Conductive ink is a great tool for printing flexible electronic circuits on surfaces. But these inks can be costly, they do not work on some materials, and devices to apply them can plug up. Now, scientists report that they have developed inexpensive conductive inks for clog-free ballpoint pens that can allow users to 'write' circuits almost anywhere -- even on human skin.
When two painful stimuli act on us at the same time, we perceive one of them as less painful. This phenomenon is part of the body's own pain control system. A dysfunction of this inhibition is associated with chronic pain disorders.
In urban environments, allergic diseases are more common among dogs and their owners compared to those living in rural areas. Simultaneous allergic traits appear to be associated with the microbes found in the environment, but microbes relevant to health differ between dogs and humans.
Body odor is an unpleasant smell, produced when bacteria living on the skin break down the proteins in sweat. To avoid stinking, some people apply antiperspirants that clog sweat ducts with foreign materials, such as metals, to slow perspiration. As a step toward a more natural solution, researchers have turned sweat against itself using an evaporation-based approach in which the salts in sweat create a gel-like plug.
With the help of algorithms, researchers have identified markers that can differentiate between irritant eczema and contact allergy, two skin reactions that look similar but require different treatment.
Materials scientists have improved electrical conductivity in a polymer electrode for E-skin applications. Their approach is simple and cheap, but further enhancements are needed for the polymer to become a viable alternative to more expensive gold electrodes.
One reason ticks spread Lyme disease so well goes back to a unique evolutionary event. Researchers discovered that an antibacterial enzyme in ticks, Dae2, protects them from bacteria found on human skin, while still allowing them to harbor Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. Ticks acquired the gene for this enzyme 40 million years ago from an unknown species of ancient bacteria.
Occasionally, following a transplant procedure, the donor's immune cells recognize the recipient's tissues as foreign and trigger a multisystem disorder called graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Occurring commonly after bone marrow or stem cell transplants performed to treat some blood cancers, GVHD may even follow solid organ transplants and is, in essence, the reverse of transplant rejection. Now, researchers have clarified the pathogenesis of the characteristic skin changes in chronic GVHD.
A new method for analyzing the structure of skin using a type of radiation known as T-rays could help improve the diagnosis and treatment of skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and skin cancer.
Research findings provide insight into the complex mechanism of cellular senescence and present a potential therapeutic strategy for reducing age-related diseases associated with the accumulation of senescent cells.
In the treatment of leukemia, stem cell transplantation subsequent to chemotherapy and radiation can often engender severe adverse inflammatory reactions - especially in the skin or in the gut, since these so-called barrier organs are more frequently affected. Up until now, the reason for this was unclear. A team of researchers has now identified an immune mechanism that is partially responsible for this.
An immunologist is recommending that individuals with contact dermatitis choose facial masks made without elastic or rubber that allow them to stay safe in the midst of COVID-19 while avoiding possible allergic reactions.
A team of researchers proposed a non-invasive method for detection of melanoma. A patented computer-aided diagnostic system developed by scientists proved to be more than 90% accurate in detecting malignancy in diagnostic images of skin lesions acquired from 100 patients.
A key step in the immune system's response to allergens has been uncovered. Researchers have shown that a neuropeptide called Substance P is released by certain neurons in the skin when they detect allergens, and that this substance is essential in the development of allergen-induced immune responses. This research could lead to the development of new and better methods to treat and prevent allergies.
Researchers found that Langerhans cells (LCs) play a crucial role in mucocutaneous acute guest-versus-host disease (aGVHD). Their experiments in mice showed that when the LCs of a recipient were depleted, the formation of mucocutaneous lesions was enhanced because the infiltration of CD8+ T cells was inhibited. Their findings have significant implications for improving blood stem cell transplantation treatments and clinical outcomes for patients.
New research shows a simple skin test can accurately identify Parkinson's disease, which could lead to earlier detection of the disease and better outcomes for patients. Currently, Parkinson's disease is diagnosed by clinical signs and symptoms but only definitively diagnosed at autopsy. The researchers conducted a blinded study of 50 skin samples using an assay originally designed to detect mad cow disease.
Autism is considered a disorder of the brain. But a new study suggests that the peripheral nervous system, the nerves that control our sense of touch, pain and other sensations, may play a role as well.
