SciTech Digest - 07/2017.Permalink here: http://www.scitechdigest.net/2017/02/nanoparticle-selection-screening.htmlNanoparticle selection screening, Forming helium compounds, Resilient brain implants, Chip based micro-organs, Reversed hall effect, Ostrich delivery bots, Millimeter computers, Deep learning protein structures, Mammalian gene drives, Acid powered pill. 1. Screening Nanoparticles for Drug DeliveryA new nanoparticle screening system helps to rapidly identify those nanoparticles that can best enter different tissues and organs in the body
http://news.mit.edu/2017/nanoparticle-screen-could-speed-drug-development-0207. The technique first generates a family of nanoparticles that vary on some particular trait (PEG structure in this case), then tags each with specific DNA sequences that act as bar codes, then all particles are injected into the body, and samples from different parts of the body are finally sequenced to determine which nanoparticle composition was most effective in getting into which tissues. These lipid nanoparticles can then be loaded with DNA for gene therapy or RNA for gene regulation to preferentially target a specific tissue.
2. Helium Forms CompoundsConventional chemistry dictates that helium cannot form stable compounds with other elements. A new study however shows that this isn’t the case under intense pressure, and helium can for example form stable compounds with sodium with the formula Na2He
https://www.usu.edu/today/?id=56480. This result was completely unexpected, with the novel chemical bonding structures produced by these elements under these pressures fortuitously possessing the precise structural stability required to form the stable helium compound. An interesting scientific curiosity for now, we’ll have to wait and see if a family of different compounds can be formed in this manner and whether they may have any useful applications.
3. Practical, Resilient Brain ImplantsMany invasive brain implants being trialled for advanced brain-computer interfaces to allow the patient to interact with their environment with machines just by thinking typically suffer declining performance due to implant degradation and scar tissue formation. A new implant avoids penetrating the brain and instead rests on the surface with an array of microscopic coils that control targeted magnetic fields to instead stimulate particular neural locations
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603602/this-technology-could-finally-make-brain-implants-practical/. Monkey trials are planned next month in which the visual cortex will be stimulated to recreate activity normally generated by the eyes, which is ultimately aimed at using a camera to provide or enhance vision.
4. Micro-Organs on ChipStandard 96-well plates have been used to create vascularised micro-organs in each well, with each miniature tissue being a much better model for reproducing human drug responses than earlier model systems
https://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-02/uoc--usc020817.php. The vascularisation and blood flow is key here, and in proof-of-concept work was shown to deliver nutrients to multiple tissues including heart, pancreas, brain, and different tumours. The platform proved itself as an effective drug screening tool for tumours. Linking these micro-tissues together would also provide an interesting tool for micro-human-on-a-chip in which multiple interconnected organs might be tested. In related news we have microfluidic chips that emulate human kidney function
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-02/bu-rdd020917.php, and beating 3D heart tissue being created
http://news.yorku.ca/2017/02/09/matters-of-the-heart-yorku-researchers-create-3d-beating-heart/. .
5. Metamaterial with Reversed Hall CoefficientThe Hall Effect is the occurrence of a transverse electric voltage across an electric conductor passed by current flow, if this conductor is located in a magnetic field, and can be negative or positive. In a nice experimental confirmation of theoretical predictions, a metamaterial with a positive Hall Effect coefficient has been created out of negative coefficient materials
http://www.kit.edu/kit/english/pi_2017_006_metamaterial-mail-armor-inspires-physicists.php. The geometry must be precise, resembling interlinked ring structures, and was created by 3D printing high-resolution polymer scaffolds and then coating with semiconducting zinc oxide; while the charge carriers remain negatively charged electrons the material responds as if they are positively charged. Further work will further develop different versions of the material and alter the direction of the response.
6. Cassie the Robot Delivery OstrichAgility Robots has developed Cassie, an agile bipedal robot intended for research, disaster relief, and package delivery
http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/industrial-robots/agility-robotics-introduces-cassie-a-dynamic-and-talented-robot-delivery-ostrich. Partially inspired by ostrich leg and locomotion dynamics, Cassie manages dirt, grass, wobbly docks, rain and other environmental challenges. It is intended as a platform on which to build a range of peripherals including sensor systems, arms, and other devices. In related robot news rethink robotics gets a major software upgrade for its Sawyer platform of assistive train-by-imitation robots
http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/industrial-robots/rethink-robots-get-massive-software-upgrade, and DARPA has developed a novel platform for launching and landing larger drones
http://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2017-02-06.
7. Millimeter Computers with Deep Learning The latest version of micro-mote computers that measure just one cubic millimeter have been demonstrated that are intended to be tiny energy efficient computing sensors for internet of things applications
http://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/robotics/artificial-intelligence/millimeterscale-computers-now-with-deep-learning-neural-networks-on-board. Some designs now use only a few nanowatts of power, increased radio range to 20m from 50cm a year ago, embedded flash memory from 8KB to 1MB, and dedicated deep learning neural network processors. This has always been an interesting platform to follow, something that seems intent on birthing genuine smart “dust” in future.
8. Machine Learning Elucidates Protein Structures In related machine learning news new algorithms are helping to quickly generate complete 3D structures of protein molecules
http://www.kurzweilai.net/new-machine-learning-algorithms-may-revolutionize-drug-discover-and-our-understanding-of-life. This approach better utilises electron cryomicroscopy, which takes tens of thousands of low-resolution images of frozen protein samples from different positions, which is typically stitched together on a large computing cluster. This can take days or weeks and up to 500,000 CPU hours. The new system makes many structure determinations possible in minutes using a single personal GPU.
9. Mammalian Gene Drives for Pest EradicationBuilding on work to develop gene drives in mosquitos, the technology has now been demonstrated in mice for the first time, in which the modified mice only ever produce male offspring and so would result in a crash of the local population if released into the wild
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603533/first-gene-drive-in-mammals-could-aid-vast-new-zealand-eradication-plan/. The proposal under consideration is to repeat the feat in rats, and introduce animals to islands that have been overrun with mice and rats - considered an invasive pest that threaten native birds and fauna - and so drastically reduce numbers or eradicate the population completely. CRISPR was again used to engineer the modifications. Speaking of CRISPR a new genetic engineering platform called PfAgo that creates artificial restriction enzymes appears to surpass even CRISPR’s amazing capabilities in many areas
http://www.igb.illinois.edu/misc_news/new-genetic-engineering-method-indispensable-biotechnological-tool.
10. Acid Powered PillA pill-sized ingestible electronic device has been developed that can be powered by stomach acid and other environments with large pH differences
http://news.mit.edu/2017/engineers-harness-stomach-acid-power-tiny-sensors-0206. This system can generate enough power without a battery to run small sensors or operate a drug delivery device over extended periods of time in the gastrointestinal tract. Inspired by the classic “lemon battery” the demonstrations of the device powered a temperature sensor and transfer data to a receiver two meters away every 12 seconds. Next steps will be further miniaturization and performance in lower pH areas further down the GI tract.
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