This pilot study evaluates a newly developed point-of-care (PoC) device designed to measure bilirubin levels in human blood serum using a microfluidic cartridge and optoelectronic sensing module. Accurate bilirubin measurement is critical for assessing liver function and diagnosing conditions such as jaundice and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. Traditional laboratory methods are accurate but not suitable for rapid or resource-limited settings due to their complexity. The goal of this study was to determine if the new portable PoC device could deliver comparable accuracy and clinical utility.   Serum samples from 20 patients with bilirubin concentrations ranging ...

This study investigates the potential of amygdalin, a natural compound found in almonds, peaches, and apples, as a therapeutic agent for HER2-positive breast cancer. HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) is overexpressed in a significant percentage of aggressive breast cancer cases and is associated with poor prognosis. The researchers aimed to explore whether amygdalin could effectively bind to and stabilize the HER2 protein, which could suppress its cancer-promoting activity.   To do this, the study employed a variety of computational tools. Molecular docking was used to determine how strongly amygdalin could bind to HER2, and results showed favorable binding ...

Published in Smart Construction, this study investigates the cyclic bond behavior of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) bars—an area vital to seismic design yet previously underexplored. By examining carbon (CFRP), glass (GFRP), and basalt (BFRP) fiber reinforced polymer bars under reversed cyclic loading, the research quantifies how bar diameter, embedment length, concrete strength, and rib geometry influence initial bond stiffness, unloading strength, frictional resistance, and energy dissipation. A unified bond stress–slip ...

Researchers discover high-velocity clouds in the nearby spiral galaxy M83. These clouds are moving at speeds significantly different to the galaxy’s overall speed of rotation. The findings suggest that these clouds likely originated outside the galaxy, offering new insights into how galaxies acquire fresh gas and sustain star formation over billions of years. This hints at how our own galaxy evolved and may evolve in the future. Maki Nagata is a graduate student and astronomer at the University of Tokyo’s Institute of Astronomy. Recently, she and her colleagues were trying to solve a long-standing question in astronomy: “How do galaxies ...

The deadly, record-breaking heat wave that hit the Pacific Northwest in June 2021 continues to be the subject of intense interest among scientists, policy makers and the public. A new study from some of the region's top climate scientists synthesized more than 70 publications addressing the causes and consequences of the extreme heat wave and the potential for similar high-heat events to happen in the future. "It's still the event of interest for anyone who studies heat waves or the atmospheric patterns that cause them," says Paul Loikith, associate professor of geography ...

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) impacts approximately 2% of the global population, often preventing individuals from living life to their full potential. The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) invites the public to a free webinar, “Transforming Treatment Outcomes for People with OCD” on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, at 2:00 pm ET. In this talk, Helen Blair Simpson, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University / New York State Psychiatric Institute and Director of the Anxiety Disorders Clinic, will explore how research can transform outcomes for those living with OCD. She will discuss clinical trials that ...

A rare cell in the lining of lungs is fundamental to the organwide response necessary to repair damage from toxins like those in wildfire smoke or respiratory viruses, Stanford Medicine researchers and their colleagues have found. A similar process occurs in the pancreas, where the cells, called neuroendocrine cells, initiate a biological cascade that protects insulin-producing pancreatic islet cells from damage. Treating the airways of mice with an experimental drug that activates the repair pathway protected their airways from damage after infection with influenza or ...

New cutting-edge software developed in Melbourne can help uncover how the most common heart tumour in children forms and changes. And the technology has the potential to further our understanding of other childhood diseases, according to a new study. The research, led by Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and published in Genome Biology, found the software, VR-Omics, can identify previously undetected cell activities of cardiac rhabdomyoma, a type of benign heart tumour. Developed by MCRI’s Professor Mirana Ramialison, VR-Omics is the first tool capable of analysing and visualising data in both ...

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle—specifically, a diet rich in fibre but light on red/processed meat, regular exercise, not smoking, and sticking to a normal weight—is linked to a significantly lower risk of diverticulitis, finds a large long term study, published online in the journal Gut. What’s more, these 5 components seem to offset the effects of inherited genes, the findings indicate. Diverticulitis occurs when ‘pouches’ develop along the gut and become inflamed or infected in the wall of the large intestine (colon), explain the researchers. It’s a common cause of hospital admissions and a major reason for emergency colon surgery, they add. Genetic ...

Women aged 65 and above are still at heightened risk of cervical cancer caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), suggest the findings of a large observational study published in the open access journal Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinical Medicine. But most guidelines currently recommend discontinuing screening for the disease in women aged 65+ if they have had previously normal smear tests. Yet global cases of cervical cancer have been rising among women in this age group, prompting the researchers to call for a policy rethink. Recent data from the World Health Organization indicate that ...

A diet high in foods with the potential to promote low grade inflammation during pregnancy may raise that child’s risk of developing type 1 diabetes, suggests Danish research published online in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. This dietary pattern was associated with a 16% heightened risk for every unit increase in a dietary measure of inflammatory food intake, the findings show. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder characterised by the destruction of insulin-producing β-cells in the pancreas, necessitating lifelong ...

More must be done to address the growth in anxiety related to climate change, says a leading psychologist, before it becomes the next mental health crisis. In his book Understanding Climate Anxiety, Geoff Beattie documents how climate anxiety is on the rise, especially amongst young people. Yet support is limited and sufferers face stigma because of the polarised debate around whether the climate crisis even exists, he says. Understanding Climate Anxiety offers psychological tips and guidance ...

Farming methods that support nature improve both biodiversity and crop yields but more extensive measures may require increased government subsidies to become as profitable as conventional intensive agriculture. That is the finding of the first comprehensive on-farm trials of their kind in the UK, which were led by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) and Rothamsted Research. This four-year study across 17 conventional, commercial farms in southern England not only trialled various agroecological methods but also – for the first time – the financial viability for businesses. It showed that incorporating nature-friendly practices within farming – agroecology ...

(Paris, France, Wednesday, 2 July 2025) A landmark 30-year study of over four million women in England has revealed that women with endometriosis-associated infertility are significantly more likely to become pregnant compared to those with infertility from other causes.[1] Presented today at the 41st Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), the findings offer renewed optimism for millions of women living with endometriosis who are hoping to conceive.   Endometriosis is a long-term ...

(Paris, France, Wednesday, 2 July 2025) New research presented today at the 41st Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) reveals the presence of microplastics in human reproductive fluids, raising important questions about their potential risks to fertility and reproductive health.[1] Researchers examined follicular fluid from 29 women and seminal fluid from 22 men, both of which play critical roles in natural conception and assisted reproduction. A range of commonly used microplastic polymers, including polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polystyrene ...

A new study published in the Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal examines how long-standing cultural practices, specifically cousin marriage traditions, continue to influence business outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa's informal economy. Researchers Saul Estrin (London School of Economics), Tomasz Mickiewicz (Aston University), and Peng Zhang (University of Sheffield) analyzed survey data from over 3,000 informal entrepreneurs across eight African countries. They explored how pre-colonial family structures—especially the practice of marrying within the extended family—affect ...

ATLANTA — Influenza hemagglutinin subunit vaccines are more effective and offer better cross protection against various influenza virus challenges when combined with a mucosal adjuvant that enhances the body’s immune response, according to a study by researchers in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University. The study published in the journal ACS Nano shows that immune cell-derived extracellular vesicles, specifically those from mature bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (which are crucial for immune responses), rather than those from immature dendritic cells, are potent mucosal adjuvants for influenza hemagglutinin vaccines. The influenza hemagglutinin ...

Traditional medical tests often require clinical samples to be sent off-site for analysis in a time-intensive and expensive process. Point-of-care diagnostics are instead low cost, easy-to-use, and rapid tests performed at the site of patient care. Recently, researchers at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology reported new and optimized techniques to develop better biosensors for the early detection of disease biomarkers. People have long been fascinated with iridescence of peacock feathers, appearing to change color as light hits them from different angles. With ...

A recent study published in Genes & Diseases has unveiled a novel mechanism by which the restriction of YWHAB-mediated YAP cytoplasmic retention plays a crucial role in maintaining stemness and chemoresistance in ovarian cancer peritoneal metastasis (OCPM). Researchers have found that the down-regulation of YWHAB in OCPM cells promotes the activation of YAP signaling, enhancing the cancer cells' ability to resist chemotherapy and maintain stem-like characteristics. This discovery may lead to innovative therapeutic strategies targeting the YWHAB-YAP pathway to ...

A recent study published in Genes & Diseases reveals new insights into the relationship between immune cell characteristics, blood metabolites, and the risk of urolithiasis. Using Mendelian randomization (MR) and mediation analysis, the research highlights how genetically predicted blood metabolites mediate the association between specific immune cell profiles and the development of urinary stones. The findings shed light on potential pathogenic mechanisms and suggest novel therapeutic targets for this widespread and recurrent condition.   Urolithiasis, ...

  A groundbreaking study published in Genes & Diseases has revealed that exogenous pyruvate significantly alleviates the symptoms of ulcerative colitis (UC) by targeting cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2). This discovery opens new avenues for the treatment of UC, which remains a chronic inflammatory bowel disease with limited therapeutic options. The study shows that pyruvate can suppress the TNFα/NFκB signaling pathway, which is pivotal in driving inflammation, thereby offering a novel approach to mitigating UC symptoms.   Ulcerative colitis is characterized by chronic intestinal inflammation, leading ...

A recent study published in Genes & Diseases explores the clinical implications of loss-of-function mutations in IKBKG/NEMO, a key regulator in the NF-κB signaling pathway. These mutations are linked to a range of rare and often severe genetic disorders, including Incontinentia Pigmenti (IP), Anhidrotic Ectodermal Dysplasia with Immunodeficiency (EDA-ID), Immunodeficiency (ID), and NEMO Deleted Exon 5 Autoinflammatory Syndrome (NDAS). The research aims to provide a comprehensive review of the diverse clinical manifestations ...

Images    A new blue fluorescent molecule set new top emission efficiencies in both solid and liquid states, according to a University of Michigan-led study that could pave the way for applications in technology and medicine.    Able to absorb light and emit it at lower energy levels, fluorescent molecules called fluorophores glow in OLED displays and help doctors and scientists figure out what's happening in cells and tissues. They need to be solid in displays and many sensing applications, but liquids are typically preferred for biological uses. ...

For a decade, scientists have believed that plants sensed temperature mainly through specialized proteins, and mainly at night when the air is cool. New research suggests that during the day, another signal takes over. Sugar, produced in sunlight, helps plants detect heat and decide when to grow. The study, led by Meng Chen, a University of California, Riverside professor of cell biology, shows that plants rely on multiple heat-sensing systems, and that sugar plays a central and previously unrecognized role in daytime temperature response. The findings, published in Nature Communications, reshape a long-standing view of how plants ...

The lucrative pay for American CEOs often makes headlines. In 1965, CEO compensation was 22 times higher than the pay of an average worker. In recent years, CEOs have been paid 344 times more than the people who work for them. The personality of a CEO is one factor driving the increase in executive compensation, according to a new study from a team of researchers that includes Sam M. Walton College of Business strategic management professor Jason Ridge. Leaders with a Machiavellian personality, someone who is self-interested, unemotional and manipulative, earn more than $1.5 million a year in additional pay. While ...