SAN DIEGO, March 24, 2025 — When wildfires threaten people’s communities, human health is impacted far beyond the inferno. Residual smoke distributes on the breeze, infiltrating homes, schools and offices. To help people protect themselves and their families, researchers have developed a low-cost, durable, do-it-yourself (DIY) air cleaner that works as well as more expensive HEPA filters to clear indoor air of pollutants such as smoke and possibly limit the impact of airborne disease spread. Richard Corsi, dean of the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) College of Engineering, will present results from his ...

A technique to improve the precision of prostate cancer surgery means that almost twice as many men preserve their erectile function compared to those undergoing standard surgery, according to results from a clinical trial led by researchers from UCL and UCLH. The results of the NeuroSAFE PROOF trial, presented at the 2025 European Association of Urology (EAU) Congress in Madrid and published in The Lancet Oncology, raise the prospect of major quality of life improvements for men undergoing surgery for prostate cancer, which can often result in erectile ...

New data published by ECDC and the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe [1] show that with almost 39 000 reported tuberculosis cases in 2023, the 29 European Union and European Economic Area (EU/ EEA) countries continue to see increases in TB notifications. Given that young children have an increased risk of developing tuberculosis disease during the first year after infection, childhood TB serves as a marker for ongoing transmission within a community.  The new data for 2023 indicate that children and adolescents under the age of 15 accounted for ...

A new study has shown that almost all people claiming Universal Credit aren’t able to eat properly, with many never eating fruit or vegetables, and a significant proportion regularly not eating for whole days at a time, leading to deficiencies in vital nutrients. The Benefits and Nutrition Study (BEANS) was led by the University of Nottingham’s Division of Food, Nutrition and Dietetics to examine food insecurity among people who claim Universal Credit. Their findings, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, show that 85% of those in receipt of Universal Credit are food ...

A comprehensive study from Karolinska Institutet shows that people with fatty liver disease have almost twice the mortality rate of the general population. They have an increased risk of dying from both liver diseases and common diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, according to the study published in The Journal of Hepatology. It is estimated that one in five people in Sweden has fatty liver disease known as MASLD (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease), and globally it may be as many as one in four. The disease is caused by overweight or obesity and is characterised by an excessive ...

Excess weight in mid-life is a known risk factor for kidney cancer, but new research indicates that weight patterns throughout life may also affect an individual’s likelihood of developing this malignancy. The findings are published by Wiley online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. To assess weight patterns and their associations with kidney cancer and its different subtypes, investigators analyzed information on 204,364 individuals from the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, including body mass index (BMI) data when participants entered the study (an average age of 61.6 years), and prior BMI recordings at 18, 35, and 50 ...

Almost half of people who died with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) died prematurely, according to a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.241117 that used machine learning models to predict death. Canada has some of the highest rates of IBD worldwide, which includes Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis. People with IBD have shorter life expectancy than people without such diseases, and they can develop other chronic health conditions related to their IBD. The study found that people with IBD are at risk for premature death (defined ...

Existing tax policies during the energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources will lead to major energy injustices and skewed priorities, new research published in Climate Policy shows. The peer-reviewed study found that electricity serving primary needs, such as heating or lighting, ultimately costs three times more than electricity for tertiary needs such as long-distance mobility – mostly due to taxation policies. Further highlighting the ongoing social inequalities of fuel and related policies, the findings also demonstrate within the European Union (EU), the wealthiest 1% of all its population is responsible for 66% of the distance ...

A simple urine test could accurately show the recurrence of kidney cancer at an early stage, potentially sparing patients invasive scans and enabling faster access to treatment, new research has shown. The findings are presented today [Monday 24 March 2025] at the European Association of Urology (EAU) Congress in Madrid and have been accepted for publication in European Urology Oncology. The test analyses the distinctive profiles of certain types of sugar molecules, called glycosaminoglycans which are found in urine. These profiles are known as the GAGome. The international AURORAX-0087A (AUR87A) study is assessing whether a GAGome test can accurately detect ...

London, UK: The largest analysis to examine the best way to lower levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol in patients with blocked arteries shows that they should immediately be given a combination of a statin and another drug called ezetimibe, rather than statins alone. This could prevent thousands of deaths a year from heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular diseases. The meta-analysis of 108,353 patients in 14 studies who were at very high risk of suffering heart attack or stroke, or who had already suffered one of these cardiovascular events is published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings ...

Biopsies guided by high resolution ultrasound are as effective as those using MRI in diagnosing prostate cancer, an international clinical trial has shown. The technology, called micro-ultrasound, is cheaper and easier to use than MRI. It could significantly speed up diagnosis, reduce the need for multiple hospital visits and free up MRI for other uses, researchers say. The results of the OPTIMUM trial are presented today [Sunday 23 March 2025] at the European Association of Urology Congress in Madrid and published in JAMA. OPTIMUM is the first randomised trial to compare micro-ultrasound (microUS) guided biopsy with ...

SAN DIEGO, March 23, 2025 — Dogs have many jobs but one you may not expect is identifying grapevines coated in a destructive and highly contagious fungus. Although dogs can detect serious vine infections by smell, scientists don’t know exactly what odor molecules are triggering the response. Researchers are now analyzing volatile chemicals emanating from grape leaves infected by a fungus called powdery mildew with the goal of improving training for vineyard canines. Nayelly Rangel, a graduate student at Texas Tech University, will present the team’s results at the spring meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS). ACS Spring 2025 is being held ...

SAN DIEGO, March 23, 2025 — Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are peptide-based therapeutics for treating diabetes and for weight loss. Unfortunately, shortages and high costs have made it difficult for people to start and maintain treatment. Now, researchers report a drug delivery system that “paints” these peptides directly on the antibodies they target. In studies with mice, the system led to sustained weight loss and prolonged blood sugar management with a GLP-1 injection one fourth that of the standard dose. Bradley Pentelute, professor of chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), will present his team’s results at the spring ...

Two doses of a simple tuberculosis vaccination after surgery helps the immune system fight cancer cells and could greatly improve patient outcomes for the most common type of bladder cancer, according to a pilot study of 40 patients. Initial results from the RUTIVAC-1 Trial are presented today [Sunday 23 March 2025] at the European Association of Urology (EAU) Congress in Madrid. In the randomised controlled trial, administering the vaccine alongside standard treatment led to an elevated immune response, which is known to improve the body’s ability to suppress future tumours. Patients who received the vaccine had no discernible ...

New research to be presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025, Malaga, Spain, 11-14 May) shows that a new diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is linked to a subsequent increase in the risk of developing some, but not all, obesity related cancers. The study is by Owen Tipping, University of Manchester, UK, and Professor Andrew Renehan, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester, UK, and colleagues. Previous research has described associations between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) and higher risk of several obesity-related cancers ...

Body size and excess weight, conventionally assessed using body mass index (BMI), are well-established risk factors for many types of cancer. However, new research to be presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025, Malaga, Spain, 11-14 May) and published in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute shows that waist circumference (WC) is a stronger risk marker than BMI for developing obesity-related cancers in men, but not women. The study was conducted by Dr Ming Sun, Dr Josef Fritz and Dr Tanja Stocks, Lund University, ...

Women with ongoing urinary incontinence could avoid invasive bladder pressure tests, as new research shows that a range of non-invasive assessments work just as well in guiding treatment. Led by researchers at the University of Aberdeen, the findings of the FUTURE Trial are presented today (Saturday 22 March 2025) at the European Association of Urology (EAU) Congress in Madrid and published in The Lancet. The UK study is the world’s first randomised controlled trial of the clinical and cost-effectiveness of invasive urodynamics testing. It focuses on a group of women with ...

Using a high-pressure water jet to operate on an enlarged prostate can better preserve the ability to ejaculate, compared with standard laser surgery, finds research. The technique has similar outcomes to laser surgery and can be performed with robot assistance, so could reduce waiting times for men with urinary problems caused by an enlarged prostate. Initial findings of the WATER III trial are presented today [Saturday 22 March] at the 2025 European Association of Urology (EAU) Congress in Madrid. The WATER III trial involved a water-based surgical procedure, called Aquablation, currently used for small- and medium-sized prostates. The trial ...

New research to be presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025, Malaga, Spain, 11-14 May) shows that having an overweight or obesity trajectory during childhood is associated with an increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in adulthood. The study is by Frida Richter and Professor Jennifer Lyn Baker of The Center for Clinical Research and Prevention, Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, The Capital Region of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark, and colleagues. Attention towards risk factors for COPD other than smoking is increasingly ...

Researchers at Indiana University and Wuhan University in China have unveiled a groundbreaking chemical process that could streamline the development of pharmaceutical compounds, chemical building blocks that influence how drugs interact with the body. Their study, published in Chem, describes a novel light-driven reaction that efficiently produces tetrahydroisoquinolines, a group of chemicals that play a crucial role in medicinal chemistry. Tetrahydroisoquinolines serve as the foundation for treatments targeting Parkinson’s disease, cancer, and cardiovascular disorders. These compounds are commonly found in medications such ...

Ten years ago, nobody knew that Asgard archaea even existed. In 2015, however, researchers examining deep-sea sediments discovered gene fragments that indicated a new and previously undiscovered form of microbes. With computer assistance, the researchers assembled these fragments like puzzle pieces to compile the entire genome. It was only then that they realised they were dealing with a previously unknown group of archaea. Like bacteria, archaea are single-celled organisms. Genetically, however, there are significant differences between the two domains, especially regarding their cell envelopes and metabolic processes. After ...

COLUMBUS, Ohio – If you’ve ever noticed how memories from the same day seem connected while events from weeks apart feel separate, a new study reveals the reason: Our brains physically link memories that occur close in time not in the cell bodies of neurons, but rather in their spiny extensions called dendrites. This discovery stems from studies in mice, in which researchers observed memory formation using advanced imaging techniques, including miniature microscopes that captured single-cell resolution in live animals. The study shows that memories are stored in dendritic compartments: When one memory forms, the affected ...

In a new case study, researchers from North Carolina State University found Bartonella henselae, Babesia odocoilei and Babesia divergens-like MO-1 DNA in brain tissue samples from a young child with seizures and suspected Rasmussen’s encephalitis. The findings further support the idea that these pathogens can be a cofactor in complex neurological illnesses. Bartonella are a group of vector-borne bacteria transmitted primarily via arthropods like fleas, lice and potentially ticks, but also by the animals that harbor them. Of the (at least) 45 currently known Bartonella species, ...

Patients hoping for a kidney transplant must first undergo a battery of medical tests to determine whether they are suitable candidates for the procedure and healthy enough to take post-transplant immunosuppressant drugs to prevent organ rejection. In most transplant centers, the burden falls on the patient to arrange tests like cardiac catheterization, CT scans, mammograms or colonoscopies, which can year or more to complete, meaning some people never complete the process, while others get sicker or die. But a new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine led by a University of New Mexico Health Sciences researcher demonstrates that a “concierge” ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Key Takeaways: Bacteria get invaded by viruses called phages. Scientists are studying how bacteria use CRISPR to defend themselves from phages, which will inform new phage-based treatments for bacterial infections that are resistant to antibiotics. Bacteria seize genetic material from weakened, dormant phages and use it to form a biological “memory” of the invader that their offspring inherit and use for anti-phage defense. Like people, bacteria get invaded by viruses. In bacteria, the viral invaders are called bacteriophages, ...