In virtually one last decade medicine has taken a confident and extensive leap ahead and is trying to actualize human natural strive – not to fall ill. Genomics, molecular screening and most importantly regenerative methods develop at rapid pace, with the help of these methods and under supervision of researchers first experimental kidneys, hearts and skin covers mature in laboratories like plants…
Scientists have
been trying to grow human cells for over half a century, but whereas previously
they were happy with the fact of cells growing outside an organism, their
current goals are far more ambitious – creation of full-fledged organs. And
their successful transplantations into human body have already been performed.
Back in 2006 scientists from Wake
Forest University
transplanted a sixteen-year-old Kaitlyne McNamara a bladder cultivated from her
own cells. The first operation of the kind was successful – the organ was
accepted.
One of the
world’s most frequently performed surgical interventions is skin transplant or
formation of cartilages for nose or ears. Until recently such procedures were
performed by way of transferring tissues from undamaged body areas of victims,
from donors – as a last resort. However restoring damaged spots without
“cutting off” a piece is a relatively recent achievement. A layer of epidermis,
created by dint of taking merely a couple of the patient’s cells, were created
in one of dermatology institutes in Italy.
In the meantime
Skin gun device, presented in 2010
in Germany
by doctor Gerlach, although still experimental, has prospects of saving not
only appearance but also lives of people who suffer from burns. While
resembling a space weapon from “Star Wars” in terms of construction, such a
“bessy” operates as a spray only instead
of paint it pulverizes skin cover cells.
It is hardly
possible to “evaporated” nose or ears from special medical equipment therefore
medics-explorers from Massachusetts
hospital came up with another approach. For starters, in order to figure out if
the cells can form a right shape, they carried out an experiment of growing a
full-fledged auricle on a back of a laboratory mouse using sheep’s cells. From
the look of it, it worked out. And while the organ may not be suitable for
transplantation to humans, the ground for future positive results has been set.
Tissue engineers themselves reassure that technique’s development won’t take
more than five years…
ut while
cultivating “laboratory” ears is more of an aesthetic issue, creating organs
from failure of which millions of people die annually, is a top priority aim.
Although there are devices constructed of non-biological materials, they are
unable to perform all the necessary functions. It is nearly a supernatural goal
to grow heart, liver or kidney in a laboratory for them not to be rejected by
the immune system, not to differ from the original in appearance and to be
suitable for being “wired up” to a human on the level of nerves.
Bioengineers
from Boston
clinic, who had ventured at creating a heart, where challenged with giving it
natural shape and size. They decided to use a, so to say, muscle blank for
that. The result isn’t an entirely laboratory-cultivated organ but an old
framework with “assigned” new cells.
For this matter a donor’s organ is preserved for a while in a solution depriving it of all DNA of former possessor and after that it is assigned with stem cells of a patient. An “engine” that acquired new life this way can be transplanted with a significantly reduced rejection risk. And although such an experimentally operation hasn’t been yet performed successfully, the basis for perspectives has been laid. Tracheas and gorges made in a similar manner by Italian professor Paolo Macchiarini are already getting settled in new bodies.
There’s hardly anything that compares to bright-starred sky and silence. It is the stars that OUTLOOK want to tell you about or more precisely about the places with the best view on them. In Europe it is recommended to go stargazing not to some place but to… Slovenia. Point is, this small country is one of the cleanest in the world and consequently isn’t that polluted with smog.
“I’d like some headache elixir, mandrake root extract, heart pills and a bit of morphine, please…” – this is about how patients addressed pharmacists a couple hundred years ago. They, in turn, were preparing various magmas and mixtures in pharmacological laboratories situated as near as in the next room. Sure, nowadays technologies have significantly advanced, “remedy stores” fit in kiosks while drug-containing medicines cannot be bought without prescription…
OUTLOOK cannot imagine life without travelling. However, tickets, schedules, tardiness – all those things can spoil any trip. Therefore it is great to have either at home or in you garage a kind of transport that can allow you to see and to experience something new and forget all the problems.
Today we invite you to join our trip to the resort part of Georgia, to vicinity of the beautiful and cosy Borjomi town, the birthplace of the legendary Borjomi mineral water. One of the most popular and healthy mineral waters of the world, has been bottled here for several centuries.
The German city of Wuppertal, according to statistics, is not included even in the top ten most popular tourist destinations in Germany. In addition to the legendary dancer Pina Bausch, the same-name football club and the world-famous film director Tom Tykwer, whose career began in city movie clubs, Wuppertal seems to have nothing to boast about, but as soon as you learn about local transport - the city with its unique suspension monorail, it becomes so coveted for travelers.
Ambidextrous people demonstrate the unique brain abilities confirming latent human genius. Interestingly, those abilities can be trained by hands. The recent studies show that there are more people born equally skilled with either upper limb than we think, and perhaps you are one of them.
In 2007, the French TGV POS electric train set a world speed record among rail vehicles. This "plane from the platform" accelerated to 574 kilometers per hour. Today we are talking about the main speeds of the planet.
It was 8 years ago at 2007 French electrical train TGV POS set a world speed record for transportation on conventional rails. This “plane from a platform” accelerated to 574 kilometers per hour. Records are probably beaten anonymously, too, and in some garages there are unknown heroes who assemble miracle engines and extend speed limits; yet, we only talk about official indicators.
October is a season not only for scarves, mulled wine and mellow autumn, but for announcement of Nobel laureates. The world usually keeps a close watch on this event, yet often public sees only the "glossy" side of the coin. Outlook dived deeper and found out about curiosities and scandals that have escorted the prestigious award for more than a hundred years.
Stuttering is no verdict: this is what International Stuttering Association reminds every year on October, 22, International Stuttering Awareness Day. "Don't let stuttering stop you" - this dilemma that 5% of preschoolers in world, 1,2% of school kids and 1% of grownups face.
The date of October 8th, 1906 remained in history as a symbol of the great refusal from well-deserved honours. Finnish writer Arvid Järnefelt receives a letter from Leo Tolstoy, he is eagerly tearing the envelope, looking at writing of Russian novelist “Please try to make it so that I would not be awarded with the Nobel Prize. If it was meant to happen, then it would be very unpleasant for me to refuse from it.”
International conference dedicated to fight against nuclear weapons “25 Years of International Antinuclear Movement “Nevada – Semey”. From National Tragedy to Pride of Nation” took place in Kazakhstan. The issue of damage that nuclear tests do to environment and health of humans gathered subject matter experts and international media representatives on the forum. Our Editor in Chief Ms. Darya Karyakina headed to Kazakhstan as a part of delegation of Ukraine to personally participate in this significant event. And today OUTLOOK dedicates its feature to this important issue for the whole humanity.
OUTLOOK continues the «AN HOUR BEFORE» cycle of materials. Today, on the International Day of the Dentist, we managed to penetrate to an appointment with these doctors and spy, like real professionals in their field, Pavel Lemenev, Igor Onishchenko and Lesya Prudius, with the equanimity of the astronauts prepare for tooth implantation. We confidently declare that it is not so bad as it may seem at first glance.
Ukrainian artist and architect Stepan Ryabchenko elaborated a concept of a modern growing city. OUTLOOK got lucky to talk to the author – we share his revolutionary ideas with you.
13 years ago, on May, 25, 2001 it smelled like fresh fruits – not petrol – on several gas stations in San Francisco. And berries transported by local farmers weren’t the reason for it. The thing is that biodiesel fuel, that in fact contained gifts of nature, hit the market. Aside from a mix of bananas, oranges and kiwi, what else can one fill a tank with – read further at OUTLOOK.
“I’ve been in heaven and I was floating like an angel, overlooking the Earth. I knew it was going to be a risky adventure so I prepared myself for the worst. But the whole six day I was experiencing nothing but euphoria”, said Dennis Tito, an American millionaire and the first space tourist, when back on Earth. But is everything really that wonderful?
Matches became something really conventional for us but it turns out that this attribute came to stay in our pockets and by-the-kitchen-range drawers not that long ago.
