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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Friday

Nanoparticle vaccine prevents multiple cancers and stops metastasis in mice

A new study by researchers demonstrates that their nanoparticle-based vaccine can effectively prevent melanoma, pancreatic and triple-negative breast cancer in mice. Not only did up to 88% of the vaccinated mice remain tumor-free (depending on the cancer), but the vaccine reduced—and in some cases completely prevented—the cancer's spread.

By engineering these nanoparticles to activate the immune system via multi-pathway activation that combines with cancer-specific antigens, they could prevent tumor growth with remarkable survival rates.

The first test paired their nanoparticle system with well-characterized melanoma peptides (called an antigen, similar to how a flu shot typically contains parts of the inactivated flu virus). The formulation activated immune cells called T cells, priming them to recognize and attack this type of cancer. Three weeks later, the mice were exposed to melanoma cells.

Eighty percent of these "super adjuvant" vaccinated mice remained tumor-free and survived until the completion of the study (250 days). In comparison, all of the mice vaccinated with traditional vaccine systems, non-nanoparticle formulations or unvaccinated mice developed tumors; none survived longer than 35 days.

The vaccine also protected against the spread of cancer to the lungs. When exposed to melanoma cells systemically, which mimics how cancer metastasizes, none of the nanoparticle-vaccinated mice developed lung tumors, while all of the other mice did.

The tumor-specific T-cell responses that the researchers are able to generate—that is really the key behind the survival benefit. 

There is really intense immune activation when you treat innate immune cells with this formulation, which triggers these cells to present antigens and prime tumor-killing T cells. This robust T-cell response is possible because of the particular nanoparticle design of the vaccine.

The researchers say that their design offers a platform approach that could be used across multiple cancer types.

"Super adjuvant" nanoparticles for platform cancer vaccination, Cell Reports Medicine (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2025.102415. www.cell.com/cell-reports-medi … 2666-3791(25)00488-4

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Friday

Schizophrenia is linked to iron and myelin deficits in the brain, neuroimaging study finds

Schizophrenia is a severe and debilitating psychiatric disorder characterized by hallucinations, disorganized speech and thought patterns, false beliefs about the world or oneself, difficulties concentrating and other symptoms impacting people's daily functioning. While schizophrenia has been the topic of numerous research studies, its biological and neural underpinnings have not yet been fully elucidated.

While some past brain imaging studies suggest that schizophrenia is associated with abnormal levels of iron and myelin in the brain, the results collected so far are conflicting. Iron is a metal known to contribute to healthy brain function, while myelin is a fatty substance that forms a sheath around nerve fibers, protecting them and supporting their conduction of electrical signals.

Researchers  recently set out to further explore the possibility that schizophrenia is linked to abnormal levels of iron and myelin in the brain. Their findings, published in Molecular Psychiatry, uncovered potential new biomarkers of schizophrenia that could improve the understanding of its underlying brain mechanisms.

Iron is essential for many neuronal processes but excess causes oxidative damage, so brain levels are kept in a delicate balance. Iron-sensitive MRI studies focusing on schizophrenia have yielded conflicting results, with both increases and decreases reported. As myelin—which increases brain signal transmission—influences iron-sensitive MRI, myelin variation could complicate interpretation.

Researchers  examined the brains of 85 individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia and 86 matching control subjects. To study the brains of the study participants, they used iron-sensitive and myelin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), imaging techniques that allow researchers to detect iron and myelin levels in specific regions of the brain.

The researchers' results suggested iron and myelin anomalies that affected specific regions in the brains of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia, including the caudate, putamen, and globus pallidus. Their findings are aligned with those of some earlier studies and could help to paint a clearer picture of disease pathophysiology.

They found that patients with schizophrenia had lower magnetic susceptibility, higher mean diffusivity, and lower magnetic susceptibility anisotropy, suggesting that both iron and myelin brain levels are lower in schizophrenia.

This was most significant in regions rich in oligodendrocytes. As oligodendrocytes utilize iron to synthesize myelin, this links oligodendrocyte dysfunction to schizophrenia, highlighting the mechanism underlying this as an important research area.

Luke J. Vano et al, The role of low subcortical iron, white matter myelin, and oligodendrocytes in schizophrenia: a quantitative susceptibility mapping and diffusion tensor imaging study, Molecular Psychiatry (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41380-025-03195-7.

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Thursday

Novel blood test for chronic fatigue achieves 96% accuracy

Scientists  have developed a high accuracy blood test to diagnose chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS).

The debilitating long-term illness affects millions worldwide but is poorly understood and has long lacked reliable diagnostic tools.

With 96% accuracy, the new test offers new hope for those living with the condition—which is often misunderstood and misdiagnosed. It is hoped that the breakthrough could pave the way for a similar blood test to diagnose long COVID.

Chronic fatigue syndrome is not a genetic disease you're born with. That's why using EpiSwitch 'epigenetic' markers—which can change during a person's life, unlike a fixed genetic code—was key to reaching this high level of accuracy.

The team discovered a unique pattern that appears consistently in people with ME/CFS that is not seen in healthy people.

The researchers also found signs of immune system and inflammation pathways involved in the disease, which may help guide future treatments and identify patients more likely to respond to specific therapies.

'Development and validation of blood-based diagnostic biomarkers for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) using EpiSwitch® 3-dimensional genomic regulatory immuno-genetic profiling, Journal of Translational Medicine (2025). translational-medicine.biomedc … 6/s12967-025-07203-w

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Thursday

New type of diabetes discovered in babies

Advanced DNA sequencing technologies and a new model of stem cell research have enabled an international team to discover a new type of diabetes in babies.

The researchers established that mutations in the TMEM167A gene are responsible for a rare form of neonatal diabetes.

Some babies develop diabetes before the age of six months. In over 85% of cases, this is due to a genetic mutation in their DNA. Research  found that in six children with additional neurological disorders such as epilepsy and microcephaly identified alterations in a single gene: TMEM167A.

To understand its role, the researchers  used stem cells differentiated into pancreatic beta cells and gene-editing techniques (CRISPR). They found that when the TMEM167A gene is altered, insulin-producing cells can no longer fulfill their role. They then activate stress mechanisms that lead to their death.

This discovery shows that the TMEM167A gene is essential for the proper functioning of insulin-producing beta cells, but also for neurons, whereas it seems dispensable for other cell types. These results contribute to a better understanding of the crucial steps involved in insulin production and could shed light on research into other forms of diabetes, a disease which today affects almost 589 million people worldwide.

Enrico Virgilio et al, Recessive TMEM167A variants cause neonatal diabetes, microcephaly and epilepsy syndrome, Journal of Clinical Investigation (2025). DOI: 10.1172/jci195756

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Thursday

Three scientists win Nobel Prize in chemistry for the development of metal-organic frameworks

Three scientists won the Nobel Prize in chemistry this week for their development of new molecular structures that can trap vast quantities of gas inside, laying the groundwork to potentially suck greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere or harvest moisture from desert environments.

Heiner Linke, chairperson of the committee that made the award, compared the structures called metal-organic frameworks to the seemingly bottomless magical handbag carried by Hermione Granger in the "Harry Potter" series. Another example might be Mary Poppins' enchanted carpet bag. These containers look small from the outside but are able to hold surprisingly large quantities within.

The committee said Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M. Yaghi were honored for "groundbreaking discoveries" that "may contribute to solving some of humankind's greatest challenges," from pollution to water scarcity.

The chemists worked separately but added to each other's breakthroughs over decades, beginning with Robson's work in the 1980s.

The scientists were able to devise stable atomic structures that preserved holes of specific sizes that allowed gas or liquid to flow in and out. The holes can be customized to match the size of specific molecules that scientists or engineers want to hold in place, such as water, carbon dioxide or methane.

That level of control is quite rare in chemistry.

A relatively small amount of the structure—which combines metal nodes and organic rods, somewhat like the interchangeable building pieces in Tinker Toys—creates many organized holes and a huge amount of surface area inside.

Why the work matters

Today researchers around the world are exploring possibilities that include using the frameworks to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and pollution from industrial sites. Another possibility is to use them to harvest moisture from desert air, perhaps to one day provide clean drinking water in arid environments.

Scientists are also investigating using the structures for targeted drug delivery. The idea is to load them with medicine that may be slowly released inside the body. It could be a better way to deliver low doses continually.

The research "could be really, really valuable" in many industries.

Nobel committee announcement:

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 to

Susumu Kitagawa, Kyoto University, Japan

Richard Robson, University of Melbourne, Australia

Omar M. Yaghi, University of California, Berkeley, U.S.

"for the development of metal-organic frameworks"

Their molecular architecture contains rooms for chemistry

The Nobel Prize laureates in chemistry 2025 have created molecular constructions with large spaces through which gases and other chemicals can flow. These constructions, metal-organic frameworks, can be used to harvest water from desert air, capture carbon dioxide, store toxic gases or catalyze chemical reactions.

https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/2025/press-release/

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Wednesday

Many newborn baby deaths linked to preventable or treatable factors

A new study has identified the most critical risk factors linked to neonatal deaths worldwide, providing comprehensive evidence to help guide global efforts to save newborn lives.

Researchers reviewed more than 60 studies published in the past 35 years, covering more than 50 risk factors for neonatal mortality—defined as a baby dying in the first 28 days of life.

The paper, "Risk factors for neonatal mortality: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses," is published in eClinicalMedicine.

It found strong evidence of conditions and factors that significantly increase the likelihood of neonatal mortality, covering maternal health and lifestyle factors (obesity, prenatal opioid exposure, anemia, bleeding disorders), socioeconomic and environmental factors (maternal age, low occupational status, arsenic exposure), neonatal factors (preterm birth, delayed breastfeeding, low birthweight) and protective factors (antenatal care, health facility delivery).

Babies born with low birthweight face more than 15 times the risk of dying compared to those born at a healthy weight, babies born preterm face up to seven times higher risk, delaying breastfeeding by more than 24 hours after birth increases the risk by 60% to 70%, while mothers who receive antenatal care can reduce the risk of losing their baby by up to 85%.

These are staggering numbers, but they are also clear, actionable areas where change could save countless lives, the researchers say.

These are preventable and treatable issues—if we get this right, the impact will be profound across the globe.

Bereket Kefale et al, Risk factors for neonatal mortality: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses, eClinicalMedicine (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103525

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Wednesday

Microplastics found to change gut microbiome in first human-sample study

New research presented at UEG Week 2025 shows that microplastics—plastic particles smaller than 5 mm commonly found in the environment—can alter the human gut microbiome, with some changes resembling patterns linked to depression and colorectal cancer.

The study used stool samples from five healthy volunteers to grow ex vivo gut microbiome cultures. These cultures were then exposed to five common microplastic types—polystyrene, polypropylene, low-density polyethylene, poly(methyl methacrylate) and polyethylene terephthalate

—at concentrations reflecting estimated human exposure, as well as higher doses to investigate potential dose-dependent effects.

While total and viable bacterial cell counts remained largely unchanged, microplastic-treated cultures showed a consistent and significant increase in acidity (lower pH levels) compared to controls, indicating altered microbial metabolic activity.

Further analysis revealed microplastic-specific shifts in bacterial composition, with certain bacterial groups increasing or decreasing depending on the microplastic type. Changes were observed across several bacterial families, including Lachnospiraceae, Oscillospiraceae, Enterobacteriaceae and Ruminococcaceae, with the majority occurring within the phylum Bacillota—a key group of gut bacteria important for digestion and overall gut health.

These shifts in bacterial composition were accompanied by changes in the chemicals produced by the bacteria, some of which corresponded with the observed decreases in pH. Certain microplastic types altered levels of valeric acid and 5-aminopentanoic acid, while others affected lysine or lactic acid, highlighting the complexity of microplastic-microbiome interactions.

Importantly, some of these microplastic-induced changes in microbial composition reflected patterns previously linked to diseases such as depression and colorectal cancer, underscoring the potential implications of microplastic exposure for disease risk.

Pacher-Deutsch, C et al. Microplastic-induced alterations in gut microbiome and metabolism: Insights from an ex vivo bioreactor model. Presented at UEG Week 2025; 7 October 2025; Berlin, Germany.

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Wednesday

Instructions help you remember something better than emotions or a good night's sleep, scientists find

A good night's sleep has long been understood to help us consolidate new memories, but we don't understand how. Associations with negative feelings like fear or stress can improve recall, but intentionally trying to remember can also be effective. But these two mechanisms are very different—one involuntary, one deliberate. Which influences memory most?

To investigate, researchers asked participants to remember or forget words, some of which had negative emotional associations. They found that instructions improved recall more than emotion.

Researchers found that when it comes to memory, instructions do indeed work better than emotion. People were more likely to recall words they had been asked to remember. However, emotions did play a part: words participants had been asked to remember that had negative connotations were more likely to be remembered.

This suggests that although instructions were the primary influence on recall, emotional cues could amplify the effect of instructions. Emotions also increased the chances of false memories: negative foils were more likely to be misremembered as words participants had been asked to remember. 

During encoding, we will devote more attentional resources to words that we are told explicitly to remember. Along similar lines, cognitive control systems can 'tag' information as relevant, biasing the hippocampus to prioritize it. This increases the likelihood that the memory will be reactivated during sleep and transferred to long-term storage.

Lastly, instructions don't just enhance relevant items, they also suppress irrelevant ones. By inhibiting competing memories, remember-cued items face less interference, which improves recall.

Unexpectedly, whether participants had slept had no effect on how well they recalled words. However, the different types of brain wave activity measured by the EEG were linked to recall. For example, higher levels of REM theta power, a measure of REM sleep, were associated with the misremembering of negative foils.

Sleep spindles were associated with better recall of negative, remember-cued words.Sleep spindles are widely implicated in the transfer of information from temporary hippocampal storage to more stable representations in the neocortex.

This could indicate that sleeping only consolidates some memories—prioritizing things you're motivated to remember over things which are emotional—and that sleeping in general is less significant than your brain's activity during sleep. However, more research is needed to confirm this.

Top-Down Instruction Outweighs Emotional Salience: Nocturnal Sleep Physiology Indicates Selective Memory Consolidation, Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience (2025). DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2025.1643449

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Wednesday

Nobel Prize in physics goes to 3 scientists whose work advanced quantum technology (Update)

Three scientists won the Nobel Prize in physics this week for research on the strange behavior of subatomic particles called quantum tunneling that enables the ultra-sensitive measurements achieved by MRI machines and lays the groundwork for better cellphones and faster computers.

The work by John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis, took the seeming contradictions of the subatomic world—where light can be both a wave and a particle and parts of atoms can tunnel through seemingly impenetrable barriers—and applied them in the more traditional physics of digital devices. The results of their findings are just starting to appear in advanced technology and could pave the way for the development of supercharged computing.

The prize-winning research in the mid-1980s took the subatomic "weirdness of quantum mechanics" and found how those tiny interactions can have real-world applications.

The experiments were a crucial building block in the fast-developing world of quantum mechanics.

Nobel committee announcement:

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Physics 2025 to

John Clarke, University of California, Berkeley, U.S.

Michel H. Devoret, Yale University, New Haven, CT and University of California, Santa Barbara, U.S.

John M. Martinis, University of California, Santa Barbara, U.S.

"for the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantisation in an electric circuit"

Their experiments on a chip revealed quantum physics in action

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on October 7, 2025 at 11:06am

Scientists reverse Alzheimer's in mice using nanoparticles

A research team has demonstrated a nanotechnology strategy that reverses Alzheimer's disease in mice.

Unlike traditional nanomedicine, which relies on nanoparticles as carriers for therapeutic molecules, this approach employs nanoparticles that are bioactive in their own right: "supramolecular drugs." The work has been published in Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy.

Instead of targeting neurons directly, the therapy restores the proper function of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), the vascular gatekeeper that regulates the brain's environment. By repairing this critical interface, the researchers achieved a reversal of Alzheimer's pathology in animal models.

The team demonstrated that targeting a specific mechanism enables undesirable "waste proteins" produced in the brain to pass through this barrier and be eliminated in the blood flow. In Alzheimer's disease, the main "waste" protein is amyloid-β (Aβ), whose accumulation impairs the normal functioning of the neurons.

Researchers used mouse models that are genetically programmed to produce larger amounts of Aβ protein and develop a significant cognitive decline mimicking Alzheimer's pathology. They administered only three doses of the supramolecular drugs and afterward regularly monitored the evolution of the disease.

Only one hour after the injection, they observed a reduction of 50–60% in Aβ amount inside the brain.

In one of the experiments, they treated a 12-month-old mouse (equivalent to a 60-year-old human) with the nanoparticles and analyzed its behavior after six months. The result was impressive: the animal, aged 18 months (comparable to a 90-year-old human), had recovered the behavior of a healthy mouse.

The long-term effect comes from restoring the brain's vasculature. 

What's remarkable is that these nanoparticles act as a drug and seem to activate a feedback mechanism that brings this clearance pathway back to normal levels.

 Multivalent modulation of endothelial LRP1 induces fast neurovascular amyloid-β clearance and cognitive function improvement in Alzheimer's disease models, Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41392-025-02426-1

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