Driven by a growing global interest in natural products, macroalgae have emerged as a prime source for nutraceuticals and pharmaceutical applications. In the current research, the effect of oven-drying (OD) and freeze-drying (FD), as well as the pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) conditions, were investigated in relation to the polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, chlorophylls, and tocochromanols levels in Cladophora glomerata extracts. The ethanol–water extracts (1:1) obtained with PLE-150 °C from macroalgae oven-dried (OD)-80 °C displayed the highest total polyphenol content (TPC) and total flavonoid contents (TFCs), reaching 29.62 mg GAE/g and 5.92 mg QE/g. Aqueous extracts using PLE-200 °C were also an excellent environmentally friendly option for TPC and TFC isolation, which were the main factors accounting for the ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP antioxidant activity of the extracts. The remarkable effects of drying conditions positively affect the carotenoids, chlorophyll α-tocopherol, and α-tocotrienol levels from extracts showing 1.3–6 times higher amounts in extracts of Cladophora glomerata OD at 80 °C compared with other research approaches. Nanotechnology approaches allowed the formulation of antioxidant-loaded nanoemulsions from Cladophora glomerata extracts, providing stability and a great internalization rate that ameliorates to 85% the ROS levels, attenuating the oxidative stress induced by H₂O₂ in J774.1 macrophage cell line.

Smoking is the main preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in Spain, with a particular incidence among young people. Universities offer a key opportunity to implement effective tobacco prevention and cessation strategies. To train health professionals and first and second year students of Health Sciences of the Albacete Campus (Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy and Psychology) in prevention and tackling smoking, and to implement peer-to-peer community interventions aimed at university and high school students. The project is structured in three phases: 1. Postgraduate online course (30 ECTS credits) for health professionals. 2. Face-to-face workshops for students in Health Sciences, differentiating between smokers motivated to quit and non-smokers interested in supporting smokers during the cessation process. Clinical interviews, cooximetry, cognitive-behavioural techniques and validated materials are used. 3. Trained student-led interventions, supervised by professionals, in educational settings. Evaluation of all phases includes pre- and post-tests, clinical case monitoring and satisfaction surveys. This project aims to improve participants’ knowledge and skills in preventing and tackling smoking, as well as reducing tobacco use in young people participating in the creation of healthier educational spaces. Data collection can be useful for designing future public health strategies. The model is scalable, replicable and sustainable, with the potential to be integrated into university curricula and to influence public policy on smoking prevention. Early intervention, before tobacco dependence becomes established, is essential to achieve a significant impact on public health and reduce the intergenerational transmission of this addictive behavior.

Background: Cognitive impairment is a major public health concern due to its impact on functional independence and its risk of progression to dementia. Early detection is critical, but the estimated prevalence varies substantially depending on the screening tool used and the role of modifiable metabolic risk factors, in accelerating cognitive aging. Objective: This study aimed to describe the variability in cognitive performance and the prevalence of low scores across several brief screening tools and cut-offs, and to explore sociodemographic, functional and metabolic factors associated with lower cognitive performance in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with N = 286 community-dwelling participants aged over 60 years, recruited from community pharmacies in Albacete, Spain. Cognitive status was assessed using the MoCA (cut-offs < 26 and < 21), the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire, the Memory Impairment Screen, and the Semantic Verbal Fluency Test (animals). Comorbidities were assessed using active medication prescriptions as proxy variables. Cohen’s Kappa coefficients were computed to assess concordance, and a binary logistic regression was performed to identify potential predictors of cognitive impairment, defined as a MoCA score < 21. Results: The estimated prevalence of suspected cognitive impairment varied from 71.3% using the highest MoCA cut-off (< 26) to 25.2% using the more conservative MoCA < 21 threshold. Concordance analysis revealed low agreement between MoCA < 26 and the other instruments (Kappa < 0.08). However, using the MoCA < 21 cut-off, the observed agreement improved substantially to over 75% (all Kappa values statistically significant at p < 0.001). The adjusted binary logistic regression model demonstrated that older age significantly increased the odds of cognitive impairment (OR = 1.10, p < 0.001), whereas higher cognitive reserve was a protective factor (OR = 0.75, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The estimated prevalence of suspected cognitive impairment is highly dependent on the screening instrument and threshold selected. The findings support the adoption of a more conservative MoCA cut-off < 21 to enhance agreement with other brief instruments and may reduce potential overestimation of impairment. Additionally, the associations observed between metabolic conditions and lower cognitive performance highlight the importance of integrated preventive strategies in primary care, combining sensitive cognitive screening with cardiometabolic risk management.

Background/Objectives: Cognitive impairment is a major concern in aging populations. Early detection through validated neuropsychological tests is essential for dementia risk stratification and preventive interventions. This scoping review (PRISMA-ScR, 2013–2023, registration protocol: 10.17605/OSF.IO/8NHJF) evaluated cognitive testing trends in aging research and identified the most frequently used neuropsychological screening tests in Spanish populations. Methods: Searches in PubMed and Web of Science (March 2024) yielded 730 records; 156 were reviewed in full, and 15 met inclusion criteria for Spanish adults ≥65 years. Results: The Mini-Mental State Examination was the most-used test, followed by verbal fluency and Trail Making Test. No test covered all six DSM-5 cognitive domains, and social cognition was never assessed in any of the studies. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment was underused despite its superior sensitivity. Conclusions: Findings support developing a tailored, multidomain battery combining global and domain-specific tests. Social cognition assessments should be included to ensure a complete cognitive domain coverage.