THE MEDICAL NEWS

Chia seed supplementation during pregnancy increased maternal omega-3 long-chain fatty acids, including DHA, in a rat model of high-fat-high-sugar diet-induced obesity. The findings suggest plant-derived ALA from chia seeds may improve maternal, placental, and mid-gestation fetal brain lipid profiles, but human relevance and offspring outcomes still need testing.

A preclinical mouse study in Immunity suggests that aged circulating CD8+ T cells can disrupt hippocampal function and impair learning and memory. The findings point to granzyme K, a secreted factor linked to age-associated CD8+ T cells, as a potential target for restoring aspects of cognition in aging.

RetiAGE, an AI-derived retinal biological age score, was associated with lower bone mineral density and higher fracture risk scores in older Singaporean adults. In the UK Biobank, older retinal biological age also predicted future osteoporosis, suggesting routine retinal imaging could eventually support opportunistic osteoporosis risk screening.

Multi-modal AMIE used state-aware reasoning to interpret patient history alongside skin photos, ECGs, and clinical documents during simulated telehealth consultations. In a blinded exploratory OSCE-style study, AMIE outperformed primary care physicians across most diagnostic, communication, empathy, and multimodal reasoning measures, but still requires real-world clinical validation.

Two larger doses of radiotherapy for prostate cancer cause no additional side effects compared to the standard five doses of radiotherapy, according to results presented at the Congress of the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO 2026).

Common environmental chemicals could affect birthweight and placental function, according to a new study published in Environmental Science & Technology and led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a centre supported by "la Caixa" Foundation. Conducted within the Barcelona Life Study Cohort (BiSC), the research underscores the importance of considering real-life exposure to co…

A protein best known for driving cancer growth also helps damaged tumor cells survive by repairing their DNA, according to a new study that could influence how some cancers are treated.