Health Risks and Impacts

Here are Neko Health's second year data from 4,362 scans! Similar to last year, 1.2% of people scanned had a directly life-threatening condition that they were unaware of. Overall, 6.4% of scans had important medical findings were uncovered and addressed.   The good news is 4 out of 5 people were in good health - for them the focus is on maintaining and improving their health for the long-term. And the best news? 77% of last year’s severe-case members, upon return, were now back in good health or in no need of further medical assistance. It's great to see the impact that proactive health can have on people's lives. Full data & methodology in the report (link in comments).

In Delhi, the temperature hit 42.1°C this year. But some people didn't have the luxury of going indoors because the street was their workplace. India’s 3 crore+ street vendors from fruit sellers to chaat walas spend over 12 hours a day under the open sky. They’re not just battling heat; they’re battling the vanishing shade. A recent study by Azim Premji University in Hyderabad reveals a disturbing trend: "As Indian cities grow vertically, their green cover shrinks." And the hardest hit? Women, migrants, and informal workers who depend on those trees for a livelihood. “When the tree was there, I sold 20 plates of Bhel. Now, I sit in the sun and barely manage 6.” -  a street vendor in Delhi. This isn't an isolated story. According to Greenpeace India & National Hawkers Federation (2024) survey: - 50% of street vendors in Delhi lost income during the summer months - 80% saw a dip in footfall due to extreme heat - ₹500–₹600 worth of goods go bad daily due to heat damage - 71% couldn’t afford medical care - Women vendors reported rising BP, menstrual irregularities, and sleep deprivation. And yet, despite Delhi hitting a record-breaking 50°C last year, heatwaves are still not recognized as a national disaster. Worse, street vendors are often left out of urban planning and climate resilience strategies. Green spaces are not aesthetic choices- they are economic lifelines. For many vendors, a tree is more than shade. It’s a signboard, a cooling system, and a guarantee of survival. And yet, the people who pollute the least are paying the highest price for climate change. If you’re in a position to influence policy, design public spaces, or fund local initiatives - pause and ask: Are we building cities that everyone can survive in?

I’ve been rebooting my “Racial Bias in Medicine” series with updates. Here's how there used to be a medical algorithm that assumed that all Black patients had better kidney functioning than anyone that was non-Black. This algorithm calculated the “Glomerular Filtration Rate” (GFR), a measure of how well your kidneys filter waste from the body. But built into this equation was a race-based correction that increased the GFR number in all Black patients. That led doctors to believe that Black patient’s kidney’s were healthier, causing delays in referrals to see specialist and in receiving kidney transplants. Thankfully in 2021, a new race-free equation was created, and in 2023 all US kidney transplant centers were required to examine which Black patients had a race-based GFR equation used for kidney waitlisting. If it was used, their waitlist times will be modified! To date, more than 14,000 Black kidney transplant recipients have been adjusted on the waitlist. Did you know these facts? #healthcareonlinkedin

🌎 Seeing the Invisible... NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration's state-of-the-art visualization, leveraging the Goddard Earth Observing System Composition Forecasting (GEOS-CF) system, brilliantly illustrates the movement and concentration of critical air pollutants: 🔹 Particulate Matter (PM2.5) 🔹 Ozone (O₃) 🔹 Carbon Monoxide (CO) 🔹 Nitrogen Oxides (NOₓ) Monitoring these pollutants is crucial due to their profound impact on human health and the environment. Exposure to these air pollutants is linked to severe respiratory diseases, cardiovascular issues, and increased mortality rates. PM2.5, in particular, can penetrate deeply into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream, exacerbating conditions such as asthma and heart disease. Globally, this groundbreaking data supports: ✅ Improved local air quality predictions ✅ Enhanced understanding of health impacts from pollution ✅ Increased accuracy and reliability of satellite datasets By visualizing air pollution in real-time, we can better target interventions, shape informed policies, and safeguard public health, ultimately protecting vulnerable populations and promoting healthier communities. #NASA #AirQuality #SatelliteData #Sustainability #PublicHealth #ClimateScience

🦷🧠Saving a tooth from extraction is not luck. It is biology, precision, and clinical science. When tooth decay reaches deep layers of the tooth, modern dentistry does not immediately remove it. Instead, it intervenes. The goal is simple: eliminate infection, preserve structure, restore function. —— From a biological perspective: A tooth is not inert. → Enamel is the hardest tissue in the human body → Dentin contains microscopic tubules connected to the pulp → The pulp houses nerves, blood vessels, and immune responses When bacteria penetrate dentin and reach the pulp, pain is a signal not the disease itself. —— From a clinical perspective: A root canal treatment follows a precise sequence: 1️⃣ Removal of infected pulp → Eliminates bacteria and inflammatory tissue 2️⃣ Mechanical and chemical cleaning of canals → Removes microbial biofilm → Shapes canals for proper sealing 3️⃣ Filling with Gutta Percha 🟠 → Biocompatible, inert material → Prevents reinfection 4️⃣ Sealing with restorative materials → Glass Ionomer / Composite → Light curing ensures stability 💡 This is not “killing the tooth.” It is protecting the surrounding biology. —— From an anatomical perspective: → Root canals vary in number and curvature → Microscopic anatomy requires magnification and imaging → Precision prevents residual infection Dentistry operates at the millimeter and often micrometer scale. —— From a neurological perspective: Dental pain is transmitted via the trigeminal nerve. → Inflammation increases nerve sensitivity → Removing the source reduces pain, not just masks it Pain relief follows cause removal, not suppression. —— From a functional perspective: A treated tooth can: → Chew normally → Maintain jaw alignment → Prevent bone loss → Support overall oral biomechanics Extraction creates a chain reaction. Preservation maintains balance. —— Common misconceptions: ❌ “Root canal is dangerous” ❌ “The tooth is dead, so it’s useless” ✔️ A treated tooth is structurally functional ✔️ Modern techniques make procedures predictable and safe —— Interesting scientific insight: → Untreated dental infections can affect systemic health → Oral health is linked to cardiovascular and metabolic conditions The mouth is not separate from the body. —— They manage tissue, nerves, mechanics, and biology. Saving a tooth is not fear. It is informed decision making.🦷 Preservation over extraction. Science over myths. Send this to someone who is afraid of the dentist —————————————— 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 👉Muhammet Furkan Bolakar and 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗹 🔔 for more updates on how #robotics, #automation and #science are shaping the future. Robot Technology: RoboSapienss Science Biology: Mr.Biyolog Digital Marketing: Bignite Digital —————————————— CTO ROBOTICS Media Onur Sezgin Florian Palatini Miloš Kučera Eduardo BANZATO Amir Sanatkar Amine BOUDER Christine Raibaldi Marcus Scholle Alexey Navolokin Sascha M. Koeppel

The first 1,000 days of life (from conception to age 2) are a powerful window where nutrition can shape lifelong health. A new study in Science looked at adults who were born during a period of sugar rationing after World War II. Those who had less sugar exposure early in life had much lower rates of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure decades later. Early nutrition has an outsized impact on how the brain, metabolism, and immune system are wired for the future. And reducing added sugar during this window can set a healthier baseline for life. It’s also never too late to make changes. Whether you’re planning a pregnancy, raising young children, or supporting your own health, every step toward whole, nutrient-dense foods makes a difference. This research reinforces something functional medicine has long emphasized: small choices, consistently made, can shape health outcomes for generations. doi: 10.1126/science.adn5421

🚨 Tyres are poisoning salmon in hours. The same dust is already in your lungs. When rain hits city streets, salmon die within hours. Not from sewage. Not from oil. From the tyres on our cars. For decades, nobody knew why coho salmon in Seattle’s streams would swim upstream strong and healthy, then spiral, twitch and suffocate within hours of rain. Whole runs gone overnight. In 2020, researchers solved the mystery, a tyre additive called 6PPD. It reacts with ozone in the air (yes, the same ozone layer you’ve heard about) and transforms into 6PPD-quinone, a chemical nobody had studied until recently. For salmon, it’s instant poison. Exposure kills them in less than three hours. Now the story has widened. New research confirmed this isn’t just a salmon problem. Tyre-wear dust ripples outward, disrupting trout, aquatic insects and even the microbial base of rivers. It doesn’t stop at water. It’s airborne. In Seoul, researchers measured 61,000 kilograms of tyre dust drifting into the air every year. Each particle is small enough to ride deep into human lungs and never leave. This is the hidden chemical footprint of modern life. One tyre revolution at a time, we are grinding rivers, ecosystems, and ourselves into dust. Governments are only just waking up: - In 2025, the US EPA listed 6PPD-quinone as a high-priority toxic chemical. - California has forced tyre makers to search for alternatives. - The EU will regulate tyre abrasion under Euro 7 standards next year. - Tribes and fishing groups are suing manufacturers, citing cultural survival and treaty rights. Yet tyre companies still hide behind “trade secrets,” keeping their recipes closed while salmon collapse in front of us. 🔗 I’ve unpacked the full science, the lawsuits, and what this means for us in my latest investigation on Ocean Rising. Read here 👉 https://lnkd.in/etAnAAyF

I’m excited to share our new @Nature paper 📝, which provides strong evidence that the walkability of our built environment matters a great deal to our physical activity and health. Details below.🧵 Paper link: https://lnkd.in/gsaySAs8 8 years ago, we published a study using smartphone data to understand people's activity globally 🗺️. We found huge differences in daily steps across cities. https://lnkd.in/gv9KNPZA The big question we couldn’t yet answer at the time: is it the city that makes people walk more, or do active people just choose to live there? 🤔 To solve this, we ran a massive "natural experiment." We studied smartphone data from 2 million people 🤳, including ~5,000 who moved between 1,609 U.S. cities. This gave us a unique before-and-after picture 📸 of how their physical activity changed with their environment. The key finding: your city can make you healthier. 🏙️➡️🚶♀️ People who moved from a less walkable city to a more walkable one increased their walking by ~1,100 steps a day, on average. That's about 11 minutes of extra walking without even thinking about it! 👟 This effect is symmetric. People moving to NYC from less walkable places gained ~1,400 steps 🗽. People who moved away from NYC lost ~1,400 steps. This "before and after" picture is powerful evidence that the environment is the key driver of physical activity. 🔄 This isn't just about more steps—it’s about the right kind of steps. Our study shows this additional activity is mostly brisk walking, which is the moderate-to-vigorous exercise (MVPA) recommended by doctors to prevent disease. A move to a highly walkable city can add an hour of this health-boosting activity to a person's week. 💪📈 In fact, moving to a much more walkable city nearly doubled the chances that a person would meet the national guidelines for physical activity (150 mins of MVPA/week), jumping from 21.5% to 42.5%. This is great news! 🎉 So, is it just that active people choose walkable cities? Our data says no. People who moved between similarly walkable cities saw no change in their activity. This suggests that the built environment, not just personal choice, is a central driver. ✅ The big takeaway: city planning is a powerful public health tool 🛠️. Investing in sidewalks, parks, and mixed-use zoning is a direct investment in the health of citizens. Our work shows that creating activity-friendly environments is a powerful way to make entire populations healthier. 💚 Huge thanks to my amazing co-authors Boris Ivanovic, Abby King, Jennifer Hicks, Scott Delp, and Jure Leskovec. (representing University of Washington, Stanford University, Stanford University School of Medicine and NVIDIA) 🙏

Did you know sleeping less than 6 hours doubles your risk of cancer, and being awake for 20 hours cognitively impairs you as much as being legally drunk. So what does this mean for seafarers working around the clock? Matthew Walker, Professor of #Neuroscience and #Psychology, has shared many insights into the critical role of sleep through his interviews on the Joe Rogan experience, Steven Bartlett’s The Diary Of A CEO, and his impactful TED Talk. His research led me to consider how well the maritime industry manages sleep, especially for watchkeepers. The #MCA acknowledges the dangers of #fatigue, yet, Matthew Walker’s findings present deeper concerns: - After just one night of 4 hours’ sleep, cancer-fighting immune cells drop by 70%. - #Nightshift work is classified by the World Health Organization as a probable carcinogen. - Losing just one hour of sleep (e.g., daylight savings or shifting time zones at sea) correlates with a 24% increase in heart attacks. While gaining an hour reduces heart attacks by 21%. - Regularly sleeping less than 6 hours doubles cancer risk and increases heart disease risk. - After 20 hours awake, cognitive performance resembles being legally drunk. The Maritime Labour Convention and STCW standards mandate at least 10 hours of rest in every 24-hour period, divided into no more than two periods, one being at least 6 hours. However, experts like Michelle Grech indicate this still mostly falls short, as most people require 7–9 hours of sleep daily for optimal performance. Key maritime studies further highlight these challenges: - Project HORIZON found that watchkeepers on 6-on/6-off rotations averaged just 6.5 hours of sleep daily, significantly impacting alertness. In simulator trials, 20% fell asleep during the midnight-to-6am watch. - Project MARTHA noted that fatigue increased significantly over longer voyages, with masters experiencing the highest fatigue levels, impairing situational judgement and response in critical scenarios. Fatigue Risk Management Systems (FRMS) and alternative watch schedules, alongside strategic napping, are emerging solutions to mitigate fatigue risks. How do you manage fatigue at sea? Which watch pattern do you find most effective? Share your thoughts below. 👇 ----- #FatigueAtSea #MaritimeSafety #Seafarers #SleepScience Follow this link to read the in depth analysis: https://lnkd.in/d99H8Pyj

NEW STUDY FINDS MICROPLASTICS ACT AS ‘CARRIERS’ FOR PFAS, INCREASING THEIR MOBILITY AND ECOLOGICAL IMPACT: A ground-breaking study has unveiled concerning insights into the combined effects of two major pollutants in fashion, #microplastics and #PFAS. For the first time ever, researchers have examined how these pollutants interact. The study reveals that microplastics, commonly shed from synthetic clothing, act as carriers for PFAS, amplifying their toxicity in freshwater ecosystems. Using Daphnia magna, a key species in aquatic food webs, the research shows these chemicals disrupt growth, reproduction, and survival, with combined effects observed in more than 40 per cent of cases. In short, the combined toxicity of these pollutants can exceed the sum of their individual impacts. OUR STORY: https://lnkd.in/eY4AHSQE