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Canaries and Panthers

2/14/2011

13 Comments

 
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Antibody-producing B cells
Biological agents have been potent weapons for ages. Found easily in nature and difficult to detect, they have been used such that public places from the street to official buildings have become targets of bioterrorism.  

Scientists and engineers at MIT have come up with a pioneering biosensor that can detect microorganisms in the air in less than two minutes. “There is a real need to detect a pathogen in less than three minutes, so you have time to take action before it is too late,” said Harper, the lead scientist developing the sensor.

The technology used is known as the CANARY sensor technology. It uses nature’s own defense system: the B cells present in the immune system of humans. The technology uses an array of these B cells - each specific for a particular bacterium or virus. The advantage of using B cells is their sensitivity and speed as compared to other sensors.

This technology has been used in a device called PANTHER (Pathogen Notification for Threatening Environmental Releases), that is not only portable but also enables testing of air samples. The device brings air samples in contact with genetically-engineered biosensors to detect dangerous bio-organisms. The device contains antibodies that can be used to detect different microorganisms present in the air. When a certain pathogen comes in contact with the antibodies they give off a photon of light of a particular wavelength. Detectors are used to measure these wavelengths and determine the type of pathogen corresponding to the wavelength. The machine then gives a list of any pathogens that may be present in the air. If a dangerous pathogen is present the sensor goes off, thus alerting anybody in harm’s way. The operation of the device, according to scientists, is as easy as loading a DVD player.

The CANARY technology uses jellyfish DNA that has been injected into mouse cells using high voltage. As a result we get cells that have the ability to glow. The glowing cells go off when pathogens are detected by the PANTHER device.

The device can be used in subways, buildings and other public areas. Currently it can detect 24 pathogens including smallpox and anthrax.


Anum

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Source: MedGadget.com
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PANTHER. Source: MedGadget.com

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13 Comments

Original My A

2/10/2010

2 Comments

 
I’m sitting at my cousin's dinner table and his family is happily bombarding me with criticism about my incredibly foolish and ill-informed decision to study physics. The Home Team: cousin who imports golf clubs, converse and Dunhill, cousin who puts up billboards all around Karachi to sell this and other similar stuff, mothers and wives.. They take turns telling me why marketing is the place to be. Hey, so kill me. I really don’t see the excitement in moving boxes here and there and trying to sell them. And then playing golf for a sense of achievement. How do I explain that the plasma screen hanging behind us is purely based on ‘theoretical’ quantum physics.

What is quantum physics? I’m sick of studying it in class. The semester long course I’m taking on it is just an introduction to 2 more that will follow. So why do I write this? My friend is really excited about Physics. He wants others to share the excitement of science. He’s studying Biology. Evolution. Genetics. Physiology. I don’t believe in science. He doesn’t believe in God. Only Einstein’s God, if there were such a thing. He tells me there’s no scientific evidence that God exists. He asks me if I’ll believe in him if he says there’s a fairy in the corner. He says he doesn’t believe in something that cannot be tested by experiment. He thinks he’s smart, not that I’m disagreeing but I’ll come back to this some other day.

So for your convenience. Quantum Physics says, as you probably already (don’t) know, that matter can do everything waves can. Waves (lets just stick to light and sound) can reflect (light/mirror, sound/wall you know echos?), transmit (door/eavesdropping, window/sunshine you know skylights?) and interfere. Matter reflects? Ofcourse. According to Quantum physics matter can reflect and transmit at the same time; because light can do both together, and matter can do everything light can (think some light is reflected of the shiny glass, while some goes through).  Wait what?

Yeah, nobody likes theory. Where are my cool gadgets? If two surfaces are very close together there is a probability that electrons will ‘jump’ (tunnel) from one surface to the other. The closer we bring the two surfaces the higher the probability of tunneling. We put this behind a touch screen in your phone and lo and behold 3 dimensional touch screens, sensitive not only to touch but also pressure. Pressing harder will take you into the screen. Tunnel hoa, Tunnel hoa, Width jab chotee hoi tou tunnel hoa.

Hassan
2 Comments
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