Hydrogels
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Scientists at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a “smart soil” that can keep plants better hydrated and provide a controlled release of nutrients. In tests it drastically improved crop growth while using far less water.
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Gels and glasses are on opposite ends of the material spectrum, but engineers at North Carolina State University (NCSU) have developed a new class called “glassy gels” that are both strong and flexible, as well as sticky and self-healing.
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The magnetometer found inside your cellphone acts like a traditional compass to help you navigate your surroundings. Now, researchers are using it to map human biology, and it could ultimately make managing diabetes a lot cheaper and easier.
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Damaged brain tissue can be re-grown using a new method that lets researchers guide stem cells into exactly the type of brain cells they need for a particular spot. They're targeting new treatments for stroke, traumatic brain injury and MS.
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A new type of dressing is shaping up as a way to heal chronic wounds without the need for antibiotics. Using a helium plasma jet to activate hydrogel, researchers have created a highly effective antibacterial cover that can swiftly overpower wounds.
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Limescale buildup in thermal power plants due to the use of hot water can substantially affect efficiency, prompting researchers to develop a novel soft hydrogel-based surface coating that repels limescale crystals and prevents them from adhering.
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While we've seen quite a few filtration systems for making polluted water drinkable, many are quite complex, or utilize costly materials. By contrast, an experimental new setup simply requires users to inject dirty water through a layer of cellulose.
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Researchers developed a technique to implant a device containing insulin-secreting cells in a pocket under the skin, reversing diabetes in mice without the need for anti-rejection drugs. It could one day provide an alternative to insulin injections.
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Managing diabetes usually involves regular shots, but soon patients might only need injections a few times a year. Stanford has developed a hydrogel-based delivery system that slowly releases drugs over months to control diabetes and even weight.
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Ordinarily, when treating chronic wounds, caregivers go to great lengths to keep them free of bacteria. An experimental new dressing, however, actually introduces bacteria to help such wounds heal.
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Researchers have developed a plant-based hydrogel to create shape-changing, navigable small-scale robots with potential applications in biomedicine, including conducting medical procedures and delivering therapeutic cargo to cells and tissues.
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The skin ulcers that diabetics often develop on their feet are slow to heal, sometimes to the point that they become infected and require foot amputation. A magnetic gel could keep that from happening, as it triples the healing speed of such wounds.
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