Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Regrow Teeth
Some of us might seem to be all macho on the outside, but when you mention the word “dentist”, he/she would run helter skelter in random directions. After all, there is no feeling quite as vulnerable as that of sitting on a metal chair raised from the floor, having a bright light flood your eyes will this nasty sound of the drill attempts to bore holes in your teeth to fix, well, all the cavities you’ve accumulated over the years. Perhaps there is a less torturous method to fixing your set of pearly whites? A bunch of French scientists might have just stumbled across the solution in the form of a tooth treatment gel that is said to stimulate regrowth of a natural tooth, hence doing away with drills and fillings. This gel is made up of a natural chemical that can be found in our bodies, and so far tests in mice have proved to be effective, although there are no known results of long term effects just yet. Another solution comes in the form of ‘magic fluid’ that was developed in the Leeds’ School of Chemistry, UK. This fluid holds the peptide known as P 11-4 which is also able to develop into fibers – and when the right criteria are met, this fluid will seek out decayed areas of teeth when applied, establishing scaffolds which will attract calcium – hence causing a regeneration process to grow in your teeth from the inside out. Thanks,
Bullet Proof Skin
A bio-art project to create bulletproof skin has given a Utah State researcher even more hope his genetically engineered spider silk can be used to help surgeons heal large wounds and create artificial tendons and ligaments.
Researcher Randy Lewis and his collaborators gained worldwide attention recently when they found a commercially viable way to manufacture silk fibers using goats and silkworms that had spider genes inserted into their makeup.
Spider silk is one of the strongest fibers known and five times stronger than steel. Lewis' fibers are not that strong but much stronger than silk spun by ordinary worms.
With Lewis' help, Dutch artist Jalila Essaidi conducted an experiment weaving a lattice of human skin cells and silk that was capable of stopping bullets fired at reduced speeds.
"Randy and I were moved by the same drive I think, curiosity about the outcome of the project," Essaidi said in an email interview. "Both the artist and scientist are inherently curious beings."
Lewis thought the project was a bit off the wall at first, Essaidi acknowledged.
Read more: Bio-art Project Yields 'Bulletproof' Skin, Possible Wound Remedy
Important: At Risk For A Heart Attack? Find Out Now.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
High-Tech Orthopedic Cast Heals Fractures With “Smart” Technology
If you’ve broken a bone, apart from a cast covered in Sharpie well-wishes, you know the recovery process is anything but fun. To aid in the healing process, Brazilian designer Pedro Nakazato Andrade has designed a high-tech orthopedic cast that monitors recovery through electromyographic (EMG) sensors. Dubbed “Bones”, the new cast tracks muscle activity around a fracture in real time, wirelessly providing the data to a website doctors can access and in turn give patients the low-down on what measures are needed for a swift recovery.
Read more: High-Tech Orthopedic Cast Heals Fractures With "Smart" Technology | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World
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