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Biological changes in firefighters’ urine and blood seen 24 hours after fighting a fire

A new study by UTHealth Houston found measurable biological changes in firefighters' blood and urine 24 hours after fighting a fire, which may help identify early cancer risk. The study identified 75 significantly altered proteins in urine and 10 in blood serum, with several linked to cancer-related pathways.

Hebrew University and Hadassah Medical Center to take part in €15 million international trial exploring phage therapy for drug-resistant urinary tract infections

A €15 million EU-funded trial will investigate phage therapy as an alternative to antibiotics for recurrent urinary tract infections. Researchers from 13 countries, including Hebrew University and Hadassah Medical Center, will evaluate personalized bacteriophage therapy to treat antibiotic-resistant E. coli infections.

Yak waste does not always add up: New field study reveals surprising greenhouse gas dynamics in alpine meadows

Researchers found that overlapping yak urine and dung patches produce far less nitrous oxide than expected, contradicting the assumption of additive emissions. The study suggests a balance between two competing processes, preventing emissions from rising as much as expected.

SourceShenyang Agricultural University Collaborative Journals·JournalNitrogen Cycling·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 2, 2026

Dietary changes and medications could help prevent recurrent kidney stones

A systematic review of 31 studies found that diet changes and medications like thiazide diuretics, alkali therapy, and allopurinol may reduce stone recurrence in adults with calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate stones. However, evidence was generally limited, and more research is needed to confirm the effectiveness of these interventions.

SourceAmerican College of Physicians·JournalAnnals of Internal Medicine·TypeNews article·DateMar 23, 2026

Catching Alport syndrome through universal age-3 urine screening

Researchers found that over 30% of children referred for Alport syndrome testing at age 3 already required therapeutic intervention, highlighting the potential benefits of early detection. The study suggests introducing a urine testing system may enable intervention before kidney dysfunction onset.

SourceKobe University·JournalKidney International Reports·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateOct 7, 2025

USC Stem Cell-led team makes major advance toward building a synthetic kidney

A USC Stem Cell-led team has successfully generated lab-grown kidney structures, or organoids, that exhibit kidney-like functions such as blood filtration and urine production. The 'assembloids' achieved maturity levels comparable to newborn mouse kidneys, paving the way for developing new therapies for patients awaiting transplant.

SourceKeck School of Medicine of USC·JournalCell Stem Cell·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 17, 2025

Acupuncture for nocturia in survivors of prostate cancer

Acupuncture was found to be an effective treatment for nocturia in survivors of prostate cancer, reducing symptoms comparable to other medications while causing fewer side effects. The study suggests acupuncture may offer a new hope for managing this common issue affecting half of prostate cancer survivors.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA Oncology·DateMay 29, 2025

First-of-its-kind study suggests that mindfulness and brain stimulation could reduce bladder leaks

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh found that mindfulness training and non-invasive brain stimulation can significantly reduce bladder leaks and feelings of urgency evoked by specific environments or scenarios. The study, published in Continence, used transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to activate the prefrontal co...

SourceUniversity of Pittsburgh·JournalContinence·DateMay 29, 2025

Urine test could reveal prostate cancer

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have identified new biomarkers in urine that can indicate the presence and severity of prostate cancer with high precision. The findings surpass current blood biomarker PSA in terms of diagnostic accuracy.

SourceKarolinska Institutet·JournalCancer Research·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateApr 28, 2025

Urinals without splashback

Researchers designed urinals using physics and differential equations to minimize splashback, improving hygiene and accessibility. The Nautilus design fits various urination heights, making it accessible for children and people with wheelchairs.

SourcePNAS Nexus·JournalPNAS Nexus·DateApr 8, 2025

Rapid and accurate diagnosis of urinary tract infections using targeted next-generation sequencing: A multicenter comparative study with metagenomic sequencing and traditional culture methods

A multicenter study found targeted next-generation sequencing to significantly outperform traditional culture methods in detecting urinary tract infections, including polymicrobial cases. The method's detection time was notably shorter, with high concordance rates for both culture-positive and negative samples.

SourceNational Center for Respiratory Medicine·JournalJournal of Infection·TypeObservational study·DateMar 24, 2025

Exposure to secondhand cannabis smoke among children

A cross-sectional study found that children exposed to secondhand cannabis smoke at home have significantly higher urinary cannabinoid biomarker levels, indicating increased exposure to toxic and carcinogenic chemicals. Reducing in-home cannabis smoking can substantially reduce child exposure to these harmful substances.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA Network Open·DateJan 23, 2025

Fluoride exposure and children’s IQ scores

A systematic review and meta-analysis found an inverse association between fluoride exposure and children's IQ scores. The findings suggest a dose-response relationship between fluoride levels and IQ across multiple countries, highlighting the need for comprehensive public health risk-benefit assessments of fluoride exposures.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA Pediatrics·DateJan 6, 2025

A new biomarker helps detect kidney fibrosis in transplant patients without invasive procedures

Researchers have identified a simpler and more accessible alternative to diagnosing kidney fibrosis in transplant patients: measuring vitronectin levels in urine. The study found that vitronectin levels were significantly higher in patients with fibrosis, and combining this measurement with traditional urine tests improved accuracy.

SourceGermans Trias i Pujol Research Institute·JournalJournal of Translational Medicine·TypeObservational study·DateDec 2, 2024

Common consumer product chemicals now tied to cardiac electrical changes

An interdisciplinary study found associations between exposure to environmental phenols like BPA and triclocarban and altered cardiac electrical activity, particularly in women with higher body mass indexes. Researchers identified moderate changes to cardiac electrical activity that could exacerbate existing heart disease or arrhythmias.

SourceUniversity of Cincinnati·JournalEnvironmental Health·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateOct 3, 2024

New method predicts worsening of chronic kidney disease

Researchers from Aarhus University developed a new method to predict which patients with chronic kidney failure are at risk of losing kidney function over time. The method analyzes acid-base balances in urine samples, revealing early signs of acid buildup that can be harmful to kidney function.

SourceAarhus University·JournalJournal of the American Society of Nephrology·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateSep 12, 2024

General exercise as good as yoga for female urinary incontinence

A recent study published in Annals of Internal Medicine found that general exercise programs can reduce urinary incontinence symptoms almost as much as pelvic floor yoga. The LILA study involved 240 women who experienced urinary incontinence at least daily, and randomly assigned them to either a pelvic yoga program or a physical condit...

SourceUniversity of California - San Francisco·JournalAnnals of Internal Medicine·DateAug 28, 2024

ALS diagnosis and survival linked to metals in blood, urine

A University of Michigan-led study found that higher levels of metals in blood and urine are associated with a greater risk for ALS and shorter survival. Occupational exposure to metals was also linked to increased metal levels, emphasizing the need for accounting for environmental factors when evaluating overall exposure risk.

SourceMichigan Medicine - University of Michigan·JournalJournal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateAug 6, 2024

Clinical ageing clocks: NUS and SGH develop algorithm-powered tests to indicate mortality risk

Researchers developed two clinical ageing clocks, PCAge and LinAge, that use blood tests, a urine test, and a health questionnaire to estimate future mortality risk. These clocks show significant predictive efficacy in characterising individual future ageing trajectories.

SourceNational University of Singapore, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine·JournalNature Aging·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJun 19, 2024

Cicadas’ unique urination unlocks new understanding of fluid dynamics

Researchers studied cicadas' jet-like urination to challenge insect pee paradigms. They found that larger animals like cicadas can emit jets due to gravity and inertial forces, unlike smaller ones that typically produce droplets. This discovery has far-reaching implications for bio-inspired engineering and monitoring applications.

SourceGeorgia Institute of Technology·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeObservational study·DateMar 11, 2024