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GLP-1 receptor agonists are currently among the most widely discussed classes of drugs worldwide. They have gained popularity for their effectiveness in treating type 2 diabetes and obesity, but increasing evidence suggests their effects may be much broader. Recent studies indicate that they may also influence inflammatory processes responsible for the development of many skin diseases.

Continuous consumption of foods containing heat-inactivated Lactiplantibacillus pentosus can help reduce gum bleeding, report researchers from Institute of Science Tokyo. These postbiotic foods can improve inflammatory conditions and enhance gum health in adults with mild gingivitis. The study suggested that these postbiotic foods offer a simple and practical way to support oral health in daily life without altering oral care habits. The findings also aid in the prevention of early-stage periodontal disease.

New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London, published in The Lancet Psychiatry, has found that people with psychosis experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can benefit from a trauma-focused therapy integrated with cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBTp).

A fast-rising strep bacterium has become increasingly notorious for causing serious infections in humans, including complications that can lead to muscle damage and patient death. New Houston Methodist research published in The American Journal of Pathology sheds light on how Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis (SDSE) causes disease and may provide insights to aid vaccine development.

In the U.S., more than a dozen kinds of cancer are on the rise in adults under 50. Among these early-onset cancers, colorectal and breast cancers have increased the most, and colorectal cancer is now the deadliest cancer for Americans ages 18 to 49.

Removing criminal penalties for possessing cannabis for personal use, or introducing tightly controlled legalization of cannabis, does not appear to increase levels of cannabis use. However, the commercial sale of cannabis is linked to increased health risks, with large-scale for-profit markets—such as those seen in the U.S. and Canada—resulting in more potent products and higher rates of addiction.

A new study has assessed whether exposure to their own reflection influences the development of facial mimicry, a process associated with empathy and emotion recognition, in 4-month-old infants. The results showed that infants exposed to their own reflection showed greater increases in sensorimotor cortex activity when observing others' facial expressions, but this did not translate into increased facial copying behavior.

An innovative community-led initiative has transformed blood donation practices in rural Sierra Leone, offering a potentially scalable blueprint to tackle critical health bottlenecks across low-resource settings.

For some psychologists, it's becoming more common to use AI systems to replace human thinking in research. That's a very risky choice based on misconceptions, warn Iris van Rooij and Olivia Guest in a new paper published today in Current Directions in Psychological Science. "Research based on artificial intelligence models will never be an adequate substitute for understanding and replicating human thought."

Plants have always played an integral role in traditional medicine and healing practices, according to Kent Vrana, Elliot S. Vesell Professor of Pharmacology at Penn State College of Medicine, and they continue to shape health and medicine today.