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New hope for patients with Werner syndrome

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Werner syndrome (WS) is a rare genetic disorder that leads to premature aging and severe complications. In the first clinical trial of its kind, researchers from Japan, along with the company Niagen Bioscience, investigated the effect of nicotinamide riboside (NR), a vitamin B3 derivative, in patients with WS. NR intake significantly improved cardiovascular health, reduced the area of skin ulcers, and slowed the decline in kidney function – showing promising therapeutic potential for a disease that currently has no effective treatment. Werner syndrome (WS) is a rare genetic disorder that leads to an accelerated aging process. From the age of twenty, patients develop gray hair, hair loss, cataracts, diabetes, and other age-related conditions that normally occur in older people. In addition, patients develop severe and untreatable skin ulcers, often requiring limb amputation, and die prematurely from cardiovascular disease or cancer. For this debilitating… 

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Screens in schools not a threat

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Screens in schools are not a learning obstacle, but can promote learning when used purposefully, emphasize researchers from the University of Agder in the new anthology “Logg på!”. The work, with contributions from 77 experts, calls for a nuanced discussion about digital technologies in education, moving away from portraying them as a threat. A pilot study by Lenka Garshol and Susan Erdmann shows that screens in English classes often streamline administrative tasks, similar to traditional paper exercises. However, unsuitable use resembled outdated teaching methods, not excessive scrolling. Teachers emphasized the benefits of digital tools, especially for students with reading and writing difficulties. Kjerstin Breistein Danielsen from the university's Teaching Lab advocates for a focus on good learning rather than polarizing pro or con debates to strengthen students' digital competence. Line Reichelt Føreland highlights the potential of video games like Minecraft, which promote inclusion in lessons about Sami culture and offer withdrawn students a… 

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Sleep apnea and obesity: Warning about health risks in men

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Up to 90 percent of people with obesity suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, a condition with repeated breathing pauses during sleep that particularly affects men. On the occasion of Men's Health Week (June 9-15, 2025), doctors are warning about the health consequences and urging those affected to take warning signs such as loud snoring and daytime fatigue seriously. Weight reduction can significantly alleviate symptoms. Obstructive sleep apnea often remains unrecognized, although it increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. In Germany, 30 percent of men are affected by sleep apnea requiring treatment, twice as many as women (13 percent). Obesity, defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m², is the main risk factor. Fat deposits in the throat area narrow the airways, leading to nocturnal breathing pauses. These lower blood oxygen levels, increase blood pressure and stress hormones, and trigger awakenings that lead to daytime fatigue, concentration problems, and an increased risk of accidents. Obesity affects 21 percent of...

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Exorbitant costs for medical treatments abroad: ADAC warns of financial risks

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Illnesses during vacation can pose immense financial burdens on travelers in popular vacation countries like Egypt, Turkey, or the USA, warns the ADAC. The costs for medical treatments abroad have risen drastically in recent years, and without travel health insurance, vacationers often have to pay high bills directly on site. The ADAC shows how such cost traps can be avoided. In Egypt, the costs for outpatient treatments increased by 26.4 percent within a year, in Turkey by 11 percent, and in the United Arab Emirates by 23.1 percent. For comparison: In Germany, the increase was only 3.9 percent. Especially in countries without a regulated fee schedule like the German GOÄ, inflated bills are often presented. For example, in Egypt, the treatment of gastritis with infusions in a hotel clinic cost 3,850 euros, while a comparable diarrhea treatment in Germany costs 35 to 75 euros. In...

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H5N1 reaches Antarctica – concern for wildlife and global consequences

The highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has reached Antarctica for the first time, causing significant wildlife losses. The virus, which originally circulated in Asia and has spread globally in recent years, was first detected on the Antarctic mainland in February 2024. Researchers believe that migratory birds from South America introduced the virus. Affected species, including various seabirds and seals, typically show severe neurological and respiratory symptoms. Mortality rates are high as the animals have no immunity to the pathogen. In recent months, an increasing number of dead or severely ill animals have been found at several Antarctic research stations and along various coastlines. Colonies of brown skuas, giant petrels, and albatrosses are particularly affected, but the virus has also been detected in seal species such as crabeater seals and leopard seals. The spread is rapid, as many bird species breed in large colonies and the virus...

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KAIST Develops Virtual Staining Technology for 3D Histology

An international research team led by KAIST has developed a groundbreaking technology that goes beyond traditional methods of examining thinly sliced and stained cancer tissue. This innovation utilizes advanced optical techniques combined with an artificial intelligence-based deep learning algorithm to create realistic, virtually stained 3D images of cancer tissue without the need for serial sectioning or staining. This breakthrough is expected to pave the way for the next generation of non-invasive pathological diagnostics. For over 200 years, conventional pathology has relied on examining cancer tissue under a microscope. However, this method only reveals specific cross-sections of the three-dimensional cancer tissue, limiting the understanding of the three-dimensional connections and spatial arrangements between cells. To address this issue, the research team employed holotomography (HT), an advanced optical technology, to measure the three-dimensional refractive index of tissue. They then integrated an AI-based deep learning algorithm to successfully...

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Typical black colonies of diphtheria bacteria (Corynebacterium diphtheriae), cultured at the Institute for Medical Microbiology on a special nutrient medium in a Petri dish. | Source: Farah Fiechter and Frank Imkamp | Copyright: University of Zurich

Diphtheria Outbreak 2022: Transmission Routes Along Migration Routes Deciphered

In 2022, a diphtheria outbreak in Western Europe led to the sharpest increase in reported infections in 70 years. A study by a European research consortium, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, has now traced the transmission routes for the first time. Clinical and genomic data point to infection sources along established migration routes to Europe, particularly the Balkan route. Despite rapid containment, bacterial strains from this outbreak continue to cause isolated new infections, requiring ongoing vigilance. Diphtheria, a notifiable infectious disease caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae, was registered unusually frequently in several European countries in 2022. The cases primarily affected refugees who had recently arrived in Europe, while infections in the local population were not documented. The study analyzed 363 bacterial isolates from ten countries – Germany (118), Austria (66), United Kingdom (59), Switzerland (52), France (30), Belgium (21), Norway (8), Netherlands (5), Italy (3), and Spain (1) – and provided… 

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AI-powered model aims to improve stroke treatment

Researchers at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) and the University Hospital Bonn are developing an AI-based computer model to support doctors in stroke treatment. The goal is a digital assistance system that predicts health status after mechanical thrombectomy and detects complications to optimize therapy decisions. A feasibility study is examining whether this is possible with data from the "German Stroke Registry" and brain imaging. The project, funded with 250,000 euros by the Helmholtz Association, uses the innovative AI technology of "swarm learning" and involves the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security. An ischemic stroke, often caused by blood clots, leads to neurological deficits such as paralysis or speech disorders. Without rapid treatment, millions of brain cells die. Treatment options such as drug-induced clot lysis or minimally invasive thrombectomy require quick, individual decisions. The planned AI model is intended to provide predictions about treatment success and risks, with the "explainability" of the AI ensuring that doctors understand the basis of the… 

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Origin of Life: Metabolism of the First Cells Reconstructed

A research team led by microbiologist Prof. Dr. Dina Grohmann from the University of Regensburg and geologist Prof. Dr. William Orsi from LMU Munich has recreated conditions of the early Earth in the lab about four billion years ago. The focus was on hydrothermal vents on the seabed, so-called "black smokers." The results, recently published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, provide new insights into the origins of life and one of the oldest biochemical energy production pathways. In the experiment, miniature versions of "black smokers," called "chemical gardens," were created to simulate reactions on the seabed. The reaction of iron and sulfur produced iron sulfide minerals such as mackinawite and greigite, as well as hydrogen gas – a potential energy source for microorganisms. The researchers investigated whether this hydrogen can drive the growth of methanogenic archaea, which produce methane via the acetyl-CoA metabolic pathway. Under oxygen-free conditions, made possible by the long-standing expertise of the German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures (DSMZ)... 

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Fraunhofer IAF expands quantum computing infrastructure with innovative quantum accelerator

In June 2025, the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAF in Freiburg expanded its unique quantum computing infrastructure with a groundbreaking quantum accelerator from the German-Australian manufacturer Quantum Brilliance. The second-generation Quantum Development Kit (QB-QDK2.0) is Europe's first compact quantum accelerator based on nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond. With its space-saving design and the ability to operate without complex cryogenics, the system sets new standards for hybrid quantum-classical computing and is available to partners from science and industry to explore real-world quantum applications. Compact Technology for the Future Following a public tender, the QB-QDK2.0 was integrated into the high-performance computing infrastructure of Fraunhofer IAF and has been operational since June 2025. The system fits into a standard 19-inch server rack, allowing it to be easily integrated into existing IT environments. Unlike conventional quantum computers that require complex cooling systems, the quantum accelerator operates at room temperature, making it particularly energy-efficient. These features… 

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