TAMPA, Fla. — Withanolides, a class of naturally occurring compounds found in plants, have long been a focus of cancer research due to their ability to inhibit cancer cell growth, induce cell death and prevent metastasis. These compounds are important in developing new cancer treatments. However, the difficulty of obtaining enough of these compounds from plants has hindered research and therapeutic development. Moffitt Cancer Center researchers have developed a groundbreaking method for the scalable synthesis of withanolides. This innovative approach, published in Science Advances, could revolutionize cancer research by providing ...

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — NASA’s Mars InSight Lander may be resting on the Red Planet in retirement, but data from the robotic explorer is still leading to seismic discoveries on Earth. In one of the latest studies using data from the spacecraft, an international team of scientists led by a Brown University researcher found that Mars may be getting bombarded by space rocks at more frequent rates than previously thought. Impact rates could be two to 10 times higher than previously estimated, depending on the size of the meteoroids, according to the study published in Science Advances. “It’s ...

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, the University of Cambridge in the U.K. and collaborating institutions have shown that serotonin 2C receptor in the brain regulates memory in people and animal models. The findings, published in the journal Science Advances, not only provide new insights into the factors involved in healthy memory but also in conditions associated with memory loss, like Alzheimer’s disease, and suggest novel avenues for treatment. “Serotonin, a compound produced by neurons in the midbrain, acts as a neurotransmitter, passing messages between brain cells,” said co-corresponding author Dr. Yong Xu, professor of pediatrics ...

New York, NY—June 24, 2024—Most people, when they think about pythons, visualize the huge snake constricting and swallowing victims whole. But did you know that pythons initially hold onto their prey with their sharp, backward-curving teeth? Medical researchers have long been aware that these teeth are perfect for grasping soft tissue rather than cutting through it, but no one has yet been able to put this concept into surgical practice. Over the years, mimicking these teeth for use in surgery has been a frequent topic ...

EMBARGO: 4:00 Sydney AEST June 29 | 14:00 US ET June 28 2024 The beginnings of fashion Paleolithic eyed needles and the evolution of dress A team of researchers led by an archaeologist at the University of Sydney are the first to suggest that eyed needles were a new technological innovation used to adorn clothing for social and cultural purposes, marking the major shift from clothes as protection to clothes as an expression of identity. “Eyed needle tools are an important development in prehistory because they document a transition in the function of clothing from utilitarian to social purposes,” says Dr Ian Gilligan, Honorary Associate ...

FRANKFURT. In congratulating the CARISMa scientists, Goethe University President Prof. Enrico Schleiff said: “The new LOEWE network sets up in Hesse an innovative research program that is currently gathering steam all over the world. It also expands Goethe University’s existing research profile and broadens our network of cooperation partners in the field of CAR cell therapy [editor’s note: CAR is the abbreviation for chimeric antigen receptor]. The network deliberately builds on our university’s ...

Osteoporosis is so difficult to detect in early stage it’s called the “silent disease.” What if artificial intelligence could help predict a patient’s chances of having the bone-loss disease before ever stepping into a doctor’s office? Tulane University researchers made progress toward that vision by developing a new deep learning algorithm that outperformed existing computer-based osteoporosis risk prediction methods, potentially leading to earlier diagnoses and better outcomes for patients with osteoporosis risk. Their results were recently published in ...

Although you may not always realize it, many of the jobs you do can put strain on, and even cause damage to, your nerves.  Sandra Hearn, M.D., the associate chair of Education and Professional Development in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and a team of collaborators, set out to better understand the causes of occupational nerve injuries. What is an occupational nerve injury? An occupational nerve injury refers to a problem with your peripheral nerves that's caused by a work-related activity. It's often seen ...

Researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have shed valuable light on the nuanced functions and intricate regulatory methods of RNA editing, a critical mechanism underlying brain development and disease. In a study published June 26 in Nature Communications, the team reported finding major differences between postmortem and living prefrontal cortex brain tissues as they relate to one of the most abundant RNA modifications in the brain, known as adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) editing. This discovery will play a significant role ...

PHILADELPHIA— A team of researchers led by Penn Medicine will investigate the link between traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) over the next five years with a $10 million grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Using an extensive tissue bank including over 1,000 samples, the researchers aim to uncover the underlying biological mechanisms of TBI-related neurodegeneration (TReND) from a variety of brain injury types. ...

Aston Institute of Photonic Research academics are part of a team that sent data at a rate of 402 terabits per second This beats their previous record of 301 terabits per second They constructed the first optical transmission system covering six wavelength bands. Aston University researchers are part of a team that has sent data at a record rate of 402 terabits per second using commercially available optical fibre. This beats their previous record, announced in March 2024, of 301 terabits or 301,000,000 megabits per second using a single, standard optical fibre. "If compared to the internet connection speed recommendations of Netflix, of 3 Mbit/s ...

A handful of common surgical procedures account for large shares of all opioids dispensed after surgery in children and adults, according to two studies recently published by researchers at the University of Michigan.   The studies, published this week in Pediatrics and JAMA Network Open, report that the top three procedures for children ages 0-11 account for 59% of opioids dispensed after surgery (tonsillectomies and adenoidectomies 50%, upper extremity fractures 5% and removal of deep implants 4%). Among those ages 12-21, the top three procedures account for ...

Alexey Vertegel, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, has been awarded a $2.1M Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to develop long-lasting natural disinfectants. Currently used surface disinfectants provide high-level activity over a relatively short period of time, typically less than 4 hours. During the Phase I study, his team developed a novel film-forming disinfectant based on chitosan, alcohol, and a natural antimicrobial, which is slowly released from the ...

UPTON, N.Y. — Elke Arenholz, a renowned scientist known for her expertise in magnetic materials and X-ray spectroscopy, scattering, imaging, and instrument development, has been named director of the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II), a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science user facility at DOE’s Brookhaven National Laboratory, effective August 2024. Arenholz’s appointment comes following a search that began in summer 2023 after John Hill, the previous director of NSLS-II, ...

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A recent discovery by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) confirmed that luminous, very red objects previously detected in the early universe upend conventional thinking about the origins and evolution of galaxies and their supermassive black holes. An international team, led by Penn State researchers, using the NIRSpec instrument aboard JWST as part of the RUBIES survey identified three mysterious objects in the early universe, about 600-800 million years after the Big Bang, ...

In today's interconnected world, the actions of corporations can have far-reaching consequences. A new study, co-authored by two University of Akron (UA) faculty and published in the top ranked international business journal Global Strategy Journal, reveals that incident of corporate social irresponsibility (CSI) — like pollution, corruption, discrimination, or poor labor conditions in supply chains — significantly damage brand reputation and international sales growth. Over nine years and across 109 countries, researchers tracked the performance of 335 company branches alongside reported CSI incidents involving their parent companies. The results clearly ...

A study from Michigan Medicine's Kresge Hearing Research Institute was able to produce supranormal hearing in mice, while also supporting a hypothesis on the cause of hidden hearing loss in humans. The researchers had previously used similar methods—increasing the amount of the neurotrophic factor neurotrophin-3 in the inner ear—to promote the recovery of auditory responses in mice that had experienced acoustic trauma, and to improve hearing in middle-aged mice.  This study is the first to use the same approach in otherwise healthy young mice to ...

Results from a national survey indicate that many Americans, 61%, are unaware that primary care physicians can prescribe medications for opioid use disorder, and 13% incorrectly believed that they could not. The survey, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), also found that 82% of the people who reported ever misusing prescription or illicit opioids expressed comfort in going to their primary care physicians for medications for opioid use disorder. Among those who had not misused opioids, a majority, 74%, reported they would ...

About The Study: In this study, the weight status of parents at 17 years of age was associated with obesity risk for both female and male offspring, emphasizing that parental factors may influence the next generation’s health outcomes.  Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Gabriel Chodick, Ph.D., email chodick@tauex.tau.ac.il. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.19029) Editor’s Note: Please ...

About The Study: This study found that long-term exposure to air pollution was associated with the need for help for lost independence in later life, with especially large and consistent increases in risk for pollution generated by traffic-related sources. These findings suggest that controlling air pollution could be associated with diversion or delay of the need for care and prolonged ability to live independently.  Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Boya Zhang, Ph.D., email zhboya@umich.edu. To ...

Loosening local, state and federal regulations on cannabis and psychedelics has increased Americans' interest in microdosing, according to a study from researchers at the University of California San Diego. Published in JAMA Health Forum, the study found that the rate of microdosing-related Google searches grew by 1250% from 2015 to 2023, with over three million searches in 2023 alone. This surge in interest correlates with recent legislative changes decriminalizing or authorizing the use of psychedelic substances in therapy and permitting ...

A team of researchers led by the University of California San Diego has developed a soft, stretchy electronic device capable of simulating the feeling of pressure or vibration when worn on the skin. This device, reported in a paper published in Science Robotics, represents a step towards creating haptic technologies that can reproduce a more varied and realistic range of touch sensations. The device consists of a soft, stretchable electrode attached to a silicone patch. It can be worn like a sticker ...

Remarkable new research by a University of Virginia undergraduate may help explain recurrent Crohn’s disease in children and open the door to new ways to treat or even cure the devastating condition. Crohn’s is a debilitating – and possibly life-threatening – inflammation of the digestive tract. Symptoms include abdominal pain, weakness, fatigue and malnutrition caused by the body’s inability to absorb nutrients. It’s most common in adults but afflicts tens of thousands of children in the United States alone. Many of those ...

East Hanover, NJ – June 28, 2024 – A pilot study shows promise for a new treatment option for individuals with memory impairments caused by multiple sclerosis (MS). The article, “Exploring the efficacy of a remote strategy-based intervention for people with multiple sclerosis with everyday memory impairments: A pilot study,” (doi: 10.5014/ajot.2024.050468) was published online on May 27, 2024, in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy. This proof-of-concept study, conducted in ten participants ...

Fish consumption during pregnancy is a complex scientific topic. On one hand, fish are rich in nutrients essential to brain development, including polyunsaturated fatty acids, selenium, iodine, and vitamin D.  On the other, fish contain methyl mercury, a known neurotoxicant. This has led the US Food and Drug Administration to recommend that expectant mothers limit consumption, which inadvertently causes many women to forgo fish consumption during pregnancy altogether. Fish consumption is an important route of methyl mercury exposure, however, efforts to understand the health risk posed by mercury are further complicated by the fact that the nutritional ...