EXCLUSIVE: Small Caps Hit Records As Expert Says Russell 2000 'Still Very Discounted' Compared To S&P 500Gold beats platinum for chemo drugs in new lab study November 27, 2024 RMIT University Researchers have used a new gold-based drug to slow tumor growth in animals by 82% and target cancers more selectively than standard chemotherapy drugs, according to a new study. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email A new gold-based drug can slow tumour growth in animals by 82% and target cancers more selectively than standard chemotherapy drugs, according to a study by Australian and Indian researchers. The RMIT University study published in the European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry reveals a new gold-based compound that's 27 times more potent against cervical cancer cells in the lab than standard chemotherapy drug cisplatin. It was also 3.5 times more effective against prostate cancer and 7.5 times more effective against fibrosarcoma cells in the lab. In mice studies, the gold compound reduced cervical cancer tumour growth by 82%, compared to cisplatin's 29%. Project lead at RMIT, Distinguished Professor Suresh Bhargava AM, said it marked a promising step towards alternatives to platinum-based cancer drugs. "These newly synthesized compounds demonstrate remarkable anticancer potential, outperforming current treatments in a number of significant aspects including their selectivity in targeting cancer cells," said Bhargava, Director of RMIT's Centre for Advanced Materials and Industrial Chemistry. "While human trials are still a way off, we are really encouraged by these results." The gold-based compound is now protected by a US Patent and ready for further development towards potential clinical application. Towards more targeted, less toxic treatment Gold is famously known as the noblest of all metals because it has little or no reaction when encountering other substances; a property that makes it perfect for wedding rings and coins. However, the gold compound used in this study is a chemically tailored form known as Gold(I), designed to be highly reactive and biologically active. This chemically reactive form was then tailored to interact with an enzyme abundant in cancer cells, known as thioredoxin reductase. By blocking this protein's activity, the gold compound effectively shuts down cancer cells before they can multiply or develop drug resistance. Bhargava said this highly targeted approach minimizes the toxic side effects seen with the platinum-based cisplatin, which targets DNA and damages both healthy and cancerous cells. "Their selectivity in targeting cancer cells, combined with reduced systemic toxicity, points to a future where treatments are more effective and far less harmful," Bhargava said. This specific form of gold was also shown to be more stable than those used in earlier studies, allowing the compound to remain intact while reaching the tumour site. Project co-lead at RMIT, Distinguished Professor Magdalena Plebanski, said along with this ability to block protein activity, the compound also had another weapon in its anti-cancer arsenal. In zebrafish studies, it was shown to stop the formation of new blood vessels that tumours need in order to grow. This was the first time one of the team's various gold compounds had shown this effect, known as anti-angiogenesis. The drug's effectiveness at using these two attacks simultaneously was demonstrated against a range of cancer cells. This included ovarian cancer cells, which are known to develop resistance to cisplatin treatment in many cases. "Drug resistance is a significant challenge in cancer therapy," said Plebanski, who heads RMIT's Cancer, Ageing, and Vaccines Laboratory. "Seeing our gold compound have such strong efficacy against tough-to-treat ovarian cancer cells is an important step toward addressing recurrent cancers and metastases." Regional collaboration a key enabler The dedicated RMIT team is collaborating with scientists at the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) in Hyderabad under a $2million Australia-India Strategic Research Fund grant. First author on the latest study, Dr Srinivasa Reddy, was initially a graduate from RMIT's joint PhD program with IICT and is now playing an active role in the collaborative project. Meanwhile, RMIT Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellow Dr Ruchika Ojha has been supporting Bhargava in building and leading his Molecular Engineering Group to continue advancing innovative research into gold-based therapeutics long into the future. "I am proud to carry forward Professor Bhargava's golden legacy, ensuring his pioneering contributions to this field continue to inspire groundbreaking discoveries," Ojha said. Bhargava said leveraging the best minds and technical infrastructure across both Australia and India was critical to making a meaningful difference in the fight against cancer. Gold has been a cornerstone of Indian Ayurvedic treatments for centuries, celebrated for its healing properties. Today, gold-based cancer treatments are gaining global traction, with advancements such as the repurposing of the anti-arthritic drug auranofin, now showing promise in clinical trials for oncology. "We know that gold is readily accepted by the human body, and we know it has been used for thousands of years in treating various conditions," Bhargava said. "Essentially, gold has been market tested, but not scientifically validated. "Our work is helping both provide the evidence base that's missing, as well as delivering new families of molecules that are tailor-made to amplify the natural healing properties of gold," he said. Industry support worth its weight in gold RMIT's research in this field over a sustained period has caught the gold industry's attention. In October, Pallion subsidiary ABC Bullion committed an annual donation of 250 grams of pure Australian gold -- valued at more than AUD $30,000 -- to support the research. Representatives of Canada's third-largest gold producer, Agnico Eagle Mines, have also visited the RMIT labs to explore collaboration opportunities. "These endorsements highlight the social and scientific impact of our research," Bhargava said. "There is a recognition that this is not just a scientific breakthrough but a step towards addressing a global health challenge and people want to be a part of that." This groundbreaking project led by Bhargava and Pebanski brings together a dynamic team of young scientists including Dr Srinivasa Reddy, Dr Steven Priver, Dr Ruchika Ojha, Dr Ranjith Jakku, and Dr Tayebeh Hosseinnejad. Meanwhile, six PhD students from India, Germany, Australia, Bangladesh and Mexico have joined the effort, further strengthening the global collaboration. Story Source: Materials provided by RMIT University . Original written by Michael Quin. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Journal Reference : Cite This Page :
Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Thursday that middle linebacker Roquan Smith, who is dealing with a hamstring injury he suffered Sunday in Pittsburgh, is “not ruled out by any stretch” for Monday night’s prime-time matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. Smith hasn’t practiced this week and was absent again Thursday but is “working hard to get healthy,” Harbaugh said. The Ravens have an extra day of practice this week because they play on “Monday Night Football.” Whether Baltimore’s leading tackler returns Friday could be more telling about his status for Week 12. Should Smith miss Monday’s game, safety Kyle Hamilton would likely wear the green dot, which signifies who relays the defensive play calls, in his place. “I’ve had it in my helmet pretty much every day in practice for the past 12 weeks,” Hamilton said, insinuating he’d be comfortable with that role. “They never told me I had the mic in my helmet until Day 1 of practice and I was hearing [defensive coordinator Zach Orr] in my ear.” Defensive lineman Travis Jones (ankle) was another notable absence from the first full practice of the week. He was a limited participant last week, then appeared to shuffle in and out of Sunday’s game with a noticeable limp. His status for Monday has not yet been determined. Wide receiver Nelson Agholor didn’t practice because of illness. Running back Justice Hill, who was seen wearing a red noncontact jersey and Guardian cap during the open portion of practice, was limited as he works through concussion protocol. Neither cornerback Arthur Maulet (calf) nor safety Sanoussi Kane (ankle) practiced Thursday. Maulet, who did not play in Pittsburgh, was wearing a boot in the locker room. Kane, a rookie primarily playing on special teams, left Sunday’s game early and did not return. Hamilton and outside linebacker Odafe Oweh were listed with neck injuries but practiced fully. Related Articles The team on the other side of the “Harbowl” included a few notable names on their injury report, too. Chargers outside linebacker and four-time Pro Bowl selection Joey Bosa was limited with a hip injury, but he hasn’t missed a game. Outside linebacker Khalil Mack (groin) did not play Sunday night against the Bengals but was limited Thursday, which could signify he’s nearing a return. The Chargers’ report is an estimation because they did not practice. Both wide receiver Ladd McConkey (shoulder) and cornerback Cam Hart (concussion/ankle) missed practice, as did safety AJ Finley (ankle) and linebacker Denzel Perryman (groin). Outside linebacker Bud Dupree (foot), safety Derwin James Jr. (groin) and tackle Trey Pipkins III (ankle) were listed as limited participants on Los Angeles’ first injury report of the week.Sreeleela reveals the reason behind doing the dance number 'Kissik' with Allu Arjun in 'Pushpa 2'Nikki Osborne the new co-host of Nova 106.9 breakfast as Susie O’Neill departs
Donald Trump has nominated health economist Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a vehement critic of COVID-19 lockdowns and vaccine mandates , to lead America's leading research agency, the National Institutes of Health. This is his latest pick as several of his Cabinet picks received "violent" threats recently. This nomination follows Trump's choice of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead Health and Human Services and Make America Healthy Again , a decision that has met with concern and criticism from the healthcare industry. In a statement Tuesday, Trump, who has previously tried to claim credit for the lifesaving Covid vaccines , declared Bhattacharya as his pick. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. His nomination is pending Senate approval. Dr. Oz seeks to privatize Medicare as uninsured 'do not have right to health' Israel warned over 'extremely dangerous' next move that makes Gaza look like 'child's play' He will work together with RFK Jr. "to direct the Nation’s Medical Research, and to make important discoveries that will improve Health, and save lives," Trump's statement said. "Together, Jay and RFK Jr. will restore the NIH to a Gold Standard of Medical Research as they examine the underlying causes of, and solutions to, America’s biggest Health challenges, including our Crisis of Chronic Illness and Disease," he added. Bhattacharya, 56, shared a statement on X, saying that he is "honored and humbled" by Trump's decision. "We will reform American scientific institutions so that they are worthy of trust again and will deploy the fruits of excellent science to make America healthy again," he said. He is one of the three authors of the Great Barrington Declaration, an open letter written in October 2020 during Trump's administration and before the vaccine. It denounced the pandemic lockdowns, saying that they cause great harm to society. The document perpetuated "herd immunity." This concept says that people at low risk should live normal lives to build up immunity to the virus by contracting the infection. Those at higher risk should be protected instead, the document insisted. During a panel discussion with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in March 2021, he called lockdowns "the single biggest public health mistake." DON'T MISS: Israel launches 'final punishment' airstrike before Hezbollah ceasefire begins [LATEST] Senior Hamas official announces readiness for ceasefire deal amid Lebanon truce [NEW] How to survive a nuclear attack as US government shares chilling warning [CHILLING] The document was widely denounced by many disease experts, many of whom deemed it dangerous. Bhattacharya has also argued that vaccine mandates have undermined American trust in the public health system as many unvaccinated people have been barred from workplaces, schools and actitivies. Bhattacharya faced social media restrictions due to these views and was a plaintiff in Muthy v. Missouri, a Supreme Court case that argues against federal officials allegedly censoring conservative viewpoints on social media in the quest to combat misinformation. The Biden administration emerged a victor in the case. After Elon Musk acquired Twitter in 2022, he met Bhattacharya and later reinstated him on the platform like many other right-wing influencers.'Unbelievable' Odegaard transforms Arsenal and gets Saka smiling again
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Special counsel Jack Smith moved to abandon two criminal cases against Donald Trump on Monday, acknowledging that Trump’s return to the White House will preclude attempts to federally prosecute him for retaining classified documents or trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat. The decision was inevitable, since longstanding Justice Department policy says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. Yet it was still a momentous finale to an unprecedented chapter in political and law enforcement history, as federal officials attempted to hold accountable a former president while he was simultaneously running for another term. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Workday Earnings Beat. Updated Fiscal 2025 Revenue Outlook Light.
STARR COUNTY, Texas — Texas will continue to offer up more land to the incoming Trump administration to use for mass deportation facilities. Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham announced Tuesday that her office is identifying property to be ready for the Trump administration when they take office in January. “We have 13 million acres around the state, and if there’s something that meets the federal government’s needs, we want them to be able to utilize that,” Buckingham told the Tribune. The new project is called “Jocelyn’s Initiative” after Jocelyn Nungaray , a 12-year-old girl from Houston who police say was killed by two Venezuelan men who were in the country illegally. Jocelyn’s mother and grandmother, Alexis and Jackie, joined Buckingham to announce the initiative during a news conference Tuesday held on the 1,402-acre ranch she offered to Trump last week . “Our goal is to ensure that no other parent has to, unfortunately, experience what Alexis has experienced,” Buckingham said. Starr County is also unique in the Valley in that it is home to sprawling hills unlike the flatlands that characterize the rest of the region. On one hill overlooking the city, stands a white cross that evokes the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue of Rio de Janeiro. It’s here where the Texas General Land Office newly acquired the 1,400 acres of property in October. Last week, Buckingham offered it up to the incoming Trump administration as a site for detention centers. In a letter to Trump, Buckingham said the general land office was "fully prepared" to enter an agreement with the federal government to allow a facility to be built there for the "processing, detention, and coordination of the largest deportation of violent criminals in the nation's history." Immigration detention facilities are already a familiar presence in the Valley. A processing center in McAllen, dubbed the Ursula Central Processing Center after the street it is located on, became infamous for its chain-link detention cells and the cold temperatures inside the facility that led to the nickname "la heilera" or "icebox." The chain-link fencing was removed as part of a renovation from October 2020 to March 2022. During the renovation process, CBP opened a facility in Donna which remains open. While those facilities were set up to process migrants coming into the U.S., the detention center in Starr County, if built, would be alone in being used to process migrants being deported out of the country.
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