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  • An astronaut answers questions from kids. Plus, a tasty space read

    An astronaut answers questions from kids. Plus, a tasty space read

    What would you ask an astronaut?

    Kids ask the best questions. That’s why we’re turning the mic over to young space enthusiasts wanting to ask an astronaut their burning questions about space exploration.

    Veteran NASA astronaut Winston Scott joined our show and answered these burning questions.

    Our eager space enthusiasts asked Scott some intriguing questions like, “what it’s like to eat in space? Is the food freeze dried?”. While space travelers used to eat food in paste form, Winston explained that the food now is quite like what someone would eat on Earth—only freeze dried sometimes.

    “Nowadays, our food is like real food,” Scott said. “We eat with forks and knives and spoons, but we have to eat it very carefully, because it will get away from you and float away. For example, if I want it to have scrambled eggs for breakfast, I have to prepare my scrambled eggs. We put the water back into it, rehydrate it, then I would take my spoon or my fork and very carefully, reach into the packet and take out only where I want to eat.”

    Aside from food, one curious kid asked Scott about using the bathroom in space, specifically, “What happens to the waste?” Scott explained just like how people on Earth recycle water, wastewater is cleaned in space too.

    “We drink recycled wastewater here on Earth,” Scott said. “It’s either recycled by good old mother nature, or it’s recycled at the water reclamation plant. It’s as clean as any water any place on Earth, it’s very important that we were you recycle everything that we possibly can in space.”

    If you’ve got a question for an astronaut, email us your voice memo at arewethereyet@cfpublic.org Please be sure to include your first name and age.

    A glimpse at an astro-diet

    While many people think that space food is all freeze-dried snacks and Tang, food in outer space is a lot tastier than we may think.

    Astronauts, cosmonauts, and anyone who makes the journey into orbit have a wide range of foods to choose from in their orbital pantry; ranging from candy bars to meals that reflect their culture and country.

    European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano, Expedition 36 flight engineer, is pictured near food packages floating freely in the Unity node of the International Space Station.

    Space food scientist Vickie Kloeris published a memoir of her three decades at NASA, carefully planning meals for the people that leave this planet in her new book Space Bites: Reflections of a NASA Food Scientists. After meeting some of the food scientists at NASA, Kloeris said she hoped her journey would lead her to NASA.

    “I said, that has got to be the coolest job food scientists could have,” Kloeris said. “So, if you ever have an opening, call me. And about 18 months later, I got a call. They weren’t specifically looking for me. But they said, would you know anybody who would be interested? And I’m like, yeah, I am interested.”

    Kloeris was a food scientist during the shuttle program at NASA, and for some of those crews, food played a key role while they were in orbit. Kloeris said being in micro-gravity can cause congestion for space travelers, but a simple dish helped combat hunger and stuffy noses.

    “We had a freeze-dried shrimp cocktail,” Kloeris said. “It was powdered red sauce that had horseradish in it. And so, it had a nice little kick, so it was very popular among the crew. Because when they were congested, that aroma, that flavor still got through. So that was extremely popular item during the during the shuttle program.”

    Above all, Kloeris said her biggest mission was to make sure everyone in space felt connected to home with the food they ate during their mission. As the crew bonds with work and their daily routines, they also bond over food.

    “For long duration, especially on [the International Space Station], the crew members will take special items in their preference containers for holidays, for birthdays, for other special occasions, because psychology is so important,” Kloeris said. “And the shared meals, the psychology of a shared meal among the crew becomes a lot more important on long duration.”


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  • Prince Andrew’s Daughters Have Become Collateral Damage Amid Scandal

    Prince Andrew’s Daughters Have Become Collateral Damage Amid Scandal

    ROYAL FAMILY NEWS
    Photo of Prince Andrew; picture of Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice.
    Source: MEGA

    Prince Andrew left his royal duties in 2022.

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    Aug. 12 2025, Published 4:22 p.m. ET

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    Image of Prince Andrew shares daughters Eugenie and Beatrice with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.
    Source: MEGA

    Prince Andrew shares daughters Eugenie and Beatrice with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.

    In the book, Lownie discussed how the princesses were allegedly forced by Prince Andrew to participate in official trips and business deals in the Middle East, which seemed to pave the way for their own careers. While Beatrice works at an AI technology company, Eugenie is a director at the art gallery Hauser and Wirth.

    Though many haters might argue that the princesses’ successes are thanks to their royal ties, a source argued otherwise while speaking to Tom Sykes of The Daily Beast.

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    Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice ‘Understand’ Their Privilege

    Image of Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice face backlash from their dad's mistakes.
    Source: MEGA

    Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice face backlash from their dad’s mistakes.

    “All they have ever done is stand by their parents in the most horrifically public circumstances. I don’t think it’s fair to criticize them for (their parents),” the insider declared of Beatrice and Eugenie — whose father stepped down from his duties as a working royal in 2022 as a result of his ties to late pedophile and s– trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

    The confidant continued: “They’re sweet girls who understand that they are immensely privileged, and have always been grateful for the privilege they’ve had, and have tried to use it to do the right thing.”

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    image of the princesses' homes are reportedly paid for by King Charles.
    Source: MEGA

    The princesses’ homes are reportedly paid for by King Charles.

    The source additionally noted that Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice don’t receive anything from the royal family outside of the homes they are both provided inside of the palace, which are paid for by King Charles.

    “They were told to get jobs by the firm and they did that, so it seems unfair to attack them for making money,” the insider added.

    Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice Become Scapegoats for Dad’s Mistakes

    Image of Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie both have business connections in the Middle East.
    Source: MEGA

    Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie both have business connections in the Middle East.

    This isn’t the first time Prince Andrew’s scandals have turned attention toward his offspring.

    In December 2024, the estranged royal sparked controversy after allegedly hiring a Chinese spy as a “business advisor.”

    “The speculation about [the] Royal Lodge and Prince Andrew is continuing, and with that is coming an increased focus on his daughters,” historian Garreth Russell told GB News last year. “That’s why people are so interested in their movement in the Middle East.”

    “A lot of what the Yorks are experiencing is coming down to public skepticism about his continued residency at Royal Lodge,” Russell added of Andrew’s residence, which Charles tried to kick him out of in 2023, but his younger brother refused to leave.

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  • How multiparametric MRI can detect more prostate cancer

    How multiparametric MRI can detect more prostate cancer

    Multiparametric MRI’s positive predictive value for detecting prostate cancer improves when lower apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values and patient prostate-specific antigen density (PSAD) thresholds data are incorporated, investigators have found.

    The results could help further clarify mpMRI’s benefits for this indication, noted a group of researchers led by Simon John Christoph Soerensen, MD, of Stanford University. The study findings were published August 12 in Radiology.

    “Prostate multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) with MRI/ultrasound fusion biopsy improves the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) compared with systematic biopsy alone … and use of PI-RADS version 2.1 has reduced variability in acquisition, interpretation, and reporting,” the investigators wrote.

    What’s tricky is that there tends to be a high false-positive rate from mpMRI for detecting prostate cancer, with positive predictive values (PPVs) of 35% for PI-RADS categories three or higher (i.e., intermediate or ambiguous likelihood of csPCa, high likelihood of the disease, to very high likelihood).

    Adding data such as lesion apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value and patient prostate-specific antigen density (PSAD) could further refine PPVs, according to researchers. To assess the impact of these factors on mpMRI PPV for clinically significant prostate cancer across PI-RADs scores, they conducted a study that included 944 men with median prostate-specific antigen levels of 7 ng/mL and prostate volume of 46 cm3.

    The study included data from 1,388 PI-RADS category 3 or higher lesions identified on mpMRI between January 2017 and December 2022, which were worked up via an MRI/ultrasound transrectal fusion biopsy within 180 days (median time from MRI to biopsy among the study cohort was 36 days). Twenty-two abdominal radiologists interpreted the mpMRI scans, with each reading at least 10 exams. Lesions were categorized as true positive if a genitourinary pathologist determined that targeted biopsy indicated a Gleason score grade group 2 or higher.

    The group reported an overall lesion-level PPV for csPCa of 34%. PPV varied according to PI-RADS score:

    mpMRI performance for categorizing csPCa
    PI-RADS score PPV
    3 11%
    4 33%
    5 59%

    When the team added ADC and PSAD data to mpMRI exam results, it found that low ADC and high PSAD were independent predictors of higher PPV (odds ratio, 3.52 and 3.35, respectively, with one as reference, p < 0.001). In fact, overall PPV increased from 12% for lesions with high ADC and low PSAD to 60% for those with low ADC and high PSAD, the group reported.

    Graph shows the impact of dichotomized apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value and prostate-specific antigen density (PSAD) on positive predictive values (PPVs) across Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) categories. In PI-RADS categories 3, 4, and 5, PPVs increased from 5% to 32%, 14% to 59%, and 24% to 73%, respectively, when comparing the group with ADC values of more than 0.9 × 10−3 mm2/sec and PSAD less than 0.15 ng/mL2 to that with ADC values of less than or equal to 0.9 × 10−3 mm2/sec and PSAD greater than or equal to 0.15 ng/mL2. The model represents estimates at a fixed lesion size of 1.2 cm, the median value of the study cohort. Figure and caption courtesy of the RSNA.

    The study suggests that “incorporating lesion-level ADC values and patient PSAD thresholds substantially improves PPV at each PI-RADS category, suggesting a role for systematically adjusting lesion interpretation with these metrics,” the investigators wrote.

    They did caution, however, that the study did not analyze “potential decreases in sensitivity and in negative predictive value of mpMRI when incorporating ADC and PSAD thresholds,” and urged these issues to be further evaluated in future studies intended to explore refinements of PIRADS guidelines.

    The complete study can be found here.

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  • FiscalNote Closes Previously Announced Balance Sheet…

    FiscalNote Closes Previously Announced Balance Sheet…

    FiscalNote Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: NOTE), the leading provider of AI-driven policy and regulatory intelligence solutions, today announced it has closed the previously announced series of transactions to refinance its senior debt and restructure substantially all of its subordinated debt. The closed transactions provide the Company with a clear, long-term runway and increased operating flexibility as it executes its product-led growth strategy.

    In light of the timing of these transactions, there are a few customary, additional disclosures required in the Company’s Q2 2025 Form 10-Q filing. Accordingly, the Company plans to file a Form 12b-25 to extend the filing deadline for the Form 10-Q to August 18, enabling time to finalize the additional disclosures.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    Certain statements in this press release may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or FiscalNote’s future financial or operating performance. For example, statements regarding FiscalNote’s financial outlook for future periods, expectations regarding profitability, capital resources and anticipated growth in the industry in which FiscalNote operates are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “pro forma,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “project,” “strive,” “budget,” “forecast,” “expect,” “intend,” “will,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “predict,” “potential” or “continue,” or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

    Factors that may impact such forward-looking statements include:

    • concentration of revenues from U.S. government agencies, changes in the U.S. government spending priorities, dependence on winning or renewing U.S. government contracts, delay, disruption or unavailability of funding on U.S. government contracts, and the U.S. government’s right to modify, delay, curtail or terminate contracts;

    • FiscalNote’s ability to successfully execute on its strategy to achieve and sustain organic growth through a focus on its core Policy business, including risks to FiscalNote’s ability to develop, enhance, and integrate its existing platforms, products, and services, bring highly useful, reliable, secure and innovative products, product features and services to market, attract new customers, retain existing customers, expand its products and service offerings with existing customers, expand into geographic markets or identify other opportunities for growth;

    • FiscalNote’s future capital requirements, as well as its ability to service its repayment obligations and maintain compliance with covenants and restrictions under its existing debt agreements;

    • demand for FiscalNote’s services and the drivers of that demand;

    • the impact of cost reduction initiatives undertaken by FiscalNote;

    • risks associated with international operations, including compliance complexity and costs, increased exposure to fluctuations in currency exchange rates, political, social and economic instability, and supply chain disruptions;

    • FiscalNote’s ability to introduce new features, integrations, capabilities, and enhancements to its products and services, as well as obtain and maintain accurate, comprehensive, or reliable data to support its products and services;

    • FiscalNote’s reliance on third-party systems and data, its ability to integrate such systems and data with its solutions and its potential inability to continue to support integration;

    • FiscalNote’s ability to maintain and improve its methods and technologies, and anticipate new methods or technologies, for data collection, organization, and analysis to support its products and services;

    • potential technical disruptions, cyberattacks, security, privacy or data breaches or other technical or security incidents that affect FiscalNote’s networks or systems or those of its service providers;

    • competition and competitive pressures in the markets in which FiscalNote operates, including larger well-funded companies shifting their existing business models to become more competitive with FiscalNote;

    • FiscalNote’s ability to comply with laws and regulations in connection with selling products and services to U.S. and foreign governments and other highly regulated industries;

    • FiscalNote’s ability to retain or recruit key personnel;

    • FiscalNote’s ability to adapt its products and services for changes in laws and regulations or public perception, or changes in the enforcement of such laws, relating to artificial intelligence, machine learning, data privacy and government contracts;

    • adverse general economic and market conditions reducing spending on our products and services;

    • the outcome of any known and unknown litigation and regulatory proceedings;

    • FiscalNote’s ability to maintain public company-quality internal control over financial reporting; and

    • FiscalNote’s ability to protect and maintain its brands and other intellectual property rights.

    These and other important factors discussed in FiscalNote’s SEC filings, including its most recent reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q, particularly the “Risk Factors” sections of those reports, could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. These forward-looking statements are based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by FiscalNote and its management, are inherently uncertain. Nothing in this press release should be regarded as a representation by any person that the forward-looking statements set forth herein will be achieved or that any of the contemplated results of such forward-looking statements will be achieved. You should not place reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. FiscalNote undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

    About FiscalNote

    FiscalNote (NYSE: NOTE) is the leading provider of AI-driven policy and regulatory intelligence solutions. By uniquely combining proprietary AI technology, comprehensive data, and decades of trusted analysis, FiscalNote helps customers efficiently manage political and business risk. Since 2013, FiscalNote has pioneered solutions that deliver critical insights, enabling effective decision-making and giving organizations the competitive edge they need. Home to PolicyNote, CQ, Roll Call, VoterVoice, and many other industry-leading products and brands, FiscalNote serves thousands of customers worldwide with global offices in North America, Europe, and Asia. To learn more about FiscalNote and its suite of solutions, visit FiscalNote.com and follow @FiscalNote.

    About MGG Investment Group

    MGG Investment Group provides flexible capital solutions to middle-market companies across all industries. We strive to build lasting value, address immediate needs, and solve complex situations to provide our LPs with superior risk-adjusted returns. Our extensive network and relationships provide us with a plethora of sourcing that enables us to be patient and maintain investing discipline across the capital structure and in all market environments.

     

    Contacts

    Media
    Yojin Yoon
    FiscalNote
    press@fiscalnote.com

    Investor Relations
    Bob Burrows
    FiscalNote
    IR@fiscalnote.com

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  • Callum Ilott, Graham Rahal Break Through

    Callum Ilott, Graham Rahal Break Through

    Editor’s Note: Power Rankings is a feature after every NTT INDYCAR SERIES race in which INDYCAR.com staff writer Eric Smith ranks the top-10 current drivers in the series based on objective recent and season-long performance statistics and the subjective “eye test” of what he sees during race weekends.

    Will Power delivered Team Penske its first win of the season with a commanding performance at the BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland presented by askROI, vaulting up the Power Rankings.

    Meanwhile, Alex Palou sealed his fourth NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship and third title in a row after a strong third-place finish at Portland International Raceway.

    Here’s how the Power Rankings stack up following 110 laps in the Pacific Northwest, as the series heads into its final off weekend of the 2025 season:

    ↑10. Graham Rahal (No. 15 Hendrickson International Honda; Last Rank: NR)

    Rahal makes his first Power Rankings appearance after a standout performance in Portland. Climbing from 22nd to a season-best fourth, it marks his second top-seven finish in the last three races.

    ↑9. Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Odyssey Battery Team Penske Chevrolet; Last Rank: NR)

    McLaughlin returns to the rankings for the first time since early June, leaving the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear. A seventh-place finish in Portland was his second straight top 10. He’ll look to build momentum at the Milwaukee Mile, where he won last season.

    ↓8. Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda; Last Rank: 3)

    Dixon was running in the top 10 before a penalty for avoidable contact with Josef Newgarden dropped him to 11th. Still, it was his ninth consecutive finish of 11th or better for the driver third in the championship standings with two races remaining.

    ↑7. Callum Ilott (No. 90 PREMA Racing Chevrolet; Last Rank: NR)

    Ilott breaks into the rankings for the first time on the strength of three straight top-eight finishes, showing impressive consistency in recent weeks. He has finished sixth in the last two races, at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Portland.

    ↔6. Marcus Armstrong (No. 66 SiriusXM/Root Insurance Honda; Last Rank: 6)

    Armstrong continues to be a model of consistency, finishing eighth for the second consecutive race. He now has eight top-10 results in his last nine starts.

    ↓5. Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda; Last Rank: 4)

    It was a quiet weekend for Herta, but a 10th-place result gives him three straight top 10s and four in the last six races.

    ↓4. Pato O’Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet; Last Rank: 2)

    Despite starting on pole and leading 15 laps, O’Ward’s victory chances and title hopes ended prematurely due to mechanical failure that required long repairs in the pits, placing him 10 laps down at the finish in 25th. His five-race top-five streak ends, but his pace didn’t disappear. His nine top-five finishes this season rank second best.

    ↑3. Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet; Last Rank: 10)

    Power says he’s driving better than ever, and the results support it. His win at Portland was his second podium finish in five races and his third top-seven finish in that span. He has six top-five finishes this season, tied with Dixon and Christian Lundgaard for third-most.

    ↑2. Christian Lundgaard (No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet; Last Rank: 5)

    Lundgaard has surged into second after back-to-back runner-up finishes. A six-spot grid penalty after winning the NTT P1 Award couldn’t stop him from earning his sixth podium finish of the season. Notably, the No. 7 Arrow McLaren entry had just four podiums in 81 starts prior to his arrival.

    ↔1. Alex Palou (No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda; Last Rank: 1)

    Palou clinched the championship in typical fashion – climbing from fifth to finish third for his 12th top-five and 13th top-10 finish of the year. He’s finished in the top five in six of the last seven races, continuing his reign atop the series.


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  • Hydrogen Bonds Hold the Key to Moisture-Rich Soils

    Hydrogen Bonds Hold the Key to Moisture-Rich Soils

    What allows organic matter to retain water, enabling its life-giving properties? This is what a recent study published in PNAS Nexus hopes to address as a team of researchers investigated the water-retaining properties of organic matter. This study holds the potential to shed light on how and why evidence of water has been found in ancient samples, both on Earth and beyond.

    For the study, the researchers used a combination of laboratory experiments and computer models to analyze clays mixed with glucose, amylose, and amylopectin, the last two of which are longer assemblages of glucose. The goal of the study was to ascertain the nanoscale processes responsible for organic matter retaining water as well as it does. In the end, the researchers found that hydrogen bonds are the key contributor for organic matter to retain water.

    “The right amount of minerals and organic matter in soils leads to healthy soils with good moisture,” said Dr. Ludmilla Aristilde, who is an Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at northwestern University and a co-author on the study. “It’s something everyone has experienced, but we haven’t fully understood the physics and chemistry of how that works. By figuring this out, we could potentially engineer soil to have the right chemistry, turning it into long-term sponges that preserve moisture.”

    These results help shed light on how organic matter contributes to growing plants while also enabling scientists to better understand water properties on world beyond Earth, like Mars, asteroids, and potentially exoplanets. This could especially come into play with future sample returns from Mars that could provide researchers with greater insight into ancient life on Mars.

    What new discoveries about organic matter will researchers make in the coming years and decades? Only time will tell, and this is why we science!

    As always, keep doing science & keep looking up!

    Sources: PNAS Nexus, EurekAlert!

    Featured Image: Artist’s illustration of water being trapped within soil. (Credit: Aristilde Research Group/Northwestern University)

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  • Circle Internet sees wider stablecoin adoption from payments and foreign exchange

    Circle Internet sees wider stablecoin adoption from payments and foreign exchange

    By Steve Gelsi

    Circle’s stock climbs as investors shrug off a one-time quarterly loss and focus on a big jump in revenue and stablecoins in circulation

    Circle Internet’s stock is up after it reported a wider-than-expected loss but beat analysts’ revenue estimates.

    Circle Internet Group Inc.’s stock rose Tuesday after the company’s first quarterly earnings update since its blockbuster initial public offering, as investors applauded the stablecoin issuer’s growth and plans for a new transaction network.

    Circle (CRCL) also reported second-quarter results that impressed Wall Street, with a 53% jump in second-quarter revenue and bullish comments on the outlook for stablecoins – a type of digital currency pegged one-to-one to the U.S. dollar DXY or another reserve asset.

    The company said circulation of its USDC stablecoin (USDCUSD) was $61.3 billion as of June 30, up 90% from a year ago. Since then, it has increased another 6.4% to $65.2 billion as of Aug. 10.

    On a call with analysts, Circle Chief Executive Jeremy Allaire said the company is readying a test launch this fall of Arc, a blockchain network for capital-markets transactions, foreign exchange and payments using USDC. It’s planning to formally roll out the service by the end of the year.

    “We are at the fulcrum of a massive mainstream embrace of stablecoins in the financial system, and firms are racing to build on this infrastructure,” Allaire said. “Until now, the blockchain infrastructure needed to meet the most intense demands of major financial firms and enterprises has simply not existed.”

    Circle’s stock ended Tuesday up 1.3% at $163.26 a share – nearly double where it closed on its first day of trading on June 5, at $83.23. Circle’s IPO had priced at $31.

    Looking ahead, Circle may take aim at “careful and deliberate” acquisitions, but Allaire said he doesn’t expect any big, complex deals at the current time.

    “We only want to do things that really fit clearly in that kind of product mandate,” the CEO said. “We’ve got a lot of organic development happening now and we’re excited to deliver on that.”

    The company’s second-quarter revenue increased to $658.1 million, from $430 million a year ago, and topped the consensus analyst estimate of $645.7 million.

    Circle said it swung to a loss $482.1 million, or $4.48 a share, in its second quarter ending June 30. In the year-ago quarter, it earned $32.92 million, with no common stock outstanding at the time.

    Wall Street analysts expected Circle to lose 97 cents a share, according to FactSet data.

    The reason why Wall Street appeared not to care so much about the larger-than-expected loss was that it included one-time, noncash charges of $591 million related to its IPO, including $424 million for stock-based compensation related to vesting conditions.

    During the quarter, the company debuted its Circle Payments Network, a product to help financial firms make payments with stablecoins.

    It also inked payments alliances with Corpay Inc. (CPAY), Fiserv Inc. (FI) and crypto exchange Binance Holdings Ltd.

    Allaire said the company has been growing its relationship with Binance, among the largest trading platforms for crypto assets.

    “They’ve been a great partner and they’re leaning into both the technology and really driving USDC growth,” he said.

    To be sure, Circle may still face challenges in stablecoin adoption, Deutsche Bank analyst Brian Bedell said as he launched coverage of the stock on Tuesday, giving it a neutral rating and a $155-a-share price target.

    “While we see potential for strong long-term industry adoption of stablecoins, the range of outcomes are very wide and likely to create substantial volatility in earnings,” Bedell said in a note. “We see the shares as being fairly valued.”

    -Steve Gelsi

    This content was created by MarketWatch, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. MarketWatch is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal. 

    
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  • Prunus Armeniaca, Bee Venom, and Bioactives in Breast Cancer Therapy

    Prunus Armeniaca, Bee Venom, and Bioactives in Breast Cancer Therapy

    Breast cancer remains one of the top and most deadly cancers for women all over the world. Usual treatments like chemotherapy, hormone therapy, radiation, and surgery have undeniably helped patients live longer. Yet, these come with substantial adverse effects and, often, therapy resistance. There is therefore a growing push to integrate natural compounds to help boost efficacy and potentially lessen those adverse effects.

    Image Credit: Nikolai | stock.adobe.com

    A 2025 study published in Frontiers in Oncology examined how prunus armeniaca (PA) extract and bee venom (BV) work together against human breast cancer cells MCF-7 (ER-positive) and MDA-MB-231 (TNBC).1 The mix of PA and BV given in doses from 0 to 500 µg/mL enhanced the cell kill rate. For MCF-7 cells, the needed dose to kill half the cells (IC₅₀) was as low as 35.15 µg/mL, and for MDA-MB-231 it reached 73.80 µg/mL.1 Cell groups grew approximately 83% less, and apoptotic morphology increased from 3.2% to 65.3% at 70.3 µg/mL as shown by acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) staining. Tests also noted an approximate 59% reduction in cell migration.¹ These findings show the pro-apoptotic and anti-invasive capabilities of this natural combination.

    Backing these results, studies on different types of cancer show that PA and BV might change additional tumor-suppressive pathways. Notably, a test on cells from pancreatic and lung cancer found that combining PA and BV raised p53 levels and dropped Bcl-2, contributing to apoptosis.2

    Meanwhile, live tests examining natural adjuvants alongside standard care have shown strong results. A 2024 study in Scientific Reports examined how bee venom, hesperidin (from citrus), and piperine (from black pepper) work, with or without tamoxifen (Soltamox; Mayne Pharma), in MCF-7-derived breast tumors in rats. Combinations of these natural compounds raised apoptotic markers (Bax, Caspase-3) and lowered genes against cell death and for new blood vessel growth (Bcl-2, VEGF). Tests on cell cycles found that both tamoxifen and hesperidin alone made the cells stop at G₀/G₁ phase, but the inclusion of bee venom and piperine shifted the stop to G₂/M phase, indicating an enhanced antiproliferative action.3

    In the laboratory setting, work by Khamis et al. (2018) backed these findings: hesperidin, piperine, and BV, when used together, strengthened the effects of tamoxifen on MCF-7 and T47D cells. This was shown by apoptosis induction and G₂/M phase arrest in most treatment combinations.3 These studies show that simple natural compounds like PA, BV, and piperine on their own or mixed with chemo may enhance apoptotic activity, slow down cell growth, stop cell invasion, and modulate critical cell cycle dynamics.

    These natural compounds offer dose-sparing potential, as enhanced efficacy could allow lower doses of conventional drugs and reduce toxicity; multi-targeted action, by simultaneously affecting apoptosis, angiogenesis, metastasis, and cell-cycle progression to help overcome resistance; and accessibility, since dietary compounds like hesperidin and piperine may serve as cost-effective adjuvants. However, making this hope real for clinical use requires validation through careful safety assessment, considering effects like adverse reactions or hemolysis from BV and plant extracts—along with strategies to improve bioavailability, such as encapsulation or nano-delivery systems, and well-designed clinical trials to determine efficacy, pharmacokinetics, immune responses, and optimal dosing.

    REFERENCES
    1. Kadasah SF, Alrefaei A, Abd Al Galil FM, Alqahtani AM. Synergistic antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of prunus armeniaca and bee venom on breast cancer cells. Frontiers. July 31, 2025. Accessed August 12, 2025. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2025.1647710/abstract.
    2. Khamis AA, Ali EMM, Salim EI, El-Moneim MAA. Synergistic effects of bee venom, hesperidin, and piperine with tamoxifen on apoptotic and angiogenesis biomarker molecules against xerographic MCF-7 injected rats. Sci Rep. 2024;14(1):1510. Published 2024 Jan 17. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-50729-6
    3. 1.Khamis AAA, Ali EMM, El-Moneim MAA, Abd-Alhaseeb MM, El-Magd MA, Salim EI. Hesperidin, piperine and bee venom synergistically potentiate the anticancer effect of tamoxifen against breast cancer cells. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. 2018;105:1335-1343. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.06.105

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  • Restoration of Knee Function After Tibial Tubercle Proximalization for Infrapatellar Contracture Syndrome Following Patellar Fracture Surgery

    Restoration of Knee Function After Tibial Tubercle Proximalization for Infrapatellar Contracture Syndrome Following Patellar Fracture Surgery


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  • Cava (CAVA) Q2 2025 earnings

    Cava (CAVA) Q2 2025 earnings

    Customers arrive at a Cava restaurant in New York City on June 22, 2023.

    Brendan Mcdermid | Reuters

    Cava on Tuesday lowered its full-year forecast for same-store sales growth after a disappointing second quarter.

    For the full year, Cava now anticipates same-store sales growth of 4% to 6%, down from its prior range of 6% to 8%.

    Shares of the company plunged 20% in extended trading. The stock has fallen 40% this year, including the after-hours move.

    Here’s what the company reported compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG:

    • Earnings per share: 16 cents vs. 13 cents expected
    • Revenue: $280.6 million vs. $285.6 million expected

    The restaurant company reported second-quarter net income of $18.4 million, or 16 cents per share, down from $19.7 million, or 17 cents per share, a year earlier.

    Net restaurant sales climbed 20% to $278.2 million, largely thanks to new restaurant openings.

    The chain’s same-store sales, a metric that only tracks the performance of restaurants that have been open at least a year, rose 2.1% during the quarter. While Cava managed to buck the industry trend of same-store sales declines, Wall Street was projecting growth of 6.1%, according to StreetAccount estimates.

    Cava said its quarterly traffic was “roughly flat.” A year earlier, the company’s same-store sales climbed 14.4%, fueled by nearly double-digit traffic growth. At the time, Cava CEO and co-founder Brett Schulman credited the introduction of its grilled steak option as one reason customers kept coming to restaurants during the quarter.

    CFO Tricia Tolivar told CNBC on Tuesday that the second quarter started off with strong same-store sales growth, which led the company to reiterate its prior outlook when it reported its first-quarter results. However, she said, once the chain celebrated the one-year launch of grilled steak, it saw that growth slow.

    Rival fast-casual chains have also struggled this quarter with slumping sales. Chipotle Mexican Grill reported same-store sales declines of 4%, while salad chain Sweetgreen saw its stock plummet after the company cut its outlook for the second straight quarter.

    Aside from lowering its same-store sales forecast, Cava reiterated other key financial projections for the full year. The company still anticipates adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of $152 million to $159 million. Cava also maintained its forecast for restaurant-level profit margins of 24.8% to 25.2%.

    Cava on Tuesday also announced that it participated in a $25 million Series B funding round for Hyphen, which automates plate and bowl portioning. Chipotle Mexican Grill, which has already invested in Hyphen, led the funding round with Cava.

    “By piloting Hyphen’s automated digital makeline, we have the opportunity to increase order accuracy and speed during peak digital hours, while reducing complexity for our team members,” Schulman said in a statement.

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