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futurity_medicine 00548.txt

#Microchip could detect infection in artificial joints A tiny microchip could improve postoperative care for patients with knee replacements and other surgical implants by detecting early signs of infection. Alexander Star, an associate professor of chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh, says the new chip, which is engineered to detect ph levels in the body, will be able to alert doctors to encroaching bacterial infection, which causes acidosis, a drop in ph levels in nearby tissue. The chip, festooned with tiny carbon nanotubes (engineered segments of carbon that are efficient electrical conductors) and treated with a proprietary polymer reads ph levels and transmits the information to a radio frequency identification reader held by a doctor. The wirelessly powered chip can be attached to implants and can stay in the body long term. One in 100 Americans has an artificial joint, Star says, nd bacterial infections are a common complication of the implant. Infection can damage the body surrounding the implant, and bacterial films, resistant to antibiotics, can colonize the implant itself. To catch infection early without having to resort to invasive measures could lead to faster treatment. his is a very attractive detection mechanism for monitoring the condition of the implant Star says. t may alleviate the need for further surgical intervention. A paper on the chip appears online in Scientific Reports. Star and his team have developed similar chip/nanotube sensors that can be affixed to a toothbrush to detect bad breath (the presence of hydrogen sulfide) and another that can identify the beginning of an asthma attack by measuring nitric oxide. Another Star-developed chip measures acetone in breath, an indicator of diabetes. A National Energy technology Laboratory grant supported the research

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