122. Better Concussion Detection, Restoring Memories With Prosthesis, AI and Epilepsy

Summary: Shows Notes: Neck-worn "bandage" sensors could better warn of concussions | New Atlas (01:09) One of the dangerous things about sports-related concussions is the fact that athletes may not realize they have one.A new sensor could let them (or their coaches) know. It would go on their neck, not their head. Helmet-integrated sensors, which have been developed, detect the type of impacts associated with concussions; such devices aren't necessarily 100-percent reliable.  Because a lot of concussions are associated with their head rapidly moving whiplash-style to one side, researchers at Michigan State University developed a thin-film adhesive-patch sensor that could detect the telltale neck movements. Size of a small bandage prototype device is only about 0.1 mm thick Piezoelectric material that produces an electrical charge when stretched or compressed. Once the material is charged due to the movement of the material, the data is sent to a computer, which will analyze it to determine if a concussion-grade impact occurred. While executing tests with this prototype, they found it performed as well as the helmet-integrated accelerometers at detecting concussion causing impacts, BUT they found the neck-bandage wouldn't produce false readings. The researchers are looking into ways of streamlining the design of the patch, such as equipping it with a transmitter that would wirelessly relay data to a nearby computer or mobile device.   Cancer trial amazingly results in 100% remission in every patient | Brighter Side News (07:41) Immunotherapy harnesses the body’s own immune system as an ally against cancer. The  Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center was investigating — for the first time ever — if immunotherapy alone could beat rectal cancer that had not spread to other tissues Sascha Roth, a 6-month participant in the clinical trial, found out, “a team of doctors examined my tests … And since they couldn’t find any signs of cancer, Dr. Cercek said there was no reason to make me endure radiation therapy.” These same remarkable results would be repeated for all 14 people — and counting — in the MSK clinical trial for rectal cancer with a particular mutation. The rectal cancer disappeared after immunotherapy — without the need for the standard treatments of radiation, surgery, or chemotherapy  the cancer has not returned in any of the patients Dr. Cercek talks on this rewarding experience:“It’s incredibly rewarding … to get these happy tears and happy emails from the patients in this study who finish treatment and realize, ‘Oh my God, I get to keep all my normal body functions that I feared I might lose to radiation or surgery.’ ” The research team went out to figure out precisely which patients benefit most from immunotherapy, so they can receive it right away. Patients who have tumors with a specific genetic makeup known as mismatch repair-deficient (MMRd) or microsatellite instability (MSI). Between 5% and 10% of all rectal cancer patients are thought to have MMRd tumors. 45,000 Americans are diagnosed a year with rectal cancer. Dr. Diaz talks on the mutation and treatment:“An MMRd tumor develops a defect in its ability to repair certain types of mutations that occur in cells. When those mutations accumulate in the tumor, they stimulate the immune system, which attacks the mutation-ridden cancer cells.” An immunotherapy agent called a checkpoint inhibitor releases the brakes on an immune cell, freeing it to recognize and attack cancer cells. The patients were given the checkpoint inhibitor dostarlimab (Jemperli) intravenously every three weeks, for six months. Another amazing thing is removing the toxicity of chemotherapy, which Dr. Cercek mentions:“The most exciting part of this is that every single one of our patients has only needed immunotherapy. We haven’t radiated anybody, and we haven’t put anybody through surgery … They have preserved normal bowel function, bladder function, sexual function, fertility. Women