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‘Mismatched’ vaccine being rolled out against Ebola outbreak
Amid ethical questions, DRC proceeds with shot that may offer some protection against the Bundibugyo virus
Halted dam releases threaten Colorado River ecosystems
Amid severe water shortage, federal authorities canceled actions for managing fish and sandbars
Behold the ‘glueball,’ a strange new form of matter
Collider in China forges elusive particle, made of force-carrying gluons
Shattered skeleton in Scottish castle is first confirmed death from trebuchet
“Devastation” across body of 14th century warrior indicates horrific demise from flying boulder
A simple blood test could detect multiple cancers and reveal where they started
UCLA researchers have created a blood test that can scan DNA signals for multiple cancers, liver diseases, and signs of organ damage—and even indicate where trouble may be developing. Early results suggest the inexpensive approach could bring medicine closer to a single blood test capable of catching a wide range of diseases before they become harder to treat.
Gut microbes may help wild horses evolve to survive harsh Canadian winters
Study is first to show that the bacteria in an animal’s gut can give it an evolutionary leg up
Exercise may help the aging brain “take out the trash”
Regular exercise may help the brain clear away harmful waste that can build up with age. Researchers found that physical activity supports several processes linked to the brain’s glymphatic cleanup system, including better sleep, lower inflammation, and healthier blood vessels. Because this waste-removal system becomes increasingly important as we get older, exercise could play a meaningful role in protecting against cognitive decline.
New GLP-1 pill delivers up to 12% weight loss in 36 weeks
An experimental GLP-1 pill helped people with obesity or overweight lose as much as 12.1% of their body weight in just 36 weeks. Unlike injectable drugs such as Wegovy and Ozempic, aleniglipron is a small molecule that can be taken once daily with or without food and could potentially be produced more easily at scale.
1 in 5 people may carry this hidden genetic heart risk
Very high levels of the inherited cholesterol-related particle Lp(a) were linked to a greater risk of major cardiovascular events, particularly stroke and cardiovascular death, in a study of more than 20,000 people. Since elevated Lp(a) often flies completely under the radar, a simple blood test could uncover hidden heart risk that standard cholesterol testing may miss.
How Europe can prevent a repeat of this year’s devastating wildfires
As climate change heats up the continent, experts say countries must shift focus toward preventing fires, rather than just suppressing them
The structural basis for LRRK2's activation and autoinhibition
Mutations in leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) are the second most common cause of autosomal-dominant Parkinson's disease (PD), and increased LRRK2 kinase activity is also observed in idiopathic PD, making LRRK2 a major actionable therapeutic target. LRRK2 is a 286-kDa multidomain enzyme containing a Ras-like GTPase (ROC) and a kinase domain. Using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), biochemical reconstitution, and cell-based assays, we show that the ROC GTPase governs switching between...
Chemical tools for inhibition and activity-based profiling of glucocerebrosidase in vitro and in vivo
Deficiencies in glucocerebrosidase (GCase) are associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). The mechanistic basis of this association is being intensively investigated, and new treatments are being developed aiming to boost brain GCase activity in patients. Despite the importance of GCase in PD, studies are hampered by the continued reliance on weak and non-selective inhibitors like conduritol B epoxide. Here, we report easily prepared and selective irreversible inhibitors and complementary...
Divergent somatic mutation patterns among human cerebellar neuron types
Neurons accumulate somatic mutations with age, but how mutation processes vary among neuronal types remains unclear. Characterizing this variability may elucidate the role of genome integrity in brain function and disease and reveal determinants of mutation rates and patterns. Using high-fidelity duplex DNA sequencing, we profiled somatic mutations across the lifespan in human cerebellar Purkinje and granule neurons, which differ markedly in size and physiology. Surprisingly, they exhibited...
Dioscin extends lifespan and ameliorates aging associated phenotypes in association with the endoplasmic reticulum unfolded protein response
Dioscin, a naturally occurring steroidal saponin isolated from various kinds of herbs with pleiotropic pharmacological properties, remains mechanistically undefined regarding its mammalian aging modulation. This study discovered that dioscin extended the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans. Concurrently, dioscin improved the motor function of C. elegans and reduced age pigment accumulation, while having no effect on the reproductive performance of the C. elegans. By pathway screening, we...
Established and emerging roles of lysosomal dysfunction in cardiac aging
Cardiac aging is a central biological process underlying most cardiovascular diseases. Lysosomes, once regarded as terminal degradative compartments, are now recognized as dynamic metabolic and signaling hubs whose dysfunction has profound consequences for the aging heart. Human lysosomal storage disorders provide compelling evidence that isolated lysosomal defects are sufficient to cause early cardiomyopathy, underscoring the myocardium's exceptional dependence on sustained lysosomal...
Stress, mood, and Parkinson's disease: selective dysregulation of corticotropin-releasing hormone and urocortin neurocircuits
Parkinson's disease (PD) is an age-associated neurodegenerative disorder in which affective non-motor symptoms substantially contribute to disease burden, yet their neurobiological basis remains incompletely understood. We investigated region-specific alterations of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) family neuropeptides in a rotenone-induced rat model of PD and evaluated the effects of combined dopaminergic (benserazide/L-DOPA) and antidepressant (fluoxetine) treatment. Motor performance,...
Dose-response effects of physical activity intensity and duration on frailty phenotype, frailty index, and survival: representative evidence from a 10-year national cohort of chinese older adults
Frailty syndrome, characterized by diminished physiological reserves and heightened vulnerability to adverse health outcomes, is a major concern in aging populations. Physical activity (PA) is a proven intervention for frailty syndrome prevention and treatment, but evidence on how different intensities, durations, and doses of PA affect frailty and survival in China populations remains limited. We analyzed data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), a nationally...
An Exploratory Stability Selection (ESS) framework for robust predictor discovery: An application to physical resilience in aging populations
Identifying biological and clinical signals that consistently predict physical resilience, defined as one's ability to maintain or regain function following a health stressor, is essential for advancing precision approaches to aging and recovery. High-dimensional datasets hold tremendous promise but pose analytic challenges due to correlation, distributed signals, instability, and sensitivity to analytic choices. The complexity of these data requires strategies that prioritize transparency and...
Risk of fall-related emergency department visits following impaired intrinsic capacity among community older adults in Taiwan
CONCLUSIONS: IC impairments, severity, and patterns independently predicted fall-related ED visits. Integrating ICOPE screening into primary care may enhance fall prevention strategies.
Author Correction: Butyrate extends health and lifespan in mice with mitochondrial deficiency
No abstract