A clinical trial shows that laughter therapy can reduce breathing difficulties and is as effective as traditional breathing exercises in COPD patients. Patients who underwent laughter therapy had less difficulty breathing and better overall health compared to those who received traditional breathing exercises or no treatment.
A KAIST research team has identified the cause of measurement artifacts in nanoscale battery analysis, which can lead to misinterpretation of ion movement. The team developed a method to reduce these artifacts by smoothing battery material surfaces.
A large Europe-wide study has found that smoking leads to increased loneliness, with current smokers reporting higher levels of loneliness and social isolation. The study suggests that smoking damages psychosocial health in addition to physical effects, and highlights the need to challenge the social norms surrounding smoking.
A recent study found that AI chatbots incorrectly reassure sleep apnea patients that their symptoms are not serious, discouraging them from seeking specialist assessment. This can lead to delayed diagnosis and treatment, increasing the risk of complications such as high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease.
Research presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress found common bacteria in classroom dust, such as Streptomyces and Mycobacterium spp., are associated with reduced lung function in children. Children exposed to classrooms with higher levels of these bacteria had lower forced vital capacity, FEV₁, and PEF.