Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation, tends not to respond well to immunotherapy treatments, including durvalumab. However, Yale Cancer Center (YCC) researchers recently reported in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology that the targeted therapy osimertinib, when administered after chemotherapy and radiation, is associated with significantly improved progression-free survival (living without the cancer worsening).
Category: Research Alert
Stricter parental monitoring of social media isn’t always better
Parents are often under the impression that the best way to protect their preteens and teens online is to restrict their use: limiting the amount of time they can spend, implementing rules about which apps they’re allowed to use, etc.…
Effects of exosomes from mesenchymal stem cells on functional recovery of a patient with total radial nerve injury: A pilot study
BACKGROUNDPeripheral nerve injury can result in significant clinical complications that have uncertain prognoses. Currently, there is a lack of effective pharmacological interventions for nerve damage, despite the existence of several small
Use of priming strategies to advance the clinical application of mesenchymal stromal/stem cell-based therapy
Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) have garnered significant attention in the field of regenerative medicine due to their remarkable therapeutic potential. MSCs play a pivotal role in maintaining tissue homeostasis and possess diverse fu
Research progress and challenges in stem cell therapy for diabetic foot: Bibliometric analysis and perspectives
BACKGROUNDStem cell therapy has shown great potential for treating diabetic foot (DF). AIMTo conduct a bibliometric analysis of studies on the use of stem cell therapy for DF over the past two decades, with the aim of depicting the current
Application of mesenchymal stem cell therapy for premature ovarian insufficiency: Recent advances from mechanisms to therapeutics
The incidence of premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is increasing worldwide, particularly among younger women, posing a significant challenge to fertility. In addition to menopausal symptoms, POI leads to several complications that profo
Research team reveals the role of calcite in improving soil organic matter stability
A team of researchers led a study that has revealed valuable details about the role that calcite plays in the long-term stability of soil organic matter (SOM), which represents the Earth’s largest terrestrial carbon reservoir. Maintaining the stability of this reservoir…
New research looks at life satisfaction in pandemic-era teens with mental health histories
New research from the NIH’s Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program suggests that during the COVID-19 pandemic, some teens with a history of depression, anxiety, autism and ADHD experienced more severe impacts than those without. This research, titled…
Ichthyosis associated with greater risk of anxiety, depression
People living with Ichthyosis – a rare disorder with symptoms including dry, scaly patches of skin – may be at higher risk for mental health conditions like depression and anxiety, a new study finds. Researchers at Yale School of Medicine…
Potential of dental pulp stem cells and their products in promoting peripheral nerve regeneration and their future applications
Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) seriously affects people’s quality of life. Stem cell therapy is considered a promising new option for the clinical treatment of PNI. Dental stem cells, particularly dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), are adult
MicroRNA-584-5p/RUNX family transcription factor 2 axis mediates hypoxia-induced osteogenic differentiation of periosteal stem cells
BACKGROUNDThe hypoxic environment during bone healing is important in regulating the differentiation of periosteal stem cells (PSCs) into osteoblasts or chondrocytes; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. AIMTo determine the e
Description and Impact of Encounters With Deceased Partners or Spouses
Abstract This study investigates perceived interactions with the deceased, a phenomenon reported across societies, with 30-34% of individuals likely experiencing at least one ADC in their lifetime. Despite this prevalence, studies examining the impact of ADCs’ on those who have…
Baylor Scott & White Shares Insights At ACG Annual Scientific Meeting 2023
The 2023 American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) Annual Scientific Meeting & Postgraduate Course will convene in Vancouver, Canada, Oct. 20-25. The ACG is a recognized leader in educating GI professionals and the public about digestive disorders. The ACG’s mission is…
Ocean circulation, ice melt and increasing tourism could all be contributing to Arctic microplastics
Scientists measured microplastic concentrations in the highly productive Barents Sea and suggest that ocean circulation, ice melt, tourism, inadequate waste management, shipping and fishing are all likely contributors. Numerous studies have shown that global microplastic quantities in the marine environment…
New threat to Antarctic fur seals
Antarctic fur seals that were hunted to near extinction have recovered but now face dangerous decline because of a lack of food, new research suggests. The study of fur seals, almost all of which live on the sub-Antarctic islands of…
Study finds that AI benefits workers more than bosses
Johns Hopkins Carey Business School Researchers Gordon Gao and Ritu Agarwal published a new report on Wednesday, October 11 that explores how knowledge workers (workers whose main capital is knowledge) with different levels and types of experience team with AI for productivity gains. The primary findings…
BREAKTHROUGH: Discovery made from within 2,000 year-old Herculaneum scrolls
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 12, 2023) — The Herculaneum scrolls are among the most iconic and inaccessible of the world’s vast collection of damaged manuscripts. Since being burned and carbonized by the catastrophic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 CE, they’ve been deemed “unreadable.” For more than 2,000 years, wisdom from the only library to survive from ancient times remained locked away.
Baylor Scott & White Presents Research At The Heart Failure Society of America Annual Scientific Meeting 2023
The Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) is a multidisciplinary organization working to improve and expand heart failure care through collaboration, education, research, innovation and advocacy. Its annual scientific meeting held Oct. 6-9, in Cleveland offers the best heart failure…
Results: Study Explores Pre-Operative Radiation Boost for Breast Cancer Patients
New Brunswick, N.J., October 3, 2023 – For breast cancer patients undergoing a lumpectomy, a type of breast cancer surgery in which the tumor and a small amount of surrounding tissue called the margin is removed, the standard mode of treatment…
Natural variation in Brachypodium distachyon responses to combined abiotic stresses
Understanding how native plants deal with extreme temperature, drought, and other environmental stresses offers insights into how crops can be bred to better withstand the harsh realities resulting from climate change. Ludwig and collaborators studied the genetic variation in how…
Study Explores How Kidneys Adapt to High Potassium Diet
Article title: Dietary anions control potassium excretion: it is more than a poorly absorbable anion effect Authors: Lama Al-Qusairi, Mohammed Z. Ferdaus, Truyen D. Pham, Dimin Li, P. Richard Grimm, Ava M. Zapf, Delaney C. Abood, Ebrahim Tahaei, Eric Delpire,…
Researchers Explore Proteins’ Roles in Cilia Associated with Polycystic Kidney Disease
Article title: CFTR and PC2, partners in the primary cilia in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease Authors: Murali K. Yanda, Cristian Ciobanu, William B. Guggino, Liudmila Cebotaru From the authors: “Here we show that [cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)]…
Menstrual Cycle Phase Doesn’t Affect Fuel Provision during Exercise
Article title: The impact of natural menstrual cycle and oral contraceptive pill phase on substrate oxidation during rest and acute submaximal aerobic exercise Authors: Jennifer S. Williams, Jenna C. Stone, Zaryan Masood, William Bostad, Martin J. Gibala, Maureen J. MacDonald…
Transplanting Muscle Mitochondria among Species May Create Opportunity for New Treatments
Article title: Muscle mitochondrial transplantation can rescue and maintain cellular homeostasis Authors: Debasmita Bhattacharya, Mikhaela B. Slavin, David A. Hood From the authors: “Our study illustrates the feasibility of using mouse skeletal muscle-derived mitochondria for transplantation in intraspecies- and interspecies-specific…
Urban Pollution Changes Properties of Lung Cells, Causes Fibrosis
Article title: Complex urban atmosphere alters alveolar stem cells niche properties and drives lung fibrosis Authors: Randa Belgacemi, Bruno Ribeiro Baptista, Grégoire Justeau, Marylène Toigo, Andrew Frauenpreis, Rojda Yilmaz, Audrey Der Vartanian, Mathieu Cazaunau, Edouard Pangui, Antonin Bergé, Aline Gratien,…
Study Gives 3D Picture of Age-related Changes in Heart Muscle Mitochondria
Article title: Three-dimensional mitochondria reconstructions of murine cardiac muscle changes in size across aging Authors: Zer Vue, Kit Neikirk, Larry Vang, Edgar Garza-Lopez, Trace A. Christensen, Jianqiang Shao, Jacob Lam, Heather K. Beasley, Andrea G. Marshall, Amber Crabtree, Josephs…
The YABBY gene SHATTERING1 controls activation rather than patterning of the abscission zone in Setaria viridis
Plants have highly evolved mechanisms to shed or drop organs (abscission) in response to environmental or developmental cues. It’s why you have to rake leaves in the Fall! But in agriculture, the natural shedding of flowers or seeds is detrimental, and cereal crops with abscission-inhibiting mutations in certain genes, like SHATTERING1, have been bred to dramatically increase yield. Using Crispr gene editing and detailed analyses, Yu et al. show for the first time some mechanistic features of abscission in the grasses, including the role of the plant hormone auxin.
Long COVID patients show distinct immune, hormone responses to virus
People suffering from long COVID symptoms show different immune and hormonal responses to the virus that causes COVID-19, according to a new study led by researchers at Yale School of Medicine. An estimated 7.5% of people infected with the SARS-CoV-2…
Protein p53 regulates learning, memory, sociability in mice
Researchers at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology have established the protein p53 as critical for regulating sociability, repetitive behavior, and hippocampus-related learning and memory in mice, illuminating the relationship between the protein-coding gene TP53 and neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders.
Loss of Key Protein Makes Mice More Likely to Develop High Bood Pressure
Rockville, Md. (September 26, 2023)—Researchers from the Medical College of Wisconsin found that loss of the key protein prorenin receptor in a mouse’s brain makes mice more susceptible to developing hypertension. The results are contrary to Pablo Nakagawa, PhD, and…
Mechanism of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell exosomes in the treatment of heart failure
BACKGROUNDHeart failure (HF) is a global health problem characterized by impaired heart function. Cardiac remodeling and cell death contribute to the development of HF. Although treatments such as digoxin and angiotensin receptor blocker dr
Multiomics reveal human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells improving acute lung injury via the lung-gut axis
BACKGROUNDAcute lung injury (ALI) and its final severe stage, acute respiratory distress syndrome, are associated with high morbidity and mortality rates in patients due to the lack of effective specific treatments. Gut microbiota homeostas
Interferon-γ priming enhances the therapeutic effects of menstrual blood-derived stromal cells in a mouse liver ischemia-reperfusion model
BACKGROUNDMesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been used in liver transplantation and have certain effects in alleviating liver ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and regulating immune rejection. However, some studies have indicated that the e
Integrin beta 3-overexpressing mesenchymal stromal cells display enhanced homing and can reduce atherosclerotic plaque
BACKGROUNDUmbilical cord (UC) mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation is a potential therapeutic intervention for atherosclerotic vascular disease. Integrin beta 3 (ITGB3) promotes cell migration in several cell types. However, whether
Enhanced wound healing and hemostasis with exosome-loaded gelatin sponges from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells
BACKGROUNDRapid wound healing remains a pressing clinical challenge, necessitating studies to hasten this process. A promising approach involves the utilization of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) derived exosomes. The
Sociomedical Factors May Put Black Men at Higher Risk of Death from Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer exhibits one of the widest racial and socioeconomic disparities among all cancers affecting men. New research challenges the long-standing view that Black men may be more biologically or genetically prone to prostate cancer. A paper published in the journal Cancers finds…
3D Stress Patterns in Capillaries Are Caused by Red Blood Cell Squeezing
Rockville, Md. (September 15, 2023)—New and unique shear stress patterns can occur in angiogenic capillary (new blood vessel growth) networks, according to a new study in the journal Function. There was also enhancement of low shear stress regions by red…
Investigators at Mount Sinai Find Strong Association of Kidney Injury with Dasatinib, a Commonly Used Oncological Therapeutic
Investigators at Mount Sinai Find Strong Association of Kidney Injury with Dasatinib, a Commonly Used Oncological Therapeutic Findings suggest an update may be warranted for current clinical care, screening guidelines, and FDA guidance on adverse events Principal Investigator: Evren U.…
New loss mitigation technique paves the way for perfect optical resonators
Optical resonators are used in everything from familiar laser pointers to cutting-edge photonic quantum computers. But they all suffer from losses that degrade their performance. Researchers at Aalto University have now developed a way to prevent those losses, boosting the…
Nearly Half of Mental Health Practitioners Say They Are Unprepared to Help Clients Cope with Climate Change, Study Shows
Newswise — Many mental health counselors feel ill-equipped to help their clients deal with psychological issues around climate change, according to a new study published in the Journal of Humanistic Counseling, a journal of the American Counseling Association. Researchers and…
Up-to-date meta-analysis of long-term evaluations of mesenchymal stem cell therapy for complex perianal fistula
BACKGROUNDLocal mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy for complex perianal fistulas (PFs) has shown considerable promise. But, the long-term safety and efficacy of MSC therapy in complex PFs remain unknown. AIMTo explore the long-term effect
Quercetin ameliorates oxidative stress-induced senescence in rat nucleus pulposus-derived mesenchymal stem cells via the miR-34a-5p/SIRT1 axis
BACKGROUNDIntervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a main contributor to low back pain. Oxidative stress, which is highly associated with the progression of IDD, increases senescence of nucleus pulposus-derived mesenchymal stem cells (NPMS
Wnt signaling pathway inhibitor promotes mesenchymal stem cells differentiation into cardiac progenitor cells in vitro and improves cardiomyopathy in vivo
BACKGROUNDCardiovascular diseases particularly myocardial infarction (MI) are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity around the globe. As cardiac tissue possesses very limited regeneration potential, therefore use of a potent small mo
Constitutive aryl hydrocarbon receptor facilitates the regenerative potential of mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells
BACKGROUNDBone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) are the commonly used seed cells in tissue engineering. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a transcription factor involved in various cellular processes. However, the function of const
Interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha synergistically enhance the immunosuppressive capacity of human umbilical-cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells by increasing PD-L1 expression
BACKGROUNDThe immunosuppressive capacity of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is dependent on the “license” of several proinflammatory factors to express immunosuppressive factors such as programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1), which dete
Mastering the craft: Creating an insightful and widely-cited literature review
The art of constructing an insightful literature review manuscript has witnessed an exemplar in the work of Oz et al (2023), wherein concept progression harmoniously merges with figures and tables. Reflecting on retrospective data science,
Airborne Measurements Shed Light on Accuracy of Cloud Physics Theory
Clouds in the atmosphere form when water vapor condenses around tiny aerosol particles, or nuclei, suspended in the atmosphere. Climate simulations use theoretical models to determine how many of these aerosols and what types are present. But how well does…
Newly published research identified a previously unknown way in which exoenzymes can be deactivated through iron-bearing minerals
Newly published research emphasizes the importance of understanding how to improve protection of the global soil organic matter balance.
Theoretical and Experimental Physics Team Up in the Search for Particle Flavor Change
Scientists recently discovered that neutrinos have mass, counter to long-held understanding. This means that neutrinos can change flavor. Now, advances in theory and experiment are helping scientists to determine whether the neutrinos’ charged counterparts—electrons, muons, and tauons—can also change flavor and how future experiments can look for those changes.
Simple ballpoint pen can write custom LEDs
Researchers working with Chuan Wang, an associate professor of electrical and systems engineering at the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, have developed ink pens that allow individuals to handwrite flexible, stretchable optoelectronic devices on everyday materials including paper, textiles, rubber, plastics and 3D objects.