Xabi Martinez-Mendia, a researcher at the EHU-University of the Basque Country, has analysed how adolescent psychotropic drug consumption is linked to gender inequality and economic factors in 32 European countries. The results indicate that the overall consumption of psychotropic drugs is on the rise in countries with greater gender and economic parity, whereas in countries with lower parity, these drugs are consumed proportionally more by girls, and the gender gap is wider.

Gestational diabetes is commonly viewed as a temporary complication of pregnancy. However, growing evidence suggests that its effects may extend far beyond pregnancy itself, influencing a child’s metabolic health before birth and increasing the risk of obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes later in life.

A review published in Frontiers in Endocrinology by researchers from Wroclaw Medical University and Wrocław University of Science and Technology examines how adipokines—hormones produced by adipose tissue—shape the metabolic environment of both mother and fetus during gestational diabetes.

The authors focus on leptin, adiponectin and markers of leptin resistance, including the Free Leptin Index (FLI) and Leptin-to-Adiponectin Ratio (LAR). These biomarkers may help identify metabolic disturbances associated with gestational diabetes and could eventually support early detection of children at increased risk of future metabolic disorders.

The review highlights the concept of metabolic programming, which proposes that conditions experienced during fetal development can have long-lasting effects on metabolism and disease susceptibility. According to the authors, the first 1,000 days of life—from conception to approximately two years of age—represent a critical window during which biological mechanisms linked to obesity, diabetes and other non-communicable diseases may be established.

The researchers emphasize that effective prevention begins with proper diagnosis and management of gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Improved monitoring, healthy nutrition, physical activity and multidisciplinary care may help reduce long-term metabolic risks for both mothers and their children.

The findings contribute to growing evidence that the origins of many metabolic diseases may be traced back to fetal life and support the development of earlier and more personalized prevention strategies.

A straightforward blood-based assessment developed at Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan, can help assess how effectively high-density lipoprotein (HDL) remove cholesterol from blood vessel walls, a function known as cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC). The study linked low CEC to a high-risk coronary plaque, supporting the broader clinical use of this method for predicting cardiovascular risk and improving preventive strategies.

A new vertical design for wearable health monitors is reported to permanently separate expensive electronic components from single-use fluid channels to solve the primary cost barrier in sweat tracking.

Over-reliance on chemical fertilizers to feed a growing population has often led to soil degradation and a decline in microbial diversity. Scientists are seeking sustainable alternatives that can maintain crop yields while revitalizing the soil. A new field study from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences offers a promising solution by demonstrating how biogas slurry—a nutrient-rich liquid byproduct of anaerobic digestion—can significantly enhance soil health and its ability to sequester carbon.

The investigation was conducted over three years at a dryland agriculture research station in China. Researchers compared the effects of applying biogas slurry topdressing (BST) against conventional chemical fertilizer topdressing (CFT) on maize crops. By collecting soil samples at three different depths and three distinct crop growth stages, the team performed a comprehensive analysis of soil chemistry and used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to map the changes in the bacterial communities over time and space.