Scientists have deciphered how an activated catalyst breaks down the strong carbon-hydrogen bonds in potent greenhouse gas methane, according to a study published in Science. Using advanced X-ray technology and quantum-chemical calculations, they tracked the electron exchange between the catalyst and the methane molecule, paving the way for developing more efficient catalysts to convert harmful [...]
Qun Ren, an Empa researcher, and her team are currently developing a diagnostic procedure that can rapidly detect life-threatening blood poisoning caused by staphylococcus bacteria. Staphylococcal sepsis is fatal in up to 40% of the cases. An infection with the spherical bacteria may have started as a local skin disease or pneumonia. Once the staphylococci [...]
University of Queensland researchers have developed a nanoparticle to take a chemotherapy drug into fast growing, aggressive brain tumors. Research team lead Dr. Taskeen Janjua from UQ's School of Pharmacy said the new silica nanoparticle can be loaded with temozolomide, a small molecule drug used to treat tumors known as glioblastoma. "This chemotherapy drug [...]
A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has devised a novel method for customizing treatments by testing them on artificial tumors. Determining the optimal treatment for colon cancer can be challenging as each patient’s response to chemotherapy varies considerably. Researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) have developed an innovative method to test various drugs [...]
A cancer vaccine combining checkpoint blockade therapy and a STING-activating drug eliminates tumors and prevents recurrence in mice. MIT researchers have engineered a therapeutic cancer vaccine that targets the STING pathway, vital for immune response to cancer cells. This vaccine has shown significant potential in eliminating tumors, inhibiting metastasis, and preventing recurrence in mouse models [...]
The machine-learning algorithm identified a compound that kills Acinetobacter baumannii, a bacterium that lurks in many hospital settings. Using an artificial intelligence algorithm, researchers at MIT and McMaster University have identified a new antibiotic that can kill a type of bacteria that is responsible for many drug-resistant infections. If developed for use in patients, the drug could help [...]
A study published in the Journal of The National Cancer Institute Cancer Spectrum delved into the increasing use of chatbots and artificial intelligence (AI) in providing cancer-related information. The researchers discovered that these digital resources accurately debunk common myths and misconceptions about cancer. This pioneering research was conducted by Skyler Johnson, MD, a physician-scientist at the [...]
A small trial has found that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) may help restore proper heart function in patients with post-COVID syndrome, with participants in the HBOT group experiencing a significant increase in global longitudinal strain (GLS), an indicator of heart function. A small randomized trial in patients with post-COVID syndrome has found that hyperbaric [...]
Summary: In a pioneering study, researchers designed a wireless brain-spine interface enabling a paralyzed man to walk naturally again. The ‘digital bridge’ comprises two electronic implants — one on the brain and another on the spinal cord — that decode brain signals and stimulate the spinal cord to activate leg muscles. Remarkably, the patient experienced [...]
An anti-cancer gel promises to wipe out glioblastoma permanently, a feat that's never been accomplished by any drug or surgery. So what makes this gel so special? Scientists at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) have developed a novel gel that both eliminates brain cancer (glioblastoma) and keeps it from recurring. When they tested this anti-cancer [...]
