Recent Comments

    Category Health/Medical

    Gut Bacteria that ‘Talk’ to Human Cells may lead to new Treatments

    August 31, 2017, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    1. Combined analysis of protein and transcript expression of GPCRs in the gastrointestinal tract. Links between GPCR, N-acyl amide, bacterial genus and the site where these co-occur in the gastrointestinal tract (coloured) are shown. 2. Proposed two-step biosynthesis of N-acyl serinol using the two domains encoded by the hm-NAS N-acyl serinol synthase gene.

    1. Combined analysis of protein and transcript expression of GPCRs in the gastrointestinal tract. Links between GPCR, N-acyl amide, bacterial genus and the site where these co-occur in the gastrointestinal tract (coloured) are shown.
    2. Proposed two-step biosynthesis of N-acyl serinol using the two domains encoded by the hm-NAS N-acyl serinol synthase gene.

    Scientists developed a method to genetically engineer gut bacteria to produce molecules that have the potential to treat certain disorders by altering human metabolism. We have a symbiotic relationship with the trillions of bacteria that live in our bodies – they help us, we help them. It turns out that they even speak the same language based on molecules called ligands...

    Read More

    Mass Production of Biodegradable Plastic

    August 31, 2017, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    Fibers of a corn-derived, biodegradable plastic developed at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Nebraska researchers and their colleagues have demonstrated a new technique for improving the properties of bio-plastic that could also streamline its manufacturing, making it more competitive with petroleum-based counterparts. Credit: Craig Chandler, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

    Fibers of a corn-derived, biodegradable plastic developed at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Nebraska researchers and their colleagues have demonstrated a new technique for improving the properties of bio-plastic that could also streamline its manufacturing, making it more competitive with petroleum-based counterparts. Credit: Craig Chandler, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

    Introducing a simple step to the production of plant-derived, biodegradable plastic could improve its properties while overcoming obstacles to manufacturing it commercially, says new research from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Jiangnan University...

    Read More

    Bioengineering a Functional Vascularized Lung Scaffold

    August 30, 2017, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    Functional vascularized lung grafts for lung bioengineering. Science Advances, 2017; DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1700521

    Functional vascularized lung grafts for lung bioengineering. Science Advances, 2017; DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1700521

    New approach to bioengineering lungs selectively treats epithelium that lines the lung airway, while preserving lung vasculature. A Columbia Engineering team is the first to successfully bioengineer a functional lung with perfusable and healthy vasculature in an ex vivo rodent lung. End-stage lung disease is the third leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 400,000 deaths per year in the US alone...

    Read More

    New App uses Smartphone Selfies to Screen for Pancreatic Cancer

    August 29, 2017, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    1. BiliScreen is a new smartphone app that is designed to screen for pancreatic cancer by having users snap a selfie. It’s shown here with a 3-D printed box that helps control lighting conditions to detect signs of jaundice in a person’s eye.Dennis Wise/University of Washington 2. BiliScreen provides estimates of bilirubin levels in a person’s blood. Elevated levels can be an early warning sign for pancreatic cancer, hepatitis and other diseases.Dennis Wise/University of Washington 3.The UW team tested two different accessories for BiliScreen: a 3-D printed box to control lighting conditions and glasses that help the app calibrate colors. The goal is to remove the need for additional accessories, potentially by mining data from facial pictures.Dennis Wise/University of Washington

    1. BiliScreen is a new smartphone app that is designed to screen for pancreatic cancer by having users snap a selfie. It’s shown here with a 3-D printed box that helps control lighting conditions to detect signs of jaundice in a person’s eye.Dennis Wise/University of Washington
    2. BiliScreen provides estimates of bilirubin levels in a person’s blood. Elevated levels can be an early warning sign for pancreatic cancer, hepatitis and other diseases.Dennis Wise/University of Washington
    3.The UW team tested two different accessories for BiliScreen: a 3-D printed box to control lighting conditions and glasses that help the app calibrate colors. The goal is to remove the need for additional accessories, potentially by mining data from facial pictures.Dennis Wise/University of Washington

    Pancr...

    Read More