#Machine that unboils eggs now being used to improve cancer treatment A machine that can be used to uncook eggs is now being used to dramatically improve the effectiveness of a cancer treatment.
Using the invention on carboplatin a common cancer treatment drug, used against ovarian and lung cancers has boosted the potency by almost five times.
meaning that you need less of it to do the same work. That can reduce the side effects,
and reduce their impact on the environment. More of the devices are being made, reports ABC News,
the devices could start being sold worldwide Flinders University, where it was created, has formed already a company to sell the devices."
"There are 10,000 universities in the world and this has got applications in chemistry, engineering, biology, medicine,
so there's a lot of potential there and that's just for research purposes, "Raston told ABC News. A machine that can be used to uncook eggs is now being used to dramatically improve the effectiveness of a cancer treatment.
The device can rip things apart with great accuracy, allowing it to separate the proteins of a boiled egg
Using the invention on carboplatin a common cancer treatment drug, used against ovarian and lung cancers has boosted the potency by almost five times.
meaning that you need less of it to do the same work. That can reduce the side effects,
and reduce their impact on the environment. More of the devices are being made, reports ABC News,
the devices could start being sold worldwide Flinders University, where it was created, has formed already a company to sell the devices."
"There are 10,000 universities in the world and this has got applications in chemistry, engineering, biology, medicine,
so there's a lot of potential there and that's just for research purposes, "Raston told ABC News t
#In a first, cold sore virus used to fight cancer cells Scientists have the first proof that a"brand new"way of combating cancer,
Specialists at the NHS Royal Marsden Hospital and the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) confirmed that melanoma skin cancer patients treated with a modified herpes virus (the virus that causes cold sores) had improved survival-a world first.
inoperable malignant melanoma, those treated with the virus therapy-known as T-VEC-at an earlier stage survived, on average,
randomised trial of a so-called oncolytic virus to show success. Cancer scientists predict it will be the first of many in the coming years-adding a new weapon to our arsenal of cancer treatments.
The method-known as viral immunotherapy-works by launching a"two-pronged attack"on cancer cells. The virus is modified genetically
At the same time, other genetic modifications to the virus mean it stimulates the body's own immune response to attack
Other forms of immunotherapy-the stimulation of the body's own immune system to fight cancer-using antibodies rather viruses,
which is manufactured by the American pharmaceutical company Amgen, have already been submitted to drugs regulators in Europe and the USA.
Viral immunotherapies are also being investigated for use against advanced head and neck cancers, bladder cancers and liver cancers.
Kevin Harrington, UK trial leader and professor of biological cancer therapies at the ICR and an honorary consultant at the Royal Marsden, said he hoped the treatment could be available for routine use within a year in many countries
"said Professor Harrington.""We hope this is the first of a wave of indications for these sorts of cancer fighting agents that we will see coming through in the next decade or so."
"Professor Paul Workman, chief executive of the ICR said:""We may normally think of viruses as the enemies of mankind,
but it's their very ability to specifically infect and kill human cells that can make them such promising cancer treatments."
"The study, which is published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, included 436 patients, all of whom had aggressive, inoperable malignant melanoma.
More than 16 per cent of patients were responding to treatment after six months, compared to 2. 1 per cent who were given a control treatment.
Alan Melcher, professor of clinical oncology and biotherapy at the University of Leeds, and an expert in oncolytic viruses, said the field had accelerated quickly in recent years."
"They were developed first to go in and kill cancer cells but leave other cells unharmed. What's become clear is that these viruses may do that but
what is probably more important, is that they work by stimulating an immune response against cancer,
"he said.""The field has moved very quickly clinically. Immunotherapy looks promising and big pharmaceutical companies are involved now.
"Dr Hayley Frend, science information manager at Cancer Research UK, said the potential for viruses in future cancer treatments was"exciting"."
Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the UK, and is becoming more widespread
if the cancer-indicated by the appearance of a new mole on the skin-is caught early.
and 2, 000 people still die from melanoma in the UK every year. Scientists have the first proof that a"brand new"way of combating cancer,
using genetically modified viruses to attack tumour cells, can benefit patients, paving the way for a"wave"of new%potential treatments over the next decade.
Specialists at the NHS Royal Marsden Hospital and the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) confirmed that melanoma skin cancer patients treated with a modified herpes virus (the virus that causes cold sores) had improved survival-a world first.
those treated with the virus therapy-known as T-VEC-at an earlier stage survived, on average,
randomised trial of a so-called oncolytic virus to show success. Cancer scientists predict it will be the first of many in the coming years-adding a new weapon to our arsenal of cancer treatments.
The method-known as viral immunotherapy-works by launching a"two-pronged attack"on cancer cells. The virus is modified genetically
At the same time, other genetic modifications to the virus mean it stimulates the body's own immune response to attack
Other forms of immunotherapy-the stimulation of the body's own immune system to fight cancer-using antibodies rather viruses,
which is manufactured by the American pharmaceutical company Amgen, have already been submitted to drugs regulators in Europe and the USA.
Viral immunotherapies are also being investigated for use against advanced head and neck cancers, bladder cancers and liver cancers.
Kevin Harrington, UK trial leader and professor of biological cancer therapies at the ICR and an honorary consultant at the Royal Marsden, said he hoped the treatment could be available for routine use within a year in many countries
"said Professor Harrington.""We hope this is the first of a wave of indications for these sorts of cancer fighting agents that we will see coming through in the next decade or so."
"Professor Paul Workman, chief executive of the ICR said:""We may normally think of viruses as the enemies of mankind,
but it's their very ability to specifically infect and kill human cells that can make them such promising cancer treatments."
"The study, which is published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, included 436 patients, all of whom had aggressive, inoperable malignant melanoma.
More than 16 per cent of patients were responding to treatment after six months, compared to 2. 1 per cent who were given a control treatment.
Alan Melcher, professor of clinical oncology and biotherapy at the University of Leeds, and an expert in oncolytic viruses, said the field had accelerated quickly in recent years."
"They were developed first to go in and kill cancer cells but leave other cells unharmed. What's become clear is that these viruses may do that but
what is probably more important, is that they work by stimulating an immune response against cancer,
"he said.""The field has moved very quickly clinically. Immunotherapy looks promising and big pharmaceutical companies are involved now.
"Dr Hayley Frend, science information manager at Cancer Research UK, said the potential for viruses in future cancer treatments was"exciting"."
Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the UK, and is becoming more widespread
if the cancer-indicated by the appearance of a new mole on the skin-is caught early.
and 2, 000 people still die from melanoma in the UK every year r
#Cells that aid hearing, balance created in lab LONDON: Scientists have developed successfully a way to coax embryonic stem cells to become the inner-ear hair cells
This is an important step for the future production of large numbers of these cells for use in cell transplantation therapies or large-scale drug screens, researchers from the Molecular Medicine Institute in Lisbon,
the team led by Domingos Henrique from the Molecular Medicine Institute in Lisbon, Portugal decided to follow a different strategy."
the graduate student involved in the work. The team applied this simpler approach to mouse embryonic stem cells in a dish,
which have the potential to become any cell type. They were able to convert these cells into hair cells, more successfully and with higher efficiencies than previously reported.
#High-capacity batteries made from wood pulp NEW YORK: Ever heard of a battery made of wood pulp?
Here is developed one by researchers from KTH Royal Institute of technology, Sweden, and Stanford university, US. Using nanocellulose broken down from tree fibres,
the researchers produced an elastic, foam-like battery material that can withstand shock and stress."
"It is possible to make incredible materials from trees and cellulose,"said researcher Max Hamedi from KTH.
One benefit of the new wood-based aerogel material is that it can be used for three-dimensional structures."
enabling us to fit more electronics in a smaller space, "Hamedi said. A 3d structure enables storage of significantly more power in less space than is possible with conventional batteries,
he said.""Three-dimensional, porous materials have been regarded as an obstacle to building electrodes. But we have proven that this is not a problem.
In fact, this type of structure and material architecture allows flexibility and freedom in the design of batteries,
"Hamedi said. The process for creating the material begins with breaking down tree fibres, making them roughly one million times thinner.
The nanocellulose is dissolved, frozen and then freeze-dried so that the moisture evaporates without passing through a liquid state.
The finished aerogel can then be treated with electronic properties. In terms of surface area Hamedi compares the material to a pair of human lungs,
Hamedi said the aerogel batteries could be used in electric car bodies, as well as in clothing, providing the garment has a lining.
Ever heard of a battery made of wood pulp? Here is developed one by researchers from KTH Royal Institute of technology, Sweden,
Using nanocellulose broken down from tree fibres, the researchers produced an elastic, foam-like battery material that can withstand shock and stress."
"It is possible to make incredible materials from trees and cellulose,"said researcher Max Hamedi from KTH.
One benefit of the new wood-based aerogel material is that it can be used for three-dimensional structures."
enabling us to fit more electronics in a smaller space, "Hamedi said. A 3d structure enables storage of significantly more power in less space than is possible with conventional batteries,
he said.""Three-dimensional, porous materials have been regarded as an obstacle to building electrodes. But we have proven that this is not a problem.
In fact, this type of structure and material architecture allows flexibility and freedom in the design of batteries,
"Hamedi said. The process for creating the material begins with breaking down tree fibres, making them roughly one million times thinner.
The nanocellulose is dissolved, frozen and then freeze-dried so that the moisture evaporates without passing through a liquid state.
The finished aerogel can then be treated with electronic properties. In terms of surface area Hamedi compares the material to a pair of human lungs,
Hamedi said the aerogel batteries could be used in electric car bodies, as well as in clothing, providing the garment has a lining g
Blaine A Pfeifer, an associate professor of chemical and biological engineering in the University at Buffalo School of engineering and Applied sciences, has been studying how to engineer Escherichia coli (E coli) to generate new varieties of erythromycin, a popular antibiotic.
"We have not only created new analogs of erythromycin, but also developed a platform for using E coli to produce the drug,
so that the drug they make is slightly different than versions used in hospitals today. The process of creating erythromycin begins with three basic building blocks called metabolic precursors chemical compounds that are combined
and manipulated through an assembly line-like process to form the final product, erythromycin. To build new varieties of erythromycin with a slightly different shape,
leading, at the end of the assembly line, to more than 40 new analogs of erythromycin-three of which showed an ability to fight erythromycin-resistant bacteria in lab experiments."
Blaine A Pfeifer, an associate professor of chemical and biological engineering in the University at Buffalo School of engineering and Applied sciences, has been studying how to engineer Escherichia coli (E coli) to generate new varieties of erythromycin, a popular antibiotic.
"We have not only created new analogs of erythromycin, but also developed a platform for using E coli to produce the drug,
so that the drug they make is slightly different than versions used in hospitals today. The process of creating erythromycin begins with three basic building blocks called metabolic precursors chemical compounds that are combined
and manipulated through an assembly line-like process to form the final product, erythromycin. To build new varieties of erythromycin with a slightly different shape,
leading, at the end of the assembly line, to more than 40 new analogs of erythromycin-three of which showed an ability to fight erythromycin-resistant bacteria in lab experiments."
#In a first, China unveils facial recognition ATM BEIJING: Chinese researchers have developed successfully the first automated teller machine (ATM) with facial recognition technology to reduce the risk of theft,
media reports said. The developers include Tsinghua University and Tzekwan Technology, a Hangzhou firm in eastern China's Zhejiang province that provides security protection for financial transactions.
South China Morning Post quoted Chinese official media as saying. Tzekwan chairman Gu Zikun, an anti-counterfeit technology expert, believes the technology will curb ATM-related crimes.
The product has passed already certification and would soon be available for sale. China currently relies mostly on imported ATM technology
but the new machine, which combines high-speed banknote handling, improved counterfeit-bill recognition and facial recognition, was wholly Chinese.
Gu said the product had passed the authorities certification and would soon be available on the market.
and how it will collect facial data. The news come a week after the state launched its"Made in China"campaign,
Cash machines using fingerprint authentication have sprung up in countries like Chile and Colombia though these biometric ATMS have not found favour with some countries like the United states because of privacy concerns and its high cost.
These biometrics ATMS are not being used by some countries, such as the United states, because of privacy concerns and its high cost.
The new ATMS are expected to connect with the country's banks and public security networks, which allows only guarantees that only cardholders to withdraw money,
even if someone else knows the password. But opponents to the technology have taken voiced their concerns about privacy and accuracy online."
"What happens if someone had plastic surgery to look like someone else, "one user asked.""How much will it take to turn my face into Jack Ma's (founder of Ali baba?(
the founder of Alibaba), questioned another. BEIJING: Chinese researchers have developed successfully the first automated teller machine (ATM) with facial recognition technology to reduce the risk of theft,
media reports said. The developers include Tsinghua University and Tzekwan Technology, a Hangzhou firm in eastern China's Zhejiang province that provides security protection for financial transactions.
South China Morning Post quoted Chinese official media as saying. Tzekwan chairman Gu Zikun, an anti-counterfeit technology expert, believes the technology will curb ATM-related crimes.
The product has passed already certification and would soon be available for sale. China currently relies mostly on imported ATM technology
the report said, but the new machine, which combines high-speed banknote handling, improved counterfeit-bill recognition and facial recognition, was wholly Chinese.
Gu said the product had passed the authorities certification and would soon be available on the market.
However, it is unclear who will manufacture the ATMS and how it will collect facial data.
The news come a week after the state launched its"Made in China"campaign, which aims to transition the mainland from a manufacturing hub for low-end goods to high-quality products within the next 10 years.
Cash machines using fingerprint authentication have sprung up in countries like Chile and Colombia though these biometric ATMS have not found favour with some countries like the United states because of privacy concerns and its high cost.
These biometrics ATMS are not being used by some countries, such as the United states, because of privacy concerns and its high cost.
The new ATMS are expected to connect with the country's banks and public security networks, which allows only guarantees that only cardholders to withdraw money,
even if someone else knows the password. But opponents to the technology have taken voiced their concerns about privacy and accuracy online."
"What happens if someone had plastic surgery to look like someone else, "one user asked.""How much will it take to turn my face into Jack Ma's (founder of Ali baba?(
the founder of Alibaba), questioned another r
#Gene mutation that leads to colour blindness identified Researchers have identified a previously unknown gene mutation that causes sufferers to be
either totally or predominantly colourblind and see the world in black, white and shades of grey.
Researchers at the University of California, San diego School of medicine and Shiley Eye Institute at UC San diego Health System identified the gene mutation that underlies achromatopsia, an inherited eye disorder.
People with achromatopsia have very poor or no colour vision and see the world in black, white and shades of grey.
"We're very excited to have discovered a mutation in the ATF6 gene which plays a major role in this disorder,
senior study author and an associate professor in the UC San diego School of medicine Department of Pathology. Five other genetic mutations have previously been identified by research groups as pivotal in achromatopsia."
"But we still had families that didn't have any of those gene mutations. We knew this meant there must be other genes and proteins involved,
"Lin said. The new study found that a mutation in the ATF6 gene damaged proteins necessary for proper function of the eye's cone photoreceptors.
In the study, the scientists looked at 18 achromatopsia patients from 10 different families who had been identified as lacking the five previously known gene mutations.
The families received testing in the lab of Susanne Kohl, the study's first author from Centre for Ophthalmology at University of Tuebingen in Germany.
Blood drawn from study subjects was analysed using gene sequencing technology. All 18 were found to have the ATF6 gene mutation.
Lin said the ATF6 gene, when working properly, is a key regulator of the unfolded protein response (UPR).
since proteins carry out many biological functions.""In this particular disease, we think a mutation in the ATF6 gene disrupts the UPR process
and causes the production of bad proteins which keep cone photoreceptors from functioning properly, "said Lin.
Lin noted that the UPR is a different molecular mechanism than those affected by the other five gene mutations."
because this (UPR) is a new pathway found to be involved in this disease, "he said d
#Tata doctors find way to cut oral cancer risk Tata Memorial Hospital, the cancer hub in Parel, announced a breakthrough on Tuesday that could
not only reduce the risk of death for oral cancer patients by 36 %but also prevent recurrence of the disease by 55%.
%The innovation is an'extra cut'-a dissection in medical parlance-along the neck to detect
if the patient's cancer had spread from his/her oral cavity to the neck. The cut would be a prophylaxis-a preventive medicine-against aggressive cancer forms
and prevent the need for chemotherapy or radiation. The findings were announced by Tata Memorial Centre's Dr Anil D'Cruz at an ongoing meeting of American Society of Clinical Oncology at Chicago on May 31.
The findings were published also in the latest edition of New england Journal of Medicine. The study assumes significance
because India carries the highest burden of oral cancer in the world, with around 1 lakh new patients detected every year.
It is the most common cancer among Indian men and third most common among Indian women.
Worse, almost half of them die within 12 months of diagnosis, because of the delay in seeking treatment.
At a press conference held in the Parel hospital on Tuesday, one of the other investigators Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi said,
"When a patient comes with a lesion in his oral cavity, be it his her tongue
or jaw bone, it's not possible to say whether the cancer has progressed beyond to the neck region.
This is especially in the early stages of oral cancer.''''At present, patients may choose to not undergo neck dissection and wait until some cancerous bulge-basically,
a recurrence-appears in his/her neck. It has been one of medicine's long standing ethical debate on
whether or not early stage oral cancer patients should undergo a neck dissection. On one hand, the dissection is a delicate operation
because the cut is made near important nerves (for facial expression and spine), veins and arteries running along the neck.
On the other hand, if patients choose to not undergo a neck dissection, they may be at the risk of not diagnosing the cancer's complete spread early enough.
This could impact their quality of life and more importantly, their survival.""But this research has put an end to this debate.
A neck detection can save more lives. All it requires is 30 minutes extra on the operation table,''added Dr Chaturvedi.
#Tata docs find way to cut oral cancer risk Tata Memorial Hospital, the cancer hub in Parel, announced a breakthrough on Tuesday that could
not only reduce the risk of death for oral cancer patients by 36 %but also prevent recurrence of the disease by 55%.
%The innovation is an'extra cut'-a dissection in medical parlance-along the neck to detect
if the patient's cancer had spread from his/her oral cavity to the neck. The cut would be a prophylaxis-a preventive medicine-against aggressive cancer forms
and prevent the need for chemotherapy or radiation. The findings were announced by Tata Memorial Centre's Dr Anil D'Cruz at an ongoing meeting of American Society of Clinical Oncology at Chicago on May 31.
The findings were published also in the latest edition of New england Journal of Medicine. The study assumes significance
because India carries the highest burden of oral cancer in the world, with around 1 lakh new patients detected every year.
It is the most common cancer among Indian men and third most common among Indian women.
Worse, almost half of them die within 12 months of diagnosis, because of the delay in seeking treatment.
At a press conference held in the Parel hospital on Tuesday, one of the other investigators Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi said,
"When a patient comes with a lesion in his oral cavity, be it his her tongue
or jaw bone, it's not possible to say whether the cancer has progressed beyond to the neck region.
This is especially in the early stages of oral cancer.''''At present, patients may choose to not undergo neck dissection and wait until some cancerous bulge-basically,
a recurrence-appears in his/her neck. It has been one of medicine's long standing ethical debate on
whether or not early stage oral cancer patients should undergo a neck dissection. On one hand, the dissection is a delicate operation
because the cut is made near important nerves (for facial expression and spine), veins and arteries running along the neck.
On the other hand, if patients choose to not undergo a neck dissection, they may be at the risk of not diagnosing the cancer's complete spread early enough.
This could impact their quality of life and more importantly, their survival.""But this research has put an end to this debate.
A neck detection can save more lives. All it requires is 30 minutes extra on the operation table,''added Dr Chaturvedi.
Users stick the device, called Thync, onto their front temple. A second connected pad goes in a spot farther back on the head,
Thync connects to the smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth. It can be controlled with an app,
where the user can choose the length of their session. Users can also adjust the strength of the brain-zapping.
Each programme follows a pattern of greater and lesser intensity with cycles of peaks and valleys,
but users can also manually raise or lower the overall strength,'Gizmag'reported. The minimum time needed for the calming effect is five minutes.
The product uses"low levels of pulsed electrical energy to signal specific neural pathways, allowing users to dial up or dial down their stress responses and energy levels."
a US-based safety organization specializing in electrical devices v
#A blood test can tell every virus you've ever had Test detects every known human virus from single drop of blood.
The method, called Virscan, developed by Howard hughes medical institute (HHMI) researchers can test for current and past infections with any known human virus,
including HIV and hepatitis C. The method, called Virscan, is an efficient alternative to existing diagnostics that test for specific viruses one at a time.
Stephen Elledge, an HHMI investigator at Brigham and Women's hospital and his colleagues have used already Virscan to screen the blood of 569 people in the US, South africa, Thailand, and Peru.
Virscan works by screening the blood for antibodies against any of the 206 species of viruses known to infect humans.
The immune system ramps up production of pathogen-specific antibodies when it encounters a virus for the first time
and it can continue to produce those antibodies for years or decades after it clears an infection.
PTI That means Virscan not only identifies viral infections that the immune system is actively fighting, but also provides a history of an individual's past infections.
To develop the new test, Elledge and his colleagues synthesised more than 93,000 short pieces of DNA encoding different segments of viral proteins.
They introduced those pieces of DNA into bacteria-infecting viruses called bacteriophage. Each bacteriophage manufactured one of the protein segments-known as a peptide
Antiviral antibodies in the blood find and bind to their target epitopes within the displayed peptides.
The scientists then retrieve the antibodies and wash away everything except for the few bacteriophage that cling to them.
they can identify which viral protein pieces were grabbed onto by antibodies in the blood sample. That tells the scientists which viruses a person's immune system has encountered previously
either through infection or through vaccination. The study was published in the journal Science e
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