Key Takeaways  Almost 40% of emergency medical services calls in rural areas were for patients facing medically complex injuries compared with 26.4% nationally.  Rural patients were four times more likely to end up at trauma centers designated for less severe injuries and five times more likely to go to critical access hospitals – small, rural hospitals that provide essential care.   Call times for rural patients transported to specialty centers were more than 40 minutes longer compared with ...

Key Takeaways  In patients under 50, rectal bleeding was the strongest predictor of colorectal cancer, increasing odds by 8.5 times.   70% of young patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer had no family history of the disease.  88% of young cancer patients underwent a colonoscopy because of symptoms, not routine screening.   CHICAGO — Adults under 50 undergoing colonoscopy were found to have a dramatically higher risk of having colorectal cancer when the procedure was done for rectal bleeding. Researchers found that rectal bleeding increased the odds of a colorectal cancer diagnosis by 8.5 times, ...

Key Takeaways  From 2010 to 2020, the United States saw a net loss of 298 hospitals capable of performing surgery, a 6.36% decrease.  Of 4,688 active surgical hospitals in 2010, 784 (16.7%) closed by 2020, while only 486 new hospitals opened.  Closed hospitals were more than twice as likely to be in areas of high poverty and social vulnerability compared to hospitals that remained open.  CHICAGO — A new national study reveals that hospitals providing surgical care have closed at a significantly higher rate than new ones have opened, with closures disproportionately concentrated ...

About The Study: In this cross-sectional study, disparities in probability of premature death, defined as probability of dying before age 70, were likely to reflect major inequality in access to health-enhancing technologies and living standards, as well as context-specific obstacles. Technological and  medical advancements leading to universal health benefits need to be rapidly and fairly disseminated. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Omar Karlsson, PhD, email karlssono@outlook.com. To ...

Photos and b-roll package available for download here. LOS ANGELES — Top-quality health care just became more accessible in Pasadena.  Keck Medicine of USC’s largest and most advanced outpatient location, located at 590 S. Fair Oaks Ave., is now open, bringing Keck Medicine’s clinical expertise, world-class services and leading-edge technology to Pasadena and neighboring communities in the San Gabriel Valley.  “USC is always looking for opportunities to extend its mission and impact,” said Beong-Soo Kim, interim president of USC. “This strategic expansion in Pasadena allows ...

Key Takeaways  Depression can make recovery from surgery more difficult in older adults who undergo procedures for colorectal, hepatobiliary, and pancreatic cancers.  Antidepressants mitigate these effects, which improves surgical outcomes and lowers postoperative costs.   CHICAGO (October 3, 2025) — Depression is known to be associated with physical health challenges, in everything from disrupting sleep to an increased cancer risk. Depression can also affect ...

“We recommend that investigators carefully consider what aspects of frailty to include in their analyses instead of fully adopting the published scoring systems.” BUFFALO, NY — October 3, 2025 — A new research perspective was published in Volume 17, Issue 9 of Aging-US on August 26, 2025, titled “Analysis of the current state of frailty indexes and their implementation for aging intervention studies.”  In this work, led by first author Oliver G. Frost from  Loughborough ...

Fuel cells are an efficient, clean alternative to traditional fossil-fuel-based energy systems. Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are especially attractive due to their ability to use multiple fuels, high efficiency and reversibility. Cobalt (Co)-doped rare-earth layered perovskite oxides are attractive cathode materials for low- and medium-temperature SOFCs. They offer excellent electrochemical performance, owing to their high oxygen content and flexible control of oxygen transport. Yet, electrodes made from these materials demonstrate low long-term stability. Key strategies to ...

The COVID-19 pandemic affected people worldwide disproportionately, with economically disadvantaged households facing a heavier burden. Children were also affected since schools and classes were closed to contain the virus. Many students, especially from disadvantaged backgrounds, lost their learning environments, and their academic performance suffered. However, the pandemic presented other challenges that may have also affected students, such as parents losing jobs, financial stress at home, and parents not having the option to work from home. So, it is unclear how ...

Children entering school from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) families are more likely to face developmental challenges than their peers, according to a large population-based study in Western Australia. Researchers found that nearly one in four CALD children displayed vulnerabilities in at least one key developmental domain, with communication skills and general knowledge showing the largest gaps. These difficulties go beyond the classroom, shaping social integration, self-confidence, and long-term educational opportunities. ...

The first successful human transplant of a kidney converted from blood type A to universal type O used special enzymes developed at the University of British Columbia to help prevent a mismatch and rejection of the organ. Published today in Nature Biomedical Engineering, the achievement marks a major step toward helping thousands of patients get kidney transplants sooner. In a first-in-human experiment, the enzyme-converted kidney was transplanted into a brain-dead recipient with consent from the family, allowing researchers ...

ITHACA, N.Y. – Birds separated by vast geographic distances and millions of years of evolution share a remarkably similar learned vocal warning to identify parasitic enemies near their nests, an international team of researchers has found. The results represent the first known example of an animal vocalization that is learned from an innate response shared across multiple species. The findings, which will publish October 3, 2025 at 5am EST in Nature Ecology and Evolution, provide a glimpse into the role natural ...

The world’s first vaccine trial against elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) – a leading cause of death in young Asian elephants – is safe and triggers a strong virus-fighting immune response, according to an international team led by the University of Surrey, in collaboration with Chester Zoo and the Animal and Plant Health Agency.  Published in Nature Communications, the proof‑of‑concept study involved adult elephants at Chester Zoo. No side effects were seen, and the vaccine successfully activated a key part of the immune system that helps fight viruses.  The elephants received a two‑step vaccination: first, a viral vector ...

Iridoids are a widespread and evolutionarily ancient class of plant secondary metabolites belonging to the terpenes. They occur in thousands of plant species and play an important role in defense and other interactions between plants and their environment. Iridoids are also found in foods such as olives and blueberries, and are believed to have anti-inflammatory properties. They are also essential precursors for many medically important compounds, including the cancer drug vinblastine and the ipecacuanha alkaloids found in the medicinal plants, sage-leaved alangium and ipecac root (see press release Two plant species invent the same ...

Study highlights: The new antibiotic, enterololin, attacks and kills only a specific group of disease-causing bugs, which includes the type of E. coli that drives Crohn’s disease. As such, the antibiotic is a promising new treatment option for people affected by Crohn’s and other IBD-related conditions. These conditions affect thousands of people across Canada and no cure currently exists. Most antibiotics wipe out everything, including good bacteria. Enterololin, however, works like a scalpel, reducing the opportunity for opportunistic and/or drug-resistant ...

October 3, 2025—BRONX, NY—Scientists at Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center (MECCC) and Albert Einstein College of Medicine have shown for the first time that glioblastoma—the deadliest form of brain cancer—affects not just the brain but also erodes the skull, alters the makeup of skull marrow, and interferes with the body’s immune response. Drugs intended to inhibit skull-bone loss made the cancer more aggressive, according to results published today in Nature Neuroscience. “Our discovery that this notoriously hard-to-treat brain cancer interacts with the body’s immune ...

In the realm of memories, “where” holds special importance. Where did I leave my keys? Where did I eat dinner last night? Where did I first meet that friend? Recalling locations is necessary for daily life, yet spatial memory — which keeps track of “where” — is one of the first cognitive abilities to fade in old age. And deficits earlier in life can be a telltale sign of dementia. Now, researchers at Stanford Medicine and their colleagues are uncovering what goes awry in older brains when spatial memory falters and whether these changes can be prevented. In a new study comparing young, ...

A research team at Lund University in Sweden has discovered a mechanism that helps acute myeloid leukemia cells to evade the body’s immune system. By developing an antibody that blocks the mechanism, the researchers could restore the immune system’s ability to kill the cancer cells in laboratory trials and in mice. The discovery is published in Nature Cancer. In brief: Facts about the study: peer-reviewed // basic research // translational research // in vivo // in vitro // The study shows how a newly discovered mechanism helps leukemia cells to evade the immune system. By generating ...

A new study, published today in Nature Genetics, created the largest genetic map of human metabolism, revealing new insights on the role of metabolites in health and disease and creating a blueprint for further research. Humans vary from person to person, and so does our metabolism. Yet, it is difficult to quantify precisely how much your genetic code contributes to this variability. Using data from half a million individuals through the UK Biobank, the authors examined the consequences of variation in our genetic code on blood levels of 250 small molecules including lipid levels, which are important for a healthy heart, or amino acids. The study is the result of a collaborative ...

The first picture taken of a person nowadays is usually an ultrasound scan in the womb. But the technology is capable of much more than that. Physiotherapists have long used ultrasound to heat bodily tissues, and oncological surgeons use high-intensity ultrasound – and the heat it generates inside the body – to destroy tumours.  Over the last decade, scientists have also been researching how low-intensity ultrasound can be used to influence neural activity in the brain in a targeted manner. Initial clinical trials ...

Trawling restrictions not only benefits fish and shellfish; anemones and corals are also becoming more common, according to a new study from the University of Gothenburg. Twenty-six years of underwater videos from the depths of the Koster Sea also show long-term changes in the ecosystem as the water becomes warmer. The marine wildlife in Kosterhavet National Park has changed rapidly in recent years. The introduction of trawling restrictions in the area for the national park during the last 25 years, brought about a change in the living conditions for the animals that live on the seabed. “Animals ...

Pertussis, or whooping cough, is on the rise and incidence now exceeds pre-pandemic numbers. While in adults and older children the cough can be bothersome and last for months, pertussis in young infants can be life-threatening. Most children under 2 months of age with pertussis in the United States are hospitalized. In a special article published in Pediatrics, experts strongly encourage vaccination, especially during pregnancy. “Pertussis symptoms are different in infants,” said leading author Caitlin Li, MD, infectious diseases specialist at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern ...

Singapore, 3 October 2025 – Singapore General Hospital (SGH) has announced the launch of a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for robotic-assisted surgery, ensuring orthopaedic surgeons are equipped with knowledge of emerging technologies as the population ages and surgical needs evolve.    The Centre is established as part of a two-year strategic collaboration, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with Johnson & Johnson MedTechwith an initial focus on training and research in total knee replacement.   Regional ...

Building on the landmark 2019 report, the 2025 EAT-Lancet Commission presents the most comprehensive scientific analysis of global food systems to date. It establishes a clear, science-based approach to provide 9.6 billion people with access to healthy diets within planetary boundaries while recognising that healthy and sustainable diets are the foundation of human rights. The report reveals that the global food system contributes to 30% of greenhouse gas emissions and is the largest driver of planetary boundary transgressions through its impacts on climate, biodiversity, freshwater consumption, and land use change.  Although there ...

Countries with the highest reported levels of hearing loss also have the lowest reported use of hearing aids, finds international research published in the open access journal BMJ Global Health. And men are generally more likely than women to report difficulties with their hearing, although this gender divide narrows with age, the findings show. An estimated 1.57 billion people—equivalent to 1 in 5 of the world’s population—had hearing loss in 2019. And it’s predicted that it will affect 2.45 billion people by 2050, say the researchers. Hearing loss is associated with an array of problems ...