A genetic mutation that helps animals like yaks and Tibetan antelopes survive at high altitudes may hold the key to repairing nerve damage in conditions such as cerebral paralysis and multiple sclerosis (MS). The finding, publishing March 13 in the Cell Press journal Neuron, reveals a naturally existing pathway that promotes regeneration after nerve damage and could open new doors for treating diseases like MS by leveraging molecules that are already present in the human body.  “Evolution is a great gift from nature, providing a rich diversity of genes that help ...

Efficient methanol synthesis is considered a promising approach for carbon resource recycling. Hydrogenation of carbon dioxide (CO2) to methanol is thermodynamically favored at low temperatures, but the sluggish activation kinetics of CO2 under such conditions lead to low catalytic activity. Higher temperatures can enhance reaction rates but also promote the reverse water-gas shift side reaction, which reduces methanol selectivity. This "seesaw" effect between activity and selectivity has long limited improvements ...

About The Study: In this mixed-methods cohort study, functional recovery in the first 6 months after noncardiac major elective surgery was associated with daily living impairment for older adults and their caregivers. Targeted interventions including preoperative education, caregiver-inclusive discharge planning (e.g., wound-care teaching, how to recognize complications and what to do for support, and more rehabilitation), and early follow-up after discharge may optimize recovery experiences.  Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Martine Puts, RN, PhD, email martine.puts@utoronto.ca. To ...

About The Study: This cohort study found that despite their reported advantages and consensus endorsement, heterogeneous adoption of donor care units (DCUs) has left a substantial proportion of deceased donors after brain death more than a 180-minute drive from a DCU. Given inefficiencies introduced by donation service area boundaries, opening additional DCUs in acute care hospitals and donor transport across these existing boundaries may be 2 potential approaches to improve system efficiency and donation outcomes.  Corresponding ...

MLIP calculations successfully identify suitable dopants for a novel photocatalytic material, report researchers from Institute of Science Tokyo. As demonstrated in their latest study, a materials informatics approach could predict which ions can be stably introduced into orthorhombic Sn3O4, a promising and recently discovered photocatalytic tin oxide. Their experiments revealed that aluminum-doped samples achieved 16 times greater hydrogen production than the undoped material, paving the way for next-generation clean energy applications. Building a sustainable hydrogen economy requires clean and efficient ways to produce hydrogen at scale. One particularly ...

“Sulfur amino acid restriction (SAAR), a diet low in methionine and lacking cysteine, reduces obesity but also lowers bone mineral density (BMD) and increases marrow adipose tissue.” BUFFALO, NY — March 13, 2026 — A new research paper was published in Volume 18 of Aging-US on March 2, 2026, titled “D, L-Buthionine-(S, R)-sulfoximine recapitulates the anti-obesity effects of sulfur amino acid restriction without the associated deleterious effects on bone in male mice.” Led by Naidu B. Ommi from the Orentreich Foundation for the Advancement ...

Digital subtraction angiography remains the gold standard for diagnosing cerebrovascular diseases, including intracranial aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, and arterial stenosis. However, the procedure requires operators to work under fluoroscopic guidance, resulting in prolonged exposure to ionizing radiation. To address this issue, vascular interventional robotic systems have been developed to allow operators to perform procedures remotely from the radiation zone. In a study published in Volume ...

In reptiles, a simple temperature change can determine whether an egg develops into a male or female. This process is formally known as temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), in which the sex of an embryo is determined by the temperature it experiences during a specific window of development known as the temperature-sensitive period. For example, in American alligators, incubation at around 30 °C typically produces females, while temperatures near 33 °C produce males, although extremely ...

After years of research, international experts have confirmed the discovery of a new chemical reaction, launching new opportunities for rapid advances in a range of fields – from recycled plastics to pharmaceuticals. In a major new article in top-ranking journal Nature Chemistry, the interdisciplinary team explore how sulfur-sulfur bonds can be formed and broken rapidly and cleanly at room temperature, opening new avenues for drug development, biotech and protein science, and chemical and material science. “It is rare to discover an entirely new reaction, and even more ...

Every animal carries a microscopic community of bacteria, fungi and other microbes that play a critical role in health. These gut microbes help regulate the immune system, support digestion, and even influence how animals respond to stress. In birds, stress triggers the hormone corticosterone, which helps individuals cope with challenges. But when stress is prolonged or repeated, it can disrupt the balance of microbes in the gut, potentially affecting health in ways that aren’t immediately visible. While scientists have studied these stress–microbiome links extensively in mammals and domestic birds, little is known ...

Researchers at Mass General Brigham have developed a series of artificial intelligence (AI) tools that uses machine learning to identify individuals who may be at risk for intimate partner violence (IPV) using information from their electronic medical records (EMRs). In a study published in npj Women’s Health, the researchers report the tools could detect IPV up to four years before the individual sought care at a domestic violence treatment center. The findings highlight its potential for proactive screening and supporting healthcare providers in initiating earlier conversations about IPV with patients. "Our research offers proof of concept that AI can support clinicians ...

Embargoed for Release  Friday, March 13, 2026  6 a.m. EDT    Contact:  NIH Office of Communications      A team of researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that provides decision support to clinicians by predicting if patients are at risk of intimate partner violence (IPV). Using data routinely collected during medical visits, the team trained a machine-learning model, a type of AI, that was highly accurate in detecting IPV among patients ...

Roadmap shows how to achieve good lives for all and a safe climate by reorienting production and distribution toward well-being and ecological transformation instead of capital accumulation and elite consumption. Governments’ attempts to achieve climate goals are falling short, in large part because wealthy economies are continuing to pursue economic growth. As these economies ramp up production and consumption, they make climate mitigation more difficult to achieve. As a result, the Paris Agreement is slipping out of reach, putting nature and human societies in jeopardy.   Post-growth ...

To survive in areas where it is difficult to photosynthesize, some organisms adopt unique strategies. Osaka Metropolitan University researchers have found that a freshwater alga captures far-red light as an additional energy source by arranging ordinary chlorophyll in an extraordinary way. Far-red light lies beyond the optimal range for photosynthesis for many organisms. Yet in shaded forests and murky waters, where this light dominates, plants and algae still pull off photosynthesis, making something out of almost nothing. “Whilst certain cyanobacteria use specialized chlorophylls to absorb far-red light, many plants and algae achieve the same effect by reorganizing ordinary ...

Ice cores taken from glaciers reveal the air pollution of the past, using atmospheric particles incorporated in snow that fell on the glacier and became ice. Now, scientists have extracted a record of thousands of years’ worth of air pollution from 9.5 meters of ice at the Weißseespitze glacier, close to the border between Austria and Italy. But this ice is under threat from global warming, and scientists warn that it is now a race against time to capture critical climate information locked in these glaciers before it’s gone forever.  “These ...

Fleeting electron-hole pairs are giving scientists a new window into optimizing light-emitting devices (LEDs). Using quantum magnetic resonance, Osaka Metropolitan University researchers have discovered how shifting internal electric fields dictate whether these devices shine brightly or dimly. Light-emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) are simple, flexible, and low-cost thin-film devices that generate light from an electric current. Unlike conventional organic LEDs, LECs contain just a single active layer — an organic semiconductor blended with mobile ions — sandwiched between two electrodes. This structural simplicity makes them promising tools for next-generation light-emitting ...

Gastrointestinal tract diseases affect millions worldwide, and traditional drug delivery methods suffer from low targeting efficiency and potential side effects due to systemic drug distribution. Magnetic soft robots have emerged as a revolutionary solution for minimally invasive medical operations, thanks to their small size, untethered drive, and agile motion. However, existing magnetic soft robots face critical limitations in multi-angle folding, real-time reconfigurable magnetization, and adaptability to the irregular, confined gastrointestinal cavity environment, hindering their clinical application ...

MARCH 2026 TIP SHEET Colorectal Cancer Sylvester Expert Leads Prevention Efforts for High-Risk Colorectal Cancer Patients March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and an ideal time to focus on the third most common cancer in the U.S. Many people know the importance of early detection for effective treatment, but fewer are aware that the disease sometimes has a genetic cause. Daniel Sussman, M.D., leads a gastroenterology high-risk prevention clinic at Sylvester. “We help identify people who are at increased risk for cancer,” he explains, adding that the clinic facilitates genetic testing to see if there’s a heritable cause. Either way, the clinic then ...

Researchers at Nagoya University in Japan, in collaboration with university spinout NU-Rei Co., Ltd., are presenting six advances in the growth of gallium oxide (Ga₂O₃), a semiconductor material with strong potential for next-generation power devices used in electric vehicles, power conversion systems, and space applications. Gallium oxide is attracting growing interest in the power semiconductor industry because it can in principle produce higher voltage devices with relatively abundant, lower-cost raw materials. The results are being presented at the spring meeting of the Japan Society of Applied Physics (March 15-18, 2026) by a research group ...

Hyperarousal plays an important role in mental disorders. It influences the severity of insomnia, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and ADHD. Yet it is striking that researchers do not always mean exactly the same thing when they use the term “hyperarousal.” Researchers at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience therefore investigated whether different forms of hyperarousal exist. “Within sleep research, we already know a great deal about the role of hyperarousal in insomnia,” says first author Tom Bresser. “But hyperarousal ...

AI-powered toys that “talk” with young children should be more tightly regulated and carry new safety kitemarks, according to a report that warns they are not always developed with children’s psychological safety in mind. The recommendation appears in the initial report from AI in the Early Years: a University of Cambridge project and the first systematic study of how Generative AI (GenAI) toys capable of human-like conversation may influence development in the critical years up ...

Using virtual reality (VR) to explain what to expect ahead of a medical procedure could help patients better understand their treatment and reduce anxiety, a new study suggests. The research is presented today [Friday 13 March 2026] at the European Association of Urology Congress in London (EAU26). Patients often receive a leaflet of key information before consenting to undergo treatment. This includes what will happen, risks and benefits, which they can then discuss further with their clinician. However, information leaflets often contain jargon and are ...

An imaging test could safely halve the number of people who need a biopsy for suspected prostate cancer following inconclusive or reassuring results from an MRI scan, new research has found. Findings from the PRIMARY2 trial are presented today [Friday 13 March 2026] at the European Association of Urology Congress in London (EAU26). The PSMA PET/CT scan identifies more aggressive prostate cancer cells, which are potentially harmful and may need treatment. It does this with a molecule that binds to prostate cancer ...

Researchers have developed a new eco friendly method to transform biochar into a highly hydrophobic material that can repel water and absorb large amounts of oil. The innovation could help advance sustainable materials for environmental cleanup and green coatings. The study, published in the journal Biochar, introduces a solvent free mechanochemical process that functionalizes biochar using octadecylamine. The resulting material can be applied as a coating on natural hemp fibers, giving them strong water repellent properties while allowing them to absorb oil efficiently. Biochar ...

Biochar is widely studied as a low cost material that can remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Scientists have long believed that only the smallest pores in biochar play the main role in capturing carbon dioxide molecules. A new study now challenges this assumption by showing that larger pores may contribute more actively to carbon capture than previously thought. The research, published in the journal Biochar, examines how different pore structures in biochar affect its ability to capture carbon dioxide. The study combines theoretical modeling with experimental measurements to analyze the behavior ...