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• Magnesium oxyhydroxide colloid was obtained by pulsed laser ablation of Mg in water. • Magnesium oxyhydroxide lamellas effectively bind to the surface of the paper fibers. • Magnesium oxyhydroxide colloid treatment bleaches, hardens and stabilizes the paper. • The treatment proposed is highly effective and surpasses the conventional techniques. Magnesium-containing nanocolloids were synthesized by nanosecond pulsed laser ablation (PLAL) of a Mg target in water. As-prepared colloids contained 2-D lamellar nanostructures of magnesium oxyhydroxide Mg 5 O(OH) 8 (Mg-NSs) with a thickness of 5–10 nm and a length/width up to one micron. The colloids obtained were used for the first time to restore old, low-quality paper (a Russian book from the beginning of the 20th century). All results were compared to conventional treatment with basic magnesium carbonate. It was found that Mg-NSs facilitated effective deacidification and conservation treatment of the paper. Paper pH increased after treatment and remained stable upon artificial aging. Moreover, treatment led to an increase in paper whiteness of up to 10% and paper strengthening up to 25%. In general, the treated paper became more resistant to the deterioration processes during aging. Thus, colloid of Mg 5 O(OH) 8 lamellar nanostructures obtained by PLAL in water is a promising agent for paper restoration and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • ATR-FTIR spectroscopy detects forgeries by analyzing paper aging. • SIMCA models classify paper samples by their age. • Chemometric models distinguish between artificial and natural aging. • Artificially aged paper with UV radiation closely resembles naturally aged samples. One of the great challenges of document analysis is determining document forgeries. The present work proposes a non-destructive approach to discriminate natural and artificially aged papers using infrared spectroscopy and soft independent modeling by class analogy (SIMCA) algorithms. This is of particular interest in cases of document falsifications made by artificial aging, for this study, SIMCA, and Data-Driven SIMCA (DD-SIMCA) classification models were built using naturally aged paper samples, taken from three time periods: 1st period from 1998 to 2003; 2nd period from 2004 to 2009; and 3rd period from 2010 to 2015. Artificially aged samples (exposed to high temperature or UV radiation) were used as test sets. Promising results in detecting document falsifications related to aging were obtained. Samples artificially aged at high temperature were correctly discriminated from the authentic samples (naturally aged) with 100% accuracy. In contrast, the samples under the photodegradation process showed a lower classification performance, with results above 90%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Latino adults are disproportionately impacted by dementia due to high exposure to adverse social determinants of health (SDOH). • "Brain health literacy" in middle adulthood may be a modifiable factor that could help mitigate later life risk of cognitive decline. • The proposed Brain Health Literacy framework can guide health promotion efforts, with the ultimate goal of increasing brain health equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xuan paper, also named rice paper, was invented in the Tang Dynasty around 700 AD. Due to its softness, flexibility, fine texture and excellent durability, Xuan paper has been one of the most carriers for a large number of extraordinary artworks since its invention. The mechanical properties of Xuan paper will be varied over time, which has a significant impact on its application and preservation. In this study, for the first time, we employed atomic force microscopy nanoindentation measurement, a simple and nondestructive technique to quantitatively analyze the nanomechanical properties of Xuan paper. Combined with other characterizations, the property of Xuan paper under different aging times was investigated. It is expected that our results should lead to a better understanding of Xuan Paper as ancient materials with superior properties. The current results should provide useful information on the identification and protection of paper-based artifacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial cellulose (BC) synthesized by Gluconacetobacter sucrofermentans CECT 7291 seems to be a good option for the restoration of degraded paper. In this work BC layers are cultivated and purified by two different methods: an alkaline treatment when the culture media contains ethanol and a thermal treatment if the media is free from ethanol. The main goal of these tests was the characterization of BC layers measured in terms of tear and burst indexes, optical properties, SEM, X-ray diffraction, FTIR, degree of polymerization, static and dynamic contact angles, and mercury intrusion porosimetry. The BC layers were also evaluated in the same terms after an aging treatment. Results showed that BC has got high crystallinity index, low internal porosity, good mechanical properties and high stability over time, especially when purified by the alkaline treatment. These features make BC an adequate candidate for degraded paper reinforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural esters have emerged as a viable and sustainable alternate for liquid insulation in power transformers. However, the natural esters currently used for transformer applications are extracted from edible sources, leading to concerns about their impact on the food supply. In order to overcome this issue, studies on the dielectric properties of non-edible natural esters have received a lot of attention in industries as alternative dielectric liquids for power transformers. In this research work, non-edible natural esters, namely Jatropha oil, Karanja oil, and Mahua oil are taken for analysis. Cellulose materials are impregnated with these oil samples, further, the samples are aged at 130 °C up to 28 days. Different dielectric, mechanical, physical and chemical parameters are measured and analyzed after every 7 days of aging. When comparing the results, karanja oil performed better than others. • Feasibility study on non-edible oils as alternative to existing mineral oil. • Accelerated aging study on non-edible oils. • Non-edible esters performed well after aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This work focused on studying the dependence of paper sheet strength properties on the composition of additives, namely chitosan, cyanoethyl and carboxymethyl chitosan. Chitosan and its derivatives enhanced the strength properties of unagged and aged paper sheets. Also, cyanoethyl chitosan improved the dielectric properties of the treated paper sheets. The dielectric study was carried out over a frequency range from 100Hz to 100kHz at temperature range from 20 to 140°C. The variations of permittivity ε′ versus the cyanoethyl chitosan content at three different temperatures show the highest dielectric properties at cyanoethyl chitosan of 0.3%. The variation of ε″ versus the applied frequency was fitted by a superposition of Fröhlich and Havriliak–Negami functions in addition to the conductivity term. These functions could be ascribed by the Maxwell–Wagner effect and the orientation of the large aggregates formed by the addition of chitosan to the paper sheet. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In order to improve the hydrogen sensing of transition metal oxide nanomaterials at room temperature, MoO 3 nanowire paper was prepared and used as a hydrogen sensing materials on substrate. In this paper, orthorhombic phase, ultra-long (∼1 mm) MoO 3 nanowires were synthesized through conventional hydrothermal method at 260 °C for 96 h. A flexible nanowires paper with size of 200 mm × 300 mm was obtained by further self-assembly formation process of pure α-MoO 3 nanowires in aqueous solution on hydrophobic substrate, and the thickness of paper can be controlled depend on the concentration of disperse nanowires. A novel hydrogen sensor with sensing area of 10 mm × 10 mm was obtained after Pt interdigital electrodes (IDE) deposited on the surface of α-MoO 3 nanowires paper and transferred into ceramic circuit board (CCB) without any surface modification. The response and recovery time are about 3.0 and 2.7 s toward 1.5% H 2 , respectively. The sensors also show good selectivity toward H 2 against other reduce gas, such as C 2 H 5 OH, CO and CH 4 . Large amounts of the porous structures and high specific surface of nanowires paper is beneficial to the absorption of oxygen molecules, which would lead to the high sensitivity, fast response and recovery speed of sensor at room temperature. MoO 3 nanowires paper sensors have excellent stability and reliability, which could work for 5.56 years at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A set of inks was analyzed using Py/GC/MS technique. They were prepared following some ancient Armenian recipes and then analyzed after being dried in air to obtain solid samples. A simple analytical procedure was adopted which excludes any treatment of the samples and consists in introducing the solid sample directly into the injector of the furnace pyrolyzer. Inks were also written on whatman paper by calamum and analyses of papers containing ink were carried out. A real sample analysis was reported. Comparing the pyrograms it was possible to discriminate fragments derived from ink, from that formed by the decomposition of paper by the influence of ink. In order to understand the origin of the fragments formed during the pyrolysis of inks the standard compounds used to prepare them were carried out, too. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study, several deteriorated pressure sensitive adhesive tapes (PSATs) applied in the past for repairing ripped paper documents of 19th century and books of 20th century were analyzed by attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy technique. The comparison of FTIR spectra of the old tapes with those of some commercially available tapes subjected to accelerated aging allowed us to identify, in a fast and nondestructive way, the main classes of old tapes on the basis of their backing (cellophane, cellulose acetate, polyvinyl chloride and polypropylene) and adhesive (natural rubber, synthetic rubber and acrylic polymer) compositions. This procedure's results were very useful to the paper restorers and conservators, who will have the possibility of choosing the most appropriate conservation treatment for the removal of pressure sensitive adhesive tapes that can be found on many paper documents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Zinc oxide nanoparticles were prepared and used for surface treatment of oil paintings painted on paper supports. The prepared coating mixture containing 2% of ZnO nanoparticles showed excellent transparency. The effect of coating on protecting the paper support and paintings against microbial attack by Trichoderma reesei and Aspergillus niger, dirt accumulation, and UV aging was studied. Coatings containing ZnO nanoparticles enhanced the durability of linseed oil-based paintings toward UV aging regarding the change in color. Coatings containing ZnO nanoparticles improved resistance to microbial attack when subjected to inoculums containing T. reesei or A. niger fungi. In addition, coatings containing ZnO nanoparticles reduced accumulation of dirt on oil paintings when left in open air for 6 months; cleaning of paintings was quite easy compared to the non-coated paintings or those coated with the varnish without ZnO nanoparticles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Ageing comes with an increased propensity in the alteration of human organ and body functions, which can e.g. result in multi-morbidity, frailty, polypharmacy, altered medication safety and/or efficacy, and problems with the practical use of medicines in a real world setting. Such problems may e.g. involve difficulties opening containers, swallowing large tablets, breaking tablets by hand, or correctly understanding the user instruction. This review aims to summarize the European regulatory activities towards better medicines for older people, with a main focus on formulation development and the overall drug product design. It addresses the ICH E7 guideline “Studies in support of special populations, geriatrics”, the ICH Q8 guideline “Pharmaceutical development”, the EMA good practice guide on “Risk minimisation and prevention of medication errors” and the forthcoming EMA CHMP QWP reflection paper on the “Quality aspects (pharmaceutical development) of medicines for older people”. In addition, three key aspects to the practical use of medicines by older people are discussed in a wider context: multi-particulates including small tablets (also referred to as mini-tablets), ease of opening and storage conditions. Furthermore, attention is paid to work in progress e.g. incentives by the European national drug regulatory authorities, and patient centric drug product development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present studies are focused on the effect of different polymer solutions, e.g. chitosan and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) on the mechanical properties of the paper sheets. The improvement in the mechanical properties of the treated paper sheets with chitosan is higher than that in the other polymer solution. Moreover, the heat resistance of treated paper sheet with chitosan is more improved than with other polymer. The activation energy of the thermal treatment of untreated and treated paper sheets with mixed polymers solution is also calculated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The effect of polymer on the retention and the thermal stability of bioactive enzymatic papers was measured using a colorimetric technique quantifying the intensity of the enzyme–substrate product complex. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was used as model enzyme. Three water soluble polymers: a cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM), an anionic polyacrylic acid (PAA) and a neutral polyethylene oxide (PEO) were selected as retention aids. The model polymers increased the enzyme adsorption on paper by around 50% and prevented enzyme desorption upon rewetting of the papers. The thermal deactivation of ALP retained on paper with polymers follows two sequential first order reactions. This was also observed for ALP simply physisorbed on paper. The retention aid polymers instigated a rapid initial deactivation which significantly decreased the longevity of the enzymatic papers. This suggests some enzyme–polymer interaction probably affecting the enzyme tertiary structure. A deactivation mathematical model predicting the enzymatic paper half-life was developed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Gaseous acetic acid is formed under conditions of storage of historic paper objects. Its presence not only promotes hydrolytic cleavage of cellulose, but also causes acetylation of the cellulosic material to very small degree. The acetylation reaction proceeds under ambient conditions and without catalyst. Different analytical methods were used to prove the presence of organic acetates on cellulosic paper matrices. DESI-MS in combination with 2H-isotopic labeling showed the presence of sugar fragments with different acetylation patterns. A method based on Zemplen saponification was applied and worked also in the presence of a large excess of acetic acid and/or inorganic acetates. The acetylation effect was quantified for model papers and original, naturally aged paper samples. While cellulose acetylation was clearly proven to be another general pathway of paper aging, further studies of this acetylation phenomenon are needed with regard to conservational aspects and suitable paper storage conditions. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: High-yield bagasse pulp was prepared by mechanical treatment after soaking in cold 10% sodium hydroxide. One-, two- and three-stage bleaching of the pulp were investigated by using hydrogen peroxide (P) and/or sodium dithionite (D), in different sequences. Paper sheets were prepared and tested for the strength properties and brightness value. The effect of ageing on paper properties and brightness was investigated. It was found that three-stage bleaching by using two steps with hydrogen peroxide and one step with sodium dithionite provides the optimum bleaching results with regard to the strength properties and the brightness values. Comparable results were also obtained after paper ageing. The best bleaching sequence is PPD followed by DPP and then PDP. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The ASTM D6819-02e3 standard for testing the accelerated ageing of paper, published in 2002, recommends using closed glass vials in order to keep the degradation products in contact with the paper and thus permitting a better simulation of the natural ageing conditions inside closed books. In the present study, the actual conditions and their stability inside closed vessels have been evaluated. The necessity of assuring a very high sealing performance (tightness) of the systems in order to avoid leakage of water vapour is the main drawback of this ageing method. Systematic studies presented in this publication tried to monitor this tightness and have provided data that helped to answer the question of what circumstances could lead to achieving its improvement. Both gravimetric monitoring of water content in vials and “in situ” IR measurements of the aged paper humidity have been applied for this purpose. As a result, better sealing materials (gaskets and caps) than those recommended by the ASTM standard, have been found. Additionally, application of a dynamometric spanner for closing the vials is recommended, as this is a guarantee of reasonably high and recurring tightness of the systems used in tests. Nevertheless, the systematic, linear with time, loss of moisture for all used vials was observed. A 9% loss of the initial moisture content in samples of the aged paper was observed for the tested conditions (14 days at 90°C). Therefore, it seems that including some kind of gravimetric control for ageing tests performed in closed vessels is of essential importance. Kinetic studies of accelerated ageing in both closed and open systems, as monitored by DP and breaking length measurements, unexpectedly show that no statistically meaningful difference of degradation rates can be observed. On the other hand, the pH and whiteness index values reveal a meaningful difference between the rates of ageing in these systems, thus confirming the basic assumption of the ASTM test concerning the interaction of paper degradation products with the paper itself. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Atomic force microscopy was used to characterize the effects of chemical reactions induced by accelerated ageing in a climatic chamber (80°C, R.H. 65%) on Whatman no. 1 chromatography paper surface, in order to study ageing consequences on sub-micron structures in cellulose. Evaluation was carried out by means of a comparison of topographic data with chemical characterization, in addition to spectrophotometric measurement in the UV–vis–NIR range. Imaging of samples at several treatment stages showed a non-homogeneous decomposition of the fibre surface into fibril bunches. Over paper sheet surfaces, occurrence of this phenomenon increases with ageing. Spectrophotometry measurements showed a strong variation of contributions in the UV–vis bands, both in the yellow chromophores region and in the carbonyl formation region, which was consistent with the hypothesis that a predominant oxidation mechanism is involved. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: New evidence shows that older adults need more dietary protein than do younger adults to support good health, promote recovery from illness, and maintain functionality. Older people need to make up for age-related changes in protein metabolism, such as high splanchnic extraction and declining anabolic responses to ingested protein. They also need more protein to offset inflammatory and catabolic conditions associated with chronic and acute diseases that occur commonly with aging. With the goal of developing updated, evidence-based recommendations for optimal protein intake by older people, the European Union Geriatric Medicine Society (EUGMS), in cooperation with other scientific organizations, appointed an international study group to review dietary protein needs with aging (PROT-AGE Study Group). To help older people (>65 years) maintain and regain lean body mass and function, the PROT-AGE study group recommends average daily intake at least in the range of 1.0 to 1.2 g protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Both endurance- and resistance-type exercises are recommended at individualized levels that are safe and tolerated, and higher protein intake (ie, ≥1.2 g/kg body weight/d) is advised for those who are exercising and otherwise active. Most older adults who have acute or chronic diseases need even more dietary protein (ie, 1.2–1.5 g/kg body weight/d). Older people with severe kidney disease (ie, estimated GFR <30 mL/min/1.73m2), but who are not on dialysis, are an exception to this rule; these individuals may need to limit protein intake. Protein quality, timing of ingestion, and intake of other nutritional supplements may be relevant, but evidence is not yet sufficient to support specific recommendations. Older people are vulnerable to losses in physical function capacity, and such losses predict loss of independence, falls, and even mortality. Thus, future studies aimed at pinpointing optimal protein intake in specific populations of older people need to include measures of physical function. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Gait changes with aging have been investigated, but few studies have examined a wide range of gait parameters across the adult lifespan. This study aimed to investigate gait differences across age groups stratified by sex. This cross-sectional study included 629 healthy, normal-weight (i.e., BMI < 30 kg/m2) participants from Switzerland of the COmPLETE cohort study, aged 20 to over 90 years. Gait metrics were assessed using an inertial measurement unit (IMU)-based gait analysis system, including speed, cycle duration variability, asymmetry, stride length, cycle duration, cadence, double support, stance (time foot is on the ground during a gait cycle), swing (time foot is in the air during a gait cycle), loading (early part of the stance phase), foot-flat (mid-stance phase when foot is flat), and pushing (late stance phase leading to toe-off) phases. Percentile curves were calculated using generalized additive models for location, scale, and shape. Gait data from 545 participants (273 men and 272 women) were analyzed. Participants were equally distributed across the seven age decades, with an average of 40 men and 40 women representing every decade. Both men and women showed a reduction in gait speed and stride length, and an increase in cycle duration variability and asymmetry with aging. Gait speed and stride length declined across the age groups, with a significant difference found in participants aged 80 to 91 compared to younger age groups. Age-related changes in gait parameters were seen in both men and women. These may be attributed to the typical decline in muscle strength, balance, coordination, and neuromuscular function. The results of this study contribute to the understanding of gait changes throughout the lifespan and can be used for comparison with other populations and as reference values for individual patients. • First paper providing norm values for gait parameters in a European population. • Large sample of healthy adults across the life span (20 to over 90 years of age). • Comprehensive overview of gait parameters across age groups, stratified by sex. • Both men and women displayed lower gait speed and stride length with age. • Gait variability and asymmetry was higher from around 60 years of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent papers have emphasized the primary role of cellular information management in biological and evolutionary development. In this framework, intelligent cells collectively measure environmental cues to improve informational validity to support natural cellular engineering as collaborative decision-making and problem-solving in confrontation with environmental stresses. These collective actions are crucially dependent on cell-based memories as acquired patterns of response to environmental stressors. Notably, in a cellular self-referential framework, all biological information is ambiguous. This conditional requirement imposes a previously unexplored derivative. All cellular memories are imperfect. From this atypical background, a novel theory of aging and death is proposed. Since cellular decision-making is memory-dependent and biology is a continuous natural learning system, the accumulation of previously acquired imperfect memories eventually overwhelms the flexibility cells require to react adroitly to contemporaneous stresses to support continued cellular homeorhetic balance. The result is a gradual breakdown of the critical ability to efficiently measure environmental information and effect cell-cell communication. This age-dependent accretion governs senescence, ultimately ending in death as an organism-wide failure of cellular networking. This approach to aging and death is compatible with all prior theories. Each earlier approach illuminates different pertinent cellular signatures of this ongoing, obliged, living process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipid peroxidation is one of the major outcomes of free radical-mediated injury that directly damages membranes and generates a number of secondary products, both from fission and endocyclization of oxygenated fatty acids that possess neurotoxic activity. Numerous studies have demonstrated increased lipid peroxidation in brain of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) compared with age-matched controls. These data include quantification of fission and endocyclized products such as 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal, acrolein, isoprostanes, and neuroprostanes. Immunohistochemical and biochemical studies have localized the majority of lipid peroxidation products to neurons. A few studies have consistently demonstrated increased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of isoprostanes in AD patients early in the course of their dementia, and one study has suggested that CSF isoprostanes may improve the laboratory diagnostic accuracy for AD. Similar analyses of control individuals over a wide range of ages indicate that brain lipid peroxidation is not a significant feature of usual aging. Quantification of isoprostanes in plasma and urine of AD patients has yielded inconsistent results. These results indicate that brain lipid peroxidation is a potential therapeutic target in probable AD patients, and that CSF isoprostanes may aid in the assessment of antioxidant experimental therapeutics and the laboratory diagnosis of AD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Tight linkage between aging and oxidative stress is indicated by the observations that reactive oxygen species generated under various conditions of oxidative stress are able to oxidize nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids and that aging is associated with the accumulation of oxidized forms of cellular constituents, and also by the fact that there is an inverse relationship between the maximum life span of organisms and the age-related accumulation of oxidative damage. Nevertheless, validity of the oxidative stress hypothesis of aging is questioned by (i) the failure to establish a causal relationship between aging and oxidative damage and (ii) lack of a consistent correlation between the accumulation of oxidative damage and aging. The present discussion is focused on the complexity of the aging process and suggests that discrepancies between various studies in this area are likely due to the fact that aging is not a single process and that the lack of consistent experimental results is partly explained by individual variations. Even so, there is overwhelming support for a dominant role of oxidative stress in the aging of some individuals. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Research into the causes of aging has greatly increased in recent years. Much of this interest is due to the discovery of genes in a variety of model organisms that appear to modulate aging. Studies of long-lived mutants can potentially provide valuable insights into the fundamental mechanisms of aging. While there are many advantages to the use of model organisms to study aging it is also important to consider the limitations of these systems, particularly because ectothermic (poikilothermic) organisms can survive a far greater metabolic depression than humans. As such, the consideration of only chronological longevity when assaying for long-lived mutants provides a limited perspective on the mechanisms by which longevity is increased. Additional physiological processes, such as metabolic rate, must also be assayed to provide true insight into the aging process. This is especially true in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, which has the natural ability to enter into a metabolically reduced state in which it can survive many times longer than its normal lifetime. The extended longevity of at least some long-lived C. elegans mutants may be due to a reduction in metabolic rate, rather than an alteration of a metabolically independent genetic mechanism specific for aging. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The main purpose of this article is to provide a critical overview of the currently available evidence bearing on the validity of the oxidative stress hypothesis of aging, which postulates that senescence-associated attenuations in physiological functions are caused by molecular oxidative damage. Several lines of correlative evidence support the predictions of the hypothesis, e.g., macromolecular oxidative damage increases with age and tends to be associated with life expectancy of organisms. Nevertheless, a direct link between oxidative stress and aging has not as yet been established. Single gene mutations have been reported to extend the life spans of lower organisms, such as nematodes and insects; however, such prolongations of chronological clock time survival are usually associated with decreases in the rate of metabolism and reproductive output without affecting the metabolic potential, i.e., the total amount of energy consumed during life. Studies on genetic manipulations of the aging process have often been conducted on relatively short-lived strains that are physiologically weak, whereby life-span extensions can not be unambiguously assigned to a slowing effect on the rate of aging. It is concluded that although there is considerable evidence implicating oxidative stress in the aging process, additional evidence is needed to clearly define the nature of the involvement. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aging is accompanied by declines in cellular proteolytic capacity. Proteolytic processing is an important step in numerous cellular processes required for normal metabolic function. These include regulation of protein turnover, degradation of altered forms of protein, signal transduction, protein sorting/trafficking, receptor-mediated endo- and exocytosis, stress/immune responses, and activation of gene transcription. Thus, loss of cellular proteolytic function is likely to contribute to the enhanced fragility of cells from senescent relative to young and adult organisms. Free radicals have been implicated as contributing factors to observed age-dependent declines in proteolytic capacity. The current review offers an overview of the evidence linking free radical events to functional alterations in the lysosomal system and the proteasome, two major pathways by which proteins are degraded within cells. Implications for future investigations in the field are discussed in light of these findings. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Heme oxygenase (HO) is the rate-limiting enzyme for the degradation of heme, a prooxidant, coming from a multitude of heme-containing proteins/enzymes. With the action of cytochrome P450 reductase, HO cleaves the heme ring into biliverdin which is converted into bilirubin, both have been shown to have intrinsic radical scavenger activities. Iron is also released from the heme core and in its free form can act as a catalyst for oxidative stress damage or can be sequested by several iron-binding proteins. Under physiological conditions, the newly generated iron can be neutralized within the cell. The third product of the opening of the porphyrin ring is carbon monoxide, which role has been puzzling. It has been reported as a potential neuromodulator, it modulates guanylate cyclase activity and has vasodilation, anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects. In the brain, HO2 accounts for the vast majority of HO activity. By decreasing HO2 activity, one would expect more neuronal damage after oxidative stress injury with possible direct implications to acute and chronic neurodegenerative disorders. Pharmacological ways to increase neuronal HO activity is likely to have therapeutic applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A significant body of evidence supports a key role for free radicals in causing cumulative damage to cellular macromolecules, thereby contributing to senescence/aging, and a number of age-related disorders. Proteins are recognized as major targets for oxidative damage (in addition to DNA and lipids) and the accumulation of oxidized proteins has been reported for many experimental aging models, as measured by several markers for protein oxidation. In young and healthy individuals, moderately oxidized soluble cell proteins are selectively and rapidly degraded by the proteasome. However, severely oxidized, cross-linked proteins are poor substrates for degradation and actually inhibit the proteasome. Considerable evidence now indicates that proteasome activity declines during aging, as the protease is progressively inhibited by binding to ever increasing levels of oxidized and cross-linked protein aggregates. Cellular aging probably involves both an increase in the generation of reactive oxygen species and a progressive decline in proteasome activity, resulting in the progressive accumulation of oxidatively damaged protein aggregates that eventually contribute to cellular dysfunction and senescence. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

There is a large body of evidence implicating oxidative damage in the pathogenesis of both normal aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Oxidative damage to proteins has been well established. Although there are a large number of potential oxidative modifications only a few have been systematically studied. The most frequently studied marker of oxidative damage to proteins is protein carbonyl groups. 3-Nitrotyrosine is thought to be a relatively specific marker of oxidative damage mediated by peroxynitrite. Increased concentrations of both protein carbonyls and 3-nitrotyrosine have been documented in both normal aging as well as in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). These findings help to provide a rationale for trials of antioxidants in neurodegenerative diseases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article further investigates the suitability of an inkless method to obtain and maintain exemplar fingerprint recordings on thermal paper; in this case, stored for 1.5 years at different temperatures. Inkless impressions were (re-)examined by optical means via two independent methods. First, an automated metric from the FBI's Universal Latent Workstation (ULW) was adapted (i.e., BlueGreen color-coded maps) to evaluate visual differences among inkless fingerprint sets with respect to storage time, temperature, relative humidity, and biological sex. Additionally, a conventional assessment system was applied, a categorical quality score (QS) metric that ranges on a grading scale from 1 to 4. Results revealed that storage time (72 weeks), as well as a colder temperature (~ 3 ºC) and lower relative humidity (~ 12 %), had little impact on the preservation of ridge clarity when compared to freshly deposited counterparts. A biological sex effect was again detected, but its influence was not significant under certain conditions. Despite minor visual differences, the ridge clarity of the inkless impressions remained stable for the duration of the experiment. The stability and durability of the proposed inkless method were proven, becoming a potential alternative to the conventional black ink method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older adults exhibit increased gait variability that is associated with fall history and predicts future falls. It is not known to what extent this increased variability results from increased physiological noise versus a decreased ability to regulate walking movements. To "walk", a person must move a finite distance in finite time, making stride length (Ln) and time (Tn) the fundamental stride variables to define forward walking. Multiple age-related physiological changes increase neuromotor noise, increasing gait variability. If older adults also alter how they regulate their stride variables, this could further exacerbate that variability. We previously developed a Goal Equivalent Manifold (GEM) computational framework specifically to separate these causes of variability. Here, we apply this framework to identify how both young and high-functioning healthy older adults regulate stepping from each stride to the next. Healthy older adults exhibited increased gait variability, independent of walking speed. However, despite this, these healthy older adults also concurrently exhibited no differences (all p>0.50) from young adults either in how their stride variability was distributed relative to the GEM or in how they regulated, from stride to stride, either their basic stepping variables or deviations relative to the GEM. Using a validated computational model, we found these experimental findings were consistent with increased gait variability arising solely from increased neuromotor noise, and not from changes in stride-to-stride control. Thus, age-related increased gait variability likely precedes impaired stepping control. This suggests these changes may in turn precede increased fall risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Aerogel-based cool roof compared with ceramic paint and bituminous membrane. • Summer and autumn campaign in a full-scale test-room in a Mediterranean climate. • Aerogel paint determines a surface temperature reduction of 9.7 °C during the day. • During extremely hot day the maximum surface temperature decreases of −36%. • After one year of aging Aerogel shows a solar reflectance 47% greater than traditional cool roof. Passive radiative cooling material for building application show consolidated energy environmental and economic benefit, both to the users than community. Technological progress allows to develop new types of cool materials able, for instance, to emit infrared radiation into the space or to have a dynamic behaviour. There are also some paints based on Aerogel, marketed as insulating paints, which however, achieve a limited insulation, due to the extremely reduced thickness. The study of their spectral characteristics and behavior is limited in scientific literature and, their commercialization lacks independent scientific evidence and relies on non-standard detection methods. This paper aims to investigate, under real climatic conditions, the thermal performance of Aerogel-based cool roof, with a solar reflectance of 84% and a thermal emissivity of 90%. It is compared with a ceramic-based paint and a common finishing roof material of bituminous membrane. Since in literature there are mainly numerical/simulative studies or in-lab based, the analysis covers a whole summer and autumn season of continuous experimental campaign in a full-scale test-room, placed in Mediterranean climate. The application of ceramic paint determines an average surface temperature reduction of 9.0 °C during the day and 2.1 °C at night; while the Aerogel one 9.7 °C and 2.2 °C respectively. During the sunniest day the maximum surface temperature decreases of 25% and 28% for the ceramic and Aerogel coating respectively. This percentage increases on extremely hot day (-36% for both coatings) and decreases on windiest day (-20% for Ceramic coating and −24% for Aerogel coating). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to achieve the goal of reducing the environmental footprint of the transport sector, new low-carbon energy systems including fuel cells and power converters are proposed. The sizing and operation of such systems have to take into account the aging of the fuel cell. This paper focuses on the study of a potential impact of high frequency current ripples (HFCR) on the degradation of a high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC). A 2600 h long endurance test was carried out on 4 HT-PEMFC single cells with and without HFCR. The degradation of two cells operated with a triangular current waveform of frequency 20 kHz and amplitude 20 % pp of the mean current density (0.2 A/cm2) is compared to the degradation of two cells operated at the same constant mean current density. In addition to endurance phase, several characterization phases (polarization curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry) are used to analyse the impact of the current harmonics. The obtained results show that the high frequency current ripples do not seem to accelerate the degradation of the HT-PEMFC single cells. • Two HT-PEMFC single cells are operated for 2600 h at 0.2 A/cm2 with 20 kHz 20 % pp triangular current waveform. • Ageing is compared with two HT-PEMFC single cells operated simultaneously at the same constant mean current density. • Evolution of cell voltages during endurance and characterization phases is similar with and without HF current ripples. • Reduction of ECSA leading to an increase in activation losses is found for all tested fuel cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Gut-brain axis is involve in aged-related neurological disorders like Alzheimer. • Oral and gut dysbiosis has been associated to biomarkers of cognitive decline. • Microbial-derived metabolites could modulate tau and β-amyloid deposition. • Gut microbiome could affect brain activity via epigenetic changes. • Oral and gut dysbiosis as additional hallmark of human aging and neurodegeneration. Gut microbiota represents a diverse and dynamic population of microorganisms harbouring the gastrointestinal tract, which influences host health and disease. Bacterial colonization of the gastrointestinal tract begins at birth and changes throughout life, with age being one of the conditioning factors for its vitality. Aging is also a primary risk factor for most neurodegenerative diseases. Among them, Alzheimeŕs disease (AD) is probably the one where its association with a state of dysbiosis of the gut microbiota has been most studied. In particular, intestinal microbial-derived metabolites have been associated with β-amyloid formation and brain amyloid deposition, tau phosphorylation, as well as neuroinflammation in AD patients. Moreover, it has been suggested that some oral bacteria increase the risk of developing AD. However, the causal connections among microbiome, amyloid-tau interaction, and neurodegeneration need to be addressed. This paper summarizes the emerging evidence in the literature regarding the link between the oral and gut microbiome and neurodegeneration with a focus on AD. Taxonomic features of bacteria as well as microbial functional alterations associated with AD biomarkers are the main points reviewed. Data from clinical studies as well as the link between microbiome and clinical determinants of AD are particularly emphasized. Further, relationships between gut microbiota and age-dependent epigenetic changes and other neurological disorders are also described. Together, all this evidence suggests that, in some sense, gut microbiota can be seen as an additional hallmark of human aging and neurodegeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • This paper summarizes diverse perspectives from researchers on binder aging. • This paper explores binder aging's chemical, morphological, and rheological aspects. • This paper urges better methods for understanding binder aging phenomenon. Asphalt binders, an indispensable component in road infrastructure construction and maintenance, have been utilized for centuries in the roads. While binders have demonstrated durability and resilience to growing climatic and traffic stressors, concerns persist regarding their susceptibility to aging, a factor that can significantly affect the performance and longevity of asphalt pavements. To address these concerns, extensive research is ongoing to continuously improve our understanding of aging on asphalt binders, employing a multi-aspect characterization approach. In this review paper, we aim to offer a comprehensive and insightful summary of the diverse perspectives provided by researchers on the intricate effects of aging on asphalt binders. We study the chemical, morphological, and rheological aspects of asphalt binder aging, shedding light on the multifaceted changes that occur as these materials mature over time. This cutting-edge approach provides a deeper understanding of the complex processes that underlie asphalt binder aging, keeping the industry up-to-date with the latest findings and breakthroughs. The overarching goal of this review paper is to inspire and motivate asphalt binder researchers to adopt a more holistic approach to characterization, one that considers multiple aspects of the aging phenomenon. By doing so, we can better understand how asphalt binders evolve and degrade over time, ultimately leading to more effective and long-lasting pavements. Furthermore, this review paper highlights the limitations of current methods and technologies, emphasizing the necessity for advancements in the field of asphalt binder aging characterization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social gradients in health and aging have been reported in studies across many human populations, and - as the papers included in this special collection highlight – also occur across species. This paper serves as a general introduction to the special collection of Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews entitled "Social dimensions of health and aging: population studies, preclinical research, and comparative research using animal models". Authors of the fourteen reviews are primarily members of a National Institute of Aging-supported High Priority Research Network on "Animal Models for the Social Dimensions of Health and Aging". The collection is introduced by a foreword, commentaries, and opinion pieces by leading experts in related fields. The fourteen reviews are divided into four sections: Section 1: Biodemography and life course studies; Section 2: Social behavior and healthy aging in nonhuman primates; Section 3: Social factors, stress, and hallmarks of aging; Section 4: Neuroscience and social behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic alcohol consumption, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and vascular dementia are all associated with cognitive decline later in life, raising questions about whether their underlying neuropathology may share some common features. Indeed, recent evidence suggests that ethanol exposure during adolescence or intermittent drinking in young adulthood increased neuropathological markers of AD, including both tau phosphorylation and beta-amyloid (Aβ) accumulation. The goal of the present study was to determine whether alcohol consumption later in life, a time when microglia and other neuroimmune processes tend to become overactive, would influence microglial clearance of Aβ (1-42) , focusing specifically on microglia in close proximity to the neurovasculature. To do this, male and female Fischer 344 rats were exposed to a combination of voluntary and involuntary ethanol consumption from ∼10 months of age through ∼14 months of age. Immunofluorescence revealed profound sex differences in microglial co-localization, with Aβ (1-42) showing that aged female rats with a history of ethanol consumption had a higher number of iba1+ cells and marginally reduced expression of Aβ (1-42) , suggesting greater phagocytic activity of Aβ (1-42) among females after chronic ethanol consumption later in life. Interestingly, these effects were most prominent in Iba1+ cells near neurovasculature that was stained with tomato lectin. In contrast, no significant effects of ethanol consumption were observed on any markers in males. These findings are among the first reports of a sex-specific increase in microglia-mediated phagocytosis of Aβ (1-42) by perivascular microglia in aged, ethanol-consuming rats, and may have important implications for understanding mechanisms of cognitive decline associated with chronic drinking. • The present experiment used a novel, moderate intermittent ethanol consumption procedure across middle to late aging. • Aged females with a history of ethanol consumption have increased co-localization of microglia and Aβ (1-42) in the dorsal hippocampus. • This paper offers insight into microglia-Aβ (1-42) co-localization around neurovasculature after moderate chronic ethanol exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In their recent Nature paper, Oh et al. use 4979 plasma proteins collected across multiple cohorts, publicly available gene expression data, and machine learning models to identify 11 organ-specific aging scores that are linked to organ-specific disease and mortality risk, including heart failure, cognitive decline, and Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fractals are everywhere in nature, particularly at the interfaces where matter or energy must be transferred, since they maximize surface area while minimizing energy losses. Temporal fractals have been well studied at micro scales in human biology, but have received comparatively little attention at broader macro scales. In this paper, we describe a fractal time series model of human aging from a systems biology perspective. This model examines how intrinsic aging rates are shaped by entropy and Fibonacci fractal dynamics, with implications for the emergence of key life cycle traits. This proposition is supported by research findings. The finding of an intrinsic aging rate rooted in Fibonacci fractal dynamics represents a new predictive paradigm in evolutionary biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supporting people to 'age in place' – to live independently at home and remain connected to the community – is an international policy priority. But the process of ageing in place is mediated in a socio-cultural context where neoliberal tropes of successful ageing reproduce a pervasive model about 'ageing well' by elevating ideals of individualised choice and self-governance. Based on two waves of qualitative interviews and interim observations, we employ a Bourdieusian logic to explore the ramifications of this context on the experiences of 46 people in later older age (80+) ageing in place in North East England. All participants enacted everyday improvisatory practices to render their homes habitable. But our participants – most of whom were located in middle-class social positions – supplemented such improvisions with a strategic disposition to plan for and actively shape their ageing-in-place futures. Our participants conveyed a distinct sense of agency over their ageing futures. Underpinning their orientations to practice was an awareness of the value attached to individually 'ageing well' and a distancing from the agedness associated with the fourth age. Our analysis demonstrates the role of capital, accrued throughout the life course, in bringing such future trajectories into effect. The central argument of this paper therefore is that the embodiment of (neoliberal) ideals of successful ageing in place requires the deployment of classed capital. In sum, contrary to the individualising narratives ubiquitous in policy pertaining to ageing well, we show the importance of classed structural moorings in this process. • Regardless of class, older adults (80+) tinker to render their homes habitable. • Bourdieusian analysis shows how class shapes (successful) ageing in place. • Focusing on middle-class experiences deepens insight into ageing inequalities. • Dispositions to plan for and actively shape ageing futures requires capital. • The individualising focus of successful ageing ideals is inherently classed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macroautophagy/autophagy is primarily accountable for the degradation of damaged organelles and toxic macromolecules in the cells. Regarding the essential function of autophagy for preserving cellular homeostasis, changes in, or dysfunction of, autophagy flux can lead to disease development. In the current paper, the complicated function of autophagy in aging-associated pathologies and cancer is evaluated, highlighting the underlying molecular mechanisms that can affect longevity and disease pathogenesis. As a natural biological process, a reduction in autophagy is observed with aging, resulting in an accumulation of cell damage and the development of different diseases, including neurological disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. The MTOR, AMPK, and ATG proteins demonstrate changes during aging, and they are promising therapeutic targets. Insulin/IGF1, TOR, PKA, AKT/PKB, caloric restriction and mitochondrial respiration are vital for lifespan regulation and can modulate or have an interaction with autophagy. The specific types of autophagy, such as mitophagy that degrades mitochondria, can regulate aging by affecting these organelles and eliminating those mitochondria with genomic mutations. Autophagy and its specific types contribute to the regulation of carcinogenesis and they are able to dually enhance or decrease cancer progression. Cancer hallmarks, including proliferation, metastasis, therapy resistance and immune reactions, are tightly regulated by autophagy, supporting the conclusion that autophagy is a promising target in cancer therapy. • Autophagy eliminates damaged organelles and toxic macromolecules to preserve cellular homeostasis. • The dysregulation of autophagy can result in the development of diseases. • Autophagy flux decreases during aging, which can promote the accumulation of damaged organelles and genomic instability. • Autophagy flux dysregulation can enhance aging-related diseases, including neurological and cardiovascular diseases. • Autophagy flux undergoes dysregulation in cancer and can regulate cancer hallmarks and therapy resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic disorders are considered the hallmarks of cancer and metabolic reprogramming is emerging as a new strategy for cancer treatment. Exogenous and endogenous stressors can induce cellular senescence; the interactions between cellular senescence and systemic metabolism are dynamic. Cellular senescence disrupts metabolic homeostasis in various tissues, which further promotes senescence, creating a vicious cycle facilitating tumor occurrence, recurrence, and altered outcomes of anticancer treatments. Therefore, the regulation of cellular senescence and related secretory phenotypes is considered a breakthrough in cancer therapy; moreover, proteins involved in the associated pathways are prospective therapeutic targets. Although studies on the association between cellular senescence and tumors have emerged in recent years, further elucidation of this complex correlation is required for comprehensive knowledge. In this paper, we review the research progress on the correlation between cell aging and metabolism, focusing on the strategies of targeting metabolism to modulate cellular senescence and the progress of relevant research in the context of anti-tumor therapy. Finally, we discuss the significance of improving the specificity and safety of anti-senescence drugs, which is a potential challenge in cancer therapy. [Display omitted] • Cellular senescence is regulated by various metabolic conditions. • Senescent cells are potential therapeutic targets for various diseases and dysfunctions. • Senolysis is a potential treatment strategy for tumors and age-related diseases. • Senolytics with improved specificity and safety need to be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In this paper, we found that senescent mice develop pathologies such as obesity lipid metabolism disorders. • The expression of miR-743b-3p was elevated in senescent mice, which inhibited the expression of PPM1K. • MiR-743b-3p regulates BCAA levels in senescent hepatocytes by targeting PPM1K causing abnormal lipid deposition. Lipid metabolism disorders appear to play an important role in the ageing process, thus understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the association of ageing with elevated vulnerability to lipid metabolism related diseases is crucial towards promoting quality of life in old age. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as crucial regulators of lipid metabolism, and some miRNAs have key roles in ageing. In this study, we investigated changes in liver lipid metabolism of ageing mice and the mechanisms of the altered expression of miRNAs in the ageing liver which contributes to the age-dependent increase in lipid synthesis. Here we found that miR-743b-3p was higher expressed in the liver tissues of ageing mice through the small RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis, and its target PPM1K was predicted and confirmed the target relationship of miR-743b-3p with PPM1K in the aged mouse liver tissues and the cultured senescent hepatocytes in vitro. Moreover, using the transfected miR-743b-3p mimics/inhibitors into the senescent hepatocyte AML12. We found that miR-743b-3p inhibition reversed the hepatocyte senescence, and finally decreased the expression of genes involved in lipid synthesis(Chrebp, Fabp4, Acly and Pparγ) through increasing the target gene expression of PPM1K which regulated the expression of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) metabolism-related genes (Bckdhα, Bckdk, Bcat2, Dbt). These results identify that age-induced expression of miR-743b-3p inhibits its target PPM1K which induces BCAA metabolic disorder and regulates hepatocyte lipid accumulation during ageing. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sintered Cu interconnection technology for power electronics has been widely investigated owing to its unique low temperature sintering high temperature service characteristics and price superiority. However, the currently research usually requires long sintering time (>30 min) and high pressure (>5 MPa). Here, we synthesized copper formate coated Cu nanoparticles (Cu-FA) by a solvothermal reaction, which can achieve rapid sintering at 260 °C with pressure of 5 MPa in 5 min to obtain robust joints of 67.41 MPa for fabricating SiC MOSFET devices. After 1000 h thermal aging and 1000 cycles thermal shock, the strength of joints can still maintained above 50 MPa. Moreover, SiC MOSFET modules were demonstrated using Cu-FA die attachment, which exhibit a 43.6 % lower thermal resistance compared to commercial Sn–Pb solder. Furthermore, copper paste performs better in long-term reliability. This paper provides an effective way to obtain high quality sintered Cu joints rapidly, which is suitable for the packaging of next generation power devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing research has documented various determinants of mental health related to individuals' social connections, but less is known about the role of the structural features of interpersonal networks. This is especially true in the case of bridging , which refers to ties to people who are otherwise disconnected from each other. By intersecting theories of social networks and gerontology, this study employs within- and between-person analysis with data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) to examine the association between social network bridging and depression in later life. The study finds that bridging, particularly between kin and non-kin members in the network, is associated with increased depressive symptoms in later life. This association is contingent on social support and strain respondents experienced, and it exhibits variations within individuals over time, especially among older adults in the youngest age cohort (57–64 years old included in NSHAP in 2005). In closing, the paper discusses the extent to which heterogeneous network structures may be one mechanism that shapes mental health trajectories in the context of later life-course experiences. • The paper discusses how bridging disparate network members produces strain that elevates depression risks in later life. • Older adults' bridging potential in personal networks is classified into three distinct types. • The association between bridging and elevated depressive symptoms is unique to bridging unconnected kin and non-kin. • The effect of bridging is more so for the youngest age cohort than older cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper takes the co-construction of age and gender over the course of a life as a starting point and expands this perspective by looking at the intersectional interplay of institutional, spatial, and bodily materiality in the setting of a nursing home. Nursing homes are often perceived as a female space, both socially and physically. Moreover, they are institutional spaces that are primarily oriented towards the deficits of aging and bodies in need of care so that age and aging are reproduced in a narrative of decline, and gender hardly has space to be constructed. This interweaving of institutional spaces, bodies in need of care, and gender poses the question: How are age and gender produced through the space(s) of the nursing home and its materiality, and vice versa? On this basis, the influence on the construction of masculinities in the context of materialism is discussed. This paper draws on two case studies, Walter Probst (age 93) and Günther Schiffke (age 78), based on biographical interviews, to focus on the perspective of very old men in need of care and work out the interplay between the material nature of the institutional space and the body in need of care. It will be shown how closely the performance of age, gender, and masculinities is determined by spatial materiality in the nursing home and the increasing dependence of bodies in need of care, as well as how these bodies produce the spaces in turn. On the basis of the case studies, three aspects of materiality of care home spaces are highlighted. The first aspect of this materiality shows how the body can be increasingly perceived and treated as a material object. The second aspect is defined by the body situated in space, and its relationship to objects and aids. As a third aspect, the possibilities of interacting in communal and private spaces of the nursing home are explored. The article thus contributes to linking the (re-) construction of biographic narratives more strongly to spatial materiality and to embedding the construction and performance of age and gender in spatial and institutional structures, thus demonstrating that spaces and environments shape age, gender, and masculinities in a reciprocal way. • The intersectional perspective show how institutional spaces shape both age and gender in a reciprocal way. • Two case studies show the limits and options materialities of nursing homes provide for the presentations of residents. • The materialities of the care setting play a strong role by replicating the deficit perspective on nursing home residents [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dans la pratique clinique, nous constatons une forte propension à interpréter tout trouble du sujet âgé sur un mode démentiel. L'objectif de ce travail est d'en cerner les origines, les mécanismes opératoires ainsi que les conséquences subjectives. Il s'agit également de proposer un modèle pour appréhender et traiter cette doxa gérontologique. En nous appuyant sur notre expérience clinique en institution, nous analysons l'articulation entre l'idéologie gériatrique actuelle et les assignations subjectives démentielles en pratiques gérontologiques. Nous effectuons tout d'abord un repérage théorique et contextualisé de la reconceptualisation de la maladie d'Alzheimer, du vieillissement et du symptôme cognitif. Ensuite, nous repérons l'incidence de ces conceptions dans les pratiques auprès des sujets âgés. Enfin, nous identifions les postures singulières et institutionnelles qui peuvent en découler. Jusque dans les années 1970, la diversité des conceptions gériatriques internationales était proportionnelle à la complexité clinique du processus de vieillesse et de l'état démentiel du sujet âgé. La reconceptualisation de la démence sénile et pré-sénile en maladie spécifique au vieillissement associée à des transformations socioculturelles décisives va imposer une lecture biomédicale des problématiques du vieillissement. Issu d'un leadership états-unien qui va totalement façonner l'orientation du discours dominant émergeant, le modèle d'une maladie d'Alzheimer expansée conditionne aujourd'hui les manières monocentrées d'aborder la variété des tableaux cliniques gériatriques. Sur le terrain, il en résulte que les manifestations de l'adulte âgé sont soumises à une interprétation démentielle commune qui opère comme démentification subjective. La démentification subjective est ce que nous désignons comme effets psychiques délétères de cette interprétation démentielle appliquée aux situations cliniques du sujet vieillissant, avec ou sans problématique cérébrale probable. Elle est le produit d'un double mécanisme que nous dénommons décérébration psychique et pousse-à-la-démence. Le phénomène de soustraction à la faculté de penser s'articule ainsi au processus de vidage de sens des manifestations du sujet âgé puis de remplissage par des éléments identitaires démentiels via les discours et attitudes de l'entourage. Selon la situation clinique, cette double opération aura des effets subjectifs divers oscillant entre deux pôles : majoration des symptômes en cas de pathologie neurodégénérative probable, création d'un tableau d'allure démentielle artificiel plus ou moins marqué en cas de diagnostic erroné ou d'étiquetage abusif. Dans ce contexte, accompagner le sujet âgé en passe par la nécessité de traiter l'Autre. Dans la veine du modèle étiologique soutenu par le psychiatre britannique Martin Roth à l'aube de la psychogériatrie, nous avançons que seul un questionnement simultané des dimensions organique, psychique et toxique articulé à une clinique inscrite dans le rapport à l'Autre peut efficacement saisir les problématiques et défis gériatriques. Face à la diversité des troubles du vieillissement, la clinique gériatrique se doit avant tout d'être une clinique introspective. La garantie de la dignité et de la liberté du sujet est en effet conditionnée par la faculté de résistance à l'idéologie Alzheimer de ceux qui entourent et accompagnent l'adulte âgé. In clinical practice, there is a strong tendency to interpret any elderly patient's disorder as dementia. The purpose of this paper is to identify the origins, the operating mechanisms, and the subjective consequences of this. It also seeks to propose a model for understanding and dealing with this gerontological doxa. Based on our clinical experience in institutions, we will analyze the articulation between current geriatric ideology and subjective dementia assessments in gerontological practices. We will first outline the theoretical and contextualized reconceptualization of Alzheimer's disease, aging, and the cognitive symptom. Then, we will identify the impact of these conceptions in practices with elderly subjects. Finally, we will identify the individual and institutional attitudes that can result from this. Until the 1970s, the diversity of international geriatric conceptions was proportional to the clinical complexity of the aging process and to the demential state of the elderly subject. The reconceptualization of senile and pre-senile dementia as a disease that is specific to aging, combined with decisive socio-cultural transformations, imposed a biomedical reading of the problems of aging. Stemming from an American leadership that completely shaped the orientation of the emerging dominant discourse, the model of an expanded Alzheimer's disease is now conditioning the monocentric ways of approaching the variety of geriatric clinical phenomena. In practice, this results in the elderly adult's behavior being consistently interpreted as dementia, resulting in a subjective dementification. Subjective dementification is what we refer to as the delirious psychic effects of this dementia interpretation as applied to clinical situations of the aging subject, regardless of whether or not there is a probable cerebral problem. It is the product of a double mechanism that we call psychic decerebration and push-to-dementia. The phenomenon of subtraction from the faculty of thinking is thus linked to the process of stripping meaning from the manifestations of the elderly subject and replacing them with dementia identity elements via the discourse and attitudes of the social circle. Depending on the clinical situation, this double operation will have various subjective effects that oscillate between two poles: an increase in symptoms in the case of a probable neurodegenerative pathology, and the creation of an artificial dementia-like picture that is more or less marked in the case of a misdiagnosis or abusive labeling. In this context, support for the elderly subject involves the need to treat the Other. In the vein of the etiological model supported by the British psychiatrist Martin Roth at the dawn of psychogeriatrics, we posit that only a simultaneous questioning of the organic, psychic, and toxic dimensions – through a clinical practice rooted in a relationship with the Other – can effectively grasp geriatric problems and challenges. Faced with the diversity of aging disorders, clinical practice with geriatric subjects must, above all, be introspective. The guarantee of the subject's dignity and freedom is in fact conditioned by the ability of those who surround and accompany the elderly adult to resist Alzheimer's ideology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a number of power grid network design and optimization techniques that consider the electromigration (EM) effects for multi-segment interconnect wires. First, we consider a new EM immortality constraint due to EM void saturation volume for multi-segment interconnects. It helps reduce conservativeness in the EM-aware on-chip power grid design. Along with the EM nucleation phase immortality constraint, we show that both EM immortality constraints can be naturally integrated into the existing programming based power grid optimization framework. Second, to mitigate the overly conservativeness of the immortality constrained optimization methods, we further explore three strategies: we first size up failed wires to meet one of the immortality conditions subject to the design rules; second, we consider the EM-induced aging effects on power supply networks for a target lifetime, which allows some short-lived wires to fail and optimizes the remaining wires; third, we propose a large change sensitivity-based optimization scheme to perform localized fixing based on recently proposed coupled EM-IR drop analysis method. Numerical results on a number of IBM-format power grid networks demonstrate that the new method can reduce more power grid area compared to the existing EM immortality constrained optimizations. Moreover, the new method is able to optimize power grids with nucleated wires, which would not be possible with the existing methods. Results also show the sensitivity-based localized power girds fixing can fix EM-induced IR drop violations in a few minutes for synthesized power grid networks from ARM core designs. • This paper introduces new power grid design and optimization techniques considering EM aging effects for a target lifetime. • A new EM immortality constraint due to EM void saturation volume is integrated into the framework • Three strategies are explored to further mitigate the conservativeness of the immortality constrained optimization method. • Experimental results validated the soundness of the proposed methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The remarkable mechanical properties, fatigue resistance, wear and corrosion resistance, biocompatibility, shape memory effect, and superelasticity of NiTi shape memory alloys make them applied in diverse engineering areas, including satellite antennas, oil pipelines, and vascular stents. This paper focuses on the preparation of Ni 50.8 Ti 49.2 alloy via laser directed energy deposition (LDED) utilizing pre-alloyed powder and the heat treatment of solid solution at 950 °C for 8 h followed by subsequent aging at 350 °C, 450 °C and 550 °C for 2 h. The influence of varying aging temperature on the microstructures, phase transformation behavior and superelastic cyclic stability of them was comprehensively summarized and discussed. The martensitic transformation temperatures of NiTi alloys after aging decrease as the aging temperature increases. Specifically, NiTi alloys aged at 450 °C for 2 h exhibit excellent superelasticity and high cyclic stability. After an initial loading-unloading cycle with an 8.079 % pre-strain, the alloy achieves 100 % complete recovery. Even after 10 cycles, the recoverable strain remains at approximately 7.374 %, with a recovery rate exceeding 90 %. These outstanding properties of high superelasticity and superior cyclic stability are significantly better than most other LDED NiTi alloys. This exceptional performance is primarily attributed to the synergistic effects of the R-phase and Ti 3 Ni 4 precipitates on the shape memory alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Reducing modifiable risk factors could prevent the onset of cognitive decline. • Physical multimorbidity–cognitive function association was mediated by depression. • Routine screening for depression in multimorbidity patient may delay dementia onset. This paper explores the role of depressive symptoms (mediator/moderator) in the association between physical multimorbidity (exposure) and cognitive function (outcome) among older adults in the three most populous middle-income countries. This study used cross-sectional data from China (2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study), India (2017/2018 Longitudinal Ageing Study in India), and Indonesia (2014/2015 Indonesian Family Life Survey), with a total sample of 73,199 respondents aged ≥ 45 years. Three domains of cognitive tests were harmonised across surveys, including time orientation, word recall, and numeracy. The four-way decomposition analysis assessed the mediation and interaction effects between exposure, mediator/moderator, and outcome, adjusted for covariates. The mean age of the respondents (in years) was slightly younger in Indonesia (56.0, SD = 8.8) than in China (59.5, SD = 9.3) and India (60.0, SD = 10.5). The proportion of male respondents was 49.3 % in China, 47.3 % in India, and 47.5 % in Indonesia. Respondents in China had the highest mean cognitive function z scores (54.7, SD = 19.9), followed by India (51.1, SD = 20.0) and Indonesia (51.0, SD = 18.4). Physical multimorbidity was associated with lower cognitive function in China and India (p < 0.0001), with 48.4 % and 40.0 % of the association explained by the mediating effect of depressive symptoms ('overall proportion due to mediation'). The association was not found in Indonesia. Cognitive functions were lower among individuals with physical multimorbidity, and depressive symptoms mainly explained the association. Addressing depressive symptoms among persons with physical multimorbidity is likely to have not only an impact on their mental health but could prevent cognitive decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]