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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 2 hours ago

Fewer retractions with open peer-review

Papers with open peer-review reports are less likely to be retracted, says a preprint study. Researchers analysed more than 116,000 papers in Public Library of Science (PLOS) journals and found that among the 40% that opted for publicly available peer-review reports, there were around 100 retractions. There were more than 300 in the closed-review group. It might be that researchers who are confident in their work and who broadly embrace open-science practices are more likely to choose open peer review. In that case, the choice itself could serve as an indicator of article quality.

https://osf.io/preprints/metaarxiv/2b7z5_v1

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-02282-1?utm_source=Live+...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 2 hours ago

New technique pinpoints human DNA inherited from 'ghost' ancestors

Researchers have identified regions of DNA that humans inherited from two unknown ancestors as a result of long-ago interbreeding among modern humans and at least four other archaic human relatives.

While previous research found hints that modern humans had interbred with ancient hominins in addition to now-extinct Neanderthals and Denisovans, the current study pinpoints areas of the genome inherited from these unknown ancestors and establishes a timeline. This was possible using a new technique the researchers developed that leverages hundreds of genomes from modern-day humans to find ancient genealogical relationships.
One of the unknown ancestors, which the researchers refer to as a ghost ancestor, interbred with modern humans in Africa prior to 50,000 years ago, before the most recent migration of Homo sapiens out of Africa into Europe and Asia. These genes comprise around 1% of the genomes of modern humans, comparable to the amount of Neanderthal DNA in the human genome. That unknown hominin lineage split from the modern human lineage around the same time that Neanderthals and Denisovans diverged, about 800,000 years ago, though it interbred with modern humans earlier.

A genealogical method (TRACE) applied to modern human genomes identifies ~2% archaic DNA from two unknown hominin lineages. A “ghost” lineage, diverging ~800,000 years ago, contributed ~0.5–1% of DNA to all humans via gene flow in Africa >50,000 years ago. A “super-archaic” lineage (~1.8 million years old) introgressed into Denisovans, then indirectly into modern humans.

Yulin Zhang et al, Recovering signatures of archaic hominin introgression using ancestral recombination graphs, Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.aef8874. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aef8874

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 2 hours ago

Scientists identify fructose as a surprise driver of cancer spread

A new study has uncovered an unexpected link between fructose—a common dietary sugar—and the spread of an aggressive form of ovarian cancer. Published in Nature Aging, the study found that cancer cells not killed by chemotherapy send signals to neighboring tumor cells, helping them become more capable of spreading.

The researchers identified fructose as a key messenger in this process, revealing a previously unrecognized way that treatment-surviving cancer cells may promote the spread of cancer.
Even more interesting, they found that without chemotherapy treatment, consuming the high levels of fructose found in sugary drinks can also signal cancer cells to spread. The fructose finding is especially compelling because it raises the possibility that simple dietary changes could help shape how cancer progresses.

Chemotherapy-surviving ovarian cancer cells secrete fructose, which signals neighbouring tumour cells to become more metastatic in preclinical models. Exogenous fructose at levels typical of sugary drink intake similarly promotes spread. Mechanistically, fructose suppresses cholesterol synthesis, weakening cell–cell adhesion; statins mimic this effect, suggesting potential interaction with chemotherapy responses.

The researchers next aimed to understand why fructose increases cancer cell spread. Through a variety of large-scale analytical techniques, including the use of a CRISPR screen, they discovered that fructose suppresses cholesterol within neighboring cells. Cholesterol is important for cells to stick to each other like a biological glue, so decreased cholesterol allows cells to more easily escape and spread.

The finding that fructose lowers cholesterol production has important clinical implications. Statins, which are taken by 39 million people in the United States, lower cholesterol production.

The team found that statins alone reduced the glue between cells, promoting escape. The research team is now examining whether these medications could be interfering with the effects of chemotherapy—though they stress this isn't a reason for patients to stop taking them.

The researchers are also looking into how this mechanism might extend beyond ovarian cancer.

The chemotherapy-induced senescence-associated secretome promotes cell detachment and metastatic dissemination through metabolic reprogramming, Nature Aging (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s43587-026-01172-5.

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa yesterday

Overactive Neurons Cause Excessive Sweating

Identification of gene variants that affect the activity of neuronal sodium channels could help develop targeted therapies for patients suffering from excessive sweating.
Sweating is a normal, although sometimes unpleasant, part of being human. For people with primary idiopathic hyperhidrosis (PIH), though, excessive sweating can impede their quality of life. Despite affecting up to five percent of people, though, scientists don’t fully understand the mechanisms behind this overactive salty secretion.

Researchers have found that some patients have alterations to their sweat glands’ morphology or function, possibly contributing to the extra sweating. But for people who sweat excessively despite having normal looking sweat glands, scientists suspect that the cause could be hyperactive sympathetic neurons.
In a study published recently in Science Advances, researchers dug into the genetic sequences of 32 families with confirmed PIH to find possible sources of overactive sweat responses. They identified a lead candidate in SCN10A, a gene encoding a sodium channel in sympathetic neurons and discovered that introducing it into mice reproduced the extra sweating phenotype of PIH individuals. They showed how their mouse model of PIH could be used to explore new treatment options for patients.
For decades, hyperhidrosis has largely been viewed as a disorder of the sweat glands. These new findings show that, for some patients, the problem actually begins in the nerves that control sweating, providing a biological explanation for the condition and a potential pathway to more effective treatments.

1. Wohlrab J, et al. Hyperhidrosis: A central nervous dysfunction of sweat secretion. Dermatol Ther. 2023;13(2):453-463.
2. Yamauchi S, et al. A neurocutaneous NaV1.8 channelopathy underlies a genetic subtype o.... Sci Adv. 2026;12(29):aed3221.

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa yesterday

Leaky gut might make food allergies worse

A "leaky gut" might increase the severity of food allergies, according to new research conducted in mice and published in The Journal of Immunology. The researchers found that changes to the gut microbiome in mice were linked to increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut) and increased food allergy severity.

Intestinal permeability describes how the intestines move water and nutrients from food into the bloodstream. Increased permeability, sometimes called "leaky gut," describes a condition in which damage to the gut lining allows partially digested food, toxins or germs to pass into the bloodstream.

The gut microbiome—the trillions of bacteria living in the gut—directly regulates this barrier, meaning microbiome imbalances can be a primary driver of gut leakage.
In mice, distinct gut microbiomes were associated with differing intestinal permeability, Th2/Treg balance, and food allergy severity. Cohousing transferred microbiota from severely affected mice to mildly affected mice, increasing intestinal permeability and worsening allergic responses. Data indicate gut microbes modulate barrier function and food-allergy–specific immune cells.
In this study, the researchers used two groups of mice known to have differences in their gut microbiomes. When a food allergy was induced in the mice, one group developed mild allergic reactions (less diarrhea), while the other had more severe reactions. The mice with more severe diarrhea were also known to have increased intestinal permeability, or "leaky gut."

In mice with more severe food allergies, the researchers also observed an increase in immune cells that cause allergic reactions, Th2 cells, and a decrease in food-allergy-specific immune cells that turn off immune responses, Treg cells. Th2 cells are the immune cells that cause anaphylaxis in people with food allergies.
Interestingly, when the researchers housed mice from the two groups together, they found that mice with milder food allergies developed more severe symptoms. Further tests uncovered that the gut microbiome of the mice with milder allergic reactions shifted to be more like that of the group with severe reactions. The researchers also reported increased intestinal permeability and a change in the balance of immune cells involved in the food allergy response, suggesting that "leaky gut" and the gut microbiome are linked to how the immune system responds to a food allergy.
Researchers clearly saw that food-allergy-specific immune cells were impacted by gut microbes, which affected the food allergy itself.

Journal of Immunology (2026). DOI: 10.1093/jimmun/vkag172

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa yesterday

Not all exercise is equal when it comes to metabolic syndrome risk
Exercise modalities showed distinct effects on metabolic syndrome markers. Aerobic plus resistance training improved waist circumference, BMI, LDL cholesterol and glycemic control; mind-body exercise improved HDL cholesterol and systolic blood pressure; high- and low-volume HIIT preferentially reduced body fat and lipids or diastolic pressure, respectively. Evidence certainty was generally low.

Xinyu Shen et al, Comparative efficacy of various exercise therapies for metabolic syndrome a systematic review and network meta-analysis, iScience (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2026.116801

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa yesterday

Bacteria build a mineral shield that could help marine infrastructure resist rust

Researchers have developed a biological method for protecting marine infrastructure from corrosion caused by prolonged exposure to seawater. The study, published in Cell Reports Physical Science, presents an environmentally friendly alternative to the chemical corrosion inhibitors currently used to protect metals—materials that can be both polluting and costly.
The researchers discovered that these bacteria work cooperatively to form a dense, durable and naturally occurring protective layer on the surfaces of metals commonly used in marine and electrochemical infrastructure, including steel and iron.

Experiments conducted as part of the study demonstrated that this protective coating significantly slows the corrosion process that causes metals to rust and deteriorate in seawater. The researchers also found that each bacterial species plays a distinct role: Some create the conditions necessary for the process, while others produce an enzyme that enables the formation of the mineral protective layer.
A seawater-derived bacterial consortium, including Bacillus subtilis, forms a dense mineralized biofilm on steel and iron that markedly slows marine corrosion. Different species fulfill complementary roles in conditioning the surface and producing enzymes that drive mineral layer formation. Multispecies communities provide more robust, long-term protection than single strains, offering a potential low-toxicity alternative to chemical corrosion inhibitors.

Avichay Nahami et al, Synthetic bacterial communities as synergistic anti-corrosion agents, Cell Reports Physical Science (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrp.2026.103419

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa yesterday

Fission creates more mitochondria As a first step in their experiments, scientists infected mouse macrophages with E. coli and found that the number of mitochondria increased, a direct result of fission. The fission, in this instance, was induced in response to E. coli infection. Then, with the help of a cocktail of compounds and the silencing of a gene involved in fission, scientists wanted to see what would happen if the organelles were directed toward mitochondrial fusion—the opposite pathway of fission. The result was increased intracellular E. coli in the macrophages. Still, the lesson learned from E. coli was not universal, and there apparently are significant differences in mitochondrial immune reactions from one pathogen to another. With Salmonella typhimurium, for example, researchers found that the pathogen survives inside macrophages and orchestrates mitochondrial behavior to the benefit of the bacteria, preventing mitochondrial fission and the substantial increase in additional mitochondria. But researchers had an answer to the craftiness of Salmonella typhimurium: Inhibiting the enzyme HDAC6 promoted mitochondrial fission and lipid droplet formation, enhancing bacterial clearance—and suggesting that HDAC6 could be a therapeutic target to control otherwise recalcitrant infections.

Ronan Kapetanovic et al, Mitochondrial fission mediates an evolutionarily conserved antibacterial defense response, Science Immunology (2026). DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.aed2623

Part 2

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa yesterday

Mitochondria: Scientists uncover new role for fighting bacterial infections, including drug-resistant superbugs

Mitochondria: They are the engines of cellular energy production; they possess their own DNA, and they are passed from generation to generation from mothers to offspring.

Now scientists have revealed that these bean-shaped energy factories, known for the production of ATP, the key fuel of life, also play an extraordinary role in harnessing the immune response during infection—these organelles are critical in mediating a powerful antibacterial defense.

The discovery demonstrates an unexpected role for these crucial constituents of cells. The team showed that mitochondrial fission underlies an immune response, producing antibacterial capability in a host of organisms from the lowly worm to complex mammals.

The findings suggest that mitochondrial fission is an evolutionarily conserved pathway that provides cell-autonomous control of infection and can be targeted to combat antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens.

Mitochondrial division—or fission—can promote antibacterial defense pathways in mammalian macrophages and worms, according to the study, which identified the regulatory mechanisms that control these defense pathways. Findings from the research could inform future therapeutic targets while highlighting unique mitochondrial functions in the fight against infection.

Part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa yesterday

Phage and microbiota therapy reduced recurrent UTIs in two patients over two years
Combined phage therapy and fecal microbiota transplantation were administered to three women with antibiotic-refractory recurrent E. coli UTIs. Treatment was well tolerated. Over two years, the two patients receiving both phage therapy and FMT showed sustained reduction of UTIs and antibiotic use, while phage therapy alone led to continued but milder episodes.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-026-02409-0

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Cancer drug enables kidney transplant despite severe immune incompatibility
A single dialysis-dependent patient with complete HLA sensitization (cPRA 100%) received teclistamab, a myeloma drug targeting antibody-producing cells, for 31 weeks, leading to marked, sustained reduction of anti-HLA antibodies and eventual successful kidney transplantation with excellent graft function. The case suggests teclistamab may enable transplantation in highly sensitized candidates and potentially in xenotransplantation or ABO-incompatible and other organ transplants, but systematic evaluation of efficacy and safety is still required.

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