Relevance of bioassay of biologically active substances (BAS) with geroprotective properties in the model of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans in experiments in vivo

: Aging is a process global in nature. The age of living organisms contributes to the appearance of chronic diseases, which not only reduce the quality of life, but also significantly damage it. Modern medicines can successfully fight multiple diseases and prolong life. At the same time, medications have a large number of side effects. New research indicates that bioactive phytochemicals have great potential for treating even the most severe diseases and can become an alternative to medicines. Despite many studies in this area, the effects of many plant ingredients on living organisms are poorly understood. Analysis of the mechanisms through which herbal preparations influence the aging process helps to select the right active substances, determine the optimal doses to obtain the maximum positive effect. It is preferable to check the effectiveness of plant extracts and biologically active components with geroprotective properties in vivo. For these purposes, live model systems such as Rattus rattus, Mus musculus, Drosophila melanogaster, and Caenorhabditis elegans are used. These models help to comprehensively study the impact of the developed new drugs on the aging process. The model organism C. elegans is gaining increasing popularity in these studies because of its many advantages. This review article discusses the advantages of the nematode C. elegans as a model organism for studying the processes associated with aging. The influence of various BAS and plant extracts on the increase in the life span of the nematode, on the increase in its stress resistance and on other markers of aging is also considered. The review showed that the nematode C. elegans has a number of advantages over other organisms and is a promising model system for studying the geroprotective properties of BAS.

Adequate intake and supplementation of B vitamins, in particular folic acid, can play a protective role in bone health

: In vitro and animal model studies have shown that B vitamins (VB) deficiency have negative consequences on bone, as a result of direct or mediated activity of hyperhomocysteinemia. However, there are still no precise indications regarding a possible VB role in order to maintain bone health. So, the aim of this narrative review was to consider the state of the art on correlation between VB dietary intake, blood levels and supplementation and bone health (bone mineral density (BMD), bone turnover markers and fractures risk) in humans. This review included 29 eligible studies. Considering VB blood levels, the 14 studies considered have shown that low serum folate can be a factor risk for reduced BMD and fractures in elderly, particularly women; no independent association was found for other VB. Studies that evaluate relationship between VB dietary intake and BMD are only 2; one, conducted on 1869 women, demonstrated a positive effect of folate intake on BMD, another demonstrated a dose-dependent inverse relationship between vitamin B6 dietary intake and risk of hip fracture, but only for 35298 female participants. Regarding the relationship between BV supplementation and bone health (9 studies with only VB and 4 with other nutrients), all studies that considered patients with hyperhomocysteinemia or with low folate blood levels, are in agreement in demonstrating that folate supplementation (500mcg-5mg) is useful in improving BMD. In conclusion, a request for folate and homocysteine blood levels in elderly patients with osteopenia/osteoporosis is mandatory. For patients with hyperhomocysteinemia or with low folate blood levels, folate supplementation (500mcg-5mg) is crucial.

Quality of life of older adults with primary open angle glaucoma using Bahasa Malaysia version of Glaucoma Quality of life 36 questionnaire

Background: Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is an age-related chronic optic neuropathy causing progressive constriction of visual field, which compromised quality of life (QoL) of older adults. Objective : The study aims to determine the QoL according to the severity of visual field using Bahasa Malaysia version of the Glaucoma Quality of Life- 36 (Glau-QoL 36) in older adults with POAG in Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two tertiary hospitals in Malaysia: Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, and Hospital Selayang, Selangor. POAG patients who were ≥ 60 years old at the time of recruitment had minimal cataract, underwent cataract or trabeculectomy surgery at least 3 months prior and were on medical and surgical treatment. The severity of POAG was based on the modified Advanced Glaucoma Intervention Study (AGIS) score on two reliable reproducible Humphrey visual field SITA program 24-2 analysis. Face to face, one-on-one interview was conducted using validated Bahasa Malaysia version of GlauQol 36. Results : A total of 360 older adults with POAG were recruited. Majority were between ages 60-67 (38.3%) with 64 (17.8%) mild, 93 (25.8%) moderate, 115 (31.9%) severe POAG and 88 (24.4%) end-stage severity of POAG. The majority of the recruited patients were not working (88.9%) and live with their families (68.1%). There was a significant association between GlauQoL 36 score of all domains: daily living, driving, physiological well-being, self-image, anxiety, burden of treatment and confidence in healthcare with the severity of POAG (p<0.001). Increased severity of POAG was associated with decreased QoL in all GlauQoL 36 domains except confidence in healthcare. There was also a significant increase in dependency, with a majority of the end-stage were living with their families (p<0.001). Conclusions: QoL and independency of older adults with POAG decrease with worsening of visual field defect. Addressing the problem of visual-related activities in older adults with POAG may reduce their dependency and QoL. Happy living is important to lead to healthy living among older adults with POAG.

Association of body composition with functional capacity and cognitive function in older adults living in nursing homes

Objective: Older adults living in nursing homes have an increased risk of adverse outcomes. However, the role of body composition in vital health and quality of life parameters such as functional capacity and cognitive function is less studied in this group of older adults compared to community-dwelling counterparts. Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine the association of body composition with functional capacity and cognitive function in nursing home residents. Methods: Fifty-three older adults (82.8±7.3 years) were enrolled in this study and they underwent body composition evaluation, functional capacity and cognitive function measurements. Results: The results showed a high prevalence of obesity accompanied by functional capacity limitations and cognitive impairment in older adults living in nursing homes. Partial correlations, controlling for age, showed that body fat percentage was positively correlated with sit-to-stand-5 (r=0.310, p=0.025) and timed-up-and-go (r=0.331, p=0.017), and negatively correlated with handgrip strength test results (r=-0.431, p<0.001), whereas greater lean body mass was associated with better sit-to-stand-5 (r=-0.410, p=0.003), handgrip strength (r=0.624, p<0.001) and cognitive function performance (r=0.302, p=0.037). Conclusions: These important associations reinforce the need to develop effective healthy lifestyle interventions targeting both lean mass and body fat to combat functional and cognitive decline in nursing home residents.

Size Matters: Body Size is Correlated with Longevity in Speckled Cockroaches (Nauphoeta cineria).

Background: A relationship between body size and longevity has long been appreciated within eukaryotes, especially vertebrates. Introduction: In general, large size is associated with increased longevity among species of mammals and birds but is associated with decreased longevity within individual species such as dogs and mice. In this study, we examined the relationship between measures of individual body size and longevity in a captive population of speckled cockroaches (Nauphoeta cineria). Method: Newly molted adults of both sexes were removed from a mass colony housed in multiple terraria and housed individually with food and water provided ad libitum for the duration of their lifespan. Thrice weekly, the status (i.e. live/dead) of individual cockroaches was noted for the duration of the study. Individuals found dead were weighed and measured to obtain body mass and morphometric measures and the age at the time of death was recorded. The relationship between body size and lifespan was assessed. Result: Contrary to what is commonly seen within vertebrates, large cockroaches were longer-lived than their smaller counterparts. Specifically, body mass, body length and pronotum width were all significantly correlated with the age at death in a mixed population of males and females (n = 94). In addition, we found that the longevity of a historically larger population in terms of both body mass and body length were significantly longer-lived than the population used in this study. Conclusion: These data indicate there is a significant interaction between body size and aging in this species and that increased size results in a survival advantage. There is evidence in the literature indicating that a positive relationship between size and longevity may be common in insects.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) -a brand ambassador/alarming bell for potentially inappropriate medication in elderly inpatients

Background: In the past decade, the prevalence of Potentially Inappropriate Medication (PIM) among elderly inpatients has increased drastically. However, limited data is available on PIM indicators, and PIMs use among the elderly in patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Objective: To determine the prevalence of PIMs in elderly hospitalized patients with CKD. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 102 patients in a tertiary care hospital. PIMs were identified using Beers criteria 2019. A Chi-square test was used to determine the association between variables and PIMs use. Results: PIMs, as assessed according to AGS updated Beers criteria 2019 was found to be in more than 68.6% of patients of median age 65years and 3 number of diagnoses and seven days median length of stay. Most of the patients (47.1%) had ≥four diagnoses. The most common comorbidities in the patient were diabetes mellitus (n=54) and hypertension (n=55). Most of the subjects (66.7%) were on polypharmacy (5-9 medications/day), and 25.5% were on a higher level of polypharmacy (>10 medicines/day). Approximately 90% of the patients had very low CrCl < 21ml/min (calculated with the help of Cockcroft- Gault formula). A significant association between PIM use and an increased number of diagnoses, polypharmacy or high-level polypharmacy, was observed. Conclusion: The prevalence of PIMs in elderly inpatients suffering from CKD is relatively high. The study indicates negligence/ lack of awareness amongst physicians leading to increase PIM use. The authors propose that the CKD patients should attract the special attention of the physician and should be treated as brand ambassadors or alarming bells for PIM use.

Young and Middle Aged Adults Differ in Neural Correlate of Sustained Attention: A fNIRS Study

: Sustained attention (SA) is a construct of cognition that tends to decline with age. There is a lack of literature regarding the neural correlates of SA in middle age, a link between young and old age. This study evaluated the differences in SA ability and its neural correlates using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) between young and middle-aged adults. 38 young and 25 middle-aged adults were evaluated for the changes in neural correlates (oxy and deoxyhemoglobin concentration in the prefrontal cortex) during a SA task known as cognition. The results showed that young adults performed significantly better than middle-aged adults on the SA task with no gender difference in their performance. There was a significant difference in the prefrontal activation pattern between young and middle-aged adults. We found right prefrontal dominance in young adults and left the prefrontal authority in middle-aged adults. This study concludes that the ability to maintain SA diminishes with age, advancing from young to middle age. Hemodynamic findings confirmed significant differences in neural resources in the prefrontal cortical areas between young and middle age. Findings document the neurobiological basis of age-related decline in the middle-aged population to understand changes in the brain's functioning during SA-related cognitive tasks.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Related to Decreased Peripheral and Respiratory Muscle Strength in sarcopenic Thai Elderly

Background: Age is related to a decline in muscle mass and physical function in respiratory and peripheral muscle strength, leading to mobility and mortality. In addition, older people have suffered from one or multiple chronic conditions, particularly type 2 diabetes mellitus (type 2DM). However, few studies have reported the relationship between sarcopenic elderly and respiratory and peripheral muscle strengths in type 2DM. Objective: To explore the prevalence of sarcopenia in type 2DM elderly people among community dwelling patients and the relationships with peripheral and respiratory muscle loss in sarcopenic type 2DM older patients. Methods: A total of 330 older individuals were recruited from community-dwelling centers. Respiratory muscle and quadriceps muscle were assessed. According to the defined criteria for sarcopenia (defined by Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia), muscle mass, gait speed (six-meter walk test) and handgrip strength were examined. Results: Of 330 older people, 82 volunteers had a history of type 2DM. Participants with type 2DM had a risk for sarcopenia (odds ratio= 2.324, 95% CI=1.251-4.317). The prevalence of sarcopenia was 25.61% among older participants with type 2DM. In addition, decreased respiratory muscle strength and quadriceps muscle strength was observed in type 2DM with sarcopenia compared to type 2DM with non-sarcopenia. These relationships also remained after controlling for age and sex. Conclusion: sarcopenia in type 2DM leads to a decrease in respiratory muscle and peripheral muscle strength.