Researchers from Keio University have found that D-serine increases the growth of gastric cancer by creating an immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory tumor microenvironment. Higher levels of D-serine in serum correlated with greater immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy resistance in tumors. Suppressing D-serine in circulation could improve the efficacy of immunotherapies against gastric cancer. These findings position D-serine within the broader field of cancer amino acid metabolism and point to it as a possible target for tumor evasion.

A research team has identified 252 heat shock protein 20 (Hsp20) genes across seven representative species of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, revealing their evolutionary relationships and potential roles in plant development and environmental adaptation. 

This systematic review (32 studies, 74 patients), published in Eye & ENT Research, synthesizes available evidence on fungal necrotizing otitis externa (NOE)—a rare but severe infection accounting for 5%–20% of malignant otitis externa cases, with clinical features indistinguishable from bacterial NOE. Currently no diagnostic or treatment guidelines exist. Below are the key findings addressing three clinical decision points. All findings are descriptive summaries; no causal inferences are drawn.

Ophthalmology AI is undergoing a paradigm shift from single-task specialized models toward multimodal general-purpose foundation models. A review recently published in Eye & ENT Research systematically evaluated five representative ophthalmic foundation models—RETFound, VisionFM, EyeCLIP, EyeFM, and MIRAGE—and synthesized their architectural designs, validation status, and remaining limitations.

A research team led by Johnson Shayo at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center (KCMC) in Tanzania published research in Eye & ENT Research examining sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) among hypertensive adults. The cross-sectional study of 201 hypertensive patients aged 18–60 years found a 23.9% prevalence of SNHL, predominantly bilateral (81.3%) and mild (70.8%) in severity. Six independent risk factors were identified: smoking (OR = 21.2), hypertension duration ≥ 5 years (OR = 16.0), female sex (OR = 9.4), age >50 years (OR = 6.4), alcohol consumption (OR = 5.5), and ototoxic drug use (OR = 4.5). These findings from East Africa highlight an often-overlooked aspect of hypertension management—hearing health.