A demographic and social profile of age- and sex-matched vegetarians and nonvegetarians.

PubMed

Freeland-Graves, J H; Greninger, S A; Young, R K

1986-07-01

A demographic and social profile was compiled for 150 vegetarians and 150 nonvegetarians who were matched for age and sex. A 328-item questionnaire containing both closed- and open-ended questions was administered. Information collected included personal and demographic data, personal habits, social activities, and possible influences of vegetarianism. No differences were observed in the cultural, ethnic, or familial background of the groups. Vegetarians were less influenced by parents and traditional religions, were slightly less well educated, and were employed in less-skilled occupations. However, vegetarians socialized more than nonvegetarians, as evidenced by their greater frequency of entertaining, going out with friends, and joining organizations. The commitment to vegetarianism was strong and appeared to be reinforced by an extensive network of family and friends who were also vegetarians. This strong support network was particularly evident for those who practiced the more restrictive forms of vegetarianism, the only major difference observed within the types of vegetarians studied.

Heart Rate Variability in Healthy Non-Concussed Youth Athletes: Exploring the Effect of Age, Sex, and Concussion-Like Symptoms.

PubMed

Paniccia, Melissa; Verweel, Lee; Thomas, Scott; Taha, Tim; Keightley, Michelle; Wilson, Katherine E; Reed, Nick

2017-01-01

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a non-invasive neurophysiological measure of autonomic nervous system regulation emerging in concussion research. To date, most concussion studies have focused on the university-aged athlete with no research examining healthy active youths. Corroborating changes in HRV alongside traditional subjective self-report measures (concussion symptoms) in the non-concussed state provides a foundation for interpreting change following concussion. The objectives were to (1) explore the influence of age and sex on HRV and (2) examine the relationship between HRV and baseline/pre-injury concussion symptom domains (physical, cognitive, emotional, and fatigue) in healthy youth athletes. Healthy, youth athletes 13-18 years of age [ N  = 294, female = 166 (56.5%), male = 128 (43.5%)] participated in this cross-sectional study. Age, sex, and concussion-like symptoms were collected as part of a baseline/pre-injury assessment. The Post-Concussion Symptom Inventory-SR13 (PCSI-SR13) was used to collect domain scores for physical, cognitive, emotional, and fatigue symptoms. HRV was collected for 24 h. HRV measures included time (SDNN, RMSSD, and pNN50) and frequency (HF, HFnu, LF, LFnu, and total power) domain HRV measures. Variables were logarithmically transformed to increase robustness of linear regression models. Older youth participants displayed significantly higher HRV compared to younger participants ( p  < 0.05). Females displayed significantly lower HRV compared to males ( p  < 0.05). A significant interaction effect between concussion-like symptoms and HRV indicated differential patterns as a function of sex ( p  < 0.05). Youth athletes who reported more cognitive symptoms had lower HRV ( p  < 0.05). HRV was found to have a significant relationship with a traditional clinical measure (subjective self-report of concussion-like symptoms) utilized in concussion assessment and management. Baseline

Risk factors for oropharyngeal gonorrhoea in men who have sex with men: an age-matched case-control study.

PubMed

Cornelisse, Vincent J; Walker, Sandra; Phillips, Tiffany; Hocking, Jane S; Bradshaw, Catriona S; Lewis, David A; Prestage, Garrett Paul; Grulich, Andrew E; Fairley, Christopher K; Chow, Eric P F

2018-01-22

Oropharyngeal gonorrhoea is common among men who have sex with men (MSM). We aimed to clarify which oral sex practices were independent risk factors for oropharyngeal gonorrhoea: tongue kissing, receptive oro-penile sex (fellatio) or insertive oro-anal sex (rimming), and whether daily use of mouthwash and recent antibiotic use was protective. In 2015, we conducted an age-matched case-control study of MSM who attended the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre. Cases had tested positive for oropharyngeal gonorrhoea by nucleic acid amplification testing, and controls had tested negative. Questionnaire items included tongue kissing, oral sex practices, condom use, recent antibiotic use, mouthwash use and alcohol consumption. We identified 177 cases, age matched to 354 controls. In univariable analyses, cases were 1.90 times (95% CI 1.13 to 3.20) more likely than controls to have had casual sexual partners (CSP) in the preceding 3 months, were 2.17 times (95% CI 1.31 to 3.59) more likely to have kissed CSP and were 2.04 times (95% CI 1.26 to 3.30) more likely to have had receptive oro-penile sex with CSP. Oropharyngeal gonorrhoea was not associated with insertive oro-anal sex or mouthwash use. The number of CSP for tongue kissing and receptive oral sex and total CSP were highly correlated, and in multivariable analysis neither kissing nor receptive oro-penile sex was significantly associated with having oropharyngeal gonorrhoea, after adjusting for total number of CSP. The finding that oropharyngeal gonorrhoea was associated with a higher number of sexual partners but not specific sexual practices highlights the need for further research in the area of gonorrhoea transmission to define the probability of transmission from specific sex acts. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Patent foramen ovale in patients with tension headache: is it as common as in migraineurs? An age- and sex-matched comparative study.

PubMed

Moaref, Ali Reza; Petramfar, Peyman; Aghasadeghi, Kamran; Zamirian, Mahmood; Sharifkazemi, Mohammad Bagher; Rezaian, Shahed; Afifi, Sasan; Zare, Najaf; Rezaian, Gholam Reza

2009-12-01

The association of patent foramen ovale (PFO) and atrial septal aneurysm (ASA) with migraine headache attack (MHA) has been clearly shown. The same findings have been recently demonstrated also in cluster headache. Although tension-type headaches (TTH) are the most common kind of headache, their association with these atrial septal abnormalities has never been studied before. The study was conducted to clarify whether there was a significant association between the presence of such atrial septal abnormalities and tension headache, when compared with migraineurs. One hundred consecutive patients with migraine and 100 age- and sex-matched subjects with TTH and 50 healthy volunteers with no headache were enrolled in the study and underwent a complete transesophageal echocardiographic study with contrast injections at rest and with the Valsalva maneuver. There was no significant difference between the age and the sex of the participants of the three groups. The overall prevalence of PFO was 23% in patients with TTH and that of large PFOs was only 11%. The 23% prevalence of PFO in patients with TTH was not statistically different from 16% found in our normal control group. Furthermore, we found a significantly higher prevalence of PFO in migraineurs (50%) when compared with patients with tension headache (p < 0.001). This was also true for the collective presence of large PFOs and ASAs (35%) (p < 0.001). Although atrial septal anomalies have an association with MHA, they do not have a significant association with TTH.

Effects of age, sex and arm on the precision of arm position sense-left-arm superiority in healthy right-handers.

PubMed

Schmidt, Lena; Depper, Lena; Kerkhoff, Georg

2013-01-01

Position sense is an important proprioceptive ability. Disorders of arm position sense (APS) often occur after unilateral stroke, and are associated with a negative functional outcome. In the present study we assessed horizontal APS by measuring angular deviations from a visually defined target separately for each arm in a large group of healthy subjects. We analyzed the accuracy and instability of horizontal APS as a function of age, sex and arm. Subjects were required to specify verbally the position of their unseen arm on a 0-90° circuit by comparing the current position with the target position indicated by a LED lamp, while the arm was passively moved by the examiner. Eighty-seven healthy subjects participated in the study, ranging from 20 to 77 years, subdivided into three age groups. The results revealed that APS was not a function of age or sex, but was significantly better in the non-dominant (left) arm in absolute errors (AE) but not in constant errors (CE) across all age groups of right-handed healthy subjects. This indicates a right-hemisphere superiority for left APS in right-handers and neatly fits to the more frequent and more severe left-sided body-related deficits in patients with unilateral stroke (i.e. impaired APS in left spatial neglect, somatoparaphrenia) or in individuals with abnormalities of the right cerebral hemisphere. These clinical issues will be discussed.

Effects of age, sex and arm on the precision of arm position sense—left-arm superiority in healthy right-handers

PubMed Central

Schmidt, Lena; Depper, Lena; Kerkhoff, Georg

2013-01-01

Position sense is an important proprioceptive ability. Disorders of arm position sense (APS) often occur after unilateral stroke, and are associated with a negative functional outcome. In the present study we assessed horizontal APS by measuring angular deviations from a visually defined target separately for each arm in a large group of healthy subjects. We analyzed the accuracy and instability of horizontal APS as a function of age, sex and arm. Subjects were required to specify verbally the position of their unseen arm on a 0-90° circuit by comparing the current position with the target position indicated by a LED lamp, while the arm was passively moved by the examiner. Eighty-seven healthy subjects participated in the study, ranging from 20 to 77 years, subdivided into three age groups. The results revealed that APS was not a function of age or sex, but was significantly better in the non-dominant (left) arm in absolute errors (AE) but not in constant errors (CE) across all age groups of right-handed healthy subjects. This indicates a right-hemisphere superiority for left APS in right-handers and neatly fits to the more frequent and more severe left-sided body-related deficits in patients with unilateral stroke (i.e. impaired APS in left spatial neglect, somatoparaphrenia) or in individuals with abnormalities of the right cerebral hemisphere. These clinical issues will be discussed. PMID:24399962

Healthy eating patterns associated with acculturation, sex and BMI among Mexican Americans.

PubMed

Reininger, Belinda; Lee, MinJae; Jennings, Rose; Evans, Alexandra; Vidoni, Michelle

2017-05-01

Examine relationships of healthy and unhealthy dietary patterns with BMI, sex, age and acculturation among Mexican Americans. Cross-sectional. Participants completed culturally tailored Healthy and Unhealthy Eating Indices. Multivariable mixed-effect Poisson regression models compared food pattern index scores and dietary intake of specific foods by BMI, sex, age and acculturation defined by language preference and generational status. Participants recruited from the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort study, Texas-Mexico border region, between 2008 and 2011. Mexican-American males and females aged 18-97 years (n 1250). Participants were primarily female (55·3 %), overweight or obese (85·7 %), preferred Spanish language (68·0 %) and first-generation status (60·3 %). Among first-generation participants, bilingual participants were less likely to have a healthy eating pattern than preferred Spanish-speaking participants (rate ratio (RR)=0·79, P=0·0218). This association was also found in males (RR=0·81, P=0·0098). Preferred English-speaking females were less likely to consume healthy foods than preferred Spanish-speaking females (RR=0·84, P=0·0293). Among second-generation participants, preferred English-speaking participants were more likely to report a higher unhealthy eating pattern than preferred Spanish-speaking participants (RR=1·23, P=0·0114). Higher unhealthy eating patterns were also found in females who preferred English v. females who preferred Spanish (RR=1·23, P=0·0107) or were bilingual (RR=1·26, P=0·0159). Younger, male participants were more likely to have a higher unhealthy eating pattern. BMI and diabetes status were not significantly associated with healthy or unhealthy eating patterns. Acculturation, age, sex and education are associated with healthy and unhealthy dietary patterns. Nutrition interventions for Mexican Americans should tailor approaches by these characteristics.

Haematocrit, hypertension and smoking in patients with transient ischaemic attacks and in age and sex matched controls.

PubMed Central

Harrison, M J; Pollock, S; Thomas, D; Marshall, J

1982-01-01

The blood pressure, smoking habit and haemotocrit of 154 patients with transient ischaemic attacks and 191 age-and sex-matched neurological controls were studied. Regression analysis revealed that the haematocrit value was related to both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and to smoking. Smoking elevated the haematocrit by 1.9 +/- 0.59 in males and by 2.18 +/- 0.68 in females. When these associations were allowed for there was still evidence of a higher haematocrit in patients with transient ischaemic attacks (plus 1.44 +/- 0.56 in males and 0.75 +/- 0.75 in females p less than 0.02). The role of an elevated haematocrit in the pathogenesis of cerebrovascular disease and its management are briefly discussed. PMID:7119818

Effects of Sex, Gender Role Identification, and Gender Relevance of Two Types of Stressors on Cardiovascular and Subjective Responses: Sex and Gender Match and Mismatch Effects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Well, Sonja; Kolk, Annemarie M.; Klugkist, Irene G.

2008-01-01

The authors tested the hypothesis that a match between the gender relevance of a stressor and one's sex or gender role identification would elicit higher cardiovascular responses. Healthy female and male undergraduates (n = 108) were exposed to two stressors: the Cold Pressor Test (CPT) and the n-back task. Stressor relevance was manipulated to be…

Adults with patellofemoral pain do not exhibit manifestations of peripheral and central sensitization when compared to healthy pain-free age and sex matched controls – An assessor blinded cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Rathleff, Camilla Rams; Stephenson, Aoife; Mellor, Rebecca; Matthews, Mark; Crossley, Kay; Vicenzino, Bill

2017-01-01

Patellofemoral Pain (PFP) is highly prevalent among adults and adolescents. Localized mechanical hyperalgesia around the knee and tibialis anterior have been observed in people with PFP, but limited knowledge of potential manifestations of central sensitisation exists. The aims of this study were to study conditioned pain modulation (CPM) and wide-spread hyperalgesia in adults with PFP. This assessor-blinded cross-sectional study design compared CPM and mechanical pressure pain thresholds (PPT) between 33 adults (23 females) diagnosed with PFP and 32 age and sex matched pain-free controls. The investigator taking the PPT measurements was blinded to which participants had PFP. PPTs were reliably measured using a Somedic hand-held pressure algometer at three sites: 1) The centre of the patella, 2) the tibialis anterior muscle and 3) a remote site on the lateral epicondyle. For the assessment of CPM, experimental pain was induced to the contralateral hand by immersion into a cold water bath (conditioning stimulus), and assessment of PPTs (the test stimulus) was performed before and immediately after the conditioning stimulation. On average, the CPM paradigm induced a significant increase in PPTs across the three sites (6.3–13.5%, P<0.05), however there was no difference in CPM between young adults with PFP compared to the control group, (F(1,189) = 0.39, P = 0.89). There was no difference in mechanical PPTs between the two groups (F(1,189) = 0.03, P = 0.86). Contrary to our a-priori hypothesis, we found no difference in CPM or PPT between young adults with PFP and age and sex matched pain-free controls. PMID:29220355

Making Healthy Decisions About Sex

MedlinePlus

... For Teens: How to Make Healthy Decisions About Sex Page Content Article Body Before you decide to ... alcohol or use drugs. Are You Ready for Sex? Sex can change your life and relationships. Having ...

Mental State Decoding in Adolescent Boys with Major Depressive Disorder versus Sex-Matched Healthy Controls.

PubMed

Mellick, William; Sharp, Carla

2016-01-01

Several adult depression studies have investigated mental state decoding, the basis for theory of mind, using the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test. Findings have been mixed, but a comprehensive study found a greater severity of depression to be associated with poorer mental state decoding. Importantly, there has yet to be a similar study of adolescent depression. Converging evidence suggests that atypical mental state decoding may have particularly profound effects for psychosocial functioning among depressed adolescent boys. Adolescent boys with major depressive disorder (MDD, n = 33) and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs, n = 84) completed structured clinical interviews, self-report measures of psychopathology and the Child Eyes Test (CET). The MDD group performed significantly better than HCs on the CET overall (p = 0.002), underscored by greater accuracy for negatively valenced items (p = 0.003). Group differences on items depicting positive (p = 0.129) and neutral mental states (p = 0.081) were nonsignificant. Enhanced mental state decoding among depressed adolescent boys may play a role in the maintenance of and vulnerability to adolescent depression. Findings and implications are discussed. Limitations of this study include a reliance on self-report data for HC boys, as well as a lack of 'pure' depression among the boys with MDD. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Fitkids Treadmill Test: Age- and Sex-Related Normative Values in Dutch Children and Adolescents.

PubMed

Kotte, Elles M W; de Groot, Janke F; Bongers, Bart C; Winkler, Alexander M F; Takken, Tim

2016-11-01

Recent research has shown that the Fitkids Treadmill Test (FTT) is a valid and reproducible exercise test for the assessment of aerobic exercise capacity in children and adolescents who are healthy. The study objective was to provide sex- and age-related normative values for FTT performance in children and adolescents who were healthy, developing typically, and 6 to 18 years of age. This was a cross-sectional, observational study. Three hundred fifty-six children and adolescents who were healthy (174 boys and 182 girls; mean age=12.9 years, SD=3.7) performed the FTT to their maximal effort to assess time to exhaustion (TTE). The least-mean-square method was used to generate sex- and age-related centile charts (P3, P10, P25, P50, P75, P90, and P97) for TTE on the FTT. In boys, the reference curve (P50) showed an almost linear increase in TTE with age, from 8.8 minutes at 6 years of age to 16.1 minutes at 18 years of age. In girls, the P50 values for TTE increased from 8.8 minutes at 6 years of age to 12.5 minutes at 18 years of age, with a plateau in TTE starting at approximately 10 years of age. Youth who were not white were underrepresented in this study. This study describes sex- and age-related normative values for FTT performance in children and adolescents who were healthy, developing typically, and 6 to 18 years of age. These age- and sex-related normative values will increase the usefulness of the FTT in clinical practice. © 2016 American Physical Therapy Association.

The retinal nerve fibre layer thickness in glaucomatous hydrophthalmic eyes assessed by scanning laser polarimetry with variable corneal compensation in comparison with age-matched healthy children.

PubMed

Hložánek, Martin; Ošmera, Jakub; Ležatková, Pavlína; Sedláčková, Petra; Filouš, Aleš

2012-12-01

To compare the thickness of the retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) in hydrophthalmic glaucomatous eyes in children with age-matched healthy controls using scanning laser polarimetry with variable corneal compensation (GDxVCC). Twenty hydrophthalmic eyes of 20 patients with the mean age of 10.64 ± 3.02 years being treated for congenital or infantile glaucoma were included in the analysis. Evaluation of RNFL thickness measured by GDxVCC in standard Temporal-Superior-Nasal-Inferior-Temporal (TSNIT) parameters was performed. The results were compared to TSNIT values of an age-matched control group of 120 healthy children published recently as referential values. The correlation between horizontal corneal diameter and RNFL thickness in hydrophthalmic eyes was also investigated. The mean ± SD values in TSNIT Average, Superior Average, Inferior Average and TSNIT SD in hydrophthalmic eyes were 52.3 ± 11.4, 59.7 ± 17.1, 62.0 ± 15.6 and 20.0 ± 7.8 μm, respectively. All these values were significantly lower compared to referential TSNIT parameters of age-matched healthy eyes (p = 0.021, p = 0.001, p = 0.003 and p = 0.018, respectively). A substantial number of hydrophthalmic eyes laid below the level of 5% probability of normality in respective TSNIT parameters: 30% of the eyes in TSNIT average, 50% of the eyes in superior average, 30% of the eyes in inferior average and 45% of the eyes in TSNIT SD. No significant correlation between enlarged corneal diameter and RNFL thickness was found. The mean values of all standard TSNIT parameters assessed using GDxVCC in hydrophthalmic glaucomatous eyes in children were significantly lower in comparison with referential values of healthy age-matched children. © 2011 The Authors. Acta Ophthalmologica © 2011 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation.

Age- and sex-associated changes in cerebral glucose metabolism in normal healthy subjects: statistical parametric mapping analysis of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose brain positron emission tomography.

PubMed

Kim, In-Ju; Kim, Seong-Jang; Kim, Yong-Ki

2009-12-01

The age- and sex-associated changes of brain development are unclear and controversial. Several previous studies showed conflicting results of a specific pattern of cerebral glucose metabolism or no differences of cerebral glucose metabolism in association with normal aging process and sex. To investigate the effects of age and sex on changes in cerebral glucose metabolism in healthy subjects using fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (F-18 FDG) brain positron emission tomography (PET) and statistical parametric mapping (SPM) analysis. Seventy-eight healthy subjects (32 males, mean age 46.6+/-18.2 years; 46 females, mean age 40.6+/-19.8 years) underwent F-18 FDG brain PET. Using SPM, age- and sex-associated changes in cerebral glucose metabolism were investigated. In males, a negative correlation existed in several gray matter areas, including the right temporopolar (Brodmann area [BA] 38), right orbitofrontal (BA 47), left orbitofrontal gyrus (BA 10), left dorsolateral frontal gyrus (BA 8), and left insula (BA 13) areas. A positive relationship existed in the left claustrum and left thalamus. In females, negative changes existed in the left caudate body, left temporopolar area (BA 38), right orbitofrontal gyri (BA 47 and BA 10), and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (BA 46). A positive association was demonstrated in the left subthalamic nucleus and the left superior frontal gyrus. In white matter, an age-associated decrease in FDG uptake in males was shown in the left insula, and increased FDG uptake was found in the left corpus callosum. The female group had an age-associated negative correlation of FDG uptake only in the right corpus callosum. Using SPM, we found not only similar areas of brain, but also sex-specific cerebral areas of age-associated changes of FDG uptake.

Racing performance of Standardbred trotting horses undergoing surgery of the carpal flexor sheath and age- and sex-matched control horses.

PubMed

Carmalt, James L; Johansson, Bengt C; Zetterström, Sandra M; McOnie, Rebecca C

2017-07-01

OBJECTIVE To determine factors affecting race speed in Swedish Standardbred horses undergoing surgery of the carpal flexor sheath (CFS), to investigate whether preoperative racing speed was associated with specific intraoperative findings and whether horses returned to racing, and to compare the performance of horses undergoing surgery of the CFS with that of age- and sex-matched control horses. ANIMALS 149 Swedish Standardbred trotters undergoing surgery of the CFS and 274 age- and sex-matched control horses. PROCEDURES Medical records of CFS horses were examined. Racing data for CFS and control horses were retrieved from official online records. Generalizing estimating equations were used to examine overall and presurgery racing speeds and the association of preoperative clinical and intraoperative findings with preoperative and postoperative speeds. Multivariable regression analysis was used to examine career earnings and number of career races. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to compare career longevity between CFS and control horses. RESULTS CFS horses were significantly faster than control horses. The CFS horses that raced before surgery were slower as they approached the surgery date, but race speed increased after surgery. There were 124 of 137 (90.5%) CFS horses that raced after surgery. No intrathecal pathological findings were significantly associated with preoperative racing speed. Career longevity did not differ between CFS and control horses. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Horses undergoing surgery of the CFS had a good prognosis to return to racing after surgery. Racing careers of horses undergoing surgery of the CFS were not significantly different from racing careers of control horses.

[Establishment of reference ranges of sex hormones for healthy children in Shenzhen, China based on chemiluminescence].

PubMed

Sun, Li-Fang; Li, Ying-Ying; Huang, Bao-Xing; Fu, Xiao-Ying; Yang, Fang-Hua; Ma, Dong-Li; Zhang, Qin

2017-12-01

To study the reference ranges of six sex hormones, i.e., luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, progesterone, prolactin, estradiol, and testosterone, for healthy children aged 0-18 years in Shenzhen, China. Stratified cluster sampling was performed to select 2 178 healthy children aged 0-18 years in the districts of Futian, Luohu, Nanshan, Bao'an, and Longgang in Shenzhen between September 2015 and September 2016. There were 1 219 boys and 959 girls, including 81 neonates, 335 infants, 346 young children, 469 preschool children, 419 school-aged children, and 528 adolescents. The American Beckman DXI800 chemiluminescence meter was used to measure the levels of luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, progesterone, prolactin, estradiol, and testosterone. There were significant differences in the levels of luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, progesterone, prolactin, estradiol, and testosterone between different age groups (P<0.05). There were also significant differences in the levels of these sex hormones between boys and girls in the same age group (P<0.05). The reference ranges of six sex hormones were established for healthy children aged 0-18 years in Shenzhen based on the levels of these hormones in different age groups. There are significant differences in sex hormones between different age groups or sex groups. The reference ranges of six sex hormones established for different sexes or ages have great significance in the diagnosis and treatment of endocrine diseases in children.

Female fibromyalgia patients: lower resting metabolic rates than matched healthy controls.

PubMed

Lowe, John C; Yellin, Jackie; Honeyman-Lowe, Gina

2006-07-01

Many features of fibromyalgia and hypothyroidism are virtually the same, and thyroid hormone treatment trials have reduced or eliminated fibromyalgia symptoms. These findings led the authors to test the hypothesis that fibromyalgia patients are hypometabolic compared to matched controls. Resting metabolic rate (RMR) was measured by indirect calorimetry and body composition by bioelectrical impedance for 15 fibromyalgia patients and 15 healthy matched controls. Measured resting metabolic rate (mRMR) was compared to percentages of predicted RMR (pRMR) by fat-free weight (FFW) (Sterling-Passmore: SP) and by sex, age, height, and weight (Harris-Benedict: HB). Patients had a lower mRMR (4,306.31+/-1077.66 kJ vs 5,411.59+/-695.95 kJ, p=0.0028) and lower percentages of pRMRs (SP: -28.42+/-15.82% vs -6.83+/-12.55%, p<0.0001. HB: -29.20+/-17.43% vs -9.13+/-9.51%, p=0.0008). Whereas FFW, age, weight, and body mass index (BMI) best accounted for variability in controls' RMRs, age and fat weight (FW) did for patients. In the patient group, TSH level accounted for 28% of the variance in pain distribution, and free T3 (FT3) accounted for 30% of the variance in pressure-pain threshold. Patients had lower mRMR and percentages of pRMRs. The lower RMRs were not due to calorie restriction or low FFW. Patients' normal FFW argues against low physical activity as the mechanism. TSH, FT4, and FT3 levels did not correlate with RMRs in either group. This does not rule out inadequate thyroid hormone regulation because studies show these laboratory values do not reliably predict RMR.

Chemical mapping of anxiety in the brain of healthy humans: an in vivo 1H-MRS study on the effects of sex, age, and brain region.

PubMed

Grachev, I D; Apkarian, A V

2000-12-01

We recently presented results in an in vivo study of human brain chemistry in 'physiologic' anxiety, i.e., the anxiety of normal everyday life. Normal subjects with high anxiety demonstrated increased concentration of chemicals in orbital frontal cortex (OFC) as compared to lower anxiety. In a separate study of aging we demonstrated a decrease of total chemical concentration in OFC of middle-aged subjects, as compared with younger age. This brain region also showed gender dependence; men demonstrating decreased chemical concentration compared to women. We hypothesized that these sex- and age-dependent differences in OFC chemistry changes are a result of anxiety effects on this brain region. In the present study we examined these sex- and age-differential regional brain chemistry changes (as identified by localized in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy [1H-MRS]) in relation to the state-trait-anxiety (as measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) in 35 healthy subjects. The concentrations for all nine chemicals of 1H-MRS spectra were measured relative to creatine across multiple brain regions, including OFC in the left hemisphere. Analysis of variance showed anxiety-specific effects on chemical concentration changes in OFC, which were different for both sexes and age groups. Male subjects showed larger effect of anxiety on OFC chemistry as compared to females when the same sex high-anxiety subjects were compared to lower anxiety. Similarly, middle-aged subjects showed larger effect of anxiety on OFC chemistry as compared to younger age when the same age subjects with high anxiety were compared to lower anxiety. Largest effect of anxiety on OFC chemistry was due to changes of N-Acetyl aspartate. The results indicate that the state-trait anxiety has sex- and age-differential patterns on OFC chemistry in healthy humans, providing new information about the neurobiological roots of anxiety.

Sex and Age Differences in Body-Image, Self-Esteem, and Body Mass Index in Adolescents and Adults After Single-Ventricle Palliation

PubMed Central

Evangelista, Lorraine S.; Doering, Lynn V.; Eastwood, Jo-Ann; Lewis, Alan B.; Child, John S.

2012-01-01

Single-ventricle congenital heart disease (SVCHD) requires multiple palliative surgical procedures that leave visible surgical scars and physical deficits, which can alter body-image and self-esteem. This study aimed to compare sex and age differences in body-image, self-esteem, and body mass index (BMI) in adolescents and adults with SVCHD after surgical palliation with those of a healthy control group. Using a comparative, cross-sectional design, 54 adolescent and adult (26 male and 28 female) patients, age 15–50 years, with SVCHD were compared with 66 age-matched healthy controls. Body-image and self-esteem were measured using the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire–Appearance Scale and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Height and weight were collected from retrospective chart review, and BMI was calculated. Female adolescents and adult patients with SVCHD reported lower body image compared with males patients with SVCHD and healthy controls (p = 0.003). Specific areas of concern were face (p = 0.002), upper torso or chest (p = 0.002), and muscle tone (p = 0.001). Patients with SVCHD who were <21 years of age had lower body image compared with healthy controls (p = 0.006). Self-esteem was comparable for both patients with SVCHD and healthy peers. There were no sex differences in BMI; BMI was higher in subjects >21 years of age (p = 0.01). Despite the similarities observed in self-esteem between the two groups, female patients with SVCHD <21 years of age reported lower perceived body-image. Our findings support the need to recognize poor psychological adjustment related to low self-esteem in patients with SVCHD; female patients warrant increased scrutiny. Strategies to help patients with SVCHD cope with nonmodifiable aspects of body-image during the difficult adolescent–to–young adult years may potentially enhance self-esteem and decrease psychological distress. PMID:22314368

Sex and age differences in body-image, self-esteem, and body mass index in adolescents and adults after single-ventricle palliation.

PubMed

Pike, Nancy A; Evangelista, Lorraine S; Doering, Lynn V; Eastwood, Jo-Ann; Lewis, Alan B; Child, John S

2012-06-01

Single-ventricle congenital heart disease (SVCHD) requires multiple palliative surgical procedures that leave visible surgical scars and physical deficits, which can alter body-image and self-esteem. This study aimed to compare sex and age differences in body-image, self-esteem, and body mass index (BMI) in adolescents and adults with SVCHD after surgical palliation with those of a healthy control group. Using a comparative, cross-sectional design, 54 adolescent and adult (26 male and 28 female) patients, age 15–50 years, with SVCHD were compared with 66 age-matched healthy controls. Body-image and self-esteem were measured using the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire–Appearance Scale and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Height and weight were collected from retrospective chart review, and BMI was calculated. Female adolescents and adult patients with SVCHD reported lower body image compared with males patients with SVCHD and healthy controls (p = 0.003). Specific areas of concern were face (p = 0.002), upper torso or chest (p = 0.002), and muscle tone (p = 0.001). Patients with SVCHD who were \\21 years of age had lower body image compared with healthy controls (p = 0.006). Self-esteem was comparable for both patients with SVCHD and healthy peers. There were no sex differences in BMI; BMI was higher in subjects[21 years of age (p = 0.01). Despite the similarities observed in self-esteem between the two groups, female patients with SVCHD\\21 years of age reported lower perceived body-image. Our findings support the need to recognize poor psychological adjustment related to low self-esteem in patients with SVCHD; female patients warrant increased scrutiny. Strategies to help patients with SVCHD cope with nonmodifiable aspects of body-image during the difficult adolescent–to–young adult years may potentially enhance self-esteem and decrease psychological distress.

Right ventricular sex differences in patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension characterised by magnetic resonance imaging: pair-matched case controlled study.

PubMed

Swift, Andrew J; Capener, Dave; Hammerton, Charlotte; Thomas, Steven M; Elliot, Charlie; Condliffe, Robin; Wild, Jim M; Kiely, David G

2015-01-01

Sex differences exist in both the prevalence and survival of patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH). Men are less frequently affected by the condition but have worse outcome as compared to females. We sought to characterise the sex related differences in right ventricular remodelling in age matched male and female patients with IPAH using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A case controlled pair-matched study was conducted with patients matched by age and sex. Steady state free precession (SSFP) MRI of the heart was performed at 1.5T. Cardiac volume, function and mass measurements were corrected for age, sex and BSA according to reference data. 40 age and sex matched patients with IPAH were identified. The mean age was 57 (SD 17) in both male and female cohorts. Men had proportionally lower right ventricular (RV) ejection fraction, RV stroke volume and LV stroke volume than females, p=0.028, p=0.007 and p=0.013, respectively. However, there was no significant difference in RV mass or haemodynamic indices of mPAP and PVR between males and females. Male patients with IPAH have proportionally worse RV function despite similar afterload. We hypothesise that adaptive remodelling of the RV in response to increased afterload in IPAH is more effective in females.

[Motor skills and safety of patients with bi- or trimalleolar ankle injury : Comparison with healthy, active, age-matched control subjects].

PubMed

Loudovici-Krug, Dana; Benkenstein, Monique; Derlien, Steffen; Best, Norman

2018-06-01

Do patients with bi- or trimalleolar ankle injury show differences in motor skills and safety in comparison with healthy, active, age-matched control subjects? Prospective controlled cross-sectional study. Inclusion of 17 patients with bi- or trimalleolar ankle injury (mean 1.5 years postsurgery) and 23 healthy, active subjects of comparable age (fitness studio). Measurement instruments: motor test procedures and questionnaires. Comparison of patients and control subjects by routine daily motor function: patients < controls with the "timed 'Up & Go' test" (TUG, p = 0.011), the chair rising test and a coordination test using a gymnastic hoop (CRT and GR p > 0.05), fear of falling: patients > controls (p = 0.003) and physical activity: patients < controls (p = 0.032). There were no significant motor deficits in activities of daily life between the patients and controls, only tendencies; however, the patients showed definite limitations with an increased fear of falling and a reduced physical activity compared with the healthy control group. The resulting differences should be positively influenced by appropriate enhancement of training or participation in sports courses. The aim is to achieve a similar quality of life by a perception of safety and trust in one's own motor skills.

Quantitative sensory testing and pain-evoked cytokine reactivity: comparison of patients with sickle cell disease to healthy matched controls.

PubMed

Campbell, Claudia M; Carroll, C Patrick; Kiley, Kasey; Han, Dingfen; Haywood, Carlton; Lanzkron, Sophie; Swedberg, Lauren; Edwards, Robert R; Page, Gayle G; Haythornthwaite, Jennifer A

2016-04-01

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited blood disorder associated with significant morbidity, which includes severe episodic pain, and, often, chronic pain. Compared to healthy individuals, patients with SCD report enhanced sensitivity to thermal detection and pain thresholds and have altered inflammatory profiles, yet no studies to date have examined biomarker reactivity after laboratory-induced pain. We sought to examine this relationship in patients with SCD compared to healthy control participants. We completed quantitative sensory testing in 83 patients with SCD and sequential blood sampling in 27 of them, whom we matched (sex, age, race, body mass index, and education) to 27 healthy controls. Surprisingly, few quantitative sensory testing differences emerged between groups. Heat pain tolerance, pressure pain threshold at the trapezius, thumb, and quadriceps, and thermal temporal summation at 45°C differed between groups in the expected direction, whereas conditioned pain modulation and pain ratings to hot water hand immersion were counterintuitive, possibly because of tailoring the water temperature to a perceptual level; patients with SCD received milder temperatures. In the matched subsample, group differences and group-by-time interactions were observed in biomarkers including tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1ß, interleukin-4, and neuropeptide Y. These findings highlight the utility of laboratory pain testing methods for understanding individual differences in inflammatory cytokines. Our findings suggest amplified pain-evoked proinflammatory cytokine reactivity among patients with SCD relative to carefully matched controls. Future research is warranted to evaluate the impact of enhanced pain-related cytokine response and whether it is predictive of clinical characteristics and the frequency/severity of pain crises in patients with SCD.

Social and nonsocial behaviours of sex- and age-matched enclosed and free-ranging rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

PubMed

Baulu, J; Redmond, D E

1980-01-01

The behavioural profiles (time budgeting of social and nonsocial activities) and the frequencies of major social interactions of corral-enclosed rhesus monkeys were compared with sex- and age-matched free-ranging rhesus monkeys on La Cueva Island, Puerto Rico. All animals (n = 32) were provisioned ad libitum at specific feeder sites. The occurrence of 14 behaviours around feeders was compared with their occurrence away from the feeders by noting the location of each monkey relative to the feeder at the time of observation. An analysis of variance between free-ranging versus corral-enclosed groups and within groups by location (around or away from the feeder) revealed significant differences in several behavioural categories, including foraging, lookout, inactive, dominant, submissive, allogrooming, social contact, social initiative, active, and passive behaviours. When the effect of limited food distribution sites was analyzed by comparing data recorded away from the feeding sites, there were remarkably few differences between the groups.

Sex-specific interaction effects of age, occupational status, and workplace stress on psychiatric symptoms and allostatic load among healthy Montreal workers.

PubMed

Juster, Robert-Paul; Moskowitz, D S; Lavoie, Joel; D'Antono, Bianca

2013-11-01

Socio-demographics and workplace stress may affect men and women differently. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess sex-specific interactions among age, occupational status, and workplace Demand-Control-Support (D-C-S) factors in relation to psychiatric symptoms and allostatic load levels representing multi-systemic "wear and tear". It was hypothesized that beyond main effects, D-C-S factors would be moderated by occupational status and age in sex-specific directions predictive of subjective psychiatric symptoms and objective physiological dysregulations. Participants included healthy male (n = 81) and female (n = 118) Montreal workers aged 20 to 64 years (Men: M = 39.4 years, SD = 11.3; Women: M = 42.8 years, SD = 11.38). The Job Content Questionnaire was administered to assess workplace D-C-S factors that included psychological demands, decisional latitude, and social support. Occupational status was coded using the Nam--Powers--Boyd system derived from the Canadian census. Psychiatric symptoms were assessed using the Beck Anxiety Scale and the Beck Depression Inventory II. Sex-specific allostatic load indices were calculated based on fifteen biomarkers. Regression analyses revealed that higher social support was associated with less depressive symptoms in middle aged (p = 0.033) and older men (p = 0.027). Higher occupational status was associated with higher allostatic load levels for men (p = 0.035), while the reverse occurred for women (p = 0.048). Women with lower occupational status but with higher decision latitude had lower allostatic load levels, as did middle-aged (p = 0.031) and older women (p = 0.003) with higher psychological demands. In summary, age and occupational status moderated workplace stress in sex-specific ways that have occupational health implications.

Right Ventricular Sex Differences in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Characterised by Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Pair-Matched Case Controlled Study

PubMed Central

Swift, Andrew J.; Capener, Dave; Hammerton, Charlotte; Thomas, Steven M.; Elliot, Charlie; Condliffe, Robin; Wild, Jim M.; Kiely, David G.

2015-01-01

Purpose Sex differences exist in both the prevalence and survival of patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH). Men are less frequently affected by the condition but have worse outcome as compared to females. We sought to characterise the sex related differences in right ventricular remodelling in age matched male and female patients with IPAH using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods A case controlled pair-matched study was conducted with patients matched by age and sex. Steady state free precession (SSFP) MRI of the heart was performed at 1.5T. Cardiac volume, function and mass measurements were corrected for age, sex and BSA according to reference data. Results 40 age and sex matched patients with IPAH were identified. The mean age was 57 (SD 17) in both male and female cohorts. Men had proportionally lower right ventricular (RV) ejection fraction, RV stroke volume and LV stroke volume than females, p=0.028, p=0.007 and p=0.013, respectively. However, there was no significant difference in RV mass or haemodynamic indices of mPAP and PVR between males and females. Conclusion Male patients with IPAH have proportionally worse RV function despite similar afterload. We hypothesise that adaptive remodelling of the RV in response to increased afterload in IPAH is more effective in females. PMID:25996939

Her versus his migraine: multiple sex differences in brain function and structure.

PubMed

Maleki, Nasim; Linnman, Clas; Brawn, Jennifer; Burstein, Rami; Becerra, Lino; Borsook, David

2012-08-01

Migraine is twice as common in females as in males, but the mechanisms behind this difference are still poorly understood. We used high-field magnetic resonance imaging in male and female age-matched interictal (migraine free) migraineurs and matched healthy controls to determine alterations in brain structure. Female migraineurs had thicker posterior insula and precuneus cortices compared with male migraineurs and healthy controls of both sexes. Furthermore, evaluation of functional responses to heat within the migraine groups indicated concurrent functional differences in male and female migraineurs and a sex-specific pattern of functional connectivity of these two regions with the rest of the brain. The results support the notion of a 'sex phenotype' in migraine and indicate that brains are differentially affected by migraine in females compared with males. Furthermore, the results also support the notion that sex differences involve both brain structure as well as functional circuits, in that emotional circuitry compared with sensory processing appears involved to a greater degree in female than male migraineurs.

Cardiovascular risk profile before coronary artery bypass graft surgery in relation to depression and anxiety disorders: An age and sex propensity matched study.

PubMed

Tully, Phillip J; Newland, Richard F; Baker, Robert A

2015-02-01

The cardiovascular risk profile and postoperative morbidity outcomes of anxiety disorder patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery is not known. In a cross-sectional design, 114 consecutive coronary artery bypass graft surgery patients were evaluated to create four matched groups (30 with anxiety disorder, 27 with depression disorder and 57 age-sex matched coronary artery bypass surgery control patients with no depression or anxiety disorder). By comparison to non-depression disorder age-sex matched controls, depressed patients presented for coronary artery bypass surgery with significantly greater myocardial inflammatory markers (Troponin T>02, 33.3% vs. 11.1%, p=.03), metabolic risk (body surface area>35 (22.2% vs. 0%, p=.03), comorbid cardiovascular risk (peripheral vascular disease 18.5% vs. 0%, p=.05). Depressed patients also recorded longer intraoperative time at higher temperatures >37°C on cardiopulmonary bypass (11.1 ± 9.0 vs. 6.0 ± 4.9, p<005) and had higher maximum postoperative Troponin T (.44 ± .2 vs. .28 ± .1, p=.03). Patients with anxiety disorder on the other hand presented with significantly higher Creatinine Kinase-Muscle Brain (5 IQR 4-5 ng/ml vs. 4 IQR 3-4 ng/ml, p=.04), higher intraoperative glucose levels (7.8 ± 2.5 mmol/l vs. 7.0 ± 1.2 mmol/l, p=.05), and received fewer grafts (2.1 ± .9 vs. 2.5 ± .9 p=.04). A differential cardiovascular risk profile and postoperative outcome was observed dependent on anxiety and depression disorder status. There were few modifiable cardiovascular risk factors at the time of surgery other than psychiatric status, perioperative management of depression and anxiety may have promise to reduce further cardiac morbidity after coronary artery bypass surgery. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The rate of change in declining steroid hormones: a new parameter of healthy aging in men?

PubMed

Walther, Andreas; Philipp, Michel; Lozza, Niclà; Ehlert, Ulrike

2016-09-20

Research on healthy aging in men has increasingly focused on age-related hormonal changes. Testosterone (T) decline is primarily investigated, while age-related changes in other sex steroids (dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA], estradiol [E2], progesterone [P]) are mostly neglected. An integrated hormone parameter reflecting aging processes in men has yet to be identified. 271 self-reporting healthy men between 40 and 75 provided both psychometric data and saliva samples for hormone analysis. Correlation analysis between age and sex steroids revealed negative associations for the four sex steroids (T, DHEA, E2, and P). Principal component analysis including ten salivary analytes identified a principal component mainly unifying the variance of the four sex steroid hormones. Subsequent principal component analysis including the four sex steroids extracted the principal component of declining steroid hormones (DSH). Moderation analysis of the association between age and DSH revealed significant moderation effects for psychosocial factors such as depression, chronic stress and perceived general health. In conclusion, these results provide further evidence that sex steroids decline in aging men and that the integrated hormone parameter DSH and its rate of change can be used as biomarkers for healthy aging in men. Furthermore, the negative association of age and DSH is moderated by psychosocial factors.

The rate of change in declining steroid hormones: a new parameter of healthy aging in men?

PubMed Central

Walther, Andreas; Philipp, Michel; Lozza, Niclà; Ehlert, Ulrike

2016-01-01

Research on healthy aging in men has increasingly focused on age-related hormonal changes. Testosterone (T) decline is primarily investigated, while age-related changes in other sex steroids (dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA], estradiol [E2], progesterone [P]) are mostly neglected. An integrated hormone parameter reflecting aging processes in men has yet to be identified. 271 self-reporting healthy men between 40 and 75 provided both psychometric data and saliva samples for hormone analysis. Correlation analysis between age and sex steroids revealed negative associations for the four sex steroids (T, DHEA, E2, and P). Principal component analysis including ten salivary analytes identified a principal component mainly unifying the variance of the four sex steroid hormones. Subsequent principal component analysis including the four sex steroids extracted the principal component of declining steroid hormones (DSH). Moderation analysis of the association between age and DSH revealed significant moderation effects for psychosocial factors such as depression, chronic stress and perceived general health. In conclusion, these results provide further evidence that sex steroids decline in aging men and that the integrated hormone parameter DSH and its rate of change can be used as biomarkers for healthy aging in men. Furthermore, the negative association of age and DSH is moderated by psychosocial factors. PMID:27589836

Sex differences in the effect of aging on dry eye disease.

PubMed

Ahn, Jong Ho; Choi, Yoon-Hyeong; Paik, Hae Jung; Kim, Mee Kum; Wee, Won Ryang; Kim, Dong Hyun

2017-01-01

patterns. Age matching and sex matching are strongly recommended in further studies about DED, especially DED following ocular surgery.

Ageing/Menopausal Status in Healthy Women and Ageing in Healthy Men Differently Affect Cardiometabolic Parameters.

PubMed

Campesi, Ilaria; Occhioni, Stefano; Tonolo, Giancarlo; Cherchi, Sara; Basili, Stefania; Carru, Ciriaco; Zinellu, Angelo; Franconi, Flavia

2016-01-01

Gender medicine requires a global analysis of an individual's life. Menopause and ageing induce variations of some cardiometabolic parameters, but, it is unknown if this occurs in a sex-specific manner. Here, some markers of oxidative stress, systemic inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction are analysed in men younger and older than 45 years and in pre- and postmenopausal women. Serum and plasma sample were assayed for TNF-α and IL-6, malondialdehyde and protein carbonyls and for methylated arginines using ELISA kits, colorimetric methods and capillary electrophoresis. Before body weight correction, men overall had higher creatinine, red blood cells and haemoglobin and lower triglycerides than women. Men younger than 45 years had lower levels of TNF-α and malondialdehyde and higher levels of arginine than age-matched women, while postmenopausal women had higher IL-6 concentrations than men, and higher total cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine and IL-6 levels than younger women. Men younger than 45 years had lower total cholesterol and malondialdehyde than older men. After correction, some differences remained, others were amplified, others disappeared and some new differences emerged. Moreover, some parameters showed a correlation with age, and some of them correlated with each other as functions of ageing and ageing/menopausal status. Ageing/menopausal status increased many more cardiovascular risk factors in women than ageing in men, confirming that postmenopausal women had increased vascular vulnerability and indicating the need of early cardiovascular prevention in women. Sex-gender differences are also influenced by body weight, indicating as a matter of debate whether body weight should be seen as a true confounder or as part of the causal pathway.

Sex, gender, and age: contributions to laboratory pain responding in children and adolescents.

PubMed

Myers, Cynthia D; Tsao, Jennie C I; Glover, Dorie A; Kim, Su C; Turk, Norman; Zeltzer, Lonnie K

2006-08-01

A cross-sectional design across late childhood and adolescence examined the influence of sex, gender socialization, and age on responses to controlled laboratory pain tasks. Healthy children and adolescents (n = 240, 50% female, age 8 to 18 years) completed the Child Sex Role Inventory, a self-report measure of identification with stereotypically masculine and feminine personality traits, as an index of gender socialization and participated in pressure, cold pressor, and heat pain tasks. Pain tolerance, pain intensity, and bothersomeness of each pain task were assessed. Masculinity correlated with lower heat pain ratings in boys but not girls. Logistic regression indicated cold pain intensity ratings were predicted by sex, gender score, and the age-by-gender score interaction. Heat pain intensity was predicted by age, gender score, age-by-gender score interaction, and sex-by-gender score. The current findings support closer examination of the influence of gender socialization on young people's pain responses and highlight the importance of a multifactorial, developmental approach to studying the impact of gender socialization on the emergence of sex differences in pain responses after puberty.

Ageing and healthy sexuality among women living with HIV.

PubMed

Narasimhan, Manjulaa; Payne, Caitlin; Caldas, Stephanie; Beard, John R; Kennedy, Caitlin E

2016-11-01

Populations around the world are rapidly ageing and effective treatment for HIV means women living with HIV (WLHIV) can live longer, healthier lives. HIV testing and screening programmes and safer sex initiatives often exclude older sexually active WLHIV. Systematically reviewing the literature to inform World Health Organization guidelines on the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of WLHIV, identified four studies examining healthy sexuality among older WLHIV. In Uganda, WLHIV reported lower rates of sexual activity and rated sex as less important than men. In the United States, HIV stigma, disclosure, and body image concerns, among other issues, were described as inhibiting relationship formation and safer sexual practices. Sexual activity declined similarly over time for all women, including for WLHIV who reported more protected sex, while a significant minority of WLHIV reported unprotected sex. A single intervention, the "ROADMAP" intervention, demonstrated significant increases in HIV knowledge and decreases in HIV stigma and high risk sexual behaviour. WLHIV face ageist discrimination and other barriers to remaining sexually active and maintaining healthy sexual relationships, including challenges procuring condoms and seeking advice on safe sex practices, reduced ability to negotiate safer sex, physical and social changes associated with menopause, and sexual health challenges due to disability and comorbidities. Normative guidance does not adequately address the SRHR of older WLHIV, and while this systematic review highlights the paucity of data, it also calls for additional research and attention to this important area. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Outcomes of Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair in Patients Who Are 70 Years of Age or Older Versus Under 70 Years of Age: A Sex- and Tear Size-Matched Case-Control Study.

PubMed

Gwark, Ji-Yong; Sung, Chang-Meen; Na, Jae-Boem; Park, Hyung Bin

2018-05-19

To compare the structural and clinical outcomes after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) of a case group aged 70 and above with those of a control group younger than 70, with the 2 groups matched for sex and tear size. The case group, comprising 53 patients 70 or older, and the control group, comprising 159 patients younger than 70, all received ARCR to 1 shoulder with symptomatic full-thickness rotator cuff tear. The case and the control subjects, who were matched for sex and tear size to minimize bias related to tendon healing, received ARCR during the same period. The mean age was 71.8 ± 2.6 years in the case group and 59.3 ± 7.1 years in the control group. The minimum follow-up period was 1 year in both groups. Cuff integrity was evaluated using ultrasonography. Structural and clinical outcomes of the 2 groups were compared. Regarding structural outcomes, the complete healing, partial-thickness retear, and full-thickness retear rates were 66% (35/53), 15% (8/53), and 19% (10/53) in the case group, and 68% (108/159), 19% (30/159), and 13% (21/159), respectively, in the control group. The 2 groups had no significantly different retear rates (P = .52). Regarding clinical outcomes, the mean improvements in range of motion, pain, muscle strength, and age- and sex-matched Constant scores were not significantly different between the 2 groups (P > .37). The preoperative tear size was significantly associated with retear in both studied groups (P = .02). The clinical and structural outcomes of ARCR in patients 70 or older with symptomatic full-thickness rotator cuff tear are comparable with those in patients younger than 70 with at least 1-year follow-up. Preoperative tear size, a biological factor, is a strong predictor for retear. Level III, a retrospective comparative (case-control) study. Copyright © 2018 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Her versus his migraine: multiple sex differences in brain function and structure

PubMed Central

Linnman, Clas; Brawn, Jennifer; Burstein, Rami; Becerra, Lino; Borsook, David

2012-01-01

Migraine is twice as common in females as in males, but the mechanisms behind this difference are still poorly understood. We used high-field magnetic resonance imaging in male and female age-matched interictal (migraine free) migraineurs and matched healthy controls to determine alterations in brain structure. Female migraineurs had thicker posterior insula and precuneus cortices compared with male migraineurs and healthy controls of both sexes. Furthermore, evaluation of functional responses to heat within the migraine groups indicated concurrent functional differences in male and female migraineurs and a sex-specific pattern of functional connectivity of these two regions with the rest of the brain. The results support the notion of a ‘sex phenotype’ in migraine and indicate that brains are differentially affected by migraine in females compared with males. Furthermore, the results also support the notion that sex differences involve both brain structure as well as functional circuits, in that emotional circuitry compared with sensory processing appears involved to a greater degree in female than male migraineurs. PMID:22843414

Age- and sex-related growth patterns of the craniofacial complex in European children aged 3-6 years.

PubMed

Tutkuviene, Janina; Cattaneo, Cristina; Obertová, Zuzana; Ratnayake, Melanie; Poppa, Pasquale; Barkus, Arunas; Khalaj-Hedayati, Kerstin; Schroeder, Inge; Ritz-Timme, Stefanie

2016-11-01

Craniofacial growth changes in young children are not yet completely understood. Up-to-date references for craniofacial measurements are crucial for clinical assessment of orthodontic anomalies, craniofacial abnormalities and subsequent planning of interventions. To provide normal reference data and to identify growth patterns for craniofacial dimensions of European boys and girls aged 3-6 years. Using standard anthropometric methodology, body weight, body height and 23 craniofacial measurements were acquired for a cross-sectional sample of 681 healthy children (362 boys and 319 girls) aged 3-6 years from Germany, Italy and Lithuania. Descriptive statistics, correlation coefficients, percentage annual changes and percentage growth rates were used to analyse the dataset. Between the ages of 3-6 years, craniofacial measurements showed age- and sex-related patterns independent from patterns observed for body weight and body height. Sex-related differences were observed in the majority of craniofacial measurements. In both sexes, face heights and face depths showed the strongest correlation with age. Growth patterns differed by craniofacial measurement and can be summarised into eight distinct age- and sex-related patterns. This study provided reference data and identified sex- and age-related growth patterns of the craniofacial complex of young European children, which may be used for detailed assessment of normal growth in paediatrics, maxillofacial reconstructive surgery and possibly for forensic age assessment.

Electroencephalographic Fractal Dimension in Healthy Ageing and Alzheimer’s Disease

PubMed Central

Cottone, Carlo; Cancelli, Andrea; Rossini, Paolo Maria; Tecchio, Franca

2016-01-01

Brain activity is complex; a reflection of its structural and functional organization. Among other measures of complexity, the fractal dimension is emerging as being sensitive to neuronal damage secondary to neurological and psychiatric diseases. Here, we calculated Higuchi’s fractal dimension (HFD) in resting-state eyes-closed electroencephalography (EEG) recordings from 41 healthy controls (age: 20–89 years) and 67 Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) patients (age: 50–88 years), to investigate whether HFD is sensitive to brain activity changes typical in healthy aging and in AD. Additionally, we considered whether AD-accelerating effects of the copper fraction not bound to ceruloplasmin (also called “free” copper) are reflected in HFD fluctuations. The HFD measure showed an inverted U-shaped relationship with age in healthy people (R2 = .575, p < .001). Onset of HFD decline appeared around the age of 60, and was most evident in central-parietal regions. In this region, HFD decreased with aging stronger in the right than in the left hemisphere (p = .006). AD patients demonstrated reduced HFD compared to age- and education-matched healthy controls, especially in temporal-occipital regions. This was associated with decreasing cognitive status as assessed by mini-mental state examination, and with higher levels of non-ceruloplasmin copper. Taken together, our findings show that resting-state EEG complexity increases from youth to maturity and declines in healthy, aging individuals. In AD, brain activity complexity is further reduced in correlation with cognitive impairment. In addition, elevated levels of non-ceruloplasmin copper appear to accelerate the reduction of neural activity complexity. Overall, HDF appears to be a proper indicator for monitoring EEG-derived brain activity complexity in healthy and pathological aging. PMID:26872349

Age- and Sex-Specific Reference Values for Media/Lumen Ratio in Small Arteries and Relationship With Risk Factors.

PubMed

Bruno, Rosa Maria; Grassi, Guido; Seravalle, Gino; Savoia, Carmine; Rizzoni, Damiano; Virdis, Agostino

2018-04-23

Small-artery remodeling is an early feature of target organ damage in hypertension and retains a negative prognostic value. The aim of the study is to establish age- and sex-specific reference values for media/lumen in small arteries obtained in humans by biopsy. Data from 91 healthy individuals and 200 individuals with cardiovascular risk factors in primary prevention from 4 Italian centers were pooled. Sex-specific equations for media/lumen in the healthy subpopulation, with age as dependent variable, were calculated. These equations were used to calculate predicted media/lumen values in individuals with risk factors and Z scores. The association between classical risk factors and Z scores was then explored by multiple regression analysis. A second-degree polynomial equation model was chosen to obtain sex-specific equations for media/lumen, with age as dependent variable. In the population with risk factors (111 men, age 50.5±14.0 years, hypertension 80.5%), media/lumen Z scores were independently associated with body mass index (standardized β=0.293, P =0.0001), total cholesterol (β=0.191, P =0.031), current smoking (β=0.238, P =0.0005), fasting blood glucose (β=0.204, P =0.003), systolic blood pressure (β=0.233, P =0.023), and female sex (β=0.799, P =0.038). A significant interaction between female sex and total cholesterol was found (β=-0.979, P =0.014). Results were substantially similar in the hypertensive subgroup. A method to calculate individual values of remodeling and growth index based on reference values was also presented. Age- and sex-specific percentiles of media/lumen in a healthy population were estimated. In a predominantly hypertensive population, media/lumen Z scores were associated with major cardiovascular risk factors, including body mass index, cholesterol, smoking, glucose, and systolic blood pressure. Significant sex differences were observed. © 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.

The Development of Sex Category Representation in Infancy: Matching of Faces and Bodies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hock, Alyson; Kangas, Ashley; Zieber, Nicole; Bhatt, Ramesh S.

2015-01-01

Sex is a significant social category, and adults derive information about it from both faces and bodies. Research indicates that young infants process sex category information in faces. However, no prior study has examined whether infants derive sex categories from bodies and match faces and bodies in terms of sex. In the current study,…

Sexual learning, sexual experience, and healthy adolescent sex.

PubMed

Fortenberry, J Dennis

2014-01-01

This chapter is organized around the question "How do adolescents learn to have healthy sex?" The chapter assumes that sexual learning derives from a broad range of both informal and formal sources that contribute to learning within the context of neurocognitive brain systems that modulate sexual motivations and self-regulation. The overall objective is to consider how adolescents become sexually functional and healthy and to provide a conceptual basis for expansion of sexual learning to better support healthy sexual functioning. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Time course of oxidative stress, inflammation and muscle damage markers for five days after a soccer match: effects of sex and playing position.

PubMed

Souglis, Athanasios; Bogdanis, Gregory C; Chryssanthopoulos, Costas; Apostolidis, Nikolaos; Geladas, Nikos D

2018-01-03

This study examined the influence of sex and playing position on the time-course of selected oxidative stress, inflammation and muscle damage markers following an official soccer match. Sixty professional soccer players (30 male and 30 female) were divided into three groups, according to their playing position: defenders, midfielders and attackers. Each group consisted of 10 male and 10 female players. Sixty healthy volunteers (30 males and 30 females) served as control. Blood samples were taken before and after the match and daily for five days after the match. Analysis of variance revealed different responses over time between sex and playing positions, as shown by the 3-way interaction, for creatine kinase (CK), protein carbonyls (PC), catalase, fibrinogen (FIB), uric acid (UA), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), reduced glutathione, C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 (IL-6) (p < 0.01).Male players had higher values compared with females of the same playing position, for all oxidative, inflammatory and muscle damage indices (p<0.01). Also, in both sexes, midfielders had higher peaks in all indices compared with defenders (p < 0.05). Five days after the game CK and UA concentrations had not returned to pre-game levels in any exercise group, whereas PC were still elevated in male midfielders and attackers (p < 0.05).These results show that sex and playing position influence the time-course of selected oxidative stress, inflammation and muscle damage markers following an official soccer game. This information should be taken into account by practitioners for the design of training programs following match play.

Biomechanical properties of low back myofascial tissue in younger adult ankylosing spondylitis patients and matched healthy control subjects.

PubMed

White, Allison; Abbott, Hannah; Masi, Alfonse T; Henderson, Jacqueline; Nair, Kalyani

2018-06-06

Ankylosing spondylitis is a degenerative and inflammatory rheumatologic disorder that primarily affects the spine. Delayed diagnosis leads to debilitating spinal damage. This study examines biomechanical properties of non-contracting (resting) human lower lumbar myofascia in ankylosing spondylitis patients and matched healthy control subjects. Biomechanical properties of stiffness, frequency, decrement, stress relaxation time, and creep were quantified from 24 ankylosing spondylitis patients (19 male, 5 female) and 24 age- and sex-matched control subjects in prone position on both sides initially and after 10 min rest. Concurrent surface electromyography measurements were performed to ensure resting state. Statistical analyses were conducted, and significance was set at p < 0.05. Decreased lumbar muscle elasticity (inverse of decrement) was primarily correlated with disease duration in ankylosing spondylitis subjects, whereas BMI was the primary correlate in control subjects. In ankylosing spondylitis and control groups, significant positive correlations were observed between the linear elastic properties of stiffness and frequency as well as between the viscoelastic parameters of stress relaxation time and creep. The preceding groups also showed significant negative correlations between the linear elastic and viscoelastic properties. Findings indicate that increased disease duration is associated with decreased tissue elasticity or myofascial degradation. Both ankylosing spondylitis and healthy subjects revealed similar correlations between the linear and viscoelastic properties which suggest that the disease does not directly alter their inherent interrelations. The novel results that stiffness is greater in AS than normal subjects, whereas decrement is significantly correlated with AS disease duration deserves further investigation of the biomechanical properties and their underlying mechanisms. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of age, sex, and education on the Visual Object and Space Perception Battery (VOSP) in a healthy normal elderly population.

PubMed

Herrera-Guzmán, I; Peña-Casanova, J; Lara, J P; Gudayol-Ferré, E; Böhm, P

2004-08-01

The assessment of visual perception and cognition forms an important part of any general cognitive evaluation. We have studied the possible influence of age, sex, and education on a normal elderly Spanish population (90 healthy subjects) in performance in visual perception tasks. To evaluate visual perception and cognition, we have used the subjects performance with The Visual Object and Space Perception Battery (VOSP). The test consists of 8 subtests: 4 measure visual object perception (Incomplete Letters, Silhouettes, Object Decision, and Progressive Silhouettes) while the other 4 measure visual space perception (Dot Counting, Position Discrimination, Number Location, and Cube Analysis). The statistical procedures employed were either simple or multiple linear regression analyses (subtests with normal distribution) and Mann-Whitney tests, followed by ANOVA with Scheffe correction (subtests without normal distribution). Age and sex were found to be significant modifying factors in the Silhouettes, Object Decision, Progressive Silhouettes, Position Discrimination, and Cube Analysis subtests. Educational level was found to be a significant predictor of function for the Silhouettes and Object Decision subtests. The results of the sample were adjusted in line with the differences observed. Our study also offers preliminary normative data for the administration of the VOSP to an elderly Spanish population. The results are discussed and compared with similar studies performed in different cultural backgrounds.

3 Tesla (1) H MR spectroscopy of hip bone marrow in a healthy population, assessment of normal fat content values and influence of age and sex.

PubMed

Pansini, Vittorio; Monnet, Aurélien; Salleron, Julia; Hardouin, Pierre; Cortet, Bernard; Cotten, Anne

2014-02-01

To evaluate in a healthy population normal spectroscopic fat content (FC) values of the hip bone marrow and to assess the influence of age and sex on bone marrow conversion. Eighty volunteers (40 men; 40 women; ages: 20-60 years; divided into four consecutive groups) underwent acetabulum, femoral head, femoral neck, greater trochanter, and diaphysis localized (1) H MR spectroscopy. FC values of each anatomical site were obtained according to the following formula: Fat content = CH2 /(CH2  + Water)*100. To assess bone marrow conversion, a spectroscopic conversion index (SCI) was calculated as FC neck/FC greater trochanter. FC values showed a gradient as follows: greater trochanter > femoral head > femoral neck > diaphysis > acetabulum in every age group both in men and in women. SCI increased with age both in men and women, showing lower values in women for every age group. We obtained normal spectroscopic FC values from different areas of the hip, according to age and sex. These values may be used as reference values to evaluate, by the means of (1) H MR spectroscopy, pathological conditions affecting hip bone marrow. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparison of posture and balance in cancer survivors and age-matched controls.

PubMed

Schmitt, Abigail C; Repka, Chris P; Heise, Gary D; Challis, John H; Smith, Jeremy D

2017-12-01

The combination of peripheral neuropathy and other treatment-associated side effects is likely related to an increased incidence of falls in cancer survivors. The purpose of this study was to quantify differences in postural stability between healthy age-matched controls and cancer survivors. Quiet standing under four conditions (eyes open/closed, rigid/compliant surface) was assessed in 34 cancer survivors (2 males, 32 females; age: 54(13) yrs., height: 1.62(0.07) m; mass: 78.5(19.5) kg) and 34 age-matched controls (5 males, 29 females; age: 54(15) yrs.; height: 1.62(0.08) m; mass: 72.8(21.1) kg). Center of pressure data were collected for 30s and the trajectories were analyzed (100Hz). Three-factor (group*surface*vision) mixed model MANOVAs with repeated measures were used to determine the effect of vision and surface on postural steadiness between groups. Cancer survivors exhibited larger mediolateral root-mean square distance and velocity of the center of pressure, as well as increased 95% confidence ellipse area (P<0.01) when compared with their age-matched counterparts. For example, when removing visual input, cancer survivors had an average increase in 95% confidence ellipse area of 91.8mm 2 while standing on a rigid surface compared to a 68.6mm 2 increase for the control group. No frequency-based center of pressure measures differed between groups. Cancer survivors exhibit decreased postural steadiness when compared with age-matched controls. For cancer survivors undergoing rehabilitation focused on existing balance deficits, a small subset of the center of pressure measures presented here can be used to track progress throughout the intervention and potentially mitigate fall risk. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Age, Race, and Sex on Social Cognitive Performance in Individuals With Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Pinkham, Amy E; Kelsven, Skylar; Kouros, Chrystyna; Harvey, Philip D; Penn, David L

2017-05-01

Age, race, and sex are linked to social cognitive performance among healthy individuals, but whether similar effects are evident in schizophrenia is unknown. Data from 170 individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 98 healthy controls were used to examine relations between these demographic factors and performance across multiple domains and measures of social cognition. Sex was not related to performance on any domain, but older age was related to poorer emotion recognition from dynamic stimuli in both patients and controls. In patients, older age was also associated with better abilities to decipher hints. Both Caucasian patients and controls performed better than African American individuals on emotion recognition and mental state attribution tasks that use only Caucasian individuals as visual stimuli. Findings suggest rather limited influences of demographic factors but do demonstrate normative age and race effects among patients. Findings also highlight important methodological considerations for measurement of social cognition.

The Role of Androgens and Estrogens on Healthy Aging and Longevity

PubMed Central

Dillon, E. Lichar; Urban, Randall J.; Sheffield-Moore, Melinda

2012-01-01

Aging is associated with a loss of sex hormone in both men (andropause) and women (menopause). In men, reductions in testosterone can trigger declines in muscle mass, bone mass, and in physical function. In women, the impact of the loss of sex hormones, such as estradiol, on bone is well elucidated, but evidence is limited on whether the loss of estradiol negatively affects muscle mass and physical function. However, deficiencies in multiple anabolic hormones have been shown to predict health status and longevity in older persons. Thus, consideration should be given as to whether targeted hormone replacement therapies may prove effective at treating clinical conditions, such as age-related sarcopenia, cancer cachexia, and/or acute or chronic illnesses. If initiated carefully in the appropriate clinical population, hormone replacement therapies in men and women may prevent and reverse muscle and bone loss and functional declines and perhaps promote healthy aging and longevity. PMID:22451474

Sex differences in performance-matched marathon runners.

PubMed

Helgerud, J; Ingjer, F; Strømme, S B

1990-01-01

Six male and six female runners were chosen on the basis of age (20-30 years) and their performance over the marathon distance (mean time = 199.4, SEM 2.3 min for men and 201.8, SEM 1.8 min for women). The purpose was to find possible sex differences in maximal aerobic power (VO2max), anaerobic threshold, running economy, degree and utilization of VO2max (when running a marathon) and amount of training. The results showed that performance-matched male and female marathon runners had approximately the same VO2max (about 60 ml.kg-1.min-1). For both sexes the anaerobic threshold was reached at an exercise intensity of about 83% of VO2max, or 88%-90% of maximal heart rate. The females' running economy was poorer, i.e. their oxygen uptake during running at a standard submaximal speed was higher (P less than 0.05). The heart rate, respiratory exchange ratio and blood lactate concentration also confirmed that a given running speed resulted in higher physiological strain for the females. The percentage utilization of VO2max at the average marathon running speed was somewhat higher for the females, but the difference was not significant. For both sexes the oxygen uptake at average speed was 93%-94% of the oxygen uptake corresponding to the anaerobic threshold. Answers to a questionnaire showed that the females' training programme over the last 2 months prior to running the actual marathon comprised almost twice as many kilometers of running per week compared to the males (60 and 33 km, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Psychosocial Characteristics of Children with Central Disorders of Hypersomnolence Versus Matched Healthy Children

PubMed Central

Avis, Kristin T.; Shen, Jiabin; Weaver, Patrick; Schwebel, David C.

2015-01-01

Background: Hypersomnia of central origin from narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnia (IHS) is characterized by pathological levels of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). Central hypersomnia has historically been underdiagnosed and poorly understood, especially with respect to its impact on daytime functioning and quality of life in children. Objective: Describe the psychosocial adjustment of children treated for narcolepsy or IHS on school performance, quality of life, and physical/extracurricular activities. Methods: Using a matched case control design, we compared child self- and parent-reported data from thirty-three 8- to 16-year-olds with an established diagnosis of narcolepsy or IHS, according to ICSD-2 criteria, to that of 33 healthy children matched by age, race/ethnicity, gender, and household income. Assessments evaluated academic performance, quality of life and wellness, sleepiness, and participation in extracurricular activities. Results: Compared to healthy controls, children with central hypersomnia had poorer daytime functioning in multiple domains. Children with hypersomnia missed more days of school and had lower grades than healthy controls. Children with hypersomnia had poorer quality of life by both parent and child report. Children with hypersomnia were significantly sleepier, had higher BMI, and were more likely to report a history of recent injury. Finally, children with hypersomnia engaged in fewer after-school activities than healthy controls. Conclusions: A range of significant psychosocial consequences are reported in children with hypersomnia even after a diagnosis has been made and treatments initiated. Health care professionals should be mindful of the psychosocial problems that may present in children with hypersomnia over the course of treatment. Citation: Avis KT, Shen J, Weaver P, Schwebel DC. Psychosocial characteristics of children with central disorders of hypersomnolence versus matched healthy children. J Clin Sleep Med 2015

Healthy Family 2009: Assuring Healthy Aging

MedlinePlus

... Issue Past Issues Healthy Family 2009 Assuring Healthy Aging Past Issues / Winter 2009 Table of Contents For ... please turn Javascript on. 7 Smart Steps to Aging Well 1. Control Blood Pressure You can have ...

Cochlear implantation in patients with autoimmune inner ear disease including cogan syndrome: a comparison with age- and sex-matched controls.

PubMed

Wang, Jenny R; Yuen, Heng W; Shipp, David B; Stewart, Suzanne; Lin, Vincent Y W; Chen, Joseph M; Nedzelski, Julian M

2010-12-01

Evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of patients with autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED) who have undergone cochlear implantation (CI) and compare post-CI performance in AIED to matched controls. Retrospective case control study. Study cohort was comprised of 25 adult implantees (AIED [n = 18], Cogan syndrome [n = 7]). The AIED group was defined by rapidly progressive bilateral sensorineural hearing loss leading to unusable hearing within weeks to months. Patients with Cogan syndrome, the archetypal inner ear autoimmune disease, were also examined and used for within-cohort comparison. Clinical and operative records were reviewed. Post-CI performance was assessed using open-set sentence tests. Age- and sex-matched individuals deafened by other postlingual causes were used as controls. Of 25 patients, 24 had uneventful, full electrode insertions. One AIED patient had partial insertion due to cochlear ossification and did not achieve open-set speech perception post-CI. Mean open-set sentence scores for study patients with uneventful insertions were 92.8%, 97.3%, and 96.4% at 6 months, 1 year, and ≥ 2 years, respectively. Compared to matched controls, patients deafened by autoimmune causes had significantly higher post-CI performance at all postoperative test intervals (P < .05). There was no significant difference in postimplantation performance between Cogan syndrome and AIED patients. To our knowledge this was the largest study of cochlear implantation in AIED and Cogan syndrome patients. In our experience, both groups generally attained high levels of post-CI speech perception and performed above average. Cochlear ossification affecting implantation in Cogan syndrome patients was not observed in our series, contrary to some reports.

Impact of age and gender interaction on circulating endothelial progenitor cells in healthy subjects.

PubMed

Rousseau, Alexandra; Ayoubi, Fida; Deveaux, Christel; Charbit, Beny; Delmau, Catherine; Christin-Maitre, Sophie; Jaillon, Patrice; Uzan, Georges; Simon, Tabassome

2010-02-01

To assess the level of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (CEPC) in cycling women compared with men and menopausal women. Controlled clinical study. Healthy, nonsmoking volunteers. Twelve women, aged 18-40 years, with regular menstrual cycles, 12 menopausal women, and two groups of 12 age-matched men were recruited. Women did not receive any hormone therapy. Collection of 20 mL of peripheral blood. The number of CEPC, defined as (Lin-/7AAD-/CD34+/CD133+/KDR+) cells per 10(6) mononuclear cells (MNC), was measured by flow cytometry. The number of CEPC was significantly higher in cycling women than in age-matched men and menopausal women (26.5 per 10(6) MNC vs. 10.5 per 10(6) MNC vs. 10 per 10(6) MNC, respectively). The number of CEPC was similar in menopausal women, age-matched, and young men. The number of CEPC is influenced by an age-gender interaction. This phenomenon may explain in part the better vascular repair and relative cardiovascular protection in younger women as compared with age-matched men. Copyright 2010 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The computer-based Symbol Digit Modalities Test: establishing age-expected performance in healthy controls and evaluation of pediatric MS patients.

PubMed

Bigi, Sandra; Marrie, R A; Till, C; Yeh, E A; Akbar, N; Feinstein, A; Banwell, B L

2017-04-01

Decreased information processing speed (IPS) is frequently reported in pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The computerized version of the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (c-SDMT) measures IPS over eight consecutive trials per session and additionally captures changes in performance within the session. Here, we establish normative c-SDMT performance and test-retest reliability in healthy children (HC) and explore differences in the overall c-SDMT-performance between HC and MS patients. This cross-sectional study included 478 HC (237 female, 49.5%) divided into five age groups (2 years each), and 27 MS patients (22 female, 81.5%) aged 8-18 years. The average time to complete the c-SDMT increased with age (|r| 0.70, 95% CI -0.74, -0.64). Test-retest reliability was high (ICC = 0.91) in HC. The total time to complete the c-SDMT did not differ between children with MS and sex- and age- matched HC (p = 0.23). However, MS patients were less likely to show faster performance across all the successive eight trials compared to HC (p = 0.0001). Healthy children demonstrate faster IPS with increasing age, as well as during successive trials of the c-SDMT. The inability of pediatric MS patients to maintain the increase in processing speed over successive trials suggests a reduced capacity for procedural learning, possibly resulting from cognitive fatigue.

Aging and memory: corrections for age, sex and education for three widely used memory tests.

PubMed

Zappalà, G; Measso, G; Cavarzeran, F; Grigoletto, F; Lebowitz, B; Pirozzolo, F; Amaducci, L; Massari, D; Crook, T

1995-04-01

The associate learning subtest from the Wechsler Memory Scale; Benton's Visual Retention test and a Controlled Word Association Task (FAS) were administered to a random sample of normal, healthy individuals whose age ranged from 20 to 79 years, recruited within the Italian peninsula. The neuropsychological examination took place on a mobile unit and the tests were given by the same team of neuropsychologists to reduce variability among examiners. The Research Project was known as Progetto Memoria. Corrections to the scores of these tests were calculated for age, sex, and education. These corrected values will allow clinicians to screen for memory impairment with greater precision among normally aging individuals, thus improving differential diagnosis between physiologic and pathologic deterioration of cognitive functions.

How sex and age affect immune responses, susceptibility to infections, and response to vaccination

PubMed Central

Giefing-Kröll, Carmen; Berger, Peter; Lepperdinger, Günter; Grubeck-Loebenstein, Beatrix

2015-01-01

Do men die young and sick, or do women live long and healthy? By trying to explain the sexual dimorphism in life expectancy, both biological and environmental aspects are presently being addressed. Besides age-related changes, both the immune and the endocrine system exhibit significant sex-specific differences. This review deals with the aging immune system and its interplay with sex steroid hormones. Together, they impact on the etiopathology of many infectious diseases, which are still the major causes of morbidity and mortality in people at old age. Among men, susceptibilities toward many infectious diseases and the corresponding mortality rates are higher. Responses to various types of vaccination are often higher among women thereby also mounting stronger humoral responses. Women appear immune-privileged. The major sex steroid hormones exhibit opposing effects on cells of both the adaptive and the innate immune system: estradiol being mainly enhancing, testosterone by and large suppressive. However, levels of sex hormones change with age. At menopause transition, dropping estradiol potentially enhances immunosenescence effects posing postmenopausal women at additional, yet specific risks. Conclusively during aging, interventions, which distinctively consider the changing level of individual hormones, shall provide potent options in maintaining optimal immune functions. PMID:25720438

Hypercapnic evaluation of vascular reactivity in healthy aging and acute stroke via functional MRI.

PubMed

Raut, Ryan V; Nair, Veena A; Sattin, Justin A; Prabhakaran, Vivek

2016-01-01

Functional MRI (fMRI) is well-established for the study of brain function in healthy populations, although its clinical application has proven more challenging. Specifically, cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), which allows the assessment of the vascular response that serves as the basis for fMRI, has been shown to be reduced in healthy aging as well as in a range of diseases, including chronic stroke. However, the timing of when this occurs relative to the stroke event is unclear. We used a breath-hold fMRI task to evaluate CVR across gray matter in a group of acute stroke patients (< 10 days from stroke; N = 22) to address this question. These estimates were compared with those from both age-matched (N = 22) and younger (N = 22) healthy controls. As expected, young controls had the greatest mean CVR, as indicated by magnitude and extent of fMRI activation; however, stroke patients did not differ from age-matched controls. Moreover, the ipsilesional and contralesional hemispheres of stroke patients did not differ with respect to any of these measures. These findings suggest that fMRI remains a valid tool within the first few days of a stroke, particularly for group fMRI studies in which findings are compared with healthy subjects of similar age. However, given the relatively high variability in CVR observed in our stroke sample, caution is warranted when interpreting fMRI data from individual patients or a small cohort. We conclude that a breath-hold task can be a useful addition to functional imaging protocols for stroke patients.

Ultrasound Characteristics of the Achilles Tendon in Tophaceous Gout: A Comparison with Age- and Sex-matched Controls.

PubMed

Carroll, Matthew; Dalbeth, Nicola; Allen, Bruce; Stewart, Sarah; House, Tony; Boocock, Mark; Frampton, Christopher; Rome, Keith

2017-10-01

To investigate the frequency and distribution of characteristics of the Achilles tendon (AT) in people with tophaceous gout using musculoskeletal ultrasound (US). Twenty-four participants with tophaceous gout and 24 age- and sex-matched controls without gout or other arthritis were recruited. All participants underwent a greyscale and power Doppler US examination. The AT was divided into 3 anatomical zones (insertion, pre-insertional, and proximal to the mid-section). The following US characteristics were assessed: tophus, tendon echogenicity, tendon vascularity, tendon morphology, entheseal characteristics, bursal morphology, and calcaneal bone profile. The majority of the participants with tophaceous gout were middle-aged men (n = 22, 92%) predominately of European ethnicity (n = 14, 58%). Tophus deposition was observed in 73% (n = 35) of tendons in those with gout and in none of the controls (p < 0.01). Intratendinous hyperechoic spots (p < 0.01) and intratendinous power Doppler signal (p < 0.01) were more frequent in participants with gout compared to controls. High prevalence of entheseal calcifications, calcaneal bone cortex irregularities, and calcaneal enthesophytes were observed in both gout participants and controls, without differences between groups. Intratendinous structural damage was rare. Hyperechoic spots were significantly more common at the insertion compared to the zone proximal to the mid-section (p < 0.01), but between-zone differences were not observed for other features. US features of urate deposition, tophus, and vascularization are present throughout the AT in patients with tophaceous gout. Despite crystal deposition, intratendinous structural changes are infrequent. Many characteristics observed in the AT in people with tophaceous gout, particularly at the calcaneal enthesis, are not disease-specific.

Age-related collagen turnover of the interstitial matrix and basement membrane: Implications of age- and sex-dependent remodeling of the extracellular matrix.

PubMed

Kehlet, Stephanie N; Willumsen, Nicholas; Armbrecht, Gabriele; Dietzel, Roswitha; Brix, Susanne; Henriksen, Kim; Karsdal, Morten A

2018-01-01

The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a vital role in maintaining normal tissue function. Collagens are major components of the ECM and there is a tight equilibrium between degradation and formation of these proteins ensuring tissue health and homeostasis. As a consequence of tissue turnover, small collagen fragments are released into the circulation, which act as important biomarkers in the study of certain tissue-related remodeling factors in health and disease. The aim of this study was to establish an age-related collagen turnover profile of the main collagens of the interstitial matrix (type I and III collagen) and basement membrane (type IV collagen) in healthy men and women. By using well-characterized competitive ELISA-assays, we assessed specific fragments of degraded (C1M, C3M, C4M) and formed (PINP, Pro-C3, P4NP7S) type I, III and IV collagen in serum from 617 healthy men and women ranging in ages from 22 to 86. Subjects were divided into 5-year age groups according to their sex and age. Groups were compared using Kruskal-Wallis adjusted for Dunn's multiple comparisons test and Mann-Whitney t-test. Age-specific changes in collagen turnover was most profound for type I collagen. PINP levels decreased in men with advancing age, whereas in women, the level decreased in early adulthood followed by an increase around the age of menopause (age 40-60). Sex-specific changes in type I, III and IV collagen turnover was present at the age around menopause (age 40-60) with women having an increased turnover. In summary, collagen turnover is affected by age and sex with the interstitial matrix and the basement membrane being differently regulated. The observed changes needs to be accounted for when measuring ECM related biomarkers in clinical studies.

Relationship between cortisol reactivity to psychosocial stress and declarative memory decline during aging: Impact of age and sex.

PubMed

Dos Santos, Aline Talita; Leyendecker, Dayse Maria D; Costa, Ana Lucia Siqueira; de Souza-Talarico, Juliana Nery

2018-01-01

To analyze the relationship between memory performance and the neuroendocrine and cardiovascular response to acute psychosocial stress in healthy older people, and the sex and age impact in this relationship. We randomly selected 100 literate older adults, without cognitive or functional impairment. The neuroendocrine stress response was evaluated by measuring the concentration of salivary cortisol, whereas cardiovascular reactions were determined based on blood pressure and heart rate measures taken before, during and after participant exposure to an acute psychosocial stressor (the Trier social stress test [TSST]). Memory performance was evaluated by applying the word pairs test before and after the TSST. A significant reduction in the word pair test scores was observed after the TSST, and a negative correlation between cortisol concentration and immediate and delayed recall of the word pair. Cortisol concentration associated with age, sex and education explained memory performance variability before and after the TSST. The results showed that the influence of acute stress on memory performance during aging might vary according to age and sex, highlighting potential differences in the vulnerability of older individuals to the neurotoxic effects of stress exposure on memory and consequently on the development of cognitive disorders. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 169-176. © 2017 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Sex differences and sex hormones in anxiety-like behavior of aging rats.

PubMed

Domonkos, Emese; Borbélyová, Veronika; Csongová, Melinda; Bosý, Martin; Kačmárová, Mária; Ostatníková, Daniela; Hodosy, Július; Celec, Peter

2017-07-01

Sex differences in the prevalence of affective disorders might be attributable to different sex hormone milieu. The effects of short-term sex hormone deficiency on behavior, especially on anxiety have been studied in numerous animal experiments, mainly on young adult rats and mice. However, sex differences in aged animals and the effects of long-term hypogonadism are understudied. The aim of our study was to analyze sex differences in anxiety-like behavior in aged rats and to prove whether they can be attributed to endogenous sex hormone production in males. A battery of tests was performed to assess anxiety-like behavior in aged female, male and gonadectomized male rats castrated before puberty. In addition, the aged gonadectomized male rats were treated with a single injection of estradiol or testosterone or supplemented with estradiol for two-weeks. Female rats displayed a less anxious behavior than male rats in most of the conducted behavioral tests except the light-dark box. Long-term androgen deficiency decreased the sex difference in anxiety either partially (open field, PhenoTyper cage) or completely (elevated plus maze). Neither single injection of sex hormones, nor two-week supplementation of estradiol in gonadectomized aged male rats significantly affected their anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze. In conclusion, our results confirm sex differences in anxiety in aged rats likely mediated by endogenous testosterone production in males. Whether long-term supplementation with exogenous sex hormones could affect anxiety-like behavior in elderly individuals remains to be elucidated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In patients suffering from idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy, anxiety scores are higher than in healthy controls, but do not vary according to sex or repeated central serous chorioretinopathy.

PubMed

Bazzazi, Nooshin; Ahmadpanah, Mohammad; Akbarzadeh, Siamak; Seif Rabiei, Mohammad Ali; Holsboer-Trachsler, Edith; Brand, Serge

2015-01-01

Idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) is a relatively common ophthalmic disorder characterized by the development of a serous detachment of the sensory retina. Psychophysiological factors may trigger or maintain CSCR, though, surprisingly, the association between CSCR and anxiety has yet to be studied. The aims of the present study were threefold: to determine whether 1) Iranian patients with CSCR have higher scores for anxiety, 2) anxiety is lower, if CSCR has been experienced twice, and whether 3) anxiety scores differ between sexes. A total of 30 patients with CSCR and 30 healthy age-and sex-matched controls took part in the study. A brief face-to-face interview was conducted covering demographic variables and history and occurrence of CSCR and assessing anxiety. Compared to healthy controls, anxiety was significantly higher in both first-time and second-time CSCR patients. In CSCR patients, anxiety scores did not differ between sexes. Higher anxiety scores were observed in Iranian patients with CSCR, irrespective of whether this was the first or second occurrence of CSCR. This suggests there is no psychological adaptation in terms of reduced anxiety among patients with repeated CSCR.

In patients suffering from idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy, anxiety scores are higher than in healthy controls, but do not vary according to sex or repeated central serous chorioretinopathy

PubMed Central

Bazzazi, Nooshin; Ahmadpanah, Mohammad; Akbarzadeh, Siamak; Seif Rabiei, Mohammad Ali; Holsboer-Trachsler, Edith; Brand, Serge

2015-01-01

Introduction Idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) is a relatively common ophthalmic disorder characterized by the development of a serous detachment of the sensory retina. Psychophysiological factors may trigger or maintain CSCR, though, surprisingly, the association between CSCR and anxiety has yet to be studied. The aims of the present study were threefold: to determine whether 1) Iranian patients with CSCR have higher scores for anxiety, 2) anxiety is lower, if CSCR has been experienced twice, and whether 3) anxiety scores differ between sexes. Methods A total of 30 patients with CSCR and 30 healthy age-and sex-matched controls took part in the study. A brief face-to-face interview was conducted covering demographic variables and history and occurrence of CSCR and assessing anxiety. Results Compared to healthy controls, anxiety was significantly higher in both first-time and second-time CSCR patients. In CSCR patients, anxiety scores did not differ between sexes. Conclusion Higher anxiety scores were observed in Iranian patients with CSCR, irrespective of whether this was the first or second occurrence of CSCR. This suggests there is no psychological adaptation in terms of reduced anxiety among patients with repeated CSCR. PMID:25995637

Sexual Learning, Sexual Experience, and Healthy Adolescent Sex

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fortenberry, J. Dennis

2014-01-01

This chapter is organized around the question "How do adolescents learn to have healthy sex?" The chapter assumes that sexual learning derives from a broad range of both informal and formal sources that contribute to learning within the context of neurocognitive brain systems that modulate sexual motivations and self-regulation. The…

Age and Sex Differences in Controlled Force Exertion Measured by a Computing Bar Chart Target-Pursuit System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nagasawa, Yoshinori; Demura, Shinichi

2009-01-01

This study aimed to examine the age and sex differences in controlled force exertion measured by the bar chart display in 207 males (age 42.1 [plus or minus] 19.8 years) and 249 females (age 41.7 [plus or minus] 19.1 years) aged 15 to 86 years. The subjects matched their submaximal grip strength to changing demand values, which appeared as a…

Responses of sympathetic nervous system to cold exposure in vibration syndrome subjects and age-matched healthy controls.

PubMed

Nakamoto, M

1990-01-01

Plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine in vibration syndrome subjects and age-matched healthy controls were measured for the purpose of estimating the responsibility of the sympathetic nervous system to cold exposure. In preliminary experiment, it was confirmed that cold air exposure of the whole body was more suitable than one-hand immersion in cold water. In the main experiment, 195 subjects were examined. Sixty-five subjects had vibration syndrome with vibration-induced white finger (VWF + group) and 65 subjects had vibration syndrome without VWF (VWF- group) and 65 controls had no symptoms (control group). In the three groups, plasma norepinephrine levels increased during cold air exposure of whole body at 7 degrees +/- 1.5 degrees C. Blood pressure increased and skin temperature decreased during cold exposure. Percent increase of norepinephrine in the VWF+ group was the highest while that in VWF- group followed and that in the control group was the lowest. This whole-body response of the sympathetic nervous system to cold conditions reflected the VWF which are characteristic symptoms of vibration syndrome. Excluding the effects of shivering and a cold feeling under cold conditions, it was confirmed that the sympathetic nervous system in vibration syndrome is activated more than in the controls. These results suggest that vibration exposure to hand and arm affects the sympathetic nervous system.

A dynamic model of the marriage market-part 1: matching algorithm based on age preference and availability.

PubMed

Matthews, A P; Garenne, M L

2013-09-01

The matching algorithm in a dynamic marriage market model is described in this first of two companion papers. Iterative Proportional Fitting is used to find a marriage function (an age distribution of new marriages for both sexes), in a stable reference population, that is consistent with the one-sex age distributions of new marriages, and includes age preference. The one-sex age distributions (which are the marginals of the two-sex distribution) are based on the Picrate model, and age preference on a normal distribution, both of which may be adjusted by choice of parameter values. For a population that is perturbed from the reference state, the total number of new marriages is found as the harmonic mean of target totals for men and women obtained by applying reference population marriage rates to the perturbed population. The marriage function uses the age preference function, assumed to be the same for the reference and the perturbed populations, to distribute the total number of new marriages. The marriage function also has an availability factor that varies as the population changes with time, where availability depends on the supply of unmarried men and women. To simplify exposition, only first marriage is treated, and the algorithm is illustrated by application to Zambia. In the second paper, remarriage and dissolution are included. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Coupling between skeletal muscle fiber size and capillarization is maintained during healthy aging.

PubMed

Barnouin, Yoann; McPhee, Jamie S; Butler-Browne, Gillian; Bosutti, Alessandra; De Vito, Giuseppe; Jones, David A; Narici, Marco; Behin, Anthony; Hogrel, Jean-Yves; Degens, Hans

2017-08-01

As muscle capillarization is related to the oxidative capacity of the muscle and the size of muscle fibres, capillary rarefaction may contribute to sarcopenia and functional impairment in older adults. Therefore, it is important to assess how ageing affects muscle capillarization and the interrelationship between fibre capillary supply with the oxidative capacity and size of the fibres. Muscle biopsies from healthy recreationally active young (22 years; 14 men and 5 women) and older (74 years; 22 men and 6 women) people were assessed for muscle capillarization and the distribution of capillaries with the method of capillary domains. Oxidative capacity of muscle fibres was assessed with quantitative histochemistry for succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity. There was no significant age-related reduction in muscle fibre oxidative capacity. Despite 18% type II fibre atrophy (P = 0.019) and 23% fewer capillaries per fibre (P < 0.002) in the old people, there was no significant difference in capillary distribution between young and old people, irrespective of sex. The capillary supply to a fibre was primarily determined by fibre size and only to a small extent by oxidative capacity, irrespective of age and sex. Based on SDH, the maximal oxygen consumption supported by a capillary did not differ significantly between young and old people. The similar quantitative and qualitative distribution of capillaries within muscle from healthy recreationally active older people and young adults indicates that the age-related capillary rarefaction, which does occur, nevertheless maintains the coupling between skeletal muscle fibre size and capillarization during healthy ageing. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the Society on Sarcopenia, Cachexia and Wasting Disorders.

Psychosocial Characteristics of Children with Central Disorders of Hypersomnolence Versus Matched Healthy Children.

PubMed

Avis, Kristin T; Shen, Jiabin; Weaver, Patrick; Schwebel, David C

2015-11-15

Hypersomnia of central origin from narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnia (IHS) is characterized by pathological levels of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). Central hypersomnia has historically been underdiagnosed and poorly understood, especially with respect to its impact on daytime functioning and quality of life in children. Describe the psychosocial adjustment of children treated for narcolepsy or IHS on school performance, quality of life, and physical/extracurricular activities. Using a matched case control design, we compared child self- and parent-reported data from thirty-three 8- to 16-year-olds with an established diagnosis of narcolepsy or IHS, according to ICSD-2 criteria, to that of 33 healthy children matched by age, race/ethnicity, gender, and household income. Assessments evaluated academic performance, quality of life and wellness, sleepiness, and participation in extracurricular activities. Compared to healthy controls, children with central hypersomnia had poorer daytime functioning in multiple domains. Children with hypersomnia missed more days of school and had lower grades than healthy controls. Children with hypersomnia had poorer quality of life by both parent and child report. Children with hypersomnia were significantly sleepier, had higher BMI, and were more likely to report a history of recent injury. Finally, children with hypersomnia engaged in fewer after-school activities than healthy controls. A range of significant psychosocial consequences are reported in children with hypersomnia even after a diagnosis has been made and treatments initiated. Health care professionals should be mindful of the psychosocial problems that may present in children with hypersomnia over the course of treatment. © 2015 American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Determining age and sex of American coots

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eddleman, William R.; Knopf, Fritz L.

1985-01-01

Reliable techniques for age and sex determination of migrating and wintering American Coots (Fulica americana) have not been available. Breeding coots can be ages through age 3 by tarsal color (birds 4 years and older were placed in a 4+ age class) (Crawford 1978), and males and females have sex-specific behaviors and calls while on breeding territories (Gullion 1950, 1952). Externally, juvenile coots differ from adults in having gray (as opposed to white) bills and brown (as opposed to red) eyes to an age of 75 days (Gullion 1954-394). Bill color changes to white by about 120 days. No quantitative data have been available, however, on the proportion of juveniles retaining these traits throughout fall and early winter. Nonbreeding coots can be ages as juvenile or adult by internal examination of the thickness of the wall of the bursa of Fabricius, although bursal depth does not predictably decline with age (Fredrickson 1968). Attempts to sex coots by single external measurements of combinations of measurements have met with mixed success. Eight-five percent of 101 fall migrants in Wisconsin could be sexed by the length of the metatarsus-midtoe including claw by using 139.5 mm as a cutoff point (Burton 1959), whereas 88% of 67 coots in California were correctly sexed by the length of the metatarsus-midtoe without claw using 127.5 mm as the cutoff point (Gullion 1952). Two-hundred-thirty-two of 291 coots collected in Iowa, however, were in the zone of overlap between the sexes for this measurement (Fredrickson 1968). Previous studies attempting to develop aging and sexing techniques for American Coots have been limited to a few study sites or to 1 season or year, often failing to take geographical, annual, and seasonal morphological variation into account (e.g., Visser 1976, Fjeldsa 1977). We designed the present study to refine and quantify external and internal age and sex criteria for postbreeding coots, with the objective of defining techniques applicable for all

Working memory in healthy aging and in Parkinson's disease: evidence of interference effects.

PubMed

Di Rosa, Elisa; Pischedda, Doris; Cherubini, Paolo; Mapelli, Daniela; Tamburin, Stefano; Burigo, Michele

2017-05-01

Focusing on relevant information while suppressing the irrelevant one are critical abilities for different cognitive processes. However, their functioning has been scarcely investigated in the working memory (WM) domain, in both healthy and pathological conditions. The present research aimed to study these abilities in aging and Parkinson's disease (PD), testing three groups of healthy participants (young, older and elderly) and one of PD patients, employing a new experimental paradigm. Results showed that the transient storing of irrelevant information in WM causes substantial interference effects, which were remarkable in elderly individuals on both response latency and accuracy. Interestingly, PD patients responded faster and were equally accurate compared to a matched control group. Taken together, findings confirm the existence of similar mechanisms for orienting attention inwards to WM contents or outwards to perceptual stimuli, and suggest the suitability of our task to assess WM functioning in both healthy aging and PD.

Differential effects of age and sex on the cerebellar hemispheres and the vermis: a prospective MR study.

PubMed

Raz, N; Dupuis, J H; Briggs, S D; McGavran, C; Acker, J D

1998-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of age and sex on the size of the cerebellar hemispheres, the cerebellar vermis, and the pons in healthy adults. We estimated the volumes of the cerebellar hemispheres (excluding the vermis and the peduncles), the cross-sectional area of the vermis, and the cross-sectional area of the ventral pons from MR images obtained in 146 healthy volunteers, 18 to 77 years old. We found a mild but significant age-related reduction in the volume of the cerebellar hemispheres and in the total area of the cerebellar vermis; however, the analysis of age trends in the vermian lobules revealed differential age-related declines. The areas of lobules VI and VII and of the posterior vermian lobules (VIII-X) declined significantly with age, whereas the anterior vermis (I-V) showed no significant age-related shrinkage. The volume of the cerebellar hemispheres (especially the right) and the area of the anterior vermis were greater in men, even after adjustment for height. Neither age nor sex affected the area of the ventral pons. Normal aging of the cerebellum is associated with selective regional shrinkage. The cerebellar hemispheres and the area of the anterior vermis may be larger in men than in women regardless of differences in body size.

Age, sex, and performance influence the visuospatial working memory network in childhood.

PubMed

Spencer-Smith, Megan; Ritter, Barbara Catherine; Mürner-Lavanchy, Ines; El-Koussy, Marwan; Steinlin, Maja; Everts, Regula

2013-01-01

This study describes the influence of age, sex, and working memory (WM) performance on the visuospatial WM network. Thirty-nine healthy children (7-12 years) completed a dot location functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) task. Percent signal change measured the intensity and laterality indices measured the asymmetry of activation in frontal and parietal brain regions. Old children showed greater intensity of activation in parietal regions than young children but no differences in lateralization were observed. Intensity of activation was similar across sex and WM performance groups. Girls and high WM performers showed more right-sided lateralization of parietal regions than boys and low WM performers.

ALTERATIONS OF PROPERTIES OF RED BLOOD CELLS MEMBRANES PROTEINS OF DIFFERENT AGE AND SEX VOLUNTEERS.

PubMed

Pruidze, N; Khetsuriani, R; Sujashvili, R; Ioramashvili, I; Arabuli, M; Sanikidze, T

2015-01-01

Considering the age and sex-dependent trend in the manifestation of various diseases, as well as an important pathogenic role of circulatory disorders, we decided to study the age-dependent changes in the physical properties of RBCs membrane proteins (their electric charge and molecular weight) in healthy people of different sex (males and females) and age. Blood of 56 healthy volunteers (Tbilisi, Georgia) of different sex and gender was studied (the patients were divided in 8 groups (7 patients in each groups): 1 - 18-25 years old male, 2 - 18-25 years old female, 3 - 25-44 years old male, 4 - 25-44 years old female, 5 - 44-60 years old male, 6 - 44-60 years old female; 7 - 60-80 years old male, 8 - 70-80 years old female). In groups 6 and 8 were women in menopause was determined according 12 months of amenorrhea. Individuals often consume alcohol addicts, pregnant women and patients with chronic diseases were excluded from the study. The study protocol was approved by Ethical Committee of the Tbilisi State Medical University. RBCs membrane proteins have been extracted from human heparinized blood and their mobility was studied by electrophoretic method. The electrophoretic mobility of RBCs membrane proteins decreases with age of healthy volunteers, that indicates decrease of total charge of proteins, depending on the electrically charged amino acids content. In female patients the electrophoretic mobility of the RBCs membrane proteins especially intensively decreases in period of menopause. Increase of molecular weight of proteins (100-200 kDa) from RBCs' membranes of alder age group was manifested. Intensively decrease electrophoretic mobility of erythrocytes membrane proteins from female patients in period of menopause indicates on estrogen related mechanism of the regulation of membrane protein conformation and composition in females. Increased content of high molecular weight proteins in the RBCs membranes from patients of older age groups may be caused to

Microarray-Based Comparative Genomic Hybridization Using Sex-Matched Reference DNA Provides Greater Sensitivity for Detection of Sex Chromosome Imbalances than Array-Comparative Genomic Hybridization with Sex-Mismatched Reference DNA

PubMed Central

Yatsenko, Svetlana A.; Shaw, Chad A.; Ou, Zhishuo; Pursley, Amber N.; Patel, Ankita; Bi, Weimin; Cheung, Sau Wai; Lupski, James R.; Chinault, A. Craig; Beaudet, Arthur L.

2009-01-01

In array-comparative genomic hybridization (array-CGH) experiments, the measurement of DNA copy number of sex chromosomal regions depends on the sex of the patient and the reference DNAs used. We evaluated the ability of bacterial artificial chromosomes/P1-derived artificial and oligonucleotide array-CGH analyses to detect constitutional sex chromosome imbalances using sex-mismatched reference DNAs. Twenty-two samples with imbalances involving either the X or Y chromosome, including deletions, duplications, triplications, derivative or isodicentric chromosomes, and aneuploidy, were analyzed. Although concordant results were obtained for approximately one-half of the samples when using sex-mismatched and sex-matched reference DNAs, array-CGH analyses with sex-mismatched reference DNAs did not detect genomic imbalances that were detected using sex-matched reference DNAs in 6 of 22 patients. Small duplications and deletions of the X chromosome were most difficult to detect in female and male patients, respectively, when sex-mismatched reference DNAs were used. Sex-matched reference DNAs in array-CGH analyses provides optimal sensitivity and enables an automated statistical evaluation for the detection of sex chromosome imbalances when compared with an experimental design using sex-mismatched reference DNAs. Using sex-mismatched reference DNAs in array-CGH analyses may generate false-negative, false-positive, and ambiguous results for sex chromosome-specific probes, thus masking potential pathogenic genomic imbalances. Therefore, to optimize both detection of clinically relevant sex chromosome imbalances and ensure proper experimental performance, we suggest that alternative internal controls be developed and used instead of using sex-mismatched reference DNAs. PMID:19324990

Entamoeba histolytica Infection in Female Sex Workers: A Matched Case-Control Study in Durango, Mexico.

PubMed

Alvarado-Esquivel, Cosme; Sanchez-Anguiano, Luis Francisco; Hernandez-Tinoco, Jesus; Estrada-Martinez, Sergio; Perez-Alamos, Alma Rosa; Ramos-Nevarez, Agar; Cerrillo-Soto, Sandra Margarita; Guido-Arreola, Carlos Alberto

2017-07-01

Infection with Entamoeba histolytica ( E. histolytica ) can be potentially transmitted by sexual contact. The seroepidemiology of E. histolytica in female sex workers has not been studied. The aim of the study was to determine whether E. histolytica is associated with the occupation of female sex work. In addition, the correlates of E. histolytica seroprevalence in female sex workers were also investigated. We performed an age- and gender-matched case-control study of 187 female sex workers and 374 women without sex work. Cases and controls were tested for the presence of E. histolytica IgG antibodies using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunoassay. Seroprevalence association with the characteristics of female sex workers was determined by bivariate analysis. Anti- E. histolytica IgG antibodies were found in five (2.7%) of 187 female sex workers and in 16 (4.3%) of 374 controls (odds ratios (OR) = 0.61; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.22 - 1.70; P = 0.34). Mean optical density of the immunoassay in seropositive cases and controls was 1.35 ± 0.93 and 0.73 ± 0.45, respectively (P = 0.05). Seroprevalence of E. histolytica infection did not vary significantly with age, education, socioeconomic level, or health status of sex workers. Seropositivity to E. histolytica did not correlate with work characteristics such as duration in the occupation, condom use, type of sex, or a history of sexually transmitted diseases, or with behavioral variables such as washing hands before eating, or consumption of untreated water. Results indicate that female sex workers do not have an increased risk for E. histolytica infection in Durango City, Mexico. Further studies to determine the risk of infection with E. histolytica by sexual contact should be conducted.

Entamoeba histolytica Infection in Female Sex Workers: A Matched Case-Control Study in Durango, Mexico

PubMed Central

Alvarado-Esquivel, Cosme; Sanchez-Anguiano, Luis Francisco; Hernandez-Tinoco, Jesus; Estrada-Martinez, Sergio; Perez-Alamos, Alma Rosa; Ramos-Nevarez, Agar; Cerrillo-Soto, Sandra Margarita; Guido-Arreola, Carlos Alberto

2017-01-01

Background Infection with Entamoeba histolytica (E. histolytica) can be potentially transmitted by sexual contact. The seroepidemiology of E. histolytica in female sex workers has not been studied. The aim of the study was to determine whether E. histolytica is associated with the occupation of female sex work. In addition, the correlates of E. histolytica seroprevalence in female sex workers were also investigated. Methods We performed an age- and gender-matched case-control study of 187 female sex workers and 374 women without sex work. Cases and controls were tested for the presence of E. histolytica IgG antibodies using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunoassay. Seroprevalence association with the characteristics of female sex workers was determined by bivariate analysis. Results Anti-E. histolytica IgG antibodies were found in five (2.7%) of 187 female sex workers and in 16 (4.3%) of 374 controls (odds ratios (OR) = 0.61; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.22 - 1.70; P = 0.34). Mean optical density of the immunoassay in seropositive cases and controls was 1.35 ± 0.93 and 0.73 ± 0.45, respectively (P = 0.05). Seroprevalence of E. histolytica infection did not vary significantly with age, education, socioeconomic level, or health status of sex workers. Seropositivity to E. histolytica did not correlate with work characteristics such as duration in the occupation, condom use, type of sex, or a history of sexually transmitted diseases, or with behavioral variables such as washing hands before eating, or consumption of untreated water. Conclusions Results indicate that female sex workers do not have an increased risk for E. histolytica infection in Durango City, Mexico. Further studies to determine the risk of infection with E. histolytica by sexual contact should be conducted. PMID:28611864

A proposed panel of biomarkers of healthy ageing.

PubMed

Lara, Jose; Cooper, Rachel; Nissan, Jack; Ginty, Annie T; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Deary, Ian J; Lord, Janet M; Kuh, Diana; Mathers, John C

2015-09-15

There is no criterion reference for assessing healthy ageing and this creates difficulties when conducting and comparing research on ageing across studies. A cardinal feature of ageing is loss of function which translates into wide-ranging consequences for the individual and for family, carers and society. We undertook comprehensive reviews of the literature searching for biomarkers of ageing on five ageing-related domains including physical capability and cognitive, physiological and musculoskeletal, endocrine and immune functions. Where available, we used existing systematic reviews, meta-analyses and other authoritative reports such as the recently launched NIH Toolbox for assessment of neurological and behavioural function, which includes test batteries for cognitive and motor function (the latter described here as physical capability). We invited international experts to comment on our draft recommendations. In addition, we hosted an experts workshop in Newcastle, UK, on 22-23 October 2012, aiming to help capture the state-of-the-art in this complex area and to provide an opportunity for the wider ageing research community to critique the proposed panel of biomarkers. Here we have identified important biomarkers of healthy ageing classified as subdomains of the main areas proposed. Cardiovascular and lung function, glucose metabolism and musculoskeletal function are key subdomains of physiological function. Strength, locomotion, balance and dexterity are key physical capability subdomains. Memory, processing speed and executive function emerged as key subdomains of cognitive function. Markers of the HPA-axis, sex hormones and growth hormones were important biomarkers of endocrine function. Finally, inflammatory factors were identified as important biomarkers of immune function. We present recommendations for a panel of biomarkers that address these major areas of function which decline during ageing. This biomarker panel may have utility in epidemiological

Amygdala subnuclei resting-state functional connectivity sex and estrogen differences.

PubMed

Engman, Jonas; Linnman, Clas; Van Dijk, Koene R A; Milad, Mohammed R

2016-01-01

The amygdala is a hub in emotional processing, including that of negative affect. Healthy men and women have distinct differences in amygdala responses, potentially setting the stage for the observed sex differences in the prevalence of fear, anxiety, and pain disorders. Here, we examined how amygdala subnuclei resting-state functional connectivity is affected by sex, as well as explored how the functional connectivity is related to estrogen levels. Resting-state functional connectivity was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with seeds placed in the left and right laterobasal (LB) and centromedial (CM) amygdala. Sex differences were studied in 48 healthy men and 48 healthy women, matched for age, while the association with estrogen was analyzed in a subsample of 24 women, for whom hormone levels had been assessed. For the hormone analyses, the subsample was further divided into a lower and higher estrogen levels group based on a median split. We found distinct sex differences in the LB and CM amygdala resting-state functional connectivity, as well as preliminary evidence for an association between estrogen levels and connectivity patterns. These results are potentially valuable in explaining why women are more afflicted by conditions of negative affect than are men, and could imply a mechanistic role for estrogen in modulating emotion. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cardiovascular function is better in veteran football players than age-matched untrained elderly healthy men.

PubMed

Schmidt, J F; Andersen, T R; Andersen, L J; Randers, M B; Hornstrup, T; Hansen, P R; Bangsbo, J; Krustrup, P

2015-02-01

The aim of the study was to determine whether lifelong football training may improve cardiovascular function, physical fitness, and body composition. Our subjects were 17 male veteran football players (VPG; 68.1 ± 2.1 years) and 26 healthy age-matched untrained men who served as a control group (CG; 68.2 ± 3.2 years). Examinations included measurements of cardiac function, microvascular endothelial function [reactive hyperemic index (RHI)], maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max), and body composition. In VPG, left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic volume was 20% larger (P < 0.01) and LV ejection fraction was higher (P < 0.001). Tissue Doppler imaging revealed an augmented LV longitudinal displacement, i.e., LV shortening of 21% (P < 0.001) and longitudinal 2D strain was 12% higher (P < 0.05), in VPG. In VPG, resting heart rate was lower (6 bpm, P < 0.05), and VO2max was higher (18%, P < 0.05). In addition, RHI was 21% higher (P < 0.05) in VPG. VPG also had lower body mass index (P < 0.05), body fat percentage, total body fat mass, android fat percentage, and gynoid fat percentage (all P < 0.01). Lifelong participation in football training is associated with better LV systolic function, physical fitness, microvascular function, and a healthier body composition. Overall, VPG have better cardiovascular function compared with CG, which may reduce their cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Age-related structural alterations in human skeletal muscle fibers and mitochondria are sex specific: relationship to single-fiber function.

PubMed

Callahan, Damien M; Bedrin, Nicholas G; Subramanian, Meenakumari; Berking, James; Ades, Philip A; Toth, Michael J; Miller, Mark S

2014-06-15

Age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and function is implicated in the development of disease and physical disability. However, little is known about how age affects skeletal muscle structure at the cellular and ultrastructural levels or how such alterations impact function. Thus we examined skeletal muscle structure at the tissue, cellular, and myofibrillar levels in young (21-35 yr) and older (65-75 yr) male and female volunteers, matched for habitual physical activity level. Older adults had smaller whole muscle tissue cross-sectional areas (CSAs) and mass. At the cellular level, older adults had reduced CSAs in myosin heavy chain II (MHC II) fibers, with no differences in MHC I fibers. In MHC II fibers, older men tended to have fewer fibers with large CSAs, while older women showed reduced fiber size across the CSA range. Older adults showed a decrease in intermyofibrillar mitochondrial size; however, the age effect was driven primarily by women (i.e., age by sex interaction effect). Mitochondrial size was inversely and directly related to isometric tension and myosin-actin cross-bridge kinetics, respectively. Notably, there were no intermyofibrillar or subsarcolemmal mitochondrial fractional content or myofilament ultrastructural differences in the activity-matched young and older adults. Collectively, our results indicate age-related reductions in whole muscle size do not vary by sex. However, age-related structural alterations at the cellular and subcellular levels are different between the sexes and may contribute to different functional phenotypes in ways that modulate sex-specific reductions in physical capacity with age. Copyright © 2014 the American Physiological Society.

Chemosensory event-related potentials in relation to side of stimulation, age, sex, and stimulus concentration.

PubMed

Stuck, B A; Frey, S; Freiburg, C; Hörmann, K; Zahnert, T; Hummel, T

2006-06-01

For chemosensory event-related potentials (ERP) significant effects of age and sex have been demonstrated. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of stimulus concentration, side of stimulation, and sex on the topographical distribution of chemosensory ERP in a large group of subjects stratified for different age groups. In addition, psychophysical measures of both olfactory and trigeminal function should be assessed in greater detail compared to previous work. A total of 95 healthy subjects participated in the study. Olfactory functions were tested using the 'Sniffin' Sticks' comprising tests of odor identification, odor discrimination, and odor threshold. Trigeminal sensitivity was assessed on a psychophysical level using a lateralization paradigm. ERP to the olfactory stimulant H2S and the trigeminal irritant CO2 were recorded; stimuli were presented in different concentrations to the left and right nostril. Olfactory thresholds exhibited an age-related increase while the outcome of psychophysical trigeminal tests was not significantly affected by age. In contrast, there was no significant main effect of the factor 'sex' for olfactory tests, while women scored higher than men in the trigeminal task. ERP to olfactory and trigeminal stimuli exhibited a relationship to stimulus concentration, age, and sex with youngest women showing largest amplitudes and shortest latencies. There was no significant main effect of left- or right-sided stimulation on ERP. Measures of olfactory function were found to correlate with parameters of olfactory ERP even when controlling for the subject's age. In addition, correlations between scores in the lateralization task and parameters of the trigeminal ERP were found. Based on electrophysiological data obtained in a large sample size the present results established an age-related loss of olfactory and trigeminal function, which appears to be almost linear. Further, the present results emphasize that responses to

Adult height, dietary patterns, and healthy aging.

PubMed

Ma, Wenjie; Hagan, Kaitlin A; Heianza, Yoriko; Sun, Qi; Rimm, Eric B; Qi, Lu

2017-08-01

Background: Adult height has shown directionally diverse associations with several age-related disorders, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, decline in cognitive function, and mortality. Objective: We investigated the associations of adult height with healthy aging measured by a full spectrum of health outcomes, including incidence of chronic diseases, memory, physical functioning, and mental health, among populations who have survived to older age, and whether lifestyle factors modified such relations. Design: We included 52,135 women (mean age: 44.2 y) from the Nurses' Health Study without chronic diseases in 1980 and whose health status was available in 2012. Healthy aging was defined as being free of 11 major chronic diseases and having no reported impairment of subjective memory, physical impairment, or mental health limitations. Results: Of all eligible study participants, 6877 (13.2%) were classified as healthy agers. After adjustment for demographic and lifestyle factors, we observed an 8% (95% CI: 6%, 11%) decrease in the odds of healthy aging per SD (0.062 m) increase in height. Compared with the lowest category of height (≤1.57 m), the OR of achieving healthy aging in the highest category (≥1.70 m) was 0.80 (95% CI: 0.73, 0.87; P -trend < 0.001). In addition, we found a significant interaction of height with a prudent dietary pattern in relation to healthy aging ( P -interaction = 0.005), and among the individual dietary factors characterizing the prudent dietary pattern, fruit and vegetable intake showed the strongest effect modification ( P -interaction = 0.01). The association of greater height with reduced odds of healthy aging appeared to be more evident among women with higher adherence to the prudent dietary pattern rich in vegetable and fruit intake. Conclusions: Greater height was associated with a modest decrease in the likelihood of healthy aging. A prudent diet rich in fruit and vegetables might modify the relation. © 2017

Measuring trends in age at first sex and age at marriage in Manicaland, Zimbabwe.

PubMed

Cremin, I; Mushati, P; Hallett, T; Mupambireyi, Z; Nyamukapa, C; Garnett, G P; Gregson, S

2009-04-01

To identify reporting biases and to determine the influence of inconsistent reporting on observed trends in the timing of age at first sex and age at marriage. Longitudinal data from three rounds of a population-based cohort in eastern Zimbabwe were analysed. Reports of age at first sex and age at marriage from 6837 individuals attending multiple rounds were classified according to consistency. Survival analysis was used to identify trends in the timing of first sex and marriage. In this population, women initiate sex and enter marriage at younger ages than men but spend much less time between first sex and marriage. Among those surveyed between 1998 and 2005, median ages at first sex and first marriage were 18.5 years and 21.4 years for men and 18.2 years and 18.5 years, respectively, for women aged 15-54 years. High levels of reports of both age at first sex and age at marriage among those attending multiple surveys were found to be unreliable. Excluding reports identified as unreliable from these analyses did not alter the observed trends in either age at first sex or age at marriage. Tracing birth cohorts as they aged revealed reporting biases, particularly among the youngest cohorts. Comparisons by birth cohorts, which span a period of >40 years, indicate that median age at first sex has remained constant over time for women but has declined gradually for men. Although many reports of age at first sex and age at marriage were found to be unreliable, inclusion of such reports did not result in artificial generation or suppression of trends.

Age- and Sex-associated Differences in Phenotypic and Functional Characteristics of Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes in Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).

PubMed

Nehete, Pramod N; Magden, Elizabeth R; Nehete, Bharti P; Williams, Lawrence E; Abee, Christian R; Sastry, K Jagannadha

2017-09-01

Chimpanzees are the closest phylogenetic relatives to humans, sharing more than 98% genetic sequence identity. These genetic similarities prompted the belief that chimpanzees can serve as an ideal model for human disease conditions and vaccine development. However, in light of the recent NIH decision to phase out biomedical research in chimpanzees and retire NIH-supported chimpanzees, data from the present study will continue to provide value for the care of aged and sick chimpanzees located in zoos, sanctuaries, and primate centers. Surprisingly little information has been published regarding the normal chimpanzee immune system, and most extant studies have been based on small numbers of animals. In the current study, we provide a better understanding of the chimpanzee immune system with regard to age and sex. We examined immune parameters of chimpanzees (n = 94; 51 female, 43 male; age, 6 to 47 y) by using flow cytometry, immune function analysis, and cytokine analysis. Because lymphocytes are key mediators of cellular immune responses, particularly to intracellular pathogens such as viruses, we surveyed the phenotypic and functional attributes of T and B lymphocytes in this healthy and age-stratified population of chimpanzees. We noted a significantly higher percentage of CD16+T cells in male compared with female chimpanzees but no significant changes in percentages of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, or CD4+CD8+ T cells with age or sex. In addition, aging was associated with decreased proliferative responses to mitogens in both sexes. Sex-specific differences also were present in the percentage of NK cells but not in their cytotoxic activity and in circulating cytokine levels in plasma. Going forward, the data presented here regarding immune cell changes associated with aging in healthy chimpanzees will serve to enhance the care of geriatric and ill animals.

Measuring the effects of aging and sex on regional brain stiffness with MR elastography in healthy older adults

PubMed Central

Arani, Arvin; Murphy, Matthew C; Glaser, Kevin J; Manduca, Armando; Lake, David S; Kruse, Scott; Jack, Clifford R; Ehman, Richard; Huston, John

2015-01-01

Changes in tissue composition and cellular architecture have been associated with neurological disease, and these in turn can affect biomechanical properties. Natural biological factors such as aging and an individual’s sex also affect underlying tissue biomechanics in different brain regions. Understanding the normal changes is necessary before determining the efficacy of stiffness imaging for neurological disease diagnosis and therapy monitoring. The objective of this study was to evaluate global and regional changes in brain stiffness as a function of age and sex, using improved MRE acquisition and processing that has been shown to provide median stiffness values that are typically reproducible to within 1% in global measurements and within 2% for regional measurements. Furthermore, this is the first study to report the effects of age and sex over the entire cerebrum volume and over the full frontal, occipital, parietal, temporal, deep gray matter/white matter (insula, deep gray nuclei and white matter tracts), and cerebellum volumes. In 45 volunteers, we observed a significant linear correlation between age and brain stiffness in the cerebrum (P<.0001), frontal lobes (P<.0001), occipital lobes (P=.0005), parietal lobes (P=.0002), and the temporal lobes (P<.0001) of the brain. No significant linear correlation between brain stiffness and age was observed in the cerebellum (P=.74), and the sensory-motor regions (P=.32) of the brain, and a weak linear trend was observed in the deep gray matter/white matter (P=.075). A multiple linear regression model predicted an annual decline of 0.011±0.002 kPa in cerebrum stiffness with a theoretical median age value (76 years old) of 2.56±0.08 kPa. Sexual dimorphism was observed in the temporal (P=.03) and occipital (P=.001) lobes of the brain, but no significant difference was observed in any of the other brain regions (P>.20 for all other regions). The model predicted female occipital and temporal lobes to be 0.23 k

Relationship of Echocardiographic Z Scores Adjusted for Body Surface Area to Age, Sex, Race, and Ethnicity: The Pediatric Heart Network Normal Echocardiogram Database.

PubMed

Lopez, Leo; Colan, Steven; Stylianou, Mario; Granger, Suzanne; Trachtenberg, Felicia; Frommelt, Peter; Pearson, Gail; Camarda, Joseph; Cnota, James; Cohen, Meryl; Dragulescu, Andreea; Frommelt, Michele; Garuba, Olukayode; Johnson, Tiffanie; Lai, Wyman; Mahgerefteh, Joseph; Pignatelli, Ricardo; Prakash, Ashwin; Sachdeva, Ritu; Soriano, Brian; Soslow, Jonathan; Spurney, Christopher; Srivastava, Shubhika; Taylor, Carolyn; Thankavel, Poonam; van der Velde, Mary; Minich, LuAnn

2017-11-01

Published nomograms of pediatric echocardiographic measurements are limited by insufficient sample size to assess the effects of age, sex, race, and ethnicity. Variable methodologies have resulted in a wide range of Z scores for a single measurement. This multicenter study sought to determine Z scores for common measurements adjusted for body surface area (BSA) and stratified by age, sex, race, and ethnicity. Data collected from healthy nonobese children ≤18 years of age at 19 centers with a normal echocardiogram included age, sex, race, ethnicity, height, weight, echocardiographic images, and measurements performed at the Core Laboratory. Z score models involved indexed parameters (X/BSA α ) that were normally distributed without residual dependence on BSA. The models were tested for the effects of age, sex, race, and ethnicity. Raw measurements from models with and without these effects were compared, and <5% difference was considered clinically insignificant because interobserver variability for echocardiographic measurements are reported as ≥5% difference. Of the 3566 subjects, 90% had measurable images. Appropriate BSA transformations (BSA α ) were selected for each measurement. Multivariable regression revealed statistically significant effects by age, sex, race, and ethnicity for all outcomes, but all effects were clinically insignificant based on comparisons of models with and without the effects, resulting in Z scores independent of age, sex, race, and ethnicity for each measurement. Echocardiographic Z scores based on BSA were derived from a large, diverse, and healthy North American population. Age, sex, race, and ethnicity have small effects on the Z scores that are statistically significant but not clinically important. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Impact of age and sex on normal left heart structure and function.

PubMed

Hagström, Linn; Henein, Michael Y; Karp, Kjell; Waldenström, Anders; Lindqvist, Per

2017-11-01

Accurate age- and sex-related normal reference values of ventricular structure and function are important to determine the level of dysfunction in patients. The aim of this study therefore was to document normal age range sex-related measurements of LV structural and functional measurements to serve such purpose. We evaluated left ventricular structure and function in 293 healthy subjects between 20 and 90 years with equally distributed gender. Doppler echocardiography was used including measure of both systolic and diastolic functions. Due to systolic LV function, only long axis function correlated with age (r = 0·55, P<0·01) and the correlation was stronger in females. Concerning diastolic function, there was a strong age correlation in all parameters used (r = 0·40-0·74, P<0·001). Due to LV structural changes over age, females showed a larger reduction in end-diastolic volumes, but no or trivial difference in wall thickness after the age of 60 years. Age is associated with significant normal changes in left ventricular structure and function, which should be considered when deciding on normality. These changes are related to systemic arterial changes as well as body stature, thus reflecting overall body ageing process. Furthermore, normal cardiac ageing in females might partly explain the higher prevalence of heart failure with preserved ejection in females. © 2016 Scandinavian Society of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Salt preference: age and sex related variability.

PubMed

Verma, Punam; Mittal, Sunita; Ghildiyal, Archana; Chaudhary, Lalita; Mahajan, K K

2007-01-01

Salt preference was assessed in 60 adults of 18-21 yrs of age (30 males and 30 females) and in 60 children of 7-12 yrs of age (30 boys and 30 girls). Subjects rated the preference on Likert scale for popcorns of five salt concentrations (OM, 1M, 2M, 3M and +3M). Statistical analysis using Two way ANOVA revealed statistically significant effect of age and sex on salt preference (F4,100 = 15.027, P < 0.01) and One Way ANOVA revealed statistically significant sex difference in salt preference of adults (F4,50 = 16.26, P < 0.01) but no statistically significant sex difference in salt preference of children (F4,50 = 4.08, P > 0.05). Dietary experiences during development and more physical activity in children may be responsible for higher salt preference in children while finding no sex variability in children favours the role of sex hormones in salt preference of male and females.

Neck Circumference as a Predictor of Adiposity among Healthy and Obese Children

PubMed Central

Hassan, Nayera E.; Atef, Abeer; El-Masry, Sahar A.; Ibrahim, Amany; Shady, Mones M. Abu; Al-Tohamy, Muhammad; Kamel, Iman H.; Elashry, Galal Ismail Ahmed

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Obesity, particularly in the upper part of body, is a major health problem. Because body mass index (BMI) does not adequately describe regional adiposity, other indices of body fatness are being explored. OBJECTIVES: To determine if neck circumference is a valid measure of adiposity (fat distribution) among group of Egyptian children. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This is a cross sectional study, included 50 obese subjects, aged 7 - 12 years recruited from Endocrine, obesity and Metabolism Pediatric Unit at Children Hospital, Cairo University and 50 healthy children, age and sex matched. All children were subjected to blood pressure assessment (systolic SBP and diastolic DBP), and anthropometric assessment (body weight, height, neck circumference (NC), waist (WC) and hip (HC) circumferences, and skin fold thicknesses at three sites: biceps, triceps and sub scapular. BMI [weight (kg)/height (m2)] was calculated. RESULTS: In healthy females, significant associations were detected between NC and SBP, DBP and all anthropometric measurements. However, in healthy males NC was not significantly associated with BMI, SBP and DBP. In the obese group; both sexes; insignificant association was found between NC and SBP, DBP, BMI and skinfold thickness. CONCLUSION: NC is related to fat distribution among normal healthy female children. However, this relation disappears with increasing adiposity. The results do not support the use of NC as a useful screening tool for childhood obesity. PMID:27275287

Sex differences in objective measures of sleep in post-traumatic stress disorder and healthy control subjects.

PubMed

Richards, Anne; Metzler, Thomas J; Ruoff, Leslie M; Inslicht, Sabra S; Rao, Madhu; Talbot, Lisa S; Neylan, Thomas C

2013-12-01

A growing literature shows prominent sex effects for risk for post-traumatic stress disorder and associated medical comorbid burden. Previous research indicates that post-traumatic stress disorder is associated with reduced slow wave sleep, which may have implications for overall health, and abnormalities in rapid eye movement sleep, which have been implicated in specific post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, but most research has been conducted in male subjects. We therefore sought to compare objective measures of sleep in male and female post-traumatic stress disorder subjects with age- and sex-matched control subjects. We used a cross-sectional, 2 × 2 design (post-traumatic stress disorder/control × female/male) involving83 medically healthy, non-medicated adults aged 19-39 years in the inpatient sleep laboratory. Visual electroencephalographic analysis demonstrated that post-traumatic stress disorder was associated with lower slow wave sleep duration (F(3,82)  = 7.63, P = 0.007) and slow wave sleep percentage (F(3,82)  = 6.11, P = 0.016). There was also a group × sex interaction effect for rapid eye movement sleep duration (F(3,82)  = 4.08, P = 0.047) and rapid eye movement sleep percentage (F(3,82)  = 4.30, P = 0.041), explained by greater rapid eye movement sleep in post-traumatic stress disorder females compared to control females, a difference not seen in male subjects. Quantitative electroencephalography analysis demonstrated that post-traumatic stress disorder was associated with lower energy in the delta spectrum (F(3,82)  = 6.79, P = 0.011) in non-rapid eye movement sleep. Slow wave sleep and delta findings were more pronounced in males. Removal of post-traumatic stress disorder subjects with comorbid major depressive disorder, who had greater post-traumatic stress disorder severity, strengthened delta effects but reduced rapid eye movement effects to non-significance. These findings support previous evidence that post

Corneal Expression of SLURP-1 by Age, Sex, Genetic Strain, and Ocular Surface Health

PubMed Central

Swamynathan, Sudha; Delp, Emili E.; Harvey, Stephen A. K.; Loughner, Chelsea L.; Raju, Leela; Swamynathan, Shivalingappa K.

2015-01-01

Purpose Although secreted Ly6/urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor–related protein-1 (Slurp1) transcript is highly abundant in the mouse cornea, corresponding protein expression remains uncharacterized. Also, SLURP1 was undetected in previous tear proteomics studies, resulting in ambiguity about its baseline levels. Here, we examine mouse corneal Slurp1 expression in different sexes, age groups, strains, and health conditions, and quantify SLURP1 in human tears from healthy or inflamed ocular surfaces. Methods Expression of Slurp1 in embryonic day-13 (E13), E16, postnatal day-1 (PN1), PN10, PN20, and PN70 Balb/C, FVBN, C57Bl/6, and DBA/2J mouse corneas, Klf4Δ/ΔCE corneas with corneal epithelial–specific ablation of Klf4, migrating cells in wild-type corneal epithelial wound edge, and in corneas exposed to pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) poly(I:C), zymosan-A, or Pam3Csk4 was examined by QPCR, immunoblots, and immunofluorescent staining. Human SLURP1 levels were quantified by ELISA in tears from 34 men and women aged 18 to 80 years. Results Expression of Slurp1, comparable in different strains and sexes, was low in E13, E16, PN1, and PN10 mouse corneas, and increased rapidly after eyelid opening in a Klf4-dependent manner. We found Slurp1 was downregulated in corneas exposed to PAMPs, and in migrating cells at the wound edge. Human SLURP1 expression, comparable in different sexes and age groups, was significantly decreased in tears from inflamed ocular surfaces (0.34%) than those from healthy individuals (0.77%). Conclusions These data describe the influence of age, sex, genetic background, and ocular surface health on mouse corneal expression of Slurp1, establish the baseline for human tear SLURP1 expression, and identify SLURP1 as a useful diagnostic and/or therapeutic target for inflammatory ocular surface disorders. PMID:26670825

From swing to cane: Sex differences of EEG resting-state temporal patterns during maturation and aging.

PubMed

Tomescu, M I; Rihs, T A; Rochas, V; Hardmeier, M; Britz, J; Allali, G; Fuhr, P; Eliez, S; Michel, C M

2018-06-01

While many insights on brain development and aging have been gained by studying resting-state networks with fMRI, relating these changes to cognitive functions is limited by the temporal resolution of fMRI. In order to better grasp short-lasting and dynamically changing mental activities, an increasing number of studies utilize EEG to define resting-state networks, thereby often using the concept of EEG microstates. These are brief (around 100 ms) periods of stable scalp potential fields that are influenced by cognitive states and are sensitive to neuropsychiatric diseases. Despite the rising popularity of the EEG microstate approach, information about age changes is sparse and nothing is known about sex differences. Here we investigated age and sex related changes of the temporal dynamics of EEG microstates in 179 healthy individuals (6-87 years old, 90 females, 204-channel EEG). We show strong sex-specific changes in microstate dynamics during adolescence as well as at older age. In addition, males and females differ in the duration and occurrence of specific microstates. These results are of relevance for the comparison of studies in populations of different age and sex and for the understanding of the changes in neuropsychiatric diseases. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Endogenous sex hormone exposure and repetitive element DNA methylation in healthy postmenopausal women.

PubMed

Boyne, Devon J; Friedenreich, Christine M; McIntyre, John B; Stanczyk, Frank Z; Courneya, Kerry S; King, Will D

2017-12-01

Epigenetic mechanisms may help to explain the complex and heterogeneous relation between sex hormones and cancer. Few studies have investigated the effects of sex hormones on epigenetic markers related to cancer risk such as levels of methylation within repetitive DNA elements. Our objective was to describe the association between endogenous sex hormone exposure and levels of LINE-1 and Alu methylation in healthy postmenopausal women. We nested a cross-sectional study within the Alberta Physical Activity and Breast Cancer Prevention Trial (2003-2006). Study participants consisted of healthy postmenopausal women who had never been diagnosed with cancer (n = 289). Sex hormone exposures included serum concentrations of estradiol, estrone, testosterone, androstenedione, and sex hormone-binding globulin. We estimated the participants' lifetime number of menstrual cycles (LNMC) as a proxy for cumulative exposure to ovarian sex hormones. Buffy coat samples were assessed for DNA methylation. Linear regression was used to model the associations of interest and to control for confounding. Both estradiol and estrone had a significant positive dose-response association with LINE-1 methylation. LNMC was associated with both LINE-1 and Alu methylation. Specifically, LNMC had a non-linear "U-shaped" association with LINE-1 methylation regardless of folate intake and a negative linear association with Alu methylation, but only amongst low folate consumers. Androgen exposure was not associated with either outcome. Current and cumulative estrogen exposure was associated with repetitive element DNA methylation in a group of healthy postmenopausal women. LINE-1 and Alu methylation may be epigenetic mechanisms through which estrogen exposure impacts cancer risk.

Relationships between Housing and Healthy Aging in Very Old Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oswald, Frank; Wahl, Hans-Werner; Schilling, Oliver; Nygren, Carita; Fange, Agneta; Sixsmith, Andrew; Sixsmith, Judith; Szeman, Zsuzsa; Tomsone, Signe; Iwarsson, Susanne

2007-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this work is to examine the relationship between aspects of objective and perceived housing and aspects of healthy aging, defined as independence in daily activities and subjective well-being. Furthermore, this research examined the comparability of relationships between housing and healthy aging in the five European countries.…

Endothelium-dependent control of cerebrovascular functions through age: exercise for healthy cerebrovascular aging.

PubMed

Bolduc, Virginie; Thorin-Trescases, Nathalie; Thorin, Eric

2013-09-01

Cognitive performances are tightly associated with the maximal aerobic exercise capacity, both of which decline with age. The benefits on mental health of regular exercise, which slows the age-dependent decline in maximal aerobic exercise capacity, have been established for centuries. In addition, the maintenance of an optimal cerebrovascular endothelial function through regular exercise, part of a healthy lifestyle, emerges as one of the key and primary elements of successful brain aging. Physical exercise requires the activation of specific brain areas that trigger a local increase in cerebral blood flow to match neuronal metabolic needs. In this review, we propose three ways by which exercise could maintain the cerebrovascular endothelial function, a premise to a healthy cerebrovascular function and an optimal regulation of cerebral blood flow. First, exercise increases blood flow locally and increases shear stress temporarily, a known stimulus for endothelial cell maintenance of Akt-dependent expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase, nitric oxide generation, and the expression of antioxidant defenses. Second, the rise in circulating catecholamines during exercise not only facilitates adequate blood and nutrient delivery by stimulating heart function and mobilizing energy supplies but also enhances endothelial repair mechanisms and angiogenesis. Third, in the long term, regular exercise sustains a low resting heart rate that reduces the mechanical stress imposed to the endothelium of cerebral arteries by the cardiac cycle. Any chronic variation from a healthy environment will perturb metabolism and thus hasten endothelial damage, favoring hypoperfusion and neuronal stress.

Conditioned pain modulation (CPM) in children and adolescents: Effects of sex and age

PubMed Central

Tsao, Jennie C. I.; Seidman, Laura C.; Evans, Subhadra; Lung, Kirsten C.; Zeltzer, Lonnie K.; Naliboff, Bruce D.

2013-01-01

Conditioned pain modulation (CPM) refers to the diminution of perceived pain intensity for a test stimulus following application of a conditioning stimulus to a remote area of the body, and is thought to reflect the descending inhibition of nociceptive signals. Studying CPM in children may inform interventions to enhance central pain inhibition within a developmental framework. We assessed CPM in 133 healthy children (mean age = 13 years; 52.6% girls) and tested the effects of sex and age. Participants were exposed to four trials of a pressure test stimulus before, during, and after the application of a cold water conditioning stimulus. CPM was documented by a reduction in pressure pain ratings during cold water administration. Older children (12–17 years) exhibited greater CPM than younger (8–11 years) children. No sex differences in CPM were found. Lower heart rate variability (HRV) at baseline and after pain induction was associated with less CPM controlling for child age. The findings of greater CPM in the older age cohort suggest a developmental improvement in central pain inhibitory mechanisms. The results highlight the need to examine developmental and contributory factors in central pain inhibitory mechanisms in children to guide effective, age appropriate, pain interventions. PMID:23541066

Characterization of age/sex and the regional distribution of mGluR5 availability in the healthy human brain measured by high-resolution [(11)C]ABP688 PET.

PubMed

DuBois, Jonathan M; Rousset, Olivier G; Rowley, Jared; Porras-Betancourt, Manuel; Reader, Andrew J; Labbe, Aurelie; Massarweh, Gassan; Soucy, Jean-Paul; Rosa-Neto, Pedro; Kobayashi, Eliane

2016-01-01

Metabotropic glutamate receptor type 5 (mGluR5) is a G protein-coupled receptor that has been implicated in several psychiatric and neurological diseases. The radiopharmaceutical [(11)C]ABP688 allows for in vivo quantification of mGluR5 availability using positron emission tomography (PET). In this study, we aimed to detail the regional distribution of [(11)C]ABP688 binding potential (BPND) and the existence of age/sex effects in healthy individuals. Thirty-one healthy individuals aged 20 to 77 years (men, n = 18, 45.3 ± 18.2 years; females, n = 13, 41.5 ± 19.6 years) underwent imaging with [(11)C]ABP688 using the high-resolution research tomograph (HRRT). We developed an advanced partial volume correction (PVC) method using surface-based analysis in order to accurately estimate the regional variation of radioactivity. BPND was calculated using the simplified reference tissue model, with the cerebellum as the reference region. Surface-based and volume-based analyses were performed for 39 cortical and subcortical regions of interest per hemisphere. We found the highest [(11)C]ABP688 BPND in the lateral prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortices. The lowest [(11)C]ABP688 BPND was observed in the pre- and post-central gyri as well as the occipital lobes and the thalami. No sex effect was observed. Associations between age and [(11)C]ABP688 BPND without PVC were observed in the right amygdala and left putamen, but were not significant after multiple comparisons correction. The present results highlight complexities underlying brain adaptations during the aging process, and support the notion that certain aspects of neurotransmission remain stable during the adult life span.

Association of sex and age with responses to lower-body negative pressure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frey, Mary Anne Bassett; Hoffler, G. Wyckliffe

1988-01-01

The effects of age and sex on the human-body responses to -50 torr LBNP were investigated in subjects who have undergone LBNP tests at the Kennedy Space Center. The comparison of results obtained on women and age-matched men indicated that men had larger relative increases in calf circumference and greater increases in peripheral resistance during the exposure to LBNP than the women; on the other hand, women displayed greater increases in thoracic impedance and heart rate. The comparison of the results on men of different ages (between 29 and 56 y) indicated that older subjects had greater increases in peripheral resistance and less heart rate elevation in response to LBNP. It is suggested that the age-related circulatory differences were due to a reduction in vagal response and a switch to predominant sympathetic nervous system influence in older men.

Professional ballet dancers have a similar prevalence of articular cartilage defects compared to age- and sex-matched non-dancing athletes.

PubMed

Mayes, Susan; Ferris, April-Rose; Smith, Peter; Garnham, Andrew; Cook, Jill

2016-12-01

Ballet exposes the hip joint to repetitive loading in extreme ranges of movement and may predispose a dancer to pain and osteoarthritis (OA). The aims of this study were to compare the prevalence of cartilage defects in professional ballet dancers and athletes and to determine the relationship of clinical signs and symptoms. Forty-nine male and female, current and retired professional ballet dancers and 49 age- and sex-matched non-dancing athletes completed hip pain questionnaires, including the Copenhagen Hip and Groin Outcome Score (HAGOS), and underwent hip range of movement (ROM) testing and 3-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging to score cartilage defects (no defect, grade 1: focal partial defect and grade 2: diffuse or full thickness defect). Thirty (61 %) dancers and 27 (55 %) athletes had cartilage defects (p = 0.54). The frequency of grade 1 and 2 cartilage defects did not differ between dancers and athletes (p = 0.83). The frequency of cartilage defects was similar in male and female dancers (p = 0.34), and male and female athletes (p = 0.24). Cartilage defects were not related to history of hip pain (p = 0.34), HAGOS pain (p = 0.14), sports/rec (p = 0.15) scores or hip internal rotation ≤20° (p > 0.01). Cartilage defects were related to age in male dancers (p = 0.002). Ballet dancers do not appear to be at a greater risk of cartilage injury compared to non-dancing athletes. Male dancers develop cartilage defects at an earlier age than athletes and female dancers. Cartilage defects were not related to clinical signs and symptoms; thus, prospective studies are required to determine which cartilage defects progress to symptomatic hip OA.

Hyperostosis frontalis interna: criteria for sexing and aging a skeleton.

PubMed

May, Hila; Peled, Nathan; Dar, Gali; Cohen, Haim; Abbas, Janan; Medlej, Bahaa; Hershkovitz, Israel

2011-09-01

Estimation of sex and age in skeletons is essential in anthropological and forensic medicine investigations. The aim of the current study was to examine the potential of hyperostosis frontalis interna (HFI) as a criterion for determining sex and age in forensic cases. Macroscopic examination of the inner aspect of the frontal bone of 768 skulls (326 males and 442 females) aged 1 to 103, which had undergone a head computerized tomography scan, was carried out using the volume rendering technique. HFI was divided into two categories: minor and major. HFI is a sex- and age-dependent phenomena, with females manifesting significantly higher prevalence than males (p<0.01). In both females and males, prevalence of HFI increases as age increases (p<0.01). We present herein the probabilities of designating an unknown skull to a specific sex and age cohort according to the presence of HFI (standardized to age distribution in an Israeli population). Moreover, we present the probability of an individual belonging to a specific sex or age cohort according to age or sex (respectively) and severity of HFI. We suggest a valid, reliable, and easy method for sex and age identification of unknown skulls.

Sex Differences in the Association between Serum Levels of Testosterone and Frailty in an Elderly Population: The Toledo Study for Healthy Aging

PubMed Central

Carcaillon, Laure; Blanco, Carmen; Alonso-Bouzón, Cristina; Alfaro-Acha, Ana; Garcia-García, Francisco-José; Rodriguez-Mañas, Leocadio

2012-01-01

Background Age-associated decline in testosterone levels represent one of the potential mechanisms involved in the development of frailty. Although this association has been widely reported in older men, very few data are available in women. We studied the association between testosterone and frailty in women and assessed sex differences in this relationship. Methods We used cross-sectional data from the Toledo Study for Healthy Aging, a population-based cohort study of Spanish elderly. Frailty was defined according to Fried's approach. Multivariate odds-ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) associated with total (TT) and free testosterone (FT) levels were estimated using polytomous logistic regression. Results In women, there was a U-shaped relationship between FT levels and frailty (p for FT2 = 0.03). In addition, very low levels of FT were observed in women with ≥4 frailty criteria (age-adjusted geometric means = 0.13 versus 0.37 in subjects with <4 components, p = 0.010). The association of FT with frailty appeared confined to obese women (p-value for interaction = 0.05).In men, the risk of frailty levels linearly decreased with testosterone (adjusted OR for frailty = 2.9 (95%CI, 1.6–5.1) and 1.6 (95%CI, 1.0–2.5), for 1 SD decrease in TT and FT, respectively). TT and FT showed association with most of frailty criteria. No interaction was found with BMI. Conclusion There is a relationship between circulating levels of FT and frailty in older women. This relation seems to be modulated by BMI. The relevance and the nature of the association of FT levels and frailty are sex-specific, suggesting that different biological mechanisms may be involved. PMID:22403651

How do health and biological age influence chronological age and sex differences in cognitive aging: moderating, mediating, or both?

PubMed

Wahlin, Ake; MacDonald, Stuart W S; deFrias, Cindy M; Nilsson, Lars-Göran; Dixon, Roger A

2006-06-01

Much research on cognitive competence in normal older adults has documented age and sex differences. The authors used new cross-sectional data from the Victoria Longitudinal Study (VLS) (n=386; age 61 to 95 years) to examine how health and biological age influence age and sex differences in cognitive aging. The authors found evidence for both moderating and mediating influences. Age differences were moderated by health status, such that the negative effects of age were most pronounced among participants of relatively better health. Sex differences were moderated by health and were more pronounced among participants reporting comparatively poorer health. Although health mediated a notable amount of age-related cognitive variation, BioAge mediated considerably more variance, even after statistical control for differences in health. A complex pattern emerged for the mediation of sex differences: Although BioAge accounted for sex-related variation in cognitive performance, health operated to suppress these differences. Overall, both health and BioAge predicted cognitive variation independently of chronological age. Copyright (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved.

Sex-based memory advantages and cognitive aging: a challenge to the cognitive reserve construct?

PubMed

Caselli, Richard J; Dueck, Amylou C; Locke, Dona E C; Baxter, Leslie C; Woodruff, Bryan K; Geda, Yonas E

2015-02-01

Education and related proxies for cognitive reserve (CR) are confounded by associations with environmental factors that correlate with cerebrovascular disease possibly explaining discrepancies between studies examining their relationships to cognitive aging and dementia. In contrast, sex-related memory differences may be a better proxy. Since they arise developmentally, they are less likely to reflect environmental confounds. Women outperform men on verbal and men generally outperform women on visuospatial memory tasks. Furthermore, memory declines during the preclinical stage of AD, when it is clinically indistinguishable from normal aging. To determine whether CR mitigates age-related memory decline, we examined the effects of gender and APOE genotype on longitudinal memory performances. Memory decline was assessed in a cohort of healthy men and women enriched for APOE ɛ4 who completed two verbal [Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT), Buschke Selective Reminding Test (SRT)] and two visuospatial [Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (CFT), and Benton Visual Retention Test (VRT)] memory tests, as well as in a separate larger and older cohort [National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC)] who completed a verbal memory test (Logical Memory). Age-related memory decline was accelerated in APOE ɛ4 carriers on all verbal memory measures (AVLT, p=.03; SRT p<.001; logical memory p<.001) and on the VRT p=.006. Baseline sex associated differences were retained over time, but no sex differences in rate of decline were found for any measure in either cohort. Sex-based memory advantage does not mitigate age-related memory decline in either APOE ɛ4 carriers or non-carriers.

Age- and sex-related emotional and behavioral problems in children with autism spectrum disorders: comparison with control children.

PubMed

Horiuchi, Fumie; Oka, Yasunori; Uno, Hiroyuki; Kawabe, Kentaro; Okada, Fumi; Saito, Isao; Tanigawa, Takeshi; Ueno, Shu-ichi

2014-07-01

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often present with emotional and behavioral problems, which could change the clinical course, especially during childhood, and affect future quality of life. The aim of this study was to clarify the age- and sex-related differences of these problems in ASD. The study subjects were 173 patients with ASD (age: 4-16 years) and 173 age- and sex-matched community children (control group). The parent version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was used for comparison of the emotional and behavioral problems between the two groups. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire scores were significantly higher in children with ASD than controls at all ages. The score of total difficulties was significantly higher in girls with ASD than in boys, while the score in male controls was significantly higher than in female controls. Age-related differences in emotional and behavioral problems were observed both in children with ASD and controls, but the characteristics were different: in children with ASD, emotional symptoms and peer problems in both sexes and conduct problems in girls increased significantly with age, while none of the problems in the controls changed with age except for a decrease in the score of hyperactivity/inattention developmentally in both sexes. Prosocial behaviors of children with ASD and controls showed small changes with age. Emotional and behavioral problems are common in children with ASD and showed age- and sex-related differences. Our study emphasizes the importance of recognizing those differences among children with ASD for early intervention. © 2014 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2014 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Estrogen regulation of duodenal bicarbonate secretion and sex-specific protection of human duodenum.

PubMed

Tuo, Biguang; Wen, Guorong; Wei, Jinqi; Liu, Xuemei; Wang, Xue; Zhang, Yalin; Wu, Huichao; Dong, Xiao; Chow, Jimmy Y C; Vallon, Volker; Dong, Hui

2011-09-01

The reason that women have a lower prevalence of duodenal ulcer is not clear. We investigated whether estrogen regulates human duodenal bicarbonate secretion (DBS) and whether this process accounts for sex differences in the prevalence of duodenal ulcer. We performed an epidemiologic study to correlate duodenal ulcer prevalence with sex and age. Proximal DBS was measured from healthy subjects. Estrogen-receptor expression was examined in human duodenal mucosa by immunoblot and immunohistochemical analyses. Among women, the prevalence of duodenal ulcer was significantly lower than among men. The reduced prevalence was greatest among premenopausal women (20-49 y), who were 3.91- to 5.09-fold less likely to develop duodenal ulcers than age-matched men; the difference was reduced to 1.32-fold or less among subjects aged 60 years or older. Premenopausal (20-29 y), but not postmenopausal (60-69 y), women had significantly higher basal and acid-stimulated DBS than the age-matched men. Basal and acid-stimulated DBS in premenopausal women (20-29 y) were significantly higher than in postmenopausal women (60-69 y), whereas there were no significant differences in basal or acid-stimulated DBS between men who were aged 20-29 years or 60-69 years. Serum levels of estradiol changed in parallel with basal and acid-stimulated DBS during the physiological menstrual cycle in premenopausal women. 17β-estradiol-stimulated DBS was independent of age or sex. Estrogen receptors α and β were detected on plasma membranes and in the cytosol of human duodenal epithelial cells. Estrogen regulates human DBS, which could reduce the risk for duodenal ulcer in women and contribute to sex differences in the prevalence of duodenal ulcer. Copyright © 2011 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Elevated serum IGF-I, but unaltered sex steroid levels, in healthy boys with pubertal gynaecomastia.

PubMed

Mieritz, Mikkel G; Sorensen, Kaspar; Aksglaede, Lise; Mouritsen, Annette; Hagen, Casper P; Hilsted, Linda; Andersson, Anna-Maria; Juul, Anders

2014-05-01

Pubertal gynaecomastia is a very common condition. Although the underlying aetiology is poorly understood, it is generally accepted that excess of oestrogens and deficit of androgens are involved in the pathogenesis. Furthermore, adiposity as well as the GH/IGF-I axis may play a role. In this study, we elucidate the association of adiposity and levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), testosterone, oestrogen, IGF-I and IGFBP-3 with the presence of pubertal gynaecomastia in a large cohort of healthy boys. A total of 501 healthy Danish school boys (aged 6·1-19·8 year) from the COPENHAGEN Puberty Study. Anthropometry and pubertal stages (PH1-6 and G1-5) were evaluated, and the presence of gynaecomastia was assessed. Body fat percentage was calculated by means of four skin folds and impedance. Nonfasting blood samples were analysed for FSH, LH, testosterone, SHBG, oestradiol, IGF-I, IGFBP-3 and prolactin. We found that 23% (31/133) of all pubertal boys had gynaecomastia. More specifically, 63% (10/16) of boys in genital stage 4 had gynaecomastia. Boys with gynaecomastia had significantly higher IGF-I levels compared with controls (IGF-I SD-score 0·72 vs -0·037, P < 0·001). This difference was maintained after adjusting for confounders (age and pubertal stage). Sex steroid levels, oestradiol/testosterone ratio or free testosterone were not associated with the presence of gynaecomastia with or without adjustment for confounders. IGF-I levels were elevated in healthy boys with pubertal gynaecomastia compared with boys without gynaecomastia, whereas sex steroid levels did not differ. We speculate that the GH-IGF-I axis may be involved in the pathogenesis of pubertal gynaecomastia. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Use of a Tracing Task to Assess Visuomotor Performance: Effects of Age, Sex, and Handedness

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background. Visuomotor abnormalities are common in aging and age-related disease, yet difficult to quantify. This study investigated the effects of healthy aging, sex, and handedness on the performance of a tracing task. Participants (n = 150, aged 21–95 years, 75 females) used a stylus to follow a moving target around a circle on a tablet computer with their dominant and nondominant hands. Participants also performed the Trail Making Test (a measure of executive function). Methods. Deviations from the circular path were computed to derive an “error” time series. For each time series, absolute mean, variance, and complexity index (a proposed measure of system functionality and adaptability) were calculated. Using the moving target and stylus coordinates, the percentage of task time within the target region and the cumulative micropause duration (a measure of motion continuity) were computed. Results. All measures showed significant effects of aging (p < .0005). Post hoc age group comparisons showed that with increasing age, the absolute mean and variance of the error increased, complexity index decreased, percentage of time within the target region decreased, and cumulative micropause duration increased. Only complexity index showed a significant difference between dominant versus nondominant hands within each age group (p < .0005). All measures showed relationships to the Trail Making Test (p < .05). Conclusions. Measures derived from a tracing task identified performance differences in healthy individuals as a function of age, sex, and handedness. Studies in populations with specific neuromotor syndromes are warranted to test the utility of measures based on the dynamics of tracking a target as a clinical assessment tool. PMID:23388876

Gender and age differences in lean soft tissue mass and sarcopenia among healthy elderly.

PubMed

Kirchengast, Sylvia; Huber, Johannes

2009-06-01

Sarcopenia, the age related decline in skeletal muscle mass has dramatic consequences. It leads to impaired performance, increased vulnerability, frailty and an increased risk of falls. Various extrinsic and intrinsic factors contribute to the aetiology of sarcopenia. The aims of the present study was to analyse gender differences in the prevalence of sarcopenia and document gender differences in lean soft tissue mass in healthy elderly. 139 healthy subjects ageing between 59 and 92 years (x = 71.5 +/- 7.8), 77 females and 64 males, were enrolled in the study. Body composition was measured by means of dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Additionally appendicular muscle mass (ASM) was calculated. While no linear decrease in lean soft tissue mass was found for both sexes, the prevalence of sarcopenia increased significantly with increasing age in females as well as in males. Significant gender differences in the prevalence of sarcopenia were found for people younger than 70 years and those older than 80 years. In the youngest age group (< 70 years) sarcopenia was found more frequently among women, while in the oldest age group (> 80 years) the opposite was true. It can be concluded that the prevalence of sarcopenia differs between the two genders however these differences are influenced by age.

Age- and sex-specific reference values for fasting serum insulin levels and insulin resistance/sensitivity indices in healthy Iranian adults: Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study.

PubMed

Tohidi, Maryam; Ghasemi, Asghar; Hadaegh, Farzad; Derakhshan, Arash; Chary, Abdolreza; Azizi, Fereidoun

2014-04-01

Increased insulin concentration is a surrogate for insulin resistance and early assessment of fasting insulin may help in identifying those who are potentially at high risk of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to determine age- and sex-related reference values for serum insulin and insulin resistance/sensitivity indices in Iranian subjects. Serum insulin levels were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay in 5786 participants of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study. After application of exclusion criteria, 309 non-obese healthy subjects (124 men and 185 women), aged 24-83 y, were included. The International Federation of Clinical Chemistry guidelines (non-parametric method) and the robust method were used for determining reference values. Overall 95% reference values for fasting insulin were 1.61-11.37, 2.34-11.98, and 2.11-12.49 μU/mL in men, women, and total population respectively. Mean fasting insulin concentration showed a decreasing trend with age in both genders (p for trend ≤0.001). Age, waist circumference, and systolic blood pressures were biological determinants of fasting insulin in both genders; in addition, insulin was modulated by triglycerides in men and fasting glucose in women. Reference intervals for HOMA1-IR, HOMA2-IR, and QUICKI were 0.63-2.68, 0.40-1.80, and 0.33-0.42, respectively. This study presents the first set of reference values for fasting serum insulin to be 2-12 μU/mL for both genders in a healthy sample of Iranian adults along with the reference values for insulin resistance/sensitivity indices. These values could be used for identifying subjects with insulin resistance in epidemiological and clinical research. Copyright © 2014 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sex effects on spatial learning but not on spatial memory retrieval in healthy young adults.

PubMed

Piber, Dominique; Nowacki, Jan; Mueller, Sven C; Wingenfeld, Katja; Otte, Christian

2018-01-15

Sex differences have been found in spatial learning and spatial memory, with several studies indicating that males outperform females. We tested in the virtual Morris Water Maze (vMWM) task, whether sex differences in spatial cognitive processes are attributable to differences in spatial learning or spatial memory retrieval in a large student sample. We tested 90 healthy students (45 women and 45 men) with a mean age of 23.5 years (SD=3.5). Spatial learning and spatial memory retrieval were measured by using the vMWM task, during which participants had to search a virtual pool for a hidden platform, facilitated by visual cues surrounding the pool. Several learning trials assessed spatial learning, while a separate probe trial assessed spatial memory retrieval. We found a significant sex effect during spatial learning, with males showing shorter latency and shorter path length, as compared to females (all p<0.001). Yet, there was no significant sex effect in spatial memory retrieval (p=0.615). Furthermore, post-hoc analyses revealed significant sex differences in spatial search strategies (p<0.05), but no difference in the number of platform crossings (p=0.375). Our results indicate that in healthy young adults, males show faster spatial learning in a virtual environment, as compared to females. Interestingly, we found no significant sex differences during spatial memory retrieval. Our study raises the question, whether men and women use different learning strategies, which nevertheless result in equal performances of spatial memory retrieval. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genetics of healthy aging and longevity.

PubMed

Brooks-Wilson, Angela R

2013-12-01

Longevity and healthy aging are among the most complex phenotypes studied to date. The heritability of age at death in adulthood is approximately 25 %. Studies of exceptionally long-lived individuals show that heritability is greatest at the oldest ages. Linkage studies of exceptionally long-lived families now support a longevity locus on chromosome 3; other putative longevity loci differ between studies. Candidate gene studies have identified variants at APOE and FOXO3A associated with longevity; other genes show inconsistent results. Genome-wide association scans (GWAS) of centenarians vs. younger controls reveal only APOE as achieving genome-wide significance (GWS); however, analyses of combinations of SNPs or genes represented among associations that do not reach GWS have identified pathways and signatures that converge upon genes and biological processes related to aging. The impact of these SNPs, which may exert joint effects, may be obscured by gene-environment interactions or inter-ethnic differences. GWAS and whole genome sequencing data both show that the risk alleles defined by GWAS of common complex diseases are, perhaps surprisingly, found in long-lived individuals, who may tolerate them by means of protective genetic factors. Such protective factors may 'buffer' the effects of specific risk alleles. Rare alleles are also likely to contribute to healthy aging and longevity. Epigenetics is quickly emerging as a critical aspect of aging and longevity. Centenarians delay age-related methylation changes, and they can pass this methylation preservation ability on to their offspring. Non-genetic factors, particularly lifestyle, clearly affect the development of age-related diseases and affect health and lifespan in the general population. To fully understand the desirable phenotypes of healthy aging and longevity, it will be necessary to examine whole genome data from large numbers of healthy long-lived individuals to look simultaneously at both common and

Age- and sex-specific reference values of a test of neck muscle endurance.

PubMed

Peolsson, Anneli; Almkvist, Cecilia; Dahlberg, Camilla; Lindqvist, Sara; Pettersson, Susanne

2007-01-01

This study evaluates age- and sex-specific reference values for neck muscle endurance (NME). In this cross-sectional study, 116 randomly selected, healthy volunteers (ages 25-64 years) stratified according to age and gender participated. Dorsal and ventral NME was measured in seconds until exhaustion in a laying-down position. A weight of 4 kg for men or 2 kg for women was used in the dorsal procedure. The ventral procedure was performed without external load. Background and physical activity data were obtained and used in the analysis of NME performance. Mean values for dorsal and ventral NME were about 7 and 2.5 minutes for men and 8.5 and 0.5 minutes for women, respectively. The cutoff values for subnormal dorsal and ventral NME were 157 and 56 seconds for men and 173 and 23 seconds for women, respectively. Women's NME was 122% of men's NME in the dorsal (P = .17) and 24% of men's NME in the ventral (P < .0001) procedure. There were no significant differences among age groups. In multiple regression analysis, physical activity explained 4% of variability in the performance of the dorsal NME; and sex explained 37% of the variability in the performance of ventral NME. The reference values and the cutoff points obtained could be used in clinical practice to identify patients with a subnormal NME. Sex is an important consideration when using both the test procedure and the reference values.

Distinctive roles of age, sex, and genetics in shaping transcriptional variation of human immune responses to microbial challenges.

PubMed

Piasecka, Barbara; Duffy, Darragh; Urrutia, Alejandra; Quach, Hélène; Patin, Etienne; Posseme, Céline; Bergstedt, Jacob; Charbit, Bruno; Rouilly, Vincent; MacPherson, Cameron R; Hasan, Milena; Albaud, Benoit; Gentien, David; Fellay, Jacques; Albert, Matthew L; Quintana-Murci, Lluis

2018-01-16

The contribution of host genetic and nongenetic factors to immunological differences in humans remains largely undefined. Here, we generated bacterial-, fungal-, and viral-induced immune transcriptional profiles in an age- and sex-balanced cohort of 1,000 healthy individuals and searched for the determinants of immune response variation. We found that age and sex affected the transcriptional response of most immune-related genes, with age effects being more stimulus-specific relative to sex effects, which were largely shared across conditions. Although specific cell populations mediated the effects of age and sex on gene expression, including CD8 + T cells for age and CD4 + T cells and monocytes for sex, we detected a direct effect of these intrinsic factors for the majority of immune genes. The mapping of expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) revealed that genetic factors had a stronger effect on immune gene regulation than age and sex, yet they affected a smaller number of genes. Importantly, we identified numerous genetic variants that manifested their regulatory effects exclusively on immune stimulation, including a Candida albicans -specific master regulator at the CR1 locus. These response eQTLs were enriched in disease-associated variants, particularly for autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, indicating that differences in disease risk may result from regulatory variants exerting their effects only in the presence of immune stress. Together, this study quantifies the respective effects of age, sex, genetics, and cellular heterogeneity on the interindividual variability of immune responses and constitutes a valuable resource for further exploration in the context of different infection risks or disease outcomes. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

Predictors of healthy ageing: public health policy targets.

PubMed

Sowa, Agnieszka; Tobiasz-Adamczyk, Beata; Topór-Mądry, Roman; Poscia, Andrea; la Milia, Daniele Ignazio

2016-09-05

The public health policy agenda oriented towards healthy ageing becomes the highest priority for the European countries. The article discusses the healthy ageing concept and its possible determinants with an aim to identify behavioral patterns related to healthy ageing in selected European countries. The healthy ageing is assessed based on a composite indicator of self-assessed health, functional capabilities and life meaningfulness. The logistic regression models are used to assess the impact of the healthy lifestyle index, psycho-social index and socio-economic status on the probability of healthy ageing (i.e. being healthy at older age). The lifestyle and psychosocial indexes are created as a sum of behaviors that might be important for healthy ageing. Models are analyzed for three age groups of older people: 60-67, 68-79 and 80+ as well as for three groups of countries representing Western, Southern and Central-Eastern Europe. The lifestyle index covering vigorous and moderate physical activity, consumption of vegetables and fruits, regular consumption of meals and adequate consumption of liquids is positively related to healthy ageing, increasing the likelihood of being healthy at older age with each of the items specified in the index. The score of the index is found to be significantly higher (on average by 1 point for men and 1.1 for women) for individuals ageing healthily. The psychosocial index covering employment, outdoor social participation, indoor activities and life satisfaction is also found to be significantly related to health increasing the likelihood of healthy ageing with each point of the index score. There is an educational gradient in healthy ageing in the population below the age of 68 and in Southern and Central-Eastern European countries. In Western European countries, income is positively related to healthy ageing for females. Stimulation physical activity and adequate nutrition are crucial domains for a well-defined public health policy

Healthy Aging with Go4Life

MedlinePlus

... this page please turn JavaScript on. Feature: Healthy Aging Healthy Aging with Go4Life ® Past Issues / Winter 2015 Table of Contents Go4Life from the National Institute on Aging at NIH is a national exercise and physical ...

A novel multi-tissue RNA diagnostic of healthy ageing relates to cognitive health status.

PubMed

Sood, Sanjana; Gallagher, Iain J; Lunnon, Katie; Rullman, Eric; Keohane, Aoife; Crossland, Hannah; Phillips, Bethan E; Cederholm, Tommy; Jensen, Thomas; van Loon, Luc J C; Lannfelt, Lars; Kraus, William E; Atherton, Philip J; Howard, Robert; Gustafsson, Thomas; Hodges, Angela; Timmons, James A

2015-09-07

Diagnostics of the human ageing process may help predict future healthcare needs or guide preventative measures for tackling diseases of older age. We take a transcriptomics approach to build the first reproducible multi-tissue RNA expression signature by gene-chip profiling tissue from sedentary normal subjects who reached 65 years of age in good health. One hundred and fifty probe-sets form an accurate classifier of young versus older muscle tissue and this healthy ageing RNA classifier performed consistently in independent cohorts of human muscle, skin and brain tissue (n = 594, AUC = 0.83-0.96) and thus represents a biomarker for biological age. Using the Uppsala Longitudinal Study of Adult Men birth-cohort (n = 108) we demonstrate that the RNA classifier is insensitive to confounding lifestyle biomarkers, while greater gene score at age 70 years is independently associated with better renal function at age 82 years and longevity. The gene score is 'up-regulated' in healthy human hippocampus with age, and when applied to blood RNA profiles from two large independent age-matched dementia case-control data sets (n = 717) the healthy controls have significantly greater gene scores than those with cognitive impairment. Alone, or when combined with our previously described prototype Alzheimer disease (AD) RNA 'disease signature', the healthy ageing RNA classifier is diagnostic for AD. We identify a novel and statistically robust multi-tissue RNA signature of human healthy ageing that can act as a diagnostic of future health, using only a peripheral blood sample. This RNA signature has great potential to assist research aimed at finding treatments for and/or management of AD and other ageing-related conditions.

Healthy mental ageing.

PubMed

Flicker, Leon; Lautenschlager, Nicola T; Almeida, Osvaldo P

2006-09-01

Healthy mental ageing may be defined as the absence of the common disabling mental health problems of older people, especially cognitive decline and depression, accompanied by the perception of a positive quality of life. Older people are particularly prone to negative effects on mental health due to poor physical health. Modifiable aspects of lifestyle have been shown to be associated with healthy mental ageing. These include increased physical activity, intellectual stimulation (including education), avoidance of smoking and various aspects of diet. There is reasonably strong evidence that the treatment of hypertension will decrease the risk of cognitive impairment, and moderate alcohol intake may also have some benefits on cognition. These modifiable lifestyle factors may benefit from deliberate individual and population health promotion strategies to maximize mental health in old age, although to date intervention trials have not been performed to support the evidence obtained from observational studies.

Age and sex influences on running mechanics and coordination variability.

PubMed

Boyer, Katherine A; Freedman Silvernail, Julia; Hamill, Joseph

2017-11-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of age on running mechanics separately for male and female runners and to quantify sex differences in running mechanics and coordination variability for older runners. Kinematics and kinetics were captured for 20 younger (10 male) and 20 older (10 male) adults running overground at 3.5 m · s -1 . A modified vector coding technique was used to calculate segment coordination variability. Lower extremity joint angles, moments and segment coordination variability were compared between age and sex groups. Significant sex-age interaction effects were found for heel-strike hip flexion and ankle in/eversion angles and peak ankle dorsiflexion angle. In older adults, mid-stance knee flexion angle, ankle inversion and abduction moments and hip abduction and external rotation moments differed by sex. Older compared with younger females had reduced coordination variability in the thigh-shank transverse plane couple but greater coordination variability for the shank rotation-foot eversion couple in early stance. These results suggest there may be a non-equivalent aging process in the movement mechanics for males and females. The age and sex differences in running mechanics and coordination variability highlight the need for sex-based analyses for future studies examining injury risk with age.

Functional health status of adults with tetralogy of Fallot: matched comparison with healthy siblings.

PubMed

Knowles, Rachel; Veldtman, Gruschen; Hickey, Edward J; Bradley, Timothy; Gengsakul, Aungkana; Webb, Gary D; Williams, William G; McCrindle, Brian W

2012-07-01

Survival prospects for adults with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) are now excellent. Attention should therefore shift to assessing and improving functional health status and quality of life. We aimed to assess late functional health status of adults surviving TOF repair by matched comparison to their healthy siblings. All 1,693 TOF repairs performed at our institution between 1946 and 1990 were reviewed. A matched comparison was undertaken whereby presumed survivors and their healthy sibling were contacted and asked to complete the Ontario Health Survey 1990 and the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire. Both questionnaires were completed by 224 adult survivors and their sibling closest in age. Adults with repaired TOF had lower scores for self-perceived general health status (p < 0.001), were less likely to rate their health as good or excellent (p < 0.001), and had lower SF-36 scores for physical functioning and general health (p = 0.001) than their siblings. However, patients reported similar satisfaction with their lives, similar levels of social participation and support, and were as likely to be in long-term partnerships. Worse physical and mental health scores were associated with older age at surgery and at time of questionnaire completion and recent requirement for noncardiac medication. Although reporting lower functional health status then their siblings, quality of life and life satisfaction for adults who underwent surgery for TOF during childhood is comparable to that of their siblings without heart defects. Follow-up of younger adults is required to understand current health outcomes attributable to improvements in the management of TOF. Copyright © 2012 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

What factors influence healthy aging? A person-centered approach among older adults in Taiwan.

PubMed

Liu, Li-Fan; Su, Pei-Fang

2017-05-01

The present study aimed to identify the health profiles of older adults by using latent class analysis to investigate health heterogeneity and to determine what factors predicted healthy aging among an oldest-old sample cohort that was followed up for 14 years in Taiwan. Data were drawn from five waves (carried out in 1993, 1996, 1999, 2003 and 2007) of the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging to examine the changes in health heterogeneity in a nationally representative oldest-old cohort of Taiwanese. Overall, data from a total of 11 145 observations of 3155 older adults were considered. The influential factors predicting health changes were analyzed by using a generalized estimating equation. The results showed that four health profiles were identified among the aging population observed in the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging. With increasing age, the combined effects of the physical functioning, cognitive and emotional health, and comorbidities of older adults significantly impact their health changes. Apart from health deteriorating with age and sex disparities, educational and economic status, health behaviors, and social participation at the individual level were found to be the robust factors in predicting healthy aging. In considering what factors impact healthy aging, we suggest that a person-centered approach would be useful and critical for policy makers to understand the compositions of health profiles and the influencing factors in view of a life-course perspective. Based on the factors identified as influencing healthy aging at the individual level, it is imperative from a policy-making perspective to maximize opportunities for healthy aging. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 697-707. © 2016 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Maternal and sex dependency of insulin resistance: longitudinal PET and echocardiography study from the healthy fetus to the adult minipig.

PubMed

Guiducci, Letizia; Burchielli, Silvia; Chubuchny, Vlad; Sicari, Rosa; Liistro, Tiziana; Corciu, Anca I; Pardini, Silvia; Di Cecco, Pietro; Manfredi, Samantha; Bucci, Marco; Salvadori, Piero A; Andreassi, Maria Grazia; Iozzo, Patricia

2011-12-01

Cardiovascular and metabolic vulnerability have an early developmental origin. We evaluated the potential influence of innate life factors, including the metabolism of the mother and the sex of the offspring, on cardiometabolic risk, including organ-specific insulin resistance, subclinical cardiac dysfunction, and DNA oxidative damage throughout the lifespan. Two female minipigs were studied during late pregnancy, and their offspring were restudied at the ages of 1 mo (n = 11), 6 mo (n = 9), and 9 mo (n = 10, 6 offspring and 4 age-matched animals). We measured insulin-mediated glucose disposal in skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, liver, and myocardium using (18)F-FDG PET; cardiac function using 2-dimensional strain echocardiography; and DNA damage using the comet assay. Glucose metabolism showed the 2 sows to have differences similar to those in their respective 1-mo-old offspring. Over time, compared with female animals, male animals developed myocardial insulin resistance (male animals vs. female animals: 34 ± 5 vs. 58 ± 8 μmol/min/kg at 6 mo, P = 0.03; 29 ± 8 vs. 60 ± 7 μmol/min/kg at 9 mo, P = 0.02). Cardiac function progressively deteriorated in male animals from 1 mo (radial strain, -60% ± 7%; strain rate, -5.4 ± 0.9 s(-1)) to 6 mo (radial strain, -41% ± 5%; strain rate, -2.5 ± 0.2 s(-1), P < 0.05 vs. 1 mo) and 9 mo (radial strain, -32% ± 5%; strain rate, -1.6 ± 0.2 s(-1), P < 0.01 vs. 1 mo) and was significantly different from that in female animals (radial strain, -48% ± 4%; strain rate, -3.1 ± 0.2 s(-1), P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). Oxidative damage was reduced in female animals and increased in male animals across age categories (P < 0.05). The metabolism of minipig offspring is influenced by maternal insulin sensitivity during early life stages. Sex-related effects prevail thereafter in healthy minipigs, documenting a precocious onset of cardiometabolic vulnerability in male offspring.

Changing course in ageing research: The healthy ageing phenotype.

PubMed

Franco, Oscar H; Karnik, Kavita; Osborne, Gabrielle; Ordovas, Jose M; Catt, Michael; van der Ouderaa, Frans

2009-05-20

Ageing is often associated with the aged and the diseased, nevertheless ageing is a process that starts in-uterus and is characterised by a progressive functional loss but not necessarily by the presence of disease and poor quality of life. How to meander through life without crossing the confines of major chronic disease and cognitive and physical impairment remains one of the most relevant challenges for science and humankind. Delimiting that 'immaculate' trajectory - that we dub as the 'Healthy Ageing Phenotype' - and exploring solutions to help the population to stay or return to this trajectory should constitute the core focus of scientific research. Nevertheless, current efforts on ageing research are mainly focused on developing animal models to disentangle the human ageing process, and on age-related disorders often providing merely palliative solutions. Therefore, to identify alternative perspectives in ageing research, Unilever and the Medical Research Council (MRC) UK convened a Spark workshop entitled 'The Healthy Ageing Phenotype'. In this meeting, international specialists from complementary areas related to ageing research, gathered to find clear attributes and definitions of the 'Healthy Ageing Phenotype', to identify potential mechanisms and interventions to improve healthy life expectancy of the population; and to highlight areas within ageing research that should be prioritised in the future. General agreement was reached in recognising ageing research as a disaggregated field with little communication between basic, epidemiological and clinical areas of research and limited translation to society. A more holistic, multi-disciplinary approach emanating from a better understanding of healthy ageing trajectories and centred along human biological resilience, its maintenance and the reversibility from early deviations into pathological trajectories, is urgently required. Future research should concentrate on understanding the mechanisms that permit

Healthy ageing in the Nun Study: definition and neuropathologic correlates.

PubMed

Tyas, Suzanne L; Snowdon, David A; Desrosiers, Mark F; Riley, Kathryn P; Markesbery, William R

2007-11-01

Although the concept of healthy ageing has stimulated considerable interest, no generally accepted definition has been developed nor has its biological basis been determined. To develop a definition of healthy ageing and investigate its association with longevity and neuropathology. Analyses were based on cognitive, physical, and post-mortem assessments from 1991 to 1998 in the Nun Study, a longitudinal study of ageing in participants 75+ years at baseline. We defined three mutually exclusive levels of healthy ageing (excellent, very good, and good) based on measures of global cognitive function, short-term memory, basic and instrumental activities of daily living, and self-rated function. Mortality analyses were based on 636 participants; neuropathologic analyses were restricted to 221 who had died and were autopsied. Only 11% of those meeting criteria for the excellent level of healthy ageing at baseline subsequently died, compared with 24% for the very good, 39% for the good, and 60% for the remaining participants. Survival curves showed significantly greater longevity with higher levels of healthy ageing. The risk of not attaining healthy ageing, adjusted for age, increased two-fold in participants with brain infarcts alone, six-fold in those with Alzheimer neuropathology alone, and more than thirteen-fold in those with both brain infarcts and Alzheimer neuropathology. The biological validity of our definition of healthy ageing is supported by its strong association with mortality and longevity. Avoiding Alzheimer and stroke neuropathology is critical to the maintenance of healthy ageing, and the presence of both pathologies dramatically decreases the likelihood of healthy ageing.

Healthy ageing in the Nun Study: definition and neuropathologic correlates

PubMed Central

Tyas, Suzanne L.; Snowdon, David A.; Desrosiers, Mark F.; Riley, Kathryn P.; Markesbery, William R.

2008-01-01

Background although the concept of healthy ageing has stimulated considerable interest, no generally accepted definition has been developed nor has its biological basis been determined. Objective to develop a definition of healthy ageing and investigate its association with longevity and neuropathology. Methods analyses were based on cognitive, physical, and post-mortem assessments from 1991 to 1998 in the Nun Study, a longitudinal study of ageing in participants 75+ years at baseline. We defined three mutually exclusive levels of healthy ageing (excellent, very good, and good) based on measures of global cognitive function, short-term memory, basic and instrumental activities of daily living, and self-rated function. Mortality analyses were based on 636 participants; neuropathologic analyses were restricted to 221 who had died and were autopsied. Results only 11% of those meeting criteria for the excellent level of healthy ageing at baseline subsequently died, compared with 24% for the very good, 39% for the good, and 60% for the remaining participants. Survival curves showed significantly greater longevity with higher levels of healthy ageing. The risk of not attaining healthy ageing, adjusted for age, increased two-fold in participants with brain infarcts alone, six-fold in those with Alzheimer neuropathology alone, and more than thirteen-fold in those with both brain infarcts and Alzheimer neuropathology. Conclusions the biological validity of our definition of healthy ageing is supported by its strong association with mortality and longevity. Avoiding Alzheimer and stroke neuropathology is critical to the maintenance of healthy ageing, and the presence of both pathologies dramatically decreases the likelihood of healthy ageing. PMID:17906306

Myocardial strain in healthy adults across a broad age range as revealed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging at 1.5 and 3.0T: Associations of myocardial strain with myocardial region, age, and sex.

PubMed

Mangion, Kenneth; Clerfond, Guillaume; McComb, Christie; Carrick, David; Rauhalammi, Samuli M; McClure, John; Corcoran, David S; Woodward, Rosemary; Orchard, Vanessa; Radjenovic, Aleksandra; Zhong, Xiaodong; Berry, Colin

2016-11-01

To assess myocardial strain using cine displacement encoding with stimulated echoes (DENSE) using 1.5T and 3.0T MRI in healthy adults. Healthy adults without any history of cardiovascular disease underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 1.5T and 3.0T within 2 days. The MRI protocol included balanced steady-state free-precession (b-SSFP), 2D cine-echo planar imaging (EPI)-DENSE, and late gadolinium enhancement in subjects >45 years. Acquisitions were divided into six segments; global and segmental peak longitudinal and circumferential strain were derived and analyzed by field strength, age, and gender. In all, 89 volunteers (mean age 44.8 ± 18.0 years, range: 18-87 years) underwent MRI at 1.5T, and 88 of these subjects underwent MRI at 3.0T (1.4 ± 1.4 days between the scans). Compared with 3.0T, the magnitudes of global circumferential (-19.5 ± 2.6% vs. -18.47 ± 2.6%; P = 0.001) and longitudinal (-12.47 ± 3.2% vs. -10.53 ± 3.1%; P = 0.004) strain were greater at 1.5T. At 1.5T, longitudinal strain was greater in females than in males: -10.17 ± 3.4% vs. -13.67 ± 2.4%; P = 0.001. Similar observations occurred for circumferential strain at 1.5T (-18.72 ± 2.2% vs. -20.10 ± 2.7%; P = 0.014) and at 3.0T (-17.92 ± 1.8% vs. -19.1 ± 3.1%; P = 0.047). At 1.5T, longitudinal and circumferential strain were not associated with age after accounting for sex (longitudinal strain P = 0.178, circumferential strain P = 0.733). At 3.0T, longitudinal and circumferential strain were associated with age (P < 0.05). Longitudinal strain values were greater in the apico-septal, basal-lateral, and mid-lateral segments and circumferential strain in the inferior, infero-lateral, and antero-lateral LV segments. Myocardial strain parameters as revealed by cine-DENSE at different MRI field strengths were associated with myocardial region, age, and sex. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;44:1197-1205. © 2016 The Authors Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging published by Wiley Periodicals

Sex differences in absolute myocardial perfusion. Non-invasive H2(15)O-PET in young healthy adults.

PubMed

Range, Felix T; Kies, Peter; Schäfers, Klaus P; Breithardt, Günter; Schober, Otmar; Wichter, Thomas; Schäfers, Michael A

2016-09-26

To investigate sex differences in myocardial perfusion especially in healthy individuals since former studies are rare and findings are controversial. Participants, methods: 26 subjects were enrolled: 16 healthy women (age: 34 ±7 years) were compared with 10 healthy men (age: 34 ± 3 years; p = ns). Myocardial blood flow (MBF) and coronary vascular resistance (CVR) were quantified at rest, during adenosine infusion and cold-pressor-testing, using positron emission tomography and radioactive-labelled water (H2(15)O-PET). Women showed higher MBF than men at rest (1.10 ± 0.18 vs. 0.85 ± 0.20 ml/min/ml; p = 0.003) and cold-stress (1.39 ± 0.38 vs. 1.06 ± 0.28 ml/min/ml; p = 0.026). Corrected for rate-pressure-product, baseline findings maintained significance (1.41 ± 0.33 vs. 1.16 ± 0.19 ml/min/ml; p = 0.024). CVR was lower in women at baseline (81 ± 14 vs. 107 ± 22 mmHg*ml(-1)*min*ml; p = 0.006) and during cold-pressor-testing (71 ± 17 vs. 91 ± 20 mmHg*ml(-1)*min*ml; p = 0.013). Under adenosine neither maximal MBF (4.06 ± 1.0 vs. 3.91 ± 0.88 ml/min/ml; p = ns) nor coronary flow reserve (3.07 ± 1.12 vs. 3.44 ± 0.92; p = ns) nor CVR (24 ± 8 vs. 24 ± 6 mmHg*ml(-1)*min*ml; p = ns) showed sex-related differences. Women show higher myocardial perfusion and lower coronary vascular resistance than men in physiologic states. Maximum perfusion and vasodilation under adenosine are not sex-specific.

Healthy Aging After Age 65: A Life-Span Health Production Function Approach.

PubMed

Ferdows, Nasim B; Jensen, Gail A; Tarraf, Wassim

2018-06-01

This article examines the determinants of healthy aging using Grossman's framework of a health production function. Healthy aging, sometimes described as successful aging, is produced using a variety of inputs, determined in early life, young adulthood, midlife, and later life. A healthy aging production function is estimated using nationally representative data from the 2010 and 2012 Health and Retirement Study on 7,355 noninstitutionalized seniors. Using a simultaneous equation mediation model, we quantify how childhood factors contribute to healthy aging, both directly and indirectly through their effects on mediating adult outcomes. We find that favorable childhood conditions significantly improve healthy aging scores, both directly and indirectly, mediated through education, income, and wealth. We also find that good health habits have positive effects on healthy aging that are larger in magnitude than the effects of childhood factors. Our findings suggest that exercising, maintaining proper weight, and not smoking are likely to translate into healthier aging.

Age difference asymmetry and a two-sex perspective.

PubMed

Ni Bhrolchain, M

1992-01-01

Age differences in marriage are examined using data from the Marriage and Divorce Statistics, Series FM2, 1966-87, in England and Wales. Specifically, there is a description of differentials in the spousal age gap by sex and marital status of the partner, trends in the age differences between spouses, the components of change in age differences, i.e., changing age at marriage, and changes in partner's marital status. Data were unavailable to answer whether or not changes in opportunity or constraint (shifts in age/sex distribution) or changing preferences in relation to age differences or both affected the shifts, but plausible interpretations are provided. The difference in ages is evident in the pattern of mean age difference in 1987 for single brides (3.0 years) and the mean gap for bachelors (1.6 years). These figures are still different from the 2.1-year gap in the marriages of 2 single partners or the 2.6-year gap for all marriages. The mean age of 1st marriages is 2.2 for both sexes, 1.6 for men and 3.0 for women. for 2nd and later marriages the pattern is reversed, where divorced women remarry to men averaging 1.7 years older while divorced men remarry a woman 5.3 years younger. The gaps among the widowed are 1.9 years for women and 6.7 years for men. The reasons for the differentials are that not all single men marry single women and the reverse, and that age differences depend on sex, marriage order for both sexes, and marital status of the partner. The longitudinal pattern of age differences being larger in remarriages than in 1st marriages is exhibited for male remarriages only; for women in remarriages the age difference is shortened from 3.0 years to 1.7 years. In comparing time trends, 1) the mean age gap is consistently larger in women's than in men's 1st marriages with a larger gap appearing closer to the present; 2) the age differences have fluctuated over time; 3) the gap in men's and women's marriages were similar up to 1970 and, between 1970

Autonomic nervous system reactivity within the valence-arousal affective space: Modulation by sex and age.

PubMed

Gomez, Patrick; von Gunten, Armin; Danuser, Brigitta

2016-11-01

In the present study, we examined how sex and age shape cardiovascular, electrodermal, and pupillary reactivity to picture series within the valence-arousal affective space in a sample of 176 healthy younger, middle-aged, and older men and women. Across participants, heart rate (HR) decelerated with increasing self-reported unpleasantness, whereas skin conductance level (SCL) and pupil size (PS) increased with increasing self-rated arousal. Systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure increased with increasing self-rated arousal when valence was pleasant but much less when valence was unpleasant. Compared to women, men exhibited a stronger correlation between valence and HR and an SBP response characterized by larger increases for pleasant high-arousal states and lower change scores for unpleasant low- and high-arousal and pleasant low-arousal states. Men's largest SCL change scores were for pleasant high-arousal states, whereas women's largest SCL change scores were for unpleasant high-arousal states. The arousal-PS relationship was stronger among women, in particular for unpleasant series. From younger to older age, there were decreases in the strength of the valence-HR, arousal-SCL, and arousal-PS relationships. Older adults had larger overall increases in SBP and DBP than younger adults, but the relationships with self-reported valence and arousal were not age dependent. We discuss how the observed sex and age effects may reflect sex and age differences in emotional processing and in basic autonomic nervous system functioning. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hot flushes in healthy aging men differ from those in men with prostate cancer and in menopausal women.

PubMed

Holm, Anna-Clara Spetz; Thorell, Lars-Håkan; Theodorsson, Elvar; Hammar, Mats

2012-01-01

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) seems to be involved in hot flushes in women and in castrated men. Therefore, we studied whether the plasma concentrations of CGRP changed during flushes in a group of healthy aging men. Twelve men (49-71 years) with no history of current or former prostate cancer or hormonal treatment reporting ≥ 20 flushes/week were investigated. Blood samples were drawn during and between flushes for analysis of CGRP and also androgen concentrations, that is, testosterone and bioavailable testosterone were analysed. Skin temperature and skin conductance were monitored. Thirty-five flushes were reported by 10 men. The plasma concentrations of CGRP did not increase during flushes. No significant change in skin temperature or conductance was found. CGRP is probably not involved in the mechanisms of flushes in healthy aging men. Therefore, flushes in aging healthy men seem to be different from flushes in men and women deprived of sex steroids where CGRP increases during flushes.

Clinical implications of gait analysis in the rehabilitation of adult patients with "Prader-Willi" Syndrome: a cross-sectional comparative study ("Prader-Willi" Syndrome vs matched obese patients and healthy subjects).

PubMed

Vismara, Luca; Romei, Marianna; Galli, Manuela; Montesano, Angelo; Baccalaro, Gabriele; Crivellini, Marcello; Grugni, Graziano

2007-05-10

Being severely overweight is a distinctive clinical feature of Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). PWS is a complex multisystem disorder, representing the most common form of genetic obesity. The aim of this study was the analysis of the gait pattern of adult subjects with PWS by using three-Dimensional Gait Analysis. The results were compared with those obtained in a group of obese patients and in a group of healthy subjects. Cross-sectional, comparative study: 19 patients with PWS (11 males and 8 females, age: 18-40 years, BMI: 29.3-50.3 kg/m2); 14 obese matched patients (5 males and 9 females, age: 18-40 years, BMI: 34.3-45.2 kg/m2); 20 healthy subjects (10 males and 10 females, age: 21-41 years, BMI: 19.3-25.4 kg/m2). Kinematic and kinetic parameters during walking were assessed by an optoelectronic system and two force platforms. PWS adult patients walked slower, had a shorter stride length, a lower cadence and a longer stance phase compared with both matched obese, and healthy subjects. Obese matched patients showed spatio-temporal parameters significantly different from healthy subjects.Furthermore, Range Of Motion (ROM) at knee and ankle, and plantaflexor activity of PWS patients were significantly different between obese and healthy subjects. Obese subjects revealed kinematic and kinetic data similar to healthy subjects. PWS subjects had a gait pattern significantly different from obese patients. Despite that, both groups had a similar BMI. We suggest that PWS gait abnormalities may be related to abnormalities in the development of motor skills in childhood, due to precocious obesity. A tailored rehabilitation program in early childhood of PWS patients could prevent gait pattern changes.

Clinical implications of gait analysis in the rehabilitation of adult patients with "Prader-Willi" Syndrome: a cross-sectional comparative study ("Prader-Willi" Syndrome vs matched obese patients and healthy subjects)

PubMed Central

Vismara, Luca; Romei, Marianna; Galli, Manuela; Montesano, Angelo; Baccalaro, Gabriele; Crivellini, Marcello; Grugni, Graziano

2007-01-01

Background Being severely overweight is a distinctive clinical feature of Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). PWS is a complex multisystem disorder, representing the most common form of genetic obesity. The aim of this study was the analysis of the gait pattern of adult subjects with PWS by using three-Dimensional Gait Analysis. The results were compared with those obtained in a group of obese patients and in a group of healthy subjects. Methods Cross-sectional, comparative study: 19 patients with PWS (11 males and 8 females, age: 18–40 years, BMI: 29.3–50.3 kg/m2); 14 obese matched patients (5 males and 9 females, age: 18–40 years, BMI: 34.3–45.2 kg/m2); 20 healthy subjects (10 males and 10 females, age: 21–41 years, BMI: 19.3–25.4 kg/m2). Kinematic and kinetic parameters during walking were assessed by an optoelectronic system and two force platforms. Results PWS adult patients walked slower, had a shorter stride length, a lower cadence and a longer stance phase compared with both matched obese, and healthy subjects. Obese matched patients showed spatio-temporal parameters significantly different from healthy subjects. Furthermore, Range Of Motion (ROM) at knee and ankle, and plantaflexor activity of PWS patients were significantly different between obese and healthy subjects. Obese subjects revealed kinematic and kinetic data similar to healthy subjects. Conclusion PWS subjects had a gait pattern significantly different from obese patients. Despite that, both groups had a similar BMI. We suggest that PWS gait abnormalities may be related to abnormalities in the development of motor skills in childhood, due to precocious obesity. A tailored rehabilitation program in early childhood of PWS patients could prevent gait pattern changes. PMID:17493259

Cross-Classification of Human Urinary Lipidome by Sex, Age, and Body Mass Index.

PubMed

Okemoto, Kazuo; Maekawa, Keiko; Tajima, Yoko; Tohkin, Masahiro; Saito, Yoshiro

2016-01-01

Technological advancements in past decades have led to the development of integrative analytical approaches to lipidomics, such as liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS), and information about biogenic lipids is rapidly accumulating. Although several cohort-based studies have been conducted on the composition of urinary lipidome, the data on urinary lipids cross-classified by sex, age, and body mass index (BMI) are insufficient to screen for various abnormalities. To promote the development of urinary lipid metabolome-based diagnostic assay, we analyzed 60 urine samples from healthy white adults (young (c.a., 30 years) and old (c.a., 60 years) men/women) using LC/MS. Women had a higher urinary concentration of omega-3 12-lipoxygenase (LOX)-generated oxylipins with anti-inflammatory activity compared to men. In addition, young women showed increased abundance of poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and cytochrome P450 (P450)-produced oxylipins with anti-hypertensive activity compared with young men, whereas elderly women exhibited higher concentration of 5-LOX-generated anti-inflammatory oxylipins than elderly men. There were no significant differences in urinary oxylipin levels between young and old subjects or between subjects with low and high BMI. Our findings suggest that sex, but neither ages nor BMI could be a confounding factor for measuring the composition of urinary lipid metabolites in the healthy population. The information showed contribute to the development of reliable biomarker findings from urine.

Estrogen Regulation of Duodenal Bicarbonate Secretion and Sex-Specific Protection of Human Duodenum

PubMed Central

Tuo, Biguang; Wen, Guorong; Wei, Jinqi; Liu, Xuemei; Wang, Xue; Zhang, Yalin; Wu, Huichao; Dong, Xiao; Chow, Jimmy Y.C.; Vallon, Volker; Dong, Hui

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND & AIMS The reason that women have a lower prevalence of duodenal ulcer is not clear. We investigated whether estrogen regulates human duodenal bicarbonate secretion (DBS) and whether this process accounts for sex differences in the prevalence of duodenal ulcer. METHODS We performed an epidemiological study to correlate duodenal ulcer prevalence with sex and age. Proximal DBS was measured from healthy subjects. Estrogen receptor expression was examined in human duodenal mucosa by immunoblot and immunohistochemical analyses. RESULTS Among women, the prevalence of duodenal ulcer was significantly lower than among men. The reduced prevalence was greatest among premenopausal women (20–49 years), who were 3.91–5.09-fold less likely to develop duodenal ulcers than age-matched men; the difference was reduced to ≤1.32-fold among subjects 60 years or older. Premenopausal (20–29 years), but not post-menopausal (60–69 years) women, had significantly higher basal and acid-stimulated DBS than the age-matched men. Basal and acid-stimulated DBS in premenopausal women (20–29 years) were significantly higher than in post-menopausal women (60–69 years), whereas there were no significant differences in basal or acid-stimulated DBS between men that were 20–29 years old or 60–69 years old. Serum levels of estradiol changed in parallel with basal and acid-stimulated DBS during the physiological menstrual cycle in premenopausal women. 17β-estradiol-stimulated DBS was independent of age or sex. Estrogen receptors- and - were detected on plasma membrane and in cytosol of human duodenal epithelial cells. CONCLUSIONS Estrogen regulates human DBS, which could reduce the risk for duodenal ulcer in women and contribute to sex differences in prevalence of duodenal ulcer. PMID:21699784

A propensity score matching analysis of the relationship between victim sex and capital juror decision-making in North Carolina.

PubMed

Jennings, Wesley G; Richards, Tara N; Smith, M Dwayne; Bjerregaard, Beth; Fogel, Sondra J

2015-07-01

A small body of prior research has examined the impact of victim sex on jury death penalty decision-making and the majority of this research has demonstrated some evidence of a "female victim effect" such that cases involving a female victim are more likely to receive the death penalty than similarly situated cases with a male victim. However, within this line of research studies have suggested that victim sex may work in conjunction with other case characteristics. In order to further explore this phenomenon, the current study examines a near-population of death penalty cases from North Carolina (n=1069) from 1977-2009 using propensity score matching. Results demonstrate that once cases are matched on more than 50 legal and extralegal case characteristics, there is no statistically significant or substantive link between victim sex and death penalty decision-making. Findings suggest that it is concrete differences in the legal and extralegal factors observed in cases with female victims compared to male victims that shape jury death sentence decisions rather than a direct effect of victim sex (before matching: OR=1.53; 95% CI=1.20-1.95; p<.001/after matching: OR=0.90; 95% CI=0.66-1.24; p=.52). Study limitations and implications are also discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Other-Sex Relationship Stress and Sex Differences in the Contribution of Puberty to Depression

PubMed Central

Llewellyn, Nicole; Rudolph, Karen D.; Roisman, Glenn I.

2015-01-01

Research suggests that the pubertal transition, particularly when experienced earlier than age-matched peers, is associated with heightened depression in girls but less depression in boys. This study examined whether stress within other-sex relationships serves as one process through which puberty differentially contributes to depression for girls and boys. Youth (51 girls, 34 boys; M age = 12.68) and their caregivers reported on pubertal status and age of menarche. Semistructured interviews were conducted to assess youths’ depression and exposure to chronic other-sex stress. As anticipated, more advanced status and earlier timing were associated with more depression in girls and less depression in boys. More advanced status and earlier timing were associated with less other-sex stress in boys; earlier age of menarche was associated with more other-sex stress in girls. Other-sex stress partially mediated the early menarche-depression association in girls, suggesting one process through which puberty promotes risk for depression in girls. PMID:26778876

Defining and Estimating Healthy Aging in Spain: A Cross-sectional Study.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Laso, Angel; McLaughlin, Sara J; Urdaneta, Elena; Yanguas, Javier

2018-03-19

Using an operational continuum of healthy aging developed by U.S. researchers, we sought to estimate the prevalence of healthy aging among older Spaniards, inform the development of a definition of healthy aging in Spain, and foster cross-national research on healthy aging. The ELES pilot study is a nationwide, cross-sectional survey of community-dwelling Spaniards 50 years and older. The prevalence of healthy aging was calculated for the 65 and over population using varying definitions. To evaluate their validity, we examined the association of healthy aging with the 8 foot up & go test, quality of life scores and self-perceived health using multiple linear and logistic regression. The estimated prevalence of healthy aging varied across the operational continuum, from 4.5% to 49.2%. Prevalence figures were greater for men and those aged 65 to 79 years and were higher than in the United States. Predicted mean physical performance scores were similar for 3 of the 4 definitions, suggesting that stringent definitions of healthy aging offer little advantage over a more moderate one. Similar to U.S. researchers, we recommend a definition of healthy aging that incorporates measures of functional health and limiting disease as opposed to definitions requiring the absence of all disease in studies designed to assess the effect of policy initiatives on healthy aging.

Transcriptome and ultrastructural changes in dystrophic Epidermolysis bullosa resemble skin aging.

PubMed

Breitenbach, Jenny S; Rinnerthaler, Mark; Trost, Andrea; Weber, Manuela; Klausegger, Alfred; Gruber, Christina; Bruckner, Daniela; Reitsamer, Herbert A; Bauer, Johann W; Breitenbach, Michael

2015-06-01

The aging process of skin has been investigated recently with respect to mitochondrial function and oxidative stress. We have here observed striking phenotypic and clinical similarity between skin aging and recessive dystrophic Epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), which is caused by recessive mutations in the gene coding for collagen VII,COL7A1. Ultrastructural changes, defects in wound healing, and inflammation markers are in part shared with aged skin. We have here compared the skin transcriptomes of young adults suffering from RDEB with that of sex- and age-matched healthy probands. In parallel we have compared the skin transcriptome of healthy young adults with that of elderly healthy donors. Quite surprisingly, there was a large overlap of the two gene lists that concerned a limited number of functional protein families. Most prominent among the proteins found are a number of proteins of the cornified envelope or proteins mechanistically involved in cornification and other skin proteins. Further, the overlap list contains a large number of genes with a known role in inflammation. We are documenting some of the most prominent ultrastructural and protein changes by immunofluorescence analysis of skin sections from patients, old individuals, and healthy controls.

Effect of degree of urbanisation on age and sex-specific asthma prevalence in Swedish preschool children.

PubMed

Bröms, Kristina; Norbäck, Dan; Eriksson, Margaretha; Sundelin, Claes; Svärdsudd, Kurt

2009-08-20

There are few studies on age and sex-specific asthma prevalence in the age range 1-6 years. The purpose of this report was to estimate age and sex specific asthma prevalence in preschool children and to analyse the influence of possible demographic and geographic determinants. All 70 allergen avoidance day-care centres and 140 matched ordinary day-care centres across Sweden were sampled. The parents of all 8,757 children attending these day-care centres received the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) written questionnaire, supplemented with questions on medical treatment, physician assessed asthma diagnosis, and other asthma related questions. The response rate was 68%. The age specific asthma prevalence, adjusted for the underlying municipality population size, was among boys 9.7% at age 1, 11.1% at age 2, 11.4 at age 3, 10.5 at age 4, 8.7 at age 5, and 6.4 at age 6. The corresponding proportions among girls were 8.9%, 9.9%, 9.8%, 8.8%, 7.0%, and 5.0%, on average 9.6% for boys and 8.2% for girls, altogether 8.9%. In addition to age and sex the prevalence increased by municipality population density, a proxy for degree of urbanisation. Moreover, there was a remaining weak geographical gradient with increasing prevalence towards the north and the west. The age-specific asthma prevalence was curvilinear with a peak around age 3 and somewhat higher for boys than for girls. The asthma prevalence increased in a slowly accelerating pace by municipality population density as a proxy for degree of urbanisation.

Sensorimotor Control of Tracking Movements at Various Speeds for Stroke Patients as Well as Age-Matched and Young Healthy Subjects

PubMed Central

Ao, Di; Song, Rong; Tong, Kai-yu

2015-01-01

There are aging- and stroke-induced changes on sensorimotor control in daily activities, but their mechanisms have not been well investigated. This study explored speed-, aging-, and stroke-induced changes on sensorimotor control. Eleven stroke patients (affected sides and unaffected sides) and 20 control subjects (10 young and 10 age-matched individuals) were enrolled to perform elbow tracking tasks using sinusoidal trajectories, which included 6 target speeds (15.7, 31.4, 47.1, 62.8, 78.5, and 94.2 deg/s). The actual elbow angle was recorded and displayed on a screen as visual feedback, and three indicators, the root mean square error (RMSE), normalized integrated jerk (NIJ) and integral of the power spectrum density of normalized speed (IPNS), were used to investigate the strategy of sensorimotor control. Both NIJ and IPNS had significant differences among the four groups (P<0.01), and the values were ranked in the following order: young controls < age-matched controls and aging-induced increase in reliance on feedback control. The RMSE increased with the increase in the target speed and the NIJ and IPNS initially declined and then remained steady for all four groups, which indicated a shift from feedback to feedforward control as the target speed increased. The feedback-feedforward trade-off induced by stroke, aging and speed might be explained by a change in the transmission delay and neuromotor noise. The findings in this study improve our understanding of the mechanism underlying the sensorimotor control and neurological changes caused by stroke and aging. PMID:26030289

Sex-Role Inconstancy, Biology, and Successful Aging: A Dialectical Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sinnott, Jan Dynda

1977-01-01

This paper examines sex-role inconstancy from a life-span point of view. New environmental realities and an increasing life-span may make traditional sex roles less functional in old age. Evidence is presented for more successful aging in persons manifesting convergent sex-role behavior. (Author)

Mallard age and sex determination from wings

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carney, S.M.; Geis, A.D.

1960-01-01

This paper describes characters on the wing plumage of the mallard that indicate age and sex. A key outlines a logical order in which to check age and sex characters on wings. This method was tested and found to be more than 95 percent reliable, although it was found that considerable practice and training with known-age specimens was required to achieve this level of accuracy....The implications of this technique and the sampling procedure it permits are discussed. Wing collections could provide information on production, and, if coupled with a banding program could permit seasonal population estimates to be calculated. In addition, representative samples of wings would provide data to check the reliability of several other waterfowl surveys.

Age-Related Brain Activation Changes during Rule Repetition in Word-Matching.

PubMed

Methqal, Ikram; Pinsard, Basile; Amiri, Mahnoush; Wilson, Maximiliano A; Monchi, Oury; Provost, Jean-Sebastien; Joanette, Yves

2017-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the age-related brain activation changes during a word-matching semantic-category-based task, which required either repeating or changing a semantic rule to be applied. In order to do so, a word-semantic rule-based task was adapted from the Wisconsin Sorting Card Test, involving the repeated feedback-driven selection of given pairs of words based on semantic category-based criteria. Method: Forty healthy adults (20 younger and 20 older) performed a word-matching task while undergoing a fMRI scan in which they were required to pair a target word with another word from a group of three words. The required pairing is based on three word-pair semantic rules which correspond to different levels of semantic control demands: functional relatedness, moderately typical-relatedness (which were considered as low control demands), and atypical-relatedness (high control demands). The sorting period consisted of a continuous execution of the same sorting rule and an inferred trial-by-trial feedback was given. Results: Behavioral performance revealed increases in response times and decreases of correct responses according to the level of semantic control demands (functional vs. typical vs. atypical) for both age groups (younger and older) reflecting graded differences in the repetition of the application of a given semantic rule. Neuroimaging findings of significant brain activation showed two main results: (1) Greater task-related activation changes for the repetition of the application of atypical rules relative to typical and functional rules, and (2) Changes (older > younger) in the inferior prefrontal regions for functional rules and more extensive and bilateral activations for typical and atypical rules. Regarding the inter-semantic rules comparison, only task-related activation differences were observed for functional > typical (e.g., inferior parietal and temporal regions bilaterally) and atypical > typical (e

First-Time Sports-Related Concussion Recovery: The Role of Sex, Age, and Sport.

PubMed

Neidecker, John M; Gealt, David B; Luksch, John R; Weaver, Martin D

2017-10-01

Concussion is one of the most common injuries in athletes. Current concussion consensus statements propose that female sex may be a modifying factor in concussion management and recovery. To determine whether female athletes in middle school and high school with a first-time, sports-related concussion remained symptomatic longer than their male counterparts. A retrospective medical record analysis was performed among athletes who sustained a concussion between 2011 and 2013. Inclusion criteria consisted of age between 11 and 18 years and diagnosis of first-time concussion sustained while playing organized sports. Using the documented notes in the medical record, length of time that each athlete was symptomatic from his or her concussion was calculated. A total of 110 male and 102 female athletes (N=212) met the eligibility criteria for the study. A significant difference was found in the median number of days female athletes remained symptomatic (28 days) when compared with male athletes (11 days) (P<.001). No statistically significant difference was found in symptom duration between age groups. When matched for sex, no statistically significant differences were found in symptom duration between the type of sports played. Female athletes aged 11 to 18 years with first-time, sports-related concussions remained symptomatic for a longer period when compared with male athletes of similar age, regardless of sport played. The mechanism behind this difference needs to be further elucidated.

China's marriage squeeze: A decomposition into age and sex structure.

PubMed

Jiang, Quanbao; Li, Xiaomin; Li, Shuzhuo; Feldman, Marcus W

2016-06-01

Most recent studies of marriage patterns in China have emphasized the male-biased sex ratio but have largely neglected age structure as a factor in China's male marriage squeeze. In this paper we develop an index we call "spousal sex ratio" (SSR) to measure the marriage squeeze, and a method of decomposing the proportion of male surplus into age and sex structure effects within a small spousal age difference interval. We project that China's marriage market will be confronted with a relatively severe male squeeze. For the decomposition of the cohort aged 30, from 2010 to 2020 age structure will be dominant, while from 2020 through 2034 the contribution of age structure will gradually decrease and that of sex structure will increase. From then on, sex structure will be dominant. The index and decomposition, concentrated on a specific female birth cohort, can distinguish spousal competition for single cohorts which may be covered by a summary index for the whole marriage market; these can also be used for consecutive cohorts to reflect the situation of the whole marriage market.

Impact of Age, Sex and Indexation Method on MR Left Ventricular Reference Values in the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort

PubMed Central

Yeon, Susan B.; Salton, Carol J.; Gona, Philimon; Chuang, Michael L.; Blease, Susan J.; Han, Yuchi; Tsao, Connie W.; Danias, Peter G.; Levy, Daniel; O’Donnell, Christopher J.; Manning, Warren J.

2014-01-01

Purpose To determine normative values for left ventricular (LV) volumes, mass, concentricity and ejection fraction (EF) and investigate associations between sex, age and body size with LV parameters in community dwelling adults. Materials and Methods 1794 Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort members underwent LV short-axis oriented, contiguous multislice ciné SSFP MR of the left ventricle; from these a healthy referent group (N=852, 61±9 years, 40% men) free of clinical cardiac disease and hypertension (SBP<140, DBP<90 mmHg, never used antihypertensive medication ≥ 30 years prior to scanning) was identified. Referent participants were stratified by sex and age group (≤55, 56-65, >65 years); LV parameters were indexed to measures of body size. Results Men have greater LV volumes and mass than women both before and after indexation to height, powers of height, and body surface area (p<0.01 all), but indexation to fat-free mass yielded greater LV volume and mass in women. In both sexes, LV volumes and mass decrease with advancing age, though indexation attenuates this association. LVEF is greater in women than men (68±5% vs. 66±5%, p<0.01) and increases with age in both sexes (p<0.05). Conclusion Among non-hypertensive adults free of cardiac disease, men have greater LV volumes and mass with sex differences generally persisting after indexation to body size. LV volumes and mass tend to decrease with greater age in both sexes. Female sex and advanced age were both associated with greater LVEF. PMID:24817313

Neurovascular control of blood pressure is influenced by aging, sex, and sex hormones.

PubMed

Baker, Sarah E; Limberg, Jacqueline K; Ranadive, Sushant M; Joyner, Michael J

2016-12-01

In this review, we highlight that the relationship between muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) and mean arterial pressure is complex, differs by sex, and changes with age. In young men there is an inverse relationship between MSNA and cardiac output where high MSNA is compensated for by low cardiac output. This inverse relationship is not seen in older men. In young women sympathetic vasoconstriction is offset by β-adrenoreceptor mediated vasodilation, limiting the ability of young women to maintain blood pressure in response to orthostatic stress. However, β-mediated dilation in women is attenuated with age, leading to unopposed α-adrenergic vasoconstriction and a rise in the direct transduction of MSNA into increases in blood pressure. We propose that these changes with age and menopausal status are major contributing factors in the increased prevalence of hypertension in older women. In addition to aging, we highlight that changes in sex hormones in young women (across the menstrual cycle, with oral contraceptive use, or with pregnancy) influence MSNA and the transduction of MSNA into increases in blood pressure. It is likely that the β-adrenergic receptors and/or changes in baroreflex sensitivity play a large role in these sex differences and changes with alterations in sex hormones. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Age- and sex-specific thorax finite element model development and simulation.

PubMed

Schoell, Samantha L; Weaver, Ashley A; Vavalle, Nicholas A; Stitzel, Joel D

2015-01-01

The shape, size, bone density, and cortical thickness of the thoracic skeleton vary significantly with age and sex, which can affect the injury tolerance, especially in at-risk populations such as the elderly. Computational modeling has emerged as a powerful and versatile tool to assess injury risk. However, current computational models only represent certain ages and sexes in the population. The purpose of this study was to morph an existing finite element (FE) model of the thorax to depict thorax morphology for males and females of ages 30 and 70 years old (YO) and to investigate the effect on injury risk. Age- and sex-specific FE models were developed using thin-plate spline interpolation. In order to execute the thin-plate spline interpolation, homologous landmarks on the reference, target, and FE model are required. An image segmentation and registration algorithm was used to collect homologous rib and sternum landmark data from males and females aged 0-100 years. The Generalized Procrustes Analysis was applied to the homologous landmark data to quantify age- and sex-specific isolated shape changes in the thorax. The Global Human Body Models Consortium (GHBMC) 50th percentile male occupant model was morphed to create age- and sex-specific thoracic shape change models (scaled to a 50th percentile male size). To evaluate the thoracic response, 2 loading cases (frontal hub impact and lateral impact) were simulated to assess the importance of geometric and material property changes with age and sex. Due to the geometric and material property changes with age and sex, there were observed differences in the response of the thorax in both the frontal and lateral impacts. Material property changes alone had little to no effect on the maximum thoracic force or the maximum percent compression. With age, the thorax becomes stiffer due to superior rotation of the ribs, which can result in increased bone strain that can increase the risk of fracture. For the 70-YO models

Sex, the aging immune system, and chronic disease.

PubMed

Gubbels Bupp, Melanie R

2015-04-01

The immune systems of men and women differ in significant ways, especially after puberty. In particular, females are generally more prone to autoimmunity, but experience lower rates of infections and chronic inflammatory disease. Sex hormones, genes encoded on the sex chromosomes, and gender-specific behaviors likely contribute to these differences. The aging process is associated with changes in the composition and function of the immune system and these changes may occur at an accelerated rate in men as compared to women. Moreover, after the age of menopause, the incidence of chronic inflammatory disease in women approaches or exceeds that observed in males. At the same time, the incidence of autoimmunity in post-menopausal women is decreased or equivalent to the rates observed in similarly-aged men. Additional studies addressing the influence of sex on the pathogenesis of chronic and autoimmune diseases in the aged are warranted. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Healthy lifestyle through young adulthood and the presence of low cardiovascular disease risk profile in middle age: the Coronary Artery Risk Development in (Young) Adults (CARDIA) study.

PubMed

Liu, Kiang; Daviglus, Martha L; Loria, Catherine M; Colangelo, Laura A; Spring, Bonnie; Moller, Arlen C; Lloyd-Jones, Donald M

2012-02-28

A low cardiovascular disease risk profile (untreated cholesterol <200 mg/dL, untreated blood pressure <120/<80 mm Hg, never smoking, and no history of diabetes mellitus or myocardial infarction) in middle age is associated with markedly better health outcomes in older age, but few middle-aged adults have this low risk profile. We examined whether adopting a healthy lifestyle throughout young adulthood is associated with the presence of the low cardiovascular disease risk profile in middle age. The Coronary Artery Risk Development in (Young) Adults (CARDIA) study sample consisted of 3154 black and white participants 18 to 30 years of age at year 0 (1985-1986) who attended the year 0, 7, and 20 examinations. Healthy lifestyle factors defined at years 0, 7, and 20 included average body mass index <25 kg/m(2), no or moderate alcohol intake, higher healthy diet score, higher physical activity score, and never smoking. Mean age (25 years) and percentage of women (56%) were comparable across groups defined by number of healthy lifestyle factors. The age-, sex-, and race-adjusted prevalences of low cardiovascular disease risk profile at year 20 were 3.0%, 14.6%, 29.5%, 39.2%, and 60.7% for people with 0 or 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 healthy lifestyle factors, respectively (P for trend <0.0001). Similar graded relationships were observed for each sex-race group (all P for trend <0.0001). Maintaining a healthy lifestyle throughout young adulthood is strongly associated with a low cardiovascular disease risk profile in middle age. Public health and individual efforts are needed to improve the adoption and maintenance of healthy lifestyles in young adults.

Mothers adjust offspring sex to match the quality of the rearing environment

PubMed Central

Pryke, Sarah R.; Rollins, Lee A.

2012-01-01

Theory predicts that mothers should adjust offspring sex ratios when the expected fitness gains or rearing costs differ between sons and daughters. Recent empirical work has linked biased offspring sex ratios to environmental quality via changes in relative maternal condition. It is unclear, however, whether females can manipulate offspring sex ratios in response to environmental quality alone (i.e. independent of maternal condition). We used a balanced within-female experimental design (i.e. females bred on both low- and high-quality diets) to show that female parrot finches (Erythrura trichroa) manipulate primary offspring sex ratios to the quality of the rearing environment, and not to their own body condition and health. Individual females produced an unbiased sex ratio on high-quality diets, but over-produced sons in poor dietary conditions, even though they maintained similar condition between diet treatments. Despite the lack of sexual size dimorphism, such sex ratio adjustment is in line with predictions from sex allocation theory because nutritionally stressed foster sons were healthier, grew faster and were more likely to survive than daughters. These findings suggest that mothers may adaptively adjust offspring sex ratios to optimally match their offspring to the expected quality of the rearing environment. PMID:22859597

Mothers adjust offspring sex to match the quality of the rearing environment.

PubMed

Pryke, Sarah R; Rollins, Lee A

2012-10-07

Theory predicts that mothers should adjust offspring sex ratios when the expected fitness gains or rearing costs differ between sons and daughters. Recent empirical work has linked biased offspring sex ratios to environmental quality via changes in relative maternal condition. It is unclear, however, whether females can manipulate offspring sex ratios in response to environmental quality alone (i.e. independent of maternal condition). We used a balanced within-female experimental design (i.e. females bred on both low- and high-quality diets) to show that female parrot finches (Erythrura trichroa) manipulate primary offspring sex ratios to the quality of the rearing environment, and not to their own body condition and health. Individual females produced an unbiased sex ratio on high-quality diets, but over-produced sons in poor dietary conditions, even though they maintained similar condition between diet treatments. Despite the lack of sexual size dimorphism, such sex ratio adjustment is in line with predictions from sex allocation theory because nutritionally stressed foster sons were healthier, grew faster and were more likely to survive than daughters. These findings suggest that mothers may adaptively adjust offspring sex ratios to optimally match their offspring to the expected quality of the rearing environment.

Perceptions of competence: age moderates views of healthy aging and Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Berry, Jane M; Williams, Helen L; Thomas, Kevin D; Blair, Jamie

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND/STUDY CONTEXT: Older adults have more complex and differentiated views of aging than do younger adults, but less is known about age-related perceptions of Alzheimer's disease. This study investigated age-related perceptions of competence of an older adult labeled as "in good health" (healthy) or "has Alzheimer's disease" (AD), using a person-perception paradigm. It was predicted that older adults would provide more differentiated assessments of the two targets than would younger adults. Younger (n=86; 18-36 years) and older (n=66; 61-95 years) adults rated activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), and memory abilities of a female target aged 75 years, described as healthy or with AD. Data on anxiety about aging, knowledge of and experience with aging and AD, knowledge of memory aging, and positive and negative biases toward aging and AD were also collected. Older adults perceived the healthy target as more capable of cognitively effortful activities (e.g., managing finances) and as possessing better memory abilities than the AD target. As predicted, these differences were greater than differences between targets perceived by younger adults. The interaction effect remained significant after statistically controlling for relevant variables, including education and gender. Additionally, exploratory analyses revealed that older adults held less positively biased views of AD than younger adults, but negatively biased views were equivalent between age groups. The results demonstrate that mere labels of "healthy" and "Alzheimer's disease" produce significant and subtle age differences in perceived competencies of older adults, and that biases towards AD vary by age group and valence. Our findings extend the person-perception paradigm to an integrative analysis of aging and AD, are consistent with models of adult development, and complement current research and theory on stereotypes of aging. Future directions for research

Similarities and differences in child development from birth to age 3 years by sex and across four countries: a cross-sectional, observational study.

PubMed

Ertem, Ilgi Ozturk; Krishnamurthy, Vibha; Mulaudzi, Mphelekedzeni C; Sguassero, Yanina; Balta, Hakan; Gulumser, Ozlem; Bilik, Burcu; Srinivasan, Roopa; Johnson, Benjamin; Gan, Geliang; Calvocoressi, Lisa; Shabanova, Veronika; Forsyth, Brian W C

2018-03-01

Knowledge about typical development is of fundamental importance for understanding and promoting child health and development. We aimed to ascertain when healthy children in four culturally and linguistically different countries attain developmental milestones and to identify similarities and differences across sexes and countries. In this cross-sectional, observational study, we recruited children aged 0-42 months and their caregivers between March 3, 2011, and May 18, 2015, at 22 health clinics in Argentina, India, South Africa, and Turkey. We obtained a healthy subsample, which excluded children with a low birthweight, perinatal complications, chronic illness, undernutrition, or anaemia, and children with missing health data. Using the Guide for Monitoring Child Development, caregivers described their child's development in seven domains: expressive and receptive language, gross and fine motor, play, relating, and self-help. Clinicians examining the children also completed a checklist about the child's health status. We used logit and probit regression models based on the lowest deviance information criterion to generate Bayesian point estimates and 95% credible intervals for the 50th percentile ages of attainment of 106 milestones. We assessed the significance of differences between sexes and countries using predefined criteria and regions of practical equivalence. Of 10 246 children recruited, 4949 children (48·3%) were included in the healthy subsample. For the 106 milestones assessed, the median age of attainment was equivalent for 102 (96%) milestones across sexes and 81 (76%) milestones across the four countries. Across countries, median ages of attainment were equivalent for all play milestones, 20 (77%) of 26 expressive language milestones, ten (67%) of 15 receptive language milestones, nine (82%) of 11 fine motor milestones, 14 (88%) of 16 gross motor milestones, and eight (73%) of 11 relating milestones. However, across the four countries the median

Age- and sex-related variations in the brain white matter fractal dimension throughout adulthood: an MRI study.

PubMed

Farahibozorg, S; Hashemi-Golpayegani, S M; Ashburner, J

2015-03-01

To observe age- and sex-related differences in the complexity of the global and hemispheric white matter (WM) throughout adulthood by means of fractal dimension (FD). A box-counting algorithm was used to extract FD from the WM magnetic resonance images of 209 healthy adults from three structural layers, including general (gFD), skeleton (sFD), and boundaries (bFD). Model selection algorithms and statistical analyses, respectively, were used to examine the patterns and significance of the changes. gFD and sFD showed inverse U-shape patterns with aging, with a slighter slope of increase from young to mid-age and a steeper decrease to the old. bFD was less affected by age. Sex differences were evident, specifically in gFD and sFD, with men showing higher FDs. Age × sex interaction was significant mainly in the hemispheric analysis, with men undergoing sharper age-related changes. After adjusting for the volume effect, age-related results remained approximately the same, but sex differences changed in most of the features, with women indicating higher values, specifically in the left hemisphere and boundaries. Right hemisphere was still more complex in men. This study is the first that investigates the WM FD spanning adulthood, treating age both as a continuous and categorical variable. We found positive correlations between FD and volume, and our results show similarities with those investigating small-world properties of the brain networks, as well as those of functional complexity and WM integrity. These suggest that FD could yield a highly compact description of the structural changes and also might inform us about functional and cognitive variations.

The association between major depression prevalence and sex becomes weaker with age.

PubMed

Patten, Scott B; Williams, Jeanne V A; Lavorato, Dina H; Wang, Jian Li; Bulloch, Andrew G M; Sajobi, Tolulope

2016-02-01

Women have a higher prevalence of major depressive episodes (MDE) than men, and the annual prevalence of MDE declines with age. Age by sex interactions may occur (a weakening of the sex effect with age), but are easily overlooked since individual studies lack statistical power to detect interactions. The objective of this study was to evaluate age by sex interactions in MDE prevalence. In Canada, a series of 10 national surveys conducted between 1996 and 2013 assessed MDE prevalence in respondents over the age of 14. Treating age as a continuous variable, binomial and linear regression was used to model age by sex interactions in each survey. To increase power, the survey-specific interaction coefficients were then pooled using meta-analytic methods. The estimated interaction terms were homogeneous. In the binomial regression model I (2) was 31.2 % and was not statistically significant (Q statistic = 13.1, df = 9, p = 0.159). The pooled estimate (-0.004) was significant (z = 3.13, p = 0.002), indicating that the effect of sex became weaker with increasing age. This resulted in near disappearance of the sex difference in the 75+ age group. This finding was also supported by an examination of age- and sex-specific estimates pooled across the surveys. The association of MDE prevalence with sex becomes weaker with age. The interaction may reflect biological effect modification. Investigators should test for, and consider inclusion of age by sex interactions in epidemiological analyses of MDE prevalence.

Healthy Aging in China

PubMed Central

Smith, James P.; Strauss, John; Zhao, Yaohui

2014-01-01

China has aged rapidly and the rate is accelerating in decades to come. We review positive and negative forces for healthy aging in China now and in the future. The most positive force is the spectacular growth in education over time especially for Chinese women, which should improve all dimensions of cognitive and physical health and eliminate vast gender disparities in healthy aging that currently exist. Other positive forces include increasing detection and treatment of disease and the availability of health insurance and health services so that diseases like hypertension and diabetes do not remain silent killers in China. Transparency is eased on the research level by publicly available data such as CHARLS, a sharp departure from prior scientific norm in China. Negative forces center on disturbing trends in personal health behaviors such as growing rates of smoking (among men) and obesity (for both genders), and pollution—,especially in urban centers. Public health campaigns and incentives are needed on all these fronts so that predictable long-term consequences of these behaviors on older age disease are not realized. There will not be a simple demographic fix to healthy aging in China as fertility rates are unlikely to rise much, while migration will likely continue to rise leaving growing numbers of elderly parents geographically separated from their adult children. Government policy will have to allow migration of elderly parents to live with their adult children while reducing the rigid connection of policy (health insurance and health services) with place of residence. PMID:25621202

Healthy ageing, resilience and wellbeing.

PubMed

Cosco, T D; Howse, K; Brayne, C

2017-12-01

The extension of life does not appear to be slowing, representing a great achievement for mankind as well as a challenge for ageing populations. As we move towards an increasingly older population we will need to find novel ways for individuals to make the best of the challenges they face, as the likelihood of encountering some form of adversity increases with age. Resilience theories share a common idea that individuals who manage to navigate adversity and maintain high levels of functioning demonstrate resilience. Traditional models of healthy ageing suggest that having a high level of functioning across a number of domains is a requirement. The addition of adversity to the healthy ageing model via resilience makes this concept much more accessible and more amenable to the ageing population. Through asset-based approaches, such as the invoking of individual, social and environmental resources, it is hoped that greater resilience can be fostered at a population level. Interventions aimed at fostering greater resilience may take many forms; however, there is great potential to increase social and environmental resources through public policy interventions. The wellbeing of the individual must be the focus of these efforts; quality of life is an integral component to the enjoyment of additional years and should not be overlooked. Therefore, it will become increasingly important to use resilience as a public health concept and to intervene through policy to foster greater resilience by increasing resources available to older people. Fostering wellbeing in the face of increasing adversity has significant implications for ageing individuals and society as a whole.

Influence of individual and combined healthy behaviours on successful aging.

PubMed

Sabia, Séverine; Singh-Manoux, Archana; Hagger-Johnson, Gareth; Cambois, Emmanuelle; Brunner, Eric J; Kivimaki, Mika

2012-12-11

Increases in life expectancy make it important to remain healthy for as long as possible. Our objective was to examine the extent to which healthy behaviours in midlife, separately and in combination, predict successful aging. We used a prospective cohort design involving 5100 men and women aged 42-63 years. Participants were free of cancer, coronary artery disease and stroke when their health behaviours were assessed in 1991-1994 as part of the Whitehall II study. We defined healthy behaviours as never smoking, moderate alcohol consumption, physical activity (≥ 2.5 h/wk moderate physical activity or ≥ 1 h/wk vigorous physical activity), and eating fruits and vegetables daily. We defined successful aging, measured over a median 16.3-year follow-up, as good cognitive, physical, respiratory and cardiovascular functioning, in addition to the absence of disability, mental health problems and chronic disease (coronary artery disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes). At the end of follow-up, 549 participants had died and 953 qualified as aging successfully. Compared with participants who engaged in no healthy behaviours, participants engaging in all 4 healthy behaviours had 3.3 times greater odds of successful aging (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.1-5.1). The association with successful aging was linear, with the odds ratio (OR) per increment of healthy behaviour being 1.3 (95% CI 1.2-1.4; population-attributable risk for 1-4 v. 0 healthy behaviours 47%). When missing data were considered in the analysis, the results were similar to those of our main analysis. Although individual healthy behaviours are moderately associated with successful aging, their combined impact is substantial. We did not investigate the mechanisms underlying these associations, but we saw clear evidence of the importance of healthy behaviours for successful aging.

Romanticism as a function of age, sex, and ethnicity.

PubMed

Regan, Pamela C; Anguiano, Carlos

2010-12-01

This study examined the association between romanticism (operationalized as mean score on the Romantic Beliefs Scale) and age, sex, and ethnicity in a large community sample (N = 436). Age was negatively correlated with romanticism scores; as age increased, romanticism scores decreased. No sex differences were found; men and women had similar, moderate scores. Although ethnicity largely was unrelated to romanticism, Asian/Pacific Islander participants were significantly more romantic than were African-American participants.

Poorer right ventricular systolic function and exercise capacity in women after repair of tetralogy of fallot: a sex comparison of standard deviation scores based on sex-specific reference values in healthy control subjects.

PubMed

Sarikouch, Samir; Boethig, Dietmar; Peters, Brigitte; Kropf, Siegfried; Dubowy, Karl-Otto; Lange, Peter; Kuehne, Titus; Haverich, Axel; Beerbaum, Philipp

2013-11-01

In repaired congenital heart disease, there is increasing evidence of sex differences in cardiac remodeling, but there is a lack of comparable data for specific congenital heart defects such as in repaired tetralogy of Fallot. In a prospective multicenter study, a cohort of 272 contemporary patients (158 men; mean age, 14.3±3.3 years [range, 8-20 years]) with repaired tetralogy of Fallot underwent cardiac magnetic resonance for ventricular function and metabolic exercise testing. All data were transformed to standard deviation scores according to the Lambda-Mu-Sigma method by relating individual values to their respective 50th percentile (standard deviation score, 0) in sex-specific healthy control subjects. No sex differences were observed in age at repair, type of repair conducted, or overall hemodynamic results. Relative to sex-specific controls, repaired tetralogy of Fallot in women had larger right ventricular end-systolic volumes (standard deviation scores: women, 4.35; men, 3.25; P=0.001), lower right ventricular ejection fraction (women, -2.83; men, -2.12; P=0.011), lower right ventricular muscle mass (women, 1.58; men 2.45; P=0.001), poorer peak oxygen uptake (women, -1.65; men, -1.14; P<0.001), higher VE/VCO2 (ventilation per unit of carbon dioxide production) slopes (women, 0.88; men 0.58; P=0.012), and reduced peak heart rate (women, -2.16; men -1.74; P=0.017). Left ventricular parameters did not differ between sexes. Relative to their respective sex-specific healthy control subjects, derived standard deviation scores in repaired tetralogy of Fallot suggest that women perform poorer than men in terms of right ventricular systolic function as tested by cardiac magnetic resonance and exercise capacity. This effect cannot be explained by selection bias. Further outcome data are required from longitudinal cohort studies.

Do sex and age affect strategic behavior and inequity aversion in children?

PubMed

Bueno-Guerra, Nereida; Leiva, David; Colell, Montserrat; Call, Josep

2016-10-01

The ultimatum game is commonly used to explore fairness in adults in bargaining situations. Although the changes in responses that occur during development have been investigated in children, the results have been mixed. Whereas some studies show that proposers offer more when they grow older, others indicate the opposite. Moreover, these studies are outcome-based and leave intentions out of the scene, although intentions play a relevant role in daily life. The mini-ultimatum game offers the opportunity to test both outcomes and intentions, but one major obstacle for accurately pinpointing developmental transitions in strategic behavior and inequity aversion so far has been the multiple confounds that have plagued previous studies, including different methods, small sample sizes, and reduced age differences. We administered an anonymous direct-method one-shot mini-ultimatum game to 478 6- and 10-year-old children. Strategic behavior was present at 10 years of age; older participants matched more accurately what responders would accept than younger participants. However, this was true only for older girls. No sex differences were detected in younger children. No age group seemed to consider the proposer's intentions given that the rejections of the default option were not significant across conditions. Both disadvantageous and advantageous inequity aversions were present in 6-year-olds. However, older children exhibited significantly more disadvantageous inequity aversion than younger children. This contrast made the pattern of rejection of 6-year-olds look more similar to the pattern of rejection found in adults. No sex differences were found in responders' behavior. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Developmental sex-specific change in auditory-vocal integration: ERP evidence in children.

PubMed

Liu, Peng; Chen, Zhaocong; Jones, Jeffery A; Wang, Emily Q; Chen, Shaozhen; Huang, Dongfeng; Liu, Hanjun

2013-03-01

The present event-related potential (ERP) study examined the developmental mechanisms of auditory-vocal integration in normally developing children. Neurophysiological responses to altered auditory feedback were recorded to determine whether they are affected by age and sex. Forty-two children were pairwise matched for sex and were divided into a group of younger (10-12years) and a group of older (13-15years) children. Twenty healthy young adults (20-25years) also participated in the experiment. ERPs were recorded from the participants who heard their voice pitch feedback unexpectedly shifted -50, -100, or -200 cents during sustained vocalization. P1 amplitudes became smaller as subjects increased in age from childhood to adulthood, and males produced larger N1 amplitudes than females. An age-related decrease in the P1-N1 latencies was also found: latencies were shorter in young adults than in school children. A complex age-by-sex interaction was found for the P2 component, where an age-related increase in P2 amplitudes existed only in girls, and boys produced longer P2 latencies than girls but only in the older children. These findings demonstrate that neurophysiological responses to pitch errors in voice auditory feedback depend on age and sex in normally developing children. The present study provides evidence that there is a sex-specific development of the neural mechanisms involved in auditory-vocal integration. Copyright © 2012 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Whole-Genome Sequencing of a Healthy Aging Cohort.

PubMed

Erikson, Galina A; Bodian, Dale L; Rueda, Manuel; Molparia, Bhuvan; Scott, Erick R; Scott-Van Zeeland, Ashley A; Topol, Sarah E; Wineinger, Nathan E; Niederhuber, John E; Topol, Eric J; Torkamani, Ali

2016-05-05

Studies of long-lived individuals have revealed few genetic mechanisms for protection against age-associated disease. Therefore, we pursued genome sequencing of a related phenotype-healthy aging-to understand the genetics of disease-free aging without medical intervention. In contrast with studies of exceptional longevity, usually focused on centenarians, healthy aging is not associated with known longevity variants, but is associated with reduced genetic susceptibility to Alzheimer and coronary artery disease. Additionally, healthy aging is not associated with a decreased rate of rare pathogenic variants, potentially indicating the presence of disease-resistance factors. In keeping with this possibility, we identify suggestive common and rare variant genetic associations implying that protection against cognitive decline is a genetic component of healthy aging. These findings, based on a relatively small cohort, require independent replication. Overall, our results suggest healthy aging is an overlapping but distinct phenotype from exceptional longevity that may be enriched with disease-protective genetic factors. VIDEO ABSTRACT. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

"Sex Is a sin": Afro-Caribbean Parent and Teen Perspectives on Sex Conversations.

PubMed

Gabbidon, Kemesha S; Shaw-Ridley, Mary

2018-01-18

This study characterized (a) mothers' childhood and teenage experiences with sex conversations and (b) families' perceptions of current parent-child sex conversations within two underserved Afro-Caribbean communities in the U.S. Fourteen dyads comprised of Haitian and Jamaican mothers and teens (aged 14-18) living in Miami, Florida, completed semi-structured interviews sharing their experiences with sex conversations. Researchers analyzed data using thematic content analysis. Mothers' mean age was 41.85 years, (SD = 5.50) and teens' mean age was 16.35 years, (SD = 1.31). Most mothers reported forbidden or little childhood experiences with parent-child sex conversations. They affected their sexual attitudes, behaviors, and ability to discuss sex with their children. Although some mothers benefited from educational and skill development others shared fear-based messages with their children that some teens believed adversely affected the mother-child relationship quality. Culturally appropriate, skill-based approaches are necessary to improve families' communication self-efficacy for healthy sex conversations to occur in Afro-Caribbean families.

Biological age and sex-related declines in physical activity during adolescence.

PubMed

Cairney, John; Veldhuizen, Scott; Kwan, Matthew; Hay, John; Faught, Brent E

2014-04-01

Sex differences in the rate of decline in physical activity (PA) are most pronounced during adolescence. However, once boys and girls are aligned on biological age, sex differences in the patterns of PA become attenuated. The aim of this study was to test whether biological maturation can account for sex differences in participation in PA over time from late childhood to early adolescence. A prospective cohort of children (N = 2100; 1064 boys) was followed from ages 11 to 14 yr, with repeated assessments of PA and anthropometry. Self-reported participation in organized and free play activities was used to track participation in PA. Biological age was measured using an estimate of years to attainment of peak height velocity. Mixed-effects models were used to test whether controlling for biological age attenuates the effect of chronological age and sex on PA. As expected, the rate of decline in participation in PA was greater for girls than for boys (B = -1.18, P < 0.01). In multivariable analyses, adjusting for biological age completely attenuated the effect of sex and chronological age for participation in free play activities, but not for participation in organized play. Overall, biological age was a stronger predictor of participation than chronological age. The effect of biological age on sex by chronological age differences may be specific to certain types of PA participation. Given the importance of maturation to participation in activity, it is suggested that public health strategies target biological not chronological age to prevent declines in PA during adolescence particularly when promoting habitual or lifestyle activity.

Risk Factors of Atrophic Gastritis and Intestinal Metaplasia in First-Degree Relatives of Gastric Cancer Patients Compared with Age-Sex Matched Controls

PubMed Central

Oh, Sooyeon; Kim, Nayoung; Yoon, Hyuk; Choi, Yun Jin; Lee, Ju Yup; Park, Kyoung Jun; Kim, Hee Jin; Kang, Kyu Keun; Oh, Dong Hyun; Seo, A Young; Lee, Jae Woo; Shin, Cheol Min; Park, Young Soo; Oh, Jane C.; Lee, Dong Ho; Jung, Hyun Chae

2013-01-01

Background: To identify whether first-degree relatives (FDRs) of gastric cancer (GC) patients have increased risk for atrophic gastritis (AG) and intestinal metaplasia (IM) in relation to other risk factors of GC. Methods: The study cohort consisted of 224 pairs of age-sex matched controls and FDRs. AG and IM in the gastric mucosa were scored histologically using the updated Sydney classification. Risk of having AG and IM was studied by comparing FDRs to controls. Impacts of age, H. pylori infection, smoking, dietary and socioeconomic factors on the presence of AG and IM were studied. Results: In multivariate regression analysis, FDRs had adjusted OR of 2.69 (95% CI 1.06–6.80, P=0.037) for antral IM in male population. Adjusted OR for antral AG and IM were 9.28 (95% CI 4.73–18.18, P<0.001) and 7.81 (95% CI 3.72–16.40, P<0.001) for the H. pylori infected subjects in total population. Getting old by 5 years increased the ORs of having AG and IM by approximately 1.25 fold (P<0.001). Spicy food increased the OR of antral IM by 2.28 fold (95% CI 1.36–3.84, P=0.002). Conclusions: Family history of GC was an independent risk factor for antral IM in male in our study, which could be one reason for the increase of gastric cancer in the family member of gastric cancer. It could be an evidence for the necessity of frequent endoscopy in the presence of family history of GC compared to general population in male. PMID:25337541

Body image and sexuality in Indonesian adults with a disorder of sex development (DSD).

PubMed

Ediati, Annastasia; Juniarto, Achmad Zulfa; Birnie, Erwin; Drop, Stenvert L S; Faradz, Sultana M H; Dessens, Arianne B

2015-01-01

In Indonesia, disorders of sex development (DSDs) are not well recognized and medical care for affected individuals is scarce. Consequently, many patients live with ambiguous genitalia and appearance. We compared reported outcomes on body image, sexual functioning, and sexual orientation of 39 adults with DSDs (aged 18 to 41) and 39 healthy controls matched for gender, age, and residential setting (urban, suburban, rural). Differences in gender and treatment status (treated or untreated) were also explored. On body image, adults with DSDs reported dissatisfaction with sex-related body parts. Compared to the matched controls, women with DSDs reported greater sexual distress, and men with DSDs reported lower erectile and ejaculation frequencies, and more dissatisfaction with sexual life but not with sexual desire and activities. Men with DSDs who had undergone genital surgery reported higher erectile and ejaculation frequencies than untreated men. More women than men in the DSDs group reported a nonexclusive heterosexual orientation. DSDs and infertility had a great impact on sexuality. Fear of ostracism complicated DSD acceptance. Findings were compared to those of Western studies. Based on these results, education about DSDs and their psychosexual consequences may help reduce the sexual distress and problems in adults with DSDs and improve quality of life.

Sex hormones, aging, and Alzheimer’s disease

PubMed Central

Barron, Anna M.; Pike, Christian J.

2012-01-01

A promising strategy to delay and perhaps prevent Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is to identify the age-related changes that put the brain at risk for the disease. A significant normal age change known to result in tissue-specific dysfunction is the depletion of sex hormones. In women, menopause results in a relatively rapid loss of estradiol and progesterone. In men, aging is associated with a comparatively gradual yet significant decrease in testosterone. We review a broad literature that indicates age-related losses of estrogens in women and testosterone in men are risk factors for AD. Both estrogens and androgens exert a wide range of protective actions that improve multiple aspects of neural health, suggesting that hormone therapies have the potential to combat AD pathogenesis. However, translation of experimental findings into effective therapies has proven challenging. One emerging treatment option is the development of novel hormone mimetics termed selective estrogen and androgen receptor modulators. Continued research of sex hormones and their roles in the aging brain is expected to yield valuable approaches to reducing the risk of AD. PMID:22201929

Victimization, Social Support, and Psychosocial Functioning among Children of Same-Sex and Opposite-Sex Couples in the United Kingdom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rivers, Ian; Poteat, V. Paul; Noret, Nathalie

2008-01-01

To further develop an understanding of psychological and social functioning of children raised by lesbian couples, the authors compared 18 students ages 12-16 raised in families led by female same-sex couples, who were identified from a large school-based survey, with 18 matched students raised by opposite-sex couples and the general student…

Healthy Lifestyle through Young Adulthood and Presence of Low Cardiovascular Disease Risk Profile in Middle Age: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in (Young) Adults (CARDIA) Study

PubMed Central

Liu, Kiang; Daviglus, Martha L.; Loria, Catherine M.; Colangelo, Laura A.; Spring, Bonnie; Moller, Arlen C.; Lloyd-Jones, Donald M.

2012-01-01

Background A low cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk profile (untreated cholesterol < 200 mg/dl, untreated blood pressure < 120/<80 mmHg, never smoking, and no history of diabetes and myocardial infarction) in middle age is associated with markedly better health outcomes in older age, but few middle aged adults have this low risk profile. We examined whether adopting a healthy lifestyle throughout young adulthood is associated with presence of the low CVD risk profile in middle age. Methods and Results The CARDIA study sample consisted of 3,154 black and white participants aged 18 to 30 years at Year 0 (Y0, 1985-86) who attended the Year 0, 7 and 20 (Y0, Y7 and Y20) examinations. Healthy lifestyle factors (HLFs) defined at Y0, Y7 and Y20 included: 1) Average BMI < 25 kg/m2; 2) No or moderate alcohol intake; 3) higher healthy diet score; 4) higher physical activity score; and 5) Never smoking. Mean age (25 years) and percentage of women (56%) were comparable across groups defined by number of HLFs. The age-, sex- and race-adjusted prevalences of low CVD risk profile at Y20 were 3.0%, 14.6%, 29.5%, 39.2% and 60.7% for people with 0 or 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 HLFs, respectively (p-trend <0.0001). Similar graded relationships were observed for each sex-race group (all p-trend<0.0001). Conclusions Maintaining a healthy lifestyle throughout young adulthood is strongly associated with low CVD risk profile in middle age. Public health and individual efforts are needed to improve adoption and maintenance of healthy lifestyles in young adults. PMID:22291127

Trajectories of the healthy ageing phenotype among middle-aged and older Britons, 2004-2013.

PubMed

Tampubolon, Gindo

2016-06-01

Since the ageing population demands a response to ensure older people remain healthy and active, we studied the dynamics of a recently proposed healthy ageing phenotype. We drew the phenotype's trajectories and tested whether their levels and rates of change are influenced by health behaviours, comorbidities and socioeconomic positions earlier in the life course. The English Longitudinal Ageing Study, a prospective, nationally representative sample of people aged ≥50 years, measured a set of eight biomarkers which make up the outcome of the healthy ageing phenotype three times over nearly a decade (N2004=5009, N2008=5301, N2013=4455). A cluster of health behaviours, comorbidities and socioeconomic positions were also measured repeatedly. We assessed the phenotype's distribution non-parametrically, then fitted linear mixed models to phenotypic change and further examined time interactions with gender and socioeconomic position. We ran additional analyses to test robustness. Women had a wider distribution of the healthy ageing phenotype than men had. The phenotype declined annually by -0.242 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.352, -0.131). However, there was considerable heterogeneity in the levels and rates of phenotypic change. Women started at higher levels, then declined more steeply by -0.293 (CI: -0.403, -0.183) annually, leading to crossover in the trajectories. Smoking and physical activity assessed on the Allied Dunbar scale were strongly associated with the trajectories. Though marked by secular decline, the trajectories of the healthy ageing phenotype showed distinct socioeconomic gradients. The trajectories were also susceptible to variations in health behaviours, strengthening the case for serial interventions to attain healthy and active ageing. Copyright © 2016 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Morphometric study on dimensions of various parts of pons and comparison of data in accordance with age and sex of healthy people by MRI.

PubMed

Rajaei, Farzad; Salahshoor, Mohammad-Reza; Hashemi, Hassan-Jahani; Haghdoost-Yazdi, Hahsem; Pahlevan, Ali-Asghar

2009-12-01

The emergence of magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technique has made it possible to answer many questions in the field of anatomy more precisely while observing different anatomic parts of living persons at different ages. This study was conducted to determine the dimensions of different parts of pons and also comparing the data in accordance with age and sex by MRI. The present study carried out on 300 healthy individuals referred to imaging center at Imam Reza hospital in the city of Kermanshah, Iran. The precondition for people to be included in the study was the approval made by in-house physician based on person's state of health and the lack of any pathological lesion in brain on the basis of images obtained by MRI. Following MRI procedure, the dimensions of target parts in pons were calculated by the MRI-associated measuring system and recorded along with the age and sex of the patients. Measurements were recorded in mm and based on selecting the largest height, width and length of the organ during the examination of all axial, sagittal, and T(1) coronal profiles. Data analysis was performed using t-student test and Pearson's correlation. The significance level was set at P=0.05. The mean size of different parts of pons recorded in mm was as follows: The height of tegmentum of pons in men and women were 21.10+/-1.99 and 20.35+/-1.95, respectively. The height of ventricle of pons was 24.96+/-1.45 in men and 23.72+/-1.41 in women. The length of pons in men was 21.40+/-1.55 and in women 21.10+/-1.28. The length of ventricle in men and women were 16.85+/-1.21 and 16.77+/-1.36, respectively. The length of tegmentum of pons was 4.57+/-0.50 in men and 4.40+/-0.58 in women. Lastly, the transverse length of the ventricle of pons was 27.30+/-1.68 in men and 26.52+/-1.63 in women. The values obtained for the transverse length, length of tegmentum of ventricle, height of ventricle and height of tegmentum in men were larger than those found for women. There were

Sex-dependent reductions in high molecular weight adiponectin during acute hyperinsulinemia are prevented with endurance training in older females.

PubMed

Consitt, Leslie A; Saxena, Gunjan; Schaefer, Megan

2018-05-01

The high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin isoform is considered the active form of adiponectin and is linked to insulin sensitivity and the reduced risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The purpose of the first study was to determine the effects of age and sex on the plasma HMW adiponectin response to acute hyperinsulinemia, and secondly determine whether either endurance or resistance exercise training could affect this response. Twenty-six healthy males (19-84 years) and twenty-six healthy females (18-76 years) were recruited and matched for BMI to examine the effects of sex and age on the plasma adiponectin response to a 2-hour hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp. To examine the effects of exercise training, a subgroup of young (<35 years) and aged (>55 years) individuals were randomized into a 12-week endurance or resistance training programme and had their adiponectin response to hyperinsulinemia measured before and after training. High molecular weight (HMW) and total adiponectin were measured by ELISA. In response to hyperinsulinemia, plasma HMW adiponectin decreased in females (-9%, P < .005), but not males. After 12 weeks of endurance training, the response of plasma HMW adiponectin to hyperinsulinemia increased in older females (36%, P < .05) only. Resistance training had no effect on the plasma adiponectin response to hyperinsulinemia. Despite no age or sex differences at baseline, skeletal muscle AdipoR1 increased in response to endurance training (~120%, P < .001) and resistance training (~38%, P < .05), regardless of age or sex. The inhibitory action of hyperinsulinemia on plasma HMW adiponectin occurs in females but not males, irrespective of age. Twelve weeks of endurance training protects older females against the hyperinsulinemic inhibition of plasma HMW adiponectin, which could promote healthy ageing. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A method for age-matched OCT angiography deviation mapping in the assessment of disease- related changes to the radial peripapillary capillaries.

PubMed

Pinhas, Alexander; Linderman, Rachel; Mo, Shelley; Krawitz, Brian D; Geyman, Lawrence S; Carroll, Joseph; Rosen, Richard B; Chui, Toco Y

2018-01-01

To present a method for age-matched deviation mapping in the assessment of disease-related changes to the radial peripapillary capillaries (RPCs). We reviewed 4.5x4.5mm en face peripapillary OCT-A scans of 133 healthy control eyes (133 subjects, mean 41.5 yrs, range 11-82 yrs) and 4 eyes with distinct retinal pathologies, obtained using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography angiography. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the impact of age on RPC perfusion densities. RPC density group mean and standard deviation maps were generated for each decade of life. Deviation maps were created for the diseased eyes based on these maps. Large peripapillary vessel (LPV; noncapillary vessel) perfusion density was also studied for impact of age. Average healthy RPC density was 42.5±1.47%. ANOVA and pairwise Tukey-Kramer tests showed that RPC density in the ≥60yr group was significantly lower compared to RPC density in all younger decades of life (p<0.01). Average healthy LPV density was 21.5±3.07%. Linear regression models indicated that LPV density decreased with age, however ANOVA and pairwise Tukey-Kramer tests did not reach statistical significance. Deviation mapping enabled us to quantitatively and visually elucidate the significance of RPC density changes in disease. It is important to consider changes that occur with aging when analyzing RPC and LPV density changes in disease. RPC density, coupled with age-matched deviation mapping techniques, represents a potentially clinically useful method in detecting changes to peripapillary perfusion in disease.

Macular thickness in healthy eyes of adults (N = 4508) and relation to sex, age and refraction: the Tromsø Eye Study (2007-2008).

PubMed

von Hanno, Therese; Lade, Anette C; Mathiesen, Ellisiv B; Peto, Tunde; Njølstad, Inger; Bertelsen, Geir

2017-05-01

To provide sex-stratified normative data on retinal thickness and study the relationship with sex, age and refractive status. Population-based study including 2617 women and 1891 men, aged 38-87 (mean 61 ± 8) years, without diabetes, glaucoma and retinal diseases, and spherical equivalent refraction (SER) within ±6 dioptres. Retinal thickness was measured with optical coherence tomography (spectral domain Cirrus HD-OCT). Women had thinner retina than men. Retinal thickness was significantly associated with refraction, where mean change in retinal thickness per 1 D increase in SER was -1.3 (0.2) μm in the fovea, 0.7 (0.1) μm in the pericentral ring and 1.4 (0.1) μm in the peripheral ring. In the fovea, there was a non-monotonic curved relationship between retinal thickness and age in both sexes with a maximum at about 60 years (p < 0.001). In the pericentral ring, the mean reduction in retinal thickness per 10-year increase was 2.7 (0.3) μm in women and 4.0 (0.4) μm in men and corresponding results in the peripheral ring were 2.3 (0.3) μm in women and 2.6 (0.4) μm in men. In both regions, there was evidence for a nonlinear pattern with an increased rate of change with higher age. There was a significant interaction between sex and age for retinal thickness of the pericentral ring (p = 0.041). Women had thinner retina than men, and thickness varied with refractive status. Retinal thickness was associated with age in all macular regions, and the rate of change in retinal thickness varied at different ages. © 2016 The Authors. Acta Ophthalmologica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation.

Selfie Aging Index: An Index for the Self-assessment of Healthy and Active Aging.

PubMed

Gonçalves, Judite; Gomes, Maria Isabel; Fonseca, Miguel; Teodoro, Tomás; Barros, Pedro Pita; Botelho, Maria-Amália

2017-01-01

Governments across Europe want to promote healthy and active aging, as a matter of both public health and economic sustainability. Designing policies focused on the most vulnerable groups requires information at the individual level. However, a measure of healthy and active aging at the individual level does not yet exist. This paper develops the Selfie Aging Index (SAI), an individual-level index of healthy and active aging. The SAI is developed thinking about a tool that would allow each person to take a selfie of her aging status. Therefore, it is based entirely on self-assessed indicators. This paper also illustrates how the SAI may look like in practice. The SAI is based on the Biopsychosocial Assessment Model (MAB), a tool for the multidimensional assessment of older adults along three domains: biological, psychological, and social. Indicators are selected and their weights determined based on an ordered probit model that relates the MAB indicators to self-assessed health, which proxies healthy and active aging. The ordered probit model predicts the SAI based on the estimated parameters. Finally, predictions are rescaled to the 0-1 interval. Data for the SAI development come from the Study of the Aging Profiles of the Portuguese Population and the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe. The selected indicators are BMI, having difficulties moving around indoors and performing the activities of daily living, feeling depressed, feeling nervous, lacking energy, time awareness score, marital status, having someone to confide in, education, type of job, exercise, and smoking status. The model also determines their weights. Results shed light on various factors that contribute significantly to healthy and active aging. Two examples are mental health and exercise, which deserve more attention from individuals themselves, health-care professionals, and public health policy. The SAI has the potential to put the individual at the center of the healthy and

China’s marriage squeeze: A decomposition into age and sex structure

PubMed Central

LI, Xiaomin; LI, Shuzhuo; FELDMAN, Marcus W.

2016-01-01

Most recent studies of marriage patterns in China have emphasized the male-biased sex ratio but have largely neglected age structure as a factor in China’s male marriage squeeze. In this paper we develop an index we call “spousal sex ratio” (SSR) to measure the marriage squeeze, and a method of decomposing the proportion of male surplus into age and sex structure effects within a small spousal age difference interval. We project that China’s marriage market will be confronted with a relatively severe male squeeze. For the decomposition of the cohort aged 30, from 2010 to 2020 age structure will be dominant, while from 2020 through 2034 the contribution of age structure will gradually decrease and that of sex structure will increase. From then on, sex structure will be dominant. The index and decomposition, concentrated on a specific female birth cohort, can distinguish spousal competition for single cohorts which may be covered by a summary index for the whole marriage market; these can also be used for consecutive cohorts to reflect the situation of the whole marriage market. PMID:27242390

Sex differences in adolescent white matter architecture.

PubMed

Bava, Sunita; Boucquey, Veronique; Goldenberg, Diane; Thayer, Rachel E; Ward, Megan; Jacobus, Joanna; Tapert, Susan F

2011-02-23

Sex-specific trajectories in white matter development during adolescence may help explain cognitive and behavioral divergences between males and females. Knowledge of sex differences in typically developing adolescents can provide a basis for interpreting sexual dimorphisms in abilities and actions. We examined 58 healthy adolescents (12-14years of age) with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Diffusion parameters fractional anisotropy (FA), and mean (MD), radial (RD), and axial diffusivities (AD) were subjected to whole-brain voxel-wise group comparisons using tract-based spatial statistics. Sex differences in white matter microstructure were examined in relation to pubertal development. Early adolescent females (n=29) evidenced higher FA in the right superior corona radiata, higher FA and AD in bilateral corticospinal tracts (≥164μl, p<.01), and lower MD in the right inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF) and left forceps major (≥164μl, p<.01) than age-matched males (n=29). Males did not show any areas of higher FA or lower MD than females, but had higher AD in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus, ILF, and forceps minor (≥ 164μl, p<.01). Pubertal stage did not account for sex disparities. In early adolescence, females' motor tracts may reflect widespread changes, while males may undergo relatively more microstructural change in projection and association fibers. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Severe fatigue after treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ: A comparison with age-matched breast cancer survivors and healthy controls.

PubMed

Abrahams, H J G; Smits, L; Lugt, M de; Roos, W K de; Kamm, Y; Heins, M J; Verhagen, C A H H V M; Gielissen, M F M; Knoop, H

2017-02-01

Severe fatigue after treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) has not been studied before. The current study examined (i) the prevalence of severe fatigue in DCIS patients versus breast cancer survivors (BCS) and healthy controls (HC), (ii) quality of life and functioning of severely versus non-severely fatigued DCIS patients and BCS, and (iii) the association of fatigue with psychosocial and behavioral factors in DCIS patients. 89 patients treated for DCIS were matched on age and gender to 67 BCS and 178 HC (ratio 1:1:2). Fatigue was measured with the Fatigue Severity subscale of the Checklist Individual Strength. 23% of DCIS patients, 25% of BCS, and 6% of HC were severely fatigued (DCIS versus HC: p < 0.001). Severely fatigued DCIS patients had a lower quality of life and were more impaired in all domains of functioning than non-severely fatigued DCIS patients. Sleep problems, dysfunctional cognitions regarding fatigue, avoidance of activities, all-or-nothing behavior, perceived lack of social support, DCIS-related coping problems, and fear of future cancer occurrence were related to fatigue. The prevalence of severe fatigue in DCIS patients was similar to BCS, but higher than in HC. Severely fatigued DCIS patients had a lower quality of life and more functional impairments. The psychosocial and behavioral fatigue-related factors in DCIS patients are known to perpetuate fatigue in BCS. These factors can be targeted in interventions for cancer-related fatigue. Our findings suggest that the same treatment elements might be applicable to severely fatigued DCIS patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Normative data for the Clock Drawing Test for French-Quebec mid- and older aged healthy adults.

PubMed

Turcotte, Valérie; Gagnon, Marie-Eve; Joubert, Sven; Rouleau, Isabelle; Gagnon, Jean-François; Escudier, Frédérique; Koski, Lisa; Potvin, Olivier; Macoir, Joël; Hudon, Carol

2018-05-09

The Clock Drawing Test (CDT) is frequently used to screen for cognitive impairment, however, normative data for Rouleau et al.'s scoring system are scarce. The present study aims to provide norms for Rouleau et al.'s scoring system that are tailored to Quebec French-speaking mid- and older aged healthy adults. Six researchers from various research centers across the Province of Quebec (Canada) sent anonymous data for 593 (391 women) healthy community-dwelling volunteers (age range: 43-93 years; education range: 5-23 years) who completed the CDT 'drawing on command' version. This command version (setting the clock hands to 11:10, without a pre-drawn circle) was administrated as part of a more extensive neuropsychological assessment, or along with cognitive screening instruments. Each drawn clock was scored according to the quantitative criteria set by Rouleau et al.'s scoring system. CDT scores were significantly correlated with age (r(592) = -.132, p = .001) and years of education (r(592) = .116, p = .005), but not with sex (r(592) = .065, p = .112). Since data were skewed towards higher test scores, the percentiles method was used for analysis. Percentile ranks stratified by age and education are presented. These normative data for Rouleau et al.'s scoring system will contribute towards adequately screening for cognitive decline in Quebec French-speaking healthy adults, by also taking into account individual characteristics such as age and education.

Static and Functional Balance in Individuals With COPD: Comparison With Healthy Controls and Differences According to Sex and Disease Severity.

PubMed

de Castro, Larissa A; Ribeiro, Laís Rg; Mesquita, Rafael; de Carvalho, Débora R; Felcar, Josiane M; Merli, Myriam F; Fernandes, Karen Bp; da Silva, Rubens A; Teixeira, Denilson C; Spruit, Martijn A; Pitta, Fabio; Probst, Vanessa S

2016-11-01

Studies have shown that individuals with COPD have impaired body balance, probably caused by the disease's multisystemic manifestations plus age-related decline in balance, potentially increasing the risk of falling and its consequences. However, little is known about the profile of individuals with COPD who present balance impairments, especially related to sex and disease severity stages. The aim of this work was to compare static and functional balance between subjects with COPD and healthy controls and to check possible differences according to sex and degrees of disease severity. Forty-seven subjects with COPD and 25 healthy controls were included in this study. Their static balance was assessed in one-legged stance using a force platform and functional balance with the Timed Up and Go test. Additionally, participants performed spirometry, the 6-min walk test and isometric quadriceps maximal voluntary contraction assessment. Disease severity was classified according to the Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease stages and BODE (body mass index, air-flow obstruction, dyspnea, and exercise capacity) scores. In comparison with healthy controls, subjects with COPD had worse static (center of pressure displacement area: 9.3 ± 1.9 cm 2 vs 11.6 ± 4.0 cm 2 , respectively, P = .01) and functional balance (Timed Up and Go test: 8.5 ± 1.3 s vs 10.3 ± 1.8 s, respectively, P < .001). In the COPD group, men performed better in the Timed Up and Go test than women (9.8 ± 1.2 s vs 10.9 ± 2.2 s, respectively, P = .03), whereas women presented a better static balance in comparison with men for all parameters related to center of pressure (P < .005 for all). Disease severity did not affect any balance results. Individuals with COPD had worse static and functional balance in comparison with healthy controls. Sex can mediate these results, depending on the type of balance evaluation (force platform or functional test). Balance performance was similar among the groups

Digestive Symptoms in Healthy People and Subjects With Irritable Bowel Syndrome

PubMed Central

Guyonnet, Denis; Donazzolo, Yves; Gendre, David; Tanguy, Jérôme; Guarner, Francisco

2015-01-01

Goals: The aim of this study was to validate the ability of symptom frequency questionnaire to differentiate between irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients and healthy subjects. Background: A digestive symptom frequency questionnaire (DSFQ) was previously used in a food efficacy trial in a non-IBS population with mild gastrointestinal symptoms. Study: We compared 2 well-defined populations: 100 IBS patients fulfilling Rome III criteria (mean age 32 y; range, 18 to 59 y), and 100 sex-matched and age-matched healthy subjects. Frequency of individual digestive symptoms (abdominal pain/discomfort, bloating, flatulence, borborygmi) was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale (from none to everyday of the week) and the IBS severity with the IBS-SSS questionnaire. Health-Related Quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed with the Food and Benefits Assessment (FBA) and Functional Digestive Disorders Quality of Life (FDDQL) questionnaires. The digestive (dis)comfort dimension of these questionnaires was considered as the main dimension for HRQoL. Results: The DSFQ discriminated IBS from healthy subjects with a significant difference (P<0.001) between groups (estimated mean difference=5.58; 95% CI, 4.91-6.28). On the basis of the ROC curve (AUC=0.9479), a cutoff value of 5 gives a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 84%, with a positive likelihood ratio of 5.75. Composite score of symptoms correlated strongly (P<0.0001) with digestive discomfort measured by FDDQL (−0.816), digestive comfort measured by FBA (−0.789), and the IBS-SSS score (0.762). Conclusions: Measurement of digestive symptom frequency by means of the DSFQ can differentiate IBS from healthy subjects, and shows a good correlation with other validated questionnaires (clinical trial #NCT01457378). PMID:25014236

Age, sex, and setting factors and labor force in athletic training.

PubMed

Kahanov, Leamor; Eberman, Lindsey E

2011-01-01

Occupation or occupational setting shifts might be occurring in the athletic training profession, and differences between sexes might exist; however, little evidence exists to confirm this supposition. To evaluate trends in male and female athletic training employment patterns in terms of age and occupational setting. Cross-sectional study. We requested demographic data from the National Athletic Trainers' Association (October 27, 2009) and obtained frequency totals of members by sex across the occupational life span by occupational setting. Our sample included 18 571 athletic trainers employed in the 3 largest classifications of occupational settings within the profession: college or university, clinical, and secondary school. We calculated frequencies and percentages to determine demographic and descriptive data. We analyzed the data using an analysis of variance to identify the differences between sexes across age and setting. We observed trends in occupational setting and sex across ages 22 to 67 years. We identified differences between sexes across the ages 22 to 67 years (F(1,18569) = 110818.080, P < .001, η(2) = .068) and across occupational settings (F(1,18569) = 61.908, P < .001, η(2) = .003), noting a marked decline in female athletic trainers in the workforce beginning around age 28 years and an increase in male athletic trainers in the secondary school setting beginning around their middle to late 40s. We observed differences at the intercept between setting and sex (F(1,18569) = 63529.344, P < .001, η(2) = .845), which were greater when observed across the ages (F(1,18569) = 23566787.642, P < .001, η(2) = .939). We identified differences between sexes across settings and ages in addition to an overall decrease in the workforce among all professionals. A marked decline in female athletic trainers occurred at age 28 years, yet the male population increased at the secondary school level, suggesting a setting shift. Burnout, fatigue, pay scale, and a

Association of Age, Sex, Body Size and Ethnicity with Electrocardiographic Values in Community-based Older Asian Adults.

PubMed

Tan, Eugene S J; Yap, Jonathan; Xu, Chang Fen; Feng, Liang; Nyunt, Shwe Zin; Santhanakrishnan, Rajalakshmi; Chan, Michelle M Y; Seow, Swee Chong; Ching, Chi Keong; Yeo, Khung Keong; Richards, A Mark; Ng, Tze Pin; Lim, Toon Wei; Lam, Carolyn S P

2016-07-01

Existing electrocardiographic (ECG) reference values were derived in middle-aged Caucasian adults. We aimed to assess the association of age, sex, body size and ethnicity on ECG parameters in a multi-ethnic Asian population. Resting 12-lead ECG and anthropometric measurements were performed in a community-based cohort of 3777 older Asians (age 64.7±9.1 years, 1467 men, 88.8% Chinese, 7.7% Malay, 3.5% Indian, body mass index [BMI] 24.0±3.9kg/m(2)). Men had longer PR interval, wider QRS, shorter QTc interval and taller SV3. In both sexes, older age was associated with longer PR interval, wider QRS, larger R aVL and more leftward QRS axis, while higher BMI was associated with longer PR interval, wider QRS, larger RaVL and more negative QRS axis. There were significant inter-ethnic differences in QRS duration among men, as well as in PR and QTc intervals among women (all adjusted p<0.05). Findings were similar in a healthy subset of 1158 adults (age 61.2±9.1 years, 365 men) without cardiovascular risk factors. These first community-based ECG data in multi-ethnic older Asians highlight the independent effects of age, sex, body size and ethnicity on ECG parameters. Copyright © 2016 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of Age, Sex, and Neuropsychological Performance on Financial Decision-Making

PubMed Central

Shivapour, Sara K.; Nguyen, Christopher M.; Cole, Catherine A.; Denburg, Natalie L.

2012-01-01

The capacity to make sound financial decisions across the lifespan is critical for interpersonal, occupational, and psychological health and success. In the present study, we explored how healthy younger and older adults make a series of increasingly complex financial decisions. One-hundred sixteen healthy older adults, aged 56–90 years, and 102 college undergraduates, completed the Financial Decision-Making Questionnaire, which requires selecting and justifying financial choices across four hypothetical scenarios and answering questions pertaining to financial knowledge. Results indicated that Older participants significantly outperformed Younger participants on a multiple-choice test of acquired financial knowledge. However, after controlling for such pre-existing knowledge, several age effects were observed. For example, Older participants were more likely to make immediate investment decisions, whereas Younger participants exhibited a preference for delaying decision-making pending additional information. Older participants also rated themselves as more concerned with avoiding monetary loss (i.e., a prevention orientation), whereas Younger participants reported greater interest in financial gain (i.e., a promotion orientation). In terms of sex differences, Older Males were more likely to pay credit card bills and utilize savings accounts than were Older Females. Multiple positive correlations were observed between Older participants’ financial decision-making ability and performance on neuropsychological measures of non-verbal intellect and executive functioning. Lastly, the ability to justify one’s financial decisions declined with age, among the Older participants. Several of the aforementioned results parallel findings from the medical decision-making literature, suggesting that older adults make decisions in a manner that conserves diminishing cognitive resources. PMID:22715322

Phenotypic and Functional Characterization of Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes from Various Age- and Sex-Specific Groups of Owl Monkeys (Aotus nancymaae).

PubMed

Nehete, Pramod N; Nehete, Bharti P; Chitta, Sriram; Williams, Lawrence E; Abee, Christian R

2017-02-01

Owl monkeys (Aotus nancymaae) are New World NHP that serve an important role in vaccine development and as a model for human disease conditions such as malaria. Despite the past contributions of this animal model, limited information is available about the phenotype and functional properties of peripheral blood lymphocytes in reference to sex and age. Using a panel of human antibodies and a set of standardized human immune assays, we identified and characterized various peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets, evaluated the immune functions of T cells, and analyzed cytokines relative to sex and age in healthy owl monkeys. We noted age- and sex-dependent changes in CD28+ (an essential T cell costimulatory molecule) and CD95+ (an apoptotic surface marker) T cells and various levels of cytokines in the plasma. In immune assays of freshly isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells, IFNγ and perforin responses were significantly higher in female than in male monkeys and in young adults than in juvenile and geriatric groups, despite similar lymphocyte (particularly T cell) populations in these groups. Our current findings may be useful in exploring Aotus monkeys as a model system for the study of aging, susceptibility to infectious diseases, and age-associated differences in vaccine efficacy, and other challenges particular to pediatric and geriatric patients.

Impact of age, sex, and indexation method on MR left ventricular reference values in the Framingham Heart Study offspring cohort.

PubMed

Yeon, Susan B; Salton, Carol J; Gona, Philimon; Chuang, Michael L; Blease, Susan J; Han, Yuchi; Tsao, Connie W; Danias, Peter G; Levy, Daniel; O'Donnell, Christopher J; Manning, Warren J

2015-04-01

To determine normative values for left ventricular (LV) volumes, mass, concentricity, and ejection fraction (EF) and investigate associations between sex, age, and body size with LV parameters in community-dwelling adults. In all, 1794 Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort members underwent LV short-axis oriented, contiguous multislice cine steady-state free precession MR of the left ventricle; from these a healthy referent group (n = 852, 61 ± 9 years, 40% men) free of clinical cardiac disease and hypertension (SBP < 140, DBP < 90 mmHg, never used antihypertensive medication ≥30 years prior to scanning) was identified. Referent participants were stratified by sex and age group (≤55, 56-65, >65 years); LV parameters were indexed to measures of body size. Men have greater LV volumes and mass than women both before and after indexation to height, powers of height, and body surface area (P < 0.01 all), but indexation to fat-free mass yielded greater LV volume and mass in women. In both sexes, LV volumes and mass decrease with advancing age, although indexation attenuates this association. LVEF is greater in women than men (68 ± 5% vs. 66 ± 5%, P < 0.01) and increases with age in both sexes (P < 0.05). Among nonhypertensive adults free of cardiac disease, men have greater LV volumes and mass with sex differences generally persisting after indexation to body size. LV volumes and mass tend to decrease with greater age in both sexes. Female sex and advanced age were both associated with greater LVEF. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015;41:1038-1045. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Sex differences in salt sensitivity to nitric oxide dependent vasodilation in healthy young adults

PubMed Central

Gullixson, Leah R.; Kost, Susan L.; Joyner, Michael J.; Turner, Stephen T.; Nicholson, Wayne T.

2012-01-01

Dietary sodium and blood pressure regulation differs between normotensive men and women, an effect which may involve endothelial production of nitric oxide (NO). Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that differences in the NO component of endothelium-dependent vasodilation between low and high dietary sodium intake depend on sex. For 5 days prior to study, healthy adults consumed a controlled low-sodium diet (10 mmol/day, n = 30, mean age ± SE: 30 ± 1 yr, 16 men) or high-sodium diet (400 mmol/day, n = 36, age 23 ± 1 yr, 13 men). Forearm blood flow (FBF, plethysmography) responses to brachial artery administration of acetylcholine (ACh, 4 μg·100 ml tissue−1·min−1) were measured before and after endothelial NO synthase inhibition with NG-monomethyl-l-arginine (l-NMMA, 50 mg bolus + 1 mg/min infusion). The NO component of endothelium-dependent dilation was calculated as the response to ACh before and after l-NMMA accounting for changes in baseline FBF: [(FBF ACh − FBF baseline) − (FBF AChL-NMMA − FBF baselineL-NMMA)]. This value was 5.7 ± 1.3 and 2.5 ± 0.8 ml·100 ml forearm tissue−1·min−1 for the low- and high-sodium diets, respectively (main effect of sodium, P = 0.019). The sodium effect was larger for the men, with values of 7.9 ± 2.0 and 2.2 ± 1.4 for men vs. 3.1 ± 1.3 and 2.7 ± 1.0 ml·100 ml forearm tissue−1·min−1 for the women (P = 0.034, sex-by-sodium interaction). We conclude that the NO component of endothelium-dependent vasodilation is altered by dietary sodium intake based on sex, suggesting that endothelial NO production is sensitive to dietary sodium in healthy young men but not women. PMID:22194324

Preparing the workforce for healthy aging programs: the Skills for Healthy Aging Resources and Programs (SHARP) model.

PubMed

Frank, Janet C; Altpeter, Mary; Damron-Rodriguez, JoAnn; Driggers, Joann; Lachenmayr, Susan; Manning, Colleen; Martinez, Dana M; Price, Rachel M; Robinson, Patricia

2014-10-01

Current public health and aging service agency personnel have little training in gerontology, and virtually no training in evidence-based health promotion and disease management programs for older adults. These programs are rapidly becoming the future of our community-based long-term care support system. The purpose of this project was to develop and test a model community college career technical education program, Skills for Healthy Aging Resources and Programs (SHARP), for undergraduate college students, current personnel in aging service and community organizations, and others interested in retraining. A multidisciplinary cross-sector team from disciplines of public health, sociology, gerontology and nursing developed four competency-based courses that focus on healthy aging, behavior change strategies, program management, an internship, and an option for leader training in the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program. To enhance implementation and fidelity, intensive faculty development training was provided to all instructors and community agency partners. Baseline and postprogram evaluation of competencies for faculty and students was conducted. Process evaluation for both groups focused on satisfaction with the curricula and suggestions for program improvement. SHARP has been piloted five times at two community colleges. Trainees (n = 113) were primarily community college students (n = 108) and current aging service personnel (n = 5). Statistically significant improvements in all competencies were found for both faculty and students. Process evaluation outcomes identified the needed logical and component adaptations to enhance the feasibility of program implementation, dissemination, and student satisfaction. The SHARP program provides a well-tested, evidence-based effective model for addressing workforce preparation in support of healthy aging service program expansion and delivery. © 2014 Society for Public Health Education.

DNA methylation age is elevated in breast tissue of healthy women.

PubMed

Sehl, Mary E; Henry, Jill E; Storniolo, Anna Maria; Ganz, Patricia A; Horvath, Steve

2017-07-01

Limited evidence suggests that female breast tissue ages faster than other parts of the body according to an epigenetic biomarker of aging known as the "epigenetic clock." However, it is unknown whether breast tissue samples from healthy women show a similar accelerated aging effect relative to other tissues, and what could drive this acceleration. The goal of this study is to validate our initial finding of advanced DNA methylation (DNAm) age in breast tissue, by directly comparing it to that of peripheral blood tissue from the same individuals, and to do a preliminary assessment of hormonal factors that could explain the difference. We utilized n = 80 breast and 80 matching blood tissue samples collected from 40 healthy female participants of the Susan G. Komen Tissue Bank at the Indiana University Simon Cancer Center who donated these samples at two time points spaced at least a year apart. DNA methylation levels (Illumina 450K platform) were used to estimate the DNAm age. DNAm age was highly correlated with chronological age in both peripheral blood (r = 0.94, p < 0.0001) and breast tissues (r = 0.86, p < 0.0001). A measure of epigenetic age acceleration (age-adjusted DNAm Age) was substantially increased in breast relative to peripheral blood tissue (p = 1.6 × 10 -11 ). The difference between DNAm age of breast and blood decreased with advancing chronologic age (r = -0.53, p = 4.4 × 10 -4 ). Our data clearly demonstrate that female breast tissue has a higher epigenetic age than blood collected from the same subject. We also observe that the degree of elevation in breast diminishes with advancing age. Future larger studies will be needed to examine associations between epigenetic age acceleration and cumulative hormone exposure.

Stability and change in same-sex attraction, experience, and identity by sex and age in a New Zealand birth cohort.

PubMed

Dickson, Nigel; van Roode, Thea; Cameron, Claire; Paul, Charlotte

2013-07-01

Gaps remain in knowledge of changes in sexual orientation past adolescence and early adulthood. A longitudinal study of a New Zealand birth cohort was used to examine differences by age and sex in change in sexual attraction between 21 (1993/1994) and 38 years (2010/2011), sexual experiences between 26 and 38 years, and sexual identity between 32 and 38 years. Any same-sex attraction was significantly more common among women than men at all ages. Among women, any same-sex attraction increased up to age 26 (from 8.8 to 16.6 %), then decreased slightly by age 38 (12.0 %); among men, prevalence was significantly higher at age 38 (6.5 %) than 21 (4.2 %), but not in the intermediate assessments. It is likely that the social environment becoming more tolerant was responsible for some of the changes. Same-sex attraction was much more common than same-sex experiences or a same-sex identity, especially among women, with no major sex differences in these latter dimensions. Women exhibited much greater change in sexual attraction between assessments than men; for change in experiences and identity, sex differences were less marked and not statistically confirmed. Changes in the respective dimensions appeared more likely among those initially with mixed attraction and experiences, and among those initially identifying as bisexual, but this did not account for the sex difference in likelihood of change. These results provide contemporary information about the extent and variation of reported sexual attraction, experiences, and identity that we show continues across early and mid-adulthood.

Sex and Age Differences in Trail Half Marathon Running.

PubMed

Navalta, James W; Montes, Jeffrey; Tanner, Elizabeth A; Bodell, Nathaniel G; Young, John C

2018-01-01

Female participation is growing in trail running races. The purpose was to evaluate sex and age differences in top finishers of a trail running half marathon. Velocity differences between males (M) and females (F) were determined for the top 10 finishers of the Moab Trail Half Marathon from 2012 - 2015 across age, and by finishing place. Differences between age category and between sexes were determined through ANOVA with significance accepted at P < 0.05. A significant difference for running velocity was present between sexes at each age category (20-29 yr F = 2.9±0.3, M = 3.4±0.4 m·sec -1 ; 30-39 yr F = 2.8±0.3, M = 3.3±0.3; 40-49 yr F = 2.7±0.3, M = 3.0±0.5; 50-59 yr F = 2.3±0.2, M = 2.8±0.3; 60-69 yr F = 1.6±0.3, M = 2.2±0.4; P < 0.0001). Sex difference in trail running velocity was consistent (~13%) among all age categories with exception of the oldest group (33%, P = 0.0001). There were significantly greater female finishers in every age category (20 - 29 yr F = 107±18, M = 56±1;, 30 - 39 yr F = 150±34, M = 84±21; 40 - 49 yr F = 112±17, M = 64±16; P < 0.01) until 50 - 59 yr (F = 48±13, M = 41±14; P = 0.50). These data indicate that the widening gap in sex differences observed in road races are ameliorated in a trail running environment that has a larger number of female participants.

Sex differences in quadrupedal walking gaits of Uner Tan syndrome cases, healthy humans and nonhuman primates.

PubMed

Tan, Uner

2017-03-01

Uner Tan syndrome (UTS) cases with habitual quadrupedal locomotion (QL), impaired intelligence, and dysarthric or no speech predominantly use lateral sequence (LS) gait like nonprimates rather than the predominantly diagonal sequence (DS) gait of nonhuman primates. However, these studies neglected possible sex-related differences in these gait types. (1) To assess the possible sex-related gait types in UTS cases, healthy infants and adults with requested QL, and the nonhuman primates. (2) To test the hypothesis that sex differences may exist in quadrupedal walking gaits in UTS cases, healthy humans, and nonhuman primates. The UTS cases were filmed, the other study groups were taken from public open 'youtube' videos, which were used to assess the walking gait types as DS and LS. The right and left hind-limb phase values were calculated separately for males and females to allow a possible sex difference in walking gaits to be determined. Females predominantly used DS gait, contrary to males with predominantly LS gait. Consistent with the working hypothesis, the results suggested a biological sex-related trend in preferred walking gaits exists in all of the human and nonhuman primates using QL.

Differential effects of sex on substance use between first episode psychosis patients and healthy people.

PubMed

Núñez, Christian; Ochoa, Susana; Huerta-Ramos, Elena; Baños, Iris; Barajas, Ana; Dolz, Montserrat; Sánchez, Bernardo; Del Cacho, Núria; Usall, Judith

2016-08-01

Substance use in psychosis is an important field of study given that it can be a risk factor for the development of psychosis and can give rise to psychotic symptoms. Studies of substance use in first episode psychosis patients do not frequently assess non-pathological substance consumption among patients, but rather the prevalence of substance abuse or dependence disorders. Moreover, most of these studies do not address the effects of sex in sufficient depth, and the consumption of caffeine or tobacco, which are two of the most frequently used substances, is often not assessed. The aim of this study was to compare patterns and quantities of substance use between first episode psychosis patients and healthy controls and between men and women, and explore the potential interactive effects between group (patients or controls) and sex. A total of 158 participants (82 first episode psychosis patients and 76 healthy controls) were included in the study. Both adults and adolescents were included in the study. Frequency and amount of use of caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, hallucinogens, stimulants, and opiates were gathered. A significant main effect of sex was found for the frequency of use of tobacco (p=.050). Main effects of group were found for the quantity of tobacco (p<.001) and cannabis (p<.001) consumed, as well as main effects of sex for the quantity of alcohol (p=.003) and cannabis (p=.017) consumed. There were also interaction effects between group and sex for the frequency of use of tobacco (p=.005) and cannabis (p=.009), and for the amount of cannabis consumed (p=.049). Qualitative differences between males and females regarding combined substance use are also reported. Among patients, men used tobacco more frequently than women, but this sex difference was not the same for the control group, in which women smoked more often than men. Regarding cannabis, men smoked cannabis more frequently and in larger amounts than women, but only in the

Single nucleotide polymorphisms linked to mitochondrial uncoupling protein genes UCP2 and UCP3 affect mitochondrial metabolism and healthy aging in female nonagenarians

PubMed Central

Kim, Sangkyu; Myers, Leann; Ravussin, Eric; Cherry, Katie E.; Jazwinski, S. Michal

2016-01-01

Energy expenditure decreases with age, but in the oldest-old, energy demand for maintenance of body functions increases with declining health. Uncoupling proteins have profound impact on mitochondrial metabolic processes; therefore, we focused attention on mitochondrial uncoupling protein genes. Alongside resting metabolic rate (RMR), two SNPs in the promoter region of UCP2 were associated with healthy aging. These SNPs mark potential binding sites for several transcription factors; thus, they may affect expression of the gene. A third SNP in the 3′-UTR of UCP3 interacted with RMR. This UCP3 SNP is known to impact UCP3 expression in tissue culture cells, and it has been associated with body weight and mitochondrial energy metabolism. The significant main effects of the UCP2 SNPs and the interaction effect of the UCP3 SNP were also observed after controlling for fat-free mass (FFM) and physical-activity related energy consumption. The association of UCP2/3 with healthy aging was not found in males. Thus, our study provides evidence that the genetic risk factors for healthy aging differ in males and females, as expected from the differences in the phenotypes associated with healthy aging between the two sexes. It also has implications for how mitochondrial function changes during aging. PMID:26965008

Single nucleotide polymorphisms linked to mitochondrial uncoupling protein genes UCP2 and UCP3 affect mitochondrial metabolism and healthy aging in female nonagenarians.

PubMed

Kim, Sangkyu; Myers, Leann; Ravussin, Eric; Cherry, Katie E; Jazwinski, S Michal

2016-08-01

Energy expenditure decreases with age, but in the oldest-old, energy demand for maintenance of body functions increases with declining health. Uncoupling proteins have profound impact on mitochondrial metabolic processes; therefore, we focused attention on mitochondrial uncoupling protein genes. Alongside resting metabolic rate (RMR), two SNPs in the promoter region of UCP2 were associated with healthy aging. These SNPs mark potential binding sites for several transcription factors; thus, they may affect expression of the gene. A third SNP in the 3'-UTR of UCP3 interacted with RMR. This UCP3 SNP is known to impact UCP3 expression in tissue culture cells, and it has been associated with body weight and mitochondrial energy metabolism. The significant main effects of the UCP2 SNPs and the interaction effect of the UCP3 SNP were also observed after controlling for fat-free mass (FFM) and physical-activity related energy consumption. The association of UCP2/3 with healthy aging was not found in males. Thus, our study provides evidence that the genetic risk factors for healthy aging differ in males and females, as expected from the differences in the phenotypes associated with healthy aging between the two sexes. It also has implications for how mitochondrial function changes during aging.

Kinetics of human aging: I. Rates of senescence between ages 30 and 70 years in healthy people.

PubMed

Sehl, M E; Yates, F E

2001-05-01

A calculation of loss rates is reported for human structural and functional variables from a substantially larger data set than has been previously studied. Data were collected for healthy, nonsmoking human subjects of both sexes from a literature search of cross-sectional, longitudinal, and cross-sequential studies. The number of studies analyzed was 469, and the total number of subjects was 54,274. A linear model provided a fit of the data, for each variable, that was not significantly different from the best polynomial fit. Therefore, linear loss rates (as a percent decline per year from the reference value at age 30) were calculated for 445 variables from 13 organ systems, and additionally for 24 variables even more integrative, such as maximum oxygen consumption and exercise performance, that express effects of multiple contributing variables and systems. The frequency distribution of the 13 individual system linear loss rates (as percent loss per year) for a very healthy population has roughly a unimodal, right-skewed shape, with mean 0.65, median 0.5, and variance 0.32. (The actual underlying distribution could be a truncated Gaussian, an exponential, Poisson, gamma or some other). The linear estimates of loss rates were clustered between 0% and 2% per year for variables from most organ systems, with exceptions being the endocrine, thermoregulatory, and gastrointestinal systems, for which wider ranges (up to approximately 3% per year) of loss rates were found. We suggest that this set of linear losses over time, observed in healthy individuals between ages (approximately) 30 to 70 years, exposes the underlying kinetics of human senescence, independent of effects of substantial disease.

Recovery after third-molar surgery: the effects of age and sex.

PubMed

Phillips, Ceib; Gelesko, Savannah; Proffit, William R; White, Raymond P

2010-12-01

In this study, we assessed the effects of age and sex on quality-of-life recovery after third-molar surgery. Healthy subjects scheduled for removal of third molars were recruited at multiple sites for this study. Each patient was given a condition-specific instrument to be completed each postsurgery day for 14 days. Lifestyle and oral-function recovery were assessed by using a 5-point Likert-type scale. Recovery was defined as the number of days until the patient reported no or little trouble. Recovery from pain was defined as the number of days until no medications were taken. For each quality-of-life item, a Cox regression analysis was performed to assess the effects of age and sex on recovery after controlling for surgical-procedure variables. Nine hundred fifty-eight subjects treated at 9 academic centers and 12 community practices were enrolled. Except for ability to open the mouth, recovery for all quality-of-life items for those 21 years or older significantly (P < 0.02) lagged behind recovery for younger subjects. Recovery for female subjects was significantly longer than for male subjects for all outcomes (P < 0.01). Patients older than 21 and those who are female should be informed before removal of all 4 third molars that their oral function, lifestyle, and pain recovery will be prolonged compared with those who are younger and male. Copyright © 2010 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Dietary flavonoid intake at midlife and healthy aging in women.

PubMed

Samieri, Cécilia; Sun, Qi; Townsend, Mary K; Rimm, Eric B; Grodstein, Francine

2014-12-01

Dietary flavonoids have been related to lower risks of various chronic diseases, but it is unclear whether flavonoid intake in midlife helps to maintain good health and wellbeing in aging. We examined the relation of flavonoid intake in midlife with the prevalence of healthy aging. We included 13,818 women from the Nurses' Health Study with dietary data and no major chronic diseases in 1984-1986 when they were aged in their late 50s (median age: 59 y); all women provided information on multiple aspects of aging an average of 15 y later. Intakes of 6 major flavonoid subclasses in midlife were ascertained on the basis of averaged intakes of flavonoid-rich foods from 2 food-frequency questionnaires (1984-1986). We defined healthy compared with usual aging as of age 70 y; healthy aging was based on survival to ≥70 y with maintenance of 4 health domains (no major chronic diseases or major impairments in cognitive or physical function or mental health). Of women who survived until ≥70 y of age, 1517 women (11.0%) met our criteria for healthy aging. Compared with women in the lowest quintile of intake, women in the highest quintile of intake of several flavonoid subclasses at midlife had greater odds of healthy aging. After multivariable adjustment, ORs were as follows: flavones, 1.32 (95% CI: 1.10, 1.58); flavanone, 1.28 (95% CI: 1.08, 1.53); anthocyanin, 1.25 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.50); and flavonol, 1.18 (95% CI: 0.98, 1.42) (all P-trend ≤ 0.02). Consistently, greater intakes of major sources of these flavonoids (i.e., oranges, berries, onions, and apples) were associated with increased odds of healthy aging. We showed no association with flavan-3-ol monomers (P-trend = 0.80) or polymers (P-trend = 0.63). Higher intake of flavonoids at midlife, specifically flavones, flavanones, anthocyanins, and flavonols, is associated with greater likelihood of health and wellbeing in individuals surviving to older ages. © 2014 American Society for Nutrition.

Quality of life in Arab Muslim cancer survivors following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: comparison with matched healthy group.

PubMed

Alaloul, Fawwaz; Brockopp, Dorothy Y; Andrykowski, Michael A; Hall, Lynne A; Al Nusairat, Taghreed S

2015-07-01

The aims of this study were to determine if quality of life (QOL) among Arab Muslim hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) survivors differs from that of a healthy matched comparison group and to examine the relationships of demographic and medical variables and perceived social support with post-HSCT QOL. HSCT survivors (n = 63) were recruited from the King Hussein Cancer Center outpatient clinic. A matched (age, gender, education), healthy comparison group (n = 63) was recruited through public advertisements. Participants completed the EORTC-30 QOL scale and the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey. Differences were found between the Arab Muslim HSCT survivor and healthy comparison groups for physical functioning (p < .0001), role functioning (p < .01), social functioning (p < .0001) QOL domains, and an overall symptom score (p = .003) with the HSCT group reporting poorer status than the healthy comparison group. Effect sizes for the three QOL domains ranged from .50 (role functioning) to 1.20 (social functioning). No significant difference was noted between the Arab Muslim HSCT and comparison groups in emotional and cognitive QOL domains. Higher overall symptom scores were significantly associated with poorer QOL across all QOL domains. Similar to prior research with HSCT survivors, results suggest that HSCT has a significant negative impact on QOL. However, despite this general similarity, results suggest that the needs and experience of Muslim Arab HSCT survivors might differ from those of Western HSCT survivors in the social and emotional QOL domains. Given growing numbers of Arab and Muslim cancer survivors in the USA and other Western countries, future research is warranted.

Sex differences in normal age trajectories of functional brain networks.

PubMed

Scheinost, Dustin; Finn, Emily S; Tokoglu, Fuyuze; Shen, Xilin; Papademetris, Xenophon; Hampson, Michelle; Constable, R Todd

2015-04-01

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance image (rs-fMRI) is increasingly used to study functional brain networks. Nevertheless, variability in these networks due to factors such as sex and aging is not fully understood. This study explored sex differences in normal age trajectories of resting-state networks (RSNs) using a novel voxel-wise measure of functional connectivity, the intrinsic connectivity distribution (ICD). Males and females showed differential patterns of changing connectivity in large-scale RSNs during normal aging from early adulthood to late middle-age. In some networks, such as the default-mode network, males and females both showed decreases in connectivity with age, albeit at different rates. In other networks, such as the fronto-parietal network, males and females showed divergent connectivity trajectories with age. Main effects of sex and age were found in many of the same regions showing sex-related differences in aging. Finally, these sex differences in aging trajectories were robust to choice of preprocessing strategy, such as global signal regression. Our findings resolve some discrepancies in the literature, especially with respect to the trajectory of connectivity in the default mode, which can be explained by our observed interactions between sex and aging. Overall, results indicate that RSNs show different aging trajectories for males and females. Characterizing effects of sex and age on RSNs are critical first steps in understanding the functional organization of the human brain. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Aphrodisiac Use Associated with HIV Infection in Elderly Male Clients of Low-Cost Commercial Sex Venues in Guangxi, China: A Matched Case-Control Study

PubMed Central

Li, Guojian; Shen, Zhiyong; Zhang, Hongman; Lan, Guanghua; Feng, Xue; Lin, Rui; Abdullah, Abu S.; Wu, Zunyou; Shi, Cynthia X.

2014-01-01

Background Rising HIV infection rates have been observed among elderly people in Guangxi, China. Inexpensive aphrodisiacs are available for purchase in suburban and rural areas. This study aims to investigate the association between aphrodisiac use and increased HIV risk for middle-aged and elderly men in Guangxi. Methods A matched case-control study of aphrodisiac use-associated HIV infection was performed among male subjects over 50 years old who were clients of low-cost commercial sex venues in Guangxi. The cases were defined as clients who were HIV-positive and two controls were selected for each case. The cases and the controls were matched on the visited sex venue, age (±3 years), number of years of purchasing sex (±3 years), and educational attainment. Subjects were interviewed and tested for HIV. Paired t-test or McNemar Chi-squared test were used to compare the characteristics between the cases and controls. A stepwise conditional logistic regression was used to identify risk factors associated with HIV infection. Findings This study enrolled 103 cases and 206 controls. Aphrodisiac use (P = 0.02, odds ratio (OR) = 1.81, 95% CI = 1.08–3.04), never using condom during commercial sex encounter (P = 0.03, odds ratio (OR) = 1.82, 95% CI = 1.08–3.07), and lacking a stable partner (P = 0.03, odds ratio (OR) = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.05–2.98) were found to be risk factors for HIV infection among the study groups. For subjects reporting aphrodisiac use, the frequency of purchasing sex was positively correlated with the frequency of aphrodisiac use (r = 0.3; p = 0.02). Conclusions Aphrodisiac use was significantly associated with increased HIV infection risk in men over 50 years old who purchased commercial sex in the suburban and rural areas of Guangxi. Further research and interventions should address the links between aphrodisiac use, commercial sex work, condom use, and increased HIV transmission. PMID:25286369

Aphrodisiac use associated with HIV infection in elderly male clients of low-cost commercial sex venues in Guangxi, China: a matched case-control study.

PubMed

Tang, Zhenzhu; Wu, Xinghua; Li, Guojian; Shen, Zhiyong; Zhang, Hongman; Lan, Guanghua; Feng, Xue; Lin, Rui; Abdullah, Abu S; Wu, Zunyou; Shi, Cynthia X

2014-01-01

Rising HIV infection rates have been observed among elderly people in Guangxi, China. Inexpensive aphrodisiacs are available for purchase in suburban and rural areas. This study aims to investigate the association between aphrodisiac use and increased HIV risk for middle-aged and elderly men in Guangxi. A matched case-control study of aphrodisiac use-associated HIV infection was performed among male subjects over 50 years old who were clients of low-cost commercial sex venues in Guangxi. The cases were defined as clients who were HIV-positive and two controls were selected for each case. The cases and the controls were matched on the visited sex venue, age (±3 years), number of years of purchasing sex (±3 years), and educational attainment. Subjects were interviewed and tested for HIV. Paired t-test or McNemar Chi-squared test were used to compare the characteristics between the cases and controls. A stepwise conditional logistic regression was used to identify risk factors associated with HIV infection. This study enrolled 103 cases and 206 controls. Aphrodisiac use (P = 0.02, odds ratio (OR) = 1.81, 95% CI = 1.08-3.04), never using condom during commercial sex encounter (P = 0.03, odds ratio (OR) = 1.82, 95% CI = 1.08-3.07), and lacking a stable partner (P = 0.03, odds ratio (OR) = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.05-2.98) were found to be risk factors for HIV infection among the study groups. For subjects reporting aphrodisiac use, the frequency of purchasing sex was positively correlated with the frequency of aphrodisiac use (r = 0.3; p = 0.02). Aphrodisiac use was significantly associated with increased HIV infection risk in men over 50 years old who purchased commercial sex in the suburban and rural areas of Guangxi. Further research and interventions should address the links between aphrodisiac use, commercial sex work, condom use, and increased HIV transmission.

Working, sex partner age differences, and sexual behavior among African American youth.

PubMed

Bauermeister, José A; Zimmerman, Marc; Xue, Yange; Gee, Gilbert C; Caldwell, Cleopatra H

2009-10-01

Participation in the workplace has been proposed as a potential structural-level HIV/STI prevention strategy for youth. Only a few cross-sectional studies have explored the effect of work during adolescence and young adulthood on sexual behavior and their results have been mixed. This study builds on this literature by exploring whether work influences youths' sexual behavior in a cohort of African American youth (N = 562; 45% males; M = 14.5 years, SD = 0.6) followed from adolescence to young adulthood (ages 13-25 years). Using growth curve modeling, we tested whether working was associated with older sex partners. Then, we explored the association between sex partner age differences and sexual behaviors (i.e., number of sex partners, condom use, and frequency of sexual intercourse). Finally, we tested whether the relationship between sex partner age differences and sexual behaviors was confounded by working. Working greater number of hours was not significantly associated with having older sex partners. Sex partner age differences was associated with number of partners, condom use, and higher sex frequency. These associations were larger for females. Working was associated with higher sex frequency, after accounting for age differences. We discuss the implications of these findings for future research and program planning, particularly in the context of youth development programs.

Quantitative measures of healthy aging and biological age

PubMed Central

Kim, Sangkyu; Jazwinski, S. Michal

2015-01-01

Numerous genetic and non-genetic factors contribute to aging. To facilitate the study of these factors, various descriptors of biological aging, including ‘successful aging’ and ‘frailty’, have been put forth as integrative functional measures of aging. A separate but related quantitative approach is the ‘frailty index’, which has been operationalized and frequently used. Various frailty indices have been constructed. Although based on different numbers and types of health variables, frailty indices possess several common properties that make them useful across different studies. We have been using a frailty index termed FI34 based on 34 health variables. Like other frailty indices, FI34 increases non-linearly with advancing age and is a better indicator of biological aging than chronological age. FI34 has a substantial genetic basis. Using FI34, we found elevated levels of resting metabolic rate linked to declining health in nonagenarians. Using FI34 as a quantitative phenotype, we have also found a genomic region on chromosome 12 that is associated with healthy aging and longevity. PMID:26005669

Rotator cuff surgery in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: clinical outcome comparable to age, sex and tear size matched non-rheumatoid patients.

PubMed

Lim, S J; Sun, J-H; Kekatpure, A L; Chun, J-M; Jeon, I-H

2017-09-01

Aims This study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of rotator cuff repair in patients with rheumatoid arthritis with those of patients who have no known history of the disease. We hypothesised that the functional outcomes are comparable between patients and without rheumatoid arthritis and may be affected by the level of disease activity, as assessed from C-reactive protein (CRP) level and history of systemic steroid intake. Patients and methods We conducted a retrospective review of the institutional surgical database from May 1995 to April 2012. Twenty-nine patients with rheumatoid arthritis who had rotator cuff repair were enrolled as the study group. Age, sex, and tear size matched patients with no disease who were selected as the control group. The mean duration of follow-up was 46 months (range 24-92 months). Clinical outcomes were assessed with the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) questionnaire, Constant score and visual analogue scale (VAS). All data were recorded preoperatively and at regular postoperative follow-up visits. CRP was measured preoperatively as the disease activity marker for rheumatoid arthritis. Medication history was thoroughly reviewed in the study group. Results In patients with rheumatoid arthritis, all shoulder functional scores improved after surgery (ASES 56.1-78.1, Constant 50.8-70.5 and VAS 5.2-2.5; P < 0.001). The functional outcome of surgery in patients with rheumatoid arthritis was comparable to that of the control group (difference with control: ASES 78.1 vs. 85.5, P = 0.093; Constant 70.5 vs. 75.9, P = 0.366; VAS 2.5 vs. 1.8, P = 0.108). Patients with rheumatoid arthritis who had an elevated CRP level (> 1 mg/dl) showed inferior clinical outcomes than those with normal CRP levels. Patients with a history of systemic steroid intake showed inferior functional outcomes than those who had not taken steroids. Conclusions Surgical intervention for rotator cuff tear in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Impact of donor-recipient sex match on long-term survival after heart transplantation in children: An analysis of 5797 pediatric heart transplants.

PubMed

Kemna, Mariska; Albers, Erin; Bradford, Miranda C; Law, Sabrina; Permut, Lester; McMullan, D Mike; Law, Yuk

2016-03-01

The effect of donor-recipient sex matching on long-term survival in pediatric heart transplantation is not well known. Adult data have shown worse survival when male recipients receive a sex-mismatched heart, with conflicting results in female recipients. We analyzed 5795 heart transplant recipients ≤ 18 yr in the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (1990-2012). Recipients were stratified based on donor and recipient sex, creating four groups: MM (N = 1888), FM (N = 1384), FF (N = 1082), and MF (N = 1441). Males receiving sex-matched donor hearts had increased unadjusted allograft survival at five yr (73.2 vs. 71%, p = 0.01). However, this survival advantage disappeared with longer follow-up and when adjusted for additional risk factors by multivariable Cox regression analysis. In contrast, for females, receiving a sex-mismatched heart was associated with an 18% higher risk of allograft loss over time compared to receiving a sex-matched heart (HR 1.18, 95% CI: 1.00-1.38) and a 26% higher risk compared to sex-matched male recipients (HR 1.26, 95% CI: 1.10-1.45). Females who receive a heart from a male donor appear to have a distinct long-term survival disadvantage compared to all other groups. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The influence of age, sex, bulb position, visual feedback, and the order of testing on maximum anterior and posterior tongue strength and endurance in healthy belgian adults.

PubMed

Vanderwegen, Jan; Guns, Cindy; Van Nuffelen, Gwen; Elen, Rik; De Bodt, Marc

2013-06-01

This study collected data on the maximum anterior and posterior tongue strength and endurance in 420 healthy Belgians across the adult life span to explore the influence of age, sex, bulb position, visual feedback, and order of testing. Measures were obtained using the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument (IOPI). Older participants (more than 70 years old) demonstrated significantly lower strength than younger persons at the anterior and the posterior tongue. Endurance remains stable throughout the major part of life. Gender influence remains significant but minor throughout life, with males showing higher pressures and longer endurance. The anterior part of the tongue has both higher strength and longer endurance than the posterior part. Mean maximum tongue pressures in this European population seem to be lower than American values and are closer to Asian results. The normative data can be used for objective assessment of tongue weakness and subsequent therapy planning of dysphagic patients.

Sex differences in episodic memory in early midlife: impact of reproductive aging.

PubMed

Rentz, Dorene M; Weiss, Blair K; Jacobs, Emily G; Cherkerzian, Sara; Klibanski, Anne; Remington, Anne; Aizley, Harlyn; Goldstein, Jill M

2017-04-01

Few have characterized cognitive changes with age as a function of menopausal stage relative to men, or sex differences in components of memory in early midlife. The study aim was to investigate variation in memory function in early midlife as a function of sex, sex steroid hormones, and reproductive status. A total of 212 men and women aged 45 to 55 were selected for this cross-sectional study from a prenatal cohort of pregnancies whose mothers were originally recruited in 1959 to 1966. They underwent clinical and cognitive testing and hormonal assessments of menopause status. Multivariate general linear models for multiple memory outcomes were used to test hypotheses controlling for potential confounders. Episodic memory, executive function, semantic processing, and estimated verbal intelligence were assessed. Associative memory and episodic verbal memory were assessed using Face-Name Associative Memory Exam (FNAME) and Selective Reminding Test (SRT), given increased sensitivity to detecting early cognitive decline. Impacts of sex and reproductive stage on performance were tested. Women outperformed men on all memory measures including FNAME (β = -0.30, P < 0.0001) and SRT (β = -0.29, P < 0.0001). Furthermore, premenopausal and perimenopausal women outperformed postmenopausal women on FNAME (initial learning, β= 0.32, P = 0.01) and SRT (recall, β= 2.39, P = 0.02). Across all women, higher estradiol was associated with better SRT performance (recall, β = 1.96, P = 0.01) and marginally associated with FNAME (initial learning, β = 0.19, P = 0.06). This study demonstrated that, in early midlife, women outperformed age-matched men across all memory measures, but sex differences were attenuated for postmenopausal women. Initial learning and memory retrieval were particularly vulnerable, whereas memory consolidation and storage were preserved. Findings underscore the significance of the decline in ovarian estradiol production in

Evidence for sex differences in cardiovascular aging and adaptive responses to physical activity.

PubMed

Parker, Beth A; Kalasky, Martha J; Proctor, David N

2010-09-01

There are considerable data addressing sex-related differences in cardiovascular system aging and disease risk/progression. Sex differences in cardiovascular aging are evident during resting conditions, exercise, and other acute physiological challenges (e.g., orthostasis). In conjunction with these sex-related differences-or perhaps even as an underlying cause-the impact of cardiorespiratory fitness and/or physical activity on the aging cardiovascular system also appears to be sex-specific. Potential mechanisms contributing to sex-related differences in cardiovascular aging and adaptability include changes in sex hormones with age as well as sex differences in baseline fitness and the dose of activity needed to elicit cardiovascular adaptations. The purpose of the present paper is thus to review the primary research regarding sex-specific plasticity of the cardiovascular system to fitness and physical activity in older adults. Specifically, the paper will (1) briefly review known sex differences in cardiovascular aging, (2) detail emerging evidence regarding observed cardiovascular outcomes in investigations of exercise and physical activity in older men versus women, (3) explore mechanisms underlying the differing adaptations to exercise and habitual activity in men versus women, and (4) discuss implications of these findings with respect to chronic disease risk and exercise prescription.

Evidence for sex differences in cardiovascular aging and adaptive responses to physical activity

PubMed Central

Parker, Beth A.; Kalasky, Martha J.; Proctor, David N.

2010-01-01

There are considerable data addressing sex-related differences in cardiovascular system aging and disease risk/progression. Sex differences in cardiovascular aging are evident during resting conditions, exercise, and other acute physiological challenges (e.g., orthostasis). In conjunction with these sex-related differences—or perhaps even as an underlying cause—the impact of cardiorespiratory fitness and/or physical activity on the aging cardiovascular system also appears to be sex-specific. Potential mechanisms contributing to sex-related differences in cardiovascular aging and adaptability include changes in sex hormones with age as well as sex differences in baseline fitness and the dose of activity needed to elicit cardiovascular adaptations. The purpose of the present paper is thus to review the primary research regarding sex-specific plasticity of the cardiovascular system to fitness and physical activity in older adults. Specifically, the paper will (1) briefly review known sex differences in cardiovascular aging, (2) detail emerging evidence regarding observed cardiovascular outcomes in investigations of exercise and physical activity in older men versus women, (3) explore mechanisms underlying the differing adaptations to exercise and habitual activity in men versus women, and (4) discuss implications of these findings with respect to chronic disease risk and exercise prescription. PMID:20480371