Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) can lead to significant weight loss and improve blood sugar control in adults with severe mental illness, as well as having positive effects on mood, well-being, and quality of life in those both with and without mental illness, according to a systematic review of the available evidence being presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Malaga, Spain (11-14 May). “Our findings suggest that GLP-1RAs might be just as safe and effective in adults with mental illness as they are in mentally healthy individuals, significantly reducing psychotropic ...

Boys who enter puberty later than average are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes as adults, irrespective of their weight or socio-economic factors, according to research presented at the first Joint Congress between the European Society of Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE). The findings may uncover a potential new risk factor for boys developing type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes that results from the body’s inability to make enough insulin or properly use insulin. Over 90% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, ...

A new model of tiny human ovary organoids, or ovaroids, has been developed from stem cells, according to research presented at the first Joint Congress between the European Society of Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE). This achievement may help to understand and develop treatments for conditions in which these organs do not develop or function properly, including differences in sex development and infertility. During human embryo development, sex determination occurs at a very early stage, making the process difficult to study and understand. Typically, gonads begin to form at about four weeks, and the decision to become testes ...

A research paper by scientists at Imperial College London presented CrystalTac, a vision-based tactile sensor family fabricated via rapid monolithic manufacturing. The research paper, published on Apr. 10, 2025 in the journal Cyborg and Bionic Systems. Recently, vision-based tactile sensors (VBTSs) have gained popularity in robotics systems. The sensing mechanisms of most VBTSs can be categorized based on the type of tactile features they capture. Each category requires specific structural designs to convert physical contact into optical information. The complex architectures of VBTSs pose challenges for traditional manufacturing techniques ...

A research paper by scientists at Zhejiang University presented . The research paper, published on Apr. 11, 2025 in the journal Cyborg and Bionic Systems. Laparoscopic surgery for early gastric cancer has gained global popularity due to its notable short-term benefits and comparable oncological prognosis to open surgery. However, accurately locating early gastric cancer during laparoscopic surgery remains a challenge, as these tumors are limited to the mucous and submucosal membranes, making them undetectable through gross analysis of the serosa layer in the intraperitoneal view. ...

New research being presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025) highlights the need to support women and their families with overweight or obesity to optimise their health and weight before they become pregnant. The Australian study found the greater a woman’s BMI in pregnancy, the greater her child’s weight from birth to the age of ten. This was the case regardless of whether the woman took part in a dietary and lifestyle intervention (LI) while pregnant or received ...

Women who experience significant weight gain after the age of 20 and either have their first child after the age of 30 or don’t have children are almost three times more likely to develop breast cancer than those who give birth earlier and whose weight remains relatively stable, new research from the UK being presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025) has found. Previous research has shown that weight gain in adulthood increases the risk of developing breast cancer after the menopause. Other research has found that an early first pregnancy may cut the risk of breast cancer.  For example, a review ...

Individuals who take liraglutide or semaglutide for weight loss reduce their alcohol consumption by almost two-thirds in four months, new research being presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025) has found. Alcohol use disorder is a relapsing condition that accounts for 2.6 million deaths a year – 4.7% of all deaths globally. Treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), therapies that aim to strengthen motivation to stop or reduce drinking and medication can be very successful in the short-term, however, 70% of patients relapse ...

The research focused on lipolysis, the process through which triglycerides – lipids stored in fat cells – are broken down to produce free fatty acids and glycerol, which can be used as energy, during exercise or between meals. “The breakdown of lipids through lipolysis is essential for energy balance and it is believed that doing it effectively may prevent type 2 diabetes and other metabolic complications of overweight and obesity,” says Professor Peter Arner, of the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, ...

Girls given antibiotics during their first year of life, especially in the first three months, are more likely to enter puberty at an earlier age, according to research presented at the first Joint Congress between the European Society of Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE). The likelihood of early puberty was also higher among those exposed to a greater variety of antibiotic classes. The findings highlight the importance of using these medicines in infants appropriately ...

Individuals taking steroid tablets for more than 3 months are over 6 times more likely to be diagnosed with adrenal insufficiency than those treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, according to research presented at the first Joint Congress between the European Society of Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE). In addition, they have a greater risk of being hospitalised for adrenal insufficiency, while long-term users of inhaled steroids have an increased risk of developing adrenal insufficiency but without any increase in the number of hospitalisations. The findings ...

Three-year-old boys are more likely to have a shorter anogenital distance when their mothers have high levels of phthalates in their urine, according to research presented at the first Joint Congress between the European Society of Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE). In girls, the direct exposure to phthalates was associated with a shorter anogenital distance. The findings highlight how exposure to environmental pollutants can cause alterations in genital measurements during the first three years of life, which may affect sexual development and fertility later in life. Phthalates ...

Men with fertility issues have lower levels of phosphate in the blood than average, according to research presented at the first Joint Congress between the European Society of Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE). In addition, low phosphate concentrations in the blood were associated with reduced sperm motility in infertile men. The findings can help researchers improve the understanding of the biological factors involved in male reproductive health, which could lead to new fertility treatments. Over the past 50 years, sperm counts worldwide have halved, sperm quality has declined alarmingly and 15% of all heterosexual couples are ...

Boys born to mothers who have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or who have higher levels of testosterone during the third trimester are more likely to be less physically active at age 7, according to research presented at the first Joint Congress between the European Society of Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE). Testosterone levels or PCOS in the mothers were not associated with physical activity in girls, but 7-year-old girls whose mothers had higher testosterone levels during pregnancy had lower muscle strength. The findings highlight the important role that maternal testosterone and PCOS may play in future development in boys and girls ...

Women who experience menopause before the age of 50 — and especially before the age of 45 — are more likely to develop fatty liver disease and its related metabolic risk factors within one year after menopause, according to research presented at the first Joint Congress between the European Society of Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE). This study is the largest to assess this association over five years and suggests that the age of natural menopause should be considered part of the cardio-metabolic risk assessment ...

Growth patterns during the first two years of a child’s life may shape pubertal growth and adult height, but have little effect on pubertal timing, according to research presented at the first Joint Congress between the European Society of Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE). The findings highlight the importance of early-life growth, which could be used as a marker to predict future growth, development and health. It is well established that the early-life growth period — from conception to approximately two years of age — is crucial ...

Women who experience infertility are more likely to develop heart and blood vessel conditions later in life, with younger women and those who undergo fertility treatments at a greater risk. The findings, presented at the first Joint Congress between the European Society of Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE), highlight the importance of considering a woman’s reproductive history when assessing her long-term heart health. Approximately one in every six people of reproductive age worldwide is estimated to experience infertility in their lifetime. Treatment of infertility ...

Computer simulations help materials scientists and biochemists study the motion of macromolecules, advancing the development of new drugs and sustainable materials. However, these simulations pose a challenge for even the most powerful supercomputers. A University of Oregon graduate student has developed a new mathematical equation that significantly improves the accuracy of the simplified computer models used to study the motion and behavior of large molecules such as proteins, nucleic acids and synthetic materials such as plastics. The breakthrough, published last month in Physical Review Letters, enhances researchers’ ability to investigate the motion ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 9 May 2025 The Geological Society of America Release No. 25-06 Contact: Katie Busser +1-303-357-1044 kbusser@geosociety.org   Boulder, Colo., USA: The Geological Society of America (GSA) invites scientists, researchers, and professionals from across the globe to submit abstracts for its annual meeting, GSA Connects 2025, taking place 19–22 October 2025 in San Antonio, Texas, USA. Held annually, GSA Connects is one of the premier international gatherings in the geoscience community, offering a dynamic platform for sharing cutting-edge research and fostering interdisciplinary dialogue. This year’s meeting ...

MAY 9, 2025, NEW YORK – A Ludwig Cancer Research study has identified a key mechanism by which advanced ovarian cancers suppress anti-tumor immune responses and resist immunotherapies. Led by Ludwig Princeton’s Lydia Lynch and reported in the current issue of Science Immunology, the study details how ascites fluid—produced in large quantities as ovarian cancer spreads from the ovaries into the abdomen and its organs—sabotages cytotoxic lymphocytes, a class of immune cells that kill cancer cells. “Although ascites fluid has long been known to be immunosuppressive, it has not been clear what precisely gives it that property,” explained Lynch. “We discovered ...

The EU-funded WiLiMan-ID project (https://www.wiliman-id.eu/)  is excited to announce the launch of a brand-new short film series, The Deadly Five. This series is aimed at raising awareness of five critical animal infectious diseases, classified as high priority. Each film in the series focuses on a different disease and the experts studying and fighting them, highlighting the risks each disease poses to animal and public health, as well as the strategies being developed to mitigate their impact. “Through this series, we aim at bringing ...

DALLAS, May 7, 2025 — One in eight U.S. households struggles to access enough food, and that number is on the rise.[1] The American Heart Association is building on its 100 years of lifesaving service to fund social enterprises to sustainably improve this driver of health and change the future of health for all. To that end, the Bernard J. Tyson Impact Fund, part of American Heart Association Ventures’ Social Impact Funds, is distributing $900,000 to four organizations:   Attane Health, based in Kansas City, Missouri, provides access to personalized, nutritious groceries and educational resources for those living with chronic health conditions; Farm Generations Cooperative, ...

Researchers at McGill University, in collaboration with Polytechnique Montréal, pioneered a new way to create hydrogels using ultrasound, eliminating the need for toxic chemical initiators. This breakthrough offers a faster, cleaner and more sustainable approach to hydrogel fabrication, and produces hydrogels that are stronger, more flexible and highly resistant to freezing and dehydration. The new method also promises to facilitate advances in tissue engineering, bioadhesives and 3D bioprinting.  Hydrogels are gels composed of polymers ...

Millions of kilometres of rivers around the world are carrying antibiotic pollution at levels high enough to promote drug resistance and harm aquatic life, a McGill University-led study warns. Published in PNAS Nexus, the study is the first to estimate the scale of global river contamination from human antibiotics use. Researchers calculated that about 8,500 tonnes of antibiotics – nearly one-third of what people consume annually – end up in river systems around the world each year even after in many cases ...

Most scientists look at DNA behavior in isolation, without considering how matter within a cell interacts with DNA Researchers observed DNA strand separation preceding replication and repair suppressed by molecules pushing strands together Findings challenge the standard in biochemical practice of heating DNA to separate strands EVANSTON, Ill. --- By creating a more true-to-life representation of DNA’s environment, researchers at Northwestern University have discovered that strand separation — the essential process a “resting” double helix undergoes before it can initiate replication or make repairs — may take more mechanical force ...