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Age- and sex-dependent transcriptomic network alterations in sepsis
Sepsis arises from a dysregulated immune response to infection, causing systemic inflammation and high mortality. Its nonspecific symptoms and complex molecular mechanisms make early diagnosis and therapeutic development challenging. The contribution of host factors to this heterogeneity is not fully understood. We investigated whether baseline gene co-expression networks are preserved or reorganized in sepsis and whether age and sex influence these networks by analyzing RNA-seq data from...
Directing intermediate phase crystallographic orientation promotes carbon-based CsPbI<sub>3</sub> perovskite solar cells to beyond 20% efficiency
Inorganic CsPbI(3) perovskite, known for its high chemical stability and near-ideal bandgap, offers a promising solution to the instability of organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites that limit perovskite solar cells (PSCs) longevity. However, the conventional intermediate phase (dimethylammonium lead iodide, DMAPbI(3)) templating method suffers from inefficient phase conversion, hindering high-performance PSC development. To overcome this limitation, we engineered the crystallographic orientation...
Life's essential 8 and longevity: the sustained impact of cardiovascular health on mortality from middle age to centenarians
While Life's Essential 8 (LE8) provides a comprehensive measure of cardiovascular health (CVH), its association with mortality among the oldest-old, including centenarians, remains unclear. This study evaluated the relationship between LE8-defined CVH and all-cause mortality across adulthood using data from the China Kadoorie Biobank (Hainan cohort) and the China Hainan Centenarian Cohort Study, including 31,473 individuals aged 30-116. Participants were categorized by life stage and CVH score...
Deprotonation suppressing via competitive proton transfer control for efficient perovskite solar cells
Despite the efficacy of the methylammonium chloride (MACl) additive strategy in stabilizing the α-phase of formamidine-based perovskite materials, a persistent and formidable challenge from the irreversible deprotonation of MA^(+) cation still bothers the fabrication of satisfactory formamidine (FA)-based perovskite photosensitive layers, thereby hindering the performance improvement of resultant perovskite solar cells. To confront this obstacle, numerous methodologies have been proposed and...
Single-cell eQTL-based Mendelian randomization identifies immune cell subtype-specific regulators of epigenetic aging and prioritizes candidate therapeutic targets
Epigenetic aging clocks offer precise measures of biological age, yet the causal contributions of immune gene expression within specific cell subtypes to epigenetic aging remain poorly understood. By integrating single-cell eQTL data from the OneK1K cohort with GWAS summary statistics for four epigenetic clocks (HannumAge Acceleration, IEAA, PhenoAge Acceleration, and GrimAge Acceleration), we performed two-sample Mendelian randomization across diverse immune cell subtypes, followed by...
Differential associations of active and passive digital modalities with health perception biases among older adults
CONCLUSIONS: The empirical correlates of the digital environment vary significantly by specific usage patterns and socioeconomic backgrounds. The digital divide extends beyond basic connectivity to include how different digital activities associate with subjective health evaluations. Recognizing that these observational correlations intertwine with lifelong personal trajectories policymakers should focus on fostering content-specific digital literacy and designing tailored digital environments...
CHCHD2 and CHCHD10 promoted autophagic clearance of protein aggregates via GABARAPs
Mutations in mitochondrial protein CHCHD2 and its paralog CHCHD10 were identified in patients with Parkinson disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal dementia (FTD) or Alzheimer disease (AD). CHCHD2 and CHCHD10 mutations caused neurodegeneration in model animals as seen in patients, but their pathophysiological roles remain elusive. Here we reported a direct role of CHCHD2 and CHCHD10 in autophagy. We identified a protein complex composing of...
Aging modulates amyloid clearance kinetics during anti-amyloid therapy: evidence from real-world serial amyloid PET
CONCLUSION: In this real-world cohort, aging appeared to influence the observable kinetics of amyloid reduction during anti-amyloid therapy. Early serial amyloid PET may provide useful information regarding longer-term amyloid dynamics, while baseline perfusion imaging may help identify patients with substantial downstream neurodegenerative burden who remain at risk for cognitive decline despite amyloid clearance. These findings highlight biological heterogeneity in treatment response and...
Transcranial magnetic stimulation from healthy brain aging to Alzheimer's disease: a review on mechanisms, therapeutic potential, and future clinical directions
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a non-invasive and non-pharmacological intervention, is increasingly being explored for mitigating age-related cognitive decline and dementia. Its therapeutic potential is largely attributed to its capacity to modulate neuronal firing rates and induce neuroplastic changes and modulate neurovascular coupling within distributed neural networks that support memory, attention, and executive function. Despite growing interest, gaps remain in understanding how...
Food-chain spirochetes: a unified hypothesis for Parkinson's disease and dementia risk
Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia have risen markedly in many regions. While aging, genetics, toxicants, and protein misfolding explain key aspects of pathology, they do not fully account for synchronized temporal trends or pronounced regional heterogeneity in recent increases. This hypothesis and theory article proposes that persistent microorganisms in industrial food systems-particularly biofilm-forming spirochetes in high-throughput poultry processing-may represent an under-recognized...
Bridging the Digital Divide: The Mediating Role of Social Engagement in Technology Use and Mental Health
ObjectivesThis study examined whether social engagement mediates the relationship between information and communication technology (ICT) use and depression and anxiety among older Americans.MethodsData came from 5,195 respondents in the 2022 National Health and Aging Trends Study. Multivariate mediation analyses were conducted using bootstrapping and Monte Carlo simulation to estimate indirect effects.ResultsCompared with non-users, ICT users showed greater social engagement and lower depression...
Membrane ATG8ylation in secretory autophagy
Mammalian Atg8-family (ATG8) proteins are crucial for macroautophagic/autophagic degradation in the lysosome and facilitate non-degradative processes including multiple distinct forms of unconventional protein secretion. These secretion pathways, collectively termed secretory autophagy, depend upon ATG8 conjugated to membranes to both specify and traffic molecules for extracellular release. Here, we review the current understanding of how membrane ATG8ylation supports secretory autophagy, and...
NMN/NAD(+) enhances SIRT2-modulated microtubule dynamics to improve mitochondrial and mitophagy functions in senescent cells
The effect of NAD^(+) in enhancing mitochondrial function and energy metabolism in human cells is closely linked to NAD^(+)-dependent sirtuins (i.e. SIRT1 and SIRT3). SIRT2 primarily functions in the cytoplasm, where it can serve as a key deacetylase for tubulin and modulates stability of microtubules. Microtubule plays a pivotal role in regulating mitochondrial dynamics, including mitochondrial movement, fission/fusion, repair, and mitophagy-dependent clearance. However, the potential role of...
How to breathe life back into brain theory
How I eavesdrop on frog conversations
Beet juice lowers blood pressure in older adults in just 2 weeks
Drinking nitrate-rich beetroot juice may do more than support heart health — it could actually reshape the bacteria living in the mouth in ways that help lower blood pressure in older adults. In the largest study of its kind, researchers found that older people who drank concentrated beetroot juice twice daily for two weeks experienced noticeable blood pressure reductions, while younger adults did not.
Scientists supercharge natural killer cells to fight aggressive cancers
Scientists at McGill University have found a way to supercharge the immune system’s natural killer (NK) cells, helping them break through the defenses tumors use to stay alive. By temporarily blocking two proteins, researchers turned these cells into far more effective cancer fighters against difficult cancers like leukemia, glioblastoma, kidney cancer, and triple-negative breast cancer.
Scientists discover hidden liver switch that cuts harmful cholesterol
Scientists at UT Southwestern have uncovered a surprising new “master switch” that helps control how much cholesterol the liver sends into the bloodstream. The newly identified protein, HELZ2, works by shutting down the genetic instructions needed to produce apoB — a key building block of the cholesterol-carrying particles linked to clogged arteries and heart disease.
Surprising research reveals why you shouldn't add bananas to your smoothies
Researchers found that adding bananas to berry smoothies can dramatically reduce the body’s ability to absorb healthy flavanols. The surprising discovery shows that even simple food combinations can change how much nutrition your body actually gets.
Scientists say house cats could help unlock new cancer treatments for humans
Scientists have cracked open the “black box” of feline cancer in a landmark study that genetically analyzed nearly 500 cat tumors from around the world. The research uncovered striking similarities between cancers in cats, dogs, and humans — including shared cancer-driving genes tied to aggressive breast cancers.