ScienceDaily: Matter & Energy News

Long-term use of ventricular assist devices induces heart muscle regeneration, study finds Posted: 21 Jan 2015 12:54 PM PST Prolonged use of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) by patients with heart failure may induce regeneration of heart muscle by preventing oxidative damage to a cell-regulator mechanism, a study finds.

Taking blood from preemies: Light replaces the needle Posted: 21 Jan 2015 05:36 AM PST If hypoglycemia develops in premature babies and persists for over an hour, it can affect brain development. In order to prevent this, the babies' blood sugar levels need to be measured at regular intervals, which, until now, inevitably meant taking blood samples. Drawing blood regularly from the sensitive little ones for hours on end, however, is impossible as the blood loss and stress would be too great. A new project has resulted in the development of the sensor "Glucolight", which gages the blood sugar level through the skin, without taking any blood.

Cities with more transportation options most resilient Posted: 20 Jan 2015 09:08 AM PST Researchers studying how the region would react to a sudden spike in gas prices, found those living closest to their work, in areas with more compact street networks and better multi-modal infrastructure, would be more resilient than others.

Major limitations with carbon nanotubes in blood facing medical devices Posted: 20 Jan 2015 08:18 AM PST An important discovery has been made about the safety issues of using carbon nanotubes as biomaterials which come into contact with blood. When blood comes into contact with foreign surfaces the blood's platelets are activated which in turn leads to blood clots being formed. This can be catastrophic in clinical settings where extracorporeal circulation technologies are used such as during heart-lung bypass, in which the blood is circulated in PVC tubing outside the body, authors say.