Using human liver samples and a mouse model of cirrhosis, researchers identified epigenetic overactivation of the inflammatory PAF–PAF-R pathway in hepatic macrophages as a key driver of liver damage. Published in Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, the study shows that blocking this pathway improves liver structure and vascular function, highlighting a promising target for future cirrhosis therapies.

A research team led by the School of Public Health at the LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), has discovered that tai chi, a traditional Chinese mind-body exercise, offers long-term benefits for chronic insomnia comparable to cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), the current first-line non-pharmacological treatment for chronic insomnia. The study supports the therapeutic use of tai chi as an accessible, culturally relevant, low-cost alternative for managing chronic insomnia among middle-aged and older adults. The findings were published in The BMJ.

The team led by Prof. Shao Li at Tsinghua University has long focused on the mechanisms and early prevention of inflammation–cancer transformation. Their earlier work defined a newly recognized stage—the “exceedingly-early” stage of gastric cancer—and identified its cellular features, biomarkers, and therapeutic targets, forming an intelligent and precise early-prevention framework. 

“Tiny biological batteries” can change the cell membrane’s electrical properties—a discovery that has big implications for health, as many essential cellular processes hinge upon precise electrical activity.

Fertility rates in much of Sub-Saharan Africa remain high, despite declining child mortality and improved access to contraceptives and female education — factors that generally lead to smaller families and improved economic conditions in developing countries. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign looks at men’s and women’s desired fertility in rural Tanzania, gauging some of the factors that influence how many children they want.