Summary: Researchers at Mass General Brigham have developed an artificial intelligence tool called FaceAge that estimates biological age from facial photographs and uses that estimate to help predict survival outcomes in patients with cancer. In testing with more than 6,000 cancer patients, the model found that people with cancer looked, on average, roughly five years … Read more

Summary: A large-scale analysis of more than 1.2 million social media posts linking to petitions finds that moral outrage fuels online virality but does not reliably produce petition signatures. While emotionally charged and moralizing messages attract likes and reposts, they often fail to convert attention into the concrete action of signing petitions. By contrast, messages … Read more

Summary: In a rat model of Parkinson’s disease (PD), voluntary exercise significantly improved the functional benefit of transplanted stem cell–derived dopamine neurons. The grafts alone restored basic motor abilities, but when combined with exercise the animals showed markedly better agility and forepaw control. The research indicates that physical activity accelerates graft maturation and strengthens connections … Read more

Summary: The phase 2B SURVIVE trial evaluating SurVaxM, an investigational cancer vaccine for glioblastoma, will proceed as planned after an interim analysis showed the study meets predefined criteria to continue. SurVaxM is being tested alongside standard treatments—surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy—with the aim of extending survival and improving quality of life for people diagnosed with this … Read more

Summary: New research finds that people judge AI systems as more creative when they observe not only the finished product but also the creative process and the robot performing the work. In controlled experiments using identical drawings, participants consistently rated creativity higher as they were shown more of the act itself. Surprisingly, the robot’s physical … Read more

Summary: For the first time, scientists have resolved the three-dimensional structure of the human sweet taste receptor, offering essential insight into how we sense sweetness and why sugar drives strong cravings. Using cryo-electron microscopy, researchers produced a detailed map showing how sweet molecules bind to the TAS1R2 component of the receptor, a region that functions … Read more

Summary: A recent multiomic study shows that a transient rise in tissue oxygen tension between the fourth and sixth weeks of development significantly enhances neurogenesis in human cerebral organoids. This oxygen-driven effect is mediated in large part by the oxygen-binding protein neuroglobin. Using advanced imaging and molecular profiling, the research team mapped intra-organoid oxygen dynamics … Read more

Summary: A recent statewide survey from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago found that nearly three out of four parents report sensory overload—an experience in which everyday sights, sounds and activity feel overwhelming to the brain. The most frequently cited triggers were children arguing, persistent loud household noise, and clutter from toys … Read more

Summary: Engineers have developed a portable lab-on-a-chip device that measures cortisol in saliva, providing a rapid, objective method to assess stress and help identify people at risk for depression, anxiety and other mental health disorders. The system uses a disposable saliva collector and a handheld reader that transmits results to a smartphone within minutes. Unlike … Read more

Summary: Children whose mothers had obesity, gestational diabetes, or hypertensive disorders during pregnancy show higher blood pressure from early childhood through adolescence. These offspring also experience faster increases in blood pressure between ages 2 and 18, indicating lasting cardiovascular effects of prenatal exposures. Based on nearly three decades of data from more than 12,000 mother–child … Read more