Magnetic Nanoparticles Could Stop Blood Clot-Caused Strokes

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Researchers have found that loading magnetic nanoparticles, to deliver the clot-busting drug tPA (tissue plasminogen activator), offers a much more efficient journey, promising to destroy blood clots 100 to 1,000 times faster and aid significantly in the prevention of heart attacks and strokes.

Read the Newswise press release for more details about the findings. The research paper is available online:

Voros et al. TPA Immobilization on Iron Oxide Nanocubes and Localized Magnetic Hyperthermia Accelerate Blood Clot Lysis. Adv Funct Mater. 2015 Feb 11. [early view]

Cochrane Library gets a Redesign!

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The Cochrane Library recently underwent a makeover beyond their new color scheme. The database introduced new functions making it easier for users to browse and search its wide breadth of content.

Researchers can still choose to run Basic or Advanced searches across all databases in the Cochrane Library collection. However, some new and noteworthy ways of getting at information have also been added. Users can now browse by topic or review group to find systematic reviews in their field(s). It’s also easier to find clinical trials on a topic by searching the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) directly using the Trials tab on the homepage.

Some users prefer to find evidence-based information by browsing rather than the traditional method of searching. So, kudos to Cochrane for making this mode of discovery more apparent in their redesign.

Recent Posts of Interest

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On built-in spyware, online shaming, valentines and a Nutritionist on superfoods; All in this edition of blog buzz!

  • On Slate, a very displeased David Auerbach explains the Lenovo Superfish Scandal and links to a tool owners can use to see if their machine is compromised.
  • There was an interesting piece on social media and shaming by Jon Ronson in the NY Times Magazine, which reminded me of a segment on the most recent episode of Invisibilia called How to Grow a Bully. Let’s all try to be nice to each other, ok?

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