Category Health/Medical

The twisted smart threads developed by KAUST researchers can be woven into pressure-sensitive ‘electronic skin’ fabrics for use in novel clothing, robots or medical prosthetics. Credit: © 2016 KAUST

Smart threads can be woven into pressure-sensitive electronic skin for robots or medical prosthetics. Fabrics containing flexible electronics are appearing clothes with in-built screens and solar panels. These fabrics can act as electronic skins that can sense their surroundings and could have applications in robotics and prosthetic medicine. Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia, have now developed smart threads that detect the strength and location of pressures exerted on them.

Most flexible sensors function by detecting changes in the el...

An intrinsic complement-NLRP3 axis regulates human TH1 responses. T cell receptor activation and CD46 costimulation trigger NLRP3 expression and intracellular C5a generation. Subsequent intracellular C5aR1 engagement induces ROS production (and possibly IL1B gene transcription) and NLRP3 assembly, which in turn mediates IL-1β maturation. Autocrine IL-1β promotes TH1 induction (IFN-γ production) but restricts TH1 contraction (IL-10 coexpression). C5aR2 cell surface activation by secreted C5a negatively controls these events via undefined mechanisms. Dysfunction of this system contributes to impaired TH1 responses in infection or increased TH17 responses during intestinal inflammation.

Researchers have unlocked secrets of our ancient immune system...

These are brain scans of a representative patient showing Dopamine transporter binding (red) before and after 3-month NAC treatment. Credit: Thomas Jefferson University

n-acetylcysteine (NAC), with strong antioxidant effects, shows potential benefit as part of the management for patients with Parkinson’s disease. Combining clinical evaluations of a patient’s mental and physical abilities with brain imaging studies that tracked the levels of dopamine, the lack of which is thought to cause Parkinson’s, doctors from the Depts of Integrative Medicine, Neurology, and Radiology, at Thomas Jefferson University showed that patients receiving NAC improved on both measures.

Current treatments for Parkinson’s disease are generally limited to temporarily replacing dopamine in the brain as well as some...

VTT releases a painless, quick and reliable method for diagnosing Helicobacter from exhaled air. Credit: Image courtesy of Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT)

In the future, several illnesses can be quickly and painlessly diagnosed by the optical analysis of isotopes contained in exhaled air. VTT developed its first prototype for this purpose. With the device, it is possible to determine painlessly and with absolute certainty during the appointment whether the patient’s stomach troubles are caused by Helicobacter. The certainty of the device is based on its ability to measure not only carbon13(13C) but also oxygen18(18O) in exhaled air.

The invention is based on a technology developed by VTT’s MIKES Metrology, optical absorption spectroscopy in a multipass chamber with the sample vo...