Mechanical Properties of Graphene Papers – Berkay Basagaoglu

Mechanical Properties of Graphene Papers – Berkay Basagaoglu

Graphene is currently referred to as the “super material” of the material world due to its outstanding mechanical properties. Graphene is a highly ordered structure of carbon arranged in a hexagonal pattern, which contains strong sp2 hybridized bonds and intralayer crosslinks. Stacking graphene layers utilizing interlayer crosslinks allows larger graphene sheets to be constructed.

The efficient load transfer in graphene is carried out through load distribution between the intralayer and interlayer crosslinks. Intralayer crosslinks break first and elastic energy is distributed, which allows the load to be sustained by the interlayer crosslinks, this allows graphene to bear the load after failure starts.

The strength of Graphene is estimated to be around 10 GPa, which is 200-300 times the strength of steel, thus allowing many applications. In addition, graphene is an excellent thermal conductor due to the hexagonal lattice having the longest mean free path, 65 microns, of any known material., thus there is minimal resistance.

http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1105/1105.0138.pdf

Out for Blood: Filtering Out Circulating Tumor Cells

Because tumors get their nutrients from blood, cancer cells are likely to enter the blood. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) flow through the vascular system and allow for cancer metastasis. Thus, research is underway to use fluid biopsy to diagnose, monitor, and treat cancer.

Massachusetts General Hospital's BioMEMS Resource Center is pushing toward the CTC-Chip, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) on a probe that contains tiny columns to collect and separate CTCs from blood. Initial versions of the CTC-Chip were coated with tumor-specific biomarkers to collect one type of cancer cell at a time. Fortunately, Mehmet Toner has discovered a way to detect any type of cancer using magnetic cell labeling and microfluidic cell sorting.

Janssen Diagnostics has already introduced the FDA-approved Cellsearch system that removes CTCs from a blood sample. However, more innovations are likely to be seen in the near future, including a development in technology with higher sensitivity and specificity to CTCs. Furthermore, the commercialization of CTC technology will make cancer treatment more accessible in developing areas of the world.

The concept of global health has always interested me. I am currently in an organization that promotes improvement in the quality of healthcare in developing countries and I am also involved in a project presented by the same organization. While I do not necessarily intend to work in the field of oncology, I support any development, such as the CTC-Chip, that has the capacity to help those who have little access to decent healthcare because of its potential low cost and simplicity. Many researchers and companies develop drugs and devices in order to make a profit rather than with the pure goal of helping people, and I hope to move away from this trend in whatever career I choose.

https://www.asme.org/engineering-topics/articles/bioengineering/out-for-blood

Muscle built in diseased mice

The ability to regrown muscle is very important with patients with muscular dystrophy. Researchers at the Boston's Childrens Hospital Stem Cell Program are now able to boost muscle mass and reverse some of the symptoms in model mice. This will hopefully allow patients with muscular dystrophy to improve their conditions and gain the ability to lead more normal lives. They did this by implanting stem cells that were generated from human skin cells. They have tested this in zebrafish, mice and also patient specific tissue.
The researchers hope that this study will open gates for further research and allow for customization of treatment for diseases as well as better targeting for regrowth of tissue. These improvements in medicine will help many people with muscular dystrophy and many other degenerative diseases. This is important to me because these new forms of technology will hopefully help many of my friends
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131107123142.htm

Skin Cells Morph Into Brain Cells

Researchers at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine have discovered a technique that converts skin cells into brain cells. This new technique utilizes fibroblasts and converts them into oligodendrocytes, the cell responsible for myelinating neurons in the CNS. Researchers were able to accomplish this task by a process termed cellular programming in which three naturally occurring proteins to induce fibroblasts to become oligodendrocytes. Until now, researchers have had to use pluripotent cells to replace damaged neurons. Now neurons can be generated 'on demand' to cure debilitating neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and other leukodystrophies.

This website was very interesting because I had done my student lecture presentation on a neurological disorder and at the moment I was not able to find any current research on leukodystrophies. I am surprised to find that skin cells can eventually lead to precursors to oligodendrocytes.

http://bioengineer.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=349:skin-cells-morphed-into-functional-brain-cells&catid=89:news&Itemid=494

Computerized Biomechanical Perfusion Model

This article focuses on the development of a completely computerized perfusion system for studies dealing with intact blood vessels. Most perfusion systems of the time and even currently focus on endothelial cell culturing. Thus the perfusion system used in the study was one that incorporated intact blood vessels. The developed system also was to be used to allow for prolonged or chronic vessel perfusion, keeping essential fluid mechanical forces at target levels, and control of the metabolic environment. This control of metabolic environment includes pH levels, oxygen levels and temperature for example. There was a computerized feedback control of the system through usage of a LabView Virtual Instrument. The VI was used to receive vessel radius/ diameter readings from a ultrasonographic reader and calculate resulting shear stress. If the shear stress was not within a target level the system automatically adjusted pressure or flow to return shear stress to the target level. This automatic adjustment also applied to temperature, CO₂ levels, and pH; if the metabolic parameters were not of a designated range the system adjusted them. The study also observed PGE2 levels compared to shear stress; this would help in understanding prostaglandin E2 level release in relation to vascular tone and remodeling. This article was interesting to me because I am currently developing a sterilized perfusion system for chronic studies on intact lymphatic vessels that will work in a similar manner only accounting for the pump-like nature of the lymphatic vessels by controling inlet and outlet pressure.

http://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/25627

Creation of Analgesic from Centipede Venom

In April, researchers found that, among other things, that the venom from the Chinese Red-Headed Centipede inhibits the sodium voltage-gated channel Na1.7. This gated channel is responsible for pain perception in humans from a variety of sources. Humans born with non-functioning Na1.7 channels are incapable of perceiving all types of pain so research into chemicals that will selectively inhibit those channels are being sought out. The centipede venom has been found to selectively inhibit this sodium channel and when an extract of the venom was tested on mice, it was found to be several times more effective than morphine and without any side affects.
This article was interesting to me because I think its really cool to take something that has been traditionally seen as a bad thing and cleverly use it to make life better. Though it is unlikely that you will see a centipede-based analgesic in hospitals or pharmacies any time soon, this could be a big step forward for the management of pain in all kinds of injuries and illnesses and what's even more exciting is that it may open the door for finding other animal excretions that can benefit humans when used properly.
http://www.pnas.org.lib-ezproxy.tamu.edu:2048/content/110/43/17534.full

Miniature 'human brain' grown in lab

   Scientists at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences have managed to develop early stage 'human' brains that are grown from stem cells. They say the development of the grown brain matches natural brain development until 9 weeks. This means these brains could be good models in studying developmental disorders such as microcephaly, a disorder that causes the brain to be smaller. Also, It was noted that the brains had not developed enough to become conscious or have thought. I think this development is really cool because it could potentially be the beginning of entirely new methods of studying and treating brain diseases.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-23863544

New Drugs Can Shape Memories

Researchers may be on the verge of developing a chemical compound that can be used to delete unwanted memories. This drug would be extremely beneficial in the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and possibly drug addiction. Researchers at Emory University conducted promising studies on mice with a drug identified as SR-8993. This compound acts on the brain’s opioid receptors with the intent of preventing a fear memory from forming. It was found that mice on SR-8993were less likely to display PTSD-like symptoms after being placed in a high stressed situation for some time. Another drug, Latrunculin A, was shown to be fairly successful in deleting or subduing rats’ memories. In this study, the rats were subjected to methamphetamine and then, two days later, were administered Latrunculin A. Some of the rats did not seek out meth when given the chance showing positive results for the drug.

I found this article interesting given our recent endeavors in the treatment of PTSD and drug addiction. These drugs could be an alternative treatment to the nanobots we designed or they could be used to improve our bots. Neurophysiology will undoubtedly prove to become an exciting field in the coming years.

Source: http://www.popsci.com/article/science/how-scientists-are-learning-shape-our-memory?dom=PSC&loc=slider&lnk=1&con=spotless-minds

Number Sense Mapped on Brain

The ability of some savants to count large numbers of quantities may have now been mapped. Using the functional magnetic resonant imaging, scientists have used pictures of dots to be able to test subjects on their ability to quickly know the number of dots without counting each ones. Scientists attribute this ability to a greater surface area of the cortex to the middle of the eye. The middle of the eye has the responsibility of focus and has a large area of functional neurons firing when the pictures were shown. This same property may also be seen in some primates. The skill, termed number sense, is important in mathematics even though it originates in an area most often associated with touch and sense. Scientists Put a Sixth Sense for Numbers on Brain Map

Scientists Create New Ear Using 3D Printing And Living Cell Injections

The ability to grow/manufacture body parts is a feat mankind has been attempting to achieve for some time now. One of the latest developments of this field is the use of 3D printing to more easily customize and manufacture such parts. Researchers at Cornell used this technology to form a new ear prosthetic out of cartilage. The researchers used cow cartilage for the ear as there currently is not a good way to utilize the subject's own cartilage in the amount required. The most interesting thing about the 3D printing method in my opinion is that a 3D camera is utilized to take pictures of the patient's remaining ear to create a mirrored replica for replacement. This creates a much more realistic appearing prosthetic ear.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/20/scientists-create-new-ear_n_2728612.html

Photonic EarLens

With the prevalent use of ear buds in society have accompanied a rapid increase in hearing loss of younger people. Researchers at Texas A and M have recently developed a new type of hearing aid that utilizes photonic technology. This device uses a microphone to detect sound waves then transduces the signal into infrared light. This infrared light then goes to a Tympanic Contact Actuator this is in direct contact with the base of the ear canal. The light is then converted to powerful vibrations that allow for precise clarity in hearing. By isolating an particular algorithm  researchers were able to enhance the clarity . They did numerous studies in various noisy climates and critiqued than angle with which the microphone is placed to minimize the impact of extraneous background noises.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2974567/ 

Bone grafts may be better with a new sea coral material.

Researchers at Swansea University in the UK have converted the calcium carbonate of sea coral found south of China into a biodegradable material for bone grafts.  The material's abbreviated name is CHACC.  This new material's rate of degradation is similar to the body's rate of repairing damaged bone.   In clinical trials, each of the patients had observable healing of the bone within 4 months, and the material degraded within 18-24 months.  The researchers are working to incorporate growth factors into the graph to improve healing.
I found this interesting due to our connection with Swansea University.  We also studied bone grafts in a SNBAL earlier this year.  In the article, I found it interesting how difficult a task those working with biomaterials have:they must match the rate of graft degradation with the rate of bone repair.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/269512.php

Sensor Implant

     Tim Cannon a "Biohacker" developed a chip the size of a smartphone that once implanted into the body can monitor the users vitals and transit that information via Bluetooth to their phone. The device uses a wirelessly charged battery for power so it would not have to be removed to change out the batteries. While it is still under development Tim Cannon has implanted a prototype into his own arm to test the device. The implantation of such a device is for obvious reasons not medically approved, so he had the procedure done by a "body modification expert". He hopes to improve the device to the point where it will be able to detect the mood you are in and prepare your home environment to accommodate.
     This article caught my eye mainly because I could not believe that someone would actually implant something that size into their own arm. As I continued to read it I became intrigued with what his overall goal was. While I would not have the device at its current state implanted into me, as the device develops and becomes smaller (preferably small enough to just inject) I would be more open to the idea of receiving such a device that could monitor my vitals and alert me if there is something going on that should not be. Also when you go to the hospital they could download the information and see exactly what was going on inside of you rather in a few seconds as apposed to taking each vital individually. Besides who would not want to come home to a nice hot bath and relaxing setting after having a stressful day thanks to the device in your body.  

http://mashable.com/2013/11/05/biohacker-sensor/

Tongue-Controlled Wheelchair!

     Georgia Tech electrical engineers have designed a system termed The Tongue-Driven System which involves an assistive medical device which allows para- and tetra-plegic patients more independence and interaction with their environments. The Tongue-Driven System is a tongue piercing that communicates the position of the patient's tongue to a headset which translates the information into six distinct motion commands directing the patient's powered wheelchair. This system was compared to the most popular current system called Sip-and-Puff which operated based on air flow through a straw-like device for similar means but which partially blocks the face. The Tongue-Driven System outperforms the Sip-and-Puff system in speed three-times over (although the patients in the trial had already used Sip-and-Puff). The system provides more motion differentiation and is just as accurate. The technology was also used in a trial to navigate computer mouse clicks and keypads. The Tongue-Driven device patients quickly caught up to their “able-bodied” opponents.

     I believe this technology is very important and excellent work because it uses current electrical device technology in collaboration with para- and tetra-plegics' functioning and powerful physiology to provide greater quality of life to these patients. The tongue would normally be overlooked but its sensitivity makes it a good tool in this case. Although it seems an odd concept at first, I think this kind of collaboration and innovation between disciplines is what the medical device industry needs to provide truly great outcome to their patients. This idea will change lives and gives the power back to these patients. I am interested in this article because I am interested in bioinstrumentation.

http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/5/213/213ra166

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131127170407.htm

Automating Anesthesia For Medically Induced Comas

This article talks about how anesthesia could potientally be administered via automated machines instead of manually by anesthesiologists.

A team from the Massachusetts General Hospital  made some changes to current equipment so that the anesthesia could be administered based on EEG patterns and brain activity in order to keep the patient in an induced coma. This has been tested on rats and was found to give perfect amounts of anesthesia. The team wants to get it approved to test on patients.

The research is relevant because it is one of the first fully automated systems where the results show both precision and control in administering anesthesia.

Medically induced comas require brain activity to be at the correct level at all times or patients would be in danger. This requires personnel to monitor the patients for days to ensure that patients get the correct dosage; this research is relevant because then the people needed for these jobs would be free to do other jobs like tend to surgeries and such.

Below is the link to the article:

http://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/biomedical/devices/automating-anesthesia-for-medically-induced-comas

The da Vinci Surgical System versus the Radius Surgical System

In the year 2005, Kanazawa University and Tokyo Medical University group first introduced the da Vinci surgical system (Intuitive Surgical Inc., Sunnyvale, CA) and the Radius surgical system (Tuebingen Scientific Medical GmbH, Germany) in 2006. This series represents the first Japanese application of robotic technology for an innovative endoscopic open-heart surgery system is used. While surgeons are unfamiliar with both systems and this may caused them to feel that the da Vinci is unnecessary if the Radius system is already being employed, this facility has benefited from the use of both innovative endoscopic surgery systems in Japan. This article therefore has compared the advantages and disadvantages of each system.

The da Vinci Surgical System is a sophisticated robotic platform designed to expand the surgeon’s capabilities, offer a state-of-the-art minimally invasive option for major surgery filter and seamlessly translate your surgeon's hand movements into precise micro-movements of the da Vinci instruments. While, the use of the Radius Surgical System (RSS), as a mechanical manipulator, for complex laparoscopic cases in urology is now in demand with an extended learning curve. The RSS consists of two hand-guided surgical manipulators and provides a deflectable and rotatable tip allowing six degrees of freedom. Both are capable of carrying out surgical procedures with accurate and precise incisions, so this article shows the difference between the two advance medical technologies.

 I found this interesting because both devices was created with the goal of allowing patients in an unfortunate conditions of not being able to make the trip for surgical purpose and missing the opportunity of getting the best treatment. This medical advancement is going to take the medical world for a huge spin as a lot of inconvenience can be avoided when surgeries can be done anywhere, at any time.

Source: www.doaj.org/doaj?func=fulltext&aId=1103047‎

Use of Nanopores for Drug Delivery

            Researchers at KU Leuven have developed a new method to assist in drug delivery with their use of a biological nanopore. Their idea stemmed from the known function of the cell membrane and how it regulates what moves in and out of the cell. With this in mind, the researchers first took advantage of those membrane proteins that can be used as a “weapon” by making a hole in the cell membrane. This hole, or nanopore, would then incorporate what the researchers called a, “’…selective DNA revolving door…’” above the nanopore. Certain DNA sequences would be able to attach to this door and be moved into the cell. Once inside the cell, another “DNA key” allows for the DNA sequence to be released and the revolving door to be reset to its original position. This specificity in which a particular DNA sequence is allowed to attach to the door enables the nanopore to regulate which DNA molecules can move into the cell.

            Using this idea provides a mechanism for selective drug delivery and other transport systems. In drug delivery, this nanopore would allow for a more direct and efficient way to deliver the medicine to the target cells. Another example in which this mechanism is believed to prove beneficial is in gene therapy. With this example, the particular genetic material that is needed to re-program a degenerative cell can get into its target cell with more success by utilizing the specificity of the nanopore.

            I chose this article because I liked that the article dealt with topics, such cell membranes and membrane channels, which we have talked about in detail in class. I always find it cool to see information we have learned about integrated into real-life examples and innovations. Also, drug delivery is another topic within biomedical engineering that I find fascinating and am looking to pursue in the future.   

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131023090540.htm

Electric Device That Tells You When To Pee

A British neuroscientist, James Fawcett, and his team have come up with a neuroprosthetic device that is able to replace damaged nerves that are responsible for making the bladder feel full. The device is also able to trigger the emptying of the bladder via electrical stimulation. Patients with spinal cord injuries may suffer from faulty communication between the bladder and brain. This results in the brain not knowing when the bladder is full and when it needs to be emptied. At the moment people with this problem are forced to use a catheter to empty their bladder.

            The device fixes this problem by placing part of the dorsal roots of the spinal nerves into microchannel electrode interfaces that record nerve signals and can determine when the bladder is getting full. The device will then send signals to the bladder telling it to empty itself and when the patient is ready, he/she can press a button that causes the bladder to empty. This device has so far only been successfully tested in rats and it had major effects on the lifespans of these rats so it is not yet ready for humans.

            I found this interesting because the device was created with the goal of allowing patients in an unfortunate condition to function more independently. If this device is to become viable for humans, it will allow people who have lost the ability to control their bladder to once again take control of their restroom schedule in an independent fashion.

Source:

http://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/biomedical/devices/electric-device-that-tells-you-when-to-pee

Tongue Ring Joy Stick

Tongue rings could be the next great fashion trend for paraplegic and tetraplegic people, but not for reasons one would think. They are not suddenly styling their hair into purple mohawks or punk rock clothes.... well they might, but that is not the point. The tongue ring would not be a fashion statment, but a means of independent control over their wheelchairs.

Recenlty, a study was conducted where 11 tetraplegics had their tongues pierced with a magnetic stud that acts like a joystick, allowing users to control the movements and turns of their wheelchairs. The magnetic barbell creates an electirc field in the mouth. When users flick their tongues, the magnetic field is disturbed and the changes are detected by a headset sensor which translates signals to a computer or iPhone.

The Tongue-Based System was tested on a 50 meter obstacle course with 13 turns, 24 obstacles and random emergency stops. It was tested with 11 tetraplegics and 23 people who already had tongue piercings. With only thrity minutes of training, the results were dramatic. The users completed the course three times faster using the tongue-based system than using the most widely used system, the sip and puff, which usesa straw to control the movements.

This article interested me because I have always wondered what it would be like to lose control over your own body and what technology is being created to help those who do not have that most basic function. I would want as much independence as I could possibly have. The tonuge-based system not only works for controlling the wheelchair, but also for operating a computer. The possibilites coulsbe endless. This is also one of the least invasive and quicker systems compared to the systems that read brain waves and the ones controllled with breathing. The only thing one would have to do is get a tongue piercing!!

For more information:
http://t.nbcnews.com/health/tongue-piercing-lets-paralyzed-control-wheelchairs-2D11664972

Wdpcp, a PCP Protein Required for Ciliogenesis, Regulates Directional Cell Migration and Cell Polarity by Direct Modulation of the Actin Cytoskeleton

http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pbio.1001720


     This article discusses how cilia and ciliogenesis play a role in planar cell polarity.  Planar cell polarity (PCP) regulates cell alignment for cell movement during embryonic development. which requires PCP and PCP effector proteins.  These proteins coincidentally play an important role in ciliogenesis.  After further research on PCP effectors, it was found that Wdpcp regulates both ciliogenesis AND cell movement; unfortunately the mechanism of this protein is relatively unknown.  Studies of Wdpcp were executed by depriving mice of these genes.  The Wdpcp depleted mice exibited cardiac outflow tracts and cochlea defects.  Also, scientists found out that Wdpcp is useful for the recruitment of proteins responsible for ciliogenesis.  Wdpcp is also found in cytoskeleton where is found in actin as well as focal adhesions.  In the mice without Wdpcp, a actin filaments were unable to get recruited,  this associates with decreased membrane "ruffling", failure to establish cell polarity, as well as a loss of directional cell migration.  This allows scientist to believe that PCP defects in Wdpcp are caused by a direct of actin cytoskeleton, and not because of of a loss of cilia.  This claim was fortified when Wdpcp mutant cochlea has normal kinocilia yet still has PCP defects.

Proteins and Retina Deterioration

A recent study has shown that if light sensitive proteins called channelrhodopsins, are introduced into the retina then Retinitis Pigmentosa can be delayed or stopped. In Retinitis Pigmentosa the retina deteriorates due to abnormalities in the photoreceptors or the retinal pigment epithelium of the retina, this disorder typically leads to progressive blindness. When a cell in the retina contains channelrhodopsins the protein can be activated to exposure to light, this causes neighboring cells to take over function of the photoreceptors. 

This method has been successful in resting vision in mice but it has its limits in humans. The human eye has the ability to see in anything from "weak starlight to glaring sunlight." However in this procedure a patient would only work in the brightest sunlight since the variants of channelrhodopsin have not been developed completely. Improvement on the characteristics of the protein is in the works. Researchers are using a computer model to investigate what the goals for the channelrhodopsins are.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131127225344.htm

Peanut Butter Aids in Diagnosing Alzheimer's!

By using peanut butter, doctors and graduate students have discovered a correlation between the brain’s olfactory and cognitive systems. It was found that patients in the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s had left nostrils that were incredibly impaired compared to their right, in that the right nostril's sense of smell was far superior to that of the left. How was this discovery made? A graduate student from the University of Florida McKnight Brain Institute for Smell and Taste, Jennifer Stamps, took note on how neurological patients were not tested on their olfactory abilities. As mentioned in the article, it turns out, “The ability to smell is associated with the first cranial nerve and is often one of the first things to be affected in cognitive decline.” Peanut butter was used because it is easily and only detected by the olfactory nerve. Thus, clinical trials were made to where a ruler was placed next to a patient’s nostril (while closing the other) and a spoonful of peanut butter was held on the opposite side, moving forward a centimeter until the patient was able to smell it. As aforementioned, patients with early Alzheimer have showed, on average, a noticeable 10 cm difference in the ability to smell between the left and right nostrils, with the left nostril being weaker.

I found this article to be particularly interesting because, although this research seems to be in its early stages, it provides another method in diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease so that it could be treated as soon as possible. In doing so, will help slow progression and onset of the disease, ultimately helping patients with Alzheimer’s. 

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/267236.php

Buildup of Amyloid in Brain Blood Vessels Promotes Early Cognitive Impairment

    Alzheimer's is a neurodegenerative disease that is a form of dementia. It affects individuals by impairing their cognitive abilities, making it hard for many to continue to live their lives in a normal fashion.
    Researchers at Stony Brook University recently discovered that a buildup of the protein amyloid β can lead to early stages of Alzheimer's Disease. When the protein builds up into large amounts of amyloid, the neurons they surround die. Researchers also discovered that cerebrovascular amyloid instead of amyloid plaques is what causes the onset of early "cognitive decline". They believe one of the keys to treating or finding a cure for Alzheimer's is through preventing the harm that the amyloid protein causes to its surrounding neuronal cells.
   Considering how widely Alzheimer affects Americans (especially those that are older), I believe this article provides a reasonable conclusion as to what should be done to help patients suffering from this disease. With more research into the protein amyloid β, it's possible to find a cure or even make way into finding a better treatment for Alzheimer's and maybe even other diseases.




http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131127170101.htm

Control of Traumatic Bleeding using a Hair Clamp Inspired Device

The field of combat is a very fast-paced environment, especially in the medic clinic; where it’s hard to keep up with the injuries at certain times. But thanks to a trauma surgeon for the Canadian Navy, Dr. Dennis Filips was inspired by “a simple hair clip, to design a medical clamp that can stop traumatic wound bleeding in a matter of seconds.” (Moore) The clamp allows a rapid response to the most preventable causes of trauma death: massive bleeding, tension pneumothorax, and airway obstruction. It applies a pressure evenly across the seal and stays in place until the patient is ready for surgery. The idea is to make the clamp accessible to civilians, ambulances, and all hospitals for rapid use.
The creation of such devices might mean life or death for certain people, and the fact that the idea originated from a very common household is just mind-boggling. It is true when they say to expect the unexpected.
Source:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27083_3-57410091-247/hair-clip-inspires-device-that-clamps-down-traumatic-bleeding/

Bionic Implant for Schizophrenia

Researchers in Australia are leading the development of a bionic implant which will mitigate the symptoms of schizophrenia. There are a wide range of symptoms involved in schizophrenia including delusions, hallucinations, and diminished joy in life. Currently we rely on antipsychotic medications some of which pose serious side effects.

The device would be implanted in the frontal lobe of the brain and regulate the stimulation of neurons to alleviate symptoms from schizophrenia. The device will be made of conductive organic polymers which have already proven to be successful in stimulating muscle and nerve tissue. 

It is a newly started project but after developing the technology to suit the needs of this project, it will be tested in animal models. If these runs are successful, it could result in clinical trials. Definitely one to keep an eye on in the future as no breakthrough research has been done on schizophrenia in the last 50 years.

see more - https://media.uow.edu.au/news/UOW161660.html

Oh, the Inhumanity!

This post builds on the previous month's, found at

http://bioengineersatwork.blogspot.com/search?q=i,%20totbot

The class discusses biomedical implants which replace or enhance human physiology. A question is posed: 

"When does a person cross the line to become no longer human?"

...

Conversation soon evolves toward the definition of humanity, of sentience, of life.

Is humanity predicated on emotion? The class rallies in support of this notion.

Kenji, the fictional emotional robot then stirs up quite the buzz.

< http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/the-internet-keeps-falling-for-the-hoax-about-kenji-the-robot-programmed-to-love >

It's a deep-seated fear of the human condition, that a machine could rival our intelligence, our "soul." It's an anxiety writ large across the vast expanse of science fiction. The admiration—and simultaneous suspicion—of artificial intelligence, machines that live.

Star Trek becomes an oft-referenced base for fodder on the topic.

Data is comprised, most notably, of a positronic brain. He is initially unequipped with the ability to process emotion. Lore, his "evil" older brother, is programmed for emotion, and it (among other bugs in his programming) ruins him as a being in the world. As with most controversial relationships in Star Trek, this fear of machinated emotions is ultimately resolved. 

Once his emotion chip is at last installed, Data works through the difficulties of emotion, and goes on to be a fully realized member of the singularity. 

...

It is within the realm of modern technology to store data on DNA. Machines can be engineered to have randomized yet hierarchical initial programming, just as human lives present in their nascency. These robots cab continue to learn and remodel based on their experiences. Such heuristics inform the way humans grow, as the "Nurture" portion of Nature vs. 

In this way, yes, an entity such as Data could be human, could be alive and sentient. 

...

On the same note, in a different key, many people through the ages have been inhuman. Pol Pot, John Wayne Gacy Jr.: can these men be considered as members of a species who define themselves by their sense of empathy and love? If talk of morality or "soul" is enough to invalidate the life or sentience of an android, what gives men such as these the right to claim that same life or sentience?

...

NASA maintains a definition of life which focuses on philosophical openness, and careful phrases.

http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/starsgalaxies/life's_working_definition.html

In a similar vein, Captain Picard makes a powerful argument for openness to new forms of life:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PMlDidyG_I

Quite specific information on emotional robotics

Argument for practical applications of emotional robots:

http://www.ted.com/talks/david_hanson_robots_that_relate_to_you.html

Machines and Morality:

http://www.cc.gatech.edu/ai/robot-lab/online-publications/moral-final2.pdf

Exploration of the human fear of robotic emotion: a brief summary of Data's handle on emotion:

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Emotion_chip

Argument for Social Robots:

http://www.ted.com/talks/cynthia_breazeal_the_rise_of_personal_robots.html

http://robotic.media.mit.edu/pdfs/other/Breazeal-Brooks-03.pdf

...

What is it that drives a person to classify as no longer human. Is it an increase in technology? Or could it be a matter of distance from the values of the greater good?

Biomimetic conducting polymer-based tissue scaffolds

http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0958166913000682/1-s2.0-S0958166913000682-main.pdf?_tid=09784648-5641-11e3-b449-00000aacb35d&acdnat=1385432488_a38300dcc81ac7bf6b5aadf308e87e71

This article discuses the uses and methods of synthesis for conductive bio compatible polymers. There are already numerous approved electrical stimulation devices for the body, such as pacemakers, and so the use of conductive polymers (CPs) is very attractive for bioengineers. While the synthesis and modification of these polymers is quite simple, it has still posed challenging to prepare clinically relevant CP-based tissue scaffolds. In this article, researchers discus methods in which they were able to mimic chemical, mechanical and topographical behavior of bodily tissue through the use of CPs, which could one day be integrated into drug delivery tissue scaffolds as well as muscle tissue scaffolds.

I found this article interesting because I had never actually thought of polymers as being conductive materials, in fact usually they are the opposite. It was cool to not only discover I was wrong about polymer conductivity but also that the conductive polymers have potential use in the regrowth/electrical stimulation of tissues.

Khoa Tran - A fluorolaser navigation system to guide linear surgical tool insertion

A fluorolaser navigation system to guide linear surgical tool insertion

                Fluorolaser navigation system is an improvement in surgical tool insertion’s accuracy. Basically, two fluorolaser planes (2D), which are created by two C-arms, make two lines on the object. The cross section of the two line is marked down by a bone marker. The C-arms transfer the data from their fluorolaser planes into a C-arm navigator which then processes the data and projects image of the object’s cutting planes—the fluorolaser planes cutting through the object. The experiment was carried out in order to test the accuracy of this method. Through the discussion and comparison of the article, the more image planes are used, the higher the accuracy turns out. They give an example of positioning a needle with a guidance angle and the error this method can make while it is carrying out the planning position. The researchers improved the error by recalculating the formula of angle position based on the error the method makes. As a result, the maximum error after 6 improved trials is 2.35mm and 2.63^o. Another problem this method runs into is the depth insertion accuracy. The article gives an image of a needle insertion into a soft tissue. The needle is positioned accurately with the fluorolaser navigation’s direction but not with the depth. However, besides those disadvantages, using the fluorolaser navigation system can help the patient to avoid the use of medical imaging technique such as X-ray computed tomography, X-ray fluoroscope, and magnetic resonance which can possibly cause bad site affects for the patient.

             I am interested in this article since this is a research of biomedical engineer in the bio-imaging aspect. This fluorolaser navigation system can help medical operation to be carried out with a higher accuracy and thus bringing a better result to the surgery. This is another contribution biomedical engineering has brought to the medical field specifically and to the world health in general.

http://link.springer.com.lib-ezproxy.tamu.edu:2048/article/10.1007/s11548-012-0743-0

Nanosponges that Clean Blood

            A nanoengineering team from UC San Diego has created a nanosponge that is believed to clean the blood from any type of poisons. The way it accomplishes this function is by mimicking a red blood cell; it absorbs the toxins and it drifts them away from their targets.

            I found this article really interesting since it’s an easy and fast way to be cured from snake bites, bee sting venoms, etc. A lot of these poisons are deadly so I think this discovery will help save some of these people lives.

             You may found this article by clicking the following link: http://www.biomedicalblog.com/removing-toxins-nanosponges-that-clean-blood/366500/

First HEARTLESS man with a pulse!

 In March 2011, two doctors, Dr Billy Cohn and Dr Bud Frazier, from the Texas Heart Institute, installed first 'continuous flow' device. This device was installed into Craig Lewis, 55, who suffered from amyloidosis was told that he had twelve hours to live after having lived on dialysis machine, a breathing apparatus, and an external blood pump. Lewis is the first human to live on this device, meaning that Lewis is the first man to live without a pulse. His wife was astonished when she tried to listen for his pulse. "I listened and it was a hum, which was amazing. He didn’t have a pulse." Lewis could not even survive if he'd been living on a pace maker. This device was made from several house hold items, and was tested on over 50 calves to whom all woke up the next day after the surgery and preformed everyday tasks normally.

I found this article very interesting, especially since I had just seen another article about the "heart box", where during heart transplants, a machine can keep blood flowing in a box in vitro. Advances in heart technologies are starting to boom and it's amazing to see the potential for heart disease patients needing a heart transplant. 

Disclaimer: This article may not be the most scientific, but I found it remarkable and had to do my blog on it!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2096314/Meet-HEARTLESS-man-able-live-heartbeat-PULSE.html

Fighting the Flu

A group of researchers are using computer systems to design synthetic proteins that can fight the flu and other harmful viruses.  By binding to the virus, the protein will interrupt the natural release of the virus's replication information a host cell, thus preventing the illness.  Advances in this technology could replace present-day vaccines and possibly provide immunity to previously incurable viruses.  Eventually, the researchers would like modify a natural protein to bind to viruses in this way, eliminating the possibility of rejection by the body.

In this specific example, researchers were focused on the flu virus, which attacks its cells by releasing its contents after being triggered by a decrease in pH.  The protein would work by preventing this release at the lowered pH.  The current focus of the project is on finding which protein would provide the strongest bond and also treat the most strains of influenza, preventing future outbreaks among people from unpredictable strains.

I found this article interesting because I believe this technology may solve a lot of the ethical issues surrounding vaccines.  For example, many parents will not vaccinate their child for various diseases because they believe it leads to other problems such as autism or a weakened immune system.  With this technology, many of these problems may be eliminated as well as curing those who are already sick with viral illnesses.

http://www.biomedicalblog.com/synthetic-proteins-could-serve-as-next-generation-of-antivirals/215200/

Breast Cancer Found With Blood Sample?

Scientists with the Houston Methodist Research Institute are exploring the idea that early-stage breast cancer can be detected by a blood sample.  It has been found that blood proteins created by carboxypeptidase N (CPN) have been an accurate indication of breast cancer in mice.  This is due to the catalytic enzyme activity of CPN and its link to tumor growth in both animal and human breast cancer tissue samples.  The role of CPN is to modify proteins after the proteins are synthesized.  This research is the first that has proved that the CPN enzyme is more active and abundant in patients with breast cancer.  Tony Hu, Ph.D. and his fellow scientists took blood samples at various stages of development in both animals and humans and used MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry to find that all six peptides of CPN were at a detectibly higher level than normal in those with breast cancer tissue present, including the first pathologic stage of breast cancer.  However, CPN enzyme levels in mice drop as breast cancer progresses, making it a not infallible detection method for later stages of breast cancer. 

This new technology is incredibly important and would change the lives of thousands of people.  It would provide a much less invasive and costly test, meaning that more people could afford to be tested for breast cancer more often.  I found this article interesting because breast cancer runs in my family and I have seen firsthand its dreadful effects on a person and their quality of life.  If cancer can be detected this easily, research should be continued to find a way to better this blood test and make it more widely available to people worldwide. 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131114113621.htm

Invisibility Cloak Becomes a Reality

This article describes the work of Professor George Eleftheriades and PhD student Michael Selvanayagam, who have together created the first practical invisibility cloak. The way this cloak works is by radiating out a field that cancels out any waves that may be scattered on the cloaked object. The cloak is made up essentially of a “blanket” of antennas that radiate opposing waves. Right now the system’s waves must be manually tuned to the frequency they need to cancel, but the research being done could soon change even that. One of the most incredible parts of this breakthrough is the fact that the cloak can be up-scaled to cover larger objects simply by adding more loops of antennas. All earlier attempts were neither active nor adaptive like this.

This article caught my eye for obvious reasons; an invisibility cloak seemed to rank right up there with teleportation in its chances of actually being a reality. But these two incredible researchers in The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering have done the unthinkable. This new technology could be revolutionary in so many different areas of life. The hope is that one day this life changing innovation will be able to effectively cover medical vehicles, surveillance units, and so much more.

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131112132627.htm

Spinal Stimulation Gets Paralyzed Patients Moving

Dustin Shillcox was in a car accident and became paralyzed from the waist down. Neuroscientist Susan Harkema at the University of Louisville, Kentucky used electrical stimulation to activate the lower spinal cord. On the first day of treatment Dustin was able to stand and support his weight with some assistance for balance. Later on Dustin began regaining control over his bladder and reproductive system. After this breakthrough Susan was given permission by the FDA to try this technique in four more paralyzed people. This article says that the circuitry is very complicated in the spinal cord and that you could control walking with just the spinal cord was unclear to neurologists. Susan said that the key to successfully reawakening the lower spine was to use the right amount of electrical stimulation, just enough to wake it up and retrieve the sensory information going to the brain. “It’s is like putting a hearing aid on the spinal cord” says Edgerton, Susan’s teacher, So that the brain can receive the sensory afferent signals and process them and reawaken the system.

I found this article very interesting in that they were letting a paralyzed man walk again and this has never been before. I hope that this can lead to new treatment for paralyzed people so they can regain control of their body.

 http://spectrum.ieee.org/biomedical/devices/spinal-stimulation-gets-paralyzed-patients-moving

Morgan Munera