The COVID-19 pandemic presented several challenges, leaving the specific impact of class closures on student performance unclear. To address this, researchers examined the effect of pre-pandemic class closures due to influenza outbreaks on students’ test scores in Japan. They found that class closures adversely affected the math scores of elementary school boys from low-income households, likely due to lost instructional time and unhealthy behaviors. Fortunately, high-quality teachers could help students recover from the learning loss.

Scientists have found a direct link between osteoporosis and rotator cuff tears, two conditions that often develop with age. Using health and genetic data from hundreds of thousands of people, researchers showed that fragile bones increase the risk of painful shoulder injuries, especially in women. They also identified shared genetic variants, offering fresh insight into the biological ties between bone and tendon weakness and pointing toward targeted prevention and treatment strategies.