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Category: biotech/medical – Page 183

For the first time ever, scientists have used a technique called “quantum squeezing” to improve the gas sensing performance of devices known as optical frequency comb lasers. These ultra-precise sensors are like fingerprint scanners for molecules of gas. Scientists have used them to spot methane leaks in the air above oil and gas operations and signs of COVID-19 infections in breath samples from humans.

Now, in a series of lab experiments, researchers have laid out a path for making those kinds of measurements even more sensitive and faster—doubling the speed of frequency comb detectors. The work is a collaboration between Scott Diddams at CU Boulder Boulder and Jérôme Genest at Université Laval in Canada.

“Say you were in a situation where you needed to detect minute quantities of a dangerous gas leak in a factory setting,” said Diddams, professor in the Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering. “Requiring only 10 minutes versus 20 minutes can make a big difference in keeping people safe.”

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Scientists develop DNADNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is a molecule composed of two long strands of nucleotides that coil around each other to form a double helix. It is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms that carries genetic instructions for development, functioning, growth, and reproduction. Nearly every cell in a person’s body has the same DNA. Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it is called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria (where it is called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA). tabindex=0 DNA nanorobots capable of modifying artificial cells.

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Leading A Government-Wide Response To Long COVID — Dr. Ian Simon, Ph.D. — Director, Office of Long COVID Research and Practice, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Dr. Ian Simon, Ph.D. is the Director for the Office of Long COVID Research and Practice (https://www.hhs.gov/longcovid/index.html), in the Office of Science and Medicine, in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health \& Human Services.

The Office of Science and Medicine harnesses the power of collaboration, scientific analysis, data-driven innovation, and emerging technologies for advancing initiatives across the Department, including not just Long COVID, but in the areas of behavioral health, health equity, kidney disease, infection-associated chronic conditions, mother-infant dyad, sickle cell disease, and traumatic brain injury.

Previously Dr. Simon was the Assistant Director for Health Strategy and Biopreparedness at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, where he led pandemic prevention and biosecurity policy priorities. Most recently, he was the Senior Advisor to the Director of NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

Prior to working at NIAID, Dr. Simon was the Assistant Director of the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) Science and Technology Policy Institute. In that role, he specialized in developing policy initiatives including bioeconomy, STEM education, pandemic preparedness, biosecurity, and international S\&T cooperation.

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“Proteins are the molecular machinery that helps the body to function — and malfunction. Their role in disease is crucial, but rarely simple. Knowing which are associated with a particular disease can help doctors and scientists to spot it earlier and narrow down potential treatments,” writes Tom Whipple in The Times, as he describes the potential impact of a new study from UK Biobank that is the world’s largest exploration of all the proteins in the human body.

Thermo Fisher’s Olink Proteomics Explore HT platform, which enables precise analysis of proteins in the human body, will play a key role in the work. Researchers will use our technology to study the role proteins play in many types of diseases. Their findings will fuel the discovery of new protein biomarkers that could predict, diagnose and treat diseases. The study “has the potential to transform healthcare by the end of this decade,” says Dr. Chris Whelan, who is leading a group of pharmaceutical companies working on the project.

‘Treasure trove’ of samples provided by UK volunteers has the potential to transform healthcare by the end of this decade, say scientists.

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Stimulating dopamine-producing brain cells wirelessly with gold nanoparticles has proven effective at treating mice with Parkinson’s disease, even reversing a portion of their neurological damage.

Researchers from the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China (NCNST) say it’s a significant step forward for using brain simulation to tackle Parkinson’s in humans, a neurodegenerative condition that affects more than 10 million people worldwide.

Deep inside the brains of those with the condition, dopamine-producing neurons take a major hit as insoluable clumps of a protein called alpha-synuclein accumulate, gradually depriving patients of an ability to control their movements.

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Snakebites affect 1.8 to 2.7 million people annually, causing around 100,000 deaths and three times as many permanent disabilities, according to the World Health Organization. Victims are predominantly in regions with fragile healthcare systems, such as Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Traditional antivenoms derived from animal plasma come with significant drawbacks: high costs, limited efficacy, and serious side effects.

The diversity of snake venoms further complicates treatment, as current antivenoms often target specific species. However, advances in toxin research and computational tools are now driving a new era in snakebite therapy.

Baker’s team, in collaboration with Timothy Patrick Jenkins from Denmark’s Technical University (DTU), harnessed AI to design proteins that bind to and neutralize three-finger toxins—among the deadliest components of cobra venom. These toxins are notorious for evading the immune system, rendering conventional treatments ineffective.

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Fiber is a crucial component of a healthy diet, yet fewer than 10% of Americans consume the recommended daily amount. However, new research from Stanford Medicine may provide a compelling reason to increase intake of fiber-rich foods like beans, nuts, cruciferous vegetables, and avocados.

The study, recently published in Nature Metabolism

Nature Metabolism is a peer-reviewed journal published by the Nature Portfolio, focusing on high-impact research in metabolic biology. The journal covers a broad range of topics including cellular metabolism, systemic metabolism, disease, physiology, and metabolic interactions. It aims to provide insights into how metabolism influences health, disease, and aging, and serves as a platform for fundamental and translational research in metabolic science.

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More than half of cancer deaths involve cancers that have no recommended screening tests, including highly deadly cancers like ovarian and pancreatic cancer.1 Multi-cancer detection (MCD) tests are a new type of blood test designed to detect multiple cancers. Despite limited evidence on their benefit, some MCD tests are currently available to the public as cancer screening tools and many more are in development.

Research is underway to try to address the many unanswered questions about cancer screening with MCD tests. To learn more about the uncertainties related to public and clinician perceptions of MCD tests, program officials at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), led by Goli Samimi, Ph.D., M.P.H., Program Director in the Breast and Gynecologic Cancer Research Group in the Division of Cancer Prevention (DCP), decided to ask them directly. NCI facilitated focus groups with practicing primary care physicians (PCPs) and laypersons to learn about their awareness and knowledge of MCD tests and their thoughts on the benefits, harms, uncertainties, and acceptability of using this emerging technology.

“More rigorous data on MCD tests is needed to inform the development of national guidelines for use as cancer screening tools,” said Lori Minasian, M.D., FACP, Deputy Director, DCP, NCI. “We need to know more about people in the community who will be consumers of MCD tests and the professionals responsible for administering tests, interpreting results, and determining next steps.”

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