Effect Of Age Research Articles

62 Implications of factor analyses and Bayesian network learning to develop composite traits of size attributes in developing beef heifers

Abstract Advancements in phenotypic data collection methods provide opportunities to capture complex biological traits more efficiently. Even so, interpreting those phenotypes and using them in selection decisions is challenging in beef cattle production. Objectives of this study were to 1) develop composite phenotype(s) of economic importance in beef heifers given attributes of their body conformation and ultrasound-based measures of reproductive and carcass traits, and 2) identify associated genomic regions under selection using the structure equation modeling (SEM) approach. In this study, we hypothesized that the interplay of factor analysis and Bayesian Network Learning (BNL) approaches would better define the complex composite traits for size and carcass-related traits in beef heifers. Phenotypic data of admixed beef heifers (n = 336) for different reproductive, body conformational, and carcass-associated phenotypic traits (n = 16) were collected. Using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, two latent variables explaining 14 phenotypic traits were identified, herein called Body Size (BS; n = 7 traits represented) and Body Composition (BC; n = 7 traits represented). To efficiently model them in genome-wide association studies (GWAS), fixed effects of data collection year, dam age, and primary breed group as well as causal network structure identified through BNL were used within SEM model of GWAS. Body Size was directly or indirectly contributing to BC based on BNL structure. Given the data-driven approach and novelty of the data, BayesCπ model was applied with the sliding window of 1 Mb to avoid noise and linkage disequilibrium implications. Regions capturing large amounts of genetic variance (Posterior Probability of Association, PPA ≥ 0.8) were mapped to their closest gene for enrichment analysis. Twenty-four different genes were identified associated with both composite phenotypes. Functional enrichment analysis of significantly involved pathways (FDR < 0.05) indicated that genes from the HERC family (HERC3, HERC6, and HERC5) were found involved in cellular growth, and those from desmosomes (DC2, and DC3) were involved in morphogenesis like BS. Genes related to energy metabolism like IMPAD1, and PIGY, along with genes associated with traits like muscular development, and other carcass traits (i.e., FAM184B, NCAPG, and LCORL), were also found associated with BS and BC. Heritability ranged from 0.551 ± 0.048 to 0.897 ± 0.145 for BS and BC, respectively. The combined heritability of reproductive and carcass traits (BC) was much greater than the heritability of any related individual trait reported to date and was comparable for individual BS-related traits. Given this, we conclude that the implications of factor analyses with BNL can provide better biological insights for improved genomic selection in beef cattle, even for traits of low heritability.

286 Impact of feeding strategies on bodyweight and body condition in mature AI boars

Abstract The objective of this experiment was to determine how varying feeding strategies for boars impacts body weight (BW), backfat depth, loin muscle depth, Knauer caliper measurements, flank to flank tape measurement, body condition score (BCS), and scrotal width and length. This experiment was conducted over two 9-wk periods. Boars were weighed and measurements were taken every 3 wk during the study. Boars (n = 28; Acuity and Topig Norvsin) from two age groups (9 and 15 mo) and two genetic lines (maternal and terminal) were used during this experiment. Boars were blocked by breed and age and randomly allocated to receive one of the three feed intake (FI) levels of a corn-soybean meal-based diet (met NRC 2012 nutrient requirements) using the NRC (2012) maintenance equation [ME for maintenance = (100*kg BW0.75) + 15 kcal for sperm production]. Treatments were: HIGH (150% of maintenance, n = 9), MAIN (100% of maintenance, n = 10), LOW (80% of maintenance, n = 9) for the first 9-wk period. During the second 9-wk period remaining HIGH and LOW boars were crossed-over to opposite treatments (HIGH-LOW, n = 9; LOW-HIGH, n = 7) and maintenance remained unchanged (MAIN-MAIN, n = 8). Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED in SAS 9.4. Boar was the experimental unit with main effects of feed intake and age, and week serving as a repeated measure. Significance was determined at P < 0.05 and a trend at 0.05 < P ≤ 0.10. Three-way interactions of FI*Age*Week were observed during the first 9-wk period. Young boars fed HIGH had a greater increase in BW (P = 0.002), caliper (P = 0.011), backfat depth (P = 0.003), BCS (P = 0.003), and scrotal width (P = 0.004) than old boars fed HIGH and young boars fed LOW had a greater reduction in these variables then old LOW boars. Boars fed LOW for the first 9-wk period had reduced scrotal length (P = 0.004), greater reduction in BW change (P < 0.001), and reduced tape change (P = 0.021) compared with HIGH and MAIN fed boars. Two-way interactions for the second 9-wk period were observed. HIGH-LOW fed boars had decreased BW (FI*Week; P < 0.001), tape (FI*Week; P = 0.019), caliper (FI*Week; P = 0.012), BCS (FI*Week; P < 0.001), and scrotal width (FI*Week; P = 0.047) while LOW-HIGH boars had increased measurements for these variables over time. Additional two-way interactions during the second 9-wk period included Tape (FI*Age; P = 0.046) and BCS (FI*Age; P = 0.028). Overall young boars had more adverse reactions to the varying feeding strategies than old boars, this included larger changes in BW and composition measures. Young and old boars fed MAIN level lost BW and condition indicating the equation for maintenance energy requirement is not accurate for modern genetics working boars. Future research is needed with varying ages and feed intakes in the boar stud to better understand the impacts of growth, development, and maintenance energy for the modern AI boar.

An in silico approach to elucidate the pathways leading to primary osteoporosis: age-related vs. postmenopausal.

Numerical models of bone remodelling have traditionally been used to perform in silico tests of bone loss in postmenopausal women and also to simulate the response to different drug treatments. These models simulate the menopausal oestrogen decline by altering certain signalling pathways. However, they do not consider the simultaneous effect that ageing can have on cell function and bone remodelling, and thus on bone loss. Considering ageing and oestrogen decline together is important for designing osteoporosis treatments that can selectively counteract one or the other disease mechanism. A previously developed bone cell population model was adapted to consider the effect of ageing through: (1) the decrease of TGF- contained in the bone matrix and (2) an increased production of sclerostin by non-skeletal cells. Oestrogen deficiency is simulated in three different ways: (a) an increase in RANKL expression, (b) a decrease in OPG production, and (c) an increase in the responsiveness of osteoclasts to RANKL. The effect of ageing was validated using the cross-sectional study of (Riggs et al. in J Bone Miner Res 19: 1945-1954, 2004) on BMD of trabecular bone of the vertebral body of men. The joint effect of ageing and oestrogen deficiency was validated using these same clinical results but in women. In ageing, the effect of the increasing production of sclerostin is more important than the decrease of TGF- , while the three mechanisms used to simulate the effect of oestrogen deficiency produce almost identical responses. The results show that an early menopause leads to a lower average density in the fifth decade, but after the sixth decade the average density is independent of the age at menopause. Treatment of osteoporosis with denosumab was also simulated to conclude that the drug is not very effective if started before 10 years after menopause or before age 60.

PLGA nanocapsules as a delivery system for a recombinant LRP-based therapeutic.

Telomerase activity is directly affected by the laminin receptor precursor (LRP) protein, a highly conserved nonintegrin transmembrane receptor, which has been shown to have therapeutic effects in ageing, and age-related diseases. Recently, it has been found that overexpression of LRP-FLAG, by plasmid transfection, leads to a significant increase in telomerase activity in cell culture models. This may indicate that upregulation of LRP can be used to treat various age-related diseases. However, transfection is not a viable treatment strategy for patients. Therefore, we present a nanoencapsulated protein-based drug synthesised using poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanocapsules for delivery of the 37 kDa LRP protein therapeutic. PLGA nanocapsules were synthesised using the double emulsification-solvent evaporation technique. Different purification methods, including filtration and centrifugation, were tested to ensure that the nanocapsules were within the optimal size range, and the BCA assay was used to determine encapsulation efficiency. The completed drug was tested in a HEK-293 cell culture model, to investigate the effect on cell viability, LRP protein levels and telomerase activity. A significant increase in total LRP protein levels with a concomitant increase in cell viability and telomerase activity was observed. Due to the observed increase in telomerase activity, this approach could represent a safer alternative to plasmid transfection for the treatment of age-related diseases.

Age-related effects of neuromuscular fatigue and acute recovery responses on maximal and rapid torque measures of the leg extensors and flexors.

To examine the effects of neuromuscular fatigue and recovery on maximal and rapid torque characteristics in young and old men for the leg extensors and flexors. Twenty-one young (age = 24.8years) and 19 old (72.1years) men performed maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs) before and at 0, 7, 15, and 30min following an intermittent submaximal fatigue task. Outcome measures included endurance time, maximal (peak torque; PT) and rapid (absolute and normalized rate of torque development; RTD and nRTD) torque characteristics. The old men had greater endurance times than the young men. Differential recovery patterns were observed for PT, and early and late RTD phases between the leg extensor and flexor musclegroups such that the early rapid torque variables and the flexors demonstrated slower recovery compared to later rapid torque variables and the extensors. The normalized RTD variables were reduced less after the fatigue task and differential muscle and age effects were observed where the flexors were reduced more at the early phase (nRTD1/6) compared to the extensors, however, for the later phase (nRTD2/3) the young men exhibited a greater reduction compared to the old men. Dissimilar fatigue recovery patterns across different phases of RTD, lower limb muscles, and age groups may have important fatigue-related performance and injury risk implications across the adult lifespan.

Optimizing pediatric liver transplantation: Evaluating the impact of donor age and graft type on patient survival outcome.

We examined the combined effects of donor age and graft type on pediatric liver transplantation outcomes with an aim to offer insights into the strategic utilization of these donor and graft options. A retrospective analysis was conducted using a national database on 0-2-year-old (N = 2714) and 3-17-year-old (N = 2263) pediatric recipients. These recipients were categorized based on donor age (≥40 vs <40 years) and graft type. Survival outcomes were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards models, followed by an intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis to examine overall patient survival. Living and younger donors generally resulted in better outcomes compared to deceased and older donors, respectively. This difference was more significant among younger recipients (0-2 years compared to 3-17 years). Despite this finding, ITT survival analysis showed that donor age and graft type did not impact survival with the exception of 0-2-year-old recipients who had an improved survival with a younger living donor graft. Timely transplantation has the largest impact on survival in pediatric recipients. Improving waitlist mortality requires uniform surgical expertise at many transplant centers to provide technical variant graft (TVG) options and shed the conservative mindset of seeking only the "best" graft for pediatric recipients.

Factors Influencing Tangerang City MSMEs' Financial Literacy

Financial literacy is the knowledge about financial product and services. It is also defined as financial management skills that one should have in order to reach financial welfare, especially for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of income, educational level, gender, age, and length of business on the financial literacy level of MSMEs in Tangerang City. This study used quantitative methods and used Proportionate Stratified Random Sampling as the sampling technique with 100 MSMEs as a sample. It was conducted in 11 subdistricts in Tangerang City – Tangerang, Batuceper, Larangan, Karawaci, Cibodas, Cipondoh, Pinang, Ciledug, Karang Tengah, Neglasari, and Periuk. The study used Multiple Linear Regression as an analysis technique. Based on the analysis carried out using the SPSS application, the results showed that: (i) the financial literacy index of MSMEs in Tangerang City was an average of 76.15%; (ii) income has a positive and significant influence on financial literacy level on MSMEs in Tangerang City; (iii) education level has a positive and significant influence on the financial literacy level; (iv) gender has no significant influence on the financial literacy level; (v) age has a positive and significant influence on the financial literacy level; and (vi) the length of business has a positive and significant influence on financial literacy level. The implication of this study are: MSMEs can increase their financial literacy level by making monthly financial records using digital technology and increase their ability to adapt with financial technology. Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprise Office can conduct more financial literacy workshop and increase MSMEs’ access to technology and financial product and services in order to increase financial literacy level of MSMEs in Tangerang city so that MSMEs can reach financial welfare. Keywords: MSMEs, financial literacy, income, educational level, gender, age, and the length of business

Brain activity during Stroop task performance at age 74 after exposure to the Dutch famine during early gestation

ObjectivePoorer performance on the Stroop task has been reported after prenatal famine exposure at age 58, potentially indicating cognitive decline. We investigated whether brain activation during Stroop task performance at age 74 differed between individuals exposed to famine prenatally, individuals born before and individuals conceived after the famine. MethodIn the Dutch famine birth cohort, we performed a Stroop task fMRI study of individuals exposed (n = 22) or unexposed (born before (n = 18) or conceived after (n = 25)) to famine in early gestation. We studied group differences in task-related mean activation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and posterior parietal cortex (PPC). Additionally, we explored potential disconnectivity of the DLPFC using psychophysiological interaction analysis. ResultsWe observed similar activation patterns in the DLPFC, ACC and PPC in individuals born before and individuals exposed to famine, while individuals conceived after famine had generally higher activation patterns. However, activation patterns were not significantly different between groups. Task-related decreases in connectivity were observed between left DLPFC-left PPC and right DLPFC-right PPC, but were not significantly different between groups. ConclusionsAlthough not statistically significant, the observed patterns of activation may reflect a combined effect of general brain aging and prenatal famine exposure.

The Moderating Effects of Gender and Age in the Relationship Between Job Insecurity and Turnover Intention During the Global Pandemic

This article explores the effect of perceived job insecurity on employees’ turnover intention during the global pandemic. A conceptual model was developed and tested with data collected from 398 faculty members in higher educational institutions in Southern India. After checking the instrument’s psychometric properties using structural equation modelling, the hypotheses were tested using hierarchical regression. The results indicate that three dimensions of job insecurity—the perceived threat to job features, the perceived threat to total job and the feeling of powerlessness—are positively associated with turnover intentions of faculty members. The results also reveal that age and gender moderated the relationship between (a) perceived threat to total job and turnover intention and (b) feeling of powerlessness and turnover intention. This study recommends that administrators not underestimate the perils of perceived job insecurity in terms of turnover intentions and steps need to be taken to ensure that employees feel safe and continue to work. This study highlights a simple fact: If adequate steps are not taken, crises like the global pandemic may adversely affect organisations.

Influences of advanced age in rheumatoid arthritis: A multicentre ultrasonography cohort study.

We aimed to evaluate the effects of age on clinical characteristics and outcomes in biologic or targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (b/tsDMARD)-naïve patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We analysed the cases of 234 Japanese b/tsDMARD-naïve RA patients who underwent b/tsDMARD treatment in a multicentre ultrasound prospective observational cohort. We compared the clinical characteristics at baseline and outcomes at 12 months between those aged ≥60 years and those <60 years. Compared to the <60-year-old group (n = 78), the ≥60-year-old group (n = 156) had higher inflammatory marker values and ultrasound combined scores, especially wrist joints, at baseline. Age at baseline positively correlated significantly with the ultrasound scores at baseline; however, age was not a significant variable by the multiple regression analysis. The patients treated with different MOAs in the ≥60-year-old group had comparable outcomes and multiple regression analysis revealed that mechanism of action (MOA) was not a significant contributor to the Clinical Disease Activity Index at 12 months. RA patients with advanced age demonstrated distinctive clinical characteristics. The MOAs were not associated with clinical outcomes and ultrasound outcomes in RA patients with advanced age.

Enhancing end–of–life care quality and achieving a good death for the elderly in Japan

BackgroundIn the context of an aging populations, there is an escalating need for palliative care tailored to the needs of the elderly. This study aimed to assess differences in symptoms and good death among the elderly, along with the structures and processes involved in end–of life care, and to explore the impact of age on achieving a good death. MethodsWe conducted a questionnaire survey for bereaved family members of patients with cancer, heart disease, stroke, pneumonia, and kidney failure in 2019 and 2020. The study population was categorized into the following age groups: ≤64, 65–74, 75–84, and ≥85. The outcomes included symptom intensity, achievement of a good death, and receipt of quality care. ResultsIn total, 62,576 bereaved family members agreed to participate in the survey (response rate; 54.0 %). The weighted percentages of 'severe' and 'very severe’ symptoms decreased with age. These trends were observed across age groups, even among the elderly. The strongest effect of age on achieving a good death was found for 'feeling that life is complete’ with reference to those aged ≤64 years: 65–74 years (odds ratio [OR]; 2.09, 95 % CI; 1.94 to 2.25), 75–84 years (OR; 4.86, 95 % CI; 4.52 to 5.22) and ≥85 years (OR; 12.8, 95 % CI; 11.9 to 13.8). ConclusionAge-specific differences were observed in quality of death, quality of care, and symptom intensity. It is important to provide individualized consideration for each age group rather than categorizing them broadly as the elderly when caring for them.

Age at menopause and risk of ischemic stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Despite ischemic stroke having much importance as one of the top 10 causes of death in older women, there is limited data on age at menopause and ischemic stroke. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the effect of age at menopause on ischemic stroke. We screened four databases (PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases) up to July 17, 2023. This systematic review was reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023444245). Data extraction and quality assessment were independently undertaken by two reviewers. A random-effects model was used for meta-analysis using Revman5.4 to calculate the risk ratio of the incidence of ischemic stroke. Heterogeneity was assessed using I2. Meta-regression and assessment for bias were performed. Out of 725 records identified, 10 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis and the quantitative meta-analysis. The pooled incidence rate for ischemic strokes which age at menopause before 43 years old was 1.22 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02-1.46). The pooled incidence rate of early menopause was 1.26 (95% CI: 1.07-1.48) for ischemic stroke. The incidence rate of ischemic stroke for women with early menopause may be in an environment with a high incidence for a long time. This meta-analysis suggests that early menopause is associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke. Age at onset of menopause before 43 years old may be the cut-off value of increased risk of ischemic stroke.

Sex and age differences in self-reported immune fitness

Studies have reported sex and age differences in self-rated health. On average, women rate their health as being poorer compared to men, and older individuals report poorer health than younger individuals. The current study evaluated sex and age differences for self-reported immune fitness, i.e. the capacity of the body to respond to health challenges (such as infections) by activating an appropriate immune response in order to promote health and prevent and resolve disease. Data from different survey studies (N = 8586) were combined for the current analyses. N = 8064 participants (93.3%) completed the single-item scale to assess momentary immune fitness (mean (Standard deviation, SD) age of 32.4 (16.7) years old, range: 18 to 103, 68.0% women) and N = 4263 participants (49.7%) completed the Immune Status Questionnaire (ISQ) to assess past year's immune fitness (mean (SD) age of 40.9 (17.1) years old, range: 18 to 103, 61.1% women). The analyses revealed that women rated their momentary and past year's immune fitness significantly lower than men (p < 0.001). A small but significant decline in momentary immune fitness when aging was found (r = −0.073, p < 0.001). In contrast, past year's immune fitness steadily improved with progressing age (r = 0.295, p < 0.001), and for each age group the difference from the 18–24 years old group was statistically significant (p < 0.001). When using age as covariate, the sex differences in immune fitness remained significant for both momentary immune fitness (p < 0.001) and past year's immune fitness (p < 0.001). In conclusion, women report a poorer momentary and past year's immune fitness than men. The sex effects in immune fitness are robust and seen across all age groups except the elderly. A relative stable momentary immune fitness was found across the age groups. However, past year's immune fitness (assessments with the ISQ) improved with age. This observation may be related to the fact that the studies comprised convenience samples. Therefore, the observed age effects should be interpreted with caution and require further investigation in nationally representative samples.

Aging in zebrafish is associated with reduced locomotor activity and strain dependent changes in bottom dwelling and thigmotaxis.

Aging is associated with a wide range of physiological and behavioral changes in many species. Zebrafish, like humans, rodents, and birds, exhibits gradual senescence, and thus may be a useful model organism for identifying evolutionarily conserved mechanisms related to aging. Here, we compared behavior in the novel tank test of young (6-month-old) and middle aged (12-month-old) zebrafish from two strains (TL and TU) and both sexes. We find that this modest age difference results in a reduction in locomotor activity in male fish. We also found that background strain modulated the effects of age on predator avoidance behaviors related to anxiety: older female TL fish increased bottom dwelling whereas older male TU fish decreased thigmotaxis. Although there were no consistent effects of age on either short-term (within session) or long-term (next day) habituation to the novel tank, strain affected the habituation response. TL fish tended to increase their distance from the bottom of the tank whereas TU fish had no changes in bottom distance but instead tended to increase thigmotaxis. Our findings support the use of zebrafish for the study of how age affects locomotion and how genetics interacts with age and sex to alter exploratory and emotional behaviors in response to novelty.

The Prevalence of Coronary Artery Disease in Bicuspid Aortic Valve Patients: An Overview of the Literature.

The prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) in bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) patients is a debatable topic. Several studies have indicated that BAV patients have a lower prevalence of CAD compared with patients with a tricuspid aortic valve (TAV), but the effects of age and gender have not always been considered. This systematic review provides an overview of articles which report on CAD in BAV and TAV patients. Searches were executed in April 2021 and January 2022 according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analyses) guidelines in three online databases: Medline, Embase, and Scopus. Screening and data extraction was done by two investigators separately. Primary and secondary outcomes were compared between BAV and TAV patients; a fixed effects model was used for correcting on confounders. Literature search yielded 1,529 articles with 44 being eligible for inclusion. BAV patients were younger (56.4 ± 8.3 years) than TAV patients (64 ± 10.3 years, p < 0.001). All CAD risk factors and CAD were more prevalent in TAV patients. No significant difference remained after correcting for age and gender as confounders. BAV patients have a lower prevalence of CAD and CAD risk factors compared with TAV patients. However, when the age differences between both groups are considered in the analyses, a similar prevalence of both CAD and CAD risk factors is found.

Abstract PO1-02-14: Breast cancer in older women - long-term prognosis by age and subtype in a large population-based cohort

Abstract Background Compared to middle-aged women, older women have a higher risk of breast cancer death. Whether the increased risk of breast cancer death is present in all subgroups of older adults with breast cancer, or negligible in the subgroups receiving adequate surgical and oncological treatment, has been debated. We studied long-term prognosis by age and subtype, adjusting for stage, treatment, socioeconomic status and comorbidity, clarifying which subgroups of older patients that are at increased risk of breast cancer death. Methods In a nation-wide cohort of 45,949 women aged ≥60 years at diagnosis of breast cancer 1997-2014, we estimated crude probabilities of breast cancer death and from other causes using competing risk methods. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI. Results In this large population-based cohort study of older women with breast cancer, we found an increasing risk of breast cancer death with increasing age at diagnosis, both at 5- and 10-year follow up. The strong association between age and breast cancer death was found for all breast cancer subtypes, being most prominent in Her2-positive breast cancer. The age effect was also significant in Luminal A breast cancer where treatment opportunities are not necessarily affected by age. High-risk tumors were equally common in all age groups above 60 years. In multivariable analysis, stage, subtype, grade and treatment were important explanatory variables to the age-related differences in survival, while comorbidity and socioeconomic status contributed minorly. After adjustments, older age remained an independent risk factor for both overall and breast cancer survival. Older women with triple-negative (60-79 years) or Her2-positive (60-84 years) tumors had a 5-year risk of breast cancer death exceeding the risk of death by other causes. Conclusions Older women had a significantly higher risk of breast cancer death irrespective of breast cancer subtype, also in Luminal A disease where treatment opportunities are not necessarily affected by age. Table 3. Crude probabilities of breast cancer specific death and death by other cause (competing cause of death) at 5, 10 and 15 years. Table 4. Multivariable analysis of prognostic factors affecting 15-year overall (OS) and breast cancer- specific survival (BCSS) Table 5. Multivariable analysis of prognostic factors affecting 15-year overall (OS) and breast cancer- specific survival (BCSS) by age at diagnosis and subtype. Citation Format: Amelia Chiorescu, Anna L V Johansson, Antonis Valachis, Alexios Matikas, Jan Frisell, Lars Holmberg, Irma Fredriksson. Breast cancer in older women - long-term prognosis by age and subtype in a large population-based cohort [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO1-02-14.

Abstract PO1-12-11: How do chemotherapy and age affect physical performance in breast cancer patients over 12 months of treatment? Results from the UPBEAT Study (UPBEAT WF-97415)

Abstract Introduction: Chemotherapy-associated functional decline is a concern for women with breast cancer. Objective: To assess effects of chemotherapy and age on objectively measured physical performance among women with breast cancer over time. Methods: Analyses utilized the multicenter, longitudinal Understanding and Predicting fatigue, cardiovascular decline, and events after BrEast cAncer sTudy (UPBEAT), a study conducted through the Wake Forest NCORP Research Base (5UG1CA189824). We examined physical performance at baseline and at 3 and 12 months and compared means across time by age group (&amp;lt; 65 years v. 65+ years at baseline) and by cancer/control group. For the latter variable, we had 3 groups of participants: 1) newly diagnosed breast cancer patients with Stage 1-3 breast cancer who received chemotherapy (CC; n= 201); 2) newly diagnosed breast cancer patients receiving no chemotherapy (CNC; n=57); and age-matched healthy controls (HC; n=145). The primary outcome was the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) score (range 0-12, worst to best performance, including chair stands, gait speed, and balance testing). Effects of cancer/control group, age group, and time (treated categorically rather than ordinally) were estimated in a mixed model with a random subject effect and fixed effects of time (baseline, 3 month, 12 month) and cancer/control group. In the model we included all first-order interactions as well as the one second-order interaction between all three predictors. We also used linear contrasts to compare estimated means within groups. Analyses were conducted in SAS 9.4. A two-tailed alpha of 0.05 was used throughout to denote statistical significance. Results: Among 403 patients accrued through the Wake Forest Research Base of NCORP, 201 were in the CC group, and 18.9% of these were aged 65 and older; 57 were in the CNC group, and 33.3% were older; and 145 were in the HC group, and 15.9% were 65 or older. We observed a significant (p&amp;lt; 0.0001) main effect of older age group in our model: across all 3 groups, and all 3 time points, those who were 65 years of age or older had worse SPPB scores than those who were younger. Healthy controls tended to have better mean scores than the other 2 cancer/control groups, though the main effect of group did not achieve statistical significance (p=0.06). We observed no significant interaction terms; in other words, the effect of being older (in terms of association with worse SPPB scores) did not vary by time or group. Within the CC group, both the older and the younger groups declined significantly (p=0.04) in mean SPPB at 3 months compared to baseline, but by 12 months, the means had returned to their starting points. No other groups showed significant changes over time. Conclusions: Chemotherapy was associated with decline in SPPB score over the 12-month time period regardless of age. Older adults, regardless of chemotherapy status and time point, had lower SPPB scores. Citation Format: Shirley Bluethmann, Beverly Levine, Brianna Leitzelar, Katherine Ansley, Alexandra Thomas, Nancy Avis, Gregory Hundley, Heidi Klepin, Kathryn Weaver, Glenn Lesser. How do chemotherapy and age affect physical performance in breast cancer patients over 12 months of treatment? Results from the UPBEAT Study (UPBEAT WF-97415) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO1-12-11.

Enhanced biotoxicity by co-exposure of aged polystyrene and ciprofloxacin: the adsorption and its influence factors.

Microplastics (MPs), as emerging contaminants, usually experience aging processes in natural environments and further affect their interactions with coexisted contaminants, resulting in unpredictable ecological risks. Herein, the effect of MPs aging on their adsorption for coexisting antibiotics and their joint biotoxicity have been investigated. Results showed that the adsorption capacity of aged polystyrene (PS, 100 d and 50 d) for ciprofloxacin (CIP) was 1.10-4.09 times higher than virgin PS due to the larger BET surface area and increased oxygen-containing functional groups of aged PS. Following the increased adsorption capacity of aged PS, the joint toxicity of aged PS and CIP to Shewanella Oneidensis MR-1 (MR-1) was 1.03-1.34 times higher than virgin PS and CIP. Combined with the adsorption process, CIP posed higher toxicity to MR-1 compared to aged PS due to the rapid adsorption of aged PS for CIP in the first 12h. After that, the adsorption process tended to be gentle and hence the joint toxicity to MR-1 was gradually dominated by aged PS. A similar transformation between the adsorption rate and the joint toxicity of PS and CIP was observed under different conditions. This study supplied a novel perception of the synergistic effects of PS aging and CIP on ecological health.

Thermal aging behavior and heat resistance mechanism of ultraviolet crosslinked ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene fiber

AbstractAs advances in heat resistant ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber via ultraviolet (UV) crosslinking, it is worth paying attention to its thermal aging behavior and heat resistance mechanism. UHMWPE fibers in different forms, the fully drawn yarn (FDY) and the UV crosslinked FDY (UVFDY), are subjected to isothermal aging at 135°C. The effects of thermal aging on their surface morphology and mechanical properties are studied and compared initially. The results demonstrate that UVFDY is a kind of a heat‐resistant fiber. Subsequently, to reveal the heat resistance mechanism of UVFDY, its crystalline and orientation structure evolution during thermal aging are further studied. It is indicated that the formation of dense‐packing crystals and disorientation behavior lead to fiber shrink, so that a number of grooves appear on the fiber surface. Since the crosslinked stucture of UVFDY hinders its molecules movement, the crystallization and disorientation behavior of UVFDY are weaker than those of FDY, resulting in UVFDY possesses slighter thermal shrinkage (Ts), fewer grooves and better mechanical properties than those of FDY. Therefore, the heat resistance of the fiber improves effectively after UV crosslinking. This work provides insights into the structure–property relationship of UVFDY during thermal aging, and offers basis data for its application in specific conditions.

Diagnostic yield from symptomatic gastroscopy in the UK: British Society of Gastroenterology analysis using data from the National Endoscopy Database

ObjectiveThis national analysis aimed to calculate the diagnostic yield from gastroscopy for common symptoms, guiding improved resource utilisation.DesignA cross-sectional study was conducted of diagnostic gastroscopies between 1 March 2019 and...