A Chemical Missionary – Adventist Review

Posted on August 11, 2017 by Fredricko

August 11, 2017

By: Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review

How can I be a chemical missionary? What can the chemicals that make up this world and universe tell us about the Creator?

These are some of the questions Andrews University (AU) Chemistry Professor Ryan Hayes asks himself time and again when reflecting on the intersections of his beliefs and the field of science he loves.

Hayes, an AU alumnus who returned to his alma mater to teach after a decade of further studies and work in the chemical industry, offered a hands-on one-size-fits-all seminar, during the 2017 Adventist Laymens Services and Industries (ASi) Convention in Houston, Texas, United States, on August 4. In it, he explored some of the unanswered questions for naturalists and shared a work-in-process initiative that he hopes will provide novel resources for integrating faith into Chemistry learning.

A Missing Link

Hayes notes that most scholarly discussions about origins have traditionally focused on either Physicsthe depth of time, and Biologythe complexity of life, but not on Chemistry, which he called the missing link. But how is this world put together? he asks. How did God make this world?

In that regard, said Hayes, it is relevant to ask whether Chemistry can be a doorway or a barrier. There are in fact a lot of barriers for life happening spontaneously, he says. It is the reason the scientific community is spending a lot of money on Chemical Origins of Life InitiativesChemistry is the current battleground in origin studies.

Hayes believes, however, that without a Creator, there are too many knowledge gaps. For instance, the invisible chemical makeup of our planet is a finely tuned mixture of molecules that supports life, he says, before asking, How did this happen?

Educational Materials

Hayes believes that we need a renewed study of the overlooked components that make up our world in light of Scripture. Science can enhance our relationship with God, he notes as he quotes Jeremiah 29:13, where God says, And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Now Hayes is willing to put money where his mouth is. In partnership with the communication ministry Hart Research Institute, and artist Nathan Greene, he is working on seven sets of educational materials based on the seven days of the Creation story. Greene will contribute with one specific painting for each day of Creationhe is currently working on his 5th-day paintingwhile Hayes will provide content for study and discussion.

Each set will include a video, targeting a key element of that specific Creation day, says Hayes. The idea is to throw out important arguments to make people think. It is expected that when availablemost likely by late 2018these materials may be widely used in Adventist schools, churches, and homes.

Our goal is to offer visually compelling artwork, as well as age appropriate educational materials, says Hayes. Instead of destroying our relationship with God, [we believe] science can greatly enhance it!

Air and Water

While Hayes believes that every day of the Creation story has an impressive potential for discussion and reflection on God as the Designer, his presentation is mostly devoted to one of them.

Take the second day, for instance, he says. You can discuss not only the impressive design of the atmosphere but also the magnetic and the electric fields.

Hayes notes that the atmosphere is so finely tuned that one cannot but wonder whether there is evidence of chemical design in the amount of air on the Earth.

Much of the greenhouse effect we are experiencing results from carbon dioxide, which has gone up from 0.035 to 0.040, he says. That small change is producing grave alterations. And the same applies to the weight of the atmosphere, which is exactlyno more, no lessthe one needed to support life on the planet.

After simple but alluring experiments to demonstrate some of the properties of air, Hayes reminds people attending his seminar that atmosphere is a great shield, as it protects Earth from asteroid impacts.

And it is just with the right pressure, he says, explaining that more air pressure would increase the boiling point, making it harder for evaporation to take place and affecting the water cycle. Less pressure, on the other hand, would overheat the planet, since water vapor is a greenhouse gas.

Water is the single most important ingredient for life, says Hayes. But the amount of air controls the water cycle.

As the seminar concludes, and in case people listening to his presentation still entertain doubts, Hayes reiterates his main point.

The creation story from a chemical perspective makes perfect sense, and the Bibles Creation story is scientifically sound, he says. Gods signature is His creation.

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A Chemical Missionary - Adventist Review

Riesen likes Pioneer softball’s chemistry, battery – Enid News & Eagle

Posted on August 11, 2017 by Fredricko

With a 3-0 record in the first week of the season, Pioneer softball coach Dave Riesen is upbeat about the 2017 season.

"I like our group of kids,'' said Riesen Thursday. "We have good chemistry. That might be the most important thing to have early on.''

The second most important might be having an experienced battery like the Lady Mustangs have in junior returning starters Lexi Booth and Megan Carson.

Booth will be on the mound most of the time, but will move to catcher when Carson goes to the circle.

"That's where you start in fastpitch,'' Riesen said. "The circle and behind the plate are a big part of the game.''

Booth was 25-10 with an 1.01 ERA last season.

"It would be hard for her to improve but she is throwing harder and has more movement on her pitches,'' Riesen said. "Lexi has as good as control as any pitcher that I have had. She can give up more hits than most pitchers, who give up a lot of walks.''

Carson's arm is stronger and is playing with more confidence, Riesen said. aid.

"She does an outstanding job behind the plate,'' Riesen said. "She doesn't have too many passed balls and does a good job of preventing wild pitches. We feel confident in either one either as a pitcher or a catcher."

Lizzy Bennett, who has started the last two years in the outfield, has moved to second, at least temporarily. Madison Postier, who started at third last season, has moved to short for the time being. McKayla Kerger, last year's designated player, is playing third but could end up at second. Macy Alford is set at first.

"The key for us is having our infield play solid defense,'' Riesen said. "I feel comfortable with that. As the season goes, we should get even better.''

Returning starter Cheyann Vaughn is back in center where she is expected to be flanked by Shea Heinlein in left and freshman Haley Panhorst in right.

Sophmore Katey Moore is slated to be the designated player.

"It's still early,'' Riesen said. "We're still doing some experimenting. It's a work in progress."

The Lady Mustangs were 28-11 last season, losing to top-seeded Mooreland twice in extra innings in the regionals.

Stem Cell Therapy Selectively Targets and Kills Cancerous Tissue – Anti Aging News

Posted on August 11, 2017 by Fredricko

Researchers have created a method to kill cancerous tissue without causing the harmful side effects of chemotherapy.

Medical researchers at the University of California, Irvine have created a stem cell-based method to zero in on cancerous tissue. This method kills the cancerous tissue without causing the nasty side effects of chemotherapy. Such side effects are avoided by treating the disease in a more localized manner. The advancement was spearheaded by associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences Weian Zhao. The details of the stem cell therapy were recently published in Science Translational Medicine.

About the new Stem Cell Therapy

Zhao's team programmed stem cells derived from human bone marrow to pinpoint the specific properties of cancerous tissue. They implemented a portion of code to these engineered cells to identify stiff cancerous tissue, lock onto it and implement therapeutics. The researchers safely used this new stem cell therapy in mice to kill metastatic breast cancer that had moved to the lungs. They transplanted these engineered stem cells in order for the teamto pinpoint and settle in the site of the tumor.

Once the stem cells reached the tumor, they released enzymes referred to as cytosine deaminase. The mice were then provided with an inactive chemotherapy known as prodrug 5-flurocytosine. The tumor enzymes stimulated the chemotherapy into action. Zhao stated his team zeroed in on metastatic cancer that occurs when the disease moves to additional parts of the body. Metastatic tumors are especially dangerous. They are responsible for90 percent of all cancer deaths.

Why the new Stem Cell Therapy is Important

Zhao is adamant his stem cell therapy represents an important newparadigm in the context of cancer therapy. Indeed, Zhao has blazed a trail in a new direction that others will likely follow in the years to come. It is possible his new stem cell therapy serves as an alternative and more effective means of treating cancer. This stem cell therapy will serve as an alternative to numerous forms of chemotherapy that typically have nasty side effects. Chemotherapy certainly kills plenty of growing cancer cells yet it can also harm healthy cells. The new type of treatment keys in on metastatic tissue that allows for the avoidance of the undesirable side effects produced by chemotherapy.

Though the published piece describing this stem cell therapy is centered on breast cancer metastases within thelungs, the method will soon be applicable to additional metastases. This is due to the fact that numerous solid tumors are stiffer than regular tissue. The new system does not force scientists to invest time and effort to pinpoint and create a brand new protein or genetic marker for each kind of cancer.

The Next Step

At this point in time, Zhao's team has performed pre-clinical animal studies to show the treatment is effective and safe. They plan to segue to human studies in the coming months and years. Zhao's team is currently expanding to additional types of cells such as cancer tissue-sensing and engineered immune system CAR-T (T cells) to treat metastasizing colon and breast cancers. Their goal is totransform this technology for the treatment of additional diseases ranging from diabetes to fibrosis and beyond.

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Wayde van Niekerk, the anti-Usain Bolt, on way to athletics immortality – iNews

Posted on August 10, 2017 by Fredricko

Wayde van Niekerk is half-way to becoming an athletics icon. As if he needs any more help, after the fastest man in the world endorsed him.

The man who Usain Bolt believes has the chops and charm to take over track and field blasted apart a stellar field on Tuesday night in a 400 metre race overshadowed by the controversy concerning Botswanas Isaac Makwala being ruled out of the race by the IAAF on suspicion of norovirus despite the athlete and his coach saying he was healthy to form the first part of his ambitious World Championships 400m-200m double.

You can see why Bolt is so impressed. Van Niekerk sauntered into the London Stadium on Tuesday to the strains of Guns and Roses Welcome to the Jungle with a laconic grin on his face, before cantering to victory in 43.98 seconds, almost half a second clear of Stephen Gardiner of the Bahamas, with Qatars Abdelah Haroun in third.

He barely smiled after his victory. After all, he goes again on Wednesday, in the 200m. He later said the dank London summer evening was a little freezing.

But Bolts anointment of the South African goes beyond him being able to run fast.

The Jamaican, whose reach is so broad that he has been hailed in some circles as the man who saved athletics, knows a thing or two about how to transcend a sport.

And since Van Niekerk broke Michael Johnsons ancient 400-metre record at the 2016 Olympics, he has steadily moved from the confines of athletics into the public consciousness, bringing with it sponsorship deals totalling seven figures with brands including Audi and Visa.

He has even become a household name in his native country, where usually you have to chuck a rugby ball or wield a cricket bat to move beyond the back pages.

His rise to prominence is no doubt connected with the fact that Bolt named Van Niekerk as his heir apparent.

There is a story that after his first World Championship victory, in 2015, Van Niekerks mother was the only person to meet him at the airport.

If he does the double in London and becomes the first person to achieve the feat since Johnson in 1995 you can bet there will be a few more to greet him.

Van Niekerk has little of the swagger and showmanship of Bolt. You wont see dance moves at the start line as his name is being called out.

In fact on Tuesday night, as he normally does, he merely held his hands together in prayer. Whoever he spoke to must have listened.

Nor will you hear bon mots that we have become used to from Bolt the Jamicans admission that he ate chicken nuggets all through the 2008 Olympics still stands out from Van Niekerk.

In place of Bolts cheeky chutzpah, there is modest politeness and prolific mentions of the Almighty from Van Niekerk. But one thing they do share is an ability to run darn fast.

And if things go to plan on Wednesday and Thursday, Van Niekerk will get ever closer to Bolts exalted status.

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Wayde van Niekerk, the anti-Usain Bolt, on way to athletics immortality - iNews

New Gene Editing Study Raises Possibilities, Questions – Chicago Tonight | WTTW

Posted on August 10, 2017 by Fredricko

An international team of scientists published a new study last week documenting edits theyd made to viable human embryos carrying a genetic mutation, one associated with a life-threatening heart condition. It is the first study of its kind to take place in the United States.

The researchers were able to remove a problematic mutation in the MYBPC3 gene with a higher success rate than in similar studies. After adjusting their method, 72 percent of the embryos were free of the mutation. The scientists believe they may be able to address other monogenetic diseases using the same technique, CRISPR-Cas9.

But the notion of altering human DNA to eradicate inherited diseases is generating concern, too. These genetic changes would permanently affect the DNA passed through a family line, for one. Other critics raise the possibility of altering embryos to create desired characteristics (though it would be much harder for scientists to target genes associated with humor, creativity or physical traits).

Cardiologist and geneticist Dr. Elizabeth McNally is the director of the Center for Genetic Medicine at Northwestern University. She joins Phil Ponce in discussion.

siRNA Treatment for Brain Cancer Stops Tumor Growth in Mouse Model – Technology Networks

Posted on August 10, 2017 by Fredricko

Early phase Northwestern Medicine research published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has demonstrated a potential new therapeutic strategy for treating deadly glioblastoma brain tumors.

The strategy involves using lipid polymer-based nanoparticles to deliver molecules to the tumors, where the molecules shut down key cancer drivers called brain tumor-initiating cells (BTICs).

BTICs are malignant brain tumor populations that underlie the therapy resistance, recurrence and unstoppable invasion commonly encountered by glioblastoma patients after the standard treatment regimen of surgical resection, radiation and chemotherapy, explained the studys first author, Dou Yu, MD, PhD, research assistant professor of Neurological Surgery.

Using mouse models of brain tumors implanted with BTICs derived from human patients, the scientists injected nanoparticles containing small interfering RNA (siRNA) short sequences of RNA molecules that reduce the expression of specific cancer-promoting proteins directly into the tumor. In the new study, the strategy stopped tumor growth and extended survival when the therapy was administered continuously through an implanted drug infusion pump.

This major progress, although still at a conceptual stage, underscores a new direction in the pursuit of a cure for one of the most devastating medical conditions known to mankind, said Yu, who collaborated on the research with principal investigator Maciej Lesniak, MD, Michael J. Marchese Professor of Neurosurgery and chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery.

Glioblastoma is particularly difficult to treat because its genetic makeup varies from patient to patient. This new therapeutic approach would make it possible to deliver siRNAs to target multiple cancer-causing gene products simultaneously in a particular patients tumor.

In this study, the scientists tested siRNAs that target four transcription factors highly expressed in many glioblastoma tissues but not all. The therapy worked against classes of glioblastoma BTICs with high levels of those transcription factors, while other classes of the cancer did not respond.

This paints a picture for personalized glioblastoma therapy regimens based on tumor profiling, Yu said. Customized nanomedicine could target the unique genetic signatures in any specific patient and potentially lead to greater therapeutic benefits.

The strategy could also apply to other medical conditions related to the central nervous system not just brain tumors.

Degenerative neurological diseases or even psychiatric conditions could potentially be the therapeutic candidates for this multiplexed delivery platform, Yu said.

Before scientists can translate this proof-of-concept research to humans, they will need to continue refining the nanomedicine platform and evaluating its long-term safety. Still, the findings from this new research provide insight for further investigation.

Nanomedicine provides a unique opportunity to advance a therapeutic strategy for a disease without a cure. By effectively targeting brain tumor-initiating stem cells responsible for cancer recurrence, this approach opens up novel translational approaches to malignant brain cancer, Lesniak summed up.

This article has been republished frommaterialsprovided by Northwestern University. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

Reference

Dou Yu, Omar F. Khan, Mario L. Suv, Biqin Dong, Wojciech K. Panek, Ting Xiao, Meijing Wu, Yu Han, Atique U. Ahmed, Irina V. Balyasnikova, Hao F. Zhang, Cheng Sun, Robert Langer, Daniel G. Anderson, Maciej S. Lesniak. Multiplexed RNAi therapy against brain tumor-initiating cells via lipopolymeric nanoparticle infusion delays glioblastoma progression. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2017; 201701911 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1701911114

Medication for the unborn baby – Medical Xpress

Posted on August 9, 2017 by Fredricko

Empas multicellular model, which is mimicking the placental barrier: a core of connective tissue cells, surrounded by trophoblast cells. Credit: Empa

An Empa team has succeeded in developing a new three-dimensional cell model of the human placental barrier. The "model organ" can quickly and reliably deliver new information on the intake of substances, such as nano-particles, by the placental barrier and on any possible toxic effects for the unborn child. This knowledge can also be used in the future for the development of new approaches to therapy during pregnancy.

During its development, the foetus is extremely susceptible to toxic substances. Even the tiniest doses can cause serious damage. In order to protect the unborn child,one of the tasks of the placenta is to act as a barrier to "filter out" harmful substances, while at the same time providing the foetus with the nutrients it needs. In recent years, however, evidence has increasingly suggested that the placental barrier is not 100 percent effective and that nano-particles are actually able to penetrate it.

Nano-particles are being used in ever more varied areas of our lives. They are used, for example, in sun creams to protect against sunburn; they are used in condiments to stop them getting lumpy; they are used to make outdoor clothing waterproof and they are likely to be used in the future to transport medicines to their rightful destinations in the body . "At the moment, pregnant women are not being exposed to problematic amounts of nano-particles, but in the future that could well happen due to the ever increasing use of these tiny particles," suggests Tina Buerki of the "Department of Particles-Biology Interactions."

In order to ensure the safe development of nano-particles in the most diverse areas of application, their absorption mechanism at the placental barrier and their effect on the mother, foetus and placenta itself must be looked at more closely. It is the size, charge, chemical composition and shape of the nano-particles that could have an influence on whether they actually penetrate the placental barrier and, if so, in what way they are able to do so. At the moment, however, this research is only in its infancy. Since the function and structure of the human placenta is unique, studies undertaken on pregnant mammals are problematic and often inconclusive. Traditional models of the human placental barrier are either very time consuming to construct, or are extremely simplified.

A 3-D model of the human placental barrier

Tests of this nature are best carried out on donated placentas that become available after childbirth by Caesarean section. The organs are connected as quickly as possible to a perfusion system and this ensures the tissue is provided with nutrients and oxygen. This model is, indeed, the most accurate, i.e. the most clinically relevant. It is, however, very technically demanding and, moreover,restricted to a perfusion time window of six to eight hours. Against that, such placentas can be used to reliably test the ability of any given nano-particle to penetrate the placental barrier. The model does not, however, yield any information on the mechanism used by the particle to penetrate this complex organ.

Researchers are therefore tending to fall back on the use of simple cell cultures and other modelling systems. An individual cell, possibly taken from the epithelium and subsequently cultivated and propagated in a petri dish, is perfectly suited to a whole range of different experiments. However, researchers cannot be certain that the cells in the petri dish will ultimately behave like those in the human body. The new model that the Empa team under Tina Buerki described in the scientific journal Nanoscale at the end of last year is, by contrast, three-dimensional and consists of more than one cell type. The cells exist in a tissue-like environment analogous to the placenta and can be experimented on for a longer period of time.

Golden test candidate

In order to create the model, the research team used the "hanging drop" technology developed by Insphero AG. This technology allows models to be created without "scaffolding," which can hinder free access of the nano-particles to the cells in the subsequent transport tests. Rather than introducing the cells in a flat petri dish, a special device, in which the cells in the hanging drops combine to form spherical micro-tissue, is used. The resulting micro-tissue mimics the human placenta much more closely than cells cultivated on a "rigid" culture dish. Experiments can be carried out much more quickly using the 3-D model than with the real placenta and, significantly, on the most widely differing types of nano-particle. In this way, those nano-particles that show potentially toxic effects or demonstrate desirable transport behaviour can be efficiently pre-selected and the results verified using a real placenta.

The model has already proved itself in a second study, which the team has just published in the scientific journal Nanomedicine. Buerki's team has come up with an absorption mechanism for gold particles that could be used in a range of medicinal applications. The Empa team looked at gold particles of various sizes and different surface modifications. In accordance with the results of other studies, the researchers discovered that small gold particles were able to penetrate the placental barrier more easily. In addition, fewer particles passed through the barrier if they were carrying polyethylene glycol (PEG) on their surfaces. These are chain-forming molecules that almost completely envelope the particles. PEG is often used in medicine to allow particles and other small structures to travel "incognito" in the body, thus preventing them being identified and removed by the immune system. "It therefore appears possible to control the movement of nano-particles through the placenta by means of their properties," Buerki explains.

Medicines for pregnant women that do not harm the child

Empa's research team is keen to further develop this 3-D model in the future. The team is hoping to augment the model using a dynamic component. This would, for example, mean introducing the micro-tissue in a micro-fluid system able to simulate blood circulation in the mother and child. Another approach would be to combine the model of the placenta with other models. "With the model of a foetus, for example," Buerki suggests. In this way, complex organ interactions could also be incorporated and it would be possible, for example, to discover whether the placenta releases foetus-damaging substances as a reaction to certain nano-particles.

"With these studies, we are hoping to lay the foundations for the safe but nevertheless effective use of nano-medicines during pregnancy," Buerki continued. If we understand the transport mechanisms of nano-materials through the placental barrier well enough, we believe we can develop new carrier systems for therapeutic agents that can be safely given to pregnant women. This is because many women are forced to take medicines even during pregnancy patients suffering from epilepsy or diabetes, for example, or patients that have contracted life-threatening infections. Nano-carriers must be chosen which are unable to penetrate the placental barrier. It is also possible, for example, to provide such carriers with "address labels," which ensure that the medicine shuttle is transported to the correct organ i.e. to the diseased organ and is unable to penetrate the placenta. This would allow the medicine to be released first and foremost into the mother. Consequently, the amounts absorbed by the foetus or embryoand therefore the risk to the unborn child are significantly reduced.

Explore further: New placenta model could reveal how birth defect-causing infections cross from mom to baby

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Medication for the unborn baby - Medical Xpress

Alarming drop in sperm counts needs more study – Gant Daily

Posted on August 9, 2017 by Fredricko

Research into reproductive biology is one of the most fascinating corners of medicine and science; my interest in this field was one of the driving forces behind my decision to go to medical school. Work in this field has resulted in life-changing treatments for infertile patients. More than one million babies have been born in the US to otherwise infertile couples, thanks to lab-assisted techniques like in-vitro fertilization (IVF).

At the same time; there remains a massive amount of research to do. Treatments for women whose number of eggs are prematurely low (diminished ovarian reserve), understanding of the causes and treatments of low or zero sperm counts (azoospermia) in male patients, non-surgical male contraception all of these topics are incompletely understood at present. As a result, infertile patients continue to suffer.

A recent study (Levine et al., Human Reproduction, 2017) draws attention to this knowledge deficit; the study authors reviewed the entire body of existing research on male sperm counts published between 1973 and 2011. Their analysis reveals a startling trend: throughout the Western world, in both fertile men and infertile men seeking treatment, sperm counts dropped by almost 50% across these four decades.

This new study raises obvious questions: why might this decrease be occurring? Is this trend indicative of other ongoing changes in mens health? Are there obvious causes of this trend and can they be acted upon? As a researcher in this field, I know the importance of answering that last question what might be the causes and what do we do about them and I know that there is already ongoing research on this front. But certainly more is needed.

Possible explanations include lifestyle factors (increasing obesity, tobacco use and its lingering effects), aging demographics of people pursing family building, environmental exposures to substances including plastics, hormones, radiation and radio frequency networks, and biological changes the results of what we call epigenetic change from fertility or hormonal treatments. Several factors could potentially be at play at the same time.

Unfortunately, obtaining an answer to this conundrum is challenging at best. There are unique barriers to answering these questions through experiments (including the obvious fact that experiments to prove these theories cannot be performed in humans). Even if we had an answer as to a single culprit, the further question of What can we do about it? seems even more daunting.

That being said, I remind people whenever I can that no field of research is more important than understanding the biology of conception. Cancer research, cardiovascular health research these fields will enable us to live longer. But, of course, that ceases to be important if a hypothetical fertility crisis results in fewer or even no babies being born. Understanding human fertility is a vital part of understanding the cycle of human life and death.

Interestingly, our fertility research is governed by the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, whose first national meeting was held almost 75 years ago. I often point out that the meeting topics on male fertility at that first meeting are still being discussed at our current meetings. The need for further research in our field was already urgent. Dr. Levines study makes that need even more vital.

I am asked repeatedly what I tell my patients about this study. I remind people that healthy behavior is the easiest intervention patients can opt into. Studies have found that smoking cessation, sleep hygiene, and diet promote healthy sperm count. That being said, we will continue to test for potential causes of male fertility and we will act upon the causes that are correctable.

I know that this recommendation constitutes basic common sense, and it is the advice that I would give to a friend or a family member. But in the back of my mind, every time I am saying this to someone, I am asking myself the question of how we can do more or be better. What further research study will help us to better understand both the worldwide trends in fertility and problems each of my individual patients face? Hopefully the conversation this study has started will enable that research to become a reality.

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Alarming drop in sperm counts needs more study - Gant Daily

We’ve got to talk: The militarization of biotechnology – Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Posted on August 8, 2017 by Fredricko

Debate about the security implications of cutting-edge biotechnology is afflicted with a fundamental blind spota lack of attention to growing military interest in the field. This blind spot is evident in discussions about, for example, gene-editing technology (in relation both to gene drives and to human modification). Such debate has tended to focus on the idea that research and technology might be directly misused by the bad guysand has tended to ignore broader questions about how the ongoing militarization of cutting-edge fields in biology might contribute to insecurity.

Last year James Clapper, when he was US director of national intelligence, labelled emerging population-level genetic-modification techniques as potential weapons of mass destruction. A number of states, in the context of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, have in recent years voiced concerns about state investment into biotechnology. Yet ethical reviews of gene editing to date in the United States have barely touched upon concerns about growing military interest in cutting-edge biotechas reflected in their absence from recent reports on both environmental and human modificationbiotechnology. Such omissions are in keeping with broad trends where US discussions about the potential for misusing biotechnology are concerned.

To be sure, the risk that benignly intended innovations might be directly misused by terrorists is a legitimate, if often overblown, security concern. But other issues merit concern as well. One such issue is the risk that military investment in biotechnology will adversely affect research priorities. Another is the possibility that military investment into defensive or public health projects by one state might be misinterpreted by other states as having offensive potential.

In the same vein, the scarcity of publicly available information about military research into biotechnology might fuel public distrust of valuable and well-intended work. It is clear, for example, that research into preventing, identifying, and treating infectious diseases by various militaries around the world will continue to provide broader spin-off benefitsbut publics in some states might be unsure why military rather than public health institutions lead such work.

A path toward addressing these concerns has already been established by the synthetic biology communityespecially in terms of its preemptive engagement with the security concerns that scientists entertain. However, even in this arena there has been a hesitance to address the issue of militarization.

Synthetic biology as a security laboratory. Synthetic biology is a field of scientific and technological development that has greatly extended humankinds abilities to manipulate biological organisms and processes. While genetic modification techniques have existed since the 1970s, synthetic biology is allowing for much more ambitious projectsoffering new ways of getting to grips with the complexity of biology and of developing a wide range of new technologies.

A watershed moment for this field was the First International Meeting of Synthetic Biology (SB 1.0), held at MIT in 2004. Central to the vision of the scientists involved was radically modifying naturally occurring organisms and processes through the application of engineering principles; the undertaking involved the convergence of a range of fields, including genetic engineering and computing. The appeal of the synthetic biology vision was broadand a number of subfields emerged under the synthetic biology banner in both the United States and Europe. Private and public investors committed significant resources to the establishment of research centers and networks, as well as to the development and commercialization of foundational technologies such as gene synthesis. This investment contributed to a number of early successes and landmark initiatives.

The initiatives included the establishment of a digital BioBricks repository, which today contains the genetic sequences of some 20,000 standardized biological parts, such as proteins that are involved in gene-expression within bacteria. This repository was established as a means for scientists to assert discovery rights, while also allowing for the rapid sharing and reuse of these discoveries by others. These biological parts are developed and utilized by the synthetic biology research community and in an annual student competition that showcases both the potential applications of research in the field and the rate at which the technology is advancing. Last years winners included a team based at Imperial College London that developed a tool to help scientists engineer production systems using multiple types of cells, a German team working on biological tissue printing, and a Chinese team that developed a design to detect poisons in traditional medicines.

Since its inception, synthetic biology has been a darling of scientific journalismwhich has made it challenging for civil society and regulators, when thinking through the fields societal implications, to separate hype from reality. Synthetic biology has also become symbolic of deeper questions about the way that science is supported and governed. The issues have included broad transformations in how societies engage with innovation, an increased emphasis on the need to open up the innovation process to public scrutiny, and the need for science to be more responsive to public needs. Security concerns have been a consistent aspect of these broader debates.

In no small part, this is a consequence of synthetic biologys having been established in the United States shortly after the 9/11 and Amerithrax attacks. At the time, regulators and funders in the United States were twitchy about the actual and perceived security concerns surrounding this fledgling field. The National Science Foundation, a major early investor in synthetic biology, set engagement with biosecurity concerns as a prerequisite for funding. The FBI, following through on recommendations by a blue-ribbon biosecurity board on synthetic biology, has also taken a proactive approach to reaching out to the community. The lead agent on this issue, Edward You, was recently profiledby MIT Technology Review as Americas Top Bioterror Cop.

Another key factor in the synthetic biology communitys continued engagement with security issues has been the commitment of prominent scientists. Stanford University bioengineering professor Drew Endy, who has been involved in numerous reviews of the field, has also been a leading advocate for biosecurity engagement by the next generation of synthetic biologists. Endy established the annual i-GEM competition (the acronym stands for international genetically engineered machine). This team competition for students includes a biosecurity review process providing young scientists an opportunity to consider the potential security implications of their work. Harvard University synthetic biologist George Church has also been a notable contributor on these issues. His public provocations over the years have repeatedly kick-started public debate. In addition, a number of social scientists have formed enduring professional relationships with practitioners of synthetic biologyand much of their work has focused on changing the way that scientists engage with potential risks and with the public.

The synthetic biology community has been central to the most intensive debate about the misuse of civilian biotechnology ever seena debate that has been under way since at least 2003. Engagement by scientists, civil society, funders, and regulators has spurred a raft of technology assessment initiatives and regulatory reviews in both the United States and Europe. In addition, the integration of ethical and security review into I-GEM, the annual undergraduate competition, has sensitized a generation of scientists to questions about their societal roles. Such initiatives have also helped raise the bar for some newer fields. Xenobiology, for exampleoriginally a subfield of synthetic biologyis currently seeking to establish its own disciplinary identity, and security implications are already being discussed as that fields research agenda is set. The security engagement displayed by the synthetic biology community appears to be catching.

At the same time, its important to remember the limitations that such communities face. Scientists envision and design techno-scientific fieldsbut they are subject to the whims of national-level funders and regulators. Its also very difficult for scientists to control how a technology will be used and commodified once the cat is out of the lab. This was illustrated at a recent synthetic biology meeting in Singapore. Endy, in his opening remarks, presented an egalitarian vision for future industrialization of synthetic biology technologies. But Randal J. Kirk, chairman of the biotech firm Intrexon (the main industry sponsor of the conference), delivered a slick presentation that provided a much more corporate vision of the fields future. This was a reminder of the central role that the market will play in synthetic biology investmentand of the role that industry will increasingly play in shaping regulation and public understanding of this area of biotechnology.

Jane Calvert, a University of Edinburgh social scientist who has been working in synthetic biology for over a decade, argued at the Singapore meeting that the field is closing as a creative spacethat the parameters of success are narrowing around what is commercially viable. Military involvement in synthetic biology presents similar dynamicsand discussions of this issue throughout biotechnology need to be promoted and internationalized. Military involvement in technology is not a bad thingand it is also inevitable. Still, legitimate concerns surround the ability of the military sector to skew research priorities. And of course, military involvement could also signal attempts to harness new biotechnology for hostile purposes. In those nations leading the way in terms of innovation, scientists might need to help ensure greater transparency regarding the scope and purposes of military investment in their fields.

Work in synthetic biology has created a community of scientists sensitized to such issues and willing to discuss them. The focus of discussion, however, needs to broaden beyond the national-level security preoccupations that currently dominate. One step in this direction would be to establish international dialogue among scientists specifically on the issue of biotechnology militarization. Such debates should not be limited to the existing preoccupation with pathogens, but rather should cover broader areas of military investment. This sort of dialogue might allow shared principles regarding state investment in biotechnology to be identified and articulatedprinciples that would both guide research priorities and establish hard limits about what is permissible. Such discussions could draw upon relevant principles in international human rights, humanitarian, and arms control lawincluding, but not limited to, treaties specifically dealing with biological, chemical, and environmental warfare. Such an outcome would give scientists a louder voice in conversations about military involvement in biotechnologywhile also reducing the stigma associated with invaluable military research and reinforcing the stigma against the weaponization of biotechnology.

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We've got to talk: The militarization of biotechnology - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Robotics, biotechnology at heart of Medical Fair – The Nation – The Nation

Posted on August 8, 2017 by Fredricko

With the increasing use of robotic surgery, 3D printing, implantable devices, use of automation and artificial intelligence in clinical settings and other digital innovations for prevention, monitoring, and treatment across Southeast Asia, the fair will showcase some of the most innovative products and trending solutions.

Another focus will be Rehabilitative Care and Connected Care in line with the needs of todays highest healthcare spenders the ageing population.

Eighteen national pavilions with first-time official country representations from Canada, India, European Union, Russia and the Netherlands will be present at the fair. The presence of the European Union Business Avenues Pavilion with 50 companies especially reflects the increased interest of international market players in Southeast Asias medical industry.

Others highlights include:

>> The 3rd Advanced Rehab Technology Conference (ARTeC), which will take place from September 6-7, with topics centred on technological solutions for the ageing population. Speakers from leading institutions such as MIT and Fujita Health University will discuss robotic rehabilitation, sarcopenia in the elderly, neurorehabilitation and others.

>> A seminar on the importance of biomedical engineering as a Thai professional qualification: Organised by the Thai Association for Medical Instrumentation, it will bring together speakers from related agencies to explain BME professional qualifications and standards.

Other seminars are: Digital Imaging in Radiology and Patient Safety by the Radiological Society of Thailand, CIO Forum by the Thai Medical Informatics Association, and the Interinstitute Conference by the Thai Gynecologic Cancer Society.

The Taiwan Medical Device Business Matchmaking event organised by the Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Industries Promotion Office under the Ministry of Economic Affair of Taiwan, and the Taiwan Medical and Biotech Industry Association, will allow visitors to explore business opportunities and develop partnerships across Taiwans medical device industry.

Find out more at t http://www.MedicalFair-Thailand.com.

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Robotics, biotechnology at heart of Medical Fair - The Nation - The Nation

Bernard P. Lane dies; Stony Brook medical school co-founder was 79 – Newsday

Posted on August 8, 2017 by Fredricko

Bernard P. Lane had a full, rich, productive life in teaching, medical research, public service, music and raising a family on Long Island.

Lane, known as Bernie, was a founding faculty member of the medical school at Stony Brook University, his family and associates say, as well as a professor of pathology there who authored or co-authored more than 100 scientific research papers; was a former president of the faculty senate; head of a number of university, state and national medical organizations; an expert trumpet player; and a devoted family man.

Lane, of Setauket, died July 5 at home after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 79.

A native of Brooklyn, Lane received an undergraduate degree from Brown University, a medical degree from New York University and a master of science degree in management from Stony Brook in 1992.

As a professor of pathology, Lane taught at Stony Brook from 1971 until he retired in 2014. Before coming to Stony Brook, he taught for several years at New York University Medical School.

Lane was director of the pathology residence program for 25 years, mentoring scores of pathologists who have gone on to positions in hospitals and academic medical centers both locally and nationally, his wife, Dorothy Lane, associate dean for Continuing Medical Education at Stony Brook, said in a statement. The couple were married 53 years.

He was also director of the Electron Microscopy Laboratory and the founding chairman of the board of directors of the Clinical Management Plan at Stony Brook University Hospital.

Outside of the university on Long Island, Lane was at times president of the Suffolk County Medical Society, the Suffolk County Pathology Society and the Long Island Division of the American Cancer Society.

Nationally, he was chairman of the National Group on Faculty Practice of the Association of American Medical Colleges.

In the early days of the medical school, Lane felt rewarded by the pioneering spirit of these first students . . . and by the successes of the thousands he taught in the decades that followed, his wife said.

In addition to his extensive medical and public service, Lane also had time for his family and for cultural life on Long Island.

Lane greatly enjoyed raising a family on Long Island, spending countless hours at West Meadow Beach [in Stony Brook] and making day trips to South Shore beaches in the summers, his wife wrote. He also regularly attended concerts and theatrical performances at Stony Brook, Bellport and Westbury, she said.

My Dad enjoyed many things in life, recalled his daughter, Erika Neil, of Chantilly, Virginia, in remarks prepared for his funeral service. He was a gifted trumpet player who loved music. I have fond memories of him playing Herb Alpert on the record player, and of him playing trumpet while I accompanied him on the piano.

In addition to his wife and daughter, Lane is survived by two sons: Andrew Lane of Baltimore and Matthew Lane of Los Angeles; and four grandchildren.

A graveside funeral service was held July 7 at Washington Memorial Park Cemetery in Mt. Sinai. In lieu of flowers, his family requested that donations be made either to the Stony Brook Cancer Center of the American Cancer Society.

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Bernard P. Lane dies; Stony Brook medical school co-founder was 79 - Newsday

2017-2022 Global Bioreactors and Fermenters Market Analysis : Applikon Biotechnology , Bioengineering AG , Infors … – First Newshawk

Posted on August 8, 2017 by Fredricko

Worldwide Bioreactors and Fermenters Market 2017 presents a widespread and fundamental study of Bioreactors and Fermenters industry along with the analysis of subjective aspects which will provide key business insights to the readers. Global Bioreactors and Fermenters Market 2017 research report offers the analytical view of the industry by studying different factors like Bioreactors and Fermenters market growth, consumption volume, market trends and Bioreactors and Fermenters industry cost structures during the forecast period from 2017 to 2022.

Bioreactors and Fermenters market studies the competitive landscape view of the industry. The Bioreactors and Fermenters report also includes development plans and policies along with manufacturing processes. The major regions involved in Bioreactors and Fermenters Market are (United States, EU, China, and Japan).

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Leading Manufacturers Analysis in Global Bioreactors and Fermenters Market 2017:

1 Sartorius AG ?BBI?2 Thermo Fisher3 Merck KGaA4 GE Healthcare5 Danaher (Pall)6 Eppendorf AG7 Praj Hipurity Systems8 Pierre Guerin (DCI-Biolafitte)9 ZETA10 Applikon Biotechnology11 Bioengineering AG12 Infors HT13 Solaris14 Other

Bioreactors and Fermenters Market: Type Segment Analysis

Single-use BioreactorsMultiple-use Bioreactors

Bioreactors and Fermenters Market: Applications Segment Analysis

Biopharmaceutical CompaniesCROsAcademic and Research InstitutesOthers

The Bioreactors and Fermenters report does the thorough study of the key industry players to understand their business strategies, annual revenue, company profile and their contribution to the global Bioreactors and Fermenters market share. Diverse factors of the Bioreactors and Fermenters industry like the supply chain scenario, industry standards, import/export details are also mentioned in Global Bioreactors and Fermenters Market 2017 report.

Key Highlights of the Bioreactors and Fermenters Market:

A Clear understanding of the Bioreactors and Fermenters market based on growth, constraints, opportunities, feasibility study.

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Analysis of evolving market segments as well as a complete study of existing Bioreactors and Fermenters market segments.

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Furthermore, distinct aspects of Bioreactors and Fermenters market like the technological development, economic factors, opportunities and threats to the growth of Bioreactors and Fermenters market are covered in depth in this report. The performance of Bioreactors and Fermenters market during 2017 to 2022 is being forecasted in this report.

In conclusion, Global Bioreactors and Fermenters market 2017 report presents the descriptive analysis of the parent market based on elite players, present, past and futuristic data which will serve as a profitable guide for all the Bioreactors and Fermenters industry competitors.

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2017-2022 Global Bioreactors and Fermenters Market Analysis : Applikon Biotechnology , Bioengineering AG , Infors ... - First Newshawk

PGA Championship 2017: Jordan Spieth chases golf immortality – GolfDigest.com

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Fredricko

At the 99th PGA Championship, Jordan Spieth for the first time will be playing for one of the transcendentprizes in golf: the career Grand Slam. Of course, the 24-year-old is quick to deny hes thinking that way. Spieth insists his focus will be on simply winning the PGA, which, since his victory last month at the Open Championship, is now the only one of the four professional majors he hasnt won. I mean this, he intoned last week at Firestone in explaining his mindset. Its just a major.

Then again, Spieth, who because of his back-nine heroics at Royal Birkdale is occupying the same kind of attention in the golf public consciousness as he did when he won the first two majors in 2015, is floating on a cloud of confidence and well being. Free rolling, as his caddie, Michael Greller puts it. Its the approximate state that three of the five greats who achieved the career Grand Slam were in the year they captured the final leg, given that Ben Hogan in 1953 and Tiger Woods in 2000 each won three major championships, while in 1966 Jack Nicklaus won two.

So while Spieth may insist that because he expects to play in 30 future PGAs, if he doesnt win at Quail Hollow, its not going to be a big-time bummer whatsoever because I know I have plenty of opportunities, theres a chance he may never have a freer roll. And for the record, the last three winners of the Grand SlamGary Player, Nicklaus and Woodsall completed the feat in their 20s. For that matter, golfs first Grand Slammer, Gene Sarazen, won his first two majors at age 20, sooner even than Spieth. In the journey to the career Grand Slam, the time to take advantage of a head start is always now.

If all this sounds a bit over-caffeinated, its because career Grand Slams in golf are special. They are more rare than in tennis, where eight men (the latest Novak Djokavic) have done it. But more importantly, it can besad to see great players fall one major short. Counting Spieth, 12 players have achieved three legs without getting the fourth. And those for whom valiant attempts at the final have been thwarted by bad luck or multiplying tension or bothespecially Sam Snead with the U.S. Open, and Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson with the PGAhave ended up on a slightly lower tier of the pantheon. It looks like that has happened to Phil Mickelson in his quest for a U.S. Open, and that there is an increasing possibility of this happening to Rory McIlroy at Augusta National.

RELATED: Golf Digest PodcastSpieth's pursuit of the career Grand Slam compared to Tiger

Not that the career Grand Slam is a perfect measure of greatness. Walter Hagen, who won 11 major championships, didnt have a real shot at what evolved into the Grand Slam because the Masters wasnt even played until he was well past his prime. And what of Bobby Jones original Grand Slam in 1930, winning the U.S. Open and Amateur and their British counterparts in one year, which has never been replicated by any golfer over an entire career? That feat, or the still unattained the calendar professional Grand Slam, or even the Tiger Slam of 2000-01, would all have to be more exalted than the career Grand Slam.

In the journey to the career Grand Slam, the time to take advantage ofa head start is always now.

Still, other than those one-offs, theres a good argument that theres no marker in golf better at historically differentiating the best from the rest than the career Grand Slam. It requires some special things. Theres the tennis analogy of the complete game in four different conditions especially the Masters, U.S. Open and British Open. (The PGA might be the favorite set up of the tour pros because its still U.S. Open light).

Then theres overcoming the pressure of finally capturing the last leg, which builds the more years that go by. Even Spieth was attuned to this challenge, conceding that he would have to be careful not to make the PGA an obsession. The con, he said of being just one major away from the career Grand Slam, and what makes it more difficult than just saying its another major, is that its one a year now instead of four a year that that focuses on, if thats what the focus is.

Clearly, getting the final leg is a validator. It means meeting the moment, demonstrating the rare ability to bring out your best golf when it means the most, when the pressure is highest, when the battle is hardest. It takes greatness.

That said, not all career Grand Slams were created equal. Heres how I would rank them, counting down from least to most significant:

5. Gene SarazenThough he will always be a giant figure with seven major championships, Sarazen is golfs greatest beneficiary of retroactive history. Not only did he win the 1935 Masters by getting into a playoff on the wings of holing a 4-wood from 235 yards on the 15th hole on Sunday, but the Masters was far from being considered a major championship, probably not reaching that status until Ben Hogan and Snead played off in 1954. There was no pressure on Sarazen because he didnt even know he was making history.

RELATED: Spieth not finding any negatives in career Grand Slam bid

4. Gary PlayerIndisputably the games greatest international golfer, with nine majors included among his 159 victories worldwide, Player was ruthlessly efficient in clicking off the four majors in six-year period that ended with his victory at the 1965 U.S. Open at Bellerive, in the only time he would win that championship. Its quite possible that no one ever wanted the achievement more. I was aware of the Grand Slam in 1953 because Hogan was my hero in golf, Player said by phone last week, and I knew when he won at Carnoustie he had the four.

The prize was in his head when he won his first major at the 1959 Open Championship, and soon he became determined to beat rivals Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus to the mark. Though he hadnt won a major since the 1962 PGA, he was primed at Bellerive. I was squatting with 325 pounds, the fittest I ever was in my life, Player said. He was going to a church in St. Louis every day and praying for courage. He wore the same black shirt every day, washing in the sink of his hotel room each night. When he got to the course, he devoted a few minutes to standing before the scoreboard, which had past winners names, and envisioned his own. I saw Gary Player, winner, 1965, and Gary Player winner of the Grand Slam, he said. I dont know if any golfer ever, ever, was as focused as I was that week on winning.

And if Player had lost the playoff to Kel Nagel, does he think he might have suffered the same frustrating fate in the U.S. Open as Snead? Oh, no. I would have won it, absolutely no doubt, he said. Of such minds are career Grand Slam winners made.

3. Jack NicklausThe man who would go on to win the equivalent of three career Grand Slams achieved his first one as a forgone conclusion, he was clearly so good. But even Nicklaus confesses an early setback in 1963 at Lytham, where he bogeyed the final two holes to lose by one, created a crisis of confidence in his ability to win the Open Championship. With three legs of the Slam completed, he finished second at St. Andrews in 1964, and still wondered if his high ball flight would always hold him back on the windy linksland.

He seemed to find the key at Muirfield in 1966, but with a three-stroke lead with seven to play, he three-putted from seven feet, missing a 15-inch putt. I experienced one of the most severe mental jolts Ive ever suffered on a golf course, Nicklaus confessed in his autobiography. Jittery is not a strong enough word to describe my feelings. He bogeyed two of the next three holes, but then, as Spieth did at Birkdale, found a way at the 11th hour to go from negative to positive and eeked out a one-stroke win.

Realizing he had won the Slam, Nicklaus was overcome at the trophy presentation. He wrote: Being about to receive something that even I, never much of a self-doubter, had genuinely doubted would ever be mine, was extremely emotional. From that point, the Open Championship became the major where Nicklaus most consistently contended.

2. Ben HoganTrue, the professional Grand Slam hadnt yet become a thing when Hogan won his fourth leg at Carnoustie in 1953 at age 40. In fact, Hogan, who hadnt won the first of his nine majors until he was 34, wasnt thinking career Grand Slam when he made his first trip to the Open Championship. He had gone because friends had urged him to for the good of the game, and for the challenge. Once there, he became engaged with a monastic purpose that entranced the Scots, keeping legs battered by his car accident functioning through long, soaking baths, mastering the nuances of the small British ball and stoically executing with near perfection. His victory remains perhaps golfs supreme example of a one-shot, do-or-die, all-or-nothing, surgical strike that culminated in a glorious mission accomplished. It earned Hogan a ticker-tape parade when he returned to the U.S., and turned out to be his final major-championship victory.

1. Tiger WoodsUntil further notice, his is the most brilliantly dominating career Grand Slam. Its Himalayan peaks remain prominent on golfs landscape: the 1997 Masters (by 12 strokes), the 2000 U.S. Open (by 15 strokes) and the 2000 Open Championship (by eight strokes). But it was the 1999 PGA at Medinah where Woods seemingly inevitable ascendance could have been stalled, and the tricky, seven-foot, left-to-right par putt he made on the 71st hole to maintain a one-stroke lead over Sergio Garcia may go down as the most important putt of Woods career. Any pain Woods suffered in his few close loses in majors for the first 12 years of his career was negligible, but losing at Medinah probably would have left a mark. With appropriate theater, Woods closed out his first Grand Slam with a triumphant march up the 18th at St. Andrews.

If Spieth can claim a fourth leg at Quail Hollow, where would his Grand Slam rank? Third best, behind Woods and Hogan.

Spieth, as the sixth holder, would be the youngest, by eight months. Hes been more stalwart than opportunist, having led or been tied for the lead in 15 of the 70 major championship rounds he has played. But other than his first major win, a wire-to wire job at the 2015 Masters, Spieths victories have been tight ones in which, for all his magic with the short game and putter, his tee-to-green play has lacked the majesty of Woods or Nicklaus or Hogan. Hes also lost the lead late at two Masters, leaving more scar tissue at an early age than Woods, Nicklaus or Player experienced.

Then again, Spieths combination of passionate competitiveness and personal charm is reminiscent of Jones, and engenders a similar degree of public devotion. If he could close out the Slam in Charlotte, his resultant popularity would lift golf and his persona into Jones/Palmer/Woods territory.

It would also install him firmly on the games throne at an early age. Nicklaus and especially Woods showed such a position can be a self-perpetuating mental edge. As good as being No. 1 in the world is, its betterthrough an early career Grand Slamto have proved youre the best when it matters most.

RELATED: The history of Grand Slam pursuits

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Jordan Spieth's epic claret jug celebration

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PGA Championship 2017: Jordan Spieth chases golf immortality - GolfDigest.com

How to live forever: Every single way you can achieve immortality – GQ India

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Fredricko

Ten years ago, you couldve been forgiven for expecting a satire of silicon valley fantasies when you clicked on that header. But its 2017 and things have changed. We no longer balk at the idea of fighting death, or dismiss it as an esoteric pursuit. Nearly 66 years after the Welsh bard Dylan Thomas famously implored: Do not go gentle into that good night, scientists are finally saying, do not go at all!. But theres only so much that hope and promise of future can do, and many still take sciences grand plans for human immortality with a pinch of salt. While it may be true that scientific efforts towards defeating death or even delaying it are yet to come anywhere close to fruition, there has never before been more promise in ageing research than now.Before we get to how (or whether at all) defeat ageing and live forever, we need to ponder a little on a question historically dismissed as an inevitability:

Weve known for quite sometime the answer to the first question we die because we age. And we age for the same reason an everyday appliance like your TV or smartphone does wear and tear. As to the question of whether we have to die well, as far as nature is concerned, we dont really die at all! Its understandable if that sounds a little cryptic. However, while we mull mostly upon our individual lives, science since the time of Darwin is in agreement that nature looks at humanity as a species wherein we feature merely as a conduit for information to be passed on through procreation. A prime reason for ageing, scientists have argued is the focus in human biology on reproduction and the amount of resources our body demarcates for procreation instead of regeneration. In the face of advancements in science, reproduction no longer needs such massive resources leading some scientists to the conclusion that death isnt a natural inevitability, but rather a surmountable challenge.

Health and medication:

Pursuit of immortality or escape from death has historically revolved around some kind magical/mythical element or herb or elixir that when consumed will grant immortality. Indian mythology prominently features the eternal amrutor nectar, while western esotericism has obsessed for centuries over the alchemic myth of the philosophers stone and elixir of life. But is it conceivable in 2017 that simply popping a pill or taking a sip of some concoction could cure death? Sure it is, just ask Centre for Ageing Researchs Dr Nir Barzilai, who has spent over three decades researching a single well known diabetes medication that he thinks is the cure for ageing. In fact, while Barzilais research aims at stalling ageing and depletion of youth rather than longevity, it has already found many takers in the scientific community. The fairly common pill called Metformin, which sells for a surprisingly cheap 3 a pop is subject of much controversy, but it is also the subject of one of the best known ongoing researches in the field of ageing.

Genetics and chromosomes:

At a cellular level, scientists have long argued that ageing takes place because of a certain chromosomal constituent known as telomeres. As cells undergo division, the telomeres present at the edge of chromosomes consistently start eroding and subsequently lead to cell death. Whereas our bodies have the inherent capacity to sustain our cells for much longer, telomeres act as a self-imposed kill-switch to fight tumour-formation. But just as any switch, it comes with it the possibility of being reversed. While telomeres-based research has been in focus for quite some time, science has in recent years witnessed several breakthroughs that are more than just promising. Just this week, in a research conducted by US-based Houston Methodist Research Institute that was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, scientists have concluded that reversing telomere-erosion can slow down or tackle a number of problems associated with ageing specifically diseases such as progeria, which causes increased ageing in children.

SENS and Silicon Valleys quest for immortality:

So youve made your billions, and then some. But no matter the depth of your coffers, there comes a point at which even abject profligacy wouldnt exhaust your wealth before you run out of time to spend it. This is the daunting challenge facing the likes of Googles Sergey Brin and Larry Page and Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg. And one that theyre keen on taking head-on through the Silicon Valley-funded research effort SENS or Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence. While research done at SENS hasnt made much news in recent years, the fact remains that it is one of the most well-funded efforts for defeating ageing.

Merging man and machine:

Talk sci-tech today and it becomes almost impossible to leave out Silicon Valley trailblazer Elon Musk and his projects. While universities around the world are researching ways using machines to enhance our lives, Musk is going a step further by trying to put a machine directly in out brains through his project Neuralink. Unlike his flagship Tesla or SpaceX, Musks Neuralink has been kept largely away from the public eye save for a hints through his Twitter feed. Musk himself has confessed that his aim for the company is to achieve Neuralace a primary linkage between our minds and computers to enhance our memory and cognitive capabilities. But while this might seem more rooted in AI than in ageing research, it constitutes what many feel is the first step towards the kind of man-machine interface that weve seen in countless pop-culture references such as Black Mirrors highly rated episode San Junipero or Johnny Depps vastly underrated sci-fi flick transcendence where our consciousness exists without even a body as a computer program.

But regardless of how we achieve it, or whether we achieve it at all, it is a testament to sheer human optimism that we now aim to outlive our own modern, scientific civilisation, which from its dawn in the industrial revolution barely circumscribes four centuries. The goal, it would seem, isnt as forever as forever goes but rather juststretch it until it breaks (and keep hoping it doesnt).

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How to live forever: Every single way you can achieve immortality - GQ India

Magnetic microbot traps single cell – Chemistry World (subscription)

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Fredricko

A tiny robot that can capture a single cell has been made by scientists in the US. The microbot is made of metal-coated plastic cubes, which allow it to open and close using magnetic energy.

Microrobotic devices could one day perform surgery in places where large instruments cant reach, like inside the smallest blood vessels. [It] is one of the dreams in translational medicine, to assemble microsurgeons in vivo, says microrobot researcher Mahmut Selman Sakar from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, who wasnt involved in the study.

While the team led by Gabriel Lpez from Duke University and Orlin Velev from North Carolina State University has not yet achieved this, their modular microbots are already agile enough to trap a 4m yeast cell, move and then release it again. Made out of individual polymer cubes coated on one side with metallic cobalt, the microbots store energy from an external magnetic field and release it when the field is switched off.

The cube shape means that you can have two different configurations two cubes have their coating either on the same [AA] or on opposite [AB] sides, explains Velev. Depending on the cubes sequence, the microbot can carry out different tasks an ABBA bot, for example, is the simplest grabber. It opens when a magnetic field is applied and closes when the field is switched off. The fields gradient and orientation then control the bots movement and rotation.

In the future, the microbots could do more than simply trap objects. We now have a microtool to investigate mechanical properties on the microscale, Velev says. His team has started investigating liquid crystals, using the grabber to squeeze them and establish microscale mechanical forces.

Sakar suggests that the microbots could find applications in microfluidics: You could inject microscale particles into a microchannel and then, using external magnetic fields, bring them together and make a little rotor-shaped object, and spin it to create a fluidic flow for mixing mixing is a hard task at small scale due to low Reynolds number.

Currently, Velev and Lpez make each microbot by adding one cube at a time. Velev suggests that templating using a functionalised surface to direct the cubes into place could speed up fabrication. Eventually, microbots might even be able to replicate on their own. Right now, we have to design and build every single tool ourselves, says Sakar, but it would be fascinating if the tools could then build more tools by themselves.

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Magnetic microbot traps single cell - Chemistry World (subscription)

Martin and Short bring their chemistry to the masses – San Francisco Chronicle

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Fredricko

By Peter Hartlaub

Martin Short and honoree Steve Martin walk the red carpet at the 43rd AFI Life Achievement Award Gala honoring Martin at Dolby Theatre on June 4, 2015 in Hollywood.

Steve Martin (left) plays George and Martin Short plays Franck the flamboyant and officious wedding planner in "Father of the Bride."

Martin and Short bring their chemistry to the masses

Steve Martin and Martin Short are associated with a lot of locations far outside the Bay Area: Canada, Los Angeles, Live from New York

But when asked to share any memories provincial to San Francisco, both comedy legends come up with a long and poignant formative story from the mid-1960s. Martin drove up from L.A. and slept in his Volkswagen van as an 18-year-old, performing some of his first paid gigs in North Beach. And San Francisco was the first U.S. city that Canada-born Short visited, at age 15.

My sister Nora was a nurse in San Francisco, and my mother and I went down, Short says. They snuck me into the hungry i (nightclub). We saw Joan Rivers opening for Carmen McRae. It was the most exciting thing to be in San Francisco in 1965 and going to these hip clubs.

Martin and Short will return in spirit, if not the city limits on their latest comedy tour; a two amigos variety show that arrives at the Concord Pavilion on Friday, Aug. 11.

The comedians talked about their friendship during a phone interview last month. The conversation was stilted at times, in part because Short was calling from Ontario, Canada, and Martin from Santa Barbara. But their chemistry comes through, even on a three-way conference call.

Their first appearances on Saturday Night Live were nearly a decade apart, and Shorts early comedy roots (including SCTV in Canada in 1982-83) didnt offer much crossover with Martin, who had by the early 1980s become a Hollywood star.

They met in the spring of 1985, when Short went to Martins house to pick up a script for Three Amigos, a 1986 feature film comedy with Chevy Chase.

Lets put it this way. Maybe three weeks into the movie, I felt like I had a new friend that I really liked, Martin says. I didnt know if he liked me, but I liked him.

They maintained their friendship, appearing together in the Father of the Bride movies in the 1990s, and after that during random red carpets, charity benefits and late-night talk show guest spots. But their careers were often in different spheres, with Short pursuing stage and television projects such as Primetime Glick, and Martin starring in movies and touring with the bluegrass band the Steep Canyon Rangers.

A 2011 conversation between Short and Martin at the Just For Laughs festival in Montreal led to a tour, where the pair interviewed each other and took questions from the audience. Now their show has developed short gags, a video presentation, music and other random parts.

We just kept adding, Short says. The conversation ... certainly worked, and thats when we were reminded of our natural chemistry with each other. Then we just started adding bits and adding routines and adding ideas, and it just evolved into a kind of a hip variety show.

About 25 minutes of the two-hour show is musical, with Martin playing bluegrass, and Short showcasing one of his more underrated talents: his voice.

Martin says hes continually impressed with Short, who won a Tony Award for his work in the Neil Simon musical Little Me in 1999, and later played Leo Bloom in The Producers in Los Angeles.

I knew it, but I didnt know it, Martin says. Hes a terrific singer. I can only think of one other person whom I toured with, with the same kind of solidity, and that was Karen Carpenter.

Short and Martin have crossed the country several times together, but theyre eager to get the conversation back to San Francisco. Martin says San Francisco newspapers have always been good to me, mentioning a 1972 rave by Chronicle critic John Wasserman, when Martin was starting a career-boosting run at the Boarding House.

He was in San Francisco years before that, driving up as early as 1963.

I would drive up from L.A. to San Francisco, get the cheapest hotel possible, or live in my VW van, Martin says. I remember passing the Purple Onion (and hungry i). There would be Lenny Bruce playing there and Mort Sahl playing there, and whoever the Smothers Brothers playing there and the Kingston Trio.

Martin says one of his first paid comedy performances was at the Coffee Gallery in San Francisco, next door to former Beat Generation landmark Coffee and Confusion in North Beach. He offers a sober account of his performances there sometimes for a crowd of no one.

But with this pair, its never serious for long. Asked if these larger crowds on the Martin and Short tours shout out requests, the pair settle into a nice self-deprecating comic groove.

The show is very tight. Theres hardly any room for anyone to shout out anything. Were always talking, Martin says.

Particularly Bravo! Short quips.

Theres definitely no room for Bravo, Martin says.

Peter Hartlaub is The San Francisco Chronicles pop culture critic. Email: phartlaub@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @PeterHartlaub

Steve Martin and Martin Short: 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 11. $37.50-$183. Concord Pavilion, 2000 Kirker Pass Road, Concord. (925) 676-8742. http://www.livenation.com

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Martin and Short bring their chemistry to the masses - San Francisco Chronicle

McKewon: More players communicating as younger Husker football … – Omaha World-Herald

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Fredricko

LINCOLN No word yet on whether itll win any more games, but the 2017 version of Nebraska is a bigger democracy among teammates than in recent seasons.

Its a lot more free, junior left guard Jerald Foster said. Youre able to get your word in. If you have something thats really going to help out an older guy, just say it. Get it going. Im happy with what were doing right now.

Previously, Foster said, the seniors would talk and everybody else would sit back and listen to what they say.

Since that large senior class left after the Music City Bowl, it changed. Sure, Foster said, the true freshmen dont know the lay of the land. But redshirt freshmen are able to get a word in.

On a team as young and inexperienced as Nebraska, thats logical. Conventional wisdom about team building suggests that this squad might still be finding its way in terms of chemistry, culture and player leaders.

Coach Mike Riley sees just the opposite. The first week of training camp, he said, was seamless. Two practices viewed by reporters revealed much the same. Riley credited the player leaders, many of whom werent leaders in previous years.

Theres no doubt that talent is respected, and that can cloud that real leadership deal sometimes, Riley said. But with this group, I dont have to worry about anybody being misguided in that way. When your good players are doing the right thing and working at the highest level, thats what you have to have.

Riley likes it when he can steer young players toward the veterans and say, Watch how he does it. When the players, Riley said, are the main teachers. Sometimes hell call them magnets.

On Saturday, Riley pointed to inside linebackers Chris Weber and Dedrick Young as examples. Weber is a sit-in-the-front-of-the-class walk-on. Young is a shy interview who may be more chatty with his teammates, but is far from a screamer.

Theres guys who are dynamic about lets go, but theyre not overly dramatic, Riley said. Theyre just great example guys. Those two inside linebackers, you just dont have to worry about those guys. The football phase, the school phase, life. To me, thats tremendous leadership. They do everything theyre supposed to do.

Its hard not to contrast that with a 2016 captain who was suspended for the first and last games of the season because of academic issues. Or the 2015 captain who went on a Twitter rant after the loss to Miami, suggesting fans would kiss my feet. A few weeks later, he blew sarcastic kisses to fans after a loss to Illinois. He got to remain captain.

Nate Gerry and Alex Lewis are going to play in the NFL a long time, Id bet. It wouldnt surprise me if both make Pro Bowls one day.

But this Husker squad less experienced than either of those teams and facing what I think is a harder schedule needs as much smooth, seamless practice as it can get, especially as camp drags into that fourth week, when guys start school but are 12 days away from a game.

Coaches, players and training staff were prescient in understanding this team would need great chemistry. So it set up those offseason conditioning groups, with 11 captains, to help. And it appears to have worked. It probably benefited quarterback Tanner Lee the most; installed as a group leader months ago, Lee built up cachet with his teammates.

Hes a workaholic, receiver DeMornay Pierson-El said of Lee.

Pierson-Els on-field story is interesting, perhaps more so than any current Huskers. As a freshman, he was a big part of that final Bo Pelini team. The edge that Pierson-El plays with easily fit into the old Bo-to-the-troops leadership paradigm.

Like all players under Riley, Pierson-El has more personal freedom to figure out where he fits in, and coupled with two injuries and a slow road back to full health, he seemed a little restless. At times last season he seemed, to this reporters eyes, to press a little. Like Jamal Turner used to, and not just trust that he was as good of an athlete as he was.

You sensed a big jump in the spring. Pierson-El had that extra gear back and he shifted into it often. His routes were cleaner and more exact; he seemed more confident Lee was delivering the ball where Pierson-Els route was actually headed. Nebraska needs Pierson-El at the top of his game; this is not a deep receiving corps.

Though Pierson-El said hes never been shy to speak up if something needed to be said, his answer about how he views his senior season is a portal into what might happen. Getting back to the basics and just having fun, for real, for real, Pierson-El said. Enjoy myself, let things come to me, have a blast and enjoy the team, friends. Just have fun.

Young guys speaking up. Seniors trying to find a good groove.

Its a different culture inside Nebraska football.

Five stats

Three: Years since Nebraska has been ranked in the preseason Top 25, in either the coaches or Associated Press poll. NU received votes in the coaches poll in 2017, but fell short of the Top 25. I dont expect the AP to be any kinder. In 2014, NU was No. 22 in both polls to start the season. In 2013, the Huskers were 18th in both, and 17th (AP) and 16th (coaches) in 2012.

Five: Ohio State Buckeyes projected in the first round of NFL analyst Matt Millers 2018 mock draft. Miller, who writes for Bleacher Report, has long been one of the scouts I follow. Four of the five Buckeyes play defense, and two (end Sam Hubbard and tackle DreMont Jones) play on the defensive line. There may never be a better defense than 2011 Alabama which gave up 8.2 points and 184 yards per game but this OSU unit could make a run at 10 points and 250 yards, if it finds a way to slow down Oklahoma.

6.26: Average number of Nebraska penalties per game since joining the Big Ten. Over that same time, Wisconsin has averaged 4.42 penalties per game. Iowa averaged 4.52 penalties per game. Fewer penalties doesnt always mean better teams, but its interesting to compare the three teams.

Minus-10: Nebraskas penalty margin in its last six games against Wisconsin and Iowa. NU has committed 39 penalties in those six games while Wisconsin (13) and Iowa (16) have committed a combined 29 penalties in those games.

Minus-105: Nebraskas penalty yardage margin in those six games. Divided over six games, thats 17.5 yards, or roughly two first downs. NU is 1-5 in those games.

Opponent watch

You may remember last week when I wrote about Penn State embracing a quick-tempo spread offense and riding that to a Big Ten title. Under P.J. Fleck, Minnesota is going to run a similar style of offense, and its practices are being run at a furious tempo to accommodate it.

We get in 90 plays a day within an hour and 20 minutes, Gopher Carter Coughlin told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. That tempo is honestly faster than a game tempo, so its preparing us for a game. Its going to slow things down for us in a game.

Said Fleck: We condition during practice and put them in a lot of very tough positions in practice. We put them in situations that youd like to say will be harder here than in a game.

Flecks a lot of PR flash and catchphrases, but this thing how his offense runs is what will determine his success in Minnesota. Pay attention to that. Flecks betting on not needing four- and five-star recruits to win. Hes betting on his leadership style and this system. Im curious to see if it works.

According to the Daily Chronicle, Northern Illinois opened its camp at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday. The Huskies have a three-man quarterback race, and one player is Chad Beebe, whose last name might ring a bell: His dad, Don Beebe, played in the NFL for the Bills and at Chadron State.

Forecast

After a week of all smiles, Im guessing the training camp grind starts to settle in.

As a freshman, Husker wide receiver De'Mornay Pierson-El had 1,090 all-purpose yards, including 596 on 34 punt returns, 147 on on 10 kickoff returns, 321 on 23 receptions, 16 on one completion and 10 on five rushing attempts. Do you think he'll break that total this y
ear?

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Husker football coach Mike Riley greets players.

Husker linebacker Willie Hampton stretches.

Husker wide receiver Jaevon McQuitty stretches.

Husker defensive back Dicaprio Bootle runs through drills.

Husker Mikale Wilbon walks onto the practice field.

Husker wide receiver Stanley Morgan, left, and defensive back Dicaprio Bootle greet each other.

Husker kicker Drew Brown practices his field goals.

Husker wide receiver Conor Young runs through drills.

Husker linebacker Mohamed Barry stretches.

Husker defensive lineman Peyton Newell walks onto the outdoor field.

Husker Zack Darlington holds for kicker Drew Brown.

Husker quarterback Tanner Lee warms up before the start of practice.

Husker running back Mikale Wilbon warms up before practice.

Husker Caleb Lightbourn punts a ball during practice.

Husker defensive line coach John Parrella talks with his players during practice.

Husker offensive line coach Mike Cavanaugh works with his players during practice.

Husker offensive lineman Nick Gates arrives for practice.

Husker defensive linemen Mick Stoltenberg, left, and Matt Jarzynka walk onto the field.

Husker wide receiver De'Mornay Pierson-El.

Banners commemorating Nebraska's five national championships hang in the Hawks Championship Center.

Husker football coach Mike Riley greets players.

Husker linebacker Willie Hampton stretches.

Husker wide receiver Jaevon McQuitty stretches.

Husker defensive back Dicaprio Bootle runs through drills.

Husker Mikale Wilbon walks onto the practice field.

Husker wide receiver Stanley Morgan, left, and defensive back Dicaprio Bootle greet each other.

Husker kicker Drew Brown practices his field goals.

Husker wide receiver Conor Young runs through drills.

Husker linebacker Mohamed Barry stretches.

Husker defensive lineman Peyton Newell walks onto the outdoor field.

Husker Zack Darlington holds for kicker Drew Brown.

Husker quarterback Tanner Lee warms up before the start of practice.

Husker running back Mikale Wilbon warms up before practice.

Husker Caleb Lightbourn punts a ball during practice.

Husker defensive line coach John Parrella talks with his players during practice.

Husker offensive line coach Mike Cavanaugh works with his players during practice.

Husker offensive lineman Nick Gates arrives for practice.

Husker defensive linemen Mick Stoltenberg, left, and Matt Jarzynka walk onto the field.

Husker wide receiver De'Mornay Pierson-El.

Banners commemorating Nebraska's five national championships hang in the Hawks Championship Center.

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McKewon: More players communicating as younger Husker football ... - Omaha World-Herald

Virtual competitors vie for a different kind of athletic title | Stanford … – Stanford University News

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Fredricko

Modeling the walk

Kidziski works in the lab of Scott Delp, a professor of bioengineering and of mechanical engineering who has spent decades studying the mechanics of the human body. As part of that work, Delp and his collaborators have collected data on the movements and muscle activity of hundreds of individuals as they walk and run.

With data like that, Delp, Kidziski and their team can build accurate models of how individual muscles and limbs move in response to signals from the brain.

But what they could not do was predict how people relearn to walk after surgery because, as it turns out, no one is quite sure how the brain controls complex processes like walking, let alone walking through the obstacle course of daily life or relearning how to walk after surgery.

Whereas weve gotten quite good at building computational models of muscles and joints and bones and how the whole system is connected how the human machine is built an open challenge is how your brain orchestrates and controls this complex dynamic system, Delp said.

Machine learning, a variety of artificial intelligence, has reached a point where it could be a useful tool for modeling of the brains movement control systems, Delp said, but for the most part its practitioners have been interested in self-driving cars, playing complex games like chess or serving up more effective online ads.

The time was right for a challenge like this, Delp said, in part because some in the machine learning community are looking for more meaningful problems to work on, and because bioengineers stand to gain from understanding more about machine learning. His labs most successful efforts to model human movement have come from efforts to represent neural control of movement, Delp said, and machine learning is likely a realistic way to think about learning to walk.

So far, 63 teams have submitted a total of 145 ideas to Kidziskis competition, which is one of five similar contests created for the 2017 Neural Information Processing Systems conference. Kidziski supplies each team with computer models of the human body and the world that body must navigate, including stairs, slippery surfaces and more. In addition to external challenges, teams also face internal ones, such as weak or unreliable muscles. Each team is judged based on how far its simulated human makes it through those obstacles in a fixed amount of time.

Kidziski and Delp hope that more teams will join their competition, and with about two months remaining, they hope that at least a few teams will overcome all the various virtual obstacles thrown in their way. (No one has done so yet the top teams have for the most part conquered walking, but none has attempted the more athletic maneuvers.) The challenge, Kidziski said, is very computationally expensive.

In the long run, Kidziski said he hopes the work may benefit more than just kids with cerebral palsy. For example, it may help others design better-calibrated devices to assist with walking or carrying loads, and similar ideas could be used to find better baseball pitches or sprinting techniques.

But, Kidziski said, he and his collaborators have already created something important: a new way of solving problems in biomechanics that looks to virtual crowds for solutions.

Delp is the James H. Clark Professor in the School of Engineering and a member of Stanford Bio-X and the Stanford Neurosciences Institute. Graduate student Carmichael Ong, postdoctoral fellow Jason Fries, Mobilize Center Director of Data Science Jennifer Hicks and Mohanty Sharada coordinated the project. Sergey Levine, Marcel Salath and Delp serve as advisors

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Virtual competitors vie for a different kind of athletic title | Stanford ... - Stanford University News

Alarming drop in sperm counts needs more study – WENY-TV

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Fredricko

By Joseph P. Alukal

Editor's note: Dr. Joseph P. Alukal is an associate professor (Urology, Ob/Gyn) at the NYU School of Medicine and director of Male Reproductive Health for NYU Langone Health. He also is a host of the "Men's Health Show" on SiriusXM's Doctor Radio. Follow him on Twitter @alukal. The views expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.

(CNN) -- Research into reproductive biology is one of the most fascinating corners of medicine and science; my interest in this field was one of the driving forces behind my decision to go to medical school. Work in this field has resulted in life-changing treatments for infertile patients. More than one million babies have been born in the US to otherwise infertile couples, thanks to lab-assisted techniques like in-vitro fertilization (IVF).

At the same time; there remains a massive amount of research to do. Treatments for women whose number of eggs are prematurely low (diminished ovarian reserve), understanding of the causes and treatments of low or zero sperm counts (azoospermia) in male patients, non-surgical male contraception -- all of these topics are incompletely understood at present. As a result, infertile patients continue to suffer.

This new study raises obvious questions: why might this decrease be occurring? Is this trend indicative of other ongoing changes in men's health? Are there obvious causes of this trend and can they be acted upon? As a researcher in this field, I know the importance of answering that last question -- what might be the causes and what do we do about them -- and I know that there is already ongoing research on this front. But certainly more is needed.

Possible explanations include lifestyle factors (increasing obesity, tobacco use and its lingering effects), aging demographics of people pursing family building, environmental exposures to substances including plastics, hormones, radiation and radio frequency networks, and biological changes -- the results of what we call epigenetic change -- from fertility or hormonal treatments. Several factors could potentially be at play at the same time.

That being said, I remind people whenever I can that no field of research is more important than understanding the biology of conception. Cancer research, cardiovascular health research -- these fields will enable us to live longer. But, of course, that ceases to be important if a hypothetical fertility crisis results in fewer or even no babies being born. Understanding human fertility is a vital part of understanding the cycle of human life and death.

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Alarming drop in sperm counts needs more study - WENY-TV

Experts Call on US to Start Funding Scientists to Genetically Engineer Human Embryos – Gizmodo

Posted on August 6, 2017 by Fredricko

Edited human embryos. Image: OHSYU

This week, news of a major scientific breakthrough brought a debate over genetically engineering humans front and center. For the first time ever, scientists genetically engineered a human embryo on American soil in order to remove a disease-causing mutation. It was the fourth time ever that such a feat has been published on, and with the most success to date. It may still be a long way off, but it seems likely that one day we will indeed have to grapple with the sticky, complicated philosophical mess of whether, and in which cases, genetically engineering a human being is morally permissible.

On the heels of this news, on Thursday a group of 11 genetics groups released policy recommendations for whats known as germline editingor altering the human genome in such a way that those changes could be passed down to future generations. The statement, from groups including the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, said that doctors should not yet entertain implanting an altered embryo in a human womb, a step which would be against the law in the United States. But they also argued that there is no reason not to use public money to fund basic research on human germline editing, contrary to a National Institutes of Health policy that has banned funding research involving editing human embryo DNA.

Currently, there is no reason to prohibit in vitro germline genome editing on human embryos and gametes, with appropriate oversight and consent from donors, to facilitate research on the possible future clinical applications of gene editing, they wrote. There should be no prohibition on making public funds available to support this research.

Safety, ethical concerns and the impact germline editing might have on societal inequality, they wrote, would all have to be worked out before such technology is ready for the clinic.

Genetic disease, once a universal common denominator, could instead become an artifact of class, geographic location, and culture, they wrote. In turn, reduced incidence and reduced sense of shared risk could affect the resources available to individuals and families dealing with genetic conditions.

If and when embryo editing is ready for primetime, the group concluded that there would need to be a good medical reason to use such technology, as well as a transparent public debate. Some have questioned the medical necessity of embryo editing, arguing that genetic screening combined with in vitro fertilization could allow doctors to simply pick disease-free eggs to implant, achieving the same results via a method that is less morally-fraught.

In February, the National Academy of Sciences released a 261-page report that also gave a cautious green light to human gene-editing, endorsing the practice for purposes of curing disease and for basic research, but determining that uses such as creating designer babies are unethical. Other nations, like China and the UK, have forged ahead with human embryo editing for basic research, though there have been no published accounts of research past the first few days of early embryo development.

Given the way the culture, religion and regional custom impact attitudes toward genetically-engineering human life, its safe to say that this debate will not be an easy one to settle. As the policy recommendations point out, views on the matter vary drastically not just across the US, but around the world, and yet one nation making the decision to go ahead with implanting edited embryos will create a world in which that technology exists for everyone.

In the meantime, though, there are still more than a few kinks to work out in the science before were faced with these questions in the real world.

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Experts Call on US to Start Funding Scientists to Genetically Engineer Human Embryos - Gizmodo

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