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Today's NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints, Answers for March 26 #549
Here's today's Connections: Sports Edition answer and hints for groups. These clues will help you solve The New York Times' popular puzzle game, Connections: Sports Edition, every day.
Small Business Concierge Bill Wins Committee Support » CBIA
Legislation aimed at strengthening support for Connecticut’s small businesses is moving forward at the state Capitol.
UConn Health Minute: AI and Teen Mental Health
More teens are using AI chatbots for mental health support. In this UConn Health Minute, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Meha Saxena explains that while q ...
Apple overhauls its app developer platform with 100 new metrics, more tools
Apple is adding 100+ new App Store Connect metrics, giving developers deeper, first-party insights into monetization, subscriptions, and user behavior as it doubles down on its app ecosystem in the AI era.
O'Connor touts business opportunities at latest tech summit held in Pittsburgh
Mayor Corey O’Connor sees himself as Pittsburgh’s biggest promoter, which is why he’s been making dozens of calls to sell people on settling...
Sky River's Five-Story Parking Garage Opens, Advancing Entertainment and Tribal Development in Elk Grove
Sky River Casino has now opened its new five‑story parking structure, an investment that strengthens Wilton Rancheria’s long‑term economic development strategy that is firmly rooted in the Tribe’s resilience and vision for future generations. Featuring 1,600 parking stalls across 681,263 square feet, the structure seamlessly connects with the recently expanded 20,000‑square‑foot gaming floor through an […]
Essentia Health-Duluth Clinic welcomes Mariah O’Connell to practice family medicine
Mariah O’Connell, an advanced practice registered nurse and certified nurse practitioner specializing in family medicine, is thrilled to join the Essentia Health-Duluth Clinic.
Glyphosate: A story of science, risk, and nuance
In the summer of 2014, a California groundskeeper named Dewayne Johnson started noticing patches of raw, weeping skin spreading across his body. He had spent years applying Roundup, Monsanto’s glyphosate-based herbicide, for a school district, sometimes drenched in it when equipment malfunctioned. By 2014, he had a diagnosis: non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In 2018, a jury awarded him $289 million in damages, later reduced on appeal. Tens of thousands of lawsuits followed. The story hasn’t quieted down. It’s all over the internet, swinging between “this will kill you, buy organic” and “relax, you’re fear-mongering.” Some of that recent chatter stems from an Executive Order protecting glyphosate and its production, which set off intense infighting within the MAHA movement. Some of it reflects a deeper truth: Americans genuinely care about harmful chemicals in their environment (see poll below). And the conversation isn’t going anywhere, with a Supreme Court case involving Monsanto set for this April. Glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup) is one of the most widely used herbicides in the world. But does glyphosate cause cancer? And how much exposure is actually risky? With so much mistrust in institutions and corporations (and some genuine conflicts of interest), making sense of the actual scientific evidence is genuinely hard. Here is a translation of what the scientific evidence actually says. Does glyphosate cause harm? Glyphosate is an herbicide that kills most plants it contacts rather than targeting specific species. It works by blocking an enzyme pathway (EPSPS) that plants and many microorganisms need to produce essential amino acids. Without those amino acids, the plant can’t grow and dies. Glyphosate was first developed by Monsanto in the 1970s and became ubiquitous after the company introduced “Roundup Ready” crops in the 1990s. In 2024, Bayer removed glyphosate from residential Roundup-branded products due to litigation pressure. But today it is still the most widely used herbicide in the world. Farmers also discovered they could spray it directly on crops like oats, lentils, beans, and peas just before harvest to dry them out faster and make harvesting easier. Because of its widespread use, it’s obviously really important to understand if it’s harmful to humans. The key principle: The dose makes the poison The most important concept in toxicology is that “the dose makes the poison.” Sixteenth-century physician Paracelsus articulated what remains the foundational principle of toxicology: sola dosis facit venenum. Water will kill you if you drink enough of it. Aspirin saves lives at 81 milligrams and causes internal bleeding at higher chronic doses. So, at what dose is glyphosate poisonous? The LD50 in rats (the dose that kills half the test animals) is around 5,600 mg/kg body weight. Table salt is roughly 3,000 mg/kg. By that classic measure, glyphosate is less acutely toxic than salt. But some people are exposed to a lot of glyphosate through their work. And among the general public, there are many questions about low-dose, cumulative exposure from multiple sources over long periods. Does glyphosate cause health problems? Cancer Correlation maps are striking, with one analysis finding that 60% of counties that spray the most glyphosate have non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma rates above the national average. But correlation alone doesn’t establish cause, which is why animal and human studies matter. In animals: Rat studies are typically what most fear is rooted in, but most people don’t know the study details on the dosage given to rats. A pooled analysis of the 13 most rigorous rat studies found evidence that very high doses, around 55,000 times greater than typical food residue exposure, can cause certain cancers. In humans: One of the strongest studies followed 55,000 herbicide users over 20 years and found no overall increased cancer risk. There was one signal: among those with the highest use, rates of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) appeared elevated. A broader meta-analysis of 18 human studies also found no overall cancer risk, though a separate meta-analysis focused specifically on non-Hodgkin lymphoma found that people with high cumulative glyphosate exposure faced a 41% higher relative risk compared to those with low or no exposure. These human studies are observational studies (randomized controlled trials would be unethical), and meta-analyses are only as reliable as the studies they pool. But the story seems consistent: at very high exposure levels, there may be some cancer risk. But that’s about as far as the science currently takes us. Emerging research: gut and reproductive health Gut: Because glyphosate targets a pathway that exists in some gut bacteria, scientists have questioned whether it could affect the microbiome. In mice, a 2023 University of Iowa study found that glyphosate altered gut bacterial composition and raised markers of intestinal inflammation. A 2024 systematic review found similar patterns: disrupted gut bacteria and problems with the mucus layer that protects the intestinal wall in mice. Whether this translates to humans is an open question. The human gut is highly variable and resistant, and we don't yet have strong studies confirming the same effects in people. Reproductive health: Animal studies have found that glyphosate-based herbicides can interfere with reproductive hormones, including disrupting egg cell development in mice and reducing the number of eggs available in sheep’s ovaries. However, the doses used in these experiments were high, so it’s not yet clear whether the same effects would occur in humans. On the human side, a 2021 pilot study led by Mount Sinai researchers tested urine samples from pregnant women across the U.S. and found glyphosate in 95% of them. The study also found a possible connection between higher glyphosate exposure during pregnancy and a subtle physical difference measured in female newborns. That said, some connections weren’t statistically reliable and this was a small study. The researchers themselves said more and larger studies are needed before drawing firm conclusions. What do regulators say about glyphosate safety? In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization, classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2A). The classification is worth taking seriously. But, there’s an important distinction: IARC classifies hazard, meaning the potential to cause harm under some conditions. It does not assess risk, which accounts for actual exposure levels and the real-world probability of harm. The U.S. EPA, the European Food Safety Authority, Health Canada, and regulatory agencies in Australia and Japan have all concluded that glyphosate is “unlikely to be carcinogenic to humans” at realistic exposure levels. They’re asking a different question: given how much of this people actually encounter, what is the probability of harm? Your actual exposure is what determines your actual risk. What does glyphosate mean for your daily life? At the grocery store: Food residues are small. The EPA’s acceptable daily intake is 1.75 mg/kg of body weight per day. To hit that threshold from oatmeal alone, a 150-pound adult would need to eat roughly 50 pounds of oats every day. But this calculation addresses only one pathway (food), and we don’t yet have robust tools to measure people’s actual total exposure. If reducing exposure matters to you, organic certification prohibits synthetic herbicides, and organic oat products generally test at lower or undetectable levels. Either way, a diet rich in whole grains, conventional or organic, is far better for your health than one that omits them out of fear of residues. On the farm: Occupational exposure is orders of magnitude higher than consumer exposure. Farmers and farm workers who mix, load, and apply glyphosate-based herbicides, especially without protective equipment, face meaningfully different risk profiles. Proper PPE isn’t optional. Integrated weed management strategies that rotate chemical modes of action are also worth taking seriously, both for health and for long-term effectiveness. If you live near a farm: Spray drift is real. Concentrations near field edges can spike during and after application, particularly on windy days. This is an area where I think public health could really step up and empower rural communities with buffer zones, rather than placing the onus on individuals. But for now, knowing your local agricultural calendar and keeping windows closed during application are the first steps. Bottom line Dewayne Johnson was exposed to glyphosate at levels most people will never encounter, and a jury decided he deserved compensation. That outcome is not evidence that the oatmeal in your pantry is dangerous. But it is a reminder that the dose, the context, and the person doing the exposing all matter enormously. Glyphosate is a chemical tool with benefits, trade-offs, and genuine open scientific questions. Learning to hold that complexity without collapsing into panic or dismissal is, honestly, one of the most useful and hardest things to do in navigating modern health science. Love, YLE Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) is founded and operated by Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, MPH PhD—an epidemiologist, wife, and mom of two little girls. Hannah Totte, MPH, is an epidemiologist and YLE Community Manager. YLE reaches more than 425,000 people in over 132 countries with one goal: “Translate” the ever-evolving public health science so that people will be well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members. To support the effort, subscribe or upgrade below: Subscribe
Google confirms Android Auto fixes for Pixel, Galaxy users facing connection problems
Some Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy users have been running into problems with Android Auto as of late, but fixes...
Do you love sleeping with your pet? Science reveals there’s a tricky trade-off
Co-sleeping with your pet produces a paradox: it feels beneficial — enhancing connection, comfort and emotional safety — but it objectively disturbs your sleep, and eventually you’re overall well-being.
Two-Time National Champion Boxer, Business Student Aidan Jubb: ‘When the Final Bell Rings…You’re Like, ‘Is It Already Over?’’’
'Winning is great, and that's when the hard work pays off'
Thousands could lose their Medicaid in Kansas City, health leaders are calling for action
They fear people will be kicked off coverage next year when a federal law requiring work requirements and more frequent eligibility checks kicks in.
FEC filings reveal how Blackburn laid the groundwork for governor campaign without personal fortune
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn has used political connections and standing as a close ally of President Donald Trump to raise large sums of cash.
Today's NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints, Answers for March 25 #548
Here's today's Connections: Sports Edition answer and hints for groups. These clues will help you solve The New York Times' popular puzzle game, Connections: Sports Edition, every day.
They gave her business a lifeline, then froze all her money
A murky corner of the financial world is now the fastest-growing source of funding for small businesses. One state, Connecticut, had given these lenders unusual power. That may be about to change.
Superstar Connor McDavid hits multiple milestones in Utah
McDavid became the third-fastest player in NHL history to hit 1,200 points — and that’s not the only milestone he hit on Tuesday.
Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for March 25, 2026, puzzle No. 548
Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.
East of Innovation: “They call me robot doctor” — Inside the rise of virtual care in ENC
Programs at ECU Health and CarolinaEast Health System use virtual technology to connect patients with specialists.
Highly and casually active citizen scientists contribute equally valuable data
The word "nemotia" is a neologism, a newly coined term that in this case, describes the sense of overwhelmingness and disconnect accompanying the thought that nothing you do will ever make a difference. ...
Scientists Reflect on Experiences Meeting Patients
On the very best days, our researchers get to connect face to face with patients and families. Learn more about the meaning behind these moments.
Health Ring Oura Interviews Banks for IPO as Soon as This Year
Health ring Oura has been interviewing bankers to advise on an initial public offering that could take place as soon as this year, according to a person with direct knowledge of discussions. A public offering would follow fast growth at the company, which sells connected devices—which cost from ...
MIT hosts its first High School Regional Science Bowl
High school teams competed in the 2026 MIT Science Bowl Invitational. The volunteer-run event is an opportunity for top students from across the country and current MIT students to connect.
NBA Draft stock watch: Risers, fallers entering Sweet 16
With the Sweet 16 set, NBA Draft stock is shifting. Here's a look at the biggest risers and fallers from March Madness so far.
Russia turned cheap 'Molniya' strike drones into advanced recon tools
The modifications allow Russia to use these drones for battlefield reconnaissance instead of relying on more expensive platforms.
New Latino-focused market to celebrate Sonoma County businesses, artists
Agueda Ulloa said of Mercado Rosa, “It aligns with our values of bringing community together, just to have that third space for the community to walk around, to see new things and connect with other businesses.”
‘Healthy Rounds’: Dealing With Dementia
Dr. Kristina Zdanys, geriatric psychiatrist in the UConn Center on Aging, joins Dr. Anthony Alessi’s podcast
Three Hawks Named to College Sports Communicators Women's Basketball Academic All-District Team
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - On Tuesday, the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District women's basketball teams were announced with three members of the Hartford volleyball team featured.
Helping seniors thrive through connection
ETSU is one of three universities nationwide selected to develop senior nutrition programs.
Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for March 24, 2026, puzzle No. 547
Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.
Android Auto is breaking for Pixel and Samsung users, and no one knows why
Users are reporting connection issues associated with a recent update and an Android 16 security feature.
$5 flat-fee deliveries: A Haverhill business is built on community connection
From restaurant supplies to last-minute hardware runs, Store to your Door is meeting everyday needs
From One Major to Three in Four Years: Connecting Data Science, German and Linguistics at Montclair
In a German language program for local children and on an archive translation project, Isabella Zarate Gonzalez shows how Montclair’s mix of STEM, world languages and community engagement helped her connect her interests into a single path
How can you explore careers worldwide? Binghamton student founds club to find out
Binghamton University School of Management student Liam Foley discovers how connecting with diverse cultures creates new pathways for success after founding an international business club.
Astrophysicist Deborah Haarsma Connects Science with Christian Faith at Pepperdine Libraries' Frank Pack Lecture
Hosted by Pepperdine Libraries' Rushford Center, the University community was given the special honor of hearing Haarsma's insights on Christian faith and science at the 21st annual Frank Pack Distinguished Christian Scholar Lecture.
Scientists Connect “Time Crystals” to the Outside World in Groundbreaking Experiment
A newly demonstrated link between a time crystal and a mechanical system opens a door scientists once thought closed.
Women's March Madness live updates, scores, results: Alabama leads Louisville in tightly contested first half; UConn, South Carolina, UCLA back in action Monday
Seven most intriguing offensive additions during the 2026 NFL free agency period
Kyler Murray joining Kevin O'Connell with the Vikings, plus more interesting offensive moves
When Vermont’s treatment landscape shifts, community providers step up
As Vermont’s substance use treatment landscape shifts, community providers are stepping up to maintain access to care. In Washington County, strong partnerships ensure rapid connection to treatment, recovery services, and coordinated support.
Marquette Law School adds Aaron Hernandez to National Sports Law Institute leadership
Aaron Hernandez, currently at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, will be joining the faculty at Marquette University Law School as associate professor of practice and director of the National Sports Law Institute. Marquette is led in the area of sports law by Matt Mitten, professor of law, and Paul Anderson, associate…
How AT&T Business Powers TGL, a New Tech-Driven Golf League
Powered by AT&T Connectivity, TGL presented by SoFi preserves what makes golf great while transforming how fans experience it.
Scouting Michigan State basketball Sweet 16 matchup with UConn
Get a first glimpse at the NCAA Tournament East region Sweet 16 semifinal matchup between 3-seed Michigan State basketball and 2-seed UConn.
UConn vs Syracuse predictions, picks, odds for NCAA Tournament Second Round
Our March Madness experts pick the winner for No. 1 UConn vs No. 9 Syracuse in the 2026 women's NCAA Tournament on March 23
Bitsight SPM launched to connect cyber risk with business outcomes as pressure to prove resilience grows
Bitsight launches Bitsight SPM to connect cyber risk with business outcomes as pressure to prove resilience grows.
Where There’s Wildfire Smoke, There’s Poor Mental Health
Research has increasingly connected wildfire and smoke with worsening mental health, partly due to damage in the brain.
Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for March 23, 2026, puzzle No. 546
Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.
Today's NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints, Answers for March 23 #546
Here's today's Connections: Sports Edition answer and hints for groups. These clues will help you solve The New York Times' popular puzzle game, Connections: Sports Edition, every day.
UTA College of Business to connect students, professionals with networking, elevator pitch event
Students, business professionals and recruiters will mingle from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the UTA Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology Development.
Former 'Bachelorette' star James Taylor re-arrested on assault charges in Texas
Former 'Bachelorette' star James Taylor has been re-arrested in Texas in connection to his 2024 assault case.
Your Thymus and Your Healthspan
Our thymus gland plays a central role in the development or our immune system, specifically for supporting T cell development (how these cells got their name, maturation and differentiation in the thymus) and discriminating between self and foreign, non-self antigen proteins with production of dendritic cells. As we age, our thymus gland shrinks—the process known as involution—with progressive change from spongy to fatty tissue, with loss of functionality. But this process, with respect to timeline and extent, markedly varies from one person to the next. And to make things even more complicated, our thymus gland anatomy and precise location in the chest also is highly variable. So the famous Frank Netter diagrams from the 1960s (such as at left below) don’t capture the remarkable heterogeneity that a random set of 12 chest CT scans (below at right). What I consider as 2 landmark papers in Nature this week (here and here) used AI to quantify health of the thymus in 2 large cohorts, and then correlate the metric to a broad array of health outcomes. In this edition of Ground Truths, I’m going to cover three questions: (1) How was thymus health determined by AI?; (2) How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? and (3) Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? Subscribe 1. How was thymus health determined by AI? This was accomplished by extensive work developing and validating an AI pipeline for 2 stages, the first for localization and segmentation of the thymus bed, and the second to quantify a digital marker, termed the thymic health score. There’s a lot to this algorithmic development, so I won’t go into all the details, but just provide a rudimentary outline of what was done. The 1st stage used supervised learning with 2 radiologists reviewing 2,461 chest CT scans. That work trained a 3D U-Net model to automatically identify the thymic bed’s 3D cropped region using center of mass coordinates, which reached 99.8% accuracy. The 2nd stage used a foundation model that was pre-trained with SwAV (which stands for Swapping Assignment between multiple Views), a self-supervised model, that generated a high-dimensional thymus representation of 4,096 features. That compares to the radiology reductionist and subjective scoring of 0 to 3 where 0 means the thymus is fully degenerated and fatty, and 3 is considered dense, intact glandular soft tissue. Notably, the self-supervised learning (SSL) performance was superior to supervised (AUC ~0.75 vs 0.55, respectively) reflecting the shallowness of the 0-3 classifier vs SSL’s holistic, self-taught AI. The thymic health score ranged from 0 to 100, with the highest number indexed to fully preserved thymic health. The algorithmic work extended to explainability with both Shapely value distribution, meaning the model was holistic not relying on any “magic” pixel, and occlusion sensitivity, demonstrating the model’s performance was not affected by ribs, sternum, lung tissue, but rather focused on the thymic bed directly. Below are a few saliency maps from the occlusion sensitivity that indicate the thymic bed focus, not affected by neighboring structures, using the jet color scale. Now the AI was ready for processing ~25,000 CT scans, each over 30 MB files, from the 2 large participant cohorts to provide a thymic health score, it did so in less than 14 hours, which is less than 2 seconds per scan! Share 2. How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? The two cohorts were the National Lung Screening Trial, NLST (N=25,031) and the Framingham Heart Study, FHS (N=2,581) each with baseline demographics and long term follow up of >12 years for health outcomes. From the NSLT, you can see below that increased age and body-mass index were correlated to reduced thymic health. And, overall, men had reduced thymic health scores compared with women. There are a lot of graphs in the paper for outcomes, for both the NLST and FHS cohorts. To simplify the major outcomes, below is a composite Figure with striking reduction of all-cause mortality and for the different causes of death. The results were consistent between the 2 cohorts. For example, the cardiovascular mortality hazard ratio average was 0.57 in NLST and 0.38 in FHS (weighted to be 0.53 for the aggregate). The reduction of mortality also extended to digestive diseases and pulmonary disease (data not shown below). Lung cancer incidence was reduced by 36% for high vs low thymic health (Figure below, with a panel -incidence and b panel-mortality, adjusted for age, sex, BMI, smoking status). Notably, there was a smoker’s paradox: lower incidence and improved survival for lung cancer in smokers who had a high thymus health score. Smoking was associated with lower thymic scores whereas alcohol was not. Higher thymic health was linked to higher HDL cholesterol, lower triglycerides, lower fasting blood glucose, and lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Inflammation biomarkers, such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, were elevated in the people with lower thymic health scores. In their second paper, the same team looked at the relationship between thymic score and outcomes for 3,476 patients receiving cancer immunotherapy. The non-small cell lung cancer progression-free survival was reduced in patients with low thymic health score. A parallel relationship for survival was seen for other types of cancer including melanoma, breast, and kidney with a 44% lower risk among high thymic scores (Figure). A similar pattern was seen with different immune checkpoint inhibitors. The thymus health score outperformed programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1)and tumor mutation burden (TMB) assay of the tumor and was an independent prognostic marker of progression-free survival. In this dataset, a direct connect with thymus score and adaptive immune function was noted with a correlation before cancer treatment for both T-cell diversity and thymus T-cell production (a metric known as T cell receptor excision circles). Thymus Removal Study There is a highly relevant citation about thymus function before moving onto ways to rejuvenate it. In 2023, a very important study of thymus removal during cardiothoracic surgery was published, with 1146 patients undergoing thymus removal vs 1146 matched controls (mean age 55 years). The adverse outcomes for thymus removal were striking, with a 2.9 higher risk of all-cause mortality and doubling of cancer incidence, 1.5 fold increase in cancer mortality, and 1.5-fold increase in autoimmune diseases. The immune function showed marked compromise after thymus removal, as reflected by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells (Figure below) Share Ground Truths 3. Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? In recent months we’ve learned a lot about the process of thymus involution and the pathways by which this may be modulated. Thymus involution is primarily due to loss to thymus epithelial cells (TECs) and there are 2 subtypes with different functions: the cortical, responsible for positive selection of T cells, and the medullary, for negative selection. When adipose tissue infiltrates the thymus, thymic adipocytes are pro-inflammatory, knocking out T-cell output. Likewise, systemic inflammation, or “inflammaging,” from smoking, obesity, and chronic stress promote thymic adipocytes. Now, from preclinical studies, we know about key pathways that account for these processes. Historically, back in 2014, FOXN1 was recognized as a single master transcription factor essential for TEC function, with studies in mice with forced FOXN1 upregulation leading to thymus regeneration. That laid the foundation for potential regrowth of quiescent thymus cells. It took awhile to find pathways to accomplish this goal and to even refute its role as the master regulator. The Liver-Thymus Axis Feng Zhang and his team recently showed that injection of an mRNA vaccine to the liver encoding DLL1, IL-7 and FLT3-L in combination, factors known to support thymopoiesis (Figure), successfully enhanced immune function in aged mice. However, the effect was transient. The FGF21 Story Two reports in 2025 addressed the thymus gland’s production of FGF21, a growth factor (fibroblast growth factor 21) and its control of thymus involution. This growth factor is also produced by the liver, but it doesn’t have impact on the thymus in aged rodent models. In contrast, The liver’s hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been shown to reverse senescent TEC structural changes. Growth hormone stimulates production of insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the liver and the thymus. Two small studies in human participants (TRIIM, for Thymus Regeneration, Immunorestoration, and Insulin Mitigation) of 6 and 50 people, respectively, treated with combined human growth hormone, metformin and DHEA, suggested the potential of slowing epigenetic aging and improving thymus mass and function. But the combination of drugs, small sample, and lack of controls make conclusions murky. Increased thymus FGF21 led to increased CD8 T cells in old mice and extended healthspan and improved physical performance. Building on the previous FOXN1 data, ablation of β-klotho, the obligatory co-receptor for FOXN1, accelerated thymic aging. The benefit to FGF21 was confirmed in a companion paper using an FGF21 knock-in mouse model showing thymus enlargement and increased TECs throughout the lifespan. (schematic Figure below). The accompanying editorial for these 2 papers speculated: “The proposed link between age-associated thymus involution and organismal aging is intriguing, and suggests we might seek to achieve systemic rejuvenation by counteracting thymic involution.” Other Factors Lessons from the Axolotl (Mexican Salamander) In an elegant set of experiments of the axolotl (Figure), known for its complete thymus regeneration after total surgical removal, mediators were identified. Surprisingly FOXN1 was dispensable. But midkine, a growth factor, appeared to be the driver, the initiator of thymus cell growth, survival, and repair. Other components that contributed were Postn+ (periostin-expressing mesenchymal niches) and Ccl19, a chemokine protein from the bloodstream. RANK and RANKL RANK (receptor activator of nuclear factor κB its ligand (RANKL) have been considered key regulators of medullary TECs. In a study of both aged mice and human thymus cell cultures, their key role was confirmed, with multiple benefits of resorting TEC function, recruitment of progenitor cells, and T cell development. Subscribe Summing Up This body of work strongly supports the health of the thymus gland as a critical regulator of human healthspan, not just a correlate or link. The new landmark studies are reinforced by the regenerative biology experimental models that have shown, via an array of mediators, that healthspan of aged mice is at least in part dependent on thymus gland function and its critical role for maintaining adaptive immunity. It sure seems that we’d be better off having an immune reservoir of naive T cells instead of a profile in older adults of exhausted, low quality, memory T cells, with a senescent phenotype. It is striking that we ignored the importance of the thymus gland for many decades. A wake-up call was the results of the thymectomy matched control study reviewed here, with the opposite of high thymic health score improved health outcomes. The convergence of AI and healthspan here is notable. The exceptional and laborious work for developing and validating (no less explaining) the AI to quantify thymus health set the foundation for probing the connect the major health outcomes in two cohorts with extensive follow-up. We’ve never had a way to meaningfully quantify the thymus gland before, so this represents important leverage of supervised, self-supervised, and transformer models. The study wouldn’t have been possible without AI. And it begs the question as to whether there are ways we can maintain our thymus at a high health score. But it’s not so simple to rejuvenate our thymus. There are multiple risks including the induction of autoimmunity, increasing the risk of cancer, and inducing a pro-inflammatory state. For example, factors that increase TEC proliferation could compromise the medulllary negative selection process and leak out auto-reactive (self-attacking) T cells. Thymic cells could be induced to proliferate, but we know, for example, that growth hormone and IGF-1 are associated with an increase risk of cancer. If thymus rejuvenation doesn’t clear out the accumulated senescent cells in older adults, then inflammation within the gland could block the production of TECs. Keeping these risks in mind, we now have identified many ways to keep our thymus healthy as we age that undoubtedly will be tested in clinical trials going forward. Ultimately, the benefit-to-risk tradeoffs will be defined. In the meantime, we have desperately needed an immunome. As I’ve stressed in multiple prior Ground Truths, we have no test in the clinic to assess a patient’s immune status! It was very encouraging for me to get an email from Hugo Aerts, the senior author of the landmark papers in the days after they were published: “I also wanted to say that your Substack on “Why We Need an Immunome” was inspiring for this work. We found it a very compelling perspective and greatly enjoyed reading it.” Just having an assessment of a person’s immune status via a chest CT scan, with millions of these performed per year, might help in guiding the right immunotherapy for cancer (e.g. more intensive, combinations for those with low thymic health scores) and help define people who are increased risk for age-related diseases of cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative. The main theme of Super Agers is that we now have many layers of data (genetics, proteins, biomarkers, organ clocks that can be integrated via multimodal AI) for us to define a person’s specific risk decades before one of these age-related diseases leads to symptoms, enabling prevention. From the new studies this week, we can add thymus health score as yet another way to understand a person’s risk, a window into their adaptive immune system and healthspan. And perhaps someday we will be able to safely rejuvenate the thymus, or maintain its health through one’s life, and use the thymus health score to monitor. NB: I wrote this post (No A.I.) A Quick Poll Loading... ********************************************************************* Thanks to Ground Truths subscribers (now > 200,000) from every US state and 212 countries. Your subscription to these free essays and podcasts makes my work in putting them together worthwhile. Please join! If you found this interesting PLEASE share it! Share Ground Truths Paid subscriptions are voluntary and all proceeds from them go to support Scripps Research. They do allow for posting comments and questions, which I do my best to respond to. Please don’t hesitate to post comments and give me feedback. Let me know topics that you would like to see covered. Leave a comment Many thanks to those who have contributed—they have greatly helped fund our summer internship programs for the past two years. It enabled us to accept and support 47 summer interns in 2025! We aim to accept even more of the several thousand who will apply for summer 2026.
NCAA men's bracket live updates, scores: Purdue vs. Miami leads off March Madness Sunday; Duke, Florida, UConn return to court
Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for March 22, 2026, puzzle No. 545
Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.
Today's NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints, Answers for March 22 #545
Here's today's Connections: Sports Edition answer and hints for groups. These clues will help you solve The New York Times' popular puzzle game, Connections: Sports Edition, every day.
Las Vegas wellness festival shares mental health resources through arts
A yearly festival connected people with mental health resources via the arts in Downtown Las Vegas on Saturday.
Salesforce (CRM) Partners with NVIDIA for AI Agents in Enterprise Business Workflows
Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) is one of the 10 Best AI Stocks to Buy for the Next 10 Years. On March 16, Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) announced a partnership with NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) to use its Agentforce platform and NVIDIA’s Nemotron models to bring AI agents into enterprise business workflows. This partnership connects Salesforce, Inc.’s (NYSE:CRM) Agentforce […]
Wagering on women. Sports betting industry looks to unlock a new market
Sports betting marketers are wooing females, pitching their gambling as inclusive, empowering and a way to connect with friends.
Ancient DNA reveals a farming shift that pushed a society to the brink
A new study reveals that farming in Argentina’s Uspallata Valley was adopted by local hunter-gatherers rather than introduced by outside populations. Centuries later, a stressed group of maize-heavy farmers migrated into the region, facing climate instability, disease, and declining numbers. Despite these pressures, there’s no sign of violence—instead, families stayed connected across generations, using kinship networks to survive. The research shows how cooperation, not conflict, helped communities navigate crisis.
Where to watch UConn vs. UTSA in March Madness First Round: Time, TV Channel
The No. 1 UConn Huskies face the 16 UTSA Roadrunners in the First Round of the women's NCAA Tournament. Here's how to see all the action.
Sacramento businesses recover after string of burglaries; 1 suspect arrested
Sacramento police have arrested a man believed to be connected to 11 burglaries affecting local businesses, as authorities work to prevent further incidents.
Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for March 21, 2026, puzzle No. 544
Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.
One arrested, another cited in shoplifting incident at business on East Avenue in Chico
CHICO, Calif. - A Paradise man was arrested and a Forbestown woman was cited by Chico Police in connection to a shoplifting incident at a business in Chico.The Chico Police Department says that at around 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18, a loss prevention employee observed two suspects stealing several items from a retail business on the 700 block of East Avenue in Chico.Upon exiting the building, the two suspects, a man and a woman, were contacted by the loss prevention employee regarding the stolen items. The employee was able to persuade both suspects to return to the store and hand over the items they had stolen.Authorities say the business expressed their desire to press charges against the suspects and contacted Chico Police to report the crime.Officers reviewed video surveillance that confirmed the employee's account of what happened. Officers then made arraignment for both suspects to turn themselves in the following day.When the suspects, identified as 51-year-old Jamie Leal of Forbestown and 62-year-old Melvin Royal of Paradise, arrived the next day to turn themselves in, authorities say both admitted to their involvement in the incident and elected to write handwritten apology letters to the business.Leal was cited by Chico Police on a misdemeanor charge of shoplifting.Royal was taken into custody and transported to the Butte County Jail, where he was booked on the following charges:Shoplifting with 2+ priors (felony)Shoplifting (misdemeanor) googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('ad-1514992'); });
Today's NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints, Answers for March 21 #544
Here's today's Connections: Sports Edition answer and hints for groups. These clues will help you solve The New York Times' popular puzzle game, Connections: Sports Edition, every day.
How UConn basketball's defense returned Huskies to national contender status
UConn men's basketball is chasing its third NCAA Tournament title in four years under Dan Hurley. This time, it will start with the Huskies' defense.
Scammer is trying to defraud Norwalk Oyster Festival vendors, Better Business Bureau says
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning people about a scam involving the Norwalk Oyster Festival. Jerry Toni, the executive director of the Norwalk Seaport Association, which runs the festival, told the BBB that a scammer is posing as his business and trying to defraud vendors. The scammer contacted previous Norwalk Oyster Festival vendors and appeared credible, the BBB said….
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Welcome 2 New Restaurants to East Carson Street Business District
Mayor O'Connor and South Side Chamber of Commerce Welcome 2 New Restaurants to East Carson Street Business District
Trump aides tried to block appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to US, reports say
Senior figures said to have been skeptical over Keir Starmer’s appointment of ‘arrogant’ veteran politician, later sacked over connections to Jeffrey Epstein
Yale Surgery Launches Health Career Collaborative–New Haven to Mentor Local High School Students
The Department of Surgery has launched the Health Career Collaborative (HCC)–New Haven, a mentorship program connecting local high school students with surgeons
HHS investigating states for ‘coercing’ health care entities to provide abortions
Click in for more news from The Hill{beacon} Health Care Health Care The Big Story HHS investigating states for ‘coercing’ healthcare entities to provide abortions The Department of H…
Sense of belonging predicts who stays in science
New research shows that feeling connected to a scientific community may be key to reducing attrition, with professional societies positioned to strengthen belonging across disciplines.
Today's NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints, Answers for March 20 #543
Here's today's Connections: Sports Edition answer and hints for groups. These clues will help you solve The New York Times' popular puzzle game, Connections: Sports Edition, every day.
Apple Health integrates with newly announced 'Perplexity Health' AI feature
Following yesterday’s Comet iOS browser release, Perplexity is back with another AI announcement: Perplexity Health. The new “suite of connectors”...
German Health Minister Nina Warken and WHO Hub in Berlin highlight 2025 achievements
Germany’s Federal Minister of Health, Nina Warken, visited the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence in Berlin today to review progress and launch its 2025 Annual Report. The report highlights advances in using artificial intelligence, data science and pathogen genomics to strengthen global preparedness for future pandemics.In 2025, the WHO Hub in Berlin worked with more than 160 Member States and over 190 partners to help countries and organizations develop new systems and tools to detect and understand new public health threats as quickly as possible, whenever and wherever they occur.BMG to confirm whether they wish to contribute a quote. “Detecting outbreaks early is one of the most effective ways to save lives and prevent epidemics from becoming global crises,” said Federal Minister of Health Nina Warken. “Germany is proud to host and support the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence. Its work strengthens our safety at home and helps protect people worldwide.”Artificial intelligence is increasingly transforming the detection of outbreaks. In 2025, the Hub launched an upgraded version of the Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources (EIOS) system, which uses enhanced AI functions to scan global online information in real time and help experts quickly identify unusual health events. The system is now used by 120 countries.To better anticipate health threats, countries need information beyond traditional health data. The Hub supports countries in implementing Collaborative Surveillance, which integrates data on climate, animals, travel, and population movement to provide a more comprehensive and real-time understanding of health threats.The Hub also expanded global access to pathogen genomics, which helps scientists detect new pathogens, such as viruses and bacteria, understand how they spread and how dangerous they may become. Through the International Pathogen Surveillance Network (IPSN), the WHO Hub in Berlin worked with 309 partners in 101 countries to expand access to these technologies.“We are in a new era of global health threats, and we need new tools to face tomorrow’s challenges,” said Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme. “The WHO Hub in Berlin helps countries use data and technology more effectively so they can identify risks earlier and respond faster. No country can address these threats alone. Strong cooperation remains our best defence.”“Berlin offers an ideal environment for our work. We collaborate closely with world-leading institutions such as the Robert Koch Institute and the Charité Center for Global Health,” said Dr Oliver Morgan, Head of the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence. “Germany has supported the WHO Hub since its establishment, and we are pleased to welcome Federal Minister Nina Warken to the Hub today. This strong partnership helps us advance innovation in pandemic and epidemic intelligence and better support countries to prepare for future health threats.”The Hub is expanding the use of advanced analytics and mathematical modelling to forecast how outbreaks may develop and to assess which response measures are most effective. Through its Collaboratory, the Hub connects modelers and analysts with governments to ensure their work addresses real public health needs. In 2025, the community grew to 1300 members from 50 countries and 200 institutions. An AI-powered pandemic simulator, currently in the prototyping phase, will help decision-makers compare outbreak scenarios and help identify effective disease control measures.
Gerd Faltings of Germany Wins 2026 Abel Prize in Mathematics
Gerd Faltings proved a conjecture that had been unsolved for six decades, using connections between numbers and geometry.
Wagering on women. Sports betting industry looks to unlock a new market.
Sports betting marketers are wooing females, pitching their gambling as inclusive, empowering and a way to connect with friends.
Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for March 19, 2026, puzzle No. 542
Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.
Struggling Panthers look to ice-out familiar foe Oilers
The Stanley Cup Final reunion returns to Wild Rose Country as Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers host the Florida Panthers on Thursday.
Instagram worse for mental health than WhatsApp, global study finds
World Happiness Report finds platforms focused on connection less harmful than algorithm-driven apps
Today's NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints, Answers for March 19 #542
Here's today's Connections: Sports Edition answer and hints for groups. These clues will help you solve The New York Times' popular puzzle game, Connections: Sports Edition, every day.
How to run your 2026 March Madness pool: Play for prizes, make an NCAA Tournament game
The CBS Sports 2026 NCAA Men's and Women's Games have returned for March Madness 2026 office pools.
At CT Business Day, Lamont, Ritter say ‘Connecticut Option’ for health insurance will wait another year
Gov. Ned Lamont and House Speaker Mat Ritter (D-Hartford) joined other state elected officials in speaking to hundreds of business people Wednesday during Connecticut Business Day.
At CT Business Day, Lamont, Ritter say ‘Connecticut Option’ for health insurance will wait another year
Gov. Ned Lamont and House Speaker Mat Ritter (D-Hartford) joined other state elected officials in speaking to hundreds of business people Wednesday during Connecticut Business Day.
Hundreds of Connecticut companies meet with lawmakers at annual Business Day event
Business owners from all over the state got together on Wednesday at The Bushnell Performing Arts Center in Hartford for the annual Connecticut Business Day event. “Every time a business owner can let their voice be heard, it is a way for us to be able to influence what decisions are being made,” said Chris Davis, vice president of public…
TE Connectivity Acquires EV Charging Inlet Business From Phoenix Contact
TE Connectivity acquired a major portion of Phoenix Contact E-Mobility business, which manufactures charging inlets for electric vehicles.
LinkedIn partners with The Trade Desk for CTV ads
LinkedIn wants a bigger chunk of the streaming TV ad business. The Trade Desk will be its first demand-side platform partner for connected-TV ads.
How sports traditions like March Madness can support brain health
Three experts from the University of Kentucky say the answer may be yes. Research shows that staying mentally, socially and emotionally engaged can help support long-term brain health. Activities tied to sports — like predicting tournament outcomes, reminiscing about past games or gathering with friends and family to watch — can stimulate memory, strengthen cognitive skills and foster meaningful social connections.
Misalignment and Risk Tolerance Gaps Undermine Business Resilience, Kroll Study Finds
Kroll, the leading independent provider of global financial and risk advisory solutions, today released global cyber resilience research findings revealing a critical gap between organizations' perception of their cyber preparedness and their actual capability to defend against, and recover from, sophisticated attacks. This gap is being driven by misalignment between the C-suite and cyber decision-makers. This disconnect is costly, as organizations face a yearly average of $2.2 million in recove
Bills still have one big offensive line question to answer
Brandon Beane prioritized re-signing center Connor McGovern, but now the Bills need to find a starter at left guard and the options are quite limited.
The Road Less Considered: The Overlooked Connection Between Infrastructure, Nature And Public Health
Improving infrastructure with nature in mind, including building wildlife crossings that save animal and human lives.
Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for March 18, 2026, puzzle No. 541
Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.
Artists, vendors frustrated over payment issues from Colchester business
A number of artists and vendors are frustrated by late or missing payments from a Colchester business that sells their creations. They’re wondering what’s going on. For Kristy Hughes, creating beautiful art is a passion. “I do crystals and resin, and resin takes 24 hours to cure. So, each piece is days of work,” she said. Her business, Purple Goddess…
Today's NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints, Answers for March 18 #541
Here's today's Connections: Sports Edition answer and hints for groups. These clues will help you solve The New York Times' popular puzzle game, Connections: Sports Edition, every day.
Paradigm Launches Surface, an AI-Native Platform That Connects Culture to Business Performance
Paradigm, the talent and culture intelligence company, today announced the launch of Surface, an AI-native platform that gives talent and culture leaders a unified view of what's shaping their organizations, benchmarks their efforts against peers, and translates insights into action with the industry's first agentic AI.
NEWS CENTER Maine
Through in-depth storytelling, through direct contact on digital on social platforms, through long-standing community service programs like Coats & Toys for Kids, Project Heat and Buddy to Buddy, NEWS CENTER Maine is dedicated to keeping Mainers connected. We can't do it alone, though. Only by listening and interacting with YOU can we continue to connect ALL Mainers.
Disney entertainment boss Dana Walden unveils new power team, elevates Debra OConnell to TV chief
AGU and Content With Purpose announce new digital series exploring science in action
“Our World, Our Future” will connect scientific discovery with lived experience and demonstrate how research directly affects people and communities everywhere.
Joe Kent, top counterterrorism official, says Iran posed no imminent threat as he resigns over Trump's war
Kent, a former political candidate with connections to right-wing extremists, said he “cannot in good conscience” back the Trump administration’s war.
President of Summa Health Medical Group pleads guilty in revenge porn case, avoids prison
The President of Summa Health Medical Group pleaded guilty to one count of nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images in connection with a revenge porn investigation.
Mastercard to Acquire BVNK to Connect On-Chain Payments and Fiat Rails
Mastercard today announced a definitive agreement to acquire BVNK, a leader in stablecoin infrastructure.