A retinal image could help doctors quickly distinguish between similar neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS and Alzheimer’s disease, and with remarkable accuracy, according to new research.  

Researchers from the University of Waterloo are leading the development of a fast, non-invasive, and affordable diagnostic tool. There is currently no objective diagnostic test for ALS or Frontotemporal Lobular Dementia (FTLD-TDP), in which the protein TDP-43 forms deposits in the spinal cord and brain, respectively. 

Tooth enamel is the hardest tissue in vertebrates, yet how its intricate structure forms, remains unclear. Using mouse models, researchers have now discovered how specialized enamel-forming cells move in coordinated, opposing directions to create a woven structure that boosts enamel’s strength. By identifying the specialized cell population and tracking its descendants in mouse incisors, the researchers provide the first experimental evidence for enamel structure, providing new insights into dental biology.

Drug-drug interactions (DDI) can cause adverse drug reactions during the co-administration of multiple drugs, necessitating accurate and scalable prediction tools. While deep learning models have shown promise recently, most models show poor performance against drugs not encountered during training. Now, researchers have developed a lightweight and scalable model, called DDINet, designed specifically to predict unseen drug interactions. This innovative model achieves superior accuracy in predicting interactions for unseen drugs, with potential for practical deployment.

New research from the University of Oxford published today (11 March) shows that cold snaps and heavy rain can stunt growth and reduce survival prospects in UK great tit nestlings. However, breeding earlier within a season appears to buffer against many of these weather-related effects.

The tidal environment of mangrove forests serves as nurseries for many fish species. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have measured carbon dioxide and oxygen levels in 23 of world’s mangrove areas. The study sends out a warning that these ecosystems are increasingly threatened as sea temperatures continue to rise.