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.

India's National Viral Hepatitis Control Program (NVHCP) has screened more than 210.6 million people and treated over 612,000 patients as of March 2026, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare ahead of World Hepatitis Day 2026.

Viral hepatitis remains a major public health challenge. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that hepatitis caused 1.34 million deaths globally in 2015, a toll comparable to tuberculosis. In India, an estimated 40 million people live with Hepatitis B, while 6-12 million have Hepatitis C.

According to the 2021 HIV Sentinel Surveillance:

• 0.85% tested positive for Hepatitis B
• 0.29% tested positive for Hepatitis C

This is roughly equivalent to 1 in 118 people testing positive for Hepatitis B and 1 in 345 for Hepatitis C among those surveyed.

India's Plan to Eliminate Hepatitis

Launched in 2018, the National Viral Hepatitis Control Program aims to:

• Eliminate Hepatitis C by 2030
• Reduce infections, illness and deaths caused by Hepatitis B and C
• Prevent complications such as cirrhosis and liver cancer
• Reduce the burden of Hepatitis A and E

"Since 2018, India's National Viral Hepatitis Control Program has offered free screening and treatment for Hepatitis B and C nationwide. Smart use of local funding, cheaper generic drugs, and existing health programs has helped expand this care further," the government said in an official statement.

"Services are now moving from district hospitals down to local health centers, bringing testing and treatment closer to everyone," it added.

How Does It Work?

• Covers Hepatitis A, B, C, D and E
• Free testing and medicines for Hepatitis B and C
• Digital patient monitoring through the NVHCP-MIS portal
• Focus on prevention, awareness, screening and treatment
• The NVHCP is integrated with several health programs to expand access to prevention and care.
• Universal screening of pregnant women for Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis B birth dose for every newborn
• HBIG for infants born to Hepatitis B-positive mothers within 24 hours
• Screening of high-risk groups for Hepatitis B and C
• Hepatitis B vaccination for healthcare workers and eligible high-risk groups
• Uses existing TB molecular testing machines for hepatitis diagnosis
• Refers Hepatitis B and C-positive blood donors for treatment

What Is Hepatitis?

Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver caused by viruses, alcohol, certain drugs, toxins, or autoimmune diseases. Hepatitis B and C are the most common causes of chronic liver disease and can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer if left untreated.

World Hepatitis Day 2026

World Hepatitis Day is observed each year on 28 July to raise awareness of viral hepatitis.

The World Hepatitis Day 2026 theme, “Hepatitis: Let’s break it down,” is a call to remove the barriers that stand between people and the services that can save their lives. Viral hepatitis continues to be a major cause of preventable illness and death worldwide.

A new study suggests that when you eat may be just as important as what you eat to support brain health as you age.

Researchers have found that restricting food intake to an 8 to 9-hour window each day and avoiding food for at least four hours before bedtime may help reduce age-related cognitive decline, particularly among older adults living with overweight or obesity.

The findings were presented at the American Society for Nutrition's NUTRITION 2026 annual meeting. The study supports the notion that fixed mealtimes could support healthy ageing beyond weight loss.

What Did The Study Find?

Led by researchers at Rutgers University, the study is based on 47 women aged 50 to 79 years who were overweight or obese.

All participants were enrolled in a six-month weight-loss programme and asked to consume 500 fewer calories per day. They were then divided into two groups:

Time-restricted eating group: Ate all meals within an 8 to 9-hour window, typically between 10 am and 6 pm.

Control group: Spread meals across a more conventional 12-hour eating window.

Both groups lost around 6.8 to 7 kg over six months. However, participants who followed the shorter eating window performed significantly better on tests assessing spatial planning, problem-solving, and executive function.

Researchers also noticed that they also committed fewer memory and learning errors.

Why Could Meal Timing Matter?

Also read: Scientists Say Changes In Brain In Your 40s & 50s May Influence Dementia Risk

Following fixed meal times can regulate the body's circadian rhythm, the internal biological clock that keeps sleep in check, metabolism, hormone release, and other essential brain functions.

Eating earlier in the day and avoiding late-night meals may improve metabolic health, reduce inflammation, enhance insulin sensitivity, and support healthier brain function over time. These factors are known to lower risk of cognitive decline.

Lead investigator Professor Sue Shapses, nutritional scientist at Rutgers University and Rutgers-RWJ Medical Center, said, "Losing weight alone will ward off some of the aging-related cognitive decline, and these data suggest that there may be additional benefits if you stop eating four hours before going to sleep and reduce food intake to 8 to 9 hours per day, compared with the usual eating window of 12 hours per day."

She added, "These outcomes suggest a better ability to remember information during everyday tasks and reducing mistakes related to memory, attention and problem-solving. Reductions in the eating window predicted greater improvements."

Can It Influence Dementia Risk?

Also read: Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi Sleeps 3 Hours A Night: How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?

The researchers stress that the study does not prove that a 9-hour eating window prevents dementia. Instead, it suggests that meal timing could become one of several lifestyle strategies to support cognitive health.

Dementia risk is influenced by multiple factors including age, genetics, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, physical activity, sleep, and diet. Time-restricted eating may eventually become part of a broader prevention approach if future research confirms these findings.

Dementia Risk Gets Influenced During Midlife

A recent study found that brain undergoes immune changes during 40s and 50s that could influence the risk of dementia.

Researchers found that the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for learning and memory, experiences a major shift in its immune cells during the 40s and 50s.

Once this immune environment changes, it may make the brain more vulnerable to inflammation and cognitive decline.

The findings suggest that this change could lead to chronic inflammation associated with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia in the future .

US President Donald Trump should take a month-long break for his health, friend Bill O'Reilly has suggested.

The American conservative political commentator and television host made the remarks during a recent episode of his show.

“I noticed that he’s hunching over a little bit,” said O'Reilly, noting that he has known Trump for 35 years and expressing concern about the 80-year-old president's health, TV Insider reported.

“That’s normal. You get older, every malady in the world is going to visit you. I can’t even bore you with the stuff I gotta deal with. I was actually feeling sorry for myself the other day and I never do that.”

Offering advice, O'Reilly said Trump should “take the next month off, if you can.” He urged the president to “get into an environment” he enjoys, suggesting he spend time playing golf and “relax a little bit.”

Renewed Scrutiny Over Trump's Health

Questions about Trump's health have resurfaced during his second term following a series of public appearances.

Observers have pointed to swollen ankles, bruising on his hands, verbal slips, and occasional moments in which he appeared drowsy during meetings and international summits. Some physicians have also publicly raised concerns about the president's physical and cognitive health, although none have diagnosed him with dementia.

Trump has repeatedly rejected suggestions that he is experiencing cognitive decline or other serious health problems. His latest annual physical examination concluded that he is "in excellent health."

Bruising and Rash Draw Online Attention

Recent photographs have shown discoloration on both of Trump's hands. His right hand has repeatedly drawn attention in recent months for bruising that often appeared to be covered with concealer, while newer images also showed discoloration on his left hand.

“Bruising and discoloration was visible today on Trump's left hand, which is not the one that is usually mangled,” independent journalist Aaron Rupar wrote on social media platform X.

Earlier this month, Trump was also photographed with a visible neck rash and a bruised right hand that appeared to be covered with makeup during the 2026 NATO Summit in Türkiye. The back of his right hand appeared noticeably darker than the surrounding skin, suggesting cosmetic coverage, The Independent reported.

Trump has also been unsteady on his feet on some occasions, particularly while using stairs.

White House Dismisses Concerns

The White House has repeatedly rejected concerns about Trump's health, attributing the bruising to the physical demands of his schedule.

"President Trump is the sharpest, most accessible, and energetic president in American history," White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said in a statement to The Independent.

In February, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt similarly said the bruising was caused by 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 the check-up at Walter Reed, Trump wrote on Truth Social that "everything" had "checked out PERFECTLY."

The White House has also addressed concerns over swelling around Trump's ankles, saying it is caused by blood pooling in the lower legs—a common condition among older adults.