Link between flu and Covid-19 with cancer revealed
Experiments on mice demonstrated that infection with these viruses led to a rapid expansion of metastatic cells in the lungs, with the inflammatory protein interleukin-6 (IL-6) identified as a key factor.
Two human population studies, utilising data from the UK Biobank and the US Flatiron Health database, corroborated these findings.
One study revealed that cancer patients who contracted Covid-19 faced an almost doubled risk of cancer-related mortality compared to those who did not.
The research indicates that cancer survivors may be at an increased risk of metastatic relapse after common respiratory viral infections, underscoring the importance of precautions such as vaccination.
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The Independent
8 minutes ago
- The Independent
Not all fierce-looking dinosaurs like T rex packed strong bites, study reveals
A comprehensive new analysis of the bite forces of 18 species of dinosaurs has revealed that, despite their size, several of the giant prehistoric predators packed much weaker bites than previously thought. Researchers, including from the University of Bristol, found that while dinosaurs like the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex were optimised for quick, strong bites, much like a crocodile, many others that walked on two legs, such as the spinosaurus and allosaurs, had much weaker bite forces and instead specialised in slashing and ripping flesh. The research, published in the journal Current Biology, revealed that meat-eating dinosaurs followed different evolutionary paths in terms of skull design and feeding style despite their similarly gigantic sizes. 'Tyrannosaurs evolved skulls built for strength and crushing bites while other lineages had comparatively weaker but more specialized skulls, suggesting a diversity of feeding strategies even at massive sizes,' Andrew Rowe, one author of the study from the University of Bristol, said. 'In other words, there wasn't one 'best' skull design for being a predatory giant; several designs functioned perfectly well.' In the study, scientists probed how walking on two legs influenced skull mechanics and feeding techniques in dinosaurs. Previous research showed that despite reaching similar sizes, predatory dinosaurs evolved in very different parts of the world at various times and conditions and had different skull shapes. This raised doubts on whether the skulls of these dinosaurs were functionally similar under the surface or if there were notable differences in their predatory lifestyles. 'Carnivorous dinosaurs took very different paths as they evolved into giants in terms of feeding biomechanics and possible behaviors,' Dr Rowe said. To understand the relationship between body size and skull biomechanics, researchers used 3D X-ray scanning technology to analyse the skull mechanics and quantify the feeding performance and the bite strength across 18 species of two-legged carnivorous dinosaurs ranging from small ones to giants. Researchers were surprised to find clear divergence among the species. For instance, skull stress didn't show a pattern of increase with size. Some smaller dinosaurs even experienced greater stress than the larger species due to increased muscle volume and bite force. 'Tyrannosaurids like T rex had skulls that were optimised for high bite forces at the cost of higher skull stress,' Dr Rowe noted. 'But in some other giants like Giganotosaurus, we calculated stress patterns suggesting a relatively lighter bite. It drove home how evolution can produce multiple 'solutions' to life as a large, carnivorous biped.' Overall, being a predatory two-legged dinosaur did not always equate to being a bone-crushing giant like T rex. Unlike T rex, some dinosaurs like spinosaurus and allosaurs became giants while maintaining weaker bites more suited to slashing at prey and stripping flesh. 'Large tyrannosaur skulls were instead optimised like modern crocodiles with high bite forces that crushed prey,' Dr Rowe explained. 'I tend to compare Allosaurus to a modern Komodo dragon in terms of feeding style.' 'This biomechanical diversity suggests that dinosaur ecosystems supported a wider range of giant carnivore ecologies than we often assume,' he added.
The Independent
26 minutes ago
- The Independent
Warning over virus dangerous to newborns and elderly after surge in Australia
The UK should brace for a surge in a potentially serious virus following a record number of cases in Australia, health experts have said. NHS officials said that the Australian winter is often a good predictor of how viruses will spread in England. And following a surge in cases number of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases in Australia, officials have said that cases have been steadily increasing in England since the start of 2025. NHS England has urged pregnant women to get the vaccine which protects against RSV in order to protect their newborn babies. It said that the virus is a leading cause of death among babies and the main cause of hospital admissions for children. Kate Brintworth, chief midwifery officer for NHS England, said: 'While for most adults RSV only causes mild, cold-like symptoms, for older adults and young children it can lead to serious breathing problems that can end up in hospitalisation. 'Getting vaccinated while pregnant is the best way to protect your baby from the moment they are born, and now is the time for mums to act, to make sure their babies are protected ahead of their first few months this winter, when there tends to be more bugs circulating.' Pregnant women can get the jab from 28 weeks of pregnancy onwards through their maternity services or GP surgery. Older adults aged 75-79 are also eligible for the jab and NHS England will start inviting people to come forward in the next few weeks. RSV is a common cause of coughs and colds. But some people have a high risk of getting seriously ill from the virus including babies and adults over the age of 75. In babies, RSV is a common cause of a type of chest infection called bronchiolitis. Last week, the UK Health Security Agency published data showing the efficacy of the vaccine. It said that the jab for pregnant women can prevent 72% of hospital admissions for their babies. And the vaccine is 82% effective at preventing hospital admissions for RSV among older adults, UKHSA said.
BBC News
36 minutes ago
- BBC News
Cambridge Children's Hospital 'milestone' as builder appointed
A "major milestone" in creating a new children's hospital for the East of England has been reached after a building contractor was appointed, the trust responsible has Children's Hospital will be built opposite the Rosie Maternity Hospital on the same site that houses Addenbrooke's and Royal Papworth hospitals in the will care for children from Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said specialist construction company Bouygues UK had been appointed and work was expected to start within the next 18 months. The facility will be the first specialist children's hospital in the East of England - the only region in the UK currently without five-storey building will include 108 inpatient beds, 16 paediatric intensive care beds, 42 day-case beds, seven operating theatres, imaging and diagnostics and a hospital school alongside a new research Isobel Heyman, clinical co-lead for mental health for Cambridge Children's Hospital, said: "This truly is an exciting moment for the project. We are bringing specialist care closer to home so children and families across the East of England will have better, more equitable access to the care they need – with less time away from school, home and community." Matt Allen, director of new hospital construction at the trust, said: "This is a major milestone in the journey to deliver Cambridge Children's Hospital."Bouygues UK is a first-class contractor with proven expertise in building and delivering excellent healthcare infrastructure within a collaborative environment. This makes them an ideal construction partner to deliver such an important project."Together we can now get straight down to work in finalising our design and plans and ensuring best value for money under an initial pre-construction services agreement."Philippe Bernard, chair and CEO at Bouygues UK, said: "We look forward to working closely with all partners to bring this ground-breaking vision to life, setting new standards in healthcare for children." Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
