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AI tech proactively prevents subway door entrapment accidents
A research team led by Professor Jo Woon Chong of the School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), in collaboration with researchers from KAIST and Texas Tech University in the United States, has developed the Passenger Movement Estimation System (PMES). This AI-based system predicts passenger movements using CCTV footage to prevent subway door entrapment accidents before they occur.
Overcoming the limitations of conventional reactive methods, in which sensors trigger only after a passenger has entered the danger zone, the system proactively identifies risks before passengers reach the boarding area. The findings are published in IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems.
Chong, who has led research at Sungkyunkwan University on human-centered AI, multimodal signal processing and AI-embedded systems, oversaw the study. Hee Jo, the first author and a Ph.D. student, led the data analysis and AI model design.
Personalized gene therapy helps teen with rare form of severe epilepsy walk independently
SCN2A-related developmental epileptic encephalopathy (DEE) is a rare, severe form of childhood epilepsy and one of the most common causes of monogenic autism. The condition is caused by single mutations in the sodium voltage-gated channel alpha subunit (SCN2A) gene, which controls the flow of sodium ions into neurons. These mutations promote abnormal brain excitability, resulting in uncontrolled seizures along with developmental delays, autism, movement problems and gastrointestinal issues. Most of these mutations are de novo (not inherited from a parent) and arise spontaneously.
Traditional antiseizure medications are often ineffective and do not address the underlying genetic cause of SCN2A-related DEE.
Now, an international team of researchers led by the University of California San Diego and Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine has treated two children with the condition using gene therapy tailored to each child’s specific SCN2A mutation.
Tumors Dysregulate Immune Cells in the Thymus
The immune system is made up of a wide range of cells to fight off disease. Each cell works in an orchestrated fashion to achieve robust immunity. The immune response encompasses both the innate and adaptive responses. Innate immunity is the first barrier of protection in which cells circulate the body and target a broad range of infections. The adaptive immune response more specifically targets disease by priming cells that drive the second wave of protection. One of the major cell types within the adaptive immune response includes T cells, which function to identify and eliminate disease and infection.
T cells are critical for healthy immunity and have been the focus of many immune-based therapies. These cells specifically target infections by identifying biomarkers on the cell surface. They are activated by dendritic cells, which prepare them to identify disease. This not only protects healthy tissues from being eliminated but reduces toxic effects when the body is trying to limit disease progression. There are many different subsets of T cells, which correlate to function and can further improve the body’s health. In the context of cancer, T cells become inert or unable to properly function. Many researchers are investigating ways to overcome this phenomenon and boost T cell activity. Since T cells are developed in the thymus, scientists have sought to learn more about this process and find ways to improve T cell immunity.
A recent article in Science Advances, by Dr. Motoko Kimura and others, demonstrates how tumors can evade anti-cancer immunity by altering the development of T cells in the thymus. The research field has previously focused on ways the tumors alter T cell function within the tumor microenvironment, but little is known about other areas of the body. Due to the thymus’ role in T cell development Kimura and his team investigated how the thymus is influenced by solid tumors.
Emerging PET Imaging Agents and Targeted Radioligand Therapy: A Review of Clinical Applications and Trials
Targeted radioligand therapy (RLT) is an emerging field in anticancer therapeutics with great potential across tumor types and stages of disease. While much progress has focused on agents targeting somatostatin receptors and prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), the same advanced radioconjugation methods and molecular targeting have spurred the development of numerous theranostic combinations for other targets. A number of the most promising agents have progressed to clinical trials and are poised to change the landscape of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. Here, we present recent data on some of the most important emerging molecular targeted agents with their exemplar clinical images, including agents targeting fibroblast activation protein (FAP), hypoxia markers, gastrin-releasing peptide receptors (GRPrs), and integrins. These radiopharmaceuticals share the promising characteristic of being able to image multiple types of cancer. Early clinical trials have already demonstrated superiority to 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) for some, suggesting the potential to supplant this longstanding PET radiotracer. Here, we provide a primer for practicing radiologists, particularly nuclear medicine clinicians, to understand novel PET imaging agents and their clinical applications, as well as the availability of companion targeted radiotherapeutics, the status of their regulatory approval, the potential challenges associated with their use, and the future opportunities and perspectives.
Diabetic Foot Ulcers: Pathophysiology, Immune Dysregulation, and Emerging Therapeutic Strategies
Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are among the most common and debilitating complications of diabetes mellitus (DM), affecting approximately 15–25% of patients and contributing to over 85% of non-traumatic amputations. DFUs impose a substantial clinical and economic burden due to high recurrence rates, prolonged wound care, and frequent hospitalizations, accounting for billions in healthcare costs worldwide. The multifactorial pathophysiology of DFUs involves peripheral neuropathy, peripheral arterial disease, chronic inflammation, and impaired tissue regeneration. Recent studies underscore the importance of immune dysregulation—specifically macrophage polarization imbalance, regulatory T cell dysfunction, and neutrophil impairment—as central mechanisms in wound chronicity.
Cannabinoid pathways may offer targets for kidney disease as CKD affects 850 million people
Approximately 850 million people globally (9.1% of the world’s population) have chronic kidney disease (CKD). The number of affected individuals has grown steadily during the past 20 years and is on track to continue rising. Existing drugs, such as RAAS inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers, are commonly prescribed, but their effectiveness varies from patient to patient. Moreover, these drugs can slow disease progression but cannot stop it.
Now, a research team from the Autonomous University of Aguascalientes in Aguascalientes, Mexico, argues that cannabinoid pathways may serve as a novel therapeutic target. Their discussion of this possibility appears in Frontiers in Pharmacology.
New tool identifies the sources of fake videos
Artificial intelligence can generate videos so realistic that distinguishing them from authentic footage is becoming increasingly difficult. But a computer science team led by researchers at UC Riverside has developed a tool that moves beyond simply identifying whether a video is fake. It also determines which AI system created it.
