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Dogs support police officers with PTSD

Thousands of police officers suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of traumatic incidents in the course of their work. Dogs (both assistance dogs and companion dogs) can offer relief to police officers with PTSD. That is the finding of doctoral research by neurobiologist Charlotte Witjes-Roelofs, who will defend her thesis at Radboud University on Oct. 1, 2026. "Police officers feel safer with their dog nearby; they are better able to perform memory tasks and concentrate more effectively." The study is published in the journal Anthrozoös.

The higher your body fat percentage, the less accurate your smartwatch is at measuring calories burned

Smartwatches have become an increasingly popular way for people to monitor their health and fitness. About 100 million—nearly 4 in 10—U.S. adults own a smartwatch. Worldwide, market research estimates approximately 560 million smartwatch wearers.

Getting paid to vape? Researchers say that's a dangerous combination

Vaping products are becoming smarter—and potentially more addictive. Some new devices now reward users with cryptocurrency and other incentives tied to vaping behavior.

Research advances understanding of tick-borne Powassan virus

Tick populations are expanding across the U.S., driving an increase in tick-borne diseases. Among them is Powassan virus, a rare but increasingly reported infection that can cause severe brain inflammation and lasting neurological complications.

Cystic fibrosis: Triple therapy is particularly effective in early childhood

Cystic fibrosis is an incurable genetic disorder. Since 2020, a treatment known as triple therapy has addressed the underlying cause. Researchers at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin found that the therapy is particularly effective in early childhood: Molecular channels in the mucous membranes, which do not function or function poorly in people with cystic fibrosis, reached nearly normal functional levels in children ages 2 to 11 following treatment.

Virtual reality and classical music help to reduce blood pressure in patients in emergency department

A virtual reality landscape of a flowing river and trees, accompanied by classical music, can significantly reduce patients' blood pressure within 15 minutes of being seen in an emergency department.

Drones could speed up delivery of automated external defibrillators to patients suffering cardiac arrest

Drones could be used to deliver automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to people experiencing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, according to a study presented at the European Emergency Medicine Congress.

Steatotic liver disease risk scores compared for predicting cirrhosis

For patients with steatotic liver disease (SLD), the steatosis-associated fibrosis estimator (SAFE) score demonstrated the greatest net benefit for predicting cirrhosis, according to a study published online Sept. 21 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Menopause leaves a fingerprint that may predict dementia risk

As women go through menopause, they often sense that it's not just their bodies changing, but also their minds. They report hot flashes, anxiety, brain fog and trouble sleeping—all symptoms that can be traced back to the brain.

Newfound brain circuit coordinates eating and energy burning when temperatures drop

When the body's temperature falls, it adapts by burning more energy to generate heat and triggering appetite to replace the fuel used to stay warm. While scientists have known about those responses for decades, precisely how the brain coordinates them has remained unclear. New research led by USF Health's Dr. Yong Xu uncovered clues in a little-studied region of the brain.

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