Featured Stories
Implantable Pressure Sensor Powered By Musical Frequencies Real-time Neuronal Activity Highlighted by New Fluorescent Dye Manganese May Provide the First Known Treatment for Shiga Toxin
 
Implantable Pressure Sensor Powered By Musical Frequencies

Implantable Pressure Sensor Powered By Musical Frequencies

Scientists at Purdue University have designed a novel in-vivo pressure sensor which generates power by absorbing low frequency sounds, such as the bass frequencies of most music. The sensor consists of an ultra-sensitive cantilever which vibrates at certain frequencies, generating an electric charge. This charge is stored within a capacitor until the vibrations stop, at [...]

Real-time Neuronal Activity Highlighted by New Fluorescent Dye

Real-time Neuronal Activity Highlighted by New Fluorescent Dye

In order to monitor and decipher the interactions of brain cells, or neurons, scientists have resorted to a variety of methods including gold nanoparticle arrays, complex neurochips and simple cation-sensitive dyes. Researchers at the Tsien lab at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, however, have developed a new fast-acting fluorescent dye that improves upon [...]

Manganese May Provide the First Known Treatment for Shiga Toxin

Manganese May Provide the First Known Treatment for Shiga Toxin

Shiga toxin is a dangerous by-product of certain infectious bacteria, such as strains of Shigella and E. coli, which causes symptoms ranging from intestinal pain to kidney failure and even death. Over 150 million people are afflicted with Shiga toxicosis every year, mostly in developing countries where waterborne diseases are prevalent. It is estimated that [...]

Injectable Gel Promotes Vascularization in Implanted Tissues

Injectable Gel Promotes Vascularization in Implanted Tissues

23 November 2011

The vascularization of fabricated tissues presents a considerable challenge to tissue engineers. Tissues thicker than three cell layers cannot maintain physiological function (gas transfer) without vesicular perfusion. Even when tissues are implanted into the body, blood vessels can fail to form, resulting in implant tissue death. When native tissues suffer from lack of oxygen they [...]

Read the full story

Posted in Bio News0 Comments

Preemptive Genotyping Trialed to Predict Patient Compatibility with Certain Drugs

Preemptive Genotyping Trialed to Predict Patient Compatibility with Certain Drugs

19 November 2011

Preemptive genotyping is a process for determining the genetic make-up of patients before prescribing medication that may cause adverse reactions according to specific markers in their genes. Adoption of this technique has been slow to rise, but the screening can only benefit patients. According to the International Congress of Human Genetics in Montreal last month, [...]

Read the full story

Posted in Bio News0 Comments

Orexin Neurons Increase Wakefulness and Weight Loss in Response to Protein Consumption

Orexin Neurons Increase Wakefulness and Weight Loss in Response to Protein Consumption

17 November 2011

A recent article in the scientific journal Neuron has changed scientists’ understanding of orexin cells, a type of neuron that plays a critical role in sleep patterns, weight maintenance, and reward response. Orexin cells, located in the hypothalamus, produce the hormonal stimulant orexin/hypocretin. These excitatory hormones were originally thought to be influenced by internal homeostatic signals [...]

Read the full story

Posted in Bio News0 Comments

Vodka and Red Bull: The Effects of Mixing Alcohol and Caffeine

Vodka and Red Bull: The Effects of Mixing Alcohol and Caffeine

11 November 2011

Since the introduction of Red Bull in 1987, energy drinks have exploded in popularity across the globe and especially in the United States where it has increased in value from a 100 million dollar industry in 2002 to a 4 billion dollar industry in 2009. A recent scientific review has shown that energy drinks can contain [...]

Read the full story

Posted in Bio News1 Comment

Study Finds US Organ Transplant Recipients Have High Risk of Developing 32 Types of Cancer

Study Finds US Organ Transplant Recipients Have High Risk of Developing 32 Types of Cancer

08 November 2011

Researchers from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), under the umbrella of NIH and in conjunction with the Health Resources and Services Administration, evaluated medical data from 175,700 transplant recipients and discovered evidence that tied organ transplantation to 32 different types of cancer. Lead author Eric A. Engels, M.D. works in the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and [...]

Read the full story

Posted in Bio Research News1 Comment

Engraftable Stem Cell Derived Dopamine Neurons Provide New Hope for Parkinson’s Patients

Engraftable Stem Cell Derived Dopamine Neurons Provide New Hope for Parkinson’s Patients

07 November 2011

Stem cells have long held potential in the field of regenerative medicine since they hold the ability to turn into any other type of cell. However, laboratory findings have not kept in pace with the practical benefits achieved through stem cell therapy. For example, although pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) derived from mice have been successfully converted to dopamine neurons which have shown efficacy [...]

Read the full story

Posted in Bio News0 Comments

« Newer Entries
Older Entries »

Get Email Updates!