Category Biology/Biotechnology

Study finds Nanomedicine Targeting Lymph Nodes Key to Triple Negative Breast Cancer Treatment

Human metastatic breast cancer in the lymph nodes. National Cancer Institute – Visuals Online

Research from the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center could provide a new approach to treating an aggressive form of breast cancer.

A study led by Duxin Sun, Ph.D., found that targeting the immune microenvironment in lymph nodes and tumors simultaneously led to long-term tumor remission in mice models of metastatic triple negative breast cancer. Further, using nanoparticles to deliver these immune-altering drugs increases treatment efficacy. These results appear in Science Translational Medicine.

Immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy has been long approved as standard treatment option for triple negative breast cancer but only shows a limited response in patients...

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Researchers identify Pathway that Regulates Lipid synthesis and contributes to Tumor Survival

The alterations are associated with poor outcomes and disease progression. Alterations in metabolic processes are a hallmark of cancer and can lead to a tumor environment that is acidic. As a result, cancer cells must adapt to survive in this inhospitable environment. In a new study published in the journal Cell Reports, Moffitt Cancer Center researchers show that cancer cells in an acidic environment undergo lipid synthesis and accumulation. The team identified the key signaling molecules responsible for these changes and discovered that these alterations are associated with poor outcomes and disease progression among breast cancer patients.

Cancer cells undergo numerous changes that promote cell survival and continued growth...

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Diets high in Fiber associated with Less Antibiotic Resistance in Gut Bacteria

Healthy adults eating a diverse diet with at least 8-10 grams of soluble fiber a day have fewer antibiotic-resistant microbes in their guts. Soluble fiber is found in foods such as grains, beans, lentils, nuts, and some fruits and vegetables.

Healthy adults who eat a diverse diet with at least 8-10 grams of soluble fiber a day have fewer antibiotic-resistant microbes in their guts, according to a study published by Agricultural Research Service scientists and their colleagues in mBio.

Microbes that have resistance to various commonly used antibiotics such as tetracycline and aminoglycoside are a significant source of risk for people worldwide, with the widely held expectation that the problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) — the term that refers to bacteria, viruses, and fungi th...

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Multi-tasking Wearable Continuously Monitors Glucose, Alcohol, and Lactate

The device can be worn on the upper arm while the wearer goes about their day. Photos by Laboratory for Nanobioelectronics / UC San Diego

Imagine being able to measure your blood sugar levels, know if you’ve had too much to drink, and track your muscle fatigue during a workout, all in one small device worn on your skin. Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a prototype of such a wearable that can continuously monitor several health stats — glucose, alcohol, and lactate levels — simultaneously in real-time.

The device is about the size of a stack of six quarters. It is applied to the skin through a Velcro-like patch of microneedles, that are each about one-fifth the width of a human hair...

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