Objectives
Interventions to increase fruit and vegetable intake among community-dwelling older people have shown mixed effects. We investigated whether an intervention based on an initial ...multidimensional health risk assessment and subsequent physician-lead nutrition counselling has favourable effects on dietary intake among community-dwelling older people.
Design
Randomised controlled trial comparing the intervention versus usual care.
Setting and participants
Non-disabled persons aged 65 years or older at an ambulatory geriatric clinic in Bucharest, Romania, allocated to intervention (n=100) and control (n=100) groups.
Intervention
Participants received a computer-generated health profile report based on answers to a health risk assessment questionnaire, followed by monthly individual counselling sessions with a geriatrician on topics related to health promotion and disease prevention, with a special focus on adequate fruit and vegetable consumption.
Measurements
Fruit and vegetable intake at baseline and at 6-month follow-up.
Results
At baseline, fruit and vegetable intake was below the recommended five portions per day in most study participants (85% in the intervention group, and 86% among controls, respectively). At six months, intake increased in the intervention group from a median of 3.8 to 4.6 portions per day, and decreased in the control group due to a seasonal effect from a median of 3.8 to 3.1 portions per day. At six months, fruit and vegetable consumption was significantly higher among persons in the intervention group as compared to controls (median difference 1.4 portions per day, 95% confidence interval 1.1–1.7, p<0.001).
Conclusion
Personalised food-based dietary guidance, delivered as part of multidimensional preventive health counselling during geriatric clinic visits, results in relevant improvement of fruit and vegetable intake in community-dwelling older adults.
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease which affects bone. There is evidence in the literature about some serum markers that reflect the bone turnover metabolism, such as RANKL (Receptor ...Activator of Nuclear factor Kappa-b Ligand) and Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) 23.
We aimed to investigate the correlations between RANKL and FGF23 and other diabetes-related factors possibly influencing early bone turnover changes.
We conducted a cross-sectional analytical study on a group of 171 patients with type 2 diabetes, without Charcot's arthropathy or a history of amputations, in which a complete history and anthropometric, clinical, biochemical and dietary evaluation were performed. We evaluated the serum level of RANKL and FGF 23.
RANKL was significantly lower in patients with macroangiopathy (0.42±0.15 pmol/L
. 0.47±0.2 pmol/L, p=0.001). The level of FGF23 was lower in patients with neuropathy (0.37±0.36 pmol/L
. 0.41±0.17 pmol/L, p=0.001). We found that FGF23 increased with age, but decreased with the duration of diabetes. We also found an inverse relationship between FGF23 levels and HbA1c, triglycerides, diastolic blood pressure, total proteins, albuminemia.
RANKL was significantly lower in patients with macroangiopathy, and FGF 23 in patients with neuropathy. Therefore, more studies are needed to elucidate their role in early bone turnover changes.
As far as details on the "Relativistic Heavy Ion Collisions – Expectations, Experimental Facts and Future Plans" lecture could be found on the Summer School web site, the present contribution will ...summarize the results considered to be of general interest, i.e. the energy scaling of centrality dependence of mid-rapidity charged particles density in relativistic heavy ion collisions, presented in the second part of the lecture, in the section dedicated to the global observables. The comparison of charged particle multiplicity in heavy ion central collisions and e+e− as a function of √s, including the latest results obtained at LHC in Pb+Pb collisions at 2.76 is followed by the energy scaling of the pseudo-rapidity charged particle density in central rapidity as a function of centrality.
Introduction
Prevalence of neurosensorial disorders increases with age, having multiple impact in elderly, including on mood. Study objective was to identify effects of neurosensorial disorders on ...mood in elderly, including their relationship with comorbidities.
Material and Methods
A total of 304 subjects, age-range 50–95 years, were included, divided into two groups: 152 adults (50–64 years) and 152 elderly (75–95 years).
Results
Visual impairments had highest prevalence in elderly, retinopathy being main cause. Glaucoma was more prevalent in women (p<0.01), irrespective of age (p>0.05) and it correlated with mood disorders (r=0.87). Diabetic retinopathy, most prevalent visual disorders in men and correlated with mood disorders (r=0.67). Depression severity decreased with age, presumably due to an adaptation effect. Other visual disorder: cataract, significantly more prevalent in older women (p<0.01). It correlated with mood disorders (r=0.73). Hearing disorders were significantly less prevalent in both groups and had less impact on mood disorders in elderly (r=0.51). Comorbidities have been identified. Rheumatic diseases were most prevalent in elderly, followed by diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disorders. Rheumatic disorders had more important impact on mood in elderly (p<0.01), irrespective of gender (p>0.05), and the effect increased when corroborated with neurosensorial disorders. This effect was less prominent in adults. Cardiovascular diseases had less effect on mood, being correlated mainly with mild depression (r=0.59). Concomitant presence of neurosensorial disorders with somatic conditions reduces therapeutic compliance in elderly.
Conclusions
Comorbidities have a significant impact on mood disorders in elderly with neurosensorial disorders. Consequently the three conditions should be addressed concomitantly.
Introduction: Sleep and mood disorders are frequently seen in elderly, with important consequences on morbidity and mortality. We analyzed sleep patterns in elderly with mood disorders.
Material and ...Methods: A transversal study performed on 840 randomly selected patients previously diagnosed with mood disorders, divided into 2 equal groups: adults (50–64 years), elderly (>/=75 years), with equal number of women and men. Study based on a questionnaire regarding sleep patterns and quality.
Results: Majority of patients in both groups resided in urban area; 1/4 elderly lived alone as compared to only 17% adults. 1/3 of adults and only 22% elderly with higher education. Significantly higher prevalence of daytime sleeping amongst elderly (p<0.01). Elderly sleep less hours. Almost no elderly eat before sleep, while over 1/3 of adults have a meal before going to bed. Significantly more elderly wake-up during night (p<0.01), mainly due to pain and men due to reno-urinary disorders. Elderly take longer to fall asleep (p<0.05), but have less nightmares. Risk factors for sleep disorders have been identified: smoking, toxic exposure, meals before bedtime. Sleep-apnea syndrome was more prevalent in elderly (p<0.05). Mood disorders negatively impact on sleep quality in elderly with frequent interruptions and global reduction. Over 85 years influence of depression on sleep quality decreases significantly (p<0.01). Sedentary life-style more prevalent in elderly and had a significant effect on quality of sleep and mood disorders (p<0.05).
Conclusions: Elderly from urban areas have a poorer sleep quality and women are more prone to both mood and sleep disorders.
Introduction:
Disorders of sleep and mood disorders occur often in elderly, have impact on quality of life and morbidity, and influence each other. Objective of the study was to identify sleep ...disorders in elderly and adults diagnosed with mood disorders.
Material and method :
We analyzed 2 randomly selected groups of adults and older patients, total of 440 subjects, 110 men and 110 women in each group. A previously validated questionnaire has been used to assess sleep, with a total of 23 items. Neuropsychologist evaluated mood disorders. 71% adults and 89% elderly resided in urban area. Over 32% adults had higher education and 64% elderly had medium education.
Results:
More elderly (21%) as compared to adults (7%) lost their spouse. 1/3 of subjects in both groups felt tired after waking-up; 86% adults and 63% elderly continued to feel tired whole day. Adults had significantly more often (p<0.001) altered sleep program. 2/3 of elderly had difficulty with initiating sleep. Most elderly slept 4 hours everyday, statistically significant difference from adults (p<0.01). Elderly woke-up during night because of various pains and renal conditions, while adults because of depression. Women had sleep disorders mainly due to depression in both age-groups. Nightmares were more prevalent in elderly (p<0.05). Elderly with mood disorders sleep less (p<0.01), wake-up during night. Elderly describe more often poor quality of sleep (p<0.01).
Conclusions: Women present more frequently with sleep disorders. Older depressive people sleep less, wake-up more often during night and take longer to sleep again than adults.
Introduction: Both diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HTA) are often encountered in elderly and impact on quality of life and morbidity. Aim of the study was to compare cardio-cerebrovascular ...risk and complications in elderly and adults diagnosed with DM and HTA.
Material and method: We analyzed 2 randomly selected groups of adults (50–64 years) and elderly (>75 years) diagnosed with both DM and HTA, total 600 subjects, 150 men and 150 women in each group; 2/3 resided in urban areas. 37% adults had higher education and 63% elderly medium education.
Results: Longstanding DM combined with HTA was a significant factor for complications. Insulino-dependent DM was more prevalent in elderly and correlated with duration of disease. Almost half of elderly had high cardiovascular risk, while most adults had low risk. More elderly (58%) as compared to adults (43%) had over 10 complications and comorbidities concomitantly. Chronic kidney disease was significantly more prevalent in adults (p<0.01), possibly due to impact of this complication on survival. Adults had significantly lower prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy (p<0.001) and heart conduction abnormalities (p<0.01). More elderly had chronic atrial fibrillation, and congestive heart failure was statistically significant more prevalent in elderly (p<0.01) who also had higher NYHA classes. Moreover, heart rhythm disorders were more prevalent in elderly (p<0.01). Neurocognitive disorders, stroke, peripheral arterial obstructive disease and neuropathy were more prevalent in elderly (p<0.001).
Conclusions: Chronological age has an important impact on cardiocerebro-vascular complications in diabetics with hypertension. This highlights the importance of early diagnosis and monitoring.
A prototype Transition Radiation Detector (TRD) with a new configuration was built and tested. The prototype consists of two individual multiwire proportional chambers (MWPC) that share a thin common ...central pad readout electrode. Measurements with a
55Fe source and e,
π
and p of 1.5
GeV/
c showed a very good energy, position resolution and a better
e
/
π
discrimination compared to the standard structure with a single MWPC. No significant deterioration of the resolutions is observed up to counting rates of
2
×
10
5
particles
cm
-
2
s
-
1
. These results open the possibility of constructing TRDs with a high
e
/
π
discrimination and granularity even for high-counting rate experiments with a reasonable number of layers.
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