Engineers at Brown University have developed a device that can detect glucose with unprecedented sensitivity. A biochip inside the device uses saliva instead of blood to check glucose levels. Employing the technology of plasmonic interferometers, the biochip detects amounts of glucose, as low as .36 milligrams per deciliter. The biochip can be modified to test other chemicals and substances. Brown University reports additional details. For more healthcare news, follow us @llns_tweets.
Have you been keeping up with your fitness goals for the new year? NIKE+ FuelBand can help! The NIKE+ Fuelband measures your daily activities and motivates you to be more active. When a daily goal is set, the NIKE+ Fuelband alerts users as they get closer to reaching their goal. The portable accelerometer makes it easy to keep track of fitness habits and burned calories. The Fuelband syncs with the NIKE+ website to record activities and track daily progress. Check [...]
The American Red Cross is in a state of emergency. They were recently hit with a $9.6 million FDA fine after inspectors found many of American Red Cross practices unacceptable. In a 32-page letter, the FDA cited the Red Cross for insufficient staff training, failure to promptly inform healthcare facilities about blood issues, incorrect labeling of blood products, and several other concerns. This fine is not the first issue the Red Cross has had with the FDA. In fact, the [...]
Lloyds pharmacy has teamed up with Proteus Biomedical to bring a ingestible event marker (IEM) to the public. The Helius is an IEM specially designed to remind patients to take their medicine on time. The tiny microchip also offers biofeedback to monitor heart rate, body temperature, and other heath stats. When the Helius is activated, it sends an electrical signal through the body and the information is relayed with a smartphone app. The Helius could help patients stay on their [...]
A blood test for mad cow disease is now offered to patients in the UK. Normally, tests for CJD (Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease), the human form of BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy), are taken via tonsil biopsy. Researchers are taking measures to ensure the test does not provide false positives. The American Red Cross has provided 5,000 anonymous samples for the testing process. Next steps for the initiative include fundraising and additional rigorous testing that could to earlier diagnosis and treatment for the [...]
Human papillomavirus, better known as HPV, is the main cause of cervical cancer. HPV is a fairly common virus that can be spread during sexual intercourse. In fact, at least half of sexually active people at one point in their life will have HPV. In most cases, HPV goes away in two years or less but in some people the virus can cause cervical, vaginal, penile and oropharyngral cancers. While all women are at risk for cervical cancer, screenings and [...]
MIT researchers and a team at Ferrosan Medical Devices A/S have developed a coating that rapidly stops bleeding. A major advancement on the battlefield, the coating can also be used in hospitals to minimize blood loss resulting in trauma that could be fatal if not treated quickly. Other methods are not suitable for the certain parts of the body and many disadvantages. The coating utilizes thrombin (a clotting agent) and tannin for their clotting abilities. The coating allows for a [...]
Six years ago, reports of a tuberculosis resistant to all drugs shocked the world. Today, data and treatments are not adequately established for many strains of tuberculosis. The World Health Organization has composed “frequently asked questions” to disseminate available information knowledge about the infectious disease to the public. In response to concern over drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), the World Health Organization is preparing for an Expert Group Meeting this March to discuss new data on these strains. [...]
Earlier this month Life Technologies Corporation announced they would be taking orders for their new Ion Proton™ Sequencer. The benchtop gadget can be used to sequence the entire human genome in one day! Typically this task requires months and a $10,000 price tag. The Ion Proton™ Sequencer can get the job done in 24 hours for only $1,000. The device is ideal for sequencing human genomes and exomes. Using a stand-alone server, the machine eliminates the need for high costs [...]
Raltegravir, an antiviral drug, slows the spread of HIV infection but also seems promising to treat HIV infection in children when used with antiretroviral drugs. In a clinical trial, after a 24-week treatment of raltegravir, 53% of the patients had an undetectable amount of HIV virus in their blood. The treatment gives new hope to patients who have tried other treatment regimens. Each patient in the trial will be monitored for five years so researchers can continue to evaluate adverse [...]
