Scientists have uncovered a hidden weakness in one of the deadliest childhood cancers. The tumors, which spread quickly and are notoriously hard to treat, rely on a sugar-processing pathway to survive and grow. By blocking this pathway, researchers were able to slow down the cancer and make it more vulnerable to treatment. This breakthrough opens the door to new therapies for children and young adults facing a disease with very few options today.
What the hook? 3D-printed joints cut repair costs, prevent construction waste.
Scientists in Austria have developed a new hook-and-loop fastening system that has the potential to dramatically reduce construction waste and make buildings easier to adapt, repair, and reuse.
The innovative component was designed by an interdisciplinary research team at the Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) in the Austrian province of Styria as part of the ReCon project.
Inspired by Velcro, the original hook-and-loop fastener invented in 1948 by Swiss engineer George de Mestral, the novel product enables structural components to be securely connected and easily separated when needed.
Australian researchers have used an innovative genome-wide screening approach to identify genes, and their encoded proteins, that play critical roles in the prevention of lymphoma development, revealing new potential treatment targets for these blood cancers.
The study, published in Nature Communications, has identified a group of proteins known as the GATOR1 complex as essential tumor suppressors.
The GATOR1 complex normally functions as a “brake” on cellular growth by regulating pathways that control cell growth and metabolism. When GATOR1 components are lost or defective, this protective mechanism fails, allowing cells to grow uncontrollably.
A team of scientists has revealed how a single quantum device can accurately measure the three fundamental units of electricity—the ampere (unit of electrical current), the volt (unit of electrical potential) and the ohm (unit of electrical resistance). This is a significant breakthrough because until now, no single instrument could measure all three primary electrical units in one practical system. It means that making electrical measurements could be more precise and reduce the potential for human error.
Paralysis from spinal injury has long remained untreatable. Could scientific developments get people affected on their feet again sooner than imagined? In a worldwide first, Tel Aviv University researchers have engineered 3D human spinal cord tissues and implanted them in a lab model with long-term chronic paralysis, demonstrating high rates of success in restoring walking abilities. Now, the researchers are preparing for the next stage of the study, clinical trials in human patients.
LOS ANGELES — A new drug-releasing system, TAR-200, eliminated tumors in 82% of patients in a phase 2 clinical trial for individuals with high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer whose cancer had previously resisted treatment.
In the majority of cases, the cancer disappeared after only three months of treatment, and almost half the patients were cancer-free a year later.
“Traditionally, these patients have had very limited treatment options. This new therapy is the most effective one reported to date for the most common form of bladder cancer,” said Sia Daneshmand, MD, director of urologic oncology with Keck Medicine of USC and lead author of a study detailing the clinical trial results published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. “The findings of the clinical trial are a breakthrough in how certain types of bladder cancer might be treated, leading to improved outcomes and saved lives.”#
