Sergio Parra

Clinical trials often have a serious drawback: The people to whom medicines are administered in them are selected very strictly. Most clinical trials, for example, do not allow pregnant women. And most have age requirements. Additionally, most do not allow people with conditions other than those being tested.

This filtering process reduces the available pool of potential volunteers and also unnecessarily excludes many people who may benefit from the therapy. Artificial intelligence could change this sieve.

Red flags

A team of researchers from Stanford University, working with the biotechnology corporation Genentech, has developed a system based on artificial intelligence that can safely add clinical trial participants who may have been previously excluded.

The new system, called Pathfinder Trial, compares the survival outcomes of clinical trial participants included in a large database.

As the system analyzes the data, it learns more about which patients are more or less likely to experience problems in a clinical trial of a new drug, based on several factors, such as age, weight, whether they are pregnant, and their history. doctor. The system can then be used to emulate a clinical trial by including people who would have previously been filtered out. Finally, researchers can use the information from the system when setting criteria for their real-world clinical trial.

In Xataka Science

The face could indeed be the mirror of the soul, according to artificial vision algorithms

Testing real-world data on specific applications, such as certain types of cancers, showed that it is able to increase the allowable populations of volunteers in such drug trials by approximately 53%.

–
The news

Artificial intelligence could allow people excluded from clinical trials to access them

was originally published in

Xataka Science

by
Sergio Parra

.

According to a new calculation carried out by researchers from the Center national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) and the University of Paris-Saclay, and published in the journal Earth & Planetary Science Letters, every year 5,200 tons of micrometeorites (interplanetary dust from comets and asteroids that give rise to shooting stars) reach the Earth's soil.

We are talking about particles of a few tenths to hundredths of a millimeter that have passed through the atmosphere and reached the Earth's surface.

Six expeditions in search of micrometeorites

To collect and analyze these micrometeorites, six expeditions led by CNRS researcher Jean Duprat have taken place over the last twenty years near the Franco-Italian station of Concordia (Dome C), which is located 1,100 kilometers off the coast of Adélie Land in the heart of Antarctica.

In Xataka Science

The history of the meteorite is different from the others because it has organic origin

This is the main source of extraterrestrial matter on our planet, far ahead of larger objects such as meteorites, whose flow is less than ten tons per year.

Most micrometeorites probably come from comets (80%) and the rest from asteroids.

–
The news

Every year, 5,200 tons of extraterrestrial material reach the surface of our planet

was originally published in

Xataka Science

by
Sergio Parra

.

Zebrafish are a popular model animal, for example, but their eye-brain wiring is very different from that of a human. Modern fish do not have this type of eye-brain connection. This has allowed us to discover something that we did not know until now.

The going theory had been that this connection first developed in terrestrial creatures and, from there, moved to humans, where scientists believe it helps with our depth perception and 3D vision. But it seems that this is not what happened.

Previous connection to land animals

According to this new study, published in Science, this type of eye-brain connection predates animals that live on land. To carry out the study, Researchers used an innovative technique to view the nerves that connect the eyes to the brain in several different fish species.

In Xataka Science

These 16 species of 'ultra-black' fish were discovered this year and absorb 99.9% of light

In a zebrafish, each eye has a nerve that connects it to the opposite side of the fish's brain. That is, one nerve connects your left eye to the right hemisphere of your brain and another nerve connects your right eye to the left side of your brain. The other, more "older" fish do things differently. They have what are called ipsilateral or bilateral visual projections. Here, each eye has two nerve connections, one on each side of the brain, which is also what humans have.

Then the brain gar fish. In this microscope image, the left hemisphere of the brain lights up in green and the right hemisphere in magenta. However, at the bottom of the image, you can see nerves of both colors connecting to both hemispheres. This shows that both of the gar's eyes are connected to both sides of its brain, just like a human's eyes are.

According to the authors:

We are increasingly finding that many things that we think evolved relatively late are actually very old. We learn something about ourselves when we look at these strange fish and understand how old our own body parts are.

–
The news

The sophisticated network of nerves that connect the eyes to the brain evolved 100 million years earlier than thought

was originally published in

Xataka Science

by
Sergio Parra

.

Low fat diets men's testosterone levels decrease by 10-15%, according to a new study conducted at the University of Worcester and published in the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Low testosterone levels are linked to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease. Healthy testosterone levels are also key to men's sports performance, mental health, and sexual health.

Hypogonadism since 1970

The study was a systematic review and meta-analysis, combining the results of six well-controlled studies with a total of 206 participants. These studies first put men on a high-fat diet (40% fat) and then transferred them to a low-fat diet (20% fat) and found that their testosterone levels decreased by 10-15% on average. Particularly bad were low-fat vegetarian diets that caused a decrease in testosterone of up to 26%.

In Xataka Science

Anxiety, hormones and weight loss: science gives you the keys to not gain weight from stress

A high intake of monounsaturated fats found in olive oil, avocados, and nuts can increase testosterone production. However, omega 6 polyunsaturated fats, found predominantly in vegetable oils, can damage the cells' ability to produce testosterone. This is because highly unsaturated fats, such as polyunsaturated fats, are more prone to oxidation, which causes cell damage.

In Xataka Science

Low-carb diet could reverse age-related brain decline

Since the 1970s, there has been a decline in the average testosterone levels of men and women. hypogonadism rates (medically low testosterone) have increased.

–
The news

Low-fat diets lower testosterone levels in men

was originally published in

Xataka Science

by
Sergio Parra

.

According to a new investigation from UC Riverside in mice, exercise and a healthy diet in childhood leads to adults with larger brains and lower anxiety levels.

This study is the first to examine the combined and lasting effects of both factors when experienced early in life.

Long-term exercise and diet

To carry out the study, The researchers divided the young mice into four groups: those who had access to exercise, those who did not have access, those who ate a standard, healthy diet, and those who ate a Western diet.

In Xataka Science

Dementia and cognitive decline could be closer if you lose hearing and vision, according to new study

Researchers determined that exercise early in life generally reduces anxious behaviors in adults. It also led to an increase in muscle and brain mass in adults. When fed "Western"-style diets high in fat and sugar, the mice not only gained weight, but they also became adults who preferred unhealthy foods.

In Xataka Science

A study confirms the link of processed meat with cardiovascular diseases

Previously, the research team found that eating too much fat and sugar in childhood can alter the microbiome for life, even if they later eat healthier. In other words, boosting health in the first years of life is extremely important.

–
The news

Healthier adults with less anxiety if they take care of their diet and exercise as children

was originally published in

Xataka Science

by
Sergio Parra

.

Neuralink Corporation It's a company neurotechnology company specialized in the development of implantable brain-computer interfaces, also known as Brain-Machine Interfaces or BMI, founded by Elon Musk.

In the following video we can see how it is used by a macaque to play to the classic video game Pong, a video game from the first generation of video game consoles published by Atari, created by Nolan Bushnell and released on November 29, 1972.

Pong

A macaque monkey, named Pager, moving a cursor on a computer screen with neural activity using a fully implanted 1,024-electrode neural recording and data transmission device, called N1 Link, is what we can see in the following video:

The researchers implanted the Link in the hand and arm areas of the motor cortex, a part of the brain that is involved in planning and executing movements.

They placed Links bilaterally: one in the left motor cortex (which controls movements on the right side of the body) and another in the right motor cortex (which controls the left side of the body)

–
The news

This macaque is able to play Pong with his mind thanks to Elon Musk's Neuralink

was originally published in

Xataka Science

by
Sergio Parra

.

The association between screen time and subsequent depressive symptoms has been found to be small to very small, according to this new systematic review.

In any case, the association between screen time and depression depends on device type and use. Longitudinal studies are therefore needed that examine the content of the screen and the motivations for its use..

We don't know as much as it seems

An increase in time spent on screen-based technologies has been suggested to underlie recent increases in mental health problems among young people. However, This hypothesis has been based mainly on the findings of cross-sectional studies.

In Xataka Science

Why are we so afraid of terrorism? Is it an effective strategy to achieve objectives?

The aim of the current review was to provide a comprehensive overview of longitudinal studies examining the relationship between screen time and internalizing mental health symptoms. PsycINFO, PubMed/Medline and EMBASE were systematically searched for studies published up to August 2020. 35 studies, with sample sizes ranging from 126 to 12,866 participants, met the inclusion criteria. The association between screen time and subsequent depressive symptoms was found to be small to very small in size.

In Xataka Science

Accidents and annumerism: is the repercussion of a plane accident justifiable?

Taken together, these results suggest that the impact of increased screen time on the prevalence of mental health problems among young people is likely negligible or small. To give an opinion otherwise, to give an opinion assuming that we know more than we do, would be too similar to what an astrologer does when preparing your horoscope or throwing cards at you.

–
The news

Systematic review on screen time and depression in young people: there is no significant relationship

was originally published in

Xataka Science

by
Sergio Parra

.

We have been wondering for a few days about the risks of suffering a blood clot when receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine. However, to take this risk into account and in perspective, we must broaden the focus and remember two things: that we are anumeric by nature (we are not good at calculating risks using mathematics) and that media scaremongering stimulates our amygdala, which hinders our reasoning.

Death is not the only problem

To get a general idea of the risk we face, let's use the following example. If we take a figure of 10 million imaginary people, we could expect to see 40 of these thromboses, and about 10 thromboses would have fatal consequences. Ten deaths out of every 10 million vaccinated people is a one in a million chance. If we delay vaccinations for our 10 million people by a week, around 16,000 could get coronavirus, based on current virus levels.

If they were all older adults, say 60 years old, maybe 1,000 would end up in the hospital and 300 of them would be expected to die, much more than the 10 deaths from clots after vaccination we mentioned above. But for younger people, the risks of hospitalization or death are considerably lower.

In Xataka Science

More than 300 drugs can cause thrombosis, many of them more likely than AstraZeneca

Given the same number of infected 40-year-olds, 16 could be expected to die. And the number of expected deaths would be even lower for people in their 20s and 30s. Therefore, for younger age groups, the choice about whether to receive the AZ vaccine is not so clear, especially when there are so many uncertainties in all these figures.

But death is not the only problem. About a quarter of people who end up in intensive care with Covid have some type of clot resulting from the virus.

In Xataka

Spain stops vaccinating those under 60 with AstraZeneca: those who have already received a dose are the big problem to solve

And for a long time, Covid is more likely to affect people in their 30s than those in their 70s. On average, just over 2,000 in our group would still be dealing with Covid symptoms three months later, and more than half of They would be limited in their daily activities due to these symptoms.

And if a person does not get vaccinated, What is the average risk of suffering a thrombosis? Approximately 40 men and 100 women in our imaginary group of 10 million could suffer a thrombosis, that is, approximately 12 per month.

The European medicines regulator has said that by mid-March they could have expected to see between 1 and 2 cases of blood clots in people under 50 who received the vaccine, but they had seen 12, about nine times more than expected.

That which, we must take risks when we take medication. Either with a vaccine, or with heparin (which produces more blood clots): More than 300 drugs can cause thrombosis, many of them more likely than AstraZeneca.

It is the first time that we have vaccinated so many millions of people (we must expect more adverse cases) and that we follow, minute by minute, all the details through the media and social networks. Until recently, people got vaccinated for yellow fever before going on safari in Africa and did not ask about the side effects (which there are also) or the brand of the vaccine. Let's keep this in mind the next time our amygdala tries to prevent us from reasoning coldly and statistically..

Let's use mathematics to conceptualize rare events as they deserve, How should we do to relativize the fact that we have premonitory dreams?:

–
The news

Regarding risks, anumerisms and thrombi

was originally published in

Xataka Science

by
Sergio Parra

.

Some 33 million people have been vaccinated in Europe, and 222 cases of blood clots have been reported (not all necessarily fatal). For every million people infected with COVID-19, there are 8,000 deaths, so if those 33 million people were infected we could count 26,400 deaths.
That is By administering the vaccine we have potentially avoided 26,400 deaths in exchange for 222 cases of blood clots.

However, both some media and social networks are skeptical and even fearful of vaccines like AstraZeneca. In part, this rejection movement is also linked to the lifelong anti-vaccine movement. Which also gives us a clue to something important: They are few, but they make noise.

Influence on social networks

The modern anti-vaccination movement is led by a relatively small number of dedicated and generally well-funded influencers who have amassed large followings on social media platforms, where fear spreads more easily than facts and nuances.

In Xataka Science

Posting memes mocking COVID-19 anti-vaccines has the opposite effect to that intended (which in reality we do not intend)

Specifically, two-thirds of anti-vaccine content shared or published on Facebook and Twitter between February 1 and March 16, 2021 can be attributed to only twelve people. At least in the United States.

One of the first names on the listFor example, it is Joseph Mercola. Their combined social media reach is 3.6 million followers, so when they share a falsehood about 'forced vaccination' being part of a plan to 'reset the global economic system', that idea spreads like wildfire. gunpowder.

In Xataka Science

There are already more than 70 countries that have disinformation campaigns through the internet

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., is perhaps the most visible leader of the anti-vaccination movement. There is also the influencer couple Sayer Ji and Kelly Brogan. Recently, Ji shared a false claim that Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine had killed more people than the disease itself.

The public cannot make informed decisions about their health when they are constantly inundated with misinformation and false content. Social networks, in part, live off the activity that these elements distribute. A good topic to discuss is whether or not we should nip in the bud a social problem that is so clearly identified.

–
The news

Anti-vaccines are few but very influential on social networks like Twitter or Facebook

was originally published in

Xataka Science

by
Sergio Parra

.

Excavated in France in 1900 and forgotten for more than a century, new analysis reveals that an ornate stone slab from the Bronze Age (2150-1600 BC) is actually the oldest known map of europe.

Some researchers refer to this type of discovery as a “Sleeping Beauty” since, although the stone was found decades ago, its true story has only come to light today.

Sleeping Beauty

The broken slab was reused in the Saint-Bélec burial towards the end of the Bronze Age (1900-1640 BC). At the time, the slab formed one of the walls of a stone cist, a small coffin-shaped stone box used to contain the bodies of the dead. Its engraved face was turned toward the interior of the tomb, but its ends were hidden.

The slab was moved to a private museum in 1900 before the collection was acquired by the Museum of National Antiquities in 1924.

Now, researchers from the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (Inrap), Bournemouth University, CNRS and the University of Western Brittany examined the carved slab, discovering that the slab has many of the elements expected on a prehistoric map, including repeated motifs joined by lines to give the layout of a map.

Des chercheurs de l'Inrap @bournemouthuni @CNRS et @UBO_UnivBrest viennent de mettre in évidence la plus ancienne carte en Europe, datant de l'âge du Bronze ancien. The search for the port on the gravel road of Saint-Bélec (Leuhan, Finistère) and paraît in the bulletin of @SPF_Infos. pic.twitter.com/ZTbSDDUF2C

— Inrap (@Inrap) April 6, 2021

An examination of the etched surface shows that the topography of the slab had an intentional 3D shape to represent the valley of the Odet River, and several lines appear to represent the river network. The territory represented on the slab seems to relate to an area of about 30 by 21 kilometers, along the course of the Odet River.

–
The news

This is the oldest map of Europe, it is engraved in stone and is 3,500 years old

was originally published in

Xataka Science

by
Sergio Parra

.