(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — A new study in the International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health finds parents’ workplace chemical exposure may be linked to a range of behavioral challenges and developmental delays in their children with autism. Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that is marked by challenges with social skills, communication struggles and repetitive behaviors. Autism traits can vary widely in how mild or strong they are. “Past research explored the impact of environmental factors on the likelihood of a child developing autism,” said Irva ...

Yale Study: Mobile Phone App Reduced Suicidal Behavior Among High-Risk Patients August 08, 2025 by Christopher Gardner   A mobile phone app designed to deliver suicide-specific therapy reduced suicidal behavior among high-risk psychiatric inpatients, according to a new study by scientists at Yale School of Medicine and The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine. The study, published Aug. 8, 2025 in JAMA Network Open, found that the app, OTX-202, reduced the recurrence ...

‘A tipping point’: An update from the frontiers of Alzheimer’s disease research    One-third of people older than 85 in the United States are estimated to live with Alzheimer’s disease today, according to the National Institute on Aging. The condition’s characteristic long, slow decline places an enormous burden on families and on society. While the need for new treatments is urgent, Alzheimer’s is a complex disease that requires multidisciplinary research across a wide range of specialties.   In a new article led by Yale’s Amy Arnsten, researchers from across numerous disciplines share an ...

Key takeaways Heavy use of antibiotics has led to bacterial strains that resist them, making some infections difficult to treat. Copper antimicrobials are increasingly used to reduce the emergence of resistant strains. New research shows that heavy use of copper leads to the evolution of copper-resistant E. coli bacteria that can also resist antibiotic drugs. Fortunately, when the use of copper is stopped, bacteria quickly revert to a less-resistant state, suggesting that alternating copper with other antimicrobials could be as effective without driving resistance.​​​ Copper has emerged as an ally in the battle against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Copper sulfate ...

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — New computer simulations that model every atom of a protein as it folds into its final three-dimensional form support the existence of a recently identified type of protein misfolding. Proteins must fold into precise three-dimensional shapes — called their native state — to carry out their biological functions. When proteins misfold, they can lose function and, in some cases, contribute to disease. The newly spotted misfolding results in a change to a protein’s structure — either a loop that traps another section of the protein ...

For more than 30 years, scientists have studied how the myogenic determination gene number 1 (MYOD) protein binds DNA to modify the gene expression of muscle stem cells. Similar to the instant kung fu education Keanu Reeves downloaded in “The Matrix,” MYOD plugs into muscle stem cell DNA and reprograms the cells to build muscle. MYOD also comes to the rescue when muscle tissue needs to be repaired after injury or to restore minor damage that occurs with athletic training or other physical activity. The transcription factor rallies nearby muscle stem cells to expand in number and become muscle ...

COLUMBUS, Ohio – People’s perceptions of the world are easily impacted by the angle at which they view objects in it, suggests a new study.   This finding, made by researchers from The Ohio State University, was revealed by testing people’s ability to estimate the steepness of a hill. The study, recently published in the journal Perception, showed that most people, regardless of their visual orientation — or line of sight  — will consistently overestimate its steepness.  Dennis Shaffer, lead author of the study and a professor of psychology at The Ohio State University’s Mansfield campus, said his team’s research aimed to understand ...

In the wake of a wildfire, there’s often an assumption that burned landscapes will be more susceptible to landslides. But new research from the University of Oregon suggests it’s not always that simple.   An analysis of the Columbia River Gorge, which runs along the border between Oregon and Washington, shows that steep, rocky watersheds in that area have been prone to debris flows and rockfall for thousands of years. Those events didn’t measurably increase after the Eagle Creek Fire, which scorched 47,000 acres of the gorge over the course of three months in 2017.  UO ...

Once viewed only as infectious invaders, bacteria are now understood to play an important role in overall health. For example, the gut microbiome—the community of microorganisms that inhabit the human gastrointestinal tract—has garnered much attention recently as studies have explored its relationship with health and disease. But what about the mouth? The mouth is the second most diverse human microbial system and, as the start of the digestive system, is directly and frequently exposed to the external environment. However, it has been vastly overshadowed by the focus on the gut. Now, a collaborative team including Modupe O. Coker of Penn ...

When several wildfires ignited in Los Angeles in early January of 2025, Miriam Marlier’s friends and neighbors came to her with questions about how to find reliable air quality information. Marlier is a UCLA scientist and a member of the Western Fire and Forest Resilience Collaborative (WFFRC), a program of Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies led by Cary forest ecologist Winslow Hansen. Guided by decision makers, the collaborative conducts research to inform solutions to the Western US fire crisis. During the January fires, “people were urgently trying ...

Fukuoka, Japan—Researchers at Kyushu University have developed a novel organic molecule that simultaneously exhibits two highly sought-after properties: efficient light emission suitable for advanced displays and strong light absorption for deep-tissue bioimaging. This breakthrough addresses a long-standing challenge in molecular design, paving the way for next-generation multifunctional materials. Their study, published online in the journal Advanced Materials on July 29, 2025, was conducted in collaboration with ...

Tropical cyclone cluster events over the North Atlantic. This image from NOAA's GOES-16 satellite on September 14, 2020, shows five tropical systems spinning in the Atlantic basin at one time. From left to right: Hurricane Sally in the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Paulette east of the Carolinas, the remnants of Tropical Storm Rene in the central Atlantic, and Tropical Storms Teddy and Vicky in the eastern Atlantic. A total of 10 named storms formed in September 2020 — the most for any month on record. (Image credit: NOAA) Tropical cyclones, commonly known as typhoons or hurricanes, can form in clusters and impact coastal regions ...

Fighting off pathogens is a tour de force that must happen with speed and precision. A team of researchers at CeMM and MedUni Vienna led by Christoph Bock and Matthias Farlik has investigated how macrophages—immune cells that are the body’s first responders—master this challenge. Their study, published in Cell Systems (DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2025.101346), offers a time-resolved analysis of the molecular processes that unfold when these cells encounter various pathogens. They developed a new method that combines gene editing and machine learning, which identified key regulators of ...

About The Study: In this cohort study of adults prescribed semaglutide, initiation was associated with reductions in weight and cardiovascular risk factors but increases in health care expenditures, excluding semaglutide costs. These findings suggest potential clinical benefits in routine practice, while highlighting the need to evaluate the long-term impact of semaglutide on economic outcomes. Corresponding Authors: To contact the corresponding authors, email Jason Abaluck, PhD, (jason.abaluck@yale.edu) ...

About The Study: In this cross-sectional study of 143 health conditions among persons in 50 states and Washington, DC, per capita pharmaceutical use was highest among white populations and lowest among Asian or Pacific Islander and Hispanic populations. However, after standardizing for age and disease prevalence (for 52 conditions with available data), prescription fills were substantially lower for Black populations relative to the all-population mean. These patterns varied by state, highlighting the need for local- and condition-specific ...

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A mobile phone app designed to deliver suicide-specific therapy reduced suicidal behavior among high-risk psychiatric inpatients, according to a new study by scientists at Yale School of Medicine and The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine. The study, published Aug. 8, 2025 in JAMA Network Open, found that the app, OTX-202, reduced the recurrence of post-discharge suicide attempts by 58.3% among patients who had previously attempted suicide. This reduction is a critical achievement for a group that is particularly vulnerable to repeated suicidal behaviors, the researchers said. Users of the app also experienced ...

Seoul National University College of Engineering announced that a research team led by Professor Seung Hwan Ko of the Wearable Soft Electronics Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, has developed a wearable electronic device that attaches to the skin like a bandage and enables real-time, continuous monitoring of blood pressure over extended periods.   Unlike conventional cuff-based blood pressure monitors that use an inflatable air bladder to apply pressure to the arm, this new technology continuously measures blood pressure with a compact, flexible electronic patch, garnering ...

The endangered South African cycad Encephalartos horridus may resemble a relic from the Jurassic age, but the species itself evolved long after dinosaurs disappeared. Still, it carries a biochemical legacy inherited from its distant ancestors—plants that once thrived alongside Jurassic fauna. A team led by Hiroshima University (HU) researchers found that its spiky, silvery-blue leaves owe their color not to pigment, but to a wax-based optical effect produced by a lipid compound that may date back to the dawn of land plants. In ...

Boston, MA — Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have developed a blood test that could transform the diagnosis and monitoring of multiple myeloma (MM) and its precursor conditions. The new method, known as SWIFT-seq, utilizes single-cell sequencing to profile circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the blood, offering a non-invasive alternative to traditional bone marrow biopsies. The study was published in Nature Cancer. “A lot of work has gone into the identification of genomic and transcriptomic features that predict worse outcome in MM, but we are still lacking the tests to measure them in our patients, said ...

In early 2025, wildfires spread in Los Angeles, destroying tens of thousands of homes and businesses. During the fires, smoke blanketed the region and online maps provided residents with rapid air quality information. Now, a study in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology Letters compares the data that went into the maps from federal monitoring stations, low-cost sensors and satellites. Their results highlight the importance of combining multiple data sources to form easily accessible information for the public. “Timely and accurate air quality information is crucial for the public to ...

“A building is only as strong as its foundation” is a common adage to signify the importance of having a stable and solid base to build upon. The type and design of foundation are important for ensuring the structural safety of a building. Among several factors that can affect the design and laying of a foundation, bearing stratum depth, namely the depth at which the underlying layer of soil or rock has adequate strength to support a foundation, is one of the most crucial. This is because in regions that are prone to earthquakes or landslides, the bearing stratum depth, also ...

Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer as well as the third highest cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. In particular, a subtype of liver cancer known as hepatocellular carcinoma accounts for around 80% of all liver cancer cases. Given the increasing disease burden of hepatocellular carcinoma globally, a Commission consisting of experts in a wide range of fields – from clinical medicine to public health – has now been established to tackle this issue. Recently, in a comprehensive ...

Fukuoka, Japan—As global energy demand increases, researchers, industries, governments, and stakeholders are working together to develop new ways of meeting that demand. This is especially important as we address the ongoing climate crisis and transition away from fossil fuels. One very promising type of energy generation is solid-oxide fuel cells, or SOFCs. Unlike batteries, which release stored chemical energy as electricity, fuel cells convert chemical fuel directly into electricity and continue to do so as long as fuel is provided. A common ...

The University of California, Irvine School of Social Ecology today released the results of its latest UCI-OC Poll, shedding light on the changing nature of work in Orange County two years after the official end of the COVID-19 pandemic.   Conducted from June 20 to July 1, 2025, the survey of 800 Orange County adults offers insights into remote work preferences, attitudes toward artificial intelligence and overall job satisfaction – providing valuable insights for business leaders and policymakers navigating ...

Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night” has stirred the souls of art lovers for over a century. Now, its swirling skies may also speak to physicists, as it echoes the patterns of quantum turbulence. Physicists at Osaka Metropolitan University and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have for the first time successfully observed the quantum Kelvin–Helmholtz instability (KHI) — a phenomenon predicted decades ago but never before seen in quantum fluids. The instability produces exotic vortex patterns known as eccentric fractional skyrmions, whose crescent-shaped structures ...