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Fetus
A fetus (also foetus) is a developing mammal after the embryonic stage and before birth. The plural is fetuses or foetuses. In humans, a fetus develops from the end of the 8th week of pregnancy (when the major structures have formed), until birth. Factors affecting fetal growth can be maternal, placental, or fetal. Maternal factors include maternal size, weight, weight for height, nutritional state, anemia, high environmental noise exposure, cigarette smoking, substance abuse, or uterine blood flow. Placental factors include size, microstructure (densities and architecture), umbilical blood flow, transporters and binding proteins, nutrient utilization and nutrient production. Fetal factors include the fetus genome, nutrient production, and hormone output. Inappropriate growth can result in low birth weight.
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Health & Medicine News
October 25, 2025
Oct. 25, 2025 — Inside your body, an intricate communication network constantly monitors breathing, heart rate, digestion, and immune function — a hidden “sixth sense” called interoception. Now, Nobel laureate ...
Oct. 25, 2025 — Scientists at The University of Texas at Austin have developed a revolutionary gene-editing method using bacterial retrons that can correct multiple disease-causing mutations at once. Unlike traditional tools limited to one or two mutations, this ...
Oct. 25, 2025 — Reptiles don’t just pee, they crystallize their waste. Researchers found that snakes and other reptiles form tiny uric acid spheres, a water-saving evolutionary trick. This discovery could illuminate how to prevent gout and kidney stones in ...
Oct. 25, 2025 — Scientists have identified mutations in the CPD gene as a key cause of a rare congenital hearing loss, revealing how disruptions in arginine and nitric oxide signaling damage sensory cells in the ...
Oct. 24, 2025 — Researchers uncovered how lung cells decide whether to rebuild tissue or fight infection. This built-in “switch” may be the key to restoring the lungs’ natural repair ability. The discovery could lead to regenerative treatments for chronic ...
Oct. 24, 2025 — ASU scientists found that people whose gut microbes make more methane extract more calories from fiber-rich foods. Methanogens help the microbiome turn fiber into energy by consuming hydrogen and producing methane. Using advanced metabolic chambers, ...
Oct. 24, 2025 — A massive genetic study found that naturally lower cholesterol is linked to a dramatically reduced risk of dementia. The research simulated the effects of cholesterol-lowering drugs and showed up to an 80% lower risk for certain genetic profiles. ...
Oct. 24, 2025 — Researchers have finally seen and measured the tiny alpha-synuclein oligomers that may ignite Parkinson’s disease. With the ultra-sensitive ASA-PD imaging method, they captured these clusters in brain tissue, finding larger and more numerous ...
Oct. 23, 2025 — Cedars-Sinai researchers created “young” immune cells from human stem cells that reversed cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s symptoms in mice. The treated animals showed better memory and healthier brain structures. The cells seemed to protect ...
Oct. 23, 2025 — McMaster researchers found that deep abdominal and liver fat can quietly damage arteries, even in people who appear fit. Their MRI-based study of over 33,000 adults shows these fats are closely ...
Oct. 23, 2025 — MIT scientists have found that an amino acid called cysteine can help the gut heal itself. In mouse studies, a cysteine-rich diet activated immune cells that release a molecule speeding up tissue repair in the small intestine. This process helped ...
Oct. 22, 2025 — Texas A&M researchers found that in an aggressive kidney cancer, RNA builds “droplet hubs” that activate tumor genes. By creating a molecular switch to dissolve these hubs, they stopped cancer growth in lab and mouse tests. The work reveals how ...
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Oct. 25, 2025 — Japanese researchers discovered that hair graying and melanoma share a surprising cellular origin. When DNA damage strikes melanocyte stem cells, they may undergo a protective process called ...
Oct. 23, 2025 — Colorado researchers discovered that nearly half of tested cannabis flower products exaggerated their THC levels, while concentrates were mostly accurate. The team’s statewide audit revealed ...
Oct. 22, 2025 — Researchers have developed a DNA-based therapy that targets the PCSK9 gene to lower cholesterol naturally. Using polypurine hairpins, they increased ...
Oct. 22, 2025 — Researchers at King’s College London have created the first evidence-based dietary guidelines for chronic constipation, finding real relief may come from kiwifruit, rye bread, and mineral water. ...
Oct. 22, 2025 — A wireless eye implant developed at Stanford Medicine has restored reading ability to people with advanced macular degeneration. The PRIMA chip works with smart glasses to replace lost photoreceptors ...
Oct. 22, 2025 — Scientists have uncovered a toxic alliance between Aβ and fibrinogen that may explain how Alzheimer’s disease begins. The two proteins together create stubborn clots that damage blood vessels and ...
Oct. 22, 2025 — A study found that daily vitamin D supplements helped slow telomere shortening—the cellular process linked to aging and disease. Researchers ...
Oct. 21, 2025 — New research reveals that exercise counteracts the mood-damaging effects of a Western-style diet through specific gut and hormonal mechanisms. Running restored metabolites tied to mental well-being ...
Oct. 21, 2025 — A powerful new drug combination—niraparib added to standard prostate cancer therapy—has been shown to significantly delay disease progression in men with specific DNA repair gene mutations. In ...
Oct. 21, 2025 — Mizzou scientists are exploring how a ketogenic diet may protect the brain and prevent Alzheimer’s in people genetically predisposed to it. Their study found that female mice with the APOE4 gene ...