Gerontology through the Eyes of 21st Century Toxicology.

Toxicants can cause cells to experience DNA damage, leading them to cellular senescence. Discovering mechanisms of cellular aging from birth to death will ease the process of understanding aging.

"For aging not passively endured, but actively experienced:" on Symposium on Gerontology from 1958.

The subjects of gerontology and geriatrics did not arouse stronger interest among Croatian scholars until the second half of the twentieth century. From 1952 to 1957, a number of Croatian medical experts gave lectures on gerontology at the Yugoslav Academy of Sciences and Arts. Based on these lectures, in 1958 the Academy published the first book on gerontology in Croatia under the title Symposium on Gerontology. Its editor was Franjo Kogoj, a dermatovenereologist and a Fellow of the Academy (1894-1983). In this article, we focused on the contents of Symposium, namely, on the discussions about geriatric terminology, theories of aging, epistemological issues in gerontology, as well as clinical experiences with older patients. We argue that Symposium marks the beginning of a synthetic and interdisciplinary approach to gerontology in Croatia.

[Old age in Medieval times]. / La vieillesse aux temps médiévaux.

Europe in the Middle Ages had no experience of gerontology as we know it today. The categorisation of old age was based on symbolic relationships with the world, inherited from Antiquity, and resulted in an ambivalent image of this age. Our knowledge in the area is derived mainly from fiction, from scholarly texts of a philosophical, moralising or medical nature, each interacting with the other. This observation is backed up by a moral treatise on the 'four ages of man' written in the 13th century by Philip of Novara.

[Educational gerontology and social work]. / Altersbildung und Soziale Arbeit.

Educational gerontology has become established over the past 40 years in a multifaceted, differentiated practice which, against the background of social change processes, combined with the phenomena of demographic change, takes up and creates room for accompanying irritations, learning requirements and opportunities. A corresponding theoretical foundation exists in the scientific discipline of geragogy, which is located at the interfaces between gerontology, educational science and social work. The close proximity between education of and social work with the elderly is meanwhile also evident in many recent research and development projects, in which theory formation for geragogy and social work as scientific disciplines take place at the same time. Against this background, the core developmental lines of geragogy are briefly sketched in this article and linked with the exemplary scientific discourse within gerontology and social work sciences. The result is a form of synthesis of central theoretical premises of social gerontology in the field of educational gerontology. This claim becomes more concrete by a recourse to the results of relevant research and development projects, which refer to different facets of educational work in different gerontological fields or as a conscious approach to methodological integration, also in the sense of participatory procedures. Theoretical and didactic approaches to educational gerontology are of increasing importance in terms of enabling integration and participation and also in the context of research and development projects. This also involves participation of the elderly as experts in their own field as well as participatory procedures and approaches. Willingness to learn and openness to educational approaches will also be the basic prerequisites for older people in the future, creating orientation in a rapidly changing world and social participation. One important task for educational gerontology in this context is to reach and to involve older people who are not very well educated and to open them up to the necessary room for social integration and participation. Methods of social work can therefore be very helpful.

[Gerontological research in social and behavioral sciences in Germany since 1968 : Review, critical assessment and perspectives]. / Gerontologische Forschung im Bereich der Sozial- und Verhaltenswissenschaften in Deutschland seit 1968 : Rückblick, kritische Würdigung und Perspektiven.

This article addresses the development of German social and behavioral aging research during the last 50 years based on four propositions: (a) the development and unfolding of social and behavioral aging research in the 1960s and 1970s was tedious. (b) During the 1980s and 1990s the significance of social and behavioral aging research grew considerably. (c) The last 20 years brought increasing and strong recognition of social and behavioral aging research. (d) Currently, social and behavioral aging research in Germany follows high and internationally established standards, and findings are published in internationally recognized journals. In a resume and outlook the structural aspects, future research topics, funding dynamics, and issues of the application of social and behavioral aging science are discussed.

[ELIE METCHNIKOFF--THE FOUNDER OF LONGEVITY SCIENCE AND A FOUNDER OF MODERN MEDICINE: IN HONOR OF THE 170TH ANNIVERSARY].

The years 2015-2016 mark a double anniversary--the 170th anniversary of birth and the 100th anni- versary of death--of one of the greatest Russian scientists, a person that may be considered a founding figure of modern immunology, aging and longevity science--Elie Metchnikoff (May 15, 1845-July 15, 1916). At this time of the rapid aging of the world population and the rapid development of technologies that may ameliorate degenerative aging processes, Metchnikoff's pioneering contribution to the search for anti-aging and healthspan-extending means needs to be recalled and honored.

Joint geriatric and old-age psychiatric wards in the U.K., 1940s-early 1990s: a historical study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the history of joint geriatric-psychiatric units. For policy making and planning of high-quality clinical service models, clinical and social contexts need to be considered. Longitudinal, contextual information can be provided by historical analyses, including the successes and failures of earlier, similar services. Historical analyses complement clinical, randomised controlled studies and may contribute to ensuring optimum outcomes for future schemes. METHODS: Standard historical methodology was used, including searching published sources and institutional and personal archives and conducting a 'witness seminar' and individual oral history interviews. RESULTS: Proposals to create joint units have existed since 1947. Most clinically successful units were led by enthusiastic, dedicated clinicians. Joint units had the potential to provide appropriate assessment and treatment for patients with multiple disorders and education for staff and students. Joint units never became widespread. CONCLUSIONS: Reasons for the limited success of joint geriatric-psychiatric units might have included personalities of individuals, administrative boundaries separating geriatrics and medicine, unequal numbers of geriatricians and old-age psychiatrists, varying professional ideologies about the meaning of 'integrated' services, lack of reciprocity for each other's inpatients and lack of government support. Identified stumbling blocks need to be considered when planning joint clinical schemes. If current research indicates benefits of integrated wards for patients and their families, there needs to be ways to ensure that personal factors and fashions of management or government re-prioritisation will not lead to their premature termination.

[Geriatrics from the 19th to the 21st century. 150 years of geriatric medicine: from increasing life expectancy to improving quality of life for the very old]. / La Gériatrie du 19ième au 21ième siècle.

With the world further aging, geriatric medicine clearly became a necessity: in the 21th century many more people reach older ages by means of continued medical success in expanding lifespan. 150 years ago life expectancy was between 30 to 40 years, but today close to 800 million people are 60 yeas old or more. During the last century aging has been associated with decline and decay, but gradually more people lived ably and healthily in older ages. The expansion in life expectancy has become a synchronism of quality of life: the average 65 year old today is much healthier, physically and mentally fitter, than the average 50 year old 150 years ago, when Alois Alzheimer war born, a period when most nowadays existing geriatric institutions were envisioned and progressively realized over time. Today we strongly believe that a healthy life and, equally, the quality of life of the very old people can be extended with presently existing medical knowledge, based on research, environmental and behavioural changes, by postponing the onset and progression of fatal and disabling diseases and disorders. But very soon ethical considerations concerning all kinds of medical and technological solutions available to maintain or even improve the mental and physical functioning of dependant elderly people will engage our society when deciding how and at what moment in time to make the best decisions and allocate resources. Geriatric medicine will be further challenged by competing and demanding medical and economic needs, when marshalling resources to meet the growing demands of our society for improving care for the very old and often demented adult.

[Age and aging in Friedrich Hoffmann's medical practice]. / Alter und Altern in der ärztlichen Praxis Friedrich Hoffmanns (1660-1742).

Our research uses medical case histories from the practice of Friedrich Hoffmann (1660-1742) in Halle (Saale) to explore the following key questions: what in Hoffmann's view constituted the beginning of 'old age', and what treatment he offered to these older patients. When examining the notion of what Hoffmann considered the start of 'old age' to be, it is apparent that in certain cases he deviated from his theoretical categorisation, when confronted with the disposition, or ill-health, of individual patients. It is also evident that Hoffmann pursued a differentiated approach to the treatment of those he viewed as older patients, avoiding the prescription of medication in favour of dietary measures to encourage blood circulation. Furthermore, whilst on the basis of Hoffmann's 'Iatromechanical Theory', the use of the intellect in 'old age' was considered detrimental to health, our findings suggest that Hoffmann did not advise his mainly upper class patients to avoid this entirely, as he appreciated that they had to conform to societal norms.

National Institute on Aging's 50th anniversary: Advancing aging research and the health and well-being of older adults.

The National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), was founded in 1974 to support and conduct research on aging and the health and well-being of older adults. Fifty years ago, the concept of studying aging generated much skepticism. Early NIA-funded research findings helped establish the great value of aging research and provided the foundation for significant science advances that have improved our understanding of the aging process, diseases and conditions associated with aging, and the effects of health inequities, as well as the need to promote healthy aging lifestyles. Today, we celebrate the many important contributions to aging research made possible by NIA, as well as opportunities to continue to make meaningful progress. NIA emphasizes that the broad aging research community must continue to increase and expand our collective efforts to recruit and train a diverse next generation of aging researchers.

"I think that the small peptides are the best for healthy ageing...", an interview with Vladimir Khavinson. Interview by Suresh I. S. Rattan.

Since its inception in 2000, Biogerontology has published interviews with some of the most renowned and intellectually influential biogerontologists, including Len Hayflick, Robin Holliday, Denham Harman, Vincent Cristofalo, Claudio Franceschi, Leslie Robert, Ken Kitani, Geroge Martin, Zhores Medvedev and John Maynard Smith. These interviews have explored the minds of these scientists in all aspects of their lives combining the private and the professional. Together, this series is a remarkable document providing an insight into the history of ideas in modern biogerontology. Here we present Vladimir Khavinson talking about his life and work in Russia during and after the Soviet times, his ideas on stress and health, his discoveries of the healthy ageing promoting small peptides, and other anti-ageing interventions.

[Saint Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology: achievements and prospects (towards the 20th anniversary)].

The article presents the results of the 20-years' long activity of the Saint Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology founded to fulfill the basic and applied tasks in the sphere of gerontology and to integrate with medical practice new methods for preventing premature aging and age-related pathology by means of pharmaceuticals based on peptide bioregulators. Among the Institute main achievements are the scientific developments in the field of peptide regulation of aging, creation of a new medical domain--bioregulation therapy, and foundation of the Russian school of biogerontology. As a result of investigations, a key role of peptides in the regulation of aging process has been established, and a method of bioregulators complex application has been developed to increase organism resistance to various unfavorable factors and enhancement of human vital resource. At present 6 drugs and over 60 peptide bioregulators are widely used for prevention and treatment of many diseases. 9 new peptide preparations revealing geroprotective properties are submitted to the Russian Health Ministry to be registered as drugs.

Biological aging and social characteristics: gerontology, the Baltimore city hospitals, and the National Institutes of Health.

The intramural gerontological research program in the National Institutes of Health underwent a substantial growth after its creation within the precincts of the Baltimore City Hospitals in 1940. This paper analyzes its development and the associated problems of its early years. Gerontologists aimed at improving the social and economic life of the elderly through scientific research. With this aim in mind, they conducted various investigations using the indigent aged patients of the Baltimore City Hospitals. Yet the scientists of aging, who hoped to eliminate negative social factors that might bias their research and heighten the confusion between pathology and aging per se, eventually stopped using these patients in the hospital as human subjects. Instead they sought educated affluent subjects in order to eliminate the impact of poverty. By doing so, however, they introduced a new source of social bias to their work, especially within the novel project begun in 1958, the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. This article thus examines the context of the development of gerontologists' research by analyzing their agenda, institutional environment, and research subjects in the 1940s and the 1950s.

[Gluttony, obesity and the metabolic syndrome in the context of the "seven deadly sins". Historical-theological, literary and art, mass media, political, philosophical, medical-psychological and geriatric aspects of the problem].

In this pape different aspects of problem of obesity are analysed.

[Gerontology crisis: to a question about primary health in the XXth century].

Last decades the phenomenon of ageing population at the expense of reduction of birth rate and continuous growth of life expectancy is observed and moreover the life expectancy increase has almost linear character. In our opinion, this growth will stop the next years and there will be a considerable reduction of life expectancy. Roughly it should occur after 2010 year when the persons born in second half of the XXth century, i.e. after 1950 year, will start to enter advanced age. The reason of this drama consist in our opinion in catastrophic deterioration of primary health at persons born in second half of XXth century owing to action of "stop-evolution" factors and inhabitancy crisis. "Primary health" as definition in this text means combination of congenital predisposition to diseases (pathogenicity) with congenital possibility to autorecovery (sanogenicity). So the quality of primary health depends on features of the person genome and features of the person antenatal period of life including the delivery. Among factors of "stop-evolution" breaking natural selection consequently of sharp decrease in number of birth and fertility in population and as consequence worsening quality of congenital sanogenicity we consider first of all social factors. Among factors operating due to crisis of an inhabitancy and as consequence increase of congenital pathogenicity we consider anthropogenic factors (success of medicine, changes of food, technogenic factors). The analysis of own data of diabetic patients born during various periods of the XXth century (before 1908, in 1909-1923, 1924-1938, 1939-1953 yrs) has demonstrated the essential reduction of number of long-livers in a family (30,7; 35,0; 25,4; 27,8% accordingly), and on the other hand the sharp increase in frequency of cases of a family diabetes during the century (20,0; 5,9; 36,8; 64,7% accordingly). Thus, the action of some factors described by us has been already shown in first half of XXth century. To overcome the given "gerontology crisis" apparently, the interdisciplinary approach including joint researches with the subsequent development of recommendations, with participation not only gerontologists/geriatrists, but also pediatrists, andrologists/gynecologists, endocrinologists, genetics, ecologists and sociologists is necessary.