cancer research
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Contactless charity donations could mean the end of 'chuggers'
Charities play an important role tackling all manner of medical and societal issues, but without donations many would cease to operate. To ensure a steady stream of funding, some send representatives into Britain's high streets to encourage giving, generally annoying people in the process. In a bid to move away from "chuggers" (charity muggers) and collection boxes, Cancer Research UK has looked to contactless payments. In four outlets located in Brighton, Kensington, Guildford and Marylebone, the charity has placed a contactless payment point in store windows, letting people passing donate a fixed fee of £2 by tapping their contactless card against them.
MechWarrior Online, Sarah's Jenner pull in $100k for cancer research
A while back we reported on Piranha Games' decision to honor MechWarrior Online fan Sarah Parries with with Sarah's Jenner. Sarah, age five, favored the Jenner while playing MWO with her father, so when she succumbed to cancer, Pirahna decided to sell a special version of her favorite ride and donate all of the proceeds to the Canadian Cancer Society in her name. Game Informer reports that the event has brought in $100,000, with more to come since Sarah's Jenner remains on sale through August 20th. "The response from the MechWarrior community and from the games industry at large has been overwhelming," said Piranha creative director Bryan Ekman. "We can't thank everyone enough for unifying in this effort to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society and cancer research." [Thanks SpaceCobra!]
Limited edition MechWarrior Online mech benefits cancer research
MechWarrior Online has a new premium mech available for download, and rather than touting its movement speed or the number of lasers mounted to its side, developer Piranha Games wants everyone to know about its greater purpose: cancer research. "Sarah's Jenner" is a limited edition JR7-D variant, built in honor of five-year-old MechWarrior Sarah Marie Alida Parries, who passed from inoperable brain cancer last May. The mech is available for $10, with 100 percent of proceeds earned donated to the Canadian Cancer Society. Players with a fully-stocked MechBay won't have to worry about buying more garage space, as Sarah's Jenner will come with its own private housing when implemented on August 23. MechWarriors who wish to donate more than $10 are encouraged to send their monetary overflow to any of the charities listed on the promotion's FAQ. [Thanks, Chris!]
Jellyfish-mimicking device could snatch cancer cells right out of the bloodstream
If you think the picture above looks like droplets of blood being snared in a sticky tentacle, then you have a scarily active -- but in this case accurate -- imagination. It's actually a microfluidic chip that's been coated with long strands of DNA, which dangle down into the bloodstream and bind to any cancerous proteins floating past -- directly imitating the way a jellyfish scoops up grub in the ocean. If required, the chip can release these cells unharmed for later inspection. According to the chip's designers at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital, the catch-and-release mechanism can be put to both diagnostic and therapeutic use in the fight against Big C, and can also be used to isolate good things, like fetal cells. The next step will be to test the device on humans -- at which point we may owe an even greater debt of gratitude to our gelatinous friends. [Image credit: Rohit Karnik and Suman Bose]
New high-res imaging could make biopsies obsolete, doctors still cutting up in meantime
So maybe a true-to-life Innerspace is still a few years off, but a professor at the University of Rochester has developed a way to take high-resolution 3D images under the skin's surface, potentially eliminating the need for biopsies in cancer detection. Professor Jannick Rolland created a prototype that uses a liquid lens, in which a droplet of water replaces the standard glass lens, in conjunction with near-infrared light, to take thousands of pictures at varying depths. Those images are then combined to create clear, 3D renderings of what lies up to one millimeter below your epidermis. The method has already been tested on livings beings, but is likely a long way from making it to your doctor's office, which means it's off to the guillotine for that Pangaea-shaped mole you've been picking at.
Annual Second Life Relay for Life to raise funds for cancer research this weekend
The annual Second Life Relay for Life raises cash for the American Cancer Society every year as a virtual environment analog of the physical world event. It's definitely one of the high points of the Second Life calendar. Though lesser fundraising events are held through the year to raise money for this worthy cause, this weekend is the big one. Second Life's Relay for Life has raised over a third of a million US dollars since its inception, and raises more each year. Look past the sensationalistic guff in the media, and one of the most remarked on characteristics of Second Life users is their charity and generosity towards those in genuine need.
Robot doctors join the fight against breast cancer
From Da Vinci robosurgeons to helpful nursebots , robots are becoming commonplace in hospitals the world over -- and now researchers at Duke University have developed a rudimentary tabletop robot that uses 3D ultrasound technology to detect a 'lesion' in a simulated sponge breast, pinpoint its exact location, and perform a biopsy. All the calculations are performed by the device itself, using what has been described as "a basic artificial intelligence program." The next step in the research will be an upgrade that will that the robotic arm from three-axis to six-axis capability, and a change from the old sponge-based simulated breast to one made from turkey breasts, which approximates the density of human breast tissue. According to Stephen Smith, director of the Duke University Ultrasound Transducer Group, if things stay on track, robots will be performing routine breast exams and biopsies in five to ten years. Video after the break.[Via PhysOrg]
