Author: healthadmin

A large-scale new genetic analysis reveals that the biological characteristics underlying autism risk are the same among people of different ancestral backgrounds. By testing the DNA of thousands of Latin Americans, researchers have shown that the rare genetic changes associated with autism occur in the exact same genes across different populations. The results were published in a magazine natural medicinepoints to a universal genetic basis for autism and emphasizes the need for more comprehensive medical testing. Over the past decade, researchers have identified dozens of genetic variations that increase the likelihood of developing autism. These mutations tend to appear in…

Fried foods are widely enjoyed, but their high fat content can lead to health problems such as obesity and high blood pressure. Creating a lower-fat version while offering the same taste and texture could help consumers make healthier choices without feeling like they’re missing out. Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are studying how frying in the microwave can improve the way French fries are made. Their findings suggest that combining traditional frying with microwave heating may reduce oil absorption while maintaining the crispy texture people expect. This approach also reduces cooking time, making it attractive for large-scale…

New research published in npj mental health research reported that specific brain network signals may reliably predict whether patients with major depression will respond to antidepressant treatment. Major depressive disorder affects millions of people around the world, but doctors still don’t have the tools to determine which patients would benefit from antidepressants. Current treatments are largely trial and error, and it often takes several months to find out if a drug is working. Scientists have long suspected that the brain’s “default mode network” – the system active during introspection and rumination – plays a central role in depression. But until…

People diagnosed with autoimmune diseases experience mood and anxiety disorders at nearly twice the rate of the general population. Data from more than 1.5 million adults in the UK suggests that persistent physical inflammation is closely linked to this increased mental health risk. The study results were published in the journal BMJ Mental Health. Medical professionals classify depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder as affective disorders. These psychological conditions change a person’s mood, emotional state, and daily functioning. Autoimmune diseases have very different and visible symptoms that occur when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy tissue as if…

A Government Accountability Office audit of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation’s historic spending and the results of its models has reignited calls from lawmakers for increased oversight of its activities. The report, prompted by a 2024 request from House Budget Committee leaders and released last week, outlined 70 delivery and payment models developed and tested by CMMI between 2011 and 2024. As of January 2025, 24 of them are in active testing, and only four have been scaled up for national implementation, although GAO noted that some elements of these models have been incorporated into Medicare, and iterative…

For more than a year, the biopharmaceutical industry has had to quickly respond to various tariff threats from the Trump administration. Now, Thursday’s announcement from the White House brings the U.S. tariff situation into sharper focus. According to a White House fact sheet, the president imposed 100% tariffs on patented drugs and ingredients under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. This obligation will begin within 120 days for large companies and 180 days for small pharmaceutical companies. According to the fact sheet, there are several ways for companies to reduce tariff rates. For example, existing trade agreements…

The Environmental Protection Agency proposed Thursday to include microplastics and pharmaceuticals for the first time on its list of contaminants in drinking water, a move that could ultimately lead to new restrictions on these substances for water utilities. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the agency is responding to Americans concerned about plastics and pharmaceuticals in their drinking water. The gesture is also intended to be a victory for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s MAHA campaign, which has been pressuring Zeldin for months to further crack down on environmental pollutants. EPA’s Contaminant Candidate List identifies contaminants in drinking water that…

Fast and reliable wireless connectivity is essential to everyday life. Video calling, streaming, virtual reality, and connected devices all rely on networks that are already heavily taxed. Currently, most wireless communications rely on radio-based technologies such as Wi-Fi and cellular networks. Although these systems have enabled global connectivity, they face increasing challenges such as congested radio frequencies, signal interference in crowded indoor environments, and increasing energy demands as more devices come online. One new solution is optical wireless communication, which uses light instead of radio waves to transmit data. Light can significantly expand the available bandwidth, avoid interference with existing…

Smoking cannabis directly reduced the amount of alcohol consumed by heavy drinkers during a controlled laboratory experiment. This study shows that acute marijuana intoxication can reduce the immediate urge to drink and delay the onset of alcohol intake. These findings were published in the American Journal of Psychiatry. Public health experts closely track the simultaneous use of alcohol and cannabis. With the expansion of legalization across the country, marijuana has become the most popular psychoactive substance for alcohol drinkers after tobacco. Many people practice both habits, and there is a strong overlap between those who struggle with alcohol use and…

BioNTech is turning off the lights at its Singapore factory and planned regional headquarters, which it bought from Novartis at the height of the coronavirus outbreak, reflecting a sharp reversal in the mRNA specialist’s trajectory since the end of the pandemic. After a comprehensive review, BioNTech has decided to “close our planned Singapore location by the end of February 2027,” the company confirmed to Fierce in a statement on Thursday. The move comes as the German biotech company continues to “adjust our clinical portfolio and long-term strategic direction and capabilities.” Several local publications first reported the factory closure early Thursday.…