Tiny skin-stabbing stars designed to get meds through the epidermis

While topically-applied medications do help alleviate various skin conditions, they would be even more effective if they could better penetrate the skin’s surface. Newly developed nanoceramic “stars” may one day help, by poking tiny holes in the skin.C… Continue reading Tiny skin-stabbing stars designed to get meds through the epidermis

“Fancy threads” could release drugs right where the body needs them

Swiss scientists have developed textile fibers that can be loaded up with just about any drug, then used to dispense that medication precisely where it’s needed in the body. The fibers could be utilized in sutures or bandages, or even just implanted on… Continue reading “Fancy threads” could release drugs right where the body needs them

Glowing particles help guide the process of soldering wounds closed

While sutures and staples suffice for closing most wounds, they can damage delicate tissue, plus they may allow fluids to leak out when applied to internal organs. Scientists have thus set about improving an alternative wound-closure method known as ti… Continue reading Glowing particles help guide the process of soldering wounds closed

Bacteria-filled “living dressing” could help heal chronic wounds

Ordinarily, when treating chronic wounds, caregivers go to great lengths to keep them free of bacteria. An experimental new dressing, however, actually introduces bacteria to help such wounds heal.Continue ReadingCategory: Medical, ScienceTags: Empa, M… Continue reading Bacteria-filled “living dressing” could help heal chronic wounds

Bioinspired color-changing material could warn of damaged goods

Imagine if there were inexpensive 3D-printed sensors that changed color to show us if something had gotten too warm or was subjected to too much stress. Well, there soon could be – and they’ll biodegrade once discarded, to boot.Continue ReadingCategory… Continue reading Bioinspired color-changing material could warn of damaged goods

Flame-resistant drone could save lives by flying into fires

Firefighters have a dangerous job at the best of times, but especially so when they’re first entering burning buildings. A new flame-resistant drone could help, by scouting structures to let firefighters know what they’ll be up against.Continue Reading… Continue reading Flame-resistant drone could save lives by flying into fires

Drone research center takes autonomous building repairs to the skies

Imagine an army of drones flying around our cities, relentlessly focused on detecting building issues before they become serious and carrying out repairs autonomously. It sounds like science fiction but researchers aim to explore whether this could ind… Continue reading Drone research center takes autonomous building repairs to the skies

Protein size determines Alzheimer’s stage, may lead to earlier detection

In Alzheimer's disease, protein fibrils in the brain form plaques. The accumulation of such tangles leads to the death of nerve cells and a loss of cognitive performance

Testing for protein clumps in spinal fluid is the conventional way of detecting Alzheimer’s disease, but it doesn’t provide information about the disease’s stage. In a new study, researchers were able to stage the disease using atomic force microscopy to visualize the size and shape of these clumps, which may provide a way of detecting the debilitating disease earlier.

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Continue reading Protein size determines Alzheimer’s stage, may lead to earlier detection

Translucent aerogel bricks could outperform their opaque counterparts

While glass bricks are effective for allowing daylight into buildings, they’re not good insulators and they can’t be used for entire load-bearing walls. Such is reportedly not the case, however, with experimental new aerogel-filled translucent bricks.C… Continue reading Translucent aerogel bricks could outperform their opaque counterparts