EurekAlert! News by Subject: Medicine & Health

Medicine & Health

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 20-Jun-2026 04:15 ET (20-Jun-2026 08:15 GMT/UTC)

13-May-2026

Forgotten and isolated: 1.8 million people still vulnerable to Covid 19 face a mental health crisis

University of Bath
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Research from the University of Bath (UK) finds depression and anxiety remain high yet overlooked among around 1.8 million clinically vulnerable people in the UK still living restricted lives to avoid Covid.

Journal: Health Expectations

13-May-2026

Chinese Neurosurgical Journal reports KRAS gene as key driver for brain arteriovenous malformation

Chinese Neurosurgical Journal
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A transcriptomic analysis-based study reports altered gene expression in KRAS-overexpressing human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1), highlighting it as a key driver for brain arteriovenous malformation (bAVM), a rare vascular disorder. 4,737 differentially expressed genes in KRAS-overexpressing HMEC-1 cells were identified, enriched in pathways related to cell adhesion, signaling, transport, and mitochondrial function. The results indicate that KRAS-driven molecular alterations may play a role in the development of bAVM.

Journal: Chinese Neurosurgical Journal
Funder: National Key Research and Development Program of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Beijing Municipal Administration of Hospitals Incubating Program, Beijing Municipal Natural Science Foundation

13-May-2026

The secret sauce for sweeter, stronger crops | Fungus-powered farming: Bigger harvests, better taste

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Can we have higher yields and better taste? Using a natural extract from the fungus Pseudozyma aphidis, this method improves the firmness and natural sugar content of crops like tomatoes and melons while significantly boosting production. This discovery offers a practical path to meeting global food demands without compromising the health of the planet or produce quality . Furthermore, because the approach uses stable microbial secretions instead of live cultures, it ensures consistent and reliable performance across various agricultural environments and climates.

Journal: PLANT PHYSIOLOGY

13-May-2026

The Chinese Children's Congenital Heart Disease Genome Research Project identifies novel pathogenic genes and elucidates genetic mechanisms

Science China Press
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The discovery of pathogenic genes based on large CHD cohort forms the foundation for improving early diagnosis, prevention, control, and treatment of CHD. To this end, Academician Lin He launched the Chinese Children's CHD Genome Research Project. The research team conducted whole-genome sequencing on 354 core CHD families from China, integrated single-cell transcriptomic data and phenotypic analysis in model animals, and identified high-confidence CHD risk genes. This study has constructed the largest genetic etiology map of congenital heart disease in Asian populations.

Journal: Science Bulletin

13-May-2026

Combined short-term effects of air pollutants linked to 146,500 premature deaths per year in Europe

Barcelona Supercomputing Center
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Fine particles (PM₂.₅) were associated with around 79,000 preventable deaths, followed by nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), ozone (O₃) and coarser particles (PM₂.₅-₁₀, particles with a diameter between 2.5 and 10 micrometres). These are among the findings of a new study conducted by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a centre supported by the ”la Caixa” Foundation, in collaboration with the Barcelona Supercomputing Center–Centro Nacional de Supercomputación (BSC-CNS), which provides the first Europe-wide estimate of short-term mortality associated with the combined effects of multiple pollutants across 31 European countries. The findings, published in Nature Health, support the development of impact-based early warning systems to help protect the population from the health effects of air pollution.

Journal: Nature Health

13-May-2026

Perimenopause may offer a “window of opportunity” for heart disease prevention in women

American Heart Association
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Perimenopausal women were two times more likely to have a low cardiovascular health score compared to women having regular menstrual cycles, according to an analysis of nationwide U.S. data published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open-access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

Journal: Journal of the American Heart Association

13-May-2026

MIT-MGH team finds a new approach to cancer vaccination that yields more powerful T cells

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Peer-Reviewed Publication

MIT engineers developed a new way to amplify the T cell response to mRNA vaccines, using an mRNA adjuvant. This approach could lead to much more powerful cancer vaccines and stronger protection against infectious diseases.

Journal: Nature Biotechnology
Funder: Sanofi, Marble Center for Cancer Nanomedicine, Koch Institute Support (core) Grant from the National Cancer Institute

13-May-2026

The goal of a Tobacco-Free Generation will not progress without stronger EU support

Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A recent study shows that the rapid increase of new nicotine products and the influence of the tobacco industry are perceived to significantly hinder the European countries’ ability to achieve ambitious tobacco control goals. Without strong support at the EU level and rapid responses to changes in the market, the targets risk remaining unmet.

Journal: Tobacco Control
Funder: European Union’s Health Programme

13-May-2026

Preoperative VR exposure studied in surgical care at Semmelweis University’s Pediatric Center

Semmelweis University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Using virtual reality (VR) before surgery was associated with reduced pain in the early postoperative period among adolescents, according to new research from Semmelweis University. However, the study, published in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery, found that VR did not reduce preoperative anxiety, though it may help ease postoperative discomfort.

Journal: Journal of Pediatric Surgery