A study published today in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology is the first time researchers have shown evidence that a single drug, already licensed for medical use, can stabilise nearly all mutated versions of a human protein, regardless of where the mutation is in the sequence. The findings could help tackle a longstanding challenge in rare disease medicine. Rather than look for a drug that targets a single mutation, researchers could instead look for one that targets stabilising an entire protein, greatly accelerating drug discovery.

For brain tumors, radiology reports provide essential imaging perspectives while pathology reports deliver microscopic confirmation, but each type of report typically requires domain experts to interpret separately. This separation can make it difficult to form a consistent basis for diagnosis and to reliably link findings to patient survival. Leveraging the integrative capabilities of large language models (LLMs), both sources can now be analyzed within a unified framework, reducing fragmentation and improving the accuracy of diagnostic classification and survival prediction.

To address this, a team led by Dr. Zhuoqi Ma (1^st author) and Dr. Zhicheng Jiao (corresponding) from the Department of Radiology at Brown University and Brown University Health developed a large language model (LLM)-based pipeline that integrates radiology and pathology reports within a unified framework. By leveraging the integrative capabilities of LLMs, both sources can be analyzed together and improving the accuracy of diagnostic classification and survival prediction. Their findings demonstrate the potential of this approach to enhance diagnostic reliability and support precision neuro-oncology.

The conclusions of the report "Bases científicas para un Plan Nacional de Ozono" [Scientific Bases for a National Ozone Plan], published by the Sub-Directorate General for Pollution Prevention of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, indicate that it is essential, before 2030, to achieve objectives such as a 60% reduction in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from road traffic compared to 2019; a 20% decrease in the same emissions from maritime transport; and the frequent monitoring of industrial facilities that account for a high percentage of total ozone precursor emissions.

Tropospheric ozone is found in the lower layers of the atmosphere and can have harmful effects on both human health and ecosystems, especially forests and agricultural yields. It is a secondary pollutant generated through photochemical reactions (in the presence of sunlight) from other primary pollutants, known as “precursors”, which are mainly nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Its main sources include road, maritime, and air traffic, as well as industrial activities.

In the preliminary study that served as the basis for the report, the scientific staff who prepared it stressed that during the period prior to the pandemic there was systematic non-compliance across almost all Spanish regions with the guideline values of the World Health Organisation and the standards of the 2008 European Directive, an issue made even more critical by the publication in 2024 of a new directive with stricter targets. The decline in levels during the pandemic suggests that there is room for action to improve ozone levels in Spain.

A new international study has uncovered a concerning lack of public understanding about cystitis and urinary tract infections (UTIs) –  common health issues that disproportionately affect women. The findings, which also highlight widespread misconceptions about prevention and treatment, underscore the urgent need for education to combat rising antibiotic resistance.

In a survey of over 3,000 adults across France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK, 35% of respondents could not correctly define cystitis as a bladder infection, with some confusing it for a skin condition or even food allergies. Among younger adults aged 18–24, fewer than half (45%) were able to identify cystitis correctly.

This innovative technique allows for precise measurement of brain activity without the need for open-brain surgery by using blood vessels as conduits for electrodes.  This holds immense potential for improving neurological care, advancing our understanding of the brain, and unlocking new possibilities for brain-computer interfaces.

Researchers at POSTECH and Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine have identified that oral bacteria in the gut can trigger Parkinson’s disease through metabolites that penetrate the brain.