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The Nutrients journal recently published a special Issue on the role of precise and personalized nutrition for athletes. In it, a new study confirms the benefits of carbohydrate and caffeine supplementation. Previous research suggests that carbohydrate ingestion helps to maintain blood glucose levels. And caffeinated beverages, such as energy drinks, help to delay the onset of fatigue. This new study evaluated the effects of supplementation on repeated sprint ability (RSA). This is defined as the ability of an athlete to recover and maintain maximal effort during subsequent sprints. RSA can be trained and measured via high-intensity sprints interspersed with brief recovery bouts. And it's a key physical factor for sports such as soccer and hurling. Hurling is an intense team sport characterized by bouts of high-speed running, followed by active recovery. Players must hit a ball with a stick to score points against the competing team. Ten male hurling players were followed, over weeks of hurling match-play simulations, while receiving supplements. The supplements provided carbohydrate, carbohydrate plus caffeine, or placebo. Carbohydrate supplements were administered in a 6% maltodextrin solution. And caffeine supplements were administered in a capsule. To isolate the effects of the supplements, participants were instructed to follow nutritional guidelines for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Participants were also instructed to refrain from alcohol, caffeinated food, caffeinated beverages, and vigorous exercise for 48 hours prior to laboratory testing and hurling match-play simulations. Researchers evaluated RSA of participants for each supplement regimen. The conclusions of the study are that the combined ingestion of carbohydrate plus caffeine increases sprint performance and reduces the influence of fatigue. This may work because caffeine magnifies the increase in glucose levels (blood sugar levels) that occurs after eating carbs, as shown in studies of persons with type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. According to the researchers, this study provides data for coaches and players who consider using carbohydrate plus caffeine supplements to improve sprint performance in intense sports. But the main conclusion of the study, that carbohydrate plus caffeine supplementation can increase physical performance, seems interesting for everyone. That probably includes people whose physical activity is moderate, or who want to be more active to facilitate weight loss. While the performance enhancing effects of caffeine have been investigated for over 100 years, the specific mechanisms of action are still debated to date. Caffeine is rapidly absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract and metabolized in the liver. Recent investigations suggest that responses to caffeine, and different amounts of caffeine, vary widely among people. On a personal note, I was raised in a Mediterranean culture, where we often consume caffeine and carbohydrates in the form of pasta and a cup of coffee. I can confirm that carbohydrates and caffeine have positive effects in sports and many other aspects of life. I understand, however, that eating too much pasta could have negative side effects. And not everyone is a coffee drinker. In these cases, carbohydrate and caffeine supplements like Thrivous Surge seem to be a good alternative.

Researchers at Harvard University and Broad Institute have shown that botulinum toxin proteins can be engineered to enable new medical applications. They can promote neuro-regeneration, regulate growth hormones, calm rampant inflammation, or dampen cytokine storm. The latter is a life-threatening immune response associated to COVID-19 and related diseases. Botulinum toxin is sold with the trade name botox, among others. Although it can be a deadly poison, many studies have shown that it is useful for cosmetic procedures. For example, botox injections can relax fascial muscles that cause wrinkles and frown lines. They do this by inhibiting release of acetylcholine, which would otherwise cause the muscles to contract. Beyond cosmetics, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved botox treatments for conditions such as: excessive sweating chronic migraines overactive bladder eyelid spasms crossed eyes Botox is also approved as a treatment for medical conditions like cervical dystonia, to relax the muscles that cause pain. When expertly applied, treatments are generally safe. And possible side effects tend to remain near the site of injection. Botox for Proteomics Now, the range of potential botulinum toxin applications and possible new uses for botox has been spectacularly expanded. In a study published in Science, the researchers describe how they successfully reprogrammed botulinum toxin proteins called proteases. Proteases cut proteins to either activate or deactivate them. The reprogrammed proteases are able to cut entirely new protein targets. Some have little or no similarity to the native targets of the starting proteases. And they can simultaneously avoid cutting or otherwise engaging their original targets. The researchers also started to design treatments that can cross into a cell. Unlike most large proteins, botulinum toxin proteases can enter neurons in large numbers. This gives them a wider reach that makes them all the more appealing as potential therapeutics. Now, there’s a clear path toward the ability to evolve custom proteases with tailor-made instructions for which protein to cut. "Such a capability could make 'editing the proteome' feasible," said professor David Liu, "in ways that complement the recent development of technologies to edit the genome." The proteome is the set of proteins that is, or can be, expressed by a genome, cell, tissue, or organism at a given time, under defined conditions. Proteases can find and attach to any number of proteins. And, once bound, they can do more than just destroy their target. They could, for example, reactivate dormant proteins. Some diseases, like neurological damage following a stroke, could be successfully treated with protease-based therapies. But so far, said Liu, protease-based therapeutics have been limited by "the lack of a technology to generate proteases that cleave protein targets of our choosing." "At the outset," said Dr. Travis Blum, first author of the study, "we didn't know if it was even feasible to take this unique class of proteases and evolve them or teach them to cleave something new because that had never been done before." But using the PACE (Phage-Assisted Continuous Evolution) platform developed bi Liu’s team, the researchers evolved four proteases from three families of botulinum toxin. All four had no detected activity on their original targets and cut their new targets with a high level of specificity. "In theory, there is a really high ceiling for the number and type of conditions where you could intervene," concluded Blum. "We're still trying to understand the system's limitations, but in an ideal world, we can think about using these toxins to theoretically cleave any protein of interest."

Northwestern University researchers have discovered a new synthetic biomaterial that can mimic properties of brain tissue. The biomaterial is suitable for three dimensional (3D) printing. The findings have important implications for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Areas of application include treatment for Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, as well as spinal cord injury. The new biomaterial is described in a research paper published in Advanced Science. Inside the biomaterial, “walking molecules” move around and reshuffle, self-assembling to form larger superstructures. The process can be controlled to modify the structure and functions of synthetic tissues, from the nanoscale to the scale of visible features. Bioactive signals, able to interact with cells, can be integrated into the biomaterial. "Typical biomaterials used in medicine like polymer hydrogels don't have the capabilities to allow molecules to self-assemble and move around within these assemblies," said researcher Tristan Clemons. "This phenomenon is unique to the systems we have developed here." With the new biomaterial, the researchers have demonstrated that the self-assembled superstructures can enhance neuron growth. "This is the first example where we've been able to take the phenomenon of molecular reshuffling we reported in 2018 and harness it for an application in regenerative medicine," said lead researcher Samuel I. Stupp, referring to a previous research paper published in Science. One of the molecules in the new biomaterial mimics a protein in the central nervous system known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This protein helps neurons survive by promoting synaptic connections and allowing neurons to be more plastic. While BDNF could be a valuable therapy for patients with neurodegenerative diseases and injuries in the spinal cord, it degrades quickly in the body and is expensive to produce. BDNF-like mimetic signals in the biomaterial could open the door to promising alternatives. The long-term implications of these findings are very intriguing. One day, surgeons could transplant healthy neurons into patients living with neurodegenerative diseases or brain and spinal cord injuries. The healthy neurons could be "grown" in the laboratory from a patient's own cells using the new biomaterial. And they could be transplanted back into the patients. After this proof of concept with neurons, the researchers plan to work on other areas of regenerative medicine. Simple chemical changes in the biomaterials would allow them to provide signals for a wide range of tissues. "Cartilage and heart tissue are very difficult to regenerate after injury or heart attacks, and the platform could be used to prepare these tissues in vitro from patient-derived cells," added Stupp. "These tissues could then be transplanted to help restore lost functions. Beyond these interventions, the materials could be used to build organoids to discover therapies or even directly implanted into tissues for regeneration since they are biodegradable." Designing biomaterials for 3D printing seems to be a promising approach to helping patients with neurodegenerative diseases. And it also seems promising for regenerative medicine at large.

Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with impaired muscle action, including muscle weakness and decreased muscle strength. There is an increasing amount of evidence that demonstrates the health benefits of adequate vitamin D levels. And evidence points to a positive effect of vitamin D supplements on physical performance. International health organizations recommend 400 to 6000 IU/day vitamin D supplementation. Recommendations depend on age and health status. A study published by researchers at the University of Gdansk, titled “The Effect of Vitamin D3 Supplementation on Physical Capacity among Active College-Aged Males,” was published in Nutrients. It concludes with good news. Vitamin D3 supplements with a dose of 6000 IU daily for eight weeks is sufficient to improve physical capacity and vitamin D3 levels. A total of 28 healthy, male subjects participated in the study. Subjects were divided into two groups (supplement and placebo). Initial physical capacity level, as well as vitamin D concentration, did not differ between supplement and placebo groups. Subjects from the supplement group were given 6000 IU of vitamin D3 daily in capsule form (2000 IU per capsule). The placebo group received identical-looking capsules containing sunflower oil. All participants (medical university students) took three capsules per day in the morning for eight weeks. And they took part in 3 hours per week of supervised physical activity. The participants were instructed to maintain their nutritional habits throughout the whole experiment. The researchers measured the relevant data before, during, and after the experiment. They demonstrated that supplements improve vitamin D levels. And they have a positive impact on both aerobic (VO2 max) and anaerobic performance. In practical terms, anaerobic exercise is more intense, but shorter in duration than aerobic exercise. Vitamin D supplements are good for both. On the other hand, the data imply that low vitamin D levels negatively influence both. And this is the case even in young people with fair aerobic physical fitness. Though all participants in this specific study were young men, it seems plausible to me that the results generalize to everyone. Keep in mind that this study applies to vitamin D3 supplements. Research shows that they are more effective than vitamin D2 supplements. Vitamin D3 is a form of vitamin D which is made by the skin when exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D3 is also found in some foods, such as oily fish and egg yolks. And it can be taken as a dietary supplement. Low vitamin D3 levels result from sunlight limitations. This may be due to geographical location. Or it may result from a lifestyle that includes spending most of the time indoors (both during work and in free time). Residents of Gdansk don’t get too much sunlight. I don’t live far from Gdansk. And there isn’t too much sunlight here either. But I’m writing this at 8am. And today is a sunny day. So I’ll go outdoors, enjoy the sunlight, and build up my vitamin D intake. Please do the same when you can. Talk to your doctor, and establish a workout routine. Last but not least, consider pre-workout vitamin D supplements like Thrivous Tenacity!

Researchers at MIT and other institutions have developed a miniaturized detection system that seems to detect diseases with even greater sensitivity than a dog's sense of smell. Dogs are able to smell many things that humans cannot. They have around 300 million scent receptors, compared to around 5 million in humans. And experts have trained dogs, including well-known breeds such as Labrador Retrievers and German Shepherds, to detect and alert us to the presence of disease. Some service dogs are trained to sniff skin, breath, or urine samples with a very high success rate. For example, medical detection dogs are smelling breast cancer and prostate cancer at a rate of 97% or higher. They are detecting Parkinson's Disease at a rate of up to 90%. And diabetic alert dogs can detect low blood sugar at a rate of 70% on average. "Dogs, for now 15 years or so, have been shown to be the earliest, most accurate disease detectors for anything that we've ever tried," said MIT researcher Andreas Mershin. "So far, many different types of cancer have been detected earlier by dogs than any other technology." The new miniaturized detector system is described in a research paper published in PLOS ONE. It incorporates mammalian olfactory receptors that act as sensors. The data captured by the sensors can be handled in real-time by a typical smartphone. The researchers tested urine samples from confirmed cases of prostate cancer and controls known to be free of the disease. They used both dogs, trained and handled by Medical Detection Dogs in the U.K., and the miniaturized detection system. The study confirmed that the sniffer dogs had "enormous potential” to detect cancer, said Clare Guest, founder of Medical Detection Dogs, as reported by BBC News. "The dogs have been able to identify these very aggressive cancers. This could lead to lifesaving work in the future that would enable us to understand the difference between other diseases of the prostate and those that will go on to kill men." But the new detection system has enormous potential as well. Actually, the detection hardware is 200 times more sensitive than a dog's nose in terms of being able to detect and identify tiny traces of different molecules. This was confirmed through controlled tests mandated by DARPA. However, in terms of interpreting detection results, the hardware is “100 percent dumber" than a dog, said Mershin. Emulating the nose of a dog is not enough. One has to also emulate the brain of the working dog, which integrates and interprets the molecular signals sensed by the nose. To do this, the researchers used a machine-learning program based on an artificial neural network. The combination of olfactory sensing and machine learning (“machine olfaction”) was able to match the success rates of the dogs. Both methods scored more than 70%. “We knew that the sensors are already better than what the dogs can do in terms of the limit of detection, but what we haven’t shown before is that we can train an artificial intelligence to mimic the dogs,” said Mershin. “And now we’ve shown that we can do this. We’ve shown that what the dog does can be replicated to a certain extent.” The researchers are persuaded that their work could someday lead to automated disease detection systems for smartphones. As a dog lover, I’m happy to see that our four-legged best friends inspire breakthrough medical technologies.

About one third (35%) of people who took a new drug for treating obesity lost more than one-fifth of their total body weight. The drug, semaglutide, works by hijacking the body's own appetite regulating system in the brain. It leads to reduced hunger and calorie intake. A study is published in New England Journal of Medicine. In it, the researchers report that participants in a large scale global trial lost an average 15.3 kg. This was accompanied by reductions in risk factors for heart disease and diabetes. For example, waist circumference, blood fats, blood sugar, and blood pressure decreased. And participants reported improvements in their overall quality of life. “The findings of this study represent a major breakthrough for improving the health of people with obesity,” said Rachel Batterham in a press release. It was issued by UCL, where she leads the Centre for Obesity Research. "Three quarters (75 percent) of people who received semaglutide 2.4mg lost more than 10 percent of their body weight and more than one-third lost more than 20 percent," she continued. "No other drug has come close to producing this level of weight loss - this really is a gamechanger. For the first time, people can achieve through drugs what was only possible through weight-loss surgery." Semaglutide is already approved and used clinically at a lower dose for treatment of diabetes. With evidence from this trial, semaglutide has been submitted for regulatory approval as a treatment for obesity. I’m one of too many people with excess weight. Deep down in my often aching bones, I know that I should lose weight. But I’m unwilling to give up the pleasure of good food in large doses. I’ll add that I don’t like exercise, to which I really prefer my armchair and a good book. So I guess I’m a card carrying member of the demographics targeted by this research. Perhaps some next-generation treatments will help us? Nanotech Promises Better Cancer Immunotherapy Researchers at UT Southwestern have shown that a new nanoparticle-based drug can boost the body's innate immune system. And it can make the immune system more effective at fighting off tumors. A study is published in Nature Biomedical Engineering. Researchers describe how to successfully target the immune molecule, STING. They do so with nanoparticles that can switch on/off immune activity in response to their physiological environment. This approach leads to a more effective immune response against multiple solid tumors. In the laboratory, mice survived longer and had slower tumor growth. The researchers are persuaded that this new nanotechnology approach offers a way to realize the exciting potential of STING activation without some of the limitations. Re-Educated Immune Cells Optimize Immunity Researchers at Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS) have identified a therapeutic approach to restore the effectiveness of immune cells. They were prompted by the need to improve conventional treatments for people infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1). A specific group of patients, called "elite controllers," are able to live with the infection without any drug intervention. In a paper published in Autophagy, the researchers show that the strength of elite controllers comes from their energy metabolism within a certain type of immune cells. These immune cells can be "re-educated" using a soluble protein called interleukin-21 (IL-21). This optimizes their energy intake and immune function. These findings are not necessarily limited to HIV-1. They could have implications for other pathologies associated with persistent inflammation, such as cancer. Synthetic Gene Circuits for Cancer Treatment Bioengineers at Arizona State University have developed a new process for inserting synthetic gene circuits into cells. This could have broad implications for improving the effectiveness of a range of disease therapies. Synthetic gene circuits can be customized to fight disease, including ca ...

Researchers at University of Southern California (USC) are advancing toward personalized deep brain stimulation. This research could open the doors to major steps forward in achieving new therapies for a whole host of neurological and mental disorders. In fact, millions of patients suffering from neurological and mental disorders such as depression, addiction, and chronic pain are treatment-resistant. 30% of all major depression patients do not respond at all to any medication or therapy. A paper is published in Nature Biomedical Engineering. The researchers have found a way to predict what effect electrical stimulation will have on an individual's brain activity across multiple brain regions. To accomplish this, the researchers designed two tools. The first is a novel electrical stimulation wave to map brain activity. The second is a new machine-learning technique that learns the map from brain data collected during stimulation. "Our wave, which changes its amplitude and frequency randomly in time, allowed us to see and predict how the brain responded to a wide range of stimulation doses," explains lead researcher Maryam Shanechi in a press release issued by USC. What this means is that doctors may soon be able to personalize a "dose" of deep brain stimulation. This would be done on a case-by-case basis and in real-time by changing the amplitude and frequency of stimulation. "[We] hope to build closed loop brain-machine interfaces that adjust the dose of electrical stimulation therapy by tracking the symptoms in real-time based on brain activity and by predicting how a change in stimulation can change the activity and thus these symptoms," adds Shanechi. New Skin Cancer Therapies Yale researchers are developing a skin cancer treatment that involves injecting nanoparticles into the tumor. This would kill cancer cells with a two-pronged approach, as a potential alternative to surgery. A paper is published in PNAS. It describes the new treatment. Tumors are injected with polymer-based nanoparticles, carrying a chemotherapy agent. Key to the treatment's success is that the nanoparticles are bioadhesive. That is, they bind to the tumors and remain attached long enough to kill a significant number of the cancer cells. In related news, scientists at Boston University have discovered that a drug that was previously created to target one specific type of protein has much broader use against a family of proteins that act to promote melanoma. Melanoma is an aggressive type of skin cancer. The drug is YK-4-279. This finding is detailed in a paper published in Cancer Research. Improved Lung Function in COPD Patients Researchers at National Institutes of Health and their collaborators have found that inhaling unfragmented hyaluronan improves lung function in patients suffering from severe exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Hyaluronan is a sugar secreted by living tissue that acts as a scaffold for cells. It is also used in cosmetics as a skin moisturizer and as a nasal spray to moisturize lung airways. A study is published in Respiratory Research. It reports that hyaluronan shortened the amount of time that COPD patients in intensive care needed breathing support. It also decreased their number of days in the hospital, which saved money. DNA Change Repairs Immune Deficiency Researchers at Garvan Institute of Medical Research have discovered that three patients spontaneously repaired harmful variants in their DNA. The patients had a severe genetic immunodeficiency. And the spontaneous change restored normal immune function over time. Some spontaneous DNA changes are associated with the development of diseases like cancer. But in these three patients, a spontaneous DNA change, known as somatic reversion, had a positive effect. It repaired the faulty genes responsible for DOCK8 deficiency. The deficiency is a rare inherited condition. A study is published in Journal of Clinical Investigation. The researchers det ...

A controlled double-blind trial from India shows that Boswellia Serrata can enhance pain tolerance. In Ayurvedic medicine, the herb is also known as Indian Frankincense. The study is published in the Indian Journal of Pharmacology: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study to evaluate the analgesic activity of Boswellia serrata in healthy volunteers using mechanical pain model The findings of the study are particularly interesting because they involve testing pain thresholds in healthy adults. That applies to most readers of this article. The active compound in Boswellia Serrata is 3-acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (AKBA). AKBA binds to 5-LOX receptors, blocking active compounds from binding to it. This reduces the production of inflammatory leukotrienes. The Mechanics of Pain In the body, arachidonic acid can follow two main paths that cause inflammation and pain: the COX pathways, and the LOX pathway. The COX pathways produce prostaglandins that cause inflammation, fever, and pain. Aspirin and common non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents or drugs (NSAIDS) affect the COX pathways. Blocking the COX-1 pathway, such as with aspirin, can cause damage to the gastric lining. Blocking the COX-2 pathway, such as with prescription medications, can carry the risk of cardiovascular events and should be monitored. Ibuprofen blocks both the COX-1 and COX-2 pathways. The LOX pathway increases leukotrienes that cause inflammation, pain, allergy responses, and gastric damage. Blocking the LOX pathway, such as with Boswellia Serrata, reduces leukotrienes. And that may reduce inflammation and pain. For more details about the effect of Boswellia Serrata on the LOX pathway, see the work of Safayhi H, Mack T and others on " Boswellic acids: Novel, specific, non-redox inhibitors of 5-lipoxygenase." A New Approach to Pain Reduction In the Indian clinical trial, researchers noted they were looking for treatments to relieve chronic pain, such as that caused by osteoarthritis or inflammatory bowel diseases. And they hoped to find something with fewer side effects than NSAIDS. GI bleeding, increased blood pressure, and heart and kidney problems are associated with NSAIDS. But instead of testing a new treatment on persons with disease, they decided to test it on healthy persons. Their reasoning was that this would help the study avoid confounding variables that often arise in tests on persons with disease. And the upshot, for the rest of us, is that their decision makes it easier to apply the results more broadly. Measuring Pain Threshold and Tolerance This study involved twelve healthy men, aged 18 to 45. The researchers used a validated mechanical pain model to measure pain threshold and pain tolerance. Pain threshold is the force applied when pain is first identified. And pain tolerance is the force applied when the pain is no longer bearable. The force was applied to the nail bed of the index finger on the non-dominant hand. Researchers used an instrument that increases force incrementally over time. Each participant went through a control run and then two trials in random order. One trial was after taking a placebo. The other trial was after taking a dietary supplement containing 250 mg of Boswellia extracts. Each trial included measurements at baseline, one hour, two hours, and three hours after consumption of the supplement. Pain threshold was improved at two and three hours after supplementation. The improvement was greater at three hours. Pain tolerance improved at one, two, and three hours after supplementation. None of participants reported adverse side effects. Although healthy adults don’t often get an intentional finger pinch, the test is still a standardized and measurable example of managing pain. In this study, a Boswellia Serrata supplement improved both the pain threshold and pain tolerance in healthy adults within hours of ingestion. Thrivous Tenacity Thrivous develops Tenacity Arthroprotector to enhanc ...

Many people all over the world are likely to receive the COVID-19 vaccine BBIBP-CorV, developed by the Chinese state-owned biopharmaceutical company Sinopharm. Many countries have approved the vaccine and announced plans to deploy it. For example Hungary, the country where I live, became the European Union’s first member to approve China’s Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine. And Hungary sealed a deal for 5 million doses, Reuters reports. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that he would personally opt to receive the Chinese vaccine, as he trusted it more than others. BBIBP-CorV is based on inactivated coronaviruses. This is an approach that has been used for over a century. And it works by teaching the immune system to make antibodies against the coronavirus, explains The New York Times. There was a limited clinical trial “aimed to assess the safety and immunogenicity of an inactivated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine candidate, BBIBP-CorV, in humans.” The preliminary results were published in The Lancet in October 2020. And they are encouraging. A press release issued by the journal states that the study detected antibody responses in all recipients by day 42 after vaccination. And it provides some data for participants aged over 60 years. The vaccine was safe and well tolerated at all tested doses, with no severe adverse reactions reported. More recently in December, the health ministry of the United Arab Emirates stated that the vaccine has 86 percent efficac. They cited an interim analysis of late-stage clinical trials yet to be published, Reuters reports. Chromosome Anomaly Is a Cancer Vulnerability An abnormal number of chromosomes (aneuploidy) is a unique characteristic of cancer cells that researchers have known about for decades. Scientists at Tel Aviv University (TAU) have shown how that could become a weak point for cancer cells. Approximately 90 percent of solid tumors, such as breast cancer and colon cancer, and 75 percent of blood cancers are aneuploid in nature. A study is published in Nature. It shows that aneuploid cancer cells demonstrate heightened sensitivity to damage to a critical cellular mechanism that ensures the proper separation of chromosomes during cell division. The study also reveals the molecular basis for the heightened sensitivity of aneuploid cancer cells. The scientists are persuaded that their research could lead to the development of future drugs that will use this vulnerability to eliminate cancer cells. Smartphone App for Neurodegenerative Diseases Researchers at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have invented a smartphone-controlled soft brain implant that can be recharged wirelessly from outside the body. It is described in a study published in Nature Communications. The implant enables long-term neural circuit manipulation without the need for periodic disruptive surgeries to replace a battery. It has been used to suppress cocaine-induced behavior in laboratory rats by delivering light stimulation into the brain, controlled with the smartphone app. The researchers believe this technology can help uncover and treat psychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. They may include addiction, depression, and Parkinson's. 3D-Printing for Bone Reconstruction Scientists at University of New South Wales Sydney have developed a ceramic-based ink. It may allow surgeons in the future to 3D-print bone parts, complete with living cells that could be used to repair damaged bone tissue. Using a 3D-printer that deploys a special ink made up of calcium phosphate, the scientists developed a new technique. It is known as ceramic omnidirectional bioprinting in cell-suspensions (COBICS). And it is described in a research paper published in Advanced Functional Materials. The new technique enables printing of bone-like structures that harden in a matter of minutes when placed in water. Potential applications include creation of bone in th ...

I thought I'd seen it all when it came to brain boosting supplement scams, with Amazin Brain and then SF180 Brain Pills. But the company's latest scam, Vigor Smart, takes the cake. When visiting the official website for Vigor Smart, I found the same verbiage, endorsements, graphics, and pictures as Amazin Brain and SF180 Brain Pills. However, the fake news page was worse. Vigor Smart can kiss PR away for their fake press release. Using an “Entertainment Today” logo, their advertorial reports on 23 January 2021 that they got the “largest deal in Shark Tank history.” Supposedly, all five judges decided to invest more than a million dollars in the Vigor Smart supplement. However, when searching Shark Tank's official blog site, Vigor Smart doesn't appear. The last nootropic featured on Shark Tank was in the 10 April 2020 episode. The blog states that investors, Mark and Lori, tend to shy away from investing in any company making health claims. The maker of these brands lures consumers in with what appears to be 30-day free trial offers, with payment of shipping and handling via credit card. In a response to a Better Business Bureau complaint, Amazin Brain clarifies: “We do not offer sample sizes or free gifts, we send you a full 30 day supply and allow you to try our products free for 14 days at only the cost of shipping and handling. If you do not cancel within trial, upon expiration you are billed the retail price of the products as well as enrolled in an automated shipping program.” Vigor Smart's Mental Health Claims Vigor Smart claims to be a natural formula revolutionary brain supplement. It claims to eliminate brain fog and reduce stress and anxiety. And it claims to improve memory, focus, mental energy, brainpower, and overall brain health. However, nowhere on their site nor on Amazon.com could I find the nutrition label or ingredients of Vigor Smart. Nor could I find any listed side-effects like headache or dizziness. The front of the bottle shows it contains 700 mg total of L-Glutamine and Bacopa Monnieri. L-Glutamine is a readily available amino acid in meat and dairy. It is taken orally to improve the physical health of someone suffering severe wounds, burns, sickle cell anemia, or surgery. It has no nootropics benefits. Bacopa Monnieri is of Indian origin. It is used in Ayurveda medicine to improve cognitive functioning and memory by reducing stress. A daily supplement of Bacopa Monnieri has been shown to safely enhance cognitive performance. What's Missing Tells a Bigger Story Vigor Smart may be missing some of the most important nootropics, scientifically proven to enhance brain functioning. Ginkgo Biloba improves blood flow to the brain to support healthy brain aging. Phosphatidylserine is a fatty substance that helps protect brain cells, while increasing transmission capabilities between them. The only thing about Vigor Smart that doesn't look the same as Amazin Brain or SF 180 Brain Pills is the cost. For 60 capsules, Amazon sells Amazin Brain for $29.97. SF 180 Brain Pills sells for $36.40. And Vigor Smart sells for $49.95. That's less nootropic ingredients than either Amazin Brain or SF 180 Brain Pills for more money. Don't buy into this scam! Thrivous Nootropics If you're looking for nootropics to support healthy brain function and enhance cognition, Thrivous is a far better choice. Thrivous offers multiple nootropic products. They include Clarity Daily Nootropic to enhance memory, focus, and mood. Clarity contains only effective nootropic nutrients and doses. Each nutrient and each dose is based on multiple human studies. And Thrivous shares all of them in a summary of clinical studies, which you can download and review. Each bottle of Clarity passes through multiple rounds of rigorous quality control. Suppliers test the identity, potency, and safety of each nutrient. Third-party testers verify all test results with a second and third rounds of testing for each nutrient and their combination. And Thrivous ...