A major mouse study found that some inherited traits are passed down through epigenetic changes that break the classic rules of genetics. Researchers discovered hundreds of cases where these chemical DNA marks behaved unexpectedly, including some that seemed to emerge out of nowhere. They also identified the first known naturally occurring paramutation in a mammal, hinting that environmental influences may play a larger role in inheritance than scientists realized.
Adults should aim to do between 560 and 610 minutes a week of moderate to vigorous physical activity to achieve a substantial reduction in the risk of heart attacks and stroke, suggest the findings of an observational study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
This is between three to four times higher than the current public health recommendation that adults do at least 150 minutes a week of moderate to vigorous physical exercise such as brisk walking, running, or cycling.
People who are less fit need to do slightly more exercise than those who are very fit to get the same cardiovascular benefits, the study suggests.
Selumetinib is approved for the treatment of inoperable plexiform neurofibromas (PN) in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). However, its efficacy in treating NF1-associated diffuse neurofibromas (NF1-DN) or optic pathway gliomas (NF1-OPG) remains unclear. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of selumetinib in these subgroups.
This was a sub-analysis of a Korean phase II open-label trial focusing on non-target treatment effects on NF1-DN and NF1-OPG. A total of 88 pediatric and adult patients with NF1-PN (59 children and 29 adults) in this trial had been treated for at least 2 years (~ 26 cycles, 28-day cycle) with oral selumetinib (20 or 25 mg/m², or 50 mg/dose every 12 h). Tumor volume, quality of life (QoL), and visual acuity were assessed.
Among the 88 included patients, NF1-DN was diagnosed in 25 (28%), and NF1-OPG in 3 (3%). All NF1-DN patients exhibited disfigurement, two experienced pain, and a partial response (PR; ≥20% tumor reduction at a single time) was achieved in 9 of these cases (36%). The median time to PR was 6 cycles (range, 6–12), and the median time to best response was 18 cycles (range, 6–26), with a median volume change of − 11.9% (range, − 55.4% to + 36.3%). Confirmed PR (cPR; PR sustained for 6 cycles) was observed in 6 NF1-DN patients (24%), stable disease (SD) was observed in 9 of these patients (36%), and progressive disease (PD) in 10 cases (40%). In a paired comparison, cPR was significantly lower for NF1-DN than for NF1-PN (24% vs. 88%, P 0.001), and the median best volume reduction was also smaller (− 11.9% vs. −42.1%, P 0.001). For the 3 NF1-OPG patients, visual impairment was present in all cases at baseline. One patient achieved PR at cycle 12 (− 36.
Researchers from UCL (University College London) and the ESRF (The European Synchrotron) have produced the first three-dimensional map of the heart’s electrical wiring in Tetralogy of Fallot, one of the most common congenital heart problems, revealing anatomical features that may explain why many patients develop heart conduction disorders in this condition.
The research, part of the Human Organ Atlas international collaboration, can be used for surgical training and lead to even better outcomes for patients. The research appears in JTCVS Structural and Endovascular.
Congenital heart disease affects around 1% of the population worldwide. In many cases, babies must undergo life-saving heart surgery shortly after birth. Although survival rates are now high, many patients develop complications later in life, particularly abnormal heart rhythms or contraction patterns. Surgeons have long known that these problems can arise when the heart’s delicate electrical conduction system, which is invisible during surgery, is disturbed.
Laser systems operating in the 2-micrometer wavelength range open diverse opportunities in medical technology, agriculture, and plastics processing. In the Eurostars project DECOMP, Laser Zentrum Hannover e. V. (LZH) has developed novel fiber optic components that overcome previous technical barriers.
Thulium-doped fiber lasers operate at a wavelength of approximately 2 micrometers, making them particularly well-suited for applications where conventional lasers reach their limits. However, commercially available laser sources that simultaneously offer high beam quality, sufficient laser power, and the necessary reliability in quasi-continuous-wave operation at power levels around 1 kilowatt have been lacking.
In the project, LZH scientists developed novel fiber optic components based on triple-clad fibers that enable a reliable and low-maintenance laser architecture. For the implementation of the final laser system, LZH collaborated with Futonics Laser GmbH as well as South Korean partners COSET, inc. and the Korean Photonics Technology Institute.
Current therapies offer limited benefit for patients with previously treated metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (mPDAC). Aberrant activation of the RAS pathway is the key driver of PDAC, with oncogenic RAS mutations present in more than 90% of cases. Daraxonrasib is an oral RAS(ON) multiselective, tri-complex inhibitor of the active guanosine triphosphate–bound state of mutant and wild-type RAS.
Can we really slow aging or even reverse it?
Aging is no longer viewed as an untouchable part of life. According to Eric Verdin, scientists are beginning to treat aging itself as a biological process that can be slowed and potentially reversed.
In this episode, Eric explains why longevity research is entering a new era. He discusses how AI, women’s health, metabolic therapies, and partial reprogramming are reshaping medicine. He highlights GLP-1 drugs as one of the most promising tools today and explains how resetting cells to a younger state may one day restore function in aging tissues.
He also shares the most effective strategies available right now: exercise, sleep, nutrition, mental stimulation, and social connection. While supplements like Creatine may help, Eric stresses that lifestyle remains the foundation of long-term health.
Eric Verdin is a physician-scientist and CEO of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, where he leads research focused on extending human healthspan.
What You’ll Learn.