Bagamian Scientific Consulting, LLC, 300 E University Avenue, Suite 120, Gainesville, FL (2026)

09/01/2026

New research from Hiroshima University suggests that oral health may offer insight into outcomes following surgery for pancreatic cancer.

The researchers evaluated 339 patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and found a difference in survival based on the number of natural teeth. Patients with at least 21 teeth had a median overall survival of 60.7 months, compared with 39.1 months among those with 20 or fewer teeth (p < 0.001). The association remained significant even after accounting for several established cancer and treatment factors. The researchers also examined posterior occlusion (chewing function) but found no independent link to survival.

This finding suggests that tooth loss may reflect broader aspects of health rather than simply affecting a person’s ability to chew. Long-term factors such as inflammation, nutritional status, frailty, lifestyle, and other health conditions could potentially contribute to the association. The researchers also suggest that periodontal bacteria, such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, which some studies suggest may promote tumor progression, as a possible biological mechanism linking oral health to cancer outcomes.

The study does not establish causation and, because it was conducted at a single hospital in Japan, larger and more diverse studies are needed to confirm the findings.

Published in the Journal of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Sciences. First author Kaoru Seo; corresponding author Kenichiro Uemura, Hiroshima University.

Journal article: https://doi.org/10.1002/jhbp.70113

Coverage: https://scitechdaily.com/your-teeth-may-reveal-a-surprising-clue-about-pancreatic-cancer-survival/

08/28/2026

Drought may have helped drive Brazil’s first yellow fever outbreak in nearly 80 years—and the outbreak was unusual in more ways than one. More than 2,000 people became ill and nearly 750 died during the 2016–2019 outbreak, which occurred amid an extreme drought.

A new modeling study suggests that dry conditions may have contributed to the outbreak by changing the behavior of both mosquitoes and nonhuman primates. Unlike typical urban yellow fever transmission, however, the outbreak was driven primarily by forest mosquitoes, rather than Aedes aegypti, the mosquito commonly associated with urban transmission.

The researchers used computer simulations combining drought data with human cases and primate deaths. Simulations that included both increased mosquito biting and movement of infected primates toward urban areas most closely matched the observed spread of the virus in Minas Gerais.
The findings suggest that shrinking water sources may have pushed infected primates closer to cities, while changes in mosquito behavior may have increased opportunities for transmission—an unexpected connection between drought and mosquito-borne disease, showing how dry conditions can also create opportunities for viral spread.

Other factors, including low vaccination rates and deforestation, also contributed to the outbreak. Together, the study shows how environmental changes can alter interactions among wildlife, vectors, and people—creating conditions that may increase the risk of infectious disease spillover in surprising ways.

Journal article: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adz6832

Coverage: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/drought-yellow-fever-outbreak-brazil

08/25/2026

A new systematic review and meta-analysis from the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust found that regular stair climbing was associated with substantially lower risks of cardiovascular death and death from any cause.

The research team reviewed nearly 1,900 studies and analyzed data from more than 480,000 participants across 9 studies, with a median follow-up of 14 years. People who regularly climbed stairs had a 39% lower risk of cardiovascular death and a 24% lower risk of death from any cause than those who did not climb stairs. Stair climbing was also associated with lower risks of major cardiovascular conditions, including heart attack, stroke, and heart failure.

These findings add to evidence linking regular physical activity with better cardiovascular health and highlight stair climbing as a simple way to incorporate more movement into daily life. However, because the analysis was based on observational studies, the findings show an association rather than prove that stair climbing itself lowers mortality or cardiovascular risk.

Published in the American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs. Lead author Sophie Paddock

Journal article: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40256-026-00811-x

Coverage: https://scitechdaily.com/taking-the-stairs-could-cut-your-risk-of-heart-related-death-by-39/

08/21/2026

A new study published in Nature finds that dormant viruses can reactivate during severe COVID-19, even in people with healthy immune systems.

This multi-institutional research study provides the most comprehensive look yet at viral reactivation during SARS-CoV-2 infection, analyzing longitudinal data from more than 1,100 people hospitalized with COVID-19. Nearly half of the participants showed evidence that a virus already present in their body had become active during infection. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and anelloviruses were among the viruses detected, with different viruses becoming active at different stages of COVID-19.

Reactivation of any of the detected viruses was associated with more severe COVID-19 in the first weeks of illness. Notably, the study showed an association between anellovirus reactivation and lingering symptoms such as fatigue and other physical difficulties, but no such association for EBV, which has been a primary suspect in long COVID research.

Esther Melamed, MD, PhD, the study's principal investigator and an assistant professor of neurology at Dell Medical School, noted that this discrepancy may result from how viral presence was assessed: earlier studies largely focused on antibody-related measures, while this team analyzed gene transcripts.

This study raises an important question: could the reactivation of dormant viruses contribute to the immune disruption associated with severe COVID-19 or long COVID?

However, the study cannot establish that viral reactivation causes these outcomes, and the participants were unvaccinated individuals hospitalized with early SARS-CoV-2 variants—a population that may not reflect infections today. More research is needed to determine whether reactivated viruses are drivers of disease or consequences of severe infection.

Study conducted at Dell Medical School - UT Austin. First author Cole Maguire. Published in Nature.

https://www.science.org/content/article/covid-19-can-wake-dormant-viruses-body-large-study-confirms

08/18/2026

New research from the University of Florida reveals a surprising link between how the brain metabolizes sugar and the development of Alzheimer's disease.

The researchers analyzed 230 postmortem human brains and found substantially more microscopic sugar structures—known as corpora amylacea and spherical glycogen patches—in brains affected by Alzheimer's disease than in unaffected brains. Then, using advanced mass spectrometry imaging, they mapped glycogen metabolism across the tissue and found these metabolic changes appeared in brain regions that had not yet developed Alzheimer's pathology. Their discovery suggests that altered sugar metabolism may contribute to the disease rather than result from it. The team then ran experiments using Alzheimer's disease mouse models, which confirmed the human findings.

These findings provide a potential biological link between metabolism and Alzheimer's disease risk, which may help explain why lifestyle factors such as physical activity and diet are associated with protection against cognitive decline. Understanding how metabolic changes influence neurodegeneration could open new avenues for Alzheimer's disease prevention and treatment, while also shedding light on whether similar mechanisms contribute to other neurodegenerative diseases.

Published in Cell Reports Medicine. First author Jonathan Villareal; senior author Stefan Prokop, who directs the UF Neuromedicine Human Brain and Tissue Bank.

https://ufhealth.org/news/2026/brains-sugar-processing-may-fuel-alzheimers-pathology-study-finds

08/14/2026

Befriending other animals may not be a human invention. An Oxford-led international team suggests that the behaviors underlying human pet-keeping are shared with other primates.

In a comprehensive review of 427 documented cases, researchers found that monkeys and apes engaged with other animal species through behaviors including grooming, play, and even caring for young. These observations offer new insights into the evolution of empathy, caregiving, and social flexibility.

Unlike mutually beneficial relationships commonly observed in nature, many of these interactions appeared to provide no obvious survival advantage. Instead, they may reflect intrinsic social behaviors rooted in curiosity, tolerance, and nurturing instincts.

While these interactions are not equivalent to human pet ownership, they may represent evolutionary building blocks that ultimately contributed to our capacity to form close relationships with other species, including the companion animals many of us know today.

Study led by Cyril C Grueter, School of Anthropology & Museum Ethnography University of Oxford. Published in Primates.

Paper: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10329-026-01281-0
Coverage: https://www.popsci.com/environment/monkeys-have-pets-evolution/

08/11/2026

University of Cincinnati researchers investigated whether daily changes in humidity could influence rhythms in kissing bugs, fruit flies, mosquitoes, and spider beetles. Using a tightly controlled environmental chamber, they exposed the insects to repeated cycles of changing humidity while keeping other environmental factors such as light and temperature constant. Even after the humidity cycle was discontinued, the insects maintained the established pattern of activity, indicating that humidity had largely synchronized their internal biological clocks.

Although humidity produced a weaker effect than light or temperature, the findings suggest that predictable changes in moisture may help insects anticipate the best times to search for food, conserve water, and avoid dehydration. For small terrestrial organisms, maintaining water balance is critical for survival.

While this study focused on insects, the researchers note that it raises broader questions about how multiple environmental cues work together to regulate biological timing.

https://scitechdaily.com/researchers-reveal-a-hidden-biological-clock-in-insects/

08/06/2026

Only 68 days after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global health emergency for the current Bundibugyo virus outbreak, the first volunteer received an experimental vaccine in a Phase I clinical trial.

On May 17, 2026, WHO formally designated the outbreak of Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. As of August 5, the Democratic Republic of the Congo reported 3,973 confirmed cases and 1,801 deaths, making this the largest Ebola outbreak in the country’s history. Uganda, which reported 20 confirmed cases and two deaths, declared its outbreak over on July 28.

There are currently no licensed vaccines or specific treatments for Bundibugyo virus disease. The response includes supportive care, surveillance, and case isolation, with investigational antivirals now in trials. ChAdOx1 BDBV is the first vaccine candidate against the virus to reach humans.

The candidate uses the same viral vector platform as the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine but encodes a Bundibugyo virus protein instead. The trial’s principal investigator, Teresa Lambe, Professor of Vaccinology and Immunology at the University of Oxford, also co-designed that COVID-19 vaccine in 2020. Her team across the Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford and Pandemic Sciences Institute had a candidate ready so quickly because they had already spent years working on vaccines for Ebola virus and other filoviruses. They adapted an existing vaccine platform rather than building one, ran manufacturing and preclinical testing in parallel, and coordinated closely with international partners, including CEPI and the Serum Institute of India.

A vaccine would not replace supportive care, surveillance, or case isolation. However, if ChAdOx1 BDBV is ultimately shown to be safe and effective, it would add a vital tool to the response to this virus that is currently lacking.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-02278-x

08/04/2026

Spending time in nature does more than improve your mood; it can produce measurable changes throughout your body. Research suggests that even 20 minutes outdoors can influence multiple biological systems involved in stress regulation, immune function, and overall .

Exposure to natural environments has been associated with lower blood pressure, slower heart rate, and reduced levels of stress hormones such as and . Plant-derived compounds released into the air, known as phytoncides, have also been linked to increased activity of natural killer cells, an important component of the . In addition, contact with soil and plants may introduce beneficial microbes that support a healthy gut .

Perhaps most importantly, you do not need to spend hours outdoors to experience these health benefits. Studies suggest that even brief visits to parks, exposure to natural scents, or viewing green spaces can promote measurable physiological responses.

Far from being just a change of scenery, nature may be one of the body's oldest and most overlooked allies in maintaining health.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg0yvdjgn5o

07/31/2026

Towering more than 70 meters above the forest floor, the world's tallest trees face an extraordinary challenge: moving water from their roots to leaves high in the canopy against the pull of gravity. Researchers from the University of Exeter took a hands-on approach by climbing giant dipterocarp trees in Borneo to explore how they move water and determine whether being so tall makes them more vulnerable to drought.

During a drought, the researchers worked with professional climbers to scale trees ranging from about 8 to over 70 meters tall and measured 25 traits linked to how these giants move and use water. They discovered that even the tallest trees kept water flowing and continued growing just as well as shorter trees. These giants rely on specialized adaptations, such as wider water-conducting vessels near the trunk base and leaves better suited to low water availability.

Rather than being limited by their immense size, these towering trees demonstrate how evolutionary adaptations can overcome physical challenges, allowing them to thrive.

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/giant-trees-tricks-drought-water

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