In the field of medicine, the world’s first skin cancer mRNA vaccine has entered the critical phase 3 clinical trial stage, becoming a focus of attention in the scientific community. The collaborative effort between Moderna and Merck, mRNA-4157 (V940), is designed for patients with high-risk melanoma who have already undergone surgical removal, aiming to prevent the recurrence of cancer. This trial will involve 1,089 patients and has begun recruiting globally, with the first batch of patients already successfully enrolled.
mRNA-4157 is a personalized mRNA vaccine. Doctors perform DNA sequencing on tumor samples removed from patients, based on which they design and produce an mRNA vaccine specifically targeting mutations unique to the patient’s tumor. This vaccine can target up to 34 different tumor neoantigens. The phase 3 clinical trial will evaluate the efficacy of combining the mRNA-4157 therapy with the use of pembrolizumab (an approved immunotherapy drug) alone. Previous phase 2 trials showed that the combined therapy reduced the risk of cancer recurrence or death by 49% within three years after surgery.
On the other hand, in the public health field, the spread of avian influenza virus in the United States is also concerning. According to an analysis based on genomic data, the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus may have been transmitted to cattle by infected birds at the end of last year or earlier this year, and has been spreading massively among cattle in the US and its neighboring countries. Recent data released by the US Department of Agriculture indicates that the genetic diversity of the H5N1 virus in cattle suggests the virus has been spreading for months, and some viral variants may be better adapted to mammalian hosts. Moreover, the data shows that the virus has the potential to be transmitted from cattle back to birds and cats. In-depth sampling and analysis will help to more accurately identify the origin of the outbreak.
Cardiovascular health research has also made new progress. The latest research has found that patients with Growth Hormone Receptor Deficiency (GHRD) due to a lack of growth hormone receptors have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to the general population. The results published in Cell’s sub-journal Med may pave the way for new strategies to prevent cardiovascular diseases.
This innovative study may help scientists identify key genes and biological pathways that fight against cardiovascular diseases, promoting the development of new therapies. Laron syndrome is a rare disease in which patients, despite having normal or high levels of growth hormone, do not respond properly to these hormones, leading to low levels of Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1). Although lower levels of IGF-1 are typically associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, the new research findings reveal the opposite phenomenon. Laron syndrome patients actually exhibit a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, with generally lower levels of blood sugar, blood pressure, and insulin, smaller heart volumes, reduced accumulation of fat in the arteries, and thinner carotid artery walls. These findings lead researchers to believe that the results are valuable for developing new strategies to prevent cardiovascular disease, such as considering targeting growth hormone receptors to lower IGF-1 levels.
In a study on the nocturnal activity of insects, scientists discovered that the number of insects venturing out at night is approximately 31.4% higher than during the day. Researchers compiled and analyzed a large amount of data from studies using traps to catch insects during both day and night time periods, encompassing a range of environments from tropical jungles, temperate forests, arid grasslands to aquatic ecosystems from 1959 to 2022. The results showed that certain insect groups, such as mayflies and moths, tend to be more active at night, while others such as bees, wasps, and ants are more active during the day. The data indicates that aquatic habitat insects prefer nighttime activity, while terrestrial insects are more diurnal. This may reveal the different strategies insects adopt to avoid predators. Additionally, this research highlights the impact of environmental factors, such as global temperature changes, on insect activity patterns—with insects in warmer regions tending to be more active at night.
Curiosity also plays an important role in biological diversity. A new study in Lake Tanganyika in Africa showed that the cichlid populations in the lake exhibit significant differences in exploratory behavior, which may contribute to their morphological and habitat selection diversity. This diversity helps cichlids occupy different ecological niches, thus reducing direct competition between them, facilitating coexistence and the maintenance of diversity.
In a recent study, scientists conducted an in-depth observation of cichlids in Lake Tanganyika. Over the course of nine months, researchers meticulously recorded and analyzed the exploratory behavior of 702 cichlids in different areas of experimental ponds, collecting data on a total of 57 varieties. The results suggest a significant correlation between the cichlids’ curiosity and their living environment and size. Specifically, those living closer to the shore and larger in size tended to be more curious.
Digging deeper into the genetic level, researchers found a genetic variation highly related to exploratory behavior, located near the cacng5b gene. This finding is noteworthy because cichlids’ curiosity is closely linked to their genetic characteristics—when a specific site’s nucleotide is thymine (T), the cichlids display more intense exploratory behavior; conversely, with cytosine (C), their desire to explore is more subdued.
It’s astonishing that, through gene editing technology, scientists can significantly adjust these cichlids’ exploratory desires. This change is not only hereditary but can also be predicted using artificial intelligence technologies.
This research undertaken by experts from the University of Basel highlights the important impact curiosity in animal exploratory behavior could have on their evolution. Such studies not only unveil new knowledge in the field of ethology but also provide a valuable foundation for future deeper biological and psychological research.
