University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers have developed a “two-in-one” molecule that can simultaneously turn off two notoriously difficult-to-target cancer-related genes, KRAS and MYC, as well as directly deliver drugs to tumors that express these genes. This advance holds special promise for treating cancers that have been historically challenging to treat.
The new technology incorporates novel compositions of inverted RNAi molecules that have shown a marked ability to co-silence mutated KRAS and over-expressed MYC. RNA interference (RNAi) is a cellular process that uses small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to selectively turn off, or silence, mutated genes. The co-silencing resulted in up to a 40-fold improvement in inhibition of cancer cell viability compared to the use of individual siRNAs.
The laboratory findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation on July 31.
Researchers from China and us create shape shifting robot:
In a scene straight out of science fiction, researchers from China and the U.S. have developed a shape-shifting robot made from magnetically responsive liquid metal that can melt, flow, escape confinement, and reassemble itself—all on command.
Inspired by sea cucumbers and powered by gallium, a metal with a melting point just above room temperature, the robot can switch between solid and liquid states using magnetic fields. During tests, it was able to melt, escape from a prison-like cage, and then re-solidify into its original form—without losing function.
Unlike traditional rigid robots, this breakthrough allows machines to:
* Navigate tight or complex spaces * Heal themselves or split apart to avoid damage * Perform surgical tasks inside the human body without invasive procedures * Transition between tool-like solidity and liquid flexibility.
The magnetic fields not only induce the phase change but also control movement, making the robot swim, climb walls, and even jump. Researchers envision future uses in minimally invasive medicine, like removing foreign objects from internal organs, or in electronic assembly, where the robot could flow into hard-to-reach places and form circuits.
For nearly 60 years, the dream of flying cars that many Baby Boomers grew up on while watching TV’s George Jetson jet around the skyways has remained unfulfilled.
But the dream is still alive. A dozen startups around the world are developing VTOLs (“vertical takeoff and landing”) – the technical term for flying cars.
One of the most intriguing of those companies is right here in Israel. Yavneh-based Urban Aeronautics is developing CityHawk to be an eventual “Uber of the air.”