In this thoroughly-revised new edition, Hoyer and Roodin continue to provide cutting edge material in an accessible manner for undergraduates. With a new theme of developmental bioculturalism running throughout, the authors also present the most balanced and comprehensive coverage of biological, health, cognitive, and social areas.

Author: William Hoyer, Paul Roodin
Hardcover: 560 pages
Company: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages (2008-07-30)
ISBN: 0073128546
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Opportunities and Optimism in Aging

Issues in Aging, 3rd edition takes an optimistic view of aging and human potential in later life.

This book presents the most up-to-date facts on aging today, the issues raised by these facts, and the societal and individual responses that will create a successful old age for us all. 

Mark Novak presents the full picture of aging- exhibiting both the problems and the opportunities that accompany older age. The text illustrates how generations are dependent on one another and how social conditions affect both the individual and social institutions.

Learning Goals

Upon completing this book, readers should be able to:

Note: MySearchLab does not come automatically packaged with this text. To purchase MySearchLab, please visit: www.mysearchlab.com or you can purchase a ValuePack of the text + MySearchLab with Pearson eText (at no additional cost). ValuePack ISBN-10: 020586368X / ValuePack ISBN-13: 9780205863686

". . . the perfect place to begin, or continue, your education."
--Sailing

Whether you are shopping for a used fiberglass boat or prioritizing maintenance tasks on the one you already own, this book saves money--and perhaps even disaster. With clear step-by-step drawings and instructions, Don Casey explains how to recognize problems--both surface and hidden--and how to separate cosmetic flaws from serious faults.

“Lots of practical, easy-to-understand advice about veterinary care for older dogs. Essential reading for making treatment decisions for your companion.” —Temple Grandin, author of Animals Make Us Human and Animals in Translation

The human-animal bond is never stronger or more tender than when your dog’s muzzle turns gray and the spring in her step begins to diminish. After spending the better part of a decade or more with this beloved member of your family, making sure your canine friend ages comfortably, contentedly, and well is a natural priority. And no one knows how to ensure healthy aging better than the renowned faculty of the Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, who treat more than eight thousand older dogs annually.

Good Old Dog brings their renowned expertise into your living room, providing you with essential advice on nutrition, health, and caretaking to see your dog through the golden years.

“A timely and complete reference for every owner who wants to take the best possible care of their well-loved older dog.” —Dr. Nick Trout, veterinary surgeon and author of Tell Me Where It Hurts

“Everyone with an aging dog should have this book.” —Stanley Coren, PhD, FRSC, author of The Modern Dog



Author: Faculty of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts Univer
Paperback: 288 pages
Company: Mariner Books (2012-01-17) (2012-01-17)
ISBN: 0547662416
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MySearchLab provides students with a complete understanding of the research process so they can complete research projects confidently and efficiently. Students and instructors with an internet connection can visit www.MySearchLab.com and receive immediate access to thousands of full articles from the EBSCO ContentSelect database. In addition, MySearchLab offers extensive content on the research process itself—including tips on how to navigate and maximize time in the campus library, a step-by-step guide on writing a research paper, and instructions on how to finish an academic assignment with endnotes and bibliography.

This text offers a readable and friendly presentation of the important methods, findings, and theories of human aging, while actively involving the reader in meaningful exercises and critical thinking.

Readers are repeatedly challenged to apply information in the text to the older adults in their own lives. Specifically, suggestions for enhancing the lives of their older relatives are offered and encouraged. These include guidelines for discussions they might have regarding social, emotional, and environmental changes as well encouraging intellectual and social interaction. While presenting the latest in research findings, the authors have also strived to keep research interesting for readers who may not see themselves as researchers.

Filled with practical and effective strategies, skill-building techniques, and advice based on the most recent research on the psychology of aging, Dr. Hill demonstrates how people can help themselves age productively and positively.

In his new book, Robert Hill explains how anyone can adopt and develop positive aging skills. Dr. Hill has drawn upon the theoretical perspective first presented in Positive Aging to develop practical exercises and techniques that are easily accessible to the reader interested in discovering how best to adapt to the aging process. The reader will discover meaning through lifespan learning, learn how to transform age-related decline, and find out how to employ the principles of continuity in order to feel good about oneself, even during challenging times. The reader will also learn how to apply “meaning-centered” techniques of belonging, altruism, gratitude, and forgiveness in his or her own life, in order to enhance emotional health. These techniques are organized into seven distinct chapters: Learning, Meaning, Wisdom, Belonging, Helping, Gratitude, and Forgiveness.

This important book from the author of Setting Boundaries with Your Adult Children (more than 40,000 sold) will help adult children who long for a better relationship with their parents but feel trapped in a never-ending cycle of chaos, crisis, or drama.

With keen insight and a passion to empower adult children, Allison charts a trustworthy roadmap through the often unfamiliar territory of setting boundaries with parents while maintaining personal balance and avoiding burnout. Through the use of professional advice, true stories, and scriptural truth, readers learn how to apply the “6 Steps to SANITY”:

S-STOP your own negative behavior
A-ASSEMBLE a support group
N-NIP excuses in the bud
I-IMPLEMENT rules and boundaries
T-TRUST your instincts
Y-YIELD everything to God

Resources are available at the ministry website: www.settingboundaries.com

In Losing It, William Ian Miller brings his inimitable wit and learning to the subject of growing old: too old to matter, of either rightly losing your confidence or wrongly maintaining it, culpably refusing to face the fact that you are losing it. The “it” in Miller’s “losing it” refers mainly to mental faculties—memory, processing speed, sensory acuity, the capacity to focus. But it includes other evidence as well—sags and flaccidities, aches and pains, failing joints and organs. What are we to make of these tell-tale signs? Does growing old gracefully mean more than simply refusing unseemly cosmetic surgeries? How do we face decline and the final drawing of the blinds? Will we know if and when we have lingered too long?

Drawing on a lifetime of deep study and anxious observation, Miller enlists the wisdom of the ancients to confront these vexed questions head on. Debunking the glossy new image of old age that has accompanied the graying of the Baby Boomers, he conjures a lost world of aging rituals—complaints, taking to bed, resentments of one’s heirs, schemes for taking it with you or settling up accounts and scores—to remind us of the ongoing dilemmas of old age. Darkly intelligent and sublimely written, this exhilarating and eccentric book will raise the spirits of readers, young and old.

Author: William Ian Miller
Hardcover: 336 pages
Company: Yale University Press (2011-10-25)
ISBN: 0300171013
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A groundbreaking approach to aging from one of France's best- known clinical psychologists.

How should we accept growing old? It's an inevitable progression and yet in Western society the very subject of aging is often taboo and shrouded in anxiety and shame. Not anymore, says Marie de Hennezel, an internationally renowned clinical psychologist and bestselling author. Now that our lives are longer and richer than ever before, it's imperative to demystify our greatest fear and cultivate a positive awareness of aging.

In this timely and essential book, de Hennezel offers a fresh perspective on the art of growing old. She confronts head-on the inevitable grief we sustain at the loss of our youth and explains how refusing to age and move forward in life is actually what makes us become old. Combining personal anecdotes with psychological theory, philosophy, and eye-opening scientific research from around the world, she shows why we should look forward to embracing everything aging has to offer in terms of human and spiritual enrichment. The Art of Growing Old is a thought-provoking, brave, and uplifting meditation on the later years as they should be lived.

In Full Bloom celebrates the older brain and its unique capabilities, while offering practical advice to maintain and accentuate its attributes. This book will help you:
--- Improve attention and concentration
--- Expand imagination and creativity
--- Develop vitality and strength
--- Manage stress effectively
--- Gain inspiration for a positive mature identity

Author: Ilchi Lee, Jessie Jones
Paperback: 232 pages
Company: Best Life Media (2008-02-20)
ISBN: 0979938848
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As the baby boomer generation approaches midlife, many dual-earner couples are struggling with issues of simultaneously caring for children while tending to aging parents. This timely book uncovers the circumstances faced by these workers, known as the “sandwiched generation”, and identifies what they need in order to fulfill their work and family responsibilities. Authors Margaret B. Neal and Leslie B. Hammer suggest the workplace as an arena for change, proposing that it adapt to the situations of today’s workers by providing flexibility and understanding the needs and priorities of families.

Based on a four-year national study funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Working Couples Caring for Children and Aging Parents examines:

This book will interest a broad audience, including students, policymakers, family care practitioners, IO psychologists, work-life professionals, gerontologists, sociologists, human resource managers, and occupational health psychologists.

A neuroscientifically based account of how our brains age and change over time.

For undergraduate courses in Adulthood and Aging, Gerontology, and Adult Development.

This text provides an engaging perspective on the issues, challenges, and joys of adult development and aging.  It provides a balanced and integrated treatment of young, middle, and later adulthood, concluding with a discussion of life satisfaction and quality of life issues.  More than ever there is a need to inform those who will be therapists, health care professionals, social workers, and all others who plan to work with adults in some capacity of the challenges and opportunities that often come our way in adulthood. 

In addition, this text covers areas which are often neglected, such as self development and individual differences, life-long learning, community and political life, and values and moral development.  The addition of these and other topics, along with a positive-growth focused perspective sets this book apart from other textbooks in this area that have grown out of gerontology backgrounds with a focus on physical decline and illness. 

The pedagogical features of the book direct students to key information, and the special features engage the reader in current ethical dilemmas and life-planning issues. 

The graying of the U.S. population draws increasing focus to historically unattended segments of society, including sexual and gender minorities. In this first comprehensive volume to address the challenges of aging in the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and intersex populations, this text presents what is currently known about aging GLBT individuals and what services are needed to support them.

The editors first provide an introductory overview comparing caregiving in GLBT and normative aging communities. In chapters devoted to the issues of each alternative sexuality and gender identity community, top experts in the field discuss biomedical, psychological, social/sexual, spiritual, socioeconomic, and service topics related to that community's aging needs.

GLBT populations face unique challenges as they age. Despite the often severe difficulties they encounter, many live out their final years with the dignity and grace that all of us deserve. With a combination of the latest biological and social science research, moving case studies and first-person accounts, practical advice for health professionals, and research literature citations, this book represents a major step forward in addressing concerns of aging GLBT populations.

Integrating research, practice, and policy, this text is for students and professionals in gerontology, medicine, social work, psychology, nursing, public health, and related fields who wish to learn more about the life experiences and concerns of sexual- and gender-minority-identified older patients.

While it is impossible to stop the passage of time, there are ways to prevent it from taking its toll on your appearance and your health—without resorting to injections and painful, expensive plastic surgery. The secret is in the foods you eat every day! The right diet can renew your energy; help you to maintain smooth, clear skin and a youthful glow; and actually add years to your life. This remarkable handbook will be your Fountain of Youth—providing meal plans, delicious recipes, and essential information that will enable you to turn back the clock and get a fresh and healthy new start on life!

Your indispensable guide to looking and feeling younger

And much more!

Dieses Buch verfolgt den Weg der Altersheilkunde zur Praxis der Anti-Aging Medizin von der Antike bis in die Moderne, wie sie sich aus dem geschichtlichen Kontext entwickelt hat. Die Auseinandersetzung mit dem Alter wird auch aus psychologischer Sicht beleuchtet. Der Wunsch, Jugendlichkeit und Schönheit bis ins hohe Alter zu bewahren, bestand von alters her und ist kein Phänomen unserer modernen Gesellschaft.

"Bei voller Gesundheit sah ich meine Urenkel in vierter Generation, und so genoss ich zur Genüge mein hohes Alter" Spätbabylonische Keilinschrift

Take your healthcare into your own hands—create a personalized diet and exercise plan to keep you fit, healthy, and active throughout your life.

Grounded in the core competencies recommended by the AACN in collaboration with the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing, Ebersole & Hess' Toward Healthy Aging, 8th Edition is the most comprehensive resource on health promotion and maintenance for older adults and their caregivers. With coverage of communication, safety and ethical considerations, new genetic research, key aging issues, and common and uncommon conditions, you will have the knowledge you need to promote healthy lifestyle choices, properly address end-of-life issues, and provide effective, holistic care for older adults.

A strong focus on health and wellness emphasizes a positive approach to aging.

Disease processes are discussed in the context of healthy adaptation, nursing support, and responsibilities.

Research highlights help incorporate the latest research findings into practice.

Nutrition chapter includes the most current guidelines for older adults and addresses patients' dietary needs.

Scales and guidelines for proper health assessment provide the essential information for assessing the older adult patient.

Case studies with critical thinking questions offer realistic situations to expand your knowledge and understanding.

Careful attention to age, cultural, and gender differences are integrated throughout and highlight important considerations when caring for older adults. Content grounded in the core competencies offers the knowledge needed to achieve the National League for Nursing ACES program's Essential Nursing Actions and meets the Recommended Baccalaureate Competencies and Curricular Guidelines for the Nursing Care of Older Adults, the Geriatric Nursing Education State of the Science Papers, and the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing Best Practices in Nursing Care to Older Adults.

NEW! QSEN content highlights quality and safety issues students need to know when treating older patients.

NEW! Chapter covering the role of communication emphasizes the importance of communication in improving care.

NEW! Focus on genetics highlights the vast amount of new genetic research and its effects on all aspects of health and aging.

NEW! Information on ethical considerations explores and illustrates potential issues when dealing with older adults.

NEW! Healthy People 2020 information assists your students in integrating their knowledge about healthy aging considerations into care.

It is critically acclaimed by Dr. Bernie Siegel, Betty Friedan, Dr. Ronald Katz, (Pres. Amer. Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine) and 4 past presidents of the Amer. Psychological Assoc.

It is a finalist for ForeWord Magazine's 2000 Book of the Year Awards. Author Michael Brickey, Ph.D. is a Board Certified psychologist and a life coach.

Author: Michael P. Brickey
Hardcover: 395 pages
Company: New Resources Pr (2000-08-01)
ISBN: 0970155506
List Price: $24.95
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Continuing to advocate for health professionals becoming health educators and a more informed, healthier aging population, Haber updates this fourth edition of his respected text with discussion and analysis of major topics in the field, including:

Innovative ideas on public policy and aging, examples of stand-out community health advocacy, and a final chapter on the future of the field complete this integrated look at health, community, and aging.

J Aging Res. 2012; 2012: 360254
Galinsky AM, Cagney KA, Browning CR

Objectives. Community processes are key determinants of older adults' ability to age in place, but existing scales measuring these constructs may not provide accurate, unbiased measurements among older adults because they were designed with the concerns of child-rearing respondents in mind. This study examines the properties of a new theory-based measure of collective efficacy (CE) that accounts for the perspectives of older residents. Methods. Data come from the population-based Chicago Neighborhood Organization, Aging and Health study (N = 1,151), which surveyed adults aged 65 to 95. Using descriptive statistics, correlations, and factor analysis, we explored the acceptability, reliability, and validity of the new measure. Results. Principal component analysis indicated that the new scale measures a single latent factor. It had good internal consistency reliability, was highly correlated with the original scale, and was similarly associated with neighborhood exchange and disorder, self-rated health, mobility, and loneliness. The new scale also showed less age-differentiated nonresponse compared to the original scale. Discussion. The older adult CE scale has reliability and validity equivalent to that of the existing measure but benefits from a more developed theoretical grounding and reduced likelihood of age-related differential nonresponse.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Feb 6;
Amir A, Oreg Y, Imry Y

Slow relaxation occurs in many physical and biological systems. "Creep" is an example from everyday life. When stretching a rubber band, for example, the recovery to its equilibrium length is not, as one might think, exponential: The relaxation is slow, in many cases logarithmic, and can still be observed after many hours. The form of the relaxation also depends on the duration of the stretching, the "waiting time." This ubiquitous phenomenon is called aging, and is abundant both in natural and technological applications. Here, we suggest a general mechanism for slow relaxations and aging, which predicts logarithmic relaxations, and a particular aging dependence on the waiting time. We demonstrate the generality of the approach by comparing our predictions to experimental data on a diverse range of physical phenomena, from conductance in granular metals to disordered insulators and dirty semiconductors, to the low temperature dielectric properties of glasses.

Diabetes. 2012 Feb 7;
Santulli G, Lombardi A, Sorriento D, Anastasio A, Del Giudice C, Formisano P, Béguinot F, Trimarco B, Miele C, Iaccarino G

In this study, we investigated the significance of β(2)-adrenergic receptor (β(2)AR) in age-related impaired insulin secretion and glucose homeostasis. We characterized the metabolic phenotype of β(2)AR-null C57Bl/6N mice (β(2)AR(-/-)) by performing in vivo and ex vivo experiments. In vitro assays in cultured INS-1E β-cells were carried out in order to clarify the mechanism by which β(2)AR deficiency affects glucose metabolism. Adult β(2)AR(-/-) mice featured glucose intolerance, and pancreatic islets isolated from these animals displayed impaired glucose-induced insulin release, accompanied by reduced expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ, pancreatic duodenal homeobox-1 (PDX-1), and GLUT2. Adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of human β(2)AR rescued these defects. Consistent effects were evoked in vitro both upon β(2)AR knockdown and pharmacologic treatment. Interestingly, with aging, wild-type (β(2)AR(+/+)) littermates developed impaired insulin secretion and glucose tolerance. Moreover, islets from 20-month-old β(2)AR(+/+) mice exhibited reduced density of β(2)AR compared with those from younger animals, paralleled by decreased levels of PPARγ, PDX-1, and GLUT2. Overexpression of β(2)AR in aged mice rescued glucose intolerance and insulin release both in vivo and ex vivo, restoring PPARγ/PDX-1/GLUT2 levels. Our data indicate that reduced β(2)AR expression contributes to the age-related decline of glucose tolerance in mice.

Mol Biol Rep. 2012 Feb 8;
Dong H, Mao S, Wei J, Liu B, Zhang Z, Zhang Q, Yan M

For the aging populations of any nation, Dementia is becoming a primary problem and Alzheimer's dementia (AD) is the most common type. However, until now, there is no effective treatment for AD. Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) has been reported for neuroprotective potential to against amyloid β peptides (Aβ)-induced cytotoxicity in the rat pheochromocytoma cell line PC-12, which is widely used as AD research model, but the mechanism still remains unclear. To investigate the effect of Tan IIA and the possible molecular mechanism in the apoptosis of PC12 cells, we induced apoptosis in PC12 cells with β-amyloid(25-35), and treated cells with Tan IIA. After 24 h treatment, we found that Tan IIA increased the cell viability and reduced the number of apoptotic cells induced by Aβ(25-35). However, neuroprotection of Tan IIA was abolished by PI3K inhibitor LY294002. Meanwhile, Treatment with lithium chloride, a phosphorylation inhibitor of GSK3β, which is a downstream target of PI3K/Akt, can block Aβ(25-35)-induced cell apoptosis in a Tan IIA-like manner. Our findings suggest that Tan IIA is an effective neuroprotective agent and a viable candidate in AD therapy and PI3K/Akt activation and GSK3β phosphorylation are involved in the neuroprotection of Tan IIA.

Clin Auton Res. 2012 Feb 8;
Kang P, Kloke J, Jain S

OBJECTIVE: Olfactory impairment occurs early in Parkinson's disease (PD), as may dysautonomia. We investigated the relationship between olfaction and dysautonomia as well as other non-motor manifestations of PD. METHODS: Olfaction [University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT)], autonomic function in the pupillary (constriction and redilation velocity) and cardiac systems (resting low- and high-frequency heart rate variability (LF and HF HRV), positional changes in systolic blood pressure), neuropsychiatric function [Mini-mental Status Exam (MMSE)], Hamilton Depression Scale, activities of daily living [(ADLs), Schwab and England ADLs scale], quality of life [Short Form-36 health survey, PD Questionnaire 39 (PDQ-39)], and other non-motor symptoms [Non-motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS)] were simultaneously assessed in 33 participants (15 PD, 18 controls). Group comparisons, Spearman's coefficients and non-parametric rank-based regression were employed to characterize relationships between olfaction and non-motor features. RESULTS: Smell scores were lower in the PD group and correlated positively with pupil constriction velocity and HF HRV. Smell scores were correlated negatively with PDQ-39 and gastrointestinal items of the NMSS and positively with MMSE and Schwab and England ADLs. These correlated measures were not significant terms in regression models of smell scores in which age and PD diagnosis were significant and accounted for over half of the variability (R-squared 0.52-0.58). INTERPRETATION: This study suggests olfactory involvement occurs with parasympathetic dysautonomia in the pupillary and cardiovascular systems, involving both age-related and PD-related processes. Other non-motor features are concurrently involved, supporting the notion that aging and PD have widespread effects involving discrete portions of the autonomic and olfactory systems.

Mov Disord. 2012 Feb 7;
Alcalay RN, Gu Y, Mejia-Santana H, Cote L, Marder KS, Scarmeas N

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have demonstrated an association between a Mediterranean-type diet and Alzheimer's risk. We assessed the association between Mediterranean-type diet adherence and Parkinson's disease (PD) status. METHODS: Two hundred and fifty-seven PD participants and 198 controls completed the Willett semiquantitative questionnaire that quantifies diet during the past year. Scores were calculated using a 9-point scale; higher scores indicated greater adherence to the Mediterranean-type diet. Logistic regression models were used to assess the association between PD status and Mediterranean-type diet, adjusting for caloric intake, age, sex, education, and ethnicity. Adjusted linear regression models were used to examine the association between Mediterranean-type diet adherence and PD age at onset. RESULTS: Higher Mediterranean-type diet adherence was associated with reduced odds for PD after adjustment for all covariates (OR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.77-0.97; P = .010). Lower Mediterranean-type diet score was associated with earlier PD age at onset (β = 1.09; P = .006). CONCLUSIONS: PD patients adhere less than controls to a Mediterranean-type diet. Dietary behavior may be associated with age at onset. © 2012 Movement Disorder Society.

In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim. 2012 Feb 8;
Kim HJ, Ji BR, Kim JS, Lee HN, Ha DH, Kim CW

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) hold great promise for use in cell-based therapies because of their multipotency and simple methods for in vitro expansion. However, during in vitro expansion, MSCs will age and lose their multipotency and proliferation capability. Previous studies have reported that calorie restriction (CR) increases proliferation of MSCs and decreases apoptosis. Therefore, in this study, we examined the effect of low glucose (LG) on human bone marrow-derived MSCs. Proliferation under low glucose (LG, 1.4 mM) conditions was compared with that under normal glucose (NG, 5.5 mM) conditions. In addition, comparative studies of population doubling (PD), β-galactosidase (β-GAL) activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and differentiation capacity (osteocytes and adipocytes) in NG and LG conditions were performed. In addition, protein expression patterns were compared between NG and LG conditions and several proteins were found to be up- or down-regulated under the glucose restriction condition (LG condition). As a result, CR does not seem to have a significant effect on proliferation, ROS generation, glucose consumption concentration, population doublings, and adipogenic differentiation of MSCs. Interestingly, however, the differentiation potential into osteocytes was maintained under CR and a lower senescence-associated β-galactosidase (β-GAL) activity was observed under CR than under the NG condition. In addition, we determined three up-regulated proteins (aldehyde dehydrogenase, neuropolyprptide h3, and prolyl 4-hydroxylase alpha subunit) and seven down-regulated proteins (laminin-binding protein, actin, sec 13 protein, alpha soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein (NSF)- attachment protein (SNAP), manganese superoxide dismutase, proteasome alpha 1 subunit, and ribosomal protein S12) via two-dimensional electrophoresis analysis. These results imply that differentially expressed proteins under the LG condition may provide further information on the aging and differentiation of stem cells.

Altern Ther Health Med. 2011 Jul-Aug; 17(4): 8-14
Lu WA, Chen GY, Kuo CD

Objective Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has long been used by people to postpone the aging process and to reverse disease progression. Reflexology is a CAM method that involves massage to reflex areas in the feet and hands. This study investigated the effect of foot reflexology (FR) on the autonomic nervous modulation in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) by using heart rate variability analysis. Study Methods Seventeen people with angiographically patent coronary arteries and 20 patients with CAD scheduled for coronary artery bypass graft surgery were recruited as the control and CAD groups, respectively. The normalized high-frequency power (nHFP) was used as the index of vagal modulation and the normalized very low-frequency power (nVLFP) as the index of vagal withdrawal and renin-angiotensin modulation. Results In both control and CAD groups, the nHFP was increased significantly whereas the nVLFP was decreased significantly 30 and 60 minutes after FR, as compared with those before FR. The systolic, diastolic, mean arterial, and pulse pressures were significantly decreased after FR in both groups of participants. In the CAD group, the percentage change in heart rate 30 and 60 minutes after FR was smaller than that in the control, and the percentage change in nVLFP 60 minutes after FR was smaller than that in the control. In conclusion, a higher vagal modulation, lower sympathetic modulation, and lower blood pressure can be observed following 60 minutes of FR in both controls and CAD patients. The magnitude of change in the autonomic nervous modulation in CAD patients was slightly smaller than that in the controls. Conclusion FR may be used as an efficient adjunct to the therapeutic regimen to increase the vagal modulation and decrease blood pressure in both healthy people and CAD patients.

Molecules. 2012; 17(2): 1571-601
He F, Liang NN, Mu L, Pan QH, Wang J, Reeves MJ, Duan CQ

Originating in the grapes, monomeric anthocyanins in young red wines contribute the majority of color and the supposed beneficial health effects related to their consumption, and as such they are recognized as one of the most important groups of phenolic metabolites in red wines. In recent years, our increasing knowledge of the chemical complexity of the monomeric anthocyanins, their stability, together with the phenomena such as self-association and copigmentation that can stabilize and enhance their color has helped to explain their color representation in red wine making and aging. A series of new enological practices were developed to improve the anthocyanin extraction, as well as their color expression and maintenance. This paper summarizes the most recent advances in the studies of the monomeric anthocyanins in red wines, emphasizing their origin, occurrence, color enhancing effects, their degradation and the effect of various enological practices on them.

Aging Clin Exp Res. 2012 Feb 6;
Lippi G, Montagnana M, Meschi T, Borghi L

Background and Aims. Vitamin D deficiency is a major health problem worldwide, especially in the elderly, so that an accurate assessment of its prevalence is essential for planning reliable healthcare policy throughout the lifespan. The aim of the present study was to assess the concentration as well as the mild and moderate deficiencies of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) across different ages and genders. Methods. We searched the database of the local Laboratory Information System to retrieve results of 25OHD tests performed on the whole cohort of presumably healthy Caucasian outpatients aged >12 yrs, who were referred to our laboratory in the North-East of Italy for routine laboratory testing ordered by general practitioners, over a 3-year period (October 2008 - October 2011). Results. Cumulative results for 25OHD testing were retrieved for 2327 outpatients (1744 females and 583 males). No significant differences between females and males were observed for 25OHD values (71 [25-140] versus 67 [27-130] nmol/L; p=0.40), as well as a similar prevalence of mild (32.8 versus 33.4%; p=0.89) and moderate (21.7 versus 25.6%; p=0.37) 25OHD deficiency. A non significant variation of 25OHD values was also found by ANOVA analysis throughout four age cohorts (60 yrs), in both genders. In each age group, the values of 25OHD did not significantly differ between genders. The percentage of subjects displaying mild and moderate 25OHD deficiencies in the older subgroup was comparable to that observed in the younger adult population. Conclusions. The results of this large epidemiological investigation attest that the prevalence of mild and moderate vitamin D deficiency does not significantly increase with aging and seems lower than that observed in other European and American countries.

J Geriatr Phys Ther. 2012 Feb 6;
Brach JS, Wert D, Vanswearingen JM, Newman AB, Studenski SA

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:: Mobility disability is a serious and frequent adverse health outcome associated with aging. Early identification of individuals at risk for mobility disability is important if interventions to prevent disability are to be instituted. The objectives of this prospective study were to (1) determine the mgnitude of stance time variability (STV) that discriminates individuals who currently have mobility disability (prevalent mobility disability) and (2) determine the magnitude of STV that predicts a new onset of mobility disability at 1 year (incident mobility disability). METHODS:: A total of 552 community-dwelling older adults were evaluated as part of the Cardiovascular Health Study, a longitudinal cohort study. Stance time, in milliseconds, was determined from 2 passes on a 4-m computerized walkway at self-selected walking speed, and STV was defined as the standard deviation from approximately 12 individual steps. Mobility disability was defined as self-reported difficulty walking a one-half mile. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted determine an optimal cutoff value for STV for prevalent and incident mobility disability, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was computed. RESULTS:: Results: The optimal cutoff score for STV (maximizing sensitivity and specificity) for prevalent mobility disability was 0.037 seconds (sensitivity = 65%, specificity = 65%, AUC = 0.70) and for incident 1-year mobility disability was 0.034 seconds (sensitivity = 61%, specificity = 60%, AUC = 0.65). The use of likelihood ratios demonstrated a gradient of risk across values of STV, with mobility risk increasing as values of STV increased. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION:: Values of STV may be useful in identifying older adults with mobility disability and at risk for future disability. We recommend the more conservative estimate for identifying risk, STV = 0.034 seconds, which maximizes the sensitivity and minimizes false negatives. The relatively modest values on the validity indices could possibly be improved by increasing the reliability of the measurement of STV. Clinicians should interpret the cutoff values liberally and use STV in conjunction with other measures until further work is completed to validate STV as an indicator of mobility disability.

Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 2012 Feb 6;
Meng X, D'Arcy C, Morgan D, Mousseau DD

Research has not provided feasible models to identify dementia in primary care. We construct a broadly based diagnostic algorithm synthesizing information from known risk factors, such as poor cognition, sociodemographic factors, and health history. Data were from the Canadian Study of Health and Aging (CSHA) Phase I. Dementia was diagnosed by clinical consensus. All subjects had a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score and a Modified MMSE (3MS) score. Multiple logistic regression was used to build our diagnostic algorithm, which was then tested for classification accuracy on the basis of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve for our diagnostic algorithm using 3MS as a binary variable was significantly greater than the 3MS alone (P

Kyobu Geka. 2012 Jan; 65(1): 11-6
Kawamura M, Endo C, Kondo T, Okada Y, Hoshikawa Y, Sakurada A, Sado T, Noda M, Maeda S, Oishi H, Suzuki T

Ninety-three patients with completely resected peripheral non-small cell lung cancer, clinically diagnosed 2 cm or less in diameter, were retrospectively reviewed. Their preoperative computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET) findings, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) values, clinico-pathological features and postoperative outcomes were analysed. Ground-glass opacity (GGO) ratio( soft tissue density area of the tumor/maximum area of the tumor in diameter) was measured. The overall survival rate at 3 years was 93.3% and the relapse-free survival rate at 3 years was 89.4% with a median follow-up period of 38.5 months. Patients with GGO ratio 0.25 or less had no lymph node (LN) involvement nor lymph vascular invasion. Only 2 of them (8%) had vascular invasion. Fisher's exact probability test revealed CEA≥5 ng/ ml as risk factor for LN involvement( p=0.0400). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that solid adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma recurred more frequently than adenocarcinoma with GGO (p=0.0619, odds ratio 4.969, 95%CI 0.9242~37.67).

Aging Cell. 2012 Feb 7;
Yang YR, Song M, Lee H, Jeon Y, Choi EJ, Jang HJ, Moon HY, Byun HY, Kim EK, Kim DH, Lee MN, Koh A, Ghim J, Choi JH, Lee-Kwon W, Kim KT, Ryu SH, Suh PG

Dysregulation of O-GlcNAc modification catalyzed by O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA) contributes to the etiology of chronic diseases of aging, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease. Here we found that natural aging in wild-type mice was marked by a decrease in OGA and OGT protein levels and an increase in O-GlcNAcylation in various tissues. Genetic disruption of OGA resulted in constitutively elevated O-GlcNAcylation in embryos and led to neonatal lethality with developmental delay. Importantly, we observed that serum-stimulated cell cycle entry induced increased O-GlcNAcylation and decreased its level after release from G2/M arrest, indicating that O-GlcNAc cycling by OGT and OGA is required for precise cell cycle control. Constitutively elevated O-GlcNAcylation by OGA disruption impaired cell proliferation and resulted in mitotic defects with downregulation of mitotic regulators. OGA loss led to mitotic defects including cytokinesis failure and binucleation, increased lagging chromosomes, and micronuclei formation. These findings suggest an important role for O-GlcNAc cycling by OGA in embryonic development and the regulation of the maintenance of genomic stability linked to the aging process. © 2012 The Authors Aging Cell © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

Behav Brain Res. 2012 Jan 31;
Yang Y, Cheng XR, Zhang GR, Zhou WX, Zhang YX

The autocrine motility factor receptor (AMFR) is a multifunctional protein involved in cellular adhesion, proliferation, motility and apoptosis. Our study showed that increased AMFR protein expression in the hippocampus of KM mice correlated with enhanced capacity for learning and memory following the shuttle-box test and was significantly elevated in the highest score group. Also, AMF and AMFR mRNA expression positively correlates with the mRNA expression of the synapse marker synaptophysin (Syp). Aging studies in the senescence-accelerated mouse strain (SAM) prone/8 (SAMP8), an animal model of Alzheimer's disease (AD), revealed significantly decreased mRNA and protein expression of AMF and AMFR in the hippocampus. This is especially true for AMFR and AMF protein expression compared with age-matched SAM resistant/1 (SAMR1) mouse strain as the control. Additionally, the low mRNA expression of AMFR could be up-regulated by the four nootropic traditional Chinese medicinal prescriptions (TCMPs): Ba-Wei-Di-Huang decoction (BW), Huang-Lian-Jie-Du decoction (HL), Dang-Gui-Shao-Yao-San (DSS) and Tiao-Xin-Fang decoction (TXF). AMFR protein expression could be up-regulated by two TCMPs, Liu-Wei-Di-Huang decoction (LW) and BW. This indicated that AMFR is involved in the process of learning and memory in the central nervous system. These results may provide useful clues for understanding the etiology of AD.

Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Xue Bao. 2012 Feb; 10(2): 128-34
Dong Y, Shi JR

ABSTRACT: "Association of the kidney with the ears" is central to the traditional Chinese medical (TCM) theory of the viscera and their manifestations. Previous studies have shown that thyroxin, aldosterone, calcium and iron might be the material basis of the correlation between the kidney and the ears. Due to restriction in research techniques and methods, there has been no further progress in this research field, whose modern biological mechanisms and scientific connotations have not been explained clearly. In recent years, the progress of biological techniques and research on kidney essence provided promising opportunities for research of the association between the kidney and the ears. This article summarized the study progress of "association of the kidney with the ears" theory and posed some meaningful study thoughts. Presbycusis is a kind of degenerative disease caused by aging, which is one aspect of aging of the human body. Because aging is considered as physiological "kidney deficiency", presbycusis can be regarded as a model of "kidney deficiency" deafness. In conclusion, investigating the correlation between "kidney deficiency" and presbycusis using biotechnology systems combined with "essence of kidney", should provide a sound basis for study of the theory of the relationship between the kidney and the ears. This will provide new and valuable information for the modern biological research about the theory of visceral associations in TCM.

Skelet Muscle. 2012 Feb 7; 2(1): 3
Trendelenburg AU, Meyer A, Jacobi C, Feige JN, Glass DJ

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Skeletal-muscle differentiation is required for the regeneration of myofibers after injury. The differentiation capacity of satellite cells is impaired in settings of old age, which is at least one factor in the onset of sarcopenia, the age-related loss of skeletal-muscle mass and major cause of frailty. One important cause of impaired regeneration is increased levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)- accompanied by reduced Notch signaling. Pro-inflammatory cytokines are also upregulated in aging, which led us hypothesize that they might potentially contribute to impaired regeneration in sarcopenia. Thus, in this study, we further analyzed the muscle differentiation-inhibition pathway mediated by pro-inflammatory cytokines in human skeletal muscle cells (HuSKMCs). METHODS: We studied the modulation of HuSKMC differentiation by the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- The grade of differentiation was determined by either imaging (fusion index) or creatine kinase (CK) activity, a marker of muscle differentiation. Secretion of TGF- proteins during differentiation was assessed by using a TGF--responsive reporter-gene assay and further identified by means of pharmacological and genetic inhibitors. In addition, signaling events were monitored by western blotting and reverse transcription PCR, both in HuSKMC cultures and in samples from a rat sarcopenia study. RESULTS: The pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1 and TNF- block differentiation of human myoblasts into myotubes. This anti-differentiation effect requires activation of TGF--activated kinase (TAK)-1. Using pharmacological and genetic inhibitors, the TAK-1 pathway could be traced to p38 and NFB. Surprisingly, the anti-differentiation effect of the cytokines required the transcriptional upregulation of Activin A, which in turn acted through its established signaling pathway: ActRII/ALK/SMAD. Inhibition of Activin A signaling was able to rescue human myoblasts treated with IL-1 or TNF-, resulting in normal differentiation into myotubes. Studies in aged rats as a model of sarcopenia confirmed that this pro-inflammatory cytokine pathway identified is activated during aging. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we found an unexpected connection between cytokine and Activin signaling, revealing a new mechanism by which cytokines affect skeletal muscle, and establishing the physiologic relevance of this pathway in the impaired regeneration seen in sarcopenia.

Mech Ageing Dev. 2012 Jan 31;
Hegde ML, Mantha AK, Hazra TK, Bhakat KK, Mitra S, Szczesny B

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), generated endogenously during respiration or exogenously by genotoxic agents, induce oxidized bases and single-strand breaks (SSBs) in DNA that are repaired via the base excision/SSB repair (BER/SSBR) pathway in both the nucleus and mitochondria. Tightly regulated BER/SSBR with multiple sub-pathways is highly complex, and is linked to the replication and transcription. The repair-initiating DNA glycosylases (DGs) or AP-endonuclease (APE1) control the sub-pathway by stably interacting with downstream proteins usually via their common interacting domain (CID). A nonconserved CID with disordered structure usually located at one of the termini includes the sequences for covalent modifications and/or organelle targeting. While the DGs are individually dispensable, the SSBR-initiating APE1 and polynucleotide kinase 3' phosphatase (PNKP) are essential. BER/SSBR of mammalian nuclear and mitochondrial genomes share the same early enzymes. Accumulation of oxidative damage in nuclear and mitochondrial genomes has been implicated in aging and various neurological disorders. While defects in BER/SSBR proteins have been linked to hereditary neurodegenerative diseases, our recent studies implicated transition metal-induced inhibition of NEIL family DGs in sporadic diseases. This review focuses on the recent advances in repair of oxidatively damages in mammalian genomes and their linkage to aging and neurological disorders.

J Phys Chem B. 2012 Feb 7;
Illa R, Patnaik A

A two component gel resulting from the amphiphilic cationic surfactant cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) in presence of a structure-forming bola-amphiphilic additive 6-aminocaproic acid (6-ACA) was realized and investigated. At a critical 6 wt % of 1:1 CPC: 6-ACA, the yellow colored gel resulted from a 3:1 v/v CHCl3:H2O critical binary solvent composition. The mixed amphiphilic system formed a 1:1 complex with a binding constant ~ 0.83 X 104 M-1. Phase evolution and mechanism of gelation in the mixed CPC: 6-ACA system was unraveled upon investigating the gel microstructure based on spectroscopic, microscopic and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) investigations. The gel assembled as a lamellar organization, maintaining a loosely interdigitated bilayer structure of CPC and 6-ACA molecules through predominant charge transfer, H-bonding, hydrophobic and inter-complex interactions. The SAXS pattern indicated a semicrystalline form to be the stable phase with alternating crystalline and amorphous layers; a novel mode of gelation with a widely disparate semi-crystalline form of the lamellar gel was thus indicated, where, the lamellar structure was deduced from the inter-planar spacings. A transition from low viscosity reverse micellar solution to a yellow rigid gel upon aging was thus comprehended. The mixed amphiphile in varying polarity organic solvents in presence of water indicated the non-conducive nature of gelation in very highly polar solvents, such as, methanol and DMF or, in very low polarity solvents, such as, cyclohexane and carbon tetrachloride.

Popul Health Manag. 2012 Feb 7;
Mier N, Wang X, Smith ML, Irizarry D, Treviño L, Alen M, Ory MG

Abstract Little is known about predictors of health care utilization for older Hispanics with chronic conditions. This study aimed to determine: (1) the level of health care access for older Hispanics with type 2 diabetes living in a US-Mexico border area; and (2) personal and health correlates to health care utilization (ie, physician visits, eye care, emergency room [ER] use). This was a cross-sectional study based on a community assessment conducted at a clinic, senior centers, and colonias. Colonias are impoverished neighborhoods with substandard living conditions along the US-Mexico border. Hispanics living in colonias are one of the most disadvantaged minority groups in the United States. The study sample consisted of 249 Hispanics age 60 years and older who have type 2 diabetes. Descriptive analyses, multiple linear regression, and generalized linear models were conducted. Older age (P=0.02) and affordability of physician fees (P=0.02) were significant correlates to more frequent physician visits. Factors significantly associated with eye care were being insured (P=0.001) and reporting high cholesterol (P=0.005). ER use was significantly associated with younger age (60-64 years old; P=0.03) and suffering from hypertension (P=0.02). Those who received diabetes education (P=0.04) were less likely to use the ER. Identifying patterns of health care utilization services in aging underserved minorities who are disproportionately affected by diabetes may lead to culturally appropriate preventive practices and timely access to health care. Adequate health care access can decrease or delay the onset of diabetes complications in older Hispanics with type 2 diabetes who live along the US-Mexico border. (Population Health Management 2012;15:xx-xx).