news 2025

Emerging pollutants are compounds - microplastics, oils, dyes, pharmaceuticals, plasticizers, etc. that end up in aquatic ecosystems and can pose an environmental and health risk.

Insulin resistance precedes and predicts the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2), a chronic disease that causes high morbidity and mortality worldwide. In affected people, insulin is unable to facilitate the uptake of glucose through tissues and organs, leading to an increase in blood glucose (chronic hyperglycaemia).

Physical Review Letters magazine has published a paper by Nicolás Sanchis Gual (UV), Juan Calderón Bustillo (IGFAE), and Adrián del Río (UC3M-UV) which analyses the possible asymmetry of black hole fusions. A paper led by researchers from the Universitat de València (UV), the Galician Institute of High Energy Physics (IGFAE), and Charles III University of Madrid (UC3M) researches the possible existence of asymmetries in the universe through the analysis of the direction of rotation in black hole fusions.

Traditional black holes, as predicted by Albert Einstein's theory of General Relativity, contain what are known as singularities , i.e. points where the laws of physics break down. Identifying how singularities are resolved in the context of quantum gravity is one of the fundamental problems in theoretical physics.

The study investigates epigenetic regulation by placental DNA methylation, opening new perspectives on the relationship between this process and disorders of pregnancy and embryonic development. They identify the crucial role in placental development of a protein, which together with other enzymes, restores partially methylated domains in human trophoblast stem cells.

The results could be used to improve early detection of the disease, which affects 190 million women worldwide. The University of Barcelona has participated in an international study that has found new evidence linking traumatic experiences and stressful events with endometriosis, a chronic systemic inflammatory disease characterized by the presence of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus.

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that manifests itself mainly with skin symptoms (dryness, itching, scaly skin, abnormal patches and plaques). It affects about 2% of the population and is mediated by an altered immune system response that triggers the proliferation of skin cells. Depending on the severity, there are different therapeutic options (topical medications, phototherapy, systemic drugs, etc.), but some conventional treatments can have harmful effects on patients.

A team of researchers from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) has developed an innovative technique that allows the production of regular oil lenses of uniform size on the surface of water in a simple and reproducible fashion. The technique will facilitate the study of the behaviour of oily substances dispersed on water surfaces.

Maternal stress could leave epigenetic imprints on genes in the placenta associated with cortisol - a necessary hormone for foetal development - and this would affect the baby's development from very early stages, as stated in a paper published in the journal European Neuropsychopharmacology. The study suggests that a mother's emotional wellbeing during pregnancy is not only important for her, but could also influence the future health of her baby.

UB researchers detect that people with schizophrenia have an altered ability to visually perceive contrast According to a review of more than 600 studies, these patients would have difficulty in detecting differences in light intensity between adjacent areas, without which they cannot adequately see their surroundings and objects.

The world of quantum physics is experiencing a second revolution, which will drive an exponential leap in the progress of computing, the internet, telecommunications, cybersecurity and biomedicine. Quantum technologies are attracting more and more students who want to learn about concepts from the subatomic world - such as quantum entanglement or quantum superposition - to explore the innovative potential of quantum science.

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) has carried out a study which shows the desire among Spanish society to have mechanisms in place which ensure the veracity of the news they receive through the media on health issues.

After treating a tumour with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, cells known as senescent cells can appear. These are cells that do not divide, are involved in the ageing process and are resistant to cell death, but are still metabolically active in the human body. When they accumulate, they can jeopardize the patients' recovery.

Smartwatches that can collect physical and physiological data on users could be potentially interesting tools in biomedicine to gain a better understanding of brain diseases and behavioural disorders and possible driver mutations related to these pathologies. This is stated in a study published in the journal Cell , and led by the co-author Mark Gerstein, from Yale University (United States).

A team of the University of Barcelona is leading a study that improves the technology available to identify the geographical origin and variety of hazelnuts, and thus avoid commercial fraud and food safety problems linked to the consumption of these nuts. Food fraud, a problem that can affect a number of commonly consumed products, generates high economic losses and also influences the relationship of trust between suppliers and consumers.

An international study published in the journal Nature Mental Health has identified three psychological profiles associated with different patterns of cognitive and brain decline in ageing. The study, which analysed more than 1,000 middle-aged and older adults, shows that the specific psychological characteristics of each profile may influence the risk of developing dementia, as well as aspects such as the speed of brain decline and sleep quality.