New Scientist - Health

1. US stops sharing flu data with WHO amidst one of its worst flu seasons
   The US withdrawal from the World Health Organization formally takes one year, but the country has already stopped sharing influenza surveillance with the international body, which could impact the efficacy of the next flu vaccine
2. Mini-brains have been fused to resemble that of a 40-day-old fetus
   By fusing different human organoids, researchers have created “mini-brains” containing most of the cell types found in fetal brains
3. Why being bilingual really does seem to delay dementia
   Multiple studies suggest that speaking more than one language pushes back the onset of dementia, but doesn't seem to stop it entirely
4. USAID funding freeze devastates reproductive healthcare worldwide
   The Trump administration’s pause on US foreign assistance could lead to an estimated 4.2 million unintended pregnancies and more than 8300 pregnancy-related deaths
5. How both your genes and lifestyle alter risk of age-related diseases
   The largest study of its kind has revealed how both genetics and lifestyle play a role in developing certain age-related conditions, such as dementia, lung cancer and heart disease
6. CAR T-cells enable record-breaking 18-year nerve cancer remission
   A person with neuroblastoma, which occurs when developing nerve cells in children turn cancerous, has remained tumour-free for over 18 years thanks to CAR T-cell therapy
7. Eight habits that could keep your heart healthy
   From staying active to getting plenty of sleep, there are many ways to keep your heart healthy
8. Mouse brain slices brought back to life after being frozen for a week
   In a step towards suspended animation of people, slices of mouse brains have shown near-normal activity after being stored at -150°C for up to a week
9. Using common painkiller in pregnancy might raise ADHD risk in children
   Children may have a higher risk of developing ADHD if their mothers used paracetamol – also known as acetaminophen – during pregnancy, adding weight to the contested link between the painkiller and fetal brain development
10. 'Sexome' microbes swapped during sex could aid forensic investigations
    Forensic scientists investigating cases of sexual assault may be able to use the genital microbiome to identify the perpetrator, as researchers have found that this "sexome" is exchanged between partners during intercourse