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Medicine18 Jun 2025

Fallouh Healthcare wins funding to develop device providing early diagnosis of cardiac tamponade

Birmingham-based Fallouh Healthcare has been awarded a grant of £305,050 from Innovate UK as part of the Eureka Eurostar programme to finalise a prototype of PerDeCT™, working alongside their Austrian partner the Medizinische Universität Wien, which aims to be the first device for monitoring cardiac function and early diagnosis of cardiac tamponade, a life-threatening complication after heart surgery. Although cardiac surgery is safe, cardiac tamponade can come on quickly – usually after the patient has left theatre, and typically late at night when the patient is in intensive care. It is caused by the accumulation ...

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Environment18 Jun 2025

Can enzymes from fungi be used to extract plant components for biofuels and bioplastics?

Plant cell wall components such as cellulose are abundant sources of carbohydrates that are widely used in biofuels and bioproducts; however, extraction of these components from plant biomass is relatively difficult due to their complexity. In research in FEBS Open Bio, investigators have found that a combination of fungal enzymes can efficiently degrade plant biomass to allow for extraction. The enzymes are called cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH) and lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase (LPMO). LPMO and CDH operate together to enhance the degradation ...

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Environment18 Jun 2025

To what extent are tree species in Mexico and Central America threatened by extinction?

More than 4,000 tree species are found only in Mexico and Central America, or Mesoamerica. Research published in Plants, People, Planet reveals that nearly half of these tree species are threatened by extinction. As part of the Global Tree Assessment, an initiative to assess the conservation status of the world's tree species, a group of investigators compiled International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List assessments for each species, collating information about species' range, habitat, threats, and conservation actions. They found that 46% of trees ...

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Environment18 Jun 2025

How likely are extreme hot weather episodes in today’s UK climate?

In a study published in Weather, researchers estimated the current chances and characteristics of extreme hot episodes in the UK, and how they have changed over the last 6 decades. The team found that temperatures several degrees above those recorded during the UK’s heatwave in July 2022 are plausible in today’s climate, with a simulated maximum of over 45°C (113°F). The likelihood of 40°C (104°F) is now over 20 times more likely than it was in the 1960s. Moreover, the chance of 40°C will likely ...

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Medicine18 Jun 2025

Tumor DNA analysis for every child in the Princess Máxima Center

Readouts of the full DNA of children with cancer at diagnosis have been implemented as the standard of care in a European first. By determining a child's type of cancer as precisely as possible, the Princess Máxima Center for pediatric oncology aims to offer each individual child the treatment most likely to work for them. To determine the precise form of childhood cancer, the DNA in children’s tumor cells is analyzed at diagnosis. Since May, the Princess Máxima Center has started analyzing all children’s complete tumor DNA as standard of care, using a ...

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Science18 Jun 2025

To encourage scientific thinking, it is better to instruct than to reward

People are generally very good at detecting cause-effect relationships. This ability helps us understand the world, learn, make decisions, and predict the future. In short, it helps us adapt and survive. In fact, we are so good at spotting causal patterns that sometimes we find connections that don't really exist. As a result, we fall into the so-called causal illusion, i.e., we mistakenly believe that one event causes another, when, in fact, both are unrelated. A typical example occurs in the field of health when we assume that a pseudoscientific treatment is effective (therefore, ...

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Science18 Jun 2025

Sevenfold boost in lifespan of anode-free all-solid-state batteries using MoS₂ thin films

South Korean researchers have developed a technology that improves the lifespan of next-generation anode-free all-solid-state batteries (AFASSBs) by sevenfold using a cost-effective two-dimensional material. A collaborative team led by Dr. Ki-Seok An and Dr. Dong-Bum Seo of the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), along with Prof. Sangbaek Park’s group at Chungnam National University, successfully enhanced the durability of AFASSBs by applying a molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) sacrificial layer grown via metal–organic chemical vapor deposition ...

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Environment18 Jun 2025

Ancient groundwater records reveal regional vulnerabilities to climate change

Woods Hole, Mass. (June 17, 2025) — During the last ice age, storms soaked the now-arid Southwestern U.S., while today’s rainy Pacific Northwest remained relatively dry. As global temperatures rose and ice sheets retreated, those storms shifted north—reshaping the climate patterns that define both regions today. New research published in Science Advances reveals that groundwater levels responded differently in the two regions during this dramatic shift. While the Pacific Northwest saw little change in water table depth despite increased rainfall, the Southwest experienced significant groundwater loss. The ...

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Environment18 Jun 2025

New monstersaur species a ‘goblin prince’ among dinosaurs

A newly discovered, raccoon-sized armored monstersaurian from the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Southern Utah, United States, reveals a surprising diversity of large lizards at the pinnacle of the age of dinosaurs. Named for the goblin prince from J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,” the new species Bolg amondol also illuminates the sometimes-murky path that life traveled between ancient continents. “I opened this jar of bones labeled ‘lizard’ at the Natural History Museum of Utah, and was like, oh wow, there's a fragmentary skeleton here,” said lead author Hank Woolley ...

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Science18 Jun 2025

Father-daughter bonding helps female baboons live longer

Besides humans, very few mammals receive care from their fathers. But when species do, it may benefit their children. New research from the University of Notre Dame found that the strength of early-life father-daughter relationships predicts meaningful differences in the survival of female baboons. Published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the study evaluated the impact father baboons may have when they choose to co-reside or interact with their daughters, even though baboon mothers provide all essential care. Until now, the consequences of early-life paternal relationships of offspring were mostly unknown. “Male baboons tend ...

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Environment18 Jun 2025

New species of armored, monstersaur lizard that lived alongside dinosaurs identified by NHM paleontologists

A newly discovered raccoon-sized armored monstersaurian lizard from Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in southern Utah reveals a surprising diversity of these very big lizards at the pinnacle of the Age of Dinosaurs. Named for the goblin prince from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, the new species Bolg amondol also illuminates the sometimes murky path that life traveled between ancient continents. Published in the open-access journal Royal Society Open Science, the collaborative research led by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County’s Dinosaur Institute reveals hidden treasures awaiting future paleontologists in the bowels of museum ...

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Science18 Jun 2025

Puberty blockers do not cause problems with sexual functioning in transgender adults

During puberty, all kinds of hormonal changes take place in the body, which lead to the development of external sexual characteristics, such as breast growth, a lower voice or body hair growth. For transgender young people, who do not identify with the gender assigned to them at birth, these are often undesirable changes, which can be very drastic. Puberty blockers can temporarily halt these developments and give young people time to explore their gender identity. Although puberty blockers have been proven to contribute to the mental well-being of transgender young people, little is known about the influence of puberty blockers on sexual satisfaction and sexual problems later ...

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Medicine17 Jun 2025

High levels of antihistamine drugs can reduce fitness gains

For some, the word “histamine” might evoke thoughts of seasonal allergies: runny noses, scratchy throats and itchy eyes. But the molecule also influences exercise performance. A new study from the University of Oregon underscores its beneficial role in aerobic activity and exercise recovery, showing that blocking histamine at high levels interferes with fitness gains. It remains to be seen if lower-dose, over-the-counter antihistamine drugs have the same effect. The study was published May 30 in the Journal of Applied Physiology. Histamine is a small signaling molecule that evolved long ...

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Medicine17 Jun 2025

‘Virtual ward’ bed uses 4 times less carbon than traditional inpatient bed

A virtual ward bed uses 4 times less carbon than a traditional inpatient bed, so helping the NHS achieve its net zero target by 2045, finds the first study of its kind, published in the open access journal BMJ Innovations. And they are a promising way to care for more patients effectively, with the potential to reduce the need to build more high-carbon impact hospitals, suggest the researchers. A virtual ward, also known as "hospital at home," provides hospital-level care to patients in the comfort of their own homes, leveraging digital technology and remote monitoring. In recent years, particularly ...

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Medicine17 Jun 2025

Cannabis use linked to doubling in risk of cardiovascular disease death

Cannabis use is linked to a doubling in the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, with significantly heightened risks of having a stroke or acute coronary syndrome—sudden reduced or blocked blood flow to the heart—finds a pooled analysis of real world data, published online in the journal Heart. The authors of a linked editorial call for the drug to be treated like tobacco—not criminalised, but actively discouraged, with protection of bystanders from secondhand vapour inhalation. The use of cannabis and cannabinoids has soared over the past ...

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Medicine17 Jun 2025

Weight loss behaviors missing in tools to diagnose eating disorders

Researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London have identified a range of weight loss behaviours which are not included in current assessment criteria for eating disorders. These gaps may lead to missed or incorrect eating disorder diagnoses and treatment plans. The study, published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders, is the first large-scale investigation of under-recognised weight loss behaviours in individuals with eating disorders. It identifies a range of behaviours not captured by existing eating ...

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Medicine17 Jun 2025

Imaging-based STAMP technique democratizes single-cell RNA research

(MEMPHIS, Tenn. – June 17, 2025) Single-cell RNA sequencing provides scientists with important information about gene expression in health and disease. However, the technique is expensive and often prohibits analysis of large numbers of cells. Scientists from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the National Center for Genomic Analysis and the University of Adelaide created a method that combines microscopy with single-cell RNA analysis to overcome these limitations. The technique called Single-Cell Transcriptomics Analysis and Multimodal Profiling through ...

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Technology17 Jun 2025

Hyperspectral sensor pushes weed science a wave further

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — By combining artificial intelligence and sensors that can see beyond visible light, Arkansas researchers have developed a system that exceeds human discernment when it comes to measuring herbicide-induced stress in plants. Scientists with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, recently published a study in Smart Agricultural Technology providing proof-of-concept that hyperspectral sensors ...

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Medicine17 Jun 2025

War, trade and agriculture spread rice disease across Africa

Since the mid-1800s, human activities have rapidly facilitated the spread of rice yellow mottle virus (RYMV), a pathogen that infects rice, far and wide across Africa, according to a new study led by Eugénie Hébrard, at the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD, France), published June 17, 2025 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens. RYMV is a pathogen that infects rice and a few related grass species, and that poses a major threat to rice production in Africa. In the new study, researchers investigated how human history has shaped the spread of RYMV, looking at how distinct strains of RYMV ...

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Medicine17 Jun 2025

Study identifies a potential treatment for obesity-linked breathing disorder

Researchers from the George Washington University have uncovered promising evidence in an animal study that shows setmelanotide, an FDA-approved medication for a rare genetic obesity disorder, may offer a pathway for treating a life-threatening form of sleep-disordered breathing called Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome. People with this syndrome don't breathe deeply or frequently enough, especially during sleep, which leads to a buildup of carbon dioxide in their bodies even when they're awake. Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome which affects an estimated five to 10 million Americans commonly coexists with obstructive sleep apnea. While ...

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Medicine17 Jun 2025

From single cells to complex creatures: New study points to origins of animal multicellularity

Animals, from worms and sponges to jellyfish and whales, contain anywhere from a few thousand to tens of trillions of nearly genetically identical cells. Depending on the organism, these cells arrange themselves into a variety of tissues and organs, such as a gut, muscles, and sensory systems. While not all animals have each of these tissues, they do all have one tissue, the germline, that produces sperm or eggs to propagate the species. Scientists don’t completely understand how this kind of multicellularity evolved in animals. Cell-cell adhesion, or the ability for individual cells to stick to each other, certainly plays a role, but scientists already know ...

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Medicine17 Jun 2025

Language disparities in continuous glucose monitoring for type 2 diabetes

About The Study: This study found disparities in continuous glucose monitor (CGM) prescriptions by language preference, showing patients with non–English language preference having less access to CGM. These findings align with those of previous research documenting racial and ethnic disparities in CGM access. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Jorge A. Rodriguez, MD, email jarodriguez1@mgb.org. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website ...

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Science17 Jun 2025

New hormonal pathway links oxytocin to insulin secretion in the pancreas

“Although the detailed mechanism for the stimulation of intra-islet GLP-1 secretion remains to be elucidated and further studies are required, as far as we know, our present study is the first to report the effect of Oxt on inducing intra-islet GLP-1 secretion.” BUFFALO, NY — June 17, 2025 — A new research paper was published in Aging (Aging-US) Volume 17, Issue 5, on May 1, 2025, titled “Oxytocin modulates insulin and GLP-1 secretion in pancreatic islets.” In this study, scientists from Fukushima Medical ...

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Science17 Jun 2025

Optimal management of erosive esophagitis: An evidence-based and pragmatic approach

gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a prevalent gastrointestinal disorder, with up to 20% of patients developing complications like Erosive esophagitis (EE), Barrett’s esophagus, and esophageal adenocarcinoma. EE, characterized by mucosal necrosis and erosions, presents with symptoms ranging from heartburn to dysphagia and gastrointestinal bleeding. Despite effective pharmacologic treatments, 15% of patients exhibit refractory disease. This review synthesizes current evidence to guide clinicians in diagnosing and managing EE, balancing pharmacologic ...

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Medicine17 Jun 2025

For patients with multiple cancers, a colorectal cancer diagnosis could be lifesaving — or life-threatening

Key Takeaways Order matters: The sequence of colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnosis matters for patients with multiple primary cancers. Patients diagnosed with CRC first fared better than those diagnosed with a different cancer first. Better prognosis than CRC alone: CRC diagnosed as the first of multiple primary malignancies is associated with better overall and cancer-specific survival compared to just CRC or CRC as a second primary cancer. Hope, with a caveat: Patients who survive CRC have better prospects when ...

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