People with impaired kidney function have higher levels of Alzheimer’s biomarkers in their blood, but not an increased risk of dementia, according to a study published in Neurology.
The study does not prove that poor kidney function causes higher levels of Alzheimer’s biomarkers in the blood, it only shows an association.
Kidneys remove waste and toxins from the blood, which are then excreted in urine.
Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory condition of the periodontal tissues, encompassing pathologies such as gingivitis and periodontitis. It has been shown that these conditions not only lead to localized inflammation but also have systemic effects on overall health. Recent studies have strongly suggested a link between periodontal disease and chronic systemic diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases. Among these, endothelial function plays a crucial role in cardiovascular health, and endothelial dysfunction has been reported to contribute to the development of atherosclerosis, hypertension, and coronary artery disease. Endothelial function refers to the ability of endothelial cells to regulate vasodilation and vasoconstriction, primarily through the production and release of nitric oxide.
Iron-on patches can repair clothing or add personal flair to backpacks and hats. And now they could power wearable tech, too. Researchers reporting in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces have combined liquid metal and a heat-activated adhesive to create an electrically conductive patch that bonds to fabric when heated with a hot iron. In demonstrations, circuits ironed onto a square of fabric lit up LEDs and attached an iron-on microphone to a button-up shirt.
“E-textiles and wearable electronics can enable diverse applications from health care and environmental monitoring to robotics and human-machine interfaces. Our work advances this exciting area by creating iron-on soft electronics that can be rapidly and robustly integrated into a wide range of fabrics,” says Michael D. Bartlett, a researcher at Virginia Tech and corresponding author on the study.
Detailed mapping of CD4⁺ T cells from children with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has revealed distinct immune cell subsets with likely roles in disease pathogenesis, according to a study led by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators. The findings are poised to redirect lupus research and open the door to more precise therapies that avoid broad immune suppression.
Published in Nature Immunology, the study used single-cell RNA sequencing to profile CD4⁺ T-cell subtypes from children with SLE and healthy controls. Although CD4⁺ T cells have long been implicated in lupus, their full diversity and the identity of disease-driving subsets had not been fully defined. The authors note that the results likely apply not only to pediatric lupus but also to adult disease.
“Modulation of a particular CD4⁺ T-cell subset called Th10 might be a good strategy for treating patients with lupus, and we are following up with that goal in mind,” said study co–senior author Dr. Virginia Pascual, the Ronay Menschel Professor of Pediatrics and Gale and Ira Drukier Director of Children’s Health Research at Weill Cornell Medicine.
Key findings from the study include:
Researchers have developed a new approach for identifying individuals with skin cancer that combines genetic ancestry, lifestyle and social determinants of health using a machine learning model. Their model, more accurate than existing approaches, also helped the researchers better characterize disparities in skin cancer risk and outcomes.
Skin cancer is among the most common cancers in the United States, with more than 9,500 new cases diagnosed every day and approximately two deaths from skin cancer occurring every hour. One important component of reducing the burden of skin cancer is risk prediction, which utilizes technology and patient information to help doctors decide which individuals should be prioritized for cancer screening.
Traditional risk prediction tools, such as risk calculators based on family history, skin type and sun exposure, have historically performed best in people of European ancestry because they are more represented in the data used to develop these models. This leaves significant gaps in early detection for other populations, particularly those with darker skin, who are less likely to be of European ancestry. As a result, skin cancer in people of non-European ancestry is frequently diagnosed at later stages when it is more difficult to treat. As a consequence of later stage detection, people of non-European ancestry also tend to have worse overall outcomes from skin cancer.
Real-time MRI-guided ventricular ablation was demonstrated as a technically feasible and safe approach, providing precise cardiac visualization without radiation.
This case report demonstrates the technical feasibility and safety of the first-in-human real-time magnetic resonance (MR)–guided radiofrequency ventricular ablation procedure for outflow tract premature ventricular complexes.
The Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Sarafan ChEM-H, and Stanford Bio-X have awarded $1.24 million in grants to five innovative, interdisciplinary, and collaborative research projects at the intersection of neuroscience and synthetic biology.
The emerging field of synthetic neuroscience aims to leverage the precision tools of synthetic biology — like gene editing, protein engineering, and the design of biological circuits — to manipulate and understand neural systems at unprecedented levels. By creating custom-made biological components and integrating them with neural networks, synthetic neuroscience offers new ways to explore brain function, develop novel therapies for neurological disorders, and even design biohybrid systems that could one day allow brains to interface seamlessly with technology.
“The ongoing revolution in synthetic biology is allowing us to create powerful new molecular tools for biological science and clinical translation,” said Kang Shen, Vincent V.C. Woo Director of the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute. “With these awards, we wanted to bring the Stanford neuroscience community together to capitalize on this pivotal moment, focusing the power of cutting-edge synthetic biology on advancing our understanding of the nervous system — and its potential to promote human health and wellbeing.”