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Finnish adults eat too little of some foods and too much of others, study finds

Analysis of dietary data from 1,655 Finnish adults found that usual food intake often differed substantially from the quantitative targets later set by the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023. Plant-based foods were generally underconsumed, while red and processed meat and dairy intake frequently exceeded study targets, with adherence varying by sex, education, physical activity, age, and energy intake.

16 Sep 2026

Exercise usually helps the brain. During a 15-day fast, the story was different

In a 28-day controlled study of 22 healthy adults, 15 days of complete fasting produced a glucose-to-ketone metabolic shift and selectively affected attention and implicit learning while time perception remained relatively stable. Moderate-intensity exercise during early fasting was associated with poorer performance on some learning measures, while fasting also increased sleepiness and reduced calmness at some time points.

15 Sep 2026

Study explores pregnancy risks from heat and wildfire smoke

Wildfire smoke and extreme heat – increasingly the new norm – each have their own harmful effects on pregnant people and babies, including preterm birth and low birthweight.

15 Sep 2026

Male contraception has barely changed in a century. What comes next?

A review traces more than 5,000 years of male contraception, from early penile sheaths and the development of modern condoms and vasectomy to today's search for reversible alternatives. Researchers are now testing hormonal gels, non-hormonal compounds and vas-occlusive technologies, although these approaches remain at different stages of preclinical and clinical development.

15 Sep 2026

New 3D structure reveals how cancer-linked BRD4 protein binds to chromosomes

A new 3D-structure of a cancer-linked protein bound to its cellular partner reveals details of how the protein binds to chromosomes and could offer insights for future disease treatments.

15 Sep 2026

Genetic discovery offers clues for repairing damaged neural connections

A new discovery by neuroscientists at Brown University's Carney Institute for Brain Science challenges long-held beliefs in neurobiology about how neurons extend axons to reach their targets.

15 Sep 2026

Summer program improves social skills in young autistic children

A summer intervention program for autistic children ages 4-6 with no intellectual disability significantly improved their social performance, according to a study by researchers at the Institute for Autism Research (IAR) at the University at Buffalo. It was published in Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders in July.

15 Sep 2026

College BORG drinking associated with blackouts and other alcohol-related harms

A newly popular college drinking trend, the blackout rage gallon (BORG), fosters binge drinking and can lead to a host of alcohol-related harms, according to a new study in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, published at Rutgers University.

15 Sep 2026

Cannabis-derived nanovesicles showed early antitumor potential in mice

Researchers developed a Cannabis sativa hairy root culture system that produced stable plant-derived nanovesicles capable of promoting dendritic cell maturation and activating T-cell responses through TLR2- and TLR4-associated signaling. Oral administration also restored selected immune responses in immunosuppressed mice and suppressed tumor growth in an E.G7 lymphoma model, providing preliminary evidence for their immunomodulatory and antitumor potential.

15 Sep 2026

What children eat may leave a measurable signature in their blood

Researchers analyzed 236 blood metabolites in 421 children to examine metabolic signatures associated with three dietary patterns characterized by core foods, animal protein sources, or poor-quality fats and sugars. The results identified distinct, biologically plausible metabolite patterns across dietary exposures, although most individual associations did not survive multiple-testing correction and require validation in independent cohorts.

15 Sep 2026

Harvard scientists design evolutionary traps to stop viral mutations

When a virus mutates, the world usually finds out the hard way. Variants of influenza and SARS‑CoV‑2 can slip past vaccines and antibody drugs before scientists fully understand what has changed.

15 Sep 2026

Living in disadvantaged neighborhoods linked to adverse brain health

In a study analyzing nearly 3,000 brain MRI exams, researchers found that living in highly disadvantaged neighborhoods was associated with adverse brain health.

15 Sep 2026

AI scribes slash physician documentation time and reduce burnout

Artificial intelligence (AI) scribes can reduce the time physicians spend documenting patient visits by 69.1% during simulated primary care appointments, according to research led by University of Toronto PhD student LaShawn Murray.

15 Sep 2026

Reading for pleasure linked to better mental health and greater empathy

Reading for pleasure – from tucking into a Jane Austen classic to devouring a Heartstopper graphic novel – is linked to better mental health, greater empathy and a lower risk of dementia, say researchers.

15 Sep 2026

Study raises questions about AI's role in decision support for ethically sensitive situations

Artificial intelligence (AI) models prioritize starkly different attributes than humans when making high-stakes decisions, and they don't express indecision like humans do, according to a new study led by Penn State researchers, raising questions about the role of AI in decision support for ethically sensitive situations like medical decisions.

15 Sep 2026