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safety and efficacy of potential treatments. The new device mimics complex 3D features of the intestine in a miniaturized form. Inside a central chamber, a single layer of human intestinal epithelial cells grows on a flexible, porous membrane, recreating the inte- stinal barrier. The membrane attaches to side walls that stretch and recoil with the aid of an attached vacuum controller. This cyclic mechanical deforma- tion mimics the wave-like peristaltic motions that move food along the digestive tract. The design also recapitulates the intestinal tissue-tissue interface, which allows fluids to flow above and below the intestinal cell layer, mimicking the luminal microen- vironment on one side of the device and the flow of blood through capillary vessels on the other.

Hyun Jung Kim, Dongeun Huh , Geraldine Hamilton and Donald E. Ingber: Human gut-on-a-chip inhabited by microbial flora that experiences intestinal peristalsis-like motions and flow, In: Lab Chip Advance Article, March 08, 2012, DOI:10.1039/C2LC40074J: http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C2LC40074J

http://wyss.harvard.edu/viewpressrelease/80/

and transparent integrated circuits and batteries developed at other labs in recent years. Details of the Rice breakthrough will be published in an upco- ming paper, Tour said.

The research lab of chemist James Tour at Rice University (US) has developed transparent, fle- xible memories using silicon oxide as the active component. Tour revealed in a talk at the national meeting and exposition of the American Chemical Society in San Diego that the new type of memory could combine with the likes of transparent elec- trodes developed at Rice for flexible touchscreens

“Generally, you can’t see a bit of memory, becau- se it’s too small,” said Tour, Rice’s T.T. and W.F. Chao Chair in Chemistry as well as a professor of mechanical engineering and materials science and of computer science. “But silicon itself is not trans- parent. If the density of the circuits is high enough, you’re going to see it.”

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A flexible, transparent memory chip created by researchers at Rice University.

© Tour Lab/Rice University