Led by Jie V. Zhao, Yitang Sun, Junmeng Zhang, and Kaixiong Ye from the University of Hong Kong and the University of Georgia, the research team focused on phenylalanine and tyrosine. Their findings suggest that higher tyrosine levels are associated with shorter life expectancy in men, raising the possibility that longevity strategies may need to differ by sex.

Amino Acids, Brain Function, and Aging

Phenylalanine and tyrosine are amino acids that play important roles in metabolism and brain activity. They are naturally present in protein rich foods and are also sold as dietary supplements. Despite their widespread use, scientists still do not fully understand how these compounds may affect the aging process over time.

Tyrosine is especially notable because it helps produce neurotransmitters such as dopamine, which influence mood, motivation, and cognitive performance. Because of its role in brain chemistry, tyrosine has drawn increasing interest in aging research.

Large UK Biobank Study Examines Lifespan

To investigate potential links to longevity, the researchers analyzed health and genetic data from more than 270,000 participants in the UK Biobank. They used both observational data and genetic techniques to assess whether blood levels of phenylalanine and tyrosine were related to overall mortality and predicted lifespan.

At first, both amino acids appeared to be associated with a higher risk of death. However, after deeper analysis, only tyrosine showed a consistent and potentially causal relationship with reduced life expectancy in men. Genetic modeling suggested that men with elevated tyrosine levels could live nearly one year less on average. No meaningful association was found in women.

The connection remained even after accounting for other related factors, including phenylalanine. This strengthens the possibility that tyrosine itself may independently influence aging. Researchers also noted that men generally have higher tyrosine levels than women, which may help explain part of the longstanding lifespan gap between the sexes.

“Phenylalanine showed no association with lifespan in either men or women after controlling for tyrosine.”

Possible Biological Explanations

Scientists are still working to understand why tyrosine might affect lifespan in men. One possibility involves insulin resistance, a condition linked to many age related diseases. Tyrosine is also involved in producing stress related neurotransmitters, which may influence metabolic and hormonal pathways differently in men and women. Variations in hormone signaling could help explain why the effect appeared only in men.

Supplement Use and Longevity Questions

Tyrosine is often marketed as a supplement to improve focus and mental performance. Although this study did not directly test tyrosine supplements, the findings raise questions about its long term impact on health and lifespan.

The researchers suggest that individuals with high tyrosine levels might benefit from dietary adjustments. Approaches such as moderating overall protein intake could potentially lower tyrosine levels and support healthier aging.

More research will be needed to confirm these results and to determine whether changes in diet or lifestyle can safely reduce tyrosine levels and promote longer life.

New research led by the University of Colorado Boulder and published in Nature Geoscience explains what happened in 2023, when the glacier lost about eight kilometers of ice in just 60 days. The study found that the key factor was the flat bedrock beneath the glacier. As the ice thinned, this smooth foundation allowed large sections to lift off the ground and float, triggering an unusual and sudden calving event.

The findings could help scientists pinpoint other Antarctic glaciers that might be vulnerable to similar rapid collapse. Hektoria Glacier is relatively small by Antarctic standards, covering about 115 square miles, roughly the size of Philadelphia. However, if a much larger glacier were to retreat this quickly, the consequences for global sea level rise could be severe.

“When we flew over Hektoria in early 2024, I couldn’t believe the vastness of the area that had collapsed,” said Naomi Ochwat, lead author and CIRES postdoctoral researcher. “I had seen the fjord and notable mountain features in the satellite images, but being there in person filled me with astonishment at what had happened.”

Satellite Data Revealed a Sudden Collapse

Ochwat and her colleagues, including CIRES Senior Research Scientist Ted Scambos, were initially studying the region for a different project. They were investigating why sea ice detached from a glacier years after a nearby ice shelf broke apart in 2002.

While reviewing satellite and remote sensing data, Ochwat noticed something unexpected. The images showed that Hektoria Glacier had retreated dramatically within a short window of time. That discovery led her to focus on a pressing question: why did this glacier collapse so quickly?

Ice Plain Topography and Grounding Lines

Many Antarctic glaciers are tidewater glaciers, meaning they sit on the ocean floor and extend into the sea, where they release icebergs. The landscape beneath them can vary widely. Some rest over deep troughs or underwater mountains, while others lie across broad, flat plains.

Hektoria sat on what scientists call an ice plain, a flat stretch of bedrock below sea level. Geological evidence shows that between 15,000-19,000 years ago, glaciers positioned over similar ice plains retreated at extraordinary speeds, sometimes moving back hundreds of meters per day. That historical insight helped researchers interpret what they were seeing at Hektoria.

When a tidewater glacier thins enough, it can lift off the seabed and begin floating on the ocean surface. The location where it transitions from grounded to floating ice is known as the grounding line. By analyzing multiple satellite datasets, the team identified several grounding lines at Hektoria, a sign of ice plain conditions beneath the glacier.

Rare Calving Process Triggered Rapid Ice Loss

Because the glacier rested on a flat bed, large portions were able to lift off almost at once. Once afloat, the ice was exposed to powerful ocean forces. Cracks opened along the base of the glacier and eventually connected with fractures at the surface. This chain reaction caused extensive calving, breaking apart nearly half the glacier in a matter of weeks.

By combining frequent satellite observations, the researchers reconstructed the sequence of events in detail.

“If we only had one image every three months, we might not be able to tell you that the glacier lost two and a half kilometers in two days,” Ochwat said. “Combining these different satellites, we can fill in time gaps and confirm how quickly the glacier lost ice.”

Glacier Earthquakes Confirmed Ice Loss

The team also deployed seismic instruments that detected a series of glacier earthquakes during the period of rapid retreat. These tremors confirmed that the glacier had been firmly grounded on bedrock before lifting off. The data not only verified the presence of an ice plain but also showed that the ice loss directly contributed to rising global sea levels.

Ice plains have been identified beneath many other Antarctic glaciers. Understanding how they influence retreat rates will help scientists better forecast which glaciers might be prone to sudden collapse in the future.

“Hektoria’s retreat is a bit of a shock — this kind of lighting-fast retreat really changes what’s possible for other, larger glaciers on the continent,” Scambos said. “If the same conditions set up in some of the other areas, it could greatly speed up sea level rise from the continent.”

Their findings appear in a review published in Nature Photonics, which examines the rapid advances in creating, controlling, and measuring structured quantum light. The paper highlights a growing set of powerful tools, including on-chip integrated photonics, nonlinear optics, and multiplane light conversion. Together, these methods are transforming structured quantum states from laboratory concepts into practical systems for imaging, sensing, and quantum networks.

From Empty Toolbox to Advanced Quantum Control

Professor Andrew Forbes of Wits University, the study’s corresponding author, says the transformation in this field over the past 20 years has been remarkable. “The tailoring of quantum states, where quantum light is engineered for a particular purpose, has gathered pace of late, finally starting to show its full potential. Twenty years ago the toolkit for this was virtually empty. Today we have on-chip sources of quantum structured light that are compact and efficient, able to create and control quantum states.”

A major advantage of shaping photons is that it allows researchers to use high-dimensional encoding alphabets. In simple terms, each photon can carry more information and resist interference more effectively. That makes structured quantum light especially attractive for secure quantum communication systems.

Challenges in Long-Distance Quantum Communication

Despite the progress, real-world conditions still pose obstacles. Certain communication channels are not well suited for spatially structured photons, which limits how far these signals can travel compared to more traditional properties such as polarisation. “Although we have made amazing progress, there are still challenging issues,” says Forbes. “The distance reach with structured light, both classical and quantum, remains very low … but this is also an opportunity, stimulating the search for more abstract degrees of freedom to exploit.”

To address this limitation, researchers are exploring ways to give quantum states topological properties. Topological features can make quantum information more stable against disturbances. “We have recently shown how quantum wave functions naturally have the potential to be topological, and this promises the preservation of quantum information even if the entanglement is fragile,” says Forbes.

Multidimensional Entanglement and Future Applications

The review also outlines fast-moving developments in multidimensional entanglement, ultrafast temporal structuring, advanced nonlinear detection techniques, and compact on-chip devices that can generate or process higher-dimensional quantum light than ever before. These breakthroughs are paving the way for high-resolution quantum imaging, extremely precise measurement tools, and quantum networks capable of transmitting more data through multiple interconnected channels.

Overall, the field appears to be reaching a pivotal moment. Researchers believe quantum optics based on structured light is poised for major growth, with the future looking “very bright indeed” — but additional work is required to increase dimensionality, raise photon output, and design quantum states that can withstand realistic optical environments.

Compared with a control group that also reduced calories but did not eat oats, those on the oat based plan saw a markedly greater improvement in their cholesterol levels. The reduction remained noticeable even six weeks later. Researchers also found that the diet changed the balance of bacteria in the gut. Substances produced by these microbes appear to play an important role in the health benefits linked to oats.

A Historic Diabetes Therapy Revisited

Oats have long been associated with metabolic health. In the early 20th century, German physician Carl von Noorden used oats to treat patients with diabetes, reporting strong results. “Today, effective medications are available to treat patients with diabetes,” explains Marie-Christine Simon, junior professor at the Institute of Nutritional and Food Science at the University of Bonn. “As a result, this method has been almost completely overlooked in recent decades.”

The volunteers in the new study did not have diabetes, but they did have metabolic syndrome, which raises the risk of developing the disease. This condition is defined by excess weight, high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, and disorders of lipid metabolism. “We wanted to know how a special oat-based diet affects patients,” says Simon, who is also a member of the Transdisciplinary Research Areas “Life & Health” and “Sustainable Futures” at the University of Bonn.

300 Grams of Oatmeal Per Day

During the intensive phase, participants ate boiled oatmeal three times daily and could only add small amounts of fruit or vegetables. In total, 32 women and men completed the two day oat based intervention. Each person consumed 300 grams of oatmeal per day and cut their usual calorie intake roughly in half. The control group also reduced calories but did not consume oats.

Both groups experienced some benefits from eating fewer calories. However, the improvements were stronger among those who ate oats. “The level of particularly harmful LDL cholesterol fell by 10 percent for them — that is a substantial reduction, although not entirely comparable to the effect of modern medications,” stresses Simon. “They also lost two kilos in weight on average and their blood pressure fell slightly.”

Lowering LDL cholesterol is especially important for heart health. When LDL levels are too high, cholesterol can build up inside artery walls, forming plaques that narrow blood vessels. These plaques may rupture during physical strain, emotional stress, or spikes in blood pressure. A resulting blood clot can completely block blood flow or travel to the heart or brain, triggering a heart attack or stroke.

Gut Microbiome Changes May Explain the Effect

To understand why oats had this impact, researchers examined the gut microbiome. “We were able to identify that the consumption of oatmeal increased the number of certain bacteria in the gut,” says Linda Klümpen, the study’s lead author. Scientists increasingly recognize that gut bacteria are central to how the body processes food. These microbes generate metabolic byproducts that nourish intestinal cells and support their normal function.

Some of these bacterial products also enter the bloodstream, where they can influence other organs. “For instance, we were able to show that intestinal bacteria produce phenolic compounds by breaking down the oats,” says Klümpen. “It has already been shown in animal studies that one of them, ferulic acid, has a positive effect on the cholesterol metabolism. This also appears to be the case for some of the other bacterial metabolic products.”

At the same time, certain microbes help eliminate the amino acid histidine. Without this process, the body can convert histidine into a compound believed to promote insulin resistance, a hallmark of diabetes mellitus.

Short Intensive Plan Outperformed Longer Moderate Intake

The cholesterol lowering effects were still visible six weeks after the two day intervention. “A short-term oat-based diet at regular intervals could be a well-tolerated way to keep the cholesterol level within the normal range and prevent diabetes,” says Junior Professor Simon.

However, the benefits were strongest when oats were consumed in high amounts alongside calorie restriction. In a separate six week phase, participants ate 80 grams of oatmeal per day without additional dietary limits. That approach produced only modest changes. “As a next step, it can now be clarified whether an intensive oat-based diet repeated every six weeks actually has a permanently preventative effect,” Simon adds.

How the Randomized Controlled Trials Were Conducted

A total of 68 people took part in the research. In the two day oat based study, 17 participants in the oat group and 15 in the control group completed the trial. Two individuals in the control group withdrew for personal reasons. In the six week intervention, 17 participants in each group finished the study. The researchers determined the group size of 17 per arm based on earlier interventional data.

Both the short and longer interventions were randomized controlled trials. In these “RCTs,” participants are assigned at random to different groups. One group receives the intervention being tested, in this case oats, while the control group does not. Ideally, participants are “blind” and unaware of which group they are in, which reduces placebo effects.

In nutrition studies, full blinding is often difficult because people usually know what they are eating. That was true here. However, the laboratory teams analyzing blood and stool samples were unaware of which group the samples came from. The same applied to blood pressure and weight measurements, reducing the chance that expectations could influence the results.

Before any dietary changes, researchers collected blood and stool samples and measured blood pressure, weight, height, waist circumference, and body fat. Follow up assessments took place immediately after the two day oat phase and again at two, four, and six weeks. The same measurements and sample collections were repeated each time. The six week oatmeal group underwent identical testing procedures.

Blood samples were analyzed for LDL cholesterol levels and for dihydroferulic acid, a phenolic compound thought to be produced by beneficial gut bacteria. Stool samples were used to identify bacterial species by isolating 16S RNA, a molecule unique to bacteria that varies slightly between species, much like a fingerprint. Researchers also examined which metabolic byproducts were present.

The study received funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the German Diabetes Association (DDG), the German Research Foundation (DFG), the German Cereal Processing, Milling and Starch Industries’ Association (VGMS), and RASO Naturprodukte.

The research was conducted at Oregon Health & Science University and published in the journal Science Advances.

The Disease Behind “Brain on Fire”

Many people recognize this disorder from the bestselling memoir and the 2016 film “Brain on Fire.” Although widely publicized, the condition is rare, affecting roughly 1 in 1 million people each year, most often adults in their 20s and 30s.

The illness occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks NMDA receptors in the brain. These receptors play an essential role in memory and thinking. The attack is driven in part by anti-NMDA receptor autoantibodies. Patients can experience dramatic personality changes, profound memory loss, seizures, and in severe cases, death.

Pinpointing the Antibody Binding Sites

In the new study, scientists identified specific locations on a subunit of the NMDA receptor where these harmful antibodies attach. Blocking these precise sites could potentially slow or even reverse the progression of the disease.

Lead author Junhoe Kim, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow at the OHSU Vollum Institute, analyzed anti-NMDA receptor autoantibodies taken from a specially engineered mouse model of the disease. He then compared those findings with detailed images of the same types of antibodies collected from people diagnosed with the disorder.

The binding locations observed in mice closely matched those seen in human patients.

“We have really solid evidence because the autoantibody binding sites that Junhoe identified overlap with those from people,” said senior author Eric Gouaux, Ph.D., senior scientist in the Vollum and an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. “We’re focused now on this area as literally a hot spot for the interaction that underpins at least one component of the disease.”

Kim explained that earlier research had narrowed down the general region where antibodies might attach.

“From previous studies, people knew where the antibodies might bind,” he said. “But we collected the entire native autoimmune antibody panel from a mouse model with the disease, and we elucidated where specifically they bind onto the receptor.”

Near-Atomic Imaging Reveals a Critical Hot Spot

The team used advanced near-atomic imaging at the Pacific Northwest Cryo-EM Center on OHSU’s South Waterfront campus. The facility is one of three national centers dedicated to this state-of-the-art imaging technology. It is jointly operated by OHSU and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Their analysis showed that nearly all of the antibodies concentrated on a single region of the receptor.

“Nearly all of the antibodies bound to a single domain of the receptor that happens to be the part of the receptor that’s simplest to target,” Gouaux said. “It’s a super exciting result, actually.”

Toward More Precise Treatments

According to co-author Gary Westbrook, M.D., a neurologist and senior scientist at the Vollum Institute, the discovery could help pharmaceutical companies design drugs that specifically block the damaging antibody interactions. Current treatments rely largely on immunosuppression, which does not work for everyone and can leave patients vulnerable to relapse.

“More specific approaches are definitely needed,” he said.

In addition to Kim, Gouaux, and Westbrook, the research team included Farzad Jalali-Yazdi, Ph.D., and Brian Jones, Ph.D., of OHSU.

The study was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea, award RS202400334731; the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, both part of the National Institutes of Health, under award numbers F32MH115595, R01NS117371 and R01NS038631; the Howard Hughes Medical Institute; and Jennifer and Bernard LaCroute. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.

All animal research at OHSU undergoes review and approval by the university’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). The IACUC ensures the welfare of animal subjects and the safety of research personnel. It also evaluates all proposed animal studies to confirm their scientific merit and justify the use of live animals.