Whooping cough, or pertussis, was once a leading cause of death for children in the U.S. and worldwide before the introduction of vaccines in the 1940s. In the decades since, the bacterial disease was nearly eradicated in the U.S., with fatalities falling to double digits each year. But the disease has made a troubling comeback in recent years as vaccine coverage declined after the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, several outbreaks left public health officials and hospitals scrambling to accommodate a sudden influx of patients, primarily infants, who are often too young to be vaccinated and suffer the most severe symptoms. Now, new research from The University of Texas at Austin could aid ...

MADISON — Fast-charging lithium-ion batteries are ubiquitous, powering everything from cellphones and laptops to electric vehicles. They’re also notorious for overheating or catching fire. Now, with an innovative computational model, a University of Wisconsin–Madison mechanical engineer has gained new understanding of a phenomenon that causes lithium-ion batteries to fail. Developed by Weiyu Li, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at UW–Madison, the model explains lithium plating, in which fast charging triggers metallic lithium to build up on the surface of a battery’s anode, causing the battery to ...

It's no coincidence that our bodies feel a little creakier as we age. The trillions of cells that make up our skeleton age too, and some change in ways that weaken the very structure of our bones. Scientists and researchers around the globe are investigating a series of mysteries about what happens to our bones over time. In a new study, a team led by The University of Texas at Austin, in collaboration with Mayo Clinic and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center just made a major break in the case. New research found that osteocytes undergo dramatic structural and functional changes ...

University of New Mexico researchers studying the health risks posed by gadolinium, a toxic rare earth metal used in MRI scans, have found that oxalic acid, a molecule found in many foods, can generate nanoparticles of the metal in human tissues. In a new paper published in the journal Magnetic Resonance Imaging, a team led by Brent Wagner, MD, professor in the Department of Internal Medicine in the UNM School of Medicine, sought to explain the formation of the nanoparticles, which have been associated with serious health problems in the kidneys and other organs. “The worst disease caused by MRI contrast agents is nephrogenic systemic ...

A new study from the University of Maine’s Aquaculture Research Institute (ARI) and Darling Marine Center is helping to refine best practices for growing Atlantic sea scallops (Placopecten magellanicus), a species of increasing interest to Maine’s aquaculture sector. Published in the academic journal Aquaculture, the research compares two scallop farming methods, ear-hanging and lantern net culture, over a complete grow-out cycle to determine which approach yields the best results for commercial growers. The study, led by UMaine ...

A new pilot study from UBC Okanagan and Thompson Rivers University examined how medically supervised cannabis use in a residential recovery home may support people in treatment for substance use challenges.  Participants reported that cannabis helped them manage pain, anxiety, depression and sleep issues—key symptoms that can complicate recovery.  "Our findings suggest medical cannabis could play a meaningful role in reducing cravings and improving retention in recovery programs," says ...

The erosion of democracy in the U.S. has been a topic of concern in recent years, especially after protesters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in an attempt to block the certification of Joe Biden's election as president. Most of the academic studies on democratic backsliding, however, have focused on public opinion within the U.S. and have not looked at global public opinion. How favorably others view the U.S. is part of the country's "soft power"—a term coined by Joseph Nye at Harvard University in the 1980s. It refers to a country's ability to influence other countries’ policy ...

DALLAS and MINNEAPOLIS, April 4, 2025 — The American Academy of Neurology and the American Heart Association have awarded the 2025 Ralph L. Sacco Scholarships for Brain Health to two researchers, Hortense Triniac, Ph.D., of Milwaukee and Katy Walsh, Ph.D., of Boston. Each will receive a $150,000 two-year scholarship to support continuing scientific research in brain health. This is the second year this scholarship has been awarded. The Ralph L. Sacco Scholarships in Brain Health, also known as the Sacco Scholars program, are made possible by a generous bequest to the American Academy of Neurology, the world’s largest association of neurologists ...

CORVALLIS, Ore. – A chemical reaction that’s vital to a range of commercial and industrial goods may soon be initiated more effectively and less expensively thanks to a collaboration that included Oregon State University College of Engineering researchers. The study, published in Nature, involves hydrogenation – adding the diatomic hydrogen molecule, H2, to other compounds. “Hydrogenation is a critical and diverse reaction used to create food products, fuels, commodity chemicals and pharmaceuticals,” ...

Summary: Texas Tech University’s Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering has secured a $6 million U.S. Department of Defense grant to develop advanced semiconductor materials and devices, particularly for high-power electronics and optoelectronics. The project aims to enhance the performance of wide and ultra-wide bandgap semiconductors, leading to more reliable, high-performance electronics for military applications. Why This Matters: Technology Advancement: The research will improve the development of high-performance, high-power electronic devices critical for modern technologies. Military/Defense Applications: The project targets key military systems, ...

RESEARCH SUMMARY Novel genomic screening tool enables precision reverse-engineering of genetic programming in cells Study Title: Transcription factor networks disproportionately enrich for heritability of blood cell phenotypes Publication: Science Corresponding Dana-Farber Cancer Institute authors: Alexis Caulier, MD, PhD, Vijay Sankaran, MD, PhD Summary: Collaborative research led by investigators at Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center defines a ...

Quantum states can only be prepared and observed under highly controlled conditions. A research team from Innsbruck, Austria, has now succeeded in creating so-called hot Schrödinger cat states in a superconducting microwave resonator. The study, recently published in Science Advances, shows that quantum phenomena can also be observed and used in less perfect, warmer conditions. Schrödinger cat states are a fascinating phenomenon in quantum physics in which a quantum object exists simultaneously in two different states. In Erwin Schrödinger's thought experiment, it is a cat that is alive ...

Damage to the genetic material of mitochondria – the mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA for short – can lead to diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. Such damage also speeds up the ageing process. However, the cells are normally capable of identifying such damage and reacting. Scientists from University Hospital Düsseldorf and HHU have – in collaboration with the University of Cologne and the Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC) – discovered a mechanism, which protects and repairs the mitochondria. The research ...

Rivers, streams, lakes, and reservoirs aren’t just scenic parts of our landscape—they’re also vital engines for life on Earth. These inland waters ‘breathe’ oxygen, just like we do. But a new study led by Utrecht University researchers shows that we’ve been suffocating them during the last century, an era also known as the Anthropocene. The research, published today in Science Advances, reveals that the way oxygen is produced and used in inland waters has dramatically changed since 1900. ...

NEW ORLEANS April 4, 2025 – The American College of Physicians (ACP) has issued Best Practice Advice for clinicians whose patients are considering or using cannabis or cannabinoids for management of chronic, noncancer pain. Cannabis or Cannabinoids for the Management of Chronic Noncancer Pain: Best Practice Advice From the American College of Physicians, was published today in Annals of Internal Medicine.    ACP’s Best Practice Advice paper is intended to inform clinicians about the evidence regarding the benefits and harms of cannabis or cannabinoids in the management of chronic noncancer pain and to provide advice for clinicians counseling patients seeking ...

A groundbreaking study published in Science Advances has revealed promising strategies to significantly improve crop yields by addressing photorespiration, a metabolic process that can reduce productivity by up to 36% in some crops. Researchers from the University of Groningen and Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, working as part of the GAIN4CROPS project (gain4crops.eu), have evaluated several alternative pathways that could help overcome this major agricultural bottleneck. Photorespiration occurs when the enzyme RuBisCO, essential for photosynthesis, reacts with oxygen instead of carbon dioxide, resulting ...

New research shows how small shifts in the molecular makeup of a virus can profoundly alter its fate. These shifts could turn a deadly pathogen into a harmless bug or supercharge a relatively benign virus, influencing its ability to infect humans and cause dangerous outbreaks. This is the latest finding in a series of studies led by Jonathan Abraham, associate professor of microbiology in the Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School, and his team that aim to understand the risk of western equine encephalitis virus and related viruses. The work, which was supported ...

Key points: Short-term exposure to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) from a wildfire may increase the risk of emergency department visits for mental health conditions, especially for women, youth, racial minorities, and Medicaid enrollees. The study is among the first to examine the relationship between wildfire-specific PM2.5 and mental health. According to the researchers, the findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to prevent and address increased mental health distress during wildfire seasons, especially ...

Key Points: C. difficile is one of the most common and contagious hospital-acquired infections. Research has found that C. diff spreads more than three times more than previously thought. C. diff can spread covertly from surface to surface and remain undetected for weeks until it infects a patient. IMPACT: The results could spur more rigorous preventive measures that stop hidden spread of the disease. One of the most common health care-associated infections spreads within intensive care units ...

When today’s older adults were growing up, the only way to get information to your doctor or their clinic was a phone call. And getting more than a simple answer probably meant going in for an appointment. But a new study suggests that people in their 50s and older have embraced the ability to send and receive secure medical messages with their doctors and other providers, through the digital patient portals that most health systems and medical offices now offer. The study also suggests that some older adults – including those with very low incomes – find themselves getting billed for ...

About The Study: Wildfire smoke exposure was associated with significantly increased odds of subsequent emergency department visits for mental health conditions in this cross-sectional study, with varying lag times for different subconditions and demographic groups. Health care professionals and systems should prepare for a possible increase in demand for mental health–related emergency services during wildfire events. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Kari C. Nadeau, MD, PhD, email knadeau@hsph.harvard.edu. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.3326) Editor’s ...

About The Study: This systematic scoping review suggests that even though emphasis has been placed on addressing gender inequities in academic medicine, considerable disparities remain at the leadership level. While certain positions and specialties have been observed to have more female leaders, niches of academic medicine almost or completely exclude women from their leadership ranks. Importantly, even female-dominated specialties, such as obstetrics and gynecology, have substantial inequity in leadership roles. It is past time for organizational and systems-level changes to ensure equitable ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists say they have found a pattern of so-called epigenetic “marks” in a transition state between normal and pancreatic cancer cells in mice, and that the normal cells may keep at least a temporary “memory” of those cancer-linked marks.  Epigenetic marks are chemical modifications that help regulate genetic expression without directly altering DNA sequence in the makeup of genes. While the genetic code is like a computer’s hardware, epigenetics involves chemical marks on top of the genetic code that act as software programing in a computer.  The ...

“This case underscores the rare coexistence of serous cystadenofibroma in one ovary and collision features involving serous and mucinous cysts in the contralateral ovary, a combination scarcely reported in the literature.” BUFFALO, NY — April 4, 2025— A new case report was published in Oncoscience’s Volume 12 on March 31, 2025, titled “Cystadenofibroma and contralateral collision lesions: A unique ovarian case report.” Authored by Dr. Naina Kumar and colleagues from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, the report presents a highly unusual case involving two different types of benign ovarian tumors in ...

Embargoed for release until 10:00 a.m. ET on Friday 4 April 2025 Embargoed Content from the Annals of Internal Medicine Breaking News Scientific Plenary at Internal Medicine 2025 Annals of Internal Medicine Tip Sheet      @Annalsofim     Below please find summaries of new articles that will be published in the next issue of Annals of Internal Medicine. The summaries are not intended to substitute for the full articles as a source of information. This information is under strict embargo and by taking it into possession, media representatives are committing to the terms of the embargo not only on their own behalf, ...