Hypothalamic Menin Regulates Systemic Aging and Cognitive Decline

Aging is a systemic process, which is a risk factor for impaired physiological functions, and finally death. The molecular mechanisms driving aging process and the associated cognitive decline are not fully understood. The hypothalamus acts as the arbiter that orchestrates systemic aging through neuroinflammatory signaling. Our recent findings revealed that Menin plays important roles in neuroinflammation and brain development. Here, we found that the hypothalamic Menin signaling diminished in aged mice, which correlates with systemic aging and cognitive deficits. Restoring Menin expression in ventromedial nucleus of hypothalamus (VMH) of aged mice extended lifespan, improved learning and memory, and ameliorated aging biomarkers, while inhibiting Menin in VMH of middle-aged mice induced premature aging and accelerated cognitive decline. We further found that Menin epigenetically regulates neuroinflammatory and metabolic pathways, including D-serine metabolism. Aging-associated Menin reduction led to impaired D-serine release by VMH-hippocampus neural circuit, while D-serine supplement rescued cognitive decline in aged mice. Collectively, VMH Menin serves as a key regulator of systemic aging and aging-related cognitive decline

Statistical Modelling for Simulating and Interpreting an Egg Packaging Process for Giveaway Mitigation

Giveaway, the excess product being packed into orders, is one of the contributors of revenue loss that pre-packaged food manufacturers care the most. In collaboration with an egg packaging company, this study aims to discover operation rules to mitigate the giveaway in egg orders. For that, two variables have been raised as potential controllable factors of giveaway. One statistical model has been developed to better interpret the experimental results by understanding the underlying rules of the egg grading machine. The experiments have been accurately reproduced by a simulation using the estimated model parameters, which indicates the success of the model. Based on the experiments, we claim that the number of accepted downgrade grades has a significant influence on the final giveaway ratio. Limitations and further potentials of the statistical model have also been discussed