Former Gov. Roy Cooper wins North Carolina’s Senate race, flipping the seat for Democrats

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Follicular regulatory T (Tfr) cells maintain immune homeostasis by suppressing excessive germinal center (GC) responses. However, the molecular mechanisms governing Tfr differentiation remain incompletely understood. Here, we identify interleukin-6 (IL-6) as a key regulator of Tfr generation. IL-6/IL-6Rα signaling promotes the differentiation of regulatory T cells (Treg) into Tfr cells by inducing CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/EBPα), which binds the Bcl6 and Cxcr5 promoters in Tfr cells. Treg-specific deletion of C/EBPα in mice impairs Tfr differentiation, resulting in hyperactive GC responses and exacerbated pathology in mouse models of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and HDM-induced allergy. In humans, in silico perturbation of CEBPA in Tregs disrupts the Tfr differentiation trajectory. Furthermore, CEBPA expression in Tregs, but not total CD4+ T cells, from patients with SLE negatively correlates with disease activity (SLEDAI). Thus, these findings establish the IL-6–C/EBPα

Unraveling European-wide spatiotemporal patterns of bird distribution. Mobilizing 100,000 volunteer birdwatchers and 30 millions of new bird records every year to unravel European-wide spatiotemporal ...

Background: Technology-based rehabilitation is increasingly used for balance training in older adults. A 2023 network meta-analysis (NMA) found only exergaming with motion capture superior to no treatment; however, the evidence has since expanded, and no GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) appraisal has been applied. Objective: This study aimed to update the comparative effectiveness of 5 technology categories—exergaming with balance platforms (EBP), exergaming with motion capture (EMC), other serious games, interventions with wearables, and telerehabilitation (Tele)—versus conventional exercise (CE), and no treatment (NT), applying GRADE adapted for NMA. Methods: A systematic search of 4 databases from inception through April 2025, with an identical supplementary update search to January 31, 2026, identified 60 randomized controlled trials (N=3469; mean age 73.1, SD 5.2; range 63.3-86.2 y). Fifty-seven trials (2758 analyzed participants) contributed to 4 prespecified networks (all balance, functional scales, Timed Up and Go [TUG] test, and gait speed). A random-effects NMA was fitted using multivariate meta-regression. Treatment hierarchies were summarized by the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) and the probability of being best; certainty of evidence was rated with GRADE adapted for NMA. Results: In the all-balance network, Tele (standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.69, 95% CI 0.08‐1.29; =.03), EBP (SMD 0.63, 95% CI 0.31‐0.95;