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The how and why of sleep: Motor theory and catecholamine hypothesis

2 months 1 week ago
Sleep entails profound changes in the brain and body, marked by altered states of consciousness and reduced somatic and autonomic motor activity. Regarding "how" sleep is regulated, whole-brain screening revealed large sleep-control networks spanning the forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain. We unify diverse experimental evidence under a "motor theory," in which the sleep-control mechanism is integral to somatic and autonomic motor circuits. Regarding the "why" question, sleep deprivation impairs...
Chenyan Ma

A health promotion behavior intervention for migrant older adults: a randomized controlled trial

2 months 1 week ago
CONCLUSIONS: The BCW-based health promotion intervention effectively enhanced the well-being of migrant older adults by addressing their unique needs. The findings highlight the potential of tailored, multidimensional interventions to support this vulnerable population. Future research should explore long-term effects and cost effectiveness for broader implementation.
Na Zhou

Identifying novel modifiable risk factors for ischemic stroke through phenome-wide association study and Mendelian randomization analyses in a large-scale prospective cohort

2 months 1 week ago
Despite extensive research, significant uncertainty remains regarding the associations between various risk factors and ischemic stroke (IS). This study aimed to systematically identify and validate a broad range of potential modifiable risk factors for IS. Utilizing genetic and phenotypic data from the UK Biobank (UKB; N = 418,236), we conducted a phenome-wide association study (PheWAS) and Cox regression analysis to identify modifiable factors across sociodemographics, physical measures,...
Siyu Wu

Employing deep mutational scanning in the <em>Escherichia coli</em> periplasm to decode the thermodynamic landscape for amyloid formation

2 months 1 week ago
Deep mutational scanning (DMS) assays provide a powerful method to generate large-scale datasets essential for advancing AI-driven predictions in biology. The tripartite β-lactamase assay (TPBLA), in which a protein of interest is inserted between two domains of β-lactamase, has previously been reported as capable of detecting and quantitating the aggregation of proteins and biologics in the oxidizing periplasm of Escherichia coli and used as a platform for identifying small molecule inhibitors...
Conor E McKay

Repeated Withdrawal of a GLPR Agonist Induces Hyperleptinemia and Deteriorates Metabolic Health in Obese Aging UM-HET3 Mice

2 months 1 week ago
GLP-1-based therapy is highly effective in combating aging-associated metabolic diseases. However, the metabolic effects of frequent withdrawal from this therapy in aged, obese mice have not been previously studied. In this study, aged obese UM-HET3 mice were assigned to three groups: Group 1 received no liraglutide treatment (Lira OFF); Group 2 underwent 3 cycles of treatment followed by withdrawal (Lira ON/OFF); and Group 3 remained on continuous treatment (Lira ON). As expected, mice in Group...
Nisi Jiang

Microbacterium diet rich in branched chain fatty acids promotes lipid droplet enlargement and impacts organismal health in C. elegans

2 months 1 week ago
Considerable amounts of branched chain fatty acids (BCFAs) are present in the human diet from beef and dairy products. BCFAs can also be produced by the human gut microbiota and synthesized from branched chain amino acids. However, the physiological impact of a BCFA-rich diet on lipid metabolism and organismal health is unclear. In this study, by screening a collection of dietary bacteria, we find that the BCFA-rich Microbacterium diet causes the formation of supersized LDs and delays...
Kam Ue Roy Li

Endothelial αvβ3 integrin induction during hypoxia protects blood-brain barrier integrity

2 months 1 week ago
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is critical for maintaining cerebral homeostasis, and its deterioration with age is an important pathogenic factor in the etiology of vascular dementia. Extracellular matrix-integrin interactions play a central role in regulating vascular stability. The αvβ3 integrin is not expressed by brain endothelial cells under stable conditions but is strongly induced by hypoxia. However, it is currently unclear whether αvβ3 integrin exerts a destructive or protective...
Sebok K Halder

Kupffer cells are essential for platelet-mediated thrombopoietin generation in the liver

2 months 1 week ago
Thrombopoietin (TPO), predominantly produced by the liver, is the key regulator for platelet production and the hematopoietic stem cell niche. Our earlier report demonstrated that platelet GPIbα is required for hepatocellular TPO generation, which is the major resource of TPO in the blood circulation. However, how hepatocytes physically contact circulating sinusoidal platelets across the liver endothelium for this process is unknown. Kupffer cells reside in contact with both sinusoidal blood and...
Danielle Karakas

Alpha-Ketoglutarate Ameliorates Synaptic Plasticity Deficits in APP/PS1 Mice Model of Alzheimer's Disease

2 months 1 week ago
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders, characterized by a progressive decline in cognitive function. Increasing evidence indicates that alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG), a key metabolite in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, can extend lifespan and healthspan across various animal models, raising interest in its potential neuroprotective effects in age-related disorders such as AD. Our previous research found that dietary supplementation with calcium...
Sheeja Navakkode

Sex- and APOE Genotype-Dependent Pain Susceptibility and Alzheimer's Risk Mediated by the Lipid Metabolism Enzyme LPCAT2

2 months 1 week ago
Neuropathological changes that precede or accompany early cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD) may also impact pain processing; however, the molecular connection between these domains remains unclear. In this study, we investigated whether a shared causal factor underlies both increased pain susceptibility and AD progression. Analysis of two ethnically distinct cohorts revealed a significant association between pain susceptibility and cognitive decline from cognitively normal (CN)...
Rai-Hua Lai

Lactate as an Exercise Mimetic: Mitigating Disuse Atrophy and Improving Muscle Endurance in Aging SAMP8 Mice

2 months 1 week ago
Lactate, historically considered a metabolic byproduct, has emerged as a key regulator of muscle physiology and metabolism. This study explores its potential as an exercise mimetic to counteract disuse muscle atrophy (DMA) in aging skeletal muscle using a hindlimb suspension model in senescence-accelerated prone 8 (SAMP8) mice. The mice were divided into four groups: Control, lactate-treated control, hindlimb suspension, and hindlimb suspension with lactate intervention. Lactate administration...
Zhen Qi