As Europe increases its reliance on solar energy to meet climate and energy security targets, a growing atmospheric phenomenon is complicating the path forward: Saharan dust. New research presented at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly (EGU25) shows that mineral dust carried on the wind from North Africa is not only reducing photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation across Europe but also making it harder to predict. In their presentation at EGU25, The shadow of the wind: photovoltaic power generation under Europe’s dusty skies, Dr. György Varga and collaborators from Hungarian and European institutions reveal how dust-laden skies disrupt PV performance ...

A new analysis of a group of all-women extreme divers off the coast of Korea has uncovered genetic differences that could help them survive the intense physiological stresses of free-diving—and could ultimately lead to better treatments for blood pressure disorders. The results are published in Cell Reports. The researchers worked with the Haenyeo: women who have spent their whole lives diving in the waters off Jeju Island, 50 miles south of mainland South Korea. They free-dive up to 60 feet below the surface to harvest seaweed, abalone, and other food items from the seafloor, spending hours a day in the water all year round. For hundreds of years, Haenyeo diving was a staple ...

The Haenyeo, a group of all-female divers from the Korean island of Jeju, are renowned for their ability to dive in frigid waters without the aid of breathing equipment — even while pregnant. A study publishing on May 2 in the Cell Press journal Cell Reports shows that the divers’ remarkable abilities are due to both training and genetic adaptation, including gene variants associated with cold tolerance and decreased blood pressure. The divers also showed pronounced bradycardia, or slowing of the heart rate, when they dived, but this trait is likely due to a lifetime of training, not genetics.   “The ...

By using antibodies from a human donor with a self-induced hyper-immunity to snake venom, scientists have developed the most broadly effective antivenom to date, which is protective against the likes of the black mamba, king cobra, and tiger snakes in mouse trials. Described May 2 in the Cell Press journal Cell, the antivenom combines protective antibodies and a small molecule inhibitor and opens a path toward a universal antiserum. How we make antivenom has not changed much over the past century. Typically, it involves immunizing ...

About The Study: Despite similar access to health insurance, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual and gender minority (LGBTQ+) people had large inequities in unmet health care needs and cost-related medication nonadherence in the postpartum year. Results suggested LGBTQ+ people receive lower-quality care in the postpartum period. Although use of pregnancy-related care was comparable, LGBTQ+ individuals used more primary and specialist care and were nearly twice as likely to use the emergency department compared with ...

The massive national effort to return the Medicaid enrollment process to its pre-pandemic rules starting in April 2023 may have disrupted the care of people receiving treatment for opioid addiction, a new University of Michigan study suggests.   The researchers call this finding concerning, because the disruption may increase the risk of overdose or other negative impacts from opioid use disorder in states that were most aggressive in removing people from Medicaid coverage during the “unwinding” process in 2023.   The study has implications for the current debate over the future of Medicaid funding, which may result in further changes ...

About The Study: In this cross-sectional study, tax policy was associated with increased state-level cancer screening rates, as well as decreased cancer mortality rates, which mostly benefited white populations, suggesting that state-level policies may contribute to bridging ongoing cancer care gaps. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Timothy M. Pawlik, MD, PhD, MPH, MTS, MBA, email tim.pawlik@osumc.edu. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.8455) Editor’s ...

Lactate mediates training of our innate defenses A link between metabolism and epigenetics forms the basis for trained immunity   The BCG vaccine protects against tuberculosis, but by inducing trained immunity it also protects against many more respiratory infections. International research led by the Radboudumc shows how this process works. Lactate, a product of scaled-up energy production, appears to play a leading role.   The immune system protects people in two ways. Innate immunity protects us from birth against many bacteria and viruses, while adaptive immunity ...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (May 2, 2025) – Researchers at Sutter Health, led by Cheryl Stults, Ph.D., found that an innovative ambient artificial intelligence platform showed promising results in easing the burden of clinical documentation for healthcare providers. The study, published today in JAMA Network Open, revealed significant reductions in documentation time and improved overall clinician satisfaction. It also highlights the technology’s potential to address long-standing challenges in the medical ...

Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous oceans are known for enormous and fierce predators like pliosaurids with 2-meter-long jaws, toothy thalattosuchia crocodyliforms, and fast, fish-like ichthyosaurians. Then, during the middle Cretaceous, the fossil record shows an abrupt change . Ichthyosaurs, thalattosuchians, and pliosaurids disappeared. Meanwhile, mosasaurs, plesiosaurs, and sharks diversified and expanded. What changed to cause species that had ruled the oceans for millions of years to suddenly die out and new species to ...

Embargoed until 02 May 2025 Researchers from the Institute for Environmental Sciences (IVM) at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam have unveiled DYNAMO-M, a groundbreaking global agent-based model that projects how farmers across the world’s coasts may respond to the growing threat of coastal flooding and salt intrusion due to sea level rise (SLR). The model, which will be presented at the EGU General Assembly 2025 in Vienna, offers new insights into the challenges faced by 13 million farming households globally. Using decision-making logic rooted in discounted expected ...

Laundry is a major source of microplastic pollution into the environment, and in-line washing machine filters are one potential solution for preventing fibers from entering waterways. But how likely would people be willing to pay for them?  Portland State researchers surveyed a sample of registered voters and environmental interest groups in Oregon to gauge respondents' general knowledge and concerns surrounding microplastics, as well as their willingness to pay for high-efficiency washing machine filters. ...

DALLAS, May 2, 2025 — About 6.7 million adults in the U.S. are living with heart failure, and that number is expected to increase to more than 8 million by 2030.[1] A new analysis published in Circulation: Heart Failure shows hospitals participating in the American Heart Association’s multiregional IMPLEMENT-HF™ initiative significantly improved adherence to guideline-directed medical therapy for patients hospitalized with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), the most common type of heart failure. The American Heart Association, a global force changing the future of health for all, launched the three-year ...

Two studies at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) focused on advancing pain management have received President’s Choice Awards from the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA). The awards recognize innovative research with significant potential to improve patient care, highlighting HSS’s leadership in developing safer, more effective approaches to pain control. Study: Prevalence of cannabidiol use in patients undergoing sports medicine procedures on the knee, shoulder, or hip: A survey study Researchers set out to determine the ...

Washington, D.C. – May 1, 2025 – New technology shows promise for restoring blood flow and advancing care for patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) and carotid artery stenosis (CAS). The data were presented today at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) 2025 Scientific Sessions. Over the past 30 years, deaths from cardiovascular diseases have increased by 60%. There is a growing need for cardiovascular innovation with a focus on patient outcomes, whether that’s through advancements in technology, the use of digital therapeutics, or the research and development of revolutionary devices.  “Constant innovation ...

Washington, D.C. – May 2, 2025 – New analysis from the EARLY TAVR trial showed patients between the age of 65 and 70 years old derived the most benefits of a strategy of early intervention with transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) compared to other age groups, especially in regards to stroke risk, and in regards to the composite of death, stroke, and heart failure hospitalization. The late-breaking results were presented today at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) 2025 Scientific ...

Washington, D.C. – MAY 2, 2025 – New data from a large, international registry showed balloon-assisted anterior mitral leaflet modification (BATMAN) was safe, effective, and resulted in shorter procedure times among patients undergoing transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR). The data were presented today as late-breaking clinical research at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) 2025 Scientific Sessions. An estimated four million people in the U.S. have mitral valve regurgitation (the most common form of heart ...

Background and Aims Heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) has an influential yet insufficiently investigated effect on Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a histone deacetylase activated by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, which may impact the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-ß)/Smad3 pathway in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)-related liver fibrosis. This study aimed to elucidate the regulation of NAFLD-related liver fibrosis induced by HO-1 through the SIRT1/TGF-ß/Smad3 pathway. Methods HO-1 induction and inhibition were established in C57BL/6J mice fed a methionine- and choline-deficient (MCD) diet. Additionally, wild-type mice were fed either ...

Mitochondrial diseases affect approximately 1 in 5,000 people worldwide, causing debilitating symptoms ranging from muscle weakness to stroke-like episodes. Some of these conditions result from mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), the genetic material housed in these organelles. For patients with the common m.3243A>G mutation, which can cause MELAS syndrome (mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes) and diabetes mellitus, treatments remain limited. A fundamental challenge in mitochondrial disease research is that patients typically have a mix of both normal and mutated mtDNA within their cells. This ...

What is the secret to happiness? Does happiness come from within, or is it shaped by external influences such as our jobs, health, relationships and material circumstances? A new study published in Nature Human Behaviour shows that happiness can come from either within or from external influences, from both, or neither – and which is true differs across people. People have long contemplated the sources of happiness. In recent years, efforts such as the World Happiness Report seek to improve wellbeing across the world. “We have to understand the sources of happiness to build effective ...

Okazaki, Japan – The communication between the brain and bodily organs is fundamental to emotion regulation and overall mental health. The nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) in the brainstem is a critical hub structure mediating this interaction via the vagus nerve. Despite its importance, the NTS's deep location has historically posed challenges for observation in living animals. In a study recently published in Cell Reports Methods (April 4, 2025), the research team has developed the live NTS imaging method ...

For centuries, many cultures around the world embalmed their dead, often for religious reasons. Accordingly, embalming methods differ, but not all of them are studied equally well. In a first report of a previously undocumented embalming method, an international team of researchers has analyzed a mummy from a small Austrian village. Detailed analyses provided insights into little-known mummification techniques and allowed them to identify the body. “The unusually well-preserved mummy in the church crypt of St Thomas am Blasenstein is the corps of a local parish vicar, ...

Children and young adults with depression, schizophrenia, ADHD, asthma and epilepsy can get great relief from medications to control their symptoms, helping them stay in school or work and prepare for their futures.   But they should keep taking those medications regularly to get the best results; interruptions can cause flare-ups of these chronic health conditions.   Now, a new study suggests that such interruptions happened more often in states that had the biggest drops in Medicaid enrollment during the recent “unwinding” process.   That process, which brought to an end the special Medicaid eligibility rules made at the start ...

The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health: Monoclonal antibody nirsevimab provides strong real-world protection against severe RSV in infants, suggests meta-analysis Nirsevimab, a monoclonal antibody, is highly effective in real-world conditions at preventing severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections in infants, suggests a meta-analysis published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health journal. RSV is a leading cause of serious respiratory illness in young children particularly in the first six months of life, responsible for millions of hospitalisations of children ...

Is your heart aging too fast? MRI technology reveals unhealthy lifestyles add decades Peer reviewed – observational study - humans Scientists at the University of East Anglia (UEA) have developed a revolutionary new way of uncovering the ‘true age’ of your heart using MRI. Research published today shows how an MRI scan can reveal your heart’s functional age - and how unhealthy lifestyles can dramatically accelerate this figure. It is hoped that the findings could transform how heart disease is diagnosed - offering a lifeline to millions by catching problems before they become deadly. The team say their cutting-edge technique ...