Deaths due to synthetic opioids nitazenes have likely been underestimated by up to a third. King’s College London research, published today in Clinical Toxicology, sheds light on the UK’s growing synthetic opioid problem. The presence of nitazenes on the unregulated drug market has risen steeply in the last seven years – prompting UK and international bodies to issue public health warnings about their use.   Nitazenes are a class of synthetic opioids which can have potencies of up to 500 times that of heroin. They can be readily manufactured at low cost. These potent synthetic opioids were ...

Tokyo, Japan – Scientists from Tokyo Metropolitan University have uncovered how fertilized rice seeds begin to divide and establish their “body axis.” Using a new imaging method, they discovered that while the first cell divides in an asymmetric way initially, this is followed by random growth and the apparently “collective” determination of a body axis. This is a significant break with known pathways, a rare glimpse into the birth and growth of plant embryos.   A key puzzle in plant science is how plants ...

Researchers have developed a new strategy to engineer biochar with dramatically enhanced sunlight-driven chemical activity, opening promising pathways for environmental remediation and pollutant transformation. The findings demonstrate how combining biochar with artificially synthesized humic substances can significantly boost its ability to drive light-powered reduction reactions that influence metal cycling and contaminant transformation in natural environments. The study, recently published in Biochar, introduces a co-engineering approach that integrates biochar with artificial humic substances created through a controlled ...

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsb.2025.09.014   This new article publication from Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B, discusses the construction of a localized immune niche via supramolecular hydrogel vaccine to elicit durable and enhanced immunity against infectious diseases.   Vaccines represent one of the most potent strategies for protecting humans from the threat of infectious diseases. Conventional vaccines elicit acquired immunity by mimicking pathogen characteristics; however, their protective efficacy is limited by inadequate spatiotemporal control of ...

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsb.2025.10.005   This new article publication from Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B, discusses the deep learning-based discovery of tetrahydrocarbazoles as broad-spectrum antitumor agents and click-activated strategy for targeted cancer therapy. Phenotypic screening has played an important role in discovering innovative small-molecule drugs and clinical candidates with unique molecular mechanisms of action. However, conducting cell-based high-throughput screening from vast compound libraries is extremely time-consuming and expensive. Fortunately, deep learning has provided a new paradigm for identifying ...

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsb.2025.10.031   This new article publication from Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B, discusses DHL-11, a novel prieurianin-type limonoid isolated from Munronia henryi, targeting IMPDH2 to inhibit triple-negative breast cancer.   Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer, characterized by the poorest prognosis, and poses a significant threat to women's health. In this study two novel prieurianin-type limonoids extracted from Munronia henryi were identified, one of which, named DHL-11, exhibited antitumor activity ...

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsb.2025.09.026   This new article publication from Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B, discusses the discovery of SARS-CoV-2 PLpro inhibitors and RIPK1 inhibitors with synergistic antiviral efficacy in a mouse COVID-19 model. SARS-CoV-2 continues to propagate globally, posing non-negligible risks of severe COVID-19. Although several clinical antivirals and immunosuppressants offer crucial protection, there is a persistent need for additional therapeutic options to counter emerging viral variants and drug ...

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsb.2025.11.026 This new article publication from Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B, discusses how neg-entropy is the true drug target for chronic diseases. Molecular mechanisms of chronic diseases are complicated, and this impedes drug target identification and subsequent drug discovery. Entropy increase in human body can be considered the root cause of chronic diseases. Accordingly, the inherent neg-entropic mechanisms, for instance the homeostatic mechanisms for metabolism, immunity, self-healing, etc., are true drug targets. Only very few ...

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsb.2025.09.037   This new article publication from Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B, discusses an Oxygen-boosted dual-section microneedle patch for enhanced drug penetration and improved photodynamic and anti-inflammatory therapy in psoriasis.   Psoriasis is a prevalent chronic inflammatory skin disorder, characterized by epidermal thickening and an inflammatory hypoxic microenvironment, which significantly hinder drug penetration through the thickened skin and limit the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT). The authors of this article ...

Sepsis is a leading global cause of hospital deaths, occurring when the body’s response to infection damages tissue and causes organs to fail. Africa bears the world’s highest burden of sepsis, with an estimated 48 million cases each year leading to about 11 million deaths. People living with HIV face the greatest risk of dying from the condition.  A new study has found that tuberculosis, a chronic bacterial lung disease, is a major and long-overlooked cause of deadly sepsis among people living with HIV. An associated Phase 3 clinical trial called the ATLAS study found that starting tuberculosis (TB) treatment ...

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsb.2025.10.027 This new article publication from Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B, discusses how palmitoylation of Tfr1 enhances platelet ferroptosis and liver injury in heat stroke. Heat stroke (HS) is a severe medical emergency characterized by coagulation and high mortality due to organ injury. This study identifies a novel mechanism in which platelet ferroptosis, driven by transferrin receptor 1 (Tfr1) palmitoylation, significantly contributes to liver injury in HS. ...

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsb.2025.10.028   This new article publication from Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B, discusses how structure-guided design of picomolar-level macrocyclic TRPC5 channel inhibitors with antidepressant activity. Recent advances in ion channel structural biology have enhanced structure-based drug design, yet lipid-occupied binding pockets—often large and flat—remain a major hurdle for developing selective small molecules. TRPC5, a brain-enriched channel regulating depression and anxiety, is a promising therapeutic target, but current preclinical candidates suffer from moderate off-target effects. To address ...

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsb.2025.11.025   This new article publication from Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B, discusses therapeutic drug monitoring of biologics in inflammatory bowel disease.   Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) has emerged as a valuable tool for optimizing the use of biologics in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, variations in focus, methodology, and recommendations among relevant guidelines and consensuses have contributed to inconsistencies in their quality. This guideline synthesizes current evidence to standardize TDM of biologics in IBD and improve patient ...

A new global review highlights that tackling climate change requires more than funding or innovation alone. Researchers emphasize that meaningful climate action depends on the coordinated integration of financial systems, technological solutions, and governance reforms. The study presents a comprehensive framework designed to help countries, especially developing nations, implement effective and equitable climate strategies. Climate change is increasingly threatening ecosystems, economies, and human well-being worldwide. ...

Scientists have discovered that cyanobacteria, microscopic organisms best known for driving harmful algal blooms, may play a major role in spreading antibiotic resistance genes in coastal environments. The findings highlight a previously overlooked link between natural nutrient cycling and the global challenge of antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance genes enable bacteria to survive exposure to antibiotics, posing serious risks to public health, agriculture, and ecosystem stability. While these genes are widely detected in aquatic environments, their biological drivers and ecological roles have remained poorly understood. In a new study examining ...

Chestnut Hill, Mass. (2/6/2026) – Children across the globe engage in a constellation of behaviors that support cooperation, an action critical to the survival of the human species, a team of Boston College researchers report today in the journal Science Advances. The team from Associate Professor of Psychology Katherine McAuliffe’s Cooperation Lab surveyed children in the urban United States, rural Uganda, Canada, and Peru, and the hunter-horticulturalist indigenous Shuar of Ecuador. The researchers found there are cross-cultural regularities in some aspects of the development ...

How do children learn to cooperate with others? A new cross-cultural study suggests that the answer depends less on universal rules and more on the social norms surrounding the child.    In the study, researchers examined how more than 400 children ages five to 13 from the United States, Canada, Peru, Uganda and the Shuar communities of Ecuador behaved in situations involving fairness, trust, forgiveness and honesty. The team also surveyed children and adults in each community to understand what people believed was the “right” thing to do.   The ...

University of Phoenix announces the publication of “Bridging the AI skills gap: A blueprint for future‑proofing the workforce by including industry advisory councils for undergraduate environmental science program course redesign” in Industry and Higher Education. The article is authored by Jacquelyn Kelly, Ph.D., associate dean, College of General Studies; Dianna Gielstra, Ph.D., full-time faculty, Environmental Science Program, College of General Studies; Tomáš J. Oberding, Ph.D., full-time faculty, Environmental Science Program, College of General Studies, College of General Studies; Jim Bruno, MBA, associate dean, College of Business and ...

Antibiotic resistance (AR) has steadily accelerated in recent years to become a global health crisis. As deadly bacteria evolve new ways to elude drug treatments for a variety of illnesses, a growing number of “superbugs” have emerged, ramping up estimates of more than 10 million worldwide deaths per year by 2050. Scientists are looking to recently developed technologies to address the pressing threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which are known to flourish in hospital settings, sewage treatment areas, animal husbandry locations ...

NEW ORLEANS – Five Ochsner Health owned and affiliated hospitals have been named among Newsweek’s America’s Best-in-State Hospitals 2026. This honor is presented by Newsweek and Statista Inc., a leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider.     Ochsner Health’s dedication to top-quality patient care   “When our hospitals are recognized among the best in state, it is due to the dedication of our teams and the excellent care they provide. These individuals consistently put patients first through each step of the care journey. They live out Ochsner’s commitment ...

For the millions of people living with end‑stage kidney disease, hemodialysis is more than a medical procedure, it is a thrice‑weekly lifeline that keeps the body’s chemistry in balance. Yet even with decades of clinical experience and numerous technological advances, one stubborn challenge persists: determining how much fluid to remove during treatment without tipping a patient into dangerous instability. Too little fluid removal leaves patients overloaded, too much can trigger sudden drops in blood ...

Research Highlights: For infants and toddlers who have had a stroke, a new treatment that restricted the use of their stronger arm and hand to encourage them to use their stroke-affected arm and hand, combined with high-dosage and a specific type of goal-directed therapy, led to immediate improvement in function and more skills gained. The findings are based on 167 stroke survivors younger than 3 years old with marked impairment in using one arm. They were enrolled in the trial and randomly assigned to one of ...

Research led by the University of East Anglia (UEA) sheds new light on how mountain birds adapt to changes in climate. Scientists know that species diversity changes as you go up a mountain, but it is not clearly understood why this is the case. One theory is that it is mostly because of long-term evolution, and the climate niches species have adapted to over millions of years. Another - the ‘energy efficiency’ hypothesis - suggests it is about how species today manage their energy budgets and compete for available resources that vary in space ...

Ovarian cancer kills more women than any other gynecological cancer. Most patients receive their diagnosis only after the disease spreads throughout the abdomen. Until now, scientists have never fully understood why this cancer advances so fast.     A new study led by Nagoya University explains why. Published in Science Advances, the study shows that cancer cells recruit help from protective mesothelial cells that normally line the abdominal cavity. Mesothelial cells lead the invasion and cancer cells follow the pathways they ...

TAMPA, Fla. (Feb. 6, 2026) — The University of South Florida yesterday celebrated the grand opening of the new USF Health Institute for Voice and Hearing Innovation, a first-of-its-kind center that combines clinical research and comprehensive patient care for voice, hearing and swallowing disorders. The new institute establishes USF as the first in the nation to bring together multidisciplinary patient care and clinical research for disorders of communication and swallowing in a single, fully ...