Author: healthadmin

The environment that young zebrafish experience influences both the shape and electrical activity of eye neurons, which in turn influences their subsequent behavior. Neuroscientists at King’s College London studied five-day-old fish to investigate whether the visual features of the environment in which they grew up influenced the development of eye cells. The study, published in Neuron, found that fish that grew up surrounded by horizontal stripes developed neurons with different shapes and responses compared to fish that grew up surrounded by vertical stripes. Using a virtual reality behavioral test developed in collaboration with the University of Konstanz, the researchers showed…

Forced by disparities in breast cancer outcomes, the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, School of Population and Public Health, and Novartis have joined forces in a pioneering collaboration to support underserved communities in Los Angeles County with the goal of removing barriers to screening and access. We are excited to collaborate with Novartis towards our shared goal of identifying key drivers of health disparities and understanding how to improve access. ” Dr. Chanita Hughes Hulbert, Associate Director for Cancer Health Disparities and Distinguished Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences at the University…

A new systematic review from the Columbia University School of Nursing finds that access to fertility preservation (FP) care remains limited and unequal for girls and young women with cancer. The research paper, “Fertility preservation access for female adolescents and young adults with cancer: a systematic review,” was published in Cancer on June 23, 2026. More than 85,000 adolescents and young adults (AYA) between the ages of 15 and 39 are diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States. After diagnosis, AYAs face an increased risk of long-term treatment-related effects such as cardiotoxicity, ototoxicity, and infertility. Among these, infertility…

Kombucha has skyrocketed in popularity around the world in recent years, becoming one of the most widely consumed fermented beverages. Many people choose it for its unique flavor, but researchers are taking a closer look at what happens inside the drink during fermentation and how its ingredients affect its properties. Scientists from the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences and the Wrocław Medical University (Associate Professor Helena Moreira, PhD; Associate Professor Eva Barg, MSc) set out to investigate one important question: Does the type of tea used to make kombucha affect the final product? Their findings revealed a much…

The federal government cannot prevent profits from the nation’s largest food assistance program from being used to buy candy, soda and other sugary drinks, the court has ruled. Monday’s ruling overrides current or planned restrictions on the federally funded and state-run Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in 23 states. President Donald Trump’s administration has not said whether it will appeal to the high court. Amy Berman Jackson, a federal judge in Washington who was appointed to the bench by former President Barack Obama, said the ruling was not a comment on whether the restrictions were a good idea. “Federal defendants and…

Health tech startup Cadence has secured $100 million in a Series C funding round to expand its artificial intelligence agents for chronic disease management. Spark Capital led the funding round, with participation from Thrive Capital, General Catalyst, Coatue, B Capital, Corewell Health Ventures, Memorial Hermann, and Duke Health. The company plans to use the new funding to advance its AI agents, grow its value-based care model, and expand across new healthcare systems. The company will raise $100 million in a Series B round in December 2021. Spark Capital partner and Cadence board member Will Reed said in a statement that…

Photo courtesy of San Francisco Estuary InstituteEnlarged image of a microplastic sample collected from an urban stream These droplets flowing into San Francisco Bay contain particles that appear to be from car tires. Preliminary research by the San Francisco Estuary Institute found that plastic particles caught in the bay were 10 times smaller than previously measured, about the width of a human hair. These tiny microplastics can make up the majority of the microplastics present in water. The study could inform broader research into plastics and human health, coastal ecosystems, and the ocean’s ability to capture carbon from the Earth’s…

A neuroimaging study of adolescents with ADHD found that glutamate levels in the medial prefrontal cortex region of these individuals’ brains increased with age. In contrast, in individuals who experienced remission of ADHD symptoms and in participants who had never suffered from ADHD, glutamate levels in this region of the brain decreased with age. The paper was published in translational psychiatry. ADHD, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, is a neurodevelopmental disorder whose main symptoms are inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. It usually begins in childhood. However, in most cases, ADHD is diagnosed when a child starts school, and ADHD symptoms begin to conflict…

For decades, scientists recognized only two main types of magnets. One is the well-known ferromagnetic material, the kind found in refrigerator magnets and countless everyday devices. The other is antiferromagnets, whose magnetic properties are hidden at the atomic level but are of increasing interest because of their potential use in advanced technologies. More recently, researchers have identified a third category known as alternating magnets. First proposed within the past decade, these materials may combine some of the most useful properties of both ferromagnets and antiferromagnets, potentially opening the door to faster and more energy-efficient electronics. Now, physicists at the University…

Hallmark Health Care Solutions has built an artificial intelligence-enabled platform to give health systems visibility and control over employee costs, capabilities, and incentives. Health care labor costs in the United States exceed $900 billion annually, and the American Hospital Association reports that labor costs now exceed $1 trillion annually. Labor costs, including wages, benefits, and premium contract staffing, consistently account for 50% to 60% of total health system operating budgets. But investing in the workforce remains a “black box,” said Bharat Sundaram, CEO of Hallmark Healthcare Solutions. Decision-making remains fragmented across departments, systems, and budgets. Staffing, scheduling, compensation, and contingent…