Thioxanthones are fascinating organic compounds that have found their way into many industrial and everyday applications. In the printing industry, for example, they help inks dry faster when exposed to light thanks to their light-absorption properties, making the printing process quicker and more efficient. Some thioxanthones have been developed into FDA-approved drugs used to treat parasitic infections and cancer. Additionally, their effectiveness as photocatalysts has led some researchers to explore their potential as stabilizers against electrical breakdown. Thioxanthones have also been ...

A national study seeking more effective treatment for deadly metaplastic breast cancer has identified two inhibitor drugs with the potential to interrupt disease progression. Houston Methodist and a team of researchers from across the country examined the biology of metaplastic breast cancer, comparing it to non-metaplastic triple negative breast cancer. They discovered metaplastic breast cancers typically exhibit two unique signaling pathways in their cell interaction. Researchers were able to disrupt these pathways using a class of inhibitors typically used to treat advanced ...

PHOENIX — Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a targeted therapy that could bring relief to people living with lichen planus, a chronic inflammatory skin condition of the skin, hair, nails, mouth and genitals. They described their findings in a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation that described their first-in-human, phase 2 clinical trial. The researchers identified unique molecular and cellular changes in the skin with lichen planus, particularly an overactive immune response involving specific types of T cells, a crucial immune system component. The ...

Tiny copper ‘nano-flowers’ have been attached to an artificial leaf to produce clean fuels and chemicals that are the backbone of modern energy and manufacturing. The researchers, from the University of Cambridge and the University of California, Berkeley, developed a practical way to make hydrocarbons – molecules made of carbon and hydrogen – powered solely by the sun. The device they developed combines a light absorbing ‘leaf’ made from a high-efficiency solar cell material called perovskite, with a copper nanoflower catalyst, to convert carbon dioxide into useful molecules. Unlike most metal catalysts, which can only convert CO₂ into single-carbon ...

Embargoed until 10am GMT UK time (5am US Eastern Time) on Monday 03 February 2025 (Nature Geoscience embargo) -With pictures- The Greenland Ice Sheet is cracking open more rapidly as it responds to climate change. The warning comes in a new large-scale study of crevasses on the world’s second largest body of ice. Using 3-D surface maps, scientists led by Durham University, UK, found crevasses had significantly increased in size and depth at the fast-flowing edges of the ice sheet over the ...

*EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL MONDAY, FEB. 3, AT 5 A.M. ET* Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy have developed a computer model to help scientists identify tumor-fighting immune cells in patients with lung cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.    In their study published Feb. 3 in Nature Communications, the team, including first author  Zhen Zeng, Ph.D., a bioinformatics research associate at the Kimmel Cancer Center, demonstrated that their three-gene “MANAscore” computer model can identify ...

Our brain is remarkably flexible in producing different reactions to supposedly comparable situations. The same sensory information can lead to different decisions depending on the behavioral context. One example of this is a penalty kick in soccer: a player can either choose the empty corner of the goal as the target or aim directly at the goalkeeper in the hope that he will jump aside. Both decisions are based on the same perception of the goalkeeper's position, but lead to completely different actions. Neuroscientists at the German Primate Center (DPZ) - Leibniz Institute for Primate Research in Göttingen have investigated how the brain implements this ...

The future of medicine may very well lie in the personalization of health care—knowing exactly what an individual needs and then delivering just the right mix of nutrients, metabolites, and medications, if necessary, to stabilize and improve their condition. To make this possible, physicians first need a way to continuously measure and monitor certain biomarkers of health.   To that end, a team of Caltech engineers has developed a technique for inkjet printing arrays of special nanoparticles that enables the mass production of long-lasting wearable sweat sensors. These sensors could be used to monitor a variety of biomarkers, ...

Yerba mate, along with tea and coffee, is one of the world’s most popular caffeinated beverages. Widely consumed in South America, this remarkable plant is rich in diverse, bioactive compounds that contribute many health benefits.   An international group of researchers has mapped the yerba mate genome, providing insights into the biosynthesis of caffeine in yerba mate. This new information provides opportunities for creating plant varieties with new characteristics.   The work, led by the ...

Hitting the current national 2030 quotas for solar and wind energy could reduce the volatility of electricity markets by an average of 20% across 29 European countries, according to a new study from the University of Cambridge.   The intensity of spikes in power prices are predicted to fall in every country by the end of the decade if commitments to green energy are met, as natural gas dependency is cut.   The UK and Ireland would be the biggest beneficiaries, with 44% and 43% reductions in the severity of electricity price spikes by 2030, compared with last year. Germany could experience a 31% decline in electricity price ...

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 more than a third of beekeepers surveyed in England and Wales deviate from recommended treatment guidelines, including application windows. Crucially, they found that beekeepers who mistimed Varroa mite treatments experienced exacerbated colony losses, with the effect occurring ...

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 one another. This exchange is called trogocytosis and may potentially impact the immune response since it allows different proteins to be transferred between cells.  Chimeric antigen ...

by Nishith Mishra, Martina Elia Vitoloni, and Dr Joseph Pelton Mining ocean resources needed for electric cars and other devices is currently a hot issue of dispute. Final resolution of how or whether the seabed should be expl18oited is pending. Outcomes in this contentious area could create precedents that could impact decisions about mining the moon. These precedents might shape the how and why of mining the Moon and shape the future and the sustainability of space activities of human beings. But this is only one possible precedent that could reshape the future of space. Pending international discussions on space traffic management, space debris removal, and limiting ...

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 mixed with bodily fluids, such as saliva and nasal mucus which contain organic matters. For this reason, it is necessary to investigate how effective ozonated water is in the presence of ...

Alcohol-related deaths increased 18% during the pandemic, as did hospitalizations related to alcohol use, according to new research in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.241146. In the early part of the pandemic, retail alcohol sales volume in Canada increased by 2% (2020/21 v. 2019), the highest increase in 10 years, despite few international visitors. More than 1 in 4 people (26%) reported drinking more, and 18% reported heavy drinking (defined as ...

The risk of being admitted to the hospital with heart disease is twice as high the year after birth for mothers of twins compared to singleton births, according to research published in the European Heart Journal [1] today (Monday). The risk is even higher in mothers of twins who had a high blood pressure condition during pregnancy.   The research was led by Professor Cande Ananth from the Department of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Jersey, USA.   He said: “The rate of twin pregnancies worldwide ...

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: “Alzheimer's can be hypothesised as being a result ...

It’s a little pill with big responsibilities. But despite its primary role to prevent pregnancy, the contraceptive pill (or ‘the Pill’) could also help reduce the risk of ovarian cancer, according to new research from the University of South Australia.   Screening for risk factors of ovarian cancer using artificial intelligence, UniSA researchers found that the oral contraceptive pill reduced the risk of ovarian cancer by 26% among women who had ever used the Pill, and by 43% for women who had used the Pill after the age of 45.   The study also identified some biomarkers associated with ovarian cancer risk, including several characteristics of red blood ...

2nd February 2025 Greifswald/Aarhus/Helsinki - On time for World Wetlands Day, the European Wetland Map (‘EWM’) significantly enhances knowledge of wetlands across Europe by locating, assessing and merging the latest geospatial data. It combines various geographic information system (GIS) data on wetland types and their distribution on mineral soil in coastal environments, floodplains, and a large variety of peatlands in one most comprehensive, easily accessible resource.   "Over a period of two years, we collected, checked and merged more than 200 geodata on wetlands and especially ...

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago launched a newborn screening awareness campaign, with signage on public transit and billboards across Chicago urging parents to contact their child’s pediatrician immediately if results are out of normal range. For some conditions, such as cystic fibrosis, that are included in newborn screening, timely diagnosis and early treatment are key to optimal health, while delays can lead to more severe disease. All U.S. states screen for at least 33 metabolic and ...

A new study from the University of Chicago Medicine reveals that people with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and depression experience high levels of stimulation and pleasure when intoxicated, similar to drinkers who do not have depression. The findings counter the long-held belief that the pleasure people experience when drinking alcohol decreases with addiction and that drinking to intoxication is mainly to reduce negative feelings as a form of self-medication.  "We have this folklore that people drink excessively when they're feeling depressed ...

Tokyo, Japan – Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have studied how nurses perceive words showing high and low risk ailments. They looked for directional bias, e.g. whether words denoting lower (higher) risk led to a quicker response when placed on the left (right) side or vice versa. They found faster response for significantly higher or lower risk, but different people had different directional biases. Their findings might inform better ways to present clinical information.   With every incoming medical emergency, nurses are required ...

High-risk pregnancy specialists from the Raquel and Jaime Gilinski Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai are presenting research at the Annual Pregnancy Meeting of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) in Denver from January 27- February 1. The Mount Sinai doctors are available for interview about their research findings, and can also provide commentary on other women’s health topics, breaking news, and studies. PRESENTATIONS and POSTER SESSIONS *All abstracts are under embargo until the below listed times* Thursday, ...

University of Cambridge media release   ‘Altar tent’ discovery puts Islamic art at the heart of medieval Christianity   UNDER STRICT EMBARGO UNTIL 00:01AM (UK TIME) ON SATURDAY 1ST FEBRUARY 2025   A 13th-century fresco rediscovered in Ferrara, Italy, provides unique evidence of medieval churches using Islamic tents to conceal their high altars. The 700-year-old fresco is thought to be the only surviving image of its kind, offering precious evidence of a little-known Christian practice.   The partially-visible fresco, identified by Cambridge University historian Dr Federica Gigante, almost certainly depicts a real tent, ...

Prison violence remains a significant yet underreported issue in the U.S. criminal justice system, leading to unsafe conditions for both incarcerated persons and staff. To address this pressing problem, a team of researchers has conducted a study aimed at understanding prison violence to develop strategies for reducing and preventing it in correctional facilities nationwide. The researchers present their work in two recently released policy briefs — “The Dark Figure of Prison Violence: A Multi-Strategy Approach to Uncovering the Prevalence of Prison Violence” and “Sources and Consequences ...