An experimental pain-relieving drug delivery method for farm animals using biodegradable microneedle patches was conducted by researchers with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station to alleviate some pain after procedures like castrations and tail docking and decrease labor for farmers. While the drugs administered through the experimental microneedle pain patches on pigs did show up in the animals’ system, the drug concentrations were not sufficient.

Despite the limited performance, the project remains a proof of concept that pig skin can absorb medication delivered through a dissolvable microneedle patch. The research team also found that the patches work better on the neck than the ear. No adverse responses were observed at application sites, highlighting the safety and tolerability of the patches. Additionally, a new approach is being developed using the microneedle patch technology as a way to incorporate tattoos for animal tagging.

Researchers from The Grainger College of Engineering have combined their fundamental knowledge of metals with new machine learning techniques to generate detailed spatial maps. Their method paves the way towards faster and more accurate autonomous material design.

Mike Banad, a researcher with the University of Oklahoma, has been awarded funding from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to pursue the development of advanced materials that could shape the future of energy-efficient electronics and photonics.

The Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) inaugurated today its Scientific Computing Center (C3), a new state-of-the-art supercomputing facility designed to support R&D&I projects with high demands in computation, storage and data processing. This supercomputer, ranked 81st worldwide according to the IO500 ranking, reinforces the University’s commitment to scientific and technological excellence and will be available to the UC3M research community, other research centers, and interested companies. The C3 will represent a major advance in socially impactful research in fields such as aeronautics, biology, and health sciences, among others.

Snow and ice can damage paved surfaces, leading to frost heaves and potholes. These become potential hazards for drivers and pedestrians and are expensive to fix. Now, researchers propose in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering a figurative and literal green solution to improve the durability of roads and sidewalks: an algae-derived asphalt binder. For temperatures below freezing, results indicated that the algae binder reduced asphalt cracks when compared to a conventional, petroleum-based binder.