Astrocytes in aging.

The mammalian nervous system is impacted by aging. Aging alters brain architecture, is associated with molecular damage, and can manifest with cognitive and motor deficits that diminish the quality of life. Astrocytes are glial cells of the CNS that regulate the development, function, and repair of neural circuits during development and adulthood; however, their functions in aging are less understood.

Public Health.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been previously associated with an increased risk of developing dementia. Exploring links between MetS, neuroimaging and cognitive function measures can offer insights into whether MetS adversely affects brain health prior to dementia onset. We sought to examine the association of MetS with brain structure and cognition.

Developing Topics.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) might be a modifiable risk factor for dementia. However, the impact of mid-life versus late-life MetS and the duration living with MetS on dementia risk remains underexplored. This study investigated whether the association between MetS and risk of dementia differs across mid-life versus late-life, and to explore how duration of MetS influences this risk.

Tunable Alginate-Polyvinyl Alcohol Bioinks for 3D Printing in Cartilage Tissue Engineering.

This study investigates 3D extrusion bioinks for cartilage tissue engineering by characterizing the physical properties of 3D-printed scaffolds containing varying alginate and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) concentrations. We systematically investigated the effects of increasing PVA and alginate concentrations on swelling, degradation, and the elastic modulus of printed hydrogels. Swelling decreased significantly with increased PVA concentrations, while degradation rates rose with higher PVA concentrations, underscoring the role of PVA in modulating hydrogel matrix stability.