A new randomized clinical trial from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has found that a ketogenic diet outperformed two other widely recommended eating plans at reversing prediabetes and reducing fat buildup in the liver, even when all three diets produced identical amounts of weight loss.

The study, published Aug. 27 in the journal Cell Metabolism, compared a low-carbohydrate, high-fat ketogenic diet against a high-carbohydrate, low-fat, plant-forward diet and a Mediterranean diet that balanced the two approaches. Researchers randomly assigned 55 adults with what they described as metabolically unhealthy obesity, meaning obesity accompanied by prediabetes and fatty liver disease, to follow one of the three diets for approximately five months. Participants received all of their food throughout the study and met weekly with a study dietitian to support adherence to their assigned plan.

Across all three diet groups, participants lost a comparable amount of weight, shedding roughly 10% of their starting body weight, and saw insulin sensitivity in their muscle cells improve by about 50% from baseline. According to the study’s senior author, Dr. Samuel Klein, the Danforth Professor of Medicine and Nutritional Science at WashU Medicine, that consistency suggests weight loss itself, rather than the specific balance of fat and carbohydrates used to achieve it, was the key driver behind the improvement in muscle insulin sensitivity. “For patients with obesity, prediabetes and fatty liver disease, weight loss induced by a very low-carbohydrate diet provides additional therapeutic effects on glucose and lipid metabolism that should further help prevent the progression to more severe metabolic diseases than weight loss alone,” Klein said. “But all three diets, despite vastly different macronutrient makeups, from very low carbohydrates to very high carbohydrates, successfully improved metabolic health through weight loss alone.”

The results diverged sharply, however, when it came to liver health. The research team found that insulin sensitivity in liver cells, which governs how effectively the liver suppresses glucose production, improved two to three times more among participants on the ketogenic diet compared with those on the other two plans, even though all three groups showed some improvement. The ketogenic diet also reduced fat stored inside the liver by 67% after five months, compared with a 45% reduction on the other two diets.

Study first author Dr. Max C. Petersen, an assistant professor of medicine in WashU Medicine’s John T. Milliken Department of Medicine, said the findings carry significant implications given how widespread fatty liver disease has become. “Fatty liver disease affects about 75% of adults with obesity worldwide and has become the fastest-growing cause of chronic liver disease and liver cirrhosis,” Petersen said. “Our study shows that for people with obesity and fatty liver disease, a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet could help reduce that statistic.”

Blood sugar control also improved more substantially among participants following the ketogenic diet. Researchers measured a 20% reduction in 24-hour blood glucose levels from baseline among the low-carbohydrate group, compared with an 8% reduction among participants on the other two diets. Insulin levels throughout the day fell by 74% on the ketogenic diet, compared with declines of 44% on the Mediterranean diet and 27% on the high-carbohydrate diet, a pattern the researchers said reflects reduced demand on the pancreas to produce insulin when carbohydrate intake is sharply limited.

The difference in outcomes was most striking when it came to reversing prediabetes entirely. Half of the participants assigned to the low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet reversed their prediabetes by the end of the study, compared with 29% of those on the Mediterranean diet and just 7% of those on the high-carbohydrate, plant-forward diet.

Petersen noted that the findings remain relevant even as GLP-1 medications, a class of drugs that includes semaglutide and other treatments widely used for weight loss, have become an increasingly common tool for managing obesity and its associated health risks. “Many metabolically unhealthy patients also are candidates for GLP-1 medicines, which have been very useful tools for helping people lose weight,” Petersen said. “But our results show that choice of diet remains important because it has an impact on specific health outcomes that go beyond weight loss alone.”

Obesity affects roughly four in 10 Americans, according to the study, and frequently coexists with metabolic complications including insulin resistance, prediabetes and fatty liver buildup, conditions that can progress over time to Type 2 diabetes, chronic liver disease and cardiovascular events if left untreated. While weight loss has long been established as the most effective overall strategy for reducing these risks, researchers said it has remained unclear until now which specific dietary approach, in terms of its balance of protein, fat and carbohydrates, produces the greatest improvement in underlying metabolic health markers beyond weight loss alone.

The research team, which also included Dr. Gordon I. Smith, an associate professor of medicine at WashU Medicine, said future studies will examine the underlying biological mechanisms responsible for the metabolic benefits observed with weight loss, including how those mechanisms may interact with the growing use of GLP-1 medications in clinical practice. As with any nutrition research involving significant dietary changes, individuals considering major shifts to their eating patterns, particularly those managing existing health conditions, are generally advised to consult a physician or registered dietitian before beginning a new diet plan.

HARMONY, N.C. — Health officials in North Carolina are asking anyone who touched baby goats from a mobile petting zoo to contact their local health department after laboratory tests confirmed rabies in several of the animals.

The goats belonged to Farm Adventures, based in Iredell County. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said people may have been exposed at the farm’s Harmony site or at off-site events between July 28 and Aug. 27. Three kids tested positive at the State Laboratory of Public Health. A fourth was not tested but is assumed to have been infected. All four were euthanized.

Officials said there is no wide public threat. “There is not a broad risk to the public — only those who attended events at the mobile petting zoo and were in close contact with the goats are at risk,” the department said.

The animals were most likely infected by a skunk that entered their pen in late July. State health and agriculture agencies were notified Aug. 27. Testing results came back Aug. 28. Investigators later concluded that no other animals on the farm pose a rabies risk to people.

Baby goats are often bottle-fed, held and cuddled, which raises the chance of saliva contact. “Because baby goats are frequently bottle-fed, handled closely, or cuddled, public health officials are working proactively to ensure anyone who had direct contact with the affected animals is evaluated,” the state health department said.

The zoo took the animals to events that included children and older adults. Known sites include Jurney’s Assisted Living in Statesville on July 28; a private event in Mecklenburg County on July 30; the Community Connections Back-to-School Bash at Breeden Amphitheater in Lexington on Aug. 1; a private event near Boone in Watauga County on Aug. 8; a private event on Miller Mills Road in Hickory, Burke County, on Aug. 9; the Masonic Picnic in Mocksville; and additional private gatherings in Iredell and Durham counties later in August. Organizers are being notified as lists are completed.

Mecklenburg County Health Director Kimberly Scott said residents should not wait to feel sick. “Residents should not wait for symptoms before calling,” she said. “What’s important is that we don’t wait for the onset of symptoms when it is more difficult to treat and often most fatal.”

Scott told reporters that county teams are still compiling how many people may have been reached and that hospitals appear to have enough postexposure prophylaxis on hand, with plans to obtain more if needed.

Farm Adventures identified the goats as Molly, Maggie, Cow and Uno. In a social media post the owners wrote that their “4 precious baby goats have been euthanized to prevent further spread” and that staff would monitor remaining animals under official guidance. The kids had been kept apart because they were too young to vaccinate.

Owner Misty Love told CNN she is cooperating. “I care about my community, and I care about my customers,” she said. “If my customers that saw my animals have questions, I’m going to be there for them.”

Love said a wild skunk was found in the enclosure on July 29 and was shot and burned. She said the goats did not appear bitten and showed no signs of illness at first. One died Aug. 19. Another became sick the next day and was euthanized. A necropsy confirmed infection. A farm post also said that during removal of the skunk, “the skunk was able to bite the goats,” and that owners had “no clue” at the time.

North Carolina has not reported a human rabies case since 2011. Nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says fewer than 10 human deaths are reported in a typical year. The virus spreads mainly through saliva, usually from a bite, though scratches or contact with mucous membranes can also transmit it. Incubation can last weeks to months. Once symptoms appear — often flu-like illness, then neurological decline — the disease is almost always fatal. Treatment given before symptoms, known as postexposure prophylaxis, is highly effective.

Livestock present a lower risk than wild carnivores or bats, officials said, but close handling changes the calculation. Skunks, raccoons, bats and foxes account for most animal rabies in the state. In 2025, about 6 percent of more than 4,000 animals submitted for testing were positive.

County health departments have opened extra phone lines. Davidson County directed Lexington event-goers to a call center. Rowan County asked anyone who touched, held or fed the kids to call even if no event has been confirmed inside that county. Catawba County noted the Hickory-area date and asked residents who may have crossed the county line to check in.

The investigation remains open. Officials are matching booking calendars with attendance lists and advising people to call their health department before walking into an emergency room, so staff can assess risk and direct them if shots are needed.

For families who stood in line at a back-to-school bash or an assisted-living visit, the message is narrow and urgent: if you handled those four goats in that one-month window, pick up the phone. Rabies is rare. Waiting for a fever is not the plan.

This article was written by

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After a bruising week that wiped out more than Rs 6,000 from gold prices, commodity markets are heading into September with traders bracing for another bout of volatility as US jobs data and geopolitical tensions take centrestage, analysts said.

Investors will focus on manufacturing and services PMI data from major economies, including India. Inflation figures from Eurozone and Germany, and US non-farm payroll data due towards the end of the week will also be closely tracked, they added.

“The coming week is likely to remain highly volatile, with market participants attempting to price in the probability of a September Federal Reserve policy change,” Jateen Trivedi, VP Research Analyst – Commodity and Currency, LKP Securities, said.

Gold futures for October delivery on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) tumbled Rs 6,157, or 3.8 per cent, last week to Rs 1.56 lakh per 10 grams, while silver futures for September contract plunged Rs 9,893, or 4 per cent, to Rs 2.36 lakh per kilogram.

“MCX Gold witnessed a sharp correction last week, falling from around Rs 1.63 lakh to Rs 1.56 lakh per 10 grams, resulting in a decline of nearly over Rs 6,000 from the weekly peak and a negative weekly closing of more than 3 per cent,” Trivedi said.

Pranav Mer, Senior Vice President, EBG – Commodity & Currency Research, JM Financial Services Ltd, said selling pressure intensified on Friday following Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh’s speech, with his commentary on inflation and monetary policy triggering profit booking across bullion markets.
In international markets, Comex gold futures for December delivery declined USD 150.7, or 3.2 per cent, to settle the week at USD 4,680.6 per ounce. Silver futures fell USD 2.56, or 3.64 per cent, to USD 67.78 per ounce.Going into the new month, markets will closely track US labour-market indicators, including non-farm payrolls, unemployment data, and ADP non-farm employment change, which could influence the Federal Reserve’s decision-making ahead of its September meeting, Mer said.

Geopolitical developments could add another layer of uncertainty. Traders will continue to monitor the US-Iran conflict, while developments around the Strait of Hormuz remain important for oil prices and inflation expectations.

Despite the correction, silver outperformed gold in August, gaining around 21 per cent against yellow metal’s 15.7 per cent, Gaurav Garg, Head of Research at Lemonn Markets Desk, said.

Trivedi said, “The combination of dollar movement, labour-market data, Fed expectations and geopolitical headlines is likely to determine whether gold stabilises after the recent correction or enters another phase of profit booking.”

After slipping around 1% in August and failing to reclaim its 200-day moving average, Nifty may be undergoing accumulation rather than entering a deeper correction, as long as the crucial 24,000 support holds, according to Anand James, Chief Market Strategist at Geojit Investments.

James sees a breakout above 24,500 opening the door to 24,900–25,100 and eventually 25,500, while a breach of 24,000 could drag the index towards 23,700. For the week ahead, he has picked Ather Energy and Nazara Technologies as his top buy ideas. Edited excerpts from a chat:

Nifty has fallen around 1% in August and retreated from its early-month high of 24,774. Does the chart indicate routine consolidation, accumulation or the beginning of a deeper correction?

After a clean breakdown below the 200-day SMA in late February, Nifty took multiple months to get back to and retest this key long-term moving average. The attempt in early August was unsuccessful, but after a nearly 3% pullback from the 200-day SMA, the downside stalled. We prefer to mark this as an accumulation phase unless a breakdown below 24,000 unfolds.

Nifty has repeatedly struggled to sustain recoveries despite receiving support near 24,000. What are the decisive breakout and breakdown levels that could determine its September trajectory?

Nifty remains stuck in a broad consolidation range, with buying interest emerging near 24,000 but lacking the strength to sustain a meaningful recovery. The daily chart shows the index holding above a rising trendline support around 24,000-24,050, while repeated failures near 24,450-24,500 highlight strong overhead resistance.
A decisive breakout above 24,500 would signal renewed bullish momentum and could pave the way for an advance towards 24,900-25,100, followed by 25,500. However, momentum indicators remain cautious, with the RSI hovering near the neutral zone and the MACD staying in negative territory. On the downside, 24,000 remains a critical support level. A sustained break below this zone and the rising trendline would indicate a weakening market structure, potentially triggering a decline towards 23,700, with further downside risk extending to 23,400-23,200.Therefore, 24,500 on the upside and 24,000 on the downside are the key levels that could determine Nifty’s directional bias and trajectory in September.

What do rollover data, open-interest shifts, implied volatility and the put-call ratio after monthly expiry indicate about positioning in the September series?

The weekly options data for the September series suggests a cautiously positive undertone, though traders remain wary of strong resistance levels ahead.

The key takeaway is the sharp build-up in put open interest at the 24,000, 24,050 and 24,100 strikes. The 24,100 Put holds the highest open interest, followed by the 24,000 Put, highlighting these levels as an important support zone. Notably, the rise in both put open interest and premiums points to fresh put accumulation and hedging activity, reflecting caution among participants rather than outright bullishness.

On the call side, the largest open interest is concentrated at the 24,200, 24,300 and 24,500 strikes. Fresh call additions across these strikes indicate that traders expect rallies to face resistance unless Nifty stages a decisive breakout.

Implied volatility has firmed up after expiry, suggesting expectations of higher market swings in the new series. The put-call open interest structure shows strong support around 24,000–24,100 and resistance in the 24,200–24,500 zone.

Overall, the September series begins with positioning suggesting a likely range between 24,000 and 24,300 in the near term. A decisive move above 24,300–24,500 could trigger short covering, paving the way for a rally towards 24,900–25,100. Conversely, a break below 24,000 would weaken the bullish setup and could invite fresh downside pressure towards 23,800–23,700 levels, where traders have added shorts in puts.

Welspun Corp and Ather Energy were among the biggest winners in August. What are the odds of the uptrend continuing?

Both are poised for further upside, but volume oscillators suggest that Ather has momentum in its favour at the moment, while Welspun needs a period of consolidation to mature before the next breakout unfolds.

Give us your top ideas of the week

ATHERNERG (LTP: 1,616)

View: Buy

Target: 1,700

SL: 1,560

Ather Energy continues to exhibit a strong bullish structure, maintaining a steady uptrend since March. The stock has recently witnessed a break of structure on the daily chart, indicating a resumption of upward momentum following a brief consolidation phase. Friday’s strong bullish Marubozu candle reflects aggressive buying interest and reinforces the positive price action.

Momentum indicators are also turning supportive. The MACD is on the verge of a bullish signal crossover, which could further strengthen the ongoing upmove. Meanwhile, the RSI remains elevated around 70, highlighting strong momentum and sustained demand. Despite the sharp rise, the stock has managed to maintain its higher-high and higher-low formation, suggesting that the prevailing trend remains intact.

As long as ATHERNERG sustains above 1,560, the bullish setup is likely to remain valid. The recent breakout and improving momentum indicators support the possibility of an advance towards 1,700 in the near term.

NAZARA (LTP: 374)

View: Buy

Target: 405

SL: 364

Nazara Technologies continues to maintain a positive trend after being in a sustained uptrend since March. The stock witnessed a fresh break of structure on Friday after being in a narrow range for most of this month, indicating a continuation of the prevailing bullish momentum and signalling the potential for further upside. The move is backed by a notable multi-week volume breakout, highlighting strong market participation and adding credibility to the breakout.

Momentum indicators are also turning supportive. The daily MACD has delivered a bullish signal crossover, suggesting strengthening momentum after a period of consolidation. Additionally, the RSI has moved above its moving average, reflecting improving buying strength and a positive shift in sentiment. The stock is currently trading above key support levels and sustaining its higher-high, higher-low structure.

As long as NAZARA holds above 364, the bullish setup remains intact. The combination of a structural breakout, improving momentum indicators and strong volume participation favours a move towards 405 in the near term.

MONTCLAIR, Calif. — A truck loaded with roughly 40,000 pounds of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, the equivalent of more than 50,000 cans, was stolen from a Southern California distribution center in what the company and multiple outlets have described as potentially the largest beer heist ever recorded.

The Montclair Police Department said it is investigating two cargo thefts that occurred about an hour apart on Aug. 17 at an Anheuser-Busch distribution center on Brooks Street. In the first incident, a shipment worth roughly 45,000 dollars bound for Tucson, Arizona, was picked up for delivery around 10 a.m. but never arrived at its destination. About an hour later, a company claiming to be a subcontractor used fraudulent paperwork to arrange the pickup of an additional shipment worth roughly 25,000 dollars in Anheuser-Busch and Pabst Blue Ribbon products, according to police. The combined value of the two thefts totals roughly 70,000 dollars.

Paul Myers, Pabst’s senior director of integrated marketing operations, told CBS Los Angeles that the missing truck had been carrying about 1,400 cases of Pabst Blue Ribbon and roughly 200 cases of non-alcoholic Old Milwaukee, and had been scheduled for delivery in San Diego. “And what we discovered was it was just a bad actor essentially who came in and pretended to be the person who was supposed to pick up the beer,” Myers said. “It wasn’t the person who was supposed to pick up the beer, and then they drove off with it.”

Investigators said the trucking company information, driver identity and vehicle details connected to the pickups contained discrepancies, and police are working to determine whether the two thefts were carried out as part of the same fraudulent cargo-theft operation. No suspects have been publicly identified, and authorities have not disclosed any leads on the truck’s current location or whether its cargo remains intact.

Pabst Blue Ribbon addressed the theft directly through a series of social media posts, adopting a lighthearted tone even as the company pressed for the truck’s return. “STOLEN — 40,000lbs of beer,” the company wrote on Instagram, adding, “To the thief: we don’t fault you for wanting to brag to your friends how much PBR you have, we just wish you obtained it the honorable way.” The company gave the person responsible a specific window to return the vehicle without facing questions, writing, “Pabst is officially starting the clock now — you have exactly 18 days and 44 minutes to return our truck, no questions asked.” The company has not explained the unusual countdown, though the choice of 18 days and 44 minutes appears to reference 1844, the year Pabst was founded.

Pabst also said it would offer a reward equivalent to half the value of the stolen beer if the truck and its cargo are safely returned, according to CBS Los Angeles, though the company has not disclosed a specific dollar figure for the reward tied to information leading to an arrest. As the deadline has ticked down, the company has continued posting updates, writing in one message, “Beer is getting warmer, trail is getting colder. Clock’s still ticking,” and asking anyone who believes they have spotted the truck to photograph it and tag or message the company directly.

The company later issued an additional post seeking to dispel suggestions that the theft was a publicity stunt. “To clear up the confusion, this story is real,” Pabst wrote, again urging anyone with relevant information to reach out. A company spokesperson separately told Los Angeles ABC affiliate KABC that Pabst is “working with the local authorities to try and recover the stolen truck and are grateful for all their hard work,” adding, “We hope that whoever managed to steal our truck also knows the importance of keeping beer cold.”

The theft has drawn wide attention online, with commenters offering theories ranging from serious to satirical about what may have happened to the missing shipment. One social media user joked that the haul “would’ve only been 20,000 lbs if it was Pabst Light,” while another speculated that “somebody’s about to have a huge house party.” Kit Kat’s verified social media account also weighed in, referencing an unrelated March incident in which a truck carrying limited-edition Formula 1-themed Kit Kat bars was stolen in Italy.

The Montclair Police Department has asked anyone with information about the thefts, including details on the vehicles, driver, delivery company or the missing cargo’s whereabouts, to contact investigators at 909-621-4771. Fox News Digital said it reached out to both Pabst Blue Ribbon and the Montclair Police Department for additional comment. The investigation remains active, and as of this weekend, the stolen truck and its cargo had not been recovered.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA’s newest space telescope launched successfully Sunday morning, beginning a million-mile journey that scientists say will help unravel some of the biggest mysteries in the universe, including the nature of dark matter and dark energy.

The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope lifted off at 7:26 a.m. Eastern time aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, according to NASA. The rocket’s 27 Merlin engines generated more than 5 million pounds of thrust as they pushed the vehicle away from Florida’s spaceport, with the roughly 18,000-pound spacecraft now beginning a journey of about three months to reach its permanent home in space, roughly a million miles from Earth.

LIVE: Today’s the day!@NASARoman is getting ready to head to its new home 1 million miles from Earth, where it will change how we view the universe. Liftoff is currently scheduled for 7:26am ET (1126 UTC). https://t.co/fJi2wd5ztm

— NASA (@NASA) August 30, 2026

Roman is named for Nancy Grace Roman, NASA’s first chief astronomer, who died in 2018 at age 93 and was known as the “Mother of Hubble” for her role in championing that observatory decades earlier. The new telescope, about the size of a tour bus, will settle into orbit at the second Sun-Earth Lagrange point, known as L2, the same gravitationally stable location where the James Webb Space Telescope currently operates. At that point, the competing gravitational pulls of the Earth and the sun allow a spacecraft to maintain a steady orbit while using minimal fuel, giving Roman an unobstructed view of deep space.

“It takes us a good three-plus months to get out there, and we’re spending that time checking everything out and doing a whole bunch of calibrations and making sure everything is working the way we know it can,” said NASA integration and test scientist Jeremy Perkins, according to NPR. “It’s basically like our time to kick the tires and just make sure that the focus is right, the pointing is right.”

Roman’s central design advantage over Hubble is scale. According to NASA, the new telescope will match Hubble’s image sharpness while offering a field of view at least 100 times larger, allowing it to capture vast swaths of the sky in a single observation rather than the comparatively narrow images Hubble has produced over more than three decades in orbit. Roman senior scientist Julie McEnery highlighted the scope of that capability during NASA’s live launch commentary, saying, “The scope is extraordinary. We will do a survey of our own Milky Way galaxy and find 20 billion stars. That would make it the largest catalog of astronomical objects that’s ever been produced,” according to Space.com.

Much of Roman’s science mission will focus on two of astrophysics’ most persistent puzzles: dark matter and dark energy. Dark matter refers to the mysterious, invisible material whose gravitational influence appears to hold galaxies together, while dark energy is the poorly understood force believed to be driving the accelerating expansion of the universe. Roman will study dark matter by observing how gravity subtly bends the path of light traveling across vast cosmic distances, a technique that will help scientists map both ordinary and dark matter throughout large regions of the sky. To probe dark energy, the telescope will catalog a specific type of exploding star known as a Type Ia supernova, objects that shine with a known and predictable brightness and are sometimes called “standard candles” because of how reliably astronomers can use them to measure cosmic distances.

The telescope is also expected to dramatically expand the number of known planets beyond our solar system. Since astronomers first confirmed the existence of exoplanets in the 1990s, more than 6,000 have been identified. NASA expects Roman to identify more than 100,000 additional exoplanets by detecting the slight dips in starlight that occur when a planet passes in front of its host star, along with roughly 1,000 more through a separate technique called microlensing, which detects tiny changes in background starlight caused by the gravitational pull of a distant, otherwise invisible planet. The spacecraft will also demonstrate technology capable of directly blocking a star’s light in order to photograph planets orbiting it.

Roman’s origin traces back to a very different purpose. The spacecraft’s design was originally developed as a spy satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office before it was ultimately donated to NASA and repurposed for astrophysics research, giving the mission what NPR described as an unusual history compared with most scientific space telescopes.

Once operational, Roman is expected to generate an enormous volume of data, beaming back roughly 1.4 terabytes of raw science information each day through a refrigerator-sized high-gain antenna. That data will be made publicly available almost immediately through a cloud-based system called Roman Nexus, allowing scientists and members of the public alike to search the raw observations for new discoveries. “Roman’s database at the end of its prime mission after five years is going to be bigger than your standard music streaming platform,” Perkins said. He added that the scale of the dataset is part of what makes the mission distinctive. “It’s all the things that we are not expecting to see,” he said. “It’s all these one-in-a-million things that we’re going to be able to see with Roman that really excites me.”

Sunday’s launch had been targeted for months, with NASA and SpaceX conducting a formal Launch Readiness Review on Friday to confirm the mission was cleared to proceed. The launch marks the completion of years of development for the observatory, positioning Roman to begin science operations sometime after it reaches its L2 orbit and completes its initial checkout and calibration period this winter.