April 29, 2025 • By Tega Egwabor

Chronic fatigue is a condition affecting an estimated one in four adults in the US, causing persistent exhaustion that interferes with daily activities. Despite adequate sleep, healthy eating habits, and reduced commitments, the fatigue persists. Warning signs that fatigue warrants professional attention include duration beyond six months, post-exertional malaise, unrefreshing sleep, cognitive difficulties, orthostatic intolerance, and multiple unexplained symptoms. The causes of chronic fatigue are complex and multifaceted, including myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), long COVID, autoimmune disorders, sleep disorders, mast cell activation syndrome, dysautonomia, nutritional imbalances, and toxic exposures. These conditions often overlap or trigger one another, making diagnosis challenging. Healthcare system factors contribute to underdiagnosis, including limited appointment times, reliance on standard laboratory panels, medical education gaps, specialty silos, and gender and racial bias. Patients often experience progressive life disruption, job loss, financial hardship, and social isolation. To navigate towards proper diagnosis and treatment, patients can document symptoms comprehensively, focus on functional impact, request appropriate testing, seek knowledgeable specialists, and bring supporting information. Telemedicine options and patient advocacy organizations can also provide support. Research acceleration, biomarker development, expanded provider education, treatment advances, and growing awareness offer hope for better recognition and treatment of chronic fatigue conditions. Evidence-based approaches to manage persistent fatigue include strategic energy management, optimizing sleep quality, addressing nutrient foundations, managing stress response, and creating supportive environments. Ultimately, recognizing chronic fatigue as a legitimate physiological dysfunction rather than a psychological manifestation or normal aging is crucial for developing effective diagnostic and treatment approaches. By listening to the body's signals and seeking proper medical attention, individuals can reclaim their energy and wellbeing.

April 29, 2025 • By Luke Dormehl

On April 29, 2010, Apple CEO Steve Jobs published an open letter, "Thoughts on Flash," explaining why Apple's iOS devices would not support Adobe Flash. Jobs cited several reasons, including Flash's poor battery life, security issues, and incompatibility with touch devices. He also argued that Flash was a closed system and that open standards like HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript were the future of the web. Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen responded, disputing Jobs' claims, but the damage was done. The letter marked the beginning of the end for Flash, and in 2017, Adobe announced plans to eliminate Flash by 2020. Flash was finally discontinued in January 2021. Jobs' letter was seen as a pivotal moment in the demise of Flash and the adoption of open web standards.

April 29, 2025 • By Shalini Jain

Salesforce's LWC offline capabilities allow users to access and update critical business data on their mobile devices, even without an internet connection. The data syncs seamlessly once the device reconnects to the network. To build better Lightning web components (LWCs) for offline usage, developers can use ESLint, an open-source static code analysis tool that enforces coding standards and best practices. Salesforce provides ESLint plugins and rules for LWC development, including validations specific to mobile offline development. The latest version of Salesforce Mobile Extensions for Visual Studio Code introduces enhanced diagnostics to help identify and resolve mobile and offline performance issues. By leveraging these tools, developers can proactively identify potential issues in their code and ensure that their mobile applications deliver a seamless and efficient experience, even without a network connection.

April 29, 2025 • By Kristine Parks

A 19-year-old Asian-American student, Stanley Zhong, is taking civil action against several top universities, including the University of California, the University of Washington, the University of Michigan, and Cornell University. Zhong, who was hired by Google for a PhD-level position at 19, claims that these universities engaged in "racially discriminatory admissions practices" that disadvantaged highly qualified Asian-American applicants like himself. Despite his exceptional academic achievements, including a 4.42 weighted GPA and 1590 SAT score, Zhong was rejected by 16 colleges. His lawsuit alleges that the universities' admissions practices violate the Fourteenth Amendment and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The universities have responded, with the University of California stating that it intends to "vigorously defend" its admission practices, while the University of Washington is reviewing the lawsuit. The case comes after a landmark Supreme Court ruling in June 2023 that declared race-based admissions practices unconstitutional. Zhong's father, Nan, says they are prepared to take the case to the Supreme Court to fight for fairness and transparency in college admissions practices.

April 29, 2025 • By Robert L. Borosage

The article compares the first 100 days of President Donald Trump's administration to those of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. While FDR used his presidency to reassure the nation and provide hope, Trump has used his position to shock and appall, issuing executive orders to roll back the New Deal, the Great Society, and the civil rights movement. Trump has also used his powers to exact personal and political revenge, launching a "war on woke" and targeting migrants, diversity programs, and transgender persons. The article highlights Trump's efforts to dismantle government capabilities, reduce regulatory constraints on business, and open the door to massive looting. This includes the appointment of billionaires and cronies to cabinet positions, the reissuance of an executive order exposing high-level career positions to political removal, and the shuttering of regulatory agencies such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Trump's policies have consistently favored the wealthy over workers, corporations over consumers, and insiders over citizens. The article argues that Trump's reign of chaos and corruption will contribute to real security threats, including climate change, inequality, and an accelerating nuclear arms race. The article also notes that Trump's popularity is lower than any modern president at this stage of his administration, and that his domestic policy centerpiece, the "one beautiful bill," has yet to be exposed to public scrutiny. The outcome of his global tariff war remains to be seen, but the article suggests that it will have devastating consequences for the world economy. Overall, the article presents a scathing critique of Trump's administration, arguing that his policies and actions are designed to benefit the wealthy and powerful at the expense of the most vulnerable members of society. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of independent journalism in holding the powerful to account and resisting Trump's agenda.

April 29, 2025 • By Kate Dagli

The article discusses 9 top-performing WordPress and WooCommerce themes that are well-supported, future-ready, and highly customizable. These themes include: 1. **Betheme**: Fast, easy to work with, and highly flexible, with over 700 customizable websites and 250+ pre-designed Elementor templates. 2. **Blocksy**: Features advanced options and functionalities, including a recently released extension called Shop Extra, with weekly updates and a 5-star rating. 3. **Avada**: Highly customizable, with 85+ pre-built websites, 400+ pre-designed web pages, and over 120 customizable design elements, consistently maintained to stay compatible with the newest WordPress releases. 4. **Pro**: Offers maximum flexibility with minimal effort, with custom extensions, dozens of 3rd party plugins, and a family of builders, with new updates released twice monthly. 5. **Kalium**: Makes website building quick and easy, with customizable starter sites, WPBakery or Elementor, and real-time control over design, with monthly updates. 6. **Uncode**: Features sophisticated design tools, including pre-built demo websites, scroll-triggered row animations, and a user showcase, with free updates delivered every 3-6 months. 7. **Litho**: Offers high-quality design, customizability, and support, with over 3700 happy customers, and features like Elementor compatibility, custom Elementor widgets, and the Slider Revolution plugin. 8. **XStore**: Provides minimalist design, fast loading speeds, SEO optimization, and responsive layouts, with monthly updates and a 4.88-star rating. 9. **WoodMart**: Offers a range of eye-catching and responsive demos, with easy customization tools, and new demos and pre-built websites released monthly, with a 4.95-star rating. All of these themes have excellent customer reviews and high ratings, making them suitable for building attractive and functional websites in 2025 and beyond.

April 29, 2025 • By Geoff Graham

Brad Frost has a new podcast called "Open Up" where he and his co-host discuss the human side of web design and front-end development. They answer audience questions about topics like job security and AI, and recently published their second episode, which features a live audience and a guest discussing remote collaboration.

April 29, 2025 • By Hanna Duggal, Konstantinos Antonopoulos

US President Donald Trump has marked his first 100 days back in office with a rally in Michigan. In this period, he has signed at least 142 executive orders, more than any other US president in their first 100 days. Trump's executive orders have focused on immigration, border security, energy, and trade. He has also pardoned over 1,500 people, including those convicted in connection with the January 6, 2021, US Capitol riot. Trump created the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to slash government spending, estimating $160 billion in cuts. However, these figures have been criticized for lacking evidence. At least 121,000 workers have been fired from federal agencies, with 10,000 employees fired from the Agency for International Development (USAID). Trump's administration has implemented tariffs to reduce the US trade deficit, with China receiving the highest tariff rate at 145%. The European Union is facing a suspended 20% tariff rate. Trump has sent shockwaves through the markets with his flip-flopping tariff announcements, causing uncertainty and volatility. In his first 100 days, Trump has hosted at least 11 world leaders and maintained an America First policy. He has criticized US spending on Ukraine and ceased all military aid, drawing sharp criticism from European allies. Trump has also proposed taking control of Gaza and redeveloping it, an idea widely condemned for implying ethnic cleansing.

April 29, 2025 • By Magnus Ölander, Daniel Rea Vázquez, Karsten Meier, Aakriti Singh, Amanda Silva de Sousa, Fabiola Puértolas-Balint, Milica Milivojevic, Lieke Mooij, Johanna Fredlund, Eduard Calpe Bosch, María Rayón Díaz, Moa Lundgren, Karin van der Wal, Shaochun Zhu, André Mateus, Bjoern O. Schroeder, Jeremy R. Lohman, Barbara S. Sixt

Researchers have identified over 60 compounds that can prevent the growth of Chlamydia trachomatis, a common bacterial pathogen, in cell cultures. These compounds are chemically diverse, non-toxic to human cells, and highly potent. Some compounds can block the development of C. trachomatis reversibly, while others can eradicate both established and persistent infections. The top molecules display broad activity against diverse Chlamydia strains and species. The most potent antichlamydial compound inhibits fatty acid biosynthesis via covalent binding to the active site of Chlamydia FabH, highlighting a possible way to selectively treat Chlamydia infections. The study used a combination of experimental and virtual screening to identify these compounds, and the results provide a promising starting point for the development of new, selective therapies against Chlamydia infections.

April 29, 2025 • By Rui-Si Hu, Kui Gu, Muhammad Ehsan, Sayed Haidar Abbas Raza, Chun-Ren Wang

Researchers have developed a deep learning model called deepBCE-Parasite to predict linear B-cell epitopes (BCEs) in parasites. The model uses a Transformer-based architecture and achieved an accuracy of 81% and an AUC of 0.90 in both 10-fold cross-validation and independent testing. The model was trained on a dataset of 5,752 positive and 5,752 negative BCEs and was compared to traditional machine learning models, including SVM, RF, LGBM, and GNB. The results showed that deepBCE-Parasite outperformed the traditional models in predicting BCEs. The model was also applied to proteomic data from the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica, predicting eight peptide sequences derived from the leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) protein. Dot-blot immunoassays confirmed the specific binding of seven synthetic peptides to positive sera, validating their IgG reactivity and demonstrating the model's efficacy in BCE prediction. The study highlights the potential of AI in advancing epitope prediction within parasitology, providing a rapid, scalable, and cost-effective strategy for discovering immune targets.

April 29, 2025 • By Kevin Poireault

Researchers at Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42 have discovered a new information stealer variant called Gremlin Stealer. It was advertised on a Telegram channel since mid-March 2025 and is still under development. Gremlin Stealer can steal data from various software on Windows computers, including browsers and local disks. The infostealer, written in C#, exfiltrates data and uploads it to a web server. It can bypass Chrome cookie protection and collect a wide range of data, storing it in plain text files before sending it to the server via a Telegram bot. The malware's operators claim to have uploaded large amounts of stolen data to a server, which is accessible through a configurable portal. The Gremlin Stealer website currently hosts 14 ZIP archives of stolen data.

April 29, 2025 • By Nour Issa, Maysaa Nemer, Niveen Abu-Rmeileh

A recent study examined the health information sources and preferences of adolescents in the West Bank, Palestine. The study found that family and friends (34.4%) were the primary source of health information, followed by healthcare providers (32.5%) and the Internet (23.7%). The majority of participants (91.2%) used the Internet for health-related advice, citing convenience (56.2%) and abundance of information (31.9%) as key factors. The study also explored the willingness of adolescents to use E-clinics, which provide virtual consultations and digital health services. The results showed that 53.4% of participants believed E-clinics ensured privacy for personal information and health queries, and 92.9% found them beneficial. The study identified three key factors influencing adolescents' reliance on health information sources: trust in healthcare providers, distrust in healthcare services, and privacy concerns. The findings suggest that E-clinics can improve accessibility to healthcare and address privacy issues, and that incorporating them into healthcare systems can improve trust, accessibility, and well-being among adolescents. The study's results have implications for policymakers, healthcare providers, and technology developers, highlighting the need to develop digital health solutions that cater to the unique needs and preferences of adolescents in resource-limited and culturally sensitive settings. Overall, the study provides valuable insights into the health information-seeking behaviors of adolescents in the West Bank, Palestine, and underscores the potential of E-clinics to enhance adolescent healthcare access and outcomes.

April 29, 2025 • By Shoukai Yu, Lingmei Qian, Tianlang Tong, Xujun Ma

A recent study examined the role of Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) in various cancers, including its genetic alterations, expression, and prognostic significance. The results showed that KLF4 expression is downregulated in several cancer types, including bladder, breast, and lung cancer, and that high KLF4 expression is associated with poor prognosis in some cancers, such as thymoma and uveal melanoma. The study also found that KLF4 genetic alterations, including mutations and copy number variations, are present in various cancers, but at low frequencies. Additionally, the study investigated the relationship between KLF4 expression and immune cell infiltration, finding that KLF4 expression is positively correlated with CD8+ T cell infiltration in some cancers, but negatively correlated in others. The study's findings suggest that KLF4 plays a complex role in cancer biology, with both tumor-suppressive and tumor-promoting functions depending on the context. The results also highlight the potential of KLF4 as a prognostic marker and therapeutic target in cancer management. Overall, the study provides new insights into the role of KLF4 in cancer and highlights the need for further research to fully understand its functions and potential applications in cancer therapy.

April 29, 2025 • By Mohammed Okmi, Tan Fong Ang, Muhammad Faiz Mohd Zaki, Chin Soon Ku, Koo Yuen Phan, Irfan Wahyudi, Lip Yee Por

A recent study reviewed the use of mobile phone network data (MPND) in analyzing and managing the COVID-19 pandemic. The study found that MPND played a crucial role in tracking human mobility patterns, monitoring the spread of the virus, and evaluating the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). The review identified 55 studies that utilized MPND in the context of the pandemic, with 46 being quantitative and 9 being qualitative. The studies were categorized into five main groups: monitoring and tracking human mobility patterns, investigating the correlation between mobility patterns and COVID-19 spread, analyzing the recovery of economic activities and travel patterns, assessing factors associated with NPI compliance, and investigating the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns and NPI measures on human behaviors and economic activity. The study highlighted the importance of MPND in informing public health responses and policy decisions, but also raised concerns about privacy and ethical implications. The authors suggested that future research should focus on developing privacy-preserving methodologies for MPND analysis and exploring post-pandemic recovery planning strategies. Overall, the study demonstrated the potential of MPND in supporting public health efforts and emphasized the need for careful consideration of ethical and privacy concerns.

April 29, 2025 • By Hannah C. Kubinski, Hannah W. Despres, Bryan A. Johnson, Madaline M. Schmidt, Sara A. Jaffrani, Allyson H. Turner, Conor D. Fanuele, Margaret G. Mills, Kumari G. Lokugamage, Caroline M. Dumas, David J. Shirley, Leah K. Estes, Andrew Pekosz, Jessica W. Crothers, Pavitra Roychoudhury, Alexander L. Greninger, Keith R. Jerome, Bruno Martorelli Di Genova, David H. Walker, Bryan A. Ballif, Mark S. Ladinsky, Pamela J. Bjorkman, Vineet D. Menachery, Emily A. Bruce

Researchers have identified a mutation in the SARS-CoV-2 virus, known as G215C, which is characteristic of the Delta variant. This mutation introduces a novel cysteine into the nucleocapsid protein, resulting in the formation of a more stable N-N dimer. The study found that this cysteine residue is necessary and sufficient for stable dimer formation, leading to increased viral growth both in vitro and in vivo. The researchers used reverse genetics to create an infectious clone of the SARS-CoV-2 virus with the G215C mutation and found that it resulted in significantly increased viral replication in primary differentiated human bronchial cells and in the nasal washes and lungs of infected Syrian golden hamsters. The study also found that the G215C mutation increased the association between the nucleocapsid protein and RNA in virions, packaged more nucleocapsid protein per virion, and resulted in many virions displaying an elongated morphology. The researchers conclude that the Delta N:G215C mutation increases levels of nucleocapsid oligomerization, driving increased packaging of nucleocapsid protein into mature virions and resulting in significant increases in viral replication both in vitro and in vivo. This study provides new insights into the biology of SARS-CoV-2 and the role of the nucleocapsid protein in viral replication and pathogenesis. The findings have important implications for the development of vaccines and therapies against COVID-19.

April 29, 2025 • By Musab Wedyan, Yu-Chen Yeh, Fatemeh Saeidi-Rizi, Tai-Quan Peng, Chun-Yen Chang

A recent study compared the evaluations of urban walkability by human participants and a large language model (LLM) called GPT-4o. The research aimed to determine if LLMs can accurately capture human perceptions of walkability, a crucial aspect of urban planning. The study involved 174 human participants and GPT-4o evaluating street-level images based on six dimensions of walkability: overall walkability, feasibility, accessibility, safety, comfort, and liveliness. The findings showed that GPT-4o and human participants aligned in their evaluations of overall walkability, feasibility, accessibility, and safety. However, notable differences emerged in the assessment of comfort and liveliness. Human participants demonstrated broader thematic diversity and addressed a wider range of topics, whereas GPT-4o had more focused and cohesive responses. The study concluded that human input remains essential for fully capturing human-centered evaluations of walkability. The research highlights the limitations of LLMs in accurately perceiving urban environments and points to opportunities for refining these models to better align with human perspectives. The study's results have implications for urban planning, public health, and transportation, as walkability is a key element in promoting healthy communities and enhancing social interaction and economic vitality within neighborhoods.