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Columbia scientists discover surprising link between serotonin and heart valve disease
Scientists have uncovered evidence that serotonin, the chemical best known for regulating mood, may also speed the progression of a common heart valve disease in some people. The research suggests that patients with degenerative mitral regurgitation who take SSRI antidepressants and carry a specific genetic variant may develop severe valve damage sooner, potentially requiring surgery at a younger age.
Yale scientists may have found how Parkinson's disease spreads through the brain
Yale scientists discovered two neuron surface proteins that appear to help spread the toxic protein linked to Parkinson’s disease. Blocking these proteins in mice dramatically reduced disease progression, offering a potential new target for future therapies.
Common blood pressure drug could make cancer therapy far more powerful
Researchers found that the common blood pressure drug telmisartan can significantly improve the performance of the cancer drug olaparib, potentially expanding its benefits beyond patients with BRCA-related tumors. The combination is already being tested in human clinical trials after showing strong immune-boosting and anticancer effects in preclinical studies.
Experimental drug reverses severe fatty liver disease by repairing the gut
An experimental drug called DT-109 reversed severe fatty liver disease in animal studies by repairing the gut and preventing harmful toxins from damaging the liver. The discovery could open the door to a new class of treatments for MASH and potentially other diseases tied to gut health.
Second pregnancy changes the brain in surprising new ways
Researchers found that every pregnancy rewires the brain in its own way, with a second pregnancy bringing a different pattern of changes than the first. The discoveries could lead to better ways to recognize and treat maternal mental health challenges, including peripartum depression.
CAPNS1 restoration partially alleviates mitochondrial dysfunction and synaptic deficits in Alzheimer's disease through the Ca2+-CaMKIIbeta-MAPK-PGC-1alpha axis
Alzheimer's disease (AD), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by brain atrophy and cognitive decline. While the amyloid cascade hypothesis remains the dominant framework, accumulating evidence indicates that mitochondrial dysfunction critically contributes to AD progression. Although improving mitochondrial function has been shown to rescue cognitive deficits in AD models, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we identified a significant reduction...
Evolutionary history of LRRK2 and PRKN in leprosy and Parkinson's disease
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....
Spatial Transcriptomic Atlas Reveals That Forkhead Box O3-Mediated Mitochondrial Dynamics Imbalance Drives Premature Ovarian Insufficiency in Mice
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...
Hospitalizations and associated costs among older adults receiving regular home care services
CONCLUSIONS: Optimal disease management and maintenance of functioning should be prioritized in home care.
From local to systemic: spinal aging in the multi-organ aging network
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 as failed resolution at the aged dura-subdural interface: immune-vascular mechanisms, biomarker interpretation, and therapeutic translation
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 Viscous Properties in Senescence: An Emerging Biophysical Perspective and Potential Biomarker
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....
Measuring healthy ageing: development and validation of a multidomain Healthy Ageing Index in the Korean Longitudinal Healthy Ageing Study (KLHAS)
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...
Age-related plasma N-glycosylation changes across humans, rats, and mice identify candidate glycan biomarkers for translational aging studies
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...
Inhibition of mitochondrial ROS by TACI sustains bone marrow plasma cells
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....
Soft supermolecule stabilized buried interface for high-performance inverted perovskite solar cells and modules
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...
Spalt-related is an inhibitor of mTORC1-mediated growth activated by the integrated stress response
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...
Nursing students' understanding of caring for older people receiving home care: a qualitative study
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...
Regional brain and cerebrovasculature morphology during normative aging in male and female C57BL/6N mice
CONCLUSION: Our study reports regional brain changes across the lifespan in an age- and sex-dependent manner in C57BL/6N mice.
Why the human body has so many design flaws
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.