If you have dogs, you probably already know that petting them can give you a lift. Researchers set out to prove that using technology to show what happens in the brain when stroking or sitting next to a dog. They also compared that to petting a stuffed animal. They found that when study participants viewed,…  read on >  read on >

Though it is illegal nationwide to sell tobacco products to anyone under age 21, many New Jersey stores still do, an undercover study revealed. More than 40% of store visits by 18- to 20-year-olds in New Jersey resulted in purchase of cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco products, the study found. While customers in this age…  read on >  read on >

Australia is experiencing its worst flu season in five years, and that doesn’t bode well for the United States, federal health officials warned Tuesday. America’s flu season often mirrors what unfolds in Australia, where winter spans April through October. Making matters worse, only 49% of Americans plan to get a flu shot during the 2022-2023…  read on >  read on >

A new study has found no evidence that COVID-19 shots increase the incidence of Guillain-Barré syndrome, according to researchers. “This is important because we can say that there is no significant increased risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome in the population,” said study first author Mustafa Jaffry, a medical student at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in…  read on >  read on >

For many kids with autism, Rhett, a black Labrador retriever, has been a calming and comforting influence in his seven years as a therapy dog. But parents shouldn’t assume that a service pooch is the solution for every child on the autism spectrum, a new study finds. Not all kids with autism enjoy interacting with…  read on >  read on >

For older adults, getting vaccinated provides protection against COVID-19, but getting a booster is a key part of maintaining that immunity, a new study confirms. “The data support the CDC guidelines for COVID-19 vaccination and affirm that the vaccine is initially able to mount a good antibody response,” said study co-author Dr. Sean Leng. He’s…  read on >  read on >