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Industry-linked studies were also more likely to focus on particular topics, suggesting these ties may be skewing the field

Emerging evidence implicates the Stuxnet (Stx) protein in human disease, extending beyond its known role in proteasome-independent degradation. Exploring this further, our investigation into stx downstream targets in Drosophila reveals that loss of the U snoRNA host gene 5 (Uhg5) gene disrupts sleep. This sleep phenotype is linked to inefficient translation of mitochondrial genes, as Uhg5 produces small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) that directly regulate mitochondrial transcripts. Using GoldCLIP...

Synapses serve as the central functional components mediating information transmission, integration, and storage within the central nervous system (CNS). Their functionality depends on the synergistic interplay of the presynaptic membrane, synaptic cleft, and postsynaptic membrane-three structures that collectively sustain neurotransmitter secretion, postsynaptic signaling, and synaptic plasticity. Of note, synaptic impairment represents an early, shared pathological hallmark across aging and...

The Shaker (Sh) gene in Drosophila melanogaster encodes a voltage-gated potassium channel that regulates neuronal excitability and is well known for its role in sleep regulation; however, its contribution to cardiac physiology and neurocardiac communication remains insufficiently explored. In this study, we investigated how two Sh-mutations (Sh^(mns) and Sh⁵) influence heart function and sleep/circadian behaviors to identify potential age-dependent neurocardiac interactions. Cardiac performance...

Synapses serve as the central functional components mediating information transmission, integration, and storage within the central nervous system (CNS). Their functionality depends on the synergistic interplay of the presynaptic membrane, synaptic cleft, and postsynaptic membrane-three structures that collectively sustain neurotransmitter secretion, postsynaptic signaling, and synaptic plasticity. Of note, synaptic impairment represents an early, shared pathological hallmark across aging and...

The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a specialized synapse essential for translating neuronal signals into muscle contraction. This review examines the complex structural, functional, and molecular differences in NMJs that innervate fast- and slow-twitch skeletal muscle fibers. Fast-twitch fibers, optimized for rapid and powerful contractions, possess elaborate NMJs with deep folds, high neurotransmitter turnover, and greater vulnerability to synaptic fatigue and degeneration. In contrast,...

CONCLUSION: Sarcopenia-related parameters are associated with global and specific cognitive domains. BDNF may, partially, explain the association between muscle mass and MMSE. Additional research with larger sample size is needed to confirm these findings.

Dense temporal measurements of physiological health, using simple and consistent assays, are essential to characterize biological processes associated with aging and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions on these processes. We measured body weight in 960 genetically diverse female mice, every 7-10 days over the full course of their lifespan. We used a state space model to characterize the trajectories of body weight throughout life and derived novel traits capturing the dynamics of body...

CONCLUSION: Cognitive status influences postural control in physically independent older women. Time domain measures, particularly sway velocity, were sensitive to poorer balance among those with cognitive impairment, while time-frequency parameters did not differentiate cognitive groups. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating cognitive screening into balance assessment and fall-prevention strategies in aging populations.

Spatial omics links molecular measurements to their positions in tissue, revealing cellular organization and interactions. Yet most computational tools highlight common cell types and overlook rare populations that can drive disease. Here we show GARDEN, a computational framework that identifies and characterizes these pathogenic cells or regions in spatial omics by embedding graph-based dynamic attention into a spatially-aware graph fusion contrastive model. GARDEN works consistently across...

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: This review provides evidence of the relationship between housing and nursing home utilization; however, because of a weak quality of evidence and limited methodologic diversity, more research is needed to strengthen the evidence base. Clinicians, researchers, and policy makers should still recognize the significance of the role housing plays in nursing home utilization and target policies and interventions toward improving housing conditions for older adults and...

Epigenetic clocks are emerging as promising biomarkers of biological aging, yet their sensitivity to short-term interventions remains unclear. This pilot study investigates whether the GrimAge clock can capture the effects of a 6-month cycling-based endurance exercise training intervention, with cardiorespiratory fitness (VO(2) max) and body composition as primary outcomes. We enrolled 42 adults aged 35-65, of whom 38 completed the study and 33 adhered to the protocol (> 66% adherence)....

The interaction between nuclear (nDNA) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) methylation is not well known in the healthy population. The D-loop methylation level of the Olympic champions (N = 58) was significantly lower than that of non-champions (N = 32) (~ 36% unadjusted mean difference p = 0.016, sex and age adjusted p = 0.017). Interestingly, the robust linear analysis revealed that biological sex is a significant factor in mtDNA D-loop methylation (estimate = 1.521, p = 0.033). On the other hand,...

Skin aging involves progressive structural and functional decline, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we report that the antimicrobial peptide S100A7 is markedly reduced in aged keratinocytes and that its depletion leads to transcriptional alterations in differentiation-, autophagy-, and senescence-associated pathways. S100A7 knockdown partially recapitulated senescence-associated signatures, whereas supplementation increased autophagy and attenuated senescence-like...

Within neurons, the misfolding and aggregation of certain proteins has been identified as a common feature of many late-onset neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). These aggregate-prone proteins include tau (in both primary tauopathies and in Alzheimer's disease) and alpha-synuclein in Parkinson's disease. There is strong experimental evidence that the upregulation of intracellular clearance pathways (autophagy and ubiquitin-proteasome pathways) can clear aggregate-prone proteins in experimental...