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University of Notre Dame researchers have discovered another way tumor cells transfer genetic material to other cells in their microenvironment, causing cancer to spread.

In their latest study, published in Cell Reports, Crislyn D’Souza-Schorey, the Morris Pollard Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, and collaborators discovered that DNA “cargo” is transported in small informational sacs called extracellular microvesicles. Their study is a continuation of work her lab has undertaken to further understand the sharing of information between cells.

“We’ve shown that DNA present in these microvesicles is related to metastasis, so now we have a great platform to assess for genetic aberrations,” said D’Souza-Schorey, who is also affiliated with the Berthiaume Institute for Precision Health, the Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare and Neglected Diseases and the Harper Cancer Research Institute.

CEO of Tesla Elon Musk revealed in tweets posted on Saturday that he is giving serious thought to creating a social media platform.

“Given that Twitter serves as the de facto public town square, failing to adhere to free speech principles fundamentally undermines democracy,” Musk further tweeted.

Free speech

Meanwhile, on Friday, he put out a Twitter poll asking users if they thought Twitter adhered to the principle of free speech. Over 70% of respondents voted “no”.

An Ola Electric scooter caught fire while parked at the roadside in Pune, Maharashtra. In an unverified tweet posted on March 26, an Ola electric scooter could be seen in plumes of smoke, which ultimately led to the scooter catching fire. As per the tweet, it could be an Ola S1 or Ola S1 Pro scooter.

“We’re in constant touch with the customer who is absolutely safe,” said the startup. “Vehicle safety is of paramount importance at Ola and we are committed to the highest quality standards in our products. We take this incident seriously and will take appropriate action and share more in the coming days,” Ola said.