“Lab On A Chip” Mimics Brain Chemistry

March 11, 2008

jhm2.jpg      NanoBioTechnology: A micro-scale tool designed to mimic the chemical complexities of the brain

Johns Hopkins researchers from the Whiting School of Engineering and the School of Medicine have devised a system that should help scientists better understand how nerve cells in the brain work together to form the nervous system.Nerve cells decide which direction to grow by sensing both the chemical cues flowing through their environment as well as those attached to the surfaces that surround them. The chip, which is made of a plastic-like substance and covered with a glass lid, features a system of channels and wells that allow researchers to control the flow of specific chemical cocktails around single nerve cells.

Source: http://www.hopkinsm edicine.org/


Ethics in Spine Surgery

March 6, 2008

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http://www.ethicalspinesurgeon.com 

This is a great association, helping to bring practice back to the road. This topic is an example of its interests. 

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Unnecessary Operations

Every year, nearly 2.5 million people go under the knife unnecessarily, often with devastating consequences. Make sure you’re not one of them.