Important Innovations

Smartphone, New App, Quick Video Selfie of Face Measures Blood Pressure Source:  University of Toronto blood pressure measurement system Innovation from Canada and China Checking your blood pressure may soon be as easy as just taking a selfie on your smartphone.  Researchers at the University of Toronto in Canada, along with Chinese researchers, have developed a new app that's breakthrough.  All that's required is a quick video selfie of the face on the iPhone.  The device has been tested successfully on nearly 2000 Canadian and Chinese adults. 96% Accuracy Rate The app uses the smartphone's ability to detect red light reflected by hemoglobin under the skin's surface.  The technology is called transdermal optical imaging and was invented by Prof. Kang Lee of the University of Toronto, surprisingly for a contactless lie detector system.  He switched gears and invented this on the spot health care device. In the system, an algorithm measur...

Promise of New & Better Blood Pressure Treatments Source:  OSHU Breakthrough Research by Oregon Health and Science University New research by scientists at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland reveals the 3-dimensional structure of a membrane that controls blood pressure.  The membrane is called the human epithelial sodium channel.  It has never been so precisely isolated and detailed as that done by the OHSU researchers. Membrane Is Critical to Human Health Using a cyro-electron microscope, the researchers generated a 3D model of the channel.  Besides being critical to controlling blood pressure, it's also impactful on other functions in the body. The channel enables sodium ions to be absorbed into tissue throughout the body including the kidney.  As such it's critical to human health by regulating sodium balance, blood volume and blood pressure. Great Potential for New Therapies This discovery is expected to lead to new and bet...