Fasting-mimicking diet cycles reduce neuroinflammation to attenuate cognitive decline in Alzheimer's models.

The effects of fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) cycles in reducing many aging and disease risk factors indicate it could affect Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we show that FMD cycles reduce cognitive decline and AD pathology in E4FAD and 3xTg AD mouse models, with effects superior to those caused by protein restriction cycles. In 3xTg mice, long-term FMD cycles reduce hippocampal Aβ load and hyperphosphorylated tau, enhance genesis of neural stem cells, decrease microglia number, and reduce expression of neuroinflammatory genes, including superoxide-generating NADPH oxidase (Nox2).

Management of Opioid-Induced Constipation and Bowel Dysfunction: Expert Opinion of an Italian Multidisciplinary Panel.

The prescribing and use of opioid analgesics is increasing in Italy owing to a profusion in the number and types of opioid analgesic products available, and the increasing prevalence of conditions associated with severe pain, the latter being related to population aging. Herein we provide the expert opinion of an Italian multidisciplinary panel on the management of opioid-induced constipation (OIC) and bowel dysfunction. OIC and opioid-induced bowel dysfunction are well-recognised unwanted effects of treatment with opioid analgesics that can profoundly affect quality of life.

Fasting-mimicking diet and hormone therapy induce breast cancer regression.

Approximately 75% of all breast cancers express the oestrogen and/or progesterone receptors. Endocrine therapy is usually effective in these hormone-receptor-positive tumours, but primary and acquired resistance limits its long-term benefit. Here we show that in mouse models of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer, periodic fasting or a fasting-mimicking diet enhances the activity of the endocrine therapeutics tamoxifen and fulvestrant by lowering circulating IGF1, insulin and leptin and by inhibiting AKT-mTOR signalling via upregulation of EGR1 and PTEN.

Comprehensive geriatric assessment in older adults with cancer: Recommendations by the Italian Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology (SIGG).

Introduction: Optimizing the approach to older adults with cancer is now a priority given the increasing frequency of new cancer diagnoses that are made in the older population. The comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) represents the gold-standard for (1) defining prognosis and ability to withstand cancer treatments, (2) exploring the multiple aspects that define the complexity of frail older persons, and (3) designing person-tailored interventions.

Materials And Methods: In this document, based on a comprehensive revision of the literature, the Italian Society for Geriatrics and Gerontology proposes a CGA model (ONCOGER CGA) to be adopted by oncology centers for their routine approach to older patients with cancer.

Social vulnerability underlying disability amongst older adults: A systematic review.

Background: Older adults face radical changes in their social life during ageing, dealing with several age-related social adaptations. The aim of this review is to systematically explore the literature on social vulnerability (SV) and its association with functional decline activity of daily living (ADL)/instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) as an endpoint in older adults.

Methods: We searched for relevant studies in three different databases: PubMed, Ovid Medline and PsychInfo.

Development of a predictor of one-year mortality in older patients with cancer by geriatric and oncologic parameters.

Objectives: More than 60% of the new cancer diagnoses are currently made in older adults, a highly heterogeneous population. Reliable and time-saving tools to define older adults' prognosis are needed to inform the oncologist's decisions in routine clinical practice. We sought to define a multi-domain classification tool for the prediction of all-cause one-year mortality in a cohort of older adults with solid tumors.

Nutrients in the Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a disease caused by the complex interaction of multiple mechanisms, some of which are still not fully understood. To date, pharmacological treatments and supplementation of individual nutrients have been poorly effective in terms of the prevention and treatment of AD, while alternative strategies based on multimodal approaches (diet, exercise, and cognitive training) seem to be more promising. In this context, the focus on dietary patterns rather than on single food components could be more useful in preventing or counteracting the pathological processes typical of AD, thanks to the potential synergistic effects of various nutrients (neuronutrients).

Behavioral Disturbances in Dementia and Beyond: Time for a New Conceptual Frame?

Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia are estimated to be the most common causes of dementia, although mixed dementia could represent the most prevalent form of dementia in older adults aged more than 80 years. Behavioral disturbances are common in the natural history of dementia. However, so far, there is a paucity of studies that investigated the causal association between behavioral psychological symptoms of dementia and dementia sub-types, due to the high heterogeneity of methodology, study design and type of clinical assessment.

Frontal Variant of Alzheimer's Disease: A Report of a Novel PSEN1 Mutation.

Alzheimer's disease may mimic frontotemporal dementia. We describe a case of presenile dementia who presented with peudo-psychotic symptoms carrying a PSEN1 mutation (P355 S), which was not known to be pathogenic. PET-FDG showed bilateral frontotemporal hypometabolism, but at MRI, multiple microbleeds were detected, suggestive of amyloid angiopathy.

Effects of the Dietary Inclusion of Partially Defatted Black Soldier Fly () Meal on the Blood Chemistry and Tissue (Spleen, Liver, Thymus, and Bursa of Fabricius) Histology of Muscovy Ducks ().

The present study has evaluated the effects of dietary partially-defatted black soldier fly (BSF; L.) larva meal on the blood parameters, antioxidant status, and histological features of the organs of broiler ducks. A total of 192 female 3-days of age Muscovy ducklings () were divided into four dietary treatments (0%, 3%, 6%, and 9% BSF meal inclusion; 6 pens/treatment, 8 birds/pen).

Frailty assessment in elective gastrointestinal oncogeriatric surgery: Predictors of one-year mortality and functional status.

Objectives: Perioperative frailty assessment is still a challenge, especially in oncogeriatrics. We aimed at assessing the diagnostic accuracy of the 40 items Frailty Index (FI) as compared to the comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) for the prediction of one-year mortality and functional status after colorectal surgery in old-age subjects.

Material And Methods: Ninety-nine consecutive patients aged 65 years or older who were candidate for elective gastrointestinal cancer surgery, with G8 score ≤ 14 were enrolled and subjected to CGA and to frailty stratification according to the 40-items FI.

Cachexia and advanced dementia.

Cachexia is a complex metabolic process that is associated with several end-stage organ diseases. It is known to be also associated with advanced dementia, although the pathophysiologic mechanisms are still largely unknown. The present narrative review is aimed at presenting recent insights concerning the pathophysiology of weight loss and wasting syndrome in dementia, the putative mechanisms involved in the dysregulation of energy balance, and the interplay among the chronic clinical conditions of sarcopenia, malnutrition, and frailty in the elderly.

Resistin: A reappraisal.

From a biological point of view, aging can be considered a progressive inability of an organism to react to stress, maintain homeostasis, and survive unfavourable changes during post-maturational life. The expression of several adipokines changes during aging and for some changes, a role in the onset of chronic disease and frailty has been proposed. Among adipokines, resistin was shown in recent studies to play a key role in aging.

Predictive values of two frailty screening tools in older patients with solid cancer: a comparison of SAOP2 and G8.

Objectives: Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA), the gold standard for detecting frailty in elderly cancer patients, is time-consuming and hard to apply in routine clinical practice. Here we compared the performance of two screening tools for frailty, G8 and SAOP2 for their accuracy in identifying vulnerable patients.

Material And Methods: We tested G8 and SAOP2 in 282 patients aged 65 or older with a diagnosis of solid cancer and candidate to undergo surgical, medical and/or radiotherapy treatment.

Dickkopf-1 (Dkk-1) serum levels in systemic sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis patients: correlation with the Trabecular Bone Score (TBS).

The aim of this research was to determine any correlations between Dickkopf-1 serum levels (Dkk-1, a natural inhibitor of the Wnt signaling pathway promoting osteoclastogenesis) and the Trabecular Bone Score (TBS), in systemic sclerosis (SSc) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. It also aimed at determining any difference in Dkk-1 serum levels between SSc and RA patients and a control group (CNT) of healthy subjects. A prospective study was carried out in 60 SSc and 60 RA patients and 60 CNT.

The In-Hospital Length of Stay after Hip Fracture in Octogenarians: Do Delirium and Dementia Shape a New Care Process?

Background: Hip fracture is a major health problem and a patient's biological age, comorbidity, and cognitive vulnerability have an impact on its related outcomes. Length of stay (LOS) for these highly vulnerable patients is rather long and the possible causes have not been clearly identified yet.

Objective: We aimed to assess the main clinical factors associated with protracted LOS, focusing on delirium with or without dementia in older age hip fractured patients.

Investigation of hallmarks of carbonyl stress and formation of end products in feline chronic kidney disease as markers of uraemic toxins.

Objectives: Cats are commonly affected by chronic kidney disease (CKD). Many reactive carbonyl intermediates and end products originating from the oxidative stress pathways are recognised as uraemic toxins and may play a role in CKD progression. The aim of the present study is to confirm whether carbonyl end-product formation is higher in cats affected by CKD and to assess whether an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi) might affect these hallmarks.

Correlation between bone quality and microvascular damage in systemic sclerosis patients.

Objectives: SSc patients are recognized as presenting an increased risk of altered bone mass. The aim of this study was to assess the bone quality, by trabecular bone score (TBS), in SSc patients in correlation with different levels of microvascular damage, as evaluated by nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC), and to compare the results regarding bone quality with RA patients and healthy subjects (CNT).

Methods: Eighty-four SSc patients, 98 RA patients and 60 CNT, were studied.

Pectin-honey hydrogel: Characterization, antimicrobial activity and biocompatibility.

Background: Novel pectin-honey hydrogels have been developed and characterized as medical device. Ideally, a wound dressing should maintain optimal fluid affinity, permit moisture evaporation, protect the wound from microbes, and have shape-conformability, biocompatibility, and antibacterial activity.

Objective: A novel, simple and fast method to produce pectin-honey wound dressings is described.

Delirium, Frailty, and Fast-Track Surgery in Oncogeriatrics: Is There a Link?

Background/aims: Postoperative delirium (POD) is more frequent in elderly patients undergoing major cancer surgery. The interplay between individual clinical vulnerability and a series of perioperative factors seems to play a relevant role. Surgery is the first-line treatment option for cancer, and fast-track surgery (FTS) has been documented to decrease postoperative complications.

Validation of the Photography Method for Nutritional Intake Assessment in Hospitalized Elderly Subjects.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to validate the photographic indirect method as an accurate and specific tool to assess nutritional intake in a cohort of elderly hospitalized patients.

Design: this is a prospective observational study.

Setting: hospital (geriatric acute ward and transitional care of IRCCSS AUO San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy).