Archive for the ‘Medical Tech’ Category

The Center for Immunotherapy at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) is about to begin a very exciting new cancer clinical trial that will test a personalized immunotherapy to attack cancer cells. The new NY-ESO-1 dendritic cell vaccine will be produced “using a unique FDA-approved process — making RPCI the first research facility in the U.S. to ... Full story

A sequence alignment is a way of arranging the sequences of D.N.A, R.N.A or protein to identify regions of similarity. These similarities may be consequences of functional, structural, or evolutionary relationships between the sequences. From such an alignment, biologists may infer shared evolutionary origins, identify functionally important sites, and illustrate mutation events. More importantly, biologists can trace the source of certain genetic diseases. Traditionally, multiple sequence ... Full story

Hemophilia is a rare blood-clotting disease famously known for afflicting the royal families throughout Europe. One type, Hemophilia B, also called Christmas disease after Stephen Christmas, the first patient described with it, is caused by a defect in the eponymous gene on the X chromosome that leads to less than 1 percent of normal expression of Factor IX (FIX), an important blood clotting factor. Hence ... Full story

A collaboration of researchers from Wayne State University, the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins Medicine has discovered a potential new treatment for macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa. The investigators managed to attach steroids to dendrimers nanoparticles and showed that the drugs only targeted the activated microglia, the damage-causing cells associated with neuroinflammation. The researchers published their article online in the journal Biomaterials.... Full story

Intuitive Surgical Announces New Single-Site(TM) Instrumentation for the da Vinci(R) Si(TM) Surgical System SUNNYVALE, Calif., Dec. 12, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (Nasdaq:ISRG), the global leader in minimally invasive robotic-assisted surgery, today announced that it received FDA clearance to market its Single-Site Instrumentation for laparoscopic cholecystectomy procedures, the surgical removal of the gall bladder. ... Full story

Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene is not only fun to say, but it is also an incredibly versatile material commonly used as a bearing surface in joint replacements. Polyethylene has low friction, good fracture toughness and fatigue resistance. Despite its remarkable material properties, there was a pandemic of loosening with early generation polyethylene implants. Scientists discovered microscopic wear particles from the polyethylene generate an immune ... Full story

Ontario nuclear plants are the first in their industry worldwide to test-drive a futuristic gizmo that measures employees' concentration by reading brain waves. The premise is deceptively simple: Use the electric current released by neurons firing in the brain to test, in real time, a person’s concentration level. And the device is strikingly svelte – this is no Medusa-like helmet of ... Full story

A Revolution in Minimally Invasive Imaging: GE Healthcare Unveils New Category of Interventional Imaging Systems CHICAGO — November 27, 2011 — At RSNA 2011, GE Healthcare (NYSE: GE) will reveal the Discovery IGS 730, the first Interventional X-ray system designed to capture the advantages of both floor- and ceiling-mounted systems. With laser-guided motion technology on a motorized mobile gantry for predictable ... Full story

SUNNYVALE, CA, Oct 31, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Avantis Medical Systems, Inc., a technology leader in developing novel catheter-mounted digital imaging devices, today announced that results of a new analysis of its latest clinical data will be presented during the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) 2011 Annual Scientific Meeting in Washington, D.C. The new abstract reports the results of subset analysis of a randomized, ... Full story

A new study conducted in an eye clinic in India found that correction of amblyopia, also called "lazy eye," can be achieved in many older children, if they stick to a regimen that includes playing video games along with standard amblyopia treatment. Today at the 115th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Dr. Somen Ghosh will report on ... Full story