Author: healthadmin

A new study from Vanderbilt Health shows that both modern weight loss drugs and bariatric surgery (weight loss) can improve body composition in obese patients. These treatments lead to significant fat loss, but also slightly less loss of lean mass (including lean muscle). This balance is important because body composition plays a huge role in long-term health. The higher the percentage of fat mass (FM), the higher the risk of death from obesity-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease. In contrast, the higher the percentage of fat-free mass (FFM), the lower the risk of death. Why fat loss and muscle maintenance…

Replacing passive screen time with mentally engaging activities may help protect the brain for decades and provides new insights into how daily habits shape dementia risk. Study: Mentally active versus passive sedentary behavior and risk of dementia: a 19-year cohort study. Image credit: Pressmaster/Shutterstock.com Adults who are sedentary have an increased risk of depression, but the association with dementia is less clear. Recent research published in American Journal of Preventive Medicine reported that even among sedentary adults, mentally active sedentary behavior was associated with a lower risk of developing dementia during follow-up. Sedentary lifestyles are increasingly linked to cognitive decline…

Robin Carlton pays about $650 a month on the Missouri Health Insurance Exchange for a plan that covers him and his two teenage children. That monthly total is $200 more than what he paid last year, in part because a pandemic-era premium tax credit expires in December. But the self-employed St. Louis property manager is in no rush to investigate a new type of insurance that could be cheaper than plans on the market: Farm Bureau health plans. “I don’t like rising costs, but I’m not going to sacrifice my kids’ insurance to save money,” Carlton said. Carleton noticed that…

A large U.S. cohort study reveals how smoking during pregnancy affects children’s mental health, increasing overall symptom burden while potentially leading to externalizing patterns of behavior from childhood to adolescence. Study: Association between prenatal smoking and child psychopathology by age and gender in the ECHO cohort. Image credit: Bernardo Emanuelle/Shutterstock.com Research published in Development and psychopathology We investigate how maternal smoking during pregnancy (MSDP) relates to children’s mental health, focusing on both overall symptom severity and the balance of internalizing and externalizing problems across development. MSDP and mental health Mothers share common genetic and environmental influences with their offspring. This…

Recent research published in journals personality and individual differences We provide evidence that a person’s willingness to engage in casual sex is associated with different psychological characteristics depending on gender. For men, this trait has little to do with how they view themselves or their morals, but for women, it tends to be associated with low self-esteem and weak moral orientation. Sociosexuality is a psychological concept that describes a person’s willingness to engage in sexual activity outside of a committed romantic relationship. People with an open-ended sociosexual orientation are comfortable with casual sex and don’t need love or emotional intimacy…

Implementation of a previously approved federal rule aimed at preventing black lung among the nation’s coal miners has been indefinitely postponed, according to an update published in the Federal Register this week. According to updatethe Mine Safety and Health Administration will wait to implement most of the rules until related litigation in federal court plays out. This is at least the fourth time the rule’s implementation has been delayed, this time with no indication of when the changes, which include cutting in half the permissible limit for exposure to silica dust for coal miners, will take effect. This rule was…

Chronic inflammation often develops silently, without obvious pain or noticeable symptoms. But over time, it can lead to serious health problems such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, arthritis, and even cancer. In the body, this process is driven by immune cells that release chemical signals to respond to injury or infection. What people eat can affect this activity. Many common foods and seasonings, such as herbs, spices, and aromatic plants, contain natural compounds known as phytochemicals that can influence inflammatory pathways. These ingredients have been combined in traditional diets and herbal remedies for centuries, long before their biological…

Microplastics have now been detected in human bile, and new research reveals how these tiny particles can interfere with cell function and potentially contribute to cholelithiasis. Research: Microplastics accumulate in human bile and accelerate cholangiocyte aging. Image credit: RHJPhtotos/Shutterstock.com recent Environmental science and ecotechnology In this study, we investigated microplastic accumulation and chronic toxic effects on the human biliary system. We also investigated the potential for in vitro therapeutic intervention against microplastic-induced cell damage using an experimental model. Microplastics as a new pollutant Plastics are highly valued in manufacturing for their durability, affordability, and corrosion resistance. However, these same properties…

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Iran is has exposed deep vulnerabilities in the global economy. It’s not just our dependence on oil, gas and coal for fuel, but also on petrochemicals that underpin everything from food production to plastic packaging.As confusion spreads, energy marketthis war highlights how fossil fuels are embedded far beyond transportation and electricity. In the short term, increased dependence on petrochemicals will lead to higher prices for a myriad of products, while in the long term the pollution caused by petrochemicals will exacerbate climate change. A two-week ceasefire announced late Tuesday is a sign of hope that the…

Human DNA is constructed from long three-letter sequences of four nucleotides. These units, known as codons, tell cells which amino acids to use when building proteins. Although several different codons can code for the same amino acid, this is often considered simple redundancy in genetic systems. However, research is increasingly revealing that these so-called synonymous codons are not truly equivalent. Some codons make the mRNA molecule more stable, making it easier for cells to translate it into protein and increasing its efficiency. Others that are considered suboptimal are more likely to be translated weakly and broken down. Until now, scientists…