Electronic cigarettes, or vapes, are widely used and available in hundreds of different types and flavors, yet researchers lack information about the everyday e-cigarette habits of young adults. The National Institutes of Health, in partnership with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has funded a University of Oklahoma study that will investigate how, when and why young adults use e-cigarettes and how that use may relate to health risks. The results will help the FDA make decisions about regulating the makers of e-cigarette products.

Scientists at the University of Bath (UK) analyzing wastewater have found that despite fewer antibiotics being used during lockdown, antimicrobial resistance genes still persisted in the environment during this time.

In a landmark study published in Science Advances, Vanderbilt researchers have created the first high-resolution lipid atlas of the human kidney, mapping over 100,000 functional tissue units across 29 donors. By integrating advanced imaging mass spectrometry with microscopy using machine learning, the team identified distinct lipid signatures that could transform diagnostics and precision treatments for kidney disease.

A new Concordia study published in Scientific Reports finds that aquatic therapy not only strengthens spinal muscles in people with chronic low back pain but also helps reduce pain-related fear and sleep disturbances. These results suggest that aquatic therapy may offer both physical and psychological benefits beyond standard care.

 

A University of Houston optometry professor, who has pioneered the method of wearing multifocal lenses to slow myopia, is now reporting the biological changes associated with slowing eye growth when wearing multifocal lenses.  

Three University of North Florida researchers recently received a second US patent for their cancer-fighting peptoid compound that can essentially “turn off” cancer. This new patent protects the compound based on its unique chemical structure, which mimics natural proteins in the body, but offers greater stability and a longer lifespan than traditional proteins.

Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young adults. But for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), the crisis is even worse.  A study highlights a critical yet overlooked public health crisis: the rising risk of suicide among young adults with IDD. Despite common misconceptions, individuals with IDD face heightened vulnerability due to social isolation, trauma, limited support, and systemic gaps in mental health care. The need for tailored prevention strategies is urgent to address this growing need.