Today we have completed 50 weeks of Technology Connect! It means you have been receiving Technology Connect e-newsletter consecutively for last 49 weeks and today's issue is the 50th issue. It is an important milestone to reach and we thank all our readers and contributors. On this occasion we have received a very encouraging message from Dr. Madhu Chitkara which we would like to share with our readers.
"I am extremely glad to note that, Technology Connect is going to release its 50th issue on 19th August, 2016.Technology is changing at such a rapid pace that there is a persistent need for a communication channel which can keep Chitkara fraternity updated. Technology Connect is doing just that! It is very heartening to see that, a small initiative which we had taken about a year back is in full bloom now. I wish the whole editorial team of Technology Connect my heartiest best wishes and also look forward to many more issues of this wonderful initiative."
Dr. Madhu Chitkara
Vice Chancellor, Chitkara University, Punjab
& Pro Chancellor Chitkara University, H.P.
Use of Electronics Beyond Development of Latest Computing Technologies
Use of electronics fundamentals goes beyond creation of just electronic circuits, applying circuit analysis laws, working on the lowest possible size technologies and working for the growth of computing technologies like cloud computing and big data etc.
Although, all the above-mentioned technologies also play an important role in the overall and better living of human kind, but then there is altogether different dimension to that when electronics fundamentals are used for treatment of fatal diseases like cancer.
One such technique is electroporation. In this technique, a finite amount of electric field is applied across the cancer-affected cell membrane with a particular set of parameters like electric field, pulse width and count of pulses etc. With the help of these parameters, an opening gets created in the cell just for a fraction of second, which is the time when a Chemo drug dosage like Veliparib, carbolpatin etc. is injected in the cell. Picture below clears the concept of Electroporation –
Technique of electroporation has been found to be better performing than its counter part chemotherapy.
It has got its further advantages in terms much lesser side effects.
Easier said than done, this technique is still being researched for optimizing the best set of parameters in terms of electric field, pulse width and dosage of medicine. But, based on the results obtained as of now, it definitely seems to be a very promising technique.
Extensive studies are being made world-wide on a particular variety of breast cancer cell line i.e. MDA-MB-231. While working in the lab, ultimate efforts remain to ensure killing of maximum number of these cancer cells with the help of process of electroporation.
Equipment manufactured by a company named as, BTX Technologies are usually used to study this phenomenon of electroporation. The picture of a typical electroporator is shown in Picture 2 below.
Picture 2
Effects of Electroporation have been studied mainly to treat breast cancer. It is one of the most deadly known type of cancers. Picture 3 indicates the growth rate of breast cancer world wide, which is definitely alarming for human kind.
Picture 3
Electroporation may prove to be a boon for the treatment of such cases.
By Dr. Rajnish Sharma - Dean Research, Chitkara University
Reference
http://www.btxonline.com/pages/FAQ.html
Previous Issue
Aim of this weekly newsletter is to share with students & faculty the latest developments, technologies, updates in the field Electronics & Computer Science and there by promoting knowledge sharing. All our readers are welcome to contribute content to Technology Connect. Just drop an email to the editor. The first Volume of Technology Connect featured 21 Issues published between June 2015 and December 2015. This is Volume 2.
Happy Reading!