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

Medicine & Health

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 17-Nov-2025 02:11 ET (17-Nov-2025 07:11 GMT/UTC)

The future of rare disease starts here: NF leaders gather in Washington, D.C.

Children's Tumor Foundation
Meeting Announcement

More than 1,000 scientists, clinicians, and patient advocates will gather in Washington, D.C. for the 2025 NF Conference and NF Summit, hosted by the Children’s Tumor Foundation, to advance research and treatment for neurofibromatosis and schwannomatosis. With breakthroughs in FDA-approved therapies, AI, and precision medicine, the events mark a turning point for the rare disease field.

Breast cancer patients’ microbiome may hold key to avoiding damaging heart side-effects of cancer therapies

European Society of Cardiology
Reports and Proceedings

New research findings shows that specific bacteria in patients’ gut microbiome correlate with biomarkers that suggest they are at greater risk of heart damage during chemotherapy.

98 women over the age of 60 diagnosed with breast cancer were tested for biomarkers that indicate heart health and their gut bacteria genome was sequenced before chemotherapy.

This study is part of a wider project called CARDIOCARE which will allow the research to expand to a larger study of 600 women to confirm the finding. This work offers the hope that tailored probiotics could be used to help protect women from the heart side-effects of chemotherapy in future.

China’s first national guideline on pediatric respiratory syncytial virus infection published in pediatric investigation

Pediatric Investigation
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new national guideline provides evidence-based recommendations for diagnosing, treating, and preventing pediatric respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections in China. Addressing 12 clinical questions, it guides clinicians on diagnostic methods, oxygen therapy, use of interferon-alpha, and nirsevimab prophylaxis. The guideline discourages unnecessary medications and emphasizes supportive care and long-term monitoring. Developed by leading experts and published in Pediatric Investigation, it aims to standardize care, reduce hospitalizations, and reflect China’s RSV burden and seasonal trends.

Journal: Pediatric Investigation

Understanding the effect of bedding on thermal insulation during sleep

Waseda University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The bedding micro-environment is a key aspect of obtaining optimal thermal conditions for sleep. Specifically, the total thermal insulation of the bedding micro-environment significantly influences the thermal neutral temperature. However, currently there are no standards for measuring the insulation of bedding. In a new study, researchers systematically examined the thermal insulation of bedding, considering different combinations of bedding, sleepwear, and ambient temperatures, including both whole and local body effects.

Journal: Building and Environment

Innovations and progress in tissue engineering theory and technology

Higher Education Press
Peer-Reviewed Publication

This article provides an overview of recent advancements in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, highlighting various innovations in biomaterials, therapeutic strategies, and diagnostic technologies. It covers topics such as the development of minimally invasive implantable materials for bone regeneration, the construction of photo-responsive implant materials, the application of artificial ligaments in ACL reconstruction, and the exploration of active components in traditional Chinese medicine for treating osteoporosis.

Journal: Engineering

Study shows tissues’ pliability depends on watery fluid between cells

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Peer-Reviewed Publication

MIT engineers found that fluid between cells plays a major role in how tissues respond when squeezed, pressed, or physically deformed, potentially influencing how they adapt to conditions such as aging, cancer, diabetes, and certain neuromuscular diseases.

Journal: Nature Physics
Funder: MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering

Identification of esophageal cancer tumor antigens and immune subtypes for guiding vaccine development

National Center for Respiratory Medicine
Peer-Reviewed Publication

This study’s findings suggest that BTN2A1, MICA, and HHLA2 display significant potential as antigens for the development of anti-ESCA messenger (mRNA) vaccines. The identification of three stable and reproducible immune subtypes specific to ESCA may prove essential in predicting the outcome of mRNA vaccines.

Journal: Journal of Thoracic Disease