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  • Bowel preparation for colonoscopies may temporarily alter gut balance, preclinical study suggests

    Bowel preparation for colonoscopies may temporarily alter gut balance, preclinical study suggests

    New preclinical research suggests that bowel preparation procedures for colonoscopies may temporarily alter gut balance, culminating in unappreciated effects in patients with compromised gastrointestinal health.

    The study, published…

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  • Want to read more? Two experts give their tips on what you can do

    Want to read more? Two experts give their tips on what you can do

    Reading promises so much: better mental health, a sense of wellbeing, cultural and educational enrichment, even greater confidence and eloquence.

    It sounds irresistible; yet for many of us, the reality is very different. Half of the adults…

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  • UN’s ‘responsibility to deliver’ will not waver, after US announces withdrawal from dozens of international organizations – UN News

    1. UN’s ‘responsibility to deliver’ will not waver, after US announces withdrawal from dozens of international organizations  UN News
    2. Which are the 66 global organisations the US is leaving under Trump?  Al Jazeera
    3. Trump pulls US out of dozens…

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  • Astronomers Discover the First Galaxy-wide Wobbling Black Hole Jet in a Disk Galaxy – W. M. Keck Observatory

    Maunakea, Hawaiʻi – Astronomers using W. M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea, Hawaiʻi Island have uncovered the largest and most extended…

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  • ACS Guidelines for Cervical Cancer Self-Collected HPV Testing Now Included

    ACS Guidelines for Cervical Cancer Self-Collected HPV Testing Now Included

    Self-collection of vaginal samples for human papillomavirus (HPV) testing is now being considered an acceptable, recommended option for cervical cancer screening, per recent updates to the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) guidelines published…

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  • OpenAI launches ChatGPT Health to review your medical records

    OpenAI launches ChatGPT Health to review your medical records

    Liv McMahonTechnology reporter

    Getty Images A man wearing dark clothes typing on a smartphone.Getty Images

    OpenAI has launched a new ChatGPT feature in the US which can analyse people’s medical records to give them better answers, but campaigners warn it raises privacy concerns.

    The firm wants people to share their medical records along with data from apps like MyFitnessPal, which will be analysed to give personalised advice.

    OpenAI said conversations in ChatGPT Health would be stored separately to other chats and would not be used to train its AI tools – as well as clarifying it was not intended to be used for “diagnosis or treatment”.

    Andrew Crawford, of US non-profit the Center for Democracy and Technology, said it was “crucial” to maintain “airtight” safeguards around users’ health information.

    It is unclear if or when the feature may be introduced in the UK.

    “New AI health tools offer the promise of empowering patients and promoting better health outcomes, but health data is some of the most sensitive information people can share and it must be protected,” Crawford said.

    He said AI firms were “leaning hard” into finding ways to bring more personalisation to their services to boost value.

    “Especially as OpenAI moves to explore advertising as a business model, it’s crucial that separation between this sort of health data and memories that ChatGPT captures from other conversations is airtight,” he said.

    According to OpenAI, more than 230 million people ask its chatbot questions about their health and wellbeing every week.

    In a blog post, it said ChatGPT Health had “enhanced privacy to protect sensitive data”.

    Users can share data from apps like Apple Health, Peloton and MyFitnessPal, as well as provide medical records, which can be used to give more relevant responses to their health queries.

    OpenAI said its health feature was designed to “support, not replace, medical care”.

    ‘Watershed moment’

    Generative AI chatbots and tools can be prone to generating false or misleading information, often stating this in a very matter-of-fact, convincing way.

    But Max Sinclair, chief executive and founder of AI marketing platform Azoma, said OpenAI was positioning its chatbot as a “trusted medical adviser”.

    He described the launch of ChatGPT Health as a “watershed moment” and one that could “reshape both patient care and retail” – influencing not just how people access medical information but also what they may buy to treat their problems.

    Sinclair said the tech could amount to a “game-changer” for OpenAI amid increased competition from rival AI chatbots, particularly Google’s Gemini.

    The company said it would initially make Health available to a “small group of early users” and has opened a waitlist for those seeking access.

    As well as being unavailable in the UK, it has also not been launched in Switzerland and the European Economic Area, where tech firms must meet strict rules about processing and protecting user data.

    But in the US, Crawford said the launch meant some firms not bound by privacy protections “will be collecting, sharing, and using peoples’ health data”.

    “Since it’s up to each company to set the rules for how health data is collected, used, shared, and stored, inadequate data protections and policies can put sensitive health information in real danger,” he said.

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  • Katie Leung says Harry Potter online harassment ‘nearly made me quit acting’

    Katie Leung says Harry Potter online harassment ‘nearly made me quit acting’

    Leung described feeling overwhelmed by the barrage of negativity, saying the experience was “truly surreal”

    Harry Potter actress Katie Leung has opened up…

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  • DeKalb County Alerts Residents to Increase in Flu-Related 911 Calls

    County emergency medical partner AMR reports 60% rise and shares guidance on when to seek emergency care

     

    DeKalb County is alerting residents to a significant increase in flu-related emergency calls, based on data and observations from the…

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  • What matters to today’s consumer 2026

    What matters to today’s consumer 2026

    How AI is transforming value perception.

    Consumer decision-making is entering a new era. AI-driven tools, sharper expectations of fairness and transparency, and the need for meaningful human interaction are reshaping what shoppers consider acceptable, valuable, and worth paying for. Price alone no longer defines value – quality, trust, and emotional connection matter more than ever.

    What matters to today’s consumer 2026, the latest report from the Capgemini Research Institute, explores how AI, personalization, and emotion are influencing consumer choices, and what brands must do to deliver experiences that feel transparent, adaptive, and human. Key findings, based on a survey of 12,000 consumers across 12 countries, include:

    • Fairness and quality define value: Transparent pricing, consistent policies, and clear communication now sit alongside quality as top value drivers. 74% of consumers would switch brands for lower regular prices. Health benefits, clean ingredients, and durability guide decisions, while bundles and warranties strengthen perceived value.
    • Careful spending meets intentional indulgence: Consumers are trading down in some categories while retaining spending in others, especially where reliability matters. Impulse restraint is easing, signaling a modest rebound of “intentional indulgence” alongside persistent deal-seeking. Seven in ten (71%) consumers opt for treats and small indulgences to cope with financial stress.
    • AI is becoming the consumer’s trusted guide: One-quarter (25%) of consumers have already used Gen AI shopping tools in 2025, while a further 31% plan to use them in the future. Yet control and transparency remain critical: 76% want clear rules for when an AI assistant acts, and 71% are concerned about how Gen AI tools use their data.
    • Human touch still drives loyalty: Technology reduces stress for 65% of shoppers, but human support is essential for complex purchases. Preference for in-person assistance has surged: 74% value it during in-store service, and 66% during purchase decisions.

    What matters to today’s consumer 2026 is essential for CMOs, digital and e-commerce heads, loyalty and consumer insights leads, product executives, and category managers, offering practical guidance for strategy, pricing, and technology teams seeking to meet evolving consumer expectations by:

    • Accelerating growth with intelligent engagement: Position digital assistants as full engagement channels, pilot anticipatory commerce models with safeguards, and design promotions that are aligned with shopper behavior.
    • Optimizing operations with seamless AI: Deploy AI that enhances clarity and consistency, strengthens pricing logic, and reinforces customer experience.
    • Leading with purpose through resilient transformation: Make sustainability central, ensure responsible AI use, and redefine loyalty as a two-way relationship blending financial and emotional returns.

    To discover how empowered consumers are redefining value, and how brands can respond by building transparency, trust, and emotional engagement in the age of AI-enabled shopping, download the report today.

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  • Sheppard Mullin Represented Vidterra in Sale to NexTech Solutions – Sheppard Mullin

    1. Sheppard Mullin Represented Vidterra in Sale to NexTech Solutions  Sheppard Mullin
    2. NexTech Solutions Completes Vidterra Acquisition  GovCon Wire
    3. NTS Acquires Vidterra, Expanding its Edge Software and Digital ISR Offerings.  Yahoo Finance
    4. NexTech buys video distribution software developer  Washington Technology

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