House dust contains chemical and biological components that may influence the indoor environment during pregnancy. Researchers from Japan analyzed 81,125 mother–child pairs and found that more frequent house dust–related cleaning behaviors during pregnancy were associated with lower odds of screening positive for developmental concerns from 18 months to 3 years. The findings highlight household environmental management as a potential area for further study while underscoring the need for objective exposure measurements

Wearable sensors that measure sodium and potassium in sweat could help monitor people working or exercising in hot environments. However, printed reference electrodes often need a long conditioning time before giving stable readings. Against this backdrop, researchers developed an wristwatch-type sensor that pairs a quick-settling printed reference electrode with ion-selective electrodes, a fabric-based sample transport layer, and wireless electronics. Their design demonstrates the feasibility of a wearable sweat-monitoring system with potential for low-cost mass production.

Early warning alone cannot stop an outbreak. A new Perspective in Science Bulletin examines why signals from emerging infectious diseases can fail to trigger timely public health action, and proposes a practical pathway linking rapid verification, context-sensitive risk assessment, predefined action triggers and operational readiness.

More than 80 years after scientists at the University of Oxford turned penicillin into a lifesaving medicine, researchers have revealed previously unseen stages in how nature builds its antibiotic structure.

Researchers from the University Hospital of Bonn and the University of Bonn have succeeded in dramatically rejuvenating human cells in a test tube. To do so, they directly reprogrammed red blood cell precursors into stem cells from which neurons can be derived. During this process, the molecular clocks that indicate a cell’s age were reset. For example, blood cells from an 80-year-old were transformed into stem cells with a molecular age of less than 20 years. Since this rejuvenation process occurred very slowly, it is well-suited for a more detailed investigation of the underlying mechanisms. The results have been published in the journal Aging Cell. 

This review summarizes evidence on coronary artery calcification in people living with HIV and proposes a multimodal risk model integrating coronary artery calcification scores with inflammatory, immune, and genetic biomarkers to improve early cardiovascular risk prediction and guide personalized prevention.