Summary: A new study shows that coating neural prosthetic implants with the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone helps reduce the body’s immune response and scar tissue formation. This strategy enhances the long-term performance and stability of electrodes used to connect prosthetic limbs to the nervous system. Researchers chemically modified the surface of polyimide electrodes to enable a [...]
A family of healthy bacteria may help 'soak up' toxic forever chemicals in the body, warding off their cancerous effects. Forever chemicals, also known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), are toxic chemicals that have been linked cancer, infertility and birth defects. They're named because they don't naturally break down in the environment or [...]
A new study reveals that blocking ribosomal RNA production rewires cancer cell behavior and could help treat genetically unstable tumors. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and the Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences have identified a tumor-suppressive response that could lead to new treatments for cancers that are difficult to treat. [...]
In radiation therapy, precision can save lives. Oncologists must carefully map the size and location of a tumor before delivering high-dose radiation to destroy cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. But this process, called tumor segmentation, is still done manually, takes time, varies between doctors—and can lead to critical tumor areas being overlooked. Now, [...]
Researchers used advanced microscopy to uncover important protein structures. For the first time, two important protein structures in the human body are being visualized, thanks in part to cutting-edge technology at the University of Cincinnati’s Center for Advanced Structural Biology. This breakthrough could lead to the development of more effective therapeutics. The research, conducted [...]
Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool that helps clinicians identify brain activity patterns linked to nine types of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, using a single, widely available scan—a transformative advance in early, accurate diagnosis. The tool, StateViewer, helped researchers identify the dementia type in 88% of cases, according to [...]
New research reveals that common food packaging and utensils can shed microscopic plastics into our food, prompting urgent calls for stricter testing and updated regulations to protect public health. Beyond microplastics: The analysis intentionally included larger plastic pieces called mesoplastics (1–10 mm), revealing plastic particles across a wider size range migrate from packaging into [...]
Summary: New research reveals that aging isn’t just a local cellular process—it can spread throughout the body via the bloodstream. A redox-sensitive protein called ReHMGB1, secreted by senescent cells, was found to trigger aging features in distant tissues, impairing regeneration and muscle function. Blocking ReHMGB1 with antibodies in mice reduced cellular aging markers and improved [...]
Imagine a stadium packed with 75,000 fans, all wearing green and white jerseys—except one person in a solid green shirt. Finding that person would be tough. That's how hard it is for scientists to find disease markers—called biomarkers—in the blood. And instead of one stadium, researchers must search through the equivalent of 100,000 stadiums [...]
Fungicides used in agriculture have been linked to an increase in resistance to antifungal drugs in both humans and animals. Fungal infections are on the rise, and two UC Davis infectious disease experts, Dr. George Thompson and Dr. Angel Desai, are sounding the alarm. In a recent commentary published in the New England Journal of Medicine, they [...]
