Two new studies from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have investigated how mutations that occur in muscles and blood vessels over time can affect ageing. The studies, which are published in Nature Aging, show that such mutations can reduce muscle strength and accelerate blood vessel ageing. The results can be of significance to the treatment of age-related diseases.

Based on the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 health metrics, cardiovascular health among older U.S. adults with certain cardiovascular diseases was suboptimal and declining.

Research shows that early childhood maltreatment is associated with significant delays in social and cognitive development. Unfortunately, according to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, children under age one face the highest risk of maltreatment, particularly neglect. The Child Protective Services (CPS) system is responsible for responding to maltreatment and preventing its recurrence. Most children with substantiated maltreatment reports remain with their parents, and CPS provides services to the parents (including substance use treatment or parenting classes) to rectify the conditions that led to maltreatment. Most foster care entries occur during early childhood, from the newborn period to five years old, but most research on foster care is focused on older children. Debate over the impacts of foster care has persisted for many years, yet little attention has been paid to the timing of children’s entry into foster care.

To remedy the gap in literature, researchers from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and the Pennsylvania State University followed 8,795 Wisconsin children referred to CPS during their first year of life from birth until third grade. They examined the associations between the age of first foster care placement and school test scores, exposure to punitive discipline (suspension), and chronic absenteeism. The findings suggest that compared to no foster care intervention, foster care during early infancy is related to a higher likelihood of demonstrating basic or above reading skills and a lower likelihood of chronic absenteeism.

University of Warwick-led analysis of data from over 10,000 teenagers has found that sleep problems at age 14 are associated with self-harm behaviour at 14 and future self-harm at age 17.

Europe is experiencing longer and more intense transmission seasons for mosquito-borne diseases, including WNV infection and chikungunya virus disease. This shift is driven by climatic and environmental factors such as rising temperatures, longer summer seasons, milder winters and changes in rainfall patterns — conditions that combine to create a favourable environment for mosquitoes to thrive and transmit viruses.

This study investigates the effect of Pedunculoside (PE) on ulcer recovery using a murine oral ulcer model and in vitro assays with primary oral mucosal fibroblasts.

In vivo, PE treatment significantly accelerated ulcer healing in mice, achieving a 7-day cure rate of 85.7%, which is notably higher than control groups. In vitro, PE promoted fibroblast proliferation and markedly enhanced collagen secretion—both key processes in wound healing. Gene and protein expression analyses revealed that PE significantly upregulated Smad3, Col1a1, and Col3a1, indicating a stimulation of the collagen synthesis pathway. Importantly, PE reversed the inhibitory effects of WP1066 (a STAT3 inhibitor) on STAT3 activation, suggesting that PE exerts its healing effects through STAT3 and Smad3 signaling axes.

While PE did not affect fibroblast migration, its potent effect on proliferation and collagen production positions it as a compelling candidate for oral ulcer therapy. These findings provide a pharmacological foundation for the development of PE as a natural and effective agent for treating oral mucosal injuries. Moreover, this study sheds light on the molecular mechanisms of wound healing, emphasizing the relevance of STAT3 and Smad3 signaling in the regenerative process.

Given its anti-inflammatory and pro-healing properties, PE may offer a safe, low-cost alternative or complementary therapy for oral ulcers, particularly in populations seeking herbal or traditional treatments.