OBJECTIVES: This study determined the effect of enriched foods and all-around physical exercise on bone and body composition in frail elderly persons. METHODS: A 17-week randomized, controlled intervention trial, following a 2 x 2 factorial design--(1) enriched foods, (2) exercise, (3) both, or (4) neither--was performed in 143 frail elderly persons (aged 78.6 +/- 5.6 years). Foods were enriched with multiple micronutrients; exercises focused on skill training, including strength, endurance, coordination, and flexibility. Main outcome parameters were bone and body composition. RESULTS: Exercise preserved lean mass (mean difference between exercisers and non-exercisers: 0.5 kg +/- 1.2 kg; P < .02). Groups receiving enriched food had slightly increased bone mineral density (+0.4%), bone mass (+0.6%), and bone calcium (+0.6%) compared with groups receiving non-enriched foods, in whom small decreases of 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.4%, respectively, were found. These groups differed in bone mineral density (0.006 +/- 0.020 g/cm2; P = .08), total bone mass (19 +/- g; P = .04), and bone calcium (8 +/- 21 g; P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Foods containing a physiologic dose of micronutrients slightly increased bone density, mass, and calcium, whereas moderately intense exercise preserved lean body mass in frail elderly persons.

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The first total synthesis of the natural enantiomer of the insect-antifeedant dihydroclerodin (1) and lupulin C (40) has been achieved starting from (R)-(−)-carvone (2). In the applied strategy, the hexahydrofuro[2,3-b]furan moiety was introduced in an early stage of the synthesis. The correct configuration at C-9, C-11, C-13, and C-16 was established by application of a remarkably diastereoselective Mukaiyama reaction. The desired configuration at C-10 was obtained by catalytic reduction of the intermediate enone 21. After annulation of the second ring, the structural features at C-4, C-5, and C-6 were introduced. The successful finishing of the synthesis included a Chugaev elimination to give the exocyclic double bond at C-4 that is present in lupulin C. Oxidation of this double bond with m-CPBA afforded dihydroclerodin.

Overall survival was studied in men and women over 70 years of age in relation to the Greek variant of the traditional Mediterranean diet. According to a dietary score based on eight characteristics, a significant 17% reduction in overall mortality was observed with each unit increase in diet score. The results suggest that closer adherence to the traditional Greek diet favorably affects life expectancy among elderly people.