Health & Science

Goethe never knew this 40-million-year-old ant was hidden in his collection
Health & Science

Goethe never knew this 40-million-year-old ant was hidden in his collection

Scientists examining amber from Goethe’s personal collection discovered three hidden fossil insects, including an extinct ant preserved in extraordinary detail. Advanced 3D imaging allowed researchers to see not only the ant’s outer features but also structures inside its body. The findings offer new clues about the species’ biology and suggest it likely built large nests in trees.

Experts warn of increase in U.S. food swamps: No substantial progress reducing food deserts for millions of people
Health & Science

Experts warn of increase in U.S. food swamps: No substantial progress reducing food deserts for millions of people

Imagine not having access to affordable, healthy food. For many Americans, it's a reality. A new study by researchers at the American Cancer Society (ACS) shows that between 2003 and 2023, nearly five million people in the United States lived in food deserts, places with no grocery stores. Most of these deserts are in poor and rural areas and in places where people rely on public transit. At the same time, the number of food swamps or areas with mostly restaurants/fast-food locations increased n

Deep South HIV prevention care has gaps where patients need it most
Health & Science

Deep South HIV prevention care has gaps where patients need it most

A recent University of Mississippi study has identified hundreds of counties in the South where HIV prevention and health care may not be keeping pace with the local needs, leaving communities without resources to address the persistent problem. The research, published in Frontiers in Public Health, offers health care and government leaders a new tool for targeting HIV-related support where the need is highest.

Why brain scans and AI could fail people trying to prove chronic pain
Health & Science

Why brain scans and AI could fail people trying to prove chronic pain

In 2006, Carl Koch sued his employer for damages after burn injuries during a workplace accident that left him with chronic pain. The employer accused him of malingering, so the judge admitted a neuroscientist as an expert witness, who testified that he could see Koch's pain on a brain scan. The case was settled for more than ten times the amount the employer initially offered.

How culture, stress, and social life may shape gut health
Health & Science

How culture, stress, and social life may shape gut health

Abdominal pain before an important exam, nausea during intense stress, or sudden intestinal problems following difficult life experiences—many people regard such symptoms as a temporary bodily reaction. However, a growing body of evidence confirms that the relationship between the brain and the gut is far deeper. A publication co-authored by Professor Agata Mulak of Wroclaw Medical University indicates that gastrointestinal health is influenced not only by genes, diet and gut bacteria, but also

Rice–fish co-culturing could help curb schistosomiasis while increasing food production
Health & Science

Rice–fish co-culturing could help curb schistosomiasis while increasing food production

The chronic disease schistosomiasis wreaks havoc on more than 220 million people around the world, with the vast majority of cases being in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite decades of mass drug administration campaigns, schistosomiasis remains one of the world's most widespread neglected tropical diseases. Rice farmers and their families are particularly at risk, as the parasitic worms that cause the disease are spread by freshwater snails found in the standing water of rice fields.

Nanoparticles inspired by lung fluid improve therapies targeting respiratory system
Health & Science

Nanoparticles inspired by lung fluid improve therapies targeting respiratory system

The CIC biomaGUNE Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials has developed pulmonary surfactant nanoparticles (the blend of lipids and proteins that line the alveoli and enables breathing), which are encapsulated in a drug used to treat pulmonary fibrosis. The researchers show that these nanoparticles are highly capable of remaining trapped in the diseased tissue after being administered via the pulmonary pathway. This allows the doses of antifibrotic medication to be cut, and thus reduces

Risk threshold for kidney disease confirmed by more accurate measurement
Health & Science

Risk threshold for kidney disease confirmed by more accurate measurement

The thresholds for kidney function currently used to diagnose chronic kidney disease (CKD) reflect a true increase in the risk of serious illness, according to a study from Karolinska Institutet and Leiden University Medical Center published in JAMA. The researchers also show that risk assessment becomes more accurate when two common blood tests, creatinine and cystatin C, are combined to estimate kidney function.

A new scheduling tool could help hospitals reduce surgical wait times
Health & Science

A new scheduling tool could help hospitals reduce surgical wait times

A Concordia-led research team has developed a planning tool that could help hospitals book their operating rooms more efficiently, shorten wait times and better cope with last‑minute emergencies. The researchers developed their model using artificial intelligence tools to plan which operating rooms to open on each day, when each surgery should start and which cases may need to be delayed, all in a single, integrated framework. Their model uses far fewer variables than a widely used previous appr

A single clonal starting point may explain how multiple cervical cancer subtypes arise
Health & Science

A single clonal starting point may explain how multiple cervical cancer subtypes arise

How do different cancer subtypes arise? Do they originate from distinct cells, or from a single multipotent cell capable of differentiating into multiple cell types? This question, debated for decades in cancer biology, is now gaining new insight thanks to the work of the Laboratory of Experimental Pathology at the University of Liège, in collaboration with researchers from Université Paris Cité and Sorbonne University. The paper is published in the journal Cell Reports.