World's first blood test for real-time monitoring of cancer treatment success

Cancer patients who are undergoing targeted therapy can look forward to a new blood test that could tell their doctors whether the treatment is working, within one day after the start of the treatment. This will significantly speed up the evaluation process and enable doctors to make adjustments to the treatment plan, if necessary, to improve patients' chances of recovery.

Genomics-informed decisions can help save species from extinction

Researchers in Lund, Copenhagen and Norwich have shown that harmful mutations present in the DNA play an important—yet neglected—role in the conservation and translocation programs of threatened species.

ALPALGA: The search for mountain snow microalgae

In glaciers, well above sea level, algae thrive. Normally invisible to the naked eye, they are often spotted by hikers trekking through the mountains in late spring as strikingly colored stretches of snow, in shades of ochre, orange and red. Known as "glacier blood," this coloring is the result of the punctual multiplication (or bloom) of the microalgae that inhabit the snow.

Controlling insulin production with a smartwatch

Many modern fitness trackers and smartwatches feature integrated LEDs. The green light emitted, whether continuous or pulsed, penetrates the skin and can be used to measure the wearer's heart rate during physical activity or while at rest.

High caffeine consumption may be associated with increased risk of blinding eye disease

Consuming large amounts of daily caffeine may increase the risk of glaucoma more than three-fold for those with a genetic predisposition to higher eye pressure according to an international, multi-center study. The research led by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is the first to demonstrate a dietary—genetic interaction in glaucoma. The study results published in the June print issue of Ophthalmology may suggest patients with a strong family history of glaucoma should cut down on caffeine intake.

Pandemic prevention measures linked to lower rates of Kawasaki disease in children

The rate of Kawasaki disease in South Korea has substantially decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, possibly due to pandemic prevention efforts, such as mask-wearing, hand-washing and physical distancing, according to new research published today in the American Heart Association's flagship journal Circulation.

A new material made from carbon nanotubes can generate electricity by scavenging energy from its environment

MIT engineers have discovered a new way of generating electricity using tiny carbon particles that can create a current simply by interacting with liquid surrounding them.

Experiment evaluates the effect of human decisions on climate reconstructions

The first double-blind experiment analyzing the role of human decision-making in climate reconstructions has found that it can lead to substantially different results.

A few common bacteria account for majority of carbon use in soil

Just a few bacterial taxa found in ecosystems across the planet are responsible for more than half of carbon cycling in soils. These new findings, made by researchers at Northern Arizona University and published in Nature Communications this week, suggest that despite the diversity of microbial taxa found in wild soils gathered from four different ecosystems, only three to six groups of bacteria common among these ecosystems were responsible for most of the carbon use that occurred.

Simple blood test can accurately reveal underlying neurodegeneration

A new study of over 3000 people led by King's College London in collaboration with Lund University, has shown for the first time that a single biomarker can accurately indicate the presence of underlying neurodegeneration in people with cognitive issues.

Researchers identify a molecule critical to functional brain rejuvenation

Recent studies suggest that new brain cells are being formed every day in response to injury, physical exercise, and mental stimulation. Glial cells, and in particular the ones called oligodendrocyte progenitors, are highly responsive to external signals and injuries. They can detect changes in the nervous system and form new myelin, which wraps around nerves and provides metabolic support and accurate transmission of electrical signals. As we age, however, less myelin is formed in response to external signals, and this progressive decline has been linked to the age-related cognitive and motor deficits detected in older people in the general population. Impaired myelin formation also has been reported in older individuals with neurodegenerative diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis or Alzheimer's and identified as one of the causes of their progressive clinical deterioration.

Four decades on, where's the HIV vaccine?

In the four decades since the first cases of what would come to be known as AIDS were documented, scientists have made huge strides in HIV treatment, transforming what was once a death sentence to a manageable condition.

Vax appeal: Dating apps help UK vaccine drive

Popular dating apps on Monday launched a campaign encouraging British users to post "I got my shot" on their profiles as the UK rollout reaches young adults.

Yemen's unique 'dragon's blood' island under threat

Centuries-old umbrella-shaped dragon's blood trees line the rugged peaks of Yemen's Socotra—a flagship symbol of the Indian Ocean archipelago's extraordinary biodiversity, but also a bleak warning of environmental crisis.

Toyota reaches settlement over bullied engineer's suicide

Japanese automaker Toyota has reached a settlement with the family of an engineer whose suicide was ruled a job-related death due to harassment from his boss.

How a Vietnamese raw pork snack could help us keep food fresh, naturally

A traditional Vietnamese meat snack could hold the key to developing a safe and natural food preservative, addressing the twin global problems of food waste and food-borne illnesses.

Global travelers pick up numerous genes that promote microbial resistance

Carried like stowaways in the guts of international travelers, new and potentially deadly strains of antimicrobial resistant superbugs may be coming to a community near you, suggests new research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Climate change increases extreme rainfall and the chance of floods

Climate experts warn that, without urgent action, climate change will continue to cause an increase in the intensity of extreme rainfall that can lead to severe flooding.

India cautiously starts to open up as virus cases decline

Businesses in two of India's largest cities were reopening Monday as part of a phased easing of lockdown measures in several states now that the number of new coronavirus infections in the country is on a steady decline.

Uganda tightens curbs as Covid cases surge

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni further toughened virus curbs on Sunday night, including ordering the closure of schools, to stem a worrying rise in local transmissions.

Postpartum mental health visits 30% higher during COVID-19 pandemic

Mental health visits for new mothers were 30% higher during the COVID-19 pandemic than before the pandemic, particularly in the first 3 months after giving birth, found new research in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

An 'atlas' of the brain's choroid plexus across the lifespan

Once viewed merely as a producer of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) bathing the brain and spinal cord, the choroid plexus is now known to be a key player in brain development and immunity. These fronds of brain tissue, located in the CSF-filled brain cavities known as ventricles, secrete instructive cues into the CSF to regulate brain development. They also function as an important barrier between the brain and the rest of the body.

Hospitalized individuals with active cancer more likely to die from COVID-19

New research indicates that patients hospitalized with active cancer were more likely to die from COVID-19 than those with a history of cancer or those without any cancer diagnosis. The findings published by Wiley early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, also indicate those with active blood cancers have the greatest risk of death due to COVID-19. Researchers found no increased mortality risk in patients who received cancer treatments in the three months (or longer) prior to hospitalization.