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Science News Archive September 2025 - Page 10


Page 10 of 54

UPF researchers design a new experimental screening system to identify peptides with therapeutic potential

Scientists develop novel experimental screening method to identify highly selective peptides with high therapeutic potential, enabling precise recognition of proteins involved in cancer and diabetes. The technique uses biologically- and chemically-modified bacteriophages to screen up to 1 billion peptides simultaneously.

SourceUniversitat Pompeu Fabra - Barcelona·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 25, 2025

Unfolded Protein Response pathway offers new targets to treat bone weakness in cancer patients

Researchers identify three primary UPR pathways and their downstream cascades, which play a crucial role in the differentiation of osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Targeting these pathways with emerging drugs may alleviate bone-related events and kill tumors localized in bones.

SourceEditorial Office of West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University·JournalBone Research·TypeLiterature review·DateSep 25, 2025

Digital reconstruction reveals Yunxian 2 crania as early member of Homo longi

The Yunxian 2 cranium, dated to nearly one million years ago, exhibits a mix of primitive traits from earlier humans and more derived features shared with Homo longi and Homo sapiens. This suggests that the Yunxian group may represent a transitional form, capturing an early phase of rapid diversification within these lineages.

Successful development of multifunctional liquid metal nanocomposites for cancer photoimmunotherapy

The research team developed multifunctional nanocomposites that demonstrate excellent tumor-targeting capability through the EPR effect. Irradiation with near-infrared laser light achieved multidimensional therapeutic effects, including complete elimination of transplanted mouse cancers within 5 days.

SourceJapan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology·JournalAdvanced Composites and Hybrid Materials·DateSep 25, 2025

Oxidative depolymerization of lignin enhanced by synergy of polyoxometalate and acetic acid

Researchers developed a catalytic system for efficient lignin depolymerization under low oxygen pressure, utilizing the synergistic effect between H3PMo12O40 and acetic acid. The system achieved over 20 wt% yield of carbonyl-containing aromatics with reduced energy barrier and prevented condensation side reactions.

Why did Neanderthals go to the beach?

The study of Neanderthal footprints offers a unique window into everyday behaviour, providing insight into their physical presence, locomotion strategies, diet and social structure. The research suggests that Neanderthals were more versatile and ecologically adapted to coastal environments than previously believed.

SourceUniversity of Seville·JournalScientific Reports·DateSep 25, 2025

Cyclones increase risk of death for children under five

A new study estimates that tropical cyclones cause the death of 850,000 children under five from 2000 to 2020. The research found a significant link between cyclone exposure and child mortality, emphasizing the urgent need for disaster preparedness in vulnerable regions.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·TypeObservational study·DateSep 25, 2025

Solar-powered system produces green hydrogen directly from air moisture

A team of researchers developed a self-sustaining solar-powered system that produces green hydrogen by coupling photothermal atmospheric water harvesting with proton exchange membrane electrolysis. The system maintains stable performance even under low humidity conditions, reaching a hydrogen production rate of nearly 300 mL per hour.

FHBDSR-Net: AI tool enables accurate measurement of diseased spikelet rate of wheat Fusarium Head Blight from phone images, aiding smart phenotyping

FHBDSR-Net is an AI tool that accurately measures diseased spikelet rate in wheat Fusarium Head Blight from phone images, providing efficient phenotyping support for resistance breeding. The model achieves high accuracy and robustness, with excellent generalization ability and lightweight properties.

Generative framework proposed for ecological soundscape analysis

A team developed a method using generative adversarial networks (GANs) to learn underlying patterns in real spectrograms and reconstruct species-specific vocal components. This approach captures hidden features of the acoustic space, enabling precise separation of target sound sources and effective removal of environmental noise.

SourceHefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalMethods in Ecology and Evolution·DateSep 25, 2025

New study decodes how tumor “stress droplets” fuel resistance—and how to shut them down

A new study decodes the mechanism of glioblastoma's resistance to chemotherapy by identifying a HIF-independent circuit built around the epigenetic enzyme PRMT2. Researchers found that combining an existing orphan drug with standard chemotherapy can overcome this resistance, doubling survival without added toxicity.

SourceScience China Press·JournalScience China Life Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 25, 2025

Different color-changing strategies better protect prey, depending on conditions

A global field experiment found that camouflage and warning coloration are effective antipredator strategies under different ecological conditions. The study suggests that predator competition is a key factor shaping the evolution of these strategies, with camouflage potentially being less stable than warning coloration.

Adding a lookup step makes AI better at assigning medical diagnosis codes

A new study from Mount Sinai Health System suggests that a simple tweak to how AI assigns diagnostic codes can improve accuracy and even surpass physician performance. By allowing the model to reflect and review similar past cases, researchers found better results in reducing time spent on paperwork and billing errors.

SourceThe Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine·JournalNEJM AI·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateSep 25, 2025

Deadly pathogens found in commercial raw cat foods

A Cornell University study detected disease-causing microbes like Salmonella, Cronobacter, and E. coli in raw cat foods sold frozen, refrigerated, and freeze-dried. These pathogens can transfer from pets to humans, especially young children, the elderly, pregnant individuals, and those with weakened immune systems.

SourceCornell University·JournalCommunications Biology·DateSep 25, 2025

Large study from University Hospitals Connor Whole Health finds certain music therapy interventions may be more beneficial for pain

A large study from University Hospitals Connor Whole Health found that recreative and music-assisted relaxation/imagery interventions were 37% and 48% more likely to reduce pain intensity than receptive only interventions. Longer sessions and explicit pain management goals also contributed to increased pain reduction.

Unique pan-cancer immunotherapy destroys tumors without attacking healthy tissue, UC Irvine study shows

Researchers at UC Irvine have developed a novel immunotherapeutic approach that targets cancer-associated glycans to trigger tumor cell death. The therapy, called GlyTR, has shown safety and effectiveness in models of various cancers, including leukemia, and is expected to pave the way for targeted T-cell therapy to solid tumors.

SourceUCI Health·JournalCell·TypeObservational study·DateSep 25, 2025

Tiny worms reveal big secrets about memory

Researchers have found that tiny worms can help understand how memories fade, with dopamine playing a major role. Without dopamine, the worms held onto memories longer than usual, revealing that forgetting is a finely tuned process essential for staying focused and flexible.

SourceFlinders University·JournalJournal of Neurochemistry·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 25, 2025

Nutrient storage and release in uninfected cells of soybean nodules support symbiotic nitrogen fixation in infected cells

This study reveals a critical role for uninfected cells (UCs) in storing and releasing nutrients within soybean nodules, supporting symbiotic nitrogen fixation. UCs serve as a central hub for regulating N fixation by interacting with adjacent infected cells (ICs), controlling the efficiency of nitrogen fixation.

Identification of the post-transcriptional regulation reveals complexity in peanut pod development by Direct RNA

Researchers explored post-transcriptional regulation in peanut pods, identifying 14,627 newly discovered transcripts and 6,769 new genes across four developmental stages. The study found dynamic changes in polyA length and its correlation with transcript stability, as well as alternative splicing events and RNA m6A modification.

Comprehensive metagenomic survey reveals vast gut microbiome diversity and antibiotic resistome across 14 mammal species on the Tibetan Plateau

This comprehensive metagenomic survey reveals vast gut microbiome diversity, with 21,902 species-level genome bins identified. The study also uncovers a significant reservoir of previously uncharacterized microbes and identifies high-risk antibiotic resistance genes across 14 mammal species.

SourceScience China Press·JournalScience China Life Sciences·DateSep 25, 2025

Reducing the environmental ‘paw-print’ - plant-based dog foods are better for the environment than red meat options

A recent study published in Frontiers in Nutrition found that plant-based diets for pets have the lowest environmental impact across all measures. The study analyzed 31 commercially available dry dog foods and estimated their environmental metrics using life cycle assessment datasets. Compared to red meat options, plant-based dog foods...

SourceUniversity of Nottingham·JournalFrontiers in Nutrition·TypeObservational study·DateSep 25, 2025

Topology reveals the hidden rules of amorphous materials — Softness arises from hierarchical structures

A research team has discovered the structural origins of mechanical softness in amorphous materials like glass, attributing it to hierarchical ring structures that coexist with medium-range order and local disorder. This finding will accelerate the design of flexible and strong amorphous solids.

SourceThe University of Osaka·JournalNature Communications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateSep 25, 2025

USC researchers develop new brain imaging method to reveal hidden vascular changes with aging

Researchers at USC have developed a groundbreaking brain imaging technique that reveals how tiny blood vessels in the brain pulse with each heartbeat, which may hold clues to aging and diseases like Alzheimer's. The method shows that microvascular pulsatility increases with age, especially in deep white matter, a region critical for co...

SourceKeck School of Medicine of USC·JournalNature Cardiovascular Research·DateSep 25, 2025