A team of researchers in South Korea has developed a novel artificial intelligence (AI)-based algorithm that uses electrocardiograph (ECG)2 data to predict the risk of cardiovascular events, and heart-related death.

To create the algorithm, the team from Inha University Hospital analysed standard 12-lead electrocardiograph (ECG)2 data taken from almost half a million cases.

The novel algorithm can identify people most at risk of cardiovascular events and mortality by predicting the biological age of the heart, which is based on how the heart functions.

For example, a person who is 50 but has poor heart health could have a biological heart age of 60, while someone aged 50 with optimal heart health could have a biological heart age of 40.

Love to scroll your phone while in bed? Scientists have found that using a screen in bed can drive your risk of insomnia by 59 per cent.

While sleep is critical to mental and physical health, an increasing number of people are accustomed to using screens in bed. The study by researchers from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Norway showed it may be associated with poor sleep.

While social media is seen to be more associated with poorer sleep because of its interactive nature and potential for emotional stimulation, a survey of 45,202 young adults, aged between 18-28 years old, in Norway showed that the type of screen activity did not matter.

"We found no significant differences between social media and other screen activities, suggesting that screen use itself is the key factor in sleep disruption -- likely due to time displacement, where screen use delays sleep by taking up time that would otherwise be spent resting," said lead author Dr. Gunnhild Johnsen Hjetland, from the Institute.

The government-imposed deadline for all medical students nationwide to return to classes from mass yearlong leaves of absence is set to expire on Monday, as almost all students at major medical schools in South Korea have already decided to resume their studies.

The March 31 deadline was set by the government early this month, when it announced a conditional decision to place the medical school enrolment quota for 2026 at 3,058, which is equivalent to the figure before the government put forward a plan to increase admissions by 2,000 a year ago to address a chronic shortage of doctors, news agency reported.

The government said the revised quota will be contingent on the return of all medical students who have been boycotting classes and taking collective leaves of absence in protest of the expansion of the medical school quota.

Indulging in moderate- to high-intensity aerobic exercises twice to three times weekly, with resistance training added in a few times per week, may potentially reduce the recurrence rate of breast cancer, according to new research.

While aerobic exercises like swimming, running, and climbing stairs, resistance training includes pushups and bench presses.

Researchers from Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Australia said that despite the advances made in breast cancer treatment, recurrence remains common and continues to contribute to higher mortality risks.

In more aggressive cancers, the risk of recurrence can be as high as between 20 per cent and 30 per cent.

A new study of cardiac cells at the International Space Station (ISS) is set to pave the way for repair of the heart damage on Earth.

Researchers from Emory University looked at cancer cells that proliferate -- grow and divide to produce more cells -- much more quickly in microgravity. Spaceflight also triggers cancer cell survival mechanisms, helping the cells better cope with the stressful environment.

In the paper, published in the journal Biomaterials, the researchers hypothesised that heart cells might exhibit similar behaviour.

This would address two current roadblocks in developing cell-based therapies for heart disease, said Chunhui Xu, a professor in the department of paediatrics.

After successfully testing the theory in a ground-based study using simulated microgravity, Xu and her team conducted two spaceflight investigations.

The United States is grappling with a significant increase in measles cases, US health authorities have said.

The number of infections in early 2025 has already exceeded the entire 2024 total, according to the latest data from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

As of March 28, 2025, the CDC reported 483 confirmed measles cases across 20 states, among them 2 dead and 70 hospitalised, while only 285 cases were reported in 33 states during the entire year of 2024.

Texas is experiencing the most severe outbreak as 400 cases have been identified since late January, and 41 of the patients have been hospitalised, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

US researchers have found how resistance to chemotherapies may occur in some cancers, an advance that could help pinpoint treatment-resistant tumours.

Chemotherapy resistance is a major challenge in cancer treatment. It occurs when cancer cells stop responding to chemotherapy, allowing the tumour to grow again.

The team from Mass General Brigham focused on a pathway that harnesses reactive oxygen species (ROS) to kill cancer cells. The study, published in the journal Nature, found that mutations to VPS35 -- a key player in this pathway -- can prevent chemotherapy-induced cell death.

“ROS play an important role in healthy and diseased cells, but pathways that sense and control cellular ROS levels are not well understood,” said corresponding author Liron Bar-Peled, of the Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research at the hospital.

Made-in-India surgical robotic system maker SS Innovations on Friday announced that its SSI Mantra has successfully performed robotic cardiac surgery via telesurgery spanning a distance of 2,000 kilometres.

The long-distance tele-robotic assisted intracardiac surgery was performed from SS Innovations' headquarters in Gurugram on a 35-year-old patient at Aster CMI Hospital in Bengaluru.

The surgery, lasting for 2 hours and 40 minutes, involved closing a complex Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) -- a congenital condition where there is a small hole between the two upper chambers of the heart.

The surgery demonstrated exceptional precision, achieving incredibly low latency, further underscoring the accuracy and efficiency of robotic-assisted remote surgery, SS Innovations said.

Hypertension or high blood pressure can have a significant impact on kidney function, much before clinical symptoms begin to appear, according to a study that stressed the importance of early detection.

The research, led by a team from the Medical University of Vienna in Austria, found that high blood pressure can lead to abnormalities in the podocytes -- specialised cells in the renal filter -- even without other pre-existing conditions such as diabetes.

"Early detection and treatment could help to slow the progression of kidney disease and prevent long-term damage," said the researchers Rainer Oberbauer and Heinz Regele from the varsity.

Indian pharma companies may stand to gain market share due to the potential impact of US tariffs, according to a JPMorgan report.

Essentially, Indian pharmaceutical companies have the potential to gain market share at the expense of their global competitors due to their superior cost competitiveness, JPMorgan said.

In an expert call, the brokerage also pointed out that the possibility of manufacturing relocation by pharmaceutical companies to the US is unlikely due to higher tariffs.

Tariffs of 25 per cent or higher on pharmaceuticals are improbable due to the significant increase in cost for consumers and the limited availability of alternative suppliers, JPMorgan said.