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  • This industrial ‘Dividend King’ on our list is in the process of a big breakout

    This industrial ‘Dividend King’ on our list is in the process of a big breakout

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  • Google’s Pixel 10 phone raises the ante on artificial intelligence

    Google’s Pixel 10 phone raises the ante on artificial intelligence

    Google unveiled a new line-up of Pixel smartphones injected with another dose of artificial intelligence that’s designed to do everything from fetch vital information stored on the devices to help improve photos as they’re being taken.

    The AI expansion on the four Pixel 10 models amplifies Google’s efforts to broaden the use of a technology that is already starting to reshape society. At the same time, Google is taking a swipe at Apple’s Achilles’ heel on the iPhone.

    Apple so far has only been able to introduce a few basic AI features on the iPhone while failing to deliver on last year’s promise to deliver a more conversational and versatile version of its often-blundering virtual assistant Siri.

    Without mentioning the iPhone by name, Google has already been mocking Apple’s missteps in online ads promoting the four new Pixel models as smartphones loaded with AI technology that consumers won’t have to wait for more than a year to arrive.

    “There has been a lot of hype about this and, frankly, a lot of broken promises, too,” Google executive Rick Osterloh said during a 75-minute presentation in New York about the new Pixel phones. The event was emceed by late-night TV show host Jimmy Fallon.

    Google, in contrast, has been steadily increasing the amount of AI that it began to implant on its Pixels since 2023, with this year’s models taking it to another level.

    “We think this year we have a game-changing phone with game-changing technology,” Osterloh said.

    Taking advantage of a more advanced processor, Google is introducing a new AI feature on the Pixel 10 phones called “Magic Cue” that’s designed to serve as a digital mind reader that automatically fetches information stored on the devices and displays the data at the time it’s needed. For instance, if a Pixel 10 user is calling up an airline, Magic Cue is supposed to instantaneously recognize the phone number and display the flight information if it’s in Gmail or a Google Calendar.

    The Pixel 10 phones will also come with a preview feature of a new AI tool called “Camera Coach” that will automatically suggest the best framing and lighting angle as the lens is being aimed at a subject. Camera Coach will also recommend the best lens mode to use for an optimal picture.

    The premium models — Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL — will also include a “Super Res” option that deploys a grab bag of software and AI tricks to zoom up to 100 times the resolution to capture the details of objects located miles away from the camera. The AI wizardry could happen without users even realizing it’s happening, making it even more difficult to know whether an image captured in a photo reflects how things really looked at the time a picture was taken or was modified by technology.

    The Pixel 10 will also be able to almost instantaneously translate phone conversations into a range of different languages using the participants’ own voices.

    Google is also offering a free one-year subscription to its AI Pro plan to anyone who buys the more expensive Pixel 10 Pro or Pixel 10 Pro XL models in hopes of hooking more people on the Gemini toolkit it has assembled to compete against OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

    The prices on all four Pixel 10 models will remain unchanged from last year’s Pixel 9 generation, with the basic starting at $800 and the Pro selling for $1,000, the Pro XL at $1,200 and a foldable version at $1,800. All the Pixel 10s expect the foldable model will be in stores on August 28. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold will be available starting October 9.

    Although the Pixel smartphone remains a Lilliputian next to the Gulliverian stature of the iPhone and Samsung’s Galaxy models, Google’s ongoing advances in AI while holding the line on its marquee devices raise the competitive stakes.

    “In the age of AI, it is a true laboratory of innovation,” Forrester Research analyst Thomas Husson said of the Pixel.

    Apple, in particular, will be facing more pressure than usual when it introduces the next-generation iPhone next month. Although the company has already said the smarter Siri won’t be ready until next year at the earliest, Apple will still be expected to show some progress in AI to demonstrate the iPhone is adapting to technology’s AI evolution rather than tilting toward gradual obsolescence. Clinging to a once-successful formula eventually sank the BlackBerry and its physical keyboard when the iPhone and its touch screen came along nearly 20 years ago.

    Apple’s pricing of the next iPhone will also be under the spotlight, given that the devices are made in China and India — two of the prime targets in President Donald Trump’s trade war.

    But Apple appeared to gain a reprieve from Trump’s most onerous threats earlier this month by adding another $100 billion on top of an earlier $500 billion investment pledge to the U.S. The tariff relief may enable Apple to minimize or even avoid price increases for the iPhone, just as Google has done with the Pixel 10 models.

    Liedtke writes for the Associated Press.

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  • Integrative Mendelian randomization and multi-omics analysis identifies anti-allergic drug targets associated with cardiovascular disease risk

    Integrative Mendelian randomization and multi-omics analysis identifies anti-allergic drug targets associated with cardiovascular disease risk

    A comprehensive MR analysis was performed on 139 eQTLs linked to anti-allergic drugs within discovery cohorts of 122,733 CAD patients, 68,157 HF patients, 395,795 MI patients, and 60,620 AF patients. Subsequently, these eQTLs were validated in replication cohorts including 42,096 CAD patients, 47,309 HF patients, 28,546 MI patients, and 55,853 AF patients. The analysis identified 51 eQTLs associated with anti-allergic drugs that are linked to CVDs. Specifically, 8 eQTLs were related to CAD, 34 to HF, 9 to AF, and 13 to MI. Enrichment analysis emphasized the importance of pathways such as lipid and atherosclerosis, neutrophil extracellular trap formation, and the thyroid hormone signaling pathway. Furthermore, 11 eQTLs were identified with stronger associations to CVDs, including KAT2A, HPGD, GLS, AMD1, TSHR, CLOCK, POLB, ITGB2, TG, BAZ2B, and CYP2C8.The FAERS database enabled analysis of cardiovascular adverse events associated with prednisone (an anti-allergic drug), identifying ITGB2 and TG as high-risk targets in HF patients.

    Biological insights

    Numerous studies have reported the potential impact of anti-allergic drugs on CVDs. For example, cohort and retrospective studies have found that some antihistamines, such as second-generation antihistamines and β2 receptor agonists, are associated with the development of cardiovascular events like HF and arrhythmias23. However, a study has shown that the target TRPV2, inhibited by the anti-allergic drug tranilast, may be a novel therapeutic target for HF5. Ingelsson E and colleagues conducted a cohort study indicating that montelukast may have a potential role in the secondary prevention of recurrent CVDs24. Similarly, Göbel et al. reported that zafirlukast could confer cardiovascular benefits by inhibiting soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) and activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs)25.

    In the study of 11 eQTLs linked to anti-allergic drugs, it was observed that several drug targets influence the development of CVDs through pathways related to lipid metabolism and signal transduction. This finding may shed light on the biological mechanisms underlying the causal relationship between anti-allergic drugs and CVDs risk. This research highlights a negative correlation between KAT2A and CAD. KAT2A (the drug target identified by database screening is zafirlukast)may improve heart function by modulating histone acetylation and the expression of antioxidant genes through the thyroid hormone signaling pathway and histone modifying activity26,27 Additionally, zafirlukast affects other targets such as BAZ2B and POLB. BAZ2B is a chromatin remodeling factor involved in cardiovascular immune regulation28,29while POLB plays a crucial role in DNA repair, which is vital for maintaining cardiovascular cell genome stability30. TSHR, a G-protein coupled receptor located on thyroid cells, regulates thyroid function. TSHR (the drug target identified by database screening is loratadine)may enhance thyroid hormone synthesis and secretion via the cAMP signaling pathway and cellular response to peptide processes. However, TSHR may also induce mitochondrial oxidative damage in endothelial cells, potentially affecting heart function31,32. We screened the database and identified prednisone as a potential targeted drug for ITGB2, an integrin beta-2 subunit involved in inflammation. ITGB2,has the potential to modulate immune and inflammatory signaling in myocardial cells by impacting pathways such as neutrophil extracellular trap formation and membrane raft composition33,34. This interaction could impact heart function and adaptability, potentially leading to HF. TG, a precursor in the synthesis of thyroid hormone, is also targeted by prednisone potentially impacting cardiovascular health through modulation of thyroid hormone levels35. Finally, montelukast targets CYP2C8, a key enzyme involved in drug metabolism, potentially modulating lipid levels and influencing drug metabolism through its impact on lipid and atherosclerosis pathways36,37.

    Pharmacovigilance

    The present study identifies two drug targets, ITGB2 and TG, which exhibit a causal relationship with HF and demonstrate high expression levels in HF. These targets are linked to prednisone, a corticosteroid with anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. Prednisone is widely used to manage various inflammatory conditions, but its multi-target effects may result in complex drug interactions, potentially increasing the risk of cardiovascular adverse events when combined with HF medications. Firstly, the research suggests that prednisone might exacerbate heart function by affecting pathways involved in neutrophil extracellular trap formation, membrane raft components, and myocardial cell metabolism. Additionally, prednisone could activate the Atrogin-1 pathway, leading to myocardial cell atrophy and compromised cardiac contractility38. Secondly, the concurrent use of prednisone with HF medications could lead to drug interactions. For example, co-administration of prednisone with digoxin may alter digoxin’s pharmacokinetics, increasing its blood concentration39. Prednisone may also argument the cardiovascular system’s responsiveness to catecholamines, thereby elevating the risk of HF exacerbation. Therefore, HF patients should be closely monitored for potential drug interactions and adverse effects when using prednisone in combination with other HF treatments.

    Strengths and limitations

    Firstly, the association between anti-allergic drugs and CVD outcomes was examined and validated within two independent cohorts, thereby enhancing the reliability of the results. Secondly, multiple analytical methods were employed to test these associations, with the consistency across various datasets further supporting the findings. Thirdly, by utilizing FAERS database information in conjunction with drug labels, the credibility of the conclusions was strengthened. However, some limitations should be considered when interpreting the findings. Firstly, the analysis primarily focused on European populations, and further validation is required to determine if these findings are generalizable to other populations, as genetic variants in drug-metabolizing genes (e.g., CYP2C19) show ethnic-specific frequencies that may alter drug efficacy. Additionally, the study did not stratify prednisone exposure by dose or duration, limiting the ability to distinguish between short-term (low-risk) and chronic (high-risk) cardiovascular effects—FAERS data aggregating events across all exposure scenarios may overstate clinical concerns for routine short-term use. Although sensitivity analyses (MR-Egger, weighted median) were performed to detect pleiotropy, residual effects from unmeasured confounders cannot be ruled out, and eQTLs used as IVs may not fully capture anti-allergic drugs’ pharmacodynamic effects as they reflect genetic variation rather than direct drug-target interactions. The linkage between genes (e.g., KAT2A) and anti-allergic drugs (e.g., zafirlukast), inferred from databases (DGIdb, DrugBank), lacks direct human evidence, introducing mechanistic uncertainties. Future research should delve into different doses and treatment regimens for specific patient subgroups, validate findings in multi-ethnic cohorts, explore specific interactions between more anti-allergic and cardiovascular drugs, and strengthen mechanistic links through large-scale prospective cohort studies and experimental validation.

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  • SpaceX to launch Space Force spaceplane X-37B

    SpaceX to launch Space Force spaceplane X-37B

    Aug. 21 (UPI) — SpaceX is scheduled to launch a space plane for the U.S. Space Force from Florida on Thursday night.

    A Falcon 9 rocket is set to launch the Space Force’s X-37B space plane from Kennedy Space Center at 11:50 p.m. EDT.

    Meteorologists forecast a 65% chance for favorable conditions for liftoff, with improving conditions to 80% favorable as the window progresses, as they monitored any impact Hurricane Erin would have as it moves alongside the East Coast.

    “The very large Hurricane Erin will continue moving north and eventually northeast off the eastern coast of the US and out into the open Atlantic through the remainder of the week,” launch weather officers wrote. “As it does so, it will leave behind a trailing trough and deeper moisture that will merge with a boundary dropping into the southeastern US. Prevailing flow will shift out of the west into Thursday, which will lead to the best coverage of afternoon and evening storms favoring the east side of the state including the Spaceport.”

    The Boeing-made X-37B will carry out the missions, USSF-36 and Orbital Test Vehicle 8 as the Space Force attempts to test a new in-space positioning system.

    The mission will include demonstrations of a laser communications system and what the Space Force has hailed as “the world’s highest performing quantum inertial sensor ever used in space.”

    “OTV-8’s quantum inertial sensor demonstration is a welcome step forward for operational resilience in space,” said Col. Ramsey Horn, Space Delta 9 commander. “Whether navigating beyond Earth based orbits in cislunar space or operating in GPS-denied environments, quantum inertial sensing allows for robust navigation capabilities when GPS navigation is not possible.”

    This is the sixth flight for the Falcon 9 booster; NROL-69, CRS-32 GP III-7 and Starlink groups 12-13 and 10-34 all used this booster.

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  • Acute structural effects of novel endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation ver

    Acute structural effects of novel endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation ver

    Introduction

    Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, and is characterized by optic neuropathy with associated visual field damage.1,2 Intraocular pressure (IOP) control is the gold-standard method of slowing the progression of glaucoma, which can be achieved through various means, including pharmacotherapy, laser, and surgery.3 Transscleral cyclophotocoagulation (TCP) and endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation (ECP) are two laser-based cycloablative techniques that are commonly used to treat mild to end-stage glaucomatous disease.4–7

    TCP is a laser-based procedure designed to reduce IOP by indirectly targeting the ciliary processes.4 Accurate targeting in TCP is critical, as deviations can lead to suboptimal results and damage to surrounding ocular tissues. Complications of TCP include prolonged inflammation, pain, hyphema, and hypotony.5 While evolutions in TCP have led to improved safety, this technique still lacks the ability to treat with a targeted approach. ECP is a relatively newer technique, offering a more targeted and controlled method of cycloablation.6 Previous literature has demonstrated that ECP effectively reduces IOP with lower risk of collateral damage to surrounding tissue.7,8 Unlike TCP, ECP involves direct visualization of the ciliary processes via an endoscope.

    Previous histological and acute structural analyses have demonstrated clear differences in tissue effects between TCP and ECP.7,9 TCP induces widespread disruption of the ciliary body, including coagulative necrosis of the stroma often with extension into adjacent structures like the pars plana. In contrast, ECP produces more localized alterations, primarily affecting the ciliary epithelium. These differences can be observed under both light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), further validating that ECP is a more tissue-sparing approach.

    A newly developed ECP system (Leos™ BVI Medical Waltham, MA, USA) features enhanced imaging capabilities through a high-resolution camera and customized LED illumination, offering over twice the pixel density of traditional systems (40,000 vs 17,000 pixels). Using a single-use 19-gauge endoscope, laser delivery is integrated with real-time projections of intraocular images onto a large display allowing for a more detailed view. During treatment, a red aiming beam ensures precise targeting of the ciliary processes, much like standard ECP. Unlike standard ECP setups that require manual adjustment by an assistant, the Leos system automates parameters such as image focus, illumination, and orientation. The introduction of this system—with enhanced resolution and automated imaging capabilities—may further refine the precision of ECP.

    This study aims to extend prior findings by comparing the acute structural changes induced by standard ECP, Leos ECP, and TCP on the ciliary body and surrounding structures in human cadaveric eyes.

    Materials and Methods

    No living human subjects or identifiable private information were involved in this study. As such, this study was exempted for IRB review by the Colorado Multiple Institutional Review Board under institutional policy.

    This study was designed to compare acute structural changes induced by standard ECP, the investigational Leos ECP system, and TCP using SEM on three human cadaveric eyes. Human eyes were obtained within 24 hours of death from the Lions World Vision Institute (Tampa, Florida). Eyes had no prior history of glaucoma, intraocular surgery (excluding lens implantation), or laser intervention. Institutional review board waiver was obtained for this tissue-based laboratory analysis, and this study was performed in accordance with the latest declaration of Helsinki.

    Each globe was inflated to physiologic intraocular pressure using balanced salt solution injected via a 25-gauge needle through the optic nerve. This facilitated optimal internal tension and consistent external placement of the TCP probe. Two eyes were divided into three 120° sections—one untreated segment served as a control, while the remaining two-thirds received Leos ECP (0.25W) and either the standard ECP (0.25W) or TCP (2.5W, 2–4 seconds), respectively. In a third eye, the globe was hemisected; one half was treated with Leos ECP (0.25W) and the other half with TCP (2.5W, 2–4 seconds). Treated areas were demarcated with permanent ink to help with subsequent sectioning and orientation.

    A 2.4 mm corneal incision was made and the anterior chamber and ciliary sulcus were deepened with viscoelastic (Healon, Advanced Medical Optics, Santa Ana, CA, USA) to visualize the ciliary processes. Endoscopic treatments were delivered using either a reusable 19-gauge laser microendoscope (EndoOptiks®, BVI Medical Waltham, MA) or a single-use 19-gauge Leos ECP device (BVI Medical, Waltham, MA), both of which delivered continuous-wave 810 nm diode laser energy with a 640 nm red aiming beam. ECP was applied until visible whitening and shrinkage of the processes was observed.

    For TCP, a G-probe was connected to an Iridex 810nm diode laser (Mountain Vew, CA, SLx diode laser photocoagulation system). The probe was positioned 1.2 mm posterior to the limbus and aligned perpendicularly to the limbus externally on the sclera. Energy was delivered in pulses of ~2.5W for 2 to 4-second duration, targeting the pars plicata region. Laser treatment was titrated as needed to minimize audible “pops” which indicated tissue over-treatment.

    Following treatment, all eyes were sectioned at the level of the pars plana and divided into control and treatment segments. Each section was fixed in 10% Neutral buffered formalin (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA) and stored on wet ice for transfer to the electron microscopy facility.

    The tissues designated for acute structural evaluation were initially fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde at 4°C for 24 hours. The samples were then rinsed in 0.1 M phosphate-buffered saline, followed by secondary soaking in 1% osmium tetroxide. Subsequently, the specimens underwent graded ethanol dehydration and were kept in acetone. They were then critical point dried, ion coated, and then imaged using SEM to assess microarchitectural changes in the ciliary body and adjacent ocular structures.

    All SEM images were analyzed by a single observer with extensive experience (MYK). Particular focus was paid to the ciliary processes and changes to the ciliary epithelium after treatment. Further observations were made on any tissue disorganization and extension of damage into the pars plana and iris stroma. The observer was not masked to the treatment modality. Statistical methods were not applicable due to the qualitative nature of SEM image comparisons.

    Results

    Electron microscopic analysis revealed distinct acute structural alterations among the different treatment modalities. In untreated control samples, the ciliary processes exhibited well-preserved architecture with intact epithelial surfaces and regularly arranged longitudinal ridges (Figure 1A). Tissues treated with the standard ECP and Leos ECP method demonstrated moderate ciliary epithelial disruption, including blunting and partial flattening of the ciliary processes (Figure 1B and C). There was minimal damage to the pars plana. TCP treated tissues displayed extensive tissue disorganization, including destruction of ciliary processes that extended into the iris and pars plana (Figure 1D). These acute structural patterns were consistently observed across all treated sections from each eye. None of the laser treatment modalities resulted in detectable damage to the adjacent scleral tissue in any of the specimens.

    Figure 1 (A) Scanning electron microscopy of normal ciliary processes (arrows) with adjacent pars plana (asterisk) and iris stroma (I). (B) Scanning electron microscopy of standard endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation-treated ciliary processes showing shrinking of the processes with blunting of their tips (arrows). The adjacent pars plana (asterisk) and iris stroma (I) are unaffected. (C) Scanning electron microscopy of the LEOS endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation-treated ciliary processes showing shrinking of the processes with blunting of their tips (arrows). The adjacent pars plana (asterisk) and iris stroma (I) are unaffected. (D) Scanning electron microscopy of transscleral cyclophotocoagulation-treated ciliary processes showing extensive architectural destruction (straight arrows).

    Discussion

    This study provides new insights into the acute structural impact of different cyclophotocoagulation modalities on the ciliary processes. Both the novel Leos ECP and standard ECP demonstrated more targeted tissue destruction without the collateral tissue damage seen with TCP. These findings further validate results from previous literature by confirming SEM patterns and by introducing comparable histologic outcomes with a novel ECP platform.7–11

    The significance of minimizing collateral damage during cyclophotocoagulation rests in its clinical implications. Namely, excessive destruction of the ciliary body, stroma, and adjacent iris tissue has been associated with complications such as phthisis, hypotony, and prolonged inflammation.5

    SEM has been used in prior studies to assess structural changes7,8,10,12 and laser-induced injury patterns13 with exquisite resolution, making it a valuable tool for evaluating the effects of glaucoma and laser treatment. These views offer insights into laser-induced cellular disruption, stromal damage, and epithelial integrity beyond what is visible with light microscopy. Incorporation of electron microscopic analysis in the current study allows for a more refined analysis of tissue alterations across different cycloablation modalities.

    Cyclophotocoagulation is the only surgical modality that targets aqueous production; ECP is the only micro-invasive surgery to do so.14–16 Therefore, both surgical techniques are important parts of a glaucoma surgeon’s armamentarium. Compared to TCP, the safety profile of ECP has been demonstrated to be more favorable in both prospective and retrospective studies.16,17 Though conventional ECP outcomes are good, improvements in device design may further reduce clinical variability and ensure safety. Importantly, the consistency in histologic findings between the two ECP modalities evaluated here suggest the Leos system is similar in tissue impact. However, the Leos system may offer the additional benefit of simpler and more consistent operation through its enhanced imaging capabilities, more detailed view, its larger, more ergonomic screen and standardized settings, which limit risk of human error in manual setting adjustments.

    Attempts have also been made to modify TCP to mitigate complications with MicroPulse CPC, which cycles laser energy off/on to allow cooling of tissue during transscleral laser therapy.18,19 With MicroPulse there is still extensive histological and structural damage, through a recent meta-analysis found a more favorable side-effect profile versus traditional TCP.20 MicroPulse, like TCP, lacks direct visualization of ciliary tissue and variations in anatomy.21

    Limitations

    Despite these promising results, there are limitations inherent to this study. First, the analysis was performed by a single, unmasked observer, which introduces the potential for interpretation bias. Human cadaveric eyes cannot replicate the dynamic biological processes of live tissue, such as inflammation, wound healing, and aqueous humor flow. Thus, it is unclear how these findings will translate into clinical outcomes. Additionally, the number of eyes studied was small with only three cadaveric globes evaluated. This limited size restricts generalizability. As such, findings should be interpreted as preliminary rather than conclusive. Further research could be aimed at correlating these structural findings with functional data such as aqueous production rates. Future studies are also needed to validate these results using multiple, masked observers, a rigorous quantitative scoring system, and a larger sample size. It would also be valuable to investigate whether the other advances in the Leos ECP system lead to improved surgeon and surgical staff satisfaction, ergonomics, shortened learning curve for new surgeons and improved operative efficiency all of which are incredibly important in our current climate.

    Conclusions

    In this study, we demonstrate that both standard ECP and the novel Leos ECP produce significantly less acute structural disruption to the ciliary body compared to TCP. While the Leos ECP system yielded tissue effects similar to standard ECP, its enhanced imaging and automated features may translate into greater clinical consistency and usability across operators. However, this remains a hypothesis and requires confirmation through clinical trials. These findings also further validate the more targeted approach that ECP offers compared to TCP.

    Acknowledgment

    BVI sponsored the study through an unrestricted research grant.

    Disclosure

    Malik Y. Kahook: Consultant to FCI, New World Medical, and SpyGlass Pharma, Ownership of SpyGlass Pharma, Patent Royalties from Alcon, New World Medical, FCI, and SpyGlass Pharma. Leonard Seibold: Consultant to New World Medical, Thea, and Abbvie/Allergan. The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work.

    References

    1. Jonas JB, Aung T, Bourne RR, Bron AM, Ritch R, Panda-Jonas S. Glaucoma. Lancet. 2017;390(10108):2183–2193. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(17)31469-1

    2. Zhang N, Wang J, Li Y, Jiang B. Prevalence of primary open angle glaucoma in the last 20 years: a meta-analysis and systematic review. Sci Rep. 2021;11(1):13762. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-92971-w

    3. Schwartz K, Budenz D. Current management of glaucoma. Curr Opin Ophthalmol. 2004;15(2):119–126. doi:10.1097/00055735-200404000-00011

    4. Brancato R, Giovanni L, Trabucchi G, Pietroni C. Contact transscleral cyclophotocoagulation with Nd:YAG laser in uncontrolled glaucoma. Ophthalmic Surg. 1989;20(8):547–551.

    5. Sheheitli H, Persad PJ, Feuer WJ, Sayed MS, Lee RK. Treatment outcomes of primary transscleral cyclophotocoagulation. Ophthalmol Glaucoma. 2021;4(5):472–481. doi:10.1016/j.ogla.2020.12.014

    6. Pastor SA, Singh K, Lee DA, et al. Cyclophotocoagulation: a report by the American academy of ophthalmology. Ophthalmology. 2001;108(11):2130–2138. doi:10.1016/s0161-6420(01)00889-2

    7. Pantcheva MB, Kahook MY, Schuman JS, Noecker RJ. Comparison of acute structural and histopathological changes in human autopsy eyes after endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation and trans-scleral cyclophotocoagulation. Br J Ophthalmol. 2007;91(2):248–252. doi:10.1136/bjo.2006.103580

    8. Pantcheva MB, Kahook MY, Schuman JS, Rubin MW, Noecker RJ. Comparison of acute structural and histopathological changes of the porcine ciliary processes after endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation and transscleral cyclophotocoagulation. Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2007;35(3):270–274. doi:10.1111/j.1442-9071.2006.01415.x

    9. Beardsley R, Law SK, Caprioli J, et al. Comparison of outcomes between endoscopic and transcleral cyclophotocoagulation. Vision. 2017;1(4). doi:10.3390/vision1040024

    10. Smith RS, Boyle E, Rudt LA. Cyclocryotherapy: a light and electron microscopic study. Arch Ophthalmol. 1977;95(2):285–288. doi:10.1001/archopht.1977.04450020085015

    11. Lanzagorta-Aresti A, Montolío-Marzo S, Davó-Cabrera JM, Piá-Ludeña JV. Transscleral versus endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation outcomes for refractory glaucoma. Eur J Ophthalmol. 2021;31(3):1107–1112. doi:10.1177/1120672120914230

    12. Sihota R, Goyal A, Kaur J, Gupta V, Nag TC. Scanning electron microscopy of the trabecular meshwork: understanding the pathogenesis of primary angle closure glaucoma. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2012;60(3):183–188. doi:10.4103/0301-4738.95868

    13. Basu PK. Application of the scanning electron microscopy in ophthalmic research. Indian J Ophthalmol. 1983;31(5):476–485.

    14. Kirk S, Kirk C, Barnes R, Kirk T. Minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries, is two better than one? Invest Ophthalmol Visual Sci. 2020;61(7):976.

    15. Klug E, Chachanidze M, Nirappel A, et al. Outcomes of phacoemulsification and endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation performed with dual blade ab interno trabeculectomy or trabecular micro-bypass stent insertion. Eye. 2022;36(2):424–432. doi:10.1038/s41433-021-01475-4

    16. Francis BA, Flowers B, Dastiridou A, Yelenskiy A, Chopra V, Alvarado JA. Endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation and other cyclodestructive methods: histopathologic comparison of in vivo treatment in humans and monkeys. Ophthalmol Glaucoma. 2019;2(6):413–421. doi:10.1016/j.ogla.2019.08.008

    17. Francis BA, Berke SJ, Dustin L, Noecker R. Endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation combined with phacoemulsification versus phacoemulsification alone in medically controlled glaucoma. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2014;40(8):1313–1321. doi:10.1016/j.jcrs.2014.06.021

    18. Moussa K, Feinstein M, Pekmezci M, et al. Histologic changes following continuous wave and micropulse transscleral cyclophotocoagulation: a randomized comparative study. Trans Vision Sci Technol. 2020;9(5):22. doi:10.1167/tvst.9.5.22

    19. Hwang YH, Lee S, Kim M, Choi J. Comparison of treatment outcomes between slow coagulation transscleral cyclophotocoagulation and micropulse transscleral laser treatment. Sci Rep. 2024;14(1):23944. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-75246-y

    20. Chavez MP, Guedes GB, Pasqualotto E, et al. Micropulse transscleral laser treatment vs. continuous wave transscleral cyclophotocoagulation for the treatment of glaucoma or ocular hypertension: a meta-analysis. J Glaucoma. 2025;34(8):575–584. doi:10.1097/ijg.0000000000002583

    21. Feldman RM, el-Harazi SM, LoRusso FJ, McCash C, Lloyd WC, Warner PA. Histopathologic findings following contact transscleral semiconductor diode laser cyclophotocoagulation in a human eye. J Glaucoma. 1997;6(2):139–140. doi:10.1097/00061198-199704000-00011

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  • Director Alex Russell’s debut film ‘Lurker’ takes on obsessive fandom

    Director Alex Russell’s debut film ‘Lurker’ takes on obsessive fandom

    We are sitting between the “Miscellaneous Horror” and “Juvenile Delinquents” sections at CineFile Video, a compact, densely stocked curated video store on the westside of Los Angeles.

    Surrounded by physical media, I wonder how “Lurker,” the first feature by writer-director Alex Russell, will eventually be classified here. The shelf across from him holds the DVDs and Blu-rays labeled “Gay.” The realization prompts him to chuckle. “That’s me,” he says.

    Arms crossed, Russell, 34, at first seems guarded and resistant to conversation. He admits doing press about his work is still a novel experience for him. Later, as he digs into the making and meaning of his movie, he’ll relax and the words will spontaneously flow.

    Out this Friday, “Lurker” examines the insidious entanglement between rising British music star Oliver (Archie Madekwe) and the seemingly docile Matthew (Théodore Pellerin), a clothing store employee turned self-styled tour videographer. As Matthew joins Oliver’s inner circle, their parasocial bond evolves into a real friendship, until Matthew’s desire to belong becomes dangerous. And while at first Oliver rules over a pack of sycophants, the power shifts.

    “Everyone has been in a situation where they want a group of people to like them,” Russell says. “And then sometimes you’re on the other side of it, where you’re already in and you see someone else wanting to be liked by you.”

    As someone who went to several different schools growing up, Russell became observant of male relationships and the implicit rules by which they operate. “I could see how groups of boys, whether it’s in high school, a fraternity or a basketball team, start to assemble themselves and create sort of unspoken hierarchies,” Russell says. The music world presented an ideal setting as well.

    Archie Madekwe, left, and Théodore Pellerin in the movie “Lurker.”

    (Mubi)

    “Lurker’s” mean-boys drama mostly takes place in Los Angeles, where individuals seeking a career in entertainment by any means necessary abound. Russell lived here for the larger part of the last decade, writing the screenplay at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “I felt gross about being in L.A. but also hopeful,” Russell says candidly on the realization that he was one of countless others here trying to make it. “What I like about this place — and I think this is represented in the movie — is that it’s full of people who are trying to put themselves out there in some type of way.”

    Russell knows firsthand what it means to feel exposed in pursuit of a dream. His career writing for TV for award-winning shows like “Beef” and “The Bear” only took off after he became vocal and open about his goals.

    “There was something liberating about being like, ‘I want to be a working screenwriter,’ which, of course, there’s no greater cliché in L.A.,” he says. “That felt like the more courageous thing. I was used to this self-doubting, cynical philosophy of: I should keep it to myself if I have dreams that could embarrass me if I don’t make them a reality.”

    Born in Chicago to an immigrant mother and an American father, Russell initially studied engineering, but quietly taught himself screenwriting. He would dissect the scripts of comfort movies like “Legally Blonde” and “The Devil Wears Prada” in order to learn structure.

    “When you teach yourself something, in a way it’s more organic because you’re just like: OK, what are the movies I actually know? I’ll reverse engineer those,” he says.

    But as someone with no direct connection to Hollywood, his dream required tryout stints in New York and Atlanta, as well as a lot of crashing with patient friends. “There are so many couches I have to thank for getting to do the work I do now,” Russell says, laughing but sincere.

    During those rougher early years, Russell created a pilot for the now defunct Viceland cable network and a short series for Comedy Central’s YouTube channel. “At the time I was looking for anything to grasp onto,” he remembers.

    It was in L.A. that he landed his first writers’ room job on the FX comedy “Dave,” a meta series centered around rapper Lil Dicky. Russell believes his proximity to the music industry set him apart when the opportunity emerged, outweighing his inexperience.

    Most of his close friends work in music, including Kenny Beats, who composed Oliver’s songs for “Lurker,” and Zack Fox, who plays a hanger-on in the film and is a DJ in real life. The scenes that show Oliver performing were shot with real crowds during parties at which Fox DJed.

    “It was just a huge stroke of luck,” he says. “I had a bunch of half-hour spec scripts that were set in the music world. It was just good timing that they were looking for someone like that, because on a craft level, I really hadn’t found it yet.”

    “Lurker” would be an experiment — to discover his own storytelling voice.

    “The skill of being in a TV room is: How well can you service the voice of someone else? How can you find the most overlap between yourself and whoever’s running the show?” Russell explains. “That can start to feel like: I would like to know if I have my own tone, if I have my own way of doing things.”

    To find his way into the story, particularly its darker edges of obsession, Russell looked to Damien Chazelle’s “Whiplash” and Dan Gilroy’s “Nightcrawler” as references. Additionally, “Almost Famous,” Cameron Crowe’s mostly autobiographical film about a teenager interviewing a rock band, seemed the closest to his sensibility.

    “This kid gets to do this big Rolling Stone article on one of his favorite bands and there are these moments where it feels like he’s in the band and that’s really his dream,” Russell says. “At the end of the movie it’s like: Was that all just for the story he was writing? Or will they talk to him again? And then they do. It’s a wholesome version of the movie that mine isn’t.”

    In “Lurker,” conversely, the worst label someone in Oliver’s orbit can receive is that of being a “fanboy.” The term carries an intensely pejorative connotation in the group and speaks to the imbalance of power between the singer and his fawning entourage.

    “A fan is fundamentally an outsider,” Russell says. “What does it mean to admit that you’re a fan? It’s to acknowledge that there’s them and us. You are the watcher of whatever you’re a fan of and they have your attention. Matthew is trying to bridge that gap. He wants to appear as a peer.”

    The fact that “other directors weren’t exactly dying to direct” his screenplay, Russell says, coupled with his producers’ encouragement, convinced him to get behind the camera.

    “I didn’t really know what that entailed,” he admits. “I really didn’t think I had certain leadership qualities to rally a bunch of people. I didn’t see myself that way.”

    But knowing the motivations of his characters armed him. Russell could determine which potential collaborators interpreted his writing as he envisioned it. For example, he agreed with cinematographer Patrick Scola that shooting on 16mm film would add realism to a story taking place in a realm of artificiality.

    A suspicious man takes a video with a cell in a white case.

    Théodore Pellerin in the movie “Lurker.”

    (Mubi)

    In casting Pellerin, a Quebecois actor seen in “Never Rarely Sometimes Always,” the filmmaker found a performer with the ability to exhibit ambiguous intentions, not a one-note villain. Though he’s always plotting to stay in Oliver’s good graces, Matthew has a deep need for validation. When he gets a taste of the status being around Oliver grants him, he refuses to let it go.

    “You could see him living and dying on each of these social interactions,” Russell says. “You could tell he wants to say and do the right thing. There’s a sweetness to him. We didn’t want this to be so icy that you automatically disliked this guy and you’re shaking your head the whole time. You want to feel like there’s someone in there who just wants to belong.”

    Russell finds the proliferation of a social media mindset unsettling, especially the darker side of attention-seeking trolls. “Part of why this movie exists is to instill a little bit of shame,” he says with a dark laugh. “That’s not something we should be bragging about.”

    On top of those digital-age preoccupations, Russell sought to indict the petty jealousies that exist among men — a subject, he thinks, that remains taboo. “There are a lot of movies about women being jealous of each other, but there aren’t a lot about men,” he says.

    Near the end of “Lurker,” a surprising encounter between Oliver and Matthew illustrates the complexity of their misconnection, a delicate balance that showcases Russell’s talent for mining originality from situations that could have played out more conventionally.

    “In that moment, the tension is built up so that either it’s going to turn sexual finally or turn violent finally,” the filmmaker says. “That’s what the audience is thinking, but then it’s this mystery third thing. And I just love it because it genuinely surprises people.”

    But regardless of where a viewer is coming from, “Lurker” taps into something utterly relatable.

    “So many people look to movies because they feel like outsiders,” Russell says. “Everyone has some relationship to being an outsider and being an insider. It’s not black and white. That’s what this movie wants to get into. Those things can shift, the gravitational pull is not anchored.”

    Much less of an outsider now (he’s even won an Emmy for “Beef”), Russell has found his peers. He and James Sweeney, another queer director, have become close. Sweeney’s film “Twinless,” out Sept. 5, follows the brotherly friendship between two young men that’s threatened by a secret. Both “Lurker” and “Twinless” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January. Russell is amused at the similarities between their films.

    “In a city like this, everyone is thirsty for community or feeling like a part of some group,” Russell says. “And the truth of L.A. is that people make up groups. And if you make up your own group, then you get to choose the members.”

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  • Strange microbial partners offer clues to how complex life evolved

    Strange microbial partners offer clues to how complex life evolved

    Slimy layered microbial mats in Shark Bay are more than seaside oddities. They are living laboratories where bacteria and archaea still work side by side, much as they may have done long ago.

    A new co-culture from these mats shows a bacterium and an archaeon physically connecting through tiny tubes while trading metabolites in ways that make both partners tick. That kind of teamwork fits neatly with ideas about how complex cells arose.


    Brendan P. Burns at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) led the study with colleagues including Iain G. Duggin at the University of Technology Sydney.

    Shark Bay microbes survive extremes

    Shark Bay, Western Australia, holds thriving stromatolites, the rock-like piles that grow when layered microbial communities trap and bind sediments in harsh, salty water.

    In Malgana language, Shark Bay is called Gathaagudu, which means two waters, a name still used by Traditional Owners and regional agencies.

    The southern basin can be roughly twice as salty as the open ocean, and the mats ride out heat, desiccation, and intense UV under those conditions.

    Modern mats are not time capsules, but they are useful stand-ins for ancient ecosystems where microbes built layered structures and forged partnerships that shaped the planet.

    Microbial mat microbes team up

    Back in the lab, researchers enriched a two-member community from those mats: the bacterium Stromatodesulfovibrio nilemahensis and a newly named Asgard archaeon, Nerearchaeum marumarumayae.

    Asgard archaea are widely viewed as the closest known prokaryotic relatives of eukaryotes, the lineage that includes animals, plants, and fungi.

    The team sequenced both genomes and grew the partners under high-salt, low-oxygen settings that fit the mats’ tough environment.

    Each partner seems to cover what the other lacks, a classic sign of syntrophy, where two microbes share metabolic tasks to make life work.

    Genes show nutrient sharing

    Genome analysis indicates the archaeon releases hydrogen, acetate, formate, and sulfite, while the bacterium supplies amino acids and vitamins that the archaeon needs.

    These characteristics and interactions may represent an early step in the symbiotic evolution of eukaryotic cells.

    That statement does not claim a perfect replay of early evolution. It argues that the features they see line up with long-standing models that link archaeal hydrogen producers and bacterial sulfate reducers to the rise of complex cells.

    Those models gained traction after the first enrichment and later formal isolation of an Asgard archaeon, Prometheoarchaeum syntrophicum, a slow-growing anaerobe that depends on partner microbes.

    Microbial mat shows nanotube connections

    With cryotomography, the researchers observed chains of budded vesicles attached to the archaeal cell by extracellular fibers, plus internal tube and cage-like elements inside the archaeon.

    They also saw intercellular nanotubes apparently assembled by the bacterium that contact the archaeal surface, hinting at direct physical links during resource sharing.

    Archaea in other systems build similar connections, and a 2024 study reported nanotubes in a co-culture that bridged cytoplasms and appeared to serve as conduits for molecular exchange.

    That study counted an average of 4.4 nanotubes per host-symbiont contact, showing how dense and structured these links can become under the microscope.

    Hints at complex cells

    If partners swap metabolites through persistent contacts, selection can push them toward tighter dependence.

    That is the kind of ratchet some researchers think nudged early archaea and bacteria toward the cell-in-cell arrangement that defines eukaryotes.

    The new Shark Bay culture does not show one cell engulfing the other. It does, however, put plausible building blocks on the table: complementing metabolisms, physical tethers, and vesicle traffic that could knit cells into a more integrated unit over time.

    That interpretation sits alongside earlier work that first enriched and then formally described Prometheoarchaeum, strengthening the case that Asgard lineages sit near the root of eukaryotic features.

    More broadly, archaeal communities are known to trade vesicles and tube-like structures, which can shuttle proteins, lipids, and genetic material and may help build cooperative networks in extreme habitats.

    Next steps in research

    First, replication matters. Independent teams will want to reproduce the nanotube contacts and metabolite exchanges and test whether those tubes move specific molecules in real time, not just correlate with growth.

    Second, comparative context helps. Asgard cultures and co-cultures are slowly expanding, and every new system gives biologists another angle on the relationship between archaeal cell biology and eukaryotic traits.

    Finally, place still matters. Shark Bay’s mats are rugged, hypersaline, sunlit, and dynamic, a mix of stresses that can reward tight microbial alliances and keep them around across seasons and storms.

    The study is published in bioRxiv.

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  • Lemon water maintains hydration in scorching heat – samaa tv

    1. Lemon water maintains hydration in scorching heat  samaa tv
    2. Stanford trained gastroenterologist unpacks 8 facts about lemon water: Is it really good for your gut?  Hindustan Times
    3. Think lemon water is healthy? A Harvard-trained doctor reveals what most people get wrong  MSN
    4. Weighing the Risks and Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water  Everyday Health

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  • Vishal TK breaks 400m national record

    Vishal TK breaks 400m national record

    Vishal TK shattered the national record in the men’s 400m event at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships 2025 in Chennai on Thursday.

    Competing at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the 21-year-old Indian athlete won the gold medal with a time of 45.12 seconds, eclipsing the previous national mark of 45.21, set by Muhammed Anas Yahiya at the 2019 Czech Athletics Championships.

    Paris 2024 Olympian Rajesh Ramesh (46.04s) and Vikrant Panchal (46.17s) claimed silver and bronze, respectively.

    Vishal TK was part of the Indian relay teams that won the gold medal in the mixed 4x400m and silver in the men’s 4x400m at the Asian Athletics Championships 2025 in Gumi, Republic of Korea, back in May.

    He had missed out on an individual medal in Gumi after finishing fourth in the men’s 400m with a time of 45.57s, which was also his previous personal best.

    The 64th edition of the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships also serves as the final qualifying event for Indian athletes ahead of the World Championships in Tokyo from September 13 to 21.

    The entry standard for Tokyo25 in men’s 400m was 44.85s. The qualifying window closes on Sunday.

    Eight finals were decided on the second day of the meet. However, none of the Indian track and field athletes managed to breach the entry standards for the World Championships.

    Baranica Elangovan, however, matched the meet record in the women’s pole vault with a 4.10m jump.

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  • Exclusive: Putin's demand to Ukraine: give up Donbas, no NATO and no Western troops, sources say – Reuters

    1. Exclusive: Putin’s demand to Ukraine: give up Donbas, no NATO and no Western troops, sources say  Reuters
    2. Why Donetsk ‘fortress belt’ matters so much for Ukraine’s defences against Russia  BBC
    3. Why does Russia want Ukraine’s Donbas region?  Al Jazeera
    4. The Critical Importance of Ukraine’s Fortress Belt in Donetsk Oblast  Institute for the Study of War
    5. ‘It would be a terrible loss’: Ukrainian frontline troops sceptical of ceding land  The Guardian

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