A new chewing gum designed to treat motion sickness takes effect more quickly than capsules or pills. The gum contains the active ingredient dimenhydrinate, a commonly-accepted medication for motion sickness. As the gum is chewed, the drug is absorbed through the space between the user's cheek and gums, which allow the medication to reach the user's system more quickly than conventional ingestion methods.

A breath test for the swine flu could help to not only identify infected people more quickly, but also prevent unnecessary vaccinations. The test will be able to identify the levels of exhaled nitric oxide and isoprene, which are both associated with the flu and viral infections. The new H1N1 test will be one more step along to the way to preventing pandemics and saving resources.

A new technique that reintroduces an allergy inducing food could render it non-reactive to the immune system. It was discovered that attaching peanut proteins to blood cells and reintroducing them into the body, it is possible to teach the body's immune system to recognize the protein as safe. The technique could eventually be expanded to include treatment for a variety of allergens.

A new nanoscale bandage will use a natural clotting agent found in blood to stop bleeding in an instant. The bandage will be developed by coating the clotting agent thrombin onto sponges that will be fitted to just about any wound. Spraying the sponges with a biological nanoscale coating containing layers of tannic acid and thrombin will create a film capable of being stored and easily carried. The sponges will be particularly useful for stopping bleeding at the neck, a situation...

An isotope-infused skin patch could be used as a spot treatment for basal cell carcinoma. The patch is infused with phosphorus-32, a radioactive isotope that is used to treat some forms of cancer. In studies, the patches were applied over the course of a week to 10 patients with facial basal cell carcinoma. After 6 months, the basal cell cancers had come back in only 2 of the test subjects. The patches could provide a non-surgical, non-radiotherapy alternative to the...

A smartphone app able to analyze the air volume of a person's lungs from audio recordings could make it easier for people to track their lung health. The application is able to analyze lip reverberation in order to monitor pulmonary diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and cystic fibrosis. By creating a model of a person's trachea and vocal tract, it is possible to mimic the tubes of a spirometer while using the phone to analyze sound wave frequencies as they...

A paper-based blood test for liver damage could be of particular use in developing countries, where liver damage is widespread as a side effect of drug treatments. The test consists of a pattern of channels and wells on a piece of absorbent paper. A drop of blood placed on the paper is absorbed and sent to the test wells, which have been spotted with chemicals that will change color when they detect certain markers in the liquid. The chip works simply and without the need for much...

An old home remedy for sore throats is a tea made with lemon, apple cider vinegar, cayenne and honey. Add one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper, the juice of 1/4 lemon, and one teaspoon of honey to a cup of hot water. Stir. It is suggested to drink up to four cups of such tea a day.

A new head worn device will able to identify and locate different varieties of stroke or brain injuries in minutes, enabling a much quicker diagnosis. A group of sensors will monitor the blood flow in the brain by measuring the acceleration of the pressure waves of the blood in the vessels. The device will able to detect aneurysms, abnormal artery and vein connections, strokes and traumatic injuries to the brain. Eventually, physicians will be able to use the device to detect...

A wireless heart pump will eliminate the need for a cord, cutting down on the risk of infection and reducing the patient's discomfort. The wireless prototype is reliable to a distance of up to a meter, and works by transferring power through a magnetic field rather than an electrical field. This method avoids overheating and doesn't need to stay specifically aligned with the power transmitter like previous wireless heart models. The new method could allow for more innovations...