[1st September 2024] Interesting Things I Learnt This Week

 1. With ‘Digital Twins,’ The Doctor Will See You Now - This article talks to a computer scientist, Amanda Randles, who is creating digital twins of people’s circulatory systems. It discusses what digital twins are and how they’re created. It also goes into the challenges and future possibilities of this kind of research. Some important points are that digital twins can help doctors diagnose and treat diseases more effectively, and that they are becoming more and more realistic.

My Take: This is such an interesting development IMHO that it could end up predicting heart attacks to a degree that preventive care for it can actually be performed much before catastrophic situation arises. By making it a part of annual checkup, I think we can make preventive healthcare more effective.


2. What Is Analog Computing? - This is an article about analog computing. It discusses what analog computing is and gives examples of analog computers. Analog computers represent a physical system with mathematical equations. They were often used to predict natural phenomena, such as tides. One example of an analog computer is the OME P2, released in 1952.

My Take: I always thought Analog computing was the Analytical Engine made by Charles Babbage and the likes from that era. With digital I thought analog systems were made obsolete. But after reading the Wikipedia entry for it, I realise how much work is still being put into making a analog-digital hybrid successful with neuromorphic computing. Also with AI systems, may be having an analog system probably is more efficient than power guzzling GPU. I hope we see some real devices out soon.


3. How to Avoid Taxes on Capital gains? - This is an article about how to avoid paying taxes on long-term capital gains in India. It discusses different sections of the Indian Income Tax Act that provide relief from capital gains tax.

My Take: Its interesting to know as to how much government incentivizes people to buy residential homes and probably rightly so. If you have sell any capital asset, like shares, mutual funds or another house, you can avoid paying taxes on the gain if you invest in buying a residential property. Also if you have sold a house, you can buy Capital Gains Bond and avoid paying taxes on the gains again. I dont know how many really know this but the fact is also that there are very limited means to know these types of information.


4. Eliminating a gut microbe could slash gastric cancers - This is a scientific article about the potential of eliminating a gut microbe, Helicobacter pylori, to reduce the risk of gastric cancer. It discusses the results of a large study in China that showed a significant reduction in gastric cancer risk for people who were treated with antibiotics to eradicate H. pylori.

My Take: Having known a few people who suffered due to gastric cancers, I find the study very intriguing. This again is all about the micro-biome in our bodies which we understand very little about. A lot of quacks and fakes have already capitalised on single unsubstantiated studies to sell their wares. I hope this does not happen with this particular study. Also this study was done just in China, I hope it is done at other places as well. I would also be concerned about the impact of having this particular bacteria completely eliminated which should not lead to something even more disastrous.

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