Low-dose CT chest scans could help detect pneumonia in at-risk patients while exposing them to only small amounts of radiation, a new study has found. The research, published in Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging, shows that ultra-low-dose scans can effectively detect pneumonia in patients with compromised immune systems, enabling doctors to treat the infection before it becomes life-threatening. According to the researchers, these scans expose patients to just 2% of the radiation dose used in a standard CT scan.

"This study paves the way for safer, AI-driven imaging that reduces radiation exposure while preserving diagnostic accuracy,” lead researcher Dr Maximiliano Klug, a radiologist with the Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, Israel, said in a news release. He added that CT scans are the gold standard for detecting pneumonia but there are concerns regarding the risk posed by repeated exposure to radiation. There is a solution- ultra-low-dose CT scan. However, the problem is that these scans can be grainy and hard to read, researchers said.

Study Gives Solution To This

To overcome that, Klug's team developed an AI program that could help "de-noise" low-dose scans, making them sharper and easier to read. Between September 2020 and December 2022, 54 patients with compromised immune systems who had fevers underwent a pair of chest CT scans -- a normal dose scan and an ultra-low-dose scan. The AI program cleaned up the low-dose scan, and then both sets of images were given to a pair of radiologists for assessment. Radiologists had 100% accuracy in detecting pneumonia and other lung problems with the AI-cleaned low-dose scans, but 91% to 98% accuracy in examining the scans that hadn’t been improved through AI, results show.

"This pilot study identified infection with a fraction of the radiation dose," Klug said. "This approach could drive larger studies and ultimately reshape clinical guidelines, making denoised ultra-low dose CT the new standard for young immunocompromised patients.

How Can You Detect Pneumonia?

Pneumonia is a lung infection that causes the air sacs in the lungs to fill with fluid or pus and can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. The symptoms can range from milk to severe, which includes:

Coughing with or without cough

Fever

Chills

Trouble breathing

Chest pain, especially when breathing deeply or coughing

Sweating or chills

Rapid heart rate

Loss of appetite

Bluish skin, lips, and nails

Confusion.

How to detect Pneumonia in coughing newborns and toddlers?

Pneumonia can severely affect newborns and young children as their lungs are comparatively more sensitive. As per Dr Goyal, young children can cough for various reasons including seasonal infections and tonsillitis, which is very common in this age group. But if they look visibly irritable and have poor sleep patterns, then parents must reach out to an expert. "I am not saying that parents must visit a hospital but any local paediatrician would be able to detect pneumonia in your kid.

The single overnight sleep study, usually conducted to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may not be accurate enough, according to a recent study. Sleep patterns change significantly from one night to the next, meaning current one-night testing could underdiagnose or overestimate the condition in some patients.

The study, published in the journal npj Digital Medicine, challenges the long-standing practice of relying on a single overnight sleep study, also known as polysomnography, to diagnose OSA.

How Was The Study Conducted?

Obstructive sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep due to blockage of the upper airway. If left untreated, it has been linked to serious health problems, including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and reduced quality of life.

To investigate whether a single sleep study accurately reflects a person's condition, researchers studied about 100 adults for suspected sleep apnea.

Participants underwent standard overnight polysomnography, a gold-standard diagnostic test. Simultaneously, they also had their sleep monitored repeatedly over several weeks in their home environment.

The researchers then compared the results from the one-night test with the average findings collected across multiple nights.

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Is The Single-Night Sleep Apnea Test Reliable?

The analysis revealed significant night-to-night variation in sleep apnea severity. In many cases, the severity measured during one laboratory night did not match the average severity recorded over multiple nights.

As a result, some patients could get classified into the wrong severity category due to the one-night test, particularly those whose sleep apnea naturally fluctuates or whose sleep is easily affected by the unfamiliar environment.

Lead author Dr Bastien Lechat, a sleep expert at FHMRI Sleep Health, said, “Our findings show that sleep apnea can vary considerably from one night to the next, so if you only measure it once, you may not capture the true severity of the condition. In some participants, we saw clear differences between the single-night result and the average across multiple nights, which suggests current diagnostic approaches may under- or overestimate disease severity in some individuals.”

The researchers also found that patients whose classifications changed between the types of tests often experienced poorer sleep during laboratory testing. This indicated that an unfamiliar sleep environment may alter sleep quality and influence results.

Senior author Professor Sutapa Mukherjee, Professor of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine at Flinders University and Senior Consultant at Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN), said, “Our findings show that sleep apnea is a dynamic disorder, and by capturing how it changes over time, we can build a much more accurate and clinically meaningful picture of a patient's condition.”

The researchers also believe that monitoring sleep on multiple nights can help doctors assess a patient's future health risks and course of treatment in a better way.

While further research is needed before multi-night monitoring becomes routine clinical practice, the authors believe the study marks an important step toward modernizing sleep apnea diagnosis.

Doctors and health experts across the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia are warning parents about a dangerous social media trend involving gel-filled "squishy" sensory toys, including the popular NeeDoh Nice Cube.

This trend has children microwaving the toys after watching viral online videos that claim it makes them softer. In many cases, the toys exploded, spraying scalding gel that caused severe burns, permanent scarring, and hospitalization in some cases.

The Viral Squishy Toy Trend

The viral challenge got children to microwave, heat or even freeze sensory toys before squeezing them.

The thick gel inside these toys can rapidly build pressure when heated. When the toy bursts, it ejects extremely hot, sticky gel that clings to the skin, making burns deeper and more difficult to treat.

The danger is particularly high as the skin of children is thinner. Additionally, they often hold the toy close to their faces.

Alarming Incidents Across Countries

Several children around the world have suffered serious injuries due to the trend. One of the most widely reported cases was 9-year-old Caleb Chabolla from Illinois, who microwaved a NeeDoh Nice Cube after believing it would become softer.

As he removed it from the microwave, the toy exploded, leaving him with second-degree burns to his face and hands. He was taken to a specialized burn center.

In Australia, 10-year-old Violet Zerbst suffered severe facial burns after microwaving the toy. When she squeezed it, boiling gel splashed across her face. Her father shared the traumatic experience to warn other parents.

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Another recent case involved 7-year-old Livi Barnard in the UK, whose mother says a NeeDoh toy leaked hot liquid onto her hands, causing painful burns and blisters that required repeated hospital dressing changes.

In one case, the toy exploded without being microwaved. In West Virginia, a teenager was burned after a squishy toy that had been left inside a hot car exploded, releasing hot sticky material onto her legs.

Doctors at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow have seen multiple children with similar burn injuries over recent months, with some requiring skin grafts and long-term care.

Doctors Issue Urgent Warning To Parents

Burn specialists say that these injuries are far more serious than they seem. The hot gel sticks to the skin, continuing to transfer heat for a longer time even after the initial explosion.

In severe cases, while children have required skin grafts, some have been placed in medically induced comas to protect their airways after extensive facial burns.

Medical experts are urging parents to:

• Never allow children to microwave, heat, or freeze squishy toys.

• Warn children about dangerous viral social media challenges.

• Keep sensory toys away from hot cars and other high-temperature environments.

• Seek immediate medical attention if a burn occurs, especially if the gel sticks to the skin or affects the face or eyes.

The manufacturer of NeeDoh, Schylling, has already put warnings on product packaging stating that the toys should never be heated, microwaved, or frozen.

US President Donald Trump was seen with a visible neck rash and a bruised right hand that appeared to be covered with makeup during the 2026 NATO Summit in Türkiye, drawing renewed attention to his health. However, the White House has continued to insist that the 80-year-old president, the oldest America has ever had, remains in good health.

The 2026 NATO Summit was held at the Beştepe Presidential Complex in Ankara, Türkiye, from July 7 to 8.

Trump's Bruised Hand And Neck Rash Spark Attention

The back of Trump's right hand—visible beneath white sleeves fastened with presidential cufflinks—looked noticeably darker than the surrounding skin, suggesting it may have been covered with makeup, The Independent reported.

The recurring discoloration has attracted attention in recent months. Similar bruising, often accompanied by visible cosmetic coverage, has been photographed during Trump's appearance at a UFC event at the White House in June and after a meeting with coal miners in February. Some photographs have also appeared to show similar markings on his left hand.

A neck rash was also visible above the president's shirt collar. Trump additionally appeared unsteady on his feet, particularly while using stairs.

Also read: Donald Trump Posts AI Video of Himself Treating Critics for 'Derangement Syndrome'

Erdoğan Seen Guiding Trump At Welcome Ceremony

During the summit's welcome ceremony, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 72, was seen taking Trump by the arm and guiding him into position.

Both Trump, 80, and Erdoğan have faced public scrutiny over their physical and cognitive health. Trump has drawn attention for rambling speeches, apparent dozing during public events, and the recurring bruising on his hands. Erdoğan has similarly been the subject of discussion over verbal stumbles, moments of confusion, and a slower walking pace.

White House Dismisses Health Concerns

Read More: New Book Examines Donald Trump's Health, Age Concerns; White House Responds

The White House has repeatedly dismissed concerns, attributing the bruising to the physical demands of Trump's public schedule.

"President Trump is the sharpest, most accessible, and energetic president in American history," White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said in a statement provided to The Independent. "The President is a man of the people and he meets more Americans and shakes their hands on a daily basis than any other President in history."

In February, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also said the bruising resulted from frequent handshaking.

Following Trump's most recent medical examination in May, White House physician Dr. Sean Barbabella said the bruising was consistent with "minor soft tissue irritation related to frequent handshaking" while the president was taking aspirin as a preventive measure against cardiovascular disease.

After his check-up at Walter Reed, Trump wrote on Truth Social that "everything" had "checked out PERFECTLY."

Public attention has also focused on other aspects of Trump's appearance in recent months. A swelling around his ankles and occasions during official events when he appeared to keep his eyes closed for extended periods have been raising health concerns.

The White House has previously said the ankle swelling is caused by blood pooling in the lower legs, describing it as a common condition among older adults.