Slug`s Slime – A Super Glue to the Rescue

The researchers have found an innovative way to mend a broken heart. They have done this with the help of slug-inspired glue. The slugs secrete extremely sticky adhesives that work even on rain-wet rocks and mud-slicked trails.

Most of the heart defects are fixed via surgeries that involve staples or stitches. But, in some cases, these stitching procedures can cause damage to the heart`s fragile tissue.

When it comes to mending a broken heart, researchers say they may have found the key and it comes in the form of slug-inspired glue. This glue is non-toxic and can easily stick to a wet beating heart and plays an important role in healing skin wounds for the surgeons.

A team from the Boston Children Hospital have found through laboratory research that the slug`s slime is water and blood proof and dries in seconds when brought in contact with the UV light, even, it is biodegradable.

The researchers applied the glue, which they call “hydrophobic light-activated adhesive” or HLAA, to small biodegradable patches, which they affixed to the holes. They then shone a UV light to activate the adhesive. In less than five seconds, the holes were sealed, and the stretchy sealant held for a 24-hour monitoring period.

Bentham Science Publishers is a remarkable name in the STM Publishing Industry. They have 130 plus online and print journals, 200 plus open access journals and more than 300 e-books to their name. They have various journals based on cardiology. For further details about these journals, please visit:

http://www.benthamscience.com/index.php

Bentham eBook: Toxic Effects of Nanomaterials:

Bentham Science Publishers offer various e-books in all areas of technology, natural science, humanities and medicine. EBooks at Bentham science are published by means of state-of-the-art internet technology.

Here is the recent review of one of the Bentham eBooks: “Toxic Effects of Nanomaterials”
Toxic Effects of Nanomaterials provides an authoritative work of international experts in the field of nanotoxicology spanning 8 chapters. A key feature of the e-book is a broad coverage of the phytotoxicity of nanoparticles, which is largely neglected in many texts. The first couple of chapters of this book deal with the toxicity of nanoparticles in plants. This is followed by a discussion on the toxicities of iron oxide, titanium oxide and silicon oxide nanoparticles. Next, the volume provides a comprehensive review of the methodologies used in nanotoxicology surveys. The concluding chapters highlight the risks associated with the use of nanoparticles and the environmental impact of nanomaterials. Such a broad coverage of nanotoxicology renders this book highly beneficial to the scientists from multidisciplinary areas including nanotechnologists, toxicologists, pharmacologists, environmental chemists and biomedical scientists. This book would equally be useful for the individuals advocating for sustainable use of nanotechnology.

For further reading, please visit:

http://www.benthamscience.com/ebooks/9781608052837/index.htm