Pee on Paper to Treat TB – Here's How?

Effective treatment of tuberculosis entails adhering to lengthy TB pharma drugs regimen. To ensure that people follow through the duration of treatment scientists have found a clever way in which simply peeing on paper can lead you to comply with treatment.

Tuberculosis or TB is an airborne infectious disease that's curable. However it requires strict compliance with TB drugs for months. And many people, especially in poor countries drop out in the middle because the drugs can trigger nausea and other side effects. This in turn is leads to a relapse with drug resistant strains of bacteria, making treatment difficult. The consequences are evident from TB statistics. According to the WHO, TB afflicts millions worldwide – of the 9.2 million cases newly diagnosed in 2006, 1.7 million people succumbed to the disease.

The Pee based approach to TB treatment

Staff from the Innovations in International Health (IIH) project at MIT, recently devised a program which uses paper-based diagnostics called “XoutTB” with text-messaging technology and service to improve tuberculosis (TB) treatment compliance in poor countries.

At the heart of the program lies a rewards schedule, whereby patients complying with to the TB drug regimens consistently for 30 days are rewarded with cell-phone minutes, encouraging them further.

To track compliance, the participants are required to pee on a paper-based diagnostic equipment, which is dispensed once each day. The device is able to detect the metabolites of the TB drug in urine – accurately assessing whether the drugs were consumed or not. Also the reaction between the drug molecules in urine and the chemicals embedded in the paper devices uncover a code that the participants need to text-message to a central database. A consistent record of compliance for 30 days is rewarded with free minuets.

It's simple and hopefully will turn out to be quite effective, as the trials are still on. While the real work is still accomplished by the good old TB drugs, the pee based diagnostics are central to making that happen. Now, that's what I'd call real waste management!

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Gold Particles Could Deliver Pharma Drugs in Future!

Using tiny gold particles and infrared light, MIT researchers have developed a drug-delivery system that allows multiple pharmaceutical drugs to be released in a controlled fashion.

Such a system could one day be used to provide more control when battling diseases commonly treated with more than one drug, according to the researchers.

"With a lot of diseases, especially cancer and AIDS, you get a synergistic effect with more than one drug," said Kimberly Hamad-Schifferli, assistant professor of biological and mechanical engineering and senior author of a paper on the work that recently appeared in the journal ACS Nano.

Delivery devices already exist that can release two drugs, but the timing of the release must be built into the device -- it cannot be controlled from outside the body. The new system is controlled externally and theoretically could deliver up to three or four drugs.

The new technique takes advantage of the fact that when gold nanoparticles are exposed to infrared light, they melt and release drug payloads attached to their surfaces.

In the ACS Nano study, the researchers tested the particles with a payload of DNA. Each nanoparticle can carry hundreds of strands of DNA, and could also be engineered to transport other types of drugs.

In theory, up to four different-shaped particles could be developed, each releasing its payload at different wavelengths.

MIT news

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How Harmful Bacteria Can Fight off Cancer?

Back in 2004, an experimental cancer vaccine using modified listeria bacteria showed great promise in animal studies by successfully treating new cancers in mice. At present human clinical trials - a pharmaceutical service, are underway.

Listeria monocytogenes is a deadly bacterium commonly found in soil, stream water, sewage, plants, and food and is responsible for causing listeriosis – a lethal food-borne infection with a fatality rate of 25%. On the other hand, the Salmonella bacterium, which, some time back, made headlines by tainting tomatoes nationwide, has a less than 1% mortality rate. Further, the deadliness of listerosis is to some extent attributed to the infection's ability to spread to the nervous system causing meningitis.

Nevertheless, a genetically altered version of the scary pathogen raises hopes that an engineered listeria vaccine can target cancers such as pancreatic and ovarian cancer, and perhaps leukemia as well.

The Bacteria Therapy's Modus Operandi

The bacteria rev up our immune system's engines to act fiercely against cancer cells. First they incite an “inherent” response from the immune system, and second, cause the cancer antigens to seep into the cells, which stimulate a potent "acquired" immune response. Thus causing the immune system to step on the gas real hard.

This immune response so generated induce both inflammation and an immune response to specific tumor antigens thereby attacking the tumor with generalized antitumor chemicals including interferon and tumor necrosis factor, coupled with activated T-cells that attack and kill the tumor. And experts believe that Listeria is by far the best bug to induce that kind of a response, i.e. activating both the innate and acquired immunity to work in tandem.

Phase I/II clinical trials pharmaceutical service results have shown that the live Listeria cancer vaccine “Lovaxin” by Advaxis is safe for humans. The trials though meant to assess safety also found that six of the 15 treated patients were still alive 2 years compared to their their life expectancy at the beginning of the trial that was six months or less.

As research continues, the deadly bacteria may eventually turnout to be a helpful buddy.

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Cough Drug Ingredient May Treat Prostate Cancer

A study published today in the December issue of the European medical journal Anticancer Research demonstrates that an ingredient used in a common cough suppressant may be useful in treating advanced prostate cancer. Researchers found that noscapine, which has been used in cough medication for nearly 50 years, reduced tumor growth in mice by 60% and limited the spread of tumors by 65% without causing harmful side effects.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimates that 186,320 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008 and 28,660 will die from it. One man in 6 will get prostate cancer during his lifetime. Although slow-growing in most men, the cancer is considered advanced when it spreads beyond the prostate. There is no known cure. And low income men are at an increased risk of advanced prostate cancer

Noscapine is a naturally-occurring substance, a non-addictive derivative of opium found in cough medicines. As a natural substance, noscapine cannot be patented, which has limited the potential for clinical trials.

Hormone therapy and chemotherapy, along with radiation and surgery, are currently used to slow the progression of advanced prostate cancer. Side effects resulting from these treatments include impotence, incontinence, fatigue, anemia, brittle bones, hair loss, reduced appetite, nausea and diarrhea. No toxic side effects were observed in the laboratory study of noscapine.

Find the story at EurekaAlert!

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Robotic Pharmacists – Drug Dispensing Made Easy

Pharmacists have a tough job, aside from reading illegible prescriptions, and ensuring that only the right pharmaceutical drugs are dispensed, they have to constantly run around stockrooms looking for drugs. However, some pharmacies may have already found a solution in the form of robotic pharmacists.

Recently, a new set of robotic dispensers, christened as “robodispensers,” were introduced at Leicester's hospitals' pharmacies. These robots are big machines, about eight meters in size, and are costly too, with each piece costing about US$ 463,530.

The New Age Dispensers

The new age pharmacists seem to be clever and efficient machines, as they can tirelessly work round the clock and not need even a cat's nap. They can accurately locate and dispense 700 medicines a day - 60 per hour, in addition to storing 25,000 packs of medicines.

When a pharmacy technician asks the robots to fetch a pack of a particular pharmaceutical – patent or a generic drug, the on-board computer swings into action, calculating where the medicines are stocked. Next, the picking head gets to right spot, and using a suction arm pulls the pack from the shelf. After which the pack find its way onto a conveyor belt and the drugs are delivered to the technician.

Bulky and pricey they may be, however they have a number of advantages over human pharmacists. For instance, they can save many pharmacists the pain of rushing about stockrooms in search of medicines, and they can better focus on ensuring that the right medicines are dispensed. Also, these robotic dispensers are highly accurate because rely on the barcodes on the prescription drugs packs to identify medicines, thus reducing errors. And, a reduced turnaround time is yet another benefit.

Perhaps, reduced costs and widespread installations of such machines will take care of the woes of pharmacy technicians around the world.

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Acupuncture without Puncture – Is it Better?

Alternative medicines are becoming increasingly popular by the day, a recent NCCAM survey showed that approximately 38 percent of adults in the United States aged 18 years and over and nearly 12 percent of U.S. children aged 17 years and under use some form of complementary and alternative medicines. However, there are also concerns about effectiveness, and the safety of some treatments.

Acupuncture is an age-old traditional Chinese therapy that's helped millions of people over centuries, see for instance, see how acupuncture can help women. And now even animals benefit from acupuncture. But it seems that scientists have begun exploring newer renditions of this traditional complementary medicine – “Acupuncture without needle penetration.”

Acupuncture Sans “Puncture”

Recently, studies involving cancer patients suffering from nausea during radiotherapy were conducted to see if the patients were relieved by “acupuncture without insertion” just as they were with “acupuncture with penetration.”

All of the four studies conducted at the Department of Medicine and Health Sciences at Linköping University and the Vårdal Institute in Sweden. One of the studies involved 215 patients who were undergoing radiation treatment to undergo one of these two acupuncture types.

While, 109 received traditional acupuncture, with needles penetrating the skin in particular points, the other 106 patients got only a simulated acupuncture with telescopic, blunt placebo needles barely touching the skin.

The results were startling, about 95 percent of the patients in both groups felt that the acupuncture treatment had helped relieve nausea.

Unlike many other forms of alternative medication, acupuncture scores better on proven efficacy in relieving several maladies. However, it's also well-known that when it's not administered properly, it can cause serious adverse effects, including infections and punctured organs.

But with this new study showing acupuncture without penetration being just as effective as it's traditional counterpart, there's hope that some of the risks such as that of infections, can almost be eliminated at source.

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Phony Patients may Avert Adverse Drug Events

On May 20, 1999 Rofecoxib, better known as “Vioxx,” was approved as safe and effective by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), on September 30, 2004, the manufacturer voluntarily recalled the drug from the market because of concerns of increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Clinical trials or drug testing, a pharmaceutical service, is complex. And while the criticism of the US FDA over monitoring of product safety continues, there may already exist solutions that may help the federal agency to better prevent similar debacles from recurring.

The Virtual Patient Platform

One such predictive computer model of human physiology is known as the Cardiovascular PhysioLab(R). Developed by Entelos, this platform can aid in drug discovery and development by offering a comprehensive large-scale computer simulation of cholesterol regulation, atherogenesis, and cardiovascular risk.

In fact, it may also help evaluate combination therapies, identify and interpret biomarker patterns, and predict a drug's long-term clinical efficacy in managing cholesterol, atherosclerosis, and heart disease.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both women and men in the United States. For instance, in 2002, 696,947 people died of heart disease, about half of them women. This is a big number because it made up for 29% of all U.S. deaths.

Now, while these man-made patients might serve as a powerful and innovative means towards diagnosis, treatment, monitoring and prevention of complex, chronic diseases, modern controlled clinical trials are still the best way for evaluating safety and efficacy of drugs, according to pharmaceutical service industry experts.

Nevertheless, technology such as this which enables a broad range of "virtual patients" to be tried for different drugs, does seem to make the job of drug development easy and safe. Perhaps with time as the technology advances, it may include many more functions, reducing dependence on human subjects. Making it even safer.

And to the FDA, it might provide an invaluable tool to better monitor ongoing cardiovascular trials before their submission for approval, and also help it to determine possible adverse events in advance. Possibly preventing another drug debacle like the one from the past.

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Chemical War Agents – A New Way of Decontamination

Chemical War Agents – A New Way of Decontamination

On March 20, 1995, 7:00-8:10 am – during the rush hour at the Tokyo subway, in five well planned acts of terror, members of the Aum Shinrikyo in Japan released sarin gas on several lines of the Tokyo Metro, killing about a dozen people, severely injuring fifty and causing vision problems for nearly a thousand other victims. The incident remains, the most serious attack to occur in Japan since the end of the Second World War.

The incident involving a poisonous laboratory chemical starkly revealed how annihilating an attack by chemical warfare agents can be, and given the frequency of the terror attacks these days, the possibility of a terrorist attack by means of toxic laboratory chemical supplies can't be ruled out.

With research by their side, the scientists in Texas, California, and Maryland, via the American Chemical Society, recently claimed to have developed sophisticated "wipes" that could be used to clear up people and equipment exposed to a range of harmful military and industrial and laboratory chemicals.

The Next Generation Wipes

The high-tech wipes are being considered a big leap toward a universal personal decontamination system for nearly that could clear up just about any toxic or hazardous chemical, and save countless lives. For instance, "mustard" is one of the deadliest blister agents around. It is known to cause severe, delayed burns to the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract, damages cells within minutes of contact and large exposures to the chemical may be fatal. However, the new wipes are effective against it as well.

Another distinction about the new wipe is that unlike the earlier generation of decontaminating agents were either powders or liquids, this one is fabric-based. And hence it doesn't carry the disadvantages of its predecessors. For example the powders, like activated carbon, can pollute the air and cause lungs damage, the liquids on the other hand are effective against only a handful of harmful agents as many laboratory chemical manufacturers would vouch for , and that they can also damage electronic equipment.

Comprising a layer of activated carbon pressed between layers of absorbent fibers, they've been shown to work better than particulate carbon and a just as good as the military decontamination kit.

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Pharma Packaging – Innovation Key to Cost Savings

In the pharmaceutical industry, while the status of the packaging function might only be that of an appendix, if properly utilized, it can be an invaluable resource for innovation and cost savings.

During the whole process of production, the packaging people are roped in only after the product research and development teams are over with their jobs. And at times they're brought in even past the stage of product engineering. Naturally, by this stage, the schedule gets tight and there's barely time left for meeting deadlines, leave aside innovation.

Innovation might not be an invention but just a new way of doing something. And as Peter Drucker identified, it's one of the only two basic business functions, the other being marketing, it has has been known to result in improved quality, reduced labor costs, improved production processes, reduced pharmaceutical packaging materials, reduced energy consumption, etc. – all of which spell profitability.

However, if packaging is only considered as an afterthought, the possibility of innovation is lost somewhere, and consequently its benefits too.

Leveraging Integration for Innovation

Experts believe that integrating the packaging function with the research and development function requires only a few tweaks. To breed innovation it's important to allow the packaging function more influence within R&D. This is so because when the two functions work jointly, it will enable the packaging department to better help with quality initiatives, continuous enhancement programs, costs reduction, etc.

Also, when the packaging department is aware of the projects that are underway including the high priority ones, it can prepare in advances and has the time necessary to think and innovate, and better use their pharmaceutical packaging equipment .

Further, in addition to just an influence within R&D, a more innovative set-up could include merging R&D and packaging. Because a lot of cost reduction, quality, and continuous improvement depends on packaging, so including packaging within the whole process sounds like a better option.

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Eye Diagnostics – A New Way To Capture Color Retinal Images

Monitoring and treatment of eye diseases with a potential to cause blindness can be challenging. However, with new advances in research, scientists may have just developed an effective means of taking high quality color photographs of eye inflammation with the help of diagnostic equipment.

Recently, scientists made a headway by taking high quality color photographs of the clinical stages of ocular inflammation in mice, using what they call “Topical Endoscopic Fundal Imaging (TEFI).” And it seems that mice are just the beginning, soon humans could replace the mice, and for the better.

How TEFI would help?

Topical Endoscopic Fundal Imaging or (TEFI), makes use of an endoscope (the good old diagnostic equipment) along with parallel illumination and observation channels connected to a digital camera to capture images eye images. The development of this technique is attributed to Michel Paques, et al.

In the new study a team researchers from the University of Bristol's Academic Unit of Ophthalmology tracked the changes in the mice retina, and the best part was that it didn't cause distress to the animals or was there a need administer anesthesia to the patients (mice, in this case). Quite a painkiller find!

The paper was published in the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology journal Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science in a paper titled "The Clinical Time-Course of Experimental Autoimmune Uveoretinitis Using Topical Endoscopic Fundal Imaging with Histologic and Cellular Infiltrate Correlation."

According to experts, TEFI would enable monitoring of clinical disease quickly and in a non-invasive fashion. And based on the clinical observations, the investigators will be able to design experimental protocols. In addition, this new technique also paves the way to detect changes in the eye that were previously undetectable.

At the same time, while TEFI along with other histological methods does enable observation of clinical features and severity of disease, in order to gather information about the dynamics, phenotype, function, etc - a detailed analysis of cell populations during different stages of disease as it progresses might be needed.

For now only the mice used in the study seem to have benefited from it, humans may need to wait a bit.

I think the most exciting aspect of medicine is innovation. Not too far back Video Game Surgery provided new means for training surgeons. Or more recently, as it was revealed that Robots are the Future of Assistive Technology.

Assistive Technology – Robots are the Future

Imagine a world where you have a faithful aide by your side that can assist you with just about anything from moping up the floors, washing the dishes, patrolling your house, providing elder care to being you best buddy by being ready to help whenever you need it. It seems that after the dog, robots are going to be man's most faithful friend.

We seem to have come far from the times when robots or mechanical servants were only heard of in ancient mythologies, such as the robots built by the Greek god Hephaestus to the age of patient aid and assistive devices. While, modern robotics has come a long way, there was a lot of buzz recently about the “uBOT-5” - the robot, supposed to be an awesome robotic assistant for the elderly in future.

The State-of-the-art Robotics

And it's not without a reason because computer science researchers are well set on their path to endow these “mechanical servants” with never seen capabilities. For instance the uBOT-5 would not only be able them to assist the elderly but would also act to help them, e.g. dialing 911 in case of emergencies. Or they could send out reminders to patients when its time for their medication. To top it all, they could even help them with grocery shopping in addition to allow them to talk to their friends 'n' family including healthcare providers.

However, this is only one side of the story, because when a patient's friends, family or medics need to talk to their loved ones – they too can initiate a conversation via the assistant. For instance, a concerned family member who wants to know about whether their elderly relative is ok or not? They can establish a link with any Internet connection, or better still navigate around the house to look for mom or dad. This can be especially useful if a patient needs help and is unable to take the call.

At the same time, while the technology may have advanced, cost concerns still seem to persist for these patient aids. For instance, at present the prototypes at University of Massachusetts Amherst cost close to $65,000 for a unit. However, experts believe that with commercialization the robots may cost about $5,000. That's less, but lesser still would be be better.

Till the time that happens, perhaps cutting edge enhancements to the already existing patient aid equipments aren't bad either – as some interesting gadgets came to life at this year's Assistive Technology Exposition of the Saint Francis University’s CERMUSA - including retina-steered wheelchairs, digitized and synthesized speech-generating devices and pressure sensing prosthetic limbs that could fill up a glass or water or wine!

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• Fashionable Medical Clothing - Self-Expression In The Workplace
• Precision Motion Medical Devices – A Medical Manufacturing Innovation
• Innovation To Vanquish Biotechnology Products Deficit

Fashionable Medical Clothing - Self-Expression In The Workplace

The standard medical clothing has remained virtually unchanged for over 40 years. However, be it the medical industry the new generation of medics, especially women in healthcare, may be inspired to try out fashionable medical clothing, combining utility and elegance.

The need to incorporate fashion in healthcare medical clothing has long been overlooked. Imagine, scrubs, lab-coats, hospital and medical apparel bringing in a new look and utility attire that helps women find a balance between looking fashionable at the same time presenting the professional look that's so important for the industry. An initiative of bringing out such clothing can already be seen in the collection of clinician scrubs and lab coats from Medelita.

However, trying to induce fashion into medical clothing and help women find a sense of self-expression and femininity, and yet allow them to fit in with the generally accepted standards of the industry, which for the most part is male dominated, can be quite a challenge for designers.

Consider for instance, that to mold hospital clothing in stylish yet professional form they'd need to make design improvements to the scrub tops, perhaps by darting at the bust, or include tailored sleeves, and tapered waist and hips that so as to give women modern and trendy lines, coupled with an attractive fit. And not to compromise on comfort associated with the dresses. On the other hand the clinician pants might need to be given a contoured rise and a subtle bootleg for a slimming look.

It won't too far in future, when attractive details, feminine colors, design improvements is a commonplace, and lend medical clothing a fresh appearance on a familiar style and give women a professional look tailored to the female figure that many think, they simply crave for.

Also, this year's European Medical Devices Green Excellence Product Innovation Award by Frost & Sullivan tell you why Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Is The Winning Formula for medical wastes.

Precision Motion Medical Devices – A Medical Manufacturing Innovation

Over the years the medical industry has been demanding more precise, smaller, less invasive and more portable medical devices. And it now seems that their wishes may have been granted with new developments in motion-based components and subsystems.

The medical device industry can make use these cutting-edge technologies to power motors, pumps, subsystems in several different ways. At the forefront of these innovations has been one of the world's largest providers of motion actuators, Johnson Electric.

Solenoids: A number of compact solenoids can enable machine and process automation functions right from the most basic on-off function to extremely complex sequencing. In fact, they are best suited to medical applications and medical tools such as medical carts, blood analyzers, medical instruments sterilizers and pharma pill dispensers.

Motors: Speaking of which, a large number of brush and brushless, synchronous and piezo-ceramic motors can help manufacturers to overcome a variety of obstacles such as accurate positioning and motion in surgical assist medical devices, precise movement in MRI environments and silent operation of sleep apnea treatment applications.

Subassemblies/Subsystems: A range of design, rapid prototyping and manufacturing services for medical device subsystems can help companies to reduce supply chain complexity and get products to market by up to 50 percent faster. Reportedly, innovations from the manufacture house a variety of subsystems and subassemblies, including multi-axis stages for precision lens positioning in microscopes, robotic surgical assist, and long-life switch assemblies for medical applications.

Pumps: Pumps that are small, light and possess features viz. adjustable speed and reverse flow capabilities, are apt for use in a variety of drug delivery and variable flow applications for medical, pharmaceutical and laboratory applications.

Meanwhile, other advancements helping the medical industry have been reported to. For instance: Innovation To Vanquish Biotechnology Products Deficit and Self-Assembling Hydrogel - A New Drug Delivery System. At the same time and for the industry, there are challenges too. See: How Pharma Drugs Can Harm Pets and When Hospital Beds Bite!

Innovation To Vanquish Biotechnology Products Deficit

Nanotechnology researchers are often troubled by lack of availability of biotechnology products. However, now research itself is being claimed to have found a solution.

Nanotechnology research is an ever growing area of science, and scientists working in its realm use a variety of substances to build atomic scale structures. To solve their problem of shortage of raw materials, scientists at the Arizona State University's Biodesign Institute plan to use cells as manufacturing units to make DNA based nanostructures in a living cell.

Historically, biotech products have been produced by biotechnology companies by chemically synthesizing all of the products from scratch. And much of the process entails using different toolboxes to make varied DNA nanostructures and get them to attach and organize with other molecules viz. nanoparticles and other biomolecules.

However, now it is has been found that artificial nanostructures can be replicated using the mechanisms already present in live cells. The best part is that, you don't have to manufacture cells, and also that nature itself has endowed them with the ability to make copies of double stranded DNA. The only thing scientists have to do is to get them to make complex DNA nanostructures like a copier machine does.

When going about brainstorming for a solution, scientists thought of using the cellular system, as simple DNA can be easily replicated in a cell. But the problem was that they didn't know whether the cells' replicating mechanism would tolerate single stranded DNA nanostructures that house complex secondary structures or not? In the end it did.

Just the beginning though, this research appears to be quite exciting as in the future it may be used in synthetic biology applications. Perhaps as the technique is perfected, and when biotechnology companies and the biotech pharmaceutical industry implements the research full-on, there won't be any dearth of biotechnology products for scientists and the medical industry.

Also another innovation recently came up in pharmaceutical raw materials, Self-Assembling Hydrogel - A New Drug Delivery System and do you know who's happier: Physcicians or Veterinarians.

Self-Assembling Hydrogel - A New Drug Delivery System

Hydrogels have been around for for quite some time now. And despite their utility, their toxic components, and use as drug carriers have been their popular shortcomings. However, recently a self-assembling version of the pharmaceutical raw material has been developed, which is claimed to be biocompatible.

If you are new to hydrogels, then simply put, it's a gel in which water is the continuous phase and it has a myriad medical and industrial applications.

During the course of their study, instead to reinventing the wheel, researchers went about exploring means by which medically approved drugs can be converted into amphiphilic molecules which can self assemble. Finding new uses of the already approved pharmaceutical excipients seems to be a slick way to tackle the issue of the time it takes to get a new molecule of pharmaceutical ingredients approved.

And now the researchers' efforts have led them to develop structures capable of delivering high concentrations of pharmaceutical drugs minus the negative side effects. It still the beginning, an important one though, because this method can be a stepping stone for making drug-based delivery carriers which can release a number of drugs e.g. anti-inflammatory drugs.

This research conducted by scientists from the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Science and Technology (HST) will be published in the journal, Biomaterials.

Hydrogels have seen a number of developments over the years and the new research is the most recent advancement for using them as controlled drug delivery vehicles. This research is also important as it might even help eliminate the need for an external carrier for as a means of drug delivery.

On the lines of innovation healthcare, Video Game Surgery and Sick (Man)nequins seem to be intriguing as well.

How CDC Will Defeat Disasters

A new low-cost, high-resolution imaging system to create a comprehensive picture of an area devastated by a hurricane or other natural disaster has been developed. The information will be used assess the number of people affected by a disaster and also the need for humanitarian services from the health care industry .

Developed by the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) as part of a project funded by the CDC, the device has been christened as Mini ModPOD, which stands for “Miniature Modular Photographic Observation Device. The gadget will be attached to a helicopter to gather the visual information.

“Without a real-time map, it’s very hard to do population estimates and demographic estimates to figure out where people are, how they’re moving, how they’re spaced out and even how many people you have on the ground,” said a project officer from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “This technology does not exist currently, so GTRI’s imaging system is really an innovative project.”

For now aid organizations distributing pharma drugs and other essential supplies don’t have fast and accurate means of finding out how many people need assistance. This technology should sort out the nagging issues. At the same time a cloud cover over the affected region could stifle the image gathering efforts. Similarly there will also be dissemination restrictions.

GTRI technologists plan to install the system on Coast Guard UH-60J Black Hawk helicopters. These are the same choppers that were among the first to fly over Haiti following Hurricane Hanna’s devastation.

The system incorporates an off-the-shelf Canon Digital Rebel XTi digital camera, a global positioning system receiver, a small circuit board that uploads mission parameters, and an inertial measurement unit. The inertial measurement unit is supposed to measure the aircraft’s rate of acceleration and changes in rotational attributes, including pitch, roll and yaw. The images gathered can later be put together to create a complete picture of the affected area.

Aside from the GTRI's innovation, see how an award winning device can aid Hands Free Surgery

Innovative Robot = Hands Free Surgery

Bagging this year's award for “Innovation of the Year,” this new medical device is sure to bring a smile to laparoendoscopic surgeons around the world. Because it sets their hands free!

Prosurgics’ FreeHand robotic camera holder has been garnering attention since its launch in Stockholm this year. Backed by the international technology company Sagentia as a prime development partner, the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons in the USA awarded the robot the “2008 Innovation of the Year” title.

FreeHand, Prosurgics’, a second generation robotic camera holder, brings to the medical industry an inexpensive robotic aid for use in minimally invasive abdominal surgery.

It's now known that surgeons around the world often struggle to find skilled assistants to hold the camera during laparoscopic or key-hole procedures. While, eventually they find dependable aides, it's still an onerous task because it's tiring, and leads to a camera shake, poor visualization, and make the surgery even longer.

How It Works?

Attach It

FreeHand cleverly addresses these problems. The device can be quickly attached to the side of the operating table and because it only takes moments attach, its position can be changed fast during the surgery.

Regulate its movements

The device is controlled using a gadget worn by the surgeon on the forehead. The surgeon using only natural head movements selects the direction in which she wants to “steer” the robot, or tilt, pan and zoom. Then with a foot pedal she can actuate the movement. An option to preselect the speed and other adjustments, enable precise control over the robots movements.

In a nutshell the benefits are threefold:

• It enables quick and precise control of scope position
• Unmatched stability
• Ease of use and efficiency

After, Video Game Surgery To Train Surgeons , the new device seems to be a quite a helpful creation for medics.

Here Comes Incision-Free Weight Loss Surgery!

Recently, the first patient in the New York City area received incision free surgery for obesity as part of the ongoing multicenter TOGA Pivotal Trial at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital (NYP)/Columbia University Medical Center.

TOGA procedure stands for "transoral gastroplasty.” Performed without creating incisions with surgical instruments, it is designed to alter the patient's stomach anatomy to give them a feeling of fullness after a small meal. Which is similar to many other weightloss procedures. The difference however, is that TOGA was performed under direct endoscopic visualization with specialized instruments passed into the stomach through the mouth without any incisions.

The surgeons believe that the new surgery is a promising option for severely overweight patients who do not respond to diet, exercise and drug therapy. Further, that there were clear benefits of the procedure including less pain, shortened hospital stay, quicker recovery, decreased complications, and of course a lack of scarring. Hence TOGA should suit many patients who are unable to or don't want to undergo invasive surgical procedures.

The effectiveness of the surgery came to light when during a 2006 - 2007 pilot study at medical centers in Mexico and Belgium found that patients receiving the TOGA procedure lost more than a third of their excess body weight. And in a year's time, their excess weight loss averaged almost 40 percent.

In the operations performed as trials two out of three patients will receive the TOGA procedure, while one out of three will receive a control procedure, which is similar to the TOGA procedure except no pouch is created. Then after a year, patients will be told which procedure they received, and patients who received the control procedure will be offered the TOGA procedure if they continue to meet the treatment criteria.

Moreover, once the evaluation of the safety and effectiveness of the TOGA procedure is complete, the researchers will evaluate weight loss and changes in obesity-related health problems such as Type 2 diabetes, cholesterol levels and hypertension. And if successful, the FDA might approve of the TOGA System, which at present only allow patients to be treated outside of clinical trials.

According to WHO, obesity is a global disease affecting over 300 million people. And its many undesirable consequences such as Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular, are known too well. The surgery might prevent the consequences of obesity and save patients from the pain and routine consumption of pharmaceutical drugs for diabetes, hypertension, etc. And especially help the case of stubborn obesity that doesn't respond well to other weightloss treatments.

Surgery aside, if a drug currently being tested is successful, then we just might need to pop it in and Lose Fat Like A Rat!

Osteoarthritis (OA): Better Outcome Through Technology

A breakthrough imaging technology may now enable doctors with to diagnose osteoarthritis (OA) so early that they could prevent or reduce permanent damage to patients' joints.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint condition causing inflammation, swelling, pain, and stiffness. It's often treated with musculoskeletal system drugs and/or surgery.

Recently, scientists from New York University (NYU) reported about the new technology at the 236th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, (ACS) that helps diagnose the disease early.

If osteoarthritis can be diagnosed during initial stages with the aid of the new technology, then doctors might be able to prevent or reduce permanent damage by means such as dietary supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin, which have shown to stop further joint degeneration. On the contrary, the present methods of diagnoses do not catch the condition until it has reached advanced stages and by that time joint damage may already have occurred.

The New Technology

The new method uses a modified form of magnetic resonance imaging to assess the concentration of a polymer known as glycosaminogycan (GAG) that holds lots of water and gives cartilage its tough, elastic properties. Additionally, GAG is a recognized biomarker for both osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease. A low concentration of GAG is known to be linked to the onset of osteoarthritis.

Further, the diagnostic 'tags' i.e. the hydrogen atoms attached to the GAGs when emit a signal, is picked up by an MRI machine and the concentration of GAG is determined, thus aiding the assessment of cartilage health.

Additionally, the technology could even be used to improve upon the existing cartilage-boosting drugs. But at present it's difficult assess the efficacy of these pharmaceutical drugs without the aid of a method to measure their effects on cartilage.

The new method positively shows promise, and if it can really help prevent painful surgeries and procedures then it might be great if diagnostic facilities made use of it for the benefit of patients.

On a separate note, an intriguing study recently pointed out to How Happiness May Prevent Breast Cancer?

Weightloss: Lose Fat Like A Rat!

Being overweight is a pain, and trying to lose flab is an even bigger pain. However, now if scientists are to be believed, then the world could finally be greeted with a pharmaceutical drug that makes you lose wait.

As appears in the news, the U.S. government researchers reported that, an epilepsy drug when tested for use in treating addiction led to the laboratory rats to lose weight. While the fat rats lost 19 percent of their body weight, the normal ones lost 12 to 20 percent in about 40 days, after they were injected with the drug.

Apparently, the drug inhibits craving for food just like it inhibits the craving for the addictive substance in a person. Being a central nervous system drug it acts on the brain's dopamine reward system. Which plays a role in both overeating and drug addiction. “Vigabatrin” is the drug under consideration, which reduces the build up dopamine in the body.

Experts believe that many people who gain weight do so because they overeat in response to the cues they get from the environment, viz. the aroma, etc. The same is the case with drug abusers. During the study, the rats successively lost and gained weight as they were dosed with the drug and then taken off it. The drug helps lose weight because it stops the mechanism by which people abuse drugs and overeat.

Although this is good news, but not without a pitfall, that an overdose of the drug can affect eyesight, and permanently too. At the same time experts from the medical industry opine that it shouldn't happen with the amount of dosage needed to help people lose weight. Still good news!