Vitamin D Deficiency and Leisure Time Activities in the Elderly: Are All Pastimes the Same?

Background

Optimal vitamin D status is important for overall health and well-being, particularly in the elderly. Although vitamin D synthesis in the skin declines with age, exposure to sunlight still seems to help older-aged adults to achieve adequate serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels. Elderly people would therefore benefit from outdoor leisure activities, but the effects of different types of pastime on serum 25OHD levels have yet to be thoroughly investigated.

Aims

To assess the association of different pastimes with 25OHD deficiency in elderly subjects.

Methods

A sample of 2,349 community-dwelling elderly individuals (1,389 females and 960 males) enrolled in the Progetto Veneto Anziani was analyzed. Brisk walking, cycling, gardening and fishing were classed as outdoor activities, and dancing and gym workouts as indoor pastimes. Any activities undertaken for at least 1 hour/week during the previous month were considered as being practiced regularly. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between different pastimes and 25OHD deficiency.

Results

Serum 25OHD levels were significantly higher in individuals who engaged in outdoor pastimes (+25% in women, +27.7% in men) compared to those who did not. In particular, subjects regularly practicing gardening or cycling had higher serum 25OHD levels than those who did not, whereas 25OHD levels differed little between subjects who did or did not undertake indoor activities. Among the outdoor pastimes considered, logistic regression analysis confirmed a lower likelihood of vitamin D deficiency (25OHD<50 nmol/L) for cyclists (OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.37–0.69 in women; OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.29–0.87 in men) and gardeners (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.47–0.83 in women; OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.26–0.80), but not for brisk walkers.

Conclusions

Regular cycling and gardening reduce the likelihood of inadequate vitamin D status in Caucasian elderly people, irrespective of their age, BMI and comorbidities, and of the season of the year.     

Synthesis and magnetic characterization of Ln(III) complexes with 4,4′-bipyridine and crotonato as bridging ligands

The crystal structure and magnetic characterization of an isostructural series of general formula {[Ln(crot)₃(H₂O)(bpy)_1/2]₂}_n (crot, crotonate (C₄H₅O₂); bpy, 4,4′-bipyridine (C₁₀H₈N₂); Ln, Nd, Gd, Ho, Er, Y) is presented. The ninefold Ln coordination polyhedra form dimeric entities that are connected throughout the bpy units into infinite polymeric chains. All (but the yttrium) reported compounds present a weak antiferromagnetic interaction connecting metal centres.     

Preservation of fresh edible cactus stems (<i>Opuntia ficus indica</i> Mill.) by modified atmosphere packaging

Cactus stems, the cladodes of Opuntia spp. cacti, are consumed in Mexico and other countries due to their fresh and herbaceous flavor, and because of their widely known nutraceutical benefits. In order to extend the postharvest life of this vegetable, the effect of a modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) was studied in cactus stems of the cultivar Atlixco stored at 4 ± 1 °C for 20 days under three types of atmospheres: (1) air (passive atmosphere), (2) 5 kPa O₂ + 4 kPa CO₂, and (3) N₂. During storage, the titratable acidity decreased and the color of cladodes became darker and less green; however, the 5 kPa O₂ + 4 kPa CO₂ atmosphere was able to preserve both quality characteristics. All modified atmospheres reduced weight loss (from 8 to <2%) and the symptoms of chilling injury, and this physiological disorder appeared earlier in controls than in MAP-stored cladodes. The levels of fermentation metabolites were low in all three evaluated atmospheres. Because of this, only cladodes stored under the N₂ atmosphere were selected for furthersensory analysis of the MAP effect on odor perception as evaluated by a trained panel. Results indicated that there was no detrimental effect (atypical odors) of MAP on this sensory characteristic. We conclude that cultivar Atlixco is suitable for preservation using MAP technology.     

Y chromosome binary markers to study the high prevalence of males in Sardinian centenarians and the genetic structure of the Sardinian population

We have analyzed a sample of 40 centenarians and 116 young controls from Sardinia, with a set of new Y chromosome binary markers, to evaluate if Y chromosome genes are involved in the high prevalence of males among centenarian Sardinians (1/2 vs. 1/4 in other populations studied). The results indicate that none of the seven lineages that account for >97% of the Y chromosome diversity in Sardinia provide an advantage with respect to the extreme longevity. However, our results, although based on the male-specific Y chromosome polymorphisms, give a clear profile of the pattern of genetic variability in Sardinia. Indeed they indicate that the Sardinian population had two main founder populations that have evolved in isolation for at least the last 5,000 years. These findings set the stage for future studies on longevity and other complex traits in Sardinia.     

Arachidonic acid-induced IL-6 expression is mediated by PKC alpha activation in osteoblastic cells

There are several pieces of evidence supporting the important role that essential fatty acids (EFAs) and their metabolites play in regulating calcium and bone metabolism, and their relevance to the pathobiology of bone disease, with particular reference to modulating effects on cytokines. We found that arachidonic acid (AA) triggers a cell signal in osteoblasts and leads to the expression of IL-6. To explore the biochemical pathways involved in AA induction of cytokine gene expression, we evaluated the potential protein kinase C (PKC) dependent mechanism accounting for the AA effect on IL-6 gene expression. The osteoblast-like cell line MG-63 was pretreated with calphostin C, a PKC inhibitor, or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) for an extended period, a condition which causes PKC downregulation, and subsequently with AA. After these treatments, IL-6 gene expression was no longer evident. We also showed that PKC and, in particular, PKC alpha, which are both recruited to the particulate fraction, undergo proteolysis and autophosphorylation; all of these steps are required for PKC activation and, subsequently, for AA-induced signaling. It is interesting that other unsaturated fatty acids, such as oleic acid (OA) or eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), are unable to induce either PKC activation or IL-6 gene expression.     

Development of 22 new microsatellite loci for fishers (Martes pennanti) with variability results from across their range

We developed 22 new microsatellite loci for the fisher (Martes pennanti), a North American mesocarnivore. The loci were developed with samples from the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains in California, and were screened with samples from this population and four other populations. We observed a range of six to 21 polymorphic loci per population, with the Sierra Nevada population exhibiting markedly lower levels of variation compared to the other four.