https://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Cottage cheese is having a moment. It's being added to dips, mixed into batters and even used in pizza and brownies. It's touted as a high-protein food that can help people build muscle and lose fat. But the research supporting these benefits is not quite as abundant as the number of viral cottage cheese recipes out there. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-cottage-cheese-evidence-health-didnt.html Sat, 22 Aug 2026 19:30:01 EDT news706535290 Climate variability in the Atlantic Ocean can help predict cutaneous leishmaniasis outbreaks in North Africa several months in advance. This is the finding of a new study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), together with researchers from the Pasteur Institutes of Tunisia, Morocco and France. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-atlantic-climate-variability-enables-leishmaniasis.html Sat, 22 Aug 2026 17:00:01 EDT news706462963 Researchers from the University of California San Diego and collaborators have identified a previously overlooked pattern of DNA mutations in colorectal cancer. Scientists use these patterns, known as mutational signatures, to investigate the biological and environmental processes that have damaged DNA during cancer development. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-previously-dna-mutation-pattern-colorectal.html Sat, 22 Aug 2026 14:00:02 EDT news706360046 Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is a dangerous virus spread by ticks. It transmits Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), a serious disease that has been spreading into new regions worldwide. Capable of killing up to 40% of people infected, it currently has no widely approved, highly effective treatments or vaccines. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-antibody-therapy-borne-disease.html Sat, 22 Aug 2026 12:00:01 EDT news706614264 Deep brain stimulation, or DBS, may help improve speech and swallowing problems caused by traumatic brain injury (TBI), according to a new University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine study published in Nature Communications. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-deep-brain-potential-communication-traumatic.html Sat, 22 Aug 2026 11:40:04 EDT news706613827 Researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC have developed an experimental oral therapy that protected mice from otherwise harmful radiation exposure while preserving radiation's ability to destroy cancer cells, a finding that could ultimately improve cancer treatment and strengthen preparedness for radiological emergencies. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-oral-therapy-mice-lethal-cancer.html Sat, 22 Aug 2026 11:20:03 EDT news706614194 Hand grip strength. Balance tests. Standing up from a seated position on the floor. These physical challenges are often touted as measurements of healthy aging and even predictors of longevity. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-mobility-insights-crystal-ball.html Sat, 22 Aug 2026 11:20:01 EDT news706613940 Researchers at the Institute of Oceanology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IOCAS) have shown how a metabolic mechanism underlying thermal tolerance in intertidal oysters sheds light on malignant proliferation in human lung adenocarcinoma. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-lung-tumors-hijack-ancient-marine.html Sat, 22 Aug 2026 11:00:04 EDT news706462957 A first-in-class therapy to target MYC, one of the most sought-after and difficult targets in cancer biology, showed promise in hard-to-treat blood cancers, according to a new preclinical study from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center published in Blood. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-class-therapy-undruggable-protein-hard.html Sat, 22 Aug 2026 10:35:57 EDT news706613730 For more than three decades, scientists have sought to combat diseases caused by protein misfolding by targeting the large protein clumps that accumulate in affected tissues. Yet, despite intensive efforts, clinical success has been limited. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-tiny-protein-oligomers-earlier-diagnosis.html Sat, 22 Aug 2026 09:00:01 EDT news706538066 As they explore the world, humans and other animals create many memories that they will later recall and that might inform their future actions. Over time, however, some of these memories can be forgotten or become less nitid, until a related event or sensory cue brings them to the surface. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-fruit-fly-forgotten-memories.html Sat, 22 Aug 2026 08:20:01 EDT news706178014 A new study has found platelets kept in cold storage are as effective at treating bleeding and have a longer shelf life than platelets stored at room temperature. Dr. James Preuss and Dr. Warren Pavey, from The University of Western Australia's Medical School, were co-authors of the study published in JAMA that could make platelets used in cardiac surgery more readily available in Australia. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-cold-storage-platelets-safe-effective.html Sat, 22 Aug 2026 08:00:01 EDT news706275568 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized Aletta as the first standalone robotic device that can draw blood from a patient's arm. Marketing authorization was granted to Vitestro. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-fda-authorizes-standalone-robotic-device.html Fri, 21 Aug 2026 23:00:01 EDT news706528985 Implementing an intersectoral, telemedicine-based intervention in nursing homes did not lead to a statistically significant reduction in patient hospitalizations, according to a prospective, multicenter cluster-randomized trial led by John Grosser, Sophie Pauge, Birthe Aufenberg and Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Greiner from the Department of Health Economics and Health Care Management at Bielefeld University. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-telemedicine-intervention-nursing-home-hospitalizations.html Fri, 21 Aug 2026 21:40:01 EDT news706528878 Mosquito control is crucial to addressing the increase in mosquito-borne diseases in Europe such as dengue, chikungunya virus disease and West Nile virus infection, according to EU scientists from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the European Commission, in an article published in Eurosurveillance. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-scientists-highlight-essential-role-mosquito.html Fri, 21 Aug 2026 20:40:01 EDT news706535316 Younger adults with non-small cell lung cancer are significantly more likely than older patients to have genetic alterations that can be matched with targeted therapies, according to a large international study led in part by researchers at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-younger-adults-lung-cancer-genetic.html Fri, 21 Aug 2026 19:40:01 EDT news706528950 It's 4 a.m., you've finally drifted off, and then the phone rings. It's work calling. You have to go in. The right to disconnect from work has been protected by law in Australia since 2024. This means most employees can refuse to answer calls from work outside their regular work hours. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-oncall-disrupt.html Fri, 21 Aug 2026 18:40:03 EDT news706529007 Australian researchers have uncovered a promising new way to tackle one of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer, raising hopes for more effective treatments to stop the disease from spreading. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-scientists-molecule-deadliest-breast-cancer.html Fri, 21 Aug 2026 17:40:03 EDT news706528824 Twelve countries in Europe have reported locally acquired cases of West Nile virus so far this year, the EU health agency said Friday, urging the continent to boost its control efforts. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-west-nile-virus-european-countries.html Fri, 21 Aug 2026 17:00:05 EDT news706538571 Cancer drugs are often designed to block specific molecular targets, but what happens after they enter a cell is not always well understood. A new study published in Biophotonics Discovery demonstrates how advanced imaging technology can help answer that question. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-super-resolution-microscopy-reveals-cancer.html Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:40:04 EDT news706538541 Cataract surgery—one of the most common operations paid for by Medicare—typically leaves enrollees owing a few hundred dollars. Some patients pay more to have their vision corrected during the procedure. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-medicare-paying-cataract-surgery-eye.html Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:20:03 EDT news706528962 Researchers from National Taiwan University (NTU) and National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) have developed an injectable antioxidant hydrogel that protects retinal neurons and promotes visual recovery following acute optic nerve injury. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-antioxidant-hydrogel-retinal-neuroprotection-visual.html Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:00:01 EDT news706537741 Scoliosis is a condition characterized by an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine and most commonly develops during adolescence. Doctors typically assess its severity by measuring spinal curvature on X-ray images. This measurement plays an important role in diagnosis, follow-up evaluation and treatment planning. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-ai-doctors-scoliosis.html Fri, 21 Aug 2026 15:40:01 EDT news706537622 COVID-19 can leave behind fatigue, breathing difficulties and neurological symptoms that persist long after the initial infection. Because these effects can also disturb sleep, researchers have questioned whether COVID-19 might alter the physiological mechanisms underlying obstructive sleep apnea. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-covid.html Fri, 21 Aug 2026 15:20:06 EDT news706538461 Interviews with patients hospitalized for heart failure, caregivers, providers and organizational leaders highlighted several strengths of Mighty Heart (a major clinical trial examining the effectiveness of in-home and telehealth-enabled visits by paramedics) that may support its adoption and implementation across health systems, a Columbia Nursing-led study finds. However, financial and regulatory challenges must be addressed to maximize the reach and sustainability of mobile integrated health (MIH), the researchers note. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-patients-heart-failure-caregivers-receptive.html Fri, 21 Aug 2026 15:20:02 EDT news706535822 You might want to steer clear of self-driving vehicles if you have a history of head injuries, a new study warns. Hockey players who'd suffered repeated concussions were slower to respond when a self-driving car faced a complex traffic situation and needed them to take the wheel, researchers report in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-cars-safe.html Fri, 21 Aug 2026 15:00:02 EDT news706528977 Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) measures brain activity optically based on changes in cortical blood flow. Unlike magnetic resonance imaging, the technique is wearable, so it can be used during movement and outside the lab. Diffuse optical tomography (DOT) extends this principle with improved spatial and depth information. Both are often combined with other modalities, such as electroencephalography (EEG) and physiological signals, to obtain a more complete picture of brain activity in real-world contexts. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-tutorial-optical-brain-imaging-tools.html Fri, 21 Aug 2026 14:40:05 EDT news706535465 Researchers at the University of Cologne, University Hospital Cologne and the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research have developed a method that, for the first time, enables damage to individual cells to be precisely quantified. The method uses molecular markers—specifically gene expression—and enables detailed analysis of disease progression in individual tissue samples, such as a biopsy. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-gene-markers-quantify-individual-kidney.html Fri, 21 Aug 2026 14:40:03 EDT news706537561 Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading cause of infectious disease deaths, claiming more than 1 million lives every year. It spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes or exhales, and drug-resistant strains and asymptomatic spreading are growing concerns. Curbing TB transmission is an urgent public health challenge, yet scientists still don't understand how airflow and other environmental factors influence that spread. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-local-airflow-patterns-ventilation-airborne.html Fri, 21 Aug 2026 14:20:05 EDT news706536241 What if we could fight cancer by specifically activating a key enzyme instead of deactivating it? That's exactly what a research team at Marburg University has achieved for the first time with the enzyme PRMT1. The scientists developed a small molecule called TR-07 that activates PRMT1. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-cancer-drug-strategy-flips-script.html Fri, 21 Aug 2026 14:20:04 EDT news706535375