PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Say ‘ahhh’: This ecofriendly tongue depressor checks vitals

Say ‘ahhh’: This ecofriendly tongue depressor checks vitals
2023-04-25
(Press-News.org) Doctors often use tongue depressors when peering in a patient’s mouth and throat. But what if that flat wooden spatula could actively evaluate the patient’s health? That’s the premise of an ecofriendly disposable sensor, reported in ACS’ Analytical Chemistry, that can check levels of glucose and other biomarkers in saliva. Researchers say the easy-to-produce device could someday help doctors assess a range of conditions.

Wood is a renewable, biodegradable, natural material that is widely available at low cost, which makes it attractive for researchers who design electronics and sensors. However, this is challenging because the material isn’t good at conducting electricity. One solution is to use wood as a passive substrate and then coat it with metals and carbon-based inks. Alternatively, high-power lasers can char specific regions on the wood, turning those spots into conductive graphite. But this complicated technique requires sophisticated and expensive instrumentation, an oxygen-free atmosphere and fire retardants. To develop a cheaper and easier process, Christos Kokkinos and colleagues turned to low-power diode lasers, which have already been successfully used to make polyimide-based sensors but haven’t previously been applied to wooden electronics and electrochemical sensors.

The team used a portable, low-cost laser engraver to create a pattern of conductive graphite electrodes on a wooden tongue depressor, without the need for special conditions. Those electrodes formed two electrochemical cells separated by lines drawn with a water-repellent permanent marker. The biosensor was then used to rapidly and simultaneously measure concentrations of nitrite and glucose in artificial saliva. Nitrite can reveal oral diseases, such as periodontitis, while glucose can serve as a diagnostic for diabetes. The researchers say these low-cost devices could be adapted to detect other saliva biomarkers and would be quick and easy to produce on-site at medical facilities.

The researchers did not receive outside funding for the study.

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS’ mission is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and all its people. The Society is a global leader in promoting excellence in science education and providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, eBooks and weekly news periodical Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a leader in scientific information solutions, its CAS division partners with global innovators to accelerate breakthroughs by curating, connecting and analyzing the world’s scientific knowledge. ACS’ main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

Follow us: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

END

[Attachments] See images for this press release:
Say ‘ahhh’: This ecofriendly tongue depressor checks vitals Say ‘ahhh’: This ecofriendly tongue depressor checks vitals 2 Say ‘ahhh’: This ecofriendly tongue depressor checks vitals 3

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Biomarker pattern found in kids with COVID 19-linked inflammatory syndrome

2023-04-25
WHAT: Children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C)—a rare condition linked with the virus that causes COVID-19—have biochemical indicators of cell injury and cell death that are distinct from other children with COVID-19, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. Using high speed, artificial intelligence-controlled molecular sequencing of blood-and-plasma RNA and plasma DNA, researchers found that children with MIS-C have biomarkers indicating damage to multiple organs, the lining of blood vessels and the nervous system. MIS-C usually occurs two to six weeks after ...

Charles Spruck awarded $1.7M to advance “ancient virus” treatment for prostate cancer

Charles Spruck awarded $1.7M to advance “ancient virus” treatment for prostate cancer
2023-04-25
LA JOLLA, CALIF. April 25, 2023 - With the help of a new grant from the U.S. Department of Defense for more than $1.7 million, Associate Professor Charles Spruck, Ph.D., will advance an innovative therapeutic approach for metastatic prostate cancer. Known as viral mimicry, the approach tricks the body into thinking that it has a viral infection, stimulating an immune response that can help the body fight cancer. “In viral mimicry, the body thinks there’s an infection, which kicks the ...

New motion blur restoration approach for improved weed detection in crop fields

New motion blur restoration approach for improved weed detection in crop fields
2023-04-25
Effective weed control is crucial in agriculture to ensure high crop productivity. It entails the careful separation of weeds from crops before herbicides are sprayed in the fields. In simple terms, the goal of weed control is to remove the weeds while ensuring that the crop are not harmed. Traditional weed control methods have several drawbacks, such as crop contamination, herbicide waste, and poor accuracy. Therefore, it is essential to develop methods that can precisely locate and identify the boundary between a crop and weed and implement ...

Argonne’s self-driving lab accelerates the discovery process for materials with multiple applications

Argonne’s self-driving lab accelerates the discovery process for materials with multiple applications
2023-04-25
Researchers have a new scientific tool called Polybot, combining the power of artificial intelligence with robotics. Potential applications include speeding up the discovery of wearable biomedical devices, materials for better batteries and more. Today’s wearable technologies like smart glasses and watches are just the start. The next generation of flexible electronics will be more efficient and sustainable, better able to monitor our health and treat certain diseases, and much more. They will be composed of electronic polymer materials — a soft pliable substance that can conduct electricity. “Just imagine the next generation of polymer ...

Champion for improved perioperative care for older adults: Shelley R. McDonald, DO, PhD, MCG honored as AGS Clinician of the Year

2023-04-25
New York (April 25, 2022) — The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) today announced Shelley R. McDonald, DO, PhD, MCG, as 2023 Clinician of the Year. Dr. McDonald, who is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine, will be honored at the 2023 AGS Annual Scientific Meeting (#AGS23) being held in Long Beach, CA, from May 4-6 (preconference day is May 3). “Our 2023 Clinician of the year, Dr. Shelley McDonald, is a national champion for improved perioperative care of older adults undergoing surgery,” said ...

RCT-DUPLICATE findings demonstrate capability of real-world evidence studies to reach conclusions similar to randomized clinical trials

2023-04-25
NEW YORK, April 25, 2023 ‒ Aetion®, the global leader in real-world evidence (RWE) technology and analytics, is pleased to announce the culmination of the RCT-DUPLICATE demonstration project, with complete findings published today in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). This three-year initiative tested whether researchers asking clinical questions in real-world data (RWD) — data from patients’ day-to-day interactions with the healthcare system — would obtain similar results to findings from randomized clinical trials (RCTs). In cases where clinical trial designs aligned with real patient care processes, the RWE studies and RCTs came ...

Exposure to cannabinoids in pregnancy increases newborn mortality and respiratory problems

2023-04-25
Consumption of cannabis (marijuana) or derivatives during pregnancy can cause respiratory problems for the baby, such as impaired control of breathing and diminished sensitivity to carbon dioxide, both of which favor sudden infant death syndrome. These are the main findings of a study conducted in Brazil and reported in an article published in the British Journal of Pharmacology. The authors are researchers at São Paulo State University (UNESP) and the University of São Paulo (USP). They gave pregnant rats a synthetic compound (WIN 55) that acts on the brain in a similar manner to natural cannabinoids. Harmful effects occurred mainly in male pups. “Cannabis ...

Matching form and function of brain cell types

2023-04-25
Investigators at Cedars-Sinai have created computer-generated models to bridge the gap between “test tube” data about neurons and the function of those cells in the living brain. Their study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications, could help in the development of treatments for neurological diseases and disorders that target specific neuron types based on their roles.  “This work allows us to start looking at the brain like the complex machine that it is, rather than ...

Small steps can yield big energy savings and cut emissions from MRIs

2023-04-25
Medical centers around the world could significantly reduce their carbon footprint and expenses by turning off MRIs and putting them in the lowest power mode instead of idling them when not in use, a new study in Radiology found. Health care is responsible for up to 4.4% of global carbon emissions, and imaging contributes an outsized share due to its energy-intensive devices, especially MRI. A 2020 study found that three CTs and four MRIs used the same amount of energy per year as a town of 852 people, for example. Though turning a machine off is better than idling, a substantial amount of MRI energy consumption occurs in “off” ...

Study links nutrients, brain structure, cognition in healthy aging

Study links nutrients, brain structure, cognition in healthy aging
2023-04-25
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In a new study, scientists explored the links between three measures known to independently predict healthy aging: nutrient intake, brain structure and cognitive function. Their analysis adds to the evidence that these factors jointly contribute to brain health in older adults.  Reported in the Journal of Nutrition, the study found that blood markers of two saturated fatty acids, along with certain omega-6, -7 and -9 fatty acids, correlated with better scores on tests of memory and with larger brain structures in the frontal, ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Drug-delivering aptamers target leukemia stem cells for one-two knockout punch

New study finds that over 95% of sponsored influencer posts on Twitter were not disclosed

New sea grant report helps great lakes fish farmers navigate aquaculture regulations

Strain “trick” improves perovskite solar cells’ efficiency

How GPS helps older drivers stay on the roads

Estrogen and progesterone stimulate the body to make opioids

Dancing with the cells – how acoustically levitating a diamond led to a breakthrough in biotech automation

Machine learning helps construct an evolutionary timeline of bacteria

Cellular regulator of mRNA vaccine revealed... offering new therapeutic options

Animal behavioral diversity at risk in the face of declining biodiversity

Finding their way: GPS ignites independence in older adult drivers

Antibiotic resistance among key bacterial species plateaus over time

‘Some insects are declining but what’s happening to the other 99%?’

Powerful new software platform could reshape biomedical research by making data analysis more accessible

Revealing capillaries and cells in living organs with ultrasound

American College of Physicians awards $260,000 in grants to address equity challenges in obesity care

Researchers from MARE ULisboa discover that the European catfish, an invasive species in Portugal, has a prolonged breeding season, enhancing its invasive potential

Rakesh K. Jain, PhD, FAACR, honored with the 2025 AACR Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research

Solar cells made of moon dust could power future space exploration

Deporting immigrants may further shrink the health care workforce

Border region emergency medical services in migrant emergency care

Resident physician intentions regarding unionization

Healthy nutrition and physical lifestyle choices lower cancer mortality risk for survivors, new ACS study finds

Mass General Brigham researchers reveal 17 modifiable risk factors shared by stroke, dementia, and late-life depression

Promising drug discovery research gets funding boost from Ontario Institute for Cancer Research

Carbon capture could become practical with scalable, affordable materials

USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center opens state-of-the-art Newport Beach Radiation Oncology and Imaging Center

Chan Zuckerberg Biohub New York announces new investigators for immune system research to improve human health

New research suggests White Americans in areas with higher Black poverty are more likely to blame racial inequality on lack of effort

Solar wave squeezed Jupiter’s magnetic shield to unleash heat

[Press-News.org] Say ‘ahhh’: This ecofriendly tongue depressor checks vitals