The Robo-Humany Urine Aspiration diaper has pocket for the penis, an electronic urine sensor, and a suction tube, which is attached to bedside collection tank.

As one would imagine, when the electric sensor detects urine, the suction tube begins to work. The system is powerful enough to siphon off most of the liquid, leaving no more than 0.5 cc (0.01 ounces) remaining in the pad.

Robo-Humany Aspiration Diaper

Compared with regular adult diapers, the Robo-Humany pad is 10 times lighter after use, the company claims.

Designed to reduce frequency of toilet trips, the Robo-Humany pad will not only make life easier for patients who have difficulty moving, it will also help relieve some of the nurse’s workload so they can attend to more patients.

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After years of preclinical trials, which including curing hemophiliac mice, scientist finally started trials on humans using gene therapy.

The patients were injected with a specially built virus containing a working version of the gene responsible for blood clotting. The virus implants the gene into liver cells where they begin to produce the chemical need for clotting.

Red and White Blood Cells

After 6 months of injections to maintain elevated levels of the working gene, four of them were able to stop receiving injections altogether.

The researchers are now monitoring the patients for any signs of liver cancer caused by the virus, a known risk of gene therapy, but so far there have been no complications.

The next stage will be the trial of 20 patients to assess what dosage of the virus is necessary to get enough liver cells making clotting factor so that all patients can stop receiving injections.

The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Battling the symptoms of cold and flu can be tough; the one thing we need the most is sleep, but thanks to those blocked sinuses, getting a good nights sleep quickly becomes a challenge. Fortunately there are several easy home remedies and tips you can employ to help clear your blocked nose so you can sleep better at night.

Cold Relief Tips For A Better Nights Sleep

8 Tips To Help Relieve Blocked Sinuses For A Better Nights Sleep

Use A Nasal Strip

Nasal strips are designed to relieve nighttime congestion. They come with a sticky adhesive on one side and a stiff plastic strip that gently pulls the strip outwards, opening the nasal passages. Nasal strips are not just great for those suffering from a blocked nose; they can also help people stop snoring.

Take A Hot shower Before Bed

A hot shower before bed is a great way to help clear those airways. The steam and humidity causes the sinuses to drain nasal passages, making it much easier to breath.

Drink Hot Tea Or Chicken Soup

Just like a hot shower, the heat from hot drinks also helps clear the sinuses. For nighttime relief tea is probably better than coffee since the amount of caffeine absorbed by the body is considerably less. Perhaps better still is a bowl of chicken soup. In small trials at Mount Sinai Medical Center, chicken soup was proven more effective at clearing sinuses than hot water alone.

Don’t Drink Cold Drinks Before Bed

The same study conducted at Mount Sinai Medical Center not only found that chicken soup is better than hot water for clearing sinuses; it also showed that drinking cold water before sleep was linked to increased congestion.

Use A Saline Rinse

One of the most effective ways to clear a blocked nose is to use a saline rinse. Available in spray bottle or neti pot with narrow spout, saline is applied in small amounts periodically to help ‘rinse’ out the nasal passage. The clean saltwater not only clears the passageway of mucus, it also helps the cells that move mucus work much better.

Elevate Your Upper Body Not Just Your Head

Propping your head up with pillows to help the mucus drain more easily is a common mistake people make when trying to get a good nights sleep with a cold. Elevating your head does indeed help, but bending your neck in unnatural positions makes it more difficult to breath. Instead of using a pillow to support your head, use a larger pillow to elevate your position from the waist up.

Apply Mentholated Gel Don’t Just Breath It

Another common remedy for a blocked nose is to use a menthol steam bath. While the steam from the hot water will help clear the nasal passage, menthol vapors don’t actually add to the effect. Bradley Marple, MD, professor of otolaryngology at University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas explained; “Studies have shown that menthol doesn’t actually open up the airways. Instead, the cooling sensation it causes makes people feel as if they’re breathing more freely,”

Sleep On Schedule

When it comes to clearing up cold and flu, experts say that maintaining good sleep hygiene can often be just as effective as prescription drugs. So not only is important to get a good nights sleep, it’s also important to maintain a steady sleep schedule. In tests conducted at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh involving volunteers who agreed to be quarantined and exposed to rhinoviruses, researchers found that those who slept less than 7 hours a night were three times more likely to develop cold and flu.

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A study published in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, suggests that the addictive ingredient in cigarettes, Nicotine, may reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease.

When tested on lab mice, the researchers found the nicotine had the potential to rescue dopamine neurons; the loss of these neurons is closely related to the development of Parkinson’s. The findings have led some doctors to believe the nicotine could be used to treat Parkinson’s by targeting the brain’s nicotine receptors. Similarly, stimulating the brain’s nicotine receptors could also help to treat Alzheimers, according to a separate study from the University of Maryland.

Surprising Health Benefits From Smoking

Even more surprisingly, this isn’t the first positive link found between nicotine and health. Researchers from the Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research in the Netherlands, found that nicotine enhances learning and memory.

Another study published in the Journal of Pharmacology found, nicotine can also reduce depression because it stimulates the release of serotonin and dopamine; chemical know to have inverse effects on depression.

Despite that fact that smoking is typically related with reduced blood flow, a Stanford study found that nicotine actually boosts the growth of blood vessels, which in theory could lead to the development of new treatments for diabetes.

However, no matter how many health benefits the medical community can associate with smoking, cigarettes are still way more damaging than they are helpful. Researcher speaking at the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, Gerald Weissmann, reminded smokers of the downside to lighting up;

“Even if smoking protects you from Parkinson’s, you might not live long enough to develop the disease because smoking greatly increases the risk for deadly cancers and cardiovascular diseases.”

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Should the ultra thin wearable sensor prove successful, it could be used in a wide range of medical applications and would eradicate the need for bulky equipment.

The patch, created by John Rogers, PhD, and colleagues at the University of Illinois and other institutions in the U.S., Singapore, and China, is just 1 mm thickness and consists of electric monitors sandwiched between silicon wafers.

Electronic Skin Monitors Health

The squiggly wires of the circuit allow the patch to mimic the properties of the skin so it can be bent stretched and scrunched without being damaged.

“The skin represents one of the most natural places to integrate electronics. As the largest organ in the body, and our primary sensory mode of interaction with the world, it plays a special role,” Rogers says.

The patch is applied using water-soluble elastomer that acts like a stick adhesive, and can be easily removed when needed.

Researchers have already shown that the patch can work on various parts of the body for different applications. In one study, the wearable sensor was worn on the chest and used to pick up signals from the heart. The data gathered by the system was just as accurate at that produced by hospital electrocardiogram.

In another study the patch was placed on the throat and configured to distinguish 4 voice commands, up, down, left and right, proving that the technology could not only help monitor patients vital signals, but could also be used to amplify speech and help people with disabilities control medical devices.

The current patch can only be used for a few days at a time, and because skin cells are constantly being shed, even with a longer lasting adhesive the patch would still need to be reapplied at least once every two weeks. It also needs to be tested on a range of skin conditions from dry to sweaty and sensitive skin.

Researchers are now working on more complex circuits, they’re also working to make the device wireless – it still needs to be plugged in to download information, and to add more components such as piezoelectric circuits which harvest energy from the body’s movements.

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Matthew Green, 40, who has already been sent home to await a transplant from a human donor, is said to be the first person in the UK to leave hospital with a completely artificial heart. While 900 similar operations have been carried out worldwide, this is the first time a temporary artificial heart that supports the function of both ventricles has been successfully transplanted.

The Total Artificial Heart, which is manufactured by SynCardia, is a modern version of 1980’s design called the Jarvik-7. The first Jarvik-7 was transplanted in 1986 and supported the patient for two days before a donor was found.

The newer version also acts as a ‘bridge-to-transplant’, but this time, for patients dying from end-stage biventricular heart failure; where sides of the heart are failing.

The artificial heart is powered by a 13.5lb (6kg) portable battery worn in a backpack and is not suitable for long-term use, however, Mr Steven Tsui, director of the transplant service at Papworth in Cambridgeshire, said that without it, Green might not have survived the wait for a heart transplant surgery.

“Matthew’s condition was deteriorating rapidly and we discussed with him the possibility of receiving this device, because without it, he may not have survived the wait until a suitable donor heart could be found for him.”

Green, had been suffering from Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC), a heart muscle disease that results in arrhythmia, heart failure and even sudden death.

As both sides of his heart slowly declined, so did his health; it took just two years for Green to go from cycling 9 miles to and from work every day, to being bed rendered and unable to walk.

Green, who has already made an excellent recovery, told reporters:

“It’s going to revolutionize my life. Before I couldn’t walk anywhere. I could hardly climb a flight of stairs and now I’ve been up and I’ve been walking out and getting back to a normal life…

“I went out for a pub lunch over the weekend and that just felt fantastic, to be with normal people again.” [BBC]

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Dr. Billy Cohn and Dr. Bud Frazier devised the artificial heart using medical implants known as ventricular assist devices. These devices aid blood flow by constantly propelling blood in a continuous flow. Many people have these implants, including former Vice President Dick Cheney, but only ever one. What Cohn and Bud did however, is used two of these devices to replace both left and right ventricles, effectively replacing the whole heart.

Artificial Heart Without A Pulse

The spinning mechanism of the device pumps blood constantly, which means there is no heartbeat. Traditional beating artificial hearts have been known to wear out, breakdown and cause blood clots or infections, but Cohn and Bud claim that their simple twin rotor device will outlast any other design.

The new artificial heart was tested on an 8-month-old calf named Abigail at the institute’s animal research laboratory.

Image Credit: Texas Heart Institute, 2011.

After having successfully implanted the device, the pair decided to step up tests to trails in humans.

In March earlier this year Cohn and Bud found their subject, Craig Lewis, a 55year-old technician who worked on Houston’s vast wastewater pumps. Lewis was dying from amyloidosis – which causes the buildup of abnormal proteins – and had been given less than a day to live when they decided to conduct the operation.

The operation itself was a success, but heart surgery alone could not save him. Shortly after awaking from the surgery he began to fade as a result of the amyloidosis attacking his liver and kidneys; however the artificial heart did extend his live for a month.

Lewis’ wife Linda said:

“We knew if it wasn’t a success for Craig, if they could get data that would help them, if it helps the next person, then you did good.”

While a heart that doesn’t beat goes against every living thing in nature, Cohn points out that the only reason blood must be pumped rhythmically instead of continuously is because the heart can only get nourishment in between heartbeats, but “If you remove that from the system, none of the other organs seem to care much.”

The device is still a long way from being commercially available. First the team needs to finalize a design, find a manufacturer and then set upon attaining FDA approval.

Despite the long road ahead, Cohn and Bud are confident their design will make the cut, “these pumps don’t wear out,” added Cohn. “We haven’t pumped one to failure to date.”

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A team of Swiss scientist, led by biomedical engineer Alois Pfenniger, is currently testing 3 versions of a miniature microwatt-producing “hydroelectric plant”, a single mini turbine, which when implanted in the arteries, can convert the kinetic energy of the bloodstream into electricity strong enough to power such as pacemakers, glucose meters, drug-delivery pumps or neurosimulators.

Heart Powered Turbine Powered Implanted Medical Devices

These devices do not require much power, but because batteries do not last forever, the devices must be placed in easy to reach areas so doctors can easily recharge or replace them. The implanted miniature turbine however, would need less maintenance and could therefore be place in more effective positions, closers to source of the problem.

Biomedical engineer Alois Pfenniger. Swiss team from the Bern University of Applied Sciences has put three different turbines in a tube that simulates the thoracic artery, millimeters-wide blood vessel. The mini turbines are designed to fit in the internal thoracic artery – a blood vessel a few millimeters wide that typically gets removed during surgery because it is redundant.

Pfenniger explained that the ‘heart produces around 1 or 1.5 watts of hydraulic power,’ and that these device only need 10 micro-watts.

The current turbines have not yet been tested on live subjects; the system undergoing trails consists of tubing made to mimic the thoracic artery. However, the mock system has already been shown to produce 800 microwatts of power.

Some experts are concerned the turbulence created by the turbine could increase the risk of blood clots, which could prove fatal if they move through the bloodstream.

However, Pfenniger and his team are still working hard to improve the design, using computer simulators to measure turbulence, and hopefully reduce the effects so the devices can be deemed safe.

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Our spines are made up of 24 vertebrae (not including the sacrum and coccyx) which are separated by soft spinal discs. These discs act as shock absorber for the spine, allowing it to twist and bend in various positions.

Degenerative disc disease can happen anywhere in spine but it typically occurs most often in the lower back (lumbar region) discs, and the neck (cervical region).

Degenerative disc disease can result in:

• Back Pain
• Neck Pain
• Osteoarthritis
• Herniated Disc
• Spinal stenosis – narrowing of spinal canal

These conditions can put pressure on the spinal cord and nerves, leading to pain and in more severe cases, impaired nerve function.

What is Degenerative Disc Disease?

What causes degenerative disc disease?

As with all things natural and manmade, our spinal discs begin to wear down with age. This natural process can happen earlier in some and symptoms of pain and impaired functions often differ from patient to patient.

Common causes of degenerative disc disease include:

• The loss of fluid from spinal discs which reduces the discs ability to absorb shock
• The loss of fluid which narrows the distance between the vertebrae can make the spine less flexible
• To combat the reduced space between the vertebrae, the body produces bone spurs known as osteophytes
• Acute injury leading to herniated disc or repetitive strain syndrome can also begin the degradation process
• Small cracks in the outer layer (annulus or capsule) of the disc resulting from injury or strain may allow the jellylike material inside (nucleus) to leak, which can cause the disc to rupture, break or swell

Degenerative disc disease is more likely to occur in people who smoke cigarettes, are obese, or those who do heavy physical work (such as repeated heavy lifting).

Degenerative Disc Disease Symptoms

Neck Pain & Back Pain

The amount and location of pain experienced as a result of degenerative disc disease varies from patient to patient. Some people may fell little pain at all, while other experience chronic pain that can limit their activities.

Although the location of pain varies depending on the location of the problem, an affected disc in the neck region can cause pain or numbness in the arm, and an affected disc in the lower back can result in pain or numbness the leg or buttocks.

Depending on the severity of the affected disc/s, pain can often get worse when performing movements such as twisting the upper body, bending over, or reaching up.

Diagnosing Degenerative Disc Disease

To diagnose degenerative disc disease your doctor will perform a physical examination and check your medical history. They will ask you about your symptoms, previous injuries or illnesses, as well as any hobbies or activities you may have that could be causing the pain.
During the physical examination the doctor will:

• Check the affected area and the resulting pain caused by movement
• Check for areas of tenderness, numbness and weakness
• Test your reflexes
• Check for other conditions such as bone fractures, joint damage, tumors and infections

If your examination reveals no sign of a serious condition, it is likely the imaging tests such as X-ray will not help either.

However, imaging test may be used if your symptoms develop following an injury, if your doctor suspects nerve damage, or if your medical history puts you in the high risk category for bone disease, tumors or infections.

How to Treat Degenerative Disc Disease

To help relieve pain, you can apply an icepack or heat pack (whichever you prefer) to the affected area. Over the counter-drugs such as acetaminophen, paracetamol (Tylenol); or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs including aspirin (Bayer), ibuprofen (Advil); or naproxen sodium (Aleve) can also help to relieve symptoms.

For more severe pain, your doctor may prescribe stronger pain-killers.

WebMD warns not to give aspirin to anyone younger than 20 because of the risk of Reye syndrome.

Further treatment largely depends on whether the damaged disc has lead to other conditions, such as a herniated disc, osteoarthritis, or spinal stenosis.

Doctors commonly recommend physical therapy and exercises for strengthening and stretching the back. However some cases may require surgery.

Surgery for degenerative disc disease typically involves removing the damaged disc. In some cases, the bone is then permanently fused to protect the spinal cord.

Also, artificial discs can also be used to replaces ruptured discs.

Degenerative Disc Disease Surgery

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Scientists have long believed that bone marrow played a major role in repairing damaged skin but the exact system that makes this happen has always eluded researchers. The new study however, has shed light on the process and could lead to the development of new drugs that aid healing.

The chemical, known as HMGB1, acts like a distress signal for our bodies when we’ve been injured, summing stem cells from bone marrow directly to the wound in order to heal it.

Bone Marrow Cells

When Researchers at Osaka University and King’s College London experimented on lab mice, they found that the way a wound was treated and/or left to heal determined how much HMGB1 was released into the body. The researchers injected bone marrow cells that glow green into the mice. This allowed the cells to be tracked. The mice were then wounded, and half given skin grafts, the others were left to heal untreated. After analyzing the mice, the researchers found that the mice with the skin grafts had more stem cells travel to the wound compared with the mice that had no grafts.

Professor John McGrath, from King’s College London, hypothesized that because skin grafts have no blood vessels and therefore no oxygen, the body released more HMGB1 in a kind of ‘save our skin’ signal which calls more stem cells to cope with the foreign tissue.

Talking to the BBC McGrath said:

“It could have a very big impact on regenerative medicine for treating people with rare genetic illnesses and more common problems such as burns and ulcers…

“It could potentially revolutionize the management of wound healing.”

He went on to explain how the research could lead to the development of treatments in which a drug like HMGB1 could be injected into the wound.

Researchers in Osaka are now developing a drug to mimic the properties of HMGB1. They hope to begin animal testing by the end of the year with clinical trials on humans to follow shortly afterward.

Phil Stephens, professor of Cell Biology at Cardiff University, said:

“I think it has potentially big clinical implications, but the key is potential if you can control it. You can’t just chuck it on, you need the right amounts at the right time…

“Identifying the mechanism is a really important first step.”

The study was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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