When we think of cholera, most of us picture contaminated water and tragic outbreaks in vulnerable regions. But behind the scenes, cholera bacteria are locked in a fierce, microscopic war—one that could shape the course of pandemics. Cholera bacteria aren’t just battling antibiotics and public health measures—they are also constantly under attack from bacteriophages (phages), viruses that infect and kill bacteria. These viruses don’t just influence individual infections; they can make or break entire epidemics. In fact, certain bacteriophages are…
When a neuron in our body gets damaged, segments of RNA produce proteins that can help repair the injury. But in neurological disorders such as ALS and spinal muscular atrophy, or following spinal cord injuries, the mechanisms for moving life-essential RNA to injured sites within the cell fail. As a result, RNA molecules can’t get to where they are needed and damage becomes permanent. Researchers at Stanford have developed a technology for transporting RNA to specific locations within a neuron,…
Researchers at University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus lead study that identifies gene mutations and cell maturity as key factors in acute myeloid leukemia drug resistance An international study led by the University of Colorado Cancer Center has uncovered why a widely used treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) doesn’t work for everyone. The findings could help doctors better match patients with the therapies most likely to work for them. The study was published today in Blood Cancer Discovery. Researchers…
Portable tech captures molecules in breath to aid medical care from diabetes to newborn development If you’ve ever sat waiting at the doctor’s office to give a blood sample, you might have wished there was a way to find the same information without needles. But for all the medical breakthroughs of the 20th century, the best way to detect molecules has remained through liquids, such as blood. New research from the University of Chicago, however, could someday put a pause…
Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have shown that gonadotrophs, cells in the pituitary gland with a key role in puberty and reproduction, come from two different populations, with the majority produced after birth rather than in the embryo, as previously thought. A better understanding of when these important cells develop could help researchers and clinicians understand and treat disorders that impact puberty and fertility. In the pituitary, a small gland located in the middle of the head and connected…
UV radiation fluctuates amid wet-dry extremes in clear water bodies Lake Tahoe is experiencing large-scale shifts in ultraviolet radiation (UV) as climate change intensifies wet and dry extremes in the region. That is according to a study led by the University of California, Davis’ Tahoe Environmental Research Center and co-leading collaborator Miami University in Ohio. For the study, published in ASLO, the journal of the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography, scientists analyzed an 18-year record of underwater irradiance…
Two-year study offers insight on rice cultivar tolerance to newly registered herbicide FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A word of caution to rice growers: the herbicide fluridone has become a valuable tool in fighting Palmer pigweed, but it can cause injury to some rice cultivars, depending on when it is used. Registered under the trade name Brake by SePRO Corporation, fluridone is a residual herbicide used to suppress grasses and broadleaf weeds before they emerge, also known as a preemergence herbicide. In…
Without American bullfrogs, native pond turtles increase at national park The call of American bullfrogs was deafening when scientists from the University of California, Davis, first began researching the impact of invasive bullfrogs on native northwestern pond turtles at Yosemite National Park. “At night, you could look out over the pond and see a constellation of eyes blinking back at you,” said UC Davis Ph.D. candidate Sidney Woodruff, lead author of a study chronicling the effects of removal. “Their honking…
CORVALLIS, Ore. – A novel analysis suggests more than 3,500 animal species are threatened by climate change and also sheds light on huge gaps in fully understanding the risk to the animal kingdom. The study was published today in BioScience. “We’re at the start of an existential crisis for the Earth’s wild animals,” said Oregon State University’s William Ripple, who led the study. “Up till now, the primary cause of biodiversity loss has been the twin threats of overexploitation and…
Researchers identify a decline in NAD levels as a key driver of T cell dysfunction and offer a potential rejuvenation strategy to improve immunotherapy outcomes in older cancer patients As people age, their immune systems become less efficient, posing a challenge for cancer therapies that rely on harnessing immune cells. In a new study published in Nature Cancer, researchers from the University of Lausanne (UNIL), the Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) and the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale…
Tokyo, Japan—The COVID-19 pandemic increased public awareness of the importance of mask use for personal protection. However, when the mesh size of mask fabrics is small enough to capture viruses, which are usually around one hundred nanometers in size, the fabric typically also restricts air flow, resulting in user discomfort. But now, researchers from Japan have found a way to avoid this. In a study published this month in Materials Advances, researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University…
Efforts to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5°C under the Paris Climate Agreement may not go far enough to save the world’s ice sheets, according to a new study. Research led by Durham University, UK, suggests the target should instead be closer to 1°C to avoid significant losses from the polar ice sheets and prevent a further acceleration in sea level rise. The team reviewed a wealth of evidence to examine the effect that the 1.5°C target would have…
Researchers have discovered how an ion channel in the brain’s neurons has a kind of ‘molecular memory’, which contributes to the formation and preservation of lifelong memories. The researchers have identified a specific part of the ion channel at which new drugs for certain genetic diseases could be targeted. The study, led from Linköping University in Sweden, has been published in Nature Communications. One of the brain’s superpowers is its ability to learn from past experiences and form memories. These…
As wildfires continue to ravage regions from Los Angeles to South Korea, a new study featured on the cover of the Issue 7, 2025 of Advances in Atmospheric Sciences sheds light on the large-scale climate patterns influencing these devastating global extreme events. The research, led by Professor Young-Min Yang from Jeonbuk National University, reveals how tropical climate phenomena like the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) can trigger dry, windy conditions that exacerbate wildfires in mid-latitude regions, including the western U.S. and East Asia. Wildfire…
Researchers at VIB-KU Leuven shed light on an unusual signaling pathway that orchestrates synaptic structure and function during brain development. Leuven, 20 May 2025 – Researchers from the lab led by Prof. Joris De Wit (VIB-KU Leuven) have discovered an important clue to how connections between brain cells, known as synapses, mature. These new findings, published in Developmental Cell, demonstrated how two different proteins, GPR158 and PLCXD2, interact to form a specific component in developing synapses – the spine apparatus….
A new paper in Nicotine and Tobacco Research, published by Oxford University Press, finds that today’s pod-style electronic cigarette devices are more addictive than nicotine gum, indicating that such devices have a very high potential for abuse. Since entering the market in 2003, electronic cigarettes have become very popular in the United States, particularly among youth and young adults. A significant proportion of people who use electronic cigarettes devices never used other tobacco products regularly. Over 30% of adult users…
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