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Background Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement (SAVR) and Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVI) are treatment options in patients with severe aortic stenosis. International guidelines suggest both traditional risk scores and a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (GCA) be determinants in treatment decision–making. The aim of the study is to identify the GCA parameters associated with the decision to perform TAVI instead of SAVR in elderly patients with severe aortic stenosis. Materials and Methods Between 2019 and 2022, 66 patients aged ≥75 years were referred to the Cardiology department of Padua Hospital for pre–operative evaluation, including CGA. The CGA consisted of functional status (Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scales), cognitive impairment (Mini Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment), mood disorders (Geriatric Depression Scale), physical performance (Short Physical Performance Battery, 6–minute Walking Test, grip strength) and quality of life (Short–Form 36 items Health Survey). Results SAVR was proposed to 53% of patients and TAVI to 47%. The mean age was 78.9 ± 4.8 years and 47% were women. TAVI patients were older and had lower scores on both cognitive and motor performance tests than SAVR patients. The geriatric parameters associated with treatment decision–making between SAVR and TAVI were age (OR= 1.64, p < 0.04) and gait speed (OR= 0.09, p = 0.05). Conclusions Therapeutic decision–making in elderly patients with severe aortic stenosis is not only influenced by age, but also by a frailty index, gait speed. This could become a simple, quick and inexpensive routine test to effectively stratify patients.

OBJECTIVE Postoperative pain after craniotomy is a significant clinical problem that is sometimes underestimated, although moderate or severe pain in early postoperative period complicates up to 60% of cases. The purpose of this prospective randomized multicenter trial was to determine the optimal timing for selective scalp block in patients undergoing general anesthesia for supratentorial craniotomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS After ethics committee approval and informed consent, 56 adult patients were enrolled, and randomly assigned to receive a selective scalp block combined with incision line infiltration preoperatively or postoperatively. RESULTS Postoperative pain at 24 hours after the procedure was recorded in all 56 enrolled patients. In patients assigned to receive a scalp block preoperatively, median VAS score at 24 hours after surgery was 0 (0 to 2), and in patients assigned to receive a scalp block postoperatively it was 0 (0 to 3) (P>0.05). There was no difference in severity of pain at 24, 12, 6, and 2 hours after surgery between the 2 study groups, but the amount of fentanyl administered intraoperatively was lower in patients assigned to the preoperative scalp block group (1.6±0.7 vs. 2.4±0.7 mkg/kg/h, P=0.01). DISCUSSION This study confirms and extends available clinical evidence on the safety and efficacy of selective scalp blocks for the prevention of postoperative pain. Recorded data suggest that there is no difference in terms of occurrence and severity of postoperative pain regardless of whether the scalp block is performed preoperatively (after general anesthesia induction) or postoperatively (before extubation). Patients assigned to receive a scalp block combined with incision line infiltration preoperatively needed less intraoperative opioids than those assigned to postoperative scalp block.

The effect of combined lifestyle interventions (LSI) including dietary and physical activity on metabolic health, energy metabolism and VO2max in diabetic patients has provided mixed results. We evaluated the impact of 1-year caloric restriction (CR), and 12-week supervised structured exercise training (SSET) on metabolic health, RMR and VO2max in obese adults with type 2 diabetes. After 1-month education for LSI, 33 participants had anthropometric, biochemical and metabolic assessments. They then started CR based on RMR, and 3-month SSET during the months 1–3 (Early-SSET) or 4–6 (Late-SSET). Reassessments were planned after 3, 6 and 12 months. Using a per-protocol analysis, we evaluated parameter changes from baseline and their associations for the 23 participants (11 Early-SSET, 12 Late-SSET) who completed the study. RMR was adjusted (adjRMR) for age, sex, fat-free mass (FFM) and fat mass (FM). Compared with baseline, after 6 months we found significant increases in VO2max (+ 14%) and HDL-cholesterol (+ 13%), and reduction in body mass index (− 3%), FM (− 8%) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c, − 7%). Training-related caloric expenditure negatively correlated with changes in body weight (p

Background Prevention and treatment of postoperative pain after craniotomy in pediatric patients is an open and challenging clinical problem due to limited epidemiological data and significant concerns on safety of the most common analgesics in neurosurgical patients. We reviewed the literature to evaluate the possible available strategies in pain management in pediatric patients. Methods The systematic review was performed in accordance with PRISMA statement recommendations. PUBMED, EMBASE and Scopus databases were queried. Inclusion criteria were: randomized controlled trials, prospective and retrospective observational studies published before 2020 and reported postoperative pain management after craniotomy (i.e. including studies accomplished after craniotomy, craniectomy and reconstructive surgery) in children population (neonates to 18 years old). Results A total of 11 studies – 4 randomized controlled, 5 prospective observational and 2 retrospective met criteria for inclusion. The selected studies reported data from a total of 1077 patients, with age ranging between neonates to 18 years, 52% male and 48% female. Opioids are still the most commonly used drugs. Paracetamol and NSAIDs are frequently used as adjuvants to reduce postoperative opioid requirements. Data on potential hypocoagulation due to the antiplatelet effect of NSAIDs are lacking. Selective scalp block provides lower pain scores in early postoperative period. Conclusion Clinical evidence on prevention and treatment of postoperative pain in pediatric patients undergone craniotomy is still sparse. Available data prove that a multimodal approach, realized as the use a combination of opioids, paracetamol/NSAIDs and regional anesthesia, is effective and rarely associate with complications.

Vertebral fractures are associated with persistent pain, disability and mortality. However, around two thirds of women with vertebral fractures are unaware of them. We aimed to analyze which factors could mostly be associated to the presence of vertebral fractures in post-menopausal women, and evaluate the effectiveness of current screening criteria for the detection of vertebral fractures in an outpatient setting.We evaluated 1132 post-menopausal women referred to the osteoporosis outpatient clinic of the Geriatrics Department of Padova. For each participant we assessed: anthropometric data, femoral and lumbar bone mineral density (BMD), dorso-lumbar X-rays, bone metabolism markers. Current recommendations for X-ray examinations by SIOMMMS (Società Italiana di Osteoporosi, Metabolismo Minerale e Malattie dello Scheletro) and ISCD (International Society of Clinical Densitometry) versus routine X-ray examinations were considered, and fracture risk was assessed through the derived FRAX (DeFRA) tool.Of the women included in our study, 28% presented vertebral fractures, most of these previously unknown (82.8%). Lumbar BMD did not differ between patients with and without vertebral fractures. According to SIOMMMS guidelines, 50% of patients60 years with unknown vertebral fractures would have been excluded from spinal X-ray examination. According to ISCD recommendations, the number of patients excluded reached 94.6% in the60 age-group and 84.9% in the 60-70 age-group. The under-identification of vertebral fractures led to the 10-year risk of fractures computed by DeFRA being underestimated by around 15%.BMD, particularly in the lumbar site, may not properly predict the presence of vertebral fractures in post-menopausal women. Improvement of the current recommendations for spinal X-ray examination may lead to early identification and better management of patients with vertebral fractures.

Background Atrial fibrillation is highly prevalent among the elderly population, which is also frequently prone to thromboembolic complications. Anticoagulant prophylaxis is underused in the elderly due to fear of bleeding, which tends to be more frequent and severe within this group. Randomized controlled trials and several observational studies have shown the comparative effectiveness of direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) against vitamin K antagonists (VKA), and their superior safety, at least in terms of intracranial bleeding. However, for patients aged 85 or older, there is still insufficient literature, leaving unanswered the question of which prophylaxis to use. Purpose The aim of the study is to compare the incidence of established outcomes and to investigate the net clinical benefit between DOAC and VKA in patients aged ≥85 years. Methods A cohort of 553 outpatients from the real world began treatment using DOACs at our clinic. The prospective follow-up on average lasted 1.97 years. Main endpoints were stroke and systemic thromboembolism, major hemorrhage, myocardial infarction and mortality for all causes. A sample of the 160 patients aged ≥85 years was compared with the remaining younger ones and with a second cohort of 298 outpatients aged ≥85 years. Retrospectively analyzed, with follow-ups at our center, who started VKAs; the average time was 2.03 years. The “net clinical benefit” of DOACs against VKAs was calculated as the difference between thromboembolic events with VKAs and with DOACs, minus the difference (weighted by 1.5) between spontaneous intracranial bleeding with DOACs and VKAs. Results In terms of thromboembolic events, DOACs and VKAs (2.43% p-y vs. 1.82% p-y, p=0.975) have shown comparable efficacy in a higher risk sample (CHA2DS2-VASc score: 5.2 vs. 4.5; p Conclusions DOACs are as effective in very old patients with atrial fibrillation compared to very old patients receiving VKAs, but they are associated with increased major bleeding. The same is true when compared with younger DOACs users. TTR, representing quality achieved by the anticoagulation with a VKA, can influence the comparison with DOACs. Considering ischemic strokes and spontaneous intracranial hemorrhages, there is however a net benefit for DOACs use in specific categories of elderly patients.

Background Due to the fear of increased risk of bleeding, anticoagulation treatment is underutilized in the prevention of stroke in elderly patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). Although direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) are safer than VKA, still little is known about the risk factors associated with bleeding in elderly patients treated with DOAC. Furthermore, it is still uncertain whether the risk scores that are currently used can serve to effectively identify higher bleeding risk in elderly subjects. Purpose The aim of this study was to identify predictors of bleeding in a cohort of elderly people affected by NVAF treated with DOAC, and to evaluate the accuracy of risk scores for bleeding used at present. Methods Data on outpatients aged ≥75 years, naïve for DOAC therapy, who started therapy with Dabigatran, Rivaroxaban, Apixaban or Edoxaban for the prevention of thromboembolism during FANV were analyzed. HASBLED, ATRIA, OBRI and ORBIT scores were calculated for each patient. Patients had follow-up for 12 months during which deaths, therapy discontinuation and adverse events such as thromboembolism and bleeding were reported. Potential predictors of bleeding and the predictive value of each bleeding score were tested using univariate Cox regression; testing accuracy was evaluated using ROC curves. Results A total of 291 patients (52.9% female, mean age 82.85±5.18 years) had a median follow-up time of 11 (10–12) months. The incidence rate of major bleeding was 4.7 per 100 patient-years, the rate of intracranial bleeding was 0.4 per 100 patient-years. Patients who had major bleeding were more often affected by heart failure (63.6% vs 25%; p=0.009) and thrombocytopenia (36.4% vs 7.4%; p=0,009). However in the multivariate analysis only heart failure remained statistically associated with major bleeding (HR 3.83, 95% CI 1.06–13.85; p=0.041). None of tested bleeding risk scores was able to predict major bleeding in our cohort. HASBLED and ORBIT scores were able to predict major and non-major clinically relevant bleeding (HR 1.32; 95% CI 1.01–1.71; p=0.042 and HR 1.20; 95% CI 1.00- 1.43; p=0.046); only the ORBIT score was found to be statistically significant, but with weak discriminatory power at ROC curves (AUC 0.59; 95% CI 0.51–0.68; p=0.041). Conclusions In our cohort of elderly patients aged 75 or older, anticoagulated for NVAF, heart failure history was the only effective predictor of major bleeding risk during DOAC treatment. None of the bleeding risk scores used currently have demonstrated a good discriminatory power in our cohort. As predictive factors of bleedings in DOAC-treated patients may not be the same as those for VKA-treated patients and those in elderly may also be differ in younger people, it calls for more investigation on the topic.

Sacrificial anodes have been used in reinforced concrete structures for up to 20 years. This paper reviews the performance of the oldest set of anodes. It demonstrates, from results of current output and steel depolarisation levels, that the repair system is still functioning adequately overall but with signs of deterioration beyond 15 years. These prototype anodes designed for a 10-year life continue to deliver a reduced but significant current complying with currently accepted criteria. The current output of the anodes was shown to experience two events which caused a reduction in performance at 6 and 14 years likely to be related to a reduction in capillary porosity from the build-up of zinc corrosion products and the drop of the pH below that of saturated lithium hydroxide respectively. Nonetheless, the overall reduction in current was found to be adequately described by an anode aging model where the current delivered is halved over constant time intervals, enabling determination of an ‘aging-factor’. For these prototype anodes the ‘aging-factor’ was estimated to be around 7 years with a potential of extending this period if measures are taken to delay or eliminate the two current reduction events. Use of this anode aging model will enable better design of galvanic corrosion control systems and will allow the approximate current output of the system to be predicted at any particular time in its design life.

INTRODUCTION Decompressive craniectomy (DC) to control refractory intracranial hypertension in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), has been listed as possible but controversial therapeutic approach in the latest version of TBI management guidelines. This study aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis on efficacy and safety of DC compared to standard care in TBI patients. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION A database search from 2011 to 2017 was conducted to identify studies pertinent to DC compared to standard care after TBI. The primary outcomes were mortality and functional outcome upon hospital discharge and at 6 and 12 months after intervention, whereas secondary outcomes were intracranial pressure (ICP) control, hospitalization data and occurrence of adverse events. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS Three randomized controlled trials and two observational studies enrolling 3451 patients were selected for qualitative analysis, among which four were included in the meta-analysis. DC-treated patients showed a significant reduction of overall mortality (RR, 0.57; 95% CI: 0.5-0.66; P

Recently metabolic aspects linked to sarcopenic obesity (SO) were investigated. Extant studies involved especially older people from Asian or White-mixed American cohorts. The aims of our study were: to explore the prevalence of sarcopenia in Caucasian adult obese subjects using two different indices of sarcopenia, and to investigate the relationship among SO, metabolic syndrome (MS), inflammation, and serum albumin concentrations. Cross- sectional study. The study was performed from 2011 to 2014 in a hospitalized care setting. Inclusion criteria were: age>18 and

Body mass index (BMI) and mortality in old adults from the general population have been related in a U-shaped or J-shaped curve. However, limited information is available for elderly nursing home p ...

Physical rehabilitation is fundamental in the elderly to contrast mobility impairment and disability but needs to be adapted to each patient’s features. Aging coincides with physiological changes in body composition and energy metabolism, in terms of resting energy expenditure and maximal aerobic capacity. These changes may be exacerbated by pathological conditions, often making it necessary to provide older subjects with rehabilitation care. This chapter outlines the main physiological changes in body composition and energy metabolism that can influence rehabilitation programs for the elderly.

A long history of diabetes mellitus and increasing age are associated with the onset of diabetic neuropathy, a painful and highly disabling complication with a prevalence peaking at 50% among elderly diabetic patients. Acetyl-l-carnitine (ALC) is a molecule derived from the acetylation of carnitine in the mitochondria that has an essential role in energy production. It has recently been proposed as a therapy to improve the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy. ALC is widely distributed in mammalian tissues, including the brain, blood–brain barrier, brain neurons, and astrocytes. Aside from its metabolic activity, ALC has demonstrated cytoprotective, antioxidant, and antiapoptotic effects in the nervous system. It exerts an analgesic action by reducing the concentration of glutamate in the synapses. It facilitates nerve regeneration and damage repair after primary trauma: its positive effects on metabolism promote the synthesis, fluidity, and functionality of neuronal membranes, increase protein synthesis, and improve the axonal transport of neurofilament proteins and tubulin. It also amplifies nerve growth factor responsiveness, an effect that is believed to enhance overall neurite growth. ALC has been proposed for the treatment of various neurological and psychiatric diseases, such as mood disorders and depression, dementias, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease, because synaptic energy states and mitochondrial dysfunction are core factors in their pathogenesis. © 2017, Springer International Publishing Switzerland.

Background and objective In the past 2 decades, in developed countries, spine procedures (surgical and percutaneous) had the highest absolute increase in case volume trend. The optimal approach to prevent and treat postoperative pain is continuously evolving. This systematic literature review presents evidence on safety and efficacy of pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapies to prevent and treat postoperative pain after lumbar spine procedures. Databases and data treatment Publications listed in PUBMED and EMBASE were considered to identify randomized clinical trials suitable for inclusion in this systematic review. Key words for literature search were selected, with authors' agreement, using the PICOS approach (participants, interventions, comparisons, outcomes, and study design). Results Fifty-nine randomized clinical trials (involving a total of 4,238 patients, with ages ranging from 18 to 86 years) published between January 2012 and September 2017 were retrieved. Data are presented according to the timing of therapy administration. Conclusion and recommendations Clinical evidence on perioperative pain management in patients undergoing spine procedures have significantly evolved after the review published in 2012. The aim of this systematic review was to report the latest evidence published. These include the preoperative use of dexamethasone, which was shown to be able to reduce pain at mobilization but not to reduce pain at rest or total morphine consumption; the use of gabapentinoids as part of a multimodal analgesic approach; and the safety and effectiveness of the intraoperative use of ketamine, dexketoprofen, and tramadol. Finally, electrical nerve stimulation is gaining interest and is potentially suitable for clinical needs.

Background and aims Physiological aging can lead to an increase in blood pressure (BP) over time even in regularly exercising elders. Office BP measurements (OBPM) might be unable to detect these BP variations. The aim of this study was to analyze BP changes over 3.5 years in active elders using ABPM. Methods and results The study involved 80 active subjects ≥65 years old who exercised regularly. At baseline and again 3.5 years later, all subjects had lab tests, weight, body mass index (BMI), body composition, resting energy expenditure (REE) recorded; they underwent OBPM, ABPM and physical activity assessment. Over 3.5 years, our sample's mean weight, BMI, body composition, REE, albumin, and physical activity levels, did not change significantly. The prevalence of hypertension detected by OBPM dropped from 68.8% to 61.3%. ABPM revealed an increase in mean 24-h BP (Δsystolic: 5.3 ± 13.6 mmHg; p = 0.001; Δdiastolic: 1.8 ± 6.7 mmHg; p = 0.018) and mean daytime BP (Δsystolic: 5.8 ± 13.5 mmHg; p = 0.001; Δdiastolic: 1.9 ± 7.1 mmHg; p = 0.022); the prevalence of hypertension detected by ABPM increased from 50% to 65%, also due to an increase (from 8.8% to 16.3%) in masked hypertension. There was no correlation between BP changes and changes in body composition and REE. Conclusion BP tends to increase over time in active elders, regardless of changes in body composition or level of physical activity. ABPM is an appropriate method for detecting these BP variations in active elders and to reveal cases of masked hypertension that might otherwise escape detection by OBPM.

Objective High serum levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) seem to coincide with higher rates of some types of cancer and the risk of all-cause mortality in old people. Eating vegetables seems to reduce IGF-1 levels because they are rich in micronutrients such as vitamins. This study investigates the possible association between vitamin intake and IGF-1 levels in a representative group of healthy elderly women with Mediterranean dietary habits. Design This cross-sectional study included 124 healthy women with a mean age of 71.3 ± 4.2 years and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 27.37 ± 3.48 kg/m 2 attending a mild fitness program twice a week at public gyms in Padova. The main parameters considered were IGF-1 (measured by chemiluminescence) and diet, assessed on the basis of a 3-day record and a questionnaire on the frequency with which they usually ate certain foods. Results The mean IGF-1 level for the sample as a whole was 136.2 ± 38.9 μg/l, and was significantly lower in women with a higher folate intake (p = 0.04). On simple linear analysis, the vitamins found associated with serum IGF-1 levels were: folates (r: − 0.25; p = 0.003); vitamin E (r: − 0.21; p = 0.01); vitamin D (r: − 0.17; p = 0.03); and riboflavin (r: − 0.16; p = 0.03). After removing the effect of calorie, protein, carbohydrate and fat intake, and other known potential confounders (age, BMI, alcohol intake), only folate intake correlated with IGF-1 levels (r = − 0.17; p = 0.04). Conclusion A folate-rich diet could have the effect of lowering circulating IGF-1 levels in elderly women.

Background. Reduced physical performance is predictive of deleterious outcomes in older adults. Data considering objective physical performance and incident depression are sparse. Objective. The objective of this study was to investigate during a 4-year study whether objective physical performance can predict incident depression among older adults who do not have depression at the baseline. Design. This was a longitudinal study. Methods. From 3,099 older people initially enrolled in the Progetto Veneto Anziani study, 970 participants without depression at the baseline were included (mean age = 72.5 years; 54.6% women). Physical performance measures included the Short Physical Performance Battery, 4-m gait speed, Five-Times Sit-to-Stand test, leg extension and flexion, handgrip strength, and 6-minute walk test, categorized in sex-specific tertiles. Depression was classified on the basis of the Geriatric Depression Scale and a diagnosis from a geriatric psychiatrist. Area under the curve and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results. At the baseline, participants developing depression during the follow-up (n = 207) scored significantly worse across all physical performance measures than those who did not develop depression. The area under the curve and predictive power were similar for all of the physical performance tests assessed. In the logistic regression analysis, after adjustment for 14 potential confounders, worse physical performance across all tests increased the risk of depression. Participants in the lowest tertile of the Short Physical Performance Battery were at notable odds of developing depression (odds ratio = 1.79; 95% CI = 1.18-2.71). The association between poor physical performance and depression was typically stronger in women than in men, except for 4-m gait speed. Limitations. No gold standard was used for a depression diagnosis; oxidative stress and inflammatory markers were not included; and there was a high rate of missing data at the follow-up. Conclusions. Low physical performance appeared to be an independent predictor of depression over a 4-year follow-up in a sample of elderly people.

Objectives: This study aimed to ascertain the efficacy of bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) in assessing body composition in the elderly by comparing findings with the results of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and to test an analytical variant of the method (specific BIVA). Design: Cross-sectional study. Participants: The sample comprised 207 free-living elderly individuals (75 men and 132 women) aged 65 to 93 years. Measurements: Anthropometric and bioelectrical measurements were taken according to standard criteria. BIVA was applied using the 'classic' procedure and correcting bioelectrical values for body geometry to obtain an estimate of the whole-body impedivity. DXA was used as a reference body composition assessment method. BIVA (classic and specific values) and DXA findings were compared using Student's t and Hotelling's T 2 tests, and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results: In both sexes, BIVA distinguished between individuals with different amounts of fat and fat-free mass (lean mass including bone mineral content), according to DXA, but not between those with different proportions of fat mass (FM%). Specific bioelectrical values detected changes in body composition. Conclusion: BIVA should be used with caution for evaluating body composition in the elderly. Specific bioelectrical values proved effective, showing promise as a methodological variant of BIVA, suitable for identifying age-related changes in body fatness.

For reinforced concrete structures a localisation of all significant critical areas can only be done by a full surface inspection. The economic advantages are obvious: uncritical areas have not to be repaired expensively 1. The first step of the assessment should always be a visual inspection 2. The range of deterioration causes can be limited and the degree of deterioration may be estimated roughly. The inspection program can be adjusted to the requirements. By means of a full surface potential mapping areas with a high risk for chloride induced reinforcement corrosion can be localised, although no deteriorations are visually detectable at the concrete surface. In combination with concrete cover depth and resistivity measurements areas with corrosion promoting exposure conditions can be localised even if the reinforcement is not yet depassivated. The following publication gives an overview about the essential full surface investigation methods to localise critical areas regarding corrosion of steel in concrete. The selection of methods is based on the inspection procedure given in 2.

Full surface surveys which are likely to include e.g. a deterioration and potential mapping as well as a cover depth survey, should be the base to identify critical areas which are suspect to be suffering from reinforcement corrosion [1]. Localised assessment in these areas should give further information about the type and extent of deterioration. It should include the determination of the chloride profile beyond the cover depth, the depth of carbonation and a direct visual assessment of the steel reinforcement by breaking away the cover concrete at selected locations. Further valuable information may be collected by determining the water content of the concrete or performing corrosion rate measurements. Within this publication the essential methods for local detailed inspections are discussed regarding the application and interpretation of the results. An overview of the survey procedure is given in ref. [2].

Zinc sacrificial anodes have been included in patch repairs to steel reinforced concrete structural elements suffering from corrosion since the mid-1990s. A number of these anode-containing repairs have been monitored with time. One of the first monitored sites was of a locally repaired cross beam of a bridge structure in Leicester, UK, which has now completed 10 years since its original repair and anode installation. This paper reviews the performance of the anodes installed at the Leicester site in terms of anode current output and steel reinforcement polarisation and corrosion rate over the period. It also presents results of analysis of recovered anodes exposed for 10 years which still show electrolyte continuity, uniform consumption of the zinc and coherent encasing mortar. The knowledge gained from the 10 year results has enabled the development of new, higher current output anodes, which are now trialled in this and other sites.

Background: Several studies have shown that religiosity has beneficial effects on health, mortality and pathological conditions; little is known about religiosity in Alzheimers disease and the progression of its cognitive, behavioral and functional symptoms. Our aim was to identify any relationship between religiosity and the progression of cognitive impairment and behavioral disorders in mild-moderate Alzheimers disease, and any relationship between the patients religiosity and the stress in caregivers. Materials and Methods: 64 patients with Alzheimers disease were analyzed at baseline and 12 months later using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Behavioral Religiosity Scale (BRS) and the Francis Short Scale (FSS). Caregivers were also questioned on the patients functional abilities (ADL, IADL), the behavioral disturbances (NPI), and on their stress (NPI-D, CBI). Patients were divided into 2 groups according to BRS: a score of < 24 meant no or low religiosity (LR), while a score of ≥24 meant moderate or high religiosity (HR). Findings: LR patients had worsened more markedly after 12 months in their total cognitive and behavioral test scores. Stress was also significantly higher in the caregivers of the LR group. Global BRS and FSS scores correlated significantly with variations after 1 year in the MMSE (r: 0.50), NPI (r:-0.51), NPI-D (r:-0.55) and CBI (r:-0.62). A low religiosity coincided with a higher risk of cognitive impairment, considered as a 3-point decrease in MMSE score (OR 6.7, CI: 1.8- 24.7). Interpretation: Higher levels of religiosity in Alzheimers dementia seem to correlate with a slower cognitive and behavioral decline, with a corresponding significant reduction of the caregivers burden.

The purpose of the study is to evaluate whether donepezil (D) plasma concentrations and activity of CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 are associated with the therapeutic response of patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD).This study comprised 54 patients affected by probable AD in therapy with D 10 mg/daily for at least 3 months. Plasma concentrations of D and its three main metabolites (6DD, 5DD, DNox) were assayed with a novel high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) technique. Cognitive progression was assessed at baseline and at 9 months of follow-up with the mini mental state examination (MMSE). The activities of the two cytochromes involved in D metabolism-CYP2D6 and CYP3A4-were evaluated according to their metabolic ratios in plasma or urine, after test doses of probe drugs (dextromethorphan and omeprazole).A significant correlation was found between plasma levels of D and variations in MMSE scores after 9 months of therapy (r (2) = 0.14; p = 0.006). Neither the concentrations of D metabolites nor the metabolic ratios of CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 showed any correlations with cognitive variations. Low CYP2D6 activity and advanced age were associated with high D concentrations. Patients who were treated with CYP2D6 and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) inhibitors also had higher D plasma levels (mean difference = 19.6 ng/mL; p = 0.01) than those who were not.D plasma concentrations, but not cytochrome phenotyping, are associated with cognitive outcomes in AD patients.

Summary: Our meta-analysis demonstrates that people with nephrolithiasis have decreased bone mineral density, an increased odds of osteoporosis, and potentially an elevated risk of fractures. Introduction: People with nephrolithiasis might be at risk of reduced bone mineral density (BMD) and fractures, but the data is equivocal. We conducted a meta-analysis to investigate if patients with nephrolithiasis have worse bone health outcomes (BMD), osteoporosis, and fractures versus healthy controls (HCs). Methods: Two investigators searched major databases for articles reporting BMD (expressed as g/cm2 or a T- or Z-score), osteoporosis or fractures in a sample of people with nephrolithiasis, and HCs. Standardized mean differences (SMDs), 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for BMD parameters; in addition odds (ORs)for case-control and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) in longitudinal studies for categorical variables were calculated. Results: From 1816 initial hits, 28 studies were included. A meta-analysis of case-control studies including 1595 patients with nephrolithiasis (mean age 41.1years) versus 3402 HCs (mean age 40.2years) was conducted. Patients with nephrolithiasis showed significant lower T-scores values for the spine (seven studies; SMD = −0.69; 95% CI = −0.86 to −0.52; I2 = 0%), total hip (seven studies; SMD = −0.82; 95% CI = −1.11 to −0.52; I2 = 72%), and femoral neck (six studies; SMD = −0.67; 95% CI = −−1.00 to −0.34; I2 = 69%). A meta-analysis of thecase-controlled studies suggests that people with nephrolithiasis are at increased risk of fractures (OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.12–1.17, p < 0.0001, studies = 4), while the risk of fractures in two longitudinal studies demonstrated trend level significance (HR = 1.31, 95% CI = 0.95–1.62). People with nephrolithiasis were four times more likely to have osteoporosis than HCs (OR = 4.12, p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Nephrolithiasis is associated with lower BMD, an increased risk of osteoporosis, and possibly, fractures. Future screening/preventative interventions targeting bone health might be indicated. © 2016, International Osteoporosis Foundation and National Osteoporosis Foundation.

Purpose: As studies examining the association between bone mineral density (BMD) and airflow limitation (AL) have produced conflicting results, the current one set out to analyze if and to what degree there are any correlations between these variables in a population of fit elderly women. Methods: One hundred and twenty-one non-smoking, fit and healthy women (age≥65years) underwent anthropometric assessment, laboratory testing (serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D, parathormone, and cytokine levels), pulmonary function testing (PFT), and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry to evaluate BMD values of the lumbar and femoral regions. Results: A significant positive association was found between FEV1/FVC ratio (Tiffeneau index), a sensitive index of AL, and lumbar and femoral BMD; a 10% increase in the FEV1/FVC ratio resulted in a significant increase of 0.025g/cm2 in the total hip (p=0.05), 0.027g/cm2 in the femoral neck (p=0.02), 0.028g/cm2 in the femoral trochanter (p=0.01), and 0.047g/cm2 in the lumbar (p=0.03) BMDs. Binary logistic analyses demonstrated more than a threefold higher risk of low BMD values for the lowest FEV1/FVC quartile in the lumbar (OR 4.62, 95% CI 1.48–14.40, p=0.008), total hip (OR 4.09, 95% CI 1.28–13.05, p=0.02 for the second quartile), and femoral trochanter regions (OR 3.90, 95% CI 1.25–12.20, p=0.02 for the third quartile). Conclusions: AL was associated with a higher risk of reduced BMD in healthy, fit elderly women. © 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Background and aims: Serum uric acid (SUA) is the end-product of purine metabolism in humans, and its levels often increase in subjects with metabolic syndrome (MetS). Despite several studies demonstrating a relationship between increased SUA levels and the prevalence of MetS, prospective data on SUA as a predictor of the incidence of MetS in the elderly are limited. Our aim was to conduct a prospective study on the association between SUA concentrations and the onset of MetS in an elderly Italian cohort. Methods and results: This is a cohort study (Progetto Veneto Anziani Pro.V.A.) involving community-dwelling subjects aged ≥65 years and followed up for a mean 4.4 years. We included 1128 participants (aged 74.7 ± 7.1 years) without MetS at the baseline. Gender-specific SUA groups according to the standard deviation (SD) from the mean were considered, taking the incidence of MetS as the main outcome.The mean SUA level was significantly higher in men than in women (5.4 ± 1.2 vs. 4.5 ± 1.2 mg/dl; p < 0.0001). Over the 4.4-year follow-up, 496 individuals developed MetS. After adjusting for potential confounders, Cox's regression analysis revealed no relationship between higher baseline SUA concentrations and the incidence of MetS in men or in the sample as whole, while women with SUA levels more than 1 SD above the mean (≥5.7 mg/dl) carried a 58% higher risk (95%CI: 1.03-2.40; p = 0.03) of being newly diagnosed with MetS during the follow-up. Conclusion: High SUA levels significantly and independently predicted MetS in older women, but not in men, over a 4.4-year follow-up. © 2015 The Italian Society of Diabetology, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition, and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University.

In the clinical practice, visceral proteins are used as indirect markers of protein energy malnutrition (PEM), but their reliability could be reduced with advancing age. The aim of this work is to investigate the reliability of albumin, prealbumin, retinol-binding protein (RBP) and transferrin in evaluating nutritional status in old patients and their relationship with fat-free mass (FFM). Cross-sectional study. Padua, Italy. In 44 underweight (body mass index

To investigate the impact on drop-out rates of several baseline clinical characteristics of a sample of overweight and obese outpatients. Retrospective clinical trial. The charts of 383 patients aged 15–82 y attending an outpatient clinic for the treatment of obesity were examined from the first clinical evaluation until 1 y of diet ambulatory treatment. We characterised the participants at baseline on the basis of their somatic characteristics, socioeconomic status, obesity-related diseases and dietary habits. The most significant factors resulting in univariate statistical analysis (waist, body mass index (BMI), full-time job, depressive syndrome, number of obesity-related diseases, daily frequency of fruit consumption) were then examined as independent variables in direct multiple logistic regression with the dependent variable drop-out. The 1-y drop-out rate was 77.3%. A total of 87 patients completed the follow-up study. The noncompleter patients had slightly lower BMI and waist circumference mean values, and they were further regularly employed in full-time jobs, while the completer patients were principally pensioners and housewives. Drop-outs had a lower number of obesity-related diseases and as a result were less depressed. By the logistic regression, full-time job is the best predictor of premature withdrawal (odds ratio=2.40). Age, gender, anthropometric measurements, lifestyle and dietary habits did not result as significant predictors of drop-out. The overweight and obese outpatients at higher risk of ambulatory treatment drop-out are more likely to work full hours, have less obesity-related complications and be less depressed. In our study, the full-time job condition seems to be the strongest predictor of premature withdrawal.

Summary ), the most adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) according to a pre-defined list of covariates were obtained from authors and pooled by random-effect model across each BMI category. Out of 342 hits, 20 studies including 19,538 older nursing home residents with 5,223 deaths during a median of 2 years of follow-up were meta-analysed. Compared with normal weight, all-cause mortality HRs were 1.41 (95% CI = 1.26-1.58) for underweight, 0.85 (95% CI = 0.73-0.99) for overweight and 0.74 (95% CI = 0.57-0.96) for obesity. Underweight was a risk factor for higher mortality caused by infections (HR = 1.65 (95% CI = 1.13- 2.40)). RR results corroborated primary HR results, with additionally lower infection-related mortality in overweight and obese than in normal-weight indi- viduals. Like in the general population, underweight is a risk factor for mortality in old nursing home residents. However, uniquely, not only overweight but also obesity is protective, which has relevant nutritional goal implications in this population/setting.

BACKGROUND: Multiple symmetric lipomatosis (MSL) is a rare disease characterised by the growth of uncapsulated masses of adipose tissue. MSL is associated with high ethanol intake and complicated by somatic and autonomic neuropathy and the infiltration of adipose tissue at the mediastinal level. To date, the disease is considered as largely more prevalent in men. OBJECTIVE: To provide a detailed description of the clinical aspects of MSL in women. PATIENTS: A total of 11 women and 58 men with MSL. MEASUREMENTS: Morphological aspect of patient, location of the lipomatous masses, alcohol intake, extension of lipomatous tissue to the mediastinum, association with somatic and autonomic neuropathy, and metabolic profile. RESULTS: All female patients had the obesity-like appearance of type II MSL and the most frequent locations of lipomatous masses in women were at the proximal arms (90.9%) and legs (54.5%). Very few female patients (27.3%) presented with the submental deposition of lipomatous tissue typical of both type I (97.3%; P

Aim Aim of this study is an updated review of our case series (72 patients) as well as available literature on the Multiple Symmetric Lipomatosis (MSL), a rare disease primarily involving adipose tissue, characterized by the presence of not encapsulated fat masses, symmetrically disposed at characteristic body sites (neck, trunk, proximal parts of upper and lower limbs). Data synthesis The disease is more frequent in males, associated to an elevated chronic alcohol consumption, mainly in form of red wine. Familiarity has been reported and MSL is considered an autosomic dominant inherited disease. MSL is associated to severe clinical complications, represented by occupation of the mediastinum by lipomatous tissue with a mediastinal syndrome and by the presence of a somatic and autonomic neuropathies. Hyper-alphalipoproteinemia with an increased adipose tissue lipoprotein-lipase activity, a defect of adrenergic stimulated lipolysis and a reduction of mitochondrial enzymes have been described. The localization of lipomatous masses suggests that MSL lipomas could originate from brown adipose tissue (BAT). Moreover, studies on cultured pre-adipocytes demonstrate that these cells synthetize the mitochondrial inner membrane protein UCP-1, the selective marker of BAT. Surgical removal of lipomatous tissue is to date the only validated therapeutic approach. Conclusions MSL is supposed to be the result of a disorder of the proliferation and differentiation of human BAT cells.

To evaluate the association between BMI levels, muscular strength, muscle composition and physical performance in the elderly.Italians subjects from the Progetto Veneto Anziani (ProVA) study were analyzed.The ProVa was a population study focused on chronic diseases and functional limitations in Italian subjects aged ≥65 years living in two Northeast Italian cities.The ProVa study included 3099 subjects. ProVa participants with unknown information on BMI or disability status were excluded. The final sample was thus represented by 1.188 men, and 1.723 women.Physical performance was measured with the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and leg muscular strength with dynamometry. Fat distribution and skeletal muscle composition were measured in an abdominal single-scan magnetic resonance (MRI) in a randomly selected sample of 348 subjects. Study population was stratified by BMI classes.An association between BMI levels and SPPB was observed. Normal weight subjects showed the best SPPB scores (8.29±0.03), with significant differences compared to underweight (7.50±0.15; p0.001), overweight (8.12±0.02; p0.001), class I (7.72±0.04; p0.001), class II (6.67±0.09; p0.001) and class III obesity (5.88±0.24; p0.001). This pattern was not modified by adjustment for possible confounders. Compared to normal weight subjects (22.9±0.1 kg), leg muscular strength was higher in overweight (23.8±0.1; p0.001) and in class I obesity (24.5±0.1; p0.001), but it was reduced in class II (21.4±0.3; p0.001) and class III (19.8±0.9; p0.001). The association between BMI and impaired physical performance was not affected by adjustment for muscular strength. An inverse association between SPPB scores and fat infiltration in skeletal muscle was observed in patients with abdominal MRI.A poor physical performance was observed in overweight and obese elderly subjects. Leg strength was reduced only in subjects with severe obesity. Physical performance was negatively influenced by the degree of fat infiltration in skeletal muscle.

The importance of malnutrition as a risk factor in osteoporosis is emphasized by the evidence that patients with fractures of the proximal femur are often undernourished. In this study, nutritional status, bone mineral mass and its association with body composition were investigated in underweight and normal weight elderly subjects. Moreover the hypothesis that malnutrition in elderly is associated with a higher risk of osteoporosis was tested. The participants were 111 elderly subjects divided into two groups according to body mass index (BMI): 51 patients were underweight (BMI < 22 kg/m2) while in 60 subjects BMI ranged from 22 to 30 kg/m2. In all patients anthropometric parameters and blood indices of malnutrition and of bone turnover were measured. Fat-free soft mass (FFSM), fat mass (FM), bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) ‘total body’ and at the hip were obtained by dual-energy X-ray densitometry. Dietary intake was evaluated with the diet history method, while resting energy expenditure (REE) was measured by indirect calorimetry. Underweight subjects had other signs of malnutrition, such as low visceral proteins, sarcopenia, and an inadequate energy intake. Moreover they showed a significant reduction of BMC and BMD compared with normal subjects. In men with BMI

In this work, previously reported titration data obtained on cement pastes and concretes are analysed. It is postulated that the inhibitive nature of concretes may be quantified by titrating a ground suspension to the endpoint indicated by phenolphthalein while the aggressive chloride content may be determined from the soluble chloride at the endpoint of this titration. Thus, the aggressive nature of chloride contaminated concrete may be ranked using the ratio of the extracted chloride to acid neutralisation capacity. Not only is there a theoretical justification for this, but it is relatively simple to determine.

Three elastomeric surface coatings were applied to naturally carbonated concrete components obtained from buildings that were suffering from reinforcement corrosion. Monitoring of the internal relative humidity of the concrete revealed that all three coating systems were able to exclude water from the carbonated components for a period of 2 years but only one of them was able to sustain its performance for a period of up to 5 years in an urban UK outdoor environment. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis suggested that the most successful coating was able to maintain its elastomeric properties over the required period of exposure and over a wide range of operational temperatures. It also had a relatively low but uniform bond strength to the concrete and this appeared to have a beneficial effect on its ability to accommodate movements of the substrate. Such coatings are considered capable of extending the service-lifetimes of carbonated reinforced concrete structures in cases where significant chloride contamination does not exist and where the only substantive route for moisture ingress is via the coating.

It is known from laboratory studies that reinforcement corrosion in carbonated concrete can be controlled simply by ensuring that the concrete remains relatively dry. An apparently obvious and cost effective way of excluding external moisture from building components which are not exposed to effects of capillary suction from groundwater, etc. is by applying a waterproof coating to the surface of the concrete. A research programme was undertaken for six years, with the primary aim of assessing whether coatings with appropriate characteristics could maintain suitably dry conditions within concrete in real carbonated structures. A secondary aim was to determine whether a similar predicted extension of the service life could be achieved if corrosion of the reinforcement were induced by internal chlorides. It was recognized from the outset that trials on real structures should be planned so that critical questions that determine the feasibility of the protection technique might be answered. This paper gives an account of the procedures adopted to select appropriate reinforced concrete buildings and characterize repetitive components to allow adequate comparison between the treated materials and controls. It also deals with the selection of candidate surface treatments by specialist manufacturers, the application of these materials according to recommended procedures, the implementation of relevant in-situ monitoring techniques and the extraction of small specimens from the structures for parallel laboratory trials. Results showed that an appropriate elastomeric coating with good crack-bridging properties, fairly low adhesion and good resistance to weathering can maintain a coherent crack-free covering that excludes external moisture and controls the corrosion rate of the reinforcement in carbonated concrete at acceptable levels over a period of at least five years. When corrosion was caused by internal chlorides, however, the concrete could not be maintained in a sufficiently dry condition to provide adequate long term protection to the steel.