Breakthroughs

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Is solar power set to become our main source of energy? What can Mesopotamian kings tell us about the Earth’s magnetic field? Catch up on the latest breakthroughs from UCL’s faculties. 

Rules for surgical robots 

A researcher next to a surgical robot with multiple operable arms

Credit: ITV News

Credit: ITV News

An international collaboration led by UCL scientists has created a framework to guide the design and introduction of the next generation of surgical robots. 

Their consensus statement considers the perspectives of clinicians, patients, hospitals and developers to inform safe criteria for increasingly autonomous machines as their use in medical settings increases and makes recommendations for evaluating them across their operating lives. 

This framework goes beyond providing just a clinical perspective on the use of robots and AI in surgery.” said Hani Marcus (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology). “The statement was written with patients, and they are very much at the heart of it.” 

The framework was created by the IDEAL Robotics Colloquium, which involves 81 researchers, from 12 countries across the world. 

Read the full story: New framework outlines how to develop, evaluate and monitor surgical robots

Here comes the sun

Photo showing a field of solar panels

Credit: Santee Cooper

Credit: Santee Cooper

The world may have already reached a ‘tipping point’ that will see solar power become the most prevalent source of energy by 2050, according to research by UCL and the University of Exeter. 

Rapid innovation in the sector has forged a pathway to solar-based provision becoming dominant within a generation. However, the report did identify four key barriers (creation of stable power grids, financing solar in developing economies, capacity of supply chains, and political resistance) which need to be addressed to further accelerate the transition. 

“There is a growing belief that, with the dramatic decline in the global average cost of renewables, it will be much easier for the developing world to decarbonise,” said co-author Dr Nadia Ameli (UCL Bartlett School of Environment, Energy & Resources). 

The research partnership is funded by the UK Government and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF). 

Read the full story: World may have crossed solar power ‘tipping point’

Kings, bricks and magnetic mysteries

This brick dates to the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II (ca. 604 to 562 BCE) based on the interpretation of the inscription. Image courtesy of the Slemani Museum, Iraq.

This brick dates to the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II (ca. 604 to 562 BCE) based on the interpretation of the inscription. Image courtesy of the Slemani Museum, Iraq.

Analysis of ancient bricks inscribed with the names of Mesopotamian kings has yielded important insights into a 3,000 year-old anomaly in Earth’s magnetic field. 

A project involving UCL researchers used ‘archaeomagnetic dating’ to analyse iron oxide grains in 32 clay bricks from Mesopotamian archaeological sites in modern-day Iraq, finding that the Earth’s magnetic field imprinted a unique signature on these minerals when they were first fired by brickmakers. 

Each brick was inscribed with the name of the contemporary king. By aligning this with the magnetic field signatures, the study was able to confirm a “Levantine Iron Age Geomagnetic Anomaly” between 1050 and 550 BCE, when the magnetic field was unusually strong in the region.  

“This work helps create an important dating baseline that allows others to benefit from absolute dating using archaeomagnetism,” said Professor Mark Altaweel (UCL Institute of Archaeology). 

Read the full story: Mesopotamian bricks unveil the strength of Earth’s ancient magnetic field

Trial promises “biggest improvement” in cervical cancer

Lesion in human cervical epithelium infected with human papilloma virus. Credit: NIMR, Francis Crick Institute. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Lesion in human cervical epithelium infected with human papilloma virus. Credit: NIMR, Francis Crick Institute. Source: Wellcome Collection.

A clinical trial led by UCL researchers has shown significant promise in the use of induction chemotherapy (IC) to improve cervical cancer outcomes. 

The study evaluated the use of IC as a precursor to standard chemoradiation (CRT) in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer. It found that participants who were allocated to receive an initial six-week course of IC followed by a “standard” CRT exhibited a 35% reduction in cancer recurrence or mortality compared to those who received CRT in isolation.  

“This is the biggest improvement in outcome in this disease in over 20 years,” said lead investigator Dr Mary McCormack (UCL Cancer Institute). “I’m incredibly proud of all the patients who participated in the trial. Their contribution has allowed us to gather the evidence needed to improve treatment of cervical cancer patients everywhere.” 

The INTERLACE Phase III Trial was funded by Cancer Research UK and UCL Cancer Trials Centre.  

Read the full story: Better use of existing drugs increases cervical cancer survival and reduces recurrence

TikTok amplifies harmful content

Photo of a smartphone with the TikTok app open

Social media algorithms amplify extreme content and thereby normalise harmful ideologies for young people, UCL researchers have found.   

The team created TikTok accounts which represented archetypes of teenage boys considered to be vulnerable to radicalisation by online content. After five days, 56% of recommended content on TikTok’s “For You” page included misogynistic themes, compared to 13% at the outset. 

“Algorithmic processes on TikTok and other social media sites target people’s vulnerabilities, such as loneliness or feelings of loss of control,” said Dr Kaitlyn Regehr (UCL Information Studies). “Harmful views and tropes are now becoming normalised among young people […] and moving off screens and into schoolyards.”  

The researchers produced recommendations aimed at holding social media companies accountable for content they promote, as well as providing education around a “healthy digital diet” and misogyny.  

Read the full story: Social media algorithms amplify misogynistic content to teens

Decoding dark energy

A matter map derived from one of the simulated universes in this study. The lightest areas show regions where dark matter is most dense. These correspond to superclusters of galaxies. The dark, almost black patches are cosmic voids, the large empty spaces in between clusters of galaxies. Credit: Niall Jeffrey et al.

A matter map derived from one of the simulated universes in this study. The lightest areas show regions where dark matter is most dense. These correspond to superclusters of galaxies. The dark, almost black patches are cosmic voids, the large empty spaces in between clusters of galaxies. Credit: Niall Jeffrey et al.

A UCL-led research team has harnessed artificial intelligence (AI) to gain a more precise understanding of dark energy and how it interacts with the universe. 

Dark energy comprises about 70% of the known universe and is believed to be central to its accelerating expansion. To map its evolution, the study employed a machine-learning algorithm to analyse a map of dark and visible matter over a period of seven billion years.  

“Using AI, we increased the precision of our estimates of key properties of the universe, including the overall density of dark energy, by a factor of two,” said Dr Niall Jeffrey (UCL Physics & Astronomy). “To achieve this improvement without these novel techniques, we would need four times the amount of data. This would be equivalent to mapping another 300 million galaxies.”  

This method offers a promising avenue for future cosmological research, potentially leading to insights that could reshape our understanding of fundamental phenomena.  

Read the full story: More precise understanding of dark energy achieved using AI

New vest could reveal heart risk 

Photo of Dr George Joy showing the electrocardiographic imaging (ECGI) vest on a mannequin.

Credit: UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science / James Tye

Credit: UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science / James Tye

UCL researchers have assessed a new tool which could revolutionise the detection of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a potentially fatal heart condition which affects 1 in 300 adults. 

Findings suggest that the electrocardiographic imaging (ECGI) vest designed by Dr Gaby Captur (UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science) uses its 256 sensors to detect subtle electrical changes associated with HCM with greater accuracy and at an earlier stage than a standard electrocardiogram (ECG). 

“The ECGI vest we have developed is expanding our ability to understand the electrical functioning of the heart and to assess more precisely people’s risk of developing life-threatening heart rhythms,’’ said Dr Captur. “This means we can potentially act earlier, providing new treatment to slow the disease.” 

The study was supported by the British Heart Foundation, National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), Medical Research Council, and Barts Health NHS Trust

Read the full story: Vest can detect earlier signs of heart muscle disease

Erectile dysfunction drugs linked with lower Alzheimer’s rates

A pile of blue and white pills

Men prescribed erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs are around 18% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease in the long-term, a UCL-led study has reported.  

ED drugs work by dilating blood vessels and were first developed to treat hypertension and angina. Of the men who were in receipt of this treatment, 749 went on to develop Alzheimer’s disease at a rate of 8.1 cases per 10,000 person-years. Amongst men who did not take any drugs, 370 developed Alzheimer’s disease, corresponding to 9.7 cases per 10,000 person-years. 

“While we cannot say based on our findings whether the drugs themselves were reducing people’s risk of Alzheimer’s disease, the results are encouraging and may point to a new way to reduce Alzheimer’s risk,” said first author Matthew Adesuyan (UCL School of Pharmacy). 

The findings were based on a sample of 269,725 men who did not have any memory or thinking problems at the start of the study and received follow-ups at an average of 5.1 years. 

Read the full story: Erectile dysfunction drugs linked to reduced Alzheimer’s risk

Aphasia therapy in a digital age 

Photo of an older man using an app on a smartphone

Credit: Fizkes, iStock

Credit: Fizkes, iStock

A ground-breaking digital application developed by UCL’s Neurotherapeutics Group has been shown to significantly improve speech in people with aphasia.   

Aphasia is a language disorder which occurs when a person suffers brain damage which leads to persistent difficulties with speech. However, a randomised control study found that patients who engaged with the iTalkBetter platform for 90 minutes per day experienced an average 13% increase in their ability to name items, with their spontaneous speech also becoming better.  

‘‘Most healthcare systems under-dose people with aphasia in terms of the hours of speech language therapy that they are provided with,” said Professor Alex Leff (UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience). “App delivered therapy is one solution to this problem.” 

The study was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) in collaboration with Wellcome.  

Read the full story: iTalkBetter app significantly improves speech in stroke patients

A blueprint for cleaner skies

A photo showing waste incineration and air pollution in Lagos Island, Nigeria

Credit: Joshua Okunfolami. Source: Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0

Credit: Joshua Okunfolami. Source: Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0

A United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report which was co-authored at UCL is to support the creation of legal and governance frameworks to address harmful levels of air pollution.  

The World Health Organisation (WHO) identifies air pollution as the world’s largest environmental health risk, estimated to have caused 4.2 million premature deaths in 2019. Yet in at least 34% of countries, ambient air quality standards are not legally protected.      

“Addressing air pollution in a meaningful and long-term way requires a co-ordinated response cutting across policy areas and government departments,” said co-author Professor Eloise Scotford (UCL Laws).  

“This report provides a blueprint for everything policymakers need to consider to build an air quality governance system that promotes clean air for all.”  

Read the full story: UNEP guide aims to help countries tackle harmful air pollution

Playful parenting with ‘Generation Alpha’ 

Photo of two parents reading with a young child

Research commissioned by the UK government has found that half of parents engage in regular physical or turn-taking play, singing, pretend games and noisy play with their nine-month-old babies, despite facing significant pressures. 

Responses to ‘Children of the 2020s’ also showed that 7.4% of babies had the majority of such interactions with their father in the role of primary caregiver. Two decades ago, this figure was around 0.1%. 

“[The study] shows the many challenges parents are now facing as they deal with rising costs, health and mental health difficulties, and issues accessing public services,” said Professor Pasco Fearon (UCL Psychology & Language Sciences). “There are, however, very encouraging signs of resilience. Parents are showing how engaged they are with creating a healthy home learning environment for their children.”  

Children of the 2020s is the latest in a rich history of longitudinal studies based at UCL, with others focusing on cohorts born in 1946, 1958, 1970, 1989-90 and 2000-02.  

Read the full story: Despite pressures facing young families, parents take precious moments to play with their babies

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