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Rubber ducks can be full of nasty bugs at bath time

Researchers have found that the cute little rubber ducks that float around in bath tubs and come in contact with potable water are homes to millions of bacteria and harmful microbes. They found that these toys contain water that’s seeped into them and when squeezed, they release this dirty water into the bath water. The water is rich in microbes that could be potentially “pathogenic” or disease causing especially among children, they write.

28 Mar 2018

International researchers present printed tattoo electrodes for long-term medical diagnostics

Electrodes for longterm monitoring of electrical impulses of heart or muscles in the form of temporary tattoos produced using an ink-jet printer. An international research group involving TU Graz, Austria, presents this novel method in Advanced Science.

27 Mar 2018

New ocular inserts allow patient's cornea to absorb more antibiotics

The anatomic and physiologic structure of the eyes constitutes by itself an important barrier when administering medicine. The amount of medicine that passes through the cornea by applying creams or drops is very limited and it is necessary to develop alternative, more effective ways of administering them ocularly.

22 Mar 2018

Researchers succeed in integrating artificial organelles into cells of living organism

For the first time, an interdisciplinary team from the University of Basel has succeeded in integrating artificial organelles into the cells of living zebrafish embryos.

20 Mar 2018

Speeding up wound healing using nanofiber dressings

Scientists have developed two new types of wound dressing that dramatically increase healing rates and improve tissue regeneration.

19 Mar 2018

New polymer nanoparticle shows potential to find and kill breast cancer cells

One major problem in treating cancer is identifying the location of small tumors and treating them before they metastasize.

13 Mar 2018

Study uses ACEA Biosciences’ xCELLigence assay to monitor disruption of S. aureus biofilms

Biofilms are surface-attached communities of bacterial or fungal cells that are enmeshed in an extensive extracellular matrix which makes them more resistant to both antibiotics and the immune system.

13 Mar 2018

Scientists develop first-of-its-kind collagen-based membrane for use in microchips

In a step toward better diagnosis and treatment of digestive conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease, scientists report in ACS Biomaterials & Engineering that they have developed a first-of-its-kind collagen-based membrane for use in microchips.

7 Mar 2018

New class of antimicrobial polymers can kill five hard-to-treat multidrug-resistant bacteria

An international research team led by the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research and IBM Research developed a synthetic molecule that can kill five deadly types of multidrug-resistant bacteria with limited, if any, side effects.

7 Mar 2018

Researchers use 3D jet writer to model metastatic cancer

Researchers have developed a 3D printer that uses polymers to generate a lifelike cancer microenvironment.

5 Mar 2018

Biomedical engineers create 3D hydrogel scaffolds to transform cells into muscle

Australian biomedical engineers have successfully produced a 3D material that mimics nature to transform cells into muscle.

21 Feb 2018

Russian researchers develop new multi-layered biodegradable scaffolds

A team of young researchers at the National University of Science and Technology has recently presented its new development – therapeutic material based on nanofibers of polycaprolactone, modified with plasma-deposited thin layers enriched with antibacterial composition and human blood plasma components.

19 Feb 2018

New technique enables 3D printing of complex nanoscale metal structures

For the first time, it is possible to create complex nanoscale metal structures using 3-D printing, thanks to a new technique developed at Caltech.

12 Feb 2018

Researchers create new device to accelerate, improve accuracy of drug screening process

McMaster University engineers have devised a way to make testing for new drugs more efficient and affordable, and reduce the time for helpful medications to reach the public.

9 Feb 2018

Scientists introduce air-filled microbubbles as intravenous oxygen carriers

Severe oxygen deficiency eventually leads to cardiac arrest. If the blood’s oxygen content cannot be rapidly re-established, the patient may die within minutes. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, American scientists have introduced air-filled microbubbles that could be used as an intravenous oxygen carrier to increase the survival rate of such patients. Because they rapidly dissolve in blood, the risk of embolism is minimal.

24 Jan 2018

Postnova Analytics to hold second annual seminar on advanced separation techniques

Postnova Analytics has announced its second annual 1-day seminar exploring how advanced separation techniques are extending the frontiers of characterization of nanoparticles, polymers and proteins.

24 Jan 2018

Researchers design new polymer particles using DNA strands

McGill University researchers have chemically imprinted polymer particles with DNA strands - a technique that could lead to new materials for applications ranging from biomedicine to the promising field of "soft robotics."

20 Dec 2017

Scientists introduce polyproline as effective cryoprotectant for monolayers of cells

Nature has evolved sugars, amino acids, and special antifreeze proteins as cryoprotectants. People use organic solvents and synthetic polymers as additives to prevent cell cultures from freezing damage.

7 Dec 2017

Development of unique hemostatic agent nearing completion

The development of the unique agent called Tectum, which accelerates blood coagulation in a matter of seconds, is nearing completion: scientists of Lobachevsky University are planning to launch in Nizhny Novgorod the production of this unique means for stopping bleeding.

30 Nov 2017

Electrochemistry method provides easy access to important classes of compounds

Electrochemistry has undergone a renaissance in recent years and numerous research groups are currently working on the environmentally friendly production or conversion of molecules. However, despite the superiority of electrochemistry, its application to various molecules has been problematic.

17 Nov 2017