Many of us believe that we are great drinkers and that alcohol does not affect us as much. People who are able to drink without showing any sign of inebriation are known as social drinkers. In short, they are not addicted to alcohol but will not turn down the opportunity to have a good time! While it may seem like it doesn’t affect you, new studies suggest that it is just an illusion, even if you have high tolerance, alcohol affects your cognitive and motor functions more than you think.

The study reveals the below implications and techniques:

• Researchers used a new MRI technique to precisely measure brain electrical activity.
• By comparing brain scans before and after drinking, scientists identified specific areas affected by alcohol and how much brain activity slowed down.
• Participants were chosen to be regular social drinkers without alcohol addiction, ensuring the study focused on the effects of alcohol alone.
• MRI technology provided reliable data on brain activity changes caused by alcohol consumption.

How does the brain react to alcohol?

Think of it as the foundation for your brain's performance. When brain conductivity is high, information flows smoothly, and that helps your brain in rapid processing and response. On the other hand, low conductivity can hinder cognitive function, leading to slower thinking, impaired memory, and difficulties with coordination.

A study conducted at the Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) and UNSW Science unveiled a startling connection between alcohol consumption and brain conductivity.

What is the connection between alcohol consumption and brain activity?

While many people brush off the effects of alcohol as temporary changes in behaviour, the reality is much more complex. Beyond the obvious impacts on coordination and judgment, alcohol significantly alters brain function. Alcohol dramatically slowed down brain activity, especially in areas responsible for decision-making, planning, and physical coordination. This decline was so significant that it resembled the brain changes seen in normal ageing. This means even one drink could temporarily accelerate the ageing process of your brain.

Alcohol and Brain activity: What does the study Imply?

The implications of this research are far-reaching. It provides compelling evidence that alcohol consumption has a direct and measurable impact on brain function. The discovery that alcohol can significantly reduce brain conductivity opens new avenues for understanding the neurocognitive effects of alcohol abuse and dependence. While you may not feel like alcohol is affecting you and you have a high tolerance, it most definitely changes and affects your decision-making abilities and impulse control.

Furthermore, the MRI technique employed in the study could be a valuable tool for assessing the impact of other substances on the brain and for developing interventions to mitigate alcohol-related brain damage.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has declared a national outbreak of Salmonella in the UK, with health officials suspecting a possible link to imported eggs.

According to the UKHSA, 207 confirmed cases were detected between August 11, 2025, and August 1, 2026, with the majority reported in 2026. Of those affected, 38% were admitted to hospital, and one person has died.

Where Have Cases Been Reported?

Cases have been reported across the UK:

• England: 199 cases
• Scotland: 6 cases
• Wales: 1 case
• Northern Ireland: 1 case

Among cases in England, London reported 47 cases, the highest number, followed by Yorkshire and the Humber with 38 cases.

Imported Eggs Suspected as Possible Source

The UKHSA identified an increase in Salmonella Enteritidis infections caused by a single strain through whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data.

The agency has launched an investigation to identify the source of the outbreak. Initial findings suggest that the outbreak may be linked to eggs imported from outside the UK. However, the source has not been definitively established, and investigations are continuing.

Dr Kathleen O'Reilly, Associate Professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said the investigation involves identifying additional cases and examining possible common sources of infection.

Dr Damien Tully, Associate Professor at the Medical Research Council at LSHTM's Uganda Research Unit, added that the number of confirmed cases is likely to be “just the tip of the iceberg.”

What Is Salmonella?

Salmonella is a bacterial infection that commonly causes diarrhea and gastrointestinal illness.

Common symptoms include:

• Diarrhea
• Stomach cramps
• Vomiting
• Fever

Salmonella is generally a self-limiting infection. However, young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems can develop more severe complications.

These may include bloodstream infections, infections at other sites, sepsis and multiorgan failure.

How Does Salmonella Spread?

The UKHSA stated that Salmonella Enteritidis is the most common Salmonella serovar in England and a leading cause of salmonellosis.

Like other non-typhoidal Salmonella infections, it can spread through contaminated food, including:

• Eggs
• Poultry
• Meat
• Unpasteurized dairy products
• Fresh produce

The bacteria can also spread through contact with contaminated environments or from person to person.

How To Reduce Salmonella Risk

Dr O'Reilly advised fully cooking eggs before eating them and maintaining good food hygiene.

Key precautions include:

• Cook eggs thoroughly, including omelettes that remain runny.
• Wash your hands with soap after handling food and during food preparation.
• Clean chopping boards and utensils after preparing food.
• Check food hygiene ratings when choosing catering outlets.

People who develop diarrhea or stomach cramps should rest and drink plenty of fluids. Young children, older adults and other vulnerable people who become ill should seek medical advice.

Salmonella Outbreak in US

The US is also experiencing a Salmonella outbreak linked to eggs. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) upgraded the recall to its highest risk level and classified nearly 1.6 million dozen eggs as “Class I.” The agency defines a Class I recall as a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that exposure to the affected product could cause serious adverse health consequences or death.

The FDA said illness usually occurs 12 to 72 hours after consuming food contaminated with Salmonella, with symptoms typically lasting four to seven days.

For people living with alopecia areata, hair loss can be unpredictable, persistent, and difficult to treat. Now, amid lack of a definitive cure, a medicine originally developed for inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, is showing striking results in patients with severe alopecia areata.

Two large Phase III clinical trials involving 1,399 adults and adolescents found that the drug upadacitinib significantly improved scalp hair regrowth compared with placebo. The trial’s findings were published in JAMA Dermatology.

The results are both striking and promising as alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition, in which the immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles.

How Can An Arthritis Drug Help Hair Grow?

Upadacitinib, sold under the brand name Rinvoq, belongs to a class of medicines called JAK inhibitors.

JAK proteins help transmit signals that are involved in immune and inflammatory responses. In alopecia areata, abnormal immune response contributes to the attack on hair follicles.

By blocking JAK1 signaling, upadacitinib can slow down some of these immune responses, potentially allowing damaged or suppressed hair follicles to resume producing hair for some time.

The drug is already used for other autoimmune conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Its potential use in alopecia is an example of drug repurposing, where an existing medicine gets used for a completely different disease.

Also read: Going Slow & Steady Really Help With Sustainable Weight Loss? New Study Challenges The Norm

How Much Hair Did Patients Regrow?

The Phase III programme included two parallel trials, UP-AA1 and UP-AA2, involving adults and adolescents with severe alopecia areata.

After 24 weeks, about 45% of patients taking 15 mg of upadacitinib achieved at least 80% scalp hair coverage. More than 54% of those taking 30 mg reached the same threshold.

In comparison, only about 2% of placebo recipients achieved that level of regrowth.

Researchers also reported improvements in eyebrow and eyelash hair and indirectly in quality of life

Strikingly, benefits were seen in people with severe disease, rather than only those with a few small bald patches. Severe alopecia areata in the trials was defined as hair loss affecting at least half of the scalp.

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What Does This Mean For Alopecia Areata Treatment?

Alopecia areata currently has no guaranteed permanent cure. And this trial does not mean that the condition can be cured.

The disease can follow a relapsing and unpredictable course, with hair growing back and then falling out again.

The new findings show that upadacitinib can promote substantial hair regrowth while patients are receiving treatment. They do not prove that the underlying autoimmune disease can be permanently eliminated.

There are already approved JAK inhibitors for alopecia areata, including baricitinib, ritlecitinib and deuruxolitinib, so upadacitinib would not be the first drug in this category.

Side Effects

The safety findings in the trials were consistent with the known safety profile of upadacitinib, and researchers reported no new safety concerns during the study period.

Common adverse events included upper respiratory infections, acne, increased creatine phosphokinase and nasopharyngitis.

But JAK inhibitors are powerful medicines that regulates immune system and are not something people should take simply because they are experiencing hair loss. Their risks and benefits need to be assessed by a doctor.

The Karnataka government has launched a QR code-based grievance system that allows consumers to lodge food and drug safety complaints directly with authorities. The move is aimed at making food and drug safety-related violations easier to report.

The Integrated Public Grievance Redressal System (IPGRS) was launched by Karnataka Health Minister U T Khader on August 17. The system has been developed by the state’s Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FSDA) in coordination with the Centre for e-Governance.

QR codes will be displayed at hotels, restaurants, eateries and drug stores, allowing customers to scan them and register complaints. They will also be able to track the status of complaints, according to officials.

What Can You Complain About?

The system is designed to cover both food and medicine-related violations. For food establishments, consumers can report:

• Unhygienic food or poor sanitation
• Food safety violations
• Use of artificial colours
• Problems at restaurants, hotels and street-food outlets
• Other food-related regulatory or service complaints
• For pharmacies and medicines, complaints can include:
• Expired medicines
• Overcharging or excessive pricing
• Adverse drug reactions
• Pharmacy-related grievances
• Other violations under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act

Also read: Immunity-Boosting Peptide Shows Promise In Long COVID Treatment, So Why FDA Has Not Approved It?

Why Has Karnataka Introduced This Now?

The QR system comes as Karnataka's food safety authorities ramp up inspections across the state. In one recent operation, inspections at government facilities reportedly uncovered food safety problems, while canteens at Vidhana Soudha and the health department headquarters in Bengaluru were sealed after officials found expired food and unhygienic conditions, including cockroaches.

The move came after complaints about unhygienic food handling and the use of artificial colours in shawarma and kebabs.

During the checks, 61 samples were collected, with nine shawarma samples and one kebab sample subsequently declared unsafe. Officials said legal action is now being initiated against those responsible.

The department also turned its attention to food warehouses used by e-commerce platforms, inspecting 236 facilities and initiating proceedings against 44 for violations. Eight of these warehouses were fined a total of Rs 1.97 lakh after officials found unhygienic conditions.

Also read: Taiwan FDA Recalls 87,000 Blood Pressure Tablets: Here’s Why The Medicine May Not Work As Intended

Concerns were also raised over milk and dairy products entering the state. Of the 25 samples collected from batches coming into Karnataka from Tamil Nadu, one was found to be substandard.

In Bengaluru Urban, inspection teams visited more than 60 three- and five-star hotels, eight warehouses and four international restaurants.

The inspections also uncovered large quantities of expired, spoiled and improperly labelled food. Officials seized 429 kg of mutton and chicken, 203 kg of fish, and 200 kg of vegetarian food that had been stored alongside non-vegetarian items.

The seized material also included 76 kg of rotten or mouldy vegetables, 45 litres of expired milk and curd, and 12 kg of expired bakery products. Another 67 kg of cereals and other food products were confiscated for being expired or mislabelled, while 49 litres of used or non-compliant cooking oil were also seized.

How Will The QR System Help?

Traditionally, consumers had to go through a complex complaint-lodging process to report an unsafe restaurant, suspicious food product or expired or harmful medicines. The new system essentially puts a digital window to lodge complaints right at the place where the problem is discovered.

A customer who notices poor hygiene at a restaurant, for example, can scan the QR code displayed at the establishment and submit the complaint without having to separately search for the relevant authority. The system is also intended to make complaints easier for officials to monitor and follow up on.

The state government has described the initiative as the first of its kind in India, with the system integrated with the government's Centre for e-Governance.

That could become particularly useful in a state where food is sold through a huge network of restaurants, street vendors, hotels, pharmacies and institutional kitchens.