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First fetus-to-fetus transplant demonstrated in rats

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Surgeons in Japan have transplanted kidney tissue from one rat fetus to another, while the recipient was still in its mother’s womb. Study lead Takashi Yokoo, a nephrologist at Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo, says the surgery is the first step to one day transplanting fetal pig kidneys into human fetuses that develop without functioning kidneys.

“Our project is the first of its kind,” says Yokoo. Researchers have previously injected cells and amniotic fluid into fetuses1, including human ones, but these are the first reports of organ and tissue transplants in utero, he says.

Transplanting an organ before birth could allow it to grow and develop with the fetus, so that the organ is functioning at birth and has less risk of rejection.

“It’s lovely data,” says Glenn Gardener, a fetal surgeon at Mater Mothers’ Hospital in Brisbane, Australia.

Green kidneys

In their study, Yokoo and his colleagues genetically modified rats to express a green fluorescent protein in their kidneys, so that the tissue could be tracked. They then extracted the green kidney tissue from rat fetuses, and used a tiny needle to insert it under the skin in the backs of 18-day-old rat fetuses developing in their mothers’ wombs. The rat pups were born after the normal gestation period of around 22 days.

The tissue gradually developed, forming waste-filtering units known as glomeruli and well-divided inner and outer kidney structures. Two-and-a-half weeks later, the kidneys began to produce urine. “The timeline is considered to be almost identical to normal development,” says Yokoo. But because the transplanted kidney was not connected to the ureter, the urine had nowhere to go, so the researchers drained the kidney continuously until the rats were euthanized at around five months.

Of the nine fetuses surgically transplanted in four pregnant rats, eight developed fluorescent-green kidneys. In the ninth fetus, the transplanted tissue probably did not embed successfully, says Yokoo.

A close look at the kidneys revealed that the fetuses’ blood vessels had grown inside the donated tissue, which made them less likely to be rejected by the immune system. A major cause of organ-transplant rejection is incompatibility between donor blood vessels and the host’s body, says Gardener. “In this case, the host is infiltrating the organ, and you overcome that. That was really cool.”

The rat study results2 were posted on the bioRxiv preprint server on 20 April and have not yet been peer reviewed.

Pig, monkey, human

Yokoo’s long-term goal is to transplant fetal pig kidneys into human fetuses with Potter syndrome, a condition in which the unborn infant doesn’t develop functioning kidneys and usually dies hours after birth.

To test xenotransplantation — the use of animal organs in recipients of another species — Yokoo transplanted mouse kidney tissue into rat fetuses. The intervention was successful in four rats, and the kidneys developed for ten days without being rejected. By 18 days, the tissue showed signs of rejection, which could be quelled by immunosuppressant drugs. Yokoo says fetal tissue is less likely to induce an immune response than is adult tissue, which means that it does not need to be genetically modified before transplant to avoid rejection.

So far, researchers have attempted to genetically modify fully developed organs to bring xenotransplantation closer to the clinic. Last month, surgeons in the United States conducted the first transplant of a kidney from gene-edited pigs into a living adult. Surgeons in the United States and China have previously transplanted gene-modified pig hearts into living people, and gene-edited pig kidneys and a liver into people who lacked brain function.

Maturation of transplanted GFP-SD rat MNBs in neonates.

This stained image shows the filtering part, or glomerulus, of the maturing kidney.Credit: K. Morimoto et al./bioRxiv

Yokoo says he has also conducted pig-to-pig fetal transplants in 38 pig fetuses in 11 sows, and 18 recipient piglets were born. These results have not been published. He is also conducting pig-to-monkey fetal transplants in marmosets, and hopes to start work on cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) in a few months.

Yokoo’s rat experiments are a “small first step, but a very important one” on the path to xenotransplantation in people in Japan, says Maria Yasuoka, a medical anthropologist who studies organ transplantation at Otaru University of Commerce in Hokkaido, Japan.

Gardener says the results in rats are fascinating but still a long way from being applicable to humans. Other researchers agree: “In principle, the prospect of organ transplantation in utero is an amazing concept,” says Ahmet Baschat, a specialist in fetal interventions at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. “Scientifically, it’s novel. It’s a beginning.” But, Baschat says he wouldn’t get too excited yet.

Yokoo has started engaging with members of the public to inform them of the benefits of human fetal xenotransplantation and gain their trust. He plans to apply for approval to conduct research in people from ethics boards at his university and hospital, and Japan’s regulatory agency.

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10 Apple Vision Pro amazing features demonstrated

Apple Vision Pro features

The Apple Vision Pro offers a groundbreaking array of features that redefine user interaction with technology, seamlessly blending the virtual and physical worlds. First, its spatial awareness capability is remarkable, allowing users to interact with their environment in intuitive ways; for example, seamlessly transitioning between work, cinema, and gaming setups within a physical space.

One of the most impressive aspects of the Apple Vision Pro is its ability to remember how you arrange your windows. This means that when you move the device from one place to another, it keeps your setup the same, saving you time and helping you stay organized. This feature is especially useful for those who value productivity and want to maintain a consistent workflow.

Intuitive controls

Control mechanisms are ingeniously simple yet diverse, including eye movements, gestures, voice commands through Siri, and even physical actions like knocking or swiping on virtual windows, providing unparalleled ease of use. Typing is revolutionized with a virtual keyboard that supports typing by gaze and finger taps, alongside traditional and voice-activated inputs, enhancing mobility and convenience.

The device is designed to be controlled in a variety of ways, making it accessible and easy to use. You can navigate through your content using eye tracking, hand gestures, and voice commands. Siri is also integrated into the device, allowing for hands-free operation. The virtual keyboard is another highlight, offering look-and-tap typing, Bluetooth connectivity, and the ability to convert speech into text. These intuitive control methods are part of what makes the Apple Vision Pro stand out in the market.

The Vision Pro introduces a 3D virtual replica or “Persona” for realistic telepresence in calls, utilizing advanced cameras to project the user’s facial expressions and emotions in real-time. Additionally, its capture capabilities include spatial videos and photos, offering a 3D reliving experience far beyond traditional 2D media.

Apple Vision Pro features

Panoramic photos offer immersive experiences, wrapping around the viewer for a sense of presence in the captured moment. Spatial objects further blur the lines between virtual and physical, allowing users to interact with virtual items as if they were real. Environmental immersion through virtual reality transforms surroundings at the turn of a digital crown, offering experiences from mindfulness to gaming in extraordinary settings. Lastly, integration with the Apple ecosystem extends functionality, enabling large-scale visual workspaces and privacy in professional applications, showcasing the Vision Pro’s potential to revolutionize personal computing and entertainment.

Spatial computing headset

Video calls are becoming increasingly important, and the Apple Vision Pro enhances this experience with its Persona Camera Technology. This feature creates 3D virtual replicas that mimic your facial expressions and emotions, making video calls feel more personal and engaging. The camera also allows you to capture 3D videos and photos, adding a new dimension to your memories.

Photography enthusiasts will appreciate the panoramic photo capability of the Apple Vision Pro. This feature enables you to take 360-degree images, offering a complete view of your surroundings and elevating your photography skills. For those interested in virtual reality, the Apple Vision Pro provides easy access to VR settings. You can adjust your virtual environment for activities like mindfulness exercises and gaming, customizing them to suit your preferences with the digital crown.

Features of the Apple Vision Pro

  • Spatial Awareness:
    • The Vision Pro excels in understanding and interacting with the user’s environment. It can differentiate various setups within a space, such as work, cinema, or gaming areas, allowing for a seamless transition between these contexts based on the user’s location.
  • Intuitive Controls:
    • Control is made effortless with a range of inputs including eye tracking, hand gestures, voice commands via Siri, and physical interactions like knocking or swiping on virtual interfaces. This versatility ensures a highly intuitive and accessible user experience.
  • Advanced Typing Solutions:
    • Beyond the traditional virtual keyboard, the Vision Pro introduces gaze-controlled typing and voice-to-text features. Users can select keys by looking at them and tapping a finger, offering a hands-free typing method that is both innovative and efficient.
  • 3D Virtual Replica (“Persona”):
    • Utilizing a sophisticated camera system, the Vision Pro creates a 3D avatar of the user for more lifelike interactions during video calls. This feature captures and projects the user’s facial expressions and movements, enhancing remote communication.
  • Spatial Capture Technology:
    • The device can record spatial videos and photos, capturing moments in 3D for a more immersive reliving experience. This technology offers a depth and realism far surpassing traditional 2D capture methods.
  • Panoramic Photos:
    • With panoramic photography, the Vision Pro captures images that envelop the viewer, creating an immersive experience that feels like stepping into the moment the photo was taken.
  • Spatial Objects:
    • This feature enables interaction with virtual objects as if they were physically present, opening new possibilities for applications ranging from education and training to entertainment.
  • Virtual Reality Environments:
    • The Vision Pro can transform the user’s immediate surroundings into fully immersive digital environments. Whether it’s for focus, relaxation, or entertainment, these environments offer a unique escape from the ordinary.
  • Ecosystem Integration:
    • The device integrates seamlessly with Apple’s ecosystem, allowing for an expanded visual workspace and enhanced privacy. Users can connect to Macs, enlarging the workspace to unprecedented scales, and use professional apps like Final Cut Pro in a private, immersive environment.
  • Gaming and Entertainment:
    • Gaming on the Vision Pro offers an unparalleled experience, with the option to immerse in virtual environments or integrate games into the user’s real-world surroundings. The device’s capacity for spatial interaction brings a new level of engagement to gaming.

For more information on the Apple Vision Pro spatial computing headset jump over to the official product page on the Apple website.

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20+ ChatGPT Vision examples demonstrated

ChatGPT Vision examples demonstrated showcasing its capabilities

Since OpenAI incorporated the Vision feature into its ChatGPT service, the range of applications and functionalities available to users has significantly expanded. If you haven’t yet explored ChatGPT-4 Vision, you might not be aware of its capabilities as a multimodal AI model that can seamlessly blend text and image processing. This guide outlines a variety of ways you can leverage ChatGPT Vision to analyze documents and engage in further conversational analysis.

To use ChatGPT Vision simply use the default AI model within ChatGPT Plus and you will see a small image icon in your prompt box. Simply click this to upload images for ChatGPT to analyze. Once ChatGPT has analyze the image you can ask it anything you like about the uploaded image, photograph or graph and it will try to respond

The introduction of Vision transforms ChatGPT from a text-only conversational agent into a more dynamic, multimedia interface. Unlike its predecessors, ChatGPT-4 Vision can interpret images and contextualize them within an ongoing conversation. Whether you’re capturing photos of historical landmarks or taking screenshots of a spreadsheet, the feature enables a more interactive and enriching user experience by understanding and responding based on both visual and textual elements.

In addition to the new Vision capabilities, you can still use the Advanced Data Analysis feature of ChatGPT to upload and analyze text documents. This overview aims to provide you with practical examples, from helping your children with education to planning travel itineraries based on landscape photos, so you can fully appreciate the breadth of applications now at your fingertips.

ChatGPT Vision uses demonstrated

When it comes to tackling intricate math problems, ChatGPT Vision offers a real boon to students, educators, and even professionals. The traditional way of dealing with such challenges often involves poring over textbooks, consulting various online resources, or asking for human assistance. However, ChatGPT Vision streamlines this process remarkably by interpreting complex equations or problems directly from a photo. Simply point your camera at the math problem, upload the image, and ask the model for guidance.

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Maths tutoring

 

Upon receiving the image, ChatGPT Vision leverages its advanced vision capabilities to accurately decipher the mathematical symbols, numbers, and operations presented. The algorithms that govern its operation are well-versed in mathematical notation, ensuring a correct reading of even the most convoluted equations.

Once the equation is processed, you have the flexibility to ask for either hints or a full-blown step-by-step solution. If you prefer to grapple with the problem yourself but just need a nudge in the right direction, asking for hints might suit you best. On the other hand, if you’re completely stumped or are looking to verify your own solution, you can request a complete walk-through of the problem.

What’s particularly compelling is how this feature dovetails with the text-based conversational aspect of ChatGPT. If at any point you find the AI’s explanation unclear or too complicated, you can immediately ask follow-up questions to clarify your doubts. The AI will then recalibrate its subsequent explanations to better suit your understanding, making the learning process more adaptive and personalized.

In essence, ChatGPT Vision serves as an on-demand, interactive tutor for complex math problems, amplifying the efficiency of your study sessions or homework endeavors. By utilizing this feature, you’ll not only save time but also engage with the subject matter in a more hands-on and enriching manner.

Holiday planning from images around the world

Identifying Location from a Google Maps Screenshot: Whether you’re an intrepid traveler or a weekend explorer, ChatGPT Vision can lend a helping hand in planning your next adventure. If you’ve found a destination on Google Maps but aren’t quite sure what it has to offer, you can simply take a screenshot of the location and upload it. From there, you can ask the AI for a wealth of information, ranging from general knowledge about the locale to specific tourist attractions. Interested in historical landmarks, natural wonders, or culinary hotspots? ChatGPT Vision can guide you through these details.

Moreover, the service can assist in logistical planning by providing directions or suggesting various modes of transportation to reach your chosen destination. Let’s say you’re eyeing a remote hiking trail; ChatGPT Vision can tell you how to get there, what the trail conditions are like, and even what kind of wildlife you might encounter. This makes it an invaluable tool not just for leisure but also for more practical purposes like scouting locations for business trips or family events. By leveraging this feature, you turn the AI into a kind of digital travel assistant, enhancing your ability to explore new places with greater confidence and knowledge.

Writing code from sketches or flowcharts

Coding a Website from a Screenshot: For developers and web designers, ChatGPT Vision offers a unique and convenient tool to kickstart the website creation process. If you’ve designed a mockup for a webpage and want to move from the design phase to actual coding, taking a screenshot of your design and uploading it could save you some initial legwork. Once the image is uploaded, you can ask ChatGPT Vision to generate foundational HTML and CSS code based on the visual elements it analyses such as a flowchart or sketch of an idea of a program you might of had.

It’s important to note that the AI won’t deliver a fully functional, polished website straight out of the box. However, what it does provide is a substantial head start. The generated code serves as a skeletal framework upon which you can build, add interactive features, and refine the user interface. This can significantly cut down the time you’d otherwise spend translating a visual design into raw code, allowing you to focus more on nuanced aspects like user experience and functionality.

In this way, ChatGPT Vision acts as a facilitator that streamlines some of the more cumbersome steps in web development. Whether you’re a seasoned coder or someone taking their first steps in web design, you’ll find this feature a valuable addition to your toolkit.

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