With fractured genomes, Alzheimer’s neurons call for help

September 28, 2022

A new study by researchers in The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT provides evidence from both mouse models and postmortem human tissue of a direct link between two problems that emerge in Alzheimer’s disease: a buildup of double-stranded breaks (DSBs) in the DNA of neurons and the inflammatory behavior of microglia, the brain’s immune cells.

Chemotherapy shortage did not increase cancer patient mortality
During a shortage of the generic platinum chemotherapy drugs cisplatin and carboplatin that began in early 2023, there was no difference in mortality rates among patients with advanced cancer compared to the previous year, and prescription rates for the two drugs fell less than three percent overall—and 15.1 percent at the peak—according to an analysis published this week in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine and Penn Medicine's Abramson Cancer Center.
Refrigerated raw milk harbors infectious flu virus for 5 days, study finds
Raw milk, hailed by some as a natural and nutritious alternative to pasteurized dairy, may come with hidden dangers, according to a new Stanford University study. The research, published December 12 in Environmental Science & Technology Letters reveals that influenza or flu virus can remain infectious in refrigerated raw milk for up to five days. The findings come at a time when outbreaks of bird flu in dairy cattle have raised concerns about the potential for a new pandemic.
HIF1α identified as crucial for T cell activation in oxygen-poor tumors
Immune checkpoint blockades, or ICBs, have revolutionized treatment for various advanced cancers. However, their effectiveness has plateaued due to therapeutic resistance that renders tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, or TILs, ineffective. Thus, finding ways to disarm that resistance and rejuvenate anti-cancer TILs—so they can kill tumor cells—is an important goal for cancer clinicians. Yet any potential intervention has to take place under unusual conditions—the cancer microenvironment nearly devoid of oxygen due to fast growth of a tumor and the poor oxygen delivery by the abnormal tumor vasculature.
Stay sober and have a jolly holiday season with these expert tips
Last year, when Lauren Haydel began her first sober holiday season, she wondered how difficult it would be to avoid alcohol at family parties and celebrations with friends. She owns a boutique, Fleurty Girl, in New Orleans' French Quarter, a neighborhood synonymous with drinking.
A low omega-6, omega-3 rich diet and fish oil may slow prostate cancer growth
A study led by UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center investigators offers new evidence that dietary changes may help reduce cancer cell growth in patients undergoing active surveillance, a treatment approach that involves regular monitoring of the cancer without immediate intervention.

With fractured genomes, Alzheimer’s neurons call for help

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