UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL 10 AM GMT / 5 AM ET TUESDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2026 Invisible battery parts finally seen with pioneering technique More images available via the link in the notes section Researchers at the University of Oxford have developed a powerful new method to visualise an essential lithium-ion battery electrode component that had been extremely difficult to trace before. The discovery, published today (17 February) in Nature Communications, could lead to increased manufacturing efficiency of battery electrodes and ultimately help improve the charging rate and lifetime of Li-ion ...

University of Leeds news Embargoed: Tuesday 17 February 10:00 GMT (05:00 EST) Tropical forests help to generate vast amounts of rainfall each year, adding weight to arguments for protecting them as water and climate pressures increase, say researchers. A new study led by the University of Leeds has put a monetary value on one of forests’ least recognised services as a source of rainfall to surrounding regions, finding that each hectare generates 2.4 million litres of rain each year - enough to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool.   Satellite observations were combined with simulations from the latest generation of climate models, to reduce long‑standing uncertainty ...

Nucleotide synthesis—the production of the basic components of DNA and RNA—is essential for cell growth and division. In most animal cells, this process depends closely on properly functioning mitochondria, the organelles responsible for respiration and energy production. When mitochondrial respiration fails—a common feature of mitochondrial diseases and several forms of cancer—cells lose the ability to proliferate normally. A new study published in Nature Metabolism now shows that this dependence is not irreversible. An ...

Bacteria have evolved to adapt to all of Earth’s most extreme conditions, from scorching heat to temperatures well below zero. Ice caves are just one of the environments hosting a variety of microorganisms that represent a source of genetic diversity that has not yet been studied extensively. Now, researchers in Romania tested antibiotic resistance profiles of a bacterial strain that until recently was hidden in a 5,000-year-old layer of ice of an underground ice cave – and found it could be an opportunity for developing new strategies to prevent the rise of antibiotic ...

Bioengineered E. coli bacteria can now produce a group of compounds with anticancer, anti-HIV, antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory activities. The Kobe University achievement is the result of a rational design strategy that yields a platform for the industrial production of drug candidates. Plants produce many substances with promising pharmacological activities. For example, Rhododendron species produce a class of compounds, called orsellinic acid-derived meroterpenoids, with remarkable anticancer, anti-HIV, antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory activities. However, despite their attractiveness for pharmacological research, their natural ...

Hospital admissions for maltreatment of children under the age of 2 years declined 31% during the 16-week lockdown at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, returning to prepandemic levels after restrictions lifted, according to new research published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.251317. However, after the 16-week period of restricted health care access, rates of admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) for child maltreatment increased by 80%. “We consider that the observed ...

Osaka, Japan – Ocean waves are one of the most abundant and predictable renewable energy sources on the planet, yet efficiently harnessing their power remains a major challenge. Traditional devices typically operate efficiently only within a narrow range of wave conditions, highlighting the need for more novel, constructive converters. Now, one researcher from The University of Osaka has analyzed the feasibility of a novel device for generating wave power. The device, called a gyroscopic wave energy converter (GWEC), was assessed for its potential in providing practical, large-scale energy generation. The findings were published last month in ...

The psychedelic effects recreational users often seek from taking ketamine do not predict the therapeutic benefits for people being treated for alcohol use disorder. The popular theory, which says that ketamine may have its therapeutic benefits because it produces strong psychedelic effects, has been called into question by a new study from King’s College London and the University of Exeter, published in Addiction. The study suggests the treatment response may be down to other effects of the drug. The research provides new insights into the use of intravenous ketamine-assisted psychotherapy for individuals with moderate to severe alcohol use disorder. It used data from ...

Embargoed for release until 5:00 p.m. ET on Monday 16 February 2026    Follow @Annalsofim on X, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and Linkedin              Below please find summaries of new articles that will be published in the next issue of Annals of Internal Medicine. The summaries are not intended to substitute for the full articles as a source of information. This information is under strict embargo and by taking it into possession, media representatives are committing to ...

Risk maps for the cancer-causing gas radon can encourage people to test their homes for the substance, but only if homeowners live in known, higher-risk areas, new University of Oregon research finds. For those living in low-risk areas, maps seem to not affect, or may even decrease, people’s intent to test for radon. “It might be the case that a household is exposed to radon for many, many years and they don't actually know about it, especially if they're not testing for radon,” said Cathy Slavik, the study’s lead author, who did the work as a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow at the UO. “That exposure can become really problematic,” ...

Presbycusis is a prevalent form of age-related hearing loss that also hinders speech recognition. While scientists have linked hearing loss to an increased risk of cognitive decline, the biological “bridge” between the two has remained unclear. New from eNeuro, researchers at Tiangong University and Shandong Provincial Hospital, led by Ning Li, explored the link between these symptoms in people.  The researchers identified a specific neurobiological link between hearing loss and cognitive decline called the Functional-Structural Ratio (FSR). They found that the putamen and fusiform gyrus (involved in processing sound and ...

A powerful artificial intelligence (AI) tool could give clinicians a head start in identifying life-threatening complications after stem cell and bone marrow transplants, according to new research from MUSC Hollings Cancer Center. For many patients, a stem cell or bone marrow transplant is lifesaving. But recovery does not end when patients leave the hospital. For some, serious complications can emerge months later, often without warning. One of the most challenging is chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a condition in which immune cells from ...

About The Study: In this 2023 to 2024 study, nearly 2 of 3 U.S. adults reported medication use in the past 7 days. Past-7-day prevalence of over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medication use was similar, demonstrating the reliance on these therapies and highlighting the importance of accessibility.   Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Jody L. Green, PhD, email jody.green@uprisehealth.com. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.59479) Editor’s ...

About The Study: This nationally representative study showed that, in 1 in 5 U.S. households, parents perceived a mental health treatment need for their children. Among these parents, 24.8% reported an unmet need, 16.6% reported difficulty in accessing care, and 21.8% cited such difficulty as the reason their children did not receive care. This burden was even greater for households with a single parent and multiple children.  Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Alyssa L. Burnett, MPH, email alyssa_burnett@populationmedicine.org. To access the embargoed study: Visit our ...

About The Study: In this population-based study, rotator cuff abnormalities were nearly universal after age 40 and showed poor concordance with shoulder symptoms. These findings suggest that rotator cuff abnormalities often represent normal age-related changes rather than disease and call into question the clinical value of routine imaging for atraumatic shoulder pain. The accompanying commentary is co-authored by San Francisco Giants Team Orthopedist Brian Feeley, M.D. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Thomas Ibounig, MD, email thomas.ibounig@helsinki.fi. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.7903) Editor’s ...

A feature of pancreatic cancer cells’ surroundings determines whether they grow fast or become resistant to chemotherapy, a new study shows. The ability of these cancer cells to adapt quickly and toggle between biological responses makes them more likely to survive and harder to treat, the study authors say. Led by NYU Langone Health researchers, the study reveals a new facet of how pancreatic cancer cells regulate their levels of autophagy, a “self-eating” process in which they break down ...

Boston, MA - A new study led by the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute finds that mental health care gaps for U.S. children remain stark: one in five households reported a child needing treatment, yet nearly a quarter didn’t receive it, and many who did still struggled to access care. Results are published on February 16 in JAMA Pediatrics. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey from June 2023 – September 2024, the team assessed how many families perceived a mental health care need for their children, whether they received that care, and if they found difficulty in getting it. Among 173,174 ...

Chronic inflammation is both a driver and suppressor of cancer depending on context. Key players—NF-κB, IL-6, STAT3, TAMs, MDSCs, and Tregs—orchestrate a tumor-permissive microenvironment. Immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors, has revolutionized treatment, but responses remain heterogeneous. This review examines mechanisms of inflammation-driven cancer, translational efforts targeting inflammatory pathways, and clinical strategies integrating immunotherapy with anti-inflammatory agents and biomarkers. Emerging technologies—AI, microbiome modulation, single-cell omics, and gene editing—promise to refine precision therapy and overcome resistance. Introduction Since ...

Background and objectives Amaranth is conventionally consumed as a significant source of nutrients and bioactive compounds and is a potential alternate crop. The present study aimed to validate the folklore and ethnomedicinal claims regarding the utilization of foliar tissues of the pseudocereal Amaranthus hypochondriacus L. for their pharmacological propensities, primarily focusing on bioactive polyphenolic compounds and associated anti-degenerative properties, in view of the scarce evidence available on the same. Methods Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a photodiode array assay of nineteen significant bioactive polyphenolic ...

Loneliness has a critical impact on the mental health of citizens, particularly among the elderly. Robots capable of perceiving and responding to human emotions can serve as heart-warming companions to help lift the spirits. A research team at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has discovered that the combined power of music and empathetic speech in robots with artificial intelligence (AI) could foster a stronger bond between humans and machines. These findings underscore the importance of a multimodal approach in ...

Gravity feels reliable — stable and consistent enough to count on. But reality is far stranger than our intuition. In truth, the strength of gravity varies over the Earth’s surface. And it is weakest beneath the frozen continent of Antarctica  after accounting for Earth’s rotation A new study reveals how achingly slow rock movements deep under the Earth’s surface over tens of millions of years led to today’s Antarctic gravity hole. The study highlights that the timing of changes in the Antarctic gravity low overlaps with major changes in Antarctica’s climate, and future research could reveal how the shifting gravity might have encouraged ...

To find new ways to shield hair from heat, sunlight and air pollution, researchers in Brazil are turning to vegan-friendly ingredients for shampoos and conditioners. Published in ACS Omega, early tests show that a fruit-algae combination added to haircare products coats strands with a protective film. Although the botanical film makes hair slightly less elastic, it improves shine and makes locks easier to comb compared to hair washed and conditioned with products not containing the biopolymer. Heated styling tools, dirt in the air and sunlight damage ...

Background and objectives Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Early detection of pulmonary nodules is crucial for timely diagnosis and effective treatment. Conventional computer-aided detection systems have shown limitations, including high false-positive rates and low sensitivity. Recent advances in deep learning, particularly convolutional neural networks (CNNs), have shown great potential in improving the accuracy and reliability of nodule detection and classification. This study aimed to develop and evaluate an automatic method for lung nodule detection and classification ...

PULLMAN, Wash. — NBA teams that paid their core players inequitably won fewer games as a result of reduced cooperation, according to a Washington State University study with implications for workplace management. While it draws on data from professional basketball, the study suggests that managers in the workplace should ensure they’re paying top performers fairly in relation to each other and emphasize the goal of team coordination — organized, synchronized effort, with each team member ...

As corporate commitments to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals reach an all-time high, a persistent blind spot remains: water. Long emphasized by Professor Yong Sik Ok of Korea University, who serves as President of the International ESG Association, water stewardship has lagged behind carbon emissions, which are now tracked with near-surgical precision. In contrast, corporate water management is often confined to vague qualitative disclosures and limited metrics. To address this imbalance, a research team ...