Combining bupropion medication and a behavioral counseling program dramatically increased quit rates among people living with HIV who smoked.

A research team, including Professor Naoto Tomioka of Okayama University of Science, has uncovered new genetic evidence challenging the long-standing "dual-structure model" of Japanese ancestry. By analyzing ancient genomes from individuals spanning the Jomon, Yayoi, and Kofun periods (9000 B.P. to 1300 B.P.), the study identified three distinct genomic groups contributing to the ancestry of modern Japanese people. Their findings, published in Science Advances, suggest two waves of migration from Northeast and East Asia during the Yayoi and Kofun periods, integrating with the indigenous Jomon population. This research introduces a "triple-structure model" of Japanese ancestry and aligns with modern genomic studies. However, further analysis is needed to reinforce these conclusions.

Researchers have identified a new mechanism by which a key bacterium in periodontitis evades the immune system. The study reveals that the bacterium exploits the protein CD47 to suppress immune responses, allowing it to persist in inflamed tissues and contribute to systemic diseases. Blocking CD47 or its ligand, thrombospondin-1, could offer a novel strategy for enhancing bacterial clearance and improving periodontal and overall health.

A research team led by Professor Kevin Tsia, programme director of the Biomedical Engineering Programme under the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Hong Kong (HKU), has developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven imaging tool that enables speedy and precise diagnosis of cancer patients, greatly enhancing the effectiveness of their medical treatment.