Aurora magazine

Silicon technology is one of the most promising branches to develop cost effective prenatal screening tests. Its application goes beyond creating smaller computers and more powerful smartphones. The ability to collect data faster and better will in fact expand the computational power of many of the machines used today for DNA analysis.

For current technology to go further, you need to find a way to shrink blocks of chips again. Only at this point will it be possible to have large machines like the ones present but much more powerful. In the field of medical research and the provision of health services, this will mean easier and cheaper personal care.

Semiconductor studies are leading to new data analysis tools, smaller and faster. Today it is possible to have silicon components as large as cells or biomolecules. The next step will be bridges between chips and biology, which will lead to compact DNA sequencing machines and miniature diagnostic tests. Science fiction? Not for long.
Fetal DNA tests allow to analyze the presence of possible anomalies, which is the cause of future pathologies. Some companies are processing silicon photonic chips that can read multiple DNA molecules in parallel. These are accompanied by sensors made with semiconductors complementary to metallic oxide, which improve their quality. This increases the DNA analyzed every hour, with a collapse of the time spent, resources and costs. It is estimated that all this will lead to a 50% lower equipment cost, with machines that can generate up to seven times the current information.

Source: mddionline.com

Researchers at the University of Washington State have found a way to protect the sperm stem cells. Thanks to the discovery will preserve the fertility of young patients with cancer and forced to undergo invasive treatments. Both chemotherapy radiation therapy may in fact make it infertile, with psychological consequences in adulthood.

An adult and fertile man produces 1,300 sperm with each beat of the heart, resulting from sperm stem cells. These stem cells are present from birth, and each produces about 5,000 sperm. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy, as fundamental to eradicate certain types of cancer, often kill sperm stem cells. In the case of pre-pubertal children, therefore, they can cause future infertility.

Researchers have labeled a gene stem cell sperm in pre-pubertal mice, to study the differentiation. They found that in the early stages of the process the stem cells get energy from glycolysis. In the later stages they pass instead to the oxidative phosphorylation. This second method has the disadvantage of producing free radicals, reactive forms of oxygen harmful to the DNA cells.

To preserve the sperm stem cells throughout the individual's fertile life, we must preserve the genome. That's why it is important to promote glycolysis at the expense of oxidative phosphorylation. The team then lowered the oxygen levels of the stored cells. In this way, the stem cells are able to produce sperm after 6 months from the harvest increased from 5% to 40%.

The next step is to test whether stem cells in culture undergo epigenetic changes, which affect the ability to produce functional sperm. It should also check whether the technique also works on human tissue.

Source: wsu.edu

A search of international scope revealed a possible new therapy for cystic fibrosis. It appeared that thymosin alpha 1, an immunomodulating been used in other areas, fights inflammation associated with the disease. The discovery of the scholars of the University of Perugia, University San Raffaele of Rome and George Washington University.

Doctors use the thymosin alpha 1 since 1979 as immunomodulatory. According to new research, the molecule is able to correct the genetic defect of cystic fibrosis and tissue. It also reduces the inflammation that characterizes the disease, resulting in improvement in symptoms and quality of life. All this can lead to develop a new type of treatment, which lengthens the life expectancy of sufferers. In fact, to this day, despite the many discoveries, a sufferer of cystic fibrosis does not exceed forty years.

Thymosin alpha 1 is the synthetic version of a peptide of the thymus, an organ that produces certain cells of the immune system. The researchers have tested on mice with cystic fibrosis and tissue samples taken from patients. The drug has corrected some alterations present in the bronchi and in the small intestine of mice. It also reduced inflammation and stimulated the maturation of Cftr protein whose deficiency causes the disease.

According to tests, the thymosin alpha 1 stops the progression of the disease, making it a promising therapeutic agent. It is also already approved and marketed in 35 countries, as a drug against viral infections and immune deficiency states. Now they will have to undertake further studies on cystic fibrosis specifically, in order to confirm the findings.

Source: corriere.it

An Athens of Genesis Clinic team has developed a treatment to rejuvenate the ovaries of menopausal women. As reported by physicians, the experimental therapy would have already been successful on two women. If the news found further confirmation, you could say goodbye to menopause.

Doctors have taken blood from barren women or menopausal, so I have centrifuged. In this way they put aside the red blood cells and the plasma obtained. Plasma is the blood based and contains a large number of platelets. The doctors have injected this plasma directly into the uterus and ovaries, imitating an already used treatment for tendon injuries. Kostantinos Sfakianoudis, head of the team, has applied the treatment to 180 women.

The treatment would work on a German forties with fertility problems. He had tried six times in vitro fertilization, with no results. After undergoing the treatment, he did the seventh attempt and this time has conceived. It is currently the 5th month of pregnancy. Another positive case presented is that of a Dutch woman suffering from early menopause. After treatment, the cycle is started again and became pregnant by artificial insemination. Unfortunately pregnancy was interrupted with a miscarriage. During pregnancy it is important to undergo prenatal screening tests as noninvasive fetal DNA test.

It is still early to put an end to menopause. It will take more cases to confirm the goodness of treatment and further studies. If the new trials were successful, however, there would be an ideal therapy for women with early menopause problems.

Source: ansa.it