Growth Differentiation Factor 11 Is a Circulating Factor that Reverses Age-Related Cardiac Hypertrophy

The most common form of heart failure occurs with normal systolic function and often involves cardiac hypertrophy in the elderly. To clarify the biological mechanisms that drive cardiac hypertrophy in aging, we tested the influence of circulating factors using heterochronic parabiosis, a surgical technique in which joining of animals of different ages leads to a shared circulation. After 4 weeks of exposure to the circulation of young mice, cardiac hypertrophy in old mice dramatically regressed, accompanied by reduced cardiomyocyte size and molecular remodeling. Reversal of age-related hypertrophy was not attributable to hemodynamic or behavioral effects of parabiosis, implicating a blood-borne factor. Using modified aptamer-based proteomics, we identified the TGF-b superfamily member GDF11 as a circulating factor in young mice that declines with age. Treatment of old mice to restore GDF11 to youthful levels recapitulated the effects of parabiosis and reversed age-related hypertrophy, revealing a therapeutic opportunity for cardiac aging.Stem Cell and Regenerative Biolog

Gestione del Covid-19 in età pediatrica: documento di consenso

Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 has rapidly spread, becoming the first pandemic of the 21st century by death toll. Children appear to be less affected than adults, with a milder clinical presentation and a significantly lower mortality rate. However, serious complica-tions can occur in childhood, such as Covid-19 temporally related multisystem inflammatory syn-drome (MIS-C). Some aspects of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and adolescents remain un-clear and the optimal treatment has not been defined. The Working Group on Covid-19 in Paediatrics of the Emilia-Romagna Region (RE-CO-PED) has produced a consensus document with practical recommendations based on a systematic review of the literature and on the clinical experi-ence of the expert group. Evidence is reported regarding prevention measures, diagnostic tools as well as home and hospital therapeutic management of complicated cases (MIS-C). The educational and psychological effects of the pandemic in the paediatric and adolescent age are reported, with the need to define coordinated interventions (between paediatricians, neurospychiatrists, psycholo-gists and educational services) for the prevention and treatment of documented emotional, relational and educational consequences caused by the lockdown, school closures and social distances