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Quantum computing is on the verge of catapulting the digital revolution to new heights.

Turbocharged processing holds the promise of instantaneously diagnosing health ailments and providing rapid development of new medicines; greatly speeding up response time in AI systems for such time-sensitive operations as autonomous driving and space travel; optimizing traffic control in congested cities; helping aircraft better navigate extreme turbulence; speeding up weather forecasting that better prepares localities facing potential disaster, and optimizing supply chain systems for more efficient delivery times and cost savings.

But we’re not there yet. One of the greatest obstacles facing quantum operations is error-correction.

Some of the world’s leading astronomical observatories have reported cyberattacks that have resulted in temporary shutdowns.

The National Science Foundation’s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory, or NOIRLab, reported that a cybersecurity incident that occurred on Aug. 1 has prompted the lab to temporarily halt operations at its Gemini North Telescope in Hawaii and Gemini South Telescope in Chile. Other, smaller telescopes on Cerro Tololo in Chile were also affected.

The incidence of cancer increases exponentially as we age. Unlike most age-related diseases, which generally cause cell and tissue degeneration and loss of function, cancer cells must acquire different, albeit aberrant, functions to progress to lethal disease. One link between age-related cancer and degeneration could be an inflammatory tissue environment driven by MTOR in senescent cells.

In her groundbreaking 2010 research perspective paper, The Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype: The Dark Side of Tumor Suppression, Dr. Judith Campisi from the Buck Institute for Research on Aging highlighted the tumor-promoting aspects of senescent cells. Campisi’s research showcased the significant ability of senescent cells to reshape the cellular landscape around them, crafting what scientists term the ‘microenvironment.’

Far from being an inert backdrop, this microenvironment serves as a dynamic stage upon which cells interact and potentially pave the way for disease progression, particularly cancer.

Britain’s state-run national health service will be the first in the world to offer an injection that treats cancer to hundreds of patients in England which could cut treatment times by up to three quarters.

Following approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), NHS England said on Tuesday (Aug 29) hundreds of eligible patients treated with the immunotherapy, atezolizumab, were set to have “under the skin” injection, which will free up more time for cancer teams.

“This approval will not only allow us to deliver convenient and faster care for our patients, but will enable our teams to treat more patients throughout the day,” Dr Alexander Martin, a consultant oncologist at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust said.

Scientists have recently reviewed the available literature to examine the critical roles played by mitochondria in maintaining homeostasis. The review summarized the involvement of mitochondria in age-related disease progression and highlighted its potential as a therapeutic target of these diseases. This review has been published in Experimental & Molecular Medicine.

Mitochondria is a cytoplasmic organelle in most eukaryotic cells and is enclosed by two phospholipid membranes: the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) and outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM). These membranes separate functionally compartmentalized structures, i.e., matrix and intermembrane space. Mitochondria contain a unique genetic code, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA).

During evolution, most mitochondrial genes were lost or translocated to nuclei. However, genes that remained in mtDNA encode for essential translational apparatus, i.e., ribosomal RNAs and transfer RNAs. In addition, these genes also encode proteins that are key components of oxidative phosphorylation system (OXPHOS) complexes embedded in the IMM.