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08/10/2023 ---- 16/10/2023

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16.10.2023
THEME: HEALTH

A Groundbreaking Approach to Prostate Cancer Treatment: Overcoming Drug Resistance

A groundbreaking study led by the Institute of Cancer Research in London, the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, and the Institute of Oncology Research in Switzerland, has unveiled a promising strategy to overcome prostate cancer's resistance to treatment. This pioneering research holds significant potential for the over a million men diagnosed with prostate cancer globally each year.

Cancer cells are notoriously adept at evading treatment. They manipulate the immune system to resist drugs, but this study found a way to thwart these rogue cells. By blocking the cells' covert messages that co-opt healthy white blood cells, the researchers were able to resensitize a subset of advanced cancer, leading to the shrinkage or cessation of tumor growth. This innovative approach, published in the scientific journal Nature, focuses on the "feeder" myeloid white blood cells that tumors use to fuel their growth.

The study involved patients with advanced prostate cancer that had become resistant to conventional hormone therapy. The patients were treated with a combination of an experimental drug, AZD5069, which prevents myeloid cell recruitment to tumors, and enzalutamide, a standard hormone therapy. The results were promising: out of 21 patients, five, or 24%, responded positively. Their tumors shrank by more than 30%, and they experienced significant decreases in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, a key marker of prostate cancer. Additionally, their blood levels of circulating tumor cells, a sign of the cancer's progression, also dropped significantly.

This research is the culmination of a decade of tireless work by the team, investigating how myeloid cells contribute to prostate cancer's growth. The study was funded by a consortium of organizations including Prostate Cancer UK, Cancer Research UK, the Swiss Card Onco grant organization, the Prostate Cancer Foundation, AstraZeneca, Wellcome, and the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at the Royal Marsden and ICR.

The medical community has warmly welcomed this breakthrough, with plans for a clinical trial based on these findings already in motion. Dr Matthew Hobbs, Prostate Cancer UK’s director of research, has urged pharmaceutical companies to collaborate with researchers to develop new drugs based on this research and test them in larger trials.

This research could potentially extend beyond prostate cancer, offering a new approach to treat other types of cancer. As we enter a new era in cancer treatment, this study paves the way towards more effective, targeted treatments, bringing us a step closer to a turning point in the battle against prostate cancer.

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10.10.2023
THEME: WORLD

Claudia Goldin's Nobel-Winning Research: A Spotlight on the Gender Disparity in Labor Markets

The role and status of women, particularly in employment, have undergone significant changes over the last century. Despite a threefold increase in women's participation in paid work in many high-income countries, a substantial gender gap persists. Approximately half of women worldwide are engaged in paid work, compared to 80% of men.

Claudia Goldin, a trailblazing economic historian and Harvard University professor, has devoted her career to studying this issue. Born in 1946 in New York, Goldin made history in 1989 as the first woman to receive tenure in Harvard's economics department. Her work recently earned her this year's Nobel economics prize, making her the third woman and the first to win the award without male co-recipients.

Goldin's research offers valuable insights into the complex factors influencing female labor supply and demand, including work-family balance, education and child-rearing decisions, technological advancements, legislation, societal norms, and economic shifts. She discovered that women's employment rates were historically underreported, with their participation in the US labor force at the end of the 1890s being notably higher than official statistics indicated. Her analysis of over two centuries of US data revealed a U-shaped curve describing women's labor force participation, a pattern also observed in many other countries.

Goldin's research identified marriage as a significant factor affecting women's employment rates, with "marriage bars" legislation often restricting married women's employment. However, the introduction of the contraceptive pill in the late 1960s enabled women to delay marriage and childbirth, thus influencing their career and educational decisions.

Goldin also explored the enduring wage gap between men and women. Despite significant reductions since the 1970s, this gap persists. Her extensive research covering two centuries revealed that parenthood is a crucial factor in explaining income differences between genders in high-income countries.

Goldin's work suggests that societal norms, labor market trends, and education levels impact women's employment levels. The ability to plan and finance a return to work after having children, or to work more flexibly, may be key to reducing gender disparities in the labor market.

The importance of Goldin's research is immense. As Randi Hjalmarsson, a member of the Nobel prize committee, noted, Goldin's findings have far-reaching societal implications. With women earning less and less likely to climb the career ladder, her work provides essential insights into the factors influencing these disparities.

Goldin's Nobel Prize underscores the significance of her research in understanding women's historical and contemporary roles in the labor market. As efforts towards gender equality continue, her work will undoubtedly guide policies and initiatives aimed at reducing the gender gap in the labor market. Recognizing the past is a vital step towards creating a more equitable future.

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08.10.2023
THEME: WORLD

Escalation of Violence: Israel and Gaza in a Deadly Confrontation

October 2023 saw an unprecedented escalation in the long-standing conflict between Israel and Hamas, a militant group. The group launched a massive attack on Israel, firing 5,000 rockets and infiltrating Palestinian militants into Israeli towns, leading to the capture of both civilians and soldiers. This attack resulted in a tragic loss of life, with at least 100 people killed and hundreds more wounded in Israel.

In response to this aggression, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war on Hamas and initiated a series of air strikes on Gaza. This retaliation resulted in approximately 200 deaths in Gaza and drew international attention, with US President Joe Biden expressing unequivocal support for Israel. As the violence escalated, the death toll in Israel rose to at least 150, with over 1,000 wounded. The Israeli airstrikes targeted key Hamas locations, including the home of Hamas Gaza chief Yehya Al-Sinwar and a 14-story tower housing Hamas offices.

In a move that heightened tensions, Israel cut off electricity to the Gaza Strip. The violence resulted in at least 198 people in Gaza being killed and over 1,600 wounded. To foster unity, Netanyahu invited opposition leaders Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz to join a national government.

The escalating violence had significant international implications. Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warned of a potential "major regional escalation," and the German Foreign Ministry advised against travel to Israel and the Palestinian territories. Additionally, Lufthansa suspended flights to Israel.

The UN Security Council, chaired by Brazil, convened an emergency meeting to discuss the escalating violence. Despite these international efforts, the conflict continued in 22 locations in southern Israel, including ongoing hostage situations in two towns.

The conflict took an unexpected turn when Hamas militants infiltrated nearby Israeli towns during a major Jewish holiday, abducting an unknown number of civilians and soldiers. In response, Israel intensified airstrikes in Gaza. The Israeli military confirmed that Hamas militants had taken Israeli citizens and soldiers captive. The death toll continued to rise, with Israel's national rescue service reporting at least 200 people killed and 1,100 wounded.

In Gaza, the situation also worsened, with the Palestinian Health Ministry reporting at least 198 deaths and 1,610 injured due to Israeli strikes. Hamas retaliated by firing over 3,500 rockets into Israel, hitting four cities including Tel Aviv. The fighters used various means to infiltrate Israeli towns, including explosives, motorcycles, pickup trucks, paragliders, and speed boats.

The conflict also resulted in a significant human cost, with an unknown number of civilians, including workers from Thailand and the Philippines, taken captive. As the conflict continued, Israel's military deployed additional troops and tanks to the Gaza border.

As the conflict continues to unfold, there are no clear winners, only victims. The international community continues to call for an end to the violence, but a resolution seems far off. Despite the escalating violence, the resilience of the Israeli and Palestinian people remains unbroken. However, as the conflict enters its next phase, it is clear that the path to peace will be long and challenging.

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