Bridging the gap in cardiac mass diagnosis:Advanced imaging,genetic associations,and biomarkers

In this editorial we comment on the article by Huffaker et al published in a recent issue of the World Journal of Clinical Cases.We focus on cardiac tumors linked to genetic syndromes and the differential diagnosis of cardiac masses.As cardiomyocytes lack the ability to actively divide,primary cardiac tumors are extremely rare across all ethnicities and age groups.Once they occur,these tumors are often associated with genetic mutations and,occasionally,genetic syndromes.This underscores the importance of considering genetic mutations and syndromes when encountering these cases.The more common growths in the heart are thrombi and vegetations,which can mimic tumors,further making the differential diagnosis challenging.Among the imaging techniques,contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging has the highest sensitivity for differential diagnosis.To aid in the differential diagnosis of cardiac masses,especially thrombi,appropriate utilization of biomarkers(i.e.D-dimer level)may provide pivotal clinical implications.Employing a multidisciplinary approach that integrates personal history,epidemiological insights,imaging findings,genetic markers,and biomarkers is therefore critical in the diagnostic process of cardiac masses.

Epigenetic modification of the Wnt signaling pathway:a potential target for intestinal aging

Intestinal aging is emerging as a major public health problem The world has entered an aging society,and it is expected that the global population aged 60 years or older will reach 1.5 billion by 2035[1].Aging is gradually becoming a major public health issue,posing a significant challenge to healthcare systems[2].It is a complex natural physiological process involving the irreversible degeneration of body cells,tissues,and organs,and it is a major risk factor for many chronic diseases.

Genetic pathways in cerebral palsy:a review of the implications for precision diagnosis and understanding disease mechanisms

Ce rebral palsy is a diagnostic term utilized to describe a group of permanent disorders affecting movement and posture.Patients with cerebral palsy are often only capable of limited activity,resulting from non-progressive disturbances in the fetal or neonatal brain.These disturbances severely impact the child’s daily life and impose a substantial economic burden on the family.Although cerebral palsy encompasses various brain injuries leading to similar clinical outcomes,the unde rstanding of its etiological pathways remains incomplete owing to its complexity and heterogeneity.This review aims to summarize the current knowledge on the genetic factors influencing cerebral palsy development.It is now widely acknowledged that genetic mutations and alterations play a pivotal role in cerebral palsy development,which can be further influenced by environmental fa ctors.Des pite continuous research endeavors,the underlying fa ctors contributing to cerebral palsy remain are still elusive.However,significant progress has been made in genetic research that has markedly enhanced our comprehension of the genetic factors underlying cerebral palsy development.Moreove r,these genetic factors have been categorized based on the identified gene mutations in patients through clinical genotyping,including thrombosis,angiogenesis,mitochondrial and oxidative phosphorylation function,neuronal migration,and cellular autophagy.Furthermore,exploring targeted genotypes holds potential for precision treatment.In conclusion,advancements in genetic research have substantially improved our understanding of the genetic causes underlying cerebral palsy.These breakthroughs have the potential to pave the way for new treatments and therapies,consequently shaping the future of cerebral palsy research and its clinical management.The investigation of cerebral palsy genetics holds the potential to significantly advance treatments and management strategies.By elucidating the underlying cellular mechanisms,we can develop to rgeted interventions to optimize outcomes.A continued collaboration between researchers and clinicians is imperative to comprehensively unravel the intricate genetic etiology of cerebral palsy.

Effects of Maillard reaction and its product AGEs on aging and age-related diseases

Maillard reaction(MR)is a non-enzymatic browning reaction commonly seen in food processing,which occurs between reducing sugars and compounds with amino groups.Despite certain advantages based on Maillard reaction products(MRPs)found in some food for health and storage application have appeared,however,the MR occurring in human physiological environment can produce advanced glycation end products(AGEs)by non-enzymatic modification of macromolecules such as proteins,lipids and nucleic acid,which could change the structure and functional activity of the molecules themselves.In this review,we take AGEs as our main object,on the one hand,discuss physiologic aging,that is,age-dependent covalent cross-linking and modification of proteins such as collagen that occur in eyes and skin containing connective tissue.On the other hand,pathological aging associated with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases,neurodegenerative diseases,diabetes and diabetic nephropathy,cardiovascular diseases and bone degenerative diseases have been mainly proposed.Based on the series of adverse effects of accelerated aging and disease pathologies caused by MRPs,the possible harm caused by some MR can be slowed down or inhibited by artificial drug intervention,dietary pattern and lifestyle control.It also stimulates people's curiosity to continue to explore the potential link between the MR and human aging and health,which should be paid more attention to for the development of life sciences.

Microglial response to aging and neuroinflammation in the development of neurodegenerative diseases

Cellular senescence and chronic inflammation in response to aging are considered to be indicators of brain aging;they have a great impact on the aging process and are the main risk factors for neurodegeneration.Reviewing the microglial response to aging and neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases will help understand the importance of microglia in neurodegenerative diseases.This review describes the origin and function of microglia and focuses on the role of different states of the microglial response to aging and chronic inflammation on the occurrence and development of neurodegenerative diseases,including Alzheimer's disease,Huntington's chorea,and Parkinson's disease.This review also describes the potential benefits of treating neurodegenerative diseases by modulating changes in microglial states.Therefore,inducing a shift from the neurotoxic to neuroprotective microglial state in neurodegenerative diseases induced by aging and chronic inflammation holds promise for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases in the future.

How do neurons age?A focused review on the aging of the microtubular cytoskeleton

Aging is the leading risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. We now understand that a breakdown in the neuronal cytoskeleton, mainly underpinned by protein modifications leading to the destabilization of microtubules, is central to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. This is accompanied by morphological defects across the somatodendritic compartment, axon, and synapse. However, knowledge of what occurs to the microtubule cytoskeleton and morphology of the neuron during physiological aging is comparatively poor. Several recent studies have suggested that there is an age-related increase in the phosphorylation of the key microtubule stabilizing protein tau, a modification, which is known to destabilize the cytoskeleton in Alzheimer’s disease. This indicates that the cytoskeleton and potentially other neuronal structures reliant on the cytoskeleton become functionally compromised during normal physiological aging. The current literature shows age-related reductions in synaptic spine density and shifts in synaptic spine conformation which might explain age-related synaptic functional deficits. However, knowledge of what occurs to the microtubular and actin cytoskeleton, with increasing age is extremely limited. When considering the somatodendritic compartment, a regression in dendrites and loss of dendritic length and volume is reported whilst a reduction in soma volume/size is often seen. However, research into cytoskeletal change is limited to a handful of studies demonstrating reductions in and mislocalizations of microtubule-associated proteins with just one study directly exploring the integrity of the microtubules. In the axon, an increase in axonal diameter and age-related appearance of swellings is reported but like the dendrites, just one study investigates the microtubules directly with others reporting loss or mislocalization of microtubule-associated proteins. Though these are the general trends reported, there are clear disparities between model organisms and brain regions that are worthy of further investigation. Additionally, longitudinal studies of neuronal/cytoskeletal aging should also investigate whether these age-related changes contribute not just to vulnerability to disease but also to the decline in nervous system function and behavioral output that all organisms experience. This will highlight the utility, if any, of cytoskeletal fortification for the promotion of healthy neuronal aging and potential protection against age-related neurodegenerative disease. This review seeks to summarize what is currently known about the physiological aging of the neuron and microtubular cytoskeleton in the hope of uncovering mechanisms underpinning age-related risk to disease.

Single-cell transcriptomic atlas of goat ovarian aging

Background The ovaries are one of the first organs that undergo degenerative changes earlier in the aging process,and ovarian aging is shown by a decrease in the number and quality of oocytes.However,little is known about the molecular mechanisms of female age-related fertility decline in different types of ovarian cells during aging,especially in goats.Therefore,the aim of this study was to reveal the mechanisms driving ovarian aging in goats at single-cell resolution.Results For the first time,we surveyed the single-cell transcriptomic landscape of over 27,000 ovarian cells from newborn,young and aging goats,and identified nine ovarian cell types with distinct gene-expression signatures.Functional enrichment analysis showed that ovarian cell types were involved in their own unique biological processes,such as Wnt beta-catenin signalling was enriched in germ cells,whereas ovarian steroidogenesis was enriched in granulosa cells(GCs).Further analysis showed that ovarian aging was linked to GCs-specific changes in the antioxidant system,oxidative phosphorylation,and apoptosis.Subsequently,we identified a series of dynamic genes,such as AMH,CRABP2,THBS1 and TIMP1,which determined the fate of GCs.Additionally,FOXO1,SOX4,and HIF1A were identified as significant regulons that instructed the differentiation of GCs in a distinct manner during ovarian aging.Conclusions This study revealed a comprehensive aging-associated transcriptomic atlas characterizing the cell typespecific mechanisms during ovarian aging at the single-cell level and offers new diagnostic biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for age-related goat ovarian diseases.

Hypothalamic circuits and aging:keeping the circadian clock updated

Over the past century,age-related diseases,such as cancer,type-2 diabetes,obesity,and mental illness,have shown a significant increase,negatively impacting overall quality of life.Studies on aged animal models have unveiled a progressive discoordination at multiple regulatory levels,including transcriptional,translational,and post-translational processes,resulting from cellular stress and circadian derangements.The circadian clock emerges as a key regulator,sustaining physiological homeostasis and promoting healthy aging through timely molecular coordination of pivotal cellular processes,such as stem-cell function,cellular stress responses,and inter-tissue communication,which become disrupted during aging.Given the crucial role of hypothalamic circuits in regulating organismal physiology,metabolic control,sleep homeostasis,and circadian rhythms,and their dependence on these processes,strategies aimed at enhancing hypothalamic and circadian function,including pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches,offer systemic benefits for healthy aging.Intranasal brain-directed drug administration represents a promising avenue for effectively targeting specific brain regions,like the hypothalamus,while reducing side effects associated with systemic drug delivery,thereby presenting new therapeutic possibilities for diverse age-related conditions.

The Applications of CRISPR Screening in Aging Research

The advancement of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats(CRISPR)gene editing technology has revolutionized the comprehension of human genome,propelling molecular and cellular biology research into unexplored realms and accelerating progress in life sciences and medicine.CRISPR-based gene screening,recognized for its efficiency and practicality,is widely utilized across diverse biological fields.Aging is a multifaceted process governed by a myriad of genetic and epigenetic factors.Unraveling the genes regulating aging holds promise for understanding this intricate phenomenon and devising strategies for its assessment and intervention.This review provides a comprehensive overview of the progress in CRISPR screening and its applications in aging research,while also offering insights into future directions.CRISPR-based genetic-manipulation tools are positioned as indispensable instruments for mitigating aging and managing age-related diseases.

Strengthening Active Aging through Older People’s Association and Economic Activity of the Older People in Nepal

Aging is a natural lifelong process ending in death. Many older people are living in poverty. Older people are generally considered dependent on others as they grow older. The purpose of this article is to explore the entrepreneurship activities of Nepalese older adults. Data for this study were collected from the project Help Age International (HAI) implemented in Nepal. Qualitative data observations and interviews were used to collect data. The findings of this study show the formation of the Older People’s Association (OPA) has supported many older people to participate outside the home in various social activities. Moreover, regular deposits through OPAs offer little help. OPAs support older people in their need of financial support to implement minor entrepreneurship. Older people who received support were pleased and were actively involved in their activities and also regularly deposited money in them. Subsequently, older people’s participation in social activities has increased and also helped to lower elderly abuse, loneliness, and depression. Local governments should promote such activities which will help with healthy aging.

Skeletal phenotypes and molecular mechanisms in aging mice

Aging is an inevitable physiological process,often accompanied by age-related bone loss and subsequent bone-related diseases that pose serious health risks.Research on skeletal diseases caused by aging in humans is challenging due to lengthy study durations,difficulties in sampling,regional variability,and substantial investment.Consequently,mice are preferred for such studies due to their similar motor system structure and function to humans,ease of handling and care,low cost,and short generation time.In this review,we present a comprehensive overview of the characteristics,limitations,applicability,bone phenotypes,and treatment methods in naturally aging mice and prematurely aging mouse models(including SAMP6,POLG mutant,LMNA,SIRT6,ZMPSTE24,TFAM,ERCC1,WERNER,and KL/KL-deficient mice).We also summarize the molecular mechanisms of these aging mouse models,including cellular DNA damage response,senescence-related secretory phenotype,telomere shortening,oxidative stress,bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell(BMSC)abnormalities,and mitochondrial dysfunction.Overall,this review aims to enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis of aging-related bone diseases.

Homocysteinemia and Depression in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: The Cohort Longitudinal Study “InveCeAb” (Brain Aging in Abbiategrasso)

Depression is a major health problem, especially for elderly people. According to the “homocysteine hypothesis of depression”, high homocysteine levels may cause depression of mood via cerebrovascular diseases. Whilst biologically plausible, such hypothesis needs yet confirmation. We aimed at: 1) studying the relationships between homocysteinemia (HCY) and depression in a community-dwelling cohort of people aged 70 to 75 years at baseline;2) investigating plasma levels of HCY and 3) comparing these levels between males and females, in the same population. We exploited the data from four waves (2010, 2012, 2014 and 2018) of the longitudinal study “InveCeAb”, with specific regard towards mood assessment, by Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) scoring, and diagnosis of clinically relevant or subthreshold depression. HCY plasma levels were measured in the waves 2012, 2014 and 2018. Sample attrition was due mainly to death or overall worsening. No statistically significant differences were found in plasma homocysteine levels in each wave, according to depressive symptoms. No correlations were found between plasma HCY levels in each wave with their corresponding GDS scores, even after adjustment for folate and cobalamin blood concentrations. Dichotomized levels of HCY (≤15 vs >15 μM/l) were not associated with dichotomized GDS scores (≤4 vs higher), clinically relevant and subthreshold depression diagnosis and any antidepressive use, in any wave. First (2012) HCY levels increased with participants’ increasing age, cross-sectionally. Listwise HCY concentrations decreased along the 3 waves. HCY levels were always higher in males than in females. Our results may challenge the “homocysteine hypothesis” of depression, whilst supporting the role of high homocysteinemia as a marker of overall bad health.

Regulation of aging by NELF-A and RNA polymerase Ⅱ elongation

Epigenetic regulation of aging:Aging is defined as the gradual decline of physiological function and cellular integrity,causing o rganismal vulnerability to age-onset diseases and morbidity.Studies in different animal models have led to the identification of twelve aging hallmarks that shared several features:its age-associated manifestation.

Astrocyte syncytium:from neonatal genesis to aging degeneration

Modern neuroscience began from all reaching and fierce conflict between“neuronismo and reticulismo”——between neuronal and reticular theories of the organization of the nervous system;the conflict culminated in December of 1906 in Stockholm where Santiago Ramon y Cajal(the proponent of the neuronal doctrine)and Camillo Golgi(who advocated the syncytial reticular organization of neural networks)delivered their Noble prize lectures(Verkhratsky,2009).

Preventing brain aging by the artificial enforcement of the unfolded protein response:future directions

As the life expectancy of the world’s population increases,age-related diseases are emerging as one of the greatest problems facing modern society.The onset of dementia and neurodegenerative diseases is strictly dependent on aging as a major risk factor and has a profound impact on various aspects of the lives of individuals and their families.

Training muscles to keep the aging brain fit

1.Aging and exercise Aging is associated with the decline of cellular,tissue,and systemic functions and is characterized by at least 7 highly interdependent molecular pillars of aging1(Fig.1).Besides compromised genetic functions(telomer shortening and epigenetic dysregulation),metabolic efficiency(impaired mitochondrial functions and nutrient sensing),and cellular stress responses deteriorate.Consequential disruption of normal protein regulation(proteostasis)in combination with impaired cellular waste clearance leads to the accumulation of macromolecular damage(and in some cases to specific protein aggregation pathologies,like in Alzheimer’s dementia brains).

Dendritic spine degeneration:a primary mechanism in the aging process

Recent reports suggest that aging is not solely a physiological process in living beings;instead, it should be considered a pathological process or disease(Amorim et al., 2022). Consequently, this process involves a wide range of factors, spanning from genetic to environmental factors, and even includes the gut microbiome(GM)(Mayer et al., 2022). All these processes coincide at some point in the inflammatory process, oxidative stress, and apoptosis, at different degrees in various organs and systems that constitute a living organism(Mayer et al., 2022;AguilarHernández et al., 2023).

Regeneration mechanisms and therapeutic strategies for neuromuscular junctions in aging and diseases

The neuromuscular junction(NMJ)is an essential synaptic structure composed of motor neurons,skeletal muscles,and glial cells that orchestrate the critical process of muscle contraction(Li et al.,2018).The typical NMJ structure is classically described as having a“pretzel-like”shape in mice(Figure 1),whereas human NMJs have a smaller,fragmented structure throughout adulthood.Degenerated NMJs exhibit smaller or fragmented endplates,partial denervation,reduced numbers of synaptic vesicles,abnormal presynaptic mitochondria,and dysfunctional perisynaptic Schwann cells(Alhindi et al.,2022).

Associations of accelerometry-measured and self-reported physical activity and sedentary behavior with skeletal muscle energetics:The Study of Muscle,Mobility and Aging(SOMMA)

Background:Skeletal muscle energetics decline with age,and physical activity(PA)has been shown to offset these declines in older adults.Yet,many studies reporting these effects were based on self-reported PA or structured exercise interventions.Therefore,we examined the associations of accelerometry-measured and self-reported PA and sedentary behavior(SB)with skeletal muscle energetics and explored the extent to which PA and sedentary behavior would attenuate the associations of age with muscle energetics.Methods:As part of the Study of Muscle,Mobility and Aging,enrolled older adults(n=879),810(age=76.4±5.0 years old,mean±SD;58%women)had maximal muscle oxidative capacity measured ex vivo via high-resolution re spirometry of permeabilized myofibers(maximal oxidative phosphorylation(maxOXPHOS))and in vivo by ^(31)phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy(maximal adenosine triphosphate(ATP_(max))).Accelerometry-measured sedentary behavior,light activity,and moderate-to-vigorous PA(MVPA)were assessed using a wrist-worn ActiGraph GT9X over 7 days.Self-reported sedentary behavior,MVPA,and all PA were assessed with the Community Healthy Activities Model Program for Seniors(CHAMPS)questionnaire.Linear regression models with progressive covariate adjustments evaluated the associations of sedentary behavior and PA with muscle energetics,as well as the attenuation of the age/muscle energetics association by MVP A and sedentary behavior.As a sensitivity analysis,we also examined activPAL-measured daily step count and time spent in sedentary behavior and their associations with muscle energetics.Results:Every 30 min/day more of ActiGraph-measured MVPA was associated with 0.65 pmol/(s×mg)higher maxOXPHOS and 0.012 mM/s higher ATP_(max)after adjusting for age,site/technician,and sex(p<0.05).Light activity was not associated with maxOXPHOS or ATP_(max).Meanwhile,every 30 min/day spent in ActiGraph-measured sedentary behavior was associated with 0.39 pmol/s×mg lower maxOXPHOS and0.006 mM/s lower ATP_(max)(p<0.05).Only associations with ATP_(max)held after further adjusting for socioeconomic status,body mass index,lifestyle factors,and multimorbidity.CHAMPS MVPA and all PA yielded similar associations with maxOXPHOS and ATP_(max)(p<0.05),but sedentary behavior did not.Higher activPAL step count was associated with higher maxOXHPOS and AT_(Pmax)(p<0.05),but time spent in sedentary behavior was not.Additionally,age was significantly associated with muscle energetics for men only(p<0.05);adjusting for time spent in ActiGraph-measured MVPA attenuated the age association with ATP_(max)by 58%in men.Conclusion:More time spent in accelerometry-measured or self-reported daily PA,especially MVPA,was associated with higher skeletal muscle energetics.Interventions aimed specifically at increasing higher intensity activity might offer potential therapeutic interventions to slow age-related decline in muscle energetics.Our work also emphasizes the importance of taking PA into consideration when evaluating associations related to skeletal muscle energetics.

Decline and fall of aging astrocytes:the human perspective

“Last scene of all that ends this strange,eventful history,is second childishness and mere oblivion.I am sans teeth,sans eyes,sans taste,sans everything.”William Shakespeare‘As You Like It'Act 2,Sc.7,l.139Aging of the human brain is characterized by a progressive decline of its functional capacity;this decline however varies widely,and cognitive longevity differs substantially between individuals.