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Application of gene therapy for reversing T-cell dysfunction in cancer

Hyun Lee et al. | Aug 25, 2022

Application of gene therapy for reversing T-cell dysfunction in cancer

Since cancer cells inhibit T-cell activity, the authors investigated a method to reverse T-cell disfunction with gene therapy, so that the T-cells would become effective once again in fighting cancer cells. They used the inhibition of proprotein convertases (PCSK1) in T cells and programmed death-ligand 1 (CD274) in cancer cells. They observed the recovery of IL-2 expression in Jurkat cells, with increased recovery noted in a co-culture sample. This study suggests a novel strategy to reactivate T cells.

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Simulations of Cheetah Roaming Demonstrate the Effect of Safety Corridors on Genetic Diversity and Human-Cheetah Conflict

Acton et al. | Apr 02, 2018

Simulations of Cheetah Roaming Demonstrate the Effect of Safety Corridors on Genetic Diversity and Human-Cheetah Conflict

Ecological corridors are geographic features designated to allow the movement of wildlife populations between habitats that have been fragmented by human landscapes. Corridors can be a pivotal aspect in wildlife conservation because they preserve a suitable habitat for isolated populations to live and intermingle. Here, two students simulate the effect of introducing a safety corridor for cheetahs, based on real tracking data on cheetahs in Namibia.

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Peptidomimetics Targeting the Polo-box Domain of Polo-like Kinase 1

Jang et al. | Aug 19, 2016

Peptidomimetics Targeting the Polo-box Domain of Polo-like Kinase 1

Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) is a master regulator of mitosis, initiating key steps of cell cycle regulation, and its overexpression is associated with certain types of cancer. In this study, the authors carefully designed peptides that were able to bind to Plk1 at a location that is important for its proper localization and function. Future studies could further develop these peptides to selectively target Plk1 in cancer cells and induce mitotic arrest.

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Implication of education levels on gender wage gap across states in the United States and Puerto Rico

Dash et al. | Apr 16, 2025

Implication of education levels on gender wage gap across states in the United States and Puerto Rico

Here the authors examined the relationship between education levels and the gender wage gap (GWG) in the US and Puerto Rico from 2010 to 2022, hypothesizing that higher education would correlate with a lower GWG. Their analysis of income data revealed an inverse correlation, where higher education levels were associated with reduced gender wage disparities, suggesting that policies aimed at closing the gender gap in higher education could promote socioeconomic equality.

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Machine learning for retinopathy prediction: Unveiling the importance of age and HbA1c with XGBoost

Ramachandran et al. | Sep 05, 2024

Machine learning for retinopathy prediction: Unveiling the importance of age and HbA1c with XGBoost

The purpose of our study was to examine the correlation of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), blood pressure (BP) readings, and lipid levels with retinopathy. Our main hypothesis was that poor glycemic control, as evident by high HbA1c levels, high blood pressure, and abnormal lipid levels, causes an increased risk of retinopathy. We identified the top two features that were most important to the model as age and HbA1c. This indicates that older patients with poor glycemic control are more likely to show presence of retinopathy.

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