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ChatGPT is transforming peer review — how can we use it responsibly?
India’s US$20-billion fertilizer subsidies could do more for farmers — here’s how
COP29: involve the IPCC in defining climate finance
AI-generated images threaten science — here’s how researchers hope to spot them
‘Invisible and uncharismatic’ fungi need taxonomy champions, too
Distributed peer review: how Ukraine has reaped the benefits and minimized the risks
How fungus-farming ants have nourished biology for 150 years
Western science diplomacy must rethink its biases and treat all partners equally
A spider’s windproof web
Global biodiversity convention comes up short on funding conservation
But negotiators approved a plan for raising money from companies that profit off genetic information from nature
Quest for a deeper theory of fundamental particles hits a curious snag
Most popular way to add more Higgs bosons to standard model goes mathematically haywire
Salmon carry nutrients—and pollutants—upriver when they spawn
Toxic contaminants may threaten some freshwater denizens, but pose little risk to humans
New approach to growing coronaviruses is research boon—but also raises safety concerns
Artificial virus receptors could help researchers find vaccines and treatments, but some worry about risk of lab leaks
Parkinson disease therapy: current strategies and future research priorities
Parkinson disease (PD) is the fastest growing neurological disorder globally and poses substantial management challenges owing to progressive disability, emergence of levodopa-resistant symptoms, and treatment-related complications. In this Review, we examine the current state of research into PD therapies and outline future priorities for advancing our understanding and treatment of the disease. We identify two main research priorities for the coming years: first, slowing the progression of the...
Pervasive biases in proxy genome-wide association studies based on parental history of Alzheimer's disease
Almost every recent Alzheimer's disease (AD) genome-wide association study (GWAS) has performed meta-analysis to combine studies with clinical diagnosis of AD with studies that use proxy phenotypes based on parental disease history. Here, we report major limitations in current GWAS-by-proxy (GWAX) practices due to uncorrected survival bias and nonrandom participation in parental illness surveys, which cause substantial discrepancies between AD GWAS and GWAX results. We demonstrate that the...
The COVID-19 legacy: consequences for the human DNA methylome and therapeutic perspectives
The COVID-19 pandemic has left a lasting legacy on human health, extending beyond the acute phase of infection. This article explores the evidence suggesting that SARS-CoV-2 infection can induce persistent epigenetic modifications, particularly in DNA methylation patterns, with potential long-term consequences for individuals' health and aging trajectories. The review discusses the potential of DNA methylation-based biomarkers, such as epigenetic clocks, to identify individuals at risk for...
Prevalence and associated factors of preoperative abnormal electrocardiography among older surgical patients in southern Ethiopia: Multicenter cross-sectional study
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: Our study shows that older patients are more likely to have an abnormal ECG before surgery, regardless of symptoms or risk factors. Therefore, it is suggested that all older patients undergo preoperative ECG screening. Further prospective cohort studies are needed to investigate the impact and outcome of patients with preoperative abnormal ECG.
Mapping the future of oxidative RNA damage in neurodegeneration: Rethinking the status quo with new tools
Over two decades ago, increased levels of RNA oxidation were reported in postmortem patients with ALS, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other neurodegenerative diseases. Interestingly, not all cell types and transcripts were equally oxidized. Furthermore, it was shown that RNA oxidation is an early phenomenon, altogether indicating that oxidative RNA damage could be a driver, and not a consequence, of disease. Despite all these exciting observations, the field appears to have stagnated since then....
Elevated N-glycosylated cathepsin L impairs oocyte function and contributes to oocyte senescence during reproductive aging
Age-related declines in oocyte quality and ovarian function are pivotal contributors to female subfertility in clinical settings. Yet, the mechanisms driving ovarian aging and oocyte senescence remain inadequately understood. The present study evaluated the alterations in N-glycoproteins associated with ovarian aging and noted a pronounced elevation in N221 glycopeptides of cathepsin L (Ctsl) in the ovaries of reproductive-aged mice (8-9 months and 11-12 months) compared to younger counterparts...
Age-related decline in blood-brain barrier function is more pronounced in males than females in parietal and temporal regions
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays a pivotal role in protecting the central nervous system (CNS), and shielding it from potential harmful entities. A natural decline of BBB function with aging has been reported in both animal and human studies, which may contribute to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disorders. Limited data also suggest that being female may be associated with protective effects on BBB function. Here, we investigated age and sex-dependent trajectories of perfusion and...