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Decades of research have established that chronic stress—from money worries, job problems, family tensions, or other sources—causes chemical changes in the body. In a new study, researchers have identified biological changes induced by stress that may help explain how it could cause a tumor to spread, or metastasize.

To conduct the study, the researchers used two established methods for modeling stress in mice. One is designed to mimic exposure to constant, low-level, predictable stress. The other simulates intermittent, unpredictable, mild stress.

They used these methods to induce chronic stress in two different mouse models of breast cancer. In both models, when the mice were exposed to stress using either method, they had both larger mammary tumors and more lung metastases than mice not exposed to stress.

But a series of follow-up experiments strongly suggested that this increased tumor growth and metastasis wasn’t being driven by the effects of stress on cancer cells themselves.

Continue reading “Chronic Stress-Induced NETs May Aid Cancer Metastasis” | >

Surprisingly, the organoids were still healthy when they returned from orbit a month later, but the cells had matured faster compared to identical organoids grown on Earth—they were closer to becoming adult neurons and were beginning to show signs of specialization. The results, which could shed light on potential neurological effects of space travel, were published on October 23, 2024, in Stem Cells Translational Medicine.

“The fact that these cells survived in space was a big surprise,” says co-senior author Jeanne Loring, PhD, professor emeritus in the Department of Molecular Medicine and founding director of the Center for Regenerative Medicine at Scripps Research. “This lays the groundwork for future experiments in space, in which we can include other parts of the brain that are affected by neurodegenerative disease.”

On Earth, the team used stem cells to create organoids consisting of either cortical or dopaminergic neurons, which are the neuronal populations impacted in multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease—diseases that Loring has studied for decades. Some organoids also included microglia, a type of immune cell that is resident within the brain, to examine the impact of microgravity on inflammation.

Continue reading “Effects of microgravity on human iPSC-derived neural organoids on the International Space Station” | >

After revolutionizing global internet access, Elon Musk’s Starlink is poised to take smartphone connectivity to the next level. The ambitious satellite service will soon enable users to make calls from virtually anywhere on the planet, all without the need for specialized hardware.

Starlink, a division of SpaceX, has announced its plans to introduce Direct-to-Cell, a groundbreaking feature that uses its vast satellite network to allow voice calls on regular smartphones. What sets this apart is its simplicity—there’s no need for modifications to your device. As long as your phone is LTE-compatible, you’re ready to connect.

This innovation could fundamentally change how we think about mobile communication. Imagine being able to make calls from the remotest corners of the Earth—whether you’re deep in a rainforest, sailing in the middle of the ocean, or trekking across deserts—with no cell towers in sight. Starlink’s satellite system makes this scenario entirely possible.

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Mount Sinai researchers discovered that harmine, a beta cell regenerative drug, may transform alpha cells into beta cells, offering scalable diabetes treatment options for millions.

Researchers and bioinformaticians at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have unveiled new insights into the mechanisms behind human beta cell regenerative drugs, offering a potential breakthrough for the over 500 million people worldwide living with diabetes. These findings, recently published in Cell Reports Medicine, could mark a significant step forward in diabetes treatment.

Diabetes occurs when pancreatic beta cells lose their ability to produce insulin, a hormone critical for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. Despite significant advancements, there are still no widely scalable therapeutic solutions capable of addressing the global diabetes crisis.

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USA-based clinical-stage biopharma Traws Pharma (Nasdaq: TRAW) saw its shares leap more than 150% to $12.57 as it announced progress in the development of its investigational one-dose influenza (flu) investigational therapy, tivoxavir marboxil for treatment of H5N1 bird flu. A Phase I trial tested tivoxavir marboxil in healthy adults who didn’t have the flu.

Traws Pharma expects to begin a Phase II study in the first half of 2025 as it expands its influenza program in response to the bird flu threat. The virus has been detected in dairy cattle in the USA. since March 2024, resulting in infections in over 60 people across eight states.

“The spread of avian influenza in wild and domestic animal populations including mammals, brings increasing risk for adaptation to humans and subsequent spread in the population” said Traws Pharma’s chief medical officer Dr Robert Redfield, a former Director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Bird flu is an occupational hazard for poultry and dairy workers. With increasing numbers of human infections and recent reports of severe cases, we should be alert to the rising potential for epidemic or pandemic spread of bird flu,” he added.

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