the viewability of low resolution images or otherwise preserve bandwidth http://www.androidpolice.com/2016/11/14/google-announces-raisr-method-upscaling-images-machine-learning/. Second, better machine learning is powering the latest iteration of Google Translate, which can now translate whole sentences at a time rather than piece by piece, and resulting in much smoother grammatically correct translations https://blog.google/products/translate/found-translation-more-accurate-fluent-sentences-google-translate/.
4. Surprising Twist with Parabiosis
Parabiosis is the term for connecting the circulatory systems of two animals together, and when done with an old and young mouse the older mouse shows signs of regeneration to a more youthful state. In an interesting twist, the blood plasma from young (18 year old) humans was taken and injected into old mice (1 year old, ~50 year human equivalent) and this also rejuvenated the old mice to a more youthful state as measured by movement, memory function, and increased neurogenesis https://www.newscientist.com/article/2112829-blood-from-human-teens-rejuvenates-body-and-brains-of-old-mice/. Interesting both for the fact that an 18 year old human’s blood rejuvenated a one year old mouse, and also for the promise this general procedure and the isolation of specific factors has for human health applications.
5. Portable Carbon Nanotube Terahertz Scanner
A portable, flexible, wearable, terahertz scanner has been created from thin films of carbon nanotubes http://spectrum.ieee.org/nanoclast/semiconductors/nanotechnology/flexible-portable-terahertz-scanner-made-from-carbon-nanotubes2. This effectively amounts to a flexible terahertz camera that in tests was able to detect and image a wide band of terahertz rays. Given terahertz light passes through many materials the promise has always been to use such devices for security as part of high-resolution non-invasive imaging to detect hidden objects.
6. Automated Drug Discovery
First, iPANDA is a machine learning system for discovering new drugs from gene expression data and which outputs the pharmacological properties of new potential drugs and biomarkers for further development https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-11/imi-ian111616.php. Second, another machine learning system was being used to study antimicrobial compounds and helped discover general peptides and protein features that can cross cell membranes, thus not only enabling the design of different and better antimicrobial peptides but also peptides that can ferry drugs and other molecules into cells http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/computers-learn-to-recognize-molecules-that-can-enter-cells.
7. DNA Origami Muscles
Nanoscale muscles have been built from gold nanoparticles linked in sheets by different single strand DNA sequences and with these sheets stacked in many layers https://news.upenn.edu/news/penn-engineers-make-nanoscale-muscles-powered-dna. By introducing different complementary strands induces the formation of double-stranded DNA bridges in precise locations, which are different lengths to single strands, and this causes the stacked sheets to twist and flex and roll up in controllable shapes. This controllable flexing behaviour could be used in nanoscale diagnostics, for example, recognising a certain type of RNA in the cell by changing the spacing between layers in the sheet and so interacting with light differently to provide a signal of the event.
8. VR Magnetic Hand Tracking
Ommo is developing a system to provide millimeter resolution gesture tracking in virtual reality environments magnetic fields and sensors http://spectrum.ieee.org/view-from-the-valley/at-work/start-ups/for-precise-hand-tracking-in-virtual-reality-start-with-a-magnetic-field. This includes a small magnetic field generator that is worn in the pocket and sensors on key points of a glove worn on the hands. Developer prototypes are expected next year. I’ve been playing with Daydream View lately and it would be pretty amazing to have this type of control and gesture interface in these environments.
9. Photonic Neuromorphic Computing
Neuromorphic computer hardware has taken a big step with the development of the first photonic neuromorphic chip for processing neural networks and deep learning algorithms at ultrafast speeds https://www.technologyreview.com/s/602938/worlds-first-photonic-neural-network-unveiled/. For certain types of information processing, types of recurrent neural networks for example, the photonic circuits have been demonstrated to be 2,000 times faster than conventional processing. The photonic circuits are comprised of nodes that respond in a similar manner to a neuron and consist of circular waveguides that trap light, which when released modulates the output of an associated laser.
10. Nanoantenna Switches for Optical Computing
On the topic of photonic chips, new nanoantennas made from silicon nanoparticles efficiently switch the direction of incoming light depending on the intensity of that light http://spectrum.ieee.org/nanoclast/semiconductors/nanotechnology/nanoantenna-changes-direction-of-light-and-the-prospects-of-optical-computing. Low intensity light is unaffected, while high intensity light generates a type of electron plasma around the silicon nanoparticles, resulting in a significant change to the refractive index of the nanoantennas, and so bending the light in a measurable and different way. These nanoantennas can support data rates up to 250 gigabits per second and offer a great platform for developing optical computing applications and chips in future.
SciTech Tip Jar: http://www.scitechdigest.net/p/donate.html
Permalink here: http://www.scitechdigest.net/2016/11/compartmentalised-gene-circuits-crispr.html
Compartmentalised gene circuits, CRISPR human trial, Google’s machine learning, Parabiosis twist, Carbon nanotube terahertz scanner, Automated drug discovery, DNA origami muscles, Magnetic hand tracking, Photonic neuromorphic computing, Nanoantenna optical switches.
1. Compartmentalised Synthetic Gene Circuits
The utility and power of synthetic biology has been boosted with new modular tools that involve placing different genetic circuits into separate liposomes within the modified cells http://news.mit.edu/2016/synthetic-cells-isolate-genetic-circuits-1114. This solves the potential problem of too many genetic circuits interfering with each other, while allowing the same circuit to be used in a different way at the same time. As a demonstration a circuit in one liposome reacted to a drug by releasing another molecule from its liposome, which entered a second liposome and genetic circuit that responded by producing a light-emitting protein. Other triggers include forcing the liposomes to merge and combine contents. I think of this system as producing basic little custom-engineered and custom-programmed nanofactories in cells. Such modularity makes this a very powerful platform for pushing synthetic biology applications forward.
2. CRISPR Therapy in First Human Trial
A Chinese group has introduced a CRISPR-based therapy into humans as part of a human trial for the first time http://www.nature.com/news/crispr-gene-editing-tested-in-a-person-for-the-first-time-1.20988. In this case the CRISPR modification took place in immune cells extracted from the patient, disabling the PD-1 gene that inhibits cellular immune response, and then these cells were reintroduced back into patients with lung cancer in the hope that the unhindered immune cells would defeat it. 2017 will see an number of other CRISPR human trials begin, most of which will be targeting various cancers. As CRISPR tools get better I’m expecting this space to explode.
3. Google Machine Learning Advances
First, Google demonstrates RAISR, a machine learning based tool that upscales low resolution images to high resolution copies, which might improve the viewability of low resolution images or otherwise preserve bandwidth http://www.androidpolice.com/2016/11/14/google-announces-raisr-method-upscaling-images-machine-learning/. Second, better machine learning is powering the latest iteration of Google Translate, which can now translate whole sentences at a time rather than piece by piece, and resulting in much smoother grammatically correct translations https://blog.google/products/translate/found-translation-more-accurate-fluent-sentences-google-translate/.
4. Surprising Twist with Parabiosis
Parabiosis is the term for connecting the circulatory systems of two animals together, and when done with an old and young mouse the older mouse shows signs of regeneration to a more youthful state. In an interesting twist, the blood plasma from young (18 year old) humans was taken and injected into old mice (1 year old, ~50 year human equivalent) and this also rejuvenated the old mice to a more youthful state as measured by movement, memory function, and increased neurogenesis https://www.newscientist.com/article/2112829-blood-from-human-teens-rejuvenates-body-and-brains-of-old-mice/. Interesting both for the fact that an 18 year old human’s blood rejuvenated a one year old mouse, and also for the promise this general procedure and the isolation of specific factors has for human health applications.
5. Portable Carbon Nanotube Terahertz Scanner
A portable, flexible, wearable, terahertz scanner has been created from thin films of carbon nanotubes http://spectrum.ieee.org/nanoclast/semiconductors/nanotechnology/flexible-portable-terahertz-scanner-made-from-carbon-nanotubes2. This effectively amounts to a flexible terahertz camera that in tests was able to detect and image a wide band of terahertz rays. Given terahertz light passes through many materials the promise has always been to use such devices for security as part of high-resolution non-invasive imaging to detect hidden objects.
6. Automated Drug Discovery
First, iPANDA is a machine learning system for discovering new drugs from gene expression data and which outputs the pharmacological properties of new potential drugs and biomarkers for further development https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-11/imi-ian111616.php. Second, another machine learning system was being used to study antimicrobial compounds and helped discover general peptides and protein features that can cross cell membranes, thus not only enabling the design of different and better antimicrobial peptides but also peptides that can ferry drugs and other molecules into cells http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/computers-learn-to-recognize-molecules-that-can-enter-cells.
7. DNA Origami Muscles
Nanoscale muscles have been built from gold nanoparticles linked in sheets by different single strand DNA sequences and with these sheets stacked in many layers https://news.upenn.edu/news/penn-engineers-make-nanoscale-muscles-powered-dna. By introducing different complementary strands induces the formation of double-stranded DNA bridges in precise locations, which are different lengths to single strands, and this causes the stacked sheets to twist and flex and roll up in controllable shapes. This controllable flexing behaviour could be used in nanoscale diagnostics, for example, recognising a certain type of RNA in the cell by changing the spacing between layers in the sheet and so interacting with light differently to provide a signal of the event.
8. VR Magnetic Hand Tracking
Ommo is developing a system to provide millimeter resolution gesture tracking in virtual reality environments magnetic fields and sensors http://spectrum.ieee.org/view-from-the-valley/at-work/start-ups/for-precise-hand-tracking-in-virtual-reality-start-with-a-magnetic-field. This includes a small magnetic field generator that is worn in the pocket and sensors on key points of a glove worn on the hands. Developer prototypes are expected next year. I’ve been playing with Daydream View lately and it would be pretty amazing to have this type of control and gesture interface in these environments.
9. Photonic Neuromorphic Computing
Neuromorphic computer hardware has taken a big step with the development of the first photonic neuromorphic chip for processing neural networks and deep learning algorithms at ultrafast speeds https://www.technologyreview.com/s/602938/worlds-first-photonic-neural-network-unveiled/. For certain types of information processing, types of recurrent neural networks for example, the photonic circuits have been demonstrated to be 2,000 times faster than conventional processing. The photonic circuits are comprised of nodes that respond in a similar manner to a neuron and consist of circular waveguides that trap light, which when released modulates the output of an associated laser.
10. Nanoantenna Switches for Optical Computing
On the topic of photonic chips, new nanoantennas made from silicon nanoparticles efficiently switch the direction of incoming light depending on the intensity of that light http://spectrum.ieee.org/nanoclast/semiconductors/nanotechnology/nanoantenna-changes-direction-of-light-and-the-prospects-of-optical-computing. Low intensity light is unaffected, while high intensity light generates a type of electron plasma around the silicon nanoparticles, resulting in a significant change to the refractive index of the nanoantennas, and so bending the light in a measurable and different way. These nanoantennas can support data rates up to 250 gigabits per second and offer a great platform for developing optical computing applications and chips in future.
SciTech Tip Jar: http://www.scitechdigest.net/p/donate.html
SciTech #ScienceSunday Digest - 48/2016.
SciTech #ScienceSunday Digest - 48/2016.
Permalink here: http://www.scitechdigest.net/2016/11/deep-learning-criminal-recognition.html
Deep learning criminal recognition, Mapping the epigenome, Friction on graphene, Single atom memory, Parabiosis twist, Thermoelectric paint, MEMS ultrasound interfaces, Reducing water from air, Nanochannel genome mapping, Inducing mitophagy.
1. Criminal Face Recognition by Deep Learning
A deep learning system, after being suitably trained on 1,500 images of faces, half of which were criminals, half of which were not, can predict which subsequent faces are criminals with 90% accuracy https://www.technologyreview.com/s/602955/neural-network-learns-to-identify-criminals-by-their-faces/. This follows work in 2011 that showed that humans are also adept at picking criminals from a random collection of faces. I’ll emphasise the fact that there are no guarantees in biology, just predispositions and likelihoods, and that a lot more work is needed, but this opens up some pretty interesting (potentially worrying) possibilities in future with regards to automatic screening for measures of criminality, trustworthiness, and other factors, either by individuals or by states. Imagine a Facebook plug-in that tagged everyone based on these assessments, or surveillance systems that directed personnel attention to specific individuals.
2. Mapping the Human Epigenome
The human epigenome, that pattern of methylation tags on DNA that help regulate gene expression, has been mapped to extraordinary detail in BLUEPRINT studies on how hematopoietic stem cells differentiate and produce the various types of blood cells https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-11/crcf-btd111716.php. Different epigenomic maps help dictate the particular gene expression blueprint that is to be followed to produce cells of a particular type, while disruption or changes to epigenetic markers can often result in disease states. Apart from raw knowledge, applications include cancer diagnostics, personalised medicine, and improved cellular reprogramming.
3. Understanding Graphene Friction
The possible applications for using graphene and graphite as lubricants takes a step forward with a far more sophisticated understanding of how friction operates on graphene surfaces http://news.mit.edu/2016/sliding-flexible-graphene-surfaces-1123. It turns out that in addition to quantity of contact (how much area between the two surfaces actually touch) the group discovered that quality of contact (how well individual carbon atoms make contact with other atoms in the material) plays a large role and causing the counter-intuitive spike in friction as movement begins before levelling off. The new understanding opens up possibilities in tuning graphene interfaces to provide a desired level of friction. In other 2D materials news, indium selenide appears to offer some interesting “goldilocks” properties http://spectrum.ieee.org/nanoclast/semiconductors/materials/indium-selenide-takes-on-the-mantle-of-the-new-wonder-material.
4. Single Atom Magnet Superlattice
Building on single-atom work announced earlier this year a group has now produced monomer layer superlattices of single (dysprosium) atom magnets on graphene-iridium sheets with a theoretical information density of 115 terabits per square inch http://phys.org/news/2016-11-superlattice-single-atom-magnets-aims-ultimate.html. The surfaces are prepared at 40K, allowing the atoms to find the lowest energy states in the lattice with an atomic spacing of 2.5nm, although stable magnet performance is only possible below 10K. This very low temperature prototype isn’t going to be useful anytime soon, which will require massive improvements in temperature stability.
5. Another Parabiosis Twist
Following on from the interesting parabiosis work last week showing rejuvenation effects of young blood on old mice, this latest parabiosis work with a counter-narrative deserves a strong mention. This latest study on mice, conducted with a different blood transfer procedure, suggests that young blood does not by itself help rejuvenate older animals and that older blood in young mice causes declines in the functioning of most organs and tissues http://news.berkeley.edu/2016/11/22/young-blood-does-not-reverse-aging-in-old-mice-uc-berkeley-study-finds/. This suggests that blood transfusions using blood from older individuals may carry a number of risks. Also, it appears that better ways to filter blood or otherwise remove accumulating factors in older blood will lead to rejuvenation benefits for older individuals.
6. Thermoelectric Paint
Thermoelectric paints (that convert heat into electricity) that can be quickly applied to any surface have been developed for the first time, in order to generate electricity from large temperature differences http://news.unist.ac.kr/unist-engineers-thermoelectric-material-in-paintable-liquid-form/. Like paint-on photovoltaics and LEDs this is a good initial demonstration that provides a platform for development: better efficiencies, lower operating temperatures, etc. Applications include any machine subject to high temperatures including cars, satellites, computer chips, and many others.
7. MEMS Ultrasound Interfaces
Recent advances and improvements in MEMS technology and devices will soon result in consumer level MEMS chips that function as ultrasonic gesture interfaces http://spectrum.ieee.org/semiconductors/devices/beyond-touch-tomorrows-devices-will-use-mems-ultrasound-to-hear-your-gestures. This is like Google’s Soli technology (radar) or infrared LEDs, but makes use of ultrasound to do the same and much more at much lower power and avoiding a range of potential interference sources from the environment. Earlier MEMS-based ultrasound devices include digital pens and styluses, but the new devices coming incorporate embedded piezoelectrics and promise a whole new way to interact with our digital devices and sensors.
8. Easy Access to Water from Air
A great little student project developed a simple device, predominantly 3D printed, that is able to produce just under two litres of water per hour from humid air (lower volumes from drier air) http://newworldwow.com/index.php/2016/11/17/student-creates-3d-printed-gadget-turns-air-1-8-liters-drinkable-water-just-one-hour/. The electric fans incorporated into the device circulate air and cool it below its dew point, producing water vapour that is subsequently collected, and all while powered by a 12 volt energy source. As far as compact atmospheric water generators go this is pretty neat. Perhaps Tesla should make a similar device to be sold alongside its Power Wall energy storage batteries, a Water Wall for on-site water production from excess energy.
9. Genome Mapping with Nanochannels
While nanopores are showing great promise as a long-read DNA sequencing technology, a new device and approach using nanochannels is showing great promise for high-resolution genome mapping as a useful complementary technology http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=45129.php. In this approach photostable fluorophores are combined with blinking dyes to mitigate the effects of thermal fluctuations of DNA to facilitate a 15-fold improvement in mapping resolution. The benefits of rapid genome mapping include determining gene location and distance, genetic rearrangements, better accuracy for discriminating repeat numbers of long strings of identical bases that sequencing struggles to resolve.
10. Clearing Defective Mitochondria
Increasing numbers of defective mitochondria in our cells are one of the major causes of aging-related damage; while work continues to try migrate mitochondrial genes to the nucleus to mitigate this, interim measures are also being developed including co-opting mitophagy, the cells natural quality control mechanism, to induce cells to remove defective mitochondria https://www.fightaging.org/archives/2016/11/manipulating-existing-methods-of-cellular-quality-control-to-clear-mutant-mitochondria/. Recent work demonstrates several different interventions that might be developed into human therapies in future in order to accelerate and boost this quality control mechanism.
SciTech Tip Jar: http://www.scitechdigest.net/p/donate.html
Permalink here: http://www.scitechdigest.net/2016/11/deep-learning-criminal-recognition.html
Deep learning criminal recognition, Mapping the epigenome, Friction on graphene, Single atom memory, Parabiosis twist, Thermoelectric paint, MEMS ultrasound interfaces, Reducing water from air, Nanochannel genome mapping, Inducing mitophagy.
1. Criminal Face Recognition by Deep Learning
A deep learning system, after being suitably trained on 1,500 images of faces, half of which were criminals, half of which were not, can predict which subsequent faces are criminals with 90% accuracy https://www.technologyreview.com/s/602955/neural-network-learns-to-identify-criminals-by-their-faces/. This follows work in 2011 that showed that humans are also adept at picking criminals from a random collection of faces. I’ll emphasise the fact that there are no guarantees in biology, just predispositions and likelihoods, and that a lot more work is needed, but this opens up some pretty interesting (potentially worrying) possibilities in future with regards to automatic screening for measures of criminality, trustworthiness, and other factors, either by individuals or by states. Imagine a Facebook plug-in that tagged everyone based on these assessments, or surveillance systems that directed personnel attention to specific individuals.
2. Mapping the Human Epigenome
The human epigenome, that pattern of methylation tags on DNA that help regulate gene expression, has been mapped to extraordinary detail in BLUEPRINT studies on how hematopoietic stem cells differentiate and produce the various types of blood cells https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-11/crcf-btd111716.php. Different epigenomic maps help dictate the particular gene expression blueprint that is to be followed to produce cells of a particular type, while disruption or changes to epigenetic markers can often result in disease states. Apart from raw knowledge, applications include cancer diagnostics, personalised medicine, and improved cellular reprogramming.
3. Understanding Graphene Friction
The possible applications for using graphene and graphite as lubricants takes a step forward with a far more sophisticated understanding of how friction operates on graphene surfaces http://news.mit.edu/2016/sliding-flexible-graphene-surfaces-1123. It turns out that in addition to quantity of contact (how much area between the two surfaces actually touch) the group discovered that quality of contact (how well individual carbon atoms make contact with other atoms in the material) plays a large role and causing the counter-intuitive spike in friction as movement begins before levelling off. The new understanding opens up possibilities in tuning graphene interfaces to provide a desired level of friction. In other 2D materials news, indium selenide appears to offer some interesting “goldilocks” properties http://spectrum.ieee.org/nanoclast/semiconductors/materials/indium-selenide-takes-on-the-mantle-of-the-new-wonder-material.
4. Single Atom Magnet Superlattice
Building on single-atom work announced earlier this year a group has now produced monomer layer superlattices of single (dysprosium) atom magnets on graphene-iridium sheets with a theoretical information density of 115 terabits per square inch http://phys.org/news/2016-11-superlattice-single-atom-magnets-aims-ultimate.html. The surfaces are prepared at 40K, allowing the atoms to find the lowest energy states in the lattice with an atomic spacing of 2.5nm, although stable magnet performance is only possible below 10K. This very low temperature prototype isn’t going to be useful anytime soon, which will require massive improvements in temperature stability.
5. Another Parabiosis Twist
Following on from the interesting parabiosis work last week showing rejuvenation effects of young blood on old mice, this latest parabiosis work with a counter-narrative deserves a strong mention. This latest study on mice, conducted with a different blood transfer procedure, suggests that young blood does not by itself help rejuvenate older animals and that older blood in young mice causes declines in the functioning of most organs and tissues http://news.berkeley.edu/2016/11/22/young-blood-does-not-reverse-aging-in-old-mice-uc-berkeley-study-finds/. This suggests that blood transfusions using blood from older individuals may carry a number of risks. Also, it appears that better ways to filter blood or otherwise remove accumulating factors in older blood will lead to rejuvenation benefits for older individuals.
6. Thermoelectric Paint
Thermoelectric paints (that convert heat into electricity) that can be quickly applied to any surface have been developed for the first time, in order to generate electricity from large temperature differences http://news.unist.ac.kr/unist-engineers-thermoelectric-material-in-paintable-liquid-form/. Like paint-on photovoltaics and LEDs this is a good initial demonstration that provides a platform for development: better efficiencies, lower operating temperatures, etc. Applications include any machine subject to high temperatures including cars, satellites, computer chips, and many others.
7. MEMS Ultrasound Interfaces
Recent advances and improvements in MEMS technology and devices will soon result in consumer level MEMS chips that function as ultrasonic gesture interfaces http://spectrum.ieee.org/semiconductors/devices/beyond-touch-tomorrows-devices-will-use-mems-ultrasound-to-hear-your-gestures. This is like Google’s Soli technology (radar) or infrared LEDs, but makes use of ultrasound to do the same and much more at much lower power and avoiding a range of potential interference sources from the environment. Earlier MEMS-based ultrasound devices include digital pens and styluses, but the new devices coming incorporate embedded piezoelectrics and promise a whole new way to interact with our digital devices and sensors.
8. Easy Access to Water from Air
A great little student project developed a simple device, predominantly 3D printed, that is able to produce just under two litres of water per hour from humid air (lower volumes from drier air) http://newworldwow.com/index.php/2016/11/17/student-creates-3d-printed-gadget-turns-air-1-8-liters-drinkable-water-just-one-hour/. The electric fans incorporated into the device circulate air and cool it below its dew point, producing water vapour that is subsequently collected, and all while powered by a 12 volt energy source. As far as compact atmospheric water generators go this is pretty neat. Perhaps Tesla should make a similar device to be sold alongside its Power Wall energy storage batteries, a Water Wall for on-site water production from excess energy.
9. Genome Mapping with Nanochannels
While nanopores are showing great promise as a long-read DNA sequencing technology, a new device and approach using nanochannels is showing great promise for high-resolution genome mapping as a useful complementary technology http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=45129.php. In this approach photostable fluorophores are combined with blinking dyes to mitigate the effects of thermal fluctuations of DNA to facilitate a 15-fold improvement in mapping resolution. The benefits of rapid genome mapping include determining gene location and distance, genetic rearrangements, better accuracy for discriminating repeat numbers of long strings of identical bases that sequencing struggles to resolve.
10. Clearing Defective Mitochondria
Increasing numbers of defective mitochondria in our cells are one of the major causes of aging-related damage; while work continues to try migrate mitochondrial genes to the nucleus to mitigate this, interim measures are also being developed including co-opting mitophagy, the cells natural quality control mechanism, to induce cells to remove defective mitochondria https://www.fightaging.org/archives/2016/11/manipulating-existing-methods-of-cellular-quality-control-to-clear-mutant-mitochondria/. Recent work demonstrates several different interventions that might be developed into human therapies in future in order to accelerate and boost this quality control mechanism.
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Amazon opens up the following machine learning services to external developers:
Originally shared by Gideon Rosenblatt
Amazon opens up the following machine learning services to external developers:
* Image recognition
* Speech recognition
* Chat functionality
https://techcrunch.com/2016/11/30/amazon-launches-amazon-ai-to-bring-its-machine-learning-smarts-to-developers/
Amazon opens up the following machine learning services to external developers:
* Image recognition
* Speech recognition
* Chat functionality
https://techcrunch.com/2016/11/30/amazon-launches-amazon-ai-to-bring-its-machine-learning-smarts-to-developers/
Zika in Fetal Brain Tissue Responds to a Popular Antibiotic
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
Zika in Fetal Brain Tissue Responds to a Popular Antibiotic
Working in the lab, UC San Francisco researchers have identified fetal brain tissue cells that are targeted by the Zika virus and determined that azithromycin, a common antibiotic regarded as safe for use during pregnancy, can prevent the virus from infecting these cells.
The research is in PNAS. (full open access)
#zika
http://neurosciencenews.com/zika-antibiotics-fetal-brain-5630
Zika in Fetal Brain Tissue Responds to a Popular Antibiotic
Working in the lab, UC San Francisco researchers have identified fetal brain tissue cells that are targeted by the Zika virus and determined that azithromycin, a common antibiotic regarded as safe for use during pregnancy, can prevent the virus from infecting these cells.
The research is in PNAS. (full open access)
#zika
http://neurosciencenews.com/zika-antibiotics-fetal-brain-5630