Francis Crick Institute press  Peer reviewed Experimental study Cells, people and animals *Case studies available for interview* Researchers discover potential mole reversal therapy in rare condition “Knowing there has been a huge step forward in the CMN research and there could be a chance of Ada’s CMN being reversed and possibly reducing Ada’s risk of developing melanoma, has blown our expectations out the water.” Ada’s Mum and Dad, Rachelle and Greg Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute for Child Health and Great Ormond Street ...

Dr. Yoonseok Choi from the Hydrogen Convergence Materials Laboratory at the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER), in collaboration with Professor WooChul Jung from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at KAIST and Professor Beom-Kyung Park from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Pusan National University, has successfully developed a catalyst coating technology that significantly improves the performance of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) in just 4 minutes. Fuel cells are gaining attention as highly efficient and clean energy devices driving the hydrogen economy. Among them, solid ...

DALLAS, June 17, 2024 — About 40,000 people in the United States experience recurrent pericarditis, or inflammation of the sac-like structure that protects the heart, which can cause chest pain and may lead to fluid buildup around the heart muscle. The American Heart Association, celebrating 100 years of lifesaving service in 2024, is launching a three-year initiative to empower patients and equip health care providers with up-to-date science to inform recurrent pericarditis care decisions. The Addressing Recurrent Pericarditis initiative, supported by Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals, aims to improve diagnosis, treatment and quality of life for those with ...

PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA [June 17, 2024] — The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) today announced new recognitions for the award-winning library of NCCN Guidelines for Patients® and NCCN Patient Webinars. The NCCN Guidelines for Patients: Colon Cancer earned a Gold Award from Hemes Creative Awards for Electronic Media/Social Media/Interactive Media/Digital Publications/Messaging. The NCCN Guidelines for Patients: Kidney Cancer earned an Award of Distinction from The Communicator Awards for Print Content—Medical. Additionally, the NCCN Patient Webinar for Uterine Cancer has been named a Gold Winner from the Viddy Awards while the NCCN Patient Webinar ...

When stressed out, many of us turn to junk food for solace. But new University of Colorado Boulder research suggests this strategy may backfire.  The study found that in animals, a high-fat diet disrupts resident gut bacteria, alters behavior and, through a complex pathway connecting the gut to the brain, influences brain chemicals in ways that fuel anxiety. “Everyone knows that these are not healthy foods, but we tend to think about them strictly in terms of a little weight gain,” said lead author Christopher Lowry, a professor of integrative physiology at CU Boulder. “If you understand that they also impact your brain in a way that ...

Nano and microplastics are a well-known menace, found practically everywhere in nature, including soil, oceans, drinking water, air, and even the human body. Studies show that soils in particular hold a significant portion of N/MPs. The problem with these N/MPs is their microscopic size, which allows them to easily migrate through soil into the ground or freshwater bodies due to rainwater leaching. From there, they enter the human body. Hence, it is imperative to understand the distribution and movement of the soil’s N/MPs to gauge their threat and mitigate it. Current ...

Embargoed for release: Monday, June 17, 6:00 AM ET Boston, MA—A majority of Americans say that several key policies to stop the spread of COVID-19 were generally a good idea in hindsight, according to a new national poll by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the de Beaumont Foundation. The poll also found, however, that views varied across policies, and many say the policies had negative impacts.  The poll, U.S. Views on Pandemic Policies: Lessons for Emerging Outbreaks, was conducted March 21 to April 2, 2024, among a nationally representative, probability-based sample of 1,017 adults ages 18 or older.  A majority of Americans say four key pandemic policies ...

In the not-too-distant future, a screening assessment for depression could include a quick brain scan to identify the best treatment. Brain imaging combined with machine learning can reveal subtypes of depression and anxiety, according to a new study led by researchers at Stanford Medicine. The study, to be published June 17 in the journal Nature Medicine, sorts depression into six biological subtypes, or “biotypes,” and identifies treatments that are more likely or less likely to work ...

Research Highlights: The number of individuals in the United States who had chronic hypertension or chronic high blood pressure during pregnancy doubled between 2008 and 2021, according to a nationwide review of private health insurance claims. Treatment rates for chronic hypertension during pregnancy remained relatively low but stable during the same time, with only about 60% of the individuals receiving (filling prescriptions for) antihypertensive medications. The researchers say these findings underscore the need to adhere to clinical guidelines for accurate diagnosis and treatment of high blood pressure before and during pregnancy. Embargoed until 4 ...

Things aren’t always as they seem. Take pancreatic cancer, for example. In up to one in 10 cases, researchers have documented a peculiar characteristic. Some of the pancreatic cells appear to have lost their identity. It’s as if they forget what they are.  “This is very bizarre. You see pancreatic cancer, which usually somewhat resembles the original organ, losing those features and basically becoming akin to skin or esophagus—these other very unrelated tissues, " explains ...

A major earthquake 2,500 years ago caused one of the largest rivers on Earth to abruptly change course, according to a new study. The previously undocumented quake rerouted the main channel of the Ganges River in what is now densely populated Bangladesh, which remains vulnerable to big quakes. The study was just published in the journal Nature Communications. Scientists have documented many river-course changes, called avulsions, including some in response to earthquakes. However, “I don’t think we have ever seen such a big ...

A pioneering study published today in the journal Nature Aging has unveiled significant heterogeneity in the risk factors affecting healthy aging in Latin America and emphasised the limitations of current models of brain health, which are primarily based on data from high-income countries. The research was conducted by researchers from Trinity College Dublin (Ireland), and by colleagues in Universidad Adolfo Ibanez (Chile) and Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Colombia) among others. The study developed a metanalytical approach with 146,000 participants and findings emphasise how current models of brain health may not apply ...

A new thesis at Uppsala University questions the traditional view of stress-induced exhaustion disorder. A new model is proposed in its place that puts more focus on meaningfulness rather than recovery. “There are no established evidence-based models for the psychological treatment of stress-induced exhaustion disorder. The concepts of ‘recovery’ and ‘stress’ are so widely accepted in our current era that it is difficult to examine them critically. It’s easy to think that patients with stress-related exhaustion should prioritise rest and relaxation, but an overly one-sided focus on recovery ...

ANN ARBOR, Mich. –  Many bedtime battles stem from children’s after dark worries, suggests a new national poll. And while most families have bedtime rituals to help their little ones ease into nighttime, many rely on strategies that may increase sleep challenges long term, according to the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health. Overall, one in four parents describe getting their young child to bed as difficult – and these parents are less likely to have a bedtime routine, more likely to leave on a video or TV show, and more likely to stay with their child until they’re ...

A novel 256-element wirelessly powered transceiver array for non-line-of-sight 5G communication, featuring efficient wireless power transmission and high-power conversion efficiency, has been designed by scientists at Tokyo Tech. The innovative design can enhance the 5G network coverage even to places with link blockage, improving flexibility and coverage area, and potentially making high-speed, low-latency communication more accessible. Millimeter wave 5G communication, which uses extremely high-frequency radio signals (24 to 100 GHz), is a promising technology for next-generation wireless ...

Newfound evidence reveals that the upsurge of the exotic Nile perch in Lake Victoria had long-lasting effects on the genetic diversity of various local cichlid species, report scientists from Tokyo Tech. Through large-scale comparative genomic analyses, the researchers found concrete proof in the collective genome of multiple species that this artificially introduced perch decimated many local fish populations, causing a 'bottleneck effect.' The careless introduction of exotic species by humans into ecosystems can lead to truly catastrophic results, as has been ...

With wildfires becoming more frequent and extensive in Canada, it’s important for people to understand the health risks of wildfire smoke. An article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.240135 aims to provide information for clinicians and people in Canada as wildfire season is upon us. "As climate change causes more frequent and severe wildfires, wildfire smoke becomes a larger health problem,” says Dr. Mehdi Aloosh, assistant professor, Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, and medical officer of health of Windsor–Essex County, Ontario. “Communities need ...

Children across the United States who identify as LGBTQ+ say the sexual health education curricula they receive is leaving them without essential information to make informed decisions about their sexual health – which could force them to seek potentially dangerous advice elsewhere.  The results of a new, national, peer-reviewed survey, show that these young people — aged 13 to 17 — believe crucial topics surrounding sexual orientation and gender identity are being omitted from sexual health education programs. Experts who led the study – published today in The Journal of Sex Research, as people around the ...

WASHINGTON – A rigorous, comprehensive synthesis of evidence from 62 studies related to the use of oral nicotine pouches by Georgetown University’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center scientists and colleagues provides a much-needed assessment of how these products could lead to potential harmful consequences if used by young people. Oral nicotine pouches were first introduced in the U.S. in the past decade and are pre-portioned white granular packets containing nicotine placed between the gums and lips, marketed as tobacco-free, and are sold in various flavors and nicotine strengths. The findings appeared ...

A recently developed wirelessly powered 5G relay could accelerate the development of smart factories, report scientists from Tokyo Tech. By adopting a lower operating frequency for wireless power transfer, the proposed relay design solves many of the current limitations, including range and efficiency. In turn, this allows for a more versatile and widespread arrangement of sensors and transceivers in industrial settings. One of the hallmarks of the Information Age is the transformation of industries towards a greater flow of ...

A new D-band CMOS transceiver chipset with 56 GHz signal-chain bandwidth achieves the highest transmission speed of 640 Gbps for a wireless device realized with integrated circuits, as reported by researchers from Tokyo Tech and National Institute of Information and Communications Technology. The proposed chipset is highly promising for the next generation of wireless systems. To achieve faster speeds and handle increasing data traffic, wireless systems are operating in higher millimeter-wave frequency bands. Current high-band 5G systems offer speeds as high as 10 Gbps and operate in frequency bands between 24–47 GHz. The next generation ...

Peer-reviewed – Qualitative study - Humans A new study has provided an in-depth look into the rising trend of disposable vape use among young people in the UK. The research, led by the University of East Anglia, reveals that young people see smoking and vaping as interchangeable, but are far more aware of the potential harms of vaping than they are of the dangers of smoking. The findings also suggest that banning disposable vape products or increasing their prices could lead young people to revert to smoking tobacco. Many of the young people questioned also believed that ...

Atlanta, Ga.—Eczema, a skin inflammatory disease that causes dry, itchy and inflamed skin, affects millions worldwide. Eczema is associated with an altered skin microbiome and higher colonization by Staphylococcus aureus. The study, led at New York Medical by postdoctoral fellow Anish R. Maskey, Ph.D., focuses on the natural compound berberine and its impact on eczema exacerbated by S. aureus. The findings, presented at ASM Microbe, shed light on berberine’s ability to inhibit S. aureus colonization and alleviate eczema symptoms without adverse effects. Current ...

A data-driven intervention that engaged communities to rapidly deploy evidence-based practices to reduce opioid-related overdose deaths – such as increasing naloxone distribution and enhancing access to medication for opioid use disorder – did not result in a statistically significant reduction in opioid-related overdose death rates during the evaluation period, according to results from the National Institutes of Health’s HEALing (Helping to End Addiction Long-Term) Communities Study. Researchers identified the COVID-19 pandemic and increased prevalence ...

Atlanta, GA – New research has shed light on the effects of protein-rich diets on the gut microbiome and overall health. Despite the increasing protein intake in Western diets, especially among athletes and individuals with obesity, the fate of undigested protein and its impact on human health remains largely unknown. A new study, presented at ASM Microbe, explores how excess undigested protein in the colon can be fermented to produce beneficial metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), or lead to the production of harmful metabolites like ammonia and sulfides, which are linked to gastrointestinal disorders and other health issues. The research team conducted a series of experiments ...