How COVID vaccine tech could personalize cancer treatment

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Genetic analysis of dozens of children and babies sacrificed between 900 and 1,400 years ago at the Mayan capital of Chichen Itza has revealed that all of them were boys. A quarter were close relatives (probably brothers or cousins), including two sets of identical twins.“This was really surprising,” says anthropologist and study co-author Oana del Castillo Chaves, explaining that while ritual child sacrifice was likely a common practice at the time, there had been no evidence until now that it involved the sacrifice of close relatives.

Nature | 4 min read

reference: Nature paper

In sleep-deprived rats, Deterioration of important brain signals related to memoryThis may help explain why sleep deprivation impairs memory formation. These signals, called sharp wave ripples, seem to be particularly important in converting short-term memories into long-term ones. Even a night of normal sleep after a night of sleep deprivation was not enough to fully restore the rats' brain signals.

Nature | 5 min read

reference: Nature paper

A test that reveals the inner self 45 minutes Which antibiotics are effective for bacterial urinary tract infections (UTIs)? It's this test that won the Longitude Prize. It usually takes several days to find out whether a urinary tract infection is caused by bacteria, rather than a virus or fungus, and which antibiotic will work. Infections are often treated with antibiotics preventatively, fuelling antibiotic resistance. It took 10 years to choose the winner of the £8 million prize, which called for a quick and easy test to detect bacterial infections. So far, the £25 test is too expensive for widespread use.

The Guardian | 5 min read

Features and opinions

The mRNA technology underlying COVID-19 vaccines could train the immune system to attack cancer cells. Small trials show Combined with established immunotherapy, the mRNA therapy nearly halved the risk of melanoma recurrence.“This is the first proof of concept that these approaches work,” says cancer immunologist Cristina Puig-Saus. “Now we just need to refine them.” The key is predicting which mutated proteins in cancer cells the vaccine should target, which will be different for each person and each type of cancer.

Nature | 9 min read

There is evidence that open access articles tend to receive more citations than non-open access articles, Scientists in low-income countries appear to see fewer of these benefits.Low-cost publishing options, such as journals and platforms that do not charge authors or readers, do not necessarily result in papers being published more quickly, which is crucial for research to gain traction, especially in the life sciences, and inequalities that most affect researchers in low-income countries can undermine existing open knowledge-sharing systems.

Nature Index | 6 min read

In her book, atmospheric chemist Susan Solomon argues that the climate crisis can be solved if we are willing to learn from the challenges of the past. Solvable. Change happens when the impact is personal, recognizable, and practical solutions are available. That was the case with the persistent pesticide DDT and ozone-depleting fluorocarbon refrigerants. But none of these problems were solved by overwhelming scientific evidence or public concern, says climate scientist and commentator Friederike Otto. Governments have tended to be slow to act, prioritizing technological alternatives that protect industry profits. This time, Otto says, that won't be enough. “Any solutions must put human rights at their heart.”

Nature | 7 min read

Infographic of the week

new The optics-free technique, called “molecular pixelation,” uses DNA-tagged antibodies Identifying the relative locations of proteins on a single cell (such as this BT cell complex). References: Nature Method paper

Eagle-eyed readers may have noticed this great animation from last week. However, I got a detail wrong in the caption, so I wanted to make sure to update it. Apologies for the mistake! (Philip Karlsson) Others/Nature Method)

I was shocked by the news today. Some plant-based cheeses are just as tasty as the real thing — so say the chefs who specialize in sensational dishes like Fresh Mozzarella di Bufala. Whether you're looking for a low-carbon option or one with less lactose, this could be a game-changer.

Your feedback on this newsletter will be the perfect companion as you savor our cheese plate made from seeds, legumes, microbes and yeasts. Let us know what you think! Contact Us.

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