Modular Virtus e-drive transforms a regular bike into an e-bike and back again
3.2 kg,The two main components of the Virtus are its 250-watt, 55-Nm motor and a multi-sensor controller that controls motor output and tracks torque, cadence, crank angle and speed.
http://www.sunstarvirtus.com/why-virtus/
http://www.gizmag.com/modular-vertus-e-bike-drive/33564/
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Off-grid Jero yurt assembles in a few hours, can be towed by bike
By Adam Williams August 27, 2014
The Jero yurt, by Scottish company Trakke
Ancient nomadic people knew a thing or two about living off-grid, so it makes sense that Scottish company Trakke drew on the traditional Central Asian yurt for inspiration when designing a modern shelter. The Jero yurt can serve as an extra bedroom, a basic off-grid dwelling, or a glamping retreat. The company also says it's towable by bike and can be assembled in a few hours without any tools.
The Jero yurt is manufactured using CNC fabrication techniques and made primarily from mar...When folded, the Jero measures 1.2 x 08. x 0.5 m (3.9 x 2.6 x 1.64 ft), so should be easil...Ancient nomadic people knew a thing or two about living off-grid, so it makes sense that S...The Jero was launched a couple of weeks ago and is constructed from canvas and marine plyw...View all
The Jero was launched a couple of weeks ago and is constructed from canvas and marine plywood, with stainless steel hardware and polyester rope. Trakke founder Alec Farmer told Gizmag that while comparable yurts made in a traditional style can weigh up to 500 kg (1,102 lb), the Jero weighs a significantly lighter 110 kg (242 lb).
"To minimize the weight while maintaining the structural integrity of the yurt we looked to nature for solutions – the unique telescopic roof struts are held together using a block designed to replicate the strength and durability of a vertebrae," explains Uula Jero, who designed the yurt and lent it his name. "Using CNC fabrication techniques, we have been able to cut far more complex shapes that allow us to strip as much material away as possible without compromising on strength."
It measures 4 m (13 ft) in diameter and rises to a maximum height of 2.6 m (8.5 ft)
When folded and packed away, the Jero measures 1.2 x 08. x 0.5 m (3.9 x 2.6 x 1.64 ft), so should fit easily into most cars. Farmer also told us that it can be carried on a bicycle trailer, and while this is definitely not for the faint-hearted, Uula Jero reports that he successfully moved the first prototype of the yurt all over Cologne, Germany, by bike and trailer.
Inside, the Jero measures 12 sq m (129 sq ft), and access is gained via its sole removable door. The yurt measures 4 m (13 ft) in diameter and rises to a maximum height of 2.6 m (8.5 ft). A team of three people can erect the yurt in around two hours without any tools, and its waterproof and rotproof canvas should ensure that the interior stays dry.
The Jero Yurt is available to purchase from Trakke and will set you back £4,500 (around US$7,460).
Source: Trakke
http://www.trakke.co.uk/
http://www.gizmag.com/trakke-jero-yurt/33527/
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New diabetes treatment would turn liver cells into insulin-producers
By Ben Coxworth August 25, 2014
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Orgenesis' approach involves harvesting the patient's own liver cells and converting them into insulin-producing cells
When pancreatic islet allo-transplantation therapy was first introduced, it provided hope for countless diabetics tired of daily insulin injections. While the technology has delivered on much of its promise, Tel Aviv-based regenerative medicine firm Orgenesis is currently developing a treatment of its own, that it claims addresses much of the shortcomings of islet therapy. In a nutshell, its approach involves converting the patient’s own liver cells into cells that produce insulin.
In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas no longer produces insulin – insulin being a hormone that removes excess sugar from the bloodstream. Typically, the missing insulin must be provided in the form of daily injections. With islet therapy, however, clusters of cells are transplanted from a deceased party’s donor pancreas into a diabetic patient. Known as islets, these cell clusters produce insulin within the body, so no injections are needed.
Among the drawbacks to the approach, however, is the fact that a suitable donor pancreas may not be available. Even if it is, recipients need to stay on immunosuppressive medications in order to keep the islets from being rejected, and those medications can carry health risks and severe side effects of their own.
That’s where the Orgenesis system comes in.
It involves harvesting cells from the patient’s own liver, which are then propagated in the lab. A master control gene known as PDX-1 is then used to convert those lab-grown liver cells into what the company calls Autologous Insulin Producing (AIP) cells, which are similar in function to islets. The AIP cells are then introduced back into the liver via a catheter, where they set about producing insulin.
"The liver and the pancreas are closely related in function and have a shared site of origin in the embryo," said Scott Carmer, CEO of Orgenesis North America. "If you look at some primitive animals, there is only one organ that has the function of both the liver and the pancreas. Because they are so closely related, adding PDX-1 to liver cells causes a cascade of gene expression that changes the cells into pancreatic islet cells."
According to Orgenesis, the advantages of its technology include the fact that, because the patient’s own cells are used, there’s no shortage of donor material and no immunosuppressive drugs are necessary. It’s also said to be less costly than other approaches, requires no self-monitoring or other work on the part of the patient, and results in the production of insulin within just a few days of introduction of the AIP cells.
The system has already been tested on human liver tissue in the lab and on diabetic rats. It is hoped that human clinical trails may begin later this year. One thing that those trials may indicate, is how often the therapy will be required.
"We don't know for sure yet but our best estimate is a minimum of [every] 5 to 10 years," Carmer told us. "We plan on storing a portion of the cells so they don't need to be extracted again, but instead can be thawed and reintroduced to the patient if there's a need."
Source: Orgenesis
http://www.orgenesis.com/
http://www.gizmag.com/orgenesis-liver-cells-diabetes/33510/
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