This cohort study found that early-pregnancy grip strength was inversely associated with the risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP). Absolute grip strength showed a nonlinear relationship with HDP, whereas relative grip strength demonstrated a consistent linear association across age, parity, and physical activity subgroups. These findings suggest that relative grip strength, which accounts for body size, may serve as a simple and practical indicator for the risk stratification of HDP.

Obesity alters bone health not only through increased body weight but also by reshaping the bone marrow environment. Researchers show that expansion of bone marrow fat promotes immunosuppressive PD-L1 signaling, which enhances osteoclast formation and accelerates bone loss. By reducing bone marrow fat in mice, they reduced immune suppression and improved bone structure. These findings uncover a new mechanism linking metabolism, immunity, and skeletal health, offering potential therapeutic targets for obesity-related bone disorders.

Just like in a huge factory, components must also arrive in the right place at exactly the right time in living cells. A research team headed by Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) has examined how the transport protein Rrm4 acts as a highly precise logistics expert in the fungus Ustilago maydis. Due to its significance, the work has been published as a “breakthrough manuscript” in the renowned scientific journal Nucleic Acids Research (NAR).

Researchers analyzed 17 tire- and rubber-related chemicals in Lake Sihwa sediments and found the highest concentrations in creeks that discharge into the lake. Sediment cores showed that contamination pattern shifted over decades alongside rubber industry growth and later pollution-control measures. The study is the first to provide a historical baseline for tracking tire- and rubber-related contamination in a heavily industrialized coastal ecosystem.

From butterflies to peacocks, bold circular "eyespots" are among nature's most eye-catching patterns. But why do they appear in some animals and not others? A new study of skates and rays finally provides an answer – and it lies in the full range of defences an animal has at its disposal.

The research presented in "Structural basis of human GHRHR conformational plasticity and ligand-dependent signaling" provides a groundbreaking look at the Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone Receptor (GHRHR), a Class B1 G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) vital for growth and metabolism. While traditional models have struggled to capture the dynamic nature of such receptors, this study utilizes high-resolution cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to map the receptor's structural landscape across multiple functional states.

While the ketogenic diet has emerged as a promising nutritional intervention in cancer therapy, the core signaling pathway through which ketone body signals are sensed remains elusive. Concurrently, the mTORC1 pathway is a well-established central hub for sensing nutrients and energy, and whether and how this pathway senses and responds to ketone body signals had not been clearly defined.