ONCOLOGY

Colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality rates are rising worldwide, with notable epidemiological shifts. A review explores trends in CRC rates across age groups and birth cohorts, linking these changes to early-life exposures and emerging risk factors. Notably, CRC incidence has surged in individuals born since the early 1950s across the globe, indicating factors affecting early carcinogenesis stages. Evidence suggests that exposures during fetal development, childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood play critical roles. Environmental chemicals from the 1950s and 1960s may also contribute. Increased participation in screening programs and identifying emerging risk factors are essential to combat this trend.

Understanding the Rising Colorectal Cancer Rates: Exploring Trends, Early-Life Exposures, and Risk Factors Worldwide

PSYCHIATRY

Review finds self-administered single-session interventions may modestly reduce anxiety and depression in young people.

Self-Administered Single-Session Interventions for Youth Mental Health

A systematic review and meta-analysis of 25 randomized controlled trials involving 5,628 young people found that self-administered single-session interventions (SSIs) may help reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms. The analysis showed small improvements in anxiety and depression, although substantial variability across studies and wide prediction intervals highlight the need for further research to establish their effectiveness in youth mental healthcare.

Study links positive memory recall and fading affect bias with better adolescent mental health and lower affective disorder risk.

Positive Autobiographical Memory and Adolescent Mental Health

A study of 318 adolescents aged 16–18 examined how autobiographical memory patterns relate to mental health. Adolescents at lower risk of affective disorders recalled more positive than negative events and showed a stronger fading affect bias, in which negative memories lose emotional intensity more quickly than positive ones. Higher-risk adolescents showed weaker positive memory biases and recalled more negative events, highlighting potential targets for memory-based interventions.

Finnish study links childhood mental disorders to lower academic achievement, especially among females and older-diagnosed students.

Childhood Mental Disorders and Academic Performance

A nationwide Finnish study of 837,546 students found that childhood mental disorders were associated with lower school achievement. The impact was greater among females than males, while disorders diagnosed at older ages were generally linked to poorer academic performance. The findings highlight the importance of timely mental health support, particularly for adolescents and female students.

Scottish study links frequent preschool outdoor play with more favourable mental health trajectories through middle childhood.

Outdoor Play and Child Mental Health: Scottish Study

A longitudinal study of 4,151 children in Scotland found that more frequent outdoor play at ages 2–4 was associated with lower odds of following increasing or persistently elevated mental health symptom trajectories through age 8. The findings suggest that outdoor play may support children's emotional and behavioural well-being, although the study relied on parent-reported measures.

An AI model identifies adolescent mental health risk, with sleep quality emerging as the strongest predictor.

AI Model for Early Mental Health Risk Detection in Adolescents

A study involving 5,283 Chinese adolescents, with external validation in another 968 participants, developed a machine learning model to identify mental health risk. The XGBoost model achieved an F1 score of 0.80 in external validation. Sleep quality was the strongest predictor, followed by repetitive negative thinking, interpersonal stress, impulsivity, and emotional intensity, offering potential support for earlier risk identification.

Discover how parental genetics impact children's neurodevelopment and behavior, highlighting the role of maternal depression in outcomes.

Parental Genetics & Child Behavioral Outcomes Study

A study of 3,270 families from the Generation R Study examined how parental genetic liability influences children's neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes. Researchers found that direct genetic transmission explained most associations with behavioral problems, while maternal genetic liability to depression showed additional indirect associations independent of children's genetic risk. Global brain measurements did not explain these pathways, highlighting the importance of studying genetic and caregiving influences together.

UROLOGY

Swedish study finds increased fracture risk after bladder cancer surgery, particularly among women, highlighting the need for bone health monitoring.

Bladder Cancer Surgery and Fracture Risk: Swedish Study

A nationwide Swedish cohort study of 2,908 patients who underwent radical cystectomy with urinary diversion found an increased risk of fractures compared with matched individuals from the general population. Women had nearly twice the risk of femoral fractures and any fractures, while men also showed an elevated risk of fractures overall. The findings highlight the importance of monitoring bone health after bladder cancer surgery.

Study links developmental language disorder to higher recorded offending risk, with school suspension partly explaining the association.

Developmental Language Disorder and Risk of Offending

A longitudinal study using data from up to 6,800 participants found that individuals with developmental language disorder (DLD) were more likely to have a recorded police offence than those without DLD. School suspension partly explained this association, highlighting the potential importance of inclusive educational support. However, researchers found no significant differences in out-of-court disposals or reoffending between the groups.

A 25-year study uses machine learning to predict mental health symptom trajectories from childhood through adulthood.

Machine Learning Predicts Mental Health Trajectories Across Life

A 25-year longitudinal study of 317 participants tracked externalizing and internalizing mental health symptoms from ages 8 to 33. Researchers identified low, increasing, and decreasing symptom trajectories, with both genetic and environmental factors contributing to risk. Random forest and logistic regression models showed potential for classifying these patterns, supporting efforts toward earlier identification and targeted mental health interventions.

NEUROLOGY

Study finds fetal adrenal changes and altered Doppler parameters in pregnancies affected by rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.

Inflammatory Arthritis and Fetal Adrenal Changes in Pregnancy

A study comparing 46 pregnancies affected by inflammatory arthritis with 92 healthy controls found larger fetal adrenal gland fetal-zone dimensions and altered middle adrenal artery Doppler parameters. Both rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis were associated with lower pulsatility index values, suggesting fetal adrenal adaptation to maternal inflammation. Further research is needed to establish the clinical significance of these findings.

CARDIOLOGY

Study examines the link between hemoglobin glycation index and cardiovascular disease in adults with a history of hip fracture.

Hemoglobin Glycation Index and Cardiovascular Disease Risk

A study using data from CHARLS and NHANES investigated the association between the hemoglobin glycation index (HGI) and cardiovascular disease in middle-aged and older adults with a history of hip fracture. Higher HGI was associated with greater cardiovascular disease prevalence in the CHARLS cohort, while findings in NHANES were weaker after adjustment. Prospective studies are needed to establish its clinical significance.

ENDO-DIABETOLOGY

Study compares semaglutide and sleeve gastrectomy, finding surgery more cost-effective and semaglutide marginally more equitable.

Semaglutide vs Sleeve Gastrectomy: Cost-Effectiveness and Equity

A 25-year Markov simulation comparing semaglutide 2.4 mg, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), and no treatment in Black and White adults aged 65–70 with obesity and cardiovascular disease found both interventions cost-effective. LSG was the most cost-effective option, with a 57% probability of being optimal versus 43% for semaglutide at $100,000 per QALY. Semaglutide was marginally more equitable but not distributionally cost-effective.

Study finds irrigation-assisted dual-drain suction may shorten hospital stays in Ludwig’s angina, but complication reductions remain uncertain.

Dual-Drain Suction for Ludwig’s Angina: Study Findings

A retrospective comparative study of 60 adults with Ludwig’s angina in Tuscany, Italy, found that irrigation-assisted dual-drain suction was associated with a shorter hospital stay than single-drain suction (6.1 vs. 8.2 days). Major complications were numerically lower with the combined protocol, but the difference was not statistically significant. Further research is needed to confirm its benefits and identify the contribution of irrigation.

Machine learning identifies three LUTS subtypes, highlighting sex differences and opportunities for personalized urological care.

Machine Learning Identifies Three LUTS Phenotypes in Men and Women

A multicenter study of 1,586 adults across 35 centers in China used unsupervised machine learning to identify three lower urinary tract symptom (LUTS) subtypes: mild/compensated, storage-dominant with sleep fragmentation, and voiding-dominant. Women reported greater symptom burden but better voiding satisfaction, while men experienced poorer sleep quality. The findings may support personalized urological care, pending prospective validation.

DERMATOLOGY

A 12-week study found RLX-201 improved skin firmness, elasticity and texture while reducing a biomarker of mTORC1 activity.

Topical RLX-201 Shows Promise for Skin Aging and Elasticity

A 12-week randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled study found that topical RLX-201 improved skin firmness, elasticity, sagging, and overall skin quality in women with moderate-to-severe facial photoaging. More than 85% of participants reported improvements in radiance, texture, and hydration. Laboratory testing also showed approximately 91% lower pRPS6 expression, suggesting suppression of mTORC1 activity and a potential approach to supporting skin resilience.

Rising Colorectal Cancer ...

Rising Colorectal Cancer Incidence: Early-Life Exposures and Solutions