Author: healthadmin

Despite the known effects of smoking on other microbial communities, this study suggests that the ocular surface ecosystem may remain surprisingly stable, leaving the possibility of small changes that can be detected in larger studies. Study: Effects of smoking on the human ocular surface microbiome and tear proteome. Image credit: komokvm / Shutterstock In a recent study published in the journal scientific reportResearchers from the University of Bern in Switzerland assessed whether smoking is associated with changes in the ocular surface microbiome and tear proteome by comparing microbial composition, diversity, functional profiles, and tear proteins between smokers and non-smokers. background…

By opening tiny, temporary channels in the skin, microneedle patches could help next-generation cosmetics deliver stronger results, from smoother skin to brighter tone to healthier hair, without relying solely on traditional creams. Review: Microneedle-based cosmetic delivery systems: advances, applications, and future prospects in skin care and cosmetic dermatology Many cosmetic ingredients, especially high molecular weight polymers and sensitive bioactive compounds, are less effective because they cannot easily penetrate the skin’s outer barrier, the stratum corneum. In a recent review published in Journal of Dermatology and Cosmetic Technologyresearchers comprehensively investigated how microneedle-based cosmetic delivery systems overcome this limitation by creating microscopic…

Water covers much of the Earth’s surface, but it behaves differently than almost all other liquids. One of its most unusual characteristics is that it expands rather than shrinks when frozen. Scientists have long linked these strange behaviors to changes in water’s microstructure as temperature and pressure change, but lacked a consistent way to explain and compare these structural changes. Now researchers at Osaka University are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to tackle this challenge. The company’s AI system provides a unified way to compare different methods of describing the structure of supercooled water and helps identify which methods capture…

Scientists have recorded a live goblin shark for the first time (Mitsukurina owstoni) thrives in its natural deep sea environment. This historic observation, led by a research team at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, provides an unprecedented look at one of the world’s rarest and most mysterious sharks without removing them from their habitat. Until now, all confirmed videos and sightings of live goblin sharks have only been made public after the animal was accidentally caught on a fishing line and brought to the surface. Divers were able to examine the sharks briefly, but the sharks usually died shortly…

An analysis of data from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project found that children randomly assigned to foster care after experiencing severe early psychosocial deprivation showed better adaptive functioning 16 years later compared to children assigned to foster care as usual. Quality of care mediated the relationship between assigned group and adaptive functioning. The paper was published in developmental psychology. Children may be assigned to institutional care if their parents are unable to provide safe and appropriate care due to death, abandonment, loss of custody, poverty, illness, disability, neglect, abuse, or family crisis. In residential care, children are placed in residential…

There will be 36 nitrate-related drinking water violations in Iowa in 2025, more than double the number reported in 2024, according to a report from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Each year, the DNR submits a compliance report to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency detailing violations of federal drinking water standards, from excessive contamination levels to operator certification requirements. Nitrate contamination levels above EPA limits were the most common health-based standard violated by public water systems, according to the 2025 report. The report said the 36 breaches occurred across 13 systems, impacting a total of 2,479 customers. Nitrate violations…

Scientists have revealed how bacteria naturally produce multiple versions of a powerful anti-cancer drug, solving a mystery that has puzzled researchers for decades. The discovery could help accelerate the development of new treatments for cancers that remain difficult to treat. For years, scientists have hoped to harness bacterial enzymes to create new drug variants through a process known as combinatorial biosynthesis. However, progress has been limited because researchers have not fully understood how enzymes regulate their actions. Published in nature communicationsnew research has revealed how bacterial enzymes communicate with each other to assemble a family of closely related anti-cancer compounds.…

People who commit crimes inspired by TV shows, movies, and video games often imitate certain methods used by fictional characters or display extreme violence. A recent small study investigated how real-world criminals adopt the behaviors seen on screen and why they sometimes deviate from their fictional blueprints. The study was published in the journal Deviant Behavior. Media psychology researchers have been trying to understand how fictional content influences real-life behavior for years. The concept of imitation effects suggests that popular media can influence the way people commit crimes. University of Huddersfield researcher and lead author Lucas Rogers, along with colleagues…

WASHINGTON — Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is preparing to make it easier for people to claim they were injured by the coronavirus vaccine and receive compensation. President Kennedy will begin compiling a list of injuries presumed to be caused by coronavirus shootings. People in such situations may seek compensation from the government. It is unclear what conditions will be included in the list, and outside experts are monitoring it closely. President Kennedy has long been critical of vaccines, saying none have been thoroughly tested for safety. He said he plans to overhaul a similar but separate program that…

Women who earn more than their male partners are still more likely to experience a relationship breakup, according to a study published in the journal Women’s Health. marriage and family journal. However, this study casts doubt on one of the most common explanations for this pattern, finding little evidence that traditional gender norms are to blame. Over recent decades, women have increasingly outperformed men in educational attainment and earned more than their partners in many relationships. Previous studies have repeatedly shown that these couples are more likely to separate or divorce, and researchers suggest that traditional expectations of the man…