Gizmorama - October 21, 2013

Good Morning,

You know how your parents always told you to eat your vegetable because they're good for you? Well, they were right... in this way - according to U.S. scientists a compound in cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli protected rats from lethal doses of radiation in experiments.

Learn about this and other interesting stories from the scientific community in today's issue.

Until Next Time,
Erin

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*-- Compound from vegetables found to protect against radiation --*
WASHINGTON - A compound in cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli protected rats from lethal doses of radiation in experiments, U.S. scientists say. Researchers at the Georgetown University Medical Center report the experimental results suggest the compound known as known as DIM (3,3'-diindolylmethane,) already shown to be safe for humans, may protect normal tissues during radiation therapy for cancer treatment and possibly could prevent or mitigate sickness caused by radiation exposure. Previous studies had found the compound to have cancer-preventive properties, they said. "DIM has been studied as a cancer prevention agent for years, but this is the first indication that DIM can also act as a radiation protector," researcher Eliot Rosen said. In the study rats were irradiated with lethal doses of gamma ray radiation, then treated with a daily injection of DIM for two weeks, starting 10 minutes after the radiation exposure. The result was dramatic, said Rosen, a professor of bio-chemistry and radiation medicine. "All of the untreated rats died, but well over half of the DIM-treated animals remained alive 30 days after the radiation exposure," he said. The study highlights two potential uses of the compound, Rosen said. "DIM could protect normal tissues in patients receiving radiation therapy for cancer, but could also protect individuals from the lethal consequences of a nuclear disaster."


*-- Ultrasound system gives virtual feeling of objects in mid-air --*
BRISTOL, England - Scientists in Britain say they've develop a technology that uses sound waves to create a "force field" that can simulate the feel of objects in mid-air. Researchers at Bristol University say their "UltraHaptic" system uses an array of speakers to produce waves of ultrasound aligned to produce an invisible layer of ultrasonic vibrations in the air above a computer display, which can be sensed as tactile sensation of the displayed object on the surface of human skin. Placed behind a display, the system monitors the motions of a user's fingers above the screen and creates a tactile feedback layer as the user interact with virtual objects like knobs and switches in mid-air. "By creating multiple simultaneous feedback points, and giving them individual tactile properties, users can receive localized feedback associated to their actions," Bristol computer scientist Tom Carter told The Guardian. The system allows a user to identify different tactile properties without actually touching anything, he said. Systems such as Microsoft's Kinect sensor can monitor a user's hand and body motions to allow them to interact with a computer interface but have lacked any sort of tactile feedback. "Current systems with integrated interactive surfaces allow users to walk up and use them with bare hands," Carter said. "Our goal was to integrate haptic feedback into these systems without sacrificing their simplicity and accessibility."

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