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With global increases in the population of older adults, there is a critical need for interdisciplinary collaboration to address the complexities of aging. Interdisciplinary research is well suited to facilitate trainee development; this venue provides opportunities for engagement in collaborative projects and networks, positioning trainees to become effective interdisciplinary researchers. This project examined the experiences of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows participating in an interdisciplinary trainee network for research on aging. The methods were informed by principles of reflexivity whereby participants reflected on their experiences of engaging in the network. Key findings included: the contribution of institutions and structures, transcendence of boundaries, and development at the level of the individual and community. Findings highlight the value of investing in trainee development in interdisciplinary collaboration, within and beyond aging research, and can inform the development of interdisciplinary trainee initiatives in other areas of research, policy, and practice.

Background: Pheochromocytomas (PHEOs) are rare catecholamine-secreting adrenal tumors. Approximately 60–90% of bilateral PHEOs are hereditary. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical characteristics of patients with bilateral PHEOs and the morbidity rate (malignancy, tumor recurrence and adrenal insufficiency (AI) rate) related to surgery technique and genetic status of the patients. Results: Fourteen patients (12.5%, nine women, five men) had synchronous or metachronous bilateral PHEOs (out of 112 PHEO patients who underwent surgery between 1976 and 2021). The median age at diagnosis was 32 years (9–76) (three were children). Nine patients (64.2%) presented synchronous bilateral tumors, five (35.7%) contralateral metachronous tumors, 2–12 years after the first surgical intervention; three (21.4%) were metastatic. Median follow-up: 5 years (1–41), IQR 19 months. A total of 78.5% had a germline mutation (eight RET gene with MEN2A syndrome, three VHL syndrome, three not tested). Post-surgery recurrence was noted in 16.6% of patients (one with MEN2A syndrome and metastatic PHEOs, one with VHL syndrome), with similar rates after total adrenalectomy or cortical-sparing adrenal surgery. AI was avoided in 40% after cortical-sparing surgery. Conclusion: Bilateral PHEOs are usually associated with genetic syndromes. The surgical technique for patients with hereditary bilateral PHEOs should be chosen based on a personalized approach, as they are at higher risk for developing new adrenal tumors requiring additional surgeries.

COVID-19 has had an extreme effect on older people. Now more than ever we need collaborative approaches to address complex issues within research on aging. However, the pandemic has dramatically changed the way we conduct, interact, and organize research within interdisciplinary groups. This paper describes a case study of how an interdisciplinary institute for research on aging has managed the process of change during COVID-19 restrictions. A design lead, researcher centered approach was used to understand the needs of researchers as they adapted across 6 months. Firstly, an online survey (n=51) was conducted to understand the scope of change and needs. The survey found broad themes ranging from assistance with finding additional funding to adjusting current research proposals. Following the survey, two Co-Design Sessions were conducted. The first session (n=53) diverged thinking to scope ideas from the survey and actionable themes were created. The second session (n=36) was conducted to converge thinking and focus on solutions based on one of these themes. The results revealed a diversity of ideas addressing the needs of interdisciplinary researchers in aging. These ideas spanned from exploring the capacity to do research remotely and creating virtual collaboration spaces to rethinking stakeholder engagement.

Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) are rare neuroendocrine tumours that originate from chromaffin cells and occur in the adrenal medulla and in the sympathetic or parasympathetic ganglia. Nearly 70% of PPGLs result from germline or somatic mutations in a single driver gene. The aim of this study was to characterize the genetic background and clinical characteristics related to genetic profile of patients with PPGLs from Romania. We retrospectively retrieved data of 125 patients consecutively registered, diagnosed with PPGLs in a tertiary referral center of endocrinology from Romania, between 1976 and 2022. We identified 88 (70.4%) women, and 37 (29.6%) men, with a mean age at diagnosis of 48.5 ± 15 years. From these 125 patients, 80 (64%) were submitted to the genomic study; 35% (n = 28) had a germline mutation (20 RET, 3 VHL, 1 SDHB, 1 NF1, 1 SDHD, 1 FANCA, 1 CASR) while 65% (n = 52) presented sporadic disease. Patients with hereditary disease had significantly lower age at diagnosis comparing to sporadic cases (37 ± 15 vs. 49.9 ± 12.2 years, p = 0.001). Bilateral tumors developed in twelve patients from the hereditary group. Metastatic disease was described in 4 out of 80 patients (2 of them with hereditary disease). Patients from sporadic group tended to have a right lateralisation of the tumour compared to hereditary cases, where the tumour was more often left sided. RET pathogenic variant (p.Cys634Trp) associated with MEN2A syndrome was the most prevalent in Romanian population with PPGLs and could be considered as a founder effect. Patients with hereditary disease are diagnosed at a younger age and develop bilateral tumors more frequently compared to sporadic cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Aims/Introduction The relationship of chromogranin A (CgA) levels above the normal range with various outcomes, such as glycated hemoglobin levels, enterochromaffin‐like cell hyperplasia and autoimmune gastritis, was investigated in type 1 diabetes patients with special regard to the progression of comorbidities. Materials and Methods A cohort study on 153 type 1 diabetes patients was carried out with a prospective branch on clinical and laboratory data, and a retrospective branch on histological data obtained by gastroscopy. Results Patients with CgA levels above the upper limit of the normal range (n = 28) had significantly higher glycated hemoglobin levels (P = 0.0160) than those with CgA in the normal range (n = 125). The correlation between CgA and glycated hemoglobin was significant (P

Objective: Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN 2A) is a rare syndrome caused by RET germline mutations and has been associated with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) in up to 30% of cases. Recommendations on RET screening in patients with apparently sporadic PHPT are unclear. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of cases presenting with PHPT as first manifestation among MEN 2A i ndex cases and to characterize the former cases. Design and methods: An international retrospective multicenter study of 1085 MEN 2A index cases. Experts from MEN 2 centers all over the world were invited to participate. A total of 19 centers in 17 different countries provided registr y data of index cases followed from 1974 to 2017. Results: Ten cases presented with PHPT as their first manifestation of M EN 2A, yielding a prevalence of 0.9% (95% CI: 0.4–1.6). 9/10 cases were diagnosed with medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in relation to parathyroid surgery and 1/10 was diagnosed 15 years after parathyroid surgery. 7/9 cases with full TNM data were node-positive at MTC diagnosis. Conclusions: Our data suggest that the prevalence of MEN 2A index cases that present with PHPT as their first manifestation is very low. The majority of i ndex cases presenting with PHPT as first manifestation have synchronous MTC and are often n ode-positive. Thus, our observations suggest that not performing RET mutation analysis in patients with apparently sporadic PHPT would result in an extremely low false-negative rate, if no other MEN 2A component, specifically MTC, are found during work-up or resecti on of PHPT.

COVID-19 has had an extreme effect on older people. Now more than ever we need collaborative approaches to address complex issues within research on aging. However, the pandemic has dramatically changed the way we conduct, interact, and organize research within interdisciplinary groups. This paper describes a case study of how an interdisciplinary institute for research on aging has managed the process of change during COVID-19 restrictions. A design lead, researcher centered approach was used to understand the needs of researchers as they adapted across 6 months. Firstly, an online survey (n=51) was conducted to understand the scope of change and needs. The survey found broad themes ranging from assistance with finding additional funding to adjusting current research proposals. Following the survey, two Co-Design Sessions were conducted. The first session (n=53) diverged thinking to scope ideas from the survey and actionable themes were created. The second session (n=36) was conducted to converge thinking and focus on solutions based on one of these themes. The results revealed a diversity of ideas addressing the needs of interdisciplinary researchers in aging. These ideas spanned from exploring the capacity to do research remotely and creating virtual collaboration spaces to rethinking stakeholder engagement. Received: 1 July 2021 Accepted: 12 October 2021

Abstract Background Although membrane-associated estrogen receptors (mERs) have been known to play important role in steroid-induced signal transmission, we still know little about their function in the estrogen-induced proliferation of breast cancer cells. Methods In our current work we tried to separate membrane-initiated estrogen receptor signaling from the overall estrogenic effect in MCF-7 breast carcinoma cells. Re-analyzing expression data from multiple microarray experiments, we selected a set of key regulatory genes involved in proliferation regulation and estrogen signaling to monitor estrogen-induced transcription changes. We then compared these expression changes after 17β-estradiol and a membrane receptor selective estrogen–BSA treatment using quantitative real-time PCR. In order to follow receptor trafficking we used light and electron microscopy. Results Our quantitative real-time PCR results confirmed that the selective membrane receptor agonist, estrogen–BSA induces similarly pronounced expression changes regarding these genes as 17β-estradiol. Morphological study revealed that the membrane-bound form of classical estrogen receptor alpha is internalized after ligand binding via dynamin-dependent, caveola-mediated endocytosis. Inhibition of this internalization with dynamin inhibitor, dynasore practically abolished the regulatory effect of E2-BSA, suggesting that interaction and internalization with the scaffold protein is necessary for effective signaling. Conclusions The physiological role of plasma membrane estrogen receptor alpha is intensively studied, yet there are still several aspects of it to be resolved. The dynamin-dependent, ligand-mediated internalization of mERs seems to play an important role in estrogen signaling. Our results may serve as another example of how membrane initiated estrogen signaling and nuclear receptor initiated signaling overlap and form an intertwined system.

Glucocorticoid hormones are vital; their accurate operation is a necessity at all ages and in all life situations. Glucocorticoids regulate diverse physiological processes and they use many signaling pathways to fulfill their effect. As the operation of these hormones affects many organs, the excess of glucocorticoids is actually detrimental to the whole human body. The endogenous glucocorticoid excess is a relatively rare condition, but a significant proportion of adult people uses glucocorticoid medication for the treatment of chronic illnesses, therefore they are exposed to the side effects of long-term glucocorticoid treatment. Our review summarizes the adverse effects of glucocorticoid excess affecting bones, adipose tissue, brain and skin, focusing on those effects which involve the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.