Industries
Drug could slow progress of Huntington's disease
The first drug targeting the cause of Huntington’s disease was safe and well-tolerated in its first human trial, and successfully lowered the level of the harmful huntingtin protein in the nervous system. After over a decade in pre-clinical development, this first human trial of huntingtin-lowering drug began in late 2015, led by Professor Sarah Tabrizi (UCL Institute of Neurology) and sponsored by Ionis Pharmaceuticals.
Computer model sheds light on sudden cardiac death
Some heart disease patients face a higher risk of sudden cardiac death, which can happen when an arrhythmia—an irregular heartbeat—disrupts the normal electrical activity in the heart and causes the organ to stop pumping. However, arrhythmias linked to sudden cardiac death are very rare, making it difficult to study how they occur—and how they might be prevented.
Mitsubishi brought it all to the 2017 SPS Drives show
Mitsubishi Electric had a very busy show at this year’s SPS Drives showcasing a range of new products and solutions from collaborative robots, to modular linear transfer systems and smart carriages, especially as the company was like many, concentrating on the big focus of the show Industry 4.0 and digitalisation. Anna Flockett, Engineering Specifier editor attended the Mitsubishi press breakfast at the SPS show, where the first innova...
BioMimics: highly realistic 3D-printed models of human anatomy
Stratasys has unveiled BioMimics – a highly advanced capability to 3D print medical models that are engineered to meet demands of the industry’s leading hospitals, researchers and medical device manufacturers. Offered initially in North America as a service through Stratasys Direct Manufacturing, BioMimics provides incredibly realistic, functionally-accurate 3D printed replicas of complex anatomical structures - empowering more effect...
VMEbus systems designed for development and military sectors
Verotec has designed and supplied three different bespoke VMEbus systems for customers operating in the scientific, development and military sectors. The decline and eventual demise of VMEbus has frequently been postulated, mainly on the grounds of low bandwidth when compared to more recent open systems architectures, notably cPCI.
Portable gel could save an injured eye
When a soldier sustains a traumatic eye injury on the battlefield, any delay in treatment may lead to permanent vision loss. With medical facilities potentially far away and no existing tools to prevent deterioration, medics are in a high-stakes race against the clock. A multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers at USC are close to solving the problem. They have developed a reversible, temperature-sensitive temporary seal that chang...
Heart model helps 16-year-old heart tumour patient
It’s devastating news when you find out that your grandchild was born with a heart tumour. This was the news that Christine White heard when her grandson, Bradley, was only three. Over the next several years, Bradley had to undergo several open heart surgeries including having a defibrillator implanted to protect him from sudden cardiac death.
3D printing lifelike artificial organ models
A team of researchers led by the University of Minnesota has 3D printed lifelike artificial organ models that mimic the exact anatomical structure, mechanical properties, and look and feel of real organs. These patient-specific organ models, which include integrated soft sensors, can be used for practice surgeries to improve surgical outcomes in thousands of patients worldwide. The research was published in the journal Advanced Material...
'Living tattoo': 3D printing programmed cells into devices
MIT engineers have devised a 3D printing technique that uses a new kind of ink made from genetically programmed living cells. The cells are engineered to light up in response to a variety of stimuli. When mixed with a slurry of hydrogel and nutrients, the cells can be printed, layer by layer, to form 3D, interactive structures and devices. The team has then demonstrated its technique by printing a “living tattoo” &mdash...
Low-cost jaundice detector passes first test in Africa
The first clinical study of a low-cost, hand-held jaundice detector invented by Rice University students couldn’t have come at a better time for NEST360°, an international team of scientists, doctors and global health experts preparing for a competition for $100 million from the MacArthur Foundation. The money would allow the team to carry out its visionary plan to halve the number of newborn deaths in African hospitals within 10 years.