Monkey study reveals science behind “choking under pressure”:  When a person (or monkey) is facing stakes that are too high, the stress can interfere with neurons, affecting how they direct the body to execute movements, a study suggests

Study with monkeys uncovers why people choke under pressure: A recent study with monkeys explores the phenomenon of “choking” under pressure, finding that heightened anxiety can interfere with brain function. The findings suggest that recreating “optimal” neural signatures could help humans enhance performance in high-pressure situations.

Male mosquitoes to be genetically engineered to poison females with semen in Australian research:  Approach could be used to limit outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases, such as dengue fever, which results in 390m cases annually worldwide

Researchers engineer toxic male mosquitoes: Researchers have developed a method to control mosquito populations by genetically engineering male mosquitoes to produce venom proteins from spiders and sea anemones, which are injected into females during mating to reduce their lifespan. The “toxic male technique” could quickly suppress outbreaks of diseases such as dengue fever and Zika without extensive insecticide use, according to a study in Nature Communications.

FDA pushed to be more open, collaborative to accelerate rare disease R&D

FDA urged to collaborate with EMA (European Medicines Agency) to accelerate rare disease drug approvals: A report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine recommends that the FDA enhance transparency and collaborate with the European Medicines Agency to systematically review past rare disease drug applications and regulatory decision-making to expedite approvals. The report advises the EMA and FDA to create a continuously updated public database for these results, and also recommends Congress remove the Pediatric Research Equity Act orphan exemption.

CBD Tampons Cramp FDA’s Style

CBD products truly are everywhere these days. From gummies to topical creams and now tampons, it seems there is no limit to where this trendy compound might appear. However, a recent FDA Warning Letter to Anne’s Daye (dba Tampon Innovations) serves as a blunt reminder to medical device manufacturers: you cannot just lace your products with CBD and expect FDA to be mellow about it. CBD products truly are everywhere these days.

FDA issues draft guidance on developing and managing AI-enabled devices

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in early January 2025, published a much-anticipated guidance on developing and managing medical devices with artificial intelligence (AI). The Agency recommends taking a total product lifecycle (TPLC) approach to the products to ensure they meet their expectations for safety and efficacy.

Layoffs could impact FDA’s inspection capacity

Officials at the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are reportedly planning to reduce the number of routine inspections carried out by the Office of Inspections and Investigations (OII) after last week’s layoffs due to steep layoffs week in support staff, according to a report late last week by CBS News.

The ones who need little sleep:  Short sleepers cruise by on four (4) to six (6) hours a night and do not seem to suffer ill effects.  Turns out they are genetically built to require less sleep than the rest of us.

The protective power of genetic mutations discovered in naturally short sleepers: The identification of genetic mutations in natural short sleepers, individuals genetically predisposed to require significantly less sleep without negative health effects, opens the possibility for personalized sleep interventions that could improve health outcomes and quality of life. Recent research indicates that natural short sleepers might effectively clear brain toxins linked to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, suggesting these mutations might offer protective effects.