Writing in the journal Science, Professor Derby of The School of Materials, looks at how the concept of using printer technology to build structures in which to grow cells, is helping to regenerate tissue. Both inkjet and laser printer technology can be used to build the 3D scaffolds that cells can be grown in and also place the cells in these structures simultaneously.
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Persons with Diabetes will Contribute to Assess the Global Impact of Telemedicine Services
Diabetes mellitus affects more than 366 million patients worldwide, according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), but the prevalence and incidence of the disease are still growing in conjunction with increased obesity rates and sedentary lifestyle. It is projected that in the next 20 years more than one in ten adults will be affected by diabetes.
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Cambridge Software Improves Quality of Sound for Hearing Aid Users
A new software product developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge could greatly improve sound perception for users of hearing aids. The software prescribes the amount of amplification of high-frequency sounds required to restore the audibility of such sounds. This increases the frequency range of sound that individuals with hearing loss are able to detect, improving speech perception, sound localisation and the ability to hear certain musical sounds, when compared with current methods.
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Serious Games Could be Integrated into Surgical Training
Serious gaming can be used to enhance surgical skills, but games developed or used to train medical professionals need to be validated before they are integrated into teaching methods, according to a paper in the October issue of the surgical journal BJS.
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Immunochip to Survey Genome Regions
Researchers have newly identified three genetic regions associated with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), the most common autoimmune liver disease, increasing the number of known regions associated with the disorder to 25. The team used a DNA microchip, called Immunochip, to survey more thoroughly regions of the genome known to underlie other autoimmune diseases to discover if they play a role also in PBC susceptibility.
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Fast Forward for Biomedical Research
The hundreds of researchers working on the ENCODE project have revealed that much of what has been called 'junk DNA' in the human genome is actually a massive control panel with millions of switches regulating the activity of our genes. Without these switches, genes would not work - and mutations in these regions might lead to human disease.
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Launching a "Social Networking War" Against Cancer
Experts agree that, more than ever before, modern wars will be fought in the cyber zone, targeting an enemy's communications technology to cause untold damage. Now a Tel Aviv University researcher is suggesting that the same tactics should be employed in the battle against one of the body's deadliest enemies - cancer.
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