As the first line against microbial infections or endogenous cellular damage in our body, the innate immune system utilizes NLRs (NOD-like receptors) to sense the molecules triggering microbial infection and damage, thus ensuring the proper immune response function. In the NLRs family, NLRP3 is the most characterized member, and its overactivation can lead to excessive production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, driving pathological processes in various inflammatory diseases. CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec 10, 2024 --- Insilico Medicine (“Insilico”), a clinical-stage generative artificial intelligence (AI)-driven drug discovery ...

SAN FRANCISCO — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PLOS has been awarded a $3.3million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, underscoring its commitment to pioneer a shift away from traditional publishing models. The 3-year funding package from the Gates Foundation will support PLOS’ transition towards APC-free publishing by enabling authors, funded by the foundation, to publish with PLOS without facing APC barriers, and to contribute to open access publishing options for authors who do not have access to funding. This 3-year grant offers support while PLOS is actively working on new publishing models grounded in open science starting with ...

Background and Aims Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection contributes to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumorigenesis, drug resistance, and recurrence, although the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Recent studies suggest that HBV infection may be associated with liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs), but the exact mechanisms are yet to be resolved. In this study, we aimed to analyze the role of HBV infection in regulating the stemness of HCCs, which is closely linked to drug resistance. Methods Sphere formation assay and real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction quantification were used to ...

Rockville, MD – December 10, 2024 –The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) applauds the release of the Scientific Report of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC). The Society is pleased to note that 19 of the 20 Committee members are ASN members, including the Chair, ASN President Sarah Booth, and Vice Chair, Angela Odoms-Young, a member of the ASN Board of Directors. The DGAC is an independent panel of nutrition science experts tasked to review the state of the evidence on nutrition-related topics and scientific questions identified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) ...

OAK BROOK, Ill. – The number of women with late-stage, invasive breast cancer at the time of diagnosis increased significantly among U.S. women across all ages and ethnicities between 2004 and 2021, according to a study published today in Radiology, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). In the study, researchers analyzed the latest available Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data on annual stage-specific breast cancer incidence rates between 2004 and 2021. SEER data is collected from 22 population-based ...

OAK BROOK, Ill. – Researchers at the Yale School of Medicine found structural and functional alterations in specific brain regions of individuals with opioid use disorder. The study’s results were published today in Radiology, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Opioids are a class of drugs that include synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, prescription pain relievers like oxycodone, and illegal narcotics, including heroin. Opioids have a high potential for misuse, and opioid use is a major contributor to drug overdoses in the ...

Media Contact: John Dudley (814) 490-3290 (cell) jjdudley@usf.edu EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION UNTIL TUESDAY, DEC. 10, AT 10 A.M. ET TAMPA, Fla. (Embargoed until Dec. 10, 2024) – Colorectal cancer, the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, may be fueled by the food on our plates. Researchers at the University of South Florida and Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute have uncovered a potential link between the Western diet – dominated by ultra-processed foods and unhealthy oils – and the chronic inflammation that drives ...

Polymer scientist Gary E. Wnek and stem-cell biologist Arnold Caplan have been named Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), the highest professional distinction awarded solely to inventors. The two Case Western Reserve University faculty members will be inducted June 26 at the NAI’s 14th annual conference in Atlanta. Caplan, who was nominated in 2023, died in January. The NAI said his family will be invited to accept the medal in his honor. The NAI Fellows Program was established “to highlight academic ...

UCSF scientists combine a precision drug therapy with an antibody and radiation to eliminate tumors without causing side effects.  Radiation is one of the most effective ways to kill a tumor. But these therapies are indiscriminate, and they can damage healthy tissues.  Now, UC San Francisco scientists have developed a way to deliver radiation just to cancerous cells. The therapy combines a drug to mark the cancer cells for destruction and a radioactive antibody to kill them.   It wiped out bladder and lung tumors in mice ...

A massive cleanup of derelict fishing gear in U.S. coastal waters is set to begin now that William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS has awarded $1.4 million to fund 11 projects under the National Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment, and Prevention (TRAP) Program. From diving in waters up to 130 feet deep to retrieve lobster and crab traps in protected ecosystems to the removal of debris in tribal fishing grounds, this initial round of projects facilitates removal efforts in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, ...

MIAMI, FLORIDA (EMBARGOED UNTIL Dec. 10, 2024, AT 10AM EST) – New research from Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine suggests that one’s biological age, which can be higher than his or her chronological age – a concept called accelerated aging – may predict who’s at risk for developing colon polyps, a known risk factor for colorectal cancer. The findings, published in Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, link accelerated aging to increased early colorectal cancer ...

The National Academy of Inventors (NAI) announced today the election of 170 exceptional inventors into the 2024 Class of Fellows. NAI Fellowship is the highest professional distinction awarded solely to inventors. The full list of 2024 Fellows can be found here. The 2024 cohort of Fellows exemplifies the Academy’s belief that groundbreaking innovation knows no bounds and inventors can be found everywhere. This is evident in the fact that the honorees represent 39 U.S. states, 12 countries, and 43% identify as underrepresented ...

SAN ANTONIO — December 10, 2024 — Southwest Research Institute successfully customized and conducted a full-scale evaluation of a novel fire mitigation method designed to safely store damaged electric vehicles and batteries. SwRI engineers demonstrate customized research and development support for government and industry clients with novel projects and challenges related to emerging technologies where no standardized testing exists. “SwRI established the nation’s first fire-focused research program 75 years ago, so our extensive ...

INDIANAPOLIS – Family members of intensive care unit (ICU) patients often experience psychological and spiritual distress as they deal with serious illness and potential death. A new paper authored by a national team of experts at the intersection of health and spirituality highlights the critical role of the spiritual care provided by chaplains in supporting family members of ICU patients. Chaplains have extensive training, learning to address diverse spiritual as well as religious concerns that have been shown to affect medical decision making. This enables them to support the decision-making ...

During economic, political, or other crises, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) often experience a heightened need for their support and assistance. Yet, the recent global crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic presented unexpected challenges to the NGOs: restrictions on movement imposed by governments prevented them from carrying out their activities and providing certain services. Moreover, despite the increase in demand for NGO services, organisations have faced the problem of raising funding, as some of the usual methods of fundraising have ...

WASHINGTON—Early life exposure to a class of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) called polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) may lead to behavioral problems in rats, according to a new animal study published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are chemicals that mimic, block or interfere with hormones in the body's endocrine system and contribute to endocrine diseases such as cancer, reproductive disorders, obesity and neuroendocrine disorders. PCBs have been banned for decades but are still persistent in ...

Researchers have found that the global goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels is now almost certainly out of reach. The results, published Dec. 10 in Geophysical Research Letters, suggest the hottest years ahead will very likely shatter existing heat records. There is a 50% chance, the authors reported, that global warming will breach 2 degrees Celsius even if humanity meets current goals of rapidly reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by the 2050s. A number of previous studies, including the authoritative ...

Background and Aims Coronary artery disease (CAD) is increasingly observed in patients with liver cirrhosis. However, data on the incidence and prevalence of CAD in cirrhotic patients are heterogeneous, and the association remains uncertain. In this study, we aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to address these issues. Methods PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched. Incidence, prevalence, and factors associated with CAD were pooled using a random-effects model. Risk ratio (RR) and odds ratio (OR), with their ...

All living organisms host microbiomes composed of both beneficial and harmful microbes that influence health. Microbiome diversity affects host fitness: low diversity can lead to immune issues and poor nutrient absorption, while high diversity can boost resilience to stress and pathogens. To illuminate this issue, researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, have spent the last five years studying the relationships between songbird gut microbiomes and traits that relate to a bird’s health and breeding success. While links between the gut microbiome and other traits have been described in laboratory experiments with captive animals, ...

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) stands as the dominant form of liver cancer, ranking as the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Often diagnosed at advanced stages, the therapeutic landscape is limited, with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) serving as a key locoregional treatment. TACE, while effective in inducing tumor necrosis, exerts dual effects on the tumor microenvironment (TME), necessitating integration with systemic therapies like immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Yet, therapeutic resistance, hypoxia-induced angiogenesis, and immune evasion remain significant barriers. The advent of T-cell receptor (TCR) sequencing offers a transformative lens to ...

The Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS) announced that a research team led by Dr. Dong-Chan Lim and Dr. So-Yeon Kim from the Energy & Environment Materials Research Division has developed a next-generation thin-film material technology that significantly improves the durability of energy and electronic devices. This technology, which combines organic and inorganic materials in a dual-layer structure, can be applied to film-based solar cells and sensors. It is particularly notable for its ability to minimize the physical stress caused by rolling or unrolling, thereby greatly enhancing mechanical ...

AGU Annual Meeting  9 – 13 December 2024  Walter E. Washington Convention Center  801 Allen Y. Lew Place NW  Washington, D.C. 20001 5 December 2024  Press Release 24-37 EMBARGOED until Tuesday, 10 December at 8:00 a.m. EST Bighorn sheep face death by avalanche in Sierra Nevada range Even as snow cover becomes less reliable, climate change may make deadly avalanches in the California range more frequent Researcher contact:   Ned Bair, University of California, Santa Barbara, edwardbair@ucsb.edu (UTC-8 hours) AGU press contact:    Liza Lester, +1 (202) 777-7494, news@agu.org ...

AGU Annual Meeting    9 – 13 December 2024    Walter E. Washington Convention Center    801 Allen Y. Lew Place NW    Washington, D.C. 20001   6 December 2024   Press Release 24-39  EMBARGOED until Tuesday, 10 December at 8:00 am EST  AGU press contact:    Liza Lester, +1 (202) 777-7494, news@agu.org (UTC-5 hours)   Contact information for the researchers:   Dan Jaffe, University of Washington, djaffe@uw.edu (UTC-8 hours)  WASHINGTON  — Normally, America’s smokiest cities lie out west. But Canada’s unusually intense 2023 wildfire ...

AGU Annual Meeting   9 – 13 December 2024   Walter E. Washington Convention Center   801 Allen Y. Lew Place NW   Washington, D.C. 20001  8 December 2024  Press Release 24-40  EMBARGOED until Tuesday, 10 December at 8:00 am EST Researcher contact:  Julia Gohlke, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, jgohlke@vt.edu (UTC-5 hours)   AGU press contact:  Rebecca Dzombak, news@agu.org (UTC-5 hours)  WASHINGTON — Floods can shape someone’s health before they’re even born, according to new research. The findings will be presented ...

Chestnut Hill, Mass (12/10/2024) – As opposed to a constant flow from sources above and below ground, periods of heavy rain and runoff deliver the greatest amounts of fertilizer-derived nitrogen through creeks, rivers, and storm drains into the northern Gulf of Mexico, a team of scientists led by Boston College researchers reports today in the journal Communications Earth and Environment. The findings clarify how nitrogen is delivered to the gulf and can be used to develop policies to protect the northern Gulf of Mexico, according to Boston College Assistant Professor of Earth and ...