Prof simplifies diabetes, heart tests
A chemistry professor at Colorado State University has developed a way to simplify – and possibly cheapen – blood tests for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Charles Henry and a team of researchers have come up with a way to use techniques employed by the semiconductor industry to detect certain agents in the blood that are characteristic of heart disease and diabetes.
With a finger prick instead of a full blood draw, Henry uses electrochemical detection to analyze blood on microchips.
Henry and his team have transferred this work into a new commercial venture, Advanced MicroLabs LLC. To date, the Fort Collins-based company has received $600,000 from the National Science Foundation and $100,000 from National Institutes of Health. The company employs seven.
According to the American Diabetes Association, 20.8 million children and adults in the United States, or 7 percent of the population, have diabetes. The World Health Organization estimates that the number of diabetics will double by 2025.
“Strides have been made toward improving behavioral patterns that put people at risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” said Henry in a written statement. “But there’s still a need to develop methods to detect the onset of disease at the earliest possible stage.” – Kimberly S. Johnson, The Denver Post
Let monitor feel burn before you do
Fun in the sun is all good – until somebody gets burned. To keep track of how many rays you’re getting while enjoying the weather, there’s Oregon Scientific’s Personal UV Monitor, which includes an exposure timer to help you get back in the shade before it’s too late. The Personal UV Monitor keeps track of the current UV levels as well as the temperature, and calculates a recommended exposure time based on your skin type and the sun protection factor of any sunscreen lotion used.
The Personal UV Monitor is available for $30 or less at www.oregonscientific.com, or weather-gadget websites like www.partshelf.com. The device also comes with a splash-proof case and a wrist strap to keep it close at hand when you venture out into the light. – J.D. Biersdorfer, The New York Times
