A new study published in Addiction has found that cytisine, a low-cost, generic stop-smoking aid that has been used in eastern Europe since the 1960s, increases the chances of successful smoking cessation by more than two-fold compared with placebo and may be more effective than nicotine replacement therapy. It has a benign safety profile, with no evidence of serious safety concerns.  Sounds perfect for your New Year resolution, doesn’t it? But there’s a catch: Cytisine is not licensed or marketed in most countries outside of central and eastern Europe, ...

Travel deep enough below Earth’s surface or inside the center of the Sun, and matter changes on an atomic level.  The mounting pressure within stars and planets can cause metals to become nonconducting insulators. Sodium has been shown to transform from a shiny, gray-colored metal into a transparent, glass-like insulator when squeezed hard enough.  Now, a University at Buffalo-led study has revealed the chemical bonding behind this particular high-pressure phenomenon. While it’s been theorized that high pressure essentially squeezes sodium’s electrons out into the spaces between atoms, researchers’ quantum chemical ...

WASHINGTON—The Endocrine Society, the world’s oldest and largest professional medical society devoted to the study and treatment of hormone-related conditions, applauds Governor Mike Dewine’s veto of a proposed Ohio law that would have banned gender-affirming care for minors. The bill he vetoed contradicts mainstream medical practice and scientific evidence and would have taken medical decision-making out of the hands of families and their physicians and instead relied upon government officials.  More ...

Researchers from the University of Maine and Penn State discovered that molecules experience non-reciprocal interactions without external forces.  Fundamental forces such as gravity and electromagnetism are reciprocal, where two objects are attracted to each other or are repelled by each other. In our everyday experience, however, interactions don’t seem to follow this reciprocal law. For example, a predator is attracted to prey, but the prey tends to flee from the predator. Such non-reciprocal interactions are essential for complex behavior associated with living organisms. ...

New research from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) developed CAR T cells that target two acute myeloid leukemia-specific antigens; shed new light on a genetic element called LINE-1, opening the door to new treatments; identified a key regulator of blood stem cell fate; and found an immunotherapy technique using antibodies that target CD47 shows promise in mice. CAR T Cells that target two antigens treat AML with minimal toxicity Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has so far resisted treatment with chimeric ...

The demand for industrial enzymes is continually rising, driven by the growing need to shift towards more sustainable industrial processes. Our research outlines a novel approach in enzyme production, harnessing the untapped potential of cyanobacterial biomass within the P. pastoris platform. Group Leader, Dr. Schieder, highlights the nature of the study, stating, "Our work reveals the potential of cyanobacterial biorefineries to support enzyme production." This achievement stems from an extensive multi-field approach. We characterized and expanded a combinatorial library, streamlining P. pastoris engineering for enhanced efficiency. ...

A groundbreaking study led by Professor Sebyung Kang and Professor Sung Ho Park in the Department of Biological Sciences at UNIST has unveiled a remarkable breakthrough in cancer treatment. The research team has successfully developed unprecedented “NK cell-engaging nanodrones” capable of selectively targeting and eliminating cancer cells, offering a potential solution for intractable types of cancers. The innate lymphoid cells known as natural killer (NK) cells play a vital role in the body’s immune response against cancer. Numerous efforts have been made to harness the power of NK cells to develop effective cancer therapies. ...

This study is led by Dr. Shuyang Yu (College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University), Dr. Jingyu Xu (The Collaborative Innovation Center of Tissue Damage Repair and Regeneration Medicine of Zunyi Medical University) and Dr. Xuguang Du (College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University) and illustrated the key role of Mettl3 in CD8 T cell response during acute infection model. CD8 T cells (also known as cytotoxic T lymphocytes) are a key component of the adaptive immune system. Once ...

This study is led by Prof. Wen-Bin Zhang (College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University & Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence) and Dr. Jing Fang (College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University). A single-domain protein catenane refers to two mechanically interlocked polypeptide rings that fold synergistically into a compact and integrated structure, which is extremely rare in nature. This design was achieved by rewiring the connectivity between secondary motifs to introduce artificial entanglement, and synthesis was readily accomplished through a series of programmed streamlined ...

This study is led by Prof. Ping Zhang, Dr. Yiming Liu, Yile Song, and Jiaxiang Zhang (State Key Laboratory of Networking and Switching Technology, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications). The article summarizes the advances made in semantic information and semantic communications. It also deeply discusses the main challenges, key issues, and potential research directions in the development of modern semantic communication, aiming to prompt further scientific and industrial advances in semantic communications. The development of information ...

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Amid the threat of dramatic sea level rise, coastal communities face unprecedented dangers, but a new study reveals that as flooding intensifies, disadvantaged populations will be the ones to experience some of the most severe burdens of climate change. While accelerating sea level rise will result in widespread intermittent flooding and long-term inundation in many coastal communities, the paper, recently published in Nature Communications, showed that when these levels increase above 4 feet, minority populations will be disproportionately at risk of isolation. Rising sea levels could lead to isolation by disrupting transportation ...

A team of researchers led by Professor Young S. Park at UNIST’s Department of Chemistry has achieved a significant breakthrough in the field of organic semiconductors. Their successful synthesis and characterization of a novel molecule called “BNBN anthracene” has opened up new possibilities for the development of advanced electronic devices. Organic semiconductors play a crucial role in improving the movement and light properties of electrons in carbon-centered organic electronic devices. The team’s research focused on enhancing the chemical diversity of these semiconductors by replacing carbon-carbon (C−C) ...

The Korean artificial sun, KSTAR, has completed divertor upgrades, allowing it to operate for extended periods sustaining high-temperature plasma over the 100 million degrees. The Korea Institute of Fusion Energy announced the successful installation of the newly developed tungsten divertor for KSTAR. KSTAR, now equipped with the new divertor, commenced a plasma experiment on the 21st of December 2023. The divertor, a crucial plasma-facing component installed at the bottom of the vacuum vessel in a magnetic fusion device known as a Tokamak, manages the exhaust of ...

Ischaemic cholecystitis is a form of gallbladder inflammation that occurs without gallstones or another form of external compression. It is caused by poor perfusion to the gallbladder tissue. This new research is important because it helps to better understand the cause of ischaemic cholecystitis and to develop more effective treatments for this condition. A team of researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, conducted a study investigating the cause of ischaemic cholecystitis. They found that the gallbladder is particularly susceptible to ischaemia ...

About The Study: The findings of this study including 345 participants suggest that post–COVID-19 brain health was impaired but, overall, no more than the brain health of patients from 3 non–COVID-19 cohorts of comparable disease severity. Long-term associations with brain health might not be specific to COVID-19 but associated with overall illness severity and hospitalization. This information is important for putting understandable concerns about brain health after COVID-19 into perspective.  Authors: Daniel Kondziella, M.D., M.Sc., Dr.Philos., ...

About The Study: In this study of children tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection in Canadian pediatric emergency departments, although children infected with SARS-CoV-2 reported increased chronic symptoms, few of these children developed post–COVID-19 condition, and overall quality of life did not differ from children with negative SARS-CoV-2 tests.  Authors: Stephen Freedman, M.D.C.M., M.Sc., of the University of Calgary in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is the corresponding author.   To access the embargoed study: ...

About The Study: In this study of 465,000 individuals, a higher self-reported frequency of adding salt to foods was associated with a higher risk of chronic kidney disease in the general population. These findings suggest that reducing the frequency of adding salt to foods at the table might be a valuable strategy to lower chronic kidney disease risk in the general population.  Authors: Lu Qi, M.D., Ph.D., of Tulane University in New Orleans, is the corresponding author.   To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The ...

A research team, led by Professor Yongwon Seo in the Graduate School of Carbon Neutrality at UNIST has unveiled a highly efficient method for desalinating seawater using hydrate-based desalination (HBD) technology. The breakthrough is expected to have far-reaching implications for the application of hydrate-based desalination techniques, with the ability to calculate optimal temperatures for enhanced efficiency. Hydrate desalination technology, known for its eco-friendly freshwater production capabilities, offers a low-energy solution that can be effectively used in treating high concentrations of brine or contaminated water. By ...

“[...] the results of this preclinical investigation program suggest that induction of apoptosis is a key component of GFH009’s anti-tumor mechanism of action [...]” BUFFALO, NY- December 28, 2023 – A new research paper was published in Oncotarget's Volume 14 on December 20, 2023, entitled, “The pharmacodynamic and mechanistic foundation for the antineoplastic effects of GFH009, a potent and highly selective CDK9 inhibitor for the treatment of hematologic malignancies.” To evade cell cycle controls, malignant cells rely upon rapid expression of select proteins to mitigate pro-apoptotic signals ...

“Angelica gigas Nakai (AG), a traditional medicinal herb, is garnering scientific attention for its potential in addressing a variety of health conditions.” BUFFALO, NY- December 27, 2023 – A new research paper was published in Aging (listed by MEDLINE/PubMed as "Aging (Albany NY)" and "Aging-US" by Web of Science) Volume 15, Issue 23, entitled, “Angelica gigas extract inhibits acetylation of eNOS via IRE1α sulfonation/RIDD-SIRT1-mediated posttranslational modification ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE In a Viewpoint article published Dec. 27, 2023, in JAMA Surgery, three Johns Hopkins researchers urge the medical community to dismiss a widely held, but scientifically unsupported belief that many people who are transgender and gender diverse (TGD), and undergo gender affirming surgery (GAS), later regret their decision to undergo such procedures. The researchers are: Harry Barbee, Ph.D., assistant professor and interdisciplinary social scientist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Bashar ...

Climate change is the biggest global health threat in the 21st century, and the rising temperatures have undermined the health and safety of the working population, as well as caused labor losses, which are closely tied to social-economic development. Although the future temperatures increase in China has been forecasted by state-of-the-art climate change projections, to what extent the influence on labor has not been well studied. In a paper published in Science Bulletin, a Chinese research team presents evidence of future labor losses due to heat stress in China under climate change scenarios. This study was led by Cunrui Huang, a professor at the Vanke School of Public ...

Supraglacial environments mainly consist of four main types of habitats for microbes and viruses, including snow, ice, meltwater, and cryoconites (the granular sediment on glacier surfaces). The paper revealed that there were more than 10,000 viral species in global supraglacial environments. This is a 15-fold expansion of DNA viral genomic inventory ever known. These viruses mainly belong to bacteriophages, viruses infecting bacteria. Liu et al., also found the viral communities showed a clear regional and habitat distribution pattern, with polar glacier samples separated from mountain ...

Scientists at MIT, the University of Birmingham, and elsewhere say that astronomers’ best chance of finding liquid water, and even life on other planets, is to look for the absence, rather than the presence, of a chemical feature in their atmospheres.  The researchers propose that if a terrestrial planet has substantially less carbon dioxide in its atmosphere compared to other planets in the same system, it could be a sign of liquid water — and possibly life — on that planet’s surface.  What’s more, this new signature is within the sights of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). While scientists have proposed ...

- The nomination of the new generation of FGFR2/3 inhibitor for the treatment of tissue-agnostic solid tumors, bringing the total number of PCCs nominated by Insilico in 2023 to six.  - ISM8001 is an oral, highly selective, covalent inhibitor that demonstrated superior potency in multiple FGFR2/3-driven efficacy models, and also in gatekeeper and molecular brake mutant resistant models.  - The program once again demonstrates Insilico's ability to efficiently generate novel molecules with high quality that are currently available for partnering.   Insilico Medicine ("Insilico"), a generative artificial intelligence (AI)-driven clinical-stage drug discovery ...