Category: Uncategorized
Disinfecting surfaces to keep monkeypox virus at bay
With cases of monkeypox continuing to rise and spread around the world, government health departments are providing advice and guidance on how to help prevent transmission of the disease with hygiene and disinfection of the utmost importance. Meanwhile, German specialty chemicals company Lanxess is offering its disinfectant Rely+On Virkon as an effective deterrent against the […]
Researchers develop home treatment gel for gum disease
Periodontitis is an inflammatory gum disease characterised by persistent inflammation, an imbalance of bacteria in the mouth, and destruction of the bones and structures that support the teeth – untreated, gum disease can lead to painful and bleeding gums, difficulty chewing, and tooth loss. Researchers at NYU College of Dentistry (NYU Dentistry) have developed an […]
Digital mask to safeguard sensitive info in patient facial images
A patient’s facial image data – while extremely useful when it comes to identifying and diagnosing disease – is susceptible to data breaches and is not easily anonymised for medical recordkeeping. A joint team of researchers from the University of Cambridge, UK, and Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China, have introduced a “digital mask” that […]
Lung cells become cancerous when exposed to airborne pollutants
A new mechanism has been identified through which very small pollutant particles in the air may trigger lung cancer development in people who have never smoked, according to the ESMO Congress 2022 reports from the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO). Pollutant particles are typically found in vehicle exhaust and smoke from fossil fuels, and […]
A solution to ESKD via a kidney transplant
Patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) are unable to remove waste products and excess liquid from the body due to poorly-functioning kidneys. While dialysis, whether it be haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis, is prescribed to perform this duty artificially, a more effective treatment for ESKD is a kidney transplant. According to Dr. Wong Hin Seng, a […]
Nutritionally-enhanced purple tomato available in 2023
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has decided to let home growers purchase and plant seeds of the anthocyanin-rich purple tomato, a variety that has been genetically enhanced to increase its nutritional value. These purple tomatoes were developed by plant biologists and food scientists at Norfolk Plant Sciences, who realised certain types of tomato […]
Sugar substitutes found to change blood sugar levels
Contrary to popular belief, non-nutritive sweeteners such as aspartame and stevia can affect the human body – by altering blood glucose levels as well as glucose tolerance. Non-nutritive sweeteners can provide a touch of sweetness but without the calories and consequences from sugar; however, the sugar substitutes are not inert as previously thought, said researchers […]
Rotator cuff tears repaired with experimental treatment
Researchers from the University of Connecticut (UConn) School of Medicine are working on a potential breakthrough treatment for shoulder injuries, one that employs an unusual technique. Shoulder injuries are often caused by tears to the tendons of a niche group of muscles called the rotator cuff. An experimental treatment sees a graphene/polymer matrix embedded into […]
Mechanically-controlled robotic implant prevents the formation of scar tissue
The formation of scar tissue is a hindrance to implantable treatment devices as it blocks essential drug release – this is known as the foreign body response, and is just as likely to interfere with many other types of implantable medical devices, leading to device failure within a year. Engineers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology […]
Alleviating back pain by “retraining” the nervous system
Australian researchers are testing a treatment for chronic low back pain – this one doesn’t rely on drugs or traditional hands-on approaches such as spinal manipulation, injections, or surgery. The novel method called “sensorimotor retraining” challenges how people process sensory information from their back, instead of viewing back pain as only a physical problem. In […]
