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A new study involved high-resolution scans that enabled the researchers to visualize brain connections at submillimeter spatial resolution. Together, these pathways form a 'default ascending arousal network' that sustains wakefulness in the resting, conscious human brain.  Source: Massachusetts General Hospital

Penn State researchers have discovered two proteins that differentiate stem cells into the components of blood vessels. The finding has implications for drug testing and other clinical applications. Source: Penn State

If there were an unofficial theme of SIR 2024, it might be artificial intelligence—what it is, when to use it and where it might go next. From dedicated sessions to keynote lectures, the possibility of AI and robotics in interventional radiology was a frequent discussion. According to Bruce J. Tromberg, AI is changing the way physicians practice medicine. Source: SIRToday

Researchers developed a wireless implantable device that can monitor bladder filling and emptying in real time and send data to a smartphone. With further development, this type of device could help monitor recovery after bladder surgery and aid patients who have compromised bladder function. Source: NIH Research Matters

NIBIB-supported researchers have developed a smart nanoprobe designed to infiltrate prostate tumors and send back a signal using an optical imaging technique known as Raman spectroscopy. The new probe, evaluated in mice, has the potential to determine tumor aggressiveness and could also enable sequential monitoring of tumors during therapy to quickly determine if a treatment strategy is working.

NIBIB is marking the 10-year anniversary of a commercialization program that helps innovators bring their medical devices from the lab to the marketplace.

While pacemakers have treated many patients with heart rhythm disorders, their bulky design and use of wires limits their usefulness and poses a risk of heart damage or infection. Now, researchers have cut the cords, shrunk the size, and expanded the capabilities of current designs.

A team of engineers led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst and including colleagues from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) recently announced in the journal Nature Communications that they had successfully built a tissue-like bioelectronic mesh system. The mesh can grow along with the cardiac cells, allowing researchers to observe how the heart's mechanical and electrical functions change during the developmental process.

Source: University of Massachusetts Amherst

Many companies are now developing isothermal genetic tests that can diagnose a wide array of respiratory diseases, sexually transmitted infections and more. These products aim to provide precise and prompt diagnostic information, enabling people to quickly seek appropriate medical treatment. Source: Nature