Short Lifespan Research Articles

Effect of Edible Coatings on Morphological Characters of Strawberry Fruits

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) a member of rosaceae family, is a monoecious, short day, succulent, thalamus, perennial herb and quick growing fruit plant. Strawberries are processed into various value-added products such as canned strawberry, jam, jelly, ice cream, wine and other soft drinks. Strawberry is a delicious but delicate fruit with 2-4 days shelf life on ambient condition. Fruit of strawberry are very delicate and highly perishable in nature which resulted very short life span and considerable postharvest loss. The use of edible coating improved the shelf life of strawberry in general compared to untreated control. Significant difference was observed for effect of edible coating on strawberry for all the quality parameter during storage. The fruit weight, width and length decreased in all edible coating treatment. The minimum decrease in fruit weight, Width and length was recorded in treatment T7 (EC + Aloe vera gel 20%) while, the minimum decrease in volume and specific gravity of fruit in the same edible coating.

Transgenerational Effects on Lifespan and Pathology of Paternal Pre-conceptional Exposure to Continuous Low-dose-rate Gamma Rays in C57BL/6J Mice

The present work investigates the multigenerational effects of paternal pre-conceptional exposure to continuous low-dose-rate gamma rays in C56BL/6J mice. Male C57BL/6J (F0 sires) mice were exposed to low dose rates of 20, 1, and 0.05 mGy/day for 400 days, to total accumulated doses of 8,000, 400, and 20 mGy, respectively. Upon completion of the radiation exposure, the F0 male mice were immediately bred to non-irradiated 8-week-old C57BL/6J females (F0 dams) to produce the first-generation (F1) mice. Randomly selected F1 males and females were then bred to produce the second-generation (F2) mice. All the mice, except the F0 dams, were subjected to pathological examination upon natural death. Reproductive parameters, lifespan, causes of death, neoplasm incidences and non-neoplastic disease incidences were used as parameters to evaluate the biological effects of continuous pre-conceptional exposure of the sires (F0) to continuous low-dose-rate radiation. There were no significant differences in the pregnancy and weaning rates among the parent (F0) generation. Average litter size and average number of weaned pups (F1) from dams bred to males (F0) exposed to 20 mGy/day were significantly decreased compared to the non-irradiated controls. Significant lifespan shortening in the sires (F0) was observed only in the 20 mGy/day group due to early death from malignant lymphomas. Life shortening was also observed in the F1 progeny of sires (F0) exposed to 20 and 1 mGy/day, but could not be attributed to a specific cause. No significant differences in the causes of death were found between dose groups in any generation. The number of primary tumors per mouse was significantly increased only in the F0 males exposed to 20 mGy/day. Except for the increased incidence rate for Harderian gland neoplasms in sires (F0) exposed to 20 mGy/day, there was no significant difference in neoplasm incidences and tumor spectra in all 3 generations in each sex regardless of radiation exposure. No multi- or transgenerational effects in the parameters examined were observed in the F1 and F2 progeny of sires exposed to 0.05 mGy/day for 400 days.

Evolution of mate harm resistance in females from Drosophila melanogaster populations selected for faster development and early reproduction.

Interlocus sexual conflict is predicted to result in sexually antagonistic coevolution between male competitive traits, which are also female-detrimental, and mate harm resistance (MHR) in females. Little is known about the connection between life-history evolution and sexually antagonistic coevolution. Here, we investigated the evolution of MHR in a set of experimentally evolved populations, where mate-harming ability has been shown to have substantially reduced in males as a correlated response to the selection for faster development and early reproduction. We measured mortality and fecundity of females of these populations and those of their matched controls, under different male exposure conditions. We observed that the evolved females were more susceptible to mate harm - suffering from significantly higher mortality under continuous exposure to control males within the twenty-day assay period. Though these evolved females are known to have shorter lifespan, substantially higher mortality was not observed under virgin and single-mating conditions. We used fecundity data to show that this higher mortality in the experimentally evolved females was not due to the cost of egg production, and hence can only be attributed to reduced MHR. Further analysis indicated that this decreased MHR is unlikely to be due purely to the smaller size of these females. Instead, it is more likely to be an indirect experimentally evolved response attributable to the changed breeding ecology, and/or male trait evolution. Our results underline the implications of changes in life history traits, including lifespan, to the evolution of MHR in females.

Benchmarks defining high-quality sperm in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus).

Common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) are increasingly recognized as valuable nonhuman primates (NHPs) for biomedical research due to their small size and short reproductive cycle and lifespan relative to other NHP species. Maximizing the utility of captive research marmosets, including genetically manipulated animals, will require the use of assisted reproductive techniques (ART) including manipulation, storage, and sharing of marmoset sperm. Here, we identify characteristics of high-quality semen samples and validate a simple method for selecting high-quality sperm. Computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) was used to evaluate sperm quality in semen samples collected from 44 marmosets and assessed the use of the swim-up method for the selection of high-quality sperm was also tested in half the samples as a potential means to optimize in vitro fertilization or intrauterine insemination. For each reference parameter, samples at or below the 5th percentile were categorized as abnormal sperm, while those above the 5th percentile were considered to be normal. Among normal samples, those at or above the 50th percentile were categorized as high-quality. High-quality semen samples exhibited the following characteristics: semen volume ≥ 30µL; sperm count ≥ 107/ejaculate; total motility ≥ 35%; and normal morphology ≥ 5%. Sperm isolated by swim-up exhibited superior sperm progressive motility (19.7%±4.5vs. 5.6%±2.1; P=0.01) and normal morphology (13.1±1.59vs. 7.65±1.1; P<0.001) compared with unselected sperm. This study defines robust, statistically supported reference values for evaluating marmoset semen samples to assist with the identification of optimal sperm donors and the selection of high-quality sperm samples for assisted reproduction. Ultimately, these reference values combined with a validated selection method will contribute to consistent standards for the international sharing of genetically diverse and/or gene-edited marmoset sperm for research and reproduction.

First fossil mountain midges (Diptera, Deuterophlebiidae) and their evolutionary and ecological implication

We present here the first-ever fossil flies from the family Deuterophlebiidae. The recent adults have an exceptionally brief lifespan, with males surviving only two hours. Their distinctive features include a complete reduction of mouthparts, and wing venation characterized by a dense net of false veins replacing most of true veins. Due to this distinctive venation the phylogenetic position of Deuterophlebiidae was unclear, compounded by the absence of fossils that could shed light on the early development of these characters. Two new genera and species are described from Burmese amber, Protodeuterophlebia oosterbroeki Krzemiński, Krzemińska & Soszyńska, gen. et sp. nov. and Cretodeuterophlebia courtneyi, Krzemiński, Skibińska & Kopeć, gen. et sp. nov. They date back the age of the family to the mid-Cretaceous. Notably, the fossils reveal first false veins and reduced mouthparts, suggesting a short lifespan in these Cretaceous mountain midges. A comparative analysis of wing venation indicated the Hennigmatidae as a plausible ancestral group to the Deuterophlebiidae. A syninclusion of mayfly indicates the coexistence of these short-lived insects during the same flight period. This synchrony extends to their brief time in flight aligning with the flow of fluid resin. The occurrence of these simultaneous events is extremely low, emphasizing the significance of these findings.

DGRPool, a web tool leveraging harmonized Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel phenotyping data for the study of complex traits

Genome-wide association studies have advanced our understanding of complex traits, but studying how a GWAS variant can affect a specific trait in the human population remains challenging due to environmental variability. Drosophila melanogaster is in this regard an excellent model organism for studying the relationship between genetic and phenotypic variation due to its simple handling, standardized growth conditions, low cost, and short lifespan. The Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP) in particular has been a valuable tool for studying complex traits, but proper harmonization and indexing of DGRP phenotyping data is necessary to fully capitalize on this resource. To address this, we created a web tool called DGRPool (dgrpool.epfl.ch), which aggregates phenotyping data of 1034 phenotypes across 135 DGRP studies in a common environment. DGRPool enables users to download data and run various tools such as genome-wide (GWAS) and phenome-wide (PheWAS) association studies. As a proof-of-concept, DGRPool was used to study the longevity phenotype and uncovered both established and unexpected correlations with other phenotypes such as locomotor activity, starvation resistance, desiccation survival, and oxidative stress resistance. DGRPool has the potential to facilitate new genetic and molecular insights of complex traits in Drosophila and serve as a valuable, interactive tool for the scientific community.

DGRPool, a web tool leveraging harmonized Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel phenotyping data for the study of complex traits.

Genome-wide association studies have advanced our understanding of complex traits, but studying how a GWAS variant can affect a specific trait in the human population remains challenging due to environmental variability. Drosophila melanogaster is in this regard an excellent model organism for studying the relationship between genetic and phenotypic variation due to its simple handling, standardized growth conditions, low cost, and short lifespan. The Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP) in particular has been a valuable tool for studying complex traits, but proper harmonization and indexing of DGRP phenotyping data is necessary to fully capitalize on this resource. To address this, we created a web tool called DGRPool (dgrpool.epfl.ch), which aggregates phenotyping data of 1034 phenotypes across 135 DGRP studies in a common environment. DGRPool enables users to download data and run various tools such as genome-wide (GWAS) and phenome-wide (PheWAS) association studies. As a proof-of-concept, DGRPool was used to study the longevity phenotype and uncovered both established and unexpected correlations with other phenotypes such as locomotor activity, starvation resistance, desiccation survival, and oxidative stress resistance. DGRPool has the potential to facilitate new genetic and molecular insights of complex traits in Drosophila and serve as a valuable, interactive tool for the scientific community.

A highly permeable nanoplatform based on functionalized carbon dots for synergistic reactive oxygen/nitrogen species tumor therapy

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-based antitumor strategies, particularly chemodynamic therapy, have garnered considerable attention. However, challenges such as difficulties in achieving deep penetration, relatively low H2O2 levels in the tumor microenvironment, the requirement for low pH by the Fenton reaction, and their short lifespan have impeded satisfactory therapeutic outcomes. Hence, we have developed a nanoplatform with enhanced permeability that not only generates significant amounts of ROS but also converts them into longer-lasting reactive nitrogen species (RNS), thereby improving tumor therapy efficacy. In our study, carbon dots were functionalized by doping with gold atoms and grafting nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) to form ACN, which exhibits glucose oxidase-like properties and enables laser-responsive NO release. ACN and indocyanine green (ICG) were then loaded onto MnO2 nanoflowers to form MnO2@AI. Upon arrival at the tumor site, MnO2 reacts with H2O2 and GSH, leading to its degradation and the subsequent release of ACN, which is characterized by three permeation-promoting properties: ultra-small size, positive charge, and NO content. In addition, ACN promotes H2O2 production through glucose metabolism and reduces pH, both of which enhance the Fenton-like reaction of MnO2, thereby amplifying ROS generation. The ICG in MnO2@AI enhances its photothermal properties, leading to the responsive release of NO from GSNO grafted onto ACN, which then reacts with the increased ROS to generate more toxic RNS. Collectively, the approach described herein offers substantial potential for advancing the treatment of malignant tumors.

Ultra-fast, Self-destructing technology based on autocatalytic energetic conductive ink

Transient electronics show promising potential in data security and privacy preservation. Key criteria for transient electronic devices include quick production, short lifespan, and irreversible degradation. This article proposes a novel energetic conductive ink (EILs-Fc-SWNTs/EMOFs) with ultra-fast self-destruct performance for information protection. The ink based on carbon nanotubes modified with energetic ionic liquids and combustion rate catalysts, has advantages of high conductivity, high energy properties, and rapid production. Transient electronic devices containing micro-storage chips are achieved through direct writing technology. The writing circuit exhibits excellent conductivity (65.57 S/cm), high flexibility (2000 bending cycles), and high-energy characteristics (1640.3 J/g). The combustion temperature of the printing circuit is estimated at approximately 2100 °C. More importantly, transient electronics device commercial storage chips can be destroyed within 0.9 s.

Review of Drought Stress and Seed Priming Effects on Upland Rice Yield and Longevity

Unequal plant stand and poor germination are major constraints in seeds under areas which receive erratic and low rainfall. Seed priming has emerged as a crucial strategy to enhance the biochemical, physiological, and ecological resilience of seeds and seedlings. Employing suitable priming methods at different developmental stages can significantly improve drought tolerance in plants. Research indicates that the primary factors leading to seed deterioration are the combined effects of low temperatures and moisture levels, which trigger abnormal biochemical and physiological responses. Seed priming techniques show promise due to their simplicity and adaptability in local agricultural practices. However, one of the challenges associated with primed seeds is their relatively short storage lifespan. This review aims to explore the biochemical, physiological, and molecular aspects of rice seed priming while proposing innovative techniques to extend seed longevity, improve stand establishment, and increase overall yield. Furthermore, understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying seed priming can lead to the development of more effective priming protocols. This could ultimately contribute to sustainable agricultural practices in regions vulnerable to climate variability.

PEGylation of New Thrombin Inhibitor Peptide Ultravariegin for Prolonged In Vivo Circulation and Enhanced Antithrombotic Effects.

Anticoagulant therapy is commonly used to prevent and treat arterial and venous blood clots in patients with cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, and cancer. Venous blood clots are the third leading cause of cardiovascular death following acute coronary artery disease and stroke. There is a significant need for effective anticoagulant therapy with minimal risk of bleeding. Variegin and its variants are a new type of antithrombin peptide that has shown promising results in preclinical studies. Variegin and its best variant, ultravariegin (UV), can more effectively inhibit blood clot formation while causing less bleeding than traditional medications such as heparin and bivalirudin. However, the short lifespan of UV remains a limitation for its use in clinical settings. PEGylation, a method of conjugating poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) chains to peptides or drugs, may help improve the effectiveness of UV by extending its circulation time in the body. In this study, UV was PEGylated using maleimide-PEG5k and 10k. The impact of PEGylation on the antithrombin activity of UV was assessed in vitro and ex vivo in rat and rabbit plasma, showing minimal effects on the efficacy. In vivo studies in rats and rabbits revealed that PEGylated UV had a longer half-life and greater anticoagulant effects than unmodified UV did, especially when it was administered subcutaneously. PEGylation significantly extended the half-life of UV in rabbits, resulting in sustained anticoagulant effects for up to 4 days. This demonstrated that increasing the size of UV and shielding it with PEG could reduce clearance by the kidneys and prolong its circulation time. The improved half-life and antithrombin activity of PEGylated UV make it a more favorable choice for anticoagulant therapy.

Pathologic findings of the placenta and clinical implications - recommendations for placental examination.

The placenta is a unique and complex organ that combines the circulatory systems of two or more individuals within a single dynamic organ with a set, short lifespan. A diverse spectrum of disorders, including infections as well as metabolic, genetic, circulatory, and maturation defects, may affect its function. Pathology investigation of the placenta is key for identifying several pathogenic processes in both the mother and the foetus. Aberrant placentation, maternal and foetal vascular compromise, infection, inflammatory immunologic conditions, and disorders of maturation are elements of newly proposed classification schemes. The clinical impact of placental examination consists of diagnosing maternal and foetal disease, identifying the potential for recurrence, correlating clinical pathological findings with distinct morphologic features, and identifying the aetiology responsible for growth restriction or foetal death. Gestational trophoblastic disease occurs more frequently in the first trimester; however, in very rare cases, it can affect the term or third-trimester placenta. The application of reproducible nomenclature is expected to facilitate progress in the diagnosis and treatment of obstetric and foetal disorders with placental manifestation. Therefore, this review aims to facilitate communication between obstetricians, neonatologists, and pathologists involved in this diagnostic process.

Coordination in Dynamic Teams: Investigating a Learning–Productivity Trade-Off

The rapid growth in the use of teams and multiple team membership has led more organizations to structure work around dynamic teams, characterized by short lifespans and fluid membership boundaries. This approach to organizing work makes it difficult for teams to work efficiently or to support the learning and growth of members. Given the importance of productivity and learning, we ask how these processes can be supported in dynamic teams. We do so in a randomized controlled field experiment conducted with 91 teams in a teaching hospital, a context in which physician trainees must learn while providing patient care in dynamic teams of care providers. We randomly assigned physician teams, or “core” teams, to launch their work with an intervention focused either on internal coordination among the core team members or on external coordination with a changing cast of external contributors such as nurses and specialists. We measured resulting levels of internal and external coordination over teams’ week-long lifespans and observed that external coordination was associated with improved team efficiency, whereas internal coordination was associated with improved individual learning. Post hoc exploratory analysis suggested that individual learning was highest when teams achieved high levels of both internal and external coordination, and it was positively correlated with improvement in the team’s patients’ average length of hospital stay. We discuss the implications of the demonstrated causal effects of team launches, along with our exploratory findings, for the management of dynamic teams and the opportunities to mitigate potential trade-offs between learning and productivity. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2022.16729 .

Carbon Dots Infused 3D Printed Cephalopod Mimetic Bactericidal and Antioxidant Hydrogel for Uniaxial Mechano-Fluorescent Tactile Sensor.

Cephalopods use stretchy skin and dynamic color-tuning organs for visual communication and camouflage. Inspired by these natural mechanisms, a fluorescent biomaterial for deformation-induced illumination and optical communication is proposed. This is the first report of 3D printed soft biomaterials infused with carbon dots hydrothermally derived from chitosan and benzalkonium chloride. These biomaterials exhibit a comprehensive array of properties, including significant uniaxial stretching, near-instantaneous response to tactile stimuli and pH, UV resistance, antibacterial, antioxidant, noncytotoxicity, and highlighting their potential as mechano-optical materials for biomedical applications. The hydrogel's durability is evaluated by cyclic stretching, folding, rolling, and twisting tests to ensure its integrity and good signal-to-noise ratio. The diffusion mechanism is determined by water imbibition kinetics, network parameters, and time-dependent breathing. Overcoming the common limitations of short lifespans and complex manufacturing processes in existing soft hybrids, this work demonstrates a straightforward method to produce durable, energy-independent, mechano-optical hydrogel. Combined with investigations, molecular dynamic modeling is used to understand the interactions of hydrogel components.

GATA1-deficient human pluripotent stem cells generate neutrophils with improved antifungal immunity that is mediated by the integrin CD18.

Neutrophils are critical for host defense against fungi. However, the short life span and lack of genetic tractability of primary human neutrophils has limited in vitro analysis of neutrophil-fungal interactions. Human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neutrophils (iNeutrophils) are a genetically tractable alternative to primary human neutrophils. Here, we show that deletion of the transcription factor GATA1 from human iPSCs results in iNeutrophils with improved antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus. GATA1 knockout (KO) iNeutrophils have increased maturation, antifungal pattern recognition receptor expression and more readily execute neutrophil effector functions compared to wild-type iNeutrophils. iNeutrophils also show a shift in their metabolism following stimulation with fungal β-glucan, including an upregulation of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), similar to primary human neutrophils in vitro. Furthermore, we show that deletion of the integrin CD18 attenuates the ability of GATA1-KO iNeutrophils to kill A. fumigatus but is not necessary for the upregulation of PPP. Collectively, these findings support iNeutrophils as a robust system to study human neutrophil antifungal immunity and has identified specific roles for CD18 in the defense response.

Human dental pulp MSCs attenuated motor neuron dysfunction and prolonged lifespan in ALS murine model

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease that causes skeletal muscle weakness and atrophy, resulting in respiratory failure and a short lifespan. Considering the lack of effective treatment, this study investigated the effects of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) on the clinical symptoms and potential mechanisms in a mouse model of ALS superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1-G93A). Neurological assessments, including neurological scoring, rotarod testing, and 7-T magnetic resonance imaging, were conducted to evaluate neurological impairments. Survival rates and body weight of the mice were also recorded. Immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry analyses were performed to investigate the number of neurons and infiltrated inflammatory cells in the spinal cord as well as the central nervous system. The results indicate that infusion of hDPSCs increased the body weight, mitigated motor neuron dysfunction, and extended the lifespan of SOD1-G93A mice by approximately 15 days. Moreover, hDPSCs infusion reduced the degree of spinal cord atrophy. Results suggested that the number of neurons in the central nervous system of SOD1-G93A mice was significantly decreased, but hDPSCs infusion resulted in an increase in these numbers. However, hDPSCs infusion had no obvious effect on microglia phenotypes in SOD1-G93A mice. This study emphasizes the potential of hDPSCs to mitigate neuronal loss in an ALS mouse model, suggesting a promising therapeutic avenue for ALS.

Organic Salt Buffer Layer Enables High‐Performance NiOx‐Based Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells

The merits of a low‐cost fabrication process, suitable band structure, excellent wettability to perovskite precursor, and outstanding stability ensure NiOx as a hole transport material with beneficial characteristics to construct high‐performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, direct contact between perovskite and NiOx causes delamination and chemical instability and thus results in poor carrier transport and short device lifespan. Here, we propose a solution for this issue by introducing an organic salt additive 4‐(trifluoromethyl) benzylammonium formate (TFMBAFa) in the perovskite precursor to passivate perovskite film and NiOx@(2‐(3,6‐dimethyl‐9H‐carbazol‐9‐yl) ethyl) phosphonic acid (Me‐2PACz) composited hole transport layer (HTL), and thus construct a buffer layer between perovskite‐HTL interface. The effective diminishing of NiOx/perovskite interfacial reactions and defects results in enhanced carrier transport. Consequently, the target device achieves simultaneous improvements in power conversion efficiency (24.2%), storage stability (T100 &gt; 1400 h), thermal stability (T80 &gt; 1000 h), and operational stability (T70 &gt; 850 h), where T100, T80, and T70 refer to the retention of 100%, 80%, and 70% of initial PCE, respectively. This work provides an effective strategy to advance the performance of NiOx‐based inverted PSCs.

Dual-Activated Photoacoustic Probe for Reliably Detecting Hydroxyl Radical in Ischemic Cardiovascular Disease in Mouse and Human Samples.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a chronic disease characterized by the accumulation of lipids and fibrous tissue within the arterial walls, potentially leading to vascular obstruction and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Hydroxyl radicals play a significant role in the formation and progression of CVD as they can instigate lipid peroxidation, resulting in cellular damage and inflammatory responses. However, precisely detecting hydroxyl radicals in CVD lesions presents significant challenges due to their high reactivity and short lifespan. Herein, we present the development and application of a novel activatable optical probe, Cy-OH-LP, designed to detect hydroxyl radicals in lipid-rich environments specifically. Built on the Cy7 molecular skeleton, Cy-OH-LP exhibits near-infrared absorption and fluorescence characteristics, and its specific response to hydroxyl radicals enables a turn-on signal in both photoacoustic and fluorescence spectra. The probe demonstrated excellent selectivity and stability in various tests. Furthermore, Cy-OH-LP was successfully applied in an in vivo model to detect hydroxyl radicals in mouse models, providing a potential tool for diagnosing and monitoring AS. The biosafety of Cy-OH-LP was also verified, showing low cytotoxicity and no significant organ damage in mice. The findings suggest that Cy-OH-LP is a promising tool for the specific detection of hydroxyl radicals in lipid-rich environments, providing new possibilities for research and clinical applications in the field of oxidative stress-related diseases.

Altered dNTP pools accelerate tumor formation in mice.

Alterations in deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) pools have been linked to increased mutation rates and genome instability in unicellular organisms and cell cultures. However, the role of dNTP poolchanges in tumor development in mammals remains unclear. In this study, we present a mouse model with a point mutation at the allosteric specificity site of ribonucleotide reductase, RRM1-Y285A. This mutation reduced ribonucleotide reductase activity, impairing the synthesis of deoxyadenosine triphosphate (dATP) and deoxyguanosinetriphosphate (dGTP). Heterozygous Rrm1+/Y285A mice exhibited distinct alterations in dNTP pools across various organs, shorter lifespans and earlier tumor onset compared with wild-type controls. Mutational spectrum analysis of tumors revealed two distinct signatures, one resembling a signature extracted from a human cancer harboring a mutation of the same amino acid residue in ribonucleotide reductase, RRM1Y285C. Our findings suggest that mutations in enzymes involved in dNTP metabolism can serve as drivers of cancer development.

A-100 Clinical Utility of Measuring Creatine Concentration in Erythrocyte

Abstract Background Shortened erythrocyte lifespan characterizes hemolytic anemia and impacts HbA1c values. Recently, erythrocyte creatine concentration (EC) measurement emerged as a new method to assess erythrocyte lifespan. However, literature reports conflicting findings regarding the association between erythrocyte lifespan and EC concentration. In our study, we noted low EC concentrations in renal diseases, typically linked to short erythrocyte lifespan, while iron deficiency anemia exhibited high EC concentrations. This contradicts established relationships, prompting a reevaluation of EC concentration assessment. The aim is to evaluate the clinical utility of EC concentration measurements by correlating them with various clinical parameters, including hematopoietic status. Methods EC concentrations were measured in 522 subjects (252 females, 270 males) aged 19 to 95 at Kawasaki Medical School Hospital. Medical records and laboratory test results from around one month before and after blood collection were used to create a database. Box-and-whisker plots illustrated EC concentration distribution for each disease, and scatter plots compared EC concentrations with laboratory parameters. Results EC concentrations were lower in renal diseases like Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease but higher in iron deficiency anemia (Fig. 1). Moreover, EC concentrations rose as hemoglobin concentrations declined, unaffected by CKD grade (Fig. 2). Conclusions While conventionally, high EC concentrations imply a short erythrocyte lifespan, our study noted the opposite trend. EC concentrations might not indicate erythrocyte lifespan but instead reflect hemoglobin synthesis. Investigating EC concentration's relationship with factors like iron and vitamin B12 involved in hemoglobin synthesis may unveil new clinical applications.