Australian and Canadian researchers have developed a cutting-edge machine learning algorithm capable of rapidly identifying heart disease and fracture risks using routine bone density scans.

The innovation, developed by researchers from Australia's Edith Cowan University (ECU) in conjunction with Canada's University of Manitoba, could pave the way for more comprehensive and earlier diagnoses during routine osteoporosis screenings, improving outcomes for millions of older adults, news agency reported.

The automated system analyses vertebral fracture assessment (VFA) images to detect abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) -- a key marker linked to heart attacks, strokes, and falls.

Traditionally, assessing AAC requires around five to six minutes per image by a trained expert. The new algorithm slashes that time to under a minute for thousands of images, making large-scale screening far more efficient, it said.

Receiving a vaccine booster in the same arm as the first dose triggers a faster and stronger immune response and helps the body build protection faster, according to new research.

The findings could help improve vaccine strategies and may eventually lead to vaccines that need fewer boosters, news agency reported.

The study, which was led by the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and the Kirby Institute at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney in Australia finds that the immune system responds more quickly when both doses are given in the same arm.

That's because immune cells in nearby lymph nodes, which are the body's infection-fighting hubs, become "primed" after the first shot. When the booster arrives in the same spot, these cells spring into action and help produce stronger antibodies, the team explained in the paper, published in the journal Cell.

A team of Brazilian researchers has developed an innovative CAR-T cell therapy that showed positive results in patients with a refractory type of lymphoma -- cancer in lymph nodes, spleen, and bone marrow.

HSP-CAR30 is the first European CAR-T30 study to successfully complete its initial phase.

The results of the Phase I trial, published in the journal Blood, trial revealed that the new therapy which targets the CD30 protein has shown high efficacy in patients with refractory CD30+ lymphoma.

The therapy also promotes the expansion of memory T cells, leading to long-lasting responses and improved clinical outcomes in treated patients.

Authorities in the southeastern Australian state of Victoria have issued a health alert for measles amid a spike in cases.

The Victorian Department of Health said that a new measles case has been reported in a returned traveller who visited Pakistan and was infectious, on a flight from Dubai to Melbourne on April 24.

The department said on Friday that there had been 22 confirmed cases of measles in Victoria in 2025 - more than in 2023 and 2024 combined. It said the majority of cases have been acquired locally in Melbourne and surrounding areas.

Victoria is Australia's second-most populous state with a population of over seven million.

Daily exposure to certain chemicals used in plastic items like food containers or medical equipment could be linked to an increase in deaths due to heart disease worldwide, according to a study published in the journal Lancet eBiomedicine on Tuesday.

Researchers at New York University Langone Health said that the chemicals, called phthalates, are in widespread use globally.

Phthalates found in cosmetics, detergents, solvents, plastic pipes, and bug repellants have for decades been linked with an increased risk of conditions ranging from obesity and diabetes to fertility issues and cancer.

The new study focused on a kind of phthalate called di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), which is used to make food containers, medical equipment, and other plastic softer and more flexible.

Israeli researchers have discovered that stress experienced by mothers during pregnancy affects the foetus's brain.

The discovery led by researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) could pave the way for new treatments or interventions to support a baby's healthy development after birth, news agency reported.

Published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, the study revealed that maternal stress during pregnancy could "reprogramme" key molecular pathways in the foetus, particularly the cholinergic system -- a network of nerve cells responsible for regulating stress responses and inflammation.

The researchers analysed blood samples from 120 newborns and their mothers collected at birth, focusing on small RNA molecules known as tRNA fragments (tRFs), many of which originate from mitochondrial DNA.

A team of Indian researchers has developed a new biosensor platform that can test and diagnose preeclampsia -- is a life-threatening complication caused by hypertension -- among pregnant women in 30 minutes.

Preeclampsia, which typically develops after 20 weeks of pregnancy, affects 2-8 per cent of pregnancies worldwide.

While traditional methods to detect preeclampsia are time-consuming, and require huge infrastructure and trained personnel, the new platform offers rapid, on-site, and affordable screening at an early stage. Timely treatment is crucial to minimise both maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality rates.

The team led by the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT) Madras, along with the Vellore Institute of Technology developed the Plasmonic Fibre Optic Absorbance Biosensor (P-FAB) technology using fibre optics sensor technology.

Reducing salt intake is one of the most cost-effective strategies to boost health, said experts as salt consumption in India is exceeding safe limits, contributing significantly to the growing burden of non-communicable diseases.

Doctors and public health leaders called for stronger physician-led campaigns, reformulation of packaged foods, and consumer education to curb India's rising salt crisis, at The Salt Fight 2025: Say NO to Na workshop organised by the Delhi Medical Association (DMA) and other organisations.

Addressing modifiable risk factors like excess salt intake is critical to reversing the country's non-communicable disease burden, which accounts for nearly 65 per cent of all deaths, said Dr Vinod Kumar Paul, Member, of NITI Aayog, during the event, held in the national capital.

"Reducing salt intake may seem simple, but it is among the most cost-effective strategies available. It is not enough to know the risks -- we must focus on what works. Practical campaigns and evidence-based solutions must be scaled urgently," he added.

The New Zealand government is stepping up preparations for the possible arrival of the H5N1 strain of avian influenza, emphasising the importance of a collaborative approach to tackling high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard said on Monday that partnership with industry was crucial to the successful eradication of HPAI at a major commercial egg farm in Otago, South Island. The outbreak involved the less virulent H7N6 strain.

"This was the first detection of HPAI in New Zealand, and it tested some of the plans that are being developed for the arrival of HPAI H5N1," Hoggard said.

The Ministry for Primary Industries has now lifted strict biosecurity controls at Mainland Poultry's Hillgrove Farm, which had been in place since the H7N6 strain was confirmed there in December last year, allowing the farm to begin repopulating.

Do you regularly eat ready-to-eat-or-heat foods? Beware, a global study on Monday showed that the consumption of such ultra-processed foods (UPFs) can significantly increase the risk of preventable premature deaths.

Previous studies have linked UPFs -- rich in sodium, trans fats, and sugar -- with 32 different diseases including cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, some types of cancer, and depression.

The new study analysed data from nationally representative dietary surveys and mortality data from eight countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, United Kingdom, and the US).

The findings published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, show that premature deaths attributable to consumption of UPFs increase significantly according to their share in individuals’ total energy intake.