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  • Scientists uncover genetic key to cucumber texture

    Scientists uncover genetic key to cucumber texture

    Trichomes are hair-like projections found on the surface of many plants, offering protection against environmental stressors and insects, while also influencing commercial appeal. In cucumbers, multicellular trichomes—fruit spines—are especially prominent and variable, yet the genetic mechanisms driving their formation remain elusive. Studies in model plants like Arabidopsis have shed light on trichome biology, highlighting the roles of cytoskeleton dynamics, transcriptional regulation, and hormone signaling. However, cucumbers possess distinct spine morphologies and cellular architectures that demand crop-specific exploration. Due to these complexities, there is a critical need to investigate how cucumber plants coordinate internal cellular processes to sculpt their outermost structures.

    A research team at Shanghai Jiao Tong University has identified the cucumber gene CsTs as a pivotal regulator of fruit spine development and texture. The study (DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhae235), published August 14, 2024, in Horticulture Research, demonstrates how this single gene controls spine formation by modulating cell division, wall composition, and intracellular transport. Employing gene-editing, microscopy, and protein interaction analyses, the researchers unveiled a sophisticated genetic network behind cucumber surface architecture. The findings illuminate key processes in plant development and lay a foundation for enhancing crop quality through targeted genetic strategies.

    To confirm CsTs’s role, scientists generated knockout cucumber lines using CRISPR/Cas9, resulting in trichomes that were flattened and malformed—mirroring the naturally occurring “tender spine” mutant. Microscopy revealed a lack of structural differentiation between the stalk and base of the fruit spines, leading to loose attachment to the fruit surface. Biochemical analysis showed these mutants had reduced cellulose and lignin but elevated levels of pectin and hemicellulose, weakening cell wall rigidity.

    Transcriptomic profiling across developmental stages revealed that CsTs influences gene networks related to auxin transport, cytoskeletal arrangement, and secondary metabolism. Protein interaction studies identified direct partners such as SNARE proteins and ROP GTPases—key players in vesicle trafficking and cell polarity. These interactions were lost in the mutant due to protein mislocalization. Interestingly, overexpressing CsTs in an Arabidopsis homolog mutant partially restored normal trichome morphology, suggesting functional conservation across species. Additional genetic analysis indicated that CsTs operates in the same pathway as CsMict, a gene involved in cuticle formation, although the two proteins do not interact directly. Together, the findings position CsTs as a critical node in a network that shapes cucumber spine morphology through tightly coordinated cellular and molecular processes.

    “Our study reveals that CsTs is not only essential for cucumber spine development but also plays a broader role in organizing cellular architecture,” said Dr. Junsong Pan, the study’s lead investigator. “By pinpointing how this gene influences cytoskeletal structure and hormone transport, we’ve uncovered a key mechanism in plant surface biology. This opens new possibilities for improving crop resilience and appearance through genetic approaches.” He added that future research would explore how CsTs coordinates signaling cascades through phosphorylation and how it may interact with broader metabolic pathways in plants.

    The identification of CsTs offers valuable opportunities for breeding cucumbers with customized spine textures, enhancing both marketability and pest resistance. By manipulating this gene, breeders could potentially develop varieties that are tougher, more aesthetically uniform, or better protected from insects such as aphids, which tend to favor softer mutants. Moreover, insights into how CsTs regulates cytoskeleton and cuticle biosynthesis could extend to other crops where trichomes affect flavor, texture, or defense. As scientists further explore the genetic pathways linked to CsTs, the work could lead to innovative strategies in sustainable agriculture and precision horticulture.

    Source: NewsWise

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  • Pakistani university lecturer arrested for planning foiled Balochistan attack, officials say – The Washington Post

    1. Pakistani university lecturer arrested for planning foiled Balochistan attack, officials say  The Washington Post
    2. Security agencies foiled Balochistan ‘suicide attack’ on Independence Day: CM Bugti  Dawn
    3. Independence Day terrorism plot foiled in Balochistan: CM Bugti  The Express Tribune
    4. Quetta university lecturer linked to banned outfit arrested  Dunya News
    5. University lecturer linked to banned group held in Quetta  nation.com.pk

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  • Oil prices edge higher on US adviser comments on India buying Russian crude – Reuters

    1. Oil prices edge higher on US adviser comments on India buying Russian crude  Reuters
    2. India’s oil lobby is funding Putin’s war machine — that has to stop  Financial Times
    3. US trade adviser Navarro says India’s Russian crude buying must stop  Dawn
    4. As US pushes against India’s Russian oil import, Indian Oil says will continue to buy Russian Oil  financialexpress.com
    5. 🚨 BREAKING: India’s Purchase of Russian Oil Rises to 2 Million Barrels per Day in August  Vocal

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  • Lipoprotein levels and statin treatment related to dementia and cognitive decline in individuals with type 2 diabetes: an observational analysis from the ADVANCE study | Cardiovascular Diabetology

    Lipoprotein levels and statin treatment related to dementia and cognitive decline in individuals with type 2 diabetes: an observational analysis from the ADVANCE study | Cardiovascular Diabetology

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  • Body odour can reveal illness years before symptoms appear, study finds

    Body odour can reveal illness years before symptoms appear, study finds



    Why body could odour could be hidden warning about your health

    We all know that our body gives off smells, but did you know these odours can also reveal a lot about your health? Scientists say certain diseases can actually change the way our body smell, sometimes years before symptoms appear.

    A famous example is of Joy Mile, a woman from Scotland who discovered that her husband smelled different years before he was diagnosed with Parkison’s disease. 

    Later, she realized other Parkison’s patients had the same musky smell. Doctors tested her ability, and she correctly identified patients just by sniffing their T-shirts. In one case, she even predicted the illness before doctors confirmed it.

    This showed that diseases can release special chemicals through our skin, sweat, or breath. Experts call them volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These are tiny molecules produced when our body breaks down food for energy. If something wrong inside the body, these molecules change and so does our smell.

    For example:

    • People with diabetes can have a fruity or “rotten apples” smell because of chemicals called ketones.
    • Liver disease can cause a sulphur like or musty odour.
    • Kidney problem may give breath a “fishy or ammonia like smell.
    • Infections like tuberculosis or cholera also have their own distinct odours.

    Dogs, with their powerful noses, can detect cancer, diabetes, Parkinson’s and even malaria. Scientists are now trying to build machines that can do the same job, simple tests that could catch illnesses early without painful or costly procedures.

    Researchers in the UK are already developing a skin swab test to spot Parkinson’s disease in its early stages. Others are studying how odours can help diagnose cancers, brain injuries, and infections.

    This could be life changing, instead of waiting years for symptoms to appear, doctors might one day identify diseases through a quick smell-based test.

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  • Lakeside Sandstones Hold Key to Ancient Continent’s Movement

    Lakeside Sandstones Hold Key to Ancient Continent’s Movement

    Source: Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth

    Around 1.1 billion years ago, the oldest and most tectonically stable part of North America—called Laurentia—was rapidly heading south toward the equator. Laurentia eventually slammed into Earth’s other landmasses during the Grenville orogeny to form the supercontinent Rodinia.

    Laurentia’s path during that period is known, thanks to paleomagnetism. By tracing the orientation and magnetism of rocks in the lithosphere, scientists can approximate the relative position and movement of Laurentia leading up to Rodinia’s formation.

    The rocks along Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin and Michigan are especially important for tracing Laurentia’s movement. These rocks—dominated by red sandstones, siltstones, and minor conglomerates—were deposited during extensive sedimentation caused by the North American Midcontinent Rift and are rife with iron oxides like hematite. Hematite can acquire magnetization when it is deposited, which records where the rock was in relation to Earth’s poles at the time.

    Unfortunately, the existing paleomagnetic record is marred by a gap between 1,075 million and 900 million years ago, limiting our understanding of how, when, and where Rodinia formed.

    To fill this data gap, Fuentes et al. collected new samples from the Freda Formation near Lake Superior, which formed in floodplain environments an estimated 1,045 million years ago. The authors combined these data with stratigraphic age modeling to estimate a new, sedimentary paleopole, or the position of the geomagnetic pole at a particular time in the past.

    Previous studies indicate that for 30 million years, sometime between 1,110 million and 1,080 million years ago, Laurentia moved from about 60°N to 5°N at a rate of 30 centimeters (12 inches) per year—faster than the Indian plate’s collision with Eurasia pushing up the Himalayas. This study showed that over the following 30 million years, Laurentia’s progress slowed to 2.4 centimeters (1 inch) per year as it crossed the equator.

    The paleocontinent’s slowdown during Freda Formation deposition coincides with the onset of the Grenville orogeny. The results confirm that a stagnant single-lid regime—in which the lithosphere behaves as a single, continuous plate rather than multiple independent plates—was not in effect during this interval. (Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JB031794, 2025)

    —Aaron Sidder, Science Writer

    Citation: Sidder, A. (2025), Lakeside sandstones hold key to ancient continent’s movement, Eos, 106, https://doi.org/10.1029/2025EO250304. Published on 18 August 2025.
    Text © 2025. AGU. CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
    Except where otherwise noted, images are subject to copyright. Any reuse without express permission from the copyright owner is prohibited.

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  • This Anker 3-in-1 wireless charging station is on sale for 30 percent off

    This Anker 3-in-1 wireless charging station is on sale for 30 percent off

    Anker’s 3-in-1 MagSafe charging station is on sale for a record low price of $63 — that works out to savings of 30 percent.The Qi2-certified charger wirelessly charges your compatible iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods on one compact and convenient dock. Qi2 boasts 15W of power, so you can take advantage of fast charging on compatible devices.

    This means the station can charge an iPhone 16 Pro Max to 20 percent in just 20 minutes and an Apple Watch Series 10 from zero to 100 percent in just over an hour. The magnetic stand for your iPhone is adjustable with 45 degrees of vertical rotation and 360 degrees of horizontal rotation, so you can always find the perfect angle for your phone while charging.

    Anker

    Being able to wirelessly charge these three daily devices at once might remind you of Apple’s wireless charging pad that never was, but Anker’s 3-in-1 charging station offers an elegant solution. We tend to like Anker’s charging products, and we’ve found they make some of the best charging stations on the market.

    Anker’s products can be a bit pricey, though, which is why the best time to pick them up is during these sales. The company actually has a slew of its charging products on sale right now. Its 3-in-1 wireless charging cube is 31 percent off right now and down to $104. If you’re a Prime member and have a Qi2-compatible iPhone, then you might also look at Anker’s simple Qi2 charging pad, which is 35 percent off for a two-pack right now.

    Image for the mini product module
    Image for the mini product module

    Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.


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  • Jurassic Turiasaurus teeth discovered in Morocco’s mountains

    Jurassic Turiasaurus teeth discovered in Morocco’s mountains

    A nine-metre-tall Turiasaurus skeletal specimen is seen during a promotional event for a dinosaur exhibition at a shopping mall in central Tokyo on 8 June 2015. [Getty]

    168 million years ago, the giant footsteps of Turiasaurus dinosaurs echoed across what is now Morocco’s Middle Atlas Mountains, according to researchers who have uncovered fossilised teeth from the Middle Jurassic period.

    Found in the El Mers III Formation, one of three geological formations that make up the El Mers Group in the Middle Atlas of Morocco, the discovery marks the oldest evidence of this enormous dinosaur group on the African mainland, confirms a study published in Acta Palaeontologica Polonica during this month. 

    “These teeth represent the first definitive Turiasaurian remains from Morocco, as well as the geologically oldest occurrence of Turiasauria from mainland Africa”, the study’s authors wrote.

    Turiasaurians were long-necked herbivores that towered above many of their Jurassic peers, living outside the lineage that gave rise to the familiar giant sauropods. Until now, most evidence of these giants came from Europe.

    The three teeth found in Morocco display the family’s signature heart-shaped profile.

    Though they resemble Spain’s Turiasaurus, subtle differences hint at the possibility of a new species, or an early branch of the group.

    The find adds to Morocco’s growing reputation as a Jurassic treasure trove. 

    From the Middle Jurassic to the Late Cretaceous, fossils uncovered in the country during the last years reveal a diverse prehistoric ecosystem.

    In the Middle Atlas Mountains, researchers have unearthed Adratiklit boulahfa, Africa’s oldest stegosaurs, and Spicomellus afer, the continent’s first ankylosaur.

    Further south, the Kem Kem Beds have yielded giants like Spinosaurus and Carcharodontosaurus, offering a glimpse into a predator-rich landscape 95 million years ago.

    “The fossils shed light on how dinosaurs diversified following environmental changes at the end of the Early Jurassic”, the researchers explained. 

    The study was carried out by an international team from the Miami Museum of Science, the Natural History Museum in London, and Morocco’s Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University in Fez. 

    “Middle Jurassic terrestrial faunas are globally poorly represented, making the fauna of the El Mers III Formation critical to understanding the origins of the famous Late Jurassic faunas,” the researchers conclude.

    With each new fossil, Morocco cements its place on the prehistoric map. 

    The Turiasaur teeth not only stretch the timeline for these giants on the continent but also hint that Morocco may have been home to a Jurassic world wilder and more spectacular than anything Hollywood could imagine.

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  • Samsung Steals U.S. Market Share from Apple as Foldables and AI Take Center Stage

    Samsung Steals U.S. Market Share from Apple as Foldables and AI Take Center Stage

    Samsung is catching up to Apple (AAPL, Financials) in the U.S. smartphone market. Its share went from 23% to 31% in the second quarter of 2025, while Apple’s share went from 56% to 49%. A key cause is foldables. The new Samsung Z Fold 7 and Z Flip are getting a lot of attention because they combine new ideas with old ones. They are selling well and going viral on social media, where people are posting videos of them passing durability tests.

    Samsung has a wide selection of products that cost between $650 and more than $2,400, so they can reach customers at every price point. Apple’s current iPhone assortment is still constrained in both design and flexibility. People say that Apple will soon release a thinner iPhone and a foldable one in 2026. However, Apple’s glacial changes to its design and AI features have given Samsung the chance to take the lead.

    Foldables are ready for the mainstream now since there aren’t any big trade-offs, there is a lot of demand, and AI is becoming more and more integrated. Samsung has an edge not just in hardware but also in timing. Apple may triumph in the long run, but for now, Samsung is in the lead.

    This article first appeared on GuruFocus.

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  • John Abraham Explores Iranian Roots in ‘Tehran’ Thriller Amid Tensions

    John Abraham Explores Iranian Roots in ‘Tehran’ Thriller Amid Tensions

    Bollywood star John Abraham is betting big on geopolitical storytelling again. Following politically charged thrillers like “Madras Cafe” and “The Diplomat,” the actor-producer’s latest project, “Tehran,” plunges viewers into the shadowy world of international espionage with a taut thriller inspired by real events that hit close to home.

    Directed by Arun Gopalan and produced by Maddock Films, “Tehran” fictionalizes the 2012 bomb explosion near the Israeli Embassy in Delhi, weaving a complex narrative that spans Israel, Iran and India. Abraham reprises his character from “Batla House” — based on real-life Delhi police officer Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, here renamed ACP Rajiv Kumar — as he’s pulled into a covert operation that tests loyalties across continents.

    But this isn’t just another action thriller for Abraham. The project carries deep personal significance.

    “The usual, predictable thing would have been to blame our neighbor. But when we did the forensics, we found out that there were people in Iran that actually were involved in this process,” Abraham explains. “My mother’s father came from Iran in 1939 and landed on the shores of Bombay [now Mumbai]. There was an Iranian connection with me that suddenly drew me very, very close to the subject.”

    This Iranian connection proved pivotal for Abraham, who felt a responsibility to portray the region authentically. “I was very sensitive about the way we treated Iran and Israel in this film, because my roots being from Iran, I wanted to show Iran in the best possible light because it is a very misrepresented country,” he says. “Then obviously you have Israel, and I’ve got such close friends from Israel. For me, being an Indian and getting these two countries together was a beautiful confluence of geopolitics.”

    The authenticity extended to Abraham’s performance, which required mastering both Farsi and Hebrew dialogue. His childhood provided an unexpected foundation.

    “When I was growing up, when my mother wanted to tell me something in some code word where she didn’t want other people to understand, she always spoke to me in Farsi,” Abraham recalls. “There were words that came naturally to me. But did that mean that it was easy? No. I studied the language for close to six months.”

    His teacher was “a gentleman called Mohammed, fantastic guy” and on set, Hadi Khanjanpour — the Iranian actor playing the country’s operative Afshir Husseini — continued the coaching. “Him being an Iranian, I said I wanted my dialect to be perfect,” Abraham says. “So he was a great help to me.”

    For Hebrew pronunciation, Abraham turned to an unlikely source: former Chelsea Football Club coach Avram Grant. “Avram Grant is Jewish and he’s Israeli. So when I had my Israeli lines, I would call up Avram and say, ‘Am I pronouncing it right? Am I pronouncing it wrong?’ And he’d say, ‘Yeah, that’s good. That’s the way to pronounce it.’”

    Abraham’s preparation went far beyond language coaching. The actor, who describes himself as someone who has “always been interested in the geopolitics of the world,” drew on decades of personal research.

    “If you see my films, from ‘Madras Cafe’ to ‘Parmanu’ to ‘Batla House’ to ‘The Diplomat,’ everything has a very researched geopolitical insight into and a responsible political insight into what I want to present to my audience,” he explains. “I’m a person who gets deep into understanding, for example, why the conflict started, what the Nakba [Palestinian displacement] was about. So going into understanding where the Hamas, the Houthi, the Hezbollahs came from, understanding the whole geopolitics of the situation was very important to do a film like this.”

    He also consulted with the real-life officer his character is based on. “The character that I’m playing, Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, who we’ve called Rajiv Kumar in the film, is a real-life person who works in the administration today, in the Delhi police. So I turned to him for a lot of my research… in terms of his body language, in terms of what we could credibly show, what he went through in terms of intelligence.”

    Co-starring Manushi Chhillar, Neeru Bajwa and Madhurima Tuli, “Tehran” marks another entry in Abraham’s portfolio of politically charged thrillers. However, the current Middle East tensions initially worked against the project.

    “[I thought] the Iran-Israel war, or the war that’s happening in the Middle East, would have benefited our film — not in a manipulative way, but would have given us more eyeballs,” Abraham says. “Unfortunately for us, what I thought was an advantage became our Achilles heel, where we were told internationally and in India that no way are we going to get bums on seats for this. So don’t even think of releasing this theatrically.”

    Streamer ZEE5 Global ultimately provided the platform Abraham needed. “It was a double or quit scenario,” he says. “Either show the film theatrically or just dump it. And ZEE5 Global gave me the opportunity to really exhibit this film on their platform, and it’s been fantastic. You realize the reach when you get the response.”

    Abraham’s trajectory shifted dramatically when he transitioned from actor to producer, a move that allowed him to pursue more substantial material after establishing himself with early hits. The actor, who first gained attention with the erotic thriller “Jism” in 2003, became a household name with the blockbuster “Dhoom” in 2004, where he played the stylish antagonist opposite Abhishek Bachchan.

    He’s candid about his early career calculations. “Initially, being a marketing person myself, I knew it was a lot about my physicality, and I did what I had to do to sell myself. But the minute I got the opportunity to become a producer, I started speaking the language I really want to speak.”

    The shift toward more meaningful content can be traced to a single film that changed his perspective. “The film that got me into this career was ‘Schindler’s List,’” he reveals. “You can imagine a film like that kind of intrigues you, gives you sleepless nights, so you start thinking in that direction.”

    That influence helps explain why Abraham embraces commercial uncertainty in service of artistic vision, like he did with “Tehran”. “I knew that this was going to be a risk, but you know, the higher the risk, the higher the reward,” he says. “So for me, at the end of the day, it is more about the legacy and the kind of films that I want to do, rather than commercial, box office success or failure.”

    Reflecting on his career, Abraham offers a surprising perspective: “My failures have defined me more than my successes. Films like ‘Kabul Express,’ films like ‘No Smoking,’ films like even ‘Madras Cafe,’ where my studio probably didn’t understand what I was up to and didn’t have faith… Films like ‘The Diplomat’ where the studio had absolutely no faith in my film. They said, ‘This is the worst film we’ve seen.’”

    He recalls one particularly brutal reaction to “Parmanu”: “When the first narration of ‘Parmanu’ happened, one of my friends, rather a co-producer, whose name I put on the poster… I asked him, ‘How was the narration?’ And he told me, ‘I’ve never heard a worse script in my life,’ and I smiled. So for me, I think my failures, or people who doubted the kind of content I’m trying to create, have actually defined my career.”

    Abraham’s next projects include a potential “Force 3” (“I want to make it smart. I want to make it very commercial, but very credible”) and a motorcycle racing film centered on the Isle of Man TT race.

    “Do I want to do a film on motorcycle racing? Yes. Do I want to do a hardcore action film? Yes. Do I want to do a comedy? Yes,” he says. “But I want to do a ‘No Smoking’ in my life again. I want to do different kinds of films. I don’t want to be restricted to a particular genre, and I don’t want to become a prisoner of my own image.”

    His ultimate goal remains consistent. “I want to marry content with commerce. I want both of them to come together,” Abraham explains. “I’ve reached a stage in my career where it’s about legacy, my filmography. I wouldn’t just say content driven films, but I want to make commercial films that have content. Can I succeed? I do not know, but I’ll keep trying.”

    “Tehran” is now streaming on ZEE5.

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