Andrés Martínez strode briskly on the treadmill, staring straight ahead and counting backwards by seven from 898, a trick to keep his brain from anticipating the literal stumbling block heading his way: a compact 35 pounds of steel specifically designed to make him fall. Special goggles kept him from looking down. Arrows on an eye-level […]
Home »
Measuring stress around cells: Findings offer clues as to how cells act collectively to shape tissues and organs
Tissues and organs in the human body are shaped through forces generated by cells, that push and pull, to “sculpt” biological structures. Thanks to a new tool developed at McGill University, scientists will now be able to watch, and map these forces. Christopher Moraes, an assistant professor in McGill’s Department of Chemical Engineering, and colleagues […]
New sensors track dopamine in the brain for more than year: Tiny probes could be useful for monitoring patients with Parkinson’s and other diseases
Dopamine, a signaling molecule used throughout the brain, plays a major role in regulating our mood, as well as controlling movement. Many disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, depression, and schizophrenia, are linked to dopamine deficiencies. MIT neuroscientists have now devised a way to measure dopamine in the brain for more than a year, which they believe […]
Safe’ UV light may prevent infections in catheters, cardiac drivelines
A specific wavelength of ultraviolet light, now delivered through light-diffusing optical fibers, is highly effective at killing drug-resistant bacteria in cell cultures, according to a new study led by David J. Brenner, PhD, a professor of radiation biophysics at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. The technology is designed to prevent infections around […]
Researchers turn powerful, viscous disinfectants into breathable mist for the first time: Finding could help fight hospital-acquired infections
A team of engineers and physicians in San Diego have developed a device that diffuses potent disinfectants for airborne delivery. Notably, the device works on a range of disinfectants that have never been atomized before, such as Triethylene glycol, or TEG. In a study published in the August issue of Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, the […]