Although medications can often help patients find a cure or respite from their condition, millions of people worldwide suffer from unpredictable drug toxicities every year. In particular, drug eruptions which manifest through symptoms such as redness, blisters, and itching on the skin, are quite common. Severe drug eruptions can become life-threatening and can have long-lasting consequences. Thus, understanding how and why drug eruptions occur is an important area of research in medical science. To this end, previous studies have identified specific variants of certain genes as potential causal agents of drug eruptions. Scientists believe that ...

Physical activities like jogging, walking, cycling, and sprinting are activities known to engage the musculoskeletal system and result in the utilization of energy. Sprint interval training (SIT) is a type of sprinting exercise that involves cycles of intense exercise followed by a short duration of rest. How the durations of exercise and rest are structured can affect the impact of SIT on physiological responses. In recent years, the field of sports physiology has witnessed increased interest in optimizing SIT protocols. This surge can enhance the recognition of SIT’s efficacy in improving athletic performance and overall well-being, highlighting its versatility as a tool ...

Modified derivatives of natural products have led to significant therapeutic advances and commercial success in recent times. Menthol is a naturally occurring cyclic monoterpene alcohol found in various plants, particularly in members of the mint family such as peppermint and spearmint. It is a common ingredient found in a wide range of confectionaries, chewing gums and oral care products. Interestingly, menthol also has high medicinal value due to its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects. In a recent study, a team of researchers led by Professor Gen-ichiro Arimura ...

Peer-reviewed – Observational Study - People  An important new study has advanced how heart failure is detected in women – meaning more female patients can be diagnosed and at an earlier stage.  Researchers led by teams from the Universities of East Anglia (UEA), Sheffield and Leeds, have been able to fine-tune how magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to detect heart failure in women’s hearts, making it more accurate.  Lead author Dr Pankaj Garg, of the University of East Anglia’s Norwich Medical School and a consultant cardiologist at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, said: “By refining the method for women ...

Nanoparticles (NPs) are often used to reduce environmental pollution by targeting harmful chemicals in soil and water that are released by industrial and agricultural activities. These NPs are engineered to absorb, degrade, or neutralize these pollutants, providing a potential solution to environmental contamination. However, when released into the environment, they can be consumed by organisms and transferred through the food chain, resulting in widespread toxicity. To address this issue, a research ...

The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University announced today that Circe, a startup developed at the Institute and spun out of Harvard, has signed a worldwide, exclusive licensing agreement coordinated by Harvard’s Office of Technology Development (OTD) to commercialize a novel bioproduction technology that could significantly reduce the carbon emissions of industries from food to aviation fuel. Circe has raised more than $8 million to date from investors including Regen Ventures, Undeterred Capital, Ponderosa Ventures, Bee Partners, and Elementum Ventures. “One of the great challenges ...

PULLMAN, Wash. – A parasitic worm that can infest the brains of moose appears to be playing a role in the decline of the iconic animal in some regions of North America. Moose populations have been dwindling for years across the country due to many contributing factors, but new research at Washington State University has found the impact of Eleaophora schneideri, also known as the arterial worm, has likely been underestimated. Researchers examined recently deceased Shiras moose in Idaho between March 2020 and July 2022. While the parasitic roundworm E. schneideri was not detected in any of the animals found in north Idaho, it was present in 10 of ...

A new study demonstrated parity between a minimally invasive procedure to replace the aortic valve in the heart—transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)—and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). In the meta-analysis of seven randomized trials, published in JSCAI and presented at the 2024 EuroPCR conference in Paris, France, researchers compared the outcomes of 7,785 patients undergoing TAVR (a procedure that delivers a new aortic valve into the heart through a catheter) to those undergoing SAVR for severe aortic stenosis. ...

The study revealed unexpected and sex-specific effects of germline regulation on longevity and somatic repair in vertebrates. Contrary to classical evolutionary theories, it turns out that changing how the germline (the part responsible for reproduction) works can have different effects on males and females. This challenges conventional beliefs that reproduction and longevity are linked by a limited pool of resources. The research opens up new possibilities for understanding how our bodies age and the role of reproduction in that process. The findings ...

The SPECULOOS project, led by the astronomer Michaël Gillon from the University of Liège, has just discovered a new Earth-sized exoplanet around SPECULOOS-3, an "ultracool dwarf" star as small as Jupiter, twice as cold as our Sun, and located 55 light-years from Earth.  After the famous TRAPPIST-1, SPECULOOS 3 is the second planetary system discovered around this type of star. Ultra-cool dwarf stars are the least massive stars in our Universe, similar in size to Jupiter, more than twice as cold, ten times less massive and a hundred times less ...

Two Cancer Research UK-funded studies from Oxford Population Health have discovered proteins in the blood that could warn people of cancer more than seven years before it is diagnosed. Scientists identified 618 proteins linked to 19 different types of cancer, including 107 proteins in a group of people who blood was collected at least seven years before diagnosis. The team have discovered that these proteins could be involved at the very earliest stages of cancer, where it could be prevented. They ...

A new, Earth-sized planet orbiting an ultra-cool red dwarf star, has been detected by an international team of astronomers – just 55 light years away.  The planet is only the second of its kind to be discovered around this type of star. Called SPECULOOS-3 b, it takes around 17 hours to complete an orbit of the star which is more than twice as cold as our sun, as well as ten times less massive and a hundred times less luminous.  Days and nights on SPECULOOS-3 b seem to be endless: the planet is likely to be tidally locked, so the same side – the ‘dayside’ – always faces the star in a relationship similar to our moon and Earth.    The ...

A recent study led by the Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology group at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) and the University of Barcelona has identified a new biomarker for Alzheimer's disease in asymptomatic stages of the disease. The molecule is miR-519a-3p, a microRNA directly linked to the expression of the cellular prion protein (PrPC), which is deregulated in people suffering from some neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. The search for biomarkers that are stable and easily detectable in biofluids, ...

New research has shed light in the complex interplay between cell proteins, and how they impact on neurons in neurodevelopmental disorders and Alzheimer’s disease. A new study led by the University of Exeter and published in Royal Society Open Biology has discovered the key role that the protein Contactin-4 (encoded by the gene CNTN4) plays in shaping neurons. The researchers began studying CNTN4 because it was known to have a role in autism, but its functional roles were not well understood. The team explored how CNTN4 functions within the brain, particularly its interactions with proteins involved in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's ...

Lifespan caps for passenger vehicles have limited effect on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and could drive up costs and material use finds a new study published in Environmental Research: Infrastructure and Sustainability. The research shows that although Light-Duty vehicles (LDVs) contribute 17% to the annual greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, imposing a 15-year lifespan cap on LDV fleets under a business-as-usual scenario will not lead to any meaningful reductions in GHG emissions.  To combat delayed uptake of Electric Vehicles (EVs), some have argued for limits on the vehicle’s ...

Paris, France, 14-17 May 2024. The Course Directors have selected 3 major Late Breaking Trials (LBTs) that will be presented for the first time during the 2024 edition of EuroPCR. These trials were selected on account of their design, outcomes and potential to influence daily clinical practice.  Among them is the NOTION-2 randomised clinical trial (RCT).  Background   Evidence comparing the use of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in low-risk patients with aortic ...

Paris, France, 14-17 May 2024. The Course Directors have selected 3 major Late Breaking Trials (LBTs) that will be presented for the first time during the 2024 edition of EuroPCR. These trials were selected on account of their design, outcomes and potential to influence daily clinical practice. Among them is the REC-CAGEFREE II trial.  Background and methods  The REC-CAGEFREE II trial is an open-label, investigator-initiated, non-inferiority, multicentre randomised trial comparing stepwise de-escalation of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with standard DAPT in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) treated with paclitaxel-coated balloons (PCB). Eligible ...

Paris, France, 14-17 May 2024. The Course Directors have selected 3 major Late Breaking Trials (LBTs) that will be presented for the first time during the 2024 edition of EuroPCR. These trials were selected on account of their design, outcomes and potential to influence daily clinical practice.  Among them is the LANDMARK trial. Background and Methods  Key randomized controlled trials have compared surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) with transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) using one of two commercially available transcatheter heart valves (THVs) - ...

New research published in Aging Cell provides insights into how exercise may help to prevent or slow cognitive decline during aging. For the study, investigators assessed the expression of genes in individual cells in the brains of mice. The team found that exercise has a significant impact on gene expression in microglia, the immune cells of the central nervous system that support brain function. Specifically, the group found that exercise reverts the gene expression patterns of aged microglia to patterns seen in young microglia. Treatments that depleted ...

Gelatinous zooplankton, including jellyfish and other diverse, nearly transparent organisms, play important roles in marine ecosystems. Climate change is expected to significantly alter their populations and distributions. New research published in Limnology and Oceanography examines their fate in the Arctic Ocean, one of the fastest warming oceans on Earth. Investigators coupled three-dimensional species distribution models with oceanographic variables from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6. The analyses allowed the team to identify gelatinous ...

A protein called retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator interacting protein 1-like (RPGRIP1L) performs various functions that are important for development and for health throughout life, and mutations in the RPGRIP1L gene have been linked to different diseases. New research published in The FASEB Journal indicates that expression levels of the RPGRIP1L gene might serve as a new prognostic marker for individuals with invasive breast cancer. When investigators examined breast tissue specimens from different women, they found that the ...

A new study published in the Journal of Computer Assisted Learning introduces a novel Robot-Inspired Computer-Assisted Adaptive Autism Therapy (RoboCA3T) that leverages the natural affinity of children with autism spectrum disorder towards technology and robots. RoboCA3T harnesses the potential of robot-assisted therapies by incorporating robot avatars and integrating them with computer-assisted therapies through a web-based solution. When investigators assessed Childhood Autism Rating Scale scores before and after the intervention, ...

The extent of individuals’ mobility within their community—how much they get out and about—may be linked to their cognitive function, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. In the study of 7,016 Black and white adults aged 52 years and older who completed various questionnaires, greater community mobility was significantly associated with better cognitive function, although the association was small. Because higher atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk is associated with both mobility limitations and cognitive decline, investigators ...

Many people practice mindfulness or self-compassion techniques in their everyday life as part of their normal self-care routine. Although many studies support the individual benefits of mindfulness and self-compassion, few have focused on romantic relationship outcomes. A new study published in Personal Relationships examined how mindfulness, self- and other-compassion, and need fulfillment relate to relationship and sexual satisfaction in midlife married couples. The study involved survey results from 640 adults aged 40–59 years who were residing in Canada and were married. Mindfulness is the nonjudgmental attention and awareness to present ...

New research indicates that various features assessed through imaging tests can reveal an individual’s risk of developing meniscus tears, which is one of the most common knee injuries. The study, which is published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research, was based on the use of radiomics, which unveils imperceptible patterns in medical images. Investigators used magnetic resonance images from 215 people with intact menisci at the start of the study who had 4-year meniscal status data. Over 4 years, 34 participants developed meniscus tears. Use of radiomics at the start of the study correctly classified 24 of these 34 cases and 172 of 181 controls with a sensitivity of 70.6% ...