World’s first mobile MRI machine detects strokes that require surgery | New Atlas (01:18)

• This world-first portable MRI machine and a new Yale-led study have detected cases of stroke in need of surgical intervention, with a high degree of accuracy.

• Dubbed the Portable Point-of-Care MRI system, the machine is the handiwork of healthcare technology company Hyperfine and was developed as a mobile alternative to large and expensive MRI machines.
  • A machine that is 10 times lighter, 20 times less costly, and uses 35 times less power than current MRI machines.
  • It can be rolled up to a patient’s bedside, plugged into a standard power outlet, and perform MRIs without the need for additional protective equipment.

• Researchers have since conducted a study that explores the potential of the portable MRI machine specifically in diagnosing stroke.

• Time is of the essence for doctors treating patients presenting with signs of stroke. 
  • Some are caused by clots that can be cleared with blood-thinning medication
  • Others are caused by internal brain bleeding, which requires surgical intervention.

• Trained experts utilized images to distinguish between 144 patients who could have had:
  • Intracranial hemorrhages (internal bleeding) 
  • Acute ischemic strokes (blood clots), 
  • Along with healthy controls 

• Those experts relying on the portable MRI images were able to diagnose with 80 percent accuracy.

• Kevin Sheth, co-corresponding author of the study how this technology could have an impact:
  • “There is no question this device can help save lives in resource-limited settings, such as rural hospitals or developing countries … There is also now a path to see how it can help in modern settings. It is of critical importance to continue to collect more data across a range of stroke characteristics so that we can maximize the potential benefit of this approach.”

• According to the researchers, this study is the first to use a portable MRI device to validate the appearance and clinical implications of a brain hemorrhage, though there are more steps before the machine enters clinical use.

Neuroscientists Detect Remarkable ‘Brain Waves’ in Lab-Grown Mini Brains | Science Alert (08:20)

• Scientists have measured activity similar to actual brain waves in lab-grown brain organoids while researching a genetic condition that causes seizures.
  • Organoids are useful for researching brain development, diseases, and potential therapies without having to use a human brain

• In the study, researchers reported patterns of electrical activity closely matching a seizure in brain organoids developed from patient stem cells.

• Neuroscientist Bennett Novitch, from UCLA, explains what this study shows:
  • “This work demonstrates that we can make organoids that resemble real human brain tissue and can be used to accurately replicate certain features of human brain function and disease.”

• The process of building a brain organoid is difficult because there’s so much going on.
  • Need to get the neurons organized 
  • Additionally must develop the same neural oscillations that occur in the human brain

• Now those waves have been spotted, increasing the likelihood that organoids can stand in for real brains in experimental research.

• Novitch the Neuroscientist was surprised by what they saw in the study:
  • “I hadn’t anticipated the range of oscillation patterns we would see … By learning how to control which oscillation patterns an organoid exhibits, we may be able to eventually model different brain states.”

• While brain organoids will never match the complexity or detail of actual brains, they could eventually replace animals in future studies.

Reducing sugar in packaged foods can prevent disease in millions | MedicalXPress (13:02)

• A team of researchers created a model to simulate and quantify the health, economic, and equity impacts of a pragmatic sugar-reduction policy proposed by the U.S. National Salt and Sugar Reduction Initiative (NSSRI).
  • A partnership of 100 local, state, and national health organizations
  • Creating a draft in 2018 for sugar-reduction targets for packaged foods and beverages in 15 categories.

• According to the study, cutting 20% of sugar from packaged foods and 40% from beverages could prevent 2.48 million cardiovascular disease events (such as strokes, heart attacks, cardiac arrests), 490,000 cardiovascular deaths, and 750,000 diabetes cases in the U.S. over the lifetime of the adult population

• How could that financially impact the country?
  • The study reported that the U.S. could expect to save $4.28 billion in total net healthcare costs and $118.04 billion over the lifetime of the current adult population (ages 35 to 79).

• Dariush Mozaffarian, the co-senior author of the study, discusses sugar and the study’s results:
  • “Sugar is one of the most obvious additives in the food supply to reduce to reasonable amounts … Our findings suggest it’s time to implement a national program with voluntary sugar reduction targets, which can generate major improvements in health, health disparities, and healthcare spending in less than a decade.”

Millennium Space in an experiment de-orbited a satellite in eight months | SpaceNews (19:07)

• Boeing subsidiary Millennium Space Systems announced on Aug. 23 it successfully demonstrated the use of a deployable tether to de-orbit a satellite after it completes its mission.
  • Discussed this Initially on Episode 16!

• The company in November launched an experiment called DragRacer aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket.

• As I explain in Ep.16, DragRacer involves two small satellites that launch simultaneously to low Earth orbit (LEO) to measure how fast satellites fall out of space. 
  • One of the satellites will fall from orbit on its own. 
  • The second satellite will use an onboard 70-meter long tether that’s designed to speed up reentry and deorbit the craft.

• The satellite with the drag tape burned upon reentry to Earth’s atmosphere after eight months. 

• The satellite without tape will naturally de-orbit which is estimated to take at least seven years

• According to DragRacer’s program manager, Patrick Kelly, the tether weighs less than 1 kilogram and requires very little power to activate. 

• The experiment showed the technology works and could help relieve congestion in low Earth orbit where thousands of satellites will launch over the next decade.
  • Can be used by any satellite operator, particularly those that are putting up large constellations.

Scientists Reveal World’s First 3D-Printed, Marbled Wagyu Beef | Interesting Engineering (23:08)

• Scientists from Osaka University have manufactured the world’s first 3D-printed Wagyu beef by using stem cells isolated from Japanese cattle.
  • In my opinion, the image looks somewhat like a piece of steak. Looks a little jelly-like.

• Because of its high marble content, Wagyu (Japanese cow) beef is one of the most sought-after and expensive meats in the world. 
  • Marbling refers to the visible layers of intramuscular fat that give the beef its rich flavors and texture.

• The team of researchers was able to replicate this special quality of the meat using a special technique, and their findings could pave the way for a more sustainable future with widely available cultured meat.

• The researchers adapted a technique inspired by one used to produce Japanese Kintaro candy, an old traditional sweet formed in a long pipe and cut into slices. 

• Senior study author Michiya Matsusaki discusses how they could tweak the technology in the future:
  • “By improving this technology, it will be possible to not only reproduce complex meat structures, such as the beautiful sashi of Wagyu beef but to also make subtle adjustments to the fat and muscle components.”

• Unfortunately, the team gave no indication of how much the steaks would cost to produce or how long it would take to get them to market

Thailand to explore injecting coronavirus vaccines under skin | Reuters (27:52)

• Thailand is studying the possibility of injecting coronavirus vaccines under the skin to try to stretch its limited supply, a health official said on Thursday.

• Despite manufacturing vaccines for AstraZeneca and ordering enough doses of different brands to cover its population, Thailand is struggling to get supplies fast enough.

• Head of the medical science department, Supakit Sirilak told reporters, “Our previous experience shows that intradermal injections use 25% of a muscular injection, but triggers the same level of immunity.”

• If its research confirms intradermal injections are effective, regardless of brand, Thailand could vaccinate four to five times the number of people with the same amount of vaccine.