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• Europe's and Italy's population is ageing. • Frailty in older adults is considered a Public Health Issue. • There is the need for early identification because frailty is linked to institutionalization, hospitalization, and mortality. • Tool Development: Short Functional Geriatric Evaluation, a short, multidimensional questionnaire, aids frailty screening. • CFA Validation: The study confirms SFGE's validity through Confirmatory Factor Analysis. This paper explores the ageing population in Italy, where older adults account for more than 14 million individuals (in January 2023) and constitute 24.1 % of the total population. Frailty, a condition encompassing biological, psychological, social, and economic challenges, is recognised as a significant public health issue. The study introduces the Short Functional Geriatric Evaluation (SFGE) as a large-scale screening tool for frailty in community-dwelling older individuals. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted on the SFGE. The CFA scrutinises the construct validity of SFGE using a sample population from the "Long Live the Elderly!" program in Italy. Initial results indicate an acceptable fit, prompting the incorporation of Modification Indices to enhance model performance. The refined CFA demonstrates that the SFGE model effectively captures the multidimensional nature of frailty. The text underscores the timeliness of identifying frailty, emphasising the need for simple, fast, and predictive tools to screen large populations efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking as a starting point the conventional view of ageing as a linear process beginning in a youthful and productive stage but gradually deteriorating, this paper shifts the usual anthropocentric focal point towards technological artifacts which do not conform to this typical view. More specifically, three examples of technologies previously considered obsolete, but which have seen a revival in the last decade, are presented: the so-called dumbphones, analogue cameras, and vinyl players. Although very different at first glance, the three cases of these revived technologies show a similar evolution trajectory which breaks from the typical view of ageing in technological artifacts. Instead, they indicate how their revival does not simply entail a reconsideration of their initial value (such as it is often the case with antiques or heirlooms), but a transformation, hybridisation, and re-envisioned purpose. To this effect, the agential realism theory is applied to show how the revival of technological artifacts and practices once considered outdated attempts to dissolve binaries such as old/new, young/old, or slow/fast. Furthermore, such artifacts reveal trajectories of ageing that are unlike their human counterparts, but which can make way for new manners of articulating issues pertaining to ageing as a process in humans as well. The contribution of the paper lies in illustrating how adopting a non-linear view of ageing and fundamentally questioning its inherent binaries has the capacity to produce a much-needed nuanced view of ageing in humans, non-humans, and their sociomaterial entanglements. • Normative views of ageing in both humans and technological artifacts tend to follow a linear path. • The revival of once considered obsolete technologies breaks with the previously accepted linear trajectory of ageing. • Three cases of revived technologies are presented: dumbphones, analogue photography, and vinyl players. • The newly designed revived technologies emerge, instead, as reconfigurations including both digital and analogue elements. • The results show a more nuanced and broader view of ageing trajectories in non-humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A focus on the materiality within ageing studies brings into focus the material dimensions of space, rhythms and material objects in everyday life. The aim of this paper is to explore meanings around space in the context of the daily lives of people growing older and how materiality is embodied, embedded and performed in the material and social context of our everyday lives. The paper draws on data from the empirical research study Photographing Everyday Life: Ageing, Lived Experiences, Time and Space funded by the ESRC, UK. The focus of the project was to explore the significance of the ordinary and day-to-day and focus on the everyday meanings, lived experiences, practical activities, and social contexts in which people in mid-to-later life live their daily lives. The research involved a diverse sample of 62 women and men aged 50 years and over who took photographs of their different daily routines to create a weekly visual diary. The data reveals three interconnecting whilst analytically distinct themes within the materiality of ageing and the spaces around everyday life: (1) Space, materiality and everyday life; (2) Rhythms, routines and materiality; and (3) Social and material connectivity. The paper concludes by highlighting a complex engagement with space, in which participants drew and re-drew boundaries surrounding meanings of space, sometimes within the same interview or even within a discussion of the same photograph. Moreover, a focus on materiality has elicited rich and illuminating accounts of how people in mid-to-later life experience the intersections between ageing, bodies, time and space in their everyday lives. • Visual diaries on everyday life. • Explorations of materiality, rhythms and ageing – linking theory with data. • Novel insights into space, place and everyday life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of ageing on pavement performance are significant, particularly in terms of fatigue cracking. South Africa has the 10th longest road network in the world, requiring innovative approaches to road construction due to severe budget constraints. Innovative solutions such as thin asphalt concrete layers for surfacing, result in unique ageing rates of the layers, which, in general, have a higher incidence of fatigue cracking than, for example, thicker asphalt concrete layers used in other parts of the world. The objective of this paper is to evaluate how ageing mechanisms affect various asphalt binder properties, and whether they affect them to the same extent or not. Furthermore, the objective of the paper is also to determine the accuracy of the Rolling Thin Film Oven Test (RTFOT) in simulating short-term ageing in the field. The RTFOT provides a relatively good indication of short-term ageing, according to this multi-decade ageing study, and the effect on the asphalt binder properties used as ageing indices depends on the specific property chosen for comparison before and after ageing. • From 2001 to 2012, the prevalent surfacing in South Africa was a dense-graded asphalt mix with 50/70-grade asphalt binder. • Asphalt binders were consistent over 2001 to 2012, originating from four South African refineries. • A short-term ageing method in the laboratory cannot emulate the reaction kinetics during manufacturing and placement. • Binder properties such as penetration and softening are affected to different extents in an oxidation / ageing environment. • The rolling thin film oven provides a good indication of ageing under typical conditions of manufacturing and laying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to suitable and affordable housing for older residents is critical to healthy ageing-in-place. Unfortunately, many non-metropolitan communities do not have the housing stock needed to support residents as they age. This is because industrial restructuring and resource frontier ageing processes have led to limited reinvestment in, and expansion of, ageing housing assets that were designed for a young workforce. Such deficiencies can have cascading impacts not only on the quality-of-life for seniors, but also on community capacity to address overall housing needs. This paper includes a three-part review. After a review of the international literature, the first part introduces data tracking demographic and housing change in 38 non-metropolitan communities across British Columbia (BC), Canada. The second reviews the literature and data on demographic change in Canada, BC, and two case communities – Houston and Tumbler Ridge. The third describes the rural housing landscape across the non-metropolitan BC sample and draws on the voices of older residents in the case communities to describe the lack of fit between the housing stock and the housing needs as people age. • NMA housing is mostly single-detached units, aging, deteriorating, and poorly structured to meet seniors' needs. • The limited continuum of housing in NMA has created a mismatch between the housing stock and seniors' housing needs. • There is an urgent need to develop a strategy for appropriate seniors' housing in rural and remote communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical generators or engines are based on full surface bonded steel plies. Temperature control is of high relevance to achieve reduced heat dissipations along with improved efficiency. This paper evaluated the effect of service relevant operating conditions (i.e., cooling agents, elevated service temperature and fatigue stresses) on the delamination behavior of electrical steel laminates on specimen and lab level. Therefore, a linear elastic fracture mechanics method and a set-up suitable for superimposed environmental and cyclic fatigue testing was implemented and employed. Two electrical steel laminate configurations were investigated. Pre-treated and un-treated sheets were double side coated with an epoxy varnish. Further, a catalyst was applied on both sides of the coated sheets made from the pre-treated substrate. Double cantilever beam specimens were manufactured by stacking and laminating 6 coated substrates. The fractured surfaces of the fatigue tested specimen were characterized by laser confocal microscopy and infrared spectroscopy in hemispheric reflectance mode. Threshold strain energy release rate values (G th) ranging from 16 to 62 J/m2 were obtained depending on the investigated coated substrates and the environmental conditions. Laminates produced with pre-treated sheets and catalyst exhibited notably enhanced G th and decreased rates of crack propagation within the stable crack growth regime. A similar crack growth behavior was ascertained in hot air or oil-based cooling agent. The crossover point of the temperature dependent G th values was indicative for the glass transition temperature of the adhesives. The fractured surfaces presented mainly cohesive failure at higher strain energy release rate values followed by mixed cohesive and interfacial failure when approaching to the threshold regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring must be a basic element in oenological processes, assuring the oenologist's confidence in the supervision of the different processes. In this article, an analysis was carried out on all the works reported in the literature for the monitoring of different wine parameters in each phase. As described in the paper, artificial sensors have been developed to monitor the evolution of the fermentation and maceration phases. Similarly, in the ageing phase, other authors have developed different systems to monitor the evolution of the wine colour and oxygen. Within the particular case of biological ageing, not many developments have been found to control it. Given the scarcity of developments in this field, it would be necessary to propose a greater number of studies in this field. • First review on sensors to follow the evolution of different oenological processes. • Three main oenological processes are analysed: fermentation, maceration and ageing. • It describes low-cost IoT sensors that enable real-time monitoring of oenological processes. • It shows the positive impact of applying IoT sensors to the wine industry. • It identifies a new area where more research is needed: sensors for biological ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Multimodal strategies and interventions, e.g. healthy lifestyle (dietary and physical activity), can be recommended for treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). • Gene study and gene-based therapy with a critical role in the detection and cure of AD will have a fundamental role. • Attempts to enhance clinical results are focused on several main areas including design and detection of more effective carrier molecules, selection of the best gene delivery methods, and detection of novel therapeutic targets. Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) are still an important issue for scientists because it is difficult to cure with the available molecular medications and conventional treatments. Due to the complex nature of the brain structures and heterogeneous morphological and physiological properties of neuronal cells, interventions for cerebral-related disorders using surgical approaches, and classical and ongoing treatments remain hard for physicians. Furthermore, the development of newly designed medications attempts to target AD are not successful in improving AD, because abnormalities of tau protein, aggregation of amyloid β (Aβ) peptide, inflammatory responses, etc lead to advanced neurodegeneration processes that conventional treatments cannot stop them. In recent years, novel diagnostic strategies and therapeutic approaches have been developed to identify and cure early pathological events of AD. Accordingly, many gene-based therapies have been developed and introduce the therapeutic potential to prevent and cure AD. On the other hand, genetic investigations and postmortem assessments have detected a large number of factors associated with AD pathology. Also, genetically diverse animal models of AD help us to detect and prioritize novel resilience mechanisms. Hence, gene therapy can be considered an effective and powerful tool to identify and treat human diseases. Ultimately, gene study and gene-based therapy with a critical role in the detection and cure of various human disorders will have a fundamental role in our lives forever. This scientific review paper discusses the present status of different therapeutic strategies, particularly gene-based therapy in treating AD, along with its challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is an essential requirement for all building products to ensure durability of their fire safety. Throughout the working life of products, intumescent coatings are aged by certain climatic factors. To predict a lifetime of several years, generally the behaviour of the intumescent coating is extrapolated based on accelerated artificial ageing. The established German and European procedures to assess the durability assume a working life of at least 10 years. For a longer period, additional evidence is required; yet the procedure and the specifications to justify this are not described. In addition to addressing this formal lack, from a scientific point of view it is necessary to investigate the degradation of intumescent coatings in detail and to propose a reliable test concept to assess durability for more than 10 years. This paper summarises the existing knowledge about the ageing of intumescent coatings. The results of various demanding weathering approaches are presented for two intumescent coatings tested in a joint research project. Moreover, formulations with a reduced amount of functionally relevant components were analysed to gain insight into the associated effects. Derived from these research results and knowledge, recommendations are proposed to assess the durability of intumescent coatings for more than 10 years based on a combination of verifications. • Durability of intumescent coatings. • Test concept proposal for a working life of more than 10 years. • Fire tests on accelerated artificial (short-term) weathered specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The article explores the effect of various factors on ageing of polymer composites. • Focuses the significance of practical tools for optimizing durability, including experimental and accelerated aging methods. • Discusses about reinforcing materials to enhance the overall performance and resilience of polymer composites. Polymer composites have become indispensable in modern engineering applications, presenting a unique blend of qualities, including lightweight design, high strength, and corrosion resistance. Despite the inherent strength of these materials, their sustained performance is intricately linked to the various factors influencing the ageing process. It delves into the realms of general degradation, the impact of environmental conditions, and the role of fabrication & and synthesis methods. Emphasizing the pivotal role of aging in defining the reliability and durability of these materials, the research unfolds critical insights. Beyond elucidating the aging factors, the paper navigates through various experimental methodologies and accelerated aging techniques. These insights provide tangible strategies to augment the long-term performance of polymer composites by incorporating reinforcements such as nanofiller or nano clays with polymer matrix. By consolidating and advancing the current knowledge base, this study serves as a valuable resource for engineers and researchers, offering practical tools to optimize the durability of polymer composites across a broad spectrum of applications. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ageing retina is prone to ferroptosis due to the iron accumulation and impaired efficiency of intracellular antioxidant defense system. Ferroptosis acts as a cell death modality that is characterized by the iron-dependent accumulation of lipid peroxidation. Ferroptosis is distinctively different from other types of regulated cell death (RCD) at the morphological, biochemical, and genetic levels. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common microvascular complication of diabetes. Its prevalence and severity increase progressively with age. Recent reports have shown that ferroptosis is implicated in the pathophysiology of DR. Under hyperglycemia condition, the endothelial cell and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell will undergo ferroptosis, which contributes to the increased vascular permeability and the disrupted blood retinal barrier (BRB). The underlying etiology of DR can be attributed to the impaired BRB integrity and subsequent damages of the neurovascular units. In the absence of timely intervention, the compromised BRB can ultimately cause profound visual impairments. In particular, the ageing retina is vulnerable to ferroptosis, and hyperglycemia will accelerate the progression of this pathological process. In this article, we discuss the contributory role of ferroptosis in DR pathogenesis, and summarize recent therapeutic trials that targeting the ferroptosis. Further study on the ferroptosis mediated damage would enrich our knowledge of DR pathology, and promote the development of clinical treatment for this degenerative retinopathy. • Ageing retina is prone to ferroptosis due to iron accumulation and impaired antioxidant defense system. • Diabetic retinopathy (DR) acts as a common microvascular complication of diabetes with its prevalence increases with age. • The paper reviews the contributor role of ferroptosis in DR, and summarizes therapeutic trials that targeting ferroptosis. • Exploration of ferroptosis will enrich our knowledge of DR pathogenesis and promote the development of clinical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]