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 ...

Plants transport water and nutrients from their environment through specialised pores. Researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) have shed light on a little-known but essential mechanism for proper plant function: the directionality of nutrient transport in roots. The team demonstrates that this transport becomes unidirectional as the root develops. This discovery highlights the central role of the pores connecting plant cells and opens up new perspectives for improving plant resistance to water stress. These findings are published in the journal Molecular Plant. Roots play ...

Scientists at Tsinghua University have developed a method to grow kidney tumours in the lab using cells from real patients, offering a potential new tool in the fight against renal cancer. Their research, published in the journal Biofabrication, outlines how 3D bioprinting technology can be used to replicate the unique characteristics of each patient’s tumour. The team combined tumour cells with other cell types, including blood vessel-like structures, to mimic the environment within the body. The lab-grown tumours, called organoids, are created from real patients’ tumour cells, and exactly mimic their traits. ...

Cats with dementia have brain changes similar to those of people with Alzheimer’s disease, offering a valuable model for studying the condition in humans, a study says. Scientists discovered a build-up of the toxic protein amyloid-beta in the brains of cats with the condition – one of the defining features of Alzheimer’s disease. The findings offer a clearer picture of how amyloid-beta may lead to age-related brain dysfunction and memory loss in cats, experts say. Many older cats develop dementia, leading to behavioural changes such as increased vocalisation – or meowing – confusion and disrupted sleep ...

Cancer of the voice box or larynx is an important public health burden. In 2021, there were an estimated 1.1 million cases of laryngeal cancer worldwide, and approximately 100,000 people died from it. Risk factors include smoking, alcohol abuse, and infection with human papillomavirus. The prognosis for laryngeal cancer ranges from 35% to 78% survival over five years when treated, depending on the tumor’s stage and its location within the voice box. Catching cancer early is key for a patient’s prospects. At present, laryngeal cancers are diagnosed through video nasal endoscopy and biopsies ...

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Parents and caregivers often hear a child say, “I don’t want to go to school.” But when this becomes a regular occurrence, it may be a sign of school avoidance, also known as school refusal- which may be a sign of emotional distress.   A new national survey conducted by Ipsos on behalf of The Kids Mental Health Foundation, founded by Nationwide Children’s Hospital, reveals nearly a third of parents (30%) whose child missed school due to fear or anxiety last year report their child missed more than a week of school.  The national survey of more than 1,000 parents across the United States also reveals roughly ...

A new study has investigated hundreds of videos and images taken by the public, tourism operators and scientists to better understand a rarely studied behaviour among whales and dolphins – do they actually “play” together, or is it more of a one-sided relationship? Led by Griffith University’s Whales & Climate Program lead, Dr Olaf Meynecke, the study analysed instances of baleen whale and dolphin interactions involving 19 species in 199 separate and unrelated interactions, documented by photographs and videos from 17 locations around the world. Published in Discover Animals, Dr Meynecke ...

Melbourne, Australia - 12 August 2025 - Researchers have demonstrated that brain cells learn faster and carry out complex networking more effectively than machine learning by comparing how both a Synthetic Biological Intelligence (SBI) system known as ‘DishBrain’ and state-of-the-art RL (reinforcement learning) algorithms react to certain stimuli. The study, ‘Dynamic Network Plasticity and Sample Efficiency in Biological Neural Cultures: A Comparative Study with Deep Reinforcement Learning’, is the first known of its kind. The research was led by Cortical Labs, the Melbourne-based startup which created the world’s first commercial biological ...

In the rapidly advancing field of optoelectronics, self-powered near-infrared (NIR) photodetectors are gaining attention for applications in imaging, environmental monitoring, and optical communication. Recently, a research team from Shandong University led by Professor Zai-xing Yang has made a significant leap forward by constructing a novel mixed-dimensional heterojunction between GaSb nanowires (NWs) and Bi2O2Se nanosheets (NSs). This breakthrough device demonstrates ultralow dark current, ultrafast response, and multifunctional capabilities — all without an external power supply. Why This Research Matters Record-Low Dark Current: The GaSb/Bi2O₂Se NW/NS ...

  Universities that have eliminated standardized test requirements for admissions in recent years generally experienced gains in diversity in their student bodies, according to research by the University of California, Davis. However, if the universities also faced recent financial shortfalls or enrollment declines, or continued to prioritize quantitative academic criteria such as test scores and class rank, these gains in diversity diminished or disappeared. The paper, “Same Policy, No Standardized Outcome: How Admissions Values and Institutional Priorities ...