A new study published in the journal Immunity reveals a mechanism that allows triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) to develop resistance to therapy. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine showed that lipid accumulation in tumor cells and nearby immune cells promotes immune suppression, but disrupting lipid formulation reverses treatment resistance and the immunosuppressive microenvironment.

Long-term fasting in 24-hour cycles increases the sex drive of male mice by lowering the concentration of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. This effect is linked to a diet-induced deficiency of the precursor substance tryptophan – an amino acid that must be obtained through food. DZNE researchers report on this in the journal Cell Metabolism, together with a Chinese team from Qingdao University and the University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.

Early diagnosis of COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, increases the quality of life of the patient and the efficacy of available treatments. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have now shown that material from nasal lavage provides a basis for assessing COPD. The study, which has been published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, could lead to a simple diagnostic method for early assessment of COPD.

Older people with obesity and overweight require access to proven treatment options and care to improve overall health and reduce other related health care costs. This briefing will feature medical and patient perspectives from Dr. Michael G. Knight and Dr. Kathryn Starr, as well as Jennifer L. Pettis, a registered nurse and patient advocate. Panelists will discuss the importance of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid’s (CMS) proposed rule (CMS-4208-P) which would expand access to anti-obesity medications for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries living with obesity.