Latest news with #KielUniversity
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists stunned after finding remote island blanketed in dangerous material: 'Our findings are deeply concerning'
Even a protected island more than 34 miles off Spain's coast can't hide from plastic pollution. In a study led by Kiel University and published by Marine Pollution Bulletin, scientists surveying the bay of Illa Grossa in the Columbretes Islands marine reserve discovered the Mediterranean's only reef-building coral blanketed with record levels of microplastics and microrubber. Researchers took five sediment samples from Illa Grossa's bay, ultimately discovering a polluted hotspot. Even without local pollution sources, the seafloor contained an average of 1,514 microplastic and microrubber particles per kilogram of sediment. One sample even had more than 6,300 particles. "More than 90% of the particles were smaller than 250 micrometers — small enough to be ingested by corals," Dr. Daniel Pröfrock of the Helmholtz Center Hereon said, per Kiel University. Microplastics are tiny plastic fragments from broken-down plastic. Because they're so small, they're easy for humans and animals to digest. They're also linked to numerous health issues, like cancer and fertility problems. Microrubber isn't as widely discussed, but research shared by ScienceDaily suggests that it's much more prevalent in the environment than microplastics. Microplastics and microrubber pollute bodies of water, like Illa Grossa's bay. It's where Cladocora caespitosa, an endangered stony coral species, grows, making these waters one of the Mediterranean's most fragile habitats. Coral reefs like C. caespitosa give species of fish, sea urchins, sponges, and more a place to live, often serving "as a center of activity for marine life," according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. "Our findings are deeply concerning," Dr. Lars Reuning, lead author of the study, said, per Kiel University. "Even though they pertain to a limited area of the Mediterranean, they highlight that even protected areas are severely affected by global plastic pollution, which particularly endangers sensitive coral species." When coral reefs break down, communities can feel the repercussions. Fewer healthy corals mean fewer fish and shellfish that local families rely on for food and income. Coral reefs also reduce wave energy by 97%, according to the Coral Reef Alliance. With fewer coral reefs, local communities could experience more flooding. Do you think America has a plastic waste problem? Definitely Only in some areas Not really I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. C. caespitosa has already faced other threats to its well-being. In a 2024 study published in the journal Science of The Total Environment, researchers found fly-ash pollution in the Illa Grossa bay. Fly ash is a toxic compound that comes from burning coal. According to research shared in the Journal of Animal Ecology, the coral's population has also declined during the past two decades due to significantly rising temperatures that have caused marine heatwaves in the Illa Grossa bay. Scientists are working on new technologies to keep the world's precious coral reefs intact. One group of researchers discovered that playing ambient sounds of healthy coral reefs from underwater speakers encouraged reef-building. Another research team is experimenting with underwater robots to pinpoint and remove invasive species that harm Brazil's coral reefs. For C. caespitosa and the Illa Grossa bay specifically, microplastic and microrubber pollution seems to be its biggest threat. The area is a hub for trapped waste washing in from the Northern Current, as the researchers observed. A simple way to ease the pressure on coral reefs is to use less plastic. Choose reusable bags, bottles, and containers to reduce the litter that funnels into waterways. As global plastic demand drops, fewer plastic fragments can reach vulnerable corals such as C. caespitosa, giving them a fighting chance to recover. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
NDTV
25-06-2025
- Science
- NDTV
Lost World Found: 11,000-Year-Old Megastructure Unearthed Under Baltic Sea
A remarkable 11,000-year-old megastructure, potentially the oldest known human-built structure in Europe, has been discovered beneath the Baltic Sea. Researchers stumbled upon the kilometre-long wall in Germany's Bay of Mecklenburg during a student trip, using multibeam sonar. Analysis revealed that the structure, dubbed the Blinkerwall, consists of approximately 1,670 individual stones deliberately placed to connect around 300 larger boulders. Led by geophysicist Jacob Geerson of Kiel University, the team believes hunter-gatherers constructed the wall on land next to a lake or marsh during the Stone Age. The Blinkerwall likely served as a driving lane for reindeer, directing the animals into a bottleneck for easier hunting. Despite being submerged for approximately 8,500 years, the structure remains remarkably well-preserved, offering valuable insights into the subsistence patterns and socioeconomic complexity of early hunter-gatherer communities. "The site represents one of the oldest documented man-made hunting structures on Earth, and ranges among the largest known Stone Age structures in Europe," the researchers write in their paper. "It will become important for understanding subsistence strategies, mobility patterns, and inspire discussions concerning the territorial development in the Western Baltic Sea region." "Based on the information at hand," the researchers write, "the most plausible functional interpretation for the Blinkerwall is that it was constructed and used as a hunting architecture for driving herds of large ungulates." Those would have consisted, at the time, primarily of reindeer or bison.
Medscape
12-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Precision-Medicine Approach Improves IBD Infliximab Outcomes
SAN DIEGO — In tough-to-treat chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a precision-medicine strategy based on patients' molecular profiles showed efficacy in guiding anti–tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy treatment decisions to improve outcomes. 'This is the first study implementing multi-biomarker signatures in informed decisions instead of single biomarker–based trial algorithms [in IBD],' said first author Florian Tran, MD, in presenting the late-breaking study at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2025. 'We have now been able to demonstrate for the first time that precision medicine can be successfully applied in the context of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, leading to improved long-term outcomes,' said Tran, a professor of pathophysiology of chronic inflammation at the Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology and Department of Internal Medicine, Kiel University and University Hospital Schleswig Holstein, Kiel, Germany. Anti-TNF therapies can be highly effective in a range of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, including IBD, but not all patients respond. Key singular candidates of biomarkers that could better predict a response show relatively low predictive power or a failure to replicate in independent studies. In previous research, Tran and colleagues reported identification of early dynamic molecular changes in the blood that are more robustly predictive of responses to anti-TNF therapy. 'We have generated compelling evidence that therapy-induced changes in inflammatory pathways can reliably predict patient outcomes,' he said. Among them are dynamic transcriptome changes that emerge early during treatment and can predict response to anti-TNF therapy, as well as clinical response trajectories that differ based on subgroups. To further investigate the benefits of the multi-biomarker signatures collectively, as opposed to single biomarker–based algorithms, Tran and colleagues conducted the phase 3, open-label GUIDE-IBD trial, enrolling 102 adults with a confirmed diagnosis of Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) at three German university hospitals between February 2021 and January 2024. All patients had been assigned the anti-TNF drug infliximab for the first time. Study participants were randomized to receive either the molecular-guided care or standard medical care, with stratifications based on diagnosis, recruiting center, and baseline corticosteroid use. Those in the molecular group received real-time molecular assessments at baseline and weeks 2, 6, 14, and 26, which included peripheral blood samples and biopsies of known messenger ribonucleic acid–based biomarkers. The assessments also looked at infliximab and anti-drug antibody levels. Molecular reports were then provided through molecular medicine boards for patients in the molecular-guidance group at weeks 2, 14, 26, and 52, whereas data from the standard care group was not communicated. Based on the biomarker data, therapy decisions were made such as adjustments to dosing, intervals, comedication, and switches in therapy. The primary endpoint was the combined end point of disease control, defined as clinical remission (CD Activity Index < 150, partial Mayo score < 2), endoscopic remission (simplified endoscopic score for CD ≤ 4 [≤ 2 for isolated ileal disease], endoscopic Mayo score ≤ 1), or biochemical remission (CRP < 5 mg/L, fecal calprotectin < 250 mg/g). A total of 87 patients completed the study with available primary endpoint data to week 52; there were 38 in the molecular care group and 49 in the standard care group. In each group, approximately half of the patients had CD and half had UC. For the primary endpoint, comprehensive disease control was significantly more frequent in the molecular care group at week 52 (55.3%) than in the standard care group (26.5%), with an absolute difference of 29% ( P = .0072). Furthermore, the secondary endpoint of the combined rate of endoscopic and clinical remission at week 52 was also higher in the molecular group (60.5%) than in the standard care group (32.7%; P = .0163). An exploratory analysis further showed therapy switches were more common in the molecular group (47%) than in the standard care group (29%), with an increased rate of drug switching between 14 weeks and 26 weeks. More patients in the molecular guidance group achieved comprehensive disease control (deep remission) at week 52 ( P = .0135). 'The [molecular guidance] group was more likely to switch therapies after the induction period, reducing the number of patients who are suboptimally treated under infliximab,' Tran noted. The results underscore that 'even in the absence of a single 'magic' biomarker, precision medicine can materially improve patient outcomes by integrating complex molecular data into everyday clinical decisions, enabling more effective therapy choices and reducing unnecessary drug side effects,' he said. Approach Pioneered in Oncology Tran noted that the collaboration necessary for the approach was based on strategies pioneered in cancer centers, which have resulted in significant improvements in cancer therapy outcomes. 'For the first time in IBD, we have now integrated multidimensional molecular data and innovative drug-dosing models into these inflammation boards,' he said. Key components of the intervention include a highly structured patient care process with fixed assessment timepoints, as well as 'a multidisciplinary, quality-controlled decision-making process that is meticulously documented,' he explained. The results underscore that 'we must move away from sole physician-driven treatment decisions in IBD towards a structured expert-board model for therapy decision-making.' Benefits in Other IBD Therapies Unclear Commenting on the study, Ashwin N. Ananthakrishnan, MD, an associate professor of medicine with Massachusetts General Hospital, in Boston, noted that 'this approach may help optimize existing treatment early and ensure that ineffective treatments don't get dragged on.' Importantly, however, a key limitation is that 'this does not tell you upfront whether a treatment is likely to work or what the best treatment is,' Ananthakrishnan told Medscape Medical News . 'That is a critically important unmet need in IBD.' While doses are escalated, if needed, with infliximab and other biologic drugs, that may not be the case with other therapies, he explained. 'For other agents, such as JAK [Janus kinase] inhibitors, we actually start at a higher dose and then reduce for maintenance,' said Ananthakrishnan. How this approach would work for these drugs or 'for drugs where blood levels are not reflective of efficacy is also not clear,' he said.
