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  • McLaren’s Lando Norris leads Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton in second practice

    McLaren’s Lando Norris leads Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton in second practice

    Lando Norris finished fastest in Free Practice 2 for the British Grand Prix, the McLaren driver besting the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

    The Briton, who won last time out in Austria, posted a 1m 25.816s that left him 0.222s clear of Leclerc, and three-tenths faster than Hamilton, who had topped FP1 earlier in the day.

    With wind speed high and impacting aerodynamic performance through the high speed turns at Silverstone, teams battled to find the optimum set-up in the changeable conditions.

    Hamilton immediately continued his impressive Friday form, moving to the top of the times with his first flying lap on Pirelli’s medium tyre with a 1m 27.280s, as traffic became an issue for Norris and Liam Lawson.

    Drivers’ Championship leader Oscar Piastri, who earlier had a radio message about the “gusty” conditions, moved to the top of the leaderboard after the opening 10 minutes, only to be immediately usurped by Hamilton and Isack Hadjar.

    While Ollie Bearman complained of oversteer in his Haas, reigning World Champion Max Verstappen was also left frustrated, proclaiming over the radio: “Have you seen my front tyres in the high speed? They just don’t respond.”

    Carlos Sainz soon suffered a harmless spin coming out of Luffield, with Williams Team Principal James Vowles stating “the gusts are definitely catching us out” during the session.

    The second Ferrari of Leclerc took over from his team mate at the top of the times briefly but Hamilton, who has a record nine F1 wins at Silverstone, stamped his authority to go 0.295s clear on a 1m 26.592s after 20 minutes.

    George Russell became the first driver to use a set of Pirelli’s soft tyre, the red-walled compound launching him up to first before Mercedes team mate Kimi Antonelli went 0.140s faster.

    It left the benchmark at a 1m 26.383s, half a second faster than Hamilton’s best from FP1, approaching the halfway point of the one-hour session.

    Times began to tumble as drivers performed Qualifying simulations, with Leclerc and then Norris going fastest, the former complaining of something wrong with the front-left tyre, stating there was “so much lap time in it”.

    Hamilton abandoned his first flying lap on the softs, before moving up to P2 with his second effort, while Verstappen could only manage eighth, eight tenths in arrears on Norris’ 1m 25.816s, improving to fifth on his next run.

    The McLaren driver’s time stood as the benchmark for the remainder of the session, making him the only driver to dip below the 1m 26s barrier as focus switched to long runs for teams.

    As Leclerc and Hamilton completed the top three, Piastri sat in fourth, almost half a second behind his team mate but ahead of Verstappen and Antonelli.

    The Aston Martin of Lance Stroll, Mercedes of Russell and the Racing Bulls of Isack Hadjar and Lawson completed the top 10.

    Alex Albon (P11) was the highest-placed of the Williams drivers, from Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Gabriel Bortoleto, the Brazilian back in his Kick Sauber after the seat was taken by Paul Aron in FP1.

    Esteban Ocon finished 14th, ahead of Yuki Tsunoda, who had also missed FP1 with Arvid Lindblad taking his seat, with Sainz 16th and under investigation following his rejoin after his earlier spin.

    Nico Hulkenberg, who had to avoid Sainz’s recovery, finished P17, as the Alpine’s of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto finished either side of Bearman in P19.

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  • Hydrothermal Systems May Have Supplied Essential Phosphorus For Early Life

    Hydrothermal Systems May Have Supplied Essential Phosphorus For Early Life

    Hydrothermal Systems May Have Supplied Essential Phosphorus For Early Life — Tohoku University

    Understanding where and in what quantities essential elements for life have existed on Earth’s surface helps explain the origin and evolution of life. Phosphorus (P) is one such element, forming the backbone of DNA, RNA, and cellular membranes. On Earth’s surface, P is primarily preserved in rocks in the form of phosphate minerals. However, these phosphate minerals are generally insoluble. Therefore, scientists have long struggled to answer the question of under what conditions P could have become concentrated on the early Earth.

    Now, a research team comprising Yuya Tsukamoto and Takeshi Kakegawa from Tohoku University may have found the answer. For the first time, they have uncovered geochemical and mineralogical evidence that submarine hydrothermal alteration may have been a significant source of P on the early Earth.

    “We analyzed 3.455-billion-year-old basaltic seafloor rocks in drill core samples recovered from the Pilbara Craton, Western Australia, discovering that P was significantly leached from the hydrothermally altered rocks compared to the least altered rocks” with further mineralogical analyses indicating that phosphate minerals had undergone dissolution in rocks where P was depleted explains,” explains Tsukamoto. “In other words, these hydrothermal processes may have released phosphorus from the rocks into the surrounding seawater, enriching early oceans with this essential nutrient.”

    Schematic image of this study. ©Tsukamoto and Kakegawa et al. — Tohoku University

    The team identified that this significant dissolution was caused by two types of hydrothermal fluids: sulfidic and high-temperature fluids, and mildly acidic to alkaline and relatively low-temperature fluids. In particular, the latter fluids are characteristic of the Archean, reflecting a high CO₂ atmosphere at that time.

    Calculations indicated that these latter fluids could contain up to 2 mM phosphate, approximately 1,000 times higher than modern seawater concentrations. Furthermore, calculations based on the study’s analytical results suggested that the annual flux of P from Archean submarine hydrothermal fluids could have been comparable to that supplied to the modern ocean by continental weathering.

    “Importantly, this study provides direct evidence that submarine hydrothermal activity leached P from seafloor basaltic rocks and quantifies the potential P flux from these hydrothermal systems to the early ocean,” adds Tsukamoto. “Our findings demonstrate that hydrothermal systems could have locally supplied sufficient P to support early microbial ecosystems. These environments may have served as cradles for early life and played a significant role in the origin and evolution of life.”

    The study also highlights the potential impact of hydrothermal fields not only on the seafloor but also in terrestrial settings such as hot springs. Future research on phosphate behavior in hydrothermally altered rocks through time will further reveal shifts in P cycles on the early Earth.

    Details of the study were published in the journal Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta on June 18, 2025.

    Phosphate behavior during submarine hydrothermal alteration of ca. 3.455 Ga basaltic seafloor rocks from Pilbara, Western Australia, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta

    Astrobiology

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  • Ten-year study tracks trends in pediatric clavicle fractures across the U.S.

    Ten-year study tracks trends in pediatric clavicle fractures across the U.S.

    Journal: JSES Reviews, Reports & Techniques

    Title: Mechanisms and Trends of Pediatric Clavicular Fractures in the United States: A 10-Year Epidemiologic Analysis of National Injury Data

    Authors: Charu Jain, MD candidate at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

    Sheena Ranade, MD, Associate Professor of Orthopedics (Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

    Bottom line: Clavicular fractures are common injuries among children, usually due to sports-related trauma or accidental falls. The purpose of this study was to assess the epidemiology of clavicular fractures among children in the United States between 2014 and 2023.

    Why this study is unique: This study is the first of its kind to analyze 10 years of national emergency department data on pediatric clavicle fractures in the United States.

    Why the study is important: Understanding how and where children sustain clavicular fractures helps guide injury prevention, especially in sports and at home. The rise in hospital admissions over the course of this study underscores a need to examine why these injuries may be getting more severe.

    How the research was conducted: Data were extracted from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), a publicly available database representing approximately 100 emergency departments in the United States. NEISS was queried for all shoulder fractures in patients 0-18 years old. These fractures were then filtered for clavicle fractures. Queries were restricted to fractures from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2023.

    Results: The findings show that while overall rates for pediatric clavicular fractures remained stable over the course of the study, there was a statistically significant increase in hospital admissions due to those injuries during that same period. This suggests an increase in severity of those injuries necessitating admission.

    What this study means for doctors: The data suggest that pediatric clavicular fractures may be becoming more severe, which calls for better injury prevention and management strategies for doctors, parents, and patients. For physicians, this requires careful assessment and more intensive treatment or monitoring as needed. This study provides valuable insight into where pediatric clavicle fractures are treated-whether in emergency departments, outpatient clinics, or primary care-which can help guide resource allocation for health systems and improve care pathways for patients. Since many clavicle fractures in children heal well without surgery, understanding treatment settings can support better patient management, reduce unnecessary ED visits, and optimize follow-up care.

    What this study means for patients: For patients and their parents, the findings emphasize that while many clavicular fractures may heal, some may require closer care or even hospitalization. The findings also emphasize the need for rigorous safety protocols during play and sports to reduce injury risk.

    What the next steps are for this work: Next steps include using this data to investigate whether clavicular fracture cases presenting to the ED are more severe or more likely to require surgery compared to those seen in outpatient settings. We also aim to identify how many cases go untreated and explore whether specific injury patterns or treatment settings correlate with better long-term outcomes. This will help refine clinical decision-making and improve care strategies for pediatric clavicular fractures.

    Quotes:

    “Our review of recent national data on pediatric clavicle fractures demonstrates that among younger children, there has been an increase in bed-related falls causing clavicular fractures,” says Dr. Ranade. “Just as there has been a strong emphasis on safe sleep for infants, this study shows that attention should be placed in safe sleeping environments for toddler aged children to prevent falls out of bed.”

    “Understanding common mechanisms like sports injuries and falls from beds can help guide targeted prevention strategies and parent education,” says Ms. Jain. “I would like to thank the Mount Sinai Department of Orthopedics for their support, our co-authors for their contributions, and Dr. Ranade for her guidance and mentorship throughout this project.”

    Source:

    Mount Sinai Health System

    Journal reference:

    Jain, C., et al. (2025). Mechanisms and Trends of Pediatric Clavicular Fractures in the United States: A 10-Year Epidemiologic Analysis of National Injury Data. JSES Reviews Reports and Techniques. doi.org/10.1016/j.xrrt.2025.05.023.

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  • After Lyme diagnosis, Pavlyuchenkova finding her pace at Wimbledon

    After Lyme diagnosis, Pavlyuchenkova finding her pace at Wimbledon

    WIMBLEDON — Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova showed up to her Wimbledon press conference in an oversized Metallica T-shirt and strawberry-themed nails, still a bit surprised, she admitted, at how well she’s playing after her third-round win over Naomi Osaka.

    Not because she’s unseeded and ranked No. 50, or because she’d just celebrated her 34th birthday the day before. Pavlyuchenkova knows the level of tennis she can still produce — she opened the year by reaching her ninth Grand Slam quarterfinal at the Australian Open and expected a strong season to follow. But just before Indian Wells, she was diagnosed with Lyme disease, a tick-borne infection.

    Wimbledon: Scores | Order of play | Draws

    “It was horrible,” Pavlyuchenkova said after defeating Naomi Osaka 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the Wimbledon third round. “I was fatigued, I was very neurotic and irritated. I constantly had headaches — especially in my right temple, it was pressing on my head all the time.

    “I had a brain fog. I would start practicing and couldn’t even see clear sometimes — whenever the heart rate was going up, it was hitting me. I never thought it would be such a nasty disease.”

    Pavlyuchenkova thinks she contracted the disease last year — but Lyme disease can have an incubation period of several months, and she did not realize straight away,

    “My boyfriend had it,” she said. “I literally took the tick off him. It stayed four days under the hair on his neck, I thought it was a brown spot or something, because it’s very little. Then on my hand I had a red spot, but [thought] it could be a mosquito. I felt really bad during preseason, but I thought preseason is usually hard. I was falling asleep at 9 p.m. I thought, probably my age and hard training combination.”

    Pavlyuchenkova underwent a six-week course of antibiotics, but continued to struggle in her recovery. Partly, she admits she was “stupid” because she wanted to play so much. She kept coming back too soon, only to suffer setbacks. But with Lyme disease, her doctors’ advice to “listen to her body” was easier said than done.

    “I would feel OK, so I would go practice,” she said. “Then I’d almost pass out. Before Eastbourne, I had to take a week off because I started again too early and recovery was very bad. But I didn’t have any crazy symptoms. I was just tired. That’s why it was so difficult, because is it ‘tired’ where it’s still OK to push, or is it ‘tired’ where you need to be in bed?”

    Here at SW19, Pavlyuchenkova thinks she’s finally starting to get a handle on the recovery process. More importantly, she’s gained some perspective.

    “It feels almost yesterday I was the youngest on tour,” she said. “I was taking everything for granted. Every match I was winning I was like, pffft, just another match I won. Third round of a Slam, pffft. I was not appreciating anything because it was coming too easy. But I started to appreciate every match and every moment. A few months ago I couldn’t even practise. Then you think, maybe you will never have this moment again.

    “I also don’t know how much is left in my career because I am very old now. It’s something I want to take to the fullest, so I don’t have regrets afterwards.”

     

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  • Survival Benefit, Neutropenia Risk Influence Third-Line Treatment Preferences for mCRC in Germany and the UK

    Survival Benefit, Neutropenia Risk Influence Third-Line Treatment Preferences for mCRC in Germany and the UK

    Metastatic colorectal cancer|

    Image Credit: © Rasi – stock.adobe.com

    Physicians’ preferences for third-line treatment options in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) in the United Kingdom (UK) and Germany were primarily influenced by expected improvements in overall survival (OS), 3-month progression-free survival (PFS) rates, and the risk of grade 3 or higher neutropenia, according to findings from a survey shared during the 2025 ESMO Gastrointestinal Cancer Congress.¹ However, respondents indicated a willingness to place less emphasis on potential OS gains in favor of avoiding treatment-related toxicity risk or regimens with a higher treatment burden.

    On average, physicians in Germany (n = 81) and the UK (n = 75) most frequently rated OS as the most important of the 8 attributes to improve (Germany, 1.8; UK, 2.0), followed by 3-month PFS rate (3.1; 3.2), grade 3 or higher neutropenia (3.7; 3.8), grade 3 or higher hand-foot syndrome (4.6; 5.5), all-grade diarrhea (4.6; 4.7), and all-grade fatigue (5.5; 5.0). Hypertension less than grade 3 (6.3; 6.2) or mode of administration (5.6; 6.5) were the lowest-ranked attributes in both countries, although mode of administration was ranked higher by UK vs German physicians.

    Survey results also showed that a minimum additional OS benefit was required for physicians to accept a 10% increase in treatment-related risks or switch to a less desirable regimen. Physicians in Germany and the UK necessitated a 1.1-month and 1.3-month increase in OS, respectively, to accept treatment with a 10% increase in the risk of grade 3 or higher hand-foot syndrome. Similarly, to accept a twice-daily treatment regimen of 3 oral pills and an intravenous infusion every 2 weeks vs a regimen comprising 2 oral pills once daily, physicians in Germany and the UK required 1.1-month and 2.5-month increases in OS, respectively.

    Regarding the management of adverse effects, most physicians in Germany and the UK reported being somewhat or very comfortable managing toxicities such as any-grade diarrhea (91.3%; 85.3%), grade 3 or higher neutropenia (91.4%; 78.7%), and less than grade 3 hypertension (93.8%; 82.7%). Additionally, approximately half of physicians were somewhat or very comfortable managing grade 3 or higher hand-foot disease (61.7%; 61.3%) and any-grade fatigue (48.2%; 60.0%).

    “These findings indicate that physicians require survival gains to accept increased toxicity or more burdensome treatment regimens, such as those requiring IV administration” presenting author Ashley Geiger, PhD, associate director of Oncology Patient-Centered Outcomes at Takeda, and coauthors wrote in a poster presentation of the data.“[They also] highlight the importance of accounting for physicians’ preferences when developing new treatments, to support alignment with clinical decision-making and real-world treatment considerations.”

    Survey Design and Physician Characteristics

    The current third-line or later treatment options for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) are associated with modest survival benefits, typically extending OS by approximately 2 to 3 months. However, the toxicity profiles of these regimens vary significantly, posing challenges in balancing survival gains with treatment-related risks and quality-of-life considerations during clinical decision-making.

    To better characterize the factors influencing treatment selection, investigators conducted a survey to assess how specific treatment attributes affect physicians’ preferences for third-line mCRC therapies in Germany and the UK.

    The study comprised oncologists and gastroenterologists who had self-reported treating 10 or more patients in the last year. Physicians were recruited through established panels. Of the 156 physicians who completed the survey, the majority were male (Germany, 80.2%; UK, 80.0%). Medical oncologists were the most represented medical specialty across both countries (86.4%; 82.7%) followed by gastroenterologists (22.2%; 20.0%) and radiation oncologists (3.7%; 16.0%). In Germany, 87.7% of physicians surveyed had treated 20 or more patients with mCRC in the last year, and 39.5% had 20 or more patients who mCRC who received third-line treatment in the past year. For UK physicians, these respective percentages were 90.7% and 46.7%.

    Upon recruitment, physicians completed a survey of multidimensional thresholding exercises, including 2 attribute ranking exercises and a thresholding exercise consisting of 13 to 15 paired treatment comparison tasks. Treatment attributes were determined according to a targeted review of scientific literature and clinical data, patient engagement, and pilot interviews with both patients and physicians.

    In the attribute-ranking exercise, physicians ranked each of the 8 identified attributes in order or most (1st place) to least (8th place) important to improve. In the thresholding exercise, which was constructed according to individual attribute rankings, physicians chose their preferred treatment through a series of paired comparison tasks. Preferences were examined through the ranking of attributes of importance and trade-offs they would be willing to make between these characteristics. These assessments were followed by sociodemographic and medical practice-related questions.

    Data were subsequently analyzed using a Dirichlet regression model, and marginal rates of substitution were calculated to quantify physicians’ willingness to accept treatment-related risks in exchange for benefits.

    “Future studies should explore how these treatment attributes influence patients’ preferences,” Geiger and colleagues wrote in their conclusion.

    Disclosures: Geiger disclosed full or part-time employment; receiving institutional sponsorship/funding from; and having personal stock/shares in Takeda.

    Reference

    1. Geiger A, Michaels-Igbokwe C, Hernandez L, et al. Physicians’ preferences for later-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer in Germany and the UK. Presented at: 2025 ESMO Gastrointestinal Cancers Congress; July 2-5, 2025; Barcelona, Spain. Abstract 67P.

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  • France vs England at EURO 2025: Head-to-head record of one of Europe’s biggest women's football fixtures – Olympics.com

    France vs England at EURO 2025: Head-to-head record of one of Europe’s biggest women's football fixtures – Olympics.com

    1. France vs England at EURO 2025: Head-to-head record of one of Europe’s biggest women’s football fixtures  Olympics.com
    2. France aiming for united front in Women’s Euro clash with England  samaa tv
    3. UEFA Women’s European Championship Betting Tips for France v England  William Hill News
    4. Sky Bet New Customer Offer: 40/1 Over 0.5 Goals France (W) vs England (W)  Squawka
    5. France captain Griedge Mbock ruled out of Euro 2025 opener against England  Herald Bulletin

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  • Troops kill 30 militants trying to get into Pakistan from Afghanistan – Euronews.com

    1. Troops kill 30 militants trying to get into Pakistan from Afghanistan  Euronews.com
    2. Pakistan’s army says it killed 30 fighters trying to cross Afghan border  Al Jazeera
    3. 30 terrorists killed in North Waziristan as bid to infiltrate via Pak-Afghan border thwarted: ISPR  Dawn
    4. Pakistan troops kill 30 militants attempting to cross from Afghanistan  France 24
    5. President, PM laud security forces for killing 30 terrorists in NW, thwarting infiltration attempt  Ptv.com.pk

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  • Dynamical Origin Of Theia, The Last Giant Impactor On Earth

    Dynamical Origin Of Theia, The Last Giant Impactor On Earth

    Eccentricity and position snapshots over time of a simulation using the mixed scenario where all 4 terrestrial planets fit constraints and the Earth analogue had a final CC embryo impact. Snapshots are shown over time, including the moment after the final giant impact. The initial NC embryos and planetesimals are shown with the embryos in black and the planetesimals in orange, as well as the CC embryos and planetesimals in blue with Jupiter and Saturn in black on the far right. The final snapshot is the real solar system. — astro-ph.EP

    Cosmochemical studies have proposed that Earth accreted roughly 5-10% of its mass from carbonaceous (CC) material, with a large fraction delivered late via its final impactor, Theia (the Moon-forming impactor). ‘

    Here, we evaluate this idea using dynamical simulations of terrestrial planet formation, starting from a standard setup with a population of planetary embryos and planetesimals laid out in a ring centered between Venus and Earth’s orbits, and also including a population of CC planetesimals and planetary embryos scattered inward by Jupiter.

    We find that this scenario can match a large number of constraints, including i) the terrestrial planets’ masses and orbits; ii) the CC mass fraction of Earth; iii) the much lower CC mass fraction of Mars, as long as Mars only accreted CC planetesimals (but no CC embryos); iv) the timing of the last giant (Moon-forming) impact; and v) a late accretion phase dominated by non-carbonaceous (NC) bodies.

    For this scenario to work, the total mass in scattered CC objects must have been ~ 0.2 – 0.3 M⊕ , with an embryo-to-planetesimal mass ratio of at least 8, and CC embryos in the ~ 0.01 – 0.05 M⊕ mass range.

    In that case, our simulations show there are roughly 50-50 odds of Earth’s last giant impactor (Theia) having been a carbonaceous object – either a pure CC embryo or an NC embryo that previously accreted a CC embryo. Our simulations thus provide dynamical validation of cosmochemical studies.

    Duarte Branco, Sean N. Raymond, Pedro Machado

    Comments: 20 pages, 11 figures, to be published in Icarus
    Subjects: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP)
    Cite as: arXiv:2507.01826 [astro-ph.EP] (or arXiv:2507.01826v1 [astro-ph.EP] for this version)
    https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2507.01826
    Focus to learn more
    Submission history
    From: Duarte Branco
    [v1] Wed, 2 Jul 2025 15:41:34 UTC (2,574 KB)
    https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.01826

    Astrobiology,

    Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA Space Station Payload manager/space biologist, Away Teams, Journalist, Lapsed climber, Synaesthete, Na’Vi-Jedi-Freman-Buddhist-mix, ASL, Devon Island and Everest Base Camp veteran, (he/him) 🖖🏻

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  • NAD+ supplementation could be a potential treatment for accelerated aging diseases

    NAD+ supplementation could be a potential treatment for accelerated aging diseases

    Can research into a rare, accelerated aging disease and “zombie cells” teach us something about the normal aging process?

    Did you know that a small molecule called NAD+ plays a critical role in our ageing process? A deficiency of this molecule may cause you to age much faster than normal. Imagine your cells stopping energy production or your DNA struggling to repair itself. This is the harsh reality of aging, as well as the experience of individuals with Werner syndrome, a rare and severe genetic disorder that leads to premature aging.

    Now, in groundbreaking studies, researchers have found that NAD+ supplementation could be a potential treatment for these accelerated aging diseases. The study on NAD+ deficiency in Werner syndrome was published in the leading aging journal Aging-US.

    The reality of Werner syndrome

    “Werner syndrome is an adult-onset progeria where individuals age more rapidly. By their 20s and 30s, the patients start to show greying and loss of hair, wrinkles, and appear much older than their actual age,” explains Dr. Sofie Lautrup, a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of clinical molecular biology at the University of Oslo and Akershus University Hospital. Patients with Werner syndrome experience typical age-related diseases and life-threatening complications as early as in their 30s-40s, accompanied by significant changes in cellular metabolism, which means that the cells no longer behave normally.

    “Our research has found that one reason for this is that they have lower levels of NAD+ in their mitochondria, the body’s cellular powerhouse,” Lautrup shares.

    Dr. Lautrup and her colleagues have analysed cells from patients with Werner syndrome in the lab. Their research reveals, for the first time, that these individuals have decreased NAD+ levels in their mitochondria compared to healthy individuals. This supports their previous findings on dysregulated NAD+ metabolism and mitochondrial function in premature aging.

    The promise of NAD+, a vital molecule in life

    The researchers investigated whether supplementing NAD+ could restore normal cellular function and achieved remarkable results. “We found that supplying NAD+ can stimulate stem cell growth and inhibit the premature ageing process in stem and skin cells from patients,” Lautrup elaborates. This suggests that NAD+ supplementation could be a potential treatment for Werner syndrome patients. But could NAD+ also significantly impact normal aging?

    So, what exactly is NAD+, and why is it essential for our bodies? NAD+ is a molecule found in all living cells, which plays a vital role in numerous cellular functions. “We need NAD+ to produce energy in our cells. It contributes to cellular health and metabolism by eliminating damaged mitochondria and plays several other critical roles in our cells,” explains Lautrup, adding, “Without NAD+, we literally cannot live.”

    Thus, despite its small size, NAD+ has a monumental effect on the body, acting as an invisible force driving key metabolic processes.

    Using Werner Syndrome to understand aging

    As natural aging occurs, our NAD+ levels substantially decline. Previously, Lautrup and her team observed that patients with Werner syndrome also have significantly lower NAD+ levels in their blood. This condition accelerates the aging process, making it a useful model for researchers to gain insights into ageing itself.

    Zombie cells: neither dead nor alive

    A crucial function of our bodies is cell division, which we need to grow and repair damaged tissue. As we age, this ability diminishes, resulting in a state called senescence. Werner syndrome is caused by mutations in a gene essential for DNA maintenance and repair, and therefore cell division.

    “One major hallmark of Werner syndrome is lack of proliferation and premature senescence. This means that cells without the WERNER protein divide poorly. Even though patients are relatively young, their cells stop dividing,” Lautrup explains.

    Therefore, Werner syndrome patients show loss of stem cell proliferative capacity, which has detrimental consequences to the patients. “One could explain senescence cells as a type of zombie cells. They are neither dead nor alive, unable to perform their normal functions.”

    Researchers suspect that the low level of NAD+ in these patients contributes to the early onset of this zombie state.

    Reversing aging with NAD+

    In their studies, the researchers examined both stem cells and skin cells from Werner syndrome patients in the lab, comparing them with cells from healthy controls. “We wondered whether NAD+ could reinstall proliferation in patient-derived cells,” Lautrup says.

    Within just 24 hours of receiving a precursor molecule that converts to NAD+, multiple proliferation-related pathways were upregulated and senescence related pathways were downregulated.

    “We found that NAD+ treatment can clearly reverse these features of the disease. The cells looked more like healthy cells,” Lautrup states. “NAD+ reduced the number of zombie cells and slowed down the ongoing senescence in the patients’ cells.”

    A glimmer of hope from fruit flies

    Previously, Lautrup and her colleagues conducted experiments with roundworms and fruit flies (drosophila melanogaster) modelling Werner syndrome.

    They administered a molecule that converts into NAD+ within the cells. The results showed that NAD+ treatment successfully stimulated stem cell proliferation in the fruit flies, leading to improved mitochondrial function. Even with Werner syndrome, these organisms lived longer than expected.

    “This finding in fruit flies made us wonder if NAD+ could restore cell division in the cells of actual patients,” she adds.

    Paving the way for new treatments

    Lautrup’s research has triggered clinical studies currently underway in Japan, focusing on Werner syndrome and NAD+.

    “We eagerly await the results,” she shares. “We hope that this study, combined with our previous work on Werner syndrome and NAD+, will pave the way for new treatments not only for Werner syndrome but potentially for other aging-related diseases.”

    Can we slow down the aging process?

    If researchers can restore cellular NAD+ levels, the goal is to slow the ageing process. “We use Werner syndrome as a model for normal ageing. We’re continually hopeful that our research will provide insights for studies on typical ageing; however, we still do not know if NAD+ can help slow down natural ageing in humans,” Lautrup concludes.

    As this research progresses, the scientific community remains hopeful that understanding the role of NAD+ and addressing the phenomenon of zombie cells may open new avenues for promoting longevity and better health in aging populations.

    The paper builds on a collaborative project between both University of Oslo, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shiba University in Japan, Bergen University and more supported among others by NordForsk (a Japan-Norway-Sweden collaboration).

    Source:

    University of Oslo, Faculty of Medicine

    Journal reference:

    Lautrup, S., et al. (2025). Decreased mitochondrial NAD+ in WRN deficient cells links to dysfunctional proliferation. Aging. doi.org/10.18632/aging.206236.

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  • Beganovic revels in ‘much needed’ top 10 Qualifying at Silverstone

    Beganovic revels in ‘much needed’ top 10 Qualifying at Silverstone

    Dino Beganovic was pleased to be back in the top 10 in Qualifying, with the Hitech TGR driver setting his sights on a podium in the Silverstone Sprint Race.

    The Swede has endured a difficult three rounds since taking pole in Imola, qualifying outside the top 10 on each weekend – P18 in Monte Carlo, P12 in Barcelona and P21 in Spielberg.

    QUALIFYING: Martins rockets to pole in close Silverstone affair

    But with his eighth-place result today, Beganovic was delighted to be back in the mix, and he hopes to continue this form in the second half of the season.

    “It was a session that was not easy,” reflected Beganovic. “With the wind here in Silverstone, it can affect you and it changes the balance of the car corner by corner.

    “It was tough to take the right decision on what changes to make for the second run, but we kept the car the same, and I tried to adapt as well as possible with the driving.

    Beganovic was pleased to qualify in the top 10 at Silverstone

    “But it’s a well needed result to have a good weekend ahead. To start P3 tomorrow is well needed and also starting in the top 10 on Sunday, is also something we needed, because it’s been some weeks now that we’ve had a tough period. Outside the top 10 is somewhere I don’t want to be again this season.”

    Beganovic revealed that there has been a lot of work being done behind the scenes to get him back up to speed in the car, and while happy with the result, acknowledges there are still improvements to be made.

    READ MORE: Martins confident of taking first pole in 2025 after fast start to Silverstone weekend

    “I think we looked good in FP,” continued Beganovic. “A bit less in quali, but we were up there on both runs in quali as well. But it’s just some small stuff within the team, trying to make me more comfortable with everything, but we’ve still got work left to do, to be where we want to be.

    “But it’s a good step in the right direction. Last week was very tough for both cars and in Barcelona, we were outside the top 10. It’s a needed result and it seems like the changes have been the right thing.”

    Beganovic is hopeful of finishing on the podium in the Sprint Race
    Beganovic is hopeful of finishing on the podium in the Sprint Race

    With the weather forecast fairly mixed for both races, Beganovic admits he would not mind rain, as the nature of the Silverstone circuit makes it a “nice track” to drive in the wet.

    Rain or shine though, the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy member is targeting a strong Saturday – where he is set to start third – and Sunday.

    PRACTICE: Martins leads Browning in opening Silverstone session

    “It would be very nice,” said Beganovic when aSked about getting a podium in the Sprint Race. “I love this track, but I have never had a good result here.

    “Let’s see what the weather brings tomorrow. It seems less clear than today at least, but I am just happy to have made a step now in Qualifying and it would mean the world to be on the podium.”

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