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A Captivating and Cautionary Guide to Body Part Replacement and Repair

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These scaffolds provide structure for 3D printed organs

Tristan Fewings/Getty Images

irreplaceable you
Mary Roach one world publications (UK); WW Norton (USA)

Our bodies comprise various soft, hard, and intricate components. What should we do when these components fail or don’t meet our needs? Medicine provides several solutions, including dentures, skin, heart, and hair transplants, but don’t expect an instant replacement.

In Alternative You: Adventures in Human Anatomy, popular science author Mary Roach explores the most intriguing historical and current efforts to repair, replace, or enhance our body parts.

These efforts range from dentures designed like mouth piercings, lab-grown anuses, to gene-edited pig hearts, each delivered with a humor that had me laughing, wincing, and holding my breath throughout the pages.

Roach, drawn to the “human element of exploration,” shares engaging tales as she travels the globe to meet surgeons, scientists, patients, and other individuals at the forefront of body modification.

Her bold and often cheeky questions animate these encounters. For example, during a dinner discussion about gut-derived vaginas with her surgeon, she mentions that intestinal tissue generally contracts to aid in food movement.

“That could be advantageous for partners who have penises, right?” she quips. “It’s not overly aggressive,” the surgeon replies, sipping his Chianti.

Roach embraces self-experimentation, visiting a hair transplant surgeon and persuading him to relocate hair follicles from her head to another body area. Her goal? To gaze in wonder at the few long strands that might sprout on her legs. While the transplant fails, she quickly dives into the trials of growing hair from stem cells. Spoiler: we’re not there yet.

One significant innovation Roach covers is ostomy, where surgeons create openings in the abdomen for waste drainage into an external pouch. She speaks with individuals who use stoma bags due to conditions like Crohn’s disease and colitis, which can lead to inflammation and frequent bowel movements, complicating life outside the home. Roach highlights the importance of reducing stigma around ostomies and discusses the remarkable technology supporting this procedure.

As expected from a book on body part replacement, there’s a chapter dedicated to 3D printed organs. Roach approaches this topic thoughtfully, noting that it’s not merely about feeding cells into a printer. Most organs consist of multiple cell types that must be arranged with precise specifications, and printed tissues often lack the authentic properties that remain elusive for researchers.

I highly recommend this book to anyone curious about the human body. However, be advised—some vivid surgical descriptions are included. (If that’s not your cup of tea, feel free to skip the next paragraph.) At one point, Roach compares the tubes of fat and blood pulled from patients to “raspberry smoothies.” Additionally, when a leg implant is affixed to the femur, it sounds like “tent stakes collapsing.”

Such sensory details might not appeal to everyone, but for those willing to confront the raw, sinewy, and delicate reality of our bodies, this book serves as a profound reminder of our complexity and depth. I certainly walked away feeling grateful for all that I have.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Life-Saving Treatments for Fatal Genetic Disorders Through Brain Immune Cell Replacement

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Microglia are specialized immune cells in the brain

Science Photo Library/Alamy

The process of replacing immune cells in the brain halts the advancement of a rare and terminal brain disorder known as ALSP. This also paves the way for future clinical trials targeting other neurological ailments.

Extensive research indicates that impaired microglia—specialized immune cells within the brain—play a role in various neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia. The term ALSP stands for adult-onset leukoencephalopathy with axonal spheroids and pigmented glia, characterized by mutations in genes responsible for the survival of these cells, resulting in a reduced number of microglia and leading to progressive cognitive decline. Currently, no effective treatment exists for this fatal illness.

To address this, Bo Peng from Fudan University in China and his team employed a novel treatment called microglia replacement therapy. Prior experiments in rodents have shown that implanted stem cells—capable of developing into different cell types—can effectively replace microglia. However, it is necessary to first eliminate existing microglia in the brain to facilitate this. This can be achieved using drugs that target protein microglia.

Pursuing this avenue, Peng and his colleagues conducted initial tests on five mice with genetic mutations analogous to those associated with ALSP. As the mutations already impacted protein microglia, the researchers did not need to deplete these proteins with medication. Subsequently, they transplanted stem cells from healthy mice into the affected mice. Fourteen months later, treated mice exhibited approximately 85% more microglia in their brains compared to six untreated mice harboring the same mutation. Notably, these treated mice also demonstrated improvements in motor function and memory.

Encouraged by these promising findings, the researchers extended the treatment to eight individuals diagnosed with ALSP, using donor stem cells without preconditions. One year post-treatment, brain scans revealed minimal changes in participants compared to scans taken before the procedure. In contrast, four untreated individuals displayed significant brain deterioration and lesions over the same period. This implies that microglial replacement therapy effectively halted the progression of the disease.

At the study’s outset, all participants underwent cognitive assessments using a 30-point scale, where a decrease in score indicated cognitive decline. Reassessments a year later showed that, on average, scores remained stable for those who received the microglia replacements.

These results point to microglial replacement therapy being a potentially effective solution for ALSP. However, since this represents the inaugural human trial, “we remain unaware of any potential side effects,” comments Peng. “Given the rapidly progressive and lethal nature of this disease, prioritizing benefits over possible side effects might be crucial.”

Chris Bennett from the University of Pennsylvania cites the historical use of stem cell transplants for treating neurological disorders. “It has demonstrated effectiveness, particularly through microglia replacement,” he states. Recent FDA approvals for two similar therapies addressing other rare brain conditions further support this. “While prior studies may not have used this exact terminology, they effectively addressed similar conditions,” Bennett elaborates. “I’d describe this as a smart and innovative application of stem cell transplants. Nonetheless, microglia replacement therapy has been evolving for decades.”

Despite this, the results underscore the broader implications of microglial replacement therapy. Experts believe this strategy could one day address more prevalent brain disorders. For example, certain genetic mutations significantly heighten Alzheimer’s disease risk and affect microglial function. Replacing these malfunctioning cells with healthy human equivalents could offer a promising avenue for treatment.

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  • Neuroscience /
  • Immune System

Source: www.newscientist.com

AI in Silicon Valley: Beyond Job Exchange to Total Replacement | Ed Newton Rex

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I recently discovered a restaurant located in my second-floor room in San Francisco, where a venture capital firm hosted a dinner. The after-dinner speaker was a tech veteran who sold his AI company for hundreds of millions and is now pivoting to investment. His straightforward message to the founders of a newly established startup was clear: the potential earnings from AI far exceed the limited market size of previous tech waves. You can draw on a global workforce, which could mean profits for everyone involved.

The idea of completely replacing human labor with AI sounds like science fiction. However, it is the explicit goal of a growing number of high-tech elites—individuals devoid of significant drives or resources, yet with ample financial backing and determination. When they declare their intention to automate all labor, we should take their words seriously.

This perspective is typically confined to closed circles for obvious reasons; one rarely invokes hostility faster than when suggesting that jobs may vanish. Nonetheless, a company named Machicalize challenged this trend last month by openly articulating their vision: “Fully automated economy.” They have successfully garnered funding from some of Silicon Valley’s most prominent figures, including Google’s chief scientist Jeff Dean and podcast host Workspatel.

Is it truly feasible to automate every job? Elon Musk seems to think so. He suggested that the rise of AI and robotics could lead to a scenario where “None of us have a job.” Bill Gates has also reflected on the future of human work, stating that some roles may not be necessary: “It’s not necessary for ‘most things’.” Predictions for sweeping labor changes come from notable figures such as AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton and billionaire investor Vinod Khosla. Their insights are not to be dismissed lightly.

Certain professions appear to be notably resistant to automation. Taylor Swift, Harry Kane, or the next Archbishop of Canterbury are unlikely to be replaced. Famous artists, athletes, politicians, and clergy are among the occupations least susceptible to AI intrusion; unfortunately, they are not careers accessible to everyone.

Currently, technology cannot substitute for all human labor. AI is prone to errors and lacks the coordination, dexterity, and adaptability of humans. However, cutting-edge technology can already perform many tasks, and the expectation is that it will continue to accelerate in capability.

GPT-4, one of OpenAI’s large language models, achieved a Top 10% score on the bar exam in 2023. More recent models have proven adept at coding even beyond the skills of their own chief scientists. The demand for freelance writing sharply declined when ChatGPT was released; the same trend occurred in graphic design following the launch of AI image generators. Driverless cars are already a common sight in San Francisco. As Sam Altman stated emphatically, “The job is It will definitely disappear—full stop.”

While AI captures most headlines, advancements in robotics are also progressing rapidly. While AI may threaten white-collar jobs, robots are increasingly targeting blue-collar work. A humanoid robot is currently undergoing tests at BMW factories. Another model has managed to master over 100 tasks typically performed by human store clerks. Companies are preparing to commence home tests with robots as soon as this year. The Silicon Valley vision for the job market is clear: AI handles thinking, while robots take care of the physical tasks. In this scenario, what role remains for humans?

Until recently, AI researchers anticipated that achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI)—the ability for AI to perform virtually all cognitive tasks at human levels—was an aspiration far off in the future. However, that perception has shifted. Demis Hassabis, head of Google DeepMind, now claims that “It’ll come soon“—in less than 5-10 years, he says, would not surprise him.

Of course, these forecasts could be inaccurate. There’s a chance we may enter another AI winter, where chatbot advancements stagnate, robots falter, and venture capital shifts focus to another tech phenomenon. I personally don’t believe this will happen, but it’s a possibility. However, the core question remains: it’s not whether high-tech CEOs and billions in funding are directing efforts toward labor automation, but rather why they are so eager to pursue this goal and how the general populace feels about it.


The more optimistic viewpoint is that they genuinely believe a post-labor economy will spur significant economic growth and vastly enhance global living standards. The crucial question is whether historical patterns indicate that the fruits of this growth are equitably shared.

Alternatively, a less charitable interpretation is that it all boils down to money. Venture capitalist Mark Andreessen famously remarked, “Software eats the world.” Many sectors have been absorbed into this tech phenomenon. Regardless of the software developed, human effort remains essential for executing the majority of global work. However, Silicon Valley now sees an opening: a chance to control the entire means of production. If they choose not to seize this opportunity, they would not be true to their innovative spirit.

  • Ed Newton-Rex is a founder of a nonprofit certifying AI companies that respect creator rights and is the founder of Fally Trained. He serves as a visiting scholar at Stanford University.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Possible Replacement for Beef: A Gelatinous Meat Mass

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Recent advancements in cultured meat technology are poised to enhance the flavor profile of cultured meat products, making them more akin to traditional meat in taste.

Scientists have devised a “flavor-switchable scaffold” that releases meat flavor compounds when exposed to cooking temperatures.

Professor Jin-Kee Hong, a co-author of a study published in 2011 in Nature Communications, emphasized the significance of this innovation. Speaking to BBC Science Focus, he stated, “Many researchers are focusing on creating various bioscaffolds to produce 3D cultured meat from livestock cells.”

However, Hong highlighted that the current emphasis has been primarily on biological aspects, neglecting consumer preferences such as flavor, texture, and taste. He stressed, “…techniques to manipulate the sensory characteristics of cultured tissues are essential for their recognition as food.”

The new gelatin-based scaffold contains flavor compounds that break down during cooking, releasing a meaty flavor similar to traditional meats.

Chemical analysis, including testing with an electronic nose (e-nose), demonstrated that the new flavor profile of cultured meat closely resembles that of grilled beef.

According to the study’s lead author, Miley Lee, the cultured meat exhibits a meat-like flavor and texture, albeit not identical to conventional meat. Lee expressed optimism about narrowing this flavor gap through the development of bioscaffolds with more meat-like properties in the future.

Cells are cultured on a flavor-changing scaffold to produce meaty-flavored cultured meat. – Image courtesy of Yonsei University

Cultured meat is increasingly viewed as a sustainable alternative to traditional animal protein, offering consumers a beloved food while significantly reducing environmental impact and ethical issues associated with animal slaughter, as per Hong.

Moreover, customizing cultured meat to meet specific consumer preferences could position it as a healthier food choice in the future. Lee pointed out that, given its lab-grown nature, all properties of cultured meat can be tailored to meet consumer needs, such as high protein content and no fat.

Despite these breakthroughs, researchers acknowledge current limitations and the need for further exploration. “While many are developing scaffolds for cultured meat production, there is still a long road ahead to achieve meat that perfectly mimics traditional options,” Hong remarked.

Lee added that scaling up cultured meat production for cost-effectiveness and commercial viability remains a challenge, with costs still prohibitive for widespread availability.

Nonetheless, the team remains hopeful in finding solutions in the future. Lee expressed optimism, stating, “We believe our efforts can make a substantial contribution to cultured meat development and the global community.”

About our experts

Jinkee Hong, a Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Yonsei University, heads the Nanocomposite Materials Institute, focusing on cutting-edge research in functional polymers.

Miley Lee, a student in the integrated Masters and PhD program at Yonsei University, specializes in scaffold engineering, drug delivery for cell stimulation, and bioelectrical stimulation. She has contributed to numerous research papers in prestigious journals and holds the first authorship on several.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com