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    Category Health/Medical

    Gut Bacteria associated with Chronic Pain for first time

    June 23, 2019, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    Human gut microbiome composition shows an enormous richness. Each circle represents a bacterial species, while the different colours mark different bacterial phyla. Credit: Dr. Amir Minerbi

    People with fibromyalgia show variations in microbiome composition. A research team has shown, for the first time, that there are alterations in the bacteria in the gastrointestinal tracts of people with fibromyalgia. Approximately 20 different species of bacteria were found in either greater or are lesser quantities in the microbiomes of participants suffering from the disease than in the healthy control group.

    Fibromyalgia affects 2-4 percent of the population and has no known cure...

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    New E-Tattoo Enables Accurate, Uninterrupted Heart Monitoring for Days

    June 23, 2019, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

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    A Chest‐Laminated Ultrathin and Stretchable E‐Tattoo for the Measurement of Electrocardiogram, Seismocardiogram, and Cardiac Time Intervals. Advanced Science, 2019; 1900290 DOI: 10.1002/advs.201900290

    The leading cause of death in Texas is heart disease, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, accounting for more than 45,000 deaths statewide in 2017. A new wearable technology made from stretchy, lightweight material could make heart health monitoring easier and more accurate than existing electrocardiograph machines – a technology that has changed little in almost a century.

    Developed by engineers at The University of Texas at Austin and led by Nanshu Lu in the Cockrell School of Engineering, this is the latest incarnation of Lu’s electronic tattoo technology...

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    ‘Goldilocks’ Neurons promote REM Sleep

    June 20, 2019, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    Using a technique called optogenetics, a laser light was used to turn off or on MCH neurons time locked with the temperature warming phases. It demonstrated the necessity of the MCH neurons to increase REM sleep during warming toward “just right” room temperature. Picture: Pascal Gugler for Insel Gruppe AG

    It has been a mystery why REM sleep, or dream sleep, increases when the room temperature is ‘just right’. Neuroscientists show that melanin-concentrating hormone neurons within the hypothalamus increase REM sleep when the need for body temperature defense is minimized, such as when sleeping in a warm and comfortable room temperature. These data have important implications for the function of REM sleep.

    Every night while sleeping, we cycle between two very different states of sleep...

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    A Miniature Robot that could check Colons for Early Signs of Disease

    June 20, 2019, Categories  Physics, Technology/Electronics, Health/Medical

    Engineers have shown it is technically possible to guide a tiny robotic capsule inside the colon to take micro-ultrasound images. Known as a Sonopill, the device could one day replace the need for patients to undergo an endoscopic examination, where a semi-rigid scope is passed into the bowel – an invasive procedure that can be painful.
    The Sonopill is a small capsule – with a diameter of 21mm and length of 39mm, which the engineers say can be scaled down. The capsule houses a micro ultrasound transducer, an LED light, camera and magnet.

    Engineers have shown it is technically possible to guide a tiny robotic capsule inside the colon to take micro-ultrasound images. Known as a Sonopill, the device could one day replace the need for patients to undergo an endoscopic examination, where a semi-rigid scope is passed into the bowel – an invasive procedure that can be painful.

    Micro-ultrasound images also have the advantage of being better able to identify some types of cell change associated with cancer...

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