NEWRON Vol V, Issue XIV

[Natan Davidovics]

NeuroEngineering Weekly Review of News

The first article in this week's NEWRON needs no introduction.  Just a bit of advice; Kleenex stock may be a wise investment in certain allergy-prone parts of the country.

 

Interesting NeuroEngineering links:

Hopkins Neuroengineering web site: http://neuroengineering.bme.jhu.edu
New job blog: http://neuroengjobs.blogspot.com/
Blog for administrative questions: http://neuroengineering.blogspot.com
NEWRON on the web!: http://groups.google.com/group/newron?lnk=srg&pli=1

Enjoy,
Natan Davidovics
NEWRON Publishing Corporation

Masturbation could bring hay fever relief for men

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16872-masturbation-could-bring-hay-fever-relief-for-men.html

Spring is here and with it come the woes of hay fever. Never fear, however, as there may be a quick and pleasurable treatment to clear those bunged noses, for guys at least – a well-timed ejaculation.

That's what Sina Zarrintan, a neurologist from the Tabriz Medical University in Iran proposes, anyway. The logic behind the proposal is based on the fact that the nose and the genitals are both connected to the same part of the nervous system that controls certain reflexes – the sympathetic nervous system.

A blocked nose is caused by swollen and inflamed nasal blood vessels,irritated by an infection or pollen in the air. But during ejaculation, the sympathetic nervous system constricts blood vessels across the body. That should soothe the swollen nasal blood vessels, freeing the airway for normal breathing, according to Zarrintan.

Researchers find a new way to mix computers and neurons

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/emergingtech/researchers-find-a-new-way-to-mix-computers-and-neurons/2505

Graduate students at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, report that they’ve successfully managed to get nerve cell tendrils to grow through tiny tubes made of semiconductor materials. 

The ground-breaking research could one day be used to regenerate nerve cells damaged due to disease or injury, and possibly lead to advances in nanomedicine, including improved brain-computer interface (BCI) technology.

Ryerson students invent breakthrough brain-controlled prosthetic arm

http://www.ryerson.ca/news/media/General_Public/20110329_RN_CairesPr.html

Two Ryerson University undergraduate biomedical engineering students are changing the world of medical prosthetics with a newly developed prosthetic arm that is controlled by brain signals. The Artificial Muscle-Operated (AMO) Arm not only enables amputees more range of movement as compared to other prosthetic arms but it allows amputees to avoid invasive surgeries and could potentially save hundreds of thousands of dollars. The AMO Arm is controlled by the user's brain signals and is powered by 'artificial muscles' - simple pneumatic pumps and valves - to create movements. In contrast, traditional prosthetic limbs – which typically offer more limited movements – rely on intricate and expensive electrical and mechanical components.