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Semaglutide changes gut bacteria in rats beyond what eating less explains

Researchers compared semaglutide-treated male and female rats with pair-fed animals receiving the same amount and type of food to distinguish drug-associated microbiome changes from those linked to reduced eating. Semaglutide altered bacterial richness and community composition, with some changes absent from the pair-fed groups and uncertain consequences for health.

26 Oct 2026

Beer and liquor show more oral bacteria links than wine in a large US study

Researchers analyzed beverage intake and oral microbiome data from 5,598 adults across three US cohorts and found that alcohol consumption showed the strongest associations with oral bacterial diversity and composition among the beverages examined. Higher alcohol intake was associated with greater bacterial richness and differences in genera linked to oral health, but the cross-sectional preprint could not establish whether alcohol caused these differences or influenced disease risk.

26 Oct 2026

The vaginal microbiome may relate to more than reproductive health

Researchers analyzed vaginal microbiota, metabolites, and psychological questionnaire scores in 105 young Italian women and found associations between microbial community types and reward responsiveness, motivational drive, and behavioral inhibition. Exploratory models identified statistical links involving vaginal GABA and valine, but the cross-sectional study could not establish whether microbiome changes influence psychological functioning or the reverse.

26 Oct 2026

Rising heat and humidity increase pregnancy termination risks in Nigeria

New research led by the University of Michigan contains valuable insights for public health officials and communities in Nigeria as they navigate pregnancies through increasing heat and humidity.

26 Oct 2026

Marine-derived compound shows promise against deadly brain eating amoeba

Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a parasitic disease that causes the rapid deterioration of brain tissue, is one of the most lethal infections known, with a fatality rate exceeding 97%.

26 Oct 2026

New drug effectively decreases recurrence of and death from endometrial cancer

A new drug is effective at decreasing recurrence of and death from endometrial cancer, a landmark international study shows.

26 Oct 2026

New smart bedding technology monitors residents' wellbeing in healthcare settings

Aussie medtech company Sleeptite and RMIT University researchers have secured a US patent for smart bedding technology designed to monitor residents' wellbeing in healthcare settings and identify falls risk so carers can intervene.

26 Oct 2026

UCL scientists design symbolic AI digital twins to treat cancer

In a new paper published in Cell Reports Medicine, the UCL team outline how they, in collaboration with a University of Cambridge team, developed a new type of treatment-predicting computer program that uses an individual's detailed genetic fingerprint to explore which treatments, if any, may kill their cancer – especially when standard treatments have failed.

26 Oct 2026

Proteins linked to Alzheimer's found to assist sperm cells

Unexpectedly, a kind of protein that is usually linked with diseases in the brain may play a vital role in semen, helping shepherd genetic material into sperm cells, scientists at Columbia's Zuckerman Institute report today in the research journal Molecular Cell.

26 Oct 2026

Implantable drug-delivery device could help prevent recurrence of glioblastoma

Patients with glioblastoma, an aggressive type of brain tumor, usually undergo surgery to remove the tumor. However, it's difficult for surgeons to remove all of the cancer cells, and the tumor often recurs.

26 Oct 2026

African health experts urge immediate action over new Ebola cases

African health experts have called for an immediate and coordinated response from pan-African authorities after new cases of the Bundibugyo Ebola virus emerged in Kenya and Nigeria.

26 Oct 2026

Friends play a direct role in encouraging regular cancer screening

Friends may play a direct role in whether people keep up with cancer screening regularly, while family influence appears to operate more through knowledge and attitudes towards screening, according to new research by Singapore Management University's (SMU) Center for Research on Successful Ageing (ROSA).

26 Oct 2026

Medical societies release landmark framework redefining women's heart health

Today, the American Heart Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine released a landmark publication that redefines heart health in girls and women.

26 Oct 2026

Smart probe makes aggressive breast cancer cells glow during surgery

Surgical removal of a tumor remains the primary defense against most solid cancers. However, for surgeons in the operating room, differentiating between the outer edges of a tumor and healthy tissue is a challenge.

26 Oct 2026

Physical activity may help lower genetic risk of depression in adults

Adding physical activity to a daily routine may seem like a simple step for better health, but research from Kansas State University suggests it could be especially beneficial for individuals with a genetic predisposition to depression, potentially helping reduce their risk and ease their symptom burden.

26 Oct 2026

KAIST team develops neural chip to track Alzheimer's drug response

What happens in the brain after an Alzheimer's drug is administered? A joint research team led by KAIST has used a small, implantable neural chip to wirelessly monitor real-time changes in a neurotransmitter involved in memory and learning.

26 Oct 2026

Simple drug adjustment reduces kidney damage during septic shock surgery

A simple adjustment to drugs given during operations for septic shock could prevent thousands of patients suffering kidney damage, according to a major trial.

26 Oct 2026

New report urges unified lifecycle approach to women's heart health

A new approach to women's heart health may offer them a lifetime of opportunities. A trio of scientific papers, published today in the journal Circulation, spells out how fluctuating hormones, mental health and well-being, the heart and the brain are linked and how those connections need to be a routine part of care from a young age.

26 Oct 2026

Additional education protects people with high genetic risk of dementia

A law that required British teenagers to stay in school for an additional year had an unexpected consequence nearly 50 years later: fewer dementia diagnoses.

26 Oct 2026