Early Alzheimer's Detection, Self Boosting Vaccines and Jet Fuel from waste CO2 and water
28 July
This week we discover a new blood test that can detect Alzheimer’s up to 17 years before clinical symptoms are visible. We investigate a new microphone that can be attached to skin to allow easier human to machine communication. We examine a self boosting vaccine and finally we look at a new solar tower that can create jet fuel from waste CO2, water and sunlight.
Early Alzheimer’s Detection
As the world ages the number of people that are afflicted by diseases such as Alzheimer’s is rapidly increasing. Researchers at Ruhr-Universitat Bochum in Germany have developed a sensor that is able to identify signs of Alzheimer’s disease in the blood up to 17 years before the first clinical symptoms appear.
The test detects the misfolding of the protein biomarker amyloid-betta that causes characteristic deposits in the brain. This aids early detection and intervention which is key in the treatment of Alzheimer's.
The team analysed blood plasma taken from participants between 2000 and 2002 (which was frozen at the time). None of the participants had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's at the time.
Over the next 17 years, 68 subjects were diagnosed with Alzheimer's. 240 control subjects had no signs of the disease. The original blood samples were analyzed to find out whether signs of Alzheimer's could be found in the blood that had been taken 17 years earlier.
They found that the concentration of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) can indicate the disease up to 17 years before the clinical phase. When combining the amyloid-beta misfolding and GFAP concentration the accuracy of the test was increased during the symptom free stage.
The plan is to establish a simple blood test for screening older people in order to determine their risk of developing Alzheimer's. This may allow the disease to be stopped in the symptom free stage before irreversible damage occurs.
Hearing better with Skin
A team at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) in South Korea have developed a microphone that detects sound by applying polymer materials to microelectro-mechanical systems (MEMS).
Traditional MEMS based microphones that are used in mobile phones and bluetooth devices are based on rigid, brittle silicon. It is difficult to bend the diaphragm or microphone as desired. This interferes with the sound detection ability of the device.
The new tiny microphone can hear a wider auditory field than a human ear and it is easily attachable to the skin. The microphone can detect sounds over 85 decibels and low frequency sounds that the human ear can not hear. The quality of the voice detection is comparable to mobile phones and studio microphones. The microphone can be connected to commercial voice assistants (Google, Siri, Alexa etc) allowing the user to search translate and control devices effortlessly.
The microphone has potential application in various wearable devices. It will provide a simple and convenient human-machine interface. The team plans to create auditory electronic skin by integrating it with skin attachable pressure and temperature sensors and displays.
Self Boosting Vaccines
A team at MIT have developed micro particles that can release does of drugs at specific times over days, weeks or months. It may become part of a platform for vaccines to self boost over time.
The system consists of micro particles that the team has described as being tiny coffee cups. Each cup is made of a biocompatible polymer called PLGA. The drug is loaded into the cup, a lid is fused to the top using heat. As the polymer degrades over time the drugs are released. The timing of the drug release is varied by using different polymers.
The different drug particle size has no impact on the timing of the drug release. Timing is based upon the polymer. This allows vaccines and other drugs that require boosters or multiple shots to be delivered at one time. A self boosting polio vaccine is currently being tested in animals.
Solar powered Tower production of Jet Fuel
A team from ETH University in Zurich Switzerland has developed a solar tower that enables the production of Kerosene from water, CO2 and sunlight.
The tower consists of 169 sun tracking reflective panels that redirect and concentrate solar radiation into a solar reactor mounted on top of a tower. The concentrated solar energy drives an oxidation-reduction reaction cycle into the solar reactor. The reactor contains a porous structure called ceria. The ceria (which is not consumed so is reused) converts water and CO2 injected into the reactor into syngas, a tailored mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The syngas is sent to a gas to liquid converter where it is processed into liquid hydrocarbons fuels including kerosene and diesel.
When the fuel is burnt it still releases carbon into the atmosphere however as it is derived from captured CO2 it is known as cyclical carbon. It does not reduce carbon emissions however it does stop increasing overall carbon emissions from fossil sources.
Earth from Mars
Have you ever wondered what Earth looks like from Mars? Here is a picture of our home from the red planet.
Paying it Forward
If you have a start-up or know of a start-up that has a product ready for market please let me know. I would be happy to have a look and feature the startup in this newsletter. Also if any startups need introductions please get in touch and I will help where I can.
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Till next week.