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Blocking mobile internet for two weeks improves mental health and well-being

Today, nearly every American - 91% - owns a cellphone that can access the internet, according to the Pew Research Center. In 2011, only about one-third did. Another study finds they average 5 hours and 16 minutes a day staring at small screens.

19 Feb 2025

Lifestyle and environmental factors play bigger role in health and premature death than genetics

A new study led by researchers from Oxford Population Health has shown that a range of environmental factors, including lifestyle (smoking and physical activity), and living conditions, have a greater impact on health and premature death than our genes.

19 Feb 2025

New mRNA technique targets disease cells while sparing healthy ones

Imagine a breakthrough in cancer treatment where only malignant cells are targeted, sparing healthy host cells; or patients with abnormal protein synthesis are treated to produce a healthy protein.

19 Feb 2025

Study shows rapid transformation in multiple sclerosis treatment in Finland

A registry study led by the University of Oulu examined the early-stage treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) in Finland between 2013 and 2022.

19 Feb 2025

Study looks at effects of menthol cigarette ban on smoking habits

New research published in Health Economics indicates that a national prohibition of menthol cigarettes in the United States could increase the number of people who attempt to quit smoking but also support an illegal menthol cigarette market.

19 Feb 2025

SPRINT analysis supports lower blood pressure targets for older adults

Results from the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) have supported lower blood pressure targets among community-dwelling older adults with hypertension to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and early death, but intensive blood pressure lowering can also increase risks of developing acute kidney injury and experiencing dangerously low blood pressure.

19 Feb 2025

Neuroestrogens likely contribute to appetite regulation

Although a woman's ovaries produce the most estrogen, various types of estrogen are also synthesized throughout different tissues in the body, including the brain's neurons.

19 Feb 2025

Neonatal seizures linked to higher risk of epilepsy in children

Seizures in newborns are one of the most frequent acute neurological conditions among infants admitted to neonatal care units.

19 Feb 2025

Medicare Part D beneficiaries face rising out-of-pocket costs for brand name drugs The Expe...

Expected out of-pocket costs for commonly prescribed brand name medications have grown substantially for Medicare Part D beneficiaries as drug plans increasingly tie patient costs to list prices, according to new research from the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics published in JAMA.

19 Feb 2025

U.S. grain dust explosions in 2024 result in low injuries and no deaths

Nine U.S. grain dust explosions in 2024 caused two injuries and no fatalities, according to a nationwide annual summary.

19 Feb 2025

New method uses stool DNA to track diet and health

Scientists have developed a breakthrough method to track diet using stool metagenomic data.

19 Feb 2025

Europe sets new standards for obesity surgery medical tourism

Obesity surgery (also known as bariatric and metabolic surgery) is one of the most common reasons for people to do so called 'medical tourism' – where they travel to another country to have the procedure carried out at usually a much lower price than in their home country.

19 Feb 2025

Staffing reductions in U.S. health agencies threaten public health

Staffing reductions across U.S. federal health agencies-including the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)-pose a significant threat to public health, according to the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA).

19 Feb 2025

Human-induced climate change drives rising heatwave deaths in cities

Mortality rates during heatwaves have been put in the spotlight with research from The University of Queensland showing a 20 per cent increase in heatwave-related deaths due to human-induced climate change.

19 Feb 2025

Republicans are eyeing cuts to Medicaid. What’s Medicaid, again?

In January, during a congressional hearing on his way to becoming secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. got basic details wrong about Medicaid — a program he now oversees.

19 Feb 2025

More screen time, more stress? Study links device use to teen mental health

Research shows that excessive screen time contributes to stress and depression in adolescents, highlighting the need for balanced digital habits and exercise.

19 Feb 2025

Common antidepressant Fluoxetine protects from sepsis-induced death

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19 Feb 2025

Preventing colorectal cancer through lifestyle choices

The evidence is clear - screening for colorectal cancer may save one's life. Today, more and more people are choosing colorectal cancer screening. As a result, there is a steady decline in the number of older people getting and dying from colorectal cancer. Lower rates of smoking among Americans have also contributed to the decline in the past several years.

19 Feb 2025

Plant immune responses may offer insights into human brain diseases

A groundbreaking study led by a team of researchers at the University of Kentucky's Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment has revealed a surprising biochemical connection between plant immune responses and human neurological health.

19 Feb 2025

Scientists use Zwitterions to prevent blood clotting in medical devices

Zwitterions sound likes a distant cousin of Twitter (X), but in fact they are a common macromolecule found in human cells. Scientists at the University of Sydney are also now using Zwitterions to create materials that could stop blood clots from forming in medical devices and implants.

19 Feb 2025