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Dual brakes on T-cells: New targets found to boost immunity in chronic infections

Northwestern Medicine scientists have identified the cellular mechanisms that cause immune cells to differentiate and ultimately lose function during viral infection, findings that could improve treatments to control chronic infections, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

During viral infection and in the case of cancer, CD4+ helper T-cells release cytokines, or small signaling proteins, that activate and “give permission” to other immune cells to control and clear viral pathogens.

In certain viral infections, such as lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), which is spread by infected rodents, CD4+ T-cells differentiate into different subpopulations, including one subset of progenitor CD4+ T-cells that replenish type 1 helper (Th1) and follicular helper (Tfh) T-cells.

AI model flags insulin resistance as a risk factor for 12 cancers

Insulin resistance—when the body doesn’t properly respond to insulin, a hormone that helps control blood glucose levels—is one of the fundamental causes of diabetes. In addition to diabetes, it is widely known that insulin resistance can lead to cardiovascular, kidney and liver diseases. While insulin resistance is tightly associated with obesity, it has been difficult to evaluate insulin resistance itself in the clinic. For the first time, researchers, including those from the University of Tokyo, applied a machine learning-based prediction model of insulin resistance to half a million participants from the UK Biobank and demonstrated that insulin resistance is a risk factor for 12 types of cancer.

The research is published in Nature Communications.

Diabetes is a common cause for concern around the world. Its connection to insulin resistance is a familiar concept to many, but what is less well known is that resistance to insulin is also suggested to be a risk factor for several cancers. However, the human body is a complex thing, and ascertaining causal connections between diseases and issues within the body is far from easy.

How cyberattacks on grocery stores could threaten food security

Grocery store shoppers at many chains recently ran into an unwelcome surprise: empty shelves and delayed prescriptions. In early November, Ahold Delhaize USA was the victim of a cyberattack that significantly disrupted operations at more than 2,000 stores, including Hannaford, Food Lion and Stop and Shop. Specific details of the nature of the attack have not yet been publicly released.

Because the attack affected many digital systems, some stores were not able to accept credit/debit cards, while others had to shut down online ordering. Additionally, Hannaford’s website was offline for several days. Food supply issues have lasted several weeks in some cases, especially in the New England area, illustrating the impact cyberattacks have on people’s everyday lives.

A Jagged1-regulated hybrid-EMT state identifies pancreatic cancer stem cells

Lan et al. show that a subset of CD9hi tumor-initiating cells in pancreatic cancer exhibits hybrid-EMT features and possesses enhanced self-renewal and differentiation capacities. Depletion of these cells or blockage of Jagged1-Notch signaling impairs tumorigenesis and cellular heterogeneity, revealing a vulnerability for pancreatic cancer.

How Neuroscience Backs Baars’ Global Workspace Theory

Exploring the Global Workspace Theory: Consciousness Unveiled. Join us as we unravel Bernard Baars’ groundbreaking Global Workspace Theory (GWT) and discover how our brain functions like a theater, spotlighting conscious experiences.

00:00:00 Introduction to Global Workspace Theory.
00:00:34 Global Broadcasting.
00:01:08 Evidence from Brain Imaging and EEG Studies.
00:01:35 Common Mechanism for Conscious Access.
00:02:21 Intracranial EEG Study by Gaillard and Colleagues.
00:02:56 Brain Activity Overdrive.
00:03:56 Neuronal Synchrony and Binocular Rivalry.
00:04:13 Rhythm of Awareness.
00:05:03 Dynamic Synchrony and Global Accessibility.
00:05:19 On-Air Sign for the Brain.
00:05:35 Long-Distance Coordination and Global Coherence.
00:06:04 The Brain Orchestra.
00:06:20 Global Workspace and Clinical Neurology.
00:06:49 Disrupting Global Connectivity.
00:07:22 Frontal Lobe Lesions and Blindsight.
00:08:01 Widespread Disconnection and Fading of Consciousness.
00:08:57 Recovery from Disorders of Consciousness.
00:09:16 Temporary Inactivation with TMS
00:10:12 Interrupting Broadcasting Hubs.
00:10:35 Restoring Connectivity and Consciousness.
00:11:26 Jump-Starting Thalamo-Cortical Circuits.
00:11:43 Re-Engaging the Global Workspace.
00:11:58 The Brain’s Internal News Feed.
00:12:31 Broadcasting and Subjective Experience.

Panpsychism and Explaining Consciousness — TED Talk — David Chalmers

Our consciousness is a fundamental aspect of our existence, says philosopher David Chalmers: “There’s nothing we know about more directly… but at the same time it’s the most mysterious phenomenon in the universe.” He shares some ways to think about the movie playing in our heads.

Single-Shot Parity Readout of a Minimal Kitaev Chain: A Breakthrough in Majorana Qubits

In a major technical leap published in Nature on February 11, 2026, an international research team led by QuTech (Delft University of Technology) and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) has demonstrated the first single-shot, real-time readout of the quantum information stored in Majorana qubits. This achievement addresses the “readout problem”—the long-standing experimental hurdle of measuring a non-locally distributed quantum state without compromising its inherent topological protection.

The study, titled “Single-shot parity readout of a minimal Kitaev chain,” utilizes a novel quantum capacitance technique to sense the global state of a “Kitaev minimal chain.” By constructing a bottom-up nanostructure of two semiconductor quantum dots coupled via a superconductor, the team successfully generated Majorana zero modes (MZMs) in a controlled, modular fashion. This “Lego-like” approach allowed the researchers to discriminate between the even and odd parity states (the 0 and 1 of the qubit) in real-time, effectively unlocking the “safe box” of topological information.

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