https://doi.org/10.1007/s42995-024-00264-8

Announcing a new publication for Marine Life Science & Technology journal. In this research article Professor Chundi Wang from the Marine College of Shandong University, Weihai, China considers some long-standing taxonomic uncertainties and evolutionary relationships within Scuticociliatia, a diverse group of ciliates.

Rational design of multifunctional nanoplatforms capable of combining therapeutic effects with real-time monitoring of drug distribution and tumor status is emerging as a promising approach in cancer nanomedicine. Here, we introduce pyropheophorbide a–bisaminoquinoline conjugate lipid nanoparticles (PPBC LNPs) as a bimodal system for image-guided phototherapy in bladder cancer treatment. PPBC LNPs not only demonstrate both powerful photodynamic and photothermal effects upon light activation, but also exhibit potent autophagy blockage, effectively inducing bladder cancer cell death. Furthermore, PPBC LNPs possess remarkable photoacoustic (PA) and fluorescence (FL) imaging capabilities, enabling imaging with high-resolution, deep tissue penetration and high sensitivity for tracking drug biodistribution and phototherapy efficacy. Specifically, PA imaging confirms the efficient accumulation of PPBC LNPs within tumor and predicts therapeutic outcomes of photodynamic therapy, while FL imaging confirms their prolonged retention at the tumor site for up to 6 days. PPBC LNPs significantly suppress bladder tumor growth, with several tumors completely ablated following just two doses of the nanoparticles and laser treatment. Additionally, PPBC LNPs were formulated with lipid-based excipients and assembled using microfluidic technology to enhance biocompatibility, stability, and scalability, showing potential for clinical translation. This versatile nanoparticle represents a promising candidate for further development in bladder cancer therapy.

The Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) in Klosterneuburg and Google have signed a “Master Sponsored Research Agreement” to explore joint scientific research areas. Under this agreement, Google will collaborate with and fund research projects at ISTA, ranging from AI and algorithms to neuro-imaging techniques useful for medical research. In addition, Google has opened a presence at the xista science park directly opposite the ISTA campus to form a liaison between the American corporation, the fundamental researchers at the Institute and the start-ups of the xista ecosystem.

The most comprehensive analysis of rheumatoid arthritis data to date reveals that demographic changes and uneven health infrastructure have exacerbated the rheumatoid arthritis burden since 1980 and shows global disparities on a granular level. The AI-powered study in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, published by Elsevier, utilized deep learning techniques and policy simulations to uncover actionable insights for localized interventions that national-level studies have previously missed. Its design yielded highly precise, dynamic projections of further disease burden to 2040.

The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) announced that a research team led by Dr. Min-Chul Park at the Center for Quantum Technology, in collaboration with Prof. Jae Won Shim at Korea University and Profs. Jea Woong Jo and Sae Youn Lee at Dongguk University, has developed a high-sensitivity organic photodetector (OPD) that maintains ultra-low noise performance even in light-scattering environments.