As populations age, understanding cognitive decline and age-related diseases like dementia has become increasingly important. “SuperAgers,” individuals over 65 with cognitive abilities similar to those in their 40s,...
As populations age, understanding cognitive decline and age-related diseases like dementia has become increasingly important. “SuperAgers,” individuals over 65 with cognitive abilities similar to those in their 40s, provide a unique perspective on cognitive reserve. This study analyzed 55 blood biomarkers, including cellular components and metabolism/inflammation-related factors, in 39 SuperAgers and 42 typical agers. While conventional statistical analyses identified significant differences in only four biomarkers, advanced feature selection and machine learning techniques revealed a broader set of 15 key biomarkers associated with SuperAger status. A predictive model built using these biomarkers achieved an accuracy of 76% in cognitive domain prediction. To address the limitation of small sample sizes, data augmentation leveraging large language models improved the model’s robustness. Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) provided interpretability, revealing the impact of specific blood factors on cognitive function. These findings suggest that certain blood biomarkers are not only associated with cognitive performance but may also serve as indicators of cognitive reserve. By utilizing simple blood tests, this research presents a clinically significant method for predicting cognitive function and identifying SuperAger status in healthy elderly individuals, offering a foundation for future studies on the biological mechanisms underpinning cognitive resilience.
A pilot scale (100 l reactor) of an entrapped mixed microbial cell (EMMC) process was fabricated and tested for simultaneous removal of carbon and nitrogen. Process performance, operational stability, and mainten...
A pilot scale (100 l reactor) of an entrapped mixed microbial cell (EMMC) process was fabricated and tested for simultaneous removal of carbon and nitrogen. Process performance, operational stability, and maintenance requirements were all determined. Two sources of actual agricultural processing wastewater containing a high concentration of chemical oxygen demand (COD) (about 800–1,000 mg/l) and domestic sewage containing a low concentration of COD (about 150–200 mg/l) were investigated in this study. Various HRT (hydraulic retention time) and aeration schedules were operated. It was found that soluble COD (SCOD) and soluble total nitrogen (STN) could be removed in the range of 40–70% and 20–90%, respectively, for domestic sewage depending on the operational conditions provided. For agricultural processing wastewater, removal efficiencies of SCOD and STN are 89–91% and 60–75%, respectively, depending on the HRTs and aeration schedules applied. Economic evaluation for the application of domestic sewage was conducted. It was found that at an HRT of 6 h with 24 h of aeration it costs U.S.$1.75 for the treatment of 1,000 gal/day (3.8 m3/day). It is apparent that the EMMC process is technically feasible for simultaneous removal of carbon and nitrogen under the operation of an alternated schedule of the aeration in one single bioreactor. Ultimately, it can replace or upgrade the existing conventional wastewater treatment plant by combining the secondary and tertiary wastewater treatment plant in one bioreactor and provides simple maintenance and operation. This will also assist in providing the high quality of treated effluent meeting current and future environmental regulation for reuse.
Orphan nuclear receptors (NRs), such as COUP-TF1, COUP-TF2, EAR2, TR2 and TR4, are implicated in telomerase-negative cancers that maintain their telomeres through the alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) mechani...
Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells(MSCs)have demonstrated therapeutic efficacy for bone regeneration in animal and clinical *** MSCs were initially thought to differentiate to various cell types to replace the injured/dis...
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Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells(MSCs)have demonstrated therapeutic efficacy for bone regeneration in animal and clinical *** MSCs were initially thought to differentiate to various cell types to replace the injured/diseased tissue,it is now accepted that these cells secrete factors to promote tissue repair.1 Among these factors,small extracellular vesicles(sEVs)of size 50–200 nm,which include the exosomes,have been identified as the principal agent mediating the wide-ranging therapeutic efficacy of MSCs.2 Several studies have also reported the therapeutic effects of MSC-sEVs to enhance bone repair in animal models,as recently reviewed.3 However,the cellular processes and mechanisms mediated by MSC-sEVs in bone regeneration remain to be fully elucidated.
Biomolecular condensates are increasingly recognized as key regulators of chromatin organization, yet how their formation and properties arise from protein sequences remains incompletely understood. Cross-species comp...
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Biomolecular condensates are increasingly recognized as key regulators of chromatin organization, yet how their formation and properties arise from protein sequences remains incompletely understood. Cross-species comparisons can reveal both conserved functions and significant evolutionary differences. Here, we integrate in vitro reconstitution, molecular dynamics simulations, and cell-based assays to examine how Drosophila and human variants of Polyhomeotic (Ph)—a subunit of the PRC1 chromatin regulatory complex—drive condensate formation through their sterile alpha motif (SAM) oligomerization domains. We identify divergent interactions between SAM and the disordered linker connecting it to the rest of Ph. These interactions enhance oligomerization and modulate both the formation and properties of reconstituted condensates. Oligomerization influences condensate dynamics but minimally impacts condensate formation. Linker-SAM interactions also affect condensate formation in Drosophila and human cells and growth in Drosophila imaginal discs. Our findings show how evolutionary changes in disordered linkers can fine-tune condensate properties, providing insights into sequence-function relationships.
We present the theory, design, and proof-of-concept demonstration of a tumor-derived exosome detection platform that enables non-invasive, cost-effective, point-of-care cancer screening. Our platform detects exosomes ...
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We present a non-imaging light-field microscopy method for volume quantification of neural activity in scattering brain tissue. Individual neuron fluorescence is computed directly by independent component identificati...
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