Mask mandates for airplanes, trains and transit hubs that were set to expire next week will be extended to April 18, the Biden administration is expected to announce Thursday. Between now and mid-April, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will work with other federal agencies “to help inform a revised policy framework for… read on > read on >
As the war in Ukraine enters its third week, the scale of the devastation is placing the health of all Ukrainians — and the country’s health care system itself — in peril. “It’s mind-boggling,” said James Elder, a spokesperson for UNICEF, who arrived in the western city of Lviv just two days after the Russian… read on > read on >
A day that includes a trip to the emergency room is probably a high-stress one, but man’s best friend could help you cope, new research finds. The study found a reduction in pain, anxiety and depression that ranged from 43% to 48% in patients who were treated with a visit from a trained therapy dog… read on > read on >
Could hugging a soft, mechanized pillow that simulates slow breathing help test-stressed students ward off anxiety and stress? British researchers are betting on it. The pillow in question looks like any typical cushion, noted study author Alice Haynes. She’s a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom. But when hugged, the… read on >
California will once again be able to set its own car emission standards under a waiver approved Wednesday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The move reverses a Trump administration decision to revoke the state’s authority to determine its own limits on auto emissions. Under the EPA waiver, California will be allowed to create tighter… read on > read on >
A healthy bank account pays dividends after a heart attack, with new research indicating severe financial strain increases survivors’ risk of death. Researchers analyzed data from nearly 3,000 people, 75 and older, whose health was tracked after they suffered a heart attack. “Our research indicates the importance of financial strain in predicting which patients will… read on > read on >
Want to breathe better air indoors? Go green. Houseplants can make your home or office air cleaner, according to British researchers. In lab tests, they found that three common houseplants — peace lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii), corn plant (Dracaena fragrans), and ZZ plant or fern arum (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) — could reduce levels of a common air… read on > read on >
The often-used steroid spironolactone is not linked to any increased risk of a range of common cancers, according to a new study. The synthetic steroid is routinely used to manage heart failure, high blood pressure and edema, and also used off-label to treat acne, hair loss and excessive hair growth (hirsutism). “Though the U.S. Food… read on > read on >
U.S. National Guard soldiers are at heightened risk for problem drinking after military deployment, but less likely to receive help with their alcohol struggles than active-duty service members, a new study finds. Exposure to combat during deployment was the strongest risk factor for problem drinking among the reservists in the study, according to the report… read on > read on >
Two groups of indigenous people in the Bolivian Amazon have some of the world’s lowest dementia rates, and that may offer insight on how to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, a new study suggests. Researchers found only about 1% of older Tsimane and Moseten people have dementia, compared with 11% of people 65 and older in the… read on > read on >
