When Bifidobacterium breve, widely available in probiotic drinks, is present in the gut of pregnant females it boosts the placenta’s production of pregnancy hormones to reduce the likelihood of complications like preeclampsia and miscarriage.

A new peer-reviewed study published in Science of the Total Environment sheds light on the persistent chemical contaminants left behind at illegal cannabis cultivation sites, also known as “trespass grows,” on California’s federally managed lands. The research, conducted by scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in partnership with the Integral Ecology Research Center (IERC) and with support from the U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations, provides the most comprehensive look to date at how pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and other organic pollutants linger long after grow sites have been abandoned.

Some proteins can survive drying out, returning to function when water is re-introduced. Revealing the chemical rules behind this ability could lead to longer-lasting medicines and drought resistant crops.

As the climate warms and nutrient inputs shift, algal communities in cool, clear mountain lakes like Lake Tahoe will likely experience seasonal changes, finds a UC Davis study.

A new report led by researchers at Pennington Biomedical Research Center underscores the growing potential of precision medicine to transform how obesity is prevented, diagnosed and treated, while also illuminating key gaps and challenges that must be addressed.

Published in September in Obesity, the paper, “Precision Prevention, Diagnostics and Treatment of Obesity,” synthesizes the proceedings of a recent Pennington-Louisiana Nutrition Obesity Research Center, or NORC, scientific workshop that was convened to review current evidence on tailoring obesity interventions to individual biology, environment, behavior and social factors.