A prototype “microspouter” with a Canadian dollar coin for scale When it comes to conditions such as diabetes, which require patients to administer daily injections or take lots of pills, scientists are increasingly looking to drug-dispensing implants as a more convenient alternative. One of the latest such devices, developed at the University of British Columbia, is...
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Scientists develop 'lab on a chip' that costs 1 cent to make
Rahim Esfandyarpour helped to develop a way to create a diagnostic “lab on a chip” for just a penny. Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have developed a way to produce a cheap and reusable diagnostic “lab on a chip” with the help of an ordinary inkjet printer. At a production cost of...
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Nanofiber matrix sends stem cells sprawling in all directions
Human stem cells grown on Kyoto University’s “fiber-on-fiber” culturing system Mighty promising as they are, stem cells certainly aren’t easy to come by. Recent scientific advances have however given their production a much-needed boost, with a Nobel-prize winning technology that turns skin cells into embryonic-like stem cells and another that promises salamander-like regenerative abilities being just a couple...
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Abdominal fat may cause type 2 diabetes, heart disease
Researchers have found that abdominal fat may either cause or relate to the cause of type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease. People who are genetically at a greater risk of having a higher waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for body mass index are likely to have an increased risk of developing these conditions. Fat buildup around...
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Do YOU take sleeping tablets? You could be at risk of DEATH: Dangerous levels of a naturally-occurring chemical found in some supplements
Potentially dangerous serotonin levels found in 26% of melatonin supplements Excessive serotonin puts people at risk of life-threatening serotonin syndrome Over 71% of supplements didn’t meet a 10% margin of the melatonin on the label Put away the sleeping tablets. Insomniacs who use them could be at risk of seizures, a high fever and even...
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NIH initiative tests in-home technology to help older adults age in place
Many older adults want to live at home independently as they age. Sometimes all they need is a little help from their family and friends—and the right technology. A new initiative led by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) aims to help seniors age in place by developing a research platform to study the use of health-related...
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Home sensors that can predict when an elderly person will have a fall 3 WEEKS before they have the accident
Infra-red monitors can detect subtle changes in the health of elderly people Sensors are placed in each room of the house and monitor walking speed Experts say it allows medical personnel to intervene before a collapse happens People can live longer independently for 2.5 extra years by using it, study finds When elderly people fall...
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New antibiotic from bacteria found on an ant could beat MRSA
A new antibiotic, produced by bacteria found on a species of African ant, is very potent against antibiotic-resistant ‘superbugs’ like MRSA according to scientists. Researchers at the University of East Anglia (UEA) and the John Innes Centre (JIC) discovered a new member of the Streptomyces bacteria family, isolated from the African fungus-growing plant-ant Tetraponera penzigi. They have...
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Antibiotics could be alternative to surgery as treatment for appendicitis
A study by researchers at the University of Southampton shows that antibiotics may be an effective treatment for acute non-complicated appendicitis in children, instead of surgery. The systematic review of existing literature is published in Pediatrics. The condition, which causes the appendix—a small organ attached to the large intestine—to become inflamed due to a blockage...
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Encouraging signs for potential new antibiotic
A new antibiotic developed at the University of Plymouth is for the first time shown to be a viable alternative to established antimicrobials A study published online today (17 February 2017) in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, reveals strong evidence that the first in a new class of antibiotic is as effective as an established...