News by Subject Medicine & Health

Microelectrodes can be used for direct measurement of electrical signals in the brain or heart. These applications require soft materials, however. With existing methods, attaching electrodes to such materials poses significant challenges. A team at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now succeeded in printing electrodes directly onto several soft substrates.

In a pilot study by a team of researchers at The University of Texas at Austin, crystalline particles of titanium dioxide -- the most common white pigment in everyday products ranging from paint to candies -- were found in pancreas specimens with Type 2 diabetes, suggesting that exposure to the white pigment is associated with the disease.

A new microscope system can image living tissue in real time and in molecular detail, without any chemicals or dyes, report researchers at the University of Illinois. It enables researchers to study concurrent processes within cells and tissue, and could give cancer researchers a new tool for tracking tumor progression and physicians new technology for tissue pathology and diagnostics.

A mild problem-solving task improves brain functioning after a concussion, according to a new study conducted at Southern Methodist University, Dallas. Currently there are many questions about rehabilitation and treatment options, with absolute rest often the go-to treatment. But the new study suggests that a simple cognitive task as early as four days after a brain injury activates the region that improves memory function, and may guard against developing depression or anxiety.