A 3D model accurately mimicking the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) in a laboratory environment has been successfully developed by research teams led by Professor Jinah Jang from the Departments of Mechanical Engineering, Life Sciences, IT Convergence Engineering, and the Graduate School of Convergence at POSTECH, and Professor Sun Ha Paek from the Department of Neurosurgery at Seoul National University Hospital.  This study was recently published in Biomaterials Research, an international academic journal on materials science. Neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease,…

Potential new therapy for childhood brain cancer is effective in infiltrating, killing tumor cells in preclinical models in mice  Brain cancer is the second-leading cause of death in children in the developed world. For the children who survive, standard treatments have long-term impacts on their development and quality of life, particularly in small children and infants. Research out of Emory University and QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Queensland, Australia, has shown that a potential new targeted therapy for childhood brain cancer is…

New research from Boston University School of Public Health and the University of Minnesota shows that death rates for early adults, or adults aged 25-44, rose sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic and remain higher than expected post-pandemic.  New research from the University of Minnesota and Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) shows that death rates for early adults, or adults aged 25-44, rose sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic and remain higher than expected post-pandemic. Heightened death rates during the…

Research led by Lancaster University has revealed clear evidence that changes in the orchestration of brain oxygenation dynamics and neuronal function in Alzheimer’s disease contribute to the neurodegeneration. The study “Neurovascular phase coherence is altered in Alzheimer’s Disease” is published in Brain Communications. The lead author is Aneta Stefanovska with Juliane Bjerkan,  Gemma Lancaster, Peter McClintock and Trevor Crawford from Lancaster University and Bernard Meglič and Jan Kobal from the University of Ljubljana Medical Centre in Slovenia. Professor Stefanovska said:…

Amylase and mucin decrease the effects of ozonated water  Disinfecting surfaces is crucial in keeping bacteria and viruses at bay, but the cleaning solutions could be ineffective if met with neutralizing compounds. Ozonated water has a strong disinfection effect on mold and bacteria, and is also shown to work on SARS-CoV-2, which is responsible for COVID-19. The downside is that ozonated water breaks down quickly in the presence of organic matter, which reduces its effectiveness. SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted through droplets…

Engineered immune cells called CAR-T cells are used in the treatment of cancer. Researchers from Uppsala University have now discovered that CAR molecules can be transferred from the CAR-T cells to other T cells in the tumour microenvironment. The researchers also pinpoint how this transfer is regulated, which may be used to improve the efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy. The study has been published in the journal Science Immunology.  Immune cells have a capacity to exchange cell surface molecules between…

Honey bee mortality can be significantly reduced by ensuring that treatments for the parasitic Varroa mite occur within specific timeframes, a new study reveals  Honey bee mortality can be significantly reduced by ensuring that treatments for the parasitic Varroa mite occur within specific timeframes, a new study reveals. The mites—belonging to the species Varroa destructor—feed on the larvae of bees and can destroy colonies if not treated at key points to reduce or remove infestations. But researchers have found that…

Discover how Huntsman Cancer Institute is transforming surgical care with the new da Vinci 5 robotic systems. Learn about their precision, patient benefits, and commitment to advancing minimally invasive procedures in Utah and the Mountain West.  SALT LAKE CITY— Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah (the U) proudly announces the addition of two da Vinci 5 robotic surgical systems. This state-of-the-art technology is designed to enhance precision, control, and safety during minimally invasive surgeries, setting a new standard in…

A new platform can design and match small peptides with complex, tangled proteins previously considered unreachable  DURHAM, N.C. — Biomedical engineers at Duke University have developed an AI-based platform that designs short proteins, termed peptides, capable of binding and destroying previously undruggable disease-causing proteins. Inspired by OpenAI’s image generation model, their new algorithm can rapidly prioritize peptides for experimental testing. The work appeared Jan. 22 in the journal Science Advances.  One approach to treat disease is to develop therapeutics that…

The electronics of the future can be made even smaller and more efficient by getting more memory cells to fit in less space. One way to achieve this is by adding the noble gas xenon when manufacturing digital memories. This has been demonstrated by researchers at Linköping University in a study published in Nature Communications. This technology enables a more even material coating even in small cavities.  Twenty-five years ago, a camera memory card could hold 64 megabytes of information….

Research among the first to show pandemic’s effects on children before they become students  Lockdowns. Social distancing. Shuttered schools and businesses. The COVID-19 pandemic and its sweeping disruptions set off a stampede of “what it’s doing to us” research, focused largely on schoolchildren. How were students’ academics affected? Their mental health? Their social development? Left unexamined was whether the pandemic impacted the social cognition of preschool children — kids younger than 6 — whose social norms were upended by day…

New options make care faster, safer, and more accessible  Tuberculosis remains one of the top infectious disease killers worldwide, a challenge amplified by drug-resistant forms of the disease. Now, in a major step forward, an international clinical trial has found three new safe and effective drug regimens for tuberculosis that is resistant to rifampin, the most effective of the first-line antibiotics used to treat TB. The research, published Jan. 30 in the New England Journal of Medicine, was led by…

Cleveland Clinic research identifies potential genetic factors influencing Parkinson’s disease and repurposable drugs for Parkinson’s disease treatment Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic Genome Center have successfully applied advanced artificial intelligence (AI) genetics models to Parkinson’s disease. Researchers identified genetic factors in progression and FDA-approved drugs that can potentially be repurposed for PD treatment. The npj Parkinson’s Disease report uses an approach called “systems biology,” which uses AI to integrate and analyze multiple different forms of information from genetic, proteomic, pharmaceutical and patient datasets to identify patterns…

By exploring structural changes in the brain related to bipolar disorder and comparing them with major depression, two of the most devastating mental health conditions worldwide, the global initiative seeks to pave the way for more effective treatments. A new study, led by USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute (Stevens INI), will explore structural alterations in the brains of people with bipolar disorder (BD), a chronic mental illness with one of the highest rates of attempted suicide — and for…

Insights could advance new drugs to treat the progressive, fatal disease known as transthyretin amyloidosis. LA JOLLA, CA—The tiny protein known as transthyretin can cause big problems in the body when it misfolds after secretion. While healthy transthyretin moves hormones through blood and spinal fluid, misfolded versions of the protein form dangerous clumps in the heart and along nerves—triggering a progressive and fatal disease known as transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR). Up to a quarter of all men over the age of…

Redox mediator improves performance and lifespan of Li-O2 batteries Lithium–air batteries have the potential to outstrip conventional lithium-ion batteries by storing significantly more energy at the same weight. However, their high-performance values have thus far remained theoretical, and their lifespan remains too short. A Chinese team has now proposed addition of a soluble catalyst to the electrolyte. It acts as a redox mediator that facilitates charge transport and counteracts passivation of the electrodes. In contrast to lithium-ion batteries, in which…