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Natural sights and sounds associated with positive effects on mental health

A new study finds the sounds and sights of nature are associated with significant positive effects on mental health compared to loud, urban environments.

22 Jul 2026

Health insurance keeps many Americans trapped in unwanted jobs

Nearly one in four U.S. workers (24%) say they are currently in a job they want to quit but stay with their employer for the health insurance, according to new research from the West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare in America.

22 Jul 2026

Generic semaglutide could improve diabetes treatment affordability in Canada

In a novel analysis examining the economic implications of generic semaglutide entering the Canadian market, researchers predict that the anticipated price reductions of up to 70% will dramatically increase both the cost-effectiveness and health system affordability of therapy options for patients with type 2 diabetes and high cardiorenal risk.

22 Jul 2026

Corn-based foods linked to higher mycotoxin exposure in pregnancy

Consuming common foods such as corn chips and popcorn may put pregnant women at risk of being exposed to mycotoxins – harmful substances produced by mold – according to Rutgers researchers.

22 Jul 2026

Five epigenetic clocks reveal shared and distinct signals of aging

Researchers linked five epigenetic clocks to distinct blood gene-expression patterns and biological pathways in 3,227 Health and Retirement Study participants. TAGS derived from these patterns often showed stronger associations with frailty, functional measures, morbidity, and mortality than their parent clocks, although further validation is needed.

22 Jul 2026

Oral microbiome imbalances may contribute to symptomatic hand arthritis

Specific imbalances and disruptions to the oral microbiome have been linked to symptomatic hand arthritis by a study published online in the open access journal RMD Open.

22 Jul 2026

Newer GLP-1 medications may reduce alcohol-related hospitalization risk

Use of newer GLP-1 receptor agonists (semaglutide or tirzepatide) for obesity or diabetes by people with alcohol-use disorder was associated with a reduction in alcohol-related admissions to hospital, finds a study published online in the open access journal BMJ Open.

21 Jul 2026

Low-dose lithium may protect brain networks in early Alzheimer’s disease

This perspective examines whether restoring physiological lithium levels could help protect cognition in early Alzheimer’s disease. It proposes that lithium may support cholinergic signaling and brain connectivity, but emphasizes that rigorous, safety-monitored clinical trials are needed.

21 Jul 2026

Global study reveals widening gap between lifespan and healthspan

People around the world are living longer than ever before but spending more of those additional years in poor health, according to a new Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study published in The Lancet Public Health.

21 Jul 2026

Human experts remain essential for checking clinical AI outputs

In a Rwanda-based evaluation, LLM judges produced consistent and far cheaper ratings of clinical AI responses but matched local clinician ratings on only a minority of assessment criteria. They consistently missed potential demographic bias, indicating that human expert evaluation remains important despite AI’s potential role in initial screening.

21 Jul 2026

New ARPA-H grant aims to advance genomic medicines for rare vascular diseases

Massachusetts General Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, has been awarded an Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) contract to develop advanced personalized genomic medicines to treat rare genetic vascular diseases.

21 Jul 2026

Air pollution mixtures linked to higher early preterm birth risk

Pregnancy puts higher oxygen demands on the body, so expectant mothers breathe significantly more air over the course of a day. When air quality is bad, they're also breathing in more harmful pollutants.

21 Jul 2026

Study reveals sex-based protein differences across lung cancer types

Biological sex factors into cancer in ways you might not expect. In lung cancer, a form called squamous cell carcinoma disproportionately affects males while adenocarcinoma occurs more frequently in females.

21 Jul 2026

Adverse pregnancy outcomes increase future peripheral artery disease risk

Women who experience pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, or preterm delivery have a significantly increased long-term risk of developing peripheral artery disease (PAD) later in life, according to a new study published July 21st in the open access journal PLOS Medicine by Casey Crump of the University of Texas, US, and colleagues.

21 Jul 2026

Dementia addiction and psychiatric disorders show distinct patterns of accelerated brain aging

People with dementia, mild cognitive impairment, alcohol addiction, or psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia show increased brain aging, each in specific patterns within the brain, according to a study published July 21st in the open access journal PLOS Medicine by Shile Qi from the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, China, and colleagues.

21 Jul 2026

Moderate coffee intake may support heart health, AHA says

The American Heart Association finds that habitual coffee consumption is associated with lower risks of several cardiovascular outcomes, although most evidence comes from observational studies. Moderate intake is generally safe for most adults, while energy drinks and individual caffeine sensitivity may increase cardiovascular concerns.

21 Jul 2026

Childhood ultra-processed food intake associates with altered insulin responses

Researchers analyzed dietary and metabolic data from 508 nondiabetic Mexican American children in the SAFARI family cohort, finding that higher ultra-processed food scores were associated with lower insulin sensitivity and altered early insulin secretion measures. The exploratory cross-sectional study did not establish causality, and its multiple comparisons, historical dietary data, and questionnaire-based UPF estimates warrant confirmation in longitudinal studies and trials.

21 Jul 2026

Less sitting in pregnancy is linked to fewer adverse outcomes

A JAMA cohort study of 470 pregnant women found that lower sedentary time, higher light-intensity activity, and more daily steps across pregnancy were associated with fewer adverse pregnancy outcomes. The findings support testing practical “sit less, move more” interventions, but cannot establish cause and effect.

21 Jul 2026

Wistar scientists develop new bispecific T cell engager to target ovarian cancer

Wistar scientists have developed a new type of bispecific T cell engager, or BTE, that is effective against ovarian cancer in preclinical studies.

21 Jul 2026

Swimming can be clinically effective in reducing disability from chronic low back pain

Australian research has shown for the first time that a program of swimming can be clinically effective in reducing disability from chronic low back pain.

21 Jul 2026