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Another reason to buy gold: nanoparticles help to kill brain tumors

Sharif Sakr — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:56:00 EST

Stanford scientists have used lab-made gold nanoparticles to highlight malignant tissue in the brain, making it easier for surgeons to cut out tumors while leaving healthy bits in tact. Measuring just five millionths of an inch in diameter, these tiny glistening orbs are injected into the patient and then left to bleed out through leaky blood vessels in parts of the brain that have been damaged by the disease. They then get stuck in the bad tissue itself, marking it out for the scalpel when viewed with the right type of imaging. It's not totally new -- we've actually seen gold nanotech deployed against the Big C in stem cells before, but better to be useful than avant-garde.

[Brain image via Shutterstock]

Another reason to buy gold: nanoparticles help to kill brain tumors originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scientists produce stronger T-rays, bring Tricorders closer to reality

Amar Toor — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:22:00 EST

A group of scientists from Imperial College London and Singapore's Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) have developed a new technique that could have far reaching impacts for Star Trek fans everywhere. It all involves something known as Terahertz (THz), or T-rays: electromagnetic rays that have already been used in full-body airport scanners and have the potential to be used across a much broader range of medical and environmental applications. Because every molecule can be uniquely identified within the THz range, these T-rays can be used to pick up on cancerous cells and other biological matter, perhaps even within a Tricorder-like scanner. Now, Imperial College's Stefan Maier and his team of scientists say they've found a way to create a stronger beam of T-rays, using so-called "nano-antennas" to generate an amplified THz field. In fact, this field can produce about 100 times more power than most other THz sources, which could allow for sharper imaging devices. "T-rays promise to revolutionize medical scanning to make it faster and more convenient, potentially relieving patients from the inconvenience of complicated diagnostic procedures and the stress of waiting for accurate results," Maier explained. "Thanks to modern nanotechnology and nanofabrication, we have made a real breakthrough in the generation of T-rays that takes us a step closer to these new scanning devices." For more details, check out the links below.

Scientists produce stronger T-rays, bring Tricorders closer to reality originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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India: cellphones generate radiation, send a text message instead

Daniel Cooper — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 07:31:00 EST

Is your cellphone bad for your health? India's government seems to think so, because it's planning a law that will require all phones to display how much electro-magnetic radiation they generate. Radiation is measured in SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) and the Indian limit has been lowered to match the USA's 1.6W/kg, whereas before it followed the European ceiling of 2W/kg. But even handsets that meet this criterion may have to declare their SAR level, and also carry a message asking people to keep their calls or short or use SMS instead -- implying that the Indian government regards radiation as dangerous at any level.

[Thanks, Yogesh]

India: cellphones generate radiation, send a text message instead originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Dec 2011 07:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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High school senior kills cancer with nanotech, still can't legally drink

Joseph Volpe — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:53:00 EST

Ever ask yourself, "What am I doing with my life?" No? Well, a little existential crisis is in order then. Because while you and the rest of Team teen America were busy dressing like Gaga, dancing to the Bieber and playing Angry Birds, high school senior Angela Zhang was killing cancer. Yes, this 17-year old medical prodigy from Cupertino was just awarded the Siemens Foundation grand prize -- a $100,000 payday -- for her work "Design of Image-guided, Photo-thermal Controlled Drug Releasing Multifunctional Nanosystem for the Treatment of Cancer Stem Cells." It's certainly a mouthful, but this nanotech is what one fellow researcher's calling the "Swiss Army knife of cancer treatment," as her gold and iron-oxide nanoparticle does double duty delivering the drug salinomycin to a tumor site, in addition to aiding MRI and photoacoustic imaging. If that's not impressive enough, this real-life lady Doogie Howser's also won Intel's ISEF grand award in both 2010 and 2011 for other health science-related work. Sure, Angela might inadvertently fall into the overachiever category, but girlfriend definitely deserves to win that Prom Queen crown.

High school senior kills cancer with nanotech, still can't legally drink originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cellphones are dangerous / not dangerous: Danish study tilts toward the latter

Amar Toor — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 06:20:00 EST

Chalk one up for the chatterboxes. In a study spanning 18 years and more than 350,000 test subjects, researchers in Denmark have found no connection between cellphone usage and brain cancer. The landmark project, carried out by Denmark's Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, was published online last week in the British Medical Journal, and is just the latest in a series of similarly optimistic studies. Of the 358,403 cellphone owners examined, only 356 were found to have a brain tumor, while 856 were diagnosed with cancer of the central nervous system -- percentages that are comparable to those seen among non-mobile users. Even among long-term cellphone owners (13 years or more), incidence rates were not significantly higher than those observed among the general population. Hazel Nunn, head of evidence and health information at Cancer Research UK, described the study as "the strongest evidence yet that using a mobile phone does not seem to increase the risk of cancers of the brain or central nervous system in adults." The study's authors, however, acknowledge some shortcomings in their work, including the exclusion of "corporate subscriptions" -- people who use their mobile devices for work, and who probably use them more heavily than the average consumer. They also recognized the need for longer-term research and for more child-specific studies. You can check out the article in full, at the coverage link below.

Cellphones are dangerous / not dangerous: Danish study tilts toward the latter originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 06:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IBM's Watson set to tackle health insurance, takes 'Diagnosis for $1,000'

Billy Steele — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 17:24:00 EST

After tackling your tech support woes, the famed Watson is moving on to mop up the health insurance industry. That's right, the IBM showstopper we all know and love for trouncing trivia kings on Jeopardy has been hired by one of the largest health insurance company's in the US. WellPoint Inc. will make use of the system's breakneck speed and healthcare database alongside patient records -- allowing the supercomputer to guide treatment options and prescribe medicines. Once implemented, data will be combined from three sources in a matter of seconds: a patient's chart / records from a doctor, the insurance company's patient history and the medical knowledge that Watson already possesses. A pilot program will roll out next year to a number of cancer facilities, academic medical centers and oncology practices. No word yet on when The Watson School of Medicine will start accepting applications.

IBM's Watson set to tackle health insurance, takes 'Diagnosis for $1,000' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 17:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cellphones are dangerous / not dangerous: little tykes under the spotlight

Zachary Lutz — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 04:36:00 EST

In the rough and tumble debate surrounding the mobile phone's ability to cause cancer, both sides agree that our young ones -- indeed, some of the heaviest users -- could be at an increased risk for cellular-induced tumors. According to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the radio emissions from mobile devices penetrate much deeper into the brains of children, and in the case of little tykes ages five to eight, their noggins will absorb twice the energy of the average adult. This, combined with their developing nervous systems, has brought concern for the welfare of our youngest mobile-savvy citizens, and led to a European study of nearly 1,000 (informed?) participants. Data was gathered over a four-year period, which relied upon self-reporting methods, where youngsters were found to not talk very often, and typically sent text messages instead -- big surprise, right?

While long-term risks remain unknown, the researchers conclude that "a large and immediate risk of cellphones causing brain tumors in children can be excluded." In other words: little Suzy won't begin sprouting cancer cells overnight. While you doting parents may find comfort in the latest research, you might consider stopping short of giving the mischievous rascal an unlimited voice plan. After all, gossip still spreads best at the school yard.

[Image courtesy Derek Olson (flickr)]

Cellphones are dangerous / not dangerous: little tykes under the spotlight originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jul 2011 04:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung study finds no link between cancer and work conditions, might not be released in full

Amar Toor — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 07:29:00 EST

Samsung has finally wrapped up that investigation into alleged cancer risks at its chip facilities, but it might not share the details with the rest of the world. In the study, which the company commissioned last year, researchers from US-based Environ International Corp. found that cancers affecting six semiconductor employees were unrelated to any chemicals they may have been exposed to on the job. Of those six workers, four have already died and five of the families are currently pressing charges. Last month, a South Korea court determined that two of the cases could be linked to toxic chemical exposure -- a ruling that Environ's report clearly contradicts. Samsung, however, is reluctant to disclose the results in full, for fear that doing so may reveal some proprietary information. Environ's Paul Harper declined to say how much Samsung paid for the investigation, due to client confidentiality, while confirming that the research was carried out in consultation with a panel of independent experts. Semiconductor exec Kwon Oh-hyun, meanwhile, denied that the company commissioned the study in order to use it as evidence in the ongoing court case, in which Samsung isn't even listed as a defendant.

Samsung study finds no link between cancer and work conditions, might not be released in full originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Jul 2011 07:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cellphones are dangerous / not dangerous: Danish chatterbox edition

Brad Molen — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:58:00 EST

Concerned that a decade and a half of regular cellphone will have a long-term effect on your health? Hopefully the latest study conducted by members of the World Health Organization (WHO) will put your mind at ease. The examination followed nearly 3 million Danish adults, studying links between phone use and the formation of acoustic neuromas -- non-cancerous, slow-growing brain tumors that form on the main nerve that connects the inner ear to the brain. The study concluded that people who've used a handset for 11-15 years weren't any more likely to develop a tumor than those who don't use cellphones at all, though scientists are unsure that this is a long enough period of time to determine a significant correlation (or lack thereof). Still, this comes as refreshing news two months after the WHO released a study revealing that RF waves coming from phones are "potentially carcinogenic," due to a limited link to glioma and acoustic neuroma. Of course, none of these reports can actually conclude that cellphones cause cancer -- only that the two may be correlated. So, what does this latest study really do? It legitimizes the need to conduct more studies.

Cellphones are dangerous / not dangerous: Danish chatterbox edition originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cellphones are dangerous / not dangerous: cancer experts say 'What, me worry?'

Amar Toor — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 06:19:00 EST

If you haven't already gotten whiplash from the ongoing cellphone-cancer debate, a freshly released scientific review might just do the trick. In the paper, published Friday, a panel of experts from Britain, Sweden and the US conducted a thorough survey of previous studies, before concluding that existing literature is "increasingly against" the theory that cellphone use causes brain tumors in adults. The researchers also questioned the biological mechanisms underpinning this hypothesis, while acknowledging some lingering uncertainties, since data on childhood tumors and longer-term research are still lacking.

The results come just a few weeks after the World Health Organization released its own literature review, in which it claimed that cell phones should be considered "potentially carcinogenic." But Anthony Swerdlow, a professor at Britain's Institute of Cancer Research and leader of the most recent investigation, said his group's work doesn't necessarily contradict the WHO, since the latter was simply seeking to evaluate cancer risks according to its own "pre-set classification system" -- under which things like pickled vegetables and coffee are also considered "potentially carcinogenic." Unfortunately, this doesn't mean that the debate will die down anytime soon, though Swerdlow expects more definitive conclusions within the next few years -- assuming, of course, that all of our brains haven't turned to oatmeal by then.

Cellphones are dangerous / not dangerous: cancer experts say 'What, me worry?' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jul 2011 06:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cellphones are dangerous / not dangerous: the WHO changes its mind

Sean Hollister — Tue, 31 May 2011 13:59:00 EST

To say that experts generally don't agree about whether cellphone radiation can fry your brain is an understatement of massive proportions, but amazingly enough, the World Health Organization has come to a pseudo-conclusion. A group of 31 scientists from 14 countries working in the org's International Agency for Research on Cancer says that -- based on a survey of the literature -- those electromagnetic fields are as likely to be potentially carcinogenic as 266 other worrisome substances, including DDT pesticide and the exhaust from your automobile. Mind you, the WHO isn't saying that cellphones cause cancer, as today's decision is merely the latest call for more research, but the fact that respected scientists even claim that a correlation should be considered will probably be enough to stir the pot.

Continue reading Cellphones are dangerous / not dangerous: the WHO changes its mind

Cellphones are dangerous / not dangerous: the WHO changes its mind originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World's biggest CMOS sensor could help doctors detect and treat cancer

Amar Toor — Fri, 06 May 2011 09:26:00 EST

Move over, Canon, because scientists at the University of Lincoln have just seized the crown for world's biggest CMOS image sensor with their new Dynamic range Adjustable for Medical Imaging Technology microchip -- or 'DyNAMITe,' for short. Measuring a hefty 12.8 square cm (or about five square inches), DyNAMITe is roughly 200 times bigger than the chips you'd find in most PCs, making it the largest imager ever made on a wafer of standard, eight-inch diameter. This extra girth allows the active pixel sensor to capture images in high detail, with a 100-micrometer pitch boasting 1280 x 1280p aligned next to a 50-micron layer, carrying 2560 x 2560p. DyNAMITe can also run at up to 90fps and withstand high levels of radiation for several years, making it ideal for medical imaging, including radiotherapy and mammography. Researchers say these enhanced images could help doctors detect cancer in its earliest phases, while allowing them to monitor radiotherapy treatments more closely. No word on when we should expect to see DyNAMITe pop up in hospitals (or a Hasselblad back), but physicists at the Institute of Cancer Research and Royal Marsden Hospital are busy looking for other, potentially life-saving applications. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading World's biggest CMOS sensor could help doctors detect and treat cancer

World's biggest CMOS sensor could help doctors detect and treat cancer originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 May 2011 09:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ultra-thin handheld microscope could sniff out skin cancer, forged documents

Amar Toor — Thu, 05 May 2011 09:14:00 EST

It may not look like it, but that sleek black thing pictured above is actually a microscope. Designed by engineers at Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF, this little guy boasts a 5.3mm optical length, rendering it slim enough to fit in the palm of your hand, yet powerful enough to deliver images at a scanner-like resolution of five micrometers, over a wide surface area. Fraunhofer's researchers achieved this balance by essentially tossing out the manual on traditional microscope design. Whereas most devices slowly scan areas and construct images on a piecemeal basis, this handheld uses several small imaging channels and a collection of tiny lenses to record equal sized fragments of a given surface. Unlike conventional scanner microscopes, all of these 300 x 300 square micrometer imaging channels are captured at the same time. With a single swipe, then, users can record 36 x 24 square mm shots of matchbox-sized objects, without even worrying about blurring the images with their shaky hands. The prototype is still two years away from going into production, but once it does, engineers say it could help doctors scan patients for skin cancer more easily, while also allowing bureaucrats to quickly confirm the authenticity of official documents. We can only imagine what it could do for Pac-Man. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading Ultra-thin handheld microscope could sniff out skin cancer, forged documents

Ultra-thin handheld microscope could sniff out skin cancer, forged documents originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 May 2011 09:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prague to host world's most powerful laser

Zach Honig — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 21:29:00 EST

To us, Prague will always be the Eastern European capital of roast duck, potato dumplings and tasty, cheap pilsner. But come 2015, the former Soviet Bloc city will also become home to the world's most powerful laser, as part of the European Union's Extreme Light Infrastructure project. According to plans released by the European Commission, the laser will produce peak power in the exawatt range (equivalent to one trillion megawatts). So, for a very small fraction of a second, the beam will generate one million times more power than the entire U.S. electric grid. Believe it or not, that's plenty of time to conduct experiments that could reveal new cancer treatments and ways to deal with nuclear waste. Breakthroughs in either category would be incredible for the €700 million (about $1 billion) project, which also includes future plans to build two similar lasers, and a third that's twice as powerful the Prague installation -- roughly the same current draw as an HTC Thunderbolt.

[Image courtesy of Instructables]

Prague to host world's most powerful laser originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 21:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Startup's headset will bathe your brain in ultrasound, might help fight cancer, too

Amar Toor — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 15:16:00 EST

The scientific community has spent a decade exploring ultrasound as a means of breaking through the blood-brain barrier -- a layer of tightly-packed cells that surround the brain's blood vessels, making it difficult for doctors to deliver chemotherapy and other treatments to cancer patients. Thus far, though, most ultrasound-based techniques have relied upon complex and often costly equipment, including MRI machines and infusion pumps. But researchers at a startup called Perfusion Technology think they may have come up with a less invasive, more cost-effective alternative -- a new headset designed to deliver low-intensity ultrasound therapy to the entire brain over the course of extended treatment periods. This approach differs markedly from most other methods, which typically target smaller areas of the brain with high-intensity ultrasound doses. As with most other potential breakthroughs, however, Perfusion's technique still needs to undergo some major testing. The company has already conducted several tests on animals, but the last time a similar method was tried on humans, many subjects ended up suffering from excessive bleeding. And that doesn't sound good at all.

Startup's headset will bathe your brain in ultrasound, might help fight cancer, too originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 24 Apr 2011 15:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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External voice box prototype helps cancer, stroke sufferers regain speech

Brian Heater — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 16:04:00 EST

A team of UK scientists has developed a headset that can bring voices back to those who have lost their speech due to injury, cancer, stroke, and other maladies. They hope the prototype -- which uses magnets positioned in the user's mouth or tongue -- will take the place of low-tech solutions like throat valves, which have the tendency to get clogged. When he or she speaks, changes to the magnets' movements are detected by the device, which associates specific facial movements with corresponding words (the device currently has a vocabulary of about 50). The whole thing is still pretty clunky, as evidenced by the image at right, but the researchers are working on cramming the technology into a device roughly the size of a Bluetooth headset. They're also working on a way to implant magnets into the tongue of the wearer -- positioning the magnets in the wearer's mouth is proving to be one of the largest difficulties in implementing the technology.

External voice box prototype helps cancer, stroke sufferers regain speech originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 16:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Portable brain tumor treatment system kills cancer while you take out the trash

Christopher Trout — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 03:03:00 EST

We've seen robots that perform brain surgery and lasers that cook tumors, and now a team of researchers are well on their way to bringing mobility to the battle against brain cancer. The NovoTTF-100A, which just received FDA approval, is basically a set of insulated electrodes, attached to an electronic box, that pumps low intensity electrical fields to the site of a freshly diagnosed GBM (glioblastoma multiforme) tumor. The fields, known as Tumor Treatment Fields (TTF), play off the electrically charged elements of cancer cells to stunt the tumor's growth, and may in some cases actually reverse it. A recent test of the system showed comparable results to chemotherapy, without the usual lineup of side effects, including nausea, anemia, fatigue, and infection. Given, patients using the system are expected to wear the thing continuously, but we'd say walking around with a cap full of electrodes is a small price to pay for giving cancer the boot. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading Portable brain tumor treatment system kills cancer while you take out the trash

Portable brain tumor treatment system kills cancer while you take out the trash originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 17 Apr 2011 03:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Carbon nanotubes used to more easily detect cancer cells, HIV

Sam Sheffer — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 01:31:00 EST

Cancer's not slowing its march to ruining as many lives as it possibly can, so it's always pleasing to hear of any new developments that act as hurdles. The latest in the world of disease-prevention comes from Harvard University, where researches have created a dime-sized carbon nanotube forest (read: lots of nanotubes, like those shown above) that can be used to trap cancer cells when blood passes through. A few years back, Mehmet Toner, a biomedical engineering professor at Harvard, created a device similar to the nano-forest that was less effective because silicon was used instead of carbon tubes. Today, Toner has teamed up with Brian Wardle, associate professor of aeronautics and astronautics at MIT, who together have redesigned the original microfluid device to work eight times more efficiently than its predecessor. The carbon nanotubes make diagnosis a fair bit simpler, largely because of the antibodies attached to them that help trap cancer cells as they pass through -- something that's being tailored to work with HIV as well. Things are starting to look moderately promising for cancer-stricken individuals, as hospitals have already began using the original device to detect malignant cells and ultimately prevent them from spreading -- here's hoping it's qualified for mass adoption sooner rather than later.

Carbon nanotubes used to more easily detect cancer cells, HIV originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 01:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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$200 'Mini' NMR detects cancer faster and cheaper than full biopsies

Tim Stevens — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 21:34:00 EST

Detecting cancer could be on the verge of getting a whole lot cheaper -- and better. Researchers at Harvard and MIT have come up with a device that, using a needle to get a tissue sample, has achieve 96 percent accuracy despite having a cost to produce of just $200. It's called a mini NMR (for nuclear magnet resonance) and also gives results in under an hour, giving the good or bad news on a smartphone display. The cost, simplicity, and portability could make it much easier for cancer to be caught and diagnosed early, but naturally it still has a good bit of testing left before it'll be ready for prime time.

$200 'Mini' NMR detects cancer faster and cheaper than full biopsies originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 21:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scientists figure out how to see through walls, sort of

Sam Sheffer — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 07:32:00 EST

We all know that light can't exactly pass through solid objects -- unless of course, you're using a laser or something. Yes, X-rays allow us to look into suitcases at the airport and broken bones in our bodies, but there's a new kid on the block that claims to have done the impossible in a novel fashion. Jochen Aulbach and his colleagues of the FOM Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics out in Amsterdam have developed a technology that allows scrambled light to remain focused as it passes through ultra-thin layers of paint. You see, when light is sent through opaque material, it becomes muddled and lost in the space-time continuum. Aulbach and his crew used a spatial light modulator, or SMT, to control a 64-femtosecond long laser pulse that's passed through a thin layer of paint. The SMT emits pulses that last long enough for only a machine to see and the data is sent to a computer for calibration. NewScientist claims that with this technology, it might be possible to hone in on cancerous cells and blast them to oblivion without damaging the healthy tissue surrounding them.

Scientists figure out how to see through walls, sort of originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 07:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New high-res imaging could make biopsies obsolete, doctors still cutting up in meantime

Christopher Trout — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 21:20:00 EST

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.

New high-res imaging could make biopsies obsolete, doctors still cutting up in meantime originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 21:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Handyscope attachment turns your iPhone into a dermatoscope, no residency required

Darren Murph — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 21:27:00 EST

Just think -- a decade from now, you won't even need to spend eight grueling years in the books to be able to practice medicine. Instead, you'll be able to drop endless cash on smartphone attachments while letting the robots handle the rest. FotoFinder Systems is one company working hard to make that future a reality, with its recently updated Handyscope iOS app working in conjunction with the camera attachment shown above. To do what, you say? To turn your iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4 into a digital dermatoscope for mobile skin examination. It'll probably make quite a few stomachs turn, but the peripheral + app combo allows mere mortals to take dermoscopic photos which can be viewed with a magnification of up to 20X, enabling users to email them directly to their physician (Dr. Spaceman, we hope) for a second opinion. In all seriousness, we can't imagine anyone at risk for skin cancer even waiting for this thing to arrive before going to get checked out, but if you're willing to pay big bucks to play doctor, the attachment is on sale now for €1,166 ($1,582), with the accompanying app going for a comparatively modest $11.99. Vid's after the break, if you're into it.

Continue reading Handyscope attachment turns your iPhone into a dermatoscope, no residency required

Handyscope attachment turns your iPhone into a dermatoscope, no residency required originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Jan 2011 21:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Neurosurgeons use MRI-guided lasers to 'cook' brain tumors

Darren Murph — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 23:59:00 EST

In the seemingly perpetual battle to rid this planet of cancer, a team of neurosurgeons from Washington University are using a new MRI-guided high-intensity laser probe to "cook" brain tumors that would otherwise be completely inoperable. According to Dr. Eric C. Leuthardt, this procedure "offers hope to certain patients who had few or no options before," with the laser baking the cancer cells deep within the brain while leaving the good tissue around it unmarred. The best part, however, is that this is already moving beyond the laboratory, with a pair of doctors at Barnes-Jewish Hospital using it successfully on a patient last month. Regrettably, just three hospitals at the moment are equipped with the Monteris AutoLITT device, but if we know anything about anything related to lasers, it'll be everywhere in no time flat.

Neurosurgeons use MRI-guided lasers to 'cook' brain tumors originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Oct 2010 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Research shocker: genetically engineered viruses seek out, kill cancer

Laura June — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 10:21:00 EST

New research at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Center seeks to turn the human body into a genetically engineered cancer-killing machine. The fact that the human body doesn't see cancer as a threat to be destroyed naturally is part of what makes treating it so difficult, so this research uses a harmless, HIV-like virus as the vehicle to direct T-cells (which fight disease) to lymphocytes, and simultaneously carry a reporter gene, which show up in positron emission tomography (PET) scanning, as you can see in the photographs above. So far the researchers have injected the cells into the bloodstreams of melanoma-infected mice, and they began to see evidence of their work within two or three days, and by ten days, it was obvious that in most cases, the cells were indeed fighting the cancer. The process, they admit, could take longer in human beings, and would require about one billion tumor seeking lymphocytes per person treated. They are currently working on creating a vehicle to safely direct the lymphocytes in the human body, and expect the human trial leg of the study to begin within one year.

Research shocker: genetically engineered viruses seek out, kill cancer originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 10:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Olympus E-330 shoots vacations by day, spots cancer cells by night

Darren Murph — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 02:23:00 EST

Yeah, that's right -- the first DSLR to ever ship with a live-view LCD on the back is now being put to use for something far more monumental, a full four years after it's original introduction. A smattering of researchers at Rice University have somehow discovered that the Olympus E-330 can be used to distinguish between cancerous and healthy cells, and there's no need to even export the photos; instead, the camera's own rear LCD is good enough to show whether or not a dyed cell is harmful or salubrious. The whole skinny is down there in the source link, but the takeaway is pretty staggering: if an off-the-shelf DSLR can now be used to make such profound decisions, why in the world are you still in med school?

Olympus E-330 shoots vacations by day, spots cancer cells by night originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 02:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Breast cancer vaccine proves successful in tests on mice, moves on to human subjects

Vlad Savov — Mon, 31 May 2010 09:52:00 EST

Here's a cause for optimism, albeit the cautious kind. Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute have managed to isolate a human protein that plays part in the development of breast cancer, and have produced a vaccine against its creation that has delivered an impressive success rate in testing on mice. In a test group of genetically cancer-prone rodents, none of those injected with á-lactalbumin developed the potentially deadly disease. The progress of this drug trial to testing on humans has been met with reservation by cancer research groups, who remind us that we're years away from knowing if it will actually work on our species. Still, this is quite the little breakthrough and we hope all goes according to plan.

Breast cancer vaccine proves successful in tests on mice, moves on to human subjects originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 May 2010 09:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung launches investigation of chip lines following cancer allegations

Darren Murph — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 20:31:00 EST

Here's an odd one. Samsung, which has been known to be on better-than-average terms with the South Korean government in the past, is launching independent investigations in response to reports that "toxic materials used in chip making may have caused cancer in some of its employees." In one of the more bizarre stories of the year, Samsung has recently come under fire from social and civic groups to actually look into the incidents, which were reported over a decade ago but were found to not be Sammy's fault by the aforesaid government. This week, the company admitted that 22 of its employees (who worked at a chip facility outside of Seoul) had been diagnosed with leukemia or lymphoma, and 10 of them had perished. Cho Soo-in, president of Samsung's memory division, told the media that the firm is "deeply sorry about the loss of loved ones," and that it "actively cooperated on epidemiologic investigations, which concluded there were no leaks of radiation." We've got a feeling we know exactly what will be concluded here, but we'll certainly keep an ear to the ground for anything atypical.

Samsung launches investigation of chip lines following cancer allegations originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 20:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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San Francisco considers displaying phone radiation levels next to price tag

Ross Miller — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 02:49:00 EST

If the San Francisco Department of the Environment gets its way, starting as soon as next month Bay Area residents might start noticing the radiation levels of cellphones displayed prominently next to their respective price at retail outlets. This is, of course, despite no definitive research that the handsets cause harm and the FCC's insistence that the devices sold to consumers are safe. The proposal is being endorsed by Mayor Gavin Newsom, who as it's noted is not about to stop using his iPhone anytime soon. Not to worry, Maine, you'll still keep the top spot for most ridiculous cellphone warning label.

San Francisco considers displaying phone radiation levels next to price tag originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Dec 2009 02:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maine mulling cancer warning labels on cellphones, manufacturers mulling warning label on Maine

Chris Ziegler — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 20:36:00 EST

The debate on whether mobile phones are slowly turning us into a world of ailment-riddled weaklings rages on in the scientific community, but at least one state may be ready to step up the ominous, non-actionable warnings anyway. A representative in Maine has apparently persuaded her colleagues to let her bring up a proposal during January's session of the state legislature that would require warnings on devices about the alleged link between RF emissions and brain cancer, strongly advising users to keep the devices away from their heads and bodies. At best, this seems premature, and at worst, it runs a risk of breeding a nation of 24 / 7 Bluetooth headset users -- but the politician responsible for the movement seems to have it figured out: she holds her own phone away from her head while using it and turns it off unless she's expecting a call. Could someone in her district please let us know what kind of archaic voice-only device she's using?

Maine mulling cancer warning labels on cellphones, manufacturers mulling warning label on Maine originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Dec 2009 20:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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E-cigarettes contain carcinogens and toxins after all, FDA warns

Ross Miller — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:49:00 EST

In case you ever of the mindset that e-cigarettes were somehow toxin free, at least compared to the more traditional smokes, along comes the FDA to shatter your illusions. A report this week from the government agency calls out the product with a safety warning, charging that the cartridges they examined contained "carcinogens and toxic chemicals such as diethylene glycol, an ingredient used in antifreeze." The FDA says it can't confirm the extent of the health issues, as it's only done limited testing and it hasn't been formally submitted for review, but it doesn't look quite as risk-free as previously touted. Don't say the WHO never warned ya. So remind us again, what's the point in smoking one of these over an old school cigarette?

[Via Switched; thanks, flatlander85]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

E-cigarettes contain carcinogens and toxins after all, FDA warns originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Robot surgeon uses frighteningly large needle to remove shrapnel, your resistance

Tim Stevens — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:41:00 EST

We've reported on many a creepy looking and dangerous sounding robot in the past, but this one might just take the cake when it comes to dominating your nightmares for the next few nights. Developed by a team at Duke University, the bot uses ultrasound to identify areas of density in human flesh, then starts probing them with a rather painfully large looking needle. It could be used to locate and extract bits of shrapnel from stricken GIs on the battlefield, but that same tech might also be deployed to pierce women's breasts and men's prostates -- ostensibly to treat cancers of those respective regions, but we can think of more nefarious reasons. The bot doesn't have a name, but once it and its kind take over, neither will you.

[Via gizmag]

Filed under: Robots

Robot surgeon uses frighteningly large needle to remove shrapnel, your resistance originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASA's new e-nose can detect scent of cancerous brain cells

Ross Miller — Sat, 02 May 2009 11:41:00 EST

NASA's recently developed electronic nose, intended for air quality monitoring on Space Shuttle Endeavour and later the International Space Station, has a rather fortunate and unintended secondary role. In addition to being able to detect contaminants within about one to 10,000 parts per million, scientists have discovered it can also sniff out the difference in odor between normal and cancerous brain cells -- not a new use for e-noses, but certainly one that helps to advance the field. Groups such the as Brain Mapping Foundation, City of Hope Cancer Center, and Jet Propulsion Laboratory have been testing the technology and hope it one day leads to a new understanding of cancer development. We'd also wager it can accurately detect what cologne or perfume you're wearing, another unintended side effect and probably not as fun of a party trick as it seems.

[Via Slashdot; image courtesy of RSC]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

NASA's new e-nose can detect scent of cancerous brain cells originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 May 2009 11:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Promise Pink laptops fight breast cancer

Nilay Patel — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 20:32:00 EST

It slipped under the radar this past week, but Dell and Susan G. Komen for the Cure announced a partnership that'll see Dell donate $5 to the foundation for every new Promise Pink laptop it sells. Most of Dell's line is available in the new hue, including the various Inspiron Studios and Minis, the XPS m1330 and m1530 -- hell, even the Latitude E4200 for all you trendster suits out there. Dell's committed to raising at least $250,000 through the program, so it apparently thinks these are going to be quite popular -- we'll know for sure if this dude trades up to Promise from Flamingo.

[Via Coolest-gadgets]

Filed under: Laptops

Dell Promise Pink laptops fight breast cancer originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Feb 2009 20:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cellphones are dangerous/not dangerous, eyezapoppin! edition

Joseph L. Flatley — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:29:00 EST

While you're totally in your rights to keep frettin' over brain tumors, it looks like your eyes are safe from the cellphone cancer -- at least until another study is released. According to a paper published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, a German study involving roughly 1,600 people has found no conclusive link between cellphone use and uveal melanoma. This contradicts an earlier, smaller study by the same researchers that suggested that there indeed might be a connection. Is that clear? It doesn't seem that a consensus will be reached on this subject any time soon, but for the morbidly curious we have years of cellphone / cancer hodgepodge for your perusal.

Filed under: Studies

Cellphones are dangerous/not dangerous, eyezapoppin! edition originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lumicure claims to be making progress in using OLEDs to treat skin cancer

Donald Melanson — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:54:00 EST

The folks at Lumicure have been talking up OLEDs as a potential tool to treat skin cancer for a few years now and, while they still don't exactly have a whole lot to show for themselves, they're now claiming that they're making "excellent progress," and that they actually hope to have a product on the market by the fourth quarter of 2009. That progress is apparently due in large part to the $5 million in funding they received earlier this year although, again, they don't seem to be saying how that money is being put to use. The basic technology, first shown off more than two years ago, consists of a band-aid-type device that's connected to a battery, which lets the patient wear the device all day long, and is apparently more cost-effective and less painful than other methods of treatment. Apparently, the company is so pleased with its progress that it's already starting to focus on its next target: acne.

[Via OLED-Info.com, image courtesy LEDs Magazine]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Lumicure claims to be making progress in using OLEDs to treat skin cancer originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba reveals "pink" Portege M800 to help with breast cancer, probably won't sell any

Darren Murph — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:44:00 EST

Look, we hate to be crude -- after all, you won't find any bigger proponents for bulking up the breast cancer research fund than the team here at Engadget -- but Toshiba might have a tough time selling its latest Portégé M800. We mean, just look at it. We're not exactly sure how it gets off calling this thing "pink," but the 13.3-inch machine will be sold (or just stocked) exclusively at Best Buy Canada for $799.99. As for specs, you're looking at a 4.6-pound chassis, 2GHz T3200 CPU, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, a 250GB hard drive, Intel's GMA4500M integrated graphics, a dual-layer DVD writer, Bluetooth / WiFi and a built-in 1.3-megapixel webcam. $40 of each sale will be contributed to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, though we'd probably recommend picking up something a touch less ugly and just mailing in a donation yourself.

[Via ChipChick]

Filed under: Laptops

Toshiba reveals "pink" Portege M800 to help with breast cancer, probably won't sell any originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Philips aims to reduce cancer treatment side effects with drug-loaded microbubbles

Donald Melanson — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:26:00 EST

It may not be quite as attention-grabbing as lasers or nano explosives, but Philips Research seems to think that it's so-called microbubbles could have a big impact on cancer treatment nonetheless, and they're apparently already showing some promise. According to the company, the red-blood-cell-sized bubbles would be used to carry drugs through the patients bloodstream and tracked using ultrasound imaging. Then, once they've reached their target, a focused ultrasound pulse would rupture the bubbles and release their drug payload. That, Philips says, would not only increase the effectiveness of the drugs, but reduce the side effects normally associated with them and, ultimately, lead to a quicker recovery. From the looks of it, however, things are still at the pre-clinical stage, and there's no indication of any future plans just yet.

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Philips aims to reduce cancer treatment side effects with drug-loaded microbubbles originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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French doctors use laser to destroy brain tumor in conscious patient

Nilay Patel — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 15:12:00 EST

Neurosurgery with robotic assistance is getting pretty old hat nowadays, so it looks like scientists are trying to up the difficulty factor by keeping their patients awake -- a team of French doctors just completed the first successful removal of malignant brain tumor from a still-conscious patient, using a computerized laser and an MRI scanner to guide the probe. The fiber-optic laser was fed into the brain through a 3mm (.12 inch) hole in the patient's skull and guided via MRI to the tumor, where it fired for two minutes and completely destroyed the cancerous tissue. Once the tumor cells were dead, the cable was removed and the patient was allowed to return home -- all within a single day. That's pretty impressive, and it comes on the heels of 15 similar trials where five out six patients who underwent the total removal procedure were cancer-free nine months after surgery. The team says further research will cost an additional two million euros to progress, but if this technique works as well as they claim after peer review, we'd guess that money won't be hard to come by.

[Via Fark]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

French doctors use laser to destroy brain tumor in conscious patient originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 30 Aug 2008 15:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Researchers aim to detect skin cancer via scent

Darren Murph — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:58:00 EST

Here's an interesting one. A group of US experts have discovered that a common form of skin cancer could one day be detected very early on by simply analyzing scents. More specifically, it was found that basal cell carcinomas give off an odor that is distinctly different than samples from healthy skin, which obviously opens up the possibility for "cheap and painless testing." In the future, researchers are hoping to create scent profiles for other types of skin cancer, including the infamous malignant melanoma. Believe it or not, a machine may be only one of the devices used to eventually sniff cancerous cells -- similar research is ongoing using canines and their remarkably sensitives schnozes.

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Researchers aim to detect skin cancer via scent originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Colorizing technology highlights cancerous tissue

Darren Murph — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 22:23:00 EST

In operating rooms today, cancer surgeons are essentially forced to operate without any definitive way of determining whether or not 100% of the diseased tissue has been removed. Thanks to a radical invention by researchers in Massachusetts, that huge limitation could soon be a thing of the past. A new system, dubbed FLARE (Fluorescence-Assisted Resection and Exploration), involves a near-infrared (NIR) imaging system, a video monitor, and a computer. These tools are used to see special chemical dies (christened NIR fluorophores) that are crafted to "target specific structures such as cancer cells when injected into patients." When these dyes are exposed to NIR light, the cancer cells light up, giving doctors an easy look at what they have left to remove. The team is gearing up to showcase the technology at the American Chemical Society national meeting in Philadelphia -- here's hoping it can be put to good use in the very near future.

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Colorizing technology highlights cancerous tissue originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Aug 2008 22:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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