A new study found that wandering albatrosses with older partners take shorter feeding trips and return to the nest sooner, benefiting both parents. This behavior helps them assess how much pressure their partner can handle, ensuring they don't overwork each other.
A new clinical trial has found that chemotherapy before surgery significantly improves 1-year survival rates for patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer. The study, led by the University of Liverpool, compared immediate surgery with short-course neoadjuvant therapy and found a significant survival benefit.
A £7M NIHR award will scale clean energy access to improve health, gender equality and climate in sub-Saharan Africa. The project aims to address household air pollution, a significant risk factor for global disease, and will focus on informing national strategies to meet the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 7.
Researchers used machine learning to identify the key characteristics of gallium oxide, a complex material with five different crystal structures. The study provided a detailed understanding of the influence of structural disorder on its electronic structure, crucial for optimizing applications.
A study by the University of Liverpool found that polypharmacy and multimorbidity are linked to an increasing burden of adverse drug reactions, with 16.5% of hospital admissions caused by medicine-related harm. The researchers call for a whole-systems approach to address overprescribing and improve patient care.
The PARROT trial aims to investigate whether long-term antibiotic treatment can reduce the impact of chest infections on children with neurological impairments. The UK-Australia joint trial will recruit 500 participants aged 3-17 years and assess rates of hospital visits, infections, and quality of life.
New research suggests that stalling improvements in cardiovascular diseases since 2010 could lead to significant economic costs. The study finds that reduced cardiovascular disease rates would result in £13 billion NHS healthcare costs, £1.5 billion social care costs, and £32 billion lost QALYs between 2020-2029.
A new study found that pollutants can be transmitted over many generations in water fleas, persisting long enough to influence the evolutionary process. The effects of low doses of pollutants were detected even after switching to clean water, indicating stable epigenetic marks passed down through generations.
A new genomics study has helped guide the development of vaccines against Shigella, a leading cause of severe diarrhoea in children. The research revealed the extent of genomic diversity among Shigella species, highlighting challenges to current vaccine approaches.
A University of Liverpool study found that meteorite impacts are determined by the minerology of the rocks hit, not the size of the impact. The study analyzed 44 impacts and found that those hitting rocks rich in potassium feldspar always correspond with mass extinction episodes.
A UK study found that children exposed to persistent poverty and poor parental mental health are at increased risk of socioemotional behavioral problems, cognitive disability, drug experimentation, and obesity. The analysis also identified six trajectories of poverty and family adversity, highlighting the need for interventions address...
A new programme is seeking to understand the rare condition of blood clotting with low platelets in COVID-19 infection and vaccination. The vast majority of people experience mild reactions, but some develop severe side effects, including blood clots and low platelet levels.
A new study demonstrates the importance of supply-side enhancements to increase clean fuel consumption in sub-Saharan Africa. Supply-side interventions such as shortening distances to retail points and improving access to multi-burner stoves are found to be crucial for accelerating growth of the clean cooking market.
A large-scale review of 65 studies found that mental health symptoms were comparable to pre-pandemic levels by mid-2020, with larger rises for depressive symptoms. Researchers suggest an acute response to the pandemic followed by psychological adaptation and resilience.
Researchers have identified a new prophage-mediated defence system in Salmonella Typhimurium ST313 called BstA, which efficiently suppresses phage attacks. This discovery opens up a new avenue of research and could potentially lead to the development of new biotechnologies.
A large prospective study has found that hospital mortality rates for people with cancer do not appear to have reduced over time, unlike those for people with no history of cancer. The findings are based on anonymized data from over 195,000 people hospitalized in the UK.
Researchers at the University of Liverpool have developed a collaborative AI tool that reduces time and effort required to discover new materials. The tool has already led to the discovery of four new materials, including solid state materials with lithium-conductive properties.
A study published in Nature Communications reveals the mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 proteolysis and identifies key cellular substrates with therapeutic potential. The research provides a powerful resource for developing targeted strategies to inhibit the virus, which has caused over 227 million infections and 4.6 million deaths worldwide.
A new study has shown that a single dose of typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) is safe and 84 percent effective in protecting against typhoid in Blantyre, Malawi. The findings are critical as typhoid is an increasing public health threat across sub-Saharan Africa.
The UK Lung Screening Trial (UKLS) found a significant reduction in lung cancer mortality among high-risk groups through low-dose CT screening. The study, which included over 4,000 participants, showed a 16% relative reduction in lung cancer deaths.
A new study by the University of Liverpool warns that safe passages for species adapting to climate change are often not being protected. The researchers found that important connecting patches were left out of existing networks of protected areas, resulting in a 13.6% shortfall in connectivity.
Researchers analyzed rock samples from Eastern Scotland to measure the strength of the geomagnetic field during key time periods. They found that between 332 and 416 million years ago, the field was less than a quarter of its current strength.
Researchers found that epilepsy surgery is associated with improved overall brain health, reducing brain-predicted age by at least seven years in patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy. The study used advanced MRI techniques to inform its findings and suggests earlier surgery may benefit these patients.
A study found that frequent peanut consumption increases the risk of cancer spread by interacting with blood vessels and producing cytokines that promote metastasis. This interaction can make cancer cells stickier and easier to attach themselves to blood vessels.
A new UK study found that around 1 in 20 children hospitalized with COVID-19 develop brain or nerve complications linked to the viral infection. The research identified a wide spectrum of neurological complications in children and suggests they may be more common than in adults admitted with COVID-19.
Researchers have discovered a new inorganic material with the lowest thermal conductivity ever reported, offering fundamental insights into heat management and waste heat conversion. The material combines two arrangements of atoms that slow down heat transport, resulting in a significant reduction in thermal conductivity.
A new study found that decreases in local government funding over recent years probably contributed to declines in life expectancy in some areas of England. The research linked annual local government funding data with life expectancy and mortality data between 2013 and 2017, revealing a significant impact on the most deprived areas.
A new study uses machine learning to predict over 20,000 unknown virus-mammal associations, expanding our knowledge of zoonotic diseases. The model identifies bats and rodents as key hosts for emerging viruses, highlighting the need for targeted surveillance and mitigation strategies.
The study found that asymptomatic COVID-19 testing was popular in Liverpool, but disparities were evident between those who got tested and those who didn't. Lower uptake of testing was observed in the most deprived areas and among Black, Asian, and other non-White ethnic groups.
Researchers at the University of Liverpool developed a method to control thylakoid membrane formation and used proteomics and microscopic imaging to characterise its stepwise maturation process. The study finds that cyanobacterial thylakoids are dynamic biological systems that can adapt rapidly to environmental changes.
Researchers at the University of Liverpool have made a groundbreaking discovery in charge storage mechanisms for calcium-air batteries. The new finding, known as trapped interfacial redox, introduces a novel mechanism that can be harnessed to create highly sustainable battery technologies.
A new study by University of Liverpool ecologists finds that climate change will see some species succumb to infertility earlier than thought. The research used fruit fly species to predict temperature tolerance and found that almost half of the species become sterile at lower temperatures, making conservation more difficult.
A new study reveals that small uveal melanomas have molecular genetic alterations, making them highly metastatic tumours. Prompt treatment can significantly increase the chances of cure for these patients.
A new study by the ISARIC Coronavirus Clinical Characterisation Consortium found that in-hospital mortality declined from 32% to 16% as treatments like steroids and dexamethasone improved patient outcomes. Improvements in respiratory support and critical care also contributed to the better survival rates.
A new study has confirmed that UK children with cystic fibrosis have poorer lung function than their US peers, suggesting differences in treatment patterns may be the cause. The research also found that children in the US received more aggressive mucolytic therapy earlier in life.
Research from the University of Liverpool and Loughborough University has developed electrolyte formulations for lithium-oxygen batteries, significantly improving cycle stability. The technology could provide greater energy storage than conventional lithium-ion batteries.
Researchers at the University of Liverpool have developed a long-acting injectable therapy using an existing and cheap drug, showing promise in treating COVID-19. The formulation uses nanoparticle technology to deliver the drug sustainably over several months.
A new study has sequenced the capuchin monkey genome, uncovering genetic clues about their long lifespan and large brains. The researchers identified genes associated with DNA damage response, metabolism, and insulin signalling, which may contribute to their longevity.
Research finds heparin inhibits SARS-CoV2 virus spike protein, reducing its ability to attach and infect human cells. The study suggests inhaled unfractionated heparin could be a rapid treatment option for Covid-19 patients.
A study found that over half of Ebola survivors experienced a rapid increase in antibody levels around 200 days after recovery, followed by decline, indicating potential long-term virus persistence.
Researchers used genomics and epidemiology to study how African Salmonella evolved to cause bloodstream infections, killing ~50,000 annually. A new antibiotic-susceptible lineage emerged in Malawi in 2016, linked to changes in antibiotic usage between 2002-2015.
Researchers have discovered a class of flexible molecular sieves that can selectively separate gases, such as propylene from propane. This breakthrough has the potential to improve the efficiency of gas purification processes in the manufacture of high-quality plastics.
Researchers at the University of Liverpool have developed a new protein nanobioreactor that can improve hydrogen production efficiency by up to 550%. The bioreactor uses bacterial protein cages and enzymes to produce clean energy. The study offers a promising solution for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels.
A unique biomarker combination predicts Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) in critically ill children, enabling early identification and potential pre-emptive therapy. The study found that a combination of clinical scores and urinary markers can accurately predict severe AKI in PICU admissions.
Researchers have discovered that a deadly combination of two mosquito-borne viruses may trigger stroke in adults. A new study published in The Lancet Neurology found that patients infected with both Zika and chikungunya were more likely to experience stroke, which could be caused by either virus alone.
A new study details the damaging role of the immune system in a severe brain condition caused by herpes simplex virus. Researchers have identified specific immune cells and a signalling protein that induce brain inflammation, paving the way for targeted treatments.
Researchers have developed novel Selenium-based compounds that can stabilize the SOD1 protein, which causes ALS. These compounds show improved in vitro therapeutic effects and demonstrate disease onset delay in an ALS mouse model. The findings hold promise for a new class of drug candidates for ALS treatment.
Research by University of Liverpool reveals strange magnetic behaviour in South Atlantic region dated back eight to 11 million years ago. The study suggests that today's South Atlantic Anomaly is not a new phenomenon and may be linked to features of the Earth's interior.
Thylakoid membranes from a model cyanobacterium have been studied in unprecedented detail using atomic force microscopy. The results show how these membranes modulate protein abundance and form structurally variable complexes to adapt to changing environments.
Researchers at the University of Liverpool have built an intelligent mobile robot scientist capable of working 24/7 and making decisions autonomously. The robot has discovered a new catalyst six times more active than traditional ones, expanding its capabilities to tackle complex chemistry problems.