Late preterm birth may subtly influence brain maturation into early adolescence, a new study using the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study reports. Researchers found no broad differences in behavior or cognition, but brain imaging revealed regional volume differences and more pronounced differences in white matter microstructure. Some white matter measures also changed differently over 2 years between late preterm and full-term children, suggesting subtle differences in brain development. 

Respiratory disease in children is a significant public health concern. Conventional assessments require in-person clinic visits and specialized equipment. Smartphones, on the other hand, could be practical for home-based screening. However, existing models trained on electronic-stethoscope data face challenges when applied to smartphone audio. In a new study, researchers developed a domain-adaptive deep learning framework that adapts information from electronic-stethoscope recordings to smartphone audio, supporting smartphone-based abnormal lung sound detection with potential for remote screening. 

Kyoto, Japan -- Many owners will enthusiastically attest that their cat has improved their quality of life. Some studies support this common claim that caring for a feline friend has positive effects on human health and wellbeing. However, the evidence is inconsistent, and other studies have even reported possible negative effects of cat ownership.

This led a team of researchers at Kyoto University to question the idea that simply owning a cat provides intrinsic health benefits. Instead, they wondered whether any benefits or drawbacks to keeping a cat come from the quality of the relationship between the human and cat, particularly how owners interact with their cats in everyday life.

To investigate, the team conducted a one-month study of the daily lives of a group of 29 cats and their 19 owners, recruited through flyers and social media. In each household, the researchers conducted hormonal analysis through urine samples, attached Small Bluetooth Low Energy -- BLE -- beacons to the cats' collars to measure daily physical proximity, assessed the owners' mood through questionnaires, and observed the cats' behavior toward their owners and unfamiliar people.

Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI) at Kanazawa University have developed a way to observe how antibodies interact with a cancer-related protein carried on tiny membrane-bound vesicles released by cells. Using high-speed atomic force microscopy, they found that measuring how much of the protein is present does not necessarily show how accessible it is to antibodies. The findings reported in the journal Small Methods provide a new way to investigate differences between individual cancer-derived vesicles although further research is needed before the approach can be used clinically.

Researchers have developed a dynamic approach to improve the deployment of healthcare workers during disease outbreaks. By considering uncertain medical demand, changing healthcare capacity, and infection risks among healthcare staff, the model helps decision-makers allocate medical resources more effectively across regions. The study provides a practical framework for improving healthcare system resilience and supporting timely responses to public health emergencies.