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An MRI-based imaging technique developed at the University of Cambridge predicts the response of ovarian cancer tumours to treatment, and rapidly reveals how well treatment is working, in patient-derived cell models. We can image a tumour pre-treatment to predict how likely it is to respond, and then we can image again immediately after treatment to confirm whether it has indeed responded Kevin Brindle The technique, called hyperpolarised carbon-13 imaging, can increase the detected signal in an MRI scanner by more than 10,000 times.

Cambridge scientists have developed a urine test for early detection of lung cancer. The test, the first of its kind, detects 'zombie' cells that could indicate the first signs of the disease. Researchers hope that early detection, through the simple urine test, could enable earlier treatment interventions, significantly improving patient outcomes and prognosis.

Adults who frequently post on social media are at more risk of developing mental health problems than those who passively view social media content, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. The study, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, investigated how different types of social media use might affect the mental health of adults over time.

People who are either too trusting or too mistrustful are more likely to believe conspiracy theories and ascribe to vaccine hesitancy, finds a new study by UCL researchers. The research, published in PLOS Global Public Health, also found that people who are highly credulous are less capable of recognising fake news.

A new study from the University of Oxford demonstrates how clinicians could use data to predict the risk of falls in people with Parkinson's Disease (PD) to help improve effective longer term care planning. Falls are a common problem for people living with Parkinson's. A recent review estimated that some 60% of all people living with PD have experienced at least one fall.

Most young people who were confirmed to have long Covid three months after a positive PCR test had recovered within 24 months, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. The Children and young people with Long Covid (CLoCK) study, published in Nature Communications Medicine and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), is the world's largest longitudinal cohort study on long Covid in children.

Researchers uncover a 'chemical metronome' in the brain, which helps to synchronise the master clock telling us when it's time to sleeep. In a study of brain cells from mice and humans, researchers have found that star-shaped cells called astrocytes rhythmically produce a chemical pulse that helps the brain's master clock to keep time, influencing our circadian rhythm and sleep-wake cycle.

The number of sex offences committed by strangers decreased significantly in the UK during the Covid-19 pandemic, new research shows. According to researchers at the University of Birmingham, the amount of offending in night-time economy and outdoor settings dropped significantly, but so too did offences taking place at home.

Around 32% of people who have had prior damage from lung diseases will die after five years if they also get a common fungal infection, a major global review has found. The review also finds that 15% of people with chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) die in the first year following other lung diseases.

The first computer algorithm capable of identifying which tumour cells are driving aggressive cancer growth has been developed by Cancer Research scientists from UCL and The Francis Crick Institute. The innovative algorithm, called SPRINTER*, analyses individual cells within a tumour to identify those that are growing the most rapidly.

New research has pinpointed key cells that could be targeted to prevent painful rheumatoid arthritis flare-ups, offering potential new hope to millions of people with the condition world-wide. The important new findings are published in the journal Immunity and highlight the potential to use dendritic cells as early markers to predict a rheumatoid arthritis flare-up, hopefully paving the way for more patients to achieve sustained remission.

Around 43% of NHS workers who took part in a recent study have considered leaving their role or taking early retirement. The national study, published today in Lancet Europe, also discovered a striking link between suffering from symptoms of depression, anxiety or PTSD, and wanting to leave healthcare.

The number of important routine health checks taking place since the pandemic has substantially reduced in England, with implications for missed diagnosis and increased health inequalities.

A study led by the University of Glasgow has revealed differences in the brains of paediatric and adult patients' that might explain the sometimes catastrophic outcomes seen in children following a traumatic brain injury. In findings published in the journal JAMA Network Open, the researchers found first pathological evidence that the pattern of damage to blood vessels after a severe brain injury appears to be age-dependant.

New research reveals public discreditation is the most common tactic used across all three sectors to intimidate researchers New research from the University of Bath shows researchers in the tobacco, ultra-processed food (UPF) and alcohol sectors are frequently targeted with identical intimidation tactics.

An Imperial-led study has highlighted how rare variants of a gene regulating the gut lining may increase the risk of MIS-C by up to four times. Scientists have uncovered genetic variants which help to explain why some children with mild COVID-19 go on to develop a severe inflammatory condition weeks after their infection.

A new study by researchers in the UK and Denmark, published in Digital Health , provides the first publicly accessible analysis of global downloads for menstrual tracking apps. While the market for menstrual tracking apps is rapidly growing, there have been no large-scale analyses about why users download these apps, and particularly few studies on their use in the Global South.

A new study by researchers in the UK and Denmark, published in Digital Health , provides the first publicly accessible analysis of global downloads for menstrual tracking apps. While the market for menstrual tracking apps is rapidly growing, there have been no large-scale analyses about why users download these apps, and particularly few studies on their use in the Global South.

People with poorer mental health are more prone to browsing negative content online, which further exacerbates their symptoms, finds a study led by UCL researchers. The relationship between mental health and web-browsing is causal and bi-directional, according to the study published in Nature Human Behaviour .

A potentially life-changing heart condition, dilated cardiomyopathy, can be caused by the cumulative influence of hundreds or thousands of genes and not just by a single "aberrant" genetic variant, as was previously thought, finds a new study co-led by researchers at UCL. Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a condition in which the heart becomes progressively enlarged and weakened, reducing its ability to pump blood efficiently.