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GDF3 protein sustains harmful inflammation in aging immune cells

As people age, their bodies develop a dysfunctional immune system, which can leave older adults more susceptible to conditions like sepsis.

15 Dec 2025

Smartwatch alerts help parents manage children's tantrums

Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a smartwatch-based alert system that signals parents at the earliest signs of a tantrum in children with emotional and behavioral disorders - prompting them to intervene before it intensifies.

15 Dec 2025

Air pollution and immune changes could trigger autoimmune conditions

A new study has linked air pollution exposure and immune-system changes that often precede the onset of autoimmune diseases.

15 Dec 2025

Scientists create light-controlled versions of cholesterol

High levels of cholesterol are linked to heart disease, stroke, and many other health problems. However, this complex and vital fatty, water insoluble molecule-a lipid-is found in every cell of the body and is not all bad news. It also regulates crucial processes that science has yet to map.

15 Dec 2025

Using sound waves to soften tumors and boost chemotherapy

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S., second only to heart disease. But a new cancer treatment method from CU Boulder researchers uses sound waves to soften tumors and could be a potent tool against the disease.

15 Dec 2025

Single-pill combination medications may simplify treatment for adults with high blood pressure

Taking one pill that combines two or more blood pressure medications may help adults with high blood pressure (also known as hypertension) lower their blood pressure level faster and more effectively than taking multiple medications separately, and it may also reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, according to a new scientific statement published today in the American Heart Association's journal Hypertension.

15 Dec 2025

E-cigarette use is linked to higher heart attack risk, especially in former smokers

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined whether electronic cigarette use is associated with myocardial infarction and stroke, synthesizing evidence from 12 observational studies. The analysis found higher odds of myocardial infarction among e-cigarette users, particularly former smokers, while no significant associations were observed among exclusive never-smokers.

14 Dec 2025

Indoor environments expose people to a growing mix of new contaminants

Indoor dust, air and everyday products are exposing people to a growing mix of "new contaminants" inside homes, schools and workplaces, according to a new perspective published in the journal New Contaminants.

13 Dec 2025

Lowering blood sugar reduces heart risk in prediabetes

Lowering blood sugar levels halves the likelihood of serious heart problems in people with prediabetes.

12 Dec 2025

Over-contracted gut muscles drive gastrointestinal symptoms in myotonic dystrophy

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is the most common form of adult-onset muscular dystrophy, affecting about 1 in 8,000 people. While it is well known for causing muscle weakness and stiffness, DM1 also affects other organs, including the brain, heart and gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

12 Dec 2025

Human heart organoids enable new therapies for atrial fibrillation

Though an estimated 60 million people around the world have atrial fibrillation, or A-fib, a type of irregular and often fast heartbeat, it's been at least 30 years since any new treatments have been developed.

12 Dec 2025

Nighttime heart attacks cause less damage due to neutrophil circadian rhythms

Heart attacks that occur at night are less severe than those that strike during the day. A new study from the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC) explains why. Published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, the study led by Dr. Andrés Hidalgo's group at the CNIC shows that neutrophils-a type of white blood cell-have an internal clock that regulates their aggressiveness throughout the day and determines the extent of damage they cause to the heart after a heart attack.

12 Dec 2025

Mass General Brigham launches AI company to enhance clinical trial matching

Mass General Brigham is announcing the spinout of AIwithCare, a company founded by researchers from the health system who developed an artificial intelligence (AI) screening tool that significantly outperformed manual screening for determining a patient's eligibility and enrolling them in a clinical trial.

12 Dec 2025

Increased epicardial fat volume linked to greater myocardial injury after infarction

Increased volume of epicardial adipose tissue, detected by cardiovascular imaging, was found to be associated with greater myocardial injury after a myocardial infarction.

12 Dec 2025

Scientists outline how organ rejuvenation strategies could solve the donor shortage

Researchers outline why organs from older donors are often discarded and identify the biological and immunological pathways that make them vulnerable to injury. They also highlight emerging rejuvenation technologies including machine perfusion, senotherapeutics, and regenerative strategies that could safely expand the donor pool.

11 Dec 2025

What happens to your body when you eat takeaway food too often?

This study of 8,556 US adults shows that frequent takeaway food consumption is associated with a higher energy-adjusted Dietary Inflammatory Index and adverse cardiometabolic markers. The findings suggest that reducing takeaway intake and lowering dietary inflammatory potential may improve long-term cardiometabolic health.

11 Dec 2025

Breast arterial calcification on mammograms predicts future heart risk

Routine mammograms are a critical tool for breast cancer screening. However, they may also hold crucial, potentially untapped information about a person's risk for cardiovascular disease, the number one cause of death among adults.

11 Dec 2025

New blood biomarker predicts brain damage after cardiac arrest

A blood biomarker yet to be used in cardiac arrest care can give a clearer picture of the extent of brain damage after a cardiac arrest.

11 Dec 2025

Arts and creativity can help improve children’s wellbeing

The arts and creativity are crucial for children’s wellbeing, but funding cuts have removed this lifeline for many children growing up in disadvantage and poor health, research shows.

11 Dec 2025

New molecular ruler enables precise measurement of toxic Tau fibrils in fluid samples

Researchers have developed a new tool, FibrilPaint combined with the FibrilRuler test, that allows scientists to directly measure the length of toxic Tau amyloid fibrils in tiny fluid samples, from the earliest aggregation stages to mature fibrils and even at very low concentrations.

11 Dec 2025