The editors of <em>OBM Geriatrics </em>would like to express their sincere gratitude to the following reviewers for assessing manuscripts in 2025. We greatly appreciate the contribution of expert reviewers, which is crucial to the journal's editorial process. We aim to recognize reviewer contributions through several mechanisms, of which the annual publication of reviewer names is one. Reviewers can download a certificate of recognition directly from our submission system. Additionally, reviewers can sign up to the Web of Science Reviewer Recognition Service (formerly Publons) (<a href="https://webofscience.com/wos/">https://webofscience.com/wos/</a>) to receive recognition. Of course, in these initiatives we are careful not to compromise reviewer confidentiality. Many reviewers see their work as a voluntary and often unseen part of their role as researchers. We are grateful for the time reviewers donate to our journals and the contribution they make.
Abstract Background Previous studies showed that the difficulty levels of posture and cognitive tasks and pain could interactively modulate the brain oscillations. Older adults with low back pain (LBP) have poorer postural control than healthy older adults under dual-task conditions. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Hence, this study aimed to investigate alterations in brain activation during dual tasks in older people with LBP. Methods This cross-sectional study involved older participants with LBP (n = 21) and healthy older adults (n = 18) without a history of LBP. Electroencephalogram data and balance performance data were recorded simultaneously during dual and single tasks that required the participants to maintain stability in posture tasks with or without a concurrent cognitive task. The posture tasks had two levels of difficulty: a two-leg stance and one-leg stance. Cognitive tasks involved three levels of difficulty: no-cognition tasks, counting tasks, and arithmetic tasks. Brain activities were assessed using the power spectral density (PSD) of alpha-, beta-, and theta-band power rhythms within three regions of interest including the frontal, central, and parietal regions of the brain. Results A repeated-measures analysis of variance (2 postural tasks × 3 cognitive tasks × 2 groups) was used to test balance performance, cognitive performance and brain activities under different task conditions between the two groups. Compare to controls, LBP participants showed poorer performance in postural tasks (reflected by larger COP parameters) and cognitive tasks (reflected by lower accuracy rates) regardless of task difficulty level (p < 0.05). LBP participants showed larger COP parameters in the dual task with high and low cognitive difficulties than those in single task (p < 0.05), which was not observed in control group. The theta band power of control group was higher during one-leg stance than during two-leg stance in frontocentral regions (p < 0.05), which was not observed in LBP group. The LBP group showed greater beta-band power in the frontal regions than the control group in all conditions(p < 0.05). Correlations between COP parameters and theta band power in frontal regions were significant in dual task or one-leg stance(p < 0.05). Conclusions In older people with LBP, the brain oscillations as assessed on the PSD of beta and theta power rhythms is changed under the dual-task condition compared with control group. Cognitive and postural difficulty levels could modulate theta band power in frontal region, which subsequently affected the balance performance in older people with LBP.
Lisa Sheehy,1 Lalita Bharadwaj,2 Kelsey Annie Nissen,2 Justine L Estey2 1Bruyère Health Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; 2Centre for Innovation and Research in Aging, Fredericton, New Brunswick, CanadaCorrespondence: Lisa Sheehy, Bruyère Health Research Institute, 43 Bruyère St, Ottawa, ON, K1N 5C8, Canada, Tel +01 613 562 6262 ext. 1593, Email lsheehy@bruyere.orgPurpose: To assess the impact of an 8-week non-immersive virtual reality exercise program for older adults on 1) balance, physical function, community integration and quality of life; 2) falls, emergency room visits, hospital and long-term care admissions; 3) quantity of exercise performed; and 4) acceptance of non-immersive virtual reality.Patients and Methods: This prospective, assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial was carried out on two separate samples of older adults: those living in their own homes (“home-based”) and those living in long-term care (“facility-based”). Participants were randomized to non-immersive virtual reality or usual activity. Non-immersive virtual reality consisted of 20– 30 minutes of customized, gamified exercises for balance, stepping, strengthening, and aerobic conditioning, performed 3– 5x/week for 8 weeks. Outcomes were measured before the intervention, immediately after, and 1 month later. Physical testing and questionnaires addressed objective 1). Counts for objectives 2) and 3) were reported by the participants and retrieved from the non-immersive virtual reality platform. Logbooks and a short interview addressed objective 4).Results: Recruitment was substantially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The facility-based sample had 31 participants; the home-based sample had 16. There were no statistically-significant benefits to non-immersive virtual reality in either sample for objective 1), although the facility-based non-immersive virtual reality group showed a clinically-significant improvement in functional walking. Effect sizes were small (≤ 0.16). No falls occurred during non-immersive virtual reality exercise. The facility-based non-immersive virtual reality group did an average of 14.1 sessions (average 20.1 minutes/session) and the home-based non-immersive virtual reality group did an average of 17.2 sessions (22.6 minutes/session). Participants enjoyed the non-immersive virtual reality, found it challenging and motivating and felt that it improved balance and walking. Most were interested to continue beyond the study.Conclusion: Non-immersive virtual reality for home-based and facility-based older adults is safe, enjoyable and feasible and may increase users’ weekly levels of physical activity leading to clinical benefits for functional walking in facility-based users.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04083885; registered 2019– 09-06).Plain language summary: Regular exercise is so important for older adults. It improves strength, flexibility, endurance and balance, reduces the risk of falls, and increases independence. However, many older adults do not exercise, for a variety of reasons. We tested a fun and safe way for seniors to do a customized exercise program in their own home, using a non-immersive virtual reality platform called Jintronix, which turns exercise into games!We recruited older adults living in their own homes (home-based sample), and those living in long-term care (facility-based sample) to try the exercise program for 20-30 minutes, 3-5 times a week for 8 weeks. The exercises were customized to each participant by a therapist, who followed up weekly.A total of 47 participants were recruited. The 16 home-based participants did an average of 17 sessions (23 min/session) over the 8 weeks, and the 31 facility-based participants did an average of 14 sessions (20 min/session). The sessions were safe – no one fell or sustained significant injury while doing non-immersive virtual reality exercise. Participants enjoyed the program and found it challenging and motivating, and commented that it improved their balance and walking. Most participants wished to continue once the study was over.We have confirmed that non-immersive virtual reality exercise can engage older adults to exercise more, with the potential to improve their health and independence. This exercise option is ideal for older adults who find it difficult to leave their home or wish to exercise privately.Keywords: exergaming, older adults, healthy aging
Abstract This study aimed to evaluate the predictive capacity of the Body Roundness Index (BRI), Abdominal Body Shape Index (ABSI), Waist-to-Weight Index (WWI), and Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR) for sarcopenic obesity (SO) incidence among older adults in China using data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). The cohort included 3,919 participants aged 65 and older, with a mean follow-up of 2.79 years. Sarcopenic obesity was defined by low muscle mass and high body fat. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models and Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) based on the Poisson distribution were used to assess the associations and predictive performance of these indices. After adjustment, BRI (HR: 1.037, 95% CI: 1.014, 1.060), ABSI (HR: 13.247, 95% CI: 1.677, 104.660), WWI (HR: 1.023, 95% CI: 1.006, 1.040), and WHtR (HR: 1.007, 95% CI: 1.003, 1.010) were significant predictors of SO incidence. Threshold effect analyses revealed non-linear relationships for BRI and WHtR. The predictive model based on GAMs demonstrated strong discrimination (C-index: 0.879 for the modeling set and 0.876 for the validation set) and good clinical utility. These findings highlight the importance of early intervention for individuals with abdominal obesity to prevent future sarcopenic obesity, thereby reducing disease and social burdens and improving the quality of life for the elderly.
The editors of <em>OBM Geriatrics</em> would like to express their sincere gratitude to the following reviewers for assessing manuscripts in 2023. We greatly appreciate the contribution of expert reviewers, which is crucial to the journal’s editorial process. We aim to recognize reviewer contributions through several mechanisms, of which the annual publication of reviewer names is one. Reviewers can download a certificate of recognition directly from our submission system. Additionally, reviewers can sign up to the Web of Science Reviewer Recognition Service (formerly Publons) (<a href="https://webofscience.com/wos/">https://webofscience.com/wos/</a>) to receive recognition. Of course, in these initiatives we are careful not to compromise reviewer confidentiality. Many reviewers see their work as a voluntary and often unseen part of their role as researchers. We are grateful to the time reviewers donate to our journals and the contribution they make.
Pei-Iun Hsieh, Te-Hsuan Huang, Jeng-Min Chiou
et al.
The Taiwan Initiative for Geriatric Epidemiological Research (TIGER) was founded in 2011 to elucidate the interrelationships among various predictors of global and domain-specific cognitive impairment, with the aim of identifying older adults with an increased risk of dementia in the preclinical phase. TIGER, a population-based prospective cohort, recruited 605 and 629 (total of 1,234) older adults (aged 65 and above) at baseline (2011-2013 and 2019-2022) of phase I and II, respectively. Participants have undergone structured questionnaires, global and domain-specific cognitive assessments, physical exams, and biological specimen collections at baseline and biennial follow-ups to date. By 2022, TIGER I has included 4 biennial follow-ups, with the participants comprising 53.9% female and having a mean age of 73.2 years at baseline. After an 8-year follow-up, the annual attrition rate was 6.1%, reflecting a combination of 9.9% of participants who passed away and 36.2% who dropped out. TIGER has published novel and multidisciplinary research on cognitive-related outcomes in older adults, including environmental exposures (indoor and ambient air pollution), multimorbidity, sarcopenia, frailty, biomarkers (brain and retinal images, renal and inflammatory markers), and diet. TIGER’s meticulous design, multidisciplinary data, and novel findings elucidate the complex etiology of cognitive impairment and frailty, offering valuable insights into factors that can be used to predict and prevent dementia in the preclinical phase.
Abstract The correlation between dysregulation of splicing and cancers has been increasingly recognised and confirmed. The identification of valuable alternative splicing (AS) in pancreatic head cancer (PHC) has a great significance. AS profiles in PHC were generated using the data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and TCGASpliceSeq. Then, the NMF clustering method was performed to identify overall survival‐associated AS (OS‐AS) subtypes in PHC patients. Subsequently, we used least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression analysis to construct an AS‐related risk model. The splicing regulatory network was uncovered by Cytoscape 3.7. A total of 1694 OS‐AS events were obtained. The PHC patients were divided into clusters 1 and 2. Cluster 1 had poorer prognosis and lower infiltration of immune cells. Subsequently, a prognostic signature was established that showed good performance in predicting OS and progression‐free survival. The risk score of this signature was associated with the unique tumour immunity. Moreover, a nomogram incorporating the risk score and clinicopathological parameters was established. Finally, a splicing factor‐AS regulatory network was developed. A comprehensive analysis of the AS events in PHC associated with prognosis and tumour immunity may help provide reliable information to guide individual treatment strategies.
Dongmei Wang,1 Yimei Yang2 1Department of Radiology, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yimei Yang, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, #20 Xisi Road, Nantong, 226001, People’s Republic of China, Email yimeiyangjs@126.comBackground: Vitamin D status is indicated by serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels, and the positive effects of high levels of vitamin D on bone mineral density (BMD) have not been ascertained. Therefore, we performed a study to analyze the association between serum 25(OH)D levels and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Multiple logistic regression was used to explore the relationship between serum 25(OH)D and osteoporosis of total femur, femoral neck and lumbar spine, with stratified analyses for age (< 65 and ≥ 65 years), BMI (< 25, 25 to < 30, ≥ 30 kg/m2) and survey months (winter months and summer months).Results: In total, 2058 participants were enrolled in our study. In the fully adjusted model, compared with serum 25(OH)D levels < 50 nmol/L, the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of serum 25(OH)D 50–< 75 nmol/L and ≥ 75 nmol/L were 0.274 (0.138, 0.544) and 0.374 (0.202, 0.693) in osteoporosis of total femur, 0.537 (0.328, 0.879) and 0.583 (0.331, 1.026) in osteoporosis of femoral neck, and 0.614 (0.357, 1.055) and 0.627 (0.368, 1.067) in osteoporosis of lumbar spine, respectively. The protective effect of high 25(OH)D was observed at all three skeletal sites in those ≥ 65 years of age, whereas it was observed only in the total femur in those < 65 years of age.Conclusion: In conclusion, adequate vitamin D may reduce the risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women in the United States, especially in those aged 65 years and older. More attention should be given to serum 25 (OH) D levels to prevent osteoporosis.Keywords: 25-hydroxyvitamin D, osteoporosis, bone mineral density, postmenopausal women, NHANES
Background: Despite the increasing proportion of the elderly population, renal biopsies are restricted to few centers. We studied the elderly renal biopsy data from a tertiary care center in South India. Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational study was done in patients more than 60 years of age who underwent native kidney biopsy for various clinical indications from January 2014 to June 2022 and was compared with the renal pathology data of adults 18–60 years of age who underwent native kidney biopsy for various indications during the same study. Results: Hundred and five (n = 105) elderly biopsies were included in the study. The mean age was 65.7 years (interquartile range: 60–85 years). Forty-two (40%) were type 2 diabetics. Infection-related glomerulonephritis (IRGN) (20, 19.04%), acute tubular necrosis (ATN) (15, 14.28%), membranous nephropathy (11, 10.47%), and acute interstitial nephritis (10, 9.52%) were the common pathologies observed in the elderly. The most common indication for renal biopsy was rapidly progressive renal failure (RPRF) (n = 28, 26.6%) and IRGN was the most common cause of RPRF. 76.2% of diabetics had nondiabetic renal disease, the most common being IRGN (8, 25%). Crescentic glomerulonephritis (GN), ATN, and cast nephropathy were observed significantly more frequent in the elderly than in those 18–60 years of age. IRGN and pauci-immune vasculitis were the causes of crescentic GN in the elderly. Conclusion: Our study highlights the importance of IRGN as the most frequent pathology in the South Indian elderly population both in diabetics and nondiabetics.
Melinda C. Power ScD, Victoria Willens MPH, Christina Prather MD
et al.
Diagnostic delay in dementia is common in the U.S. Drivers of diagnostic delay are poorly understood, but appear related to misconceptions about dementia, stigma, concerns about autonomy, the nature of the diagnostic process, and provider-related factors. There is little quantitative evidence underlying cited risks and benefits of receiving a diagnosis around the time of dementia onset, including impacts on physical health, impacts on mental health, care partner interactions, costs of care, increased time for care planning, or earlier access to treatment. While various groups continue to push for reductions in diagnostic delay, realization of benefits and mitigation of harms will require new research on potential benefits and harms. Workforce and resource constraints, coupled with the expected growth in the number of persons living with dementia, may be a barrier to realization of potential benefits and mitigation of identified harms, which will require adequate access to providers, services, and supports.
Abstract Good's syndrome is an acquired combined T‐ and B‐cell immunodeficiencies and patients are prone to opportunistic infections. The diagnosis is based on a characteristic immunoglobulin and lymphocyte subset profile, with clinical features of thymoma. Despite thymectomy, the immunodeficiencies persist and lifelong immunoglobulin replacement is necessary to prevent infections.
Natasja M. van Schoor, Erik J. Timmermans, Martijn Huisman
et al.
Abstract Background Resilience refers to the process in which people function well despite adversity. Persistent severe pain may be considered an adversity in people with lower limb osteoarthritis (LLOA). The objectives of this study are: (1) to identify what proportion of older adults with LLOA and persistent severe pain show good functioning; and (2) to explore predictors of resilience. Methods Data from the European Project on OSteoArthritis (EPOSA) were used involving standardized data from six European population-based cohort studies. LLOA is defined as clinical knee and/or hip osteoarthritis. Persistent severe pain is defined as the highest tertile of the pain subscale of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index both at baseline and follow-up. Resilience is defined as good physical, mental or social functioning at follow-up despite having LLOA with persistent severe pain. Results In total, 95 (14.9%) out of 638 individuals with LLOA had persistent severe pain. Among these, 10 (11.0%), 54 (57.4%) and 49 (53.8%) had good physical, mental and social functioning, respectively. Only 4 individuals (4.5%) were resilient in all three domains of functioning. Younger age, male sex, higher education, higher mastery, smoking and alcohol use, higher physical activity levels, absence of chronic diseases, and more contacts with friends predicted resilience in one or more domains of functioning. Conclusions Few people with LLOA and persistent severe pain showed good physical functioning and about half showed good mental or social functioning. Predictors of resilience differed between domains, and might provide new insights for treatment.
S. E. de Boer, J. S.F. Sanders, F. J. Bemelman
et al.
Abstract Background In 2019, more than 30 % of all newly transplanted kidney transplant recipients in The Netherlands were above 65 years of age. Elderly patients are less prone to rejection, and death censored graft loss is less frequent compared to younger recipients. Elderly recipients do have increased rates of malignancy and infection-related mortality. Poor kidney transplant function in elderly recipients may be related to both pre-existing (i.e. donor-derived) kidney damage and increased susceptibility to nephrotoxicity of calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) in kidneys from older donors. Hence, it is pivotal to shift the focus from prevention of rejection to preservation of graft function and prevention of over-immunosuppression in the elderly. The OPTIMIZE study will test the hypothesis that reduced CNI exposure in combination with everolimus will lead to better kidney transplant function, a reduced incidence of complications and improved health-related quality of life for kidney transplant recipients aged 65 years and older, compared to standard immunosuppression. Methods This open label, randomized, multicenter clinical trial will include 374 elderly kidney transplant recipients (≥ 65 years) and consists of two strata. Stratum A includes elderly recipients of a kidney from an elderly deceased donor and stratum B includes elderly recipients of a kidney from a living donor or from a deceased donor < 65 years. In each stratum, subjects will be randomized to a standard, tacrolimus-based immunosuppressive regimen with mycophenolate mofetil and glucocorticoids or an adapted immunosuppressive regimen with reduced CNI exposure in combination with everolimus and glucocorticoids. The primary endpoint is ‘successful transplantation’, defined as survival with a functioning graft and an eGFR ≥ 30 ml/min per 1.73 m2 in stratum A and ≥ 45 ml/min per 1.73 m2 in stratum B, after 2 years, respectively. Conclusions The OPTIMIZE study will help to determine the optimal immunosuppressive regimen after kidney transplantation for elderly patients and the cost-effectiveness of this regimen. It will also provide deeper insight into immunosenescence and both subjective and objective outcomes after kidney transplantation in elderly recipients. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03797196 , registered January 9th, 2019. EudraCT: 2018-003194-10, registered March 19th, 2019.
Lior Rennert, Corey A. Kalbaugh, Christopher McMahan
et al.
Abstract Background Several American universities have experienced COVID-19 outbreaks, risking the health of their students, employees, and local communities. Such large outbreaks have drained university resources and forced several institutions to shift to remote learning and send students home, further contributing to community disease spread. Many of these outbreaks can be attributed to the large numbers of active infections returning to campus, alongside high-density social events that typically take place at the semester start. In the absence of effective mitigation measures (e.g., high-frequency testing), a phased return of students to campus is a practical intervention to minimize the student population size and density early in the semester, reduce outbreaks, preserve institutional resources, and ultimately help mitigate disease spread in communities. Methods We develop dynamic compartmental SARS-CoV-2 transmission models to assess the impact of a phased reopening, in conjunction with pre-arrival testing, on minimizing on-campus outbreaks and preserving university resources (measured by isolation bed capacity). We assumed an on-campus population of N = 7500, 40% of infected students require isolation, 10 day isolation period, pre-arrival testing removes 90% of incoming infections, and that phased reopening returns one-third of the student population to campus each month. We vary the disease reproductive number (R t ) between 1.5 and 3.5 to represent the effectiveness of alternative mitigation strategies throughout the semester. Results Compared to pre-arrival testing only or neither intervention, phased reopening with pre-arrival testing reduced peak active infections by 3 and 22% (R t = 1.5), 22 and 29% (R t = 2.5), 41 and 45% (R t = 3.5), and 54 and 58% (improving R t ), respectively. Required isolation bed capacity decreased between 20 and 57% for values of R t ≥ 2.5. Conclusion Unless highly effective mitigation measures are in place, a reopening with pre-arrival testing substantially reduces peak number of active infections throughout the semester and preserves university resources compared to the simultaneous return of all students to campus. Phased reopenings allow institutions to ensure sufficient resources are in place, improve disease mitigation strategies, or if needed, preemptively move online before the return of additional students to campus, thus preventing unnecessary harm to students, institutional faculty and staff, and local communities.
Phosphatase and tensin homologs deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) is a potent tumor suppressor and often dysregulated in cancers. Cellular PTEN activity is restrained by the oxidation of active-site cysteine by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Recovery of its enzymatic activity predominantly depends on the availability of cellular thioredoxin (Trx) and peroxiredoxins (Prx), both are important players in cell signaling. Trx and Prx undergo redox-dependent conformational changes through the oxidation of cysteine residues at their active sites. Their dynamics are essential for protein functionality and regulation. In this review, we summarized the recent advances regarding the redox regulation of PTEN, with a specific focus on our current state-of-the-art understanding of the redox regulation of PTEN. We also proposed a tight association of the redox regulation of PTEN with Trx dimerization and Prx hyperoxidation, providing guidance for the identification of novel therapeutic targets.
Evelyn Ning Man Cheung, Sophiya Benjamin, George Heckman
et al.
Abstract Background Nursing home residents are frail, have multiple medical comorbidities, and are at high risk for delirium. Most of the existing evidence base on delirium is derived from studies in the acute in-patient population. We examine the association between clinical characteristics and medication use with the incidence of delirium during the nursing home stay. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study of 1571 residents from 12 nursing homes operated by a single care provider in Ontario, Canada. Residents were over the age of 55 and admitted between February 2010 and December 2015 with no baseline delirium and a minimum stay of 180 days. Residents with moderate or worse cognitive impairment at baseline were excluded. The baseline and follow-up characteristics of residents were collected from the Resident Assessment Instrument-Minimal Data Set 2.0 completed at admission and repeated quarterly until death or discharge. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify characteristics and medication use associated with the onset of delirium. Results The incidence of delirium was 40.4% over the nursing home stay (mean LOS: 32 months). A diagnosis of dementia (OR: 2.54, p < .001), the presence of pain (OR: 1.64, p < .001), and the use of antipsychotics (OR: 1.87, p < .001) were significantly associated with the onset of delirium. Compared to residents who did not develop delirium, residents who developed a delirium had a greater increase in the use of antipsychotics and antidepressants over the nursing home stay. Conclusions Dementia, the presence of pain, and the use of antipsychotics were associated with the onset of delirium. Pain monitoring and treatment may be important to decrease delirium in nursing homes. Future studies are necessary to examine the prescribing patterns in nursing homes and their association with delirium.
Background Recent studies have shown that long noncoding RNA (IncRNA) gastric carcinoma highly expressed transcript 1 (GHET1) was involved in the progression of tumors. However, the role of GHET1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unclear. Methods The expression of IncRNA GHET1 was examined in 55 paired ESCC tissues and adjacent nontumor tissues. Molecular and cellular techniques were used to explore the role of GHET1 on ESCC cells. Results Our data showed that GHET1 expression was significantly increased in ESCC tissues and cell lines. High GHET1 expression in ESCC tissues was significantly associated with poor differentiation, advanced tumor nodes metastasis stage, and lymph node metastasis. GHET1 showed high sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing ESCC. Our data from in vitro assays showed that GHET1 inhibition suppressed ESCC cells proliferation, migration, and invasion, and induced cells apoptosis. Furthermore, western blot showed that GHET1 inhibition significantly decreased the expression of vimentin and N-cadherin while it increased the expression of E-cadherin. Conclusions Our study indicates that GHET1 acts as an oncogene in ESCC and may represent a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of ESCC patients.
Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens
Manisha Kalpesh Gohel, Jashbhai B. Prajapati, Sreeja V. Mudgal
et al.
Introduction: Probiotics are live microorganisms which when
administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on
the host. Sufficient calcium intake has been reported to support
bone growth and prevent bone loss during the ageing process.
Aim: To determine the effect of Lactobacillus helveticus MTCC
5463 probiotic dietary intervention on serum calcium &
haematological parameters in geriatric population.
Materials and Methods: Healthy volunteers with age ranging
from 64-74 years were recruited from the nearby residential
areas in and around Anand, Gujarat. Study duration was from
2012 to 2015. Of the 112 subjects initially enrolled in the trial, 36
withdrew before the intervention because of not matching with
criterias. Of the 76 participants, 5 subjects (4%) under test group
and 12 subjects (11%) under placebo left the study. We had
59 subjects who successfully completed a double blind cross
over trial. Probiotic fermented milk products (in form of “Lassi”)
was prepared by supplementing toned milk with honey and
fermenting with probiotic Lactobacillus helveticus MTCC 5463
and Streptococcus thermophilus MTCC 5460. The final product
had at least 108
CFU/ml of viable Lactobacillus helveticus MTCC
5463 at the time of feeding. During feeding period, 200 ml of
fermented product containing the test strain to one group and
a similar product but without the test strain as placebo were
fed regularly at the time of breakfast in morning for 4 weeks.
Subjects of each group were given a washout period of 4 weeks
before they were crossed over and included to the other group.
The study was approved by institutional ethics committee.
Results: The socio-demographic and clinical profiles were
similar at baseline. The mean (SD) calcium level improved
significantly in test {9.36 (0.45) vs 8.45 (0.61), p<0.001}. No
significant effect was observed with respect to haemoglobin &
haematological parameters.
Conclusion: The well-documented probiotic Lactobacillus
helveticus MTCC 5463 confirmed increase in serum calcium level
but no effect on haematological parameters when administered
to geriatrics.
Masoumeh Mahmoodi, Parvaneh Mohammad Khani, Bagher Ghobari Banab
et al.
Objectives: Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive and degenerative disease of the brain that severely damages the thinking and memory functions of human beings. This disease is the most common form of dementia, which comprises a set of signs and symptoms such as loss of memory, judgment, and reasoning that subsequently changes the attitude, behavior, and communication ability. Taking care of people with Alzheimer’s disease can become very stressful for their families. Group cognitivebehavioral therapy has played an important role in teaching how to use compatible coping strategies. Thus, this research aimed to investigate the effectiveness of group cognitive-behavioral therapy on strategies for coping with stress of family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
Methods & Materials: This research was conducted using a quasi-experimental design. The study sample comprised 32 voluntary caregivers as per Iran's Alzheimer Community Care in 2011. They were selected by convenience sampling method and were randomly assigned into experimental and control groups. We used the questionnaire of coping inventory with stressful situations (CISS), which was completed before group therapy and after the treatment course in 3 stages of pretest, posttest, and follow-up. Data analysis was performed by analysis of covariance, multivariate analysis of covariance, and repeated measures.
Results: The results showed that the components of compatible strategies (problem-oriented and social entertainment) in the experimental group were significantly increased compared to pretest and control group due to cognitive-behavioral therapy (P=0.001). However, the components of incompatible strategies (emotionoriented and attention processing) due to cognitive-behavioral therapy was significantly decreased in the experimental group compared to the pretest and control group (P=0.001). The results of repeated measuring plan between 3 stages of pretest, posttest, and follow-up showed that the effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy on increasing compatible coping style (problem-oriented and social entertainment) and decreasing incompatible coping style (emotion-oriented and attention processing) as well as the effect of intergroup actions and repetition were significant. There was also a significant difference between experimental group and control group. With regard to the above-mentioned results, cognitive-behavioral group therapy could have significant effects on increasing use of coping strategies with compatible stress and decreasing use of coping strategies with incompatible stress in the family members of Alzheimer’s patients. Moreover, the time factor was ineffective in lowering the effect of cognitive-behavioral therapy from posttest to follow-up period.
Conclusion: Based on the results, the group cognitive-behavioral therapy can increase the use of compatible strategies for coping with stress and decrease the use of incompatible strategies. This issue is related to factors such as complete understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and its effects, creating an atmosphere for presentation and an opportunity for social interaction, understanding the importance of sport and allocating time for recreational activities, learning body relaxation in stressful situations, understanding life problems, solving problem techniques, feeling of control, and time management. Thus, we recommend using group cognitivebehavioral therapy as a low-cost treatment for family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s and patients with chronic diseases.
Xue Bai,1,2 Daniel WH Ho,2 Karen Fung,3 Lily Tang,3 Moon He,3 Kim Wan Young,4 Florence Ho,2 Timothy Kwok2,5 1Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong; 2Jockey Club Centre for Positive Ageing, Shatin, Hong Kong; 3Hong Chi Association, Hong Kong; 4Department of Social Work, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong; 5Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong Objective: This study examines the effectiveness of a life story work program (LSWp) in older adults with mild-to-moderate levels of intellectual disability (ID). Methods: Using a quasiexperimental design, this study assigned 60 older adults who were between 50–90 years old with mild-to-moderate levels of ID to receive either the LSWp (intervention group, N=32) or usual activities (control group, N=28) during a period of 6 months. Evaluation was made based on the outcomes assessed by the Mood Interest and Pleasure Questionnaire, the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, and the Personal Well-being Index – ID. Results and conclusion: LSWp shows potential for improving the quality of life and preventing the loss of interest and pleasure in older adults with ID. It also shows promise in enhancing their socialization skills. Patients with better communication abilities seemed to benefit more from the LSWp. Keywords: life story work, life story book, intellectual disabilities, older adults, effectiveness