news

Researchers have created atomically thin artificial neurons capable of processing both light and electric signals for computing. The material enables the simultaneous existence of separate feedforward and feedback paths within a neural network, boosting the ability to solve complex problems. For decades, scientists have been investigating how to recreate the versatile computational capabilities of biological neurons to develop faster and more energy-efficient machine learning systems.

Music is an integral part of our daily lives, but what makes a song successful in the competitive music market remains a mystery to even the most experienced experts. A new study, led by researchers at the University of Oxford, suggests that environmental factors such as weather conditions and seasonal patterns can play a significant role in shaping listener preferences and choices, potentially impacting a song's success in the market.

A new study by Oxford's Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science estimates that 5.3 million people in Ukraine were internally displaced in less than three weeks following Russia's invasion on 24 February 2022. Whilst data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees showed that 5.8 million people in Ukraine crossed the border to neighbouring countries in early May 2022, little was known about the movements of the 38 million people who remained.

Researchers at the University of Oxford have conducted a systematic overview of reviews to assess the impact of school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings showed that while school closures may reduce COVID-19 transmission, they were also associated with negative impacts on children's education, health, and wellbeing including increased anxiety, reduced learning, and increased obesity.

An analysis of data by researchers at Oxford Population Health's Cancer Epidemiology Unit has shown that use of progestogen-only hormonal contraceptives is associated with a 20-30% higher risk of breast cancer. The results are published in PLOS Medicine . Previous studies have shown that use of the combined contraceptive pill, which combines oestrogen and progestogen, is associated with a small increase in the risk of developing breast cancer that declines after stopping use.

Researchers from King's College London and University of Oxford have shown that 18.4 per cent of the general UK population report that certain sounds, such as loud chewing, and repetitive sniffing, cause a significant problem in their lives. The condition is known as misophonia. Misophonia is a strong negative reaction to common sounds, which are usually made by other people, and include breathing, yawning, or chewing.

Clinical researchers from Oxford University's Department of Psychiatry and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust have reviewed the international research evidence regarding the impact of viewing images of self-harm on the internet and in social media. This indicates that viewing such images usually causes harm, though the findings also highlighted the complexity of the issue.

Some people have a genetic predisposition to being an 'evening person' and new research led by University of Oxford's Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science , published in the journal Sleep, finds this protects regular night shift workers against sleep penalties. Up to 25% of public sector employees in the UK do some form of night work.

Scientists have developed a world-first diagnostic test, powered by artificial intelligence, that can identify known respiratory viruses within five minutes from just one nasal or throat swab. The new diagnostic test could replace current methods that are limited to testing for only one infection, such as a lateral flow test for COVID-19, or otherwise are either lab-based and time-consuming or fast and less accurate.

Experiencing three or more concussions is linked with worsened brain function in later life, according to new research. The study - the largest of its kind - also found having just one moderate-to-severe concussion, or traumatic brain injury (TBI), can have a long-term impact on brain function, including memory.

A global study involving three clinical trials will investigate the effectiveness of cannabidiol (CBD) in treating people with psychosis or psychotic symptoms, thanks to a multi-million pound grant to Oxford University. Wellcome has awarded Oxford's Department of Psychiatry £16.5 million for the STEP (Stratification & Treatment in Early Psychosis) programme, as part of its support for mental health research.

Researchers from the Herring group in Oxford's Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics have developed a blood test that measures stress hormone levels after heart attacks. The test - costing just £10 - could ensure patients receive timely life-saving treatment. Cardiovascular disease is the main cause of death in the UK.

It was previously assumed that bones lacked lymphatic vessels, but new research from the MRC Human Immunology Unit  at Oxford's MRC Weatherall Institute for Molecular Medicine  not only locates them within bone tissue, but demonstrates their role in bone and blood cell regeneration and reveals changes associated with aging.

The global network led by the Oxford Maternal and Perinatal Health Institute (OMPHI) at the University of Oxford has today published, in The Lancet , the results of the ' 2022 INTERCOVID Study ' conducted in 41 hospitals across 18 countries. To evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 Omicron variant on maternal and neonatal outcomes the researchers studied 1,545 pregnant women diagnosed with the variant and 3,073 non-diagnosed, concomitant pregnant women as controls.

A new study published by University of Oxford researchers in an open-access journal, JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting , shows that although many school-age adolescents are spending considerable time gaming, it is not having a negative impact on the wellbeing. The OxWell Student Survey is one of the largest school surveys of adolescent health and wellbeing in England.

The latest Cochrane Review finds high certainty evidence that nicotine e-cigarettes are more effective than traditional nicotine-replacement therapy (NRT) in helping people quit smoking. Research led by the University of Oxford, and funded by Cancer Research UK , has found the strongest evidence yet that e-cigarettes, also known as 'vapes', help people to quit smoking better than traditional nicotine replacement therapies, such as patches and chewing gums.

Oxford Research reveals high blood glucose reprograms the metabolism of pancreatic beta-cells in diabetes. Glucose metabolites (chemicals produced when glucose is broken down by cells), rather than glucose itself, have been discovered to be key to the progression of type 2 diabetes. In diabetes, the pancreatic beta-cells do not release enough of the hormone insulin, which lowers blood glucose levels.

Researchers, led by the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences , University of Oxford, have developed a new tool for doctors to identify patients at high risk of serious falls. The tool could have a big impact on the way older patients are managed in primary care, improving targeting of drug treatment and fall prevention strategies for high-risk individuals.

The University of Oxford has led the largest and most comprehensive analysis of the entire genomic landscape of the commonest type of blood cancer called chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) as part of the UK's 100,000 Genomes Project. This work defines five genomic subgroups of CLL and associates these with clinical outcomes, and these subgroups provide a better estimation of patient prognosis than achieved by previous single gene analyses, allowing more tailored patient care.

Pancreatic cancer could be identified in patients up to three years earlier than current diagnoses, new research suggests. Weight loss and increasing blood glucose levels are early indicators of pancreatic cancer and could lead to a more timely diagnosis, helping to improve survival rates.