Scientists at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have built and demonstrated the potential efficacy of a new chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell-based immunotherapy specifically designed to treat patients with cutaneous and rare subtypes of melanoma. CAR T-cell therapy uses genetically engineered versions of a patient’s immune cells to target and destroy cancer cells. … Read more
Two professors at the University of Wyoming, renowned for their expertise in anthropology, have unearthed a remarkable archaeological discovery in the heart of Andean South America. Nestled within the picturesque Cajamarca Basin of northern Peru lies the Callacpuma archaeological site, where Associate Professor Jason Toohey and Professor Melissa Murphy have unveiled one of the earliest … Read more
When asked about what could cause cancer, people most likely think of chemicals like tobacco or radiation such as UV light in sunshine, but chronic jet lag probably does not come to mind. Human epidemiological studies have linked chronic jet lag, also known as chronic circadian dysfunction, to increased liver cancer risk. However, direct evidence … Read more
Pancreatic cancer is the No. 3 cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, and only 12% of patients survive five years after being diagnosed. Severe pancreatic cancer is associated with metastasis, and it is this spread of secondary tumors that usually causes death, but little is known about the molecular mechanisms that drive metastasis. … Read more
Guided by machine learning, chemists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory designed a record-setting carbonaceous supercapacitor material that stores four times more energy than the best commercial material. A supercapacitor made with the new material could store more energy—improving regenerative brakes, power electronics and auxiliary power supplies. “By combining a data-driven method … Read more
Researchers have used laser-powered ‘optical tweezers’ to reveal a universal motor mechanism used by viruses for packaging their DNA into infectious particles. The research, published as a Reviewed Preprint in eLife, is described by the editors as a fundamental study that could be paradigm-shifting for our understanding of how viral DNA motors work and the … Read more
Hidden for 490 million years in a little-explored region of Thailand, ten newly discovered species of trilobites may provide crucial pieces to understanding the ancient world’s intricate geography. Trilobites, extinct sea creatures with distinctive half-moon-shaped heads, breathed through their legs, and a recent 100-page monograph in Papers in Palaeontology delves into the details of these … Read more
In a recent publication in the journal Diversity, new revelations about the navigation techniques of toothed whales and dolphins using sound waves have emerged. Despite lacking external ears, these marine creatures employ echolocation – emitting high-pitched sounds that bounce off objects and return as echoes, allowing them to effectively map their underwater surroundings. The asymmetry … Read more
Four years ago, Jason Eshraghian from UC Santa Cruz pioneered “snnTorch,” a Python library merging neuroscience and artificial intelligence to craft spiking neural networks—a machine learning approach inspired by the brain’s adept data processing. Surpassing 100,000 downloads, this open-source gem is now integral in diverse projects, spanning NASA’s satellite tracking to semiconductor firms fine-tuning chips … Read more
The discovery that chimpanzees use tools to fish for termites revolutionized our understanding of their abilities—but we still don’t have crucial context to help us understand termite fishing and chimpanzee minds. Are chimpanzees fishing for a seasonal treat or trying their luck? Researchers based at the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) and University College … Read more
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), formerly known as electroshock therapy, involves inducing a brief seizure in the brain using controlled doses of electricity. While ECT is highly effective for certain mental illnesses, particularly depression, the reasons for its efficacy have long puzzled the fields of psychiatry and neuroscience. Now, researchers from University of California San Diego may … Read more
The tropics, housing over 75% of global species and anticipated to support half of the world’s human population by mid-century, face a significant but understudied threat: mercury pollution. A recent study in the journal Ecotoxicology has spotlighted this issue by examining its impact on tropical birds. Researchers scrutinized feathers from nine countries across Central America, … Read more
An international team of researchers has achieved a significant breakthrough with the development of a handheld, non-invasive device designed to detect biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases. This cutting-edge biosensor not only boasts high accuracy, demonstrated through in vitro samples from patients, but also features wireless transmission capabilities, enabling the relay of results to … Read more
In a fascinating turn of events, Yale paleontologists have unraveled the enigmatic mystery of Ezekiel’s Wheel. But before you conjure visions of biblical prophecies, let’s clarify that we’re talking about a peculiar, long-lost sea creature, not the chariot described in the Old Testament. This captivating discovery owes its resolution to Samuel J. Ciurca Jr., a … Read more
Gigantic gas planets can act as agents of chaos, disrupting the possibility of life on Earth-like planets in distant star systems. Recent studies reveal that in certain planetary setups, these massive gas giants tend to eject smaller planets from their orbits, causing climatic havoc. While Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, plays a … Read more
Recent research conducted by UCLA Health has uncovered a promising avenue for predicting the recovery of individuals suffering from depression and personalizing the treatment of major depressive disorder through transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). TMS, a safe and non-invasive therapy, employs magnetic fields to stimulate regions of the brain responsible for mood regulation. While TMS has … Read more
Recent research conducted by scientists from the University of California, Irvine and Utrecht University in the Netherlands reveals a concerning trend in polar ice melt. Greenland’s surface ice has been melting at an accelerating rate over recent decades, while Antarctica has experienced the opposite effect. Published in Geophysical Research Letters, their paper examines the role … Read more