Lifespan Research Articles

Osteocyte Dendrites: How Do They Grow, Mature, and Degenerate in Mineralized Bone?

Osteocytes, the most abundant bone cells, form an extensive cellular network via interconnecting dendrites. Like neurons in the brain, the long-lived osteocytes perceive mechanical and biological inputs and signal to other effector cells, leading to the homeostasis and turnover of bone tissues. Despite the appreciation of osteocytes' vital roles in bone biology, the initiation, growth, maintenance, and eventual degradation of osteocyte dendrites are poorly understood due to their full encasement by mineralized matrix. With the advancement of imaging modalities and genetic models, the architectural organization and molecular composition of the osteocyte dendrites, as well as their morphological changes with aging and diseases, have begun to be revealed. However, several long-standing mysteries remain unsolved, including (1) how the dendrites are initiated and elongated when a surface osteoblast becomes embedded as an osteocyte; (2) how the dendrites maintain a relatively stable morphology during their decades-long life span; (3) what biological processes control the dendrite morphology, connectivity, and stability; and (4) if these processes are influenced by age, sex, hormones, and mechanical loading. Our review of long, thin actin filament (F-actin)-containing processes extending from other cells leads to a working model that serves as a starting point to investigate the formation and maintenance of osteocyte dendrites and their degradation with aging and diseases.

Leisure behavior through the life span: Leisure constraints, motivation, and self-efficacy among Gen Z and Millennials

This study examines the impact of leisure constraints, motivation, and self-efficacy on the intention to participate in leisure activities among Turkish Gen Z and Millennials, comparing early adolescents and young adults to understand changes in leisure activity participation from middle school to adulthood. Data were gathered from individuals aged 15 to 39 for the first study and specifically from middle school students for the second study, using convenience sampling. A total of 425 questionnaires were acquired for the first study in December 2020 and 289 for the second study in November 2022. Structural Equation Modelling was utilized to analyze the data. The results of the first study indicate that motivation significantly influences both constraints and intention, while self-efficacy only influences motivation. In the second study, motivation’s significant influence was observed only on intention. While self-efficacy has a significant influence on motivation, only general self-efficacy influence constraints.

Upgrading and extending the life cycle of soft robots with in situ free-form liquid three-dimensional printing.

Soft robotics hardware, with numerous applications ranging from health care to exploration of unstructured environments, suffers from limited life cycles, which lead to waste generation and poor sustainability. Soft robots combine soft or hybrid components via complex assembly and disassembly workflows, which complicate the repair of broken components, hinder upgradability, and ultimately reduce their life spans. In this work, an advanced extrusion-based additive manufacturing process, in situ free-form liquid three-dimensional printing (iFL3DP), was developed to facilitate functional upgrades and repairs in soft robots. A yield-stress hydrogel-a type of material that can maintain its shape until sufficient stress is applied-was first printed directly onto the robot surface, serving as a support for printing new components. This technique enabled the fabrication of advanced components with seamless integration onto already assembled robots. These components could combine multiple materials with intricate geometries, including overhangs and high-aspect ratio shapes, that are considerably challenging to manufacture and integrate via traditional methods such as casting. This approach was successfully applied to upgrade an existing soft robot by adding three advanced functionalities: whisker-like sensors for tactile feedback, a grasping mechanism, and a multifunctional passive whisker array. This study showcases the easy repairability of features, new and old, substantially extending the robot's life span. This workflow has potential to enhance the sustainable development of soft robots.

Stable prevalence of overweight but increasing levels of obesity in adolescents in surveys of 42982 children in China 2010 to 2020.

Excessive weight gain in childhood has been associated with poor health outcomes throughout life span and has a strong tracking effect in adulthood. This study aimed to investigate trends in the prevalence of overweight, obesity and severe obesity among Chinese children from 2010 to 2020. A total of 42 982 Chinese children aged 2-18 years were included in the Chinese Family Panel Studies carried out every 2 years from 2010 to 2020. Height and mass were reported by them or by their guardians and body mass index was calculated. The prevalence was estimated according to the International Obesity Task Force cut-offs. There was no significant trend in the prevalence of overweight. The prevalence of obesity and severe obesity for the total population decreased from 8.3% and 3.7% in 2010 to 7.1% and 2.6% in 2020, respectively (p < 0.001). However, these decreases were attributed mostly to children aged 2-6 years and the prevalence increased among children aged 13-18 years. Male, rural residential area and younger age were risk factors for overweight and obesity. A decrease in the prevalence of excessive weight was a positive finding, but strategies that promote the health and well-being of priority populations were needed.

Myeloid cell-specific loss of NPC1 in mice recapitulates microgliosis and neurodegeneration in patients with Niemann-Pick type C disease.

Niemann-Pick type C (NPC) disease is an inherited lysosomal storage disorder mainly driven by mutations in the NPC1 gene, causing lipid accumulation within late endosomes/lysosomes and resulting in progressive neurodegeneration. Although microglial activation precedes neuronal loss, it remains elusive whether loss of the membrane protein NPC1 in microglia actively contributes to NPC pathology. In a mouse model with depletion of NPC1 in myeloid cells, we report severe alterations in microglial lipidomic profiles, including the enrichment of bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate, increased cholesterol, and a decrease in cholesteryl esters. Lipid dyshomeostasis was associated with microglial hyperactivity, marked by an increase in translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO). These hyperactive microglia initiated a pathological cascade resembling NPC-like phenotypes, including a shortened life span, motor impairments, astrogliosis, neuroaxonal pathology, and increased neurofilament light chain (NF-L), a neuronal injury biomarker. As observed in the mouse model, patients with NPC showed increased NF-L in the blood and microglial hyperactivity, as visualized by TSPO-PET imaging. Reduced TSPO expression in blood-derived macrophages of patients with NPC was measured after N-acetyl-l-leucine treatment, which has been recently shown to have beneficial effects in patients with NPC, suggesting that TSPO is a potential marker to monitor therapeutic interventions for NPC. Conclusively, these results demonstrate that myeloid dysfunction, driven by the loss of NPC1, contributes to NPC disease and should be further investigated for therapeutic targeting and disease monitoring.

The effect of chelation on bone Pb stores in Pb poisoned children.

Lead exposure remains a key problem for children during development. One treatment for lead poisoning is chelation - a topic that remains controversial with varied results. Bone lead serves as a marker of total body burden of lead and encompasses between 60-90% of lead storage in children. In this study, we aimed to identify the change in bone lead as a result of chelation therapy in a group of lead poisoned children (blood lead >25 µg/dL). Upon diagnosis with lead poisoning at Xinhua Hospital in Shanghai, China, children were recruited to our study, had their bone lead levels measured, and underwent one-week of intravenous, in-patient ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid chelation treatment. Up to three clinical visits with the same treatment protocol and bone lead measurements were completed over the two-year study. We measured biomarkers of lead exposure for children exposed via various potential sources, including home contaminants, local industrial emissions, traditional medicines, or lead cookware. We observed significant differences with bone lead after chelation therapy (p < 0.0001), even after calculating a conservative model for theoretical decay from known bone turnover (p = 0.01). The difference identified between our observed change in bone lead and literature established bone lead change significantly increased with more chelation treatments. A significant reduction in bone lead was observed following chelation treatment of children with lead poisoning - a difference that increased more with more chelation. Study results indicate that chelation treatment is effective in reducing bone lead stores in children with initial blood lead levels greater than 25 µg/dL. Lead exposure in children is a consistent problem - drastically impacting health across the life span. After exposure, lead stores in the bone of children serving as a potential endogenous source of exposure for years to decades. Our study demonstrated that chelation therapy, while reducing blood lead levels, additionally reduced bone lead levels. A reduction in bone lead would effectively reduce the potential for endogenous release of lead and restrict the damage done by lead exposure.

Accelerating Plastic Pollution Mitigation through Sustainable Urban Infrastructure Development

Plastic waste plagues both land and aquatic environments. The surface layer refers to the road pavement layer that comes into direct contact with a vehicle's wheel surface. The surface layer distributes wheel load far more evenly than the layer underneath. The surface layer design incorporates top-notch materials that can be used as additives to enhance the quality of the asphalt mixture. This study evaluates the asphalt mixture's durability using Marshall characteristics and Cantabria tests carried out in a lab setting. An ideal asphalt concentration of 5.25% is obtained. Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) is added to the asphalt mixture at various contents, 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%. The study's findings indicate that adding plastic waste to the asphalt mixture can enhance its performance. The two main mitigating actions are probably plastic prohibition laws and public awareness campaigns. To evaluate the possible environmental effects and resources utilized over the course of a plastic product's life span, researchers stress the importance of its life cycle assessment and circularity. Innovations are necessary to minimize, reuse, recycle, recover, and develop environmentally friendly plastic substitutes. By empowering and educating communities and citizens on how to reduce plastic pollution and use alternative plastic solutions, governments must enforce and promote collective action. This research must prioritize addressing plastic waste as a global issue.

Physiological trade-offs in male social insects: Interactions among infection, immunity, fertility, size, and age in honey bee drones

Female social insects represent a dramatic exception of the evolutionarily conserved physiological trade-off between reproduction and life span, where aging is positively correlated with reproduction. However, whether this facet of life history also pertains to male social insects, remains largely unknown. Male honey bees (drones) die in the act of copulation, placing them under opposing selective pressures. At the individual level, there is inter-male competition for a single successful mating attempt, leading to selective pressure that favor an increase in male fitness. Honey bee drones are haploid individuals and lack the allelic variation in their genome compared to diploid females. We hypothesized that this genetic limitation may result in trade-offs between pathological stress and fitness traits in honey bee males. In our study, we observed differences in size and fertility measures in old and young drones along with stressors of several endemic viruses and the transcriptional immune response. We found that infection does not appear to decrease fertility in old drones, despite evidence for a shift in immune expression away from established mechanisms. Contrary to our expectations, drones additionally do not appear to exhibit a physiological trade-off between size and fertility. These findings demonstrate that drones of different size are likely of different mating quality and that higher quality drones likely favor retaining reproductive output over immune function.

Role of chemokines in aging and age-related diseases

Chemokines (chemotactic cytokines) play essential roles in developmental process, immune cell trafficking, inflammation, immunity, angiogenesis, cellular homeostasis, aging, and tumorigenesis. Chemokines also modulate response to immunotherapy, and consequently influence the therapeutic outcome. The mechanisms underlying these processes are accomplished by interaction of chemokines with their cognate cell surface G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and subsequent cellular signaling pathways. Chemokines play crucial role in influencing aging process and age-related diseases across various tissues and organs, primarialy through inflammatory responses (inflammaging), recruitment of macrophages, and orchestrated trafficking of other immune cells. Chemokines are categorized in four distinct groups based on the position and number of the N-terminal cysteine residues; namely, the CC, CXC, CX3C, and (X)C. They mediate inflammatory responses, and thereby considerably impact aging process across multiple organ-systems. Therefore, understanding the underlying mechanisms mediated by chemokines may be of crucial importance in delaying and/or modulating the aging process and preventing age-related diseases. In this review, we highlight recent progress accomplished in understanding the role of chemokines and their cellular signaling pathways involved in aging and age-relaed diseases of various organs. Moreover, we explore potential therapeutic strategies involving chemokines and chemokine receptor antagonists aimed at reducing aging and mitigating age-related diseases. One of the modern methods in this direction involves use of chemokine receptor antagonists and anti-chemokines, which suppress the pro-inflammatory response, thereby helping in resolution of inflammation. Considering the wide-spectrum of functional involvements of chemokines in aging and associated diseases, several clinical trials are being conducted to develop therapeutic approaches using chemokine receptor antagonists to improve life span and promote healthy aging.

Applying Concepts of Successful Aging in Measuring and Promoting Whole Person Health.

Countries around the world have large aging adult populations. There is wide public health concern about the health and well-being of aging adults, and a movement to transform healthcare systems to become age-friendly. The concept of "successful aging" recognizes the importance of aging and expands the goal beyond the absence of disease to functioning and well-being. In this perspective, we discuss aging as a part of life that should be considered in whole person health and cite work with the US veteran population as an example of how successful aging and age-friendly practices can be incorporated into whole person health for adult populations. We also review studies of successful aging that may offer important ways to define and measure whole person health and discuss how it might be instructive to assess successful aging with multiple indicators across the adult life span, particularly in underserved populations at-risk of premature aging and poor health. Finally, we conclude with a discussion of the "life course perspective" that may serve as a useful model for the interplay between successful aging and whole person health.

Optimising the mass-rearing of Aphytis sp. (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) to biologically control San Jose scales

ABSTRACT Augmentative biological control promotes sustainable food production via reducing reliance on chemical insecticides. The San Jose scale, Comstockaspis perniciosa (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), is a major pest in deciduous fruit agriculture worldwide. Surveys in Uruguay have identified a species of Aphytis to be the main natural enemy of this pest; this genus of parasitoids is mostly used for their effectiveness in regulating scale populations. This study aimed to enhance the biological control of San Jose scale via evaluating the biological characteristics of Aphytis sp. to optimise its mass-rearing. The host development stage with the highest oviposition and offspring emergence was determined. Longevity, daily egg production throughout life, and daily offspring emergence in the first 10 days of life were studied. Offspring production at different parasitoid densities was evaluated, incorporating parasitoid interference and using scales for host-feeding. Results showed greater oviposition and emergence in adult female scales compared to the second nymphal instar, regardless of scales being young or pre-reproductive females. The parasitoids had a median adult life span of 10 days, with the highest oviposition on the first day. However, offspring emergence was low during the first five days. Mass production levels approached those of individual parasitism at a density of 13 scales per parasitoid per day. These findings suggest an optimised production scheme for Aphytis sp., enhancing profitability for producers and contributing to sustainable agroecosystems via reducing the need for chemical insecticides.

Sleep patterns, global mental status and mortality risk among middle-aged urban adults.

Sleep, cognition, and mortality may be interdependent. We explored paths between sleep, cognition and mortality and potential interactions. The study examines the relationship among sleep, global mental status, and mortality risk using data from 1364 participants from the Healthy Aging in Neighborhood of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study. We used Cox proportional hazards models and four-way decomposition models to analyze sleep patterns and global mental status. After a median time at risk of 8.2 years, 172 deaths occurred, with rate of 16 per 1000 person-years. A 1-unit increase in the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) global score was linked to a 7% increase in mortality risk in the reduced model, but this effect was attenuated in the full model. In both reduced and fully adjusted models, the PSQI global score and sleep quality domains interacted with global mental status, with poor sleep generally associated with mortality risk in the group with better global mental status at first-visit. In four-way decomposition models, total effects (TE) of PSQI scores on mortality risk were positive and statistically significant, while being mostly controlled direct effects. However, among women, the inverse TE of global mental status on mortality risk was partially mediated by PSQI sleep latency and the PSQI global. Poor global mental status is associated with greater mortality risk at better sleep quality levels and vice versa. Further longitudinal studies with multiple sleep and cognitive performance repeats are needed to corroborate these findings.

Ischemic Stroke in Women: Understanding Sex-Specific Risk Factors, Treatment Considerations, and Outcomes

Ischemic stroke is a major cause of mortality and disability and has become a significant public health concern among women. Overall, women have more ischemic stroke events than men, in part due to their longer life span, and also suffer from more severe stroke-related disabilities compared to men. Women are also more likely than men to present with atypical non-focal neurological symptoms, potentially leading to delayed diagnosis and treatment. Female-specific risk factors, especially those related to pregnancy, are often under-recognized. A woman’s risk for ischemic stroke evolves throughout her lifespan, influenced by various factors including the age of menarche, pregnancy and its complications (such as parity, pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, and preterm delivery), postpartum challenges, oral contraceptive use, and menopause. Additionally, vascular risk factors like hypertension, diabetes, and atrial fibrillation are more prevalent among older women. Despite comparable treatment efficacies, women generally experience poorer outcomes after stroke. They also face higher rates of post-stroke depression, further complicating recovery. Although significant strides have been made in reducing the incidence of ischemic stroke, our understanding of the unique risks, underlying causes, and long-term consequences for women remains limited. While sex hormones may explain some differences, a lack of awareness regarding sex-related disparities can result in suboptimal care. This review aims to illuminate the unique risks and burdens of ischemic stroke faced by women, advocating for a more nuanced understanding to enhance prevention and treatment strategies.

Longevity in Carnaby’s Cockatoo (Zanda latirostris) Carnaby, 1948

Context Carnaby’s Cockatoo Zanda latirostris is an endangered species endemic to south-western Australia. It has been the subject of long-term studies of its ecology from 1969 to the present. Aims This paper examines the maximum recorded life of the species in the wild. Methods The life spans of eight wild Carnaby’s Cockatoos that were more than 20 years old were compared with longevity records of long-lived birds recorded on the banding registers in Australia, USA, and UK. Key results Eight wild Carnaby’s Cockatoos were recorded living from 21 to 35 years, putting the species in the top 2% of all bird species in the wild for which there are longevity records. Conclusions The longevity of Carnaby’s Cockatoo is similar to that of long-lived seabirds. Implications Several years of immaturity and low reproductive output mean that Carnaby’s Cockatoos must be long-lived for the species to be sustainable. Conservation actions need to minimise threats to the lives of adult cockatoos.

The effect of ecological characteristics on the domestication of sand rice (Agriophyllum squarrosum).

Sand rice (Agriophyllum squarrosum) is a pioneer species of annual plant found on mobile dunes in arid and semi-arid areas of China. Its establishment within the community could play a crucial role in the restoration of vegetation in desert environments because the ecological characteristics of sand rice make it well-suited to cope with desertification. Sand rice germinates rapidly when there is sufficient precipitation, and sand burial is beneficial for its germination. After germination, the root system rapidly extends downwards. It has short life cycles, completing the life span in 90 days at drought years. Additionally, sand rice has aerial and soil seed banks, which are suitable for arid ecosystems. Its seeds have high nutrient value of high protein quality and low carbohydrates. These ecological characteristics make sand rice a potentially environmentally friendly crop for addressing future climate change and maintaining food security, especially in desert areas. However it is unknown how ecological advantages affect the de novo domestication of sand rice. In this article, we summarize its ecological characteristics and determine optimal growth conditions for domestication and more applications in future.

A Digital Twin Framework Utilizing Machine Learning for Robust Predictive Maintenance: Enhancing Tire Health Monitoring

Abstract We introduce a novel digital twin (DT) framework for predictive maintenance of long-term physical systems. Using monitoring tire health as an application, we show how the DT framework can be used to enhance automotive safety and efficiency, and how the technical challenges can be overcome using a three-step approach. Firstly, for managing the data complexity over a long operation span, we employ data reduction techniques to concisely represent physical tires using historical performance and usage data. Relying on these data, for fast real-time prediction, we train a transformer-based model offline on our concise dataset to predict future tire health over time, represented as Remaining Casing Potential (RCP). Based on our architecture, our model quantifies both epistemic and aleatoric uncertainty, providing reliable confidence intervals around predicted RCP. Secondly, to incorporate real-time data, we update the predictive model in the DT framework, ensuring its accuracy throughout its life span with the aid of hybrid modeling and the use of discrepancy function. Thirdly, to assist decision making in predictive maintenance, we implement a Tire State Decision Algorithm, which strategically determines the optimal timing for tire replacement based on RCP forecasted by our transformer model. This approach ensures our DT accurately predicts system health, continually refines its digital representation, and supports predictive maintenance decisions. Our framework effectively embodies a physical system, leveraging big data and machine learning (ML) for predictive maintenance, model updates, and decision-making.

Family-Centered Antenatal Care With a Life-Limiting Fetal Condition: A Developmental Theory-Guided Approach.

Trisomy 18 (T18) is the second-most common autosomal trisomy and includes multiple anomalies, growth restriction, and a severely shortened life span, often lasting only hours or days. Côté-Arsenault and Denney-Koelsch extended Reva Rubin's work, describing the psychosocial stages of pregnancy by describing the stages and developmental tasks for a pregnancy altered by a life-limiting fetal condition such as T18. When a diagnosis of T18 is made prenatally, the pregnancy changes dramatically, although it remains a psychosocial developmental process. The extended stages of pregnancy with T18 or another life-limiting fetal condition are: Pre-Diagnosis, Learning the Diagnosis, Living With the Diagnosis, Birth and Death, and Post Death. As they navigate these stages, parents must also address 7 developmental tasks of pregnancy, which are (1) Navigating Relationships, (2) Comprehending Implications of the Condition, (3) Revising Goals of Pregnancy, (4) Making the Most of Time With Baby, (5) Preparing for Birth and Inevitable Death, (6) Advocating for Baby With Integrity, and (7) Adjusting to Life in Absence of Baby. Knowledgeable health care providers can do much more than support parents through grief and facilitate discussions about birth planning. This case report highlights the importance of a knowledgeable provider who can help parents navigate the stages and tasks of pregnancy, empowering them to make choices consistent with their values so they have no regrets.

The usefulness of C. elegans life span analysis in screening for functional foods.

Caenorhabditis elegans is a type of nematode that has significantly contributed to aging research as a multicellular animal model because of its high reproductive rate, ease of cultivation, low cost, short generation cycle, body transparency, and eukaryotic nature. Since the discovery of long-lived mutant strains of C. elegans, signaling pathways involved in lifespan have been elucidated. Some of these pathways are shared with mammals, indicating that aging research in C. elegans may be applied to other animals, including humans. Studies on the mechanisms of aging have advanced with the availability of mutants for these pathways. In recent years, C. elegans has also contributed to the discovery of antioxidants and the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms responsible for the anti-aging effects of foods and traditional medicines with lifespan as an indicator. This review summarizes the characteristics of C. elegans for life span analysis associated with functional foods.

Diets supplemented with different solvents extracts of Lepista nuda alters longevity and fecundity, and the expression of related genes in Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae).

Exploring the effects of different solvent extracts from Lepista nuda [(Bull. ex Fr.) Cooke] on the lifespan and reproductive capacity of Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae), the extracts of the fruiting body and mycelium of L. nuda were prepared using water, 75% ethanol, and petroleum ether, and the active components were identified. These extracts were then incorporated into culture media and administered to D. melanogaster. The impact of the extracts from different solvents on the life span and fertility, and the contents of ecdysone (20E), juvenile hormone (JH), and vitellogenin (Vg), as well as the effects of autophagy gene, 20E synthesis gene Halloween, 20E receptor gene ECR, JH methyltransferase gene JHAMT and Vg gene Yolk1 transcripts were analyzed. The extracts from the fruiting body and mycelium of L. nuda can reduce lifespan, a phenomenon associated with the varied expression of 15 compounds across 6 distinct groups. The average survival time of female fruit flies was lower than that of the male fruit flies. Fertility had also been significantly reduced, indicating a positive correlation between lifespan and fertility. In addition, with the extension of cultivation time, the content of 20E, JH, and Vg, as well as the transcripts of Halloween, ECR, JHAMT, and Yolk1 in the L. nuda fruiting body extract treatment group, all significantly decreased. Among the 3 solvent extracts, phenylalanine, citric acid, quinic acid, and punicalagin in the L. nuda aqueous extract exhibit the most potent collective toxicity toward fruit flies. The insecticidal properties of these compounds function by modulating autophagy and the expression of insect hormones.

One-pot synthesis of waste poly (vinyl-chloride) derived carbon dots for antimicrobial applications

In the present scenario, poor waste management practices have caused the worldwide accumulation of plastic, leading to an increase in the magnitude of life-threatening diseases. Among them, the thermo-stable Poly (Vinyl-Chloride) (PVC) is the most harmful plastic pollutant found in pipes, flex, toys, and so on. Meanwhile, PVC flex having a 45-day life span, is widely employed in the field of marketing or advertising purposes, which ultimately finds its way into the landfills. This work focuses upon the upcycling of these banners by undergoing the facile hydrothermal synthesis, which was further characterized by UV–vis-spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The outcomes revealed the presence of crystalline structure in P-CD1 & P-CD3 and the amorphous structure in P-CD2, having carbon (C), nitrogen (N), hydrogen (H), Oxygen (O), and chlorine (Cl) in them. Additionally, these synthesized carbon dots, especially P-CD3 having a particle size of 2.04 ± 0.86 nm show excellent effects against Bacillus cereus with a zone of 1.7 cm. and Candida oralis with a zone of 3.4 cm.