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Scientists have successfully tested an AI-designed universal coronavirus vaccine in humans for the first time, finding it to be safe and well tolerated. The vaccine generated immune responses against multiple coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, SARS, and related bat viruses with pandemic potential. By targeting features shared across an entire virus family, it aims to provide protection even as viruses evolve.

Scientists have identified genetic variants that may make some people less responsive to GLP-1 drugs used to treat Type 2 diabetes. Roughly 10% of the population carries these variants, which appear to cause a mysterious form of "GLP-1 resistance." In several clinical trials, carriers were significantly less likely to reach healthy blood sugar targets while taking GLP-1 medications.

Cancer and cell aging studies may have relied on antibodies to incorrect molecule

Heterointerface degradation under operational stress represents a critical limitation to perovskite solar cell longevity. Here, we demonstrate contrasting aging behaviors between bulky anionic and cationic passivators at heterointerfaces, wherein anionic species induce lattice expansion under thermal stress. To address the thermal instability of conventional passivators, we synthesized cesium pyridine-3-carboxylate, which triggers reactive surface reconstruction, suppresses ion migration, and...

Do viral infections accelerate aging, and does this acceleration scale with pathogenicity? Using transcriptomic aging clocks, we measured biological age in Drosophila melanogaster infected with four enteric RNA viruses spanning a broad pathogenicity range (i.e., reduction of host lifespan). All pathogenic infections accelerated aging and the magnitude of acceleration tracked pathogenicity. This pattern held across oral and systemic infection routes and was conserved in Caenorhabditis elegans...

High-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) promote malignant progression through sustained expression of the viral oncoprotein E6, which drives degradation of the tumor suppressor p53 and creates an oncogenic dependency in HPV-positive cancers. Here, we identify a genotype-defined therapeutic vulnerability by selectively and irreversibly inactivating HPV-16 E6 through covalent targeting a cysteine proximal to its E6AP-binding interface. Pharmacologic inhibition of E6 restored p53 protein stability...

The gut microbiome undergoes dynamic, sex-dependent changes across the lifespan. However, comprehensive studies examining the combined effects of age and sex are limited. This study investigated both compositional and functional alterations in the gut microbiome of young (4 months, n = 14) and aged (20 months, n = 20) C57BL/6 J mice of both sexes using 16S rRNA gene (V3-V5) sequencing. Microbial community structure and predicted functional profiles were analyzed via QIIME2 and PICRUSt2, with...

Here, we review the history, advancements, and broad utility of the NTR/prodrug system, and suggest future strategies for developing versatile ablation models. As a chemogenetic tool, the nitroreductase (NTR)/prodrug system enables precise spatiotemporal control over cell ablation. The technology leverages bacterial NTR enzymes (e.g. nfsB) to convert inert prodrugs into cytotoxic agents, thereby allowing researchers to induce targeted cell death. Although the NTR/prodrug approach was first...

Magnesium is traditionally viewed as a permissive electrolyte required for cellular viability. Emerging evidence, however, reveals a more central role for Mg^(2+) as an active regulator of mitochondrial bioenergetics and metabolic resilience. In this Review, we synthesize recent advances in renal magnesium handling, mitochondrial Mg^(2+) transport, and MgATP chemistry to propose a unifying framework in which magnesium functions as a bioenergetic checkpoint. At the cellular level, Mg^(2+)...

Temporal prediction is the ability to anticipate the likely time of occurrence of events and is important for adaptive behaviour in our everyday lives. Studies indicated that predictive aspects of environmental stimuli can be leveraged to reduce reaction times and enhance stimulus processing. Particularly, a recent study showed that this optimized behaviour is associated with a phase adjustment of ongoing neural oscillations aligning with the expected onset of upcoming stimuli. In ageing, there...

Against the backdrop of an accelerating global aging population, the epidemiological correlation between cognitive impairment and osteoporosis has become increasingly prominent. These two conditions exhibit a profound pathological coupling mediated by the bidirectional regulatory network of the "bone-brain axis." The operation of this axis is rooted in an intricate neuro-skeletal signaling network involving hormonal dysregulation, systemic inflammatory cascades, and the aberrant regulation of...

Radar studies produce contradictory results, complicating efforts to gauge sea level rise in vulnerable areas

Unlike their modern counterparts, Atlas bears were strict vegetarians

A major review of nearly 8,000 participants found that collagen supplements can improve skin health and ease osteoarthritis symptoms, especially when taken consistently over longer periods. Researchers also found modest benefits for muscle and tendon health. But the results challenge claims that collagen enhances sports performance, as it showed little effect on recovery or post-workout soreness.