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AI-generated ‘participants’ can lead social science experiments astray, study finds
Data produced by “silicon samples” depends on researchers’ exact choice of models, prompts, and settings
China bolsters controversial claim to Pacific languages with new museum
Nationalist narrative holds that Austronesian language and culture originated in China, not Taiwan
U.S. scientists gird for yet another government shutdown
Political impasse to hobble research agencies—and perhaps enable layoffs
Insects aren’t ‘little robots’—so scientists are rethinking their welfare
Science chats with an entomologist and an expert in animal ethics who are monitoring how researchers report on the ethical treatment of insects
How AIs responded to the 2024 U.S. presidential election—in real time
First-of-its-kind study captures how AI models’ behavior evolved through the campaign season
BAP31 represses endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis and alleviates neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease
Excessive endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and neuronal apoptosis contribute to neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these perturbations and how they are directly regulated remain unclear. B cell receptor-associated protein 31 (BAP31), which is highly expressed in the ER, has been shown to participate mainly in regulating ER stress and apoptosis. Here, our results showed that BAP31 expression was dramatically decreased in PD. Notably,...
In-Hospital Professional Oral Health Management is Associated With Improved Outcomes in Older Adults With Acute Pneumonia
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: POHM provided by hospital dentistry during the acute phase of pneumonia was significantly associated with improved clinical outcomes in older patients. These findings underscore the potential value of integrating hospital-based dental care into the multidisciplinary inpatient management of pneumonia in aging populations.
Dipole-dipole interaction-induced dense primitive solid-electrolyte interphase for high-power Ah-level anode-free sodium metal batteries
High-energy and resource-abundant anode-free sodium metal batteries suffer from limited lifespan owing to dendrite growth and rapid capacity fading at early stages, particularly at high rate and high capacity. Here we report a preliminary surface-passivation strategy by highly fluorinated electrolyte, instantly forming a dense inorganic-dominant primitive solid-electrolyte interphase. Driven by dipole-dipole interaction, the spontaneously formed solid-electrolyte interphase is sufficiently dense...
Multivalent binding of the tardigrade Dsup protein to chromatin promotes yeast survival and longevity upon exposure to oxidative damage
Tardigrades are remarkable in their ability to survive extreme environments. The damage suppressor (Dsup) protein is thought to contribute to their extreme resistance to reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by irradiation. Here we show that expression of Ramazzottius varieornatus Dsup in Saccharomyces cerevisiae reduces oxidative DNA damage and extends lifespan in response to chronic oxidative genotoxicity. Dsup uses multiple modes of engagement with the nucleosomal H2A/H2B acidic patch,...
Genetic controllers for enhancing the evolutionary longevity of synthetic gene circuits in bacteria
Engineered gene circuits often degrade due to mutation and selection, limiting their long-term utility. Here we present designs for genetic controllers which maintain synthetic gene expression over time. Using a multi-scale "host-aware" computational framework, which captures interactions between host and circuit expression, mutation, and mutant competition, we evaluate several controller architectures based on three metrics for evolutionary stability: total protein output, duration of stable...
Pulsed electromagnetic fields mediate sensory nerve regulation for bone formation in aging models
Pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) enhance bone formation to combat osteoporosis, yet the mechanisms by which they promote bone health during aging remain unclear. This study shows PEMFs enhance new bone formation and innervation, promoting osteogenesis and reducing adipogenesis in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in aging male mice. PEMF-induced osteogenesis is impaired by sensory nerve dysfunction in this model. Mechanistically, PEMFs stimulate sensory nerves to secrete semaphorin 3A (Sema3A),...
Age-related constraints on the spatial geometry of the brain
Age-related structural brain changes may be better captured by assessing complex spatial geometric differences rather than isolated changes to individual regions. We applied an analytic method to quantify age-related changes to the spatial anatomy of the brain by measuring expansion and compression of global brain shape and the distance between cross-hemisphere homologous regions. To test how global brain shape and regional distances are affected by aging, we analyzed 2603 structural MRIs...
In situ secondary structure imaging of protein phase separation and aggregation by hyperspectral stimulated Raman scattering microscopy
Biomolecular condensates enable the coordination of cellular activities with high spatiotemporal selectivity. Many techniques have been developed to characterize protein condensate. However, direct visualization of protein structure in phase-separated condensate remains underexplored. Here we develop in situ quantitative imaging of secondary structure in protein condensates by stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy. Characteristic spectra of four secondary structures are obtained from...
Vascular Endothelial NAMPT-Mediated NAD<sup>+</sup> Biosynthesis Regulates Angiogenesis and Cardiometabolic Functions in Male Mice
Aging is associated with metabolic dysfunction and cardiovascular abnormalities. Defective nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD^(+)) biosynthesis correlates with aging and aging-associated complications. However, the precise molecular mechanisms linking aging-associated NAD^(+) deficiency to cardiometabolic dysfunction remain unclear. Herein, we examined whether nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT), a key enzyme in NAD^(+) biosynthesis, influences vascular endothelial function and...
Mitigating Pro-Inflammatory SASP and DAMP With Urolithin A: A Novel Senomorphic Strategy
Senescent cells are known to contribute to aging and age-related diseases. One key way they influence aging is by secreting senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors along with several damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) molecules. Consequently, inhibiting SASP and DAMP signaling (senomorphics) has emerged as a therapeutic strategy. Urolithin A (UA), a gut-derived metabolite produced from ellagitannins and ellagic acid found in berries, nuts, and pomegranates, has...
HISTONE DEACETYLASE-1 is required for epigenome stability in <em>Neurospora crassa</em>
Polycomb group (PcG) proteins form chromatin modifying complexes that stably repress lineage- or context-specific genes in animals, plants, and some fungi. Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) catalyzes trimethylation of lysine 27 on histone H3 (H3K27me3) to assemble repressive chromatin. In the model fungus Neurospora crassa, H3K27me3 deposition is regulated by the H3K36 methyltransferase ASH1 and components of constitutive heterochromatin including the H3K9me3-binding protein HETEROCHROMATIN...
Curiouser and curiouser: Meningeal lymphoid structures in the aging brain
No abstract
Use of Drugs With Actionable Pharmacogenetic Biomarkers and Possible Prescribing Changes Among Older People
CONCLUSIONS: CPIC Level A pharmacogenetic biomarkers are prevalent in Chinese older adults, with over 40% exposed to actionable gene-drug pairs and 36.5% requiring dose adjustments. These findings highlight the clinical imperative to integrate pharmacogenetic testing into geriatric care, prioritize CYP2C19 and SLCO1B1 testing, and develop region-specific guidelines to mitigate polypharmacy risks. Policymakers and clinicians should consider targeted implementation strategies to optimize...
The interaction between resilience framework and neuron-astrocyte-synapse dynamics in AD
The concept of resilience can be used to explain why there are differences in the degree to which the brain functions of different individuals are impaired due to aging and pathological factors associated with neurodegenerative diseases. It encompasses cognitive reserve, brain reserve, and brain maintenance. Long-term research has identified a default mode network (DMN) related to cognitive reserve. This mode can modulate the negative impact of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathological burden on...
The impact of physical exercise on genotoxicity in older adults: a systematic review
In the context of increasing life expectancy, a higher prevalence of age-related chronic diseases is becoming more common in the health landscape, many of which are closely linked to insufficient physical exercise during lifespan. On the other hand, aging is also associated with damage to various molecules, including DNA, by reactive oxygen species. Given that both senescence and muscle mass loss are intimately linked to increased levels of DNA damage and deterioration of antioxidant defense,...