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New study finds bacteria in brain tumors play ‘surprising’ role in cancer growth

Newly published research in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Cancer suggests that bacteria inside brain tumors may play a far more active role in how cancers grow, spread and respond to treatment than previously understood, according to Prof. Ravid Straussman of the Weizmann Institute of Science.

For years, scientists considered tumors as places where bacteria didn’t grow.

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An Immunomodulating Peptide with Potential to Promote Anticancer Immunity Without Compromising Immune Tolerance

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in patients with lung cancer and metastatic melanoma is associated with exacerbation of autoimmune-related diseases. The efficacy of treatment targeting the programmed cell death receptor-1 (PD-1) checkpoint relies upon a feedback loop between interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and the interleukin-12 isoform, IL-12p40. Paradoxically, both cytokines and the anti-PD-1 antibody worsen psoriasis. We previously reported an immunomodulating peptide, designated IK14004, that inhibits progression of Lewis lung cancer in mice yet uncouples IFN-γ from IL-12p40 production in human immune cells. Methods: Immune cells obtained from healthy donors were exposed to IK14004 in vitro to further characterise the signalling pathways affected by this peptide.

How brain fluid flow predicts survival in glioblastoma

Glioblastoma—the most aggressive form of brain cancer—remains one of medicine’s biggest challenges. Despite surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, most patients survive only about a year after diagnosis.

However, a new discovery might change how doctors understand and monitor this . Specifically, the study focused on isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) wild-type glioblastoma, the most common and rapidly growing form of the tumor, known for its and limited treatment options.

In a study published in Neuro-Oncology, researchers found that brain regions far away from the tumor—known as the contralateral hemisphere (the side opposite to tumor)—can reveal vital clues about a patient’s survival in IDH wild-type glioblastoma.

Atomic Structure of Mn-Doped CoFe2O4 Nanoparticles for Metal–Air Battery Applications

We discuss the atomic structure of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles doped with Mn via an analysis based on combining atomic pair distribution functions with high energy X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy measurements. Cobalt ferrite nanoparticles are promising materials for metal–air battery applications. Cobalt ferrites, however, generally show poor electronic conductivity at ambient temperatures, which limits their bifunctional catalytic performance in oxygen electrocatalysis. Our study reveals how the introduction of Mn ions promotes the conductivity of the cobalt ferrite electrode.

Reversing fibrosis: New research provides insight for novel therapies

Yale School of Medicine (YSM) researchers have made key breakthroughs in understanding how to treat fibrotic diseases such as scleroderma and graft-versus-host disease.

Fibrotic diseases are a group of conditions—often autoimmune—characterized by excessive tissue scarring. They can drastically hinder patients’ quality of life, and in some cases, they can be life-threatening— contributes to approximately 45% of all deaths in developed nations. However, there are no effective treatments.

Now, in a study published in Blood, researchers have developed a monoclonal antibody that is showing promise as a new therapy for patients. And in a Nature Communications study, the same team discovered a signaling pathway that may be mediating fibrosis and could be a target for future therapies.

Droplet-based bioprinting Reviews Methods Primers

(DBB) enables the fabrication of three-dimensional structures from biomaterials. In this Primer, Gupta and colleagues describe the various DBB modalities and their applications, considerations for the selection of bioinks and substrates, methods to assess printability, the limitations of DBB and their solutions, and potential advances that might be brought about by incorporating new technologies.

Masahiro Hara

After graduating from Hosei University, Hara worked at Denso, a Toyota Group subsidiary, where he began developing a barcode system. [ 6 ] In 1992, at Denso’s development department (later Denso Wave), he was tasked with creating a new 2D code to efficiently track automotive components. [ 7 ] [ 8 ] [ 9 ] [ 10 ] One day during a lunchtime game of go, he realized the black-and-white patterns could encode information. [ 6 ] He also researched publications to find a unique proportion for the position pattern to ensure readability. [ 11 ] The code was introduced in 1994. [ 12 ]

In 2021, QR codes were being used to book and track COVID-19 tests and contact tracing. [ 6 ] Hara has stated that he would like to develop QR codes for additional medical purposes, including imaging such as x-rays or electrocardiogram data. [ 2 ] Hara still works for Denso as of 2024. [ 1 ]

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Researchers reveal intricate control system for key immune gene

The immune system faces a delicate balancing act: It must be aggressive enough to fight infections and cancer, yet restrained enough to avoid attacking the body’s own tissues.

More than two decades ago, researchers identified a gene called FOXP3 as playing a critical role in maintaining this balance and preventing autoimmune disease—work that garnered this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

Now, scientists at Gladstone Institutes and UC San Francisco (UCSF) have mapped the intricate network of genetic switches that use to fine-tune levels of FOXP3. Their findings, published in Immunity, have important implications for developing immune therapies and address a long-standing mystery about why this gene behaves differently in humans than in mice.

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