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Category: biotech/medical

US CDC Says 2025–26 Flu Season ‘moderately Severe’ as Cases Hit 11 Million

Seasonal influenza activity remained high and increased in late December, prompting the CDC to classify the 2025–26 flu season as “moderately severe.” The agency estimates at least 11 million illnesses, 120,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths so far—substantially higher than the same point last season. Experts note flu cases are underreported and expect the peak in the coming weeks.

Jan 5 (Reuters) — Seasonal influenza activity remained elevated and rose in the final week of December, U.S. Centers for ‌Disease Control and Prevention data showed on Monday, as the agency for the first time classified the 2025–26 season ⁠as “moderately severe.”

CDC estimates the season’s toll so far at least 11 million illnesses, 120,000 hospitalizations and ‌5,000 deaths.

In the 2024–25 season, CDC estimated at least 5.3 million illnesses, 63,000 hospitalizations and 2,700 deaths in the week ended December 28, 2024.

Statins in Genetic MyopathiesA Retrospective Analysis of Safety and Tolerability

Statins in genetic myopathies: a retrospective analysis of safety and tolerability.

ObjectivesStatins are widely prescribed lipid-lowering agents, but their safety and tolerability in patients with underlying genetic myopathies remain uncertain. We aimed to study statin safety and tolerability in genetic myopathies using a large retrospective cohort.

Research shows how immune system reacts to pig kidney transplants in living patients

Novel research led by Brazilian scientists describes the immune system’s reactions in detail in the first living patient to receive a genetically modified pig kidney transplant. This paves the way for the search for therapies that can prevent organ rejection.

The study demonstrates the feasibility of this type of graft but indicates that controlling initial rejection alone is insufficient. This is because even with immunosuppressants, continuous activation of innate immunity—the body’s first line of defense, especially macrophages, which react to any threat—can compromise long-term survival.

Through transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic, and spatial analyses, the scientists have determined that new strategies are necessary to achieve long-term survival and favorable clinical outcomes. They recommend combining therapies that target innate immunity with advanced genetic engineering in donor pigs. They also suggest preventing early T lymphocyte-mediated rejection and implementing more sensitive monitoring approaches.

How major nuclear protein complexes control specialized gene regulation in cancer and beyond

Precision and timing of gene expression is essential for normal biological functions and, when disrupted, can lead to many human diseases, including cancers. However, how molecular machines—protein complexes—that control gene expression locate to specific genes at specific times within the nuclei of our cells has remained a mystery.

Now, scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have discovered a new protein domain, SWIFT, found on a major chromatin remodeling complex family called mammalian SWI/SNF (mSWI/SNF or BAF) complexes, which helps these regulatory machines target particular genes to activate their expression.

The findings, published in Science, reveal how the SWIFT platform on mSWI/SNF complexes engage transcription factors (TF) to enable specialized cellular functions during both normal development and cancer. Particularly in human cancers, SWIFT-TF engagement sustains cancer-promoting gene expression and cell growth. Notably, breaking interactions with mutations halts cancer cell growth, flagging this new SWIFT-TF platform as a promising target for small molecule development.

First map of nerve circuitry in bone helps physicians identify key signals for bone repair

When a house catches on fire, we assume that a smoke alarm inside will serve one purpose and one purpose only: warn the occupants of danger. But imagine if the device could transform into something that could fight the fire as well.

In a new study in Science, a multi-institutional team led by researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine has shown in mice that the body’s “pain alarms”―sensory neurons—actually have such a dual function. In the event of a bone fracture, these nerves not only report the trauma, but they also morph into “reconstruction commanders” that actively direct the cellular workforce to rebuild the skeleton.

Sensor lights up to reveal scopolamine, a common substance used for sexual assault

A team from the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) has led the development of a new sensor capable of quickly and easily detecting scopolamine, one of the substances most commonly used in crimes of chemical submission, especially in sexual assaults. The sensor detects the presence of this drug in less than five minutes with high sensitivity. The research is published in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

“Scopolamine is a substance that is difficult to detect using conventional methods, especially when found in drinks. For this reason, our group from the IDM Institute at the UPV set out to develop new, simple tools that can immediately alert us to its presence,” says Vicente Martí Centelles, a researcher at the Interuniversity Research Institute for Molecular Recognition and Technological Development (IDM) at the UPV.

Lenacapavir treatment–emergent HIV-1 capsid resistance mutations are frequently associated with replication defects

Can HIV become resistant to lenacapavir?

An analysis of clinical isolates identifies mutations that shift the capsid protein’s lenacapavir binding pocket and endow resistance, but shows these mutations often come at a high fitness cost.

Read more in.

Treatment-emergent capsid mutations elicited by lenacapavir monotherapy showed variable drug resistance and viral fitness impacts.

Targeting B cells enhances STING agonism in liver cancer

The researchers used advanced laboratory and experimental models to uncover how B-cells contribute to immunotherapy resistance in liver cancer. Using liver cancer mouse models, they tested treatments that either blocked B-cells or targeted immune pathways.

They found that when tumors stopped responding to immunotherapy, B-cells moved into the tumor and formed clusters that looked like special immune structures called tertiary lymphoid tissues.

“Combining B-cell depletion with immunotherapy (anti-PD-1 ICB or the STING agonist BMS-986301) significantly improved survival and reduced metastasis,” said the author. “These exciting findings suggest that targeting B-cells or their signaling pathways could overcome acquired resistance and enhance the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy, including in cases where the disease has spread.”

Scientists have identified a promising strategy to improve liver cancer immunotherapy: targeting B-cells. While immunotherapy has transformed cancer treatment by activating T-cells—a type of immune cell that fights cancerous cells—many patients still fail to respond. New research shows that B-cells—another type of immune cells that fight infections—may play a surprising role in limiting immunotherapy’s effectiveness.

The study was recently published in Nature Communications. The study’s principal investigator said that most current research efforts are focusing on activating T-cells against cancers. This study showed tumor-associated B-cells can create an environment that suppresses T-cell activity, allowing cancer cells to escape immune attacks.

“We observed a significant rise in B-cell activity in the tumor, suggesting they may play an important role in how cancer escapes treatment,” said the author. “By blocking these immunosuppressive B-cells, we may be able to remove this barrier and enhance the power of immunotherapy.”

Continue reading “Targeting B cells enhances STING agonism in liver cancer” | >

Patient Information: Prostatitis

📄 This JAMA Patient Page describes the types of prostatitis and its risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment.

Prostatitis involves infection, inflammation, or pain in the prostate gland and affects about 9% of men during their lifetime.

Patients with acute prostatitis typically have fever, chills, pelvic pain, sudden onset of frequent urination, and pain or burning during urination.

📄 Risk Factors, Diagnosis, and Treatment of CP/CPPS

Approximately 267 000 men in the US are diagnosed with CP/CPPS each year. Risk increases after age 50 years. Although other risk factors for CP/CPPS are unclear, men with CP/CPPS are more likely to have chronic pain syndromes such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and irritable bowel syndrome and higher rates of depression, anxiety, and panic disorder than unaffected men.

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