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High-dose curcumin fails to produce lasting gut-microbiome changes in IBD patients

In an open-label study of 29 men, including patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease in remission, 6 g per day of curcumin for eight weeks led to modest, transient shifts in gut microbiota composition without sustained restructuring. Despite achieving high fecal concentrations and minimal systemic bioavailability, curcumin did not produce durable microbiome changes, and disease activity scores remained stable.

2 Mar 2026

COVID-19 ARDS survivors face lasting disability and high late mortality, researchers report

In this single-center ambispective cohort of 283 Polish patients with COVID-19–related ARDS requiring invasive mechanical ventilation, cumulative mortality reached 44.5% at four years after ICU admission. Among survivors, substantial proportions reported persistent functional limitations, insomnia, fatigue, and reduced quality-adjusted life years.

2 Mar 2026

NLRP3 inflammasome plays dual, time-dependent roles during acute wound healing

Wound healing is a multistep biological process involving inflammation, tissue formation, and remodeling.

2 Mar 2026

MERLIN algorithm unlocks immune cell location memory in organs

A new AI-based method reconstructs spatial information about where immune cells were originally located in an organ, even after these cells have been removed from the tissue and analyzed individually.

2 Mar 2026

How zinc deficiency could worsen heart inflammation and what that means for patients

This review examines how zinc regulates inflammatory and redox signaling pathways involved in myocarditis and pericarditis, highlighting mechanisms such as NF-κB inhibition and the redox zinc switch. The authors conclude that maintaining optimal zinc status may support cardiovascular resilience, while emphasizing that clinical translation requires further targeted trials.

1 Mar 2026

Fe₃O₄@mPEG-Ag nanoparticles offer non-antibiotic strategy to combat drug-resistant bacteria

A collaborative study by Guangzhou Medical University and South China University of Technology, published in BME Frontiers, introduces Fe₃O₄@mPEG-Ag nanoparticles (NPs) as a groundbreaking non-antibiotic strategy to combat drug-resistant bacteria.

27 Feb 2026

Pomegranate’s hidden fiber-bound polyphenols significantly increase total antioxidant capacity

Researchers showed that pomegranate fruit extract contains substantial levels of non-extractable polyphenols bound within its fibre-rich matrix, significantly increasing its total measured antioxidant capacity. In human neuronal and astrocytic cell lines, the extract reduced hydrogen peroxide–induced oxidative stress, particularly in astrocytes, under in vitro conditions.

26 Feb 2026

Organ donation after circulatory death expands transplant opportunities

Organ donation after the heart stops beating, a practice called donation after circulatory death, has gone from rare to routine in the United States, a new study shows.

26 Feb 2026

Decoding the purpose of fetal yawns in the womb

Even in the womb, where all oxygen is provided by the parental placenta, fetuses can-and do-yawn. More yawns during observation were associated with a lower weight at birth-potentially indicating mild fetal stress in the womb, according to a study published February 25, 2026 in the open-access journal PLOS One by Damiano Menin, of the Università degli Studi di Ferrara in Italy, and colleagues.

26 Feb 2026

Breakthrough gene therapy for sickle cell disease remains out of reach in Africa

As Uganda rolls out mandatory nationwide screening of newborns for sickle cell disease this month, a gene therapy celebrated in the United States and Europe remains financially out of reach for most patients in Africa.

25 Feb 2026

High-fat ketogenic diet improves exercise response in diabetic mice

To be healthy, conventional wisdom tells us to exercise and limit fatty foods. Exercise helps us lose weight and build muscle.

25 Feb 2026

Modified Clostridium sporogenes shows promise in targeting solid tumors

A research team led by the University of Waterloo is developing a novel tool to treat cancer by engineering hungry bacteria to literally eat tumors from the inside out.

24 Feb 2026

Transforming obese fat cells into energy burners

Ordinary fat cells in obese animals can be induced to burn energy stores, generating substantial heat, according to a preclinical study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.

23 Feb 2026

Osteoporosis drugs show promise against toxic iron accumulation

Researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil have discovered that two osteoporosis drugs (etidronate and tiludronate) may combat diseases caused by iron accumulation in the body.

23 Feb 2026

Study connects vascular health to early Alzheimer’s brain changes

Subtle changes in how blood flows through the brain and how brain tissue uses oxygen may be closely linked to Alzheimer's disease risk, according to new research from the Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute (Stevens INI) at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

23 Feb 2026

Researchers show red blood cells drive better glucose tolerance at high altitude

Chronic hypoxia improves glucose tolerance in mice through insulin-independent mechanisms, with red blood cells acting as a major systemic glucose sink. Increased erythrocyte production and altered glycolytic flux help reduce circulating glucose while supporting oxygen delivery to tissues.

22 Feb 2026