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Category: biotech/medical – Page 33

Alzheimer’s risk calculator could spot danger years before symptoms begin

Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a new tool that can estimate a person’s risk of developing memory and thinking problems associated with Alzheimer’s disease years before symptoms appear.

The research, published in The Lancet Neurology, builds on decades of data from the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging—one of the world’s most comprehensive population-based studies of .

The study found that women have a higher than men of developing and (MCI), a transitional stage between healthy aging and dementia that often affects quality of life but still allows people to live independently. Men and women with the common genetic variant, APOE ε4, also have a higher lifetime risk.

Wearable ultrasound sensor delivers noninvasive treatment with adjustable, body-conforming design

Conventional wearable ultrasound sensors have been limited by low power output and poor structural stability, making them unsuitable for high-resolution imaging or therapeutic applications.

A KAIST research team has now overcome these challenges by developing a flexible sensor with statically adjustable curvature. This breakthrough opens new possibilities for wearable medical devices that can capture precise, body-conforming images and perform noninvasive treatments using ultrasound energy.

Cellular protein FGD3 boosts breast cancer chemotherapy and immunotherapy, study finds

A naturally-occurring protein that tends to be expressed at higher levels in breast cancer cells boosts the effectiveness of some anticancer agents, including doxorubicin, one of the most widely used chemotherapies, and a preclinical drug known as ErSO, researchers report. The protein, FGD3, contributes to the rupture of cancer cells disrupted by these drugs, boosting their effectiveness and enhancing anticancer immunotherapies.

The discovery is described in the Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research.

The new findings were the result of experiments involving ErSO, an experimental drug that killed 95–100% of estrogen-receptor-positive in a mouse model of the disease.

Scientists make significant discovery on bacteria’s resistance to common antibiotics

Dr Andrea Weisse, from the University of Edinburgh’s Schools of Biological Sciences and Informatics, who led the research, highlighted the urgency of the situation.

“Bacteria are clever little things. They have been learning how to dodge our antibiotics, and they are getting better at it all the time,” she said.

“If we don’t find new drugs – or new tricks to outsmart them – we are in trouble. What we are trying to do here is really understand how their defence systems work. Once we see the mechanism clearly, we can figure out smarter ways to beat them and treat infections more effectively.”

Leap Therapeutics jumps from bio to crypto after winding down cancer program

Who would have predicted that one of the hottest trends for beleaguered biotechs in 2025 would be to rebrand as a crypto company?

Leap Therapeutics has became the latest drug developer to make the move, transforming this morning into Cypherpunk Technologies and focusing on its hoard of $50 million worth of a digital currency called ZEC.

Diverse particles form identical geometric patterns when confined, model reveals

Particles as different as soap bubbles and ball bearings can be made to arrange themselves in exactly the same way, according to a new study that could unlock the creation of brand new materials—including those with promising biomedical applications.

The international study, involving Professor Simon Cox from Aberystwyth University, reveals how diverse particles self-organize into identical geometric patterns when confined. The work is published in the journal Physical Review E.

The discovery could help scientists design for medical use—including in smart drug delivery systems and targeted therapies. It could also offer valuable insights for , where understanding how biological cells arrange themselves in tight spaces is essential for developing effective scaffolds and regenerative treatments.

How Do Your Age and Diet Influence Your Thinking?

Having too many fat cells can lead to low-grade, body-wide inflammation that underlies brain aging.

Chronic venous insufficiency due to obesity may impair cognitive function.

It’s never too late to positively impact brain aging by losing weight.

Mind wandering, confusion, and a reduced ability to focus thoughts are classic early symptoms of obesity related cognitive decline.

From Moore’s Law to Market Rivalry: The Economic Forces That Shape the Semiconductor Manufacturing Industry

Executive Summary Semiconductors are the foundational technology enabling virtually every aspect of contemporary economic activity, from artificial intelligence and cloud computing to medical devices and…

Flu vaccine performance varies by age, study reveals

New research comparing four different flu vaccines found that the ability of the vaccines to activate cells of the immune system that help to protect against infection varied greatly depending on the vaccine type and age of the patient. Researchers say these findings have the potential to guide vaccine recommendations, especially for older adults.

The 2024–2025 flu season was considered highly severe, causing at least 47 million illnesses, 610,000 hospitalizations, and 27,000 deaths.

A new study, published in The Journal of Immunology, found that while all four seasonal vaccines produced similar antibody levels, their ability to activate cellular immunity varied greatly depending on the vaccine type and age group.

Newly discovered RNA molecule could limit protein aggregation and prevent neuronal damage

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, are medical conditions that entail the progressive loss of neurons and a decline in brain function. Past studies have found a link between these diseases and the buildup of misfolded proteins, such as tau and α-synuclein.

Tau is a protein found primarily in neurons that typically helps to stabilize structures that transport nutrients and molecules within neurons, known as microtubules. α-synuclein, on the other hand, is a small protein located at the tips of neurons (i.e., pre-synapses), which typically helps to regulate the function of synaptic vesicles, small sacs that release neurotransmitters across synapses.

While these proteins have an important function in the healthy brain, their abnormal has been found to be a hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases. The that prompt their accumulation, however, have not yet been fully elucidated.

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