disease

Columbia university develops robotic neck brace that ‘dramatically improves’ movement

Columbia university has developed a robotic neck brace that it says “dramatically improves functions in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients. (See video below.)

The brace incorporates both sensors and actuators to “restore roughly 70 percent of the active range of motion”.

The novel neck brace, which supports the neck during its natural motion, was designed by Columbia university engineers. [Read more…] about Columbia university develops robotic neck brace that ‘dramatically improves’ movement

Philips extends automation on its EPIQ CVx cardiology ultrasound platform

Royal Philips, a leader in health technology,has announced new advanced automation capabilities on its EPIQ CVx and EPIQ CVxi cardiac ultrasound systems.

With Release 5.0, both systems now include automated applications for 2D assessment of the heart, as well as robust 3D right ventricle volume and ejection fraction measurements, making accurate exams faster and easier to conduct.

Together, the new applications provide clinicians with the means to confidently evaluate the heart’s function, increasing diagnostic confidence for patients with pulmonary hypertension, congenital heart disease, coronary disease and heart failure.

Sugar’s ‘tipping point’ link to Alzheimer’s disease revealed

For the first time a “tipping point” molecular link between the blood sugar glucose and Alzheimer’s disease has been established by scientists, who have shown that excess glucose damages a vital enzyme involved with inflammation response to the early stages of Alzheimer’s.

Abnormally high blood sugar levels, or hyperglycaemia, is well-known as a characteristic of diabetes and obesity, but its link to Alzheimer’s disease is less familiar.

Diabetes patients have an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease compared to healthy individuals. In Alzheimer’s disease abnormal proteins aggregate to form plaques and tangles in the brain which progressively damage the brain and lead to severe cognitive decline. [Read more…] about Sugar’s ‘tipping point’ link to Alzheimer’s disease revealed