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Talk recorded live at CERN on 17 November 2022 during the second edition of the Sparks! Serendipity Forum at CERN. #CERNSparks.

There are many developments in the field of detection and imaging, and some are happening here at CERN — as Madgdalena Kowalska, a senior researchers explains.

In a study recently published in the journal Nano Letters, researchers from Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan, used frequency-modulated atomic force microscopy to reveal the submolecular structure of microtubule (MT) inner surface and visualize structural defects in the MT lattice, providing valuable insights into the complex dynamic processes that regulate microtubule function.

Microtubules (MTs), a key component of the cytoskeleton in , serve as scaffolds and play vital roles in cellular processes such as , cell migration, intracellular transport, and trafficking. MTs are composed of α-tubulin and β-tubulin proteins, which polymerize into dimers and assemble into linear protofilaments that form a cylindrical lattice.

Traditional methods like X-ray crystallography and cryo– have provided structural insights into MTs but involve complex sample preparation and data analysis. There remains a need for techniques that can examine MT structural features, assembly dynamics, and lattice defects at submolecular resolution under physiological conditions.

“The chain of exploitation underscores the importance of securing every component of a WordPress site, especially third‑party themes and plugins, which can become critical points of entry for attackers.”

The development comes as Wordfence disclosed a high-severity flaw in the WPForms plugin (CVE-2024–11205, CVSS score: 8.5) that makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to refund Stripe payments and cancel subscriptions.

The vulnerability, which affects versions 1.8.4 up to, and including, 1.9.2.1, has been resolved in versions 1.9.2.2 or later. The plugin is installed on over 6 million WordPress sites.