Mental health days for students: An increasingly accepted reason to stay home from school

Public school students would be allowed to cite the need for a mental health day as an excuse to miss school, under a bill filed in the Florida Legislature for the 2020 session. The proposal is part of a growing movement in multiple states aimed at improving students’ mental well-being. Rep. Susan Valdes, D-Tampa, says she wants to elevate mental and behavior health issues to the same level as the flu, colds and dental appointments as a legitimate reason for students to call in sick. “It is time for us to take mental…

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Cancer rarely affects elephants, here’s the real reason behind it

Researchers have identified a “zombie” gene that protects elephants from cancer, a finding that may pave the way for a new treatment for humans. Globally, nearly 1 in 6 human deaths occur due to cancer, whereas less than 5% of captive elephants — who also live for about 70 years, and have about 100 times as many potentially cancerous cells as humans — die of the disease. Humans and elephants have one copy of the master tumour suppressor gene p53, which recognises unrepaired DNA damage — a precursor of cancer and…

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Parkinson’s disease, this new virus could be the reason behind it

According to the study conducted by the American Society for Microbiology, bacteriophages play a certain role in the onset of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The researchers, led by George Tetz, showed that the abundance of lytic Lactococcus phages was higher in PD patients when compared to healthy individuals. This abundance led to a 10-fold reduction in neurotransmitter-producing Lactococcus, suggesting the possible role of phages in neurodegeneration. Comparative analysis of the bacterial component also revealed significant decreases in Streptococcus spp. and Lactobacillus spp. in PD. Lactococcus are regulators of gut permeability and…

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Extreme heat and cold could be the reason for increasing workplace accidents

Turns out, hot and cold weather has a major impact on your injuries at the workplace. According to a study conducted by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, moderate and extreme ambient temperatures increase the risk of occupational accidents. The study analysed data on nearly 16 million occupational injuries that occurred in Spain over a 20-year period. Heat and cold are believed to be associated with a higher risk of occupational injury, but the existing scientific evidence consists of only a handful of studies with a small number of cases…

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Ladies, hormones are not the only reason you crave chocolate during your periods

Many women would know the intense feeling of craving chocolate during those monthly days when the disaster of nature strikes. All you could think of is chocolate, pampering, and conditioning. The little indulgence in the form of chocolate helps keep your mind off of stomach cramps and breakouts. Not many women are aware why they specifically crave chocolate during their Bloody-Mary days. According to The Independent, many people believe that it all bottles down to hormonal imbalances during your period. As progesterone and estrogen levels drop at the beginning of…

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There’s a reason why antidepressants don’t work for everyone

Researchers from University Medical Center Mainz and the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Germany developed a mouse model that allowed them to identify blood signatures associated with response to antidepressant treatment and could show the importance of the stress-related glucocorticoid receptor in recovery from depression. Major depression is the leading cause of disability according to the World Health Organization, affecting an estimated 350 million people worldwide, but only one-third of patients benefit from the first antidepressant prescribed. Although the currently available treatments are safe, there is significant variability in…

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