Feed aggregator

Why do some people respond better to GLP-1 drugs? Gut microbiome may hold clues

Rss Feed - Sun, 03/15/2026 - 22:52
A review in the Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology examines emerging evidence linking glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), the gut microbiome, and obesity treatment outcomes. The authors conclude that microbiome changes seen during therapy are most likely driven by diet, behavior, and weight loss, although microbial profiling may eventually help predict patient responses.

U.S. cigarette smoking falls below 10% for the first time but millions still use tobacco

Rss Feed - Sun, 03/15/2026 - 22:19
Analysis of the 2023–2024 National Health Interview Survey shows that 18.8% of U.S. adults use tobacco, while cigarette smoking has fallen to 9.9%, the first time it has dropped below 10% nationally. Despite this milestone, millions of Americans still use cigars, e-cigarettes, or smokeless tobacco, with notable disparities across age, income, occupation, and geography.

Vaginal microbiome may play key role in pregnancy health and preterm birth risk, researchers say

Rss Feed - Sun, 03/15/2026 - 21:28
Researchers reviewed evidence linking the vaginal microbiome to pregnancy health and spontaneous preterm birth, highlighting how Lactobacillus-dominated communities help maintain immune balance and vaginal acidity. Dysbiosis and inflammatory signaling may contribute to preterm birth risk, while emerging microbiome-targeted therapies aim to restore protective microbial ecosystems.

Scientists show gut bacteria can reach the brain in mice and reveal a potential vagus nerve pathway

Rss Feed - Sun, 03/15/2026 - 20:53
Researchers found that very small numbers of gut bacteria can translocate to the brain in mice, particularly when gut barrier permeability increases due to a Paigen diet. Evidence suggests the vagus nerve may serve as a partial route for this gut-to-brain microbial movement.

App-based therapy helps men improve control over premature ejaculation

Rss Feed - Fri, 03/13/2026 - 23:04
A smartphone app designed to tackle the underlying psychological causes of premature ejaculation can significantly improve sex life and delay ejaculation, while offering a way to reduce stigma around the condition, say researchers.

Study highlights benefits of specialist resource centers for autistic pupils

Rss Feed - Fri, 03/13/2026 - 22:58
Specialist resource centers (a form of 'Inclusion Base') within mainstream secondary schools may be linked to stronger academic progress, improved attendance, and a greater sense of belonging for autistic pupils, according to a new three-year study from the University of Surrey.

Vitamin B2 metabolism helps cancer cells resist ferroptosis

Rss Feed - Fri, 03/13/2026 - 22:43
A lack of vitamin B2 makes tumour cells more susceptible to a unique form of cell death. This was discovered by researchers at the Rudolf Virchow Centre at the University of Würzburg.

Exercise during chemotherapy supports physical and cognitive health

Rss Feed - Fri, 03/13/2026 - 22:24
​Researchers recommended a tailored, scientifically validated exercise program to individuals receiving chemotherapy for cancer, and those who were on a two-week chemotherapy schedule and followed the exercise prescription were able to maintain their walking-step goals, use resistance bands, and stay mentally sharper compared to patients who did not exercise.

FDA-approved drug fedratinib enhances communication between cellular organelles

Rss Feed - Fri, 03/13/2026 - 22:20
Cells behave like cities and organelles carry out infrastructural roles: Mitochondria are powerhouses, the endoplasmic reticulum serves as a transport hub and lysosomes help with waste disposal.

Early prenatal shunt treatment improves outcomes for fetal megacystis

Rss Feed - Fri, 03/13/2026 - 22:16
An interdisciplinary team from the University Hospitals Cologne and Bonn have conducted the first prospective study to investigate whether very early intervention in unborn children with congenital lower urinary tract obstruction (cLUTO) can improve their chances of survival and subsequent kidney function.

New insights highlight multifaceted roles of CD4+ T cells in tumor immunity

Rss Feed - Fri, 03/13/2026 - 22:08
For decades, cancer immunotherapy has focused primarily on CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes as the main executors of tumor cell killing.

Circular RNA produced by HIV boosts viral replication

Rss Feed - Fri, 03/13/2026 - 22:05
For decades scientists have recognized that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a formidable viral pathogen.

Study links excessive smartphone use with poor body image and disordered eating

Rss Feed - Fri, 03/13/2026 - 22:01
New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London has found that excessive smartphone use is closely associated with disordered eating, including uncontrolled eating and emotional overeating, as well greater symptoms of food addiction in young people with no diagnosis of an eating disorder.

Older Americans willing to travel farther for medical care

Rss Feed - Fri, 03/13/2026 - 21:59
Older Americans are willing to travel far for medical care - sometimes much farther than policymakers and experts assume, according to researchers at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

Targeting two influenza proteins may reduce viral transmission

Rss Feed - Fri, 03/13/2026 - 21:52
A long-running debate in vaccine design revolves around whether a vaccine should be optimized to prevent the virus from replicating inside an infected host or prevent the virus from transmitting to others.

Preconception pesticide exposure linked to poorer newborn health outcomes

Rss Feed - Fri, 03/13/2026 - 21:48
Women exposed to agricultural pesticides, even before becoming pregnant, may be putting their newborn's health at risk.

New RNA therapy enhances the heart's ability to repair itself after injury

Rss Feed - Fri, 03/13/2026 - 21:45
After a heart attack, cardiologists can reopen blocked vessels and restore blood flow, but the muscle cells that died will never be replaced.

New method creates longer lasting CAR T cells for cancer therapy

Rss Feed - Fri, 03/13/2026 - 21:41
A research team led by Albert Einstein College of Medicine scientists has developed a new strategy to engineer immune cells that dramatically prolongs their effectiveness after being infused into patients to fight cancer and HIV, addressing a major limitation of current treatments.

Combined CDK4/6 and EGFR inhibition improves pancreatic cancer therapy

Rss Feed - Fri, 03/13/2026 - 15:19
Clinically available KRAS inhibitors mainly target G12C, which is rare in PDAC and often acquires resistance. Oncogenic KRAS inactivates RB1 via CDK4/6, while RB1 mutation is rare.

Stress hormones disrupt the internal GPS system of the brain

Rss Feed - Fri, 03/13/2026 - 15:02
Persons under stress may have a harder time spatially orienting themselves. Researchers in Bochum have discovered why.

Pages