The University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Palliative Medicine Program has launched a new clinical trial funded by the National Institute on Aging to explore a potential treatment for agitation in patients with dementia nearing the end of life. The study focuses on an investigational oral drug, T2:C100, which contains the two active ingredients in cannabis: THC and CBD.

A robot trained on videos of surgeries performed a lengthy phase of a gallbladder removal without human help. The robot operated for the first time on a lifelike patient, and during the operation, responded to and learned from voice commands from the team—like a novice surgeon working with a mentor.

The robot performed unflappably across trials and with the expertise of a skilled human surgeon, even during unexpected scenarios typical in real life medical emergencies.

Zebrafish have the rare ability to regenerate their heart muscle after major damage, unlike humans. Researchers have now discovered the gene circuit that accomplishes this — an embryonic circuit that zebrafish are able to reactivate as adults. By identifying the gene or genes that trigger this reactivation, the scientists hope to be able to revive the dormant heart-repair circuit in other animals, such as humans, and perhaps reactivate dormant repair circuits in other tissues.

For the first time, a fluorescent-guided nerve imaging agent shows promise for use in humans, according to a paper published in Nature Communications. The study sought to evaluate the safety of bevonescein, a synthetic peptide-dye conjugate thought to be applicable for intraoperative nerve-specific fluorescence imaging.