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Machine learning provide new insights into how the brain responds to heroin use

Object recognition software is used by law enforcement to help identify suspects, by self-driving cars to navigate roadways and by many consumers to unlock their cell phones or pay for their morning coffee.

30 Apr 2025

Can folic acid prevent or promote breast cancer? It depends on dose and DNA

Folic acid plays a dual role in breast cancer depending on dose and context. While moderate intake may reduce risk, high levels or genetic variants disrupting metabolism may promote tumor progression via altered DNA methylation.

30 Apr 2025

Single DNA mutation disrupts tumor suppressor pathways in blood cancer

Australian researchers have discovered that a single mutation in the DNA sequence for a methylation enzyme dysregulates key tumor-suppressing pathways, opening up new avenues for blood cancer treatment.

30 Apr 2025

Mindfulness-based therapy found to decrease opioid cravings and improve emotional health

Researchers from the University of California San Diego have found that Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) can help rewire the brain's response to natural healthy pleasure, leading to improved mood, greater attention to positive experiences and reduced opioid cravings.

30 Apr 2025

Curcumin shows promise for treating obesity, inflammation, and neurodegenerative diseases

Researchers explore the medicinal role of curcumin in the treatment and prevention of neuroinflammation and metabolic disorders.

30 Apr 2025

New antiviral compounds show broad protection against COVID-19 variants

Novel Mpro inhibitors exhibit broad activity against SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses.

30 Apr 2025

Brain damage linked to increased impulsivity and social influence

People who have damage to a specific part of their brains are more likely to be impulsive, and new research has found that damage also makes them more likely to be influenced by other people.

29 Apr 2025

Better sleep, BMI, and glucose control lower female infertility odds

A new study using NHANES data found that higher Life’s Crucial 9 (LC9) scores, reflecting better cardiovascular and mental health, were linked to lower odds of female infertility. However, adding depression to the LE8 framework did not significantly improve its predictive value.

29 Apr 2025

Even small workouts can help protect the aging brain

Good fitness can reduce the risk of dementia and promote healthy brain aging. This recognition should be included in updated health recommendations, say researchers behind the new review.

29 Apr 2025

Study connects low birth weight to reduced adult physical activity

Poorer gross motor skills, such as the ability to walk quickly, run, or jump, may explain some of the correlation between being born prematurely and the tendency to engage less in physical activity.

29 Apr 2025

Disrupted body clocks raise risk of early death, study finds

A large cohort study from China and the U.S. shows that Circadian Syndrome (CircS)—a cluster of metabolic and behavioral disruptions—is linked to higher all-cause and cause-specific mortality. The risk increases with the number of CircS components, especially among adults aged 40–60.

29 Apr 2025

Machine learning uncovers promising drug leads against human enterovirus 71

Artificial intelligence algorithms have now been combined with traditional laboratory methods to uncover promising drug leads against human enterovirus 71 (EV71), the pathogen behind most cases of hand, foot and mouth disease.

29 Apr 2025

Why different loneliness tests still identify the same emotional struggles

Researchers examined how loneliness classifications, by frequency, distress, or chronicity, relate to cognitive and behavioral traits in 790 adults. Despite modest agreement between classification methods, the study found consistent psychological patterns among lonely individuals across all types of loneliness.

29 Apr 2025

Measles makes a deadly comeback in Europe as vaccine gaps widen

In 2024, measles cases in Europe soared to the highest levels in decades, with over 35,000 reported cases, 87% from Romania alone. Most affected were unvaccinated children, revealing critical immunity gaps and suboptimal vaccination coverage across the EU/EEA.

29 Apr 2025

Gut bacteria and metabolites reveal depression-linked patterns in older adults

A cross-sectional study of 400 older adults with metabolic syndrome reveals that individuals with depression have distinct gut microbiota and metabolite profiles. Eight bacterial genera and 15 fecal metabolites were significantly associated with depression, suggesting a gut-brain axis link.

29 Apr 2025

Nectin4-targeted VHH-CAR-T cells show potency against bladder cancer

Announcing a new article publication for BIO Integration journal. Bladder cancer (BLCA) is one of the most common malignancies and the second most frequent urogenital tract tumor.

29 Apr 2025

Genetic predisposition to muscle strength linked to lower cardiovascular mortality

A study conducted by the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, found that men with a genetic predisposition supporting higher muscle strength had a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases, regardless of their leisure-time physical activity levels or other lifestyle-related factors.

29 Apr 2025

New compounds identified as inhibitors of DNA topoisomerase 1

Andrés Aguilera's laboratory, in collaboration with that of Ralf Wellinger (both professors in the Department of Genetics at the University of Seville in CABIMER) and with PharmaMAR, has identified two natural compounds, patulin and xestoquinol, as new inhibitors of the enzyme topoisomerase 1, a key element in the correct functioning of DNA.

29 Apr 2025

Intimate relationships may shield against cognitive decline during chemo

A satisfying intimate relationship may help diminish chemotherapy-related cognitive problems experienced by patients with breast cancer, a new study suggests.

29 Apr 2025

Researchers uncover how substance use accelerates brain aging

In a comprehensive Genomic Press Interview, researchers from UTHealth Houston have uncovered crucial evidence that substance use disorders (SUDs) accelerate biological aging in the brain through distinct molecular mechanisms.

29 Apr 2025