An exome sequencing study of more than 600,000 individuals of European and mixed American ancestry has identified more than a dozen genes, including five brain-expressed G protein-coupled receptors, that were associated with body mass index.

PERTH, Australia – Researchers at RMIT University and St. Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne have flipped traditional 3D printing to create more intricate biomedical structures, advancing new technologies for regrowing bones and tissue. Instead of making the bioscaffolds directly, the team 3D printed molds with intricately patterned cavities and then filled them with biocompatible materials, before dissolving the molds away.

Researchers from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) said they have used two-dimensional nanosheets (FePSe3) to develop a biomimetic nanosheet that can monitor tumor development, treat tumors and monitor the treatment progress in real-time. With positive results from mice, the team hopes to further test it on larger animals, then move on to clinical studies.

A new 3D printing technique has allowed University of Nottingham researchers to tailor-make artificial body parts and other medical devices that are both implantable and bacteria-resistant. The multi-materials manufactured in the study were also adapted to 3D printing technology that is able to offer devices that can better meet the need of the patient and minimize the surgeries led by device failure that increase the risk of infections.

Researchers at the University of Washington reported in the May 31, 2021, issue of Nature Medicine that artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms meant to recognize COVID-19 infections based on chest X-rays picked up on confounders, selecting “shortcuts” such as patient age or positioning in the X-ray as a basis for their predictions.

Data on the prevalence of diabetes in the U.S. show that non-Hispanic white people are least likely to suffer from the disease. Yet to date most genetic studies of the glycemic traits that are used to diagnose and monitor type 2 diabetes and cardiometabolic health have focused on individuals of European ancestry.

LONDON – New guidelines for stem cell research open the door to extending the legal limit on human embryo research beyond the current 14-day maximum set down 40 years ago.

With the support of the NIH’s National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institute of Mental Health, researchers at Duke University’s Center for Autism and Brain Development have developed a mobile app that can quickly screen toddlers for autism spectrum disorder without the need for specialized skills.

Collectively, lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) are caused by malfunctions in metabolic enzymes in the lysosome system. Depending on which enzyme is missing, toxic metabolites accumulate. While the LSDs are highly heterogenous – even within one disease, presentation can vary widely – neurodegeneration is a common feature in these disorders.

In the last decade, responsive neurostimulation (RNS) has become a mainstay of treatment for refractory focal epilepsy, but challenges with the technology remain. Researchers at Columbia University in New York appear to have overcome some of the major limitations through development of a compact, flexible, high performance implantable device that permits reading and manipulation of brain circuits.