Toggle light / dark theme

CTA-Based Plaque-RADS to Assess Etiologic Role of Nonstenotic Carotid Plaques in Patients With Embolic Stroke of Undetermined Source

Background and ObjectivesNonstenotic (<50%) carotid plaques (NSCPs) are increasingly recognized as potential embolic sources in embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS), but their etiologic role remains uncertain because of limited data and the lack…

Consistently Higher HRV, Lower RHR Since 2018

Join us on Patreon! / michaellustgartenphd.

Discount Links/Affiliates:
Blood testing (where I get the majority of my labs): https://www.ultalabtests.com/partners… Metabolomics: https://www.iollo.com?ref=michael-lus… Use Code: CONQUERAGING At Checkout Clearly Filtered Water Filter: https://get.aspr.app/SHoPY Epigenetic, Telomere Testing: https://trudiagnostic.com/?irclickid=… Use Code: CONQUERAGING NAD+ Quantification: https://www.jinfiniti.com/intracellul… Use Code: ConquerAging At Checkout Oral Microbiome: https://www.bristlehealth.com/?ref=mi… Enter Code: ConquerAging SiphoxHealth Blood Testing (ApoB, GrimAge): https://siphoxhealth.com/mlustgarten Green Tea: https://www.ochaandco.com/?ref=fqbtflod Use Code: ML10OFF Diet Tracking: https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=139013… If you’d like to support the channel, you can do that with the website, Buy Me A Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mlhnrca Conquer Aging Or Die Trying Merch! https://my-store-d4e7df.creator-sprin

Blood Testing Essentials (Biological Age, CVD-Risk, Kidney Health and Function):
PhenoAge (Biological Age): https://www.ultalabtests.com/partners

Risk-weighted ApoB (a better CVD predictor than LDL, non-HDL cholesterol, and ApoB): https://www.ultalabtests.com/partners

Kidney health and function: https://www.ultalabtests.com/partners

At-Home Metabolomics: https://www.iollo.com?ref=michael-lus

New genetic toolkit enables genome-wide analysis

Researchers at Cornell University have developed a powerful new genetic toolkit that allows scientists to study how genes function at the level of individual cells, an advance that could accelerate discoveries in development, neuroscience and disease.

The system builds on MAGIC (Mosaic Analysis by gRNA-Induced Crossing-over), a method originally created by the labs of Chun Han, associate professor in the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and the Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology. MAGIC uses CRISPR gene editing to generate individual mutant cells within otherwise normal tissue, enabling precise comparisons within a living organism.

In the new study, graduate researcher Yifan Shen expanded the approach into a genome-wide toolkit for Drosophila melanogaster, creating resources that work across all chromosomes and allow researchers to study genes that were previously difficult, or impossible, to analyze at single-cell resolution.

Tomatidine is a senotherapeutic compound that improves cognitive function and reduces cellular senescence in aged mice

Cellular senescence drives aging and age-related dysfunction across multiple tissues, including the brain. Through a high-content, senescent cell-based phenotypic screen of a small panel of natural products, we identified tomatidine, an aglycone of tomatine found in tomatoes, as a previously unrecognized senotherapeutic agent. In senescent human brain microvascular endothelial cells and fibroblasts, tomatidine selectively suppressed SASP expression without affecting p16Ink4a or p21Cip1 levels consistent with a senomorphic effect. In aged mice, tomatidine reduced frailty and improved motor coordination and cognitive performance. These functional benefits were accompanied by reduced senescence markers (p16 Ink4a, p21 Cip1, and telomere-associated DNA damage foci) in liver, skin, and hippocampal neurons, along with decreased neuroinflammation and microglial activation. Tomatidine also diminished brain endothelial cell senescence while enhancing tight junction protein expression, suggesting preserved blood–brain barrier integrity. Together, these findings identify tomatidine as a promising senescence-targeting compound with beneficial effects in aged mice and support its further evaluation in mechanistic and translational studies.

Brain scans reveal how a woman voluntarily enters a psychedelic-like trance without drugs

A groundbreaking fMRI study has mapped the exact neural shifts of a self-induced visionary state. Researchers discovered that a woman capable of voluntary trance actively disconnects her sensory networks while boosting internal cognitive control.

Education Research: Validity and Reliability of the Neurophobia-Combined Measure (NCM) in Irish Medical Students

Background and ObjectivesNeurophobia, defined as a fear of neurology and the neurosciences, is a recognized barrier in medical education and clinical practice. It affects one-third of medical students internationally, yet measurement approaches remain…

ADAR1 regulates dsRNA formation in nuclear and mitochondrial transcripts through editing-dependent and —independent mechanisms

We report that the RNA-editing enzyme ADAR1 downregulates nuclear-and mitochondria-encoded double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) to maintain immune homeostasis. ADAR1 employs RNA-editing-dependent and-independent mechanisms to keep dsRNA levels low in cells. Notably, upon ADAR1 loss, mitochondrial dsRNA levels increase and can cause enhanced inflammation upon mitochondrial stress.

Endogenous aldehydes: A driver of clonal hematopoiesis from within?

Detoxification of endogenous aldehydes is critical for preserving genomic integrity in hematopoietic stem cells. In this issue, Kamimae-Lanning et al. show that excess formaldehyde can drive clonal hematopoiesis through attrition of blood-forming progenitors, accelerating neutral drift in the absence of known genetic drivers of positive selection.

/* */