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New scanning technique uncovers brain differences in ADHD patients

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8 September 2025

New scanning technique uncovers brain differences in ADHD patients

A new study significantly strengthens the case that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) brains are structurally unique, thanks to a new scanning technique known as the traveling-subject method. It isn’t down to new technology – but better use of it.

A team of Japanese scientists led by Chiba University has corrected the inconsistencies in brain scans of ADHD individuals, where mixed results from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies left researchers unable to say for certain whether neurodivergency could be identified in the lab. Some studies reported smaller gray matter volumes in children with ADHD compared to those without, while others showed no difference or even larger volumes. With some irony, it’s been a gray area for diagnostics and research.

Here, the researchers employed an innovative technique called the traveling-subject (TS) method, which removed the “technical noise” that has traditionally distorted multi-site MRI studies. The result is a more reliable look at the ADHD brain – and a clearer picture of how the condition is linked to structural differences.

Essentially, different hospitals, clinics or research facilities use different scanners, with varying calibration, coils and software. When researchers pool data from multiple sites, they risk confusing biological variation with machine error. Statistical correction tools exist – like the widely used “ComBat” method – but these can sometimes overcorrect, erasing real biological signals along with noise. That’s a big problem for conditions like ADHD, where the predicted structural differences are subtle – so if the measurement noise is louder than the biological effect, results end up contradictory.

The TS method takes a more hands-on approach – basically making the scans uniform across a study group. The researchers recruited 14 non-ADHD volunteers and scanned each of them across four different MRI machines over three months. Since the same person’s brain doesn’t change in that short window, any differences between scans are from the machines themselves. This template served as a sort of neurotypical control, which allowed the researchers to further investigate a much larger dataset from the Child Developmental MRI database, which included 178 “typically developing” children and 116 kids with ADHD.

What they found was that once the scanner bias was removed, the results became much clearer. Children with ADHD showed smaller brain volumes in the frontotemporal regions compared to their typically developing peers. These brain areas are central to attention and information processing, emotional regulation, executive function and decision-making – all markers of ADHD.

“Despite these promising results, this study had some limitations,” the team noted in the paper. “The study sample may not fully represent the broader population of children with ADHD. The participants were drawn from specific geographical regions and clinical settings, which could limit the generalizability of the findings to other populations. Additionally, this study only examined the brain structure characteristics in children with ADHD elucidated using harmonization.”

While the new findings will need to be validated on a larger scale, the TS method could help with earlier diagnosis of ADHD and personalized treatments that track how therapies affect brain structure. It could also remove some of the stigma associated with ADHD, offering black-and-white, measurable evidence that neurodivergent brains are different – neurobiological evidence that isn’t based on behavior or self-reporting.

The research also shows that, like any biology student who has struggled with experiment design will know, accurate data is all about getting the methods of testing right.

“This study demonstrated the effectiveness of the TS method in correcting measurement bias in multi-site MRI studies involving children with ADHD,” the researchers added. “These findings highlight significant structural differences in the brains of patients with ADHD, particularly in the middle temporal gyrus, and underscore the importance of using robust harmonization techniques to improve the reproducibility and accuracy of neuroimaging research.”

The study was published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.

Source: Chiba University

Immigration raids in LA can continue, Supreme Court rules

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8 September 2025

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Immigration raids in LA can continue, Supreme Court rules

The US Supreme Court has ruled sweeping immigration raids in Los Angeles can continue for now, lifting a federal judge’s order that had barred agents from making stops without “reasonable suspicion”.

The Monday ruling is a win for President Donald Trump, who has vowed to conduct record-level deportations of migrants in the country illegally.

The 6-3 decision of the conservative-majority court allows agents to stops suspects based solely on their race, language or job, while a legal challenge to the recent immigration sweeps in LA works its way through the courts.

The liberal justices dissented, saying the decision puts constitutional freedoms at risk.

Conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote in Monday’s decision that the lower court’s restraining order went too far in restricting how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents could carry out stops or questioning of suspected unlawful migrants.

“To be clear, apparent ethnicity alone cannot furnish reasonable suspicion,” he wrote. “However, it can be a ‘relevant factor’ when considered along with other salient factors.”

The Supreme Court’s three liberal justices issued a strong dissent penned by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who wrote that “countless people in the Los Angeles area have been grabbed, thrown to the ground, and handcuffed simply because of their looks, their accents, and the fact they make a living by doing manual labour.”

“Today, the Court needlessly subjects countless more to these exact same indignities,” she wrote.

The Supreme Court’s decision has been criticised by Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass, a Democrat.

“Today’s ruling is not only dangerous – it’s un-American and threatens the fabric of personal freedom in the United States of America,” she said in a statement.

The decision lifts an order by US District Judge Maame E Frimpong in Los Angeles, who had said that there is a “mountain of evidence” showing the raids were violating the US Constitution.

The order halted the raids, with Judge Frimpon saying the Trump administration cannot rely on factors like “apparent race or ethnicity” or “speaking Spanish” alone to stop or question individuals.

The judge also barred immigration enforcement agents from conducting stops based solely on someone’s presence “at a particular location” like a bus stop, agricultural site or car wash, or based solely on the type of work an individual does.

The temporary restraining order was issued in a legal challenge by immigration advocacy groups, who argued that immigration officers in Los Angeles were conducting “roving patrols” indiscriminately, and were denying individuals access to lawyers.

Judge Frimpong said this may violate the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution, which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures by the government.

The Supreme Court, however, said that the administration’s actions have a good chance of ultimately being considered constitutional by the federal courts. While its decision only pertained to Judge Frimpong’s temporary restraining order, the justices also showed how the court would approach the lawsuit should it have to consider an appeal down the road.

Lawyers for the Department of Homeland Security have argued that immigration officers are targeting people based on their legal status in the US, not skin colour, race or ethnicity.

They have also said that Judge Frimpong’s order wrongly restricted ICE operations.

The Trump administration began sweeping immigration raids in Los Angeles in June, stopping and arresting people at Home Depot and other workplaces, and were met with immediate protests and civil unrest..

Trump then deployed nearly 2,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines in response, without authorisation from the state of California.

A federal judge has since ruled that the National Guard deployment was illegal. The White House responded that “a rogue judge is trying to usurp” the president’s authority “to protect American cities from violence and destruction.”

The US Supreme Court’s decision to let the raids continue comes as the Trump administration looks to ramp up law enforcement in other cities, including Washington DC.

In August, Trump ordered National Guard troops to the American capital to address what he says is high crime in the city, and is also using federal officers to bolster the district’s law enforcement.

He is now signalling that this week he will decide if he will also send federal law enforcement and the National Guard to Chicago.

StubHub aims for $9 billion valuation with the launch of its IPO roadshow

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8 September 2025

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StubHub aims for $9 billion valuation with the launch of its IPO roadshow

Secondary ticketing marketplace platform StubHub has revealed how much it hopes to earn from its initial public offering.

In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday (September 8), StubHub Holdings revealed it plans to sell just over 34 million Class A shares, with an option to sell an additional 5.1 million shares. It expects the shares to fetch USD $22-$25 each.

That indicates StubHub is expecting to raise between $748 million and $975 million from the IPO. Based on the number of outstanding shares listed in the SEC filing, that price target would give StubHub a valuation between $8.1 billion and $9.3 billion.

The new data comes as the company announced the launch of its IPO roadshow, i.e. the phase of the IPO in which company execs will be promoting StubHub as an investment.

Company Founder and CEO Eric Baker will remain firmly in control of StubHub. His holdings of Class B shares – which come with 100 votes each, as opposed to Class A shares with one vote each – will leave him with 87.8% of voting power on the board, StubHub said in its filing.

StubHub filed earlier this year to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “STUB.”

The company had been aiming for an IPO since at least 2022, and its latest SEC filing suggests it may have scaled back its IPO ambitions somewhat. A news report last year said the company was aiming for a valuation of $16.5 billion.

The IPO details come in the wake of weakening earnings numbers from StubHub, which also operates the viagogo platform outside North America.

For the first half of 2025, StubHub’s net loss more than doubled to $111.8 million, or $1.84 per share, despite a 3% YoY increase in revenue, to $827.9 million.

That comes despite a booming live events industry, with rival ticket sellers like Live Nation and DEAG reporting large jumps in revenue.

However, StubHub is grappling with ballooning costs, which widened to $776 million in H1 2025, from $750.4 million a year earlier.

JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs have been named as the joint book-running managers for the IPO, with additional joint book-running by BofA Securities, Evercore ISI, BMO Capital Markets, Mizuho, TD Cowen, Truist Securities and Wolfe | Nomura Alliance. Citizens Capital Markets, Oppenheimer & Co., Wedbush Securities and PNC Capital Markets are acting as co-managers for the proposed offering.

Through its StubHub brand in North America and viagogo in the rest of the world, StubHub operates ticket resale markets in over 200 countries and territories. It reported more than 40 million ticket sales from more than 1 million sellers in 2024.Music Business Worldwide

Major Tube Strike Causes Chaos for London Commuters

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8 September 2025

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Major Tube Strike Causes Chaos for London Commuters

new video loaded: Londoners Face Transit Chaos as Major Tube Strike Takes Effect

transcript

Londoners Face Transit Chaos as Major Tube Strike Takes Effect

A major strike on the London Underground system is causing widespread disruption for millions of Londoners. The strike is expected to last until Friday.

: I mean, I was hoping they’d be called off, which generally happens, and the prospect of it being all week is a bit of a nightmare. So it’s probably taken me twice as long to get in this morning. I guess more people will be working from home this week. I support what they’re saying, but it is an absolute pain for us, to be honest.

Client Challenge – A Test of Client Skills

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8 September 2025

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Client Challenge

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Former Israeli soldier develops video game inspired by Gaza conflict | Human Rights Violations

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8 September 2025

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Former Israeli soldier develops video game inspired by Gaza conflict | Human Rights Violations

NewsFeed

A former Israeli soldier has created a video game based on the Gaza war, which he says aims to ‘humanise’ Israeli troops. Scenes from the game’s promo video depict the destruction in Gaza, which rights groups say Israeli soldiers already treat as if it were a video game.

Published On 8 Sep 2025

Benchmark reiterates Buy rating on Texas Instruments stock

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8 September 2025

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Texas Instruments stock rating reiterated at Buy by Benchmark

The impact of Donald Trump’s tariffs on US manufacturing revival prospects

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8 September 2025

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The impact of Donald Trump’s tariffs on US manufacturing revival prospects

Natalie ShermanBBC News, Fall River, Massachusetts

BBC Frank and Sue stand next to each other, smiling, in front of their factory floor. Behind them is a table with a fan, and an American flag hangs from the wall. — Frank Teixeira and his daughter Sue Teixeira, co-owners of Fall River-based Accurate Services

In a corner of a cavernous 1890s factory in southern Massachusetts, 15 people are bent over sewing machines, churning out specialty, hospital-grade neonatal gear.

They are all that remain of what was once a much bigger manufacturing operation, most of which the Teixeira family shut down in 1990, reinventing their business as a largely warehousing and distribution business.

Since US President Donald Trump started rolling out sweeping tariffs, the Teixeiras have been fielding more inquiries from companies newly interested in their US-based sewing services.

But they have turned down those offers, deterred by the difficulty of hiring in the midst of an immigration crackdown and doubts that the demand will be sustained.

It’s just one of the many indications that achieving the manufacturing revival promised by the president is likely to be far more difficult than the White House has claimed.

“It’s just not going to happen,” said Frank Teixeira, who joined the family business in the 1970s and oversaw its dismantling and reinvention as Accurate Services Inc.

“Tariffs are a bad policy and eventually are going to come home to haunt us.”

Trump campaigned for the presidency on the promise of a better economy, engineered in part by tariffs that he said would lower costs and usher in a new golden age.

The message proved to resonate with voters, helping the campaign make unexpected inroads in working-class areas long considered Democratic strongholds.

That includes the Teixeiras’ base of Fall River, a former textile manufacturing hub, where Trump’s win marked the first in the city by a Republican presidential candidate in roughly a century.

But his plans were widely panned by experts, who warned that the tariffs, which are a tax on imports, would instead raise prices for American businesses and consumers and slow growth – with particular risks for manufacturers, who often rely on imported supplies.

Now nine months into the president’s term as the tariffs take hold, the gulf between Trump’s rhetoric, which boasts of investments pouring into the country, and the reality on the ground in places like Fall River, is starting to show.

US manufacturer Matouk relies on imported cloth and other materials to make high-end sheets, quilts and towels

A worker in a pink shirt makes towels at the Matouk factory in Fall River, Massachusetts. She is examining a white towel on a large workbench, standing in front of a large teal green machine that appears to be embroidering patterns onto other towels. — US manufacturer Matouk relies on imported cloth and other materials to make high-end sheets, quilts and towels

Employment growth in the US has slowed precipitously this year, including in manufacturing. After expanding after the pandemic, payrolls at manufacturing firms have shrunk this year, shedding 12,000 jobs last month alone.

Business surveys indicate that activity in the sector is in contraction.

Last month, 71% of manufacturers questioned by the Dallas branch of the Federal Reserve said the tariffs – which range from 10% to 50% on most imports – had already had a negative impact on their business, raising the cost of resources and hurting profits.

At Matouk, a maker of high-end bedding up the road from the Teixeiras’, boss George Matouk said that between April and August tariffs had already added more than $100,000 (£74,000) a month in costs, as they hit supplies like cotton fabric from India and Portugal and down from Liechtenstein.

George Matouk said he was seeing no benefits from the tariffs

George Matouk, in a blue button down shirt, at his factory in Fall River. Behind him women are seated at workstations in the large warehouse space. — George Matouk said he was seeing no benefits from the tariffs

Founded by his grandfather in 1929, the company has grown to employ about 300 people in recent years – a point of pride for Mr Matouk, who faced naysayers when he returned as the third generation to join the family business after graduating from Columbia Business School in the late 1990s.

But the sudden tariff expense has forced the firm to cut investments on things such as new equipment and spending on discretionary items like marketing.

Despite the made-in-America distinction of many of his products, Mr Matouk said he expected no benefits from the tariffs because higher costs were pushing him to raise prices, a move likely to weigh on sales.

“Because the materials are subject to tariffs just like everything else, the benefits are not there,” he said.

Mr Matouk called the current challenges faced by his firm “demoralising in a new way”, since they have been inflicted deliberately, by government policy.

“We’ve done all of the things we were supposed to do in order to invest in the industrial base of the United States when no one else was willing to do it and it’s just really frustrating that now we’re being penalised,” he said.

Kim and Mike van der Sleesen, owners of Vanson Leathers

Kim and Mike smile while standing on the dark wood floor of their factory, with an American flag hanging behind them — Kim and Mike van der Sleesen, owners of Vanson Leathers

Studies on the impact of the more limited tariffs imposed by Trump during his first term on manufacturers in the US have found that small job gains in protected industries, like steel, were more than offset by losses at other firms that were dependent on parts.

But Mike van der Sleesen, who runs motorcycle jacket business Vanson Leathers, said he thought the changes this year had been so disruptive that it was premature to make predictions.

Mr van der Sleesen, who voted for Trump last year, is no fan of the president’s tariffs, which have driven up his costs some 15% this year.

However, he shared the president’s concerns that foreign companies could easily access the US market, while US firms looking to sell abroad encounter hurdles in the form of tariffs and other taxes.

One of the roughly 50 workers at Vanson Leathers

Jared Botelho, a worker at Vanson Leathers, works on snaps for the company's motorcycle jackets — One of the roughly 50 workers at Vanson Leathers

“It’s been a very uneven and unfair trade path for a company like Vanson,” said Mr van der Sleesen, whose business was founded in 1974 and employed more than 160 people as recently as 2000, before the wallop of China’s entry into the global order shrunk the workforce to about 50.

“We shouldn’t charge them and they shouldn’t charge us in my view but that’s never going to happen,” he said.

For now, demand for his jackets, which can sell for thousands of dollars, has held up. He said his suppliers in the US were reporting an uptick in activity.

“We haven’t heard overtime in the textile world for 20 years!” he said. “It’s hard to be confident that you can predict what it’s going to shake out to be because the changes have been so dramatic.”

Retired transit worker Tom Teixeira believes it will take time for things to improve

Tom Teixeira, in a gray t-shirt and shorts, walks by the river in Fall River, with the Braga Bridge in the background — Retired transit worker Tom Teixeira believes it will take time for things to improve

On the streets of Fall River, many Trump supporters said they remained willing to give the president time to put his strategy to the test.

“We should be able to manufacture,” said Tom Teixeira.

The 72-year-old retired transit worker voted for Trump in 2016, 2020 and 2024, won over in part by his message on the economy.

“I know how it was and it can improve but it’s not going to improve overnight,” said Mr Teixeira, who is not related to the Teixeira manufacturers, adding that he had yet to notice any major price increases this year.

“A year from now, if things aren’t cheaper, we’ll see.”

AI consulting company reaches $1 billion valuation, grants ownership to employees

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8 September 2025

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AI consulting company reaches $1 billion valuation, grants ownership to employees

Good morning. Retaining and engaging employees remains a core priority for many companies.

For Synechron, this meant celebrating its $1 billion annual revenue milestone by making every employee a part owner. The private AI and tech consultancy recently announced its offering a universal equity grant to all 16,000 employees worldwide—each will receive $1,000 in restricted stock units (RSUs).

Unlike typical performance- or tenure-based models, this RSU grant is equal for all employees, regardless of location or role. There’s no minimum tenure requirement for the award, which is granted to current employees only. The company maintains separate, performance-driven equity awards as well.

Reaching $1 billion, bootstrapped and without outside investors, is a notable accomplishment, CEO and cofounder Faisal Husain told me. Founded in 2001, the once-small New York startup has grown over 24 years into a global player with offices in 21 countries.

Leadership wanted a celebration of the milestone that reflected the company’s values, Husain said. After considering standard rewards like gift cards or gadgets, they chose a shared equity stake. “It’s the best form of appreciation,” he said.

“We’ve all heard the stories—if you bought $1,000 of Amazon or Microsoft shares 20 years ago, it would be worth a lot today,” Husain told me. Synechron employees could have a similar opportunity.

Asked if an IPO is in Synechron’s future, he said it’s possible, but, for now, the focus is on growth, innovation, and helping clients through technology’s rapid changes. “We’ve kept the company privately held for 24 years,” Husain said. At some point, things may change, he added, “but we’re not in any rush.”

Leadership sets the culture

The grant ties directly to Husain’s leadership philosophy—it reflects a culture of transparency and inclusivity reinforced by regular town halls and a belief that everyone should share in the firm’s success, he said.

I spoke with two Synechron employees. Roya Shahilow, chief of staff in London for a decade, recalled joining when revenue was just $300,000. “The $1 billion mark felt like a dream in the distance,” she said. “It’s a proud moment to have achieved that.”

Annushree Chute, senior manager of immigration and travel in Pune, India, also with the company for 10 years, echoed that the excitement in the office was palpable when the news broke. Both credit the company’s supportive culture for their long tenures. “Connecting with everyone, from associates to the CEO, is very important,” Chute said. Shahilow added, “Granting these RSUs speaks volumes about our culture.”

Every employee received a medallion as a physical symbol of their shares. Shahilow plans to frame hers; Chute will display hers on her desk.

As CEO, Husain is both reflecting on this achievement and focused on future growth. “Now we have to chart a new path,” he said. “How do we go from $1 billion today to $10 billion? It’s my role to make sure we stay on the winning side.”

Sheryl Estrada
sheryl.estrada@fortune.com

Leaderboard

Inder M. Singh was appointed CFO and chief operating officer of IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), a quantum computing and networking provider, effective immediately. Singh succeeds Thomas Kramer, who will remain at IonQ in an advisory capacity for up to 60 days. Singh most recently served as CFO of Arm, a British semiconductor and software design company, where he oversaw the majority of its IPO. Singh previously held several leadership roles at Unisys, a global technology solutions company, culminating with his position as CFO. Before that, Singh led financial strategy for Cisco, one of the world’s largest networking companies, as its VP of corporate financial strategy and M&A.

Samantha Rutty was appointed EVP and CFO at Myers Industries, Inc. (NYSE: MYE), a manufacturer, effective Sept. 22. Rutty brings to her new role more than two decades of finance leadership experience across global services and manufacturing companies. She joins Myers from The Brink’s Company, where she had served as VP and CFO of Brink’s North America since November 2022. Before that, Rutty spent 20 years with Eaton Corporation in a series of senior finance roles, including director of finance, eMobility.

Big Deal

The Labor Department released the August jobs report on Friday, showing U.S. employers added just 22,000 jobs as the labor market continued to cool. Hiring slowed from an upwardly revised 79,000 in July. The unemployment rate rose to 4.3%, the highest level since 2021.

The results are likely to heighten concerns at the Federal Reserve about labor market weakness, according to a note to clients from BofA Global Research. “There is now clearer evidence of deterioration in labor demand, not just supply,” BofA economists wrote. “Therefore, we are changing our Fed call to show two 25bp cuts this year, in September and December.”

Jerome Powell’s current term as chair of the Federal Reserve is set to expire in May 2026. BofA economists maintain their view that the next Fed Chair will guide the Federal Open Market Committee in a more dovish direction. They now expect another 75bp of rate cuts under the new chair, aiming for a terminal rate of 3.00-3.25%.

“We pencil those in for June, September, and December 2026,” the note says. “This raises our forecast of cumulative cuts by end-2026 from 100bp to 125bp.”

On Tuesday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics will publish its preliminary payroll revision, which recalculates which recalculates employment numbers for the previous year using more comprehensive data, such as company payrolls.

Going deeper

“Anthropic reaches $1.5 Billion settlement with authors in landmark copyright case” is a Fortune report by Beatrice Nolan.

From the report: “Anthropic agreed to pay authors around $3,000 per book for roughly 500,000 works, after it was accused of downloading millions of pirated texts from shadow libraries to train its large language model, Claude. As part of the deal, Anthropic will also destroy data it was accused of illegally acquiring. The fast-growing AI startup announced on Sept. 2 that it had just raised an additional $13 billion in new venture capital funding in a deal that valued the company at $183 billion.” Read the complete report here.