Background: The human spine relies on intervertebral discs (IVDs) for support and mobility, functioning as shock absorbers that enable friction-free movement. However, IVDs are susceptible to degeneration (IVDD) due to age, excessive strain, and genetic factors, resulting in bulging or herniation that causes pain, stiffness, and nerve compression. Current Treatments: Current treatments primarily focus on symptom management through medication, physical therapy, or surgery in severe cases, without addressing tissue repair. Emerging Therapies: Exosome therapy has recently emerged as a promising regenerative approach for IVDD. Exosomes are small, membrane-bound vesicles released by cells, acting as messengers to transport proteins and RNA that influence recipient cell behavior. Potential and Challenges: Researchers are investigating exosomes for IVDD because they may promote disc repair and regeneration by delivering molecules that stimulate tissue recovery and carry anti-inflammatory agents to reduce inflammation and modulate pain. Engineering strategies, such as loading exosomes with therapeutic cargo or targeting molecules, can further enhance their efficacy. While exosome therapy for IVDD is still in early research stages, ongoing studies are promising, though challenges remain in optimizing isolation methods and ensuring clinical safety. Conclusion: Exosome-based therapies could offer a safe, effective, and minimally invasive solution for individuals affected by IVDD.

Multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (MDR-KP) leads global health concerns as an infectious agent due to many virulence factors, including biofilm formation. The growing urgency for alternative treatment strategies beyond antibiotics has renewed interest in bacteriophages. Pathogen evolution is dynamic and can lead to phage resistance. Bacteriophages were isolated from environmental sources and screened against a panel of 280 MDR- K. pneumoniae clinical isolates (74 from 2018 to 2020 and 167 from 2022-23 and 39 environmental KP isolates). Phages were grouped by host range and DNA fingerprinting. Five candidate phages with unique and broad host coverage were selected for further characterization and genome sequencing. Five candidate phages exhibited diverse host range patterns, strong bacteriolytic activity and significant antibiofilm activity even at low multiplicity of infection. Whole genome sequencing analysis revealed phage KPØ6 to be a novel Taipevirus species with low intergenomic similarity to known phages, and it showed the broadest host range on isolates from the 2018-2020 panel. A significant rise in phage resistance among MDR-KP isolate panels of 2018-2020 and 2022-2023 was observed. Lytic bacteriophages offer a promising alternative for tackling MDR-KP infections, especially within healthcare environments. The phages characterized in this study demonstrate strong potential for both biocontrol and therapeutic use against MDR-KP, including infections involving biofilms. However, the dynamic nature of bacterial evolution over five years reiterates the need to update phage banks.

The creation of a universal vaccine is critical in the face of continually mutating viral infections. This work investigates the use of CRISPR-Cas9 technology for artificial intelligence and automation based manipulation of viral antigen expression in order to improve the efficacy and adaptability of vaccination candidates. This approach uses CRISPR-Cas9's accuracy in gene editing to systematically change viral antigens in order to find optimal configurations that elicit strong immune responses. The modern method combines high-throughput screening and analytics to accelerate the identification of effective antigenic targets across several virus strains. The findings show that targeted manipulation of viral antigens can greatly improve immunogenicity, paving the way for adaptable vaccination platforms capable of treating a wide range of viral diseases. This review emphasizes the promise of CRISPR-Cas9 artificial intelligence based automation as a transformational tool in universal pandemic vaccine development.

Aging is characterized by progressive deterioration in cellular function and molecular integrity, which in turn increases vulnerability to age-related diseases, such as neurodegenerative disorders. Cellular senescence is a hallmark of biological aging that plays a crucial role in the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Cellular autophagy, a lysosome-mediated process of degradation, is crucial for maintaining cellular homeostasis and longevity. Nutritional strategies, such as intermittent fasting (IF), which consist of cycles of fasting and normal feeding, have been recognized as potential methods to induce autophagy and derive health benefits. Autophagy is crucial for the degradation of sequestered proteins and damaged organelles, thus maintaining cellular vigor and balance. However, with increasing age, autophagy is compromised, suggesting the need for a stable or optimal rate of autophagy for the maintenance of cellular uptake. IF has the potential to modulate the process of autophagy by inducing changes in ATP and ADP levels during fasting through the activation of pathways such as the AMPK and Sirtuin 1 pathways, which promote the activation of autophagosome formation while simultaneously inhibiting mTOR, an inhibitor of autophagy. Despite the encouraging properties of the IF, there are constraints, as responses may vary incredibly among subjects, and the ideal duration of fasting is uncertain. Furthermore, the potential for new metabolic diseases associated with IF is not fully understood. Understanding the intricate relationships among aging, autophagy, and dietary restrictions such as intermittent fasting could pave the way for novel therapeutic strategies to increase longevity and mitigate age-related health issues. Graphical Abstract Brain aging is associated with various hallmarks leading to neurodegenerative diseases and impaired autophagy, causing the accumulation of senescent cells. Intermittent fasting, a dietary regimen, controls food intake by alternating between eating and fasting. It regulates various pathways that facilitate autophagy activation and senescent cells clearance in the brain