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AN INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH Project has identified a new genetic mutation that helps explain the development of eczema.
Trinity College researchers in collaboration with Dundee University found that the mutation in the gene Matt/Tmem79 led to the development of spontaneous dermatitis in mice.
The gene is involved in producing a protein, now called mattrin. This can result in the development of a type of eczema known as atopic dermatitis (AD).
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Protein
However, protein expression was defective in individuals with the mutant gene leading to skin problems.
Following their discovery, scientists looked for a similar pattern in people. They screened a significant number of patients that suffered from AD, comparing them with unaffected control patients, and found that the equivalent human gene MATT/TMEM79 was similarly associated.
AD is the most commonly diagnosed skin condition, affecting up to 20 per cent of children. As well as having a genetic basis, the condition can also be triggered by environmental factors, such as pet fur, pollen and house dustmites. Dairy products, eggs, nuts and wheat have also been linked to the condition.
Published
The results of this study are published in the November issue of the leading peer-reviewed journal in allergy research, The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Professor Padraic Fallon, Chair of Translational Immunology in the School of Medicine at Trinity, who led the project, said:
This study highlights the value of research in which genetic patterns in animals provide a starting point to investigating human disease.
This strategy enables us to identify new genes that are relevant in human disease and then examine the function of these genes during inflammation. This approach will ultimately help us to understand the factors leading to inflammatory diseases and assist in the development of new therapeutic strategies.
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@Padraig Ó Murchú: This capability represents one of the pillars of true AI, an Artificial General Intelligence. One of the other pillars, Visual Artificial Intelligence, has also seen massive progress, in particular by the FSD team at Tesla.
Once a learning machine can see the world, can communicate with its creators then all that is truly left is a large enough dataset of labelled information for it to create its own contextual environment. We are terrifyingly close to this reality when we consider that, to date, there are no rules around the creation of such a machine.
There really needs to be. Very serious rules. Different “layers” of AGI on their own are not harmful, but when put together into a cohesive whole the power of such a machine cannot be understated simply because, from our vantage point, we cannot truly comprehend that level of intelligence. No more than an ape can understand spaceflight, the gap is simply too wide.
The desire behind AI for it’s creators, is as a limitless tool in their control with an off switch, the term God in a box is often used.
The arrival at singularity, or the point at which it exceeds human intelligence, is often and rightly pointed out as a threat to humanity, the potential for it to decide we threaten its existence.
But even if that doesn’t happen or if the safe guards contain it, other threats to life as we know it exist. Whoever controls it, rules the world, which global dictatorship would you like to live under? Pick a Nation or much more likely a Corporation, because omnipresent, omnipotent power doesn’t need to play nice or appeal to public opinion.
Another obvious threat, is someone involved in the development deciding they don’t like Monday’s and opening the box.
Sure, its great, but we are generations away from seeing any beneficial effects in everyday society. “The robots will take over” they say! Well I wish they would. we’ve been sat waiting at traffic-lights for over 150 years at this stage!
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