Sample records for age-matched normal control

  1. 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 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

  2. 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.

  3. Magnetic resonance imaging based morphologic evaluation of the pineal gland for suspected pineoblastoma in retinoblastoma patients and age-matched controls.

    PubMed

    Pham, Thi Thai Hien; Siebert, Eberhard; Asbach, Patrick; Willerding, Gregor; Erb-Eigner, Katharina

    2015-12-15

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the morphologic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of the pineal gland in retinoblastoma (Rb) patients without and with pineoblastoma in comparison to age-matched controls to improve early identification of pineoblastomas (trilateral retinoblastoma, TRb). 80 patients with retinoblastoma and 80 age-matched controls who had undergone brain MRI were included in this retrospective institutional review board approved cohort study. Two readers analyzed the following MR characteristics of the pineal gland: signal intensity on T1- and T2-weighted images, enhancement pattern, delineation of the gland, presence of cystic component, size of pineal gland and size of pineal cysts, respectively. A third reader assessed all images for the presence or absence of pineoblastoma. 3 patients were positive (TRb cohort) and 77 negative for pineoblastoma (non-TRb cohort). The mean maximum diameter of the pineal gland was 6.4mm in Rb patients and 6.3mm in age-matched controls. The mean volume of the pineal gland in Rb patients was 93.1mm(3) and was 87.6mm(3) in age-matched controls. Considering all available MRI scans the mean maximum diameter of the pineal gland in TRb patients was 11.2mm and the mean volume in TRb patients was 453.3mm(3). The third reader identified pineoblastomas with a sensitivity of 100% (3 of 3) and a specificity of 94% (72 of 77). Our non-TRb patients did not show significant differences in the size of the pineal gland and pineal gland cysts compared to age-matched controls. The presented data can serve as a reference for the volume of normal pineal glands and pineal cysts in the diagnostic work-up of Rb patients with suspected pineoblastoma. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Apolipoprotein E4 serum concentration for increased sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis of drug treated Alzheimer's disease patients vs. drug treated parkinson's disease patients vs. age-matched normal controls.

    PubMed

    Goldknopf, Ira L; Park, Helen R; Sabbagh, Marwan

    2012-12-01

    Inasmuch as Alzheimer's disease (AD) is difficult to diagnose, patients with suspected dementias are often given FDA approved medications, including donepezil, rivastigmine, memantine HCl, or a combination, prior to diagnosis, and some respond with improved cognition. The present study demonstrates how concentrations of a select group of serum protein biomarkers can provide the basis for sensitive and specific differential diagnosis of AD in drug treated patients. Optimization is addressed by taking into account whether the patients and controls have or do not have increased risk of AD die to the presence or absence of Apolipoprotein E4. For differential diagnosis of AD, prospectively collected newly drawn blood serum samples were obtained from drug treated Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease patients from a first (39 drug treated DTAD, and 31 age matched normal controls) and second medical center (56 drug treated DTPD, 47 age-matched normal controls). Analytically validated quantitative 2D gel electrophoresis (%CV ≤ 20%; LOD ≥ 0.5 ng/spot, 300 μg/ml of blood serum) was employed with patient and control sera for differential diagnosis of AD. Protein quantitation was subjected to statistical analysis by single variable Dot, Box and Whiskers and Receiver Operator Characteristics (ROC) plots for individual biomarker performance, and multivariate linear discriminant analysis for joint performance of groups of biomarkers. Protein spots were identified and characterized by LC MS/MS of in-gel trypsin digests, amino acid sequence spans of the identified peptides, and the protein spot molecular weights and isoelectric points. The single variable statistical profiles of 58 individual protein biomarker concentrations of the DTAD patient group differed from those of the normal and/or the disease control groups. Multivariate linear discriminant analysis of blood serum concentrations of the 58 proteins distinguished drug treated Alzheimer's disease (DTAD) patients

  5. Degenerative changes in adolescent spines: a comparison of motocross racers and age-matched controls.

    PubMed

    Daniels, David J; Luo, T David; Puffer, Ross; McIntosh, Amy L; Larson, A Noelle; Wetjen, Nicholas M; Clarke, Michelle J

    2015-03-01

    Motocross racing is a popular sport; however, its impact on the growing/developing pediatric spine is unknown. Using a retrospective cohort model, the authors compared the degree of advanced degenerative findings in young motocross racers with findings in age-matched controls. Patients who had been treated for motocross-related injury at the authors' institution between 2000 and 2007 and had been under 18 years of age at the time of injury and had undergone plain radiographic or CT examination of any spinal region were eligible for inclusion. Imaging was reviewed in a blinded fashion by 3 physicians for degenerative findings, including endplate abnormalities, loss of vertebral body height, wedging, and malalignment. Acute pathological segments were excluded. Spine radiographs from age-matched controls were similarly reviewed and the findings were compared. The motocross cohort consisted of 29 riders (mean age 14.7 years; 82% male); the control cohort consisted of 45 adolescents (mean age 14.3 years; 71% male). In the cervical spine, the motocross cohort had 55 abnormalities in 203 segments (average 1.90 abnormalities/patient) compared with 20 abnormalities in 213 segments in the controls (average 0.65/patient) (p = 0.006, Student t-test). In the thoracic spine, the motocross riders had 51 abnormalities in 292 segments (average 2.04 abnormalities/patient) compared with 25 abnormalities in 299 segments in the controls (average 1.00/patient) (p = 0.045). In the lumbar spine, the motocross cohort had 11 abnormalities in 123 segments (average 0.44 abnormalities/patient) compared with 15 abnormalities in 150 segments in the controls (average 0.50/patient) (p = 0.197). Increased degenerative changes in the cervical and thoracic spine were identified in adolescent motocross racers compared with age-matched controls. The long-term consequences of these changes are unknown; however, athletes and parents should be counseled accordingly about participation in motocross

  6. Prosody Perception and Production in Children with Hearing Loss and Age- and Gender-Matched Controls.

    PubMed

    Kalathottukaren, Rose Thomas; Purdy, Suzanne C; Ballard, Elaine

    2017-04-01

    Auditory development in children with hearing loss, including the perception of prosody, depends on having adequate input from cochlear implants and/or hearing aids. Lack of adequate auditory stimulation can lead to delayed speech and language development. Nevertheless, prosody perception and production in people with hearing loss have received less attention than other aspects of language. The perception of auditory information conveyed through prosody using variations in the pitch, amplitude, and duration of speech is not usually evaluated clinically. This study (1) compared prosody perception and production abilities in children with hearing loss and children with normal hearing; and (2) investigated the effect of age, hearing level, and musicality on prosody perception. Participants were 16 children with hearing loss and 16 typically developing controls matched for age and gender. Fifteen of the children with hearing loss were tested while using amplification (n = 9 hearing aids, n = 6 cochlear implants). Six receptive subtests of the Profiling Elements of Prosody in Speech-Communication (PEPS-C), the Child Paralanguage subtest of Diagnostic Analysis of Nonverbal Accuracy 2 (DANVA 2), and Contour and Interval subtests of the Montreal Battery of Evaluation of Amusia (MBEA) were used. Audio recordings of the children's reading samples were rated using a perceptual prosody rating scale by nine experienced listeners who were blinded to the children's hearing status. Thirty two children, 16 with hearing loss (mean age = 8.71 yr) and 16 age- and gender-matched typically developing children with normal hearing (mean age = 8.87 yr). Assessments were completed in one session lasting 1-2 hours in a quiet room. Test items were presented using a laptop computer through loudspeaker at a comfortable listening level. For children with hearing loss using hearing instruments, all tests were completed with hearing devices set at their everyday listening setting. All PEPS

  7. Comparison of brachial artery vasoreactivity in elite power athletes and age-matched controls.

    PubMed

    Welsch, Michael A; Blalock, Paul; Credeur, Daniel P; Parish, Tracie R

    2013-01-01

    Elite endurance athletes typically have larger arteries contributing to greater skeletal muscle blood flow, oxygen and nutrient delivery and improved physical performance. Few studies have examined structural and functional properties of arteries in power athletes. To compare the size and vasoreactivity of the brachial artery of elite power athletes to age-matched controls. It was hypothesized brachial artery diameters of athletes would be larger, have less vasodilation in response to cuff occlusion, but more constriction after a cold pressor test than age-matched controls. Eight elite power athletes (age = 23 ± 2 years) and ten controls (age = 22 ± 1 yrs) were studied. High-resolution ultrasonography was used to assess brachial artery diameters at rest and following 5 minutes of forearm occlusion (Brachial Artery Flow Mediated Dilation = BAFMD) and a cold pressor test (CPT). Basic fitness measures included a handgrip test and 3-minute step test. Brachial arteries of athletes were larger (Athletes 5.39 ± 1.51 vs. 3.73 ± 0.71 mm, p<0.05), had greater vasodilatory (BAFMD%: Athletes: 8.21 ± 1.78 vs. 5.69 ± 1.56%) and constrictor (CPT %: Athletes: -2.95 ± 1.07 vs. -1.20 ± 0.48%) responses, compared to controls. Vascular operating range (VOR = Peak dilation+Peak Constriction) was also greater in athletes (VOR: Athletes: 0.55 ± 0.15 vs. 0.25 ± 0.18 mm, p<0.05). Athletes had superior handgrip strength (Athletes: 55.92 ± 17.06 vs. 36.77 ± 17.06 kg, p<0.05) but similar heart rate responses at peak (Athletes: 123 ± 16 vs. 130 ± 25 bpm, p>0.05) and 1 minute recovery (Athletes: 88 ± 21 vs. 98 ± 26 bpm, p>0.05) following the step test. Elite power athletes have larger brachial arteries, and greater vasoreactivity (greater vasodilatory and constrictor responses) than age-matched controls, contributing to a significantly greater VOR. These data extend the existence of an 'athlete's artery' as previously shown for elite endurance athletes to elite power athletes

  8. Unconditional or Conditional Logistic Regression Model for Age-Matched Case-Control Data?

    PubMed

    Kuo, Chia-Ling; Duan, Yinghui; Grady, James

    2018-01-01

    Matching on demographic variables is commonly used in case-control studies to adjust for confounding at the design stage. There is a presumption that matched data need to be analyzed by matched methods. Conditional logistic regression has become a standard for matched case-control data to tackle the sparse data problem. The sparse data problem, however, may not be a concern for loose-matching data when the matching between cases and controls is not unique, and one case can be matched to other controls without substantially changing the association. Data matched on a few demographic variables are clearly loose-matching data, and we hypothesize that unconditional logistic regression is a proper method to perform. To address the hypothesis, we compare unconditional and conditional logistic regression models by precision in estimates and hypothesis testing using simulated matched case-control data. Our results support our hypothesis; however, the unconditional model is not as robust as the conditional model to the matching distortion that the matching process not only makes cases and controls similar for matching variables but also for the exposure status. When the study design involves other complex features or the computational burden is high, matching in loose-matching data can be ignored for negligible loss in testing and estimation if the distributions of matching variables are not extremely different between cases and controls.

  9. Unconditional or Conditional Logistic Regression Model for Age-Matched Case–Control Data?

    PubMed Central

    Kuo, Chia-Ling; Duan, Yinghui; Grady, James

    2018-01-01

    Matching on demographic variables is commonly used in case–control studies to adjust for confounding at the design stage. There is a presumption that matched data need to be analyzed by matched methods. Conditional logistic regression has become a standard for matched case–control data to tackle the sparse data problem. The sparse data problem, however, may not be a concern for loose-matching data when the matching between cases and controls is not unique, and one case can be matched to other controls without substantially changing the association. Data matched on a few demographic variables are clearly loose-matching data, and we hypothesize that unconditional logistic regression is a proper method to perform. To address the hypothesis, we compare unconditional and conditional logistic regression models by precision in estimates and hypothesis testing using simulated matched case–control data. Our results support our hypothesis; however, the unconditional model is not as robust as the conditional model to the matching distortion that the matching process not only makes cases and controls similar for matching variables but also for the exposure status. When the study design involves other complex features or the computational burden is high, matching in loose-matching data can be ignored for negligible loss in testing and estimation if the distributions of matching variables are not extremely different between cases and controls. PMID:29552553

  10. Postural adjustments in young ballet dancers compared to age matched controls.

    PubMed

    Iunes, Denise H; Elias, Iara F; Carvalho, Leonardo C; Dionísio, Valdeci C

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to use photogrammetry to evaluate the posture of ballet practitioners compared to an age-matched control group. One hundred and eleven 7- to 24-year-old female volunteers were evaluated and were divided into two groups: the ballet practising group (n = 52) and the control group (n = 59), divided into three subgroups according to age and years of ballet experience. Dancers with 1-3 years experience compared to controls of the same age shows alterations in External Rotation Angle (P < 0.05). Dancers 4-9 years experience show alterations in Lumbar Lordosis, Pelvis Tilt Angle and Navicular Angle Right and Left (P < 0.05). Dancers with over 9 years experience show alterations in External Rotation and Navicular Angle Left (P < 0.05). Research shows there are differences between dancers and controls. In the groups 1-3 years and over 9 years of experience, the External Rotation Angle is greater. In the group 4-9 years of experience the Lumbar Lordosis Angle is greater and Pelvis Tilt, Navicular Angle Left and Right are smaller. In more than 9 years of ballet experience, the Navicular Angle Left is smaller. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Associations Between Physical Fitness Indices and Working Memory in Breast Cancer Survivors and Age-Matched Controls

    PubMed Central

    Mackenzie, Michael J.; Zuniga, Krystle E.; Raine, Lauren B.; Awick, Elizabeth A.; Hillman, Charles H.; Kramer, Arthur F.

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Background: This study examined the effects of cardiorespiratory fitness, heart rate recovery, and physical activity on working memory in breast cancer survivors and age-matched controls. Method: Using a case-control design, 32 women who had received a breast cancer diagnosis and completed primary treatment within the past 36-months (11 radiation only; 21 chemotherapy) and 30 age-matched women with no previous cancer diagnosis completed a n-back continuous performance task commonly used as an assessment of working memory. In addition, cardiorespiratory fitness and heart rate recovery were measured during a submaximal graded exercise test and physical activity was measured using 7-days of accelerometer monitoring. Results: Breast cancer survivors who had received chemotherapy had poorer heart rate recovery (p = .010) and engaged in less physical activity than women who had received radiation only (p = .004) or non-cancer controls (p = .029). Cancer treatment (radiation; chemotherapy) predicted differences in reaction times on the 1-back working memory task (p = .029). However, more rapid heart rate recovery predicted shorter reaction times on the 1-back task in the age-matched control group (p = .002). All participants with greater cardiorespiratory fitness displayed greater accuracy independent of disease status on the 1-back task (p = .017). No significant group differences in reaction times were observed for 2-back target trials between breast cancer survivors and controls. However, greater total physical activity predicted shorter reaction times in breast cancer survivors (radiation, chemotherapy) on the 2-back task (p = .014). In addition, all participants who exhibited more rapid heart rate recovery demonstrated better greater accuracy regardless of disease status (p = .013). Conclusion: These findings support differences in physical activty participation, heart rate recovery, and 1- and 2-back working memory reaction

  12. Linguistic Deterioration in Alzheimer's Senile Dementia and in Normal Aging.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Emery, Olga Beattie

    A study of language patterning as an indicator of higher cortical process focused on three matched comparison groups: normal pre-middle-aged, normal elderly, and elderly adults with senile dementia Alzheimer's type. In addition to tests of memory, level of cognitive function, and organic deficit, the formal aspects of language were analyzed in…

  13. Supra-normal age-linked retrograde amnesia: lessons from an older amnesic (H.M.).

    PubMed

    MacKay, Donald G; Hadley, Christopher

    2009-05-01

    MacKay and James (2001) demonstrated greater-than-normal retrograde amnesia (RA) for lexical-semantic information in amnesic H.M., a deficit that worsened with aging or represented supranormal age-linked RA (SARA). The present experiments extend these earlier observations to new types of information. Experiment 1 participants (H.M. and carefully matched memory-normal controls) named pictures on the Boston Naming Test and H.M. correctly named reliably fewer pictures with low frequency names, he produced unusual naming errors, and he benefited reliably less than the controls from phonological cues to the target word. Experiment 2 participants recalled irregularly-spelled aspects of familiar words in a two-choice recognition memory task and H.M. chose the correct spelling reliably less often than the controls. Experiment 3 participants read low frequency words aloud at age 73 and H.M. produced reliably more reading errors than the controls. Results of all three experiments indicate supranormal RA (SRA) for information once familiar to H.M. and comparisons with earlier studies using similar or identical stimuli indicated that H.M.'s SRA has worsened with aging from 1980 to 1999. In short, H.M. exhibits SARA for phonological and orthographic information, consistent with the MacKay and James results and with interactions between aging and amnesia predicted under binding theory. Copyright 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  14. Memory and phonological awareness in children with Benign Rolandic Epilepsy compared to a matched control group.

    PubMed

    Northcott, Ellen; Connolly, Anne M; Berroya, Anna; McIntyre, Jenny; Christie, Jane; Taylor, Alan; Bleasel, Andrew F; Lawson, John A; Bye, Ann M E

    2007-06-01

    In a previous study we demonstrated children with Benign Rolandic Epilepsy have normal intelligence and language ability. However, difficulties in verbal and visual memory and aspects of phonological awareness were found compared to normative data. To address the methodological limitations related to the use of normative data, we compared the same cohort of children with Benign Rolandic Epilepsy to a matched control group. Controls (n=40) matched on age and gender to the Benign Rolandic Epilepsy cohort underwent neuropsychological assessment. The life functioning of the control group was assessed using a modified version of the Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy Questionnaire (QOLCE). The study confirmed the previous findings of memory and phonological awareness difficulties. In addition, the children with Benign Rolandic Epilepsy had significantly lower IQ scores than the matched control group. Paired sample t-tests showed that on 8 of 11 QOLCE scales, children with Benign Rolandic Epilepsy were rated by parents as having poorer life functioning compared to matched controls, including lower parental ratings on the subscales of memory and language. Benign Rolandic Epilepsy has an excellent seizure prognosis, but this study further emphasizes potential cognitive difficulties. Using an age and gender matched control group, the previous findings of memory and phonological awareness difficulties were validated. These problems in cognition were also identified by parents of children with Benign Rolandic Epilepsy as problematic and impacting upon the child's quality of life.

  15. Comparison of MRI-defined back muscles volume between patients with ankylosing spondylitis and control patients with chronic back pain: age and spinopelvic alignment matched study.

    PubMed

    Bok, Doo Hee; Kim, Jihye; Kim, Tae-Hwan

    2017-02-01

    To compare MRI-defined back muscle volume between AS patients and age, and spinopelvic alignment matched control patients with chronic back pain. 51 male patients with AS were enrolled. Age and spinopelvic alignment matched controls (male) were found among non-AS patients with chronic back pain. After matching procedure, fully matched controls were found in 31 of 51 AS patients (60.8%), who represent AS patients without deformity. However, matched controls were not found in 20 of 51 AS patients (39.2%), who represent AS patients with deformity. MRI parameters of back muscle (paraspinal muscle and psoas muscle) at L4/5 disc level including cross-sectional area (CSA) and fat-free cross-sectional area (FCSA) were compared between AS patients and matched controls. Covariates, including BMI, self-reported physical activity, and the presence of chronic disease, which can influence back muscle volume, were also investigated. There were no statistical differences in age, body mass index, score of back pain (NRS), and spinopelvic alignment, and physical activity between matched AS patients and control patients except for duration of back pain. All MRI parameters for paraspinal muscle volume in matched AS patients (without deformity) were significantly less than those of control patients, and significantly larger than those of non-matched AS patients (with deformity). Body size adjusted MRI parameters (relative CSA and relative FCSA) of paraspinal muscle showed strong correlations with lumbar lordosis and sacral slope. Such relationship between paraspinal muscle and spinopelvic parameters remained significant even after multivariate adjustment. AS patients without deformity already have decreased paraspinal muscle volume compared with age and spinopelvic alignment matched non-AS patients with chronic back pain. Such decrease in paraspinal muscle volume was significantly associated with kyphotic deformity of AS patients even after multivariate adjustment. Although the result

  16. Comparison of Conditioning Impairments in Children with Down Syndrome, Autistic Spectrum Disorders and Mental Age-Matched Controls

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reed, P.; Staytom, L.; Stott, S.; Truzoli, R.

    2011-01-01

    Background: This study investigated the relative ease of learning across four tasks suggested by an adaptation of Thomas's hierarchy of learning in children with Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorders and mental age-matched controls. Methods: Learning trials were carried out to investigate observational learning, instrumental learning, reversal…

  17. [Normal aging of frontal lobe functions].

    PubMed

    Calso, Cristina; Besnard, Jérémy; Allain, Philippe

    2016-03-01

    Normal aging in individuals is often associated with morphological, metabolic and cognitive changes, which particularly concern the cerebral frontal regions. Starting from the "frontal lobe hypothesis of cognitive aging" (West, 1996), the present review is based on the neuroanatomical model developed by Stuss (2008), introducing four categories of frontal lobe functions: executive control, behavioural and emotional self-regulation and decision-making, energization and meta-cognitive functions. The selected studies only address the changes of one at least of these functions. The results suggest a deterioration of several cognitive frontal abilities in normal aging: flexibility, inhibition, planning, verbal fluency, implicit decision-making, second-order and affective theory of mind. Normal aging seems also to be characterised by a general reduction in processing speed observed during neuropsychological assessment (Salthouse, 1996). Nevertheless many cognitive functions remain preserved such as automatic or non-conscious inhibition, specific capacities of flexibility and first-order theory of mind. Therefore normal aging doesn't seem to be associated with a global cognitive decline but rather with a selective change in some frontal systems, conclusion which should be taken into account for designing caring programs in normal aging.

  18. Age-group differences in speech identification despite matched audiometrically normal hearing: contributions from auditory temporal processing and cognition

    PubMed Central

    Füllgrabe, Christian; Moore, Brian C. J.; Stone, Michael A.

    2015-01-01

    Hearing loss with increasing age adversely affects the ability to understand speech, an effect that results partly from reduced audibility. The aims of this study were to establish whether aging reduces speech intelligibility for listeners with normal audiograms, and, if so, to assess the relative contributions of auditory temporal and cognitive processing. Twenty-one older normal-hearing (ONH; 60–79 years) participants with bilateral audiometric thresholds ≤ 20 dB HL at 0.125–6 kHz were matched to nine young (YNH; 18–27 years) participants in terms of mean audiograms, years of education, and performance IQ. Measures included: (1) identification of consonants in quiet and in noise that was unmodulated or modulated at 5 or 80 Hz; (2) identification of sentences in quiet and in co-located or spatially separated two-talker babble; (3) detection of modulation of the temporal envelope (TE) at frequencies 5–180 Hz; (4) monaural and binaural sensitivity to temporal fine structure (TFS); (5) various cognitive tests. Speech identification was worse for ONH than YNH participants in all types of background. This deficit was not reflected in self-ratings of hearing ability. Modulation masking release (the improvement in speech identification obtained by amplitude modulating a noise background) and spatial masking release (the benefit obtained from spatially separating masker and target speech) were not affected by age. Sensitivity to TE and TFS was lower for ONH than YNH participants, and was correlated positively with speech-in-noise (SiN) identification. Many cognitive abilities were lower for ONH than YNH participants, and generally were correlated positively with SiN identification scores. The best predictors of the intelligibility of SiN were composite measures of cognition and TFS sensitivity. These results suggest that declines in speech perception in older persons are partly caused by cognitive and perceptual changes separate from age-related changes in

  19. Systematic changes in position sense accompany normal aging across adulthood.

    PubMed

    Herter, Troy M; Scott, Stephen H; Dukelow, Sean P

    2014-03-25

    Development of clinical neurological assessments aimed at separating normal from abnormal capabilities requires a comprehensive understanding of how basic neurological functions change (or do not change) with increasing age across adulthood. In the case of proprioception, the research literature has failed to conclusively determine whether or not position sense in the upper limb deteriorates in elderly individuals. The present study was conducted a) to quantify whether upper limb position sense deteriorates with increasing age, and b) to generate a set of normative data that can be used for future comparisons with clinical populations. We examined position sense in 209 healthy males and females between the ages of 18 and 90 using a robotic arm position-matching task that is both objective and reliable. In this task, the robot moved an arm to one of nine positions and subjects attempted to mirror-match that position with the opposite limb. Measures of position sense were recorded by the robotic apparatus in hand-and joint-based coordinates, and linear regressions were used to quantify age-related changes and percentile boundaries of normal behaviour. For clinical comparisons, we also examined influences of sex (male versus female) and test-hand (dominant versus non-dominant) on all measures of position sense. Analyses of hand-based parameters identified several measures of position sense (Variability, Shift, Spatial Contraction, Absolute Error) with significant effects of age, sex, and test-hand. Joint-based parameters at the shoulder (Absolute Error) and elbow (Variability, Shift, Absolute Error) also exhibited significant effects of age and test-hand. The present study provides strong evidence that several measures of upper extremity position sense exhibit declines with age. Furthermore, this data provides a basis for quantifying when changes in position sense are related to normal aging or alternatively, pathology.

  20. Association of young and advanced age of pregnant women with the risk of isolated congenital abnormalities in Hungary - a population-based case-matched control study.

    PubMed

    Csermely, Gyula; Susánszky, Éva; Czeizel, Andrew E

    2015-03-01

    To analyze the possible association of maternal age with the risk of all congenital abnormalities (CAs) in a population-based large case-matched control data set. The Hungarian Case-Control Surveillance of Congenital Abnormalities included 21,494 cases with isolated CA and their 34,311 matched controls. First the distribution of maternal age groups in 24 CA-groups and their matched controls was compared. In the second step, young (19 years or less) and advanced (35 years or more) age groups were compared. Finally, the subgroups of neural-tube defects, congenital heart defects and abdominal wall's CA were evaluated separately. A higher risk of gastroschisis, congenital heart defects, particularly left-sided obstructive defects, undescended testis and clubfoot was found in the youngest age group (19 years or less) of cases. The higher proportion of pregnant women with advanced age (i.e. 35 years or more) showed only a borderline excess in cases with clubfoot. The so-called U-shaped risk of maternal age distribution was found in cases with clubfoot and in the total group of isolated CAs. The maternal age is a contributing factor to the origin of some isolated CAs mainly in young pregnant women.

  1. Aging and insulin signaling differentially control normal and tumorous germline stem cells.

    PubMed

    Kao, Shih-Han; Tseng, Chen-Yuan; Wan, Chih-Ling; Su, Yu-Han; Hsieh, Chang-Che; Pi, Haiwei; Hsu, Hwei-Jan

    2015-02-01

    Aging influences stem cells, but the processes involved remain unclear. Insulin signaling, which controls cellular nutrient sensing and organismal aging, regulates the G2 phase of Drosophila female germ line stem cell (GSC) division cycle in response to diet; furthermore, this signaling pathway is attenuated with age. The role of insulin signaling in GSCs as organisms age, however, is also unclear. Here, we report that aging results in the accumulation of tumorous GSCs, accompanied by a decline in GSC number and proliferation rate. Intriguingly, GSC loss with age is hastened by either accelerating (through eliminating expression of Myt1, a cell cycle inhibitory regulator) or delaying (through mutation of insulin receptor (dinR) GSC division, implying that disrupted cell cycle progression and insulin signaling contribute to age-dependent GSC loss. As flies age, DNA damage accumulates in GSCs, and the S phase of the GSC cell cycle is prolonged. In addition, GSC tumors (which escape the normal stem cell regulatory microenvironment, known as the niche) still respond to aging in a similar manner to normal GSCs, suggesting that niche signals are not required for GSCs to sense or respond to aging. Finally, we show that GSCs from mated and unmated females behave similarly, indicating that female GSC-male communication does not affect GSCs with age. Our results indicate the differential effects of aging and diet mediated by insulin signaling on the stem cell division cycle, highlight the complexity of the regulation of stem cell aging, and describe a link between ovarian cancer and aging. © 2014 The Authors. Aging Cell published by the Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Attention problems of very preterm children compared with age-matched term controls at school-age.

    PubMed

    de Kieviet, Jorrit F; van Elburg, Ruurd M; Lafeber, Harrie N; Oosterlaan, Jaap

    2012-11-01

    To clarify the severity, specificity, and neurocognitive underpinnings of attention problems in very preterm children. A sample of 66 preterm (<32 weeks gestation), mean (SD) age 7.5 (0.4) years, and 66 age-matched term controls participated. Symptoms of inattention were assessed using parent and teacher-rated questionnaires, and neurocognitive measures included speed and consistency in speed of information processing, lapses of attention (tau), alerting, orienting, and executive attention, as well as verbal and visuospatial working memory. Group differences were investigated using ANOVA, and Sobel tests were used to clarify the mediating role of neurocognitive impairments on attention problems. There was a large decrease in visuospatial working memory abilities (P < .001, d = .87), and medium increases in tau (P = .002, d = 0.55) as well as parent and teacher ratings of inattention (range d = 0.40-0.56) in very preterm children compared with term peers. Tau and visuospatial working memory were significant predictors of parent (R(2) = .161, P < .001 and R(2) = .071, P = .001; respectively) and teacher (R(2) = .152, P < .001 and R(2) = .064, P = .002; respectively) ratings of inattention, and completely explained the effects of very preterm birth on attention problems. Increased lapses of attention and poorer visuospatial working memory fully account for the attention problems in very premature children at school-age. Copyright © 2012 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Outcomes of hip arthroscopy in patients aged 50 years or older compared with a matched-pair control of patients aged 30 years or younger.

    PubMed

    Domb, Benjamin G; Linder, Dror; Finley, Zachary; Botser, Itamar B; Chen, Austin; Williamson, Joseph; Gupta, Asheesh

    2015-02-01

    Age has been suggested as a negative prognostic factor for hip arthroscopy. The purpose of this study was to compare patient characteristics and outcomes after hip arthroscopy in patients aged 50 years or older with a matched control group of patients aged 30 years or younger at a minimum postoperative follow-up of 2 years. Between September 2008 and March 2010, data were prospectively collected on all patients aged 50 years or older undergoing primary hip arthroscopy. Fifty-two patients met our inclusion and matching criteria, of whom all 52 (100%) were available for follow-up at a minimum of 2 years. This cohort was compared with a matched-pair control group of patients aged 30 years or younger who underwent similar procedures. The mean age of the study group was 54.8 years (range, 50 to 69 years), and that of the control group was 20.3 years (range, 13 to 30 years). The groups were matched at a 1:1 ratio, including 18 male patients (34.6%) and 34 female patients (65.4%) in each group, with a mean follow-up period of 32 months (range, 24 to 54 months). In the younger control group, the score improvement from preoperatively to 2 years' follow-up was 62.9 to 84.2 for the modified Harris Hip Score, 60.5 to 84.2 for the Non-Arthritic Hip Score, 63.1 to 86.5 for the Hip Outcome Score-Activities of Daily Living, and 42.2 to 72.7 for the Hip Outcome Score-Sport-Specific Subscale. In the older study group, the score improvement from preoperatively to 2 years' follow-up was 61.2 to 82.2 for the modified Harris Hip Score, 59.9 to 80.4 for the Non-Arthritic Hip Score, 63.9 to 83 for the Hip Outcome Score-Activities of Daily Living, and 41.2 to 64.6 for the Hip Outcome Score-Sport-Specific Subscale. All improvements in both groups were statistically significant at the 2-year postoperative follow-up (P < .001). There was no significant difference for all patient-reported outcome (PRO) scores at final follow-up between both groups. When we compared the change in PRO scores (

  4. Intake of key micronutrients and food groups in patients with late-stage age-related macular degeneration compared with age-sex-matched controls.

    PubMed

    Gopinath, Bamini; Liew, Gerald; Russell, Joanna; Cosatto, Victoria; Burlutsky, George; Mitchell, Paul

    2017-08-01

    Knowledge of the risk factor profile of patients presenting with late-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD) could help identify the most frequent modifiable AMD precursors among people who are referred for treatment. We aimed to assess dietary behaviours by comparing adjusted mean intakes of micronutrients and major food groups (fruits, vegetables, fish) among patients with AMD and a sample of age-sex-matched controls. Cross-sectional analysis of 480 late AMD cases and 518 population-based age-sex-matched controls with no AMD signs. AMD cases (aged 60+ years) were those presenting for treatment to a hospital eye clinic in Sydney, Australia, during 2012-2015. The comparator group were obtained from a cohort study (Blue Mountains Eye Study; Sydney, Australia) during 2002-2009. Dietary intake was assessed using a semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire. AMD lesions were assessed from retinal photographs. After multivariable adjustment, patients with late-stage AMD compared with controls had significantly lower intakes of vitamin E (7.4 vs 9.8 mg/day; p<0.0001), beta-carotene (6232 vs 7738 μg/day; p<0.0001), vitamin C (161 vs 184 mg/day; p=0.0002) and folate (498.3 vs 602 μg/day; p<0.0001); but had higher intakes of zinc (13.0 vs 11.9 mg/day; p<0.0001). A significantly lower proportion of patients with late AMD met the recommended intake of vegetables than controls: 52.9% versus 64.5%; p=0.0002. This study showed significant differences in intakes of vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, folate and vegetables between patients with late-stage AMD and healthy controls, and thus has provided a better understanding of the nutritional intake of patients presenting with advanced AMD. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  5. Morphological Features in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Matched Case-Control Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ozgen, Heval; Hellemann, Gerhard S.; Stellato, Rebecca K.; Lahuis, Bertine; van Daalen, Emma; Staal, Wouter G.; Rozendal, Marije; Hennekam, Raoul C.; Beemer, Frits A.; van Engeland, Herman

    2011-01-01

    This study was designed to examine morphological features in a large group of children with autism spectrum disorder versus normal controls. Amongst 421 patients and 1,007 controls, 224 matched pairs were created. Prevalence rates and odds ratios were analyzed by conditional regression analysis, McNemar test or paired t-test matched pairs.…

  6. 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.

  7. The effect of normal aging and age-related macular degeneration on perceptual learning.

    PubMed

    Astle, Andrew T; Blighe, Alan J; Webb, Ben S; McGraw, Paul V

    2015-01-01

    We investigated whether perceptual learning could be used to improve peripheral word identification speed. The relationship between the magnitude of learning and age was established in normal participants to determine whether perceptual learning effects are age invariant. We then investigated whether training could lead to improvements in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Twenty-eight participants with normal vision and five participants with AMD trained on a word identification task. They were required to identify three-letter words, presented 10° from fixation. To standardize crowding across each of the letters that made up the word, words were flanked laterally by randomly chosen letters. Word identification performance was measured psychophysically using a staircase procedure. Significant improvements in peripheral word identification speed were demonstrated following training (71% ± 18%). Initial task performance was correlated with age, with older participants having poorer performance. However, older adults learned more rapidly such that, following training, they reached the same level of performance as their younger counterparts. As a function of number of trials completed, patients with AMD learned at an equivalent rate as age-matched participants with normal vision. Improvements in word identification speed were maintained at least 6 months after training. We have demonstrated that temporal aspects of word recognition can be improved in peripheral vision with training across a range of ages and these learned improvements are relatively enduring. However, training targeted at other bottlenecks to peripheral reading ability, such as visual crowding, may need to be incorporated to optimize this approach.

  8. The effect of normal aging and age-related macular degeneration on perceptual learning

    PubMed Central

    Astle, Andrew T.; Blighe, Alan J.; Webb, Ben S.; McGraw, Paul V.

    2015-01-01

    We investigated whether perceptual learning could be used to improve peripheral word identification speed. The relationship between the magnitude of learning and age was established in normal participants to determine whether perceptual learning effects are age invariant. We then investigated whether training could lead to improvements in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Twenty-eight participants with normal vision and five participants with AMD trained on a word identification task. They were required to identify three-letter words, presented 10° from fixation. To standardize crowding across each of the letters that made up the word, words were flanked laterally by randomly chosen letters. Word identification performance was measured psychophysically using a staircase procedure. Significant improvements in peripheral word identification speed were demonstrated following training (71% ± 18%). Initial task performance was correlated with age, with older participants having poorer performance. However, older adults learned more rapidly such that, following training, they reached the same level of performance as their younger counterparts. As a function of number of trials completed, patients with AMD learned at an equivalent rate as age-matched participants with normal vision. Improvements in word identification speed were maintained at least 6 months after training. We have demonstrated that temporal aspects of word recognition can be improved in peripheral vision with training across a range of ages and these learned improvements are relatively enduring. However, training targeted at other bottlenecks to peripheral reading ability, such as visual crowding, may need to be incorporated to optimize this approach. PMID:26605694

  9. DNA methylation in individuals with anorexia nervosa and in matched normal-eater controls: A genome-wide study.

    PubMed

    Booij, Linda; Casey, Kevin F; Antunes, Juliana M; Szyf, Moshe; Joober, Ridha; Israël, Mimi; Steiger, Howard

    2015-11-01

    Evidence associates anorexia nervosa (AN) with epigenetic alterations that could contribute to illness risk or entrenchment. We investigated the extent to which AN is associated with a distinct methylation profile compared to that seen in normal-eater women. Genome-wide methylation profiles, obtained using DNA from whole blood, were determined in 29 women currently ill with AN (10 with AN-restrictive type, 19 with AN-binge/purge type) and 15 normal-weight, normal-eater control women, using 450 K Illumina bead arrays. Regardless of type, AN patients showed higher and less-variable global methylation patterns than controls. False Discovery Rate corrected comparisons identified 14 probes that were hypermethylated in women with AN relative to levels obtained in normal-eater controls, representing genes thought to be associated with histone acetylation, RNA modification, cholesterol storage and lipid transport, and dopamine and glutamate signaling. Age of onset was significantly associated with differential methylation in gene pathways involved in development of the brain and spinal cord, while chronicity of illness was significantly linked to differential methylation in pathways involved with synaptogenesis, neurocognitive deficits, anxiety, altered social functioning, and bowel, kidney, liver and immune function. Although pre-existing differences cannot be ruled out, our findings are consistent with the idea of secondary alterations in methylation at genomic regions pertaining to social-emotional impairments and physical sequelae that are commonly seen in AN patients. Further investigation is needed to establish the clinical relevance of the affected genes in AN, and, importantly, reversibility of effects observed with nutritional rehabilitation and treatment. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Clinical and psychological features of normal-weight women with subthreshold anorexia nervosa: a pilot case-control observational study.

    PubMed

    Tagliabue, Anna; Ferraris, Cinzia; Martinelli, Valentina; Pinelli, Giovanna; Repossi, Ilaria; Trentani, Claudia

    2012-01-01

    Weight preoccupations have been frequently reported in normal-weight subjects. Subthreshold anorexia nervosa (s-AN, all DSM IV TR criteria except amenorrhea or underweight) is a form of eating disorder not otherwise specified that has received scarce scientific attention. Under a case-control design we compared the general characteristics, body composition, and psychopathological features of normal-weight patients with s-AN with those of BMI- and sex-matched controls. Participants in this pilot study included 9 normal-weight women who met the DSM IV TR criteria for s-AN and 18 BMI-matched normal-weight controls. The general characteristics of the study participants were collected by questionnaire. Body composition was measured by bioelectrical impedance. Behavioral and psychological measures included the standardized symptom checklist (SCL-90-R) and the eating disorder inventory (EDI-2). There were no differences in age, education, employment status, marital status, and history of previous slimming treatment in the two study groups. In addition, anthropometric measures and body composition of s-AN patients and BMI-matched normal weight controls were not significantly different. In the s-AN subgroup, we found a significant relationship between waist circumference and the SCL-90-R obsessivity-compulsivity scale (n=9, r=-0.69, p<0.05). After multiple regression analysis, the SCL-90-R obsessivity-compulsivity scale (beta = 0.61, t=2.7, p=0.017) was the only independent predictor of the presence s-AN in our study cohort. These pilot results suggest that psychopathological criteria (particularly related to the obsessivity-compulsivity dimension) may be more useful than anthropometric measures for screening of s-AN in normal-weight women.

  11. A case-control study of self-reported health, quality-of-life and general functioning among recent immigrants and age- and sex-matched Swedish-born controls.

    PubMed

    Löfvander, Monica; Rosenblad, Andreas; Wiklund, Tony; Bennström, Halina; Leppert, Jerzy

    2014-12-01

    To examine whether new immigrants had inferior quality-of-life, well-being and general functioning compared with Swedish age- and sex-matched controls. A prospective case-control study was designed including immigrants from non-European countries, 18-65 years of age, with recent Permanent Permits to Stay (PPS) in Sweden, and age- and sex-matched Swedish-born (SB) persons from the general population in Västmanland County, Sweden. The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), the brief version of the World Health Organization Quality-of-Life (WHOQOL-BREF) Scale and the General Activity Functioning Assessment Scale (GAF) from DSM-IV were posted (SB), or applied in personal interviews (PPS) with interpreters. Differences between the PPS and SB groups were measured using McNemar's test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test conducted separately for observations at baseline, 6- and 12-month follow-up. There were 93 pairs (mean age 36 years). Persons from Somalia (67%) and Iraq (27%) dominated the PPS group. The differences between the groups were statistically significant for all time points for the Psychological health and Social relationship domains of WHOQOL-BREF, and for the baseline and 6-month follow-up time points of GHQ-12 where the PPS-group had a higher degree of well-being, health and quality-of-life than the SB. This tendency applied for both sexes in the immigrant group. These new immigrants did not have inferior physical or psychological health, quality-of-life, well-being or social functioning compared with their age- and sex-matched Swedish born pairs during a 1-year follow-up. Thus, there is reason to advocate immigrants' fast integration into society. © 2014 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

  12. Comparison of biomechanical gait parameters of young children with haemophilia and those of age-matched peers.

    PubMed

    Stephensen, D; Drechsler, W; Winter, M; Scott, O

    2009-03-01

    Quality of life for children with haemophilia has improved since the introduction of prophylaxis. The frequency of joint haemorrhages has reduced, but the consequences of reduced bleeding on the biomechanical parameters of walking are not well understood. This study explored the differences in sagittal plane biomechanics of walking between a control group (Group 1) of normal age-matched children and children with haemophilia (Group 2) with a target ankle joint. A motion capture system and two force platforms were used to collect sagittal plane kinematic, kinetic and temporal-spatial data during walking of 14 age-matched normal children and 14 children with haemophilia aged 7-13 years. Group differences in maximum and minimum flexion/extension angles and moments of the hip, knee and ankle joints, ground reaction forces and temporal-spatial gait cycle parameters were analysed using one-way anova. Significant changes (P < 0.05) in kinematic and kinetic parameters but not temporal-spatial parameters were found in children with haemophilia; greater flexion angles and external moments of force at the knee, greater ankle plantarflexion external moments and lower hip flexion external moments. These results suggest that early biomechanical changes are present in young haemophilic children with a history of a target ankle joint and imply that lower limb joint function is more impaired than current clinical evaluations indicate. Protocols and quantitative data on the biomechanical gait pattern of children with haemophilia reported in this study provide a baseline to evaluate lower limb joint function and clinical progression.

  13. P300-based brain-computer interface (BCI) event-related potentials (ERPs): People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) vs. age-matched controls.

    PubMed

    McCane, Lynn M; Heckman, Susan M; McFarland, Dennis J; Townsend, George; Mak, Joseph N; Sellers, Eric W; Zeitlin, Debra; Tenteromano, Laura M; Wolpaw, Jonathan R; Vaughan, Theresa M

    2015-11-01

    Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) aimed at restoring communication to people with severe neuromuscular disabilities often use event-related potentials (ERPs) in scalp-recorded EEG activity. Up to the present, most research and development in this area has been done in the laboratory with young healthy control subjects. In order to facilitate the development of BCI most useful to people with disabilities, the present study set out to: (1) determine whether people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and healthy, age-matched volunteers (HVs) differ in the speed and accuracy of their ERP-based BCI use; (2) compare the ERP characteristics of these two groups; and (3) identify ERP-related factors that might enable improvement in BCI performance for people with disabilities. Sixteen EEG channels were recorded while people with ALS or healthy age-matched volunteers (HVs) used a P300-based BCI. The subjects with ALS had little or no remaining useful motor control (mean ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised 9.4 (±9.5SD) (range 0-25)). Each subject attended to a target item as the items in a 6×6 visual matrix flashed. The BCI used a stepwise linear discriminant function (SWLDA) to determine the item the user wished to select (i.e., the target item). Offline analyses assessed the latencies, amplitudes, and locations of ERPs to the target and non-target items for people with ALS and age-matched control subjects. BCI accuracy and communication rate did not differ significantly between ALS users and HVs. Although ERP morphology was similar for the two groups, their target ERPs differed significantly in the location and amplitude of the late positivity (P300), the amplitude of the early negativity (N200), and the latency of the late negativity (LN). The differences in target ERP components between people with ALS and age-matched HVs are consistent with the growing recognition that ALS may affect cortical function. The development of BCIs for use by this population may begin

  14. Deductive and inductive reasoning in Parkinson's disease patients and normal controls: review and experimental evidence.

    PubMed

    Natsopoulos, D; Katsarou, Z; Alevriadou, A; Grouios, G; Bostantzopoulou, S; Mentenopoulos, G

    1997-09-01

    In the present study, fifty-four subjects were tested; twenty-seven with idiopathic Parkinson's disease and twenty-seven normal controls matched in age, education, verbal ability, level of depression, sex and socio-economic status. The subjects were tested on eight tasks. Five of the tasks were the classic deductive reasoning syllogisms, modus ponens, modus tollendo tollens, affirming the consequent, denying the antecedent and three-term series problems phrased in a factual context (brief scripts). Three of the tasks were inductive reasoning, including logical inferences, metaphors and similes. All tasks were presented to subjects in a multiple choice format. The results, overall, have shown nonsignificant differences between the two groups in deductive and inductive reasoning, an ability traditionally associated with frontal lobes involvement. Of the comparisons performed between subgroups of the patients and normal controls concerning disease duration, disease onset and predominant involvement of the left and/or right hemisphere, significant differences were found between patients with earlier disease onset and normal controls and between bilaterally affected patients and normal controls, demonstrating an additive effect of lateralization to reasoning ability.

  15. Endoscopic detection rate of sessile serrated lesions in Lynch syndrome patients is comparable with an age- and gender-matched control population: case-control study with expert pathology review.

    PubMed

    Vleugels, Jasper L A; Sahin, Husna; Hazewinkel, Yark; Koens, Lianne; van den Berg, Jose G; van Leerdam, Monique E; Dekker, Evelien

    2018-05-01

    Carcinogenesis in Lynch syndrome involves fast progression of adenomas to colorectal cancer (CRC) because of microsatellite instability. The role of sessile serrated lesions (SSLs) and the serrated neoplasia pathway in these patients is unknown. The aim of this matched case-control study was to compare endoscopic detection rates and distribution of SSLs in Lynch syndrome patients with a matched control population. We collected data of Lynch syndrome patients with a proven germline mutation who underwent colonoscopy between January 2011 and April 2016 in 2 tertiary referral hospitals. Control subjects undergoing elective colonoscopy from 2011 and onward for symptoms or surveillance were selected from a prospectively collected database. Patients were matched 1:1 for age, gender, and index versus surveillance colonoscopy. An expert pathology review of serrated polyps was performed. The primary outcomes included the detection rates and distribution of SSLs. We identified 321 patients with Lynch syndrome who underwent at least 1 colonoscopy. Of these, 223 Lynch syndrome patients (mean age, 49.3; 59% women; index colonoscopy, 56%) were matched to 223 control subjects. SSLs were detected in 7.6% (95% confidence interval, 4.8-11.9) of colonoscopies performed in Lynch syndrome patients and in 6.7% (95% confidence interval, 4.1-10.8) of control subjects (P = .86). None of the detected SSLs in Lynch syndrome patients contained dysplasia. The detection rate of SSLs in Lynch syndrome patients undergoing colonoscopy is comparable with a matched population. These findings suggest that the role of the serrated neoplasia pathway in CRC development in Lynch syndrome seems to be comparable with that in the general population. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Optimal case-control matching in practice.

    PubMed

    Cologne, J B; Shibata, Y

    1995-05-01

    We illustrate modern matching techniques and discuss practical issues in defining the closeness of matching for retrospective case-control designs (in which the pool of subjects already exists when the study commences). We empirically compare matching on a balancing score, analogous to the propensity score for treated/control matching, with matching on a weighted distance measure. Although both methods in principle produce balance between cases and controls in the marginal distributions of the matching covariates, the weighted distance measure provides better balance in practice because the balancing score can be poorly estimated. We emphasize the use of optimal matching based on efficient network algorithms. An illustration is based on the design of a case-control study of hepatitis B virus infection as a possible confounder and/or effect modifier of radiation-related primary liver cancer in atomic bomb survivors.

  17. Age dependence of the normal/abnormal difference of bone mineral density in osteoporotic women.

    PubMed

    Bagur, A; Vega, E; Mautalen, C

    1994-09-01

    Bone mineral density (BMD) is the major factor in bone strength and in the risk of suffering osteoporotic fractures. The aim of this study was to examine the normal/abnormal difference for antero-posterior (AP) spine, lateral spine, proximal femur and total body BMD to assess if age influences discrimination at three different decades between 50 and 80 years of age. The BMD was determined in 61 control women and 60 osteoporotic women (at least one vertebral wedge fracture readily visible in the lateral X-rays of the thoracic or lumbar spine). Measurements were made by DEXA with a total body scanner. The BMD of the whole group of osteoporotic women was markedly lower than that of age-matched controls at all skeletal areas (P < 0.001) except at the arms where the difference was smaller (P < 0.02). The Z-score (the difference between osteoporotic patients and age-matched control divided by the intrapopulation S.D.) was similar (approximately -1.7) over the AP spine, femoral neck, Ward's triangle, total body and legs. It was significantly lower at the arms (-0.8, P < 0.001), lateral spine (-1.4, P < 0.01) and trochanter (-1.3, P < 0.001) compared with the Z-score of the AP spine. The analysis of the results by decades of age disclosed that the higher Z-score on the 6th and 7th decades corresponded to the AP lumbar spine (approximately -2.0). A high descrimination was also observed for the femoral neck, Ward's triangle and legs while the Z-score of the lateral lumbar spine, total body, trochanter and arms were significantly lower than that of the AP lumbar spine. However on the 8th decade the Z-score of the AP lumbar spine diminished to -1.2 and was only significantly higher than the Z-score of the arms (P < 0.01). The study showed that, in women 50-60 years of age--the period where the majority of studies are made for prevention of osteoporosis, none of the other skeletal areas were superior to the AP spine in discrimination for spinal osteoporosis. Proximal femur and

  18. Insulin Dynamics in Young Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Normal Glucose Tolerance across Categories of Body Mass Index

    PubMed Central

    Manco, Melania; Castagneto-Gissey, Lidia; Arrighi, Eugenio; Carnicelli, Annamaria; Brufani, Claudia; Luciano, Rosa; Mingrone, Geltrude

    2014-01-01

    Background Evidence favours insulin resistance and compensatory hyperinsulinemia as the predominant, perhaps primary, defects in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The aim of the present study was to evaluate insulin metabolism in young women with PCOS but normal glucose tolerance as compared with age, body mass index and insulin resistance-matched controls to answer the question whether women with PCOS hypersecrete insulin in comparison to appropriately insulin resistance-matched controls. Research Design and Methods Sixty-nine cases were divided according to their body mass index (BMI) in normal-weight (N = 29), overweight (N = 24) and obese patients (N = 16). Controls were 479 healthy women (age 16–49 y). Whole body Insulin Sensitivity (WBISI), fasting, and total insulin secretion were estimated following an oral glucose tolerance test (C-peptide deconvolution method). Results Across classes of BMI, PCOS patients had greater insulin resistance than matched controls (p<0.0001 for all the comparisons), but they showed higher fasting and total insulin secretion than their age, BMI and insulin resistance-matched peers (p<0.0001 for all the comparisons). Conclusion Women with PCOS show higher insulin resistance but also larger insulin secretion to maintain normal glucose homeostasis than age-, BMI- and insulin resistance-matched controls. PMID:24705280

  19. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations in dogs with osteosarcoma do not differ from those of age- and weight-matched control dogs.

    PubMed

    Willcox, Jennifer L; Hammett-Stabler, Catherine; Hauck, Marlene L

    2016-11-01

    Vitamin D concentrations show an inverse correlation with incidence of certain tumors in people and dogs. Additionally, human osteosarcoma has been associated with dysregulation of vitamin D-dependent pathways. The study objective was to compare serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D 2 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D 3 in 20 dogs with osteosarcoma to age- and weight-matched control dogs. We hypothesized that dogs with osteosarcoma would have lower serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D than control dogs. The mean 25-hydroxyvitamin D 3 concentrations for dogs with osteosarcoma and matched-controls were 34.95 ng/mL and 33.85 ng/mL, respectively (P = 0.784). Based on these data, 25-hydroxyvitamin D insufficiency might not be important in the pathogenesis of canine osteosarcoma. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  20. Performance of Disease Risk Score Matching in Nested Case-Control Studies: A Simulation Study.

    PubMed

    Desai, Rishi J; Glynn, Robert J; Wang, Shirley; Gagne, Joshua J

    2016-05-15

    In a case-control study, matching on a disease risk score (DRS), which includes many confounders, should theoretically result in greater precision than matching on only a few confounders; however, this has not been investigated. We simulated 1,000 hypothetical cohorts with a binary exposure, a time-to-event outcome, and 13 covariates. Each cohort comprised 2 subcohorts of 10,000 patients each: a historical subcohort and a concurrent subcohort. DRS were estimated in the historical subcohorts and applied to the concurrent subcohorts. Nested case-control studies were conducted in the concurrent subcohorts using incidence density sampling with 2 strategies-matching on age and sex, with adjustment for additional confounders, and matching on DRS-followed by conditional logistic regression for 9 outcome-exposure incidence scenarios. In all scenarios, DRS matching yielded lower average standard errors and mean squared errors than did matching on age and sex. In 6 scenarios, DRS matching also resulted in greater empirical power. DRS matching resulted in less relative bias than did matching on age and sex at lower outcome incidences but more relative bias at higher incidences. Post-hoc analysis revealed that the effect of DRS model misspecification might be more pronounced at higher outcome incidences, resulting in higher relative bias. These results suggest that DRS matching might increase the statistical efficiency of case-control studies, particularly when the outcome is rare. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  1. 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.

  2. Heart rate autonomic regulation system at rest and during paced breathing among patients with CRPS as compared to age-matched healthy controls.

    PubMed

    Bartur, Gadi; Vatine, Jean-Jacques; Raphaely-Beer, Noa; Peleg, Sara; Katz-Leurer, Michal

    2014-09-01

    The objective of this study is to assess the autonomic nerve heart rate regulation system at rest and its immediate response to paced breathing among patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) as compared with age-matched healthy controls. Quasiexperimental. Outpatient clinic. Ten patients with CRPS and 10 age- and sex-matched controls. Participants underwent Holter ECG (NorthEast Monitoring, Inc., Maynard, MA, USA) recording during rest and biofeedback-paced breathing session. Heart rate variability (HRV), time, and frequency measures were assessed. HRV and time domain values were significantly lower at rest among patients with CRPS as compared with controls. A significant association was noted between pain rank and HRV frequency measures at rest and during paced breathing; although both groups reduced breathing rate significantly during paced breathing, HRV time domain parameters increased only among the control group. The increased heart rate and decreased HRV at rest in patients with CRPS suggest a general autonomic imbalance. The inability of the patients to increase HRV time domain values during paced breathing may suggest that these patients have sustained stress response with minimal changeability in response to slow-paced breathing stimuli. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. Cyclists Have Greater Chondromalacia Index Than Age-Matched Controls at the Time of Hip Arthroscopy.

    PubMed

    Stone, Austin V; Howse, Elizabeth A; Mannava, Sandeep; Stubbs, Allston J

    2016-10-01

    To evaluate the clinical symptoms and intraoperative pathology associated with hip pain in the cyclist compared with a matched hip arthroscopy surgical group. In an institutional review board-approved study, we retrospectively reviewed a prospective database of 1,200 consecutive hip arthroscopy patients from 2008 to 2015. Adult patients were identified who reported cycling as a major component of their activity. Patients were age, gender, and body mass index matched to a control, noncycling group. Pain symptoms, preoperative examinations, radiographic and operative findings were compared. Primary outcome variables included the femoral and acetabular Outerbridge chondromalacia grade. Additional outcome measurements included the involved area and the chondromalacia index (CMI; the product of the Outerbridge chondromalacia grade and surface area [mm 2  × severity]). A total of 167 noncyclists were matched to the cycling group (n = 16). Cyclists had significantly greater femoral head chondromalacia grade (2.0 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.5-2.5] v 1.4 [95% CI, 1.3-1.6], P = .043), femoral head chondromalacia area (242 mm 2 [95% CI, 191-293 mm 2 ] v 128 mm 2 [95% CI, 113-141 mm 2 ], P < .001), and femoral head CMI (486 [95% CI, 358-615] v 247 [95% CI, 208-286], P = .001) assessed intraoperatively. Hip pain in cyclists positively correlated with an increased acetabular center-edge angle (R = 0.261, P < .001) and an increased Tonnis grade (R = 0.305, P < .001). Cyclists were also more likely to have a coxalgic gait on physical examination (R = 0.250, P = .006). Cyclists had a greater degree of femoral chondromalacia than a matched group of noncyclists. Cycling activity positively correlated with the presence of femoral chondromalacia with clinically significant gait alterations. These data support the hypothesis that cyclists with hip pain have more chondral pathology than a similar group of other patients with hip pain. Ultimately, cyclists with hip pain

  4. Issues Related to Obtaining Intelligence Quotient-Matched Controls in Autism Research

    PubMed Central

    Rao, Vanitha S.; Raman, Vijaya; Mysore, Ashok V.

    2015-01-01

    Background: Intelligence Quotient (IQ) is considered to be an index of global cognitive functioning and has traditionally been used as a fulcral measure in case-control studies in neuro-developmental disorders such as autism. Aim: The aim is to highlight the issues of “matching for IQ” with controls in autism research. Materials and Methods: Percentile scores on the Coloured Progressive Matrices of 20 children with autism in the age range of 5 to 12 years have been graphically compared with 21 age matched typically developing children. Results and Conclusions: The percentile scores of the so-called high functioning children with autism from special schools were well below that of typically developing children. There are many challenges when using IQ in case-control studies of autism. Alternative approaches need to be considered. PMID:25969598

  5. Functional Aspects of Gait in Essential Tremor: A Comparison with Age-Matched Parkinson's Disease Cases, Dystonia Cases, and Controls.

    PubMed

    Louis, Elan D; Rao, Ashwini K

    2015-01-01

    An understanding of the functional aspects of gait and balance has wide ramifications. Individuals with balance disorders often restrict physical activity, travel, and social commitments to avoid falling, and loss of balance confidence, itself, is a source of disability. We studied the functional aspects of gait in patients with essential tremor (ET), placing their findings within the context of two other neurological disorders (Parkinson's disease [PD] and dystonia) and comparing them with age-matched controls. We administered the six-item Activities of Balance Confidence (ABC-6) Scale and collected data on number of falls and near-falls, and use of walking aids in 422 participants (126 ET, 77 PD, 46 dystonia, 173 controls). Balance confidence was lowest in PD, intermediate in ET, and relatively preserved in dystonia compared with controls. This ordering reoccurred for each of the six ABC-6 items. The number of near-falls and falls followed a similar ordering. Use of canes, walkers, and wheelchairs was elevated in ET and even greater in PD. Several measures of balance confidence (ABC-6 items 1, 4, 5, and 6) were lower in torticollis cases than in those with blepharospasm, although the two groups did not differ with respect to falls or use of walking aids. Lower balance confidence, increased falls, and greater need for walking aids are variably features of a range of movement disorder patients compared to age-matched controls. While most marked among PD patients, these issues affected ET patients as well and, to a small degree, some patients with dystonia.

  6. Age-Related Normogram for Ovarian Antral Follicle Count in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Comparison with Age Matched Controls Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

    PubMed

    Aiyappan, Senthil Kumar; Karpagam, Bulabai; Vadanika, V; Chidambaram, Prem Kumar; Vinayagam, S; Saravanan, K C

    2016-01-01

    Antral Follicle count (AFC) is a reliable marker for ovarian reserve. Previous studies have used transvaginal ultrasound for estimation of AFC, however we used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for estimation of AFC and for creating an age-related normogram in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and compared it with normal patients. The aim of this study is to create an age related normogram for AFC in women with PCOS and to compare that with women without polycystic ovarian syndrome using MRI. A total of 1500 women were examined, out of which 400 fitted the criteria for PCOS. They all underwent MRI study and similar age matched women without PCOS also underwent MRI examination. Normogram for AFC were obtained using LMS software and a percentile chart was obtained. Normogram for AFC in PCOS women showed decline in number of AFC as the age progresses and the decline was linear. The normogram for AFC was compared with equal number of patients without PCOS and they also showed decline in AFC as the age progresses, however the decline was exponential and faster. Age related normogram for AFC is widely used and considered as best clinical predictor for ovarian response in assisted reproductive technology. Knowledge of ovarian reserve is important in PCOS and non-PCOS females as PCOS patients are at risk for ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome during gonadotrophin theraphy. MRI is an equally effective and in some times better alternative to transvaginal ultrasound as it has got its own advantages.

  7. Differential hippocampal protein expression between normal aged rats and aged rats with postoperative cognitive dysfunction: A proteomic analysis.

    PubMed

    Li, Yang; Wang, Saiying; Ran, Ke; Hu, Zhonghua; Liu, Zhaoqian; Duan, Kaiming

    2015-08-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate the differences in the expression of hippocampal proteins between normal control aged rats and aged rats with postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). A total of 24 aged rats were randomly divided into a surgery group (n=12) and a control group (n=12). The rats in the surgery group were treated with 2 h isoflurane anesthesia and splenectomy, while the rats in the control group received 40% oxygen for 2 h without surgery. The cognitive functions of the two groups were examined using a Y-maze test. The protein expression profiles of the hippocampus of six aged rats (three rats with POCD and three from the normal control group) were assessed using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry. A total of three differential proteins were further confirmed between the POCD rats and normal rats using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The expression levels of 21 proteins in the rats with POCD were significantly different compared with the normal control rats. These proteins were functionally clustered to synaptic plasticity (three proteins), oxidative stress (four proteins), energy production (six proteins), neuroinflammation (three proteins) and glutamate metabolism (two proteins). In addition, three proteins (fatty acid binding protein 7, brain, glutamate dehydrogenase 1 and glutamine synthetase), associated with astrocytic function, were significantly different in the rats with POCD compared with those in the normal control (P<0.05). Similar changes in the mRNA expression levels of the three proteins in the hippocampi of POCD rats were also detected using RT-qPCR. Neuroinflammation, glutamate toxicity and oxidative stress were possibly involved in the pathological mechanism underlying POCD in aged rats. In addition, astrocytes may also be important in POCD in aged rats.

  8. Average ambulatory measures of sound pressure level, fundamental frequency, and vocal dose do not differ between adult females with phonotraumatic lesions and matched control subjects

    PubMed Central

    Van Stan, Jarrad H.; Mehta, Daryush D.; Zeitels, Steven M.; Burns, James A.; Barbu, Anca M.; Hillman, Robert E.

    2015-01-01

    Objectives Clinical management of phonotraumatic vocal fold lesions (nodules, polyps) is based largely on assumptions that abnormalities in habitual levels of sound pressure level (SPL), fundamental frequency (f0), and/or amount of voice use play a major role in lesion development and chronic persistence. This study used ambulatory voice monitoring to evaluate if significant differences in voice use exist between patients with phonotraumatic lesions and normal matched controls. Methods Subjects were 70 adult females: 35 with vocal fold nodules or polyps and 35 age-, sex-, and occupation-matched normal individuals. Weeklong summary statistics of voice use were computed from anterior neck surface acceleration recorded using a smartphone-based ambulatory voice monitor. Results Paired t-tests and Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests resulted in no statistically significant differences between patients and matched controls regarding average measures of SPL, f0, vocal dose measures, and voicing/voice rest periods. Paired t-tests comparing f0 variability between the groups resulted in statistically significant differences with moderate effect sizes. Conclusions Individuals with phonotraumatic lesions did not exhibit differences in average ambulatory measures of vocal behavior when compared with matched controls. More refined characterizations of underlying phonatory mechanisms and other potentially contributing causes are warranted to better understand risk factors associated with phonotraumatic lesions. PMID:26024911

  9. A new algorithm for distorted fingerprints matching based on normalized fuzzy similarity measure.

    PubMed

    Chen, Xinjian; Tian, Jie; Yang, Xin

    2006-03-01

    Coping with nonlinear distortions in fingerprint matching is a challenging task. This paper proposes a novel algorithm, normalized fuzzy similarity measure (NFSM), to deal with the nonlinear distortions. The proposed algorithm has two main steps. First, the template and input fingerprints were aligned. In this process, the local topological structure matching was introduced to improve the robustness of global alignment. Second, the method NFSM was introduced to compute the similarity between the template and input fingerprints. The proposed algorithm was evaluated on fingerprints databases of FVC2004. Experimental results confirm that NFSM is a reliable and effective algorithm for fingerprint matching with nonliner distortions. The algorithm gives considerably higher matching scores compared to conventional matching algorithms for the deformed fingerprints.

  10. Characteristics of the personal and environmental components of person-environment fit in very old age: a comparison between people with self-reported Parkinson's disease and matched controls.

    PubMed

    Slaug, Björn; Nilsson, Maria H; Iwarsson, Susanne

    2013-12-01

    To investigate differences and similarities in person-environment (P-E) fit problems between very old people with self-reported Parkinson's disease (PD) and matched controls. Data collected for the cross-national ENABLE-AGE Survey Study were used to identify people with self-reported PD (n = 20), and to select three matched controls per individual (n = 60). The matching criteria were age (mean = 82 years), sex, country, and type of housing. The data analysis targeted P-E fit (i.e. accessibility) problems, including studying the personal and environmental components separately. The personal component was analyzed in terms of functional limitations, and the environmental component in terms of physical environmental barriers. In comparison to the matched controls, the participants with PD had more functional limitations, used more mobility devices and were subjected to more P-E fit problems, though the number of environmental barriers did not differ from the controls. In the PD sample, P-E fit problems were significantly stronger associated with poor balance and incoordination, and the environmental barriers that generated the most severe P-E fit problems were more often located to the exterior surroundings of the housing compared to the controls. The novel contribution of this explorative study is the demonstration of the type of knowledge that can be generated by unfolding and comparing the composition of P-E fit (accessibility) problems among people with self-reported PD as compared with matched controls. The knowledge thereby generated can be used to develop more targeted rehabilitation approaches, efficient housing adaptation services and societal planning for people with neurodegenerative disorders.

  11. Kinematic Movement Strategies in Primary School Children with 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome Compared to Age- and IQ-Matched Controls during Visuo-Manual Tracking

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van Aken, Katrijn; Swillen, Ann; Beirinckx, Marc; Janssens, Luc; Caeyenberghs, Karen; Smits-Engelsman, Bouwien

    2010-01-01

    The present study focused on the mechanism subserving the production of kinematic patterns in 21 children with 22q11.2DS (mean age=9.6 [plus or minus] 1.9; mean FSIQ=73.05 [plus or minus] 10.2) and 21 age- and IQ-matched control children (mean age=9.6 [plus or minus] 1.9; mean FSIQ=73.38 [plus or minus] 12.0) when performing a visuo-manual…

  12. Clinical and sonographic risk factors and complications of shoulder dystocia - a case-control study with parity and gestational age matched controls.

    PubMed

    Parantainen, Jukka; Palomäki, Outi; Talola, Nina; Uotila, Jukka

    2014-06-01

    To examine the clinical risk factors and complications of shoulder dystocia today and to evaluate ultrasound methods predicting it. Retrospective, matched case-control study at a University Hospital with 5000 annual deliveries. The study population consisted of 152 deliveries complicated by shoulder dystocia over a period of 8.5 years (January 2004-June 2012) and 152 controls matched for gestational age and parity. The data was collected from the medical records of mothers and children and analyzed by conditional logistic regression. Incidences and odds ratios were calculated for risk factors and complications. Antenatal ultrasound data was analyzed when available by conditional logistic regression to test for significant differences between study groups. Birthweight (OR 12.1 for ≥4000 g; 95% CI 4.18-35.0) and vacuum extraction (OR 3.98; 95% CI 1.25-12.7) remained the most significant clinical risk factors. Only a trend of an association of pregestational or gestational diabetes was noticed (OR 1.87; 95% CI 0.997-3.495, probability of type II error 51%). Of the complications of shoulder dystocia the incidence of brachial plexus palsies was high (40%). Antenatal ultrasound method based on the difference between abdominal and biparietal diameters had a significant difference between cases and controls. The impact of diabetes as a risk factor has diminished, which may reflect improved screening and treatment. Antenatal ultrasound methods are showing some promise, but the predictive value of ultrasound alone is probably low. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

  13. Shade matching performance of normal and color vision-deficient dental professionals with standard daylight and tungsten illuminants.

    PubMed

    Gokce, Hasan Suat; Piskin, Bulent; Ceyhan, Dogan; Gokce, Sila Mermut; Arisan, Volkan

    2010-03-01

    The lighting conditions of the environment and visual deficiencies such as red-green color vision deficiency affect the clinical shade matching performance of dental professionals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the shade matching performance of normal and color vision-deficient dental professionals with standard daylight and tungsten illuminants. Two sets of porcelain disc replicas of 16 shade guide tabs (VITA Lumin) were manufactured to exact L*a*b* values by using a colorimeter. Then these twin porcelain discs (13 mm x 2.4 mm) were mixed up and placed into a color-matching cabinet that standardized the lighting conditions for the observation tests. Normal and red-green color vision-deficient dental professionals were asked to match the 32 porcelain discs using standard artificial daylight D65 (high color temperature) and tungsten filament lamp light (T) (low color temperature) illuminants. The results were analyzed by repeated-measures ANOVA and paired and independent samples t tests for the differences between dental professionals and differences between the illuminants (alpha=.05). Regarding the sum of the correct shade match scores of all observations with both illuminants, the difference between normal vision and red-green color vision-deficient dental professional groups was not statistically significant (F=4.132; P=.054). However, the correct shade match scores of each group were significantly different for each illuminant (P<.005). The correct shade matching scores of normal color vision dental professionals were significantly higher with D65 illuminant (t=7.004; P<.001). Color matching scores of red-green color vision-deficient dental professionals (approximately 5.7 more pairs than with D65) were significantly higher with T illuminant (t=5.977; P<.001). CONCLUSIONS.: Within the limitations of this study, the shade matching performance of dental professionals was affected by color vision deficiency and the color temperature of the illuminant

  14. Comorbidity is more common and occurs earlier in persons living with HIV than in HIV-uninfected matched controls, aged 50 years and older: A cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Maciel, Rafael Aguiar; Klück, Helena Moreira; Durand, Madeleine; Sprinz, Eduardo

    2018-05-01

    At present, data are limited on the comorbidity profiles associated with aging people with HIV in the developing world, where most such people live. The aim of this study was to compare the disease burden between older HIV-positive subjects and HIV-negative matched controls in Brazil. This was a cross-sectional analysis of the South Brazilian HIV Cohort. Individuals aged 50 years and older were enrolled at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre and matched with HIV-negative controls from the primary practice unit of the same hospital. Multimorbidity (the presence of two or more comorbid conditions) and the number of non-infectious comorbidities were compared. Poisson regression was used to identify factors associated with multimorbidity. A total of 208 HIV-positive subjects were matched to 208 HIV-negative controls. Overall, the median age was 57 years and 56% were male. The prevalence of multimorbidity was higher in HIV-positive subjects than in HIV-negative controls (63% vs. 43%, p<0.001), and the median number of comorbidities was 2, compared to 1 in controls (p<0.001). The duration of HIV infection (p=0.02) and time on treatment in years (p=0.015) were associated with greater multimorbidity in HIV-positive persons. In this large cohort from the developing world, multimorbidity was found to be more common in HIV-positive subjects than in HIV-negative controls. The duration of HIV and time on antiretrovirals were associated with multimorbidity. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  15. 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.

  16. Insulin resistance according to β-cell function in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and normal glucose tolerance.

    PubMed

    Song, Do Kyeong; Hong, Young Sun; Sung, Yeon-Ah; Lee, Hyejin

    2017-01-01

    Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with insulin resistance (IR) and compensatory hyperinsulinemia. IR is recognized as a major risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, few studies have investigated IR in women with PCOS and normal glucose tolerance. The objective of this study was to evaluate IR and β-cell function in women with PCOS and normal glucose tolerance. Additionally, we sought to evaluate the usefulness of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)-derived IR indices in lean women with PCOS. We recruited 100 women with PCOS and normal glucose tolerance and 100 age- and BMI-matched women as controls. IR and insulin secretory indices, including the homeostasis-model assessment (HOMA)-IR, HOMA-M120, HOMA-F and the Stumvoll index, were calculated from an OGTT. Increased β-cell function was defined as>75th percentile for the HOMA-F in control women. Women with PCOS had higher values for post-load 2-hour glucose, fasting insulin, post-load 2-hour insulin, HOMA-IR, HOMA-M120, HOMA-F and lower values for the Stumvoll index than the controls (all Ps<0.05). Women with PCOS and increased β-cell function showed lower Stumvoll index values than the matched controls (P<0.05). The HOMA-F was significantly associated with the HOMA-M120 and Stumvoll index when adjusted for age and BMI in a multiple regression analysis (all Ps<0.05). The HOMA-M120 was positively correlated with triglycerides and free testosterone, and the Stumvoll index was negatively correlated with triglycerides and free testosterone in lean women with PCOS (all Ps<0.05). Women with PCOS and normal glucose tolerance showed higher IR than controls matched for age, BMI, and β-cell function. β-cell function was increased in women with PCOS when compared to the matched controls, but not when the lean subjects were compared to the matched controls separately. Therefore, early evaluation of IR in women with PCOS and normal glucose tolerance may be needed.

  17. Insulin resistance according to β-cell function in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and normal glucose tolerance

    PubMed Central

    Hong, Young Sun; Sung, Yeon-Ah

    2017-01-01

    Background Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with insulin resistance (IR) and compensatory hyperinsulinemia. IR is recognized as a major risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, few studies have investigated IR in women with PCOS and normal glucose tolerance. The objective of this study was to evaluate IR and β-cell function in women with PCOS and normal glucose tolerance. Additionally, we sought to evaluate the usefulness of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)-derived IR indices in lean women with PCOS. Methods We recruited 100 women with PCOS and normal glucose tolerance and 100 age- and BMI-matched women as controls. IR and insulin secretory indices, including the homeostasis-model assessment (HOMA)-IR, HOMA-M120, HOMA-F and the Stumvoll index, were calculated from an OGTT. Increased β-cell function was defined as>75th percentile for the HOMA-F in control women. Results Women with PCOS had higher values for post-load 2-hour glucose, fasting insulin, post-load 2-hour insulin, HOMA-IR, HOMA-M120, HOMA-F and lower values for the Stumvoll index than the controls (all Ps<0.05). Women with PCOS and increased β-cell function showed lower Stumvoll index values than the matched controls (P<0.05). The HOMA-F was significantly associated with the HOMA-M120 and Stumvoll index when adjusted for age and BMI in a multiple regression analysis (all Ps<0.05). The HOMA-M120 was positively correlated with triglycerides and free testosterone, and the Stumvoll index was negatively correlated with triglycerides and free testosterone in lean women with PCOS (all Ps<0.05). Conclusions Women with PCOS and normal glucose tolerance showed higher IR than controls matched for age, BMI, and β-cell function. β-cell function was increased in women with PCOS when compared to the matched controls, but not when the lean subjects were compared to the matched controls separately. Therefore, early evaluation of IR in women with PCOS and normal glucose

  18. Proximal and Overall Gastric Emptying of Solids in Patients with Reduced Gastric Volume Accommodation Compared to Matched Controls

    PubMed Central

    Camilleri, Michael; Breen, Mary; Ryks, Michael; Burton, Duane

    2011-01-01

    Background Interventions such as gastric surgery and erythromycin result in displacement of solids to the distal stomach and acceleration of overall and proximal gastric emptying. The effect of non-surgical impairment of gastric accommodation on gastric emptying is unclear. Non-surgical impairment of gastric accommodation is associated with accelerated gastric emptying. Aim To compare measurements of proximal and overall gastric emptying in patients with reduced postprandial gastric volume accommodation with the emptying rates in age- and gender-matched controls with normal postprandial gastric volume accommodation. Methods We evaluated overall and proximal gastric emptying in 9 patients with impaired gastric accommodation and age-equivalent and gender-matched controls. Gastric volumes and emptying were measured using validated SPECT and dual gamma camera scintigraphy respectively. We compared group differences in overall and proximal gastric emptying t1/2 by t test. Results Patients with impaired postprandial gastric volume accommodation had greater fasting gastric volume. The proportion of food emptied from the proximal stomach immediately after meal ingestion was lower and t1/2of proximal gastric emptying correspondingly longer in the group with reduced postprandial gastric accommodation. In contrast, differences were not detected in overall gastric emptying in the two groups, and the ratio of overall to proximal gastric emptying t1/2was greater in the group with impaired volume accommodation. Conclusions Proximal stomach emptying is reduced in patients with impaired postprandial volume accommodation; this difference occurs predominantly during the time of meal ingestion. Compensatory mechanisms that result in normal overall gastric emptying require further elucidation. PMID:21327917

  19. Analysis of Retinal Thinning Using Spectral-domain Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging of Sickle Cell Retinopathy Eyes Compared to Age- and Race-Matched Control Eyes.

    PubMed

    Lim, Jennifer I; Cao, Dingcai

    2018-03-17

    To determine whether the retina is thinner in sickle cell patients than in race- and age-matched controls, and, if it is thinner, whether there is any association with systemic diseases. Sickle cell and control (age- and race-matched) patients were prospectively enrolled from a university retina clinic into this observational study. Participants underwent visual acuity testing, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, dilated ophthalmoscopy, and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography imaging. Sickle cell retinal lesions, degree of vascular tortuosity, caliber of arteriovenous anastomosis, and stage of retinopathy were noted. Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) subfield measurements were compared between sickle cell and control subjects and also among sickle cell hemoglobin subtypes. Associations between ETDRS subfield measurements and hemoglobin subtype, retinopathy stage, and systemic diseases were assessed. A total of 513 sickle cell eyes (260 patients) and 75 control eyes (39 patients) had median visual acuities of 20/20. ETDRS central (P = .002), inner (nasal P = .009, superior P = .021, temporal P < .001, inferior P = .017), and temporal outer (P = .012) subfield measurements were thinner in sickle cell eyes compared to control eyes. Hemoglobin SS eyes had significantly thinner inner ETDRS subfield measurements compared to SC and SThal eyes. Retinal thinning in all subfields was associated with age (P = .017) for sickle cell and control eyes. No association was found between retinal thinning and hydroxyurea use or arteriovenous anastomosis caliber. The macula is thinner in sickle cell eyes compared to control eyes; retinal thickness decreases with increasing age and sickle cell retinopathy stage and is most severe in hemoglobin SS subtypes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. [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.

  1. Effectiveness of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in the prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease in children aged 7-59 months. A matched case-control study.

    PubMed

    Domínguez, Angela; Ciruela, Pilar; García-García, Juan José; Moraga, Fernando; de Sevilla, Mariona F; Selva, Laura; Coll, Francis; Muñoz-Almagro, Carmen; Planes, Ana María; Codina, Gemma; Jordán, Iolanda; Esteva, Cristina; Hernández, Sergi; Soldevila, Núria; Cardeñosa, Neus; Batalla, Joan; Salleras, Luis

    2011-11-08

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the administration of the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in a region with an intermediate vaccination coverage. A matched case-control study was carried out in children aged 7-59 months with invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) admitted to two university hospitals in Catalonia. Three controls matched for hospital, age, sex, date of hospitalization and underlying disease were selected for each case. Information on the vaccination status of cases and controls was obtained from the vaccination card, the child's health card, the hospital medical record or the vaccination register of the primary healthcare center where the child was attended for non-severe conditions. A conditional logistic regression analysis was made to control for the effect of possible confounding variables. The adjusted vaccination effectiveness of the complete vaccination schedule (3 doses at 2, 4 and 6 months and a fourth dose at 15 months, 2 doses at least two months apart in children aged 12-23 months or a single dose in children aged >24 months) in preventing IPD caused by vaccine serotypes was 93.7% (95% CI 51.8-99.2). It was not effective in preventing cases caused by non-vaccine serotypes. The results of this study carried out in a population with intermediate vaccination coverage confirm those of other observational studies showing high levels of effectiveness of routine 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccination. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. 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.

  3. Risk factors associated with neonatal deaths: a matched case-control study in Indonesia.

    PubMed

    Abdullah, Asnawi; Hort, Krishna; Butu, Yuli; Simpson, Louise

    2016-01-01

    Similar to global trends, neonatal mortality has fallen only slightly in Indonesia over the period 1990-2010, with a high proportion of deaths in the first week of life. This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with neonatal deaths of low and normal birthweight infants that were amenable to health service intervention at a community level in a relatively poor province of Indonesia. A matched case-control study of neonatal deaths reported from selected community health centres (puskesmas) was conducted over 10 months in 2013. Cases were singleton births, born by vaginal delivery, at home or in a health facility, matched with two controls satisfying the same criteria. Potential variables related to maternal and neonatal risk factors were collected from puskesmas medical records and through home visit interviews. A conditional logistic regression was performed to calculate odds ratios using the clogit procedure in Stata 11. Combining all significant variables related to maternal, neonatal, and delivery factors into a single multivariate model, six factors were found to be significantly associated with a higher risk of neonatal death. The factors identified were as follows: neonatal complications during birth; mother noting a health problem during the first 28 days; maternal lack of knowledge of danger signs for neonates; low Apgar score; delivery at home; and history of complications during pregnancy. Three risk factors (neonatal complication at delivery; neonatal health problem noted by mother; and low Apgar score) were significantly associated with early neonatal death at age 0-7 days. For normal birthweight neonates, three factors (complications during delivery; lack of early initiation of breastfeeding; and lack of maternal knowledge of neonatal danger signs) were found to be associated with a higher risk of neonatal death. The study identified a number of factors amenable to health service intervention associated with neonatal deaths in normal and low

  4. Results of Nailfold Capillaroscopy in Patients with Normal-Tension Glaucoma.

    PubMed

    Kosior-Jarecka, Ewa; Bartosińska, Joanna; Łukasik, Urszula; Wróbel-Dudzińska, Dominika; Krasowska, Dorota; Chodorowska, Grażyna; Żarnowski, Tomasz

    2018-06-01

    The aim of the study was to evaluate the results of nailfold videocapillaroscopic examination in patients with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) in comparison to age-matched individuals without glaucoma and young healthy volunteers and to assess the relation between the results of this examination with clinical status in NTG group. The studied group consisted of 188 patients: 80 patients with NTG and 2 control groups (58 young healthy and 50 age-matched volunteers). The nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) was performed in all participants. The results of every NVC were qualified as a normal or abnormal pattern. In the NTG group, ophthalmic examination was performed and medical history regarding glaucoma, chronic general disorders, and vascular risk factors was recorded. In the NTG group, an abnormal NVC pattern was more common than in young controls (p = 0.0008). Microbleedings were present more frequently in NTG patients (p = 0.0365). Enlargement of capillaries (p = 0.0006) and branching capillaries (p = 0.0221) were more frequent in the NTG group compared to age-matched controls. Maximal intraocular pressure was higher in NTG patients with abnormal NVC pattern than with normal NVC (p = 0.0000). Disc hemorrhages were more frequently observed in patients with abnormal NVC pattern (p = 0.0313). Presence of paracentral scotoma was associated with abnormal NVC pattern (p = 0.0054). Abnormalities in nailfold capillaroscopy are more frequent in NTG patients. The results of capillaroscopic examination differ in NTG patients according to the profile of ocular and general risk factor.

  5. 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.

  6. 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

  7. Statin Use and Fatal Prostate Cancer: A Matched Case-Control Study

    PubMed Central

    Marcella, Stephen W.; David, Alice; Ohman-Strickland, Pamela A.; Carson, Jeffery; Rhoads, George G.

    2015-01-01

    Background Statins are one of the most commonly prescribed medications in medical practice and prostate cancer is the most common male malignancy. While there has been no consistent evidence that statins affect cancer incidence, including prostate cancer, several reports suggest they may decrease the rate of advanced prostate cancer. However, no study has examined statin use and prostate cancer mortality specifically. We report here a population-based case-control investigation that examines this association. Methods We conducted a matched case-control study. Cases were residents of New Jersey ages 55 – 79 who died from prostate cancer between 1997–2000. We individually matched population-based controls by five-year age-group and race. Medication data were obtained identically for cases and controls from blinded medical chart review. We used conditional logistic regression to adjust for confounders. Results We identified 718 cases and obtained cooperation from 77% of their spouses (N=553). After review of medical records, 387 were eligible and 380 were matched to a control. The unadjusted odds ratio was 0.49 (95% CI, 0.34–0.70) which decreased to 0.37 (p<0.0001) after adjustment for education, waist size, BMI, comorbidities, and anti-hypertensive medication. There was little difference between lipophilic and hydrophilic statins but more risk reduction was noted for hi-potency statins (73%, p<0.0001) as compared to low-potency statins (31%, p=0.32). Conclusion Statin use is associated with substantial protection against prostate cancer death, adding to the epidemiologic evidence for an inhibitory effect on prostate cancer. PMID:22180145

  8. Laryngeal Aerodynamics in Children with Hearing Impairment versus Age and Height Matched Normal Hearing Peers.

    PubMed

    Das, Barshapriya; Chatterjee, Indranil; Kumar, Suman

    2013-01-01

    Lack of proper auditory feedback in hearing-impaired subjects results in functional voice disorder. It is directly related to discoordination of intrinsic and extrinsic laryngeal muscles and disturbed contraction and relaxation of antagonistic muscles. A total of twenty children in the age range of 5-10 years were considered for the study. They were divided into two groups: normal hearing children and hearing aid user children. Results showed a significant difference in the vital capacity, maximum sustained phonation, and fast adduction abduction rate having equal variance for normal and hearing aid user children, respectively, but no significant difference was found in the peak flow value with being statistically significant. A reduced vital capacity in hearing aid user children suggests a limited use of the lung volume for speech production. It may be inferred from the study that the hearing aid user children have poor vocal proficiency which is reflected in their voice. The use of voicing component in hearing impaired subjects is seen due to improper auditory feedback. It was found that there was a significant difference in the vital capacity, maximum sustained phonation (MSP), and fast adduction abduction rate and no significant difference in the peak flow.

  9. Best-Matched Internal Standard Normalization in Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Metabolomics Applied to Environmental Samples.

    PubMed

    Boysen, Angela K; Heal, Katherine R; Carlson, Laura T; Ingalls, Anitra E

    2018-01-16

    The goal of metabolomics is to measure the entire range of small organic molecules in biological samples. In liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics, formidable analytical challenges remain in removing the nonbiological factors that affect chromatographic peak areas. These factors include sample matrix-induced ion suppression, chromatographic quality, and analytical drift. The combination of these factors is referred to as obscuring variation. Some metabolomics samples can exhibit intense obscuring variation due to matrix-induced ion suppression, rendering large amounts of data unreliable and difficult to interpret. Existing normalization techniques have limited applicability to these sample types. Here we present a data normalization method to minimize the effects of obscuring variation. We normalize peak areas using a batch-specific normalization process, which matches measured metabolites with isotope-labeled internal standards that behave similarly during the analysis. This method, called best-matched internal standard (B-MIS) normalization, can be applied to targeted or untargeted metabolomics data sets and yields relative concentrations. We evaluate and demonstrate the utility of B-MIS normalization using marine environmental samples and laboratory grown cultures of phytoplankton. In untargeted analyses, B-MIS normalization allowed for inclusion of mass features in downstream analyses that would have been considered unreliable without normalization due to obscuring variation. B-MIS normalization for targeted or untargeted metabolomics is freely available at https://github.com/IngallsLabUW/B-MIS-normalization .

  10. 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.

  11. Pulmonary Tuberculosis Is Associated With Biomass Fuel Use Among Rural Women in Pakistan: An Age- and Residence-Matched Case-Control Study.

    PubMed

    Rabbani, Unaib; Sahito, Ambreen; Nafees, Asaad Ahmed; Kazi, Ambreen; Fatmi, Zafar

    2017-04-01

    Facility-based, age- and residential area-matched case-control study was conducted in Sindh, Pakistan to determine association between biomass fuel use for cooking and pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Cases were women with pulmonary TB, and controls were those suffering from other diseases. Current users of biomass fuel were at higher risk of pulmonary TB (adjusted matched odds ratio [mOR] = 3.0; 95% CI = 1.1-4.9) compared with nonusers. In comparison with former biomass users (women not using biomass for >10 years), recent biomass users (women who switched from biomass to nonbiomass ≤10 years ago), and current (lifetime) users were at a higher risk in a dose-response manner (adjusted mOR = 2.8, 95% CI = 0.9-8.2 and adjusted mOR = 3.9, 95% CI = 1.4-10.7, respectively). Population attributable fraction for TB related to biomass fuel use was 40.6% (95% CI = 35.5%-45.7%). This study strengthens the evidence that biomass fuel use for cooking is associated with pulmonary TB and risk increases with duration of exposure.

  12. Glenohumeral joint translation and muscle activity in patients with symptomatic rotator cuff pathology: An ultrasonographic and electromyographic study with age-matched controls.

    PubMed

    Rathi, Sangeeta; Taylor, Nicholas F; Soo, Brendan; Green, Rodney A

    2018-03-02

    To determine whether patients with symptomatic rotator cuff pathology had more glenohumeral joint translation and different patterns of rotator cuff muscle activity compared to controls. Repeated measurements of glenohumeral translation and muscle activity in two positions and six testing conditions in two groups. Twenty participants with a symptomatic and diagnosed rotator cuff tear and 20 age, and gender matched controls were included. Neuromuscular activity was tested by inserting intramuscular electrodes in the rotator cuff muscles. Anterior and posterior glenohumeral translations were measured using real time ultrasound in testing conditions (with and without translation force, with and without isometric internal and external rotation), in two positions (shoulder neutral, 90° of abduction) and two force directions (anterior, posterior). Symptomatic pathology group demonstrated increased passive glenohumeral translation with posterior translation force (p<0.05). Overall, rotator cuff muscle contraction in the pathology group limited joint translation in a similar manner to the control group, but they did not show the normal direction specific pattern in the neutral posterior position (p<0.03). The pathology group demonstrated reduced EMG activity in the upper infraspinatus muscle relative to the reference position (p<0.02) with anterior translation force and in the supraspinatus (p<0.05) muscle with anterior and posterior translation force in the abducted position. Symptomatic pathology resulted in increased passive glenohumeral joint translation. Although there were some reductions in muscle activity with injury, their rotator cuff still controlled glenohumeral translation. These results highlight the need to consider joint translation in the assessment and management of patients with rotator cuff injury. Copyright © 2018 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. The relative age effect in soccer: a match-related perspective.

    PubMed

    Vaeyens, Roel; Philippaerts, Renaat M; Malina, Robert M

    2005-07-01

    Asymmetries in the distributions of birth dates in senior professional and youth soccer players have been interpreted as evidence for systematic discrimination against individuals born shortly before the cut-off date in assigning youth to specific age groups. This concept is known as the "relative age effect". The results of a longitudinal study of birth date distritubions of 2757 semi-professional and amateur senior soccer players in Belgium are presented. Records for competitive games were available in official statistics provided by the Royal Belgian Football Association. The chi-square statistic was used to examine differences between observed and expected birth date distributions. Regression analyses indicated a shift of bias when two different start dates were compared. Players born in the early part of the new age band (January to March) were over-represented compared with players born late in the new selection period (October to December). However, players with birthdays at the start of the old selection year (August) were still represented. In a retrospective analysis of 2138 players, variables indicative of match involvement, number of selections for matches, and time played were examined in relation to the relative age effect. The group of semi-professional and amateur senior soccer players born in the first quarter of the selected age band received more playing opportunities. Comparisons of birth date distributions (traditional approach to relative age effect) with match-related variables gave similar, though not entirely consistent, results. However, there were no differences for the mean number of selections and for playing minutes between players born at the start or the end of the selection year. Our findings suggest that match-based variables may provide a more reliable indication of the relative age effect in soccer.

  14. Statin use and fatal prostate cancer: a matched case-control study.

    PubMed

    Marcella, Stephen W; David, Alice; Ohman-Strickland, Pamela A; Carson, Jeffery; Rhoads, George G

    2012-08-15

    Statins are some of the most commonly prescribed medications in medical practice, and prostate cancer is the most common malignancy among men. Although there has been no consistent evidence that statins affect cancer incidence, including prostate cancer, several reports suggest they may decrease the rate of advanced prostate cancer. However, no study to date has specifically examined statin use and prostate cancer mortality. The authors conducted this population-based case-control investigation to examine this association. This was a matched case-control study. Cases were residents of New Jersey ages 55 to 79 years who died from prostate cancer between 1997 and 2000. The cases were matched individually to population-based controls by 5-year age group and race. Medication data were obtained identically for cases and controls from blinded medical chart review. Conditional logistic regression was used to adjust for confounders. In total, 718 cases were identified, and cooperation was obtained from 77% of their spouses (N = 553). After a review of medical records, 387 men were eligible, and 380 were matched to a control. The unadjusted odds ratio was 0.49 (95% confidence interval, 0.34-0.70) and decreased to 0.37 (P < .0001) after adjusting for education, waist size, body mass index, comorbidities, and antihypertensive medication. There was little difference between lipophilic and hydrophilic statins, but more risk reduction was noted for high-potency statins (73%; P < .0001) compared with low-potency statins (31%; P = .32). Statin use was associated with substantial protection against prostate cancer death, adding to the epidemiologic evidence for an inhibitory effect on prostate cancer. Copyright © 2011 American Cancer Society.

  15. To dance or not to dance? A comparison of balance, physical fitness and quality of life in older Irish set dancers and age-matched controls.

    PubMed

    Shanahan, J; Coman, L; Ryan, F; Saunders, J; O'Sullivan, K; Ni Bhriain, O; Clifford, A M

    2016-12-01

    The objective of this study is to determine if older adults regularly participating in Irish set dancing have superior balance, physical fitness and quality of life compared to age-matched controls. This study used a community-based, observational cross-sectional design. Regular set dancers (n = 39) and age-matched controls (n = 33) were recruited. Participants were assessed using the physical activity scale for the elderly (physical activity levels), mini-BESTest (balance) and senior fitness test (battery of functional fitness tests). Quality of life was also assessed using the EuroQol EQ visual analogue scale. When controlling for between-group differences in levels of physical activity (ANCOVA analysis), the dancers had significantly better balance, functional capacity and quality of life (all P < 0.05) compared to controls. No differences between the groups were observed in other measures of functional fitness. The findings of this study suggest regular participation in set dancing is associated with health benefits for older adults. These results may inform future studies prospectively examining the role of set dancing for falls prevention, emotional well-being and cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults. Copyright © 2016 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Recipient-donor age matching in liver transplantation: a single-center experience.

    PubMed

    Pagano, D; Grosso, G; Vizzini, G; Spada, M; Cintorino, D; Malaguarnera, M; Donati, M; Mistretta, A; Gridelli, B; Gruttadauria, S

    2013-09-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate whether donor age was a predictor of outcomes in liver transplantation, representing an independent risk factor as well as its impact related to recipient age-matching. We analyzed prospectively collected data from 221 adult liver transplantations performed from January 2006 to September 2009. Compared with recipients who received grafts from donors <60 years old, transplantation from older donors was associated with significantly higher rates of graft rejection (9.5% vs 3.5%; P = .05) and worse graft survival (P = .021). When comparing recipient and graft survivals according to age matching, we observed significantly worse values for age-mismatched (P values .029 and .037, respectively) versus age-matched patients. After adjusting for covariates in a multivariate model, age mismatch was an independent risk factor for patient death (hazard ratio [HR] 2.13, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-4.17; P = .027) and graft loss (HR 3.86, 95% CI 1.02-15.47; P = .046). The results of this study suggest to that optimized donor allocation takes into account both donor and recipient ages maximize survival of liver-transplanted patients. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. 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

  18. 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.

  19. Normal Aging and Linguistic Decrement.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Emery, Olga B.

    A study investigated language patterning, as an indication of synthetic mental activity, in comparison groups of normal pre-middle-aged adults (30-42 years), normal elderly adults (75-93), and elderly adults (71-91) with Alzheimer's dementia. Semiotic theory was used as the conceptual context. Linguistic measures included the Token Test, the…

  20. Fat-free mass is not lower 24 months postbariatric surgery than nonoperated matched controls

    PubMed Central

    Strain, Gladys Witt; Ebel, Faith; Honohan, Jamie; Gagner, Michel; Dakin, Gregory F.; Pomp, Alfons; Gallagher, Dympna

    2017-01-01

    Objective Concerns about an excessive loss of fat-free mass (FFM) after bariatric surgery prompted this comparison of operated versus matched nonoperated controls regarding FFM. Setting University Hospital and University Research Unit in an urban medical center. Methods Body composition with bioelectric impedance (Tanita 310, Tanita Corp, Arlington Heights, IL) was measured approximately 2 years after bariatric surgery in weight stable patients and nonoperated weight stable controls matched for body mass index (BMI), gender, and age. t tests provided comparisons. Analysis of variance was used to compare FFM changes for 4 procedures. Levene’s test evaluated variance. Results Patients (n = 252; 24.7 ± 15 mo after surgery) and nonoperated controls (n = 252) were matched for gender (71.8% female), age (44.5 ± 11.0 yr), and BMI (32.8 ± 7.0 kg/m2). Patients had different surgical procedures: 107 gastric bypasses (RYGBs), 62 biliopancreatic diversions with duodenal switch (BPD/DSs), 40 adjustable gastric bands (AGBs), and 43 sleeve gastrectomies (LSGs). FFM percentage was significantly higher in the operated patients than controls, 66% versus 62%, P < .0001. For 3 procedures, the FFM was significantly higher; however, AGBs changed only 7.3 BMI units and FFM was not significantly different from their matched controls, 59.8% versus 58.2%. Across surgical groups, FFM percentage differed, P < .0001 (RYGB 66.5 ± 9.2%, BPD/DS 74.0 ± 9.3%, AGB 59.8 ± 7.0%, LSG 59.6 ± 9.3%). Variance was not different (P = .17). Conclusion Weight-reduced bariatric surgery patients have greater FFM compared with nonoperated matched controls. These findings support surgically assisted weight loss as a physiologic process and in general patients do not suffer from excessive FFM depletion after bariatric procedures. PMID:27387700

  1. Fat-free mass is not lower 24 months postbariatric surgery than nonoperated matched controls.

    PubMed

    Strain, Gladys Witt; Ebel, Faith; Honohan, Jamie; Gagner, Michel; Dakin, Gregory F; Pomp, Alfons; Gallagher, Dympna

    2017-01-01

    Concerns about an excessive loss of fat-free mass (FFM) after bariatric surgery prompted this comparison of operated versus matched nonoperated controls regarding FFM. University Hospital and University Research Unit in an urban medical center. Body composition with bioelectric impedance (Tanita 310, Tanita Corp, Arlington Heights, IL) was measured approximately 2 years after bariatric surgery in weight stable patients and nonoperated weight stable controls matched for body mass index (BMI), gender, and age. t tests provided comparisons. Analysis of variance was used to compare FFM changes for 4 procedures. Levene's test evaluated variance. Patients (n = 252; 24.7±15 mo after surgery) and nonoperated controls (n = 252) were matched for gender (71.8% female), age (44.5±11.0 yr), and BMI (32.8±7.0 kg/m 2 ). Patients had different surgical procedures: 107 gastric bypasses (RYGBs), 62 biliopancreatic diversions with duodenal switch (BPD/DSs), 40 adjustable gastric bands (AGBs), and 43 sleeve gastrectomies (LSGs). FFM percentage was significantly higher in the operated patients than controls, 66% versus 62%, P<.0001. For 3 procedures, the FFM was significantly higher; however, AGBs changed only 7.3 BMI units and FFM was not significantly different from their matched controls, 59.8% versus 58.2%. Across surgical groups, FFM percentage differed, P<.0001 (RYGB 66.5±9.2%, BPD/DS 74.0±9.3%, AGB 59.8±7.0%, LSG 59.6±9.3%). Variance was not different (P = .17). Weight-reduced bariatric surgery patients have greater FFM compared with nonoperated matched controls. These findings support surgically assisted weight loss as a physiologic process and in general patients do not suffer from excessive FFM depletion after bariatric procedures. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Bariatric Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Repetition priming of words and nonwords in Alzheimer's disease and normal aging

    PubMed Central

    Ober, Beth A.; Shenaut, Gregory K.

    2014-01-01

    Objective This study examines the magnitude and direction of nonword and word lexical decision repetition priming effects in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and normal aging, focusing specifically on the negative priming effect sometimes observed with repeated nonwords. Method Probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients (30), elderly normal controls (34), and young normal controls (49) participated in a repetition priming experiment using low-frequency words and word-like nonwords with a letter-level orthographic orienting task at study followed by a lexical decision test phase. Results Although participants' reaction times were longer in AD compared to elderly normal, and elderly normal compared to young normal, the repetition priming effect and the degree to which the repetition priming effect was reversed for nonwords compared to words was unaffected by AD or normal aging. Conclusion AD patients, like young and elderly normal participants, are able to modify (in the case of words) and create (in the case of nonwords) long-term memory traces for lexical stimuli, based on a single orthographic processing trial. The nonword repetition results are discussed from the perspective of new vocabulary learning commencing with a provisional lexical memory trace created after orthographic encoding of a novel word-like letter string. PMID:25000325

  3. 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.

  4. Sister chromatid exchange in children of Seventh-Day Adventists and matched controls.

    PubMed

    Hermansen, R; Waksvik, H; Fønnebø, V

    1991-03-01

    The low risk of cancer in Seventh-Day Adventists (SDAs) has been suggested to be due to genetic selection. To investigate this claim we examined the sister chromatid exchange (SCE) frequency in peripheral blood lymphocytes in 16 SDA children in Tromsø, all aged 0.5-8 years and 16 controls matched for sex and age. In 12 of 16 pairs, the SDA children had a lower SCE frequency than the controls. The mean difference was 4.06 (95% confidence interval -17.02-8.89, P = 0.51). There was no sex difference, and no correlation between age and SCE frequency. The genetic starting point with regard to SCE frequency seems to be the same for SDA children and controls.

  5. Role of matching in case-control studies of antimicrobial resistance.

    PubMed

    Cerceo, Elizabeth; Lautenbach, Ebbing; Linkin, Darren R; Bilker, Warren B; Lee, Ingi

    2009-05-01

    Of 57 case-control studies of antimicrobial resistance, matching was used in 23 (40%). Matched variables differed substantially across studies. Of these 23 matched case-control studies, 12 (52%) justified the use of matching, and 9 (39%) noted the strengths or limitations of this approach. Analysis that accounted for matching was performed in only 52% of the case-control studies.

  6. The impact of aging and hearing status on verbal short-term memory.

    PubMed

    Verhaegen, Clémence; Collette, Fabienne; Majerus, Steve

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this study is to assess the impact of hearing status on age-related decrease in verbal short-term memory (STM) performance. This was done by administering a battery of verbal STM tasks to elderly and young adult participants matched for hearing thresholds, as well as to young normal-hearing control participants. The matching procedure allowed us to assess the importance of hearing loss as an explanatory factor of age-related STM decline. We observed that elderly participants and hearing-matched young participants showed equal levels of performance in all verbal STM tasks, and performed overall lower than the normal-hearing young control participants. This study provides evidence for recent theoretical accounts considering reduced hearing level as an important explanatory factor of poor auditory-verbal STM performance in older adults.

  7. Gene Expression Profiling of Multiple Leiomyomata Uteri and Matched Normal Tissue from a Single Patient

    PubMed Central

    Dimitrova, Irina K.; Richer, Jennifer K.; Rudolph, Michael C.; Spoelstra, Nicole S.; Reno, Elaine M.; Medina, Theresa M.; Bradford, Andrew P.

    2009-01-01

    Objective To identify differentially expressed genes between fibroid and adjacent normal myometrium in an identical hormonal and genetic background. Design Array analysis of 3 leiomyomata and matched adjacent normal myometrium in a single patient. Setting University of Colorado Hospital. Patient(s) A single female undergoing medically indicated hysterectomy for symptomatic fibroids. Interventions(s) mRNA isolation and microarray analysis, reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Main Outcome Measure(s) Changes in mRNA and protein levels in leiomyomata and matched normal myometrium. Result(s) Expression of 197 genes was increased and 619 decreased, significantly by at least 2 fold, in leiomyomata relative to normal myometrium. Expression profiles between tumors were similar and normal myometrial samples showed minimal variation. Changes in, and variation of, expression of selected genes were confirmed in additional normal and leiomyoma samples from multiple patients. Conclusion(s) Analysis of multiple tumors from a single patient confirmed changes in expression of genes described in previous, apparently disparate, studies and identified novel targets. Gene expression profiles in leiomyomata are consistent with increased activation of mitogenic pathways and inhibition of apoptosis. Down-regulation of genes implicated in invasion and metastasis, of cancers, was observed in fibroids. This expression pattern may underlie the benign nature of uterine leiomyomata and may aid in the differential diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma. PMID:18672237

  8. [Cognitive markers to discriminate between mild cognitive impairment and normal ageing].

    PubMed

    Rodríguez Rodríguez, Nely; Juncos-Rabadán, Onésimo; Facal Mayo, David

    2008-01-01

    mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has been characterized as a transitional stage between normal ageing and dementia. The aim of the present study was to examine differences between normal ageing and MCI in the performance of several cognitive tests. These differences might serve as differential markers. we performed a longitudinal study (24 months) with two evaluations at 12-monthly intervals using the CAMCOG-R and a verbal learning test [test de aprendizaje verbal España-Complutense (TAVEC)]. The sample was composed of 25 persons aged more than 50 years old (five men and 20 women), distributed into two groups: the control group and the MCI group. To assign persons to either of the two groups, Petersen's MCI criteria were applied to Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. repeated measures ANOVA (2 groups x 2 assessment) showed significant differences between the MCI and control group in the CAMCOG-R scores in orientation, language, memory, abstract thinking, executive function and global score and in the TAVEC scores for immediate recall and short- and long-term free and clued recall. No significant differences were found between the first and second assessment or in the interaction group assessment. the results of the present study confirm that the CAMCOG-R and the TAVEC effectively discriminate between normal ageing and MCI and can be used complementarily.

  9. The Earliest Stage of Cognitive Impairment in Transition From Normal Aging to Alzheimer Disease Is Marked By Prominent RNA Oxidation in Vulnerable Neurons

    PubMed Central

    Nunomura, Akihiko; Tamaoki, Toshio; Motohashi, Nobutaka; Nakamura, Masao; McKeel, Daniel W.; Tabaton, Massimo; Lee, Hyoung-gon; Smith, Mark A.; Perry, George; Zhu, Xiongwei

    2012-01-01

    Although neuronal RNA oxidation is a prominent and established feature in age-associated neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer disease (AD), oxidative damage to neuronal RNA in aging and in the transitional stages from normal elderly to the onset of AD has not been fully examined. In this study, we used an in situ approach to identify an oxidized RNA nucleoside 8-hydroxyguanosine (8OHG) in the cerebral cortex of 65 individuals without dementia ranging in age from 0.3 to 86 years. We also examined brain samples from 20 elderly who were evaluated for their premortem clinical dementia rating score and postmortem brain pathological diagnoses to investigate preclinical AD and mild cognitive impairment. Relative density measurements of 8OHG-immunoreactivity revealed a statistically significant increase in neuronal RNA oxidation during aging in the hippocampus and the temporal neocortex. In subjects with mild cognitive impairment but not preclinical AD, neurons of the temporal cortex showed a higher burden of oxidized RNA compared to age-matched controls. These results indicate that although neuronal RNA oxidation fundamentally occurs as an age-associated phenomenon, more prominent RNA damage than in normal aging correlates with the onset of cognitive impairment in the prodromal stage of AD. PMID:22318126

  10. What is normal in normal aging? Effects of Aging, Amyloid and Alzheimer’s Disease on the Cerebral Cortex and the Hippocampus

    PubMed Central

    Fjell, Anders M.; McEvoy, Linda; Holland, Dominic; Dale, Anders M.; Walhovd, Kristine B

    2015-01-01

    What can be expected in normal aging, and where does normal aging stop and pathological neurodegeneration begin? With the slow progression of age-related dementias such as Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), it is difficult to distinguish age-related changes from effects of undetected disease. We review recent research on changes of the cerebral cortex and the hippocampus in aging and the borders between normal aging and AD. We argue that prominent cortical reductions are evident in fronto-temporal regions in elderly even with low probability of AD, including regions overlapping the default mode network. Importantly, these regions show high levels of amyloid deposition in AD, and are both structurally and functionally vulnerable early in the disease. This normalcy-pathology homology is critical to understand, since aging itself is the major risk factor for sporadic AD. Thus, rather than necessarily reflecting early signs of disease, these changes may be part of normal aging, and may inform on why the aging brain is so much more susceptible to AD than is the younger brain. We suggest that regions characterized by a high degree of life-long plasticity are vulnerable to detrimental effects of normal aging, and that this age-vulnerability renders them more susceptible to additional, pathological AD-related changes. We conclude that it will be difficult to understand AD without understanding why it preferably affects older brains, and that we need a model that accounts for age-related changes in AD-vulnerable regions independently of AD-pathology. PMID:24548606

  11. Effectiveness of oral polio vaccination against paralytic poliomyelitis: a matched case-control study in Somalia.

    PubMed

    Mahamud, Abdirahman; Kamadjeu, Raoul; Webeck, Jenna; Mbaeyi, Chukwuma; Baranyikwa, Marie Therese; Birungi, Julianne; Nurbile, Yassin; Ehrhardt, Derek; Shukla, Hemant; Chatterjee, Anirban; Mulugeta, Abraham

    2014-11-01

    After the last case of type 1 wild poliovirus (WPV1) was reported in 2007, Somalia experienced another outbreak of WPV1 (189 cases) in 2013. We conducted a retrospective, matched case-control study to evaluate the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of oral polio vaccine (OPV). We retrieved information from the Somalia Surveillance Database. A case was defined as any case of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) with virological confirmation of WPV1. We selected two groups of controls for each case: non-polio AFP cases ("NPAFP controls") matched to WPV1 cases by age, date of onset of paralysis and region; and asymptomatic "neighborhood controls," matched by age. Using conditional logistic regression, we estimated the VE of OPV as (1-odds ratio)×100. We matched 99 WPV cases with 99 NPAFP controls and 134 WPV1 cases with 268 neighborhood controls. Using NPAFP controls, the overall VE was 70% (95% confidence interval [CI], 37-86), 59% (2-83) among 1-3 dose recipients, 77% (95% CI, 46-91) among ≥4 dose recipients. In neighborhood controls, the overall VE was 95% (95% CI, 84-98), 92% (72-98) among 1-3 dose recipients, and 97% (89-99) among ≥4 dose recipients. When the analysis was limited to cases and controls ≤24 months old, the overall VE in NPAFP and neighborhood controls was 95% (95% CI, 65-99) and 97% (95% CI, 76-100), respectively. Among individuals who were fully vaccinated with OPV, vaccination was effective at preventing WPV1 in Somalia. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2014. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

  12. Risk factors for achilles tendon rupture: A matched case control study.

    PubMed

    Noback, Peter C; Jang, Eugene S; Cuellar, Derly O; Seetharaman, Mani; Malagoli, Emiliano; Greisberg, Justin K; Vosseller, J Turner

    2017-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to elucidate whether body mass index (BMI), activity level, and other risk factors predispose patients to Achilles tendon ruptures. A retrospective review of 279 subjects was performed (93 with Achilles tendon rupture, matched 1:2 with 186 age/sex matched controls with ankle sprains). Demographic variables and risk factors for rupture were tabulated and compared. The rupture group mean BMI was 27.77 (95% CI, 26.94-28.49), and the control group mean BMI was 26.66 (95% CI, 26.06-27.27). These populations were found to be statistically equivalent (p=0.047 and p<0.001 by two one-sided t-test). A significantly higher proportion of those suffering ruptures reported regular athletic activity at baseline (74%) versus controls (59%, p=0.013). There was no clinically significant difference found in BMI between patients with ruptures and controls. Furthermore, it was found that patients who sustained ruptures were also more likely to be active at baseline than their ankle sprain counterparts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Sporadic occurrence of completely lateralized vertex sharp transients of sleep is a normal phenomenon: a retrospective, blinded, case-control study.

    PubMed

    Brenton, J Nicholas; Mytinger, John R

    2015-04-01

    Vertex sharp transients (VSTs) of sleep often lateralize to the left or right frontocentral regions and can be mistaken as epileptiform. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of completely lateralized VSTs in pediatric-aged individuals and to assess their significance by comparing cohorts with and without epilepsy. The authors hypothesized that completely lateralized VSTs are normal and occur with similar frequencies in patients with and without epilepsy. The authors conducted a retrospective, blinded, case-control study comparing completely lateralized VSTs within a 5-minute EEG sleep epoch between cohorts of 100 patients with epilepsy and 100 age- and gender-matched controls. The number of patients with completely lateralized VSTs was not significantly different between cases (62%) and controls (65%) (P = 0.66). The median number of completely lateralized VSTs was small but not significantly different between cases (median 3) and controls (median 4) (P = 0.11). The presence of completely lateralized VSTs in cases (generalized vs. focal epilepsy) was not significantly different (P > 0.95). This is the first systematic study of the prevalence and significance of completely lateralized VSTs of sleep. This study provides class III evidence that completely lateralized VSTs, occurring in a sporadic fashion, are a normal phenomenon and should not be confused with epileptiform discharges.

  14. Magnetic Resonance Elastography Demonstrates Increased Brain Stiffness in Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

    PubMed Central

    N, Fattahi; A, Arani; A, Perry; F, Meyer; A, Manduca; K, Glaser; ML, Senjem; RL, Ehman; J, Huston

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is a reversible neurologic disorder characterized by a triad of cognitive impairment, gait abnormality and urinary incontinence that is commonly treated with ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement. However, there are multiple overlapping symptoms which often make it difficult to differentiate NPH from other types of dementia and improved diagnostic techniques would help patient management. MR elastography (MRE) is a novel diagnostic tool that could potentially identify patients with NPH. The purpose of this study was to assess brain stiffness changes in NPH patients compared with age- and sex-matched cognitively normal individuals. Methods MRE was performed on 10 NPH patients and 21 age- and sex-matched volunteers with no known neurologic disorders. Image acquisition was conducted on a 3T MRI scanner. Shear waves with 60Hz vibration frequency were transmitted into the brain by a pillow-like passive driver. A novel postprocessing technique resistant to noise and edge artifacts was implemented to determine regional brain stiffness. The Wilcoxon rank sum test and linear regression were used for statistical analysis. Results A significant increase in stiffness was observed in the cerebrum (p = 0.001), occipital lobe (p = 0.0002), parietal lobe (p= 0.001), and the temporal lobe (p = 0.02) in the NPH group compared with normal controls. However, no significant difference was noted in other regions of the brain including the frontal lobe (p = 0.07), deep gray and white matter (p = 0.43), or the cerebellum (p = 0.20). Conclusion This study demonstrates increased brain stiffness in NPH patients compared to age- and sex-matched normal controls which motivates future studies investigating the use of MRE for NPH diagnosis and efficacy of shunt therapy. PMID:26542235

  15. Reproductive hormone levels and anthropometry in postmenopausal women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): a 21-year follow-up study of women diagnosed with PCOS around 50 years ago and their age-matched controls.

    PubMed

    Schmidt, Johanna; Brännström, Mats; Landin-Wilhelmsen, Kerstin; Dahlgren, Eva

    2011-07-01

    The hormonal and anthropometric profile of premenopausal women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is well described, but there is a lack of data concerning changes in these variables into the postmenopausal period. Our objective was to examine whether PCOS women differ from normal women regarding levels of reproductive hormones, anthropometry, and presence of hirsutism/climacteric symptoms also after menopause. In this prospective study, women with PCOS (61-79 yr) and age-matched controls, examined in 1987, were reinvestigated at a university hospital. Twenty-five PCOS patients (Rotterdam criteria) and 68 controls (randomly allocated from the Gothenburg WHO MONICA study) participated. Reexamination and hormonal measurements were done 21 yr after previous visit. FSH, LH, TSH, thyroid peroxidase antibodies, prolactin, estrone, estradiol, SHBG, androstenedione, total testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, free androgen index, and anthropometry were determined. Presence of climacteric symptoms, hirsutism, and menopausal age were recorded. PCOS women had higher free androgen index (P = 0.001) but lower FSH (P < 0.001) and SHBG (P < 0.01) than controls. Menopausal age, body weight, body mass index, waist to hip ratio, LH, prolactin, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, total testosterone, estradiol, and estrone were similar in PCOS and controls. Women with PCOS reported hirsutism more frequently (P < 0.001) but had fewer climacteric symptoms (P < 0.05) and hypothyroidism than controls (P < 0.05). PCOS women differ from controls with regard to levels of certain reproductive hormones also after menopause, but the established premenopausal increase in waist to hip ratio in PCOS patients disappeared after menopause, mainly due to weight gain among controls. A novel finding was the lower prevalence of hypothyroidism in PCOS women.

  16. The short-term effect of flavonoid-rich dark chocolate on retinal vessel diameter in glaucoma patients and age-matched controls.

    PubMed

    Terai, Naim; Gedenk, Alexandra; Spoerl, Eberhard; Pillunat, Lutz E; Stodtmeister, Richard

    2014-08-01

    To investigate the effect of flavonoid-rich dark chocolate and non-flavonoid-rich white chocolate on retinal vessel diameter in glaucoma patients and age-matched controls. Thirty glaucoma patients and 30 age-matched subjects were assigned to dark or white chocolate by randomization with forced equal distribution. The number in each of the four groups was 15. Measured parameters included systemic blood pressure (BP), blood glucose levels, static retinal vessel analysis, as measured by central retinal artery equivalent (CRAE) (which relates to the diameter of the central retinal artery), central retinal vein equivalent (CRVE) (which relates to the diameter of central retinal vein) and the arterio-venous ratio (AVR), which represents the CRAE/CRVE ratio, dynamic retinal vessel analysis as measured by the change in vessel diameter in response to flicker light stimulation. Three recording cycles from each were averaged. Blood pressure parameters (systolic BP, diastolic BP and pulse), IOP and blood glucose levels did not differ significantly between both groups before and after consumption of white or dark chocolate. Static vessel analysis did not show any significant changes in CRAE, CRVE or AVR before and after dark or white chocolate in both groups (p > 0.05). Mean dilatation of the venules in the control group was 3.2 ± 0.9 % before dark chocolate and 4.2 ± 1.4 % after dark chocolate intake, which was statistically significantly different (p = 0.01). Mean dilatation of the arterioles in the control group was 2.8 ± 1.8 % before dark chocolate and 3.5 ± 1.8 % after dark chocolate intake with a trend to statistical significance (p = 0.14), but not reaching the significance level. Mean diameter changes in the glaucoma group did not show any significant differences after dark chocolate consumption. The present study showed a significant improvement of venous vasodilatation 2 hr after dark chocolate intake in the control group, but not in the glaucoma group. This

  17. Cerebral control of the bladder in normal and urge-incontinent women

    PubMed Central

    Griffiths, Derek; Tadic, Stasa D.; Schaefer, Werner; Resnick, Neil M.

    2007-01-01

    Aim: To identify age-related changes in the normal brain/bladder control system, and differences between urge incontinence in younger and older women, as shown by brain responses to bladder filling; and to use age, bladder volume, urge incontinence and detrusor overactivity (DO) as probes to reveal control-system function. Functional MRI was used to examine regional brain responses to bladder infusion in 21 females (26 – 85 years): 11 “cases” with urge incontinence and DO (proven previously) and 10 normal “controls”. Responses and their age dependence were determined at small and large bladder volumes, in whole brain and in regions of interest representing right insula and anterior cingulate (ACG). In “controls”, increasing bladder volume/sensation led to increasing insular responses; with increasing age, insular responses became weaker. In younger “cases”, ACG responded abnormally strongly at large bladder volumes/strong sensation. Elderly “cases” showed strong ACG responses even at small bladder volume, but more moderate responses at larger volumes; if DO occurred, pontine micturition center (PMC) activation did not increase. Conclusion: Among normal “controls”, increasing age leads to decreased responses in brain regions involved in bladder control, including right insula, consistent with its role in mapping normal bladder sensations. Strong ACG activation occurs in urge-incontinent “cases” and may be a sign of urgency, indicating recruitment of alternative pathways when loss of bladder control is feared. Easier ACG provocation in older “cases” reflects lack of physiological reserve or different etiology. ACG responses seem associated with PMC inhibition: reduced ACG activity accompanies failure of inhibition (DO). PMID:17574871

  18. Presbypropria: the effects of physiological ageing on proprioceptive control.

    PubMed

    Boisgontier, Matthieu P; Olivier, Isabelle; Chenu, Olivier; Nougier, Vincent

    2012-10-01

    Several changes in the human sensory systems, like presbycusis or presbyopia, are well-known to occur with physiological ageing. A similar change is likely to occur in proprioception, too, but there are strong and unexplained discrepancies in the literature. It was proposed that assessment of the attentional cost of proprioceptive control could provide information able to unify these previous studies. To this aim, 15 young adults and 15 older adults performed a position matching task in single and dual-task paradigms with different difficulty levels of the secondary task (congruent and incongruent Stroop-type tasks) to assess presumed age-related deficits in proprioceptive control. Results showed that proprioceptive control was as accurate and as consistent in older as in young adults for a single proprioceptive task. However, performing a secondary cognitive task and increasing the difficulty of this secondary task evidenced both a decreased matching performance and/or an increased attentional cost of proprioceptive control in older adults as compared to young ones. These results advocated for an impaired proprioception in physiological ageing.

  19. Nested case-control studies: should one break the matching?

    PubMed

    Borgan, Ørnulf; Keogh, Ruth

    2015-10-01

    In a nested case-control study, controls are selected for each case from the individuals who are at risk at the time at which the case occurs. We say that the controls are matched on study time. To adjust for possible confounding, it is common to match on other variables as well. The standard analysis of nested case-control data is based on a partial likelihood which compares the covariates of each case to those of its matched controls. It has been suggested that one may break the matching of nested case-control data and analyse them as case-cohort data using an inverse probability weighted (IPW) pseudo likelihood. Further, when some covariates are available for all individuals in the cohort, multiple imputation (MI) makes it possible to use all available data in the cohort. In the paper we review the standard method and the IPW and MI approaches, and compare their performance using simulations that cover a range of scenarios, including one and two endpoints.

  20. Alcohol Habits in Patients with Long-Term Musculoskeletal Pain: Comparison with a Matched Control Group from the General Population

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thelin Bronner, Kerstin Birgitta; Wennberg, Peter; Kallmen, Hakan; Schult, Marie-Louise Birgitta

    2012-01-01

    This prospective study aimed to describe alcohol habits in patients with chronic pain compared with those in a matched control group from the general Swedish population. In total, 100 consecutive patients enrolled were matched against 100 individuals in a control group on the basis of age and sex. Alcohol habits were measured using the Alcohol Use…

  1. Postural control assessment in students with normal hearing and sensorineural hearing loss.

    PubMed

    Melo, Renato de Souza; Lemos, Andrea; Macky, Carla Fabiana da Silva Toscano; Raposo, Maria Cristina Falcão; Ferraz, Karla Mônica

    2015-01-01

    Children with sensorineural hearing loss can present with instabilities in postural control, possibly as a consequence of hypoactivity of their vestibular system due to internal ear injury. To assess postural control stability in students with normal hearing (i.e., listeners) and with sensorineural hearing loss, and to compare data between groups, considering gender and age. This cross-sectional study evaluated the postural control of 96 students, 48 listeners and 48 with sensorineural hearing loss, aged between 7 and 18 years, of both genders, through the Balance Error Scoring Systems scale. This tool assesses postural control in two sensory conditions: stable surface and unstable surface. For statistical data analysis between groups, the Wilcoxon test for paired samples was used. Students with hearing loss showed more instability in postural control than those with normal hearing, with significant differences between groups (stable surface, unstable surface) (p<0.001). Students with sensorineural hearing loss showed greater instability in the postural control compared to normal hearing students of the same gender and age. Copyright © 2014 Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  2. Post-Operative Quality of Life in Children with Severe Perthes Disease: Differences to Matched Controls and Correlation with Clinical Function

    PubMed Central

    Palmen, Nina K.; Zilkens, Christoph; Rosenthal, Dietmar; Krauspe, Rüdiger; Hefter, Harald; Westhoff, Bettina

    2014-01-01

    The diagnosis of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCPD) has a considerable influence on the daily life of the patients with restrictions in their leisure time activities. This might influence their mood. Until now this aspect of the disease has been neglected. Therefore the objective of the study was to evaluate the health related quality of life (HRQoL) of children with severe LCPD who had an extensive surgery with pelvic/femoral osteotomy. The KIDSCREEN-10 and the modified Modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS) -questionnaire were administered to 17 children (16 boys and 1 girl) aged 5 to 11 years at the time of surgery. Analyses of mHHS were made preoperatively and at the time of the follow-up examination at least 2 years postoperatively. KIDSCREEN-analyses were made postoperatively. The follow-up results were compared to an age-matched normal control group. Correlations were computed between KIDSCREEN-10 and mHHS pre- and post-operatively. The postoperative calculated KIDSCREEN-10-T-value [70.2 (SD 12.7)] was higher than the mean T-value of the control-group [56.6 (SD 10.4)]. The mHHS improved from 54.4 (SD 19.9) to a score of 99.5 (SD 1.5) postoperatively. A strong correlation was found between the preoperative mHHS and the postoperative KIDSCREEN-10-T-value (Spearman’s-rho 0.67, P=0.003). After containment improving surgery and a mean follow-up period of 4.2 years the HRQoL-status is even better compared with a healthy age-matched control group. As well an excellent clinical function could be achieved. PMID:25568729

  3. Prevalence of tinea pedis in psoriasis, compared to atopic dermatitis and normal controls--a prospective study.

    PubMed

    Leibovici, Vera; Ramot, Yuval; Siam, Rula; Siam, Ihab; Hadayer, Noa; Strauss-Liviatan, Nurith; Hochberg, Malka

    2014-12-01

    There are discrepancies in the literature regarding the prevalence of tinea pedis in psoriasis. The aim of this investigation was to conduct a cross-sectional study of the prevalence of tinea pedis in psoriasis compared to atopic dermatitis patients and normal controls. We enrolled 232 psoriatic patients, 190 atopic dermatitis patients and 202 normal controls, between the years 2010 and 2013. The prevalence of tinea pedis was 13.8% in psoriasis patients, not significantly different from that in atopic dermatitis patients 8.4% (P = 0.092)), but significantly higher than in normal controls 7.4% (P = 0.043). Both gender and age affected the prevalence of tinea pedis in psoriasis and normal controls, while only age affected the prevalence of tinea pedis in atopic dermatitis. Regarding gender, there was higher prevalence of tinea pedis in men: 19.1% (P = 0.019) in psoriasis and 12.1% (P = 0.013) in normal controls. Age affected the prevalence of tinea pedis in normal controls (P < 0.001), psoriasis patients (P = 0.001) and atopic dermatitis patients (P = 0.001), with higher prevalence with increasing age. Trichophyton rubrum was the most common species in psoriasis (71.9%), atopic dermatitis (75.0%) and normal controls (73.3%). Our study found a relatively high prevalence of tinea pedis among psoriasis patients. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  4. [Using neural networks based template matching method to obtain redshifts of normal galaxies].

    PubMed

    Xu, Xin; Luo, A-li; Wu, Fu-chao; Zhao, Yong-heng

    2005-06-01

    Galaxies can be divided into two classes: normal galaxy (NG) and active galaxy (AG). In order to determine NG redshifts, an automatic effective method is proposed in this paper, which consists of the following three main steps: (1) From the template of normal galaxy, the two sets of samples are simulated, one with the redshift of 0.0-0.3, the other of 0.3-0.5, then the PCA is used to extract the main components, and train samples are projected to the main component subspace to obtain characteristic spectra. (2) The characteristic spectra are used to train a Probabilistic Neural Network to obtain a Bayes classifier. (3) An unknown real NG spectrum is first inputted to this Bayes classifier to determine the possible range of redshift, then the template matching is invoked to locate the redshift value within the estimated range. Compared with the traditional template matching technique with an unconstrained range, our proposed method not only halves the computational load, but also increases the estimation accuracy. As a result, the proposed method is particularly useful for automatic spectrum processing produced from a large-scale sky survey project.

  5. Metabolic Cost, Mechanical Work, and Efficiency during Normal Walking in Obese and Normal-Weight Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huang, Liang; Chen, Peijie; Zhuang, Jie; Zhang, Yanxin; Walt, Sharon

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the influence of childhood obesity on energetic cost during normal walking and to determine if obese children choose a walking strategy optimizing their gait pattern. Method: Sixteen obese children with no functional abnormalities were matched by age and gender with 16 normal-weight children. All…

  6. Effects of age and spa treatment on match running performance over two consecutive games in highly trained young soccer players.

    PubMed

    Buchheit, Martin; Horobeanu, Cosmin; Mendez-Villanueva, Alberto; Simpson, Ben M; Bourdon, Pitre C

    2011-03-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the effect of age and spa treatment (i.e. combined sauna, cold water immersion, and jacuzzi) on match running performance over two consecutive matches in highly trained young soccer players. Fifteen pre- (age 12.8 ± 0.6 years) and 13 post- (15.9 ± 1 y) peak height velocity (PHV) players played two matches (Matches 1 and 2) within 48 h against the same opposition, with no specific between-match recovery intervention (control). Five post-PHV players also completed another set of two consecutive matches, with spa treatment implemented after the first match. Match running performance was assessed using a global positioning system with very-high-intensity running (> 16.1-19.0 km · h(-1)), sprinting distance (>19 km · h(-1)), and peak match speed determined. Match 2 very-high-intensity running was "possibly" impaired in post-PHV players (-9 ± 33%; ± 90% confidence limits), whereas it was "very likely" improved for the pre-PHV players (+27 ± 22%). The spa treatment had a beneficial impact on Match 2 running performance, with a "likely" rating for sprinting distance (+30 ± 67%) and "almost certain" for peak match speed (+6.4 ± 3%). The results suggest that spa treatment is an effective recovery intervention for post-PHV players, while its value in pre-PHV players is questionable.

  7. Plasma antibodies to Abeta40 and Abeta42 in patients with Alzheimer's disease and normal controls.

    PubMed

    Xu, Wuhua; Kawarabayashi, Takeshi; Matsubara, Etsuro; Deguchi, Kentaro; Murakami, Tetsuro; Harigaya, Yasuo; Ikeda, Masaki; Amari, Masakuni; Kuwano, Ryozo; Abe, Koji; Shoji, Mikio

    2008-07-11

    Antibodies to amyloid beta protein (Abeta) are present naturally or after Abeta vaccine therapy in human plasma. To clarify their clinical role, we examined plasma samples from 113 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 205 normal controls using the tissue amyloid plaque immunoreactivity (TAPIR) assay. A high positive rate of TAPIR was revealed in AD (45.1%) and age-matched controls (41.2%), however, no significance was observed. No significant difference was observed in the MMS score or disease duration between TAPIR-positive and negative samples. TAPIR-positive plasma reacted with the Abeta40 monomer and dimer, and the Abeta42 monomer weakly, but not with the Abeta42 dimer. TAPIR was even detected in samples from young normal subjects and young Tg2576 transgenic mice. Although the Abeta40 level and Abeta40/42 ratio increased, and Abeta42 was significantly decreased in plasma from AD groups when compared to controls, no significant correlations were revealed between plasma Abeta levels and TAPIR grading. Thus an immune response to Abeta40 and immune tolerance to Abeta42 occurred naturally in humans without a close relationship to the Abeta burden in the brain. Clarification of the mechanism of the immune response to Abeta42 is necessary for realization of an immunotherapy for AD.

  8. Congenital lumbar spinal stenosis: a prospective, control-matched, cohort radiographic analysis.

    PubMed

    Singh, Kern; Samartzis, Dino; Vaccaro, Alexander R; Nassr, Ahmad; Andersson, Gunnar B; Yoon, S Tim; Phillips, Frank M; Goldberg, Edward J; An, Howard S

    2005-01-01

    Degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis manifests primarily after the sixth decade of life as a result of facet hypertrophy and degenerative disc disease. Congenital stenosis, on the other hand, presents earlier in age with similar clinical findings but with multilevel involvement and fewer degenerative changes. These patients may have subtle anatomic variations of the lumbar spine that may increase the likelihood of thecal sac compression. However, to the authors' knowledge, no quantitative studies have addressed various radiographic parameters of symptomatic, congenitally stenotic individuals to normal subjects. To radiographically quantify and compare the anatomy of the lumbar spine in symptomatic, congenitally stenotic individuals to age- and sex-matched, asymptomatic, nonstenotic controlled individuals. A prospective, control-matched, cohort radiographic analysis. Axial and sagittal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and lateral, lumbar, plain radiographs of 20 surgically treated patients who were given a clinical diagnosis of congenital lumbar stenosis by the senior author were randomized with images of 20, asymptomatic age- and sex-matched subjects. MRIs and lateral, lumbar, plain radiographs were independently quantitatively assessed by two individuals. Measurements obtained from the axial MRIs included: midline anterior-posterior (AP) vertebral body diameter, vertebral body width, midline AP canal diameter, canal width, spinal canal cross-sectional area, pedicle length, and pedicle width. From the sagittal MRIs, the following measurements were calculated: AP vertebral body diameter, vertebral body height, and AP canal diameter at the mid-vertebral level. On the lateral, lumbar, plain radiograph (L3 level), the AP diameters of the vertebral body spinal canal were measured. The images of these 40 individuals were then randomized and distributed in a blinded fashion to five separate spine surgeons who graded the presence and severity of congenital stenosis

  9. Normal references of right ventricular strain values by two-dimensional strain echocardiography according to the age and gender.

    PubMed

    Park, Jae-Hyeong; Choi, Jin-Oh; Park, Seung Woo; Cho, Goo-Yeong; Oh, Jin Kyung; Lee, Jae-Hwan; Seong, In-Whan

    2018-02-01

    Right ventricular (RV) strain values by 2-dimensional strain echocardiography (STE) can be used as objective markers of RV systolic function. However, there is little data about normal reference RV strain values according to age and gender. We measured normal RV strain values by STE. RV strain values were analyzed from the digitally stored echocardiographic images from NORMAL (Normal echOcardiogRaphic diMensions and functions in KoreAn popuLation) study for the measurement of normal echocardiographic values performed in 23 Korean university hospitals. We enrolled total 1003 healthy persons in the NORMAL study. Of them, we analyzed 2-dimensional RV strain values in 493 subjects (261 females, mean 47 ± 15 years old) only with echocardiographic images by GE machines. Their LV systolic and diastolic functions were normal. RV fractional area change was 48 ± 6% and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion was 23 ± 3 mm. Total RV global longitudinal peak systolic strain (RVGLS total ) was -21.5 ± 3.2%. Females had higher absolute RVGLS total (-22.3 ± 3.3 vs -20.7 ± 2.9%, p < 0.001) than males. Younger (<50 years old) females had higher absolute RVGLS total (-22.9 ± 3.2 vs -20.5 ± 2.8%, p < 0.001) than age matched males. RVGLS total in females gradually increased according to age (p for trend = 0.002) and becomes almost similar in age ≥50 years. However, this trend was not seen in males (p for trend = 0.287), and younger males had similar RVGLS total value to that of older males (age ≥50 years, -20.5 ± 2.8 vs -20.9 ± 3.1%, p = 0.224). We calculated normal RVGLS values in normal population. Females have higher absolute strain values than males, especially in younger age groups (<50 years old).

  10. Abuse and deliberate self-poisoning in women: a matched case-control study.

    PubMed

    Coll, X; Law, F; Tobías, A; Hawton, K; Tomàs, J

    2001-10-01

    Controlled studies have shown deliberate self-harm to be more common in abused populations, but no controlled studies have shown abuse to be more common in self-harming populations. This is the first controlled study to determine whether abuse experiences (sexual, physical, and psychological) occurred more commonly in women who take overdoses than in controls. The design was a matched (1:1) case-control study set in a district general hospital in England. The subjects were 36 women admitted following deliberate self-poisoning. They were matched with the next non-overdose admission to the same hospital on six variables (sex, age, ethnicity, social class, marital status, and geographical locality). The main outcome measures used were modified versions of standardized self-report questionnaires of sexual, physical, and psychological abuse, together with measures of parenting style and general psychopathology. Women who had taken an overdose were more likely (odds ratio 15.0, 95% confidence interval 2.0 to 113.6) to have been sexually abused, and somewhat more likely to have been psychologically (1.02, 1.00 to 1.05) but not physically abused. They also had higher measures of psychopathology (GHQ-30: 1.19, 1.07 to 1.31), were more likely to have been abused at a younger age, exposed to the "affectionless control" style of parenting by their mothers, and to have harmed themselves in other ways. The management of women presenting to hospital after self-poisoning should include assessment of abuse experiences, and instigation of appropriate treatment in those with significant sequelae of abuse.

  11. Elevated testosterone and hypergonadotropism in active adolescents of normal weight with oligomenorrhea.

    PubMed

    Singer, K; Rosenthal, A; Kasa-Vubu, Josephine Z

    2009-10-01

    Oligomenorrhea in active adolescent females of normal weight is presumed to be related to hypoestrogenism secondary to physical activity and decreased fat mass. We hypothesized that active adolescents with oligomenorrhea would have lower estrogen levels than normal controls with similar levels of cardiovascular fitness. Twenty healthy participants between the ages of 16 and 20 years were recruited at least 2 years postmenarche. Adolescents reporting fewer than 9 cycles a year (n = 6) were compared to 14 controls with monthly menstrual cycles. Histories of eating disorder, hirsutism, severe acne, depression, or amenorrhea were cause for exclusion. Body composition and bone density were measured by total body dual x-ray absorpitometry. Cardiovascular fitness was evaluated by measuring oxygen consumption during exercise. Control subjects were matched by age, body mass index (BMI), and fitness level. Serum luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone, progesterone, and estradiol were obtained. Statistical analysis was performed using SAS 9.1. Cardiovascular fitness in both groups was within normal limits for age. No significant differences in BMI, estradiol concentrations, or bone density were found, but trunk fat mass was lower in adolescents with oligomenorrhea who also reported more frequent exercise. Testosterone concentrations and LH/FSH ratios were significantly higher in participants with irregular menstrual cycles (P = 0.0018 and <0.001, respectively). Adolescents with oligomenorrhea were leaner, yet they had higher testosterone levels and a greater LH/FSH ratio than their BMI-matched, cyclic counterparts. We hypothesize that, in active adolescents of normal weight, elevated androgen and LH concentrations are linked to ovarian dysfunction, which can masquerade as exercise-induced oligomenorrhea.

  12. Does functional vision behave differently in low-vision patients with diabetic retinopathy?--A case-matched study.

    PubMed

    Ahmadian, Lohrasb; Massof, Robert

    2008-09-01

    A retrospective case-matched study designed to compare patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) and other ocular diseases, managed in a low-vision clinic, in four different types of functional vision. Reading, mobility, visual motor, and visual information processing were measured in the patients (n = 114) and compared with those in patients with other ocular diseases (n = 114) matched in sex, visual acuity (VA), general health status, and age, using the Activity Inventory as a Rasch-scaled measurement tool. Binocular distance visual acuity was categorized as normal (20/12.5-20/25), near normal (20/32-20/63), moderate (20/80-20/160), severe (20/200-20/400), profound (20/500-20/1000), and total blindness (20/1250 to no light perception). Both Wilcoxon matched pairs signed rank test and the sign test of matched pairs were used to compare estimated functional vision measures between DR cases and controls. Cases ranged in age from 19 to 90 years (mean age, 67.5), and 59% were women. The mean visual acuity (logMar scale) was 0.7. Based on the Wilcoxon signed rank test analyses and after adjusting the probability for multiple comparisons, there was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) between patients with DR and control subjects in any of four functional visions. Furthermore, diabetic retinopathy patients did not differ (P > 0.05) from their matched counterparts in goal-level vision-related functional ability and total visual ability. Visual impairment in patients with DR appears to be a generic and non-disease-specific outcome that can be explained mainly by the end impact of the disease in the patients' daily lives and not by the unique disease process that results in the visual impairment.

  13. Risk factors for non-syndromic oral clefts: a matched case-control study in Hubei Province, China.

    PubMed

    Qi, L; Liu, J; Zhang, Y; Wang, J; Yang, M; Gong, T; Shen, M; Du, Y

    2015-01-01

    To explore the risk factors for CL/P in Hubei Province, China. A hospital-based, matched case-control study was conducted. One hundred and eight cases with CL/P were matched by age and sex with 108 normal controls. Their parents were retrospectively interviewed using a questionnaire. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to calculate the relative risk by odds ratio and 95% confidence interval. Univariate analysis identified ten factors as significantly related to CL/P (P < 0.05). Multivariate conditional logistic regression models showed that five of these factors were significantly associated with CL/P. Paternal occupational exposure (OR = 13.08, 95% CI: 2.35-72.86), first-trimester maternal illness (OR = 36.67, 95% CI: 5.37-250.36), first-trimester maternal bad mood (OR = 8.69, 95% CI: 1.35-55.84), first-trimester maternal diet of eggs or milk (≥5 meals per week, OR = 6.72, 95% CI: 1.23-36.69), and first-trimester maternal sexual activity (OR = 5.98, CI 95%:1.14-31.49) were risk factors for CL/P. In our study, we identified that paternal occupational exposure, first-trimester maternal illness, first-trimester maternal bad mood, first-trimester maternal diet of eggs or milk (≥5 meals per week), and first-trimester maternal sexual activities were significantly associated with increased CL/P. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Normal Aging of the Attentional Control Functions That Underlie Working Memory.

    PubMed

    Sylvain-Roy, Stéphanie; Lungu, Ovidiu; Belleville, Sylvie

    2015-09-01

    This study assessed the effect of aging on 3 attentional control functions (ACFs)--shifting, inhibition, and updating--and on their contribution to working memory (WM) tasks. Complex WM tasks (the Brown-Peterson procedure, the reading span, and the alpha span) and tasks used to derive composite measures of the ACFs were administered to 75 younger and 75 older adults. Of the 3 ACFs, only inhibition was impaired in aging after controlling for processing speed. Furthermore, the effect of aging on WM tasks was not pervasive, as older adults showed impaired performance on the Brown-Peterson procedure and the reading span but not on the alpha span. When examining the contribution of ACFs to WM in older adults, updating accounted for performance on the Brown-Peterson and reading span tasks, and inhibition was involved in performance on the alpha span task. In younger adults, it was processing speed that contributed the most to WM. This pattern of results suggests that complex WM tasks reflect different ACFs and that this varies as a function of age. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  15. Comparison of hair follicle histology between horses with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction and excessive hair growth and normal aged horses.

    PubMed

    Innerå, Marie; Petersen, Annette D; Desjardins, Danielle R; Steficek, Barbara A; Rosser, Edmund J; Schott, Harold C

    2013-02-01

    Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) in older equids is commonly recognized by a long hair coat that fails to shed. The aim of this study was to compare hair follicle stages in PPID-affected horses with excessively long hair coats with the stages of normal aged horses (controls) and to compare hair follicle stages in PPID-affected horses after 6 months of treatment with pergolide mesylate with those of control horses. Eight PPID-affected horses and four normal, age-matched, control horses. Skin biopsies were collected from the neck and rump of PPID-affected and control horses. A diagnosis of PPID was established based on hair coat changes and supportive overnight dexamethasone suppression test results. Skin biopsies were repeated after 6 months of treatment with pergolide. The number of hair follicles in anagen (A) or telogen (T) was counted for each skin biopsy using transverse sections. Pretreatment biopsies had a greater percentage of A follicles (neck 96%, rump 95%) and a lower percentage of T follicles (neck 4%, rump 5%) in PPID-affected horses than in control horses (A, neck 15%, rump 25%; and T, neck 85%, rump 75%). After treatment with pergolide, all PPID-affected horses had improved shedding, and the percentages of A follicles (neck 69%, rump 70%) and T follicles (neck 31%, rump 30%) were not different from untreated control horses (A, neck 68%, rump 82%; and T, neck 32%, rump 18%). These findings document that excessive hair growth (hypertrichosis) in PPID-affected horses is due to persistence of hair follicles in A. Furthermore, treatment with pergolide improved shedding and reduced the percentage of A follicles in PPID-affected horses. © 2013 The Authors. Veterinary Dermatology © 2013 ESVD and ACVD.

  16. Intermodal Matching of Emotional Expressions in Young Children with Autism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kahana-Kalman, Ronit; Goldman, Sylvie

    2008-01-01

    This study examined the ability of young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) to detect affective correspondences between facial and vocal expressions of emotion using an intermodal matching paradigm. Four-year-old children with ASD (n = 18) and their age-matched normally developing peers (n = 18) were presented pairs of videotaped facial…

  17. Cloned cows with short telomeres deliver healthy offspring with normal-length telomeres.

    PubMed

    Miyashita, Norikazu; Kubo, Yasuaki; Yonai, Miharu; Kaneyama, Kanako; Saito, Norio; Sawai, Ken; Minamihashi, Akira; Suzuki, Toshiyuki; Kojima, Toshiyuki; Nagai, Takashi

    2011-10-01

    Dolly, the first mammal cloned from a somatic cell, had shorter telomeres than age-matched controls and died at an early age because of disease. To investigate longevity and lifetime performance in cloned animals, we produced cloned cows with short telomeres using oviductal epithelial cells as donor cells. At 5 years of age, despite the presence of short telomeres, all cloned cows delivered multiple healthy offspring following artificial insemination with conventionally processed spermatozoa from noncloned bulls, and their milk production was comparable to that of donor cows. Moreover, this study revealed that the offspring had normal-length telomeres in their leukocytes and major organs. Thus, cloned animals have normal functional germ lines, and therefore germ line function can completely restore telomere lengths in clone gametes by telomerase activity, resulting in healthy offspring with normal-length telomeres.

  18. Psychosocial Health of Disease-Free Breast Cancer Survivors Compared with Matched Non-cancer Controls.

    PubMed

    Park, Boyoung; Lee, Moo Hyun; Kong, Sun-Young; Lee, Eun Sook

    2018-04-05

    The present study investigated the psychosocial health of disease-free breast cancer survivors who receive health examinations compared to matched non-cancer controls in a community setting. We used baseline data from the Health Examinee cohort, which is composed of subjects participating in health. The disease-free breast cancer survivors were defined as those who were ≥2 years from initial diagnosis of breast cancer who had completed treatment. Females without a history of cancer were randomly selected at 1:4 ratio by 5-year age groups, education, and household income as a comparison group. We analyzed results from the Psychosocial Well-being Index-Short Form (PWI-SF) as a psychosocial health measurement. A total of 347 survivors of breast cancer and 1,388 matched controls were included. Total scores on the PWI-SF were lower in breast cancer survivors than matched non-cancer controls (p=0.006), suggesting a lower level of psychosocial stress in breast cancer survivors. In comparison to the control group, prevalence of drinking, smoking and obesity were lower, while exercising for ≥150 min/wk was higher in breast cancer survivors (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that breast cancer survivors have better health behaviors than their non-cancer controls. After adjusting for other sociodemographic variables, breast cancer survivors were 36% less likely to be included in the stress group (odds ratio, 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.42 to 0.98). The disease-free breast cancer survivors resuming daily life demonstrated better psychosocial health status compared to matched non-cancer controls.

  19. Depth of word processing in Alzheimer patients and normal controls: a magnetoencephalographic (MEG) study.

    PubMed

    Walla, P; Püregger, E; Lehrner, J; Mayer, D; Deecke, L; Dal Bianco, P

    2005-05-01

    Effects related to depth of verbal information processing were investigated in probable Alzheimer's disease patients (AD) and age matched controls. During word encoding sessions 10 patients and 10 controls had either to decide whether the letter "s" appeared in visually presented words (alphabetical decision, shallow encoding), or whether the meaning of each presented word was animate or inanimate (lexical decision, deep encoding). These encoding sessions were followed by test sessions during which all previously encoded words were presented again together with the same number of new words. The task was then to discriminate between repeated and new words. Magnetic field changes related to brain activity were recorded with a whole cortex MEG.5 probable AD patients showed recognition performances above chance level related to both depths of information processing. Those patients and 5 age matched controls were then further analysed. Recognition performance was poorer in probable AD patients compared to controls for both levels of processing. However, in both groups deep encoding led to a higher recognition performance than shallow encoding. We therefore conclude that the performance reduction in the patient group was independent of depth of processing. Reaction times related to false alarms differed between patients and controls after deep encoding which perhaps could already be used for supporting an early diagnosis. The analysis of the physiological data revealed significant differences between correctly recognised repetitions and correctly classified new words (old/new-effect) in the control group which were missing in the patient group after deep encoding. The lack of such an effect in the patient group is interpreted as being due to the respective neuropathology related to probable AD. The present results demonstrate that magnetic field recordings represent a useful tool to physiologically distinguish between probable AD and age matched controls.

  20. Loss of Brain Aerobic Glycolysis in Normal Human Aging.

    PubMed

    Goyal, Manu S; Vlassenko, Andrei G; Blazey, Tyler M; Su, Yi; Couture, Lars E; Durbin, Tony J; Bateman, Randall J; Benzinger, Tammie L-S; Morris, John C; Raichle, Marcus E

    2017-08-01

    The normal aging human brain experiences global decreases in metabolism, but whether this affects the topography of brain metabolism is unknown. Here we describe PET-based measurements of brain glucose uptake, oxygen utilization, and blood flow in cognitively normal adults from 20 to 82 years of age. Age-related decreases in brain glucose uptake exceed that of oxygen use, resulting in loss of brain aerobic glycolysis (AG). Whereas the topographies of total brain glucose uptake, oxygen utilization, and blood flow remain largely stable with age, brain AG topography changes significantly. Brain regions with high AG in young adults show the greatest change, as do regions with prolonged developmental transcriptional features (i.e., neoteny). The normal aging human brain thus undergoes characteristic metabolic changes, largely driven by global loss and topographic changes in brain AG. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Mathematical analysis of the normal anatomy of the aging fovea.

    PubMed

    Nesmith, Brooke; Gupta, Akash; Strange, Taylor; Schaal, Yuval; Schaal, Shlomit

    2014-08-28

    To mathematically analyze anatomical changes that occur in the normal fovea during aging. A total of 2912 spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) normal foveal scans were analyzed. Subjects were healthy individuals, aged 13 to 97 years, with visual acuity ≥20/40 and without evidence of foveal pathology. Using automated symbolic regression software Eureqa (version 0.98), foveal thickness maps of 390 eyes were analyzed using several measurements: parafoveal retinal thickness at 50 μm consecutive intervals, parafoveal maximum retinal thickness at two points lateral to central foveal depression, distance between two points of maximum retinal thickness, maximal foveal slope at two intervals lateral to central foveal depression, and central length of foveal depression. A unique mathematical equation representing the mathematical analog of foveal anatomy was derived for every decade, between 10 and 100 years. The mathematical regression function for normal fovea followed first order sine curve of level 10 complexity for the second decade of life. The mathematical regression function became more complex with normal aging, up to level 43 complexity (0.085 fit; P < 0.05). Young foveas had higher symmetry (0.92 ± 0.10) along midline, whereas aged foveas had significantly less symmetry (0.76 ± 0.27, P < 0.01) along midline and steeper maximal slopes (29 ± 32°, P < 0.01). Normal foveal anatomical configuration changes with age. Normal aged foveas are less symmetric along midline with steeper slopes. Differentiating between normal aging and pathologic changes using SD-OCT scans may allow early diagnosis, follow-up, and better management of the aging population. Copyright 2014 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.

  2. Combining matched and unmatched control groups in case-control studies.

    PubMed

    le Cessie, Saskia; Nagelkerke, Nico; Rosendaal, Frits R; van Stralen, Karlijn J; Pomp, Elisabeth R; van Houwelingen, Hans C

    2008-11-15

    Multiple control groups in case-control studies are used to control for different sources of confounding. For example, cases can be contrasted with matched controls to adjust for multiple genetic or unknown lifestyle factors and simultaneously contrasted with an unmatched population-based control group. Inclusion of different control groups for a single exposure analysis yields several estimates of the odds ratio, all using only part of the data. Here the authors introduce an easy way to combine odds ratios from several case-control analyses with the same cases. The approach is based upon methods used for meta-analysis but takes into account the fact that the same cases are used and that the estimated odds ratios are therefore correlated. Two ways of estimating this correlation are discussed: sandwich methodology and the bootstrap. Confidence intervals for the pooled estimates and a test for checking whether the odds ratios in the separate case-control studies differ significantly are derived. The performance of the method is studied by simulation and by applying the methods to a large study on risk factors for thrombosis, the MEGA Study (1999-2004), wherein cases with first venous thrombosis were included with a matched control group of partners and an unmatched population-based control group.

  3. The Effect of Tinnitus on Listening Effort in Normal-Hearing Young Adults: A Preliminary Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Degeest, Sofie; Keppler, Hannah; Corthals, Paul

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of chronic tinnitus on listening effort. Method: Thirteen normal-hearing young adults with chronic tinnitus were matched with a control group for age, gender, hearing thresholds, and educational level. A dual-task paradigm was used to evaluate listening effort in different…

  4. Accuracy of shade matching performed by colour blind and normal dental students using 3D Master and Vita Lumin shade guides.

    PubMed

    Vafaee, F; Rakhshan, V; Vafaei, M; Khoshhal, M

    2012-03-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate whether 3D Master or VitaLumin shade guides could improve colour selection in individuals with normal and defective colour vision. First, colour perception of 260 dental students was evaluated. Afterwards, 9 colour blind and 9 matched normal subjects tried to detect colours of 10 randomly selected tabs from each kit and the correct/false answers were counted. Of the colour-defective subjects, 47.8% and 33.3% correctly detected the shade using 3D Master and VitaLumin, respectively. These statistics were 62.2% and 42.2% in normal subjects. In normal participants, but not in colour blind ones, 3D Master significantly improved shade matching accuracy compared to VitaLumin.

  5. Impact of bariatric surgery on clinical depression. Interrupted time series study with matched controls.

    PubMed

    Booth, Helen; Khan, Omar; Prevost, A Toby; Reddy, Marcus; Charlton, Judith; Gulliford, Martin C

    2015-03-15

    Obesity is associated with depression. This study aimed to evaluate whether clinical depression is reduced after bariatric surgery (BS). Obese adults who received BS procedures from 2002 to 2014 were sampled from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink. An interrupted time series design, with matched controls, was conducted from three years before, to a maximum of seven years after surgery. Controls were matched for body mass index (BMI), age, gender and year of procedure. Clinical depression was defined as a medical diagnosis recorded in year, or an antidepressant prescribed in year to a participant ever diagnosed with depression. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) were estimated. There were 3045 participants (mean age 45.9; mean BMI 44.0kg/m(2)) who received BS, including laparoscopic gastric banding in 1297 (43%), gastric bypass in 1265 (42%), sleeve gastrectomy in 477 (16%) and six undefined. Before surgery, 36% of BS participants, and 21% of controls, had clinical depression; between-group AOR, 2.02, 95%CI 1.75-2.33, P<0.001. In the second post-operative year 32% had depression; AOR, compared to time without surgery, 0.83 (0.76-0.90, P<0.001). By the seventh year, the prevalence of depression increased to 37%; AOR 0.99 (0.76-1.29, P=0.959). Despite matching there were differences in depression between BS and control patients, representing the highly selective nature of BS. Depression is frequent among individuals selected to undergo bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery may be associated with a modest reduction in clinical depression over the initial post-operative years but this is not maintained. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Effects of age, maturity and body dimensions on match running performance in highly trained under-15 soccer players.

    PubMed

    Buchheit, Martin; Mendez-Villanueva, Alberto

    2014-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to compare, in 36 highly trained under-15 soccer players, the respective effects of age, maturity and body dimensions on match running performance. Maximal sprinting (MSS) and aerobic speeds were estimated. Match running performance was analysed with GPS (GPSport, 1 Hz) during 19 international friendly games (n = 115 player-files). Total distance and distance covered >16 km h(-1) (D > 16 km h(-1)) were collected. Players advanced in age and/or maturation, or having larger body dimensions presented greater locomotor (Cohen's d for MSS: 0.5-1.0, likely to almost certain) and match running performances (D > 16 km h(-1): 0.2-0.5, possibly to likely) than their younger, less mature and/or smaller teammates. These age-, maturation- and body size-related differences were of larger magnitude for field test measures versus match running performance. Compared with age and body size (unclear to likely), maturation (likely to almost certainly for all match variables) had the greatest impact on match running performance. The magnitude of the relationships between age, maturation and body dimensions and match running performance were position-dependent. Within a single age-group in the present player sample, maturation had a substantial impact on match running performance, especially in attacking players. Coaches may need to consider players' maturity status when assessing their on-field playing performance.

  7. Normal anti-Klebsiella lymphocytotoxicity in ankylosing spondylitis

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

    Kinsella, T.D.; Fritzler, M.J.; Lewkonia, R.M.

    1986-03-01

    We compared in vitro lymphocytotoxicity (LCT) of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), obtained from patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and normal controls (NC). Assays were performed with antibacterial antisera prepared from AS- and NC-derived Klebsiella and coliforms Escherichia coli. LCT assessed by eosin staining was not significantly different in PBL of 12 AS patients and 28 controls when reacted with 3 Klebsiella and 1 E coli antisera. LCT assessed by /sup 51/Cr release was not significantly different for PBL of 20 age- and sex-matched pairs of AS patients and NC when reacted with 3 Klebsiella and 1 E coli antisera. Similarly,more » LCT-/sup 51/Cr of PBL of 15 matched AS and NC pairs was not significantly different for anti-K21, a serotype putatively implicated in Klebsiella-HLA-B27 antigenic cross-reactivity. Our results do not support the notion of molecular mimicry between Klebsiella and B27 in the pathogenesis of primary AS.« less

  8. Prevalence of asthmatic symptoms in Lebanese patients with type 1 diabetes and their unaffected siblings compared to age-matched controls.

    PubMed

    Taleb, Nadine; Bou Khalil, Pierre; Zantout, Mira S; Zalloua, Pierre; Azar, Sami T

    2010-12-01

    Patients with type 1 diabetes (a TH1 disease) have been reported to be at a lower risk of developing asthma (a TH2 disease). Both diseases are affected by environmental and genetic factors. Our objective is to examine this relationship in Lebanon, a Middle-Eastern country, where no previous similar studies are available. This is a cross-sectional observational study conducted at the Chronic Care Center, a referral medical center for type 1 diabetics. Patients with type 1 diabetes aged 6-39 years old, their unaffected siblings and age-matched control completed the International Primary Care Airways Group asthma screening questionnaire. The prevalence of asthma symptoms was compared among the three groups and separately within a subgroup of diabetics in relation to their carrier state of previously collected genetic data. Among 305 diabetics, 776 siblings and 187 controls, diabetics were at lower risk of having any asthma symptoms than controls; OR 0.48 (95% CI 0.32-0.72, p < 0.001) and siblings were at lower risk than diabetics and controls; OR 0.64 (95% CI 0.45-0.91, p = 0.01) and 0.28 (95% CI 0.19-0.42, p < 0.001), respectively. Among 66 diabetics, carriers of the HLA-DQB1*0201 allele were at lower risk of having any asthma symptoms than non-carriers (25.5 vs. 53.3%, p = 0.04). Only a statistically non-significant trend of higher risk was observed in carriers of HLA-DQB1*0301 and G allele at the 49 (A/G) nucleotide of CTLA-4 gene. The TH1-TH2 paradigm might partially explain these findings, since siblings were the least to report asthma symptoms. Future research is needed with diagnostic tests for asthma and extensive genetic testing.

  9. Period for Normalization of Voice Acoustic Parameters in Indian Pediatric Cochlear Implantees.

    PubMed

    Joy, Jeena V; Deshpande, Shweta; Vaid, Dr Neelam

    2017-05-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the duration required by children with cochlear implants to approximate the norms of voice acoustic parameters. The study design is retrospective. Thirty children with cochlear implants (chronological ages ranging between 4.1 and 6.7 years) were divided into three groups, based on the postimplantation duration. Ten normal-hearing children (chronological ages ranging between 4 and 7 years) were selected as the control group. All implanted children underwent an objective voice analysis using Dr. Speech software (Tiger DRS, Inc., Seattle, WA, USA) at 6 months and at 1 and 2 years of implant use. Voice analysis was done for the children in the control group and means were derived for all the parameters analyzed to obtain the normal values. Habitual fundamental frequency (HFF), jitter (frequency variation), and shimmer (amplitude variation) were the voice acoustic parameters analyzed for the vowels |a|, |i|, and |u|. The obtained values of these parameters were then compared with the norms. HFF for the children with implant use for 6 months and 1 year did significantly differ from the control group. However, there was no significant difference (P > 0.5) observed in the children with implant use for 2 years, thus matching the norms. Jitter and shimmer showed a significant difference (P < 0.5) even at 2 years of implant use when compared with the control group. The findings of the study divulge that children with cochlear implants approximate age-matched normal-hearing kids with respect to the voice acoustic parameter of HFF by 2 years of implant use. However, jitter and shimmer were not found to stabilize for the duration studied. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Glutamate-glutamine and GABA in brain of normal aged and patients with cognitive impairment.

    PubMed

    Huang, Dandan; Liu, Dan; Yin, Jianzhong; Qian, Tianyi; Shrestha, Susan; Ni, Hongyan

    2017-07-01

    To explore the changes of glutamate-glutamine (Glx) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain in normal old age and cognitive impairment using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Seventeen normal young controls (NYC), 15 normal elderly controls (NEC), 21 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 17 with Alzheimer disease (AD) patients were included in this study. Glx and GABA+ levels in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and right hippocampus (rHP) were measured by using a MEGA-PRESS sequence. Glx/Cr and GABA+/Cr ratios were compared between NYC and NEC and between the three elderly groups using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA); the tissue fractions of voxels were used as covariates. The relationships between metabolite ratios and cognitive performance were analysed using Spearman correlation coefficients. For NEC and NYC groups, Glx/Cr and GABA+/Cr ratios were lower in NEC in ACC and rHP. For the three elderly groups, Glx/Cr ratio was lower in AD in ACC compared to NEC and MCI; Glx/Cr ratio was lower in AD in rHP compared to NEC. There was no significant decrease for GABA+/Cr ratio. Glx and GABA levels may decrease simultaneously in normal aged, and Glx level decreased predominantly in AD, and it is helpful in the early diagnosis of AD. • Glx and GABA levels may decrease simultaneously in normal aged. • Glx level may decrease predominantly in Alzheimer disease. • The balance in excitatory-inhibitory systems may be broken in AD. • Decreased Glx level may be helpful in early diagnosis of AD.

  11. Indirect Estimates of Jaw Muscle Tension in Children with Suspected Hypertonia, Children with Suspected Hypotonia, and Matched Controls

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Connaghan, Kathryn P.; Moore, Christopher A.

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: In this study, the authors compared indirect estimates of jaw-muscle tension in children with suspected muscle-tone abnormalities with age- and gender-matched controls. Method: Jaw movement and muscle activation were measured in children (ages 3 years, 11 months, to 10 years) with suspected muscle-tone abnormalities (Down syndrome or…

  12. Myeloperoxidase in blood neutrophils during normal and abnormal menstrual cycles in women of reproductive age.

    PubMed

    Shibata, T; Sakamoto, J; Osaka, Y; Neyatani, N; Fujita, S; Oka, Y; Takagi, H; Mori, H; Fujita, H; Tanaka, Y; Sasagawa, T

    2017-04-01

    We previously reported that granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) plays a critical role in ovulation, suggesting that neutrophils may maintain ovulation. We assessed myeloperoxidase (MPO), a major and specific enzyme of neutrophils, in women with abnormal and normal menstrual cycles to clarify the relationship between MPO and ovulation. We analyzed MPO activity in blood neutrophils of women with abnormal menstrual cycles (indicative of anovulation, n = 12) and age- and body mass index-matched normal menstrual cycles (indicative of ovulation, n = 24) using two parameters as a marker of MPO, Neut X and mean peroxidase index (MPXI). MPO of women with abnormal menstrual cycles was significantly lower than that of women with normal menstrual cycles [Neut X: 62.6 ± 1.1 (mean ± standard error of the mean) vs. 66.2 ± 0.3, P = 0.009; MPXI: -0.54 ± 1.66 vs. 4.91 ± 0.53, P = 0.008]. Among women with normal menstrual cycles, MPO was highest in the follicular phase (Neut X: 67.0 ± 0.3; P = 0.033). The difference in MPO between women with abnormal and normal menstrual cycles and the upregulation of MPO before ovulation suggest that neutrophils and MPO are closely related to ovulation. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. No category specificity in Alzheimer's disease: a normal aging effect.

    PubMed

    Moreno-Martínez, F Javier; Laws, Keith R

    2008-07-01

    The authors examined category effects on tasks of picture naming, naming to definition, and word-picture matching in 38 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 30 elderly controls. Each task was matched across category on all "nuisance" variables known to differ across domains. Standard analyses revealed significant category disadvantages for classifying living things in AD patients but also for elderly controls on each task. To overcome the ceiling effect in controls, the authors conducted 1,000 bootstrap analyses of covariance, with control performance as a difficulty index covariate. These covariate analyses eliminated the category effect in AD patients on all 3 tasks. Indeed, the authors report that control performance accounted for 64% (picture naming), 49% (naming to description), and 42% (word-picture matching) of variance in AD performance. This suggests that, although category effects in AD patients do not reflect intrinsic variables, the size and direction of the category effect are not different from those in elderly controls. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved.

  14. The art of matching brain tissue from patients and controls for postmortem research.

    PubMed

    Bao, Ai-Min; Swaab, Dick F

    2018-01-01

    The quality of postmortem research depends strongly on a thorough clinical investigation and documentation of the patient's disorder and therapies. In addition, a systematic and professional neuropathologic investigation of both cases and controls is absolutely crucial. In the experience of the Netherlands Brain Bank (NBB), about 20% of clinical neurologic diagnoses, despite being made in first-rate clinics, have to be revised or require an extra diagnosis after a complete and thorough review by the NBB. The neuropathology examination may reveal for instance that the "controls" already have preclinical neurodegenerative alterations. In postmortem studies the patient and control groups must be matched for as many of the known confounding factors as possible. This is necessary to make the groups as similar as possible, except for the topic being investigated. Confounding factors are present before, during, and after death. They are respectively: (1) genetic background, systemic diseases, duration and gravity of illness, medicines and addictive compounds used, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, circadian and seasonal fluctuations, lateralization; (2) agonal state, stress of dying; and (3) postmortem delay, freezing procedures, fixation and storage time. Consequently, a brain bank should have a large number of controls at its disposal for appropriate matching. If matching fails for some confounders, then their influence may be determined by statistical methods such as analysis of variance or regression models. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. 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.

  16. High reliability solid refractive index matching materials for field installable connections in FTTH network

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saito, Kotaro; Kihara, Mitsuru; Shimizu, Tomoya; Yoneda, Keisuke; Kurashima, Toshio

    2015-06-01

    We performed environmental and accelerated aging tests to ensure the long-term reliability of solid type refractive index matching material at a splice point. Stable optical characteristics were confirmed in environmental tests based on an IEC standard. In an accelerated aging test at 140 °C, which is very much higher than the specification test temperature, the index matching material itself and spliced fibers passing through it had steady optical characteristics. Then we performed an accelerated aging test on an index matching material attached to a built-in fiber before splicing it in the worst condition, which is different from the normal use configuration. As a result, we confirmed that the repeated insertion and removal of fiber for splicing resulted in failure. We consider that the repetition of adhesion between index matching material and fibers causes the splice to degrade. With this result, we used the Arrhenius model to estimate a median lifetime of about 68 years in a high temperature environment of 60 °C. Thus solid type index matching material at a splice point is highly reliable over long periods under normal conditions of use.

  17. Quantitative proteomics analysis by iTRAQ in human nuclear cataracts of different ages and normal lens nuclei.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Hai Yan; Yan, Hong; Wang, Li Li; Yan, Wei Jia; Shui, Ying Bo; Beebe, David C

    2015-08-01

    The goal of this study was to quantitatively identify the differentially expressed proteins in nuclear cataracts of different ages and normal lens nuclei in humans. Forty-eight human lens nucleus samples with hardness grades III, IV were obtained during cataract surgery by extracapsular cataract extraction. Seven normal transparent human lens nuclei were obtained from fresh normal cadaver eyes during corneal transplantation surgery. Lens nuclei were divided into seven groups according to age and optic axis: Group A (average age 80.8 ± 1.2 years), Group B (average age 57.0 ± 4.0 years), Group C average age 80.3 ± 4.5 years), Group D (average age 56.9 ± 4.2 years), Group E (average age 78.1 ± 2.5 years), Group F (average age 57.6 ± 3.3 years) and Group G (seven normal transparent human lenses from normal cadaver eyes, average age 34.7 ± 4.2 years). Water-soluble, water-insoluble, and water-insoluble-urea-soluble protein fractions were extracted from samples. The three-part protein fractions from the individual lenses were combined to form the total proteins of each sample. The proteomic profiles of each group were further analyzed using 8-plex iTRAQ labeling combined with 2D-LC-MS/MS. The data were analyzed with the ProteinPilot software for peptide matching, protein identification, and quantification. Differentially expressed proteins were validated by Western blotting. We employed biological and technical replicates and selected the intersection of the two results, which included 80 proteins. Nine proteins were differentially expressed among the 80 proteins identified using proteomic techniques. In age-related nuclear cataracts (ARNC), the expression levels of fatty acid-binding protein and pterin-4-alpha-carbinolamine dehydratase were upregulated, whereas the levels of alpha-crystallin B chain (CRYAB), GSH synthetase, phakinin, gamma-crystallin C, phosphoglycerate kinase 1, betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase 1 (BHMT1), and spectrin beta chain were

  18. Static postural sway, proprioception, and maximal voluntary quadriceps contraction in patients with knee osteoarthritis and normal control subjects

    PubMed Central

    Hassan, B; Mockett, S; Doherty, M

    2001-01-01

    OBJECTIVES—To investigate whether subjects with knee osteoarthritis (OA) have reduced static postural control, knee proprioceptive acuity, and maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of the quadriceps compared with normal controls, and to determine possible independent predictors of static postural sway.
METHODS—77 subjects with symptomatic and radiographic knee OA (58 women, 19 men; mean age 63.4 years, range 36-82) and 63 controls with asymptomatic and clinically normal knees (45 women, 18 men; mean age 63 years, range 46-85) underwent assessment of static postural sway. 108 subjects (59 patients, 49 controls) also underwent assessment of knee proprioceptive activity and MVC (including calculation of quadriceps activation). In patients with knee OA knee pain, stiffness, and functional disability were assessed using the WOMAC Index. The height (m) and weight (kg) of all subjects was assessed.
RESULTS—Compared with controls, patients with knee OA were heavier (mean difference 15.3 kg, p<0.001), had increased postural lateral sway (controls: median 2.3, interquartile (IQ) range 1.8-2.9; patients: median 4.7, IQ range 1.9-4.7, p<0.001), reduced proprioceptive acuity (controls: mean 7.9, 95% CI 6.9 to 8.9; patients: mean 12.0, 95% CI 10.5 to 13.6, p<0.001), weaker quadriceps strength (controls: mean 22.5, 95% CI 19.9 to 24.6; patients: mean 14.7, 95% CI 12.5 to 16.9, p<0.001), and less percentage activation of quadriceps (controls: mean 87.4, 95% CI 80.7 to 94.2; patients: mean 66.0, 95% CI 58.8 to 73.2, p<0.001). The significant predictors of postural sway were knee pain and the ratio of MVC/body weight.
CONCLUSIONS—Compared with age and sex matched controls, subjects with symptomatic knee OA have quadriceps weakness, reduced knee proprioception, and increased postural sway. Pain and muscle strength may particularly influence postural sway. The interaction between physiological, structural, and functional abnormalities in knee OA

  19. Comparison of lateral abdominal muscle thickness between weightlifters and matched controls.

    PubMed

    Sitilertpisan, Patraporn; Pirunsan, Ubon; Puangmali, Aatit; Ratanapinunchai, Jonjin; Kiatwattanacharoen, Suchart; Neamin, Hudsaleark; Laskin, James J

    2011-11-01

    To compare lateral abdominal muscle thickness between weightlifters and matched controls. A case control study design. University laboratory. 16 female Thai national weightlifters and 16 matched controls participated in this study. Ultrasound imaging with a 12-MHz linear array was used to measure the resting thickness of transversus abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO) and total thickness (Total) of lateral abdominal muscle (LAM) on the right side of abdominal wall. The absolute muscle thickness and the relative contribution of each muscle to the total thickness were determined. Weightlifters had significantly thicker absolute TrA and IO muscles than matched controls (p < 0.01). Further, the relative thickness of the IO was significantly greater in weightlifters than matched controls (p < 0.05). The findings of this study suggest that routine Olympic style weight training among female weightlifters appears to result in preferential hypertrophy or adaptation of the IO muscle. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Normal aging reduces motor synergies in manual pointing.

    PubMed

    Verrel, Julius; Lövdén, Martin; Lindenberger, Ulman

    2012-01-01

    Depending upon its organization, movement variability may reflect poor or flexible control of a motor task. We studied adult age-related differences in the structure of postural variability in manual pointing using the uncontrolled manifold (UCM) method. Participants from 2 age groups (younger: 20-30 years; older: 70-80 years; 12 subjects per group) completed a total of 120 pointing trials to 2 different targets presented according to 3 schedules: blocked, alternating, and random. The age groups were similar with respect to basic kinematic variables, end point precision, as well as the accuracy of the biomechanical forward model of the arm. Following the uncontrolled manifold approach, goal-equivalent and nongoal-equivalent components of postural variability (goal-equivalent variability [GEV] and nongoal-equivalent variability [NGEV]) were determined for 5 time points of the movements (start, 10%, 50%, 90%, and end) and used to define a synergy index reflecting the flexibility/stability aspect of motor synergies. Toward the end of the movement, younger adults showed higher synergy indexes than older adults. Effects of target schedule were not reliable. We conclude that normal aging alters the organization of common multidegree-of-freedom movements, with older adults making less flexible use of motor abundance than younger adults. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Elevated cerebral glutamate and myo-inositol levels in cognitively normal middle-aged adults with metabolic syndrome.

    PubMed

    Haley, Andreana P; Gonzales, Mitzi M; Tarumi, Takashi; Miles, Steven C; Goudarzi, Katayoon; Tanaka, Hirofumi

    2010-12-01

    Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of risk factors associated with significant cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and diminished cognitive function. Given that the cerebral mechanisms mediating the relationship between peripheral metabolic dysfunction and cognitive impairment are unknown, we set out to examine the relationship between diagnosis of metabolic syndrome and cerebral metabolism. Thirteen participants with MetS (aged 48 ± 6 years) and 25 healthy adults (aged 51 ± 6 years) underwent neuropsychological assessment, health screen and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H MRS) examining N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), myo-inositol (mI), creatine (Cr), choline (Cho), and glutamate (Glu) concentrations in occipitoparietal grey matter. Cerebral metabolite ratios (NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr, mI/Cr, and Glu/Cr) of participants with MetS, defined by the International Diabetes Federation criteria, were compared with controls matched for age, education, cognition, and emotional function. There were no significant differences in global cognitive function, memory, language, and psychomotor performance between the groups. Diagnosis of MetS was associated with significantly higher mI/Cr (F(1,36) = 5.02, p = 0.031) and Glu/Cr ratio (F(1,36) = 4.81, p = 0.035). Even in cognitively normal adults, MetS is related to cerebral metabolic disturbances, a possible indication of early brain vulnerability. Longitudinal studies that begin in mid-life can help validate the use of (1)H MRS markers as indicators of long-term cognitive outcomes.

  2. Interaction of older donor age and survival after weight-matched pediatric heart transplantation.

    PubMed

    Westbrook, Thomas C; Morales, David L S; Khan, Muhammad S; Bryant, Roosevelt; Castleberry, Chesney; Chin, Clifford; Zafar, Farhan

    2017-05-01

    Donors are matched for weight in pediatric heart transplantation (PHT), yet age differences are not considered in this decision. In this study we attempt to identify the effect of age differences in weight-matched patients and the effect these differences have on post-transplant survival. The United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) database was queried for the period from October 1987 to March 2014 for all pediatric heart transplant patients. Transplants with donor-to-recipient (D-R) weight ratios of 0.8 to 1.5 were identified (weight-matched). D-R age differences were categorized as: donors 5 years younger than recipients (DR+5). A total of 4,408 patients were identified as weight-matched transplants. Of these transplants, 681 were D>R+5, 3,596 were D=R±5 and 131 were DR+5 transplants were found to be associated with decreased post-transplant survival compared with D=R±5 (p = 0.002). Rates of acute rejection were similar among all groups but post-transplant coronary allograft vasculopathy (CAV) was more prevalent in D>R+5 than D=R±5 patients (28% and 18%, respectively; p < 0.001). Increasing age difference by each year was associated with decreasing median post-transplant survival time (p < 0.001; hazard ratio 1.018, range 1.011 to 1.025). The overall negative association with mortality was due to the adolescent cohort (11 to 17 years), specifically D>R+5 transplants, utilizing organs from donors >25 of age. In PHT, increasing D-R age difference decreases survival; however, this effect is driven by recipients 11 to 17 years old and donors >25 years old. Allocation of younger donor organs to adolescent recipients should be a priority. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. The aging mouth: differentiating normal aging from disease.

    PubMed

    Lamster, Ira B; Asadourian, Lynda; Del Carmen, Tessa; Friedman, Paula K

    2016-10-01

    Aging is the physiologic change that occurs over time. In humans, this change occurs at different rates and are related to lifestyle, environment and genetics. It can be challenging to differentiate normal aging from disease. In the oral cavity, with increasing age the teeth demonstrate wearing of the enamel, chipping and fracture lines, and a darker color. The pulp chamber and canals are reduced in size as a result of the deposition of secondary dentin. Coronal or root caries, however, represent disease. A limited amount of periodontal attachment loss occurs in association with aging, usually manifesting as recession on the buccal surface of teeth. Severe periodontitis occurs in 10.5-12% of the population, with the peak incidence being observed at 35-40 years of age. Changes to the mucosal tissue that occur with age include reduced wound-healing capacity. However, environmental factors, such as smoking, dramatically increase the risk of mucosal pathology. Reduced salivary gland function is often seen in association with medication usage, as well as with disorders such as diabetes mellitus. Both medication use and chronic disorders are more common in older adults. Masticatory function is of particular importance for older adults. Maintenance of a nutritionally complete diet is important for avoiding sarcopenia and the frailty syndrome. Successful oral aging is associated with adequate function and comfort. A reduced, but functional, dentition of 20 teeth in occlusion has been proposed as a measure of successful oral aging. Healthy oral aging is important to healthy aging from both biological and social perspectives. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Signaling pathway activation drift during aging: Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome fibroblasts are comparable to normal middle-age and old-age cells.

    PubMed

    Aliper, Alexander M; Csoka, Antonei Benjamin; Buzdin, Anton; Jetka, Tomasz; Roumiantsev, Sergey; Moskalev, Alexy; Zhavoronkov, Alex

    2015-01-01

    For the past several decades, research in understanding the molecular basis of human aging has progressed significantly with the analysis of premature aging syndromes. Progerin, an altered form of lamin A, has been identified as the cause of premature aging in Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS), and may be a contributing causative factor in normal aging. However, the question of whether HGPS actually recapitulates the normal aging process at the cellular and organismal level, or simply mimics the aging phenotype is widely debated. In the present study we analyzed publicly available microarray datasets for fibroblasts undergoing cellular aging in culture, as well as fibroblasts derived from young, middle-age, and old-age individuals, and patients with HGPS. Using GeroScope pathway analysis and drug discovery platform we analyzed the activation states of 65 major cellular signaling pathways. Our analysis reveals that signaling pathway activation states in cells derived from chronologically young patients with HGPS strongly resemble cells taken from normal middle-aged and old individuals. This clearly indicates that HGPS may truly represent accelerated aging, rather than being just a simulacrum. Our data also points to potential pathways that could be targeted to develop drugs and drug combinations for both HGPS and normal aging.

  5. Comparison of Morphological Characteristics of the Subaxial Cervical Spine between Athetoid Cerebral Palsy and Normal Control.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jun Young; Kwon, Jae Yeol; Kim, Moon Seok; Lee, Jeong Jae; Kim, Il Sup; Hong, Jae Taek

    2018-03-01

    To compare the morphometry of subaxial cervical spine between cerebral palsy (CP) and normal control. We retrospectively analyzed 72 patients with CP, as well as 72 patients from normal population. The two groups were matched for age, sex, and body mass index. Pedicle, lateral mass (LM), and vertebral foramen were evaluated using computed tomography (CT) imaging. Pedicle diameter, LM height, thickness, width and vertebral foramen asymmetry (VFA) were measured and compared between the two groups. Cervical dynamic motion, disc and facet joint degeneration were investigated. Additionally, we compared the morphology of LM between convex side and concave side with cervical scoliotic CP patients. LM height was smaller in CP group. LM thickness and width were larger in CP group at mid-cervical level. In 40 CP patients with cervical scoliosis, there were no height and width differences between convex and concave side. Pedicle outer diameter was not statistically different between two groups. Pedicle inner diameter was significantly smaller in CP group. Pedicle sclerosis was more frequent in CP patients. VFA was larger in CP group at C3, C4, and C5. Disc/facet degeneration grade was higher in the CP group. Cervical motion of CP group was smaller than those of the control group. LM morphology of CP patients was different from normal population. Sclerotic pedicles and vertebral foramen asymmetry were more commonly identified in CP patients. CP patients were more likely to demonstrate progressive disc/facet degeneration. This data may provide useful information on cervical posterior instrumentation in CP patients.

  6. Community integration outcomes of people with spinal cord injury and multiple matched controls: A pilot study.

    PubMed

    Callaway, Libby; Enticott, Joanne; Farnworth, Louise; McDonald, Rachael; Migliorini, Christine; Willer, Barry

    2017-06-01

    Australia's National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is designed to influence home, social and economic participation for Scheme participants. Given the major disability reform underway, this pilot study aimed to: (i) examine community integration outcomes of people with spinal cord injury (SCI); (ii) compare findings with multiple matched controls and (iii) consider findings within the context of Australia's NDIS. Setting: Victoria, Australia. Matched analysis (people with and without SCI). Community Integration Questionnaire (CIQ). n = 40 adults with SCI (M age = 52.8 years; 61% male; 77% traumatic SCI). Matched analyses from each SCI subject aged <70 years (n = 31) with four CIQ normative data subjects (from n = 1927) was undertaken, with key demographic variables matched (age range, gender, living location and living situation). Risk of low CIQ score as a function of SCI was also examined using conditional Poisson regression. With key demographic variables held constant, small to medium effect sizes were found in favour of the normative sample, with statistically significant differences in home (ρ = 0.003) and productivity integration (ρ = 0.02). Relative risk of low home integration was significant in the SCI cohort (conditional RR (95% CI) = 3.1 (1.5-6.3), ρ = 0.001). Relative risk of low CIQ total, social integration and productivity scores did not reach significance. This cohort of SCI participants was less integrated into home and productive occupations than matched norms, holding implications for planning and allocation of supports to influence outcomes within an NDIS. Further research is necessary to understand community integration outcomes in larger matched samples. © 2016 Occupational Therapy Australia.

  7. Effects of education on aging-related cortical thinning among cognitively normal individuals.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jun Pyo; Seo, Sang Won; Shin, Hee Young; Ye, Byoung Seok; Yang, Jin-Ju; Kim, Changsoo; Kang, Mira; Jeon, Seun; Kim, Hee Jin; Cho, Hanna; Kim, Jung-Hyun; Lee, Jong-Min; Kim, Sung Tae; Na, Duk L; Guallar, Eliseo

    2015-09-01

    We aimed to investigate the relationship between education and cortical thickness in cognitively normal individuals to determine whether education attenuated the association of advanced aging and cortical thinning. A total of 1,959 participants, in whom education levels were available, were included in the final analysis. Cortical thickness was measured on high-resolution MRIs using a surface-based method. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed for education level and cortical thickness, after controlling for possible confounders. High levels of education were correlated with increased mean cortical thickness throughout the entire cortex (p = 0.003). This association persisted after controlling for vascular risk factors. Statistical maps of cortical thickness showed that the high levels of education were correlated with increased cortical thickness in the bilateral premotor areas, anterior cingulate cortices, perisylvian areas, right superior parietal lobule, left lingual gyrus, and occipital pole. There were also interactive effects of age and education on the mean cortical thickness (p = 0.019). Our findings suggest the protective effect of education on cortical thinning in cognitively normal older individuals, regardless of vascular risk factors. This effect was found only in the older participants, suggesting that the protective effects of education on cortical thickness might be achieved by increased resistance to structural loss from aging rather than by simply providing a fixed advantage in the brain. © 2015 American Academy of Neurology.

  8. Influence of aging and chronic heart failure on temporal dispersion of myocardial repolarization.

    PubMed

    Piccirillo, Gianfranco; Moscucci, Federica; Pascucci, Matteo; Pappadà, Maria Antonella; D'Alessandro, Gaetana; Rossi, Pietro; Quaglione, Raffaele; Di Barba, Daniele; Barillà, Francesco; Magrì, Damiano

    2013-01-01

    QT and T(peak)-T(end) (Te) intervals are associated with sudden cardiac death in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). We studied age-dependent influence on short-term temporal dispersion of these two variables in patients with postischemic CHF. We grouped 75 CHF and 53 healthy control subjects into three age subsets: ≤ 50 years, >50 years and ≤ 65 years, and >65 years. We then calculated the following indices: QT and Te variability index (QTVI and TeVI), the ratio between the short-term variability (STV) of QT or Te, and the STV of resting rate (RR) (QT/RR STV and Te/RR STV). In all different age subgroups, patients with CHF showed a higher level of QTVI than age-matched control subjects (≤ 50 years: P < 0.0001; >50 years and ≤ 65 years: P < 0.05; >65 years: P < 0.05). Patients with CHF < 50 years old also had all repolarization variability indices higher than normal age-matched controls (TeVI, P < 0.05; QT/RR STV, P < 0.05; Te/RR STV, P < 0.05), whereas we did not find any difference between the two older classes of subjects. Both QTVI (r²: 0.178, P < 0.05) and TeVI (r²: 0.433, P < 0.001) were positively related to age in normal subjects, even if the first correlation was weaker than the second one. Our data showed that QTVI could be used in all ages to evaluate repolarization temporal liability, whereas the other indices are deeply influenced by age. Probably, the age-dependent increase in QTVI was more influenced by a reduction of RR variability reported in older normal subjects.

  9. Individual and interpersonal emotion regulation among adults with substance use disorders and matched controls.

    PubMed

    Dingle, Genevieve A; Neves, Diana da Costa; Alhadad, Sakinah S J; Hides, Leanne

    2018-06-01

    Self-report studies show that negative emotional states and ineffective use of emotion regulation strategies are key maintaining factors of substance use disorders (SUD). However, experimental research into emotional processing in adults with SUD is in its infancy. Theoretical conceptualizations of emotion regulation have shifted from a focus on individual (internal) processes to one that encompasses social and interpersonal functions - including the regulation of facial expression of emotion. The purpose of this study was to examine the individual and interpersonal emotion regulation capacity of 35 adults in residential treatment diagnosed with a SUD compared to 35 demographically matched controls (both samples M age  = 25 years; 37% females). Participants completed a facial emotion expression flexibility task while viewing emotive images, as well as the Difficulties of Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and the Social (Emotion) Expectancy Scale (SES). Adults in SUD treatment experienced significantly more emotion regulation difficulties on all DERS subscales than controls. They also reported higher levels of negative self-evaluation and social expectancies not to feel negative emotions (anxiety and depression) compared to controls. Moreover, when viewing emotive images, the treatment sample showed significantly less flexibility of their emotional expression compared to the control sample. These findings demonstrate that the awareness, expression, and regulation of emotions are particularly difficult for people with SUD and this may maintain their substance use and provide an important target for treatment. Compared to matched controls, adults with substance use disorders self-report significantly more difficulties with emotional awareness and regulation. Compared to matched controls, adults with substance use disorders report significantly greater expectancies not to show depression and anxiety. When viewing positive and negative images, adults with substance use

  10. A Comparison of the Metalinguistic Performance and Spelling Development of Children With Inconsistent Speech Sound Disorder and Their Age-Matched and Reading-Matched Peers.

    PubMed

    McNeill, Brigid C; Wolter, Julie; Gillon, Gail T

    2017-05-17

    This study explored the specific nature of a spelling impairment in children with speech sound disorder (SSD) in relation to metalinguistic predictors of spelling development. The metalinguistic (phoneme, morphological, and orthographic awareness) and spelling development of 28 children ages 6-8 years with a history of inconsistent SSD were compared to those of their age-matched (n = 28) and reading-matched (n = 28) peers. Analysis of the literacy outcomes of children within the cohort with persistent (n = 18) versus resolved (n = 10) SSD was also conducted. The age-matched peers outperformed the SSD group on all measures. Children with SSD performed comparably to their reading-matched peers on metalinguistic measures but exhibited lower spelling scores. Children with persistent SSD generally had less favorable outcomes than children with resolved SSD; however, even children with resolved SSD performed poorly on normative spelling measures. Children with SSD have a specific difficulty with spelling that is not commensurate with their metalinguistic and reading ability. Although low metalinguistic awareness appears to inhibit these children's spelling development, other factors should be considered, such as nonverbal rehearsal during spelling attempts and motoric ability. Integration of speech-production and spelling-intervention goals is important to enhance literacy outcomes for this group.

  11. Sleep bruxism in individuals with and without attrition-type tooth wear: An exploratory matched case-control electromyographic study.

    PubMed

    Jonsgar, Christine; Hordvik, Paul-Arne; Berge, Morten E; Johansson, Ann-Katrin; Svensson, Peter; Johansson, Anders

    2015-12-01

    To examine if there is a difference in possible sleep bruxism activity (SB) in subjects with or without attrition-type tooth wear. Sixteen individuals with pronounced attritional-type tooth wear were compared with sex and aged matched controls without tooth wear by means of measurement of electromyographic (EMG) activity during a minimum of four consecutive nights of sleep. Mean age and range for the study- and control- group was 23.7 years (range 19.9-28.5) and 23.6 years (range 20.3-27.9), respectively. There were 11 females and five males in each of the two groups. The attrition group presented incisal/occlusal attrition wear into dentin and matching wear facets between opposing anterior teeth. The controls had negligible signs of incisal/occlusal wear and a minimal number of matching wear facets. The prevalence of both self-reported and partner-reported SB was significantly more common in the attrition group compared to the controls (P=0.04 and P=0.007, respectively). Self-reported morning facial pain was similarly more common in the attrition group (P=0.014). Maximum opening capacity, number of muscles painful to palpation, salivary flow rate and buffering capacity were not significantly different between the groups. Interestingly, none of the measures of jaw muscle EMG activity during sleep, as recorded by the portable EMG equipment, differed significantly between the attrition group and the matched controls (P>0.05). The results from this exploratory study suggest that there is no difference in EMG activity between subjects with and without attrition-type tooth wear. Further research is needed in order to substantiate these preliminary findings. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  12. The effect of backpack weight on the standing posture and balance of schoolgirls with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and normal controls.

    PubMed

    Chow, Daniel H K; Kwok, Monica L Y; Cheng, Jack C Y; Lao, Miko L M; Holmes, Andrew D; Au-Yang, Alexander; Yao, Fiona Y D; Wong, M S

    2006-10-01

    Concerns have been raised regarding the effect of carrying a backpack on adolescent posture and balance, but the effect of backpack loading combined with other factors affecting balance, such as adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), has not been determined. This study examines the effects of backpack load on the posture and balance of schoolgirls with AIS and normal controls. The standing posture of 26 schoolgirls with mild AIS (mean age 13, Cobb angle 10-25 degrees ) and 20 age-matched normal schoolgirls were recorded without a backpack and while carrying a standard dual-strap backpack loaded at 7.5%, 10%, 12.5% and 15% of the subject's bodyweight (BW). Kinematics of the pelvis, trunk and head were recorded using a motion analysis system and centre of pressure (COP) data were recorded using a force platform. Reliable COP data could only be derived for 13 of the subjects with AIS. Increasing backpack load causes a significantly increased flexion of the trunk in relation to the pelvis and extension of the head in relation to the trunk, as well as increased antero-posterior range of COP motion. While backpack load appears to affect balance predominantly in the antero-posterior direction, differences between groups were more evident in the medio-lateral direction, with AIS subjects showing poor balance in this direction. Overall, carrying a backpack causes similar sagittal plane changes in posture and balance in both normal and AIS groups. Load size or subject group did not influence balance, but the additive effect of backpack carrying and AIS on postural control alters the risk of fall in this population. Therefore, load limit recommendations based on normal subjects should not be applicable to subjects with AIS.

  13. Diurnal changes in postural control in normal children: Computerized static and dynamic assessments.

    PubMed

    Bourelle, Sophie; Taiar, Redha; Berge, Benoit; Gautheron, Vincent; Cottalorda, Jerome

    2014-01-01

    Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) causes postural control deficits and accordingly comparison of aberrant postural control against normal postural control may help diagnose mTBI. However, in the current literature, little is known regarding the normal pattern of postural control in young children. This study was therefore conducted as an effort to fill this knowledge gap. Eight normal school-aged children participated. Posture assessment was conducted before (7-8 a.m. in the morning) and after (4-7 p.m. in the afternoon) school on regular school days using the Balance Master® evaluation system composed of 3 static tests and 2 dynamic balance tests. A significant difference in the weight-bearing squats was detected between morning hours and afternoon hours (P < 0.05). By end of afternoon, the body weight was borne mainly on the left side with the knee fully extended and at various degrees of knee flexion. A significantly better directional control of the lateral rhythmic weight shifts was observed at the end of the afternoon than at morning hours (P < 0.05). In summary, most of our findings are inconsistent with results from previous studies in adults, suggesting age-related differences in posture control in humans. On a regular school day, the capacity of postural control and laterality or medio-lateral balance in children varies between morning and afternoon hours. We suggest that posturographic assessment in children, either in normal (e.g., physical education and sports training) or in abnormal conditions (e.g., mTBI-associated balance disorders), be better performed late in the afternoon.

  14. Psychosocial factors in childhood pedestrian injury: a matched case-control study. Kid's'n'Cars Team.

    PubMed

    Christoffel, K K; Donovan, M; Schofer, J; Wills, K; Lavigne, J V

    1996-01-01

    Psychosocial factors--such as hyperactivity and low family cohesion--contribute to the risk for child pedestrian injury (PI), even after controlling for known demographic risk factors. Urban PI victims aged 5 to 12 years were recruited from one large, urban pediatric trauma center in a large city. One hundred twenty-eight cases were matched to uninjured children on age, sex, race, location of residence, and parental education. Among matched cases: 70% were male, 41% were black, 33% were Hispanic, and 66% of the mothers had a high school education or less. RESEARCH DESIGN AND MEASUREMENTS: Case-control comparisons on 19 psychosocial variables drawn from interviews and standardized tests, using one-tailed matched-pairs t tests and conditional logistic regression analyses. Cases had higher reported physical quotient [PQ] (P = .01), self-help quotient (P = .04), and family stress (P = .02), and lower family supportiveness (P = .03). Multivariate analyses confirmed that PQ was higher in cases (10-point increase: odds ratio (OR) = 1.32 [90% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.76], that stress was higher in cases (1 log increase: OR 2.13, [1.26-3.61]), and that cases had lower family supportiveness (25-point decrease: OR 1.43 [1.25-1.63]). It also identified household crowding as a factor for non-black cases (OR for increase of 0.25 people per room: 2.18, [1.31-3.62]). Even when controlling for demographic risk, several family factors and one child factor place children at risk for PI. Clinicians may choose to use these as indicators for injury prevention counseling. Research on family effects may help clarify means to protect children who are demographically at risk for PI.

  15. Effects of Age and Working Memory Capacity on Speech Recognition Performance in Noise Among Listeners With Normal Hearing.

    PubMed

    Gordon-Salant, Sandra; Cole, Stacey Samuels

    2016-01-01

    This study aimed to determine if younger and older listeners with normal hearing who differ on working memory span perform differently on speech recognition tests in noise. Older adults typically exhibit poorer speech recognition scores in noise than younger adults, which is attributed primarily to poorer hearing sensitivity and more limited working memory capacity in older than younger adults. Previous studies typically tested older listeners with poorer hearing sensitivity and shorter working memory spans than younger listeners, making it difficult to discern the importance of working memory capacity on speech recognition. This investigation controlled for hearing sensitivity and compared speech recognition performance in noise by younger and older listeners who were subdivided into high and low working memory groups. Performance patterns were compared for different speech materials to assess whether or not the effect of working memory capacity varies with the demands of the specific speech test. The authors hypothesized that (1) normal-hearing listeners with low working memory span would exhibit poorer speech recognition performance in noise than those with high working memory span; (2) older listeners with normal hearing would show poorer speech recognition scores than younger listeners with normal hearing, when the two age groups were matched for working memory span; and (3) an interaction between age and working memory would be observed for speech materials that provide contextual cues. Twenty-eight older (61 to 75 years) and 25 younger (18 to 25 years) normal-hearing listeners were assigned to groups based on age and working memory status. Northwestern University Auditory Test No. 6 words and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers sentences were presented in noise using an adaptive procedure to measure the signal-to-noise ratio corresponding to 50% correct performance. Cognitive ability was evaluated with two tests of working memory (Listening

  16. Normalization of auditory evoked potential and visual evoked potential in patients with idiot savant.

    PubMed

    Chen, X; Zhang, M; Wang, J; Lou, F; Liang, J

    1999-03-01

    To investigate the variations of auditory evoked potentials (AEP) and visual evoked potentials (VEP) of patients with idiot savant (IS) syndrome. Both AEP and VEP were recorded from 7 patients with IS syndrome, 21 mentally retarded (MR) children without the syndrome and 21 normally age-matched controls, using a Dantec concerto SEEG-16 BEAM instrument. Both AEP and VEP of MR group showed significantly longer latencies (P1 and P2 latencies of AEP, P < 0.01; N1 and N2 latencies of VEP, P < 0.01/0.05), lower P2 amplitudes (P < 0.01) and higher P3 amplitudes (P < 0.01), as compared with normal controls. But none of above-mentioned changes was found with IS group. Almost all MR patients (90.1%) presented P4 component in both AEP and VEP, which was also in sharp contrast with its incidence in other 2 groups (IS: 14.3%; normal controls: 9.5%). Patients with idiot savant syndrome presented normalized AEP and VEP.

  17. Excess atherosclerosis in systemic lupus erythematosus,—A matter of renal involvement: Case control study of 281 SLE patients and 281 individually matched population controls

    PubMed Central

    Gustafsson, Johanna T.; Herlitz Lindberg, Marie; Gunnarsson, Iva; Pettersson, Susanne; Elvin, Kerstin; Öhrvik, John; Larsson, Anders; Jensen-Urstad, Kerstin

    2017-01-01

    Background Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), is a heterogeneous disease which predominantly affects young females (90%). SLE is associated with a shorter life expectancy than in the general population. Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) of 2.4 have been reported, which is comparable to diabetes. In modern societies cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the major cause of premature mortality. Accelerated atherosclerosis is generally assumed to be the underlying cause for SLE related CVD. However, previous studies diverge regarding whether atherosclerosis is more common in SLE than in controls. With this in mind and based on own clinical experience we hypothesized that accelerated atherosclerosis is not a general feature of SLE, but prevails in SLE subgroups. Methods 281 SLE patients and 281 individually age and sex matched population controls, were investigated clinically. Fasting blood samples and risk factor data were collected. All participants were subject to B-mode ultrasonography of the carotid arteries. Carotid plaque occurrence and mean intima media thickness (mIMT) were recorded. Two SLE subgroups previously described to be at high CVD risk; 1) patients with nephritis and 2) patients with anti-phospholipid antibodies (aPL), and one subgroup reported to be at comparatively lower CVD risk; patients positive for Sjögren´s syndrome antigens A/B (SSA/SSB) antibodies were analyzed separately in comparison with their respective matched controls. Results Median age was 49 (IQR 36–59) years, 93% were females. Manifest CVD; ischemic heart, cerebro- and peripheral vascular disease, prevailed in patients (12% vs. 1%, p<0.0001). Overall plaque prevalence did not differ (20% vs. 16%), but patients had slightly higher mIMT than controls (0.56 vs. 0.53 mm, p<0.0033). After age adjustment plaques, but not mIMT, remained associated with previous CVD events. Therefore we focused further analyses on plaques, a more robust measure of atherosclerosis. Patients with nephritis

  18. Match running performance and skill execution improves with age but not the number of disposals in young Australian footballers.

    PubMed

    Gastin, Paul B; Tangalos, Christie; Torres, Lorena; Robertson, Sam

    2017-12-01

    This study investigated age-related differences in maturity, physical and functional characteristics and playing performance in youth Australian Football (AF). Young male players (n = 156) were recruited from 12 teams across 6 age groups (U10-U15) of a recreational AF club. All players were tested for body size, maturity and fitness. Player performance was assessed during a match in which disposals (kicks and handballs) and their effectiveness were coded from a video recording and match running performance measured using Global Positioning System. Significant main effects (P < 0.01) for age group were observed for age, years to peak height velocity, body mass, height, 20 m sprint, maximal speed over 20 m, vertical jump, 20 m multistage shuttle run, match distance, high-speed running distance, peak speed, number of effective disposals and percentage of effective disposals. Age-related differences in fitness characteristics (speed, lower body power and endurance) appeared to transfer to match running performance. The frequency in which players disposed of the football did not differ between age groups, however the effectiveness of each disposal (i.e., % effective disposals) improved with age. Match statistics, particularly those that evaluate skill execution outcome (i.e., effectiveness), are useful to assess performance and to track player development over time. Differences between age groups, and probably variability within age groups, are strongly associated with chronological age and maturity.

  19. Evaluation of the vaginal flora in pregnant women receiving opioid maintenance therapy: a matched case-control study.

    PubMed

    Farr, Alex; Kiss, Herbert; Hagmann, Michael; Holzer, Iris; Kueronya, Verena; Husslein, Peter W; Petricevic, Ljubomir

    2016-08-05

    Vaginal infections are a risk factor for preterm delivery. In this study, we sought to evaluate the vaginal flora of pregnant women receiving opioid maintenance therapy (OMT) in comparison to non-dependent, non-maintained controls. A total of 3763 women with singleton pregnancies who underwent routine screening for asymptomatic vaginal infections between 10 + 0 and 16 + 0 gestational weeks were examined. Vaginal smears were Gram-stained, and microscopically evaluated for bacterial vaginosis, candidiasis, and trichomoniasis. In a retrospective manner, data of 132 women receiving OMT (cases) were matched for age, ethnicity, parity, education, previous preterm delivery, and smoking status to the data of 3631 controls. The vaginal flora at antenatal screening served as the primary outcome measure. Secondary outcome measures were gestational age and birth weight. In the OMT group, 62/132 (47 %) pregnant women received methadone, 39/132 (29.5 %) buprenorphine, and 31/132 (23.5 %) slow-release oral morphine. Normal or intermediate flora was found in 72/132 OMT women (54.5 %) and 2865/3631 controls [78.9 %; OR 0.49 (95 % CI, 0.33-0.71); p < 0.001]. Candidiasis occurred more frequently in OMT women than in controls [OR 2.11 (95 % CI, 1.26-3.27); p < 0.001]. Findings were inconclusive regarding bacterial vaginosis (± candidiasis) and trichomoniasis. Compared to infants of the control group, those of women with OMT had a lower mean birth weight [MD -165.3 g (95 % CI, -283.6 to -46.9); p = 0.006]. Pregnant women with OMT are at risk for asymptomatic vaginal infections. As recurrent candidiasis is associated with preterm delivery, the vulnerability of this patient population should lead to consequent antenatal infection screening at early gestation.

  20. Stiffness and Damping in Postural Control Increase with Age

    PubMed Central

    Cenciarini, Massimo; Loughlin, Patrick J.; Sparto, Patrick J.; Redfern, Mark S.

    2011-01-01

    Upright balance is believed to be maintained through active and passive mechanisms, both of which have been shown to be impacted by aging. A compensatory balance response often observed in older adults is increased co-contraction, which is generally assumed to enhance stability by increasing joint stiffness. We investigated the effect of aging on standing balance by fitting body sway data to a previously-developed postural control model that includes active and passive stiffness and damping parameters. Ten young (24 ± 3 y) and seven older (75 ± 5 y) adults were exposed during eyes-closed stance to perturbations consisting of lateral pseudorandom floor tilts. A least-squares fit of the measured body sway data to the postural control model found significantly larger active stiffness and damping model parameters in the older adults. These differences remained significant even after normalizing to account for different body sizes between the young and older adult groups. An age effect was also found for the normalized passive stiffness, but not for the normalized passive damping parameter. This concurrent increase in active stiffness and damping was shown to be more stabilizing than an increase in stiffness alone, as assessed by oscillations in the postural control model impulse response. PMID:19770083

  1. Neuronal Function in Male Sprague Dawley Rats During Normal Ageing.

    PubMed

    Idowu, A J; Olatunji-Bello, I I; Olagunju, J A

    2017-03-06

    During normal ageing, there are physiological changes especially in high energy demanding tissues including the brain and skeletal muscles. Ageing may disrupt homeostasis and allow tissue vulnerability to disease. To establish an appropriate animal model which is readily available and will be useful to test therapeutic strategies during normal ageing, we applied behavioral approaches to study age-related changes in memory and motor function as a basis for neuronal function in ageing in male Sprague Dawley rats. 3 months, n=5; 6 months, n=5 and 18 months, n=5 male Sprague Dawley Rats were tested using the Novel Object Recognition Task (NORT) and the Elevated plus Maze (EPM) Test. Data was analyzed by ANOVA and the Newman-Keuls post hoc test. The results showed an age-related gradual decline in exploratory behavior and locomotor activity with increasing age in 3 months, 6 months and 18 months old rats, although the values were not statistically significant, but grooming activity significantly increased with increasing age. Importantly, we established a novel finding that the minimum distance from the novel object was statistically significant between 3 months and 18 months old rats and this may be an index for age-related memory impairment in the NORT. Altogether, we conclude that the male Sprague Dawley rat show age-related changes in neuronal function and may be a useful model for carrying out investigations into the mechanisms involved in normal ageing.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Improving excellence in scoliosis rehabilitation: a controlled study of matched pairs.

    PubMed

    Weiss, H-R; Klein, R

    2006-01-01

    Physiotherapy programmes so far mainly address the lateral deformity of scoliosis, a few aim at the correction of rotation and only very few address the sagittal profile. Meanwhile, there is evidence that correction forces applied in the sagittal plane are also able to correct the scoliotic deformity in the coronal and frontal planes. So it should be possible to improve excellence in scoliosis rehabilitation by the implementation of exercises to correct the sagittal deformity in scoliosis patients. An exercise programme (physio-logic exercises) aiming at a physiologic sagittal profile was developed to add to the programme applied at the centre or to replace certain exercises or exercising positions. To test the hypothesis that physio-logic exercises improve the outcome of Scoliosis Intensive Rehabilitation (SIR), the following study design was chosen: Prospective controlled trial of pairs of patients with idiopathic scoliosis matched by sex, age, Cobb angle and curve pattern. There were 18 patients in the treatment group (SIR + physio-logic exercises) and 18 patients in the control group (SIR only), all in matched pairs. Average Cobb angle in the treatment group was 34.5 degrees (SD 7.8) Cobb angle in the control group was 31.6 degrees (SD 5.8). Age in the treatment group was at average 15.3 years (SD 1.1) and in the control group 14.7 years (SD 1.3). Thirteen of the 18 patients in either group had a brace. Outcome parameter: average lateral deviation (mm), average surface rotation ( degrees ) and maximum Kyphosis angle ( degrees ) as evaluated with the help of surface topography (Formetric-system). Lateral deviation (mm) decreased significantly after the performance of the physio-logic programme and highly significantly in the physio-logic ADL posture; however, it was not significant after completion of the whole rehabilitation programme (2.3 vs 0.3 mm in the controls). Surface rotation improved at average 1.2 degrees in the treatment group and 0.8 degrees in the

  5. [Influence of three booster doses hepatitis B vaccine on the persistence of immune-protection among infants with normal and high antibody response to primary vaccination: a matched case-control study].

    PubMed

    Feng, Yi; Lyu, Jingjing; Liu, Jiaye; Yan, Bingyu; Song, Lizhi; Liang, Xiaofeng; Li, Li; Zhang, Guomin; Wang, Fuzhen; Zhang, Li; Xu, Aiqiang

    2016-04-01

    To examine the influence of three-booster-doses hepatitis B vaccines on children with normal and high antibody response to primary vaccination. Antibody against hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) were detected after primary vaccination and children with normal or high response to hepatitis B primary vaccination at infancy, were identified. Children who were given three booster doses were selected to form the booster group and who were given no booster dose were 1∶1 matched with the same gender and residence to form the control group. Blood samples were obtained from all the participants and tested for anti-HBs and anti-HBc, 5 years after the primary vaccination. The positive rates of anti-HBs response to primary vaccination were 97.39% (224/230, 95% CI: 94.41%-99.04%) in the booster group and 53.91% (124/230, 95% CI: 47.24%-60.48%) in the control group (P<0.05), 5 years after the primary vaccination. Geometric mean concentration (GMC) of anti-HBs were 1 140.02 (887.46-1 464.46) mIU/ml in the booster group and 11.53 (8.73-15.23) mIU/ml in the control group (P<0.05). The prevalence rates of breakthrough HBV infection were 0.87% (2/230) in the booster group and 2.17%(5/230) in the control group (P>0.05). RESULTS from the multivariable analysis showed that the booster doses (OR=38.75, 95%CI: 16.23-92.54) and the level of anti-HBs after the primary vaccination (OR =3.06, 95%CI:1.51-6.17) were independently associated with the positive rates of anti-HBs, 5 years after the primary vaccination (P<0.05). Programs with three booster doses to children that showing normal and high antibody response to primary vaccination could improve the persistence of anti-HBs but possibly would not be able to prevent the HBV infection.

  6. Matched samples logistic regression in case-control studies with missing values: when to break the matches.

    PubMed

    Hansson, Lisbeth; Khamis, Harry J

    2008-12-01

    Simulated data sets are used to evaluate conditional and unconditional maximum likelihood estimation in an individual case-control design with continuous covariates when there are different rates of excluded cases and different levels of other design parameters. The effectiveness of the estimation procedures is measured by method bias, variance of the estimators, root mean square error (RMSE) for logistic regression and the percentage of explained variation. Conditional estimation leads to higher RMSE than unconditional estimation in the presence of missing observations, especially for 1:1 matching. The RMSE is higher for the smaller stratum size, especially for the 1:1 matching. The percentage of explained variation appears to be insensitive to missing data, but is generally higher for the conditional estimation than for the unconditional estimation. It is particularly good for the 1:2 matching design. For minimizing RMSE, a high matching ratio is recommended; in this case, conditional and unconditional logistic regression models yield comparable levels of effectiveness. For maximizing the percentage of explained variation, the 1:2 matching design with the conditional logistic regression model is recommended.

  7. Influence of aging and chronic heart failure on temporal dispersion of myocardial repolarization

    PubMed Central

    Piccirillo, Gianfranco; Moscucci, Federica; Pascucci, Matteo; Pappadà, Maria Antonella; D’Alessandro, Gaetana; Rossi, Pietro; Quaglione, Raffaele; Di Barba, Daniele; Barillà, Francesco; Magrì, Damiano

    2013-01-01

    Background and purpose: QT and Tpeak-Tend (Te) intervals are associated with sudden cardiac death in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). We studied age-dependent influence on short-term temporal dispersion of these two variables in patients with postischemic CHF. Method: We grouped 75 CHF and 53 healthy control subjects into three age subsets: ≤50 years, >50 years and ≤65 years, and >65 years. We then calculated the following indices: QT and Te variability index (QTVI and TeVI), the ratio between the short-term variability (STV) of QT or Te, and the STV of resting rate (RR) (QT/RR STV and Te/RR STV). Results: In all different age subgroups, patients with CHF showed a higher level of QTVI than age-matched control subjects (≤50 years: P < 0.0001; >50 years and ≤65 years: P < 0.05; >65 years: P < 0.05). Patients with CHF < 50 years old also had all repolarization variability indices higher than normal age-matched controls (TeVI, P < 0.05; QT/RR STV, P < 0.05; Te/RR STV, P < 0.05), whereas we did not find any difference between the two older classes of subjects. Both QTVI (r2: 0.178, P < 0.05) and TeVI (r2: 0.433, P < 0.001) were positively related to age in normal subjects, even if the first correlation was weaker than the second one. Conclusion: Our data showed that QTVI could be used in all ages to evaluate repolarization temporal liability, whereas the other indices are deeply influenced by age. Probably, the age-dependent increase in QTVI was more influenced by a reduction of RR variability reported in older normal subjects. PMID:23662051

  8. Low HDL-cholesterol among normal weight, normoglycemic offspring of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

    PubMed

    Praveen, Edavan P; Kulshreshtha, Bindu; Khurana, Madan L; Sahoo, Jayaprakash; Gupta, Nandita; Kumar, Guresh; Ammini, Ariachery; Knadgawat, Rajech

    2011-01-01

    Offspring of type 2 diabetics have an increased risk of dyslipidemia, glucose intolerance and obesity. The aim of this study was to assess the lipid levels in the offspring of diabetics with normal glucose tolerance and normal body weight. Normal weight offspring of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) who had normal glucose tolerance, and healthy gender matched controls of comparable age without a family history of diabetes mellitus, were the subjects of this study. Lipid profiles were determined in cases and controls. The study included 114 subjects (64 males and 50 females) in each group, aged (mean ± SD) 24.0 ± 7.9 in cases and 24.1 ± 8.0 years in controls. The body mass index (BMI) was 20.8 ± 3.0 and 20.2 ± 3.1 kg/m2 in cases and controls, respectively. Serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, plasma glucose, fasting insulin, C-peptide and proinsulin levels were comparable in cases and controls. Serum high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was lower (p <0.001), whilst the serum triglyceride/HDL ratio, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and area under the curve for insulin and proinsulin during an oral glucose tolerance test were higher in cases compared to controls. HDL cholesterol showed no significant correlation with plasma glucose, insulin or proinsulin. Plasma HDL cholesterol is low among normal weight, normoglycemic offspring of subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The implications of this finding are not apparent.

  9. MR Spectra of Normal Adult Testes and Variations with Age: Preliminary Observations.

    PubMed

    Tsili, Athina C; Astrakas, Loukas G; Ntorkou, Alexandra; Giannakis, Dimitrios; Stavrou, Sotirios; Maliakas, Vasilios; Sofikitis, Nikolaos; Argyropoulou, Maria I

    2016-07-01

    The aim was to determine the proton MR (1H-MR) spectra of normal adult testes and variations with age. Forty-one MR spectra of normal testes, including 16 testes from men aged 20-39 years (group I) and 25 testes from men aged 40-69 years (group II), were analyzed. A single-voxel point-resolved spectroscopy sequence (PRESS), with TR/TE: 2000/25 ms was used. The volume of interest was placed to include the majority of normal testicular parenchyma. Association between normalized metabolite concentrations, defined as ratios of the calculated metabolite concentrations relative to creatine concentration, and age was assessed. Quantified metabolites of the spectra were choline (Cho), creatine (Cr), myo-inositol (mI), scyllo-inositol, taurine, lactate, GLx compound, glucose, lipids, and macromolecules resonating at 0.9 ppm (LM09), around 20 ppm (LM20), and at 13 ppm (LM13). Most prominent peaks were Cho, Cr, mI, and lipids. A weak negative correlation between mI and age (P = 0.015) was observed. Higher normalized concentrations of Cho (P = 0.03), mI (P = 0.08), and LM13 (P = 0.05) were found in group I than in group II. 1H-MR spectra of a normal adult testis showed several metabolite peaks. A decrease of levels of Cho, mI, and LM13 was observed with advancing age. • Single-voxel PRESS MRS of a normal testis is feasible. • 1H-MR spectra of a normal testis showed several metabolite peaks. • Most prominent peaks were Cho, Cr, mI, and lipids. • A decrease of Cho, mI, and LM13 was seen with advancing age.

  10. Contact Heat Evoked Potentials (CHEPs) in Patients with Mild-Moderate Alzheimer's Disease and Matched Control--A Pilot Study.

    PubMed

    Jensen-Dahm, Christina; Madsen, Caspar Skau; Waldemar, Gunhild; Ballegaard, Martin; Hejl, Anne-Mette; Johnsen, Birger; Jensen, Troels Staehelin

    2016-04-01

    Clinical studies have found that patients with Alzheimer's disease report pain of less intensity and with a lower affective response, which has been thought to be due to altered pain processing. The authors wished to examine the cerebral processing of non-painful and painful stimuli using somatosensory evoked potentials and contact heat evoked potentials in patients with Alzheimer's disease and in healthy elderly controls. Case-control study Twenty outpatients with mild-moderate Alzheimer's disease and in 17 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were included Contact heat evoked potentials and somatosensory evoked potentials were recorded in all subjects. Furthermore, warmth detection threshold and heat pain threshold were assessed. Patients and controls also rated quality and intensity of the stimuli. The authors found no difference on contact heat evoked potential amplitude (P = 0.59) or latency of N2 or P2 wave (P = 0.62 and P = 0.75, respectively) between patients and controls. In addition, there was no difference in regard to pain intensity scores or pain quality. The patients and controls had similar warmth detection threshold and heat pain threshold. Somatosensory evoked potentials, amplitude, and latency were within normal range and similar for the two groups. The findings suggest that the processing of non-painful and painful stimuli is preserved in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. © 2015 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  11. Blood Pressure Control in Aging Predicts Cerebral Atrophy Related to Small-Vessel White Matter Lesions.

    PubMed

    Kern, Kyle C; Wright, Clinton B; Bergfield, Kaitlin L; Fitzhugh, Megan C; Chen, Kewei; Moeller, James R; Nabizadeh, Nooshin; Elkind, Mitchell S V; Sacco, Ralph L; Stern, Yaakov; DeCarli, Charles S; Alexander, Gene E

    2017-01-01

    Cerebral small-vessel damage manifests as white matter hyperintensities and cerebral atrophy on brain MRI and is associated with aging, cognitive decline and dementia. We sought to examine the interrelationship of these imaging biomarkers and the influence of hypertension in older individuals. We used a multivariate spatial covariance neuroimaging technique to localize the effects of white matter lesion load on regional gray matter volume and assessed the role of blood pressure control, age and education on this relationship. Using a case-control design matching for age, gender, and educational attainment we selected 64 participants with normal blood pressure, controlled hypertension or uncontrolled hypertension from the Northern Manhattan Study cohort. We applied gray matter voxel-based morphometry with the scaled subprofile model to (1) identify regional covariance patterns of gray matter volume differences associated with white matter lesion load, (2) compare this relationship across blood pressure groups, and (3) relate it to cognitive performance. In this group of participants aged 60-86 years, we identified a pattern of reduced gray matter volume associated with white matter lesion load in bilateral temporal-parietal regions with relative preservation of volume in the basal forebrain, thalami and cingulate cortex. This pattern was expressed most in the uncontrolled hypertension group and least in the normotensives, but was also more evident in older and more educated individuals. Expression of this pattern was associated with worse performance in executive function and memory. In summary, white matter lesions from small-vessel disease are associated with a regional pattern of gray matter atrophy that is mitigated by blood pressure control, exacerbated by aging, and associated with cognitive performance.

  12. Is Suppression Just Normal Dichoptic Masking? Suprathreshold Considerations.

    PubMed

    Reynaud, Alexandre; Hess, Robert F

    2016-10-01

    Amblyopic patients have a deficit in visual acuity and contrast sensitivity in their amblyopic eye as well as suppression of the amblyopic eye input under binocular viewing conditions. In this study we wanted to assess the origin of the amblyopic suppression by studying the contrast perception of the amblyopic eye at suprathreshold levels under binocular and monocular viewing. Using a suprathreshold contrast matching task in which the reference and target stimuli were presented to different eyes either simultaneously or successively, we measured interocular contrast matching in 10 controls and 11 amblyopes (mean age 35 ± 15; 5 strabismics; 3 anisometropes; 3 mixed). This was then used as an index of the binocular balance across spatial frequency and compared against the contrast sensitivity ratio measured with the same stimuli. We observed that binocular matching becomes more imbalanced at high spatial frequency for amblyopes, compared with controls; that this imbalance did not depend in either group on whether the stimuli were presented simultaneously or successively; and that for both modes of presentation the matching balance correlates well with the interocular contrast sensitivity ratio (mean correlation coefficient of the slopes R = 0.7125). The results from our amblyopes show comparable losses of contrast perception at and above threshold under these binocular viewing conditions across a wide spatial frequency range, much stronger than that observed for our controls. This occurs under conditions in which there should be no dichoptic masking. Furthermore, the matching contrast could be well predicted by the monocular contrast sensitivity. Altogether, this suggests that amblyopic suppression cannot be explained by normal dichoptic masking but rather an attenuation of the input.

  13. 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.

  14. A concordance index for matched case-control studies with applications in cancer risk.

    PubMed

    Brentnall, Adam R; Cuzick, Jack; Field, John; Duffy, Stephen W

    2015-02-10

    In unmatched case-control studies, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) may be used to measure how well a variable discriminates between cases and controls. The AUC is sometimes used in matched case-control studies by ignoring matching, but it lacks interpretation because it is not based on an estimate of the ROC for the population of interest. We introduce an alternative measure of discrimination that is the concordance of risk factors conditional on the matching factors. Parametric and non-parametric estimators are given for different matching scenarios, and applied to real data from breast and lung cancer case-control studies. Diagnostic plots to verify the constancy of discrimination over matching factors are demonstrated. The proposed simple measure is easy to use, interpret, more efficient than unmatched AUC statistics and may be applied to compare the conditional discrimination performance of risk factors. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  15. The anabolic activity of bone tissue, suppressed by disuse, is normalized by brief exposure to extremely low-magnitude mechanical stimuli

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rubin, C.; Xu, G.; Judex, S.

    2001-01-01

    It is generally believed that mechanical signals must be large in order to be anabolic to bone tissue. Recent evidence indicates, however, that extremely low-magnitude (<10 microstrain) mechanical signals readily stimulate bone formation if induced at a high frequency. We examined the ability of extremely low-magnitude, high-frequency mechanical signals to restore anabolic bone cell activity inhibited by disuse. Adult female rats were randomly assigned to six groups: baseline control, age-matched control, mechanically stimulated for 10 min/day, disuse (hind limb suspension), disuse interrupted by 10 min/day of weight bearing, and disuse interrupted by 10 min/day of mechanical stimulation. After a 28 day protocol, bone formation rates (BFR) in the proximal tibia of mechanically stimulated rats increased compared with age-matched control (+97%). Disuse alone reduced BFR (-92%), a suppression only slightly curbed when disuse was interrupted by 10 min of weight bearing (-61%). In contrast, disuse interrupted by 10 min per day of low-level mechanical intervention normalized BFR to values seen in age-matched controls. This work indicates that this noninvasive, extremely low-level stimulus may provide an effective biomechanical intervention for the bone loss that plagues long-term space flight, bed rest, or immobilization caused by paralysis.

  16. Keeping children safe at home: protocol for three matched case–control studies of modifiable risk factors for falls

    PubMed Central

    Kendrick, Denise; Stewart, Jane; Clacy, Rose; Coffey, Frank; Cooper, Nicola; Coupland, Carol; Hayes, Mike; McColl, Elaine; Reading, Richard; Sutton, Alex; M L Towner, Elizabeth; Craig Watson, Michael

    2012-01-01

    Background Childhood falls result in considerable morbidity, mortality and health service use. Despite this, little evidence exists on protective factors or effective falls prevention interventions in young children. Objectives To estimate ORs for three types of medically attended fall injuries in young children in relation to safety equipment, safety behaviours and hazard reduction and explore differential effects by child and family factors and injury severity. Design Three multicentre case–control studies in UK hospitals with validation of parental reported exposures using home observations. Cases are aged 0–4 years with a medically attended fall injury occurring at home, matched on age and sex with community controls. Children attending hospital for other types of injury will serve as unmatched hospital controls. Matched analyses will use conditional logistic regression to adjust for potential confounding variables. Unmatched analyses will use unconditional logistic regression, adjusted for age, sex, deprivation and distance from hospital in addition to other confounders. Each study requires 496 cases and 1984 controls to detect an OR of 0.7, with 80% power, 5% significance level, a correlation between cases and controls of 0.1 and a range of exposure prevalences. Main outcome measures Falls on stairs, on one level and from furniture. Discussion As the largest in the field to date, these case control studies will adjust for potential confounders, validate measures of exposure and investigate modifiable risk factors for specific falls injury mechanisms. Findings should enhance the evidence base for falls prevention for young children. PMID:22628151

  17. The effects of normal aging on multiple aspects of financial decision-making.

    PubMed

    Bangma, Dorien F; Fuermaier, Anselm B M; Tucha, Lara; Tucha, Oliver; Koerts, Janneke

    2017-01-01

    Financial decision-making (FDM) is crucial for independent living. Due to cognitive decline that accompanies normal aging, older adults might have difficulties in some aspects of FDM. However, an improved knowledge, personal experience and affective decision-making, which are also related to normal aging, may lead to a stable or even improved age-related performance in some other aspects of FDM. Therefore, the present explorative study examines the effects of normal aging on multiple aspects of FDM. One-hundred and eighty participants (range 18-87 years) were assessed with eight FDM tests and several standard neuropsychological tests. Age effects were evaluated using hierarchical multiple regression analyses. The validity of the prediction models was examined by internal validation (i.e. bootstrap resampling procedure) as well as external validation on another, independent, sample of participants (n = 124). Multiple regression and correlation analyses were applied to investigate the mediation effect of standard measures of cognition on the observed effects of age on FDM. On a relatively basic level of FDM (e.g., paying bills or using FDM styles) no significant effects of aging were found. However more complex FDM, such as making decisions in accordance with specific rules, becomes more difficult with advancing age. Furthermore, an older age was found to be related to a decreased sensitivity for impulsive buying. These results were confirmed by the internal and external validation analyses. Mediation effects of numeracy and planning were found to explain parts of the association between one aspect of FDM (i.e. Competence in decision rules) and age; however, these cognitive domains were not able to completely explain the relation between age and FDM. Normal aging has a negative influence on a complex aspect of FDM, however, other aspects appear to be unaffected by normal aging or improve.

  18. The effects of normal aging on multiple aspects of financial decision-making

    PubMed Central

    Bangma, Dorien F.; Fuermaier, Anselm B. M.; Tucha, Lara; Tucha, Oliver; Koerts, Janneke

    2017-01-01

    Objectives Financial decision-making (FDM) is crucial for independent living. Due to cognitive decline that accompanies normal aging, older adults might have difficulties in some aspects of FDM. However, an improved knowledge, personal experience and affective decision-making, which are also related to normal aging, may lead to a stable or even improved age-related performance in some other aspects of FDM. Therefore, the present explorative study examines the effects of normal aging on multiple aspects of FDM. Methods One-hundred and eighty participants (range 18–87 years) were assessed with eight FDM tests and several standard neuropsychological tests. Age effects were evaluated using hierarchical multiple regression analyses. The validity of the prediction models was examined by internal validation (i.e. bootstrap resampling procedure) as well as external validation on another, independent, sample of participants (n = 124). Multiple regression and correlation analyses were applied to investigate the mediation effect of standard measures of cognition on the observed effects of age on FDM. Results On a relatively basic level of FDM (e.g., paying bills or using FDM styles) no significant effects of aging were found. However more complex FDM, such as making decisions in accordance with specific rules, becomes more difficult with advancing age. Furthermore, an older age was found to be related to a decreased sensitivity for impulsive buying. These results were confirmed by the internal and external validation analyses. Mediation effects of numeracy and planning were found to explain parts of the association between one aspect of FDM (i.e. Competence in decision rules) and age; however, these cognitive domains were not able to completely explain the relation between age and FDM. Conclusion Normal aging has a negative influence on a complex aspect of FDM, however, other aspects appear to be unaffected by normal aging or improve. PMID:28792973

  19. Aging and Haptic-Visual Solid Shape Matching.

    PubMed

    Norman, J Farley; Adkins, Olivia C; Dowell, Catherine J; Hoyng, Stevie C; Gilliam, Ashley N; Pedersen, Lauren E

    2017-08-01

    A total of 36 younger (mean age = 21.3 years) and older adults (mean age = 73.8 years) haptically explored plastic copies of naturally shaped objects (bell peppers, Capsicum annuum) one at a time for 7 s each. The participants' task was to then choose which of 12 concurrently visible objects had the same solid shape as the one they felt. The younger and older participants explored the object shapes using either one, three, or five fingers (there were six participants for each combination of number of fingers and age group). The outcome was different from that of previous research conducted with manmade objects. Unlike Jansson and Monaci (2006) , we found that for most objects, our participants' performance was unaffected by variations in the number of fingers used for haptic exploration. While there was no significant overall effect of the number of fingers, there was a significant main effect of age. The younger adults' shape matching performance was 48.6% higher than that of the older adults. When perceiving naturally shaped objects such as bell peppers, it appears that the usage of a single finger can be as effective as haptic exploration with a whole complement of five fingers.

  20. High normal fasting blood glucose is associated with dementia in Chinese elders

    PubMed Central

    Mortimer, J.A.; Borenstein, A.R.; Ding, D.; DeCarli, C.; Zhao, Q.; Copenhaver, C.; Guo, Q.; Chu, S.; Galasko, D.; Salmon, D.P.; Dai, Q.; Wu, Y.; Petersen, R.; Hong, Z.

    2010-01-01

    Background Diabetes is a risk factor for MCI and dementia. However, the association between high normal fasting blood glucose (FBG) and dementia has not been studied. Methods Polytomous logistic regression was used to assess the association of dementia and MCI with FBG in an age- and sex-matched sample of 32 dementia patients, 27 amnestic MCI (aMCI) patients and 31 normal controls (NC). Analyses were repeated for those with normal FBG. Correlations between FBG and cognitive test scores were obtained. Results Controlling for age, sex, education, body mass index, Hachinski Ischemic Score, MRI stroke, and normalized brain, hippocampal and white matter hyperintensity MRI volumes; higher FBG was associated with dementia vs. aMCI status (OR= 3.13; 95% CI:1.28–7.69). This association remained (OR= 7.75; 95% CI:1.10–55.56) when analyses were restricted to subjects with normal FBG. When dementia patients were compared with NC adjusting for age, sex and education a significant association with FBG also was seen (OR=1.83; 95%CI:1.09–3.08), but the association was lost when vascular covariates were added to the model. FBG was not associated with aMCI status vs. NC. Higher FBG was correlated with poorer performance on the Trailmaking Test Part B (p=0.003). The percentage of dementia patients with high normal FBG (90%) was significantly higher than that of aMCI patients with high normal FBG (32.9%) (χ2=13.9, p<0.001). Conclusions Higher FBG was associated with dementia (vs. aMCI) independent of vascular risk factors and MRI indicators of vascular disease, and remained a significant risk factor when analyses were restricted to subjects with normal FBG. The results of this cross-sectional study suggest that a high normal level of FBG may be a risk factor for dementia. PMID:21044774

  1. Sympathetic nerve traffic and baroreflex function in optimal, normal, and high-normal blood pressure states.

    PubMed

    Seravalle, Gino; Lonati, Laura; Buzzi, Silvia; Cairo, Matteo; Quarti Trevano, Fosca; Dell'Oro, Raffaella; Facchetti, Rita; Mancia, Giuseppe; Grassi, Guido

    2015-07-01

    Adrenergic activation and baroreflex dysfunction are common in established essential hypertension, elderly hypertension, masked and white-coat hypertension, resistant hypertension, and obesity-related hypertension. Whether this autonomic behavior is peculiar to established hypertension or is also detectable in the earlier clinical phases of the disease, that is, the high-normal blood pressure (BP) state, is still largely undefined, however. In 24 individuals with optimal BP (age: 37.1  ±  2.1 years, mean  ±  SEM) and in 27 with normal BP and 38 with high-normal BP, age matched with optimal BP, we measured clinic, 24-h and beat-to-beat BP, heart rate (HR), and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) at rest and during baroreceptor stimulation and deactivation. Measurements also included anthropometric as well as echocardiographic and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index. For similar anthropometric values, clinic, 24-h ambulatory, and beat-to-beat BPs were significantly greater in normal BP than in optimal BP. This was the case when the high-normal BP group was compared to the normal and optimal BP groups. MSNA (but not HR) was also significantly greater in high-normal BP than in normal BP and optimal BP (51.3  ±  2.0 vs. 40.3  ±  2.3 and 41.1 ± 2.6  bursts per 100  heartbeats, respectively, P < 0.01). The sympathetic activation seen in high-normal BP was coupled with an impairment of baroreflex HR control (but not MSNA) and with a significant increase in HOMA Index, which showed a significant direct relationship with MSNA. Thus, independently of which BP the diagnosis is based, high-normal BP is a condition characterized by a sympathetic activation. This neurogenic alteration, which is likely to be triggered by metabolic rather than reflex alterations, might be involved, together with other factors, in the progression of the condition to established hypertension.

  2. 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

  3. Normal paraspinal muscle electromyographic fatigue characteristics in patients with primary fibromyalgia.

    PubMed

    Stokes, M J; Colter, C; Klestov, A; Cooper, R G

    1993-08-01

    Paraspinal muscle fatigue mechanisms were compared in 14 primary fibromyalgia patients and 14 age and sex matched normal subjects using a standardized 60-s isometric endurance test of the paraspinal muscles, during which surface integrated electromyographic (IEMG) activity was recorded. Fatigue-induced IEMG increases were similar for both groups during the initial 40 s (up to 112 +/- 20% and 111 +/- 6% of initial values in patients and normal subjects respectively). Thereafter, IEMG fell significantly in patients (P < 0.05) but only slightly in controls, so that at 58 s IEMG was 102 +/- 13% in patients and 109 +/- 12% in controls. If patients were divided according to body mass index (BMI, range 19-25 in controls) those with a BMI < 26 (n = 5) showed IEMG changes similar to those of control subjects throughout the test, while obese patients with BMI > 26 (n = 9) showed greater IEMG declines after 40 s than either normal subjects or in the fibromyalgia group as a whole. Paraspinal muscle fatigue mechanisms appear normal in primary fibromyalgia patients. Isometric force maintenance in overweight patients, despite IEMG declines, illustrates the action of intrinsic fatigue resistance mechanisms which were presumably utilized to a greater extent in these patients to cope with the extra load.

  4. [Dreams in normal and pathological aging].

    PubMed

    Guénolé, Fabian; Marcaggi, Geoffrey; Baleyte, Jean-Marc; Garma, Lucile

    2010-06-01

    Although most of scientific knowledge in dream research is based on young adult studies, this article provides a review of the effects of normal and pathological aging on dream psychology. It starts with preliminary comments about epistemological and methodological principles of dream research, its singularities in aged persons, and the modifications of sleep physiology with age. The whole literature agrees that dream recall progressively decreases from the beginning of adulthood - not in old age - and that dream reports become less intense, perceptually and emotionally. This evolution occurs faster in men than women, with gender differences in the content of dreams. The chronological modifications could be explained partly by changes in lifestyle and attitude towards dreams in early adulthood, but mainly by modifications of sleep physiology, particularly the decrease and qualitative changes of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Dreams have usually little subjective importance in the mental life of aged persons. However, working with dreams can be a valuable tool for psychotherapy in the aged. According to the few existing data, patients suffering degenerative dementia dream much less than healthy aged persons. In Alzheimer's disease, this could be linked to the decrease of REM sleep, and atrophy of associative sensory areas of the cerebral cortex. Most studied aspects of dreaming in degenerative cognitive disorders are REM sleep behavior disorders, and nightmares induced by cholinesterase inhibitors. More studies are needed to better characterize the evolution of dreams with age, particularly studies performed in sleep laboratory.

  5. Polarization sensitive changes in the human macula associated with normal aging and age-related macular degeneration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    VanNasdale, Dean Allan, Jr.

    2011-12-01

    The human macula occupies a relatively small, but crucial retinal area, as it is the location responsible for our most acute spatial vision and best color discrimination. Localizing important landmarks in the retina is difficult even in normal eyes where morphological inter-individual variability is high. This becomes even more challenging in the presence of sight-threatening pathology. With respect to the human macula, there remains a significant gap in the understanding of normal structure and function. Even less is known about the pathological mechanisms that occur in sight-threatening diseases including age-related macular degeneration. Because relatively little is known about normal aging changes, it is also difficult to differentiate those changes from changes associated with retinal disease. To better understand normal and pathological changes in the macula, imaging techniques using specific optical signatures are required. Structural features in the macula can be distinguished based on their intrinsic properties using specific light/tissue interactions. Because of the high degree of structural regularity in the macula, polarization sensitive imaging is potentially a useful tool for evaluating the morphology and integrity of the cellular architecture for both normal individuals and those affected by disease. In our investigations, we used polarization sensitive imaging to determining normal landmarks that are important clinically and for research investigations. We found that precision and accuracy in localizing the central macula was greatly improved through the use of polarization sensitive imaging. We also found that specific polarization alterations can be used to demonstrate systematic changes as a function of age, disproportionately affecting the central macular region. When evaluating patients with age-related macular degeneration, we found that precision and accuracy of localizing the central macula was also improved, even when significant pathology

  6. Functional neuroimaging of normal aging: Declining brain, adapting brain.

    PubMed

    Sugiura, Motoaki

    2016-09-01

    Early functional neuroimaging research on normal aging brain has been dominated by the interest in cognitive decline. In this framework the age-related compensatory recruitment of prefrontal cortex, in terms of executive system or reduced lateralization, has been established. Further details on these compensatory mechanisms and the findings reflecting cognitive decline, however, remain the matter of intensive investigations. Studies in another framework where age-related neural alteration is considered adaptation to the environmental change are recently burgeoning and appear largely categorized into three domains. The age-related increase in activation of the sensorimotor network may reflect the alteration of the peripheral sensorimotor systems. The increased susceptibility of the network for the mental-state inference to the socioemotional significance may be explained by the age-related motivational shift due to the altered social perception. The age-related change in activation of the self-referential network may be relevant to the focused positive self-concept of elderly driven by a similar motivational shift. Across the domains, the concept of the self and internal model may provide the theoretical bases of this adaptation framework. These two frameworks complement each other to provide a comprehensive view of the normal aging brain. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Normal Aging and the Dissociable Prototype Learning Systems

    PubMed Central

    Glass, Brian D.; Chotibut, Tanya; Pacheco, Jennifer; Schnyer, David M.; Maddox, W. Todd

    2011-01-01

    Dissociable prototype learning systems have been demonstrated behaviorally and with neuroimaging in younger adults as well as with patient populations. In A/not-A (AN) prototype learning, participants are shown members of category A during training, and during test are asked to decide whether novel items are in category A or are not in category A. Research suggests that AN learning is mediated by a perceptual learning system. In A/B (AB) prototype learning, participants are shown members of category A and B during training, and during test are asked to decide whether novel items are in category A or category B. In contrast to AN, research suggests that AB learning is mediated by a declarative memory system. The current study examined the effects of normal aging on AN and AB prototype learning. We observed an age-related deficit in AB learning, but an age-related advantage in AN learning. Computational modeling supports one possible interpretation based on narrower selective attentional focus in older adults in the AB task and broader selective attention in the AN task. Neuropsychological testing in older participants suggested that executive functioning and attentional control were associated with better performance in both tasks. However, nonverbal memory was associated with better AN performance, while visual attention was associated with worse AB performance. The results support an interactive memory systems approach and suggest that age-related declines in one memory system can lead to deficits in some tasks, but to enhanced performance in others. PMID:21875215

  8. Neuropathological and neuropsychological changes in "normal" aging: evidence for preclinical Alzheimer disease in cognitively normal individuals.

    PubMed

    Hulette, C M; Welsh-Bohmer, K A; Murray, M G; Saunders, A M; Mash, D C; McIntyre, L M

    1998-12-01

    The presence of diffuse or primitive senile plaques in the neocortex of cognitively normal elderly at autopsy has been presumed to represent normal aging. Alternatively, these patients may have developed dementia and clinical Alzheimer disease (AD) if they had survived. In this setting, these patients could be subjects for cognitive or pharmacologic intervention to delay disease onset. We have thus followed a cohort of cognitively normal elderly subjects with a Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) of 0 at autopsy. Thirty-one brains were examined at postmortem according to Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer Disease (CERAD) criteria and staged according to Braak. Ten patients were pathologically normal according to CERAD criteria (1a). Two of these patients were Braak Stage II. Seven very elderly subjects exhibited a few primitive neuritic plaques in the cortex and thus represented CERAD 1b. These individuals ranged in age from 85 to 105 years and were thus older than the CERAD la group that ranged in age from 72 to 93. Fourteen patients displayed Possible AD according to CERAD with ages ranging from 66 to 95. Three of these were Braak Stage I, 4 were Braak Stage II, and 7 were Braak Stage III. The Apolipoprotein E4 allele was over-represented in this possible AD group. Neuropsychological data were available on 12 individuals. In these 12 individuals, Possible AD at autopsy could be predicted by cognitive deficits in 1 or more areas including savings scores on memory testing and overall performance on some measures of frontal executive function.

  9. Lattice-matched heterojunctions between topological and normal insulators: A first-principles study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Hyungjun; Yazyev, Oleg V.

    2017-02-01

    Gapless boundary modes at the interface between topologically distinct regions are one of the most salient manifestations of topology in physics. Metallic boundary states of time-reversal-invariant topological insulators (TIs), a realization of topological order in condensed matter, have been of much interest not only due to such a fundamental nature, but also due to their practical significance. These boundary states are immune to backscattering and localization owing to their topological origin, thereby opening up the possibility to tailor them for potential uses in spintronics and quantum computing. The heterojunction between a TI and a normal insulator (NI) is a representative playground for exploring such a topologically protected metallic boundary state and expected to constitute a building block for future electronic and spintronic solid-state devices based on TIs. Here, we report a first-principles study of two experimentally realized lattice-matched heterojunctions between TIs and NIs, Bi2Se3 (0001)/InP(111) and Bi2Te3 (0001)/BaF2(111). We evaluate the band offsets at these interfaces from many-body perturbation theory within the G W approximation as well as density-functional theory. Furthermore, we investigate the topological interface states, demonstrating that at these lattice-matched heterointerfaces, they are strictly localized and their helical spin textures are as well preserved as those at the vacuum-facing surfaces. These results taken together may help in designing devices relying on spin-helical metallic boundary states of TIs.

  10. Normal Aging and Decision Making: The Role of Motivation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Depping, Miriam K.; Freund, Alexandra M.

    2011-01-01

    The main argument of this review is that motivational development associated with normal aging affects decision making. With increasing age, the ratio of gains to losses becomes more and more unfavorable. Reflecting the increasing losses in resources, goal orientation changes from a predominant orientation towards gains in young adulthood to an…

  11. Prolonged Tp-e Interval in Down Syndrome Patients with Congenitally Normal Hearts.

    PubMed

    Kucuk, Mehmet; Karadeniz, Cem; Ozdemir, Rahmi; Meşe, Timur

    2018-03-25

    Heterogeneity of ventricular repolarization has been assessed by using the QT dispersion in Down syndrome (DS) patients with congenitally normal hearts. However, novel repolarization indexes, the Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QT ratio, have not previously been evaluated in these patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QT ratio in DS patients without congenital heart defects. Twelve-lead surface electrocardiograms of 160 DS patients and 110 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were used to evaluate and compare the Tp-e interval, Tp-e dispersion, and Tp-e/QT ratio. Heart rate, Tp-e interval, Tp-e dispersion, Tp-e/QT and Tp-e/QTc ratios were significantly higher in DS group than in the controls. Myocardial repolarization indexes in DS patients with congenitally normal hearts were found to be prolonged compared to those in normal controls. Further evaluation is warranted to reveal a relationship between prolonged repolarization indexes and arrhythmic events in these patients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  12. The effects of apolipoprotein ε 4 on aging brain in cognitively normal Chinese elderly: a surface-based morphometry study.

    PubMed

    Lu, Hanna; Ma, Suk Ling; Chan, Sandra Sau Man; Lam, Linda Chiu Wa

    2016-09-01

    Default mode network (DMN) has been reported to be susceptible to APOE ε 4 genotype. However, the APOE ε 4-related brain changes in young carriers are different from the ones in elderly carriers. The current study aimed to evaluate the cortical morphometry of DMN subregions in cognitively normal elderly with APOE ε 4. 11 cognitively normal senior APOE ε 4 carriers and 27 matched healthy controls (HC) participated the neuropsychological tests, genotyping, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis was used to assess the global volumetric changes. Surface-based morphometry (SBM) analysis was performed to measure regional gray matter volume (GMV) and gray matter thickness (GMT). Advancing age was associated with decreased GMV of DMN subregions. Compared to HC, APOE ε 4 carriers presented cortical atrophy in right cingulate gyrus (R_CG) (GMV: APOE carriers: 8475.23 ± 1940.73 mm3, HC: 9727.34 ± 1311.57 mm3, t = 2.314, p = 0.026, corrected) and left insular (GMT: APOE ε 4 carriers: 3.83 ± 0.37 mm, HC: 4.05 ± 0.25 mm, t = 2.197, p = 0.033, corrected). Our results highlight the difference between different cortical measures and suggest that the cortical reduction of CG and insular maybe a potential neuroimaging marker for APOE 4 ε senior carriers, even in the context of relatively intact cognition.

  13. Attentional Bias and the Development of Cerebral Dominance in Normal and Learning Disabled Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hynd, George W.; And Others

    The magnitude of the dichotic right ear advantage was assessed in 48 normal and 48 learning disabled (LD) children (mean age 8.3 years). Ss were matched according to age, sex, and handedness. An analysis of results indicated a significant right ear advantage in both the normal and LD children, but revealed no developmental trend for either group.…

  14. Syntagmatic and paradigmatic development of cochlear implanted children in comparison with normally hearing peers up to age 7.

    PubMed

    Faes, Jolien; Gillis, Joris; Gillis, Steven

    2015-09-01

    Grammatical development is shown to be delayed in CI children. However, the literature has focussed mainly on one aspect of grammatical development, either morphology or syntax, and on standard tests instead of spontaneous speech. The aim of the present study was to compare grammatical development in the spontaneous speech of Dutch-speaking children with cochlear implants and normally hearing peers. Both syntagmatic and paradigmatic development will be assessed and compared with each other. Nine children with cochlear implants were followed yearly between ages 2 and 7. There was a cross-sectional control group of 10 normally hearing peers at each age. Syntactic development is measured by means of Mean Length of Utterance (MLU), morphological development by means of Mean Size of Paradigm (MSP). This last measure is relatively new in child language research. MLU and MSP of children with cochlear implants lag behind that of their normally hearing peers up to age 4 and up to age 6 respectively. By age 5, CI children catch up on MSP and by age 7 they caught up on MLU. Children with cochlear implants catch up with their normally hearing peers for both measures of syntax and morphology. However, it is shown that inflection is earlier age-appropriate than sentence length in CI children. Possible explanations for this difference in developmental pace are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Toxicity of aged gasoline exhaust particles to normal and diseased airway epithelia

    PubMed Central

    Künzi, Lisa; Krapf, Manuel; Daher, Nancy; Dommen, Josef; Jeannet, Natalie; Schneider, Sarah; Platt, Stephen; Slowik, Jay G.; Baumlin, Nathalie; Salathe, Matthias; Prévôt, André S. H.; Kalberer, Markus; Strähl, Christof; Dümbgen, Lutz; Sioutas, Constantinos; Baltensperger, Urs; Geiser, Marianne

    2015-01-01

    Particulate matter (PM) pollution is a leading cause of premature death, particularly in those with pre-existing lung disease. A causative link between particle properties and adverse health effects remains unestablished mainly due to complex and variable physico-chemical PM parameters. Controlled laboratory experiments are required. Generating atmospherically realistic aerosols and performing cell-exposure studies at relevant particle-doses are challenging. Here we examine gasoline-exhaust particle toxicity from a Euro-5 passenger car in a uniquely realistic exposure scenario, combining a smog chamber simulating atmospheric ageing, an aerosol enrichment system varying particle number concentration independent of particle chemistry, and an aerosol deposition chamber physiologically delivering particles on air-liquid interface (ALI) cultures reproducing normal and susceptible health status. Gasoline-exhaust is an important PM source with largely unknown health effects. We investigated acute responses of fully-differentiated normal, distressed (antibiotics-treated) normal, and cystic fibrosis human bronchial epithelia (HBE), and a proliferating, single-cell type bronchial epithelial cell-line (BEAS-2B). We show that a single, short-term exposure to realistic doses of atmospherically-aged gasoline-exhaust particles impairs epithelial key-defence mechanisms, rendering it more vulnerable to subsequent hazards. We establish dose-response curves at realistic particle-concentration levels. Significant differences between cell models suggest the use of fully-differentiated HBE is most appropriate in future toxicity studies. PMID:26119831

  16. Toxicity of aged gasoline exhaust particles to normal and diseased airway epithelia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Künzi, Lisa; Krapf, Manuel; Daher, Nancy; Dommen, Josef; Jeannet, Natalie; Schneider, Sarah; Platt, Stephen; Slowik, Jay G.; Baumlin, Nathalie; Salathe, Matthias; Prévôt, André S. H.; Kalberer, Markus; Strähl, Christof; Dümbgen, Lutz; Sioutas, Constantinos; Baltensperger, Urs; Geiser, Marianne

    2015-06-01

    Particulate matter (PM) pollution is a leading cause of premature death, particularly in those with pre-existing lung disease. A causative link between particle properties and adverse health effects remains unestablished mainly due to complex and variable physico-chemical PM parameters. Controlled laboratory experiments are required. Generating atmospherically realistic aerosols and performing cell-exposure studies at relevant particle-doses are challenging. Here we examine gasoline-exhaust particle toxicity from a Euro-5 passenger car in a uniquely realistic exposure scenario, combining a smog chamber simulating atmospheric ageing, an aerosol enrichment system varying particle number concentration independent of particle chemistry, and an aerosol deposition chamber physiologically delivering particles on air-liquid interface (ALI) cultures reproducing normal and susceptible health status. Gasoline-exhaust is an important PM source with largely unknown health effects. We investigated acute responses of fully-differentiated normal, distressed (antibiotics-treated) normal, and cystic fibrosis human bronchial epithelia (HBE), and a proliferating, single-cell type bronchial epithelial cell-line (BEAS-2B). We show that a single, short-term exposure to realistic doses of atmospherically-aged gasoline-exhaust particles impairs epithelial key-defence mechanisms, rendering it more vulnerable to subsequent hazards. We establish dose-response curves at realistic particle-concentration levels. Significant differences between cell models suggest the use of fully-differentiated HBE is most appropriate in future toxicity studies.

  17. Toxicity of aged gasoline exhaust particles to normal and diseased airway epithelia.

    PubMed

    Künzi, Lisa; Krapf, Manuel; Daher, Nancy; Dommen, Josef; Jeannet, Natalie; Schneider, Sarah; Platt, Stephen; Slowik, Jay G; Baumlin, Nathalie; Salathe, Matthias; Prévôt, André S H; Kalberer, Markus; Strähl, Christof; Dümbgen, Lutz; Sioutas, Constantinos; Baltensperger, Urs; Geiser, Marianne

    2015-06-29

    Particulate matter (PM) pollution is a leading cause of premature death, particularly in those with pre-existing lung disease. A causative link between particle properties and adverse health effects remains unestablished mainly due to complex and variable physico-chemical PM parameters. Controlled laboratory experiments are required. Generating atmospherically realistic aerosols and performing cell-exposure studies at relevant particle-doses are challenging. Here we examine gasoline-exhaust particle toxicity from a Euro-5 passenger car in a uniquely realistic exposure scenario, combining a smog chamber simulating atmospheric ageing, an aerosol enrichment system varying particle number concentration independent of particle chemistry, and an aerosol deposition chamber physiologically delivering particles on air-liquid interface (ALI) cultures reproducing normal and susceptible health status. Gasoline-exhaust is an important PM source with largely unknown health effects. We investigated acute responses of fully-differentiated normal, distressed (antibiotics-treated) normal, and cystic fibrosis human bronchial epithelia (HBE), and a proliferating, single-cell type bronchial epithelial cell-line (BEAS-2B). We show that a single, short-term exposure to realistic doses of atmospherically-aged gasoline-exhaust particles impairs epithelial key-defence mechanisms, rendering it more vulnerable to subsequent hazards. We establish dose-response curves at realistic particle-concentration levels. Significant differences between cell models suggest the use of fully-differentiated HBE is most appropriate in future toxicity studies.

  18. Comprehensive Endocrine-Metabolic Evaluation of Patients with Alström Syndrome Compared to BMI-Matched Controls.

    PubMed

    Han, Joan C; Reyes-Capo, Daniela P; Liu, Chia-Ying; Reynolds, James C; Turkbey, Evrim; Turkbey, Ismail Baris; Bryant, Joy; Marshall, Jan D; Naggert, Jürgen K; Gahl, William A; Yanovski, Jack A; Gunay-Aygun, Meral

    2018-04-27

    Alström syndrome (AS), a monogenic form of obesity, is caused by recessive mutations in the centrosome- and basal body-associated gene, ALMS1. AS is characterized by retinal dystrophy, sensory hearing loss, cardiomyopathy, childhood obesity, and metabolic derangements. We sought to characterize the endocrine and metabolic features of AS while accounting for obesity as a confounder by comparing patients with AS to BMI-matched controls. We evaluated 38 patients with AS (age 2-38y) who were matched with 76 controls (age 2-48y) by age, sex, race, and BMI. Fasting biochemistries, mixed meal test (MMT), indirect calorimetry, DEXA, and MRI/MRS were performed. Frequent abnormalities in AS included 76% obesity, 37% type 2 diabetes (T2DM), 29% hypothyroidism (1/3-central, 2/3-primary), 3% central adrenal insufficiency, 57% adult hypogonadism (1/3-central, 2/3-primary), and 25% female hyperandrogenism. AS and controls had similar BMI-Z, body fat, waist circumference, abdominal visceral fat, muscle fat, resting energy expenditure (adjusted for lean mass), free fatty acids, glucagon, prolactin, ACTH, and cortisol. Compared to controls, AS were shorter and had lower IGF1 concentrations (p's≤0.001). AS had significantly greater fasting and MMT insulin resistance indices, higher MMT glucose, insulin, and C-peptide values, higher hemoglobin A1c, and higher prevalence of T2DM (p's<0.001). AS had significantly higher triglycerides, lower HDL-cholesterol, and a 10-fold greater prevalence of metabolic syndrome (p's<0.001). AS demonstrated significantly greater liver triglyceride accumulation and higher transaminases (p's<0.001). Severe insulin resistance and T2DM are the hallmarks of AS. However, patients with AS may present with multiple other endocrinopathies affecting growth and development.

  19. Professional football (soccer) players have a markedly greater skeletal mineral content, density and size than age- and BMI-matched controls.

    PubMed

    Wittich, A; Mautalen, C A; Oliveri, M B; Bagur, A; Somoza, F; Rotemberg, E

    1998-08-01

    The total skeletal bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD), bone size, and body composition were measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in all professional male football players of a 1st division team (n = 24) and age- and BMI-matched (n = 22) controls (less than 3 hours of recreational sport activities per week). Average (+/- 1 SD) age of the athletes was 22.6 +/- 2.5 years. Intensive training is conducted during 48 weeks a year for 20-22 hours/week. The length of the registered playing career before the study was 8.2 +/- 2.7 years. Total skeleton BMC was 18.0% (P < 0.001) greater in the football players. The difference resulted from the sum of 5.2% (P < 0.02) increment of bone size and 12.3% (P < 0.001) increment of BMD. The analysis of skeletal subareas revealed that the difference of the BMC and BMD was greater at the level of the pelvis and legs compared with the arms or trunk. The BMC and BMD of the head was equal for both groups. Also, the bone size of the legs and pelvis was significantly greater for the players compared with controls; there was no difference at the level of the arms or head. Within the group of football players the increment of total skeleton BMD was similar in the young players, with less than 7 years of practice (age 20.6 +/- 0.9 years) compared with relative older players (age 24.6 +/- 1.9) with more than 7 years of practice. Lean body mass was significantly greater in the players (63.3 +/- 4.0 kg) compared with the controls (56.7 +/- 3.6, P < 0.001) whereas fat mass was markedly lower (9.4 +/- 2.9 kg versus 14.9 +/- 6.3 kg), P < 0.002). The BMD of the controls was significantly correlated to total weight, height, and lean mass whereas the BMD of the players was only correlated to muscle mass. The calcium intake from dairy products was similar in both groups. The range of calcium intake was wide among the players (184-2519 mg/day) but it was not significantly correlated to BMD (r = 0.03). In conclusion, male

  20. Knowledge of Normal versus Pathological Memory Aging among Police Officers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hawley, Karri S.; Garrity, April W.; Cherry, Katie E.

    2005-01-01

    The authors examined police officers' knowledge of memory changes in adulthood utilizing the Knowledge of Memory Aging Questionnaire (KMAQ). The KMAQ is a 28-item true/false questionnaire that covers a broad range of topics related to normal memory aging due to maturational processes and pathological memory aging, such as adult dementia. Results…

  1. Body Size Changes Among National Collegiate Athletic Association New England Division III Football Players, 1956-2014: Comparison With Age-Matched Population Controls.

    PubMed

    Elliott, Kayla R; Harmatz, Jerold S; Zhao, Yanli; Greenblatt, David J

    2016-05-01

    Collegiate football programs encourage athletes to pursue high body weights. To examine position-dependent trends over time in body size characteristics among football players in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) from 1956 to 2014 and to compare the observed absolute and relative changes with those in age-matched male population controls. Descriptive laboratory study. Medical school affiliated with a NESCAC institution. Football team rosters from the 10-member NESCAC schools, available as public documents, were analyzed along with body size data from general population males aged 20 to 29 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Body weight, height, and calculated body mass index were evaluated using analysis of variance, linear regression, and nonlinear regression to determine the distribution features of size variables and changes associated with time (year), school, and position. Among NESCAC linemen, absolute and relative changes over time in body weight and body mass index exceeded corresponding changes in the NHANES population controls. New England Small College Athletic Conference offensive linemen body weights increased by 37.5% from 1956 to 2014 (192 to 264 lb [86.4 to 118.8 kg]), compared with a 12% increase (164 to 184 lb [73.8 to 82.8 kg]) since 1961 in the NHANES population controls. Body mass index changed in parallel with body weight and exceeded 35 kg/m(2) in more than 30% of contemporary NESCAC offensive linemen. Among skill players in the NESCAC group, time-related changes in body size characteristics generally paralleled those in the NHANES controls. High body weight and body mass indices were evident in offensive linemen, even among those in Division III football programs with no athletic scholarships. These characteristics may be associated with adverse cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes. We need approaches to encourage risk

  2. Uncontrolled Hemorrhage Differs From Volume- or Pressure-Matched Controlled Hemorrhage in Swine

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-10-01

    differences between these models, we evaluated the relationship between blood volume loss and blood pressure in controlled versus uncontrolled hemorrhage...aortotomy; (2) group P, controlled hemorrhage matched to the blood pressure profile of group U; or (3) group V, controlled hemorrhage matched to the...hemorrhage and received no fluid resuscitation. Group U resulted in a blood loss of 17.6 T 0.7 mL kgj1 and a reduction in blood pressure to 28 T 3 mmHg at

  3. Impact of a soccer match on the cardiac autonomic control of referees.

    PubMed

    Boullosa, Daniel Alexandre; Abreu, Laurinda; Tuimil, José Luis; Leicht, Anthony Scott

    2012-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of a soccer match on the cardiac autonomic control of heart rate (HR) in soccer referees. Sixteen Spanish regional and third division referees (11 males: 26 ± 7 years, 74.4 ± 4.1 kg, 178 ± 3 cm, Yo-Yo IR1 ~600-1,560 m; 5 females: 22 ± 3 years, 59.3 ± 4.8 kg, 158 ± 8 cm, Yo-Yo IR1 ~200-520 m) participated with 24-h HR recordings measured with a Polar RS800 during a rest and a match day. Autonomic control of HR was assessed from HR variability (HRV) analysis. Inclusion of a soccer match (92.5% spent at >75% maximum HR) reduced pre-match (12:00-17:00 hours; small to moderate), post-match (19:00-00:00 hours; moderate to almost perfect), and night-time (00:00-05:00 hours; small to moderate) HRV. Various moderate-to-large correlations were detected between resting HRV and the rest-to-match day difference in HRV. The rest-to-match day differences of low and high-frequency bands ratio (LF/HF) and HR in the post-match period were moderately correlated with time spent at different exercise intensities. Yo-Yo IR1 performance was highly correlated with jump capacity and peak lactate, but not with any HRV parameter. These results suggest that a greater resting HRV may allow referees to tolerate stresses during a match day with referees who spent more time at higher intensities during matches exhibiting a greater LF/HF increment in the post-match period. The relationship between match activities, [Formula: see text] and HR recovery kinetics in referees and team sport athletes of different competitive levels remains to be clarified.

  4. Comparative peptidomic profile between human hypertrophic scar tissue and matched normal skin for identification of endogenous peptides involved in scar pathology.

    PubMed

    Li, Jingyun; Chen, Ling; Li, Qian; Cao, Jing; Gao, Yanli; Li, Jun

    2018-08-01

    Endogenous peptides recently attract increasing attention for their participation in various biological processes. Their roles in the pathogenesis of human hypertrophic scar remains poorly understood. In this study, we used liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to construct a comparative peptidomic profiling between human hypertrophic scar tissue and matched normal skin. A total of 179 peptides were significantly differentially expressed in human hypertrophic scar tissue, with 95 upregulated and 84 downregulated peptides between hypertrophic scar tissue and matched normal skin. Further bioinformatics analysis (Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis) indicated that precursor proteins of these differentially expressed peptides correlate with cellular process, biological regulation, cell part, binding and structural molecule activity ribosome, and PPAR signaling pathway occurring during pathological changes of hypertrophic scar. Based on prediction database, we found that 78 differentially expressed peptides shared homology with antimicrobial peptides and five matched known immunomodulatory peptides. In conclusion, our results show significantly altered expression profiles of peptides in human hypertrophic scar tissue. These peptides may participate in the etiology of hypertrophic scar and provide beneficial scheme for scar evaluation and treatments. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Transanal pullthrough for Hirschsprung disease: matched case-control comparison of Soave and Swenson techniques.

    PubMed

    Nasr, Ahmed; Haricharan, Ramanath N; Gamarnik, Julie; Langer, Jacob C

    2014-05-01

    Both the Swenson and the Soave procedures have been adapted to a transanal approach. The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes following the transanal Swenson and Soave procedures using a matched case control analysis. A retrospective chart review was performed to identify all transanal Soave and Swenson pullthroughs done at 2 tertiary care children's hospitals between 2000 and 2010. Patients were matched for gestational age, mean weight at time of the operation, level of aganglionosis, and presence of co-morbidities. Student's t-test and chi-squared analysis were performed. Fifty-four patients (Soave 27, Swenson 27) had adequate data for matching and analysis. Mean follow-up was 4±1.6 years and 3.2 ±2.7 years for the Soave and Swenson groups, respectively. No significant differences in mean operating time (Soave:191±55, Swenson:167±61 min, p=0.6), overall hospital stay (6±4 vs 7.8±5 days, p=0.7), and number with intra-operative complications (3 vs 4, p=1.0), post-operative obstructive symptoms (6 vs 9, p=0.5), enterocolitis episodes (4 vs 4, p=1.0), or fecal incontinence (0 vs 2, p=0.4) were noted. After controlling for potential confounders, there were no significant differences in the short and intermediate term outcome between transanal Soave and transanal Swenson pullthrough procedures. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Cervical Spinal Cord Dimensions and Clinical Outcomes in Adults with Klippel-Feil Syndrome: A Comparison with Matched Controls

    PubMed Central

    Cho, Woojin; Lee, Dong-Ho; Auerbach, Joshua D.; Sehn, Jennifer K.; Nabb, Colin E.; Riew, K. Daniel

    2014-01-01

    Study Design Retrospective case–control study. Objectives To confirm the fact that spinal cord dimensions are smaller in adults with Klippel-Feil syndrome (KFS) than in pediatric patients with KFS and to compare the clinical characteristics and outcomes of neurologic complications in patients with KFS with matched controls. Methods We performed an independent 1:2 case–control retrospective radiographic and chart review of a consecutive series of adults with KFS who underwent surgical intervention. The control group consisted of consecutive non-KFS surgical patients. Patients were matched in 1:2 case–control manner. Their charts were reviewed and the clinical characteristics were compared. Axial T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to measure the anteroposterior and mediolateral axial spinal cord and spinal canal at the operative levels and measurements were compared. Results A total of 22 patients with KFS and 44 controls were identified. The KFS group had a tendency of more myeloradiculopathy, and the control group had a tendency toward more radiculopathy. Both tendencies, however, were not significantly different. MRIs of 10 patients from the KFS group and 22 controls were available. There was no difference in the area of both spinal cord and canal at the operative levels. Conclusion Contrary to the finding in previous reports on pediatric patients, there were no differences between KFS and well-matched control groups in terms of age of onset, presentation, revision rate, complication rate, surgical outcome, and cross-sectional spinal cord and canal dimensions at the operative level. PMID:25396101

  7. 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

  8. Repair Behaviors of Educable Mentally Handicapped and Normal Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tremain, Deborah Hobbs; Scudder, Rosalind R.

    The study examined the behaviors of educable mentally handicapped (EMH) children in repairing their utterances when their listener requests clarification. Subjects were 10 EMH children, aged 11-13, with mental-aged matched controls. Repair behaviors were elicited using a picture description and matching game with a barrier between the subject and…

  9. Subjective cognitive impairment and brain structural networks in Chinese gynaecological cancer survivors compared with age-matched controls: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Zeng, Yingchun; Cheng, Andy S K; Song, Ting; Sheng, Xiujie; Zhang, Yang; Liu, Xiangyu; Chan, Chetwyn C H

    2017-11-28

    Subjective cognitive impairment can be a significant and prevalent problem for gynaecological cancer survivors. The aims of this study were to assess subjective cognitive functioning in gynaecological cancer survivors after primary cancer treatment, and to investigate the impact of cancer treatment on brain structural networks and its association with subjective cognitive impairment. This was a cross-sectional survey using a self-reported questionnaire by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog) to assess subjective cognitive functioning, and applying DTI (diffusion tensor imaging) and graph theoretical analyses to investigate brain structural networks after primary cancer treatment. A total of 158 patients with gynaecological cancer (mean age, 45.86 years) and 130 age-matched non-cancer controls (mean age, 44.55 years) were assessed. Patients reported significantly greater subjective cognitive functioning on the FACT-Cog total score and two subscales of perceived cognitive impairment and perceived cognitive ability (all p values <0.001). Compared with patients who had received surgery only and non-cancer controls, patients treated with chemotherapy indicated the most altered global brain structural networks, especially in one of properties of small-worldness (p = 0.004). Reduced small-worldness was significantly associated with a lower FACT-Cog total score (r = 0.412, p = 0.024). Increased characteristic path length was also significantly associated with more subjective cognitive impairment (r = -0.388, p = 0.034). When compared with non-cancer controls, a considerable proportion of gynaecological cancer survivors may exhibit subjective cognitive impairment. This study provides the first evidence of brain structural network alteration in gynaecological cancer patients at post-treatment, and offers novel insights regarding the possible neurobiological mechanism of cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) in

  10. Early Neuropsychological Tests as Correlates of Productivity 1 Year after Traumatic Brain Injury: A Preliminary Matched Case-Control Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ryu, Won Hyung A.; Cullen, Nora K.; Bayley, Mark T.

    2010-01-01

    This study explored the relative strength of five neuropsychological tests in correlating with productivity 1 year after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Six moderate-to-severe TBI patients who returned to work at 1-year post-injury were matched with six controls who were unemployed after 1 year based on age, severity of injury, and Functional…

  11. Control of force during rapid visuomotor force-matching tasks can be described by discrete time PID control algorithms.

    PubMed

    Dideriksen, Jakob Lund; Feeney, Daniel F; Almuklass, Awad M; Enoka, Roger M

    2017-08-01

    Force trajectories during isometric force-matching tasks involving isometric contractions vary substantially across individuals. In this study, we investigated if this variability can be explained by discrete time proportional, integral, derivative (PID) control algorithms with varying model parameters. To this end, we analyzed the pinch force trajectories of 24 subjects performing two rapid force-matching tasks with visual feedback. Both tasks involved isometric contractions to a target force of 10% maximal voluntary contraction. One task involved a single action (pinch) and the other required a double action (concurrent pinch and wrist extension). 50,000 force trajectories were simulated with a computational neuromuscular model whose input was determined by a PID controller with different PID gains and frequencies at which the controller adjusted muscle commands. The goal was to find the best match between each experimental force trajectory and all simulated trajectories. It was possible to identify one realization of the PID controller that matched the experimental force produced during each task for most subjects (average index of similarity: 0.87 ± 0.12; 1 = perfect similarity). The similarities for both tasks were significantly greater than that would be expected by chance (single action: p = 0.01; double action: p = 0.04). Furthermore, the identified control frequencies in the simulated PID controller with the greatest similarities decreased as task difficulty increased (single action: 4.0 ± 1.8 Hz; double action: 3.1 ± 1.3 Hz). Overall, the results indicate that discrete time PID controllers are realistic models for the neural control of force in rapid force-matching tasks involving isometric contractions.

  12. Quantitative assessment of the hepatic metabolic volume product in patients with diffuse hepatic steatosis and normal controls through use of FDG-PET and MR imaging: a novel concept.

    PubMed

    Bural, Gonca G; Torigian, Drew A; Burke, Anne; Houseni, Mohamed; Alkhawaldeh, Khaled; Cucchiara, Andrew; Basu, Sandip; Alavi, Abass

    2010-06-01

    The aim of this study was to compare hepatic standardized uptake values (SUVs) and hepatic metabolic volumetric products (HMVP) between patients of diffuse hepatic steatosis and control subjects with normal livers. Twenty-seven subjects were included in the study (13 men and 14 women; age range, 34-72 years). All had 18F-2-fluoro-2-D-deoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans with an interscan interval of 0-5 months. Twelve of 27 subjects had diffuse hepatic steatosis on MRI. The remaining 15 were selected as age-matched controls based on normal liver parenchyma on MRI. Mean and maximum hepatic SUVs were calculated for both patient groups on FDG-PET images. Hepatic volumes were measured from MRI. HMVP in each subject was subsequently calculated by multiplication of hepatic volume by mean hepatic SUV. HMVPs as well as mean and maximum hepatic SUVs were compared between the two study groups. HMVPs, mean hepatic SUVs, and maximum hepatic SUVs were greater (statistically significant, p < 0.05) in subjects with diffuse hepatic steatosis compared to those in the control group. The increase in HMVP is the result of increased hepatic metabolic activity likely related to the diffuse hepatic steatosis. The active inflammatory process related to the diffuse hepatic steatosis is the probable explanation for the increase in hepatic metabolic activity on FDG-PET study.

  13. 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.

  14. The Association Between Neurocysticercosis and Hippocampal Atrophy is Related to Age

    PubMed Central

    Del Brutto, Oscar H.; Issa, Naoum P.; Salgado, Perla; Del Brutto, Victor J.; Zambrano, Mauricio; Lama, Julio; García, Héctor H.

    2017-01-01

    Neurocysticercosis (NCC) has been associated with hippocampal atrophy, but the prevalence and pathogenic mechanisms implicated in this relationship are unknown. Using a population-based, case–control study design, residents in a rural village (Atahualpa) aged ≥ 40 years with calcified NCC were identified as cases and paired to NCC-free individuals (control subjects) matched by age, sex, and level of education. Cases and control subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging for hippocampal rating according to the Scheltens' scale for medial temporal atrophy and were interviewed to identify those with a clinical seizure disorder. The prevalence of hippocampal atrophy was compared between cases and control subjects by the use of the McNemar's test for correlated proportions. Seventy-five individuals with calcified NCC and their matched control subjects were included in the analysis. Hippocampal atrophy was noted in 26 (34.7%) cases and nine (12%) control subjects (odds ratio: 4.4; 95% confidence interval: 1.6–14.9, P < 0.0021). Stratification of pairs according to tertiles of age revealed an age-related trend in this association, which became significant only in those aged ≥ 68 years (P = 0.027). Only five cases and one control had recurrent seizures (P = 0.221); three of these five cases had hippocampal atrophy, and the single control subject had normal hippocampi. This study confirms an association between NCC and hippocampal atrophy, and shows that this association is stronger in older age groups. This suggests that NCC-related hippocampal atrophy takes a long time to develop. PMID:28077750

  15. Age-related differences in finger force control are characterized by reduced force production.

    PubMed

    Vieluf, Solveig; Godde, Ben; Reuter, Eva-Maria; Voelcker-Rehage, Claudia

    2013-01-01

    It has been repeatedly shown that precise finger force control declines with age. The tasks and evaluation parameters used to reveal age-related differences vary between studies. In order to examine effects of task characteristics, young adults (18-25 years) and late middle-aged adults (55-65 years) performed precision grip tasks with varying speed and force requirements. Different outcome variables were used to evaluate age-related differences. Age-related differences were confirmed for performance accuracy (TWR) and variability (relative root mean square error, rRMSE). The task characteristics, however, influenced accuracy and variability in both age groups: Force modulation performance at higher speed was poorer than at lower speed and at fixed force levels than at force levels adjusted to the individual maximum forces. This effect tended to be stronger for older participants for the rRMSE. A curve fit confirmed the age-related differences for both spatial force tracking parameters (amplitude and intercept) and for one temporal parameter (phase shift), but not for the temporal parameter frequency. Additionally, matching the timing parameters of the sine wave seemed to be more important than matching the spatial parameters in both young adults and late middle-aged adults. However, the effect was stronger for the group of late middle-aged, even though maximum voluntary contraction was not significantly different between groups. Our data indicate that changes in the processing of fine motor control tasks with increasing age are caused by difficulties of late middle-aged adults to produce a predefined amount of force in a short time.

  16. Patterns of verbal memory performance in mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer disease, and normal aging.

    PubMed

    Greenaway, Melanie C; Lacritz, Laura H; Binegar, Dani; Weiner, Myron F; Lipton, Anne; Munro Cullum, C

    2006-06-01

    Individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) typically demonstrate memory loss that falls between normal aging (NA) and Alzheimer disease (AD), but little is known about the pattern of memory dysfunction in MCI. To explore this issue, California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) performance was examined across groups of MCI, AD, and NA. MCI subjects displayed a pattern of deficits closely resembling that of AD, characterized by reduced learning, rapid forgetting, increased recency recall, elevated intrusion errors, and poor recognition discriminability with increased false-positives. MCI performance was significantly worse than that of controls and better than that of AD patients across memory indices. Although qualitative analysis of CVLT profiles may be useful in individual cases, discriminant function analysis revealed that delayed recall and total learning were the best aspects of learning/memory on the CVLT in differentiating MCI, AD, and NA. These findings support the position that amnestic MCI represents an early point of decline on the continuum of AD that is different from normal aging.

  17. Normalization of Cortical Gray Matter Deficits in Nonpsychotic Siblings of Patients With Childhood-Onset Schizophrenia

    PubMed Central

    Mattai, Anand A.; Weisinger, Brian; Greenstein, Deanna; Stidd, Reva; Clasen, Liv; Miller, Rachel; Tossell, Julia W.; Rapoport, Judith L.; Gogtay, Nitin

    2012-01-01

    Objective Cortical gray matter (GM) abnormalities in patients with childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS) progress during adolescence ultimately localizing to prefrontal and temporal cortices by early adult age. A previous study of 52 nonpsychotic siblings of COS probands had significant prefrontal and temporal GM deficits that appeared to “normalize” by age 17 years. Here we present a replication with nonoverlapping groups of healthy full siblings and healthy controls. Method Using an automated measure and prospectively acquired anatomical brain magnetic resonance images, we mapped cortical GM thickness in nonpsychotic full siblings (n = 43, 68 scans; ages 5 through 26 years) of patients with COS, contrasting them with age-, gender-, and scan interval–matched healthy controls (n = 86, 136 scans). The false-discovery rate procedure was used to control for type I errors due to multiple comparisons. Results As in our previous study, young nonpsychotic siblings (<17 years) showed significant GM deficits in bilateral prefrontal and left temporal cortices and, in addition, smaller deficits in the parietal and right inferior temporal cortices. These deficits in nonpsychotic siblings normalized with age with minimal abnormalities remaining by age 17. Conclusions Our results support previous findings showing nonpsychotic siblings of COS probands to have early GM deficits that ameliorate with time. At early ages, prefrontal and/or temporal loss may serve as a familial/trait marker for COS. Late adolescence appears to be a critical period for greatest localization of deficits in probands or normalization in nonpsychotic siblings. PMID:21703497

  18. Consensus of satellite cluster flight using an energy-matching optimal control method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luo, Jianjun; Zhou, Liang; Zhang, Bo

    2017-11-01

    This paper presents an optimal control method for consensus of satellite cluster flight under a kind of energy matching condition. Firstly, the relation between energy matching and satellite periodically bounded relative motion is analyzed, and the satellite energy matching principle is applied to configure the initial conditions. Then, period-delayed errors are adopted as state variables to establish the period-delayed errors dynamics models of a single satellite and the cluster. Next a novel satellite cluster feedback control protocol with coupling gain is designed, so that the satellite cluster periodically bounded relative motion consensus problem (period-delayed errors state consensus problem) is transformed to the stability of a set of matrices with the same low dimension. Based on the consensus region theory in the research of multi-agent system consensus issues, the coupling gain can be obtained to satisfy the requirement of consensus region and decouple the satellite cluster information topology and the feedback control gain matrix, which can be determined by Linear quadratic regulator (LQR) optimal method. This method can realize the consensus of satellite cluster period-delayed errors, leading to the consistency of semi-major axes (SMA) and the energy-matching of satellite cluster. Then satellites can emerge the global coordinative cluster behavior. Finally the feasibility and effectiveness of the present energy-matching optimal consensus for satellite cluster flight is verified through numerical simulations.

  19. HIGHER SERUM TOTAL CHOLESTEROL LEVELS IN LATE MIDDLE AGE ARE ASSOCIATED WITH GLUCOSE HYPOMETABOLISM IN BRAIN REGIONS AFFECTED BY ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND NORMAL AGING

    PubMed Central

    Reiman, Eric M.; Chen, Kewei; Langbaum, Jessica B.S.; Lee, Wendy; Reschke, Cole; Bandy, Daniel; Alexander, Gene E.; Caselli, Richard J.

    2010-01-01

    Epidemiological studies suggest that higher midlife serum total cholesterol levels are associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Using fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) in the study of cognitively normal late-middle-aged people, we demonstrated an association between apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 gene dose, the major genetic risk factor for late-onset AD, and lower measurements of the cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (CMRgl) in AD-affected brain regions, we proposed using PET as a presymptomatic endophenotype to evaluate other putative AD risk modifiers, and we then used it to support an aggregate cholesterol-related genetic risk score in the risk of AD. In the present study, we used PET to investigate the association between serum total cholesterol levels and cerebral metabolic rate for glucose metabolism (CMRgl) in 117 cognitively normal late middle-aged APOE ε4 homozygotes, heterozygotes and noncarriers. Higher serum total cholesterol levels were associated with lower CMRgl bilaterally in precuneus, parietotemporal and prefrontal regions previously found to be preferentially affected by AD, and in additional frontal regions previously found to be preferentially affected by normal aging. The associations were greater in APOE ε4 carriers than non-carriers in some of the AD-affected brain regions. We postulate the higher midlife serum total cholesterol levels accelerate brain processes associated with normal aging and conspire with other risk factors in the predisposition to AD. We propose using PET in proof-of-concept randomized controlled trials to rapidly evaluate the effects of midlife cholesterol-lowering treatments on the brain changes associated with normal aging and AD. PMID:19631758

  20. Neuroimaging of cognitive dysfunction and depression in aging retired National Football League players: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Hart, John; Kraut, Michael A; Womack, Kyle B; Strain, Jeremy; Didehbani, Nyaz; Bartz, Elizabeth; Conover, Heather; Mansinghani, Sethesh; Lu, Hanzhang; Cullum, C Munro

    2013-03-01

    OBJECTIVES To assess cognitive impairment and depression in aging former professional football (National Football League [NFL]) players and to identify neuroimaging correlates of these dysfunctions. DESIGN We compared former NFL players with cognitive impairment and depression, cognitively normal retired players who were not depressed, and matched healthy control subjects. SETTING Research center in the North Texas region of the United States. PATIENTS Cross-sectional sample of former NFL players with and without a history of concussion recruited from the North Texas region and age-, education-, and IQ-matched controls. Thirty-four retired NFL players (mean age, 61.8 years) underwent neurological and neuropsychological assessment. A subset of 26 players also underwent detailed neuroimaging; imaging data in this subset were compared with imaging data acquired in 26 healthy matched controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Neuropsychological measures, clinical diagnoses of depression, neuroimaging mea-sures of white matter pathology, and a measure of cerebral blood flow. RESULTS Of the 34 former NFL players, 20 were cognitively normal. Four were diagnosed as having a fixed cognitive deficit; 8, mild cognitive impairment; 2, dementia; and 8, depression. Of the subgroup in whom neuroimaging data were acquired, cognitively impaired participants showed the greatest deficits on tests of naming, word finding, and visual/verbal episodic memory. We found significant differences in white matter abnormalities in cognitively impaired and depressed retired players compared with their respective controls. Regional blood flow differences in the cognitively impaired group (left temporal pole, inferior parietal lobule, and superior temporal gyrus) corresponded to regions associated with impaired neurocognitive performance (problems with memory, naming, and word finding). CONCLUSIONS Cognitive deficits and depression appear to be more common in aging former NFL players compared with healthy

  1. Body Size Changes Among National Collegiate Athletic Association New England Division III Football Players, 1956−2014: Comparison With Age-Matched Population Controls

    PubMed Central

    Elliott, Kayla R.; Harmatz, Jerold S.; Zhao, Yanli; Greenblatt, David J.

    2016-01-01

    Context:  Collegiate football programs encourage athletes to pursue high body weights. Objective:  To examine position-dependent trends over time in body size characteristics among football players in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) from 1956 to 2014 and to compare the observed absolute and relative changes with those in age-matched male population controls. Design:  Descriptive laboratory study. Setting:  Medical school affiliated with a NESCAC institution. Patients or Other Participants:  Football team rosters from the 10-member NESCAC schools, available as public documents, were analyzed along with body size data from general population males aged 20 to 29 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Main Outcome Measure(s):  Body weight, height, and calculated body mass index were evaluated using analysis of variance, linear regression, and nonlinear regression to determine the distribution features of size variables and changes associated with time (year), school, and position. Results:  Among NESCAC linemen, absolute and relative changes over time in body weight and body mass index exceeded corresponding changes in the NHANES population controls. New England Small College Athletic Conference offensive linemen body weights increased by 37.5% from 1956 to 2014 (192 to 264 lb [86.4 to 118.8 kg]), compared with a 12% increase (164 to 184 lb [73.8 to 82.8 kg]) since 1961 in the NHANES population controls. Body mass index changed in parallel with body weight and exceeded 35 kg/m2 in more than 30% of contemporary NESCAC offensive linemen. Among skill players in the NESCAC group, time-related changes in body size characteristics generally paralleled those in the NHANES controls. Conclusions:  High body weight and body mass indices were evident in offensive linemen, even among those in Division III football programs with no athletic

  2. Color matches in diseased eyes with good acuity: detection of deficits in cone optical density and in chromatic discrimination

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Swanson, William H.; Fish, Gary E.

    1995-10-01

    Reduced foveal cone optical density in diseased eyes with normal acuity can affect color matches. Using field diameters of 1 deg, 2 deg, 4 deg, and 8 deg, we measured mean color-match midpoints and match widths in patients who had good acuity and who hereditary macular degeneration ( n=12 ), retinitis pigmentosa ( n=19 ), and glaucoma ( n=18 ). Results were compared with those for normal observers of comparable ages. Mean color-match midpoints were abnormal only for the population with hereditary macular degeneration, indicating a reduction in cone optical density in the central 4 deg. Mean color-match widths were enlarged for both hereditary macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa, a result consistent with a reduction in the number of foveal cones. chromatic discrimination, macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, glaucoma.

  3. Determinants of unwanted pregnancies in India using matched case-control designs.

    PubMed

    Dixit, Priyanka; Ram, Faujdar; Dwivedi, Laxmi Kant

    2012-08-11

    In India, while the total fertility rate has been declined from 3.39 in 1992-93 to 2.68 in 2005-06, the prevalence of unintended pregnancy is still stagnant over the same period. A review of existing literature shows that within the country, there are variations in fertility preferences between different regions. Also there is a strong argument that the availability of a health facility at the village level plays an important role in reshaping the fertility behavior of women. Keeping in mind the fact that there is no information at the village level (which is the lowest geographical boundary) in the recent round of National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3), the specific objective of this study is to examine the impact of individual and household level variables on unwanted pregnancies without controlling the village level variation. Further, once the village level variation (i.e. unobserved variation) has been controlled, it is necessary to study whether there has been any alteration in the contribution of factors from earlier results of without adjusting the village level variation. This paper attempts to examine the associated factors of unwanted pregnancies, without matching the village and after matching the village, by using the matched case-control design. Nationwide data from India's latest NFHS-3 conducted during 2005-06 was used for the present study. Frequency and pair wise matching has been applied in the present paper and conditional logistic regression analysis was used to work out the models and to find out the factors associated with unwanted pregnancies. A major finding of this study was that 1:3 case-control study (without matching the village) shows that women belonging to non Hindu/Muslim religion, Scheduled Tribe, women who have experienced child loss and if the previous birth interval is 24 through 36 months were significant predictors of unwanted pregnancy. However, this relationship did not hold significant after village wise matching. Other

  4. Serum levels of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) and the decoy soluble receptor for AGEs (sRAGE) can identify non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in age-, sex- and BMI-matched normo-glycemic adults.

    PubMed

    Palma-Duran, Susana A; Kontogianni, Meropi D; Vlassopoulos, Antonis; Zhao, Shudong; Margariti, Aikaterini; Georgoulis, Michael; Papatheodoridis, George; Combet, Emilie

    2018-06-01

    Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a serious health problem affecting ~25% of the global population. While NAFLD pathogenesis is still unclear, multiple NAFLD parameters, including reduced insulin sensitivity, impaired glucose metabolism and increased oxidative stress are hypothesised to foster the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). Given the link of AGEs with end organ damage, there is scope to examine the role of the AGE/RAGE axis activation in liver injury and NAFLD. Age, sex and body mass index matched normo-glycemic NAFLD adults (n = 58) and healthy controls (n = 58) were enrolled in the study. AGEs were analysed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (CML, CEL), fluorescence (pentosidine, AGE fluorescence), colorimetry (fructosamine) and ELISA (sRAGE). Their association with liver function, inflammation, fibrosis and stage of NAFLD was examined. Early and advanced glycation end-products, except N ε -carboxymethyl-L-lysine (CML), were 10-30% higher, sRAGE levels 1.7-fold lower, and glycation/sRAGE ratios 4-fold higher in the NAFLD cases compared to controls. While AGEs presented weak to moderate correlations with indices of liver function and damage (AST/ALT, HOMA-IR, TNF-α and TGF-β1), including sRAGE to characterize the AGEs/sRAGE axis strengthened the associations observed. High glycation/sRAGE ratios were associated with 1.3 to 14-fold likelihood of lower AST/ALT ratios. The sum of AGEs/sRAGE ratios accurately distinguished between healthy controls and NAFLD patients (area under the curve of 0.85). Elevated AGEs/sRAGE (>7.8 mmol/pmol) was associated with a 12-fold likelihood of the presence of NAFLD. These findings strengthen the involvement of AGEs-RAGE axis in liver injury and the pathogenesis of NAFLD. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Viscoelastic properties of the posterior eye of normal subjects, patients with age-related macular degeneration, and pigs.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Zhen Huan; Pan, Meng Xin; Cai, Jia Tong; Weiland, James D; Chen, Kinon

    2018-03-26

    The purpose of this study is to measure, characterize, and compare the viscoelastic properties of the posterior eye of advanced dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients, age-matched normal subjects, and pigs (3 groups). Ten horizontal and ten vertical strips of the macula retina and the underneath choroid and sclera were obtained for each group, respectively. They were examined by incremental stress-relaxation cycles in body-temperature saline. Mechanical response was characterized by the quasi-linear viscoelastic model. All the tissues were shown to be nonlinear viscoelastic. Stiffening and isotropization, increased relaxation, and softening and isotropization were found in AMD retina, choroid, and sclera, respectively, which are the mechanical features of the atherosclerotic process. The patients' medical records were in accordance with epidemiological studies indicating a relationship between the advanced AMD and atherosclerotic vascular disease (ASVD). Moreover, many differences were found between the viscoelastic properties of porcine and normal human retina, choroid, and sclera. The results suggest that AMD is associated with ASVD through a mechanism involving abnormal retinal, choroidal, and scleral mechanics similar to those seen in the atherosclerotic process. Moreover, researchers should be aware of mechanical differences when using porcine posterior eyes as a substitute for human posterior eyes. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. 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

  7. Methodological Issues in Design and Analysis of a Matched Case-Control Study of a Vaccine’s Effectiveness

    PubMed Central

    Niccolai, Linda M.; Ogden, Lorraine G.; Muehlenbein, Catherine E.; Dziura, James D.; Vázquez, Marietta; Shapiro, Eugene D.

    2007-01-01

    Objective Case-control studies of the effectiveness of a vaccine are useful to answer important questions, such as the effectiveness of a vaccine over time, that usually are not addressed by pre-licensure clinical trials of the vaccine’s efficacy. This report describes methodological issues related to design and analysis that were used to determine the effects of time since vaccination and age at the time of vaccination. Study Design and Setting A matched case-control study of the effectiveness of varicella vaccine. Results Sampling procedures and conditional logistic regression models including interaction terms are described. Conclusion Use of these methods will allow investigators to assess the effects of a wide range of variables, such as time since vaccination and age at the time of vaccination, on the effectiveness of a vaccine. PMID:17938054

  8. Age-related differences in enhancement and suppression of neural activity underlying selective attention in matched young and old adults.

    PubMed

    Haring, A E; Zhuravleva, T Y; Alperin, B R; Rentz, D M; Holcomb, P J; Daffner, K R

    2013-03-07

    Selective attention reflects the top-down control of sensory processing that is mediated by enhancement or inhibition of neural activity. ERPs were used to investigate age-related differences in neural activity in an experiment examining selective attention to color under Attend and Ignore conditions, as well as under a Neutral condition in which color was task-irrelevant. We sought to determine whether differences in neural activity between old and young adult subjects were due to differences in age rather than executive capacity. Old subjects were matched to two groups of young subjects on the basis of neuropsychological test performance: one using age-appropriate norms and the other using test scores not adjusted for age. We found that old and young subject groups did not differ in the overall modulation of selective attention between Attend and Ignore conditions, as indexed by the size of the anterior Selection Positivity. However, in contrast to either young adult group, old subjects did not exhibit reduced neural activity under the Ignore relative to Neutral condition, but showed enhanced activity under the Attend condition. The onset and peak of the Selection Positivity occurred later for old than young subjects. In summary, older adults execute selective attention less efficiently than matched younger subjects, with slowed processing and failed suppression under Ignore. Increased enhancement under Attend may serve as a compensatory mechanism. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Contingent capture of involuntary visual spatial attention does not differ between normally hearing children and proficient cochlear implant users.

    PubMed

    Kamke, Marc R; Van Luyn, Jeanette; Constantinescu, Gabriella; Harris, Jill

    2014-01-01

    Evidence suggests that deafness-induced changes in visual perception, cognition and attention may compensate for a hearing loss. Such alterations, however, may also negatively influence adaptation to a cochlear implant. This study investigated whether involuntary attentional capture by salient visual stimuli is altered in children who use a cochlear implant. Thirteen experienced implant users (aged 8-16 years) and age-matched normally hearing children were presented with a rapid sequence of simultaneous visual and auditory events. Participants were tasked with detecting numbers presented in a specified color and identifying a change in the tonal frequency whilst ignoring irrelevant visual distractors. Compared to visual distractors that did not possess the target-defining characteristic, target-colored distractors were associated with a decrement in visual performance (response time and accuracy), demonstrating a contingent capture of involuntary attention. Visual distractors did not, however, impair auditory task performance. Importantly, detection performance for the visual and auditory targets did not differ between the groups. These results suggest that proficient cochlear implant users demonstrate normal capture of visuospatial attention by stimuli that match top-down control settings.

  10. Comparison of the Deep Optic Nerve Head Structure between Normal-Tension Glaucoma and Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy.

    PubMed

    Lee, Eun Ji; Choi, Yun Jeong; Kim, Tae-Woo; Hwang, Jeong-Min

    2016-01-01

    To compare the deep optic nerve head (ONH) structure between normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) and nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) and also in healthy subjects as a control using enhanced depth imaging (EDI) spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). This prospective cross-sectional study included 21 NAION patients who had been diagnosed as NAION at least 6 months prior to study entry, and 42 NTG patients and 42 healthy controls who were matched with NAION patients in terms of age, intraocular pressure (IOP), and optic disc area. The retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in the affected sector was also matched between NAION and NTG patients. The ONH was imaged using SD-OCT with the EDI technique. The anterior lamina cribrosa surface depth (LCD) and average prelaminar tissue (PT) thickness were measured in a sector of interest in each eye and compared among the three groups. In the sector-matched comparison, LCD was largest in NTG patients, followed by NAION patients, while PT was thinner in NTG patients than in NAION patients (all P < 0.001). NAION patients had a comparable LCD and a thinner PT relative to normal controls (P = 0.170 and < 0.001, respectively). The deep ONH configuration is strikingly different between NTG and NAION. The differing features provide comparative insight into the pathophysiology of the two diseases, and may be useful for differential diagnosis.

  11. Matching with Multiple Control Groups with Adjustment for Group Differences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stuart, Elizabeth A.; Rubin, Donald B.

    2008-01-01

    When estimating causal effects from observational data, it is desirable to approximate a randomized experiment as closely as possible. This goal can often be achieved by choosing a subsample from the original control group that matches the treatment group on the distribution of the observed covariates. However, sometimes the original control group…

  12. Effectiveness of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in preventing invasive pneumococcal disease in children aged 7-59 months. A matched case-control study

    PubMed Central

    Ciruela, Pilar; Hernández, Sergi; García-García, Juan José; Soldevila, Núria; Izquierdo, Conchita; Moraga-Llop, Fernando; Díaz, Alvaro; F. de Sevilla, Mariona; González-Peris, Sebastià; Campins, Magda; Uriona, Sonia; Martínez-Osorio, Johanna; Solé-Ribalta, Anna; Codina, Gemma; Esteva, Cristina; Planes, Ana María; Muñoz-Almagro, Carmen; Salleras, Luis

    2017-01-01

    Background The 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) was licensed based on the results of immunogenicity studies and correlates of protection derived from randomized clinical trials of the 7-valent conjugate pneumococcal vaccine. We assessed the vaccination effectiveness (VE) of the PCV13 in preventing invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in children aged 7–59 months in a population with suboptimal vaccination coverage of 55%. Methods The study was carried out in children with IPD admitted to three hospitals in Barcelona (Spain) and controls matched by hospital, age, sex, date of hospitalization and underlying disease. Information on the vaccination status was obtained from written medical records. Conditional logistic regression was made to estimate the adjusted VE and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results 169 cases and 645 controls were included. The overall VE of ≥1 doses of PCV13 in preventing IPD due to vaccine serotypes was 75.8% (95% CI, 54.1–87.2) and 90% (95% CI, 63.9–97.2) when ≥2 doses before 12 months, two doses on or after 12 months or one dose on or after 24 months, were administered. The VE of ≥1 doses was 89% (95% CI, 42.7–97.9) against serotype 1 and 86.0% (95% CI, 51.2–99.7) against serotype 19A. Serotype 3 showed a non-statistically significant effectiveness (25.9%; 95% CI, -65.3 to 66.8). Conclusions The effectiveness of ≥1 doses of PCV13 in preventing IPD caused by all PCV13 serotypes in children aged 7–59 months was good and, except for serotype 3, the effectiveness of ≥1 doses against the most frequent PCV13 serotypes causing IPD was high when considered individually. PMID:28806737

  13. Effectiveness of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in preventing invasive pneumococcal disease in children aged 7-59 months. A matched case-control study.

    PubMed

    Domínguez, Ángela; Ciruela, Pilar; Hernández, Sergi; García-García, Juan José; Soldevila, Núria; Izquierdo, Conchita; Moraga-Llop, Fernando; Díaz, Alvaro; F de Sevilla, Mariona; González-Peris, Sebastià; Campins, Magda; Uriona, Sonia; Martínez-Osorio, Johanna; Solé-Ribalta, Anna; Codina, Gemma; Esteva, Cristina; Planes, Ana María; Muñoz-Almagro, Carmen; Salleras, Luis

    2017-01-01

    The 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) was licensed based on the results of immunogenicity studies and correlates of protection derived from randomized clinical trials of the 7-valent conjugate pneumococcal vaccine. We assessed the vaccination effectiveness (VE) of the PCV13 in preventing invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in children aged 7-59 months in a population with suboptimal vaccination coverage of 55%. The study was carried out in children with IPD admitted to three hospitals in Barcelona (Spain) and controls matched by hospital, age, sex, date of hospitalization and underlying disease. Information on the vaccination status was obtained from written medical records. Conditional logistic regression was made to estimate the adjusted VE and 95% confidence intervals (CI). 169 cases and 645 controls were included. The overall VE of ≥1 doses of PCV13 in preventing IPD due to vaccine serotypes was 75.8% (95% CI, 54.1-87.2) and 90% (95% CI, 63.9-97.2) when ≥2 doses before 12 months, two doses on or after 12 months or one dose on or after 24 months, were administered. The VE of ≥1 doses was 89% (95% CI, 42.7-97.9) against serotype 1 and 86.0% (95% CI, 51.2-99.7) against serotype 19A. Serotype 3 showed a non-statistically significant effectiveness (25.9%; 95% CI, -65.3 to 66.8). The effectiveness of ≥1 doses of PCV13 in preventing IPD caused by all PCV13 serotypes in children aged 7-59 months was good and, except for serotype 3, the effectiveness of ≥1 doses against the most frequent PCV13 serotypes causing IPD was high when considered individually.

  14. Asynchronous (segmental early) relaxation impairs left ventricular filling in patients with coronary artery disease and normal systolic function.

    PubMed

    Vanoverschelde, J L; Wijns, W; Michel, X; Cosyns, J; Detry, J M

    1991-11-01

    Asynchronous segmental early relaxation, defined as a localized early segmental outward motion of the left ventricular endocardium during isovolumetric relaxation, has been associated with an altered left ventricular relaxation rate. To determine whether asynchronous segmental early relaxation also results in impaired left ventricular filling, early diastolic ventricular wall motion and Doppler-derived left ventricular filling indexes were examined in 25 patients with documented coronary artery disease and normal systolic function. Patients were further classified into two groups according to the presence (n = 15, group 1) or absence (n = 10, group 2) of asynchronous early relaxation at left ventriculography. A third group of 10 age-matched normal subjects served as a control group. No differences were observed between the two patient groups with coronary artery disease with respect to age, gender distribution, heart rate, left ventricular systolic and diastolic pressures or extent and severity of coronary artery disease. No differences in transmitral filling dynamics were observed between group 2 patients and age-matched control subjects. Conversely, group 1 patients had significantly lower peak early filling velocities (44 +/- 11 vs. 58 +/- 11 cm/s, p less than 0.01), larger atrial filling fraction (45 +/- 4% vs. 38 +/- 4%, p less than 0.001), lower ratio of early to late transmitral filling velocities (0.6 +/- 0.08 vs. 0.99 +/- 0.18, p less than 0.001) and a longer isovolumetric relaxation period (114 +/- 12 vs. 90 +/- 6 ms, p less than 0.001) compared with group 2 patients and control subjects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  15. Normalization of Reverse Transcription Quantitative PCR Data During Ageing in Distinct Cerebral Structures.

    PubMed

    Bruckert, G; Vivien, D; Docagne, F; Roussel, B D

    2016-04-01

    Reverse transcription quantitative-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) has become a routine method in many laboratories. Normalization of data from experimental conditions is critical for data processing and is usually achieved by the use of a single reference gene. Nevertheless, as pointed by the Minimum Information for Publication of Quantitative Real-Time PCR Experiments (MIQE) guidelines, several reference genes should be used for reliable normalization. Ageing is a physiological process that results in a decline of many expressed genes. Reliable normalization of RT-qPCR data becomes crucial when studying ageing. Here, we propose a RT-qPCR study from four mouse brain regions (cortex, hippocampus, striatum and cerebellum) at different ages (from 8 weeks to 22 months) in which we studied the expression of nine commonly used reference genes. With the use of two different algorithms, we found that all brain structures need at least two genes for a good normalization step. We propose specific pairs of gene for efficient data normalization in the four brain regions studied. These results underline the importance of reliable reference genes for specific brain regions in ageing.

  16. Medial versus anterior open reduction for developmental hip dislocation in age-matched patients.

    PubMed

    Hoellwarth, Jason S; Kim, Young-Jo; Millis, Michael B; Kasser, James R; Zurakowski, David; Matheney, Travis H

    2015-01-01

    The difference between medial (MAOR) and anterior (AAOR) approaches for open reduction of developmental hip dysplasia in terms of risk for avascular necrosis (AVN) and need for further corrective surgery (FCS, femoral and/or acetabular osteotomy) is unclear. This study compared age-matched cohorts undergoing either MAOR or AAOR in terms of these 2 primary outcomes. Prognostic impact of presence of ossific nucleus at time of open reduction was also investigated. Institutional review board approval was obtained. Nineteen hips (14 patients) managed by MAOR were matched with 19 hips (18 patients) managed by AAOR based on age at operation (mean 6.0; range, 1.4 to 14.9 mo). Patients with neuromuscular conditions and known connective tissue disorders were excluded. Primary outcomes assessed at minimum 2 years' follow-up included radiographic evidence of AVN (Kalamchi and MacEwen) or requiring FCS. MAOR and AAOR cohorts were similar regarding age at open reduction, sex, laterality, and follow-up duration. One hip in each group had AVN before open reduction thus were excluded from AVN analysis. At minimum 2 years postoperatively (mean 6.2; range, 1.8 to 11.7 y), 4/18 (22%) MAOR and 5/18 (28%) AAOR met the same criteria for AVN (P=1.0). No predictors of AVN could be identified by regression analysis. Presence of an ossific nucleus preoperatively was not a protective factor from AVN (P=0.27). FCS was required in 4/19 (21%) MAOR and 7/19 (37%) AAOR hips (P=0.48). However, 7/12 (54%) hips failing closed reduction required FCS compared with 4/26 (16%) hips without prior failed closed reduction (P=0.024). Cox regression analysis showed that patients who failed closed reduction had an annual risk of requiring FCS approximately 6 times that of patients without a history of failed closed reduction (hazard ratio=6.1; 95% CI, 1.5-24.4; P=0.009), independent of surgical approach (P=0.55) or length of follow-up (P=0.78). In this study of age-matched patients undergoing either MAOR or

  17. The internalization of posterior subcapsular cataracts (PSCs) in Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rats. II. The inter-relationship of optical quality and structure as a function of age.

    PubMed

    Kuszak, J R; Al-Ghoul, K J; Novak, L A; Peterson, K L; Herbert, K L; Sivak, J G

    1999-05-06

    The Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rat is an animal model for human retinal degenerative disease and posterior subcapsular cataracts (PSCs). The purpose of this study was to correlate the structure and optical quality of RCS lenses with PSCs as a function of their internalization, with normal, non-cataractous, age-matched control lenses. Correlative light (LM), scanning electron microscopic (SEM), three-dimensional computer assisted drawings (3D-CADs) and low power helium-neon laser scan analysis were used to examine the structure and function of lenses. The optical properties (average focal length variability; sharpness of focus) of RCS rat lenses are quantitatively compromised by PSCs. Correlative LM and SEM analysis of RCS lenses at various stages of PSC internalization (1.5, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 months of age), revealed that the sutures formed by additional fiber growth were progressively more abnormal. During PSC internalization, two to nine small suture branches were formed and arranged in modified line to multiple y configurations rather than the normal three branch y sutures. These temporal changes were also chronicled in animated 3D-CAD videos derived from lens reconstructions based on LM and SEM micrographs from the selected time points stated above. However, laser scan analysis also revealed that as the PSCs of RCS rat lenses were progressively internalized, there was a steady improvement in total sharpness of focus that reached normal levels by 12 months of age. The correlation of laser scan and structural data from specific regions of lenses revealed the following: 1. The abnormal posterior sutures of RCS rats with internalized PSCs effect a greater reduction in optical quality than normal posterior sutures of age-matched controls; 2. However, the resulting abnormal suture plane area was cumulatively similar to that of age-matched controls; 3. Thus, total optical quality was similar between RCS lenses with internalized PSCs and age-matched controls by

  18. Network-based regularization for matched case-control analysis of high-dimensional DNA methylation data.

    PubMed

    Sun, Hokeun; Wang, Shuang

    2013-05-30

    The matched case-control designs are commonly used to control for potential confounding factors in genetic epidemiology studies especially epigenetic studies with DNA methylation. Compared with unmatched case-control studies with high-dimensional genomic or epigenetic data, there have been few variable selection methods for matched sets. In an earlier paper, we proposed the penalized logistic regression model for the analysis of unmatched DNA methylation data using a network-based penalty. However, for popularly applied matched designs in epigenetic studies that compare DNA methylation between tumor and adjacent non-tumor tissues or between pre-treatment and post-treatment conditions, applying ordinary logistic regression ignoring matching is known to bring serious bias in estimation. In this paper, we developed a penalized conditional logistic model using the network-based penalty that encourages a grouping effect of (1) linked Cytosine-phosphate-Guanine (CpG) sites within a gene or (2) linked genes within a genetic pathway for analysis of matched DNA methylation data. In our simulation studies, we demonstrated the superiority of using conditional logistic model over unconditional logistic model in high-dimensional variable selection problems for matched case-control data. We further investigated the benefits of utilizing biological group or graph information for matched case-control data. We applied the proposed method to a genome-wide DNA methylation study on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) where we investigated the DNA methylation levels of tumor and adjacent non-tumor tissues from HCC patients by using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation27 Beadchip. Several new CpG sites and genes known to be related to HCC were identified but were missed by the standard method in the original paper. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  19. How age affects memory task performance in clinically normal hearing persons.

    PubMed

    Vercammen, Charlotte; Goossens, Tine; Wouters, Jan; van Wieringen, Astrid

    2017-05-01

    The main objective of this study is to investigate memory task performance in different age groups, irrespective of hearing status. Data are collected on a short-term memory task (WAIS-III Digit Span forward) and two working memory tasks (WAIS-III Digit Span backward and the Reading Span Test). The tasks are administered to young (20-30 years, n = 56), middle-aged (50-60 years, n = 47), and older participants (70-80 years, n = 16) with normal hearing thresholds. All participants have passed a cognitive screening task (Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)). Young participants perform significantly better than middle-aged participants, while middle-aged and older participants perform similarly on the three memory tasks. Our data show that older clinically normal hearing persons perform equally well on the memory tasks as middle-aged persons. However, even under optimal conditions of preserved sensory processing, changes in memory performance occur. Based on our data, these changes set in before middle age.

  20. Cerebral malaria and sequelar epilepsy: first matched case-control study in Gabon.

    PubMed

    Ngoungou, Edgard Brice; Koko, Jean; Druet-Cabanac, Michel; Assengone-Zeh-Nguema, Yvonne; Launay, Marylène Ndong; Engohang, Edouard; Moubeka-Mounguengui, Martine; Kouna-Ndouongo, Philomène; Loembe, Paul-Marie; Preux, Pierre-Marie; Kombila, Maryvonne

    2006-12-01

    Cerebral malaria (CM) is suspected to be a potential cause of epilepsy in tropical areas. The purpose of this article was to evaluate the relationship between CM and epilepsy in Gabon. A matched case-control study was carried out on a sample of subjects aged six months to 25 years and hospitalized between 1990 and 2004 in three hospitals in Libreville, Gabon. Cases were defined as patients suffering from epilepsy and confirmed by a neurologist. Controls were defined as patients without epilepsy. The exposure of interest was CM according to WHO criteria. In total, 296 cases and 296 controls were included. Of these, 36 (26 cases and 10 controls) had a CM history. The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) to develop epilepsy after CM was 3.9 [95% CI: 1.7-8.9], p<0.001. Additional risk factors were identified: family history of epilepsy: aOR=6.0 [95% CI: 2.6-14.1], p<0.0001, and febrile convulsions: aOR=9.2 [95% CI 4.0-21.1], p<0.0001. This first case-control study on that issue suggests that epilepsy-related CM is an underrecognized problem. It emphasizes the need for further studies to better evaluate the role of convulsions during CM.

  1. Fundamental differences in axial and appendicular bone density in stress fractured and uninjured Royal Marine recruits--a matched case-control study.

    PubMed

    Davey, Trish; Lanham-New, Susan A; Shaw, Anneliese M; Cobley, Rosalyn; Allsopp, Adrian J; Hajjawi, Mark O R; Arnett, Timothy R; Taylor, Pat; Cooper, Cyrus; Fallowfield, Joanne L

    2015-04-01

    Stress fracture is a common overuse injury within military training, resulting in significant economic losses to the military worldwide. Studies to date have failed to fully identify the bone density and bone structural differences between stress fractured personnel and controls due to inadequate adjustment for key confounding factors; namely age, body size and physical fitness; and poor sample size. The aim of this study was to investigate bone differences between male Royal Marine recruits who suffered a stress fracture during the 32 weeks of training and uninjured control recruits, matched for age, body weight, height and aerobic fitness. A total of 1090 recruits were followed through training and 78 recruits suffered at least one stress fracture. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured at the lumbar spine (LS), femoral neck (FN) and whole body (WB) using Dual X-ray Absorptiometry in 62 matched pairs; tibial bone parameters were measured using peripheral Quantitative Computer Tomography in 51 matched pairs. Serum C-terminal peptide concentration was measured as a marker of bone resorption at baseline, week-15 and week-32. ANCOVA was used to determine differences between stress fractured recruits and controls. BMD at the LS, WB and FN sites was consistently lower in the stress fracture group (P<0.001). Structural differences between the stress fracture recruits and controls were evident in all slices of the tibia, with the most prominent differences seen at the 38% tibial slice. There was a negative correlation between the bone cross-sectional area and BMD at the 38% tibial slice. There was no difference in serum CTx concentration between stress fracture recruits and matched controls at any stage of training. These results show evidence of fundamental differences in bone mass and structure in stress fracture recruits, and provide useful data on bone risk factor profiles for stress fracture within a healthy military population. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published

  2. Effect of Visual Cues on the Resolution of Perceptual Ambiguity in Parkinson’s Disease and Normal Aging

    PubMed Central

    Díaz-Santos, Mirella; Cao, Bo; Mauro, Samantha A.; Yazdanbakhsh, Arash; Neargarder, Sandy; Cronin-Golomb, Alice

    2017-01-01

    Parkinson’s disease (PD) and normal aging have been associated with changes in visual perception, including reliance on external cues to guide behavior. This raises the question of the extent to which these groups use visual cues when disambiguating information. Twenty-seven individuals with PD, 23 normal control adults (NC), and 20 younger adults (YA) were presented a Necker cube in which one face was highlighted by thickening the lines defining the face. The hypothesis was that the visual cues would help PD and NC to exert better control over bistable perception. There were three conditions, including passive viewing and two volitional-control conditions (hold one percept in front; and switch: speed up the alternation between the two). In the Hold condition, the cue was either consistent or inconsistent with task instructions. Mean dominance durations (time spent on each percept) under passive viewing were comparable in PD and NC, and shorter in YA. PD and YA increased dominance durations in the Hold cue-consistent condition relative to NC, meaning that appropriate cues helped PD but not NC hold one perceptual interpretation. By contrast, in the Switch condition, NC and YA decreased dominance durations relative to PD, meaning that the use of cues helped NC but not PD in expediting the switch between percepts. Provision of low-level cues has effects on volitional control in PD that are different from in normal aging, and only under task-specific conditions does the use of such cues facilitate the resolution of perceptual ambiguity. PMID:25765890

  3. The effect of obesity on inflammatory markers in patients with PCOS: a BMI-matched case-control study.

    PubMed

    Keskin Kurt, Raziye; Okyay, Ayşe Güler; Hakverdi, Ali Ulvi; Gungoren, Arif; Dolapcioglu, Kenan Serdar; Karateke, Atilla; Dogan, Mustafa Ozcil

    2014-08-01

    Previous studies have shown increased inflammatory activity in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS); however, it remains uncertain whether this increased inflammatory activity is a consequence of the disorder itself or of the accompanying obesity. We therefore aimed to test the inflammatory marker levels in obese and lean patients with PCOS by using two separate control groups with matching body mass index (BMI). A total of 120 women in reproductive age with (n = 62) and without (n = 60) PCOS were recruited for the study. Patients with PCOS were divided into two groups as obese (n = 32) and lean (n = 30) PCOS groups according to BMI. Two BMI-matched control groups were created. Furthermore, high sensitive CRP protein (hsCRP), neutrophils, lymphocytes, white blood cell count (WBC) and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were evaluated with complete blood count. The hsCRP (5.5 ± 0.8 vs. 3.1 ± 0.7, p < 0.001), neutrophil count (3.8 ± 0.4 vs. 2.9 ± 0.7, p < 0.001), leukocyte count (7.2 ± 1.8 vs. 5.6 ± 1.6, p < 0.001), and NLR (2.6 ± 1.4 vs. 1.5 ± 0.4, p < 0.001) were higher in patients with PCOS compared to the control group while lymphocyte count was lower (1.71 ± 0.65 vs. 1.98 ± 0.39, p = 0.008). Similarly, both obese and lean patients with PCOS had higher levels of hsCRP, neutrophils, leukocytes and NLR ratios compared to BMI-matched controls. The correlation analysis revealed a moderate correlation between NLR and hsCRP (r 0.459, p < 0.001), and between HOMA-IR (r 0.476 p < 0.001) and BMI (r 0.310, p 0.001). Our study results demonstrated that both lean and obese patients with PCOS have increased inflammatory markers compared to BMI-matched control groups indicating that the inflammation seen in PCOS might be related with the presence of the disorder rather than with obesity.

  4. The Stereotype-Matching Effect: Greater Influence on Functioning When Age Stereotypes Correspond to Outcomes

    PubMed Central

    Levy, Becca R.; Leifheit-Limson, Erica

    2009-01-01

    Older individuals assimilate, and are targeted by, contradictory positive and negative age stereotypes. It was unknown whether the influence of stereotype valence is stronger when the stereotype content corresponds to the outcome domain. We randomly assigned older individuals to either positive-cognitive, negative-cognitive, positive-physical, or negative-physical subliminal-age-stereotype groups and assessed cognitive and physical outcomes. As predicted, when the age stereotypes corresponded to the outcome domains, their valence had a significantly greater impact on cognitive and physical performance. This suggests that if a match occurs, it is more likely to generate expectations that become self-fulfilling prophecies. PMID:19290757

  5. Age-related apparent diffusion coefficient changes in the normal brain.

    PubMed

    Watanabe, Memi; Sakai, Osamu; Ozonoff, Al; Kussman, Steven; Jara, Hernán

    2013-02-01

    To measure the mean diffusional age-related changes of the brain over the full human life span by using diffusion-weighted spin-echo single-shot echo-planar magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and sequential whole-brain apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) histogram analysis and, secondarily, to build mathematical models of these normal age-related changes throughout human life. After obtaining institutional review board approval, a HIPAA-compliant retrospective search was conducted for brain MR imaging studies performed in 2007 for various clinical indications. Informed consent was waived. The brain data of 414 healthy subjects (189 males and 225 females; mean age, 33.7 years; age range, 2 days to 89.3 years) were obtained with diffusion-weighted spin-echo single-shot echo-planar MR imaging. ADC histograms of the whole brain were generated. ADC peak values, histogram widths, and intracranial volumes were plotted against age, and model parameters were estimated by using nonlinear regression. Four different stages were identified for aging changes in ADC peak values, as characterized by specific mathematical terms: There were age-associated exponential decays for the maturation period and the development period, a constant term for adulthood, and a linear increase for the senescence period. The age dependency of ADC peak value was simulated by using four-term six-coefficient function, including biexponential and linear terms. This model fit the data very closely (R(2) = 0.91). Brain diffusivity as a whole demonstrated age-related changes through four distinct periods of life. These results could contribute to establishing an ADC baseline of the normal brain, covering the full human life span.

  6. 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…

  7. Determinants of unwanted pregnancies in India using matched case-control designs

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background In India, while the total fertility rate has been declined from 3.39 in 1992–93 to 2.68 in 2005–06, the prevalence of unintended pregnancy is still stagnant over the same period. A review of existing literature shows that within the country, there are variations in fertility preferences between different regions. Also there is a strong argument that the availability of a health facility at the village level plays an important role in reshaping the fertility behavior of women. Keeping in mind the fact that there is no information at the village level (which is the lowest geographical boundary) in the recent round of National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3), the specific objective of this study is to examine the impact of individual and household level variables on unwanted pregnancies without controlling the village level variation. Further, once the village level variation (i.e. unobserved variation) has been controlled, it is necessary to study whether there has been any alteration in the contribution of factors from earlier results of without adjusting the village level variation. Methods This paper attempts to examine the associated factors of unwanted pregnancies, without matching the village and after matching the village, by using the matched case–control design. Nationwide data from India’s latest NFHS-3 conducted during 2005–06 was used for the present study. Frequency and pair wise matching has been applied in the present paper and conditional logistic regression analysis was used to work out the models and to find out the factors associated with unwanted pregnancies. Results A major finding of this study was that 1:3 case–control study (without matching the village) shows that women belonging to non Hindu/Muslim religion, Scheduled Tribe, women who have experienced child loss and if the previous birth interval is 24 through 36 months were significant predictors of unwanted pregnancy. However, this relationship did not hold

  8. Nitric Oxide, Inflammation, Lipid Profile, and Cortisol in Normal- and Overweight Women With Fibromyalgia.

    PubMed

    Rus, Alma; Molina, Francisco; Gassó, Manuela; Camacho, Maria Victoria; Peinado, Maria Ángeles; del Moral, Maria Luisa

    2016-03-01

    Research has identified many factors associated with fibromyalgia (FM), but findings have been inconsistent. This study aimed to investigate changes in levels of nitric oxide (NO), inflammatory markers, lipid profile, and cortisol in normal- and overweight patients with FM and controls. Since most patients with FM are overweight, we explored possible changes in these markers according to body mass index (BMI). This preliminary study was performed on serum samples of women with FM and age-matched controls, grouped according to their BMI: 12 normal-weight patients and 12 controls and 13 overweight patients and 8 controls. Ozone-based chemiluminescence assay was used to measure NO. Inflammatory mediators and cortisol were determined by immunoassay. Lipid profile was measured by a spectrophotometric procedure. Functional capacity was assessed by the fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ). Normal-weight patients showed higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and apolipoprotein B compared to controls (both p < .05). CRP, apolipoprotein B, and triglycerides were higher in overweight patients versus overweight controls (all p < .05) and in overweight versus normal-weight patients (CRP p < .01; apolipoprotein B, triglycerides p < .05). The other markers were unaffected. Apolipoprotein B (r = .762; p < .05) and NO (r = -.921; p < .05) levels correlated with FIQ score in normal-weight patients. CRP level correlated with FIQ (r = .912; p < .05) in overweight patients. CRP and apolipoprotein B, biomarkers linked to cardiovascular events, may be associated with FM-related dysfunction in normal- and overweight women with FM. Their increased levels in these patients may indicate an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. © The Author(s) 2015.

  9. The comparison of perceived health-related quality of life between Australian children with severe specific language impairment to age and gender-matched peers.

    PubMed

    Nicola, Kristy; Watter, Pauline

    2018-02-14

    Children with specific language impairment often present with multiple comorbidities, which may adversely affect both participation in play and academic performance, potentially impacting a child's health-related quality of life. This study 1) explored the suitability of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ Version 4.0 Generic Core Scales (PedsQL™) for use with a typically developing Australian control group, and 2) compared the health-related quality of life between a control group and Australian children with severe specific language impairment. Health-related quality of life data collected as part of a broader study of 43 children with severe specific language impairment (males = 35, age range 5-16, mean age = 8.79+/- 2.92) enrolled at a special school were used to explore previously unreported findings. Typically developing gender and age matched (+/- 3 months) peers were recruited from local schools. The PedsQL™ child self-report and proxy-report were individually or interviewer-administered to the control group as required, and then compared to the group with specific language impairment. The PedsQL™ was reliable and feasible for use with the control group (N = 43, males = 35, age range = 5-16 years, mean age = 8.74+/- 2.94 years). Control group performance was as expected as per the manual. Parents of the control group scored their children significantly higher than did the children themselves on all scales except the emotional functioning scale. Both the control group children and their parents scored themselves significantly higher on all scales, compared to children with severe specific language impairment and their parents. The PedsQL™ was suitable for use with the control group. Further, the recruitment of a control group provided additional clarity on the extent a severe specific language impairment impacts on an Australian child's perceived health-related quality of life, compared to the manual cut

  10. Functional brain development in growth-restricted and constitutionally small fetuses: a fetal magnetoencephalography case-control study.

    PubMed

    Morin, E C; Schleger, F; Preissl, H; Braendle, J; Eswaran, H; Abele, H; Brucker, S; Kiefer-Schmidt, I

    2015-08-01

    Fetal magnetoencephalography records fetal brain activity non-invasively. Delayed brain responses were reported for fetuses weighing below the tenth percentile. To investigate whether this delay indicates delayed brain maturation resulting from placental insufficiency, this study distinguished two groups of fetuses below the tenth percentile: growth-restricted fetuses with abnormal umbilical artery Doppler velocity (IUGR) and constitutionally small-for-gestational-age fetuses with normal umbilical artery Doppler findings (SGA) were compared with fetuses of adequate weight for gestational age (AGA), matched for age and behavioural state. A case-control study of matched pairs. Fetal magnetoencephalography-Center at the University Hospital of Tuebingen. Fourteen IUGR fetuses and 23 SGA fetuses were matched for gestational age and fetal behavioural state with 37 healthy, normal-sized fetuses. A 156-channel fetal magentoencephalography system was used to record fetal brain activity. Light flashes as visual stimulation were applied to the fetus. The Student's t-test for paired groups was performed. Latency of fetal visual evoked magnetic responses (VER). The IUGR fetuses showed delayed VERs compared with controls (IUGR, 233.1 ms; controls, 184.6 ms; P = 0.032). SGA fetuses had similar evoked response latencies compared with controls (SGA, 216.1 ms; controls, 219.9 ms; P = 0.828). Behavioural states were similarly distributed. Visual evoked responses are delayed in IUGR fetuses, but not in SGA. Fetal behavioural state as an influencing factor of brain response latency was accounted for in the comparison. This reinforces that delayed brain maturation is the result of placental insufficiency. © 2015 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

  11. Age-related changes of task-specific brain activity in normal aging.

    PubMed

    Ho, Ming-Chung; Chou, Chia-Yi; Huang, Chin-Fei; Lin, Yu-Te; Shih, Ching-Sen; Han, Shiang-Yi; Shen, Ming-Hsun; Chen, Tsung-Ching; Liang, Chi-lin; Lu, Ming-Chi; Liu, Chia-Ju

    2012-01-17

    An important question in healthcare for older patients is whether age-related changes in cortical reorganization can be measured with advancing age. This study investigated the factors behind such age-related changes, using time-frequency analysis of event-related potentials (ERPs). We hypothesized that brain rhythms was affected by age-related changes, which could be reflected in the ERP indices. An oddball task was conducted in two experimental groups, namely young participants (N=15; mean age 23.7±2.8 years) and older participants (N=15; mean age 70.1±7.9 years). Two types of stimuli were used: the target (1 kHz frequency) and standard (2 kHz frequency). We scrutinized three ERP indices: event-related spectral power (ERPSP), inter-trial phase-locking (ITPL), and event-related cross-phase coherence (ERPCOH). Both groups performed equally well for correct response rate. However, the results revealed a statistically significant age difference for inter-trial comparison. Compared with the young, the older participants showed the following age-related changes: (a) power activity decreased; however, an increase was found only in the late (P3, 280-450 ms) theta (4-7 Hz) component over the bilateral frontal and temporo-frontal areas; (b) low phase-locking in the early (N1, 80-140 ms) theta band over the parietal/frontal (right) regions appeared; (c) the functional connections decreased in the alpha (7-13 Hz) and beta (13-30 Hz) bands, but no difference emerged in the theta band between the two groups. These results indicate that age-related changes in task-specific brain activity for a normal aging population can be depicted using the three ERP indices. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. 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.

  13. Crossmodal Connections of Primary Sensory Cortices Largely Vanish During Normal Aging

    PubMed Central

    Henschke, Julia U.; Ohl, Frank W.; Budinger, Eike

    2018-01-01

    During aging, human response times (RTs) to unisensory and crossmodal stimuli decrease. However, the elderly benefit more from crossmodal stimulus representations than younger people. The underlying short-latency multisensory integration process is mediated by direct crossmodal connections at the level of primary sensory cortices. We investigate the age-related changes of these connections using a rodent model (Mongolian gerbil), retrograde tracer injections into the primary auditory (A1), somatosensory (S1), and visual cortex (V1), and immunohistochemistry for markers of apoptosis (Caspase-3), axonal plasticity (Growth associated protein 43, GAP 43), and a calcium-binding protein (Parvalbumin, PV). In adult animals, primary sensory cortices receive a substantial number of direct thalamic inputs from nuclei of their matched, but also from nuclei of non-matched sensory modalities. There are also direct intracortical connections among primary sensory cortices and connections with secondary sensory cortices of other modalities. In very old animals, the crossmodal connections strongly decrease in number or vanish entirely. This is likely due to a retraction of the projection neuron axonal branches rather than ongoing programmed cell death. The loss of crossmodal connections is also accompanied by changes in anatomical correlates of inhibition and excitation in the sensory thalamus and cortex. Together, the loss and restructuring of crossmodal connections during aging suggest a shift of multisensory processing from primary cortices towards other sensory brain areas in elderly individuals. PMID:29551970

  14. Crossmodal Connections of Primary Sensory Cortices Largely Vanish During Normal Aging.

    PubMed

    Henschke, Julia U; Ohl, Frank W; Budinger, Eike

    2018-01-01

    During aging, human response times (RTs) to unisensory and crossmodal stimuli decrease. However, the elderly benefit more from crossmodal stimulus representations than younger people. The underlying short-latency multisensory integration process is mediated by direct crossmodal connections at the level of primary sensory cortices. We investigate the age-related changes of these connections using a rodent model (Mongolian gerbil), retrograde tracer injections into the primary auditory (A1), somatosensory (S1), and visual cortex (V1), and immunohistochemistry for markers of apoptosis (Caspase-3), axonal plasticity (Growth associated protein 43, GAP 43), and a calcium-binding protein (Parvalbumin, PV). In adult animals, primary sensory cortices receive a substantial number of direct thalamic inputs from nuclei of their matched, but also from nuclei of non-matched sensory modalities. There are also direct intracortical connections among primary sensory cortices and connections with secondary sensory cortices of other modalities. In very old animals, the crossmodal connections strongly decrease in number or vanish entirely. This is likely due to a retraction of the projection neuron axonal branches rather than ongoing programmed cell death. The loss of crossmodal connections is also accompanied by changes in anatomical correlates of inhibition and excitation in the sensory thalamus and cortex. Together, the loss and restructuring of crossmodal connections during aging suggest a shift of multisensory processing from primary cortices towards other sensory brain areas in elderly individuals.

  15. Child Maltreatment as a Risk Factor for Opioid Dependence: Comparison of Family Characteristics and Type and Severity of Child Maltreatment with a Matched Control Group

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Conroy, Elizabeth; Degenhardt, Louisa; Mattick, Richard P.; Nelson, Elliot C.

    2009-01-01

    Objective: To examine the prevalence, characteristics and risk factors for child maltreatment among opioid-dependent persons compared to a community sample of similar social disadvantage. Method: The study employed a case-control design. Cases had a history of opioid pharmacotherapy. Controls were frequency matched to cases with regard to age, sex…

  16. Executive functioning and general cognitive ability in pregnant women and matched controls.

    PubMed

    Onyper, Serge V; Searleman, Alan; Thacher, Pamela V; Maine, Emily E; Johnson, Alicia G

    2010-11-01

    The current study compared the performances of pregnant women with education- and age-matched controls on a variety of measures that assessed perceptual speed, short-term and working memory capacity, subjective memory complaints, sleep quality, level of fatigue, executive functioning, episodic and prospective memory, and crystallized and fluid intelligence. A primary purpose was to test the hypothesis of Henry and Rendell (2007) that pregnancy-related declines in cognitive functioning would be especially evident in tasks that place a high demand on executive processes. We also investigated a parallel hypothesis: that the pregnant women would experience a broad-based reduction in cognitive capability. Very limited support was found for the executive functioning hypothesis. Pregnant women scored lower only on the measure of verbal fluency (Controlled Oral Word Association Test, COWAT) but not on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task or on any working memory measures. Furthermore, group differences in COWAT performance disappeared after controlling for verbal IQ (Shipley vocabulary). In addition, there was no support for the general decline hypothesis. We conclude that pregnancy-associated differences in performance observed in the current study were relatively mild and rarely reached either clinical or practical significance.

  17. A Cross-Sectional Voxel-Based Morphometric Study of Age- and Sex-Related Changes in Gray Matter Volume in the Normal Aging Brain.

    PubMed

    Peng, Fei; Wang, Lixin; Geng, Zuojun; Zhu, Qingfeng; Song, Zhenhu

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the study was to carry out a cross-sectional study of 124 cognitively normal Chinese adults using the voxel-based morphometry approach to delineate age-related changes in the gray matter volume of regions of interest (ROI) in the brain and further analyze their correlation with age. One hundred twenty-four cognitively normal adults were divided into the young age group, the middle age group, and the old age group. Conventional magnetic resonance imaging was performed with the Achieva 3.0 T system. Structural images were processed using VBM8 and SPM8. Regions of interest were obtained by WFU PickAtlas and all realigned images were spatially normalized. Females showed significantly greater total gray matter volume than males (t = 4.81, P = 0.0000, false discovery rate corrected). Compared with young subjects, old-aged subjects showed extensive reduction in gray matter volumes in all ROIs examined except the occipital lobe. In young- and middle-aged subjects, female and male subjects showed significant difference in the right middle temporal gyrus, right superior temporal gyrus, left angular gyrus, right middle occipital lobe, left middle cingulate gyrus, and the pars triangularis of the right inferior frontal gyrus, suggesting an interaction between age and sex (P < 0.001, uncorrected). Logistic regression analysis revealed linear negative correlation between the total gray matter volume and age (R = 0.529, P < 0.001). Significant age-related differences are present in gray matter volume across multiple brain regions during aging. The VPM approach may provide an emerging paradigm in the normal aging brain that may help differentiate underlying normal neurobiological aging changes of specific brain regions from neurodegenerative impairments.

  18. Comparison for aphasic and control subjects of eye movements hypothesized in neurolinguistic programming.

    PubMed

    Dooley, K O; Farmer, A

    1988-08-01

    Neurolinguistic programming's hypothesized eye movements were measured independently using videotapes of 10 nonfluent aphasic and 10 control subjects matched for age and sex. Chi-squared analysis indicated that eye-position responses were significantly different for the groups. Although earlier research has not supported the hypothesized eye positions for normal subjects, the present findings support the contention that eye-position responses may differ between neurologically normal and aphasic individuals.

  19. Relative expression of rRNA transcripts and 45S rDNA promoter methylation status are dysregulated in tumors in comparison with matched-normal tissues in breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Karahan, Gurbet; Sayar, Nilufer; Gozum, Gokcen; Bozkurt, Betul; Konu, Ozlen; Yulug, Isik G

    2015-06-01

    Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) expression, one of the most important factors regulating ribosome production, is primarily controlled by a CG-rich 45 S rDNA promoter. However, the DNA methylation state of the 45 S rDNA promoter, as well as its effect on rRNA gene expression in types of human cancers is controversial. In the present study we analyzed the methylation status of the rDNA promoter (-380 to +53 bp) as well as associated rRNA expression levels in breast cancer cell lines and breast tumor-normal tissue pairs. We found that the aforementioned regulatory region was extensively methylated (74-96%) in all cell lines and in 68% (13/19 tumor-normal pairs) of the tumors. Expression levels of rRNA transcripts 18 S, 28 S, 5.8 S and 45 S external transcribed spacer (45 S ETS) greatly varied in the breast cancer cell lines regardless of their methylation status. Analyses of rRNA transcript expression levels in the breast tumor and normal matched tissues showed no significant difference when normalized with TBP. On the other hand, using the geometric mean of the rRNA expression values (GM-rRNA) as reference enabled us to identify significant changes in the relative expression of rRNAs in the tissue samples. We propose GM-rRNA normalization as a novel strategy to analyze expression differences between rRNA transcripts. Accordingly, the 18S rRNA/GM-rRNA ratio was significantly higher whereas the 5.8S rRNA/GM-rRNA ratio was significantly lower in breast tumor samples than this ratio in the matched normal samples. Moreover, the 18S rRNA/GM-rRNA ratio was negatively correlated with the 45 S rDNA promoter methylation level in the normal breast tissue samples, yet not in the breast tumors. Significant correlations observed between the expression levels of rRNA transcripts in the normal samples were lost in the tumor samples. We showed that the expression of rRNA transcripts may not be based solely on promoter methylation. Carcinogenesis may cause dysregulation of the correlation

  20. 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

  1. The Effect of Age on Improvements in Vestibulo-Ocular Reflexes and Balance Control after Acute Unilateral Peripheral Vestibular Loss.

    PubMed

    Scheltinga, Alja; Honegger, Flurin; Timmermans, Dionne P H; Allum, John H J

    2016-01-01

    An acute unilateral peripheral vestibular loss (aUVL) initially causes severe gaze and balance control problems. However, vestibulo-ocular reflexes (VOR) and balance control are nearly normal 3 months later as a result of peripheral recovery and/or central compensation. As pre-existing vestibular sensory loss is assumed to be greater in the healthy elderly, this study investigated whether improvements in VOR and balance function over time after aUVL are different for the elderly than for the young. Thirty aUVL patients divided into three age-groups were studied (8 age range 23-35, 10 with range 43-58, and 12 with range 60-74 years). To measure VOR function eye movements were recorded during caloric irrigation, rotating chair (ROT), and head impulse tests. Balance control during stance and gait was recorded as lower trunk angular velocity in the pitch and roll planes. Measurements were taken at deficit onset, and 3, 6, and 13 weeks later. There was one difference in VOR improvements over time between the age-groups: Low acceleration ROT responses were less at onset in the elderly group. Deficit side VOR responses and asymmetries in each group improved to within ranges of healthy controls at 13 weeks. Trunk sway of the elderly was greater for stance and gait at onset when compared to healthy age-matched controls and the young and greater than that of the young and controls during gait tasks at 13 weeks. The sway of the young was not different from controls at either time point. Balance control for the elderly improved slower than for the young. These results indicate that VOR improvement after an aUVL does not differ with age, except for low accelerations. Recovery rates are different between age-groups for balance control tests. Balance control in the elderly is more abnormal at aUVL onset for stance and gait tasks with the gait abnormalities remaining after 13 weeks. Thus, we conclude that balance control in the elderly is more affected by the UVL than

  2. Coping in old age with extreme childhood trauma: aging Holocaust survivors and their offspring facing new challenges.

    PubMed

    Fridman, Ayala; Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian J; Sagi-Schwartz, Abraham; Van IJzendoorn, Marinus H

    2011-03-01

    The Holocaust has become an iconic example of immense human-made catastrophes, and survivors are now coping with normal aging processes. Childhood trauma may leave the survivors more vulnerable when they are facing stress related to old age, whereas their offspring might have a challenging role of protecting their own parents from further pain. Here we examine the psychological adaptation of Holocaust survivors and their offspring in light of these new challenges, examining satisfaction with life, mental health, cognitive abilities, dissociative symptoms, and physical health. Careful matching of female Holocaust survivors and comparison subjects living in Israel was employed to form a case-control study design with two generations, including four groups: 32 elderly female Holocaust survivors and 47 daughters, and 33 elderly women in the comparison group, and 32 daughters (total N = 174). Participants completed several measures of mental and physical health, and their cognitive functioning was examined. The current study is a follow-up of a previous study conducted 11 years ago with the same participants. Holocaust survivors showed more dissociative symptomatology (odds = 2.39) and less satisfaction with their life (odds = 2.79) as compared to a matched group. Nonetheless, adult offspring of Holocaust survivors showed no differences in their physical, psychological, and cognitive functioning as compared to matched controls. Holocaust survivors still display posttraumatic stress symptoms almost 70 years after the trauma, whereas no intergenerational transmission of trauma was found among the second generation.

  3. Event-related brain potentials, bilateral electrodermal activity and Mangina-Test performance in learning disabled/ADHD pre-adolescents with severe behavioral disorders as compared to age-matched normal controls.

    PubMed

    Mangina, C A; Beuzeron-Mangina, J H; Grizenko, N

    2000-07-01

    The most frequently encountered developmental problems of learning disabilities/ADHD often co-exist with severe behavioral disorders. As a direct consequence, this condition opens the way to delinquency, school drop-out, depression, suicide, substance abuse, work absenteeism, and other psycho-social complications. In this paper, we are presenting a selective overview of our previous research and its clinical applications in this field as it relates to our present research data pertaining to the effects of our original Memory Workload Paradigm on the event-related brain potentials in differentiating normal and pathological pre-adolescents (learning disabled/ADHD with concomitant severe behavioral disorders such as oppositional and conduct). In addition, it provides data on the bilateral electrodermal activity during cognitive workload and Mangina-Test performance of pathological and normal pre-adolescents conducted in separate sessions. The results of our present research indicate that a significant memory load effect for the P450 latency (F(3,27)=4.98, P<0.01) and the P450 amplitude (F(3,27)=3.57, P<0.05) was present for normal pre-adolescents which was absent in pathological pre-adolescents. Moreover, enhanced N450 ERP amplitudes to our Memory Workload Paradigm in pre-frontal and frontal regions clearly differentiated normal from pathological pre-adolescents (F(1, 18)=12.21, P<0.004). Furthermore, significant differences between normal and pathological groups were found in bilateral electrodermal activity (F(1,18)=23.86, P<0.001) and on the Mangina-Test performance (F(1,18)=75.35, P<0.001). Our present research findings provide an original and valuable demonstration of an integrative and effective clinical psychophysiological application of central (ERPs), autonomic (bilateral electrodermal activity) and neuro-psychometric aspects (Mangina-Test) which characterize normal and pathological pre-adolescents and underpin the neurophysiological basis of learning

  4. Match graph generation for symbolic indirect correlation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lopresti, Daniel; Nagy, George; Joshi, Ashutosh

    2006-01-01

    Symbolic indirect correlation (SIC) is a new approach for bringing lexical context into the recognition of unsegmented signals that represent words or phrases in printed or spoken form. One way of viewing the SIC problem is to find the correspondence, if one exists, between two bipartite graphs, one representing the matching of the two lexical strings and the other representing the matching of the two signal strings. While perfect matching cannot be expected with real-world signals and while some degree of mismatch is allowed for in the second stage of SIC, such errors, if they are too numerous, can present a serious impediment to a successful implementation of the concept. In this paper, we describe a framework for evaluating the effectiveness of SIC match graph generation and examine the relatively simple, controlled cases of synthetic images of text strings typeset, both normally and in highly condensed fashion. We quantify and categorize the errors that arise, as well as present a variety of techniques we have developed to visualize the intermediate results of the SIC process.

  5. 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.

  6. The sleep of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder on and off methylphenidate: a matched case-control study.

    PubMed

    Galland, Barbara C; Tripp, E Gail; Taylor, Barry J

    2010-06-01

    In the present study, we assessed the effects of regular use of methylphenidate medication in children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on sleep timing, duration and sleep architecture. Twenty-seven children aged 6-12 years meeting diagnostic criteria for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual version IV ADHD and 27 control children matched for age (+/-3 months) and gender. Two nights of standard polysomnographic (PSG) recordings were conducted. ADHD children were allocated randomly to an on- or 48 h off-methylphenidate protocol for first or second recordings. Control children's recordings were matched for night, but no medication was used. Mixed modelling was employed in the analyses so that the full data set was used to determine the degree of medication effects. Methylphenidate in ADHD children prolonged sleep onset by an average of 29 min [confidence interval (CI) 11.6, 46.7], reduced sleep efficiency by 6.5% (CI 2.6, 10.3) and shortened sleep by 1.2 h (CI 0.65, 1.9). Arousal indices were preserved. Relative amounts of stages 1, 2 and slow wave sleep were unchanged by medication. Rapid eye movement sleep was reduced (-2.4%) on the medication night, an effect that became non-significant when control data were incorporated in the analyses. PSG data from ADHD children off-medication were similar to control data. Our findings suggest that methylphenidate reduces sleep quantity but does not alter sleep architecture in children diagnosed with ADHD. An adequate amount of sleep is integral to good daytime functioning, thus the sleep side effects of methylphenidate may affect adversely the daytime symptoms the drug is targeted to control.

  7. The Fears, Phobias and Anxieties of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Down Syndrome: Comparisons with Developmentally and Chronologically Age Matched Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Evans, David W.; Canavera, Kristin; Kleinpeter, F. Lee; Maccubbin, Elise; Taga, Ken

    2005-01-01

    This study compared the fears and behavior problems of 25 children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), 43 children with Down syndrome (DS), 45 mental age (MA) matched children, and 37 chronologically age (CA) matched children. Children's fears, phobias, anxieties and behavioral problems were assessed using parent reports. Significant…

  8. Case-control analysis of paternal age and trisomic anomalies.

    PubMed

    De Souza, E; Morris, J K

    2010-11-01

    To determine whether older paternal age increases the risk of fathering a pregnancy with Patau (trisomy 13), Edwards (trisomy 18), Klinefelter (XXY) or XYY syndrome. Case-control: cases with each of these syndromes were matched to four controls with Down syndrome from within the same congenital anomaly register and with maternal age within 6 months. Data from 22 EUROCAT congenital anomaly registers in 12 European countries. Diagnoses with observed or (for terminations) predicted year of birth from 1980 to 2005, comprising live births, fetal deaths with gestational age ≥ 20 weeks and terminations after prenatal diagnosis of the anomaly. Data include 374 cases of Patau syndrome, 929 of Edwards syndrome, 295 of Klinefelter syndrome, 28 of XYY syndrome and 5627 controls with Down syndrome. Odds ratio (OR) associated with a 10-year increase in paternal age for each anomaly was estimated using conditional logistic regression. Results were adjusted to take account of the estimated association of paternal age with Down syndrome (1.11; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.23). The OR for Patau syndrome was 1.10 (95% CI 0.83 to 1.45); for Edwards syndrome, 1.15 (0.96 to 1.38); for Klinefelter syndrome, 1.35 (1.02 to 1.79); and for XYY syndrome, 1.99 (0.75 to 5.26). There was a statistically significant increase in the odds of Klinefelter syndrome with increasing paternal age. The larger positive associations of Klinefelter and XYY syndromes with paternal age compared with Patau and Edwards syndromes are consistent with the greater percentage of these sex chromosome anomalies being of paternal origin.

  9. Determinants of iron accumulation in the normal aging brain.

    PubMed

    Pirpamer, Lukas; Hofer, Edith; Gesierich, Benno; De Guio, François; Freudenberger, Paul; Seiler, Stephan; Duering, Marco; Jouvent, Eric; Duchesnay, Edouard; Dichgans, Martin; Ropele, Stefan; Schmidt, Reinhold

    2016-07-01

    In a recent postmortem study, R2* relaxometry in gray matter (GM) of the brain has been validated as a noninvasive measure for iron content in brain tissue. Iron accumulation in the normal aging brain is a common finding and relates to brain maturation and degeneration. The goal of this study was to assess the determinants of iron accumulation during brain aging. The study cohort consisted of 314 healthy community-dwelling participants of the Austrian Stroke Prevention Study. Their age ranged from 38-82 years. Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging was performed on 3T and included R2* mapping, based on a 3D multi-echo gradient echo sequence. The median of R2* values was measured in all GM regions, which were segmented automatically using FreeSurfer. We investigated 25 possible determinants for cerebral iron deposition. These included demographics, brain volume, lifestyle factors, cerebrovascular risk factors, serum levels of iron, and single nucleotide polymorphisms related to iron regulating genes (rs1800562, rs3811647, rs1799945, and rs1049296). The body mass index (BMI) was significantly related to R2* in 15/32 analyzed brain regions with the strongest correlations found in the amygdala (p = 0.0091), medial temporal lobe (p = 0.0002), and hippocampus (p ≤ 0.0001). Further associations to R2* values were found in deep GM for age and smoking. No significant associations were found for gender, GM volume, serum levels of iron, or iron-associated genetic polymorphisms. In conclusion, besides age, the BMI and smoking are the only significant determinants of brain iron accumulation in normally aging subjects. Smoking relates to iron deposition in the basal ganglia, whereas higher BMI is associated with iron content in the neocortex following an Alzheimer-like distribution. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Neural correlates of free recall of "famous events" in a "hypermnestic" individual as compared to an age- and education-matched reference group.

    PubMed

    Fehr, Thorsten; Staniloiu, Angelica; Markowitsch, Hans J; Erhard, Peter; Herrmann, Manfred

    2018-06-19

    Memory performance of an individual (within the age range: 50-55 years old) showing superior memory abilities (protagonist PR) was compared to an age- and education-matched reference group in a historical facts ("famous events") retrieval task. Contrasting task versus baseline performance both PR and the reference group showed fMRI activation patterns in parietal and occipital brain regions. The reference group additionally demonstrated activation patterns in cingulate gyrus, whereas PR showed additional widespread activation patterns comprising frontal and cerebellar brain regions. The direct comparison between PR and the reference group revealed larger fMRI contrasts for PR in right frontal, superior temporal and cerebellar brain regions. It was concluded that PR generally recruits brain regions as normal memory performers do, but in a more elaborate way, and furthermore, that he applied a memory-strategy that potentially includes executively driven multi-modal transcoding of information and recruitment of implicit memory resources.

  11. Baseline MNREAD Measures for Normally Sighted Subjects From Childhood to Old Age

    PubMed Central

    Calabrèse, Aurélie; Cheong, Allen M. Y.; Cheung, Sing-Hang; He, Yingchen; Kwon, MiYoung; Mansfield, J. Stephen; Subramanian, Ahalya; Yu, Deyue; Legge, Gordon E.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose The continuous-text reading-acuity test MNREAD is designed to measure the reading performance of people with normal and low vision. This test is used to estimate maximum reading speed (MRS), critical print size (CPS), reading acuity (RA), and the reading accessibility index (ACC). Here we report the age dependence of these measures for normally sighted individuals, providing baseline data for MNREAD testing. Methods We analyzed MNREAD data from 645 normally sighted participants ranging in age from 8 to 81 years. The data were collected in several studies conducted by different testers and at different sites in our research program, enabling evaluation of robustness of the test. Results Maximum reading speed and reading accessibility index showed a trilinear dependence on age: first increasing from 8 to 16 years (MRS: 140–200 words per minute [wpm]; ACC: 0.7–1.0); then stabilizing in the range of 16 to 40 years (MRS: 200 ± 25 wpm; ACC: 1.0 ± 0.14); and decreasing to 175 wpm and 0.88 by 81 years. Critical print size was constant from 8 to 23 years (0.08 logMAR), increased slowly until 68 years (0.21 logMAR), and then more rapidly until 81 years (0.34 logMAR). logMAR reading acuity improved from −0.1 at 8 years to −0.18 at 16 years, then gradually worsened to −0.05 at 81 years. Conclusions We found a weak dependence of the MNREAD parameters on age in normal vision. In broad terms, MNREAD performance exhibits differences between three age groups: children 8 to 16 years, young adults 16 to 40 years, and middle-aged to older adults >40 years. PMID:27442222

  12. Stable olfactory sensory neuron in vivo physiology during normal aging.

    PubMed

    Kass, Marley D; Czarnecki, Lindsey A; McGann, John P

    2018-05-08

    Normal aging is associated with a number of smell impairments that are paralleled by age-dependent changes in the peripheral olfactory system, including decreases in olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) and in the regenerative capacity of the epithelium. Thus, an age-dependent degradation of sensory input to the brain is one proposed mechanism for the loss of olfactory function in older populations. Here, we tested this hypothesis by performing in vivo optical neurophysiology in 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-month-old mice. We visualized odor-evoked neurotransmitter release from populations of OSNs into olfactory bulb glomeruli, and found that these sensory inputs are actually quite stable during normal aging. Specifically, the magnitude and number of odor-evoked glomerular responses were comparable across all ages, and there was no effect of age on the sensitivity of OSN responses to odors or on the neural discriminability of different sensory maps. These results suggest that the brain's olfactory bulbs do not receive deteriorated input during aging and that local bulbar circuitry might adapt to maintain stable nerve input. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. The cell biology of aging.

    PubMed

    Hayflick, L

    1985-02-01

    It is only within the past ten years that biogerontology has become attractive to a sufficient number of biologists so that the field can be regarded as a seriously studied discipline. Cytogerontology, or the study of aging at the cellular level, had its genesis about 20 years ago when the dogma that maintained that cultured normal cells could replicate forever was overturned. Normal human and animal cells have a finite capacity to replicate and function whether they are cultured in vitro or transplanted as grafts in vivo. This phenomenon has been interpreted to be aging at the cellular level. Only abnormal somatic cells are capable of immortality. In recent years it has been found that the number of population doublings of which cultured normal cells are capable is inversely proportional to donor age. There is also good evidence that the number of population doublings of cultured normal fibroblasts is directly proportional to the maximum lifespan of ten species that have been studied. Cultures prepared from patients with accelerated aging syndromes (progeria and Werner's syndrome) undergo far fewer doublings than do those of age-matched controls. The normal human fibroblast cell strain WI-38 was established in 1962 from fetal lung, and several hundred ampules of these cells were frozen in liquid nitrogen at that time. These ampules have been reconstituted periodically and shown to be capable of replication. This represents the longest period of time that a normal human cell has ever been frozen. Normal human fetal cell strains such as WI-38 have the capacity to double only about 50 times. If cultures are frozen at various population doublings, the number of doublings remaining after reconstitution is equal to 50 minus the number of doublings that occurred prior to freezing. The memory of the cells has been found to be accurate after 23 years of preservation in liquid nitrogen. Normal human cells incur many physiologic decrements that herald the approach of their

  14. Risk factors for hospital acquisition of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole resistant Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in adults: A matched case-control study.

    PubMed

    Wang, Ching-Hsun; Lin, Jung-Chung; Chang, Feng-Yee; Yu, Ching-Mei; Lin, Wei-San; Yeh, Kuo-Ming

    2017-10-01

    The emergence of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole resistant Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (TSRSM) represents a serious threat to patients. The aim of current study was to identify risk factors associated with hospital-acquired TSRSM occurrence in adult inpatients. We conducted a matched case-control study in Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. From January 2014 through June 2015, case patients with TSRSM and control patients with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole susceptible S. maltophilia (TSSSM) during hospitalization were identified. Control patients were matched with TSRSM cases for age (within five years), sex, and site of isolation at a ratio of 1:1. A total of 266 patients were included in our study (133 cases and 133 matched controls). Bivariable analysis showed that previous exposure to fluoroquinolone [odds ratio (OR), 2.693; 95% confidence interval (CI, 1.492-5.884; p = 0.002)], length of intensive care unit stay (OR, 1.015 per day; 95% CI, 1.001-1.030; p = 0.041), and length of hospital stay (OR, 1.012 per day; 95% CI, 1.002-1.023; p = 0.018) prior to S. maltophilia isolation were associated with TSRSM occurrence. A multivariable analysis showed that previous exposure to fluoroquinolone (OR, 3.158; 95% CI, 1.551-6.430; p = 0.002) was an independent risk factor for TSRSM occurrence after adjustment. Previous fluoroquinolone use was an independent risk factor for hospital-acquired TSRSM occurrence in adult inpatients, suggesting that judicious administration of fluoroquinolone may be important for limiting TSRSM occurrence. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  15. Tongue Measures in Individuals with Normal and Impaired Swallowing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stierwalt, Julie A. G.; Youmans, Scott R.

    2007-01-01

    Purpose: This investigation sought to add to the extant literature on measures of normal tongue function, to provide information on measures of tongue function in a group of individuals with oral phase dysphagia, and to provide a comparison of these 2 groups matched for age and gender. Method: The Iowa Oral Performance Instrument was utilized to…

  16. A Matched Filter Hypothesis for Cognitive Control

    PubMed Central

    Thompson-Schill, Sharon L.

    2013-01-01

    The prefrontal cortex exerts top-down influences on several aspects of higher-order cognition by functioning as a filtering mechanism that biases bottom-up sensory information toward a response that is optimal in context. However, research also indicates that not all aspects of complex cognition benefit from prefrontal regulation. Here we review and synthesize this research with an emphasis on the domains of learning and creative cognition, and outline how the appropriate level of cognitive control in a given situation can vary depending on the organism's goals and the characteristics of the given task. We offer a Matched Filter Hypothesis for cognitive control, which proposes that the optimal level of cognitive control is task-dependent, with high levels of cognitive control best suited to tasks that are explicit, rule-based, verbal or abstract, and can be accomplished given the capacity limits of working memory and with low levels of cognitive control best suited to tasks that are implicit, reward-based, non-verbal or intuitive, and which can be accomplished irrespective of working memory limitations. Our approach promotes a view of cognitive control as a tool adapted to a subset of common challenges, rather than an all-purpose optimization system suited to every problem the organism might encounter. PMID:24200920

  17. Comparison of polysomnographic data in age-, sex- and Axis I psychiatric diagnosis matched HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative insomnia patients.

    PubMed

    Low, Yinghui; Goforth, Harold W; Omonuwa, Toma; Preud'homme, Xavier; Edinger, Jack; Krystal, Andrew

    2012-12-01

    There is a high prevalence of insomnia in HIV-seropositive patients. Insomnia is associated with poorer disease outcomes, cognitive impairment and HIV-associated dementia. However there is limited data characterizing the type of sleep disturbances, and the cause. Previous studies report conflicting results, and observed changes in the distribution of REM and SWS were hypothesized to result from co-morbid mood disorders, although this is not established. We carried out this study to determine if there are differences in polysomnographic (PSG) sleep data in age-, sex- and Axis I diagnoses- matched HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative patients. Eighteen HIV-seropositive insomniacs were matched to HIV-seronegative insomniacs based on age, sex and Axis I diagnoses. Participants spent 2 consecutive nights in a sleep lab recording of PSG data. Multivariate analysis revealed an overall significant match-by-variable interaction (p=0.0126). Follow-up analysis show that compared to HIV-seronegative insomnia controls, HIV-seropositive insomniacs have significantly longer SOL, 8% decreased sleep efficiency, and 8-10% decreased time spent in REM sleep (p's<0.05). This study provides preliminary evidence that even after accounting for differences in age, sex and psychiatric diagnoses, HIV-seropositive patients with insomnia have significantly worse sleep than HIV-seronegative patients with insomnia. Unlike what previous authors have proposed, our results do not support the view that comorbid psychiatric disorders like depression are responsible for the observed differences in PSG findings and the greater incidence of insomnia, in HIV-seropositive patients when compared with other groups of insomnia patients. This suggests the presence of other etiologies including neuronal damage, psychosocial stressors, or comorbid medical conditions. Further studies are needed to determine the extent to which these play a role in insomnia in the HIV-seropositive population. Copyright © 2012

  18. A randomized controlled trial of stage-matched intervention for smoking cessation in cardiac out-patients.

    PubMed

    Chan, Sophia S C; Leung, Doris Y P; Wong, David C N; Lau, Chu-Pak; Wong, Vivian T; Lam, Tai-Hing

    2012-04-01

    To examine the effectiveness of a stage-matched smoking cessation counselling intervention for smokers who had cardiac diseases. A total of 1860 Chinese cardiac patients who smoked at least one cigarette in the past 7 days and aged 18 years or above recruited from cardiac out-patient clinics in Hong Kong hospitals were allocated randomly to an intervention group or control group. The intervention group (n = 938) received counselling matched with their stage of readiness to quit by trained counsellors at baseline, 1 week and 1 month. The control group (n = 922) received brief counselling on healthy diet at baseline. The primary outcomes were self-reported 7-day and 30-day point prevalence (PP) of tobacco abstinence at 12 months after baseline. The secondary outcome measures included biochemically validated abstinence at 12-month follow-up, self-reported 7-day and 30-day PP abstinence and reduction of cigarette consumption by 50% at 3 and 6 months. By intention-to-treat analysis, the intervention and control groups showed no significant difference in self-reported 7-day PP abstinence (intervention: 26.5% versus control: 25.5%; P = 0.60) and 30-day PP (intervention: 25.4% versus control: 24.2%; P = 0.55), biochemically validated abstinence (intervention: 6.6% versus control: 4.9%; P = 0.14) and overall quit attempts of least 24 hours (intervention: 40.3% versus control: 34.3%; P = 0.007) at the 12-month follow-up, adjusted for the baseline stage of readiness to quit smoking. An intervention, based on the Stages of Change model, to promote smoking cessation in cardiac patients in China failed to find any long-term benefit. © 2011 The Authors, Addiction © 2011 Society for the Study of Addiction.

  19. Morphological Differences Between Seyfert Hosts and Normal Galaxies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shlosman, Isaac

    Using new sub-arcsecond resolution imaging we compare large-scale stellar bar fraction in CfA sample of Seyferts and a closely matched control sample of normal galaxies. We find a difference between the samples on the 2.5σ level. We further compare the axial ratios of bars in all available samples quoted in the literature and find a deficiency of small axial ratio bars in Seyferts compared to normal galaxies.

  20. Normalizing motor-related brain activity: subthalamic nucleus stimulation in Parkinson disease.

    PubMed

    Grafton, S T; Turner, R S; Desmurget, M; Bakay, R; Delong, M; Vitek, J; Crutcher, M

    2006-04-25

    To test whether therapeutic unilateral deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) in patients with Parkinson disease (PD) leads to normalization in the pattern of brain activation during movement execution and control of movement extent. Six patients with PD were imaged off medication by PET during performance of a visually guided tracking task with the DBS voltage programmed for therapeutic (effective) or subtherapeutic (ineffective) stimulation. Data from patients with PD during ineffective stimulation were compared with a group of 13 age-matched control subjects to identify sites with abnormal patterns of activation. Conjunction analysis was used to identify those areas in patients with PD where activity normalized when they were treated with effective stimulation. For movement execution, effective DBS caused an increase of activation in the supplementary motor area (SMA), superior parietal cortex, and cerebellum toward a more normal pattern. At rest, effective stimulation reduced overactivity of SMA. Therapeutic stimulation also induced reductions of movement related "overactivity" compared with healthy subjects in prefrontal, temporal lobe, and basal ganglia circuits, consistent with the notion that many areas are recruited to compensate for ineffective motor initiation. Normalization of activity related to the control of movement extent was associated with reductions of activity in primary motor cortex, SMA, and basal ganglia. Effective subthalamic nucleus stimulation leads to task-specific modifications with appropriate recruitment of motor areas as well as widespread, nonspecific reductions of compensatory or competing cortical activity.

  1. Effects of Normal Aging on Visuo-Motor Plasticity

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Roller, Carrie A.; Cohen, Helen S.; Kimball, Kay T.; Bloomberg, Jacob J.

    2001-01-01

    Normal aging is associated with declines in neurologic function. Uncompensated visual and vestibular problems may have dire consequences including dangerous falls. Visuomotor plasticity is a form of behavioral neural plasticity which is important in the process of adapting to visual or vestibular alteration, including those changes due to pathology, pharmacotherapy, surgery or even entry into a microgravity or underwater environment. In order to determine the effects of aging on visuomotor plasticity, we chose the simple and easily measured paradigm of visual-motor re-arrangement created by using visual displacement prisms while throwing small balls at a target. Subjects threw balls before, during and after wearing a set of prisms which displace the visual scene by twenty degrees to the right. Data obtained during adaptation were modeled using multilevel analyses for 73 subjects aged 20 to 80 years. We found no statistically significant difference in measures of visuomotor plasticity with advancing age. Further studies are underway examining variable practice training as a potential mechanism for enhancing this form of behavioral neural plasticity.

  2. Effects of normal aging on visuo-motor plasticity

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Roller, Carrie A.; Cohen, Helen S.; Kimball, Kay T.; Bloomberg, Jacob J.

    2002-01-01

    Normal aging is associated with declines in neurologic function. Uncompensated visual and vestibular problems may have dire consequences including dangerous falls. Visuo-motor plasticity is a form of behavioral neural plasticity, which is important in the process of adapting to visual or vestibular alteration, including those changes due to pathology, pharmacotherapy, surgery or even entry into microgravity or an underwater environment. To determine the effects of aging on visuo-motor plasticity, we chose the simple and easily measured paradigm of visual-motor rearrangement created by using visual displacement prisms while throwing small balls at a target. Subjects threw balls before, during and after wearing a set of prisms which displace the visual scene by twenty degrees to the right. Data obtained during adaptation were modeled using multilevel modeling techniques for 73 subjects, aged 20 to 80 years. We found no statistically significant difference in measures of visuo-motor plasticity with advancing age. Further studies are underway examining variable practice training as a potential mechanism for enhancing this form of behavioral neural plasticity.

  3. Risk and protective factors for meningococcal disease in adolescents: matched cohort study.

    PubMed

    Tully, Joanna; Viner, Russell M; Coen, Pietro G; Stuart, James M; Zambon, Maria; Peckham, Catherine; Booth, Clare; Klein, Nigel; Kaczmarski, Ed; Booy, Robert

    2006-02-25

    To examine biological and social risk factors for meningococcal disease in adolescents. Prospective, population based, matched cohort study with controls matched for age and sex in 1:1 matching. Controls were sought from the general practitioner. Six contiguous regions of England, which represent some 65% of the country's population. 15-19 year olds with meningococcal disease recruited at hospital admission in six regions (representing 65% of the population of England) from January 1999 to June 2000, and their matched controls. Blood samples and pernasal and throat swabs were taken from case patients at admission to hospital and from cases and matched controls at interview. Data on potential risk factors were gathered by confidential interview. Data were analysed by using univariate and multivariate conditional logistic regression. 144 case control pairs were recruited (74 male (51%); median age 17.6). 114 cases (79%) were confirmed microbiologically. Significant independent risk factors for meningococcal disease were history of preceding illness (matched odds ratio 2.9, 95% confidence interval 1.4 to 5.9), intimate kissing with multiple partners (3.7, 1.7 to 8.1), being a university student (3.4, 1.2 to 10) and preterm birth (3.7, 1.0 to 13.5). Religious observance (0.09, 0.02 to 0.6) and meningococcal vaccination (0.12, 0.04 to 0.4) were associated with protection. Activities and events increasing risk for meningococcal disease in adolescence are different from in childhood. Students are at higher risk. Altering personal behaviours could moderate the risk. However, the development of further effective meningococcal vaccines remains a key public health priority.

  4. Risk and protective factors for meningococcal disease in adolescents: matched cohort study

    PubMed Central

    Tully, Joanna; Viner, Russell M; Coen, Pietro G; Stuart, James M; Zambon, Maria; Peckham, Catherine; Booth, Clare; Klein, Nigel; Kaczmarski, Ed; Booy, Robert

    2006-01-01

    Objective To examine biological and social risk factors for meningococcal disease in adolescents. Design Prospective, population based, matched cohort study with controls matched for age and sex in 1:1 matching. Controls were sought from the general practitioner. Setting Six contiguous regions of England, which represent some 65% of the country's population. Participants 15-19 year olds with meningococcal disease recruited at hospital admission in six regions (representing 65% of the population of England) from January 1999 to June 2000, and their matched controls. Methods Blood samples and pernasal and throat swabs were taken from case patients at admission to hospital and from cases and matched controls at interview. Data on potential risk factors were gathered by confidential interview. Data were analysed by using univariate and multivariate conditional logistic regression. Results 144 case control pairs were recruited (74 male (51%); median age 17.6). 114 cases (79%) were confirmed microbiologically. Significant independent risk factors for meningococcal disease were history of preceding illness (matched odds ratio 2.9, 95% confidence interval 1.4 to 5.9), intimate kissing with multiple partners (3.7, 1.7 to 8.1), being a university student (3.4, 1.2 to 10) and preterm birth (3.7, 1.0 to 13.5). Religious observance (0.09, 0.02 to 0.6) and meningococcal vaccination (0.12, 0.04 to 0.4) were associated with protection. Conclusions Activities and events increasing risk for meningococcal disease in adolescence are different from in childhood. Students are at higher risk. Altering personal behaviours could moderate the risk. However, the development of further effective meningococcal vaccines remains a key public health priority. PMID:16473859

  5. A cholera outbreak in Alborz Province, Iran: a matched case-control study.

    PubMed

    Moradi, Ghobad; Rasouli, Mohammad Aziz; Mohammadi, Parvin; Elahi, Elham; Barati, Hojatollah

    2016-01-01

    A total of 229 confirmed cholera cases were reported in Alborz Province during an outbreak that lasted from June 2011 to August 2011. This study aimed to identify potential sources of transmission in order to determine suitable interventions in similar outbreaks. In other words, the lessons learned from this retrospective study can be utilized to manage future similar outbreaks. An age-matched and sex-matched case-control study was conducted during the outbreak. For each case, two control subjects were selected from the neighborhood. A case of cholera was defined as a bacteriologically confirmed case with signs and symptoms of cholera. This study was conducted from June 14, 2011 through August 23, 2011. The data were analyzed by calculating odds ratios (ORs) using the logistic regression method. In this outbreak, 229 confirmed cholera cases were diagnosed. The following risk factors were found to be associated with cholera: consumption of unrefrigerated leftover food (OR, 3.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.72 to 5.41), consumption of vegetables and fruits in the previous three days (OR, 2.75; 95% CI, 1.95 to 3.89), and a history of traveling in the previous five days (OR, 5.31; 95% CI, 2.21 to 9.72). Consumption of vegetables and fruits has remained an unresolved risk factor in cholera outbreaks in Iran in recent years. In order to reduce the risk of cholera, sanitary standards for fruits and vegetables should be observed at all points from production to consumption, the population should be educated regarding hygienic food storage during outbreaks, and sanitary standards should be maintained when traveling during cholera outbreaks.

  6. Patterns of brain activity during a semantic task differentiate normal aging from early Alzheimer's disease.

    PubMed

    McGeown, William Jonathan; Shanks, Michael Fraser; Forbes-McKay, Katrina Elaine; Venneri, Annalena

    2009-09-30

    In a study of the effects of normal and pathological aging on semantic-related brain activity, 29 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 19 controls subjects (10 young and 9 older controls) performed a version of the Pyramids and Palm Trees Test that had been adapted for use during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Young and older controls activated the left inferior and middle frontal gyri, precuneus and superior parietal lobule. Right frontal and left temporal cortices were activated only in the young. The AD group activated only the left prefrontal and cingulate cortex. Separate analyses of high- and low-performing AD subgroups showed a similar pattern of activation in the left frontal lobe, although activiation was more widespread in low performers. High performers significantly deactivated anterior midline frontal structures, however, while low performers did not. When the older adult and AD groups were combined, there was a significant positive correlation between left frontal and parietal activation and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score (covarying for age), suggesting a disease effect. A significant negative correlation between activation in the left temporal cortex and age (covarying for MMSE score) reflected a possible age effect. These differential effects suggest that semantic activation paradigms might aid diagnosis in those cases for whom conventional assessments lack the necessary sensitivity to detect subtle changes.

  7. Subclinical impairment of ovarian reserve in systemic lupus erythematosus patients with normal menstruation not using alkylating therapy.

    PubMed

    Ma, Wenhong; Zhan, Zhongping; Liang, Xiaoyan; Chen, Jianhui; Huang, Xingfang; Liao, Caiyun

    2013-12-01

    Disease activity is a major factor in menstrual disorders in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients not receiving alkylating therapy. However, the ovarian reserve of SLE women with normal menstruation is still unclear. Twenty-three SLE patients naïve to cytotoxic agents (SLE group) and nineteen SLE patients receiving current or previous cyclophosphamide (CTX) therapy (without other cytotoxic agents; SLE-CTX group) were enrolled. Twenty-one age-matched healthy women served as controls. All patients and controls had a regular menstrual cycle. Basal hormone levels, including follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), and antral follicle count (AFC) were analyzed in the two study groups and compared with the control group. No significant differences were found between the SLE, SLE-CTX, and control groups in age, body mass index (BMI), and basal FSH and LH levels. The E2 (P=0.023) levels were high and the AMH (P=0.000) values and AFC (P=0.001) were significantly lower in the SLE and SLE-CTX groups compared to control. However, these values were similar between the SLE and SLE-CTX groups. SLE patients not receiving alkylating therapy who had normal menstruation and short illness duration still had an impaired ovarian reserve.

  8. Cushing`s disease: Fibrinogen and D-dimer levels fail to normalize despite early postoperative remission - a prospective, controlled study.

    PubMed

    Witek, Przemysław; Zieliński, Grzegorz; Szamotulska, Katarzyna; Witek, Joanna; Kamiński, Grzegorz

    2016-01-01

    Effective transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) for Cushing`s disease (CD) normalizes cortisol levels and reduces complications of hypercortisolism. However, there is evidence of increased cardiovascular morbidity even after successful surgery. A prospective, controlled study on the dynamics of fibrinogen and D-dimer levels with a six-month follow-up after an effective TSS for CD. Forty patients with CD and forty healthy age- and sex-matched subjects were included. We assessed ACTH, urinary and serum cortisol, and fibrinogen and D-dimer levels before TSS and during follow-up. Baseline BMI (P < 0.001), fibrinogen (P = 0.002), and D-dimer (P = 0.001) levels in CD patients were significantly higher than those in healthy controls. High fibrinogen levels in the CD group were independent of BMI, and were positively associated with hsCRP (rS = 0.61, P < 0.001) and arterial hypertension (P = 0.029). After the six-month follow-up we confirmed a sustained difference between the remission group and controls in fibrinogen and D-dimer levels (P = 0.001 and P = 0.017, respectively). Despite early biochemical remission of CD the levels of fibrinogen and D-dimer failed to decrease. This probably contributes to the high risk of thrombotic events and indicates the need for a close follow-up for signs of thromboembolic and cardiovascular complications in patients with early CD remission. (Endokrynol Pol 2016; 67 (3): 283-291).

  9. Implicit Threat Vigilance among Violent Offenders Diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder: The Impact of Ostracism and Control Threat

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Çelik, Pinar; van Beest, Ilja; Lammers, Joris; Bekker, Marrie

    2013-01-01

    The present study investigated the role of control as a moderator in reaction to ostracism among male violent offenders diagnosed with ASPD (N = 33) compared to a control sample consisting of males from the normal population without a known history of violence, or diagnosis of ASPD, matched for age and educational level (N = 35). Participants…

  10. Motor Planning and Control in Autism. A Kinematic Analysis of Preschool Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Forti, Sara; Valli, Angela; Perego, Paolo; Nobile, Maria; Crippa, Alessandro; Molteni, Massimo

    2011-01-01

    Kinematic recordings in a reach and drop task were compared between 12 preschool children with autism without mental retardation and 12 gender and age-matched normally developing children. Our aim was to investigate whether motor anomalies in autism may depend more on a planning ability dysfunction or on a motor control deficit. Planning and…

  11. Comprehending Psychological Defenses: Developmental Differences between Normal and Disturbed Children and Adolescents.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kinney, Andrew; Rybash, John

    Investigated were similarities and differences in the ability of 26 normally developing and 26 conduct-disordered children and adolescents to comprehend psychologically defensive behavior and the cognitive processes underlying differences due to age. Matched by cognitive level, subjects viewed vignettes depicting another child behaving…

  12. [Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus: High incidence in people over 80 years of age].

    PubMed

    Aragonès, Josep Maria; Altimiras, Jacint; Alonso, Francisco; Roura, Pere; Alfonso, Sebastián; Bajo, Lorena

    Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus is usually observed in adults over 60 years of age. The highest incidence of cases is between 70 and 80 years-old, and it could be under-diagnosed in over 80 year-olds. A description is presented on the overall incidence and age group incidence, the delay in the diagnosis, and main outcomes. A descriptive study was performed on patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus, in the population of Osona County during the years 2010-2015. The annual incidence rate was 4.43 per 100,000 inhabitants. The incidence increased with age; from 8.09 per 100,000 in the 60 to 69 years age group, to 23.61 per 100,000 in the 70-79 years age group of, and to 37.02 per 100,000 in the 80-89 years age. The delay in the diagnosis was 15.01 ± 10.35 months. All the patients improved after surgery, but only 73.3% of the patients maintained the improvement after one year. Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus is an age related disease and probably underdiagnosed in the elderly. An early diagnosis and a clinical suspicion are essential in patients over 80 years old. Copyright © 2017 SEGG. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  13. Recall Memory in Children with Down Syndrome and Typically Developing Peers Matched on Developmental Age

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Milojevich, H.; Lukowski, A.

    2016-01-01

    Background: Whereas research has indicated that children with Down syndrome (DS) imitate demonstrated actions over short delays, it is presently unknown whether children with DS recall information over lengthy delays at levels comparable with typically developing (TD) children matched on developmental age. Method: In the present research, 10…

  14. Association Between Subjective Obesity Status and Smoking Behavior Among Normal-Weight Women.

    PubMed

    Kim, Dae-Hwan

    2018-06-01

    Smoking and obesity are chief causes of mortality, morbidity, and medical expenditure. However, few studies have investigated the linkage between subjective obesity status and smoking behavior. This study examines whether females in a normal body mass index range who perceive themselves as obese are more likely to smoke than those who do not perceive themselves as obese. Stratifying by age-group, I employed the propensity score matching analysis to control for selection bias. Although body mass index is lower for younger females aged 20 to 39, they are more likely than elder females to consider themselves as obese. Based on a logistic regression, my findings show that younger females who perceive themselves as obese are 21.2% more likely to smoke than females who do not perceive themselves as obese. The positive relationship between perceived obesity status and smoking behavior is also found in the propensity score matching analysis. However, the disparity in smoking prevalence is not detected between elder females who perceive themselves as obese and those who do not. Public education that fosters accurate perception of body shape is imperative in inducing healthy lifestyles and improving social welfare.

  15. A comparison of vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) between definite Meniere's disease patients and normal healthy adults.

    PubMed

    Jariengprasert, Chanchai; Tiensuwan, Montip; Euasirirattanapaisan, Khongpol

    2013-12-01

    To compare the results of VEMP between unilateral definite Meniere's disease patients and normal healthy adults. Thirty-two patients with unilateral definite Meniere's disease patients and 32 age-matched normal healthy adults (control) underwent VEMP tests with short tone burst of 500 Hz at 90 dBnHL. Student-t test was used for comparison of means of all parameters between two groups. Absent VEMP response was found in 14 MD patients and abnormal asymmetry ratio (AR) was found in five MD patients. Normal responses were found in all subjects of the control group. The mean P1 and N1 latencies, VEMP amplitude between unilateral MD, and control were not significantly different between two groups. However the difference between the mean AR of both groups showed statistically significant (p-value < 0.05). The upper limit of normal AR was calculated to be of 35.15%. The absence of VEMP response and AR of VEMP were more dominant than other parameters such as P1 and N1 latencies or VEMP amplitude in the detection of saccular dysfunction in MD. The results suggested that AR should be used as a tool in interpretation of VEMP response for the diagnostic batteries in MD. The upper limit of normal AR of < or = 35% should be recommended.

  16. Maturation of Speech and Language Functional Neuroanatomy in Pediatric Normal Controls

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Devous, Michael D., Sr.; Altuna, Dianne; Furl, Nicholas, Cooper, William; Gabbert, Gretchen; Ngai, Wei Tat; Chiu, Stephanie; Scott, Jack M., III; Harris, Thomas S.; Payne, J. Kelly; Tobey, Emily A.

    2006-01-01

    Purpose: This study explores the relationship between age and resting-state regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in regions associated with higher order language skills using a population of normal children, adolescents, and young adults. Method: rCBF was measured in 33 normal participants between the ages of 7 and 19 years using single photon…

  17. Febrile infectious childhood diseases in the history of cancer patients and matched controls.

    PubMed

    Albonico, H U; Bräker, H U; Hüsler, J

    1998-10-01

    The present study was designed to investigate the hypothesis that febrile infectious childhood diseases (FICDs) are associated with a lower cancer risk in adulthood, since biographical considerations are of great importance in anthroposophic medicine. Cancer patients and control patients of 35 anthroposophic general practitioners in Switzerland were matched with respect to gender, age and physician. All patients completed a questionnaire on their FICD. We collected 424 cases; of these we could analyze 379 matched pairs. The study consistently revealed a lower cancer risk for patients with a history of FICD. The strongest associations were found between patients with non-breast cancers and rubella respectively chickenpox. A strong association was also found with the overall number of FICD both 'classical' (measles, mumps, rubella, pertussis, scarlet-fever and chickenpox) and 'other'. None of these associations was apparent for patients with breast cancer. Unexpectedly, we found that cancer was diagnosed significantly earlier in life in cancer patients with a history of FICD compared to those without FICD. Our retrospective study showed a significant association between FICD and the risk of developing cancer. The number of FICD decreased the cancer risk, in particular for non-breast cancers. The relationship with tumor site seems to be important also, but can only be addressed in a larger study.

  18. Ex-Premature Infant Boys with Hypospadias are Similar in Size to Age-Matched, Ex-Premature Infant Boys Without Hypospadias

    PubMed Central

    Hsieh, Michael H.; Alonzo, David G.; Gonzales, Edmond T.; Jones, Eric A.; Cisek, Lars J.; Roth, David R.

    2010-01-01

    OBJECTIVE Studies have postulated that hypospadias, prematurity, and low birth weight are linked by defects in androgen signaling. To determine whether premature, hypospadiac boys are small and remain so, we compared their size at birth and at hypospadias repair to premature boys who underwent post-neonatal circumcision. METHODS We identified premature boys admitted to Texas Children's Hospital who underwent either hypospadias repair or circumcision after 4 months of age. Age, weight, and height at birth and surgery were recorded. RESULTS Fifty-four boys had hypospadias and 34 did not. For hypospadiac boys, the mean birth weight and age, height, and weight at surgery were lower than for boys without hypospadias. More importantly, length-for-age and weight-for-age percentiles were also lower for hypospadiac boys. When subset analysis was performed on boys younger than 2 years at surgery, however, there were no significant differences in height or weight between hypospadiac and nonhypospadiac boys. CONCLUSION Our series suggests that premature, hypospadiac boys are born smaller than age-matched, non-hypospadiac controls. However, there were no age-corrected size differences between hypospadiac and non-hypospadiac boys at surgery. This implies that hypospadiac boys exhibit postneonatal ‘rebound’ growth. Global growth deficits, if any, do not persist in hypospadiac boys. PMID:20833109

  19. Dissociating Normal Aging from Alzheimer’s Disease: A View from Cognitive Neuroscience

    PubMed Central

    Toepper, Max

    2017-01-01

    Both normal aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are associated with changes in cognition, grey and white matter volume, white matter integrity, neural activation, functional connectivity, and neurotransmission. Obviously, all of these changes are more pronounced in AD and proceed faster providing the basis for an AD diagnosis. Since these differences are quantitative, however, it was hypothesized that AD might simply reflect an accelerated aging process. The present article highlights the different neurocognitive changes associated with normal aging and AD and shows that, next to quantitative differences, there are multiple qualitative differences as well. These differences comprise different neurocognitive dissociations as different cognitive deficit profiles, different weights of grey and white matter atrophy, and different gradients of structural decline. These qualitative differences clearly indicate that AD cannot be simply described as accelerated aging process but on the contrary represents a solid entity. PMID:28269778

  20. Functional outcome in amputation versus limb sparing of patients with lower extremity sarcoma: a matched case-control study.

    PubMed

    Davis, A M; Devlin, M; Griffin, A M; Wunder, J S; Bell, R S

    1999-06-01

    To quantify the differences in physical disability and handicap experienced by patients with lower extremity sarcoma who required amputation for their primary tumor as compared with those treated by limb-sparing surgery. Matched case-control study. Twelve patients with amputation were matched with 24 patients treated by limb-sparing surgery on the following variables: age, gender, length of follow-up, bone versus soft-tissue tumor, anatomic site, and treatment with adjuvant chemotherapy. Patients who underwent above-knee amputation (AKA) or below-knee amputation (BKA) for primary soft-tissue or bone sarcoma, who had not developed local or systemic recurrence, and who had been followed up for at least 1 year since surgery. The Toronto Extremity Salvage Score (TESS), a measure of physical disability; the Shortform-36 (SF-36), a generic health status measure; and the Reintegration to Normal Living (RNL), a measure of handicap. Mean TESS score for the patients with amputations was 74.5 versus 85.1 for the limb-sparing patients. (p = .15). Only the physical function subscale of the SF-36 showed statistically significant differences, with means of 45 and 71.1 for the amputation versus limb-sparing groups, respectively (p = .03). The RNL for the amputation group was 84.4 versus 97 for the limb-sparing group (p = .05). Seven of the 12 patients with amputations experienced ongoing difficulty with the soft tissues overlying their stumps. There was a trend toward increased disability for those in the amputation group versus those in the limb-sparing group, with the amputation group showing significantly higher levels of handicap. These data suggest that the differences in disability between amputation and limb-sparing patients are smaller than anticipated. The differences may be more notable in measuring handicap.

  1. Allanite age-dating: Non-matrix-matched standardization in quadrupole LA-ICP-MS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Burn, M.; Lanari, P.; Pettke, T.; Engi, M.

    2014-12-01

    Allanite Th-U-Pb age-dating has recently been found to be powerful in unraveling the timing of geological processes such as the metamorphic dynamics in subduction zones and crystallization velocity of magmas. However, inconsistencies among analytical techniques have raised doubts about the accuracy of allanite age data. Spot analysis techniques such as LA-ICP-MS are claimed to be crucially dependent on matrix-matched standards, the quality of which is variable. We present a new approach in LA-ICP-MS data reduction that allows non-matrix-matched standardization via well constrained zircon reference materials as primary standards. Our data were obtained using a GeoLas Pro 193 nm ArF excimer laser ablation system coupled to an ELAN DRC-e quadrupole ICP-MS. We use 32 μm and 24 μm spot sizes; laser operating conditions of 9 Hz repetition rate and 2.5 J/cm2 fluence have proven advantageous. Matrix dependent downhole fractionation evolution is empirically determined by analyzing 208Pb/232Th and 206Pb/238U and applied prior to standardization. The new data reduction technique was tested on three magmatic allanite reference materials (SISSb, CAPb, TARA); within error these show the same downhole fractionation evolution for all allanite types and in different analytical sessions, provided measurement conditions remain the same. Although the downhole evolution of allanite and zircon differs significantly, a link between zircon and allanite matrix is established by assuming CAPb and TARA to be fixed at the corresponding reference ages. Our weighted mean 208Pb/232Th ages are 30.06 ± 0.22 (2σ) for SISSb, 275.4 ± 1.3 (2σ) for CAPb, and 409.9 ± 1.8 (2σ) for TARA. Precision of single spot age data varies between 1.5 and 8 % (2σ), dependent on spot size and common lead concentrations. Quadrupole LA-ICP-MS allanite age-dating has thus similar uncertainties as do other spot analysis techniques. The new data reduction technique is much less dependent on quality and homogeneity

  2. Hippocampus age-related microstructural changes in schizophrenia: a case-control mean diffusivity study.

    PubMed

    Chiapponi, Chiara; Piras, Fabrizio; Fagioli, Sabrina; Girardi, Paolo; Caltagirone, Carlo; Spalletta, Gianfranco

    2014-08-01

    Macrostructural-volumetric abnormalities of the hippocampus have been described in schizophrenia. Here, we characterized age-related changes of hippocampal mean diffusivity as an index of microstructural damage by carrying out a neuroimaging study in 85 patients with a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of schizophrenia and 85 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. We performed analyses of covariance, with diagnosis as fixed factor, mean diffusivity as dependent variable and age as covariate. Patients showed an early increase in mean diffusivity in the right and left hippocampus that increased with age. Thus, microstructural hippocampal changes associated with schizophrenia cannot be confined to a specific time window. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Heart rate variability in normal-weight patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

    PubMed

    Kilit, Celal; Paşalı Kilit, Türkan

    2017-05-01

    Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disease closely related to several risk factors of cardiovascular disease. Obese women with PCOS show altered autonomic modulation. The results of studies investigating cardiac autonomic functions of normal-weight women with PCOS are conflicting. The aim of the study was to assess the reactivity of cardiac sympathovagal balance in normal-weight women with PCOS by heart rate variability analysis. We examined the heart rate variability in 60 normal-weight women with PCOS and compared them with that in 60 age-matched healthy women having a similar metabolic profile. Time and frequency domain parameters of heart rate variability were analyzed based on 5-min-long continuous electrocardiography recordings for the following 3 periods: (1) during rest in supine position, (2) during controlled breathing, and (3) during isometric handgrip exercise. Time and frequency domain parameters of heart rate variability for the 3 periods assessed were similar in the two groups. Although modified Ferriman-Gallwey score and serum testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels were significantly higher in women with PCOS, homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was not different the between the PCOS and control groups. There were no significant correlations between serum testosterone levels and heart rate variability parameters among the study population. The findings of this study suggest that the reactivity of cardiac sympathovagal balance is not altered in normal-weight women with PCOS having a normal HOMA-IR.

  4. Stereo Sound Field Controller Design Using Partial Model Matching on the Frequency Domain

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumon, Makoto; Miike, Katsuhiro; Eguchi, Kazuki; Mizumoto, Ikuro; Iwai, Zenta

    The objective of sound field control is to make the acoustic characteristics of a listening room close to those of the desired system. Conventional methods apply feedforward controllers, such as digital filters, to achieve this objective. However, feedback controllers are also necessary in order to attenuate noise or to compensate the uncertainty of the acoustic characteristics of the listening room. Since acoustic characteristics are well modeled on the frequency domain, it is efficient to design controllers with respect to frequency responses, but it is difficult to design a multi input multi output (MIMO) control system on a wide frequency domain. In the present study, a partial model matching method on the frequency domain was adopted because this method requires only sampled data, rather than complex mathematical models of the plant, in order to design controllers for MIMO systems. The partial model matching method was applied to design two-degree-of-freedom controllers for acoustic equalization and noise reduction. Experiments demonstrated effectiveness of the proposed method.

  5. Real-world surgical outcomes of a gelatin-hemostatic matrix in women requiring a hysterectomy: a matched case-control study.

    PubMed

    Obermair, Helena; Janda, Monika; Obermair, Andreas

    2016-09-01

    The aim of this study was to compare adverse events and surgical outcomes of hysterectomy with or without use of a gelatin-hemostatic matrix (SURGIFLO(®) ). Prospective case-control study (Canadian Task Force classification II2) of total hysterectomy (Piver Type 1) provided by surgeons in Australia between November 2005 and May 2015. Data were collected via SurgicalPerformance, a web-based data project which aims to provide confidential feedback to surgeons about their surgical outcomes. Of 2440 records of women who received a hysterectomy, 1351 were eligible for these analyses; 107 received SURGIFLO(®) hemostatic matrix to prevent postoperative blood loss and 1244 did not. Patients with or without SURGIFLO(®) differed in age, Charlson comorbidity index, and American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification system score (ASA), and also differed in clinical outcomes. After matching for patient's age and ASA at surgery, patients with and without SURGIFLO(®) had comparable baseline characteristics. Matched patients with and without SURGIFLO(®) had comparable clinical outcomes including risk of developing vault hematoma, return to the operating room, transfusion of red cells, surgical site infection (pelvis), readmission within 30 days and unplanned ICU admission. In a sample matched by age and ASA, SURGIFLO(®) neither prevented nor caused additional adverse events in women undergoing hysterectomy. Surgeons used SURGIFLO(®) more commonly among women who were older, had more comorbidities and a higher ASA score. This indicates that it may be most useful in complicated surgery or cases. © 2016 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

  6. APOE Predicts Aβ but not Tau Alzheimer’s Pathology in Cognitively Normal Aging

    PubMed Central

    Morris, John C.; Roe, Catherine M.; Xiong, Chengjie; Fagan, Anne M; Goate, Alison M.; Holtzman, David M.; Mintun, Mark A.

    2009-01-01

    Objective To examine interactions of Apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype with age and with in vivo measures of preclinical Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in cognitively normal aging. Methods Two hundred and 41 cognitively normal individuals, age 45 to 88 years, had cerebral amyloid imaging studies with Pittsburgh Compound-B (PIB). Of the 241 individuals, 168 (70%) also had cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) assays of amyloid-beta42 (Aβ42), tau, and phosphorylated tau (ptau181). All individuals were genotyped for APOE. Results The frequency of individuals with elevated mean cortical binding potential (MCBP) for PIB rose in an age-dependent manner from 0% at ages 45-49 years to 30.3% at 80-88 years. Reduced levels of CSF Aβ42 appear to begin earlier (18.2% of those age 45-49 years) and increase with age in higher frequencies (50% at age 80-88 years) than elevations of MCBP. There is a gene dose effect for the APOE4 genotype, with greater MCBP increases and greater reductions in CSF Aβ42 with increased numbers of APOE4 alleles. Individuals with an APOE2 have no increase in MCBP with age and have higher CSF Aβ42 levels than individuals without an APOE2 allele. There is no APOE4 or APOE2 effect on CSF tau or ptau181. Interpretation Increasing cerebral Aβ deposition with age is the pathobiological phenotype of APOE4. The biomarker sequence that detects Aβ deposition may first be lowered CSF Aβ42, followed by elevated MCBP for PIB. A substantial proportion of cognitively normal individuals have presumptive preclinical AD. PMID:20186853

  7. Clinical effects of internal fixation for ulnar styloid fractures associated with distal radius fractures: A matched case-control study.

    PubMed

    Sawada, Hideyoshi; Shinohara, Takaaki; Natsume, Tadahiro; Hirata, Hitoshi

    2016-11-01

    Ulnar styloid fractures are often associated with distal radius fractures. However, controversy exists regarding whether to treat ulnar styloid fractures. This study aimed to evaluate clinical effects of internal fixation for ulnar styloid fractures after distal radius fractures were treated with the volar locking plate system. We used prospectively collected data of distal radius fractures. 111 patients were enrolled in this study. A matched case-control study design was used. We selected patients who underwent fixation for ulnar styloid fractures (case group). Three control patients for each patient of the case group were matched on the basis of age, sex, and fracture type of distal radius fractures from among patients who did not undergo fixation for ulnar styloid fractures (control group). The case group included 16 patients (7 men, 9 women; mean age: 52.6 years; classification of ulnar styloid fractures: center, 3; base, 11; and proximal, 2). The control group included 48 patients (15 men, 33 women; mean age: 61.1 years; classification of ulnar styloid fractures: center, 10; base, 31; and proximal, 7). For radiographic examination, the volar tilt angle, radial inclination angle, and ulnar variance length were measured, and the union of ulnar styloid fractures was judged. For clinical examination, the range of motions, grip strength, Hand20 score, and Numeric Rating Scale score were evaluated. There was little correction loss for each radiological parameter of fracture reduction, and these parameters were not significantly different between the groups. The bone-healing rate of ulnar styloid fractures was significantly higher in the case group than in the control group, but the clinical results were not significantly different. We revealed that there was no need to fix ulnar styloid fractures when distal radius fractures were treated via open reduction and internal fixation with a volar locking plate system. Copyright © 2016 The Japanese Orthopaedic Association

  8. Alterations in Normal Aging Revealed by Cortical Brain Network Constructed Using IBASPM.

    PubMed

    Li, Wan; Yang, Chunlan; Shi, Feng; Wang, Qun; Wu, Shuicai; Lu, Wangsheng; Li, Shaowu; Nie, Yingnan; Zhang, Xin

    2018-04-16

    Normal aging has been linked with the decline of cognitive functions, such as memory and executive skills. One of the prominent approaches to investigate the age-related alterations in the brain is by examining the cortical brain connectome. IBASPM is a toolkit to realize individual atlas-based volume measurement. Hence, this study seeks to determine what further alterations can be revealed by cortical brain networks formed by IBASPM-extracted regional gray matter volumes. We found the reduced strength of connections between the superior temporal pole and middle temporal pole in the right hemisphere, global hubs as the left fusiform gyrus and right Rolandic operculum in the young and aging groups, respectively, and significantly reduced inter-module connection of one module in the aging group. These new findings are consistent with the phenomenon of normal aging mentioned in previous studies and suggest that brain network built with the IBASPM could provide supplementary information to some extent. The individualization of morphometric features extraction deserved to be given more attention in future cortical brain network research.

  9. A new EEG synchronization strength analysis method: S-estimator based normalized weighted-permutation mutual information.

    PubMed

    Cui, Dong; Pu, Weiting; Liu, Jing; Bian, Zhijie; Li, Qiuli; Wang, Lei; Gu, Guanghua

    2016-10-01

    Synchronization is an important mechanism for understanding information processing in normal or abnormal brains. In this paper, we propose a new method called normalized weighted-permutation mutual information (NWPMI) for double variable signal synchronization analysis and combine NWPMI with S-estimator measure to generate a new method named S-estimator based normalized weighted-permutation mutual information (SNWPMI) for analyzing multi-channel electroencephalographic (EEG) synchronization strength. The performances including the effects of time delay, embedding dimension, coupling coefficients, signal to noise ratios (SNRs) and data length of the NWPMI are evaluated by using Coupled Henon mapping model. The results show that the NWPMI is superior in describing the synchronization compared with the normalized permutation mutual information (NPMI). Furthermore, the proposed SNWPMI method is applied to analyze scalp EEG data from 26 amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) subjects and 20 age-matched controls with normal cognitive function, who both suffer from type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The proposed methods NWPMI and SNWPMI are suggested to be an effective index to estimate the synchronization strength. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Regional ADC values of the normal brain: differences due to age, gender, and laterality.

    PubMed

    Naganawa, Shinji; Sato, Kimihide; Katagiri, Toshio; Mimura, Takeo; Ishigaki, Takeo

    2003-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the stability of measurement for apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in normal brain, to clarify the effect of aging on ADC values, to compare ADC values between men and women, and to compare ADC values between right and left sides of the brain. To evaluate the stability of measurements, five normal volunteers (four men and one woman) were examined five times on different days. Then, 294 subjects with normal MR imaging (147 men and 147 women; age range 20-89 years) were measured. The ADC measurement in normal volunteers was stable. The ADC values stayed within the 5% deviation of average values in all volunteers (mean+/-standard deviation 2.3+/-1.2%). The ADC values gradually increased by aging in all regions. In thalamus, no significant difference was seen between right and left in the subjects under 60 years; however, right side showed higher values in the subjects over 60 years (p<0.01). In the subjects under 60 years, women showed higher values in right frontal, bilateral thalamus, and temporal (p<0.01); however, in the subjects over 60 years, no region showed difference between men and women. The knowledge obtained in this study may be helpful to understand the developmental and aging mechanisms of normal brain and may be useful for the future quantitative study as a reference.

  11. Fluid intelligence and brain functional organization in aging yoga and meditation practitioners

    PubMed Central

    Gard, Tim; Taquet, Maxime; Dixit, Rohan; Hölzel, Britta K.; de Montjoye, Yves-Alexandre; Brach, Narayan; Salat, David H.; Dickerson, Bradford C.; Gray, Jeremy R.; Lazar, Sara W.

    2014-01-01

    Numerous studies have documented the normal age-related decline of neural structure, function, and cognitive performance. Preliminary evidence suggests that meditation may reduce decline in specific cognitive domains and in brain structure. Here we extended this research by investigating the relation between age and fluid intelligence and resting state brain functional network architecture using graph theory, in middle-aged yoga and meditation practitioners, and matched controls. Fluid intelligence declined slower in yoga practitioners and meditators combined than in controls. Resting state functional networks of yoga practitioners and meditators combined were more integrated and more resilient to damage than those of controls. Furthermore, mindfulness was positively correlated with fluid intelligence, resilience, and global network efficiency. These findings reveal the possibility to increase resilience and to slow the decline of fluid intelligence and brain functional architecture and suggest that mindfulness plays a mechanistic role in this preservation. PMID:24795629

  12. Lifestyle habits and fatigue among people with systemic lupus erythematosus and matched population controls.

    PubMed

    Pettersson, S; Boström, C; Eriksson, K; Svenungsson, E; Gunnarsson, I; Henriksson, E Welin

    2015-08-01

    The objective of this paper is to identify clusters of fatigue in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and matched controls, and to analyze these clusters with respect to lifestyle habits, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), anxiety and depression. Patients with SLE (n = 305) and age- and gender-matched population controls (n = 311) were included. Three measurements of fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Vitality (VT, from SF-36) and Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue scale (MAF) and hierarchic cluster analysis were used to define clusters with different degrees of fatigue. Lifestyle habits were investigated through questionnaires. HRQoL was assessed with the SF-36 and anxiety/depression with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Three clusters, denominated "High," "Intermediate" and "Low" fatigue clusters, were identified. The "High" contained 80% patients, and 20% controls (median; VT 25, FSS 5.8, MAF 37.4). These had the most symptoms of depression (51%) and anxiety (34%), lowest HRQoL (p < 0.001) and they exercised least frequently. The "Intermediate" (48% patients and 52% controls) (median; VT 55, FSS 4.1, MAF 23.5) had similarities with the "Low" regarding sleep/rest whereas social status and smoking were closer to the "High." The"Low" contained 22% patients and 78% controls (median; VT 80, FSS 2.3, MAF 10.9). They had the highest perceived HRQoL (p < 0.001), least symptoms of anxiety (10%), no depression, smoked least (13%) and reported the highest percentage (24%) of exercising ≥ 3 times/week. Fatigue is common, but not a general feature of SLE. It is associated with depression, anxiety, low HRQoL and less physical exercise. Patients with SLE and population controls with a healthy lifestyle reported lower levels of fatigue. Whether lifestyle changes can reduce fatigue, which is a major problem for a majority of SLE patients, needs to be further explored. © The Author(s) 2015.

  13. rhBMP-2 protects against reoperation for pseudoarthrosis and/or instrumentation failure: A matched case-control study of 448 patients.

    PubMed

    Macki, Mohamed; Syeda, Sbaa; Kerezoudis, Panagiotis; Bydon, Ali; Witham, Timothy F; Sciubba, Daniel M; Wolinsky, Jean-Paul; Bydon, Mohamad; Gokaslan, Ziya

    2016-10-01

    The objective of this independent study is to determine the impact of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2 (rhBMP-2) on reoperation for pseudarthrosis and/or instrumentation failure. A nested case-control study of first-time posterolateral, instrumented fusion of the lumbar spine for degenerative spinal disease was undertaken. Cases of reoperation for pseudoarthrosis and/or instrumentation failure were assigned to controls, who did not experience the primary outcome measure at the time of reoperation. Cases and controls were matched on number of interspaces fused and inclusion of interbody. Predictors of reoperation for pseudoarthrosis and/or instrumentation failure were assessed with a conditional logistical regression controlling for rhBMP-2, age, obesity, and smoking. Of the 448 patients, 155 cases of reoperation for pseudoarthrosis and/or instrumentation were matched with 293 controls. Twenty-six percent of first-time surgeries included rhBMP-2, which was statistically more commonly used in the control cohort (33.11%) versus the case cohort (12.90%) (Unadjusted odds ratio [ORunadj]=0.28) (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.16-0.49). Following a multivariate analysis controlling for age, obesity, and smoking, the rhBMP-2 recipients incurred a 73% lower odds of reoperation for pseudoarthrosis and/or instrumentation failure (95% CI, 0.15-0.48). Neither sarcomatous nor osseous neoplasm was detected in the study population. Mean follow up did not differ between the cases (81.57±standard deviation [SD] 4.98months) versus controls (74.75±2.49month) (ORunadj=1.01) (95% CI: 1.00-1.01). rhBMP-2 in lumbar fusion constructs protects against reoperation for pseudoarthrosis and/or instrumentation failure. However, the decision to include fusion supplements should be weighted between surgical determinants and clinical outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Learning with sublexical information from emerging reading vocabularies in exceptionally early and normal reading development.

    PubMed

    Thompson, G Brian; Fletcher-Flinn, Claire M; Wilson, Kathryn J; McKay, Michael F; Margrain, Valerie G

    2015-03-01

    Predictions from theories of the processes of word reading acquisition have rarely been tested against evidence from exceptionally early readers. The theories of Ehri, Share, and Byrne, and an alternative, Knowledge Sources theory, were so tested. The former three theories postulate that full development of context-free letter sounds and awareness of phonemes are required for normal acquisition, while the claim of the alternative is that with or without such, children can use sublexical information from their emerging reading vocabularies to acquire word reading. Results from two independent samples of children aged 3-5, and 5 years, with mean word reading levels of 7 and 9 years respectively, showed underdevelopment of their context-free letter sounds and phoneme awareness, relative to their word reading levels and normal comparison samples. Despite such underdevelopment, these exceptional readers engaged in a form of phonological recoding that enabled pseudoword reading, at the level of older-age normal controls matched on word reading level. Moreover, in the 5-year-old sample further experiments showed that, relative to normal controls, they had a bias toward use of sublexical information from their reading vocabularies for phonological recoding of heterophonic pseudowords with irregular consistent spelling, and were superior in accessing word meanings independently of phonology, although only if the readers were without exposure to explicit phonics. The three theories were less satisfactory than the alternative theory in accounting for the learning of the exceptionally early readers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Quantitative computed tomography determined regional lung mechanics in normal nonsmokers, normal smokers and metastatic sarcoma subjects.

    PubMed

    Choi, Jiwoong; Hoffman, Eric A; Lin, Ching-Long; Milhem, Mohammed M; Tessier, Jean; Newell, John D

    2017-01-01

    Extra-thoracic tumors send out pilot cells that attach to the pulmonary endothelium. We hypothesized that this could alter regional lung mechanics (tissue stiffening or accumulation of fluid and inflammatory cells) through interactions with host cells. We explored this with serial inspiratory computed tomography (CT) and image matching to assess regional changes in lung expansion. We retrospectively assessed 44 pairs of two serial CT scans on 21 sarcoma patients: 12 without lung metastases and 9 with lung metastases. For each subject, two or more serial inspiratory clinically-derived CT scans were retrospectively collected. Two research-derived control groups were included: 7 normal nonsmokers and 12 asymptomatic smokers with two inspiratory scans taken the same day or one year apart respectively. We performed image registration for local-to-local matching scans to baseline, and derived local expansion and density changes at an acinar scale. Welch two sample t test was used for comparison between groups. Statistical significance was determined with a p value < 0.05. Lung regions of metastatic sarcoma patients (but not the normal control group) demonstrated an increased proportion of normalized lung expansion between the first and second CT. These hyper-expanded regions were associated with, but not limited to, visible metastatic lung lesions. Compared with the normal control group, the percent of increased normalized hyper-expanded lung in sarcoma subjects was significantly increased (p < 0.05). There was also evidence of increased lung "tissue" volume (non-air components) in the hyper-expanded regions of the cancer subjects relative to non-hyper-expanded regions. "Tissue" volume increase was present in the hyper-expanded regions of metastatic and non-metastatic sarcoma subjects. This putatively could represent regional inflammation related to the presence of tumor pilot cell-host related interactions. This new quantitative CT (QCT) method for linking serial

  16. Impact of age-related macular degeneration on object searches in realistic panoramic scenes.

    PubMed

    Thibaut, Miguel; Tran, Thi-Ha-Chau; Szaffarczyk, Sebastien; Boucart, Muriel

    2018-05-01

    This study investigated whether realistic immersive conditions with dynamic indoor scenes presented on a large, hemispheric panoramic screen covering 180° of the visual field improved the visual search abilities of participants with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Twenty-one participants with AMD, 16 age-matched controls and 16 young observers were included. Realistic indoor scenes were presented on a panoramic five metre diameter screen. Twelve different objects were used as targets. The participants were asked to search for a target object, shown on paper before each trial, within a room composed of various objects. A joystick was used for navigation within the scene views. A target object was present in 24 trials and absent in 24 trials. The percentage of correct detection of the target, the percentage of false alarms (that is, the detection of the target when it was absent), the number of scene views explored and the search time were measured. The search time was slower for participants with AMD than for the age-matched controls, who in turn were slower than the young participants. The participants with AMD were able to accomplish the task with a performance of 75 per cent correct detections. This was slightly lower than older controls (79.2 per cent) while young controls were at ceiling (91.7 per cent). Errors were mainly due to false alarms resulting from confusion between the target object and another object present in the scene in the target-absent trials. The outcomes of the present study indicate that, under realistic conditions, although slower than age-matched, normally sighted controls, participants with AMD were able to accomplish visual searches of objects with high accuracy. © 2017 Optometry Australia.

  17. Age-dependent effects on sensory axonal excitability in normal mice.

    PubMed

    Banzrai, Chimeglkham; Nodera, Hiroyuki; Higashi, Saki; Okada, Ryo; Osaki, Yusuke; Mori, Atsuko; Kaji, Ryuji

    2016-01-12

    Serial recordings were performed to measure sensory excitability in peripheral nerves and elucidate age-dependent changes in neuronal ion currents in the peripheral sensory nervous system. The threshold tracking technique was used to measure multiple excitability indices in the tail sensory nerves of five normal male mice at four time points (6, 10, 14, and 19 weeks of age). A separate group of four mice was also measured at 43 weeks and at 60 weeks of age. Maturation was accompanied by an increase in early hyperpolarization and superexcitability at 10 weeks. At 60 weeks, the hyperpolarizing electrotonus shifted downward, while superexcitability became greater and subexcitability (double stimuli) decreased. Computer modeling showed that the most notable age-related interval changes in excitability parameters were Barrett-Barrett, H, and slow K(+) conductances. Understanding age-related changes in the excitability of sensory axons may provide a platform for understanding age-dependent sensory symptoms and developing age-specific channel-targeting therapies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. The Effect of Carbohydrate Ingestion on Performance during a Simulated Soccer Match

    PubMed Central

    Goedecke, Julia H.; White, Nicholas J.; Chicktay, Waheed; Mahomed, Hafsa; Durandt, Justin; Lambert, Michael I.

    2013-01-01

    Aim: This study investigated how performance was affected after soccer players, in a postprandial state, ingested a 7% carbohydrate (CHO) solution compared to a placebo (0% CHO) during a simulated soccer match. Methods: Using a double-blind placebo-controlled design, 22 trained male league soccer players (age: 24 ± 7 years, wt: 73.4 ± 12.0 kg, VO2max: 51.8 ± 4.3 mL O2/kg/min) completed two trials, separated by 7 days, during which they ingested, in random order, 700 mL of either a 7% CHO or placebo drink during a simulated soccer match. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), agility, timed and run to fatigue were measured during the trials. Results: Change in agility times was not altered by CHO vs. placebo ingestion (0.57 ± 1.48 vs. 0.66 ± 1.00, p = 0.81). Timed runs to fatigue were 381 ± 267 s vs. 294 ± 159 s for the CHO and placebo drinks, respectively (p = 0.11). Body mass modified the relationship between time to fatigue and drink ingestion (p = 0.02 for drink × body mass), such that lower body mass was associated with increased time to fatigue when the players ingested CHO, but not placebo. RPE values for the final stage of the simulated soccer match were 8.5 ± 1.7 and 8.6 ± 1.5 for the CHO and placebo drinks respectively (p = 0.87). Conclusions: The group data showed that the 7% CHO solution (49 g CHO) did not significantly improve performance during a simulated soccer match in league soccer players who had normal pre-match nutrition. However, when adjusting for body mass, increasing CHO intake was associated with improved time to fatigue during the simulated soccer match. PMID:24352094

  19. The effect of carbohydrate ingestion on performance during a simulated soccer match.

    PubMed

    Goedecke, Julia H; White, Nicholas J; Chicktay, Waheed; Mahomed, Hafsa; Durandt, Justin; Lambert, Michael I

    2013-12-16

    This study investigated how performance was affected after soccer players, in a postprandial state, ingested a 7% carbohydrate (CHO) solution compared to a placebo (0% CHO) during a simulated soccer match. Using a double-blind placebo-controlled design, 22 trained male league soccer players (age: 24 ± 7 years, wt: 73.4 ± 12.0 kg, VO2max: 51.8 ± 4.3 mL O2/kg/min) completed two trials, separated by 7 days, during which they ingested, in random order, 700 mL of either a 7% CHO or placebo drink during a simulated soccer match. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), agility, timed and run to fatigue were measured during the trials. Change in agility times was not altered by CHO vs. placebo ingestion (0.57 ± 1.48 vs. 0.66 ± 1.00, p = 0.81). Timed runs to fatigue were 381 ± 267 s vs. 294 ± 159 s for the CHO and placebo drinks, respectively (p = 0.11). Body mass modified the relationship between time to fatigue and drink ingestion (p = 0.02 for drink × body mass), such that lower body mass was associated with increased time to fatigue when the players ingested CHO, but not placebo. RPE values for the final stage of the simulated soccer match were 8.5 ± 1.7 and 8.6 ± 1.5 for the CHO and placebo drinks respectively (p = 0.87). The group data showed that the 7% CHO solution (49 g CHO) did not significantly improve performance during a simulated soccer match in league soccer players who had normal pre-match nutrition. However, when adjusting for body mass, increasing CHO intake was associated with improved time to fatigue during the simulated soccer match.

  20. The Role of Neuromuscular Changes in Aging and Knee Osteoarthritis on Dynamic Postural Control

    PubMed Central

    Takacs, Judit; Carpenter, Mark G.; Garland, S. Jayne; Hunt, Michael A.

    2013-01-01

    Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic joint condition, with 30% of those over the age of 75 exhibiting severe radiographic disease. Nearly 50% of those with knee OA have experienced a fall in the past year. Falls are a considerable public health concern, with a high risk of serious injury and a significant socioeconomic impact. The ability to defend against a fall relies on adequate dynamic postural control, and alterations in dynamic postural control are seen with normal aging. Neuromuscular changes associated with aging may be responsible for some of these alterations in dynamic postural control. Even greater neuromuscular deficits, which may impact dynamic postural control and the ability to defend against a fall, are seen in people with knee OA. There is little evidence to date on how knee OA affects the ability to respond to and defend against falls and the neuromuscular changes that contribute to balance deficits. As a result, this review will: summarize the key characteristics of postural responses to an external perturbation, highlight the changes in dynamic postural control seen with normal aging, review the neuromuscular changes associated with aging that have known and possible effects on dynamic postural control, and summarize the neuromuscular changes and balance problems in knee OA. Future research to better understand the role of neuromuscular changes in knee OA and their effect on dynamic postural control will be suggested. Such an understanding is critical to the successful creation and implementation of fall prevention and treatment programs, in order to reduce the excessive risk of falling in knee OA. PMID:23696951

  1. Role of oxidants/inflammation in declining renal function in chronic kidney disease and normal aging.

    PubMed

    Vlassara, Helen; Torreggiani, Massimo; Post, James B; Zheng, Feng; Uribarri, Jaime; Striker, Gary E

    2009-12-01

    Oxidant stress (OS) and inflammation increase in normal aging and in chronic kidney disease (CKD), as observed in human and animal studies. In cross-sectional studies of the US population, these changes are associated with a decrease in renal function, which is exhibited by a significant proportion of the population. However, since many normal adults have intact renal function, and longitudinal studies show that some persons maintain normal renal function with age, the link between OS, inflammation, and renal decline is not clear. In aging mice, greater oxidant intake is associated with increased age-related CKD and mortality, which suggests that interventions that reduce OS and inflammation may be beneficial for older individuals. Both OS and inflammation can be readily lowered in normal subjects and patients with CKD stage 3-4 by a simple dietary modification that lowers intake and results in reduced serum and tissue levels of advanced glycation end products. Diabetic patients, including those with microalbuminuria, have a decreased ability to metabolize and excrete oxidants prior to observable changes in serum creatinine. Thus, OS and inflammation may occur in the diabetic kidney at an early time. We review the evidence that oxidants in the diet directly lead to increased serum levels of OS and inflammatory mediators in normal aging and in CKD. We also discuss a simple dietary intervention that helps reduce OS and inflammation, an important and achievable therapeutic goal for patients with CKD and aging individuals with reduced renal function.

  2. Collagen fragment biomarkers as serological biomarkers of lean body mass – a biomarker pilot study from the DAHANCA25B cohort and matched controls

    PubMed Central

    Nedergaard, Anders; Dalgas, Ulrik; Primdahl, Hanne; Johansen, Jørgen; Overgaard, Jens; Overgaard, Kristian; Henriksen, Kim; Karsdal, Morten Asser; Lønbro, Simon

    2015-01-01

    Background Loss of muscle mass and function is an important complication to ageing and a range of pathologies, including, but not restricted to, cancer, organ failures, and sepsis. A number of interventions have been proposed ranging from exercise to anabolic pharmacological therapy, with varying success. Easily applicable serological biomarkers of lean and/or muscle mass and change therein would benefit monitoring of muscle mass during muscle atrophy as well as during recovery. We set out to validate if novel peptide biomarkers derived from Collagen III and VI were markers of lean body mass (LBM) or change therein in head and neck cancer patients in the Danish Head and Neck Cancer Group(DAHANCA) 25B cohort subjected to resistance training as well as in an age-matched and gender-matched control group. Methods Blood samples and dual X-ray absorptiometry data were measured at baseline, after 12 and 24 weeks in 41 HNSCC subjects of the DAHANCA 25B cohort of subjects recovering from neck and head cancer (stages provided in Table 1), and at baseline only in 21 healthy age-matched and gender-matched controls. Serum from blood was analyzed for the ProC3, IC6, and C6M peptide biomarkers and LBM were derived from the dual X-ray absorptiometry scans. Results We were not able to show any correlation between biomarkers and LBM or C6M and anabolic response to exercise in recovering head and neck cancer patients. However, we did find that the biomarkers IC6, IC6/C6M, and ProC3 are biomarkers of LBM in the control group subjects (R2/P of 0.249/0.035, 0.416/0.007 and 0.178 and P = 0.057, respectively), Conclusion In conclusion, the IC6, ProC3, and IC6/C6M biomarkers are indeed biomarkers of LBM in healthy individuals of both genders, but not in HNSCC patients. PMID:26673155

  3. The neuropsychology of normal aging and preclinical Alzheimer's disease.

    PubMed

    Caselli, Richard J; Locke, Dona E C; Dueck, Amylou C; Knopman, David S; Woodruff, Bryan K; Hoffman-Snyder, Charlene; Rademakers, Rosa; Fleisher, Adam S; Reiman, Eric M

    2014-01-01

    A National Institute on Aging-sponsored work group on preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD) articulated the need to characterize cognitive differences between normal aging and preclinical AD. Seventy-one apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 homozygotes, 194 ε3/ε4 heterozygotes, and 356 ε4 noncarriers age 21 to 87 years who were cognitively healthy underwent neuropsychological testing every 2 years. Longitudinal trajectories of test scores were compared between APOE subgroups. There was a significant effect of age on all cognitive domains in both APOE ε4 carriers and noncarriers. A significant effect of APOE ε4 gene dose was confined to the memory domain and the Dementia Rating Scale. Cross-sectional comparisons did not discriminate the groups. Although cognitive aging patterns are similar in APOE ε4 carriers and noncarriers, preclinical AD is characterized by a significant ε4 gene dose effect that impacts memory and is detectable longitudinally. Preclinical neuropsychological testing strategies should emphasize memory-sensitive measures and longitudinal design. Copyright © 2014 The Alzheimer's Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. 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.

  5. Individualized behavioral assessments and maternal ratings of mastery motivation in mental age-matched toddlers with and without motor delay.

    PubMed

    Wang, Pei-Jung; Morgan, George A; Hwang, Ai-Wen; Liao, Hua-Fang

    2013-01-01

    Mastery motivation is a precursor of future developmental outcomes. Evidence about whether toddlers with motor delay have lower mastery motivation is inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to examine differences between mental age-matched toddlers with and without motor delay on various mastery motivation indicators. A mental age- and sex-matched case-control study was performed. Twenty-two children with motor delay, aged 23 to 47 months, and 22 children who were developing typically, aged 15 to 29 months, were recruited. Persistence and mastery pleasure were measured with behavioral tasks that were moderately challenging for each child and with maternal ratings using the Dimensions of Mastery Questionnaire (DMQ). The DMQ was rated by each child's mother based on her perception of her child's motivation. Two types of structured tasks (a puzzle and a cause-effect toy selected to be moderately challenging for each child) were administered in a laboratory setting and recorded on videos. Paired t tests or Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used to examine group differences in persistence and mastery pleasure (α=.007, 2-tailed). Children with motor delay were rated lower on DMQ persistence than the typically developing group, but they did not show significantly lower persistence on the structured tasks. There were no significant differences in mastery pleasure between the 2 groups on either measure. Large within-sample variability on the tasks and small sample size makes subgroup analysis (eg, different severities) difficult. Toddlers with motor delay did not show lower persistence and pleasure when given tasks that were moderately challenging; however, their mothers tended to view them as having lower motivation. Clinicians and parents should provide appropriately challenging tasks to increase children's success and motivation.

  6. Venous and autonomic function in formerly pre-eclamptic women and BMI-matched controls.

    PubMed

    Heidema, Wieteke M; van Drongelen, Joris; Spaanderman, Marc E A; Scholten, Ralph R

    2018-03-25

    Pre-pregnancy reduced plasma volume increases the risk on subsequent pre-eclamptic pregnancy. Reduced plasma volume is thought to reflect venous reserve capacity, especially when venous vasculature is constricted and sympathetic tone is elevated. As obesity might affect these variables and also relates to pre-eclampsia, increased body weight may underlie these observations. We hypothesized that the relationship between reduced venous reserve and preeclampsia is independent of body mass index (BMI). We compared the non-pregnant venous reserve capacity in 30 formerly pre-eclamptic women, equally divided in 3 BMI-classes (BMI 19.5-24.9, BMI 25-29.9, BMI ≥30) to 30 controls. Cases and controls were matched for BMI, age and parity. The venous reserve capacity was quantified by assessing plasma volume and venous compliance. The autonomic nervous system regulating the venous capacitance was evaluated with heart rate variability analysis in resting supine position and during positive head-up tilt (HUT). Formerly pre-eclamptic women had in supine position lower plasma volume than controls (1339 ± 79 vs 1547 ± 139 ml/m 2 (p<0.001)), lower venous compliance (0.04 ± 0.02 vs 0.07 ± 0.02 ml/dl/mmHg (p<0.001)), higher sympathetic tone (1.9 ± 0.1 vs 1.2 ± 0.7 mmHg 2 (p=0.002)) and lower baroreceptor sensitivity (8.7 ± 3.8 vs 19.0 ± 1.7 ms/mmHg (p<0.001)). During HUT, women with a history of preeclampsia have less modulatory capacity over venous compliance and baroreceptor sensitivity, while heart rate and sympathetic tone remain consistently higher. Women with a history of pre-eclampsia have, compared to BMI-matched controls, reduced venous reserve capacity. This is reflected by lower plasma volume and venous compliance, the autonomic balance is shifted towards sympathetic dominance and lower baroreceptor sensitivity. This suggests that not BMI, but underlying reduced venous reserve relates to pre-eclampsia. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  7. Longitudinal plasma metanephrines preceding pheochromocytoma diagnosis: a retrospective case-control serum repository study.

    PubMed

    Olson, S W; Yoon, S; Baker, T; Prince, L K; Oliver, D; Abbott, K C

    2016-03-01

    Plasma metanephrines (PMN) are highly sensitive for diagnosis of pheochromocytoma, but the natural history of PMN before pheochromocytoma diagnosis has not been previously described. The aim of the study was to compare the progression of PMN before pheochromocytoma diagnosis to matched healthy and essential hypertension disease controls. A retrospective case-control Department of Defense Serum Repository (DoDSR) study. We performed a DoDSR study that compared three longitudinal pre-diagnostic PMN for 30 biopsy-proven pheochromocytoma cases to three longitudinal PMN for age, sex, race, and age of serum sample matched healthy and essential hypertension disease controls. Predominant metanephrine (MN) or normetanephrine (NMN) production was identified for each case and converted to a percentage of the upper limit of normal to allow analysis of all cases together. PMN were measured by Quest Diagnostics. The predominant plasma metanephrine (PPM) was >100 and 300% of the upper limit of normal a median of 6.6 and 4.1 years before diagnosis respectively. A greater percentage of pheochromocytoma patients had a PPM >100 and >300% of the upper limit of normal compared with combined healthy and essential hypertension disease controls <2, 2-8, and >8 years prior to diagnosis. For patients with a baseline PPM 90-300% of the upper limit of normal, a 25% rate of rise per year was 100% specific for pheochromocytoma. PPMs elevate years before diagnosis which suggests that delayed diagnoses are common. For mild PMN elevations, follow-up longitudinal PMN trends may provide a highly specific and economical diagnostic tool. © 2016 European Society of Endocrinology.

  8. Cerebrospinal Fluid Concentration of Key Autophagy Protein Lamp2 Changes Little During Normal Aging

    PubMed Central

    Loeffler, David A.; Klaver, Andrea C.; Coffey, Mary P.; Aasly, Jan O.

    2018-01-01

    Autophagy removes both functional and damaged intracellular macromolecules from cells via lysosomal degradation. Three autophagic mechanisms, namely macroautophagy, chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA), and microautophagy, have been described in mammals. Studies in experimental systems have found macroautophagy and CMA to decrease with normal aging, despite the fact that oxidative stress, which can activate both processes, increases with normal aging. Whether autophagic mechanisms decrease in the human brain during normal aging is unclear. The primary objective of this study was to examine the association of a major autophagy protein, lysosome-associated membrane glycoprotein (lamp2), with age in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from healthy subjects. Lamp2 consists of three isoforms, lamp2a, 2b and 2c, all of which participate in autophagy. Lamp2’s CSF concentration decreases in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and increases in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but whether its CSF concentration changes during normal aging has not been investigated. Our secondary objectives were to examine the associations of lamp2’s CSF concentration with CSF levels of the molecular chaperone heat shock 70-kDa protein (HSPA8), which interacts with lamp2a in CMA, and oxidative stress markers 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), 8-isoprostane (8-ISO) and Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) in healthy subjects. We found lamp2’s observed associations with these variables to be weak, with all Kendall’s tau-b absolute values ≤0.20. These results suggest that CSF lamp2 concentration changes little during normal aging and does not appear to be associated with HSPA8 or oxidative stress. Further studies are indicated to determine the relationship between CSF lamp2 concentration and brain autophagic processes.

  9. GOLIAH (Gaming Open Library for Intervention in Autism at Home): a 6-month single blind matched controlled exploratory study.

    PubMed

    Jouen, Anne-Lise; Narzisi, Antonio; Xavier, Jean; Tilmont, Elodie; Bodeau, Nicolas; Bono, Valentina; Ketem-Premel, Nabila; Anzalone, Salvatore; Maharatna, Koushik; Chetouani, Mohamed; Muratori, Filippo; Cohen, David

    2017-01-01

    To meet the required hours of intensive intervention for treating children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), we developed an automated serious gaming platform (11 games) to deliver intervention at home (GOLIAH) by mapping the imitation and joint attention (JA) subset of age-adapted stimuli from the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) intervention. Here, we report the results of a 6-month matched controlled exploratory study. From two specialized clinics, we included 14 children (age range 5-8 years) with ASD and 10 controls matched for gender, age, sites, and treatment as usual (TAU). Participants from the experimental group received in addition to TAU four 30-min sessions with GOLIAH per week at home and one at hospital for 6 months. Statistics were performed using Linear Mixed Models. Children and parents participated in 40% of the planned sessions. They were able to use the 11 games, and participants trained with GOLIAH improved time to perform the task in most JA games and imitation scores in most imitation games. GOLIAH intervention did not affect Parental Stress Index scores. At end-point, we found in both groups a significant improvement for Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule scores, Vineland socialization score, Parental Stress Index total score, and Child Behavior Checklist internalizing, externalizing and total problems. However, we found no significant change for by time × group interaction. Despite the lack of superiority of TAU + GOLIAH versus TAU, the results are interesting both in terms of changes by using the gaming platform and lack of parental stress increase. A large randomized controlled trial with younger participants (who are the core target of ESDM model) is now discussed. This should be facilitated by computing GOLIAH for a web platform. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02560415.

  10. Long-term abstinent alcoholics have normal memory.

    PubMed

    Reed, R J; Grant, I; Rourke, S B

    1992-08-01

    It is generally believed that many non-Korsakoff alcoholics have subtle defects in memory. To determine whether such defects vary as a function of length of abstinence (LOA), we performed extensive memory testing with: (1) recently detoxified (n = 31; LOA-29 days); (2) intermediate-term abstinent (n = 28; LOA = 1.9 years); (3) long-term abstinent (n = 32; LOA-7.0 years) alcoholics; and (4) nonalcoholic controls (n = 37). All subjects were matched on age and education. Alcoholics were matched on years of alcoholic drinking. Memory measures were divided into the following domains: verbal learning, verbal recall, visual learning, visual recall, and paired associate learning. A series of MANOVAs were conducted that revealed a significant relationship between visual learning and length of abstinence, and a significant interaction between age and length of abstinence on visual recall. Long-term abstinent subjects were not significantly different from controls on any test. We conclude that memory disturbance demonstrable among recently detoxified alcoholics in the early weeks of their abstinence is not evident in demographically matched long-term abstinent alcoholics with similar drinking histories.

  11. Effect of a home-based end-of-life nursing service on hospital use at the end of life and place of death: a study using administrative data and matched controls.

    PubMed

    Chitnis, X A; Georghiou, T; Steventon, A; Bardsley, M J

    2013-12-01

    To assess the effect of routinely delivered home-based end-of-life care on hospital use at the end of life and place of death. Retrospective analysis using matched controls and administrative data. Community-based care in England. 29,538 people aged over 18 who received Marie Curie nursing support compared with 29,538 controls individually matched on variables including: age, socioeconomic deprivation, prior hospital use, number of chronic conditions and prior diagnostic history. Home-based end-of-life nursing care delivered by the Marie Curie Nursing Service (MCNS), compared with end-of-life care available to those who did not receive MCNS care. Proportion of people who died at home; numbers of emergency and elective inpatient admissions, outpatient attendances and attendances at emergency departments in the period until death; and notional costs of hospital care. Intervention patients were significantly more likely to die at home and less likely to die in hospital than matched controls (unadjusted OR 6.16, 95% CI 5.94 to 6.38, p<0.001). Hospital activity was significantly lower among intervention than matched control patients (emergency admissions: 0.14 vs 0.44 admissions per person, p<0.001) and average costs across all hospital services were lower (unadjusted average costs per person, £610 (intervention patients) vs £1750 (matched controls), p<0.001). Greater activity and cost differences were seen in those patients who had been receiving home nursing for longer. Home-based end-of-life care offers the potential to reduce demand for acute hospital care and increase the number of people able to die at home.

  12. Prognosis of Pregnancy-Associated Gastric Cancer: An Age-, Sex-, and Stage-Matched Case-Control Study.

    PubMed

    Song, Min Jeong; Park, Young Soo; Song, Ho June; Park, Se Jeong; Ahn, Ji Yong; Choi, Kee Don; Lee, Gin Hyug; Jung, Hwoon-Yong; Yook, Jeong Hwan; Kim, Byung Sik

    2016-09-15

    Pregnancy-associated gastric cancer is a rare condition. This case-control study was performed to identify the clinicopathological features and prognostic factors of pregnancy-associated gastric cancer. All consecutive patients who presented to our tertiary referral hospital with pregnancy-associated gastric cancer from 1991 to 2012 were identified. Two age-, sex-, and stagematched controls for each case were also identified from the records. Clinicopathological, gynecological, and oncological outcomes were recorded. Immunohistochemical staining was performed for estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor, human epidermal growth factor receptor, and E-cadherin. Fluorescence in situ hybridization was performed for fibroblast growth factor receptor 2. The median overall survival rates of the pregnancyassociated gastric cancer and control groups were 7.0 months and 15.0 months, respectively (p=0.189). Poor prognostic factors included advanced stage and tumor location in the corpus or the entire stomach but not pregnancy status or loss of E-cadherin. Pregnancy-associated gastric cancer was associated with a longer time from diagnosis to treatment (21 days vs 7 days, p=0.021). The two groups did not differ in the expression of the receptors or E-cadherin. The dismal prognosis of pregnancy-associated gastric cancer may related to the tumor stage and location rather than to pregnancy itself.

  13. Velocimetry with refractive index matching for complex flow configurations, phase 1

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thompson, B. E.; Vafidis, C.; Whitelaw, J. H.

    1987-01-01

    The feasibility of obtaining detailed velocity field measurements in large Reynolds number flow of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) main injector bowl was demonstrated using laser velocimetry and the developed refractive-index-matching technique. An experimental system to provide appropriate flow rates and temperature control of refractive-index-matching fluid was designed and tested. Test results are presented to establish the feasibility of obtaining accurate velocity measurements that map the entire field including the flow through the LOX post bundles: sample mean velocity, turbulence intensity, and spectral results are presented. The results indicate that a suitable fluid and control system is feasible for the representation of complex rocket-engine configurations and that measurements of velocity characteristics can be obtained without the optical access restrictions normally associated with laser velocimetry. The refractive-index-matching technique considered needs to be further developed and extended to represent other rocket-engine flows where current methods either cannot measure with adequate accuracy or they fail.

  14. Development of Planning Abilities in Normal Aging: Differential Effects of Specific Cognitive Demands

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Köstering, Lena; Stahl, Christoph; Leonhart, Rainer; Weiller, Cornelius; Kaller, Christoph P.

    2014-01-01

    In line with the frontal hypothesis of aging, the ability to plan ahead undergoes substantial change during normal aging. Although impairments on the Tower of London planning task were reported earlier, associations between age-related declines and specific cognitive demands on planning have not been studied. Here we investigated the impact of…

  15. Argyrophilic grain disease as a neurodegenerative substrate in late-onset schizophrenia and delusional disorders.

    PubMed

    Nagao, Shigeto; Yokota, Osamu; Ikeda, Chikako; Takeda, Naoya; Ishizu, Hideki; Kuroda, Shigetoshi; Sudo, Koichiro; Terada, Seishi; Murayama, Shigeo; Uchitomi, Yosuke

    2014-06-01

    To study the relationship between neurodegenerative diseases including argyrophilic grain disease (AGD) and late-onset schizophrenia and delusional disorders (LOSD; onset ≥40 years of age), we pathologically examined 23 patients with LOSD, 71 age-matched normal controls, and 22 psychiatric disease controls (11 depression, six personality disorder, two bipolar disorders, and three neurotic disorders cases). In all LOSD cases (compared to age-matched normal controls), the frequencies of Lewy body disease (LBD), AGD, and corticobasal degeneration (CBD) were 26.1 % (11.3 %), 21.7 % (8.5 %), and 4.3 % (0.0 %), respectively. There was no case of pure Alzheimer's disease (AD). The total frequency of LBD, AGD, and CBD was significantly higher in LOSD cases than in normal controls. Argyrophilic grains were significantly more severe in LOSD than in controls, but were almost completely restricted to the limbic system and adjacent temporal cortex. In LOSD patients whose onset occurred at ≥65 years of age (versus age-matched normal controls), the frequencies of LBD and AGD were 36.4 % (19.4 %) and 36.4 % (8.3 %), respectively, and AGD was significantly more frequent in LOSD patients than in normal controls. In LOSD patients whose onset occurred at <65 years of age, the frequencies of LBD, AGD, and CBD were 16.7, 8.3, and 8.3 %, comparable to those of age-matched normal controls (10.2, 5.1, and 0.0 %). In all psychiatric cases, delusion was significantly more frequent in AGD cases than in cases bearing minimal AD pathology alone. Given these findings, LOSD patients may have heterogeneous pathological backgrounds, and AGD may be associated with the occurrence of LOSD especially after 65 years of age.

  16. Serum Amino Acid Profiling in Citrin-Deficient Children Exhibiting Normal Liver Function During the Apparently Healthy Period.

    PubMed

    Miyazaki, Teruo; Nagasaka, Hironori; Komatsu, Haruki; Inui, Ayano; Morioka, Ichiro; Tsukahara, Hirokazu; Kaji, Shunsaku; Hirayama, Satoshi; Miida, Takashi; Kondou, Hiroki; Ihara, Kenji; Yagi, Mariko; Kizaki, Zenro; Bessho, Kazuhiko; Kodama, Takahiro; Iijima, Kazumoto; Yorifuji, Tohru; Matsuzaki, Yasushi; Honda, Akira

    2018-04-14

    Citrin (mitochondrial aspartate-glutamate transporter) deficiency causes the failures in both carbohydrate-energy metabolism and the urea cycle, and the alterations in the serum levels of several amino acids in the stages of newborn (NICCD) and adult (CTLN2). However, the clinical manifestations are resolved between the NICCD and CTLN2, but the reasons are still unclear. This study evaluated the serum amino acid profile in citrin-deficient children during the healthy stage. Using HPLC-MS/MS analysis, serum amino acids were evaluated among 20 citrin-deficient children aged 5-13 years exhibiting normal liver function and 35 age-matched healthy controls. The alterations in serum amino acids characterized in the NICCD and CTLN2 stages were not observed in the citrin-deficient children. Amino acids involved in the urea cycle, including arginine, ornithine, citrulline, and aspartate, were comparable in the citrin-deficient children to the respective control levels, but serum urea was twofold higher, suggestive of a functional urea cycle. The blood sugar level was normal, but glucogenic amino acids and glutamine were significantly decreased in the citrin-deficient children compared to those in the controls. In addition, significant increases of ketogenic amino acids, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), a valine intermediate 3-hydroxyisobutyrate, and β-alanine were also found in the citrin-deficient children. The profile of serum amino acids in the citrin-deficient children during the healthy stage showed different characteristics from the NICCD and CTLN2 stages, suggesting that the failures in both urea cycle function and energy metabolism might be compensated by amino acid metabolism. In the citrin-deficient children during the healthy stage, the characteristics of serum amino acids, including decrease of glucogenic amino acids, and increase of ketogenic amino acids, BCAAs, valine intermediate, and β-alanine, were found by comparison to the age-matched healthy control

  17. Levels of depression in transgender people and its predictors: Results of a large matched control study with transgender people accessing clinical services.

    PubMed

    Witcomb, Gemma L; Bouman, Walter Pierre; Claes, Laurence; Brewin, Nicola; Crawford, John R; Arcelus, Jon

    2018-08-01

    Depression is a serious disorder which significantly impacts wellbeing and quality of life. Studies exploring mental wellbeing in the transgender population are mostly limited by small, non-homogenous samples and lack of matched controls. This study aimed to address these limitations and explore depression rates in a large sample of transgender people, compared with matched controls from the general population, as well as factors predicting depression in those taking cross-sex hormone treatment (CHT) compared to those not. Transgender individuals (n = 913) completed a measure of depression, measures which predict psychopathology (self-esteem, victimization, social support, interpersonal problems), and information regarding CHT use. Participants were matched by age and experienced gender with adults from the general population who had completed the measure of depression. Individuals were categorized as having no, possible or probable depressive disorder. Transgender individuals not on CHT had a nearly four-fold increased risk of probable depressive disorder, compared to controls. Older age, lower self-esteem, poorer interpersonal function and less social support predicted depressive disorder. Use of CHT was associated with less depression. Participants were attending a national gender identity service and therefore represent only a sub-group of transgender people. Due to the cross-sectional design, longitudinal research is required to fully confirm the finding that CHT use reduces depression. This study confirms that non-treated transgender individuals have an increased risk of a depressive disorder. Interventions offered alongside gender affirming treatment to develop interpersonal skills, increase self-esteem and improve social support may reduce depression and prepare individuals for a more successful transition. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  18. Energy Impairments in Older Adults with Low Back Pain and Radiculopathy: A Matched Case-Control Study.

    PubMed

    Coyle, Peter C; Pugliese, Jenifer M; Sions, J Megan; Eskander, Mark S; Schrack, Jennifer A; Hicks, Gregory E

    2018-04-23

    To investigate the impact that the presence of chronic low back pain with radiculopathy (CLBPR) may have on 1) energy efficiency and 2) energy capacity among community-dwelling older adults. Matched case-control study. Clinical research laboratory. 38 community-dwelling older adults (60-85 years) with (n=19) and without (n=19) CLBPR were included in this analysis. Participants were matched between-groups on age (± 5 years), sex, and diabetic status. Not applicable. Energy cost of walking at self-selected speed (i.e. energy efficiency) and Peak Walking VO2 (i.e. energy capacity). Older adults with CLBPR had a higher energy cost of walking at self-selected speed (p=.009) and lower Peak Walking VO2 (p=.050), compared to those without pain. Older adults with CLBPR may benefit from specific rehabilitative interventions that target these potentially modifiable energetic outcomes, thereby reducing the risk of mobility decline. Future studies should identify which mechanisms specifically contribute to diminished energy efficiency and capacity among older adults with CLBPR. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  19. Sex differences in Alzheimer risk: Brain imaging of endocrine vs chronologic aging.

    PubMed

    Mosconi, Lisa; Berti, Valentina; Quinn, Crystal; McHugh, Pauline; Petrongolo, Gabriella; Varsavsky, Isabella; Osorio, Ricardo S; Pupi, Alberto; Vallabhajosula, Shankar; Isaacson, Richard S; de Leon, Mony J; Brinton, Roberta Diaz

    2017-09-26

    This observational multimodality brain imaging study investigates emergence of endophenotypes of late-onset Alzheimer disease (AD) risk during endocrine transition states in a cohort of clinically and cognitively normal women and age-matched men. Forty-two 40- to 60-year-old cognitively normal women (15 asymptomatic perimenopausal by age [CNT], 13 perimenopausal [PERI], and 14 postmenopausal [MENO]) and 18 age- and education-matched men were examined. All patients had volumetric MRI, 18 F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG)-PET (glucose metabolism), and Pittsburgh compound B-PET scans (β-amyloid [Aβ] deposition, a hallmark of AD pathology). As expected, the MENO group was older than the PERI and CNT groups. Otherwise, groups were comparable on clinical and neuropsychological measures and APOE4 distribution. Compared to CNT women and to men, and controlling for age, PERI and MENO groups exhibited increased indicators of AD endophenotype, including hypometabolism, increased Aβ deposition, and reduced gray and white matter volumes in AD-vulnerable regions ( p < 0.001). AD biomarker abnormalities were greatest in MENO, intermediate in PERI, and lowest in CNT women ( p < 0.001). Aβ deposition was exacerbated in APOE4 -positive MENO women relative to the other groups ( p < 0.001). Multimodality brain imaging indicates sex differences in development of the AD endophenotype, suggesting that the preclinical AD phase is early in the female aging process and coincides with the endocrine transition of perimenopause. These data indicate that the optimal window of opportunity for therapeutic intervention in women is early in the endocrine aging process. © 2017 American Academy of Neurology.

  20. Heritability of Craniofacial Structures in Normal Subjects and Patients with Sleep Apnea

    PubMed Central

    Chi, Luqi; Comyn, Francois-Louis; Keenan, Brendan T.; Cater, Jacqueline; Maislin, Greg; Pack, Allan I.; Schwab, Richard J.

    2014-01-01

    Objectives: Accumulating evidence has shown that there is a genetic contribution to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).The objectives were to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) cephalometry to (1) confirm heritability of craniofacial risk factors for OSA previously shown by cephalometrics; and (2) examine the heritability of new craniofacial structures that are measurable with MRI. Design: A sib pair “quad” design examining apneics, apneic siblings, controls, and control siblings. The study design used exact matching on ethnicity and sex, frequency matching on age, and statistical control for differences in age, sex, ethnicity, height, and weight. Setting: Academic medical center. Patients: We examined 55 apneic probands (apnea-hypopnea index [AHI]: 46.8 ± 33.5 events/h), 55 proband siblings (AHI: 11.1 ± 15.9 events/h), 55 controls (AHI: 2.2 ± 1.7 events/h), and 55 control siblings (AHI: 4.1 ± 4.0 events/h). Interventions: N/A. Measurements and Results: Five independent domains reflecting different aspects of the craniofacial structure were examined. We confirmed heritability of sella–nasion–subspinale (38%, P = 0.002), saddle angle (55%, P < 0.0001), mandibular length (24%, P = 0.02) and lower facial height (33%, P = 0.006) previously measured by cephalometry. In addition, the current study added new insights by demonstrating significant heritability of mandibular width (30%, P = 0.005), maxillary width (47%, P < 0.0001), distance from the hyoid bone to the retropogonion (36%, P = 0.0018) and size of the oropharyngeal space (31%, P = 0.004). Finally, our data indicate that heritability of the craniofacial structures is similar in normal patients and those with apnea. Conclusions: The data support our a priori hypothesis that the craniofacial structures that have been associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are heritable. We have demonstrated heritability for several intermediate craniofacial phenotypes for OSA. Thus, we believe that future studies

  1. Advanced age diminishes tendon-to-bone healing in a rat model of rotator cuff repair.

    PubMed

    Plate, Johannes F; Brown, Philip J; Walters, Jordan; Clark, John A; Smith, Thomas L; Freehill, Michael T; Tuohy, Christopher J; Stitzel, Joel D; Mannava, Sandeep

    2014-04-01

    Advanced patient age is associated with recurrent tearing and failure of rotator cuff repairs clinically; however, basic science studies have not evaluated the influence of aging on tendon-to-bone healing after rotator cuff repair in an animal model. Hypothesis/ This study examined the effect of aging on tendon-to-bone healing in an established rat model of rotator cuff repair using the aged animal colony from the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health. The authors hypothesized that normal aging decreases biomechanical strength and histologic organization at the tendon-to-bone junction after acute repair. Controlled laboratory study. In 56 F344xBN rats, 28 old and 28 young (24 and 8 months of age, respectively), the supraspinatus tendon was transected and repaired. At 2 or 8 weeks after surgery, shoulder specimens underwent biomechanical testing to compare load-to-failure and load-relaxation response between age groups. Histologic sections of the tendon-to-bone interface were assessed with hematoxylin and eosin staining, and collagen fiber organization was assessed by semiquantitative analysis of picrosirius red birefringence under polarized light. Peak failure load was similar between young and old animals at 2 weeks after repair (31% vs 26% of age-matched uninjured controls, respectively; P > .05) but significantly higher in young animals compared with old animals 8 weeks after repair (86% vs 65% of age-matched uninjured controls, respectively; P < .01). Eight weeks after repair, fibroblasts appeared more organized and uniformly aligned in young animals on hematoxylin and eosin slides compared with old animals. Collagen birefringence analysis of the tendon-to-bone junction demonstrated that young animals had increased collagen fiber organization and similar histologic structure compared with age-matched controls (53.7 ± 2.4 gray scales; P > .05). In contrast, old animals had decreased collagen fiber organization and altered structure

  2. [Inhibition and resource capacity during normal aging: a confrontation of the dorsal-ventral and frontal models in a modified version of negative priming].

    PubMed

    Martin, S; Brouillet, D; Guerdoux, E; Tarrago, R

    2006-01-01

    Over the past decades, cognitive psychology contribution to our understanding of aging relies on two major perspectives, focusing on the selective impact of age on either cognitive multiple-systems or global factors of cognition: slowing, working memory and inhibition. In the latter, reduction in inhibitory control during aging (in its access, deletion or restraint functions) is associated with poorer performance on a variety of tasks referring to memory, comprehension or language [Hasher, Zacks and May (16)]. The attractiveness of inhibition as an explanatory factor results in part in the absence of negative priming during aging. Negative priming refers to the slow down of latencies when individuals have to respond to recently ignored informations, compared to unrelated informations. The dissociation, between a preserved location negative priming and an absence of identity negative priming during aging, supports the dorsal-ventral model of inhibition which suggests that spatial and identity inhibition are supported by different and independent visual pathways. An alternative model, directly at odds, is that inhibitory mechanisms are supported by the frontal lobe. In this perspective, inhibition is not a central process responsible for the control of working memory contents, but an automatic and local mechanism whose triggering depends on controlled attention. Therefore, working memory drives efficient inhibition by sustaining task instructions and appropriate responses throughout task execution. This hypothesis is consistent with Houghton and Tipper's (17) architecture of selective attention. According to the authors, the presence or absence of automatic inhibition is very closely linked to a Match/Mismatch field whose function is to compare the present stimulus to an internal self-generated internal template. When an information fails to match the subject's current goals, the match/mismatch field causes an automatic inhibitory imbalance which reduces the to

  3. Evaluating a community-based early childhood education and development program in Indonesia: study protocol for a pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial with supplementary matched control group.

    PubMed

    Pradhan, Menno; Brinkman, Sally A; Beatty, Amanda; Maika, Amelia; Satriawan, Elan; de Ree, Joppe; Hasan, Amer

    2013-08-16

    This paper presents the study protocol for a pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a supplementary matched control group. The aim of the trial is to evaluate a community-based early education and development program launched by the Government of Indonesia. The program was developed in collaboration with the World Bank with a total budget of US$127.7 million, and targets an estimated 738,000 children aged 0 to 6 years living in approximately 6,000 poor communities. The aim of the program is to increase access to early childhood services with the secondary aim of improving school readiness. The study is being conducted across nine districts. The baseline survey contained 310 villages, of which 100 were originally allocated to the intervention arm, 20 originally allocated to a 9-month delay staggered start, 100 originally allocated to an 18-month delay staggered start and 90 allocated to a matched control group (no intervention). The study consists of two cohorts, one comprising children aged 12 to 23 months and the other comprising children aged 48 to 59 months at baseline. The data collection instruments include child observations and task/game-based assessments as well as a questionnaire suite, village head questionnaire, service level questionnaires, household questionnaire, and child caretaker questionnaire. The baseline survey was conducted from March to April 2009, midline was conducted from April to August 2010 and endline conducted early 2013. The resultant participation rates at both the district and village levels were 90%. At the child level, the participation rate was 99.92%. The retention rate at the child level at midline was 99.67%. This protocol paper provides a detailed record of the trial design including a discussion regarding difficulties faced with compliance to the randomization, compliance to the dispersion schedule of community block grants, and procurement delays for baseline and midline data collections. Considering the

  4. The role of the DLPFC in inductive reasoning of MCI patients and normal agings: an fMRI study.

    PubMed

    Yang, YanHui; Liang, PeiPeng; Lu, ShengFu; Li, KunCheng; Zhong, Ning

    2009-08-01

    Previous studies of young people have revealed that the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) plays an important role in inductive reasoning. An fMRI experiment was performed in this study to examine whether the left DLPFC was involved in inductive reasoning of MCI patients and normal aging, and whether the activation pattern of this region was different between MCI patients and normal aging. The fMRI results indicated that MCI patients had no difference from normal aging in behavior performance (reaction time and accuracy) and the activation pattern of DLPFC. However, the BOLD response of the DLPFC region for MCI patients was weaker than that for normal aging, and the functional connectivity between the bilateral DLPFC regions for MCI patients was significantly higher than for normal aging. Taken together, these results indicated that DLPFC plays an important role in inductive reasoning of aging, and the functional abnormity of DLPFC may be an earlier marker of MCI before structural alterations.

  5. Characterizing structural association alterations within brain networks in normal aging using Gaussian Bayesian networks.

    PubMed

    Guo, Xiaojuan; Wang, Yan; Chen, Kewei; Wu, Xia; Zhang, Jiacai; Li, Ke; Jin, Zhen; Yao, Li

    2014-01-01

    Recent multivariate neuroimaging studies have revealed aging-related alterations in brain structural networks. However, the sensory/motor networks such as the auditory, visual and motor networks, have obtained much less attention in normal aging research. In this study, we used Gaussian Bayesian networks (BN), an approach investigating possible inter-regional directed relationship, to characterize aging effects on structural associations between core brain regions within each of these structural sensory/motor networks using volumetric MRI data. We then further examined the discriminability of BN models for the young (N = 109; mean age =22.73 years, range 20-28) and old (N = 82; mean age =74.37 years, range 60-90) groups. The results of the BN modeling demonstrated that structural associations exist between two homotopic brain regions from the left and right hemispheres in each of the three networks. In particular, compared with the young group, the old group had significant connection reductions in each of the three networks and lesser connection numbers in the visual network. Moreover, it was found that the aging-related BN models could distinguish the young and old individuals with 90.05, 73.82, and 88.48% accuracy for the auditory, visual, and motor networks, respectively. Our findings suggest that BN models can be used to investigate the normal aging process with reliable statistical power. Moreover, these differences in structural inter-regional interactions may help elucidate the neuronal mechanism of anatomical changes in normal aging.

  6. Contribution of four lifelong factors of cognitive reserve on late cognition in normal aging and Parkinson's disease.

    PubMed

    Rouillard, Maud; Audiffren, Michel; Albinet, Cédric; Ali Bahri, Mohamed; Garraux, Gaëtan; Collette, Fabienne

    2017-03-01

    Cognitive reserve (CR) was proposed to explain how individual differences in brain function help to cope with the effects of normal aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Education, professional solicitations, and engagement in leisure and physical activities across the lifetime are considered as major determinants of this reserve. Using multiple linear regression analyses, we tested separately in healthy elderly and Parkinson's disease (PD) populations to what extent cognitive performance in several domains was explained by (a) any of these four environmental lifespan variables; (b) demographic and clinical variables (age, gender, depression score, and, for the PD group, duration of disease and dopaminergic drugs). We also tested for an interaction, if any, between these lifespan variables and brain pathology indexed by global atrophy measured from high-resolution anatomical magnetic resonance imaging. Age was negatively associated with cognitive performance in the PD group. In healthy elderly participants, we observed significant positive associations between cognitive performance and (a) education, (b) leisure activities, and (c) professional solicitation (decisional latitude). Furthermore, participants with greater brain atrophy benefited more from CR. In PD patients, education and professional solicitations contributed to cognitive performance but to a lesser extent than in controls. CR factors modulated the relationship between cognition and brain atrophy only in patients with a slight or moderate brain atrophy. Education is the CR factor that contributed the most to late cognitive functioning in both groups, closely followed by leisure activity in normal aging and professional solicitations in PD. Our results also provide evidence suggesting that the effects of CR does not express similarly in normal aging and PD. From a broader perspective, these results seem to indicate that CR factors the most consistently practiced across lifespan (education and

  7. Subwavelength nonlinear phase control and anomalous phase matching in plasmonic metasurfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Almeida, Euclides; Shalem, Guy; Prior, Yehiam

    2016-01-01

    Metasurfaces, and in particular those containing plasmonic-based metallic elements, constitute an attractive set of materials with a potential for replacing standard bulky optical elements. In recent years, increasing attention has been focused on their nonlinear optical properties, particularly in the context of second and third harmonic generation and beam steering by phase gratings. Here, we harness the full phase control enabled by subwavelength plasmonic elements to demonstrate a unique metasurface phase matching that is required for efficient nonlinear processes. We discuss the difference between scattering by a grating and by subwavelength phase-gradient elements. We show that for such interfaces an anomalous phase-matching condition prevails, which is the nonlinear analogue of the generalized Snell's law. The subwavelength phase control of optical nonlinearities paves the way for the design of ultrathin, flat nonlinear optical elements. We demonstrate nonlinear metasurface lenses, which act both as generators and as manipulators of the frequency-converted signal.

  8. 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.

  9. Emotion effects on implicit and explicit musical memory in normal aging.

    PubMed

    Narme, Pauline; Peretz, Isabelle; Strub, Marie-Laure; Ergis, Anne-Marie

    2016-12-01

    Normal aging affects explicit memory while leaving implicit memory relatively spared. Normal aging also modifies how emotions are processed and experienced, with increasing evidence that older adults (OAs) focus more on positive information than younger adults (YAs). The aim of the present study was to investigate how age-related changes in emotion processing influence explicit and implicit memory. We used emotional melodies that differed in terms of valence (positive or negative) and arousal (high or low). Implicit memory was assessed with a preference task exploiting exposure effects, and explicit memory with a recognition task. Results indicated that effects of valence and arousal interacted to modulate both implicit and explicit memory in YAs. In OAs, recognition was poorer than in YAs; however, recognition of positive and high-arousal (happy) studied melodies was comparable. Insofar as socioemotional selectivity theory (SST) predicts a preservation of the recognition of positive information, our findings are not fully consistent with the extension of this theory to positive melodies since recognition of low-arousal (peaceful) studied melodies was poorer in OAs. In the preference task, YAs showed stronger exposure effects than OAs, suggesting an age-related decline of implicit memory. This impairment is smaller than the one observed for explicit memory (recognition), extending to the musical domain the dissociation between explicit memory decline and implicit memory relative preservation in aging. Finally, the disproportionate preference for positive material seen in OAs did not translate into stronger exposure effects for positive material suggesting no age-related emotional bias in implicit memory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  10. The endocannabinoid system in normal and pathological brain ageing

    PubMed Central

    Bilkei-Gorzo, Andras

    2012-01-01

    The role of endocannabinoids as inhibitory retrograde transmitters is now widely known and intensively studied. However, endocannabinoids also influence neuronal activity by exerting neuroprotective effects and regulating glial responses. This review centres around this less-studied area, focusing on the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the protective effect of the cannabinoid system in brain ageing. The progression of ageing is largely determined by the balance between detrimental, pro-ageing, largely stochastic processes, and the activity of the homeostatic defence system. Experimental evidence suggests that the cannabinoid system is part of the latter system. Cannabinoids as regulators of mitochondrial activity, as anti-oxidants and as modulators of clearance processes protect neurons on the molecular level. On the cellular level, the cannabinoid system regulates the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurogenesis. Neuroinflammatory processes contributing to the progression of normal brain ageing and to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases are suppressed by cannabinoids, suggesting that they may also influence the ageing process on the system level. In good agreement with the hypothesized beneficial role of cannabinoid system activity against brain ageing, it was shown that animals lacking CB1 receptors show early onset of learning deficits associated with age-related histological and molecular changes. In preclinical models of neurodegenerative disorders, cannabinoids show beneficial effects, but the clinical evidence regarding their efficacy as therapeutic tools is either inconclusive or still missing. PMID:23108550

  11. The endocannabinoid system in normal and pathological brain ageing.

    PubMed

    Bilkei-Gorzo, Andras

    2012-12-05

    The role of endocannabinoids as inhibitory retrograde transmitters is now widely known and intensively studied. However, endocannabinoids also influence neuronal activity by exerting neuroprotective effects and regulating glial responses. This review centres around this less-studied area, focusing on the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the protective effect of the cannabinoid system in brain ageing. The progression of ageing is largely determined by the balance between detrimental, pro-ageing, largely stochastic processes, and the activity of the homeostatic defence system. Experimental evidence suggests that the cannabinoid system is part of the latter system. Cannabinoids as regulators of mitochondrial activity, as anti-oxidants and as modulators of clearance processes protect neurons on the molecular level. On the cellular level, the cannabinoid system regulates the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurogenesis. Neuroinflammatory processes contributing to the progression of normal brain ageing and to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases are suppressed by cannabinoids, suggesting that they may also influence the ageing process on the system level. In good agreement with the hypothesized beneficial role of cannabinoid system activity against brain ageing, it was shown that animals lacking CB1 receptors show early onset of learning deficits associated with age-related histological and molecular changes. In preclinical models of neurodegenerative disorders, cannabinoids show beneficial effects, but the clinical evidence regarding their efficacy as therapeutic tools is either inconclusive or still missing.

  12. Propensity score matching for selection of local areas as controls for evaluation of effects of alcohol policies in case series and quasi case-control designs.

    PubMed

    de Vocht, F; Campbell, R; Brennan, A; Mooney, J; Angus, C; Hickman, M

    2016-03-01

    Area-level public health interventions can be difficult to evaluate using natural experiments. We describe the use of propensity score matching (PSM) to select control local authority areas (LAU) to evaluate the public health impact of alcohol policies for (1) prospective evaluation of alcohol policies using area-level data, and (2) a novel two-stage quasi case-control design. Ecological. Alcohol-related indicator data (Local Alcohol Profiles for England, PHE Health Profiles and ONS data) were linked at LAU level. Six LAUs (Blackpool, Bradford, Bristol, Ipswich, Islington, and Newcastle-upon-Tyne) as sample intervention or case areas were matched to two control LAUs each using PSM. For the quasi case-control study a second stage was added aimed at obtaining maximum contrast in outcomes based on propensity scores. Matching was evaluated based on average standardized absolute mean differences (ASAM) and variable-specific P-values after matching. The six LAUs were matched to suitable control areas (with ASAM < 0.20, P-values >0.05 indicating good matching) for a prospective evaluation study that sought areas that were similar at baseline in order to assess whether a change in intervention exposure led to a change in the outcome (alcohol related harm). PSM also generated appropriate matches for a quasi case-control study--whereby the contrast in health outcomes between cases and control areas needed to be optimized in order to assess retrospectively whether differences in intervention exposure were associated with the outcome. The use of PSM for area-level alcohol policy evaluation, but also for other public health interventions, will improve the value of these evaluations by objective and quantitative selection of the most appropriate control areas. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  13. Development of Joint Engagement in Young Deaf and Hearing Children: Effects of Chronological Age and Language Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cejas, Ivette; Barker, David H.; Quittner, Alexandra L.; Niparko, John K.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: To evaluate joint engagement (JE) in age-matched children with and without hearing and its relationship to oral language skills. Method: Participants were 180 children with severe-to-profound hearing loss prior to cochlear implant surgery, and 96 age-matched children with normal hearing; all parents were hearing. JE was evaluated in a…

  14. Promoting normal development and self-efficacy in school-age children managing chronic conditions.

    PubMed

    Mickley, Kristyn L; Burkhart, Patricia V; Sigler, April N

    2013-06-01

    Chronic conditions can affect school-age children in more ways than just physically. Normal childhood maturation is critical at this age, yet daily management of chronic symptoms can be challenging. This article describes 4 common childhood chronic illnesses (asthma, seizure disorders, diabetes, and cystic fibrosis), and the impact these conditions have on the developing child. Self-efficacy, the belief that one can effectively perform necessary skills, is essential to self-management of chronic conditions and contributes in a positive way to the child's normal development. Implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. [Event-related potentials in character semantic priming of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder children and normal children: a comparative study].

    PubMed

    Xie, Na; Wang, Su-Hong; Ren, Yan-Ling; Ma, Ling; Dong, Xuan

    2009-02-17

    To investigate the cognitive event related potentials in Chinese character priming effect of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and to analyze the neural mechanism of the priming effect. Fifty-two ADHD children aged (9.5 +/- 1.7) and 45 age-matched children without ADHD were asked to perform a Chinese character semantic priming task while electroencephalogram was recorded. During the Chinese character semantic priming task the subjects were instructed to judge whether the presented target word was a related word, unrelated word, or a pseudoword and event-related potentials (ERPs) were elicited and analyzed with the brain electricity source analysis (BESA) software. (1) The behavioral results showed that the reaction time to the unrelated character stimuli in the ADHD children was (1252 +/- 256) ms, significantly longer than that in the normal control [(1131 +/- 194) ms, P < 0.05]. (2) The amplitude of the character related N2 at the Cz lead in the ADHD children was -7.7 (-12.8, -5.0) microV, significantly larger than that of the normal controls [-5.6 (-9.4, -3.2) microV, P < 0.05]. (3) The amplitude of character unrelated stimuli P3 at the Cz lead of the ADHD children was 5.4 (2.0, 9.5) microV, significantly lower than that of the normal control [9.5 (4.2, 16.9) microV, P < 0.01]. There is a positive correlation between the amplitude of N2 and the difficulty in character semantic priming. It is more difficult for the ADHD children than normal controls to accomplish the same semantic task. ADHD children need more attention resources than normal controls. The amplitudes of character related-N2 and unrelated-P3 may become markers to measure the development of recognition in the ADHD children, thus being helpful in the ADHD diagnosis.

  16. Common mental disorders associated with tuberculosis: a matched case-control study.

    PubMed

    de Araújo, Gleide Santos; Pereira, Susan Martins; dos Santos, Darci Neves; Marinho, Jamocyr Moura; Rodrigues, Laura Cunha; Barreto, Mauricio Lima

    2014-01-01

    Despite the availability of treatment and a vaccine, tuberculosis continues to be a public health problem worldwide. Mental disorders might contribute to the burden of the disease. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between common mental disorders and tuberculosis. A matched case-control study was conducted. The study population included symptomatic respiratory patients who attended three referral hospitals and six community clinics in the city of Salvador, Brazil. A doctor's diagnosis defined potential cases and controls. Cases were newly diagnosed tuberculosis cases, and controls were symptomatic respiratory patients for whom tuberculosis was excluded as a diagnosis by the attending physician. Cases and controls were ascertained in the same clinic. Data collection occurred between August 2008 and April 2010. The study instruments included a structured interview, a self-reporting questionnaire for the identification of common mental disorders, and a questionnaire for alcoholism. An univariate analysis included descriptive procedures (with chi-square statistics), and a multivariate analysis used conditional logistic regression. The mean age of the cases was 38 years, and 61% of the cases were males. After adjusting for potential confounders, the odds of tuberculosis were significantly higher in patients diagnosed with a common mental disorder (OR: 1.34; 95% CI 1.05-1.70). There appears to be a positive and independent association between common mental disorders and tuberculosis; further epidemiological studies are required to increase our understanding of the possible biological and social mechanisms responsible for this association. Independent of the direction of the association, this finding has implications for the provision of care for mental disorders and for tuberculosis.

  17. Brain-relevant antibodies in first-episode psychosis: a matched case-control study.

    PubMed

    Gaughran, Fiona; Lally, John; Beck, Katherine; McCormack, Ruaidhri; Gardner-Sood, Poonam; Coutinho, Ester; Jacobson, Leslie; Lang, Bethan; Sainz-Fuertes, Ricardo; Papanastasiou, Evangelos; Di Forti, Marta; Nicholson, Tim; Vincent, Angela; Murray, Robin M

    2018-06-01

    There has been much recent excitement about the possibility that some cases of psychosis may be wholly due to brain-reactive antibodies, with antibodies to N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) and the voltage-gated potassium channel (VGKC)-complex reported in a few patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP). Participants were recruited from psychiatric services in South London, UK, from 2009 to 2011 as part of the Genetics and Psychosis study. We conducted a case-control study to examine NMDAR and VGKC-complex antibody levels and rates of antibody positivity in 96 patients presenting with FEP and 98 controls matched for age and sex. Leucine-rich glioma inactiviated-1 (LGI1) and contactin-associated protein (CASPR) antibodies were also measured. Notably, patients with suspicion of organic disease were excluded. VGKC-complex antibodies were found in both cases (n = 3) and controls (n = 2). NMDAR antibody positivity was seen in one case and one control. Either LGI1-Abs or CASPR2-Abs were found in three cases and three controls. Neuronal antibody staining, consistent with the above results or indicating potential novel antigens, was overall positive in four patients but also in six controls. Overall, antibody positivity was at low levels only and not higher in cases than in controls. This case-control study of the prevalence of antibodies in FEP does not provide evidence to support the hypothesis that FEP is associated with an immune-mediated process in a subgroup of patients. Nevertheless, as other bio-clinical factors may influence the effect of such antibodies in a given individual, and patients with organic neurological disease may be misdiagnosed as FEP, the field requires more research to put these findings in context.

  18. Evaluation of a disease management program for COPD using propensity matched control group

    PubMed Central

    George, Pradeep Paul; Heng, Bee Hoon; Lim, Tow Keang; Abisheganaden, John; Ng, Alan Wei Keong; Lim, Fong Seng

    2016-01-01

    Background Disease management programs (DMPs) have proliferated recently as a means of improving the quality and efficiency of care for patients with chronic illness. These programs include education about disease, optimization of evidence-based medications, information and support from case managers, and institution of self-management principles. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Singapore and worldwide. DMP aims to reduce mortality, hospitalizations, and average length of stay in such patients. This study assesses the outcomes of the DMP, comparing the propensity score matched DMP patients with controls. Methods DMP patients were compared with the controls, who were COPD patients fulfilling the DMP’s inclusion criteria but not included in the program. Control patients were identified from Operations Data Store (ODS) database. The outcomes of interest were average length of stay, number of days admitted to hospital per 100 person days, readmission, and mortality rates per person year. The risk of death and readmission was estimated using Cox, and competing risk regression respectively. Propensity score was estimated to identify the predictors of DMP enrolment. DMP patients and controls were matched on their propensity score. Results There were 170 matched DMP patients and control patients having 287 and 207 hospitalizations respectively. Program patient had lower mortality than the controls (0.12 vs. 0.27 per person year); cumulative 1-year survival was 91% among program patient and 76% among the control patients. Readmission, and hospital days per 100 person-days was higher for the program patients (0.36 vs. 0.17 per person year), and (2.19 vs. 1.88 per person year) respectively. Conclusions Participation in “DMP” was associated with lower all-cause mortality when compared to the controls. This survival gain in the program patients was paradoxically associated with an increase in readmission rate and

  19. Evaluation of a disease management program for COPD using propensity matched control group.

    PubMed

    George, Pradeep Paul; Heng, Bee Hoon; Lim, Tow Keang; Abisheganaden, John; Ng, Alan Wei Keong; Verma, Akash; Lim, Fong Seng

    2016-07-01

    Disease management programs (DMPs) have proliferated recently as a means of improving the quality and efficiency of care for patients with chronic illness. These programs include education about disease, optimization of evidence-based medications, information and support from case managers, and institution of self-management principles. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Singapore and worldwide. DMP aims to reduce mortality, hospitalizations, and average length of stay in such patients. This study assesses the outcomes of the DMP, comparing the propensity score matched DMP patients with controls. DMP patients were compared with the controls, who were COPD patients fulfilling the DMP's inclusion criteria but not included in the program. Control patients were identified from Operations Data Store (ODS) database. The outcomes of interest were average length of stay, number of days admitted to hospital per 100 person days, readmission, and mortality rates per person year. The risk of death and readmission was estimated using Cox, and competing risk regression respectively. Propensity score was estimated to identify the predictors of DMP enrolment. DMP patients and controls were matched on their propensity score. There were 170 matched DMP patients and control patients having 287 and 207 hospitalizations respectively. Program patient had lower mortality than the controls (0.12 vs. 0.27 per person year); cumulative 1-year survival was 91% among program patient and 76% among the control patients. Readmission, and hospital days per 100 person-days was higher for the program patients (0.36 vs. 0.17 per person year), and (2.19 vs. 1.88 per person year) respectively. Participation in "DMP" was associated with lower all-cause mortality when compared to the controls. This survival gain in the program patients was paradoxically associated with an increase in readmission rate and total hospital days.

  20. Is temporal summation of pain and spinal nociception altered during normal aging?

    PubMed Central

    Marouf, Rafik; Piché, Mathieu; Rainville, Pierre

    2015-01-01

    Abstract This study examines the effect of normal aging on temporal summation (TS) of pain and the nociceptive flexion reflex (RIII). Two groups of healthy volunteers, young and elderly, received transcutaneous electrical stimulation applied to the right sural nerve to assess pain and the nociceptive flexion reflex (RIII-reflex). Stimulus intensity was adjusted individually to 120% of RIII-reflex threshold, and shocks were delivered as a single stimulus or as a series of 5 stimuli to assess TS at 5 different frequencies (0.17, 0.33, 0.66, 1, and 2 Hz). This study shows that robust TS of pain and RIII-reflex is observable in individuals aged between 18 and 75 years and indicates that these effects are comparable between young and older individuals. These results contrast with some previous findings and imply that at least some pain regulatory processes, including TS, may not be affected by normal aging, although this may vary depending on the method. PMID:26058038

  1. Microglia show altered morphology and reduced arborization in human brain during aging and Alzheimer's disease.

    PubMed

    Davies, Danielle S; Ma, Jolande; Jegathees, Thuvarahan; Goldsbury, Claire

    2017-11-01

    Changes in microglia function are involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD) for which ageing is the major risk factor. We evaluated microglial cell process morphologies and their gray matter coverage (arborized area) during ageing and in the presence and absence of AD pathology in autopsied human neocortex. Microglial cell processes were reduced in length, showed less branching and reduced arborized area with aging (case range 52-98 years). This occurred during normal ageing and without microglia dystrophy or changes in cell density. There was a larger reduction in process length and arborized area in AD compared to aged-matched control microglia. In AD cases, on average, 49%-64% of microglia had discontinuous and/or punctate Iba1 labeled processes instead of continuous Iba1 distribution. Up to 16% of aged-matched control microglia displayed discontinuous or punctate features. There was no change in the density of microglial cell bodies in gray matter during ageing or AD. This demonstrates that human microglia show progressive cell process retraction without cell loss during ageing. Additional changes in microglia occur with AD including Iba1 protein puncta and discontinuity. We suggest that reduced microglial arborized area may be an aging-related correlate of AD in humans. These variations in microglial cells during ageing and in AD could reflect changes in neural-glial interactions which are emerging as key to mechanisms involved in ageing and neurodegenerative disease. © 2016 International Society of Neuropathology.

  2. Serum transthyretin levels in senile systemic amyloidosis: effects of age, gender and ethnicity

    PubMed Central

    Buxbaum, Joel; Koziol, James; Connors, Lawreen H.

    2017-01-01

    Serum transthyretin (TTR) levels are reduced in familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP). A single study of patients with senile systemic amyloidosis (SSA) in Sweden found that those individuals also had a significantly lower mean serum TTR concentration than age- and gender-matched controls. To determine if the same phenomenon prevailed in an ethnically more heterogeneous population, we compared the serum TTR levels, as determined by ELISA, in 45 documented SSA patients with congestive heart failure, 20 AL patients with congestive heart failure and population controls. Serum TTR concentrations in the controls were influenced in a statistically significant manner by age, gender and ethnicity. Although it is unlikely that such differences are clinically relevant, they must be considered when assessing the meaning of serum TTR concentrations in any clinically defined population. The serum concentrations in patients with SSA did not differ from age, gender and ethnically matched controls or from a group of AL patients with significant clinical cardiac involvement. We also compared TTR concentrations in 12 African-Americans carrying the TTR V122I allele with those in 826 African-Americans who were homozygous wild type at the TTR locus. The TTR V122I carriers had significantly lower serum TTR concentrations than appropriate controls even though the majority of such individuals had not reached the age of clinical or anatomic risk, i.e. over 60. Thus, as in carriers of other TTR mutations the serum TTR level is lower than normal, despite having a much later appearance of clinical disease. PMID:19065297

  3. Psychological disorders and oral lichen planus: matched case-control study and literature review.

    PubMed

    Pippi, R; Romeo, U; Santoro, M; Del Vecchio, A; Scully, C; Petti, S

    2016-04-01

    Oral lichen planus (OLP) may be linked to psychological disorders. This study investigated psychological factors associated with OLP. A case-control study with incident OLP case patients and age-gender-socio-economic status-matched controls, recruited from among relatives, accompanying persons, and departmental staff, investigated psychological traits using the Psychological General Well-Being Index-Short form. Common factor analysis was used to generate a set of psychological dimensions. The association between these dimensions and OLP adjusted for confounders (education, number of lifetime sexual partners, drinking-smoking) and interactions was assessed through conditional logistic regression and odds ratios (OR) were estimated. A total of 67 case-control pairs were recruited. Psychological dimensions generated were: dimension-1 (anxiety, low vitality), dimension-2 (negative well-being, low vitality), dimension-3 (depressed mood, low self-control). The ORs for OLP were, dimension-1, 1.0 (95% confidence interval -95CI, 0.3-2.6); dimension-2, 0.5 (95CI, 0.2-1.2); dimension-3, 4.8 (95CI, 1.8-12.9). Dimension-3 was highly associated with mild, but not associated with severe, OLP. Literature searching provided 21 studies, with anxiety and depression principally associated with OLP. Depressed mood and low self-control were highly associated with OLP, particularly the reticular-papular forms. These traits could have a causative role in OLP development-progression, but further investigations are necessary. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Social support and psychological well-being in gender dysphoria: a comparison of patients with matched controls.

    PubMed

    Davey, Amanda; Bouman, Walter P; Arcelus, Jon; Meyer, Caroline

    2014-12-01

    There is a paucity of research in the area of social support and psychological well-being among people with gender dysphoria. The present study aimed to investigate levels of social support among individuals with gender dysphoria compared with a matched control group. It also aimed to examine the relationship between social support and psychological well-being. Participants were 103 individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria (according to ICD-10 criteria) attending a national gender identity clinic and an age- and gender-matched nonclinical control group recruited via social networking websites. All participants completed measures of social support (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, MSPSS), psychopathology (Symptom Checklist 90 Revised, SCL), quality of life (Short Form 36 version 2, SF), and life satisfaction (Personal Wellbeing Index, PWI). Trans women reported significantly lower MSPSS total and MSPSS family scores compared with control women, although these differences in levels of social support were no longer significant when SCL depression was controlled for. No significant differences were found between trans men and any other group. MSPSS scores did not significantly predict SCL subscales but did predict both SF subscales and PWI total scores. Trans women perceived themselves to be lacking social support. Given that social support is beneficial to quality of life and life satisfaction in those with gender dysphoria, this is of great concern. Though these findings have been derived from correlational results, extended research may highlight the value of clinicians helping trans women to seek out and maintain social support. Additionally, efforts could be made to educate and challenge attitudes of nontrans people towards those with gender dysphoria. © 2014 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

  5. The fears, phobias and anxieties of children with autism spectrum disorders and Down syndrome: comparisons with developmentally and chronologically age matched children.

    PubMed

    Evans, David W; Canavera, Kristin; Kleinpeter, F Lee; Maccubbin, Elise; Taga, Ken

    2005-01-01

    This study compared the fears and behavior problems of 25 children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), 43 children with Down syndrome (DS), 45 mental age (MA) matched children, and 37 chronologically age (CA) matched children. Children's fears, phobias, anxieties and behavioral problems were assessed using parent reports. Significant differences emerged across the diagnostic groups on a variety of fears. Children with ASD were reported to have more situation phobias and medical fears, but fewer fears of harm/injury compared to all other groups. The groups also differed in terms of the pattern of correlations between fears, phobias, anxieties and behavior problems. For children with ASD, fears, phobias and anxieties were closely related to problem behaviors, whereas fears, phobias, and anxieties were less related to behavioral symptoms for the other groups of subjects. Such findings suggest that children with ASD exhibit a distinct profile of fear and anxiety compared to other mental age and chronologically age-matched children, and these fears are related to the symptoms associated with ASD.

  6. Superficial ovarian cortex vascularization is inversely related to the follicle reserve in normal cycling ovaries and is increased in polycystic ovary syndrome.

    PubMed

    Delgado-Rosas, F; Gaytán, M; Morales, C; Gómez, R; Gaytán, F

    2009-05-01

    The superficial ovarian cortex constitutes the micro-environment where resting and early growing follicles reside. As small follicles do not possess an independent capillary network, both their survival and early growth depend on their proximity to the cortical vessels. Little is known about the possible changes in superficial ovarian cortex vascularization in normal women throughout reproductive life or in pathological conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) involving abnormal early follicle growth. We studied the vascularization of the superficial and deep cortical stroma (DCS) in normal cycling ovaries from 21 to 50 years of age and in infertile women with PCOS. We used archival ovarian samples and specific CD34 immunostaining to determine blood vessel density and to analyse correlation with age and with the ovarian follicle reserve. Normal cycling ovaries showed an age-related increase in the superficial cortical stroma vascularization that was inversely correlated with the density of small (primordial and primary) follicles. In contrast, blood vessel density in the DCS significantly decreased in women aged >or=40 years. Ovaries from PCOS showed a 2-fold increase in blood vessel density in both superficial cortical stroma and DCS with respect to age-matched controls. The increased vascularization of the superficial cortical stroma in normal ovaries in relation to age and in ovaries from PCOS could have profound effects on cortical metabolic rate, primordial follicle survival/activation and early follicle growth, and may underline changes in follicle dynamics in mid-aged women and in PCOS.

  7. Verification of the ages of supercentenarians in the United States: results of a matching study.

    PubMed

    Rosenwaike, Ira; Stone, Leslie F

    2003-11-01

    Unprecedented declines in mortality among the very old have led to the emergence of "true" supercentenarians (persons aged 110 and over). The ages of these individuals have been well-documented in European countries with a history of birth registration, but have not been systematically studied in the United States, which lacks similar documentation and where the inaccuracy of age reporting has been an issue. To verify age, we linked records from the Social Security Administration for close to 700 individuals who died from 1980 to 1999 purportedly at ages 110 and older to records of the U.S. censuses of 1880 and 1900, conducted when these individuals were children. This group was a residual group from an earlier file that was reduced by the SSA after data checks that eliminated incorrect records. The results of the matched records for the residual file indicate that over 90% of the whites were accurately reported as supercentenarians, but only half of the blacks appeared to have attained age 110. The verification of age shows that the United States has more "true" supercentenarians than do other nations.

  8. The normal huntington disease (HD) allele, or a closely linked gene, influences age at onset of HD

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

    Farrer, L.A.; Cupples, L.A.; Conneally, P.M.

    1993-07-01

    The authors evaluated the hypothesis that Huntington disease (HD) is influenced by the normal HD allele by comparing transmission patterns of genetically linked markers at the D4S10 locus in the normal parent against age at onset in the affected offspring. Analysis of information from 21 sibships in 14 kindreds showed a significant tendency for sibs who have similar onset ages to share the same D4S10 allele from the normal parent. Affected sibs who inherited different D4S10 alleles from the normal parent tended to have more variable ages at onset. These findings suggest that the expression of HD is modulated bymore » the normal HD allele or by a closely linked locus. 38 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab.« less

  9. Normal Genetic Variation, Cognition, and Aging

    PubMed Central

    Greenwood, P. M.; Parasuraman, Raja

    2005-01-01

    This article reviews the modulation of cognitive function by normal genetic variation. Although the heritability of “g” is well established, the genes that modulate specific cognitive functions are largely unidentified. Application of the allelic association approach to individual differences in cognition has begun to reveal the effects of single nucleotide polymorphisms on specific and general cognitive functions. This article proposes a framework for relating genotype to cognitive phenotype by considering the effect of genetic variation on the protein product of specific genes within the context of the neural basis of particular cognitive domains. Specificity of effects is considered, from genes controlling part of one receptor type to genes controlling agents of neuronal repair, and evidence is reviewed of cognitive modulation by polymorphisms in dopaminergic and cholinergic receptor genes, dopaminergic enzyme genes, and neurotrophic genes. Although allelic variation in certain genes can be reliably linked to cognition—specifically to components of attention, working memory, and executive function in healthy adults—the specificity, generality, and replicability of the effects are not fully known. PMID:15006290

  10. Prognostic significance of normal-sized ovary in advanced serous epithelial ovarian cancer.

    PubMed

    Paik, E Sun; Kim, Ji Hye; Kim, Tae Joong; Lee, Jeong Won; Kim, Byoung Gie; Bae, Duk Soo; Choi, Chel Hun

    2018-01-01

    We compared survival outcomes of advanced serous type epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients with normal-sized ovaries and enlarged-ovarian tumors by propensity score matching analysis. The medical records of EOC patients treated at Samsung Medical Center between 2002 and 2015 were reviewed retrospectively. We investigated EOC patients with high grade serous type histology and International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IIIB, IIIC, or IV who underwent primary debulking surgery (PDS) and adjuvant chemotherapy to identify patients with normal-sized ovaries. Propensity score matching was performed to compare patients with normal-sized ovaries to patients with enlarged-ovarian tumors (ratio, 1:3) according to age, FIGO stage, initial cancer antigen (CA)-125 level, and residual disease status after PDS. Of the 419 EOC patients, 48 patients had normal-sized ovary. Patients with enlarged-ovarian tumor were younger (54.0±10.3 vs. 58.4±9.2 years, p=0.005) than those with normal-sized ovary, and there was a statistically significant difference in residual disease status between the 2 groups. In total cohort with a median follow-up period of 43 months (range, 3-164 months), inferior overall survival (OS) was shown in the normal-sized ovary group (median OS, 71.2 vs. 41.4 months; p=0.003). After propensity score matching, the group with normal-sized ovary showed inferior OS compared to the group with enlarged-ovarian tumor (median OS, 72.1 vs. 41.4 months; p=0.031). In multivariate analysis for OS, normal-sized ovary remained a significant factor. Normal-sized ovary was associated with poor OS compared with the common presentation of enlarged ovaries in EOC, independent of CA-125 level or residual disease. Copyright © 2018. Asian Society of Gynecologic Oncology, Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology

  11. Age-dependent changes of the normal human spine during adulthood.

    PubMed

    Rühli, F J; Müntener, M; Henneberg, M

    2005-01-01

    The impact of aging on the morphology of the osseous spine is still debated. Clinical studies usually record combined aging effects, as well as age-related degenerative changes. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of (degeneration-independent) aging on the morphology of the osseous human spine during adulthood. Various osseous dimensions of human spinal landmarks at all major vertebral levels have been assessed in macroscopically normal Swiss skeletons (N = 71), with historically known sex and age at death, as well as in larger Central European skeletal samples (N = 277) with anthropologically determined individual age and sex. All measurements were correlated with individual age (or age group) by linear regression and analyzed separately for each sex. Only few osseous spinal dimensions, and only in men, correlate significantly with individual age. Generally, the significant dimensions show an increase in size during adulthood. Similar tendencies, but with significant alterations of spinal measurements in women as well, can be found in the larger samples with anthropologically determined sex and age group. Increase of certain spinal dimensions found in this study may be a reflection of an increase in the robustness of individuals with age. Because of the absence of a significant secular alteration of stature within the well-recorded sample, we exclude secular change in body dimensions as a major bias. Copyright 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

  12. Variability of soccer referees' match performances.

    PubMed

    Weston, M; Drust, B; Atkinson, G; Gregson, W

    2011-03-01

    The aim of the present study was to determine the between-match variability in soccer referees' match performances. 1 269 individual match observations were undertaken on 59 referees (range 2-79 games per referee) officiating in the English Premier League and Championship from 2003/2004 to 2007/2008 using a computerised tracking system (Prozone (®), Leeds, England). Between-match coefficients of variation (CV) were calculated for all games and then compared between referee age and experience groups. High mean CVs were observed for high-speed running distance (25.9±10.1%), recovery time (32.7±13.8%), explosive sprints (34.3±16.6%), total number of sprints (54.0±20.7%) and number of match fouls (28±4.6%). Smaller CVs were observed for total distance covered (3.8±1.5%), top sprinting speed (5.6±10.9%), distance from the ball (4.2±1.9%) and the distance from fouls (9.9±4.3%). Variability in match activities was not influenced by referee age or experience. The present study's findings demonstrate that variability in soccer referees' match performances is high in some variables and not dependent on referee age or experience. Such variability means that research requires large sample sizes to detect real systematic changes in a number of performance characteristics when studied during matches. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  13. Medical resource utilization and costs associated with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease in the USA: a retrospective matched cohort analysis of private insurer data

    PubMed Central

    Knight, Tyler; Schaefer, Caroline; Krasa, Holly; Oberdhan, Dorothee; Chapman, Arlene; Perrone, Ronald D

    2015-01-01

    Background Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) results in kidney cyst development and enlargement, resulting in chronic kidney disease (CKD) leading to renal failure. This study sought to determine if ADPKD patients in the early stages of CKD contribute to a sizable economic burden for the US health care system. Methods This was a retrospective, matched cohort study, reviewing medical resource utilization (MRU) and costs for adults in a US private-payer claims database with a diagnosis code of ADPKD (ICD-9-CM 753.13). ADPKD patients were matched by age grouping (0–17, 18–34, 35–44, 45–54, 55–64, and 65+ years) and sex to controls to understand the burden of ADPKD. Descriptive statistics on 6-month MRU and costs were assessed by CKD stages, dialysis use, or previous renal transplant. Results The analysis included ADPKD patients in CKD stages 1–5 (n=316 to n=860), dialysis (n=586), and post-transplant (n=615). Mean ages did not differ across CKD stages (range 43–56 years). Men were the majority in the later stages but the minority in the early stages. The proportion of patients with at least one hospitalization increased with CKD stage, (12% to >40% CKD stage 2 to stage 5, dialysis or post-transplant). The majority had at least one hospital outpatient visit and at least one pharmacy claim. Total 6-month per-patient costs were greater among ADPKD patients than in age-matched and sex-matched healthy non-ADPKD controls (P<0.001 for all comparisons). Conclusion ADPKD patients with normal kidney function are associated with a significant economic burden to the health care system relative to the general population. Any treatments that delay progression to later stages of CKD may provide potential health care cost offsets. PMID:25759590

  14. Complexity and Synchronicity of Resting State BOLD FMRI in Normal Aging and Cognitive Decline

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Collin Y; Krishnan, Anitha P; Yan, Lirong; Smith, Robert X; Kilroy, Emily; Alger, Jeffery R; Ringman, John M; Wang, Danny JJ

    2012-01-01

    Purpose To explore the use of approximate entropy (ApEn) as an index of the complexity and the synchronicity of resting state BOLD fMRI in normal aging and cognitive decline associated with familial Alzheimer’s disease (fAD). Materials and Methods Resting state BOLD fMRI data were acquired at 3T from 2 independent cohorts of subjects consisting of healthy young (age 23±2 years, n=8) and aged volunteers (age 66±3 years, n=8), as well as 22 fAD associated subjects (14 mutation carriers, age 41.2±15.8 years; and 8 non-mutation carrying family members, age 28.8±5.9 years). Mean ApEn values were compared between the two age groups, and correlated with cognitive performance in the fAD group. Cross-ApEn (C-ApEn) was further calculated to assess the asynchrony between precuneus and the rest of the brain. Results Complexity of brain activity measured by mean ApEn in gray and white matter decreased with normal aging. In the fAD group, cognitive impairment was associated with decreased mean ApEn in gray matter as well as decreased regional ApEn in right precuneus, right lateral parietal regions, left precentral gyrus, and right paracentral gyrus. A pattern of asynchrony between BOLD fMRI series emerged from C-ApEn analysis, with significant regional anti-correlation with cross-correlation coefficient of functional connectivity analysis. Conclusion ApEn and C-ApEn may be useful for assessing the complexity and synchronicity of brain activity in normal aging and cognitive decline associated with neurodegenerative diseases PMID:23225622

  15. Could linear MRI measurements of hippocampus differentiate normal brain aging in elderly persons from Alzheimer disease?

    PubMed

    Tarroun, Abdullah; Bonnefoy, Marc; Bouffard-Vercelli, Juliette; Gedeon, Claire; Vallee, Bernard; Cotton, François

    2007-02-01

    Although mild progressive specific structural brain changes are commonly associated with normal human aging, it is unclear whether automatic or manual measurements of these structures can differentiate normal brain aging in elderly persons from patients suffering from cognitive impairment. The objective of this study was primarily to define, with a standard high resolution MRI, the range of normal linear age-specific values for the hippocampal formation (HF), and secondarily to differentiate hippocampal atrophy in normal aging from that occurring in Alzheimer disease (AD). Two MRI-based linear measurements of the hippocampal formation at the level of the head and of the tail, standardized by the cranial dimensions, were obtained from coronal and sagittal T1-weighted MR images in 25 normal elderly subjects, and 26 patients with AD. In this study, dimensions of the HF have been standardized and they revealed normal distributions for each side and each sex: the width of the hippocampal head at the level of the amygdala was 16.42 +/- 1.9 mm, and its height 7.93 +/- 1.4 mm; the width of the tail at the level of the cerebral aqueduct was 8.54 +/- 1.2 mm, and the height 5.74 +/- 0.4 mm. There were no significant differences in standardized dimensions of the HF between sides, sexes, or in comparison to head dimensions in the two groups. In addition, the median inter-observer agreement index was 93%. In contrast, the dimensions of the hippocampal formation decreased gradually with increasing age, owing to physiological atrophy, but this atrophy is more significant in the group of AD.

  16. Hunger and overweight in Canadian school-aged children: A propensity score matching analysis.

    PubMed

    Sentenac, Mariane; Gariepy, Geneviève; McKinnon, Britt; Elgar, Frank J

    2016-12-27

    The last decade saw a higher prevalence of overweight reported among food-insecure families in Canada, but no robust evidence exists on the covariate-adjusted association in children. In this study, we examined the association between hunger and overweight in Canadian students, using a propensity score matching analysis to reduce confounding. This research used data from the 2009/2010 Canadian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study on a representative national sample of students in Grades 6 through 10. Students self-reported their height and weight and how often they have gone to school or to bed hungry due to a lack of food at home. Multivariate logistic regression modeling was conducted on the total sample (N = 17,694) and on the sample matched on propensity scores (n = 7,788). The overall prevalence of overweight among students was 20.2% with a significant difference between students who reported hunger (24.0%; 95% CI: 22.1-26.0) and students who did not (19.0%; 95% CI: 17.9-20.2). Analysis on the matched sample revealed a significant association between hunger and overweight in children (adjusted odds ratio: 1.30; 95% CI: 1.12-1.50). A substantial number of Canadian students have reported being hungry because of a lack of food at home. These students are at increased risk of overweight, regardless of their social class. Child hunger and household food insecurity exist in Canada and constitute a call for policy action at a national level.

  17. Individuals with chronic hemiparetic stroke can correctly match forearm positions within a single arm

    PubMed Central

    Gurari, Netta; Drogos, Justin M.; Dewald, Julius P.A.

    2017-01-01

    Objective Previous studies determined, using between arms position matching assessments, that at least one-half of individuals with stroke have an impaired position sense. We investigated whether individuals with chronic stroke who have impairments mirroring arm positions also have impairments identifying the location of each arm in space. Methods Participants with chronic hemiparetic stroke and age-matched participants without neurological impairments (controls) performed a between forearms position matching task based on a clinical assessment and a single forearm position matching task, using passive and active movements, based on a robotic assessment. Results 12 out of our 14 participants with stroke who had clinically determined between forearms position matching impairments had greater errors than the controls in both their paretic and non-paretic arm when matching positions during passive movements; yet stroke participants performed comparable to the controls during active movements. Conclusions Many individuals with chronic stroke may have impairments matching positions in both their paretic and non-paretic arm if their arm is moved for them, yet not within either arm if these individuals control their own movements. Significance The neural mechanisms governing arm location perception in the stroke population may differ depending on whether arm movements are made passively versus actively. PMID:27866116

  18. Differentiating Patients with Parkinson's Disease from Normal Controls Using Gray Matter in the Cerebellum.

    PubMed

    Zeng, Ling-Li; Xie, Liang; Shen, Hui; Luo, Zhiguo; Fang, Peng; Hou, Yanan; Tang, Beisha; Wu, Tao; Hu, Dewen

    2017-02-01

    Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders in the world. Previous studies have focused on the basal ganglia and cerebral cortices. To date, the cerebellum has not been systematically investigated in patients with PD. In the current study, 45 probable PD patients and 40 age- and gender-matched healthy controls underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging, and we used support vector machines combining with voxel-based morphometry to explore the cerebellar structural changes in the probable PD patients relative to healthy controls. The results revealed that the gray matter alterations were primarily located within the cerebellar Crus I, implying a possible important role of this region in PD. Furthermore, the gray matter alterations in the cerebellum could differentiate the probable PD patients from healthy controls with accuracies of more than 95 % (p < 0.001, permutation test) via cross-validation, suggesting the potential of analyzing the cerebellum in the clinical diagnosis of PD.

  19. Shunting for normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH).

    PubMed

    Esmonde, T; Cooke, S

    2002-01-01

    Since the condition was first described in 1965, the syndrome of normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) has conventionally been managed by placement of a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt. To determine the effectiveness of shunting procedures in promoting stability or improvement in the neurological symptoms and signs of NPH. The trials were identified from a search of the Specialized Register of the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group on 26 June 2001 using the terms 'shunt*' and 'normal pressure hydrocephalus'. Studies included for analysis were those involving the placement of a CSF shunt for the treatment of NPH as part of a randomized controlled trial. No data matching the selection criteria were found. No randomized controlled trials of shunt placement versus no shunt were found. There is no evidence to indicate whether placement of a shunt is effective in the management of NPH.

  20. Fast image matching algorithm based on projection characteristics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Lijuan; Yue, Xiaobo; Zhou, Lijun

    2011-06-01

    Based on analyzing the traditional template matching algorithm, this paper identified the key factors restricting the speed of matching and put forward a brand new fast matching algorithm based on projection. Projecting the grayscale image, this algorithm converts the two-dimensional information of the image into one-dimensional one, and then matches and identifies through one-dimensional correlation, meanwhile, because of normalization has been done, when the image brightness or signal amplitude increasing in proportion, it could also perform correct matching. Experimental results show that the projection characteristics based image registration method proposed in this article could greatly improve the matching speed, which ensuring the matching accuracy as well.

  1. Looking at Images with Human Figures: Comparison between Autistic and Normal Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van der Geest, J. N.; Kemner, C.; Camfferman, G.; Verbaten, M. N.; van Engeland, H.

    2002-01-01

    In this study, the looking behavior of 16 autistic and 14 non-autistic children toward cartoon-like scenes that included a human figure was measured quantitatively using an infrared eye-tracking device. Fixation behavior of autistic children was similar to that of their age-and IQ-matched normal peers. Results do not support the idea that autistic…

  2. Picture superiority in free recall: the effects of normal aging and primary degenerative dementia.

    PubMed

    Rissenberg, M; Glanzer, M

    1986-01-01

    A key factor in the decline of memory with age may be a breakdown of communication in the information network involved in memory and cognitive processing. A special case of this communication is assumed to underlie the picture superiority effect in recall. From this hypothesis it follows that the picture superiority effect should lessen with age. In Experiment 1, three groups of adults (young, old normal, and old memory-impaired) were tested in free recall of pictures and word lists. As predicted, the picture superiority effect declined with age. Experiment 2 replicated these findings and showed, moreover, that the picture superiority effect can be reestablished in normal old adults by instructing them to verbalize overtly during item presentation.

  3. Delayed audiovisual integration of patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease compared with normal aged controls.

    PubMed

    Wu, Jinglong; Yang, Jiajia; Yu, Yinghua; Li, Qi; Nakamura, Naoya; Shen, Yong; Ohta, Yasuyuki; Yu, Shengyuan; Abe, Koji

    2012-01-01

    The human brain can anatomically combine task-relevant information from different sensory pathways to form a unified perception; this process is called multisensory integration. The aim of the present study was to test whether the multisensory integration abilities of patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) differed from those of normal aged controls (NC). A total of 64 subjects were divided into three groups: NC individuals (n = 24), MCI patients (n = 19), and probable AD patients (n = 21). All of the subjects were asked to perform three separate audiovisual integration tasks and were instructed to press the response key associated with the auditory, visual, or audiovisual stimuli in the three tasks. The accuracy and response time (RT) of each task were measured, and the RTs were analyzed using cumulative distribution functions to observe the audiovisual integration. Our results suggest that the mean RT of patients with AD was significantly longer than those of patients with MCI and NC individuals. Interestingly, we found that patients with both MCI and AD exhibited adequate audiovisual integration, and a greater peak (time bin with the highest percentage of benefit) and broader temporal window (time duration of benefit) of multisensory enhancement were observed. However, the onset time and peak benefit of audiovisual integration in MCI and AD patients occurred significantly later than did those of the NC. This finding indicates that the cognitive functional deficits of patients with MCI and AD contribute to the differences in performance enhancements of audiovisual integration compared with NC.

  4. Precision of synesthetic color matching resembles that for recollected colors rather than physical colors.

    PubMed

    Arnold, Derek H; Wegener, Signy V; Brown, Francesca; Mattingley, Jason B

    2012-10-01

    Grapheme-color synesthesia is an atypical condition in which individuals experience sensations of color when reading printed graphemes such as letters and digits. For some grapheme-color synesthetes, seeing a printed grapheme triggers a sensation of color, but hearing the name of a grapheme does not. This dissociation allowed us to compare the precision with which synesthetes are able to match their color experiences triggered by visible graphemes, with the precision of their matches for recalled colors based on the same graphemes spoken aloud. In six synesthetes, color matching for printed graphemes was equally variable relative to recalled experiences. In a control experiment, synesthetes and age-matched controls either matched the color of a circular patch while it was visible on a screen, or they judged its color from memory after it had disappeared. Both synesthetes and controls were more variable when matching from memory, and the variance of synesthetes' recalled color judgments matched that associated with their synesthetic judgments for visible graphemes in the first experiment. Results suggest that synesthetic experiences of color triggered by achromatic graphemes are analogous to recollections of color.

  5. Age-related differences in synaptic plasticity following muscle unloading.

    PubMed

    Deschenes, Michael R; Wilson, Meredith H

    2003-12-01

    The objective of the present investigation was to determine the effects of muscle unloading-a form of subtotal disuse- on the morphology of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) in younger and aged animals. Sixteen aged (22 months) and 16 young adult (8 months) male Fischer 344 rats were assigned to control and hindlimb suspension (HS) conditions (n=8/group). At the conclusion of the 4 week experimental period, soleus muscles were collected, and immunofluorescent procedures were used to visualize acetylcholine (ACh) vesicles and receptors, nerve terminal branching, as well as NCAM and NT-4 expression. Quantitative analyses revealed that aged controls displayed significant (p<0.05) reductions in area and perimeter length of ACh vesicle and receptor regions, without affecting nerve terminal branch number or length. In contrast to younger NMJs, which were resilient to the effects of unloading, NMJs of aged HS rats demonstrated significant expansion of ACh vesicle and receptor dimensions compared to aged controls. Qualitative analyses of NCAM staining indicated that aging alone somewhat increased this molecule's expression (aged controls>young controls). Among the four groups, however, the greatest amount of NCAM content was detected among aged HS muscles, matching the degree of synaptic plasticity exhibited in those muscles. Unlike NCAM, the expression of NT-4 did not appear to differ among the treatment groups. These data suggest that although young adult muscle maintains normal NMJ structure during prolonged exposure to unloading, aged NMJs experience significant adaptation to that stimulus. Copyright 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 57: 246-256, 2003

  6. Femoroacetabular Impingement Is Associated With Sports-Related Posterior Hip Instability in Adolescents: A Matched-Cohort Study.

    PubMed

    Mayer, Stephanie W; Abdo, João Caetano Munhoz; Hill, Mary K; Kestel, Lauryn A; Pan, Zhaoxing; Novais, Eduardo N

    2016-09-01

    Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) deformity has been associated with posterior hip instability in adult athletes. To determine if FAI deformity is associated with posterior hip instability in adolescents, the femoral head-neck junction or acetabular structure in a cohort of adolescent patients who sustained a low-energy, sports-related posterior hip dislocation was compared with that in a group of healthy age- and sex-matched controls with no history of hip injury or pain. Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. We identified 12 male patients (mean age, 13.9 years; range, 12-16 years) who sustained a sports-related posterior hip dislocation and underwent a computed tomography (CT) scan after closed reduction. For each patient, 3 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were identified. Femoral head-neck type was assessed by measurement of the alpha angle on the radially oriented CT images at the 12-, 1-, 2-, and 3-o'clock positions. Age, body mass index (BMI), alpha angle at each position, acetabular version, Tönnis angle, and lateral center-edge angle (LCEA) on the involved hip in the dislocation group were compared with those of the matched controls using a mixed-effects model. A logistic regression analysis using a generalized estimating equation was used to compare the percentage of subjects with cam-type FAI deformity (alpha angle >55°) in each group. The dislocation and control groups were similar in age distribution and BMI (P > .05). The mean alpha angles were statistically significantly higher in the dislocation group compared with the control group at the superior (46.3° ± 1.1° vs 42.7° ± 0.6°; P = .0213), superior-anterior (55.5° ± 1.9° vs 46.0° ± 1.3°; P = .0005), and anterior-superior (54.9° ± 1.5° vs 48.9° ± 1.0°; P = .0045) regions. Cam deformity was present in a larger proportion of patients in the dislocation group than in the control group (P < .0035). An alpha angle greater than 55° was present in 16.7% of the dislocation

  7. Risk factors for noma disease: a 6-year, prospective, matched case-control study in Niger.

    PubMed

    Baratti-Mayer, Denise; Gayet-Ageron, Angèle; Hugonnet, Stéphane; François, Patrice; Pittet-Cuenod, Brigitte; Huyghe, Antoine; Bornand, Jacques-Etienne; Gervaix, Alain; Montandon, Denys; Schrenzel, Jacques; Mombelli, Andrea; Pittet, Didier

    2013-08-01

    Noma is a poorly studied disease that leads to severe facial tissue destruction in children in developing countries, but the cause remains unknown. We aimed to identify the epidemiological and microbiological risk factors associated with noma disease. We did a prospective, matched, case-control study in Niger between Aug 1, 2001, and Oct 31, 2006, in children younger than 12 years to assess risk factors for acute noma. All acute noma cases were included and four controls for each case were matched by age and home village. Epidemiological and clinical data were obtained at study inclusion. We undertook matched-paired analyses with conditional logistic regression models. We included 82 cases and 327 controls. Independent risk factors associated with noma were: severe stunting (odds ratio [OR] 4·87, 95% CI 2·35-10·09) or wasting (2·45, 1·25-4·83); a high number of previous pregnancies in the mother (1·16, 1·04-1·31); the presence of respiratory disease, diarrhoea, or fever in the past 3 months (2·70, 1·35-5·40); and the absence of chickens at home (1·90, 0·93-3·88). After inclusion of microbiological data, a reduced proportion of Fusobacterium (4·63, 1·61-13·35), Capnocytophaga (3·69, 1·48-9·17), Neisseria (3·24, 1·10-9·55), and Spirochaeta in the mouth (7·77, 2·12-28·42), and an increased proportion of Prevotella (2·53, 1·07-5·98), were associated with noma. We identified no specific single bacterial or viral pathogen in cases. Noma is associated with indicators of severe poverty and altered oral microbiota. The predominance of specific bacterial commensals is indicative of a modification of the oral microbiota associated with reduced bacterial diversity. Gertrude Hirzel Foundation. Copyright © 2013 Baratti-Mayer et al. Open Access article distributed under the terms of CC BY-NC-ND. Published by .. All rights reserved.

  8. Fast Legendre moment computation for template matching

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Bing C.

    2017-05-01

    Normalized cross correlation (NCC) based template matching is insensitive to intensity changes and it has many applications in image processing, object detection, video tracking and pattern recognition. However, normalized cross correlation implementation is computationally expensive since it involves both correlation computation and normalization implementation. In this paper, we propose Legendre moment approach for fast normalized cross correlation implementation and show that the computational cost of this proposed approach is independent of template mask sizes which is significantly faster than traditional mask size dependent approaches, especially for large mask templates. Legendre polynomials have been widely used in solving Laplace equation in electrodynamics in spherical coordinate systems, and solving Schrodinger equation in quantum mechanics. In this paper, we extend Legendre polynomials from physics to computer vision and pattern recognition fields, and demonstrate that Legendre polynomials can help to reduce the computational cost of NCC based template matching significantly.

  9. Patients with endometriosis have aneuploidy rates equivalent to their age-matched peers in the in vitro fertilization population.

    PubMed

    Juneau, Caroline; Kraus, Emily; Werner, Marie; Franasiak, Jason; Morin, Scott; Patounakis, George; Molinaro, Thomas; de Ziegler, Dominique; Scott, Richard T

    2017-08-01

    To determine whether endometriosis ultimately results in an increased risk of embryonic aneuploidy. Retrospective cohort. Infertility clinic. Patients participating in an in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle from 2009-2015 using preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) who had endometriosis identified by surgical diagnosis or by ultrasound findings consistent with a persistent space-occupying disease whose sonographic appearance was consistent with endometriosis. None. Rate of aneuploidy in endometriosis patients undergoing IVF compared to controls without endometriosis undergoing IVF. There were 305 patients with endometriosis who produced 1,880 blastocysts that met the criteria for inclusion in the endometriosis group. The mean age of the patients with endometriosis was 36.1 ± 3.9 years. When the aneuploidy rates in patients with endometriosis and aneuploidy rates in patients without endometriosis were stratified by Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology age groups and compared, there were no statistically significant differences in the rate of aneuploidy (odds ratio 0.85; 95% confidence interval, 0.84-0.85). Patients with endometriosis undergoing IVF have aneuploidy rates equivalent to their age-matched peers in IVF population who do not have endometriosis. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Varieties of Stimulus Control in Matching-to-Sample: A Kernel Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fields, Lanny; Garruto, Michelle; Watanabe, Mari

    2010-01-01

    Conditional discrimination or matching-to-sample procedures have been used to study a wide range of complex psychological phenomena with infrahuman and human subjects. In most studies, the percentage of trials in which a subject selects the comparison stimulus that is related to the sample stimulus is used to index the control exerted by the…

  11. Children with cow's milk allergy following an elimination diet had normal growth but relatively low plasma leptin at age two.

    PubMed

    Dong, Ping; Feng, Jing-Jing; Yan, Dong-Yong; Lyu, Yu-Jing; Xu, Xiu

    2018-02-20

    To assess nutrient intake, growth and nutritional status of infants with cow's milk allergy (CMA) who follow a therapeutic elimination diet since the first few months of life. Sixty infants younger than four months of age with challenge-proven CMA and 60 healthy age-matched children were investigated. Anthropometric and body composition (BC) were assessed up to 24 months. Dietary intake was recorded by the parents for three consecutive days before visits at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. Blood albumin, prealbumin, retinol binding protein and metabolic-related hormones were examined at 24 months. The average age at enrolment was 2.9 ± 1.0 months. At the end of the follow-up, there were no differences in daily milk consumption, nutrient intake, weight and height z scores or BC measures between the groups; however, the plasma leptin level was lower in infants with CMA (1.67 ± 1.03 vs 2.05 ± 1.48) (ng/mL) (p < 0.05) compared to healthy children. Children with CMA who followed an elimination diet could achieve a normal nutritional status, except for relatively lower plasma leptin levels, at the age of 2. Further studies with larger cohorts and research on the long-term consequences of these early differences are needed. ©2018 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Effects of a lighter, smaller football on acute match injuries in adolescent female football: a pilot cluster-randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Zebis, Mette K; Thorborg, Kristian; Andersen, Lars L; Møller, Merete; Christensen, Karl B; Clausen, Mikkel B; Hölmich, Per; Wedderkopp, Niels; Andersen, Thomas B; Krustrup, Peter

    2018-05-01

    The high injury incidence during match-play in female adolescent football is a major concern. In football, males and females play matches with the same football size. No studies have investigated the effect of football size on injury incidence in female adolescent football. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of introducing a lighter, smaller football on the injury pattern in female adolescent football. We conducted a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial including 26 football teams representing 346 adolescent female football players (age 15-18 years). The teams were randomized to a new lighter, smaller football (INT, N.=12 teams) or a traditional FIFA size 5 football (CON, N.=14 teams) during a full match-season. Acute time-loss injuries and football-exposure during match-play were reported weekly by text-message questions and verified subsequently by telephone interview. In total, 46 acute time-loss injuries were registered (5 severe injuries), yielding an incidence rate of 15.2 injuries per 1000 hours of match-play (95% CI: 8.5-27.2) in INT and 18.6 injuries per 1000 hours of match-play (95% CI: 14.0-24.8) in CON. The estimated 22% greater injury incidence rate risk (IRR: 1.22 [95% CI: 0.64-2.35]) in the CON group was not significant. With an IRR of 1.22, a future RCT main study would need to observe 793 acute time-loss injuries during match-play, in order to have a power of 80%. A large-scaled RCT is required to definitively test for beneficial or harmful effects of a lighter, smaller football in adolescent female football.

  13. The neuropsychology of normal aging and preclinical Alzheimer’s disease

    PubMed Central

    Caselli, Richard J.; Locke, Dona E.C.; Dueck, Amylou C.; Knopman, David S.; Woodruff, Bryan K.; Hoffman-Snyder, Charlene; Rademakers, Rosa; Fleisher, Adam S.; Reiman, Eric M.

    2013-01-01

    Background An NIA-sponsored workgroup on preclinical Alzheimer’s disease (AD) articulated the need to characterize cognitive differences between normal aging and preclinical AD. Methods 71 apolipoprotein E (APOE) e4 homozygotes (HMZ), 194 e3/4 heterozygotes (HTZ), and 356 e4 noncarriers (NC) aged 21–87 years who were cognitively healthy underwent neuropsychological testing every two years. Longitudinal trajectories of test scores were compared between APOE subgroups. Results There was a significant effect of age on all cognitive domains in both APOE e4 carriers and NC. A significant effect of APOE e4 gene dose was confined to the memory domain and the Dementia Rating Scale. Cross sectional comparisons did not discriminate the groups. Conclusions While cognitive aging patterns are similar in APOE e4 carriers and NC, preclinical AD is characterized by a significant e4 gene dose effect that impacts memory and is detectable longitudinally. Preclinical neuropsychological testing strategies should emphasize memory sensitive measures and longitudinal design. PMID:23541188

  14. How normal is the transparent cornea? Effects of aging on corneal morphology.

    PubMed

    Hillenaar, Toine; van Cleynenbreugel, Hugo; Remeijer, Lies

    2012-02-01

    To ascertain the effects of aging on corneal morphology and to illustrate the morphologic diversity of the different layers in the normal cornea as seen by in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM). Observational cross-sectional study. A total of 150 healthy subjects, evenly distributed over 5 age categories, comprising 75 men and 75 women. Both transparent corneas (n = 300) of all subjects were examined in duplicate by white light IVCM (Confoscan 4, NIDEK Technologies, Albignasego, Padova, Italy). After reviewing the IVCM examinations for morphologic variations of the corneal layers, we selected the 8 most common features to illustrate the morphologic diversity. Subsequently, all 600 IVCM examinations were assessed for the presence of these features. We used binary logistic regression analyses to assess the age-relatedness of each feature. Age distribution of bright superficial epithelial cells, dendriform cells, alterations characteristic of epithelial basement membrane dystrophy (EBMD), tortuous stromal nerves, stromal microdots in the anterior stroma, folds in the posterior stroma, opacification of Descemet's membrane, and corneal guttae. Four features were found characteristic of the aging cornea: stromal microdots in the anterior stroma (P<0.0001), folds in the posterior stroma (P<0.0001), opacification of Descemet's membrane (P<0.0001), and corneal guttae (P<0.0001). Alterations characteristic of EBMD were found in 3% of all eyes and only detected in subjects aged ≥40 years, suggesting age-relatedness (P = 0.09). Other features, such as bright superficial epithelial cells (n = 38, 13%), dendriform cells (n = 42, 14%), and tortuous stromal nerves (n = 115, 38%), were age-independent. We also found a novel phenotype of corneal endothelium in 4 normal eyes of 2 subjects, which we coined "salt and pepper endothelium." We could not establish whether this novel phenotype represented a morphologic variant of normal endothelium, an early stage of a known corneal

  15. Terminal differentiation of T cells is strongly associated with CMV infection and increased in HIV-positive individuals on ART and lifestyle matched controls

    PubMed Central

    Booiman, Thijs; Wit, Ferdinand W.; Girigorie, Arginell F.; Maurer, Irma; De Francesco, Davide; Sabin, Caroline A.; Harskamp, Agnes M.; Prins, Maria; Franceschi, Claudio; Deeks, Steven G.; Winston, Alan; Reiss, Peter

    2017-01-01

    HIV-1-positive individuals on successful antiretroviral therapy (ART) are reported to have higher rates of age-associated non-communicable comorbidities (AANCCs). HIV-associated immune dysfunction has been suggested to contribute to increased AANCC risk. Here we performed a cross-sectional immune phenotype analysis of T cells in ART-treated HIV-1-positive individuals with undetectable vireamia (HIV-positives) and HIV-1-negative individuals (HIV-negatives) over 45 years of age. In addition, two control groups were studied: HIV negative adults selected based on lifestyle and demographic factors (Co-morBidity in Relation to AIDS, or COBRA) and unselected age-matched donors from a blood bank. Despite long-term ART (median of 12.2 years), HIV-infected adults had lower CD4+ T-cell counts and higher CD8+ T-cell counts compared to well-matched HIV-negative COBRA participants. The proportion of CD38+HLA-DR+ and PD-1+ CD4+ T-cells was higher in HIV-positive cohort compared to the two HIV-negative cohorts. The proportion CD57+ and CD27−CD28− cells of both CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells in HIV-positives was higher compared to unselected adults (blood bank) as reported before but this difference was not apparent in comparison with well-matched HIV-negative COBRA participants. Multiple regression analysis showed that the presence of an increased proportion of terminally differentiated T cells was strongly associated with CMV infection. Compared to appropriately selected HIV-negative controls, HIV-positive individuals on ART with long-term suppressed viraemia exhibited incomplete immune recovery and increased immune activation/exhaustion. CMV infection rather than treated HIV infection appears to have more consistent effects on measures of terminal differentiation of T cells. PMID:28806406

  16. Efficacy of intraoperative epidural triamcinolone application in lumbar microdiscectomy: a matched-control study.

    PubMed

    Stienen, Martin N; Joswig, Holger; Chau, Ivan; Neidert, Marian C; Bellut, David; Wälchli, Thomas; Schaller, Karl; Gautschi, Oliver P

    2018-03-01

    OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the intraoperative application of an epidural steroid (ES) on the decompressed nerve root improves short- and midterm subjective and objective clinical outcomes after lumbar microdiscectomy. METHODS This study was a retrospective analysis of a 2-center database including consecutive cases in which patients underwent lumbar microdiscectomy. All patients who received ES application (40 mg triamcinolone, ES group) were matched by age and sex to patients who had not received ES application (control group). Objective functional impairment (OFI) was determined using age- and sex-adjusted T-scores of the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test. Back and leg pain (visual analog scale), functional impairment (Oswestry Disability Index [ODI], Roland-Morris Disability Index [RMDI], and health-related quality of life (hrQoL; 12-Item Short Form Health Survey [SF-12] physical component summary [PSC] score and EuroQol [EQ-5D index]) were measured at baseline, on postoperative day 3, and at postoperative week 6. RESULTS Fifty-three patients who received ES application were matched with 101 controls. There were no baseline demographic or disease-specific differences between the study groups, and preoperative pain, functional impairment, and hrQoL were similar. On postoperative day 3, the ES group had less disability on the RMDI (mean 7.4 vs 10.3, p = 0.003) and higher hrQoL as determined by the SF-12 PCS (36.5 vs 32.7, p = 0.004). At week 6, the ES group had less disability on the RMDI (3.6 vs 5.7, p = 0.050) and on the ODI by trend (17.0 vs 24.4, p = 0.056); better hrQoL, determined by the SF-12 PCS (44.3 vs 39.9, p = 0.018); and lower OFI (TUG test T-score 100.5 vs 110.2, p = 0.005). The week 6 responder status based on the minimum clinically important difference (MCID) was similar in the ES and control groups for each metric. The rates and severity of complications were similar, with a 3.8% and 4.0% reoperation rate in the ES

  17. 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.

  18. Prescribed psychiatric medication among multiple sclerosis patients before and after disability pension: a register study with matched controls.

    PubMed

    Brenner, Philip; Mittendorfer-Rutz, Ellenor; Jokinen, Jussi; Alexanderson, Kristina; Hillert, Jan; Tinghög, Petter

    2016-07-01

    Many multiple sclerosis (MS) patients of working ages have psychiatric comorbidity, and 60 % are on disability pension (DP). It is unknown how DP is associated with MS patients' mental health. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between prescriptions of psychiatric medication and time before and after receiving full-time DP in MS patients compared with matched controls. Nationwide Swedish registers were used to identify 3836 MS patients who were granted DP in 2000-2012 and 19,180 DP controls matched on socio-demographic variables by propensity scores. Patients and controls were organized in groups by year granted DP. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for being prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), benzodiazepines, or sleeping agents in 2006. Both patients and controls, who were not yet on DP in the study year of 2006, had lower OR compared with those who were granted DP in the same year. The OR increased when being closer to DP. MS patients, who had been granted DP 5-6 years earlier, had a higher risk for prescription of benzodiazepines (OR 1.72; 95 % CI 1.16-2.57) than controls (OR 1.14; 95 % CI 1.14-1.18). These patients also had a higher risk for SSRI prescription when compared directly with controls (OR 1.76; 95 % CI 1.44-2.15). MS patients have substantially higher odds ratios for being prescribed psychiatric drugs after DP than other disability pensioners. Further research on the association of DP with the mental health of MS patients is warranted.

  19. Geographic Region, Weather, Pilot Age and Air Carrier Crashes: a Case-Control Study

    PubMed Central

    Li, Guohua; Pressley, Joyce C.; Qiang, Yandong; Grabowski, Jurek G.; Baker, Susan P.; Rebok, George W.

    2009-01-01

    Background Information about risk factors of aviation crashes is crucial for developing effective intervention programs. Previous studies assessing factors associated with crash risk were conducted primarily in general aviation, air taxis and commuter air carriers. Methods A matched case-control design was used to examine the associations of geographic region, basic weather condition, and pilot age with the risk of air carrier (14 CFR Part 121) crash involvement. Cases (n=373) were air carrier crashes involving aircraft made by Boeing, McDonnell Douglas, and Airbus, recorded in the National Transportation Safety Board’s aviation crash database during 1983 through 2002, and controls (n=746) were air carrier incidents involving aircraft of the same three makes selected at random from the Federal Aviation Administration’s aviation incident database. Each case was matched with two controls on the calendar year when the index crash occurred. Conditional logistic regression was used for statistical analysis. Results With adjustment for basic weather condition, pilot age, and total flight time, the risk of air carrier crashes in Alaska was more than three times the risk for other regions [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 3.18, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.35 – 7.49]. Instrument meteorological conditions were associated with an increased risk for air carrier crashes involving pilot error (adjusted OR 2.26, 95% CI 1.15 – 4.44) and a decreased risk for air carrier crashes without pilot error (adjusted OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.40 – 0.87). Neither pilot age nor total flight time was significantly associated with the risk of air carrier crashes. Conclusions The excess risk of air carrier crashes in Alaska and the effect of adverse weather on pilot-error crashes underscore the importance of environmental hazards in flight safety. PMID:19378910

  20. Geographic region, weather, pilot age, and air carrier crashes: a case-control study.

    PubMed

    Li, Guohua; Pressley, Joyce C; Qiang, Yandong; Grabowski, Jurek G; Baker, Susan P; Rebok, George W

    2009-04-01

    Information about risk factors of aviation crashes is crucial for developing effective intervention programs. Previous studies assessing factors associated with crash risk were conducted primarily in general aviation, air taxis, and commuter air carriers. A matched case-control design was used to examine the associations of geographic region, basic weather condition, and pilot age with the risk of air carrier (14 CFR Part 121) crash involvement. Cases (N = 373) were air carrier crashes involving aircraft made by Boeing, McDonnell Douglas, and Airbus recorded in the National Transportation Safety Board's aviation crash database during 1983 through 2002, and controls (N = 746) were air carrier incidents involving aircraft of the same three makes selected at random from the Federal Aviation Administration's aviation incident database. Each case was matched with two controls on the calendar year when the index crash occurred. Conditional logistic regression was used for statistical analysis. With adjustment for basic weather condition, pilot age, and total flight time, the risk of air carrier crashes in Alaska was more than three times the risk for other regions ladjusted odds ratio (OR) 3.18, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.35-7.49]. Instrument meteorological conditions were associated with an increased risk for air carrier crashes involving pilot error (adjusted OR 2.26, 95% CI 1.15-4.44) and a decreased risk for air carrier crashes without pilot error (adjusted OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.37-0.96). Neither pilot age nor total flight time were significantly associated with the risk of air carrier crashes. The excess risk of air carrier crashes in Alaska and the effect of adverse weather on pilot-error crashes underscore the importance of environmental hazards in flight safety.

  1. Prolonged cortical silent period but normal sensorimotor plasticity in spinocerebellar ataxia 6.

    PubMed

    Teo, James T H; Schneider, Susanne A; Cheeran, Binith J; Fernandez-del-Olmo, Miguel; Giunti, Paola; Rothwell, John C; Bhatia, Kailash P

    2008-02-15

    Spinocerebellar ataxia 6 (SCA6) is a hereditary disease characterized by a trinucleotide repeat expansion in the CACNA1A gene and late-onset bilateral cerebellar atrophy. It is unclear if there is significant pathology outside of the cerebellum. We used transcranial magnetic stimulation to assess sensorimotor cortical circuits and cortical plasticity in 8 SCA6 patients and 8 age-matched controls. Behavioral performance was assessed using a rhythmic tapping task. Neurophysiological measures of SCA6 patients showed a prolonged cortical silent period (CSP) but normal MEP recruitment curve, short-latency afferent inhibition, long-latency afferent inhibition and ipsilateral silent period. Paired-associative stimulation induction also increased motor-evoked potentials normally. SCA6 patients had greater variability with cued rhythmic tapping than normals and deteriorated when the cue was removed; in comparison, normal subjects had similar variability between cued and uncued rhythmic tapping. Analysis using a Wing-Kristofferson timing model indicated that both clock variance and motor delay variance were abnormal. Conclusion. In SCA6, the circuits for sensorimotor integration and the mechanisms for LTP-like plasticity in the sensorimotor cortex are unimpaired. A prolonged CSP in SCA6 just like in other cerebellar atrophies would suggest that this neurophysiological change typifies cerebellar dysfunction. 2007 Movement Disorder Society

  2. Identifying allelic loss and homozygous deletions in pancreatic cancer without matched normals using high-density single-nucleotide polymorphism arrays.

    PubMed

    Calhoun, Eric S; Hucl, Tomas; Gallmeier, Eike; West, Kristen M; Arking, Dan E; Maitra, Anirban; Iacobuzio-Donahue, Christine A; Chakravarti, Aravinda; Hruban, Ralph H; Kern, Scott E

    2006-08-15

    Recent advances in oligonucleotide arrays and whole-genome complexity reduction data analysis now permit the evaluation of tens of thousands of single-nucleotide polymorphisms simultaneously for a genome-wide analysis of allelic status. Using these arrays, we created high-resolution allelotype maps of 26 pancreatic cancer cell lines. The areas of heterozygosity implicitly served to reveal regions of allelic loss. The array-derived maps were verified by a panel of 317 microsatellite markers used in a subset of seven samples, showing a 97.1% concordance between heterozygous calls. Three matched tumor/normal pairs were used to estimate the false-negative and potential false-positive rates for identifying loss of heterozygosity: 3.6 regions (average minimal region of loss, 720,228 bp) and 2.3 regions (average heterozygous gap distance, 4,434,994 bp) per genome, respectively. Genomic fractional allelic loss calculations showed that cumulative levels of allelic loss ranged widely from 17.1% to 79.9% of the haploid genome length. Regional increases in "NoCall" frequencies combined with copy number loss estimates were used to identify 41 homozygous deletions (19 first reports), implicating an additional 13 regions disrupted in pancreatic cancer. Unexpectedly, 23 of these occurred in just two lines (BxPc3 and MiaPaCa2), suggesting the existence of at least two subclasses of chromosomal instability (CIN) patterns, distinguished here by allelic loss and copy number changes (original CIN) and those also highly enriched in the genomic "holes" of homozygous deletions (holey CIN). This study provides previously unavailable high-resolution allelotype and deletion breakpoint maps in widely shared pancreatic cancer cell lines and effectively eliminates the need for matched normal tissue to define informative loci.

  3. "Congratulations, you have been randomized into the control group!(?)": issues to consider when recruiting schools for matched-pair randomized control trials of prevention programs.

    PubMed

    Ji, Peter; DuBois, David L; Flay, Brian R; Brechling, Vanessa

    2008-03-01

    Recruiting schools into a matched-pair randomized control trial (MP-RCT) to evaluate the efficacy of a school-level prevention program presents challenges for researchers. We considered which of 2 procedures would be most effective for recruiting schools into the study and assigning them to conditions. In 1 procedure (recruit and match/randomize), we would recruit schools and match them prior to randomization, and in the other (match/randomize and recruitment), we would match schools and randomize them prior to recruitment. We considered how each procedure impacted the randomization process and our ability to recruit schools into the study. After implementing the selected procedure, the equivalence of both treatment and control group schools and the participating and nonparticipating schools on school demographic variables was evaluated. We decided on the recruit and match/randomize procedure because we thought it would provide the opportunity to build rapport with the schools and prepare them for the randomization process, thereby increasing the likelihood that they would accept their randomly assigned conditions. Neither the treatment and control group schools nor the participating and nonparticipating schools exhibited statistically significant differences from each other on any of the school demographic variables. Recruitment of schools prior to matching and randomization in an MP-RCT may facilitate the recruitment of schools and thus enhance both the statistical power and the representativeness of study findings. Future research would benefit from the consideration of a broader range of variables (eg, readiness to implement a comprehensive prevention program) both in matching schools and in evaluating their representativeness to nonparticipating schools.

  4. Evaluation of live attenuated S79 mumps vaccine effectiveness in mumps outbreaks: a matched case-control study.

    PubMed

    Fu, Chuan-xi; Nie, Jun; Liang, Jian-hua; Wang, Ming

    2009-02-05

    Mumps virus infection is a potentially serious viral infection of childhood and early adulthood. In China, live attenuated S(79) mumps vaccine has been licensed for pediatric use since 1990. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of live attenuated S(79) mumps vaccine against clinical mumps in outbreaks. Cases were selected from mumps outbreaks in schools in Guangzhou between 2004 and 2005. Each case was matched by gender, age and classroom. Vaccination information was obtained from Children's EPI Administrative Computerized System. Vaccine effectiveness (VE) was calculated for 1 or 2 doses of S(79) vaccine with 95% confidence intervals (CI). One hundred and ninety-four cases and 194 controls were enrolled into the study. VE of the S(79) mumps vaccine for 1 dose versus 0 confer protection 80.4% (95% CI, 60.0%-90.4%) and VEs against mumps in outbreaks for 1 dose of mumps vaccine are similar among those children aged 4-9 years and aged over 10 years old. The live attenuated S(79) mumps vaccine can be effective in preventing clinical mumps outbreaks.

  5. Cognitive Change in Elderly Populations: "Normal" Aging, Senile Dementia and Depression.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bach, Paul J.

    Cognitive change in the elderly can be due to several etiological factors which are empirically difficult to separate and clinically problematic to differentiate. Normal aging is accompanied by behavioral slowing. The slowing down of psycho-motor processes results in a lowered intelligence quotient, but cannot be taken as unequivocal evidence for…

  6. Age Related Changes in Metabolite Concentrations in the Normal Spinal Cord

    PubMed Central

    Abdel-Aziz, Khaled; Solanky, Bhavana S.; Yiannakas, Marios C.; Altmann, Daniel R.; Wheeler-Kingshott, Claudia A. M.; Thompson, Alan J.; Ciccarelli, Olga

    2014-01-01

    Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) studies have previously described metabolite changes associated with aging of the healthy brain and provided insights into normal brain aging that can assist us in differentiating age-related changes from those associated with neurological disease. The present study investigates whether age-related changes in metabolite concentrations occur in the healthy cervical spinal cord. 25 healthy volunteers, aged 23–65 years, underwent conventional imaging and single-voxel MRS of the upper cervical cord using an optimised point resolved spectroscopy sequence on a 3T Achieva system. Metabolite concentrations normalised to unsuppressed water were quantified using LCModel and associations between age and spinal cord metabolite concentrations were examined using multiple regressions. A linear decline in total N-Acetyl-aspartate concentration (0.049 mmol/L lower per additional year of age, p = 0.010) and Glutamate-Glutamine concentration (0.054 mmol/L lower per additional year of age, p = 0.002) was seen within our sample age range, starting in the early twenties. The findings suggest that neuroaxonal loss and/or metabolic neuronal dysfunction, and decline in glutamate-glutamine neurotransmitter pool progress with aging. PMID:25310093

  7. Advanced aging phenotype is revealed by epigenetic modifications in rat liver after in utero malnutrition.

    PubMed

    Heo, Hye J; Tozour, Jessica N; Delahaye, Fabien; Zhao, Yongmei; Cui, Lingguang; Barzilai, Nir; Einstein, Francine Hughes

    2016-10-01

    Adverse environmental exposures of mothers during fetal period predispose offspring to a range of age-related diseases earlier in life. Here, we set to determine whether a deregulated epigenetic pattern is similar in young animals whose mothers' nutrition was modulated during fetal growth to that acquired during normal aging in animals. Using a rodent model of maternal undernutrition (UN) or overnutrition (ON), we examined cytosine methylation profiles of liver from young female offspring and compared them to age-matched young controls and aged (20-month-old) animals. HELP-tagging, a genomewide restriction enzyme and sequencing assay demonstrates that fetal exposure to two different maternal diets is associated with nonrandom dysregulation of methylation levels with profiles similar to those seen in normal aging animals and occur in regions mapped to genes relevant to metabolic diseases and aging. Functional consequences were assessed by gene expression at 9 weeks old with more significant changes at 6 months of age. Early developmental exposures to unfavorable maternal diets result in altered methylation profiles and transcriptional dysregulation in Prkcb, Pc, Ncor2, and Smad3 that is also seen with normal aging. These Notch pathway and lipogenesis genes may be useful for prediction of later susceptibility to chronic disease. © 2016 The Authors. Aging Cell published by the Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. The Effect of Tinnitus on Listening Effort in Normal-Hearing Young Adults: A Preliminary Study.

    PubMed

    Degeest, Sofie; Keppler, Hannah; Corthals, Paul

    2017-04-14

    The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of chronic tinnitus on listening effort. Thirteen normal-hearing young adults with chronic tinnitus were matched with a control group for age, gender, hearing thresholds, and educational level. A dual-task paradigm was used to evaluate listening effort in different listening conditions. A primary speech-recognition task and a secondary memory task were performed both separately and simultaneously. Furthermore, subjective listening effort was questioned for various listening situations. The Tinnitus Handicap Inventory was used to control for tinnitus handicap. Listening effort significantly increased in the tinnitus group across listening conditions. There was no significant difference in listening effort between listening conditions, nor was there an interaction between groups and listening conditions. Subjective listening effort did not significantly differ between both groups. This study is a first exploration of listening effort in normal-hearing participants with chronic tinnitus showing that listening effort is increased as compared with a control group. There is a need to further investigate the cognitive functions important for speech understanding and their possible relation with the presence of tinnitus and listening effort.

  9. Socioeconomic, environmental and lifestyle factors associated with gestational diabetes mellitus: A matched case-control study in Beijing, China.

    PubMed

    Carroll, Xianming; Liang, Xianhong; Zhang, Wenyan; Zhang, Wenjing; Liu, Gaifen; Turner, Nannette; Leeper-Woodford, Sandra

    2018-05-25

    Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common health problem during pregnancy and its prevalence is increasing globally, especially in China. The aim of this study was to investigate socioeconomic, environmental and lifestyle factors associated with GDM in Chinese women. A matched pair case-control study was conducted with 276 GDM women and 276 non-GDM women in two hospitals in Beijing, China. Matched factors include age and pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI). GDM subjects were defined based on the International Association of Diabetes Study Group criteria for GDM. A conditional logistic regression model with backward stepwise selection was performed to predict the odds ratio (OR) for associated factors of GDM. The analyses of data show that passive smoking at home (OR = 1.52, p = 0.027), passive smoking in the workplace (OR = 1.71, p = 0.01), and family history of diabetes in first degree relatives (OR = 3.07, p = 0.004), were significant factors associated with GDM in Chinese women. These findings may be utilized as suggestions to decrease the incidence of GDM in Chinese women by improving the national tobacco control policy and introducing public health interventions to focus on the social environment of pregnant women in China.

  10. Effect of Age on Glasgow Coma Scale in Patients with Moderate and Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: An Approach with Propensity Score-Matched Population.

    PubMed

    Rau, Cheng-Shyuan; Wu, Shao-Chun; Chen, Yi-Chun; Chien, Peng-Chen; Hsieh, Hsiao-Yun; Kuo, Pao-Jen; Hsieh, Ching-Hua

    2017-11-13

    Background: The most widely used methods of describing traumatic brain injury (TBI) are the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS). Recent evidence suggests that presenting GCS in older patients may be higher than that in younger patients for an equivalent anatomical severity of TBI. This study aimed to assess these observations with a propensity-score matching approach using the data from Trauma Registry System in a Level I trauma center. Methods: We included all adult patients (aged ≥20 years old) with moderate to severe TBI from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2016. Patients were categorized into elderly (aged ≥65 years) and young adults (aged 20-64 years). The severity of TBI was defined by an AIS score in the head (AIS 3‒4 and 5 indicate moderate and severe TBI, respectively). We examined the differences in the GCS scores by age at each head AIS score. Unpaired Student's t - and Mann-Whitney U -tests were used to analyze normally and non-normally distributed continuous data, respectively. Categorical data were compared using either the Pearson chi-square or two-sided Fisher's exact tests. Matched patient populations were allocated in a 1:1 ratio according to the propensity scores calculated using NCSS software with the following covariates: sex, pre-existing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, systolic blood pressure, hemoglobin, sodium, glucose, and alcohol level. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the effects of age on the GCS score in each head AIS stratum. Results: The study population included 2081 adult patients with moderate to severe TBI. These patients were categorized into elderly ( n = 847) and young adults ( n = 1234): each was exclusively further divided into three groups of patients with head AIS of 3, 4, or 5. In the 162 well-balanced pairs of TBI patients with head AIS of 3, the elderly demonstrated a significantly higher GCS score than the young adults (14.1 ± 2.2 vs. 13.1 ± 3.3, respectively; p = 0

  11. Prenatal Methamphetamine Exposure and Inhibitory Control among Young School-Age Children

    PubMed Central

    Derauf, Chris; LaGasse, Linda L.; Smith, Lynne M.; Newman, Elana; Shah, Rizwan; Neal, Charles; Arria, Amelia; Huestis, Marilyn A.; Grotta, Sheri Della; Dansereau, Lynne M.; Lin, Hai; Lester, Barry M.

    2012-01-01

    Objective To examine the association between prenatal methamphetamine exposure and inhibitory control in 66 month old children followed since birth in the multicenter, longitudinal Infant Development, Environment and Lifestyle Study. Study design The sample included 137 children with prenatal methamphetamine exposure and 130 comparison children, matched for race, birth weight, maternal education and type of insurance. Inhibitory control, an executive function related to emotional and cognitive control, was assessed using a computerized Stroop-like task developed for young children. Hierarchical linear modeling tested the relationship between the extent (heavy, some and no use) of prenatal methamphetamine exposure and accuracy and reaction time outcomes, adjusting for prenatal exposure to alcohol, tobacco and marijuana, age, sex, socioeconomic status, caregiver IQ and psychological symptoms, child protective services report of physical or sexual abuse, and site. Results In adjusted analyses, heavy prenatal methamphetamine exposure was related to reduced accuracy in both the incongruent and mixed conditions on the Stroop task. Caregiver psychological symptoms and Child Protective Services (CPS) report of physical or sexual abuse were associated with reduced accuracy in the incongruent and mixed, and incongruent conditions, respectively. Conclusions Heavy prenatal methamphetamine exposure, along with caregiver psychological distress and child maltreatment, is related to subtle deficits in inhibitory control during the early school-aged years. PMID:22424953

  12. INFLUENCE OF AGE ON NEUROMUSCULAR CONTROL DURING A DYNAMIC WEIGHT BEARING TASK

    PubMed Central

    Madhavan, Sangeetha; Burkart, Sarah; Baggett, Gail; Nelson, Katie; Teckenburg, Trina; Zwanziger, Mike; Shields, Richard K.

    2009-01-01

    Neuromuscular control strategies may change with age and predispose elderly to knee joint injury. The purposes of this study were to determine if long latency responses (LLR), muscle activation patterns, and movement accuracy differs between the young and elderly during a novel single limb squat (SLS) task. Ten young and ten elderly subjects performed a series of resistive SLS (~0–30 degrees) while matching a computer-generated sinusoidal target. The SLS device provided a 16% body weight resistance to knee movement. Both young and elderly showed significant overshoot error when the knee was perturbed (p < 0.05). Accuracy of the tracking task was similar between the young and elderly (p=0.34), but the elderly required more muscle activity compared to the younger subjects (p < 0.05). The elderly group had larger long latency responses (LLRs) than the younger group (p < 0.05). These results support that neuromuscular control of the knee changes with age, and may contribute to injury. PMID:19799103

  13. Evaluating a community-based early childhood education and development program in Indonesia: study protocol for a pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial with supplementary matched control group

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background This paper presents the study protocol for a pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a supplementary matched control group. The aim of the trial is to evaluate a community-based early education and development program launched by the Government of Indonesia. The program was developed in collaboration with the World Bank with a total budget of US$127.7 million, and targets an estimated 738,000 children aged 0 to 6 years living in approximately 6,000 poor communities. The aim of the program is to increase access to early childhood services with the secondary aim of improving school readiness. Methods/Design The study is being conducted across nine districts. The baseline survey contained 310 villages, of which 100 were originally allocated to the intervention arm, 20 originally allocated to a 9-month delay staggered start, 100 originally allocated to an 18-month delay staggered start and 90 allocated to a matched control group (no intervention). The study consists of two cohorts, one comprising children aged 12 to 23 months and the other comprising children aged 48 to 59 months at baseline. The data collection instruments include child observations and task/game-based assessments as well as a questionnaire suite, village head questionnaire, service level questionnaires, household questionnaire, and child caretaker questionnaire. The baseline survey was conducted from March to April 2009, midline was conducted from April to August 2010 and endline conducted early 2013. The resultant participation rates at both the district and village levels were 90%. At the child level, the participation rate was 99.92%. The retention rate at the child level at midline was 99.67%. Discussion This protocol paper provides a detailed record of the trial design including a discussion regarding difficulties faced with compliance to the randomization, compliance to the dispersion schedule of community block grants, and procurement delays for baseline and midline

  14. Control Systems with Normalized and Covariance Adaptation by Optimal Control Modification

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nguyen, Nhan T. (Inventor); Burken, John J. (Inventor); Hanson, Curtis E. (Inventor)

    2016-01-01

    Disclosed is a novel adaptive control method and system called optimal control modification with normalization and covariance adjustment. The invention addresses specifically to current challenges with adaptive control in these areas: 1) persistent excitation, 2) complex nonlinear input-output mapping, 3) large inputs and persistent learning, and 4) the lack of stability analysis tools for certification. The invention has been subject to many simulations and flight testing. The results substantiate the effectiveness of the invention and demonstrate the technical feasibility for use in modern aircraft flight control systems.

  15. Glutathione S-transferase Pi expression predicts response to adjuvant chemotherapy for stage C colon cancer: a matched historical control study.

    PubMed

    Jankova, Lucy; Robertson, Graham; Chan, Charles; Tan, King L; Kohonen-Corish, Maija; Fung, Caroline L-S; Clarke, Candice; Lin, Betty P C; Molloy, Mark; Chapuis, Pierre H; Bokey, Les; Dent, Owen F; Clarke, Stephen J

    2012-05-28

    This study examined the association between overall survival and Glutathione S-transferase Pi (GST Pi) expression and genetic polymorphism in stage C colon cancer patients after resection alone versus resection plus 5-fluourouracil-based adjuvant chemotherapy. Patients were drawn from a hospital registry of colorectal cancer resections. Those receiving chemotherapy after it was introduced in 1992 were compared with an age and sex matched control group from the preceding period. GST Pi expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Overall survival was analysed by the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression. From an initial 104 patients treated with chemotherapy and 104 matched controls, 26 were excluded because of non-informative immunohistochemistry, leaving 95 in the treated group and 87 controls. Survival did not differ significantly among patients with low GST Pi who did or did not receive chemotherapy and those with high GST Pi who received chemotherapy (lowest pair-wise p = 0.11) whereas patients with high GST Pi who did not receive chemotherapy experienced markedly poorer survival than any of the other three groups (all pair-wise p <0.01). This result was unaffected by GST Pi genotype. Stage C colon cancer patients with low GST Pi did not benefit from 5-fluourouracil-based adjuvant chemotherapy whereas those with high GST Pi did.

  16. Health expenditures among high-risk patients after gastric bypass and matched controls.

    PubMed

    Maciejewski, Matthew L; Livingston, Edward H; Smith, Valerie A; Kahwati, Leila C; Henderson, William G; Arterburn, David E

    2012-07-01

    To determine whether bariatric surgery is associated with reduced health care expenditures in a multisite cohort of predominantly older male patients with a substantial disease burden. Retrospective cohort study of bariatric surgery. Outpatient, inpatient, and overall health care expenditures within Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers were examined via generalized estimating equations in the propensity-matched cohorts. Bariatric surgery programs in VA medical centers. Eight hundred forty-seven veterans who were propensity matched to 847 nonsurgical control subjects from the same 12 VA medical centers. Bariatric surgical procedures. Health expenditures through December 2006. Outpatient, inpatient, and total expenditures trended higher for bariatric surgical cases in the 3 years leading up to the procedure and then converged back to the lower expenditure levels of nonsurgical controls in the 3 years after the procedure. Based on analyses of a cohort of predominantly older men, bariatric surgery does not appear to be associated with reduced health care expenditures 3 years after the procedure.

  17. Obese but not normal-weight women with polycystic ovary syndrome are characterized by metabolic and microvascular insulin resistance.

    PubMed

    Ketel, Iris J G; Stehouwer, Coen D A; Serné, Erik H; Korsen, Ted J M; Hompes, Peter G A; Smulders, Yvo M; de Jongh, Renate T; Homburg, Roy; Lambalk, Cornelis B

    2008-09-01

    Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and obesity are associated with diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but it is unclear to what extent PCOS contributes independently of obesity. The objective of the study was to investigate whether insulin sensitivity and insulin's effects on the microcirculation are impaired in normal-weight and obese women with PCOS. Thirty-five women with PCOS (19 normal weight and 16 obese) and 27 age- and body mass index-matched controls (14 normal weight and 13 obese) were included. Metabolic Insulin sensitivity (isoglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp) and microvascular insulin sensitivity [endothelium dependent (acetylcholine [ACh])] and endothelium-independent [sodium nitroprusside (SNP)] vasodilation with laser Doppler flowmetry was assessed at baseline and during hyperinsulinemia. Metabolic insulin sensitivity (M/I value) and the area under the response curves to ACh and SNP curves were measured to assess microcirculatory function at baseline and during insulin infusion (microvascular insulin sensitivity). Obese women were more insulin resistant than normal-weight women (P < 0.001), and obese PCOS women were more resistant than obese controls (P = 0.02). In contrast, normal-weight women with PCOS had similar insulin sensitivity, compared with normal-weight women without PCOS. Baseline responses to ACh showed no difference in the four groups. ACh responses during insulin infusion were significantly greater in normal-weight PCOS and controls than in obese PCOS and controls. PCOS per se had no significant influence on ACh responses during insulin infusion. During hyperinsulinemia, SNP-dependent vasodilatation did not significantly increase, compared with baseline in the four groups. PCOS per se was not associated with impaired metabolic insulin sensitivity in normal-weight women but aggravates impairment of metabolic insulin sensitivity in obese women. In obese but not normal-weight women, microvascular and metabolic insulin sensitivity are

  18. Normal limits in relation to age, body size and gender of two-dimensional echocardiographic aortic root dimensions in persons ≥15 years of age.

    PubMed

    Devereux, Richard B; de Simone, Giovanni; Arnett, Donna K; Best, Lyle G; Boerwinkle, Eric; Howard, Barbara V; Kitzman, Dalane; Lee, Elisa T; Mosley, Thomas H; Weder, Alan; Roman, Mary J

    2012-10-15

    Nomograms to predict normal aortic root diameter for body surface area (BSA) in broad ranges of age have been widely used but are limited by lack of consideration of gender effects, jumps in upper limits of aortic diameter among age strata, and data from older teenagers. Sinus of Valsalva diameter was measured by American Society of Echocardiography convention in normal-weight, nonhypertensive, nondiabetic subjects ≥15 years old without aortic valve disease from clinical or population-based samples. Analyses of covariance and linear regression with assessment of residuals identified determinants and developed predictive models for normal aortic root diameter. In 1,207 apparently normal subjects ≥15 years old (54% women), aortic root diameter was 2.1 to 4.3 cm. Aortic root diameter was strongly related to BSA and height (r = 0.48 for the 2 comparisons), age (r = 0.36), and male gender (+2.7 mm adjusted for BSA and age, p <0.001 for all comparisons). Multivariable equations using age, gender, and BSA or height predicted aortic diameter strongly (R = 0.674 for the 2 comparisons, p <0.001) with minimal relation of residuals to age or body size: for BSA 2.423 + (age [years] × 0.009) + (BSA [square meters] × 0.461) - (gender [1 = man, 2 = woman] × 0.267), SEE 0.261 cm; for height 1.519 + (age [years] × 0.010) + (height [centimeters] × 0.010) - (gender [1 = man, 2 = woman] × 0.247), SEE 0.215 cm. In conclusion, aortic root diameter is larger in men and increases with body size and age. Regression models incorporating body size, age, and gender are applicable to adolescents and adults without limitations of previous nomograms. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Pediatric MATCH Infographic

    Cancer.gov

    Infographic explaining NCI-COG Pediatric MATCH, a cancer treatment clinical trial for children and adolescents, from 1 to 21 years of age, that is testing the use of precision medicine for pediatric cancers.

  20. ASSOCIATION BETWEEN VISUAL FUNCTION AND SUBRETINAL DRUSENOID DEPOSITS IN NORMAL AND EARLY AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION EYES.

    PubMed

    Neely, David; Zarubina, Anna V; Clark, Mark E; Huisingh, Carrie E; Jackson, Gregory R; Zhang, Yuhua; McGwin, Gerald; Curcio, Christine A; Owsley, Cynthia

    2017-07-01

    To examine the association between subretinal drusenoid deposits (SDDs) identified by multimodal retinal imaging and visual function in older eyes with normal macular health or in the earliest phases of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Age-related macular degeneration status for each eye was defined according to the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) 9-step classification system (normal = Step 1, early AMD = Steps 2-4) based on color fundus photographs. Visual functions measured were best-corrected photopic visual acuity, contrast and light sensitivity, mesopic visual acuity, low-luminance deficit, and rod-mediated dark adaptation. Subretinal drusenoid deposits were identified through multimodal imaging (color fundus photographs, infrared reflectance and fundus autofluorescence images, and spectral domain optical coherence tomography). The sample included 1,202 eyes (958 eyes with normal health and 244 eyes with early AMD). In normal eyes, SDDs were not associated with any visual function evaluated. In eyes with early AMD, dark adaptation was markedly delayed in eyes with SDDs versus no SDD (a 4-minute delay on average), P = 0.0213. However, this association diminished after age adjustment, P = 0.2645. Other visual functions in early AMD eyes were not associated with SDDs. In a study specifically focused on eyes in normal macular health and in the earliest phases of AMD, early AMD eyes with SDDs have slower dark adaptation, largely attributable to the older ages of eyes with SDD; they did not exhibit deficits in other visual functions. Subretinal drusenoid deposits in older eyes in normal macular health are not associated with any visual functions evaluated.

  1. How did the Elimination of the Earnings Test above the Normal Retirement Age affect Retirement Expectations?1

    PubMed Central

    Michaud, Pierre-Carl

    2010-01-01

    We look at the effect of the 2000 repeal of the earnings test above the normal retirement age on retirement expectations of workers in the Health and Retirement Study, aged 51 to 61 in 1992. For men, we find that those whose marginal wage rate increased when the earnings test was repealed, had the largest increase in the probability to work full-time past normal retirement age. We do not find significant evidence of effects of the repeal of the earnings test on the probability to work past age 62 or the expected claiming age. On the other hand, for those reaching the normal retirement age, deviations between the age at which Social Security benefits are actually claimed and the previously reported expected age are more negative in 2000 than in 1998. Since our calculations show that the tax introduced by the earnings test was small when accounting for actuarial benefit adjustments and differential mortality, our results suggest that although male workers form expectations in a way consistent with forward-looking behavior, they misperceive the complicated rules of the earnings test. Results for females suggest similar patterns but estimates are imprecise. PMID:21037938

  2. Vowel perception by noise masked normal-hearing young adults

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Richie, Carolyn; Kewley-Port, Diane; Coughlin, Maureen

    2005-08-01

    This study examined vowel perception by young normal-hearing (YNH) adults, in various listening conditions designed to simulate mild-to-moderate sloping sensorineural hearing loss. YNH listeners were individually age- and gender-matched to young hearing-impaired (YHI) listeners tested in a previous study [Richie et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 114, 2923-2933 (2003)]. YNH listeners were tested in three conditions designed to create equal audibility with the YHI listeners; a low signal level with and without a simulated hearing loss, and a high signal level with a simulated hearing loss. Listeners discriminated changes in synthetic vowel tokens /smcapi e ɛ invv æ/ when F1 or F2 varied in frequency. Comparison of YNH with YHI results failed to reveal significant differences between groups in terms of performance on vowel discrimination, in conditions of similar audibility by using both noise masking to elevate the hearing thresholds of the YNH and applying frequency-specific gain to the YHI listeners. Further, analysis of learning curves suggests that while the YHI listeners completed an average of 46% more test blocks than YNH listeners, the YHI achieved a level of discrimination similar to that of the YNH within the same number of blocks. Apparently, when age and gender are closely matched between young hearing-impaired and normal-hearing adults, performance on vowel tasks may be explained by audibility alone.

  3. Molecular Insights into the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease and Its Relationship to Normal Aging

    PubMed Central

    Podtelezhnikov, Alexei A.; Tanis, Keith Q.; Nebozhyn, Michael; Ray, William J.

    2011-01-01

    Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder that diverges from the process of normal brain aging by unknown mechanisms. We analyzed the global structure of age- and disease-dependent gene expression patterns in three regions from more than 600 brains. Gene expression variation could be almost completely explained by four transcriptional biomarkers that we named BioAge (biological age), Alz (Alzheimer), Inflame (inflammation), and NdStress (neurodegenerative stress). BioAge captures the first principal component of variation and includes genes statistically associated with neuronal loss, glial activation, and lipid metabolism. Normally BioAge increases with chronological age, but in AD it is prematurely expressed as if some of the subjects were 140 years old. A component of BioAge, Lipa, contains the AD risk factor APOE and reflects an apparent early disturbance in lipid metabolism. The rate of biological aging in AD patients, which cannot be explained by BioAge, is associated instead with NdStress, which includes genes related to protein folding and metabolism. Inflame, comprised of inflammatory cytokines and microglial genes, is broadly activated and appears early in the disease process. In contrast, the disease-specific biomarker Alz was selectively present only in the affected areas of the AD brain, appears later in pathogenesis, and is enriched in genes associated with the signaling and cell adhesion changes during the epithelial to mesenchymal (EMT) transition. Together these biomarkers provide detailed description of the aging process and its contribution to Alzheimer's disease progression. PMID:22216330

  4. Age- and disease-dependent increase of the mitophagy marker phospho-ubiquitin in normal aging and Lewy body disease.

    PubMed

    Hou, Xu; Fiesel, Fabienne C; Truban, Dominika; Castanedes Casey, Monica; Lin, Wen-Lang; Soto, Alexandra I; Tacik, Pawel; Rousseau, Linda G; Diehl, Nancy N; Heckman, Michael G; Lorenzo-Betancor, Oswaldo; Ferrer, Isidre; Arbelo, José M; Steele, John C; Farrer, Matthew J; Cornejo-Olivas, Mario; Torres, Luis; Mata, Ignacio F; Graff-Radford, Neill R; Wszolek, Zbigniew K; Ross, Owen A; Murray, Melissa E; Dickson, Dennis W; Springer, Wolfdieter

    2018-06-27

    Although exact causes of Parkinson disease (PD) remain enigmatic, mitochondrial dysfunction is increasingly appreciated as a key determinant of dopaminergic neuron susceptibility in both familial and sporadic PD. Two genes associated with recessive, early-onset PD encode the ubiquitin (Ub) kinase PINK1 and the E3 Ub ligase PRKN/PARK2/Parkin, which together orchestrate a protective mitochondrial quality control (mitoQC) pathway. Upon stress, both enzymes cooperatively identify and decorate damaged mitochondria with phosphorylated poly-Ub (p-S65-Ub) chains. This specific label is subsequently recognized by autophagy receptors that further facilitate mitochondrial degradation in lysosomes (mitophagy). Here, we analyzed human post-mortem brain specimens and identified distinct pools of p-S65-Ub-positive structures that partially colocalized with markers of mitochondria, autophagy, lysosomes and/or granulovacuolar degeneration bodies. We further quantified levels and distribution of the 'mitophagy tag' in 2 large cohorts of brain samples from normal aging and Lewy body disease (LBD) cases using unbiased digital pathology. Somatic p-S65-Ub structures independently increased with age and disease in distinct brain regions and enhanced levels in LBD brain were age- and Braak tangle stage-dependent. Additionally, we observed significant correlations of p-S65-Ub with LBs and neurofibrillary tangle levels in disease. The degree of co-existing p-S65-Ub signals and pathological PD hallmarks increased in the pre-mature stage, but decreased in the late stage of LB or tangle aggregation. Altogether, our study provides further evidence for a potential pathogenic overlap among different forms of PD and suggests that p-S65-Ub can serve as a biomarker for mitochondrial damage in aging and disease.

  5. Design of optimally normal minimum gain controllers by continuation method

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lim, K. B.; Juang, J.-N.; Kim, Z. C.

    1989-01-01

    A measure of the departure from normality is investigated for system robustness. An attractive feature of the normality index is its simplicity for pole placement designs. To allow a tradeoff between system robustness and control effort, a cost function consisting of the sum of a norm of weighted gain matrix and a normality index is minimized. First- and second-order necessary conditions for the constrained optimization problem are derived and solved by a Newton-Raphson algorithm imbedded into a one-parameter family of neighboring zero problems. The method presented allows the direct computation of optimal gains in terms of robustness and control effort for pole placement problems.

  6. In vitro fertilization outcomes in obese women under and above 35 years of age.

    PubMed

    Vural, F; Vural, B; Çakiroglu, Y

    2016-01-01

    To explore the impact of obesity on in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes and comparing the results with regards to age groups. This retrospective cohort recruited 780 women that underwent IVF. Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) were excluded from the study. Women under and above 35 years were categorized into three groups as normal weight, overweight, and obese. The main outcome measures were ovarian response, oocyte maturity, and clinical pregnancy rates. Despite oocyte count and fertilization rate that decreased in both younger and older obese women, this difference was not statistically significant. After age matched-normal weight controls, the clinical pregnancy rates were significantly decreased in older obese women. On the other hand, poor ovarian response observed significantly in young obese women without effect on pregnancy rates. These results suggested that obesity in young and old women has different outcomes and different steps of IVF process may be affected.

  7. The CERAD Neuropsychological Assessment Battery Is Sensitive to Alcohol-Related Cognitive Deficiencies in Elderly Patients: A Retrospective Matched Case-Control Study.

    PubMed

    Kaufmann, Liane; Huber, Stefan; Mayer, Daniel; Moeller, Korbinian; Marksteiner, Josef

    2018-04-01

    Adverse effects of heavy drinking on cognition have frequently been reported. In the present study, we systematically examined for the first time whether clinical neuropsychological assessments may be sensitive to alcohol abuse in elderly patients with suspected minor neurocognitive disorder. A total of 144 elderly with and without alcohol abuse (each group n=72; mean age 66.7 years) were selected from a patient pool of n=738 by applying propensity score matching (a statistical method allowing to match participants in experimental and control group by balancing various covariates to reduce selection bias). Accordingly, study groups were almost perfectly matched regarding age, education, gender, and Mini Mental State Examination score. Neuropsychological performance was measured using the CERAD (Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease). Classification analyses (i.e., decision tree and boosted trees models) were conducted to examine whether CERAD variables or total score contributed to group classification. Decision tree models disclosed that groups could be reliably classified based on the CERAD variables "Word List Discriminability" (tapping verbal recognition memory, 64% classification accuracy) and "Trail Making Test A" (measuring visuo-motor speed, 59% classification accuracy). Boosted tree analyses further indicated the sensitivity of "Word List Recall" (measuring free verbal recall) for discriminating elderly with versus without a history of alcohol abuse. This indicates that specific CERAD variables seem to be sensitive to alcohol-related cognitive dysfunctions in elderly patients with suspected minor neurocognitive disorder. (JINS, 2018, 24, 360-371).

  8. Maternal obesity in singleton versus twin gestations: a population-based matched case-control study.

    PubMed

    Lucovnik, Miha; Blickstein, Isaac; Verdenik, Ivan; Trojner-Bregar, Andreja; Tul, Natasa

    2015-04-01

    To examine the impact of pre-pregnancy obesity on adverse outcomes in twin compared to singleton pregnancies. Dichorionic twin gestations with maternal body mass index >30 were matched to three singleton controls. Both obese groups were matched (1:3) with non-obese controls. Rates of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, cesarean section, and preterm birth were compared. One hundred eighty-nine dichorionic twin pregnancies in obese mothers were matched to 567 twin pregnancies in non-obese mothers, and to 567 singleton pregnancies in obese mothers. The latter were matched to 1701 non-obese mothers with singletons. Preeclampsia was more common in obese mothers with both twins and singletons (odds ratio (OR) 3.95, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.18-7.16 and OR 6.53, 95% CI 3.75-11.4, respectively) as was gestational diabetes (OR 4.35, 95% CI 2.18-8.69; OR 5.53 95% CI 3.60-8.50). Obese mothers with singletons were more likely to deliver abdominally, but the cesarean rates were obesity independent in twins. Obese mothers were more likely to deliver at < 34 weeks in both twin and singleton groups (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.10-2.48, and OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.21-4.77, respectively). Obesity-attributable adverse outcomes are lower in twins compared to singletons. Obesity increases the risk of preterm birth regardless of plurality.

  9. Corneal Epithelium Thickness Profile in 614 Normal Chinese Children Aged 7-15 Years Old.

    PubMed

    Ma, Yingyan; He, Xiangui; Zhu, Xiaofeng; Lu, Lina; Zhu, Jianfeng; Zou, Haidong

    2016-03-23

    The purpose of the study is to describe the values and distribution of corneal epithelium thickness (CET) in normal Chinese school-aged children, and to explore associated factors with CET. CET maps were measured by Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) in normal Chinese children aged 7 to 15 years old from two randomly selected schools in Shanghai, China. Children with normal intraocular pressure were further examined for cycloplegic autorefraction, corneal curvature radius (CCR) and axial length. Central (2-mm diameter area), para-central (2- to 5-mm diameter area), and peripheral (5- to 6-mm diameter area) CET in the superior, superotemporal, temporal, inferotemporal, inferior, inferonasal, nasal, superonasal cornea; minimum, maximum, range, and standard deviation of CET within the 5-mm diameter area were recorded. The CET was thinner in the superior than in the inferior and was thinner in the temporal than in the nasal. The maximum CET was located in the inferior zone, and the minimum CET was in the superior zone. A thicker central CET was associated with male gender (p = 0.009) and older age (p = 0.037) but not with CCR (p = 0.061), axial length (p = 0.253), or refraction (p = 0.351) in the multiple regression analyses. CCR, age, and gender were correlated with para-central and peripheral CET.

  10. 18F-FDG PET-CT pattern in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus.

    PubMed

    Townley, Ryan A; Botha, Hugo; Graff-Radford, Jonathan; Boeve, Bradley F; Petersen, Ronald C; Senjem, Matthew L; Knopman, David S; Lowe, Val; Jack, Clifford R; Jones, David T

    2018-01-01

    Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is an important and treatable cause of neurologic impairment. Diagnosis is complicated due to symptoms overlapping with other age related disorders. The pathophysiology underlying iNPH is not well understood. We explored FDG-PET abnormalities in iNPH patients in order to determine if FDG-PET may serve as a biomarker to differentiate iNPH from common neurodegenerative disorders. We retrospectively compared 18 F-FDG PET-CT imaging patterns from seven iNPH patients (mean age 74 ± 6 years) to age and sex matched controls, as well as patients diagnosed with clinical Alzheimer's disease dementia (AD), Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) and Parkinson's Disease Dementia (PDD), and behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). Partial volume corrected and uncorrected images were reviewed separately. Patients with iNPH, when compared to controls, AD, DLB/PDD, and bvFTD, had significant regional hypometabolism in the dorsal striatum, involving the caudate and putamen bilaterally. These results remained highly significant after partial volume correction. In this study, we report a FDG-PET pattern of hypometabolism in iNPH involving the caudate and putamen with preserved cortical metabolism. This pattern may differentiate iNPH from degenerative diseases and has the potential to serve as a biomarker for iNPH in future studies. These findings also further our understanding of the pathophysiology underlying the iNPH clinical presentation.

  11. Oocyte competence in in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection patients suffering from endometriosis and its possible association with subsequent treatment outcome: a matched case-control study.

    PubMed

    Shebl, Omar; Sifferlinger, Ida; Habelsberger, Alwin; Oppelt, Peter; Mayer, Richard B; Petek, Erwin; Ebner, Thomas

    2017-06-01

    Endometriosis affects up to 15% of women of reproductive age. There is an obvious lack of studies dealing with morphological parameters of oocyte morphology in endometriosis patients in assisted reproduction. One aim of the study is to describe oocyte morphology in patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection suffering from endometriosis. In addition, the impact of endometriosis on in vitro fertilization results is analyzed. Both in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection patients are then matched with an endometriosis-free control group for highlighting the possible association of endometriosis with pregnancy outcome. Oocyte morphology of endometriosis patients was assessed in two groups. Both study group and control group consisted of 129 in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles each. Patients were matched according to anti-Müllerian hormone, female age, previous treatment cycles, and method of fertilization. Endometriosis was graded according to the revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine guidelines of 1997. Patients with endometriosis had a significantly lower rate of mature oocytes (p < 0.03) and morphologically normal oocytes (p < 0.001). In particular, brownish oocytes (p < 0.009; stage I-IV) and the presence of refractile bodies (p < 0.001; stage IV) were found to be increased. Endometriosis stage IV was associated with significantly worse-quality oocytes than stages I-III (p < 0.01). Fertilization was significantly reduced in conventional in vitro fertilization but not in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (p < 0.03). This was due to lower fertilization rates in stage III-IV endometriosis compared with stage I-II (p < 0.04). No difference was observed with respect to rates of implantation, clinical pregnancy, miscarriage, live birth, and malformation. Endometriosis patients, in particular those with severe endometriosis, present lower-quality oocytes. Once fertilized, no impairment

  12. Matching Automatic Gain Control Across Devices in Bimodal Cochlear Implant Users.

    PubMed

    Veugen, Lidwien C E; Chalupper, Josef; Snik, Ad F M; Opstal, A John van; Mens, Lucas H M

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to improve bimodal benefit in listeners using a cochlear implant (CI) and a hearing aid (HA) in contralateral ears, by matching the time constants and the number of compression channels of the automatic gain control (AGC) of the HA to the CI. Equivalent AGC was hypothesized to support a balanced loudness for dynamically changing signals like speech and improve bimodal benefit for speech understanding in quiet and with noise presented from the side(s) at 90 degree. Fifteen subjects participated in the study, all using the same Advanced Bionics Harmony CI processor and HA (Phonak Naida S IX UP). In a 3-visit crossover design with 4 weeks between sessions, performance was measured using a HA with a standard AGC (syllabic multichannel compression with 1 ms attack time and 50 ms release time) or an AGC that was adjusted to match that of the CI processor (dual AGC broadband compression, 3 and 240 msec attack time, 80 and 1500 msec release time). In all devices, the AGC was activated above the threshold of 63 dB SPL. The authors balanced loudness across the devices for soft and loud input sounds in 3 frequency bands (0 to 548, 548 to 1000, and >1000 Hz). Speech understanding was tested in free field in quiet and in noise for three spatial speaker configurations, with target speech always presented from the front. Single-talker noise was either presented from the CI side or the HA side, or uncorrelated stationary speech-weighted noise or single-talker noise was presented from both sides. Questionnaires were administered to assess differences in perception between the two bimodal fittings. Significant bimodal benefit over the CI alone was only found for the AGC-matched HA for the speech tests with single-talker noise. Compared with the standard HA, matched AGC characteristics significantly improved speech understanding in single-talker noise by 1.9 dB when noise was presented from the HA side. AGC matching increased bimodal benefit

  13. Quantifying Normal Craniofacial Form and Baseline Craniofacial Asymmetry in the Pediatric Population.

    PubMed

    Cho, Min-Jeong; Hallac, Rami R; Ramesh, Jananie; Seaward, James R; Hermann, Nuno V; Darvann, Tron A; Lipira, Angelo; Kane, Alex A

    2018-03-01

    Restoring craniofacial symmetry is an important objective in the treatment of many craniofacial conditions. Normal form has been measured using anthropometry, cephalometry, and photography, yet all of these modalities have drawbacks. In this study, the authors define normal pediatric craniofacial form and craniofacial asymmetry using stereophotogrammetric images, which capture a densely sampled set of points on the form. After institutional review board approval, normal, healthy children (n = 533) with no known craniofacial abnormalities were recruited at well-child visits to undergo full head stereophotogrammetric imaging. The children's ages ranged from 0 to 18 years. A symmetric three-dimensional template was registered and scaled to each individual scan using 25 manually placed landmarks. The template was deformed to each subject's three-dimensional scan using a thin-plate spline algorithm and closest point matching. Age-based normal facial models were derived. Mean facial asymmetry and statistical characteristics of the population were calculated. The mean head asymmetry across all pediatric subjects was 1.5 ± 0.5 mm (range, 0.46 to 4.78 mm), and the mean facial asymmetry was 1.2 ± 0.6 mm (range, 0.4 to 5.4 mm). There were no significant differences in the mean head or facial asymmetry with age, sex, or race. Understanding the "normal" form and baseline distribution of asymmetry is an important anthropomorphic foundation. The authors present a method to quantify normal craniofacial form and baseline asymmetry in a large pediatric sample. The authors found that the normal pediatric craniofacial form is asymmetric, and does not change in magnitude with age, sex, or race.

  14. The Power of Exclusion using Automated Osteometric Sorting: Pair-Matching.

    PubMed

    Lynch, Jeffrey James; Byrd, John; LeGarde, Carrie B

    2018-03-01

    This study compares the original pair-matching osteometric sorting model (J Forensic Sci 2003;48:717) against two new models providing validation and performance testing across three samples. The samples include the Forensic Data Bank, USS Oklahoma, and the osteometric sorting reference used within the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. A computer science solution to generating dynamic statistical models across a commingled assemblage is presented. The issue of normality is investigated showing the relative robustness against non-normality and a data transformation to control for normality. A case study is provided showing the relative exclusion power of all three models from an active commingled case within the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. In total, 14,357,220 osteometric t-tests were conducted. The results indicate that osteometric sorting performs as expected despite reference samples deviating from normality. The two new models outperform the original, and one of those is recommended to supersede the original for future osteometric sorting work. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

  15. Geomagnetic polarity epochs: age and duration of the olduvai normal polarity event

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gromme, C.S.; Hay, R.L.

    1971-01-01

    New data show that the Olduvai normal geomagnetic polarity event is represented in Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, by rocks covering a time span of roughly from 0.1 to 0.2 my and is no older than 2.0 my. Hence the long normal polarity event of this age that is seen in deep-sea sediment cores and in magnetic profiles over oceanic ridges should be called the Olduvai event. The lava from which the Gilsa?? event was defined may have been erupted during the Olduvai event and, if so, the term Gilsa?? should now be abandoned. Many dated lavas that were originally assigned to the Olduvai event represent one or two much shorter normal polarity events that preceded the Olduvai event; these are herein named the Re??union normal polarity events. This revision brings the geomagnetic reversal time scale into conformity with the one implied by assumptions of uniform sedimentation rates on the ocean floor and uniform rates of sea-floor spreading. ?? 1971.

  16. Destination memory and cognitive theory of mind in normal ageing.

    PubMed

    El Haj, Mohamad; Raffard, Stéphane; Gély-Nargeot, Marie-Christine

    2016-01-01

    Destination memory is the ability to remember the destination to which a piece of information has been addressed (e.g., "Did I tell you about the promotion?"). This ability is found to be impaired in normal ageing. Our work aimed to link this deterioration to the decline in theory of mind. Forty younger adults (M age = 23.13 years, SD = 4.00) and 36 older adults (M age = 69.53 years, SD = 8.93) performed a destination memory task. They also performed the False-belief test addressing cognitive theory of mind and the Reading the mind in the eyes test addressing affective theory of mind. Results showed significant deterioration in destination memory, cognitive theory of mind and affective theory of mind in the older adults. The older adults' performance on destination memory was significantly correlated with and predicted by their performance on cognitive theory of mind. Difficulties in the ability to interpret and predict others' mental states are related to destination memory decline in older adults.

  17. WAIS Performance in Unincarcerated Groups of MMPI-Defined Sociopaths and Normal Controls

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allain, Albert N.

    1974-01-01

    This investigation examines WAIS performance in groups of 32 sociopaths and 33 normal controls defined by Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory criteria. Sociopaths and normal controls show no differences in overall level of intellectual functioning. (Author)

  18. Delayed Audiovisual Integration of Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease Compared with Normal Aged Controls

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Jinglong; Yang, Jiajia; Yu, Yinghua; Li, Qi; Nakamura, Naoya; Shen, Yong; Ohta, Yasuyuki; Yu, Shengyuan; Abe, Koji

    2013-01-01

    The human brain can anatomically combine task-relevant information from different sensory pathways to form a unified perception; this process is called multisensory integration. The aim of the present study was to test whether the multisensory integration abilities of patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) differed from those of normal aged controls (NC). A total of 64 subjects were divided into three groups: NC individuals (n = 24), MCI patients (n = 19), and probable AD patients (n = 21). All of the subjects were asked to perform three separate audiovisual integration tasks and were instructed to press the response key associated with the auditory, visual, or audiovisual stimuli in the three tasks. The accuracy and response time (RT) of each task were measured, and the RTs were analyzed using cumulative distribution functions to observe the audiovisual integration. Our results suggest that the mean RT of patients with AD was significantly longer than those of patients with MCI and NC individuals. Interestingly, we found that patients with both MCI and AD exhibited adequate audiovisual integration, and a greater peak (time bin with the highest percentage of benefit) and broader temporal window (time duration of benefit) of multisensory enhancement were observed. However, the onset time and peak benefit of audiovisual integration in MCI and AD patients occurred significantly later than did those of the NC. This finding indicates that the cognitive functional deficits of patients with MCI and AD contribute to the differences in performance enhancements of audiovisual integration compared with NC. PMID:22810093

  19. A cognitive neuropsychological approach to the study of delusions in late-onset schizophrenia.

    PubMed

    Phillips, M L; Howard, R; David, A S

    1997-09-01

    Hypotheses to explain delusion formation include distorted perceptual processing of meaningful stimuli (e.g. faces), abnormal reasoning, or a combination of both. The study investigated these hypotheses using standardized neuropsychological tests. A three-patient case-study, compared with a small group (n = 8) of age-matched normal control subjects. Hospital in- and outpatients. Age-matched normal controls were from local residential homes. Three subjects with late-onset schizophrenia, two currently deluded and one in remission. Both deluded subjects had persecutory beliefs. One had a delusion of misidentification. All subjects were administered standardized neuropsychological tests of facial processing and tests of verbal reasoning. The test scores of the three patients were compared with published normal values and the age-matched control data. The tests demonstrated impaired matching of unfamiliar faces in deluded subjects, particularly in the subject with delusional misidentification. Increasing the emotional content of logical reasoning problems had a significant effect on the deluded subjects' reasoning but not that of the normal controls. The findings suggest impaired visual processing plus abnormal reasoning in deluded subjects. However, these impairments are relatively subtle given the severity of psychiatric disorder in the patients studied.

  20. Specific Patterns of Emotion Recognition from Faces in Children with ASD: Results of a Cross-Modal Matching Paradigm

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Golan, Ofer; Gordon, Ilanit; Fichman, Keren; Keinan, Giora

    2018-01-01

    Children with ASD show emotion recognition difficulties, as part of their social communication deficits. We examined facial emotion recognition (FER) in intellectually disabled children with ASD and in younger typically developing (TD) controls, matched on mental age. Our emotion-matching paradigm employed three different modalities: facial, vocal…

  1. Premature aging of cardiovascular/platelet function in polycystic ovarian syndrome.

    PubMed

    Chan, Wai Ping A; Ngo, Doan T; Sverdlov, Aaron L; Rajendran, Sharmalar; Stafford, Irene; Heresztyn, Tamila; Chirkov, Yuliy Y; Horowitz, John D

    2013-07-01

    The objective of this study was to compare the impact of aging on nitric oxide (NO) modulation of platelet and vascular function in healthy women and women with polycystic ovary syndrome. A case-control study of women ages 18 to 60 years, comparing women with polycystic ovarian syndrome against age-matched healthy controls, was performed. A total of 242 women, of whom 109 had polycystic ovarian syndrome (based on Rotterdam criteria), participated in the study. Women who were pregnant or on clopidogrel were excluded from the study. Inhibition of platelet aggregation by nitric oxide (primary outcome measure), vascular endothelial function, plasma concentrations of N(G), N(G)-dimethyl-L-arginine (ADMA), endothelial progenitor cell count, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (markers of endothelial dysfunction and inflammation) were assessed. With increasing age in control women, there was progressive attenuation of platelet responses to NO, impairment of endothelial function, and elevation of ADMA levels (P ≤.001). Irrespective of age, women with polycystic ovarian syndrome exhibited greater impairment of all these parameters (all P <.05, 2-way analysis of variance) and demonstrated these anomalies earlier in life. Normal aging in women is associated with attenuation of NO-based signaling in platelets and blood vessels. In women with polycystic ovarian syndrome, these changes are present from early adult life and may contribute to premature atherogenesis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Normal breast tissue DNA methylation differences at regulatory elements are associated with the cancer risk factor age.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Kevin C; Houseman, E Andres; King, Jessica E; Christensen, Brock C

    2017-07-10

    The underlying biological mechanisms through which epidemiologically defined breast cancer risk factors contribute to disease risk remain poorly understood. Identification of the molecular changes associated with cancer risk factors in normal tissues may aid in determining the earliest events of carcinogenesis and informing cancer prevention strategies. Here we investigated the impact cancer risk factors have on the normal breast epigenome by analyzing DNA methylation genome-wide (Infinium 450 K array) in cancer-free women from the Susan G. Komen Tissue Bank (n = 100). We tested the relation of established breast cancer risk factors, age, body mass index, parity, and family history of disease, with DNA methylation adjusting for potential variation in cell-type proportions. We identified 787 cytosine-guanine dinucleotide (CpG) sites that demonstrated significant associations (Q value <0.01) with subject age. Notably, DNA methylation was not strongly associated with the other evaluated breast cancer risk factors. Age-related DNA methylation changes are primarily increases in methylation enriched at breast epithelial cell enhancer regions (P = 7.1E-20), and binding sites of chromatin remodelers (MYC and CTCF). We validated the age-related associations in two independent populations, using normal breast tissue samples (n = 18) and samples of normal tissue adjacent to tumor tissue (n = 97). The genomic regions classified as age-related were more likely to be regions altered in both pre-invasive (n = 40, P = 3.0E-03) and invasive breast tumors (n = 731, P = 1.1E-13). DNA methylation changes with age occur at regulatory regions, and are further exacerbated in cancer, suggesting that age influences breast cancer risk in part through its contribution to epigenetic dysregulation in normal breast tissue.

  3. Metabolic differences between short children with GH peak levels in the lower normal range and healthy children of normal height.

    PubMed

    Tidblad, Anders; Gustafsson, Jan; Marcus, Claude; Ritzén, Martin; Ekström, Klas

    2017-06-01

    Severe growth hormone deficiency (GHD) leads to several metabolic effects in the body ranging from abnormal body composition to biochemical disturbances. However, less is known regarding these parameters in short children with GH peak levels in the lower normal range during provocation tests. Our aim was to study the metabolic profile of this group and compare it with that of healthy children of normal height. Thirty-five pre-pubertal short children (<-2.5 SDS) aged between 7 and 10years, with peak levels of GH between 7 and 14μg/L in an arginine insulin tolerance test (AITT), were compared with twelve age- and sex-matched children of normal height. The metabolic profile of the subjects was analysed by blood samples, DEXA, frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test, microdialysis and stable isotope examinations of rates of glucose production and lipolysis. There were no overall significant metabolic differences between the groups. However, in the subgroup analysis, the short children with GH peaks <10μg/L had significantly lower fasting insulin levels which also correlated to other metabolic parameters. The short pre-pubertal children with GH peak levels between 7 and 14μg/L did not differ significantly from healthy children of normal height but subpopulations within this group show significant metabolic differences. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Can Functional Cardiac Age be Predicted from ECG in a Normal Healthy Population

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schlegel, Todd; Starc, Vito; Leban, Manja; Sinigoj, Petra; Vrhovec, Milos

    2011-01-01

    In a normal healthy population, we desired to determine the most age-dependent conventional and advanced ECG parameters. We hypothesized that changes in several ECG parameters might correlate with age and together reliably characterize the functional age of the heart. Methods: An initial study population of 313 apparently healthy subjects was ultimately reduced to 148 subjects (74 men, 84 women, in the range from 10 to 75 years of age) after exclusion criteria. In all subjects, ECG recordings (resting 5-minute 12-lead high frequency ECG) were evaluated via custom software programs to calculate up to 85 different conventional and advanced ECG parameters including beat-to-beat QT and RR variability, waveform complexity, and signal-averaged, high-frequency and spatial/spatiotemporal ECG parameters. The prediction of functional age was evaluated by multiple linear regression analysis using the best 5 univariate predictors. Results: Ignoring what were ultimately small differences between males and females, the functional age was found to be predicted (R2= 0.69, P < 0.001) from a linear combination of 5 independent variables: QRS elevation in the frontal plane (p<0.001), a new repolarization parameter QTcorr (p<0.001), mean high frequency QRS amplitude (p=0.009), the variability parameter % VLF of RRV (p=0.021) and the P-wave width (p=0.10). Here, QTcorr represents the correlation between the calculated QT and the measured QT signal. Conclusions: In apparently healthy subjects with normal conventional ECGs, functional cardiac age can be estimated by multiple linear regression analysis of mostly advanced ECG results. Because some parameters in the regression formula, such as QTcorr, high frequency QRS amplitude and P-wave width also change with disease in the same direction as with increased age, increased functional age of the heart may reflect subtle age-related pathologies in cardiac electrical function that are usually hidden on conventional ECG.

  5. Video game addiction in emerging adulthood: Cross-sectional evidence of pathology in video game addicts as compared to matched healthy controls.

    PubMed

    Stockdale, Laura; Coyne, Sarah M

    2018-01-01

    The Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (IGDS) is a widely used measure of video game addiction, a pathology affecting a small percentage of all people who play video games. Emerging adult males are significantly more likely to be video game addicts. Few researchers have examined how people who qualify as video game addicts based on the IGDS compared to matched controls based on age, gender, race, and marital status. The current study compared IGDS video game addicts to matched non-addicts in terms of their mental, physical, social-emotional health using self-report, survey methods. Addicts had poorer mental health and cognitive functioning including poorer impulse control and ADHD symptoms compared to controls. Additionally, addicts displayed increased emotional difficulties including increased depression and anxiety, felt more socially isolated, and were more likely to display internet pornography pathological use symptoms. Female video game addicts were at unique risk for negative outcomes. The sample for this study was undergraduate college students and self-report measures were used. Participants who met the IGDS criteria for video game addiction displayed poorer emotional, physical, mental, and social health, adding to the growing evidence that video game addictions are a valid phenomenon. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Dissociation of motor and sensory inhibition processes in normal aging.

    PubMed

    Anguera, Joaquin A; Gazzaley, Adam

    2012-04-01

    Age-related cognitive impairments have been attributed to deficits in inhibitory processes that mediate both motor restraint and sensory filtering. However, behavioral studies have failed to show an association between tasks that measure these distinct types of inhibition. In the present study, we hypothesized neural markers reflecting each type of inhibition may reveal a relationship across inhibitory domains in older adults. Electroencephalography (EEG) and behavioral measures were used to explore whether there was an across-participant correlation between sensory suppression and motor inhibition. Sixteen healthy older adult participants (65-80 years) engaged in two separate experimental paradigms: a selective attention, delayed-recognition task and a stop-signal task. Findings revealed no significant relationship existed between neural markers of sensory suppression (P1 amplitude; N170 latency) and markers of motor inhibition (N2 and P3 amplitude and latency) in older adults. These distinct inhibitory domains are differentially impacted in normal aging, as evidenced by previous behavioral work and the current neural findings. Thus a generalized inhibitory deficit may not be a common impairment in cognitive aging. Given that some theories of cognitive aging suggest age-related failure of inhibitory mechanisms may span different modalities, the present findings contribute to an alternative view where age-related declines within each inhibitory modality are unrelated. Copyright © 2011 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Increased aging in primary muscle cultures of sporadic inclusion-body myositis.

    PubMed

    Morosetti, Roberta; Broccolini, Aldobrando; Sancricca, Cristina; Gliubizzi, Carla; Gidaro, Teresa; Tonali, Pietro A; Ricci, Enzo; Mirabella, Massimiliano

    2010-07-01

    Ageing is thought to participate to the pathogenesis of sporadic inclusion-body myositis (s-IBM). Although the regenerative potential of s-IBM muscle is reduced in vivo, age-related abnormalities of satellite cells possibly accounting for the decline of muscle repair have not been demonstrated. Here we show that proliferation rate and clonogenicity of s-IBM myoblasts are significantly lower and doubling time is longer than normal age-matched controls, indicating that proliferative capacity of s-IBM muscles becomes exhausted earlier. Telomere shortening is detected in s-IBM cells suggesting premature senescence. Differently from controls, s-IBM myoblasts show increased active beta-catenin mainly localized within myonuclei, indicating active Wnt stimulation. After many rounds of muscle growth, only s-IBM myoblasts accumulate congophilic inclusions and immunoreactive Abeta(1-40) deposits. Therefore, s-IBM myoblasts seem to have a constitutively impaired regenerative capacity and the intrinsic property, upon sufficient aging in vitro, to accumulate Abeta. Our results might be valuable in understanding molecular mechanisms associated with muscle aging underlying the defective regeneration of s-IBM muscle and provide new clues for future therapeutic strategies. Copyright 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. A Randomized Controlled Trial of Employer Matching of Employees' Monetary Contributions to Deposit Contracts to Promote Weight Loss.

    PubMed

    Kullgren, Jeffrey T; Troxel, Andrea B; Loewenstein, George; Norton, Laurie A; Gatto, Dana; Tao, Yuanyuan; Zhu, Jingsan; Schofield, Heather; Shea, Judy A; Asch, David A; Pellathy, Thomas; Driggers, Jay; Volpp, Kevin G

    2016-07-01

    To test whether employer matching of employees' monetary contributions increases employees' (1) participation in deposit contracts to promote weight loss and (2) weight loss. A 36-week randomized trial. Large employer in the northeast United States. One hundred thirty-two obese employees. Over 24 weeks, participants were asked to lose 24 pounds and randomized to monthly weigh-ins or daily weigh-ins with monthly opportunities to deposit $1 to $3 per day that was not matched, matched 1:1, or matched 2:1. Deposits and matched funds were returned to participants for each day they were below their goal weight. Rates of making ≥1 deposit, weight loss at 24 weeks (primary outcome), and 36 weeks. Deposit rates were compared using χ(2) tests. Weight loss was compared using t tests. Among participants eligible to make deposits, 29% made ≥1 deposit and matching did not increase participation. At 24 weeks, control participants gained an average of 1.0 pound, whereas 1:1 match participants lost an average of 5.3 pounds (P = .005). After 36 weeks, control participants gained an average of 2.1 pounds, whereas no match participants lost an average of 5.1 pounds (P = .008). Participation in deposit contracts to promote weight loss was low, and matching deposits did not increase participation. For deposit contracts to impact population health, ongoing participation will need to be higher. © The Author(s) 2016.

  9. Molecular insights into the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and its relationship to normal aging.

    PubMed

    Podtelezhnikov, Alexei A; Tanis, Keith Q; Nebozhyn, Michael; Ray, William J; Stone, David J; Loboda, Andrey P

    2011-01-01

    Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder that diverges from the process of normal brain aging by unknown mechanisms. We analyzed the global structure of age- and disease-dependent gene expression patterns in three regions from more than 600 brains. Gene expression variation could be almost completely explained by four transcriptional biomarkers that we named BioAge (biological age), Alz (Alzheimer), Inflame (inflammation), and NdStress (neurodegenerative stress). BioAge captures the first principal component of variation and includes genes statistically associated with neuronal loss, glial activation, and lipid metabolism. Normally BioAge increases with chronological age, but in AD it is prematurely expressed as if some of the subjects were 140 years old. A component of BioAge, Lipa, contains the AD risk factor APOE and reflects an apparent early disturbance in lipid metabolism. The rate of biological aging in AD patients, which cannot be explained by BioAge, is associated instead with NdStress, which includes genes related to protein folding and metabolism. Inflame, comprised of inflammatory cytokines and microglial genes, is broadly activated and appears early in the disease process. In contrast, the disease-specific biomarker Alz was selectively present only in the affected areas of the AD brain, appears later in pathogenesis, and is enriched in genes associated with the signaling and cell adhesion changes during the epithelial to mesenchymal (EMT) transition. Together these biomarkers provide detailed description of the aging process and its contribution to Alzheimer's disease progression. © 2011 Podtelezhnikov et al.

  10. Peripapillary Choroidal Thickness Variation With Age and Race in Normal Eyes

    PubMed Central

    Rhodes, Lindsay A.; Huisingh, Carrie; Johnstone, John; Fazio, Massimo A.; Smith, Brandon; Wang, Lan; Clark, Mark; Downs, J. Crawford; Owsley, Cynthia; Girard, Michael J. A.; Mari, Jean Martial; Girkin, Christopher A.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose. This study examined the association between peripapillary choroidal thickness (PCT) with age and race in a group of African descent (AD) and European descent (ED) subjects with normal eyes. Methods. Optic nerve head images from enhanced depth imaging spectral-domain optical coherence tomography of 166 normal eyes from 84 subjects of AD and ED were manually delineated to identify the principal surfaces of Bruch's membrane (BM), Bruch's membrane opening (BMO), and anterior sclera (AS). Peripapillary choroidal thickness was measured between BM and AS at increasing distance away from BMO. The mean PCT was compared between AD and ED subjects and generalized estimating equation (GEE) regression analysis was used to examine the association between race and PCT overall, in each quadrant, and by distance from BMO. Models were adjusted for age, BMO area, and axial length in the regression analysis. Results. Overall, the mean PCT increased from 63.9 μm ± 18.1 at 0 to 250 μm to 170.3 μm ± 56.7 at 1500 to 2000 μm from BMO. Individuals of AD had a greater mean PCT than those of ED at all distances from BMO (P < 0.05 at each distance) and in each quadrant (P < 0.05 in each quadrant). Results from multivariate regression indicate that ED subjects had significantly lower PCT compared to AD overall and in all quadrants and distances from BMO. Increasing age was also significantly associated with a lower PCT in both ED and AD participants. Conclusions. Peripapillary choroidal thickness varies with race and age, as individuals of AD have a thicker peripapillary choroid than those of ED. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00221923.) PMID:25711640

  11. The borderland between normal aging and dementia.

    PubMed

    Lo, Raymond Y

    2017-01-01

    Alzheimer's disease (AD) has become a global health issue as the population ages. There is no effective treatment to protect against its occurrence or progression. Some argue that the lack of treatment response is due to delays in diagnosis. By the time a diagnosis of AD is made, neurodegenerative changes are at the stage where very few neurons can be salvaged by medication. The AD research community has developed the idea of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in an attempt to find predementia patients who might benefit from potentially therapeutic drugs that have proven ineffective in the past. However, MCI is heterogeneous in terms of its underlying pathology and practicality for predicting dementia. This article first reviews the conceptual evolution of MCI as the borderland between normal aging and dementia, and then proposes that built environment and sociocultural context are two key elements in formulating a diagnosis of dementia. Dementia is more than a biomedical term. Cognitive impairment is considered a dynamic outcome of how an individual interacts with cognitive challenges. To focus on amyloid deposition as a single etiology for AD does not adequately capture the social implications and geriatric aspects of dementia. Moreover, MCI is nosologically questionable. Unlike a diagnosis of AD, for which a prototype has been well established, MCI is defined by operational criteria and there are no cases seen as typical MCI. Biofluid and imaging markers are under active development for early detection of amyloid deposition and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain, whereas vascular risks, chronic medical diseases, and polypharmacy continue to add to the complexity of dementia in old age. The paradigm of dementia care policy may shift to early diagnosis of AD pathology and comprehensive care for chronic diseases in the elderly population.

  12. The borderland between normal aging and dementia

    PubMed Central

    Lo, Raymond Y.

    2017-01-01

    Alzheimer's disease (AD) has become a global health issue as the population ages. There is no effective treatment to protect against its occurrence or progression. Some argue that the lack of treatment response is due to delays in diagnosis. By the time a diagnosis of AD is made, neurodegenerative changes are at the stage where very few neurons can be salvaged by medication. The AD research community has developed the idea of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in an attempt to find predementia patients who might benefit from potentially therapeutic drugs that have proven ineffective in the past. However, MCI is heterogeneous in terms of its underlying pathology and practicality for predicting dementia. This article first reviews the conceptual evolution of MCI as the borderland between normal aging and dementia, and then proposes that built environment and sociocultural context are two key elements in formulating a diagnosis of dementia. Dementia is more than a biomedical term. Cognitive impairment is considered a dynamic outcome of how an individual interacts with cognitive challenges. To focus on amyloid deposition as a single etiology for AD does not adequately capture the social implications and geriatric aspects of dementia. Moreover, MCI is nosologically questionable. Unlike a diagnosis of AD, for which a prototype has been well established, MCI is defined by operational criteria and there are no cases seen as typical MCI. Biofluid and imaging markers are under active development for early detection of amyloid deposition and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain, whereas vascular risks, chronic medical diseases, and polypharmacy continue to add to the complexity of dementia in old age. The paradigm of dementia care policy may shift to early diagnosis of AD pathology and comprehensive care for chronic diseases in the elderly population. PMID:28757769

  13. 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.

  14. 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

  15. Risk factors of direct heat-related hospital admissions during the 2009 heatwave in Adelaide, Australia: a matched case-control study.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Ying; Nitschke, Monika; Krackowizer, Antoinette; Dear, Keith; Pisaniello, Dino; Weinstein, Philip; Tucker, Graeme; Shakib, Sepehr; Bi, Peng

    2016-06-02

    The extreme heatwave of 2009 in South Australia dramatically increased morbidity, with a 14-fold increase in direct heat-related hospitalisation in metropolitan Adelaide. Our study aimed to identify risk factors for the excess morbidity. A matched case-control study of risk factors was conducted. Patients and matched community controls were interviewed to gather data on demographics, living environment, social support, health status and behaviour changes during the heatwave. Cases were all hospital admissions with heat-related diagnoses during the 5-day heatwave in 2009. Controls were randomly selected from communities. Descriptive analyses, simple and multiple conditional logistic regressions were performed. Adjusted ORs (AORs) were estimated. In total, 143 hospital patients and 143 matched community controls were interviewed, with a mean age of 73 years (SD 21), 96% European ethnicity, 63% retired, 36% with high school or higher education, and 8% institutional living. The regression model indicated that compared with the controls, cases were more likely to have heart disease (AOR=13.56, 95% CI 1.27 to 144.86) and dementia (AOR=26.43, 95% CI 1.99 to 350.73). The protective factors included higher education level (AOR=0.48, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.99), having air-conditioner in the bedroom (AOR=0.12, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.74), having an emergency button (AOR=0.09, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.96), using refreshment (AOR=0.10, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.84), and having more social activities (AOR=0.11, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.57). Pre-existing heart disease and dementia significantly increase the risk of direct heat-related hospitalisations during heatwaves. The presence of an air-conditioner in the bedroom, more social activities, a higher education level, use of emergency buttons and refreshments reduce the risk during heatwaves. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  16. Symptom Severity and Quality of Life Among Long-term Colorectal Cancer Survivors Compared With Matched Control Subjects: A Population-Based Study.

    PubMed

    Hart, Tae L; Charles, Susan T; Gunaratne, Mekhala; Baxter, Nancy N; Cotterchio, Michelle; Cohen, Zane; Gallinger, Steven

    2018-03-01

    Data are lacking regarding physical functioning, psychological well-being, and quality of life among colorectal cancer survivors >10 years postdiagnosis. The purpose of this study was to examine self-reported physical functioning, quality of life, and psychological well-being in long-term colorectal cancer survivors compared with age- and sex-matched unaffected control subjects. Participants completed a cross-sectional survey. The colorectal cancer survivors and unaffected control subjects were recruited from the Ontario Familial Colorectal Cancer Registry. A population-based sample of colorectal cancer survivors (N = 296) and their age- and sex-matched unaffected control subjects (N = 255) were included. Survivors were, on average, 15 years postdiagnosis. Quality of life was measured with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General scale, bowel dysfunction with the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center scale, urinary dysfunction with the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form, fatigue with the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue scale, and depression with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale. In linear mixed-model analyses adjusting for income, education, race, and comorbid medical conditions, survivors reported good emotional, functional, physical, and overall quality of life, comparable to control subjects. Fatigue and urinary functioning did not differ significantly between survivors and control subjects. Survivors reported significantly higher social quality of life and lower depression compared with unaffected control subjects. The only area where survivors reported significantly worse deficits was in bowel dysfunction, but the magnitude of differences was relatively small. Generalizability is limited by moderately low participation rates. Findings are likely biased toward healthy participants. No baseline assessment was available to examine change in outcomes over time. Long

  17. A healthcare utilization cost comparison between employees receiving a worksite mindfulness or a diet/exercise lifestyle intervention to matched controls 5 years post intervention.

    PubMed

    Klatt, Maryanna D; Sieck, Cynthia; Gascon, Gregg; Malarkey, William; Huerta, Timothy

    2016-08-01

    To compare healthcare costs and utilization among participants in a study of two active lifestyle interventions implemented in the workplace and designed to foster awareness of and attention to health with a propensity score matched control group. We retrospectively compared changes in healthcare (HC) utilization among participants in the mindfulness intervention (n=84) and the diet/exercise intervention (n=86) to a retrospectively matched control group (n=258) drawn for this study. The control group was matched from the non-participant population on age, gender, relative risk score, and HC expenditures in the 9 month preceding the study. Measures included number of primary care visits, number and cost of pharmacy prescriptions, number of hospital admissions, and overall healthcare costs tracked for 5 years after the intervention. Significantly fewer primary care visits (p<.001) for both intervention groups as compared to controls, with a non-significant trend towards lower overall HC utilization (4,300.00 actual dollar differences) and hospital admissions for the intervention groups after five years. Pharmacy costs and number of prescriptions were significantly higher for the two intervention groups compared to controls over the five years (p<0.05), yet still resulted in less HC utilization costs, potentially indicating greater self-management of care. This study provides valuable information as to the cost savings and value of providing workplace lifestyle interventions that focus on awareness of one's body and health. Health economic studies validate the scale of personal and organization health cost savings that such programs can generate. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Termination Proofs for String Rewriting Systems via Inverse Match-Bounds

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Butler, Ricky (Technical Monitor); Geser, Alfons; Hofbauer, Dieter; Waldmann, Johannes

    2004-01-01

    Annotating a letter by a number, one can record information about its history during a reduction. A string rewriting system is called match-bounded if there is a global upper bound to these numbers. In earlier papers we established match-boundedness as a strong sufficient criterion for both termination and preservation of regular languages. We show now that the string rewriting system whose inverse (left and right hand sides exchanged) is match-bounded, also have exceptional properties, but slightly different ones. Inverse match-bounded systems effectively preserve context-free languages; their sets of normalized strings and their sets of immortal strings are effectively regular. These sets of strings can be used to decide the normalization, the termination and the uniform termination problems of inverse match-bounded systems. We also show that the termination problem is decidable in linear time, and that a certain strong reachability problem is deciable, thus solving two open problems of McNaughton's.

  19. Enhanced and bilateralized visual sensory processing in the ventral stream may be a feature of normal aging.

    PubMed

    De Sanctis, Pierfilippo; Katz, Richard; Wylie, Glenn R; Sehatpour, Pejman; Alexopoulos, George S; Foxe, John J

    2008-10-01

    Evidence has emerged for age-related amplification of basic sensory processing indexed by early components of the visual evoked potential (VEP). However, since these age-related effects have been incidental to the main focus of these studies, it is unclear whether they are performance dependent or alternately, represent intrinsic sensory processing changes. High-density VEPs were acquired from 19 healthy elderly and 15 young control participants who viewed alphanumeric stimuli in the absence of any active task. The data show both enhanced and delayed neural responses within structures of the ventral visual stream, with reduced hemispheric asymmetry in the elderly that may be indicative of a decline in hemispheric specialization. Additionally, considerably enhanced early frontal cortical activation was observed in the elderly, suggesting frontal hyper-activation. These age-related differences in early sensory processing are discussed in terms of recent proposals that normal aging involves large-scale compensatory reorganization. Our results suggest that such compensatory mechanisms are not restricted to later higher-order cognitive processes but may also be a feature of early sensory-perceptual processes.

  20. Adenomatous-Dominant Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (AdBPH) as a Predictor for Clinical Success Following Prostate Artery Embolization: An Age-Matched Case–Control Study

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

    Little, M. W., E-mail: m.little@doctors.org.uk; Boardman, P.; Macdonald, A. C.

    PurposeTo investigate the clinical impact of performing prostate artery embolization (PAE) on patients with adenomatous-dominant benign prostatic hyperplasia (AdBPH).Materials and MethodsTwelve patients from the ongoing proSTatic aRtery EmbolizAtion for the treatMent of benign prostatic hyperplasia (STREAM) trial were identified as having AdBPH; defined as two or more adenomas within the central gland of ≥1 cm diameter on multi-parametric MRI (MP-MRI). These patients were age-matched with patients from the STREAM cohort, without AdBPH. Patients were followed up with repeat MP-MRI at 3 months and 1 year. International prostate symptom score (IPSS), international index for erectile function (IIEF), and quality of life assessment from themore » IPSS and EQ-5D-5S questionnaires were recorded pre-PAE and at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 1 year.ResultsThe mean age of patients was 68 (61–76). All patients had PAE as a day-case procedure. The technical success in the cohort was 23/24 (96%). There was a significant reduction in prostate volume following embolization with a median reduction of 34% (30–55) in the AdBPH group, compared to a mean volume reduction of 22% (9–44) in the non-AdBPH group (p = 0.04). There was a significant reduction in IPSS in the AdBPH group following PAE when compared with the control group [AdBPH median IPSS 8 (3–15) vs. non-AdBPH median IPSS 13 (8–18), p = 0.01]. IPSS QOL scores significantly improved in the AdBPH group (p = 0.007). There was no deterioration in sexual function in either group post-PAE.ConclusionsThis is the first time that AdBPH has been identified as being a predictor of clinical success following PAE.« less

  1. Postmenopausal women with osteopenia and a healed wrist fracture have reduced physical function and quality of life compared to a matched, healthy control group with no fracture

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Fractures lead to reduced physical function and quality of life (QOL), but little is known about postmenopausal women with osteopenia and a healed wrist fracture. The purpose was to evaluate physical function in terms of quadriceps strength, dynamic balance, physical capacity and QOL in postmenopausal women with osteopenia and a healed wrist fracture compared to a matched, healthy control group with no previous fracture. Methods Eighteen postmenopausal women with osteopenia (patients) (mean age 59.1 years, range 54 – 65) and a healed wrist fracture were matched to 18 healthy control subjects on age (mean age 58.5 years, range 51 – 65), height, weight and body mass index (BMI). We measured quadriceps strength at 60°/sec and at 180°/sec with Biodex 6000, dynamic balance with the Four Square Step Test (FSST), physical capacity with the six-minute walk test (6MWT) followed by the Borg’s scale (BS), and QOL with the Short Form 36 (SF-36), bone mineral density (BMD) with dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and physical activity level with the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly. Results The patients had 17.6% lower quadriceps strength at 60°/sec (p = 0.025) at left limb and 18.5% at 180°/sec (p = 0.016) at right limb, and 21% lower at 180°/sec (p = 0.010) at left limb compared to the controls. Impaired performance for the patients was found with 2.4 seconds (p = 0.002) on the FSST, 74 metres (p < 0.001) on the 6MWT, and 1.4 points (p = 0.003) on the BS compared to the controls. The patients scored lower on the sub-scales on the SF-36 role limitations-physical (p = 0.014), bodily pain (p = 0.025) and vitality (p = 0.015) compared to the controls. Conclusions The patients with osteopenia and a healed wrist fracture scored significantly lower on quadriceps strength, dynamic balance, physical capacity and QOL compared to the matched controls. Greater focus should be put on this patient group in terms of

  2. Energy demands during a judo match and recovery.

    PubMed

    Degoutte, F; Jouanel, P; Filaire, E

    2003-06-01

    To assess energy demand during a judo match and the kinetics of recovery by measuring the metabolites of the oxypurine cascade, lipolytic activity, and glycolytic pathway. Venous blood samples were taken from 16 national judoists (mean (SEM) age 18.4 (1.6) years), before (T(1)) and three minutes (T(2)), one hour (T(3)), and 24 hours (T(4)) after a match. A seven day diet record was used to evaluate nutrient intake. Nutrient analysis indicated that these athletes followed a low carbohydrate diet. Plasma lactate concentration had increased to 12.3 (1.8) mmol/l at the end of the match. An increase in the levels of extracellular markers of muscle adenine nucleotide catabolism, urea, and creatinine was observed at T(2), while uric acid levels remained unchanged. High concentrations of urea persisted for 24 hours during the recovery period. Ammonia, hypoxanthine, xanthine, and creatinine returned to control levels within the 24 hour recovery period. Uric acid concentrations rose from T(3) and had not returned to baseline 24 hours after the match. The levels of triglycerides, glycerol, and free fatty acids had increased significantly (p<0.05) after the match (T(2)) but returned to baseline values within 24 hours. Concentrations of high density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol were significantly increased after the match. These results show that a judo match induces both protein and lipid metabolism. Carbohydrate availability, training adaptation, and metabolic stress may explain the requirement for these types of metabolism.

  3. [GHBP, IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 serum levels in familial short-statured and normal-statured children].

    PubMed

    del Valle Núñez, Cristóbal Jorge; López-Siguero, Juan Pedro; López-Canti, Luis Fernando; Lechuga Campoy, José Luis; Espigares Martín, Rosa; Martínez-Aedo Ollero, María José

    2004-10-09

    Growth hormone binding protein (GHBP), insuline-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and insuline-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) serum concentrations were studied in familial short-statured patients (FSS) and age-matched normal-statured subjects. The aim of the study was to ascertain whether differences in growth factors concentrations between groups could be shown and whether they may contribute to explaining the different patterns of growth in both groups. Serum samples of 38 FSS patients (20 boys) and 31 normal-statured subjects (15 boys) in Tanner I stage (prepubertal), were analysed in a central laboratory. All auxological parameters (height, growth velocity, target height, body mass index (BMI) and biochemical parameters (IGF-1 and IGFBP-3) were standardised for age and sex-matched subjects. GHBP values were expressed as percentage of specific binding. The studied populations were similar and no statistically-significant differences in chronological age, bone age and BMI were found. Height, growth velocity and target height were significantly lower in FSS patients compared with normal subjects (p < 0.0001). IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and GHBP concentrations were significantly lower in the FSS group (p < 0.01). Correlations were found between IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 (r = 0.56; p = 0.0004) and between IGF-1 and GHBP (r = 0.34; p = 0.03) in the FSS group. However, in the normal-statured group only BMI and GHBP were correlated (r = 0.5; p = 0.02). These results strongly support the importance of the GH/IGF-1 functional axis in the pattern of growth and probably contribute to understanding of the pathophysiologic basis of the auxological differences found between groups.

  4. Case-controlled clinical and histopathological study of conjunctivochalasis.

    PubMed

    Francis, I C; Chan, D G; Kim, P; Wilcsek, G; Filipic, M; Yong, J; Coroneo, M T

    2005-03-01

    Conjunctivochalasis, a secondary cause of the watery eye, is frequently seen in the older age group as an elevation of the bulbar conjunctiva lying along the lateral or central lower lid margin. A prospective, interventional, case-controlled clinical and histopathological study was conducted. The relevant features of 18 patients (29 eyes) who had their conjunctivochalasis resected as part of the surgical management of their watery eye syndrome were examined. In the control group, tissue was obtained from an age matched series of 24 normal subjects undergoing routine cataract surgery. 24 controls (24 specimens) and 18 patients (29 specimens) had conjunctival strip biopsies, taken from the usual lid margin level bulbar conjunctiva in line with the inferior limbus (controls), and the clinically apparent conjunctivochalasis (patients). These were submitted for histological study. 23 of 24 control sections demonstrated normal conjunctival variation. Four of 29 patient specimens demonstrated a chronic non-granulomatous conjunctivitis, while three eyes of the patient group (two patients) demonstrated features of elastosis. Of the four patients who had the inflammatory infiltrates, three had functional nasolacrimal duct obstructions (FNLDOs) and one had a primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (PANDO). Of the two patients who had elastosis, one had an FNLDO and the other had normal lacrimal drainage and was Jones 1 positive. Six of 18 patients--that is, seven of 29 specimens of conjunctivochalasis demonstrated signs of elastosis or of chronic non-granulomatous inflammation. Clinically, patients had a spectrum of aetiologies of their watery eye syndrome.

  5. Toxoplasma gondii Infection and Headache: A Matched Case-Control Study in a Public Hospital in Durango City, Mexico

    PubMed Central

    Alvarado-Esquivel, Cosme; Rico-Almochantaf, Yazmin del Rosario; Sanchez-Anguiano, Luis Francisco; Quinones-Canales, Gerardo; Hernandez-Tinoco, Jesus; Torres-Gonzalez, Jorge; Gonzalez-Silva, Maria Felix; Ramirez-Valles, Eda Guadalupe

    2018-01-01

    Background Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) can disseminate to brain in infected hosts. Little is known about the magnitude of the association between this infection and headache. Therefore, we sought to determine the association of T. gondii seropositivity and headache in patients attending neurological consultations in a public hospital in Durango City, Mexico. Methods Through an age- and gender-matched case-control study, 105 patients suffering from headache and 105 subjects without headache were examined for anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies using commercially available enzyme-linked immunoassays. Seropositive cases were analyzed for detection of T. gondii DNA by polymerase chain reaction. Results Anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies were found in five (4.8%) of the 105 cases and in seven (6.7%) of the 105 controls (odds ratio (OR) = 0.70; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.21 - 2.28; P = 0.76). The frequency of high (> 150 IU/mL) levels of anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies among anti-T. gondii IgG positive individuals was significantly (P = 0.01) higher in cases (5/5) than in controls (1/7). Anti-T. gondii IgM antibodies were found in one (20.0%) of the five IgG seropositive cases, and in three (42.9%) of the seven IgG seropositive controls (P = 0.60). T. gondii DNA was not detected in any of the five anti-T. gondii IgG positive cases. No association between T. gondii infection and specific headache types was found. Conclusions This is the first matched case-control study on the association between T. gondii infection and headache. Results suggest that high anti-T. gondii IgG antibody levels, but not T. gondii seropositivity, were associated with headache in the population studied. PMID:29238431

  6. Toxoplasma gondii Infection and Headache: A Matched Case-Control Study in a Public Hospital in Durango City, Mexico.

    PubMed

    Alvarado-Esquivel, Cosme; Rico-Almochantaf, Yazmin Del Rosario; Sanchez-Anguiano, Luis Francisco; Quinones-Canales, Gerardo; Hernandez-Tinoco, Jesus; Torres-Gonzalez, Jorge; Gonzalez-Silva, Maria Felix; Ramirez-Valles, Eda Guadalupe

    2018-01-01

    Toxoplasma gondii ( T. gondii ) can disseminate to brain in infected hosts. Little is known about the magnitude of the association between this infection and headache. Therefore, we sought to determine the association of T. gondii seropositivity and headache in patients attending neurological consultations in a public hospital in Durango City, Mexico. Through an age- and gender-matched case-control study, 105 patients suffering from headache and 105 subjects without headache were examined for anti- T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies using commercially available enzyme-linked immunoassays. Seropositive cases were analyzed for detection of T. gondii DNA by polymerase chain reaction. Anti- T. gondii IgG antibodies were found in five (4.8%) of the 105 cases and in seven (6.7%) of the 105 controls (odds ratio (OR) = 0.70; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.21 - 2.28; P = 0.76). The frequency of high (> 150 IU/mL) levels of anti- T. gondii IgG antibodies among anti- T. gondii IgG positive individuals was significantly (P = 0.01) higher in cases (5/5) than in controls (1/7). Anti- T. gondii IgM antibodies were found in one (20.0%) of the five IgG seropositive cases, and in three (42.9%) of the seven IgG seropositive controls (P = 0.60). T. gondii DNA was not detected in any of the five anti- T. gondii IgG positive cases. No association between T. gondii infection and specific headache types was found. This is the first matched case-control study on the association between T. gondii infection and headache. Results suggest that high anti- T. gondii IgG antibody levels, but not T. gondii seropositivity, were associated with headache in the population studied.

  7. Glutathione S-transferase Pi expression predicts response to adjuvant chemotherapy for stage C colon cancer: a matched historical control study

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background This study examined the association between overall survival and Glutathione S-transferase Pi (GST Pi) expression and genetic polymorphism in stage C colon cancer patients after resection alone versus resection plus 5-fluourouracil-based adjuvant chemotherapy. Methods Patients were drawn from a hospital registry of colorectal cancer resections. Those receiving chemotherapy after it was introduced in 1992 were compared with an age and sex matched control group from the preceding period. GST Pi expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Overall survival was analysed by the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression. Results From an initial 104 patients treated with chemotherapy and 104 matched controls, 26 were excluded because of non-informative immunohistochemistry, leaving 95 in the treated group and 87 controls. Survival did not differ significantly among patients with low GST Pi who did or did not receive chemotherapy and those with high GST Pi who received chemotherapy (lowest pair-wise p = 0.11) whereas patients with high GST Pi who did not receive chemotherapy experienced markedly poorer survival than any of the other three groups (all pair-wise p <0.01). This result was unaffected by GST Pi genotype. Conclusion Stage C colon cancer patients with low GST Pi did not benefit from 5-fluourouracil-based adjuvant chemotherapy whereas those with high GST Pi did. PMID:22639861

  8. Global form and motion processing in healthy ageing.

    PubMed

    Agnew, Hannah C; Phillips, Louise H; Pilz, Karin S

    2016-05-01

    The ability to perceive biological motion has been shown to deteriorate with age, and it is assumed that older adults rely more on the global form than local motion information when processing point-light walkers. Further, it has been suggested that biological motion processing in ageing is related to a form-based global processing bias. Here, we investigated the relationship between older adults' preference for form information when processing point-light actions and an age-related form-based global processing bias. In a first task, we asked older (>60years) and younger adults (19-23years) to sequentially match three different point-light actions; normal actions that contained local motion and global form information, scrambled actions that contained primarily local motion information, and random-position actions that contained primarily global form information. Both age groups overall performed above chance in all three conditions, and were more accurate for actions that contained global form information. For random-position actions, older adults were less accurate than younger adults but there was no age-difference for normal or scrambled actions. These results indicate that both age groups rely more on global form than local motion to match point-light actions, but can use local motion on its own to match point-light actions. In a second task, we investigated form-based global processing biases using the Navon task. In general, participants were better at discriminating the local letters but faster at discriminating global letters. Correlations showed that there was no significant linear relationship between performance in the Navon task and biological motion processing, which suggests that processing biases in form- and motion-based tasks are unrelated. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  9. Heterochronicity of white matter development and aging explains regional patient control differences in schizophrenia.

    PubMed

    Kochunov, Peter; Ganjgahi, Habib; Winkler, Anderson; Kelly, Sinead; Shukla, Dinesh K; Du, Xiaoming; Jahanshad, Neda; Rowland, Laura; Sampath, Hemalatha; Patel, Binish; O'Donnell, Patricio; Xie, Zhiyong; Paciga, Sara A; Schubert, Christian R; Chen, Jian; Zhang, Guohao; Thompson, Paul M; Nichols, Thomas E; Hong, L Elliot

    2016-12-01

    Altered brain connectivity is implicated in the development and clinical burden of schizophrenia. Relative to matched controls, schizophrenia patients show (1) a global and regional reduction in the integrity of the brain's white matter (WM), assessed using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) fractional anisotropy (FA), and (2) accelerated age-related decline in FA values. In the largest mega-analysis to date, we tested if differences in the trajectories of WM tract development influenced patient-control differences in FA. We also assessed if specific tracts showed exacerbated decline with aging. Three cohorts of schizophrenia patients (total n = 177) and controls (total n = 249; age = 18-61 years) were ascertained with three 3T Siemens MRI scanners. Whole-brain and regional FA values were extracted using ENIGMA-DTI protocols. Statistics were evaluated using mega- and meta-analyses to detect effects of diagnosis and age-by-diagnosis interactions. In mega-analysis of whole-brain averaged FA, schizophrenia patients had lower FA (P = 10 -11 ) and faster age-related decline in FA (P = 0.02) compared with controls. Tract-specific heterochronicity measures, that is, abnormal rates of adolescent maturation and aging explained approximately 50% of the regional variance effects of diagnosis and age-by-diagnosis interaction in patients. Interactive, three-dimensional visualization of the results is available at www.enigma-viewer.org. WM tracts that mature later in life appeared more sensitive to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and were more susceptible to faster age-related decline in FA values. Hum Brain Mapp 37:4673-4688, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Normalization of Intrinsic Neural Circuits Governing Tourette's Syndrome Using Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation.

    PubMed

    Qiao, Jianping; Weng, Shenhong; Wang, Pengwei; Long, Jun; Wang, Zhishun

    2015-05-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the normalization of the intrinsic functional activity and connectivity of TS adolescents before and after the cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) with alpha stim device. We performed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging on eight adolescents before and after CES with mean age of about nine-years old who had Tourette's syndrome with moderate to severe tics symptom. Independent component analysis (ICA) with hierarchical partner matching method was used to examine the functional connectivity between regions within cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) circuit. Granger causality was used to investigate effective connectivity among these regions detected by ICA. We then performed pattern classification on independent components with significant group differences that served as endophenotype markers to distinguish the adolescents between TS and the normalized ones after CES. Results showed that TS adolescents after CES treatment had stronger functional activity and connectivity in anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), caudate and posterior cingulate cortex while had weaker activity in supplementary motor area within the motor pathway compared with TS before CES. The results suggest that the functional activity and connectivity in motor pathway was suppressed while activities in the control portions within CSTC loop including ACC and caudate were increased in TS adolescents after CES compared with adolescents before CES. The normalization of the balance between motor and control portions of the CSTC circuit may result in the recovery of TS adolescents.

  11. Matched comparison of primary versus salvage laparoscopic pyeloplasty.

    PubMed

    Ambani, Sapan N; Yang, David Y; Wolf, J Stuart

    2017-06-01

    To compare our experience with salvage laparoscopic pyeloplasty, using a matched control set of primary laparoscopic pyeloplasty patients. We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent laparoscopic pyeloplasty from 1996 to 2014 by a single surgeon. At least 12 months of follow-up was required. Salvage patients were matched 1:3 with primary patients. Matching was based on age ±5 years, body mass index (BMI) ±5, and type of pyeloplasty (dismembered vs. non-dismembered). Primary outcome was failure as defined as re-intervention following laparoscopic pyeloplasty (does not include temporary stenting without definitive retreatment). Of 128 laparoscopic pyeloplasty procedures, ten were salvage. These patients were matched to 26 patients who underwent a primary laparoscopic pyeloplasty in a 1:3 manner. One salvage pyeloplasty failed to match due to BMI, and the closest matches were made. Four salvage patients had one overlapping match, reducing the primary group to 26 patients. There were no differences in pre-, intra-, and postoperative variables between groups, except for operative time (salvage 247 min, primary 175 min, p = 0.03). With similar duration of radiologic and symptomatic follow-up, there was no significant difference in the rate of freedom from intervention. When matching for factors that could affect success, salvage laparoscopic pyeloplasty performed as well as primary pyeloplasty except for a longer operative time. In experienced hands, salvage laparoscopic pyeloplasty for ureteropelvic junction obstruction recurrence after prior pyeloplasty is a safe and effective procedure, and should be considered an excellent alternative to the more commonly recommended endopyelotomy.

  12. Age and Gender Effects on Wideband Absorbance in Adults with Normal Outer and Middle Ear Function

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mazlan, Rafidah; Kei, Joseph; Ya, Cheng Li; Yusof, Wan Nur Hanim Mohd; Saim, Lokman; Zhao, Fei

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: This study examined the effects of age and gender on wideband energy absorbance in adults with normal middle ear function. Method: Forty young adults (14 men, 26 women, aged 20-38 years), 31 middle-aged adults (16 men, 15 women, aged 42-64 years), and 30 older adults (20 men, 10 women, aged 65-82 years) were assessed. Energy absorbance…

  13. The role of matched controls in building an evidence base for hospital-avoidance schemes: a retrospective evaluation.

    PubMed

    Steventon, Adam; Bardsley, Martin; Billings, John; Georghiou, Theo; Lewis, Geraint Hywel

    2012-08-01

    To test whether two hospital-avoidance interventions altered rates of hospital use: "intermediate care" and "integrated care teams." Linked administrative data for England covering the period 2004 to 2009. This study was commissioned after the interventions had been in place for several years. We developed a method based on retrospective analysis of person-level data comparing health care use of participants with that of prognostically matched controls. Individuals were linked to administrative datasets through a trusted intermediary and a unique patient identifier. Participants who received the intermediate care intervention showed higher rates of unscheduled hospital admission than matched controls, whereas recipients of the integrated care team intervention showed no difference. Both intervention groups showed higher rates of mortality than did their matched controls. These are potentially powerful techniques for assessing impacts on hospital activity. Neither intervention reduced admission rates. Although our analysis of hospital utilization controlled for a wide range of observable characteristics, the difference in mortality rates suggests that some residual confounding is likely. Evaluation is constrained when performed retrospectively, and careful interpretation is needed. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

  14. A matched case-control study of convenience store robbery risk factors.

    PubMed

    Hendricks, S A; Landsittel, D P; Amandus, H E; Malcan, J; Bell, J

    1999-11-01

    Convenience store clerks have been shown to be at high risk for assault and homicide, mostly owing to robbery or robbery attempts. Although the literature consistently indicates that at least some environmental designs are effective deterrents of robbery, the significance of individual interventions and policies has differed across past studies. To address these issues, a matched case-control study of 400 convenience store robberies in three metropolitan areas of Virginia was conducted. Conditional logistic regression was implemented to evaluate the significance of various environmental designs and other factors possibly related to convenience store robbery. Findings indicate that numerous characteristics of the surrounding environment and population were significantly associated with convenience store robbery. Results also showed that, on a univariate level, most crime prevention factors were significantly associated with a lower risk for robbery. Using a forward selection process, a multivariate model, which included cash handling policy, bullet-resistant shielding, and numerous characteristics of the surrounding area and population, was identified. This study addressed numerous limitations of the previous literature by prospectively collecting extensive data on a large sample of diverse convenience stores and directly addressing the current theory on the robbers' selection of a target store through a matched case-control design.

  15. Misidentifying a tennis racket as keys: object identification in people with age-related macular degeneration.

    PubMed

    Thibaut, Miguel; Tran, Thi Ha Chau; Delerue, Céline; Boucart, Muriel

    2015-05-01

    Previous studies showed that people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) can categorise a pre-defined target object or scene with high accuracy (above 80%). In these studies participants were asked to detect the target (e.g. an animal) in serial visual presentation. People with AMD must rely on peripheral vision which is more adapted to the low resolution required for detection than for the higher resolution required to identify a specific exemplar. We investigated the ability of people with central vision loss to identify photographs of objects and scenes. Photographs of isolated objects, natural scenes and objects in scenes were centrally displayed for 2 s each. Participants were asked to name the stimuli. We measured accuracy and naming times in 20 patients with AMD, 15 age-matched and 12 young controls. Accuracy was lower (by about 30%) and naming times were longer (by about 300 ms) in people with AMD than in age-matched controls in the three categories of images. Correct identification occurred in 62-66% of the stimuli for patients. More than 20% of the misidentifications resulted from a structural and/or semantic similarity between the object and the name (e.g. spectacles for dog plates or dolphin for shark). Accuracy and naming times did not differ significantly between young and older normally sighted participants indicating that the deficits resulted from pathology rather than to normal ageing. These results show that, in contrast to performance for categorisation of a single pre-defined target, people with central vision loss are impaired at identifying various objects and scenes. The decrease in accuracy and the increase in response times in patients with AMD indicate that peripheral vision might be sufficient for object and scene categorisation but not for precise scene or object identification. © 2015 The Authors Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics © 2015 The College of Optometrists.

  16. [Clinical and epidemiological differences between Bordetella pertussis and respiratory syncytial virus infections in infants: a matched case control study].

    PubMed

    Giménez-Sánchez, Francisco; Cobos-Carrascosa, Elena; Sánchez-Forte, Miguel; López-Sánchez, María Ángeles; González-Jiménez, Yolanda; Azor-Martínez, Ernestina

    2014-01-01

    An increase in cases of pertussis, mainly in young infants, has been reported in the last few years. The clinical presentation of this disease is very similar to that produced by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which makes the diagnosis difficult. To compare the clinical and epidemiological characteristics between Bordetella pertussis and RSV infections in infants admitted to hospital. An analytical matched case-control study was conducted during the period 2008-2011. Cases were defined as infants admitted with pertussis confirmed by PCR in nasopharyngeal aspirate. Each case was matched by age, sex and date of admission to two controls defined as patients with RSV infection detected by immunochromatography in nasal aspirate. Demographic, clinical, laboratory data were compared. Seventy eight patients (26 cases of pertussis and 52 controls RSV+) were included. Sociodemographic characteristics were similar in both groups. Cases had more days of symptoms prior to admission, longer hospital stays, and increased frequency of epidemic family environment. Apnoea and cyanosis were more frequent. Cases of pertussis were more likely to have apnoea, cyanosis, and lymphocytosis while RSV infections had more frequent fever, vomiting and respiratory distress. The clinical presentations of pertussis and RSV infection are similar, but there are some characteristics that can help to distinguish between them. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. y Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

  17. Ring-enhancement pattern on contrast-enhanced CT predicts adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas: a matched case-control study.

    PubMed

    Imaoka, Hiroshi; Shimizu, Yasuhiro; Mizuno, Nobumasa; Hara, Kazuo; Hijioka, Susumu; Tajika, Masahiro; Tanaka, Tsutomu; Ishihara, Makoto; Ogura, Takeshi; Obayashi, Tomohiko; Shinagawa, Akihide; Sakaguchi, Masafumi; Yamaura, Hidekazu; Kato, Mina; Niwa, Yasumasa; Yamao, Kenji

    2014-01-01

    Adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas (ASC) is a rare malignant neoplasm of the pancreas, exhibiting both glandular and squamous differentiation. However, little is known about its imaging features. This study examined the imaging features of pancreatic ASC. We evaluated images of contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS). As controls, solid pancreatic neoplasms matched in a 2:1 ratio to ASC cases for age, sex and tumor location were also evaluated. Twenty-three ASC cases were examined, and 46 solid pancreatic neoplasms (43 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas, two pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors and one acinar cell carcinoma) were matched as controls. Univariate analysis demonstrated significant differences in the outline and vascularity of tumors on contrast-enhanced CT in the ASC and control groups (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). A smooth outline, cystic changes, and the ring-enhancement pattern on contrast-enhanced CT were seen to have significant predictive powers by stepwise forward logistic regression analysis (P = 0.044, P = 0.010, and P = 0.001, respectively). Of the three, the ring-enhancement pattern was the most useful, and its predictive diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value for diagnosis of ASC were 65.2%, 89.6%, 75.0% and 84.3%, respectively. These results demonstrate that presence of the ring-enhancement pattern on contrast-enhanced CT is the most useful predictive factor for ASC. Copyright © 2014 IAP and EPC. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Empirical Implications of Matching Children with Specific Language Impairment to Children with Typical Development on Nonverbal IQ

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Earle, F. Sayako; Gallinat, Erica L.; Grela, Bernard G.; Lehto, Alexa; Spaulding, Tammie J.

    2017-01-01

    This study determined the effect of matching children with specific language impairment (SLI) and their peers with typical development (TD) for nonverbal IQ on the IQ test scores of the resultant groups. Studies published between January 2000 and May 2012 reporting standard nonverbal IQ scores for SLI and age-matched TD controls were categorized…

  19. Posterior cingulate glucose metabolism, hippocampal glucose metabolism, and hippocampal volume in cognitively normal, late-middle-aged persons at 3 levels of genetic risk for Alzheimer disease.

    PubMed

    Protas, Hillary D; Chen, Kewei; Langbaum, Jessica B S; Fleisher, Adam S; Alexander, Gene E; Lee, Wendy; Bandy, Daniel; de Leon, Mony J; Mosconi, Lisa; Buckley, Shannon; Truran-Sacrey, Diana; Schuff, Norbert; Weiner, Michael W; Caselli, Richard J; Reiman, Eric M

    2013-03-01

    To characterize and compare measurements of the posterior cingulate glucose metabolism, the hippocampal glucose metabolism, and hippocampal volume so as to distinguish cognitively normal, late-middle-aged persons with 2, 1, or 0 copies of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele, reflecting 3 levels of risk for late-onset Alzheimer disease. Cross-sectional comparison of measurements of cerebral glucose metabolism using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and measurements of brain volume using magnetic resonance imaging in cognitively normal ε4 homozygotes, ε4 heterozygotes, and noncarriers. Academic medical center. A total of 31 ε4 homozygotes, 42 ε4 heterozygotes, and 76 noncarriers, 49 to 67 years old, matched for sex, age, and educational level. The measurements of posterior cingulate and hippocampal glucose metabolism were characterized using automated region-of-interest algorithms and normalized for whole-brain measurements. The hippocampal volume measurements were characterized using a semiautomated algorithm and normalized for total intracranial volume. Although there were no significant differences among the 3 groups of participants in their clinical ratings, neuropsychological test scores, hippocampal volumes (P = .60), or hippocampal glucose metabolism measurements (P = .12), there were significant group differences in their posterior cingulate glucose metabolism measurements (P = .001). The APOE ε4 gene dose was significantly associated with posterior cingulate glucose metabolism (r = 0.29, P = .0003), and this association was significantly greater than those with hippocampal volume or hippocampal glucose metabolism (P < .05, determined by use of pairwise Fisher z tests). Although our findings may depend in part on the analysis algorithms used, they suggest that a reduction in posterior cingulate glucose metabolism precedes a reduction in hippocampal volume or metabolism in cognitively normal persons at increased genetic risk for

  20. Posterior Cingulate Glucose Metabolism, Hippocampal Glucose Metabolism, and Hippocampal Volume in Cognitively Normal, Late-Middle-Aged Persons at 3 Levels of Genetic Risk for Alzheimer Disease

    PubMed Central

    Protas, Hillary D.; Chen, Kewei; Langbaum, Jessica B. S.; Fleisher, Adam S.; Alexander, Gene E.; Lee, Wendy; Bandy, Daniel; de Leon, Mony J.; Mosconi, Lisa; Buckley, Shannon; Truran-Sacrey, Diana; Schuff, Norbert; Weiner, Michael W.; Caselli, Richard J.; Reiman, Eric M.

    2013-01-01

    Objective To characterize and compare measurements of the posterior cingulate glucose metabolism, the hippocampal glucose metabolism, and hippocampal volume so as to distinguish cognitively normal, late-middle-aged persons with 2, 1, or 0 copies of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele, reflecting 3 levels of risk for late-onset Alzheimer disease. Design Cross-sectional comparison of measurements of cerebral glucose metabolism using 18F-fluorodeoxy-glucose positron emission tomography and measurements of brain volume using magnetic resonance imaging in cognitively normal ε4 homozygotes, ε4 heterozygotes, and noncarriers. Setting Academic medical center. Participants A total of 31 ε4 homozygotes, 42 ε4 heterozygotes, and 76 noncarriers, 49 to 67 years old, matched for sex, age, and educational level. Main Outcome Measures The measurements of posterior cingulate and hippocampal glucose metabolism were characterized using automated region-of-interest algorithms and normalized for whole-brain measurements. The hippocampal volume measurements were characterized using a semiautomated algorithm and normalized for total intracranial volume. Results Although there were no significant differences among the 3 groups of participants in their clinical ratings, neuropsychological test scores, hippocampal volumes (P=.60), or hippocampal glucose metabolism measurements (P = .12), there were significant group differences in their posterior cingulate glucose metabolism measurements (P=.001). The APOE ε4 gene dose was significantly associated with posterior cingulate glucose metabolism (r=0.29, P=.0003), and this association was significantly greater than those with hippocampal volume or hippocampal glucose metabolism (P<.05, determined by use of pairwise Fisher z tests). Conclusions Although our findings may depend in part on the analysis algorithms used, they suggest that a reduction in posterior cingulate glucose metabolism precedes a reduction in hippocampal volume or

  1. Antral follicle count in normal (fertility-proven) and infertile Indian women.

    PubMed

    Agarwal, Arjit; Verma, Ashish; Agarwal, Shubhra; Shukla, Ram Chandra; Jain, Madhu; Srivastava, Arvind

    2014-07-01

    Antral follicle count (AFC) has been labeled as the most accurate biomarker to assess female fecundity. Unfortunately, no baseline Indian data exists, and we continue using surrogate values from the Western literature (inferred from studies on women, grossly different than Indian women in morphology and genetic makeup). (1) To establish the role of AFC as a function of ovarian reserve in fertility-proven and in subfertile Indian women. (2) To establish baseline cut-off AFC values for Indian women. Prospective observational case-control study. Thirty patients undergoing workup for infertility were included and compared to equal number of controls (women with proven fertility). The basal ovarian volume and AFC were measured by endovaginal. USG the relevant clinical data and hormonal assays were charted for every patient. SPSS platform was used to perform the Student's t-test and Mann-Whitney U-test for intergroup comparisons. Correlations were determined by Pearson's ranked correlation coefficient. Regression analysis revealed the highest correlation of AFC and age in fertile and infertile patients with difference in mean AFC of both the groups. Comparison of the data recorded for cases and controls showed no significant difference in the mean ovarian volume. AFC has the closest association with chronological age in normal and infertile Indian women. The same is lower in infertile women than in matched controls. Baseline and cut-off values in Indian women are lower than that mentioned in the Western literature.

  2. Executive function impairment in early-treated PKU subjects with normal mental development.

    PubMed

    Leuzzi, V; Pansini, M; Sechi, E; Chiarotti, F; Carducci, Cl; Levi, G; Antonozzi, I

    2004-01-01

    Executive functions were studied in 14 early and continuously treated PKU subjects (age 10.8 years, range 8-13) in comparison with controls matched for IQ, sex, age and socioeconomic status. Brain MRI examination was normal in all PKU patients. Neuropsychological evaluation included Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Rey-Osterreith Complex Figure Test, Elithorn's Perceptual Maze Test, Weigl's Sorting Test, Tower of London, Visual Search and Motor Motor Learning Test. Whatever the IQ, PKU subjects performed worse than controls in tests exploring executive functions. Subgrouping the PKU subjects according to the quality of dietary control for the entire follow-up period (using 400 micromol/L as cut-off value for blood phenylalanine (Phe) concentration) showed that patients with worse dietary control performed more poorly than both the PKU group with the best dietary control and the control group. However, a mild impairment of executive functions was still found in PKU patients with a good dietary control (Phe <400 micromol/L) compared to controls. Concerning the PKU group as a whole, no linear correlation was found between neuropsychological performance and historical and concurrent biochemical parameters. We conclude that (a) PKU patients, even when treated early, rigorously and continuously, show an impairment of frontal lobe functions; (b) a protracted exposure to moderately high levels of Phe can affect frontal lobe functions independently of the possible effect of the same exposure on IQ; (c) in order to reduce the risk of frontal lobe dysfunction, the target of dietary therapy should be to maintain blood Phe concentration below 400 micromol/L.

  3. Reading deficits in very low birthweight children are associated with vocabulary and attention issues at the age of seven.

    PubMed

    Leijon, Ingemar; Ingemansson, Fredrik; Nelson, Nina; Wadsby, Marie; Samuelsson, Stefan

    2016-01-01

    This Swedish study compared reading skills between seven-year-old children with a very low birthweight (VLBW) and controls with a normal birthweight, exploring associations between reading variables and cognition, parent-rated behaviour, perinatal factors and family factors. We studied 51 VLBW children, with no major neurodevelopmental impairments and attending their first year at a regular school, and compared them with the 51 sex- and age-matched controls. The test battery, carried out at 7.8 ± 0.4 years of age, included reading skills, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - III and the Child Behaviour Checklist. Very low birthweight children with a mean birthweight of 1105 g (± 291 g) and a gestational age of 28.8 (± 2.2) weeks scored significantly lower in all reading subtests and cognition and demonstrated more behavioural problems than normal birthweight controls. We also found significant associations between poor vocabulary, combined with attention problems, and phonological awareness, rapid naming and spelling control. Perinatal factors had no association with reading function, and socio-economic factors had very few. Very low birthweight children demonstrated deficits in all reading domains and had poorer cognition and more behavioural problems at the age of seven, with reading ability related to vocabulary and attention. ©2015 The Authors. Acta Paediatrica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Foundation Acta Paediatrica.

  4. Discourse changes in early Alzheimer disease, mild cognitive impairment, and normal aging.

    PubMed

    Chapman, Sandra Bond; Zientz, Jennifer; Weiner, Myron; Rosenberg, Roger; Frawley, William; Burns, Mary Hope

    2002-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the sensitivity of discourse gist measures to the early cognitive-linguistic changes in Alzheimer disease (AD) and in the preclinical stages. Differences in discourse abilities were examined in 25 cognitively normal adults, 24 adults with mild probable AD, and 20 adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) at gist and detail levels of discourse processing. The authors found that gist and detail levels of discourse processing were significantly impaired in persons with AD and MCI as compared with normal control subjects. Gist-level discourse processing abilities showed minimal overlap between cognitively normal control subjects and those with mild AD. Moreover, the majority of the persons with MCI performed in the range of AD on gist measures. These findings indicate that discourse gist measures hold promise as a diagnostic complement to enhance early detection of AD. Further studies are needed to determine how early the discourse gist deficits arise in AD.

  5. Hospital Readmissions in a Community-based Sample of Homeless Adults: a Matched-cohort Study.

    PubMed

    Saab, Dima; Nisenbaum, Rosane; Dhalla, Irfan; Hwang, Stephen W

    2016-09-01

    Hospital readmission rates are a widely used quality indicator that may be elevated in disadvantaged populations. The objective of this study was to compare the hospital readmission rate among individuals experiencing homelessness with that of a low-income matched control group, and to identify risk factors associated with readmission within the group experiencing homelessness. We conducted a 1:1 matched cohort study comparing 30-day hospital readmission rates between homeless patients and low-income controls matched on age, sex and primary reason for admission. Multivariate analyses using generalized estimating equations were used to assess risk factors associated with 30-day readmission in the homeless cohort. This study examined a cohort of 1,165 homeless adults recruited at homeless shelters and meal programs in Toronto, Ontario, between 6 December 2004 and 20 December 2005. The primary outcome was the occurrence of an unplanned medical or surgical readmission within 30 days of discharge from hospital. Between 6 December 2004 and 31 March 2009, homeless participants (N = 203) had 478 hospitalizations and a 30-day readmission rate of 22.2 %, compared to 300 hospitalizations and a readmission rate of 7.0 % among matched controls (OR = 3.79, 95 % CI 1.93-7.39). In the homeless cohort, having a primary care physician (OR = 2.65, 95 % CI 1.05-6.73) and leaving against medical advice (OR = 1.96, 95 % CI 0.99-3.86) were associated with an increased risk of 30-day readmission. Homeless patients had nearly four times the odds of being readmitted within 30-days as compared to low-income controls matched on age, sex and primary reason for admission to hospital. Further research is needed to evaluate interventions to reduce readmissions among this patient population.

  6. Canine diabetes mellitus risk factors: A matched case-control study.

    PubMed

    Pöppl, Alan Gomes; de Carvalho, Guilherme Luiz Carvalho; Vivian, Itatiele Farias; Corbellini, Luis Gustavo; González, Félix Hilário Díaz

    2017-10-01

    Different subtypes of canine diabetes mellitus (CDM) have been described based on their aetiopathogenesis. Therefore, manifold risk factors may be involved in CDM development. This study aims to investigate canine diabetes mellitus risk factors. Owners of 110 diabetic dogs and 136 healthy controls matched by breed, sex, and age were interviewed concerning aspects related to diet, weight, physical activity, oral health, reproductive history, pancreatitis, and exposure to exogenous glucocorticoids. Two multivariate multivariable statistical models were created: The UMod included males and females without variables related to oestrous cycle, while the FMod included only females with all analysed variables. In the UMod, "Not exclusively commercial diet" (OR 4.86, 95%CI 2.2-10.7, P<0.001) and "Overweight" (OR 3.51, 95%CI 1.6-7.5, P=0.001) were statistically significant, while in the FMod, "Not exclusively commercial diet" (OR 4.14, 95%CI 1.3-12.7, P=0.01), "Table scraps abuse" (OR 3.62, 95%CI 1.1-12.2, P=0.03), "Overweight" (OR 3.91, 95%CI 1.2-12.6, P=0.02), and "Dioestrus" (OR 5.53, 95%CI 1.9-16.3, P=0.002) were statistically significant. The findings in this study support feeding not exclusively balanced commercial dog food, overweight, treats abuse, and diestrus, as main CDM risk factors. Moreover, those results give subside for preventive care studies against CDM development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Synaptogenesis in visual cortex of normal and preterm monkeys: evidence for intrinsic regulation of synaptic overproduction.

    PubMed Central

    Bourgeois, J P; Jastreboff, P J; Rakic, P

    1989-01-01

    We used quantitative electron microscopy to determine the effect of precocious visual experience on the time course, magnitude, and pattern of perinatal synaptic overproduction in the primary visual cortex of the rhesus monkey. Fetuses were delivered by caesarean section 3 weeks before term, exposed to normal light intensity and day/night cycles, and killed within the first postnatal month, together with age-matched controls that were delivered at term. We found that premature visual stimulation does not affect the rate of synaptic accretion and overproduction. Both of these processes proceed in relation to the time of conception rather than to the time of delivery. In contrast, the size, type, and laminar distribution of synapses were significantly different between preterm and control infants. The changes and differences in these parameters correlate with the duration of visual stimulation and become less pronounced with age. If visual experience in infancy influences the maturation of the visual cortex, it must do so predominantly by strengthening, modifying, and/or eliminating synapses that have already been formed, rather than by regulating the rate of synapse production. Images PMID:2726773

  8. Dopamine transporter availability in clinically normal aging is associated with individual differences in white matter integrity.

    PubMed

    Rieckmann, Anna; Hedden, Trey; Younger, Alayna P; Sperling, Reisa A; Johnson, Keith A; Buckner, Randy L

    2016-02-01

    Aging-related differences in white matter integrity, the presence of amyloid plaques, and density of biomarkers indicative of dopamine functions can be detected and quantified with in vivo human imaging. The primary aim of the present study was to investigate whether these imaging-based measures constitute independent imaging biomarkers in older adults, which would speak to the hypothesis that the aging brain is characterized by multiple independent neurobiological cascades. We assessed MRI-based markers of white matter integrity and PET-based marker of dopamine transporter density and amyloid deposition in the same set of 53 clinically normal individuals (age 65-87). A multiple regression analysis demonstrated that dopamine transporter availability is predicted by white matter integrity, which was detectable even after controlling for chronological age. Further post-hoc exploration revealed that dopamine transporter availability was further associated with systolic blood pressure, mirroring the established association between cardiovascular health and white matter integrity. Dopamine transporter availability was not associated with the presence of amyloid burden. Neurobiological correlates of dopamine transporter measures in aging are therefore likely unrelated to Alzheimer's disease but are aligned with white matter integrity and cardiovascular risk. More generally, these results suggest that two common imaging markers of the aging brain that are typically investigated separately do not reflect independent neurobiological processes. Hum Brain Mapp 37:621-631, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Differential Expression of c-fos Proto-Oncogene in Normal Oral Mucosa versus Squamous Cell Carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Krishna, Akhilesh; Bhatt, Madan Lal Brahma; Singh, Vineeta; Singh, Shraddha; Gangwar, Pravin Kumar; Singh, Uma Shankar; Kumar, Vijay; Mehrotra, Divya

    2018-01-01

    Background: The c-Fos nuclear protein dimerizes with Jun family proteins to form the transcription factor AP-1 complex which participates in signal transduction and regulation of normal cellular processes. In tumorigenesis, c-Fos promotes invasive growth through down-regulation of tumor suppressor genes but its role in oral carcinogenesis is not clear. Objectives: This study concerned c-fos gene expression in normal and malignant tissues of the oral cavity, with attention to associations between expression status and clinico-pathological profiles of OSCC patients. Method: A total of 65 histopathologically confirmed OSCC tissue samples were included in case group along with an equal number of age and sex-matched normal tissue samples of oral cavity for the control group. c-Fos protein and m-RNA expressions were analyzed using immunohistochemistry and qRT-PCR, respectively. Results: A significant low expression of c-Fos protein was observed in OSCC cases than normal control subjects (p= <0.001). The mean percent positivity of c-Fos protein in cases vs. controls was 24.91± 2.7 vs. 49.68± 2.2 (p= <0.001). Most OSCC tissue samples showed weak or moderate c-Fos expression whereas 53.8% of normal tissue sections presented with strong immunostaining. Moreover, the relative m-RNA expression for the c-fos gene was significantly decreased in case group (0.93± 0.48) as compared to the control group (1.22± 0.87). Majority of c-Fos positive cases were diagnosed with well developed tumor. The mean percent positivity of c-Fos protein was significantly lower in higher grade tumor as compared with normal oral mucosa (p= < 0.001). Conclusion: The present study suggested that the c-fos gene is downregulated in oral carcinomas. The disparity of c-Fos protein levels in different pathological grades of tumor and normal oral tissue samples may indicate that loss of c-Fos expression is related with the progression of OSCC. PMID:29582647

  10. Preliminary investigation of blood concentrations of insulin-like growth factor, insulin, lactate and β-hydroxybutyrate in dogs with lymphoma as compared with matched controls.

    PubMed

    McQuown, B; Burgess, K E; Heinze, C R

    2018-06-01

    It is well established that tumour cells have metabolic differences when compared with normal cells. This is particularly true for energy metabolism in which dogs with cancer have been reported to have higher blood insulin and lactate concentrations than control dogs. Moreover, some human and animal studies suggest that the insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) signalling pathway may play a role in tumorigenesis and tumour progression. At present, IGF-1 has not been evaluated in dogs with multicentric lymphoma. In this prospective, cross-sectional study, blood levels of IGF-1, as well as other markers of energy metabolism-insulin, glucose, lactate, and β-hydroxybutyrate-were measured in 16 dogs with histologically or cytologically confirmed treatment-naïve lymphoma. These results were compared with 16 age-, sex- and weight-matched healthy controls. Dietary histories were collected, and protein, fat and carbohydrate intake were compared between groups. Results demonstrated that IGF-1, insulin, glucose and insulin:glucose ratio were not different between groups. However, lactate and β-hydroxybutyrate were higher in the dogs with lymphoma than that in the control dogs (1.74 ± 0.83 mmoL/L vs 1.08 ± 0.27 and 2.59 ± 0.59 mmol/L vs 0.77 ± 0.38 mmol/L, respectively). Median dietary protein, fat and carbohydrates did not differ between the groups. This preliminary study suggests that higher insulin and IGF-1 levels relative to controls may not be a consistent finding in dogs with lymphoma. The significance of increased β-hydroxybutyrate in dogs with lymphoma warrants further investigation in a larger prospective study. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Functional MRI evidence for the decline of word retrieval and generation during normal aging.

    PubMed

    Baciu, M; Boudiaf, N; Cousin, E; Perrone-Bertolotti, M; Pichat, C; Fournet, N; Chainay, H; Lamalle, L; Krainik, A

    2016-02-01

    This fMRI study aimed to explore the effect of normal aging on word retrieval and generation. The question addressed is whether lexical production decline is determined by a direct mechanism, which concerns the language operations or is rather indirectly induced by a decline of executive functions. Indeed, the main hypothesis was that normal aging does not induce loss of lexical knowledge, but there is only a general slowdown in retrieval mechanisms involved in lexical processing, due to possible decline of the executive functions. We used three tasks (verbal fluency, object naming, and semantic categorization). Two groups of participants were tested (Young, Y and Aged, A), without cognitive and psychiatric impairment and showing similar levels of vocabulary. Neuropsychological testing revealed that older participants had lower executive function scores, longer processing speeds, and tended to have lower verbal fluency scores. Additionally, older participants showed higher scores for verbal automatisms and overlearned information. In terms of behavioral data, older participants performed as accurate as younger adults, but they were significantly slower for the semantic categorization and were less fluent for verbal fluency task. Functional MRI analyses suggested that older adults did not simply activate fewer brain regions involved in word production, but they actually showed an atypical pattern of activation. Significant correlations between the BOLD (Blood Oxygen Level Dependent) signal of aging-related (A > Y) regions and cognitive scores suggested that this atypical pattern of the activation may reveal several compensatory mechanisms (a) to overcome the slowdown in retrieval, due to the decline of executive functions and processing speed and (b) to inhibit verbal automatic processes. The BOLD signal measured in some other aging-dependent regions did not correlate with the behavioral and neuropsychological scores, and the overactivation of these uncorrelated

  12. Transcriptomics of cortical gray matter thickness decline during normal aging

    PubMed Central

    Kochunov, P; Charlesworth, J; Winkler, A; Hong, LE; Nichols, T; Curran, JE; Sprooten, E; Jahanshad, N; Thompson, PM; Johnson, MP; Kent, JW; Landman, BA; Mitchell, B; Cole, SA; Dyer, TD; Moses, EK; Goring, HHH; Almasy, L; Duggirala, R; Olvera, RL; Glahn, DC; Blangero, J

    2013-01-01

    Introduction We performed a whole-transcriptome correlation analysis, followed by the pathway enrichment and testing of innate immune response pathways analyses to evaluate the hypothesis that transcriptional activity can predict cortical gray matter thickness (GMT) variability during normal cerebral aging Methods Transcriptome and GMT data were availabe for 379 individuals (age range=28–85) community-dwelling members of large extended Mexican-American families. Collection of transcriptome data preceded that of neuroimaging data by 17 years. Genome-wide gene transcriptome data consisted of 20,413 heritable lymphocytes-based transcripts. GMT measurements were performed from high-resolution (isotropic 800µm) T1-weighted MRI. Transcriptome-wide and pathway enrichment analysis was used to classify genes correlated with GMT. Transcripts for sixty genes from seven innate immune pathways were tested as specific predictors of GMT variability. Results Transcripts for eight genes (IGFBP3, LRRN3, CRIP2, SCD, IDS, TCF4, GATA3, HN1) passed the transcriptome-wide significance threshold. Four orthogonal factors extracted from this set predicted 31.9% of the variability in the whole-brain and between 23.4 and 35% of regional GMT measurements. Pathway enrichment analysis identified six functional categories including cellular proliferation, aggregation, differentiation, viral infection, and metabolism. The integrin signaling pathway was significantly (p<10−6) enriched with GMT. Finally, three innate immune pathways (complement signaling, toll-receptors and scavenger and immunoglobulins) were significantly associated with GMT. Conclusion Expression activity for the genes that regulate cellular proliferation, adhesion, differentiation and inflammation can explain a significant proportion of individual variability in cortical GMT. Our findings suggest that normal cerebral aging is the product of a progressive decline in regenerative capacity and increased neuroinflammation. PMID

  13. Transcriptomics of cortical gray matter thickness decline during normal aging.

    PubMed

    Kochunov, P; Charlesworth, J; Winkler, A; Hong, L E; Nichols, T E; Curran, J E; Sprooten, E; Jahanshad, N; Thompson, P M; Johnson, M P; Kent, J W; Landman, B A; Mitchell, B; Cole, S A; Dyer, T D; Moses, E K; Goring, H H H; Almasy, L; Duggirala, R; Olvera, R L; Glahn, D C; Blangero, J

    2013-11-15

    We performed a whole-transcriptome correlation analysis, followed by the pathway enrichment and testing of innate immune response pathway analyses to evaluate the hypothesis that transcriptional activity can predict cortical gray matter thickness (GMT) variability during normal cerebral aging. Transcriptome and GMT data were available for 379 individuals (age range=28-85) community-dwelling members of large extended Mexican American families. Collection of transcriptome data preceded that of neuroimaging data by 17 years. Genome-wide gene transcriptome data consisted of 20,413 heritable lymphocytes-based transcripts. GMT measurements were performed from high-resolution (isotropic 800 μm) T1-weighted MRI. Transcriptome-wide and pathway enrichment analysis was used to classify genes correlated with GMT. Transcripts for sixty genes from seven innate immune pathways were tested as specific predictors of GMT variability. Transcripts for eight genes (IGFBP3, LRRN3, CRIP2, SCD, IDS, TCF4, GATA3, and HN1) passed the transcriptome-wide significance threshold. Four orthogonal factors extracted from this set predicted 31.9% of the variability in the whole-brain and between 23.4 and 35% of regional GMT measurements. Pathway enrichment analysis identified six functional categories including cellular proliferation, aggregation, differentiation, viral infection, and metabolism. The integrin signaling pathway was significantly (p<10(-6)) enriched with GMT. Finally, three innate immune pathways (complement signaling, toll-receptors and scavenger and immunoglobulins) were significantly associated with GMT. Expression activity for the genes that regulate cellular proliferation, adhesion, differentiation and inflammation can explain a significant proportion of individual variability in cortical GMT. Our findings suggest that normal cerebral aging is the product of a progressive decline in regenerative capacity and increased neuroinflammation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All

  14. Impact of physical activity on ovarian reserve markers in normal, overweight and obese reproductive age women.

    PubMed

    Surekha, T; Himabindu, Y; Sriharibabu, M; Pandey, Anil Kumar

    2014-01-01

    Physical inactivity is a leading risk factor for overweight and obesity in the society. Prevalence of overweight and obesity in the reproductive age group women not only affects maternal health but also the health of the off spring. Infertility is a common problem in India affecting 13-19 million people at any given time. Even though it is not life threatening, infertility causes intense mental agony and trauma that can only be best described by infertile couples themselves. Infertility is more common in overweight and obese individuals compared to normal weight individuals. Decreasing ovarian reserve is an important factor for infertility in women. This study examined the impact of physical activity on ovarian reserve markers in normal, overweight and obese reproductive age women. The observations made in this study reveal that physical activity improves ovarian reserve markers in all reproductive age women but this improvement is more distinct and statistically significant in overweight and obese women compared to normal weight women.

  15. Beam characteristics of energy-matched flattening filter free beams.

    PubMed

    Paynter, D; Weston, S J; Cosgrove, V P; Evans, J A; Thwaites, D I

    2014-05-01

    Flattening filter free (FFF) linear accelerators can increase treatment efficiency and plan quality. There are multiple methods of defining a FFF beam. The Elekta control system supports tuning of the delivered FFF beam energy to enable matching of the percentage depth-dose (PDD) of the flattened beam at 10 cm depth. This is compared to FFF beams where the linac control parameters are identical to those for the flattened beam. All beams were delivered on an Elekta Synergy accelerator with an Agility multi-leaf collimator installed and compared to the standard, flattened beam. The aim of this study is to compare "matched" FFF beams to both "unmatched" FFF beams and flattened beams to determine the benefits of matching beams. For the three modes of operation 6 MV flattened, 6 MV matched FFF, 6 MV unmatched FFF, 10 MV flattened, 10 MV matched FFF, and 10 MV unmatched FFF beam profiles were obtained using a plotting tank and were measured in steps of 0.1 mm in the penumbral region. Beam penumbra was defined as the distance between the 80% and 20% of the normalized dose when the inflection points of the unflattened and flattened profiles were normalized with the central axis dose of the flattened field set as 100%. PDD data was obtained at field sizes ranging from 3 cm × 3 cm to 40 cm × 40 cm. Radiation protection measurements were additionally performed to determine the head leakage and environmental monitoring through the maze and primary barriers. No significant change is made to the beam penumbra for FFF beams with and without PDD matching, the maximum change in penumbra for a 10 cm × 10 cm field was within the experimental error of the study. The changes in the profile shape with increasing field size are most significant for the matched FFF beam, and both FFF beams showed less profile shape variation with increasing depth when compared to flattened beams, due to consistency in beam energy spectra across the radiation field. The PDDs of the FFF beams showed

  16. Analysis of Risk Factors for Colonic Diverticular Bleeding: A Matched Case-Control Study.

    PubMed

    Sugihara, Yuusaku; Kudo, Shin-ei; Miyachi, Hideyuki; Misawa, Masashi; Okoshi, Shogo; Okada, Hiroyuki; Yamamoto, Kazuhide

    2016-03-01

    Diverticular bleeding can occasionally cause massive bleeding that requires urgent colonoscopy (CS) and treatment. The aim of this study was to identify significant risk factors for colonic diverticular hemorrhage. Between January 2009 and December 2012, 26,602 patients underwent CS at our institution. One hundred twenty-three patients underwent an urgent CS due to acute lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Seventy-two patients were diagnosed with colonic diverticular hemorrhage. One hundred forty-nine age- and sex-matched controls were selected from the patients with nonbleeding diverticula who underwent CS during the same period. The relationship of risk factors to diverticular bleeding was compared between the cases and controls. Uni- and multivariate conditional logistic regression analyses demonstrated that the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (odds ratio [OR], 14.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.89 to 55.80; p<0.0001), as well as the presence of cerebrovascular disease (OR, 8.66; 95% CI, 2.33 to 32.10; p=0.00126), and hyperuricemia (OR, 15.5; 95% CI, 1.74 to 138.00; p=0.014) remained statistically significant predictors of diverticular bleeding. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, cerebrovascular disease and hyperuricemia were significant risks for colonic diverticular hemorrhage. The knowledge obtained from this study may provide some insight into the diagnostic process for patients with lower gastrointestinal bleeding.

  17. Hypnotics and the Occurrence of Bone Fractures in Hospitalized Dementia Patients: A Matched Case-Control Study Using a National Inpatient Database.

    PubMed

    Tamiya, Hiroyuki; Yasunaga, Hideo; Matusi, Hiroki; Fushimi, Kiyohide; Ogawa, Sumito; Akishita, Masahiro

    2015-01-01

    Preventing falls and bone fractures in hospital care is an important issue in geriatric medicine. Use of hypnotics is a potential risk factor for falls and bone fractures in older patients. However, data are lacking on the association between use of hypnotics and the occurrence of bone fracture. We used a national inpatient database including 1,057 hospitals in Japan and included dementia patients aged 50 years or older who were hospitalized during a period of 12 months between April 2012 and March 2013. The primary outcome was the occurrence of bone fracture during hospitalization. Use of hypnotics was compared between patients with and without bone fracture in this matched case-control study. Of 140,494 patients, 830 patients suffered from in-hospital fracture. A 1:4 matching with age, sex and hospital created 817 cases with fracture and 3,158 matched patients without fracture. With adjustment for the Charlson comorbidity index, emergent admission, activities of daily living, and scores for level walking, a higher occurrence of fractures were seen with short-acting benzodiazepine hypnotics (odds ratio, 1.43; 95% confidence interval, 1.19-1.73; P<0.001), ultrashort-acting non-benzodiazepine hypnotics (1.66; 1.37-2.01; P<0.001), hydroxyzine (1.45; 1.15-1.82, P=0.001), risperidone and perospirone (1.37; 1.08-1.73; P=0.010). Other drug groups were not significantly associated with the occurrence of in-hospital fracture. Short-acting benzodiazepine hypnotics and ultrashort-acting non-benzodiazepine hypnotics may increase risk of bone fracture in hospitalized dementia patients.

  18. Sleep habits, food intake, and physical activity levels in normal and overweight and obese Malaysian children.

    PubMed

    Firouzi, Somayyeh; Poh, Bee Koon; Ismail, Mohd Noor; Sadeghilar, Aidin

    2014-01-01

    This study aimed to determine the association between sleep habits (including bedtime, wake up time, sleep duration, and sleep disorder score) and physical characteristics, physical activity level, and food pattern in overweight and obese versus normal weight children. Case control study. 164 Malaysian boys and girls aged 6-€“12 years. Anthropometric measurements included weight, height, waist circumference, and body fat percentage. Subjects divided into normal weight (n = 82) and overweight/obese (n = 82) group based on World Health Organization 2007 BMI-for-age criteria and were matched one by one based on ethnicity, gender, and age plus minus one year. Questionnaires related to sleep habits, physical activity, and food frequency were proxy-reported by parents. Sleep disorder score was measured by Children Sleep Habit Questionnaire. Sleep disorder score and carbohydrate intake (%) to total energy intake were significantly higher in overweight/obese group (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). After adjusting for age and gender, sleep disorder score was correlated with BMI (r = 0.275, p < 0.001), weight (r = 0.253, p < 0.001), and WC (r = 0.293, p < 0.001). Based on adjusted odd ratio, children with shortest sleep duration were found to have 4.5 times higher odds of being overweight/obese (odd ratio: 4.536, 95% CI: 1.912-€“8.898) compared to children with normal sleep duration. The odds of being overweight/obese in children with sleep disorder score higher than 48 were 2.17 times more than children with sleep disorder score less than 48. Children who sleep lees than normal amount, had poor sleep quality, and consumed more carbohydrates were at higher risk of overweight/obesity. © 2014 Asian Oceanian Association for the Study of Obesity . Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Predictors of postconcussion syndrome after sports-related concussion in young athletes: a matched case-control study.

    PubMed

    Morgan, Clinton D; Zuckerman, Scott L; Lee, Young M; King, Lauren; Beaird, Susan; Sills, Allen K; Solomon, Gary S

    2015-06-01

    OBJECT Sport-related concussion (SRC) is a major public health problem. Approximately 90% of SRCs in high school athletes are transient; symptoms recover to baseline within 1 week. However, a small percentage of patients remain symptomatic several months after injury, with a condition known as postconcussion syndrome (PCS). The authors aimed to identify risk factors for PCS development in a cohort of exclusively young athletes (9-18 years of age) who sustained SRCs while playing a sport. METHODS The authors conducted a retrospective case-control study by using the Vanderbilt Sports Concussion Clinic database. They identified 40 patients with PCS and matched them by age at injury and sex to SRC control patients (1 PCS to 2 control). PCS patients were those experiencing persistent symptoms at 3 months after an SRC. Control patients were those with documented resolution of symptoms within 3 weeks of an SRC. Data were collected in 4 categories: 1) demographic variables; 2) key medical, psychiatric, and family history; 3) acute-phase postinjury symptoms (at 0-24 hours); and 4) subacute-phase postinjury features (at 0-3 weeks). The chi-square Fisher exact test was used to assess categorical variables, and the Mann-Whitney U-test was used to evaluate continuous variables. Forward stepwise regression models (Pin = 0.05, Pout = 0.10) were used to identify variables associated with PCS. RESULTS PCS patients were more likely than control patients to have a concussion history (p = 0.010), premorbid mood disorders (p = 0.002), other psychiatric illness (p = 0.039), or significant life stressors (p = 0.036). Other factors that increased the likelihood of PCS development were a family history of mood disorders, other psychiatric illness, and migraine. Development of PCS was not predicted by race, insurance status, body mass index, sport, helmet use, medication use, and type of symptom endorsement. A final logistic regression analysis of candidate variables showed PCS to be

  20. Age and disease related changes in the translocator protein (TSPO) system in the human brain: positron emission tomography measurements with [11C]vinpocetine.

    PubMed

    Gulyás, Balázs; Vas, Adám; Tóth, Miklós; Takano, Akihiro; Varrone, Andrea; Cselényi, Zsolt; Schain, Martin; Mattsson, Patrik; Halldin, Christer

    2011-06-01

    The main objectives of the present study were (i) to measure density changes of activated microglia and the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor/translocator protein (TSPO) system during normal ageing in the human brain with positron emission tomography (PET) using the TSPO molecular imaging biomarker [(11)C]vinpocetine and (ii) to compare the level and pattern of TSPO in Alzheimer (AD) patients with age matched healthy subjects, in order to assess the biomarker's usefulness as a diagnostic imaging marker in normal (ageing) and pathological (AD) up-regulation of microglia. PET measurements were made in healthy volunteers, aged between 25 and 78 years, and AD patients, aged between 67 and 82 years, using [(11)C]vinpocetine as the tracer. Global and regional quantitative parameters of tracer uptake and binding, including time activity curves (TAC) of standard uptake values (%SUV), binding affinity parameters, intensity spectrum and homogeneity of the uptake distribution were measured and analysed. Both %SUV and binding values increased with age linearly in the whole brain and in all brain regions. There were no significant differences between the %SUV values of the AD patients and age matched control subjects. There were, however, significant differences in %SUV values in a large number of brain regions between young subjects and old subjects, as well as young subjects and AD patients. The intensity spectrum analysis and homogeneity analysis of the voxel data show that the homogeneity of the %SUV values decreases with ageing and during the disease, whereas the centre of the intensity spectrum is shifted to higher %SUV values. These data indicate an inhomogeneous up-regulation of the TSPO system during ageing and AD. These changes were significant between the group of young subjects and old subjects, as well as young subjects and AD patients, but not between old subjects and AD patients. The present data indicate that [(11)C]vinpocetine may serve as a molecular imaging