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IBSA Foundation blog

A collection of regularly updated articles designed to make the world of science and health more accessible and engaging.
Paolo Rossi Castelli13 Oct 20222 min read

Nanodiamonds to deliver drugs into the skin

Nanodiamonds to deliver drugs transdermally and visualise their whereabouts in real time with a particular laser.
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Paolo Rossi Castelli06 Oct 20223 min read

Children’s mental health: listening robots are on the way

Nao it's the name of a robot to assess the mental wellbeing of young people. The absence of human interlocutor encourages children to talk more sincerelys.
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Paolo Rossi Castelli29 Sep 20222 min read

Cyborg-beetles from Japan

Part-insect and part-robot, they can be used to carry out reconnaissance in inaccessible and dangers areas. They are powered by mini-photovoltaic panels.
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Paolo Rossi Castelli22 Sep 20223 min read

Doppelgangers don’t just look alike

Doppelgangers not only share a common appearance, but also certain genetic variants that influence other biological parameters and behaviour.
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Paolo Rossi Castelli15 Sep 20223 min read

Psychedelic drugs against alcohol abuse

The use of psilocybin (similar to LSD) under medical supervision, combined with psychotherapy, reduced alcohol abuse by 83%.
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Paolo Rossi Castelli08 Sep 20223 min read

A new monoclonal antibody to fight malaria

A monoclonal antibody has been developed that is easy to administer and very effective in preventing malaria. Find out more in this blog article.
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Paolo Rossi Castelli01 Sep 20224 min read

Serotonin and depression: are they linked?

A large review study published on Molecular Psychiatry, downplays the link between serotonin and depression. Will treatments also have to be revised?
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Paolo Rossi Castelli25 Aug 20222 min read

An innovative pain therapy is on the way

A new technique to erase pain: nerve cooling. A thin strip inserted around the nerves, radically lowers the temperature and curbs painful stimuli.
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Paolo Rossi Castelli04 Aug 20223 min read

From pig to man, is xenotransplantation on the way?

In the coming months the US FDA will decide whether to allow the large-scale experimental transplantation of pig hearts that are genetically modified.
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Paolo Rossi Castelli28 Jul 20223 min read

Carbon monoxide foam as a cure for the intestine

A new alternative therapy appears to treat the intestine. It is a drug based on molecular cuisine techniques that reduces intestinal inflammation.
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Paolo Rossi Castelli21 Jul 20222 min read

Life on Mars: new studies on microorganisms in the Canadian Arctic

Identified life forms capable of surviving conditions probably similar to those of life on Mars. They breathe methane and feed only on inorganic material.
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Paolo Rossi Castelli14 Jul 20223 min read

A uterus transplant: the technique works

Ten years after the first operation, also followed by IVF, Swedish doctors have seen positive results. However, some ethical issues remain.
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Paolo Rossi Castelli07 Jul 20223 min read

Viruses as ‘antibiotics’- tests are positive

Some patients suffering from severe bacterial infections were treated with viruses, called phages, that identified the bacteria and annihilated them.
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Paolo Rossi Castelli30 Jun 20222 min read

Liver transplants are ok even with ‘rejected’ organs

A liver rejected by specialised centres has been ‘reconditioned’ using a special technique and transplanted. The patient who received it is doing well.
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Paolo Rossi Castelli23 Jun 20223 min read

The heart: a pacemaker that can be reabsorbed

A highly innovative prototype controlled and powered wirelessly by a network of sensors in special patches has been created at Northwestern University.
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Paolo Rossi Castelli15 Jun 20222 min read

Brain tumours: a major genetic map

An extremely precise profile of meningiomas, which account for 30% of all brain tumours, has been created. The first experimental tests with a new drug.
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Paolo Rossi Castelli09 Jun 20223 min read

Are ‘viral ghosts’ the cause of Long Covid?

Fragments of the SARS-CoV-2 virus remain in the intestines of some people affected by the long version of the disease, causing a range of side effects.
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Paolo Rossi Castelli02 Jun 20222 min read

Robotics and medicine: 'Millirobot' has been created to bring medicine to the intestine.

A new technique has been developed in the field of robotics and medicine. A microscopic robot walks into the digestive tract, to release medication.
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