Quantum technologies demand perfection: one photon at a time, every time, all with the same energy. Even tiny deviations in the number or energy of photons can derail devices, threatening the performance of quantum computers that someday could make up a quantum internet. While this level of precision is difficult to achieve, Northwestern University engineers have developed a novel strategy that makes quantum light sources, which dispense single photons, more consistent, precise and reliable. In a new study, the team coated an atomically thin semiconductor (tungsten diselenide) with a sheetlike organic molecule called PTCDA. The coating transformed ...

A key switch for cellular energy balance has been discovered in cells: it could potentially become the target of new therapies for diseases ranging from Parkinson's to rare disorders caused by defects in the cell's powerhouses, the mitochondria. The switch is called phosphatase B55 (PP2A-B55alpha) and regulates the balance of mitochondria. Experts from Università Cattolica, Rome campus, and Roma Tre Universty have observed that, by reducing its activity, it’s possible to attenuate the motor symptoms of Parkinson's in a preclinical model of the disease. This is ...

Depression is a serious disorder that disrupts daily life through lethargy, sleep disturbance, and social withdrawal, and also increases the risk of suicide. The number of depression patients has steadily increased over the years, affecting more than 280 million people worldwide as of 2025. Now, researchers have uncovered a new pathological mechanism that could provide clues for the diagnosis and treatment of depression. A research team led by C. Justin LEE and LEE Boyoung at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) has identified a new molecular pathway in the brain that directly links abnormal sugar modifications on proteins to depressive behaviors. Specifically, ...

Cervical epithelial cells are far from passive bystanders in the body’s immune system. New research shows they actually play an active and highly coordinated role in detecting and fighting infections. That’s the conclusion of an international research team led by Associate Professor Cindrilla Chumduri from Aarhus University, and now published in the journal Science Advances. Using patient-derived 3D mini-organs, so-called organoids, and single-cell mapping technologies, the team has, for the first time, shown how distinct epithelial cell types in the cervix ...

Africa’s agrifood system emits nearly 2.9 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent every year—more than a quarter of global sector emissions. An international study compares Africa’s trajectory with China’s and proposes concrete solutions—from water management in rice paddies to modernizing logistics chains—to produce more food without worsening the climate. These analyses were conducted by researchers Xia Li, Yumei Zhang, Shenggen Fan (China Agricultural University) and Issa Ouedraogo (Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT)   A ...

Silicides — alloys of silicon and metals long used in microelectronics — are now being explored again for quantum hardware. But their use faces a critical challenge: achieving phase purity, since some silicide phases are superconducting while others are not. The study, published in Applied Physics Letters by NYU Tandon School of Engineering and Brookhaven National Laboratory, shows how substrate choice influences phase formation and interfacial stability in superconducting vanadium silicide films, providing design guidelines for improving material quality. The team, led by NYU Tandon professor Davood Shahrjerdi, focused on vanadium silicide, ...

Denied insurance claims are among the biggest challenges facing the U.S. health care system – driving up costs and leaving providers with billions in unpaid bills.   Hilal Atasoy, an associate professor at the Rutgers Business School, thinks she’s uncovered an elegant if simple solution: better software management. Her paper on the topic appears in the September issue of the journal MIS Quarterly.   Medical claims contain a range of information, including patient demographics, medications, ...

Audio    New research investigating health outcomes in NCAA athletes during their first year after leaving college sports found that some health measures were worse than expected, but others actually improved.    The results varied depending on the athletes' history of contact exposure and the number of years they played their sport.   "In athletes that are ending their collegiate careers, those with more concussions reported worse outcomes on certain health measures," said Reid Syrydiuk, first author on the study and a doctoral candidate in kinesiology studying at the University of Michigan ...

Online supermarket shopping is fuelling Britain’s plastic waste crisis because packaging is less visible to consumers, according to new research from the Revolution Plastics Institute at the University of Portsmouth.  The study found that nearly half of UK households underestimate how much plastic they throw away each week, a phenomenon researchers call “plastic blindness”. Those who relied most heavily on online grocery deliveries were especially likely to be shocked by the volume ...

The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 99% of the world’s oceans, raising concerns for its $2 billion-a-year American lobster fishery. Scientists at William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS have been studying the impacts of ocean acidification and warming on lobster reproduction, and the results of their most recent research suggest the rising temperatures pose the greatest risk. Utilizing a purpose-built experimental facility designed by Professor Emily Rivest and housed in the Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences & VIMS’ Seawater Research Laboratory, the researchers exposed egg-bearing lobsters from the Gulf of Maine ...

Key Takeaways  Death rates from unintentional injury related to drug use rose nearly 60% from 2018 to 2023.    Men are most at risk — for every one woman who dies from a drug-related accident, about two men die.   When drugs are involved in a traumatic injury, there are more difficulties in treating these patients compared with patients whose injuries were not related to drug use.  CHICAGO (October 3, 2025) — An increasing number of people are dying from drug-related accidental injuries. The rate has risen by nearly 60% within the last five years, according to new study findings.   The research will be ...

Key Takeaways  While both adults and children are severely injured in pedestrian-motor vehicle collisions, adults often face more serious outcomes than children, according to a national analysis.  In another study, mapping the geographical location of injuries in Colorado revealed areas in Denver County most prone to accidents, which could help researchers target efforts to prevent future crashes.  CHICAGO — Pedestrian-motor vehicle accidents are a common cause of injury ...

Key Takeaways  In Ukraine, the medical role of AI has evolved from limited use to wide-ranging applications in evacuation, diagnosis, predictive analytics, and treatment of wounded soldiers.  An analysis of 68 wounded soldiers showed that by analyzing data in real time from wearable medical devices, AI enhanced treatment by assisting medical personnel in delivering personalized care based on a soldier’s medical history, condition, and available resources.  The researchers found that AI not only accelerated drug delivery, identified new treatments for injuries, and supported artificial limb ...

Key Takeaways  Women who undergo a mastectomy for breast cancer may be at higher risk of developing emotional and physical problems after treatment compared with women who undergo procedures that preserve breast tissue, such as a lumpectomy.  Developing a universal screening tool to assess a woman’s readiness for mastectomy from an emotional and psychological perspective would be an important next step to improve long-term outcomes after surgery.  CHICAGO — While mastectomy is often a necessary and life-saving treatment option for many women with breast cancer, the surgery may contribute ...

Key Takeaways  Among 42,451 patients, 8.5% developed financial toxicity (a credit score below 600) after their diagnosis; an additional 3% were already in that category.  Patients whose credit score fell by two tiers within 12 months of diagnosis faced a 29% higher risk of death. Over any six-month period after diagnosis, a one-tier drop increased mortality risk by 12%, and a two-tier drop raised it by 63%, compared with patients whose scores stayed stable.  An increase in credit score was not found ...

Key Takeaways  Rapid uptake of weight loss drugs before metabolic and bariatric surgery: Between 2020 and 2024, the use of weight loss drugs before surgery rose sixteenfold among metabolic and bariatric surgery patients, highlighting their growing popularity and perceived effectiveness.  Substantial Increase Among Patients Without Diabetes: Use of GLP-1s, a class of drugs used to treat both Type 2 diabetes and weight loss, rose elevenfold in patients without diabetes, reflecting growing weight-focused ...

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 ...