Medical
Synthetic membranes could mimic living cells
Biochemists at the University of California San Diego have developed artificial cell membranes that grow and remodel themselves in a manner similar to that of living mammalian cells. The achievement, detailed in a paper published in this week's issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, follows the successful design last year in the same laboratory of artificial, or synthetic, cell membranes capable of sustaining continual grow...
Wireless EEG headset designed for ER & ICU patients
imec and Holst Centre (set up by imec and TNO) have collaborated with Nihon Kohden, a Japanese manufacturer, developer and distributor of medical electronic equipment, on the development of a wireless ElectroEncephaloGram (EEG) monitoring device for clinical applications.
3D weaving helps develop living hip replacement
Scientists have programmed stem cells to grow new cartilage on a 3D template shaped like the ball of a hip joint. What's more, using gene therapy, they have activated the new cartilage to release anti-inflammatory molecules to fend off a return of arthritis. The technique, demonstrated in a collaborative effort between Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Cytex Therapeutics Inc. in Durham, N.C., is described in ...
MRI machine at the nanoscale breaks world records
A nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) microscope gives researchers an improved instrument to study fundamental physical processes. It also offers new possibilities for medical science—for example, to better study proteins in Alzheimer's patients' brains. The development has been reported in Physical Review Applied. If you get a knee injury, physicians use an MRI machine to look into the joint and determine the problem.
'Smart' thread gathers diagnostic data wirelessly
For the first time, researchers led by Tufts University engineers have integrated nano-scale sensors, electronics and microfluidics into threads - ranging from simple cotton to sophisticated synthetics - that can be sutured through multiple layers of tissue to gather diagnostic data wirelessly in real time, according to a paper published in Microsystems & Nanoengineering.
Latest insights into HIV drugs and drug resistance
A type of HIV drug currently being tested works in an unusual way, scientists in the Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit, a collaboration between EMBL and Heidelberg University Hospital, have found. They also discovered that when the virus became resistant to early versions of these drugs, it did not do so by blocking or preventing their effects, but rather by circumventing them. The study, published online in Science, presents the most detailed ...
Method could revolutionise single cell analysis
ETH researchers have developed a method using a nanosyringe whose tiny needle is able to penetrate single living cells and extract their content. The technology can be used for cell cultures, for example, in order to investigate the interior of the cells. This allows scientists to identify the differences between individual cells at the molecular level, as well as to identify and analyse rare cell types.
PEARLs will be promising to treat tumours
Dr. Gang Zheng and a team of biomedical researchers have discovered a "smart" organic, biodegradable nanoparticle that uses heat and light in a controlled manner to potentially target and ablate tumours with greater precision.
Scalp cooling system developed for chemotherapy treatment
A scalp cooling system for chemotherapy treatment has been enhanced by Titan Enterprises through integration of a Titan 800-Series flowmeter. Paxman Coolers, responsible for the optimum coolant flow system has been pioneering scalp cooling technology worldwide for over 25 years and are committed to improving the efficacy of scalp cooling for all cancer treatment patients across the world.
Nanosystems could be an alternative to delivering drugs
A number of drugs—from insulin to cancer chemotherapy—can be delivered only via injections, which are far more difficult for patients than taking a simple tablet or pill. It can also be more expensive, as this type of drug has to be prepared very carefully and sometimes can only be administered in a clinical setting. Ravikumar Majeti, PhD, a professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the Texas A&M Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmac...