fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
Same
By: Emma Briggs
Tags: Poetry, People, Life, Poem, Meaning

Do we really need an alien threat

to make us see we’re on the same team?

Every person alive today

relies on this Earth to survive.

All of us know we eat what she grows,

drink her water and breathe her air.
Cognition : écrire à la main ou au clavier ?
By: Jérémy Coron
Tags: Neuroscience, Mémoire, Neuroergonomie, Cerveau, Productivité

Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more

Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore
Are we apes?
By: Ali Abbas
Tags: Neuroscience, Psychology, Brain

Humans and apes, especially chimpanzees, share about 97% of their genes so is 3% enough to make us human?

Humans and apes share similar behaviour patterns and motives. Primates are social species, and they like to spend their time with their troop; additionally, they groom and communicate with each other. This is not very different from humans as we love to spend time with family and friends and take care of our appearances. Not to mention that there is a hierarchy in the apes’ world and each individual in the group knows its own duty in the troop. The alpha male, which is the leader, gets to this position by fighting (some studies found that the alpha male has more muscles, is more aggressive, and has much more hair on his body than the other males in his group). Also, apes know how to use tools, gestures, and facial expressions as part of their communication, just like humans do.

Photo by Simon Infanger on Unsplash

An ape’s social life is very similar to a human’s. Humans have a hierarchy in which they know where each individual stands. Obviously, the higher a person in the hierarchy, the more dominance and control of resources they hold; these patterns are also found in apes. Holding a high position in the hierarchy will reward you more respect and the other members will treat you better than the rest. This makes humans and non-humans respect the position rather than the person, in order to avoid the harm that the position holder could do.
Detecting Brain Tumours From MRI Scans Using a CNN
By: Ashley C
Tags: Neuroscience, TensorFlow, Deep Learning, Python, Machine Learning

The Canadian Cancer Society presents the following statistics related to brain tumours in 2020:

Approximately 3,000 Canadians are to be diagnosed with brain and spinal cord cancer

Canadians are to be diagnosed with brain and spinal cord cancer An estimated 2,500 Canadians will die from brain and spinal cord cancer

Canadians will die from brain and spinal cord cancer Approximately 1,700 men will be diagnosed with brain and spinal cord cancer

men will be diagnosed with brain and spinal cord cancer Out of these 1,700 men, 1400 of them will die from the cancer

1,350 women will be diagnosed with brain and spinal cord cancer

women will be diagnosed with brain and spinal cord cancer Out of these 1,350 women, 1,050 will die from it

The Brain Tumour Charity also states that brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under the age of 40 worldwide.

Now, these are some scary facts.

Unfortunately, most brain tumours are only diagnosed when patients see their doctors because they are experiencing certain symptoms that may be brain tumour related. Then doctors perform a bunch of tests and it is then determined whether the patient is experiencing brain tumour-related symptoms.

Intraoperative pathology analysis takes time. A sample must be processed, stained, and overlooked by a pathologist, and the surgeon and patients must wait a long period of time for the results.

On the positive side of things, CNNs are proving to actually be an extremely effective and efficient way to diagnose brain tumours.

The journal of Nature Medicine reveals a study that shows a new method of modern optical imaging and CNNs. being used to diagnose brain tumours. The researchers at NYU hope that this new method will provide a better and more accurate diagnosis in comparison to our current methods and will also initiate the correct treatments instantly.

In terms of cancer treatment, the earlier cancer has been detected, the earlier the patients can start treatment, and early detection usually improves the outcome of a patient.

This newly proposed method that utilizes optical imaging and CNNs has shown research the method of detection can have a 94.6 percent accuracy in comparison to the 93.9 accuracy that comes alongside pathology-based methods. Additionally, it is much faster to use this new method in comparison to having to run many tests and have them analyzed by pathologists, thus possibly detecting and diagnosing brain tumours at an earlier stage.

This new method is still improving, and the more data that can be provided and the more a model trains increases the likelihood of this detection having an even higher accuracy in the future.
Pigeon Holing
By: Voicing Freedom
Tags: Neuroscience, Pigeon Holing, Science, Biological

I was in a conversation with a loved one during the holidays. We were speaking on Pigeon Holing individuals. Pigeon holing others speaks of the singular level of perception of those who are presumptuous enough to do so or if we are speaking on a corporate level it speaks of the principles or lack thereof of a system. If there is no inclusion and overlooking those who deserve the attention, accolades, and or careers then there is a problem that goes without saying. Diverting back to pigeon holing whether it be on an interpersonal realm or otherwise Neuroscientists have expressed the act of pigeon holing has to do with the evolutionary process. The theory for humans is most often the human brain must have a lowest common denominator simple explanation therefore leaving no room for any nuances or thinking outside of a simplistic one. If brain capacity is impaired for any reason that is obvious. Of course technology like social media assists in that obstacle where short term gratification doesn’t feed your mind, it’s like fast food for the brain and soul. The here, now, next. There is more information available in today’s world than ever but yet why is America literally one of the dumbest countries in the world? It’s about applying oneself therefore some creationists tend to believe it is based on specific persons not an evolutionary concept. This is in theory where acts like Pigeon Holing stems from IE solely more from the angle of subjective Human Behavior as opposed to a baseline predisposed place that is entirely unavoidable as the interpretation of some (not all) evolutionists. The debate does border on if not entirely coexisting with Philosophy most certainly. It’s a fascinating discussion however.
reinforcement learning
Tags: Neuroscience, Cognitive Computing, Brain, Artificial Intelligence, Cognitive Science

Reinforcement learning systems do not neessarily have intuition about which set of actions will bring it closer to the goal state

Humans can intuit which set of actions will bring it closer to the goal state

Therefore in learned tasks, humans take the shortcut granted by system 1, kind of like a database with an intelligent cache that has rapid, low compute recall, due to a fuzzy search like mechanism that we use to index

Now, is it because we are processing the entire for loop of possibilities and knowing that 99.999% of the thousands of possible approaches will not work? I think it is more likely that system 1 is being invoked to aid system 2 to refine the set of options to be limited to those with the greatest ‘heuristic scores’ (AI terminology is probably weird for neuroscience, idk) associated

Therefore the vastness in data acquired over years and stored away into long term memory and recalled by system 1 is what makes us able to learn faster, without that, it’s likely learning new things would take longer

Conclusion — an LTM system is required to improve any heuristic driven system in order to select a subset of high probability of maximum heuristic scenarios without having to test them all with expensive system 2-like compute power, the downside being the likelihood of local maximas, but humans are also prone to this error (bat and ball = $1.10 problem), and the eventual solution would be the reduction of time cost associated with moore’s law to be able to invoke system 2-like compute more frequently with minimal downside

Inspiration for this thought:

I was thinking about why RL systems like that openAI hide and seek sim take so long to mature, yet I can learn how to do something in minutes and with very few examples? The skill I attempted to learn was throwing my phone and catching it by the rear camera every time — I went from 2/10 successes to 8/10 successes after maybe 40–50 flips and less than 3–4 minutes. What caused my improvement was the inherent intuition about gravity, spin rate, start position, my dexterity, the visual sensory input I had about the closeness of the phone’s camera to my hand. I tried again with my eyes closed, and in less than 2–3 minutes or 20–30 flips reached an 8/10 success rate, though my understanding was that I was primarily then driven by the same underlying factors, but more so by timing.
Quantum Physics and the Race to Decode Human Consciousness
By: Leon Okwatch
Tags: Neuroscience, Physics, Philosophy, Mind, Science

Quantum Physics and the Race to Decode Human Consciousness

Photo by Melvin Thambi on Unsplash

In 1805, Swiss engineer Henry Maillardet designed an automaton capable of drawing four pictures and writing four poems!

Maillardet’s invention would later become one of the first observations that led scientists to question the “solid nature of consciousness.”

Fast forward to today, modern versions of automatons such as self-driving cars, drones, and robots are slowly integrating into our lives.

These complicated machines are equipped with highly sensitive sensors that enable them to see, interact with, and react to their environment.

Some can even make decisions based on machine learning. And others, such as humanoid sex robots, can understand human emotions and provide appropriate responses.

This reality presents a complex question — are these machines conscious?

And if they are, does that mean we can reverse engineer our consciousness to define it using a set of mathematical or physical laws?

If we choose to examine it that way, a very fascinating hypothesis arises. The hypothesis is based on the theory of reductionism.

Reductionism is the theory that every complex phenomenon, especially in biology or psychology, can be explained by analyzing the simplest, most basic physical mechanisms that are in operation during the phenomenon.
Why Do We Seldom Celebrate ‘Hope’
By: Neha Doke
Tags: Neuroscience, Philosophy, Self, Psychology, Mental Health

Picture Credits: Project Gabriel

Yes, it’s Christmas already, and we are at the fag end of 2020. Time flies and how!

2020 has indeed been a year of hopes — hopes for a safer, happier and prosperous tomorrow.

While ‘challenge the status quo’ is a much-talked-about phrase, you’d agree that often sticking around, too, requires immense courage. And it’s incredibly amazing how hope gives you a reason to stick around and takes you a long way.

While joy, enthusiasm, grief, anxiety, dejection and numerous other emotions are much talked about, it’s strange how we seldom celebrate this powerful emotion — HOPE

Do you agree?

May the year 2021 fulfil all our hopes and bring along happiness galore.

Wishing you Merry Christmas and a very happy new year! :)
Is IV (Intravenous Infusion Therapy) The Best Treatment for Severe Nerve Pain?
By: Complete Neurological Care
Tags: Neuroscience, Nerve Pain, Iv Therapy, Neurology, Neurodiversity

The treatment is provided with the help of the intravenous catheter placed on the hands or arms of the patient intravenously. After this, the medication is infused inside the patient’s body during the standard amount of time. The nerve specialists will monitor you during the process. If you are based in NYC City, you can get it done from specialists at CNC who renders proper Intravenous Infusion Therapy in NYC to the neuropathic patients.
Get to know the fascinating galaxy that you have inside your head
By: Nicolás Wiggenhauser
Tags: Neuroscience, Social Reality, Brain, Science, Evolution

The uniqueness of the human brain

From an evolutionary perspective, the current evidence suggests that humans are the only species that can create social realities. That striking, unique cognitive specialization is possible because of what Dr. Feldman Barrett calls the Five Cs:

Creativity: The invention of some social reality component and the assignment of functions to that mental construct.

Communication: The effective transmission of mental constructs.

Copying: The process of learning and teaching the elements of our social realities.

Cooperation: The collaborative experience of creating and living in a social reality created by other brains that work in tandem across time and space.

Compression: The process of minimizing redundancy in the transmission of information between neurons to create summaries of our social realities.

These components working in tandem are essential for the functioning of the complex cognitive processes that happen in our brains. In the words of Dr. Feldman Barrett:

“Compression enables sensory integration. Sensory integration enables abstraction. Abstraction permits your highly complex brain to issue flexible predictions based on the functions of things rather than on their physical form. That is creativity. And you can share these predictions by way of communication, cooperation, and copying. That is how the Five Cs empower a human brain to create and share social reality.”

Across the tree of life, most organisms have become specialists in their niches by developing evolutionary adaptations. Just think about the bizarre third finger of the aye-aye or the unique camouflage system in octopus. In turn, humans seemed to have selected a generalist approach, merging the Five Cs to create social realities. While other animals focus their attention on the elements that allow their survival ignoring the rest, discerning biological costs and benefits, humans collectively build the world we live in by adding layer over layer of new functions. Social reality equals human niche construction.
3 Practical Takeaways from “The Brain That Changes Itself”
By: Warren Wan
Tags: Neuroscience, Brain, Self Improvement, Science, Self-awareness

1. Don’t Use “Can’t”

You’re NOT stuck with the brain you were born with

Previously thought to be like a machine, with fixed specification and capacity, we were unconsciously self-imposing mental blockers in every aspect of our life. We have all said things like; “I can’t possibly do that”, “This is impossible”, “I’m not smart enough” when faced with difficult challenges. If you catch yourself thinking that, remind yourself that improbable isn’t impossible.

With recent studies, the plastic property of the brain is irrefutable. Meaning that no matter the complexity of the task, given enough time and focus, your brain will structurally change and rewire its neurons to develop the functional changes required to tackle the task.

Mindlessly learning or practicing won’t do it. GENUINE ATTENTION is required!

Reading was a skill that I have neglected for too long. I would often zone out in the middle of a read and go through an entire chapter only to realize that I had no idea what I had just read. Here are some simple changes that I adopted when reading, that helped me minimize the ‘zoning out’ moments.

The first step was to catch myself when in those situations, and that was the easy part. Then, I took a step back and started over from the current paragraph or sometimes chapter, until I fully grasped the story or concept being presented. And that is all!

Sounds too simple and easy, right? Not in practice! It was extremely frustrating and mentally draining for me at first, having to re-read the same text over and over again. But that is the whole point. The struggle is a sign of progress.

The ‘zoning out’ moments will never go away permanently, as reading is a skill that can always be improved and needs upholding. But the ‘zoning out’ frequency is significantly more manageable now and is getting better and better over time.
Concussion Recovery: 16 Non-Traditional, Science-Backed Strategies That Really Work
By: Ashley Richmond
Tags: Neuroscience, Sports, Health, Brain, Advice

Concussion Recovery: 16 Non-Traditional, Science-Backed Strategies That Really Work

Photo by Jeremy Perkins on Unsplash

Two weeks before I was set to leave for the World Champs earlier this year, I got a concussion. We were at our final round of games in the lead up to Worlds, and in the first game, I fell and got a knee to my head. I knew right away that something was wrong. I was lying on the ground and begging someone to take my helmet off because my head felt like it was going to explode.

I got off the rink and sat out the rest of the game. The nurse checked me and said I was fine. But when we went back to the changing room after the game, I had this intense need to lie down. I found a flight of stairs and lay down on them. And I couldn’t get back up. I don’t know why I didn’t just lie on the ground. Apparently lying on an angle, up 5 stairs was more comfortable.

At this point, I was still denying that I had a concussion. I went to bed, woke up the next morning feeling okay, and went to the rink with my teammates to watch a game. Here is where I again knew that something wasn’t right. I developed a headache from the noise and artificial light of the rink and had to leave.

Unfortunately, I had to stay with my team for the remainder of the games, before flying home. I did everything I could while still there, but when I got home I got really serious about my recovery.

Here is the outline of how I was able to completely recover from my concussion in under two weeks, and fly across the world to compete in the World Championships.

Also, here’s a photo of me (on the ground) about half a second before the other player’s knee went into my head.
Neuroscience to AI: Transitioning Laterally
By: Noelani Villanueva
Tags: AI, Neuroscience, Students, Transitions, Machine Learning

In my junior and senior year of undergrad, I came to my advisors to gauge their opinion about continuing school to get a masters or bachelors in software engineering. To my luck, they encouraged me not to go to a masters/bachelors program (for software engineering), but to go to a coding bootcamp instead. To get into a career in AI engineering, it could take years from a traditional schooling standpoint. Whereas attending coding bootcamp, it could be done in less than a year.

I chose Flatiron School because of their unique immersive education system and undeniable belief in their students; through the coding prep-work, I never felt isolated, my questions were always positively accepted and well-answered by patient coaches, and, with hard work, I was able to retain the material being taught. If you are a current student in a biologically related field or are interested in immersing yourself into the coding world, I encourage you to first research and weigh your options, but at least check out Flatiron Coding Bootcamp. While the pre-med track is competitive and can be difficult to navigate and network, I’ve never experienced such thorough encouragement and support from my peers and teachers like I have Flatiron.

As a Flatiron student, we have algorithm exercises for each student to practice for coding interviews, algorithm club, lecturers, special guest speakers, AI tech interview events and prep.

While Flatiron prepares you for real world interactions and expectations of software engineers, Flatirons’ gauge of empathy breakdown and compassion towards their students is incomparable: everyday at 5:30 the cohort exercises ‘Stand down’. ‘Stand down’ allows students to talk about their struggles of the day and to share with their classmates their feelings that resonate throughout the group. The purpose of this exercise is to not only understand that imposter syndrome is real, but to understand, through each other, that imposter syndrome is not a solo journey through the construction of a community.
These are interesting cells.
By: Bob Koure
Tags: Neuroscience, Health, Brain, Mental Health, Seasonal Depression

…special brightness-detecting cells that project and communicate directly with the hypothalamus and other parts of the brain that affect your hormones, energy, and emotions.

These are interesting cells. For those of us who learned that the retina has two kinds of light sensing cells, rods, and cones (yeah, me too), there is a third one: the ganglia are light sensitive, and those are what we’re talking about here. Evolutionarily, they’re pretty directly connected to the ‘light sensing spots’ in more primitive animals — and are connected to our more primitive control systems (e.g. iris dilatation, melatonin production). Those rods and cones probably started out as more specialized ganglia.

That said, I have a BIL who lives in the PNW (particularly dark and gloomy winters), who has seasonal issues. His solution: 6500K (AKA ‘daylight’) LED bulbs all through the house, other than the bedrooms. He says it works for him. Personally, I find the light a bit unnatural, but I’m guessing that those bulbs are not 90+ CRI (a measure of the ‘notchiness’ of the frequency emitted — higher number is smoother) and, as a photographer, the color shifts were my issue. A quick search on amazon for “A19 LED 6500K CRI90” seems to bear this out. BTW, A19 is the most common bulb base in the US, also called “medium”.
Why Do You choose LabVanced .com is the best choice for a researcher in the field of Child Psychology?
By: Leah Lee
Tags: Neuroscience, Eye Tracking, Psychology, Psychiatry, Cognitive Science

Labvanced.com has the best Infant and child-friendly eye tracking available in the market today, But Labvanced.com does not offer only infant and child eye tracking. Labvanced.com offers an integrated platform that provides a total solution for the researcher in the field of child psychology.

Trusted and tested by many of the big universities and Labs around the world, Labvanced.com is the best choice for a researcher in the field of Child Psychology.

Labvanced.com offers:

1- Best infant and child-friendly eye tracking available in the market today.

2- Easy to use visual study builder, that helps you build even the most complex studies in no time.

3- Audio and video recording of the subject

4- All the stimuli types that a researcher in the field of child psychology can think about.

And many more other features.

Labvanced.com has in its library already more than 50 published studies in the field of child psychology. These are a few of them, just as an example:

1- Multilingualism: Cognition- Language

https://www.labvanced.com/page/library/5545

2- Suchspiel Für Kinder 1.5 bis 3 Jahre : Attention- Learning and Memory- Developmental Psychology.

https://www.labvanced.com/page/library/14762

3- Eye Tunes: Auditory Perception- Visual Perception- Attention- Developmental Psychology

https://www.labvanced.com/page/library/10980

4- Children’s Communication Preferences: Biases- Auditory Perception

https://www.labvanced.com/page/library/12255

So if you are thinking about bringing your research to Labvanced.com. We will be happy to have a meeting with you via Google Meet. If you are interested, contact Leah today via email or chat to schedule a meeting.

Leah Lee

leah@labvanced.com
Here’s Why Music Therapy is the Future of Neuroscience
By: Nithya Kalyani
Tags: Neuroscience, Therapy, Psychology, Brain, Music

The cause of social skill impairment for autistic children could also be attributed to a lack of neural connectivity between brain regions. Specifically, it has also been identified that the lack of social skills in autistic children is due to decreased connectivity between the fusiform gyrus, amygdala, and temporal lobes (Jou et al, 153). Based on this information on autism’s effect on brain connectivity and the results of the study, it could be suggested that the use of music therapy is associated with increased neural connectivity between the motor cortex, visual cortex, and auditory cortex (which lies in the temporal lobe). This, in turn, could explain the increases in social behavior after music therapy.

Photo by Jason Rosewell on Unsplash

Similarly, the effects of music therapy can also be seen in patients with Alzheimer’s, which decreases cognitive function, memory, and social skills. In a study published in 1993, individuals with Alzheimer’s were selected from a retirement home and were assigned to either a music therapy condition (music playing in background with access to musical instruments if the participant wanted to play along), a condition with only puzzles, or a control treatment with no treatment. Individuals were later tested on mood, memory, and social interaction, with results showing that music therapy had the ability to improve all three categories (Lord, 1–5). Once again, this seems to indiciate some form of brain alteration with the use of music therapy.

Additionally, the retention of memory is largely due to increased synaptic plasticity. Synaptic plasticity allows for increased neural connections, thus enabling improvements in the retention of memory, which is something that patients with Alzheimer’s lack. Further, it has been identified that patients with Alzheimer’s show a decrease in visuospatial connectivity between the visual and motor pathways (Zhou et al, 1352). Therefore, the improvement in Alzheimer’s symptoms could have been directly caused by an increase in the neural connectivity between the visual, motor, and auditory cortexes. In other words, the use of music therapy could increase the connections between these parts of the brain, thus enabling increased cognitive functions for these patients.
Myoclonic Epilepsy Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Dr.Navin Tiwari
By: Dr. Navin Tiwari
Tags: Epilepsy, Neuroscience, Myoclonic Seizures Market, Seizures, Epilepsy Awareness

Myoclonic seizures are brief shock-like jerks of a muscle or group of muscles. They occur in a variety of epilepsy syndromes that have different characteristics. Epilepsy can experience myoclonus in hiccups or in a sudden jerk that may wake you up as you’re just falling asleep. Myoclonus refers to a quick, involuntary muscle jerk. Myoclonus may occur because of a nervous system (neurological) disorder, such as epilepsy, a metabolic condition, or a reaction to a medication. Myoclonic epilepsy are caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain, which triggers myoclonic muscle movements.

The cause of myoclonus is corrected if possible. For example, drugs that can cause myoclonus are stopped. A high or low blood sugar level is corrected, and kidney failure is treated with hemodialysis.

If the cause cannot be corrected, certain ant seizure drugs (such as valproate and levetiracetam) or clonazepam (a mild sedative) may lessen symptoms.

Asian Neuro Centre is one of the largest and most experienced practices in Indore where the best & experienced neurologist is skilled in dozens of specialties, working to ensure quality care and successful recovery.

Dr. Navin Tiwari

Consulting Neurologist
Neuromarketing: How Technology Helps (Brands) Understand Why We Buy
By: Dr. Maria Stern
Tags: Digital Marketing, Neuroscience, Neuromarketing

Neuromarketing Sounds Too Futuristic? Here’s Why It’s Not

First, let’s define what neuromarketing is.

It’s an application of neuroscience that studies our brain processes and the changes that occur when we are making decisions to predict our future consumer behavior.

It helps brands understand what makes us tick, and what would make us buy.

Neuroscience is not a new field either.

On the contrary — the earliest study of our nervous system dates back to ancient Egypt!

Though we began to explore neuroscience in more detail in 2002, the idea of studying the human brain and behavior was the dominant subject in the 1950s. Even then, there were marketers who wanted to get inside customers’ heads and take advantage of their findings.

Today, neuromarketing became a widely used concept, both in theory and in practice.

It can potentially transform our consumer habits, give brands a better understanding of our buying preferences, and help them drive insane sales.

What Technologies Actually Make Neuromarketing Possible?

This field relies on highly sophisticated tools that have already been developed and used for years.

While different neuromarketing technologies use different inputs to give the researchers what they need, they all have one thing in common — this field wouldn’t exist without them.

Here are 10 technologies that neuromarketing relies on:

1. Electroencephalogram (EEG)

2. Functional Magnetic Resonance (fMRI)

3. Magnetoencephalography (MEG)

4. Positron-emission tomography (PET)

5. Steady State Topography (SST)

6. Electrocardiogram (ECG)

7. Galvanic Skin Response (GSR)

8. Eye Tracking (ET)

9. Facial electromyography(fEMG)

10. Facial Coding (FC)

I’ll describe only a few that have proven to be very lucrative for marketers worldwide.

EEG

I believe we all know what EEG is. Yes, it’s the same technology used in clinics to detect electrical activities in our brains.

But it’s one of the most commonly used neuromarketing tools, because it can evaluate the response to different marketing stimuli very effectively.

Are we angry, sad, or perhaps we lack focus?

EEG can track all of these metrics (and more), and it can also tell brands what we need at any given moment.
Why are YOU procrastinating?
Tags: Procrastination, Neuroscience, Psychology, Productivity

It is exactly an hour before your six page paper is due, and you are furiously attempting to fight the time to make this “tight” midnight deadline. Your fingers are about to start a fire on the keyboard, and sentences are starting to melt together on the screen. The clock consumes the entire hour and as it hits 11:59 p.m., you click submit as waves of relief sprint through your veins. Instead of reflecting on how it was, perhaps, not the smartest decision to procrastinate and submit at the very last second, you actually feel relieved, impressed, and, honestly, quite proud! Why?

Besides the adrenaline pumping through your veins, what is the scientific reasoning behind why this positive feedback loop of procrastination keeps you coming back for more? Do we “just work better under pressure?” Biologically speaking, it boils down to two regions of your brain: the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system. The prefrontal cortex is essentially the region where your thoughts and scattered mental to-do lists string together into cohesive actions in order to best achieve your internally set goals. On the other hand, the limbic system, which is a very dominant region closely associated with the prefrontal cortex, deals primarily with emotions — specifically how to address your emotional, physical, and mental drives.

Unfortunately, many times in this tug of war, the limbic system comes out victorious. It is the little voice if your head that goes, “Instead of doing it now, how about now doing it now, eh?” Sounds like a well fleshed out argument, so why not? Procrastination has been such a “well-established practice” in society that we have all practically implemented it into our daily routines. Instead of feeling bad for cramming, the limbic system overrides your exasperation at not being timely again with celebration that you even made the deadline! So, the next time you find your prefrontal cortex and your limbic system in a heated argument, make sure to give your prefrontal cortex a hand!
pH Meters Market Size To Reach $1.95 Billion By 2022
By: Gaurav Shah
Tags: Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical, Pollution, Environment, Medical Devices

Global pH meters market is expected to reach nearly USD 1,951.2 million by 2022 according to a new report by Grand View Research Inc. Key factors attributing to the market growth are introduction of technologically advanced portable and bench top pH meters, growing concerns to monitor environmental pollution and the need to regulate pH levels in various consumable products.

Increasing demand for quality control and routine testing of soil, water, food, beverage, and dairy products is driving the use of new generation pH meters with multi-parameter analysis. The new devices are improving the efficiency, accuracy, ease of usage, and cost-effectiveness, which are expected to serve as high-impact rendering drivers over the forecast period.

Increasing awareness regarding the need to regulate waste water pH in industries such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food processing, and other end use sectors is a key factor boosting the usage rates. pH neutralization of the waste water discharged from these industries is critical to prevent corrosion of sewage pipes and prevent leakage of harmful substances in to the land and other water bodies.

Furthermore, growing awareness about soil pH and its impact on plant nutrient absorption is a key factor boosting the soil pH analysis. Maintaining the appropriate ratio of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium (N-P-K) in the soil plays an important role in improving the product yield, quality, and also improves resistance to various diseases. The shift towards scientific agricultural practices and growing demand for organic farming, soil testing, irrigational water testing, are some the key factors expected to positively reinforce market growth over the forecast period.

Click the link below:

http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/ph-meter-market

Further key findings from the study suggest:
Wireless Sensors Monitoring Human Brain
Tags: Wireless, Biotechnology, Sensors, Wearable Technology, Technology

Introduction

Have you ever wondered about humans becoming cyborg? Electronic biosensors were built to make them possible. The emerging field of Bio-electronic medicine provides an exciting new alternative to treat neurological disorders. These wireless electronic sensors can monitor and stimulate nerves and muscles in real time. Wireless brain sensors are specifically designed to monitor the intracranial pressure and temperature of patients with severe traumatic brain injuries within the skull region or those suffering from Parkinson’s Disease. These kinds of injuries frequently cause swelling in the brain thus constricting oxygen supply and blood flow, which may lead to permanent brain damage.

Methodology

Neurosurgeons from Washington University School of Medicine at St. Louis and engineers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign worked on development of a clinically usable pressure sensor which consists of a polylactic-co-glycolic acid membrane suspended in a frame of magnesium and silicon. In due course, the electrical resistance of silicon sensor changes as per the pressure of the surrounding fluid that causes folding or bending of the membrane. An absorbable, watertight polymer is additionally wrapped around the complete sensor device. This degradability sets the lifetime of the sensor. Furthermore, any organ system throughout the body can be monitored with the help of this technology. The device can dissolve or degrade into non-toxic components inside the cerebrospinal fluid when the critical period is over by eliminating the need for surgical removal of the device which minimizes various infections, chronic inflammation and erosion of skin or organs. These sensors could also help in delivery of drugs to the brain with the incorporation of microelectrodes which would stimulate or record neuronal activity.

Challenges and future scope

Significantly technological advancements in the field of brain-computer interfaces have been leading to continuous progression of brain sensors. At present, sensors used are remotely accessible through wireless connectivity. Being fully biocompatible and therefore safer, the fabrication process is also cheaper and more environment-friendly than that used for existing technologies. Brain-computer interfaces are designed to assist people with severe paralysis and to control these devices with their thoughts in order to perform everyday functions.

Increasing ubiquity of neurological disorders shall most likely enhance the market growth of wireless brain sensors. Some of the other factors such as varying social environment, technological advancement, increasing Research and development investment, rising awareness about the advantages of neurological disorders, and increasing reports of dementia will drive the wireless brain sensor market in the forecast period of 2020 to 2027.

References
Merry Christmas
By: Bio Passport
Tags: Biotechnology, Christmas, Biot, Blockchain Technology, Biopassport

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Biotech Startup Raises $113 Million for Precision Medicine Against Neurodegenerative Diseases 🧬
By: Biotech Brothers
Tags: Startup, Biotechnology, Investing, Healthcare, Science

South San Francisco-based announced December 17 a $113 million combined Series A and Series B and short-term plans to take on Denali and Biogen in Parkinson’s disease and pursue the neural-side of a target that Bristol Myers Squibb has recently pursued to great success elsewhere in the body.

Established through a partnership with Germany’s Origenis, the funds, which includes $30 million in series A funding from Westlake Village BioPartners and Kleiner Perkins and an $80 million series B headed by Redmile Group, will lead two to three programs into the clinic in the next two years.

“We wanted to make sure that when we came out, we were really in the race,” Neuron23 CEO Nancy Stagliano, Ph.D., said. “We thought it was the right time given the focus and resurgence of interests in the CNS industry.”

Since October 2018, scientists at Neuron23 have worked silently on finding their position in the world of precision medicine. The position uses data science and artificial intelligence to target neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases in patients with certain genetic mutations.

Neuron23’s lead program is aimed at Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2), a gene that codes for a kinase enzyme of the same name. Mutations in this gene are solidly linked with 3% of patients with Parkinson’s disease. What’s exciting, Stagliano said, is that detecting a small-molecule inhibitor for LRRK2, which has an obvious genetic connection to the disease, can give a basis for biological knowledge to assist in treating the other 97% of Parkinson’s patient.

The second program targets brain-penetrant inhibitors for tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2), a kinase that causes multiple sclerosis.

However, it is worth noting that getting small-molecule inhibitors into the brain can be difficult. This is largely because the brain has evolved to keep toxins and other pathogens out of it through its blood-brain barrier. Small molecules can get through the bloodstream but can be quickly pumped out from the brain based on their structure or other features.

“One of the strengths of our partnership with Origenis, the additional chemistry partner we founded the company with, is getting these brain-penetrant molecules against these kinds of target kinases,” Stagliano said. “LRRK2 is extremely exciting and an area of hot pursuit in our industry because it systematically has been linked to Crohn’s disease. So we can look at that second group of LRRK2 molecules that don’t get into the brain, and we can say, what can we use those for?”
Next Gen Sequencing Data Analysis Market Worth $1.5 Billion By 2027
By: Gaurav Shah
Tags: Britain, Biotechnology, South Africa, Brazil, China

The global next gen sequencing data analysis market size is expected to reach USD 1.5 billion by 2027, expanding at a CAGR of 12.9%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Next generation sequencing (NGS) has transformed the field of proteomic and genomic research as the technology is highly accurate, offering higher throughput and used for a variety of applications. This includes de novo assembly, transcriptome, whole-genome sequencing, and resequencing for DNA and RNA. Hence, the high adoption of NGS by academic and clinical settings for genomic and proteomic research drives the demand for NGS data analysis tools.

Numerous tools, such as EpiGentek’s Targeted Methyl-Seq platform and Agilent’s HaloPlex capture system, are used to determine DNA methylation profiles across any individual genome. Bisulfite-methylation mapping of whole-genome is currently a feasible technique for targeted sequencing. Besides, expansion of targeted methylation NGS analysis by techniques such as Single Molecule Real-Time Bisulfite Sequencing is driving the market.

Epigentek Group, Inc.; Novogene Co., Ltd.; and CD Genomics are among the few companies that provide services related to targeted bisulfite or methylation sequencing data analysis. Furthermore, key companies are constantly expanding their product line to suffice significant upswing in the demand for these solutions globally. For instance, in July 2020, Pacific Biosciences introduced SMRT Link v9.0 software that is compatible with its Sequel II System.

Click the link below:

https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/next-generation-sequencing-ngs-data-analysis-market

Further key findings from the report suggest:
New Medicines #32
Tags: Venture Capital, Biotechnology, Investing, Healthcare, Medicine

Get these analyses to your inbox — https://axialobservations.substack.com/ This is a newsletter for rough-around-the-edges ideas. More well thought out work can be found at — https://axial.substack.com/

Axial partners with great founders and inventors. We invest in early-stage life sciences companies often when they are no more than an idea. We are fanatical about helping the rare inventor who is compelled to build their own enduring business. If you or someone you know has a great idea or company in life sciences, Axial would be excited to get to know you and possibly invest in your vision and company . We are excited to be in business with you — email us at info@axialvc.com

New medicines #32 — December 12, 2020 — December 18, 2020

A weekly overview of the development of new medicines.

- Anavex Life Sciences announced top-line data from its phase 2 trial of ANAVEX2–73 in adult female patients with Rett syndrome met the primary endpoint of safety and secondary efficacy endpoints.

- Arvinas released early data from its phase 1 trial in patients with prostate cancer:

Prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels dropped by more than 50% in 2/5 (40%) patients with certain androgen receptor (AR) mutations (T878 or H875)

Two of 15 patients (13%) with wild-type AR also had PSA reductions >50%, representing activity in a broader patient population

- MacroGenics announced that the FDA approved Margenza in combination with chemotherapy, for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who have received two or more prior anti-HER2 regimens.

- Mesoblast announced that its phase 3 DREAM-HF Phase 3 trial of rexlemestrocel-L in patients with advanced chronic heart failure did not meet the primary endpoint of a reduction in recurrent non-fatal decompensated heart failure events.

- Palatin Technologies announced its phase 2 trial of PL9643 for the treatment of dry eye disease (DED) met the primary endpoints in the moderate to severe patient population but not in the overall population including mild patients.

- Sio Gene Therapies released six-month follow-up data from the low-dose cohort from its phase 1/2 dose escalation trial of AXO-AAV-GM1 for the treatment of GM1 gangliosidosis:

Observations of an increase in enzyme activity of on average 38% of normal reference levels

Dosing with the high dose has also commenced in two patients, with no complications to date

- vTv Therapeutics announced that its phase 2 Elevage study of azeliragon in people with mild Alzheimer’s disease and type 2 diabetes did not meet its primary endpoint.

- Zealand Pharma announced top-line data from its first phase 3 trial of dasiglucagon as a treatment for Congenital Hyperinsulinism (CHI) did not meet the primary endpoint of a significant reduction in the rate of hypoglycemia compared to standard of care.

Source: BPC (reformatted), SY, Bioworld
Next Generation Sequencing Market Size Worth $23.7 Billion By 2027
By: Gaurav Shah
Tags: USA, UK, Biotechnology, Canada, Germany

The global next generation sequencing market size is expected to reach USD 23.7 billion by 2027, expanding at a CAGR of 11.7%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Numerous advantages offered by high throughput sequencing over other genetic technologies such as sanger-seq and microarray is one of the key driving forces of the market for Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). Furthermore, increasing availability of low input DNA sampling methods that decrease the overall operational costs is anticipated to accelerate the use of next generation sequencing across various research and clinical applications.

Technology offered by New England Biolabs that employs magnetic beads in the template assembly process is anticipated to significantly improve the sample preparation protocols for next generation sequencing. Furthermore, recent technological advancements such as the use of Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) for genome library automation allow next generation sequencing in a single day at a reasonable cost. These advancements are anticipated to proliferate the number of users of next generation sequencing over the forecast period.

This technology has captured the attention of several companies and investors operating across various domains including basic research, drug discovery and development, reproductive health, and consumer genomics. In addition, the plummeting cost and the added value of next generation sequencing data over conventional ones is anticipated to positively impact the diversification of this technology in other clinical areas, resulting into a lucrative revenue growth.

Click the link below:

https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/next-generation-sequencing-market

Further key findings from the report suggest: