Scientists, including an undergraduate student, develop a novel method to produce an alkaline hydrogel that could be applied to healing wounds better TOKYO UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE A NEW METHOD THAT REQUIRES NO SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT AND CAN BE PERFORMED AT ROOM TEMPERATURE TO PRODUCE AN ALKALINE HYDROGEL IN FIVE MINUTES, ALLOWING ITS EASY IMPLEMENTATION IN ANY...
BY ABBEY BIGLER Of the 118 known elements, scientists believe that 25 are essential for human biology. Four of these (hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon) make up a whopping 96 percent of our bodies. The other 21 elements, though needed in smaller quantities, perform fascinating and vital functions. Phosphorus is one such element. It has...
An experimental gel is the first to match the strength and durability of knee cartilage, researchers say. The material may look like a distant cousin of Jell-O—which it is—but it’s incredibly strong. It’s 60% water, but a single quarter-sized disc can bear the weight of a 100-pound kettlebell without tearing or losing its shape. THE...
INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE, THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO CREDIT: INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE, THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO Tokyo, Japan – Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) results from an irreversible autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing pancreatic β-cells requiring life-long substitution of insulin. In a new study, researchers at the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo...
by University of Cambridge Researchers have uncovered a link between the structure of the protein alpha-synuclein and its likelihood to misfold and aggregate. Alpha-synuclein aggregates are the hallmark of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease. Their findings, published today in Nature Communications, identify potential new therapeutic targets in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. The human...
By Michael Irving Antioxidants are important for fighting the process of oxidation, which can spoil food and alcohol and harm cells in the body. Now, researchers at Texas A&M University have woven antioxidants into nanofiber mats, which release the vital compounds slowly and could be useful for food coverings or bandages. Oxidation is a chemical...
By Sally Robertson, B.Sc Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, have made an important discovery about a viral fusion protein found on the surface of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that could help researchers develop a vaccine. Their finding that a mutation in the protein’s cleavage site disrupts binding to host...
MEDGADGET EDITORS MATERIALS, NANOMEDICINE, SURGERY Engineers at University of California, Los Angeles have come up with a tiny new robot that can be controlled and powered using a beam of light. Called OsciBot, because of its oscillating motion, the robot is made entirely out of a light-responsive hydrogel and doesn’t carry its own power source, relying...
ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FÉDÉRALE DE LAUSANNE Tissue engineers create artificial organs and tissues that can be used to develop and test new drugs, repair damaged tissue and even replace entire organs in the human body. However, current fabrication methods limit their ability to produce free-form shapes and achieve high cell viability. Researchers at the Laboratory of Applied Photonics Devices...
by Cécilia Carron, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne Researchers at EPFL have developed a hydrogel that offers unrivaled protection against transplanted cell rejection. The School’s Technology Transfer Office has licensed the new product to Cell-Caps, a Geneva-based startup specialized in cell encapsulation for treating diabetes. Transplanted tissue often comes under attack from the body’s immune system and struggles to survive in...
