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$Bone loss alone fails to explain diabetes-related fracture risk$

Bone loss alone fails to explain diabetes-related fracture risk

A new study published in Diabetes Care finds that bone loss alone does not explain the increased fracture risk observed in some older adults with type 2 diabetes.

11 Aug 2026

New computational tool identifies hidden genes driving asthma

Researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, in collaboration with investigators at the University of Chicago, have developed a new computational framework that helps scientists identify genes that play central roles in diseases such as asthma but are often overlooked by existing genetic analysis methods.

11 Aug 2026

New dashboard tracks flesh-eating screwworm threat across the United States

In the 1950s, the New World screwworm cost U.S. livestock producers tens of millions of dollars a year, as much as $50 to $100 million annually in the hardest-hit Southwest, before it was eradicated from the United States and pushed south to Panama.

11 Aug 2026

What 38,000 trauma and incident records reveal about e-scooter safety

E-scooter riders admitted with moderate-to-severe trauma showed a distinct injury profile, with proportionally more traumatic brain, vascular, and internal organ injuries than motorcyclists and fewer fractures. Rental-scooter data also linked greater reported injury severity with younger age and female sex, while collision rates varied with area-level deprivation.

10 Aug 2026

Heavy rainfall and flooding raise infectious disease risks across Europe

A rapid review of 14 studies found that heavy rainfall and flooding were associated with outbreaks and increased incidence of several infectious diseases across Europe, particularly campylobacteriosis and leptospirosis. The authors highlighted major evidence gaps and called for stronger One Health surveillance, public health communication, sanitation, and flood-response planning.

10 Aug 2026

Rising marine heatwaves create growing challenges for human health

The devastating impacts of marine heatwaves extend far beyond dying coral reefs and declining fisheries, with new research warning these extreme ocean warming events are posing a growing threat to humans' physical and mental health.

10 Aug 2026

H5N1 infections remain rare among workers exposed to infected birds

A two-year cohort study of 428 people exposed to H5N1-infected birds in England found fewer than 1% met criteria for infection, with no severe disease or secondary human transmission. The findings support continued PPE use, biosecurity, and targeted surveillance while highlighting challenges around occupational exposure, mucosal contamination, and pandemic preparedness.

10 Aug 2026

Phthalates may contribute to high blood pressure in pregnant women

Phthalates, which are chemicals found in plastics, personal care products and hundreds of other consumer goods, may contribute to high blood pressure in pregnant women, according to a study published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

10 Aug 2026

Rare cruise ship virus outbreak highlights public messaging lessons and disease preparedness

A small outbreak of a rare hantavirus on a cruise ship earlier this year captured worldwide attention and sparked concerns about a possible new pandemic.

10 Aug 2026

Study links better midlife vascular health to nearly 13 more dementia-free years

A long-term study of 12,409 adults found that a greater burden of diabetes, hypertension, and current smoking in midlife was associated with substantially fewer years lived free of dementia. Adults with none of these risk factors had about 30.1 dementia-free years from age 55, compared with 17.5 years among those with all three, a difference of nearly 13 years.

10 Aug 2026

Study finds more than half of mapped US parks lie near toxic chemical-reporting facilities

A nationwide geospatial analysis of 151,366 publicly accessible parks found that 52.6% lay within two miles of at least one industrial facility reporting toxic chemical management to the EPA, while 17.7% had parkland within two miles of a current or former Superfund site. The study mapped proximity rather than contamination or exposure, highlighting locations where targeted environmental assessment and healthier urban planning may be warranted.

9 Aug 2026

Study identifies barriers to equitable pediatric cancer trial participation

While Black and Hispanic families are enthusiastic about research participation, other provider- and systems-focused factors may influence their involvement in pediatric oncology clinical trials, a UT Southwestern Medical Center-led study has found.

9 Aug 2026

New vaccine strategy targets overlooked regions of malaria parasite

Malaria kills more than half a million people a year, most of them young children in Africa. Two vaccines are now recommended by the World Health Organization, RTS,S and R21.

7 Aug 2026

Human skin chemistry shapes species-specific mosquito attraction patterns

There is no such thing as a universal mosquito magnet. In a new study published in iScience, Florida International University (FIU) researchers pitted 119 human volunteers against three of the world's most dangerous mosquito species and found that not one person was attractive to all three.

7 Aug 2026

Rising wildfire smoke in the US offsets improvements in prenatal health

Wildfires are well-known health risks. Now, in a new Frontiers in Environmental Health study, researchers in the US have – for the first time – evaluated how prenatal PM2.5 exposure has changed over space and time on a national scale, and what role wildfires play in shaping these trends.

7 Aug 2026

Fine particle pollution raises rheumatoid arthritis flare risk and disease activity

Higher ambient PM2.5 exposure was associated with increased rheumatoid arthritis disease activity and a greater likelihood of flares in a four-year South Korean cohort of 1,070 patients. The association appeared stronger with sustained exposure over approximately two weeks or longer, while women and nonsmokers showed more pronounced links between PM2.5 and DAS28-CRP.

7 Aug 2026

Air pollution in pregnancy raises birth risks differently across trimesters

A population-based study of 26,582 live singleton births in Madrid found that associations between NO₂ exposure and adverse birth outcomes varied by pregnancy stage, with key patterns emerging in the first and third trimesters.

6 Aug 2026

Nicotine gum may make smokeless tobacco withdrawal easier to manage

A randomized trial found that 2 mg nicotine gum controlled craving, anxiety, and sleep problems more effectively than behavioral counselling during smokeless tobacco cessation. Although abstinence rates were numerically higher with nicotine gum, the differences were not statistically significant, highlighting the need for larger studies.

6 Aug 2026

Firearm injury patients face measurable risk of bacterial infections

A new study from researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) found that bacterial infections develop in approximately 5 percent of adults hospitalized with firearm injuries, with most infections occurring during the initial hospitalization rather than after patients return home.

6 Aug 2026