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Two separate research, one by UK-based synthetic intelligence lab DeepMind and the opposite by researchers in Germany and Greece, show the fascinating relations between AI and neuroscience.

As most scientists will let you know,we are still decades awayfrom constructing synthetic normal intelligence, machines that may remedy issues as effectively as people. On the trail to creating normal AI, the human mind, arguably essentially the most complicated creation of nature, is the most effective information we now have.

Advances in neuroscience, the research of nervous techniques, present attention-grabbing insights into how the mind works, a key element for creating higher AI techniques. Reciprocally, the event of higher AI techniques may help drive neuroscience ahead and additional unlock the secrets and techniques of the mind.

For example,convolutional neural networks (CNN), one of many key contributors to current advances in synthetic intelligence, are largely impressed by neuroscience analysis on the visible cortex. However, neuroscientists leverage AI algorithms tostudy millions of signals from the brainand discover patterns that might have gone. The 2 fields are intently associated and their synergies produce very attention-grabbing outcomes.

Current discoveries in neuroscience present what were doing proper in AI, and what weve acquired improper.

Reinforcement studying is a sizzling space of AI analysis

A current research by researchers at DeepMind proves that AI analysis (at the very least a part of it) is headed in the fitting path.

Because of neuroscience, we all know that one of many primary mechanisms by way of which people and animals be taught is rewards and punishments. Constructive outcomes encourage us to repeat sure duties (do sports activities, research for exams, and so forth.) whereas adverse outcomes detract us from repeating errors (contact a sizzling range).

The reward and punishment mechanism is greatest identified by the experiments of Russian physiologistIvan Pavlov, who skilled canines to count on meals every time they hear a bell. We additionally know that dopamine, a neurotransmitter chemical produced within the midbrain, performs an incredible function in regulating the reward features of the mind.

Learn: [Chess grandmaster Gary Kasparov predicts AI will disrupt 96 percent of all jobs]

Reinforcement learning, one of many hottest areas of synthetic intelligence analysis, has been roughly long-established after the reward/punishment mechanism of the mind. In RL, an AI agent is ready to discover an issue area and take a look at completely different actions. For every motion it performs, the agent receives a numerical reward or penalty. By way of large trial and error and by inspecting the result of its actions, the AI agent develops a mathematical mannequin optimized to maximise rewards and avoiding penalties. (In actuality, its a bit extra sophisticated and entails coping with exploration and exploitation and different challenges.)

Extra lately, AI researchers have been specializing in distributional reinforcement studying to create higher fashions. The essential thought behind distributional RL is to make use of a number of elements to foretell rewards and punishments in a spectrum of optimistic and pessimistic methods. Distributional reinforcement studying has been pivotal in creating AI brokers which are extra resilient to adjustments of their environments.

The brand new analysis, collectively completed by Harvard College and DeepMind and printed inNaturefinal week, has discovered properties within the mind of mice which are similar to these of distributional reinforcement studying. The AI researchers measured dopamine firing charges within the mind to look at the variance in reward prediction charges of organic neurons.

Curiously, the identical optimism and pessimism mechanism that AI scientists had programmed in distributional reinforcement studying fashions was discovered within the nervous system of mice. In abstract, we discovered that dopamine neurons within the mind had been every tuned to completely different ranges of pessimism or optimism, DeepMinds researchers wrote in ablog postprinted on the AI labs web site. In synthetic reinforcement studying techniques, this various tuning creates a richer coaching sign that vastly speeds studying in neural networks, and we speculate that the mind may use it for a similar motive.

What makes this discovering particular is that whereas AI analysis normally takes inspiration from neuroscience discovery, on this case, neuroscience analysis has validated AI discoveries. It provides us elevated confidence that AI analysis is heading in the right direction since this algorithm is already being utilized in essentially the most clever entity were conscious of: the mind, the researchers write.

It would additionally lay the groundwork for additional analysis in neuroscience, which is able to, in flip, profit the sector of AI.

Supply: Flickr (Penn State)

Whereas DeepMinds new findings confirmed the work completed in AI reinforcement studying analysis, one other analysis by scientists in Berlin, this timepublished inSciencein early January, proves that among the basic assumptions we made concerning the mind are fairly improper.

The final perception concerning the construction of the mind is that neurons, the essential element of the nervous system are easy integrators that calculate the weighted sum of their inputs.Artificial neural networks, a well-liked kind ofmachine learningalgorithm, have been designed based mostly on this perception.

Alone, a synthetic neuron performs a quite simple operation. It takes a number of inputs, multiplies them by predefined weights, sums them and runs them by way of an activation perform. However when connecting hundreds and thousands and thousands (and billions) of synthetic neurons in a number of layers, you acquire a really versatile mathematical perform that may remedy complicated issues similar todetecting objects in imagesor transcribing speech.

The construction of a synthetic neuron, the essential element of synthetic neural networks (supply: Wikipedia)

Multi-layered networks of synthetic neurons, typically known as deep neural networks, are the principle drive behind thedeep learningrevolution previously decade.

However the normal notion of organic neurons being dumb calculators of primary math is overly simplistic. The current findings of the German researchers, which had been later corroborated by neuroscientists at a lab in Greece, proved that single neurons can carry out XOR operations, a premise that was rejected by AI pioneers similar to Marvin Minsky and Seymour Papert.

Whereas not all neurons have this functionality, the implications of the discovering are vital. For example, itd imply single neuron may comprise a deep community inside itself. Konrad Kording, a computational neuroscientist on the College of Pennsylvania who was not concerned within the analysis,toldQuanta Magazinethat the discovering might imply a single neuron could possibly compute actually complicated features. For instance, itd, by itself, be capable to acknowledge an object.

What does this imply for synthetic intelligence analysis? On the very least, it implies that we have to rethink our modeling of neurons. It would spur analysis in new synthetic neuron buildings and networks with several types of neurons. Possibly itd assist free us from the entice of getting to constructextremely large neural networks and datasetsto resolve quite simple issues.

The entire recreationto provide you with the way you get sensible cognition out of dumb neuronsis likely to be improper, cognitive scientist Gary Marcus, who additionally spoke toQuanta, stated on this regard.

This story is republished from TechTalks, the weblog that explores how expertise is fixing issues and creating new ones. Like them on Fb right here and observe them down right here:

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New discoveries in neuroscience show what's right and wrong with AI - Best gaming pro

Neuroscience

NeurologyLive Launches Updates to the MRI Protocol and Clinical Guidelines for MS Video Series Along With the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers…

February 25, 2020 medical

CRANBURY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NeurologyLive, a multimedia platform dedicated to providing health care professionals who treat neurological diseases with direct access to expert-driven, practice-changing news and insights in neurology, presents its most recent Peer Exchange panel discussion in partnership with the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC), Updates to the MRI Protocol and Clinical Guidelines for MS: CMSC Working Group. The video series welcomes several experts in the field of neuroscience and radiology who discuss changes to the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol and clinical guidelines for multiple sclerosis (MS) and strategies for implementation.

The CMSC is proud to be an ongoing resource for all those affected by multiple sclerosis: the healthcare team and the patients and families who receive expert care, state-of-the-art education, and access to cutting-edge research, said June Halper, M.S.N., APN-C, MSCN, FAAN, chief executive officer of the CMSC.

This panel features five distinguished experts:

Its important that the neurology community be aware of changes to imaging and treatment protocols for MS, said Mike Hennessy Jr., president and CEO of MJH Life Sciences, the parent company of NeurologyLive. NeurologyLive is proud to partner with the CMSC to help disseminate this important information to our audience of healthcare professionals.

This Peer Exchange series begins with segments on the proposed changes to the MRI protocol and clinical guidelines. The experts will then discuss experiences with implementation and the importance of collaboration across clinical, payor, and patient groups before talking about CMSCs action plan.

Those attending the 2020 ACTRIMS Forum, February 27-29, 2020 in West Palm Beach, Florida can visit Booth #115 to learn more about the Peer Exchange and receive a complimentary copy of the NeurologyLive February 2020 journal, featuring an editorial by Drs. Traboulsee and Li.

For more information and to view the video series, click here.

About NeurologyLive

A multimedia platform for health care professionals treating neurological diseases, NeurologyLive delivers direct access to practice-changing news and expert insights directly from top medical conferences and researchers to improve the lives of patients with neurological diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer disease, epilepsy, headache and migraine, movement disorders, multiple sclerosis, neuromuscular diseases, sleep disorders and stroke. The NeurologyLive platform offers an in-depth look at the hundreds of new treatments in development with ever-expanding mechanisms of action, all during an unprecedented time of growing demand for neurology expertise. The NeurologyLive platform also connects visitors with the most up-to-date clinical trial results, Food and Drug Administration approvals, practice-changing research and expert insights. NeurologyLive is a brand of MJH Life Sciences, the largest privately held, independent, full-service medical media company in North America, dedicated to delivering trusted health care news across multiple channels.

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NeurologyLive Launches Updates to the MRI Protocol and Clinical Guidelines for MS Video Series Along With the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers...

Neuroscience

9th International Conference on Neurology and Neuroscience – Third Force News

February 25, 2020 medical

From 10:00 on28th September 2020to06:00 on29th September 2020

Holiday Inn Edinburgh, 132 Corstorphine Rd EH12 6UA

Cost: 299-799

Neuroscience Summit 2020 feels proud to announce the onset of the 9th International Conference on Neurology and Neuroscience at Edinburgh, Scotland slated to hold from Sep 28-29, 2020. We have chosen a venue that guarantees a successful technical conference amid the culture and fantastic scenery of Edinburgh. The theme of the conference Explore Contemporary advancements in Neurology and Neuroscience records the collaborative spirit of the event which will be both an educational and scientific event.

Different thematic sessions of Neuroscience Summit 2020 will showcase important scientific advances, foster discussions and hopes to inspire participants from a wide array of themes to initiate collaborations within and across the advancement of Neurology, Neuroscience, CNS, Dementia and Alzheimers Disease, Neurophysiology, Neurogenetics, Neuropathology, Neuroimmunology, Neurosurgery and other areas.

Neuroscience Summit 2020 conference is no exception and brings together neurology researchers, essential specialists, professors, students, business delegates from around the globe to discuss the latest advances in this vibrant and constantly evolving field of Neurology and Neuroscience.

We hope that this conference will challenge and inspire you, and result in deciphering knowledge, collaborations, and friendships, despite a stimulating program you will be able to enjoy the exotic and vibrant atmosphere of Edinburgh.

Neuroscience

CWT Partners With Timeshifter To Offer Jet Lag Solution For Traveling Employees – Hospitality Net

February 25, 2020 medical

CWT, the B2B4E travel management platform, announces partnership with Timeshifter - The Jet Lag App. Timeshifter gives business travelers the ability to create their own personalized jet lag avoidance plans based on sleep pattern, chronotype*, itinerary, and personal preferences - such as pre-travel adjustment, or the use of melatonin for even faster adaptation.

"As a frequent business traveler, I know the jet lag routine all too well. I tend to be tired, awake, and hungry at the wrong time, and it can be difficult to recover from a trip," said Patrice Simon, CWT's Vice President of New Product Development. "We are thrilled to offer an innovative solution that empowers traveling employees with personalized jet lag plans to increase their productivity during business meetings abroad."

Jet lag is a very common culprit of efficient job performance, family disruption, and good health while traveling across multiple time zones, and 93% of passengers traveling on long-haul flights said they struggle with jet lag, according to a study by Conde Nast Traveler. Timeshifter is founded on real sleep and circadian neuroscience. Based on 63,607 questionnaires collected from travelers using Timeshifter, only 3.62% struggled with jet lag when the advice is followed.

Timeshifter is developed with Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Steven Lockley. Dr. Lockley has worked for more than a decade applying circadian science to NASA astronauts to alleviate their jet lag and improve sleep and alertness when training overseas as well as helping to shift their sleep rhythms prior to shuttle launches.

Timeshifter is available to CWT clients around the world that want to include a jet lag solution in their travel program.

*A person's chronotype is the propensity for the individual to sleep at a particular time during a 24-hour period.

Timeshifter - The Jet Lag App - is developed with world-renowned scientists, based on the latest research in sleep and circadian neuroscience. The same technology used by astronauts and elite athletes to perform at their best, is now available to you. With Timeshifter, you can get personalized jet lag plans based on your sleep pattern, chronotype, itinerary, and optional preferences such as pre-travel adjustment or the use of melatonin for even faster adaptation. Timeshifter incorporates a real-world Practicality Filter, ensuring that the advice is realistic and easy to follow; there is also a unique Quick Turnaround feature for business travelers who want to be at their best during short business trips that are not long enough to allow full adjustment. An intuitive notification system provides the simple yet powerful advice, even while in-flight.

CWT is a Business-to-Business-for-Employees (B2B4E) travel management platform. Companies and governments rely on us to keep their people connected - anywhere, anytime, anyhow - and across six continents, we provide their employees with innovative technology and an efficient, safe and secure travel experience. Every single day, we look after enough travelers to fill more than 100,000 hotel rooms, while our meetings and events division handles more than 100 events every 24 hours. Engage with us via Facebook, LinkedIn, Podcast and Twitter.

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CWT Partners With Timeshifter To Offer Jet Lag Solution For Traveling Employees - Hospitality Net

Neuroscience

Neuroscience Market Predicted to Accelerate the Growth by 2019-2029 – News Parents

February 25, 2020 medical

Advances in neuroscience research pivot on relentless urge of researchers to understand relationships between neural structures, function, and behaviour. Over the past few decades, a wide slew of neuroimaging technologies have come to the fore, expanding the horizon of the neuroscience market. In conjunction with a growing body of animal models and in vitro studies, human neuroimaging studies have been key enabler for neuroscience research. Neuroscientists have leveraged wide spectrum of computational modelling, machine learning models, and data analytics to understand the aforementioned relationships, propelling new avenues in the neuroscience market.

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U.S. and European Countries Research Hotspots

Interest of the governments around the world in reducing the burden of neurological diseases, including Alzheimers disease, dementia, and Parkinsons disease, has swelled substantially. Other exciting research avenues comprise headache disorders and epilepsy. Such initiatives notably include translational research and are stridently underpinning the expansion of opportunities in the neuroscience market over the decade. Particularly, the U.S. and European countries have appeared as major research hotspots. Majorly, the research is focused on identifying and testing range of cost-effective interventions, which majorly comprise population-based interventions and pharmacological interventions.

However, in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the lack of resources has led to a gap in neuroscience research to understand the epidemiology and aetiologies of neurological diseases. Further social stigma associated with psychiatric disorders are also a major roadblock in the research in neuroscience in such countries. This will create fresh streams of revenue for incumbent top shots in the neuroscience market. On the other hand, emerging economies such as China with rising per capital health expenditure have begun committing sizable funds in neuroscience research.

A large part of the research initiatives hinge around whole-brain imaging of neural circuits. The whole-brain imaging among all technologies hold a promising share in the global neuroscience market. Tellingly whole-brain imaging, neuro-microscopy and electrophysiology are likely to become staple for researchers. Neuroscientists around the world are particularly fascinated by the prospect of high-resolution projectome maps to understand the human brain.

Research in Optogenetics Gathering Steam to Unlock Novel Therapies in Neurological Disorders

The discovery of novel therapies of neurodegenerative diseases has gained drive from advances in optogeneticsmainly through the use of light-sensitive proteins. The neuroscience market has benefitted from advances being made in optical stimulation methods. These are being increasingly preferred to pharmaceutical and electrical methods and also among other brain stimulation techniques, the reason having to do with their marked accuracy and less adverse effect on tissues. The market is thus likely to draw sizable research funding in the application of these methods with the focus on understanding brain circuitries related to different psychiatric and neurological disorders, and hence finding novel treatments approaches.

Researchers have been increasingly been harnessing opsin toolbox in vivo experiments. Advent of optogenetic microelectrocorticography has opened a new frontier in this regard.

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Multidisciplinary Investigations in Exercise Neuroscience Growing

New initiatives in exercise-induced brain plasticity form the fodder for non-pharmacological therapeutic and genetic research in the neuroscience market. The drive stems increasingly from the need for promoting brain fitness. Multidisciplinary investigations have further improved the understanding of brain plasticity, expanding avenues in exercise neuroscience. They are harnessing functional ultrasound imaging technologies to this end. Moreover, advances in cellular and molecular neuroscience have broadened the horizon of neuroscience research in recent years, thereby catalyzing growth in the neuroscience market. Further, a new frontier social neuroscience is gathering traction among proponents offering technologies for behavior analysis.

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Neuroscience Market Predicted to Accelerate the Growth by 2019-2029 - News Parents

Embryology

Why the UK Government should modernise the law on embryo and gamete storage – BioNews

February 25, 2020 medical

24 February 2020

The Government has launched a public consultation (open until 5 May 2020) on whether the UK's maximum storage periods for eggs, sperm and embryos should be reviewed. Progress Educational Trust (PET)'s #ExtendTheLimit campaign has played an important role in getting this on the public agenda, and the UK fertility community now needs to get behind the consultation to encourage the Government to modernise the law.

Media coverage of the debate so far has particularly highlighted the difficulties faced by women storing their eggs because they are not yet ready for motherhood. Under the current law, they can only store their eggs for ten years, creating pressure on them to start a family before they may be ready, as well as discouraging them from storing their eggs at a younger age, even though this optimises their chance of success further down the line.

In 21st century Britain this just seems absurd what justifies women not being able to make their own choices about when is best to store their eggs or conceive? However, it is also important to remember that women storing eggs for social reasons are not the only potential beneficiaries of a better law on embryo and gamete storage couples with stored embryos and men with stored sperm will benefit too.

What does the current law say and why?

UK law currently imposes a ten year maximum storage period for eggs, sperm and embryos. The time restriction was introduced in 1991 when the fertility sector in the UK first became regulated, based on a concern about burdening fertility clinics with ever-growing storage obligations as well as the safety of using embryos or gametes that had been stored long term. However, Parliament recognised that maximum storage periods would be unfair for some patients (particularly cancer patients who had undergone treatment that made them infertile), and so regulations were passed in 1991 and 1996 making an exception to the general rule and allowing storage to be extended in a narrow range of defined circumstances.

The original regulations allowed storage to be extended until roughly the patient's 55th birthday. There were separate regulations for gametes (The Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Statutory Storage Period) Regulations, 1991) and embryos (The Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Statutory Storage Period for Embryos) Regulations, 1996), which were slightly different. For gametes, a medical practitioner had to confirm in writing that the patient had 'significantly impaired' fertility, whereas for embryos two medical practitioners had to confirm in writing that the patient was or would become 'prematurely and completely infertile'.

In 2009 both the 1991 and 1996 the regulations on storage periods were replaced by The Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Statutory Storage Period for Embryos and Gametes) Regulations 2009. The new regulations were in some ways more flexible. The previous requirement for 'significantly impaired' or 'complete' infertility was replaced with a unified requirement for 'premature infertility', and medical evidence was only required from one doctor rather than two for extending the storage of a patient's embryos.

The new regulations also allowed extended storage for donation and surrogacy as well as storage for a maximum of 55 years in total, rather than up to the patient's 55th birthday. However, in other ways the new regulations were more restrictive, requiring the storage period to be renewed every ten years and with a strict deadline for written medical confirmation and updated consent to be in place before each ten-year storage period expired.

To make things even more complicated, the new regulations applied to embryos and gametes stored after they took effect, but for embryos and gametes already in storage patients could either opt into the new regulations or stay within the old regulations.

Problems in practice:

What we have been left with is a very complicated set of rules. When we advise patients about extended storage, we always need to trawl the case history and dates of storage as well as any medical evidence; understand the patients' personal circumstances and review two different sets of regulations either or both of which may apply.

If the laws are difficult for us as lawyers to untangle, no wonder fertility clinics struggle. We have seen a rise in cases in recent years in which clinics have not properly understood or advised their patients when their storage period expires, and have referred patients to us for help after a problem is discovered.

One of the big difficulties is that, since the new regulations require the conditions for extended storage to be met before the current storage period expires, it may be too late to put the required consent and medical evidence in place in retrospect. In some cases, patients may be forced to destroy their gametes or embryos against their wishes because of a historic paperwork gap, even if they comfortably meet the medical criteria for extension and want their gametes or embryos to remain stored.

These 'gap in time' cases are perhaps the best example of where the existing law might be challenged on human rights grounds (as being discriminatory and an unjustified interference by the state in private and family life). The Government is sensible in seeking to review the law proactively to address these areas of injustice rather than waiting to have its hand forced by a court ruling.

What is the way forward?

The existing limits on storage were designed to draw a line between patients who should be permitted to extend storage and those who should not. The way in which that line is drawn is incredibly complicated and does not support clinics and patients making informed choices in good time. Without doubt, there is a case for clearer and simpler rules, which are easy to understand.

However, the wider issue is whether categorising some types of patients as more deserving than others is justified at all. Why should a cancer patient be able to store beyond ten years and not a woman who wants to defer motherhood? In a modern world of autonomy and choice (and less worry about the safety of storing genetic material long term), the whole rationale feels outdated.

There are ways other than storage limits to meet the practical concerns for clinics. We could, for example, require storage to be actively renewed (perhaps every ten years) so that if patients do not positively renew or do not pay their storage fees clinics are not obliged to maintain storage. In any event, perhaps clinics are now more concerned about the complexity of the current system than the duration of storage.

At a recent PET event (see BioNews 1032), my question to the panel about whether time limits should just be abolished in favour of patient choice was met with a round of applause from the audience. If this is anything to go by, there certainly seems to be widespread support in the sector for modernised law which gives more patient choice and flexibility. If you agree, please respond to the Government's short consultation to say so before 5 May 2020.

The government consultation on egg, sperm and embryo storage limits will be discussed at the Progress Educational Trust's free-to-attend event 'Freezing Eggs: What Are Your Choices? What Are Your Chances?' in London on the evening of Wednesday 29 April 2020.

See here for details and registration.

Embryology

Government’s review of the ten-year egg-freezing storage limit is a vital step forward – BioNews

February 25, 2020 medical

24 February 2020

As the Medical Director of CREATE Fertility and long-term campaigner for gender equality and women's reproductive choices, I listened with earnest when Caroline Dinenage, former Health Minister, made the long overdue announcement last week that the Government will be reconsidering the current ten-year storage limit on eggs, sperm and embryos frozen for non-medical purposes. I am delighted the Government has acknowledged the hard work of the Progress Educational Trust (PET)'s #ExtendTheLimit campaign and has launched a public consultation.

Modern egg freezing is conducted with the use of vitrification (flash-freezing), which is a significant development that I have long felt to be the second wave of female equality, following the advent of the pill in the 1960s. Whilst egg freezing does not guarantee a baby in the future, it provides women with realistic options to manage the decline in female fertility after the age of 35, which has forced many to make tough decisions around when to start a family.

Egg freezing was originally used for women looking to preserve their fertility prior to cancer treatment, which would leave their fertility at risk. However, it is now also used by those who may need to delay having children for a range of other reasons, including not having met the right partner, pursuing a career, not being financially ready, or needing to focus on caring for a relative.

The term I prefer to use is 'AGE (Anticipated Gamete Exhaustion) banking' rather than 'social freezing', which I believe diminishes the process from a medical need to a mere wish. Egg freezing is a proactive and preventative action that women can take to preserve younger and healthier eggs until the time is right for them to become parents.

However, the full potential of this 'game-changing' medical innovation has been held back by the arbitrary ten-year storage limit for eggs frozen for 'non-medical' reasons. It was set before the introduction of vitrification, when the effects of long-term storage of frozen eggs and embryos were unknown. But with current knowledge about the safety and efficacy of vitrification, this limit is now outdated, and it is vital that it is extended if the full benefits of egg freezing are to be realised. The unintended consequence of the current limit is an unnecessary time pressure discouraging women from freezing in their late twenties to early thirties, when eggs are of highest quality.

Personally, I am not keen on an unrestricted extension, but suggest a further extension of ten years, with a possibility of further extension to be considered on a case by case basis. Extending the limit by ten years would provide women with flexibility when it comes to deciding when to freeze their eggs, enabling them to do so earlier, if they are able, when eggs are of highest quality. However, these extensions should be decided on an individual basis, taking age, fertility health and clinician's recommendations into account. This would avoid the unintended consequences of women having children in their sixties or seventies, when it may have a negative impact on both their health and the long-term welfare of the child.

Some, who are against egg freezing and the extension of this limit, have quoted the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) data that questions the success of frozen eggs. However, the HFEA does not include information on the method used to freeze eggs and therefore the national data may include eggs frozen using the old slow-cooling method, which is far less successful than the modern vitrification method. In addition, the data doesn't specify the age of the woman at egg freezing, which significantly impacts the chance of a successful pregnancy later.

Large data published in scientific journals since 2010 suggests that with the use of the modern vitrification technique, live birth rates using fresh or frozen-thawed eggs are comparable in women of similar age per oocyte and per cycle of treatment (1,2,3,4,5). Until reliable and large data are available in the UK, we need to look beyond our shores as we have a duty to provide women with clear, up-to-date and accurate data so that they can make fully informed decisions about the age at which they should freeze their eggs.

This Government consultation will have positive effects for women, men and couples in planning for their future families. Following the cabinet reshuffle last week, I hope that Matt Hancock will pursue this matter without delay.

Egg freezing has been transformed over recent years and is a truly life-changing medical development that empowers women with the ability to choose when the time is right for them to have children, without sacrificing a career or rushing a relationship. By discouraging women from freezing their eggs at a younger age when they are at their most healthy and fertile, the full emancipatory potential of egg freezing is limited by the ten-year storage limit. It is time for the law to change to realise this potential, and to catch up with today's technology and societal needs.

See here for details and registration.

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Government's review of the ten-year egg-freezing storage limit is a vital step forward - BioNews

Embryology

Bowel cancer in my 20s left me infertile but my miracle baby is on its way thanks to my cousin – The Sun

February 25, 2020 medical

AFTER battling life-threatening bowel cancer - Olivia Rowlands thought her dream of becoming a mum had come to an earth-shattering end.

A gruelling five week sandwich of radiotherapy and chemotherapy to shrink her 8cm tumour had damaged her womb.

And the primary school teacher, 31, was devastated at the prospect of not being able to have kids with her husband Sam, 30, a gym owner and trainee counsellor.

However, Olivia was still to get the happy ending she deserved - as her cousin Ellie, Hutchinson 34, decided to give her the ultimate gift.

Mum-of-one Ellie, a bank risk manager, from Stirling, Scotland, selflessly offered to be Olivia and Sam's surrogate after reading about their story - and is now 18-weeks pregnant with the couple's unborn baby.

And Olivia and Sam, of St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, are counting down the days to having their first child on July 19.

Now cancer-free for two years, Olivia said: "We keep calling Ellie our superhero. Shes our superhero human. Its the best gift you can give anyone. We wouldnt have a family without Ellie.

"We just cant wait to be parents, we are so ready. Sam keeps saying I was born to be a dad. I think Ill cry for a month when I see you with a wee one.

"Cancer stole my chance of carrying a baby and put me into early menopause, but it cannot stop me being a mum."

Olivia and Sam met as students at university in Bath in 2011, falling in love and tying the knot in St Andrews, Scotland, in 2014.

We just cant wait to be parents, we are so ready

However, in 2015, Olivia started having "tummy trouble", had lost almost two stone in weight and was experiencing considerable pain, as well as noticing blood in her stools.

This eventually led to her being diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer at the age of 29 in December 2017.

She was forced to have radiotherapy and chemotherapy to shrink her tumour - which medics said was too large to remove.

Despite this,treatment was delayed when she was diagnosed with sepsis a potentially deadly complication of an infection.

Doctors suspected it had been triggered by the colonoscopy, an examination of her intestines and rectum, and Olivia required emergency surgery to drain the septic areas and fit her with a colostomy bag.

Told the radiotherapy would damage her womb, in the ten days before it started, Olivia had her eggs harvested.

However, her treatment was halted four days in when the sepsis returned, as she needed all her energy to fight it.

In the meantime, her consultant decided that some of the tumour could be removed by surgery, during which her colostomy would also be replaced by a reversible ileostomy.

So, in January 2018 Olivia went under the knife at Dundees Ninewells Hospital, before starting four months of chemo and radiotherapy, after which in August 2018 she was given the all clear.

With Olivias health restored she and Sam turned their attention to starting a family and joined Surrogacy UK.

But the waiting list was so long and in September 2018 Olivia hit headlines when she launched an online appeal to find a stranger willing to carry their baby.

She said: After a newspaper article came out Ellie contacted me. She said she would love to offer her help, but that she totally understood if I didnt want a family member to do it.

"I said, Yes, absolutely, 100 per cent we want to do it.

"I just burst into tears. I could not believe wed found someone. On the back of the article about 100 people wrote to us, saying they wanted to be our surrogates.

"It was absolutely amazing the kindness of people."

Despite being cousins, Olivia, who was brought up in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and went to boarding school, had no memory of meeting Ellie, whose father was Olivias uncle on her mother, Margaret Baxters side.

So, in January 2019, once their life had settled following the barrage of treatment, Olivia and Sam met Ellie and her husband Ryan, 36, a fuel tank inspector, at her house in Stirling, just an hour away, along with her aunt Trisha Sweeney, who had told scattered family members about her nieces cancer.

Olivia said: "We were so happy that Ellie still wanted to go ahead.

"It felt different with a family member offering to do it. It just felt right.

"I dont know what we would have done if she hadnt offered.

"She has a five-year-old son, Caleb, so she wanted to help give us a family too."

It felt different with a family member offering to do it

In March, the surrogacy process began.

According to the Scottish government, it is illegal to pay a surrogate for anything other than reasonable expenses including travel costs, treatment, maternity clothes and loss of earnings.

And host surrogacy, where the embryo is inserted into the body, must be done in a clinic that is registered with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

In Olivias case the transfer took place at Ninewells Hospital in November, where her eggs were frozen and she had her cancer treatment.

Staff there also arranged for both couples to have counselling before treatment, which is part of the process.

And they had blood tests and genetic tests to check for things like cerebral palsy and the chances of the baby having any disabilities, before the embryo transfer took place.

Olivia and Sam had four frozen embryos two classed as good and two as really good meaning they had a 50 per cent chance of working.

One of the really good embryos which was two weeks and five days old was finally used.

"It was really nerve wracking, but Sam keeps me grounded and makes me laugh when Im worried," Olivia said.

"We were told we had to wait two weeks after the transfer to take a pregnancy test. It was really hard, because obviously you want to know straight away.

"I really had to keep myself busy and try not to keep bothering Ellie by asking her how she was feeling all the time.

"I did find myself wishing I could feel pregnant and it hit me that I wouldnt be carrying this little person, but I tried to put it to the back of my mind.

"I kept thinking that this time last year I was just finishing treatment for cancer.

"Im lucky to be here and I was lucky to have that ten day window to freeze my eggs. I know a lot of people do not get that chance."

Then, seven days after the transfer, Ellie sent Olivia a text asking if she could take a test which, of course, she agreed to.

I did find myself wishing I could feel pregnant

She said: "I woke up on the Saturday morning with a picture of the test and a text saying Congratulations.

"I was in complete shock and just burst into tears.

"Before all this, I had imagined how I would break the news to Sam that I was having a baby. Should I put a bun in the oven, or leave the test somewhere?

"Id watched hundreds of videos of pregnancy announcements over the years, but the element of surprise had been taken away from us.

"We were babysitting for our friends that day and I had their 15-month-old baby in my arms.

"I was thinking about how to tell Sam, then this little one fell asleep as I held her and I just turned to him and said, Is this a good time to tell you that were three weeks pregnant?

"He was in total shock."

But their joy soon turned to terror when, at five weeks, Ellie started to experience cramps and bleeding and was convinced she was miscarrying.

During the four agonising days they spent waiting for a scan because the embryo was too small to be detected until then both couples tried to accept that the process had not worked, and to consider their next steps, with Ellie determined to keep trying for her cousin.

Olivia, who is also having an early menopause brought on by her treatment, recalled: "It felt very emotional, having a miscarriage without physically going through it, as I wasnt carrying our baby.

"Sam said he had prepared himself for it, but I really hadnt. I was so convinced it was going to work.

"Then everything changed again when we had the scan and saw this little heartbeat. It was the most surreal moment. Our little miracle was still alive.

"Apparently, with an embryo, there can be a bleed around it, which must have been what it was.

"It was unbelievable. My mum and dad had even flown from Dubai to Glasgow to be with us because they were so worried, but we ended up celebrating instead of crying together."

She added: "It was amazing seeing the 12-week scan. We saw the wee one jumping around. It was so bizarre.

"Ellie has a wee bump and were just looking forward to the 20-week scan now, when we can find out the sex. We do have names in mind for a boy and a girl.

"She will message me if she feels anything. Sam and I do a bit of singing, so well record something on our phones and she can play it to the bump.

"We also have an app that tells us about the wee miracle growing, the weight and whats happening to them.

"We just cant wait to meet our baby!

"Weve started buying baby clothes and cuddly toys and were wallpapering the room ready.

We just cant wait to meet our baby

"Ellie will have a c-section as she did with her first son at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert, Falkirk. "At the moment, weve been told only one of us can be in there with her but Im hoping we will both be allowed in."

For Ellie, the moment she read about her cousin, she knew she definitely wanted to help.

"I knew Olivia had cancer and that kids were going to be difficult, because our aunt Trisha had kept us up to date, but when I read the article there was a big emphasis on her finding a surrogate. I think it just really hit home," Ellie said.

"I floated the idea past Ryan and when I told him I really wanted to do it he was very supportive," she said.

No Time 2 Lose: Why The Sun campaigned for earlier bowel cancer screening

In 2018, The Sun, campaigners and Bowel Cancer UK, managed to persuade the government to lower the bowel cancer screening age from 60 to 50.

While the disease can strike a lot earlier (as in Olivia's case), themove could save more than 4,500 lives a year, experts say.

However, a date for roll out is yet to be confirmed.

Bowel cancer is the second deadliest form of the disease, but it can be cured if it's caught early - or better still prevented.

Caught at stage 1 - the earliest stage - patients have a 97 per cent chance of living for five years or longer.

But catch it at stage 4 - when it's already spread - and that chance plummets to just seven per cent.

In April, Lauren Backler, whose mum died of the disease at the age of 55, joined forces with The Sun to launch the No Time 2 Lose campaign, also supported by Bowel Cancer UK and Beating Bowel Cancer.

Lauren delivered a petition to the Department of Health complete with almost 450,000 signatures, to put pressure on the Government to make this vital change - one that could save thousands of lives every year, and the NHS millions.

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Bowel cancer in my 20s left me infertile but my miracle baby is on its way thanks to my cousin - The Sun

Cell Biology

New imaging tool to track cellular events that may initiate obesity-related conditions – News-Medical.net

February 25, 2020 medical

A collaborative team of researchers at Utah State University and the University of Central Florida developed a tool to track cellular events that may lead to obesity-related conditions in people.

The research findings were published Feb. 3 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The team, led by Anhong Zhou, a professor in USU's Department of Biological Engineering, developed a sensing optical imaging nanoprobe that uses scattered light to provide a structural fingerprint for molecules. The probes can be used to more easily identify and illustrate cell surface receptors that can either prompt or stop cellular responses to certain external stimuli. The probes make it possible to monitor multiple surface receptors on an individual cell and provide researchers an unprecedented view of cellular surface activity. Zhou and his team, including the biological engineering PhD student Wei Zhang, applied these novel nanoprobes to successfully detect the cell receptors that recognize fatty acids at the single living cell level.

The technique represents a major step in developing improved understanding of certain cellular events and could have widespread impact on the study of fat intake and the development of obesity. The new method could also be used as a simple screening technique for testing external stimuli that trigger the surface cell receptors and lead to the linking of fatty acids. This would make for an efficient test to ensure that new drugs accurately prompt the correct cellular activities that lead to obesity and other obesity-related conditions. Zhou and his team's work is increasingly relevant as the prevalence of obesity impacts public health in the United States.

Zhou says the research represents an exciting collaboration between researchers and aligns well with his belief that biological engineering is an important frontier in the scientific community.

This is an excellent example that fulfills our long-term goal of applying engineering tools to solve biology-driven problems. In the past several years, we have been thrilled to develop new cell-based assay technologies that potentially benefit human health problems like obesity. We are currently extending this technology for developing a new method for early cancer diagnosis."

Anhong Zhou, professor in USU's Department of Biological Engineering

This work was primarily supported by the National Science Foundation.

Source:

Journal reference:

Zhang, W., et al. (2020) Spatiotemporal dynamic monitoring of fatty acidreceptor interaction on single living cells by multiplexed Raman imaging. PNAS. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1916238117.

Posted in: Cell Biology

Tags: Assay, Cancer, Cancer Diagnosis, Cell, Drugs, Fatty Acids, Imaging, Obesity, Optical Imaging, Public Health, Research

Link:
New imaging tool to track cellular events that may initiate obesity-related conditions - News-Medical.net

Cell Biology

New study: How is growing R&D investments in Drug Discovery and Development Driving Synthetic Biology Market? – WhaTech Technology and Markets News

February 25, 2020 medical

Asian synthetic biology market is expected to witness fastest growth, with a CAGR of 39.8% during the forecast period.

The need for advanced and innovative drug discovery and development has increased considerably as the prevalence of various diseases, such as neurological disorders, immunological disorders, infectious diseases, and cancer is rising. Due to this, several biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical companies are becoming more inclined toward the development of new and more effective biopharmaceutical drugs.

This in turn, has been made possible because of the growing research and development investments in drug discovery and development. Since synthetic biology provides innovative solutions for drug discovery, its demand is surging as well.

Using synthetic biology, living organisms are genetically developed for required functions in research laboratories. The field derives input from molecular and cell biology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, mathematics, and evolutionary systematics.

Synthetic biology elucidates disease mechanisms and target identification, along with providing avenues to design and discover novel biopharmaceuticals and small chemotherapeutic molecules.

Download sample copy of this report at@bit.ly/3a0D2Bi

According to a research conducted by the P&S Intelligence, the global synthetic biology market size is expected to generate a revenue of $23.8 billion and advance at a CAGR of 35.4% in the near future.

Among several reasons for the growth of this market is the increasing geriatric population.

According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the population of people aged 60 years and above is rising at a high rate; the number rose from 9.2% in 1990 to 11.7% in 2013 and is further predicted to reach 21.1% by 2050. People aged 60 years and above are more prone to illness because of low immunity and metabolic rate, due to which diseases such as cancer and immunological diseases affect elderly people more severely.

The treatment of such diseases requires more effective biotherapeutics and synthetic biology helps achieve the same by enabling designing of novel strategies for the treatment as well as production of cheap drugs.

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Several applications of synthetic biology are chemical, agriculture, pharmaceutical & diagnostic, energy, and research & development. The largest demand for synthetic biology was created by the pharmaceutical & diagnostic application during 20112014 and the situation is going to be the same in the coming years as well.

The combination of medical science and synthetic biology allows swift discovery of therapeutics and target-specific antibodies, along with peptide screening with degenerate gene libraries. Furthermore, synthetic biology involves the development of several diagnostic technologies for diseases, such as metabolic disorders, immunological disorders, and others.

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New study: How is growing R&D investments in Drug Discovery and Development Driving Synthetic Biology Market? - WhaTech Technology and Markets News