Expert Pitch: M&S Cyber Attack
University of Portsmouth
Fruit firmness plays a critical role in apple quality, influencing both shelf life and consumer preference. Scientists have now identified a natural genetic variation in the MdNAC5 gene that governs differences in apple firmness and ripening speed. By resequencing hundreds of apple hybrids, researchers mapped a key genetic locus and pinpointed a single A-to-T mutation that affects fruit texture. Functional experiments showed that different MdNAC5 variants distinctly regulate ethylene biosynthesis, a central pathway in fruit softening. This discovery offers new insights into the genetic control of apple ripening and opens up potential strategies for breeding apples with optimized firmness and storage properties.
There is a global shortage of omega-3 partly due to environmental factors, according to new research from Case Western Reserve University. This poses a public health and environmental challenge.
A research team led by Dr. Sunghoon Hur of the Electronic and Hybrid Materials Research Center at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and Professor Hyun-Cheol Song of Korea University has developed a biocompatible ultrasonic receiver that maintains its performance even when bent.
Climate change is threatening the livelihoods of smallholder farmers across South Asia. In this context, a new study conducted across transboundary regions of Nepal, India, and Bangladesh uncovers the critical factors that influence their ability to adapt. The study reveals that adaptive capacity (AC) depends on a combination of land access, financial resources, and community networks, and knowledge of climate-resilient agricultural practices. The findings show that, while each country faces unique challenges, shared barriers such as unreliable weather information, limited infrastructure, and financial constraints are holding back smallholder farmers. These insights provide a crucial foundation for shaping targeted adaptation policies and improving resilience in vulnerable farming communities.
Study of 555 ancient Egyptian coffins Research focused around the Egyptian sky-goddess Nut Imagery dates back more than 3,000 years
In the study, appearing April 30 in JAMA Surgery, patients treated with SGLT2i had a small but significantly higher risk of postoperative euglycemic ketoacidosis but a lower risk of postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) and mortality at 30 days post-surgery.
A pioneering study has unveiled a revolutionary technique that enhances stem cell therapy for neurodegenerative diseases by combining magnetic guidance with localized ultrasound stimulation. This innovative approach successfully navigates magnetically loaded stem cells to specific brain regions and promotes their differentiation into neurons using a miniaturized ultrasound device.
A research team has developed a novel strategy for isolating high-purity muscle stem cells (MuSCs), fibro-adipogenic progenitors (FAPs), and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) from porcine muscle tissue.
A research team reveals the promising antihypertensive effects of egg white hydrolysates (EWH) and ovotransferrin-depleted egg white hydrolysates (OD-EWH) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), suggesting that these natural ingredients could be effective alternatives to traditional pharmaceuticals for managing hypertension.