Category Archives: Futurism

Caspase Independent Cell Death (CICD)

Scientists have discovered a new process to kill cancer cells, called Caspase Independent Cell Death (CICD), that can get rid of tumors, and decrease the risk of both side effects and recurrence. In experimental models, CICD removed tumors completely killing all cancer cells.

Current treatments such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation all carry risks of side effects, and they frequently fail to kill all cancer cells, which leads to recurrence. These treatments all work through apoptosis, the process of activating proteins called caspases to cause cell death.

Dr. Stephen Tait, the researcher who led the University of Glasgow team in the work on the CICD technique, told Sky News the new method often led to complete tumor regression and may be a more effective way to treat cancer than apoptosis. He added: In essence, this mechanism has the potential to dramatically improve the effectiveness of anti-cancer therapy and reduce unwanted toxicity. Taking into consideration our findings, we propose that engaging CICD as a means of anti-cancer therapy warrants further investigation.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death globally. Worldwide, there were 14 million new cases of cancer and 8.2 million cancer-related deaths in 2012. Within the next 20 years, the number of new cancer cases will rise to 22 million worldwide.

In the United States alone, an estimated 1,685,210 new cases of cancer were diagnosed in 2016, and 595,690 people died. Every year in the U.S .there are about 454.8 new cases of cancer for every 100,000 adults and 171.2 cancer deaths per 100,000 adults. About 39.6 percent of people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer at some time in their lives. As a country, the U.S.s annual national expenditures on cancer care have been estimated to reach up to $156 billion by 2020.

Cancer is a disease that science is eager to better understand so that it can be better prevented, treated, and perhaps even one day cured. Current treatment methods are only partially effective (and are typically specific to the type of cancer, of which there are many). They also make even healthy cells sick, which further wreaks havoc on the rest of the body, not just the cancerous tumors. In contrast, when the CICD technique kills cancer cells, those cells release inflammatory proteins which alert the immune system to ramp up the bodys own natural defenses, which then attack any remaining tumor cells missed during the initial treatment.

Work remains for the researchers, as they have not yet successfully triggered the CICD response in humans. They hope that achievement will be possible as their research continues and they experiment with a wider range of cancer cells (the current work focused solely on colorectal cancer cells). Still, these initial results are very promising.

Although many cancer treatments work by triggering apoptosis, that method sometimes fails to finish the job and instead may lead to the tumor becoming harder to treat, spokesperson Dr. Justine Alford told Sky News. This new research suggests there could be a better way to kill cancer cells which, as an added bonus, also activates the immune system.

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A New Cancer Treatment Could Be More Effective Than ... - Futurism - Futurism

In BriefThe FDA has designated 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (better known as ecstasy) a "breakthrough therapy" for the treatment of PTSD. If approved for medicinal use, the drug could help the nearly 8 million people who suffer form PTSD yearly.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined that3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), also known as ecstasy, is a breakthrough therapy in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Thanks to this designation, the drugcould have a faster path to pharmaceutical approval.

The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) announced the FDAs ruling last week, revealing that they can now move forward on two of their upcoming Phase 3 trials. The goal of these trials is todetermine how effectively the drug can be used to treat those suffering from PTSD. The trials will include 200 to 300 participants, and the first trial will begin to accept subjectsin 2018.

For the first time ever, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy will be evaluated in Phase 3 trials for possible prescription use, with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD leading the way, said Rick Doblin, Founder and Executive Director of MAPS.

The trials will be held in the U.S., Canada, and Israel, and MAPS plans to opentalks with the European Medicines Agency in the hopes of expanding testing to include Europe. For now, the focus is on securing the funding they require. According to Science, the organization is still in the process of raising money for the trials, and thus far, theyve only managed to secure $13 million, about half of their goal.

Since 1986, MAPS has been conducting MDMA trials in the hopes of proving the drugs therapeutic value. Following the 2011 release of a small study in the U.S., the drug has gained traction as a potential treatment for PTSD. Since then, scientists have been pushing for additional testing, but ecstasys stigma as a harmful street drug has hinderedprogress. The FDAs new designation could change that.

This is not a big scientific step, David Nutt, a neuropsychopharmacologist at Imperial College London, explained to Science. Its been obvious for 40 years that these drugs are medicines. But its a huge step in acceptance.

Previous MAPS trials exploringhow well MDMA could treat PTSD have yielded favorable results, contributing to the FDAs aforementioned decision. In the associations Phase 2 trails, 107 people who had PTSD for an average of 17.8 years were treated using MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. After two months, 61 percent of the participants no longer suffered from PTSD. After a year, that number increased to 68 percent, according to the MAPS press release.

PTSD only needs a small trigger like a sound, smell, or an object to bring a traumatic memory rushing back. Nearly 8 million adults experience PTSD per year, and children can suffer from it as well.Should MDMA prove to be an effective and safe treatment, it could help millions of people live normal, healthy lives without fear of the next debilitating PTSD episode.

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The FDA Has Labeled Ecstasy A Breakthrough Therapy for PTSD - Futurism

In BriefVeteran engine designer and manufacturer Cummins unveiled an electric powertrain concept truck on Tuesday, as part of beefing up its efforts to develop environmentally-friendly products. Cummins launched the AEOS ahead of Tesla's semis.

Ahead of Teslas planned September launch of its highly-anticipated electric semi truck, American engine designer and manufacturer Cummins unveiled an electric concept truck. Dubbed the AEOS, the all-electric semi is part of the companys efforts to develop environmentally-friendly technologies.

These new technological innovations build on our 100-year legacy of bringing the best solutions to our customers, driving their success and meeting the evolving demands of their industries and markets, Cummins CTO Jennifer Rumsey said at the event on Tuesday at the companys Technical Center in Columbus, Indiana.

While the AEOS is remarkable as it is, it might not be much of a competition for Teslas upcoming electric semi. For starters, the range doesnt match Teslas, which is presumably capable of reaching 321-483 kilometers (200-300 miles) on a single charge. While both dont yet match the 1610-kilometer (1000-mile) range of traditional semis, Tesla can certainly deliver more than the AEOS the latter can work perfectly well for inner-city deliveries.

Then theres the rumors about platooning. Supposedly, Teslas electric semi is meant to work as part of an autonomous fleet of electric trucks trailing one lead vehicle. As for how much cargo one Tesla semi can haul, there are no reports that hint on that yet.

Electric vehicles are beginning to dominate roads, beginning with passenger vehicles and now with delivery trucks. The goal is to have fully-electric (and ideally autonomous) trucks that can cover long-haul deliveries. Delivery trucks running on fossil fuels contribute about 23 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. So, with both Tesla and Cummins offering cleaner alternatives, it isnt really a competition. It all boils down to how much both can help make roads greener.

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Engine Giant Cummins Launched Its Electric Semi Ahead of Tesla - Futurism

In BriefRonnie Moas, founder of Standpoint Research, spoke with CoinDesk about his predictions for bitcoin and the entire crypto market. He foresees a major boost as opposed to a bubble burst.

Bitcoin is on an ever-upward trend lately. Today, the worlds first and most popular cryptocurrency is flirting with $4,500 in valuation. Bitcoinis now more than three times more valuable than gold., and, according to one expert, Ronnie Moas of Standpoint Research, we are still only at the tip of the iceberg.

Moas spoke with CoinDesk about his forecast for the cryptomarket. He predicts that all cryptocurrencies will be worth $2 trillion in the next 10 years, a significant bump from their current standing at $150 billion. Moas sees a direct parallel between the crypto market and the dot-com boom of the 1990s.

I am not any more concerned with bitcoin being at a record high than Amazon or Google investors were concerned when those share prices jumped hundreds of percent and hit $100 and $200 many years ago. Today, both of those stocks are above $900. The question is not where we are at it is where are we going? I do not think we are in a bubble.

As for bitcoin specifically, Moas is predicting prices to continue to soar with value reaching $15,000 to $20,000 in the next three years.

Others, like Peter Schiff, an investor who predicted the 2008 mortgage crisis, see bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as existing in a bubble and as a Ponzi scheme built on just plain greed. Still, there is no way to know which way this market will go as no one has yet invented a way to see into the future.

Disclosure: Several members of the Futurism team, including the editors of this piece, are personal investors in a number of cryptocurrency markets. Their personal investment perspectives have no impact on editorial content.

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Expert Predicts Bitcoin Will be Worth up to $20000 in the Next Three Years - Futurism

In BriefNASA has detailed a plan to prevent the Yellowstone supervolcano from ever erupting. By drilling into the volcano and pumping water into and out of it at high speeds, they believe they could cool the volcano and use the emerging hot water to generate electricity.

When people think of Yellowstone, its usually in relation to the national park, a massive 8,983 square kilometer (3,468.4 square mile) area comprising mountains, rivers, and forests. Less commonly considered is the Yellowstone Caldera, a supervolcano whose eruption could be devastating for our planet.

Thankfully, such an explosion is highly unlikely, and now,NASA has come up with a way to not only ensure that the volcano remains inactive, but also use it to provide the surrounding area with electricity.

Following their release of a story on supervolcanoes, the BBC was contacted by a few NASA members who wanted to share details on a previously unreleased plan to deal with Yellowstone. Even NASA admits their incredibly ambitious plan is risky, but the potential benefits resulting from its success cant be completely ignored.

First, they would drill into the volcano from the lower sides, outside the boundaries of Yellowstone National Park. Coming from this direction would prevent the intense heat from making its way to the top of the chamber, where it would cause further problems.

Once drilling is complete, water would be pumped into and back out of the supervolcano at high pressures, with the exiting water heated to a temperature of around 350 degrees Celsius (662 degrees Fahrenheit). The water going in would slowly cool the volcano, while the hot water coming out of it could be used to generate electricity.

Yellowstone currently leaks around 6GW in heat, Brian Wilcox, a researcher at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), explained to the BBC. Through drilling in this way, it could be used to create a geothermal plant, which generates electric power at extremely competitive prices of around $0.10/kWh.

Aside from the dangers inherent in any plan to drill into a volcano, the NASA proposal is also largely theoretical no one knows for sure that it would work, and the cost of finding out would bean estimated$3.46 billion. Wilcox doesnt think this cost is insurmountable, however.

You would have to give the geothermal companies incentives to drill somewhat deeper and use hotter water than they usually would, but you would pay back your initial investment and get electricity which can power the surrounding area for a period of potentially tens of thousands of years, he noted. And the long-term benefit is that you prevent a future supervolcano eruption which would devastate humanity.

Even if the system can effectively cool Yellowstone at NASAs estimated rate of 1 meter (3.2 feet) per year,it would take thousands of years before only cool rock was left and longer than that to actually confirm that the process had permanently eliminated the threat of an eruption.

Despite all of these variables, the plan is worth consideration, especially given that Yellowstone is just one of about 20 supervolcanoes on the planet. NASA hopes that their proposal will encourage more practical discussions and debates on what to do about these massive structures prior to an eruption, at which point the Earth could be thrust into a volcanic winter.

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NASA Has a $3.46 Billion Plan to Ensure the Yellowstone ... - Futurism - Futurism

In BriefAt approximately 3:00 PM ET August 24th, SpaceX launched a Taiwanese observational satellite called FORMOSAT-5 on a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg, California. This launch marks the 12th successful mission for SpaceX in 2017, the most its had ever in one year.

SpaceX is at it again. After a successful slew of launches that began earlier this year, Elon Musks rocket venture company has just launched a Taiwanese Earth-observation satellite called FORMOSAT-5 into space aboard a reused Falcon 9.

The launch took place on site in Vandenberg, California and the rocket landed on SpaceXs drone ship 10 minutes after it took off. Its the 12th successful launch SpaceX has had this year, the 40th flight for a Falcon 9, and the ninth time one has landed without hiccups.

Its been a promising year for SpaceX. Not only has the aerospace company hadmore launches than everthis year prior to 2017, the most launches itd had in a year was eight its also moving forward with a number of other endeavors. SpaceX recently launched the last of its unused Dragon 2 spacecraft, and is preparing to launch a Falcon Heavy this November. Theres also the highly-anticipateddevelopment of its Mars mission coming out this upcoming September. Even further, Musk has given a long-awaited sneak peek into its space suit development project for NASA, releasing the first image of the futuristic suit earlier this week. Its expected to see space action in 2018, as SpaceX plans to send two tourists on a round trip to the Moon. SpaceX will continue with its commercial partnership missions, just like with this most recent launch of a satellite specially designed and built in Taiwan.

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The 40th Flight of the Falcon 9 Was a Success - Futurism