Osaka, Japan – Despite the immense amount of genetic material present in each cell, around three billion base pairs in humans, this material needs to be accurately divided in two and allocated in equal quantities. The centromere, located in the middle of each chromosome, is known as the site where cellular equipment attaches to divide chromosomes successfully, but the specific mechanisms behind this remain unknown. In a major new study reported in The EMBO Journal, researchers at The University of Osaka have identified an additional pathway by which the DNA-packaging histone CENP-A associates with and specifies the location ...

Inspired by biological systems, materials scientists have long sought to harness self-assembly to build nanomaterials. The challenge: the process seemed random and notoriously difficult to predict. Now, researchers from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) and Brandeis University have uncovered geometric rules that act as a master control panel for self-assembling particles. The results, which could find applications ranging from protein design to synthetic nanomachines, were published in Nature Physics. Life is the ultimate nanotechnologist. Biology has long fascinated physicists with its ability to build complex molecular machines and structures from ...

Researchers have identified specific gut bacteria and metabolic pathways that drive alcohol production in patients with auto-brewery syndrome (ABS), a rare and often misunderstood condition in which people experience intoxication without drinking alcohol. The research team from Mass General Brigham, in collaboration with colleagues at University of California San Diego, published their findings in Nature Microbiology. ABS occurs when gut microbes break down carbohydrates and convert them to ethanol (alcohol) that ...

Researchers find promising new way to boost the immune response to cancer Multi-pronged antibodies more effective in activating cancer-killing cells Researchers at the University of Southampton have developed a promising new way to bolster the body’s immune system response to cancer. In a study published in Nature Communications, researchers used specially engineered multi-pronged antibodies to better activate cancer-killing T cells. The antibodies work by ‘grabbing’ and ‘clustering’ multiple immune cell receptors – boosting the signal ...

To ensure that the tissue structures of biological samples are easily recognisable under the electron microscope, they are treated with a staining agent. The standard staining agent for this is uranyl acetate. However, some laboratories are not allowed to use this highly toxic and radioactive substance for safety reasons. A research team at the Institute of Electron Microscopy and Nanoanalysis (FELMI-ZFE) at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) has now found an environmentally friendly alternative: ordinary espresso. Images of the samples treated with it were of equally good quality as images of comparative samples, which were prepared with uranyl ...

Tsukuba, Japan—Animals, including humans, rely on their sense of smell to locate food, avoid predators, and communicate. This sensory ability depends on specialized receptor proteins. In vertebrates, four major receptor families mediate olfaction; these include olfactory receptors (ORs), vomeronasal type 1 receptors (V1Rs), vomeronasal type 2 receptors (V2Rs), and trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs). However, the evolutionary origin and early diversification patterns of these receptor classes remain poorly understood. In this study, University of Tsukuba researchers examined the hagfish genome for genes linked to ORs. In total, they identified 48 OR genes, 2 V1R genes, ...

A new technology has been developed that enables cuffless non-invasive blood pressure monitoring by using ultrasonic to track real-time changes in vascular diameter—without the need for a traditional cuff. The technology is expected to serve as a core component in future wearable healthcare devices and smart medical monitoring platforms. A research team led by Dr. Shin Hur at the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM, President Seog-Hyeon Ryu), including Syed Turab Haider Zaidi, a student researcher from the UST–KIMM ...

A new study of over 32,000 US Veterans has found that the longer people stay on medications for opioid use disorder (buprenorphine, methadone, or extended-release naltrexone), the greater the probability of short- and medium-term survival.  This benefit continues to increase at least for four years of ongoing treatment, considerably longer than most patients currently stay in treatment. People with opioid use disorder run the risk of dying from accidental overdose but opioid use disorder also increases the risk of death from other health conditions, most notably infectious ...

Research has shown that conservation campaigns could turn the tide on the illegal ivory trade if they focused less on themes of ‘guilt’ and more on why people want to buy ivory in the first place. Despite decades of awareness campaigns and trade bans, ivory buying in Asia still persists. At the recent 20th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Uzbekistan, the international ban on ivory trade was upheld.  Researchers at the University of York say many anti-ivory campaigns have struggled because they miss the human side of the problem - why ...

Using metagenomic sequencing across a realistic temperature gradient, researchers show that carcass decay triggers a surge in carbon-degradation genes, while warming selectively favors pathways that rapidly consume easily degradable carbon. Animal death and decomposition are natural but powerful drivers of nutrient release. Each year, large quantities of animal carcasses enter terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, releasing carbon-rich fluids that alter water chemistry and microbial activity. Aquatic systems are especially important, accounting for more than half of global primary production and playing a central role in carbon fixation and degradation. ...

Background Micro-jumping robots offer unique advantages in scenarios such as confined space exploration and post-disaster search and rescue. However, traditional designs have consistently faced two major bottlenecks. On one hand, actuators based on elastic energy storage mechanisms like springs struggle to accumulate sufficient energy for effective jumping when miniaturized, while their reset mechanisms incur additional energy losses. On the other hand, low-power actuators made from piezoelectric or dielectric materials reduce energy consumption but fail ...

By boosting antibiotic uptake and disabling bacterial defense systems, these plant-derived molecules act as potent antibiotic adjuvants, restoring the efficacy of an aging but essential antibiotic and offering a promising strategy to combat resistant infections. As antibiotic resistance increasingly undermines long-standing treatments, extending the lifespan of existing drugs has emerged as a faster and more affordable alternative to developing new antibiotics. New antibiotic discovery typically requires over a decade and more than a billion dollars, while resistance can arise within only a few years, contributing to a sharp ...

Microbes often display cooperative behaviour in which individual cells put in work and sacrifice resources to collectively benefit the group. But sometimes, “cheater” cells in the group may reap the benefits of this cooperation without incurring any cost themselves. Scientists have suggested that in such cases, population bottlenecks – reduction in the total number of individuals – can help stabilise cooperative behaviour in the group. A new study in PLOS Biology reveals that population bottlenecks can fundamentally reshape how cooperation ...

These findings suggest that current monitoring strategies, which rely heavily on bacterial indicators alone, may miss critical viral-driven risks and opportunities for safer wastewater reuse. Viruses are among the most abundant biological entities in engineered water systems, including wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). They interact intimately with microbial hosts, altering microbial metabolism, community structure, and ecological functions. In recent years, wastewater-based surveillance has gained attention for tracking pathogens and public health threats. However, most ...

The study reveals that environmental stressors do not merely kill bacteria; they can also prime surviving cells to take up resistance genes more efficiently, raising concerns about how antibiotic-resistant bacteria may spread in aquatic environments. Antibiotic resistance genes and antibiotic-resistant bacteria are now recognized as emerging environmental contaminants, widely detected in rivers, lakes, wastewater, and even oceans. Aquatic systems provide ideal conditions for resistance genes to persist, interact, and spread among microorganisms. ...

Up to 75% of Australian women report concerns about their body image after giving birth, with many feeling intense pressure to “bounce back” to their pre-pregnancy shape, a pressure that can even trigger eating disorders for the first time, warn Flinders University researchers. A major review published in Body Image shows these struggles are not just personal - they are shaped by partners, families, and cultural expectations. The analysis of 36 studies found that social and interpersonal factors can either protect against or worsen body dissatisfaction and disordered eating ...

‘Dancing molecules’ were delivered intravenously without surgery or direct injection into the brain Therapy significantly reduced brain damage and showed no signs of side effects Could one day complement existing stroke treatments by limiting secondary brain injury CHICAGO --- When a person suffers a stroke, physicians must restore blood flow to the brain as quickly as possible to save their life. But, ironically, that life-saving rush of blood can also trigger a second wave of damage — killing brain cells, fueling inflammation and increasing the odds of long-term disability. Now, Northwestern University scientists have developed an injectable regenerative ...

January 7, 2026 –A new study from UCLA Health shows that a cardiovascular risk score already used routinely in primary care can predict who will develop serious eye diseases years later. Researchers found that people with higher cardiovascular risk scores were significantly more likely to develop conditions including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, retinal vein occlusion, and hypertensive retinopathy. The study appears in Ophthalmology. Why it matters Millions of Americans lose vision to eye diseases that often go undetected until significant damage has occurred. Early identification of at-risk individuals could ...

In early 2025, around 4.9 million British adults — almost one in ten — are estimated to have recently used, or expressed interest in using, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) or dual GLP-1/glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonist medications to support weight loss. The findings, which are based on a nationally representative household survey of 5,260 British adults, are published in BMC Medicine. GLP-1 and GLP-1/GIP medications help lower blood sugar, support weight loss, and reduce the risk ...

Exercise may reduce symptoms of depression to a similar extent as psychological therapy, according to an updated Cochrane review. When compared with antidepressant medication, exercise also showed a similar effect, but the evidence was of low certainty.   Depression is a leading cause of ill health and disability, affecting over 280 million people worldwide. Exercise is low-cost, widely available, and comes with additional health benefits, making it an attractive option for patients and healthcare providers.  The review, conducted by researchers from the University of Lancashire, examined 73 randomized ...

Vaccinating women during pregnancy leads to the transfer of antibodies to their newborns. These antibodies were detected not only in blood, but also in the nasal mucosa, the site where whooping cough bacteria enter the body. This has been shown by international research led by Radboud university medical center. ‘The fact that these antibodies reach the nasal mucosa has not been demonstrated before and highlights how effective this vaccination is’. Since 2019, pregnant women in the Netherlands have been offered a vaccination against whooping cough (pertussis) for their unborn child, known as the 22-week ...

The scale-up of HIV treatment and prevention programs has led to remarkable declines in orphanhood rates in Rakai, Uganda, according to a new study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) availability has been the primary driver of these improvements, underscoring the critical importance of sustained investment in HIV programs. Findings from the study, " Incidence and prevalence of orphanhood in Rakai, Uganda: a population-based cohort study, 1995–2022" are published in The Lancet Global Health.    Using data from the Rakai Community ...

Stopping weight loss drugs is followed by weight regain and reversal of beneficial effects on heart and metabolic health markers such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure, finds a study published by The BMJ today. It shows that the average rate of weight regain is 0.4kg/month after stopping treatment, with weight and risk markers for diabetes and heart disease predicted to return to pre-treatment levels in less than two years. It also finds that the rate of weight regain after stopping weight loss drugs is almost 4 times faster than after diet and physical activity ...

Higher intake of food preservatives, widely used in industrially processed foods and beverages to extend shelf-life, is associated with a modestly increased risk of cancer, finds a study from France published by The BMJ today.   While further research is needed to better understand these links, the researchers say these new data call for the re-evaluation of regulations governing the use of these additives by the food industry to improve consumer protection.   Preservatives are substances added to packaged foods to extend shelf life. Some experimental studies have shown that certain preservatives ...

Clinical trial shows promising results for PanChol, a single-dose oral vaccine aimed at the up to 4 million annual cholera cases worldwide A team of scientists and physicians at Mass General Brigham has developed a single-dose oral cholera vaccine and tested it in a phase 1 clinical trial, with results published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. “The devastating cholera outbreak in Haiti in 2010 triggered my desire to create a new oral live-attenuated cholera vaccine,” said co–senior author Matthew ...