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Why chocolate tastes so good: microbes that fine-tune its flavour
‘Computing is a Black people’s thing’
Protect Antarctica — or risk accelerating planetary meltdown
Why amphibious, wet environments hold the key to climate adaptation
Beyond AlphaFold: how AI is decoding the grammar of the genome
Raw ingredients: turning algal protein into mock meat
Ancient coins unveil web of trade across southeast Asia
Why nurturing the gut microbiota could resolve depression and anxiety
Platelets: A new therapeutic target for neurological diseases
Beyond their classical roles in hemostasis and coagulation, accumulating evidence highlights platelets as multifaceted regulators within the nervous system. Research has revealed that platelet-derived factors promote blood-brain barrier (BBB) maturation and angiogenesis via neurochemical pathways. At the same time, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) facilitates neural regeneration by mitigating the neurotoxicity of amyloid-beta (Aβ) and activating the PI3k/Akt signaling pathway. Platelets also modulate...
Cerebral small-vessel disease severity, hypertension, and body mass index forecast striatal dopamine D2-receptor decline rates in aging
Normal aging is associated with decline in dopamine function. Factors associated with individual differences in dopamine decline rates remain unclear but are important to map to spare dopamine-related functions, such as cognition. Here we focused on manifestations of cerebral small-vessel disease from magnetic resonance imaging (white-matter lesions, lacunes, and perivascular space dilation) and vascular risk factors (e.g., hypertension, body mass index (BMI), and hyperlipidemia). We assessed...
Urinary elementomic analysis indicates aluminum as a potential urinary biomarker of sarcopenia in the older adults
Sarcopenia is characterized by aging-related progressive loss of muscle mass and function; however, the specific and sensitive biomarkers are still limited. Biometals and trace elements provide a potential connection linking the environment and lifestyle to pathological processes of sarcopenia. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between urinary trace elements levels and the presence of sarcopenia. A total of 100 older adults aged ≥65 years consisting of 50 patients...
Recruitment evaluation of a gerotherapeutic randomized controlled trial testing alpha-ketoglutarate in biologically older, middle-aged adults (ABLE)
CONCLUSION: ABLE demonstrated the feasibility of recruiting biologically older yet generally healthy middle-aged adults for gerotherapeutic interventions.
Alpha-synuclein interacts with regulators of ATP homeostasis in mitochondria
Mitochondrial dysfunction and accumulation of α-synuclein aggregates are hallmarks of the neurodegenerative Parkinson's disease and may be interconnected. To investigate the interplay between α-synuclein and brain mitochondria at near atomic structural level, we apply NMR and identify α-synuclein protein interactors using limited proteolysis-coupled mass spectrometry (LiP-MS). Several of the proteins identified are related to ATP synthesis and homeostasis and include subunits of ATP synthase and...
The impact of social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic on functional performance, fall risk, and gait in individuals with Parkinson's Disease: a systematic review
Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder marked by motor impairments such as tremors, rigidity, and bradykinesia. Regular physical activity plays a key role in managing these symptoms, yet the COVID-19 pandemic imposed social isolation measures that significantly curtailed physical activity, potentially accelerating motor decline. This systematic review aimed to synthesize evidence on the impact of pandemic-related social isolation on motor symptom deterioration in...
Nurses' own perceptions of old age and their attitudes towards their older patients: a cross-sectional study
CONCLUSION: It was determined that nurses' views on old age and aging affect their attitudes towards the older patients. It was observed that nurses' views on old age and aging were negative, but their attitudes towards the older patients were positive.
Fibroblast bioelectric signaling drives hair growth
Hair loss affects millions globally, significantly impacting quality of life and psychological well-being. Despite its prevalence, effective strategies for promoting human hair growth remain elusive. By investigating congenital generalized hypertrichosis terminalis (CGHT), a rare genetic disorder characterized by excessive hair growth, we discover that chromatin deletions or an inverted duplication disrupt the topologically associating domain (TAD), leading to the upregulation of the potassium...
Sex- and age-related declines in muscle mass, strength, physical performance, and muscle quality among community-dwelling older adults: A cross-sectional study
Muscle volume, strength, physical performance, and quality (functional and morphological domains) decline with age; however, the specific patterns and differences among these variables in old age remain unclear. We quantitatively assessed sex- and age-related changes and differences among these variables in older adults. We hypothesized that the rates of age-related decline differ among the parameters. Specifically, muscle quality would decline more steeply than muscle mass, with sex-related...
An integrated computational approach for diversity-sensitive personalized medicine
Diversity in biological, social, and environmental factors plays a central role in shaping brain health and disease. Distinct brain disorders frequently exhibit overlapping clinical phenotypes, despite arising from heterogeneous biological and contextual mechanisms. This convergence challenges conventional, population-averaged approaches, which often fail to capture interindividual variability and lead to limited reproducibility, weak translational potential, and inadequate tools for...
"The association of cardiometabolic diseases and related medications with cognitive performance: a cross-sectional observational study from Central Poland"
CONCLUSIONS: The results present the complex connection between cardiometabolic disorders, their treatment and cognitive functioning. The research highlights the necessity for a tailored approach in prescribing cardiovascular medications, considering their potential link with cognitive health. Especially the role of angiotensin II receptor antagonists merits further studies.
Association between basal metabolic rate and cognitive function in Chinese older adults: the mediating effect of sarcopenia
CONCLUSIONS: The study found that BMR is positively associated with cognitive function, whereas sarcopenia is inversely associated with cognitive function and mediates the BMR- cognitive function association.