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Surprising finding about implants used in hip replacement surgery

A new study, bringing together an interdisciplinary team of physicians and engineers from the United States and Germany, made a surprising finding about implants used in hip replacement surgery: Graphite carbon is a key element in the lubricating layer that forms on metal-on-metal hip implants. The lubricant has more in common with the lubrication of a combustion engine than that of a natural joint.

23 Dec 2011

JCV, CDC announce publication of 'Update on HIV Diagnostic Testing Algorithms'

Elsevier's Journal of Clinical Virology in collaboration with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today announced the publication of a special supplement entitled 'Update on HIV Diagnostic Testing Algorithms'.

23 Dec 2011

Researchers develop CAD-type tools to engineer RNA control systems

The computer assisted design (CAD) tools that made it possible to fabricate integrated circuits with millions of transistors may soon be coming to the biological sciences. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) have developed CAD-type models and simulations for RNA molecules that make it possible to engineer biological components or "RNA devices" for controlling genetic expression in microbes.

23 Dec 2011

FDA clears OptiMedica's Catalys Precision Laser System

Global ophthalmic company OptiMedica Corp. has announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) market clearance of its Catalys Precision Laser System, a next generation laser cataract surgery system that brings unequaled precision and accuracy and a markedly streamlined workflow to the laser cataract procedure.

22 Dec 2011

Fetal heart rate monitor may improve infant's health

Despite the numerous medical advances that happen every day, the infant mortality rate in the United States is still higher than most European countries. While experts believe this is closely linked to the growing rate of pre-term births, researchers are committed to finding ways to make labor and delivery safer. Northwestern Medicine- researchers are examining a new device that may support improved newborn health at delivery through closer monitoring of infant oxygen use during labor.

22 Dec 2011

SAMMI can monitor foreign bodies in foodstuffs

Has the packet been properly filled? Are there impurities in the chocolate? Have the plastic seams been welded correctly? Is there a knife hidden in the parcel? Answers to all these questions are provided by SAMMI, short for Stand Alone MilliMeter wave Imager.

22 Dec 2011

Asynchronous telemedicine can improve healthcare delivery in rural areas

A lack of infrastructure in developing countries, and particularly in rural areas, often ensures that healthcare provision is absent. Research published in the International Journal of Services, Economics and Management by a team at Howard University in Washington DC suggests a solution to this insidious problem involving the development of telemedicine.

22 Dec 2011

Researchers use functional MRI scans to perform brain decoding

At UCLA's Laboratory of Integrative Neuroimaging Technology, researchers use functional MRI brain scans to observe brain signal changes that take place during mental activity. They then employ computerized machine learning (ML) methods to study these patterns and identify the cognitive state - or sometimes the thought process - of human subjects. The technique is called "brain reading" or "brain decoding."

22 Dec 2011

FLT-PET imaging can effectively detect mantle cell lymphoma

Positron emission tomography (PET) and a molecular imaging agent that captures the proliferation of cancer cells could prove to be a valuable method for imaging a form of Non-Hodgkin's disease called mantle cell lymphoma, a relatively rare and devastating blood cancer.

22 Dec 2011

New silk-based microneedle system for controlled-release drug delivery

Bioengineers at Tufts University School of Engineering have developed a new silk-based microneedle system able to deliver precise amounts of drugs over time and without need for refrigeration. The tiny needles can be fabricated under normal temperature and pressure and from water, so they can be loaded with sensitive biochemical compounds and maintain their activity prior to use. They are also biodegradable and biocompatible.

22 Dec 2011

TriVascular treats first Canadian patients with Ovation Abdominal Stent Graft

TriVascular, Inc. of Santa Rosa, California, announced today the first Canadian patients treated with its Ovation Abdominal Stent Graft. The innovative, ultra low profile (14F OD) system is designed to expand the patient population suitable for endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) by addressing a wider range of diseased anatomy.

22 Dec 2011

Study measures brain activity in infants to better understand their pain response

Recently, the accuracy of current methods of pain assessment in babies have been called into question. New research from London-area hospitals and the University of Oxford measures brain activity in infants to better understand their pain response.

22 Dec 2011

Scientists model brain structure to help computers recognize objects

An essential question confronting neuroscientists and computer vision researchers alike is how objects can beidentified by simply "looking" at an image. Introspectively, we know that the human brain solves this problem very well. We only have to look at something to know what it is.

22 Dec 2011

FDA approves Infrascanner to detect life-threatening brain bleeding

Battlefield corpsmen and medical professionals across the country gained a valuable tool last week, as the Food and Drug Administration approved the first hand-held device to detect life-threatening bleeding in the brain.

22 Dec 2011

ORNL tool reveals previously undiscovered role of retinoblastoma

Armed with a new ability to find retinal anomalies at the cellular level, neurobiologists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have made a discovery they hope will ultimately lead to a treatment for cancer of the retina.

22 Dec 2011

ASGE honors 27 endoscopy units with 'Certificate of Recognition'

The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) has recognized 27 endoscopy units as part of its program specifically dedicated to promoting quality in endoscopy, in all settings where it is practiced in the United States.

22 Dec 2011

Agilent acquires BioSystem Development business

Agilent Technologies Inc. today announced it has completed the acquisition of the BioSystem Development business. BioSystem Development is a privately held company that develops and manufactures the AssayMAP Microchromatography platform to meet the analytical needs of the life sciences industry.

22 Dec 2011

Reva Medical commences its first clincial trial

Reva Medical, a medical device company, has today commenced the very first clinical trial of its ReZolve™ bioresorbable coronary stent. A patient in Brazil was implanted with the device overnight, which flags an exciting chapter for Reva Medical.

21 Dec 2011

Neurotechnology announces availability of VeriLook Surveillance 2.0

Neurotechnology, a provider of high-precision biometric identification technologies, today announced the availability of VeriLook Surveillance 2.0, a software development kit (SDK) for biometric face identification using live video streams from single or multiple high-resolution digital surveillance cameras.

21 Dec 2011

Optical imaging can visualize cultured cancer cells' response to particular drug

Many cancer therapies target specific proteins that proliferate on the outside of some cancer cells, but the therapies are imperfect and the cancer does not always respond. Since it is beneficial for doctors to know as soon as possible how a cancer is affected by treatment, researchers from Vanderbilt University are striving to design tests that assess treatment response rapidly, accurately, and cost-effectively.

21 Dec 2011