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How tech-enhanced sleep could improve rest but erode privacy
China is changing the shape of global health. The terms are still up for negotiation
How one researcher captured a vanished world of UK government science
A guide to securing your first research fellowship: what reviewers are looking for
Assessing students in the AI era
Protecting education in the middle of war zones
The future of peer review requires AI support, not AI bans
Amend copyright licences to halt AI misuse and reassert human control
Researchers presented 6000 papers at a major meeting. Could AI reproduce their findings?
Hackathon results suggest AI agents could make verifying research far more routine
Depression may shut down the brain’s ability to make new neurons
A major study found that adults with depression show disrupted production of new neurons in the hippocampus, potentially weakening the brain’s ability to separate new experiences from painful memories. The researchers also identified broad molecular changes that could open the door to new treatments tailored to different biological forms of depression.
Worldwide study of diseases gets historic funding influx
Gates Foundation pledges $540 million to a project often criticized for its opacity
People who live past 110 have an unusual abundance of killer immune cells
People who reach 110 and beyond appear to have unusually large numbers of rare immune cells capable of killing abnormal cells. These CD4 cytotoxic T cells became more common with age and often expanded into large groups of nearly identical cells, suggesting the immune system was repeatedly responding to persistent threats.
In a global first, Mexico approves use of RNA-based fungicide
Oifirax, created by GreenLight Biosciences, uses RNA molecules to kill the fungus responsible for powdery mildew on grapes
This is what a Jurassic forest may have sounded like
Researchers re-create the chorus of noise produced by ancient insects
Common medications may change your gut for years
Common medications may reshape the gut microbiome long after the last dose is taken. In a study of more than 2,500 people, researchers found lasting microbial changes linked not only to antibiotics, but also to antidepressants, beta-blockers, acid-reducing drugs, and benzodiazepines. Some effects were still detectable years later, suggesting past medication use may strongly influence the gut bacteria people carry today.
Bird flu is spreading. Your backyard feeder could make it worse
Backyard bird feeders could become unexpected hotspots for H5N1 as Australia’s bird flu outbreak spreads, bringing species together in ways that rarely occur naturally. Experts say stopping feeding is safest, while smaller amounts of food, no hand-feeding, and careful cleaning can reduce the danger.
China abruptly delays mission to probe Moon’s hidden water
Chang’e-7, which will investigate the origin of and abundance of lunar ice, set back until 2027
Too much or too little sleep may make your body age faster
Both too little and too much sleep may be linked to faster aging throughout the body. Researchers analyzing 23 biological aging clocks found the lowest aging levels among people sleeping about 6.4 to 7.8 hours per day. Short or long sleep was also associated with numerous conditions affecting the brain, heart, lungs, metabolism, and digestive system.
Distinct Filament Conformation for Receptor-Bound Amyloid-beta from Alzheimer's Disease Brain
Alzheimer's disease is triggered by amyloid-β, with symptoms linked to synapse loss. Oligomeric amyloid-β, rather than monomeric or fibrillar amyloid-β, has been proposed to be the proximate mechanistic cause, but the relevant molecular characteristics have remained unclear. To define the biologically relevant species, we isolated a receptor-bound amyloid-β pool from Alzheimer's disease brain by release with a receptor antagonist and purification to homogeneity. This discrete receptor-bound...
Loss of Erbin in tubular epithelial cells sensitizes mice to acute kidney injury and aggravates renal fibrosis
Aging is a major contributor to the increasing incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD), however the molecular events explaining aging-related nephropathies remains elusive. Here, we found that the RAS signaling adapter protein Erbin (ErbB2-interacting protein) is abundantly expressed in renal tubular cells, but its levels are decreased in murine AKI models and human CKD patient samples. Tubule-specific deletion of Erbin rendered mice highly susceptible to acute...