Astragaloside IV inhibits vascular calcification through estrogen receptor alpha.

Astragaloside IV (As-IV), a key component of traditional Japanese Hozai tonics, has a steroid skeleton like estrogen. It inhibits vascular calcification via estrogen receptor α, offering cardiovascular benefits. However, its estrogen-like properties promote breast cancer cell proliferation.

Effects of a high-phosphate diet on vascular calcification and abdominal aortic aneurysm in mice.

Aim: Vascular aging is an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, including abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and pathological aortic dilatation, playing a critical role in the morbidity and mortality of older adults. Vascular calcification, a phenotype of vascular aging, is frequently associated with AAA. However, this association remains unclear owing to the lack of animal models.

Medical care priorities of community-dwelling older adults according to three dimensions of quality of life: Quality of daily living, satisfaction and happiness from birth to death, and human vitality.

Aim: Although the maintenance and improvement of quality of life (QoL) through holistic care are important in geriatric medical care, care priorities might differ depending on three essential aspects of QoL: the quality of daily living, satisfaction and happiness from birth to death, and human vitality, which are "Seikatsu," "Jinsei," "Seimei" in Japanese, respectively. We aimed to clarify these priorities in terms of medical care and examined how the definitions of QoL affected these priorities' rankings.

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved community-dwelling older adults aged ≥65 years living in Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan.

Multifaceted well-being experienced by community dwelling older adults engaged in volunteering activities of frailty prevention in Japan.

Aim: This study aims to elucidate what volunteering activities mean for older adults in Japan by analyzing their emotions and evaluations from hedonic (e.g., happiness), eudaimonic (e.

AXL signal mediates adaptive resistance to KRAS G12C inhibitors in KRAS G12C-mutant tumor cells.

Recently, novel Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) inhibitors have been clinically developed to treat KRAS G12C-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. However, achieving complete tumor remission is challenging. Therefore, the optimal combined therapeutic intervention with KRAS G12C inhibitors has a potentially crucial role in the clinical outcomes of patients.

Association of coexistence of frailty and depressive symptoms with mortality in community-dwelling older adults: Kashiwa Cohort Study.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the longitudinal associations of the coexistence of frailty and depressive symptoms with mortality among older adults.

Methods: The study participants were community-dwelling older adults aged ≥65 years who participated in the baseline survey of the Kashiwa Cohort Study in Japan in 2012. We used Fried's frailty phenotype criteria to classify participants as non-frail (score = 0), pre-frail (1 or 2), or frail (≥3).

Impact of the anti-inflammatory diet on serum high-sensitivity C-Reactive protein and new-onset frailty in community-dwelling older adults: A 7-year follow-up of the Kashiwa cohort study.

Aim: Chronic inflammation is a pathophysiological cause of age-related diseases, including frailty. Although diet is a determinant of inflammation, few prospective studies have investigated its role in frailty onset. This study used the dietary inflammatory index to investigate whether a proinflammatory diet affects the incidence of frailty in a 7-year follow-up of older Japanese adults.

Relationship between a gum-chewing routine and oral, physical, and cognitive functions of community-dwelling older adults: A Kashiwa cohort study.

Aim: As associations between oral function and general health have been reported in community-dwelling older adults, easily implementable preventive measures are urgently required. We focused on the health benefits of gum chewing, as no studies have been carried out on the impact of gum-chewing routines on the health of older adults. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine whether the gum-chewing routine is associated with oral, physical and cognitive functions in community-dwelling older adults.

Integrated effects of nutrition-related, physical, and social factors on frailty among community-dwelling older adults: A 7-year follow-up from the Kashiwa cohort study.

Aim: To investigate the impact of nutrition-related, physical, and social factors as well as their transitions on frailty over a 7-year follow-up period among community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: Participants were 868 non-frail older adults. Frailty was assessed using the Cardiovascular Health Study index.

Validity of a simple self-reported questionnaire "Eleven-Check" for screening of frailty in Japanese community-dwelling older adults: Kashiwa cohort study.

Purpose: Frailty was indicated to be closely related to older adults' lifestyles, especially in nutrition-related factors (such as balanced diet and oral functions), physical factors, and social factors in our previous study. Here, we developed an "Eleven-Check" (EC) questionnaire containing the aforementioned three factors. This study tested whether the EC questionnaire can estimate frailty in community-dwelling older adults.

The Co-Design/Co-Development and Evaluation of an Online Frailty Check Application for Older Adults: Participatory Action Research with Older Adults.

Frailty is an age-related condition characterized by a decline in physical capacity with an increased vulnerability to stressors. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was considerable progression in frailty in older adults. Therefore, an online frailty check (FC) is required for continuous screening, especially acceptable to older adults.

Polypharmacy with potentially inappropriate medications as a risk factor of new onset sarcopenia among community-dwelling Japanese older adults: a 9-year Kashiwa cohort study.

Background: Clinical evidence demonstrating a longitudinal association between prescribed medications and sarcopenia onset is lacking. We investigated the association of polypharmacy (the use of five or more medications) and potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) with sarcopenia risk in community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: In this longitudinal population-based cohort study, 2,044 older residents with no long-term care needs were randomly selected from a community in Kashiwa, Japan.

Oral frailty as a risk factor for mild cognitive impairment in community-dwelling older adults: Kashiwa study.

Background: Oral frailty is defined as a slight decline in comprehensive oral function and can predict the onset of adverse health outcomes including morbidity in community-dwelling older adults. Previously, the number of remaining teeth and masticatory status had been suggested to be associated with cognitive decline. The effects of comprehensive oral condition on cognitive decline have not been adequately examined.

Associations of Nutrition-Related, Physical, and Social Factors and Their Combinations with Sarcopenia in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Kashiwa Cohort Study.

Background: Sarcopenia is a major cause of frailty, which relates to nutrition-related, physical, and social factors. In this study, we aimed to discuss the cross-sectional association of sarcopenia with the above three factors both individually and comprehensively.

Methods: Overall, 1257 older adults (≥65 years old) participated in this study.

Associations of multi-faceted factors and their combinations with frailty in Japanese community-dwelling older adults: Kashiwa cohort study.

Purpose: To investigate the cross-sectional associations of nutrition-related, physical, and social factors and their combinations with frailty in community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: The participants in this study were 1,161 adults (≥ 65 years). The outcome was frailty severity as assessed by the Cardiovascular Health Study index (score 0: no-frailty, score 1-2: pre-frailty, score ≥ 3: frailty).

Projecting prevalence of frailty and dementia and the economic cost of care in Japan from 2016 to 2043: a microsimulation modelling study.

Background: Dementia and frailty often accompany one another in older age, requiring complex care and resources. Available projections provide little information on their joint impact on future health-care need from different segments of society and the associated costs. Using a newly developed microsimulation model, we forecast this situation in Japan as its population ages and decreases in size.

Lower urinary tract symptoms and functional ability in older adults: a community-based cross-sectional study.

Objectives: Functional ability, or the ability to live actively in older age, is essential for healthy ageing. This study assessed the association between the five types of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and functional ability among community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years old).

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Impact of social engagement on the development of sarcopenia among community-dwelling older adults: A Kashiwa cohort study.

Aim: How older adults develop sarcopenia in the community setting is unclear. Focusing on social engagement, we aimed to validate our hypothesized model of sarcopenia development with various contributing factors, such as physical activity, oral function, psychological status and nutritional status. We also clarified direct and indirect effects of social engagement, physical activity, nutritional status, oral function and psychological status on new-onset sarcopenia.

Impact of Health Literacy on the Progression of Frailty after 4 Years among Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Health literacy (HL) promotes healthy lifestyle behaviors among older adults, and its relationship with frailty remains unclear. This study examined whether HL is a predictor of frailty progression among community-dwelling older adults. Data from two surveys conducted in 2012 and 2016 involving older residents (mean age, 71.

Association between inflammatory potential of the diet and sarcopenia/its components in community-dwelling older Japanese men.

Purpose: Chronic inflammation is a pathophysiological cause of age-related diseases including sarcopenia. However, limited data are available on the association between the diet-derived inflammation and sarcopenia. Here, using the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), we examined the associations between inflammatory potentials of the diet, sarcopenia/its components, and serum inflammatory markers.

Ginsenoside Rb1 inhibits vascular calcification as a selective androgen receptor modulator.

Ginsenoside Rb1 (Rb1), a major component of ginseng, has a steroidal chemical structure, implying that it exerts sex hormone-like actions. Recent studies have been suggested cardioprotective actions of Rb1. However, the actions of Rb1 in vascular calcification, one of the significant pathological features associated with aging and atherosclerosis, have not been examined.