A new study provides further evidence that people with certain blood types may be more likely to contract COVID-19. Specifically, it found that the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is particularly attracted to the blood group A antigen found on respiratory cells. The researchers focused on a protein on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus called the… read on > read on >
All Mommy:
College Students With ADHD Have Lower Grades, Higher Dropout Rates
College students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have a harder time making it to graduation than their peers do, a new study suggests. Researchers found that of 400 students they followed, those with ADHD had a lower grade-point average (GPA) — about half a grade lower — than students without the disorder. The gap emerged freshman… read on > read on >
Talking Points: People Rarely End Conversations When They Want To
Ever been caught in small-talk you secretly wanted to end? So has nearly everyone else, according to new research that finds that both partners in a conversation often want it to end sooner than it does. The flip side is often true, as well. Study author Adam Mastroianni said that his team was “surprised to… read on > read on >
Does an Arthritis Drug Help Patients Battling Severe COVID? It Depends on the Study
Two new studies suggest that the jury is still out on whether the arthritis drug tocilizumab helps those with severe COVID-19. Both reports were published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine. The first, from scientists at the University of California, San Diego, found tocilizumab didn’t improve outcomes or reduce the risk of death… read on > read on >
Social Media, Binge Eating Often Go Together for Kids
Could endless hours spent scrolling through social media and watching TV trigger binge eating in preteens? Apparently so, new research suggests. “Children may be more prone to overeating while distracted in front of screens. They may also be exposed to more food advertisements on television,” said study author Dr. Jason Nagata. He is an assistant… read on > read on >
What You Need to Know About the New J&J COVID Vaccine
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the emergency use of Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot coronavirus vaccine, adding a third weapon to the arsenal the United States is building to battle the pandemic. The overall effectiveness of the J&J vaccine in protecting recipients against any case of COVID-19 (66%) is not as high as… read on > read on >
Skipping Mammograms Raises a Woman’s Odds for Breast Cancer Death
Don’t skip your breast cancer screening mammogram. This is the overarching message of an extended study of more than a half-million Swedish women. Those who missed even one recommended screening mammogram were more likely to die from breast cancer, the study found. The new findings — which appear March 2 in the journal Radiology —… read on > read on >
Could ADHD Raise Odds for More Serious Psychiatric Ills?
As if attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) isn’t already tough on a child, new research suggests the condition might also raise the odds for a psychotic disorder later in life. But parents should not panic. “I would say that this finding should not be an alarm for parents and people who have ADHD, because the absolute risk… read on > read on >
Stressed and Distracted, Kids and Their Teachers Say Virtual Learning Isn’t Working
For Morgan Compton, 7, who has attended school remotely for nearly a year, the stress of the pandemic manifests itself in meltdowns. On one particular day, Morgan “threw a fit and decided to go upstairs,” said her mother, Tracy Compton. Hearing the sound of his daughter’s tears, Compton’s husband, John, who also works from home,… read on > read on >
For Some Young Drivers, Smartphone Use Is One of Many Bad Habits
Young drivers who cruise down the highway with a cellphone in hand probably exhibit other risky behind-the-wheel behaviors, a new study suggests. Talking or texting on a smartphone while driving correlates with a whole range of dangerous driving practices for many young, novice drivers — from intoxicated driving to speeding, unsafely passing other vehicles or… read on > read on >