Wednesday, December 13, 2023

 

Study analyzes what babies hear, say on six continents


Talk from adults stood out as key contributor to early childhood speech; no effects found related to socioeconomics


Peer-Reviewed Publication

HARVARD UNIVERSITY





Elika Bergelson, associate professor of psychology at Harvard University, studies how infants and toddlers learn language from the world around them. The developmental psychologist specifically strives to parse the various theories that account for the onset and eventual mastery of language comprehension and production. Bergelson’s latest paper, published this month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, represents a more global approach to developing and testing such theories. 

Written with Alejandrina Cristia at the École normale supérieure, PSL University and 11 others, the paper is based on an extremely large sample of two- to 48-month olds. Day-long audio recordings captured the babbling and baby talk of 1,001 children representing 12 countries and 43 languages. Analysis was completed with the help of machine learning. 

Results show that the main predictors of language development are age, clinical factors such as prematurity or dyslexia, and how much speech children receive from the world around them. In contrast to previous research, no effects were found related to gender, multilingualism, or socioeconomics. 

The study was able to simultaneously consider many variables that are usually looked at separately while also considering how big their effects were. "Notably, it wasn't just child factors like age or risk for language delay that mattered, but a key environmental factor too: how much speech children heard from adults,” Bergelson said. “For every 100 adult vocalizations children heard per hour, they produced 27 more vocalizations themselves, and this effect grew with age."

The work also touches on well-worn critiques of low-income parents and caregivers. “There's been much debate and discussion in the literature in recent years about how socioeconomic status does or doesn't link to language input and language output,” noted Bergelson. “We looked in many, many, many different ways … In no form did we ever find evidence that moms with more education had kids who produced more speech in these tens of thousands of hours of recordings from daily life.”

Financial support for the study was provided by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and the National Endowment for the Humanities, among others.

JOURNAL

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

DOI

10.1073/pnas.2300671120 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Observational study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Everyday language input and production in 1,001 children from six continents

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

12-Dec-2023

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Researchers create stable hybrid laser by 3D printing micro-optics onto fibers


Precision 3D printing of microscale optics poised to reduce the size and cost of lasers used for a variety of applications

Peer-Reviewed Publication

OPTICA

System close-up 

IMAGE: 

 RESEARCHERS PRINTED MICROSCALE LENSES DIRECTLY ONTO OPTICAL FIBERS, ALLOWING THEM TO COMPACTLY COMBINE FIBERS AND LASER CRYSTALS INSIDE A SINGLE LASER OSCILLATOR.

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CREDIT: MORITZ FLOESS AND SIMON ANGSTENBERGER, 4TH PHYSICS INSTITUTE AT UNIVERSITY OF STUTTGART IN GERMANY




WASHINGTON — For the first time, researchers have shown that 3D-printed polymer-based micro-optics can withstand the heat and power levels that occur inside a laser. The advance enables inexpensive compact and stable laser sources that would be useful in a variety of applications, including the lidar systems used for autonomous vehicles.

“We significantly reduced the size of a laser by using 3D printing to fabricate high-quality micro-optics directly on glass fibers used inside of lasers,” said research team leader Simon Angstenberger from the 4th Physics Institute at University of Stuttgart in Germany. “This is the first implementation of such 3D-printed optics in a real-world laser, highlighting their high damage threshold and stability.”

In the Optica Publishing Group journal Optics Letters, the researchers describe how they 3D printed microscale optics directly onto optical fibers to combine fibers and laser crystals inside a single laser oscillator in a compact way. The resulting hybrid laser exhibited stable operation at output powers of over 20 mW at 1063.4 nm and had a maximum output power of 37 mW.

The new laser combines the compactness, robustness and low cost of fiber-based lasers with the advantages of crystal-based solid-state lasers, which can have a broad range of properties such as different powers and colors.

“Until now, 3D-printed optics have primarily been used for low power applications such as endoscopy,” said Angstenberger. “The ability to use them with high power applications could be useful for lithography and laser marking, for example. We showed that these 3D micro-optics printed onto fibers can be used to focus large amounts of light down to a single point, which could be useful for medical applications such as precisely destroying cancerous tissue.”

Taking the heat

The 4th Physics Institute at University of Stuttgart has a long history of developing 3D-printed micro-optics, especially the ability to print them directly on fibers. They use a 3D printing approach known as two-photon polymerization, which focuses an infrared laser into a UV sensitive photoresist. In the laser’s focal region, two infrared photons will be absorbed simultaneously, which hardens the UV resist. Moving the focus around allows various shapes to be created with high precision. This method use can be used to create miniaturized optics and also allows novel functionalities such as the creation of free-form optics or complex lens systems.

“Because these 3D-printed elements are made of polymers, it was unclear whether they could withstand the significant amount of heat load and optical power that occurs inside a laser cavity,” said Angstenberger. “We found that they are surprisingly stable, and we were not able to observe any kind of damage on the lenses even after several hours of running the laser.”

For the new study, the researchers used a 3D printer made by Nanoscribe to fabricate lenses with a 0.25 mm diameter and height of 80 microns onto the end of a fiber with the same diameter using two-photon polymerization. This involved designing an optical element with commercial software, inserting the fiber into the 3D printer, and then printing the small structure on the end of the fiber. This process must be extremely precise in terms of aligning the printing to the fiber and the accuracy of the printing itself.

Creating a hybrid laser

After the printing was complete, the researchers assembled the laser and the laser cavity. Rather than using a crystal inside a laser cavity made of bulky and costly mirrors, they used fibers to form part of the cavity, creating a hybrid fiber-crystal laser. The lenses printed at the end of the fibers focus and collect – or couple – the light into and out of the laser crystal. They then glued the fibers into a mount to make the laser system more stable and less susceptible to air turbulence. The crystal and the printed lenses measured just 5 X 5 cm2.

Continuously recording the laser power over several hours verified that the printed optics inside the system did not deteriorate or affect the long-term properties of the laser. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy images of the optics after use in the laser cavity did not show any visible damage. “Interestingly, we found that the printed optics were more stable than the commercial fiber Bragg grating we used, which ended up limiting our maximum power,” said Angstenberger.

The researchers are now working to optimize the efficiency of the printed optics. Larger fibers with optimized freeform and aspherical lens designs or a combination of lenses printed directly onto the fiber could help improve the output power. They would also like to demonstrate different crystals in the laser, which could allow the output to be customized for specific applications.

Paper: S. Angstenberger, P. Ruchka, M. Hentschel, T. Steinle, H. Giessen, “Hybrid Fiber-Solid State Laser with 3D-Printed Intracavity Lenses,” Opt. Lett., Vol. 48, Issue 24, pp. 6549-6552 (2023).
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.504940

About Optica Publishing Group (formerly OSA)

Optica Publishing Group is a division of the society, Optica (formerly OSA), Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide. It publishes the largest collection of peer-reviewed and most-cited content in optics and photonics, including 18 prestigious journals, the society’s flagship member magazine, and papers and videos from more than 835 conferences. With over 400,000 journal articles, conference papers and videos to search, discover and access, our publications portfolio represents the full range of research in the field from around the globe.

About Optics Letters

Optics Letters has been publishing high-impact research in the field of photonics for over 45 years and offers rapid dissemination of new results in all areas of optical science with short, original, peer-reviewed communications. Optics Letters accepts papers that are noteworthy to a substantial part of the optics community. Published by Optica Publishing Group and led by Editor-in-Chief Miguel Alonso, Institut Fresnel, École Centrale de Marseille and Aix-Marseille Université, France, University of Rochester, USA. For more information, visit Optics Letters.

JOURNAL

Optics Letters

DOI

10.1364/OL.504940 

ARTICLE TITLE

Hybrid Fiber-Solid State Laser with 3D-Printed Intracavity Lenses

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

13-Dec-2023




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Heart attack deaths spike during the winter holidays


The American Heart Association urges people to be aware of and reduce risks for deadly ‘holiday heart attacks’


Business Announcement

AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION




DALLAS, Dec. 13, 2023 — The winter holidays can turn deadly as research shows that more people die from heart attacks during the last week of December than at any other time of the year. While being aware of the signs of a heart attack and taking steps to reduce your risk are important all year long, the American Heart Association, the world’s leading voluntary organization focused on heart and brain health for all, says that’s especially critical during the next few weeks.

A number of scientific studies confirm this deadly phenomenon.

  • A study published in Circulation, the flagship journal of the American Heart Association, reported that more cardiac deaths occur in the U.S. on December 25 than on any other day of the year, followed by December 26 and January 1.
  • In a British Medical Journal study reviewing more than 16 years of data on heart attacks among people in Sweden, there was a 15% overall increase in heart attacks during the winter holidays. Of particular note, heart attacks increased 37% on Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve), peaking at 10 p.m. and more often in people over 75 and those with diabetes or previous cardiovascular disease.
  • A study presented at the British Cardiovascular Society meeting in June supported previous research finding more serious heart attacks occur on Mondays than any other day of the week. This year, Dec. 25 (Christmas Day) falls on a Monday.

"No one wants to think of tragedy during this joyous time of year as we gather with family and friends. However, these startling facts are very sobering. We don’t know exactly what triggers this increase in heart attacks during the holidays, it’s likely a combination of factors,” said Johanna Contreras, M.D., M.Sc., FAHA, clinical volunteer for the American Heart Association and a cardiologist at Mt. Sinai Hospital System in New York City. “Winter weather has been noted to increase heart attack risk due to restricted blood flow when arteries may be constricted in cold temperatures. We also know the holidays bring a lot of added stress to many people. There are lots of parties and family gatherings where many tend to overindulge in rich foods and drink.”

According to Contreras, one of the most critical factors might be that people ignore important warning signs of a heart attack or stroke.

“While you may not want to spend the holidays in a doctor’s office or hospital, getting checked out and receiving prompt treatment if there is a problem is one of the best gifts you can give yourself and your loved ones for all the celebrations to come,” she said.

Giving the gift of life may also come into play if you see someone experiencing heart attack or stroke symptoms. You could be out shopping at the mall, enjoying the sights and sounds of the holiday season or spending time at a family gathering and witness someone having a heart attack and going into cardiac arrest. Starting CPR immediately and calling 9-1-1 could be the difference in life or death in those situations.

“Hands-Only CPR is something nearly everyone can learn and do. We encourage at least one person in every family to learn CPR because statistics show that most cardiac arrests occur outside the hospital and often in the home,” Contreras said. “The American Heart Association has a short instructional video at Heart.org/HandsOnlyCPR. Watching the video and learning Hands-Only CPR could be a lifesaving and lifechanging activity for the family to do together as you’re gathered for the holidays.”

Contreras notes that family gatherings are also a good time to talk about family health history.

“Many of the health factors that impact heart disease and stroke are heredity,” she said. “If any of your parents, siblings or grandparents have had a heart attack or stroke, you are likely at higher risk, too. But the good news is, you can lower your risk with preventive measures. Knowing that history is an important first step.”

Following are several heart-healthy tips for the upcoming holidays:

  • Know symptoms and take action: Heart attack signs and stroke symptoms vary in men and women and it’s important to recognize them early and call 9-1-1 for help. The sooner medical treatment begins, the better the chances of survival and preventing heart damage.
  • Celebrate in moderation Eating healthfully during the holidays doesn’t have to mean depriving yourself, there are still ways to eat smart. Look for small, healthy changes and swaps you can make so you continue to feel your best while eating and drinking in moderation, and don’t forget to watch your salt intake.
  • Plan for peace on earth and goodwill toward yourself: Make time to take care of yourself during the busy holiday. Reduce stress from family interactions, strained finances, hectic schedules and other stressors prevalent this time of year, including traveling.
  • Keep moving: The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week and this number usually drops during the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Get creative with ways to stay active, even if it’s going for a family walk or another fun activity you can do with your loved ones.  
  • Stick to your meds: Busy holidays can cause you to skip medications, forgetting them when away from home or not getting refills in a timely manner. The American Heart Association has a medication chart to help stay on top of it, and be sure to keep tabs on your blood pressure numbers.

“We do know there are ways to mitigate your risk for a deadly heart attack. So, we encourage everyone to pause during the holiday hustle and bustle and make note of these important steps that could be lifesaving,” Contreras said.

The American Heart Association has more on ways to live heart-healthy during the holidays and all year long at heart.org.

Additional Resources:

Studies published in the American Heart Association’s scientific journals are peer-reviewed. The statements and conclusions in each manuscript are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association’s policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The Association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific Association programs and events. The Association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and biotech companies, device manufacturers and health insurance providers and the Association’s overall financial information are available here.

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The Tell-Tale Heart

American English website (.gov)
https://americanenglish.state.gov › resource_files

I heard sounds from heaven; and I heard sounds from hell! Listen! Listen, and I will tell you how it happened. You will see, you will hear how healthy my mind.
4 pages
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Trees are in trouble


Scientists flip the script, revealing trees in wetter regions are more sensitive to drought


Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - SANTA BARBARA

Cascade Forest 

IMAGE: 

THE TREES IN THIS LUSH, TEMPERATE FOREST IN THE CASCADE RANGE OF WASHINGTON ARE LIKELY LESS RESISTANT TO DROUGHT THAN THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN DRIER REGIONS TO THE SOUTH.

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CREDIT: JOAN DUDNEY




This holiday season brings surprising news about your Christmas tree. Scientists just discovered that globally, trees growing in wetter regions are more sensitive to drought. That means if your tree hails from a more humid clime, it’s likely been spoiled for generations.

Scientists have long debated whether arid conditions make trees more or less resilient to drought. It seems intuitive that trees living at their biological limits will be most vulnerable to climate change, since even just a little extra stress could tip them past the brink. On the other hand, these populations have adapted to a harsher setting, so they might be more capable of withstanding a drought.

According to a new study in the journal Science by researchers at UC Santa Barbara and UC Davis, greater water availability could “spoil” trees by reducing their adaptations to drought. “And that’s really critical to understand when we’re thinking about the global vulnerability of forest carbon stocks and forest health,” said ecologist Joan Dudney, an assistant professor at UCSB’s Bren School of Environmental Science & Management and in the Environmental Studies Program. “You don’t want to be a ‘spoiled’ tree when facing a major drought.”

Dudney and her co-authors expected trees growing in the most arid regions to be more sensitive to drought, since they’re already living at the edge of their limits. What’s more, climate change models predict that these regions will experience more rapid drying than wetter regions. This shift in climate could expose trees to conditions beyond their adaptive capacity.

To measure drought sensitivity, the authors analyzed 6.6 million tree ring samples from 122 species worldwide. For each year, they measured whether the tree grew faster or slower than average based on its ring width. They linked these trends with historic climate data, including precipitation and temperature. 

The team then compared drought responses across different regions. “As you move to the drier edge of a species’ range, trees become less and less sensitive to drought,” said lead author Robert Heilmayr, an environmental economist also in the Environmental Studies Program and at the Bren School. “Those trees are actually quite resilient.”

Dudney, Heilmayr and their co-author Frances Moore were inspired, in part, by the work of UCSB professor Tamma Carleton on the effects climate change has on human populations. “This paper highlights the value of cross-disciplinary scientific work,” added Moore, an associate professor at UC Davis. “We were able to adapt methods from economics originally developed to study how people and businesses adjust to a changing climate and apply them to the ecological context to study forest sensitivity to drought.”

“A heatwave is likely to kill more people in a cool place like Seattle than in hotter cities like Phoenix,” Heilmayr said. The Southwest is already quite hot, so heatwaves there are scorching. But the region’s cities are adapted to an extreme climate, he points out. Now we know that forests display similar trends.

Unfortunately, warmer regions are slated to get disproportionately drier in the coming decades. “There is a pretty large portion of species’ ranges that are going to face a completely novel climate, something that those species don’t see anywhere in their range today,” Heilmayr explained. The authors found that 11% of an average species’ range in 2100 will be drier than the driest parts of their historic range. This increases to over 50% for some species.

“Broadly, our research highlights that very few forests will be unaffected by climate change,” Dudney said. “Even wetter forests are more threatened than we thought.”

But there is a flip side of the coin. Species have a reservoir of drought-hearty stock in the drier parts of their range that could bolster forests in wetter areas. Previous research out of UCSB revealed that many species do have the capacity to adapt to environmental change. However, those researchers also found that trees migrate slowly from one generation to the next. That means human intervention — such as assisted migration — may be necessary in order to take advantage of this genetic diversity. 

Whether your Christmas trees grow in a dry or wet region, they’ll likely experience growth declines in the future. But understanding how trees will respond to climate change can help ensure the future of the Tannenbaum and its wild counterparts.

JOURNAL

Science

DOI

10.1126/science.adi1071 

ARTICLE TITLE

Drought sensitivity in mesic forests heightens their vulnerability to climate change

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

8-Dec-2023

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A new brew: Evaluating the flavor of roasted, lab-grown coffee cells


Peer-Reviewed Publication

AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

A new brew: Evaluating the flavor of roasted, lab-grown coffee cells 

IMAGE: 

WHEN COFFEE PLANT CELLS GROWN IN A BIOREACTOR (TOP LEFT) ARE ROASTED (TOP RIGHT AND BOTTOM POWDERS), THEY DEVELOP COLORS SIMILAR TO CONVENTIONAL LIGHT OR DARK ROAST COFFEE.

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CREDIT: ADAPTED FROM THE JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY, 2023, DOI: 10.1021/ACS.JAFC.3C04503




It may soon be time to wake up and smell the lab-grown coffee made from cultured plant cells. But it’s not clear whether drinks from this product replicate coffee beans’ complex flavors. Now, a study in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that some of the comforting aromas and tastes of a conventional cup of coffee could be reproduced by roasting and brewing coffee cell cultures.

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages worldwide. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 23 billion pounds of beans are expected to be produced during the 2023­­–24 growing season. However, coffee cultivation is increasingly threatened by a warming climate because the plants grow only at specific temperatures and altitudes. Researchers have been investigating lab-grown coffee plant cells since the 1970s as an alternative to farmed beans, but little research has evaluated how laboratory products taste and smell compared to traditional beans. So, Hieko Rischer and coworkers tested how roasting coffee plant cells impacts them and the beverage made from them.

The team first cultured cells from chopped Coffea arabica leaves in a laboratory-scale bioreactor. Then the cells were freeze-dried, ground into a fine powder and roasted under three different conditions. Longer roasting times produced colors similar to dark roast coffee beans; the researchers mentioned this was important for flavor perception. Additionally, the current lab-grown powders contained twice as much caffeine as previous bioreactor coffee products, although the current powders’ levels were much lower than those in farmed beans. The team brewed beverages with the roasted cell cultures or dark roast C. arabica beans and served them to trained taste-testers. The following conclusions were drawn:

  • Panelists identified similar levels of bitterness and sourness in lab-grown and conventional drinks.
  • The new brews had more roasted, burned sugar, and smokey smells.
  • Some Maillard reaction products that give coffee its distinct flavor, such as guaiacol and several pyrazines, weren’t found in the cell-based drinks, though other Maillard reaction products were present.

Overall, while some tastes and smells of a typical bean-based coffee could be produced by roasting cultured cells, the researchers say that future work is needed to explore processing techniques to further boost flavor for this alternative to conventionally grown coffee.

The authors acknowledge funding from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Ltd.

###

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS’ mission is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and all its people. The Society is a global leader in promoting excellence in science education and providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, eBooks and weekly news periodical Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a leader in scientific information solutions, its CAS division partners with global innovators to accelerate breakthroughs by curating, connecting and analyzing the world’s scientific knowledge. ACS’ main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

Note: ACS does not conduct research, but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies.

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JOURNAL

Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry

DOI

10.1021/acs.jafc.3c04503 

ARTICLE TITLE

Proof of Concept for Cell Culture-Based Coffee

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Caring for LGBTQ+ nursing home residents in culturally appropriate and inclusive ways


Peer-Reviewed Publication

REGENSTRIEF INSTITUTE




INDIANAPOLIS – There have been few studies of LGBTQ+ older adults residing in nursing homes. A new article from faculty of Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University explores care of the growing number of LGBTQ+ older adults living in these facilities. The paper highlights the experiences and needs of this population, outlines best facility practices and presents valuable resources for culturally appropriate and inclusive care.

Social isolation, limited community supports, dementia, decreased functional abilities, economic limitations and delays in care are among the many reasons an LGBTQ+ individual is admitted to one of the more than 15,000 nursing homes in the United States.

“We think about younger LGBTQ+ individuals and the challenges and risks of their lifestyles, but older adults in this population are often forgotten,” said article corresponding author and geriatrician Jennifer Carnahan, M.D., MPH, M.A., of Regenstrief Institute and IU School of Medicine. “They’ve experienced many health disparities. As these accumulate over a lifetime, we see the potential long-term ill effects of being from a marginalized population.

“To better care for these individuals, who are at increased risk of needing professional care and support, in this paper we shed a light on what we can expect as LGBTQ+ individuals age and reside in nursing homes. More and more LGBTQ+ older adults are comfortable being out with their providers, while many living in nursing homes fear unwanted disclosure of their sexual orientation or gender identity status. Their autonomy should be respected either way so they can age in an environment where they feel safe, where they feel comfortable and where they are able to live with dignity.”

Nursing home residents rely on facility staff and clinicians for day-to-day functions, such as toileting, bathing and eating, as well as medical care. This need increases the vulnerability of members of the LGBTQ+ community. There is a paramount need, Dr. Carnahan notes, for facilities to provide a welcoming and inclusive culture for all residents.

She and article co-author Andrew C. Pickett, MSEd, PhD, of Indiana University School of Public Health – Bloomington, enumerate best practice recommendations to decrease LGBTQ+ residents’ vulnerability to negative outcomes occurring due to system failures or staffing issues compromising care. These recommendations focus on several areas including:

  • sexual orientation or gender identity status
  • medications
  • social isolation
  • inclusive culture
  • staff training
  • advance care planning/surrogate decision making.

Specific examples, notes Dr. Carnahan, might include facility celebration of Pride Month, relevant books in the resident library and time release for staff training.

Drs. Carnahan and Pickett also provide an extensive list of resources for individuals, families and nursing home facilities.

“Postacute care and long-term care for LGBTQ+ older adults,“ an invited article, is published in the peer-reviewed journal Clinics in Geriatric Medicine in a special issue on care for LGBTQ+ older adults. The work was supported by a grant to Dr. Carnahan from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Aging [grant K23AG062797].

Jennifer L. Carnahan, M.D., MPH, M.A. 

In addition to her role as a research scientist with the Indiana University Center for Aging Research at Regenstrief Institute, Jennifer L. Carnahan, M.D., MPH, M.A., is an assistant professor of medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine.

About Regenstrief Institute

Founded in 1969 in Indianapolis, the Regenstrief Institute is a local, national and global leader dedicated to a world where better information empowers people to end disease and realize true health. A key research partner to Indiana University, Regenstrief and its research scientists are responsible for a growing number of major healthcare innovations and studies. Examples range from the development of global health information technology standards that enable the use and interoperability of electronic health records to improving patient-physician communications, to creating models of care that inform clinical practice and improve the lives of patients around the globe.

Sam Regenstrief, a nationally successful entrepreneur from Connersville, Indiana, founded the institute with the goal of making healthcare more efficient and accessible for everyone. His vision continues to guide the institute’s research mission.

About IU School of Medicine

IU School of Medicine is the largest medical school in the U.S. and is annually ranked among the top medical schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The school offers high-quality medical education, access to leading medical research and rich campus life in nine Indiana cities, including rural and urban locations consistently recognized for livability.

About IU School of Public Health-Bloomington 

IU School of Public Health-Bloomington (SPH-B) is one of the largest schools of public health in the United States, offering top-ranked programs in a wide range of health-related fields. Accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), the school aims to promote health among individuals in Indiana, the nation, and the world through integrated multidisciplinary approaches to research and creative activities, teaching, and community engagement.

JOURNAL

Clinics in Geriatric Medicine

DOI

10.1016/j.cger.2023.10.005 

ARTICLE TITLE

Postacute care and long-term care for LGBTQ+ older adults

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Hungarian scientists prove that senescence can accelerate evolution


Peer-Reviewed Publication

ÖKOLÓGIAI KUTATÓKÖZPONT




The mystery of aging has fascinated people for millennia, with many willing to do anything to halt or reverse this process, because aging is typically associated with gradual deterioration of most body functions. While senescence is a natural part of life, biologists understand surprisingly little about the emergence of this process during evolution. It is not clear whether aging is inevitable, because there are organisms that seemingly do not age at all, moreover, the phenomenon known as negative aging, or rejuvenation, does exist: some turtles’ vital functions improve with age.

Researchers of the Institute of Evolution led by Academician Eörs Szathmáry have endeavoured to prove the validity of a previously proposed but still unproven theory of aging. The theory suggests that under the right circumstances, evolution can favour the proliferation of genes controlling senescence.

To test the hypothesis, the researchers used a computer model they had developed. This model is an algorithm capable of simulating long-term processes in populations of organisms and genes under circumstances controlled by the scientists. Essentially, with such models, evolutionary scenarios can be run, yielding results in a few hours rather than over millions of years. Modern evolutionary research would be inconceivable without computer modelling.

The fundamental question of the research was simple: Is there any meaning of aging? Does it serve any evolutionary function, or is it indeed a bitter and fatal by-product of life? “Aging can have an evolutionary function if there is a selection for senescence. In our research, we aimed to uncover this selection”, says Eörs Szathmáry. “According to classical explanations, aging emerges in the populations even without selection. That is because individuals would die sooner or later without aging as well (as a consequence of illness or accidents), therefore the force of natural selection in the population would get weaker and weaker. This creates an opportunity for the genes which have an adverse effect for chronologically old individuals (thus causing senescence) to accumulate. Which would mean aging is only a collateral consequence of evolution and has no adaptive function.”

During the last century, using different biological mechanisms, several evolutionary theories were formulated for the explanation of inevitable aging, which has no positive function. Several scientists accepted this assumption as fact, but when non-aging organisms were discovered, more and more researchers questioned the inevitability of senescence, and suggested perhaps aging could have some advantages as well.

“It has become accepted in the evolutionary biology community that the classical non-adaptive theories of aging cannot explain all the aging patterns of nature, which means the explanation of aging has become an open question once again”, says Szathmáry. “Alternative adaptive theories offer solutions for this problem by suggesting positive consequences of senescence. For example, it is possible that in a changing environment, aging and death are more advantageous for individuals, because this way the competition, which hampers the survival and reproduction of the more adaptable progeny with better gene compositions, can be decreased.”

However, this scenario holds true only if individuals are predominantly surrounded by their relatives. Otherwise, during sexual reproduction the non-aging individuals “steal” the better (that is better suited for changed environment) genes from the members of the aging population, and therefore the significant senescence disappears.

After running the model, the Hungarian biologists found that aging can indeed accelerate evolution. This is advantageous in a changing world because the faster adaptation can find the adequate traits more quickly, thereby supporting the survival and spread of descendent genes. This means that senescence can become a really advantageous characteristic and be favoured by natural selection.

JOURNAL

BMC Biology

DOI

10.1186/s12915-023-01716-w 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Computational simulation/modeling

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Directional selection coupled with kin selection favors the establishment of senescence

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