Category Health/Medical

A hydrogel made at Rice University consists of custom peptide fibers with spaces – “missing teeth” – that can trap and deliver hydrophobic small-molecule drugs. Credit: I-Che Li/Rice University

Custom hydrogel traps water-avoiding molecules for slow delivery. A gap-toothed peptide created by bioengineers at Rice University may be an efficient way to deliver insoluble drugs to precise locations in the body. Rice bioengineer Jeffrey Hartgerink and his students made a hydrogel of what they call “missing tooth” peptide nanofibers. Gaps in the fibers are designed to hold drug molecules that have hydrophobic properties. The biodegradable gel can be injected where needed and releases the medication over time.

Hydrogels built of custom peptides are a specialty of Hartgerink’s lab, which has introd...

Left: human red blood cells, some of which are infected with the Babesiosis micro parasite. Right: tick. (Photo of tick © stevenwellingson – stock.adobe.com)

A novel combination therapy cures an emerging infectious disease, babesiosis, which is transmitted by the same ticks that transmit the agents of Lyme disease, said Yale researchers. This “radical” therapy not only clears the infection but also prevents the recurrence that often occurs with existing treatments.

Babesiosis is caused by the B. microti parasite, which is most often transmitted through tick bites. It is more common in the Northeast and northern Midwestern states, and likely is on the rise as infected ticks expand geographically...

Image: Based upon conserved snoRNA sequence elements, this large population of guide RNAs has been divided into two major families designated the box C/D and the box H/ACA snoRNAs. The primary function of the box C/D snoRNAs is to guide 2′-O-methylation of targeted rRNA nucleotides while the box H/ACA snoRNAs direct the conversion of specific uridine residues to pseudouridine.

Scientists have discovered unexpected functions of small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) that explain the cause of some genetic diseases and cancers. However, it is not clear how the change in snoRNA expression could lead to these diseases. Using RNA sequencing and molecular biology techniques, researchers found snoRNAs not only modify ribosomes, but can also regulate alternative splicing...

UPV researchers have developed new synthetic models of human tissues that simulate electromagnetic properties of different tissues and organs. Known as phantoms, these models may be of interest for the development of new technologies for use in medical screening and evaluation of 5G mobile communication devices.

Recently, there has been a growing interest in the use of telecomms devices for clinical diagnosis. Tiny sensors and monitoring units can be incorporated into capsules and ingested orally, recording biological data inside the body and transmitting it to the outside. These devices communicate wirelessly, sending electromagnetic waves through the body, which acts as a transmission medium...