EMBO J. 2025 Apr 7. doi: 10.1038/s44318-025-00423-2. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Cholesteryl esters (CEs) and triacylglycerols (TAGs) are stored in lipid droplets (LDs), but their compartmentalisation is not well understood. Here, we established a hyperspectral stimulated Raman scattering microscopy system to identify and quantitatively assess CEs and TAGs in individual LDs of human cells. We found that nuclear envelope-associated lipid droplets (NE-LDs) were enriched in cholesteryl esters compared to lipid droplets in the cytoplasm. Correlative light-volume-electron microscopy revealed that NE-LDs projected towards the cytoplasm and associated with type II nuclear envelope (NE) invaginations. The nuclear envelope localization of sterol O-acyltransferase 1 (SOAT1) contributed to NE-LD generation, as trapping of SOAT1 to the NE further increased their number. Upon stimulation by the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNFα, the number of NE-LDs moderately increased. Moreover, TNFα-induced NF-κB nuclear translocation was fine-tuned by SOAT1: increased SOAT1 activity and NE-LDs associated with faster NF-κB translocation, whereas reduced SOAT1 activity and NE-LDs associated with slower NF-κB translocation. Our findings suggest that the NE is enriched in CEs and that cholesterol esterification can modulate nuclear translocation.

PMID:40195500 | DOI:10.1038/s44318-025-00423-2

Nat Commun. 2025 Apr 7;16(1):3290. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-57982-5.

ABSTRACT

One of Earth's largest carbon fluxes is driven by particles made from photosynthetically fixed matter, which aggregate and sink into the deep ocean. While biodegradation is known to reduce this vertical flux, the biophysical processes that control particle sinking speed are not well understood. Here, we use a vertical millifluidic column to video-track single particles and find that biogels scavenged by particles during sinking significantly reduce the particles' sinking speed, slowing them by up to 45% within one day. Combining observations with a mathematical model, we determine that the mechanism for this slowdown is a combination of increased drag due to the formation of biogel tendrils and increased buoyancy due to the biogel's low density. Because biogels are pervasive in the ocean, we propose that by slowing the sinking of organic particles they attenuate the vertical carbon flux in the ocean.

PMID:40195314 | DOI:10.1038/s41467-025-57982-5

Nat Commun. 2025 Apr 7;16(1):3318. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-58485-z.

ABSTRACT

Genetically encoded calcium ion (Ca2+) indicators (GECIs) are widely-used molecular tools for functional imaging of Ca2+ dynamics and neuronal activities with single-cell resolution. Here we report the design and development of two far-red fluorescent GECIs, FR-GECO1a and FR-GECO1c, based on the monomeric far-red fluorescent proteins mKelly1 and mKelly2. FR-GECOs have excitation and emission maxima at ~596 nm and ~644 nm, respectively, display large responses to Ca2+ in vitro (ΔF/F0 = 6 for FR-GECO1a, 18 for FR-GECO1c), are bright under both one-photon and two-photon illumination, and have high affinities (apparent Kd = 29 nM for FR-GECO1a, 83 nM for FR-GECO1c) for Ca2+. FR-GECOs offer sensitive and fast detection of single action potentials in neurons, and enable in vivo all-optical manipulation and measurement of cellular activities in combination with optogenetic actuators.

PMID:40195305 | DOI:10.1038/s41467-025-58485-z

PLoS Comput Biol. 2025 Apr 7;21(4):e1012972. doi: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012972. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Metabolites acting as substrates and regulators of all biochemical reactions play an important role in maintaining the functionality of cellular metabolism. Despite advances in the constraint-based framework for metabolic modeling at a genome-scale, we lack reliable proxies for metabolite concentrations that can be efficiently determined and that allows us to investigate the relationship between concentrations of metabolites in specified metabolic states in the absence of measurements. Here, we introduce a constraint-based approach, the flux-sum coupling analysis (FSCA), which facilitates the study of the interdependencies between metabolite concentrations by determining coupling relationships based on the flux-sum of metabolites. Application of FSCA on metabolic models of Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Arabidopsis thaliana showed that the three coupling relations are present in all models and pinpointed similarities in coupled metabolite pairs. Using the available concentration measurements of E. coli metabolites, we demonstrated that the coupling relationships identified by FSCA can capture the qualitative associations between metabolite concentrations and that flux-sum is a reliable proxy for metabolite concentration. Therefore, FSCA provides a novel tool for exploring and understanding the intricate interdependencies between the concentration of metabolites, advancing the understanding of metabolic regulation, and improving flux-centered systems biology approaches.

PMID:40193389 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012972

Expert Rev Mol Diagn. 2025 Apr 7. doi: 10.1080/14737159.2025.2482639. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer remains a major global health challenge. While advances in precision oncology have contributed to improvements in patient outcomes and provided a deeper understanding of the biological mechanisms that drive the disease, historically, research and patients' allocation to treatment have heavily relied on single-omic approaches, analyzing individual molecular dimensions such as genomics, transcriptomics, or proteomics. While these have provided deep insights into breast cancer biology, they often fail to offer a complete understanding of the disease's complex molecular landscape.

AREAS COVERED: In this review, the authors explore the recent advancements in multi-omic research in the realm of breast cancer and using clinical data show how multi-omic integration can offer a more holistic understanding of the molecular alterations and their functional consequences underlying breast cancer.

EXPERT OPINION: The overall developments in multi-omic research and AI are expected to complement precision diagnostics through potentially refining prognostic models, and treatment selection. Overcoming challenges such as cost, data complexity, and lack of standardization is crucial for unlocking the full potential of multi-omics and AI in breast cancer patient care to enable the advancement of personalized treatments and improve patient outcomes.

PMID:40193192 | DOI:10.1080/14737159.2025.2482639

Phys Rev Lett. 2025 Mar 21;134(11):118402. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.118402.

ABSTRACT

When cell sheets fold during development, their apical or basal surfaces constrict and cell shapes approach the geometric singularity in which these surfaces vanish. Here, we reveal the mechanical consequences of this geometric singularity for tissue folding in a minimal vertex model of an epithelial monolayer. In simulations of the buckling of the epithelium under compression and numerical solutions of the corresponding continuum model, we discover an "unbuckling" bifurcation: at large compression, the buckling amplitude can decrease with increasing compression. By asymptotic solution of the continuum equations, we reveal that this bifurcation comes with a large stiffening of the epithelium. Our results thus provide the mechanical basis for absorption of compressive stresses by tissue folds such as the cephalic furrow during germband extension in Drosophila.

PMID:40192356 | DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.118402

Elife. 2025 Apr 7;13:RP102819. doi: 10.7554/eLife.102819.

ABSTRACT

The formation of the mammalian brain requires regionalization and morphogenesis of the cranial neural plate, which transforms from an epithelial sheet into a closed tube that provides the structural foundation for neural patterning and circuit formation. Sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling is important for cranial neural plate patterning and closure, but the transcriptional changes that give rise to the spatially regulated cell fates and behaviors that build the cranial neural tube have not been systematically analyzed. Here, we used single-cell RNA sequencing to generate an atlas of gene expression at six consecutive stages of cranial neural tube closure in the mouse embryo. Ordering transcriptional profiles relative to the major axes of gene expression predicted spatially regulated expression of 870 genes along the anterior-posterior and mediolateral axes of the cranial neural plate and reproduced known expression patterns with over 85% accuracy. Single-cell RNA sequencing of embryos with activated SHH signaling revealed distinct SHH-regulated transcriptional programs in the developing forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain, suggesting a complex interplay between anterior-posterior and mediolateral patterning systems. These results define a spatiotemporally resolved map of gene expression during cranial neural tube closure and provide a resource for investigating the transcriptional events that drive early mammalian brain development.

PMID:40192104 | DOI:10.7554/eLife.102819

Oncol Res. 2025 Mar 19;33(4):821-836. doi: 10.32604/or.2024.053772. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

Immunotherapies have demonstrated notable clinical benefits in the treatment of cervical cancer (CC). However, the development of therapeutic resistance and diverse adverse effects in immunotherapy stem from complex interactions among biological processes and factors within the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). Advanced omic technologies offer novel insights into a more expansive and thorough layer of the TIME. Furthermore, integrating multidimensional omics within the frameworks of systems biology and computational methodologies facilitates the generation of interpretable data outputs to characterize the clinical and biological trajectories of tumor behavior. In this review, we present advanced omics technologies that utilize various clinical samples to address scientific inquiries related to immunotherapies for CC, highlighting their utility in identifying metastasis dissemination, recurrence risk, and therapeutic resistance in patients treated with immunotherapeutic approaches. This review elaborates on the strategy for integrating multi-omics data through artificial intelligence algorithms. Additionally, an analysis of the obstacles encountered in the multi-omics analysis process and potential avenues for future research in this domain are presented.

PMID:40191729 | PMC:PMC11964870 | DOI:10.32604/or.2024.053772

Front Genet. 2025 Mar 21;16:1543056. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2025.1543056. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Rapid advances in personalized medicine and direct-to-consumer genomic applications could increase the risk that physicians will apply genomic results inappropriately. To address a persistent lack of understanding of genomics, we implemented a pathology-supported genetic testing (PSGT) approach, guided by insights from a clinician needs assessment conducted in 2010.

METHODS: Findings from the previous clinician survey were used to develop a new patient screening tool that integrates non-communicable disease (NCD) and post-COVID-19 care pathways. In parallel to the application of this solution for stratification of patients in different treatment groups, an updated version of the original survey questionnaire was used to reassess the knowledge and willingness of healthcare professionals to apply PSGT.

RESULTS: Thirty-six respondents completed the revised needs assessment survey in October 2022, while attending a genomics session at the Annual General Practitioner Congress, Stellenbosch University, South Africa. Nearly 89% of the respondents reported having insufficient knowledge to offer genetic testing; 80% were supportive of using PSGT to differentiate inherited from lifestyle- or therapy-associated NCDs and 83.3% supported integrating wellness screening with genetic testing to identify high-risk individuals.

DISCUSSION: It appears that while clinicians are interested in learning about genomics, they continue to report significant knowledge deficits in this area, highlighting the need for targeted clinician training and tools like multidisciplinary NCD-COVID pathway analysis to improve clinical decision-making. The co-development of a genomic counseling report for ongoing studies, guided the selection of Long COVID patients for whole-genome sequencing across the illness and wellness domains.

PMID:40191609 | PMC:PMC11970434 | DOI:10.3389/fgene.2025.1543056

NAR Genom Bioinform. 2025 Apr 4;7(2):lqaf031. doi: 10.1093/nargab/lqaf031. eCollection 2025 Jun.

ABSTRACT

Defective interfering particles (DIPs) are viral deletion mutants that hamper virus replication and are, thus, potent novel antiviral agents. To evaluate possible antiviral treatments, we first need to get a deeper understanding of DIP characteristics. Thus, we performed a meta-analysis of 20 already published sequencing datasets of influenza A and B viruses (IAV and IBV) from in vivo and in vitro experiments. We analyzed each dataset for characteristics, such as deletion-containing viral genome (DelVG) length distributions, direct repeats, and nucleotide enrichment at the deletion site. Our analysis suggests differences in the length of the 3'- and 5'-end retained in IAV and IBV viral sequences upon deletion. Moreover, in vitro DelVGs tend to be shorter than those in vivo, which is a novel finding with potential implications for future DIP treatment design. Additionally, our analysis demonstrates the presence of DelVGs with longer than expected sequences, possibly related to an alternative mechanism of DelVG formation. Finally, a joint ranking of DelVGs originating from 7 A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 datasets revealed 11 highly abundant, yet unnoticed, candidates. Together, our study highlights the importance of meta-analyses to uncover yet unknown DelVG characteristics and to pre-select candidates for antiviral treatment design.

PMID:40191586 | PMC:PMC11970370 | DOI:10.1093/nargab/lqaf031

Front Psychol. 2025 Mar 21;16:1587001. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1587001. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1548905.].

PMID:40191577 | PMC:PMC11970553 | DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1587001

Front Psychol. 2025 Feb 19;16:1548905. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1548905. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of time-out on power-play outcomes both in elite senior and youth matches and in relation to final (margin of victory, MoV) and current (margin of advantage, MoA) match scores (i.e., winning in unbalanced games, MW; winning-draw-losing in close games, W-D-L; losing in unbalanced games, ML).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 97 (seniors, n = 50; youth, n = 47) European Championship matches were analyzed, comparing power-plays preceded or not by a time-out in relation to the following offensive indicators: goal, exclusion, penalty, and no-goal.

RESULTS: The results reported that both senior and youth levels have been characterized by better power-play outcomes without time-out (higher goals scored: senior, p ≤ 0.01, youth, p ≤ 0.001; and lower "no goal" events: p ≤ 0.01, youth, p ≤ 0.01). Similar trends were observed with respect to the MoV. Specifically, in senior close games, there were both significantly higher goals scored (p ≤ 0.05) and fewer 'no goal' events (p ≤ 0.05), and these patterns were also evident among youth losing teams in unbalanced games. Differently, for MoA, both higher goals scored (p ≤ 0.01) and lower "no goal" events (p ≤ 0.01) emerged for senior losing teams in unbalanced games and youth close games (higher goals scored, p ≤ 0.01; and lower "no goal" events, p ≤ 0.05).

DISCUSSION: Therefore, the present study demonstrated that time-out tends to limit the success of the following power-play action and that MoV and MoA approaches do not overlap. As a consequence, coaches could benefit from these findings by being more aware of the actual time-out consequences on the following power-play as well as their defensive potentialities when the opponents call time-out.

PMID:40191572 | PMC:PMC11970554 | DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1548905

Res Pharm Sci. 2025 Feb 20;20(1):121-141. doi: 10.4103/RPS.RPS_128_23. eCollection 2025 Feb.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Colorectal cancer (CRC) holds the position of being the third most prevalent cancer and the second primary cause of cancer-related fatalities on a global scale. Approximately 65% of CRC patients survive for 5 years following diagnosis. Metastasis and recurrence frequently occur in half of CRC patients diagnosed at the late stage. This study used bioinformatics analysis to identify key signaling pathways, hub genes, transcription factors, and protein kinases involved in transforming primary CRC with liver metastasis potential. Prognostic markers in CRC were also identified.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: The GSE81582 dataset was re-analyzed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in early CRC compared to non-tumoral tissues. A protein interaction network (PIN) was constructed, revealing significant modules and hub genes. Prognostic markers, transcription factors, and protein kinases were determined. Boxplot and gene set enrichment analyses were performed.

FINDINGS/RESULTS: This study identified 1113 DEGs in primary CRC compared to healthy controls. PIN analysis revealed 75 hub genes and 8 significant clusters associated with early CRC. The down-regulation of SUCLG2 and KPNA2 correlated with poor prognosis. SIN3A and CDK6 played crucial roles in early CRC transformation, affecting rRNA processing pathways.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: This study demonstrated several pathways, biological processes, and genes mediating the malignant transformation of healthy colorectal tissues to primary CRC and may help the prognosis and treatment of patients with early CRC.

PMID:40190820 | PMC:PMC11972027 | DOI:10.4103/RPS.RPS_128_23

J Sci Med Sport. 2025 Mar 14:S1440-2440(25)00067-2. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2025.03.004. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the effects of different PA intensities during active learning on cognitive performance and physical fitness in preschool children.

DESIGN: Cluster randomized controlled trial.

METHODS: Four classrooms (n = 99 children aged 3-6 years) were randomly allocated to two intervention groups that performed either light PA (LPA, n = 26) or moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA, n = 25) during foreign language (English) lessons, or to a control group (n = 48) that maintained their usual sedentary lessons. The intervention consisted of two 45-min lessons per week and was performed over a 10-week period. Children's PA levels and intensity during sessions were assessed through accelerometry. Primary outcomes included the retention of foreign language vocabulary (free- and cued-recall tests), cognitive performance (BENCI battery), and physical fitness (PREFIT battery).

RESULTS: Both LPA and particularly MVPA groups resulted in greater total PA levels and intensity compared with the control group (p < 0.001) and provided significantly larger benefits in the free-recall test and verbal memory (all p < 0.05 compared to the control group). Additionally, MVPA group provided larger benefits in the free- and cued-recall tests, speed agility and cardiorespiratory fitness (all p < 0.05 compared to LPA).

CONCLUSIONS: Physically active learning appears as an effective strategy for enhancing foreign language vocabulary, cognitive performance, and physical fitness in preschool children. Increasing PA intensity seems to maximize these benefits.

PMID:40189956 | DOI:10.1016/j.jsams.2025.03.004

J Chem Theory Comput. 2025 Apr 6. doi: 10.1021/acs.jctc.5c00121. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

We have developed and tested an absolute free energy perturbation (FEP) protocol, which combines all-atom molecular dynamics, replica exchange with solute tempering (REST) enhanced sampling, and a spherical harmonic restraint applied to a ligand. Our objective was to compute the binding free energy together with the underlying binding mechanism for a ligand, which binds diffusively to a protein. Such ligands represent nearly impossible targets for traditional FEP simulations. To test our FEP/REST protocol, we selected a conserved motif peptide KKPK termed minNLS from the nuclear localization signal sequence of the Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus capsid protein. This peptide fragment binds diffusively to importin-α transport protein without forming well-defined poses. Our FEP/REST simulations with a spherical restraint provided a converged estimate of minNLS binding free energy. We found that minNLS binds with moderate affinity to importin-α utilizing an unusual, purely entropic mechanism in which binding free energy is determined by favorable entropic gain. For this cationic minNLS peptide, a favorable binding entropic gain is primarily associated with the release of water from the solvation shells of charged amino acids. We demonstrated that FEP/REST simulations sample the KKPK bound ensemble well, allowing us to characterize the distribution of bound structures, binding interactions, and locations on the importin-α surface. Analysis of experimental studies offered support to our rationale behind the KKPK entropic binding mechanism.

PMID:40189800 | DOI:10.1021/acs.jctc.5c00121

World J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2025 Apr 7;41(4):127. doi: 10.1007/s11274-025-04350-6.

ABSTRACT

Rhodococcus sp. DK17 has been previously isolated from oil-contaminated soil and studied for its ability to degrade various monocyclic alkylbenzenes. This study investigated the decomposition of kraft lignin (genes, enzymes, and metabolic pathways) by DK17, using whole-genome sequencing data, as a potential biocatalyst for biotechnological lignin valorization. DK17 used kraft lignin and its main degradative metabolites, such as vanillin and vanillic acid, as growth substrates. High-performance liquid chromatography revealed that DK17 converted dehydrodivanillin (a representative lignin model compound). Quantitative polymerase chain reaction of mRNAs from DK17 cells induced in the presence of lignin showed that the putative genes coding for two copies of dye-decolorizing peroxidases (dypB1 and dypB2) were upregulated 1.6- and 2.4-fold after 5 and 24 h of induction, respectively, compared with glucose-induced cells. Vanillic acid induced dypB1 and dypB2 at lower levels than lignin by 1.4- and 1.6-fold after 5 and 24 h of induction, respectively. Computational homology analysis using the DypB1 and DypB2 protein sequences also predicted their initial roles in lignin decomposition. The duplicated dyp genes are believed to allow DK17 to achieve prolonged and continuous initial lignin decomposition, cleaving C-C and C-O-C linkages in the main lignin structure, the arylglycerol-β-aryl ether. Based on the above data, DK17 appears to initiate oxidative lignin decomposition using DyPs, producing smaller metabolites, such as vanillin and vanillic acid, which could be accumulated as value-added bioproducts (in metabolically engineered mutant strains) or further degraded for cell growth (in wild-type strains) via an ortho-ring cleavage pathway.

PMID:40189716 | DOI:10.1007/s11274-025-04350-6

Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 6;15(1):11789. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-95537-2.

ABSTRACT

Nutraceuticals exert a series of health benefits, including protection against cardiovascular diseases. In this study, naringin, naringenin, and quercetin were tested for their safety and efficacy in ameliorating angiotensin (Ang) II-induced cardiac hypertrophy through carbonic anhydrase II (CA-II) inhibition. In silico molecular docking and MD simulations exhibited that naringin strongly binds CA-II with a docking score of -9.55 kcal/mol and hydrogen bonding energy of -6.07 kcal/mol. Naringin formed stable hydrogen bond interactions with Asn62, Trp5, and N-acetyl His4 via catalytic water molecule, and a continuous interaction via major water bridge with N-acetyl His4, His4, and Trp5. Moreover, naringin effectively inhibited CA-II activity with an IC50 value of 82.99 ± 4.92 nM, followed by naringenin and quercetin. Of note, all the tested nutraceuticals were found to be safe as evident from the cell viability assays. Further, naringin effectively attenuated cardiac hypertrophy, as indicated by the reductions in the Ang II-induced increases in cell surface area of H9c2 cardio myoblasts (165.6 ± 1.26% Ang II vs. 109.8 ± 1.88% Ang II + naringin), followed by naringenin and quercetin. Furthermore, naringin significantly inhibited CA-II activity (191.77 ± 7.69% Ang II vs. 120.16 ± 5.52% Ang II + naringin) and suppressed Ang II-induced CA-II and Na+/H+ exchanger 1 (NHE1) protein expression. Besides, naringin suppressed Ang II-induced CA-II, NHE1, Na+/Ca2+ exchanger 1 (NCX1), and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE1) mRNA expression. Collectively, naringin when compared to naringenin and quercetin effectively attenuated Ang II-induced cardio myoblast hypertrophy, CA-II activity, CA-II, and NHE1 expression. The naringin-mediated attenuation of cardiac hypertrophy might be through the inhibition of CA-II enzyme activity, and the suppression of NHE1, and NCX1.

PMID:40189613 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-95537-2

Nat Commun. 2025 Apr 6;16(1):3284. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-58656-y.

ABSTRACT

To thrive in extreme conditions, organisms have evolved a diverse arsenal of adaptations that confer resilience. These species, their traits, and the mechanisms underlying them comprise a valuable resource that can be mined for numerous conceptual insights and applied objectives. One of the most dramatic adaptations to water limitation is desiccation tolerance. Understanding the mechanisms underlying desiccation tolerance has important potential implications for medicine, biotechnology, agriculture, and conservation. However, progress has been hindered by a lack of standardization across sub-disciplines, complicating the integration of data and slowing the translation of basic discoveries into practical applications. Here, we synthesize current knowledge on desiccation tolerance across evolutionary, ecological, physiological, and cellular scales to provide a roadmap for advancing desiccation tolerance research. We also address critical gaps and technical roadblocks, highlighting the need for standardized experimental practices, improved taxonomic sampling, and the development of new tools for studying biology in a dry state. We hope that this perspective can serve as a roadmap to accelerating research breakthroughs and unlocking the potential of desiccation tolerance to address global challenges related to climate change, food security, and health.

PMID:40189591 | DOI:10.1038/s41467-025-58656-y

BMC Biol. 2025 Apr 7;23(1):92. doi: 10.1186/s12915-025-02188-w.

ABSTRACT

When applied to vertebrate vocalizations, source-filter theory, initially developed for human speech, has revolutionized our understanding of animal communication, resulting in major insights into the form and function of animal sounds. However, animal calls and human nonverbal vocalizations can differ qualitatively from human speech, often having more chaotic and higher-frequency sources, making formant measurement challenging. We review the considerable achievements of the "formant revolution" in animal vocal communication research, then highlight several important methodological problems in formant analysis. We offer concrete recommendations for effectively applying source-filter theory to non-speech vocalizations and discuss promising avenues for future research in this area.Brief Formants (vocal tract resonances) play key roles in animal communication, offering researchers exciting promise but also potential pitfalls.

PMID:40189499 | DOI:10.1186/s12915-025-02188-w

Age Ageing. 2025 Mar 28;54(4):afaf082. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afaf082.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Hospitalisation often results in adverse effects in older adults, particularly an increased risk of functional and cognitive decline. Although in-hospital exercise interventions have shown benefits, their impact on intrinsic capacity (IC) remains unknown.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of multicomponent exercise training on IC in acutely hospitalised older adults.

DESIGN: Pooled analysis of two randomised clinical trials.

SETTING: Three Acute Care for Elders units.

SUBJECTS: Hospitalised older adults (≥75 years).

METHODS: The control group received standard care, whereas the exercise group participated in an in-hospital multicomponent exercise program. The primary outcome was IC assessed using a composite score (0-100) across five domains: vitality (handgrip strength), cognition (Mini-Mental State Examination), psychological health (Yesavage Geriatric Depression Scale), locomotion (Short Physical Performance Battery) and sensory function (self-reported vision and hearing). Adverse outcomes were evaluated 1 year after discharge, including emergency visits, hospital re-admission and mortality.

RESULTS: A total of 570 patients (age 87.3 ± 4.8 years) were enrolled during acute hospitalisation [median duration 8 (interquartile range = 3) days] and randomised to the exercise (n = 288) or control group (n = 282). The exercise intervention significantly improved IC compared to the control group [7.74 points, 95% confidence interval (CI) 6.45-9.03, P < .001], with benefits observed in all IC domains. IC score at discharge was inversely associated with mortality risk during follow-up (OR = 0.98 per each increase in IC score at discharge, 95% CI = 0.96, 0.99, P = .010), although no association was found with emergency visits (P = .866) or re-admissions (P = .567).

CONCLUSIONS: In-hospital exercise is an effective strategy to enhance IC in hospitalised older adults. Additionally, the IC score at discharge was inversely related to the mortality risk within 1 year of discharge.

PMID:40188489 | DOI:10.1093/ageing/afaf082