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Dangerous water bead ingestions increase among young children

A new study reveals that ingestions of water beads by young children have surged in recent years. Researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy of the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital and the Central Ohio Poison Center analyzed calls to U.S. poison centers and found an alarming 6,532% increase in the rate of reported water bead ingestions among children younger than 6 years from 2019 to 2023, followed by a 24% decrease from 2023 to 2024.

30 Apr 2026

Climate change increases stroke risk through extreme weather and pollution

The World Stroke Organization is warning that climate change poses an escalating threat to brain health, with extreme heat in particular increasing the risk of having a stroke and of patients dying from stroke.

30 Apr 2026

Task switching between organ types increases patient mortality rates

When transplant surgeons switched between different organ types in consecutive surgeries, one-year mortality rates in patients increased by 14.8 percent, according to new Virginia Tech research.

30 Apr 2026

Mailed DNA-based test for colorectal cancer screening

The use of mailed FIT-DNA kits in community health centers significantly increases colorectal cancer screening, though follow-up colonoscopy rates remain low.

30 Apr 2026

Multiple myeloma mortality rates decline with advances in targeted therapies

A new research paper was published in Volume 17 of Oncotarget on April 28, 2026, titled "Targeted therapeutics and U.S. population-level mortality trends in multiple myeloma: A SEER-based analysis from 1975 to 2023."

29 Apr 2026

Study suggests a U-shaped link between cholesterol levels and mortality among Chinese adults

A new commentary published in Engineering highlights key findings from a large multinational cohort study that re-evaluates cholesterol management for cardiovascular and chronic disease prevention, suggesting a U-shaped association between cholesterol levels and mortality among Chinese adults that challenges the conventional "lower is better" approach.

28 Apr 2026

TikTok chatter could help predict where the opioid crisis is heading next

A large-scale analysis of 569,581 TikTok comments found that opioid-related discussions may help track and forecast synthetic opioid overdose mortality in the US. Recovery, harm reduction, drug use, drug sourcing, and loss-related conversations provided near-real-time signals that improved 6-month forecasting accuracy.

28 Apr 2026

Study identifies protein essential for repairing damage after inflammation

Whenever there is a wound or infection, the body produces an inflammatory response. This is the body's first line of defense, and macrophages — cells of the innate immune system — play a key role: first, they help eliminate pathogens and other infectious agents, and then they trigger the mechanisms that repair the damage caused during the inflammatory process.

28 Apr 2026

Noninvasive brain monitoring reveals hidden oxygen deprivation in ICU patients

In neurological intensive care, it is quickly learned that the brain cannot wait. As the most sensitive organ in the human body, it can sustain irreversible damage after just a few minutes of severe hypoxia.

27 Apr 2026

New cord blood approach boosts survival in blood disease patients

A new way of using umbilical cord blood for treating blood diseases could make the treatment more accessible to patients who need a stem cell transplant.

27 Apr 2026

Delayed adrenaline use linked to fatal childhood food anaphylaxis

Fatal delays in administering life-saving adrenaline autoinjector (EpiPen) for food anaphylaxis, a severe and rapid allergic reaction, is highlighted in research being presented at the Royal College of Emergency Medicine Conference today [28 April].

27 Apr 2026

Apixaban reduces complications, helps older adults spend more time at home after blood clots

Older adults recovering from serious blood clots often face long periods of hospitalization or rehabilitation due to a higher rate of recurrence.

27 Apr 2026

NIH awards five year grant for cardiovascular epidemiology training

Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine researchers Vanessa Xanthakis, PhD, FAHA, associate professor of medicine and director of research training, and Mathew Nayor, MD, MPH, associate professor of medicine, have been awarded a five-year, T32 grant from the National Institutes of Health's National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

27 Apr 2026

New immune mapping tool reveals how lung cancer reshapes immune cells

Researchers at VIB and VUB have developed a powerful new way to study how the immune system behaves inside lung tumors.

27 Apr 2026

Delaying hepatitis B birth vaccines increases infant infection risks

Delaying hepatitis B vaccination after birth increases infections among newborns and decreases their survival rates and quality of life, according to a new Cornell University study.

27 Apr 2026

Yoga to help manage obesity-related heart and metabolic risks

The impact of yoga on heart health in obesity is modest, suggesting it as a complementary approach for improving metabolic outcomes in high BMI populations.

27 Apr 2026

Did life-saving HIV drugs unintentionally fuel a syphilis comeback?

The introduction of HAART for HIV has coincided with a syphilis resurgence, suggesting unintended public health trade-offs from this medical breakthrough.

27 Apr 2026

Blue Zones longevity claims may rest on flawed records, essay argues

Essay challenges the scientific validity of the Blue Zones concept and Ancel Keys’ Lipid Hypothesis, arguing that both rest on biased data, weak records, and methodological flaws. The authors say some longevity claims may reflect clerical errors, poverty, and unreliable vital records rather than uniquely healthy lifestyles.

26 Apr 2026

Scientists will probe whether processing itself makes ultra-processed foods harmful

A randomized controlled trial protocol will test whether the cardiometabolic risks linked to ultra-processed foods stem from industrial processing, poor nutrient composition, or both. Using four controlled diets, researchers will separate the effects of UPF content from saturated fat, added sugar, and sodium on LDL cholesterol, insulin resistance, and blood pressure.

26 Apr 2026

Pediatric heart transplant demand rises amid severe donor shortage

Advances in pediatric heart care are helping more children survive long enough to receive a transplant-but a critical shortage of donor hearts means too many are still dying while they wait, experts warned today at the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) 46th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions.

25 Apr 2026