María Molina

Tocopherol composition and antioxidant activity of Spanish wild vegetables

Traditional use of noncultivated vegetables has decreased with the development of agriculture and global supply chains. However, some species are still consumed as part of our traditional Mediterranean diet. Plants are among the most important sources of natural antioxidants for retarding lipid oxidative rancidity in foods or for pharmaceutical applications against chronic diseases related to free radicals production. The present study reports tocopherols composition and antioxidant activity of eight wild greens traditionally used in Spain. According to the edible part consumed, two groups were differentiated. Leafy vegetables whose young stems with leaves are consumed (Apium nodiflorum (L.) Lag., Foeniculum vulgare Mill., Montia fontana L. and Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcke), and wild asparagus whose young shoots with leaf buds scarcely developed are eaten (Asparagus acutifolius L., Bryonia dioica Jacq., Humulus lupulus L. and Tamus communis L.). Among the leafy vegetables, Silene vulgaris and Apium nodiflorum presented the highest antioxidant capacity and antioxidants contents. Among the wild asparagus, the highest antioxidant capacity was obtained in Humulus lupulus.

Cognitive plasticity in normal and pathological aging

The main goal of the present study is to examine to what extent age and cognitive impairment contribute to learning performance (cognitive plasticity, cognitive modifiability, or learning potential). To address this question, participants coming from four studies (Longitudinal Study of Active Aging, age range, 55–75 years, N = 458; Longitudinal Study in the very old [90+], age range, 90–102, N = 188, and Cognitive Plasticity within the Course of Cognitive Impairment, 97 “Normal”, 57 mild cognitive impairment [MCI], and 98 Alzheimer’s disease [AD] patients) were examined through a measure of verbal learning (developed from Rey). The results show that all age, MCI, and AD groups learned across the five learning trials of that test, but significant differences were found due to age, pathology, and education. The effects of pathology (MCI and AD) can be expressed in a metric of “years of normal decline by age”; specifically, being MCI means suffering an impairment in performance that is equivalent to the decline of a normal individual during 15 years, whereas the impact of AD is equivalent to 22.7 years. Likewise, the improvement associated with about 5 years of education is equivalent to about 1 year less of normal aging. Also, the two pathological groups significantly differed from “normal” groups in the delayed trial of the test. The most dramatic difference is that between the “normal” group and the AD patients, which shows relatively poorer performance for the AD group in the delayed trial than in the first learning trial. The potential role of this unique effect for quick detection purposes of AD is assessed (in the 75–89 years age range, sensitivity and specificity equal 0.813 and 0.917, respectively).

Productivity in Old Age

It is commonly assumed that older adults are “unproductive” as soon as they retire and begin receiving a pension from the social security system, as occurs in most European countries. This article deals with the concept of unpaid work and social productivity, on the basis of data collected in the base line of the Estudio Longitudinal sobre Envejecimiento Activo (ELEA; Longitudinal Study of Active Aging), exploring the extent to which Spanish older adults (aged 55 to 75) report being involved in productive activities. First, the data are examined by age, gender, and working status; and second, under moderate-cost assumptions, the unpaid contribution to society of older people is calculated, in terms of Euros. The results are discussed in the context of other general studies about unpaid productive activities in old age; it is concluded that our sample is characterized by a focus on productive activity related to care for other adults and children and their estimated contribution in unpaid activities expresses the importance of older persons as social capital.

Effects of University Programs for Older Adults: Changes in Cultural and Group Stereotype, Self-Perception of Aging, and Emotional Balance

University Programs for Older Adults (Programas Universitarios para Adultos Mayores or PUMAs) have been developed throughout the world as an outcome of two worldwide policies: Life Long Learning (LLL) and Active Aging as a priority direction (UN, 2002). According to these policies, older persons should become full participants in the development process of a society, sharing in its benefits, while policies and actions should promote a positive view of aging. The present paper sets out to report some of the results from the evaluation of four PUMAs offered in 2009–2010 at four Universities: Autónoma University of Madrid (Spain), Autónoma University of Mexico (Mexico), Catholic University (Chile), and La Habana University (Cuba). With this purpose, a study with quasiexperimental design and nonequivalent control group was carried out. In total, 313 students (75% women, age range 50–87) on these four PUMAs and 190 controls (77% female, age range 50–91) participated in this evaluation study. Pre- and postexperimental and control comparisons results yielded significant differences in the expected direction: those people attending PUMAs significantly improved their self-perception of aging and group stereotypes, as well as significantly reduced their negative affect, and improving their emotional balance. At the same time, their perception of cultural age stereotypes became more negative. The results are discussed from the point of view of the II International Plan of Action on Aging objectives: the reduction of negative stereotypes and the promotion of the role of PUMAs in active aging.

Knowledge, use and ecology of golden thistle (Scolymus hispanicus L.) in central Spain.

BackgroundThis paper assesses the current ethnobotanical knowledge, use and management of Scolymus hispanicus L. in two localities of Central Spain and the relation with its natural abundance. It also addresses the influence of sociodemographic factors such as age, gender and time living in the village in the variation of knowledge and practice levels.MethodsDuring 2007 and 2008, 99 semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire were made to a random stratified sample by sex and age, asking them about their traditional knowledge and practices (use and gathering) of Scolymus hispanicus. A knowledge and practice (KP) index was created based on the answers to the questionnaire.Results and DiscussionScolymus hispanicus is still gathered and consumed by 20% and 35% of the informants, respectively. According to the KP index, the knowledge and practice level is similar in both villages. Age and time living in the village are the factors that better explain the variability in the KP level. People living for more than ten years in the village and those older than 60 years have the highest knowledge level, whereas the younger than 19 the lowest.ConclusionsOur data suggests that the prevalence of ethnobotanical knowledge and uses depends more on the cultural importance of the plant and the transmission of such popular knowledge than on the resources abundance.

WEEDS AND FOOD DIVERSITY: NATURAL YIELD ASSESSMENT AND FUTURE ALTERNATIVES FOR TRADITIONALLY CONSUMED WILD VEGETABLES

Abstract Wild edible plants, and particularly weeds, continue to be an important dietary component of many people around the world. We study the availability and yield of 15 weedy vegetables traditionally consumed in the Mediterranean region to assess their potential sustainable exploitation. Fieldwork was conducted in Central Spain during 2007–2009. Yields ranged between 10–460 g per plant in non-clonal species and between 400–5,000 g m−2 in clonal species. According to local plant density estimates, a total of 1800 kg ha−1 for Foeniculum vulgare, 700–1000 kg ha−1 for Beta maritima, Rumex pulcher, Papaver rhoeas and Silybum marianum, and 80–400 kg ha−1 for the remaining species could be obtained, except for Scolymus hispanicus that only yielded 30 kg ha−1. Exploitation of those species should consider local yields and preferences to achieve sustainability. We propose: 1) organic cultivation for highly valued species with low production rates in the wild (e.g., Scolymus hispanicus and Silene vulgaris); 2)...

Ethnobotanical and Food Composition Monographs of Selected Mediterranean Wild Edible Plants

This chapter presents 38 monographs about 41 selected wild edible plants traditionally consumed in different countries of the Mediterranean basin: Allium ampeloprasum, Anchusa azurea, Apium nodiflorum, Arbutus unedo, Asparagus acutifolius, Beta maritima, Borago officinalis, Bryonia dioica, Capsella bursa-pastoris, Chenopodium album, Chondrilla juncea, Cichorium intybus, Crataegus monogyna, Crithmum maritimum, Eruca vesicaria, Foeniculum vulgare, Humulus lupulus, Malva sylvestris, Montia fontana, Myrtus communis, Papaver rhoeas, Plantago lanceolata, P. major, Portulaca oleracea, Prunus spinosa, Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum, Rubus ulmifolius, Rumex acetosa, R. papillaris, R. pulcher, Scolymus hispanicus, Silene vulgaris, Silybum marianum, Smilax aspera, Sonchus asper, S. oleraceus, Tamus communis, Taraxacum officinale, T. obovatum, Urtica dioica, and Ziziphus lotus. These monographs have two parts. The first part consists of a botanical and graphical description of the species and a resume of ethnobotanical data registered in the Mediterranean countries for this edible plant. The second part supplies food composition data for each species, covering the main constituents, vitamins and other bioactive compounds as well as fatty acids profile, based on scientific literature data.

Natural Production and Cultivation of Mediterranean Wild Edibles

In the Mediterranean, traditional food systems have typically used a large number of plants harvested from the wild, including fruit-tree species, climbing plants with edible young shoots, wild tubers, and leafy greens. In this chapter we review the studies on natural production of wild edible plants, including those carried out by our research group on Mediterranean vegetables and fruits, as well as the experiences of cultivation for some of them.

Actividades cognitivas y funcionamiento cognitivo en personas muy mayores

INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to analyse whether the activity is a protective factor of intellectual decline, and specifically to examine whether intellectual activity versus other activities, is a better predictor for the maintenance of cognitive functioning in a group of people over 90 years, independent in basic daily living activities and having preserved cognitive capacity. MATERIAL AND METHODS This sample was selected from a bio-psycho-social longitudinal study of independent persons 90 and over. This is a longitudinal study involving 188 people, 67 males and 121 females. Measurements were taken of cognitive functioning and level of activity and repeated between 6 and 14 months; inferential analysis was performed at baseline and follow-up. RESULTS At base-line, there is a strong association between the level of activity and performance. Also, and most important, intellectual activities at baseline predict cognitive functioning at follow-up. According to our results, intellectual activities and the maintenance of cognitive functioning are associated with the absence of cognitive impairment in the very elderly. CONCLUSIONS This has important implications for the scientific community in finding a predictive index and strategies, but also for the individual to identify factors of change on which to act to reduce problems associated with aging.

Cultural stereotypes in care contexts

Introduction The main goal of the present study was to examine the stereotype content model (SCM) assumption for universality and to test whether the mediating role of cultural views about older adult caregivers is maintained in other health care contexts. Methods One hundred and sixty professionals and volunteers who worked with older adults in day care centers (DCCs) and senior citizen centers (SCCs) and 1,151 participants from a representative sample of the Spanish population were examined using the SCM questionnaire; older adult and personnel functioning were assessed through an observation procedure with two subscales of the Evaluation Scale from the Sistema de Evaluación de Residencias de Ancianos. Results The results showed that the context does not seem to influence the cultural views about older adults held by caregivers. All results support the cultural stereotype pattern in which members of the older adult group are viewed with high warmth (HW) and low competence (LC) as posited by the SCM model. With respect to the mediation of cultural stereotypes on caregivers/older adult functioning, this has not been supported in this study. Neither cultural views of warmth (predicted by the SCM) nor views of competence (from our previous studies) influence either caregiver functional behaviors or older adult functioning. Conclusion Two post hoc hypotheses can be inferred: 1) there is more variability in competence and warmth in DCCs and SCCs and 2) although we did not find significant differences in the pattern of competence and warmth in perceived cultural stereotypes about older adults, more healthy environments could reduce the influence of cognitive views on behavior.