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Medicine & Health

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 17-Jun-2026 17:15 ET (17-Jun-2026 21:15 GMT/UTC)

Menopause linked to loss of grey matter in the brain, poorer mental health and sleep disturbance

University of Cambridge
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Menopause is linked to reductions in grey matter volume in key brain regions as well as increased levels of anxiety and depression and difficulties with sleep, according to new research from the University of Cambridge. The study, published today in Psychological Medicine, found that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) does not appear to mitigate these effects, though it can slow the decline in reaction times.

Journal: Psychological Medicine
Funder: Wellcome Trust, NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre

Low-cost system turns smartphones into emergency radiation detectors

Hiroshima University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A low-cost, portable radiation dosimetry system uses a smartphone and radiochromic film to provide immediate on-site dose assessments of radiation.

Journal: Radiation Measurements

Biochar emerges as a key material linking clean water, carbon capture, and renewable energy

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Biochar, a carbon rich material made by heating agricultural and forestry waste under low oxygen conditions, has long been valued for improving soil health. Now, a new review reveals that biochar is rapidly evolving into a powerful multifunctional material with the potential to tackle some of the world’s most urgent environmental challenges, from water pollution and nutrient loss to carbon emissions and clean energy production.

Global health impacts of plastics systems could double by 2040

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The adverse health impacts associated with emissions across the full life cycle of plastics could double by 2040 unless immediate action is taken, new research suggests.

Journal: The Lancet Planetary Health
Funder: Innovative Methods and Metrics for Agriculture and Nutrition Actions, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, French National Research Agency

Tracking antibiotic resistance in the environment gets a high tech upgrade

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Antibiotic resistance is often framed as a hospital problem, but a growing body of evidence shows that the environment plays an equally critical role in the global spread of drug resistant bacteria. Rivers, soils, wastewater, and even the air can act as reservoirs for antibiotic resistance genes that may eventually reach humans and animals. A new review highlights how advances in metagenomic sequencing are transforming scientists’ ability to monitor these hidden environmental risks and assess their potential impact on public health.

Why family physicians are leaving comprehensive care

American Academy of Family Physicians
Peer-Reviewed Publication

This study explored why family physicians in Ontario left comprehensive care and what policy changes they believed could help retain physicians.

Journal: The Annals of Family Medicine

Systems-level approach in primary care improves alcohol screening, counseling, and pregnancy-intention records

American Academy of Family Physicians
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening adults, including pregnant women, for unhealthy alcohol use and providing brief behavioral counseling when risky drinking is identified. This study examined whether implementing the American Academy of Family Physicians’ Office Champions Quality Improvement Model, a framework that empowers local staff to lead care improvement efforts, could improve alcohol screening and brief intervention.

Journal: The Annals of Family Medicine

How patients value visit type, speed of care, and continuity in primary care

American Academy of Family Physicians
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Many patients use patient portals to message their primary care clinician, but demand for in-person appointments remains high. Researchers from the University of Michigan examined how patients value trade-offs between quick portal messaging, getting a visit sooner with any available physician, or waiting longer to see their own primary care physician.

Journal: The Annals of Family Medicine

CRISP translation guide enables translating research-reporting guidelines across languages

American Academy of Family Physicians
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Consensus Reporting Items for Studies in Primary Care (CRISP) is a research-reporting guideline developed for primary care. Because no widely accepted procedure exists for translating research-reporting guidelines, the authors developed the CRISP Translation Guide to facilitate the translation of research-reporting guidelines and related documents to support worldwide dissemination and application of primary care research results.

Journal: The Annals of Family Medicine