Exploring the potential relation between immune biomarkers and frailty syndrome in older adults: preliminary results from the BioFrail study

Abstract poster publicado em: J Frailty Aging. 2020;9(S1):S165. https://doi.org/10.14283/jfa.2020.9Objectives: On this basis, the main objective of the present work was to evaluate the possible association between immunological: biomarkers and the frailty status in a group of community dwellers.The work developed by Armanda Teixeira-Gomes and Solange Costa is supported by FCT under the grants SFRH/BD/121802/2016 and SFRH/BPD/100948/2014, respectively. Vanessa Valdiglesias was supported by Beatriz Galindo Research Fellowship BEAGAL18/00142.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Aging, Living Environment, and Sustainability: What Should be Taken into Account?

he aging population presents numerous challenges and the design and management of living environments are not an exception. This literature review and analysis brings together topics related to the living environment of the aging population and the concept of sustainability. The article presents the review of the existing design concepts that are applied to planning the environment for the elderly, including (i) design for all, (ii) universal design, and (iii) inclusive design. Furthermore, this review highlights the aspects of sustainability and the peculiarities of the aging population that should be taken into account in the design and management of their living environment. Key points related to sustainable aging are highlighted, and the possibility of complementing the existing design concepts with the concept of biophilic design is proposed in order to strengthen their social, psychological, and ecological aspects.The work developed by ATG is supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the grant SFRH/BD/121802/2016.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Use of whole blood to measure DNA damage in a group of wildland firefighter

Genotoxicity evaluation is a valuable tool for studying the most important occupational hazards allowing a reasonable epidemiological evaluation of potential health effects. Comet assay has proven to be a very sensitive Corrigendum Abstracts of the 12th International Comet Assay Workshop held at the University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain, 29–31 August 2017 (https://icaw. vito.be/) Mutagenesis, Volume 32, Issue 6, 31 December 2017, Pages e1–e28, https://doi.org/10.1093/mutage/gex037 tool for the detection of different levels of DNA damage in human bio monitoring. Although lymphocytes are the preferred cells whole blood has been presented as a viable and easier alternative to lymphocytes in the comet assay. Its use avoids additional DNA damage from lymphocyte isolation steps and loss of cells. Portugal is among the European countries more devastated by forest fires in the summer each year. Firefighters are exposed to many toxic combustion products, including many known, probable or possible carcinogens. There are a limited number of studies evaluating genotoxic effects in firefighters results reported are inconsist ent and inconclusive. In this context, the aim of the present study was to assess DNA damage and oxidative stress in whole blood of Portuguese wildland firefighters. Study population consisted of a total of 61 non smoking male subjects, 30 firefighters and 31 control subjects.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Author Correction: Ionizing radiation modulates human macrophages towards a pro-inflammatory phenotype preserving their pro-invasive and pro-angiogenic capacities.

This Article contains an error in the description of the data presented in Figure 2. Each blot demonstrating a protein of interest, or of its phosphorylated form, is matched with the expression of β-actin, used as loading control. The majority of the proteins were separated in different gels, apart from proteins p105, p50 and Bcl-xL which were run in the same gel and have the same loading control. As a result, the Figure 2 legend, “Ionizing radiation induces macrophage NF-κB activation and increases Bcl-xL expression. (A) Evaluation of RelA phosphorylation (Ser536) and RelB, cRel, p100/p52 and p105/p50 subunit expression, 1 and 6 h after irradiation (2, 6 and 10 Gy). (B) RelB nuclear translocation 6 h after macrophage irradiation (10 Gy). Histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) and β-actin were used as loading controls for nuclear and cytoplasmic fractions, respectively. (C) Evaluation of Bcl2 and Bcl-xL expression after macrophage irradiation. Western blot images are representative of protein expression/phosphorylation status in distinct donors (at least n = 4), evaluated in two independent experiments.” should read: “Ionizing radiation induces macrophage NF-κB activation and increases Bcl-xL expression. (A) Evaluation of RelA phosphorylation (Ser536) and RelB, cRel, p100/p52 and p105/p50 subunit expression, 1 and 6 h after irradiation (2, 6 and 10 Gy). (B) RelB nuclear translocation 6 h after macrophage irradiation (10 Gy). Histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) and β-actin were used as loading controls for nuclear and cytoplasmic fractions, respectively. (C) Evaluation of Bcl2 and Bcl-xL expression after macrophage irradiation. Western blot images are representative of protein expression/phosphorylation status in distinct donors (at least n = 4), evaluated in two independent experiments. The β-actin loading control of the panels comprised by p105, p50 (2A) and Bcl-xL (2C) is the same, since proteins were separated in the same gel electrophoresis.

Indoor Environments and Elderly Health (Chapter 2)

Book description: Elderly Care: Options, Challenges and Trends examines the demographic shifts Lebanon has experienced over the last few decades, indicating that it is a rapidly aging country. Such an aging population may need various levels of support including access to nursing care in nursing homes, either for short-term rehabilitation or for extended periods of time, when individual dependency outstrips family-based resources. Next, a review is provided on the latest studies and evidences regarding the influence of indoor environment on elderly health. A set of recommendations to improve elderly environmental health are presented, considering the most recent state-of-the-art on this field. Following this, the authors share their real-world experiences from an ongoing large-scale project on IoT-enabled community eldercare. Technology-centric challenges that need to be addressed are identified so that such systems can be sustainably implemented and adopted by key stakeholders. In a separate chapter, the book analyzes hospice care in China, which is still far from meeting its needs caused by the profound aging of China’s population. The analysis indicates that the Chinese Government should formulate a development plan for hospice care and include hospice care services in the National Healthcare Insurance System. Additionally, NGOs should continue to play their part in hospice care development. The perspectives of aging and frailty syndrome are explored later, focusing on the role of biomarkers and environmental exposure in its development. Currently, there are several gaps in the scientific literature regarding frailty syndrome, namely in their definition, models, causal-effects and prevention or treatments. Afterwards, rib fractures in the elderly are addressed. Although plain radiographic films are diagnostic, a large number of patients will need CAT scans for more precise locations of rib fractures. The management of complications as a direct result of rib fractures; mostly hemopneumothorax or visceral injury, will be dealt with accordingly. In an additional study, the factors for hospital admissions associated with adverse drug events are studied. Drug related hospital admissions in the elderly are commonly influenced by polypharmacy and inappropriate prescribing. (Nova Biomedical)This chapter intends to focus and review the last sudies and evidences regarding the influence of indoor environment on elderly health. A set of recommendations to iprove elderly environmental health are presented, considering the most recent state-of-the-art on this field.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Exploring Early Detection of Frailty Syndrome in Older Adults: Evaluation of Oxi-Immune Markers, Clinical Parameters and Modifiable Risk Factors

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tryptophan Metabolism in Health and Disease)Ageing is accompanied with a decline in several physiological systems. Frailty is an age-related syndrome correlated to the loss of homeostasis and increased vulnerability to stressors, which is associated with increase in the risk of disability, comorbidity, hospitalisation, and death in older adults. The aim of this study was to understand the relationship between frailty syndrome, immune activation, and oxidative stress. Serum concentrations of vitamins A and E were also evaluated, as well as inflammatory biomarkers (CRP and IL-6) and oxidative DNA levels. A group of Portuguese older adults (≥65 years old) was engaged in this study and classified according to Fried's frailty phenotype. Significant increases in the inflammatory mediators (CRP and IL-6), neopterin levels, kynurenine to tryptophan ratio (Kyn/Trp), and phenylalanine to tyrosine ratio (Phe/Tyr), and significant decreases in Trp and Tyr concentrations were observed in the presence of frailty. IL-6, neopterin, and Kyn/Trp showed potential as predictable biomarkers of frailty syndrome. Several clinical parameters such as nutrition, dependency scales, and polypharmacy were related to frailty and, consequently, may influence the associations observed. Results obtained show a progressive immune activation and production of pro-inflammatory molecules in the presence of frailty, agreeing with the inflammageing model. Future research should include different dimensions of frailty, including psychological, social, biological, and environmental factors.ATG: J.M. and S.C. are supported by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT-MCTES), and the European Social Fund, through Programa Operacional Capital Humano (POCH), under the grants SFRH/BD/121802/2016, SFRH/BPD/115112/2016 and SFRH/BPD/100948/2014, respectively. This research was supported by Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (PID2020-113788RB-I00) and Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (BEAGAL18/00142, to V.V.)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Biomonitoring of occupational exposure to a known carcinogen: formaldehyde

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the occupational exposure to FA (n = 85) relating the exposure with different biomarkers and individual susceptibility, a control group (n = 87) was also evaluated. Genotoxicity was assessed by means of cytogenetic alterations and DNA damage, by comet assay (%TDNA)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Determining the association between genomic instability and prevalence of frailty syndrome in Portuguese older adults

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between genomic instability, via DNA damage and oxidative DNA damage, and the prevalence frailty syndrome in a group of older adults community-dwellers (≥ 65 years old).Solange Costa and Armanda Teixeira-Gomes are supported by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia under the grants SFRH/BPD/100948/2014 and SFRH/BD/121802/2016 respectivelyinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Occupational exposure to formaldehyde and early biomarkers of cancer risk, immunotoxicity and susceptibility

Formaldehyde (FA) is a high-volume production chemical manufactured worldwide to which many people are exposed to both environmentally and occupationally. FA was recently reclassified as a human carcinogen. Several epidemiological studies have revealed an increased risk of cancer development among workers exposed to FA. Although FA genotoxicity was confirmed in a variety of experimental systems, data from human studies are conflicting. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the occupational exposure to FA in a multistage approach relating the exposure with different biomarkers (dose and effect) and individual susceptibility. Air monitoring was performed to estimate the level of exposure to FA during shift work. Eighty-five workers from hospital anatomy-pathology laboratories exposed to FA and 87 controls were tested for cytogenetic alterations in lymphocytes (micronucleus, MN; sister-chromatid exchange, SCE) and T-cell receptor (TCR) mutation assay. The frequency of MN in exfoliated buccal cells, a first contact tissue was also assessed. Percentages of different lymphocyte subpopulations were selected as immunotoxicity biomarkers. The level of formic acid in urine was investigated as a potential biomarker of internal dose. The effects of polymorphic genes of xenobiotic metabolising enzymes and DNA repair enzymes on the endpoints studied were determined. The mean level of FA exposure was 0.38 ± 0.03 ppm. MN (in lymphocytes and buccal cells) and SCE were significantly increased in FA-exposed workers compared to controls. MN frequency positively correlated with FA levels of exposure and duration. Significant alterations in the percentage of T cytotoxic lymphocytes, NK cells and B lymphocytes were found between groups. Polymorphisms in CYP2E1, GSTP1 and FANCA genes were associated with increased genetic damage in FA-exposed subjects. The obtained information may provide new important data to be used by health and safety care programs and by governmental agencies responsible for setting the acceptable levels for occupational exposure to FA.Highlights: Micronucleus frequency (MN) positively correlated with formaldehyde levels of exposure and exposure duration; Strong association of MN levels between lymphocytes and buccal cells; Significant alterations in the percentage of T cytotoxic lymphocytes, NK cells and B lymphocytes; Polymorphisms on CYP2E1, GSTP1 and FANCA genes were associated with the effect endpoints levels.Solange Costa, Carla Costa, Joana Madureira and Armanda Teixeira- Gomes are supported by Portuguese national funds, through Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT-MCTES), and by the European Social Fund, through Programa Operacional Capital Humano (POCH), respectively under the grants SFRH/BPD/100948/2014, SFRH/BPD/ 96196/2013, SFRH/BPD/115112/2016 and SFRH/BD/121802/2016. Vanessa Valdiglesias was supported by Xunta de Galicia (Spain) postdoctoral fellowship (reference ED481B 2016/190-0).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio