Category Biology/Biotechnology

Hand that sees. Credit: Image courtesy of Newcastle University

A new generation of prosthetic limbs which will allow the wearer to reach for objects automatically, without thinking – just like a real hand – are to be trialled for the first time. The bionic hand is fitted with a camera which instantaneously takes a picture of the object in front of it, assesses its shape and size and triggers a series of movements in the hand. Bypassing the usual processes which require the user to see the object, physically stimulate the muscles in the arm and trigger a movement in the prosthetic limb, the hand ‘sees’ and reacts in one fluid movement.

A small number of amputees have already trialled the new technology and now the Newcastle University team are working with experts at Newcastle upon Tyne Hos...

Zinc lozenges and the common cold: a meta-analysis comparing zinc acetate and zinc gluconate, and the role of zinc dosage. JRSM Open, 2017; 8 (5): 205427041769429 DOI: 10.1177/2054270417694291

There is no significant difference between zinc acetate lozenges and zinc gluconate lozenges regarding their efficacy in shortening the duration of common colds according to a meta-analysis in Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine Open. 7 randomized trials found that the duration of colds was shortened on average by 33%.

Zinc lozenges appear to influence the common cold through the release of free zinc ions into the oro-pharyngeal region. However, zinc ions can bind tightly to various chemical complexes in such a way that little or no free zinc ions are released...

This image illustrates changes in photocurrent before and after exposure to UV light. Persistent photoconductivity is demonstrated even hours after the UV light has been turned off. This is illustrated by the pictograms showing charge carriers that come into contact with cells at the interface during in vitro experiments. Credit: Albena Ivanisevic

Researchers have developed a new approach for manipulating the behavior of cells on semiconductor materials, using light to alter the conductivity of the material itself. Albena Ivanisevic, a professor of materials science and engineering at NC Stat said: “Our work here effectively adds another tool to the toolbox for the development of new bioelectronic devices.” The new approach uses a phenomenon called persistent photoconductivity...

Shape Memory Superelastic Poly(isocyanurate-urethane) Aerogels (PIR-PUR) for Deployable Panels and Biomimetic Applications

Polymeric aerogels are nanoporous structures that combine some of the most desirable characteristics of materials, eg. flexibility and mechanical strength. It is nearly impossible to improve on a substance considered the final frontier in lightweight materials. But chemists from Missouri University of Science and Technology have done just that by making aerogels that have rubber-like elasticity and can “remember” their original shapes.

Aerogels are created by replacing liquids with gases in a silica, metal oxide or polymer gel. They are used in a wide variety of products, from insulation of offshore oil pipelines to NASA space missions...