Loneliness can be seen in a physical workplace, but remote work often hides the signs. To visualize communication and identify employees at risk in increasingly diverse work environments, researchers at Kyushu University analyzed workplace chat logs from platforms like Slack, and developed two new indicators—contribution to communication and strength of relationships between users. The team is now partnering with companies to explore wider practical applications.

A new study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, published by Elsevier, found that discontinuing universal free school meal (UFSM) policies significantly increases school meal debt, student stigma, and declines in participation. The research, based on a survey of nearly 1,000 school food authorities (SFAs) across eight states, also found that states continuing UFSM through state-level policies reported more stable revenues and greater student access to nutritious meals.

Childhood trauma has often been linked to adverse mental health outcomes, but its impact on genetic changes often goes unnoticed. A new study at University of Fukui identified “epigenetic scars” in DNA, leading to structural alterations of brain regions related to emotional regulation, memory retrieval, and social cognition. Findings suggest that these biological markers may enable early detection, personalized treatment, and prevention of these effects—offering hope for breaking the intergenerational cycle of child abuse.