A new study has found that music therapy interventions involving singing, active instrument play, and relaxation/imagery may be more effective for reducing pain intensity than receptive interventions only involving live or recorded music listening among hospitalized patients with moderate-to-severe pain.

The project will transform sponge restoration in Florida Bay using advanced genetic tools to build ecological resilience. By analyzing genetic diversity in four key sponge species, the research aims to strengthen restoration efforts that currently rely on clonal transplants with limited adaptive potential. This marks the first genetic assessment of sponge recovery in the region, with broad implications for ecosystem health and fisheries. Sponges are essential to water quality, habitat structure, and the survival of economically important species like the spiny lobster.

Liver fibrosis is a pathological process resulting from various chronic liver injuries that lead to the formation of liver fibrous scars. It can further progress to cirrhosis and even liver cancer. Currently, there are no effective drugs specifically approved for the treatment of liver fibrosis; etiological therapy remains the main treatment strategy. Therefore, it is necessary to develop anti-fibrotic drugs targeting different pathways involved in liver fibrosis. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) is a key driver of fibrosis, and targeting TGF-β can effectively reduce liver fibrosis. In this review, we discussed the anti-liver fibrosis effects of TGF-β inhibitors through different signaling pathways, including the application of certain active ingredients from Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Professor Alexander Hoffmann and Genhong Cheng from University of California, Los Angeles, jointly with Professor David Baltimore from California Institute of Technology, published a review article in the newly launched journal Immunity & Inflammation. This article provides a systematic overview of NF-κB, covering its activation mechanisms, gene regulatory networks, physiological and pathological roles. It also summarizes recent advances in therapeutic strategies targeting NF-κB, offering a critical foundation for deeper understanding the pathway’s functions and mechanisms.

The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a protective pathway that helps cells manage stress during protein production. Cancer cells exploit this system to survive harsh tumor environments. In bones, they also disrupt the balance of bone-building and bone-resorbing cells, leading to skeletal fragility. Emerging therapies that target the UPR show promise in restoring bone health while selectively killing malignant cells, offering new hope for patients with cancer-associated bone disease.