The inflammatory response plays a role in illnesses from injury to infections to allergies.  Initiation of inflammation involves the activation of immune cells that trigger a cascade of events le...
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Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy can be used to measure tissue absorption and scattering, which reflect the intrinsic physiological and structural properties of tissue respectively. This technique can...
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Electrodes placed deep within the brain can deliver electrical impulses directly to nerve centers for the treatment of movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and dystonia. The electrodes...
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Thin films and coatings that allow the sustained release of DNA from surfaces play an important role in the development of localized approaches to gene therapy. For example, polymer-coated intravascul...
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Development of most tissue types involves a complex interplay of multiple growth factors in well defined locations, leading to controlled differentiation of precursor cells into mature, tissue-specifi...
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The early detection of disease or malignancy can greatly increase the probability of full recovery, especially in the case of cancers.  Optical diagnostic techniques, such as diffuse reflectance ...
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The tongue loses strength as a result of aging, illness or injury, often resulting in loss of swallowing capacity (dysphagia) that in turn may lead to malnutrition, dehydration or pneumonia. NIH-funde...
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Electrodes inserted into the brain can be used to monitor and record neural activity. However, conventional electrode arrays have several limitations, including a short functional life.
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Cerebral aneurysms develop when the wall of a cerebral artery becomes weakened and the blood vessel balloons. Intracranial aneurysms are estimated to affect between three and six percent of the adult ...
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Brain-computer interface (BCI) technology has the potential to create new treatments for severe motor impairment.  Devices to acquire signals from the brain are essential components of BCI system...
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More than five million people in the United States are afflicted with chronic skin wounds, resulting in billions of dollars in medical expenses each year. The incidence of chronic wounds is expected t...
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Just as two points may appear closer in two-dimensional space than they actually are in three dimensions, it is difficult to tell under multiple dimensions how similar two points are. To sort data wit...
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Phsyicians often use microscopic visual inspection followed by biopsy to detect cancer; however, this method is limited in many ways. Optical techniques are a promising alternative that allows clinici...
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Biodegradable scaffolds with highly interconnected pores are potentially useful in tissue engineering. A rigid, highly porous platform could be used to guide growth in tissues such as bone, cartilage ...
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As use of real-time diagnostic ultrasound scanning has increased, work-related injury has become epidemic among medical sonographers and echocardiographers. Approximately 80 percent of sonographers re...
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A complex network of biochemical processes underlies living systems. As these biochemical processes change, there is a corresponding change in the biological substances that are consumed or produced. ...
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Skin cancer detection is typically identified via standard visual inspection. Skin patches with asymmetrical outlines, irregular borders, mottled color or a diameter greater than six millimeters are a...
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Optical imaging techniques play a pivotal role in detecting disease, injury and other disorders at an early stage and monitoring progression or remission after treatment. Images are generated by detec...
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According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 50 million people in the United States have difficulty obtaining sufficient, restful sleep. Physicians, emergency and military personnel have ...
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