Smoothing wrinkles in mice — without needles

In the quest for a more youthful appearance, many people slather ointments on their skin or undergo injections of dermal fillers. But topical treatments often aren't very effective because they don't penetrate deep within the skin, whereas the results from injections typically last for only a few months and can be painful. Now, researchers have developed a needle-free 'exosome' treatment that reduces wrinkles in UV-exposed mice.

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Mosquito eye inspires artificial compound lens

Anyone who's tried to swat a pesky mosquito knows how quickly the insects can evade a hand or fly swatter. The pests' compound eyes, which provide a wide field of view, are largely responsible for these lightning-fast actions. Now, researchers have developed compound lenses inspired by the mosquito eye that could someday find applications in autonomous vehicles, robots or medical devices.

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Kids in poor, urban schools learn just as much as others

Schools serving disadvantaged and minority children teach as much to their students as those serving more advantaged kids, according to a new nationwide US study. Test scores speak more to what happens outside the classroom than how schools themselves are performing.

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Bottom-up synthesis of crystalline 2D polymers

Scientists have succeeded in synthesizing sheet-like 2D polymers by a bottom-up process for the first time. A novel synthetic reaction route was developed for this purpose. The 2D polymers consist of only a few single atomic layers and, due to their very special properties, are a promising material for use in future electronic components.

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New fungus-derived antibiotic: Relief in sight for immunocompromised people

Infections that are treatable in healthy people can often be fatal in immunocompromised individuals (people with a weak immune system), and hence, they require specialized treatment. Eushearilide is already known to be active against a wide range of pathogenic fungi and yeasts, but its antibacterial properties have not been explored. Now, scientists have derived a new compound from eushearilide and demonstrated its antibacterial and antifungal properties. It can be used to treat lung infections, meningitis, and encephalitis.

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Cancer: The origin of genetic mutations

In the presence of some disruptive elements, cancer cells are unable to replicate its DNA optimally. While known to be linked to the increase in genetic mutations, the exact mechanism at work remained unknown until now. By deciphering how replication stress induces the loss or gain of whole chromosomes in the daughters of cancer cells, researchers provide new knowledge that will ultimately lead to better diagnosis and possibly better treatment of cancer.

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Light work for superconductors

For the first time researchers successfully used laser pulses to excite an iron-based compound into a superconducting state. This means it conducted electricity without resistance. The iron compound is a known superconductor at ultralow temperatures, but this method enables superconduction at higher temperatures. It is hoped this kind of research could greatly improve power efficiency in electrical equipment and electronic devices.

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