A new powerful antibiotic, isolated from bacteria that could not be studied before, seems capable to combat harmful bacteria and even multi-resistant ‘superbugs’. Named Clovibactin, the antibiotic appears to kill bacteria in an unusual way, making it more difficult for bacteria to develop any resistance against it. Researchers from Utrecht University, Bonn University (Germany), the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Northeastern University of Boston (USA), and the company NovoBiotic Pharmaceuticals (Cambridge, USA) now share the discovery of Clovibactin and its killing mechanism in the scientific journal Cell. Urgent need for new antibiotics Antimicrobial ...

About The Study: In this randomized clinical trial that included 626 children, maternal structured lifestyle interventions during pregnancy based on a Mediterranean diet or mindfulness-based stress reduction significantly improved child neurodevelopmental outcomes at age 2.  Authors: Francesca Crovetto, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain, is the corresponding author.   To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.30255) Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including ...

About The Study: In this study of human-written and artificial intelligence (AI)-generated responses to 200 eye care questions from an online advice forum, a chatbot appeared capable of responding to long user-written eye health posts and largely generated appropriate responses that did not differ significantly from ophthalmologist-written responses in terms of incorrect information, likelihood of harm, extent of harm, or deviation from ophthalmologist community standards.   Authors: Sophia Y. Wang, M.D., M.S., of Stanford University in Stanford, California, is the corresponding author.   To access the embargoed ...

WASHINGTON, August 22, 2023 – Millions of people around the world experience some form of hearing loss, resulting in negative impacts to their health and quality of life. Treatments exist in the form of hearing aids and cochlear implants, but these assistive devices cannot replace the full functionality of human hearing and remain inaccessible for most people. Auditory experiences, such as speech and music, are affected the most. In JASA, published on behalf of the Acoustical Society of America by AIP Publishing, researchers from the University of Oldenburg studied the impact of hearing loss on subjects’ enjoyment of different ...

LA JOLLA (August 22, 2023)—The prevalence of colorectal cancer in people under the age of 50 has risen in recent decades. One suspected reason: the increasing rate of obesity and high-fat diets. Now, researchers at the Salk Institute and UC San Diego have discovered how high-fat diets can change gut bacteria and alter digestive molecules called bile acids that are modified by those bacteria, predisposing mice to colorectal cancer.   In the study, published in Cell Reports on August 22, 2023, the team found increased levels of specific gut bacteria in mice fed high-fat diets. Those gut bacteria, they ...

(Boston)—For more than 100 years, it has been believed that sunlight and vitamin D deficiency were associated with the risk for many deadly cancers including colorectal, prostate and breast. But some scientists remained skeptical that this nutrient provides any benefit for reducing cancer risk and morbidity and mortality and several randomized controlled trials that have supported this doubt.  However, in a new commentary in JAMA Network Open, Michael F. Holick, PhD, MD, professor of medicine, pharmacology, physiology & biophysics and molecular medicine at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, explores the controversy as to ...

For people who have experienced a heart attack or stroke, taking a daily aspirin has been shown to help prevent a second one. Yet, despite aspirin’s low cost and its clear benefits in such scenarios, fewer than half of people worldwide who have had a heart attack or stroke take the medication, according to a new study led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the University of Michigan. The study appears Aug. 22 in JAMA. Cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and ...

While COVID-19 lockdowns are no longer mandated, the stress and anxiety of the pandemic still lingers, especially among young South Australians, say health experts at the University of South Australia.   In a new study released today, researchers show that children’s mental health and wellbeing have gradually worsened over the past six years, particular during and post the pandemic.   Examining measures of wellbeing – life satisfaction, optimism, happiness, cognitive engagement, emotional regulation, perseverance, worry, and sadness – ...

The Venus flytrap can survive in the nutrient-poor swamps of North and South Carolina because it compensates for the lack of nitrogen, phosphate and minerals by catching and eating small animals. It hunts with snap traps that have sensory hairs on them. If an insect touches these hairs two times, the traps shut and digests the prey. In its location in the swamp, the carnivorous plant is often not visible because it is overgrown by grass. In summer, the grass dries up. Then it can catch fire from the frequent lightning storms typical of North Carolina – ...

The National Institutes of Health recently awarded Cleveland Clinic’s Jacob Scott, M.D., D.Phil., and collaborators $2.8 million to translate research on how cancer cells evolve and compete into patient care. The project aims to move previous advances done in vitro closer to clinical reality by developing computer and preclinical models side-by-side, a significant step in the fight against multidrug-resistant cancers that are responsible for more than 90% of cancer deaths. This is a milestone for ...

AMES, IA — Buying a home is a time-consuming process, in part because it requires balancing financial realities with a long checklist of expectations and desires. People care about a solid foundation and certain number of bedrooms. But a property’s curb appeal, neighbors and proximity to work or good schools also matter. For most house-hunters in the U.S., setting up filters and scrolling listings on Zillow has become a crucial first step. “Digital real estate platforms like Zillow help people see what’s available, ...

Pioneering researchers at UVA Health are testing whether focused sound waves can help people overcome cocaine addiction, a growing problem across the nation. The scientists have launched a clinical trial, believed to be the first of its kind in the world, to test whether low-intensity focused ultrasound can help reprogram brain cells to reduce the desire for cocaine. The noninvasive approach focuses sound waves on a portion of the brain called the insula, thought to play a critical role in multiple forms of addiction. If the trial is successful, it could pave the way for an important new tool to treat addiction in general. “This ...

Carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies are crucial for addressing climate change while ensuring economic viability. MES has emerged as a promising approach for CO2 reduction to biofuels and platform chemicals. However, the industrial adoption of MES has been hindered by low-value products like acetate or methane and high electric power demand. In a new study recently published on 26 July 2023, in the journal Environmental Science and Ecotechnology, researchers from University of Girona conducted a study that focused on electrically ...

DETROIT, August 22, 2023 — Today, Detroit Public Schools Community District teachers and coaches completed either the American Heart Association’s Heartsaver® CPR AED (automated external defibrillator) course, which provides the highest quality evidence-based training in the lifesaving skills of CPR, as well as the appropriate use of an AED, or Hands-Only CPR education. Adding lifesavers to the chain of survival in the Detroit community through CPR training and education is a priority for the Detroit Lions Foundation. “We are honored to use our platform to further bring awareness and education to our community ...

A team of researchers from Southeast University of China has developed a cutting-edge ultracompact sensing system that leverages the power of spoof surface plasmon resonance (SSPR) technology to enable adaptive and accurate gas detection using a smartphone. The research article detailing this breakthrough, titled "An Ultracompact Spoof Surface Plasmon Sensing System for Adaptive and Accurate Detection of Gas Using a Smartphone," has been published in the prestigious journal Engineering. Traditional dielectric sensing methods often suffer from signal fluctuations, resulting in reduced sensitivity and accuracy. In response to the growing demand for precise gas detection in ...

Violent actions intended to provoke opposition to particular communities may paradoxically lead to lasting acceptance, according to a study. On  March 15, 2019, a far-right extremist killed 51 Muslims in Christchurch, New Zealand. Immediately following the attacks there was a noticeable increase in public acceptance of the Muslim minority in the country. But was this acceptance sustained? To address this question, Joseph Bulbulia and colleagues used years of data from the New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study, a national longitudinal study. The author’s goal was to estimate the anticipated level of Muslim acceptance if the attacks had not occurred. These ...

The shells of turtles, tortoises, and sea turtles keep growing as long as the animals live—and some of them live a remarkably long time. Cyler Conrad and colleagues analyzed the shells of five specimens from areas that potentially accumulated anthropogenic uranium through nuclear fallout and/or waste. Unusual uranium signatures were found in a green sea turtle from Enewetak Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, a desert tortoise from southwestern Utah near the Nevada National Security Site (formerly known as the Nevada Test Site), a river cooter from the Savannah River Site in South Carolina, and a box turtle from Oak Ridge, Tennessee, ...

Australia has experienced an intense surge in severe Strep A cases, similar to the northern hemisphere wave, despite differences in seasons and circulating respiratory viruses, according to a new study. The national research project, involving researchers from Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and published in The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific, highlighted how the unseasonal increase in case load across the southern hemisphere adds to the need for a safe and effective vaccine against Strep ...

Engineers in Australia have found a way of making stronger concrete with roasted used-coffee grounds, to give the drink-additive a “double shot” at life and reduce waste going to landfills. Lead author Dr Rajeev Roychand from RMIT University said the team developed a technique to make concrete 30% stronger by turning waste coffee grounds into biochar, using a low-energy process without oxygen at 350 degrees Celsius. “The disposal of organic waste poses an environmental challenge as it emits large amounts of greenhouse gases including methane and carbon dioxide, which contribute to climate change,” ...

Hangzhou, China & Ithaca, N.Y.—Humans aren't the only ones leaving town when city heat becomes unbearable. A study done on 336 cities in China concludes that heat-retaining buildings and paved surfaces are directly related to a loss in bird diversity. These findings from scientists at Zhejiang University and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology are published in the journal Science of the Total Environment. “The heat-retention characteristic of cities is a well-known phenomenon called the urban heat island ...

PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA [August 22, 2023] — The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) today announced the publication of NCCN Guidelines for Patients®: Hodgkin Lymphoma in Children. The book offers a comprehensive analysis of the treatment options, benefits, and risks of care approaches for pediatric Hodgkin lymphoma, one of the most curable forms of childhood cancer, with long-term survival rates of 90% or higher.[1] This free resource is available online at NCCN.org/patientguidelines and via the NCCN Patient Guides for Cancer App thanks to funding from the NCCN Foundation®. “When a child is diagnosed ...

Despite being highly preventable, the Pan American Health Organization estimates cervical cancer kills 35,700 women annually in the Americas, and 80 percent of these cases are in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The recently released BGI Genomics 2023 Global State of Cervical Cancer Awareness Report reveals potential awareness gaps that may contribute to this disproportionate distribution of cervical cancer cases in these regions. To offer greater insight into the steps needed to improve cervical ...

The Aging Research and Drug Discovery (ARDD) conference, being held at the University of Copenhagen Aug. 28-Sept. 1, is celebrating 10 years of convening top scientists, venture capitalists, business leaders, and journals engaged in aging research, medicine, and emerging technology.  The conference has grown significantly over its decade-long history. This year’s event kicks off with Longevity Medicine Day which will include speakers like Evelyne Bischof, MD, an expert in internal medicine, oncology, and longevity from Renji Hospital, Shanghai; Michael Basson, ...

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer of the liver and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with China accounting for over half of the global annual cases and deaths. Hepatectomy is the standard curative-intent treatment option for appropriately selected patients with localized HCC. However, the high postoperative recurrence rate causes many patients to have a poor prognosis and a high incidence of cancer-specific death. This occurs in especially early recurrence within the first year after surgery, which is most likely due to occult micro-metastasis from the original tumor. Given that survival among patients with recurrence is markedly ...

Chestnut Hill, Mass. (8/22/2023) – In a breakthrough in liver transplantation that may lead to the ability to connect more living donors and patients, a new matching system designed by a team led by Boston College economists enabled the world’s first four-way liver exchange and a cascade of additional matches, researchers reported recently in the American Journal of Transplantation. The results show that expanding the capacity of the donor-patient matching mechanism beyond the traditional 2-way change – matching two patients with two donors – can increase the number of ...