Longevity in a fasting spider

FairSubset: A tool to choose representative subsets of data for use with replicates or groups of different sample sizes

High-impact journals are promoting transparency of data. Modern scientific methods can be automated and produce disparate samples sizes. In many cases, it is desirable to retain identical or pre-defined sample sizes between replicates or groups. However, choosing which subset of originally acquired data that best matches the entirety of the data set without introducing bias is not trivial. Here, we released a free online tool, FairSubset, and its constituent Shiny App R code to subset data in an unbiased fashion. Subsets were set at the same N across samples and retained representative average and standard deviation information. The method can be used for quantitation of entire fields of view or other replicates without biasing the data pool toward large N samples. We showed examples of the tool’s use with fluorescence data and DNA-damage related Comet tail quantitation. This FairSubset tool and the method to retain distribution information at the single-datum level may be considered for standardized use in fair publishing practices.

Epigenetic mechanisms underlying lifespan and age-related effects of dietary restriction and the ketogenic diet

Aging constitutes the central risk factor for major diseases including many forms of cancer, neurodegeneration, and cardiovascular diseases. The aging process is characterized by both global and tissue-specific changes in gene expression across taxonomically diverse species. While aging has historically been thought to entail cell-autonomous, even stochastic changes, recent evidence suggests that modulation of this process can be hierarchal, wherein manipulations of nutrient-sensing neurons (e.g., in the hypothalamus) produce peripheral effects that may modulate the aging process itself. The most robust intervention extending lifespan, plausibly impinging on the aging process, involves different modalities of dietary restriction (DR). Lifespan extension by DR is associated with broad protection against diseases (natural and engineered). Here we review potential epigenetic processes that may link lifespan to age-related diseases, particularly in the context of DR and (other) ketogenic diets, focusing on brain and hypothalamic mechanisms.

Metabolic and neuropsychiatric effects of calorie restriction and sirtuins

Most living organisms, including humans, age. Over time the ability to do physical and intellectual work deteriorates, and susceptibility to infectious, metabolic, and neurodegenerative diseases increases, which leads to general fitness decline and ultimately to death. Work in model organisms has demonstrated that genetic and environmental manipulations can prevent numerous age-associated diseases, improve health at advanced age, and increase life span. Calorie restriction (CR) (consumption of a diet with fewer calories but containing all the essential nutrients) is the most robust manipulation, genetic or environmental, to extend longevity and improve health parameters in laboratory animals. However, outside of the protected laboratory environment, the effects of CR are much less certain. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of CR may lead to the development of novel therapies to combat diseases of aging and to improve the quality of life. Sirtuins, a family of NAD(+)-dependent enzymes, mediate a number of metabolic and behavioral responses to CR and are intriguing targets for pharmaceutical interventions. We review the molecular understanding of CR; the role of sirtuins in CR; and the effects of sirtuins on physiology, mood, and behavior.