Human Aging and Age-Related Diseases: From Underlying Mechanisms to Pro-Longevity Interventions.

As human life expectancy continues to rise, becoming a pressing global concern, it brings into focus the underlying mechanisms of aging. The increasing lifespan has led to a growing elderly population grappling with age-related diseases (ARDs), which strains healthcare systems and economies worldwide. While human senescence was once regarded as an immutable and inexorable phenomenon, impervious to interventions, the emerging field of geroscience now offers innovative approaches to aging, holding the promise of extending the period of healthspan in humans. Understanding the intricate links between aging and pathologies is essential in addressing the challenges presented by aging populations. A substantial body of evidence indicates shared mechanisms and pathways contributing to the development and progression of various ARDs. Consequently, novel interventions targeting the intrinsic mechanisms of aging have the potential to delay the onset of diverse pathological conditions, thereby extending healthspan. In this narrative review, we discuss the most promising methods and interventions aimed at modulating aging, which harbor the potential to mitigate ARDs in the future. We also outline the complexity of senescence and review recent empirical evidence to identify rational strategies for promoting healthy aging.

Esophageal cancer: current status and new insights from inflammatory markers - a brief review.

Esophageal cancer (EC) poses a significant challenge to the healthcare system due to its profound impact on cancer-related morbidity and mortality worldwide. This malignancy ranks among the most arduous conditions confronting the surgeon. EC arises from a complex interplay of genetic predispositions and environmental factors. While the incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is on the rise in the West, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains prevalent in the East. Chronic inflammation plays a pivotal role in the initiation and progression of EC. Accordingly, serum inflammatory markers, growth factors, and cytokines have been shown to be clinically useful. Thus, evaluating serum cytokine levels for EC prediction is a safe and feasible screening method. Given the aggressive nature and poor prognosis of the disease, innovative approaches to diagnosis, prognosis, and management of EC are indispensable. This review discusses the major risk factors and the current landscape of EC, with a specific focus on the potential contributions of new inflammatory markers to enhance disease management and improve patient outcomes.

Exploring the uncharted: Missing anatomical names in the Terminologia Anatomica.

Effective communication and precise navigation within the intricacies of the human body rely on robust anatomical terminology. Since its creation by the Federative Committee on Anatomical Terminology (FCAT), the Terminologia Anatomica (TA 1998) has consistently served as the benchmark in the field. However, the constant advancement of anatomical knowledge requires regular revisions, updates, and enhancements of anatomical nomenclature to accommodate the latest scientific discoveries. The recent adoption of the second edition of Terminologia Anatomica (TA 2019) by the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists (IFAA) has drawn attention to certain notable omissions. Despite over a century of dedicated work establishing standard anatomical terminology, specific widely recognized gross anatomical structures are still absent from the official listing in the Terminologia Anatomica. There is, however, a consensus that the inclusion of names for trivial or variably present structures should be avoided. Accordingly, this article focuses on a thoughtfully selected group of anatomical structures, which are so important that they are routinely discussed during anatomy courses, despite their exclusion from the official lists of anatomical terms. These basic structures hold fundamental importance for both anatomy education and clinical practice. Consequently, their appropriate nomenclature warrants consideration for inclusion in future editions of TA.

The association between body height and longevity: evidence from a national population sample.

BACKGROUND: A wealth of research suggests that taller individuals are healthier and live longer than their shorter counterparts, although conflicting results have been reported. This study aims to investigate whether taller individuals in Poland exhibit greater longevity compared to their shorter counterparts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data on declared height were collected from 848,860 adults who died in the years 2004-2008 in Poland. To eliminate the cohort effects, Z-values were computed. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated independently for males and females. Subsequently, one way ANOVA was performed. RESULTS: The correlation between adult height and longevity was negative and statistically significant in both men and women. After eliminating the effects of secular trends in height, the correlation was very weak (r = -0.0044 in men and r = -0.0038 in women) but significant (p = 0.023 and p = 0.022, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the significant correlation observed between the two variables, it should be noted that the relationship between height and longevity is very weak and tenuous. Overall, these results do not support the hypothesis that taller individuals have a longevity advantage. Further research is warranted to identify the underlying biological mechanisms driving this phenomenon as well as to explore additional variables affecting human longevity.

Clinical anatomy of the paranasal sinuses and its terminology.

Since its inception, the International Anatomical Terminology has been an indispensable and widely embraced resource for authors, anatomists, researchers, and medical professionals, ensuring standardized anatomical terminology across various disciplines. Nonetheless, it is widely acknowledged that periodic updates and enhancements are necessary to incorporate the latest scientific knowledge and advancements in imaging techniques. The current version of Terminologia Anatomica includes a section dedicated to the paranasal sinuses, encompassing ethmoidal cells and three sinuses: frontal, sphenoidal, and maxillary. However, the anatomical lexicon pertaining to the paranasal sinuses is more extensive. In clinical practice, multiple terms related to clinically significant structures are commonly employed. This article focuses on the clinical terminology associated with the paranasal sinuses, proposing significant extensions to the existing Terminologia Anatomica. These extensions aim to enrich the anatomical nomenclature and facilitate a harmonious convergence between the language of clinicians and the anatomical lexicon. Further endeavors should bridge the gap in anatomical nomenclature and improve communication between anatomists, researchers, and clinicians, thereby enhancing diagnostic accuracy and improving interdisciplinary research collaboration.

New Terminologia Anatomica: cranium and extracranial bones of the head.

In 2019, the updated and extended version of Terminologia Anatomica was published by the Federative International Programme for Anatomical Terminology (FIPAT). This new edition uses more precise and adequate anatomical names compared to its predecessors. Nevertheless, numerous terms have been modified, which poses a challenge to those who prefer traditional anatomical names, i.e. medical students, teachers, clinicians and their instructors. Therefore, there is a need to popularise this new edition of terminology and explain these recent changes. The anatomy of the head, including the cranium, the extracranial bones of the head, the soft parts of the face and the encephalon, poses a particular challenge for medical students but also engenders enthusiasm in those of them who are astute learners. The new version of anatomical terminology concerning the human skull (FIPAT 2019) is presented and briefly discussed in this synopsis. The aim of this article is to present, popularise and explain these interesting modifications that have recently been endorsed by the FIPAT. Based on teaching experience at the Division of Anatomy/Department of Anatomy at Wroclaw Medical University, a brief description of the human skull is given here. This text can be useful to medical students, teachers, authors and researchers who might want to use the current version of anatomical terminology concerning the human skull.

Human ageing as a dynamic, emergent and malleable process: from disease-oriented to health-oriented approaches.

Over the decades, biogerontology has matured as a scientific discipline. Currently, a number of theoretical frameworks are available to researchers when interpreting empirical data. Despite the great progress that has been made, a comprehensive understanding of biological processes that shape ageing is lacking. Senescence is a dynamic, plastic and highly complex metaphenomenon whose aetiology remains unclear. The paucity of information notwithstanding, some researchers promote 'anti-ageing' drugs and formulae every now and again. The rationale behind this concept is that ageing can be reduced to a mixture of biochemical reactions. Furthermore, the distinction between ageing and disease has been questioned on the grounds that ageing is the root of age-related diseases. It has been claimed that disease-oriented approaches can help delay ageing and prevent age-related diseases. Although these methods seem incongruous from an evolutionary standpoint, they become popular amongst the public. Moreover, if ageing is classified as a disease, this situation is likely to be exacerbated. Therefore, it is important to recognise the limitations of these reductionist and disease-oriented approaches. Only holistic and evidence-based strategies might be useful in slowing down ageing and preventing age-related diseases in the future.

The association between total leukocyte count and longevity: Evidence from longitudinal and cross-sectional data.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between age-dependent changes in total leukocyte count (TLC) and certain selected differential counts expressed as frequencies (granulocytes, band cells, eosinophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes) and longevity in physically healthy men and women aged 45+. Longitudinal data on cell counts from 142 subjects (68 men and 74 women; all aged 45-70 and examined for 25 years) were compared with cross-sectional data from 225 subjects (113 men and 112 women; this group was divided into four categories of average lifespan; i.e.: 53, 63, 68, and 76+ years of age). ANOVA, t-test, and regression analysis were employed. Secular changes in leukocyte count were controlled. Men had continuously higher TLC compared with women. Moreover, sex differences in patterns of changes with age were found. The longitudinal assessment revealed a U-shaped pattern of changes in TLC in men (y=0.0026x(2)-0.2866x+14.4374; R(2)=0.852) and women (y=0.0048x(2)-0.5386x+20.922; R(2)=0.938), whereas the cross-sectional comparison showed an inverted U-shaped pattern in men (y=-0.0021x(2)+0.2421x; R(2)=0.417) and women (y=-0.0017x(2)+0.2061x; R(2)=0.888). In general, the comparison of longitudinal and cross-sectional data on changes with age in TLC indicates that longevity favors individuals with lower yet normal TLC and this correlation is more pronounced in men. In conclusion, our findings are in line with previous longitudinal studies of aging and suggest that lower TLC within the normal range (4.0-10.0 × 10(3)µL(-1)) can be a useful predictor of longevity in physically healthy individuals.