Research Roundup: The Latest Science, Discoveries, And Breakthroughs

CIDRAP: Analysis Suggests Cigarette Butts Are A Vector For Antibiotic-Resistance Genes 
A new study suggests cigarette butts are an "overlooked yet potent" vector for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), Chinese researchers reported today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (Dall, 10/27)

Medical Xpress: Combining Two Brain Scans Uncovers Hidden Clues To Future Teen Anxiety
A new study could help make it easier to spot teens most at risk of anxiety before it takes hold. The research, published in JAMA Network Open, found that combining two kinds of brain scans can better predict which teens are likely to experience greater anxiety as they get older. The work sheds new light on how the adolescent brain responds to mistakes and why those responses vary from person to person. (10/26)

Medical Xpress: Why Does ALS Take Away Body Movement? The Hidden Burden That Seals The Fate Of Motor Neurons
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is among the most challenging neurological disorders. Despite many advances, a key unanswered question remains—why do motor neurons, the cells that control body movement, degenerate while others are spared? In a study appearing in Nature Communications, Kazuhide Asakawa and colleagues used single-cell–resolution imaging in transparent zebrafish to show that large spinal motor neurons—which generate strong body movements and are most vulnerable in ALS—operate under a constant, intrinsic burden of protein and organelle degradation. (10/27)

MedPage Today: Adding Physical Therapy Did Not Further Reduce Knee Pain From Meniscal Tear
Combining in-clinic physical therapy with home exercise did not lead to greater reductions in knee pain for patients with degenerative meniscal tear, a randomized trial showed. (Haelle, 10/29)

MedPage Today: Plant-Based Estrogen Diminished Menopause Symptoms 
Unlike other oral estrogens, estetrol dimmed hot flashes without impacting liver proteins. (Henderson, 10/27)