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This common vitamin deficiency becomes far more dangerous when paired with belly fat

2 months ago
A large study of more than 5,500 adults over 50 found a striking combination of risk factors: abdominal obesity paired with vitamin D deficiency was linked to a 123% higher risk of death over six years. Each condition was associated with increased risk on its own, but together they appeared to create a dangerous feedback loop, with belly fat reducing the amount of vitamin D available in the bloodstream while low vitamin D may worsen inflammation and other health problems.

One faulty gene copy can make the heart’s DNA fold the wrong way

2 months ago
Researchers have discovered that a gene linked to congenital heart disease acts like an architect for the heart cell’s DNA. Losing just one copy of TBX5 can cause the genome’s carefully folded 3D structure to unravel, disrupting the genes needed to build a healthy heart. The effects can vary from cell to cell, which may help explain why people with the same mutation develop different heart defects. The same hidden mechanism could also play a role in other birth defects.

Drinking orange juice every day may change thousands of genes

2 months ago
Orange juice may have a much bigger effect on the body than scientists once realized. Drinking it regularly appears to influence genes tied to inflammation, blood pressure, metabolism, and blood sugar control, while studies have also found improvements in cholesterol and blood vessel health. Researchers suspect natural citrus compounds such as hesperidin may be partly responsible. Even the gut microbiome may benefit.

How to build an AI-driven digital organism

2 months ago
Biology lies at the core of medicine, pharmacy, public health and longevity. However, in the physical world, biology is often too complex to manipulate and too expensive and risky to tamper with. In this Perspective, we put forward a vision of using AI to model and simulate biology and life. We present our vision on how to address this challenge through the construction of an AI-driven digital organism (AIDO)-a system of integrated multiscale foundation models-in a modular, connectable and...
Le Song

Peroxynitrite: A potential therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease

2 months ago
The pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) involves multiple pathological processes, including β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition, aberrant tau modification, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation. The molecular interaction mechanism among them remains to be further clarified. Peroxynitrite (ONOO⁻) is a potent oxidizing and nitrating reactive nitrogen species formed from the rapid reaction between nitric oxide and superoxide. It mediates protein nitration, lipid peroxidation, and mitochondrial damage,...
Wei-Zhen Liu

The role of cognitive function in age-related changes in spatiotemporal gait: Findings from a community-based cross-sectional study

2 months ago
CONCLUSION: Temporal gait components were associated with age primarily through cognition-related pathways and may serve as candidate digital markers of cognitive impairment, although longitudinal validation is required. Interpretation is limited by the cross-sectional design and the restricted representation of individuals with moderate-to-severe dementia.
Ran An

Mitochondrial dysfunction as a key mediator of endplate chondrocyte senescence: emerging insights and targeted interventions

2 months ago
Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is a leading global cause of chronic pain and functional impairment. The senescence of endplate chondrocytes (EPCs) associated with the IVDD cascade, with mitochondrial homeostatic imbalance serving as the central pathological key mediator. EPCs inhabit a physiological niche defined by hypoxia, limited nutrients, and high mechanical loads, requiring precise metabolic regulation and mitochondrial quality control. This review integrates recent advances in...
Ruohui Tang

Thymus regeneration in countering immunosenescence: Mechanisms, strategies and future perspectives

2 months ago
Immunosenescence refers to the progressive decline in immune system functionality associated with aging, with thymic involution identified as a primary driver of this process. The thymus, the central organ for T cell development, begins to atrophy from puberty onward, resulting in a marked reduction in naive T cell output and a significant decrease in the diversity of T cell receptor (TCR) repertoires. This decline compromises the immune system's capacity to mount effective responses against...
Feiyang Hua

Conformational drift of long-lived proteins in the human eye: Insights into post-translational modifications and analytical techniques for ocular protein ageing

2 months ago
Long-lived proteins provide a uniquely informative substrate for studying the molecular chemistry of human ageing, and the eye offers one of the most accessible and spatially resolved systems for examining this process. The lens remains the principal model: its central crystallins are synthesized during embryonic and early postnatal life and are retained throughout the lifespan, thereby preserving a cumulative record of irreversible chemical damage. We then extend this framework to other ocular...
Damiano Calcagno

Magic or realism?

2 months ago
Recently discovered genetic variants seem to protect against Alzheimer's disease, suggesting a path toward a cure. But are their powers believable?
Charles Piller