Show Notes 19 August 2022
Story 1: Now there’s an easy to swallow test for esophageal precancer
Source: EsoGuard.com
Link: https://www.esoguard.com/patients
See video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLcUN3vNy64
- The team at EsoGuard recently contacted me to explain this interesting medical test.
But first, let’s set the stage:
- More than 80% of patients diagnosed with cancer in their esophagus caused by chronic acid reflux die within five years of diagnosis.
- The esophagus, remember, is the muscular tube that connects the throat to the stomach.
- Typically, a procedure called an endoscopy is used to detect esophageal cancer in a patient’s upper digestive system.
- It involves inserting an “endoscope” which is a tube-like instrument to view inside the esophagus and take tissue samples for analysis.
- And often sedation is needed.
- But now there’s a clever and much less invasive alternative.
- It’s called EsoGuard, which was developed by researchers at the Case Western Reserve University.
- Here’s how it works:
- In a test that takes less than 5 minutes you swallow a capsule about the size of a vitamin tablet that is attached to a soft, very thin line.
- Once in place in the esophagus the capsule inflates like a balloon and gently swabs the inside to collect cells.
- The balloon is then inverted back into the capsule and gently pulled out.
- The captured cells are then sent to a lab for an EsoGuard DNA test to help diagnose esophageal precancer.
- A positive or negative result is available in a few weeks.
- Here in Portland, Oregon [near where I live] the easy to swallow EsoGuard tests are available at a facility operated by Lucid Diagnostics. Visit the Lucid Diagnostics website to see if they are available in your area.
Story 2: A Surgery-Performing Robot Is Ready for Tests on the International Space Station
Source: Gizmodo.com Story by Kevin Hurler
Link: https://gizmodo.com/iss-surgery-robot-international-space-station-space-1849365142
Source: CNET Story by Monisha Ravisetti
Video: MIRA™ Surgical Robotic Platform – YouTube
- A surgery-performing robot developed jointly by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and medical technology company Virtual Incision is ready to be tested aboard the International Space Station.
- The robot is called MIRA, which stands for “miniaturized in-vivo robotic assistant,” and can be operated remotely by a surgeon on Earth as a non-invasive way to perform surgical procedures in space.
- The result of 20 years of development, the 2-pound robot basically looks like a white rod with two small armlike attachments.
- On the end of each arm are plier-like grippers to hold surgical instruments that are controlled remotely using sophisticated joystick-like hand controls.
- If all the tests go well on the Space Station, the benefits of this kind of remote robotic surgical tool would not be limited to space. It could also make robotic-assisted surgery accessible in any operating room on the planet.
Story 3: Fish-safe hydroelectric turbines offer a compromise solution
Source: MIT News Story by Zach Winn
Link: https://news.mit.edu/2022/natel-energy-hydropower-0805
- Here in the Northwest where I live, we’ve heard a lot about the controversial proposals to dismantle hydroelectric dams to help migrating salmon. And this is an issue in other states as well regarding protecting fish populations.
- But what if we could have our cake and eat it too!
- Natel Energy, a company founded by two brothers, both Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni, has created fish-friendly hydroelectric turbines.
- With their new, fish-safe turbines combined with other features designed to mimic natural river conditions, the founders of Natel Energy say hydroelectric plants made, or retrofitted with their technologies, could help bridge the gap between power-plant efficiency and environmental sustainability.
- The turbine the Natel brothers developed features thick blades with extremely rounded edges that allow more than 99 percent of fish to pass through safely, according to third-party tests.
- Natel’s turbines also allow for the passage of important river sediment and can be coupled with structures that mimic natural features of rivers like log jams, beaver dams and rock arches.
- And Natel has already installed two versions of its latest turbine, what they call the Restoration Hydro Turbine, at existing plants in the state of Maine and in Oregon at the Monroe Hydro Project in Madras.
Story 4: 17-year-old genius develops electric motor that could transform auto industry
Source: Smithsonian Magazine Story by Margaret Osborne
Link: https://tinyurl.com/3h8x8w5j
See video here: https://youtu.be/XMm_MRyILbY
- Today’s electric car motors require magnets made using rare-earth elements, which can cost hundreds of dollars per kilogram.
- For example, a Toyota Prius uses up to 33 pounds of one rare-earth material.
- What are the rare earth metals used in electromagnets?
- The four “rare earth metals,” or lanthanoids, used in electromagnets are lanthanum, neodymium and dysprosium and terbium.
- What is the main source of magnets?
- The major source is currently China. Some countries classify rare earth metals as strategically important, and recent Chinese export restrictions on these materials have led some to initiate research programs to develop strong magnets that do not require rare earth metals.
- With all of this in mind, 17-year-old Robert Sansone from Fort Pierce, Florida became interested in a type of electric motor called a synchronous reluctance motor – it’s an electric motor that does not use costly rare-earth materials-based magnets.
- Synchronous reluctance motor is an electromechanical energy conversion device, which converts electrical energy to mechanical energy. The motor always runs at synchronous speed due to magnetic locking between the rotor magnetic field and the stator magnetic field.
- After one year of development Robert created a small scale, proof-of-concept electric synchronous reluctance motor that could theoretically be scaled up to power a car.
- In fact, his invention is so potentially game changing that it captured the first prize in this year’s Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair.
- There’s a ton of mind melting science and engineering details behind Robert’s invention that are fully explored in the Smithsonian article.
- So, if you want to learn more, come out to Computeramerica.com and get the show notes for today. You’ll find the link to the Smithsonian article with all the details.
- As Robert noted: “Rare-earth materials in existing electric motors are a major factor undermining the sustainability of electric vehicles. Seeing the day when electric vehicles are fully sustainable due to the help of my novel motor design would be a dream come true.”