Illegal opioids can create substantial harms, but the extent of those harms depends on multiple factors, including the amount consumed. In a new study, researchers assessed whether opioid consumption intensity varies appreciably over time or context. They found that intensity—as opposed to prevalence—of illegal opioid use varies enormously. These findings have implications for drug treatment and policy. The study, by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, RAND, and the University of Maryland, appears in The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. The supply of illegal opioids ...

Research Summary This work aimed to understand how anemonefish — the colorful reef dwellers best known from Finding Nemo — evolved into such a diverse group of species. Scientists have long assumed that their tight-knit relationship with sea anemones, their protective hosts, was the main engine behind their evolutionary diversification. But the team wondered if other ecological factors could also have played a critical role. This question matters because anemonefish are one of the few examples of adaptive radiation in marine environments ...

A new study led by Dr. Vadim Axelrod, of the Gonda (Goldschmied) Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center at Bar-Ilan University, has revealed serious concerns about the quality of data collected on Amazon Mechanical Turk’s (MTurk) — a platform widely used for behavioral and psychological research. MTurk, an online crowdsourcing marketplace where individuals complete small tasks for payment, has served as a key resource for researchers for over 15 years. Despite previous concerns about participant quality, the platform remains popular within the academic community. Dr. Axelrod’s ...

Glaciers hold layers of history preserved in ice, offering unique insights into Earth's past that can also help us interpret the future. Trapped amidst the frozen water are microscopic deposits of dust, pollen, and even pollutants that scientists can use to examine environmental changes through time. DRI’s Ice Core Lab has used this technique to highlight atmospheric lead pollution and economic turbulence in Ancient Rome. Now, their latest study found that a glacier in the French Alps dates back to the last Ice Age – the oldest known glacier ice in the region. Serving as a record that spans through the development of agriculture ...

Yoga, Tai Chi, walking and jogging may be the best forms of exercise to improve sleep quality and ease insomnia, suggest the findings of a comparative pooled data analysis published in the online journal BMJ Evidence Based Medicine. The findings back the use of exercise as a primary treatment strategy for poor sleep patterns, say the researchers. Characterised by difficulties falling and staying asleep, and early morning awakening, the prevalence of insomnia ranges from 4-22%, note the researchers. It is associated with heightened risks of various mental and physical health conditions, including dementia and cardiovascular disease. Drug ...

Medical tourism for bariatric and weight reduction surgery needs urgent regulation to protect recipients’ health, especially as the data show that tourist numbers are increasing despite the advent of weight loss drugs, say experts in a commentary published online in BMJ Global Health. The high prevalence of obesity coupled with healthcare resource constraints and increased globalisation have resulted in more people accessing obesity treatment abroad, amid the rapid growth of services to meet this demand, note Dr Jessica McGirr of the Obesity Research and Care Group RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland and ...

Most up-to-date report estimates that development assistance for health (DAH) will further decline by 2030, following steep cutbacks from major donors in 2025, including the US, UK, France, and Germany. The drop comes after DAH fell more than 50% in 2025 from an all-time high of $80 billion in 2021. Sub-Saharan Africa could be hardest hit by cuts in 2025. The potential increase in infectious diseases in low- and middle-income countries poses a global health concern that could impact all nations, including those in high-income regions, due to the risk ...

 Exercise could ease symptoms for people with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia, but support and adequate guidance is lacking  Personalised exercise guidance is needed for people living with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL), the most common type of blood cancer, according to a new study led by the University of Surrey.   The research, published on eJHaem, surveyed 128 CLL patients across the UK, and found that while nearly 80% expressed a desire to participate in exercise programs, 70% reported never receiving any related advice from their healthcare providers.  Dr David ...

University of Cambridge media release   Lost English legend decoded, solving Chaucerian mystery and revealing a medieval preacher’s meme   UNDER STRICT EMBARGO UNTIL 19:01 US EDT ON TUESDAY 15TH JULY 2025 / 00:01 UK TIME (BST) ON WEDNESDAY 16TH JULY 2025   A medieval literary puzzle which has stumped scholars including M.R. James for 130 years has finally been solved. Cambridge scholars now believe the Song of Wade, a long lost treasure of English culture, was a chivalric romance not a monster-filled epic. The discovery solves the most famous mystery ...

The stigma of having alopecia causes more depression and anxiety than the disease itself, new research has found. The study, led by King’s College London is the largest of its kind and published in the British Journal of Dermatology, found that the impact on the quality of life on people with alopecia is determined by the negative perceptions and stigma associated with having the illness. Supported by an academic research grant by Pfizer, the study surveyed 596 adults with alopecia areata and found that over 80% reported ...

For the first time, a new study has revealed how and when we make eye contact—not just the act itself—plays a crucial role in how we understand and respond to others, including robots. Led by cognitive neuroscientist Dr Nathan Caruana, researchers from the HAVIC Lab at Flinders University asked 137 participants to complete a block-building task with a virtual partner. They discovered that the most effective way to signal a request was through a specific gaze sequence: looking at an object, making eye contact, then looking back at the same object. ...

Innovative virtual eye clinics in shopping centres could significantly reduce waiting times for routine eye appointments, UCL-led research suggests in a first-of-its-kind study. The research, published in the journal BMJ Open, evaluates the impact of a community-based ‘pop-up’ eye clinic set up in Brent Cross shopping centre in north London in September 2021, at the height of the pandemic, on reducing the post-COVID-19 appointment backlog. The researchers looked at data from 69,257 appointments attended by 39,357 patients with stable glaucoma and medical retinal conditions at sites ...

The University of Birmingham, UK, and Brazilian-based CBMM, have partnered on a project to ensure the future supply of Niobium, a non-critical but rare and important metal and an essential component for a carbon recycling technology that could radically reduce emissions from energy- and carbon-intensive foundation industries.  CBMM, a global leader in the production of Niobium products, will work with Birmingham researchers led by Professor Yulong Ding to improve the efficiency of production, and reduce the ...

Abu Dhabi, UAE, July 15, 2025: A comprehensive new study from NYU Abu Dhabi’s Science Division analyzed scripts from nearly 7,000 episodes of children’s TV shows in the United States spanning 1960 to 2018. It uncovered enduring biased patterns in how male and female characters are portrayed through language. Using advanced natural language processing techniques, the researchers examined how words referring to men or boys and to women or girls were used in children’s TV scripts, focusing ...

New research led by the University of Victoria (UVic) has illuminated a significant and previously unrecognized source of seismic hazard for the Yukon Territory of northwestern Canada.  The Tintina fault is a major geologic fault approximately 1,000 km long that trends northwestward across the entire territory. It has slipped laterally a total of 450 km in its lifetime but was previously believed to have been inactive for at least 40 million years. However, using new high-resolution topographic data collected from satellites, airplanes and drones, researchers have identified a 130-km-long segment of the fault near Dawson City where there is evidence ...

A team that includes Rutgers University-New Brunswick scientists has unlocked some of the secrets of corn DNA, revealing how specific sections of genetic material control vital traits such as plant architecture and pest resistance. The discovery could enable scientists to use new technologies to improve corn, making it more resilient and productive, the scientists said. In a report in the science journal Nature Plants, researchers described finding where certain proteins called transcription factors attach to the DNA in corn plants and how this sticking changes how genes are turned on ...

In the ongoing battle against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, MSU researchers have made a discovery that could reshape how we target deadly pathogens like staph infections. taphylococcus aureus, commonly known as ‘staph,’ is a group of bacteria that are frequently found on the skin and in the noses of healthy people. While many types of staph are harmless, some can cause serious infections. One particularly dangerous strain is MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, which is resistant to many commonly used antibiotics. MRSA and other staph infections can range ...

July 15, 2025  MSU has a satellite uplink/LTN TV studio and Comrex line for radio interviews upon request.  Contact: Emilie Lorditch, University Communications: 517-355-4082, lorditch@msu.edu; Bethany Mauger, College of Natural Science: 765-571-0623, maugerbe@msu.edu   Images and Video  Why this matters:  Warming ocean temperatures are causing a phenomenon called coral bleaching, putting corals at a greater risk of starvation, disease and death.  This study shows that rice coral, an important reef-building species, passes ...

URBANA, Ill. – Gaining a better understanding of how romantic relationships develop over time is key to helping couples maintain a satisfying union and overcome challenges. Researchers and practitioners rely on theories to provide insights, and it’s important that they are accurate and reliable. A new paper from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign discusses how contemporary methodologies can be applied to common relationship theories in a more rigorous way. “How relationships change influences relational, individual, and broader family functioning,” said ...

DALLAS, July 14, 2025 — Hemorrhagic strokes account for just 13% of the nearly 800,000 strokes that occur in the U.S. each year, yet they are responsible for more than 40% of all stroke-related deaths.[1] These devastating brain bleeds have long lacked standardized surgical treatment protocols, limiting patient recovery options. In response, the American Heart Association, devoted to changing the future of health  for all, is launching a new nationwide initiative to accelerate the adoption of effective surgical approaches, including minimally invasive techniques, to improve outcomes for people ...

A groundbreaking study from Michigan State University (MSU), recently published in Nature Communications, has revealed how the multidrug-resistant superfungus Candida auris uniquely reconstructs its cell wall to survive antifungal treatments. The discovery marks a significant step toward understanding and combating one of the most dangerous fungal pathogens threatening hospitalized patients worldwide.  Led by Tuo Wang, a Carl Brubaker Endowed Professor at Department of Chemistry, the research compares C. auris with its more common relative, Candida albicans. While both species share similar cell wall structures, the study ...

Cancer remains a leading cause of global mortality, with therapeutic challenges primarily arising from drug resistance and limited treatment efficacy. Polypharmacology—the strategic use of multi-target drugs or synergistic drug combinations—has emerged as a transformative approach to address these limitations. The journal Current Pharmaceutical Analysis is pleased to announce a special issue focusing on cutting-edge advancements in polypharmacology for cancer therapy, with an emphasis on mechanisms of drug resistance, rational design of drug combinations, and computational ...

Wearable healthcare devices, such as glucose monitors and heart monitors, are popular due to their ability to gather real-time data that supports users’ health and safety.   However, despite their benefits, these devices must often be worn on the arms or chest for a long period of time. They can irritate the skin, cause allergic reactions, and become obstructed by moisture and sweat.    Dr. Jaime Grunlan, Leland T. Jordan '29 Chair Professor in the J. Mike Walker '66 ...

High school students learn that Pavlov’s dogs were conditioned to associate the sound of a bell with getting food. The association was so strong that the dogs would begin to salivate when they heard the bell, before there was even a whiff of food. When they were finally presented with the food, they ate it. They did not lick the bell. But that’s just what some animals will do when presented with a stimulus, or cue, that has been paired with a reward: interact with the cue. Sometimes they’ll ...

Current Molecular Pharmacology (CMP) is at the cutting edge of publishing the latest advancements in cellular and molecular pharmacology. We focus on the mechanisms of action of new drugs under development, innovative pharmacological technologies, and the application of genomics, proteomics, and metabonomics to drug action. The journal also delves into how studying drug actions at the cellular and molecular levels provides insights into normal biological functions, thus deepening our understanding of therapeutic interventions and fundamental biological processes.  With an impact factor of 2.9 in 2025, CMP is extensively indexed in databases such as ...