Canaccord Genuity Lowers Nanotech Security Corp (NTS) Price ... Community Financial News Nanotech Security Corp (CVE:NTS) had its target price cut by stock analysts at Canaccord Genuity from C$2.00 to C$1.75 in a research note issued to investors ... |
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Canaccord Genuity Lowers Nanotech Security Corp (NTS) Price ... - Community Financial News
Frozen organs could be brought back to life safely one day with the aid of nanotechnology, a new study finds. The development could help make donated organs available for virtually everyone who needs them in the future, the researchers say.
The number of donated organs that could be transplanted into patients could increase greatly if there were a way to freeze and reheat organs without damaging the cells within them.
In the new work, scientists developed a way to safely thaw frozen tissues with the aid of nanoparticles particles only nanometers or billionths of a meter wide. (In comparison, the average human hair is about 100,000 nanometers wide.) [9 Most Interesting Transplants]
The researchers manufactured silica-coated nanoparticles that contained iron oxide. When they applied a magnetic field to frozen tissues suffused with the nanoparticles, the nanoparticles generated heat rapidly and uniformly. The tissue samples warmed up at rates of up to more than 260 degrees Fahrenheit (130 degrees Celsius) per minute, which is 10 to 100 times faster than previous methods.
The scientists tested their method on frozen human skin cells, segments of pig heart valves and sections of pig arteries. None of the rewarmed tissues displayed signs of harm from the heating process, and they preserved key physical properties such as elasticity. Moreover, the researchers were able to wash away the nanoparticles from the sample after thawing.
Previous research successfully thawed tiny biological samples that were only 1 to 3 milliliters in volume. This new technique works for samples that are up to 50 milliliters in size. The researchers said there is a strong possibility they could scale up their technique to even larger systems, such as organs.
"We are at the level of rabbit organs now," said study senior author John Bischof, a mechanical and biomedical engineer at the University of Minnesota. "We have a way to go for human organs, but nothing seems to preclude us from that."
However, this research will likely not make it possible to return frozen heads back to life anytime soon, if ever, the scientists noted.
Since the first successful kidney transplant in 1954, organ transplantation has saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of patients. If it weren't for the large and growing shortage of donor organs, the life-saving procedure might help even more people. According to the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, more than 120,000 patients are currently on organ-transplant waitlists in the United States, and at least 1 in 5 patients on these waitlists die waiting for an organ that they never receive.
Right now, the majority of organs that could potentially be used for transplants are discarded, in large part because they can only be safely preserved for 4 to 36 hours. If only half the hearts and lungs that are discarded were successfully transplanted, the waitlists for those organs could be eliminated in two to three years, according to the Organ Preservation Alliance.
One way to save donated organs for transplantation is to freeze them. Ice crystals that can damage cells typically form during freezing, but in prior work, researchers have found a technique known as vitrification which involves flooding biological specimens with antifreeze-like compounds that could help cool down organs to stave off decay, while also preventing the formation of ice crystals.
Unfortunately, ice crystals can also form during the reheating process. Moreover, if thawing is not uniform across samples, fracturing or cracking may occur. Although scientists had developed methods to safely use freezing-cold temperatures to "cryopreserve" tissues and organs, they had not yet developed a way to safely reheat them. [5 Amazing Technologies That Are Revolutionizing Biotech]
In future research, scientists will attempt to transplant thawed tissues into living animals to see how well they do. "From my perspective and my collaborators' perspective, there is no reason why that should not work," Bischof told Live Science.
However, the researchers stressed that it was unlikely these findings would apply to the controversial field of cryonics, which seeks to freeze patients or their brains in the hope that future scientists will find a way to safely revive people. "There are huge scientific hurdles ahead of us, and it's rather premature to get into rewarming a whole person," Bischof said.
"Even if you preserved the whole body, the chances that neural pathways established during life were maintained during and after cryopreservation are probably remote," said study co-author Kelvin Brockbank, chief executive officer of Tissue Testing Technologies in North Charleston, South Carolina. "I don't think we'll see success for rewarming whole bodies within the next hundred years."
The scientists detailed their findings online March 1 in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
Original article on Live Science.
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Reviving Frozen Organs: Nanotech May Pave the Way - Live Science
March 02, 2017 --
SAN DIEGO (PRWEB) March 02, 2017
Defense industry veteran Kevin Ruelas and his team announce the acquisition of Ti-Nanotech, formerly known as Crista Chemical Company. Ti-Nanotech will join Syndetix, Inc., under the umbrella of the newly formed Defense and Government Solutions (DGS).
?We're thrilled to bring Ti-Nanotech's advanced and patented technology to our customers in the defense and law enforcement sectors," stated DGS and Ti-Nanotech CEO Ruelas. ?By bringing Ti-Nanotech together with Syndetix under DGS, we see opportunities for growth in sectors where material strength and reliability are paramount, including aerospace and commercial products such as batteries, medical devices and military hardware."
Ti-Nanotech began as Cristal Chemical Company in 1999, focused on finding a non-toxic replacement for cadmium plating. They sought to do this without compromising strength, adding weight or creating corrosion issues. The solution was titanium plating for end products, which has applications in a variety of sectors including defense, commercial, aerospace and automotive.
Since then, the company has earned a reputation as a thought-leader in titanium coating. Titanium can be stronger than steel while being much lighter with the highest strength to weight ratio of any metal. It is also non-toxic and one of the only metals able to be put inside humans. Ti-Nanotech's patented technology makes titanium coating possible for a wide variety of industries including armored shields, reinforced consumer products such as medical devices and the growing field of next-generation batteries.
Ti-Nanotech will join Syndetix Inc., a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business and technology developer for the defense and law enforcement industries, under the umbrella of the newly formed DGS. With established contacts and customers in the defense and law enforcement sectors, DGS will introduce Ti-Nanotech's technologies to new audiences. With the formation of DGS both companies will be able to expand by reaching new customers leveraging their technology and service offerings including the aerospace industry and medical device manufacturers.
About DGS Formed in 2016, Defense and Government Solutions (DGS) and its holdings serve clients in the defense, law enforcement and commercial sectors. Its main holdings include Ti-Nanotech, focused on titanium electromagnetic plating for end products, and Syndetix, a technology company focused on designing, engineering and building technologies for international and domestic security forces. DGS is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business based in Las Cruces, N.M.
About Ti-Nanotech Since 1999, Ti-Nanotech has been in industry leader in titanium plating for end products. From the defense sector, to the aerospace industry and even the medical device field, Ti-Nanotech's titanium electromagnetic plating process can be applied to a variety of end products. Ti-Nanotech is a defense and government solutions company based in San Diego.
About Syndetix Since 1985, Syndetix, Inc. has been designing, engineering and building technologies that protect those who protect us. Founded as a technology spinoff from New Mexico State University's Physical Science Laboratory, Syndetix, Inc. provides high-caliber design and engineering services for the Department of Defense, Department of Justice and civilian markets to enable mission critical success.
Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2017/03/prweb14107155.htm.
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Ti-Nanotech Acquired by Defense Industry Veteran Kevin Ruelas - IT Business Net
Silently helping our clothes resist stains, allowing spray-on sunscreen to more easily protect our skin and enhancing paints, coatings and plastics. Nanoparticles have even made their way into our food, including powdered sugar on pastries, chewing gum and other products.
Dr. Christa Watson Wright, assistant professor of environmental health in the Georgia State School of Public Health, researches the potential health impacts of nanoparticles, which can also be found in such everyday items as cosmetics, the toner in photocopiers and artificial turf.
Nanoparticles cant be seen with the eye or even with a microscope. For a sense of perspective, consider the diameter of a strand of human hair. That cross section of hair is the size of 100,000 nanometers. (A nanometer is a billionth of a meter.)
Wright is among a pioneering group of scientists raising concerns about these super tiny particles. While many nanomaterials start out as substances that are considered safe at normal size, there has been very little testing into how safe these particles are when they are made so small they can travel easily from the lungs into other parts of the body, even slipping into cells and potentially causing damage to DNA.
The impact could be greater for populations that are already vulnerable, such as people with inherited disorders, especially with long-term exposure.
In one study, Wright found that certain metal-based engineered nanoparticles, widely used in cosmetics and sunscreens such as zinc oxide, could cause DNA damage in human cells.
People who work in the recycling and waste disposal industries may also face an increased risk due to exposure to nanomaterials.
In a recent study, Wright found that high-temperature incineration, a common disposal method for thermoplastics that contain nanoparticles, can result in a nanofiller effect where higher toxicity was observed in the particles released during burning of nano-enabled plastics than particles emitted from burned regular materials (plastics containing no nanomaterials).
About 20,000 metric tons of nanocomposite materials (such as vinyl siding) are sent to U.S. recycling facilities, landfills or disposed of through incineration each year.
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Nanotech's Possible Hazards Investigated - Controlled Environments Magazine
Today, Nootropedia, LLC, a web portal for nootropics, cognitive enhancement, and optimizing mental performance, launches their flagship brain conference called the Brain Optimization Summit. After reaching tens of thousands of readers for 6 months, Nootropedia is finally preparing their first live event.
Austin, Texas (PRWEB) March 03, 2017
Today, Nootropedia, LLC, a web portal for nootropics, cognitive enhancement, and optimizing mental performance, launches their flagship brain conference called the Brain Optimization Summit. After reaching tens of thousands of readers for 6 months, Nootropedia is finally preparing their first live event.
The conference includes speakers like Daniel Schmachtenberger, the founder of Neurohacker Collective and Qualia ( https://www.nootropedia.com/qualia/ ) in addition to Smart Drug Smarts host, Jesse Lawler, Ben Greenfield, and numerous others. When asked about the speaker lineup, co-founder and director Mansal Denton said "It's the best balance of doctors, scientists, researchers, and self-experimenters. After this conference, attendees will walk away knowing exactly what can improve their memory, focus, concentration, and general mental performance."
Until now, Nootropedia has provided written and video media on specific nootropic profiles, such as aniracetam ( https://www.nootropedia.com/aniracetam/ ) or adrafinil ( https://www.nootropedia.com/adrafinil/ ) in addition to basic nootropic stacks like L-theanine and caffeine ( https://www.nootropedia.com/a-beginners-nootropic-l-theanine-and-caffeine/ ). While their YouTube and website have flourished, specific posts have garnered more attention.
What has really set Nootropedia apart is rectifying misleading information and dispelling myths, such as the case with the famous Limitless pill ( https://www.nootropedia.com/limitless-pill/ ), which has received media attention from various online outlets.
Before Nootropedia's brain conference, there was no community organized around nootropics and cognitive enhancement where enthusiasts could share, learn, and grow. While online communities, such as Reddit or Longecity, have brought fringe biohackers into dialogue, this summit provides thousands with an opportunity to speak to their favorite experts.
About Nootropedia, LLC: Cognitive enhancement is everyone's right. Nootropedia was founded in Austin, TX in 2016 to make nootropics and smart drugs more accessible. They have quickly become one of the leading resources on nootropics in both written and video formats. Their work has been featured in major media outlets such as Entrepreneur, Elite Daily, Psychology Today, Huffington Post, and even as a resource on Wikipedia. They have produced a free tool, NooTracker, which offers smart drug users an opportunity to self-track cognitive enhancement.
For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2017/03/prweb14112698.htm
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Nootropedia Launches Flagship Brain Conference | Benzinga - Benzinga
Chicago is the home of house music, but is it the home of trance?
Apparently this may be the case to some extent, as hundreds of trance-lovers reunited at a packed Concord Music Hall on Friday night to experience a night filled with vivid trance sounds from distinct DJs. On the lineup were ATB, Ben Nicky (who was unable to make it due to a cancelled flight), and Orjan Nilsen, with support from local Chicago DJs Mario Florek, Peter Kontor, and Dave Neven. The 7-hour event was sure to be quite the experience and it absolutely was.
Ill be completely honest trance is not necessarily my cup of tea most times. I do like it; I just never find myself actually seeing trance artists. In the spirit of PLUR, I went to Trance Arena with an open mind and ready to enjoy the event with my trance-loving friends. Im not going to say Im all of a sudden converted to the #trancefam, but I can certainly say Ive found a new appreciation for it. Trance Arena brought the most blissful and salient elements of trance into a more intimate Chicago venue, reuniting trance fans around the city and area.
The opening DJ sets were well-crafted, melodic sets with just the right amount of high energy to get things started. We arrived to a quite crowded Concord as Peter Kontor and Mario Florek went b2b in a groovy trance set that definitely had people excited for the event. The stage was massive, resembling festival stages more than clubs or live show venues. Dave Neven swooped in with an incredible amount of energy and bass to take the crowd even further into the night. This is where I noticed the true power of the sound design put on by React Presents. Orjan Nilsen played a classic trance set, layering in the beautiful melodic sounds found in the most sophisticated of Above & Beyond songs.
Then, ATB absolutely confirmed his timelessness as he performed an incredible set. The predominance of classic trance sound brought me back to the early 2000s, when I was still young and listening to ATB passively, as the German superstars tunes played on MTV and the radio. Seeing the legend for the first time live definitely brought a certain emotion not commonly found in just any Chicago Friday night DJ set. His dropping of Ecstasy towards the beginning of the show set the tone for an amazing night, as the entire crowd sang along to the anthem that is that song. ATB even experimented somewhat with more deep house and techno songs, proving that he will forever live in the trance hall of fame.
We are truly lucky to live in Chicago, a city that celebrates its electronic music culture with innovation and excitement. With organizations like React Presents, who put on an incredible amount of thought and energy into their events, Chicagoans should never have a problem finding an electronic music scene that fits with their taste preferences. Friday night it was trance. Heres to hoping Chicago and its electronic music people dont change, so that we can have more events like Trance Arena to celebrate a wide range of EDM.
Photos via: React Presents
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Trance Arena: A New Beginning For Trance in Chicago (Event Review) - EDM Chicago (blog)
Even by his own lofty standards, Steve Smith knows he had raised the bar when he raised the bat in Pune.
Australian captain Smith has given a frank insight into the "trance" he entered while scoring a century during the first Test against India in Pune.
The second-innings knock of 109 featured several chances, as can be expected on a pitch branded "poor" by the match referee. It had been leadership personified and one of many recent examples of why Smith is regarded so highly.
Aiming to make it six tons from six consecutive Tests against India, Smith said everything clicked and he was "in the zone" during the first Test.
"I was doing things that I probably haven't done before. My eyes were sort of spinning and I was in a bit of a trance," Smith recalled on the eve of the second Test, starting on Saturday in Bangalore.
"I've been there a couple of times in that kind of mindset. For me, it was just such an important period of the game and I knew, if we could get (a lead of) 300 or over that .. we'd be a real good chance to win.
"That afternoon, I was very determined and focused on the job at hand, to try and get as many as we could.
"Hopefully, I can bring that next level and next gear out. It was pleasing to know I had that level in me."
Smith could tick off another important milestone during the 2nd Test. The right-hander needs a further 112 runs to celebrate 5000 Test runs.
If the 27-year-old achieves that tally in his next innings, the 95th of his Test career, it will mean only Don Bradman and Jack Hobbs have reached the milestone in fewer knocks.
Smith's Test batting average in Border-Gavaskar contests stands at 88.83. No player from either country has achieved such a high number, with Ravi Shastri (77.75) and David Boon (70.82) next in line.
Coach Darren Lehmann regarded Smith's recent knock as the best of his 18 Test tons, given the captain batted the top-ranked Test side out of the contest on a raging turner, prepared to suit India's two star spinners.
"I haven't seen him so determined," Lehmann said.
If Smith continues to lead from the front during the four-Test series, it will trigger more debate about where he sits on the list of Australia's greatest batsmen.
Last month, Smith joined Bradman as one of four players to average more than 60 with the bat through 50 Tests.
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Smith entered 'trance' in captain's ton - The West Australian
Trucker Tools, provider of the driver smartphone app and automated Load Track platform, announced a new Load Track integration with Revenova that delivers shipment visibility to the shippers, brokers and third-party logistics companies that use the cloud-based Revenova TMS system.
According to the company, the integration of the Load Track platform with Revenova TMS gives users an automated shipment tracking option as part of its intuitive and highly configurable workflow.
The Revenova TMS is already steps ahead in terms of improving the process of moving freight. We are delighted to partner with Revenova to further extend its value with an automated Load Track process, said Prasad Gollapalli, CEO of Trucker Tools.
By clicking on any load in Revenova TMS, users see a Load Detail record with all of the pertinent information neatly organized into objects. To initiate the Load Track, users click the Tracking Log object and enter the time they wish to start the Load Track and select a geo-fence perimeter such as 5 miles.
The system uses the geofences to trigger instant arrival and departure notifications when drivers have completed pickups and deliveries. The Load Track integration also gives Revenova TMS users visibility of loads as routes progress and the ability to read and respond to instant messages from drivers.
The Load Track integration provides a differentiating value for Revenova TMS by automatically communicating all pickup and drop-off activities as well as the ETA delivery status of loads. Drivers can capture images of proof-of-delivery documents, and the system automatically generates an invoice to increase efficiency and accelerate cash flow for our customers, said Dave Craigmile, Chief Technology Officer of Revenova.
Pricing for the integrated Load Track feature starts at $1.05 per load for users with high load volumes. Location updates for loads in Revenova TMS are in virtual real-time with no limitations on the number of days and stop events from pickup to final delivery.
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Trucker Tools' Load Track integrates with Revenova TMS - Fleet Owner
By Pete Papaherakles
National Review (NR),considered by many as the flagship of conservative journalism, fired one of its top journalists last week in an effort to comply with the tenets of the cult of political correctness, i.e., cultural communism. The reason for the dismissal was not for something that the journalist wrote for the magazine but for perceived racism expressed in an entirely different media outlet.
John Derbyshire, a prominent NR contributor, was fired for an article he wrote on April 5 in Takis Magazine, a conservative online journal published by socialite Taki Theodoracopulos. The article titled The Talk: Non-Black Version was written as a response to the Talk that black parents are having with their children in the aftermath of the Trayvon Martin shooting, advising them on how to avoid looking or acting in a way that would get them killed by whitesas if that was what got Martin killed.
Derbyshire wrote as if advising his own children how to avoid being hurt or killed by blacks. Like the black parents, Derbyshire points out that there are distinct differences between blacks and whites, something that in itself is considered taboo for whites in todays politically correct culture to mention. Some of the controversial elements of his advice involved warning them to stay out of heavily black neighborhoods, advice against attending events likely to draw lots of blacks and if at a public event that the number of blacks suddenly swells, leave as quickly as possible.
Many of his points are linked to newspaper stories of black-on-white crime, almost always kept out of the national media, and included mostly unknown statistics about the large number of black-on-white crimes. AFP published a special report in the April 16 edition titled The Complexion of Crime in America, which revealed that blacks are 18 times more likely to murder whites than whites are to murder blacks.
NRs editor in chief Rich Lowry called the article appalling, nasty and indefensible. Derbyshire, one of NRs best writers, was summarily sacrificed on the altar of political correctness for saying pretty much the same things AFP has been saying for years.
In a telephone interview with AMERICAN FREE PRESS, Theodoracopulos, who started his journalism career writing for NR in 1967 and routinely features articles by Pat Buchanan and other conservatives, told this reporter that he was appalled with the decision.
They [NR]were in such a hurry to toe the PC [politically correct] line, I dont even think they read the piece, he remarked. They have been completely taken over by the neocons and no longer take positions against Israel or on the race issue. Joe Sobran and others in the past have met similar fates. It just goes to show what a bunch of rats theyve become. What they did to him was especially cruel considering he is undergoing chemotherapy at the time.
The Trayvon Martin shooting has stirred up racial tensions in the U.S., exposing a dangerous double standard in race attitudes. While it is acceptable today for blacks to openly call for the murder of George Zimmermanwho is not white nor black but Hispanic, and was attacked and beaten by Martinwhites are not even allowed to talk to their children about black-on-white crimes for fear of offending the high priests of political correctness.*
* Get a copy of AFPs special 8-page report on Cultural Communism. One to five copies are $3 each. Six to 39 copies are $1.65 each. 40-499 copies are 50 each. 500 or more are reduced to just 40 each. Call AFP at 202-544-5977 to charge or send request to 645 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, #100, Washington, D.C. 20003
Peter Papaherakles, a U.S. citizen since 1986, was born in Greece. He is AFPs outreach director. If you would like to see AFP speakers at your rally, contact Pete at 202-544-5977.
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Conservative Rag Bends to Political Correctness - American Free Press
Jennifer Saunders has claimed political correctness has put paid to there being any more Absolutely Fabulous.
The comedian has ruled out resurrecting characters Edina and Patsy for another series of the BBC sitcom because people are now too easily offended.
Handout via Getty Images
Speaking to the Press Association (via The Mirror), she said:People are so politically correct now; we couldnt get away with anything. You cant even get away to be a politically incorrect character, because that is seen as being politically incorrect [sic].
Everyones down on everyone for everything.
Her co-star Joanna Lumley seemed to agree, adding it was best toleave it where it is.
The worlds a bit funny now, its gone a bit strange, its a bit harder to parody, Jennifer continued.
Because so much of the world right now is so grim, and hard and fearful, and people so take affront at everything.
BBC
Absolutely Fabulous had a outing on the big screen last year, which proved to be a hit at the box office.
However, it wasnt without its controversy, as it faced accusations of racism when Janette Tough - best known for her portrayal of Wee Jimmy Krankie - was cast as fictional male Japanese fashion designer, Huki Muki.
Stand-up Margaret Chowho branded the casting as yellowface,by having a white actor playing an Asian character.
#YELLOWFACE is racism. Sorry. Its unacceptable, she tweeted. Not now. I was thrilled about #abfabmovie but now I just cant be. Im very disappointed.
I love AbFab but #YELLOWFACE is something I cannot watch - I just cant. Its sad when heroes are no longer heroic. Too bad. #racism.
She added: Its hard enough to get into film and TV as a person of color - and when roles written for us are played by white actors - its an outrage.
Joanna previously spoke out against political correctness, claiming it was watering down British comedy.
'Absolutely Fabulous' Film Premiere
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 29: Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders pose with guests at the World Premiere of 'Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie' at Odeon Leicester Square on June 29, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/WireImage)
David M. Benett via Getty Images
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Jennifer Saunders Claims Political Correctness Has Ended ... - Huffington Post UK
Scientists have managed to develop a mouse embryo structure using stem cells grown under laboratory conditions, according to findings published in the academic journal Science.
The cells then grew into primitive embryos that had identical internal structures to those that emerge under normal development in the womb.
Researchers hope to gain a deeper insight into how embryos develop just before implantation.
Getty
The development marks significant progress in embryo development as previously attempts to grow artificial cells had only had limited success.
Professor Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz, who led the team, said: Im looking at it as a miracle of nature as well as trying to understand the process. Its incredibly beautiful that we can begin to understand those forces that give rise to self-organisation during the earliest stage of development.
The embryos were developed from a combination of genetically modified mouse cells, known a master cells and a 3D scaffold, referred to as an extracellular matrix, where the cells could grow.
Prof Zernicka-Goetz said: Both the embryonic and extra-embryonic cells start to talk to each other and become organised into a structure that looks like and behaves like an embryo.
The research could eventually be useful in the understanding of miscarriages and infertility should the procedure be carried out on human cells.
One in six pregnancies end in miscarriage, though there is still no explicit answer to how this happens.
Getty
She said: If we can translate the knowledge into humans it will be incredibly powerful for understanding our own development at a stage when many human lives are lost.
However researchers said although the artificial embryo closely resembles a natural one, it is unlikely to develop further into a healthy mouse foetus. This would require a yolk sac, which provides nourishment for the embryo and where blood vessels develop.
Experiments are currently legally carried out on leftover human embryos from In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF), but these can only be held for a maximum of 14 days under legal frameworks.
Getty
The outcome of the experiment has also been criticised by some concerned that it may pave the way for genetically modified (GM) humans.
Dr David King, the Director of Human Genetics Alert, said: What concerns me about the possibility of artificial embryos is that this may become a route to creating GM or even cloned babies.
Until there is an enforceable global ban on those possibilities this kind of research risks doing the scientific groundwork for entrepreneurs who will use the technologies in countries with no regulations.
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By Jos Cibelli By Jos Cibelli March 3 at 12:41 PM
In 1997 Dolly the sheep was introduced to the world by biologists Keith Campbell, Ian Wilmut and colleagues. Not just any lamb, Dolly was a clone. Rather than being made from a sperm and an egg, she originated with a mammary gland cell of a no-longerliving six-year-old Fynn Dorset ewe.
With her birth, a scientific and societal revolution was also born.
Some prominent scientists thought it was too good to be true. But more animals were cloned: first the laboratory mouse, then cows, goats, pigs, horses, even dogs, ferrets and camels. By early 2000, the issue was settled: Dolly was real and cloning adults was possible.
The implications of cloning animals in our society were self-evident from the start. Our advancing ability to reprogram adult, already specialized cells and start them over as something new may one day be the key to creating cells and organs that match the immune system of each individual patient in need of replacements.
But what somehow got lost was the fact that a clone was born at Day Zero created from the cell of another animal that was six years old. Researchers have spent the past 20 years trying to untangle the mysteries of how clones age. How old, biologically, are these animals born from other adult animals cells?
Decades of cloning research
Dolly became an international celebrity, but she was not the first vertebrate to be cloned from a cell taken from the body of another animal. In 1962, developmental biologist John Gurdon cloned the first adult animal by taking a cell from the intestine of one frog and injecting it into an egg of another. Gurdons work did not go unnoticed he went on to share the 2012 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine. But it was Dolly who captured our imagination. Was it because she was a warm-blooded animal, a mammal, much closer to human? If you could do it in a sheep, you could do it in us!
Dolly, along with Gurdons frogs from 35 years earlier and all the other experiments in between, redirected our scientific studies. It was amazing to see a differentiated cell an adult cell specialized to do its particular job transform into an embryonic one that could go on to give rise to all the other cells of a normal body. We researchers wondered whether we could go further: Could we in the lab make an adult cell once again undifferentiated, without needing to make a cloned embryo?
A decade after Dolly was announced, stem cell researcher Shynia Yamanakas team did just that. He went on to be the Nobel co-recipient with Gurdon for showing that mature cells could be reprogrammed to become pluripotent: able to develop into any specialized adult cell.
Now we have the possibility of making individualized replacement cells potentially any kind to replace tissue damaged by injury, genetic disorders and degeneration. Not only cells: We may soon be able to have our own organs grown in a nonhuman host, ready to be transplanted when needed.
If Dolly was responsible for unleashing the events that culminate in new methods of making fully compatible cells and organs, then her legacy would be to improve the health of practically all human beings on this planet. And yet I am convinced that there are even better things to come.
Dollys secrets still unfolding
In the winter of 2013, I found myself driving on the wrong side of the road through the Nottingham countryside. In contrast to the luscious landscape, I was in a state of gloom: I was on my way to see Keith Campbells family after his sudden death a few weeks earlier.
Keith was a smart, fun, loving friend who, along with Ian Wilmut and colleagues at the Roslin Institute, had brought us Dolly 15 years earlier. We had met at a conference in the early 1990s, when we were both budding scientists playing around with cloning, Keith with sheep, I with cows. An extrovert by nature, he quickly dazzled me with his wit, self-deprecating humor and nonstop chat, all delivered in a thick West Midlands accent. Our friendship that began then continued until his death.
When I knocked at the door of his quaint farmhouse, my plan was to stay just a few minutes, pay my respects to his wife and leave. Five hours and several Guinnesses later, I left feeling grateful. Keith could do that to you, but this time it wasnt Keith, it was his latest work speaking for him. Thats because his wife very generously told me about the project Keith had been working on at the time of his death. I couldnt hide my excitement: Could it be possible that after 20 years, the most striking aspect of Dollys legacy was not yet revealed?
See, when Dolly was cloned, she was created using a cell from a six-year-old sheep. And she died at age 6 , a premature death for a breed that lives an average of nine years or more. People assumed that an offspring cloned from an adult was starting at an age disadvantage; rather than truly being a newborn, it seemed as though a clones internal age would be more advanced than the length of its own life would suggest. Thus the notion that clones biological age and their chronological one were out of sync and that cloned animals will die young.
Some of us were convinced that if the cloning procedure was done properly, the biological clock should be reset: A newborn clone would truly start at Day Zero. We worked very hard to prove our point. We were not convinced by a single DNA analysis done in Dolly showing slightly shorter telomeres, the repetitive DNA sequences at the end of chromosomes that count how many times a cell divides. We presented strong scientific evidence showing that cloned cows had all the same molecular signs of aging as a non-clone, predicting a normal life span. Others showed the same in cloned mice. But we couldnt ignore reports from colleagues interpreting biological signs in cloned animals that they attributed to incomplete resetting of the biological clock. So the jury was out.
Aging studies are very hard to do because there are only two data points that really count: date of birth and date of death. If you want to know the life span of an individual, you have to wait until its natural death. Little did I know, that is what Keith had been doing back in 2012.
On that Saturday afternoon I spent in Keiths house in Nottingham, I saw a photo of the animals in Keiths latest study: several cloned Dollies, all much older than Dolly at the time she had died, and they looked terrific. I was in awe.
The data were confidential, so I had to remain silent until late last year when the work was posthumously published. Keiths co-authors humbly said: For those clones that survive beyond the perinatal period ... the emerging consensus, supported by the current data, is that they are healthy and seem to age normally.
These findings became even more relevant when in December researchers at the Scripps Research Institute found that induced pluripotent stem cells reprogrammed using the Yamanaka factors retain the aging epigenetic signature of the donor individual. In other words, using these four genes to attempt to reprogram the cells does not seem to reset the biological clock.
The new Dollies are now telling us that if we take a cell from an animal of any age and we introduce its nucleus into a non-fertilized mature egg, we can have an individual born with its life span fully restored. They confirmed that all signs of biological and chronological age matched between cloned and non-cloned sheep.
There seems to be a natural, built-in mechanism in the eggs that can rejuvenate a cell. We dont know what it is yet, but it is there. Our group as well as others are hard at work, and as soon as someone finds it, the most astonishing legacy of Dolly will be realized.
Cibelli is scientific director of the Larcel-Bionand laboratory in Spain and a professor of animal biotechnology at Michigan State University. This article was originally published on theconversation.com.
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We know Dolly the sheep was cloned 20 years ago, but how old was she at birth? - Washington Post
By NICHOLAS TRUJILLO
For minimum-wage earners whove had a taste of the $1.95 per hour pay raise, I can relate if you are feeling both happy and scared by the change.
My eyes light up when I see the significant increase in my paychecks. However, my face turns gray when I hear that another store has closed or raised prices because it cant keep up.
In Tucson, the owner of Shlomo and Vitos Deli blamed the minimum wage when it closed. The move threw 43 employees out of work.
Im not an economist, but I would argue the closing represents free market principles. Its not great a local deli closed, but it allows other entrepreneurs an opportunity to open another food store that might be economically stronger.
The ability to adapt and overcome obstacles shows the strength of a business. This life-and-death business cycle is healthy for an areas economy.
The Metro Chamber of Commerce recently sent an anonymous survey to businesses across Tucson.
About 40 percent of businesses that responded said they are increasing prices to keep up.
Thirty-two percent are reducing employee hours. I see this happening at my own job, at Frys. Many of my fellow employees are seeing their hours cut because they dont have seniority and the store has to save money.
The chamber survey said 13 percent of businesses are considering closing for good. This is without a doubt bad for the individual businesses that close. However, a growing customer base will greet those that ride the wave of uncertainty and stay open.
Another 11 percent of the business owners said they would move to automation.
We wont be having much human interaction at those stores. Theyll be based on machines with one or two people keeping up day-to-day maintenance.
Again, this process eliminates the weak businesses and allows others to come up with fresh ideas to keep their business going. This is good for everyone in the long run.
I understand that finding a new job is scary in the short run, especially when you have a family to feed. Its also scary to see businesses close.
Focusing on that, however, will only make you close-minded to that fact that other businesses may perform better.
Opportunities are driven by the free market and its ability to make and break businesses.
This is the circle of life in the world of economics. We shouldnt be afraid to take it on.
Nick Trujillo isnt a conservative, but he likes a free-functioning market.
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HOWS THAT MINIMUM WAGE LAW WORKING?: Increase sets social Darwinism in motion - Aztec Press
Update: I see that Doug Axes book is in its rightful place at the top of Amazons bestseller list under Organic Evolution. In fact, of the top ten books on that list, four are by authors affiliated with Discovery Institutes Center for Science & Culture Axe, Meyer, Behe, and Johnson. Nice!
Unlike the Oscars, World Magazine and its editor Marvin Olasky dont employ the accounting firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers to tell them who won Book of the Year. So we trust theres been no mix-up with the envelopes. In the category of Science, math, and worldview, the Book of the Year for 2016 is Undeniable: How Biology Confirms Our Intuition That Life Is Designedby Douglas Axe!
Congratulations to Dr. Axe of Biologic Institute and to our biologist colleague Michael Denton too, who not only figures prominently in Axes book, but also tops Worlds shortlist in the same category with his book from Discovery Institute Press, Evolution: Still a Theory in Crisis. Dr. Denton is followed on the Short List by Tom Wolfes The Kingdom of Speech, which tweaks Darwin on the mystery of human language and its evolution.
Mr. Olasky is one journalist who has carefully studied the debate about biological origins. His write-up accompanying the announcement is characteristically well informed. It all starts with Denton:
In 1985 biologist Michael Denton noted in Evolution: A Theory in Crisis that Darwinism was cruising for a bruising. Now hes back with Evolution: Still a Theory in Crisis, which shows with three decades of new research that Darwins theory needs hip replacements, for there is now a growing chorus of dissent within mainstream evolutionary biology.
Hes right. Darwin himself wrote, If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed which could not possibly have been formed by numerous successive slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down. It has broken down, as advances in paleontology, genomics, and developmental biology show.
For example, mainstream researchers Douglas Erwin and Eric Davidson have noted that classic evolutionary theory, based on selection of small incremental changes, is clearly inadequate. Gnter Wagner in Homology, Genes, and Evolutionary Innovation writes, Adaptive modifications often involve only the modification of existing cis-regulatory elements, but truly new developments require large-scale reorganizations of the gene regulatory network.
Moving on to Doug Axe and his achievement:
Axes subtitle offers a shocking suggestion: How Biology Confirms Our Intuition That Life Is Designed. Axe has an elite science education and record of journal publication, but he commits treason to the scientism guild when he writes that people who will never earn PhDs [can] become full participants in the scientific debates that matter to them. Undeniable is our science book of the year because its a largely nontechnical argument showing the incredible improbability that life has evolved as Darwin theorized. Axe offers example after example to show that functional coherence makes accidental invention fantastically improbable and therefore physically impossible. Invention cant happen by accident. He shows how the claim that evolution did invent proteins, cell types, organs, and life forms is scientifically legitimate only if we know evolution can invent these things. He then shows how we have learned that evolution cant.
On Denton:
When Denton in 1985 wrote Evolution: A Theory in Crisis, he was a lonely PhD holder in biochemistry crying out in the wilderness. Now, just about everyone who doesnt have a monetary or professional stake in defending Darwinism is seeing the theorys ability to explain small changes but its incompetence in explaining macroevolution and the adaptive transitional forms Darwin predicted wed find are still absent without leave. Denton shows how advances in our knowledge of genetics, paleontology, and developmental biology have threatened the faith that macromutations by chance put together complex structures like a diaphragm, a bats wing, a branched bipinnate feather, etc.
The point about monetary or professional stakes is spot on. Social prestige, self-esteem, vanity these figure into it as well, as Tom Wolfe repeatedly underlines in his excellent book.
Undeniably, Darwins theory is guarded at the highest level by scientists whose careers and the income and esteem that go with them are inextricably tied up with the defense of orthodox evolutionary theory. Scientists like Doug Axe and Michael Denton are a threat to all that, which is why they earn such venom from the establishment and admiration from open-minded thinkers like Olasky and his colleagues at World.
Photo credit: Davidlohr Bueso, via Flickr.
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A Toshiba engineer watches a small robot with two CCD cameras during its press preview at a Toshiba factory in Yokohama on June 30, 2015. The robot was developed to investigate the interior of the primary containment vessel of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Unit 2.
TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images
TOKYO The head of decommissioning for the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant said Thursday that more creativity is needed in developing robots to locate and assess the condition of melted fuel rods.
A robot sent inside the Unit 2 containment vessel last month could not reach as close to the core area as was hoped for because it was blocked by deposits, believed to be a mixture of melted fuel and broken pieces of structures inside. Naohiro Masuda, president of Fukushima Dai-ichi Decommissioning, said he wants another probe sent in before deciding on methods to remove the reactors debris.
Unit 2 is one of the Fukushima reactors that melted down following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
The plants operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co., needs to know the melted fuels exact location as well as structural damage in each of the three wrecked reactors to figure out the best and safest ways to remove the fuel. Probes must rely on remote-controlled robots because radiation levels are too high for humans to survive.
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Despite the incomplete probe missions, officials have said they want to stick to their schedule to determine the removal methods this summer and start work in 2021.
Earlier probes have suggested worse-than-anticipated challenges for the plants cleanup, which is expected to take decades. During the Unit 2 probe in early February, the scorpion robot crawler stalled after its total radiation exposure reached its limit in two hours, one-fifth of what was anticipated.
We should think out of the box so we can examine the bottom of the core and how melted fuel debris spread out, Masuda told reporters.
Probes are also being planned for the other two reactors. A tiny waterproof robot will be sent into Unit 1 in coming weeks, while experts are still trying to figure out a way to access the badly damaged Unit 3.
TEPCO is struggling with the plants decommissioning. The 2011 meltdown forced tens of thousands of nearby residents to evacuate their homes, and many have still not been able to return home due to high radiation levels.
Cleanup of communities outside of the plant is also a challenge. The cost has reportedly almost doubled to 4 trillion yen ($35 billion) from an earlier estimate. On Thursday, police arrested an Environment Ministry employee for allegedly taking bribes from a local construction firm president, media reports said.
2017 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Fukushima cleanup chief says better robotics could help - CBS News
Robotics Innovation Facilities, or RIFs, are robotic labs, financed via the ECHORD++ project by the European Commission. They offer access to high-tech robotic equipment and expertise at zero risk; using the RIF is not only free of charge, they also safeguard their users intellectual property.Companies, institutions, and organisations can apply to use RIFs.
Currently, there are three RIFs within the ECHORD++ project located in Italy, France, and the UK. Two 360 Lab Tours are now available, the last video will be released late March.
The Bristol Robotics Laboratory is a joint lab of the University of the West of England (UWE, Bristol) and the University of Bristol, and is the largest academic centre for multi-disciplinary robotics research in the UK. View the 360 Lab Tour:
The BioRobotics Institute is a research park created by Scuola Superiore SantAnna to house the research activities of outdoor and indoor settings. It is located at the Polo SantAnna Valdera, near Pisa. View the 360 Lab Tour:
The Interactive Robotics Laboratory in Saclay is located within the premises of CEA LIST, about 20km southwestern from Paris. The 360 Lab Tour video will be available late March.
About ECHORD++ (The European Coordination Hub for Open Robotics Development)
The aim of ECHORD++ is to strengthen the knowledge transfer between scientific research, industry and users in robotics and to stimulate their cooperation. The EU-funded project with a runtime of five years (2013 2018) funds small-scale research projects called experiments, Public end-user Driven Technological Innovation (PDTI) and established Robotics Innovation Facilities (RIFs), open labs which provide state-of-the-art robotic hardware and software as well as scientific and technical support.
More information on the RIFs is available on the ECHORD++ website.
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Sneak peek inside two Robotics Innovation Facilities (RIFs) in Europe - Robohub
Vision Systems Design | China is rapidly making robots that will one day manufacture ... Quartz China is getting serious about manufacturing's robot revolution. On Feb. 28, its statistics bureau released an annual report that summarizes the economy's ... International Federation of Robotics: Bill Gates' idea of taxing robots is wrong The Future of Technology: Robotics in the home and beyond Hacked robots could be used to kill people, poison pets and help thieves rob homes, experts reveal |
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China is rapidly making robots that will one day manufacture ... - Quartz
CHARLEVOIX The Charlevoix Middle/High School Robotics Team are preparing for two upcoming competitions, taking place on March 16 and April 6.
They have been in the process of constructing a robot to compete in the games assigned to the matches and with six weeks of building time, these students have dedicated themselves to creating a quality robot.
We went through prototype after prototype, said four-year member and two-year team captain Marlo Schwartzfisher. And after we had found the best choice, we made a final version of it. After a few things went wrong with the last version of the robot something always breaks we finally had our final product.
All robots must not exceed the weight limit of 120 pounds, according to competition rules, so the students needed to be sure that everything attached had a purpose.
The robot was programmed by the students to climb a rope, crabwalk, catch gears, shoot and dump the balls into their proper place in the game. With unique wheels, an adjustable ramp and a battery that can hold 15 to 30 minutes of driving time, the Charlevoix team members are on the road to victory.
Last year the team was only six points away from qualifying for the state competition. This year is looking promising.
For this upcoming competition we are on schedule and more organized than previous years, Schwartzfisher said. From the beginning, we all wanted to build the same type of robot; we just needed to figure out how we were going to make it happen.
The Charlevoix Robotics team is small and structured, with about 10 students involved. Charlevoix High School students present all ideas and do the building. The students often partake in thoughtful discussions with each other about what is best for the robot.
It gets your mind thinking in a different way than school. Robotics is about challenging you, your mind, and your physical abilities, Schwartzfisher said. Its a big commitment, dont get me wrong, but its a way to open yourself up to new things.
The students must apply incredible teamwork to ensure everything runs smoothly. When you enter their workshop, it is easy to see the passion they hold for their team.
The Charlevoix Robotics program is a real asset to our community; its an incredible opportunity for the students of the high school to expand upon themselves as a well-rounded person.
This program has taught me leadership skills that I couldnt have gotten anywhere else, Schwartzfisher said. Leadership skills that got me a full ride to Michigan Tech. I dont know where Id be if I didnt have robotics.
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Charlevoix robotics team prepares for upcoming competitions - Petoskey News-Review
If you go
What: St. Vrain Valley VEX Robotics Showcase
When: 5:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday
Where: Boulder County Fairgrounds' Exhibit Hall, 9595 Nelson Road, Longmont
Cost: $5 for adults, $3 for children, includes spaghetti dinner from Longmont's Ragazzi Italian Grill
More info: tinyurl.com/hjzel3r
Students at Longmont's Central Elementary School are testing, changing and retesting the robots they've worked on since the start of the school year as they get ready for a state VEX Robotics competition this weekend.
From left: Fifth-graders Fiona Glynn and Willa Conlin use a laptop to program a series of commands for their robot Thursday at Central Elementary School in Longmont. (Matthew Jonas / Staff Photographer)
"We're never really done," fifth-grader Anna Kragerud said as her team worked to make their robot turn. "There's always something to modify."
They must "drive" the robots around an arena using a remote control and program them to move on their own, completing tasks that involve hexagon-shaped balls to earn points. They also earn points in a teamwork challenge that requires them to work with a second team.
"It's really cool," Kragerud said. "You get to program a robot to do what you want it to do. You get to use your imagination to build the robot. It's not already built for you."
Classmate Erik Swanson is in his fourth year building and competing with robots, working mainly as a programmer. His team is first in the state for robot skills this season, with a goal of qualifying for the world competition for the third year.
"This is a growing world of technology," he said. "The better you are at technology, the better of you will be."
To celebrate students' accomplishments and give the community a firsthand look at its robotics program, St. Vrain Valley is hosting its first robotics showcase and fundraiser on Thursday.
About 300 students from 28 schools are expected to attend to demonstrate the problem-solving, collaboration and construction required.
Plans include "build" activity stations with unassembled or partly-built robots so participants can experience building a robot, while "programming" stations provide an opportunity to use computer language. "Drive" stations also will offer completed robots to try.
The fundraiser portion, which includes a silent auction, has a goal of raising $10,000 to pay to send teams to out-of-state national and international competitions and for ongoing support of the program. The event is supported by the Education Foundation for the St. Vrain Valley.
St. Vrain also is hosting a state VEX IQ tournament Saturday at Trail Ridge Middle School. So far, 38 teams are registered, with most of them from St. Vrain.
Altogether, St. Vrain has hosted 12 competitions this year, with six middle school teams expected to compete in the U.S. Open Robotics Championship in April in Iowa. Another six or seven elementary teams are expected to compete in VEX Worlds in April in Kentucky.
Axel Reitzig, robotics and computer science coordinator at St. Vrain Valley's Innovation Center, said about 26 district schools have almost 200 teams involved in competitive robotics, up from five schools competing four years ago.
Two dozen high school students working on robotics at the Innovation Center also serve as mentors, supporting clubs and running tournaments.
"The growth has been huge," Reitzig said.
The district used its four-year, $16.5 million federal "Race to the Top" grant to start robotics programs, he said. Now that the grant is ending, the fundraiser is a way to help sustain programs.
He said the district likes the VEX program because it creates an authentic, real-world engineering experience.
"Students are applying a whole wide range of STEM skills," he said. "There's computer-aided design, programming, collaboration, project management, documentation and presenting to judges."
Middle school students can choose robotics as an elective at many schools. At the elementary level, competitive robotics is often an after-school club.
Cyrus Weinberger, principal at Erie's Red Hawk Elementary, said competitive robotics extends classroom learning for students passionate about computer science and programming.
"Kids can really push themselves," he said.
Red Hawk has six teams, with five qualifying for the state competition.
"The kids really learn a lot about collaboration and teamwork and sportsmanship," Weinberger said. "There's no one solution. It's very engaging. It gets their minds just really ticking and problem-solving."
Westview Middle School teacher Danny Hernandez leads teams at both Central and Westview. Four teams from Westview are heading to nationals, as are two Central teams.
Westview, in its fifth year of VEX robotics, was among the first schools to try the program.
"We've been getting more and more competitive," Hernandez said. "It's kind of like a competitive sport. You have to try out here to make the team."
His students have bins full of metal pieces bolts and other parts to use as they build their bots plus a large arena to practice and test them. Part of the need for the fundraiser, he said, is to help other schools start what can be an expensive program.
"We have schools that can order all the supplies and schools that can't," Hernandez said. "We want kids at other schools to benefit. It's an awesome program."
Westview students said they like that what they learn through robotics is preparing them for future careers in technology or engineering.
Seventh-grader Kaia Wing noted her team spent a lot of time researching different designs before starting to build. They also learned coding basics.
Teammate Sierra Bindseil added that she's become better at working with a group, something that's carried over in other classes. At competitions, she said, there's also a lot of collaboration, with other teams always willing to lend a part or help solve a problem.
Plus, she said, building robots is just really fun.
"You get to create something, and there aren't really any limits," she said.
Amy Bounds: 303-473-1341, boundsa@dailycamera.com or twitter.com/boundsa
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St. Vrain Valley schools to host competitive robotics showcase, fundraiser - Boulder Daily Camera
Palm Beach Post (blog) | North County students compete in robotics contest Palm Beach Post (blog) MARS (Mega Awesome Robotic System) Team 1523 students from Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter and William T. Dwyer High Schools, as well as private and home-schooled students, today and Saturday are participating in the at the FIRST Robotics ... High School Students Are In Town For The Hub City Regional Robotics Competition |
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North County students compete in robotics contest - Palm Beach Post (blog)