Research led by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University finds that regional fat distribution exerts distinct effects on brain structure, connectivity and cognition, revealing patterns not explained by body mass index (BMI).
Obesity has been associated with structural and functional changes in the brain, including reductions in gray matter, disruptions in white matter and impaired connectivity, which have been associated with cognitive decline.
Previous studies frequently used BMI as the central measure of obesity, a highly generalized metric that cannot capture the biological differences in fat depots. Adipose tissue in different body regions is known to affect metabolic and inflammatory pathways differently, and earlier work has suggested that visceral (around organs in the abdominal cavity) and leg fat contribute unequally to disease risk.
The Hubble Space Telescope has released a new Picture of the Week, and this time the spotlight is on a galaxy that refuses to fit neatly into any category. The subject, known as NGC 2,775, is located about 67 million light-years away in the constellation Cancer (The Crab). At its center lies a smooth, gas-free core that looks strikingly similar to an elliptical galaxy. Surrounding it, however, is a dusty ring sprinkled with uneven clusters of young stars, giving it the appearance of a spiral galaxy. So what is it exactly: spiral, elliptical — or something in between?
Because astronomers can only observe NGC 2,775 from a single perspective, its true nature remains uncertain. Some scientists argue that it should be considered a spiral galaxy due to its delicate ring of dust and stars. Others, however, classify it as a lenticular galaxy, a transitional type that shares characteristics of both spirals and ellipticals.
Plant scientists discovered hidden stem cell regulators tied to growth and crop size. Their breakthrough could transform how we grow food, fuel, and resilient harvests.
Plant stem cells play a vital role in producing the world’s food, livestock feed, and renewable fuels. They are the foundation of plant growth, yet many aspects of how they work remain a mystery. Past studies have struggled to identify several of the key genes that govern stem cell activity.
In a study of human immune cells infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine say a molecule within HIV itself can be manipulated and amplified to force the virus into long-term dormancy, a state in which HIV does not replicate.
The Johns Hopkins team that conducted the new study had previously shown that the molecule of interest, an “antisense transcript,” or AST, is produced by HIV’s genetic material and is part of a molecular pathway that essentially puts the virus to sleep, a state known as viral latency.
The study’s leader, Fabio Romerio, Ph.D., associate professor of molecular and comparative pathobiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, says the new findings add to a growing body of evidence that may help researchers develop a gene therapy that boosts AST production. A report on the research, funded by the National Institutes of Health, was published May 9 in Science Advances.
Severe infection can lead to sepsis. In sepsis, the host mounts an inappropriately large inflammatory response in an attempt to clear the invading pathogen. This sustained high level of inflammation may cause tissue injury and organ failure. Later in sepsis, a paradoxical immunosuppression occurs, where the host is unable to clear the preexisting infection and is susceptible to secondary infections. A major issue with sepsis treatment is that it is difficult for physicians to ascertain which stage of sepsis the patient is in. Sepsis treatment will depend on the patient’s immune status across the spectrum of the disease, and these immune statuses are nearly polar opposites in the early and late stages of sepsis. Furthermore, there is no approved treatment that can resolve inflammation without contributing to immunosuppression within the host.
Membrane proteins are crucial for numerous biological processes and serve as important drug targets. For decades, scientists have relied on detergents to extract membrane proteins from cell membranes for structural studies.
While detergent-based approaches have significantly advanced our understanding of membrane protein structures, they present certain limitations, such as resource-intensive detergent screening and the absence of native membrane lipids, which can hinder investigations into lipid-mediated regulation.
To address these challenges, a research team led by Prof. Dang Shangyu from the Division of Life Science at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has developed a novel vesicle-based method that preserves the native lipid environment of membrane proteins, which can advance structural and functional studies.
Conquering aging via TRCS — the telomere DNA AND ribosomal DNA co-regulation model for cell senescence — bilu huang — CSO, fuzhuang therapeutics.
Bilu Huang (https://biluhuang.com/) is a visionary scientist dedicated to finding solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity. His interdisciplinary work spans multiple fields, including biological aging, dinosaur extinction theories, geoengineering for carbon removal, and controlled nuclear fusion technology.
Born in Sanming City, Fujian Province, Huang is an independent researcher whose knowledge is entirely self-taught. Driven by curiosity and a relentless pursuit of scientific exploration, he has achieved numerous research results through his dedication and passion for science.
As a talented theoretical gerontologist, he proposed the Telomere DNA and ribosomal DNA co-regulation model for cell senescence (TRCS) and he is now using this latest theory to develop biotechnology to rejuvenate cells which will be used to completely cure various age-related degenerative diseases and greatly extend human life at Fuzhuang Therapeutics (https://lab.fuzhuangtx.com/en/).
The health of patients—physical and financial, —depends on how swiftly and efficiently the industry responds to the danger of increasingly sophisticated cyber threats
MBA, PhD, is the Chief Executive Officer of The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI — https://www.parkerici.org/), a 501c3 nonprofit organization driving the next generation of cancer treatment by accelerating the development of breakthrough immune therapies to turn all cancers into curable diseases.
Dr. Knudsen most recently served as the Chief Executive Officer of the American Cancer Society (ACS) and ACS Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), where she led both organizations through a period of transformative growth, significantly expanding research investments, advocacy reach, and direct patient support initiatives. Under her leadership, ACS evolved into a unified, high-performing enterprise, increasing revenue by more than 30 percent and broadening its impact to serve over 55 million lives annually. Moreover, Dr. Knudsen developed and scaled innovative programs that included joint ventures and an impact innovation arm to accelerate progress against cancer.
Prior to ACS, Dr. Knudsen served as Executive Vice President of Oncology Services at Jefferson Health and Enterprise Director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, growing a multi-state oncology network and spearheading advancements in translational cancer research that increased early access to the most advanced cancer care.
A globally recognized expert in prostate cancer, Dr. Knudsen has authored over 200 scientific publications and generated practice-changing discoveries.
Dr. Knudsen held leadership roles with organizations including the National Cancer Institute Board of Scientific Advisors, the Association of American Cancer Institutes, and the American Association for Cancer Research. She currently serves on the boards of Exai Bio, Paradigm Health, and Research!America, and advises multiple biotech ventures including ArteraAI and Transcarent.
Dr. Knudsen holds numerous awards for her scientific and healthcare accomplishments, and this year will be honored with the Allen Lichter Visionary Leader Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), recognizing her lifetime achievement of outstanding contributions to the field of oncology.
A new clinical trial suggests stem cell therapy may restore vision in people with advanced dry age-related macular degeneration, a disease that currently has no cure.
