MI weekly selection #280
Researchers devise method to join two single, specific atoms into new molecule
Chemists used laser tweezers to grab a sodium atom and a cesium atom to create a new molecule in a highly controlled chemical reaction.
How cancer might progress by studying cells’ evolution
Researchers charting the genetic evolution of seemingly similar cancer cells found that tumors mutate into three categories ranging from particularly aggressive to benign, which could help determine treatment needs. The studies focused on kidney cancers in 100 patients.
Large groups of basking sharks spotted in North Atlantic
Sightings of huge basking sharks congregating in large groups in the North Atlantic have puzzled scientists. Researchers examined data collected on the sightings documented between 1980 and 2013.
Peri-operative anti-inflammatory drugs might prevent metastasis
The body’s immune system might stop fighting cancer cells as it works to heal incisions following breast cancer surgery, thus enabling distal tumours to grow, but peri-operative anti-inflammatory drugs might prevent metastatic recurrence. The effect has been observed in mice and in people, and researchers are planning to conduct a clinical trial.
Brain stimulation allows paraplegic patient to feel sensation
California Institute of Technology researchers stimulated the brain of a man paralyzed from the shoulders down, enabling him to feel sensations in his arm. Implanted electrodes in the patient’s somatosensory cortex responded to electrical pulses, changing sensations with variations in frequency, amplitude and location of stimulation.