MARK-AGE biomarkers of ageing

Many candidate biomarkers of human ageing have been proposed in the scientific literature but in all cases their variability in cross-sectional studies is considerable, and therefore no single measurement has proven to serve a useful marker to determine, on its own, biological age. A plausible reason for this is the intrinsic multi-causal and multi-system nature of the ageing process. The recently completed MARK-AGE study was a large-scale integrated project supported by the European Commission. The major aim of this project was to conduct a population study comprising about 3200 subjects in order to identify a set of biomarkers of ageing which, as a combination of parameters with appropriate weighting, would measure biological age better than any marker in isolation.

The ageing ocular surface:challenges for biomaterials design and function

Changing demographics and in particular an increasingly ageing population, in combination with improved longevity, will have a major impact on changing the face of human diseases and likewise the demand for appropriate biomaterials. The ocular surface is a multifaceted system that combines to create a unique mucosal surface, which includes the cornea, conjunctiva, sclera and lids of the eye. Physical parameters such as the eyelids and eyelashes, combined with the numerous secretory glands that produce the complex tear film, act together to protect and maintain the cornea. Unfortunately an ageing tear film and lacrimal functional unit can lead to impairment of this magnificently orchestrated structure. No single mechanism or modification is responsible but, whatever the cause, the consequence is a reduction in tear stability. An uncompromised tear film is fundamental to a healthy ocular surface. In the face of progressively changing demographics and consequent requirements for medical intervention and medical device developments, it is important to understand what effects the ageing process has on these anterior ocular structures.

Transcriptome-Wide Mapping of Pea Seed Ageing Reveals a Pivotal Role for Genes Related to Oxidative Stress and Programmed Cell Death

Understanding of seed ageing, which leads to viability loss during storage, is vital for ex situ plant conservation and agriculture alike. Yet the potential for regulation at the transcriptional level has not been fully investigated. Here, we studied the relationship between seed viability, gene expression and glutathione redox status during artificial ageing of pea (Pisum sativum) seeds. Transcriptome-wide analysis using microarrays was complemented with qRT-PCR analysis of selected genes and a multilevel analysis of the antioxidant glutathione. Partial degradation of DNA and RNA occurred from the onset of artificial ageing at 60% RH and 50 degrees C, and transcriptome profiling showed that the expression of genes associated with programmed cell death, oxidative stress and protein ubiquitination were altered prior to any sign of viability loss. After 25 days of ageing viability started to decline in conjunction with progressively oxidising cellular conditions, as indicated by a shift of the glutathione redox state towards more positive values (>-190 mV). The unravelling of the molecular basis of seed ageing revealed that transcriptome reprogramming is a key component of the ageing process, which influences the progression of programmed cell death and decline in antioxidant capacity that ultimately lead to seed viability loss.

Population ageing and monetary policy

Mestrado em Economia Monetária e Financeira

Atividade fisica e os dominios da qualidade de vida e do autoconceito no processo de envelhecimento

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Fisica

Saude fisica, indicadores antropometricos, desempenho fisico e bem-estar subjetivo em idosos atendidos no ambulatorio de geriatria do HC/UNICAMP

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

Investimento pessoal e independência funcional em idosos

Enquadramento: Se o envelhecimento populacional é encarado como um triunfo da sociedade atual, constitui ao mesmo tempo um desafio a toda a sociedade no sentido de se conseguir que este envelhecimento seja ativo e com qualidade de vida. O investimento na vida pessoal realizado pelos idosos de forma a obter a melhor qualidade de vida bem como a manutenção da sua independência funcional são indicadores importantíssimos para um envelhecimento bem-sucedido. Objetivos: Identificar a perceção dos idosos sobre o seu investimento na vida pessoal, avaliar níveis de independência funcional e analisar associações entre varáveis sociodemográficas clínicas e psicossociais e o investimento pessoal e a independência funcional. Métodos: Realizou-se um estudo do tipo transversal, analítico-correlacional de natureza quantitativa e de cariz descritivo, com uma amostra não probabilística constituída por 103 idosos da Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Mogadouro. Para a mensuração das variáveis aplicou-se um questionário que integra uma secção de caraterização socio demográfica e clínica, a Escala de Apgar Familiar, o índice de Barthel e a Escala de Investimento Pessoal. Resultados: As evidências encontradas neste estudo demonstram que a nossa amostra apresenta níveis elevados de independência funcional (40,8%) e de investimento na vida pessoal (89,3%). As variáveis que se associam de forma significativa com a independência funcional foram o género, local de institucionalização e o exercício físico. Já as que se associaram ao investimento pessoal foram o estado civil, local de residência, a prática de exercício físico e a funcionalidade familiar. Conclusão: Apesar da elevada média de idades dos nossos idosos estes apresentam bastante funcionalidade e moderado investimento na vida pessoal, contudo as variáveis associadas de forma significativa a estes constructos são: ser do género masculino, ser casado ou viver em união de facto, o residir no próprio domicílio, praticar regularmente exercício físico e percecionar famílias funcionais.

Mitigating the impact of occupational noise exposure for elderly workers: Setting the functional requirements for an ANC system

Noise affects people in very different aspects and in almost every aspect of our daily life. The most prominent impact of noise exposure is hearing loss. However, it can also impair people at their work settings due to other effects rather than hearing loss. Older works tend to be more susceptible to noise exposure effects at work, firstly because most of them already have some ‘natural’ hearing loss, as a results of the ageing process, and secondly because they also tend to be more susceptible at an psychological level. The current study is an attempt to describe the potential problem and to make a survey to identify the available active noise cancelation systems, as well as to specific the main requirements of this type of systems to be applied in such contexts. Several aspects of characteristics of the ANC systems were identified and are presented in this study. From the obtained results it was possible to have a clearer idea about the potential of this technology, and to confirm that this type of solution can be extremely important as a component of an active ageing program, as the preservation of hearing will also impact on the social life of the exposed workers.

Analysis and clinical relevance of microparticles from red blood cells.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The mechanisms involved in the formation of red blood cell (RBC) microparticles in vivo as well as during erythrocyte storage are reviewed, and the potential role of microparticles in transfusion medicine is described. RECENT FINDINGS: Microparticles release is an integral part of the erythrocyte ageing process, preventing early removal of RBCs. Proteomics analyses have outlined the key role of band 3-ankyrin anchoring complex and the occurrence of selective RBC membrane remodelling mechanisms in microparticles formation. The presence of several RBC antigens, expressed on microparticles, has been demonstrated. The potential deleterious effects of RBC microparticles in transfused recipients, including hypercoagulability, microcirculation impairment and immunosuppression, are discussed. SUMMARY: Formation and role of RBC microparticles are far from being completely understood. Combining various approaches to elucidate these mechanisms could improve blood product quality and transfusion safety. Implementation of RBC microparticles as biomarkers in the laboratory routine needs to overcome technical barriers involved in their analysis.

El significado de las ocupaciones en las personas mayores-jóvenes: algunas tendencias

Con la llegada del nuevo paradigma del “envejecimiento activo” planteado por la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS, 2002), estamos asistiendo a una nueva manera de enfocar el progresivo envejecimiento de la población. Este enfoque trata de fomentar la consecución de una esperanza de vida saludable y libre de discapacidad, gracias a la promoción de políticas y programas cuyos objetivos principales se centran en la independencia y en la autonomía a lo largo del proceso de envejecimiento. Acorde con este enfoque pensamos que las ocupaciones significativas son una buena herramienta para mantener la autonomía de estas personas al fomentar la prevención y la promoción de su salud, motivo por el cual desarrollamos este estudio. Los objetivos principales del presente estudio son conocer y comprender que ocupaciones adquieren un significado y satisfacción personal en las personas mayores-jóvenes, que han concluido su etapa laboral, que cuentan con buena salud y condiciones psicofísicas favorables y que viven de manera autónoma en la comunidad, así como explorar también si se establece en estas personas alguna vinculación entre las actividades que eligen desarrollar en la actualidad con su perfil e historia ocupacional previa. Por último, este estudio pretende conocer el tipo de gestión que cada persona prefiere para llevar a cabo las actividades cotidianas que les son más significativas, a partir de los contextos en los que se inscribe. El marco teórico se desarrolla a partir de la conceptualización aportada por diversos autores sobre el envejecimiento activo y la ciencia de la ocupación. La metodología utilizada es de carácter cualitativo, enfocado desde un paradigma constructivista. Los resultados del estudio muestran que se inicia tímidamente un cambio de tendencias en la elección y el significado que las personas mayores-jóvenes atribuyen a sus ocupaciones. Muestran también que las ocupaciones elegidas como más significativas por estas personas mantienen una vinculación con las que ya realizaban con anterioridad a la jubilación, con su historia o perfil 6 ocupacional previo. Y finalmente demuestran que el tipo de gestión que eligen para efectuarlas influye en la elección del entorno donde las llevan a término.

Indicadores cognitivos del proceso de envejecimiento en las personas con síndrome de Down

Fundamentos: el aumento de la esperanza de vida en las personas con síndrome de Down plantea nuevos interrogantes sobre el proceso de su envejecimiento. La revisión bibliográfica sobre el tema muestra acuerdo sobre algunos aspectos diferenciales respecto a la población con discapacidad psíquica y la población general. Entre ellos, destacamos dos: a) la precocidad del inicio del proceso y b) el aumento de la probabilidad de desarrollar un envejecimiento patológico a causa de la demencia tipo Alzheimer. El objetivo del presente estudio se centra en la aportación de datos que ayuden a delimitar los posibles indicadores del declive cognitivo de las personas adultas con síndrome de Down relacionados con un posible deterioro propio de la demencia tipo Alzheimer. Método: el estudio se realiza en una muestra de 84 personas adultas con discapacidad psíquica, 42 de las cuales presentan el síndrome de Down. La media de edad se sitúa entorno a los 40 años y su nivel de retraso mental es medio. Se aplica de forma longitudinal en un período de dos años el test d’Aptituds Cognitives per a Deficiència del 65% (Castelló, Carrillo y Barnosell, 1996). Se utiliza un diseño factorial mixto de medidas repetidas controlando las variables etiología, edad cronológica, nivel de retraso mental y paso del tiempo. Resultados: se observa con el paso del tiempo, un declive cognitivo significativo de las personas con síndrome de Down de más de 38 años y nivel de retraso mental ligero respecto al grupo con discapacidad psíquica de referencia. Los indicadores cognitivos se sitúan preferentemente en las áreas de lenguaje y coordinación visomotora. Conclusiones: las personas con síndrome de Down de más de 38 años y nivel de retraso mental ligero manifiestan una probabilidad mayor de desarrollar un declive cognitivo relacionado con un probable deterioro propio de la demencia Alzheimer.

The ‘Dys-Appearing’ Body in Doris Lessing’s The Diary of a Good Neighbour and Margaret Forster’s Have the Men Had Enough?

If the old body is usually read as a synonym of fragility and upcoming illness, even though not the case for most elderly citizens, the reality is that the longer we live, the increased probability of being affected by different illnesses cannot be eluded or denied. In Doris Lessing’s The Diary of a Good Neighbour and Margaret Forster’s Have the Men Had Enough? the reader is invited to participate in the day-to-day routines of two aged female protagonists, as well as to empathize with their inner feelings as they go through their last life stage. In fact, their ‘dys-appearing’ bodies, marked by their respective terminal illnesses, force these characters to grow closer to those around them and to accept the help of their families and friends, despite their desire to keep their free will and independence until the very end. The analysis of the two novels within the framework of ageing studies aims to show the contradictions existing between a growing ageing society and the negative cultural connotations of old age in Western society and the need to revise them.

Memory Revisited in Julian Barnes's The Sense of an Ending

An accumulation of years brings with it an accumulation of experiences. The revision of such experiences usually becomes more recurrent after retirement, a transition time from one period of life to another and, as such, a time in which we, human beings, have a tendency to take stock of our lives. This is actually one of the main issues present in Julian Barnes's last novel The Sense of an Ending (2011). When the main protagonist, a retired man quite comfortable and contented with his present life, receives an unexpected inheritance from the mother of a girlfriend from his university years, he is forced to track down a part of his life that he had left at the back of his mind a long time ago. As he explains his story, the protagonist and narrator of the novel raises a number of questions related to the quality and function of memory as one gets into old age. He experiments the unreliability of memory and questions to what extent memory is constructed through the remembered emotions that invaded him over that episode of his life rather than through the events as they actually took place. On the other hand, the act of revisiting and revising that specific episode, brings with it feelings of guilt and remorse as the protagonist realises that his past acts were not as noble as he remembered them to be. However, these acts are part of the past and they cannot be changed; thus, another question that the novel raises is how to account for those actions of which one does not feel proud and, more importantly, how to manage those bad memories as one gets older.

Sähkönjakeluverkon komponenttien pitoajat

Suomessa sähkönjakeluverkkoyhtiöt toimivat verkkovastuualueillaan yksinoikeudella. Verkkovastuualuiden ominaispiirteet voivat olla hyvin erilaiset. Energiamarkkinavirasto valvoo sähkömarkkinalainsäädännön noudattamista jakeluverkkotoiminnassa. Jakeluverkonhaltijat on velvoitettu Energiamarkkinaviraston valvontamallin kautta määrittämään tiettyjen rajoitusten mukaisesti verkkokomponenteillensa sopivimmat teknistaloudelliset pitoajat. Nämä pitoajat vaikuttavat varsinkin verkkoyhtiön tuottomahdollisuuksiin ja asiakkaiden siirtohintoihin. Lisäksi huomioon on otettava jaettavan sähkön laatu, verkon käyttövarmuus sekä vaikutukset ympäristöön ja turvallisuuteen. Pitoaikojen matemaattinen mallintaminen on usein monimutkaista. Teknistaloudellinen pitoaika valitaankin monesti kokemuksen ja harkinnan perusteella. Tärkeimmät reunaehdot jakeluverkkokomponenttien teknistaloudellisten pitoaikojen valinnalle muodostavat verkkovastuualueen sähkönkulutuksen kasvun sekä infrastruktuurin muutoksen nopeudet. Hitaan muutoksen alueilla verkkokomponenttien teknistaloudelliset pitoajat lähenevät teknisiä pitoaikoja, joihin vaikuttavat voimakkaasti verkkovastuualueen maantieteelliset ja ilmastolliset ominaispiirteet. Yhtiöittäin vaihtelevat verkon rakennus- ja ylläpitomenetelmät tulee myös huomioida. Tässä diplomityössä keskitytään pääosin sähkönjakeluverkon komponenttien teknistaloudelliseen pitoaikaan verkon ja verkkovastuualueen ominaispiirteiden kautta. Aluksi määritellään jakeluverkon pitoaika usealla eri tavalla, sekä selvitetään pitoajan merkitystä nykytilanteessa. Lisäksi työn alkuosassa esitellään Energiamarkkinaviraston vuoden 2005 alusta käyttöönotettu jakeluverkkotoiminnan hinnoittelun kohtuullisuuden valvontamalli ja käydään läpi teknistaloudellisen pitoajan merkitys siinä. Sen jälkeen tarkastellaan jakeluverkkokomponenttien ja niiden osien tekniseen pitoaikaan vaikuttavia tekijöitä. Erityisesti puupylväisiin ja niihin liittyviin ajankohtaisiin asioihin kiinnitetään huomiota, koska puupylväät määräävät monesti koko ilmajohtorakenteen uusimisajankohdan. Lisäksi suolakyllästeiselle puupylväälle esitetään yleinen rappeutumismalli ja jakelumuuntajan rappeutumistapahtumaa tutkitaan. Lopuksi tarkastellaan Graninge Kainuu Oy:tä jakeluverkonhaltijana sekä määritetään sen verkkovastuualueelle ominaisia komponenttien teknisiä ja teknistaloudellisia pitoaikoja haastattelujen, tuoreimpien lähteiden, tutkimustulosten, vertailun ja harkinnan avulla.

Substâncias húmicas aquáticas: fracionamento molecular e caracterização de rearranjos internos após complexação com íons metálicos

The aquatic humic substances (AHS) investigated in this study were conventionally isolated from Rio Negro waters - Amazonas State/Brazil by means of the collector XAD 8. A special five-stage tangential-flow ultrafiltration device was used for analytical fractionation of AHS. The fractionation patterns (6 fractions each) showed that metal traces remaining in AHS after their XAD 8 isolation have different size distributions. For instance, the major percentage of traces of Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb (determined using ICP-AES) was preferably complexed by molecules with relatively high molecular size (30-100 kDa) and the following complexation order was characterized: F2 >> F1 = F4 = F5 > F3 > F6. Moreover, the species formed between AHS and metals prepared by spiking, showed distribution patterns changing as a function of the complexation time (ageing process), indicating a slow transformation process and an inner rearrangements in the binding sites within the AHS molecules.