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LRRK2 (leucine-rich repeat kinase 2) and Parkin (PRKN) act in shared pathways and are implicated in Parkinson's disease (PD), leprosy, and other diseases. While leprosy likely imposed strong evolutionary pressure, PD's relatively late onset renders it largely invisible to natural selection. We examined the evolutionary history of LRRK2 and PRKN in primates and human populations and found evidence of positive selection on both genes, alongside strong constraint at LRRK2 disease-associated sites....

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a major driver of female reproductive aging, but its mechanisms and the spatial and structural patterns of reproductive aging remain poorly understood. This study, therefore, constructed a spatial transcriptomic atlas of POI mouse models to define the spatial and molecular features of granulosa senescence during disease progression. Spatial analysis revealed disrupted follicular structure and distinct granulosa subpopulations exhibiting blocked...

CONCLUSIONS: Optimal disease management and maintenance of functioning should be prioritized in home care.

Spinal aging is a progressive degenerative process involving structural and functional decline of the spine as a whole and of its individual components, ultimately contributing to the development of degenerative spinal diseases (DSDs). Previous studies have largely focused on local spinal tissues or the intervertebral disc (IVD). However, recent advances in geroscience indicate that spinal degeneration is not an isolated local event, but is influenced by systemic aging through a multi-organ...

Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is a frequent disorder of older adults, yet its persistence and recurrence are not fully explained by retained clot, bridging-vein injury, or technical failure of evacuation. We propose an aging-informed failed-resolution framework for interpreting CSDH persistence and recurrence at the aged dura-subdural interface. In this model, brain atrophy can maintain a residual subdural space, while frailty, multimorbidity, immune aging, vascular aging, and local...

Cellular mechanical properties are key regulators of diverse cellular functions. In particular, cellular senescence, a state of permanent cell cycle arrest, is closely associated with mechanical alterations. While extensive efforts have characterized changes in cells' elastic properties such as stiffness and elasticity during senescence, the viscous component of cellular mechanics, governing molecular transport, organelle mobility, and intracellular force dissipation, remains largely unexplored....

CONCLUSIONS: The Healthy Ageing Index provides a multidomain measure of healthy ageing in Korea by integrating intrinsic capacity with digital and built environmental context. Its associations with function, frailty, intrinsic capacity, and quality of life support construct validity. The strong correlation of digital participation with the index likely reflects underlying socio-cognitive and functional advantages rather than an independent causal determinant. Complete-case selection and...

Changes in plasma protein N-glycosylation, particularly in immunoglobulin G (IgG), are closely associated with human aging. However, the extent to which established human glycan biomarkers translate to commonly used rodent models remains unclear. Here, we characterized the N-glycomes of plasma IgG and non-IgG proteins in humans, rats, and mice across multiple age groups using a TiO(2)-PGC chip-MS platform and systematically compared age-related glycosylation changes across species. Quantitative...

Vaccines establish humoral protection via neutralizing antibodies, which are sustained by bone marrow long-lived plasma cells (LLPC). The lifespan of LLPCs determines the duration of protection, however, the mechanisms underlying LLPC survival remain poorly understood. Here, we employ plasma cell-specific conditional knockout mice to systematically dissect the roles of receptors for candidate niche factors. Unexpectedly, we find that the cytokine receptor TACI is essential for LLPC survival....

Self-assembled molecules (SAMs) have emerged as a promising hole transport material for improving the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of p-i-n inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, molecular aggregation and insufficient coverage of SAMs, the defects at the bottom surface of perovskite films, and weak adhesive force of perovskite films on SAMs result in poor quality and longevity of the interface between SAMs and perovskite (buried interface), hampering the realization of long-term...

Anabolic and catabolic processes are coordinated by a conserved regulatory network, which includes the nutrient-sensing protein kinase mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and the insulin- and stress-responsive transcription factor FoxO. In a physiological setting, these regulators align growth, storage, reproduction, and aging with nutrient availability. Here, we identify transcription factor Spalt-related (Salr), previously implicated in organogenesis, as a negative regulator of growth and lipid storage in...

CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that students recognised the essential collaborative role nurses play in tailored person-centred for older people in this setting, while also identifying challenges that may hinder its full realisation. At the same time, the students pointed to concrete opportunities for strengthening person-centred approaches within home care. These insights deepen our understanding of how nursing students conceptualise care for older people receiving home care and provide...

CONCLUSION: Our study reports regional brain changes across the lifespan in an age- and sex-dependent manner in C57BL/6N mice.

Many of the body's biggest flaws are the result of evolution building on old designs instead of starting over. Our spine, eyes, teeth, pelvis, and even certain nerves all reveal compromises that worked well enough for survival but still leave us prone to pain, injury, and disease. Structures like the appendix and ear muscles also remain because they were never harmful enough for evolution to eliminate. Together, these features tell the story of a body shaped by history rather than perfection.

A new study found that dietary fiber can determine whether beneficial intestinal worms help reduce inflammation or become essentially inactive. With plenty of fiber, the worms remained healthy and supported an anti-inflammatory response, while a low-fiber diet pushed them into a hibernation-like state that eliminated those benefits. Researchers also found that fiber-rich diets promoted healthier gut bacteria, whereas Western-style diets reduced microbial diversity and encouraged less desirable microbes.

Heavy marijuana smoking may raise the risk of lung cancer and several head and neck cancers, according to growing research, but many important questions remain unanswered. Scientists are still trying to determine how much marijuana use is enough to significantly increase cancer risk. Edibles have not been linked to lung cancer so far, while the long-term effects of vaping marijuana and secondhand marijuana smoke are still being investigated.

Spanish National Research Council, established under Francisco Franco’s dictatorship, has published the stories of some 500 researchers and support staff purged after civil war

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common age-associated joint disorder driven not only by mechanical wear but also by progressive intracellular stress, metabolic imbalance, and chronic inflammation that culminate in cartilage degeneration and functional disability. Increasing evidence identifies mitochondrial dysfunction and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) as central pathological hubs regulating chondrocyte survival, extracellular matrix (ECM) integrity, and inflammatory signaling. Mitochondrial...

Astrocytic injury and endothelial activation are interconnected processes within the neurovascular system that may contribute to variability in cognitive performance among cognitively unimpaired adults. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) reflects astrocytic injury, while vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) reflects systemic endothelial activation. We examined whether VCAM-1 modifies associations between GFAP and cognition in cognitively unimpaired Black adults. This cross-sectional...

Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) is an important molecule in cellular metabolism given its merits as an antioxidant, a substrate for the mitochondrial electron transport chain and as a signaling molecule via promotion of cysteine persulfidation in peptides and proteins. Studies in cell culture, animal models, and humans have supported a central role of H(2)S in the control of aging and age-related metabolic diseases. Enhanced intracellular H(2)S production has been associated with extended survival in...