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Natural and synthetic esters are increasingly being chosen instead of mineral oil for environmental and fire safety reasons. However, their use in power transformers is limited due to insufficiently well-understood ageing processes affecting their properties and the properties of cellulosic materials impregnated with them. The research results presented in many scientific papers prove that the use of esters slows the ageing process of cellulosic materials. This article presents the results of research aimed at answering the question of whether the effect of slowing the ageing process will also occur in the case of insulation with very low initial moisture. The answer to this question will allow us to better understand the role of water in the ageing process of the transformer's insulation system. The thermal ageing process was carried out at a temperature of 150 °C in closed systems. The degree of cellulose polymerisation was taken as a measure of the degree of paper ageing. Great attention was paid to measuring the water content in both paper and electro-insulating liquids at various stages of their ageing. Furthermore, measurements of the properties of electro-insulating liquids were made, which are considered markers of ageing. The test results obtained indicate that in the case of a dry insulation system, corresponding to the initial moisture of the new units, the type of liquid used to impregnate the cellulosic material does not significantly affect its depolymerisation process. However, in the case of paper impregnated with natural esters, a lower dynamic of moisture increase in insulation was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulation cellulose paper is a basic measure for a power transformer's remaining useful life, and its advantageous low cost, electrical, and mechanical properties have made it an extensive insulation system when impregnated in a dielectric liquid. Cellulose paper deteriorates as a result of ageing due to some chemical reactions like pyrolysis (heat), hydrolysis (moisture), and oxidation (oxygen) that affects its degree of polymerization. The condition analysis of cellulose paper has been a major concern since the collection of paper samples from an operational power transformer is almost impossible. However, some chemicals generated during cellulose paper deterioration, which were dissolved in dielectric liquid, have been used alternatively for this purpose as they show a direct correlation with the paper's degree of polymerization. Furthermore, online and non-destructive measurement of the degree of polymerization by optical sensors has been proposed recently but is yet to be available in the market and is yet generally acceptable. In mitigating the magnitude of paper deterioration, some ageing assessments have been proposed. Furthermore, researchers have successfully enhanced the insulating performance of oil-impregnated insulation paper by the addition of various types of nanoparticles. This study reviews the ageing assessment of oil-paper composite insulation and the effect of nanoparticles on tensile strength and electrical properties of oil-impregnated paper insulation. It includes not only significant tutorial elements but also some analyses, which open the door for further research on the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The insulation paper is a crucial factor for evaluating the insulation status of transformers. The traditional evaluation methods for insulation paper are dissolved gas component content analysis (CO and CO2) and furfural (2‐FAL) content analysis in oil. The detection principle of the former leads to its low accuracy, while the field application effect of the latter is not ideal due to the easy oxidation of furfural and low content. Methanol, result of its good stability and high production compared with other marker products (CO, CO2, 2‐FAL) has been investigated as a novel marker for aging evaluation of transformer insulating paper in recent years. The results of the investigation indicated that there is a good correlation between the content of methanol in oil and the degree of polymerization under laboratory conditions, which reflected the insulation aging state of the transformer insulating paper more accurately. This paper summarizes the current research status of methanol formation mechanism, detection methods and aging evaluation in insulating oil, and points out the key problems to be solved and development prospects, hoping to provide relevant reference for aging evaluation of oil immersed power transformer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposed a proof-of-concept methodology for the investigation of paper samples by utilizing ATR-FTIR spectroscopy supported by chemometric methods. An attempt on the analysis of aged writing papers due to the degradation of their chemical constituents with time has been made. The degradation of its constituents with time is directly linked to the age of the paper since its production. This further links the questioned document with the fraudster, and sometimes it becomes crucial information in the court of law to reach to conclusion. The present study offers a method to discriminate, and estimate the age of unknown writing paper. The statistical models like Curve Estimation (CE), multiple linear regressions (MLR), and partial least squares regression (PLSR), are built to predict the age of the papers. The maximum dating errors are in the CE model whereas, MLR and PLSR models show excellent age estimation of unknown paper with minimum error of ±5 days and ±3 days in actual and estimated date of artificial ageing respectively. The present methodology is expected to provide valuable insight for answering the queries related to the date/age of the suspected document documents/paper artefacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart, environmentally friendly alternatives, i.e., frankincense and rice starch, are recommended for usage in modern paper conservation processes during the re-sizing process treatments. Different concentrations of frankincense and rice starch were applied to paper samples before and after ageing. Multiple analysis methods were performed to ensure the effectiveness of these materials. Promising results were found, but at varying degrees according to the type and concentration of the materials. Scanning electron microscopy illustrated that the frankincense particles were completely absorbed into the cell walls after ageing. Results indicated that there was no considerable change in pH before and after treatment or ageing; the best results for decreasing the acidity utilized a treatment with a mixture of frankincense and rice starch in a 2 to 1 ratio (F2S1). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy illustrated an increased CH2 region and decreased OH stretching as a result of the bonds formed from the starch and crystals formed by frankincense, which agreed with the increased coating and strength of the paper fibers. The total color change values of all the treated samples after ageing were less than 4.5. Frankincense was found to provide strength in supporting wood fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With population ageing, frailty is an increasingly critical global health matter. Many studies have focused on physical aspects of frailty, but more recently on the psychosocial aspects of frailty. Within western societies frailty is often linked with fear and suffering. This paper outlines a previously understudied perspective; the spiritual dimension in frailty, bringing a holistic view to this complex condition. The paper presents the main findings of a mixed methods study that focused on the lived experience of older people, receiving high-level care living in residential care or at home. Participants (n = 25) were identified as being frail by staff of the residential aged care organisation, and confirmed by psychometric testing. The quantitative component of the study comprised a survey of psychometric measures of mental health, wellbeing and an index of activities of daily living. The qualitative component followed a phenomenological approach, using the Spiritual Tasks and Process of Ageing model (STPA) as a study framework. Analysis focused on the lived experience of participants and where they found meaning in their perceived vulnerability and through self-transcendence, with reports of things they found hardest in life, and inner strength forming the most important themes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Once discouraged or viewed as dangerous, Masters athletes are now seen as exemplars of how people should age. This paper qualitatively examines the sporting pathways, embodied experiences and the moral formation of ageing identities among 'young-old' athletes competing in the 16th Australian Masters Games. Held in regional Tasmania (Australia), the Games attracted over 5000 participants competing across 47 sports over an 8-day period. Contributing to a critical body of scholarship on Masters athletes, the paper shows that class and gender inequality shape processes of becoming and being a Masters athlete that are rarely acknowledged in the 'heroic ageing' accounts the participants narrate. Further, the paper develops a unique spatial perspective on Masters sport that recognises the potential of the Games to disrupt place-based stigma but also identifies its class dimensions both as a site of middle-class shame and consumer opportunity for affluent sports tourists. We draw upon Allen-Collinson's concept of 'intense embodiment' to spotlight the sensory pleasures, pain and injuries of training and competing as an older athlete but also as an important lens for analysing the construction of ageing moral identities that can stigmatise and exclude the inactive old. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractMany tourist cities rely on walking as form of slow travel to take in the destination. Venice, the case study for this paper, is a distinct ‘walking city’, scripted into its cultural landscape along with its visitor crowds. As in other historical cities, however, crowding compromises residents’ walking mobility. This particularly affects groups that rely on proximate mobility such as older residents. This paper delves into the effects of tourism on everyday mobilities and realities of coping with change in the tourist city. It thus uncovers repercussions on ‘those remaining’ and highlights how the privilege of slowness may become a condition of disadvantage. It engages with long-term biographies, walking experiences, and the ageing process itself during an empirical study consisting of walking interviews. The findings show how tourist mobilities collide with access to spaces of social activity, essential services, and neighbourhood life. More importantly, they bring to surface how residents negotiate these hindrances and seek opportunities for mobility and wellbeing, despite older age-related challenges arising from the exclusive uptake of slow mobilities. Eventually, this paper forms a critique that discloses the collateral nature of tourism impacts on ageing in place, stuck between global mobility flows and local tourism management choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, older adults have received little attention in the newly emerging technological narratives of transnational religion. This is surprising, given the strong association of later life with spiritual and religious engagement, but it likely reflects the ongoing assumption that older adults are technophobic or technologically incompetent. Drawing on ethnographic interviews with older Sinhalese Buddhist migrants from Sri Lanka, living in Melbourne, this paper explores the digital articulations of transnational religion that arise from older migrants' uses of digital media. We focus on how engagements with digital media enable older Sinhalese to respond to an urgent need to accumulate merit in later life, facilitating their temporal strategies for ageing as migrants. We argue that these digital articulations transform both the religious imaginary and the religious practices that validate and legitimize a life well‐lived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the perspectives and experiences of older lifelong participants in outdoor education/recreation. 32 participants, women (11) and men (21), aged 60-84 provided narratives of their lifelong engagements in the outdoors in nature-based activities. They were invited to write freely on their early experiences and their current engagements in the outdoors. The purpose was to explore and understand why and how serious lifelong older participants continued with their outdoor activities. This paper considers participants' current embodied engagements. The evidence suggests that as they age, their bodies become less able to deal with discomfort. Yet, the participants, as a consequence of their lifelong knowledge and experience, manage injuries and ill-health, choosing to adapt in various ways to enable their continued engagement/enjoyment in being active in nature. The study stresses the significance of lifelong engagement in the outdoors and the necessity for opportunities for outdoor nature -based experiences throughout the lifespan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite being a well‐known problem, bearing faults are still one of the major challenges that the industry face. The growing use of voltage source inverters imposed the alertness of possible bearing damage due to their high‐frequency signals. The aim of this paper is to investigate the effect of capacitive discharges on a rolling element bearing to obtain a series of faulty bearings with different deterioration levels. An ageing test bench is built to generate bearing roughness using Electric Discharge Machining. The purpose is to study the effect of operation conditions, such as frequency of drive, amplitude of shaft voltage, radial load level as well as rotational speed, on the capacitive discharge occurrence within the bearing. Having the desire to further understand this phenomenon, the influence of each parameter on the discharge activity and the discharge waveform is analysed. A worst‐case scenario is conducted and applied to a series of bearings. Finally, the bearing damage is examined, and a quantitative fault detection method is presented based on a microscopic inspection of the bearing's surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arts-based health research (ABHR) artefacts provide a means for exploring the experiences of diverse populations through using the arts. They are useful for reaching audiences beyond academia, promoting empathy, showcasing under-represented voices and offering insights into human experience not captured by more traditional research methods. To augment the growing usage of ABHR, there have been calls for more studies examining how ABHR artefacts are being developed. This helps dispel uncertainty about ABHR processes, provide criteria for judgement of quality and show others how they might proceed on a similar path. The purpose of this paper is to add to the ABHR body of knowledge by offering the exemplar Golden Years, a work of fiction with themes pertaining to ageing and mortality. To achieve this, the authors will describe their use of practice-based research (PBR), which centres the making of the artefact at the core of the research. The paper includes an exegesis in which the authors explain how tacit knowledge, feedback from peers and collaboration were used as methods. They also place Golden Years within a critical framework based on the principles of the bi-cultural research group Te Arai Palliative Care and End of Life Research Group in New Zealand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current research on human aging has largely been guided by the milestone paper "hallmarks of aging," which were first proposed in the seminal 2013 paper by Lopez‐Otin et al. Most studies have focused on one aging hallmark at a time, asking whether the underlying molecular perturbations are sufficient to drive the aging process and its associated phenotypes. More recently, researchers have begun to investigate whether aging phenotypes are driven by concurrent perturbations in molecular pathways linked to not one but to multiple hallmarks of aging and whether they present different patterns in organs and systems over time. Indeed, preliminary results suggest that more complex interactions between aging hallmarks must be considered and addressed, if we are to develop interventions that successfully promote healthy aging and/or delay aging‐associated dysfunction and diseases. Here, we summarize some of the latest work and views on the interplay between hallmarks of aging, with a specific focus on mitochondrial dysfunction. Indeed, this represents a significant example of the complex crosstalk between hallmarks of aging and of the effects that an intervention targeted to a specific hallmark may have on the others. A better knowledge of these interconnections, of their cause‐effect relationships, of their spatial and temporal sequence, will be very beneficial for the whole aging research field and for the identification of effective interventions in promoting healthy old age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vocabulary scores increase until approximately age 65 years and then remain stable or decrease slightly, unlike scores on tests of other cognitive abilities that decline significantly with age. Aims: To review the findings on ageing‐related changes in vocabulary, and to discuss four methodological issues: research design; test type; measurement; and vocabulary ability as a proxy for general intelligence. Main Contribution: A discussion of cross‐sectional and longitudinal research designs shows that cohort membership accounts for some but not all ageing‐related changes in vocabulary, and that drop‐out and test–retest effects do not alter conclusions regarding these changes. Test type affects age trends in vocabulary, and if researchers use only one test, they should choose a multiple‐choice synonym test. While some authors suggest that vocabulary tests do not measure the same underlying ability in younger and older adults, more research of this suggestion is needed. A brief examination of the use of vocabulary ability as a proxy for general intelligence in healthy ageing and for premorbid abilities in dementia indicates that such practice is often questionable. Conclusions: Vocabulary knowledge increases through the mid‐60s regardless of measurement method. However, there is little information on how word knowledge serves other verbal skills in old age, how and when adults learn new words, or how much exposure is necessary for meanings to remain in storage for a lifetime. Research of these issues may require new methodologies, as well as novel theoretical accounts of ageing‐related effects on vocabulary. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on this subject: Unlike many cognitive abilities that decline with ageing, vocabulary knowledge continues to increase until approximately age 65, and then remains stable or decreases slightly. These findings have been replicated in different research designs and across languages. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: The article presents a summary of findings on changes in vocabulary across adulthood, and a discussion of four key methodological issues: research design, test type, measurement, and the use of vocabulary ability as a proxy for general intelligence. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: To better understand changes in vocabulary knowledge across adulthood, clinicians must be aware of methodological considerations that affect the field. Such considerations have direct clinical implications regarding the choice of vocabulary tests and their use as a proxy for other abilities in both healthy older adults and in individuals with dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hypothesis is presented to explain how the ageing process might be influenced by optimizing mitochondrial efficiency to reduce intracellular entropy. Research-based quantifications of entropy are scarce. Non-equilibrium metabolic reactions and compartmentalization were found to contribute most to lowering entropy in the cells. Like the cells, mitochondria are thermodynamically open systems exchanging matter and energy with their surroundings—the rest of the cell. Based on the calculations from cancer cells, glycolysis was reported to produce less entropy than mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. However, these estimations depended on the CO2 concentration so that at slightly increased CO2, it was oxidative phosphorylation that produced less entropy. Also, the thermodynamic efficiency of mitochondrial respiratory complexes varies depending on the respiratory state and oxidant/antioxidant balance. Therefore, in spite of long-standing theoretical and practical efforts, more measurements, also in isolated mitochondria, with intact and suboptimal respiration, are needed to resolve the issue. Entropy increases in ageing while mitochondrial efficiency of energy conversion, quality control, and turnover mechanisms deteriorate. Optimally functioning mitochondria are necessary to meet energy demands for cellular defence and repair processes to attenuate ageing. The intuitive approach of simply supplying more metabolic fuels (more nutrients) often has the opposite effect, namely a decrease in energy production in the case of nutrient overload. Excessive nutrient intake and obesity accelerate ageing, while calorie restriction without malnutrition can prolong life. Balanced nutrient intake adapted to needs/activity-based high ATP requirement increases mitochondrial respiratory efficiency and leads to multiple alterations in gene expression and metabolic adaptations. Therefore, rather than overfeeding, it is necessary to fine-tune energy production by optimizing mitochondrial function and reducing oxidative stress; the evidence is discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is motivated by concerns about challenges posed by the aging society problem and focuses on the silver economy (SE) as a social and economic concept developed in response to this challenge. Conducted analyses dealt with strategic planning of the SE development in Polish voivodeships. An original indicator showing the willingness of the self-government of a voivodeship to support SE development was worked out (IPWSSE). We also analyzed opinions of local authorities asked to assess the importance of the inclusion of the idea of the SE in the municipalities. The following hypotheses have been adopted: H1 – the higher the growth rate of the voivodeship population potential in terms of SE, the higher the indicator of the regional government policy willingness to support the SE; H2 – in voivodeships which reported higher (IPWSSE) indicator, municipalities interest in supporting the SE will also be higher. The research hypotheses were verified negatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to social protection in old age is crucial and yet contingent upon negotiations between the social structures of the welfare states and the personal networks within which individuals are embedded. International migration, changing family dynamics, and the transformation of care and other welfare policies in the global North make it challenging for older migrants to negotiate social protection. Drawing on 45 semi-structured interviews with first-generation older Turkish migrants in London and 13 semi-structured interviews with professional service providers for the community, the paper aims to investigate the assemblages of formal and informal social protection in the lives of older migrants. Findings indicate the complexity in accessing informal social protection and the navigation of formal care support in the UK for first generation older Turkish migrants and the contingency of access to formal care services on informal support networks for participants. It has been demonstrated that built infrastructure and policies aimed at older adults have great influence on assemblages of care, highlighting the need for more age-friendly and integrated policies to facilitate access to social protection for diverse groups of older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leakage current characteristic monitoring of transmission line insulators is considered a worthy technique for insulator state prediction. In this paper, the harmonic analysis of leakage current signals has been performed to analyze the composite insulator condition. Experimental studies of asymmetrically aged, fully aged, and virgin insulators have been conducted. The effects of different aging types, pollution, and humidity on leakage current components, such as harmonics and the phase differences with the applied voltage, have been investigated. The analysis of the results shows that the effect of asymmetric aging on leakage current components is non‐linear, and this non‐linearity increases with the degree of pollution. Also, the type of insulator aging can be determined by the ratio of the third‐ and fifth‐order leakage current harmonics. For instance, the classification of insulators into virgin, asymmetrically aged, and fully aged can be determined by examining the corresponding value ranges of 0–0.5, 0.5–0.9, and > 0.9, respectively. Similarly, the phase difference values of < 15% and those > 15% indicate the clean and polluted operating conditions individually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large proportion of hospital inpatients are affected by cognitive impairment, posing challenges in the provision of their care in busy, fast-paced acute wards. Signs and symbols, known as visual identifiers, are employed in many U.K. hospitals with the intention of helping healthcare professionals identify and respond to the needs of these patients. Although widely considered useful, these tools are used inconsistently, have not been subject to full evaluation, and attract criticism for acting as a shorthand for a routinized response. In order for visual identifiers to be used effectively in acute care settings, thorough consideration must be given to the ethical and legal issues that are engaged in this context, and their potential benefits and harms must be weighed and balanced. This paper proposes a set of legal and ethical principles that can be used to guide the implementation of visual identifiers. Together, these principles provide a framework applicable in the design and implementation phases to systematically identify relevant considerations arising from the use of these tools. We outline some tensions that arise between principles and conclude that selecting a preferred moral framework could help to guide decision-making, as does clarity around the purpose and objectives of the identifier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alongside a marked increase in the population of older New Zealanders has been an increase in tooth retention: more and more older adults now have at least some of their own teeth. Understanding their oral health demands consideration of their journey along the life course. The common clinical oral conditions – dental caries ('tooth decay') and periodontitis ('gum disease') – are both chronic and cumulative, and highly socially patterned in their occurrence, being more prevalent and severe in those of lower socio-economic position. Those who have ended up with 'good oral health' in old age are those who have had the wherewithal to adapt successfully to their oral disease burden as it has accumulated over the years. In this paper, I consider the utility of the life course approach for interpreting and understanding data, and I apply its principles to a number of important observations on older people's oral health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non‐communicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases, now constitute a major proportion of ill‐health across most adult and older populations including in people with intellectual disability. The current paper is a comparative analysis of prevalence of NCDs across mid‐aged and older‐aged people with mild intellectual disability. Method: Comparative data comes from two cross‐sectional surveys using similar methodology and timeframes. The analysis sample comprises mid‐aged group (30–50 years, N = 291) and older‐aged group (≥60 years, N = 391). Results: People with mild intellectual disability start developing NCDs in early to mid‐adulthood and increases with age. The mean number of NCDs in mid‐aged group was 0.86 (SD, 0.84) compared to 3.82 in older group (SD, 2.67). Conclusion: There needs to be early identification and management of NCDs using relevant health promotion and preventative measures at optimal intervention points. The training of healthcare professionals needs improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper documents the visioning, crafting, and writing of an ethnodrama – a type of embodied writing that takes the form of a research-based play script – about one unusual experience within an aged care organization: what might happen when technology, specifically virtual reality, is implemented into this unique organizational setting? As well as reflecting on the artistic and scientific value of research-based theatre, the script of one of the monologue plays, After Aleppo, is shared. Play scripts are a uniquely creative form of embodied writing, helping people see, imagine, and better understand the experiences of others, with ethnodrama the translation and adaption of research into a written script. As well as generating empathy, this research-based theatre provides a novel form of knowledge translation to engage and educate the public and those working in aged care organizations, a diverse workforce dealing with issues of care relationships, ageing, technology, and death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co-authored by academic staff and older adult community members, this paper reports on an incidental and pragmatic co-design model grounded in a round table friendship-informed approach. Interdisciplinary academics met with residents of a proximate retirement community, sharing open discussions with no agenda, including improving engagement between the two communities. The ensuing co-designed programme of outreach activities was of myriad mutual benefits: the retirement community benefited through opportunities for meaningful engagement via inter-generational knowledge-sharing, social connection, and access to expertise and equipment, whilst the University benefited across Learning and Teaching, Research, Engagement, and Commercialisation sectors. This pragmatic co-design approach described resulted in equitable contributions to knowledge generation, exchange, and translation in an interdirectional way. We argue that future research can adopt such an approach, exhibiting potential across all forms of community engaged research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract\nPoints of interestAgeing family caregivers of family members with disability must navigate complex social care systems within a single household for long-term and end-of-life transitions. This is particularly challenging for migrants from culturally and racially marginalised (CaRM) backgrounds, given their historical exclusion from developing disability and aged care support systems. Limited research exists on the lived experiences of new and second-generation CaRM communities providing informal care to family members with disabilities, globally and in Australia. This paper highlights the challenges faced by CaRM families navigating racial, ethnic, and immigration politics while seeking access to appropriate disability and ageing social care supports. The findings reveal that Many CaRM families face isolation and difficulty accessing needed support due to misconceptions about their strong local networks. Moreover, the significance of place, especially in low-resource urban areas, poses challenges for ageing family primary caregivers managing a dual long-term care arrangement, leading to uncertainties about their future.Families in culturally and racially marginalised (CaRM) communities experience significant difficulties in seeking help for disability care changes (or transitions) when primary caregivers are ageing;Disability and ageing support systems in Australia often wrongly assume that CaRM families have strong support networks that help to access formal care and support;Parents need long term support for their adult child with a disability, but want to avoid giving their other adult children without disability care responsibilities after their own death;Many families feel isolated and alone because of language barriers, and cultural exclusion. This makes it very difficult to seek the right care and support for both the ageing carers and family members with disability;Many factors affect immigrant ageing family caregivers in seeking suitable care transition options for family members with disability. These include property ownership, caregiver age, personal health, partner support, and other adult children in the family;Therefore, families need different social care systems to plan support changes (a) short term for the ageing family caregiver, and (b) long-term for the family member with disability, into end-of-life stages.Families in culturally and racially marginalised (CaRM) communities experience significant difficulties in seeking help for disability care changes (or transitions) when primary caregivers are ageing;Disability and ageing support systems in Australia often wrongly assume that CaRM families have strong support networks that help to access formal care and support;Parents need long term support for their adult child with a disability, but want to avoid giving their other adult children without disability care responsibilities after their own death;Many families feel isolated and alone because of language barriers, and cultural exclusion. This makes it very difficult to seek the right care and support for both the ageing carers and family members with disability;Many factors affect immigrant ageing family caregivers in seeking suitable care transition options for family members with disability. These include property ownership, caregiver age, personal health, partner support, and other adult children in the family;Therefore, families need different social care systems to plan support changes (a) short term for the ageing family caregiver, and (b) long-term for the family member with disability, into end-of-life stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The tonsils operate as a protection ring of mucosa at the gates of the upper aero-digestive tract. They show similarities with lymph nodes and participate as inductive organs of systemic and mucosal immunity. Based on the reduction of their size since puberty, they are thought to experience involution in adulthood. In this context, we have used tonsillar mononuclear cells (TMC) isolated from patients at different stages of life, to study the effect of ageing and the concomitant persistent inflammation on these immune cells. Results: We found an age-dependent reduction in the proportion of germinal center B cell population (BGC) and its T cell counterpart (T follicular helper germinal center cells, TfhGC). Also, we demonstrated an increment in the percentage of local memory B cells and mantle zone T follicular helper cells (mTfh). Furthermore, younger tonsils rendered higher proportion of proliferative immune cells within the freshly isolated TMC fraction than those from older ones. We demonstrated the accumulation of a B cell subset (CD20+CD39highCD73+ cells) metabolically adapted to catabolize adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as patients get older. To finish, tonsillar B cells from patients at different ages did not show differences in their proliferative response to stimulation ex vivo, in bulk TMC cultures. Conclusions: This paper sheds light on the changing aspects of the immune cellular landscape, over the course of time and constant exposure, at the entrance of the respiratory and digestive systems. Our findings support the notion that there is a re-modelling of the immune functionality of the excised tonsils over time. They are indicative of a transition from an effector type of immune response, typically oriented to reduce pathogen burden early in life, to the development of an immunosuppressive microenvironment at later stages, when tissue damage control gets critical provided the time passed under immune attack. Noteworthy, when isolated from such histologic microenvironment, older tonsillar B cells seem to level their proliferation capacity with the younger ones. Understanding these features will not only contribute to comprehend the differences in susceptibility to pathogens among children and adults but would also impact on vaccine developments intended to target these relevant mucosal sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article seeks to identify the key elements necessary to develop an effective psychological practitioner workforce ready to work with older people with a range of needs across multiple settings. It highlights the demand for psychological skills linked with the increasing age of the population and the need to expand the workforce accordingly. The role of the Faculty of the Psychology of Older People (FPOP) in advocating for greater emphasis on older adult needs is noted alongside their work in delivering the training and supervision required. Their published work linked with psychological therapies and dementia interventions is discussed, alongside established conference and bulletin outputs. The paper moves to discuss specific psychological practitioner workforce needs and developments across clinical psychology training courses, NHS Talking Therapies for Anxiety and Depression services, the Community Mental Health (CMHT) Transformation agenda and work within dementia and neurodegenerative conditions. Throughout the importance of leadership, consultancy and supervision are highlighted as well as the need to consider older adult needs within a framework of equality, diversity and inclusion, with a critical eye to the role ageism may play in impeding progress. Ultimately, working psychologically with older people requires expertise and a diverse skill set, the privilege of working with fascinating people which leads to a fulfilling role working with other enthusiastic and supportive clinicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Program evaluations often investigate complex or multi-dimensional constructs, such as individual opinions or attitudes, by means of ratings. A different interpretation of the same question may affect cross-country comparability, leading to the Differential Item Functioning problem. Anchoring vignettes were introduced in the literature as a way to adjust self-evaluations from this interpersonal incomparability. In this paper, we first introduce a new nonparametric solution to analyse anchoring vignette data, recoding a variable based on a rating scale to a new corrected- variable that guarantees comparability in any cross-country analysis. Then, we exploit the flexibility of a mixture model introduced to account for uncertainty in the response process (the CUP model) to test if the proposed solution is effectively able to remove this reported heterogeneity. This solution is easy to construct and has important advantages compared with the original nonparametric solution adopted with anchoring vignette data. The novel indicator is applied to investigate self-reported depression in an old population. Data that will be analysed come from the second wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, collected in 2006/2007. Results highlight the need of correcting for reported heterogeneity comparing individual self-evaluations. Once interpersonal incomparability resulting from the different uses of response scales is removed from the self-assessments, some estimates are reversed in magnitude and signs with respect to the analysis of the collected data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest in co-research with older adults has grown in the past 20 years, yet few published studies have addressed why and how older people have been involved as partners in research. This article presents a systematic review of the literature, examining the aims and challenges of co-research and the ways in which older adults can be involved in research. Systematic searches covering several databases were conducted, yielding a total of 3,293 articles, with 27 papers reviewed which involved older people as co-researchers across more than one stage of the research cycle. We find that co-research with older people offers improved understandings of the issues facing older people; more inclusive and responsive policy, practice and service design; and opportunities for co-researchers to develop new skills whilst giving voice to marginalised groups of older people. The analysis highlights the different ways in which older adults can be involved across phases of research, and identifies ethical, methodological and practical challenges encountered in the process. Involving older adults as co-researchers, while labour intensive and practically challenging, holds promise as an underdeveloped resource for social gerontology, as well as older people themselves. The paper identifies four pathways for improving and extending co-research: developing diversified structures of involvement, supporting co-researchers, embedding research rigour and ensuring co-ownership of change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paid carers play an important role in helping older adults with care needs to remain living in their own homes. This paper examines changes in the home care field, specifically the emergence of self‐employed care entrepreneurs ('microentrepreneurs'). To do this, it employs Bourdieu's concepts of field, capital and habitus. Drawing on 105 semi‐structured interviews with stakeholders working in home care, the paper describes how the interaction of changes to field structures, and altered practices of care have challenged the taken‐for‐granted acceptance of traditional, transactional forms of care provision. This process has been highly dependent on local state actors, their ability to mobilise relevant forms of capital and the factors which shaped their habitus. It should be seen within the context of changes to local field structures and the hierarchical classification processes which underpin them. These changes threaten the distribution of capital in the home care field in ways that are beneficial to microentrepreneurs. Bourdieu might categorise these developments as 'partial revolutions', which do not challenge the fundamental axioms of the field. However, for care entrepreneurs, formerly employed as low‐paid home‐care workers, a revolution that is only partial may be better than none at all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper explores the challenges faced by eight elderly, sixty years and above, half-widows, whose husbands have disappeared in the last three decades, belonging to Baramulla and Kupwara districts in Jammu and Kashmir, were purposefully selected as participants. The study was conducted through in-depth interviews. The themes that emerged from the analysis of their narratives include the difficulty of navigating the legal system alone, the social stigma associated with being a half-widow, and the economic challenges of living without a husband The women spoke about the impact of their husbands' disappearance on their mental health and their struggles to access health care and support services. The study highlights the need for interventions and policies that address the specific challenges faced by elderly half-widows in Kashmir. It calls for increased support for these women, including access to healthcare, financial assistance, and legal aid The paper emphasizes the importance of addressing the social and cultural factors that contribute to the vulnerability of half-widows, including stigma and discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LSM4 is an essential yeast gene encoding a component of different LSM complexes involved in the regulation of mRNA splicing, stability, and translation. In previous papers, we reported that the expression in S. cerevisiae of the K. lactis LSM4 gene lacking the C-terminal Q/N-rich domain in an Lsm4 null strain S. cerevisiae (Sclsm4Δ1) restored cell viability. Nevertheless, in this transformed strain, we observed some phenotypes that are typical markers of regulated cell death, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and oxidated RNA accumulation. In this paper, we report that a similar truncation operated in the S. cerevisiae LSM4 gene confers on cells the same phenotypes observed with the K. lactis lsm4Δ1 gene. Up until now, there was no evidence of the direct involvement of LSM4 in autophagy. Here we found that the Sclsm4Δ1 mutant showed a block in the autophagic process and was very sensitive to nitrogen starvation or treatment with low doses of rapamycin, an inducer of autophagy. Moreover, both during nitrogen starvation and aging, the Sclsm4Δ1 mutant accumulated cytoplasmic autophagy-related structures, suggesting a role of Lsm4 in a later step of the autophagy process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dementia comprises a group of brain disorders characterised by loss of cognitive function. Sensory loss, predominantly vision (the focus of this review) and hearing, is a significant problem for people living with dementia. Eyecare practitioners such as optometrists therefore play an important role in identifying and addressing vision-related care needs. To support provision of high quality "dementia-friendly" eyecare, this scoping review summarises recent primary research findings and available clinical practice guidelines, to identify research gaps relating to vision and dementia, and make recommendations for future research and clinical practice. The review set a priori guidelines for the population, concept and context based on the review questions. Primary research papers (2016–2021) were included via 3-step search strategy: preliminary search to index terms, full search, search reference lists of included articles for further inclusions. Additionally, websites of eyecare professional bodies in English-speaking countries were searched to identify current clinical eyecare practice guidelines relating to dementia. Study characteristics (e.g. country, study design) were reported descriptively. Patterns within findings/recommendations from included sources were identified using thematic analysis and reported as themes. 1651 titles/abstracts and 161 full-text articles were screened for eligibility. Three clinical practice guidelines were also identified. The final review included 21 sources: 18 primary research papers and 3 clinical practice guidelines. The thematic analysis reported five key themes: Diagnosis/Screening, dementia progression, findings on clinical visual testing, tailored approach to care, improving care. This scoping review demonstrated limited information about current practices of optometrists working with people living with dementia. Recent evidence reinforces the continuing need for improved eyecare for people living with dementia, taking into account their specific needs with an individualised approach. Up-to-date practical recommendations are synthesised for eyecare providers before, during and after a consultation with a person living with dementia, to better support their care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of current and expected demographic changes, the issues of which services the welfare state should offer and, ultimately, the very function of the welfare state are currently debated in Norway. The political discourse on health and care services for older adults has morphed into an accepted reality in which the system must be altered, prompting policy makers and stakeholders to find new and novel solutions to problems associated with population ageing. In this paper, we discuss one such proposed solution: the transformation of health and care services for the older adult population through the increased involvement of volunteers. We ask how volunteer efforts are articulated and delineated through official accounts and discuss the implications of such an articulation and delineation. We seek answers to these questions through a critical discourse analysis of recent governmental white papers. We investigate, in other words, volunteer efforts as a political instrument. We argue that the official representation of how efforts in health and care services should be re-aligned take the form of a distinct discourse of 'voluntarism'. Within this 'voluntarism', volunteer efforts have been altered from a third sector comprising charity and non-profit organisations that contribute within or as a supplement to the largely public-run welfare system to a limitless and extensive concept that is blurring the boundaries to informal care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper extends our understanding of employment and gendered rural ageing by examining the latent benefits of paid work for mid-life women in rural Ireland. Existing social gerontology literature deals extensively with manifest financial reasons to work, consequences of gendered pay and pension inequalities, work-related health concerns and the negative impacts to an extended working life for women. However, there is much less focus on the latent non-financial positive contributions that work provides for the older woman, especially within a rural context. Findings from this study show how mid-life women, even if in lower-paid, precarious work or in poorer health may choose to continue working into older age. Paid work provides not only financial autonomy, but also temporal structure, life purpose, personal agency, social connectivity and a self-identity that most women are reluctant to relinquish to retirement. Meaningful work plays a critical role in the ageing experience of older rural women. A qualitative study of 25 women aged 45–65 in Connemara, Ireland was undertaken from a lifecourse perspective and analysed using constructivist grounded theory to allow rich, novel narrative to emerge. Narrative from seven, who best represent all participants, are utilised in this paper. Conclusions suggest that the latent benefits of paid work are at least as, if not more important than financial gain for rural mid-life women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of work suggests that co-research with older adults contributes to a better understanding of later experienced health and social problems. Yet, few studies have involved minoritised older people as co-researchers, and there has been a lack of critical appraisal of challenges encountered in the process. In response, this paper presents lessons from a project which was aimed at co-producing research to explore experiences of loneliness with and by ethnically and sexually minoritised older people (50+) in Greater Manchester (United Kingdom). The paper presents findings based upon field notes and focus groups with ten older co-researchers reflecting on their motivations,roles, and responsibilities. Four themes will be critically assessed: power and privilege; co-research as an extractive process; co-ownership; and time and financial constraints. At the core of this paper is an examination of how the power held by academics shape opportunities for individuals to meaningfully engage in co-research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this review paper was to investigate the current status of place research. The paper briefly traces the beginnings of place research since the mid-20 th century and discusses the research outcomes of the last 30 years in developing theoretical concepts. The significance of place identity concepts with respect to the elderly is highlighted and the practical implications of the research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A positive leisure attitude among older adults may have a beneficial effect on psychological well-being, both directly and indirectly by fostering a more positive perception of one's health. This paper presents a correlational design that explores associations among leisure attitude, self-rated health, and psychological well-being, and analyzes the potential moderating role of gender in these relationships. Patients and Methods: The sample was selected using simple random probability sampling (N= 409; 61.9% female; Mean age = 72.9; SD = 8.43¸ Range of age 53 to 93 years). Diverse sociodemographic information was collected, and leisure attitudes, self-perceived health, and psychological well-being (positive affect and emotional ties) were assessed. Results: The results revealed a positive effect of leisure attitude on self-rated health and psychological well-being, with self-rated health fully mediating the association between the behavioral component of leisure attitude and psychological well-being. Furthermore, the moderating effect of gender on the relationship between self-rated health and psychological well-being was stronger among men. Conclusion: Positive cognitive and emotional perceptions of leisure among older adults seem to benefit psychological well-being and improve self-rated health, thereby contributing to healthy ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is little research comparatively assessing prevalence of pain between older people either with or without intellectual disability. This paper explores health and social factors associated with chronic pain in these two groups. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia. Inclusion criteria were adults either with or without intellectual disability, aged 60 years and older, and currently living in community-settings. Univariate and multivariable analyses were undertaken on a sample of 391 adults with intellectual disability and 920 adults without intellectual disability. Key findings included higher prevalence of pain in the intellectual disability group, along with higher rates of osteoarthritis, falls, oral health problems, and mood disorders. Mitigating risk factors for conditions that cause chronic pain in older adults is crucial. As longevity increases, the healthcare sector needs to prioritise chronic pain management for people with intellectual disabilities through appropriate treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Verbal fluency tests are quick and easy to administer neuropsychological measures and are regularly used in neuropsychological assessment. Additionally, phonological fluency is a widely used paradigm that is sensitive to cognitive impairment. This paper offers normative data of phonological verbal fluency (letters P, M, R) for Spanish middle- and older-aged adults, considering sociodemographic factors, and different measures such as the total number of words, errors (perseveration and intrusions), and 15 sec-segmented scores. Method: A total of 1165 cognitively unimpaired participants aged between 50 and 89 years old, participated in the study. Data for P were obtained for all participants. Letters M and R were also administered to a subsample of participants (852) aged 60 to 89 years. In addition, errors and words produced every 15 seconds were collected in the subsample. To verify the effect of sociodemographic variables, linear regression was used. Adjustments were calculated for variables that explained at least 5% of the variance (R 2 ≥.05). Results: Means and standard deviations by age, scaled scores, and percentiles for all tests across different measures are shown. No determination coefficients equal to or greater than.05 were found for sex or age. The need to establish adjustments for the educational level was only found in some of the measures. Conclusions: The current norms provide clinically useful data to evaluate Spanish-speaking natives from Spain aged from 50 to 89 years. Specific patterns of cognitive impairment can be analyzed using these normative data and may be important in neuropsychological assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The persistent contentiousness of research on the age–happiness relationship is puzzling; it should be possible to gain clarity and consensus about how to address the question effectively. In this paper I show that a key reason for the lack of clarity consists of overreliance on statistical significance as a means of evaluating empirical results. The statistical significance of a quadratic specification (age plus age-squared) is often taken as evidence in support of a ‘u-shaped’ relationship between age and happiness. But statistical significance on its own cannot tell us whether the age–happiness relationship is ‘u-shaped’ (nor indeed whether it takes any other shape). On the contrary, statistical significance can mislead us about it: a set of quadratic age coefficients can be ‘significant’ even when the relationship is obviously characterised by a different shape. When we have clarity on how to construct the analysis so that we can ‘see’ the underlying patterns in the data, it becomes obvious that the age–happiness relationship in European countries commonly shows other patterns; a u-shape is evident only in a minority of countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The global population is ageing rapidly and there is a need for strategies to promote health and wellbeing among older adults. Nutrition knowledge is a key predictor of dietary intake; therefore, effective educational programmes are urgently required to rectify poor dietary patterns. Digital health technologies provide a viable option for delivering nutrition education that is cost‐effective and widely accessible. However, few technologies have been developed to meet the unique needs and preferences of older adults. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore technology use among older adults and qualitatively determine the content needs and design preferences for an online nutrition education resource tailored to older adult consumers in Australia. Methods: Twenty adult participants aged 55 years and older (95% female) participated in one of four 2‐h participatory design workshops. In each workshop, prompted discussion questions were used to explore participants' technology use and preferences and to explore content needs and design preferences for an online nutrition education resource specific to older adults. Results: All participants were regularly using a range of different devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets and computers) and reported being comfortable doing so. Participants wanted a website that provided general nutrition information, practical advice and recipes. To enhance engagement, they sought a personalised resource that could be adjusted to suit their needs, included up‐to‐date information and allowed for easy sharing with others by exporting information as a PDF. Conclusions: Participatory design methods generate new knowledge for designing and tailoring digital health technologies to be appropriate and useful for the target audience. Specifically, older adults seek an online resource that has large and simple fonts with clear categories, providing them with practical advice and general nutrition information that can be personalised to suit their own needs and health concerns, with the option to export and print information into a paper‐based format. Patient or Public Contribution: Older adults actively participated in the development and evaluation process to generate ideas about potential features, functionalities, uses and practicalities of an online nutrition education resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although age is the biggest known risk factor for dementia, there remains uncertainty about other factors over the life course that contribute to a person's risk for cognitive decline later in life. Furthermore, the pathological processes leading to dementia are not fully understood. The main goals of Insight 46—a multi-phase longitudinal observational study—are to collect detailed cognitive, neurological, physical, cardiovascular, and sensory data; to combine those data with genetic and life-course information collected from the MRC National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD; 1946 British birth cohort); and thereby contribute to a better understanding of healthy ageing and dementia. Methods/Design: Phase 1 of Insight 46 (2015–2018) involved the recruitment of 502 members of the NSHD (median age = 70.7 years; 49% female) and has been described in detail by Lane and Parker et al. 2017. The present paper describes phase 2 (2018–2021) and phase 3 (2021–ongoing). Of the 502 phase 1 study members who were invited to a phase 2 research visit, 413 were willing to return for a clinic visit in London and 29 participated in a remote research assessment due to COVID-19 restrictions. Phase 3 aims to recruit 250 study members who previously participated in both phases 1 and 2 of Insight 46 (providing a third data time point) and 500 additional members of the NSHD who have not previously participated in Insight 46. Discussion: The NSHD is the oldest and longest continuously running British birth cohort. Members of the NSHD are now at a critical point in their lives for us to investigate successful ageing and key age-related brain morbidities. Data collected from Insight 46 have the potential to greatly contribute to and impact the field of healthy ageing and dementia by combining unique life course data with longitudinal multiparametric clinical, imaging, and biomarker measurements. Further protocol enhancements are planned, including in-home sleep measurements and the engagement of participants through remote online cognitive testing. Data collected are and will continue to be made available to the scientific community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite their perceived decline, local high streets in the UK remain valuable central and well-connected places that can foster ageing in place, yet their potential to sustain well-being in old age has been overlooked. Using qualitative methods, the paper explores what features of local high streets support older people’s well-being in three local town centres in Edinburgh, Scotland. The findings show there are three main domains of local high streets’ public realm that enable older adults’ well-being, namely the streetscape, the spatial organization and accessibility of amenities and services, and the provision of housing that can foster town centre living. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the impact of social and economic status on measurement error in social science research. The authors focus on three groups: the unemployed, low-income respondents, and the elderly, and investigate if data quality differs among these groups. They discuss indicators of measurement error, such as satisficing behavior and social desirability, and provide an overview of methods for analyzing measurement error in surveys. The article also references a research paper conducted in the Netherlands that analyzes measurement error and response tendencies in a survey. The study finds that respondents with low income are more likely to select the 'Don't know' category and less likely to round, while unemployed respondents are more likely to select 'Don't know' and less likely to round. Older respondents have higher data quality overall, but are more likely to round. The study suggests that researchers should consider these differences in data quality when conducting analyses and interpreting results. The article includes several tables that provide information on variables, questions, and statistical analyses used in the research study. The authors, Alexandru Cernat and Vera Toepoel, are experts in survey methodology and have conducted research on various topics related to survey methodology and measurement error. [Extracted from the article]

This paper presents the limitations and potential of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy applied to the study of cellulosic textile collections The technique helps to differentiate natural fibres according to the content of lignin, pectin, hemicellulose, and wax, although some problematic issues should be considered. The spectral differences derived from the environmental humidity uptake and the plant composition are reviewed and discussed in the light of new experimental data. Diagnostic bands are proposed that can discriminate between different fibres from different plants. The contribution of ageing is also considered, demonstrating that sometimes aged fibres cannot be reliably recognised. In contrast, the potential of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy to discriminate between natural and modified fibres is discussed and proven. The best results were obtained when microinvasive ATR-FTIR spectroscopy was coupled with SEM observations. The proposed protocol was tested on microsamples of various cellulosic materials from traditional Japanese samurai armours dating from the 16th to the 20th centuries (Morigi Collection, Museo delle Culture, Lugano, Switzerland). The results facilitated a complete characterisation of the materials and demonstrated that the protocol can be used to study a wide variety of cellulosic materials, including both natural and man-modified fibres, and paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australian research indicates that post-parental care transitions are rarely planned and primarily occur following a crisis for a primary carer. This paper examines disability staff perceptions of transitions for people with intellectual disability and their ageing carers in rural South Australia. A focus group interview model was used, with a semi-structured interview guide initiating group discussions. A thematic analysis methodological approach was selected to analyse the data. This paper reports on the theme of Service Delivery, which has three sub-themes of Availability; Distance; and Individual Access. The key findings are presented and supported by the use of exemplar quotes. This research indicates a poor intersection of general and specialist services is inhibiting post-parental transitional care for rural people. Simply allocating money to the individual does not resolve the issues, and the interface between different services needs to be better considered at government level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As Singapore confronts escalating demands for eldercare labour in the face of rapid ageing, families are increasingly resorting to market-based, gender-normative options predicated on the care-chain migration of women to resolve familial care deficits. At the same time, given the prevalence of discourses of Asian familialism, the abdication of eldercare responsibilities to non-familial caregivers whose labour is purchased through market transactions often raises social anxieties decrying the decline of filial piety. This paper explores the way eldercare work is choreographed around gendered performances of intimate labour by different household members as families work through market solutions and moral dilemmas around eldercare. Following conceptualisation of the intimate that configure it along lines of mobility, emotion, materiality, belonging, alienation, we use the term intimate labour to refer to work involving embodied interactions that shape the social reproduction of everyday life. The paper is based on in-depth interviews with 34 elderly persons 'cared for' by foreign domestic workers and 35 foreign domestic workers employed to 'care for' the elderly. First, we examine the way families articulate the care logics behind the everyday division of intimate labour between live-in foreign domestic workers and spatially proximate family caregivers. Second, we show how the daily choreography of intimate labour and exchange among different household members folds into reshaping and relativizing affinal connections between 'carer' and 'cared-for' in the global household. Ultimately, we argue that home-based eldercare serve to rigidify the gendered contours of the 'woman-carer model' of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since at least 2012, UK housing providers (and policy makers) have introduced policies aimed at developing autonomy and independence among service users, through an agenda sometimes referred to as 'responsibilisation'. This paper considers the role that technologies play in this agenda, through an analysis of how wellbeing and independence are facilitated amongst older social housing tenants. Based on case studies of four supported housing schemes in England, the research considers the capacity to exercise agency amongst older persons, through their willingness and ability to accept technological interventions, and the role of support networks to facilitate independent living. Using the concept of modalities of agency, the research examines the impact of implementing 'low-level' assistive technologies in the home, based on the perspectives of residents and staff. The interventions studied were designed to improve social relationships, promote self-sufficiency and support self-managed care (based on the principle that the most effective projects facilitate individual agency). The research findings identified that residents responded differentially to technology, based on their levels of capability, motivation, reluctance and resistance. Whilst the study demonstrated that small technological innovations could have disproportionately positive impacts in improving wellbeing, the research demonstrates the complex nature of agency and limits of responsibility. The paper argues that responsibilisation is part of a wider neoliberal project, where choice and agency are manufactured to create an idealised notion of the autonomous actor (in this case through technology-enabled care). The article argues that a collaborative approach to service provision in which responsibility is shared, via co-managed care, is a more effective means of enhancing agency, than one which advocates a withdrawal of support (in the guise of autonomy). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most power transformers are oil-immersed transformers for which its insulation system consists of oil and cellulosic solid. The insulation liquid impregnates the solid-covering air spaces, which improves the efficiency of the insulation system. Not only does the oil ensure electrical insulation but it also works as coolants transferring the heat generated during transformer operation to the exterior of the transformer. Throughout normal operation conditions, transformers experience multiple stresses that degrade their insulation. Since the lifetime of oil-immersed transformers is defined mainly by the state of the insulation paper, it is critical to understand the behavior and degradation mechanisms of new insulation systems that try to overcome the drawbacks of mineral oil as well as to improve power transformer performances. The current increased prevalence of the nonlinear loads additionally stresses power transformers, which generates their premature ageing or even failure. Consequently, new materials and assessment methods are required to guarantee the suitable management of power transformer populations. In this Special Issue "Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Thermal Ageing in Power Transformers", four papers have been published. The guest editor also describes briefly some challenges involved beyond the coverage of this Special Issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present demographic, clinical, anamnestic, cognitive, and functional data, as well as haematological, haematochemical, immunological, and genetic parameters of an exceptional individual: A.T., a semi-supercentenarian who held the title of the oldest living Italian male centenarian from 28 December 2020, to 23 September 2021. The purpose of this study is to provide fresh insights into extreme phenotypes, with a particular focus on immune-inflammatory parameters. To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first phenotypic investigation of a semi-supercentenarian, illustrating both INFLA-score, a metric designed to assess the cumulative impact of inflammatory markers and indicators of age-related immune phenotype (ARIP), recognized as significant gauges of biological ageing. The aim of this study was, indeed, to advance our understanding of the role of immune-inflammatory responses in achieving extreme longevity. The results of laboratory tests, as well as clinical history and interview data, when compared to the results of our recent study on Sicilian centenarians, demonstrate an excellent state of health considering his age. Consistent with previous studies, we observed increased IL-6 inflammatory markers and INFLA score in A.T. More interestingly, the semi-supercentenarian showed values of ARIP indicators such as naïve CD4+ cells, CD4+/CD8+ ratio, and CD4+TN/TM ratio in the range of young adult individuals, suggesting that his immune system's biological age was younger than the chronological one. The results support the notion that the immune system can play a role in promoting extreme longevity. However, this does not rule out the involvement of other body systems or organs in achieving extreme longevity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]