Moral dilemmas in females: children are more utilitarian than adults

PubMed Central

Bucciarelli, Monica

2015-01-01

Influential theories on moral judgments propose that they rely either on emotions or on innate moral principles. In contrast, the mental model theory postulates that moral judgments rely on reasoning, either intuition or deliberation. The theory allows for the possibility that intuitions lead to utilitarian judgments. This paper reports two experiments involving fifth-grade children, adolescents, and adults; the results revealed that children reason intuitively to resolve moral dilemmas in which action and inaction lead to different outcomes. In particular, the results showed female children to be more utilitarian than female adults in resolving classical moral dilemmas: they preferred an action that achieved a good outcome for a greater number of people. Within the mental model theory's framework there is no reason to expect that females and males differ in their ability to reason, but at the moment the results for females cannot be generalized to males who were not properly represented in the adults groups of the two experiments. The result revealing that (female) children are more utilitarian than (female) adults, which is hard to explain via many current theories, was predicted by the mental model theory. PMID:26441722

Experiential Journey of Females Who Enter or Re-Enter College Later in Life to Degree Completion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, Rita Audy

2017-01-01

Given the scope and paucity of knowledge about the lived experiences of the female adult student entering or re-entering college later in life to degree completion, this research study identified significant themes in their lived experiences. With an appreciative eye, this study captured the female adult students' lived experiences conveyed in a…

Household Structure and Living Conditions in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mberu, Blessing Uchenna

2007-01-01

Data on 7,632 households from the 1999 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey are used to examine household structure and living conditions in Nigeria. The study finds significant disadvantage in living conditions of single-adult, female- and single-adult, male-headed households relative to two-parent households. Extended households show no…

Psychological well-being and independent living of young adults with childhood-onset craniopharyngioma.

PubMed

Memmesheimer, Rodica Mia; Lange, Karin; Dölle, Michael; Heger, Sabine; Mueller, Iris

2017-08-01

To assess the psychological well-being and social integration of adults with craniopharyngioma diagnosed in childhood. A cross-sectional study of a nationwide cohort of young adults with craniopharyngioma in Germany was performed. A structured questionnaire covered the sociodemographic, clinical data, and subjective effects of the condition on social integration. Psychological well-being was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Results were compared to young adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The study included 59 participants (29 females, 30 males; mean age 25y 2mo [SD 5y 10mo]), mean age at first surgery 10y 2mo [SD 3y 7mo]. Compared to the T1DM group, significantly more young people with craniopharyngioma aged 25 to 35 years lived at their parents' homes (craniopharyngioma 43.34%; T1DM 13.7%; χ 2 =4.14, p=0.049), and fewer lived in a relationship (craniopharyngioma 8.69%; T1DM 54.7%; χ 2 =15.74, p<0.001). The HADS revealed a score for depression above the cut-off in 20.69 per cent of young adults with craniopharyngioma and in 6 per cent of young adults with T1DM (χ 2 =13.42, p<0.001). Young adults with craniopharyngioma reported subjective disadvantages in professional and social integration. Further, they presented with reduced well-being and increased depression rates. Better psychosocial support and self-management education might reduce the long-term burden of the disease. © 2017 Mac Keith Press.

Active Adult Lives for Persons with Learning Disabilities--The Perspectives of Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Witsø, Aud Elisabeth; Kittelsaa, Anna M.

2018-01-01

Background: Living active adult lives is both a value and a right, but the right to do so is associated with restrictions among adults with learning disabilities. This research aimed to capture professionals' understanding and perception of active adult living for people with learning disabilities living in clustered housing in a Norwegian…

Adult and Family Living. Teacher Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater. Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center.

This curriculum guide for teachers is designed for use with 11th- and 12th-grade students who have had no more than 1 year of vocational home economics. It focuses on providing young adults with the knowledge and skills they need for healthy and positive adult and family lives. It includes 27 units in 8 sections as follows: (1) personal…

The Long-Term Effects of Childhood Bullying Experiences on Female Adults as It Relates to Their Perception of Themselves and Their Relationships with Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barcalow, Julia M.

2013-01-01

Childhood bullying is a phenomenon that affects many individuals well beyond their childhood. This study looked specifically at female adults, and how the bullying they experienced in their childhood continues to have long-term effects on them in their adult lives. The purpose of this study was to explore the long-term effects that bullying has on…

Guessing imagined and live chance events: adults behave like children with live events.

PubMed

Robinson, E J; Pendle, J E C; Rowley, M G; Beck, S R; McColgan, K L T

2009-11-01

An established finding is that adults prefer to guess before rather than after a chance event has happened. This is interpreted in terms of aversion to guessing when relatively incompetent: After throwing, the fall could be known. Adults (N=71, mean age 18;11, N=28, mean age 48;0) showed this preference with imagined die-throwing as in the published studies. With live die-throwing, children (N=64, aged 6 and 8 years; N=50, aged 5 and 6 years) and 15-year-olds (N=93, 46) showed the opposite preference, as did 17 adults. Seventeen-year-olds (N=82) were more likely to prefer to guess after throwing with live rather than imagined die-throwing. Reliance on imagined situations in the literature on decision-making under uncertainty ignores the possibility that adults imagine inaccurately how they would really feel: After a real die has been thrown, adults, like children, may feel there is less ambiguity about the outcome.

Progressive resistive exercise interventions for adults living with HIV/AIDS.

PubMed

O'Brien, K; Nixon, S; Glazier, R H; Tynan, A M

2004-10-18

exercise and aerobic exercise at least three times a week for at least four weeks appears to be safe and may lead to statistically and possibly clinically important increases in body weight and composition. Results also indicate exercise interventions may lead to clinically important improvements in cardiopulmonary fitness. Individual studies included in this review suggest that progressive resistive exercise interventions with or without aerobic exercise also contribute to improvements in strength and psychological status for adults living with HIV/AIDS. Individual studies indicate that progressive resistive exercise or a combination of progressive resistive and aerobic exercise appears to be safe for adults living with HIV/AIDS who are medically stable as a result of no change seen in immunological/virological status. These results are limited to those who continued to exercise and for whom there were adequate follow-up data. Progressive resistive exercise or a combination of progressive resistive exercise and aerobic exercise appear to be safe and may be beneficial for adults living with HIV/AIDS. These findings are limited by the small number of studies that could be included in meta-analyses, small sample sizes and variable participant withdrawal rates among included studies. Future research would benefit from including participants at various stages of HIV infection, a greater proportion of female participants, and participants in a variety of age groups to increase the generalizability of results. Furthermore, future research would benefit from studies with larger sample sizes that conduct an "intention-to-treat" analysis (analysis of participants based on the groups to which they were originally allocated) to better understand outcomes of participants that withdraw from exercise interventions.

A Shortened Version of the Reasons for Living-Older Adults Scale for Clinical and Research Utility.

PubMed

Lutz, Julie; Edelstein, Barry; Katz, Emma; Gallegos, Jarred V

2018-02-26

Older adults have elevated suicide rates, and identification of protective factors, such as reasons for living, is important in preventing suicide. The Reasons for Living-Older Adults scale (RFL-OA) is a 69-item measure of these protective factors in late life, which yields good psychometric properties. However, its length limits its utility in some clinical and research contexts where a shorter measure is ideal. The objective of this study was to create a shortened version of the RFL-OA. First, data collected previously during validation of the original RFL-OA (n = 199, age 65 and older, 65% female) were used to select 30 items, spanning all content areas, that were highly endorsed. Second, new data were collected (n = 219, age 60 and older, 52% female) with the 30-item RFL-OA and measures of depression, hopelessness, suicidal ideation, religiosity, health, and social desirability to examine the measure's internal consistency and convergent and discriminant validity. Scores on the 30-item RFL-OA exhibited strong internal consistency. The short RFL-OA demonstrated good convergent validity via significant, moderate correlations with suicidal ideation, hopelessness, depression, and religiosity. It demonstrated adequate discriminant validity via only small correlations with disability, subjective health, and social desirability. The shorter RFL-OA has good psychometric properties among community-dwelling older adults. It may have greater utility, compared to the original 69-item measure, for clinicians and researchers with limited time but who want to assess protective factors against suicidal behavior in late life.

Social Cohesion and the Smoking Behaviors of Adults Living with Children

PubMed Central

Sharif, Mienah Z.; Albert, Stephanie L.

2015-01-01

Introduction The smoking behavior of adults can negatively impact children through exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and by modeling this unhealthy behavior. Little research has examined the role of the social environment in smoking behaviors of adults living with children. The present study specifically analyzed the relationship between social cohesion and smoking behaviors of adults living with children. Methods Data from the 2009 California Health Interview Survey, a random-digit dial cross-sectional survey of California Adults, were used. Adults living with children reported their levels of social cohesion and smoking behaviors (N=13,978). Logistic regression models were used to predict odds of being a current smoker or living in a household in which smoking was allowed, from social cohesion. Results Overall, 13% of the sample was current smokers and 3.74% lived in households in which smoking was allowed. Logistic regression models showed that each one-unit increase in social cohesion is associated with reduced odds of being a current smoker (AOR= 0.92; 95% CI= 0.85–0.99) and reduced odds of living in a household in which smoking is allowed (AOR= 0.84; 95% CI= 0.75–0.93), after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics. Conclusions Among adults living with children, higher social cohesion is associated with a lower likelihood of both being and smoker and living in a home where smoking is allowed. Thus, future research is needed to better understand mechanisms that explain the relationship between social cohesion and smoking-related behavior in order to prevent smoking-related health consequences and smoking initiation among children and adults. PMID:26562680

Social cohesion and the smoking behaviors of adults living with children.

PubMed

Alcalá, Héctor E; Sharif, Mienah Z; Albert, Stephanie L

2016-02-01

The smoking behavior of adults can negatively impact children through exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and by modeling this unhealthy behavior. Little research has examined the role of the social environment in smoking behaviors of adults living with children. The present study specifically analyzed the relationship between social cohesion and smoking behaviors of adults living with children. Data from the 2009 California Health Interview Survey, a random-digit dial cross-sectional survey of California Adults, were used. Adults living with children reported their levels of social cohesion and smoking behaviors (N=13,978). Logistic regression models were used to predict odds of being a current smoker or living in a household in which smoking was allowed, from social cohesion. Overall, 13% of the sample was current smokers and 3.74% lived in households in which smoking was allowed. Logistic regression models showed that each one-unit increase in social cohesion is associated with reduced odds of being a current smoker (AOR=0.92; 95% CI=0.85-0.99) and reduced odds of living in a household in which smoking is allowed (AOR=0.84; 95% CI=0.75-0.93), after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics. Among adults living with children, higher social cohesion is associated with a lower likelihood of both being and smoker and living in a home where smoking is allowed. Thus, future research is needed to better understand mechanisms that explain the relationship between social cohesion and smoking-related behavior in order to prevent smoking-related health consequences and smoking initiation among children and adults. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Precarity of Older Adults Living Alone With Cognitive Impairment.

PubMed

Portacolone, Elena; Rubinstein, Robert L; Covinsky, Kenneth E; Halpern, Jodi; Johnson, Julene K

2018-01-24

To examine the lived experience of older adults living alone with cognitive impairment to better understand their needs and concerns. Based on our previous work suggesting that older adults living alone often experience a sense of precarity, we were interested in exploring this construct in older adults living alone with a diagnosis of cognitive impairment. The notion of precarity points to the uncertainty deriving from coping with cumulative pressures while trying to preserve a sense of independence. This is a qualitative study of 12 adults aged 65 and older living alone with cognitive impairment. Six participants had a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease; 6 had a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment. Participants' lived experiences were elicited through 40 ethnographic interviews and participant observation in their homes. Using a qualitative content analysis approach, interview transcripts and fieldnotes were analyzed to identify codes and themes. Qualitative analysis of transcripts revealed three themes. Theme 1 described the distress stemming from the uncertainty of having cognitive impairment that has an unpredictable course. Theme 2 drew attention to the tendency of participants to feel responsible for managing their cognitive impairment. Theme 3 described the pressures stemming from the lack of appropriate services to support independent living for persons with cognitive impairment. These 3 themes all pointed to facets of precarity. Findings also suggest the dearth of programs to support older adults living alone with cognitive impairment and the need to develop novel programs and interventions. © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Transcriptome sequencing of newly molted adult female cattle ticks, Rhipicephalus microplus: Raw Illumina reads.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Illumina paired end oligo-dT sequencing technology was used to sequence the transcriptome from newly molted adult females from the cattle tick, Rhipicephalus microplus. These samples include newly molted unfed whole adult females, newly molted whole adult females feeding for 2 hours on a bovine host...

Factors that influence emotional disturbance in adults living in extreme poverty.

PubMed

Palomar-Lever, Joaquina; Victorio-Estrada, Amparo

2012-04-01

Living in poverty conditions implies exposure to severe circumstances of social disadvantage, associated with greater propensity to contract illnesses. A negative correlation has consistently been observed between health and poverty. The chronic exposure to stress affects people's well-being through the development of symptoms of anxiety and depression. The suffering of these symptoms for a long time period may be considered as part of a more general syndrome of emotional disturbance, in detriment to a person's mental health. The objective of this study is to identify psychological factors that influence emotional disturbance, measured as symptoms of anxiety and depression, in adults living in poverty conditions in Mexico's central region. A total of 913 adults, 65.2% female, were surveyed. The mean age of the participants was 43.71 (±12.58) years and the mean number of years of schooling was 4.04 (±3.36). Variables corresponding to personal characteristics were measured. The results indicate that the most important risk factor for depression is anxiety and vice versa. Additionally, gender, negative self-esteem, lack of adequate strategies for confronting and resolving difficulties, and lack of self-regulation predicted depression, whereas stress, lack of self-regulation, and coping style predicted anxiety. These variables were better predictors than optimism, locus of control, sense of humor or religiosity. © 2011 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology © 2011 The Scandinavian Psychological Associations.

Fatigue, Pain, and other Physical Symptoms of Living Liver Donors in the Adult-to-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Cohort Study (A2ALL-2).

PubMed

Butt, Zeeshan; DiMartini, Andrea F; Liu, Qian; Simpson, Mary Ann; Smith, Abigail R; Zee, Jarcy; Gillespie, Brenda W; Holtzman, Susan; Ladner, Daniela; Olthoff, Kim; Fisher, Robert A; Hafliger, Silvia; Freise, Chris E; Mandell, Mercedes Susan; Sherker, Averell H; Dew, Mary Amanda

2018-04-26

Little is known about living liver donors' perceptions of their physical well-being following the procedure. We collected data on donor fatigue, pain, and other relevant physical outcomes as part of the prospective, multi-center Adult-to-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Cohort Study (A2ALL-2) Consortium. A total of 271 (91%) of 297 eligible donors were interviewed at least once at pre-donation and 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after donation using validated measures, when available. Repeated measures regression models were used to identify potential predictors of worse physical outcomes. We found that donors reported more fatigue immediately after surgery that were returning to pre-donation levels by two years post-donation. A similar pattern was seen across a number of other physical outcomes. Abdominal or back pain and interference from their pain were rated relatively low on average at all study points. However, 21% of donors did report clinically significant pain at some point during post-donation study follow-up. Across multiple outcomes, female donors, donors whose recipients died, donors with longer hospital stays after surgery, and those whose families discouraged donation were at risk for worse physical well-being outcomes. While not readily modifiable, we have identified risk factors that may help identify donors at risk for worse physical outcomes for targeted intervention. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Rare male aggression directed toward females in a female-dominated society: Baiting behavior in the spotted hyena

USGS Publications Warehouse

Szykman, Micaela; Engh, Anne L.; Van Horn, Russell C.; Boydston, Erin E.; Scribner, Kim T.; Holekamp, Kay E.

2003-01-01

Spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) are gregarious carnivores. The females are socially dominant to males, and adult males rarely direct aggression toward adult females. This study analyzed all cases in which adult immigrant males behaved aggressively toward adult females in a large population of free-living hyenas in Kenya, observed for 11 years. Our goals were to describe the conditions under which male attacks on females occur, and address possible adaptive functions. Most aggression directed by adult immigrant males against females occurred when coalitions of two or more males attacked a single adult female, who typically responded by defending herself and fighting back. Male aggression against females frequently occurred at sites of ungulate kills, but males never behaved aggressively toward females over food, and all male attacks on females were unprovoked. Although no mounting or other copulatory behaviors ever occurred during or immediately after an attack, the number of male attacks on females peaked around the time of conception. Daily rates at which males attacked females did not vary with female social rank. However, daily attack rates did vary significantly with female reproductive state, and the highest rates of male attack on females were observed during the two stages of the reproductive cycle during which females were most likely to conceive litters. The adaptive significance of male aggression against females in this species remains unknown, but a tight association between male attacks on females and a female's time of conception provides strong evidence of some role for male aggression in hyena sexual behavior. In particular, our data are consistent with hypotheses suggesting that male aggression toward females in this species either serves to inform females about male fitness or represents sexual harassment.

Ladies first: Female and male adult height in Switzerland, 1770-1930.

PubMed

Koepke, Nikola; Floris, Joël; Pfister, Christian; Rühli, Frank J; Staub, Kaspar

2018-05-01

When investigating the well-being of a society, the living conditions of females are of special importance, not only due to the immediate impact for those directly involved, but also because of the potential intergenerational effects. Studying the dimorphism in the mean height helps to depict variation in the basic biological sex difference due to gender-related factors that potentially determine net nutrition. To expand knowledge of diachronic development in Swiss well-being conditions we investigate changes in the height of adult females born 1770-1930, and compare the series with data on contemporary males from the same sources: We employ a sample of N = 21'028 women and N = 21'329 men from passport-, convict-, maternity hospital-, and voluntary World War II army auxiliary records. The secular height trend is found both in males, from the 1870s/1880s, and in females starting with the 1840s/1850s birth cohorts. During the decades under study, mean height increased from 157 cm to 164 cm in female and 167 cm to 172 cm in male passport applicants, 154 cm to 159 cm in female and 167 cm to 169 cm in male convicts, 159 cm to 163 cm in female auxiliaries, and 155 cm to 159 cm in females giving birth in the maternity hospital of Basel. Because females seem to have started the secular trend in height earlier than their male contemporaries, the height dimorphism decreased during the second half of the 19th century. Differences between socio-economic status (SES) and data sources are found in both females and males: Women with low SES were significantly shorter than those of the other SES groups in all sources (on average 1.40 cm, p-values between 0.00 and 0.03). In men we found individuals of upper SES to be significantly taller (on average 1.96 cm, p-value = 0.00-0.10). Concerning differences between the sources, overall, passport applicants were the tallest for men as well as women; in females the individuals measured at the

IMPROVEMENT IN SURVIVAL ASSOCIATED WITH ADULT-TO-ADULT LIVING DONOR LIVER TRANSPLANTATION1,2

PubMed Central

Berg, Carl L.; Gillespie, Brenda W.; Merion, Robert M.; Brown, Robert S.; Abecassis, Michael M.; Trotter, James F.; Fisher, Robert A.; Freise, Chris E.; Ghobrial, R. Mark; Shaked, Abraham; Fair, Jeffrey H.; Everhart, James E.

2009-01-01

Background and Aims More than 2000 adult-to-adult living donor liver transplants (LDLT) have been performed in the U.S., yet the potential benefit to liver transplant candidates of undergoing LDLT compared to waiting for deceased donor liver transplant (DDLT) is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine if there is a survival benefit of adult LDLT Methods Adults with chronic liver disease who had a potential living donor evaluated from 1/98 to 2/03 at nine university-based hospitals were analyzed. Starting at the time of a potential donor’s evaluation, we compared mortality after LDLT to mortality among those who remained on the waitlist or received DDLT. Median follow-up was 4.4 years. Comparisons were made by hazard ratios (HR) adjusted for LDLT candidate characteristics at the time of donor evaluation. Results Among 807 potential living donor recipients, 389 received LDLT, 249 received DDLT, 99 died without transplant, and 70 were awaiting transplant at last follow-up. Receipt of LDLT was associated with an adjusted mortality HR of 0.56 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.42–0.74; P<0.001) relative to candidates who did not receive LDLT. As centers gained greater experience (> 20 LDLT), LDLT benefit was magnified, with a mortality HR of 0.35 (CI 0.23–0.53; P<0.001). Conclusions Adult LDLT was associated with lower mortality than the alternative of waiting for DDLT. This reduction in mortality was magnified as centers gained experience with living donor liver transplantation. This reduction in transplant candidate mortality must be balanced against the risks undertaken by the living donors themselves. PMID:18054553

Ecdysteroid receptors in Drosophila melanogaster adult females

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ecdysteroid receptors were identified and partially characterized from total cell extracts of whole animals and dissected tissues from Drosophila melanogaster adult females. Binding studies indicated the presence of two ecdysteroid binding components having high affinity and specificity consistent w...

Reproductive ecology of Emperor Geese: Survival of adult females

USGS Publications Warehouse

Petersen, Margaret R.

1992-01-01

Life history theory predicts a decrease in survival with increased reproductive effort of individuals. This relationship, however, is highly variable among and within species. I studied the nesting success and survival of adult female Emperor Geese during 1982-1986 and found no direct evidence that differential reproductive effort as measured by the number of eggs laid or hatching success had a significant negative effect on survival to the next breeding season. Incubated clutch size, hatched clutch size, number of parasitic eggs, nest initiation date, hatch date, and mass at hatch were not related to subsequent survival. Of the factors I examined, only an attempt to nest the previous season was related to survival of a female. I suggest that the higher probability of survival among non-nesting adult female Emperor Geese was primarily related to hunting pressure on the nesting area between spring and fall migration. The probability of survival was increased for females with larger clutches, suggesting a positive relationship between brood size and survival.

Long term effects of exposure to automobile exhaust on the pulmonary function of female adults in Tokyo, Japan

PubMed Central

Sekine, K; Shima, M; Nitta, Y; Adachi, M

2004-01-01

Aims: To investigate the chronic effects of air pollution caused mainly by automobiles in healthy adult females. Methods: Respiratory symptoms were investigated in 5682 adult females who had lived in the Tokyo metropolitan area for three years or more in 1987; 733 of them were subjected to pulmonary function tests over eight years from 1987 to 1994. The subjects were divided into three groups by the level of air pollution they were exposed to during the study period. The concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and suspended particulate matter were the highest in group 1, and the lowest in group 3. Results: The prevalence rates of respiratory symptoms in group 1 were higher than those in groups 2 and 3, except for wheezing. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed significant differences in persistent phlegm and breathlessness. The subjects selected for the analysis of pulmonary function were 94, 210, and 102 females in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The annual mean change of FEV1 in group 1 was the largest (-0.020 l/y), followed by that in group 2 (-0.015 l/y), and that in group 3 (-0.009 l/y). Testing for trends showed a significant larger decrease of FEV1 with the increase in the level of air pollution. Conclusions: The subjects living in areas with high levels of air pollution showed higher prevalence rates of respiratory symptoms and a larger decrease of FEV1 compared with those living in areas with low levels of air pollution. Since the traffic density is larger in areas with high air pollution, the differences among the groups may reflect the effect of air pollution attributable to particulate matter found in automobile exhaust. PMID:15031394

Patterns of health risk behaviors for chronic disease: a comparison between adolescent and adult American Indians living on or near reservations in Montana.

PubMed

Nelson, D E; Moon, R W; Holtzman, D; Smith, P; Siegel, P Z

1997-07-01

To compare the chronic disease health risk behavior patterns of adolescents and adults among American Indians living on or near reservations in Montana. We analyzed data from the 1993 Youth Risk Behavior Survey of American Indians in Grades 9-12 living on or near Montana reservations. Risk factors included tobacco use, low physical activity, attempted weight loss, and low consumption of fruits, vegetables, and green salad. Similar data were analyzed from a 1994 Behavioral Risk Factor Survey of American Indian adults living on or near reservations in Montana. The prevalence of most adolescent health risk behaviors was high, especially cigarette smoking (45% for males, 57% for females), smokeless tobacco use (44% for males, 30% for females), and infrequent consumption of salad or vegetables (59-76%). With the exception of daily cigarette smoking and inadequate fruit consumption among adolescents of both genders and physical inactivity among adolescent males, the prevalence of chronic disease health risk behaviors among adolescents was similar to or higher than the prevalence of the same risk behaviors among adults. Many health risk behaviors for chronic diseases are common by the time this group of American Indians in Montana has reached adolescence. Possible reasons may include modeling of familial behaviors, peer pressure, advertising, or age cohort effects. If these risk behavior patterns continue into adulthood, morbidity and mortality from chronic diseases are likely to remain high. Substantial efforts are needed to prevent or reduce health risk behaviors among adolescents and adults in this population.

International online survey: female ejaculation has a positive impact on women's and their partners' sexual lives.

PubMed

Wimpissinger, Florian; Springer, Christopher; Stackl, Walter

2013-07-01

WHAT'S KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT? AND WHAT DOES THE STUDY ADD?: Genital secretions during female orgasm (female ejaculation) have been a matter of controversy for centuries. Scientific work on this essential part of female sexual function has been able to differentiate between female ejaculation, urinary incontinence and vaginal transudate. According to earlier studies, less than 50% of women actually do ejaculate during sexual stimulation. Few affected women discuss female ejaculation with their physician--partly because of its physiological nature, partly through embarrassment. To gain knowledge on the characteristics of female ejaculation and its impact on women's sexual lives, an online questionnaire has been designed and published internationally. In this way, data from 320 women who perceive ejaculation could be acquired. Most women and their partners perceive female ejaculation as an enrichment of their sexual lives. To study characteristics of female ejaculation as perceived by healthy women. To evaluate whether fluid emission during sexual activity has an impact on women's or their partners' sexual lives. An online questionnaire consisting of 23 questions addressing the participants' characteristics, aspects of perceived female ejaculation, and its impact on women's and their partners' lives was published internationally on various online platforms. Over a period of 18 months, 320 women from all over the world were included in the study (excluding women below the age of 18 years and double entries). The women's mean age was 34.1 years (±11.1) and their mean age at first ejaculation was 25.4 years. Most women ejaculate a few times a week. The volume of ejaculation is approximately 2 oz (29.1%), and the fluid is usually clear as water (83.1%). For most women (78.8%) and their partners (90.0%), female ejaculation is an enrichment of their sexual lives, whereas 14 women (4.4%) stated that their partners were unaware of their potential ejaculation. Perceived

The effect of adult children living in the United States on the likelihood of cognitive impairment for older parents living in Mexico.

PubMed

Downer, Brian; González-González, Cesar; Goldman, Noreen; Pebley, Anne R; Wong, Rebeca

2018-01-01

The increased risk for poor physical and mental health outcomes for older parents in Mexico who have an adult child living in the United States may contribute to an increased risk for cognitive impairment in this population. The objective of this study was to examine if older adults in Mexico who have one or more adult children living in the United States are more or less likely to develop cognitive impairment over an 11-year period compared to older adults who do not have any adult children living in the United States. Data for this study came from Wave I (2001) and Wave III (2012) of the Mexican Health and Aging Study. The final sample included 2609 participants aged 60 and over who were not cognitively impaired in 2001 and had one or more adult children (age ≥15). Participants were matched using a propensity score that was estimated with a multivariable logistic regression model that included sociodemographic characteristics and migration history of the older parents. Having one or more adult children living in the United States is associated with lower socioeconomic status and higher number of depressive symptoms, but greater social engagement for older parents living in Mexico. No significant differences in the odds for developing cognitive impairment according to having one or more adult children living in the United States were detected. In summary, having one or more adult children living in the United States was associated with characteristics that may increase and decrease the risk for cognitive impairment. This may contribute to the non-significant relationship between migration status of adult children and likelihood for cognitive impairment for older parents living in Mexico.

Impaired acclimatization to chronic hypoxia in adult male and female rats following neonatal hypoxia.

PubMed

Lumbroso, Delphine; Joseph, Vincent

2009-08-01

We tested the hypothesis that neonatal exposure to hypoxia alters acclimatization to chronic hypoxia later in life. Rat pups were exposed to normobaric hypoxia (12% O(2); nHx group) in a sealed chamber, or to normoxia (21% O(2); nNx group) from the day before birth to postnatal day 10. The animals were then raised in normal conditions until reaching 12 wk of age. At this age, we assessed ventilatory and hematological acclimatization to chronic hypoxia by exposing male and female nHx and nNx rats for 2 wk to 10% O(2). Minute ventilation, metabolic rate, hypoxic ventilatory response, hematocrit, and hemoglobin levels were measured both before and after acclimatization. We also quantified right ventricular hypertrophy as an index of pulmonary hypertension both before and after acclimatization. There was a significant effect of neonatal hypoxia that decreases ventilatory response (relative to metabolic rate, VE/VCO(2)) to acute hypoxia before acclimatization in males but not in females. nHx rats had an impaired acclimatization to chronic hypoxia characterized by altered respiratory pattern and elevated hematocrit and hemoglobin levels after acclimatization, in both males and females. Right ventricular hypertrophy was present before and after acclimatization in nHx rats, indicating that neonatal hypoxia results in pulmonary hypertension in adults. We conclude that neonatal hypoxia impairs acclimatization to chronic hypoxia in adults and may be a factor contributing to the establishment of chronic mountain sickness in humans living at high altitude.

Living Well with Living Wills: Application of Protection Motivation Theory to Living Wills Among Older Caucasian and African American Adults

PubMed Central

ALLEN, REBECCA S.; PHILLIPS, LAURA L.; PEKMEZI, DOROTHY; CROWTHER, MARTHA R.; PRENTICE-DUNN, STEVEN

2009-01-01

Using protection motivation theory, we examined racial differences in intent to complete a living will, rational problem solving (e.g., information seeking), and maladaptive coping responses (i.e., wishful thinking) to a health crisis. Sixty healthy, older adults without living wills responded to written vignettes, including information about living wills as an effective coping mechanism to avoid a health crisis. Use of adaptive coping responses predicted intent to execute a living will. A significant race-by-threat interaction predicted use of rational problem solving, with Caucasians more likely to seek information in response to perceived threat in comparison with African Americans. A significant race-by-adaptive-coping interaction predicted maladaptive coping, indicating that Caucasians were more variable in their maladaptive responses. The effectiveness of health care messages regarding living wills for older adults may be enhanced by focusing on racial differences in response to perceived health threat and perceived adaptive coping information. PMID:19337566

Living Well with Living Wills: Application of Protection Motivation Theory to Living Wills Among Older Caucasian and African American Adults.

PubMed

Allen, Rebecca S; Phillips, Laura L; Pekmezi, Dorothy; Crowther, Martha R; Prentice-Dunn, Steven

2009-01-01

Using protection motivation theory, we examined racial differences in intent to complete a living will, rational problem solving (e.g., information seeking), and maladaptive coping responses (i.e., wishful thinking) to a health crisis. Sixty healthy, older adults without living wills responded to written vignettes, including information about living wills as an effective coping mechanism to avoid a health crisis. Use of adaptive coping responses predicted intent to execute a living will. A significant race-by-threat interaction predicted use of rational problem solving, with Caucasians more likely to seek information in response to perceived threat in comparison with African Americans. A significant race-by-adaptive-coping interaction predicted maladaptive coping, indicating that Caucasians were more variable in their maladaptive responses. The effectiveness of health care messages regarding living wills for older adults may be enhanced by focusing on racial differences in response to perceived health threat and perceived adaptive coping information.

A novel disease affecting the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari, Phytoseiidae): 1. Symptoms in adult females.

PubMed

Schütte, Conny; Kleijn, Prisca W; Dicke, Marcel

2006-01-01

Adult female Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot (Acari, Phytoseiidae) of one of our laboratory populations showed a lower degree of attraction to herbivore-induced plant volatiles than other laboratory populations. We hypothesized earlier that this consistent change in foraging behavior is a symptom of a disease, as it is a contagious phenomenon. Here we describe more symptoms by comparing mated females of this population (non-responding (NR) population) with mated females of other populations that are strongly attracted to herbivore-induced plant volatiles (responding populations). The most apparent characteristic of the NR population was the presence of numerous dorso-ventrally flattened females (76% of all females). These females had a normal size after mating but shrank during adulthood. Independent of their age, shrunken females did not reproduce and died a few days after shrinking. In addition to these profound differences in short term performance, females from the NR-population showed behavioral changes, including a lower degree of attraction to herbivore-induced plant volatiles, a higher tendency to leave a prey-patch and a lower predation rate. Moreover, about half of the live females of the NR-population carried birefringent dumbbell-shaped crystals in the legs whereas live females of a responding population carried crystals only in the lumen of the Malpighian tubules and the rectum. The symptom 'crystals in the legs' was correlated with low reproduction. Energy dispersive X-ray diffraction of these crystals revealed that they contain calcium and phosphorus along with carbon and oxygen. Crystals with comparable elemental compositions and the same characteristic concentric layering are well known in insects, where they are thought to play a major role in detoxification of calcium and heavy metals, and in storage of phosphorus. The fraction of predators carrying a white spot in the distal part of the opisthosoma, due to accumulation of excretory

Identifying the Potential for Robotics to Assist Older Adults in Different Living Environments

PubMed Central

Mitzner, Tracy L.; Chen, Tiffany L.; Kemp, Charles C.; Rogers, Wendy A.

2014-01-01

As the older adult population grows and becomes more diverse, so will their needs and preferences for living environments. Many adults over 65 years of age require some assistance [1, 2]; yet it is important for their feelings of well-being that the assistance not restrict their autonomy [3]. Not only is autonomy correlated with quality of life [4], autonomy enhancement may improve functionality [2, 5]. The goal of this paper is to provide guidance for the development of technology to enhance autonomy and quality of life for older adults. We explore the potential for robotics to meet these needs. We evaluated older adults' diverse living situations and the predictors of residential moves to higher levels of care in the United States. We also examined older adults' needs for assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), and medical conditions when living independently or in a long-term care residence. By providing support for older adults, mobile manipulator robots may reduce need-driven, undesired moves from residences with lower levels of care (i.e., private homes, assisted living) to those with higher levels of care (i.e., skilled nursing). PMID:24729800

Performance of Activity Classification Algorithms in Free-living Older Adults

PubMed Central

Sasaki, Jeffer Eidi; Hickey, Amanda; Staudenmayer, John; John, Dinesh; Kent, Jane A.; Freedson, Patty S.

2015-01-01

Purpose To compare activity type classification rates of machine learning algorithms trained on laboratory versus free-living accelerometer data in older adults. Methods Thirty-five older adults (21F and 14M ; 70.8 ± 4.9 y) performed selected activities in the laboratory while wearing three ActiGraph GT3X+ activity monitors (dominant hip, wrist, and ankle). Monitors were initialized to collect raw acceleration data at a sampling rate of 80 Hz. Fifteen of the participants also wore the GT3X+ in free-living settings and were directly observed for 2-3 hours. Time- and frequency- domain features from acceleration signals of each monitor were used to train Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) models to classify five activity types: sedentary, standing, household, locomotion, and recreational activities. All algorithms were trained on lab data (RFLab and SVMLab) and free-living data (RFFL and SVMFL) using 20 s signal sampling windows. Classification accuracy rates of both types of algorithms were tested on free-living data using a leave-one-out technique. Results Overall classification accuracy rates for the algorithms developed from lab data were between 49% (wrist) to 55% (ankle) for the SVMLab algorithms, and 49% (wrist) to 54% (ankle) for RFLab algorithms. The classification accuracy rates for SVMFL and RFFL algorithms ranged from 58% (wrist) to 69% (ankle) and from 61% (wrist) to 67% (ankle), respectively. Conclusion Our algorithms developed on free-living accelerometer data were more accurate in classifying activity type in free-living older adults than our algorithms developed on laboratory accelerometer data. Future studies should consider using free-living accelerometer data to train machine-learning algorithms in older adults. PMID:26673129

Comparison of GT3X accelerometer and Yamax pedometer steps/day in a free-living sample of overweight and obese adults

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The purpose of this study was to compare steps/day detected by the YAMAX SW-200 pedometer versus the Actigraph GT3X accelerometer in free-living adults. Daily YAMAX and GT3X steps were collected from a sample of 23 overweight and obese participants (78% female; age = 52.6 +/- 8.4 yr.; BMI = 31.0 +/-...

Individual specialization in the foraging habits of female bottlenose dolphins living in a trophically diverse and habitat rich estuary

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rossman, Sam; Ostrom, Peggy H.; Stolen, Megan; Barros, Nélio B.; Gandhi, Hasand; Stricker, Craig A.; Wells, Randall S.

2015-01-01

We examine individual specialization in foraging habits (foraging habitat and trophic level) of female bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) resident in Sarasota Bay, Florida, USA, by analyzing time series of stable isotope (δ15N and δ13C) values in sequential growth layer groups within teeth. The isotope data provide a chronology of foraging habits over the lifetime of the individual and allowed us to show that female bottlenose dolphins exhibit a high degree of individual specialization in both foraging habitat and trophic level. The foraging habits used by adult females are similar to those they used as calves and may be passed down from mother to calf through social learning. We also characterized the foraging habits and home range of each individual by constructing standard ellipses from isotope values and dolphin sightings data (latitude and longitude), respectively. These data show that Sarasota Bay bottlenose dolphins forage within a subset of the habitats in which they are observed. Moreover, females with similar observational standard ellipses often possessed different foraging specializations. Female bottlenose dolphins may demonstrate individual specialization in foraging habits because it reduces some of the cost of living in groups, such as competition for prey.

Living in an older adult community: a pharmacy student's experience.

PubMed

Anastasia, Emily; Estus, Erica

2013-12-01

Interacting with older adults is a daily practice for pharmacists. It is important to understand how medications affect their wellbeing, but there are many other factors that affect quality of life. To truly understand some of the challenges facing older adults, Emily Anastasia, a sixth-year pharmacy student at the University of Rhode Island, moved into South Bay Retirement Living, a senior living community, for an eight-day immersion experience as a special project within one of her advanced pharmacy practice experience rotations. During her stay, she did not attend classes nor leave the facility unless on the South Bay bus with the other assisted living residents. She lived with a 92-year-old roommate, developed close friendships with many of the residents, and kept a detailed journal of her experience. The purpose of this reflection is to share her experience and recognize lifestyle as well as social and physical environment as factors in understanding the aging process. Immersing a pharmacy student within an assisted living community provides a unique opportunity to observe and appreciate characteristics of older adults that cannot be learned within a classroom setting.

Critical Incidents in the Lives of Gifted Female Finnish Scientists.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tirri, Kirsi; Koro-Ljungberg, Mirka

2002-01-01

A study investigated critical incidents in the professional and personal lives of 11 gifted Finnish female scientists. All made important life choices that promoted their talent and career development. The majority have also made some compromises related to their scientific interests and careers, as well as personal compromises. (Contains…

(Instrumental) Activities of Daily Living in Older Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilgenkamp, Thessa I. M.; van Wijck, Ruud; Evenhuis, Heleen M.

2011-01-01

Daily living skills are important to ageing adults with intellectual disabilities (ID). The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of these skills in older adults with ID and to investigate the influence of gender, age, level of ID and mobility on these skills. Daily living skills were measured with the Barthel Index (for Activities of…

Survival of adult female elk in yellowstone following wolf restoration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Evans, S.B.; Mech, L.D.; White, P.J.; Sargeant, G.A.

2006-01-01

Counts of northern Yellowstone elk (Cervus elaphus) in northwestern Wyoming and adjacent Montana, USA, have decreased at an average rate of 6-8% per year since wolves (Canis lupus) were reintroduced in 1995. Population growth rates of elk are typically sensitive to variations in adult female survival; populations that are stable or increasing exhibit high adult female survival. We used survival records for 85 radiocollared adult female elk 1-19 years old to estimate annual survival from March 2000 to February 2004. Weighted average annual survival rates were approximately 0.83 (95% CI = 0.77-0.89) for females 1-15 years old and 0.80 (95% CI = 0.73-0.86) for all females. Our estimates were much lower than the rate of 0.99 observed during 1969-1975 when fewer elk were harvested by hunters, wolves were not present, and other predators were less numerous. Of 33 documented deaths included in our analysis, we attributed 11 to hunter harvest, 14 to predation (10 wolf, 2 unknown, 1 cougar [Puma concolor], and 1 bear [Ursus sp.]), 6 to unknown causes, and 2 to winter-kill. Most deaths occurred from December through March. Estimates of cause-specific annual mortality rates were 0.09 (0.05-0.14) for all predators, 0.08 (0.04-0.13) for hunting, and 0.07 (0.03-0.11) for wolves specifically. Wolf-killed elk were typically older (median = 12 yr) than hunter-killed elk (median = 9 yr, P = 0.03). However, elk that winter outside the park where they were exposed to hunting were also younger (median = 7 yr) than elk that we did not observe outside the park (median = 9 yr, P < 0.01). Consequently, differences in ages of elk killed by wolves and hunters may reflect characteristics of elk exposed to various causes of mortality, as well as differences in susceptibility. Unless survival rates of adult females increase, elk numbers are likely to continue declining. Hunter harvest is the only cause of mortality that is amenable to management at the present time.

Adult females and pubic bone growth.

PubMed

Fuller, K

1998-07-01

Previous research (Tague [1994] Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 95:27-40) has shown an age effect in pubic bone length among adult women. Tague found that in three prehistoric Native American skeletal samples, women aged 18-24 had a significantly shorter linea terminalis than did women aged 25 and older. The purpose of this research is to determine whether such a difference can be discerned in other female skeletal samples. Three female skeletal samples were used in this analysis: 75 African-American and 42 European-American females aged 18-39 from the Hamann-Todd Collection (collected between 1893 and 1938; Iscan, 1990) and 99 African-American females aged 18-39 from the Terry Collection (collected between 1914 and 1965; Cobb, 1933; Iscan, 1990). Several chord measurements of pubic bone length along the linea terminalis were analyzed by one-tailed t-tests of the separate samples subdivided into two age groups: 18-24 and 25-39 years. Of 15 comparisons between age groups, none differed significantly by age group within each sample. It is concluded that the observed significant difference in pubic bone length in the Native American female skeletal samples cannot be replicated in other samples and that there is no age effect on pubic bone length in the samples tested in this analysis. Tague's findings reflect either the occurrence of late menarche in prehistoric populations or differential survivorship.

Adverse childhood experiences in the lives of female sex offenders.

PubMed

Levenson, Jill S; Willis, Gwenda M; Prescott, David S

2015-06-01

This study explored the prevalence of early trauma in a sample of U.S. female sexual offenders (N = 47) using the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) scale. Compared with females in the general population, sex offenders had more than three times the odds of child sexual abuse, four times the odds of verbal abuse, and more than three times the odds of emotional neglect and having an incarcerated family member. Half of the female sex offenders had been sexually abused as a child. Only 20% endorsed zero adverse childhood experiences (compared with 35% of the general female population) and 41% endorsed four or more (compared with 15% of the general female population). Higher ACE scores were associated with having younger victims. Multiple maltreatments often co-occurred in households with other types of dysfunction, suggesting that many female sex offenders were raised within a disordered social environment by adults with problems of their own who were ill-equipped to protect their daughters from harm. By enhancing our understanding of the frequency and correlates of early adverse experiences, we can better devise trauma-informed interventions that respond to the clinical needs of female sex offender clients. © The Author(s) 2014.

Living arrangements and suicidal ideation among the Korean older adults.

PubMed

Kim, Jibum; Lee, Yun-Suk; Lee, Jinkook

2016-12-01

This study examines how living arrangements are associated with suicidal ideation for older adults in South Korea, which has the highest suicide rate among OECD countries, and a particularly high suicide rate for older persons. Analyzing a sample of 5795 women and 3758 men aged 65 and older from a nationwide representative cross-sectional data-set, we examined how many older adults think about suicide over a one-year period, why they think about suicide, and whether living arrangements are associated with suicidal ideation. About 1 out of 12 respondents in our sample reported suicidal ideation. While women and men did not differ in the prevalence of suicidal ideation, women attributed their suicidal feelings to health problems, while men attributed theirs to economic difficulties. Logistic regression results indicated that living arrangements are associated with suicidal ideation for men but not women. Older men living with a spouse were less likely to have suicidal ideation than older men with other living arrangements (i.e., living alone, living with children without spouse, living with spouse, and others). Our results highlight the importance of living arrangements to older men's suicidal ideation. We discuss gender differences in the implications of living arrangements to suicidal ideation within the context of Confucian culture.

Social affiliation matters: both same-sex and opposite-sex relationships predict survival in wild female baboons

PubMed Central

Archie, Elizabeth A.; Tung, Jenny; Clark, Michael; Altmann, Jeanne; Alberts, Susan C.

2014-01-01

Social integration and support can have profound effects on human survival. The extent of this phenomenon in non-human animals is largely unknown, but such knowledge is important to understanding the evolution of both lifespan and sociality. Here, we report evidence that levels of affiliative social behaviour (i.e. ‘social connectedness’) with both same-sex and opposite-sex conspecifics predict adult survival in wild female baboons. In the Amboseli ecosystem in Kenya, adult female baboons that were socially connected to either adult males or adult females lived longer than females who were socially isolated from both sexes—females with strong connectedness to individuals of both sexes lived the longest. Female social connectedness to males was predicted by high dominance rank, indicating that males are a limited resource for females, and females compete for access to male social partners. To date, only a handful of animal studies have found that social relationships may affect survival. This study extends those findings by examining relationships to both sexes in by far the largest dataset yet examined for any animal. Our results support the idea that social effects on survival are evolutionarily conserved in social mammals. PMID:25209936

Spirituality, depression, living alone, and perceived health among Korean older adults in the community.

PubMed

You, Kwang Soo; Lee, Hae-Ok; Fitzpatrick, Joyce J; Kim, Susie; Marui, Eiji; Lee, Jung Su; Cook, Paul

2009-08-01

Both theoretical and empirical studies have documented the protective effect of religiosity and spirituality on general health in older adults in community and hospital settings; however, no study has documented the relationship between spirituality and depression among older adults living alone in communities in Korea. We tested two hypotheses: Hypothesis 1: Korean older adults living alone would be more depressed and less healthy than older adults living with family, and Hypothesis 2: Individuals who are more religious and spiritual would report a lower level of depression and a higher level of general health even when other demographic and living status variables are controlled. A descriptive, comparative, and correlational design with a convenience sampling method was conducted among community-dwelling Korean older adults in Chounbook Providence, South Korea. This study included 152 men and women older than 65 years old. Hypothesis 1 was supported as Korean older adults living alone were significantly more depressed than were older adults living with family (P<.01). However, for Hypotheses 2, only spirituality activities and Spirituality Index of Well-Being scores were significantly associated with general health and/or depression (P<.01), but there were no relationships between the variables of attendance and importance of religion with general health and depression.

Depression and key associated factors in female sex workers and women living with HIV/AIDS in the Dominican Republic.

PubMed

Rael, Christine T; Davis, Alissa

2017-04-01

Little is known about the mental health of female sex workers and women living with HIV/AIDS in the Dominican Republic, which impedes HIV prevention, testing, and treatment. This project estimates the prevalence of depression and identifies key contributing factors to this outcome in female sex workers, women living with HIV/AIDS, and a comparison group. Participants were female sex workers (N = 349), women living with HIV/AIDS (N = 213), and a comparison group of HIV-negative women who were not sex workers (N = 314) from the Dominican Republic. Participants completed questionnaires assessing demographic characteristics and depression. Female sex workers and women living with HIV/AIDS completed additional questionnaires ascertaining HIV or sex work-related internalized stigma. Depression was prevalent among female sex workers (70.2%), women living with HIV/AIDS (81.1%), and the comparison group (52.2%). Adjusted logistic regressions showed that internalized stigma was associated with depression for female sex workers (OR = 2.73; 95% CI = 1.95-3.84) and women living with HIV/AIDS (OR = 3.06; 95% CI = 1.86-5.05). Permanent income was associated with this outcome for female sex workers (OR = 0.08; 95% CI = 0.01-0.80) and the comparison group (OR = 0.04; 95% CI = 0.00-0.45).

Are older adults living in more equal counties healthier than older adults living in more unequal counties? A propensity score matching approach.

PubMed

Choi, HwaJung; Burgard, Sarah; Elo, Irma T; Heisler, Michele

2015-09-01

We assessed the potential contextual effect of income inequality on health by: 1) comparing individuals with similar socioeconomic status (SES) but who reside in counties with different levels of income inequality; and 2) examining whether the potential effect of county-level income inequality on health varies across SES groups. We used the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative study of Americans over the age of 50. Using propensity score matching, we selected SES-comparable individuals living in high-income inequality counties and in low-income inequality counties. We examined differences in self-rated overall health outcomes and in other specific physical/mental health outcomes between the two groups using logistic regression (n = 34,994) and imposing different sample restrictions based on residential duration in the area. We then used logistic regression with interactions to assess whether, and if so how, health outcomes differed among participants of different SES groups defined by wealth, income, and education. In bivariate analyses of the unmatched full sample, adults living in high-income inequality counties have worse health outcomes for most health measures. After propensity score matching, adults in high-income inequality counties had worse self-rated health status (AOR = 1.12; 95% CI 1.04-1.19) and were more likely to report diagnosed psychiatric problems (AOR = 1.08; 95% CI 0.99-1.19) than their matched counterparts in low-income inequality counties. These associations were stronger with longer-term residents in the area. Adverse health outcomes associated with living in high-income inequality counties were significant particularly for individuals in the 30(th) or greater percentiles of income/wealth distribution and those without a college education. In summary, after using more precise matching methods to compare individuals with similar characteristics and addressing measurement error by excluding more recently arrived county

Are older adults living in more equal counties healthier than older adults living in more unequal counties? A propensity score matching approach

PubMed Central

Choi, HwaJung; Burgard, Sarah; Elo, Irma T.; Heisler, Michele

2015-01-01

We assessed the potential contextual effect of income inequality on health by: 1) comparing individuals with similar socioeconomic status (SES) but who reside in counties with different levels of income inequality; and 2) examining whether the potential effect of county-level income inequality on health varies across SES groups. We used the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative study of Americans over the age of 50. Using propensity score matching, we selected SES-comparable individuals living in high-income inequality counties and in low-income inequality counties. We examined differences in self-rated overall health outcomes and in other specific physical/mental health outcomes between the two groups using logistic regression (n=34,994) and imposing different sample restrictions based on residential duration in the area. We then used logistic regression with interactions to assess whether, and if so how, health outcomes differed among participants of different SES groups defined by wealth, income, and education. In bivariate analyses of the unmatched full sample, adults living in high-income inequality counties have worse health outcomes for most health measures. After propensity score matching, adults in high-income inequality counties had worse self-rated health status (AOR=1.12; 95% CI 1.04–1.19) and were more likely to report diagnosed psychiatric problems (AOR=1.08; 95% CI 0.99–1.19) than their matched counterparts in low-income inequality counties. These associations were stronger with longer-term residents in the area. Adverse health outcomes associated with living in high-income inequality counties were significant particularly for individuals in the 30th or greater percentiles of income/wealth distribution and those without a college education. In summary, after using more precise matching methods to compare individuals with similar characteristics and addressing measurement error by excluding more recently arrived county residents

Aerobic exercise interventions for adults living with HIV/AIDS.

PubMed

O'Brien, Kelly; Nixon, Stephanie; Tynan, Anne-Marie; Glazier, Richard

2010-08-04

Access to combination antiretroviral therapy has turned HIV into a chronic and manageable disease for many. This increased chronicity has been mirrored by increased prevalence of health-related challenges experienced by people living with HIV (Rusch 2004). Exercise is a key strategy for people living with HIV and by rehabilitation professionals to address these disablements; however, knowledge about the effects of exercise among adults living with HIV still is emerging. To examine the safety and effectiveness of aerobic exercise interventions on immunologic and virologic, cardiopulmonary, psychologic outcomes and strength, weight, and body composition in adults living with HIV. Searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCIENCE CITATION INDEX, CINAHL, HEALTHSTAR, PsycINFO, SPORTDISCUS and Cochrane Review Group Databases were conducted between 1980 and June 2009. Searches of published and unpublished abstracts and proceedings from major international and national HIV/AIDS conferences were conducted, as well as a handsearch of reference lists and tables of contents of relevant journals and books. We included studies of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing aerobic exercise interventions with no aerobic exercise interventions or another exercise or treatment modality, performed at least three times per week for at least four weeks among adults (18 years of age or older) living with HIV. Data on study design, participants, interventions, outcomes, and methodological quality were abstracted from included studies by two reviewers. Meta-analyses, using RevMan 5 computer software, were performed on outcomes when possible. A total of 14 studies met inclusion criteria for this review and 30 meta-analyses over several updates were performed. Main results indicated that performing constant or interval aerobic exercise, or a combination of constant aerobic exercise and progressive resistive exercise for at least 20 minutes at least three times per week for at least five weeks appears

Cancer Screening Practices among Amish and Non-Amish Adults Living in Ohio Appalachia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Mira L.; Ferketich, Amy K.; Paskett, Electra D.; Harley, Amy; Reiter, Paul L.; Lemeshow, Stanley; Westman, Judith A.; Clinton, Steven K.; Bloomfield, Clara D.

2011-01-01

Purpose: The Amish, a unique community living in Ohio Appalachia, have lower cancer incidence rates than non-Amish living in Ohio Appalachia. The purpose of this study was to examine cancer screening rates among Amish compared to non-Amish adults living in Ohio Appalachia and a national sample of adults of the same race and ethnicity in an effort…

Observational Learning among Older Adults Living in Nursing Homes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Story, Colleen D.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate learning by older adults living in nursing homes through observational learning based on Bandura's (1977) social learning theory. This quantitative study investigated if older adults could learn through observation. The nursing homes in the study were located in the midwestern United States. The…

Validation of the Episodic Disability Framework with adults living with HIV.

PubMed

O'Brien, Kelly K; Hanna, Steven; Gardner, Sandra; Bayoumi, Ahmed M; Rueda, Sergio; Hart, Trevor A; Cooper, Curtis; Solomon, Patricia; Rourke, Sean B; Davis, Aileen M

2014-01-01

To assess the validity of dimensions of disability in the Episodic Disability Framework, a conceptual framework derived from the perspective of adults living with HIV. We conducted confirmatory factor analyses with 913 adults living with HIV in an observational cohort study called the Ontario HIV Treatment Network Cohort Study (OCS). We tested hypotheses that dimensions of disability in the Episodic Disability Framework were represented by a group of measured variables in the observational database. A model comprised of four latent variables and 43 indicator variables with one cross-loading was superior to models with fewer latent variables and more indicator variables and supported the validity of disability dimensions: physical health symptoms (represented by 21 indicator variables), mental health symptoms (10 variables), difficulties with day-to-day activities (5 variables) and challenges to social inclusion (8 variables). Overall goodness of fit statistics were χ(2 )= 2621.50 (p < 0.001), Comparative Fit Index = 0.912, Tucker Lewis Index = 0.907 and root mean square error of approximation = 0.048. Dimensions of disability correlated with each other ranging from r = 0.44 (between physical symptoms and challenges to social inclusion) to r = 0.81 (between physical symptoms and difficulties with day-to-day activities). This study supports the validity of four disability dimensions in the Episodic Disability Framework. This framework provides a new way to conceptualize disability and can lay the foundation for developing a future HIV disability measure for clinical and health services research. The Episodic Disability Framework is the first known conceptual framework of disability developed from the perspective of adults living with HIV. Results from this confirmatory factor analysis support the validity of four dimensions of disability experienced by adults living with HIV in the Episodic Disability Framework including: physical

Sexual Behavior of Older Adults Living with HIV in Uganda.

PubMed

Negin, Joel; Geddes, Louise; Brennan-Ing, Mark; Kuteesa, Monica; Karpiak, Stephen; Seeley, Janet

2016-02-01

Sexual behavior among older adults with HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa has been understudied despite the burgeoning of this population. We examined sexual behavior among older adults living with HIV in Uganda. Participants were eligible for the study if they were 50 years of age or older and living with HIV. Quantitative data were collected through face-to-face interviews, including demographic characteristics, health, sexual behavior and function, and mental health. Of respondents, 42 were men and 59 women. More than one-quarter of these HIV-positive older adults were sexually active. A greater proportion of older HIV-positive men reported being sexually active compared to women (54 vs. 15%). Among those who are sexually active, a majority never use condoms. Sixty-one percent of men regarded sex as at least somewhat important (42%), while few women shared this opinion (20%). Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that odds of sexual activity in the past year were significantly increased by the availability of a partner (married/cohabitating), better physical functioning, and male gender. As more adults live longer with HIV, it is critical to understand their sexual behavior and related psychosocial variables in order to improve prevention efforts.

AFAST - Adult Female Acne Scoring Tool: an easy-to-use tool for scoring acne in adult females.

PubMed

Auffret, N; Claudel, J-P; Leccia, M-T; Poli, F; Farhi, D; Dréno, B

2016-05-01

Acne is a concern in adults, especially in women. The specifications in current acne grading systems are not applicable to this particular population. To develop and validate a measurement tool (AFAST: adult female acne scoring tool) for acne in women by taking into account the specific locations of adult female acne, and to evaluate the impact of the photographic modalities on rating reproducibility. Six experts in dermatology rated pictures of 54 women with a phototype from I to IV during two sessions, with an interval of 24 h. They rated the acne severity on the face using the GEA scale (Score 1) together with a new scale to assess acne on the mandibular zone (Score 2). Pictures of 30 women were taken using a standardized photographic device; pictures of the other 24 women were taken by their own dermatologists during daily practice. At session 1, the inter-rater's reproducibility was good for Score 1 with an ICC of 0.77 [0.72-0.83], and excellent for Score 2 with an ICC of 0.87 [0.82-0.91]. Between sessions 1 and 2, the mean intra-rater's reproducibility was excellent for both scores with an ICC of 0.88 [0.84-0.92] for Score 1, and an ICC of 0.87 [0.78-0.92] for Score 2. Photographic modalities had no significant effect on the inter- and intra-rater's reproducibility. For the first time, it has been demonstrated that AFAST can accurately rate acne severity in women. It is a promising, easy-to-use tool for both daily practice and clinical investigation. © 2015 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Estimation of standard liver volume in Chinese adult living donors.

PubMed

Fu-Gui, L; Lu-Nan, Y; Bo, L; Yong, Z; Tian-Fu, W; Ming-Qing, X; Wen-Tao, W; Zhe-Yu, C

2009-12-01

To determine a formula predicting the standard liver volume based on body surface area (BSA) or body weight in Chinese adults. A total of 115 consecutive right-lobe living donors not including the middle hepatic vein underwent right hemi-hepatectomy. No organs were used from prisoners, and no subjects were prisoners. Donor anthropometric data including age, gender, body weight, and body height were recorded prospectively. The weights and volumes of the right lobe liver grafts were measured at the back table. Liver weights and volumes were calculated from the right lobe graft weight and volume obtained at the back table, divided by the proportion of the right lobe on computed tomography. By simple linear regression analysis and stepwise multiple linear regression analysis, we correlated calculated liver volume and body height, body weight, or body surface area. The subjects had a mean age of 35.97 +/- 9.6 years, and a female-to-male ratio of 60:55. The mean volume of the right lobe was 727.47 +/- 136.17 mL, occupying 55.59% +/- 6.70% of the whole liver by computed tomography. The volume of the right lobe was 581.73 +/- 96.137 mL, and the estimated liver volume was 1053.08 +/- 167.56 mL. Females of the same body weight showed a slightly lower liver weight. By simple linear regression analysis and stepwise multiple linear regression analysis, a formula was derived based on body weight. All formulae except the Hong Kong formula overestimated liver volume compared to this formula. The formula of standard liver volume, SLV (mL) = 11.508 x body weight (kg) + 334.024, may be applied to estimate liver volumes in Chinese adults.

Perinatal nicotine exposure increases obesity susceptibility by peripheral leptin resistance in adult female rat offspring.

PubMed

Zhang, Wan-Xia; Li, Yin-Ping; Fan, Jie; Chen, Hui-Jian; Li, Gai-Ling; Ouyang, Yan-Qiong; Yan, You-E

2018-02-01

Maternal nicotine (NIC) exposure causes overweight, hyperleptinemia and metabolic disorders in adult offspring. Our study aims to explore the underlying mechanism of perinatal NIC exposure increases obesity susceptibility in adult female rat offspring. In our model, we found that adult NIC-exposed females presented higher body weight and subcutaneous and visceral fat mass, as well as larger adipocytes, while no change was found in food intake. Serum profile showed a higher serum glucose, insulin and leptin levels in NIC-exposed females. In adipose tissue and liver, the leptin signaling pathway was blocked at 26 weeks, presented lower Janus tyrosine kinase 2 and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 gene expression, higher suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 gene expression (in adipose tissue) and lower leptin receptors gene expression (in liver), indicating that peripheral leptin resistance occurred in NIC-exposed adult females. In female rats, the expression of lipolysis genes was affected dominantly in adipose tissue, but lipogenesis genes was affected in liver. Furthermore, the glucose and insulin tolerance tests showed a delayed glucose clearance and a higher area under the curve in NIC-exposed females. Therefore, perinatal NIC exposure programed female rats for adipocyte hypertrophy and obesity in adult life, through the leptin resistance in peripheral tissue. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gastric volvulus as a complication in the recipients after adult living donor liver transplantation.

PubMed

Shirouzu, Yasumasa; Sakurai, Koichi; Asonuma, Katsuhiro; Inomata, Yukihiro

2010-04-01

We report 4 adult cases of mesenteroaxial gastric volvulus after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). All 4 recipients were female with a median age of 31 years (range, 21-69). All had undergone right lobe LDLT. Gastric volvulus developed on postoperative days (POD) 4-30, and all were successfully treated with an endoscopic correction procedure. Two of 4 needed a repeated correction procedure and 1 needed a surgical revision for the recurrent volvulus. Although this type of the complication is unusual, earlier post-transplant endoscopic intervention is useful to reverse the pyloroantral obstruction. These cases let us recognize that gastric volvulus is one of the complications after right lobe LDLT. Copyright 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Living alone and fall risk factors in community-dwelling middle age and older adults.

PubMed

Elliott, Sharon; Painter, Jane; Hudson, Suzanne

2009-08-01

As part of a larger study on fall-related risk factors, this study investigated the relationship between living alone status and fall-related variables among community-dwelling adults who lived in a rural county in eastern North Carolina. A convenience sample of 666 community-dwelling adults ages 50 and over participated in this 4-year study and completed a fall questionnaire. Significant findings were found in relation to living alone status and experiencing a fall, who they informed about their fall, injuries, safety equipment, ambulatory devices, and personal emergency response system usage. Three hundred thirty-eight participants stated they lived alone, compared to 300 who lived with others. The percentage reporting a fall was appreciably larger for those living alone (52%) than for those living with others (48%) in both genders in all age groups except for the 61-70 year old adults where the percentage was less. Findings from this research enhance knowledge about the prevalence and contributing fall-related factors in adults who live alone compared to those who live with others. Insights gained from this research will assist community and public health leaders and health care professionals in developing more efficacious intervention strategies to prevent or reduce falls, and associated psychological and physical consequences.

Children Living with HIV-Infected Adults: Estimates for 23 Countries in sub-Saharan Africa

PubMed Central

Short, Susan E.; Goldberg, Rachel E.

2015-01-01

Background In sub-Saharan Africa many children live in extreme poverty and experience a burden of illness and disease that is disproportionately high. The emergence of HIV and AIDS has only exacerbated long-standing challenges to improving children’s health in the region, with recent cohorts experiencing pediatric AIDS and high levels of orphan status, situations which are monitored globally and receive much policy and research attention. Children’s health, however, can be affected also by living with HIV-infected adults, through associated exposure to infectious diseases and the diversion of household resources away from them. While long recognized, far less research has focused on characterizing this distinct and vulnerable population of HIV-affected children. Methods Using Demographic and Health Survey data from 23 countries collected between 2003 and 2011, we estimate the percentage of children living in a household with at least one HIV-infected adult. We assess overlaps with orphan status and investigate the relationship between children and the adults who are infected in their households. Results The population of children living in a household with at least one HIV-infected adult is substantial where HIV prevalence is high; in Southern Africa, the percentage exceeded 10% in all countries and reached as high as 36%. This population is largely distinct from the orphan population. Among children living in households with tested, HIV-infected adults, most live with parents, often mothers, who are infected; nonetheless, in most countries over 20% live in households with at least one infected adult who is not a parent. Conclusion Until new infections contract significantly, improvements in HIV/AIDS treatment suggest that the population of children living with HIV-infected adults will remain substantial. It is vital to on-going efforts to reduce childhood morbidity and mortality to consider whether current care and outreach sufficiently address the distinct

Adolescent females with a substance use disorder: affiliations with adult male sexual partners.

PubMed

Castillo Mezzich, A; Giancola, P R; Lu, S Y; Parks, S M; Ratica, G M; Dunn, M

1999-01-01

To test the hypothesis that low socioeconomic status (SES), a disturbed parent-daughter relationship, early sexual development, and antisocial behavior are risk factors in adolescent females affiliating with adult male sexual partners. To determine whether the relation between these risk factors and affiliating with adult male sexual partners is stronger in females with greater, rather than fewer, substance use disorders (SUD). Subjects were 180 adolescent females with SUD and 87 normal controls (14-18 years of age). The SUD group had a lower SES and more negative parent-daughter interactions, and exhibited greater antisocial tendencies. Also, the SUD group showed a more frequent affiliation with adult male sexual partners. Chronological age, age of menarche (sexual development), antisocial behavior, and quality of the parent-daughter relationship were significantly associated with affiliation with adult male sexual partners. Moreover, the number of SUD diagnoses enhanced the relation between the quality of the parent-daughter relationship and antisocial behavior with affiliation with adult male sexual partners. From a prevention perspective, interventions directed at enhancing child rearing practices, communication skills, and involvement in children's needs and activities might result in improved parent-child attachments that may attentuate young women's propensities to become involved in antisocial behavior and affiliate with adult sexual partners. Also, the risk imposed by an early sexual maturation may be offset by enhancing the female adolescent's social skills to select non-deviant and supportive male partners.

Motivational and mindfulness intervention for young adult female marijuana users

PubMed Central

de Dios, Marcel A.; Herman, Debra S.; Britton, Willoughby B.; Hagerty, Claire E.; Anderson, Bradley J.; Stein, Michael D.

2011-01-01

This pilot study tested the efficacy of a brief intervention using motivational interviewing (MI) plus mindfulness meditation (MM) to reduce marijuana use among young adult female. Thirty-four female marijuana users between the ages of 18–29 were randomized to either the intervention group (n = 22), consisting of 2 sessions of MI-MM or an assessment-only control group (n = 12). Participants’ marijuana use was assessed at baseline, 1, 2, and 3 months post-treatment. Fixed-effects regression modeling was used to analyze treatment effects. Participants randomized to the intervention group were found to use marijuana on 6.15 (z = −2.42, p=.015), 7.81 (z = −2.78, p=.005), and 6.83 (z = −2.23, p=.026) fewer days at months 1, 2, and 3, respectively, than controls. Findings from this pilot study provide preliminary evidence for the feasibility and effectiveness of a brief MI-MM for young adult female marijuana users. PMID:21940136

Seasonal survival of adult female mottled ducks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moon, Jena A.; Haukos, David A.; Conway, Warren C.

2017-01-01

The mottled duck (Anas fulgivula) is a non-migratory duck dependent on coastal habitats to meet all of its life cycle requirements in the Western Gulf Coast (WGC) of Texas and Louisiana, USA. This population of mottled ducks has experienced a moderate decline during the past 2 decades. Adult survival has been identified as an important factor influencing population demography. Previous work based on band-recovery data has provided only annual estimates of survival. We assessed seasonal patterns of female mottled duck survival from 2009 to 2012 using individuals marked with satellite platform transmitter terminals (PTTs). We used temperature and movement sensors within each PTT to indicate potential mortality events. We estimated cumulative weekly survival and ranked factors influential in patterns of mortality using known-fate modeling in Program MARK. Models included 4 predictors: week; hunting and non-hunting periods; biological periods defined as breeding, brooding, molt, and pairing; and mass at time of capture. Models containing hunt periods, during and outside the mottled duck season, comprised essentially 100% of model weights where both legal and illegal harvest had a negative influence on mottled duck survival. Survival rates were low during 2009–2011 (12–38% annual rate of survival), when compared with the long-term banding average of 53% annual survival. During 2011, survival of female mottled ducks was the lowest annual rate (12%) ever documented and coincided with extreme drought. Management actions maximizing the availability of wetlands and associated upland habitats during hunting seasons and drought conditions may increase adult female mottled duck survival.

The Intersection of Black Lives Matter and Adult Education: One Community College Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Brian; Schwartz, Joni

2016-01-01

This chapter is a call to action for adult educators to critically engage the Black Lives Matter Movement through pedagogy, community engagement and scholarly activism. It explores the intersection of the Black Lives Matter movement and adult education by highlighting the response of one community college initiative.

Sexual interactions with unfamiliar females reduce hippocampal neurogenesis among adult male rats.

PubMed

Spritzer, M D; Curtis, M G; DeLoach, J P; Maher, J; Shulman, L M

2016-03-24

Recent experiments have shown that sexual interactions prior to cell proliferation cause an increase in neurogenesis in adult male rats. Because adult neurogenesis is critical for some forms of memory, we hypothesized that sexually induced changes in neurogenesis may be involved in mate recognition. Sexually naive adult male rats were either exposed repeatedly to the same sexual partner (familiar group) or to a series of novel sexual partners (unfamiliar group), while control males never engaged in sexual interactions. Ovariectomized female rats were induced into estrus every four days. Males were given two injections of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) (200mg/kg) to label proliferating cells, and the first sexual interactions occurred three days later. Males in the familiar and unfamiliar groups engaged in four, 30-min sexual interactions at four-day intervals, and brain tissue was collected the day after the last sexual interaction. Immunohistochemistry followed by microscopy was used to quantify BrdU-labeled cells. Sexual interactions with unfamiliar females caused a significant reduction in neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus compared to males that interacted with familiar females and compared to the control group. The familiar group showed no difference in neurogenesis compared to the control group. Males in the familiar group engaged in significantly more sexual behavior (ejaculations and intromissions) than did males in the unfamiliar group, suggesting that level of sexual activity may influence neurogenesis levels. In a second experiment, we tested whether this effect was unique to sexual interactions by replicating the entire procedure using anestrus females. We found that interactions with unfamiliar anestrus females reduced neurogenesis relative to the other groups, but this effect was not statistically significant. In combination, these results indicate that interactions with unfamiliar females reduce adult neurogenesis and the effect is stronger for sexual

Depressive Symptoms in Older Female Carers of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chou, Y. C.; Pu, C-Y.; Fu, L-Y.; Kroger, T.

2010-01-01

Background: This survey study aims to examine the prevalence and factors associated with depressive symptoms among primary older female family carers of adults with intellectual disabilities (ID). Method: In total, 350 female family carers aged 55 and older took part and completed the interview in their homes. The survey package contained…

The complexities of female aging: Four women protagonists in Penelope Lively's novels.

PubMed

Oró-Piqueras, Maricel

2016-01-01

Penelope Lively is a well-known contemporary British author who has published a good number of novels and short stories since she started her literary career in her late thirties. In her novels, Lively looks at the lives of contemporary characters moulded by specific historical as well as cultural circumstances. Four of her novels, published from 1987 to 2004, present middle-aged and older women as their main protagonists. Through the voices and thoughts of these female characters, the reader is presented with a multiplicity of realities in which women find themselves after their mid-fifties within a contemporary context. Being a woman and entering into old age is a double-sided jeopardy which has increasingly been present in contemporary fiction. Scholars such as Simone de Beauvoir (1949) and Susan Sontag (1972) were among the first to point out a "double standard of aging" when they assured that women were punished when showing external signs of aging much sooner than men. In Lively's four novels, the aging protagonists present their own stories and, through them, as well as through the voices of those around them, the reader is invited to go beyond the aging appearance of the female protagonists while challenging the limiting conceptions attached to the old body and, by extension, to the social and cultural overtones associated with old age. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Older maternal age is associated with depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms in young adult female offspring.

PubMed

Tearne, Jessica E; Robinson, Monique; Jacoby, Peter; Allen, Karina L; Cunningham, Nadia K; Li, Jianghong; McLean, Neil J

2016-01-01

The evidence regarding older parental age and incidence of mood disorder symptoms in offspring is limited, and that which exists is mixed. We sought to clarify these relationships by using data from the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study. The Raine Study provided comprehensive data from 2,900 pregnancies, resulting in 2,868 live born children. A total of 1,220 participants completed the short form of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) at the 20-year cohort follow-up. We used negative binomial regression analyses with log link and with adjustment for known perinatal risk factors to examine the extent to which maternal and paternal age at childbirth predicted continuous DASS-21 index scores. In the final multivariate models, a maternal age of 30-34 years was associated with significant increases in stress DASS-21 scores in female offspring relative to female offspring of 25- to 29-year-old mothers. A maternal age of 35 years and over was associated with increased scores on all DASS-21 scales in female offspring. Our results indicate that older maternal age is associated with depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms in young adult females. Further research into the mechanisms underpinning this relationship is needed. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved.

Social lives of adult Mysore slender lorises (Loris lydekkerianus lydekkerianus).

PubMed

Nekaris, K A I

2006-12-01

Despite the persistent use of the word "solitary" to describe nocturnal primate social behavior, increasing numbers of studies are revealing sophisticated levels of social interactions among nocturnal primates. This study explores the relationships among 11 adult Mysore slender lorises (Loris lydekkerianus lydekkerianus) studied over 10(1/2) months in Tamil Nadu, India. When all observations regarding dependent offspring are excluded, the animals spent on average 38% of their activity in various forms of neutral, affiliative, and agonistic behaviors. Affiliative behaviors were the most common type of social interaction, and males in general were more social than females. Low values for Cole's index (CI) of association emphasize that females rarely interacted with same-sex conspecifics, but commonly interacted with males. In turn, males also formed strong affiliative relationships with other adult males. This index also indicates that levels of affiliation are strongest among animals that share sleeping sites. The Hinde index (HI) suggests that males control proximity to females more than the reverse. A female's tolerance of multiple males in her home range and at a sleeping site may be related to high spatial variability of food resources. Such resources may constrain females with costly reproductive strategies (up to two sets of twins per annum) to a small home range. With their larger home ranges, males may be able to monopolize females by initiating social interactions, and also provide a benefit to females by contributing to parental care. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Confident living program for senior adults experiencing vision and hearing loss.

PubMed

Berry, Paige; Kelley-Bock, Mia; Rei, Christine

2008-01-01

Many people experience both vision and hearing losses as they age. The Confident Living Program was developed by Helen Keller National Center to address the unique psychosocial and educational needs of older adults living with dual-sensory impairments.

Social networks of older adults living with HIV in Finland.

PubMed

Nobre, Nuno Ribeiro; Kylmä, Jari; Kirsi, Tapio; Pereira, Marco

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore the social networks of older adults living with HIV. Interviews were conducted with nine individuals aged 50 or older living with HIV in Helsinki, Finland. Analysis of transcripts was analysed by inductive qualitative content analysis. Results indicated that these participants' networks tended to be large, including those both aware and unaware of the participants' health status. Analysis identified three main themes: large multifaceted social networks, importance of a support group, and downsizing of social networks. Support received appeared to be of great importance in coping with their health condition, especially since the time of diagnosis. Friends and family were the primary source of informal support. The majority of participants relied mostly on friends, some of whom were HIV-positive. Formal support came primarily from the HIV organisation's support group. In this study group, non-disclosure did not impact participants' well-being. In years to come, social networks of older adults living with HIV may shrink due to personal reasons other than HIV-disclosure. What is of primary importance is that healthcare professionals become knowledgeable about psychosocial issues of older adults living with HIV, identifying latent problems and developing adequate interventions in the early stages of the disease; this would help prevent social isolation and foster successful ageing with HIV.

Second-Language Acquisition, Culture Shock, and Language Stress of Adult Female Latina Students in New York

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buttaro, Lucia

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the educational, cultural, and linguistic adjustments and experiences encountered by Hispanic adult females in learning English as a second language (ESL) and the relation of these experiences to the variables of language, culture, and education of adult Hispanic females. Adult ESL learners…

Who Lives Alone During Old Age? Trends in the Social and Functional Disadvantages of Sweden's Solitary Living Older Adults.

PubMed

Shaw, Benjamin A; Fors, Stefan; Fritzell, Johan; Lennartsoon, Carin; Agahi, Neda

2017-01-01

This study identifies specific social and functional disadvantages associated with living alone during old age in Sweden and assesses whether these associations have changed during recent decades. Data came from repeated cross-sectional surveys of Swedish adults aged 77+ during 1992-2014. Findings indicate that several types of disadvantage are consistently associated with the probability of living alone including financial insecurity and having never married for women and having never married and mobility impairment for men. Also for older men, low education has become an increasing strong determinant of living alone. These findings suggest that older adults who live alone are a subgroup that is particularly, and in some cases increasingly, vulnerable with respect to social and functional status. This has important policy implications related to addressing the needs of this growing subgroup as well as methodological implications for studies on the health effects of living alone.

Triflumuron Effects on the Physiology and Reproduction of Rhodnius prolixus Adult Females

PubMed Central

Henriques, Bianca Santos; Mello, Cícero Brasileiro; Silva, Lucas Rangel; Codogno, Thaís Franco; Oliveira, Alyne F. R.; Marinho, Lourena Pinheiro; Lima, José Bento Pereira; Feder, Denise; Gonzalez, Marcelo Salabert; Azambuja, Patricia

2016-01-01

We evaluated the efficacy of the growth regulator triflumuron (TFM) in inducing mortality and disrupting both oviposition and egg hatching in Rhodnius prolixus adult females. TFM was administered via feeding, topically or by continuous contact with impregnated surfaces. Feeding resulted in mild biological effects compared with topical and impregnated surfaces. One day after treatment, the highest mortality levels were observed with topical surface and 30 days later both topical and impregnated surfaces induced higher mortalities than feeding. Oral treatment inhibited oviposition even at lower doses, and hatching of eggs deposited by treated females was similarly affected by the three delivery modes. Topical treatment of eggs deposited by nontreated females significantly reduced hatching. However, treatment per contact of eggs oviposited by untreated females did not disrupt eclosion. Additionally, oral treatment increased the number of immature oocytes per female, and topical treatment reduced the mean size of oocytes. TFM also affected carcass chitin content, diuresis, and innate immunity of treated insects. These results suggest that TFM acts as a potent growth inhibitor of R. prolixus adult females and has the potential to be used in integrated vector control programs against hematophagous triatomine species. PMID:27822479

Triflumuron Effects on the Physiology and Reproduction of Rhodnius prolixus Adult Females.

PubMed

Henriques, Bianca Santos; Genta, Fernando Ariel; Mello, Cícero Brasileiro; Silva, Lucas Rangel; Codogno, Thaís Franco; Oliveira, Alyne F R; Marinho, Lourena Pinheiro; Valle, Denise; Lima, José Bento Pereira; Feder, Denise; Gonzalez, Marcelo Salabert; Azambuja, Patricia

2016-01-01

We evaluated the efficacy of the growth regulator triflumuron (TFM) in inducing mortality and disrupting both oviposition and egg hatching in Rhodnius prolixus adult females. TFM was administered via feeding, topically or by continuous contact with impregnated surfaces. Feeding resulted in mild biological effects compared with topical and impregnated surfaces. One day after treatment, the highest mortality levels were observed with topical surface and 30 days later both topical and impregnated surfaces induced higher mortalities than feeding. Oral treatment inhibited oviposition even at lower doses, and hatching of eggs deposited by treated females was similarly affected by the three delivery modes. Topical treatment of eggs deposited by nontreated females significantly reduced hatching. However, treatment per contact of eggs oviposited by untreated females did not disrupt eclosion. Additionally, oral treatment increased the number of immature oocytes per female, and topical treatment reduced the mean size of oocytes. TFM also affected carcass chitin content, diuresis, and innate immunity of treated insects. These results suggest that TFM acts as a potent growth inhibitor of R. prolixus adult females and has the potential to be used in integrated vector control programs against hematophagous triatomine species.

Impact of Social Integration and Living Arrangements on Korean Older Adults' Depression: A Moderation Model.

PubMed

Lee, Youjung; Jang, Kyeonghee; Lockhart, Naorah C

2018-04-01

Depression among older adults is a challenging public health concern in Korea. Using panel data from the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs on Korean older adults and their family caregivers, this study explores significant predictors of depression among Korean older adults as well as the moderating effect of living arrangements on the association between social integration and depression. A multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that preexisting depression was the most significant predictor of Korean older adults' current depression, followed by health status and family support. In addition, social integration significantly decreased Korean older adults' depression. Importantly, a significant moderation effect of living arrangements between Korean older adults' social integration and depression was observed. This study implies the development of individually tailored and culturally responsive programs to engage marginalized Korean older adults living alone, helping foster their well-being and optimal aging.

Uncovering the lived experiences of junior and senior undergraduate female science majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adornato, Philip

The following dissertation focuses on a case study that uses critical theory, social learning theory, identity theory, liberal feminine theory, and motivation theory to conduct a narrative describing the lived experience of females and their performance in two highly selective private university, where students can cross-register between school, while majoring in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Through the use of narratives, the research attempts to shed additional light on the informal and formal science learning experiences that motivates young females to major in STEM in order to help increase the number of women entering STEM careers and retaining women in STEM majors. In the addition to the narratives, surveys were performed to encompass a larger audience while looking for themes and phenomena which explore what captivates and motivates young females' interests in science and continues to nurture and facilitate their growth throughout high school and college, and propel them into a major in STEM in college. The purpose of this study was to uncover the lived experiences of junior and senior undergraduate female science majors during their formal and informal education, their science motivation to learn science, their science identities, and any experiences in gender inequity they may have encountered. The findings have implications for young women deciding on future careers and majors through early exposure and guidance, understanding and recognizing what gender discrimination, and the positive effects of mentorships.

Dental caries experience and treatment needs of an adult female population in Nigeria.

PubMed

Lawal, Folake; Alade, Omolola

2017-09-01

Experience and awareness of adult females concerning dental caries is important in its prevention particularly in children because of their natural role as care givers. To determine the prevalence of dental caries and treatment needs in an adult female Nigerian population. In this cross-sectional study, adult females attending outreach programmes were examined for dental caries using the Decayed Missing and Filled Teeth caries index (DMFT). Socio-demographic variables were also recorded and statistical analysis done with SPSS software. A total of 430 females aged 16 to 59 years participated in the outreach programme out of which 109 (25.3%) had a DMFT score > 0. Mean DMFT was 0.7 ± 1.6. Fifty-five (12.8%) participants had decayed teeth, 78 (18.1 %) had missing teeth and 10(2.3%) had filled teeth. The treatment need was 34.3%, restorative index was 13.3% and significant caries index was 2.0. There were significant differences in caries experience based on age, marital status and educational qualifications of participants p < 0.05. The prevalence of dental caries among the study group was low but the treatment need was high. Younger females, singles and those with lower educational qualifications had a higher dental caries experience.

Live attenuated herpes zoster vaccine for HIV-infected adults.

PubMed

Shafran, S D

2016-04-01

Multiple guidelines exist for the use of live viral vaccines for measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), varicella and yellow fever in people with HIV infections, but these guidelines do not make recommendations regarding live attenuated herpes zoster vaccine (LAHZV), which is approved for people over 50 years in the general population. LAHZV is made with the same virus used in varicella vaccine. The incidence of herpes zoster remains increased in people with HIV infection, even when on suppressive antiretroviral therapy, and a growing proportion of HIV-infected patients are over 50 years of age. The purpose of this article is to review the use of varicella vaccine and LAHZV in people with HIV infection and to make recommendations about the use of LAHZV in adults with HIV infection. A PubMed search was undertaken using the terms 'herpes zoster AND HIV' and 'varicella AND HIV'. Reference lists were also reviewed for pertinent citations. Varicella vaccine is recommended in varicella-susceptible adults, as long as they have a CD4 count > 200 cells/μL, the same CD4 threshold used for MMR and yellow fever vaccines. No transmission of vaccine strain Varicella zoster virus has been documented in people with HIV infections with a CD4 count above this threshold. LAHZV was administered to 295 HIV-infected adults with a CD4 count > 200 cells/μL, and was safe and immunogenic with no cases of vaccine strain infection. It is recommended that LAHZV be administered to HIV-infected adults with a CD4 count above 200 cells/μL, the same CD4 threshold used for other live attenuated viral vaccines. © 2015 British HIV Association.

Identification of Important Community Living Skills for Adults with Mental Retardation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lovett, David L.; Harris, Mary B.

1987-01-01

Attempted to identify skills important for successful community living of adults with mental retardation. Individuals (N=73) who had significant contact with adults with mental retardation completed questionnaire on academic, leisure, personal, social, and vocational skills frequently taught to persons with mental handicaps. Subjects considered…

Opinions of College Students and Independent-Living Adults Regarding Successful Aging.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charbonneau-Lyons, Dixie Lee; Mosher-Ashley, Pearl M.; Stanford-Pollock, Meredith

2002-01-01

Undergraduates (n=226), graduate students (n=44) and independent-living older adults (n=59) rated factors contributing to successful aging. Social/familial relationships, intrinsic values, financial concerns, accomplishments, and cognitive functioning rated highest. The only age differences were older adults' higher ratings of financial concerns…

Aerobic exercise interventions for adults living with HIV/AIDS.

PubMed

Nixon, S; O'Brien, K; Glazier, R H; Tynan, A M

2005-04-18

The profile of HIV infection is constantly changing. Although once viewed as an illness progressing to death, among those with access to antiretroviral therapy, HIV can now present as a disease with an uncertain natural history, perhaps a chronic manageable disease for some. This increased chronicity of HIV infection has been mirrored by increased prevalence of disablement in the HIV-infected population (Rusch 2004). Thus, the needs of these individuals have increasingly included the management of impairments (problems with body function or structure as a significant deviation or loss, such as pain or weakness), activity limitations (difficulties an individual may have in executing activities, such as inability to walk) and participation restrictions (problems an individual may experiences in involvement in life situations, such as inability to work) (WHO 2001). Exercise is a key strategy employed by people living with HIV/AIDS and by rehabilitation professionals to address these issues. Exercise has been shown to improve strength, cardiovascular function and psychological status in seronegative populations (Bouchard 1993), but what are the effects of exercise for adults living with HIV? If the risks and benefits of exercise for people living with HIV are better understood, appropriate exercise may be undertaken by those living with HIV/AIDS and appropriate exercise prescription may be practiced by healthcare providers. If effective and safe, exercise may enhance the effectiveness of HIV management, thus improving the overall outcome for adults living with HIV. To examine the safety and effectiveness of aerobic exercise interventions on immunological/virological, cardiopulmonary and psychological parameters in adults living with HIV/AIDS. To identify the appropriate studies, we conducted a search using MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCIENCE CITATION INDEX, AIDSLINE, CINAHL, HEALTHSTAR, PSYCHLIT, SOCIOFILE, SCI, SSCI, ERIC and DAI. We also reviewed both published and unpublished

When an adult female seeks ritual genital alteration: ethics, law, and the parameters of participation.

PubMed

Cantor, Julie D

2006-04-01

Ritual genital cutting for women, a common practice in Africa and elsewhere around the world, remains dangerous and controversial. In recent years, a 14-year-old girl living in Sierra Leone exsanguinated and died following a ritualistic genital cutting. Hoping to avoid that fate, women with backgrounds that accept ritual genital cutting may, when they reach majority age, ask plastic surgeons to perform genital alterations for cultural reasons. Although plastic surgeons routinely perform cosmetic procedures, unique ethical and legal concerns arise when an adult female patient asks a surgeon to spare her the tribal elder's knife and alter her genitalia according to tradition and custom. Misinformation and confusion about this issue exist. This article explores the ethical and legal issues relevant to this situation and explains how the thoughtful surgeon should proceed.

Women Studying Childcare: Integrating Lives through Adult Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Hazel R.

2011-01-01

Most studies of adult education align it with life change, but this research-based book tells a different story. It reveals how mature women who are training to work in childcare within the voluntary sector seek continuity in their lives. They engage with activities that connect aspects of their family, workplace and educational experience, and…

Could adult female acne be associated with modern life?

PubMed

Albuquerque, R G R; Rocha, M A D; Bagatin, E; Tufik, S; Andersen, M L

2014-10-01

In recent years, the prevalence of adult female acne has increased, but the reason for this increase remains unclear. Acne is one of the most common skin disorders. It can be triggered or worsened by endogenous and exogenous factors, including genetic predisposition, hormone concentrations, diet, smoke and stress; although the interaction with this last factor is not well understood. Modern life presents many stresses including urban noises, socioeconomic pressures and light stimuli. Women are especially affected by stress during daily routine. The recent insertion in the labor market is added to the duties of the mother and wife. Women also have a higher risk of developing psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety. Sleep restriction is added to these factors, with several negative consequences on health, including on hormonal secretion and the immune system. This is further complicated by the natural variation in sleep architecture across the menstrual cycle. Recent studies have brought new data about the mechanisms and possible factors involved. This review aims to establish a connection between stress, sleep deprivation and adult female acne.

Male and female alcohol consumption and live birth after assisted reproductive technology treatment: a nationwide register-based cohort study.

PubMed

Vittrup, Ida; Petersen, Gitte Lindved; Kamper-Jørgensen, Mads; Pinborg, Anja; Schmidt, Lone

2017-08-01

The objective was to assess the potential association between female and male alcohol consumption and probability of achieving a live birth after assisted reproductive treatment. From a nationwide Danish register-based cohort information on alcohol consumption at assisted reproductive treatment initiation was linked to information on births and abortions. From 1 January 2006 to 30 September 2010, 12,981 women and their partners went through 29,834 treatment cycles. Of these, 22.4% and 20.4% led to a live birth for female abstainers and heavy consumers (>7 drinks/week), respectively. Concerning men, 22.6% and 20.2% of cycles resulted in a live birth for abstainers and heavy consumers (>14 drinks/week), respectively. No statistically significant associations between alcohol consumption and live birth were observed. Adjusted odds ratios from trend analyses were 1.00 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.99-1.01) and 0.99 (95% CI 0.97-1.01) for every one-unit increase in female and male weekly alcohol consumption at assisted reproductive treatment initiation, respectively. In conclusion, this study did not show significant associations between male or female alcohol consumption and odds of live birth after assisted reproductive treatment. Copyright © 2017 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Giving voice to older adults living with frailty and their family caregivers: engagement of older adults living with frailty in research, health care decision making, and in health policy.

PubMed

Holroyd-Leduc, Jayna; Resin, Joyce; Ashley, Lisa; Barwich, Doris; Elliott, Jacobi; Huras, Paul; Légaré, France; Mahoney, Megan; Maybee, Alies; McNeil, Heather; Pullman, Daryl; Sawatzky, Richard; Stolee, Paul; Muscedere, John

2016-01-01

The paper discusses engaging older adults living with frailty and their family caregivers. Frailty is a state that puts an individual at a higher risk for poor health outcomes and death. Understanding whether a person is frail is important because treatment and health care choices for someone living with frailty may be different from someone who is not (i.e., who is fit). In this review, we discuss strategies and hurdles for engaging older adults living with frailty across three settings: research, health and social care, and policy. We developed this review using published literature, expert opinion, and stakeholder input (including citizens). Engaging frail older individuals will be challenging because of their vulnerable health state - but it can be done. Points of consideration specific to engaging this vulnerable population include:In any setting, family caregivers (defined to include family, friends, and other social support systems) play an important role in engaging and empowering older adults living with frailtyEngagement opportunities need to be flexible (e.g., location, time, type)Incentivizing engagement for researchers and citizens (financial and otherwise) may be necessaryThe education and training of citizens, health and social care providers, and researchers on engagement practicesPatient-centered care approaches should consider the specific needs of individuals living with frailty including end-of-life care and advanced care planningInfluencing policy can occur in many ways including participating at institutional, regional, provincial or national committees that relate to health and social care. Older adults are the fastest growing segment of Canada's population resulting in an increased number of individuals living with frailty. Although aging and frailty are not synonymous the proportion of those who are frail increases with age. Frailty is not defined by a single condition, but rather a health state characterized by an increased risk of

Numerical Activities of Daily Living in Adults with Neurofibromatosis Type 1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burgio, F.; Benavides-Varela, S.; Arcara, G.; Trevisson, E.; Frizziero, D.; Clementi, M.; Semenza, C.

2017-01-01

Background: This study aimed to identify the mathematical domains affected in adults with neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) and the impact of the numerical difficulties on the patients' activities of daily living. Methods: We assessed 28 adult patients with NF1 and 28 healthy control participants. All participants completed the standardised battery of…

The educative practice of professional caregivers at shelters: coping with violence lived by female adolescents.

PubMed

Penna, Lucia Helena Garcia; Carinhanha, Joana Iabrudi; Leite, Ligia Costa

2009-01-01

This study aimed to identify strategies caregiving professionals at shelters discuss and use in care delivery to violence situations lived by female adolescents; and to discuss educative practice as a care technology for coping with violence. Based on qualitative research, the data were produced through interviews with caregivers at a municipal adolescent shelter and were interpreted according to content analysis. The results evidenced individual and institutional strategies for care delivery to the adolescents. In conclusion, educative actions are care technologies in the reframing process of life's value by female adolescents living on the streets or in shelters, considering the cultural diversity - a dialogical action systemized and institutionalized for coping with the violence they experience.

Boomerang families and failure-to-launch: Commentary on adult children living at home.

PubMed

Burn, Katherine; Szoeke, Cassandra

2016-01-01

With a shifting economic climate and changes in social norms, young adults are increasingly reported to be living with their parents, either through delayed launch or by launch and return. For young adults grappling with financial and domestic independence, the family home can represent a safe haven; however, living with parents can also pose a threat to autonomy and self-image as they strive for adult status. Parents, on the other hand, are often beleaguered by the economic and emotional demands of their dependent adult children and struggle to maintain their own independence. The roles and expectations of both parties need to be redefined in order to achieve optimal household functioning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of neonatal ovariectomy and estradiol treatment on corticosterone release in response to stress in the adult female rat.

PubMed

McCormick, Cheryl M

2011-01-01

Although organizational effects of sex hormones in early life on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function have been reported for males, the findings are mixed for females, likely the result of not controlling for adult gonadal status. In experiment 1, females were ovariectomized (OVX) either on postnatal day 1 or as adults and given estradiol benzoate (EB) and progesterone implants or not as adults. Corticosterone release in response to restraint stress was responsive to hormonal replacement irrespective of timing of OVX: without replacement, both OVX groups had lower corticosterone concentrations after restraint stress than did OVX groups with replacement and gonadally intact females. Thus, neonatal OVX did not alter the activational effects of sex hormones in adulthood. In a second experiment, females administered a dose of EB on postnatal day 1 had a more rapid decline of corticosterone concentrations after restraint as adults compared to oil-treated females, irrespective of whether they were OVX as neonates or as adults (all groups were given estradiol replacement as adults). Thus, evidently there are organizational effects of the sex hormonal milieu of the neonatal female, although this is a modest effect compared to previous reports in males.

Factors influencing Internet usage in older adults (65 years and above) living in rural and urban Sweden.

PubMed

Berner, Jessica; Rennemark, Mikael; Jogréus, Claes; Anderberg, Peter; Sköldunger, Anders; Wahlberg, Maria; Elmståhl, Sölve; Berglund, Johan

2015-09-01

Older adults living in rural and urban areas have shown to distinguish themselves in technology adoption; a clearer profile of their Internet use is important in order to provide better technological and health-care solutions. Older adults' Internet use was investigated across large to midsize cities and rural Sweden. The sample consisted of 7181 older adults ranging from 59 to 100 years old. Internet use was investigated with age, education, gender, household economy, cognition, living alone/or with someone and rural/urban living. Logistic regression was used. Those living in rural areas used the Internet less than their urban counterparts. Being younger and higher educated influenced Internet use; for older urban adults, these factors as well as living with someone and having good cognitive functioning were influential. Solutions are needed to avoid the exclusion of some older adults by a society that is today being shaped by the Internet. © The Author(s) 2014.

Making a Difference in Learners' Lives: Results of a Study Based on Adult Literacy Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terry, Marion

2006-01-01

Using qualitative methods, the author explores how adult learners' lives are affected by participating in adult literacy programs in Manitoba, Canada. After a description of research methods, changes in six major areas of learners' lives are discussed: general attitudes toward life, levels of interpersonal awareness, self-esteem, academic…

Evidence-informed recommendations for rehabilitation with older adults living with HIV: a knowledge synthesis

PubMed Central

O'Brien, Kelly K; Solomon, Patricia; Trentham, Barry; MacLachlan, Duncan; MacDermid, Joy; Tynan, Anne-Marie; Baxter, Larry; Casey, Alan; Chegwidden, William; Robinson, Greg; Tran, Todd; Wu, Janet; Zack, Elisse

2014-01-01

Objective Our aim was to develop evidence-informed recommendations for rehabilitation with older adults living with HIV. Design We conducted a knowledge synthesis, combining research evidence specific to HIV, rehabilitation and ageing, with evidence on rehabilitation interventions for common comorbidities experienced by older adults with HIV. Methods We included highly relevant HIV-specific research addressing rehabilitation and ageing (stream A) and high-quality evidence on the effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions for common comorbidities experienced by older adults ageing with HIV (stream B). We extracted and synthesised relevant data from the evidence to draft evidence-informed recommendations for rehabilitation. Draft recommendations were refined based on people living with HIV (PLHIV) and clinician experience, values and preferences, reviewed by an interprofessional team for Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) (quality) rating and revision and then circulated to PLHIV and clinicians for external endorsement and final refinement. We then devised overarching recommendations to broadly guide rehabilitation with older adults living with HIV. Results This synthesis yielded 8 overarching and 52 specific recommendations. Thirty-six specific recommendations were derived from 108 moderate-level or high-level research articles (meta-analyses and systematic reviews) that described the effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions for comorbidities that may be experienced by older adults with HIV. Recommendations addressed rehabilitation interventions across eight health conditions: bone and joint disorders, cancer, stroke, cardiovascular disease, mental health challenges, cognitive impairments, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes. Sixteen specific recommendations were derived from 42 research articles specific to rehabilitation with older adults with HIV. The quality of evidence from which these

A Behavioral Comparison of Male and Female Adults with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Conditions

PubMed Central

Lai, Meng-Chuan; Lombardo, Michael V.; Pasco, Greg; Ruigrok, Amber N. V.; Wheelwright, Sally J.; Sadek, Susan A.; Chakrabarti, Bhismadev; Baron-Cohen, Simon

2011-01-01

Autism spectrum conditions (ASC) affect more males than females in the general population. However, within ASC it is unclear if there are phenotypic sex differences. Testing for similarities and differences between the sexes is important not only for clinical assessment but also has implications for theories of typical sex differences and of autism. Using cognitive and behavioral measures, we investigated similarities and differences between the sexes in age- and IQ-matched adults with ASC (high-functioning autism or Asperger syndrome). Of the 83 (45 males and 38 females) participants, 62 (33 males and 29 females) met Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) cut-off criteria for autism in childhood and were included in all subsequent analyses. The severity of childhood core autism symptoms did not differ between the sexes. Males and females also did not differ in self-reported empathy, systemizing, anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive traits/symptoms or mentalizing performance. However, adult females with ASC showed more lifetime sensory symptoms (p = 0.036), fewer current socio-communication difficulties (p = 0.001), and more self-reported autistic traits (p = 0.012) than males. In addition, females with ASC who also had developmental language delay had lower current performance IQ than those without developmental language delay (p<0.001), a pattern not seen in males. The absence of typical sex differences in empathizing-systemizing profiles within the autism spectrum confirms a prediction from the extreme male brain theory. Behavioral sex differences within ASC may also reflect different developmental mechanisms between males and females with ASC. We discuss the importance of the superficially better socio-communication ability in adult females with ASC in terms of why females with ASC may more often go under-recognized, and receive their diagnosis later, than males. PMID:21695147

REDUCTIONS IN CANNABIS USE ARE ASSOCIATED WITH MOOD IMPROVEMENT IN FEMALE EMERGING ADULTS.

PubMed

Moitra, Ethan; Anderson, Bradley J; Stein, Michael D

2016-04-01

Cannabis use and the development of depression symptoms have been linked in prospective research. However, no research has examined how depression symptoms might change relative to reductions in cannabis use. One group at risk for comorbid cannabis-use disorders and clinical depression is female emerging adults (those aged 18-25 years old) as cannabis use peaks during this period, depression is the most common psychiatric disorder among emerging adults, and females are at increased risk for depression relative to males. This study examined the longitudinal association between reductions in cannabis use and existing depression symptoms. Secondary analyses from a cannabis intervention trial for 332 female emerging adults were conducted. Changes in depression symptoms (categorized as minimal, mild, and moderate or more severe depression) were assessed in relation to changes in cannabis use at 3- and 6-months postbaseline assessment. After controlling for alcohol use, the association between change in cannabis-use frequency and change in depression (measured by Beck Depression Inventory-II) was significantly stronger for those with mild depression (b = -0.26; 95% CI: -0.44, -0.08; P = .004), and for those with moderate or more severe depression (b = -0.50; 95% CI: -0.68, -0.33; P < .001) relative to those with minimal depression. These results indicate a relationship between reductions in cannabis use and reductions in depression symptoms among female emerging adults who report at least mild depression symptoms. This represents a clinically meaningful effect for clinicians treating patients with co-occurring cannabis use and depressive disorders. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Telephone-administered versus live group cognitive behavioral stress management for adults with CFS.

PubMed

Hall, Daniel L; Lattie, Emily G; Milrad, Sara F; Czaja, Sara; Fletcher, Mary Ann; Klimas, Nancy; Perdomo, Dolores; Antoni, Michael H

2017-02-01

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) symptoms have been shown to be exacerbated by stress and ameliorated by group-based psychosocial interventions such as cognitive behavioral stress management (CBSM). Still, patients may have difficulty attending face-to-face groups. This study compared the effects of a telephone-delivered (T-CBSM) vs a live (L-CBSM) group on perceived stress and symptomology in adults with CFS. Intervention data from 100 patients with CFS (mean age 50years; 90% female) participating in T-CBSM (N=56) or L-CBSM (N=44) in previously conducted randomized clinical trials were obtained. Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention symptom checklist scores were compared with repeated measures analyses of variance in adjusted and unadjusted analyses. Participants across groups showed no differences in most demographic and illness variables at study entry and had similar session attendance. Both conditions showed significant reductions in PSS scores, with L-CBSM showing a large effect (partial ε 2 =0.16) and T-CBSM a medium effect (partial ε 2 =0.095). For CFS symptom frequency and severity scores, L-CBSM reported large effect size improvements (partial ε 2 =0.19-0.23), while T-CBSM showed no significant changes over time. Two different formats for delivering group-based CBSM-live and telephone-showed reductions in perceived stress among patients with CFS. However, only the live format was associated with physical symptom improvements, with specific effects on post-exertional malaise, chills, fever, and restful sleep. The added value of the live group format is discussed, along with implications for future technology-facilitated group interventions in this population. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pet Ownership may Attenuate Loneliness Among Older Adult Primary Care Patients Who Live Alone

PubMed Central

Stanley, Ian H.; Conwell, Yeates; Bowen, Connie; Van Orden, Kimberly A.

2013-01-01

Objectives Older adults who report feelings of loneliness are at increased risk for a range of negative physical and mental health outcomes, including early mortality. Identifying potential sources of social connectedness, such as pet ownership, could add to the understanding of how to promote health and well-being in older adults. The aim of this study is to describe the association of pet ownership and loneliness. Methods The current study utilizes cross-sectional survey data from a sample (N = 830) of older adult primary care patients (age > 60 years). Results Pet owners were 36% less likely than non-pet owners to report loneliness, in a model controlling for age, living status (i.e., alone vs. not alone), happy mood, and seasonal residency (adjOR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.41-0.98, p <.05). An interaction was found between pet ownership and living status (b = −1.60, p < .001) in which living alone and not owning a pet was associated with the greatest odds of reporting feelings of loneliness. Conclusions Findings suggest that pet ownership may confer benefits for well-being, including attenuating feelings of loneliness and its related sequelae, among older adults who live alone. PMID:24047314

Pet ownership may attenuate loneliness among older adult primary care patients who live alone.

PubMed

Stanley, Ian H; Conwell, Yeates; Bowen, Connie; Van Orden, Kimberly A

2014-01-01

Older adults who report feelings of loneliness are at increased risk for a range of negative physical and mental health outcomes, including early mortality. Identifying potential sources of social connectedness, such as pet ownership, could add to the understanding of how to promote health and well-being in older adults. The aim of this study is to describe the association of pet ownership and loneliness. The current study utilizes cross-sectional survey data from a sample (N = 830) of older adult primary care patients (age ≥ 60 years). Pet owners were 36% less likely than non-pet owners to report loneliness, in a model controlling for age, living status (i.e., alone vs. not alone), happy mood, and seasonal residency (adjOR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.41-0.98, p < 0.05). An interaction was found between pet ownership and living status (b = -1.60, p < 0.001) in which living alone and not owning a pet was associated with the greatest odds of reporting feelings of loneliness. The findings suggest that pet ownership may confer benefits for well-being, including attenuating feelings of loneliness and its related sequelae, among older adults who live alone.

Female children with incarcerated adult family members at risk for lifelong neurological decline.

PubMed

Brewer-Smyth, Kathleen; Pohlig, Ryan T; Bucurescu, Gabriel

2016-07-01

A secondary analysis of data from adult female prison inmates in the mid-Atlantic United States defined relationships between having incarcerated adult family members during childhood and neurological outcomes. Of 135 inmates, 99 (60%) had one or more incarcerated adult family members during childhood. Regression analyses revealed that having incarcerated adult family members was related to greater frequency and severity of childhood abuse and higher incidence of neurological deficits in adulthood, especially related to traumatic brain injuries, compared to those without incarcerated adult family members. Along with being role models, adult family members impact the neurological health of children throughout their life-span.

Live Imaging of Adult Neural Stem Cells in Rodents

PubMed Central

Ortega, Felipe; Costa, Marcos R.

2016-01-01

The generation of cells of the neural lineage within the brain is not restricted to early development. New neurons, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes are produced in the adult brain throughout the entire murine life. However, despite the extensive research performed in the field of adult neurogenesis during the past years, fundamental questions regarding the cell biology of adult neural stem cells (aNSCs) remain to be uncovered. For instance, it is crucial to elucidate whether a single aNSC is capable of differentiating into all three different macroglial cell types in vivo or these distinct progenies constitute entirely separate lineages. Similarly, the cell cycle length, the time and mode of division (symmetric vs. asymmetric) that these cells undergo within their lineage progression are interesting questions under current investigation. In this sense, live imaging constitutes a valuable ally in the search of reliable answers to the previous questions. In spite of the current limitations of technology new approaches are being developed and outstanding amount of knowledge is being piled up providing interesting insights in the behavior of aNSCs. Here, we will review the state of the art of live imaging as well as the alternative models that currently offer new answers to critical questions. PMID:27013941

Regional fat distribution in adolescent and adult females with anorexia nervosa: A longitudinal study.

PubMed

El Ghoch, Marwan; Milanese, Chiara; Calugi, Simona; Müller, Manfred J; Pourhassan, Maryam; Ruocco, Antonella; Dalle Grave, Riccardo

2015-12-01

No study has yet compared body fat distribution before and after weight restoration in adolescent and adult patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) treated according to the same protocol. The study was set up to measure body fat distribution before and after short-term weight restoration in adolescent and adult patients with AN treated according to the same protocol in a specialist inpatient unit. We recruited 33 consecutive adolescent female patients with AN, and 33 controls matched by age and post-treatment BMI centile, as well as 33 adult female patients with AN, and 33 controls matched by age and post-treatment BMI. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used to assess body composition before and after short-term weight restoration (BMI ≥ 18.5 kg/m²). Compared with controls, both adolescents and adults with AN showed that a greater amount of fat was lost from the extremities than the trunk before weight restoration, and that there was a central adiposity phenotype after short-term weight restoration. There were no significant differences in body fat distribution between adolescents and adults with AN before or after short-term weight restoration. Adolescent and adult females with AN have similar body fat distribution both before and after short-term weight restoration, and show a central adiposity phenotype after short-term weight restoration. The clinical implications of this finding are as yet unknown. Clinical Trials Registry- Regional Fat Distribution in Adolescent Girls and Adults with Anorexia Nervosa (ISRCTN73572502). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Depressive symptoms in older female carers of adults with intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

Chou, Y C; Pu, C-Y; Fu, L-Y; Kröger, T

2010-12-01

This survey study aims to examine the prevalence and factors associated with depressive symptoms among primary older female family carers of adults with intellectual disabilities (ID). In total, 350 female family carers aged 55 and older took part and completed the interview in their homes. The survey package contained standardised scales to assess carer self-reported depressive symptoms, social support, caregiving burden and disease and health, as well as adult and carer sociodemographic information. Multiple linear regressions were used to identify the factors associated with high depressive symptoms in carers. Between 64% and 72% of these carers were classified as having high depressive symptoms. The factors associated with carer self-reported depressive symptoms were carer physical health, social support and caregiving burden; overall, the carer self-reported physical health was a stronger factor associated with depressive symptoms than their physical disease status. The level of the adult with ID's behavioural functioning and the carer age, marital status, employment status, education level and the family income level were not significantly associated with carer depressive symptoms. The factors identified in this study as correlating with self-reported depressive symptoms suggest that researchers and mental health professionals should collaborate to help improve the physical health and social support networks of the most vulnerable older female family carers. This should reduce depressive symptoms directly among this high-risk group. © 2010 The Authors. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Transgenerational epigenetic effects of the endocrine disruptor vinclozolin on pregnancies and female adult onset disease.

PubMed

Nilsson, Eric E; Anway, Matthew D; Stanfield, Jacob; Skinner, Michael K

2008-05-01

Endocrine disruptor exposure during gonadal sex determination was previously found to induce male rat adult onset transgenerational disease (F1-F4 generation), and this was associated with an alteration in the epigenetic (i.e., DNA methylation) programming of the male germ line. The current study was designed to characterize the transgenerational disease phenotypes of the female adult offspring. Pregnant rats (F0 generation) were treated transiently with vinclozolin (i.e., fungicide with anti-androgenic activity) on embryonic (E) days E8-E14 of gestation. F1 control and vinclozolin generation offspring from different litters were mated to produce F2 offspring, and similarly F2 generation animals produced F3 generation offspring. Observations demonstrated that 9 out of 105 pregnant rats (8.6%) from the vinclozolin F1-F3 generations exhibited uterine hemorrhage and/or anemia late in pregnancy. None (0 out of 82) of the control F1-F3 generation females had similar pregnancy problems. Complete blood cell counts and serum chemistry profiles demonstrated that selected vinclozolin generation animals, but not controls, exhibited marked regenerative anemia in late pregnancy. Examination of kidney histology revealed moderate or severe glomerular abnormalities in 67% of the vinclozolin F2 and F3 generation adult females compared with 18% of the controls. Adult female vinclozolin generation animals also developed various types of tumors in 6.5% of the animals (11 out of 170), while 2% of control-line animals (3 out of 151) developed mammary tumors. Observations demonstrate that vinclozolin exposure during gonadal sex determination promotes a transgenerational increase in pregnancy abnormalities and female adult onset disease states.

Transgenerational epigenetic effects of the endocrine disruptor vinclozolin on pregnancies and female adult onset disease

PubMed Central

Nilsson, Eric E; Anway, Matthew D; Stanfield, Jacob; Skinner, Michael K

2017-01-01

Endocrine disruptor exposure during gonadal sex determination was previously found to induce male rat adult onset transgenerational disease (F1–F4 generation), and this was associated with an alteration in the epigenetic (i.e., DNA methylation) programming of the male germ line. The current study was designed to characterize the transgenerational disease phenotypes of the female adult offspring. Pregnant rats (F0 generation) were treated transiently with vinclozolin (i.e., fungicide with anti-androgenic activity) on embryonic (E) days E8–E14 of gestation. F1 control and vinclozolin generation offspring from different litters were mated to produce F2 offspring, and similarly F2 generation animals produced F3 generation offspring. Observations demonstrated that 9 out of 105 pregnant rats (8.6%) from the vinclozolin F1–F3 generations exhibited uterine hemorrhage and/or anemia late in pregnancy. None (0 out of 82) of the control F1–F3 generation females had similar pregnancy problems. Complete blood cell counts and serum chemistry profiles demonstrated that selected vinclozolin generation animals, but not controls, exhibited marked regenerative anemia in late pregnancy. Examination of kidney histology revealed moderate or severe glomerular abnormalities in 67% of the vinclozolin F2 and F3 generation adult females compared with 18% of the controls. Adult female vinclozolin generation animals also developed various types of tumors in 6.5% of the animals (11 out of 170), while 2% of control-line animals (3 out of 151) developed mammary tumors. Observations demonstrate that vinclozolin exposure during gonadal sex determination promotes a transgenerational increase in pregnancy abnormalities and female adult onset disease states. PMID:18304984

Thigh muscle and subcutaneous tissue thickness measured using ultrasound imaging in older females living in extended care: a preliminary study.

PubMed

Welch, Daniella; Ndanyo, Laetitia Sungu; Brown, Simon; Agyapong-Badu, Sandra; Warner, Martin; Stokes, Maria; Samuel, Dinesh

2018-05-01

Thigh tissue thickness has not been examined in older females living in extended care in UK as an indicator of musculoskeletal health. This study examined the feasibility of using ultrasound imaging to measure the thickness of superficial (fat) and deep layers (muscle) of the thigh in older females living in extended care. In ten older females in extended care (aged 80-98 years, mean 88 ± 6.8; body mass: 56.5 ± 12.6 kg) images of the anterior thigh (dominant) were taken in supine using B-mode ultrasound imaging. Superficial and deep layers were measured and percentage thickness was calculated. Independent t tests compared data from those in extended care to ten sedentary females living independently (aged 80-90 years, mean 84 ± 3.6; body mass: 61.6 ± 10.0 kg). Thickness of the superficial layers was not significantly different between the two groups (CI -0.017 to 0.815, p = 0.059). However, those living in extended care had greater (p < 0.001) muscle thickness (mean 2.75 ± 0.48 cm) than those living independently (mean 1.83 ± 0.3 cm), which was similarly significant when normalised for body mass (extended care 0.51 ± 0.16; independent living 0.30 ± 0.06). These novel findings showed it is feasible to use ultrasound to measure muscles in older females in extended care and that muscle thickness was larger than in those living independently. The reason for the difference seen between groups would need to be confirmed by a larger study that also examined factors related to risk of sarcopenia and frailty, such as nutrition and physical activity levels.

Development of sexual behavior in free-ranging female Japanese macaques.

PubMed

Leca, Jean-Baptiste; Gunst, Noëlle; Vasey, Paul L

2014-09-01

We studied the development of sexual behaviors in female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) living at Arashiyama, Japan, in a group where adult females routinely exhibit sexual interactions with both males and females. Our cross-sectional data on juvenile, adolescent, and adult females supported most of our predictions related to the learning hypothesis, which holds that adolescence serves to provide females with a period in which to practice adult female-like sexual behavioral patterns, including sexual solicitations, sexual mounts, and spatio-temporal coordination during consortships. We found evidence for a gradual acquisition of adult-like behavioral patterns (e.g., more frequent solicitations with body contact, more frequent complete mounts, more diverse solicitation patterns and complete mounting postures, and longer consortships involving prolonged inter-mount grasping behavior between partners), and a gradual disappearance of less effective immature behavioral patterns (e.g., less frequent non-contact solicitations, ambiguous mounting initiations, and incomplete mounts). We distinguished between three major categories of sexual behavioral patterns based on their speed of development, ranging from fast (e.g., diversity in mounting postures and genital stimulation during mounting) to slow (e.g., contact solicitations and grasping behavior between consortship partners), with some being intermediate (e.g., range of solicitation patterns and expression of complete mounts). This study showed that the emergence of both conceptive and non-conceptive adult sexual behaviors can be traced back to immature behavioral patterns in adolescent female Japanese macaques, with a major threshold occurring at the age of 4 years. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Long-term impacts of poaching on relatedness, stress physiology, and reproductive output of adult female african elephants.

PubMed

Gobush, K S; Mutayoba, B M; Wasser, S K

2008-12-01

Widespread poaching prior to the 1989 ivory ban greatly altered the demographic structure of matrilineal African elephant (Loxodonta africana) family groups in many populations by decreasing the number of old, adult females. We assessed the long-term impacts of poaching by investigating genetic, physiological, and reproductive correlates of a disturbed social structure resulting from heavy poaching of an African elephant population in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania, prior to 1989. We examined fecal glucocorticoid levels and reproductive output among 218 adult female elephants from 109 groups differing in size, age structure, and average genetic relatedness over 25 months from 2003 to 2005. The distribution in group size has changed little since 1989, but the number of families with tusked old matriarchs has increased by 14.2%. Females from groups that lacked an old matriarch, first-order adult relatives, and strong social bonds had significantly higher fecal glucocorticoid values than those from groups with these features (all females R(2)= 0.31; females in multiadult groups R(2)= 0.46). Females that frequented isolated areas with historically high poaching risk had higher fecal glucocorticoid values than those in low poaching risk areas. Females with weak bonds and low group relatedness had significantly lower reproductive output (R(2)[U]=0.21). Females from disrupted groups, defined as having observed average group relatedness 1 SD below the expected mean for a simulated unpoached family, had significantly lower reproductive output than females from intact groups, despite many being in their reproductive prime. These results suggest that long-term negative impacts from poaching of old, related matriarchs have persisted among adult female elephants 1.5 decades after the 1989 ivory ban was implemented.

Wrapping the Curriculum around Their Lives: Using a Culturally Relevant Curriculum with African American Adult Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sealey-Ruiz, Yolanda

2007-01-01

This study examines how African American adult female students respond to a culturally relevant curriculum. Research confirms that adults enter college classrooms with a variety of experiences that they value and experiences to which they wish to connect. Black female students in particular possess knowledge unique to their positionality in…

African American Female Adult Learners: Motivations, Challenges, and Coping Strategies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coker, Angela D.

2003-01-01

Used data from a series of focus groups to examine the experiences of adult African American females in higher education. The article highlights participants' motivations, challenges, and sources of strength as they worked toward their academic goals. Women entered education for reasons over and beyond their own personal landscape. Their lives…

Living without Boys: A Retrospective Analysis of the Benefits and Skills Gained at All-Female Camps

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whittington, Anja; Garst, Barry A.; Gagnon, Ryan J.; Baughman, Sarah

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the outcomes of all-female camp experiences on women's lives. Using a retrospective approach, this study collected qualitative data from 131 women to examine the benefits of all-female camp experiences, to analyze the skills they gained at camp, and to understand how they apply these skills to their…

Gender differences in association between psychological distress and detailed living arrangements among Japanese older adults, aged 65-74 years.

PubMed

Kikuchi, Hiroyuki; Takamiya, Tomoko; Odagiri, Yuko; Ohya, Yumiko; Nakaya, Tomoki; Shimomitsu, Teruichi; Inoue, Shigeru

2014-05-01

Past studies have shown that living alone is detrimental to older adults' mental health. However, there has been little focus on how older adults' psychological distress differed by more detailed living arrangement, as well as by gender. The present study investigates various living arrangements in association with psychological distress among older men and women. Data from community-dwelling Japanese older adults were collected through a mail survey (n = 1,807, aged 65-74 years, 51.5 % men). Psychological distress level was measured using Kessler's six-item psychological distress scale. Living arrangements were categorized into four groups; "living with spouse only", "living with spouse and other family", "living with other family without spouse" or "living alone". Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to examine the associations of living arrangements with psychological distress level. Older adults living alone were observed to have higher psychological distress. In addition, gender-stratified analyses showed that higher distress levels were observed among older men living with family, but without a spouse (OR: 2.85, 95 % CI: 1.51-5.39). In contrast, higher distress was observed among older women living with spouse and other family (OR: 1.53, 95 % CI: 1.03-2.28). Psychological distress in older Japanese adults was associated with living arrangements, but such associations differed by gender. The association of living with a spouse on older men's mental health was striking, while living with any family was found to be rather important for older women, aged 65-74 years.

Disability, compensatory behavior, and innovation in free-ranging adult female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata).

PubMed

Turner, Sarah E; Fedigan, Linda M; Matthews, H Damon; Nakamichi, Masayuki

2012-09-01

Little is known about consequences of disability in nonhuman primates, yet individuals with disabilities can reveal much about behavioral flexibility, innovation, and the capabilities of a species. The Macaca fuscata population surrounding the Awajishima Monkey Center has experienced high rates of congenital limb malformation for at least 40 years, creating a unique opportunity to examine consequences of physical impairment in situ, in a relatively large sample of free-ranging adult monkeys. Here we present behavioral data on 11 disabled adult females and 12 nondisabled controls from 279 hours of randomly ordered 30-minute focal animal follows collected during May-August in 2005, 2006, and 2007. We quantified numerous statistically significant disability-related behavioral differences among females. Disabled females spent less time begging for peanuts from tourists, and employed a behavioral variant of such peanut begging; they had a lower frequency of hand use in grooming and compensated with increased direct use of the mouth or a two-arm pinch technique; and they had a higher frequency of self-scratching, and more use of feet in self-scratching. Self-scratching against substrates was almost exclusively a disability associated behavior. Two females used habitual bipedalism. These differences not withstanding, disabled females behaved similarly to controls in many respects: overall reliance on provisioned and wild foods, time spent feeding, and feeding efficiency did not differ among females, and there was no time difference in behavior performed arboreally or terrestrially. Disabled adult females were able to compensate behaviorally to perform social and life-sustaining activities, modifying existing behaviors to suit their individual physical situations and, occasionally, inventing new ways of doing things. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparison of serum hormone levels of captive and free-living maned wolves Chrysocyon brachyurus.

PubMed

Maia, O B; Jácomo, A T A; Bringel, B A; Kashivakura, C K; Oliveira, C A; Teodoro, L O F; Silveira, L; Teixeira da Costa, M E L; Malta, M C C; Furtado, M M; Torres, N M; Mattos, P S R; Viau, P; Lima, T F G; Morato, R G

2008-02-01

Serum hormone levels were compared between captive and free-living maned wolves and seasonal variations of sex hormones were studied. Blood samples were collected from 16 male and 26 female adult animals from Brazilian zoos, and from 30 male and 24 female free-living adults to determine serum progesterone and testosterone by radioimmunoassay. Serum testosterone concentrations varied (P < 0.05) across seasons for 16 captive males, being higher in autumn (2184.7 +/- 355.1 pg/mL) than in summer (1080.7 +/- 205.4 pg/mL), winter (1270.1 +/- 276.6 pg/mL) and spring (963.9 +/- 248.1 pg/mL), although they did not differ between summer, winter and spring. Testosterone concentration of 30 free-living males differed (P < 0.05) between autumn (824.1 +/- 512.2 pg/mL), winter (14.4 +/- 8.0 pg/mL) and spring (151.9 +/- 90.5 pg/mL). Comparison between captive and free-living animals showed no difference in autumn (P > 0.05). Sixteen captive males showed higher testosterone concentration during winter and spring compared with 30 free-living animals (P < 0.05). Progesterone concentration varied among seasons in 26 captive females (P < 0.05), being higher in autumn (15.3 +/- 3.1 ng/mL) than in summer (6.6 +/- 1.5 ng/mL), winter (5.3 +/- 3.1 ng/mL) and spring (4.3 +/- 0.7 ng/mL). Progesterone concentration of 24 free-living females varied between autumn (17.1 +/- 6.0 ng/mL) and winter (1.7 +/- 0.3 ng/mL) (P < 0.05), but we could not obtain data for spring or summer. No difference in progesterone levels was observed between captive and free-living females in autumn and winter.

Barriers, Motivations, and Preferences for Physical Activity Among Female African American Older Adults.

PubMed

Gothe, Neha P; Kendall, Bradley J

2016-01-01

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, less than 11% of adults more than the age of 65 meet the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Among minority populations, only 5% of non-Hispanic Black older adults met the guidelines. Given our limited understanding of psychosocial and environmental factors that affect physical activity participation in these groups, the purpose of our focus groups was to investigate barriers, motivators, and preferences of physical activity for community-dwelling African American older adults. Three focus groups were conducted with female African American older adults ( N = 20). Questions posed to each focus group targeted motivations and barriers toward physical activity as well as their preferences for physical activity. The motivations included perceived health benefits of physical activity, social support, and enjoyment associated with engagement in physical activity. Prominent barriers included time and physical limitations, peer pressure and family responsibilities, and weather and poor neighborhood conditions. Group activities involving a dance component and novel exercises such as tai-chi or yoga were preferred choices. These findings should be taken into consideration when designing and implementing research or community physical activity programs for female African American older adults.

Preparing Twice Exceptional Students for Adult Lives: A Critical Need.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hua, C. Bruce; Coleman, Mary Ruth

2002-01-01

Six necessary program components to prepare gifted students with disabilities for productive adult lives are identified: provide challenging educational experiences along with supports, facilitate passion learning through enrichment activities, empower students through student-centered planning, develop self-advocacy, enhance positive social…

Lepidium meyenii (Maca) increases litter size in normal adult female mice

PubMed Central

Ruiz-Luna, Ana C; Salazar, Stephanie; Aspajo, Norma J; Rubio, Julio; Gasco, Manuel; Gonzales, Gustavo F

2005-01-01

Background Lepidium meyenii, known as Maca, grows exclusively in the Peruvian Andes over 4000 m altitude. It has been used traditionally to increase fertility. Previous scientific studies have demonstrated that Maca increases spermatogenesis and epididymal sperm count. The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of Maca on several fertility parameters of female mice at reproductive age. Methods Adult female Balb/C mice were divided at random into three main groups: i) Reproductive indexes group, ii) Implantation sites group and iii) Assessment of uterine weight in ovariectomized mice. Animals received an aqueous extract of lyophilized Yellow Maca (1 g/Kg BW) or vehicle orally as treatment. In the fertility indexes study, animals received the treatment before, during and after gestation. The fertility index, gestation index, post-natal viability index, weaning viability index and sex ratio were calculated. Sexual maturation was evaluated in the female pups by the vaginal opening (VO) day. In the implantation study, females were checked for implantation sites at gestation day 7 and the embryos were counted. In ovariectomized mice, the uterine weight was recorded at the end of treatment. Results Implantation sites were similar in mice treated with Maca and in controls. All reproductive indexes were similar in both groups of treatment. The number of pups per dam at birth and at postnatal day 4 was significantly higher in the group treated with Maca. VO day occurred earlier as litter size was smaller. Maca did not affect VO day. In ovariectomized mice, the treatment with Maca increased significantly the uterine weights in comparison to their respective control group. Conclusion Administration of aqueous extract of Yellow Maca to adult female mice increases the litter size. Moreover, this treatment increases the uterine weight in ovariectomized animals. Our study confirms for the first time some of the traditional uses of Maca to enhance female fertility. PMID

Lepidium meyenii (Maca) increases litter size in normal adult female mice.

PubMed

Ruiz-Luna, Ana C; Salazar, Stephanie; Aspajo, Norma J; Rubio, Julio; Gasco, Manuel; Gonzales, Gustavo F

2005-05-03

Lepidium meyenii, known as Maca, grows exclusively in the Peruvian Andes over 4000 m altitude. It has been used traditionally to increase fertility. Previous scientific studies have demonstrated that Maca increases spermatogenesis and epididymal sperm count. The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of Maca on several fertility parameters of female mice at reproductive age. Adult female Balb/C mice were divided at random into three main groups: i) Reproductive indexes group, ii) Implantation sites group and iii) Assessment of uterine weight in ovariectomized mice. Animals received an aqueous extract of lyophilized Yellow Maca (1 g/Kg BW) or vehicle orally as treatment. In the fertility indexes study, animals received the treatment before, during and after gestation. The fertility index, gestation index, post-natal viability index, weaning viability index and sex ratio were calculated. Sexual maturation was evaluated in the female pups by the vaginal opening (VO) day. In the implantation study, females were checked for implantation sites at gestation day 7 and the embryos were counted. In ovariectomized mice, the uterine weight was recorded at the end of treatment. Implantation sites were similar in mice treated with Maca and in controls. All reproductive indexes were similar in both groups of treatment. The number of pups per dam at birth and at postnatal day 4 was significantly higher in the group treated with Maca. VO day occurred earlier as litter size was smaller. Maca did not affect VO day. In ovariectomized mice, the treatment with Maca increased significantly the uterine weights in comparison to their respective control group. Administration of aqueous extract of Yellow Maca to adult female mice increases the litter size. Moreover, this treatment increases the uterine weight in ovariectomized animals. Our study confirms for the first time some of the traditional uses of Maca to enhance female fertility.

Live-Cell Imaging of Auxin and Cytokinin Signaling in Maize Female Gametophytes.

PubMed

Chettoor, Antony M; Evans, Matthew M S

2017-01-01

The plant life cycle is characterized by the alternation of generations between genetically active diploid sporophytes and haploid gametophytes. The gametophytes of flowering plants are sexually dimorphic. While the male gametophyte consists of only three cells (two sperm and a vegetative cell) and is released by the parent sporophyte, the female gametophyte (or embryo sac) is more complex and remains imbedded within diploid sporophyte tissues. In maize, the female gametophyte is embedded in a large ovule surrounded with multiple nucellar cell layers impeding live-cell imaging approaches to study embryo sac functions. Here, we describe a simple protocol to visualize embryo sacs with hormonal fluorescent reporters by increasing accessibility of the female gametophyte. The method described is applicable for visualization of any fluorescent embryo sac reporter. The embryo sacs visualization method developed for maize could be extended to facilitate visualization of embryos sac in other important cereals like wheat, rice, and oats.

Representations of Rural Lesbian Lives in Young Adult Fiction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keys, Wendy; Marshall, Elizabeth; Pini, Barbara

2017-01-01

This paper examines representations of rural lesbian lives in three young adult novels. The novels analysed are "Beauty of the broken" by Tawni Waters (2014), Julie Anne Peters (2005) "Pretend you love me", and "Forgive me if you've heard this one before" by Karelia Stetz-Waters (2014). The first of the novels by…

Dying online: live broadcasts of Chinese emerging adult suicides and crisis response behaviors.

PubMed

Ma, Jing; Zhang, Wei; Harris, Keith; Chen, Qiang; Xu, Xiaolin

2016-08-11

Social media and online environments are becoming increasingly popular and integral to modern lives. The online presentation of suicidal behaviors is an example of the importance of communication technologies, and the need for professionals to respond to a changing world. These types of behaviors, however, have rarely been scientifically analyzed. This study aimed to examine the behaviors of both suicide broadcasters and their audience, with attention on prevention/crisis opportunities. Multiple case studies were employed to explore live-broadcast suicide by Chinese emerging adults (aged 18-25 years). Six cases were selected (four males, two females; aged 19-24, M = 21.60, SD = 2.25), retrieved from 190 public documents (case range = 5 to 32; M = 11.50, SD = 10.37). A qualitative study based on grounded theory was adopted. Information on case background, stages, participants and their behaviors were collected. (1) Five stages of blogcast suicide incidents were revealed, including: Signaling, Initial reactions, Live blogcast of suicide attempts, Crisis responses, and Final outcomes. (2) Common behavioral trends (e.g., comforting, verbal abuse) were identified from the blogcast participants (e.g., active audience, peers, parents and police). (3) Suicide blogcasters exhibited tendencies to communicated signs of pain and cries for help. This multi-case study found live presentations of suicidal behaviors offered unique opportunities to respond to suicidal crises, and also to learn more about the relationships between suicidal people and potential help sources. Findings showed many audience members wanted to be helpful but lacked appropriate skills or knowledge. Others engaged in suicide cyberbullying. The social media is an environment in the making. This study revealed that increasing knowledge and skills for crisis response and suicide prevention is needed. Such efforts could lead to empowered netizens and a more hospitable online world.

Weight-control behaviors and subsequent weight change among adolescents and young adult females123

PubMed Central

Haines, Jess; Rosner, Bernard; Willett, Walter C

2010-01-01

Background: Little is known about the effectiveness of behavioral strategies to prevent long-term weight gain among adolescents and young adults. Objective: The objective was to assess the relation of dietary and physical activity weight-control strategies, alone and together, with subsequent weight change. Design: This was a prospective study of 4456 female adolescents and young adults aged 14–22 y in the ongoing Growing Up Today Study. Weight-control behaviors, including dietary approaches and physical activity, were self-reported in 2001 and were used to predict weight change from 2001 to 2005. Results: In 2001–2002, 23.7% of female adolescents and young adults were trying to maintain their weight and another 54.4% were trying to lose weight. Approximately 25% used each of the following weight-control strategies: not eating snacks, following low-calorie or low-fat diets, and limiting portion sizes. In addition, 47.7% reported exercising at least occasionally for weight control. During 4 y of follow-up, participants gained an average of 3.3 kg. None of the dietary approaches to weight control predicted less weight change; however, females who exercised ≥5 d/wk gained significantly less weight than did their peers (−0.9 kg; 95% CI: −1.4, −0.4). The most successful strategy for weight-gain prevention among the females was to limit portion sizes (−1.9 kg; 95% CI: −2.6, −1.1) combined with frequent exercise. Conclusions: Our results suggest that physical activity is a necessary strategy for long-term weight control among adolescents and young adult females. Combining dietary weight-control approaches with physical activity is the most effective method for reducing weight gain. PMID:19889827

[Influence of Mapuche origin and socioeconomic conditions on adult height].

PubMed

Erazo B, Marcia; Amigo C, Hugo; Bustos M, Patricia

2005-04-01

Studies in Chilean adults of low socioeconomic level suggest that their low height is likely to be due to their indigenous background. However this group also has been marginalized from socioeconomic development. To determine the influence of Mapuche ethnic origin and socioeconomic factors on the height of adults. In a cross sectional design, the height of 1,293 adults (528 males and 765 females) of Mapuche and non Mapuche origin were studied in the Araucania Region (Southern Chile) and in the Metropolitan Region (Central Chile). Subjects with Mapuche surnames were considered as pertaining to this ethnic community and those with Spanish surnames were considered as non Mapuche. Linear regression models were done, stratifying by sex, considering ethnic origin, to live in counties of different social vulnerability, and the level of family poverty. Among males, the mean height was 166.6+/-7.3 cm and among females, the figure was 153.6+/-5.9 cm. Mapuche subjects were significantly shorter: -3.2 cm (95% Confidence Interval (CI) -4.0 to -2.3) among females and -4.8 cm (CI -6.0 to -3.6) among males (non adjusted models). This deficit increased to -4.5 and -7.6 cm among females and males, respectively when they lived in poverty and in areas with highest social vulnerability. These differences decreased significantly if Mapuche subjects lived in communities with low social vulnerability and less poverty (-0.59 and -1.14 cm among females and males respectively). The studied population had low height, being lower in Mapuche subjects. The differences decreased among subjects living in counties of less vulnerability and less family poverty.

Balancing Act: A Phenomenological Study of Female Adult Learners Who Successfully Persisted in Graduate Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepherd, Jeff; Nelson, Barbara Mullins

2012-01-01

A study was conducted utilizing Cross' (1981) barriers to adult learning as a framework to better understand how adults successfully complete their graduate studies. Participants in the study were solicited via Facebook and LinkedIn. Three female adult learners who persisted in their graduate studies while balancing demands outside academics…

Using Simultaneous Prompting to Teach Independent Living and Leisure Skills to Adults with Severe Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dollar, Chad A.; Fredrick, Laura D.; Alberto, Paul A.; Luke, Jaye K.

2012-01-01

The acquisition of independent living and leisure skills enables adults to experience an enhanced quality of life by increasing competence, self-reliance, and the development of autonomy. This study examined the effectiveness of simultaneous prompting to teach behavior chains (i.e., independent living and leisure skills) to adults with SID…

The Impact of Spiritual Learning on the Lives of Adults in Postsecondary Martial Arts Educational Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ingram, Jeffrey G.

2017-01-01

This study investigated whether spiritual learning impacts the lives of adult learners in martial arts educational programs. The impact of spirituality has been claimed as a meaningful connection; however, it is not currently known how spiritual learning impacts the lives and experiences of adult learners with these programs. Spiritual learning…

Living environment and mobility of older adults.

PubMed

Cress, M Elaine; Orini, Stefania; Kinsler, Laura

2011-01-01

Older adults often elect to move into smaller living environments. Smaller living space and the addition of services provided by a retirement community (RC) may make living easier for the individual, but it may also reduce the amount of daily physical activity and ultimately reduce functional ability. With home size as an independent variable, the primary purpose of this study was to evaluate daily physical activity and physical function of community dwellers (CD; n = 31) as compared to residents of an RC (n = 30). In this cross-sectional study design, assessments included: the Continuous Scale Physical Functional Performance - 10 test, with a possible range of 0-100, higher scores reflecting better function; Step Activity Monitor (StepWatch 3.1); a physical activity questionnaire, the area of the home (in square meters). Groups were compared by one-way ANOVA. A general linear regression model was used to predict the number of steps per day at home. The level of significance was p < 0.05. Of the 61 volunteers (mean age: 79 ± 6.3 years; range: 65-94 years), the RC living space (68 ± 37.7 m(2)) was 62% smaller than the CD living space (182.8 ± 77.9 m(2); p = 0.001). After correcting for age, the RC took fewer total steps per day excluding exercise (p = 0.03) and had lower function (p = 0.005) than the CD. On average, RC residents take 3,000 steps less per day and have approximately 60% of the living space of a CD. Home size and physical function were primary predictors of the number of steps taken at home, as found using a general linear regression analysis. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Spirituality: A Coping Mechanism in the Lives of Adults with Congenital Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Specht, Jacqueline A.; King, Gillian A.; Willoughby, Colleen; Brown, Elizabeth G.; Smith, Linda

2005-01-01

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the perspective of individuals with congenital disabilities about spirituality as a coping mechanism during crucial times in their lives, Qualitative analysis of interviews assessing turning points in the lives of 15 adults (6 women and 9 men; M = 37 years) with spina bifida, cerebral palsy, or…

The structure of coping among older adults living with HIV/AIDS and depressive symptoms

PubMed Central

Hansen, Nathan B; Harrison, Blair; Fambro, Stacy; Bodnar, Sara; Heckman, Timothy G; Sikkema, Kathleen J

2013-01-01

One-third of adults living with HIV/AIDS are over the age of 50. This study evaluated the structure of coping among 307 older adults living with HIV/AIDS. Participants completed 61 coping items and measures of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and coping self-efficacy. Exploratory factor analyses retained 40 coping items loading on five specific first order factors (Distancing Avoidance, Social Support Seeking, Self-Destructive Avoidance, Spiritual Coping, and Solution-Focused Coping) and two general second order factors (Active and Avoidant Coping). Factors demonstrated good reliability and validity. Results suggest that general coping factors should be considered with specific factors when measuring coping among older adults. PMID:22453164

Increased Risks of Needing Long-Term Care Among Older Adults Living With Same-Sex Partners

PubMed Central

Brodoff, Lisa

2013-01-01

Objectives. We examined whether older individuals living with same-sex partners face greater risks of needing long-term care than their counterparts living with different-sex partners or spouses. Methods. With data on older couples (at least 1 individual aged 60 years or older) from the 2009 American Community Survey, we estimated logistic regression models of 2 activity limitations that signal a long-term care need: difficulty dressing or bathing and difficulty doing errands alone. Results. When we controlled for age, race/ethnicity, and education, older women who lived with female partners were statistically significantly more likely than those who lived with male partners or spouses to have difficulty dressing or bathing. Older men who lived with male partners were statistically significantly more likely than those who lived with female spouses or partners to need assistance with errands. Conclusions. Older individuals living with same-sex partners face greater risks of needing long-term care than those living with different-sex partners or spouses, but the role of relationship status differs by gender. These findings suggest more broadly that older gay men and lesbians may face greater risks of needing long-term care than their heterosexual counterparts. PMID:23763396

Sperm-storage defects and live birth in Drosophila females lacking spermathecal secretory cells.

PubMed

Schnakenberg, Sandra L; Matias, Wilfredo R; Siegal, Mark L

2011-11-01

Male Drosophila flies secrete seminal-fluid proteins that mediate proper sperm storage and fertilization, and that induce changes in female behavior. Females also produce reproductive-tract secretions, yet their contributions to postmating physiology are poorly understood. Large secretory cells line the female's spermathecae, a pair of sperm-storage organs. We identified the regulatory regions controlling transcription of two genes exclusively expressed in these spermathecal secretory cells (SSC): Spermathecal endopeptidase 1 (Send1), which is expressed in both unmated and mated females, and Spermathecal endopeptidase 2 (Send2), which is induced by mating. We used these regulatory sequences to perform precise genetic ablations of the SSC at distinct time points relative to mating. We show that the SSC are required for recruiting sperm to the spermathecae, but not for retaining sperm there. The SSC also act at a distance in the reproductive tract, in that their ablation: (1) reduces sperm motility in the female's other sperm-storage organ, the seminal receptacle; and (2) causes ovoviviparity--the retention and internal development of fertilized eggs. These results establish the reproductive functions of the SSC, shed light on the evolution of live birth, and open new avenues for studying and manipulating female fertility in insects.

Impact of family characteristics by marital status of cohabitating adult children on depression among Korean older adults.

PubMed

Kim, Juyeong; Choi, Young; Choi, Jae Woo; Nam, Jin Young; Park, Eun-Cheol

2017-12-01

To identify the association between different living arrangements of intergenerational household composition and depression in older adults. Data from the Korea Longitudinal Study of Aging, the first to fourth waves, were used. Using the first wave as baseline, our analysis included 5046 participants aged ≥60 years with at least one living child. Depression was measured using the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale. Factors investigated included living arrangements according to household composition and the marital status of a cohabiting adult child. A generalized estimating equation with the logit link for binary outcomes was used to examine the association between living arrangements and depression. Compared with the older adults living with a married child and grandchildren, those living alone, those living with an unmarried child, and those living with an unmarried child and grandchildren were more likely to have depression (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.13-1.75; OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.18-1.66; OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.27-2.01). In particular, women were more likely to have depression than men in the association between living arrangements and depression. Efforts should be made to provide social services for older adults living alone and those living with an unmarried child in a two-/three-generation family, in particular, for those who are female. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 2527-2536. © 2017 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Female mice lack adult germ-line stem cells but sustain oogenesis using stable primordial follicles.

PubMed

Lei, Lei; Spradling, Allan C

2013-05-21

Whether or not mammalian females generate new oocytes during adulthood from germ-line stem cells to sustain the ovarian follicle pool has recently generated controversy. We used a sensitive lineage-labeling system to determine whether stem cells are needed in female adult mice to compensate for follicular losses and to directly identify active germ-line stem cells. Primordial follicles generated during fetal life are highly stable, with a half-life during adulthood of 10 mo, and thus are sufficient to sustain adult oogenesis without a source of renewal. Moreover, in normal mice or following germ-cell depletion with Busulfan, only stable, single oocytes are lineage-labeled, rather than cell clusters indicative of new oocyte formation. Even one germ-line stem cell division per 2 wk would have been detected by our method, based on the kinetics of fetal follicle formation. Thus, adult female mice neither require nor contain active germ-line stem cells or produce new oocytes in vivo.

Factors associated with attendance in 12-step groups (Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous) among adults with alcohol problems living with HIV/AIDS.

PubMed

Orwat, John; Samet, Jeffrey H; Tompkins, Christopher P; Cheng, Debbie M; Dentato, Michael P; Saitz, Richard

2011-01-15

Despite the value of 12-step meetings, few studies have examined factors associated with attendance among those living with HIV/AIDS, such as the impact of HIV disease severity and demographics. This study examines predisposing characteristics, enabling resources and need on attendance at Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings among those living with HIV/AIDS and alcohol problems. Secondary analysis of prospective data from the HIV-Longitudinal Interrelationships of Viruses and Ethanol study, a cohort of 400 adults living with HIV/AIDS and alcohol problems. Factors associated with AA/NA attendance were identified using the Anderson model for vulnerable populations. Generalized estimating equation logistic regression models were fit to identify factors associated with self-reported AA/NA attendance. At study entry, subjects were 75% male, 12% met diagnostic criteria for alcohol dependence, 43% had drug dependence and 56% reported attending one or more AA/NA meetings (past 6 months). In the adjusted model, female gender negatively associated with attendance, as were social support systems that use alcohol and/or drugs, while presence of HCV antibody, drug dependence diagnosis, and homelessness associated with higher odds of attendance. Non-substance abuse related barriers to AA/NA group attendance exist for those living with HIV/AIDS, including females and social support systems that use alcohol and/or drugs. Positive associations of homelessness, HCV infection and current drug dependence were identified. These findings provide implications for policy makers and treatment professionals who wish to encourage attendance at 12-step meetings for those living with HIV/AIDS and alcohol or other substance use problems. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors associated with attendance in 12-step groups (Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous) among adults with alcohol problems living with HIV/AIDS

PubMed Central

Orwat, John; Samet, Jeffrey H.; Tompkins, Christopher P.; Cheng, Debbie M.; Dentato, Michael P.; Saitz, Richard

2013-01-01

Background Despite the value of 12-step meetings, few studies have examined factors associated with attendance among those living with HIV/AIDS, such as the impact of HIV disease severity and demographics. Objective This study examines predisposing characteristics, enabling resources and need on attendance at Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings among those living with HIV/AIDS and alcohol problems. Methods Secondary analysis of prospective data from the HIV-Longitudinal Interrelationships of Viruses and Ethanol study, a cohort of 400 adults living with HIV/AIDS and alcohol problems. Factors associated with AA/NA attendance were identified using the Anderson model for vulnerable populations. Generalized estimating equation logistic regression models were fit to identify factors associated with self-reported AA/NA attendance. Results At study entry, subjects were 75% male, 12% met diagnostic criteria for alcohol dependence, 43% had drug dependence and 56% reported attending one or more AA/NA meetings (past six months). In the adjusted model, female gender negatively associated with attendance, as were social support systems that use alcohol and/or drugs, while presence of HCV antibody, drug dependence diagnosis, and homelessness associated with higher odds of attendance. Conclusions Non-substance abuse related barriers to AA/NA group attendance exist for those living with HIV/AIDS, including females and social support systems that use alcohol and/or drugs. Positive associations of homelessness, HCV infection and current drug dependence were identified. These findings provide implications for policy makers and treatment professionals who wish to encourage attendance at 12-step meetings for those living with HIV/AIDS and alcohol or other substance use problems. PMID:20832197

Determinants of female dispersal in Thomas langurs.

PubMed

Sterck, E H

1997-01-01

Female dispersal occurs in a number of primate species. It may be related to: avoidance of inbreeding, reduction in food competition, reduction of predation risk, or avoidance of infanticide in combination with mate choice. Female dispersal was studied for a 5-year period in a wild population of Thomas langurs (Presbytis thomasi) that lived in one-male multi-female groups. Juvenile and adult individuals of both sexes were seen to disperse. Females appeared to transfer unhindered between groups, mostly from a larger group to a recently formed smaller one. They transferred without their infants and when not pregnant, and seemed to transfer preferentially during periods when extra-group males were harassing their group. During these inter-group encounters extra-group males seemed to try to commit infanticide. Thus, the timing of female transfer was probably closely linked to infanticide avoidance. Moreover, females seemed to transfer when the resident male of their group was no longer a good protector. The observations in the present study suggest that females transferred to reduce the risk of infanticide. Female dispersal may have another ultimate advantage as well, namely inbreeding avoidance. Due to the dispersal of both females and males the social organization of Thomas langurs was rather fluid. New groups were formed when females joined a male; male takeovers were not observed. Bisexual groups had only a limited life span, because all adult females of a bisexual group could emigrate. This pattern of unhindered female dispersal affects male reproductive strategies, and in particular it might lead to infanticidal behavior during inter-group encounters.

Validity of questions about activities of daily living to screen for dependency in older adults

PubMed Central

Rebouças, Monica; Coelho-Filho, João Macedo; Veras, Renato Peixoto; Lima-Costa, Maria Fernanda; Ramos, Luiz Roberto

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To determine the criterion validity of the activities of daily living present in functionality questionnaires in older adults for population surveys and to identify which activities are valid to quantify the real daily need for help of this population. METHODS This is a population sample of older adults stratified by levels of functionality, according to self-perception of dependency in the activities of daily living. Self-perception was compared with the gold standard – direct observation of these activities in the household of older adults by a trained professional, blinded to the answers in the questionnaire. At the visit, it was decided if the older adult needed help to perform any of the activities of daily living for the research. The sensitivity of each activity of daily living was greater when the self-assessment that there was no need for help coincided with the assessment of the professional. Specificity indicates coincidence regarding the need for help in the activities of daily living – coefficients of sensitivity and specificity above 70% were considered as indicative of good validity. RESULTS Self-assessments showed better sensitivity than specificity – older adults and observers agreed more on daily independency than on dependency. All activities showed sensitivity above 70%. Some activities had low (go shopping: 55%) or very low specificity (brush the hair: 33%). The best specificities were to take a shower and dress up (95.8% for both), among the personal ones, and to use transportation and perform banking transactions (78% for both), among the instrumental ones. CONCLUSIONS Activities of daily living can be valid indicators of functional dependence. The best coefficients of validity were generally obtained for personal activities. Some activities with good sensitivities and specificities – walk 100 meters, take a shower, and lie down in and get out of the bed – can be used to classify older adults into low, average

Hybrid computational phantoms representing the reference adult male and adult female: construction and applications for retrospective dosimetry.

PubMed

Hurtado, Jorge L; Lee, Choonsik; Lodwick, Daniel; Goede, Timothy; Williams, Jonathan L; Bolch, Wesley E

2012-03-01

Currently, two classes of computational phantoms have been developed for dosimetry calculation: (1) stylized (or mathematical) and (2) voxel (or tomographic) phantoms describing human anatomy through mathematical surface equations and 3D voxel matrices, respectively. Mathematical surface equations in stylized phantoms are flexible, but the resulting anatomy is not as realistic. Voxel phantoms display far better anatomical realism, but they are limited in terms of their ability to alter organ shape, position, and depth, as well as body posture. A new class of computational phantoms called hybrid phantoms takes advantage of the best features of stylized and voxel phantoms-flexibility and anatomical realism, respectively. In the current study, hybrid computational phantoms representing the adult male and female reference anatomy and anthropometry are presented. These phantoms serve as the starting framework for creating patient or worker sculpted whole-body phantoms for retrospective dose reconstruction. Contours of major organs and tissues were converted or segmented from computed tomography images of a 36-y-old Korean volunteer and a 25-y-old U.S. female patient, respectively, with supplemental high-resolution CT images of the cranium. Polygon mesh models for the major organs and tissues were reconstructed and imported into Rhinoceros™ for non-uniform rational B-spline (NURBS) surface modeling. The resulting NURBS/polygon mesh models representing body contour and internal anatomy were matched to anthropometric data and reference organ mass data provided by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and International Commission on Radiation Protection, respectively. Finally, two hybrid adult male and female phantoms were completed where a total of eight anthropometric data categories were matched to standard values within 4% and organ volumes matched to ICRP data within 1% with the exception of total skin. The hybrid phantoms were voxelized from the NURBS phantoms

Are Males and Females Sexually Abused as Children Socially Anxious Adults?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rojas, Ariz; Kinder, Bill N.

2009-01-01

It is well documented that childhood sexual abuse is associated with deleterious outcomes in the areas of anxiety, depression, and sexual functioning. However, very little research has been conducted to specifically investigate childhood sexual abuse's relationship to adult social anxiety in both males and females. Participants included 250…

Conversational Entrainment of Vocal Fry in Young Adult Female American English Speakers.

PubMed

Borrie, Stephanie A; Delfino, Christine R

2017-07-01

Conversational entrainment, the natural tendency for people to modify their behaviors to more closely match their communication partner, is examined as one possible mechanism modulating the prevalence of vocal fry in the speech of young American women engaged in spoken dialogue. Twenty young adult female American English speakers engaged in two spoken dialogue tasks-one with a young adult female American English conversational partner who exhibited substantial vocal fry and one with a young adult female American English conversational partner who exhibited quantifiably less vocal fry. Dialogues were analyzed for proportion of vocal fry, by speaker, and two measures of communicative success (efficiency and enjoyment). Participants employed significantly more vocal fry when conversing with the partner who exhibited substantial vocal fry than when conversing with the partner who exhibited quantifiably less vocal fry. Further, greater similarity between communication partners in their use of vocal fry tracked with higher scores of communicative efficiency and communicative enjoyment. Conversational entrainment offers a mechanistic framework that may be used to explain, to some degree, the frequency with which vocal fry is employed by young American women engaged in spoken dialogue. Further, young American women who modulated their vocal patterns during dialogue to match those of their conversational partner gained more efficiency and enjoyment from their interactions, demonstrating the cognitive and social benefits of entrainment. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Companionship in the neighborhood context: older adults' living arrangements and perceptions of social cohesion.

PubMed

Bromell, Lea; Cagney, Kathleen A

2014-03-01

This study investigated the impact of neighborhood social cohesion on the perceived companionship of nearly 1,500 community-dwelling older adults from the Neighborhood, Organization, Aging and Health project (NOAH), a Chicago-based study of older adult well-being in the neighborhood context. We hypothesized that the relationship between neighborhood-level social cohesion and individual residents' reports of companionship would be more pronounced among those who lived alone than those who resided with others. Controlling for age, gender, education, race, marital status, length of neighborhood residence, and self-rated health, neighborhood social cohesion predicted companionship among those who lived alone; for a one-unit increase in neighborhood social cohesion, the odds of reporting companionship increased by half. In contrast, social cohesion did not predict the companionship of those who resided with others. The results suggest that older adults who live alone particularly profit from the benefits of socially cohesive neighborhood environments. © The Author(s) 2013.

Housing for Female Factory Workers: The Association between Renting Accommodation and Satisfaction with Income and Living Conditions

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Quynh Thuy; Tran, Thuy Thi Thu; Phan, Chinh Thi Thuy; Pham, Tuan Cong

2016-01-01

Background Vietnam has experienced a strong wave of migrants to urban and industrialized areas. This is a challenge for both local and national governments, which need to address the problems of the poor and socially marginalized, including providing housing for rural-to-urban migrants. Poor housing and the economic burden of house renting are increasingly recognized as determinants of both physical and mental health. Objectives This paper examined the association between renting accommodation and income satisfaction and living conditions of female workers in light manufacturing industries in Vietnam. Methods A cross-sectional study was implemented with quantitative survey of 2,818 female workers in 10 light manufacturing factories in 3 industrial zones by a self-administered questionnaire. Results Over 38% of female workers had to rent accommodation. The average expense for accommodation, water and electricity accounted for 30.1% of renters' income, which is 7.2% (CI 95%, 5.3–9.3%) higher than for non-renters. A higher proportion of renters than non-renters considered their income was unstable and insufficient for living costs. In addition, only 7.2% of renters reported that their living conditions were suitable, notably lower than non-renters (22.4%). Conclusion The study showed the economic burden of renting accommodation on workers' income satisfaction and living conditions. The findings have implications for an adequate housing access strategy for workers including the integration of housing development in the planning and development of industrial zones and factories. PMID:29546198

Interspecific pheromone plume interference among sympatric heliothine moths: a wind tunnel test using live, calling females.

PubMed

Lelito, Jonathan P; Myrick, Andrew J; Baker, Thomas C

2008-06-01

Three species of North American heliothine moths were used to determine the level at which interspecific female interference of male attraction to conspecific females occurs. We used live calling females of Heliothis virescens, H. subflexa, and Helicoverpa zea, as lures for conspecific males in a wind tunnel, and then placed heterospecific females on either side of the original species such that the plumes of the three females overlapped downwind. In nearly all combinations, in the presence of heterospecific females, fewer males flew upwind and contacted or courted the source than when only conspecific females were used in the same spatial arrangement. Males did not initiate upwind flight to solely heterospecific female arrangements. Our results show that the naturally emitted pheromone plumes from heterospecific females of these three species can interfere with the ability of females to attract conspecific males when multiple females are in close proximity. However, the fact that some males still located their calling, conspecific females attests to the ability of these male moths to discriminate point source odors by processing the conflicting information from interleaved strands of attractive and antagonistic odor filaments on a split-second basis.

Female children with incarcerated adult family members at risk for life-long neurological decline

PubMed Central

Brewer-Smyth, Kathleen; Pohlig, Ryan T.; Bucurescu, Gabriel

2016-01-01

A secondary analysis of data from adult female prison inmates in the mid-Atlantic United States defined relationships between having incarcerated adult family members during childhood and neurological outcomes. Of 135 inmates, 99(73%) had one or more incarcerated adult family members during childhood. Regression analyses revealed that having incarcerated adult family members was related to greater frequency and severity of childhood abuse and higher incidence of neurological deficits in adulthood, especially related to traumatic brain injuries, compared to those without incarcerated adult family members. Along with being role models, adult family members impact the neurological health of children throughout their lifespan. PMID:26788781

Healthy living according to adults with intellectual disabilities: towards tailoring health promotion initiatives.

PubMed

Kuijken, N M J; Naaldenberg, J; Nijhuis-van der Sanden, M W; van Schrojenstein-Lantman de Valk, H M J

2016-03-01

A healthy lifestyle can prevent several health problems experienced by adults with intellectual disabilities (ID). For the development of effective and usable health promoting interventions for people with ID, the perspective of the intended audience should be taken into account. The aim of this qualitative study was to gain insight into the perspectives of people with mild to moderate ID on healthy living. Qualitative study. Five semi-structured focus groups were conducted with a total of 21 adults with mild to moderate ID in the Netherlands. Discussions focused on three main themes: (1) perceptions of own health, (2) what participants consider as healthy living and (3) factors experienced to be related to the ability to live healthily. Interviews were analysed thematically resulting in two main domains: (1) perceptions of what is healthy and unhealthy and (2) factors that participants experience to be related to their ability to live healthily. For participants, healthy living entails more than healthy food and exercising: feeling healthy, happiness and level of independence are perceived as important as well. Factors experienced to relate to their ability to live healthily were (a lack of) motivation, support from others and environmental factors such as available health education, (a lack of) facilities and a(n) (dis)advantageous location of work or residence. This qualitative study shows that adults with mild to moderate ID have a good understanding of what being healthy and living healthily constitute. As they face several difficulties in their attempts to live healthily, existing health promotion programmes for people with ID must be tailored to individual preferences and motivations and adapted for individual physical disabilities. Moreover, because of their dependency on others, tailoring should also be focused on the resources and hindering factors in their physical and social environment. © 2015 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific

Social Resources and Disordered Living Conditions: Evidence from a National Sample of Community-Residing Older Adults

PubMed Central

Cornwell, Erin York

2015-01-01

For older adults aging in the community, living conditions can promote health, enhance coping, and reduce disablement – but they can also create stress and increase risks of illness, accidents, and decline. While socioeconomic disparities in housing likely contribute to inequalities in interior conditions, I argue that living conditions are also shaped by social resources such as co-residential relationships, social network ties, and social support. In this paper, I examine the distribution of a set of risky or stressful physical and ambient living conditions including structural disrepair, clutter, lack of cleanliness, noise, and odor. Using data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP), I find that low income and African American older adults have more disordered living conditions, as do those with poorer physical and mental health. In addition, older adults who have a co-resident partner, more non-residential network ties, and more sources of instrumental support are exposed to fewer risky or harmful living conditions. This suggests that living conditions are an important, though overlooked, mechanism through which household composition, social networks, and social support affect health and well being in later life. PMID:25651314

Religiosity and spirituality as resilience strategies among long-living older adults in their daily lives.

PubMed

Reis, Luana Araújo Dos; Menezes, Tânia Maria de Oliva

2017-01-01

to investigate religiosity and spirituality as a resilience strategy for the long-living older adults in their daily lives. Qualitative research of phenomenological approach based on Martin Heidegger thoughts. Interviews were conducted with 14 older adults registered at a family health unit in the city of Jequié, BA, Brazil. The data were analyzed in the light of Being and Time. The results revealed that God occupies a central position in their lives, and the reading of the bible, praying the rosary and prayers are resilience strategies used for coping with unfavorable situations, recovery and/or maintenance of health, personal and family protection, and, above all, the experience of a satisfactory aging. Religiosity and spirituality were presented as an important resilience strategy in the existence of older adults, showing that through them it is possible to achieve well-being and cope with health and social problems. Desvelar a religiosidade e espiritualidade nas estratégias de resiliência do idoso longevo no cotidiano. Pesquisa qualitativa de abordagem fenomenológica fundamentada no pensamento de Martin Heidegger. Foram realizadas entrevistas com 14 pessoas idosas longevas cadastradas em uma unidade de saúde da família no município de Jequié, BA, Brasil. Os dados foram analisados à luz de Ser e Tempo. Desvelaram que Deus ocupa uma posição central em suas vidas, e a leitura da bíblia, a reza do terço e a oração são estratégias de resiliência utilizadas para o enfretamento de situações desfavoráveis, a recuperação e/ou manutenção da saúde, a proteção pessoal e familiar e, sobretudo, a vivência de uma velhice satisfatória. A religiosidade e espiritualidade foram desveladas como importante estratégia de resiliência no existir da pessoa idosa longeva, sinalizando que, por meio dela, é possível alcançar o bem-estar e enfrentar problemas de saúde e sociais.

Female Reproductive Health After Childhood, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancers: Guidelines for the Assessment and Management of Female Reproductive Complications

PubMed Central

Metzger, Monika L.; Meacham, Lillian R.; Patterson, Briana; Casillas, Jacqueline S.; Constine, Louis S.; Hijiya, Nobuko; Kenney, Lisa B.; Leonard, Marcia; Lockart, Barbara A.; Likes, Wendy; Green, Daniel M.

2013-01-01

Purpose As more young female patients with cancer survive their primary disease, concerns about reproductive health related to primary therapy gain relevance. Cancer therapy can often affect reproductive organs, leading to impaired pubertal development, hormonal regulation, fertility, and sexual function, affecting quality of life. Methods The Children's Oncology Group Long-Term Follow-Up Guidelines for Survivors of Childhood, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancer (COG-LTFU Guidelines) are evidence-based recommendations for screening and management of late effects of therapeutic exposures. The guidelines are updated every 2 years by a multidisciplinary panel based on current literature review and expert consensus. Results This review summarizes the current task force recommendations for the assessment and management of female reproductive complications after treatment for childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancers. Experimental pretreatment as well as post-treatment fertility preservation strategies, including barriers and ethical considerations, which are not included in the COG-LTFU Guidelines, are also discussed. Conclusion Ongoing research will continue to inform COG-LTFU Guideline recommendations for follow-up care of female survivors of childhood cancer to improve their health and quality of life. PMID:23382474

A Comparison of the Abuse Experiences of Male and Female Adults Molested as Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kendall-Tackett, Kathleen A.; Simon, Arthur F.

To determine whether the molestation experiences of boys and girls differ, this study analyzed data from 365 adults (40 male and 325 female) molested as children, and compared findings for males and females on the identity of the perpetrator, age at onset and end of molestation, duration of molestation, type of sexual acts, and whether the…

Parents are a drag: long-lived birds share the cost of increased foraging effort with their offspring, but males pass on more of the costs than females.

PubMed

Jacobs, Shoshanah R; Elliott, Kyle Hamish; Gaston, Anthony J

2013-01-01

Life history theory predicts that parents will balance benefits from investment in current offspring against benefits from future reproductive investments. Long-lived organisms are therefore less likely to increase parental effort when environmental conditions deteriorate. To investigate the effect of decreased foraging capacity on parental behaviour of long-lived monogamous seabirds, we experimentally increased energy costs for chick-rearing thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia). Handicapped birds had lighter chicks and lower provisioning rates, supporting the prediction that long-lived animals would pass some of the costs of impaired foraging ability on to their offspring. Nonetheless, handicapped birds spent less time underwater, had longer inter-dive surface intervals, had lower body mass, showed lower resighting probabilities in subsequent years and consumed fewer risky prey items. Corticosterone levels were similar between control and handicapped birds. Apparently, adults shared some of the costs of impaired foraging, but those costs were not measurable in all metrics. Handicapped males had higher plasma neutral lipid concentrations (higher energy mobilisation) and their chicks exhibited lower growth rates than handicapped females, suggesting different sex-specific investment strategies. Unlike other studies of auks, partners did not compensate for handicapping, despite good foraging conditions for unhandicapped birds. In conclusion, parental murres and their offspring shared the costs of experimentally increased foraging constraints, with females investing more than males.

Parents are a Drag: Long-Lived Birds Share the Cost of Increased Foraging Effort with Their Offspring, but Males Pass on More of the Costs than Females

PubMed Central

Jacobs, Shoshanah R.; Elliott, Kyle Hamish; Gaston, Anthony J.

2013-01-01

Life history theory predicts that parents will balance benefits from investment in current offspring against benefits from future reproductive investments. Long-lived organisms are therefore less likely to increase parental effort when environmental conditions deteriorate. To investigate the effect of decreased foraging capacity on parental behaviour of long-lived monogamous seabirds, we experimentally increased energy costs for chick-rearing thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia). Handicapped birds had lighter chicks and lower provisioning rates, supporting the prediction that long-lived animals would pass some of the costs of impaired foraging ability on to their offspring. Nonetheless, handicapped birds spent less time underwater, had longer inter-dive surface intervals, had lower body mass, showed lower resighting probabilities in subsequent years and consumed fewer risky prey items. Corticosterone levels were similar between control and handicapped birds. Apparently, adults shared some of the costs of impaired foraging, but those costs were not measurable in all metrics. Handicapped males had higher plasma neutral lipid concentrations (higher energy mobilisation) and their chicks exhibited lower growth rates than handicapped females, suggesting different sex-specific investment strategies. Unlike other studies of auks, partners did not compensate for handicapping, despite good foraging conditions for unhandicapped birds. In conclusion, parental murres and their offspring shared the costs of experimentally increased foraging constraints, with females investing more than males. PMID:23382921

Causes of adult female deaths in Bangladesh: findings from two National Surveys.

PubMed

Nahar, Quamrun; El Arifeen, Shams; Jamil, Kanta; Streatfield, Peter Kim

2015-09-18

Assessment of causes of death and changes in pattern of causes of death over time are needed for programmatic purposes. Limited national level data exist on the adult female causes of death in Bangladesh. Using data from two nationally representation surveys, the 2001 and 2010 Bangladesh Maternal Mortality Surveys (BMMS), the paper examines the causes of adult female death, aged 15-49 years, and changes in the patterns of these deaths. In both surveys, all household deaths three years prior to the survey were identified. Adult female deaths were then followed by a verbal autopsy (VA) using the WHO structured questionnaire. Two physicians independently reviewed the VA forms to assign a cause of death using the ICD-10; in case of disagreement, a third physician made an independent review and assigned a cause of death. The overall mortality rates for women aged 15-49 in 2001 and 2010 were 182 per 100,000 and 120 per 100,000 respectively. There is a shift in the pattern of causes of death during the period covered by the two surveys. In the 2001 survey, the main causes of death were maternal (20 %), followed by diseases of the circulatory system (15 %), malignancy (14 %) and infectious diseases (13 %). However, in the 2010 survey, malignancies were the leading cause (21 %), followed by diseases of the circulatory system (16 %), maternal causes (14 %) and infectious diseases (8 %). While maternal deaths remained the number one cause of death among 20-34 years old in both surveys, unnatural deaths were the main cause for teenage deaths, and malignancies were the main cause of death for older women. Although there is an increasing trend in the proportion of women who died in hospitals, in both surveys most women died at home (74 % in 2001 and 62 % in 2010). The shift in the pattern of causes of adult female deaths is in agreement with the overall change in the disease pattern from communicable to non-communicable diseases in Bangladesh. Suicide and other violent deaths as

Adults Must Be College-Ready Too: ABE-to-College Transition Project Inspires Lives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Blenda J.

2006-01-01

In this article, the author shares the voices of adults whose lives have been changed by their enrollment in a set of innovative college readiness programs geared toward adults. These women and men have overcome obstacles between them and college that they believed were insurmountable--fear, inadequate academic preparation, lack of information…

[Falls and fractures among older adults living in long-term care].

PubMed

Del Duca, Giovâni Firpo; Antes, Danielle Ledur; Hallal, Pedro Curi

2013-03-01

To investigate the prevalence of falls and fractures over the past 12 months and associated factors among older adults living in long-term care. Census of all long-term care located in the city of Pelotas, Brazil, in 2008. Falls over the past 12 months were assessed using the following question: "Over the last 12 months, have you fallen?" For those who replied positively, another question was asked: "In any of these falls, have you fractured a bone?" Sex, age, schooling, disability relating to basic activities of daily living, type of financing of the long-term care and hospital admissions were the independent variables. We used chi-square tests for heterogeneity and linear trend in the unadjusted analysis, and Poisson regression with robust variance in the adjusted one. Within the 24 long-term care studied, we collected data for 466 individuals. The prevalence of falls in the past year was 38.9% (95%CI 34.5; 43.4). Among those who have fallen, 19.2% had fractures. Femur (hip) was the most frequent site fractured (43.4%), followed by wrist (10%). In the adjusted analysis, older age, disability for 1-5 basic activities of daily living, living in public institutions and hospital admissions in the last year were associated with higher risk of falls. The high prevalence of falls and fractures highlights the fragility of the individuals living in long-term care. Special attention should be paid to older adults and those with hospital admissions in the last year.

The Role of Hox Genes in Female Reproductive Tract Development, Adult Function, and Fertility.

PubMed

Du, Hongling; Taylor, Hugh S

2015-11-09

HOX genes convey positional identity that leads to the proper partitioning and adult identity of the female reproductive track. Abnormalities in reproductive tract development can be caused by HOX gene mutations or altered HOX gene expression. Diethylstilbestrol (DES) and other endocrine disruptors cause Müllerian defects by changing HOX gene expression. HOX genes are also essential regulators of adult endometrial development. Regulated HOXA10 and HOXA11 expression is necessary for endometrial receptivity; decreased HOXA10 or HOXA11 expression leads to decreased implantation rates. Alternation of HOXA10 and HOXA11 expression has been identified as a mechanism of the decreased implantation associated with endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, leiomyoma, polyps, adenomyosis, and hydrosalpinx. Alteration of HOX gene expression causes both uterine developmental abnormalities and impaired adult endometrial development that prevent implantation and lead to female infertility. Copyright © 2016 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved.

Cortisol levels and aggression in neutered and intact free-roaming female cats living in urban social groups.

PubMed

Finkler, H; Terkel, J

2010-03-03

Free-roaming domestic cats in urban areas often live in defined social groups, and the breeding females in these groups tend to form structures of a matrilineal nature. In recent years, resulting from the growing populations of free-roaming cats in many cities worldwide, these cats are being managed using the Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) method. The aims of this study were to explore the hypotheses that (a) neutering reduces aggression in the females living in such social groups; and (b) if such reduction does occur, that it might be accompanied by a reduction in cortisol levels. The study was conducted on eight cat feeding groups in residential neighbourhoods in Tel Aviv, Israel. The municipal veterinary department offers TNR services upon request. Cats are collected from the feeding group and returned to their original group after neutering. We found that neutered females showed reduced aggressiveness as well as reduced cortisol levels compared to the intact females. In addition, those intact females that displayed more aggression had higher cortisol levels compared to the less aggressive intact females. Based on the results of this study it is possible to suggest for the first time a possible relationship between cortisol levels and aggression in free-roaming female domestic cats. This study is an initial step in assessing the long-term effects of Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) on the welfare of the individual cat. If cortisol levels in female cats are reduced after neutering, partly as a result of reduced social and reproductive pressures (as expressed by lower aggression of the neutered females), it is possible that TNR has an added beneficial role in cat welfare in addition to that of control of population size. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

HDRK-Woman: whole-body voxel model based on high-resolution color slice images of Korean adult female cadaver

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeom, Yeon Soo; Jeong, Jong Hwi; Kim, Chan Hyeong; Han, Min Cheol; Ham, Bo Kyoung; Cho, Kun Woo; Hwang, Sung Bae

2014-07-01

In a previous study, we constructed a male reference Korean phantom; HDRK-Man (High-Definition Reference Korean-Man), to represent Korean adult males for radiation protection purposes. In the present study, a female phantom; HDRK-Woman (High-Definition Reference Korean-Woman), was constructed to represent Korean adult females. High-resolution color photographic images obtained by serial sectioning of a 26 year-old Korean adult female cadaver were utilized. The body height and weight, the skeletal mass, and the dimensions of the individual organs and tissues were adjusted to the reference Korean data. The phantom was then compared with the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) female reference phantom in terms of calculated organ doses and organ-depth distributions. Additionally, the effective doses were calculated using both the HDRK-Man and HDRK-Woman phantoms, and the values were compared with those of the ICRP reference phantoms.

HDRK-Woman: whole-body voxel model based on high-resolution color slice images of Korean adult female cadaver.

PubMed

Yeom, Yeon Soo; Jeong, Jong Hwi; Kim, Chan Hyeong; Han, Min Cheol; Ham, Bo Kyoung; Cho, Kun Woo; Hwang, Sung Bae

2014-07-21

In a previous study, we constructed a male reference Korean phantom; HDRK-Man (High-Definition Reference Korean-Man), to represent Korean adult males for radiation protection purposes. In the present study, a female phantom; HDRK-Woman (High-Definition Reference Korean-Woman), was constructed to represent Korean adult females. High-resolution color photographic images obtained by serial sectioning of a 26 year-old Korean adult female cadaver were utilized. The body height and weight, the skeletal mass, and the dimensions of the individual organs and tissues were adjusted to the reference Korean data. The phantom was then compared with the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) female reference phantom in terms of calculated organ doses and organ-depth distributions. Additionally, the effective doses were calculated using both the HDRK-Man and HDRK-Woman phantoms, and the values were compared with those of the ICRP reference phantoms.

Do incest, depression, parental drinking, serious romantic relationships, and living with parents influence patterns of substance use during emerging adulthood?

PubMed

Snyder, Susan M; Rubenstein, Casey

2014-01-01

This study examined how incest, depression, parental drinking, relationship status, and living with parents affect patterns of substance use among emerging adults, 18 to 25 years old. The study sample included (n = 11,546) individuals who participated in Waves I, II, and III of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). The study used separate latent class analysis for males and females to determine how patterns of substance use clustered together. The study identified the following three classes of substance use: heavy, moderate, and normative substance use patterns. Multinomial logistic regression indicated that, for females only, incest histories also nearly doubled the risk of heavy-use class membership. In addition, experiencing depression, being single, and not living with parents serve as risk factors for males and females in the heavy-use group. Conversely, being Black, Hispanic, or living with parents lowered the likelihood of being in the group with the most substance use behaviors (i.e., heavy use). Findings highlight the need for interventions that target depression and female survivors of incest among emerging adults.

Do Incest, Depression, Parental Drinking, Serious Romantic Relationships, and Living with Parents Influence Patterns of Substance Use During Emerging Adulthood?

PubMed Central

Snyder, Susan M.; Rubenstein, Casey

2016-01-01

This study examined how incest, depression, parental drinking, relationship status, and living with parents affect patterns of substance use among emerging adults, 18 to 25 years old. The study sample included (n = 11,546) individuals who participated in Waves I, II, and III of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). The study used separate latent class analysis for males and females to determine how patterns of substance use clustered together. The study identified the following three classes of substance use: heavy, moderate, and normative substance use patterns. Multinomial logistic regression indicated that, for females only, incest histories also nearly doubled the risk of heavy-use class membership. In addition, experiencing depression, being single, and not living with parents serve as risk factors for males and females in the heavy-use group. Conversely, being Black, Hispanic, or living with parents lowered the likelihood of being in the group with the most substance use behaviors (i.e., heavy use). Findings highlight the need for interventions that target depression and female survivors of incest among emerging adults. PMID:25052877

Patient-specific FDG dosimetry for adult males, adult females, and very low birth weight infants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niven, Erin

Fluorodeoxyglucose is the most commonly used radiopharmaceutical in Positron Emission Tomography, with applications in neurology, cardiology, and oncology. Despite its routine use worldwide, the radiation absorbed dose estimates from FDG have been based primarily on data obtained from two dogs studied in 1977 and 11 adults (most likely males) studied in 1982. In addition, the dose estimates calculated for FDG have been centered on the adult male, with little or no mention of variations in the dose estimates due to sex, age, height, weight, nationality, diet, or pathological condition. Through an extensive investigation into the Medical Internal Radiation Dose schema for calculating absorbed doses, I have developed a simple patient-specific equation; this equation incorporates the parameters necessary for alterations to the mathematical values of the human model to produce an estimate more representative of the individual under consideration. I have used this method to determine the range of absorbed doses to FDG from the collection of a large quantity of biological data obtained in adult males, adult females, and very low birth weight infants. Therefore, a more accurate quantification of the dose to humans from FDG has been completed. My results show that per unit administered activity, the absorbed dose from FDG is higher for infants compared to adults, and the dose for adult women is higher than for adult men. Given an injected activity of approximately 3.7 MBq kg-1, the doses for adult men, adult women, and full-term newborns would be on the order of 5.5, 7.1, and 2.8 mSv, respectively. These absorbed doses are comparable to the doses received from other nuclear medicine procedures.

Psychosocial Factors and Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders among Southeastern Asian Female Workers Living in Korea.

PubMed

Lee, Hyeonkyeong; Ahn, Hyunmi; Park, Chang Gi; Kim, Sun Jung; Moon, Sun Hye

2011-06-01

A rapid increase in the population of migrant workers in Korea has brought new challenges regarding the possible effects of acculturation on health. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of acculturation- and work-related psychosocial factors on work-related musculoskeletal disorders among migrant female workers living in Korea. A cross-sectional survey design was used. A translated, structured questionnaire was administrated to 156 southeastern Asian female full-time workers living in Korea. About 35% of the participants experienced some type(s) of work-related musculoskeletal disorder(s), which were more prevalent in Vietnamese women than in Thai and Filipino women. Women who preferred to maintain their own heritage and to reject the host country heritage were at risk for work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Acculturation strategy and nationality were found to be significant factors associated with work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Health professionals need to accommodate acculturation contexts into risk assessment and intervention development for work-related musculoskeletal disorders separately for different nationalities.

Juvenile social relationships reflect adult patterns of behavior in wild geladas.

PubMed

Barale, Caitlin L; Rubenstein, Daniel I; Beehner, Jacinta C

2015-10-01

Unlike many mammals, primates spend much of their lives as reproductively-immature juveniles. During the juvenile period, they develop social relationships and physical skills that both facilitate survival to adulthood and impact adult fitness. In this study, we use 2 years of observational data to examine the development of these skills across the juvenile period in a wild cercopithecine primate, the gelada (Theropithecus gelada). As adults, male and female geladas require different skills to be successful; we therefore expected sex differences in social behavior and partner choice during the juvenile period to already reflect these sex-specific trajectories. For example, males, who disperse at puberty and ultimately must challenge other adult males for access to mates, should invest in high-energy play-fighting with other males to develop fighting and rival assessment skills. In contrast, philopatric females, who remain with their close kin throughout their lives, should invest more in forming less-physical and more-social bonds with other females within their group. As predicted, sex differences that foreshadowed sex-specific adult roles were apparent in play rates, the average number of play partners per individual, grooming partner types and social partner preferences. Males played more and had more play partners than same-age females. Males also groomed more often with individuals from outside their natal group than females, although no sex difference was observed in either grooming rates or number of grooming partners per individual. Females stopped playing earlier than males, and instead invested in grooming relationships with close relatives. Additionally, we found that individual play and grooming rates were temporally consistent for both males and females (i.e., from one year to the next year), suggesting that individuals exhibit stable behavioral phenotypes. We conclude by discussing how early life in geladas may shape adult behavior and reproductive

A Study of Activities of Daily Living and Employment in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Ling-Yi; Yu, Shu-Ning; Yu, Ya-Tsu

2012-01-01

Research on daily living activities and employment levels of adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in Taiwan is limited. The aims of the study were to investigate outcomes related to functional independence and employment among people with ASD in Taiwan. We investigated the daily living activities and the employment status of 81 adults (age…

Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Reasons for Living-Older Adults Scale: A Suicide Risk Assessment Inventory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edelstein, Barry A.; Heisel, Marnin J.; McKee, Deborah R.; Martin, Ronald R.; Koven, Lesley P.; Duberstein, Paul R.; Britton, Peter C.

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purposes of these studies were to develop and initially evaluate the psychometric properties of the Reasons for Living Scale-Older Adult version (RFL-OA), an older adults version of a measure designed to assess reasons for living among individuals at risk for suicide. Design and Methods: Two studies are reported. Study 1 involved…

Comparison of Different Physical Activity Measurement Methods in Adults Aged 45 to 64 Years Under Free-Living Conditions.

PubMed

Lipert, Anna; Jegier, Anna

2017-07-01

To compare physical activity (PA) measured by 4 methods in adults under free-living conditions in relation to selected demographic and anthropometric variables. Cohort study. Department of Sports Medicine. Clinically healthy men (81) and women (69) aged 45 to 64 years. Physical activity monitoring for 7 consecutive days under free-living conditions by pedometer (P) and accelerometer (A) simultaneously and PA questionnaires: International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and Seven-Day Physical Activity Questionnaire Recall (SDPAR) completed after the 7-day PA. Comparison of PA measured by pedometer, IPAQ, and SDPAR with accelerometer with regard to age, body mass, gender, and obesity type. Total energy expenditure (EE) by IPAQ was higher than A (P < 0.001) in both groups regardless of age, body mass, or obesity type. Mean EE value by P was greater than A (P < 0.001) in central-obesity males and lower than A (P < 0.001) in central-obesity females. There were differences in step counts in women, unnoticed in men. SDPAR overestimated total EE in gynoid-obesity males and in central-obesity females compared with A. Ninety-five percent CI was the largest around IPAQ compared with P and SDPAR, with SDPAR showing the best agreement with A. Body mass and obesity type influenced PA measurements. To monitor PA, it is recommended to use pedometer in normal bodyweight and overweight groups while accelerometer is advisable in obese subjects. A combined approach of objective and subjective PA monitoring tools is preferable.

Structural Violence in Health Care: Lived Experience of Street-Based Female Commercial Sex Workers in Kathmandu.

PubMed

Basnyat, Iccha

2017-01-01

Thirty-five in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with female, street-based, commercial sex workers in Kathmandu, Nepal. The framework of structural violence guided this study in identifying the structural context that impacts the female sex workers' lives and may cause harm to their health. Structural violence in health care was revealed through thematic analysis as (a) discrimination, (b) forced choice, and (c) limitations to health information sources. Lived experiences highlight how the sex workers engaged with structural limitations in health care access, services, and utilization. Structural violence conveys a message about who is entitled to health care and what a society emphasizes and expects regarding acceptable health behavior. Examining the structural violence highlighted how the sex workers negotiated, understood, and engaged with structural limitations in health care access, services, and utilization. © The Author(s) 2015.

Communal nursing in wild house mice is not a by-product of group living: Females choose

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weidt, Andrea; Lindholm, Anna K.; König, Barbara

2014-01-01

Communal nursing, the provision of milk to non-offspring, has been argued to be a non-adaptive by-product of group living. We used 2 years of field data from a wild house mouse population to investigate this question. Communal nursing never occurred among females that previously lacked overlap in nest box use. Females nursed communally in only 33 % of cases in which there was a communal nursing partner available from the same social group. Solitarily nursing females were not socially isolated in their group; nevertheless, high spatial associations prior to reproduction predict which potential female partner was chosen for communal nursing. An increase in partner availability increased the probability of communal nursing, but population density itself had a negative effect, which may reflect increased female reproductive competition during summer. These results argue that females are selective in their choice of nursing partners and provide further support that communal nursing with the right partner is adaptive.

Donor recruitment and selection for adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation in urgent and elective circumstances.

PubMed

Ben-Haim, Menahem; Carmiel, Michal; Lubezky, Nir; Keidar, Rivka; Katz, Paulina; Blachar, Arye; Nimrod, Adi; Sorkine, Patrick; Oren, Ran; Klausner, Joseph M; Nakache, Richard

2005-03-01

Adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation is becoming an alternative to cadaveric transplantation in urgent and elective settings. Donor selection crucially affects donor safety and recipient outcome. To present our algorithm of urgent and elective donor selection. Urgent selection is expeditious and protocol-based. Elective selection permits a comprehensive process. Both include medical, psychosocial and surgical-anatomic evaluations. Liver volumes and vascular anatomy are evaluated with computerized tomographic angiography. Informed consent is obtained after painstaking explanations. Independent institutional committees review and approve all cases. Between July 2003 and June 2004 we evaluated 43 potential live donors for 12 potential recipients (fulminant hepatic failure, n = 5; chronic end-stage liver disease, n = 6; primary graft non-function, n = 1). Thirty-three candidates (76%) were excluded due to blood type incompatibility (n = 14, 42%), incompatible anatomy (n = 8, 24%)--including problematic volume distribution (n = 2) or vascular anatomy (n = 6)--psychosocial issues (n = 4, 12%), or medical co-morbidity (n = 7, 22%). Five recipients (FHF, n = 4; chronic ESLD, n = 1) were successfully transplanted from living donors. In the acute setting, two patients (FHF, PGNF) died in the absence of an appropriate donor (cadaveric or living donor). In the elective group, one patient died of unexpected variceal bleeding and one received a cadaveric graft just before the planned living donor transplantation was performed. One candidate was transplanted overseas and two cases are scheduled. The ratio of compatibility for donation was 34% (10/29) for blood type-compatible candidates. Donor selection for living donor liver transplantation is a complex, labor-intensive multidisciplinary process. Most exclusions are due to blood type incompatibility or anatomic details. Psychosocial aspects of these donations warrant special attention.

Living with family: perceptions of health and subjective well-being of adults with an intellectual disability.

PubMed

Grey, J M; Totsika, V; Hastings, R P

2018-06-01

Little is known about the role of living circumstances to the perception of subjective well-being (SWB) and health of adults with intellectual disability (ID). The aim of the present study was to examine whether living circumstances impact differently on the perception of health and SWB and whether potential differences persist after accounting for other variables (e.g. level of support needs and reporting method). Secondary data analysis was undertaken of a large national survey of adults with an ID in England, aged 16 years and over. Participants were identified as living with family (N = 1528) or living out of home (N = 874). The results of t-test and chi-square revealed that levels of health and SWB were perceived as being higher for people living with family than those living in out-of-home settings. Multiple linear regression analyses fitted to explore factors associated with these reported differences revealed that, when controlling for other variables, living with family was highly associated with reports of better SWB. Multiple logistic regression revealed that whilst the health status of people living with families were perceived as better, this was only true when their support needs were low. Poorest health outcomes were found for people with highest support needs who lived with family. On the whole, the health and well-being of adults living with family were perceived more positively than those living out of home. However, potential health disparities exist for those with high support needs who live with family. Further longitudinal research is needed to explore causes and potential solution to these inequalities. © 2018 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Public Pedagogy, Private Lives: Self-Help Books and Adult Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLean, Scott

2013-01-01

Self-help literature has become an important domain of adult learning in North America. Self-help books offer readers advice on how to take charge of their lives and achieve goals such as prosperity, love, happiness, wellness, and self-actualization. Despite the popularity of self-help books, there has been little research about them from scholars…

Developmental origins of neurotransmitter and transcriptome alterations in adult female zebrafish exposed to atrazine during embryogenesis.

PubMed

Wirbisky, Sara E; Weber, Gregory J; Sepúlveda, Maria S; Xiao, Changhe; Cannon, Jason R; Freeman, Jennifer L

2015-07-03

Atrazine is an herbicide applied to agricultural crops and is indicated to be an endocrine disruptor. Atrazine is frequently found to contaminate potable water supplies above the maximum contaminant level of 3μg/L as defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The developmental origin of adult disease hypothesis suggests that toxicant exposure during development can increase the risk of certain diseases during adulthood. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying disease progression are still unknown. In this study, zebrafish embryos were exposed to 0, 0.3, 3, or 30μg/L atrazine throughout embryogenesis. Larvae were then allowed to mature under normal laboratory conditions with no further chemical treatment until 7 days post fertilization (dpf) or adulthood and neurotransmitter analysis completed. No significant alterations in neurotransmitter levels was observed at 7dpf or in adult males, but a significant decrease in 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) and serotonin turnover was seen in adult female brain tissue. Transcriptomic analysis was completed on adult female brain tissue to identify molecular pathways underlying the observed neurological alterations. Altered expression of 1928, 89, and 435 genes in the females exposed to 0.3, 3, or 30μg/L atrazine during embryogenesis were identified, respectively. There was a high level of overlap between the biological processes and molecular pathways in which the altered genes were associated. Moreover, a subset of genes was down regulated throughout the serotonergic pathway. These results provide support of the developmental origins of neurological alterations observed in adult female zebrafish exposed to atrazine during embryogenesis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ectoparasites and fitness of female Columbian ground squirrels

PubMed Central

Raveh, Shirley; Neuhaus, Peter; Dobson, F. Stephen

2015-01-01

Parasites play an important role in the evolution of host traits via natural selection, coevolution and sexually selected ornaments used in mate choice. These evolutionary scenarios assume fitness costs for hosts. To test this assumption, we conducted an ectoparasite removal experiment in free-living Columbian ground squirrels (Urocittelus columbianus) in four populations over three years. Adult females were randomly chosen to be either experimentally treated with anti-parasite treatments (spot-on solution and flea powder, N = 61) or a sham treatment (control, N = 44). We expected that experimental females would show better body condition, increased reproductive success and enhanced survival. Contrary to our expectations, body mass was not significantly different between treatments at mating, birth of litter or weaning of young. Further, neither number nor size of young at weaning differed significantly between the two treatments. Survival to the next spring for adult females and juveniles was not significantly different between experimental and control treatments. Finally, annual fitness was not affected by the treatments. We concluded that females and their offspring were able compensate for the presence of ectoparasites, suggesting little or no fitness costs of parasites for females in the different colonies and during the years of our experiments. PMID:25870399

Energy allocation during the maturation of adults in a long-lived insect: implications for dispersal and reproduction.

PubMed

David, G; Giffard, B; van Halder, I; Piou, D; Jactel, H

2015-10-01

Energy allocation strategies have been widely documented in insects and were formalized in the context of the reproduction process by the terms 'capital breeder' and 'income breeder'. We propose here the extension of this framework to dispersal ability, with the concepts of 'capital disperser' and 'income disperser', and explore the trade-off in resource allocation between dispersal and reproduction. We hypothesized that flight capacity was sex-dependent, due to a trade-off in energy allocation between dispersal and egg production in females. We used Monochamus galloprovincialis as model organism, a long-lived beetle which is the European vector of the pine wood nematode. We estimated the flight capacity with a flight mill and used the number of mature eggs as a proxy for the investment in reproduction. We used the ratio between dry weights of the thorax and the abdomen to investigate the trade-off. The probability of flying increased with the adult weight at emergence, but was not dependent on insect age or sex. Flight distance increased with age in individuals but did not differ between sexes. It was also positively associated with energy allocation to thorax reserves, which increased with age. In females, the abdomen weight and the number of eggs also increase with age with no negative effect on flight capacity, indicating a lack of trade-off. This long-lived beetle has a complex strategy of energy allocation, being a 'capital disperser' in terms of flight ability, an 'income disperser' in terms of flight performance and an 'income breeder' in terms of egg production.

Patterns of Dating Violence Perpetration and Victimization in U.S. Young Adult Males and Females.

PubMed

Spencer, Rachael A; Renner, Lynette M; Clark, Cari Jo

2016-09-01

Dating violence (DV) is frequently reported by young adults in intimate relationships in the United States, but little is known about patterns of DV perpetration and victimization. In this study, we examined sexual and physical violence perpetration and victimization reported by young adults to determine how the violence patterns differ by sex and race/ethnicity. Data from non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic participants in Wave 3 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health were analyzed. DV was assessed using responses to four questions focused on perpetration and four questions focused on victimization. The information on DV was taken from the most violent relationship reported by participants prior to Wave 3. Latent class analysis was first conducted separately by sex, adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, and financial stress, then by race/ethnicity, adjusting for age and financial stress. Relative model fit was established by comparing Bayesian Information Criteria (BIC), adjusted BIC, entropy, interpretability of latent classes, and certainty of latent class assignment for covariate-adjusted models. The results indicate that patterns of violence differed by sex and for females, by race/ethnicity. A three-class model was the best fit for males. For females, separate four-class models were parsimonious for White, Black, and Hispanic females. Financial stress was a significant predictor of violence classification for males and females and age predicted membership in White and Black female models. Variations in DV patterns by sex and race/ethnicity suggest the need for a more nuanced understanding of differences in DV. © The Author(s) 2015.

Religion, Alcohol Use and Risk Drinking Among Canadian Adults Living in Ontario.

PubMed

Tuck, Andrew; Robinson, Margaret; Agic, Branka; Ialomiteanu, Anca R; Mann, Robert E

2017-12-01

This research examines (1) the association between risk drinking and religious affiliation and (2) differences between religions for risk drinking among adults living in Ontario, Canada, for Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus, Jews, other religious groups and the non-religious. Data are based on telephone interviews with 16,596 respondents and are derived from multiple cycles (2005-2011) of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health's (CAMH) Monitor survey, an ongoing cross-sectional survey of adults in Ontario, Canada, aged 18 years and older. Data were analysed using bivariate cross-tabulations, Mann-Whitney U nonparametric test and logistic regression. Alcohol use and risk drinking occur among members of all religious groups; however, the rate of drinking ranges widely. Risk drinking is significantly associated with religion. When compared to the No religion/Atheist group, several religious groups (Baptist, Christian, Hindu, Jehovah's Witness, Jewish, Muslim/Islam, Non-denominational, Pentecostal, Sikh and Other religion) in our sample have significantly lower odds of risk drinking. Risk drinkers also attended significantly fewer services among several religions. Results suggest that there are differences in the risk drinking rates among Canadian adults, living in Ontario, by religion. It appears that religious traditions of prohibition and abstention do hold sway among Canadian adults for some religious groups.

White-tailed deer population dynamics and adult female survival in the presence of a novel predator: Deer Population Dynamics

DOE PAGES

Chitwood, Michael C.; Lashley, Marcus A.; Kilgo, John C.; ...

2015-02-01

Recent localized declines in white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) populations in the southeastern United States have been linked to increasing predation pressure from coyotes ( Canis latrans), a novel predator to the region. Studies have documented coyotes as the leading cause of mortality for neonates, and 1 study documented coyotes as a mortality factor for adult females. However, no study has used field-based vital rates to conduct sensitivity analyses or model deer population trajectories under potential harvest or predator removal strategies. We used low, medium, and high values of fawn survival, adult female survival, and fecundity data collected from Fortmore » Bragg Military Installation, North Carolina to demonstrate the current declining population trajectory for deer (λ = 0.905; low λ = 0.788, high λ = 1.003). Consistent with other studies of ungulates, we determined adult female survival was the most sensitive and elastic vital rate. Further, for 3 potential management (“what if”) scenarios, we projected the population for 10 years using estimated vital rates. Reducing adult female harvest (λ = 0.935; low λ = 0.875, high λ = 1.002) and coyote removal (λ = 0.995; low λ = 0.898, high λ = 1.081) reduced the current population decline, whereas combining both approaches (λ = 1.024; low λ = 0.898, high λ = 1.141) resulted in population increases. Our data indicate that for low-density deer populations with heavy predation pressure on neonates, protecting adult females from harvest may not completely offset population declines. Coyote removal might be a necessary strategy because it could possibly increase very low fawn survival, which appears to be the most important vital rate influencing λ in our study. However, managers may have to start with reductions in adult female harvest because coyote removal would have to be continuous and consistently effective, making it an impractical management approach by itself.« less

White-tailed deer population dynamics and adult female survival in the presence of a novel predator: Deer Population Dynamics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chitwood, Michael C.; Lashley, Marcus A.; Kilgo, John C.

Recent localized declines in white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) populations in the southeastern United States have been linked to increasing predation pressure from coyotes ( Canis latrans), a novel predator to the region. Studies have documented coyotes as the leading cause of mortality for neonates, and 1 study documented coyotes as a mortality factor for adult females. However, no study has used field-based vital rates to conduct sensitivity analyses or model deer population trajectories under potential harvest or predator removal strategies. We used low, medium, and high values of fawn survival, adult female survival, and fecundity data collected from Fortmore » Bragg Military Installation, North Carolina to demonstrate the current declining population trajectory for deer (λ = 0.905; low λ = 0.788, high λ = 1.003). Consistent with other studies of ungulates, we determined adult female survival was the most sensitive and elastic vital rate. Further, for 3 potential management (“what if”) scenarios, we projected the population for 10 years using estimated vital rates. Reducing adult female harvest (λ = 0.935; low λ = 0.875, high λ = 1.002) and coyote removal (λ = 0.995; low λ = 0.898, high λ = 1.081) reduced the current population decline, whereas combining both approaches (λ = 1.024; low λ = 0.898, high λ = 1.141) resulted in population increases. Our data indicate that for low-density deer populations with heavy predation pressure on neonates, protecting adult females from harvest may not completely offset population declines. Coyote removal might be a necessary strategy because it could possibly increase very low fawn survival, which appears to be the most important vital rate influencing λ in our study. However, managers may have to start with reductions in adult female harvest because coyote removal would have to be continuous and consistently effective, making it an impractical management approach by itself.« less

Relationship Between 24-Hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure and Cognitive Function in Community-Living Older Adults: The UCSD Ambulatory Blood Pressure Study.

PubMed

Conway, Kyle S; Forbang, Nketi; Beben, Tomasz; Criqui, Michael H; Ix, Joachim H; Rifkin, Dena E

2015-12-01

Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure (BP) patterns have been associated with diminished cognitive function in hypertensive and very elderly populations. The relationship between ambulatory BP patterns and cognitive function in community-living older adults is unknown. We conducted a cross-sectional study in which 24-hour ambulatory BP, in-clinic BP, and cognitive function measures were obtained from 319 community-living older adults. The mean age was 72 years, 66% were female, and 13% were African-American. We performed linear regression with performance on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) as the primary outcome and 24-hour BP patterns as the independent variable, adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, and comorbidities. Greater nighttime systolic dipping (P = 0.046) and higher 24-hour diastolic BP (DBP; P = 0.015) were both significantly associated with better cognitive function, whereas 24-hour systolic BP (SBP), average real variability, and ambulatory arterial stiffness were not. Higher 24-hour DBP and greater nighttime systolic dipping were significantly associated with improved cognitive function. Future studies should examine whether low 24-hour DBP and lack of nighttime systolic dipping predict future cognitive impairment. © American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd 2015. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Going alone: the lived experience of female Arab-Muslim nursing students living and studying in the United States.

PubMed

McDermott-Levy, Ruth

2011-01-01

Since 2004, international student enrollment in the United States has increased. Middle Eastern students studying in the United States have been part of the increase. In 2008-2009 there were 29 140 Middle Eastern students, representing an 18% increase from the previous academic year. Despite these increases, there is limited research examining the experience of Arab-Muslim international students or international nursing students studying in the United States. Phenomenological inquiry was used to describe the experience of 12 female Omani nurses living in the United States while studying for their baccalaureate degrees in nursing. The women described the experience of going alone and being away from the support and presence of their large, extended families; this influenced their international student experience. They also described their religious, cultural, and educational adaptation. The experience of living and studying nursing in the United States was transformational as they became self-reliant, learned their capabilities, and adapted to cultural and educational expectations. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Serotonin signaling in the brain of adult female mice is required for sexual preference

PubMed Central

Zhang, Shasha; Liu, Yan; Rao, Yi

2013-01-01

A role for serotonin in male sexual preference was recently uncovered by our finding that male mutant mice lacking serotonin have lost sexual preference. Here we show that female mouse mutants lacking either central serotonergic neurons or serotonin prefer female over male genital odors when given a choice, and displayed increased female–female mounting when presented either with a choice of a male and a female target or only with a female target. Pharmacological manipulations and genetic rescue experiments showed that serotonin is required in adults. Behavioral changes caused by deficient serotonergic signaling were not due to changes in plasma concentrations of sex hormones. We demonstrate that a genetic manipulation reverses sexual preference without involving sex hormones. Our results indicate that serotonin controls sexual preference. PMID:23716677

Orphaned female elephant social bonds reflect lack of access to mature adults.

PubMed

Goldenberg, Shifra Z; Wittemyer, George

2017-10-31

Compensatory social behavior in nonhuman animals following maternal loss has been documented, but understanding of how orphans allocate bonding to reconstruct their social networks is limited. Successful social integration may be critical to survival and reproduction for highly social species and, therefore, may be tied to population persistence. We examined the social partners involved in affiliative interactions of female orphans and non-orphans in an elephant population in Samburu, northern Kenya that experienced heightened adult mortality driven by drought and intense ivory poaching. We contrasted partners across different competitive contexts to gain insight to the influence of resource availability on social interactions. Though the number of partners did not differ between orphans and non-orphans, their types of social partners did. Orphans interacted with sisters and matriarchs less while feeding than did non-orphans, but otherwise their affiliates were similar. While resting under spatially concentrated shade, orphans had markedly less access to mature adults but affiliated instead with sisters, bulls, and age mates. Orphan propensity to strengthen bonds with non-dominant animals appears to offer routes to social integration following maternal loss, but lack of interaction with adult females suggests orphans may experience decreased resource access and associated fitness costs in this matriarchal society.

RelAte: pilot study of the effects of a mealtime intervention on social cognitive factors and energy intake among older adults living alone.

PubMed

McHugh Power, Joanna E; Lee, Olga; Aspell, Niamh; McCormack, Emma; Loftus, Michelle; Connolly, Leona; Lawlor, Brian; Brennan, Sabina

2016-11-01

Mealtime interventions typically focus on institutionalised older adults, but we wanted to investigate whether they may also be effective among those living independently. Using a randomised controlled trial design, we assessed the effects of a novel mealtime intervention on self-efficacy, food enjoyment and energy intake. A total of 100 adults living alone aged over 60 years were randomised to the treatment or control conditions: all received a guidebook on nutrition and culinary skills. Treatment group participants received a weekly visit from a trained volunteer who prepared and shared a meal with them. Participants in the treatment group showed improvements relative to those in the control group at borderline significance (P=0·054) for self-efficacy and at significance for food enjoyment. Significant improvements were observed in female participants in the treatment but not in the control group in energy intake (although following corrections for multiple comparisons, only the effect on food enjoyment remained significant). These findings will inform the design of future complex interventions. For this type of intervention to be successful, more focus has to be placed on making interventions more personalised, potentially according to sex. Findings are important for nutritional sciences as they indicate that, in order to improve energy intake and food enjoyment among older adults, multimodal nutritional interventions including social components may be successful.

Impact of visual impairment on the lives of young adults in the Netherlands: a concept-mapping approach.

PubMed

Elsman, Ellen Bernadette Maria; van Rens, Gerardus Hermanus Maria Bartholomeus; van Nispen, Ruth Marie Antoinette

2017-12-01

While the impact of visual impairments on specific aspects of young adults' lives is well recognised, a systematic understanding of its impact on all life aspects is lacking. This study aims to provide an overview of life aspects affected by visual impairment in young adults (aged 18-25 years) using a concept-mapping approach. Visually impaired young adults (n = 22) and rehabilitation professionals (n = 16) participated in online concept-mapping workshops (brainstorm procedure), to explore how having a visual impairment influences the lives of young adults. Statements were categorised based on similarity and importance. Using multidimensional scaling, concept maps were produced and interpreted. A total of 59 and 260 statements were generated by young adults and professionals, respectively, resulting in 99 individual statements after checking and deduplication. The combined concept map revealed 11 clusters: work, study, information and regulations, social skills, living independently, computer, social relationships, sport and activities, mobility, leisure time, and hobby. The concept maps provided useful insight into activities influenced by visual impairments in young adults, which can be used by rehabilitation centres to improve their services. This might help in goal setting, rehabilitation referral and successful transition to adult life, ultimately increasing participation and quality of life. Implications for rehabilitation Having a visual impairment affects various life-aspects related to participation, including activities related to work, study, social skills and relationships, activities of daily living, leisure time and mobility. Concept-mapping helped to identify the life aspects affected by low vision, and quantify these aspects in terms of importance according to young adults and low vision rehabilitation professionals. Low vision rehabilitation centres should focus on all life aspects found in this study when identifying the needs of young

The effect of group bibliotherapy on the self-esteem of female students living in dormitory.

PubMed

Salimi, Sepideh; Zare-Farashbandi, Firoozeh; Papi, Ahmad; Samouei, Rahele; Hassanzadeh, Akbar

2014-01-01

Bibliotherapy is a supplement, simple, inexpensive and readily available method to treat the diseases that is performed with cooperation of librarians and psychologists or doctors. The aim of this study is the investigation of group bibliotherapy's effect on the self-esteem of the female students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences Living in Dormitory in 2012. The present study is an interventional semi-experimental study with pre test and post test and control group. The statistical population of study consisted of 32 female students who reside in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences dormitories which control and case groups and the students were divided randomly between these two groups. Data was collected by Cooper Smith Self-esteem questionnaire scale (Cronbach's alpha: 0.85). Two groups were examined by the questionnaire in pre test. Case group received group bibliotherapy for 2 month (8 sessions of 2 hours), while the control group received no training at all. Then, 2 groups were assessed in post test after 1 month. Descriptive statistics (means and frequencies distribution) and inferential statistics (independent t- test, paired t- test and mann whitney) were used and data was analyzed by SPSS20 software. The findings showed that group bibliotherapy had positive and significant effect on general, family, professional and total self esteem of female students living in dormitories, but it had no effect on their social self esteem. Group bibliotherapy can increase female students' self-esteem levels. On the other hand, conducting these studies not only can improve mental health of people, but can also improve their reading habits.

Spatial distribution of juvenile and adult female Tanner crabs (Chionoecetes bairdi) in a glacial fjord ecosystem: Implications for recruitment processes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nielsen, J.K.; Taggart, S. James; Shirley, Thomas C.; Mondragon, Jennifer

2007-01-01

A systematic pot survey in Glacier Bay, Alaska, was conducted to characterize the spatial distribution of juvenile and adult female Tanner crabs, and their association with depth and temperature. The information was used to infer important recruitment processes for Tanner crabs in glaciated ecosystems. High-catch areas for juvenile and adult female Tanner crabs were identified using local autocorrelation statistics. Spatial segregation by size class corresponded to features in the glacial landscape: high-catch areas for juveniles were located at the distal ends of two narrow glacial fjords, and high-catch areas for adults were located in the open waters of the central Bay. Juvenile female Tanner crabs were found at nearly all sampled depths (15–439 m) and temperatures (4–8°C), but the biggest catches were at depths <150 m where adults were scarce. Because adults may prey on or compete with juveniles, the distribution of juveniles could be influenced by the distribution of adults. Areas where adults or predators are scarce, such as glacially influenced fjords, could serve as refuges for juvenile Tanner crabs.

Young Adults' Implicit and Explicit Attitudes towards the Sexuality of Older Adults.

PubMed

Thompson, Ashley E; O'Sullivan, Lucia F; Byers, E Sandra; Shaughnessy, Krystelle

2014-09-01

Sexual interest and capacity can extend far into later life and result in many positive health outcomes. Yet there is little support for sexual expression in later life, particularly among young adults. This study assessed and compared young adults' explicit and implicit attitudes towards older adult sexuality. A sample of 120 participants (18-24 years; 58% female) completed a self-report (explicit) measure and a series of Implicit Association Tests capturing attitudes towards sexuality among older adults. Despite reporting positive explicit attitudes, young people revealed an implicit bias against the sexual lives of older adults. In particular, young adults demonstrated implicit biases favouring general, as compared to sexual, activities and young adults as compared to older adults. Moreover, the bias favouring general activities was amplified with regard to older adults as compared to younger adults. Our findings challenge the validity of research relying on self-reports of attitudes about older adult sexuality.

Eating high fat chow enhances the locomotor-stimulating effects of cocaine in adolescent and adult female rats.

PubMed

Baladi, Michelle G; Koek, Wouter; Aumann, Megan; Velasco, Fortino; France, Charles P

2012-08-01

Dopamine systems vary through development in a manner that can impact drugs acting on those systems. Dietary factors can also impact the effects of drugs acting on dopamine systems. This study examined whether eating high fat chow alters locomotor effects of cocaine (1-56 mg/kg) in adolescent and adult female rats. Cocaine was studied in rats (n = 6/group) with free access to standard (5.7% fat) or high fat (34.3%) chow or restricted access to high fat chow (body weight matched to rats eating standard chow). After 1 week of eating high fat chow (free or restricted access), sensitivity to cocaine was significantly increased in adolescent and adult rats, compared with rats eating standard chow. Sensitivity to cocaine was also increased in adolescent rats with restricted, but not free, access to high fat chow for 4 weeks. When adolescent and adult rats that previously ate high fat chow ate standard chow, sensitivity to cocaine returned to normal. In adolescent and adult female rats eating high fat chow, but not those eating standard chow, sensitivity to cocaine increased progressively over once weekly tests with cocaine (i.e., sensitization) in a manner that was not statistically different between adolescents and adults. These results show that eating high fat chow alters sensitivity of female rats to acutely administered cocaine and also facilitates the development of sensitization to cocaine. That the type of food consumed can increase drug effects might have relevance to vulnerability to abuse cocaine in the female population.

Measurements of female genital appearance in Chinese adults seeking genital cosmetic surgery: a preliminary report from a gynecological center.

PubMed

Cao, Yujiao; Li, Qiang; Zhou, Chuande; Li, Fengyong; Li, Senkai; Zhou, Yu

2015-05-01

Accurate and comprehensive measurements of the external genitalia in female adults are of great significance in surgery designs and for aesthetic evaluation in genital plastic surgeries. The authors carried out a 319-case study and provided baseline data and morphometric reference for plastic surgery involving the genital deformity caused by trauma or burns and male-to-female transsexual operations. Our study design recruited 319 women referred to the out-patient clinic from August 2010 to August 2013. From each individual we measured 16 parameters and assessed the significance of variations in age, height, weight, BMI, and marital status (as a proxy for parity). We tried to establish a female external genitalia database of the population presenting for cosmetic surgery and define the general proportions of female genitalia in Chinese adults from the data we obtained. A wide range of values was noted in female genital measurements especially in labia minora parameters. Four parameters, including clitoral prepuce length, clitoris to urethra, labial length, and perineal body length had a proportional relationship to some extent. The position of the clitoris and urethral orifice was found to be regular in female adults. Compared with unmarried women, perineal body length decreased (P = 0.048), while the apex to perineum (bilateral) and labial length increased (P = 0.005, 0.006, <0.0001) in those who were married. Several parameters were statistically significantly associated with age, height, weight, BMI, and marital status. We presented an external genitalia database of Chinese female adults asking for cosmetic surgery. Although the ranges of genital measurements vary, there is a proportional relationship in female genital appearance, which should be heeded in surgical designs and genital aesthetic evaluation.

An Examination of Specific Daily Living Skills Deficits in Adults with Profound Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belva, Brian C.; Matson, Johnny L.

2013-01-01

While some researchers have investigated daily living skills deficits in individuals with intellectual disability (ID) as a whole, research on specific daily living skills in a profound ID population is limited. Two hundred and four adults with profound ID residing in two large developmental centers in the southeast portion of the United States…

Effect of sericea lespedeza leaf meal pellets on adult female Haemonchus contortus in goats.

PubMed

Kommuru, D S; Whitley, N C; Miller, J E; Mosjidis, J A; Burke, J M; Gujja, S; Mechineni, A; Terrill, T H

2015-01-15

Sericea lespedeza (SL; Lespedeza cuneata) is a perennial warm-season forage rich in condensed tannins (CT) that has been reported to have anthelmintic activity against small ruminant gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN), particularly Haemonchus contortus, a highly pathogenic blood-feeder, but the mechanism of action of CT against H. contortus is not clearly understood. An experiment with young goats was designed to study the effect of SL leaf meal pellets on (1) a mature H. contortus infection, and (2) the surface appearance of adult H. contortus female worms. Thirty-six female and castrated male Boer crossbred goats artificially infected with H. contortus larvae were fed 75% SL leaf meal pellets or alfalfa pellets (18 goats/treatment group) in a 28-day confinement feeding trial. Fecal and blood samples were collected weekly for fecal egg count (FEC) and packed cell volume (PCV) determination, respectively, and all goats were slaughtered at the end of the trial for adult GIN recovery and counting. Five adult female H. contortus were recovered from the abomasum of two goats from each treatment group and from a prior study in which 75% and 95% SL leaf meal pellets or a commercial feed pellet were group-fed to grazing goats (270 days old, Spanish males, 10/treatment group) at 0.91 kg/head/d for 11 weeks. Adult GIN collected were fixed and examined for evidence of surface damage using scanning electron microscopy. Feeding 75% SL pellets to young goats in confinement reduced (P<0.05) FEC compared with control animals, while total worm numbers and PCV were not influenced by treatment. Three out of the 5 adult H. contortus recovered from SL treatment goats in the confinement feeding trial had cuticular surface damage, while no damage was observed on worms from the control group. All five worms observed from both SL treatments in the grazing study showed a shrunken, disheveled cuticular surface, whereas this was not observed on worms from control animals. Overall, this work

Maternal postpartum corticosterone and fluoxetine differentially affect adult male and female offspring on anxiety-like behavior, stress reactivity, and hippocampal neurogenesis.

PubMed

Gobinath, Aarthi R; Workman, Joanna L; Chow, Carmen; Lieblich, Stephanie E; Galea, Liisa A M

2016-02-01

Postpartum depression (PPD) affects approximately 15% of mothers, disrupts maternal care, and can represent a form of early life adversity for the developing offspring. Intriguingly, male and female offspring are differentially vulnerable to the effects of PPD. Antidepressants, such as fluoxetine, are commonly prescribed for treating PPD. However, fluoxetine can reach offspring via breast milk, raising serious concerns regarding the long-term consequences of infant exposure to fluoxetine. The goal of this study was to examine the long-term effects of maternal postpartum corticosterone (CORT, a model of postpartum stress/depression) and concurrent maternal postpartum fluoxetine on behavioral, endocrine, and neural measures in adult male and female offspring. Female Sprague-Dawley dams were treated daily with either CORT or oil and fluoxetine or saline from postnatal days 2-23, and offspring were weaned and left undisturbed until adulthood. Here we show that maternal postpartum fluoxetine increased anxiety-like behavior and impaired hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis negative feedback in adult male, but not female, offspring. Furthermore, maternal postpartum fluoxetine increased the density of immature neurons (doublecortin-expressing) in the hippocampus of adult male offspring but decreased the density of immature neurons in adult female offspring. Maternal postpartum CORT blunted HPA axis negative feedback in males and tended to increase density of immature neurons in males but decreased it in females. These results indicate that maternal postpartum CORT and fluoxetine can have long-lasting effects on anxiety-like behavior, HPA axis negative feedback, and adult hippocampal neurogenesis and that adult male and female offspring are differentially affected by these maternal manipulations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prepubertal exposure to bisphenol-A induces ERα upregulation and hyperplasia in adult gerbil female prostate

PubMed Central

Campos, Mônica S; Galvão, André L V; Rodríguez, Daniel A O; Biancardi, Manoel F; Marques, Mara R; Vilamaior, Patrícia S L; Santos, Fernanda C A; Taboga, Sebastião R

2015-01-01

Prostate physiology is highly dependent on oestrogenic and androgenic homeostasis. Interferences in this equilibrium, especially in early periods of life, may disrupt the prostate and increase the susceptibility to the development of diseases with ageing. Taking this into account, and considering the increase of environmental chemicals with endocrine-disrupting potential such as bisphenol-A (BPA), this study aimed to evaluate the prostates of adult female gerbils exposed to BPA and BPA plus testosterone from pubertal to adult periods. Morphological, stereological and chemical analyses revealed that long-term BPA exposure, even in environmental dosages, increases the proliferative status of the prostate, increases the number of ERα-positive stromal cells and elicits the development of prostatic hyperplasia in adult female gerbils. Moreover, we also observed that the association with testosterone did not increase the proliferative status of the gland, which shows that low levels of BPA are enough to cause an oestrogenic disruption of the prostate in young adults. This evidence suggests that this oestrogenic endocrine disruptor may increase the susceptibility to prostatic disorders with ageing. PMID:26098999

Skill Activities for Independent Living (SAIL). A Curriculum for Developmentally Disabled Adolescents and Adults.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California State Univ., Los Angeles. Center for Mental Retardation.

This curriculum for developmentally disabled adolescents and adults contains assessment conditions and performance criteria for evaluating client acquisition of a total of 646 independent living skills in five areas. While the content of the curriculum is in an area known as independent living, it is also prevocational in as much as it covers a…

Donor selection for adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation: well begun is half done.

PubMed

Sharma, Amit; Ashworth, April; Behnke, Martha; Cotterell, Adrian; Posner, Marc; Fisher, Robert A

2013-02-15

Donor selection criteria for adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation vary with the medical center of evaluation. Living donor evaluation uses considerable resources, and the nonmaturation of potential into actual donors may sometimes prove fatal for patients with end-stage liver disease. On the contrary, a thorough donor evaluation process is mandatory to ensure safe outcomes in otherwise healthy donors. We aimed to study the reasons for nonmaturation of potential right lobe liver donors at our transplant center. A retrospective data analysis of all potential living liver donors evaluated at our center from 1998 to 2010 was done. Overall, 324 donors were evaluated for 219 potential recipients, and 171 (52.7%) donors were disqualified. Common reasons for donor nonmaturation included the following: (1) donor reluctance, 21%; (2) greater than 10% macro-vesicular steatosis, 16%; (3) assisted donor withdrawal, 14%; (4) inadequate remnant liver volume, 13%; and (5) psychosocial issues, 7%, and thrombophilia, 7%. Ten donors (6%) were turned down because of anatomic variations (8 biliary and 2 arterial anomalies). Donors older than 50 years and those with body mass index of more than 25 were less likely to be accepted for donation. We conclude that donor reluctance, hepatic steatosis, and assisted donor withdrawal are major reasons for nonmaturation of potential into actual donors. Anatomic variations and underlying medical conditions were not a major cause of donor rejection. A system in practice to recognize these factors early in the course of donor evaluation to improve the efficiency of the selection process and ensure donor safety is proposed.

Donor Selection for Adult- to- Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation: Well Begun is Half Done

PubMed Central

Sharma, Amit; Ashworth, April; Behnke, Martha; Cotterell, Adrian; Posner, Marc; Fisher, Robert A.

2012-01-01

Background Donor selection criteria for adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation vary with the medical center of evaluation. Living donor evaluation utilizes considerable resources and the non-maturation of potential into actual donors may sometimes prove fatal for patients with end stage liver disease. On the contrary, a thorough donor evaluation process is mandatory to ensure safe outcomes in otherwise healthy donors. We aimed to study the reasons for non-maturation of potential right lobe liver donors at our transplant center. Methods A retrospective data analysis of all potential living liver donors evaluated at our center from 1998 to 2010 was done. Results Overall 324 donors were evaluated for 219 potential recipients and 171 (52.7%) donors were disqualified. Common reasons for donor non-maturation included: (1) Donor reluctance, 21% (2) >10% macro-vesicular steatosis, 16% (3) assisted donor withdrawal, 14% (4) inadequate remnant liver volume, 13% (5) psychosocial issues, 7% and thrombophilia, 7%. Ten donors (6%) were turned down due to anatomical variations (8 biliary and 2 arterial anomalies). Donors older than 50 years and those with BMI over 25 were less likely to be accepted for donation. Conclusions We conclude that donor reluctance, hepatic steatosis and assisted donor withdrawal are major reasons for non-maturation of potential into actual donors. Anatomical variations and underlying medical conditions were not a major cause of donor rejection. A system in practice to recognize these factors early in the course of donor evaluation to improve the efficiency of the selection process and ensure donor safety is proposed. PMID:23128999

Psychosocial Factors and Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders among Southeastern Asian Female Workers Living in Korea

PubMed Central

Ahn, Hyunmi; Park, Chang Gi; Kim, Sun Jung; Moon, Sun Hye

2011-01-01

Objectives A rapid increase in the population of migrant workers in Korea has brought new challenges regarding the possible effects of acculturation on health. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of acculturation- and work-related psychosocial factors on work-related musculoskeletal disorders among migrant female workers living in Korea. Methods A cross-sectional survey design was used. A translated, structured questionnaire was administrated to 156 southeastern Asian female full-time workers living in Korea. Results About 35% of the participants experienced some type(s) of work-related musculoskeletal disorder(s), which were more prevalent in Vietnamese women than in Thai and Filipino women. Women who preferred to maintain their own heritage and to reject the host country heritage were at risk for work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Conclusion Acculturation strategy and nationality were found to be significant factors associated with work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Health professionals need to accommodate acculturation contexts into risk assessment and intervention development for work-related musculoskeletal disorders separately for different nationalities. PMID:22953201

Living with an adult family member using advanced medical technology at home.

PubMed

Fex, Angelika; Flensner, Gullvi; Ek, Anna-Christina; Söderhamn, Olle

2011-12-01

Living with an adult family member using advanced medical technology at home An increased number of chronically ill adults perform self-care while using different sorts of advanced medical technology at home. This hermeneutical study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the meaning of living with an adult family member using advanced medical technology at home. Eleven next of kin to adults performing self-care at home, either using long-term oxygen from a cylinder or ventilator, or performing peritoneal or haemodialysis, were interviewed. The qualitative interviews were analysed using a Gadamerian methodology. The main interpretation explained the meaning as rhythmical patterns of connectedness versus separation, and of sorrow versus reconciliation. Dependence on others was shown in the need for support from healthcare professionals and significant others. In conclusion, next of kin took considerable responsibility for dependent-care. All next of kin were positive to the idea of bringing the technology home, even though their own needs receded into the background, while focusing on the best for the patient. The results were discussed in relation to dependent-care and transition, which may have an influence on the self-care of next of kin and patients. The study revealed a need for further nursing attention to next of kin in this context. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Survival Analysis and Actuarial Parameters of Sternechus subsignatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Adults.

PubMed

Guillermina Socías, María; Van Nieuwenhove, Guido; Murúa, María Gabriela; Willink, Eduardo; Liljesthröm, Gerardo Gustavo

2016-04-01

The soybean stalk weevil, Sternechus subsignatus Boheman 1836 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is a very serious soybean pest in the Neotropical region. Both adults and larvae feed on soybean, causing significant yield losses. Adult survival was evaluated during three soybean growing seasons under controlled environmental conditions. A survival analysis was performed using a parametric survival fit approach in order to generate survival curves and obtain information that could help optimize integrated management strategies for this weevil pest. Sex of the weevils, crop season, fortnight in which weevils emerged, and their interaction were studied regarding their effect on adult survival. The results showed that females lived longer than males, but both genders were actually long-lived, reaching 224 and 176 d, respectively. Mean lifetime (l50) was 121.88±4.56 d for females and 89.58±2.72 d for males. Although variations were observed in adult longevities among emergence fortnights and soybean seasons, only in December and January fortnights of the 2007–2008 season and December fortnights of 2009–2010 did the statistically longest and shortest longevities occur, respectively. Survivorship data (lx) of adult females and males were fitted to the Weibull frequency distribution model. The survival curve was type I for both sexes, which indicated that mortality corresponded mostly to old individuals.

Developmental Trajectories in Adolescents and Adults With Autism: The Case of Daily Living Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Leann E.; Maenner, Matthew J.; Seltzer, Marsha Mailick

2012-01-01

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the longitudinal course of daily living skills in a large, community-based sample of adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) over a 10-year period. Method: Adolescents and adults with ASD (n = 397) were drawn from an ongoing, longitudinal study of individuals with ASD and their…

An Examination of the Social Networks and Social Isolation in Older and Younger Adults Living with HIV/AIDS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emlet, Charles A.

2006-01-01

This study examined social networks and social isolation in older (50 years or more) and younger (ages 20 to 39) adults with HIV/AIDS. The author conducted interviews with 88 individuals living with HIV/AIDS in the Pacific Northwest. Both groups' social networks had similar patterns; however, older adults were more likely to live alone. More than…

Pain and Cognitive Function Among Older Adults Living in the Community

PubMed Central

van der Leeuw, Guusje; Eggermont, Laura H. P.; Shi, Ling; Milberg, William P.; Gross, Alden L.; Hausdorff, Jeffrey M.; Bean, Jonathan F.

2016-01-01

Background. Pain related to many age-related chronic conditions is a burdensome problem in elderly adults and may also interfere with cognitive functioning. The purpose of this study was to examine the cross-sectional relationship between measures of pain severity and pain interference and cognitive performance in community-living older adults. Methods. We studied 765 participants in the Maintenance of Balance Independent Living Intellect and Zest (MOBILIZE) Boston Study, a population-based study of persons aged 70 and older. Global pain severity and interference were measured using the Brief Pain Inventory subscales. The neuropsychological battery included measures of attentional capacity (Trail Making Test A, WORLD Test), executive function (Trail Making Test B and Delta, Clock-in-a-Box, Letter Fluency), memory (Hopkins Verbal Learning Test), and a global composite measure of cognitive function. Multivariable linear regression models were used to analyze the relationship between pain and cognitive functioning. Results. Elderly adults with more severe pain or more pain interference had poorer performance on memory tests and executive functioning compared to elders with none or less pain. Pain interference was also associated with impaired attentional capacity. Additional adjustment for chronic conditions, behaviors, and psychiatric medication resulted in attenuation of many of the observed associations. However, the association between pain interference and general cognitive function persisted. Conclusions. Our findings point to the need for further research to understand how chronic pain may contribute to decline in cognitive function and to determine strategies that may help in preventing or managing these potential consequences of pain on cognitive function in older adults. PMID:26433218

Adults Living with Limited Literacy and Chronic Illness: Patient Education Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Judy; Taylor, Maurice C.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate how Canadian adults living with limited literacy and chronic illness made meaning of their patient education experiences. The study used a hermeneutic phenomenological research design and employed three data sources over a nine-month period. Data was interpreted and analyzed as it was collected,…

Cloning of calves from various somatic cell types of male and female adult, newborn and fetal cows.

PubMed

Kato, Y; Tani, T; Tsunoda, Y

2000-11-01

Twenty-four calves were cloned from six somatic cell types of female and male adult, newborn and fetal cows. The clones were derived from female cumulus (n = 3), oviduct (n = 2) and uterine (n = 2) cells, female and male skin cells (n = 10), and male ear (n = 5) and liver (n = 2) cells. On the basis of the number of cloned embryos transferred (n = 172) to surrogate cows, the overall rate of success was 14%, but based on the number of surrogate mothers that became pregnant (n = 50), the success rate was 48%. Cell nuclei from uterus, ear and liver cells, which have not been tested previously, developed into newborn calves after nuclear transfer into enucleated oocytes. To date, seven female and six male calves have survived: six of the females were from adult cells (cumulus (n = 3), oviduct (n = 2) and skin (n = 1) cells) and one was from newborn skin cells, whereas the male calves were derived from adult ear cells (n = 3), newborn liver and skin cells (n = 2), and fetal cells (n = 1). Clones derived from adult cells frequently aborted in the later stages of pregnancy and calves developing to term showed a higher number of abnormalities than did those derived from newborn or fetal cells. The telomeric DNA lengths in the ear cells of three male calves cloned from the ear cells of a bull aged 10 years were similar to those of the original bull. However, the telomeric DNA lengths from the white blood cells of the clones, although similar to those in an age-matched control, were shorter than those of the original bull, which indicates that telomeric shortening varies among tissues.

The effect of group bibliotherapy on the self-esteem of female students living in dormitory

PubMed Central

Salimi, Sepideh; Zare-Farashbandi, Firoozeh; Papi, Ahmad; Samouei, Rahele; Hassanzadeh, Akbar

2014-01-01

Introduction: Bibliotherapy is a supplement, simple, inexpensive and readily available method to treat the diseases that is performed with cooperation of librarians and psychologists or doctors. The aim of this study is the investigation of group bibliotherapy's effect on the self-esteem of the female students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences Living in Dormitory in 2012. Materials and Methods: The present study is an interventional semi-experimental study with pre test and post test and control group. The statistical population of study consisted of 32 female students who reside in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences dormitories which control and case groups and the students were divided randomly between these two groups. Data was collected by Cooper Smith Self-esteem questionnaire scale (Cronbach's alpha: 0.85). Two groups were examined by the questionnaire in pre test. Case group received group bibliotherapy for 2 month (8 sessions of 2 hours), while the control group received no training at all. Then, 2 groups were assessed in post test after 1 month. Descriptive statistics (means and frequencies distribution) and inferential statistics (independent t- test, paired t- test and mann whitney) were used and data was analyzed by SPSS20 software. Results: The findings showed that group bibliotherapy had positive and significant effect on general, family, professional and total self esteem of female students living in dormitories, but it had no effect on their social self esteem. Conclusion: Group bibliotherapy can increase female students’ self-esteem levels. On the other hand, conducting these studies not only can improve mental health of people, but can also improve their reading habits. PMID:25250355

Sex at Sterkfontein: 'Mrs. Ples' is still an adult female.

PubMed

Grine, Frederick E; Weber, Gerhard W; Plavcan, J Michael; Benazzi, Stefano

2012-05-01

The important question of whether the Australopithecus africanus hypodigm is taxonomically heterogeneous revolves largely around the interpretation of the morphological variation exhibited by the fossils from Sterkfontein. The sex assignment of these specimens is a critical component in the evaluation of their morphological variability. The Sts 5 cranium is pivotal in this regard because it is the most complete and undistorted specimen attributed to A. africanus. Although it has traditionally been regarded as an adult female, this view has been challenged. In particular, it has been argued recently that Sts 5 is a juvenile and that this, together with alveolar bone loss that has supposedly reduced the size of the canine socket, has led to its misinterpretation as a female. Virtual reconstruction of the M(3) roots (and/or alveoli) contradicts arguments that these teeth were erupting at the time of death. Regardless, canine emergence and root completion are well ahead of M(3) development in juvenile australopiths from Sterkfontein. Thus, even if the M(3) root of Sts 5 was incomplete, its canine root would have been fully formed. Measurements of palate depth indicate that the alveolar margins of Sts 5 have not suffered from much (if any) bone loss in the region of the C/P(3); any additional bone would result in a palate of truly exceptional depth. Therefore, the dimensions of the canine alveolus of Sts 5 can be regarded as proxies for those of the canine root. The canine root of Sts 5 is among the smallest recorded for any Sterkfontein australopith, which provides strong support for Robert Broom's initial attribution of sex to this specimen. There is no evidence to contradict the assertion that 'Mrs. Ples' is an adult female. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlates of Serious Suicidal Ideation and Attempts in Female Adult Sexual Assault Survivors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ullman, Sarah E.; Najdowski, Cynthia J.

2009-01-01

Relations between (a) serious suicidal ideation and attempts and (b) demographics, trauma history, assault characteristics, post-assault outcomes, and psychosocial variables were examined among female adult sexual assault survivors. Younger, minority, and bisexual survivors reported greater ideation. More traumas, drug use, and assault disclosure…

Effects of Early Smoking Habits on Young Adult Female Voices in Greece.

PubMed

Tafiadis, Dionysios; Toki, Eugenia I; Miller, Kevin J; Ziavra, Nausica

2017-11-01

Cigarette use is a preventable cause of mortality and diseases. The World Health Organization states that Europe and especially Greece has the highest occurrence of smoking among adults. The prevalence of smoking among women in Greece was estimated to be over 30% in 2012. Smoking is a risk factor for many diseases. Studies have demonstrated the association between smoking and laryngeal pathologies as well as changes in voice characteristics. The purpose of this study was to estimate the effect of early smoking habit on young adult female voices and if they perceive any vocal changes using two assessment methods. The Voice Handicap Index and the acoustic analyses of voice measurements were used, with both serving as mini-assessment protocols. Two hundred and ten young females (110 smokers and 100 nonsmokers) attending the Technological Educational Institute of Epirus in the School of Health and Welfare were included. Statistically significant increases for physical and total scores of the Voice Handicap Index were found in the smokers group (P < 0.05). Significant changes were observed for the acoustic parameters between smoker and nonsmoker groups. The results of this study indicated observable signs of change in the voice acoustic characteristics of young adults with early smoking habits. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reducing Risky Sexual Behavior and Substance Use Among Currently and Formerly Homeless Adults Living With HIV

PubMed Central

Desmond, Katherine; Comulada, W. Scott; Arnold, Elizabeth Mayfield; Johnson, Mallory

2009-01-01

Objectives. We examined the efficacy of the Healthy Living Program in reducing risky sexual behavior and substance use among adults with HIV infection who were marginally housed (i.e., homeless at some point over a 37-month period). Methods. We had previously conducted a randomized controlled trial with 936 adults living with HIV infection. In that study, 3 intervention modules of 5 sessions each addressed different goals: reducing risky sexual acts and drug use, improving the quality of life, and adhering to healthful behaviors. Participants were interviewed at baseline and at 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 months; 746 completed 4 or more assessments. In this study, we analyzed sexual behavior and drug use outcomes for the 35% (n = 270 of 767) of participants who were considered marginally housed. Results. Among the marginally housed participants, there were significantly greater reductions in unprotected risky sexual acts, the number of sexual partners of HIV negative or unknown serostatus, alcohol or marijuana use, and hard drug use among the intervention group than among the control group. Conclusions. Intensive, skill-focused intervention programs may improve the lives of marginally housed adults living with HIV infection. PMID:18799777

Safety of live, attenuated oral vaccines in HIV-infected Zambian adults

PubMed Central

Banda, Rose; Yambayamba, Vera; Lalusha, Bwalya Daka; Sinkala, Edford; Kapulu, Melissa Chola; Kelly, Paul

2012-01-01

Background Current recommendations are that HIV-infected persons should not be given live vaccines. We set out to assess potential toxicity of three live, attenuated oral vaccines (against rotavirus, typhoid and ETEC) in a phase 1 study. Methods Two commercially available oral vaccines against rotavirus (Rotarix) and typhoid (Vivotif) and one candidate vaccine against Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ACAM2017) were given to HIV seropositive (n = 42) and HIV seronegative (n = 59) adults. Gastrointestinal symptoms were sought actively by weekly interview up to 1 month of vaccination. In rotavirus vaccine recipients, intestinal biopsies were collected by endoscopy and evaluated for expression of IL-8 and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Results No difference was observed between symptoms in HIV infected and HIV uninfected vaccinees, except for diarrhoea reported more than 7 days after the last dose of vaccine. If only diarrhoea episodes within 7 days of vaccination are included, diarrhoea was not more frequent in HIV seropositive than in HIV seronegative vaccinees (OR 6.7, 95% CI 1.2–67; P = 0.09). However, if later episodes of diarrhoea are included, a significant increase in diarrhoea was demonstrated (OR 5.3, 95% CI 0.98–53; P = 0.04). All episodes were mild and transient. IL-8 was slowly up-regulated over the week following vaccination (P = 0.02), but IL-β, IFNγ or TNFα were not. Conclusions No evidence was found of adverse events following administration of these three vaccines, except for late episodes of diarrhoea which may not be attributable to vaccination. Our data do not support the need for a prohibition on oral administration of live, attenuated vaccines to all HIV infected adults, though further work on severely immunocompromised adults and children are required. PMID:22789509

Education, employment, and independent living of young adults who are deaf and hard of hearing.

PubMed

Appelman, Karen I; Callahan, Judy Ottren; Mayer, Margaret H; Luetke, Barbara S; Stryker, Deborah S

2012-01-01

Little information is available on the education, employment, and independent living status of young deaf and hard of hearing adults who have transitioned from high school. The present article reports postsecondary outcomes of 46 young adults who had attended for at least 4 years a non-public agency school in the northwestern United States specializing in deaf education. School administrators had developed a specific philosophy and operationalized it in an academic and literacy-based curriculum incorporating a grammatically accurate signing system. The researchers found that most or all participants had finished high school, had earned a college degree, were employed, and were living independently. Findings are discussed in terms of the available literature and the study's contribution to a limited body of recent research on young postsecondary deaf and hard of hearing adults.

Predictors of depressive symptoms in older adults living in care homes in Thailand.

PubMed

Tosangwarn, Suhathai; Clissett, Philip; Blake, Holly

2018-02-01

Thai culture traditionally abhors elders living in care homes due to the belief that this represents a dereliction of filial piety by their children, thus care homes are stigmatized as the domain of poor older adults with no family. This may impact negatively on psychological wellbeing of residents, although little is known about the key factors influencing depressive symptoms. Therefore, this study explores factors associated with depressive symptoms, internalised stigma, self-esteem, social support and coping strategies among older adults residing in care homes in Thailand. A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted with 128 older residents recruited from two care homes in Northeast Thailand. Data were collected using the 15-Item Thai Geriatric Depression Scale, Internalised Stigma of Living in a Care Home Scale, Thai Version of Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Thai Version of Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the Coping Strategies Inventory Short-Form. Depressive symptoms were significantly correlated with internalised stigma, self-esteem and social support (r=0.563, -0.574 and -0.333) (p<0.001), respectively. Perceived internalised stigma of living in a care home was the strongest predictor of care home residents reporting depressive symptoms (odds ratio=9.165). Older adults who perceived high internalised stigma of living in a care home were over nine times as likely to report experiencing depressive symptoms. Efforts to decrease or prevent perceived internalised stigma might help to reduce depressive symptoms. Interventions might include media collaboration, educational interventions in the care home setting and organising social activities for residents and their families. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Survival of adult Steller sea lions in Alaska: senescence, annual variation and covariation with male reproductive success.

PubMed

Hastings, Kelly K; Jemison, Lauri A; Pendleton, Grey W

2018-01-01

Population dynamics of long-lived vertebrates depend critically on adult survival, yet factors affecting survival and covariation between survival and other vital rates in adults remain poorly examined for many taxonomic groups of long-lived mammals (e.g. actuarial senescence has been examined for only 9 of 34 extant pinniped species using longitudinal data). We used mark-recapture models and data from 2795 Steller sea lion ( Eumetopias jubatus ) pups individually marked at four of five rookeries in southeastern Alaska (SEAK) and resighted for 21 years to examine senescence, annual variability and covariation among life-history traits in this long-lived, sexually dimorphic pinniped. Sexes differed in age of onset (approx. 16-17 and approx. 8-9 years for females and males, respectively), but not rate (-0.047 and -0.046/year of age for females and males) of senescence. Survival of adult males from northern SEAK had greatest annual variability (approx. ±0.30 among years), whereas survival of adult females ranged approximately ±0.10 annually. Positive covariation between male survival and reproductive success was observed. Survival of territorial males was 0.20 higher than that of non-territorial males, resulting in the majority of males alive at oldest ages being territorial.

Survival of adult Steller sea lions in Alaska: senescence, annual variation and covariation with male reproductive success

PubMed Central

Jemison, Lauri A.; Pendleton, Grey W.

2018-01-01

Population dynamics of long-lived vertebrates depend critically on adult survival, yet factors affecting survival and covariation between survival and other vital rates in adults remain poorly examined for many taxonomic groups of long-lived mammals (e.g. actuarial senescence has been examined for only 9 of 34 extant pinniped species using longitudinal data). We used mark–recapture models and data from 2795 Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) pups individually marked at four of five rookeries in southeastern Alaska (SEAK) and resighted for 21 years to examine senescence, annual variability and covariation among life-history traits in this long-lived, sexually dimorphic pinniped. Sexes differed in age of onset (approx. 16–17 and approx. 8–9 years for females and males, respectively), but not rate (−0.047 and −0.046/year of age for females and males) of senescence. Survival of adult males from northern SEAK had greatest annual variability (approx. ±0.30 among years), whereas survival of adult females ranged approximately ±0.10 annually. Positive covariation between male survival and reproductive success was observed. Survival of territorial males was 0.20 higher than that of non-territorial males, resulting in the majority of males alive at oldest ages being territorial. PMID:29410794

Effect of Perceived Stigmatisation on the Quality of Life among Ageing Female Family Carers: A Comparison of Carers of Adults with Intellectual Disability and Carers of Adults with Mental Illness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chou, Y. C.; Pu, C. Y.; Lee, Y. C.; Lin, L. C.; Kroger, T.

2009-01-01

Background: Little account has been taken of quality of life (QoL) among family carers of adults with an intellectual disability (ID) and family carers of adults with a mental illness (MI), particularly the female ageing carers' perceived stigma. We explore whether there are differences in the significant predictors of female ageing family carers'…

Intrauterine programming mechanism for hypercholesterolemia in prenatal caffeine-exposed female adult rat offspring.

PubMed

Xu, Dan; Luo, Hanwen W; Hu, Wen; Hu, Shuwei W; Yuan, Chao; Wang, Guihua H; Zhang, Li; Yu, Hong; Magdalou, Jacques; Chen, Liaobin B; Wang, Hui

2018-05-02

Clinical and animal studies have indicated that hypercholesterolemia and its associated diseases have intrauterine developmental origins. Our previous studies showed that prenatal caffeine exposure (PCE) led to fetal overexposure to maternal glucocorticoids (GCs) and increased serum total cholesterol levels in adult rat offspring. This study further confirms the intrauterine programming of PCE-induced hypercholesterolemia in female adult rat offspring. Pregnant Wistar rats were intragastrically administered caffeine (30, 60, and 120 mg/kg/d) from gestational day (GD)9 to 20. Female rat offspring were euthanized at GD20 and postnatal wk 12; several adult rat offspring were additionally subjected to ice-water swimming stimulation to induce chronic stress prior to death. The effects of GCs on cholesterol metabolism and epigenetic regulation were verified using the L02 cell line. The results showed that PCE induced hypercholesterolemia in adult offspring, which manifested as significantly higher levels of serum total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) as well as higher ratios of LDL-C/HDL cholesterol. We further found that the cholesterol levels were increased in fetal livers but were decreased in fetal blood, accompanied by increased maternal blood cholesterol levels and reduced placental cholesterol transport. Furthermore, analysis of PCE offspring in the uterus and in a postnatal basal/chronic stress state and the results of in vitro experiments showed that hepatic cholesterol metabolism underwent GC-dependent changes and was associated with cholesterol synthase via abnormalities in 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR) histone acetylation. We concluded that, to compensate for intrauterine placentally derived decreases in fetal blood cholesterol levels, high intrauterine GC levels activated fetal hepatic CCAAT enhancer binding protein α signaling and down-regulated Sirtuin1 expression, which mediated the high levels of histone acetylation ( via H3K9

Independent Living: A Study of Rehabilitation of Physically Handicapped Adults Living in Foster Homes; Social Work Intervention in the Adaptation to Family Environment. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Howard D.

As an alternative to unnecessary inpatient care of adults with orthopedic disabilities, the Independent Living Project (ILP) placed persons who were institutionalized without need and persons who were living in the community under unsatisfactory circumstances in foster homes. Information is presented on the intake procedures, homefinding…

The Risk of Transplant Failure With HLA Mismatch in First Adult Kidney Allografts 2: Living Donors, Summary, Guide

PubMed Central

Williams, Robert C.; Opelz, Gerhard; Weil, E. Jennifer; McGarvey, Chelsea J.; Chakkera, Harini A.

2017-01-01

Background Allografts from living donors survive longer than those from deceased donors but the role of HLA mismatching in living kidney donation is still in question. We examined the effect of HLA compatibility on kidney allograft survival from living donors by studying all first adult kidney transplants performed in the United States over 25 years. Methods Using the United Network for Organ Sharing data, we identified first kidney transplants between October 1, 1987, and December 31, 2013. Recipients were classified by their number of HLA mismatches and stratified by donor origin. Cox multivariate regression analyses adjusting for recipient and donor transplant characteristics were performed to determine impact of HLA compatibility on kidney allograft survival for all living donors and for living related and living unrelated subsets. Results There were 66 596 first adult transplants from living donors with 348 960 years of follow-up. We found a linear relationship between HLA mismatch and allograft survival. In adjusted analyses, among all living donors, 1 mismatch conferred a 44% higher risk, whereas 6 mismatches conferred a twofold higher risk of allograft failure. When using 0-mismatched full siblings as a reference, living-donor kidneys reduce the hazard of failure by approximately 34% when compared with deceased donors. Twenty-five years of transplant experience, stratified by donor source, was summarized and presented as a guide for allocation. Conclusions These data reinforce the importance of optimizing HLA matching to further improve survival in first adult kidney allografts in the future, especially in living unrelated donations, when possible. PMID:28573187

The Risk of Transplant Failure With HLA Mismatch in First Adult Kidney Allografts 2: Living Donors, Summary, Guide.

PubMed

Williams, Robert C; Opelz, Gerhard; Weil, E Jennifer; McGarvey, Chelsea J; Chakkera, Harini A

2017-05-01

Allografts from living donors survive longer than those from deceased donors but the role of HLA mismatching in living kidney donation is still in question. We examined the effect of HLA compatibility on kidney allograft survival from living donors by studying all first adult kidney transplants performed in the United States over 25 years. Using the United Network for Organ Sharing data, we identified first kidney transplants between October 1, 1987, and December 31, 2013. Recipients were classified by their number of HLA mismatches and stratified by donor origin. Cox multivariate regression analyses adjusting for recipient and donor transplant characteristics were performed to determine impact of HLA compatibility on kidney allograft survival for all living donors and for living related and living unrelated subsets. There were 66 596 first adult transplants from living donors with 348 960 years of follow-up. We found a linear relationship between HLA mismatch and allograft survival. In adjusted analyses, among all living donors, 1 mismatch conferred a 44% higher risk, whereas 6 mismatches conferred a twofold higher risk of allograft failure. When using 0-mismatched full siblings as a reference, living-donor kidneys reduce the hazard of failure by approximately 34% when compared with deceased donors. Twenty-five years of transplant experience, stratified by donor source, was summarized and presented as a guide for allocation. These data reinforce the importance of optimizing HLA matching to further improve survival in first adult kidney allografts in the future, especially in living unrelated donations, when possible.

Assisted Living

MedlinePlus

... higher than in other supported-living environments. Adult Foster Care Foster care homes generally provide room, board, and some ... caregivers, who usually live on the premises. Adult foster care has the advantage of maintaining frail older ...

Factors relating to stages of change in walking exercise behavior among older adults living in a hilly, mountainous area.

PubMed

Ota, Kiyomi; Ninomiya, Kazue; Sakano, Junko

2014-01-01

We sought to identify factors relating to stages of change in walking exercise behavior among older adults living in a hilly, mountainous area in search of effective interventions to aid transitions. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted with all older adults aged between 60 and 74 years (n=752) living in Takahashi City in the district of Kawakami, Okayama Prefecture. Questionnaires were distributed by local volunteer staff to 752 older adults, who completed and mailed the questionnaires to the principal investigator. Data on participants' demographic characteristics (gender, age, family structure, etc.), stages of change in walking exercise behavior, self-efficacy, perceived physical environment, and perceived social environment were collected through the survey. The participants were divided into non-walking, preparation, and walking subgroups. The χ(2), Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U, and Bonferroni's multiple comparison tests were performed. Significance was set at 0.05. of 325 returned questionnaires (response rate, 43.2%), 164 completed questionnaires were analyzed. Females were significantly more likely to be physically active than were males. The preparation group had the largest number of participants (n=69, 42.1%), while the walking group had the smallest (n=43, 26.2%). The Kruskal-Wallis test revealed differences between stages of change in walking exercise behavior in terms of self-efficacy, perceived physical environment (landscape), and perceived social environment (all items). Multiple comparisons revealed that there were significant differences between the non-walking and preparation groups in self-efficacy, landscape, and advice/guidelines, while there were significant differences between the preparation and walking groups in self-efficacy and understanding/empathy. Moving through the stages of change in walking exercise behavior was associated with gender, self-efficacy, the physical environment (landscape), and all

How Living or Traveling to Foreign Locations Influences Adults' Worldviews and Impacts Personal Identity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yelich Biniecki, Susan M.; Conceição, Simone C. O.

2014-01-01

People are living and traveling to places all over the world. An exploration of how this movement influences learners' worldviews has implications for adult development, identity, and learning. The purpose of this paper is to present a phenomenological study conducted in the U.S. that examined how individuals' living or traveling…

Long-term heavy metal pollution varied female reproduction investment in free-living anura, Bufo raddei.

PubMed

Zhang, Wenya; Guo, Rui; Ai, Shiwei; Yang, Ying; Ding, Jian; Zhang, Yingmei

2018-09-15

Environment contamination is known to affect the growth, reproduction, and even mortality of anuran species, and hence modulate their life history traits. Although knowledge of the ability of amphibians to cope with harsh environments has gained ongoing research, the reproductive strategy of free-living amphibians subjected to long-term heavy metal pollution is largely unknown. This study aimed to explore the variation in the life history traits, including age structure, maturation age, reproductive investment, and reproduction trade-off, in female Bufo raddei, a widespread anuran in Baiyin (BY) in northwest of China, subjected to sublethal heavy metal pollution. B. raddei collected from Liujiaxia (LJX), a relatively unpolluted area, were used as control. Skeletochronological analysis revealed variation in the average breeding age of females: more than 70% of females from BY began to breed 1 year before the toads collected from LJX. Females from BY tended to prioritize reproduction over survival and invested more in their first reproductive event. Further, females in BY with a high fluctuating asymmetry index showed a relatively lower reproductive investment. For trade-off in offspring number and size, BY population optimize larger clutch sizes with smaller egg size compared with population in LJX. Changes in female reproductive investment caused by heavy metal pollution might ultimately alter the structural stability of amphibian population. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Endoscopic therapy of posttransplant biliary stenoses after right-sided adult living donor liver transplantation.

PubMed

Zoepf, Thomas; Maldonado-Lopez, Evelyn J; Hilgard, Philip; Schlaak, Joerg; Malago, Massimo; Broelsch, Christoph E; Treichel, Ulrich; Gerken, Guido

2005-11-01

Endoscopic treatment of biliary strictures after liver transplantation is a therapeutic challenge. In particular, outcomes of endoscopic therapy of biliary complications in the case of duct-to-duct anastomosis after living related liver transplantation are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and success of an endoscopic treatment approach to posttransplant biliary strictures (PTBS) after right-sided living donor liver transplantation (RLDLT) with duct-to-duct anastomosis. Ninety patients who received adult-to-adult RLDLT in our center were screened retrospectively with respect to endoscopic treatment of PTBS. Therapy was judged as successful when cholestasis parameters returned to normal and bile duct narrowing was reduced significantly after the completion of therapy. Forty of 90 RLDLT patients received duct-to-duct anastomosis, 12 (30%) showed PTBS. Seven of 12 patients were treated successfully by endoscopy; the remaining 5 patients were treated primarily by surgery. Most patients were treated by balloon dilatation followed by insertion of endoprostheses. A median of 2.5 dilatation sessions were necessary and the median treatment duration was 8 months. One patient developed endoscopy-treatable recurrent stenosis, no surgical intervention was necessary. Mild pancreatitis occurred in 7.9% and cholangitis in 5.3% of the procedures. One minor bleeding episode occurred during sphincterotomy. Bleeding was managed endoscopically. Endoscopic therapy of adult-to-adult right living related liver transplantation with duct-to-duct anastomosis is feasible and frequently is successful. The duct-to-duct anastomosis offers the possibility of endoscopic treatment. Endoscopic treatment of posttransplant biliary strictures is safe, with a low specific complication rate.

Effects of Maternal Behavior Induction and Pup Exposure on Neurogenesis in Adult, Virgin Female Rats

PubMed Central

Furuta, Miyako; Bridges, Robert S.

2009-01-01

The states of pregnancy and lactation bring about a range of physiological and behavioral changes in the adult mammal that prepare the mother to care for her young. Cell proliferation increases in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the female rodent brain during both pregnancy and lactation when compared to that in cycling, diestrous females. In the present study, the effects of maternal behavior induction and pup exposure on neurogenesis in nulliparous rats were examined in order to determine whether maternal behavior itself, independent of pregnancy and lactation, might affect neurogenesis. Adult, nulliparous, Sprague-Dawley, female rats were exposed daily to foster young in order to induce maternal behavior. Following the induction of maternal behavior each maternal subject plus females that were exposed to pups for a comparable number of test days, but did not display maternal behavior, and subjects that had received no pup exposure were injected with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU, 90 mg/kg, i.v.). Brain sections were double-labeled for BrdU and the neural marker, NeuN, to examine the proliferating cell population. Increases in the number of double-labeled cells were found in the maternal virgin brain when compared with the number of double-labeled cells present in non-maternal, pup-exposed nulliparous rats and in females not exposed to young. No changes were evident in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus as a function of maternal behavior. These data indicate that in nulliparous female rats maternal behavior itself is associated with the stimulation of neurogenesis in the SVZ. PMID:19712726

New Television Documentary Underscores Challenges Faced by Adults Living with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Exceptional Parent, 2011

2011-01-01

Over the next 10 to 15 years, an estimated 800,000 children with autism will age out of their school systems and look to state and federal governments for support services and resources to meet their many needs. "Autism: Coming of Age" provides an inside look at the lives of three adults with autism and their families. The film delves into the…

HIV disclosure among adults living with HIV.

PubMed

Mayfield Arnold, E; Rice, E; Flannery, D; Rotheram-Borus, M J

2008-01-01

Research on disclosure among heterosexual adult person(s) living with HIV (PLH) was reviewed, omitting disclosure of parental HIV to children. Disclosure has been studied within five additional relational contexts: with partners, family members, friends, healthcare professionals and in work settings. Disclosure is higher among women than men, among Latino and white compared to African-American families, and among younger compared to older HIV-positive adults. Most PLH disclose to their sexual partners and family members, yet there is a significant minority who do not disclose. Similarly, rates of disclosure to employers range from 27-68%, suggesting broad variability in perceived consequences of employment disclosures. Of concern, 40% of PLH do not consistently disclose to their healthcare professionals. Rather than examine HIV disclosures in the context of relationships, it is possible to understand disclosures around personal identity. Disclosure decisions are often made to tell everyone (making HIV status a central attribute of one's identity), no one (requiring strategies for securing social support while remaining anonymous) or some people (requiring strategic decisions based on context). Given that disclosure decisions are central to personal identity, future data on disclosure and interventions designed to increase disclosure or comfort with disclosure must focus on communication strategies adopted by PLH to present a coherent identity.

Rhythmic displays of female gibbons offer insight into the origin of dance.

PubMed

Fan, Peng-Fei; Ma, Chang-Yong; Garber, Paul A; Zhang, Wen; Fei, Han-Lan; Xiao, Wen

2016-09-30

Dance is a universal art form practiced by all human societies and has many functions including sexual attraction, social cohesion, and the therapeutic release of energy. Dance also has been reported in a small number of non-human primate species, in particular apes. However, its function has not been systematically evaluated. We observed 357 intentional, rhythmic, and nonverbal dance displays performed by four adult female cao vit gibbons (Nomascus nasutus) residing in four polygynous groups during 3000 h of observation in Bangliang, Guangxi, China. Females used dance to solicit copulations, as well as to promote a social bond with the group's lone adult male. In addition, this display appears to represent a form of non-aggressive competition among adult females living in the same group. We found that a female who had a weaker social relationship with the breeding male increased her social and sexual access to the male by an increase in dancing frequency. Given that gibbons dance in various behavioral contexts, and appears to serve several important social and sexual functions, a greater understanding of this form of gestural communication offers an instructive model for examining the origin and evolution of dance in humans and other apes.

Rhythmic displays of female gibbons offer insight into the origin of dance

PubMed Central

Fan, Peng-Fei; Ma, Chang-Yong; Garber, Paul A.; Zhang, Wen; Fei, Han-Lan; Xiao, Wen

2016-01-01

Dance is a universal art form practiced by all human societies and has many functions including sexual attraction, social cohesion, and the therapeutic release of energy. Dance also has been reported in a small number of non-human primate species, in particular apes. However, its function has not been systematically evaluated. We observed 357 intentional, rhythmic, and nonverbal dance displays performed by four adult female cao vit gibbons (Nomascus nasutus) residing in four polygynous groups during 3000 h of observation in Bangliang, Guangxi, China. Females used dance to solicit copulations, as well as to promote a social bond with the group’s lone adult male. In addition, this display appears to represent a form of non-aggressive competition among adult females living in the same group. We found that a female who had a weaker social relationship with the breeding male increased her social and sexual access to the male by an increase in dancing frequency. Given that gibbons dance in various behavioral contexts, and appears to serve several important social and sexual functions, a greater understanding of this form of gestural communication offers an instructive model for examining the origin and evolution of dance in humans and other apes. PMID:27687686

Education, Employment, and Independent Living of Young Adults Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Appelman, Karen I.; Callahan, Judy Ottren; Mayer, Margaret H.; Luetke, Barbara S.; Stryker, Deborah S.

2012-01-01

Little information is available on the education, employment, and independent living status of young deaf and hard of hearing adults who have transitioned from high school. The present article reports post-secondary outcomes of 46 young adults who had attended for at least 4 years a non-public agency school in the northwestern United States…

Identification of individual adult female Javan lutungs (Trachypithecus auratus sondaicus) by using patterns of dark pigmentation in the pubic area.

PubMed

Tsuji, Yamato; Widayati, Kanthi Arum; Hadi, Islamul; Suryobroto, Bambang; Watanabe, Kunio

2013-01-01

In a series of field surveys of wild Javan lutungs (Trachypithecus auratus sondaicus) conducted at Pangandaran Nature Reserve in West Java, Indonesia, from 2011 to 2012, we tried to use a method of individual identification by using individual-specific patterns of dark pigmentation in the pubic area. During the 2011 dry season, we used a digital SLR camera with a 400-mm telephoto lens to photograph the pubic area of each individual of a habituated group. These photographs were the basis for identifying 14 different adult females. During the rainy season of 2011 and the dry season of 2012, we checked the presence/absence of each of the identified individuals and found that these patterns were stable, at least during our study period. We found that two adult females and one adult female disappeared from the subject group between the first and second and between the second and third surveys, respectively, and that one adult female gave birth between the first and second surveys, but the infant had disappeared from the group between the second and third surveys. We could not confirm the validity of the method for juvenile females because of the dense white hair in their pubic areas and the fact that few individuals had clear patterns. Furthermore, we could not use this method for males because of the lack of pigmentation in the pubic area. As patterns of pigmentation in the pubic area are known to be present in other Trachypithecus species, our method can be useful for identification of individual adult females of these species, on which few individual-based behavioral studies have been conducted. Collecting individual-based behavioral data would enable us to track the presence of individuals in groups or movements between groups; determine the effects of social rank and age on within-group competition and copulation; and examine population data.

Old adults perform activities of daily living near their maximal capabilities.

PubMed

Hortobágyi, Tibor; Mizelle, Chris; Beam, Stacey; DeVita, Paul

2003-05-01

Old adults' ability to execute activities of daily living (ADLs) declines with age. One possible reason for this decline is that the execution of customary motor tasks requires a substantially greater effort in old compared with young adults relative to their available maximal capacity. We tested the hypothesis that the relative effort (i.e., the percentage of joint moment relative to maximal joint moment) to execute ADLs is higher in old adults compared with young adults. Healthy young adults (n = 13; mean age, 22 years) and old adults (n = 14; mean age, 74 years) ascended and descended stairs and rose from a chair and performed maximal-effort isometric supine leg press. Using inverse dynamics analysis, we determined knee joint moments in ADLs and computed relative effort. Compared with young adults, old adults had 60% lower maximal leg press moments, 53% slower knee angular velocity at peak torque, and 27% lower knee joint moments in the ADLs (all p <.05). Relative effort in ascent was 54% (SD +/- 16%) and 78% (+/-20%) in young and old adults, respectively; in descent, it was 42% (+/-20%) and 88% (+/-43%); and in chair rise, it was 42% (+/-19%) and 80% (+/-34%) (all p <.05). The relative electromyographic activity of the vastus lateralis and the coactivity of the biceps femoris associated with this relative effort were, respectively, 2- and 1.6-fold greater in old compared with young adults in the 3 ADLs (p <.05). For healthy old adults, the difficulty that arises while performing ADLs may be due more to working at a higher level of effort relative to their maximum capability than to the absolute functional demands imposed by the task.

Social bonds in the dispersing sex: partner preferences among adult female chimpanzees.

PubMed

Foerster, Steffen; McLellan, Karen; Schroepfer-Walker, Kara; Murray, Carson M; Krupenye, Christopher; Gilby, Ian C; Pusey, Anne E

2015-07-01

In most primate societies, strong and enduring social bonds form preferentially among kin, who benefit from cooperation through direct and indirect fitness gains. Chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes , differ from most species by showing consistent female-biased dispersal and strict male philopatry. In most East African populations, females tend to forage alone in small core areas and were long thought to have weak social bonds of little biological significance. Recent work in some populations is challenging this view. However, challenges remain in quantifying the influence of shared space use on association patterns, and in identifying the drivers of partner preferences and social bonds. Here, we use the largest data set on wild chimpanzee behaviour currently available to assess potential determinants of female association patterns. We quantify pairwise similarities in ranging, dyadic association and grooming for 624 unique dyads over 38 years, including 17 adult female kin dyads. To search for social preferences that could not be explained by spatial overlap alone, we controlled for expected association based on pairwise kernel volume intersections of core areas. We found that association frequencies among females with above-average overlap correlated positively with grooming rates, suggesting that associations reflected social preferences in these dyads. Furthermore, when available, females preferred kin over nonkin partners for association and grooming, and variability was high among nonkin dyads. While variability in association above and below expected values was high, on average, nonkin associated more frequently if they had immature male offspring, while having female offspring had the opposite effect. Dominance rank, an important determinant of reproductive success at Gombe, influenced associations primarily for low-ranking females, who associated preferentially with each other. Our findings support the hypothesis that female chimpanzees form well

Factors related to unmet oral health needs in older adults living in Chile.

PubMed

Mariño, Rodrigo; Giacaman, Rodrigo A

2014-01-01

To assess the oral health status and treatment needs of an ambulant population of older adults, living in the Maule Region, Chile, and provide descriptive information on its distribution by selected socio-demographic characteristics. The source of primary data was the Regional Oral Health Survey. A stratified random sample of 438 older adults, aged 65-74 years, living independently in the community was orally examined, and underwent an oral health interview. The sample was largely a dentate one (74.9%); with a mean DMFT score of 25.7 (s.d. 6.5) and an average number of missing teeth of 22.4 (s.d. 5.8). Dentate participants had 41% of their restorative care needs unmet, and 68.4% needed oral hygiene instruction plus removal of calculus on their teeth. Almost 30.1% required complex periodontal therapy. 21% of those fully edentulous were in need of full dentures. Comparing these findings with existing data on the oral health of older adults in Chile, participants in this study appear to have lower missing teeth scores and less need for complex periodontal treatment. Inequities were apparent in the proportion of unmet restorative and prosthetics needs. Community-based preventive care programs specifically tailored to older adults are needed to address this challenge. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Self-perceived health status and sleep quality of older adults living in community after elastic band exercises.

PubMed

Chan, Shu-Ya; Chen, Kuei-Min

2017-07-01

To test the effectiveness of a six-month senior elastic band exercise programme on the self-perceived health status and sleep quality of older adults living in community settings. Health issues common among older adults living in community settings include poor physical and mental health conditions and sleep quality. Engagement in appropriate exercise programmes facilitates alleviating these health issues among older adults. A quasi-experimental design was applied. A convenience sample of older adults was drawn from six senior-citizen activity centres in southern Taiwan. Participants were assigned to either an experimental group (three centres, n = 97) or a control group (three centres, n = 102) based on the senior-citizen activity centres they attended. The participants in the experimental group carried out the Senior Elastic Band exercise programme for six months (three times per week and 40 minutes per session) in addition to their daily activities. The participants in the control group maintained their daily activities. The participants' self-perceived health status and sleep quality were examined at the baseline, three-month interval and six-month interval. In total, 169 participants completed the six-month study: 84 constituted the experimental group and 85 constituted the control group. At the three-month interval, the participants in the experimental group had greater improvements in self-perceived physical health, overall sleep quality, sleep latency and sleep duration compared with those in the control group; these significant changes continued throughout the six-month study. The Senior Elastic Band exercise programme showed promising effects in improving the self-perceived physical health and sleep quality of older adults living in community settings. Healthcare professionals can incorporate the Senior Elastic Band exercise programme as one of the health promotion activities for older adults living in community settings. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons

Evaluating and Increasing In-Home Leisure Activity among Adults with Severe Disabilities in Supported Independent Living

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Philip G.; Reid, Dennis H.; Green, Carolyn W.

2006-01-01

Observations were conducted of the in-home leisure activity of three adults with severe disabilities in three supported independent living (SIL) sites. Results indicated a lack of leisure engagement. Potentially preferred, typical leisure activities were then identified by consulting lists of common leisure activities, surveying adults in…

Shaking Youngsters and Shaken Adults: Female Beetles Eavesdrop on Larval Seed Vibrations to Make Egg-Laying Decisions

PubMed Central

Guedes, Raul Narciso C.; Yack, Jayne E.

2016-01-01

Egg-laying decisions are critical for insects, and particularly those competing for limited resources. Sensory information used by females to mediate egg-laying decisions has been reported to be primarily chemical, but the role of vibration has received little attention. We tested the hypothesis that vibrational cues produced by feeding larvae occupying a seed influences egg-laying decisions amongst female cowpea beetles. This hypothesis is supported by three lines of evidence using two strains of the cowpea beetle (Callosobruchus maculatus), an Indian strain with choosy females and aggressively competing larvae and a Brazilian strain with less choosy females and larvae exhibiting an “accommodating” type of competition. First, in free-choice bioassays of seed selection, choosy Indian females selected control seeds (free of eggs, larvae, or egg-laying marker) over seeds with live larvae (free of eggs and egg-laying marker), but did not discriminate between control seeds and those with dead larvae. In contrast, less choosy Brazilian females showed no preference for seeds containing live or dead larvae over controls. Second, laser-doppler vibrometer recordings confirmed that larvae feeding inside seeds generate vibrations that are available to the female during egg-laying decisions. Third, during dichotomous choice experiments where artificial vibrations approximating those produced by feeding larvae were played back during seed selection, Indian females preferred immobile control seeds over vibrating seeds, but Brazilian females showed no preference. These results support the hypothesis that females use larval vibrations in their egg-laying decisions; whether these vibrations are passive cues exploited by the female, or active signals that ‘steer’ the behaviour of the female is unknown. We propose that vibration cues and signals could be important for host selection in insects, particularly those laying on substrates where visual or chemical cues may be

Smoking topography and abstinence in adult female smokers

PubMed Central

McClure, Erin A.; Saladin, Michael E.; Baker, Nathaniel L.; Carpenter, Matthew J.; Gray, Kevin M.

2013-01-01

Preliminary evidence, within both adults and adolescents, suggests that the intensity with which cigarettes are smoked (i.e. smoking topography) is predictive of success during a cessation attempt. These reports have also shown topography to be superior compared to other variables, such as cigarettes per day, in the prediction of abstinence. The possibility that gender may influence this predictive relationship has not been evaluated, but may be clinically useful in tailoring gender-specific interventions. Within the context of a clinical trial for smoking cessation among women, adult daily smokers completed a laboratory session that included a 1-hour ad-libitum smoking period in which measures of topography were collected (N=135). Participants were then randomized to active medication (nicotine patch vs. varenicline) and abstinence was monitored for 4 weeks. Among all smoking topography measures and all abstinence outcomes, a moderate association was found between longer puff duration and greater puff volume and continued smoking during the active 4-week treatment phase, but only within the nicotine patch group. Based on the weak topography-abstinence relationship among female smokers found in the current study, future studies should focus on explicit gender comparisons to examine if these associations are specific to or more robust in male smokers. PMID:24018226

Smoking topography and abstinence in adult female smokers.

PubMed

McClure, Erin A; Saladin, Michael E; Baker, Nathaniel L; Carpenter, Matthew J; Gray, Kevin M

2013-12-01

Preliminary evidence, within both adults and adolescents, suggests that the intensity with which cigarettes are smoked (i.e., smoking topography) is predictive of success during a cessation attempt. These reports have also shown topography to be superior compared to other variables, such as cigarettes per day, in the prediction of abstinence. The possibility that gender may influence this predictive relationship has not been evaluated but may be clinically useful in tailoring gender-specific interventions. Within the context of a clinical trial for smoking cessation among women, adult daily smokers completed a laboratory session that included a 1-hour ad libitum smoking period in which measures of topography were collected (N=135). Participants were then randomized to active medication (nicotine patch vs. varenicline) and abstinence was monitored for 4weeks. Among all smoking topography measures and all abstinence outcomes, a moderate association was found between longer puff duration and greater puff volume and continued smoking during the active 4-week treatment phase, but only within the nicotine patch group. Based on the weak topography-abstinence relationship among female smokers found in the current study, future studies should focus on explicit gender comparisons to examine if these associations are specific to or more robust in male smokers. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vitamin D status and its associated factors of free living Malay adults in a tropical country, Malaysia.

PubMed

Moy, Foong Ming

2011-09-02

Vitamin D status is influenced by sun exposure, geographic latitude, daily outdoor activities, body surface exposed to sunlight and dietary intakes. Malaysia, is sunny all year round. However, the vitamin D status of this population especially among the healthy and free living adults is not known. Therefore a study of vitamin D status and associated factors was initiated among an existing Malay cohort in Kuala Lumpur. A total of 380 subjects were sampled to have their vitamin D status assessed using 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D). A short questionnaire enquiring socio-demographic characteristics, exposure to sunlight and clothing style was administered. Their mean age was 48.5±5.2years and the mean 25(OH)D for males and females were 56.2±18.9nmol/L and 36.2±13.4nmol/L respectively. There were significant positive correlation for sun exposure score (r=0.27, p<0.001) and negative correlation for sun protection score (r=-0.41, p<0.001) with 25(OH)D levels. In the logistic regression model, females (OR=2.93; 95% CI: 1.17, 7.31), BMI (1.1; 1.03, 1.20) and sun exposure score (0.998; 0.996, 0.999) were significantly associated with vitamin D status as represented by 25(OH)D levels. Our findings show that obesity, lifestyle behaviours and clothing style are directly associated with our participants especially females' low vitamin D status. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Female Adult Aedes albopictus Suppression by Wolbachia-Infected Male Mosquitoes.

PubMed

Mains, James W; Brelsfoard, Corey L; Rose, Robert I; Dobson, Stephen L

2016-09-23

Dengue, chikungunya and zika viruses are pathogens with an increasing global impact. In the absence of an approved vaccine or therapy, their management relies on controlling the mosquito vectors. But traditional controls are inadequate, and the range of invasive species such as Aedes albopictus (Asian Tiger Mosquito) is expanding. Genetically modified mosquitoes are being tested, but their use has encountered regulatory barriers and public opposition in some countries. Wolbachia bacteria can cause a form of conditional sterility, which can provide an alternative to genetic modification or irradiation. It is unknown however, whether openly released, artificially infected male Ae. albopictus can competitively mate and sterilize females at a level adequate to suppress a field population. Also, the unintended establishment of Wolbachia at the introduction site could result from horizontal transmission or inadvertent female release. In 2014, an Experimental Use Permit from the United States Environmental Protection Agency approved a pilot field trial in Lexington, Kentucky, USA. Here, we present data showing localized reduction of both egg hatch and adult female numbers. The artificial Wolbachia type was not observed to establish in the field. The results are discussed in relation to the applied use of Wolbachia-infected males as a biopesticide to suppress field populations of Ae. albopictus.

Pain and Cognitive Function Among Older Adults Living in the Community.

PubMed

van der Leeuw, Guusje; Eggermont, Laura H P; Shi, Ling; Milberg, William P; Gross, Alden L; Hausdorff, Jeffrey M; Bean, Jonathan F; Leveille, Suzanne G

2016-03-01

Pain related to many age-related chronic conditions is a burdensome problem in elderly adults and may also interfere with cognitive functioning. The purpose of this study was to examine the cross-sectional relationship between measures of pain severity and pain interference and cognitive performance in community-living older adults. We studied 765 participants in the Maintenance of Balance Independent Living Intellect and Zest (MOBILIZE) Boston Study, a population-based study of persons aged 70 and older. Global pain severity and interference were measured using the Brief Pain Inventory subscales. The neuropsychological battery included measures of attentional capacity (Trail Making Test A, WORLD Test), executive function (Trail Making Test B and Delta, Clock-in-a-Box, Letter Fluency), memory (Hopkins Verbal Learning Test), and a global composite measure of cognitive function. Multivariable linear regression models were used to analyze the relationship between pain and cognitive functioning. Elderly adults with more severe pain or more pain interference had poorer performance on memory tests and executive functioning compared to elders with none or less pain. Pain interference was also associated with impaired attentional capacity. Additional adjustment for chronic conditions, behaviors, and psychiatric medication resulted in attenuation of many of the observed associations. However, the association between pain interference and general cognitive function persisted. Our findings point to the need for further research to understand how chronic pain may contribute to decline in cognitive function and to determine strategies that may help in preventing or managing these potential consequences of pain on cognitive function in older adults. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Satellite Cell in Male and Female, Developing and Adult Mouse Muscle: Distinct Stem Cells for Growth and Regeneration

PubMed Central

Neal, Alice; Boldrin, Luisa; Morgan, Jennifer Elizabeth

2012-01-01

Satellite cells are myogenic cells found between the basal lamina and the sarcolemma of the muscle fibre. Satellite cells are the source of new myofibres; as such, satellite cell transplantation holds promise as a treatment for muscular dystrophies. We have investigated age and sex differences between mouse satellite cells in vitro and assessed the importance of these factors as mediators of donor cell engraftment in an in vivo model of satellite cell transplantation. We found that satellite cell numbers are increased in growing compared to adult and in male compared to female adult mice. We saw no difference in the expression of the myogenic regulatory factors between male and female mice, but distinct profiles were observed according to developmental stage. We show that, in contrast to adult mice, the majority of satellite cells from two week old mice are proliferating to facilitate myofibre growth; however a small proportion of these cells are quiescent and not contributing to this growth programme. Despite observed changes in satellite cell populations, there is no difference in engraftment efficiency either between satellite cells derived from adult or pre-weaned donor mice, male or female donor cells, or between male and female host muscle environments. We suggest there exist two distinct satellite cell populations: one for muscle growth and maintenance and one for muscle regeneration. PMID:22662253

High spirituality may be associated with right hemispheric lateralization in Korean adults living with epilepsy.

PubMed

Lee, Sang-Ahm; Ko, Myung-Ah; Choi, Eun-Ju; Jeon, Ji-Ye; Ryu, Han Uk

2017-11-01

Although it is known that epilepsy and spirituality are related, spirituality in epilepsy has received relatively little clinical and scientific attention. Therefore, we investigated which epilepsy-related factors are associated with high spirituality in Korean adults living with epilepsy. This cross-sectional study was conducted in two university hospitals in Korea. Spirituality was assessed using the 6-item Spirituality Self-Rating Scale (SSRS). The participants were categorized into high and low spirituality groups according to the median SSRS score. The presumptive seizure onset zone was determined based on the clinical semiology, electroencephalography, and magnetic resonance imaging findings. Of the 180 participants, 61.7% declared that they had a religious affiliation. The median SSRS score was 15 (interquartile range: 7, 22). The high spirituality subgroup consisted of 92 (51.1%) participants. In the univariate analyses, the high spirituality group was significantly associated with female sex (p<0.05), older age (p<0.01), longer epilepsy duration (p<0.05), polytherapy (p<0.05), complex partial seizure (p<0.05), levetiracetam or topiramate usage (p<0.05), and a right-lateralized seizure onset zone. The multiple logistic regression analysis identified right hemispheric lateralization as the only independent factor associated with high spirituality (odds ratio: 2.410, 95% confidence interval: 1.051-5.528, p<0.05). High spirituality may be associated with right hemispheric lateralization but not with the temporal localization of the seizure onset zone in Korean adults with epilepsy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cytokine polymorphisms are associated with fatigue in adults living with HIV/AIDS

PubMed Central

Lee, Kathryn A.; Gay, Caryl L.; Lerdal, Anners; Pullinger, Clive R.; Aouizerat, Bradley E.

2014-01-01

Fatigue has been associated with inflammation and cytokine activity among adults, but this relationship has not been evaluated among adults living with HIV. Diurnal patterns of fatigue have been previously identified in adults with HIV/AIDS. Thus, the purpose of this study was to describe these fatigue patterns in relation to cytokine plasma concentrations and gene polymorphisms. A convenience sample of 317 adults living with HIV/AIDS completed a measure of fatigue in the morning and evening for three consecutive days; participants reporting low levels of both morning and evening fatigue (n=110) or high levels of fatigue in the morning and evening (n=114) were included in the analysis, resulting in a final sample of 224 adults (151 men, 55 women, and 18 transgender). Plasma cytokines were analyzed, and genotyping was conducted for 15 candidate genes involved in cytokine signaling: interferon-gamma (IFNG), IFNG receptor 1 (IFNGR1), interleukins (IL), nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B cells (NFKB-1 and -2), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFA). Demographic and clinical variables were evaluated as potential covariates. Controlling for genomic estimates of ancestry and self-reported race/ethnicity and gender, the high fatigue pattern was associated with five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs): IL1B rs1071676 and rs1143627, IL4 rs2243274, and TNFA rs1800683 and rs1041981. The IL1B and TNFA polymorphisms were not associated with plasma levels of IL-1β or TNFα, respectively. This study strengthens the evidence for an association between inflammation and fatigue. In this chronic illness population, the cytokine polymorphisms associated with high levels of morning and evening fatigue provide direction for future personalized medicine intervention research. PMID:24632226

Sex differences in adults' relative visual interest in female and male faces, toys, and play styles.

PubMed

Alexander, Gerianne M; Charles, Nora

2009-06-01

An individual's reproductive potential appears to influence response to attractive faces of the opposite sex. Otherwise, relatively little is known about the characteristics of the adult observer that may influence his or her affective evaluation of male and female faces. An untested hypothesis (based on the proposed role of attractive faces in mate selection) is that most women would show greater interest in male faces whereas most men would show greater interest in female faces. Further, evidence from individuals with preferences for same-sex sexual partners suggests that response to attractive male and female faces may be influenced by gender-linked play preferences. To test these hypotheses, visual attention directed to sex-linked stimuli (faces, toys, play styles) was measured in 39 men and 44 women using eye tracking technology. Consistent with our predictions, men directed greater visual attention to all male-typical stimuli and visual attention to male and female faces was associated with visual attention to gender conforming or nonconforming stimuli in a manner consistent with previous research on sexual orientation. In contrast, women showed a visual preference for female-typical toys, but no visual preference for male faces or female-typical play styles. These findings indicate that sex differences in visual processing extend beyond stimuli associated with adult sexual behavior. We speculate that sex differences in visual processing are a component of the expression of gender phenotypes across the lifespan that may reflect sex differences in the motivational properties of gender-linked stimuli.

Practitioners' opinions on Food and Nutrition Care Indicators in assisted living facilities for older adults.

PubMed

Chao, Shirley Y; Dwyer, Johanna T; Houser, Robert F; Tennstedt, Sharon; Jacques, Paul

2008-09-01

This study assessed the utility of the 57-indicator Food and Nutrition Care Indicators Checklist for assessing food and nutrition services in assisted-living facilities for older adults among registered dietitians (RDs). They were members of two American Dietetic Association practice groups focusing on aging and long-term care and were also employed in assisted-living facilities. The 1,281 respondents rated the importance of each checklist item and provided their views on the role of assisted-living facilities and their level of agreement with statements regarding the importance of residents' autonomy for making food choices and their ability to make wise dietary choices. Registered dietitians practicing in assisted-living facilities considered all of the domains on food and nutrition quality indicators on the Food and Nutrition Care Indicators Checklist to be highly important (92% of dining room environment items, 83% of foodservice operations, 92% of general nutrition, and 89% of therapeutic nutrition items). They preferred a service style that included both health and amenities, as did national health and aging experts. Registered dietitians should work with other professionals to further validate the checklist, promote its use, and establish optimal service models for food and nutrition services in assisted-living facilities for older adults.

Preferences for food and nutritional supplements among adult people living with HIV in Malawi.

PubMed

Rodas-Moya, Santiago; Kodish, Stephen; Manary, Mark; Grede, Nils; de Pee, Saskia

2016-03-01

To elucidate the factors influencing food intake and preferences for potential nutritional supplements to treat mild and moderate malnutrition among adult people living with HIV (PLHIV). Qualitative research using in-depth interviews with a triangulation of participants and an iterative approach to data collection. The study was conducted in a health clinic of rural Chilomoni, a southern town of Blantyre district, Malawi. Male and female participants, aged 18-49 years (n 24), affected by HIV; health surveillance assistants of Chilomoni clinic (n 8). Six themes emerged from the in-depth interviews: (i) PLHIV perceived having a poor-quality diet; (ii) health challenges determine the preferences of PLHIV for food; (iii) liquid-thick, soft textures and subtle natural colours and flavours are preferred; (iv) preferred organoleptic characteristics of nutritional supplements resemble those of local foods; (v) food insecurity may contribute to intra-household sharing of nutritional supplements; and (vi) health surveillance assistants and family members influence PLHIV's dietary behaviours. No differences by sex were found. The emergent themes were corroborated by health surveillance assistants through participant triangulation. In this setting, a thickened liquid supplement, slightly sweet and sour, may be well accepted. A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods for data collection should follow to further develop the nutritional supplement and to fine tune the organoleptic characteristics of the product to the taste and requirements of PLHIV. Results of the present study provide a first approach to elucidate the factors influencing food intake and preferences for potential nutritional supplements among adult PLHIV.

Tissue Mercury Concentrations and Survival of Tree Swallow Embryos, Nestlings and Young Adult Females on a Contaminated Site.

PubMed

Taylor, Capwell E; Cristol, Daniel A

2015-10-01

Tree swallows nesting on mercury-contaminated sites along the South River in Virginia, USA were monitored for reproductive success. The bodies of nestlings found deceased in their nest boxes were collected, along with blood and feather samples from the adult parents and surviving siblings. We also measured hatching and fledging success of the clutches and the annual recapture rate of adults. We found that the body feathers of deceased nestlings contained significantly higher concentrations of mercury (12.89 ± 8.42 μg/g, n = 15) than those of nestlings that survived to fledge (7.41 ± 4.79 μg/g, n = 15). However, mothers of more successful clutches (>75 % hatching) did not differ in mercury concentrations from females with less successful clutches (<50 % hatching). Additionally, adult females breeding for the first time that returned to breed the following year did not differ in blood mercury from females of the same age that bred once but never returned. Our results suggest that mercury had its greatest effect on these songbirds during the nestling stage, whereas for embryos or first-time breeding females, other factors likely played larger roles in mortality.

Evaluation of active living every day in adults with arthritis.

PubMed

Callahan, Leigh F; Cleveland, Rebecca J; Shreffler, Jack; Hootman, Jennifer M; Mielenz, Thelma J; Schoster, Britta; Brady, Teresa; Schwartz, Todd

2014-02-01

Adults with arthritis can benefit from participation in physical activity and may be assisted by organized programs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a 20-week behavioral lifestyle intervention, Active Living Every Day (ALED), for improvements in primary outcomes (physical activity levels, aerobic endurance, function, symptoms). A 20-week randomized controlled community trial was conducted in 354 adults. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and 20 weeks in the intervention and wait-list control groups. The intervention group was also assessed at 6 and 12 months. Mean outcomes were determined by multilevel regression models in the intervention and control groups at follow-up points. At 20 weeks, the intervention group significantly increased participation in physical activity, and improved aerobic endurance, and select measures of function while pain, fatigue and stiffness remained status quo. In the intervention group, significant improvements in physical activity at 20 weeks were maintained at 6 and 12 months, and stiffness decreased. ALED appears to improve participation in physical activity, aerobic endurance, and function without exacerbating disease symptoms in adults with arthritis.

The Effects of Live Patterned Sensory Enhancement on Group Exercise Participation and Mood in Older Adults in Rehabilitation.

PubMed

Clark, Imogen N; Baker, Felicity; Taylor, Nicholas F

2012-01-01

Older adults in rehabilitation often experience barriers to exercise, which may impede recovery. Patterned sensory enhancement (PSE) is a neurologic music therapy intervention for sensorimotor rehabilitation. The use of live music during patterned sensory enhancement (live-PSE) may be particularly beneficial in meeting patient needs and improving older adults' exercise participation and mood during therapy. To examine the effects of live-PSE on exercise output, exercise adherence, ratings of perceived exertion, and mood for 24 older adult inpatients in a rehabilitation facility attending a group exercise program. Using a within-subjects design, results from sessions involving exercise instruction and live-PSE (experimental condition) were compared with sessions of exercise instruction alone (control condition). A logbook documenting participant comments and behaviors was also maintained. There were no significant between condition differences for the exercise outcome measures. Between condition session outcome measures for mood were non-significant for all profiles except confusion, which suggested that some participants might have become more confused during sessions with live-PSE. Unsolicited participant comments and behaviors recorded in the logbook indicated that 21 participants perceived experimental sessions positively, 2 reacted negatively, and 1 did not express any preferences. Live-PSE did not significantly improve exercise outcomes and there were indications of increased confusion during experimental sessions for some participants. However, participant comments and behaviors also suggested positive experiences during sessions with live-PSE Further research to investigate these discrepant results is warranted, and might best be explored using a mixed methods approach.

Seasonal variation in telencephalon cell proliferation in adult female tsinling dwarf skinks (Scincella tsinlingensis).

PubMed

Yang, Chun; Wang, Limin; Xing, Xiangyang; Gao, Yanyan; Guo, Li

2017-05-01

In adult mammals, neurogenesis is limited to specific niches in the brain, but considerable adult neurogenesis occurs in many brain regions in non-mammalian vertebrates. Non-mammalian vertebrates provide invaluable comparative material for understanding the core mechanisms of adult neural stem cell maintenance and fate, but phylogenetic differences in adult neurogenesis remain poorly understood. Here we examine cell proliferation seasonality in the telencephalon of adult female tsinling dwarf skinks (Scincella tsinlingensis) by injecting wild animals caught in summer, autumn and spring, and animals caught in autumn and raised under winter conditions, with 5-Bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU). Then, 24h, 7d and 28d after BrdU administration we examined brain tissue and quantified BrdU-labeled cells as a marker of neuronal proliferation. The highest number of labeled cells in the telencephalon was found in the 7d group. BrdU-positive cells were widely distributed in the anterior olfactory nucleus (AON), medial cortex (MC), dorsal cortex (DC), lateral cortex (LC), dorsal ventricular ridge (DVR), septum (SP), striatum (STR) and nucleus sphericus (NS). No BrdU-positive cells were detected in olfactory bulbs or elsewhere in the telencephalon. The highest proliferative levels were found in the AON in autumn. The NS exhibited relatively high levels of cell proliferation. The proliferative rate in the AON fluctuated seasonally as autumn>summer>spring>winter. Glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive cells were widely distributed in the telencephalon and their fibrous processes extended into brain parenchyma and anchored in the meninges. Doublecortin-positive newborn neurons of the subventricular zone appeared to migrate into the cerebral cortex via the radial migratory stream. Cell proliferation in the telencephalon of adult female S. tsinlingensis fluctuates seasonally, especially in regions related to olfactory memory. This is the first demonstration of proliferative activity in

Moderating Effects of Positive Parenting and Maternal Alcohol Use on Emerging Adults’ Alcohol Use: Does Living At Home Matter?

PubMed Central

Cleveland, Michael J.; Reavy, Racheal; Mallett, Kimberly A.; Turrisi, Rob; White, Helene R.

2014-01-01

Positive parenting behaviors and parental modeling of alcohol use are consistent predictors of offspring’s alcohol use. Recent research extends these findings to emerging adult children and confirms continued parental influence beyond adolescence. This paper examines how maternal warmth and supervision moderate the effects of mother’s heavy alcohol use on their offspring’s alcohol use among a sample of non-college-attending emerging adults. Three-way interactions were used to examine if these moderating effects differed between emerging adults who lived at home and those with other living arrangements. Separate analyses within gender were used to further examine these associations. Participants were 245 emerging adults between ages 18–22 years with no post-secondary education (59% female) who were selected from a national probability-based Internet panel. Path analyses indicated that, regardless of living arrangements, male emerging adults who were more likely to witness their mother getting drunk were themselves more likely to engage in risky drinking. However, among female emerging adults, similarity between mothers’ and daughters’ drunkenness was strongest among participants who resided with their family and also reported low levels of maternal warmth. This study extends previous research by indicating that the effects of maternal modeling of heavy alcohol use on emerging adults’ heavy alcohol use depend upon several factors, including the gender of the child and the family context. Implications of the study findings are discussed in terms of expanding the scope of a parent-based intervention (PBI) to all emerging adults, including those who do not attend colleges or universities. PMID:24583277

Effects of Living Alone on Social Capital and Health Among Older Adults in China.

PubMed

Xu, Qingwen; Norstrand, Julie A; Du, Yan

2015-12-01

Social capital has been connected with positive health outcomes across countries, including China. Given the rise in the number of seniors living alone, there is a need to examine the health benefits of social capital, accounting for living arrangements. Data from the 2005 Chinese General Social Survey were used to test research hypotheses. Controlling for demographics, elders living alone possessed similar level of social capital compared with elders living with others. While bonding and linking social capital were significant factors in urban areas and linking social capital was a significant factor in rural areas, the relationship between living alone and health did not differ based on the level of social capital possession. When the traditional intergenerational living arrangement has not been a valid option for many older adults in China, seeking new way of family caring, and developing appropriate social and institutional structures to assist elders living alone, becomes critical. © The Author(s) 2016.

Female Survivors' Perceptions of Lifelong Impact on Their Education of Child Abuse Suffered in Orphanages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldman, Juliette D. G.; Bode, Andrew

2012-01-01

Many children raised in orphanages suffered ongoing child abuse and neglect including sexual abuse, and nearly all were denied an adequate education. This paper explores adult females' perceptions of the impacts on their education of child sexual abuse they suffered while living in orphanages in Australia. In-depth qualitative and anonymous…

Preferences of Young Adults Regarding Dissemination of Online Vitamin D Information.

PubMed

Goodman, Samantha Erin; Sheeshka, Judy

2016-12-01

To explore strategies for disseminating online information about vitamin D to young adults. Participants were 50 males and females aged 18-25 years, living in Ontario, Canada. Eight focus groups (4 male; 4 female) were conducted; participants also completed a socio-demographic questionnaire. Audio files were transcribed verbatim; thematic analysis was used to identify key themes. Thematic analysis revealed that an effective educational intervention geared towards this population should be simple, brief, interesting, personally relevant, credible, and include incentives. Feedback regarding intervention methodology could be used to inform interventions aiming to increase intake of vitamin D or other nutrients among young adults.

The experience of high-frequency gambling behavior of older adult females in the United Kingdom: An interpretative phenomenological analysis.

PubMed

Pattinson, Julie; Parke, Adrian

2017-01-01

The prevalence of older adult female gambling participation and gambling disorder is increasing in the UK, and there is a paucity of published research available to understand possible risk factors for frequent gambling in this demographic. The aim of the current study was to identify and explore motivations and patterns of gambling behavior in high-frequency older adult female gamblers in the UK, from the perspective of the individual and in the context of their experience of aging. Ten UK older adult female high-frequency gamblers were recruited via stratified purposive sampling, with a mean age of 70.4 years. Data was collected via semistructured interviews and analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Three core themes representative of the experience of this phenomenon emerged from the transcripts, including: Filling voids, emotional escape, and overspending. The present study has provided a contextualized understanding of motivating factors and several age-related vulnerabilities that may account for high gambling frequency in this population.

[Physical performance of older adults living in rural areas at sea level and at high altitude in Peru].

PubMed

Estela-Ayamamani, David; Espinoza-Figueroa, Jossué; Columbus-Morales, Mauricio; Runzer-Colmenares, Fernando; Parodi, José F; Mayta-Tristán, Percy

2015-01-01

Living at high altitudes requires the inhabitants to adapt biologically and socially to the environment. The objective of this study was to determine the difference in physical performance (PP) in rural populations at sea level and at high altitude. A cross-sectional study was conducted in rural communities in Ancash, Peru, located at 3.345 meters above sea level (m.a.s.l.) and also in communities located in coastal areas at 6m.a.s.l. PP was measured by the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and other associated factors. Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) were calculated. A total of 130 older adults were assessed in the high altitude communities and 129 on the coast. The median age was 71.4 years, and 55.6% were female. Low physical performance (SPPB ≤ 6) was 10.0% at high altitude and 19.4% on the coast (p<0.05). Factors associated with low physical performance were residing at the coast (aPR: 2.10, 95% CI 1.02 to 4.33), self-reported poor health (aPR: 2.48, 95% CI 1.21 -5.08), hypertension (aPR: 1.73, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.98), and age (aPR: 1.04, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.07), while being a farmer (aPR: 0.49, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.97), and being independent (aPR: 0.37, 95% CI 0,20-, 072) were found to be protective factors. It was also found that the inhabitants of the coast have a mean of 0.86 points lower total SPPB than the high altitude ones (p=0.004). There is an association between altitude of residence and PP in older adults. The prevalence of a low PP in older adults in rural areas at sea level is twice as high compared to those living in high altitude rural communities. Copyright © 2014 SEGG. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Neurosteroids in Adult Hippocampus of Male and Female Rodents: Biosynthesis and Actions of Sex Steroids.

PubMed

Hojo, Yasushi; Kawato, Suguru

2018-01-01

The brain is not only the target of steroid hormones but also is able to locally synthesize steroids de novo . Evidence of the local production of steroids in the brain has been accumulating in various vertebrates, including teleost fish, amphibia, birds, rodents, non-human primates, and humans. In this review, we mainly focus on the local production of sex steroids in the hippocampal neurons of adult rodents (rats and mice), a center for learning and memory. From the data of the hippocampus of adult male rats, hippocampal principal neurons [pyramidal cells in CA1-CA3 and granule cells in dentate gyrus (DG)] have a complete system for biosynthesis of sex steroids. Liquid chromatography with tandem-mass-spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) enabled us to accurately determine the levels of hippocampal sex steroids including 17β-estradiol (17β-E2), testosterone (T), and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which are much higher than those in blood. Next, we review the steroid synthesis in the hippocampus of female rats, since previous knowledge had been biased toward the data from males. Recently, we clarified that the levels of hippocampal steroids fluctuate in adult female rats across the estrous cycle. Accurate determination of hippocampal steroids at each stage of the estrous cycle is of importance for providing the account for the fluctuation of female hippocampal functions, including spine density, long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD), and learning and memory. These functional fluctuations in female had been attributed to the level of circulation-derived steroids. LC-MS/MS analysis revealed that the dendritic spine density in CA1 of adult female hippocampus correlates with the levels of hippocampal progesterone and 17β-E2. Finally, we introduce the direct evidence of the role of hippocampus-synthesized steroids in hippocampal function including neurogenesis, LTP, and memory consolidation. Mild exercise (2 week of treadmill running) elevated synthesis of DHT

Association between mandibular retrognathia and TMJ disorders in adult females.

PubMed

Miller, James R; Burgess, Jeffrey A; Critchlow, Cathy W

2004-01-01

This study assesses the association between temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders and mandibular retrognathia. We conducted a case-control study among women, aged 18-70 years, recruited from Kaiser Permanente Northwest Division (KPNW, Portland, OR) and Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound (GHC, Seattle, WA). Cases (N= 160) were women seeking treatment for TMJ disorders at KPNW and GHC clinics. Controls (N=151) were women without TMJ disorders, selected from among adult female dental hygiene patients at KPNW or GHC enrollees. Case status was determined by questionnaire; mandibular sagittal position (orthognathic, mildly retrognathic, severely retrognathic, or prognathic) was measured using digitized facial photographs. Odds ratios (OR) and associated 95 percent confidence intervals (CI) estimated the magnitude of the association between TMJ disorders and mandibular sagittal position. Women with TMJ disorders were 4.0 times (95% CI=1.5, 10.8) more likely than controls to have severe retrognathia; no association with mild retrognathia or prognathia was seen. Results were similar when cases were restricted to those with recent onset of TMJ pain (OR=6.3; 95% CI=1.8, 21.8). We found a strong association between TMJ disorders and severe mandibular retrognathia in adult females. In some women this likely resulted from TMJ disorders influencing mandibular development over time. However, among a subset of women, our data support the reverse hypothesis--that severe mandibular retrognathia may influence the development of TMJ disorders. Despite this strong association, abnormal mandibular position contributed only a small portion to the overall rate at which women sought treatment for TMJ disorders.

The role of music in the lives of older adults with dementia ageing in place: A scoping review.

PubMed

Elliott, Melanie; Gardner, Paula

2018-02-01

The number of people around the world living with dementia is predicted to rise from 44 million to 135 million by 2050. Traditional treatments for dementia have been largely unsuccessful and prompted the emergence of alternative strategies. Music is emerging as an effective therapeutic strategy for older adults with dementia however, most of the work to date has focused on institutions. The purpose of this scoping review was to summarize what is known about the role and impact that music plays in the lives of community-dwelling older adults with dementia. Using a five-stage framework for conducting a scoping review, analysis revealed three ways in which music influences the lives of community-dwelling older adults with dementia: (a) reduced agitation, (b) improved cognition, and (c) enhanced social well-being. The concept of personhood provided a lens with which to conceptualize the findings and highlights the need for continued research.

Voices from Caribbean Classrooms: The Academic and Lived Experience of Jamaican Nontraditional Female Students in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black-Chen, Marsha

2013-01-01

One of the most notable trends in the last two decades has been the dramatic increase in continuing education among nontraditional-aged females. This study examined the academic and lived experience of women in Jamaica, specifically women who returned to college to further their education. Emphasis was placed on investigating reasons for…

Novel method for determining sex of live adult Laricobius nigrinus (Coleoptera: Derodontidae).

Treesearch

William Shepherd; Michael Montgomery; Brian Sullivan; Albert (Bud) Mayfield

2014-01-01

A method for determining the sex of live adult Laricobius nigrinus Fender (Coleoptera:Derodontidae) is described. Beetles were briefly chilled and positioned ventral-side-up under a dissecting microscope. Two forceps with blunted ends were used to gently brace the beetle and press on the centre of the abdomen to extrude its terminal segments. Male beetles were...

Perinatal Exposure of Mice to the Pesticide DDT Impairs Energy Expenditure and Metabolism in Adult Female Offspring

PubMed Central

La Merrill, Michele; Karey, Emma; Moshier, Erin; Lindtner, Claudia; La Frano, Michael R.; Newman, John W.; Buettner, Christoph

2014-01-01

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) has been used extensively to control malaria, typhus, body lice and bubonic plague worldwide, until countries began restricting its use in the 1970s. Its use in malaria control continues in some countries according to recommendation by the World Health Organization. Individuals exposed to elevated levels of DDT and its metabolite dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) have an increased prevalence of diabetes and insulin resistance. Here we hypothesize that perinatal exposure to DDT disrupts metabolic programming leading to impaired metabolism in adult offspring. To test this, we administered DDT to C57BL/6J mice from gestational day 11.5 to postnatal day 5 and studied their metabolic phenotype at several ages up to nine months. Perinatal DDT exposure reduced core body temperature, impaired cold tolerance, decreased energy expenditure, and produced a transient early-life increase in body fat in female offspring. When challenged with a high fat diet for 12 weeks in adulthood, female offspring perinatally exposed to DDT developed glucose intolerance, hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia, and altered bile acid metabolism. Perinatal DDT exposure combined with high fat feeding in adulthood further impaired thermogenesis as evidenced by reductions in core temperature and in the expression of numerous RNA that promote thermogenesis and substrate utilization in the brown adipose tissue of adult female mice. These observations suggest that perinatal DDT exposure impairs thermogenesis and the metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids which may increase susceptibility to the metabolic syndrome in adult female offspring. PMID:25076055

Differential Effects of Family Structure on Religion and Spirituality of Emerging Adult Males and Females.

PubMed

Handal, Paul J; Lace, John W

2017-08-01

This study examined measures of religion and spirituality in a sample of male and female emerging adult college students whose parents were either divorced or intact using the Personal Religious Inventory, the Duke University Religion Index, the Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale, the Spiritual Transcendence Scale, and the Spiritual Involvement and Beliefs Scale. Data were collected online, and 66% of participants received extra credit for participating. A main effect of sex was found, as females reported significantly higher scores than men on all but one measure of religion and spirituality, and the dataset was separated by sex. No differences were found between males from divorced and intact families. However, females from intact families scored significantly higher on all religion and spirituality measures than females from divorced families. This study suggests that females may respond differently than males to their parents' divorce in the context of religion and spirituality, and discusses possible reasons.

Evaluation of Healthy Living Wellness Program With Minority Underserved Economically Disadvantaged Older Adults.

PubMed

Tallier, Peggy C; Reineke, Patricia R; Frederickson, Keville

2017-04-01

The purpose of this Roy adaptation model-guided study was to test the effectiveness of a student registered nurse intern-led nursing intervention entitled the Healthy Living Wellness Program. A one-group pretest/posttest preexperimental design was used. The intervention was imparted to minority, underserved, economically disadvantaged older adults ( N = 30). Significant findings pre- and postintervention were reported for body mass index, waist circumference, self-reported blood glucose, and weight. The findings supported the effectiveness of the nursing intervention, the Healthy Living Wellness Program, guided by the Roy adaptation model.

The lived experience of fibromyalgia in female patients, a phenomenological study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Fibromyalgia is a chronic syndrome with no cure. A thorough understanding of the illness experience is therefore key in the palliative care of patients with this condition. In search for supportive treatments fibromyalgia patients often attend a chiropractor or other manual therapist. Knowledge of the meaning and reality of living with this condition to the patient could be considered essential to any health care practitioner playing a role in the management. This study aimed to gain a better understanding of the subjective experience of fibromyalgia, focusing on the personal, occupational and social impact of the condition on patients' lives. This included exploring the patients' views about the future. Methods This study employed descriptive phenomenology and adopted Husserl's concept of transcendental subjectivity or "bracketing". This qualitative study involved semi-structured interviews and was undertaken to obtain rich data that reflected the essence of the participants' experience. Participants consisted of six female volunteers, diagnosed with fibromyalgia by the University Hospital Gent, Belgium. Data were analysed using a thematic framework. Results Fibromyalgia pervaded all aspects of life. Four main themes arose from data analysis, namely; the impact of fibromyalgia on patients' occupational and personal life, the impact on their future and aspects of social interaction. Nearly all participants had stopped working, giving rise to feelings of uselessness and loss of identity. Leisure activities were also greatly affected. Fibromyalgia was said to alter family bonds, some of which were reinforced, others were broken. The diagnosis was seen as a relief, marking an end to a period of uncertainty. Participants reported ambivalence in interaction. Despite some positive encounters, frustration arising from perceived incomprehension dominated. Consequently patients preferred not to share their experiences. Conclusions The study revealed the negative

Assessing the relationship between child sexual abuse and marginal living conditions on HIV/AIDS-related risk behavior among women prisoners.

PubMed

Mullings, J L; Marquart, J W; Brewer, V E

2000-05-01

There were two aims in this research. First, to examine the relationships between childhood sexual abuse and HIV drug and sexual risk taking behaviors among female prisoners, and second, to examine the relationship between a marginal adult living context and HIV drug and sexual risk taking behavior among female prisoners. The data were collected through face-to-face interviews with a random sample of 500 women at admission to prison in 1994. Differences between women who were sexually abused while growing up (n = 130) were compared to women who reported no sexual abuse (n = 370) along various demographic, and HIV drug and sexual risk taking dimensions. A history of sexual abuse while growing up was associated with increased sexual risk taking behaviors in adulthood. A marginal adult living situation also emerged as an important factor increasing the risk for HIV infection. Examining the co-occurrence of both childhood sexual abuse and adult marginal living context revealed a strong relationship between these two factors and HIV risk taking activities. The findings indicate that childhood sexual abuse may be a predictor for HIV sexual risk taking behaviors among incarcerated women. The marginal and chaotic adult living style of these women was also associated the extent of their HIV drug and sexual risk taking behaviors. Our research suggests that the co-occurrence of sexual victimization and marginality is a stronger predictor of HIV risk than each variable alone.

Uptake of erythromycin by first-feeding sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka (Walbaum), fed live or freeze-dried enriched adult Artemia or medicated pellets.

PubMed

Cook, M A; Rust, M B; Massee, K; Majack, T; Peterson, M E

2003-05-01

The potential to use adult Artemia to deliver erythromycin to first-feeding sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka (Walbaum), was investigated in three trials. In the first trial, first-feeding sockeye were fed live erythromycin enriched adult Artemia or pellets containing equal amounts of erythromycin for 35 days. At the end of the trial, tissue erythromycin concentration of the fish fed the live Artemia was significantly greater (P < 0.05, 25.52 +/- 1.29 microg mL(-1); mean +/- SEM), than the tissue concentration of the fish fed the pellets (0.72 +/- 0.01 microg mL(-1)). In the second trial, first-feeding sockeye were fed either live or freeze-dried bioencapsulated erythromycin (adult Artemia) or pellets containing erythromycin daily for 21 days. Mean daily erythromycin concentration in fish fed the freeze-dried Artemia, live Artemia, or pellets did not differ significantly. In the third trial, apparent erythromycin digestibility was determined. Significantly more (P < 0.05) erythromycin was retained by juvenile sockeye fed freeze-dried bioencapsulated erythromycin (98.3 +/- 1.0%) compared with medicated pellets (89.2 +/- 1.7%). Uptake of bioencapsulated erythromycin from adult Artemia (live or freeze-dried) appears to be greater than uptake from pellets. Freeze-dried and live Artemia were equally effective at delivery suggesting enriched freeze-dried adult Artemia could be produced into a highly palatable, consistent, off-the-shelf product.

Prenatal Testosterone Exposure Decreases Aldosterone Production but Maintains Normal Plasma Volume and Increases Blood Pressure in Adult Female Rats.

PubMed

More, Amar S; Mishra, Jay S; Hankins, Gary D; Kumar, Sathish

2016-08-01

Plasma testosterone levels are elevated in pregnant women with preeclampsia and polycystic ovaries; their offspring are at increased risk for hypertension during adult life. We tested the hypothesis that prenatal testosterone exposure induces dysregulation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, which is known to play an important role in water and electrolyte balance and blood pressure regulation. Female rats (6 mo old) prenatally exposed to testosterone were examined for adrenal expression of steroidogenic genes, telemetric blood pressure, blood volume and Na(+) and K(+) levels, plasma aldosterone, angiotensin II and vasopressin levels, and vascular responses to angiotensin II and arg(8)-vasopressin. The levels of Cyp11b2 (aldosterone synthase), but not the other adrenal steroidogenic genes, were decreased in testosterone females. Accordingly, plasma aldosterone levels were lower in testosterone females. Plasma volume and serum and urine Na(+) and K(+) levels were not significantly different between control and testosterone females; however, prenatal testosterone exposure significantly increased plasma vasopressin and angiotensin II levels and arterial pressure in adult females. In testosterone females, mesenteric artery contractile responses to angiotensin II were significantly greater, while contractile responses to vasopressin were unaffected. Angiotensin II type-1 receptor expression was increased, while angiotensin II type-2 receptor was decreased in testosterone arteries. These results suggest that prenatal testosterone exposure downregulates adrenal Cyp11b2 expression, leading to decreased plasma aldosterone levels. Elevated angiotensin II and vasopressin levels along with enhanced vascular responsiveness to angiotensin II may serve as an underlying mechanism to maintain plasma volume and Na(+) and K(+) levels and mediate hypertension in adult testosterone females. © 2016 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.

Real-world implications of apathy among older adults: Independent associations with activities of daily living and quality of life.

PubMed

Tierney, Savanna M; Woods, Steven Paul; Weinborn, Michael; Bucks, Romola S

2018-03-13

Apathy is common in older adults and has been linked to adverse health outcomes. The current study examined whether apathy contributes to problems managing activities of daily living (ADLs) and lower quality of life (QoL) in older adults. Participants included 83 community-dwelling older adults. Apathy was assessed using a composite of the self and family-rating scales from the Frontal Systems Behavioral Scale (FrSBe). A knowledgeable informant completed the Activities of Daily Living Questionnaire (ADLQ), and participants completed the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQol) scale. Nominal logistic regressions controlling for age, anxiety and depression symptoms, chronic medical conditions, and global cognition revealed that higher levels of apathy were significantly associated with a wide range of mild ADL problems. In parallel, a multiple linear regression indicated that greater apathy was significantly associated with lower QoL independent of ADL problems, anxious and depressive symptomology, chronic medical conditions, global cognition and age. Findings suggest that apathy confers an increased risk of problems in the independent management of daily activities and poorer well-being among community-dwelling older adults. Neurobehavioral and pharmacological interventions to improve apathy may have beneficial effects on the daily lives of older adults.

Oral health status and dental service use of adults with learning disabilities living in residential institutions and in the community.

PubMed

Tiller, S; Wilson, K I; Gallagher, J E

2001-09-01

To investigate the oral health status of adults on Sheffield's Learning Disability Case Register, and their reported use of dental services. A short questionnaire interview of subjects with learning disabilities or their carers followed by a standardised epidemiological examination, by one trained and calibrated examiner. Residential homes, day centres or community homes of people with learning disabilities in Sheffield. A 20% random sample of adults (18-65 years) on the register. A response rate of 209 (67%) was achieved, 62% (n=130) of whom were living in the community. People living in residential care were significantly older (43.2 years) than those based in the community (36.3 years) (P<0.05). Both groups had similar mean DMFT scores; however, adults living in the community had significantly more untreated decay (DT = 1.6) and poorer oral hygiene than their counterparts in residential care (DT = 0.7). Adults in residential care had significantly more missing teeth (MT = 10.1) than those in community care (MT = 7.5). General and community dental services were the main providers of dental care. Subjects living in the community were significantly less likely to have a dentist and to use community dental services than their residential counterparts; they were more likely to attend only when having trouble. Adults with learning disabilities living in the community have greater unmet oral health needs than their residential counterparts and are less likely to have regular contact with dental services. Commissioners and providers of dental services have a responsibility to ensure that the health of adults with learning disabilities is not compromised by 'normalisation'.

Living with Symptoms: A Qualitative Study of Black Adults with Advanced Cancer Living in Poverty.

PubMed

Yeager, Katherine A; Quest, Tammie E; Vena, Catherine; Sterk, Claire E

2018-02-01

Cancer is associated with disease-related and treatment-related symptoms. Little is known about the symptom experience of black individuals with advanced cancer especially those with limited financial resources. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the symptom experience of black adults with advanced cancer living in poverty. This qualitative descriptive study focused on the perspectives of the participants experiencing at least two symptoms related to cancer. A purposive sample of 27 individuals receiving care at a public hospital in a southeastern city participated in the study. Semi-structured audiotaped interviews were conducted by two research interviewers. Content analysis was used to develop themes to describe the symptom experience. Two main themes emerged in terms of the participants' symptom experiences: (1) "living in pain," which included the overwhelming experience of pain, both physical and emotional, and (2) "symptoms associated with functioning in everyday life." Participants frequently used the context of activities in their daily lives to explain symptoms, including the effect of symptoms on the activities of eating, moving and doing, and communicating. People with advanced cancer work to negotiate a high frequency of multiple distressful symptoms of severe-to-moderate severity. Information gained from this study can help guide research in symptom science and provide direction for clinicians working with this minority group. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. All rights reserved.

Childhood Sexual Abuse as a Predictor of Adult Female Sexual Dysfunction: A Study of Couples Seeking Sex Therapy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sarwer, David B.; Durlak, Joseph A.

1996-01-01

A study of 359 married women who sought sex therapy with their spouses found a connection between adult female sexual dysfunction and childhood sexual abuse. Abuse involving sexual penetration was specifically associated with adult sexual dysfunction. Future research on additional variables that contribute to sexual dysfunction is urged. (CR)

Gut transcriptome of replete adult female cattle ticks, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, feeding upon a Babesia bovis-infected bovine host.

PubMed

Heekin, Andrew M; Guerrero, Felix D; Bendele, Kylie G; Saldivar, Leo; Scoles, Glen A; Dowd, Scot E; Gondro, Cedric; Nene, Vishvanath; Djikeng, Appolinaire; Brayton, Kelly A

2013-09-01

As it feeds upon cattle, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus is capable of transmitting a number of pathogenic organisms, including the apicomplexan hemoparasite Babesia bovis, a causative agent of bovine babesiosis. The R. microplus female gut transcriptome was studied for two cohorts: adult females feeding on a bovine host infected with B. bovis and adult females feeding on an uninfected bovine. RNA was purified and used to generate a subtracted cDNA library from B. bovis-infected female gut, and 4,077 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were sequenced. Gene expression was also measured by a microarray designed from the publicly available R. microplus gene index: BmiGI Version 2. We compared gene expression in the tick gut from females feeding upon an uninfected bovine to gene expression in tick gut from females feeding upon a splenectomized bovine infected with B. bovis. Thirty-three ESTs represented on the microarray were expressed at a higher level in female gut samples from the ticks feeding upon a B. bovis-infected calf compared to expression levels in female gut samples from ticks feeding on an uninfected calf. Forty-three transcripts were expressed at a lower level in the ticks feeding upon B. bovis-infected female guts compared with expression in female gut samples from ticks feeding on the uninfected calf. These array data were used as initial characterization of gene expression associated with the infection of R. microplus by B. bovis.

Postpartum immobilization of adult female moose using xylazine, ketamine and yohimbine hydrochlorides.

PubMed

Garner, D L; Addison, E M

1994-01-01

Twenty-two free-ranging adult female moose (Alces alces) were immobilized with a 1:4 mixture of xylazine hydrochloride (XH) and ketamine hydrochloride (KH). Mean (SD) dosages/animal for XH and KH were 419 (148) and 1565 (433) mg, respectively. Mean (SD) induction time was 18.4 (9.7) minutes. Reversal with yohimbine hydrochloride using a mean dosage of 83 mg/animal resulted in a mean (SD) recovery time of 22.8 (28.5) minutes.

Factors associated with the process of adaptation among Pakistani adolescent females living in United States.

PubMed

Khuwaja, Salma A; Selwyn, Beatrice J; Mgbere, Osaro; Khuwaja, Alam; Kapadia, Asha; McCurdy, Sheryl; Hsu, Chiehwen E

2013-04-01

This study explored post-migration experiences of recently migrated Pakistani Muslim adolescent females residing in the United States. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirty Pakistani Muslim adolescent females between the ages of 15 and 18 years living with their families in Houston, Texas. Data obtained from the interviews were evaluated using discourse analysis to identify major reoccurring themes. Participants discussed factors associated with the process of adaptation to the American culture. The results revealed that the main factors associated with adaptation process included positive motivation for migration, family bonding, social support networks, inter-familial communication, aspiration of adolescents to learn other cultures, availability of English-as-second-language programs, participation in community rebuilding activities, and faith practices, English proficiency, peer pressure, and inter-generational conflicts. This study provided much needed information on factors associated with adaptation process of Pakistani Muslim adolescent females in the United States. The results have important implications for improving the adaptation process of this group and offer potential directions for intervention and counseling services.

HIV Stigma Mediates the Association Between Social Cohesion and Consistent Condom Use Among Female Sex Workers Living with HIV in the Dominican Republic.

PubMed

Carrasco, Maria Augusta; Nguyen, Trang Q; Barrington, Clare; Perez, Martha; Donastorg, Yeycy; Kerrigan, Deanna

2018-07-01

Evidence indicates that social cohesion is a successful strategy to improve consistent condom use (CCU) among female sex workers. However, the individual and layered or combined effect that various types of overlapping stigmas may have on CCU between female sex workers living with HIV and their clients and steady partners has not been analyzed. Drawing on the Abriendo Puertas cohort of female sex workers living with HIV in the Dominican Republic, we used structural equation modeling to test the hypothesis that both HIV stigma and sex work stigma mediate the association between social cohesion and CCU and that they have a layered effect. The results indicated that HIV stigma mediated the association between social cohesion and CCU with clients and partners, while sex work-related stigma did not. There was no evidence of a layered HIV stigma and sex work stigma effect, which may be due to methodological limitations to handle highly correlated latent variables. Findings highlight the need to address internalized HIV stigma within the context of community-based approaches to enhance their HIV prevention impact. This will help to reduce the risk of HIV re-infection with a new distinct HIV viral strain, STI infection, and onward HIV transmission among female sex workers living with HIV.

Female infidelity is constrained by El Niño conditions in a long-lived bird.

PubMed

Kiere, Lynna Marie; Drummond, Hugh

2016-07-01

activity. In addition to increasing general self-maintenance and reproductive costs, warm waters may increase costs specific to EP behaviours including divorce, reduced male parental care, or pathogen exposure. Our results suggest that female boobies strategically refrained from EP behaviours to avoid these or other longer-term costs, rather than being compelled by immediate constraints. This study demonstrates that current environmental conditions affect females' mating decisions, contributing to variation in EP behaviours, even in a long-lived, iteroparous species that can buffer against temporary adversity. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2016 British Ecological Society.

Siblings of individuals with autism or Down syndrome: effects on adult lives.

PubMed

Orsmond, G I; Seltzer, M M

2007-09-01

In this study, we examine instrumental and affective involvement in the sibling relationship for adults who have a brother or sister with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or Down syndrome (DS). We ask three research questions: (1) How do adult siblings of individuals with ASD differ from siblings of individuals with DS in their assessment of the quality of the sibling relationship and their experience of growing up with a brother or sister with a disability? (2) Are there gender effects on the sibling relationship and sibling experience in these two groups? (3) Which factors are predictive of variation in the sibling relationship for siblings of adults with ASD or DS? Data from 154 siblings who participated in two linked longitudinal studies were used. Seventy-seven siblings with a brother or sister with ASD were matched by age and gender to 77 siblings with a brother or sister with DS. The siblings in each group were between 21 and 56 years of age and over half were sisters. Siblings completed questionnaires on instrumental and affective involvement with their brother or sister with ASD or DS, the impact of growing up with a brother or sister with a disability on their lives, and their coping skills and feelings of pessimism. Compared with the siblings of adults with DS, siblings of adults with ASD had less contact with their brother or sister, reported lower levels of positive affect in the relationship, felt more pessimistic about their brother or sister's future, and were more likely to report that their relationships with their parents had been affected. For siblings of adults with ASD, a closer sibling relationship was observed when the sibling had lower educational levels, lived closer to the brother or sister with ASD, used more problem-focused coping strategies, and when his or her brother or sister with ASD had higher levels of functional independence. In contrast, for siblings of adults with DS, a closer sibling relationship was observed when the

Adult Female and Male Siblings of Persons with Disabilities: Findings from a National Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodapp, Robert M.; Urbano, Richard C.; Burke, Meghan M.

2010-01-01

In this study, the authors used a national, Web-based survey to examine female and male siblings of individuals with disabilities. More than 1,160 adult siblings completed a 163-question survey about themselves, their siblings, and their sibling relationships. Most respondents reported fairly close contact with their siblings and positive sibling…

Use of Q methodology to assess the concerns of adult female individuals seeking orthodontic treatment

PubMed Central

Yao, Linjie; Xu, Xingqiao; Ni, Zhenyu; Zheng, Minling; Lin, Feiou

2015-01-01

Background Orthodontic treatment may cause functional restrictions, discomfort, and pain, which may lead to dental anxiety and noncooperation among patients. This study aimed to assess the concerns of adult female patients with respect to such treatment. Patients and methods We conducted an explorative study using Q methodology among 40 adult female patients with different educational and social backgrounds in Wenzhou, People’s Republic of China. We asked participants to rank a set of 41 statements about seeking orthodontic treatment on an 11-point scale from “agree most” to “disagree most”. The collected data were analyzed using the PQ Method 2.35 program. We extracted significant viewpoints using centroid factor extraction and varimax rotation. Results We identified major factors based on how the patients ranked statements. Patients in group 1 worried about lack of information about orthodontic treatment, and may have suffered from dental phobia; patients in group 2 were all single women, and they were worried that the braces might lower their chances of finding a partner; patients in group 3 worried about appearance and speech with braces; and patients in group 4 worried about cost, pain, and dental hygiene. The remaining participants who had other viewpoints did not load to any of these four groups. Conclusion The concerns of adult female individuals seeking orthodontic treatment are complex. A significant feature of this study was using Q methodology to analyze the psychological characteristics of the patients. This study identified four typical characterizations that are associated with each group, and our findings may aid orthodontists in improving doctor–patient relationships. PMID:25609926

Use of Q methodology to assess the concerns of adult female individuals seeking orthodontic treatment.

PubMed

Yao, Linjie; Xu, Xingqiao; Ni, Zhenyu; Zheng, Minling; Lin, Feiou

2015-01-01

Orthodontic treatment may cause functional restrictions, discomfort, and pain, which may lead to dental anxiety and noncooperation among patients. This study aimed to assess the concerns of adult female patients with respect to such treatment. We conducted an explorative study using Q methodology among 40 adult female patients with different educational and social backgrounds in Wenzhou, People's Republic of China. We asked participants to rank a set of 41 statements about seeking orthodontic treatment on an 11-point scale from "agree most" to "disagree most". The collected data were analyzed using the PQ Method 2.35 program. We extracted significant viewpoints using centroid factor extraction and varimax rotation. We identified major factors based on how the patients ranked statements. Patients in group 1 worried about lack of information about orthodontic treatment, and may have suffered from dental phobia; patients in group 2 were all single women, and they were worried that the braces might lower their chances of finding a partner; patients in group 3 worried about appearance and speech with braces; and patients in group 4 worried about cost, pain, and dental hygiene. The remaining participants who had other viewpoints did not load to any of these four groups. The concerns of adult female individuals seeking orthodontic treatment are complex. A significant feature of this study was using Q methodology to analyze the psychological characteristics of the patients. This study identified four typical characterizations that are associated with each group, and our findings may aid orthodontists in improving doctor-patient relationships.

Examination of Emerging Adults' Emotional Autonomy and Parental Monitoring under Varying Living Arrangements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fozio-Thielk, Lisa

2016-01-01

The current trends of increasing community college enrollments and large numbers of emerging adults living with their parents suggest the need to examine patterns of adjustment and competence, in particular, emotional autonomy during college years. However, there has been little research focus on the role of extended parental monitoring on…

Effects of Parental Suicide on the Adolescent Survivors' Lives When They Are Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saatci, Yesim

2013-01-01

This qualitative inquiry, phenomenology, purported to provide insight into the role of parental suicide on the adolescent survivors' adult lives between 18 and 40. This study described the survivors' coping strategies, self-esteem, and effects of their grief and bereavement as a result of parental suicide on their emotional wellness or…

Does life satisfaction predict five-year mortality in community-living older adults?

PubMed

St John, Philip D; Mackenzie, Corey; Menec, Verena

2015-01-01

Depression and depressive symptoms predict death, but it is less clear if more general measures of life satisfaction (LS) predict death. Our objectives were to determine: (1) if LS predicts mortality over a five-year period in community-living older adults; and (2) which aspects of LS predict death. 1751 adults over the age of 65 who were living in the community were sampled from a representative population sampling frame in 1991/1992 and followed five years later. Age, gender, and education were self-reported. An index of multimorbidity and the Older American Resource Survey measured health and functional status, and the Terrible-Delightful Scale assessed overall LS as well as satisfaction with: health, finances, family, friends, housing, recreation, self-esteem, religion, and transportation. Cox proportional hazards models examined the influence of LS on time to death. 417 participants died during the five-year study period. Overall LS and all aspects of LS except finances, religion, and self-esteem predicted death in unadjusted analyses. In fully adjusted analyses, LS with health, housing, and recreation predicted death. Other aspects of LS did not predict death after accounting for functional status and multimorbidity. LS predicted death, but certain aspects of LS are more strongly associated with death. The effect of LS is complex and may be mediated or confounded by health and functional status. It is important to consider different domains of LS when considering the impact of this important emotional indicator on mortality among older adults.

Daily Living Skills at Your Fingertips. Daily Living Skills for 0-4 Level Adult Basic Education Students. Curriculum and Teacher Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greene, Margret

A curriculum and teacher guide are provided for a program to teach daily living skills to 0-4 level adult basic education students. The guide presents a method of instruction and lists the materials provided. Teaching plans (content outlines) are provided for these areas: cooking, housekeeping, laundry, leisure skills, and medication awareness. A…

Relationship between body mass index, alcohol use, and alcohol misuse in a young adult female twin sample.

PubMed

Duncan, Alexis E; Grant, Julia D; Bucholz, Kathleen Keenan; Madden, Pamela A F; Heath, Andrew C

2009-05-01

The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between body mass index (BMI) and alcohol use and misuse in young adulthood in a sample of black and white female twins. Cox proportional hazards and logistic regression models were used to examine the relationships between BMI category and first alcohol use, current weekly alcohol use, and current weekly heavy episodic drinking in 3,514 (14.06% black) young adult female twins. Analyses were conducted separately in black and white women. After adjusting for relevant covariates, in white women obesity was protective against alcohol use (hazard ratio = 0.83; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.73-0.93) and against weekly drinking (odds ratio [OR] = 0.36; 95% CI: 0.24-0.53) and weekly heavy episodic drinking (OR = 0.51; 95% CI: 0.31-0.82) among ever drinkers compared with women of ideal weight. Overweight women living with their parents were less likely to be weekly drinkers (OR = 0.31; 95% CI: 0.16-0.61), whereas overweight women who were not living with their parents were less likely to be weekly heavy episodic drinkers (OR = 0.51; 95% CI: 0.31-0.82). Among black women, obesity was not associated with any of the drinking outcomes; however, black women who were overweight and who reported that the majority of their friends were not weekly drinkers had greater odds of reporting weekly drinking than those of ideal weight (OR = 2.91; 95% CI: 1.33-6.39). Obese white women were less likely to ever use alcohol, be weekly drinkers, or be weekly heavy episodic drinkers than their ideal-weight peers. Body weight may affect drinking behavior in young women, and this effect may differ by race. Future research is needed to identify mediators and moderators of this relationship as well as to explore racial differences in the effect of body weight on drinking behavior.

Offspring production with cryopreserved sperm from a live-bearing fish Xiphophorus maculatus and implications for female fecundity✰

PubMed Central

Yang, Huiping; Savage, Markita G.; Hazlewood, Leona; Walter, Ronald B.; Tiersch, Terrence R.

2011-01-01

Xiphophorus fishes are well-established models for biomedical research of spontaneous or induced tumors, and their use in research dates back to the 1930’s. Currently, 58 well-pedigreed lines exist among 24 Xiphophorus species housed as live animals at the Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center. The technique of sperm cryopreservation has been applied to preserve these valuable genetic resources, and production of offspring has been reported with cryopreserved sperm in two species (X. helleri and X. couchianus). The goal of this research was to establish protocols for sperm cryopreservation and artificial insemination that yield live young in X. maculatus, a widely used research species. The objectives were to: 1) collect basic biological characteristics of males, and quantify the sperm production yield after crushing of dissected testis; 2) cryopreserve sperm from X. maculatus by adapting as necessary the protocols for sperm cryopreservation of X. helleri and X. couchianus; 3) use cryopreserved sperm to inseminate virgin females of X maculatus and other species (X. helleri and X. couchianus), and 4) compare experimental trials over a 3-year period to identify opportunities for improving female fecundity. In total, 117 males were used in this study with a standard length of 2.5 ± 0.3 cm (mean ± SD), body weight of 0.474 ± 0.149 g, and dissected testis weight of 7.1 ± 3.7 mg. Calculation of sperm availability showed 5.9 ± 2.8 × 106 sperm cells per mg of testis weight. Offspring were produced from cryopreserved sperm. Male-to-male variation (1-70%) was observed in post-thaw motility despite little variation in motility before freezing (60-90%) or genetic variation (~100 generations of sib-mating). Comparisons of biological factors of males did not have significant correlations with the production of live young, and the influence of females on production of young were identified from the comparison of artificial insemination over the 3 yr. Overall, this study

Offspring production with cryopreserved sperm from a live-bearing fish Xiphophorus maculatus and implications for female fecundity.

PubMed

Yang, Huiping; Savage, Markita G; Hazlewood, Leona; Walter, Ronald B; Tiersch, Terrence R

2012-01-01

Xiphophorus fishes are well-established models for biomedical research of spontaneous or induced tumors, and their use in research dates back to the 1930s. Currently, 58 well-pedigreed lines exist among 24 Xiphophorus species housed as live animals at the Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center. The technique of sperm cryopreservation has been applied to preserve these valuable genetic resources, and production of offspring has been reported with cryopreserved sperm in two species (X. helleri and X. couchianus). The goal of this research was to establish protocols for sperm cryopreservation and artificial insemination that yield live young in X. maculatus, a widely used research species. The objectives were to: 1) collect basic biological characteristics of males, and quantify the sperm production yield after crushing of dissected testis; 2) cryopreserve sperm from X. maculatus by adapting as necessary the protocols for sperm cryopreservation of X. helleri and X. couchianus; 3) use cryopreserved sperm to inseminate virgin females of X maculatus and other species (X. helleri and X. couchianus), and 4) compare experimental trials over a 3-year period to identify opportunities for improving female fecundity. In total, 117 males were used in this study with a standard length of 2.5 ± 0.3 cm (mean ± SD), body weight of 0.474 ± 0.149 g, and dissected testis weight of 7.1 ± 3.7 mg. Calculation of sperm availability showed 5.9 ± 2.8 × 10(6) sperm cells per mg of testis weight. Offspring were produced from cryopreserved sperm. Male-to-male variation (1-70%) was observed in post-thaw motility despite little variation in motility before freezing (60-90%) or genetic variation (~100 generations of sib-mating). Comparisons of biological factors of males did not have significant correlations with the production of live young, and the influence of females on production of young was identified from the comparison of artificial insemination over 3 years. Overall, this study describes

Young adults' experience of living with neurofibromatosis type 1.

PubMed

Hummelvoll, Grete; Antonsen, Kjell Magnus

2013-04-01

Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) may have many psychosocial consequences for affected adults. More knowledge is needed about the experience of psychosocial aspects in different stages of adulthood. This qualitative study aims to describe the experiences and concerns of persons living with NF1 in the early stages of adulthood. In semi-structured interviews, Norwegian adults with NF1 (n = 15) between 18 and 37 years of age described their experiences and concerns. Interview transcripts were analysed in a both concept and data driven way. Severity of NF1 was assessed from interview data. Our data indicate that many informants have more friends than in childhood, including friends with NF1. An important topic is whether or not to inform others about the NF1 diagnosis . Low self-confidence is common, often related to early school failure and bullying or to visible neurofibromas. The unpredictable development of NF1 causes much concern. The experience of NF1's impact seems less associated with the assessed severity than with social network, relation to the labour market, and psychological factors.

Impact of Male and Female Weight, Smoking, and Intercourse Frequency on Live Birth in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

PubMed Central

Allshouse, Amanda A.; Casson, Peter R.; Coutifaris, Christos; Diamond, Michael P.; Christman, Gregory M.; Schlaff, William D.; Alvero, Ruben; Trussell, J. C.; Krawetz, Stephen A.; Santoro, Nanette; Eisenberg, Esther; Zhang, Heping; Legro, Richard S.

2015-01-01

Context: Obese men with normal semen parameters exhibit reduced fertility but few prospective data are available. Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of male factors and body mass among the Pregnancy in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome II (PPCOS II) participants. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of the PPCOS II trial. A total of 750 infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) were randomly assigned to up to receive five cycles of letrozole or clomiphene citrate. Females were 18–39-years-old and had a male partner with sperm concentration of at least 14 million/mL who consented to regular intercourse. Analysis was limited to couples with complete male partner information (n = 710). Results: Male body mass index (BMI) was higher in couples who failed to conceive (29.5 kg/m2 vs 28.2 kg/m2; P = .039) as well as those who did not achieve a live birth (29.5 kg/m2 vs 28.1 kg/m2; P = .047). At least one partner was obese in 548 couples (77.1%). A total of 261 couples were concordant for obesity (36.8%). After adjustment for female BMI, the association of male BMI with live birth was no longer significant (odds ratio [OR] = 0.85; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 0.68–1.05; P = .13). Couples in which both partners smoked had a lower chance of live birth vs nonsmokers (OR = 0.20; 95 % CI, 0.08–0.52; P = .02), whereas there was not a significant effect of female or male smoking alone. Live birth was more likely in couples with at least three sexual intercourse attempts over the previous 4 weeks (reported at baseline) as opposed to couples with lesser frequency (OR = 4.39; 95 % CI, 1.52–12. 4; P < .01). Conclusions: In this large cohort of obese women with PCOS, effect of male obesity was explained by female BMI. Lower chance of success was seen among couples where both partners smoked. Obesity and smoking are common among women with PCOS and their partners and contribute to a decrease in fertility treatment success. PMID:25856211

A Public Health Approach to Improving the Lives of Adult Learners: Introduction to the Special Issue on Adult Literacy Interventions

PubMed Central

Miller, Brett; Esposito, Layla; McCardle, Peggy

2013-01-01

Addressing the literacy needs of adult basic and secondary education learners must form a core part of a broader public health effort to increase educational and health outcomes for these individuals and their families. Adult learners constitute a significant proportion of the overall adult U.S. population and a proportion that impacts, directly and indirectly, on the physical and economic health of millions of families and society writ large. Enhancing the literacy skills of low literate adults has proven difficult, hampered by the relative dearth of research data on struggling adult learners and effective intervention approaches, the contextual challenges of delivering intensive interventions, limited personal and systemic resources, and competing demands on learners’ time. We propose a systems level view of adult low-literacy as one that holds promise and provides a basic framework for providing coordinated, comprehensive, and integrated services, but that requires additional research to support. Informed and coordinated efforts with the pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade education system and health and labor services sectors is needed if we are to improve the lives of these adults and their families. PMID:24288581

Outcomes related to nutrition screening in community living older adults: A systematic literature review.

PubMed

Hamirudin, Aliza Haslinda; Charlton, Karen; Walton, Karen

2016-01-01

Nutrition screening is an initial procedure in which the risk of malnutrition is identified. The aims of this review were to identify malnutrition risk from nutrition screening studies that have used validated nutrition screening tools in community living older adults; and to identify types of nutrition interventions, pathways of care and patient outcomes following screening. A systematic literature search was performed for the period from January 1994 until December 2013 using SCOPUS, CINAHL Plus with Full Text, PubMed and COCHRANE databases as well as a manual search. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were determined for the literature searches and the methodology followed the PRISMA guidelines. Fifty-four articles were eligible to be included in the review and malnutrition risk varied from 0% to 83%. This large range was influenced by the different tools used and heterogeneity of study samples. Most of the studies were cross sectional and without a subsequent nutrition intervention component. Types of nutrition intervention that were identified included dietetics care, nutrition education, and referral to Meals on Wheels services and community services. These interventions helped to improve the' nutritional status of older adults. Timely nutrition screening of older adults living in the community, if followed up with appropriate intervention and monitoring improves the nutritional status of older adults. This indicates that nutrition intervention should be considered a priority following nutrition screening for malnourished and at risk older adults. Further evaluation of outcomes of nutrition screening and associated interventions, using structured pathways of care, is warranted. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Post-parturition habitat selection by elk calves and adult female elk in New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pitman, James W.; Cain, James W.; Liley, Stewart; Gould, William R.; Quintana, Nichole T.; Ballard, Warren

2014-01-01

Neonatal survival and juvenile recruitment are crucial to maintaining viable elk (Cervus elaphus) populations. Neonate survival is known to be influenced by many factors, including bed-site selection. Although neonates select the actual bed-site location, they must do so within the larger calf-rearing area selected by the mother. As calves age, habitat selection should change to meet the changing needs of the growing calf. Our main objectives were to characterize habitat selection at 2 spatial scales and in areas with different predator assemblages in New Mexico. We evaluated bed-site selection by calves and calf-rearing area selection by adult females. We captured 108 elk calves by hand and fitted them with ear tag transmitters in two areas in New Mexico: the Valle Vidal and Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area. In both study areas, we found that concealing cover structure and distance to that cover influenced bed-site selection of young calves (i.e., <2 weeks of age). Older calves (i.e., 3–10 weeks of age) still selected areas in relation to distance to cover, but also preferred areas with higher visibility. At the larger spatial scale of calf-rearing habitat selection by the adult female, concealing cover (e.g., rocks, shrubs, and logs) and other variables important to the hiding calves were still in the most supported models, but selection was also influenced by forage availability and indices of forage quality. Studies that seek to obtain insight into microhabitat selection of ungulate neonates should consider selection by the neonate and selection by the adult female, changes in selection as neonates age, and potential selection differences in areas of differing predation risk. By considering these influences together and at multiple scales, studies can achieve a broader understanding of neonatal ungulate habitat requirements. 

Validity of self-reported fertility-threatening cancer treatments in female young adult cancer survivors.

PubMed

Roberts, Samantha C; Knight, Amber; Whitcomb, Brian W; Gorman, Jessica R; Dietz, Andrew C; Irene Su, H

2017-08-01

Detailed cancer treatment information is important to fertility and pregnancy care of female young adult cancer survivors. Accuracy of self-report of treatments that impact fertility and pregnancy is unknown. This study assessed agreement between self-report and medical records on receipt of fertility-threatening treatments. A national cohort study of female young adult cancer survivors reported cancer treatments via Web-based questionnaires. Primary cancer treatment records were abstracted. Self-reported exposure to fertility-threatening therapies (alkylating chemotherapy, stem cell transplant, pelvic radiation, hysterectomy, and/or oophorectomy) was compared to medical records. Logistic regression models estimated odds ratios (OR) for characteristics associated with inaccurate self-report of fertility-threatening therapies. The study included 101 survivors (mean age 28.2, SD 6.3). Lymphoma (33%), breast cancer (26%), and gynecologic cancers (10%) were the most common cancers. Accuracy of self-report was 68% for alkylating chemotherapy and 92-97% for radiation, surgery, and transplant. Significant proportions of survivors who were treated with transplant (8/13, 62%), alkylating chemotherapy (18/43, 42%), pelvic radiation (4/13, 31%), or hysterectomy and/or oophorectomy (3/13, 23%) did not report undergoing these therapies. In adjusted analysis, age ≤ 25 at diagnosis (OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.3-8.7) and recurrence (OR 6.0, 95% CI 1.5-24.4) were related to inaccurate self-report. Female young adult cancer survivors have limited recall of fertility-threatening cancer treatment exposures. Reproductive health providers and researchers who need this information may require primary medical records or treatment summaries. Additional patient education regarding treatment-related reproductive risks is needed to facilitate patient engagement in survivorship. Obtaining a cancer treatment summary will help survivors communicate their prior treatment exposures to reproductive

The International Physical Activity Questionnaire-long form overestimates self-reported physical activity of Brazilian adults.

PubMed

Sebastião, E; Gobbi, S; Chodzko-Zajko, W; Schwingel, A; Papini, C B; Nakamura, P M; Netto, A V; Kokubun, E

2012-11-01

To explore issues associated with measuring physical activity using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)-long form in adults living in a mid-sized Brazilian city. A stratified random sampling procedure was used to select a representative sample of adults living in Rio Claro. This yielded 1572 participants who were interviewed using the IPAQ-long form. The data were analysed using standard statistical procedures. Overall, 83% of men and 89% of women reported at least 150 min of combined moderate and/or vigorous physical activity per week. Reliable values of leisure and transportation-related physical activity were observed for both males and females. With regard to the household and work-related physical activity domains, both males and females reported unusually high levels of participation. The IPAQ-long form appears to overestimate levels of physical activity for both males and females, suggesting that the instrument has problems in measuring levels of physical activity in Brazilian adults. Accordingly, caution is warranted before using IPAQ data to support public policy decisions related to physical activity. Copyright © 2012 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

FASH and MASH: female and male adult human phantoms based on polygon mesh surfaces: I. Development of the anatomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cassola, V. F.; de Melo Lima, V. J.; Kramer, R.; Khoury, H. J.

2010-01-01

Among computational models, voxel phantoms based on computer tomographic (CT), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) or colour photographic images of patients, volunteers or cadavers have become popular in recent years. Although being true to nature representations of scanned individuals, voxel phantoms have limitations, especially when walled organs have to be segmented or when volumes of organs or body tissues, like adipose, have to be changed. Additionally, the scanning of patients or volunteers is usually made in supine position, which causes a shift of internal organs towards the ribcage, a compression of the lungs and a reduction of the sagittal diameter especially in the abdominal region compared to the regular anatomy of a person in the upright position, which in turn can influence organ and tissue absorbed or equivalent dose estimates. This study applies tools developed recently in the areas of computer graphics and animated films to the creation and modelling of 3D human organs, tissues, skeletons and bodies based on polygon mesh surfaces. Female and male adult human phantoms, called FASH (Female Adult meSH) and MASH (Male Adult meSH), have been designed using software, such as MakeHuman, Blender, Binvox and ImageJ, based on anatomical atlases, observing at the same time organ masses recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection for the male and female reference adult in report no 89. 113 organs, bones and tissues have been modelled in the FASH and the MASH phantoms representing locations for adults in standing posture. Most organ and tissue masses of the voxelized versions agree with corresponding data from ICRP89 within a margin of 2.6%. Comparison with the mesh-based male RPI_AM and female RPI_AF phantoms shows differences with respect to the material used, to the software and concepts applied, and to the anatomies created.

Serotonin Transporter Gene Polymorphisms and Early Parent-Infant Interactions Are Related to Adult Male Heart Rate Response to Female Crying

PubMed Central

Truzzi, Anna; Bornstein, Marc H.; Senese, Vincenzo P.; Shinohara, Kazuyuki; Setoh, Peipei; Esposito, Gianluca

2017-01-01

Adults' adaptive interactions with intimate partners enhance well-being. Here we hypothesized that adult males' physiological responses to opposite-sex conspecifics' distress result from an interaction between an environmental factor (early social interaction with caregivers) and a genetic factor (a polymorphism within the promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene, 5-HTTLPR). We assessed heart rate changes in 42 non-married male adults to distress vocalizations (female, infant, and bonobo cries). Males' early interaction with parents was assessed using the Parental Bonding Instrument. Buccal mucosa cell samples were collected to assess their 5-HTTLPR genotype. A significant interaction emerged between early experience and genetic predisposition. Males with a genetic predisposition for higher sensitivity to environmental factors showed atypical physiological responses to adult female cries according to their experienced early maternal parenting. Environmental experiences and genetic characteristics are associated with adult males' physiological responses to socially meaningfully stimuli. Understanding the mechanisms that modulate responses to opposite-sex conspecifics may improve personal well-being and social adaptiveness. PMID:28293197

Gene expression profiling of adult female tissues in feeding Rhipicephalus microplus cattle ticks.

PubMed

Stutzer, Christian; van Zyl, Willem A; Olivier, Nicholas A; Richards, Sabine; Maritz-Olivier, Christine

2013-06-01

The southern cattle tick, Rhipicephalus microplus, is an economically important pest, especially for resource-poor countries, both as a highly adaptive invasive species and prominent vector of disease. The increasing prevalence of resistance to chemical acaricides and variable efficacy of current tick vaccine candidates highlight the need for more effective control methods. In the absence of a fully annotated genome, the wealth of available expressed sequence tag sequence data for this species presents a unique opportunity to study the genes that are expressed in tissues involved in blood meal acquisition, digestion and reproduction during feeding. Utilising a custom oligonucleotide microarray designed from available singletons (BmiGI Version 2.1) and expressed sequence tag sequences of R. microplus, the expression profiles in feeding adult female midgut, salivary glands and ovarian tissues were compared. From 13,456 assembled transcripts, 588 genes expressed in all three tissues were identified from fed adult females 20 days post infestation. The greatest complement of genes relate to translation and protein turnover. Additionally, a number of unique transcripts were identified for each tissue that relate well to their respective physiological/biological function/role(s). These transcripts include secreted anti-hemostatics and defense proteins from the salivary glands for acquisition of a blood meal, proteases as well as enzymes and transporters for digestion and nutrient acquisition from ingested blood in the midgut, and finally proteins and associated factors involved in DNA replication and cell-cycle control for oogenesis in the ovaries. Comparative analyses of adult female tissues during feeding enabled the identification of a catalogue of transcripts that may be essential for successful feeding and reproduction in the cattle tick, R. microplus. Future studies will increase our understanding of basic tick biology, allowing the identification of shared proteins

Injuries Reported and Recorded for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities Who Live with Paid Support in Scotland: A Comparison with Scottish Adults in the General Population

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petropoulou, Evangelia; Finlayson, Janet; Hay, Margaret; Spencer, Wendy; Park, Richard; Tannock, Hugh; Galbraith, Erin; Godwin, Jon; Skelton, Dawn A.

2017-01-01

Background: Providers of supported living services to adults with intellectual disabilities (IDs) in the United Kingdom have procedures in place to monitor injuries; this provides opportunity to learn about the injuries being reported and recorded. The aim was to determine the incidence, causes and types of injuries experienced by 593 adults with…

Healthy living: A health promotion program for adults with intellectual disability.

PubMed

An, Andrea; McPherson, Lyn; Urbanowicz, Anna

2018-04-04

Adults with intellectual disability are more likely to experience a range of physical and mental health problems in comparison to the general population. However with access to appropriate health care and promotion, many of these health problems can be prevented. To explore the perspectives of stakeholders of a health promotion program established for adults with intellectual disability. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 stakeholders of a health promotion program. Stakeholders included adults with intellectual disability (n = 6), their support persons (n = 4) and program presenters (n = 2). Adults with intellectual disability included three males and three females with a mean age of 45.5 years (range 37-51 years). Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Four main themes emerged from the data. The first theme highlights the positive feedback all stakeholders, especially adults with intellectual disability, had for the program and the second focuses on suggestions for changes to improve it. The third and final themes explore how having input from adults with intellectual disability and their support persons, who have a unique understanding of their needs, could be better incorporated into the development of the program. This health promotion program has been well received by people with intellectual disability when incorporated into their weekly social club meetings With encouragement and training, people with intellectual disability and their support workers could be more involved in the development of the program to ensure it is relevant to their needs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Estimation of stature from the foot and its segments in a sub-adult female population of North India.

PubMed

Krishan, Kewal; Kanchan, Tanuj; Passi, Neelam

2011-11-21

Establishing personal identity is one of the main concerns in forensic investigations. Estimation of stature forms a basic domain of the investigation process in unknown and co-mingled human remains in forensic anthropology case work. The objective of the present study was to set up standards for estimation of stature from the foot and its segments in a sub-adult female population. The sample for the study constituted 149 young females from the Northern part of India. The participants were aged between 13 and 18 years. Besides stature, seven anthropometric measurements that included length of the foot from each toe (T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 respectively), foot breadth at ball (BBAL) and foot breadth at heel (BHEL) were measured on both feet in each participant using standard methods and techniques. The results indicated that statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) between left and right feet occur in both the foot breadth measurements (BBAL and BHEL). Foot length measurements (T1 to T5 lengths) did not show any statistically significant bilateral asymmetry. The correlation between stature and all the foot measurements was found to be positive and statistically significant (p-value < 0.001). Linear regression models and multiple regression models were derived for estimation of stature from the measurements of the foot. The present study indicates that anthropometric measurements of foot and its segments are valuable in the estimation of stature. Foot length measurements estimate stature with greater accuracy when compared to foot breadth measurements. The present study concluded that foot measurements have a strong relationship with stature in the sub-adult female population of North India. Hence, the stature of an individual can be successfully estimated from the foot and its segments using different regression models derived in the study. The regression models derived in the study may be applied successfully for the estimation of stature in sub-adult

Rearing Temperature Influences Adult Response to Changes in Mating Status

PubMed Central

Westerman, Erica; Monteiro, Antónia

2016-01-01

Rearing environment can have an impact on adult behavior, but it is less clear how rearing environment influences adult behavior plasticity. Here we explore the effect of rearing temperature on adult mating behavior plasticity in the butterfly Bicyclus anynana, a species that has evolved two seasonal forms in response to seasonal changes in temperature. These seasonal forms differ in both morphology and behavior. Females are the choosy sex in cohorts reared at warm temperatures (WS butterflies), and males are the choosy sex in cohorts reared at cooler temperatures (DS butterflies). Rearing temperature also influences mating benefits and costs. In DS butterflies, mated females live longer than virgin females, and mated males live shorter than virgin males. No such benefits or costs to mating are present in WS butterflies. Given that choosiness and mating costs are rearing temperature dependent in B. anynana, we hypothesized that temperature may also impact male and female incentives to remate in the event that benefits and costs of second matings are similar to those of first matings. We first examined whether lifespan was affected by number of matings. We found that two matings did not significantly increase lifespan for either WS or DS butterflies relative to single matings. However, both sexes of WS but not DS butterflies experienced decreased longevity when mated to a non-virgin relative to a virgin. We next observed pairs of WS and DS butterflies and documented changes in mating behavior in response to changes in the mating status of their partner. WS but not DS butterflies changed their mating behavior in response to the mating status of their partner. These results suggest that rearing temperature influences adult mating behavior plasticity in B. anynana. This developmentally controlled behavioral plasticity may be adaptive, as lifespan depends on the partner’s mating status in one seasonal form, but not in the other. PMID:26863319

Variables related to tobacco use among young adults: are there differences between males and females?

PubMed

Pederson, Linda L; Koval, John J; Chan, Stella S H; Zhang, Xiaohe

2007-02-01

We sought to determine the association of four categories (chunks) of variables: (1) demographic characteristics, (2) family and friends smoking and other drug use, (3) psychosocial factors and attitude, and (4) lifestyle factors to current smoking as compared to never smoking among Canadian young adults. A cohort of 1270 young adults, followed for 10 years, completed a self-administered questionnaire. In multivariable analyses, the best final model for both genders did not include the psychosocial and attitudinal categories, but did contain variables in the demographic, family and friends, and lifestyle categories. Interventions for reducing smoking among young adults may be similar for males and females, a conclusion that differs from conclusions based on findings from younger age groups.

Comparison of Yamax pedometer and GT3X accelerometer steps in a free-living sample

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Our objective was to compare steps detected by the Yamax pedometer (PEDO) versus the GT3X accelerometer (ACCEL) in free-living adults. Daily PEDO and ACCEL steps were collected from a sample of 23 overweight and obese participants (18 females; mean +/- sd: age = 52.6 +/- 8.4 yr.; body mass index = 3...

Cigarette Smoking is Associated with Body Shape Concerns and Bulimia Symptoms Among Young Adult Females

PubMed Central

Kendzor, Darla E.; Adams, Claire E.; Stewart, Diana W.; Baillie, Lauren E.; Copeland, and Amy L.

2014-01-01

Elevated rates of cigarette smoking have been reported among individuals with Bulimia Nervosa. However, little is known about eating disorder symptoms within non-clinical samples of smokers. The purpose of the present study was to compare the eating disorder symptoms of young adult female smokers (n = 184) and non-smokers (n = 56), to determine whether smokers were more likely to endorse bulimic symptoms and report greater body shape concern than non-smokers. Analyses indicated that smokers scored significantly higher than non-smokers on the Body Shape Questionnaire, p = .03, and the Bulimia Test-Revised, p = .006. In addition, a higher proportion of smokers than non-smokers scored ≥ 85 on the Bulimia Test-Revised, p = .05, suggesting the possibility that Bulimia Nervosa diagnoses were more prevalent among smokers. No differences were found between smokers and non-smokers on other measures of eating behavior. Overall, findings suggest that smoking is specifically associated with symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa and body shape concern among young adult females. PMID:19171320

Cigarette smoking is associated with body shape concerns and bulimia symptoms among young adult females.

PubMed

Kendzor, Darla E; Adams, Claire E; Stewart, Diana W; Baillie, Lauren E; Copeland, Amy L

2009-01-01

Elevated rates of cigarette smoking have been reported among individuals with Bulimia Nervosa. However, little is known about eating disorder symptoms within non-clinical samples of smokers. The purpose of the present study was to compare the eating disorder symptoms of young adult female smokers (n=184) and non-smokers (n=56), to determine whether smokers were more likely to endorse bulimic symptoms and report greater body shape concern than non-smokers. Analyses indicated that smokers scored significantly higher than non-smokers on the Body Shape Questionnaire, p=.03, and the Bulimia Test-Revised, p=.006. In addition, a higher proportion of smokers than non-smokers scored > or = 85 on the Bulimia Test-Revised, p=.05, suggesting the possibility that Bulimia Nervosa diagnoses were more prevalent among smokers. No differences were found between smokers and non-smokers on other measures of eating behavior. Overall, findings suggest that smoking is specifically associated with symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa and body shape concern among young adult females.

Primary Cell Culture of Live Neurosurgically Resected Aged Adult Human Brain Cells and Single Cell Transcriptomics.

PubMed

Spaethling, Jennifer M; Na, Young-Ji; Lee, Jaehee; Ulyanova, Alexandra V; Baltuch, Gordon H; Bell, Thomas J; Brem, Steven; Chen, H Isaac; Dueck, Hannah; Fisher, Stephen A; Garcia, Marcela P; Khaladkar, Mugdha; Kung, David K; Lucas, Timothy H; O'Rourke, Donald M; Stefanik, Derek; Wang, Jinhui; Wolf, John A; Bartfai, Tamas; Grady, M Sean; Sul, Jai-Yoon; Kim, Junhyong; Eberwine, James H

2017-01-17

Investigation of human CNS disease and drug effects has been hampered by the lack of a system that enables single-cell analysis of live adult patient brain cells. We developed a culturing system, based on a papain-aided procedure, for resected adult human brain tissue removed during neurosurgery. We performed single-cell transcriptomics on over 300 cells, permitting identification of oligodendrocytes, microglia, neurons, endothelial cells, and astrocytes after 3 weeks in culture. Using deep sequencing, we detected over 12,000 expressed genes, including hundreds of cell-type-enriched mRNAs, lncRNAs and pri-miRNAs. We describe cell-type- and patient-specific transcriptional hierarchies. Single-cell transcriptomics on cultured live adult patient derived cells is a prime example of the promise of personalized precision medicine. Because these cells derive from subjects ranging in age into their sixties, this system permits human aging studies previously possible only in rodent systems. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dysmenorrhea: Prevalence and Impact on Quality of Life among Young Adult Jordanian Females.

PubMed

Al-Jefout, Moamar; Seham, Abu-Fraijeh; Jameel, Hijazeen; Randa, Al-Qaisi; Ola, Al-Ma'aitah; Oday, Al-Ma'aitah; Luscombe, Georgina

2015-06-01

To establish the prevalence and impact on quality of life of dysmenorrhea among young adult Jordanian females. Cross-sectional study based on quantitative self-reported anonymous questionnaire. University-based study. A total of 272 female medical students (aged 19-25 years). None. Self-reports of menstruation-related pain symptoms and methods of dealing with them. Of study subjects 152/272 (55.8%) participants had moderate and severe dysmenorrhea. Of them, 55.8% had a family history of severe dysmenorrhea compared with 33.1% of those without dysmenorrhea (χ2 = 13.40, df = 1, P < .001). There was strong association between severity of dysmenorrhea and poor university attendance (χ(2) = 45.35, df = 2, P < .001), poor social activities (χ2 = 32.06, df = 2, P < .001), poor relationships with family (χ2 = 18.46, df = 2, P < .001) and friends (χ2 = 19.14, df = 2, P < .001), and poor sport activities (χ2 = 12.15, df = 2, P = .002). Dysmenorrhea worsens during examination periods in 50% of cases. The most common pain symptom was low back pain (60.2%). Body mass index, family monthly income and early age at menarche had no correlation with the occurrence of dysmenorrhea. Of those with dysmenorrhea, 69.4% were using analgesics. Mothers were the main source of information regarding menstruation. Dysmenorrhea is highly prevalent among young adult Jordanian females and seems to negatively affect quality of life, particularly as related to university attendance and performance and social relationships. Copyright © 2015 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of rat female genital cortex and control of female puberty by sexual touch

PubMed Central

Lenschow, Constanze; Sigl-Glöckner, Johanna

2017-01-01

Rat somatosensory cortex contains a large sexually monomorphic genital representation. Genital cortex undergoes an unusual 2-fold expansion during puberty. Here, we investigate genital cortex development and female rat sexual maturation. Ovariectomies and estradiol injections suggested sex hormones cause the pubertal genital cortex expansion but not its maintenance at adult size. Genital cortex expanded by thalamic afferents invading surrounding dysgranular cortex. Genital touch was a dominant factor driving female sexual maturation. Raising female rats in contact with adult males promoted genital cortex expansion, whereas contact to adult females or nontactile (audio-visual-olfactory) male cues did not. Genital touch imposed by human experimenters powerfully advanced female genital cortex development and sexual maturation. Long-term blocking of genital cortex by tetrodotoxin in pubescent females housed with males prevented genital cortex expansion and decelerated vaginal opening. Sex hormones, sexual experience, and neural activity shape genital cortex, which contributes to the puberty promoting effects of sexual touch. PMID:28934203

Development of rat female genital cortex and control of female puberty by sexual touch.

PubMed

Lenschow, Constanze; Sigl-Glöckner, Johanna; Brecht, Michael

2017-09-01

Rat somatosensory cortex contains a large sexually monomorphic genital representation. Genital cortex undergoes an unusual 2-fold expansion during puberty. Here, we investigate genital cortex development and female rat sexual maturation. Ovariectomies and estradiol injections suggested sex hormones cause the pubertal genital cortex expansion but not its maintenance at adult size. Genital cortex expanded by thalamic afferents invading surrounding dysgranular cortex. Genital touch was a dominant factor driving female sexual maturation. Raising female rats in contact with adult males promoted genital cortex expansion, whereas contact to adult females or nontactile (audio-visual-olfactory) male cues did not. Genital touch imposed by human experimenters powerfully advanced female genital cortex development and sexual maturation. Long-term blocking of genital cortex by tetrodotoxin in pubescent females housed with males prevented genital cortex expansion and decelerated vaginal opening. Sex hormones, sexual experience, and neural activity shape genital cortex, which contributes to the puberty promoting effects of sexual touch.

Prevalence of Eating Disorders in Adults With Mental Retardation Living in the Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hove, Oddbjorn

2004-01-01

The prevalence of eating disorders among 311 adults with mental retardation living in the West Coast of Norway was investigated. Reports stemming from a questionnaire completed by health workers were the data source. Diagnostic criteria adapted for persons with mental retardation were used. The main finding was that 27% of cases showed indices of…

Putting episodic disability into context: a qualitative study exploring factors that influence disability experienced by adults living with HIV/AIDS

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background An increasing number of individuals may be living with the health-related consequences of HIV and its associated treatments, a concept we term disability. However, the context in which disability is experienced from the HIV perspective is not well understood. The purpose of this paper is to describe the contextual factors that influence the experiences of disability from the perspective of adults living with HIV. Methods We conducted four focus groups and 15 face-to-face interviews with 38 men and women living with HIV. We asked participants to describe their health-related challenges, the physical, social and psychological areas of their life affected, and the impact of these challenges on their overall health. We also conducted two validity check focus groups with seven returning participants. We analyzed data using grounded theory techniques to develop a conceptual framework of disability for adults living with HIV, called the Episodic Disability Framework. Results Contextual factors that influenced disability were integral to participants' experiences and emerged as a key component of the framework. Extrinsic contextual factors included social support (support from friends, family, partners, pets and community, support from health care services and personnel, and programme and policy support) and stigma. Intrinsic contextual factors included living strategies (seeking social interaction with others, maintaining a sense of control over life and the illness, "blocking HIV out of the mind", and adopting attitudes and beliefs to help manage living with HIV) and personal attributes (gender and aging). These factors may exacerbate or alleviate dimensions of HIV disability. Conclusion This framework is the first to consider the contextual factors that influence experiences of disability from the perspective of adults living with HIV. Extrinsic factors (level of social support and stigma) and intrinsic factors (living strategies and personal attributes) may

Lived Experiences of Female Undergraduate Students, at a Nursing College in Abu Dhabi, about Nursing as a Profession

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hantash, Dania Abu; Van Belkum, Corrien

2016-01-01

Aim: To explore the lived experiences of female undergraduate nursing students about nursing as a profession and the circumstances that have influenced their experience. Introduction: Nursing as a profession is a relatively new practice, and thus in the developmental stage, in the UAE. The number of national students (Emirati) who enrol in the…

Maternal exposure to di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) promotes the transgenerational inheritance of adult-onset reproductive dysfunctions through the female germline in mice.

PubMed

Pocar, Paola; Fiandanese, Nadia; Berrini, Anna; Secchi, Camillo; Borromeo, Vitaliano

2017-05-01

Endocrine disruptors (EDs) are compounds known to promote transgenerational inheritance of adult-onset disease in subsequent generations after maternal exposure during fetal gonadal development. This study was designed to establish whether gestational and lactational exposure to the plasticizer di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) at environmental doses promotes transgenerational effects on reproductive health in female offspring, as adults, over three generations in the mouse. Gestating F0 mouse dams were exposed to 0, 0.05, 5mg/kg/day DEHP in the diet from gestational day 0.5 until the end of lactation. The incidence of adult-onset disease in reproductive function was recorded in F1, F2 and F3 female offspring. In adult F1 females, DEHP exposure induced reproductive adverse effects with: i) altered ovarian follicular dynamics with reduced primordial follicular reserve and a larger growing pre-antral follicle population, suggesting accelerated follicular recruitment; ii) reduced oocyte quality and embryonic developmental competence; iii) dysregulation of the expression profile of a panel of selected ovarian and pre-implantation embryonic genes. F2 and F3 female offspring displayed the same altered reproductive morphological phenotype and gene expression profiles as F1, thus showing transgenerational transmission of reproductive adverse effects along the female lineage. These findings indicate that in mice exposure to DEHP at doses relevant to human exposure during gonadal sex determination significantly perturbs the reproductive indices of female adult offspring and subsequent generations. Evidence of transgenerational transmission has important implications for the reproductive health and fertility of animals and humans, significantly increasing the potential biohazards of this toxicant. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Older Adults Need Guidance to Meet Nutritional Recommendations

PubMed Central

Foote, Janet A.; Giuliano, Anna R.; Harris, Robin B.

2009-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study was to compare the diet of healthy, free-living senior volunteers to the dietary reference intakes (DRIs) and Food Guide Pyramid recommendations. Methods This study was a cross-sectional assessment of dietary habits, as measured using a standardized food frequency questionnaire, among 1740 healthy Southwestern U.S. adults, aged 51 to 85 years. Assessment of independently-living volunteers to chemoprevention trials provides an efficient mechanism to profile typical dietary habits among the older adult population. Results Daily estimated macronutrient intakes exceeded recommended proportions of protein and fat. In contrast, more than 60% of this senior population reported dietary vitamin D, vitamin E, folate and calcium intakes below estimated average requirements (EAR). Based on the Food Guide Pyramid recommendations, fewer than 10% of the older adults consumed the recommended daily dairy and grain servings. More females than males consumed recommended vegetable (49% versus 40%) and fruit (53% versus 48%) servings (p <, 0.05). More males consumed recommended grain (11% versus 7%) and protein (78% versus 73%) servings (p <, 0.05) than females. Conclusions Mean micronutrient intakes compared well with DRIs, although fewer than one-half of these older adults consumed recommended levels for vitamin D, vitamin E, folate, and calcium or daily food servings of dairy, grains, vegetables or fruits. Since the beneficial aspects of foods are not limited to essential nutrients, nutrition recommendations to older adults may be improved by emphasizing daily servings of nutrient-dense choices within the Food Pyramid. PMID:11022877

Effectiveness of neurofeedback therapy for anxiety and stress in adults living with a chronic illness: a systematic review protocol.

PubMed

Blaskovits, Farriss; Tyerman, Jane; Luctkar-Flude, Marian

2017-07-01

The objective of this review is to systematically examine the effectiveness of neurofeedback therapy for managing anxiety and stress in adults living with a chronic illness.The specific objectives are to identify which neurofeedback systems and/or protocols demonstrate effectiveness and determine the level of supporting evidence.The review question is as follows: What is the effectiveness of neurofeedback therapy for managing anxiety and stress in an adult population aged 18 years of age or older living with a chronic illness?

From Social Exclusion to Supported Inclusion: Adults with Intellectual Disability Discuss Their Lived Experiences of a Structured Social Group.

PubMed

Wilson, Nathan J; Jaques, Hayden; Johnson, Amanda; Brotherton, Michelle L

2017-09-01

People with intellectual disability often have few friends and experience social exclusion. Recognising this gap, supported social groups with the aim of inclusion and interdependence were created by a supported employment provider. Interviews were undertaken with 10 adults with intellectual disability exploring their lived experiences of a supported social group. Data were analysed using descriptive phenomenology. Two themes emerged (i) supported engagement fosters wellbeing, and (ii) developing social belonging and connectedness. Participants not only acknowledged the support that they needed to participate, but also that the social group had changed their lives in many ways. Adults with intellectual disability want to socialise, have friends and be part of their community. For this to be achieved, they recognise the need to seek some form of support. With appropriate and targeted support, adults with intellectual disability can move from social exclusion towards supported inclusion and experience richer lives. © 2016 The Authors Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Sexual counselling for treating or preventing sexual dysfunction in women living with female genital mutilation: A systematic review.

PubMed

Okomo, Uduak; Ogugbue, Miriam; Inyang, Elizabeth; Meremikwu, Martin M

2017-02-01

Female sexual dysfunction is the persistent or recurring decrease in sexual desire or arousal, the difficulty or inability to achieve an orgasm, and/or the feeling of pain during sexual intercourse. Impaired sexual function can occur with all types of female genital mutilation (FGM) owing to the structural changes, pain, or traumatic memories associated with the procedure. To conduct a systematic review of randomized and nonrandomized studies into the effects of sexual counseling with or without genital lubricants on the sexual function of women living with FGM. Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, African Index Medicus, SCOPUS, LILACS, CINAHL, ClinicalTrials.gov, Pan African Clinical Trials Registry, and other databases were searched to August 2015. The reference lists of retrieved studies were checked for reports of additional studies, and lead authors contacted for additional data. Studies of girls and women living with any type of FGM who received counselling interventions for sexual dysfunction were included. No relevant studies that addressed the objective of the review were identified. Despite a comprehensive search, the authors could not find evidence of the effects of sexual counseling on the sexual function of women living with FGM. Studies assessing this intervention are needed. CRD42015024593. © 2017 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. The World Health Organization retains copyright and all other rights in the manuscript of this article as submitted for publication.

Health and Family Living. Teacher Guidebook and Student Activity Book. Adult Basic Education Project REAL: Relevant Education for Adult Learners.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edgar, S. Keith

This packet contains both a teacher's guide and a student activity book designed to help adult students learn about health and family living. Both booklets cover the following topics: health in the home, safety in the home (safety tips concerning children, tips on indoor safety, first aid), helping children with school activities, leisure time and…

The lived experience of visual creative expression for young adult cancer survivors.

PubMed

Green, A R; Young, R A

2015-09-01

Engaging in visual creative expression individually and in a therapeutic setting can be a beneficial experience for cancer survivors; however, most research in this field has been conducted with older adults. The current study aimed to address this gap by utilising van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenology to answer the following question: 'What is the lived experience and meaning of visual creative expression for young adult cancer survivors?' Seven young adults, diagnosed with cancer between the ages of 18 and 35, were interviewed about creative expression experiences, which they engaged in individually and/or in a therapeutic setting. Data analysis included a thematic reflection, guided existential reflection, and a process of writing and rewriting. Two superordinate themes were identified: increased self-understanding and a healing experience. Seven subthemes were also identified and included the following: being in the flow, allowing the body to express itself, renegotiating control, changing one's environment, being seen, respect for art as a separate entity and giving back. Findings suggest that visual creative expression can be a meaningful experience for young adult cancer survivors, and that this experience espouses both similarities and differences from experiences of older adult survivors. Recommendations are made for future research, in addition to implications for practitioners. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Filarial abscess: Aspiration of adult gravid female worm from submandibular region, an unusual presentation.

PubMed

Afrose, Ruquiya; Alam, Mohammad Feroz; Ahmad, Syed Shamshad; Naim, Mohammed

2017-01-01

Microfilaria is a major public health problem in tropical and subtropical countries and is an endemic problem in India. Wuchereria bancrofti is the most common filarial infection. In some cases, microfilariae and adult filarial worm have been incidentally detected in fine-needle aspirates of various lesions; detection of microfilaria from subcutaneous site or from abscess site is even rarer. We here report an unusual case of Bancroftian microfilariasis in a 68-year-old female coming from endemic area presenting with right submandibular abscess. Our aim is to highlight the chances of finding microfilaria and adult worm in cytology of an unsuspected case at an unusual site.

Filarial abscess: Aspiration of adult gravid female worm from submandibular region, an unusual presentation

PubMed Central

Afrose, Ruquiya; Alam, Mohammad Feroz; Ahmad, Syed Shamshad; Naim, Mohammed

2017-01-01

Microfilaria is a major public health problem in tropical and subtropical countries and is an endemic problem in India. Wuchereria bancrofti is the most common filarial infection. In some cases, microfilariae and adult filarial worm have been incidentally detected in fine-needle aspirates of various lesions; detection of microfilaria from subcutaneous site or from abscess site is even rarer. We here report an unusual case of Bancroftian microfilariasis in a 68-year-old female coming from endemic area presenting with right submandibular abscess. Our aim is to highlight the chances of finding microfilaria and adult worm in cytology of an unsuspected case at an unusual site. PMID:28182103

Factors affecting survival of adult female white-tailed deer after coyote establishment in South Carolina

Treesearch

John C. Kilgo; Mark Vukovich; Michael J. Conroy; H. Scott Ray; Charles Ruth

2016-01-01

Recent evidence from the southeastern United States of high predation rates by coyotes (Canis latrans) on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawns combined with reports of predation on adult female deer have prompted concern among wildlifemanagers and hunters regarding the effects ondeer populations.We examined survival rates and causes of...

Coping with incest: the relationship between recollections of childhood coping and adult functioning in female survivors of incest.

PubMed

Brand, Bethany L; Alexander, Pamela C

2003-06-01

One hundred and one adult female survivors' recollections of coping with childhood incest, abuse characteristics, and current functioning in adulthood were studied. Analyses controlling for characteristics of the trauma indicated that recollections of using avoidance coping and seeking social support were related to poor adult functioning whereas recollections of using distancing coping were related to better functioning. As a set of variables, abuse characteristics also predicted a significant amount of variance in adult functioning. Implications for future research were discussed.

Peer-Mentored Preparedness (PM-Prep): A New Disaster Preparedness Program for Adults Living Independently in the Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eisenman, David Paul; Bazzano, Alicia; Koniak-Griffin, Deborah; Tseng, Chi-hong; Lewis, Mary-Ann; Lamb, Kerry; Lehrer, Danise

2014-01-01

The authors studied a health promotion program called PM-Prep (Peer-Mentored Prep), which was designed to improve disaster preparedness among adults living independently in the community. PM-Prep consists of four 2-hour classes co-taught by a health educator and peer-mentors. Adults were randomly assigned to an experimental arm or a wait-list…

Sexual Abuse Perpetrated by Adult and Juvenile Females: An Ultimate Attempt to Resolve a Conflict Associated with Maternal Identity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tardif, M.; Auclair, N.; Jacob, M.; Carpentier, J.

2005-01-01

Objective:: The purpose of this article is to report the descriptive and phenomenological aspects of adult females (AF) and juvenile females (JF) who sexually abuse children and adolescents. A major focus is to study the relational problems during childhood and adulthood of this specific population and how they echo the relational aspects of their…

Obesity in Bahraini adults.

PubMed

al-Mannai, A; Dickerson, J W; Morgan, J B; Khalfan, H

1996-02-01

In this study the prevalence of obesity and the demographic factors associated with it were analysed on 290 adult Bahraini individuals, of whom 137 were males and 153 were females. The overweight and obesity prevalence rates, using the Body Mass Index (BMI) as a criterion, were 26% and 16% in males and 29% and 31% in females, respectively. The prevalence of underweight (BMI < 20) was 16.8% and 11.8% in the males and females respectively. The mean body fat percentage of females, calculated from the skinfold measurements, was 35%; the fat percentage of males was 18.6%. Bahraini women had greater fat deposition in the subscapular region than the amount reported for American women. Females and males living in urban areas had a greater tendency to be obese than those residing in rural areas. Marriage, ownership of a car as well as a large family ( > 7 members) were positively associated with obesity; unmarried women were more likely to be underweight than married women. The educational level was not associated with obesity in either the males or females. The age of adult females was not found to be associated with obesity, whereas in males the incidence of obesity was more frequent among those who were 50 years of age and above than under 50 years of age. Family monthly income was not associated with the incidence of obesity. The high prevalence of overweight and obesity in the women reported in this study and the difference in the distribution of body fat suggest that genetics may be a determinant factor of this disorder in Bahrainis but certainly social factors are also important.

Adolescent Female Cannabinoid Exposure Diminishes the Reward-Facilitating Effects of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and d-Amphetamine in the Adult Male Offspring.

PubMed

Pitsilis, George; Spyridakos, Dimitrios; Nomikos, George G; Panagis, George

2017-01-01

Marijuana is currently the most commonly abused illicit drug. According to recent studies, cannabinoid use occurring prior to pregnancy can impact brain plasticity and behavior in future generations. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether adolescent exposure of female rats to Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ 9 -THC) induces transgenerational effects on the reward-facilitating effects of Δ 9 -THC and d -amphetamine in their adult male offspring. Female Sprague-Dawley rats received Δ 9 -THC (0.1 or 1 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle during postnatal days 28-50. As adults, females were mated with drug-naïve males. We then assessed potential alterations of the Δ 9 -THC's (0, 0.1, 0.5, and 1 mg/kg, i.p.) and d -amphetamine's (0, 0.1, 0.5, and 1 mg/kg, i.p.) reward-modifying effects using the curve-shift variant of the intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) procedure in their adult male F1 offspring. The reward-facilitating effect of the 0.1 mg dose of Δ 9 -THC was abolished in the F1 offspring of females that were exposed to Δ 9 -THC (0.1 or 1 mg/kg), whereas the reward-attenuating effect of the 1 mg dose of Δ 9 -THC remained unaltered. The reward-facilitating effects of 0.5 and 1 mg of d -amphetamine were significantly decreased in the F1 offspring of females that were exposed to Δ 9 -THC (1 mg/kg and 0.1 or 1 mg, respectively). The present results reveal that female Δ 9 -THC exposure during adolescence can diminish the reward-facilitating effects of Δ 9 -THC and d -amphetamine in the adult male offspring. These transgenerational effects occur in the absence of in utero exposure. It is speculated that Δ 9 -THC exposure during female adolescence may affect neural mechanisms that are shaping reward-related behavioral responses in a subsequent generation, as indicated by the shifts in the reward-facilitating effects of commonly used and abused drugs.

Diet and Eating Pattern Modifications Used by Community Living Adults to Manage Their Fecal Incontinence

PubMed Central

Croswell, Emily; Bliss, Donna Z.; Savik, Kay

2010-01-01

Purpose The study aimed to describe modifications in diet and eating patterns made by community-living people to manage fecal incontinence (FI) and to compare these differences according to sex, age, and FI severity. Subjects and Setting Subjects were 188 community-living adults (77% female, 92% white, 34% ≥ 65 years of age) in the upper Midwest who participated in a study about managing FI with dietary fiber. Methods Subjects were interviewed about diet and eating pattern changes that they made to manage FI and self reported demographic data. FI severity was recorded daily. Results Fifty-five percent of participants perceived that some foods worsen their FI (e.g., fatty or spicy foods and dairy products). More women than men (40 vs 18%, p=.008) reported avoiding foods in order to manage FI. A greater percentage of younger than older people believed that fatty/greasy foods (15% vs. 4%,) and alcohol (14% vs. 3%,) worsened their FI. Subjects with a higher FI severity score appeared to wait until FI was more severe before restricting caffeine than those with lower severity scores (22.2 ± 9.8 vs 11.69 ± 8.3, p = .034). One-third of subjects consumed foods rich in dietary fiber to prevent FI. Subjects also reported altered eating or cooking patterns; skipping meals, or eating at consistent times to manage FI. Conclusions Diet modification for managing FI incorporates involves restriction of some foods, along with adding others foods to the diet. Nursing assessments of self-care practices for FI should include diet and eating pattern changes when developing a plan of care. PMID:21076267

Environmental Factors Associated With Social Participation of Older Adults Living in Metropolitan, Urban, and Rural Areas: The NuAge Study

PubMed Central

Cohen, Alan A.; Dubois, Marie-France; Généreux, Mélissa; Richard, Lucie; Therrien, France-Hélène; Payette, Hélène

2015-01-01

Objectives. We compared the social participation of older adults living in metropolitan, urban, and rural areas, and identified associated environmental factors. Methods. From 2004 to 2006, we conducted a cross-sectional study using an age-, gender-, and area-stratified random sample of 1198 adults (aged 67–82 years). We collected data via interviewer-administered questionnaires and derived from Canadian censuses. Results. Social participation did not differ across living areas (P = .09), but after controlling for potential confounding variables, we identified associated area-specific environmental variables. In metropolitan areas, higher social participation was associated with greater proximity to neighborhood resources, having a driver’s license, transit use, and better quality social network (R2 = 0.18). In urban areas, higher social participation was associated with greater proximity to neighborhood resources and having a driver’s license (R2 = 0.11). Finally, in rural areas, higher social participation was associated with greater accessibility to key resources, having a driver’s license, children living in the neighborhood, and more years lived in the current dwelling (R2 = 0.18). Conclusions. To enhance social participation of older adults, public health interventions need to address different environmental factors according to living areas. PMID:25689194

The Relationship between Autistic Symptomatology and Independent Living Skills in Adolescents and Young Adults with Fragile X Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hustyi, Kristin M.; Hall, Scott S.; Quintin, Eve-Marie; Chromik, Lindsay C.; Lightbody, Amy A.; Reiss, Allan L.

2015-01-01

Few studies have examined the relationship between autistic symptomatology and competence in independent living skills in adolescents and young adults with fragile X syndrome (FXS). In this study, 70 individuals with FXS, aged 15-25 years, and 35 matched controls were administered direct measures of independent living skills and autistic…

Validation of Accelerometer-Based Energy Expenditure Prediction Models in Structured and Simulated Free-Living Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montoye, Alexander H. K.; Conger, Scott A.; Connolly, Christopher P.; Imboden, Mary T.; Nelson, M. Benjamin; Bock, Josh M.; Kaminsky, Leonard A.

2017-01-01

This study compared accuracy of energy expenditure (EE) prediction models from accelerometer data collected in structured and simulated free-living settings. Twenty-four adults (mean age 45.8 years, 50% female) performed two sessions of 11 to 21 activities, wearing four ActiGraph GT9X Link activity monitors (right hip, ankle, both wrists) and a…

Estimating total population size for adult female sea turtles: Accounting for non-nesters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kendall, W.L.; Richardson, J.I.; Rees, Alan F.

2008-01-01

Assessment of population size and changes therein is important to sea turtle management and population or life history research. Investigators might be interested in testing hypotheses about the effect of current population size or density (number of animals per unit resource) on future population processes. Decision makers might want to determine a level of allowable take of individual turtles of specified life stage. Nevertheless, monitoring most stages of sea turtle life histories is difficult, because obtaining access to individuals is difficult. Although in-water assessments are becoming more common, nesting females and their hatchlings remain the most accessible life stages. In some cases adult females of a given nesting population are sufficiently philopatric that the population itself can be well defined. If a well designed tagging study is conducted on this population, survival, breeding probability, and the size of the nesting population in a given year can be estimated. However, with published statistical methodology the size of the entire breeding population (including those females skipping nesting in that year) cannot be estimated without assuming that each adult female in this population has the same probability of nesting in a given year (even those that had just nested in the previous year). We present a method for estimating the total size of a breeding population (including nesters those skipping nesting) from a tagging study limited to the nesting population, allowing for the probability of nesting in a given year to depend on an individual's nesting status in the previous year (i.e., a Markov process). From this we further develop estimators for rate of growth from year to year in both nesting population and total breeding population, and the proportion of the breeding population that is breeding in a given year. We also discuss assumptions and apply these methods to a breeding population of hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) from

New Insights into the Comorbidity between ADHD and Major Depression in Adolescent and Young Adult Females

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biederman, Joseph; Ball, Sarah W.; Monuteaux, Michael C.; Mick, Eric; Spencer, Thomas J.; McCreary, Michelle; Cote, Michelle; Faraone, Stephen V.

2008-01-01

The association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and major depression (MD) in adolescent and young adult females is evaluated. Findings indicate that MD emerging in the context of ADHD is an impairing and severe comorbidity that needs to be considered further clinically and scientifically.

Psychiatric Morbidity and Social Functioning among Adults with Borderline Intelligence Living in Private Households

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hassiotis, A.; Strydom, A.; Hall, I.; Ali, A.; Lawrence-Smith, G.; Meltzer, H.; Head, J; Bebbington, P.

2008-01-01

Background: Approximately one-eighth of the population will have DSM-IV borderline intelligence. Various mental disorders and social disability are associated with it. Method: The paper uses data (secondary analysis) from a UK-wide cross-sectional survey of 8450 adults living in private households. Data were collected on psychiatric disorders,…

Maternal exposure to di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) promotes the transgenerational inheritance of adult-onset reproductive dysfunctions through the female germline in mice

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pocar, Paola, E-mail: paola.pocar@unimi.it; Fianda

Endocrine disruptors (EDs) are compounds known to promote transgenerational inheritance of adult-onset disease in subsequent generations after maternal exposure during fetal gonadal development. This study was designed to establish whether gestational and lactational exposure to the plasticizer di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) at environmental doses promotes transgenerational effects on reproductive health in female offspring, as adults, over three generations in the mouse. Gestating F0 mouse dams were exposed to 0, 0.05, 5 mg/kg/day DEHP in the diet from gestational day 0.5 until the end of lactation. The incidence of adult-onset disease in reproductive function was recorded in F1, F2 and F3 female offspring.more » In adult F1 females, DEHP exposure induced reproductive adverse effects with: i) altered ovarian follicular dynamics with reduced primordial follicular reserve and a larger growing pre-antral follicle population, suggesting accelerated follicular recruitment; ii) reduced oocyte quality and embryonic developmental competence; iii) dysregulation of the expression profile of a panel of selected ovarian and pre-implantation embryonic genes. F2 and F3 female offspring displayed the same altered reproductive morphological phenotype and gene expression profiles as F1, thus showing transgenerational transmission of reproductive adverse effects along the female lineage. These findings indicate that in mice exposure to DEHP at doses relevant to human exposure during gonadal sex determination significantly perturbs the reproductive indices of female adult offspring and subsequent generations. Evidence of transgenerational transmission has important implications for the reproductive health and fertility of animals and humans, significantly increasing the potential biohazards of this toxicant. - Highlights: • Maternal exposure to DEHP transgenerationally affects female reproductive health. • DEHP reduced ovarian follicular reserve up to the third generation. �

Embryonic exposure to benzo(a)pyrene inhibits reproductive capability in adult female zebrafish and correlation with DNA methylation.

PubMed

Gao, Dongxu; Lin, Jing; Ou, Kunlin; Chen, Ying; Li, Hongbin; Dai, Qinhua; Yu, Zhenni; Zuo, Zhenghong; Wang, Chonggang

2018-05-09

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of embryonic short-term exposure to benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), a model polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, on ovarian development and reproductive capability in adult female zebrafish. In 1-year-old fish after embryonic exposure to BaP for 96 h, the gonadosomatic indices and the percentage of mature oocytes were significantly decreased in the 0.5, 5 and 50 nmol/L treatments. The spawned egg number, the fertilization rate and the hatching success were significantly reduced, while the malformation rate of the F1 unexposed larvae were increased. The mRNA levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, ovarian cytochrome P450 aromatase cyp19a1a and cyp19b, estrogen receptor esr1 and esr2, and hepatic vitellogenin vtg1 and vtg2 genes, were down-regulated in adult female zebrafish that were exposed to BaP during embryonic stage. Both 17β-estradiol and testosterone levels were reduced in the ovary of adult females. The methylation levels of the gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) gene gnrh3 were significantly increased in the adult zebrafish brain, and those of the GnRH receptor gene gnrhr3 were elevated both in the larvae exposed to BaP and in the adult brain, which might cause the down-regulation of the mRNA levels of gnrh3 and gnrhr3. This epigenetic change caused by embryonic exposure to BaP might be a reason for physiological changes along the brain-pituitary-gonad axis. These results suggest that short-term exposure in early life should be included and evaluated in any risk assessment of pollutant exposure to the reproductive health of fish. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The sexually dimorphic behaviour of adult Drosophila suzukii: elevated female locomotor activity and loss of siesta is a post-mating response.

PubMed

Ferguson, Calum T J; O'Neill, Tara L; Audsley, Neil; Isaac, R Elwyn

2015-12-01

The polyphagous Drosophila suzukii is a highly invasive species that causes extensive damage to a wide range of berry and stone fruit crops. A better understanding of its biology and especially its behaviour will aid the development of new control strategies. We investigated the locomotor behaviour of D. suzukii in a semi-natural environment resembling a typical summer in northern England and show that adult female D. suzukii are at least 4-fold more active during daylight hours than adult males. This result was reproduced in several laboratory environments and was shown to be a robust feature of mated, but not virgin, female flies. Both males and virgin females kept on a 12 h light:12 h dark (12LD) cycle and constant temperature displayed night-time inactivity (sleep) followed by weak activity in the morning, an afternoon period of quiescence (siesta) and then a prominent evening peak of activity. Both the siesta and the sharp evening peak at lights off were severely reduced in females after mating. Flies of either sex entrained in 12LD displayed a circadian pattern of activity in constant darkness confirming the importance of an endogenous clock in regulating adult activity. This response of females to mating is similar to that elicited in female Drosophila melanogaster by the male sex peptide (SP). We used mass spectrometry to identify a molecular ion (m/z, 5145) corresponding to the poly-hydroxylated SP of D. suzukii and to show that this molecule is transferred to the female reproductive tract during copulation. We propose that the siesta experienced by male and virgin female D. suzukii is an adaptation to avoid unnecessary exposure to the afternoon sun, but that mated females faced with the challenge of obtaining resources for egg production and finding oviposition sites take greater risks, and we suggest that the change in female behaviour is induced by the male SP. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Network Analysis of Intrinsic Functional Brain Connectivity in Male and Female Adult Smokers: A Preliminary Study.

PubMed

Moran-Santa Maria, Megan M; Vanderweyen, Davy C; Camp, Christopher C; Zhu, Xun; McKee, Sherry A; Cosgrove, Kelly P; Hartwell, Karen J; Brady, Kathleen T; Joseph, Jane E

2018-06-07

The goal of this study was to conduct a preliminary network analysis (using graph-theory measures) of intrinsic functional connectivity in adult smokers, with an exploration of sex differences in smokers. Twenty-seven adult smokers (13 males; mean age = 35) and 17 sex and age-matched controls (11 males; mean age = 35) completed a blood oxygen level-dependent resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment. Data analysis involved preprocessing, creation of connectivity matrices using partial correlation, and computation of graph-theory measures using the Brain Connectivity Toolbox. Connector hubs and additional graph-theory measures were examined for differences between smokers and controls and correlations with nicotine dependence. Sex differences were examined in a priori regions of interest based on prior literature. Compared to nonsmokers, connector hubs in smokers emerged primarily in limbic (parahippocampus) and salience network (cingulate cortex) regions. In addition, global influence of the right insula and left nucleus accumbens was associated with higher nicotine dependence. These trends were present in male but not female smokers. Network communication was altered in smokers, primarily in limbic and salience network regions. Network topology was associated with nicotine dependence in male but not female smokers in regions associated with reinforcement (nucleus accumbens) and craving (insula), consistent with the idea that male smokers are more sensitive to the reinforcing aspects of nicotine than female smokers. Identifying alterations in brain network communication in male and female smokers can help tailor future behavioral and pharmacological smoking interventions. Male smokers showed alterations in brain networks associated with the reinforcing effects of nicotine more so than females, suggesting that pharmacotherapies targeting reinforcement and craving may be more efficacious in male smokers.

Mental Health Experiences of Older Adults Living with HIV: Uncertainty, Stigma, and Approaches to Resilience.

PubMed

Furlotte, Charles; Schwartz, Karen

2017-06-01

This study describes the mental health experiences of older adults living with HIV in Ottawa. Eleven participants aged 52 to 67 completed in-depth personal interviews. Mental health concerns pervaded the lives of these older adults. We identified three central themes common to the participants' stories: uncertainty, stigma, and resilience. For some of these participants, uncertainty impacting mental health centred on unexpected survival; interpretation of one's symptoms; and medical uncertainty. Participants' experiences of stigma included discrimination in health care interactions; misinformation; feeling stigmatized due to aspects of their physical appearance; compounded stigma; and anticipated stigma. Participants reported using several coping strategies, which we frame as individual approaches to resilience. These strategies include reducing the space that HIV takes up in one's life; making lifestyle changes to accommodate one's illness; and engaging with social support. These findings inform understandings of services for people aging with HIV who may experience mental health concerns.

The Investigation of Faculty Training Needs for Instructing Adult Nonstandard English Speakers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gouveia-Whitehead, Maureen M.

2013-01-01

This qualitative phenomenological study explored and describes the lived experiences of faulty members who instruct and prepare adult nonstandard English-speaking students while employed at a technical education institution in the Southeast. Ten faculty members (5 males and 5 females) participated in sharing his or her perception (through…

Estimation of stature from the foot and its segments in a sub-adult female population of North India

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Establishing personal identity is one of the main concerns in forensic investigations. Estimation of stature forms a basic domain of the investigation process in unknown and co-mingled human remains in forensic anthropology case work. The objective of the present study was to set up standards for estimation of stature from the foot and its segments in a sub-adult female population. Methods The sample for the study constituted 149 young females from the Northern part of India. The participants were aged between 13 and 18 years. Besides stature, seven anthropometric measurements that included length of the foot from each toe (T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 respectively), foot breadth at ball (BBAL) and foot breadth at heel (BHEL) were measured on both feet in each participant using standard methods and techniques. Results The results indicated that statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) between left and right feet occur in both the foot breadth measurements (BBAL and BHEL). Foot length measurements (T1 to T5 lengths) did not show any statistically significant bilateral asymmetry. The correlation between stature and all the foot measurements was found to be positive and statistically significant (p-value < 0.001). Linear regression models and multiple regression models were derived for estimation of stature from the measurements of the foot. The present study indicates that anthropometric measurements of foot and its segments are valuable in the estimation of stature. Foot length measurements estimate stature with greater accuracy when compared to foot breadth measurements. Conclusions The present study concluded that foot measurements have a strong relationship with stature in the sub-adult female population of North India. Hence, the stature of an individual can be successfully estimated from the foot and its segments using different regression models derived in the study. The regression models derived in the study may be applied successfully for the

Plate waste of adults in the United States measured in free-living conditions

PubMed Central

Allen, H. Raymond

2018-01-01

We analyze food-item level data collected from 50 adults from the United States using the Remote Food Photography Method® to provide the first estimates of plate waste gathered from adults across multiple consecutive meals and days in free-living conditions, and during laboratory-based meals with fixed food items and quantities. We find average plate waste in free-living conditions is 5.6 grams (7.7 kcals) per item and that 3.3% of all food selected is returned as plate waste, where the percent waste figure is substantially lower than previously published plate waste estimates gathered primarily from dine-out settings in the United States such as buffets and institutional settings with limited-choice meals (e.g., school cafeterias). Plate waste from the same participants during the laboratory-based meals is significantly higher with an average of 203.2 grams of solid plate waste per meal (531.3 kcals) or 39.1% of the food provided, which is similar to the plate waste percentages found reported in some school cafeteria settings. The amount of plate waste generated in free-living conditions is significantly positively associated with portion size selected for an item. In a multivariate analysis that controls for macronutrient profile, items selected from the vegetables, fats/oils/dressings, and grains categories are associated with significantly greater amounts of plate waste per item. We find no significant associations between free-living plate waste and gender, age, race or body mass index but find that women leave more plate waste in the lab meal where portion sizes are pre-determined by the researcher and similar for all respondents. We discuss possible implications of these findings for programs focused on reducing plate waste and food waste among consumers. PMID:29444094

Community Living Skills Guide: Homemaking and Family Living.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Gwen; Kreps, Alice Roelofs

This is one of twenty course guides in the Community Living Skills Guide for the College for Living series which provides guidelines and workbook activities for the course, Homemaking and Family Living. The series of courses for developmentally disabled adults is intended to supplement residential programs and to aid in orienting institutionalized…

Using adult Aedes aegypti females to predict areas at risk for dengue transmission: A spatial case-control study.

PubMed

Parra, Maisa Carla Pereira; Fávaro, Eliane Aparecida; Dibo, Margareth Regina; Mondini, Adriano; Eiras, Álvaro Eduardo; Kroon, Erna Geessien; Teixeira, Mauro Martins; Nogueira, Mauricio Lacerda; Chiaravalloti-Neto, Francisco

2018-06-01

Traditional indices for measuring dengue fever risk in a given area are based on the immature forms of the vector (larvae and pupae surveys). However, this is inefficient because only adult female mosquitoes actually transmit the virus. Based on these assumptions, our objective was to evaluate the association between an entomological index obtained from adult mosquito traps and the occurrence of dengue in a hyperendemic area. Additionally, we compared its cost to that of the Breteau Index (BI). We performed this study in São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil, between the epidemiological weeks of 36/2012 and 19/2013. BG-Sentinel and BG-Mosquitito traps were installed to capture adult mosquitoes. Positive and negative cases of dengue fever were computed and geocoded. We generated biweekly thematic maps of the entomological index, generated by calculating the number of adult Aedes aegypti females (NAF) per 100 households during a week by kriging, and based on the number of mosquitoes captured. The relation between the occurrence of dengue fever and the NAF was tested using a spatial case-control design and a generalized additive model and was controlled by the coordinates of the positive and negative cases of dengue fever. Our analyses showed that increases in dengue fever cases occurred in parallel with increases in the number of Ae. aegypti females. The entomological index produced in our study correlates positively with the incidence of dengue, particularly during intervals when vector control measures were applied less intensively. The operational costs of our index were lower than those of the BI: NAF used 71.5% less human resources necessary to measure the BI. Spatial analysis techniques and the number of adult Ae. aegypti females were used to produce an indicator of dengue risk. The index can be applied at various levels of spatial aggregation for an entire study area, as well as for sub-areas, such as city blocks. Even though the index is adequate to predict

ABO-Incompatible Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Under the Desensitization Protocol With Rituximab.

PubMed

Song, G-W; Lee, S-G; Hwang, S; Kim, K-H; Ahn, C-S; Moon, D-B; Ha, T-Y; Jung, D-H; Park, G-C; Kim, W-J; Sin, M-H; Yoon, Y-I; Kang, W-H; Kim, S-H; Tak, E-Y

2016-01-01

ABO incompatibility is no longer considered a contraindication for adult living donor liver transplantation (ALDLT) due to various strategies to overcome the ABO blood group barrier. We report the largest single-center experience of ABO-incompatible (ABOi) ALDLT in 235 adult patients. The desensitization protocol included a single dose of rituximab and total plasma exchange. In addition, local graft infusion therapy, cyclophosphamide, or splenectomy was used for a certain time period, but these treatments were eventually discontinued due to adverse events. There were three cases (1.3%) of in-hospital mortality. The cumulative 3-year graft and patient survival rates were 89.2% and 92.3%, respectively, and were comparable to those of the ABO-compatible group (n = 1301). Despite promising survival outcomes, 17 patients (7.2%) experienced antibody-mediated rejection that manifested as diffuse intrahepatic biliary stricture; six cases required retransplantation, and three patients died. ABOi ALDLT is a feasible method for expanding a living liver donor pool, but the efficacy of the desensitization protocol in targeting B cell immunity should be optimized. © Copyright 2015 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

Organ doses for reference adult male and female undergoing computed tomography estimated by Monte Carlo simulations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Choonsik; Kim, Kwang Pyo; Long, Daniel

2011-03-15

Purpose: To develop a computed tomography (CT) organ dose estimation method designed to readily provide organ doses in a reference adult male and female for different scan ranges to investigate the degree to which existing commercial programs can reasonably match organ doses defined in these more anatomically realistic adult hybrid phantomsMethods: The x-ray fan beam in the SOMATOM Sensation 16 multidetector CT scanner was simulated within the Monte Carlo radiation transport code MCNPX2.6. The simulated CT scanner model was validated through comparison with experimentally measured lateral free-in-air dose profiles and computed tomography dose index (CTDI) values. The reference adult malemore » and female hybrid phantoms were coupled with the established CT scanner model following arm removal to simulate clinical head and other body region scans. A set of organ dose matrices were calculated for a series of consecutive axial scans ranging from the top of the head to the bottom of the phantoms with a beam thickness of 10 mm and the tube potentials of 80, 100, and 120 kVp. The organ doses for head, chest, and abdomen/pelvis examinations were calculated based on the organ dose matrices and compared to those obtained from two commercial programs, CT-EXPO and CTDOSIMETRY. Organ dose calculations were repeated for an adult stylized phantom by using the same simulation method used for the adult hybrid phantom. Results: Comparisons of both lateral free-in-air dose profiles and CTDI values through experimental measurement with the Monte Carlo simulations showed good agreement to within 9%. Organ doses for head, chest, and abdomen/pelvis scans reported in the commercial programs exceeded those from the Monte Carlo calculations in both the hybrid and stylized phantoms in this study, sometimes by orders of magnitude. Conclusions: The organ dose estimation method and dose matrices established in this study readily provides organ doses for a reference adult male and female for

Destinations matter: The association between where older adults live and their travel behavior.

PubMed

Chudyk, Anna M; Winters, Meghan; Moniruzzaman, Md; Ashe, Maureen C; Gould, Joanie Sims; McKay, Heather

2015-03-01

The positive effect of physical activity in the prevention and treatment of many chronic diseases and age-related disabilities, such as mobility-disability, are widely accepted. Mobility is broadly defined as the ability of individuals to move themselves within community environments. These two concepts -physical activity and mobility - are closely linked and together contribute to older adults living healthy, independent lives. Neighborhood destinations may encourage mobility, as older adults typically leave their homes to travel to specific destinations. Thus, neighborhoods with a high prevalence of destinations may provide older adults an attractive opportunity to walk, instead of drive, and thereby obtain incidental physical activity. We know surprisingly little about the specific types of destinations older adults deem relevant and even less about destinations that support the mobility of older adults with low income. Accessible neighborhood destinations may be especially important to older adults with low income as they are more likely to walk as a primary travel mode. Conversely, this population may also be at increased risk of functional impairments that negatively affect their ability to walk. As a means to fill this information gap we aimed to better understand the mobility habits of older adults with low income. Thus, our specific objectives were to: (1) describe the types of destinations older adults with low income most commonly travel to in one week; and (2) determine the association between the prevalence of neighborhood destinations and the number of transportation walking trips these individuals make (average per day). We conducted a cross-sectional study of community-dwelling older adults with low income residing within Metro Vancouver, Canada. We assessed participant travel behavior (frequency, purpose, mode, destination) using seven-day travel diaries and measured the prevalence of neighborhood destinations using the Street Smart Walk Score. We

Current active and passive smoking among adults living with same sex partners in Spain.

PubMed

Perales, Jaime; Checa, Irene; Espejo, Begoña

2017-05-19

To assess the association between current active and passive tobacco smoking and living with a same-sex partner in Spain. We analysed data from two cross-sectional national surveys of the Spanish population 15 years and older (2011-Encuesta Nacional de Salud en España and 2014-Encuesta Europea de Salud en España). Analyses included only people living with their partner. Associations were calculated using multiple logistic regressions adjusting for gender, social class and age. Current active and passive smoking were significantly associated with living with same sex partners (odds ratio: 2.71 and 2.88), and particularly strong among women. Spanish adults living with same-sex partners are at higher risk of active and passive smoking. This risk varies by gender. Spanish national surveys should include items on sexual orientation for improved data on health disparities. Copyright © 2017 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Perceptual Characteristics of Female Voices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Batstone, Susan; Tuomi, Seppo K.

1981-01-01

Male and females listeners rated 21 young female voices on seven scales representing unique vocal features. Voices were described as "passive", or traditionally female, and "active," characterized as "lively,""colorful," and "sexy." Females found active characteristics more salient; males preferred the passive characteristics. Implications for…

Anaerobic cycling performance characteristics in prepubescent, adolescent and young adult females.

PubMed

Doré, E; Bedu, M; França, N M; Van Praagh, E

2001-05-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the relationships between short-term power and body dimensions in young females were similar whatever the age of the individuals. A cohort of 189 prepubescent (mean age 9.5 years), adolescent (mean age 14.4 years) and young adult (mean age 18.2 years) females performed three all-out sprints on a friction-loaded cycle ergometer against three braking forces corresponding to applied loads of 25, 50 and 75 g.kg-1 body mass (BM). For each sprint, peak power including flywheel inertia was calculated. Results showed that a braking load of 75 g.kg-1 BM was too high for prepubescent and adolescent girls. Therefore, when measuring short-term cycling performance in heterogeneous female populations, a braking load of 50 g.kg-1 BM (0.495 N.kg-1 BM) is recommended. During growth, cycling peak power (CPP; defined as the highest peak power obtained during the three sprints) increased, as did total BM, fat-free mass (FFM) and lean leg volume (LLV) (P < 0.001). Analysis of covariance revealed that the slopes of the linear relationships between CPP and biometric characteristics were similar in the three groups (P > 0.7 for the CPP/BM and CPP/FFM relationships, and P > 0.2 for the CPP/LLV relationship). However, the adjusted means were always significantly higher in young women (P < 0.001) compared with both of the other groups. Although differences in performance during anaerobic cycling in growing females are primarily dependent upon body dimensions, other as yet undetermined factors may be involved during late adolescence.

Do Tetranychus urticae males avoid mating with familiar females?

PubMed

Yoshioka, T; Yano, S

2014-07-01

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, usually lives in kin groups under common webs. Because only the first mating results in fertilisation in female T. urticae, adult males guard quiescent deutonymph females, those at the stage immediately before maturation, to ensure paternity. Therefore, the cost of precopulatory guarding time seems considerable for males. Moreover, the fitness indices of daughters from intra-population crosses were significantly lower than those of daughters from inter-population crosses, indicating that inbreeding depression exists in T. urticae. Therefore, we hypothesised that T. urticae males should be choosy in guarding familiar females to avoid inbreeding depression. Furthermore, webs should be a key element of the environment shared by familiar individuals. In this study, we demonstrated the inbreeding avoidance mechanism of T. urticae males in relation to webs produced by familiar females (known webs) or unfamiliar females (unknown webs). Regardless of surrounding webs (known or unknown), males preferred unfamiliar to familiar females. We further examined whether males detect unfamiliar females by their webs. When males had experienced a female's web without encountering that female, they subsequently preferred females that did not produce the surrounding webs in which the choice experiment was conducted. Results suggest that putative kin recognition for inbreeding avoidance in T. urticae males is based on the relationship between webs and females, and not on the discrimination of webs in shared environments. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Variation of electrolaryngographically derived closed quotient for trained and untrained adult female singers.

PubMed

Howard, D M

1995-06-01

The derivation of larynx closed quotient (CQ) measures from the electrolarynogograph output is discussed and data are presented for a group of trained and untrained adult female singers (N = 26) for a sung two-octave G major scale. Statistically significant trends are observed between the trained and untrained groups that suggest for the trained group: (a) CQ tends to be lower for pitches below D4 and higher for pitches above B4, and (b) the gradient [CQ/log(F0)] tends to correlate positively with the number of years singing training/experience. These data are compared with those reported previously for an adult male group, and it is suggested that CQ could be a useful parameter to include in a real-time visual display for singing training.

Technology Mediated Self-Prompting of Daily Living Skills for Adolescents and Adults with Disabilities: A Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cullen, Jennifer M.; Alber-Morgan, Sheila R.

2015-01-01

Attaining proficiency with daily living skills is necessary for increasing the independent functioning of adolescents and adults with disabilities. Research demonstrates the positive effects of teaching individuals with disabilities to use various technologies to independently self-prompt their daily living tasks. A literature search of technology…

Exploring the lived experience of adults using prescription opioids to manage chronic noncancer pain

PubMed Central

Brooks, Erica A; Unruh, Anita; Lynch, Mary E

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) and prescription opioid use is a highly complex and growing health care issue in Canada. Many quantitative research studies have investigated the effectiveness of opioids for chronic pain; however, gaps remain in the literature regarding the personal experience of using opioids and their impact on those experiencing CNCP. OBJECTIVE: To explore the lived experience of adults using prescription opioids to manage CNCP, focusing on how opioid medication affected their daily lives. METHODS: In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with nine adults between 40 and 68 years of age who were using prescription opioids daily for CNCP. Interviews were audiorecorded and transcribed, and subsequently analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. RESULTS: Six major themes identified positive and negative aspects of opioid use associated with social, physical, emotional and psychological dimensions of pain management. These themes included the process of decision making, and physical and psychosocial consequences of using opioids including pharmacological side effects, feeling stigmatized, guilt, fears, ambivalence, self-protection and acceptance. CONCLUSION: Although there were many negative aspects to using opioids daily, the positive effects outweighed the negative for most participants and most of the negative aspects were socioculturally induced rather than caused by the drug itself. The present study highlighted the complexities involved in using prescription opioids daily for management of CNCP for individuals living with pain. PMID:25562838

Preoperative Thromboelastometry as a Predictor of Transfusion Requirements during Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation.

PubMed

Fayed, Nirmeen; Mourad, Wessam; Yassen, Khaled; Görlinger, Klaus

2015-03-01

The ability to predict transfusion requirements may improve perioperative bleeding management as an integral part of a patient blood management program. Therefore, the aim of our study was to evaluate preoperative thromboelastometry as a predictor of transfusion requirements for adult living donor liver transplant recipients. The correlation between preoperative thromboelastometry variables in 100 adult living donor liver transplant recipients and intraoperative blood transfusion requirements was examined by univariate and multivariate linear regression analysis. Thresholds of thromboelastometric parameters for prediction of packed red blood cells (PRBCs), fresh frozen plasma (FFP), platelets, and cryoprecipitate transfusion requirements were determined with receiver operating characteristics analysis. The attending anesthetists were blinded to the preoperative thromboelastometric analysis. However, a thromboelastometry-guided transfusion algorithm with predefined trigger values was used intraoperatively. The transfusion triggers in this algorithm did not change during the study period. Univariate analysis confirmed significant correlations between PRBCs, FFP, platelets or cryoprecipitate transfusion requirements and most thromboelastometric variables. Backward stepwise logistic regression indicated that EXTEM coagulation time (CT), maximum clot firmness (MCF) and INTEM CT, clot formation time (CFT) and MCF are independent predictors for PRBC transfusion. EXTEM CT, CFT and FIBTEM MCF are independent predictors for FFP transfusion. Only EXTEM and INTEM MCF were independent predictors of platelet transfusion. EXTEM CFT and MCF, INTEM CT, CFT and MCF as well as FIBTEM MCF are independent predictors for cryoprecipitate transfusion. Thromboelastometry-based regression equation accounted for 63% of PRBC, 83% of FFP, 61% of cryoprecipitate, and 44% of platelet transfusion requirements. Preoperative thromboelastometric analysis is helpful to predict transfusion

Fetal, infant, adolescent and adult phenotypes of polycystic ovary syndrome in prenatally androgenized female rhesus monkeys

PubMed Central

Abbott, David H; Tarantal, Alice F; Dumesic, Daniel A

2010-01-01

Old World monkeys provide naturally-occurring and experimentally-induced phenotypes closely resembling the highly prevalent polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in women. In particular, experimentally-induced fetal androgen excess in female rhesus monkeys produces a comprehensive adult PCOS-like phenotype that includes both reproductive and metabolic dysfunction found in PCOS women. Such a reliable experimental approach enables the use of the prenatally androgenized (PA) female rhesus monkey model to (1) examine fetal, infant and adolescent antecedents of adult pathophysiology, gaining valuable insight into early phenotypic expression of PCOS, and (2) to understand adult pathophysiology from a mechanistic perspective. Elevated circulating luteinizing hormone (LH) levels are the earliest indication of reproductive dysfunction in late gestation nonhuman primate fetuses and infants exposed to androgen excess during early (late first to second trimester) gestation. Such early gestation-exposed PA infants also are hyperandrogenic, with both LH hypersecretion and hyperandrogenism persisting in early gestation-exposed PA adults. Similarly, subtle metabolic abnormalities appearing in young nonhuman primate infants and adolescents precede the abdominal adiposity, hyperliplidemia, and increased incidence of type 2 diabetes that characterize early gestated-exposed PA adults. These new insights into the developmental origins of PCOS, and progression of the pathophysiology from infancy to adulthood, provide opportunities for clinical intervention to ameliorate the PCOS phenotype thus providing a preventive health care approach to PCOS-related abnormalities. For example, PCOS-like traits in PA monkeys, as in PCOS women, can improve with better insulin-glucose homeostasis, suggesting that lifestyle interventions preventing increased adiposity in adolescent daughters of PCOS mothers also may reduce their risk of acquiring many PCOS-related metabolic abnormalities in adulthood. PMID

Understanding interprofessional collaboration in the context of chronic disease management for older adults living in communities: a concept analysis.

PubMed

Bookey-Bassett, Sue; Markle-Reid, Maureen; Mckey, Colleen A; Akhtar-Danesh, Noori

2017-01-01

To report a concept analysis of interprofessional collaboration in the context of chronic disease management, for older adults living in communities. Increasing prevalence of chronic disease among older adults is creating significant burden for patients, families and healthcare systems. Managing chronic disease for older adults living in the community requires interprofessional collaboration across different health and other care providers, organizations and sectors. However, there is a lack of consensus about the definition and use of interprofessional collaboration for community-based chronic disease management. Concept analysis. Electronic databases CINAHL, Medline, HealthStar, EMBASE, PsychINFO, Ageline and Cochrane Database were searched from 2000 - 2013. Rodgers' evolutionary method for concept analysis. The most common surrogate term was interdisciplinary collaboration. Related terms were interprofessional team, multidisciplinary team and teamwork. Attributes included: an evolving interpersonal process; shared goals, decision-making and care planning; interdependence; effective and frequent communication; evaluation of team processes; involving older adults and family members in the team; and diverse and flexible team membership. Antecedents comprised: role awareness; interprofessional education; trust between team members; belief that interprofessional collaboration improves care; and organizational support. Consequences included impacts on team composition and function, care planning processes and providers' knowledge, confidence and job satisfaction. Interprofessional collaboration is a complex evolving concept. Key components of interprofessional collaboration in chronic disease management for community-living older adults are identified. Implications for nursing practice, education and research are proposed. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Energy Expended by Adults with and without Intellectual Disabilities during Activities of Daily Living

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lante, Kerrie; Reece, John; Walkley, Jeff

2010-01-01

The aims of this study were to (1) determine the energy expenditure of adults with and without intellectual disabilities during common activities of daily living (ADL), (2) use these values to evaluate the accuracy of equivalent activity values reported in the Compendium of Physical Activities (CPA), and (3) identify ADL that may confer a health…

"You're Awfully Old to Have This Disease": Experiences of Stigma and Ageism in Adults 50 Years and Older Living with HIV/AIDS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emlet, Charles A.

2006-01-01

Purpose: Older adults living with HIV infection may be doubly stigmatized, as they are branded by both age as well as HIV status. Through semistructured interviews, this study sought to examine whether older adults with HIV/AIDS experience both ageism and HIV stigma and how those experiences manifest in their lives. Design and Methods: This was a…

Positive Adult Support and Depression Symptoms in Adolescent Females: The Partially Mediating Role of Eating Disturbances

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linville, Deanna; O'Neil, Maya; Huebner, Angela

2011-01-01

This study examined linkages between depression symptoms (DEP) and positive adult support (PAS) in female adolescents and the partially mediating influence of eating disturbances (ED). Structural equation modeling was used to establish measurement models for each of the latent constructs, determine the relationships among the latent constructs,…

Parental divorce, parental depression, and gender differences in adult offspring suicide attempt.

PubMed

Lizardi, Dana; Thompson, Ronald G; Keyes, Katherine; Hasin, Deborah

2009-12-01

Research suggests parental divorce during childhood increases risk of suicide attempt for male but not female offspring. The negative impact on offspring associated with parental divorce may be better explained by parental psychopathology, such as depression. We examined whether adult offspring of parental divorce experience elevated risk of suicide attempt, controlling for parental history of depression, and whether the risk varies by the gender of the offspring. Using the 2001 to 2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), the sample consists of respondents who experienced parental divorce (N = 4895). Multivariable regressions controlled for age, race/ethnicity, income, marital status, and parental history of depression. Females living with their fathers were significantly more likely to report lifetime suicide attempts than females living with their mothers, even after controlling for parental depression. Findings suggest that childhood/adolescent parental divorce may have a stronger impact on suicide attempt risk in female offspring than previously recognized.

Parental Divorce, Parental Depression, and Gender Differences in Adult Offspring Suicide Attempt

PubMed Central

Lizardi, Dana; Thompson, Ronald G.; Keyes, Katherine; Hasin, Deborah

2013-01-01

Research suggests parental divorce during childhood increases risk of suicide attempt for male but not female offspring. The negative impact on offspring associated with parental divorce may be better explained by parental psychopathology, such as depression. We examined whether adult offspring of parental divorce experience elevated risk of suicide attempt, controlling for parental history of depression, and whether the risk varies by the gender of the offspring. Using the 2001 to 2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), the sample consists of respondents who experienced parental divorce (N = 4895). Multivariable regressions controlled for age, race/ethnicity, income, marital status, and parental history of depression. Females living with their fathers were significantly more likely to report lifetime suicide attempts than females living with their mothers, even after controlling for parental depression. Findings suggest that childhood/adolescent parental divorce may have a stronger impact on suicide attempt risk in female offspring than previously recognized. PMID:20010025

Older adults' experiences of living with cleft lip and palate: a qualitative study exploring aging and appearance.

PubMed

Hamlet, Claire; Harcourt, Diana

2015-03-01

Objective : To explore older adults' experiences of living with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P), focusing on aging and appearance. Design : An exploratory-descriptive qualitative study. Participants : Individual semi-structured interviews (five via telephone, one face-to-face) conducted with six adults between the ages of 57 and 82 years. Results : Interview transcripts were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis, which resulted in five themes: cleft across the life span, keeping up appearances, being one of a kind, resilience and protection, and cleft in an ever-changing society. A CL/P had an ongoing impact on participants' lives, although its relevance shifted over time and some aspects of life (e.g., romantic relationships, decisions about having children of their own) were particularly affected. Participants seemed at ease living with CL/P as an older adult and considered it an important aspect of their identity, yet they still described feeling isolated at times and had little contact with other people with a cleft. They felt that health care could be more considerate to the needs of older people with a cleft, particularly around dentistry and information provision. Participants thought societal attitudes toward visible differences had changed over the years, but not necessarily for the better. A paradox was evident between reports of being noticed by others because of their cleft and simultaneously feeling invisible or ignored because of their age. Conclusions : These findings have implications for provision of care for older adults with a CL/P and for younger people with a CL/P who will be the older generation of the future.

Detection and Proportion of Very Early Dental Caries in Independent Living Older Adults

PubMed Central

Holtzman, Jennifer S.; Kohanchi, Daniel; Biren-Fetz, John; Fontana, Margherita; Ramchandani, Manisha; Osann, Kathryn; Hallajian, Lucy; Mansour, Stephanie; Nabelsi, Tasneem; Chung, Na Eun; Wilder-Smith, Petra

2015-01-01

Background and Objectives Dental caries is an important healthcare challenge in adults over 65 years of age. Integration of oral health screening into non-dental primary care practice may improve access to preventive dental care for vulnerable populations such as the elderly. Such integration would require easy, fast, and accurate early caries detection tools. Primary goal of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging for detecting very early caries in the elderly living in community-based settings. The International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) served as gold standard. Secondary goal of this study was to provide baseline prevalence data of very early caries lesions in independent living adults aged 65+ years. Materials and Methods Seventy-two subjects were recruited from three sites in Southern California: a retirement community, a senior health fair, and a convalescent hospital. Clinical examination was performed using the ICDAS visual criteria and this was followed by OCT imaging. The two-dimensional OCT images (B-scan) were analyzed with simple software. Locations with a log of back-scattered light intensity (BSLI) below 2.9 were scored as sound, and areas equaling or exceeding 2.9 BSLI were considered carious. Diagnostic performance of OCT imaging was compared with ICDAS score. Results OCT-based diagnosis demonstrated very good sensitivity (95.1%) and good specificity (85.8%). 54.7% of dentate subjects had at least one tooth with very early coronal caries. Conclusions Early coronal decay is prevalent in the unrestored pits and fissures of coronal surfaces of teeth in independent living adults aged 65+ years. Though OCT imaging coupled with a simple diagnostic algorithm can accurately detect areas of very early caries in community-based settings, existing devices are expensive and not well-suited for use by non-dental health care providers. Simple, inexpensive, fast, and accurate tools

What Cortisol Can Tell us About the Costs of Sociality and Reproduction Among Free-Ranging Rhesus Macaque Females on Cayo Santiago

PubMed Central

Maestripieri, Dario; Georgiev, Alexander V.

2015-01-01

Research with the rhesus macaque population on Cayo Santiago can provide a unique perspective on the costs of sociality and reproduction in primates. Because the Cayo macaques live in unusually large groups and in a predator-free environment, in which their artificial food source lacks seasonal variation in abundance or quality, these monkeys constitute a semi-experimental study of the costs and benefits of group living. Here we review several long- and short-term studies that have focused on female life history and stress physiology. Long-term demographic data have shown that rhesus macaque females of middle- and low-ranking matrilines have lower adult survival probabilities than females of high-ranking matrilines. Costs of reproductive effort are also evident: adult females were more likely to die during the birth than during the mating season and they experienced higher cortisol levels when lactating. Lower-ranking females, in particular, experienced greater relative increase in cortisol production during lactation, in comparison to middle- and high-ranking females. Older high-ranking females had lower plasma cortisol levels than younger ones but cortisol levels were similarly high among young and old middle- and low-ranking females. Higher plasma cortisol levels and/or fecal glucocorticoid concentrations are associated with higher plasma concentrations of some proinflammatory cytokines. High cortisol, in turn, may be associated with chronic inflammation, and perhaps also with immunosuppression. In sum, the studies reviewed here provide multiple lines of evidence that sociality and reproductive effort impose measurable costs on female rhesus macaques. In line with socioecological theory, female dominance rank consistently emerges as an important modulator of variation in female life histories and physiology. The Cayo Santiago macaques are therefore a valuable model for elucidating the mechanisms by which within-group competition and reproduction impact health

Negotiating Worlds, Managing Subjectivities, and Redefining Selves: The Lived Experiences of African American Undergraduate Females at Predominately White Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Ayana Ma-el

2010-01-01

A narrative analysis of the lived experiences of seven undergraduate African American females at Predominately White Institutions (PWIs) is presented in this study. The purpose of the study was to explore the ways the seven women constructed their identity and self-concept in the context of their PWI environment. Other key purposes of the study…

Fluoxetine Dose and Administration Method Differentially Affect Hippocampal Plasticity in Adult Female Rats

PubMed Central

Pawluski, Jodi L.; van Donkelaar, Eva; Abrams, Zipporah; Steinbusch, Harry W. M.; Charlier, Thierry D.

2014-01-01

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor medications are one of the most common treatments for mood disorders. In humans, these medications are taken orally, usually once per day. Unfortunately, administration of antidepressant medications in rodent models is often through injection, oral gavage, or minipump implant, all relatively stressful procedures. The aim of the present study was to investigate how administration of the commonly used SSRI, fluoxetine, via a wafer cookie, compares to fluoxetine administration using an osmotic minipump, with regards to serum drug levels and hippocampal plasticity. For this experiment, adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided over the two administration methods: (1) cookie and (2) osmotic minipump and three fluoxetine treatment doses: 0, 5, or 10 mg/kg/day. Results show that a fluoxetine dose of 5 mg/kg/day, but not 10 mg/kg/day, results in comparable serum levels of fluoxetine and its active metabolite norfluoxetine between the two administration methods. Furthermore, minipump administration of fluoxetine resulted in higher levels of cell proliferation in the granule cell layer (GCL) at a 5 mg dose compared to a 10 mg dose. Synaptophysin expression in the GCL, but not CA3, was significantly lower after fluoxetine treatment, regardless of administration method. These data suggest that the administration method and dose of fluoxetine can differentially affect hippocampal plasticity in the adult female rat. PMID:24757568

Depressive Symptoms of Older Adults Living Alone: The Role of Community Characteristics.

PubMed

Kim, Kyeongmo; Lee, Minhong

2015-03-01

Although some evidence suggests that community characteristics may play an important role in the development of depressive symptoms among older adults, current literature has not attended to the role of community characteristics in depression in South Korea. This study begins to address this gap in the literature by examining the relationship of community characteristics and depressive symptoms, controlling for individual characteristics. Using a cross-sectional design and probability sampling, we surveyed 949 older adults living alone in 70 communities in the Busan metropolitan area in South Korea in 2012. A multilevel logistic regression analysis was conducted to test the hypothesis that community characteristics are predictive of depressive symptoms. We find that both the proportion of older adults and the number of senior citizen facilities in a community are associated with depressive symptoms, whereas community poverty is not related to depressive symptoms. Men with lower income, with lower levels of functional abilities, and without stronger family and friend social networks have a higher risk of depressive symptoms. Implications for research, practice, and policy are discussed. © The Author(s) 2015.

CHANGING CONCEPTS OF PRODUCTIVE LIVING.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BOYD, ROBERT D.

AT A CONFERENCE OF ADULT EDUCATORS DESIGNED TO BRING INTO FOCUS NEW PERSPECTIVES OF THE ROLES OF ADULT EDUCATION, PAPERS WERE PRESENTED ON THE CHANGING CONCEPTS OF PRODUCTIVE LIVING AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CONCERN FOR PRODUCTIVE LIVING AND ADULT EDUCATION. AN OVERVIEW PROVIDED A WORKING ORIENTATION AND DESCRIBED THE BASIC FORCES AND PROBLEMS…

Relative influence of human harvest, carnivores, and weather on adult female elk survival across western North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brodie, Jedediah; Johnson, Heather; Mitchell, Michael; Zager, Peter; Proffitt, Kelly; Hebblewhite, Mark; Kauffman, Matthew; Johnson, Bruce; Bissonette, John; Bishop, Chad; Gude, Justin; Herbert, Jeff; Hersey, Kent R.; Hurley, Mark; Lukacs, Paul M.; McCorquodale, Scott; McIntire, Eliot; Nowak, Josh; Sawyer, Hall; Smith, Douglas; White, P.J.

2013-01-01

Well-informed management of harvested species requires understanding how changing ecological conditions affect demography and population dynamics, information that is lacking for many species. We have limited understanding of the relative influence of carnivores, harvest, weather and forage availability on elk Cervus elaphus demography, despite the ecological and economic importance of this species. We assessed adult female survival, a key vital rate for population dynamics, from 2746 radio-collared elk in 45 populations across western North America that experience wide variation in carnivore assemblage, harvest, weather and habitat conditions. Proportional hazard analysis revealed that 'baseline' (i.e. not related to human factors) mortality was higher with very high winter precipitation, particularly in populations sympatric with wolves Canis lupus. Mortality may increase via nutritional stress and heightened vulnerability to predation in snowy winters. Baseline mortality was unrelated to puma Puma concolor presence, forest cover or summer forage productivity. Cause-specific mortality analyses showed that wolves and all carnivore species combined had additive effects on baseline elk mortality, but only reduced survival by <2%. When human factors were included, ‘total’ adult mortality was solely related to harvest; the influence of native carnivores was compensatory. Annual total mortality rates were lowest in populations sympatric with both pumas and wolves because managers reduced female harvest in areas with abundant or diverse carnivores. Mortality from native carnivores peaked in late winter and early spring, while harvest-induced mortality peaked in autumn. The strong peak in harvest-induced mortality during the autumn hunting season decreased as the number of native carnivore species increased. Synthesis and applications. Elevated baseline adult female elk mortality from wolves in years with high winter precipitation could affect elk abundance as

Storm Impact and Depression Among Older Adults Living in Hurricane Sandy-Affected Areas.

PubMed

Sirey, Jo Anne; Berman, Jacquelin; Halkett, Ashley; Giunta, Nancy; Kerrigan, Janice; Raeifar, Elmira; Artis, Amanda; Banerjee, Samprit; Raue, Patrick J

2017-02-01

Research on the impact of natural disasters on the mental health of older adults finds both vulnerabilities and resilience. We report on the rates of clinically significant depression among older adults (aged ≥60 years) living in areas affected by Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and the factors associated with mental health need. The Sandy Mobilization, Assessment, Referral and Treatment for Mental Health (SMART-MH) program integrates community outreach and needs assessments to identify older adults with mental health and aging service needs. Older adults with significant anxiety or depressive symptoms were offered short-term psychotherapy. Social service referrals were made directly to community agencies. All SMART-MH activities were offered in Spanish, Russian, Mandarin/Cantonese, and English. Across the full sample, 14% of participants screened positive for depression. Hurricane Sandy stressors predicted increased odds of depression, including storm injury, post-storm crime, and the total count of stressors. Outcomes varied significantly by age group, such that all Sandy-related variables remained significant for younger-old adults (aged 60-74 years), whereas only the loss of access to medical care was significant for older-old adults (aged ≥75 years). Storm-affected communities show higher rates of depressive symptoms than seen in the general population, with storm stressors affecting mental health needs differentially by age group. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:97-109).

The Form and Function of Attachment Behavior in the Daily Lives of Young Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campa, Mary I.; Hazan, Cindy; Wolfe, Jared E.

2009-01-01

Central to attachment theory is the postulation of an inborn system to regulate attachment behavior. This system has been well studied in infancy and childhood, but much less is known about its functioning at later ages. The goal of this study was to explore the form and function of attachment behavior in the daily lives of young adults. Twenty…

When Your "Problem" Becomes Mine: Adult Female Siblings' Perspectives of Having a Brother with a Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pompeo, Michelle N.

2009-01-01

This study is a retrospective look at adult female siblings' perspectives of their childhoods and present identities based on having a brother with a disability. This paper focuses on siblings' experiences within educational and public domains, and how such experiences have shaped their personalities and career choices. Qualitative findings were…

Factor Structure Invariance of the Kaufman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Test across Male and Female Samples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Immekus, Jason C.; Maller, Susan J.

2010-01-01

Multisample confirmatory factor analysis (MCFA) and latent mean structures analysis (LMS) were used to test measurement invariance and latent mean differences on the Kaufman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Scale[TM] (KAIT) across males and females in the standardization sample. MCFA found that the parameters of the KAIT two-factor model were…

Young adults' childhood experiences of support when living with a parent with a mental illness.

PubMed

Nilsson, Stefan; Gustafsson, Lisa; Nolbris, Margaretha Jenholt

2015-12-01

There are several concerns in relation to children living with a parent suffering from a mental illness. In such circumstances, the health-care professionals need to involve the whole family, offering help to the parents on parenting as well as support for their children. These children are often helped by participating in meetings that provide them with contact with others with similar experiences. The aim of this study was to investigate young adults' childhood experiences of support groups when living with a mentally ill parent. Seven young women were chosen to participate in this study. A qualitative descriptive method was chosen. The main category emerged as 'the influence of life outside the home because of a parent's mental illness' from the two generic categories: 'a different world' and 'an emotion-filled life'. The participants' friends did not know that their parent was ill and they 'always had to…take responsibility for what happened at home'. These young adults appreciated the support group activities they participated in during their childhood, stating that the meetings had influenced their everyday life as young adults. Despite this, they associated their everyday life with feelings of being different. This study highlights the need for support groups for children whose parents suffer from mental illness. © The Author(s) 2014.

Experiences of Community-Living Older Adults Receiving Integrated Care Based on the Chronic Care Model: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Spoorenberg, Sophie L W; Wynia, Klaske; Fokkens, Andrea S; Slotman, Karin; Kremer, Hubertus P H; Reijneveld, Sijmen A

2015-01-01

Integrated care models aim to solve the problem of fragmented and poorly coordinated care in current healthcare systems. These models aim to be patient-centered by providing continuous and coordinated care and by considering the needs and preferences of patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the opinions and experiences of community-living older adults with regard to integrated care and support, along with the extent to which it meets their health and social needs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 older adults receiving integrated care and support through "Embrace," an integrated care model for community-living older adults that is based on the Chronic Care Model and a population health management model. Embrace is currently fully operational in the northern region of the Netherlands. Data analysis was based on the grounded theory approach. Responses of participants concerned two focus areas: 1) Experiences with aging, with the themes "Struggling with health," "Increasing dependency," "Decreasing social interaction," "Loss of control," and "Fears;" and 2) Experiences with Embrace, with the themes "Relationship with the case manager," "Interactions," and "Feeling in control, safe, and secure". The prospect of becoming dependent and losing control was a key concept in the lives of the older adults interviewed. Embrace reinforced the participants' ability to stay in control, even if they were dependent on others. Furthermore, participants felt safe and secure, in contrast to the fears of increasing dependency within the standard care system. The results indicate that integrated care and support provided through Embrace met the health and social needs of older adults, who were coping with the consequences of aging.

Differential Effects of Sex Pheromone Compounds on Adult Female Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) Locomotor Patterns.

PubMed

Walaszczyk, Erin J; Goheen, Benjamin B; Steibel, Juan Pedro; Li, Weiming

2016-06-01

Synchronization of male and female locomotor activity plays a critical role in ensuring reproductive success, especially in semelparous species. The goal of this study was to elucidate the effects of individual chemical signals, or pheromones, on the locomotor activity in the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus). In their native habitat, adult preovulated females (POF) and ovulated females (OF) are exposed to sex pheromone compounds that are released from spermiated males and attract females to nests during their migration and spawning periods. In this study, locomotor activity of individual POF and OF was measured hourly in controlled laboratory conditions using an automated video-tracking system. Differences in the activity between a baseline day (no treatment exposure) and a treatment day (sex pheromone compound or control exposure) were examined for daytime and nighttime periods. Results showed that different pheromone compound treatments affected both POF and OF sea lamprey (p < 0.05) but in different ways. Spermiated male washings (SMW) and one of its main components, 7α,12α,24-trihydroxy-5α-cholan-3-one 24 sulfate (3kPZS), decreased activity of POF during the nighttime. SMW also reduced activity in POF during the daytime. In contrast, SMW increased activity of OF during the daytime, and an additional compound found in SMW, petromyzonol sulfate (PZS), decreased the activity during the nighttime. In addition, we examined factors that allowed us to infer the overall locomotor patterns. SMW increased the maximum hourly activity during the daytime, decreased the maximum hourly activity during the nighttime, and reduced the percentage of nocturnal activity in OF. Our findings suggest that adult females have evolved to respond to different male compounds in regards to their locomotor activity before and after final maturation. This is a rare example of how species-wide chemosensory stimuli can affect not only the amounts of activity but also the overall locomotor

Correlates of Heterosexual Anal Intercourse Among At-Risk Adolescents and Young Adults

PubMed Central

Houck, Christopher D.; Brown, Larry K.; Doherty, Glenn; DiClemente, Ralph J.; Fernandez, M. Isabel; Pugatch, David; Schlenger, William E.; Silver, Barbara J.

2009-01-01

Objectives. We sought to learn what factors are associated with anal intercourse among adolescents and young adults. We examined demographic, behavioral, relationship context, attitudinal, substance use, and mental health correlates of recent heterosexual anal intercourse among adolescents and young adults who reported engaging in recent unprotected sex. Methods. Among 1348 at-risk adolescents and young adults aged 15 to 21 years in 3 US cities, we assessed sexual risk behavior with each sexual partner in the past 90 days. Data were collected from 2000 to 2001. Results. Recent heterosexual anal intercourse was reported by 16% of respondents. Females who engaged in anal intercourse were more likely to be living with a sexual partner, to have had 2 or more partners, and to have experienced coerced intercourse. For males, only a sexual orientation other than heterosexual was a significant predictor of engaging in heterosexual anal intercourse. Conclusions. Our findings document the prevalence of heterosexual anal intercourse among adolescents and young adults who had recent unprotected sex. Among females, the variables associated with anal intercourse relate to the context and power balance of sexual relationships. Different influences for males and females suggest different foci for interventions. PMID:19008522

Care and support for older adults in The Netherlands living independently.

PubMed

Verver, Didi; Merten, Hanneke; Robben, Paul; Wagner, Cordula

2018-05-01

The growth in the numbers of older adults needing long-term care has resulted in rising costs which have forced the Dutch government to change its long-term care system. Now, the local authorities have greater responsibility for supporting older adults and in prolonging independent living with increased support provided by the social network. However, it is unclear whether these older adults have such a network to rely upon. The objective of this study was to gain insight into the providers of formal and informal care to older adults, and to assess possible differences between older adults who are frail and those who are not. In addition, we investigated their care and support needs. We used data from a quantitative survey using a cross-sectional design in different regions of the Netherlands from July until September 2014 (n = 181). Frailty was measured using the Tilburg Frailty indicator. To analyse the data chi-square tests, crosstabs and odds ratios were used for dichotomous data and the Mann-Whitney U-Test for nominal data. The number of formal care providers involved was significantly higher (median = 2) for those deemed frail than for those not deemed frail (median = 1), U = 2,130, p < .005. However, more than one-third of the respondents deemed frail did not get the care or support they needed (33.7%). There was a significant positive association between being frail and having an informal care provider (χ 2  = 18.78, df = 1, p < .005). However, more than one-third of those deemed frail did not have an informal care provider (36.8%). One-third of older adults deemed to be frail did not have their needs sufficiently addressed by their care network. For a substantial part of this group of older adults, the informal network seems to be unable to support them sufficiently. Additional attention for their needs and wishes is required to implement the policy reforms successfully. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Self-characterizations of adult female informal caregivers: gender identity and the bearing of burden.

PubMed

Kramer, Maeona K

2005-01-01

Gender identity is a powerful aspect of self that shapes values, attitudes, and conduct. Family caregivers, particularly women, tend to forgo institutionalization of care recipients even when care demands are overwhelming. The reluctance of women to relinquish care raises questions about the relationship between gender identity and the bearing of burden. To illuminate the relationship between gender and burden, 36 adult women caring for highly dependent adults were asked to describe the nature of "self"; that is, how they characterized themselves as a person. Results were tabulated and critically examined in relation to stereotypical gender traits, as well as social and political processes that create gender dichotomies. Overall, self-characterizations indicated caregivers had internalized stereotypical female gender traits that support and facilitate the enduring of burden.

Cytokine Polymorphisms are Associated with Daytime Napping in Adults Living with HIV

PubMed Central

Byun, Eeeseung; Gay, Caryl L.; Portillo, Carmen J.; Pullinger, Clive R.; Aouizerat, Bradley E.; Lee, Kathryn A.

2017-01-01

Objective/Background Daytime napping longer than one hour has been associated with an increased risk for all-cause mortality. Associations between cytokine polymorphisms and daytime napping in chronic illnesses such as HIV, however, have not been well described. The purpose of this study was to examine cytokine polymorphisms associated with long daytime napping in adults living with HIV. Methods A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using a convenience sample of 257 adults living with HIV. Daytime napping was assessed with wrist actigraphy data collected over three days. Participants categorized as long nappers (≥ 60 min) were compared to short nappers and non-nappers (< 60 min). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for 15 candidate genes involved in cytokine signaling were analyzed. Genes included: interferon-gamma (IFNG), IFNG receptor 1 (IFNGR1), interleukins (IL1B, IL1R, IL1R2, IL2, IL4, IL6, IL8, IL10, IL13, IL17A), nuclear factors of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B cells (NFKB1 and NFKB2), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFA). Results After adjusting for relevant demographic and clinical characteristics, long daytime napping was associated with 12 SNPs from seven genes: 1) IFNG rs2069728; 2) IL1B rs1143642, rs1143627, and rs16944; 3) IL2 rs2069763; 4) IL6 rs4719714, rs1554606, and rs2069845; 5) IL17A rs3819024 and rs8193036; 6) NFKB1 rs4648110; and 7) NFKB2 rs1056890. Conclusions Cytokine genetic variations may have a role in physiological regulation of daytime napping as well as nocturnal sleep. Cytokine polymorphisms associated with long daytime napping could help identify adults with HIV who may benefit from targeted therapeutic interventions. PMID:28366330

Cytokine polymorphisms are associated with daytime napping in adults living with HIV.

PubMed

Byun, Eeeseung; Gay, Caryl L; Portillo, Carmen J; Pullinger, Clive R; Aouizerat, Bradley E; Lee, Kathryn A

2017-04-01

Daytime napping longer than one hour has been associated with an increased risk for all-cause mortality. Associations between cytokine polymorphisms and daytime napping in chronic illnesses such as HIV, however, have not been well described. The purpose of this study was to examine cytokine polymorphisms associated with long daytime napping in adults living with HIV. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using a convenience sample of 257 adults living with HIV. Daytime napping was assessed with wrist actigraphy data collected over three days. Participants categorized as long nappers (≥60 min) were compared to short nappers and non-nappers (<60 min). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for 15 candidate genes involved in cytokine signaling were analyzed. Genes included: interferon-gamma (IFNG), IFNG receptor 1 (IFNGR1), interleukins (IL1B, IL1R, IL1R2, IL2, IL4, IL6, IL8, IL10, IL13, IL17A), nuclear factors of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B cells (NFKB1 and NFKB2), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFA). After adjusting for relevant demographic and clinical characteristics, long daytime napping was associated with 12 SNPs from seven genes: 1) IFNG rs2069728; 2) IL1B rs1143642, rs1143627, and rs16944; 3) IL2 rs2069763; 4) IL6 rs4719714, rs1554606, and rs2069845; 5) IL17A rs3819024 and rs8193036; 6) NFKB1 rs4648110; and 7) NFKB2 rs1056890. Cytokine genetic variations may have a role in physiological regulation of daytime napping as well as nocturnal sleep. Cytokine polymorphisms associated with long daytime napping could help identify adults with HIV who may benefit from targeted therapeutic interventions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Destinations matter: The association between where older adults live and their travel behavior

PubMed Central

Chudyk, Anna M.; Winters, Meghan; Moniruzzaman, Md; Ashe, Maureen C.; Gould, Joanie Sims; McKay, Heather

2016-01-01

The positive effect of physical activity in the prevention and treatment of many chronic diseases and age-related disabilities, such as mobility-disability, are widely accepted. Mobility is broadly defined as the ability of individuals to move themselves within community environments. These two concepts –physical activity and mobility – are closely linked and together contribute to older adults living healthy, independent lives. Neighborhood destinations may encourage mobility, as older adults typically leave their homes to travel to specific destinations. Thus, neighborhoods with a high prevalence of destinations may provide older adults an attractive opportunity to walk, instead of drive, and thereby obtain incidental physical activity. We know surprisingly little about the specific types of destinations older adults deem relevant and even less about destinations that support the mobility of older adults with low income. Accessible neighborhood destinations may be especially important to older adults with low income as they are more likely to walk as a primary travel mode. Conversely, this population may also be at increased risk of functional impairments that negatively affect their ability to walk. As a means to fill this information gap we aimed to better understand the mobility habits of older adults with low income. Thus, our specific objectives were to: (1) describe the types of destinations older adults with low income most commonly travel to in one week; and (2) determine the association between the prevalence of neighborhood destinations and the number of transportation walking trips these individuals make (average per day). We conducted a cross-sectional study of community-dwelling older adults with low income residing within Metro Vancouver, Canada. We assessed participant travel behavior (frequency, purpose, mode, destination) using seven-day travel diaries and measured the prevalence of neighborhood destinations using the Street Smart Walk Score

Cocaine-induced locomotor activity is increased by prior handling in adolescent but not adult female rats

PubMed Central

Maldonado, Antoniette M.; Kirstein, Cheryl L.

2017-01-01

Adolescence is a period of transition that is associated with increased levels of stress and a heightened propensity to initiate drug use. Neuronal development is still occurring during this transitional period, which includes the continued development of the dopamine system during the adolescent period. In the present study, the effects of pre-test handling on cocaine-induced locomotor activity were investigated among female adolescent and young adult rats upon presentation to a novel environment. On postnatal days (PND) 41–44 and 56–59 animals were handled (b.i.d.) in the colony room for 3 min. On PND 45 or PND 60, animals were removed from the colony room, weighed, and administered an acute injection of either cocaine or saline and presented to a novel environment where behavior was recorded for 30 min. Adolescent females (PND 45) that were handled prior to cocaine administration demonstrated elevated levels of cocaine-induced activity relative to their age-matched non-handled counterparts and also to their handled-adult counterparts. In contrast, among non-handled animals, young adults (PND 60) exhibited elevated drug-induced locomotion at several time points during the trial. Non-handled adolescent animals demonstrated the previously described “hyporesponsive” behavioral profile relative to their non-handled adult counterparts. The results from the present experiment indicate that adolescent animals may be more sensitive to basic laboratory manipulations such as pre-test handling, and care must be taken when utilizing adolescent animals in behavioral testing. Handling appears to be a sensitive manipulation in elucidating differences in cocaine-induced behavioral activation between ages. PMID:16176824

A population-based study of demographical variables and ability to perform activities of daily living in adults with osteogenesis imperfecta.

PubMed

Wekre, Lena Lande; Frøslie, Kathrine Frey; Haugen, Lena; Falch, Jan A

2010-01-01

To describe demographical variables, and to study functional ability to perform activities of daily life in adults with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). Population-based study. Ninety-seven patients aged 25 years and older, 41 men and 56 women, were included. For the demographical variables, comparison was made to a matched control-group (475 persons) from the Norwegian general population. Structured interviews concerning social conditions, employment and educational issues and clinical examination were performed. The Sunnaas Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Index was used to assess the ability to perform ADL. The prevalence of clinical manifestations according to Sillence was in accordance with other studies. Demographical variables showed that most adults with OI are married and have children. They had a higher educational level than the control group, but the employment rate was significantly lower. However, the rate of employed men was similar in both groups. Adult persons with OI achieved a high score when tested for ADL. Adults with OI are well educated compared with the general population, and most of them are employed. High scores when tested for ADL indicate that most of them are able to live their lives independently, even though there are some differences according to the severity of the disorder.

Experiences of aromatherapy massage among adult female cancer patients: A qualitative study.