news

Humans often adapt their behavior to that of other people with lightning speed. A new study by the University of Zurich reveals what brain networks govern social mentalization and adaptation, making it possible to predict how flexibly one person reacts to others. The findings of the study could provide new approaches to gaining a better understanding of social disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder or borderline personality disorder.

Researchers at the University of Zurich have developed an AI-based tool that combines cancer-related and traditional cardiovascular factors. The new risk prediction model enables more precise, individualized treatment for cancer patients who suffer a heart attack. Cancer patients who suffer a heart attack face a dangerous mix of risks, which makes their clinical treatment particularly challenging.

Seventy percent of soils in Europe are contaminated with pesticides. A Europe-wide study co-led by researchers of the University of Zurich now shows that their effects on soil life are substantial, as pesticides suppress various beneficial soil organisms. To protect soil biodiversity, the findings should be taken into account in current pesticide regulations.

Memantine, a long-approved and cost-effective drug used to treat Alzheimer's disease, could also benefit patients with sickle cell anemia in the future.

More and more young adults abstain from entering committed romantic relationships, and this may be affecting their well-being. A new study conducted at the University of Zurich shows that long-term singles experience a sharper decline in life satisfaction over time and feel lonelier and more depressed - especially in their late twenties.

One of the leading triggers for multiple sclerosis (MS) is an infection with the Epstein-Barr virus. However, certain gene variants also play an important role. Researchers at the University of Zurich have now shown that it is the molecular interaction between environmental and genetic risk factors that ultimately triggers the disease.

Cereals have natural resistance to pathogenic fungi, but powdery mildew, for example, can overcome this resistance. A team at the University of Zurich has now discovered a new mechanism that enables powdery mildew to outsmart the immune system of wheat. This opens the door to targeted development of resistant varieties with a reduced risk of resistance breakthrough.

A study by the University of Zurich, based on policy changes in Spain, shows that teenagers drink significantly less alcohol when the minimum legal drinking age is raised. In addition, a reduction in drinking also leads to improved academic performance and mental health. These findings could be relevant for Switzerland as well.

The yeast Candida albicans colonizes mucosal surfaces and is usually harmless. However, under certain conditions it can cause dangerous infections.

A team of researchers from the University of Zurich and the NCCR PlanetS is challenging our understanding of the Solar System planets interior. The composition of Uranus and Neptune, the two outer most planets, might be more rocky and less icy than previously thought. The planets in the Solar System are typically divided into three categories based on their composition: the four terrestrial rocky planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars), followed by the two gas giants (Jupiter and Saturn), and finally two ice giants (Uranus and Neptune).

In some regions in Africa, large herbivores struggle to get enough sodium. As many of the continent's protected areas are in regions where salt levels are low, this scarcity may also affect conservation efforts, according to researchers. Herbivores require a steady intake of sodium to keep their metabolism running smoothly.

A research team from the University of Zurich and the University Children's Hospital Zurich has developed a new approach for treating children with malignant tumors of the nervous system. By combining an approved drug with a specialized diet, they were able to slow down tumor growth and stimulate cancer cells to mature into normal nerve cells.

A landmark international study led by the University of Zurich has shown that artificial intelligence can assess patient risk for the most common type of heart attack more accurately than existing methods. This could enable doctors to guide more personalized treatment decisions for patients. Doctors caring for patients with the most common form of heart attack - the so-called non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) - have so far relied on a standardized scoring system.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are well known as a form of cancer treatment. Researchers at UZH have now identified a new, important function of these inhibitors: promotion of tissue healing. This finding could help advance the treatment of fibrosis and chronic wounds. The body employs a protective mechanism that curbs overzealous immune responses.

Long-term exposure to fine air pollution can impair metabolic health by disrupting the normal function of brown fat in mice. A study co-led by the University of Zurich shows that this occurs through complex changes in gene regulation driven by epigenetic mechanisms. The results demonstrate how environmental pollutants contribute to the development of insulin resistance and metabolic diseases.

Stem cell transplantation can reverse stroke damage, researchers at the University of Zurich report. Its beneficial effects include regeneration of neurons and restoration of motor functions, marking a milestone in the treatment of brain disorders. One in four adults suffer a stroke in their lifetime, leaving around half of them with residual damage such as paralysis or speech impairment because internal bleeding or a lack of oxygen supply kill brain cells irreversibly.

Superconducting sensors can detect single low-energy photons. Researchers have now used this capability to search for light dark matter particles in the universe. About 80 percent of the universe's mass is thought to consist of dark matter. And yet, little is known about the composition and structure of the particles that make up dark matter, presenting physicists with some fundamental questions.

The Greenland ice sheet is melting at an increasing rate, a process accelerated by glacier calving, in which huge chunks of ice break free and crash into the sea, generating large waves that push warmer water to the surface. Researchers at the University of Zurich and the University of Washington have now shown that this mechanism is amplifying glacial melt.

A research team headed by the University of Zurich has developed a powerful new method to precisely edit DNA by combining cutting-edge genetic engineering with artificial intelligence. This technique opens the door to more accurate modeling of human diseases and lays the groundwork for next-generation gene therapies.

New research from the University of Zurich suggests that gorillas may be using a similar strategy as humans: when moving to a new social group, female gorillas seek out groups containing females they have lived with in the past and avoid males they grew up with. In many animal societies, individuals of one sex, or sometimes both, eventually leave their birth group to join another.