News
Globus Faces $16M Payment Over Patent Dispute
June 18, 2013 9:40 am | by The Associated Press | CommentsSpinal implant manufacturer Globus Medical may have to pay $16 million after a jury decided that three of its products infringed on the patents held by DePuy Synthes Products LLC, a unit of Johnson & Johnson Inc.
New Surgery Alternative Removes Suspicious Polyps, Keeps Colon Intact
June 17, 2013 12:54 pm | by Rachel Champeau, University of California, Los Angeles Health Sciences | CommentsMillions of people each year have polyps successfully removed during colonoscopies. But when a suspicious polyp is bigger than a marble or in a hard-to-reach location, patients are referred for surgery to remove a portion of their colon — even if doctors aren't sure whether the polyp is cancerous or not.
Medical Assessment in the Blink of an Eye
June 17, 2013 12:41 pm | by Joan Robinson, Springer | CommentsHave you ever thought that you knew something about the world in the blink of an eye? This restaurant is not the right place for dinner. That person could be The One. It turns out that radiologists can do this with mammograms, the x-ray images used for breast cancer screening.
UC Research Examines How Technology Can Break Down Barriers for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students
June 17, 2013 12:05 pm | by University of Cincinnati | CommentsA small, pilot study is examining how mobile technology might support deaf and hard-of-hearing college students when an interpreter can’t physically be present at the time the services are requested. The first phase of the UC research project involved a college student taking a course in a large, auditorium-style classroom.
Is There an Invisible Tug-Of-War Behind Bad Hearts and Power Outages?
June 17, 2013 11:53 am | by Princeton University | CommentsSystems such as a beating heart or a power grid that depend on the synchronized movement of their parts could fall prey to an invisible and chaotic tug-of-war known as a "chimera." Sharing its name with the fire-breathing, zoologically patchy creature of Greek mythology, a chimera state arises among identical, rhythmically moving components...
Diabetics Who Use Meters to Monitor Their Glucose Have Better Control Over Disease
June 17, 2013 11:07 am | by Renatt Brodsky, Mount Sinai School of Medicine | CommentsMount Sinai researchers will demonstrate new data on diabetes self-management, as well as the role of prostastic acid phosphatase (PAP) in Prostate Cancer (PCa) bone metastases; identify new molecules that can stimulate the thyroid gland; reveal the prevalence of primary aldosteronism (PA) in an urban population; and show how thyroid autoimmunity may be triggered by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress.
Boston Hospital to Offer Hand Transplants for Kids
June 17, 2013 10:55 am | by Marilynn Marchione, AP Chief Medical Writer | CommentsA Boston hospital is starting the world's first hand transplant program for children, and doctors say it won't be long until face transplants and other radical operations to improve appearance and quality of life are offered to kids, too.
New Nanoneedle Helping Scientists Uncover Secrets Under the Skin
June 14, 2013 9:22 am | by University of Bath | CommentsResearchers in the University’s Physics and Pharmacy & Pharmacology Departments are using a pioneering technique to study the properties and characteristics of our skin, in tests that could pave the way for new treatments for dermatitis, and for an improved understanding of the skin ageing process.
New Array Measures Vibrations Across Skin May Help Engineers Design Tactile Displays
June 14, 2013 9:16 am | by Massachusetts Institute of Technology | CommentsIn the near future, a buzz in your belt or a pulse from your jacket may give you instructions on how to navigate your surroundings. Think of it as tactile Morse code: vibrations from a wearable, GPS-linked device that tell you to turn right or left, or stop, depending on the pattern of pulses you feel. Such a device could free drivers from having to look at maps, and could also serve as a tactile guide for the visually and hearing impaired.
Autonomous, Energy-Scavenging, Micro Devices Serve as Biomedical Monitors
June 14, 2013 9:10 am | by SPIE | CommentsOut in the wilds or anywhere off the grid, sophisticated instruments small enough to fit in a shirt pocket will one day scavenge power from sunlight, body heat, or other sources to monitor water quality or bridge safety or function as wearable biomedical monitors, enabling analysis in the field rather than bringing samples and data back to the lab.
Testing Method Promising for Spinal Cord Injuries, Multiple Sclerosis
June 14, 2013 9:00 am | by Purdue University | CommentsA medical test previously developed to measure a toxin found in tobacco smokers has been adapted to measure the same toxin in people suffering from spinal cord injuries and multiple sclerosis, offering a potential tool to reduce symptoms.
Codman Neuro Obtains CE Mark for Thrombectomy Device
June 13, 2013 4:33 pm | by Codman Neuro | CommentsCodman Neuro, part of DePuy Synthes Companies of Johnson & Johnson, has obtained CE marking for REVIVE SE, a next-generation self-expanding clot removal device for use in treating acute ischemic stroke, the company announced today at the Live Interventional Neuroradiology & Neurosurgery Course (LINNC) in Paris.
Girl Who Took on Transplant Rules Gets New Lungs
June 13, 2013 4:20 pm | by Keith Collins and Malcolm Ritter, Associated Press | CommentsA 10-year-old girl with cystic fibrosis was recovering from a transplant of adult lungs after a judge's ruling expanded her options for lifesaving surgery. Sarah Murnaghan underwent a six-hour surgery Wednesday at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, a procedure her aunt said resulted because of the larger list of available organs.
Court Says Human Genes Cannot Be Patented
June 13, 2013 4:13 pm | by Jesse J. Holland, Associated Press Writer | CommentsThe Supreme Court ruled Thursday that companies cannot patent parts of naturally-occurring human genes, a decision with the potential to profoundly affect the emerging and lucrative medical and biotechnology industries. The high court's unanimous judgment reverses three decades of patent awards by government officials.
The Scent of Melanoma
June 13, 2013 4:05 pm | by Monell Chemical Senses Center | CommentsAccording to new research from the Monell Center and collaborating institutions, odors from human skin cells can be used to identify melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. In addition to detecting a unique odor signature associated with melanoma cells, the researchers also demonstrated that a nanotechnology-based sensor could reliably differentiate melanoma cells from normal skin cells.
