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Congressional impasse has halted billions in research funding for innovative technologies

Natural killer (NK) cells, a type of potent cytotoxic lymphocyte, are particularly promising for the treatment of cancers that lose or downregulate major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC class I) expression to evade T cell-mediated immunotherapy. However, the hostile and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) greatly hinders the function of tumor-infiltrating NK cells, thus limiting the therapeutic efficacy. Here, we show a fusion protein of interleukin 21 (IL-21-Fc) that safely...

Whole genome sequencing (WGS) studies in large biobanks provide an unprecedented opportunity to study the rare-variant (RV) effects on the natural history of human diseases by analyzing censored time-to-event (TTE) phenotypes, such as age at disease diagnosis, disease progression, and lifespan. Unlike existing methods developed for continuous and categorical phenotypes, rare-variant association tests (RVATs) for TTE phenotypes in large biobanks face several major challenges, including heavy...

Environmental stressors-induced male infertility has become a major public health issue. Sperm motility is the key to conception. However, the immunological mechanism for environmental stress-induced sperm motility reduction remains unknown. Our experiments find that three classical environmental stressors, including lead, cadmium, and mercury, are the key heavy metals reducing sperm motility. We reveal that environmental stress induces epididymal macrophage senescence, whereas the clearance of...

Glasses have complex energy landscapes and exhibit nonequilibrium aging dynamics. Here, we propose a generalized trap model for activated aging based on a key static property of the energy landscape: the distribution of energy barriers. Our theory predicts that, upon cooling, weak ergodicity breaking (WEB) in quenching dynamics occurs before strong ergodicity breaking in equilibrium dynamics. Furthermore, the theory indicates that the characteristic size of activation clusters can be deduced...

ObjectivesThe older population and prevalence of frailty are increasing worldwide. Understanding how midlife exposures influence frailty risk is increasingly important for public health. This review sought to identify modifiable risk factors present in midlife that are associated with the onset of frailty in later life, aiming to inform earlier prevention strategies.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review of studies examining modifiable risk factors in community-dwelling adults aged 39-64 years,...

INTRODUCTION: β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) has been linked to improved cognitive function via enhanced cerebral metabolism and anti-inflammatory effects. However, evidence on the relationship between endogenous plasma BHB levels and cognitive decline remains limited. This study investigated whether higher plasma BHB levels are associated with reduced cognitive decline in middle-aged and older adults.

Air pollution accelerates biological aging via oxidative stress and inflammation, a process potentially mitigated by plant-based diets. However, the role of dietary or genetic modulators in this relationship remains understudied. Our study aimed to examine whether adherence to Sustainable Diets modifies the associations of PM(2.5) and PM(10) exposure with biological aging, and to assess potential effect modification by genetic susceptibility to longevity. Data from 9527 participants in the...

Skin aging has traditionally been attributed to alterations in the epidermis and dermis, including keratinocyte senescence, extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation, and fibroblast dysfunction. In contrast, the role of skin-associated adipose tissue (SAAT), particularly dermal white adipose tissue (dWAT), has been largely overlooked and considered a passive structural filler. Emerging evidence indicates that adipocyte aging is not merely a consequence of skin aging but may serve as a critical...

European regulators greenlight new one-dose compound that could help African countries get rid of an ancient burden

New tests gauge whether large language models can use their deep troves of knowledge to actually make discoveries

Alzheimer's disease has widespread effects on brain structure, function and behavior, but we lack a systematic dissection of its impact across hundreds of forebrain and brainstem regions. Here, using diffusion tensor MRI at 25 µm, we mapped the global consequences of mutations in APP and PSEN1 across 231 regions of interest (ROIs) in male and female 5×FAD BXD hybrid mice at 14 months. Over half of the ROIs change in volume along rostrocaudal and mediolateral axes of the CNS, with unexpected...