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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 3 hours ago

Cancer Immunotherapy May Work Better Before 3PM

People with cancer receiving immunotherapy earlier in the day survived longer, suggesting that adjusting treatment timing may improve outcomes.

Mounting evidence suggests that the time of day at which cancer patients receive treatment could impact their outcomes. This effect is likely due to the circadian rhythm-dependent fluctuations in the function of immune cells as well as proteins that regulate their function, also called checkpoints.

In line with this, in a recent meta-analysis, researchers found that patients with various types of advanced cancer who underwent immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) infusions earlier in the day survived longer than their counterparts treated in the late afternoons or evenings.

In a new study, researchers discovered that patients with a highly aggressive lung cancer who received treatment before 3PM survived significantly longer than their counterparts who were treated later in the day.

Landré T, et al. Effect of immunotherapy-infusion time of day on survival of patient.... ESMO Open. 2024;9(2):102220.

Huang Z, et al. Overall survival according to time-of-day of immunochemotherapy for.... Cancer. 2025.

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 3 hours ago

Suppressing postoperative inflammation may prolong pain

Suppressing inflammation after surgery by inhibiting TNF-α can delay recovery and prolong pain, rather than relieve it. Allowing natural inflammation leads to quicker pain resolution and recovery. These findings suggest that inflammation plays a beneficial role in healing, and indiscriminate use of anti-inflammatory drugs post-surgery may increase the risk of chronic pain.

Taking anti-inflammatory drugs after surgery is fairly standard protocol. But a new study by researchers suggests this approach may be backfiring and that blocking inflammation during this critical time may, in fact, delay recovery and prolong pain rather than relieve it.

If you look across all types of surgeries—anything from an extracted tooth to a hip replacement—the pain resolves normally for 90% of patients. But the other 10% develop chronic pain. That persistent pain is very hard to treat; it's very resistant to medication and it can last for years.

In the new study, published recently in the Journal of Pain Research, the researchers report that letting inflammation run its course led to a quicker cessation of pain and an overall quicker recovery after a surgery or injury.

Although this study suggests that blocking TNF-α after surgery is likely unwise, there are other scenarios where it may still make sense, such as improving mobility by reducing arthritic inflammation in the joints for autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.

Inflammation is not necessarily a bad thing, the researchers say.

Yes, it hurts, but it's also working on the inside to promote the resolution of that pain. The idea in the medical field that when you have an injury, you should absolutely block the inflammation right away might not always be the best strategy, they conclude.

They think that one day we'll be able to block the pain but allow the healing inflammation.

Sophie Laumet et al, Unexpected Role of TNFα Signaling in the Resolution of Postoperative Pain in Mice, Journal of Pain Research (2025). DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s543971

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 4 hours ago

A novel aspect of this study was that aging was also measured biologically. Epigenetic clocks were determined from blood samples from more than one thousand participants. Epigenetic clocks aim to measure biological aging—that is, the gradual deterioration of cells and tissues. With such methods, aging-related changes can be detected years or even decades before death.

The results supported earlier conclusions based on mortality data. According to the epigenetic clocks, women who had either many children or no children at all were biologically somewhat older than their chronological age.
A person who is biologically older than their calendar age is at a higher risk of death.
Having a child at a young age was also associated with biological aging. This too may relate to evolutionary theory, as natural selection may favor earlier reproduction that entails shorter overall generation times, even if it entails health-related costs associated with aging.

Mikaela Hukkanen et al, Epigenetic aging and lifespan reflect reproductive history in the Finnish Twin Cohort, Nature Communications (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-67798-y

Part 2

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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 4 hours ago

Twin study ties childbearing timing to biological aging

Analysis of Finnish twins indicates that both the number and timing of pregnancies are linked to women's biological aging and lifespan. Women with two to three children and pregnancies between ages 24 and 38 show slower aging and longer life expectancy, while childlessness, early childbearing, or having more than four children are associated with accelerated aging. Epigenetic data support these associations.

A study based on Finnish twins shows that reproductive history is associated, at the population level, with women's lifespan and biological aging. In the study, mothers of large families, women who had no children, or women who had their first child at a very young age appeared to age somewhat faster than other women.

The results suggest that both the number of children and the timing of pregnancies are reflected in women's adult health and life expectancy. The paper is published in the journal Nature Communications.

From an evolutionary biology perspective, organisms have limited resources such as time and energy. When a large amount of energy is invested in reproduction, it is taken away from bodily maintenance and repair mechanisms, which could reduce lifespan.

Somewhat unexpectedly, the study also found that childless women showed faster aging than women with a few children. This result may be explained by other lifestyle or health-related factors whose effects could not be fully controlled for in the analyses.

The research group emphasizes that the findings apply only at the population level. They do not demonstrate cause–effect relationships, nor do they provide a basis for individual recommendations for women of reproductive age. For example, family size has decreased and the age at first birth has increased compared with the period covered by the study.

Part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 4 hours ago

Tree bark microbes also clean the air by removing greenhouse and toxic gases

Microbes living on tree bark consume significant amounts of climate-active gases such as methane, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide, in addition to CO2 absorbed by trees. This microbial activity occurs on a global scale, enhancing air purification and contributing to both climate regulation and improved air quality. Different tree species host distinct microbial communities with varying gas-removal capacities.

 Pok Man Leung et al, Bark microbiota modulate climate-active gas fluxes in Australian forests, Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.adu2182. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adu2182

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 7 hours ago

Omega-3 supplements fail to improve depressive symptoms in young people

Is fish oil the new snake oil?

Fish oil pills rich in omega-3 fatty acids gained attention as a possible add-on treatment for depression, as a few studies on adults found noticeable improvements in symptoms when combined with antidepressants.

When a similar study was conducted with children and adolescents, omega-3 fatty acids did not do any better than a placebo.

A team of researchers from Switzerland carried out a large clinical trial at five different centers, spanning nine months, to test whether adding omega-3 supplements to standard treatment could help teenagers and young adults with moderate-to-severe depression. The study involved 257 participants aged 8 to 18 who were randomly assigned to receive either 1.5 grams of omega-3 supplements or placebo pills daily.

The results are published in JAMA Network Open.

This study revealed that supplementing depression treatment with fish oil pills didn't prove more effective than placebo at improving quality of life, reducing suicidal ideation, or the need for antidepressants. Both groups showed similar improvements during the study and showed depression scores of 36.5 with omega-3 vs. 36.8 with placebo.

The results indicate that omega-3 supplements provide no additional benefit for depression.

Please note that the trial was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have influenced the outcomes. 

Gregor Berger et al, ω-3 Fatty Acids in Pediatric Major Depressive Disorder, JAMA Network Open (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.48703

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa yesterday

The oldest animal keeps its eyes sharp
Greenland sharks (Somniosus microcephalus) can live to be up to 400 years old, making them the longest-lived vertebrate. They dwell in the almost-sunless waters of the Arctic deep sea, and are often infested with parasites that attach to their eyes, leading scientists to suppose that the animals might be functionally blind. But researchers who studied the sharks’ eyeball in the lab say that it’s quite the contrary: the sharks appear to maintain their vision over centuries with no signs of retinal degeneration — perhaps thanks to a DNA repair mechanism in the retina — and could offer clues to treating age-related vision loss in people.

The visual system of the longest-living vertebrate, the Greenland s...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa yesterday

Millions of Your Mother's Cells Persist Inside You

Every human born on this planet is not entirely themselves.

A tiny fraction of our cells – around one in a million – is actually not our own, but comes from our mothers. That means each of us has millions of cells that our immune systems would normally recognize as foreign; yet somehow, in most of us, they hang around peacefully without causing any immune problems.

It's called microchimerism, and it goes both ways: every human who has ever been pregnant retains cells from their fetus, and every human retains cells from their mother.

Now, immunologists have figured out why. A small number of maternal immune cells that cross the placenta during pregnancy actively train the fetus's immune system to tolerate the mother's cells for their entire life.

Micro chimerism is increasingly linked with so many health disorders. This study provides an adaptable platform for scientists to investigate whether these rare cells are the cause of disease, or alternatively, found in diseased tissue at increased levels as part of the natural healing process.

Tolerance to non-inherited maternal antigen is sustained by LysM+ C...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa yesterday

Young cancer survivors may face faster aging and possible early-onset dementia

Adolescent and young adult cancer survivors exhibit accelerated aging at both cellular and brain function levels, regardless of treatment type, with chemotherapy contributing most to this effect. Increased biological age correlates with cognitive deficits such as impaired memory and attention. Lifestyle changes like exercise and improved nutrition may help reverse some aging effects.

AnnaLynn M. Williams et al, Epigenetic age acceleration, telomere length, and neurocognitive function in long-term survivors of childhood cancer, Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-65664-5

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa yesterday

Your genes determine how fast your DNA mutates with age, study shows

Analysis of genetic data from over 900,000 individuals shows that common DNA repeats in blood cells expand with age, with inherited variants at 29 genetic locations modifying expansion rates by up to four-fold. Some DNA repair genes have opposite effects on different repeats. Expansion in the GLS gene is linked to increased risk of kidney and liver disease, highlighting new potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

An analysis of genetic data from over 900,000 people shows that certain stretches of DNA, made up of short sequences repeated over and over, become longer and more unstable as we age. The study found that common genetic variants can speed up or slow down this process by up to four-fold, and that certain expanded sequences are linked to serious diseases including kidney failure and liver disease.

More than 60 inherited disorders are caused by expanded DNA repeats: repetitive genetic sequences that grow longer over time. These include devastating conditions like Huntington's disease, myotonic dystrophy, and certain forms of ALS.

Most people carry DNA repeats that gradually expand throughout their lives.

This study demonstrates that DNA repeat expansion is far more widespread than previously recognized and identifies dozens of genes that regulate this process, opening new avenues for developing treatments that could slow disease progression.

Margaux Hujoel, Insights into DNA repeat expansions among 900,000 biobank participants, Nature (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09886-z. www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09886-z

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