當一顆奈米結構小膠囊具診斷與治療時….

NASA Biocapsule Could Change the Practice of Medicine .By Mark Whittington | Yahoo 20120210Gizmodo has a story about a NASA invention called the biocapsule. In essence it is an implantable device that can diagnose what ails astronauts on long duration spaceflights and automatically dispense medication.The NASA biocapsule has profound implications for the practice of medicine on Earth.

 What is the biocapsule? The biocapsule is a device the size of a pencil tip that is made of carbon nanotubes. It would be filled with some kind of therapeutic agent -- a drug, hormones or cells that would secrete the same -- that could be released in measured doses over a period of time, depending on what the patient needs. The carbon nanotube is porous enough to allow the secretion of medicines into the patient's system. According to a video from the Space Biosciences Division at NASA Ames, the nanotubes are developed in a solution. Then a plastic mold is inserted into the solution. The nanotubes adhere to the outside of the mold, creating the structure of the biocapsule. The biocapsule is filled and then implanted under the skin, probably in one of the patients' thighs. What does NASA envision for the biocapsule?  One of the hazards of long duration space travel is exposure to radiation. If a solar particle event causes an astronaut to be exposed to a radiation burst, cells inside the biocapsule would sense the exposure and would automatically dispense the medicine to treat the effects. Different capsules can be implanted in an astronaut that would treat different conditions he or she might encounter while on a long duration space voyage. After the astronaut returns to Earth, the capsule can be easily removed.

What about Earthly applications? Fellow Geek mentions a biocapsule could be a treatment for diabetes. The biocapsule would contain insulin creating islet cells that would sense a patient's glucose level and secrete insulin automatically. No longer would a diabetic have to inject him or herself with insulin and constantly monitor glucose levels. The biocapsule would not exactly be a cure, but it would for all intents and purposes be just as good as one.Cancer would be another disease the biocapsule would treat. The biocapsule would be filled with chemotherapy medicine, then implanted directly into a tumor. In this way a tumor would be attacked directly without surrounding healthy tissue being affected. The debilitating effects of chemotherapy would thus be avoided.

What are carbon nanotubes? According to NanoCyl, carbon nanotubes are a tube-like material made of carbon that measures nanometers across. Structurally, they resemble rolled up chicken wire. Carbon nanotubes are envisioned for a wide variety of applications besides being the material for the biocapsule because of its intrinsic strength and other unique properties.

Implications Biocapsules are inert and would not be affected by the surrounding tissue. In theory one could have a variety of biocapsules implanted in them to monitor and treat a variety of ailments. It would be as if one had one's one Dr. House inside one's body, but without the acerbic attitude. Mark R. Whittington is the author of Children of Apollo and The Last Moonwalker. He has written on space subjects for a variety of periodicals, including The Houston Chronicle, The Washington Post, USA Today, the L.A. Times, and The Weekly Standard.