HOUSTON – (July 8, 2025) – Scientists at Rice University and University of Houston have developed an innovative, scalable approach to engineer bacterial cellulose into high-strength, multifunctional materials. The study, published in Nature Communications, introduces a dynamic biosynthesis technique that aligns bacterial cellulose fibers in real-time, resulting in robust biopolymer sheets with exceptional mechanical properties. Plastic pollution persists because traditional synthetic polymers degrade into microplastics, releasing harmful chemicals like bisphenol ...

Itani Studying Translation Potential Of Secure & Efficient Software Updates In Industrial Internet of Things Architectures Wassim Itani, Associate Professor, Computer Science, College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), received funding for the project: “I-Corps: Translation Potential of Secure and Efficient Software Updates in Industrial Internet of Things Architectures (IIoT).” He is addressing several critical challenges, including limited computing and network resources of IIoT devices, lack of operational and security standards, absence of a cryptographic root of trust, unique operational requirements of IIoT ...

Tsukuba, Japan—Tsunami earthquakes are characterized by the generation of disproportionately large tsunamis relative to the observed ground shaking, complicating timely evacuation efforts. Understanding their generation mechanisms and associated risks is therefore critical. One proposed cause is slow, uniform fault slip facilitated by soft sedimentary layers in the source region; however, this mechanism remains poorly understood. Additionally, the seismic signals from tsunami earthquakes are often too complex to be explained by conventional models, and their source processes have not been fully clarified. In this study, the research team analyzed seismic waveform data from ...

Zhu Studying Use Of Big Data In Verification Of Route Choice Models Shanjiang Zhu, Associate Professor, Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering, College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), received funding for the study: “Utilizing Big Data to Verify and Enhance Route Choice Models in Travel Demand Modeling.” Connected vehicle data has attracted a lot of interest from transportation professionals, but researchers are still exploring the best way to use it. This research effort will determine the best way to use connected vehicle data to enhance accuracy of travel demand models. It will challenge the conventional ...

A team of researchers at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has identified a potential new strategy to prevent, and even reverse, immune checkpoint inhibitor–induced type 1 diabetes, a rare but life-threatening side effect of cancer immunotherapy, using an existing class of autoimmune drugs. The study, published in JCI Insight, identifies a new group of immune cells involved in the development immune checkpoint inhibitor–induced type 1 diabetes and shows that JAK inhibitors, which are already ...

Researchers from RMIT University and CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, have unveiled a method to significantly extend the lifetime of quantum batteries – 1,000 times longer than previous demonstrations. A quantum battery is a theoretical concept that emerged from research in quantum science and technology. Unlike traditional batteries, which rely on chemical reactions, quantum batteries use quantum superposition and interactions between electrons and light to achieve faster charging times and potentially enhanced storage capacity. In ...

Background and objectives Brain metastases from ovarian cancer (BMFOC) are rare but associated with poor prognosis. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery (GKSRS) in managing patients with BMFOC. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 22 patients with BMFOC who were treated with GKSRS between January 2015 and May 2019. The median age at the start of treatment was 57.7 years (range, 46–72 years). A total of 70 brain metastases were treated, with ...

Plastics play a fundamental role in modern life, but their resistance to biodegradation makes them very difficult to dispose of. New research reveals how “plastivore” caterpillars can metabolically degrade plastics in a matter of days, not decades, and store them internally as body fat – but at what cost? In 2017, a groundbreaking study demonstrated that the caterpillars of the greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella), known as waxworms, can degrade polyethylene plastic. Polyethylene is the world’s most commonly manufactured plastic, with ...

A new large-scale study spotlights postoperative delirium as a preventable and high-impact complication, which is driven by patient frailty and surgical stress—and one that can be addressed through low-cost, evidence-based interventions. The findings, which appear in JAMA Network Open, provide a call to action for clinicians, health systems, patients, and families to prioritize brain health throughout perioperative care. “Postoperative delirium isn’t a minor complication—it’s analogous to acute brain failure, a medical emergency that should be recognized and addressed,” said Laurent Glance, MD, a professor of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine at ...

New preliminary research suggests that a combination of higher atmospheric CO2 and hotter temperatures contribute to a reduction in nutritional quality in food crops, with serious implications for human health and wellbeing. Most research into the impact of climate change on food production has focused on crop yield, but the size of the harvest means little if the nutritional value is poor. “Our work looks beyond quantity to the quality of what we eat,” says Jiata Ugwah Ekele, a PhD student at Liverpool John Moores University, UK. The ongoing effects of climate change are posed ...

“The findings of this study have practical implications for individuals aiming to improve their physical performance and overall health.” BUFFALO, NY — July 8, 2025 — A new research paper was published in Aging (Aging-US) Volume 17, Issue 6, on May 30, 2025, titled “Impact of waist-to-hip and waist-to-height ratios on physical performance: insights from the Longevity Check-up 8+ project.” In this study, researchers led by first author Anna Maria Martone and corresponding author Elena Levati from the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “Agostino Gemelli” IRCCS and Università ...

Program provides fracture liaison service to better document, track, and benchmark individualized care New York, NY (July 8, 2025) – The Leni and Peter W. May Department of Orthopedic Surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has implemented the American Orthopaedic Association’s Own the Bone® program, joining more than 300 health care institutions nationwide to help better identify, evaluate, and treat patients who experience an osteoporosis- or low bone density-related fractures. The program brings attention to the severe health implications of fragility fractures (broken ...

Earth and our entire Milky Way galaxy may sit inside a mysterious giant hole which makes the cosmos expand faster here than in neighbouring regions of the universe, astronomers say. Their theory is a potential solution to the 'Hubble tension' and could help confirm the true age of our universe, which is estimated to be around 13.8 billion years old. The latest research – shared at the Royal Astronomical Society’s National Astronomy Meeting (NAM) in Durham – shows that sound waves from the early universe, "essentially the sound of the Big Bang", support this idea. The Hubble constant was ...

In a discovery that could reshape approaches to regenerative medicine and bone repair, researchers have found that human stem cells can be prompted to begin turning into bone cells simply by squeezing through narrow spaces. The study suggests that the physical act of moving through tight, confining spaces, like those between tissues, can influence how stem cells develop. This could open new possibilities for engineering materials and therapies by guiding cell behaviour using physical, rather than chemical, ...

Tsukuba, Japan—On March 28, 2025, a major earthquake with a moment magnitude (Mw) of 7.7 struck Mandalay, central Myanmar (referred to as the 2025 Myanmar earthquake). This event caused severe shaking and substantial damage in Myanmar and neighboring countries. Aftershock distribution extended southward from the epicenter, indicating predominant southward rupture propagation. In such cases, a Doppler-like directivity effect usually results in sharp, high-amplitude pulse waveforms recorded in the rupture propagation direction (south of the epicenter in ...

OAK BROOK, Ill. – Artificial intelligence (AI) improves breast cancer detection accuracy for radiologists when reading screening mammograms, helping them devote more of their attention to suspicious areas, according to a study published today in Radiology, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Previous research has shown that AI for decision support improves radiologist performance by increasing sensitivity for cancer detection without extending reading time. However, the impact of AI on radiologists’ visual search patterns remains underexplored. To learn more, researchers used an eye ...

New research into the muscles of world-class athletes and performance artists has revealed that a small number of “general motor skills” raise these experts above regional-level and novice competitors, with interesting implications for competitive sport and musculoskeletal health. Contrary to the belief that athletic motor skills are highly specific to individual sports or activities, this research has found that previously unexamined fundamental traits are associated with world-class performance across a range of athletic disciplines. “We discovered that world-class ...

Research often points to exercise as a good way to boost mental health, but a recent study from the University of Georgia suggests that it’s not just physical movement that affects mental health. It’s how, where and why you exercise that makes the difference. “Historically, physical activity research has focused on how long someone exercises for or how many calories were burned,” said Patrick O’Connor, co-author of the study and a professor in the Mary ...

New research into the biomechanics of explosive seed dispersal in squirting cucumbers (Ecballium elaterium) reveals how these plants have adapted a suite of unique traits that help propel their high-speed seeds far and wide. Seed dispersal comes in many forms, and much is known about animal, wind and water-assisted dispersal – but less is known about the self-propelled dispersal mechanisms of plants. One of these is the ballistic dispersal of the squirting cucumber, which uses high-pressure explosions to eject its seeds at ...

Highlights: Human papillomaviruses, or HPVs, cause cutaneous and mucosal infections that may lead to cancer. To date, no antiviral treatment options exist for HPVs. Researchers have identified a promising new compound that inhibits cutaneous HPV. In lab studies, the compound inhibited viral replication genes in cutaneous HPVs without damaging host cells. Washington, D.C. — Human papillomaviruses, or HPVs, can cause dangerous infections in the skin and mucous membranes and may lead to cancer. Vaccines that prevent mucosal HPV infections aren’t effective against cutaneous infections, which can cause serious diseases, particularly ...

LOS ANGELES — City of Hope® Research Spotlight offers a glimpse at groundbreaking scientific and clinical discoveries advancing lifesaving cures for patients with cancer, diabetes and other chronic, life-threatening diseases. Each spotlight features research-related news, such as recognitions, collaborations and the latest research defining the future of medical treatment. To learn more about research at City of Hope, one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States with its National Medical Center named a Top 5 “Best Hospital” in the nation for cancer care by U.S. News & World Report, subscribe to City of ...

Background and Aims Gut dysbiosis has been reported in severe liver diseases. However, information on the impact of hepatitis E virus infection on the gut microbiota, and the association between enteric microbiota disturbances and acute hepatitis E (AHE), is limited, particularly in elderly patients with AHE (AHE-elderly). Our objective was to characterize the AHE-specific microbiome in elderly patients and evaluate its association with clinical outcomes. Methods Fecal samples and clinical data were collected from 58 AHE-elderly patients ...

The Three Gorges Region (TGR) of the Yangtze River spans Chongqing Municipality and Hubei Province, serving as a vital corridor connecting western and central China. The climate in the TGR features four distinct seasons with abundant precipitation and synchronized rain–heat periods. The climatic conditions in the TGR directly impact the safety of navigation in the Yangtze River, as well as the basin's agricultural production patterns and clean energy supply, all of which are crucial to regional socioeconomic development and ecological conservation. Therefore, ...

A combination of data from the FDA and two independent studies prompted a group of scientists to speak out on conversations surrounding 7-OH and its parent plant, kratom. The science confirms the strong safety profile of 7-OH and slams the door closed on continued efforts by industry competitors to push 7-OH out of the marketplace with public smears, unfounded science, and government overreach.  The Marwood Group recently completed an independent analysis of data from the FDA, CDC and other federal agencies that confirms 7-OH’s strong real-world safety profile. According to the FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), there have ...

A study of the genetic basis of plague immunity in prairie dogs has broad implications for conservation. From white-nose syndrome in bats to avian malaria in Hawaiian birds, introduced pathogens are a major cause of population declines in native species. Many prairie dog populations in North America have been nearly wiped out by sylvatic plague, which is caused by the same bacteria that causes the Black Death in humans: Yersinia pestis. Loren Cassin-Sackett and colleagues studied an outbreak of plague in Boulder County, Colorado in 2006–2009 that hit the site of a long-term prairie dog ecology study. The authors trapped and sampled the ...