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  • Gut bacteria linked to fatty deposits in heart arteries

    In a major Swedish study, researchers have discovered a link between the levels of certain bacteria living in the gut and coronary atherosclerotic plaques. Such atherosclerotic plaques constitute a major cause of heart attacks. The study was led by researchers at Uppsala University and Lund University and the findings have now been published in the scientific journal Circulation.

  • View of the part of the enzyme that controls the temperature optimum. The loop region that is shown in dark blue is from the Antarctic bacterium and that shown in red from the pig enzyme.

    Scientists designed new enzyme using Antarctic bacteria and computer calculations

    For the first time, researchers have succeeded in predicting how to change the optimum temperature of an enzyme using large computer calculations. A cold-adapted enzyme from an Antarctic bacterium was used as a basis. The study is to be published in the journal Science Advances and is a collaboration between researchers at Uppsala University and the University of Tromsø.

  • High BMI elevates risk of several rheumatic diseases – but not equally for everyone

    A new study by Uppsala University shows that a higher body mass index (BMI) increases the risk of five different rheumatic diseases: rheumatism, osteoarthritis, gout, psoriatic arthritis and inflammatory spondylitis. The researchers also noted that BMI was a stronger risk factor for women compared to men in terms of gout and psoriatic arthritis. The study will be presented in the journal Arthritis

  • Hand-wringing characterised debate around begging

    It was the inability of both the political right and left to see and take responsibility for the systemic failures of the welfare society that led to the so-called “begging debate” in the early 2010s. This inability meant that they gave a free pass to the Sweden Democrats, who were alone able to formulate both the problem and their solution.These are some of the conclusions in a new monograph.

  • New study links contraceptive pills and depression

    Women who used combined contraceptive pills were at greater risk of developing depression than women who did not, according to a new study. The pills increased women’s risk by 73 per cent during the first two years of use. “Since we only investigated combined contraceptive pills in this study, we cannot draw conclusions about other contraceptive options", says leading researcher Uppsala University

  • UCDP: Number of deaths in armed conflicts has doubled

    At least 237,000 people died in organised violence in 2022. A new report from UCDP at Uppsala University shows that this is a 97 per cent increase compared with the previous year, and the highest number since 1994. UCDP is the world’s main provider of data on organised violence. Its definition of armed conflict has become the global standard of how conflicts are systematically defined and studied

  • An X-ray flash illuminates a molecule. Credit: Raphael Jay

    X-rays visualise how one of nature’s strongest bonds breaks

    The use of short flashes of X-ray light brings scientists one big step closer toward developing better catalysts to transform the greenhouse gas methane into a less harmful chemical. The result, published in the journal Science, reveals for the first time how carbon-hydrogen bonds of alkanes break and how the catalyst works in this reaction.

  • Schematic illustration demonstrating different stages of embryo development, highlighting the time-point of implantation with an arrow. Embryos lacking the ZC3H11Aa protein are unable to survive after implantation, resulting in their degeneration.

    A pro-viral human protein is critical for embryo development

    A new study has discovered that the pro-viral host protein ZC3H11A has a critical role to maintain embryo viability during early development. The study has uncovered a previously unknown function of ZC3H11A in the intricate process of embryonic growth and highlights its impact on development. The study is led by Uppsala University and INRAE/Université Paris-Saclay, now published in journal PNAS.

  • Researchers at Uppsala University show that treatment with a specific type of modified lactic acid bacteria works well and has a positive effect on the healing of wounds. Credit: Martina Sjaunja

    New type of drug candidate effectively accelerates wound healing in clinical study

    Complicated, hard-to-heal wounds are a growing medical problem and there are currently only two drugs approved with proven efficacy. In a new study on humans, researchers at Uppsala University show that treatment with a specific type of modified lactic acid bacteria works well and has a positive effect on the healing of wounds.

  • Junk food may impair our deep sleep

    Junk food may impair our deep sleep

    In a new study, researchers at Uppsala University have investigated how junk food affects sleep. Healthy participants consumed an unhealthier as well as a healthier diet in a randomised order. After the unhealthier diet, the quality of the participants’ deep sleep had deteriorated, compared with those who had followed the healthier diet. The results have been published in the journal Obesity.

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