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New NIH grant terminations target transgender studies—even in mice
Science has identified more than two dozen halted grants amid Trump’s transgender crackdown, right as NIH suspends its own researchers who worked on topic
Butterfly populations are plummeting across the United States
Even common species have become much less abundant in just 20 years, a large analysis reveals
How often are children genetically unrelated to their presumed fathers?
Tackling a touchy subject, genetic detective finds only 1% of European children have unexpected paternity
News at a glance: Science societies stand up, an asteroid threat fades, and a commercial lunar lander touches down
The latest in science and policy
Supreme Court upholds lower court’s order to ‘unfreeze’ $2 billion in foreign aid
Decision is a victory for organizations that provide humanitarian assistance, but its impact is unclear
Human ancestors invented a bone toolkit much earlier than previously thought
At least some early hominins leapt from stone to bone technology some 1.5 million years ago
Phosphorylated tau 181 and 217 are elevated in serum and muscle of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Blood phosphorylated (p)-tau 181 and p-tau 217 have been proposed as accurate biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. However, blood p-tau 181 is also elevated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) without a clearly identified source. We measured serum p-tau 181 and p-tau 217 in a multicentre cohort of ALS (n = 152), AD (n = 111) cases and disease controls (n = 99) recruited from four different centres. Further, we investigated the existence of both p-tau species using...
Tau filaments with the Alzheimer fold in human MAPT mutants V337M and R406W
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are the most common forms of early-onset dementia. Unlike AD, FTD begins with behavioral changes before the development of cognitive impairment. Dominantly inherited mutations in MAPT, the microtubule-associated protein tau gene, give rise to cases of FTD and parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17. These individuals develop abundant filamentous tau inclusions in brain cells in the absence of β-amyloid deposits. Here, we used cryo-electron...
Age-related differences in long-term memory performance and astrocyte morphology in rat hippocampus
Astrocytes are neuromodulator cells. Their complex and dynamic morphology regulates neuronal signaling, synaptic plasticity, and neurogenesis. The impact of aging on astrocyte morphology is still under ongoing debate. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize astrocyte morphology in the hippocampus of older rats. 2-, 18-, and 20-month-old male Wistar rats were submitted to the object recognition test to assess their short- and long-term memories. CA1, CA2, CA3, and the dentate gyrus were...
p53 enhances DNA repair and suppresses cytoplasmic chromatin fragments and inflammation in senescent cells
Genomic instability and inflammation are distinct hallmarks of aging, but the connection between them is poorly understood. Here we report a mechanism directly linking genomic instability and inflammation in senescent cells through a mitochondria-regulated molecular circuit involving p53 and cytoplasmic chromatin fragments (CCF) that are enriched for DNA damage signaling marker γH2A.X. We show that p53 suppresses CCF accumulation and its downstream inflammatory phenotype. p53 activation...
Adaptation of the Spalax galili transcriptome to hypoxia may underlie the complex phenotype featuring longevity and cancer resistance
In the subterranean rodent (Nanno)spalax galili, evolutionary adaptation to hypoxia is correlated with longevity and tumor resistance. Adapted gene-regulatory networks of Spalax might pinpoint strategies to maintain health in humans. Comparing liver, kidney and spleen transcriptome data from Spalax and rat at hypoxia and normoxia, we identified differentially expressed gene pathways common to multiple organs in both species. Body-wide interspecies differences affected processes like cell death,...
Clonal dynamics and somatic evolution of haematopoiesis in mouse
Haematopoietic stem cells maintain blood production throughout life¹. Although extensively characterized using the laboratory mouse, little is known about clonal selection and population dynamics of the haematopoietic stem cell pool during murine ageing. We isolated stem cells and progenitors from young and old mice, identifying 221,890 somatic mutations genome-wide in 1,845 single-cell-derived colonies. Mouse stem cells and progenitors accrue approximately 45 somatic mutations per year, a rate...
Aging, vascular dysfunction, and the blood-brain barrier: unveiling the pathophysiology of stroke in older adults
The progressive decline of vascular integrity and blood-brain barrier (BBB) function is associated with aging, a major risk factor for stroke. This review describes the cellular and molecular changes in the brain microvasculature of the neurovascular unit (NVU) that contribute to the development of BBB dysfunction in aging, such as endothelial cell senescence, oxidative stress, and degradation of tight junction proteins. Stroke severity and recovery are exacerbated by BBB breakdown, leading to...
Single-cell immune aging clocks reveal inter-individual heterogeneity during infection and vaccination
Aging affects human immune system functionality, increasing susceptibility to immune-mediated diseases. While gene expression programs accurately reflect immune function, their relationship with biological immune aging and health status remains unclear. Here we developed robust, cell-type-specific aging clocks (sc-ImmuAging) for the myeloid and lymphoid immune cell populations in circulation within peripheral blood mononuclear cells, using single-cell RNA-sequencing data from 1,081 healthy...
Correction to: Anti-aging interventions in geriatric mice: insights into the timing of treatment, benefits, and limitations
No abstract
Essential amino acids and branched-chain amino acids are associated with skeletal muscle and inflammatory parameters in older age
Aging is associated with a decline in muscle mass and function, increasing the risk of adverse health outcomes. Amino acid profiling has emerged as a potential tool for assessing skeletal muscle health. This study examines the associations between fasting plasma amino acids, muscle function, and inflammation in healthy older and young adults. Data from 131 participants (101 older adults, 71.5±4.9 years; 30 young adults, 25.5±3.9 years) were analyzed. Skeletal muscle mass was assessed using...
This key protein could be responsible for brain ageing
No abstract
Internet use and healthcare utilization among older adults in China: a nationally representative cross-sectional study
CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the important role of the Internet in shaping healthcare utilization, particularly in addressing urban-rural disparities. Implementing Internet-based interventions among older adults is recommended to reduce disparities and improve healthcare access.
Perceptions and experiences of chair-based yoga by older adults with multimorbidity - a qualitative process evaluation of the Gentle Years Yoga randomised controlled trial
CONCLUSIONS: Participant experiences of the yoga programme interlinked views on health, ageing, exercise, and sustainable health management. Yoga presented as a safe, acceptable, and adaptable option for non-pharmacological health management in older adults. Impact on biopsychosocial health was variable, and directly linked to participants' longer term yoga engagement. Education of health professionals and activity providers regarding ageist stereotypes of health and ageing, together with the...
A brief report of the economic burden and epidemiological finding of suicide attempts among the older adults in Korea from 2007 to 2021
CONCLUSION: This study informs the high level of economic costs of suicide attempts that were being neglected. By thoroughly understanding demographic characteristics, emerging trends, and cost classifications, policymakers can devise more effective strategies to prevent suicide attempts, provide timely support, and mitigate the associated economic and social burdens.