A new study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation suggests that skeletal muscle does more than power movement. Using three complementary mouse models, researchers found that two oxygen-sensing proteins, HIF1α and HIF2α, have sharply different roles in skeletal muscle physiology. HIF1α reshaped muscle fiber identity but impaired exercise performance, while HIF2α improved glucose tolerance, protected against diet-induced obesity, and unexpectedly triggered erythropoietin production from muscle tissue itself.

New results from an Alliance Foundation Trials (AFT) study reveal that a simple weekly electronic symptom check-in with care team, significantly improves the quality of life for individuals undergoing treatment for advanced cancer. The study found that the biggest improvements were seen among patient groups that have historically faced the greatest barriers to care, including Black patients and individuals with less formal education. The findings, published in JCO Oncology Practice, show that using remote check-ins help bridge communication gaps between patients and their treatment teams, offering a powerful way to make cancer care more effective.

Kyoto, Japan -- When locals of two coastal communities along the Sea of Japan reported observations of dolphins in nearby waters, it caught the attention of some scientists. The marine environment has been changing rapidly in the Sea of Japan, which is partially enclosed by the Japanese archipelago and the Eurasian continent and connected to the ocean through shallow straits. Though sightings and bycatch records of dolphins have been reported along the coast, basic ecological information on small odontocetes, such as dolphins and porpoises, has remained limited.

Once they heard about dolphin sightings in both Obama City on Wakasa Bay and Tsushima City on Aso Bay, a team of researchers at Kyoto University headed there to investigate. They wanted to know how these upper-level predators use areas like Wakasa Bay and Aso Bay, and what kinds of sounds they produce.

"This study began through local connections: we heard from acquaintances and local fishers that dolphins might be visiting nearby waters," says first author Satoko S Kimura.

Immune checkpoints (ICs) are receptors that regulate immune responses through both activating and inhibitory mechanisms. Inflammatory microenvironment modulates IC expression through cytokines, metabolites, and oxidative signals. Immune checkpoint inhibitors not only enhance antitumor immunity but also reshape systemic immune networks. This review summarizes the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which ICs regulate inflammatory responses and highlights their roles across diverse pathological conditions.

The ability of bacteria to remove pollutants from soil, water, mine waste and other environments could be supercharged by a ‘friendly’ compatible virus, according to a study led by Flinders University.

The new insights, published in Communications Biology, suggests phage virus ‘bioaugmentation’ offers a compelling new direction for environmental biotechnology, by harnessing the ecological roles of lysogenic phages to enhance microbial function in polluted soils.