Researchers have come up with a new way to identify more infectious variants of viruses or bacteria that start spreading in humans – including those causing flu, COVID, whooping cough and tuberculosis. Real-Time Monitoring of Pathogens The new approach uses samples from infected humans to allow real-time monitoring of pathogens circulating in human populations, and enable vaccine-evading bugs to be quickly and automatically identified. This could inform the development of vaccines that are more effective in preventing disease. The approach…

A recent review is transforming the landscape of craniomaxillofacial bone regeneration with the introduction of personalized bioceramic grafts. This pioneering research explores the fabrication and clinical potential of synthetic grafts created through additive manufacturing (AM), addressing key limitations of traditional autogenous grafts. By focusing on 3D-printed bioceramics tailored to meet individual patient needs, the study marks a significant advancement in both precision medicine and patient-specific care, offering new hope for those requiring bone reconstruction. Challenges in Craniofacial Bone Reconstruction Craniofacial…

Cancer in children and adolescents is rare. Nevertheless, malignant diseases are still one of the most common causes of death in this age group. Survivors of childhood or adolescent cancer often suffer chronic health problems with increased morbidity and mortality rates. The most important known risk factor for childhood cancer is genetic predisposition to cancer. Certain disease-associated variants in a person’s genes increase the risk of developing cancer. ‘Understanding the causes of cancer in children and adolescents is essential in…

Many differences appeared to exist prior to any substance use, pointing to the role brain structure may play in substance use risk, NIH-supported study suggests. Studies reveal factors that expose adolescent vulnerabilities toward substance use A study of nearly 10,000 adolescents funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has identified distinct differences in the brain structures of those who used substances before age 15 compared to those who did not. Many of these structural brain differences appeared to exist in…

Medical University of South Carolina Hollings Cancer Center researcher receives Department of Defense Early Career Scholar Award to improve immune therapies by targeting resistant kidney tumors. A Medical University of South Carolina Hollings Cancer Center researcher is exploring new ways to improve treatment options for kidney cancer patients. With funding from a Department of Defense (DOD) Academy of Kidney Cancer Investigators Early Career Scholar Award, Aguirre de Cubas, Ph.D., will investigate how the immune system can be boosted to detect and kill…

Exploiting an ingenious combination of photochemical (i.e., light-induced) reactions and self-assembly processes, a team led by Prof. Alberto Credi of the University of Bologna has succeeded in inserting a filiform molecule into the cavity of a ring-shaped molecule, according to a high-energy geometry that is not possible at thermodynamic equilibrium. In other words, light makes it possible to create a molecular “fit” that would otherwise be inaccessible. “We have shown that by administering light energy to an aqueous solution, a…

Innovative stent surface technology to control vascular cell responses without drug side effects. The research team led by Dr. Hojeong Jeon and Dr. Hyung-Seop Han of the Biomaterials Research Center at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST, President Oh Sang-Rok), along with Dr. Indong Jun from KIST Europe, has developed a novel stent surface treatment technology using laser patterning. This technology promotes endothelial cell growth while inhibiting smooth muscle cell dedifferentiation in blood vessels. By controlling cellular responses to nanostructured…

Active monitoring is a sufficiently safe option when prostate MRI findings are negative. There are several strategies for the early detection of prostate cancer. The first step is often a blood test for prostate-specific antigen (PSA). If PSA levels exceed a certain threshold, the next step typically involves taking a tissue sample for analysis. Another option is to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to search for signs of a tumor before deciding whether a biopsy is necessary, reserving biopsies only…

A team led by plant biotechnologist Prof Markus Schwarzländer from the University of Münster and biochemist Prof Bruce Morgan from Saarland University has developed new biosensors with which the ratio of NADPH to NADP⁺ can be measured in living cells in real time for the first time. Biological cells have many vital functions in the organism. For example, they produce proteins, carbohydrates and fats. But they are also responsible for detoxifying harmful molecules and transmitting signals and immune defence steps….

A new method of scanning lungs is able to show the effects of treatment on lung function in real time and enable experts to see the functioning of transplanted lungs. This could enable medics to identify sooner any decline in lung function. The scan method has enabled the team, led by researchers at Newcastle University, UK, to see how air moves in and out of the lungs as people take a breath in patients with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease…

Researchers at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia have developed novel 3D printed PLA-CaP scaffolds that promote blood vessel formation, ensuring better healing and regeneration of bone tissue. Bone is a highly vascularized tissue, and the link between angiogenesis -blood vessel formation- and bone healing has long been discussed by the scientific community, with several studies describing the impairment of bone healing because of lack of or diminished angiogenesis. Traditional approaches like grafting often result in complications due to an…

ASU- and Banner Alzheimer’s Institute-led study implicates link between a common virus and the disease, which travels from the gut to the brain and may be a target for antiviral treatments. Arizona State University and Banner Alzheimer’s Institute researchers, along with their collaborators, have discovered a surprising link between a chronic gut infection caused by a common virus and the development of Alzheimer’s disease in a subset of people. It is believed most humans are exposed to this virus — called…

How deubiquitinases USP53 and USP54 cleave long polyubiquitin chains and how the former is linked to liver disease in children. Deubiquitinases (DUBs) are enzymes used by cells to trim protein modifications made from the protein ubiquitin, and thereby regulate proteins. Malfunctioning of DUBs could lead to diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. A protein called USP53 has been recently linked with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis, a hereditary liver disease in children, yet its mechanism of action has remained elusive. While…

Conceptual blueprint to analyze experimental catalyst data. Machine learning (ML) models have recently become popular in the field of heterogeneous catalyst design. The inherent complexity of the interactions between catalyst components is very high, leading to both synergistic and antagonistic effects on catalyst yield that are difficult to disentangle. Therefore, the discovery of well-performing catalysts has long relied on serendipitous trial and error. BIFOLD researcher Parastoo Semnani from the Machine Learning group of BIFOLD Co-Director Klaus-Robert Müller and a team…

The identification of genes involved in diseases is one of the major challenges of biomedical research. Researchers at the University of Bonn and the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) have developed a method that makes their identification much easier and faster: they light up genome sequences in the cell nucleus. In contrast to complex screenings using established methods, the NIS-Seq method can be used to investigate the genetic determinants of almost any biological process in human cells. The study has now…

Antibody that Neutralizes Inhibitory Factors Involved in Nerve Regeneration Leads to Enhanced Motor Function after Acute Spinal Cord Injury. Researchers at 13 clinics in Germany, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Spain have investigated this with promising results. For the first time, it was possible to identify patient groups that displayed a clinically relevant treatment effect. A follow-up study will start in December 2024. The latest study results have been published online in the renowned “The Lancet Neurology” journal. Joint press…