Um bate-papo ao cair da noite - III

As tendências em eletrônicos nos próximos anos.

Embora eu não seja um “expert” neste campo,  farei um breve apanhado no que considero que poderá acontecer nos próximos anos.
Todos os “electronic devices” e me refiro aos pertencentes à comunicações, (smartphones) aos wearables como os smartwatches, aos computadores portáteis, ao computadores de mesa,  como deve ser e tem sido ao longo dos tempos, desde o início, e isso acontece com todos os tipos de aparelhos, tem-se buscado cada vez mais acrescentar todos os tipos de inovações, que pela lógica de mercado nesse campo, o escopo é atrair cada vez mais consumidores, ávidos de novidades tecnológicas.
Creio que os smartphones lideram como dispositivos pessoais que são inseparáveis de seus donos porque interagem o tempo todo com eles. E há um detalhe interessante à respeito deles. No início serviam apenas para conversas e mensagens de texto, mas suas funcionalidades foram aos pouco aumentando, e quando entrou o controle por toque virou febre de consumo. Os de primeira linha contam com práticamente tudo, desde GPS, Internet, e também câmeras de alta resolução que muitas vezes são até mais avançadas que cãmeras digitais tradicionais,  e tudo o mais que possa ser acrescentado servindo como verdadeiras secretárias eletrônicas. A concorrência está acirradíssima, e quanto mais funções, mais destaque recebem, e consequentemente mais vendem.
Os computadores desktops estão se tornando uma peça só, ou seja, monitor integrado aos hardwares na parte traseira, teclado, mouse por toque, com placas-mãe avançadíssimas, processadores da família multinúcleos e multi-threadings,  A tecnologia Sata III, memória DDR3, HDD de alta velocidade, USB 3.0, já começam a ficar para trás dando lugar à mais velocidade, mais memória, etc. Eu me lembro que meu primeiro PC tinha 512 MB de memória, e este que monteir na parede, DD3 3 suporta até 32 GB, e tudo isso também está presente em outros tipos de computadores como notebooks, tablets e laptops.
Os notebooks parecem que cederam terreno aos tablets e laptops, por serem menores e de mais fácil transporte, e ficam cada vez mais atraentes e possantes.
Creio que os Smartwatches deverão apresentar grandes avanços daqui para a frente porque eles tem uma características que os outros não tem. A portabilidade, no punho. Com uma telinha aumentada até ao máximo, podem servir para várias funções além do relógio e cronômetro básicos. Principalmetne servirão para monitoramente de funções vitais, podem também atuar como cell phones e GPS.
Outro aparelho eletrônico que está cada vez mais introduzindo novas funcionalidades, e cuja tendência sstá voltada para uso comercial (e pessoal numa escala menor,) é o 3D printer, que tem uma potencialidade fantástica.
Outra grande novidade, já não é tão novidade assim, mas que deverá se tornar muito popular mesmo, são os óculos que foram lançados pelo Google, e que já está atraindo concorrentes, porque como os smartwatches, eles são wearables, e portanto de muito fácil portabilidade.  O Google Glass saiu na frente e deverá dominar o mercado, mas além da Toshiba, creio que outros fabricantes entrarão na briga. (Eu tenho a impressão que as duas hastes do óculos deveriam ser aproveitadas, mesmo por uma questão de estética, de simetria, e de aumento das funcionalidades também.
Cãmeras digitais deverão se fundir com fimadoras. e apresntarem recuros avançadíssimos.
Outros tipos de aparelhos eletrõnicos que não foram descritos aqui deverão apresentarem também mais e mais funcionalidades.  O mercado de eletrônicos no mundo todo está se tornando gigantesco. Isso é bom para a economia mundial, para as exportações/importações. e para os mercados internos.
 
José S. de Melo

Painting and quotes

 

 

The Photo-Realistic Pastel Drawings of Ruben Belloso Adorna

 

By Spooky on July 31st, 2013

Ruben Belloso Adorna, a young artist from Seville, Spain, has taken the art world by storm with his incredibly detailed portraits of real-life and fictional characters drawn exclusively in pastel on wooden canvas.

Painting hyper-realistic works of art with oil paints requires great talent and skill, but drawing them with pastel sticks and crayons seems almost impossible. It appears the word “impossible” is not in Ruben Belloso Adorna’s dictionary, as the young Spanish artist manages to create stunning photo-quality masterpieces using only pastels. Born in 1986, he studied Fine Arts at the University of Seville, and has already made a name for himself in the art world, participating in numerous solo and group exhibitions, and winning several awards. Looking at the quality of his colorful drawings, and the way he is able to bring out the emotions of his subjects, it’s easy to see why many are already calling Ruben a genius of the 21st century.

 

Photos: Ruben Belloso Adorna/Facebook/DeviantArt

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A Ralph Waldo Emerson’s quote.

 

No bom sentido, é claro.

'Paradigm shift' in understanding of potassium channels

 

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A new discovery relating to one of the most common processes in human cells is being described as a 'paradigm shift' in understanding.

Researchers at the University of Dundee, the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, the University of Göttingen and the University of Oxford have observed ion permeation in potassium channels which does not follow previously predicted pathways.

They have published the results of their research in the journal Science.

Potassium channels are tiny pores that stud the surface of almost all cell types in the human body, playing a role in the transmission of signals between brain cells and also helping control the frequency of our heartbeat. When they are not working properly they are implicated in a range of diseases, including neurodegenerative conditions and heart disease.

The channels allow the passage of potassium ions in an extremely rapid-fire opening and closing of the channel, acting as highly efficient filters.

The previous theory in this field was part of a project which led to the award of the 2003 Nobel Prize in Chemistry to the American biochemist Roderick MacKinnon. His work proposed that the ions were separated by water as they passed through the channel and that ion-to-ion contact was unlikely due to high electrostatic repulsion.

The research team working on the new project have found a completely different scenario, using advances in technology to reveal the fundamental physical principles that facilitate the channels' operation.

Previous work examining the activity of potassium channels was only possible from looking at static or `closed-state' crystal structures. Advances in computing have allowed researchers to now look at the channels 'in action'which have provided much more detail and revealed the workings of the channels.

Using computer simulations at the atomistic scale and including a transmembrane voltage, they found that water is not co-transported through the channels with ions and is not needed to separate the potassium ions. They found that pairs of potassium ions were stably formed and then passed through the channel, with electrostatic repulsion driving the startling efficiency of the process.

"Our findings explain how potassium flux is able to happen at the maximum physically attainable speed, which is vital for the fast response of neurons," said Dr Ulrich Zachariae, Reader in Computational Biophysics and Drug Discovery at the University of Dundee.

"This is a paradigm shift in the field. It changes our understanding of how these hugely important channels work. These channels are tremendously important as they are active in all cells so it is vital that we understand how they work."

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Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by University of Dundee. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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Journal Reference:

1. D. A. Kopfer, C. Song, T. Gruene, G. M. Sheldrick, U. Zachariae, B. L. de Groot. Ion permeation in K channels occurs by direct Coulomb knock-on. Science, 2014; 346 (6207): 352 DOI: 10.1126/science.1254840

Um bate-papo ao cair da noite -II

 

Eu sempre quis saber porque existem países de primeiro e de terceiro-mundos, e até agora não li nada sobre paises de segundo-mundo.  Evidentemente são os países intermediários, embora a midia nunca faça referência à tais paises como de “segundo-mundo”…. Bem, é apenas uma questão de linguagem, de retórica.  De um lado temos os países desenvolvidos, e do outro os países emergentes, que aliás, estão emergindo há décadas e não saem disso.

Com relação aos países de primeiro-mundo, ou desenvolvidos, no sentido absoluto eles não existem ainda, porque um país assim precisa ser essencialmente ‘RESOLVIDO”, do mesmo modo como se aplica á pessoas em geral.

O que impede que tais países sejam inteiramente “resolvidos”?  São questões econômicas, sociais, e principalmente assuntos científicos. De nada adiante uma verdadeira “enxurrada” de descobertas no campo científico e tecnológico, se os males contemporâneos permanecem apenas “remendados”, sem uma solução definitiva.

Dito isto, podemos mover os países de primeiro-mundo para a categoria “segundo-mundo”, e o primeiro-mundo fica então vago….e só será ocupado quando as potências ou super-potências atuais tiverem pelo menos 90% de seus problemas resolvidos, o que tornará tais países práticamente “RESOLVIDOS”.

Considerando-se a cadência atual de desenvolvimento, podemos prever essa realidade para daqui 30, 40, ou 50 anos. Essencialmente são avanços obtidos numa progressão geométrica, porém falta aquele ponto importante no que se refere ao domínio total de uma questão, notadamente na área da saúde.

Acredito que falta uma concentração maior num ponto importante, do que tentar resolver todos de uma só vez.  Não que os outros temas devam ser deixados á parte, mas os mais importantes devem ser mais estudados, melhor analisados e compartilhados na comunidade científica mundial para que esse intercãmbio resulte numa solução definitiva.  Se a comunidade científica mundial ficar tentando pesquisar tudo com a mesma intensidade, haverá uma anulação geral, ou pelo menos um indefinição, um enfraquecimento de metas.

Os esforços são concentrados nos efeitos mas em muitos casos deve-se combater as causas. Existem intensas pesquisas relacionadas ao diabetes. Porém, não há campanhas enérgicas dos governos quanto ao consumo exagerado de açucar, que não está apenas relacionado ao desenvolvimento do diabetes, mas também é o principal fator no aumento dos níveis de triglicérides na circulação, sem contar outros males que o açucar causa. Quando se entra em um super-mercado, o que mais se vê são produtos intensamente açucarados.  As crianças tornam-se viciadas em açucar desde a mais tenra idade.

(Nada é impossível neste mundo, há caminhos que conduzem à todas as coisas,)

José S de Melo

 

Modeling tumor dormancy: What makes a tumor switch from dormant to malignant?

 

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Here are snapshots of a simulated noninvasive tumor growing in the extracellular matrix.

Cancer constantly wages war on the human body. Battles are won, lost or sometimes end in a stalemate. In pancreatic cancer, this stalemate -- known as tumor dormancy -- can last up to 25 years before becoming aggressively malignant, a phenomena that is poorly understood.

A new computational model developed in the laboratory of Salvatore Torquato, a Professor of Chemistry at Princeton University, may help illuminate the conditions surrounding tumor dormancy and the switch to a malignant state. Published today in PLOS ONE, the so-called cellular automaton model simulated various scenarios of tumor growth leading to tumor suppression, dormancy or proliferation.

"The power of the model is that it lets people to test medically realistic scenarios," Torquato said. In future collaborations, these scenarios could be engineered in laboratory experiments and the observed outcomes could be used to calibrate the model.

For each scenario, a set of rules is imposed on the virtual cell population. Rules are possible interactions, such as neighboring cell death or immune system suppression, that dictate cell division through probabilities derived from past experimental data. Once the researchers programmed the rules, they watched as the simulated competition unfolded between the tumor and the environmental factors that may suppress its growth.

"We were very surprised to observe this phenomena where the tumor all of a sudden began to rapidly divide," said Duyu Chen, graduate student in the Torquato lab and lead author on the article. This was the first time that the emergent switch behavior, which has been observed clinically, occurred spontaneously in a model, Chen said.

The researchers evaluated a number of factors that could affect tumor cell growth including phenotypic changes, mechanical properties and the rate and strength of suppression factors such as the immune system. One of the model's findings was the likely suppression of tumors in harsh environments, characterized by high density and pressure.

The research team also predicted that if the number of actively dividing cells within the proliferative rim reached a certain critical level, the tumor was very likely to begin rapidly growing. This result could provide insight into early cancer treatment, Chen said.

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Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by Princeton University. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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Journal Reference:

1. Chen, Yang Jiao, Salvatore Torquato. A Cellular Automaton Model for Tumor Dormancy: Emergence of a Proliferative Switch Duyu. PLOS ONE, October 2014 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109934

3D printing helps build upper jaw prosthetic for cancer patient

 

A 3D printed model of the patient's jaw helped surgeon's overcome problems posed by his inability to open his mouth

Image Gallery (4 images)

While the idea of cruising around in a 3D-printed car and munching on 3D-printed chocolate before returning to a 3D-printed home sure is nice, no industry is poised to benefit from this burgeoning technology in quite the way that medicine is. Replacing cancerous vertebra, delivering cancer-fighting drugs and assisting in spinal fusion surgery are just some of the examples we've covered here at Gizmag. The latest groundbreaking treatment involves an Indian cancer patient, who has had his upper jaw replaced with the help of 3D printing.

When a 41-year-old Bangalore male was diagnosed with cancer of the palate, surgeons proceeded to remove his upper jaw, which in turn left sections of his nose and mouth exposed. The patient then experienced further complications after undergoing six weeks of radiotherapy, which resulted in radiation-induced fibrosis and trismus (lockjaw), limiting his ability to open his mouth to around 20 mm (0.8 in).

Affecting his eating, speech and appearance, the patient sought a prosthesis but dentists were reluctant to treat him, as taking an impression and producing a mold proved problematic given his inability to open his mouth. It was at this point that Osteo3D got involved, a Bangalore-based company backed by the df3d design factory that specializes in 3D printing solutions for the healthcare sector.

Using a CT scan to create a 3D reconstruction of the patient's face, Osteo3D printed a replica of the patient's mouth, complete with lower and upper jaw, the defect and his teeth. With the model able to simulate the movements of the joints and open properly, this negated the difficulties inherent in producing a mold from the patient's real-life jaw.

Using the 3D-printed replica as a template, a wax model was produced and adjusted for a snug fit. This was then hardened, fitted with teeth and handed over to the patient. Thanks to the new prosthesis, his chewing, swallowing, speaking and smiling are now said to be much improved.

Source: df3d

 

Sugared soda consumption, cell aging associated in new study

 

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Drinking sugary drinks may be associated with cell aging, new research shows.

Sugar-sweetened soda consumption might promote disease independently from its role in obesity, according to UC San Francisco researchers who found in a new study that drinking sugary drinks was associated with cell aging.

The study revealed that telomeres -- the protective units of DNA that cap the ends of chromosomes in cells -- were shorter in the white blood cells of survey participants who reported drinking more soda. The findings were reported online October 16, 2014 in the American Journal of Public Health.

The length of telomeres within white blood cells -- where it can most easily be measured -- has previously been associated with human lifespan. Short telomeres also have been associated with the development of chronic diseases of aging, including heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer.

"Regular consumption of sugar-sweetened sodas might influence disease development, not only by straining the body's metabolic control of sugars, but also through accelerated cellular aging of tissues," said Elissa Epel, PhD, professor of psychiatry at UCSF and senior author of the study.

"This is the first demonstration that soda is associated with telomere shortness," Epel said. "This finding held regardless of age, race, income and education level. Telomere shortening starts long before disease onset. Further, although we only studied adults here, it is possible that soda consumption is associated with telomere shortening in children, as well."

The authors cautioned that they only compared telomere length and sugar-sweetened soda consumption for each participant at a single time point, and that an association does not demonstrate causation. Epel is co-leading a new study in which participants will be tracked for weeks in real time to look for effects of sugar-sweetened soda consumption on aspects of cellular aging. Telomere shortening has previously been associated with oxidative damage to tissue, to inflammation, and to insulin resistance.

Based on the way telomere length shortens on average with chronological age, the UCSF researchers calculated that daily consumption of a 20-ounce soda was associated with 4.6 years of additional biological aging. This effect on telomere length is comparable to the effect of smoking, or to the effect of regular exercise in the opposite, anti-aging direction, according to UCSF postdoctoral fellow Cindy Leung, ScD, from the UCSF Center for Health and Community and the lead author of the newly published study.

The average sugar-sweetened soda consumption for all survey participants was 12 ounces. About 21 percent in this nationally representative sample reported drinking at least 20 ounces of sugar-sweetened soda a day.

"It is critical to understand both dietary factors that may shorten telomeres, as well as dietary factors that may lengthen telomeres," Leung said. "Here it appeared that the only beverage consumption that had a measurable negative association with telomere length was consumption of sugared soda."

The finding adds a new consideration to the list of links that has tied sugary beverages to obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, and that has driven legislators and activists in several U.S. jurisdictions to champion ballet initiatives that would tax sugar-sweetened beverage purchases with the goal of discouraging consumption and improving public health.

The UCSF researchers measured telomeres after obtaining stored DNA from 5,309 participants, ages 20 to 65, with no history of diabetes or cardiovascular disease, who had participated in the nation's largest ongoing health survey, called the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, during the years 1999 through 2002. They found that the amount of sugar-sweetened soda a person consumed was associated with telomere length, as measured in the laboratory of Elizabeth Blackburn, PhD, professor of biochemistry at UCSF and a winner of the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for her telomere-related discoveries.

Additional study authors include, from UCSF, Nancy E. Adler, PhD, professor of psychiatry and director of the Center for Health and Community, and Jue Lin, PhD, an associate researcher with Blackburn's lab; from UC Berkeley, Barbara A. Laraia, PhD, director of public health nutrition; from the University of Michigan, Belinda Needham, PhD, assistant professor of epidemiology; and from Stanford University, David H. Rehkopf, ScD, assistant professor of medicine.

Major funding for the study was provided by the National Institutes of Health. Lin is a shareholder of Telomere Diagnostics, Inc.

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Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). The original article was written by Jeffrey Norris. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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Journal Reference:

1. Cindy W. Leung, Barbara A. Laraia, Belinda L. Needham, David H. Rehkopf, Nancy E. Adler, Jue Lin, Elizabeth H. Blackburn, Elissa S. Epel. Soda and Cell Aging: Associations Between Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption and Leukocyte Telomere Length in Healthy Adults From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. American Journal of Public Health, 2014; e1 DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.302151

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