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Category: biotech/medical – Page 236

Room-temperature superconductors: Fundamental constants suggest they could exist within our universe

In a new development that could help redefine the future of technology, a team of physicists has uncovered a fundamental insight into the upper limit of superconducting temperature.

This research, accepted for publication in the Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, suggests that room-temperature —long considered the “holy grail” of condensed matter physics—may indeed be possible within the laws of our universe.

Superconductors, materials that can conduct electricity without resistance, have the potential to revolutionize energy transmission, , and quantum computing. However, until now, they have only functioned at , making them impractical for widespread use. The race to find a superconductor that works at ambient conditions has been one of the most intense and elusive pursuits in modern science.

The Secret to Human Intelligence? Scientists Uncover DNA That Supercharged Our Brains

A study of artificial human and chimpanzee nerve cells revealed how faster-evolving DNA enables neurons to develop increasingly complex brain power.

How did humans evolve brains capable of complex language, civilization, and more?

The answer may lie in exceptional DNA. Scientists at UC San Francisco discovered that certain regions of our chromosomes have evolved at remarkable speeds, giving us an advantage in brain development over apes. However, this rapid evolution may also make us more susceptible to uniquely human brain disorders.

Scientists Sound Alarm: “Safe” Antibiotic Has Led to an Almost Untreatable Superbug

An international team of researchers has discovered that rifaximin, a commonly prescribed antibiotic for liver disease patients, is contributing to the global rise of a highly resistant strain of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE). This superbug, which frequently causes severe infections in hospitalized patients, is becoming increasingly difficult to treat.

The study, published in Nature, reveals that rifaximin use is accelerating resistance to daptomycin—one of the last remaining effective antibiotics against VRE infections.

Led by scientists from the University of Melbourne’s Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute) and Austin Health, the research underscores the urgent need for a more comprehensive understanding of the unintended consequences of antibiotic use. It highlights the critical importance of responsible antibiotic prescribing to mitigate the spread of antimicrobial resistance.

The secret of how Greenland sharks can live for centuries without getting cancer

The eye protein rhodopsin of the Greenland shark was found to have amino acid variations that made them more adept at processing blue-light wavelengths – a feature that is advantageous when living in the dim deep ocean waters.

“These genomic analyses offer new insights into the molecular basis of the exceptional longevity of the Greenland shark and highlight potential genetic mechanisms that could inform future research into longevity,” scientists wrote in the study.

Cancer reversed? New treatment converts tumor cells into healthy ones

In a trailblazing advancement in cancer therapy, researchers at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have developed a technology that transforms colon cancer cells into normal-like cells without destroying them.

This innovative approach, led by Professor Kwang-Hyun Cho of the Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, represents a significant departure from traditional cancer treatments that rely on killing cancer cells, often leading to severe side effects and risks of recurrence.

Blinding Cornea Injuries Repaired Using Stem Cells, Clinical Data Show

An expanded clinical trial that tested a groundbreaking, experimental stem cell treatment for blinding cornea injuries found the treatment was feasible and safe in 14 patients who were treated and followed for 18 months. In addition, there was a high proportion of complete or partial success.

The study developed a two-stage manufacturing process utilizing cultivated autologous limbal epithelial cells (CALEC), the first xenobiotic-free, serum-free, antibiotic-free protocol developed in the United States to treat blindness caused by unilateral limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD).

The procedure consists of removing stem cells from a healthy eye with a biopsy, expanding them into a cellular tissue graft in a novel manufacturing process that takes two to three weeks, and then surgically transplanting the graft into the eye with a damaged cornea.

Brain turned to glass reveals a city’s catastrophic final moments

While his neighbors frantically fled from their oncoming doom, one man stayed in bed. For whatever reason, he didn’t join the other 2000 residents of Herculaneum—the ancient Roman city just north of Pompeii—as they ran from erupting Mount Vesuvius. The first scorching cloud of ash passed through the city so quickly, it turned his brain into black, glasslike shards. Now, a new analysis of these shards, published today in, offers clues about how the man and his neighbors perished in 79 C.E.

Until recently, scientists believed the people of Herculaneum were annihilated by Mount Vesuvius’s avalanche of hot rock, ash, and gas that buried their city, along with Pompeii. But when researchers announced the discovery of those black, glossy chips in 2020, a new culprit emerged: a swift ash cloud preceding this flood of debris. This rethink, however, hinged on whether the brain had indeed turned to glass.

For glass to form, a liquid needs to be cooled so rapidly that its molecules suddenly “freeze” into a rigid structure rather than forming crystals. For this reason, glass is sometimes referred to as a “liquid solid,” says Brian Wowk, a cryobiologist at 21st Century Medicine who was not involved with the work. Thick blankets of pyroclastic flow–the torrent of rocks, ash, and gas expelled by volcanos–cool off far too slowly for glass to form, says study co-author Guido Giordano, a volcanologist at the Roma Tre University. “Once they’re in place, they can take years to cool down.”

The Science of Exercise for Cancer | Kerry Courneya, PhD

For decades, exercise was considered an optional part of cancer care—something beneficial for general health but not essential. The evidence is now overwhelming: exercise is not just supportive—it’s a therapeutic intervention that recalibrates tumor biology, enhances treatment tolerance, and improves survival outcomes.

With over 600 peer-reviewed studies, Dr. Kerry Courneya’s work has fundamentally reshaped our understanding of how structured exercise—whether aerobic, resistance training, or high-intensity intervals—can mitigate treatment side effects, enhance immune function, and directly influence cancer progression.

Train smarter with evidence-based strategies from top experts—get your free copy of “How to Train According to the Experts” at https://howtotrainguide.com/

CHAPTERS:
00:00:00 Introduction.
00:01:47 Why exercise should be effortful.
00:02:33 How to meaningfully reduce risk of cancer.
00:06:22 What type of exercise is best?
00:07:59 How exercise reduces risk—even for smokers and the obese.
00:10:48 Weekend-only exercise.
00:13:49 150 vs. 300 minutes per week (more is better—up to a point)
00:16:03 Why pre-diagnosis exercise matters.
00:19:09 Why resilience to cancer treatment starts with exercise.
00:21:01 Why low muscle mass drives cancer death.
00:23:58 Why BMI fails to measure true obesity.
00:27:51 Why daily activity isn’t enough (structured exercise matters)
00:29:34 Breaking up sedentary time—do ‘exercise snacks’ help?
00:31:50 Supplements vs. exercise.
00:32:32 Where exercise fits with chemo and immunotherapy.
00:35:30 Why rest is not the best medicine.
00:41:20 Aerobic vs. resistance.
00:42:11 How chemotherapy patients were able to put on over a kilogram of muscle.
00:42:13 How weight training improves ‘chemo completion’
00:44:41 Why exercise creates vulnerability in cancer cells (limitations do apply)
00:47:09 Why exercise might be crucial for tumor elimination.
00:53:03 Why cardio may be better at clearing tumor cells.
00:56:18 When cancer spreads quickly—and when it doesn’t.
00:57:43 Why liquid biopsies may prevent over-treatment.
01:02:56 Exercise-sensitive vs. exercise-resistant cancers.
01:06:06 Prostate cancer therapy—why strength training matters.
01:08:10 When exercise is the only therapy—does it work?
01:09:26 Why HIIT reduces PSA in prostate cancer.
01:11:40 Avoiding over-treatment—can exercise buy you time?
01:12:00 Why high-intensity exercise boosts anti-cancer biology.
01:13:11 Turning a diagnosis into a wake-up call.
01:16:11 Why oncologists are rethinking exercise.
01:18:50 Why exercise eases anxiety about cancer—proven psychological benefits.
01:25:00 Before, during, and after treatment.
01:27:02 Why exercise is unique among cancer therapies.
01:28:16 Why cancer patients stop exercising—the risky mistake almost everyone makes.
01:30:41 How to get sedentary cancer patients exercising (realistically)
01:33:15 The $1 million case for including exercise.
01:34:56 Why recurrence trials haven’t convinced doctors—yet.
01:37:36 The bottom-line message.
01:37:55 The myth of a cancer panacea (exercise included)
01:44:07 What’s the best $50 investment for staying active?
01:44:40 Only 15 minutes per day—what’s the best anti-cancer exercise?

A quick cautionary note: Always consult a qualified healthcare provider—presumably an oncologist if your questions involve cancer treatment—particularly if you’re considering actions based on or inspired by our conversation today. This episode should not be construed as a substitute for qualified medical advice.

*Kerry Courneya, PhD*

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Nanoscale tweaks help alloy withstand high-speed impacts

Researchers across 14 medical centers in China, including Peking University People’s Hospital, have found that an investigational drug, berberine ursodeoxycholate (HTD1801), significantly lowered blood sugar levels and improved metabolic and liver health in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The findings and an invited commentary, both published in JAMA Network Open, suggest that HTD1801 could serve as a new oral treatment option for T2D and its related complications.