Article Highlights
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 18-Jun-2026 22:16 ET (19-Jun-2026 02:16 GMT/UTC)
Identification of critical states in complex biological systems using cell-specific causal network entropy
Research- Journal
- Research
- Funder
- National Natural Science Foundation of China, Educational Commission of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mathematical and Neural Dynamical Systems, Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, National Training Program of Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Undergraduates
Building breath, layer by layer: 3D printing with living lung cells in extreme environments
Texas A&M University- Journal
- Biomimetics
Anti-angiogenic therapy as a beacon of hope in the battle against pulmonary NUT midline carcinoma
Higher Education PressPrimary pulmonary nuclear protein of the testis (NUT) midline carcinoma (NMC) is an extremely rare, highly aggressive thoracic malignancy that presents significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges, characterized by heterogeneous clinical manifestations, frequent misdiagnosis, and a poor prognosis. This case report details two patients with advanced primary pulmonary NMC treated with a multimodal strategy combining anti-angiogenic agents, platinum-based chemotherapy, and radiotherapy—achieving overall survival (OS) of 32 and 13 months, respectively, which far exceeds the currently reported median OS of approximately 6.7 months for advanced NMC. A systematic literature review of 86 published cases (2011–2024) was also conducted, summarizing current diagnostic methods (such as immunohistochemistry for nuclear NUT expression and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for NUTM1 rearrangement) and treatment modalities for NMC. Findings indicate that multimodal therapy incorporating anti-angiogenic agents yields superior clinical outcomes compared to conventional monotherapy, especially for patients ineligible for surgery. The report also highlights diagnostic pitfalls, such as overlapping histopathological features with squamous cell carcinoma, and underscores how integrating anti-angiogenic therapy addresses the aggressive biology of NMC, offering a new therapeutic direction for this refractory malignancy.
- Journal
- Frontiers of Medicine
Smoke signals: How modelled fires impact air and soil quality
Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural UniversityIn a groundbreaking exploration of the environmental impacts of fires, researchers are shedding light on how gaseous smoke pollutants affect both air and soil quality. This critical study, titled "Impact of Gaseous Smoke Pollutants from Modelled Fires on Air and Soil Quality," is spearheaded by Mikhail Nizhelskiy from the Academy of Biology and Biotechnology Named After D.I. Ivanovskiy at Southern Federal University in Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation. His work offers a deeper understanding of the often-overlooked consequences of fires on our environment.
- Journal
- Carbon Research
Systematic analyses uncover plasma proteins linked to incident cardiovascular diseases
Higher Education PressCardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for approximately 30% of global mortality and imposing a substantial economic burden on society. Due to the high heterogeneity of CVD, which involves diverse pathological mechanisms and clinical phenotypes, existing diagnostic tools such as cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and tissue biopsies face limitations including technical constraints, invasiveness, and high costs. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop simple, cost-effective, and efficient methods for early screening and risk assessment.
- Journal
- Protein & Cell
Bardoxolone methyl blocks the efflux of Zn2+ by targeting hZnT1 to inhibit the proliferation and metastasis of cervical cancer
Higher Education PressCervical cancer is the second most prevalent malignancy in female reproductive system and a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Its proliferation and migration are closely associated with cellular zinc (Zn2+), which is meticulously regulated by the human Zn2+ importers (Zrt-/Irt-like proteins, hZIPs) and exporters (zinc transporter, hZnTs).
- Journal
- Protein & Cell
Discovery and structural investigation of Varicella-Zoster virus gE-neutralizing antibodies isolated from a convalescent patient
Higher Education PressVaricella-zoster virus (VZV) is a highly contagious human herpesvirus responsible for chickenpox upon primary infection and shingles upon viral reactivation. While Varicella-zoster immune globulin (VZIG) can offer post-exposure protection for high-risk individuals, structural insights into neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) derived from natural infection remain limited. Glycoprotein E (gE), the most abundant and immunogenic envelope protein of VZV, plays an essential role in viral infection and is the sole antigen in the recombinant zoster vaccine.
- Journal
- Protein & Cell
Phase separation of autism-linked POSH–SHANK2/3 in spine development
Higher Education PressResearchers led by Prof. XU Zhiheng from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, revealed the important roles of POSH phase separation and its co-condensates with SHANK2/3 in the synaptic targeting of SHANK2/3 and synaptogenesis.
- Journal
- Protein & Cell