In 2016, Poland introduced a nationwide policy eliminating all out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs prescribed by healthcare professionals to individuals aged 75 and older. A new study published in Health Economics finds that the policy reduced average out-of-pocket medication spending by 23% and cut catastrophic drug expenses by 62%, indicating substantial financial protection during major health shocks. The financial gains, however, were not evenly distributed. The evidence suggests that higher-income and urban households benefited more, pointing to the ...

Studies have reported on survival probabilities of people born with open spina bifida, a condition where the spinal cord and nerves are exposed through an opening in the back. Research published in Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology now provides life expectancies, with results reported by age, sex, and different levels of impairment. In the study of 1,659 patients with open spina bifida who received support from the California Department of Developmental Services in 1986–2019, survival varied significantly by walking and feeding ability and by bowel/bladder continence. As an example, at age 5, the life expectancy was 27 additional years for males in ...

Embargoed until 10:15 AM PST, February 11, 2026   Las Vegas, NV – Prescribing daily aspirin at the first prenatal visit to all pregnant patients was associated with an overall reduction in the development of severe preeclampsia, according to new research presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) 2026 Pregnancy Meeting™.    Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication that includes persistently high blood pressure and signs of organ damage such as protein ...

Raise your hand if you dreaded chemistry lessons at school. Apart from a few exceptional cases, this discipline is often perceived as difficult, abstract and removed from real life. This affects students’ motivation and choices, discouraging them from pursuing academic and professional careers in this important and, in fact, fascinating field. In a new article published in JCOM, a team of Brazilian researchers — Ariane Carolina da Rocha, Ana Carolina Steola and Ana Cláudia Kasseboehmer, all from the Instituto de Química ...

Unchecked use of technology and pandemic isolation have ‘reshaped’ how teenagers develop – but it’s not too late to intervene. This is the stark warning of educator Amber Chandler, who suggests teens are struggling with unprecedented levels of anxiety in this ‘scared new world’, which presents a major challenge for parents and schools. However, the teacher says children can learn to flourish and thrive if given the right support. No phones at bedtime, ‘no-tech’ ...

An alarming 71 percent of grocery store baby food products in the United States are classified as ultra-processed foods (UPFs), according to new research published today in the scientific journal Nutrients.1 Researchers at The George Institute for Global Health analyzed data on 651 products from the Institute’s FoodSwitch database, which includes infant and toddler food products sold in the top ten US grocery store chains. The products were assessed using the well-established NOVA classification system. UPFs are defined as industrially made products created from highly processed ingredients and additives.2 Such products tend ...

CLEVELAND, Ohio (Feb 11, 2026)—Hormone declines during menopause can cause genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), a cluster of vulvovaginal and urinary symptoms that can significantly impair a woman’s quality of life. Local estrogen therapy is effective in relieving genitourinary symptoms, but a new study suggests nonablative capacitive-resistive monopolar radiofrequency (CRMRF) may also be effective in restoring vaginal and sexual health. Study results are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The Menopause Society. Genitourinary syndrome of menopause is estimated to affect at least half of postmenopausal women. Common symptoms include ...

As the global demand for clean hydrogen continues to grow, the limitations of conventional steady-state water electrolysis in terms of energy efficiency, mass transfer, and system stability become more pronounced. Now, researchers from the School of Energy Science and Engineering at Harbin Institute of Technology, led by Professor Wei Zhou and Professor Jihui Gao, have presented a comprehensive review on pulsed dynamic electrolysis (PDE) and its potential applications in enhancing water electrolysis performance. This work offers valuable insights into the development of next-generation hydrogen production technologies that can ...

As the rapid development of Bluetooth technology and 5G communication continues to accelerate, electromagnetic interference issues in the ISM band (2.4–2.48 GHz) for Bluetooth devices, as well as the n77 (3.3–4.2 GHz), n78 (3.3–3.8 GHz), and n79 (4.4–5.0 GHz) bands for 5G communications, have become increasingly severe. Now, researchers from Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang University, Jiangxi Agricultural University, and Fudan University, led by Professor Chongbo Liu, Professor Yuhui Peng, Professor Guangsheng Luo, and Professor Xuliang Nie, ...

As the global demand for clean and renewable energy continues to rise, harvesting low-grade energy sources such as salinity gradients has attracted increasing attention. However, achieving both high ion selectivity and high ionic conductivity in ion-exchange membranes remains a major challenge, limiting practical power output. Now, researchers from Qingdao University, Beihang University, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, led by Professor Xin Sui, Professor Lilong Gao, Professor Longcheng Gao, and Professor Kunyan Sui, report a breakthrough strategy based on high-density ...

Advancing Thermal-Hydraulic Analysis for High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors High temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs) are regarded as a key component of next-generation nuclear energy systems due to their inherent safety characteristics and high outlet temperatures. Accurate thermal-hydraulic analysis plays a central role in both reactor design and safety assessment. However, conventional thermal-hydraulic codes for HTGR typically rely on two-dimensional models and traditional numerical algorithms, which fail to meet the requirements for detailed three-dimensional ...

At present global energy transition is characterized by the development trend of “centering on renewable energy power, emphasizing both security and resilience, and pursuing multi-pathway coordination”. In China, the energy revolution has also entered a critical stage of system reconstruction. Notably, relying solely on large-scale expansion of single type of energy is no longer feasible to address the systemic challenges posed by high proportions of renewable energy consumption, energy distribution across time and space, and diversified energy needs. Against ...

The induction of respiratory mucosal immunity, characterized by secretory IgA (sIgA) and lung-resident memory T (TRM) cells, is essential for establishing robust first-line defence against viruses. While it is regarded as a critical target for next-generation SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development, current intramuscular vaccines often fail to elicit potent mucosal responses, and subunit antigens usually exhibit poor immunogenicity and limited protection against emerging variants when administered alone. To that, an approach based on the modular "plug-and-display" assembly ...

A decade-long study has revealed that rising atmospheric CO₂ and warming work together to reduce the availability of phosphorus in rice-upland crop rotation systems, potentially threatening future food security. The research, which was led by scientists from the Institute of Soil Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, shows that warming plays a dominant role in redirecting phosphorus into less accessible soil pools. The findings were published in Nature Geoscience on February 3. The journal also invited ...

As global population growth and environmental pressures intensify, ensuring stable food supplies has become increasingly difficult and urgent. Wheat is a cornerstone of global food security, providing a major source of calories for nearly 40% of the world's population. Yield improvement, however, depends not only on agronomic inputs but also on plant architecture, which governs light interception, space competition, and performance under dense planting. Traits such as plant height, tiller number, and tiller angle collectively shape canopy structure and resource-use efficiency. ...

Known as the "Queen of Climbers," the genus Clematis boasts over 300 species widely distributed across the globe. From tropical rainforests to sub-arctic regions, these plants are celebrated by gardeners for their vibrant flowers and are valued in traditional medicine. Despite their great popularity, however, scientists have long struggled to organize Clematis’ rapid species radiation into a coherent family tree of Clematis has plagued taxonomists—a challenge that has persisted since Linnaeus first described the genus in 1753, “Previous attempts using traditional DNA sequencing methods ...

New research led by the University of Michigan is painting a more comprehensive picture of how noise pollution is impacting birds around the world. "The major takeaway from this study is that anthropogenic noise affects many aspects of bird behavior, with some responses more directly tied to fitness," said Natalie Madden, lead author of the new study.  The research, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, was supported by federal funding from the NASA Biodiversity and Ecological ...

As countries search for alternatives to fossil fuels, biomass has gained attention as a renewable energy source capable of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, not all methods of burning biomass are equally environmentally friendly. A new study provides one of the first systematic comparisons of how different biomass combustion technologies influence environmental impact, offering practical guidance for cleaner energy production. In a study published in Energy & Environment Nexus, researchers evaluated the environmental performance of four common biomass ...

Link to video and sound (details below): https://go.hawaii.edu/KdD A new study led by a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa researcher shows that avian malaria can be transmitted by nearly all forest bird species in Hawaiʻi, helping explain why the disease is present almost everywhere mosquitoes are found across the islands. The research, published February 10 in Nature Communications, found avian malaria at 63 of 64 sites tested statewide, including areas with very different bird communities. The disease, caused by generalist parasite Plasmodium relictum, is ...

Ammonia is one of the most abundant alkaline gases in the atmosphere. When released into the air, it reacts with acidic compounds to form fine particulate matter known as PM2.5, which contributes to air pollution, climate effects, and human health risks. Identifying where ammonia originates from is essential for designing effective emission control strategies. Researchers have long relied on nitrogen isotope signatures, commonly expressed as δ15N, to distinguish between ammonia released from sources such as fertilizers, livestock waste, and agricultural activities. ...

Excess nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus are among the leading causes of water pollution worldwide, fueling harmful algal blooms and degrading aquatic ecosystems. Now, researchers have developed a sustainable solution by transforming agricultural waste into an advanced biochar material capable of removing these pollutants from wastewater. The new study introduces a calcium hydroxide modified biochar produced from discarded shells of Camellia oleifera, an oil producing tree widely cultivated in China. The research demonstrates that this low cost material can effectively remove ammonium and phosphate from water, two major drivers of eutrophication and ecosystem imbalance. Camellia ...

Mona Lynch, UC Irvine Chancellor’s Professor of criminology, law & society, has been awarded a $178,851 grant from the Russell Sage Foundation to study how California’s landmark Racial Justice Act provides access to racial justice for criminal defendants. The research project, titled “Access to Racial Justice in Criminal Courts,” will examine the implementation and impact of the California Racial Justice Act (CRJA), which prohibits the state from prosecuting, convicting or sentencing criminal defendants based on race, ethnicity or national origin. “Our ...

Aerobic exercise, such as running, swimming, and dancing, may be most effective for relieving the symptoms of depression and anxiety, finds an overarching (umbrella) review and data synthesis of the available evidence, published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. While supervised and group exercise may be best for reducing depression, shorter (up to 8 weeks) lower intensity exercise may be best for relieving anxiety.   But all forms of exercise are as good as, or better than, medication and talking therapies, regardless of age or sex, the findings indicate.   Depression ...

School restrictive smartphone policies may save a small amount of money for schools, primarily by reducing the amount of time staff spend on managing phone-related behaviours, but they make little difference to pupils’ quality of life or mental wellbeing, finds a health economic analysis, published in the online journal BMJ Mental Health.   By the age of 12, most children own a phone and use social media, with teens reportedly spending between 4 and 6 hours a day on their phones and 2–4 hours a day on social ...

Nearly all the world’s 10.6 million children experiencing serious health-related suffering (SHS) live in low- and middle-income countries with little to no access to palliative care specialized care for their illness, according to a comprehensive new report published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health. The study defines SHS as physical, psychological, social or spiritual pain and distress linked to life-threatening or life-limiting conditions, as introduced by the Lancet Commission on Global Access to ...