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Dysfunctional clearance of toxins in the brain could indicate high risk of suffering from dementia in the next decade, MRI analysis reveals.Image credit:© iStock.com, LightFieldStudiosThe brain’s built-in clearance system, called the glymphatic system, removes toxins from the brain through the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) via minuscule channels that trace blood vessels. Scientists have suspected that the glymphatic system may play a role in processes such as sleep and recovery from traumatic brain injury. Now, researchers led by Hugh Markus, a neurologist at the University of Cambridge, used data from the massive UK Biobank resource and found a link between…

Smashed sweet potatoes get crispy edges and creamy centers, giving you the crunch sweet potatoes often lack.The recipe is simple and fast—just slice, season, bake, smash and broil on one baking sheet for easy cleanup.You can customize the flavor with your favorite spices or toppings, making them a fun and versatile side or appetizer. The humble sweet potato is one of the most versatile root vegetables, at home as a mashed side, a savory breakfast hash or even in a sweet pie. It gets a lot of play in my household. I microwave smaller sweet potatoes and top them with…

Registered Dietitian NutritionistMolly Knudsen, M.S., RDN is a Registered Dietician Nutritionist with a bachelor’s degree in nutrition from Texas Christian University and a master’s in nutrition interventions, communication, and behavior change from Tufts University. She lives in Newport Beach, California, and enjoys connecting people to the food they eat and how it influences health and wellbeing.

Helen Saul editor in chief, Samantha Cassidy science writer, Brendan Deeney science writer, Laura Swaithes knowledge mobilisation research fellow, Jill Maben professor of health services research and nursing, Cath Taylor professor of workforce, organisation, and wellbeing et al Saul H, Cassidy S, Deeney B, Swaithes L, Maben J, Taylor C et al. System level changes are essential to improve the psychological wellbeing of NHS staff BMJ 2025; 391 :r2071 doi:10.1136/bmj.r2071

Weighted ratings might help to identify the impact of a researcher’s contributions.Credit: Thawatchai Chawong/iStock via GettyThe h-index — a widely used measure of impact based on publications and citation count over time — treats all of an author’s papers equally, irrespective of whether they are a first, last or middle author. A browser extension called GScholarLens now aims to change that for Google Scholar users. Launched earlier this year for the Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox browsers, the tool provides a weighted metric, called the Scholar h-index (Sh-index), which accounts for a researcher’s position in author lists. The tool gives…

There’s no denying it: Dry, chapped, itchy lips can be uncomfortable. When your lips are irritated, you’ll likely have the impulse to scratch or lick them. But doing either will just make your lips red and more inflamed, so it’s best to resist the urge.Most of the time, itchy lips are just a sign that you need to invest in a better lip balm. But sometimes, the persistent prickly sensation can be a symptom of a more-serious health issue.Here, Y. Claire Chang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Union Square Laser Dermatology in New York, discusses the most common causes of…

NP-hardness results indicate that finding exact optima and even sufficiently good approximate optima for worst-case instances of many optimization problems is probably out of reach for polynomial-time algorithms both classical and quantum4. Nevertheless, there remain combinatorial optimization problems, such as the closest vector problem, for which there is a large gap between the best approximation achieved by a polynomial-time classical algorithm5 and the strongest complexity-theoretic inapproximability result6. When considering average-case complexity, such gaps become more prevalent, as few average-case inapproximability results are known. These gaps present a potential opportunity for quantum computers, namely achieving in polynomial time an approximation that…

Alton Brown shares five viral tips for perfect baked potatoes, earning over 7 million views on TikTok.Use russet potatoes, wash thoroughly, poke holes and bake low and slow for soft insides and crispy skin.His most surprising tip? Skip cutting with a knife and instead, split with a fork for a fluffier texture. Everyone has their method for making baked potatoes at home, but there’s always room for improvement. Especially with English jacket potatoes going viral this past year, we’ve been looking to upgrade our potato game. Thankfully, chef and television personality Alton Brown just shared his top tips for the…

The company’s latest accolade for Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v (LP299V) and iron under the category of Innovation in Women’s Health was announced at the 2025 NutraIngredients-Asia Award ceremony held in Bangkok on September 17. According to Amy Lau, marketing manager for Probi’s APAC market, iron deficiency is a serious issue, particularly among women, in the region. In South East Asia alone, the prevalence rate is estimated to be about 259m women, and nearly half of the adolescent girl population are affected. Iron deficiency is mainly caused by menstruation, pregnancy, and insufficient dietary intake of the nutrient, with a key challenge of…

Antioxidant-rich cabbage is anti-inflammatory and supports healthy blood sugar.Nutrients in cabbage, including fiber and potassium, protect your heart health. Eating a variety of plants, sleeping, exercising, and managing stress all help support your metabolic health. Your daily habits play a significant role in shaping your metabolic health, including the foods you eat. Metabolic health refers to how well your body carries out the processes that turn food into energy and keep your body running optimally. It’s measured by different health markers, including blood sugar (or blood glucose), blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and waist circumference. One of the best things you can…