Age Norms Research Articles

Троспия хлорид у детей: динамика симптома остаточной мочи при коррекции расстройств мочеиспускания

Background. A significant place among pediatric urination disorders is occupied by overactive bladder (OAB). Treatment involving the use of M-anticholinergics is aimed to suppress detrusor overactivity. The side effects of treatment include urination problems, incomplete bladder emptying (residual urine), and acute urinary retention. Methods. We monitored 20 children aged 5–15 years, among them 12 boys and 8 girls. The average age (М±δ) was 8.47 ± 3.46 years. The 2-day uroflow monitoring revealed residual urine (RU) in 9 patients (1–15 times per monitoring period). The urination volume and rate, as well as RU, were assessed by uroflow monitoring conducted at home using the SIGMA F uroflowmeter (RZN registration certificate No. 2020/11522 of 5.08.2020). One of the components of combination therapy was trospium chloride (Spasmex) in a dose of 10–15 mg per day, depending on the age and disorder. Statistical data processing was performed using the STATISTICA 10 (StatSoft, Inc., USA) and Excel (Microsoft Office 2016) software packages. The differences were considered significant at p<0.05. The descriptive statistics were presented as М±δ (where М was median, δ was standard deviation). Results. The average effective volume (AEV) of urination in the group was reduced by 10–86.5% relative to the age norm. Furthermore, incomplete bladder emptying was reported in 9 patients. After treatment, the minimum urine output volume and the maximum urine flow rate increased significantly, while the urination rate decreased. There were no significant changes in the urine output volume (average and maximum), however, an upward trend of the urine output volume was observed. No increase in the number of RU cases following prescription of trospium chloride was reported. In fact, the decrease in their number was recorded. Conclusion. Pediatric micturition cycle abnormalities also include the RU symptom. The M-anticholinergic drug, trospium chloride (Spasmex), in a daily dose of 10-15 mg represents a safe and effective medication option. Therapy lasting up to 2 months results in the significant increase in minimum bladder volume and maximum urine flow rate, the decrease in pollakiuria severity, but never changes the rate and amount of residual urine.

Standardized Russian reading chart for assessing reading parameters

BACKGROUND: A number of charts based on checking reading parameters are increasingly being used to assess visual functions. These charts are standardized, translated into many languages. The development of a Russian chart based on international standards and the determination of age norms of clinical reading parameters will allow it to be used for a more accurate assessment of the dynamics of diseases and treatment results. AIM: The aim is to determine the normal reading parameters in patients of different age groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Based on international standards, two Russian charts have been developed to study reading parameters. Reading parameters were determined during one session in 135 subjects, divided into 3 groups: I — 18–39 years, II — 40–59 years, and III — 60–81 years. Three main parameters were studied: maximum reading speed, critical print size, and reading acuity (RA). RESULTS: As a result of the study, age norms for basic reading parameters were determined. Maximum reading speed in group I was 192.5 ± 1.2, in group II — 180.6 ± 1.1 and in group III — 168.9 ± 0.8 words/min. Critical print size in group I was 0.14 ± 0.01, in group II — 0.24 ± 0.01, and in group III — 0.36 ± 0.01 logMAR. The reading acuity in group I was 0.009 ± 0.006, in group II — 0.075 ± 0.04, in group III — 0.143 ± 0.005 logMAR. The differences between the studied parameters in groups I/II, I/III and II/III were statistically significant (p 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The indicators of reading parameters obtained during the study can be used as approximate age norms.

Perceived Stress and Self-Prescribing Behavior: A Preliminary Cross-Sectional Study among Specialized Residency Training in Indonesia

Introduction: Challenges in specialist medical education in Indonesia can increase stress, but the expression of stress may be hampered or appear as physical complaints. The behavior of self-prescribing medication often occurs among specialist medical education participants to deal with stress-related complaints. This study aims to analyze the relationship between stress and self-prescribing behavior among specialist medical education participants in Indonesia.
 Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 39 respondents who completed an anonymous online survey. The perceived stress scale (PSS-10) was used to measure stress levels, and questions about medication self-prescribing behavior were asked. Multinomial logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between PSS scores and self-prescribing behavior.
 Results: Most respondents (74.4%) had PSS scores higher than age and gender norms. Antibiotics were the most frequently self-prescribed medication (92.3%). No association was found between demographic characteristics, total PSS score, and self-prescribing behavior.
 Conclusion: The high level of stress in specialist medical education participants may not be directly correlated with self-prescribing behavior. This may be related to Asian culture where psychological distress tends to manifest as somatic complaints.

Creatinine as a predictor of muscle mass deficiency in patients with severe cerebral palsy

Energy processes in muscles can be reflected by the creatine phosphokinase system of ATP resynthesis from ADP and creatine phosphate. The product of non-enzymatic degradation of creatine (creatine phosphate) is creatinine, which accumulates in the blood serum, and its concentration correlates with the volume of the patient’s muscle tissue, subject to the normal functioning of the kidneys. Purpose. To assess the perioperative serum creatinine level as a biological marker of muscle mass in patients with severe forms of cerebral palsy, IV–V level according to GMFCS, during orthopedic interventions on the hip joint. Material and methods. A prospective clinical observational study included 82 patients with severe forms of cerebral palsy, spastic dislocations (subluxations) of the hips, for which reconstructive or palliative interventions were performed on the hip joints. The trophological status of children was assessed before surgery, the level of serum creatinine was determined in the intraoperative period, on the first postoperative day, and on the fifth day after surgery. Results. The circumference of the middle third of the shoulder in 28 % of patients, as well as the thickness of the skin-fat fold over the triceps in 61 % of children were below the 10th centile, which was regarded as malnutrition. The calculated proportion of body fat equal to 10 [8; 20] % in combination with the circumference of the muscles of the middle third of the shoulder suggest a combination of protein-energy deficiency and muscle mass deficiency in 1/5 of the patients. Creatinine indicators at all stages of observation corresponded to the minimum age norm or were below these values, tended to decrease and had a random agreement (W = 0,129). Conclusion. The level of creatinine in the blood serum correlates with the «shoulder muscle circumference» parameter in children with severe forms of cerebral palsy, severe movement disorders of IV–V level according to GMFCS. Plasma creatinine can be used as a biological marker of skeletal muscle mass in patients with severe cerebral palsy.

Low and very low birthweight disadvantage in compulsory education achievement and the transition to upper secondary education in the Finnish birth cohorts of 1987 to 1997.

We compared the educational achievements of very low-birthweight (VLBW) and low-birthweight (LBW) adolescents (ages 16 to 19) to those of their normal-birthweight (NBW) peers in the complete Finnish birth cohorts of 1987 to 1997. We focused on three key phases of the education process: the end of compulsory education (9th-grade completion), and the transition to and the completion of upper secondary-level education. We used register data on grades, educational transitions and completed education. We employed multiple indicators on the progression of the education process and estimated population-level and within-families linear probability (LPM) models with robustness checks at the population level using logistic regression. We tested whether parental education and the child's sex modify the association between (V)LBW and educational achievement. Results of both descriptive analysis and the population-level and within-family LPM models indicate that (V)LBW is associated with an increased risk of not being able to keep up with the normative education process and to compete for upper secondary education study places at the end of compulsory education. The modifying effect of parental education was robust, whereas that of the child's sex was not. Among (V)LBW students who were able to keep up with the normative education process, (V)LBW was not associated with a lower grade point average or with a meaningfully lower probability of completing upper secondary education by the normative age. The upper secondary-level educational choices and achievements of the children born with (V)LBW who managed to complete the standard compulsory education curriculum and complete the transition to upper secondary-level education within the expected time did not, in essence, differ from those of the NBW children. Some specific characteristics of the Finnish education system likely contributed to these results, such as the grading at compulsory education being only relatively loosely standardized.

Neurocognitive outcomes and associated clinical factors 5 years after surgery in children with craniosynostosis.

Craniosynostosis involves early closure of one or more sutures, which is known to limit normal cranium growth and interfere with normal brain development. Various surgical methods are used, ranging from minimally invasive strip craniectomy to more extensive whole-vault cranioplasty. This study aimed to evaluate neurocognitive outcomes 5 years after surgical treatment in children with craniosynostosis and to evaluate relevant clinical factors. After exclusion of genetically confirmed syndromic craniosynostosis patients, a retrospective review was conducted on 112 nonsyndromic craniosynostosis patients who underwent surgical treatment and follow-up neurocognitive assessment. Ninety-seven patients underwent strip craniectomy with postoperative orthotic helmet therapy, and 15 received other surgical treatment: 4 with distraction osteotomy and 11 with craniofacial reconstruction. Neurocognitive assessment using the Korean Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Fourth Edition (K-WPPSI-IV), was performed 5 years postoperatively. Clinical factors were assessed regarding neurocognitive outcomes. The mean age at surgery was significantly younger in the strip craniectomy group (strip craniectomy 4.6 months vs other surgical treatment 18.6 months, p < 0.01). Patients with 2 or more sutures involved were more likely to receive more extensive surgical treatment (16.5% in the strip craniectomy group vs 53.8% in the other group, p < 0.01). Four (3.5%) patients who showed evidence of increased intracranial pressure (ICP) also underwent more extensive surgical treatment. Multivariable linear regression revealed a significant correlation of age at neurocognitive testing (-3.18, 95% CI -5.95 to -0.40, p = 0.02), increased ICP (-34.73, 95% CI -51.04 to -18.41, p < 0.01), and the level of maternal education (6.11, 95% CI 1.01-11.20, p = 0.02) with the Full-Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ). Age at surgery, involvement of 2 or more sutures, and type of operation demonstrated no correlation with FSIQ. Among the 97 patients who underwent strip craniectomy, the FSIQ ranged from mean ± SD 100.2 ± 10.2 (bicoronal) to 110.1 ± 12.7 (lambdoid), and there was no significant difference between the suture groups (p = 0.41). The 5 index scores were all within average ranges based on their age norms. Age at neurocognitive assessment, increased ICP, and maternal education level showed significant correlations with the neurocognitive function of craniosynostosis patients. Although children with craniosynostosis exhibited favorable 5-year postoperative neurocognitive outcomes across various synostosis sutures, longer follow-up is needed to reveal the incidence of neurocognitive dysfunction in these patients.

Correlates of Menarcheal Age in a Psychiatric Sample of Adolescents.

Early pubertal timing is associated with more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and increased risk for psychopathology during adolescence. However, most work to date has used community or epidemiological samples, and it remains unclear whether these associations persist in acute clinical samples. The present study examined associations between age at menarche and ACEs, psychiatric symptoms, and emotion regulation difficulties in a sample of N = 140 adolescents on a psychiatric inpatient unit. Youth with early menarche reported higher levels of depressive symptoms, more severe suicidal ideation, and greater difficulty with emotion regulation than youth with normative age at menarche. There was a marginal effect of youth with early menarche reporting more ACEs and more anxiety symptoms. These results suggest menarcheal age, and ACEs may be useful risk factors to assess in inpatient settings to predict risk for more severe outcomes, and future research on pubertal timing in high acuity settings is warranted.

Prosocial Behavior In The Dayak Ethnicity In Central Kalimantan Province

Every behavior carried out by individuals is goal-oriented. This means that a behavior is always driven by the desire to achieve a goal, even though sometimes the individual does not know the specific goal. This also applies to prosocial behavior which can mean a heroic act to help others. Prosocial behavior arises through complex interactions between internal and external factors such as gender roles, social environmental conditions, age, and cultural norms and values that exist within a group (ethnicity). However, identifying prosocial behavior through ethnic factors is generally rare, especially among Dayak ethnic groups. This research aims to determine the level of prosocial behavior among Dayak ethnic groups in Central Kalimantan Province. The research method used is descriptive quantitative. The sampling technique uses a quota sampling approach with the criteria, Dayak ethnic community, aged in the age group 12-19 years, 20-29 years, 30-64 years, and ?65 years and domiciled in the Central Kalimantan area. So a sample of 150 people was found. The research results found that the level of prosocial behavior in the Dayak ethnic category was 56%, followed by the medium category with 44%. Meanwhile, for the low category, there is none. This shows that prosocial behavior among Dayak ethnic groups in Central Kalimantan Province is relatively high.

ОСОБЕННОСТИ КОСТНОЙ БИОДИНАМИКИ У ДЕТЕЙ С КОСТНЫМИ КИСТАМИ

Background. Taking into account the peculiarities of bone biodynamics, and the fact that in the period from 5 to 16 years bone mineral density increases by 3 times, which coincides with the age period for the detection of bone cysts in children, the study of bone mineral density indicators, the level of vitamin D, which mainly regulates bone formation, in patients with bone cysts is relevant today. The purpose of the study. To study the indicators of bone mineral density and total vitamin D in children with bone cysts, to analyze the relationship between the occurrence of bone cysts and osteogenesis disorders. Material and methods. The indicators of the condition of bone tissue in children diagnosed with a bone cyst were studied: bone mineral density and vitamin D levels in the blood were determined in 25 children. In total 83 patients with other orthopedic and traumatological pathology were examined as comparison groups: in 42 patients the index of bone mineral density was determined, in 41 patients the amount of vitamin D was assessed. Bone mineral density was determined by double X-ray absorptiometry and computed tomography. The method for determining total vitamin D is based on a solid-phase sandwich-type enzyme immunoassay. Results. In the examined patients diagnosed with a bone cyst, 36% had their bone mineral density index within the age norm, 36% had osteopenia and 28% of children had osteoporosis. In the comparison group, 21.5% of children showed changes in bone mineral density, 78.5% had bone mineral density within the age norm. When studying the level of total vitamin D in the blood serum of patients with bone cysts, the following results were obtained: in 24% of patients, the level of vitamin D was within the age norm, in 72% vitamin D insufficiency and in 4% - vitamin D deficiency were detected. The study of the level of total vitamin D in the blood serum of patients in the control group showed the following results: 68% of patients had vitamin D levels within the age norm, 29% had insufficiency and 3% had deficiency of vitamin D. Conclusions. The analysis of the results of densitometry and the level of total vitamin D in the blood of patients with bone cysts showed that there was a statistically significant decrease in their bone mineral density and total vitamin D compared to children from the comparison group. Thus, children with bone cysts have a higher risk of a decrease in bone mineral density and the level of total vitamin D in the blood; therefore, in addition to appropriate surgery, it is also necessary to determine the level of bone mineral density and total vitamin D for the purpose of their correction.

THE STATE OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM OF HORSES IN CONDITIONS OF STRESS

The study assessed the impact of adverse conditions of feeding and keeping horses on the state of their non-specific resistance. Morphological indicators of blood (hemoglobin content, number of erythrocytes and leukocytes), as well as indicators of humoral (BASC, LASC) and cellular link of innate immunity (phagocytic activity of leukocytes) were used. During the experiment, the horses had a satisfactory general clinical condition, and the main physiological indicators (body temperature, arterial pulse frequency, number of respiratory movements) were within the age norm. It is important to note that there was no significant difference between these parameters in animals at different time periods, which indicated a stable physiological state of the horses at the beginning and at the end of the experiment. The results of the study showed that long-term stress can cause changes in the hematological and biochemical parameters of horses. For example, the level of hemoglobin in clinically healthy horses was 136±2.2 g/l, but after exposure to stress factors it decreased to 110±1.8 g/l (р&lt;0.001). At the stage of adaptation, the hemoglobin level increased to 124±2.6 g/l (р&lt;0.01) and almost reached the values of clinically healthy horses (132±3.2 g/l) at rest. The number of erythrocytes in clinically healthy horses was 8.8±0.1 T/l. Under stress, this indicator increased to 9.8±0.2 T/l (р&lt;0.01), but decreased to 9.6±0.2 T/l (р&lt;0.05) at the stage of adaptation and reached the lowest level at rest — 8.6±0.1 T/l. A decrease in the number of leukocytes under the influence of stress has been confirmed by our research. In clinically healthy horses, the number of leukocytes was 6.7±0.3 G/l, while under stress this indicator decreased to 5.3±0.2 g/l (p&lt;0.001). At the stage of adaptation, the number of leukocytes increased to 5.5±0.3 g/l (р&lt;0.01) and was 6.2±0.3 G/l at rest. Stress also affected the indicators of non-specific resistance. In clinically healthy horses, the level of BASC was 85±1.8%, but under stress this indicator decreased to 70±2.1% (р&lt;0.001). At the stage of adaptation, BASK increased to 75±1.1% (р&lt;0.01), and at rest it was 82±1.7%. The level of LASK in clinically healthy horses was 35±0.2%, but under stress this indicator decreased to 28±0.4% (р&lt;0.001). At the stage of adaptation, LASK increased to 30±0.2% (p&lt;0.001) and reached 36±0.5% at rest. The phagocytic activity of leukocytes in clinically healthy horses was 60±1.5%, but under stress this indicator decreased up to 50±1.1% (р&lt;0.001). At the stage of adaptation, phagocytic activity increased to 55±0.5% (р&lt;0.01) and was 63±0.9% (р&lt;0.05) at rest. Thus, the results of our study confirm that stress negatively affects the hematological and biochemical parameters of horses, as well as their non-specific resistance.

Активація мовленнєвого розвитку в дітей переддошкільного віку

In the process of early development of all systems, language first of all suffers, because it is a reflection of complex, individual psychological processes occurring in the child's body, which depend on many factors. Corrective and speech therapy classes started in a timely manner eliminate the general lag in the child's development, since mental and emotional development are interconnected with communication. Therefore, experts strongly recommend not to wait for the child to speak independently, or to wait until the age of 4–5 years. Time can be lost, which can lead to concomitant problems, for example with the psyche. The relevance of the topic is related to the need to stimulate the development of speech activity of young children, which will ensure the correction of primary disorders of higher mental and motor functions and prevent the appearance of secondary deviations in the child's development. The purpose of the study is the formation of active speech in children aged 2.5–3 years whose language was characterized by poor vocabulary, insufficient understanding of adult language, and a decrease in communicative functions compared to peers. We investigated the level of speech development in 10 children aged 2.5–3 years whose speech development lagged behind the age norm. In our work, we used the method of speech development of children with general language underdevelopment of the third year of life, which is based on the following stages of research: determining the level of development of general motor skills, fine motor skills, active vocabulary, passive vocabulary and identifying the level of adult language understanding. The conducted research showed that all children have a delay in speech development, but it is expressed to different degrees in different children. No child showed a high level of speech development, four children are at an average level, and six are at a low level. After the application of corrective work on language development, a control study of the results of the work was conducted using the same methods that we used at the stage of diagnosing their speech development. The comparative analysis indicates that after the correctional and speech therapy work, there is not a single child with a low level of speech development, compared to six children before the work began. The speech development of the two children is almost completely in line with the age group and is rated as high. The other eight children improved significantly in all areas of speech and are rated as children with an average level of development.

Use of game tools in martial arts for endurance development

Background and Study Aim. The purpose of research is to test experimentally the effectiveness of the influence of game means on the dynamics of endurance development in 10-year-old boys who attend the sports section of Kyokushinkai karate. Material and Methods. Forty 10-year-old boys engaged in Kyokushinkai karate took part in the research. The children and their parents were informed about all peculiarities of the research and agreed to participate in the experiment. The following research methods were used to solve the tasks: analysis of scientific and methodological literature, pedagogical testing, and methods of mathematical statistics for processing research results. Results. Statistically significant changes in results occurred in the studied groups (p&lt;0,001). The improvement of the level of endurance development in 10-year-old boys’ karate athletes in favor of EG is confirmed. The highest statistically significant changes in EG indicators (р&lt;0.001) occurred in tests "Bent arm hang" (14.6%), "Push-ups" (11.8%), "Burpee" (11.8%). The average performance in 300 m run (8.6%) and in kicks "Mawashi geri chudan" with the right (left) foot slightly increased by 9.8% and 8.1%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the results of the test "Sit-ups in 1 min from the supine position" between EG and CG groups (1.1%, p&gt;0.05). However, both groups showed a sufficiently confident increase in the level of local dynamic power endurance (EG – 11.6%, CG – 10.4% at p&lt;0.001). Conclusions. The level of boys’ endurance at the initial stage of the pedagogical experiment corresponds to proper age norms. According to most results, 36% of boys are classified as of average level, 16.5% as above average, 17% as high. The rest of the indicators were distributed between below average and low levels, 12% and 18.5%, respectively. A significant lag was found in terms of general endurance (300 m run test). The dynamics of the obtained data testified to the effectiveness of the developed, tested, and implemented physical education methodology of endurance development in 10-year-old boys’ karate athletes with outdoor games. Because of application of game load (5 games, 3 repetitions with rest intervals of 20 s) there was a statistically significant increase in endurance (р&lt;0.001).

Differences in Normative Beliefs and Tobacco Product Use by Age Among Adults Who Smoke: Cross-Sectional Analysis of a Nationally Representative Sample.

The prevalence of combusted cigarette (CC) smoking among older adults is stagnant, with 0 declines attributable to e-cigarette (EC) use. Given that normative beliefs are associated with quitting and switching to ECs, we assessed cross-sectional associations between age, CC, and EC descriptive and injunctive norms and potential interactions with tobacco use behavior. Data are from people with current, established (≥100 lifetime CCs) CC use (n = 8072) at Wave 5 (2018-2019) of the adult Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study. We used adjusted multivariable logistic regressions to model social norms as a function of age (18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, ≥65 years). We also dichotomized age (≥55 vs 18-54) to investigate interactions between age and social norms on past 12-month CC quit attempts and past-month EC use. Older age was positively associated with pro- and anti-CC norms and anti-EC norms. Significant interactive effects revealed that being advised to quit smoking by a healthcare provider was more strongly associated with CC quit attempts among adults ≥55 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] [95% CI]: 2.12 [1.66, 2.71]) than adults <55 years (aOR: 1.63 [1.34, 2.00]). Reporting people close to you use ECs was also more strongly associated with EC use among adults ≥55 years (aOR: 4.37 [3.35, 5.69]) than among adults <55 years (aOR: 3.43 [2.89, 4.08]). This study identified modifiable risk factors for tobacco use that may be particularly beneficial for older adults. Behavioral and communication interventions that target normative beliefs may maximize smoking cessation, or harm reduction when cessation is not possible.

Polish adaptation of the Gender Identity/Gender Dysphoria Questionnaire for Adolescents and Adults (GIDYQ-AA-PL)

Introduction and objective: The aim of the study was to develop a tool to measure the level of gender dysphoria in adolescents and adults, as well as to assess its psychometric properties. Materials and methods: The study attempted a Polish adaptation of the questionnaire to assess dysphoria and gender identification in adolescents and adults (Gender Identity/Gender Dysphoria Questionnaire for Adolescents and Adults, GIDYQ-AA). It involved 1,780 respondents aged 11 to 73 years, diverse in terms of sex assigned at birth and gender identity. The questionnaire used in the adaptation study consisted of three parts: statistical data, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the GIDYQ-AA questionnaire translated into Polish. Results: The analysis showed that the structure of the tool is single-factor. Items 4 and 13 of the original tool were removed from the Polish version due to poor correlation with the scale and low factor loadings of these items. The structure equivalence analysis showed that developing general standards could lead to flattening of conclusions from individual measurements. It was decided to create norms taking into account sex and age. The obtained tool has a reliability of 0.97 CR and good validity measured as the correlation coefficient between the level of dysphoria and the level of anxiety, depression and irritability. Conclusions: The adaptation and analysis gave rise to a 25-item tool with high reliability and validity. Unlike the original tool, in-depth statistical analyses allowed for the creation of detailed dysphoria norms for age and sex assigned at birth. The presented questionnaire is a valuable contribution to the system of Polish standards for diagnosing people struggling with gender nonconformity.

Динамика развития диалектического и формально-логического мышления в старшем дошкольном и младшем школьном возрасте

&lt;p&gt;Earlier in our research we studied the differences between formal and dialectical thinking, so formal operations are aimed at the exclusion of contradiction, and dialectical ones at the active transformation of the relations of opposites. The clarification of the relationship between these two forms of thinking in dynamics continues to be a relevant task. The aim of the work was to investigate the performance in solving logical and dialectical tasks, as well as to identify age norms for 5-10-year-old children (n=756). To assess logical thinking, we used J. Piaget's tests, which are aimed at assessing the ability to coordinate two parameters simultaneously when analyzing proportions ("Probability"), balance ("Scales") and motion ("Mechanical curve"). Methods aimed at assessing children's ability to perform dialectical thought actions of transformation ("Drawing of an unusual tree"), mediation ("What can be both at the same time?"), and seriation ("Cycles") were applied. By 8-10 years of age, the majority of children successfully coped with the solution of all three logical tests, with boys performing better than girls on a spatial task aimed at coordinating multidirectional movements ("Mechanical curve"). Most children by the age of 9 successfully cope with building cyclical seriations. At the same time, dialectical tasks, as a result of which one object transforms into its opposite ("Drawing of an unusual tree") or both objects are combined into a single new one ("What can be both at the same time?") are relevant for children over 10 years old. It is probable that, as thinking is formed at each age stage, the ability to identify and operate with opposites retains its significance.&lt;/p&gt;

ASSESSMENT OF BIOLOGICAL AGE AND AGING RATE OF FOOTWEAR ENTERPRISES WORKERS

Biological age (BA), as a criterion for assessing health, can also be viewed as a marker of material aging resulting from occupational exposure to factors in the industrial environment.&#x0D; Aim. To determine the biological age and aging rates of workers in the footwear industry.&#x0D; Materials and Methods. The research group included 200 workers from footwear enterprises (119 males and 81 females) aged 25-62. They were distributed based on their primary workshops and occupational hazards as follows: isolated exposure to occupational noise (Group 1): 61 males and 35 females, combined exposure to occupational noise and chemicals (Group 2): 57 males and 47 females. The control group - 54 workers: 26 males and 28 females who were not exposed to these production factors during their work activities. Additionally, the workers were divided into groups based on their work experience in the profession: up to 5 years, 6-14 years, and 15-21 years. BA and aging rates were determined using the methodology developed by the Institute of Gerontology of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine.&#x0D; Results and Discussion. The presence of unfavourable occupational factors in constant workplaces, particularly in isolated (occupational noise) and combined (occupational noise and chemical substances) conditions, is a significant contributing factor to premature aging among workers engaged in footwear production. In Group 1 of male workers, the BA-NBA (normative biological age) index exceeded 5.22 [4.81; 6.11], in Group 2 - 7.79 [6.29; 9.11], compared with the control - 3.96 [3.21; 4.2]. For female workers, this difference is 4.81 [4.29; 5.22] and 5.84 [5.26; 6,44]. The maximum aging rates were observed in work experience groups up to 5 years, regardless of the combination of occupational factors and young workers (age group up to 30 years) in both gender groups were for Group 1 - 8.11 [7.55; 8.29] (male) and 6.37 [6.15; 7.01] (female); Group 2 - 11.68 [11.18; 12.49] (male) and 8.81 [8.39; 9.54] respectively. Aging rates drop down with age and job experience, which can be attributed to workers' improved capacity to adapt to challenging working conditions.&#x0D; Conclusions. The determination of BA in workers can be utilized at the preliminary and periodic medical examinations to determine occupational risk groups and profession selection, as well as to evaluate the effect of elements in the production environment and labour process on the functional state of the body.

Особенности развития и клинического течения глаукомного процесса у детей, рожденных на разных сроках гестации

Material and methods. 147 children (242 eyes) aged from 1 to 18 months with different stages of glaucoma. The main group consisted of 106 patients (170 eyes) born before the 37th week of gestation (29.1±2.4 weeks). The comparison group consisted of 41 children (72 eyes) with primary congenital glaucoma, born from 37 to 42 weeks of gestation (38.6±1.0 weeks). Results. The manifestation of the glaucoma process in the group of prematurely born children in most cases occurred at 5–6 months. The «classic» increase in the size of the eye was significantly more often observed in patients with primary congenital glaucoma (29 children, 51 eyes, 70.8%). At the same time, corneal edema was noted more often in the group of children with glaucoma and ROP (55 children, 91 eyes, 53.5%). In the group of children born at term, the horizontal corneal diameterwas 13.51±1.19 mm. In the group of preterm infants with glaucoma, this figure was 12.53±0.89 mm. Axial length of the eye in children with glaucoma born at term also significantly exceeded the age norm: 23.22±2.83 mm. On average, axial length of the eyes with glaucoma in premature babies was 22.74±2.76 mm. IOP in the group of premature babies averaged 25.94±4.5 mm Hg, while the indicator in the group of full-term babies was 24, 31±4.9 mm Hg. Conclusion. Thus, the manifestation, clinical course, and outcome of the glaucoma process in children born at different gestational ages can be very variable. Key words: retinopathy of prematurity, glaucoma, corneal diameter, axial length, intraocular pressure

Evaluation of Nephrotoxicity by Renal Scintigraphy During Radiotherapy &lt;sup&gt;177&lt;/sup&gt;Lu-PSMA-617

Purpose: Evaluation of nephrotoxicity by renal scintigraphy in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer receiving radionuclide therapy 177Lu-PSMA-617. Material and methods: In this work the data obtained by renal scintigraphy using two radiopharmaceutical drugs 99mTc-MAG3 and 99mTc-DTPA were analyzed in 32 patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer receiving radionuclide therapy 177Lu-PSMA-617. Results: In all patients included in this study, both before the start of radionuclide therapy and after receiving several fractions of therapy, there were no critically significant violations of renal function. By the last fraction of radionuclide therapy on the KDIGO scale, category C1, corresponding to normal renal function, was observed in 34 % of patients, which is 6 % more than before the start of therapy. At the same time, 6 % of patients began to have significantly reduced renal function (category C3b), which was not determined in any of the patients before the start of therapy with 177Lu-PSMA-617. In 13 % of patients there was a moderate decrease (category C3a) and in 47 % of patients there was a slight decrease (category C2) in renal function. Conclusions: Despite the prevailing concerns about nephrotoxicity caused by 177Lu-PSMA-617 therapy, the glomerular filtration rate, calculated both by a formula based on creatinine levels in the blood and when using renal scintigraphy with 99mTc-DTPA, remained within the age norm in this study. At the same time, there was a tendency to increase the level of creatinine in the blood after the second fraction of radionuclide therapy, which may indicate initial functional changes in the kidneys. It was also noted that from fraction to fraction there is a gradual slowdown in the main time indicators of filtration and excretory kidney function (according to dynamic renal scintigraphy), such as Tmax and T1/2, which may also indicate functional changes in the kidneys against the background of therapy.

Manipulating prescriptive views of active aging and altruistic disengagement.

Older adults are faced with prescriptions to remain fit and socially engaged (active aging) or limit consumption of social resources (altruistic disengagement), and violations of these may result in backlash and marginalization. Despite such negative consequences that prescriptive views of aging (PVoA) may have for older adults, whether PVoA endorsement is modifiable is still to be examined. Thus, in our study, we investigated the malleability of PVoA endorsement. Further, we explored whether malleability of PVoA endorsement generalizes across specific age norms (active aging and altruistic disengagement), life domains (health and social), and targets (others and self). We conducted two preregistered experiments in which participants reflected on agreeing or disagreeing with PVoA. In Experiment 1, 536 adults (50-89 years) reflected on their personal agreement or disagreement with PVoA. In Experiment 2, 435 adults (50-87 years) reflected on agreement with PVoA in society. Reflecting on agreement changed endorsement of PVoA in both experiments: Participants who reflected on agreement reported higher endorsement of PVoA, whereas participants who reflected on disagreement reported lower endorsement. Our results indicated that the cognitive representation of PVoA is norm and domain specific: The endorsement effect did not transfer from active aging to altruistic disengagement (or vice versa) nor across health and social domains. Further, participants set the same prescriptions for their behavior as they set for others as shown by a transfer between endorsement of other- to self-related PVoA. Our findings attest to the complexity and specificity of PVoA and offer important insights for designing interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

PHENOMENOLOGICAL AND OPERATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS&#x0D; OF THE SPEECH COMPETENCE OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

Based on a retrospective analysis of the academic discourse of several decades, the article shows that the term&#x0D; “speech competence” has not received a commonly accepted definition, especially when it comes to the preschool age.&#x0D; The study conducted by the authors has made it possible to determine the phenomenological characteristics of the preschoolers’&#x0D; speech competence, considering it as a dynamic integral personal quality, manifested in the ability and willingness&#x0D; to successfully listen, perceive and reproduce information, be engaged in conversation, express personal opinions&#x0D; and points of view in the oral form in accordance with the age norm. Its lexical, phonological, grammatical, dialogical&#x0D; and monological functional components have been identified and defined subject to pedagogical impact. These components&#x0D; contain operational characteristics of the speech competence of preschoolers. The speech competence of preschool&#x0D; children includes also the following meta-components: awareness of the ways and means of speech interaction; adequacy&#x0D; of selection of available speech skills, their application in speech activity; orientation in a communication situation;&#x0D; complex, variable and creative application of speech and non-speech means in accordance with the set goal. Following&#x0D; the internal structure of the speech competence of preschool children in the educational process should make it more&#x0D; systematic and the results of this process easier to measure in their complex, integrative wholeness.