Monday, June 3rd 2024
New lung cancer pill produces “unprecedented” results in human trial
The protein anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) is controlled by the ALK gene, which can be rearranged in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), leading to aggressive growth. NSCLC, accounting for 80-85% of lung cancers, sees ALK-positive tumors in 3-5% of cases, often in younger, light or non-smoking individuals. Lorlatinib, a third-generation ALK inhibitor, shows unprecedented results in a Phase III trial for advanced ALK-positive NSCLC, significantly outperforming crizotinib in progression-free survival and brain metastasis reduction. The trial, led by Peter MacCallum Cancer Center, reveals lorlatinib's long-term efficacy, making it a groundbreaking treatment for ALK-positive NSCLC patients.
The article discusses the relaunch of a campaign on responsible digital usage by ADEME and the French Ministry of Ecological Transition. ADEME's study compares the environmental impact of digital versus physical cultural services like reading, listening to music, watching movies, and playing video games. The study uses life cycle analysis to assess environmental impacts like greenhouse gas emissions and resource consumption. The intensity of usage plays a key role in determining the environmental impact of digital and physical cultural services. Raphaël Guastavi from ADEME highlights the need for equipment to support digital services, which are often invisible to users.
People are raving about how much easier it is to read with 'bionic reading' font
The article discusses one year's full-time wages.
The Silence of Shadows
A dark street in Barcelona. The streetlights flicker, casting trembling shadows on the decrepit walls. A man walks, his steps quick and nervous. Gabriel, in his forties, a writer in search of truth. His gaunt face, his eyes circled with fatigue. A fierce determination in his gaze.
Gabriel stops in front of a pharmacy. The cold light of the sign illuminates his face. He enters. The pharmacist, Marta, immediately recognizes him. A woman in her fifties, gray hair pulled back in a bun, glasses perched on the tip of her nose. She hands him a thick file.
"The evidence is here," she whispers. "Antidepressants sabotage chemotherapy."
Gabriel nods. He knows what that means. A major medical scandal. Lives at stake. Colossal financial interests. He holds the file close to him and leaves the pharmacy.
In his apartment, Gabriel sits at his desk. He opens the file. Pages of reports, graphs, testimonies. He starts writing. The words flow, precise, incisive. He knows his article will have a bombshell effect.
Days go by. Gabriel hides at home, avoids calls, visits. He knows the pharmaceutical companies won't stay idle. He receives threats. Anonymous letters, late-night calls. But he persists. The truth must come to light.
One evening, as he rereads his article, a silhouette appears behind the window. Gabriel stands up, approaches. A man in a dark suit, black sunglasses. An agent from the laboratories. Gabriel steps back, his heart pounding. He knows he's in danger.
He decides to flee. He grabs a few things, his laptop, and hastily leaves his apartment. In the streets of Barcelona, he blends into the crowd. He knows where to go. An old friend, Javier, an investigative journalist, can help him.
Javier, in his fifties, tousled hair, piercing gaze. He welcomes Gabriel into his modest apartment. The two men have known each other for a long time. Javier reads Gabriel's article, nodding.
"It's explosive," he says. "But you must hide. They won't leave you alone."
Gabriel agrees. He knows Javier is right. They devise a plan. Gabriel will take refuge in a secluded house in the countryside. Javier will publish the article under his own name. A perfect cover.
The house, an old stone building surrounded by fields. Gabriel settles in. Days pass, marked by writing and reading. He follows from afar the reactions to the article. The scandal erupts. The media seize the story. The laboratories are on the defensive.
One morning, Gabriel receives a call from Javier. His friend's voice is tense.
"They know where you are. You have to leave."
Gabriel hangs up, his heart tight. He gathers his things, rushes out. In the courtyard, a black car. Two men step out. Gabriel runs, crosses the fields. The men chase him.
The chase stretches for kilometers. Gabriel, exhausted, finds refuge in an old barn. He hides, holding his breath. The men pass by, not seeing him. Gabriel waits, motionless, until nightfall.
He emerges from the barn, resumes his escape. He knows he must leave the country. He thinks of Marta, of Javier. He can't involve them any further. He must disappear.
At the airport, Gabriel buys a ticket to a distant destination. He boards the plane, sits down, closes his eyes. He knows the truth has come out. Lives will be saved. But he also knows he can never return.
The plane takes off. Gabriel looks out the window. The lights of Barcelona fade away. A new life begins. A life in the shadows, but with the satisfaction of having done what was right.
Days pass. Gabriel settles in a small town, far from everything. He changes his name, finds a modest job. He continues to write, but under a pseudonym. He follows from afar the developments of the scandal. The laboratories are sued, heads roll.
One evening, in a café, Gabriel reads an article on his phone. Marta has been rewarded for her courage. Javier continues to publish investigations. Gabriel smiles. He knows his sacrifice was not in vain.
Night falls. Gabriel leaves the café, walks in the silent streets. He thinks of everything he left behind. But he knows he made the right choice. The truth has a price, and he was willing to pay it.
In the darkness, Gabriel disappears, a shadow among shadows. But his story, it continues to shine, brilliant, indelible.
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