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New non-invasive spinal cord stimulation helps paralyzed men voluntarily move their legs

Five men with complete motor paralysis were able to voluntarily generate step-like movements thanks to a new strategy that non-invasively delivers electrical stimulation to their spinal cords, according to a new study funded in part by the National Institutes of Health. The strategy, called transcutaneous stimulation, delivers electrical current to the spinal cord by way of electrodes strategically placed on the skin of the lower back.

31 Jul 2015

Scientists produce functional liver cells from human embryonic and genetic engineered stem cells

The liver plays a critical role in human metabolism. As the gatekeeper of the digestive track, this massive organ is responsible for drug breakdown and is therefore the first to be injured due to overdose or misuse. Evaluating this drug-induced liver injury is a critical part of pharmaceutical drug discovery and must be carried out on human liver cells. Regretfully, human liver cells, called hepatocytes, are in scarce supply as they can only be isolated from donated organs.

31 Jul 2015

New computer-based system provides real-time feedback before and during facial transplant surgery

Following several years of research and collaboration, physicians and engineers at Johns Hopkins and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center say they have developed a computer platform that provides rapid, real-time feedback before and during facial transplant surgery, which may someday improve face-jaw-teeth alignment between donor and recipient.

30 Jul 2015

First holography scanning device significantly reduces denture-fitting time

Dentures, known as false teeth, are prosthetics constructed to replace missing teeth. Fitting removable dentures is a long and painful process in which a patient has to visit the clinic multiple times so that soft and hard plastic material, resembling silly putty, can be used to take exact measurements of her mouth.

25 Jul 2015

Smokers who switch to low-nicotine cigarettes find difficult to curb smoking habits in the long term

Smokers who successfully lowered their nicotine intake when they were switched to low-nicotine cigarettes were unable to curb their smoking habits in the long term, according to a study by researchers at UCSF and San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center.

23 Jul 2015

MediCollector to commercialize Wyss Institute's bedside data-acquisition software

The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University today announced that its bedside data-acquisition software will be commercialized by a recently formed startup company, MediCollector LLC. The announcement follows a worldwide license agreement between Harvard's Office of Technology Development and MediCollector.

23 Jul 2015

Messersmith Research Group at UC Berkeley use NanoWizard®3a AFM and ForceRobot systems to study biologically inspired polymer adhesives

JPK Instruments, a world-leading manufacturer of nanoanalytic instrumentation for research in life sciences and soft matter, reports on the use of their NanoWizard®3a AFM and ForceRobot systems by the Messersmith Research Group at UC Berkeley to study biologically inspired polymer adhesives.

From Bruker BioAFM 21 Jul 2015

Computer model shows how cancerous tumors manipulate blood-vessel growth for their own benefit

Rice University researchers have built a simulation to show how cancerous tumors manipulate blood-vessel growth for their own benefit.

9 Jul 2015

Study sheds new light on how the brain forms memories

In the first study of its kind, UCLA and United Kingdom researchers found that neurons in a specific brain region play a key role in rapidly forming memories about every day events, a finding that may result in a better understanding of memory loss and new methods to fight it in Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases.

2 Jul 2015

NIBIB-supported researchers create platelet-like particles to control excessive bleeding, augment clotting

NIBIB-supported researchers have created tiny gel particles that can perform the same essential functions as platelets. The particles could one day be used to control excessive bleeding following traumatic injury or in individuals with impaired clotting due to an inherited condition or as a result of certain medications or chemotherapy.

1 Jul 2015

Study: Cellular respiration separates effects of bactericidal and bacteriostatic antibiotics

Antibiotics are the mainstay in the treatment of bacterial infections, and together with vaccines, have enabled the near eradication of infectious diseases like tuberculosis, at least in developed countries.

25 Jun 2015

Researchers find easy way to produce carbon nanoparticles that can carry drugs to targeted tissues

Researchers have found an easy way to produce carbon nanoparticles that are small enough to evade the body's immune system, reflect light in the near-infrared range for easy detection, and carry payloads of pharmaceutical drugs to targeted tissues.

19 Jun 2015

NIBIB-funded researcher develops new technique for tissue analysis

An NIBIB-funded researcher has developed a new technique that creates digital pictures of a tissue's chemical composition using light and a computer. The technique replaces the need for dyes or stains, which can be costly and require significant time and effort to apply.

18 Jun 2015

Vinculin protein levels increase with age to alter shape, performance of cardiac muscle cells

The human heart makes precious few new cells but manages to generate billions of life-sustaining beats as it grows old.

18 Jun 2015

New DARPA grant supports Wyss Institute project that aims to fight gastrointestinal illness

For decades, American travelers to international destinations have been plagued by acute gastrointestinal illnesses that can arise from travel to other countries. The Center for Disease Control warns that depending on the destination, between 30 to 70 percent of travelers can expect to experience gastrointestinal distress from ingesting foreign or pathogenic bacteria that can be present in poorly sanitized water or food.

17 Jun 2015

Ludwig Cancer Research announces opening of new branch in Lausanne, Switzerland

Ludwig Cancer Research announced today that it is opening a new Branch in Lausanne, Switzerland. The Branch will be focused primarily on applied cancer immunology and the design of novel molecular and cell-based immunotherapies. It will also develop technologies enabling the efficient, safe application of those therapies to as many patients as possible.

12 Jun 2015

New noninvasive brain stimulator may help tamp down Parkinson's symptoms at home

Parkinson's disease patients whose symptoms such as tremor, muscle stiffness and slowed movement make it tough to hold an eating utensil steady have few options for relief outside of a hospital or clinic. Medication can help, but over time it tends to become less effective.

12 Jun 2015

GSU scientists design new MRI technique for early detection of liver tumors

Scientists at Georgia State University with funding from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering have designed an imaging technique to detect early-stage liver tumors, and have proven it successful in mice.

10 Jun 2015

Portable microendoscope could eliminate need for costly biopsies for esophageal cancer patients

In a clinical study of patients in the United States and China, researchers found that a low-cost, portable, battery-powered microendoscope developed by Rice University bioengineers could eventually eliminate the need for costly biopsies for many patients undergoing standard endoscopic screening for esophageal cancer.

3 Jun 2015

Genetically-programmed probiotics could help detect liver cancer metastases early-on

Scientists at the University of California, San Diego and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have described a new method for detecting liver cancer metastases in mice. The approach uses over-the-counter probiotics genetically programmed to produce signals easily detectable in urine when liver cancer metastases are present.

2 Jun 2015