Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a specialized protein, also called a neurotrophin, that is critical for the development and survival of nerves responsible for our senses and the body's fight-or-flight response. While the presence of NGF is crucial during the embryonic stage, its presence in adults is often an indication of inflammation, as it is a key mediator of pain for conditions like osteoarthritis (OA). Now, a study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology shows that NGF is much more than a pain messenger—it can actually change the structure of a joint.

Anemia detected in health care is associated with an increased risk of both cancer and higher mortality, according to a new population-based study from Karolinska Institutet, published in BMJ Oncology. The findings may help guide clinical follow-up of patients with anemia in routine care.

A research team has discovered a previously unknown mechanism by which the immune system fights bacterial infections. The scientists found that a specific protein, the chloride channel PACC1, is crucial for immune cells to effectively kill bacteria. If the protein is missing, it leads to increased inflammatory reactions, as well as increased mortality in an animal model in cases of bacterial sepsis. In the long term, the findings could help develop new treatment strategies for bacterial sepsis—especially in light of rising antibiotic resistance.

A new study offers some of the strongest evidence yet that viewing art doesn't just move us emotionally—it changes how we think. Researchers at UC Santa Barbara found that people who viewed artistic film shorts showed measurable increases in creative thinking compared with those who watched entertaining, "non-art," videos.

A computational study shows for the first time how different parts of the human airway experience levels of pressure and friction from breathing therapy devices. Using a patient-specific 3D airway model derived from CT imaging to simulate how breathing-support therapy behaves inside the human airway, University of Technology Sydney (UTS) researchers found the therapy doesn't affect all parts of the airway equally. The study shows the potential to support the design of better devices and personalized treatment settings for patients with conditions such as bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis and postoperative atelectasis.

Researchers found that cigarette smoke extract disrupted the lung cell barrier, increased IL-6 inflammation, and caused DNA damage in Calu-3 cells, while e-cigarette vapor extract showed no significant adverse effects on these measures under the study conditions. The authors caution that these were in vitro findings using liquid extracts and unflavored e-liquid, so they do not directly predict long-term human health outcomes.

A national survey of 145 registered dietitians found wide variation in how the low FODMAP diet’s reintroduction phase is delivered, especially in dosing, timing, sequencing, and follow-up. The findings suggest that clearer, evidence-based protocols could improve consistency while still allowing individualized care.

This Nature Communications review argues that rat hepatitis E virus is an emerging zoonotic cause of hepatitis that is likely underdiagnosed because current tests are limited and awareness remains low. It shows that ratHEV is widespread in urban rodent populations, can infect humans and some other animals, and may spread mainly through indirect environmental exposure rather than direct rodent contact.

In a repeated-measures study of 18 eumenorrheic female athletes, half-squat strength was highest in the late follicular phase and around ovulation, while handgrip strength peaked in the late luteal phase. Psychological measures also shifted across the cycle, with lower vigor and higher fatigue and depression scores in the late luteal phase, supporting more individualized training monitoring.

More than a quarter of people with Type 2 diabetes take GLP-1 receptor agonists, but the popular diabetes drugs might not work as well for people who have certain genetic variants, according to a new study by Stanford Medicine scientists and their collaborators.