Latest news with #CalBots
Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Weight loss before IVF may improve odds of pregnancy
London: Women seeking in vitro fertilization might improve their odds of becoming pregnant if they lose weight, but the magnitude of any advantage wasn't clear, in a new analysis of previous studies. The benefit of weight loss was mainly seen in the few couples who ultimately achieved pregnancy without assistance, however. While weight loss interventions appeared to improve the likelihood of spontaneous pregnancy - negating the need for IVF - it was not clear whether they improved the odds of IVF-induced pregnancy, according to the report by lead researcher Moscho Michalopoulou and colleagues at the University of Oxford in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Also unclear was whether weight loss improved the odds of a live birth. Weight loss interventions studied included low-calorie diets, an exercise program accompanied by healthy eating advice, and pharmacotherapy accompanied by diet and physical activity advice - but no single approach seemed better than another. The 12 randomized trials in the review were small, and the wide variety of methods employed by the various research teams made it hard to compare the results, the authors of the new analysis wrote. Weight loss did not appear to increase the risk of pregnancy loss, the researchers also found. Dr. Alan Penzias, an IVF specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School in Boston, published an editorial with the study. He notes that "weight reduction among people with overweight or obesity has many known health benefits... (and) some patients may also achieve a desired pregnancy as a consequence of weight loss." But in decision-making about IVF, the editorial continues, "we must consider the marked decrease in fertility as age increases... and other factors that weight loss cannot address." EXPERIMENTAL NANOBOTS SEAL OFF SENSITIVE TOOTH NERVES Experimental microscopic robots that travel into tiny tunnels in teeth may one day offer lasting relief from tooth sensitivity, laboratory experiments suggest. Tooth sensitivity - sharp, sudden pain triggered by hot, cold, sweet, or sour substances - occurs when the protective layers of the tooth are compromised, exposing the underlying nerve endings. The researchers' so-called CalBots are 400-nanometer magnetic particles loaded with a ceramic formula that mimics the natural environment of the tooth. Guided by an external magnetic field, the tiny bots travel deep into the exposed tubules and assemble themselves into cement-like plugs that protect the nerve. In lab experiments on extracted human teeth, high-resolution imaging confirmed that the bots had created tight seals, the researchers reported. In animal tests, they found that mice with tooth sensitivity who had been avoiding cold water would drink it again after treatment with the CalBot solution. Most current treatments for tooth sensitivity, such as desensitizing toothpastes, offer only surface-level relief and need to be reapplied regularly, while the CalBots would provide longer-lasting relief in just one application, the researchers reported in Advanced Science. They hope their treatment - which still needs to be tested in humans - might eventually offer benefits beyond the relief of dental hypersensitivity, such as minimizing the penetration of bacteria into cavities and tooth injuries. "We didn't want to create a slightly better version of what's already out there," study leader Shanmukh Peddi, a post-doctoral researcher at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, said in a statement. "We wanted a technology that solves a real problem in a way that no one's attempted before." Peddi is a co-founder of Theranautilus, a Bangalore nanotechnology and healthcare company.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
IISc, startup develop magnetic nanobots to treat tooth sensitivity
BENGALURU: For millions of people, the sudden, sharp pain of tooth sensitivity can turn a sip of cold water into a jolt. Now, researchers at the Indian Institute of Science ( IISc ), in collaboration with Bengaluru-based deep-tech startup Theranautilus, have engineered 'CalBots' – magnetic nanobots that can seal the problem at its source. As per IISc, CalBots are 400-nanometre particles loaded with a calcium silicate-based bioceramic formula, designed to travel deep inside dentinal tubules, the tiny tunnels in the tooth that lead to nerve endings. Guided by an external magnetic field, the bots can penetrate up to 500 micrometres into the tubules and self-assemble into stable, cement-like plugs that recreate the tooth's natural barrier. One application, the team says, can offer lasting relief. Dental hypersensitivity affects nearly one in four people worldwide and occurs when enamel erosion or gum recession exposes the dentine layer beneath, IISc said. The tubules in dentine act as direct pathways to the nerves, which is why even mild temperature changes can trigger pain. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Most Beautiful Female Athletes Right Now Undo 'We didn't want to create a slightly better version of what's already out there. We wanted a technology that solves a real problem in a way that no one's attempted before,' Shanmukh Peddi, postdoctoral researcher at IISc's Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE) and co-founder of Theranautilus. The team used a completely new class of bioceramic cement for the nanobots. While bioceramics are common in orthopaedics and dentistry, the formulation was designed specifically for hypersensitivity – to travel deeper and last longer. To test the approach, they worked first on extracted human teeth. 'On these samples, we applied CalBots under a magnetic field for 20 minutes, during which the bots sealed the dentinal tubules by forming deep, stable plugs – a result confirmed through high-resolution imaging,' Peddi said. They then moved to animal trials, inducing sensitivity in mice and tracking their drinking behaviour. 'Healthy mice drank both cold and room temperature water equally. But sensitive mice completely avoided cold water. After treatment, they started drinking it again. We saw 100% behavioural recovery. That was a big moment for us,' he said. The CalBots are made entirely from materials classified as 'Generally Recognised as Safe' and passed toxicity tests in mice. 'This is a compelling demonstration of what nanorobotics can achieve, and how they could significantly impact future healthcare,' said Ambarish Ghosh, professor at CeNSE and one of the study's corresponding authors. Debayan Dasgupta, former PhD student at CeNSE and co-founder of Theranautilus, sees this as part of a bigger technological shift. 'We've created a regenerative, active nanomaterial – a step towards the kind of 'tiny mechanical surgeons' Richard Feynman once envisioned,' he said. Peddi added: 'This is something we've worked towards silently for years. And the fact that we've done it here, in India, makes us very happy.'
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
IISc researchers develop magnetically guided nanobots for tooth sensitivity relief
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), in collaboration with city based deep-tech startup Theranautilus, have engineered magnetic nanobots that can penetrate deep into dentinal tubules which are tiny tunnels in teeth that lead to nerve endings. The magnetic nanobots called CalBots can also form durable seals for worn enamel, offering lasting relief from sensitivity in one application. Bioceramic cement 'The CalBots use a completely new class of bioceramic cement. While bioceramics are widely used in orthopaedics and dentistry for their mineralising properties, the team wanted a solution tailored for hypersensitivity – a formulation that could travel deeper and last longer,' IISc said. Dental hypersensitivity affects nearly one in four people worldwide and occurs when microscopic tubules in the dentine—the layer beneath the enamel—is exposed due to erosion or gum recession. According to IISc these tiny tubules lead directly to nerve endings, which is why even a sip of cold water can cause a sudden, stabbing pain. Current solutions It added that most current solutions, such as desensitising toothpastes, offer only surface-level relief and need to be reapplied regularly. 'CalBots, however, are different. These 400 nanometre-sized magnetic particles, loaded with a proprietary calcium silicate-based bioceramic formula, are guided by an external magnetic field deep into the exposed tubules. They can reach depths of up to 300 to 500 micrometers inside the tubules. Once there, the bots self-assemble into stable, cement-like plugs that block the tubules and recreate a durable seal that mimics the natural environment of the tooth,' IISc said. The research team used human teeth extracted for clinical reasons and created conditions where the dentine was exposed. On these samples, they applied CalBots under a magnetic field for 20 minutes, during which the bots sealed the dentinal tubules by forming deep, stable plugs – a result confirmed through high-resolution imaging. Animal trials The team also progressed to animal trials in collaboration with researchers at IISc's Center for Neuroscience. 'It involved giving mice a choice between cold and room temperature water. Healthy mice preferred both equally. But the mice with induced tooth sensitivity avoided the cold water completely,' IISc said. 'After we treated the sensitive mice with our CalBot solution, they started drinking cold water again – the treatment worked like a charm. We saw 100% behavioural recovery. That was a big moment for us,' said Shanmukh Peddi, first author of the study and post-doctoral researcher at the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE), IISc, and co-founder of Theranautilus.
