A new AI model is much better than doctors at identifying patients likely to experience cardiac arrest.
The linchpin is the system’s ability to analyze long-underused heart imaging, alongside a full spectrum of medical records, to reveal previously hidden information about a patient’s heart health.
The federally-funded work, led by Johns Hopkins University researchers, could save many lives and also spare many people unnecessary medical interventions, including the implantation of unneeded defibrillators.
“Currently we have patients dying in the prime of their life because they aren’t protected and others who are putting up with defibrillators for the rest of their lives with no benefit,” said senior author Natalia Trayanova, a researcher focused on using artificial intelligence in cardiology. “We have the ability to predict with very high accuracy whether a patient is at very high risk for sudden cardiac death or not.”
The findings are published today in Nature Cardiovascular Research.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is one of the most common inherited heart diseases, affecting one in every 200 to 500 individuals worldwide, and is a leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young people and athletes.
Many patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy will live normal lives, but a percentage are at significant increased risk for sudden cardiac death. It’s been nearly impossible for doctors to determine who those patients are.
Current clinical guidelines used by doctors across the United States and Europe to identify the patients most at risk for fatal heart attacks have about a 50% chance of identifying the right patients, “not much better than throwing dice,” Trayanova says.
The team’s model significantly outperformed clinical guidelines across all demographics.
Multimodal AI for ventricular Arrhythmia Risk Stratification (MAARS), predicts individual patients’ risk for sudden cardiac death by analyzing a variety of medical data and records, and, for the first time, exploring all the information contained in the contrast-enhanced MRI images of the patient’s heart.
People with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy develop fibrosis, or scarring, across their heart and it’s the scarring that elevates their risk of sudden cardiac death. While doctors haven’t been able to make sense of the raw MRI images, the AI model zeroed right in on the critical scarring patterns.
People have not used deep learning on those images. We are able to extract this hidden information in the images that is not usually accounted for.”
Natalia Trayanova, senior author
The team tested the model against real patients treated with the traditional clinical guidelines at Johns Hopkins Hospital and Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute in North Carolina.
Compared to the clinical guidelines that were accurate about half the time, the AI model was 89% accurate across all patients and, critically, 93% accurate for people 40 to 60 years old, the population among hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients most at-risk for sudden cardiac death.
The AI model also can describe why patients are high risk so that doctors can tailor a medical plan to fit their specific needs.
“Our study demonstrates that the AI model significantly enhances our ability to predict those at highest risk compared to our current algorithms and thus has the power to transform clinical care,” says co-author Jonathan Crispin, a Johns Hopkins cardiologist.
In 2022, Trayanova’s team created a different multi-modal AI model that offered personalized survival assessment for patients with infarcts, predicting if and when someone would die of cardiac arrest.
The team plans to further test the new model on more patients and expand the new algorithm to use with other types of heart diseases, including cardiac sarcoidosis and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.
Authors include Changxin Lai, Minglang Yin, Eugene G. Kholmovski, Dan M. Popescu, Edem Binka, Stefan L. Zimmerman, Allison G. Hays, all of Johns Hopkins; Dai-Yin Luand M. Roselle Abrahamof the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Center of Excellence at University of California San Francisco; and Erica Schererand Dermot M. Phelanof Atrium Health.
Source:
Journal reference:
Lai, C., et al. (2025). Multimodal AI to forecast arrhythmic death in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Nature Cardiovascular Research. doi.org/10.1038/s44161-025-00679-1.
UT Southwestern researchers found that patients who had high-dose radiation with chemotherapy before surgery to remove pancreatic tumors showed better response to treatment than those who were not treated with radiation. (Photo credit: Getty Images)
DALLAS – July 02, 2025 – Adding targeted radiation to chemotherapy prior to surgery may offer better control of pancreatic tumors – potentially reducing the rate of recurrence after treatment, according to a new study from UT Southwestern Medical Center. Published in Clinical Cancer Research, the novel study offers evidence of a more effective approach with biological insights for treating one of the most aggressive and lethal forms of cancer.
Todd Aguilera, M.D., Ph.D., is Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology and a member of the Experimental Therapeutics Research Program at the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at UT Southwestern.
“Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is extremely difficult to treat because even after chemotherapy and surgery, tumors often grow back, many times at the original site,” said study leader Todd Aguilera, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology and a member of the Experimental Therapeutics Research Program at the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at UT Southwestern. “Our findings suggest stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SAbR), which delivers high-dose radiation with minimal toxicity, may improve clinical outcomes for patients with PDAC by lowering the risk of recurrence – especially in cancers that invade or encase major arteries.”
The retrospective study compared 181 patients who were treated for pancreatic cancer at UT Southwestern and Parkland Health between 2012 and 2023 using neoadjuvant chemotherapy – designed to shrink the tumor prior to surgery – and either received or didn’t receive SAbR. Using RNA sequencing, the researchers examined molecular changes in tumor tissue among 43 of those patients to understand the biological effects of SAbR.
Despite having more advanced disease at the outset, patients treated with SAbR had better treatment response and notably improved local control, or prevention of recurrence at the original site – particularly when arterial involvement was present — but similar overall survival rates. “This matters because local tumor regrowth causes significant suffering for patients,” Dr. Aguilera said. “As systemic therapies continue to improve, the burden of local recurrence becomes even more prominent – and more important to address.”
The researchers, including first author and M.D./Ph.D. student researcher Peter Q. Leung, also found evidence that SAbR stimulated the immune system, increasing cancer-fighting lymphocytes in SAbR-treated tumors.
UT Southwestern M.D./Ph.D. student researcher Peter Q. Leung is the study’s first author.
“While further study is needed, it’s possible that there is potential in combining high-dose ablative radiation with immunotherapies,” Dr. Aguilera said. “That could open up new areas to enhance antitumor immunity and ultimately improve cure rates for pancreatic patients, which today stand only at around 30% for those who undergo surgery.”
The research builds upon previous studies conducted in the Aguilera Lab, which focus on understanding how radiation changes the tumor microenvironment.
“With high-resolution tools like single-cell RNA sequencing and multiplexed immunofluorescence, we are now investigating how each patient’s tumor responds at the cellular and molecular level and using that insight to develop smarter, more targeted treatments,” Dr. Aguilera said. “Detailed tissue analyses like those conducted here at UT Southwestern are critical for uncovering new therapeutic directions. This kind of work is only possible at a center like ours, where an interdisciplinary team collaborates closely to tailor the right treatment path for each patient. It also depends on the incredible commitment of our patients, who empower us to learn from every case. And none of it happens without dedicated trainees like Mr. Leung and the rest of our team, who take on critical parts of the effort.”
Dr. Aguilera is a Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) Scholar in Cancer Research, a National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cancer Moonshot Scholar, and a Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator.
Other UTSW researchers who contributed to the study are Herbert J. Zeh III, M.D., Chair and Professor of Surgery; Adam C. Yopp, M.D., Professor of Surgery and Chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology; John C. Mansour, M.D., Professor of Surgery; Song Zhang, Ph.D., Professor in the Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health; Cheryl M. Lewis, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Simmons Cancer Center and of Pathology; Patricio M. Polanco, M.D., Associate Professor of Surgery, Director of Robotic Surgery Training, co-Director of the Pancreatic Cancer Program, and co-Director of the Pancreatic Cancer Prevention Clinic; Nina N. Sanford, M.D., Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology and Chief of Gastrointestinal Radiation Oncology Service; Syed Kazmi, M.D., Associate Professor of Internal Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology; Matthew R. Porembka, M.D., Associate Professor of Surgery; Megan Wachsmann, M.D., Assistant Professor of Pathology; Zhikai Chi, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Pathology; Salwan Al Mutar, M.D., Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology; David Hsieh, M.D., Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology; Eslam A. Elghonaimy, Ph.D., Instructor of Radiation Oncology; Muhammad S. Beg, M.D., Adjunct Associate Professor of Internal Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology; Ahmed M. Elamir, M.D., Clinical Fellow in Radiation Oncology; Neha Barrows, B.S., Research Assistant II in Radiation Oncology; Hollis Notgrass, M.S., Lead Pathologist Assistant; Ethan Johnson, Clinical Research Coordinator; Cassandra Hamilton, B.S., Senior Regulatory Analyst; andSamy Castillo-Flores, M.D., and Ricardo E. Nunez Rocha, M.D., postdoctoral researchers.
Drs. Zeh, Yopp, Mansour, Zhang, Lewis, Polanco, Sanford, Kazmi, Porembka, Wachsmann, Chi, Al Mutar, and Hsieh are all members of Simmons Cancer Center.
The study was funded by a Simmons Cancer Center Translational Cancer Research Pilot Grant; CPRIT (RR170051); the Carroll Shelby Foundation; the UT Southwestern Disease Oriented Scholars Program; and an NCI Cancer Center Support Grant (P30CA142543).
About UT Southwestern Medical Center
UT Southwestern, one of the nation’s premier academic medical centers, integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institution’s faculty members have received six Nobel Prizes and include 25 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 23 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 14 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators. The full-time faculty of more than 3,200 is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UT Southwestern physicians provide care in more than 80 specialties to more than 140,000 hospitalized patients, more than 360,000 emergency room cases, and oversee nearly 5.1 million outpatient visits a year.
About Parkland Health
Parkland Health is one of the largest public hospital systems in the country. Premier services at the state-of-the-art Parkland Memorial Hospital include the Level I Rees-Jones Trauma Center, the only burn center in North Texas verified by the American Burn Association for adult and pediatric patients, and a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The system also includes two on-campus outpatient clinics – the Ron J. Anderson, MD Clinic and the Moody Outpatient Center, as well as more than 30 community-based clinics and numerous outreach and education programs. By cultivating its diversity, inclusion, and health equity efforts, Parkland enriches the health and wellness of the communities it serves. For more information, visit parklandhealth.org.
Sony Music France and Sony Music Publishing France have acquired Lusafrica and Africa Nostra, a long-established label and publishing house dedicated to promoting Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) and African artists around the world.
Founded in 1988 by José Da Silva, Lusafrica introduced Cesária Évora to the world. The singer secured numerous awards for her music including a Grammy, four Kora Awards, and two Victoires de la Musique.
After producing Cesária Évora and other Cape Verdean Lusophone artists such as Lura, Lusafrica diversified by signing African artists including Bonga and Boubacar Traoré, and Latin American artists such as Polo Montañez.
Montañez gained international recognition with his hit Un Montón de Estrellas, which earned him a nomination for a Latin Grammy award in 2003. The track enjoyed widespread radio airplay in Cuba and was later covered by international artists.
In 2000, the publishing house Africa Nostra was established, developing a catalogue that overlaps with nearly three-quarters of Lusafrica’s collection.
The catalogue is made up of more than 4,000 titles including the entire discography of Cesária Évora, featuring international hits such as Petit Pays, Sodade and Bésame Mucho. It also includes all albums of Polo Montañez including Un Montón de Estrellas and Guitarra Mía.
“Lusafrica and Africa Nostra hold a central position in the spread of Lusophone and African music worldwide,” said a statement.
“Lusafrica and Africa Nostra’s catalogue resonate far beyond the borders of its artists, with particularly strong listening audiences in the United States, France and Latin America and has been steadily growing for years. Their acquisition by Sony Music France and Sony Music Publishing France opens new opportunities to expand their reach and resonance with fans in new markets.”
“We are thrilled to welcome Lusafrica into our Sony Music family,” said Marie-Anne Robert, managing director of Sony Music France. “We are committed to preserving and developing the legacy built by Lusafrica, by establishing bridges between markets and generations, for the benefit of artists and fans. Our expertise in developing international audiences will allow listeners worldwide to discover or rediscover this essential world music catalogue. We will continue to honor José Da Silva’s vision and support the artists in reaching new heights.”
Our expertise in developing international audiences will allow listeners worldwide to discover or rediscover this essential world music catalogue
Marie-Anne Robert
“Almost 40 years after the creation of Lusafrica, I decided to hand over our label to Sony Music France, a long-standing partner with whom we share a strong history,” said José Da Silva, founder of Lusafrica. “It wasn’t an easy choice, but it was an obvious one. Over time, I felt that I no longer had the energy to support Lusafrica as I would have liked. However, I’m convinced that it was the best decision: Sony Music France and Sony Music Publishing have the resources and know-how to continue this adventure, and above all, they know our catalogue and our musical identity thanks to over 20 years of collaboration.
“Since it was founded in 1988, Lusafrica has played a key role in spreading African, Latin and Portuguese music around the world, not least through the incredible career of Cesária Évora. Today’s handover marks the end of a cycle, but also the continuity of a musical heritage that is close to my heart.”
“We are extremely enthusiastic about working with Africa Nostra’s repertoire,” said Antoine Dathanat, managing director of Sony Music Publishing France. “Its editorial catalogue is rich and diverse, featuring iconic titles with an international footprint. These works hold tremendous potential for covers and reinterpretations, especially among the younger generation. By integrating Africa Nostra, we enhance our ability to bring these musical treasures to an international audience eager to discover or rediscover timeless classics.”
PHOTO: (L-R) Elodie Da Silva, CEO Lusafrica & Africa Nostra, Matthieu Damade, Catalogue Manager Sony Music France, José Da Silva, founder Lusafrica & Africa Nostra, Marie-Anne Robert, Managing Director Sony Music France, Georges Ouaggini, Finance Director Sony Music France, Antoine Dathanat, Managing Director Sony Music Publishing France (credit: Jules Despretz)
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The UK’s financial watchdog is expanding bullying and harassment rules to more than 37,000 City firms, in an effort to crack down on “rolling bad apples” who avoid consequences by hopping from firm to firm.
It means that “serious, substantiated cases of poor personal behaviour” by senior managers at a range of firms including hedge funds, insurers and pension firms will have to be reported to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), as well as future employers who are assessing whether new hires are fit and proper for the job.
Previously, only banks were required to report bad behaviour to the watchdog. The rules will now apply to tens of thousands of other firms across the City that are bound by the so-called senior managers and certification regime (SM&CR) that is meant to hold senior bosses accountable for wrongdoing at their firms.
The regulator said the expanded rules would help “prevent ‘rolling bad apples’ – people moving from firm to firm without appropriate action being taken or without past serious non-financial misconduct being disclosed”.
Sarah Pritchard, the FCA’s deputy chief executive, said: “Too often when we see problems in the market, there are cultural failings in firms. Behaviour like bullying or harassment going unchallenged is one of the reddest flags – a culture where this occurs can raise questions about a firm’s decision-making and risk management.
“Our new rules will help drive consistency across industry and support the vast majority of firms that want to do the right thing to deepen trust in financial services.”
The expanded rules on non-financial misconduct, which also cover racism, sexual harassment and violence and intimidation, will come into force on 1 September 2026. However, they will not apply to payments and e-money firms, regulated investment exchanges or credit ratings agencies, none of which are subject to SM&CR rules.
The FCA recently won a tribunal challenge brought by the former Barclays boss Jes Staley, with judges upholding a lifetime ban against the former chief executive for misleading the regulator over the nature of his relationship with the convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and their last point of contact.
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The new rules come despite the FCA and fellow regulators facing mounting pressure from the government to slash red tape for businesses.
One might think that working at a guidebook company would exhaust our staff from reading when we’re off the clock, but au contraire. We’re constantly reaching for our next great reads, both on and off the road, not only to get lost in fascinating stories but also to visit incredible places with no plane ticket required.
Here are the books our staff are reading on the road this summer, and the travel-worthy destinations they’re set in.
The 12th arrondissement of Paris. Kate Devine for Lonely Planet
Citizens by Simon Schama
Set in: France
An in-depth history of the French Revolution – a lovely, long read for sitting out in the sun.
– Amy Lynch, Destination Editor for the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia
Buildings around Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires. Brester Irina/Shutterstock
Nueva correspondencia (1955-1972) by Alejandra Pizarnik
Set in: Buenos Aires, Paris and New York City
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I bought this for the beautiful cover, and also because I’m trying to brush up on my Spanish this summer. I also love books of letters — it’s so close to being inside someone’s brain and so close to their emotions. It’s also a voyeuristic read. Pizarnik lived between Argentina and Paris, which is great travel inspiration for me as well.
– Pia Peterson Haggarty, Photo Director
The Getty Center in Los Angeles. Jon Bilous/Shutterstock
Sex and Rage by Eve Babitz
Set in: Los Angeles
My tried-and-true summer read. This book oozes sweltering, dreamy summer vibes. It has everything you could ever want: glimmering 1960s LA, unrequited love, glamorous parties, surfing on crashing West Coast waves and chaotic dinner parties where everyone is in a miniskirt and has sandy hair. Babitz’s prose is hilarious, heartfelt and captivating. I reread this novel nearly every summer, and it never disappoints.
– Chamidae Ford, Digital Editor
The US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City. Leonard Zhukovsky/Shutterstock
The Racket by Conor Niland
Set in: Ireland, and Grand Slam tournaments across the globe
An inside look at the lives of pro tennis players who aren’t part of the 1%. Few people travel as much as tennis players, but it’s hardly glamorous for anyone not named Roger or Serena. I’m an avid tennis fan, and reading about what most players sacrifice just to have a shot at being a tennis pro is an eye-opener.
– James Pham, Destination Editor for Southeast Asia
A lakeside cottage in Ontario. LesPalenik/Shutterstock
One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune
Set in: Ontario’s countryside
In the fourth book by this Canadian author, Fortune shows she understands exactly what makes for the perfect beach read: exclusively summer settings (think: Ontario’s cottage country); deeply relatable female protagonists; a plot that’s light enough to keep you turning pages without feeling like you’re eating junk food; and just the right amount of spice.
– Jessica Lockhart, Destination Editor for Oceania
The easternmost point of New Zealand on Te Araroa. maphke/Shutterstock
Northbound: Four seasons of solitude on Te Araroa by Naomi Arnold
Set in: New Zealand
Last year, Arnold walked the entirety of Te Araroa – a 3000km (1850-mile) trail that spans the length of New Zealand – taking notes along the way that would eventually become this book. If Arnold’s book makes you want to hike across NZ but you don’t have months to spare, she’s also shared some of her favorite day hikes with us in Lonely Planet’s forthcoming Best Day Hikes New Zealand, which will be published in September 2025.
– Jessica Lockhart, Destination Editor for Oceania
A cottage in England’s Chiltern hills. Pawel Piotr/Shutterstock
Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner
Set in: England’s countryside
A woman in early 20th-century England moves to the countryside from London after buying a guidebook to the Chilterns at her florist’s. She eventually becomes a little bit witchy and finds her familiar in a cat named Vinegar. (And you know how LP’s resident cat lady feels about books with cat characters!)
– Akanksha Singh, Destination Editor for Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent
Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Georgia. ciapix/Shutterstock
Can’t Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan
Set in:Atlanta
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The final book in the Skyland series (which follows three friends in Atlanta navigating life in their 40s) is a little spicy. Kennedy creates a world and characters that are not free of hardships but filled with love and support to tackle them.
– Alicia Johnson, Destination Editor for South America and the Caribbean
Cafe de L’ambre in Tokyo. Rintaro Kanemoto for Lonely Planet
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Set in:Tokyo
The chapters in this book about a time-traveling cafe are each dedicated to a different patron’s journey. The premise is kooky enough to be fun, but the short chapters have surprising emotional depth.
– Selena Takigawa Hoy, Destination Editor for Northeast Asia
Grotta della Poesia (Cave of Poetry) on the coast of Puglia, Italy. LauraVl/Shutterstock
Difficult Loves by Italo Calvino
Set in:Italy
Always charming, often funny and occasionally heartbreaking tales about love and the illusion of love. The characters are wacky yet real, from two strangers on a beach (beach crush is the new airport crush) to a couple seeking compromise over an unsolvable ant infestation. It’s set in multiple destinations in Italy and some others across Europe. Most of the tales are brief, perfect for squeezing in between vacation activities – or in my case, on subway commutes.
– Ann Douglas Lott, Digital Editor
View of Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate) from inside Sensō-ji in Tokyo. Rintaro Kanemoto for Lonely Planet
Butter by Asako Yuzuki
Set in: Tokyo
It’s about a Tokyo-based journalist who starts to interview Manako Kajii, a woman convicted of being a serial killer who has been accused of seducing her victims with her cooking. The book is inspired by a real-life serial murder case in Japan. It explores various themes, like identity, body image, loneliness, gender stereotypes, sexism and misogyny.
– Zara Sekhavati, Destination Editor for the Middle East & Africa
Ocean Vuong’s latest novel takes place in a fictional small New England town. Pictured here, real-life New England town Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Brester Irina/Shutterstock
The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong
Set in: New England
I’m a big fan of novelist Ocean Vuong, so I had to read his latest book about life in a small Connecticut town where an unlikely friendship forms between an elderly widow with dementia and a young suicidal man.
– Matt Paco, Senior Producer
The main square in Malfa, Sicily. Adrienne Pitts for Lonely Planet
Lies and Sorcery by Elsa Morante
Set in: Sicily
It’s an Italian family saga that made Natalia Ginzburg (one of my favorite authors) declare Morante “the greatest writer of the century” after reading it in one sitting, and it also inspired My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, so I can’t wait to get stuck in it. At over 800 pages, it’ll keep me occupied during more than one sitting at the beach; I’ll be lost in it for days! The book follows three generations of Sicilian women through bad marriages and family secrets, all narrated by a reclusive woman spinning what she calls her own “outlandish epic.” It was first published in 1948, but we’re only getting the full English translation now.
– Sasha Brady, Digital Editor
The Bluff on Isle of Hope, Savannah, GA. Ethan Payne for Lonely Planet
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
Set in: Coastal Georgia
By the queen of solid, literary-esque beach reads (Happy Place is my favorite book), Great Big Beautiful Life follows two writers on a fictional island off the coast of Georgia who are competing to tell the story of a woman with a secret. Perfect mix of love and mystery. It’s hard to go wrong with Emily Henry, even if contemporary romance isn’t your typical genre.
– Rachel Lewis, Senior Social Media Manager
Downtown Chicago. Brester Irina/Shutterstock
My Roommate Is a Vampire by Jenna Levine
Set in:Chicago
As a Twilight girlie, this one grabbed me immediately: a struggling artist in modern-day Chicago moves into an apartment only to find out her new roommate is a sexy vampire. It’s the perfect sort of book for flying through a long flight or car ride. Not exactly seasonally appropriate, but very, very fun. And hot. So there’s that.
– Rachel Lewis, Senior Social Media Manager
Professional tennis player Coco Gauff at the French Open. Leonard Zhukovsky/Shutterstock
Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Set in: multiple locations, including Grand Slam tournaments
The second tennis-related book on this list, this one’s historical fiction about a pro tennis player who comes out of retirement to defend her Grand Slam record.
– Melissa Yeager, Destination Editor for Western USA and Canada
Brownstones in Brooklyn Heights. Jon Bilous/Shutterstock
Olga Dies Dreaming by Xóchitl González
Set in: New York City
Fun, sharp, witty, smart. I couldn’t put it down. Set between New York and Puerto Rico, two successful Brooklyn-based siblings navigate the distinctions between material success and personal happiness in their adult lives. A lively tale about the search for authentic identity while confronting the truths about the people and places that raised you. Plus, the book jacket is bright and colorful and looks like cool art.
– Nitya Chambers, Senior VP of Digital Content
Mt Rainier looms over the town of Gig Harbor, Washington. GSD Photography/Shutterstock
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Set in: Washington’s Puget Sound
This is a tender story about the unlikely friendship of a woman and an octopus in a fictional town in Puget Sound. It’s way deeper than you would anticipate with this description.
– Melissa Yeager, Destination Editor for Western USA and Canada
Montjuic Castle is an old military fortress built on top of Montjuic hill in Barcelona, Spain. ColorMaker/Shutterstock
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Set in: A fictional land with various kingdoms and castles
A high fantasy series that follows a teenage assassin seeking her freedom in a corrupt kingdom. Because there’s something about dipping into a little escapism while you’re en route to/in the middle of/returning from your latest IRL escape.
– Shalayne Pulia, Social Contributor Manager
Diners outside Jeffrey’s Grocery restaurant and bar in New York City. Ann Douglas Lott/Lonely Planet
Care and Feeding by Laurie Woolever
Set in: New York City
Woolever is a food writer who worked with Anthony Bourdain and Mario Batali. In this memoir, she writes about restaurants, chefs and life in NYC. It’s absolutely delicious.
– Caroline Trefler, Destination Editor for Eastern US and Canada
During therapy, some cancer cells evolve to escape elimination. Newer anticancer drugs that can overcome this resistance are necessary. Now, researchers from Japan demonstrate that aromatic benzaldehyde inhibits the growth of therapy-resistant pancreatic cancer. By preventing various signaling proteins and histone modifiers like Ser28-phosphorylated histone H3 (H3S28ph) from binding to 14-3-3ζ protein, benzaldehyde overcomes therapy resistance and blocks plasticity to prevent the spread of cancer. These findings highlight its potential in cancer treatment.
Cancer cells have the capacity to multiply rapidly. The aggressive cancer cells undergo conversion from their tightly connected epithelial state into a mesenchymal state, which lacks contact restrictions and spreads easily to other parts of the body. Such epithelial-to-mesenchymal plasticity also makes the cancer cells resistant to elimination by anticancer therapies.
The search is ongoing for newer anticancer agents that can overcome this acquired resistance to therapy and destroy the ‘rogue’ cancer cells. A group of researchers led by Dr. Hideyuki Saya, Director of the Oncology Innovation Center, Fujita Health University, Japan, has uncovered the mechanism of the anticancer activity of benzaldehyde, a compound responsible for the aroma of almonds, apricots, and figs.
Giving insights into their motivation for this study, Dr. Saya explains, “In the 1980s, researchers demonstrated the anticancer activity of benzaldehyde and its derivatives. The first author of our study, Dr. Jun Saito, is the daughter of one of the researchers involved in those early studies, and she was driven by a strong desire to uncover the mechanism behind benzaldehyde’s anticancer effects.” This study, published online in the British Journal of Cancer on May 02, 2025, shows the impact of benzaldehyde on key signaling protein interactions within the cancer cells and the resulting cytotoxicity.
Early studies reported the ability of benzaldehyde to inhibit the progressive development of mouse embryonic cells, indicating its potential in preventing rapid cell proliferation. Here, the anticancer effects of benzaldehyde were studied by using a mouse model grafted to have a growing pancreatic cancer.
In cell culture studies, benzaldehyde inhibited the growth of cancer cells resistant to radiation therapy and also those resistant to treatment with osimertinib, an agent blocking tyrosine kinases in growth factor signaling. Benzaldehyde synergized with radiation to eliminate previously radiation-resistant cancer cells.
The study findings revealed that benzaldehyde exerted its anticancer effects by preventing interactions of the signaling protein 14-3-3ζ with the Ser28-phosphorylated form of histone H3 (H3S28ph). This interaction, key to cancer cell survival, was also responsible for treatment resistance and the expression of genes related to epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity.
Here, benzaldehyde prevented 14-3-3ζ-dependent phosphorylation of the serine28 amino acid of histone H3. Consequently, benzaldehyde treatment reduced the expression of genes responsible for treatment resistance. Treatment of mice with a benzaldehyde derivative inhibited the growth of pancreatic tumors and suppressed the epithelial-to-mesenchymal plasticity, thus preventing the spread of cancer to distant organs like the lungs.
By blocking an interaction key to cancer cell survival, benzaldehyde overcomes therapy resistance and prevents metastasis. Sharing the implications of their findings, Dr. Saya concludes, “The 14-3-3ζ protein has long been considered a target for cancer therapy, but its direct inhibition is not feasible due to its important functions in normal cells. Our results suggest that inhibition of the interaction between 14-3-3ζ and its client proteins by benzaldehyde has the potential to overcome the problem.“
The present study shows benzaldehyde is effective against cancer cells that have acquired resistance to radiation and tyrosine kinase inhibitors commonly used in cancer treatment. In the long term, this study suggests its potential as a combinatorial anticancer agent, alongside molecular-targeted therapies.
Source:
Journal reference:
Saito, J., et al. (2025). Benzaldehyde suppresses epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity and overcomes treatment resistance in cancer by targeting the interaction of 14-3-3ζ with H3S28ph. British Journal of Cancer. doi.org/10.1038/s41416-025-03006-4.
With Ruling No. 6 of 3 June 2025, the Italian Tax Authority provided important clarification on determining taxable revenues for digital services tax (Digital Services Tax, or DST) purposes for operators in the online betting and gambling sector. Among the most significant aspects, we note the exclusion of bonuses granted to players from the calculation of the DST tax base.
Before examining the clarifications introduced by the interpretative ruling, it should be noted that the digital services tax – governed by Article 1, paragraphs 35 to 50, of Law No. 145/2018, as subsequently amended – applies at a rate of 3% to revenues deriving from specific services provided in Italy, namely:
the provision of digital interfaces for the delivery of targeted advertising messages based on the analysis of data collected during users’ browsing (Article 1, paragraph 37, letter a), Law No. 145/2018);
the management of multilateral digital interfaces that enable interaction between users and the sale of goods and services between them (Article 1, paragraph 37, letter b), Law No. 145/2018);
the transmission to third parties of data generated by users’ activities on digital platforms (Art. 1, paragraph 37, letter c), Law No. 145/2018).
In its original wording, the DST applied only to entities which, individually or as a group, simultaneously achieved:
global revenues of at least EUR750 million;
revenues from digital services in Italy of at least EUR5.5 million.
However, as of 1 January 2025, pursuant to the provisions of Article 1, paragraph 21, of Law No. 207/2024 (2025 Budget Law), requirement (ii) has been repealed. Consequently, the DST now applies to all entities providing the above-mentioned digital services in Italy, provided that their global revenues – including at group level – exceed the threshold of EUR750 million.
With specific reference to the online betting and gambling sector, Circular No. 3/E of 2021 (which provides general guidelines for the application of the Italian digital tax) had already clarified that, although the sums represented by “bets” are excluded from the scope of the tax, for the purposes of applying the DST, it is important to draw a distinction based on the role of the gaming platform operator:
‘where the entity operates as a bookmaker (ie as an entity that accepts bets from players by setting odds, such as in the case of sports or other event betting) or a banker (ie as an entity against which players bet, such as in the case of online poker or roulette), the entity assumes risks on its own account and the proceeds are therefore excluded under Art. 37-bis, lett. b)’;
“where it operates as an entity that allows players (users) to bet or gamble against each other, the entity does not bear any risk associated with the betting or gaming, but acts as an intermediary Although the sums represented by ‘wagers’ are excluded under subparagraph 37(a) or (b), the interface operator ‘commission is instead digital revenue within the meaning of subparagraph 37(b), realised as an intermediary in transactions between users.”
Interpretative Ruling No. 6/2025 confirms this approach and provides useful operational guidance on determining the revenues from Italian digital services provided in Italy that constitute the taxable base for DST purposes for gambling operators. In particular, the tax shall apply exclusively to the portion actually retained by the operator, ie the amount remaining after deducting the prize money paid to players and any single tax on gambling from the payments made by users. This criterion also applies where, in a single tournament, the winnings distributed exceed the bets collected, confirming that the taxable base coincides with the actual margin retained by the platform, which varies according to the type of game and the specific contractual conditions. Incidentally, reference is made to “tournament” as the game mode that falls within the scope of the DST, as it is clear that the role played by the platform managed by the concessionaire is to allow users to play against each other in return for remuneration in the form of a commission.
Particular attention is paid to the treatment of bonuses granted to players (eg welcome bonuses, free plays). As these amounts are granted free of charge and without consideration, they do not generate actual revenue for the operator and must therefore be excluded from the calculation of the taxable base for DST purposes. It follows that, in determining the commission subject to tax, the gross gaming revenue must be adjusted by subtracting the value of any bonuses paid. The dual track system for bonuses under the DST and the single tax on gaming is clear: while the document in question clarifies that bonuses do not contribute to the taxable base for the DST, the same does not apply for gaming tax purposes. In fact, as clarified by the provision of 10 June 2011 (Prot. 2011/20659/Giochi/GAD), bonuses are generally included in the collection.
In light of these clarifications, gambling operators who, in previous tax periods, falling within the scope of application of the Italian digital tax, included the bonuses granted to users in the calculation of the taxable base, or adopted criteria that differed from the approach outlined by the Italian Tax Authority, may have made an excessive payment. In such cases, it will be necessary to assess, on a case-by-case basis, the most appropriate methods for recovering the excess amount paid.
You can have an outline on the Italian gambling law regime in DLA Piper’s Gambling Laws of the World Guide available here.
Reed, dubbed “Captain America” for his past Ryder Cup heroics, has already proven he has the grit to thrive in such a test. His 7-3-2 record across three Ryder Cups, including a perfect 3-0-0 in singles, are evidence that he’s built for match play. At Hazeltine in 2016, he outdueled Rory McIlroy in a Sunday showdown that still echoes in golf lore. Reed made birdie after birdie with fist pumps that ignited the crowd. New York golf fans, known for being loud and raucous, would embrace Reed’s fire and flare for the dramatic. They don’t want golf claps; they want a fighter who thrives under pressure.
Reed’s LIV Golf breakthrough in Dallas, which moved him into fourth in the league’s season-long individual race, should come as no surprise. Starting with his win last November at the Hong Kong Open, he’s made 19 worldwide starts, with nine top 10s and 15 top 25s. In those eight months, just two other Americans on the major tours have won multiple individual stroke-play tournaments – Scottie Scheffler and athis year’s U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Keegan Bradley.
On golf’s biggest stages, he finished 3rd at the Masters and T23 at the U.S. Open. In major championships this season, he ranks 9th among all players who’ve played at least 8 major rounds in strokes gained total per round.
The 34-year-old is showcasing a resurgent all-around game in 2025, averaging 1.01 strokes gained total per round – the highest in four years. As one of the world’s top scramblers and putters, Reed’s skills are tailor-made for the Ryder Cup, with his short-game prowess evidenced by his strokes gained around the green (+0.24) this season, which is consistent with his elite numbers over multiple years.
Bethpage Black’s punishing rough and demanding greens require finesse, versatility, and the ability to get up-and-down from tricky lies. Statistically, Reed’s best putting surface throughout his career has been Poa annua, the same grass used on Bethpage Black’s greens. In his two starts at the course in his career, he’s gained an average of 0.38 strokes per round putting.
Over the past three months, Reed has quietly played his way into peak form. His iron play has been a standout, gaining nearly 0.92 strokes per round on approach. Last week in Dallas, he gained 1.90 strokes per round on approach. He also hit 72.2% of his greens in regulation, which ranked 3rd in the field.
But it’s Reed’s mentality that seals the case. Bethpage doesn’t reward saints. It rewards those who deliver, and Reed always does.
His recent form, highlighted by his playoff victory at LIV Golf Dallas last week, signals his readiness for the Ryder Cup, an event he admitted is important to him. “It’s always on your mind,” Reed said. “Anytime I get to represent our country, it means a lot to me. For me personally, I’m always thinking about trying to make every team. Obviously being a part of LIV where we don’t get points, it’s an uphill battle, but really for me it’s focused on playing great golf and having a chance. It’s really going to come down to the Open Championship, having a chance to win there.”
The long-rumored foldable iPhone is expected to launch next year, and a new report from Digitimes suggests that the device has entered its prototype testing phase last month. Based on info from supply chain sources, Apple already has a functioning prototype of its first foldable phone.
The prototype testing phase is expected to finish by the end of this year. From there, the device will enter its Engineering Verification Test (EVT) phase, and if everything goes as planned, we should see it announced alongside the iPhone 18 series in September 2026.
The new report also mentions that Apple has paused development of its foldable iPad due to a mix of manufacturing difficulties and weak consumer demand.
According to the latest rumors, the foldable iPhone is expected to feature a Samsung-made 7.8-inch main OLED display with an under-display camera and a side-mounted Touch ID scanner and no Face ID. It will reportedly feature an “almost invisible” crease, and the whole device will be extremely slim at around 9–9.5mm when folded.
Apple is expected to use a titanium alloy chassis and a liquid metal hinge that would offer unparalleled durability for a foldable. As you might expect, this device won’t come cheap with rumors pointing to a launch price in the $2,100 – $2,300> range.
