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This research investigated the connection between the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) and the risk of all-cause mortality in adults with coronary heart disease (CHD) using data from a national health survey. The study found that higher DII scores, indicating a more pro-inflammatory diet, were associated with a greater risk of death in these patients. Notably, this association appeared stronger in women with CHD. The findings suggest that managing dietary inflammation could be an important factor in improving outcomes for individuals with CHD, particularly for females. However, due to the study's design, further research is needed to confirm a direct cause-and-effect relationship.

Research paper:

Wang, E., Fang, C., Zhang, J. et al. Association between dietary inflammatory index and all-cause mortality risk in adults with coronary heart disease in the United States. Sci Rep 14, 23998 (2024).

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This research investigated the durability of SARS-CoV-2 specific plasma cells generated after mRNA vaccination by examining bone marrow samples. The study found that, unlike influenza and tetanus, SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody secreting cells were largely absent from the long-lived plasma cell compartment in the bone marrow up to 33 months post-vaccination. Consequently, the waning of SARS-CoV-2 serum antibodies observed after vaccination could be attributed to this lack of establishment in the long lived compartment. The findings suggest that mRNA vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 do not induce the same durable plasma cell response in bone marrow as traditional vaccines, offering a potential explanation for the relatively short-livedprotection against infection. This highlights the need for strategies to improve the longevity of antibody responses elicited by SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.

Research paper:

Nguyen, D.C., Hentenaar, I.T., Morrison-Porter, A. et al. SARS CoV-2-specific plasma cells are not durably established in the bone marrow long-lived compartment after mRNA vaccination. Nat Med 31, 235–244 (2025).

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This research introduces a novel biosensing strategy using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for the multiplexed detection of serum cardiac markers, crucial for diagnosing acute myocardial infarction. The method employs a specially designed plasmonic metasurface with enhanced electric and magnetic fields to improve SERS signal consistency. Furthermore, it utilises nanomechanical perturbations to transduce signals as frequency shifts, overcoming limitations associated with SERS intensity fluctuations. By integrating this metasurface with 3D-printed microfluidics, the study demonstrates a single-antibody-based assay capable of simultaneously and specifically detecting multiple cardiac biomarkers in serum samples, presenting a significant advancement in quantitative optical diagnostics.

Research paper:

P. Zheng, L. Wu, P. Raj, J. H. Kim, S. K. Paidi, S. Semancik, I. Barman, Multiplexed SERS Detection of Serum Cardiac Markers Using Plasmonic Metasurfaces. Adv. Sci. 2024, 11, 2405910.

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This scientific review from Molecular Medicine explores the intricate link between diabetes mellitus and its cardiovascular complications, focusing on the emerging role of epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation and histone alterations. The authors highlight how these heritable changes in gene function, influenced by environmental factors like hyperglycaemia, contribute to the pathophysiological mechanisms and the "metabolic memory" seen in diabetic vascular damage. Furthermore, the article discusses potential therapeutic strategies targeting these epigenetic processes, including “epidrugs” like BET inhibitors and the observed epigenetic activity of existing antidiabetic medications, ultimately considering the future of personalised epigenetic therapies for diabetes-related cardiovascular disease.

Research paper:

Damiano, G., Rinaldi, R., Raucci, A. et al. Epigenetic mechanisms in cardiovascular complications of diabetes: towards future therapies. Mol Med 30, 161 (2024).

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This study investigated the connection between prior infections and long-term brain health. The study found that a history of infections like influenza and herpes viruses is associated with accelerated brain volume loss in specific regions and an increased risk of developing dementia. By analysing blood proteins, the researchers identified immunological drivers that may mediate this link between infection and neurodegeneration. Furthermore, genetic analysis suggested a potential causal role for certain infection-related proteins in brain atrophy, highlighting possible pathways for future interventions.

Research paper:

Duggan, M.R., Peng, Z., Sipilä, P.N. et al. Proteomics identifies potential immunological drivers of postinfection brain atrophy and cognitive decline. Nat Aging 4, 1263–1278 (2024).

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This research used CRISPR–Cas9 screening in mice to identify genes that regulate the activation of neural stem cells (NSCs) during ageing. They discovered several gene knockouts, particularly those involved in cilium organisation and glucose import, that could restore the function of old NSCs both in vitro and in vivo. Notably, the knockout of Slc2a4 (GLUT4), a glucose transporter, significantly improved NSC activation and the production of new neurons in older brains. The study found that glucose uptake increases in NSCs with age, and reducing this uptake, either genetically or through starvation, could rejuvenate old NSCs. This work establishes valuable screening platforms for uncovering genetic interventions to counter age-related regenerative decline in the brain.

Research paper:

Ruetz, T.J., Pogson, A.N., Kashiwagi, C.M. et al. CRISPR–Cas9 screens reveal regulators of ageing in neural stem cells. Nature 634, 1150–1159 (2024).

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This research paper explores the genetic basis of the human sex ratio at birth, which is the proportion of males to females. It challenges a long-held scientific principle, known as Fisher’s principle, which suggests that the sex ratio should naturally converge to 50/50 through natural selection. The authors argue that previous studies were underpowered and unable to detect genetic variations in sex ratio due to significant measurement errors associated with the relatively small number of offspring per human. The research involved a large-scale genome wide association study (GWAS) using data from the UK Biobank, which yielded a single significant SNP associated with a reduced sex ratio. Despite this, the authors found that the heritability of sex ratio is effectively zero, likely due to measurement error. Through simulations of human sex ratio evolution under different selection pressures, the authors demonstrate that their observations are compatible with Fisher's principle, suggesting the possibility of multiple, but mostly small effect, sex ratio-influencing genes segregating in the human population.

Research paper:

Song Siliang and Zhang Jianzhi 2024In search of the genetic variants of human sex ratio at birth: was Fisher wrong about sex ratio evolution? Proc R Soc B 291:20241876

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This study investigates the association between frailty and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in three large, prospective cohorts from China, the UK, and the USA. The researchers assessed participants' frailty status using the Rockwood frailty index, taking into account changes in frailty over time. The findings show that frailty progression, particularly from robust to pre-frail or frail, significantly increases the risk of incident CVD, while frailty recovery, specifically from frail to robust or pre frail, decreases CVD risk. This research suggests that frailty is a modifiable risk factor for CVD and highlights the importance of early intervention to prevent frailty progression and promote recovery from frailty.

Research paper:

He D, Wang Z, Li J, Yu K, He Y, He X, Liu Y, Li Y, Fu R, Zhou D, Zhu Y. Changes in frailty and incident cardiovascular disease in three prospective cohorts. Eur Heart J. 2024 Mar 27;45(12):1058-1068. Erratum in: Eur Heart J. 2024 May 21;45(19):1768.

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This review from the European Heart Journal focuses on the use of Mendelian randomization (MR) in cardiovascular epidemiology. MR leverages genetic variants to uncover causal relationships between modifiable risk factors and various cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). By drawing parallels to randomized controlled trials (RCTs), the authors explore the principles, advantages, and limitations of MR. The article also examines MR applications in predicting the efficacy and safety of drugs targeting CVD risk factors and explores the repurposing potential of existing medications.

Research paper:

Larsson SC, Butterworth AS, Burgess S. Mendelian randomization for cardiovascular diseases: principles and applications. Eur Heart J. 2023 Dec 14;44(47):4913-4924.

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This systematic review examines the ways healthcare systems are contributing to climate change and explores strategies and tactics to reduce their carbon footprint. The authors analyzed 205 studies, reports, and frameworks from 18 years of research to identify themes and overarching strategies for mitigating the impact of healthcare on the environment. The review also identifies key areas for policy and practice, including the need for effective governance, robust measuring tools, and the implementation of decarbonisation tactics like changing clinical and surgical practices, reducing waste, and minimising travel.

Research paper:

Braithwaite J, Smith CL, Leask E, Wijekulasuriya S, Brooke-Cowden K, Fisher G, Patel R, Pagano L, Rahimi Ardabili H, Spanos S, Rojas C, Partington A, McQuillan E, Dammery G, Carrigan A, Ehrenfeld L, Coiera E, Westbrook J, Zurynski Y. Strategies and tactics to reduce the impact of healthcare on climate change: systematic review. BMJ. 2024 Oct 8;387:e081284.

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