A study conducted in mice by scientists from the Institut Pasteur and Inserm reveals that maternal consumption of dietary emulsifiers can have a negative impact on the gut microbiota of their offspring. These microbiota alterations are thought to significantly increase their risk of developing chronic inflammatory gut disorders and obesity in adulthood. The harmful transgenerational effects of maternal consumption of emulsifiers on the health of offspring highlight the need for additional research in humans on the impact of direct exposure to emulsifiers during early childhood. These findings were published in the journal Nature Communications.

Neoadjuvant therapies, or treatments given before surgery, are changing how doctors treat locally advanced colon cancer. In a recent review, researchers from the United States examined how pre-surgical chemotherapy and immunotherapy can shrink tumors, reduce recurrence, and improve surgical outcomes. They discussed clinical trials like FOxTROT and NICHE and highlighted the importance of using mismatch repair (MMR) status to guide treatment decisions and improve patient outcomes through personalized care strategies.

Migrant youth in Canada are less sexually active than peers, but contraception use is dropping, pointing to systemic barriers in sexual health access and underscoring the need for culturally relevant support.

Osaka Metropolitan University researchers investigated how the combined stress of cold temperatures and mental fatigue affects endurance exercise performance. 

Current clinical protocols predominantly utilize mononuclear gadolinium(III) complexes as contrast agents. Recently, coordination clusters composed of multi-nuclear paramagnetic metal ions have demonstrated promisingly higher relaxation rates as MRI contrast agents and adaptable stability in various solutions, offering promising medical application prospects. This review mainly highlights such advancements, focusing on the influence of ligand selection and structural design on the relaxation rates of metal clusters as MRI contrast agents.

The Ig Nobel Prize honors research that first makes people laugh, then makes them think. Its 35th award ceremony possibly also makes people hungry: ISTA physicist Fabrizio Olmeda and colleagues researched the secret of a perfect cacio e pepe pasta sauce. They received the popular award for their findings on Thursday evening in Boston, USA.