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Frequent gabapentin use linked to higher dementia and cognitive impairment risk

Receiving six or more prescriptions of the drug gabapentin for low back pain is associated with significantly increased risks of developing dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI)--29% and 85%, respectively-finds a large medical records study published online in the journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine.

10 Jul 2025

UCLA study may help explain why certain liver tumors return after thermal ablation

A new study led by investigators at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center may help explain why certain liver tumors return quickly after thermal ablation, a widely used minimally-invasive, image-guided technique that kills cancer cells by applying intense heat through a needle-like probe.

10 Jul 2025

Natural compounds from turmeric and rhubarb show promise against superbugs in wastewater

When we're taking antibiotics, some of the dose is excreted with urine and feces and ends up in our wastewater. The presence of this low dose of antibiotic creates an opportunity for resistant bacteria to evolve.

10 Jul 2025

How a simple blood test can forecast future health risks

Plasma proteomics reveals that the biological ages of key organs, especially the brain and immune system, strongly predict the risk of future disease and early death. These organ-specific “clocks” provide a new tool for identifying those at highest risk and personalizing preventive care.

10 Jul 2025

New type of algae offers breakthrough in cell cultivation

The time it takes to grow new skin for burns victims could be improved thanks to a new method of cell cultivation using algae, developed by University of Queensland researchers.

10 Jul 2025

How hydrogels are shaping the future of targeted cancer drug delivery

A large-scale bibliometric analysis maps global research on hydrogels as next-generation drug delivery systems for cancer therapy. The study highlights emerging trends, key contributors, and future directions to advance precision medicine in oncology.

10 Jul 2025

Scientists discover pathway linking physical pain to emotional suffering

Pain isn't just a physical sensation-it also carries emotional weight. That distress, anguish, and anxiety can turn a fleeting injury into long-term suffering.

10 Jul 2025

Lower body temperature found to directly influence glucose metabolism in mice

Some mammals are capable of hibernating during periods of low food availability in an effort to conserve energy and survive.

10 Jul 2025

Combination therapy sets new survival standard for advanced biliary tract cancer

In a follow-up analysis to the pivotal TOPAZ-1 study, which established the combination therapy of durvalumab (an immunotherapy drug) plus gemcitabine and cisplatin (GemCis, chemotherapy drugs) as the first-line treatment for people with advanced biliary tract cancer (aBTC), researchers have shown that after three years more than twice as many study participants treated with durvalumab plus GemCis had survived compared to those treated with a placebo plus GemCis.

10 Jul 2025

Chan Zuckerberg initiative unveils AI model to decode cellular behavior

Today, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) announced its latest AI model aimed at helping researchers better understand how cells behave by focusing on the key networks that control cell behavior, making complex biological problems, like cancer, easier to solve.

10 Jul 2025

Biological age of the brain emerges as a powerful predictor of longevity

The candles on your birthday cake don't tell the whole story. As anyone who ever attended a high-school reunion can tell you, some people age faster than others.

10 Jul 2025

AlphaFold2 enables large scale analysis of enzyme evolution

Enzymes catalyze chemical reactions in organisms - without which life would not be possible. Leveraging AlphaFold2 artificial intelligence, researchers at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin have now succeeded in analyzing the laws of their evolution on a large scale.

10 Jul 2025

New analysis shows stopping antidepressants rarely leads to severe symptoms

The largest review of 'gold standard' antidepressant withdrawal studies to date has identified the type and incidence of symptoms experienced by people discontinuing antidepressants, finding most people do not experience severe withdrawal.

10 Jul 2025

Could serotonin supplements become the next hair loss treatment?

Researchers have shown that serotonin directly stimulates dermal papilla cells and promotes hair growth in lab-grown hair follicloids and human hair follicles. The findings suggest serotonin and related compounds could offer new avenues for treating hair loss, though safety and dosing challenges remain.

9 Jul 2025

Uncovering how a key inflammatory molecule causes esophageal smooth muscle contractions

A research group led by Dr. Keisuke Obara, Dr. Kento Yoshioka, and Professor Yoshio Tanaka from the Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toho University, has uncovered important details about how platelet-activating factor (PAF)-a powerful molecule involved in inflammation and allergic reactions-triggers contractions in the smooth muscles of the esophagus.

9 Jul 2025

Virginia Tech researchers explore creatine therapy for brain health

Creatine is popularly known as a muscle-building supplement, but its influence on human muscle function can be a matter of life or death.

9 Jul 2025

FDA-approved drugs can help enhance the safety of nanomedicines

An international study led by researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus has identified a promising strategy to enhance the safety of nanomedicines, advanced therapies often used in cancer and vaccine treatments, by using drugs already approved by the FDA for unrelated conditions.

9 Jul 2025

Retinal organoid model advances understanding of dry age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), classified into dry and wet types, poses a significant threat to the vision of the elderly population globally.

9 Jul 2025

MIT develops implantable device to automatically release emergency glucagon

For people with Type 1 diabetes, developing hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is an ever-present threat. When glucose levels become extremely low, it creates a life-threatening situation for which the standard treatment of care is injecting a hormone called glucagon.

9 Jul 2025

Innovative genome editing approach could be the key to lifelong effective weight management

Weight-loss drugs have surged in popularity, promising rapid results with regular injections. Now, researchers from Japan report a way for the body to make its own weight-loss drugs, doing away with injections in favor of a one-time treatment.

9 Jul 2025