Toggle light / dark theme

Carotenoids Are Associated With A Younger Biological Age

Join us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/MichaelLustgartenPhD

Discount Links/Affiliates:
Blood testing (where I get the majority of my labs): https://www.ultalabtests.com/partners/michaellustgarten.

At-Home Metabolomics: https://www.iollo.com?ref=michael-lustgarten.
Use Code: CONQUERAGING At Checkout.

Clearly Filtered Water Filter: https://get.aspr.app/SHoPY

Epigenetic, Telomere Testing: https://trudiagnostic.com/?irclickid=U-s3Ii2r7xyIU-LSYLyQdQ6…M0&irgwc=1
Use Code: CONQUERAGING

NAD+ Quantification: https://www.jinfiniti.com/intracellular-nad-test/

Turning the gut microbiome into a longevity factory

A team of researchers has found a way to turn the bacteria living in the digestive tracts of animals into factories that can produce compounds that promote longevity in their hosts—showing a potential new drug development strategy.

Janelia Senior Group Leader Meng Wang and her team study longevity and were interested in seeing how they could transfer their research findings about longevity-promoting compounds into practical applications.

One idea they had was to induce the body’s gut microbiota—a collection of bacteria in the gut that produces many different compounds—to produce metabolites that benefit their host animals. They started with one compound, colanic acid, which is generated by bacteria in the gut and had previously been found to promote longevity in roundworms and fruit flies.

Marine bacteria show potent antitumor effects against colorectal cancer

A research team led by Professor Eijiro Miyako at the Graduate School of Advanced Science and Technology, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), has discovered that the marine bacterium Photobacterium angustum demonstrates remarkable therapeutic efficacy against colorectal cancer.

Through screening of multiple marine bacterial strains, the researchers found that P. angustum, in its natural, non-engineered form, selectively accumulates in tumor tissues and induces both direct tumor lysis and robust immune activation.

In mouse models, intravenously administered P. angustum showed high tumor tropism while exhibiting minimal colonization of vital organs except the liver, with no hematological abnormalities or histological toxicity observed.

How the cheese-noodle principle could help counter Alzheimer’s

Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have clarified how spermine—a small molecule that regulates many processes in the body’s cells—can guard against diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s: It renders certain proteins harmless by acting a bit like cheese on noodles, making them clump together. This discovery could help combat such diseases. The study has now been published in the journal Nature Communications.

Our life expectancy keeps rising—and as it does, age-related illnesses, including neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, are becoming increasingly common. These diseases are caused by accumulations in the brain of harmful protein structures consisting of incorrectly folded amyloid proteins. Their shape is reminiscent of fibers or spaghetti. To date, there is no effective therapy to prevent or eliminate such accumulations.

Yet a naturally occurring molecule in the body called spermine offers hope. In experiments, researchers led by study leader Jinghui Luo, in the Center for Life Sciences at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI, have discovered that this substance is capable of extending the lifespan of small nematode worms, improving their mobility in old age, and strengthening the powerhouses of their cells—the mitochondria. Specifically, the researchers observed how spermine helps the body’s immune system eliminate nerve-damaging accumulations of amyloid proteins.

An Autism Epidemic?

The CDC website now says: “The claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim…” Psychologist David Myers from Hope College summarizes the relevant evidence.


You are an educated reader, so I know that you know that vaccines do not cause autism. However, you probably have also read headlines such as the recent U.S. Health and Human Services release, “Autism Epidemic Runs Rampant.”

Investigation of Lung Cancer Cell Response to Cryoablation and Adjunctive Gemcitabine-Based Cryo-Chemotherapy Using the A549 Cell Line

The rising incidence of LC underscores the pressing need for more effective treatment strategies. Cryoablation has emerged as a promising approach for various cancers, including non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) [11,12,24]. A recent meta-analysis by Xu et al. (2023) found that cryoablation for the treatment of NSCLC was superior to radiofrequency ablation, with improved disease-free survival time, along with fewer complications and a significant reduction in recurrence rates [6]. While effective, an understanding of the MLT is necessary to assure that lung cancer destruction remains unknown. Several clinical studies have suggested an MLT in the −20 °C to −35 °C range [24,25,26]. Accordingly, in this study we utilized the A549 cell line as a model to investigate the response of lung adenocarcinoma carcinoma cells to freezing in an effort to identify the MLT. Additionally, we investigated the effect of combining cryoablation with gemcitabine, a standard chemotherapy drug as a potential adjunctive treatment path for NSCLC.

Understanding the MLT is crucial for optimizing cryoablation protocols. While previous studies have investigated MLT for various cancers, defining it for LC remains open due to the complex nature of lung tissue and varying responses to freezing. The results of this study demonstrate that A549 cells were effectively destroyed following a: single freeze ≤−25 °C; repeat freeze to −25 °C; combination treatment with a single freeze ≤−20 °C; and combination treatment with a repeat freeze ≤−15 °C (Figure 1 and Figure 3). Our reported lethal temperature of −25 °C for a repeat 5 min freeze is comparable to other published data [24] as well as other cancer types, which range from −20 °C to −40 °C [18,19,21,33,58]. Further, studies have shown that translation of the MLT as determined in in vitro studies translates well into in vivo application. For instance, Snyder et al.

New drug could prevent diabetes complications not fixed with blood sugar control, study hints

An experimental drug compound could prevent and treat some complications of diabetes, such as poor wound healing and rampant inflammation. And it works regardless of blood sugar control, a new study in mice and human cells suggests.

The cornerstone of diabetes care is keeping blood sugar in check through diet and exercise, by maintaining a healthy weight, and by injecting the hormone insulin to help shuttle glucose out of the bloodstream. But while maintaining blood sugar levels in a target range reduces the chance that diabetes complications will emerge, it doesn’t eliminate the risk.

Functional plasticity of RNA-binding proteins in cancer: both friend and foe

Plasticity of RNA-binding proteins in cancer.

Extensive research has shown that RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) can influence all cancer hallmarks via post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression.

Many RBPs are considered to be prognostic markers in cancer, and are emerging as important targets for therapeutic intervention through the development of drugs targeting RBPs.

Multiple RBPs play contrasting roles across cancer contexts and can facilitate or suppress cancer depending on the type, subtype, or stage of cancer.

The ability of an RBP to bind to a substrate, and the consequences of binding, are highly dependent on cell type-specific modifications of RBPs, their substrates, and interacting regulatory proteins and RNAs. https://www.cell.com/trends/cancer/fulltext/S2405-8033(25)00253-5 https://sciencemission.com/plasticity-of-RBPs-in-cancer


RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) govern RNA-based post-transcriptional processes that generate the abundance and diversity of the proteome. RBPs have recently emerged as crucial cancer regulators that can influence multiple cancer hallmarks. However, many RBPs display remarkable variations across different tumor types and can exert both tumor-promoting and tumor-suppressive effects. These opposing roles are often attributed to context-dependency, but there is a distinct lack of clarity regarding what aspects of cellular context define the differences in the roles of RBPs. Given the recent development of RBP-targeted interventions, resolving this significant gap in the field could improve the selectivity and specificity of RBP biomarkers and therapies in cancer.

Uptake, Adherence, and Attrition in Clinical Trials of Depression and Anxiety Apps: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

A meta-analysis of RCTs found high uptake (92%) but moderate adherence (62%) to mental health apps among participants with depression or anxiety; posttest attrition averaged 18% and follow-up attrition 28%. Trials that included reminders, human contact, and omitted gamification saw lower dropout rates.


Question What are the expected rates of uptake, attrition, and adherence in randomized clinical trials of mental health apps for depression and anxiety?

Findings This systematic review and meta-analysis of 79 randomized trials found high rates of app uptake (94%) and moderate adherence (62%) among participants with depression or anxiety. Posttest attrition averaged 17%, and follow-up attrition was 27%.

Meaning These findings highlight the need to optimize app design and trial protocols to improve engagement and reduce attrition in digital interventions for depression and anxiety.

/* */