Fingernail-sized chip can repair damaged tissue in seconds

A new device can begin repairing damaged organs in seconds, heralding a major breakthrough for life-saving medicine. Developed at Ohio State University , the technology known as tissue nanotransfection (TNT) uses a small coin-sized silicone chip that “injects” genetic code into skin cells, converting them from one type to another. During the initial testing phase, researchers were able to reprogram skin cells into vascular cells on a mouse that had a badly injured leg with no blood flow. Within one week active blood vessels appeared around the leg and within two weeks the leg had been completely restored. A mouse that had suffered a stroke was also saved, suggesting this technology can be applied to organs and nerve cells, as well as tissue. It’s the first time cells have been reprogrammed in a live body. The technology weighs less than 100 grams and has a long shelf life. It’s completely non-invasive — the genetic code is delivered by zapping the device with a small electrical charge that’s barely felt by the patient — and the procedure can be carried out without access to a lab or hospital . This means it will have a significant impact on the lives of those involved in medical emergencies where time is a crucial factor, such as car crash victims and soldiers injured in the field. It’s still waiting for FDA approval, but researchers expect testing on humans to start within the year. Via: USA Today Source: Ohio State University

Read more here:
Fingernail-sized chip can repair damaged tissue in seconds

Microsoft’s ‘Project Scorpio’ games will run in native 4K

You’d be forgiven for doubting that Microsoft’s Project Scorpio could really deliver on the promise of 4K gaming. Most PlayStation 4 Pro games won’t run in true 4K , and the current wave of 4K-capable PC video cards cost more than whole consoles . However, Microsoft vows that there won’t be any trickery involved with its own titles. In an interview with USA Today , the company’s Shannon Loftis says that all first-party games arriving “in the Scorpio time frame” will run in native 4K — you’ll have at least a few games to show what your new TV can do. Loftis doesn’t say which games those are, although that isn’t surprising when Scorpio is roughly a year away. All the same, the 4K commitment could be crucial to giving the new Xbox hardware a strong start. Even if many third-party games resort to upscaling instead of real 4K, you’ll have some incentive to buy the new system. It won’t necessarily make you forget about the PS4 Pro (game selection, as always, is a crucial factor), but it might just tempt you to upgrade from an original Xbox One instead of holding out a little while longer. Via: GamesRadar Source: USA Today

View the original here:
Microsoft’s ‘Project Scorpio’ games will run in native 4K