Cell
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Philanthropists are exerting an unmistakable influence on the research agenda, drawing attention to long-ignored research areas, promoting collaborations, and giving scientists the freedom to explore serendipitous ideas. Unbridled by politics or bureaucracy, philanthropic organizations can fund the riskier projects that could yield the biggest payoffs.
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Resveratrol increases life span in lower organisms by activating the NAD(+)-dependent histone deacetylase Sirt1. Studies by and now show that resveratrol promotes longevity and improves glucose homeostasis in mice by stimulating the Sirt1-mediated deacetylation of the transcriptional coactivator PGC-1alpha.
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Fish and amphibian hearts are known to regenerate after partial resection, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this process remain unclear. In this issue of Cell, Lipilina et al. analyze regeneration in the zebrafish heart. Their work indicates that new cardiomyocytes originate from undifferentiated progenitor cells and reveals a critical role for the epicardium, the cellular layer that covers the heart.
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The neuronal ubiquitin/proteasomal pathway has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We now show that a component of the pathway, ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (Uch-L1), is required for normal synaptic and cognitive function. ⋯ Moreover, intraperitoneal injections with the fusion protein improve the retention of contextual learning in APP/PS1 mice over time. The beneficial effect of the Uch-L1 fusion protein is associated with restoration of normal levels of the PKA-regulatory subunit IIalpha, PKA activity, and CREB phosphorylation.