What is Long COVID?   Despite hundreds of published studies and millions affected worldwide, the medical field still lacks a clear answer.   New research from UCLA finds that the definition of Long COVID varies so widely across published studies that the percentage of people identified as having the condition can differ dramatically, making it harder to treat patients and advance research.   The study, published August 12 in JAMA Network Open, highlights just how much the lack of a standard definition is clouding our understanding of Long COVID.  “The findings highlight the need for ...

About The Study: In this prospective cohort study of adults with SARS-CoV-2 infection, participants with current self-reported long COVID (defined as developing new, persistent symptoms lasting 3 months or longer after SARS-CoV-2 infection) reported worse work impairment, missed work, and financial distress compared with those who never had long COVID, while vaccination was associated with improved work outcomes and less financial distress even among individuals with long COVID. These data underscore the need for post-pandemic assistance programs, as well as vaccination ...

About The Study: In this cohort study, worse hospital financial health was associated with decreased likelihood of providing perinatal services. These hospitals were more frequently located in southern and rural areas. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Elizabeth G. Salazar, MD, MSHP, email salazare@chop.edu. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.26418) Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of ...

WASHINGTON, August 12, 2025 – In 2024, NASA’s Mars rover Perseverance collected an unusual rock sample. The rock, named Sapphire Canyon, features white, leopardlike spots with black borders within a red mudstone and might hold clues about sources of organic molecules within Mars. Here on Earth, in Review of Scientific Instruments, by AIP Publishing, researchers from Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the California Institute of Technology used a technique called optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy (O-PTIR) to study a visually similar rock. They wanted to ...

Weaver ants have solved a problem that has plagued human teams for centuries: individuals contribute less to tasks when more people join in. New research published in Current Biology on 12 August shows individual weaver ants instead get stronger as their group grows. "Each individual ant almost doubled their pulling force as team size increased – they actually get better at working together as the group gets bigger," says lead author Madelyne Stewardson from Macquarie University. The longstanding problem in human teams was first published by French engineer Max Ringelmann in 1913 who measured ...

UC Davis Health researchers have discovered that a natural molecule made by gut bacteria can reverse liver damage and repair the gut lining after aflatoxin exposure. The treatment may offer a new, non-toxic way to prevent and treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a growing health problem affecting more than 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. The study revealed that 10-hydroxy-cis-12-octadecenoic acid (10-HSA), a compound produced by Lactobacillus bacteria, successfully restored gut-liver health in mice exposed to aflatoxin. Aflatoxin is a toxic substance made by mold commonly found in peanuts, ...

With the rapid development of 5G and 6G communication technologies, microwave dielectric ceramics have become essential materials widely used in microwave components such as filters, oscillators, and dielectric antennas. To meet the demands of high-frequency wireless communication, microwave dielectric ceramics should possess a low dielectric constant (εr < 15) to reduce signal transmission delay, a high quality factor (Q×f > 50,000 GHz) to achieve low dielectric loss and enhance frequency selection characteristics, and a near-zero resonant frequency temperature coefficient (τf ≈ 0 ppm/°C) to ensure ...

High-brightness laser-driven light sources, which are generated by exciting phosphor materials with high power density blue laser diodes, hold great promise for applications in long-distance searchlights, high-luminance projection displays, and long-range night vision systems. The luminance of these light sources is primarily influenced by two critical parameters: the maximum luminous flux and the illuminated area (i.e., light spot area). Both of these factors are contingent upon the properties of the phosphor ...

“Collectively, these findings suggest that increased leisure-time physical activity and reduced sedentary behavior may have beneficial effects on epigenetic aging.” BUFFALO, NY — August 12, 2025 — A new research perspective was published in Aging (Aging-US) on July 8, 2025, titled “Exercise as a geroprotector: focusing on epigenetic aging.” In this perspective, led by Takuji Kawamura from Tohoku University, researchers reviewed existing evidence from scientific studies showing that regular exercise, physical activity, and ...

OAK BROOK, Ill. – Algorithms submitted for an AI Challenge hosted by the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) have shown excellent performance for detecting breast cancers on mammography images, increasing screening sensitivity while maintaining low recall rates, according to a study published today in Radiology, the premier journal of the RSNA. The RSNA Screening Mammography Breast Cancer Detection AI Challenge was a crowdsourced competition that took place in 2023, with more than 1,500 teams participating. The ...

MIAMI, FLORIDA (EMBARGOED UNTIL AUG. 12, 2025 AT 10:00 A.M. ET) – Despite increasing evidence linking alcohol consumption to cancer, little is known about the biological mechanisms behind the association. A new study, published Aug. 12 in Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, suggests that inhibiting a cellular molecule called CREB might thwart pancreatic tumor development in response to alcohol. “Our model serves as an important platform for understanding how chronic inflammation related to alcohol consumption accelerates the development ...

Researchers have found why common cuff-based blood pressure readings are inaccurate and how they might be improved, which could improve health outcomes for patients. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is the top risk factor for premature death, associated with heart disease, strokes and heart attacks. However, inaccuracies in the most common form of blood pressure measurement mean that as many as 30% of cases of high blood pressure could be missed. The researchers, from the University of Cambridge, built an experimental model that explained the physics behind these inaccuracies and provided a better understanding of the mechanics of cuff-based blood pressure ...

Healthy brain function relies on a steady supply of blood. Disruptions in blood flow are linked to major neurological conditions like stroke, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and traumatic brain injuries. But understanding how the brain fine-tunes this flow – especially across its smallest blood vessels – remains a challenge. The brain’s blood supply includes a vast network of vessels, ranging from large arteries to microscopic capillaries. Between these lie transitional zone (TZ) vessels – such as penetrating arterioles, precapillary ...

Researchers have created what could be called “skin in a syringe”. The gel containing live cells can be 3D printed into a skin transplant, as shown in a study conducted on mice. This technology may lead to new ways to treat burns and severe wounds. The study was led from the Center for Disaster Medicine and Traumatology and Linköping University in Sweden, and has been published in Advanced Healthcare Materials. As long as we have a healthy skin, we do not give it much thought. However, ...

In a landmark $2 million initiative, the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) and biotechnology company Meiogenix have launched a collaboration to develop drought- and disease-resistant tomatoes by tapping the genetic power of wild species. The project, funded through a generous Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) Seeding Solutions grant, seeks to ensure a stable tomato supply by leveraging cutting-edge genomics and breeding technologies to address the global threats of environmental stress and ...

A study explains why cuff-based blood pressure readings systematically underestimate systolic blood pressure. High blood pressure is the most important risk factor for premature death. Yet the gold standard method for measuring blood pressure, the inflatable cuff, is known to systematically underestimate systolic (maximum) blood pressure and overestimate diastolic (minimum) blood pressure. To measure blood pressure, a cuff is placed around the upper arm and inflated to constrict the brachial artery, collapsing it. The pressure is then ...

Gastric cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide, and peritoneal metastasis, wherein the cancer spreads to the peritoneum or the lining of the abdominal cavity, represents the most common form of recurrence after gastric cancer surgery. This form of metastasis is particularly associated with poor survival outcomes, as current first-line treatment options, including anti-PD-1 therapy combined with chemotherapy, have proven ineffective against peritoneal dissemination. Immunotherapy presents an attractive option for tackling this challenging condition—more ...

It turns out those cellulose-based thickening agents found in common foods can be digested. Researchers at the University of British Columbia have shown that our gut bacteria can feed on these large molecules – something thought to not be possible – thanks to enzymes that normally help us break down dietary fibre. “Researchers assumed that these thickening agents, which are artificial derivatives of natural cellulose, just pass right through the digestive system unaltered,” says Dr. Deepesh Panwar, a postdoctoral fellow ...

A novel cancer vaccine that stimulates the immune system to target one of the most common cancer-driving mutations has shown encouraging early results in patients with pancreatic and colorectal cancer, two of the most difficult-to-treat malignancies, according to a study led in part by investigators at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. The findings, published in Nature Medicine, show that the vaccine, called ELI-002 2P, can trigger powerful and lasting immune responses and may help prevent or delay cancer recurrence in high-risk patients whose tumors are driven by KRAS ...

Adding a MET gene inhibitor enhances the effect of combined chemotherapy and immunotherapy in small cell lung cancer (SCLC), according to a multicenter study led by the Hospital del Mar Research Institute, in collaboration with researchers from the CIBERONC cancer research network. The study, published in Cell Reports Medicine, highlights the role of HGF (hepatocyte growth factor)—which is linked to cell proliferation and survival—in the poor prognosis of this disease and its resistance to treatment. The research explores a novel approach that adds a MET inhibitor to standard therapy and demonstrates improved treatment response. Small cell lung cancer is one of the most aggressive ...

There are more than 15,000 cattle and hog feeding operations in the United States. These operations rear 70% of the country's cattle and 98% of its hogs.  Now, for the first time in the nation's history, we know with certainty where most of them are, thanks to research from the University of Michigan. The research team found that a quarter of the nation's hog and cattle feeding operations  are found in just 30 counties out of more than 3,000 in the United States. Going a step further, the team also found that an air pollutant linked to heart and respiratory issues near these animal feeding operations, ...

Graphite has attracted global interest due to its unique anisotropic properties, including excellent electrical and thermal conductivity. Widely used as a battery anode material and in applications such as electromagnetic shielding, catalysis, and nuclear technology, graphite remains a critical material in both industrial and research fields. For decades, researchers have sought to produce high-quality artificial graphite with large grains and smooth, layered structures. Conventional methods typically involve high-temperature treatment of polymer ...

They’ve survived for billions of years in boiling acid, deep-sea vents and salt flats. Now, some of Earth’s oldest life forms — microbes called Archaea — are offering a new weapon in the fight against one of today’s most urgent health threats: antibiotic resistance.  In a new study published in Nature Microbiology, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania used artificial intelligence to identify previously unknown compounds in Archaea that could fuel the development ...

A research team headed by the University of Zurich has developed a powerful new method to precisely edit DNA by combining cutting-edge genetic engineering with artificial intelligence. This technique opens the door to more accurate modeling of human diseases and lays the groundwork for next-generation gene therapies. Precise and targeted DNA editing by small point mutations as well as the integration of whole genes via CRISPR/Cas technology has great potential for applications in biotechnology and gene therapy. However, it is very important that the so-called “gene scissors” do not cause any unintended ...

New method to synthesize carbohydrates could pave the way to biomedical advances (Santa Barbara, Calif.) — Carbohydrate is a familiar term. It’s the bagel you had for breakfast, the bread in your sandwich, the slice of cake you’re thinking about sneaking later today. But carbs aren’t only in baked goods, and they’re not just found in foods. Small yet structurally complex carbohydrates serve as elements of cell walls and are important in intercellular interactions. Scientists can quickly and reliably make many biomolecules, from DNA to proteins, using automated instruments. So it may come as a surprise that for decades, scientists have had major difficulty ...