Residential Greenness Alters Serum 25(OH)D Concentrations: A Longitudinal Cohort of Chinese Older Adults

ObjectivesVitamin D deficiency is prevalent among older adults. We aimed to study whether residential greenness could alter serum 25(OH)D concentrations as a possible mechanism of residential greenness's positive health effects.DesignA longitudinal cohort study.Setting and ParticipantsWe included older adults aged ≥65 years from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) with follow-up between 2012 and 2014.MethodsWe measured residential greenness by calculating annual average Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in a 500 m radius by using satellite images around each participant's residential address. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration was dichotomized into 2 categories: nondeficiency (≥50 nmol/L) and deficiency (<50 nmol/L). We used the generalized estimating equation to examine the relationship between annual average NDVI and serum 25(OH)D.ResultsWe included 1336 participants in our analysis. The annual average NDVI was 0.49, and mean serum 25(OH)D was 43 nmol/L at baseline. Each 0.1-unit increase in annual average NDVI was associated with a 13% higher odds of vitamin D nondeficiency [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01, 1.26]. The association was stronger among men [odds ratio (OR): 1.17, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.35] than women (OR: 1.08, 95% CI: 0.91, 1.29) and also stronger among those who were free of activities of daily living (ADL) disability at baseline (OR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.25). During the follow-up period, the participants who lived in greener areas were more likely to have an improved, rather than stable or deteriorated, vitamin D status (OR: 1.94, 95% CI: 1.51, 2.51).Conclusions and ImplicationsOur study suggests that higher levels of residential greenness are associated with higher serum 25(OH)D concentrations, which has implications for prevention of vitamin D deficiency among older adults.     

The influence of pentoxifylline on motility and viability of spermatozoa from normozoospermic semen samples

In order to evaluate the effects of pentoxifylline on sperm motility and longevity, a controlled in-vitro study was conducted on normozoospermic donor semen samples using the Cellsoft automated system for sperm motility analysis. After incubation and selection, pentoxifylline was found to improve the recovery of spermatozoa and to increase their velocity. In the subgroup of progressively motile spermatozoa, curvilinear velocity was also enhanced. It is concluded that pentoxifylline has an effect on the vigour, but not on the pattern, of sperm motion. Pentoxifylline did not improve the motility characteristics of senescent spermatozoa in normozoospermic sperm samples. Sperm survival, as shown by supra-vital staining, and motility longevity both decreased with time after pentoxifylline treatment.     

广西巴马长寿乡壮族长寿老人永生细胞库的建立

目的：建立广西巴马长寿乡壮族长寿老人永生细胞库。方法：使用EB病毒转化外周血B淋巴细胞方法。结果：建立了长寿者外周血细胞转化永生细胞株的方法，转化成功率77．4％。建立了65株长寿老人、直系亲属永生细胞株及长寿老人资料库和完整的细胞株档案。结论：广西巴马长寿乡壮族长寿老人永生细胞库的建立为永久保存细胞系及后续研究提供了必要的基础。     

Inflammaging as a Major Characteristic of Old People: Can It Be Prevented or Cured?

Widespread aging at the population level is a recent phenomenon that emerged in affluent societies. Inflammation is necessary to cope with damaging agents and is crucial for survival, particularly to cope with acute inflammation during our reproductive years. But chronic exposure to a variety of antigens, especially to some viruses such as cytomegalovirus, for a period much longer than that predicted by evolution, induces a chronic low-grade inflammatory status that contributes to age-associated morbidity and mortality. This condition carries the proposed name "inflammaging". Centenarians are unique in that, despite high levels of pro-inflammatory markers, they also exhibit anti-inflammatory markers that may delay disease onset. The key to successful aging and longevity is to decrease chronic inflammation without compromising an acute response when exposed to pathogens.     

Apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism and its association with human longevity in the Uygur nationality in Xinjiang

Objective To study the relationship between apoE alleles and life-span.Methods Apolipoprotein E genotypes were determined in 164 unrelated Uygurs including 35 persons aged 90 years or older, 71 men aged 20-35 and 54 men with myocardial in farction by using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymor phism.Apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism was analyzed among three groups. Results There was statistically significant difference in the ε4 allele frequencies amo ng three groups.The ε4 allele frequency in olds was the lowest (0.057), whil e in patients suffering from myocardial infarction (MI) was the highest (0.213) .In MI patients the average age of first attack in ε4 allele carriers was sig nificantly younger than that of non-carries, 51.3 and 58.3 years, respectivel y (P&lt;0.05).Conclusion ApoE genotype may have some impact on human longevity.