New super-pure silicon chip opens path to powerful quantum computers: Researchers at the Universities of Melbourne and Manchester have invented a breakthrough technique for manufacturing highly purified silicon that brings powerful quantum computers a big step closer. The new technique to engineer ultra-pure silicon makes it the perfect material to make quantum computers at scale and with high accuracy, the researchers say. Project co-supervisor Professor David Jamieson, from the University of Melbourne, said the innovation – published in Communications Materials, a Nature journal – uses qubi ..read more

UQ develops new drug for sepsis: A new drug could prevent sepsis-related organ failure and death by restoring the health of a patient’s blood vessels. Researchers from The University of Queensland and the Queensland Children’s Hospital (QCH) have successfully tested the first-in-class drug in mice. Dr Mark Coulthard from UQ and the QCH’s Paediatric Intensive Care Unit said results from pre-clinical testing using human blood samples were also promising. “The reason for organ failure in sepsis patients is because the endothelial cells lining blood vessels become leaky, resulting in abnormal flu ..read more

Rebecca Wallersteiner takes at look at Wellcome Collection’s latest exhibition Jason and the Adventure of 254, an artist’s joyful exploration of becoming disabled as a child. Wellcome Collection’s latest exhibition Jason and the Adventure of 254, is a major solo show of exuberant, kaleidoscopically-colourful artworks by artist Jason Wilsher-Mills, curated by Shamita Sharmacharja and an exploration of becoming disabled as a child, based on the artist’s own experience. Wilsher-Mills’s says, “The work is like a form of time travel, where you can still experience something you felt, or thought as ..read more

A group of researchers from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, University of Freiburg and the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience have created an exceptionally small implant, with electrodes the size of a single neuron that can also remain intact in the body over time – a unique combination that holds promise for future vision implants for the blind. Often when a person is blind, some or part of the eye is damaged, but the visual cortex in the brain is still functioning and waiting for input. When considering brain stimulation for sight restoration, there needs to be thousands of ..read more

Childhood sedentariness linked to premature heart damage – light physical activity reversed the risk: An increase in sedentary time from childhood caused progressing heart enlargement, a new study shows. However, light physical activity could reduce the risk. The study was conducted in collaboration between the Universities of Bristol and Exeter, and the University of Eastern Finland, and the results were published in the prestigious European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Left ventricular hypetrophy refers to an excessive increase in heart mass and size. In adults, it is known to increase ..read more

Scarlet fever, a disease associated with the Victorian era, has resurged in the UK. As such, recent research has revealed the regions within the UK that have seen the most significant increase in cases. Health experts at NowPatient submitted Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to NHS trusts across the country to reveal which areas have seen the biggest increase in Victorian diseases such as gout, rickets, tuberculosis, malnutrition, malaria and scarlet fever, as well as analysing search data to reveal which areas of the UK have the most curious residents when it comes to these illnesses. Yo ..read more

Rebecca Wallersteiner takes at look at Wellcome Collection’s latest exhibition Jason and the Adventure of 254, an artist’s joyful exploration of becoming disabled as a child. Wellcome Collection’s latest exhibition Jason and the Adventure of 254, is a major solo show of exuberant, kaleidoscopically-colourful artworks by artist Jason Wilsher-Mills, curated by Shamita Sharmacharja and an exploration of becoming disabled as a child, based on the artist’s own experience. Wilsher-Mills’s says, “The work is like a form of time travel, where you can still experience something you felt, or thought as ..read more

Scientists have discovered the key features of immune B cells which make them successful at targeting tumours – including when cancer has spread to a different part of the body. Published in Nature Immunology, the researchers have developed a computational tool to identify these anti-cancer immune cells which could lead to improved, personalised immunotherapies. Most immunotherapies only work for a minority of patients – researchers are urgently working to expand the group of patients who could benefit from them. Scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, the University of Oxford ..read more

A new study has revealed for the first time the vital role carbon dioxide (CO2) plays in determining the lifespan of airborne viruses – namely SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. It clearly showed keeping CO2 levels in check helps to reduce virus survival, and therefore the risk of infection. The research, led by the University of Bristol and published in Nature Communications, shows clearly how CO2 is a major factor in prolonging the life of SARS-CoV-2 variants present in tiny droplets circulating in the atmosphere. Lead author Dr Allen Haddrell, Senior Research Associate in Aerosol ..read more

There have been recent updates in asthma treatments, including the MART treatment plan. Read on to find out more information. MART Treatment Maintenance and Reliever Therapy (MART) is an asthma treatment plan where someone is prescribed one combination inhaler instead of two separate preventer and reliever inhalers. Several types of combination inhalers can be used safely for MART. These may be dry powder inhalers, or metered dose inhalers. Not all combination inhalers can be used for MART, only those with an inhaled steroid and a bronchodilator medicine called Formoterol. If you are unsure w ..read more