Could the expensive
mineral, gold lead to the production of cheaper medical tests? This article
clarifies the new knowledge that yes a golden solution can in fact be a vital
mixture in creating inexpensive tests for HIV. Individuals with a low level
income in a lesser-developed nation such as, India for example, cannot afford
medical diagnostic tests to detect cancer or infections because the tests are
too expensive. Currently, a group of researchers at the Imperial College in
London, England have developed a theory that gold could be the answer. A common
type of diagnostic test known as the ‘enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay’ (ELISA)
uses a miniscule dish coated with antibodies that bind to a target molecule
from a germ or tumor cell present in blood serum. With this said, the additional
antibodies add chemicals by carrying enzymes that can be made to change color.
A machine analyzes the antibodies and carefully measures color change to
determine whether there is a presence of tumor cells. This particular field in
the department of medicine is rather expensive, especially the equipment.
* Information obtained at www.newscientist.com
* Pictures obtained at www.newscientist.com & www.theinformationdaily.com
Figure 17.1
Figure 17.2
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