Lifeboat Foundation

Sepsis is a condition in which the body responds improperly. More specifically, the infection causes the organs in the body to shut down. This is a serious illness which could lead to extremely low blood pressure or septic shock. In this case, permanent damage to the lungs, kidneys, liver, and other organs can occur. Unfortunately, if the damage is extensive enough, it could be fatal. Common symptoms associated with sepsis includes alteration of mental status, shallow breathing, sweating out of context, lightheadedness, chills, and other symptoms associated with infection or fever. Sepsis can lead to septic shock and raises the risk of death. Symptoms of septic shock include inability to stand, sleepiness, and extreme confusion. Interestingly, symptoms can vary between people, and it is important to monitor bodily changes to detect sepsis as early as possible. Bacterial, viral, or fungal infections can lead to sepsis including common infections such as pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and burns, among others. It is critical to see a doctor if you suspect you are not getting better or if your symptoms worsen. Early detection of sepsis can help improve survival rate and prevent permanent organ damage. Treatments include antibiotics, increased fluids, vasopressors to increase blood pressure, and steroids. Although scientists and physicians have worked to understand sepsis and how to treat it, other discoveries are yet to be made.

A recent study in Nature Immunology by Dr. Antoine Roquilly from Nantes University in France, demonstrated that patients that experienced sepsis build strong immune cells that aid in the prevention of tumor development. It was previously unknown how the immune landscape was shaped after a patient recovered from sepsis. Roquilly and his team wanted to understand the relationship between these exposed immune cells and the risk of developing cancer in the future.

Roquilly’s research team first analyzed big datasets that consisted of information from patients who survived sepsis. Researchers were able to determine the risk of cancer prevalence up to 10 years following the discharge from the hospital for sepsis patients. Interestingly, sepsis survivors had lower risk of developing cancer compared to those that did not have sepsis.

Glioblastomas are an extremely aggressive type of brain tumour, which is why the news this week of a vaccine that has shown promise in fighting them is so exciting. And this comes right off the back of the announcement of another trial of the world’s first personalised mRNA vaccine for melanoma, a kind of skin cancer. Ian Sample talks to Prof Alan Melcher of the Institute of Cancer Research about how these vaccines work and whether they could one day be used to target cancer before it is even detectable on scans.

How to listen to podcasts: everything you need to know.

Inside an ancient behavior that is helping tackle modern problems.

The layout of cortical systems varies across people, which is assumed to be largely due to border shifts between nearby systems. Dworetsky et al. reveal a qualitatively different variation in systems that occurs at a distance from expected locations.

A NEW mRNA cancer vaccine can reprogram the immune system to attack tumours within 48 hours, a study shows.

The first-ever human clinical trial of four adult patients showed the jab helps fight against aggressive and deadly brain tumours.

From the brain to the bowels, a division of labor between resident tissue lmacrophages keeps organs healthy.

Learn more in a new Science Immunology Review: #DayOfImmunology

Summary: Researchers explore the intricate mechanisms of memory and debunk common myths about its function. They argue that memory is not a static recording but a dynamic, editable process akin to a Wiki page, and emphasize that forgetting is a normal part of how our brains prioritize information.

Through practical strategies and cognitive psychology research, the book offers methods to enhance memory, from everyday tasks to complex learning processes. The authors also address real-world implications of memory understanding, such as in judicial settings where misconceptions can affect justice.

China’s brain-computer interface technology is catching up to the US. But it envisions a very different use case: cognitive enhancement.

Have you ever looked back on a moment and wondered if you made the right choice? Professor Robert Sapolsky has, but he believes that there was no actual choice at that moment. Professor Sapolsky has staked out an extreme stance in the field: we are nothing more than the sum of our biology, over which we had no control, and its interactions with the environment, over which we also had no control. Explore what it looks like to reject the notion of free will and how doing so can be liberating rather than paralyzing and despairing.

About the Speaker.
Professor Robert Sapolsky is the John A. and Cynthia Fry Gunn Professor and a professor of biology, of neurology, and of neurosurgery. Over the past thirty years, he has divided his time between the lab, where he studies how stress hormones can damage the brain, and in East Africa, where he studies the impact of chronic stress on the health of baboons.

Continue reading “Determined: Life without Free Will with Robert Sapolsky” »