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Injectable hydrogel relieves osteoarthritis pain and repairs cartilage in preclinical tests

For millions of people living with osteoarthritis, daily life can involve a frustrating cycle of pain and stiffness. While current treatments like over-the-counter medications or steroid injections can temporarily dull the ache, they do not stop the joint from deteriorating. A Yale study published in the journal Bioactive Materials found that the medication lacosamide acts as a highly effective, dual-purpose treatment that relieves joint pain and reverses cartilage damage in osteoarthritis, especially when a specialized hydrogel delivers the drug directly into the joint.

Radiologic analysis of large vestibular schwannoma position on surgical outcomes

Large vestibular schwannomas (VS) often compress the brainstem and differ in their relation to the internal auditory canal (IAC); the significance of these radiographic features on postoperative outcomes remains unclear. This study quantifies the impact of brainstem compression (BSC) and position relative to the IAC on surgical outcomes in VS.

We retrospectively identified 116 patients with sporadic unilateral VS ≥ 3 centimeters (2017–2022). Neurofibromatosis 2 cases were excluded. BSC was quantified with MRI T1 post-contrast axial images as the perpendicular distance from the brainstem-cerebellum to the point of maximal compression. Anterior and posterior IAC extension were measured relative to a line bisecting the IAC from the porus to fundus. Outcomes included postoperative facial nerve (FN) function, extent of resection (EOR), and length of stay (LOS).

Greater anterior extension was associated with decreased EOR in univariate analysis (OR = 1.12, p = 0.03), but not after controlling for tumor size and age (OR = 1.09, p = 0.158). Greater BSC was associated with worse FN function at 2–3 weeks postoperatively on univariate (OR = 1.08, p = 0.036) and approached significance on multivariate analysis (OR = 1.07, p = 0.08). Posterior extension was associated with increased LOS in univariate (β = 217.57 min, p = 0.024), but not multivariate analysis. Neither anterior extension nor BSC were associated with LOS. Older age correlated with a lower rate of GTR and longer LOS in multivariate analysis (EOR: OR = 1.05, p = 0.003; LOS: β = 79.84 min, p = 0.026).

Ultra-thin semiconductors overcome performance limits with localized thick-contact design

As semiconductor chips become increasingly thinner, the components inside chips are locked in a fierce race to achieve the ultimate ultra-thin state. However, this has presented a structural limitation: the thinner the device, the harder it is for electricity to flow.

Recently, a research team at POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology) successfully resolved this issue through a simple yet innovative approach: “thickening only the necessary parts.”

The research team, led by Professor Byoung Hun Lee from POSTECH’s Department of Electrical Engineering and the Department of Semiconductor Engineering, has developed a technology that dramatically lowers contact resistance by redesigning the metal-semiconductor contact structure in ultra-thin tellurium (Te) transistors.

Battleship-trained AI learns to ask sharper questions, boosting win rate from 8% to 82%

In 2026, the hype for artificial intelligence agents is louder than ever before. These semi-autonomous programs can “think” and execute well-defined tasks in areas like customer service and software development, typically using language models (LMs). But fields like medical diagnosis and scientific discovery require them to inquire about a vast range of solutions in uncertain environments which LMs struggle with.

Researchers at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and Harvard University’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) peered deeper into LMs to understand their main issues in high-stakes settings. Their test: Battleship, a classic guessing game that’s helped cognitive scientists study how humans seek information.

CSAIL and SEAS scholars added a twist by reframing the game around asking and answering natural language questions. In their “Collaborative Battleship” game, one participant is a “captain” who inquires about where hidden ships are, while their teammate plays the “spotter” by responding to those questions in real time.

AI-designed universal coronavirus vaccine passes first human trial

Because the method does not require a needle, it could offer an alternative for people who are uncomfortable with injections. Researchers also believe it may make large scale vaccination campaigns easier and faster, particularly in settings where traditional injections are more difficult to administer.

Before human testing began, animal studies showed the vaccine could generate strong immune responses against multiple coronaviruses.

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