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Medicine & Health

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 12-Jun-2026 18:15 ET (12-Jun-2026 22:15 GMT/UTC)

Hidden virus linked to hip bone collapse, offering hope for true prevention of osteonecrosis

NJU Xishan Institute of Applied Biotechnology
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new clinical study reveals that localized reactivation of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)—a common latent virus—inside the femoral head is strongly associated with the severity of osteonecrosis, a debilitating condition that often leads to hip collapse. The research, published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, found viral signals concentrated in damaged bone regions and microvessels, closely linked to lesion size. The findings may help explain why some patients develop bone death after limited steroid or alcohol exposure, while others do not—offering a new direction for risk stratification and potential preventive strategies.

Journal: Journal of Bone and Mineral Research
Funder: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, Jiangsu Provincial Science and Technology Plan Special Fund, Fundamental and Interdisciplinary Disciplines Breakthrough Plan of the Ministry of Education of China

Exploring the scientific connotation of the medicinal properties of toad venom (Chansu) — 'dispersing fire stagnation and opening orifices to awaken the spirit' — from the microscopic world of 5-HTR drug-target interactions

Research
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Building on over a decade of research into the bioactive components of Chansu, the team led by Professors Ma Hongyue and Duan Jin'ao from Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine collaborated with Professor Xu Huaqiang's team at the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The research team selected key components from natural toad venoms with distinct medicinal properties (spirit-awakening, hallucinogenic, and detoxifying)—namely 5-OH-DMT, 5-MeO-DMT, and 5-OH-TMT—to systematically analyze their structure-target-efficacy-toxicity-property relationships. At atomic resolution, this study revealed the molecular mechanisms by which toad tryptamines selectively activate various serotonin receptor (5-HTR) subtypes under different medicinal property labels.

Journal: Research
Funder: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Natural Science Foundation of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, National-Level Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine “Flagship” Department Development Initiative, Postgraduate Research & Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province

Not just sweet: the sugar branches that shape the brain

Institute for Glyco-core Research (iGCORE), Tokai National Higher Education and Research System
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Scientists discovered how a brain-specific enzyme adds branches to protein-linked sugar chains, enabling them to grow into more complex structures. The study shows that this branching step is essential for further glycan extension, helping explain molecular processes linked to neurological disorders such as demyelination and brain tumors.

Journal: Journal of Biological Chemistry

Nitrate in drinking water linked to increased dementia risk while nitrate from vegetables is linked to a lower risk, researchers find 

Edith Cowan University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

New research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) and the Danish Cancer Research Institute (DCRI) investigated the association between the intake of nitrate and nitrite from a wide range of different sources, and the associated risk of dementia.

Journal: Alzheimer s & Dementia

Most common methods of inducing labour similarly effective

Cochrane
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new review including over 100 clinical trials has found that 13 common methods for medically inducing labour are similarly effective, but their safety profiles differ according to clinical context. A new review including over 100 clinical trials has found that 13 common methods for medically inducing labour are similarly effective, but their safety profiles differ according to clinical context.

Journal: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

Menopause linked to loss of grey matter in the brain, poorer mental health and sleep disturbance

University of Cambridge
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Menopause is linked to reductions in grey matter volume in key brain regions as well as increased levels of anxiety and depression and difficulties with sleep, according to new research from the University of Cambridge. The study, published today in Psychological Medicine, found that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) does not appear to mitigate these effects, though it can slow the decline in reaction times.

Journal: Psychological Medicine
Funder: Wellcome Trust, NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre

Low-cost system turns smartphones into emergency radiation detectors

Hiroshima University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A low-cost, portable radiation dosimetry system uses a smartphone and radiochromic film to provide immediate on-site dose assessments of radiation.

Journal: Radiation Measurements

Biochar emerges as a key material linking clean water, carbon capture, and renewable energy

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Biochar, a carbon rich material made by heating agricultural and forestry waste under low oxygen conditions, has long been valued for improving soil health. Now, a new review reveals that biochar is rapidly evolving into a powerful multifunctional material with the potential to tackle some of the world’s most urgent environmental challenges, from water pollution and nutrient loss to carbon emissions and clean energy production.

Global health impacts of plastics systems could double by 2040

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The adverse health impacts associated with emissions across the full life cycle of plastics could double by 2040 unless immediate action is taken, new research suggests.

Journal: The Lancet Planetary Health
Funder: Innovative Methods and Metrics for Agriculture and Nutrition Actions, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, French National Research Agency