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CONCLUSIONS: Perceived age-based discrimination is associated with increased healthcare utilization among older adults in India through both direct and indirect pathways, with the indirect effect operating via probable depression and subsequent multimorbidity. These findings highlight the importance of addressing discrimination and integrating mental health within primary care, while also accounting for rural-urban disparities, to promote equitable healthcare access and improve health outcomes...

Aging is a major independent risk factor for the development and progression of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD); however, effective therapeutic strategies for this population remain limited. Here, we established a model of aging-associated MASLD by subjecting aged mice to a long-term high-fat diet (HFD), which recapitulated key disease features including progressive hepatic steatosis, inflammation, insulin resistance, and fibrosis. A 6-week exercise intervention...

FAM162A is an inner mitochondrial protein known for its role in hypoxia-induced apoptosis. However, it is often overexpressed in cancer, where its pro-apoptotic function appears to be overridden, suggesting novel unknown roles in mitochondrial function and cell survival. Furthermore, its precise localization, topology, and orientation remain controversial. In this study, we aimed to assess the role of FAM162A in mitochondrial structure, dynamics, and bioenergetics and its impact on cellular and...

CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the conclusion that somatic symptoms may disproportionately inflate depression scores among patients with ovarian cancer at diagnosis, which may potentially lead to misclassification or overestimation of depression severity. This highlights the need for refined measurement approaches that account for the somatic burden of cancer in assessing depression during active disease.

Interpreting genome-wide epigenomic experiments, such as DNA methylation profiling and chromatin accessibility assays, requires tools that can identify which regulatory programs underlie coordinated changes across genomic regions. Without this regulatory context, lists of differential regions remain largely descriptive and difficult to interpret mechanistically. Existing approaches either apply hard significance cutoffs that discard moderate but biologically meaningful signals, or rely on...

Bizarre injuries were not caused by sharks or boat propellers, but a more surprising culprit

A major new analysis suggests semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) works remarkably well in adults over 65, helping many lose substantial amounts of weight while improving heart and metabolic health. Participants taking the drug lost over 15% of their body weight on average — far more than those receiving placebo treatment. Many also moved out of obesity categories entirely and reached healthier weight levels.

A new study suggests AI chatbots may do more than spread misinformation — they can actively strengthen a user’s false beliefs. Because conversational AI often validates and builds on what users say, it can make distorted memories, conspiracy theories, or delusions feel more believable and emotionally real. Researchers warn that AI companions may be especially risky for isolated or vulnerable people seeking reassurance and connection.

An ancient Chinese exercise routine may be just as powerful as a daily brisk walk for lowering blood pressure — without equipment, gyms, or intense workouts. In a major clinical trial, adults with stage 1 hypertension who practiced baduanjin, a gentle mind-body exercise combining slow movements, breathing, and meditation, saw meaningful drops in blood pressure within three months that lasted for an entire year.

A new international analysis suggests there may be a surprisingly simple secret to keeping weight off after dieting: walking about 8,500 steps a day. Researchers found that people who boosted their daily steps to around that level during a weight-loss program — and kept it up afterward — were far more successful at avoiding the frustrating cycle of regaining lost weight. The study highlights a major challenge in obesity treatment, since most people regain much of the weight they lose within a few years.

Ultra-processed foods may be doing far more damage than many people realize. A major new European cardiology report warns that people who eat the most ultra-processed foods face significantly higher risks of heart disease, irregular heart rhythms, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and even cardiovascular death. Researchers say these industrially manufactured foods — often packed with sugar, salt, unhealthy fats, and additives — can disrupt metabolism, trigger inflammation, and promote overeating, even when marketed as “healthy.”

Scientists at the University of Rochester pulled off a remarkable experiment: they transferred a longevity-related gene from the famously long-lived naked mole rat into mice, and the mice ended up healthier and lived longer. The special gene boosts production of a substance called high molecular weight hyaluronic acid, which appears to protect against cancer, reduce inflammation, and support healthier aging. The modified mice showed stronger resistance to tumors, healthier guts, and lower levels of age-related inflammation.