GUELPH, Ontario, Canada, 25 February 2025 – In a comprehensive peer-reviewed Perspective (review) article, researchers from the University of Guelph have outlined an urgent call for new ethical frameworks to protect Indigenous communities' genetic privacy in the growing field of wastewater surveillance. The study, published today in Genomic Psychiatry (Genomic Press New York), examines how the analysis of community wastewater – while valuable for public health monitoring – raises significant privacy concerns for Indigenous populations. "Wastewater-based ...

OMAHA, Nebraska, USA, 25 February 2025 - In a peer-reviewed Perspective (review) article, researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center have uncovered concerning evidence that commonly prescribed medications may interfere with crucial brain development processes by disrupting sterol biosynthesis. Their findings, published today in Brain Medicine (Genomic Press, New York), suggest that this previously overlooked mechanism could have significant implications for medication safety during pregnancy and early development. "What we've discovered is that many prescription medications, while designed for entirely different purposes, can inadvertently interfere with the brain's ...

The first life on Earth formed four billion years ago, as microbes living in pools and seas: what if the same thing happened on Mars? If it did, how would we prove it? Scientists hoping to identify fossil evidence of ancient Martian microbial life have now found a way to test their hypothesis, proving they can detect the fossils of microbes in gypsum samples that are a close analogy to sulfate rocks on Mars.   “Our findings provide a methodological framework for detecting biosignatures in Martian sulfate minerals, potentially guiding ...

　While photo-thermoelectric (PTE) sensors are potentially suitable for testing applications, such as non-destructive material-identification in ultrabroad millimeter-wave (MMW)–infrared (IR) bands, their device designs have primarily employed a single material as the channel. In general, PTE sensors combine photo-induced heating with associated thermoelectric (TE) conversion, and the employment of a single material channel regulates the utilization of devices by missing the opportunity for fully utilizing their fundamental parameters. ...

Psychological factors have a greater impact on the severity of symptoms in esophageal diseases than objective evaluations, such as acid reflux and esophageal motility function. Although there are questionnaires that assess general psychological states in Japan, there were none that were specific to esophageal symptoms. In the United States, meanwhile, the Esophageal Hypervigilance and Anxiety Scale (EHAS) questionnaire that evaluates symptom-specific hypervigilance and anxiety for esophageal symptoms was developed in 2018. In an effort to expand the use of EHAS, Dr. Akinari Sawada’s research group at Osaka Metropolitan ...

At the University of Electro-Communications, a research team led by Mizuho Asako, Yasuyuki Tahara, Akihiko Ohsuga, and Yuichi Sei has developed a new deep learning model called "HikingTTE" that significantly improves hiking travel time estimation. Hiking is popular worldwide, but accidents still occur when hikers underestimate the time needed to reach their destination.   This model could help reduce mountain accidents and improve hiker safety by providing more accurate travel time predictions. Previous hiking travel time estimation methods often use the relationship between slope (uphill or downhill) and walking speed. However, these ...

Birds worldwide make strategic decisions about how they live based on their environmental conditions. Some live fast, die young, and leave as many chicks as possible. Others live long and prosper by not breeding. A new study of non-migratory birds provides clues about how climate change may affect the long-standing evolutionary strategies of feathered friends. The work is reported in this week’s Ecology Letters and was led by Michigan State University postdoctoral fellows of the MSU Institute for Biodiversity, Ecology, Evolution, and Macrosystems (IBEEM). The ...

Highlight box Key findings • This study investigated the U-shaped nonlinear relationship between admission oxygen saturation (SpO2) and all-cause hospital mortality in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). The results showed that the lowest all-cause hospital mortality was observed at an SpO2 of 89.5%. Additionally, SpO2 was identified as an independent risk factor for predicting all-cause hospital mortality in AECOPD patients, providing valuable guidance for optimizing oxygen therapy in this population. What is known and what is new? • Most studies indicate that maintaining SpO2 levels between 88–92% provides ...

A largescale study has found huge variation between GP practices on whether they are likely to pick up prostate cancer using a blood test. The University of Exeter led a study which aimed to investigate the proportion of patients whose prostate cancer was identified by using a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test when patients had no symptoms. The research published in the British Journal of General Practice and funded by Cancer Research UK, and, has found that one in five patients with prostate cancer in England are diagnosed after PSA testing when they had no symptoms – fewer than previously thought. The PSA  test ...

New research suggests that antidepressants can accelerate cognitive decline in people with dementia. At the same time, some drugs appear to be less harmful than others, which can help doctors make better treatment decisions, according to the study published in BMC Medicine. Antidepressants are often used to relieve symptoms such as anxiety, depression, aggressiveness, and sleep disturbances in dementia sufferers. However, a new observational study based on data from the Swedish Dementia Registry (SveDem) shows that patients with dementia who are treated with antidepressants experience an increased cognitive decline compared to patients who do not ...

Using an approach called DNA origami, scientists at Caltech have developed a technique that could lead to cheaper, reusable biomarker sensors for quickly detecting proteins in bodily fluids, eliminating the need to send samples out to lab centers for testing. "Our work provides a proof-of-concept showing a path to a single-step method that could be used to identify and measure nucleic acids and proteins," says Paul Rothemund (BS '94), a visiting associate at Caltech in computing and mathematical sciences, and computation and neural systems. A paper describing the work recently appeared in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The lead authors of ...

As far as animals go, honeybees are world-class dancers. While not as deep and complex as a Super Bowl half-time show, the bees' moves, known as the “waggle" dance, convey very specific food foraging instructions to their nestmates. The direction the dancer moves explains to other bees which way to go, and the duration of the waggle dance, or the “run,” shows how far to go. Once other bees have been convinced to follow the directions, they are “recruited.” After receiving the instructions, these ...

A UC Riverside computer science team has developed a sensor-based technology that could revolutionize commercial beekeeping by reducing colony losses and lowering labor costs. Called the Electronic Bee-Veterinarian, or EBV, the technology uses low-cost heat sensors and forecasting models to predict when hive temperatures may reach dangerous levels. The system provides remote beekeepers with early warnings, allowing them to take preventive action before their colonies collapse during extreme hot or cold weather or when the bees cannot regulate their hive temperature because of disease, pesticide exposure, food shortages, or other stressors. ...

University of Texas at Arlington physicist Ben Jones has received an international honor for his contributions to developing advanced instruments used in particle physics research. Dr. Jones, an associate professor of physics, was awarded the 2025 International Committee for Future Accelerators (ICFA) Early Career Researcher Instrumentation Award. Presented by the ICFA Instrumentation Innovation and Development Panel, the award recognizes significant advancements in the innovation and development of new instrumentation for future accelerator experiments. He accepted the award last week at the 2025 Vienna ...

Mutations in the BRCA1 gene that are either inherited (germline) or acquired (somatic) might not be key to the initiation of prostate cancer, as previously thought, suggests the first study of its kind, published online in the open access journal BMJ Oncology.   If confirmed in further studies, the findings suggest that it may be time to reassess current treatment with PARP (poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase) inhibitor drugs, which block the ability of cells, including cancer cells, to repair DNA damage, in men with BRCA1 genetic variants, say the researchers. A linked editorial suggests that the findings pave the way for greater refinement of genetic ...

Melatonin supplementation may help offset the DNA damage associated with night shift work by boosting the body’s ability to repair it, suggest the findings of a small clinical trial published online in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine.   Larger studies looking at varying doses and the potential long term effects of melatonin supplementation are now warranted, conclude the researchers. Normal night-time production of the body clock hormone, melatonin, is suppressed in night shift workers. This compromises the body’s ability to repair oxidative DNA damage, the by-product of normal cellular processes, heightening the risk of ...

Having one or more common gynaecological disorders, such as endometriosis or heavy or irregular periods, may be linked to a heightened risk of heart disease and conditions that affect blood flow to the brain (cerebrovascular disease), finds a pooled data analysis of the available evidence published online in the journal Heart. Although the quality of the studies included in the analysis was variable, the researchers nevertheless conclude that clinicians and the public need to be more aware of these associations to potentially mitigate the risks. Long term non-cancerous gynaecological disorders ...

The brain may play a role in helping the ear regulate its sensitivity to sound and compensate for hearing loss by sending a signal to a structure in the inner ear known as the cochlea, according to a study that was just published in the Journal of Neuroscience. The discovery could help researchers develop treatments for tough-to-treat hearing disorders such as hyperacusis, where everyday sounds seem uncomfortably loud, and tinnitus, a sensation of ringing, buzzing or other sound in the ear when there is no external source. The findings were powered by a new ...

Embargo: 25 February 2025 00.01 AM GMT ECMWF – Europe’s leading centre for weather prediction makes forecast data from AI model available to all A newly operational model, known as the Artificial Intelligence Forecasting System (AIFS), has been launched by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), an intergovernmental centre and leader in numerical weather prediction. For many measures including tropical cyclone tracks, the AIFS outperforms state-of-the-art physics-based models, with gains ...

In parts of the world where traveling to a clinic for routine blood tests is a financial and logistical challenge, HIV patients increasingly have the option to collect and ship a drop of their blood in paper-based devices that absorb the sample and store it for analysis in far-away labs.  While this technology is helpful for tracking someone’s adherence to their drug regimen or monitoring disease progression, the most frequently used devices don’t control how much blood they collect, potentially leading to inaccurate readings of a person’s infection. Understanding this limitation, Charlie Mace, an associate professor at Tufts University’s ...

Pay-for-Performance Metrics Must Be More Impactful and Physician-Controlled Background: This editorial builds on a study by Brulin and Teoh, released ahead of the March/April 2025 issue of Annals of Family Medicine, which found that performance-based reimbursement is associated with lower perceived quality of care by increasing illegitimate tasks and moral distress for primary care physicians. Editorial Stance: Quality metrics and pay-for-performance initiatives are far more expensive than many patients, clinicians, or administrators realize. The authors call for more rigorous review through cluster randomized controlled trials both before and after implementation—and ...

Follow @Annalsofim on X, Facebook, Instagram, threads, 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 the terms of the embargo not only on their own behalf, but also on behalf of the organization they represent.          ----------------------------       1. ...

Performance-Based Reimbursement Increases Administrative Burden and  Moral Distress, Lowers Perceived Quality of Care Background and Goal: Performance-based reimbursement (PBR) is a payment system in which clinics receive compensation based on the quality and outcomes of care they deliver, rather than the volume of services provided. Although designed to improve efficiency and effectiveness, the growth of PBR systems has been linked to increased administrative work for physicians. This study examined how PBR affects doctors' perceived ability to provide quality ...

Survey Finds Many Americans Greatly Overestimate Primary Care Spending Background and Goal: This study, based on an online survey of 1,135 adults demographically representative of the U.S. population, aimed to measure public perceptions of primary care spending. Key Insights: Respondents believed that 51.8% of overall health care spending goes to primary care—more than 10 times the documented share of 4.7%. Additionally, respondents believed that primary care addresses 58.7% of health care needs, very close to actual primary care utilization as a percentage of all ambulatory physician ...

Ribonucleic acid, commonly known as RNA, is involved in many biological functions, and some, including gene silencing, are utilitized to cure diseases. RNA has recently gained attention as a promising drug target. Unfortunately, only a small fraction of RNA structures have been determined experimentally, and the process of uncovering these structures requires significant time and effort. Using this time scale, the structures of many life saving RNA may not be discovered for years. As a result, there is a significant gap between the types of known ...