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Snippets 11/2004
"Electronic Eye" for the Blind
Tadayoshi Shioyama and Mohammed Uddin (Kyoto Institute of Technology) have developed a navigation system to improve the mobility of blind poeple, and cross busy roads safely.
The "electronic eye" is mounted on a pair of glasses, and be capable to detect pedestrian crossings. Furthermore, the width of the road and the colour of the traffic lights are measured.
A camara is mounted at eye level, and be connected to a tiny computer. A voice speech system gives vocal information and commands through a small speaker placed near the ear.
collected from
Measurement Science & Tech-
nology
IoP electronic journal 12, 2004
www.iop.org
Therapeutic Chance for
Spinal Transverse Lesion ?
The German company NEURAXO BIOTEC developed the remedy Cordaneurin which will be clinically tested next year, and market in 2007.
Obviously, the fast development of scars and coils of collagen on the destroyed nerve avert the growth of nerve cells. Codaneurin inhibits the collagen settlement on the scar.
The European authority EMEA have bestowed the status Orphan-Drug, and that special status permits a fast permission procedure.
Collected from
Wirtschaftswoche
www.wiwo.de/index.html
November 17, 2004
Clear Pathway for Blood
Blood clotting inhibitoring medicaments are the most devoted remedies preventing e.g. myocardial infarction, apoplexy and closure of veins (thrombosis). The application is associated with numerous risks. Except for heparin, there are no anticoagulants available which can be deactivated rapidly, and the antidote affects several side-effects.
The journal "Nature Biotechnology" reported on a remedy on the basis of aptamers (= molecules which contains few nucleotids)
which masks efficiently the coagulation factor IXa. The corresponding antidote agent is already developed.
Collected from
FAZ
www.faz.net
October 25, 2004
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Contraceptive Inoculation for Males
Instead of the pill for males could be possible inoculation for temporary unfertiliy by immunocontraception. "In contrast to the hormonal methods, there is no side-effect expected", said Michael O´Rand of the University of North Carolina.
Obviously, the foreign protein induces immune reaction which creates antibodies against eppin. The interference to eppin averts the development of seminal fluid.
That therapeutic principle has been tested at monkeys.
Read more at:
www.faz.net
November 11, 2004
Paradise for Stem Cell Scientists
The research on embryos has been ostracized in Western countries, but not in Singapur or Japan. BIOPOLIS is a huge center of biomedicinal sciences located in Singapur. The state-controlled agency A*Star seeks worlwide the best scientists of genom and stem reasearch, nanomedicine and adjacent disciplines.
Also the Japanese government has put on the top stem cell science. The first stem cell strain has been developed already in 2003 in Kyoto.
SCHERING has founded a research institute located closely to Center for Developmental Biology (CDB; near Kobe).
Collected from:
www.zeit.de/2004/45/M-Singapur,
October 28, 2004
Short-sighted PC user
has higher gluacoma risk
Scientists of the Toho University School of Medicine investigated the strength of vision in four Japanese companies. For more than 33 % of the employees who work between one to more than eight hours in front of the monitor, was reasonable suspicion of glaucoma indicated. Furthermore, it seems that an interference exists between short-sighting and glaucoma.
Collected from:
Der Standard
derstandard.at/?url=/?id=1860368
November 16, 2004
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