Remote region sensor for essential vitamin deficiency

MXene-antibody hybrid biosensor device targets a challenge in public health.

King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST)

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A new highly sensitive electrochemical sensor, combining MXene 2D nanomaterials with vitamin D-selective antibodies, enables low-cost, rapid, and decentralized vitamin D detection in blood.

 

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Credit: © 2025 KAUST

An electrochemical sensor designed to address a global health issue that particularly impacts people in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has been created by a multidisciplinary team at KAUST. The sensor detects low vitamin D levels in blood samples, providing early warning of an essential vitamin deficiency that can have severe health consequences if left untreated[1].

“Vitamin D deficiency can result in broad health complications including cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disorders, neurodegenerative diseases and skeletal deformities,” says Sharat Chandra Barman, a postdoc in the labs of Husam Alshareef and Dana Alsulaiman, the project’s co-leaders. “Early diagnosis of vitamin D deficiency is crucial.”

The body makes vitamin D in the skin when exposed to sunlight, but in hot regions of the world people often minimize their sun exposure.

“Despite ample sunshine in Saudi Arabia and the MENA region, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is alarmingly high, making it a critical and often overlooked public health challenge,” Alsulaiman says. Around 80 percent of the region’s population is deficient in vitamin D, and 16 percent of people in Saudi Arabia are severely deficient.

It is difficult to measure the essential vitamin at clinically relevant concentrations in a blood sample.

“The molecule’s small size, low circulating concentrations in the blood, and its structural similarity to other biomolecules all present challenges,” Alsulaiman says. As a result, vitamin D testing is typically carried out on specialized equipment only available in large urban centers.

To create a simple yet accurate vitamin D testing device for use even in remote healthcare centers, the team created a novel electrochemical sensor that combined MXene 2D nanomaterials and vitamin D selective antibodies.

“MXenes have several features that suit biosensor applications,” Barman explains. “They are biocompatible, possess excellent electrical conductivity, and their surface is covered with tunable chemical groups that can enable further device functionality to be incorporated.”

The team used these chemical groups to attach vitamin D-binding antibodies to the MXene surface.

“Combining MXenes with antibodies resulted in a very sensitive and highly selective material for point-of-care vitamin D detection,” Barman says. The team was able to show that when the antibodies on the device bound to vitamin D, the current flow through the biosensor fell measurably, with the size of the electrical response proportional to the concentration of vitamin D in the sample.

The sensor had a vitamin D detection limit of just 1 picogram per milliliter of sample, with a dynamic range of 0.1–500 nanograms per milliliter. “This range effectively covers clinically relevant vitamin D levels, from deficiency to insufficiency, sufficiency, and toxicity ranges,” Barman says.

“The sensor also demonstrated high selectivity, showing minimal interference from non-target biomolecules like glucose, vitamin C, and vitamin B12,” he adds.

“Our synergistic combination of MXenes and antibodies enabled us to develop a biosensing platform for vitamin D deficiency that is low-cost, rapid, and decentralized – this advances accessible healthcare solutions in line with the goals of Saudi’s visionary Health Sector Transformation Program,” Alsulaiman says.

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Journal

Communications Materials

DOI

10.1038/s43246-025-00756-9 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Article Title

Antibody-functionalized MXene-based electrochemical biosensor for point-of-care detection of vitamin D deficiency

 

The risk of death or complications from broken heart syndrome was high from 2016 to 2020

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as broken heart syndrome, is a condition caused by stress that mainly affected women, yet men had a higher death rate, in a new analysis in the Journal of the American Heart Association

American Heart Association

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Research Highlights:

• The risk of death or complications from the stress-related heart condition associated with stressful events, such as the death of a loved one — called Takotsubo cardiomyopathy or broken heart syndrome — was high and unchanged from 2016 to 2020, according to data from a national study that included nearly 200,000 U.S. adults.
• Takotsubo cardiomyopathy was found to be more common in women in this analysis. However, men with the condition were twice as likely to die.
• The rate of complications, such as heart failure, atrial fibrillation, heart attacks, strokes and serious low blood flow (cardiogenic shock), also remained high during the five-year analysis.

Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET Wednesday, May 14, 2025

DALLAS, May 14, 2025 — Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as broken heart syndrome, is associated with a high rate of death and complications, and those rates were unchanged between 2016 and 2020, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open-access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a stress-related heart condition in which part of the heart temporarily enlarges and doesn’t pump well. It is thought to be a reaction to a surge of stress hormones that can be caused by an emotionally or physically stressful event, such as the death of a loved one or a divorce. It can lead to severe, short-term failure of the heart muscle and can be fatal. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy may be misdiagnosed as a heart attack because the symptoms and test results are similar.

This study is one of the largest to assess in-hospital death rates and complications of the condition, as well as differences by sex, age and race over five years.

“We were surprised to find that the death rate from Takotsubo cardiomyopathy was relatively high without significant changes over the five-year study, and the rate of in-hospital complications also was elevated,” said study author M. Reza Movahed, M.D., Ph.D., an interventional cardiologist and clinical professor of medicine at the University of Arizona’s Sarver Heart Center in Tucson, Arizona. “The continued high death rate is alarming, suggesting that more research be done for better treatment and finding new therapeutic approaches to this condition.”

Researchers reviewed health records in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database to identify people diagnosed with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy from 2016 to 2020.

The analysis found:

• The death rate was considered high at 6.5%, with no improvement over period.
• Deaths were more than double in men at 11.2% compared to the rate of 5.5% among women.
• Major complications included congestive heart failure (35.9%), atrial fibrillation (20.7%), cardiogenic shock (6.6%), stroke (5.3%) and cardiac arrest (3.4%).
• People older than age 61 had the highest incidence rates of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. However, there was a 2.6 to 3.25 times higher incidence of this condition among adults ages 46-60 compared to those ages 31-45 during the study period.
• White adults had the highest rate of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (0.16%), followed by Native American adults (0.13%) and Black adults (0.07%).
• In addition, socioeconomic factors, including median household income, hospital size and health insurance status, varied significantly.

“Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a serious condition with a substantial risk of death and severe complications,” Movahed said. “The health care team needs to carefully review coronary angiograms that show no significant coronary disease with classic appearance of left ventricular motion, suggesting any subtypes of stress-induced cardiomyopathy. These patients should be monitored for serious complications and treated promptly. Some complications, such as embolic stroke, may be preventable with an early initiation of anti-clotting medications in patients with a substantially weakened heart muscle or with an irregular heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation that increases the risk of stroke.”

He also noted that age-related findings could serve as a useful diagnostic tool in discriminating between heart attack/chest pain and Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, which may prompt earlier diagnosis of the condition and could also remove assumptions that Takotsubo cardiomyopathy only occurs in the elderly.

Among the study’s limitations is that it relied on data from hospital codes, which could have errors or overcount patients hospitalized more than once or transferred to another hospital. In addition, there was no information on outpatient data, different types of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy or other conditions that may have contributed to patients’ deaths.

Movahed said further research is needed about the management of patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy and the reason behind differences in death rates between men and women.

Study details, background and design:

• The analysis included 199,890 U.S. adults from across the nation (average age 67; 83% of cases were among women). White adults comprised 80% of the Takotsubo cardiomyopathy patients, while 8% were Black adults, 6% were Hispanic adults, 2% were Asian/Pacific Islander adults, 0.64% were Native American adults and 2.2% were reported as Other.
• The Nationwide Inpatient Sample database is the largest publicly available source detailing publicly and privately paid hospital care in the U.S.  It produces estimates of inpatient utilization, access, cost, quality and outcomes for about 35 million hospitalizations nationally annually.

Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the manuscript.

Studies published in the American Heart Association’s scientific journals are peer-reviewed. The statements and conclusions in each manuscript are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association’s policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The Association receives more than 85% of its revenue from sources other than corporations. These sources include contributions from individuals, foundations and estates, as well as investment earnings and revenue from the sale of our educational materials. Corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations to the Association. The Association has strict policies to prevent any donations from influencing its science content. A detailed listing of revenue from foundations and corporations including health insurance providers and the Association’s overall financial information are available here.

Additional Resources:

• Multimedia is available on the right column of release link.
• After May 14, view the manuscript online.
• AHA health information: Is Broken Heart Syndrome Real?
• AHA news release: Heart complications after a stroke increase the risk of future cardiovascular events (March 2022)
• AHA news release: Spouses of ICU patients may be at increased risk for cardiac events or hospitalization (Oct. 2020)
• Follow AHA/ASA news on X @HeartNews
• Follow news from the Journal of the American Heart Association @JAHA_AHA

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About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

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Journal

Journal of the American Heart Association

DOI

10.1161/JAHA.124.037219 

Article Title

High Mortality and Complications in Patients Admitted With Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy With More Than Double Mortality in Men Without Improvement in Outcome Over the Years

Autistic people communicate just as effectively as others, study finds

ANOTHER FACT VS KENNEDY'S FICTIONS ABOUT AUTISM

University of Edinburgh

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There is no significant difference in the effectiveness of how autistic and non-autistic people communicate, according to a new study, challenging the stereotype that autistic people struggle to connect with others.   

The findings suggest that social difficulties often faced by autistic people are more about differences in how autistic and non-autistic people communicate, rather than a lack of social ability in autistic individuals, experts say. 

Researchers hope the results of the study will help reduce the stigma surrounding autism, and lead to more effective communication support for autistic people.  

Autism is a lifelong neurodivergence and disability, and influences how people experience and interact with the world. 

Autistic people often communicate more directly and may struggle with reading social cues and body language, leading to differences in how they engage in conversation compared to non-autistic people. 

The study, led by experts from the University of Edinburgh, tested how effectively information was passed between 311 autistic and non-autistic people. 

Participants were tested in groups where everyone was autistic, everyone was non-autistic, or a combination of both. 

The first person in the group heard a story from the researcher, then passed it along to the next person. Each person had to remember and repeat the story, and the last person in the chain recalled the story aloud. 

The amount of information passed on at each point in the chain was scored to discern how effective participants were at sharing the story. Researchers found there were no differences between autistic, non-autistic, and mixed groups.  

After the task, participants rated how much they enjoyed the interaction with the other participants, based on how friendly, easy, or awkward the exchange was.  

Researchers found that non-autistic people preferred interacting with others like themselves, and autistic people preferred learning from fellow autistic individuals. This is likely down to the different ways that autistic and non-autistic people communicate, experts say.  

The findings confirm similar findings from a previous smaller study undertaken by the same researchers. They say the new evidence should lead to increased understanding of autistic communication styles as a difference, not a deficiency.   

Dr Catherine Crompton, Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, said: "Autism has often been associated with social impairments, both colloquially and in clinical criteria. Researchers have spent a lot of time trying to ‘fix’ autistic communication, but this study shows that despite autistic and non-autistic people communicating differently it is just as successful. With opportunities for autistic people often limited by misconceptions and misunderstandings, this new research could lead the way to bridging the communication gap and create more inclusive spaces for all.”  

The study is published in Nature Human Behaviour: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-025-02163-z [URL will become active after embargo lifts]. It was funded by the Templeton World Charity Foundation. It also involved researchers from the University of Texas at Dallas, the University of Nottingham, and the University of Glasgow.  

For further information, please contact: Guy Atkinson, Press and PR Office, 07816 392904, guy.atkinson@ed.ac.uk 

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Journal

Nature Human Behaviour

DOI

10.1038/s41562-025-02163-z 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

People

Article Publication Date

14-May-2025

 

10 things research tells us about the global economic elite

Lund University

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Who are the people that make up the world’s economic elite – and do they differ between countries? In a new, unique database, an international team of researchers has compiled individual data from 16 countries that together account for a third of the world’s population and more than half of the world’s GDP. 

The economic elite examined in this particular scenario includes CEOs and board members of major corporations, the world’s wealthiest individuals, and those with the power to regulate the economy. The World Elite Database (WED) contains over 3,500 names from 16 countries that together represent 54 percent of global GDP, and includes gender, age, education and place of birth.

“Economic elites are interesting because they hold enormous power. They influence people’s working conditions, national prosperity, and financial destinies. This is the first database of its kind, and many researchers will continue to develop it and use it in various capacities,” comments Håkan Johansson, professor in social work at Lund University in Sweden, and chair of the network of researchers who have worked on the database.

Here are ten takeaways from the database:

1. The individuals largely resemble one another – but differences exist. 
    
2. They are predominantly male
    
3. The oldest elite is found in the U.S., with a median age of 62; the youngest are in China and Poland, where the median is 55 and a larger share are ultra-wealthy individuals under 40. 
    
4. China stands out in terms of birthplace: nearly half were born in small villages. 
    
5. Only one percent of China’s elite were born abroad, compared to 20–36 percent in the US, Denmark, Switzerland, and Chile. The UK tops the list with 45 percent born abroad.
    
6. Up to 20 percent of the UK’s economic elite come from the country’s former colonies
    
7. Sweden stands out in one area of education: only 5 percent of Sweden’s economic elite have a doctoral degree, compared to Germany that tops the list with 35 percent, followed by Poland, China, Switzerland, the US, and Finland.
    
8. A master’s degree is the most common level of education, except in Argentina, Italy, and the UK, where a bachelor’s degree is more prevalent. The lowest level of education is found among those who have inherited their wealth.
    
9. So what should you study if you want to become part of the economic elite? The safest bet is to study economics. This field tops the list in every country except China and Finland, where an engineering degree is slightly more common. 
    
10. The UK, Poland, and Switzerland are the countries where degrees in the humanities or law are most valued – in these countries, at least 20 percent of the top tier have studied these subjects. The corresponding figure for Sweden, Denmark, and Norway is below 10 percent.

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Journal

British Journal of Sociology

DOI

10.1111/1468-4446.13203 

Article Title

Varieties of Economic Elites? Preliminary Results From the World Elite Database (WED)

U$ FOR PROFIT HEALTHCARE

ESMT Berlin research shows private ownership boosts hospital performance

ESMT Berlin

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Merih Sevilir

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Credit: IWH

New research by ESMT Berlin and the Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH) shows that private equity (PE) acquisitions lead to substantial operational efficiency gains in hospitals, challenging common public concerns. The study reveals that hospitals acquired by PE firms significantly reduce costs and administrative staff without increasing closure rates or harming patient care. 
 
The paper “Private Equity in the Hospital Industry” is co-authored by Merih Sevilir (ESMT and Halle Institute for Economic Research), Janet Gao (McDonough School of Business, Georgetown), and Yongseok Kim (Freeman School of Business, Tulane). Drawing on data from more than 1,200 hospital acquisitions in the United States between 2001 and 2018, the researchers provide the most comprehensive analysis to date of how PE ownership affects hospital survival, employment, pricing, and patient outcomes. 
 
The study finds that hospitals acquired by PE firms do not experience higher closure rates. Instead, they demonstrate improved operational profitability while sustaining essential medical staff levels over the long term. Cost-cutting efforts are largely concentrated in administrative roles, especially at hospitals that were formerly non-profit institutions. In these hospitals, the number of administrative staff declined by 33 percent over the long term. This highlights how private equity drives restructuring in sectors historically insulated from investor oversight and market pressures. 
 
“Our study shows that private equity firms do not dismantle hospitals, as is often feared. Instead, they streamline administrative structures while protecting core medical staff and services. This nuanced approach boosts efficiency without compromising patient care,” said Merih Sevilir, professor of finance at ESMT and head of the Department of Laws, Regulations, and Factor Markets at the Halle Institute. Drawing on proprietary insurance claims data, the research finds no evidence of increased inpatient prices or a shift toward treating younger, wealthier, or healthier patients. It also detects no changes in patient demographics or health outcomes, such as mortality or readmission rates. The only notable negative impact is a decline in patient satisfaction, potentially linked to reductions in administrative staff who support non-clinical services. 
 
Overall, the findings suggest that private equity involvement can act as a catalyst for improving efficiency in healthcare without sacrificing medical quality, particularly through the reduction of excess administrative costs in nonprofit hospitals and the introduction of more effective operational oversight. 
 
The study has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Financial Economics, a peer-reviewed academic journal publishing theoretical and empirical research in financial economics. 

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Journal

Journal of Financial Economics

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis