Science and research news from across Europe. Covers major discoveries, university leadership, disease burden and costs, and research policy in the region.
The EUROANALYSIS XIX conference in Stockholm, Sweden will feature two key prize lectures sponsored by Springer. Luigi Mondello and Lo Gorton are the recipients of the Robert Kellner Lecture and DAC-EuCheMS Award respectively, for their contributions to analytical chemistry research or education.
Since 1840, European freshwater fish species have undergone significant changes, with non-native species outnumbering native ones. Human activities, such as habitat destruction and intentional introductions, have led to an increase in taxonomic homogenization across Europe.
A new study reveals that diesel vehicles worldwide exceed emissions standards by 4.6 million tons, resulting in 38,000 premature deaths each year. The findings emphasize the need for stricter emission certification tests and real-world compliance measures to improve air quality.
A study published in Nature found that diesel vehicle emissions significantly underestimate real-world nitrogen oxide levels by up to 50%. The research revealed that excess emissions from 2015 affected 13.2 million tons of nitrogen oxide, leading to 38,000 premature deaths worldwide.
The Gauss Centre for Supercomputing approved 30 large-scale projects receiving 2.1 billion core hours, breaking records in allocation time and proposals received. Researchers studied earth sciences, chemistry, particle physics, and more, securing massive allocations to advance scientific knowledge.
The 'Moving Trades' project investigates the impact of international labor migration on skill formation in Norway, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. The study aims to understand how migrant workers influence firms' training behavior and potential institutional changes in vocational training.
Researchers identified a new test to predict the severity of IBD in children based on faecal microbiota profiles. The study found that children with more extensive IBD had distinct gut microbiota profiles, including higher levels of Clostridiales and Proteobacteria.
Researchers in Europe have found that people from Britain, Ireland, and Portugal drink the most, with binge drinking common in these countries. The study also reveals a link between social status and alcohol consumption, with wealthier individuals drinking more.
A study finds that gluten-free items have a significantly higher energy content and different nutritional composition compared to their gluten-containing counterparts. This could impact children's growth and increase the risk of childhood obesity.
Scientists have created a comprehensive, high-quality reference set of human induced pluripotent stem cell lines from 301 healthy volunteers. The resource is available for independent research and will help researchers study common genetic variation to put disease variations in context with healthy people.
The ORION project aims to explore ways to open up research funding, organization, and processes to the public. It will develop good practices and concrete actions for research organizations to implement Open Science and Responsible Research Innovation (RRI). The project will generate new training content, share lessons learned, and dis...
A Queen's-led European research project, INBIONET, has made huge strides in tackling antibiotic resistance and its impact on global health. The study found that various pathogens share a common anti-immune strategy, potentially leading to the development of new drugs to treat different types of infections.
The US needs a new approach to defeat the Islamic State by addressing root causes of conflicts, reconciling disenfranchised populations with governments. This requires long-term commitment to establish legitimate governance in Iraq and Syria.
A phase III CONVERT trial study presented at ELCC 2017 shows that white blood cell boosting drugs are safe during concurrent chemo-radiotherapy of small cell lung cancer. The use of G-CSF had no significant negative impact on patient outcomes, supporting its use to mitigate neutropenia and increase chemotherapy delivery.
Researchers found that certain lung cancer patients can continue treatment with immunotherapy even if the disease appears to be progressing, according to a study presented at ELCC 2017. The study used immune-related RECIST criteria, which take into account temporary tumour enlargement in patients taking immunotherapy.
The European Union has a relatively low level of biopesticide research due to complex regulations. This hinders the development and use of biological compounds as pesticides globally.
Osimertinib significantly reduces lung cancer symptoms, including appetite loss, fatigue, and breathlessness, while improving global health status and enabling patients to perform daily activities. The drug demonstrates better activity, less toxicity, and improved quality of life compared to chemotherapy.
The European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) has launched the Global Impact of Radiation in Oncology (GIRO) partnership to improve radiotherapy access worldwide. The project aims to save one million lives by 2035 by addressing barriers to provision and raising awareness among healthcare professionals and patients.
Researchers found that white blood cell counts at baseline and during therapy predict whether patients will respond to nivolumab treatment. A greater number and concentration of natural killer cells were associated with response to treatment.
A new study examines 'small for gestational age' (SGA) across Europe and finds that birthweight has a strong impact on reference percentiles for very preterm infants. Country-specific references are recommended to effectively benchmark outcomes for SGA in each population.
Patients with advanced NSCLC who received pre-treated checkpoint inhibitors had a 27% partial response rate to salvage chemotherapy, compared to 7% in those without pre-treatment. The study's findings suggest that checkpoint inhibitors may render tumor cells more sensitive to chemotherapy.
Scientists found that strong selection pressures on European chickens coincided with urbanization, Christian dietary rules, and increased egg production. The TSHR gene variant led to faster egg-laying and reduced aggression, while BCD02's effect on skin pigmentation was linked to selective breeding practices.
The discovery of Vouivria damparisensis, an early titanosauriform, provides important evidence on the evolution of brachiosaurid sauropods and their spread across Europe. The fossil reveals that Vouivria died at a young age, weighed around 15,000 kg, and was over 15 meters long.
A study of 46,766 patients found that men developed lung cancer 2.0 years earlier and had a higher stage at diagnosis compared to women. The researchers suggest that annual screening for women may be too frequent, with every 2-3 year intervals potentially being more suitable.
A new European Respiratory Society roadmap identifies key areas for investment to address the impact of asthma on individuals, healthcare systems, and economies. The document outlines 15 research priorities to improve mortality and morbidity rates, including primary care, triggers, personalised medicine, and self-management.
The global wine industry suffers over $10 billion in losses annually from natural disasters and extreme weather events. A new risk index for wine regions reveals the most vulnerable areas, with Argentina's Mendoza and Georgia's Kakheti being top-risk zones.
A global shortage of diphtheria treatment drugs due to lack of market incentive poses a significant threat to Western nations. Experts warn that the medicine is only produced in limited quantities and its availability is compromised by European-wide efforts to coordinate a stockpile.
Researchers have extracted ancient ice cores from a Transylvanian cave glacier to reconstruct winter climate conditions during the Holocene period. The findings reveal warmer and wetter winters, with significant shifts in atmospheric dynamics occurring around 7,000 years ago.
Researchers have identified early plasma cytokine signatures that correlate with and predict the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of vaccines based on living viruses. This breakthrough can inform and accelerate rational development of new vaccines, especially during outbreaks and epidemics.
Lung cancer patients treated with PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors are at increased risk of adverse events after receiving the seasonal influenza vaccination, according to a new study. The researchers observed an unusual high frequency of immune-related adverse events, including severe grade 3 or 4 irAEs, in this population.
The study maps the evolution of dog breeds using gene sequences from 161 modern breeds, uncovering evidence of ancient canine migration across the Bering land bridge. The research also sheds light on the origins of various breeds, including herding dogs and hairless breeds.
A Finnish study found that central obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, lipid abnormalities, and high alcohol consumption are the strongest predictors of severe liver disease. Among individuals who consume excessive amounts of alcohol, only diabetes is a significant predictor.
A study presented at ILC 2017 found that bezafibrate plus ursodeoxycholic acid improved symptoms, liver function tests, and surrogate markers of the disease in patients with primary biliary cholangitis. The combination therapy was well-tolerated and normalised prognostic biochemical parameters.
A study demonstrated that A4250 reduced levels of blood bile acids and improved pruritus in 74% of patients with cholestatic liver diseases. The therapy was well-tolerated, with mostly mild side effects.
A new study reveals a strong association between colder climates and higher rates of alcoholic cirrhosis, a disease caused by excessive drinking. The research found that countries with lower temperatures and less sunshine had higher rates of alcohol-attributable liver cirrhosis.
The ANSWER study shows that long-term administration of human albumin improves survival rate in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Treatment also enhances ascites management, quality of life, and reduces severe complications and hospitalization.
A new European study demonstrated that patients with chronic HCV and severe liver damage can be safely removed from the liver transplant list after successful direct-acting antiviral therapy. The study showed a favorable outcome over a year later, with only one patient dying from rapidly progressing hepatocellular carcinoma.
A study found that faecal transplantation improved cognitive impairment in patients with hepatic encephalopathy, a serious condition caused by severe liver disease. The treatment significantly reduced hospitalisations compared to standard care treatment.
Rafal Dziadziuszko, a global leader in clinical thoracic oncology, has been awarded the Heine H. Hansen (HHH) Award by ESMO and IASLC for his lifetime contributions to lung cancer research and education globally.
The ALIVER project aims to develop a novel liver dialysis machine, DIALIVE, which targets systemic inflammation and restores albumin function. The machine has shown promising results in pre-clinical tests and will be tested in clinical settings across Europe.
Research suggests that a diet rich in animal protein, but not fructose, is linked to NAFLD in overweight people. The study found significant associations between macronutrients and NAFLD predominantly in overweight individuals.
The updated EASL guidelines provide new definitions of disease phases to guide clinicians on treatment indications. The guidelines also expanded indications for initiating treatment to prevent mother-to-child transmission and offer clear cut recommendations for special patient populations. The main goal of therapy is to improve surviva...
Recent reimbursement data shows significant variability in access to direct-acting antiviral therapy across European countries, particularly for patients with severe liver fibrosis or substance use. Many countries have restrictions on prescribing by specialists, limiting access to life-saving treatment.
A multicentre, randomised, controlled study found that long-term oral antibiotic therapy with norfloxacin improved prognosis in patients with life-threatening advanced liver disease. Norfloxacin administration for 6 months was associated with reduced risk of death and infection at 6 months.
A prospective study in patients with cirrhosis found that severe periodontitis strongly predicted higher mortality, mainly due to complications of cirrhosis. The study also showed a strong association between gum disease and risk of death in liver patients.
A DAA treatment combination, sofosbuvir/velpatasvir with or without voxilaprevir, shows significant improvements in patient-reported outcomes for patients with HCV and cirrhosis. The overall cure rate is 94% for patients with and without cirrhosis.
The new Clinical Practice Guidelines define the use of diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive modalities in managing patients with various liver diseases. The guidelines provide a range of generally accepted approaches for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of specific liver diseases.
Researchers discovered that young European eels detect subtle differences in the earth's magnetic field, helping them swim towards the Gulf Stream, a conveyor belt transporting them to Europe. The findings reveal that juvenile eels use their magnetic map sense to increase their chances of catching a free ride to their destination.
A study by UC Merced Professor Alexander M. Petersen and Michelangelo Puliga found that the EU expansion facilitated the inter-European circulation of highly skilled workers in various fields, including medicine, technology, education, science, engineering, and business.
The EU has awarded a €900,000 grant to the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology to develop new technologies for sustainable mineral exploration and efficient resource extraction. The project aims to advance drone-based exploration methods and multisensor drones to map natural rock samples and drill cores.
Research from the University of Gothenburg finds a strong correlation between corruption and the electoral success of populist parties in European countries. Public services such as law enforcement, healthcare, and education are critical to people's confidence in public institutions and democracy.
Researchers used a unique wave tank to study wind-generated waves and found that rogue waves are more likely than expected. The experiment provided crucial information on the mathematical likelihood of these extreme events.
A recent study has uncovered the ancestral origins of Sardinian populations, revealing a high percentage of unique genetic signatures. The research team analyzed DNA samples from modern Sardinians and ancient skeletal remains, finding that 78.4% of modern mitogenomes cluster into 'Sardinian-specific haplogroups'.
A Yale researcher found that the FDA reviews and approves new medicines in a shorter timeframe than its peer agency in Europe. The study compared review times for new drugs approved by the FDA and EMA between 2011 and 2015, classifying them by therapeutic areas and 'orphan' drugs.
Researchers from Vetmeduni Vienna found that the raccoon dog is a greater risk than the raccoon as a vector for local parasites. The study revealed the presence of fox tapeworm and other parasites in raccoon dogs, which also infest local foxes.
Researchers found evidence of how ancient Britain separated from Europe in two stages, with a proglacial lake overflowing into the North Sea. The team discovered plunge pools in the Dover Strait, created by water cascading over an escarpment, suggesting a catastrophic failure that released megafloods.
The study reveals that Yamnaya warriors married local Stone Age women, adopting an agrarian lifestyle and forming the Corded Ware Culture. This integration led to a rapid genetic changeover from Neolithic to Corded Ware cultures in Europe.
A new study by Ruud Wouters suggests that protests with many participants and a unified message are more effective in influencing politicians. The research found that features such as the number of protesters and unity had the greatest impact on changing politicians' opinions, regardless of their party affiliation.
Scientists uncover regional warming in Europe causing cooling and increased snowfall in East Asia during the Younger Dryas period, highlighting the complex interplay of teleconnections. The study provides new insights into the climate changes of the northern hemisphere at the end of the last glacial phase.
A new study estimates that 12% of global premature deaths related to PM2.5 pollution are caused by emissions in a different region, while 22% are associated with goods produced for consumption in another region. The study highlights the need for international cooperation to reduce air pollution and its health impacts.