Exposure to mold both in and out of the home may worsen breathlessness and other symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), new research suggests. More than 16 million Americans have COPD, according to the American Lung Association. COPD is an umbrella term for chronic lung diseases such as bronchitis and emphysema, which literally take…  read on >  read on >

When depression strikes teachers, they can suffer mightily, but a new study suggests their students’ ability to learn might also be harmed. Researchers found a correlation between teachers’ depressive symptoms and math skills in early learners enrolled in Head Start programs. Head Start is a U.S. government program providing early education, nutrition, health and parent…  read on >  read on >

In normal times, a sunny day can lift your mood while a stormy one can darken it, but new British research shows that weather had little effect on people’s spirits during the pandemic. “We know that lockdown restrictions, and the resulting impact on social life and the economy, are linked to at least two major…  read on >  read on >

Certain cholesterol-lowering drugs might speed dementia in some older adults whose memories are starting to fail, a small, preliminary study suggests. The researchers found that of 300 older adults with mildly impaired thinking and memory, those using “lipophilic” statins were more likely to develop dementia over the next eight years. Lipophilic statins include such widely…  read on >  read on >

Researchers say an extra dose of two-dose COVID-19 vaccines may improve immune system protection for organ transplant patients, a group that’s so far responded poorly to two-dose vaccines. “Our findings suggest clinical trials are warranted to determine if transplant recipients should receive COVID-19 vaccine booster doses as standard clinical practice, similar to what is currently…  read on >  read on >

More teens in the United States are reporting their sexual identity as gay, lesbian or bisexual, nationwide surveys show. Between 2015 and 2019, the percentage of 15- to 17-year-olds who said they identified as “non-heterosexual” rose from 8.3% to 11.7%, according to nationwide surveys by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Although our…  read on >  read on >