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Biomedical technology news

Autism spectrum disorders

Scientists grow mini brains to uncover cells behind autism-related brain overgrowth

A new study in the lab of Jason Stein, Ph.D., modeled brain development in a dish to identify cells and genes that influence infant brain growth, a trait associated with autism.

Neuroscience

'Listening in' on the brain's hidden language: Engineered protein detects the faintest incoming signals

Scientists have engineered a protein able to record the incoming chemical signals of brain cells (as opposed to just their outgoing signals). These whisper-quiet incoming messages are the release of the neurotransmitter glutamate, ...

Health informatics

Testing AI logic in biomedical research

Manchester researchers have developed a systematic methodology to test whether AI can think logically in biomedical research, helping to ensure safer, more reliable applications in health care innovation.

Gerontology & Geriatrics

AI-powered wearable boosts preventative care for elderly

University of Arizona researchers in the Gutruf Lab have developed a comfortable, easy-to-use wearable device that incorporates artificial intelligence to detect subtle warning signs of frailty, signifying a leap forward ...

Medical research

Some ventilator settings can double airway stress

Mechanical ventilation saves lives, but the airflow it produces inside an intubated airway can also shape conditions linked to complications during long-term support. In a recent study, SUNY Polytechnic Institute faculty ...

Parkinson's & Movement disorders

New ALS diagnostic blood test boasts 97% accuracy

ALS is a debilitating paralytic disease characterized as the death of upper and lower motor neurons. Fortunately, ALS is relatively rare, with an incidence rate of 1.6 per 100,000 adults, resulting in about 30,000 cases in ...

Oncology & Cancer

Blood analysis shows whether brain cancer treatment is working

The effectiveness of chemotherapy for brain cancer, done with a technique that opens the blood-brain barrier, can be monitored by blood draw, researchers at Northwestern Medicine and the University of Michigan have shown.

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Rapid test developed for diagnosing hepatitis C virus

A rapid, highly accurate test has been developed for diagnosing hepatitis C virus (HCV), according to a study published online Dec. 10 in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Surgery

Surgeons trial new robotic system for throat cancer surgery

A pioneering study at King's College London, University of Oxford and Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust has successfully tested a new robotic surgical system for treating head and neck conditions, marking a significant ...

Radiology & Imaging

New PET tracers advance central nervous system imaging

Two newly developed PET imaging agents have been proven effective in identifying the histamine H3 receptor (H3R) that is highly expressed in neurological and psychiatric conditions. The novel agents have a long half-life, ...

Genetics

Scientists discover new approach to gene therapy

Researchers have found a promising new method for gene therapy. They successfully restarted inactive genes by bringing them closer to genetic switches on the DNA called enhancers. The intermediate piece of DNA was cut out ...

Neuroscience

Virtual reality could help stroke survivors regain movement

A paper published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews has found that virtual reality (VR), when used in addition to standard therapy, can help stroke survivors regain arm movement. The findings suggest that VR ...

Biomedical technology

Cultured nerve tissue can be used in ALS studies

Motor neurons are nerve cells that control our muscles by sending signals from the brain and spinal cord out to the body. In diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), these cells are destroyed, leading to muscle ...

Neuroscience

3D printed brain sheds light on neurological disorders

A research team has successfully developed a three-dimensional (3D) brain model that closely mimics the structure and function of the human brain. The study was published in the International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing. ...