Liver protein SerpinA1: A new player in the fight against obesity and diabetes

Researchers from Kumamoto University have identified a liver-derived protein, serine protease inhibitor A1 (SerpinA1), as a key regulator in combating obesity and enhancing glucose metabolism. This study, published in Nature Communications, sheds light on how activating brown adipose tissue (BAT) could pave the way for innovative treatments for diabetes and metabolic disorders.

End-of-life care can be more aggressive for cancer patients with defibrillators

Patients with advanced cancer who also had cardiac defibrillators were more likely than those without these implants to receive aggressive end-of-life care, a team led by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers found in a new study. The findings, published in Cancer, could help physicians guide patients in this growing population toward care that better matches their goals.

Study sheds light on depression in community-dwelling older adults

Marked variation in the prevalence of depression was found in a multisite sample of community-dwelling older adults in the United States, reports a study by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Until now, few studies have examined the frequency of depression in community-dwelling older adults in the U.S. The study is published in the Journal of American Geriatrics Society.