This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Cancer-associated fibroblasts, or CAFs, make up 50 to 90% of a solid tumor’s volume. Embedded between a tumor’s core and healthy tissue, CAFs contribute to tumor initiation, progression, and invasion, and according to a new study, CAFs might also contribute to tumors’ ability to resist radiation therapy. Researchers coaxed CAFs to form by culturing normal fibroblasts with cancer cells from different tissues, including the breast, brain, lung, and prostate. Compared to normal fibroblasts, these CAFs showed less DNA damage from gamma ray radiation. This “radioresistance” was linked to DNA repair machinery deployed by CAFs. Treating CAFs with molecules inhibiting the repair of single- and double-stranded DNA reduced their defenses against radiation. Further insight into how CAFs communicate with surrounding cancer cells and healthy tissue could prove vital, as it could help researchers and clinicians find ways to topple tumors’ defenses against anticancer therapies..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Apoptosis, a form of programmed cell death, plays critical roles in animal development and in repair of DNA damage. Since DNA damage is a major factor in cancer development, identifying the regulators of damage-induced apoptosis could help researchers develop treatments. A recent study investigated whether NHR-14, an important developmental protein in the model organism C. elegans, also contributes to damage-induced apoptosis . using mutant C. elegans that are especially susceptible to radiation-induced DNA damage. Deletion of the gene encoding NHR-14, which corresponds to HNF4 in humans, decreased radiation-induced apoptosis of sex cells without affecting the levels of normal (non-damage-induced) apoptosis, indicating a specific role in the damage-induced death pathway. Further exploration revealed that the NHR-14 gene acts “downstream” of the DNA damage checkpoint pathway and regulates the transcription of the genes egl-1 and ced-13 after DNA is damaged..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This course provides an introduction to nuclear science and its engineering applications. It describes basic nuclear models, radioactivity, nuclear reactions, and kinematics; covers the interaction of ionizing radiation with matter, with an emphasis on radiation detection, radiation shielding, and radiation effects on human health; and presents energy systems based on fission and fusion nuclear reactions, as well as industrial and medical applications of nuclear science.

This unit delves into the fundamental science and historical contexts to help students explore the question "How can knowledge gained from the Manhattan Project and the Hanford Site contribute using nuclear technologies to positively impact humanity in the future?."Nuclear Chemistry is a great capstone unit for a standard high school chemistry course in that it is fantastic opportunity for students to explore the crossroads between scientific knowledge and the societal implications of new discoveries. Students will have the opportunity to Delve deep into the science standards while also connecting their learning to what it means for us as a global society.

In this exploratory seminar, first-year undergraduate students learn the basic physics of nuclear energy and radiation, and learn to communicate their knowledge and perspective by writing a traditional Op-Ed piece. The technical content emphasizes the unique attributes and challenges of nuclear energy as a low-carbon solution as well as the peaceful applications of ionizing radiation to help humankind. The open-ended writing project combines personal creativity and technical knowledge to share important messages about science. The course employs blended learning, as students use the online course 22.011x, freely available on the MIT Open Learning Library, to learn the technical content, and meet together in person for the communication component, developing and polishing their Op-Eds.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"The microscopic tardigrade is one of the toughest known organisms in the animal kingdom, capable of surviving environmental extremes such as near-complete desiccation, freezing and high temperatures, and ionizing radiation. Exactly how these tiny creatures are able to withstand these stresses has remained largely a mystery. Now, research is showcasing the role of three protein families not found in other organisms, collectively referred to as tardigrade disordered proteins (TDPs). Unlike typical folded proteins, in solution many TDPs lack a stable 3D structure. This lack of structure may allow them to adopt different conformations under different environmental conditions. Although seemingly diverse, the stress conditions that tardigrades can tolerate are actually quite similar. Similarly to desiccation, freezing removes water from proteins and membranes, and irradiation induces genome damage like that observed during drying..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.