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New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Science
- New Straits Times
China joins global scientists in exploring hadal zone
HAIKOU: A pioneering international initiative for hadal zone exploration, led by Chinese scientists, has received official approval from the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), Xinhua reported. The Global Hadal Exploration Programme (GHEP), spearheaded by the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering (IDSSE) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), aims to transform fragmented hadal research into a coordinated global mission to explore, understand and protect the planet's most inaccessible marine ecosystems. The hadal zone comprises primarily of ocean trenches, particularly from a depth of 6,000 metres to the bottom of the ocean up to about 11,000 metres. The hadal environment is characterised by extreme depths and pressures, darkness, low temperatures, frequent earthquakes, and peculiar living forms. For a long time, the hadal trenches have been among the most under-explored and mysterious areas on earth due to technological limitations. China has been a key driver of deep-sea exploration over the past decade through sustained sci-tech advancements. In 2014, the CAS launched the Hadal Science and Technology Programme, followed by a historic dive to the Mariana Trench's 10,000-metre depths in 2016. By 2022, the CAS initiated the Global Trench Dive and Exploration Programme, leveraging its cutting-edge manned submersible Fendouzhe (Striver) and the Tansuo research vessels. "Venturing deeper is about understanding our ocean so we can coexist with it," said Du Mengran, a lead researcher at IDSSE. "Global cooperation in these 'untouched zones' will redefine the boundaries of marine science and provide critical knowledge for deep-sea conservation and sustainable use," she said. To date, Chinese scientists have collaborated with 145 researchers from 10 countries, exploring nine hadal trenches worldwide, including the Mariana, the Kermadec and Puysegur trenches. Starting from this year, GHEP will unify international research on extreme environments, life evolution, and geological processes in the hadal zone. The programme will establish international research hubs, organise joint deep-diving expeditions, and host regular symposia while offering training and open access to samples, data, and facilities – particularly for young scientists, Du added. GHEP brings together research institutions from New Zealand, Denmark, Germany, Chile, France, Indonesia, Brazil, Russia, India, the Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Portugal and other countries. – Bernama
Associated Press
29-05-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
Chinese Neurosurgical Journal Report Identifies FAM111B as Key Molecular Driver of Glioma Progression
Study shows FAM111B overexpression enhances glioma malignancy via PI3K/AKT pathway, suggesting a novel treatment target BEIJING, CHINA, May 29, 2025 / / -- Gliomas are among the deadliest brain tumors, with limited treatment options and poor survival rates. Scientists from China identified FAM111B, a DNA-repair-associated protein, as a key driver of glioma progression. The study shows that FAM111B overexpression enhances tumor growth and aggressiveness by activating the PI3K/AKT pathway. This is the first research to link FAM111B to gliomas, offering a promising new biomarker and therapeutic target for this intractable disease. Gliomas are the most prevalent and aggressive form of primary brain tumors in adults, with dismal survival rates despite surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Scientists continue to search for molecular drivers that could serve as new therapeutic targets. Now, researchers led by Dr. Quan Du from Zhejiang Chinese Medical University and Westlake University in China have identified a promising candidate: a protein known as FAM111B. 'Our findings revealed that FAM111B affected glioma malignancy by modulating the PI3K/AKT pathway,' highlights lead researcher Dr. Du. 'This presents a new potential avenue for therapeutic intervention in the treatment of glioma.' The study, published on May 19 2025, in the Chinese Neurosurgical Journal, is the first to examine the role of FAM111B in gliomas. Prior research had linked FAM111B to cell cycle regulation, DNA repair, and fibrosis-related diseases. However, its function in brain cancer was previously unknown. Using genomic databases including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA), the research team found that FAM111B expression is significantly elevated in glioma tissues compared to healthy brain tissue. Moreover, higher expression levels correlated with older patient age, more advanced tumor grade, and poorer clinical outcomes—including reduced overall survival and disease-free survival. The authors confirmed these findings experimentally. Glioma cell lines and tumor samples showed significantly higher levels of FAM111B protein compared to normal tissues. When FAM111B was overexpressed in glioma cells, their proliferation, invasion, and migration dramatically increased. Conversely, knocking down FAM111B suppressed these malignant traits. Further, in vivo experiments using mice confirmed FAM111B's role in promoting tumor growth. Mice injected with glioma cells overexpressing FAM111B developed significantly larger and heavier tumors than controls. To uncover the molecular mechanism behind these effects, the team conducted pathway enrichment analysis. Results pointed strongly to the PI3K/AKT signaling cascade—a pathway long associated with tumor growth and resistance to therapy. Further tests showed that FAM111B overexpression increased phosphorylation of PI3K and AKT, while silencing the protein had the opposite effect. 'FAM111B regulates glioma cell malignant features via the PI3K/AKT pathway,' the Dr. Du wrote. 'These results support the hypothesis that FAM111B influences the malignant features of glioma cells primarily through the PI3K/AKT pathway.'Treatment with a PI3K inhibitor reversed the aggressive behavior caused by FAM111B overexpression, strongly suggesting a direct regulatory role. This not only strengthens the case for FAM111B as a key driver of glioma but also highlights it as a promising therapeutic target. The study's strength lies in its comprehensive approach, combining bioinformatics, cell culture, animal modeling, and molecular assays. However, the authors acknowledge the study's limitations, particularly the small patient sample size and the need for broader validation across multiple research centers. Nonetheless, the implications are significant. Identifying FAM111B as an independent prognostic marker and a key modulator of a known cancer pathway adds a valuable tool to the glioma research arsenal. While therapies targeting the PI3K/AKT pathway already exist, this research may pave the way for more precise, FAM111B-guided interventions. 'FAM111B has emerged not only as a critical biomarker for the development of glioma,' Dr Du concludes, 'but also as a promising novel target for therapeutic intervention.' As researchers work to solve the complex puzzle of brain cancer, FAM111B may soon take center stage. *** Reference Title of original paper: The role of FAM111B in the malignant progression and molecular regulation of human glioma through the PI3K/Akt pathway Journal: Chinese Neurosurgical Journal DOI: Yi Lu Chinese Neurosurgical Journal +86 10 5997 8478 [email protected] Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Toronto Star
27-05-2025
- Health
- Toronto Star
France's National Assembly adopts long-debated bill legalizing end-of-life options
PARIS (AP) — France's lower house of parliament adopted a bill Tuesday to allow adults with incurable illness to take lethal medication, as public demands grow across Europe for legal end-of-life options. The National Assembly vote is a key legislative step on the long-debated issue. 'I'm thinking of all the patients and their loved ones. There are days, you know, you will never forget. I will never forget this day,' said Olivier Falorni, the general rapporteur of the bill, amid applause from fellow lawmakers. The bill received 305 votes in favor and 199 against. It will be sent to the Senate for further debate. A definitive vote on the measure could take months to be scheduled amid France's long and complex process. The National Assembly has final say over the Senate. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW In parallel, another bill on palliative care meant to reinforce measures to relieve pain and preserve patients' dignity was also adopted Tuesday, unanimously. The proposed measure on lethal medication defines assisted dying as allowing people to use it under certain conditions so that they may take it themselves. Only those whose physical condition doesn't allow them to do it alone would be able to get help from a doctor or a nurse. The bill has strict conditions To benefit, patients would need to be over 18 and be French citizens or live in France. A team of medical professionals would need to confirm that the patient has a grave and incurable illness 'at an advanced or terminal stage,' is suffering from intolerable and untreatable pain and is seeking lethal medication of their own free will. Patients with severe psychiatric conditions and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease won't be eligible. The person would initiate the request for lethal medication and confirm the request after a period of reflection. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW If approved, a doctor would deliver a prescription for the lethal medication, which could be taken at home or at a nursing home or a health care facility. A 2023 report indicated that most French citizens back legalizing end-of-life options, and opinion polls show growing support over the past 20 years. Initial discussions in parliament last year were abruptly interrupted by President Emmanuel Macron's decision to dissolve the National Assembly, plunging France into a months-long political crisis. Months-long debate ahead Earlier this month, Macron suggested he could ask French voters to approve the measure via referendum if parliament discussions get off track. Activists supporting the change have criticized the complexity and length of the parliamentary process that they say is penalizing patients waiting for end-of-life options. Many French people have traveled to neighboring countries where medically assisted suicide or euthanasia are legal. The Association for the Right to Die with Dignity (ADMD) has called on French lawmakers 'to respect the French who want the same right that our Dutch, Belgian, Luxembourgian, Swiss, Spanish, Portuguese neighbors have.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW French religious leaders this month issued a joint statement to denounce the bill, warning about the 'dangers' of an 'anthropological rupture.' The Conference of Religious Leaders in France (CRCF), which represents the Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist communities, said the proposed measures risk exerting pressure on older people and those with illnesses or disabilities. Similar talks in the U.K. The vote in France came as similar talks are ongoing in the U.K., where lawmakers are debating a bill to help terminally ill adults end their lives in England and Wales after giving it initial approval in November. Medically assisted suicide involves patients taking, of their own free will, a lethal drink or medication that has been prescribed by a doctor to those who meet certain criteria. Euthanasia involves doctors or other health practitioners giving patients who meet certain criteria a lethal injection at their own request. Assisted suicide is allowed in Switzerland and several U.S. states. Euthanasia is currently legal in the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Canada, Australia, Colombia, Belgium and Luxembourg under certain conditions.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Continuous scenario planning, war chests top finance playbooks for uncertain times
This story was originally published on CFO Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily CFO Dive newsletter. Market volatility and rapid technological change are putting pressure on CFOs' planning efforts as they navigate fresh uncertainties — from tariffs affecting supply chains to AI rollouts and growing competition for talent. At an American City Business Journals virtual roundtable last week, the CFO of workforce technology provider Magnit and the vice president of finance and strategy at kitchen products company Made in Cookware suggested ongoing scenario planning is essential. 'As I think about challenges today — beyond AI and technology — we've got this uncertainty in the markets with tariffs and seeing customer pullbacks,' said Rudy Gonzalez, CFO of Folsom, California-based Magnit. 'As a CFO, you have to be a utility player.' CFOs should plan for optimization and recovery, including how to manage debt if interest rates rise. They should also anticipate customer churn, he added. Jimmy Du, vice president of finance and strategy at Austin-based Made in Cookware, said the company has been running scenario plans for some time. Systemic events in recent years — including the COVID-19 pandemic and bank failures — can affect cash and revenue projections, and companies need to pivot, he argued. Now, the company is assessing the fallout from trade tariffs. 'Tariffs, to some degree, are outside of our control, but we're asking our manufacturers to share the cost,' he said. The company is scrutinizing expenses, including headcount, processes and warehouse operations — while working to retain inventory and meet growth targets. It's also looking for ways to offset tariffs while keeping operational expenditures tight. Amid lingering inflation and high financing costs, return on investment 'has to be held to a higher standard' than just a few years ago, Gonzalez said. Magnit, after paying down debt, built a cash 'war chest' that allowed it to invest in automation and agentic tools to offset wage inflation, Gonzalez said. Made in Cookware said it hasn't made major changes to its allocation strategy in response to economic pressures, but as an inventory-heavy business, maintaining the flow of payments to suppliers is a priority, Du said. The company has frozen hiring and accelerated cost–cutting measures. Cost savings, including from the back office, will be redeployed to marketing, which the company sees as a critical growth driver. 'Marketing spend is probably the last thing I would touch, as long as it's spent efficiently and at the right metrics — all of the savings that we make are then redeployed to drive growth,' said Du. Both companies are cautiously optimistic about the role of artificial intelligence in streamlining tasks across finance and the broader workforce. Made in Cookware is testing the use of AI to automate tasks, including invoice tagging. While using AI to drive efficiency is appealing, companies should weigh the benefits of an enterprise platform against a patchwork of point solutions, which can be less attractive 'because it's hard to get the ROI when you're duplicating costs and have to build integrations,' Gonzalez said. Companies also need to consider how much human oversight AI-generated output requires, particularly around data privacy, he added. Panelists also discussed how CFOs can attract top talent to their firms, with remote work and quicker career development paths acting as possible inducements for up-and-coming professionals. Remote work 'opens the door to talent that's not right by a physical office, and that used to be a limiting factor for companies,' Gonzalez said. Remote work also opens up opportunities to bring in talented candidates who are based outside the U.S., he added.
Japan Today
09-05-2025
- Japan Today
2 arrested in Tokyo for fake residence IDs, may have made thousands
Two Chinese men have been arrested for allegedly making and selling fake residence cards for foreigners, Tokyo police said Friday, suspecting the pair may have been involved in producing thousands of counterfeit identity documents. Du Jingjiang, 35, and Li Long, 36, both living in Tokyo's Ota Ward, allegedly conspired with other individuals to create 30 counterfeit residence cards around April 8, using computers at home. They took orders via social media. Du and Li, arrested on Wednesday, had already been accused of overstaying. Du was quoted by police as saying he worked from home to avoid being noticed. Du is suspected of printing cards with forged identity information supplied by other persons, while Li mailed the cards. Each card is believed to been sold for around 10,000 yen ($69). The two could have been involved in making at least 7,500 fake identity documents, including driver's licenses, for about five months from November, according to the police. In Japan, foreign nationals staying in the country for at least three months are in principle issued residence cards that include information such as their eligibility to work and visa status as well as their name and date of birth. © KYODO
