14-Apr-2026 Back to the beach: Why did evolution return some animals to the water? Yale University In most narratives, the story of evolution is the story of organisms emerging from the ocean and eventually populating the land. But for some species that evolution also involved a return trip. Dozens of major mammal and reptile groups ultimately made their way back to the beach and into the water. A new Yale study has undertaken the task of explaining when and how this happened — and which species fully re-committed to the life aquatic. The study appears in the journal Current Biology. Journal Current Biology
10-Apr-2026 Peach buds stay busy through winter Nanjing Agricultural University The Academy of Science Peach buds may be far less dormant than scientists once believed. Journal Horticulture Research
8-Apr-2026 Depression and pain, not chemotherapy alone, drive fatigue in middle-aged Chinese women with breast cancer HEP Data Cooperation Journals A cross-sectional study of 651 middle-aged breast cancer patients in China found that 21.2% experienced clinically relevant fatigue during chemotherapy. The main predictors were depression, pain interference, lack of medical insurance, treatment duration of 3–12 months, and later chemotherapy cycles, underscoring the need for early psychosocial and pain management support. Journal Healthcare and Rehabilitation
8-Apr-2026 New insights into pea protein effects on the human gut microbiota HEP Data Cooperation Journals A new study in Microbiome Research Reports shows that pea protein processing can influence gut microbiota composition. Dry-fractionated pea protein concentrates had broader effects than wet-extracted isolates, promoting beneficial bacteria such as Bifidobacterium longum and Faecalibacterium duncaniae and modulating microbial community structure. These findings suggest pea protein concentrates may serve as functional ingredients to support a healthy gut. Journal Microbiome Research Reports
8-Apr-2026 Liver fibrosis and diabetic peripheral neuropathy in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus: an observational, cross-sectional study HEP Data Cooperation Journals This study investigates the association between liver fibrosis and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), highlighting the potential of combining non-invasive fibrosis scores with simple neurological assessments for DPN screening. Journal Metabolism and Target Organ Damage
8-Apr-2026 A multimodal neuroimaging and hepatic imaging analysis for hepatic-type and neurological-type Wilson’s disease HEP Data Cooperation Journals This multimodal MRI study shows that hepatic iron deposition, brain iron accumulation, and selective brain atrophy differ between hepatic-type (HWD) and neurological-type Wilson’s disease (NWD). Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) and liver R2* measurements correlate with neurological severity and effectively distinguish NWD from HWD, highlighting iron dysregulation as a key contributor to disease heterogeneity. Journal Metabolism and Target Organ Damage
7-Apr-2026 Cryptorchidism’s rare cause: Be aware of persistent Müllerian duct syndrome Higher Education Press A 4‑month‑old male infant who presented with left cryptorchidism and was ultimately diagnosed with persistent Müllerian duct syndrome (PMDS) with transverse testicular ectopia. Two novel mutations in the AMHR2 gene were identified. Journal UroPrecision
7-Apr-2026 Green biocatalyst: Agro-waste boosts enzyme for silver recycling HEP Data Cooperation Journals Bacillus sp. CL14 produced proteases with diverse substrates using hydrolyzed feather meal, linseed flour and canola meal. The crude enzyme was successfully applied to hydrolyze the gelatin layer in waste X-ray films, which might be a cost-effective and eco-friendly strategy for silver recovery. Journal Systems Microbiology and Biomanufacturing
7-Apr-2026 Engineered super-enzyme paves way for high-yield human milk oligosaccharide HEP Data Cooperation Journals Mining a highly active α-1,2-fucosyltransferase and implementing a dual-module metabolic bypass knockout strategy combined with global regulation in engineered Escherichia coli, an efficient microbial accumulation platform of 2’-Fucosyllactose (11.02 g/L, 13.7-fold enhanced) was established. Journal Systems Microbiology and Biomanufacturing
