3
Apr 2026
Losing a parent hits harder with fewer siblings
Findings suggest that having siblings may buffer the mental health impact of parental loss, with fewer siblings associated with increased medication use.
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3
Apr 2026
Giving families interpreter access doubles communication time in PICU
Language barriers may be particularly harmful in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), where families encounter challenging, often life-changing medical decisions. In many hospitals, a member of the healthcare team, and not the family, decides when to use interpretation services.
2
Apr 2026
Study identifies a common hidden genetic cause of neurodevelopmental disorder in children
Researchers identified biallelic variants in RNU2-2 as the cause of a recessive neurodevelopmental disorder marked by intellectual disability, global developmental delay, and frequent seizures. The study suggests this condition may be the most prevalent known recessive neurodevelopmental disorder currently diagnosable by sequencing, with RNA data pointing to a loss-of-expression mechanism.
2
Apr 2026
Pediatric experts say plain yogurt is safe from 6 months and belongs in a baby’s diet
An expert panel review says plain, whole yogurt with no added sugar or sweeteners can be introduced from 6 months as part of complementary feeding, provided it does not replace breast milk or infant formula as the main source of nutrition. It also explains that yogurt provides live microorganisms and key nutrients, is generally well tolerated, and helps address common myths about inflammation, mucus, acne, sugar, and safety.
2
Apr 2026
MirrorBot encourages social interaction and connection between strangers
Cornell University researchers are using technology, in the form of a mirror-equipped robot, to help bring people together.
2
Apr 2026
Lung evolution shaped body size limits in early land vertebrates
The water-to-land transition stands as one of the most significant events in vertebrate evolution, giving rise to the two major groups of living land vertebrates-amniotes and lissamphibians-which occupy markedly different ecological niches.
2
Apr 2026
Semaglutide for weight loss was linked to a sharp drop in alcohol use in this case report
A 2026 case report describes a 34-year-old man with obesity and alcohol use disorder whose semaglutide treatment for weight loss was associated with a marked drop in drinking over 10 months, with his AUDIT score falling from 27 to 7 and alcohol use dropping from about 15 drinks per week to half a beer per month. The authors frame this as a promising but preliminary finding that adds to growing evidence on GLP-1 drugs and alcohol use, while also stressing that this was a single case and that better AUD screening in family medicine remains important.
2
Apr 2026
Salt-adding behavior varies by gender and lifestyle factors
Salt has been used as seasoning and food preservative for thousands of years, but having too much of it can lead to various diseases, including high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, and kidney disease.
2
Apr 2026
Many US jails lack nearby access to opioid treatment programs, study shows
A new study led by researchers at Brown University School of Public Health found that more than half of U.S. jails are located at least a 30-minute drive from the nearest opioid treatment program - a distance that may make it harder for incarcerated people to receive methadone, a key medication for opioid addiction.
2
Apr 2026
Stard7 plays unexpected role in intestinal cancer development
A new study led by researchers at the University of Liège highlights the unexpected role of Stard7 in the development of intestinal cancers.
