Overdose prediction tool for cocaine developed

A new international QUT-led study found that bariatric surgery improves work productivity and employment rates in the short term—but these gains may not last beyond five years without targeted support.

The Herpes simplex virus is a widespread virus that often causes cold sores, and most people carry it. By removing a virulence gene, i.e. a gene that makes the virus harmful to humans, the herpes virus can be repurposed as a cancer vaccine. This modification prevents the virus from harming healthy tissue while allowing it to target cancer cells, which function differently from normal cells. These findings are presented in a new doctoral thesis at Åbo Akademi University, Finland.

Previously, the primary endpoint results of the NRG-LU005 study assessing the addition of the immunotherapy drug atezolizumab to standard of care concurrent chemoradiation for limited-state small cell lung cancer were reported at the American Society for Radiation Oncology 2024 Annual Meeting.

Previously, results from the photon cohort of the NRG-BN001, a signal seeking Phase II randomized trial, indicated that photon radiation dose intensification (75 Gy) did not demonstrate improvement in overall survival (OS) for patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM).

Demand-responsive transport (DRT) is promoted as an inclusive solution to first- and last-mile mobility challenges, but little is known about the barriers to adoption among people with poor health.

Huntington's disease is a rare genetic disorder and a representative neurodegenerative disease, characterized by loss of motor control, cognitive decline, and psychiatric problems. An international research team has discovered that the "huntingtin protein," the causal protein of Huntington's disease (whose mutations are the direct cause of the disease), also performs a new function: directly organizing the cytoskeleton, the fine structural framework inside cells.

A concerted effort to improve the workplace culture at a California hospital produced a variety of significant improvements, with an impact far beyond the initial goals, according to an article in Critical Care Nurse.

Research conducted at West Virginia University suggests consuming alcohol with fentanyl and other drugs may explain, in part, why more men than women die from unintentional overdoses.

"Ear seeding" is having a moment on TikTok and Instagram. One video of someone's experience of ear seeding has been "liked" more than half a million times. Supermodel Naomi Campbell is among celebrities reported to have tried it.

What impact do screens have on teenagers' sleep? A study by the University of Geneva (UNIGE), conducted in secondary schools in collaboration with the Department of Public Education, Training and Youth (DIP) of the Republic and Canton of Geneva, shows that strict parental rules on smartphone use in the evening are associated with a significant increase in sleep duration and better academic performance. These findings have now been published in Discover Public Health.

A new study from researchers at The University of Texas at Austin reveals that following a low-calorie or low-carbohydrate diet can measurably lower levels of brain chemicals that, when too high, are linked to inflammation and memory problems.

A new Commonwealth Fund report offers the first state-by-state ranking of how vulnerable individual health and health care systems are to climate risks.

Children in care who experience frequent changes in care placements are more than twice as likely to experience mental health problems, according to new research led by the University of Bath in the UK.

Around half a million stents are implanted in Germany every year to treat narrowing of the blood vessels, a consequence of atherosclerosis. However, conventional models made of metal or polymers injure the endothelium, the protective innermost cell layer of the blood vessels, when they are inserted. This cell layer takes a long time to regenerate, and if it is damaged, there is also an elevated risk of thrombosis. To prevent blood clotting and thus thrombosis at the stent site, patients must take high doses of anticoagulant medications—often for the rest of their lives.

Researchers at the University of Vienna have developed fluorescent peptide tracers that can simultaneously visualize and activate the oxytocin receptor. This receptor—also known as the love/bonding hormone receptor—plays a key role in processes related to social behavior, health and disease.

A new technology to more accurately trace neuron shapes from microscopy images is outlined in research released by E11 Bio, a nonprofit Focused Research Organization based in Alameda, Calif. The aim is to significantly reduce the cost of one day obtaining the first connectomic maps of whole mouse and human brains. The new work is in collaboration with the Francis Crick Institute, MIT, and Max Planck Institute, and is published on the bioRxiv preprint server.

A new caffeine craze is brewing on social media—no kettle required. Caffeine pouches promise a fast, discreet hit of energy without the fuss of brewing coffee or cracking open an energy drink. But while they may look like a harmless pick-me-up, experts warn they carry real risks, especially for teenagers and people with underlying health conditions.

Immune cells called double negative T cells are abundant in the intestine but have been poorly understood till date. In a recent study, researchers from the Institute of Science Tokyo report that these cells actually have an indispensable role in suppressing intestinal inflammation. Through cutting-edge microscopy that allows live imaging, the movement and functioning of these cells were visualized for the first time, providing insights into conditions such as Crohn's disease.