🧠 Can brain stimulation actually fix depression? 🤔

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) successfully treats Parkinson’s, leading researchers to test it for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in 2017. The BROADEN study showed no significant improvement at six months between active and sham stimulation for the patients. However, later open-label phases showed much higher response rates at two years for these hard-to-treat individuals. Investigators argue the treatment didn't fail, but the study did, leading to the TRANSCEND trial. This new multicenter study started in early 2025 across 25 US sites to re-evaluate its effectiveness.

🎬 Khalifa advance booking hits 4 crore worldwide

Prithviraj Sukumaran's movie Khalifa has crossed 4.2 crore in worldwide advance bookings ahead of its release. The film is set to have a solo opening day as its rival movie moved out last week. As of Wednesday afternoon, Kerala advance collections for Khalifa stand at 2.65 crore gross for day 1. This performance places Khalifa 27.55% behind Aadujeevitham's advance sales in Kerala. To become Prithviraj's biggest solo opener, it needs to surpass Aadujeevitham's 7.6 crore net collection. 🎬

🇨🇦 Canada updates temp residence processing timelines 🇨🇦

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released updated temporary residence processing estimates on August 19. Processing times for U.S. super visas and visitor visas from Pakistan increased by at least two weeks. Notably, Pakistan-based work permit applications saw a five-week reduction from the previous August 12 estimates. These estimates are only general guides and are subject to change. IRCC plans to update these timelines again around August 26, 2026.

🎬 The Odyssey jumps, but Jungle Book is too big 🍿

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey saw a 31% jump in its box office collection on its third day in India. The film, starring Anne Hathaway and Matt Damon, collected 81 lakh on day 33 across India. Its total net collection now reaches 176.76 crore after 33 days of release. Despite the momentum, it cannot surpass The Jungle Book's 188 crore net earnings. The film's journey continues but faces tough competition going forward.

🛡️ Daily zinc cuts infections in sickle cell kids

A randomized trial in Uganda found that daily zinc supplementation significantly reduced infection rates in young children with sickle cell anemia. The study took place at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital, involving 100 children aged 12-59 months over a 6-month period. The zinc group saw 80 infections versus 124 in the placebo group, marking a 38% reduction. This suggests 20 mg daily zinc is a safe and cheap way to prevent infections in these kids. Researchers recommend similar trials in high-income countries based on these promising findings.

🎬 Jailer 2 needs less than 350 Cr to beat big franchise

The highly anticipated sequel Jailer 2 is aiming to become the highest-grossing franchise in Tamil cinema. This is a contest where Rajinikanth is challenging his own records in the global box office. The record is currently held by Shankar’s Enthiran (2010) and 2.0 (2018), which earned 946.44 crore worldwide. After Jailer (2023) grossed 605 crore, Jailer 2 now needs less than 350 crore to surpass that milestone. The sequel is positioned to comfortably cross the 1000 crore mark, making it a massive win. 🤩

✈️ Pilots and flight attendants face high radiation cancer risk

A new study revealed that flight attendants and pilots face the highest risk of dying from radiation-linked cancers. The research, using national data from over 12 million death certificates, found flight attendants had the most elevated odds. Specifically, flight attendants had about 50% higher odds of these cancers than the general population, while pilots were 36% higher. This suggests occupational radiation exposure is a major factor, not lifestyle. The FDA acknowledges exposure but currently lacks federal dose limits for aircrews. ✈️

🎬 Nolan's Odyssey Crushes Box Office Records 🚀

Christopher Nolan's epic, The Odyssey, is dominating the North American box office by hitting its fifth week. The film, starring Matt Damon, currently holds the #2 spot behind Spider-Man: Brand New Day. It earned $3.8 million on its fifth Monday, bringing its total collection to $508.9 million. This performance makes it the biggest fifth Monday for R-Rated films and Nolan's career. The Odyssey is projected to end its run near $550 million, aiming for the top 20 US grossers.

🧠 Citicoline might boost motor function in Parkinson's patients

A trial investigated if adding citicoline could improve motor function in Parkinson's disease patients. The study took place across 44 Italian clinics, involving 474 individuals aged 55 or older. Over 24 weeks, the citicoline group (n=303) was compared to the placebo group (n=171). While the overall score wasn't significantly different, the mITT group showed better motor function improvement with citicoline. Investigators suggest citicoline could offer benefits for those with high treatment adherence. 🧠

🧠 New online tool helps manage bipolar disorder treatments

A new online tool, EBI-BD, has compiled the best evidence on bipolar disorder treatments for clinicians and patients. This platform was developed by researchers to synthesize findings across various age groups and mood phases. The review analyzed 77 meta-analyses covering 116 unique treatments and 2510 comparisons, published on August 11 in The BMJ. It offers a preference-based tool allowing users to weigh benefits against side effects for informed decisions. The authors plan to update this 'living' review at least every two years. 🧠

🔬 Prostate cancer watch vs. focal therapy trends

Active surveillance rates are significantly increasing among US veterans with low-risk prostate cancer, according to VA data. Meanwhile, over 15,000 patients received focal therapy between 2010 and 2023 nationally. This trend is notable because focal therapy currently lacks strong, high-quality supporting evidence. The studies, published on August 13 in JAMA, highlight progress in surveillance but raise concerns about focal therapy use. Future focus will be on solidifying evidence for these treatment modalities. 🧐