Double-stranded ladderphanes 2, 3, and 5 having cubane, cuneane, and cyclooctatetraene linkers are synthesized by ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of the corresponding bisnorbornene monomers 10, 11, and 13, respectively. Attempts to polymerize the corresponding tricyclooctadiene-linked bisnorbornene 12 are not successful, starting monomer being recovered. Polymer with this tricyclic diene linker 4 is obtained from the rhodium-catalyzed isomerization of 2. The scanning tunneling microscopic (STM) image of 2 shows an ordered pattern on the graphite surface by self-assembly.

It is unclear whether low dietary intake accompanied with multiple nutrient deficiencies or specific nutrient inadequacy is associated with geriatric syndrome. This study aimed to examine the nutrition inadequacy profiles associated with frailty and cognitive impairment (CI). With information from the Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan, 2014–2017, sex-specific nutrient intakes and intake per kg of body weight (BW) were estimated from 24-hour recall data for two age groups (65–74 years; ≥75 years) regarding the three frailty and three CI subgroups. Total energy intakes were significantly lower with the severity of both frailty and CI in analysis combining both gender and age groups, and in both the 65-to-74-year-old women or the over-75-year-old women. These trends were observed but not significant in either of the two age groups in men. Significantly lower levels of energy intake have been observed when age, sex, and sampling strata were adjusted. Intake levels of multiple nutrients also decreased with the severity of frailty and CI. A greater number of nutrient inadequacies for the frail and the CI was found in the 65-to-74-year-old group than the over-75-year-old age group. However, most of the associations between micronutrients and the two geriatric syndromes disappeared after energy adjustment. The remaining few did not show consistency across age­–sex subgroups. In conclusion, frailty or CI was associated with low amounts of food consumption accompanied by multiple nutrient insufficiencies. Dietary intervention to ensure adequate total energy and multiple nutrient intakes should be trialed in the geriatric population to address both the causal and efficacy issues.

Background Emerging evidence suggests that a dietary protein intake higher than the current recommended dietary allowance of 0.8 g/kg body weight (BW)/d may be needed to maintain optimal muscle mass, strength, and function in older adults. However, defining optimal protein intake in this age group remains a challenge. Objective In this study we sought to describe the dietary protein intake in frail, prefrail, and robust older Taiwanese adults Methods Data for 1920 older adults were collected from the Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan from 2014 to 2017. Dietary intake was assessed using the 24-h recall method. Frailty was determined using the modified Fried's criteria. Body composition was assessed using DXA. Sex-specific dietary protein intakes, measured as values/kg of BW, fat-free mass (FFM), and lean mass (LM), were estimated for the 3 age groups (65–69, 70–79, and ≥80y) and the 3 frailty levels. Results In both males (P for trend = 0.034) and females (P for trend = 0.015), there were significant downward trends for protein intake/kg of BW with the severity of frailty. The age-adjusted protein intake/kg of BW was still significant in males (P for trend = 0.009), but no longer in females. This phenomenon was also seen for protein intake at lunch and dinner but not at breakfast. Age-adjusted trends for protein intake/kg FFM or LM were not significant in either sex. The median protein intake in robust older males and females was 1.21 and 1.19 g/kg BW/d, respectively, and the mean intakes were even higher. Conclusion Median protein intake in robust Taiwanese older adults was approximately 1.2 g/kg BW/d, with higher mean values. The protein adequate intake in Taiwanese older adults was higher than the current recommended daily allowance (RDA) level but within the RDA range derived from the state-of art indicator amino acid oxidation technique.

A healthy dietary pattern review for Asian countries is scarce, which is crucial for guiding healthy eating. We reviewed Taiwanese dietary pattern discovery studies. Included were 19 studies, the majority of which employed dimension reduction methods to find dietary patterns associated with various health conditions. To show what is a high or low intake of foods in Taiwan, we also report the average dietary content and the 25th and 75th percentile values of the adult population for six food groups gathered by the Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan, 2017–2020. The healthy Taiwanese dietary approach is cohesive across multiple health outcomes occurring at different ages. It is featured with higher intakes of plant-based foods, aquatic foods, and some beneficial ethnic foods (soy products), drinks (tea), and cooking methods (boiling and steaming); lower intakes of fast foods, fatty and processed meats, sugar, salt rich foods/drinks, and fried foods; but with mixed findings for dairy and egg. Yet, the average Taiwanese person consumed many refined staple foods and livestock, but not sufficient vegetables, fruits, whole grains and roots, beans, and nuts. Dairy consumption remains low. In conclusion, Taiwanese discovery studies point to a mortality-lowering total wellbeing dietary pattern consistent with the current knowledge, which discloses potential benefits of soy product, tea, and boiling and steaming.

Objectives Indicator of Amino Acid Oxidation (IAAO) method is a state-of-art method to determine protein requirement. A recent review summarized the estimated average requirement (EAR) derived from IAAO plus two standard deviations as around 1.15–1.29 g/Kg body weight (BW) for elderlies. However, emerging evidence shows that providing protein beyond nitrogen balance point (as high as 1.5 g/Kg BW) to frail or pre-frail elderlies seems to provide additional benefit on muscle mass and performance, compared to 1.2 g/Kg BW. It is not clear whether community-dwelling elders require higher than 1.2–1.3 g/Kg BW to maintain adequate muscle mass and quality. This study intends to derive dietary protein Adequate Intake (AI) from a group of representative community-dwelling non-frail elderlies in Taiwan. Methods Using the 24-hour recall data of 1430 elderly adults (65y) from the Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan, 2014–2016, protein intake by age groups (65–69; 70–79; 80+) and by frailty levels (robust; pre-frail; frail) in both genders was estimated. Frailty phenotypes were determined using Linda Fried criteria. SUDAAN was used for statistical analysis. Results Mean levels of protein intake were 1.2, 1.4, and 1.3 g per Kg body weight (BW) per day (d) for men aged 65–69, 70–79, and 80+; and 1.2, 1.3, and 0.9 g/Kg BW/d for women at the same age groups. The mean protein intakes were 1.4, 1.3, and 1.2 g/kg BW/d for elderly men at robust, pre-frail, and frail states, respectively; and they were 1.3, 1.2, and 1.0 for women. The median were 1.3, 1.2, and 1.1 for men and 1.3, 1.1, and 1.1 for women. Conclusions Adequate intake of the community-dwelling elderly Taiwanese men and women is estimated around 1.3 g/Kg BW/d, taking into consideration the frailty issue. This information may be considered complementary to IAAO data in establishing protein requirement. Funding Sources Health Promotion Agency; International Life Science Institutes; Academia Sinica.

Geriatric community centers often offer nutrition lectures to older adults. In order to make learning more interesting and pragmatic, we developed group activity sessions. This undertaking was tested for its efficacy in changes of frailty status and several other geriatric health parameters. A cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted between September 2018 and December 2019 at 13 luncheon-providing community strongholds in Taipei, Taiwan. During the 3-month intervention period, 6 experimental strongholds received a weekly 1 h exercise workout and 1 h nutrition activities aiming at achieving the recommendations of the Taiwanese Daily Food Guide for elderlies; the other 7 received a weekly 1 h exercise workout and 1 h other activities. Dietary intakes and frailty status were the primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes included working memory and depression. The measurements were performed at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. The nutrition intervention significantly reduced the intake of refined grains and roots (p = 0.003) and increased that of non-refined grains and roots (p = 0.008), dairy products (p < 0.0001), and seeds and nuts (at borderline, p = 0.080) at 3 months. Some, but not all, of these changes were maintained at 6 months. Performance improvements included the frailty status score (p = 0.036) and forward digit span (p = 0.004), a working memory parameter, at 3 months. Only the forward digit span remained improved (p = 0.007) at 6 months. The 3-month nutrition group activities combined with exercise sessions improved the frailty status and working memory more than exercise alone. The dietary and frailty improvements were accompanied by improved dietary intakes and advanced behavioral stages. However, the improved frailty status backslid after intervention ceased, suggesting that boosting activities are needed for maintaining the intervention effect.