COLUMBUS, Ohio – While emerging evidence suggests pesticides can be toxic to the mix of microorganisms in the digestive system, a new study is the first to map changes to specific gut bacteria based on interactions between human microbes and insect-killing chemicals observed in the lab and an animal model. The analysis showed that over a dozen pesticides influence human gut bacteria growth patterns, affect how gut microorganisms process nutrients and camp out inside some bacteria. Researchers say the resulting “atlas” ...

New findings show that the stage of normal cell development at which B cells transform into leukemic cells impacts treatment outcomes for pediatric patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Scientists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and University Health Network’s Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, developed a robust single-cell reference atlas of normal human B-cell development and cross-referenced single-cell B-ALL data with it, as well as outcomes data. The study, ...

Roberto Morandotti Wins Prestigious IEEE Photonics Society Quantum Electronics Award    Congratulations to Professor Roberto Morandotti, the first researcher at INRS to receive this prestigious award in the field of quantum electronics    VARENNES, QC, June 27, 2025 – Professor Roberto Morandotti, a globally recognized leader in quantum optics and photonics at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), has won the 2025 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Photonic Society Quantum Electronics Award. This award pays ...

In a multi-institutional study published in Science Direct, researchers revealed that testing urine-based tumor DNA (utDNA) can help predict which bladder cancer patients are at higher risk for recurrence after treatment. This study analyzed utDNA from patients in the SWOG S1605 trial, who were treated with atezolizumab, an immunotherapy drug. Researchers used the UroAmp test to examine urine samples from 89 patients at the start of treatment and from 77 patients three months later. The goal was to see if utDNA could help identify which bladder cancer patients are most likely to respond to immunotherapy.  “This approach could help improve patient ...

Citrate is essential for the metabolism and development of neurons. A membrane transport protein called SLC13A5 plays a central role in this process and has previously been linked to a particularly severe form of epileptic encephalopathy. Building on data from the recently completed RESOLUTE and REsolution flagship projects, scientists at CeMM have comprehensively studied the function and structure of the membrane transporter SLC13A5, experimentally investigating 38 mutant variants. Their findings, published in Science Advances (DOI 10.1126/sciadv.adx3011) shed new light on the mechanisms of this disease and lay the ...

Parts of New Orleans and its surrounding wetlands are gradually sinking, and while most of the city remains stable, a new study from Tulane University researchers suggests that sections of the region’s $15 billion post-Katrina flood protection system may need regular upgrades to outpace long-term land subsidence. The study, published in Science Advances, used satellite radar data to track subtle shifts in ground elevation across Greater New Orleans between 2002 and 2020. The study found that some neighborhoods, wetlands and even sections of floodwalls are sinking by more than an inch per year — with some ...

Ribosomes are tiny molecular machines inside all living cells that build proteins, and ribosome biogenesis is the complex, multi-step process by which they are made. During brain development, neural stem cell proliferation relies on active ribosome biogenesis to meet high protein demand. This process involves the concerted action of numerous ribosomal RNA processing factors and assembly proteins. Studies have shown that precise regulation of ribosome biogenesis is essential for normal brain development and tumor prevention. N6-Methyladenosine ...

Peking University, June 27, 2025: To overcome the inherent challenge of translation termination interference caused by stop codon reprogramming in mammalian cells, researchers from Peking University led by Chen Peng from College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering and Yi Chengqi from School of Life Sciences have developed a novel codon expansion strategy that enables precise incorporation of noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) without perturbing natural genetic codes. This innovative approach utilizes post-transcriptionally modified RNA codons—distinct from all 64 standard genetic codons—within targeted transcripts to encode ncAAs ...

Background and objectives Emergency department (ED) presentations are associated with higher cancer mortality. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, frequency, and risk factors in Australian patients diagnosed with malignant skin cancers. Methods This data-linkage cohort study examined adult patients presenting to the ED at the Royal Melbourne and Western Health hospitals within 12 months of a malignant skin cancer diagnosis. Multivariable logistic and Poisson regressions were used to analyze factors influencing the prevalence and frequency of ED presentations. Results A total ...

The research was led by Dr Irène Amblard and Dr Vicki Metzis from the Development and Transcriptional Control group, in collaboration with LMS facilities and the Chromatin and Development and Computational Regulatory Genomics groups.     All cells contain the same DNA but must turn specific genes ‘on’ and ‘off’ – a process known as gene expression – to create different body parts. The cells in your eyes and arms harbour the same genes but ‘express’ them differently to become each body part. The work focused on the gene Cdx2. The duration of Cdx2 expression helps to determine where and when a cell produces ...

About The Study: In this study, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act was associated with a significantly decreased risk of losing health insurance for individuals enrolled in the Medicaid program. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Sarah P. Shubeck, MD, MS, email shubeck@bsd.uchicago.edu. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamahealthforum.2025.1467) Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, ...

About The Study: The results of this study suggest that extending Medicaid coverage for 12 months postpartum was associated with expanded opportunities for greater access to Medicaid-financed medical and behavioral health care. Both prevention and ongoing treatment of chronic conditions may help mitigate key adverse outcomes. The findings may help policymakers and public health officials understand how extended coverage affects access to Medicaid-financed care. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Jonas J. Swartz, MD, MPH, email jonas.swartz@duke.edu. To ...

Peking University, June 27, 2025: Addressing the challenge of waste plastics treatments, the scientific community has been pursuing innovative solutions. Recently, Peking University researchers led by Ma Ding from College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, in collaboration with Xu Shutao from Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, uncovered how complex plastic mixtures can be utilized based on the differences in the physical and chemical properties of the components with the aids of NMR technique and catalytic approaches. This work provides a new treatment ...

For 50 years, scientists believed that schools of fish would save the most energy by swimming in flat diamond formations. Recently, a team of researchers at Princeton and Harvard ran an experiment to check this assumption. It turns out that, contrary to what models predicted, fish don’t swim in diamonds. They swim in a dynamic pattern that the researchers call a ladder, where they’re staggered in three dimensions like an echelon of fighter jets. The research team, led by Radhika Nagpal, professor of robotics at Princeton, adapted computer vision software originally developed to track individual animal movements to collect the first 3D data ...

By Benjamin Boettner (BOSTON) — Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), one of two major forms of esophageal cancer, is the sixth most deadly cancer worldwide for which no effective targeted therapy exists. Patients need to rely on chemotherapy as a standard-of-care, which is started ahead of surgical interventions as a so-called “neoadjuvant chemotherapy” (NACT) in the hope to shrink or control tumors. However, most patients become resistant to certain NACTs, leading to poor outcomes. Given the utter lack of therapeutic alternatives, responders and non-responders alike, continue to receive one of the available chemotherapies without knowing whether ...

Background and objectives In recent years, it has been found that Lycium barbarum can repair liver damage and promote liver regeneration. Additionally, the polysaccharides contained in Lycium barbarum have anticancer properties and can induce apoptosis in cancer cells. Molecular docking, a mature computer-aided method, is widely used in drug discovery. This study aimed to verify the efficacy of active ingredients of Lycium barbarum in the treatment of liver cancer ...

Depression affects 1%-2% of children younger than 13 in the U.S. and can arise as early as age 3, but a specialized therapeutic intervention can help preschool-aged children find relief from this condition — with benefits lasting at least four years, according to a new study led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The researchers, led by Joan Luby, MD, the Samuel and Mae S. Ludwig Professor of Psychiatry at WashU Medicine, and Mei Elansary, MD, an attending developmental behavioral pediatrician at Boston Medical Center, measured the long-term ...

NEW YORK, N.Y. — June 27, 2025 — An 8-year HonorHealth Research Institute clinical trial, using non-surgical techniques, showed 86% of patients with a type of usually fatal low blood pressure known as ‘structural shock’ survived at least 3 months, while 73% survived at least 6 months, according to a study presented here at a major heart convention. “That’s a spectacular improvement. This appears to be a monumental step forward,” said David G. Rizik, M.D., head of the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Research Institute’s Cardiovascular Research Division. Dr. ...

Breast cancer, particularly triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality due to its aggressive nature and limited therapeutic targets. Metabolic reprogramming, a hallmark of cancer, enables tumor cells to adapt to environmental stresses and fuel rapid proliferation. While the Warburg effect initially emphasized glycolysis, recent research highlights the critical role of mitochondrial oxidative metabolism in cancer progression. Mitochondria, dynamic organelles regulated by fission, fusion, and mitophagy, are central to metabolic plasticity, ...

A new study by UCLA researchers shows that removing a modest $45 out-of-pocket fee significantly improved access to digital breast tomosynthesis (3D mammography), an advanced breast cancer screening technology. Researchers found that eliminating the fee increased overall usage several percentage points and particularly benefited underserved patient populations, including racial and ethnic minorities and non-English speakers. The study appears in the Journal of the American College of Radiology. Why it matters Even small financial barriers can prevent patients from accessing potentially life-saving medical technology. ...

Elected officials, political analysts, and nonprofit organizations have for years spotlighted the spread of online election information in Western democracies—largely with a focus on media platforms popular in these nations, such as X and Facebook.  But in most of the world—notably the Global South—misinformation often reaches citizens through social messaging apps, including WhatsApp. Most often, falsehoods are shared on these platforms through multimedia content, such as easy-to-share videos and images.  Recognizing this, a team of researchers at New York University’s Center for Social Media and Politics (CSMaP) studied the behavior of WhatsApp users during ...

A global effort to create a “microbial Noah’s Ark” to preserve the world’s diverse collection of healthy microbes before they disappear is now entering an active growth phase. In a perspective article published in Nature Communications, a team of 25 scientists involved in the formation of the Microbiota Vault Initiative reported their successes and also laid out an ethical framework to ensure equitable collaboration and depositor sovereignty. This set of principles is designed to guide the initiative in its mission to safeguard microbial diversity for future generations. The announcement, which coincides with World Microbiome Day on June 27, marks ...

Current tuberculosis infection tests struggle to detect the disease in those with HIV. A common co-infection, HIV can hide TB from traditional tests by eliminating the immune cells relied upon to sound the alarm. While more than 90% of the 2 billion TB cases worldwide are latent – symptom-free and not contagious – the weakening of the immune system in those with HIV can allow latent TB to turn active, increasing the potential for new infections to spread and often resulting in fatal outcomes. Tuberculosis is the leading cause of death among those with HIV worldwide. Now, Tulane University researchers have developed a new handheld TB test ...

What if a blood test could reveal the pace of our aging – and the diseases that may lie ahead? The labs of Profs. Liran Shlush and Amos Tanay at the Weizmann Institute of Science have been conducting in-depth studies into the biology of blood to better understand the aging process and why some people become more susceptible to disease over the years. Their research teams, made up of physicians, biologists and data scientists, have been tracking changes in the blood-forming stem cells, including the emergence of genetic changes in these cells in about one-third of people over the age of 40. These changes not only increase ...

The ion channel PIEZO2 doesn’t just convey touch stimuli. It also plays a key role in the development of coronary vessels, a team led by Annette Hammes from the Max Delbrück Center reports in “Nature Cardiovascular Research.” The findings could improve our understanding of congenital heart defects. Our skin can detect even the slightest breeze. This remarkable sensitivity is thanks to special ion channels embedded in cell membranes that respond to mechanical stimuli. Now a team led by Dr. Annette Hammes, Group Leader of the Molecular Signaling Pathways in Cortical Development lab at the Max Delbrück Center, has shown that one of these channels – ...