EurekAlert! News by Subject: Medicine & Health - News by Subject: Medicine & Health

Medicine & Health

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 20-Jun-2025 11:10 ET (20-Jun-2025 15:10 GMT/UTC)

Discovery opens up for new ways to treat chlamydia

Umea University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at Umeå University, Sweden, and Michigan State University, USA, have discovered a type of molecule that can kill chlamydia bacteria but spare bacteria that are important for health. The discovery opens the door for further research towards developing new antibiotics against chlamydia.

Journal: PLOS Biology

Novel point of attack to combat dangerous tropical diseases

Ruhr-University Bochum
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The efforts of a research team from Bochum and Würzburg give hope for new treatment approaches for dangerous tropical diseases. The researchers have compiled a high-precision inventory of the membrane proteins of cell organelles of the African sleeping sickness pathogen. “Some of these proteins contain components that are specific to parasites and differ significantly from those of the host cells,” explains Professor Ralf Erdmann from Ruhr University Bochum, Germany. As a result, they are a good target for potential active substances. The researchers report their findings in the journal Cell Reports from May 27, 2025.

Journal: Cell Reports
Funder: European Union, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

Eating ultra-processed foods may harm your health

American College of Cardiology
Reports and Proceedings

Consumption of ultra-processed foods, such as sugar-sweetened beverages, potato chips and packaged cookies, may be associated with adverse health outcomes, according to research being presented at the ACC Asia 2025 Together with SCS 36^th Annual Scientific Meeting taking place May 9-11 in Singapore.

New study traces sharp regional shifts in ischemic heart disease burden — a global warning signal

American College of Cardiology
Reports and Proceedings

A new study puts the spotlight on the rising burden of ischemic heart disease across Southeast Asia, East Asia and Oceania, and calls for localized, equity-focused interventions in these regions. The researchers identified region-specific, modifiable risk factors that influence the increasing prevalence of ischemic heart disease, such as toxic air pollution in East Asia and ultra-processed dietary dependence in Oceania. The study will be presented at the ACC Asia 2025 Together With SCS 36th Annual Scientific Meeting in Singapore.

PFAS influence cellular immune response to coronavirus

Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous, accumulate in the environment and are difficult to break down. They are known as "forever chemicals". PFAS can compromise the immune system and thus, human health. In their current study, researchers from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) show that high PFAS exposure has a negative effect on the cellular immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. The scientists suspect that people exposed to high levels of PFAS may have a suboptimal immune response to vaccination. The study was conducted in close cooperation with the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Oslo. It was published in the scientific journal Environment International.

Journal: Environment International

Wearable plant sensors devices for precision agriculture and environmental monitoring

KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
Peer-Reviewed Publication

This review summarizes the research progress on flexible wearable sensors based on different plant signals and classifies them according to their functions: physical sensors, chemical sensors and electrophysiological sensors. Furthermore, the challenges currently faced by wearable plant sensors are presented and we propose a design framework for next-generation plant wearable sensors enabling continuous real-time plant health monitoring under field conditions.

Journal: Wearable Electronics
Funder: Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Beijing Outstanding Young Scientist Program, Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission

Nature visits can improve well-being disparities among urban dwellers

Kobe University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

How relatedness to nature is linked to well-being is determined by district-level socioeconomic status. The Kobe University analysis is based on survey results from two major Japanese metropolitan areas.

Journal: Landscape and Urban Planning
Funder: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Environment Research and Technology Development Fund, Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research