Single-particle tracking reveals heterogeneous PIEZO1 diffusion.

The mechanically-activated ion channel PIEZO1 is critical to numerous physiological processes, and is activated by diverse mechanical cues. The channel is gated by membrane tension and has been found to be mobile in the plasma membrane. We employed single particle tracking (SPT) of endogenous, tdTomato-tagged PIEZO1 using Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy in live cells.

Targeting ultra-processed foods for prevention of type 2 diabetes: state of the evidence and future directions.

The incidence of type 2 diabetes has risen globally, in parallel with the obesity epidemic and environments promoting a sedentary lifestyle and low-quality diet. There has been scrutiny of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) as a driver of type 2 diabetes, underscored by their increasing availability and intake worldwide, across countries of all incomes. This narrative review addresses the accumulated evidence from investigations of the trends in UPF consumption and the relationship with type 2 diabetes incidence.

Sugar-sweetened or artificially sweetened beverage consumption, physical activity and risk of type 2 diabetes in US adults.

Aims/hypothesis: A positive association between sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and diabetes risk has been shown, with inconsistent evidence between artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) and diabetes. Moreover, it is uncertain if physical activity can mitigate the negative effects of these beverages on diabetes development. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the independent and joint associations between SSB or ASB consumption and physical activity on the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Quantitative insights into the mechanism of proton conduction and selectivity for the human voltage-gated proton channel Hv1.

Human voltage-gated proton (hHv1) channels are crucial for regulating essential biological processes such as immune cell respiratory burst, sperm capacitation, and cancer cell migration. Despite the significant concentration difference between protons and other ions in physiological conditions, hHv1 demonstrates remarkable proton selectivity. Our calculations of single-proton, cation, and anion permeation free energy profiles quantitatively demonstrate that the proton selectivity of the wild-type channel originates from its strong proton affinity via the titration of the key residues D112 and D174, although the channel imposes similar kinetic blocking effects for protons compared to other ions.

Integration of epidemiological and blood biomarker analysis links haem iron intake to increased type 2 diabetes risk.

Dietary haem iron intake is linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D), but the underlying plasma biomarkers are not well understood. We analysed data from 204,615 participants (79% females) in three large US cohorts over up to 36 years, examining the associations between iron intake and T2D risk. We also assessed plasma metabolic biomarkers and metabolomic profiles in subsets of 37,544 (82% females) and 9,024 (84% females) participants, respectively.

Molecular Dynamics Simulations of the Eye Lens Water Channel Aquaporin 0 from Fish.

Aquaporin 0 (AQP0) plays a key role in water circulation in the eye lens through a variety of functions. In contrast to mammalian genomes, zebrafish contains two genes leading to a separation of AQP0 multiple functions between the two gene products, Aqp0a and Aqp0b. A notable feature of the zebrafish AQP0 paralogs is the increased water permeability of Aqp0b relative to Aqp0a as well as a severa lfold increase relative to mammalian AQP0.

Associations Between Food Insecurity and Diet Quality Among Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Trainees in the Health Sciences at a Private University in Boston: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Food insecurity is a pivotal determinant of health outcomes. Little evidence exists on the association between food insecurity and health behaviors and outcomes, including diet quality, among graduate students or postdoctoral trainees.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the association between food insecurity and diet quality among graduate students and postdoctoral trainees at 3 health-focused graduate schools (public health, medical, and dental medicine) within Harvard University.

Invited commentary: five hundred twenty-five thousand, six hundred calories, how do you measure diet in a year?

Nearly 4 decades after its landmark validation study, researchers undertook a major comprehensive reevaluation of the semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Although it has evolved with trends in science and our expanding food environment, this FFQ has been administered continuously to over 250,000 US cohort participants for several decades and has contributed enormously to our understanding of the role long-term diet plays in health and disease across the lifespan. Nonetheless, it is critical that the field takes time to validate, recalibrate, and reassure researchers that the FFQ continues to generate useful estimates of dietary intake.

Plasma metabolites of a healthy lifestyle in relation to mortality and longevity: Four prospective US cohort studies.

Background: A healthy lifestyle is associated with a lower premature mortality risk and with longer life expectancy. However, the metabolic pathways of a healthy lifestyle and how they relate to mortality and longevity are unclear. We aimed to identify and replicate a healthy lifestyle metabolomic signature and examine how it is related to total and cause-specific mortality risk and longevity.

Multiscale Molecular Dynamics Simulations of an Active Self-Assembling Material.

Inspired by the adaptability observed in biological materials, self-assembly processes have attracted significant interest for their potential to yield novel materials with unique properties. However, experimental methods have often fallen short in capturing the molecular details of the assembly process. In this study, we employ a multiscale molecular dynamics simulation approach, complemented by NMR quantification, to investigate the mechanism of self-assembly in a redox-fueled bioinspired system.