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Australian researchers developed a blood test for Parkinson's
By the time Parkinson's disease makes itself known in humans, it's already too late for treatment. But La Trobe University in Australia has developed a test that detects a biomarker present in blood cells in folks with the disease. The school describes the test as a means of detecting problems within cell mitochondria that cause an energy-and-stress-sensing protein, dubbed AMPK, to permanently activate and start damaging cells.
Michael J. Fox Foundation uses wearables for Parkinson's research
In order to collect data from patients, the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF) has teamed up with Intel to leverage the tech company's tracking prowess. The effort employs Intel's big data analytics platform to comb through stats collected by wearable devices that monitor symptoms. A "multiphase study" will gather data from patients in order to inform drug research and development. Rather than depending on written journals, wearable devices can gather info on slowness of movement, severity of tremors and sleep quality 24 hours a day. The duo also has a mobile app in the works that will add the ability for patients to input their medications and how they're feeling as addition details for researchers.
Nike unveils the 2011 MAG shoe, to auction off 1500 pairs of the coolest kicks in Hill Valley for charity
You remember the first time you saw Back to the Future II, don't you? We all dreamed of a world filled with hoverboards and self-lacing shoes, and now Nike's made the latter a reality... sort of. Marty McFly's favorite high tops are now called the 2011 Nike MAGs and look just like the kicks in the movie, though it appears that you'll have to lace 'em up the old-fashioned way. They'll only be on sale during a ten-day period starting tonight at 8:30PM Pacific Standard Time, and no amount of flux-capacitation can score you a pair if you miss that window. 150 sets of shoes will be auctioned on eBay's Fashion Vault each day (sorry, US bidders only), and all the net proceeds will go to The Michael J. Fox Foundation to further Parkinson's research. Not only that, all the money made will be doubled through matching contributions. Nice job, Nike, now about those hoverboards...
