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New Nanoparticle Could Provide Simple Early Diagnosis Of Many Diseases

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the making-you-glow dept.

Researchers have created a new nanoparticle that could someday act as a virtually all-purpose diagnostic tool to detect many inflammatory diseases in their earliest stages, including heart disease, Alzheimer's, and arthritis. The specially-designed nanoparticles seek out hydrogen peroxide (thought to be overproduced in trace amounts in the early stages of most diseases that involve some sort of chronic inflammation in the body), and emit light when they encounter it.

2 of 62 comments (clear)

  1. Re:What I can't wait for is by Rakishi · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Bacteria and viruses evolve, very very quickly in some cases. There is a reason the immune system can't stop all infections despite it's rather interesting complexity. The worst effect is of course false positives, losing all your neurons to a confused nanobot is not a fun thing.

  2. Re:What I can't wait for is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    you mean like in this Outer Limit episode?
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Breed_(The_Ou ter_Limits)