Age-related Trend Research Articles

Atypical pupillary light reflex in 2-6-year-old children with autism spectrum disorders.

The purpose of this study was to investigate pupillary light reflex (PLR) in 2-6-years-old children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). A total of 117 medication-free 2-6-year-old boys participated in this study. Sixty participants were diagnosed with ASD (the "ASD group") and the other 57 were in the control group of typical development (the "TD group"). A questionnaire was completed by the parent/guardian for assessing potential dysfunctions in the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The base pupil radius, PLR latency, and constriction time showed a significant age-related trend in both the ASD and TD groups. The base pupil size increased with age in the typically developing children, but not in the ASD group. The ASD group showed more symptoms related to ANS dysfunctions. An association between abnormal sweating with base pupil radius and PLR constriction was observed in the TD group but not the ASD group. The different association of PLR parameters with ANS dysfunction may suggest disrupted autonomic controls in children with ASD. Autism Res 2017, 10: 829-838. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cross-continent comparisons reveal differing environmental drivers of growth of the coral reef fish, Lutjanus bohar

Biochronologies provide important insights into the growth responses of fishes to past variability in physical and biological environments and, in so doing, allow modelling of likely responses to climate change in the future. We examined spatial variability in the key drivers of inter-annual growth patterns of a widespread, tropical snapper, Lutjanus bohar, at similar tropical latitudes on the north-western and north-eastern coasts of the continent of Australia. For this study, we developed biochronologies from otoliths that provided proxies of somatic growth and these were analysed using mixed-effects models to examine the historical drivers of growth. Our analyses demonstrated that growth patterns of fish were driven by different climatic and biological factors in each region, including Pacific Ocean climate indices, regional sea level and the size structure of the fish community. Our results showed that the local oceanographic and biological context of reef systems strongly influenced the growth of L. bohar and that a single age-related growth trend cannot be assumed for separate populations of this species that are likely to experience different environmental conditions. Generalised predictions about the growth response of fishes to climate change will thus require adequate characterisation of the spatial variability in growth determinants likely to be found throughout the range of species that have cosmopolitan distributions.

Symptoms of uterine myomas: data of an epidemiological study in Germany.

Currently, no reliable data are available concerning the type and frequency of symptoms in premenopausal women with uterine myomas. 2296 women were examined by means of vaginal ultrasound for the presence of myomas in seven gynaecological outpatient departments in Germany. From this population, 1314 premenopausal women between the ages of 30 and 55years were evaluated to determine the type and frequency of myoma-related symptoms and their relationship to anamnestic factors, and the number, size, and location of the myomas. Standardised questionnaires were used to record the symptoms. Prevalence: In almost every second premenopausal woman (n=639; 48.6%), uterine myomas were diagnosed. The frequency of myomas increased continuously with age and was highest in women between 46 and 50years (65.2%). Age itself was found to be the main risk factor for the presence of myomas (p<0.001). 54.3% (n=347) of the women suffered from myoma-related symptoms. The four main symptoms were identified as: Heavy menstrual bleeding (40.7%), dysmenorrhoea (28.2%), lower abdominal pain (14.9%), and intermenstrual bleeding (14.1%). In the majority of cases, the symptoms occurred simultaneously. Determinants for symptoms: Symptoms did not follow a clear age-related trend, whilst the number and size of the myomas did determine the presence of symptoms. The main influencing factor for the presence of intermenstrual bleeding was the location of the myomas. The high prevalence of uterine myomas highlights the importance of the diagnosis uterine myomas in standard gynaecological practice: The presence of only one myoma caused symptoms in 46.5% and small myomas of up to 2cm in diameter resulted in symptoms in 39.5%.

The Association Between Neurocysticercosis and Hippocampal Atrophy is Related to Age

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.

OS 08-03 PHARMACOGENETIC MARKERS OF SURVIVAL

Physiological and biochemical changes during aging alter drug metabolism. Drug intake is increased with age because of cumulative morbidity, in particular, high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases. Antihypertensive medications are the most commonly used drugs. Individual drug sensitivity or resistance may be influenced by the variance of the “pharmacological response” genes. Our purpose was to search for the polymorphic variants of “pharmacological response” genes associated with survival in different age periods. The study group consisted of 832 healthy persons aged between 21 and 109 years from the Republic of Bashkortostan (Russia). Participants were divided into three age subgroups: middle-age, elderly and long-livers. Polymorphic markers of ITGB3 (rs5918), ABCB1 (rs1045642), PTGS1 (rs3842787), PTGS2 (rs20417), F5 (rs6025) and VKORC1 (rs9934438) genes were analyzed by PCR method. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS V.21.0. ABCB1*Т allele was detected with high frequency (58.87%) in the study group, comparable to the majority of Caucasian populations. ABCB1*Т allele is associated with increased absorption and slow excretion of xenobiotics, and therefore testing for this polymorphism is important for selecting medications and dosage. Similarly high frequency of PTGS2* C allele was observed in the study group (18.63%). PTGS2* C allele is associated with aspirin resistance, which makes it an important pharmacogenetic marker. ITGB3*C allele frequency was decreased in the elderly subgroup compared to the middle-age subgroup (6.44% vs. 17.95%, p = 0.0003). ITGB3* C allele is associated with low response to anticoagulants, and the carriers of ITGB3* C allele have an increased risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, sudden cardiac death, hypertension. Thus, we suggest that the frequency of ITGB3* C allele is diminished with age due to negative selection. The results of our study demonstrate the age-related trend for decreased frequency of polymorphic markers associated with impaired sensitivity to anticoagulants.

Longitudinal Investigation of Carriage Rates, Counts, and Genotypes of Toxigenic Clostridium difficile in Early Infancy.

Asymptomatic infant carriers of toxigenic Clostridium difficile are suggested to play a role in the transmission of C. difficile infection (CDI) in adults. However, the mode of C. difficile carriage in infants remains to be fully elucidated. We investigated longitudinal changes in carriage rates, counts, and strain types of toxigenic C. difficile in infants. Stools collected from 111 healthy infants in Belgium periodically from birth until the age of 6 months were examined by quantitative PCR targeting 16S rRNA and toxin genes. Toxigenic C. difficile was detected in 18 of 111 infants (16%) in the period up to the age of 6 months. The carriage rate of toxigenic C. difficile remained below 5% until the age of 3 months. The carriage rate increased to 13% 1 week after weaning (average age, 143 days) and reached 16% at the age of 6 months. Counts of toxigenic C. difficile bacteria ranged from 10(4) to 10(8) cells/g of stool. Notably, two infants retained >10(8) cells/g of stool for at least several weeks. Average counts in the 18 infants hovered around 10(7) cells/g of stool from the age of 3 days until the age of 6 months, showing no age-related trend. Genotyping of toxigenic C. difficile isolates from the 18 infants revealed that 11 infants each retained a particular monophyletic strain for at least a month. The genotype most frequently identified was the same as that frequently identified in symptomatic adult CDI patients. Thus, toxigenic C. difficile strains-potential causes of CDI in adults-colonized the infants' intestines. Our study provides longitudinal data on counts and strain types of toxigenic C. difficile in infants. We found that considerable numbers of toxigenic C. difficile bacteria colonized the infants' intestines. The results of strain typing suggest that toxigenic C. difficile carried by healthy infants could be potentially pathogenic to adults. These results and findings are informative not only for ecological studies but also for efforts to prevent or control the spread of CDI in adults.

Prosocial Behavior Increases with Age across Five Economic Games

Ontogenic studies of human prosociality generally agree on that human prosociality increases from early childhood through early adulthood; however, it has not been established if prosociality increases beyond early adulthood. We examined a sample of 408 non-student residents from Tokyo, Japan, who were evenly distributed across age (20–59) and sex. Participants played five economic games each separated by a few months. We demonstrated that prosocial behavior increased with age beyond early adulthood and this effect was shown across all five economic games. A similar, but weaker, age-related trend was found in one of three social value orientation measures of prosocial preferences. We measured participants’ belief that manipulating others is a wise strategy for social success, and found that this belief declined with age. Participants’ satisfaction with the unilateral exploitation outcome of the prisoner’s dilemma games also declined with age. These two factors—satisfaction with the DC outcome in the prisoner’s dilemma games and belief in manipulation—mediated the age effect on both attitudinal and behavioral prosociality. Participants’ age-related socio-demographic traits such as marriage, having children, and owning a house weakly mediated the age effect on prosociality through their relationships with satisfaction with the DC outcome and belief in manipulation.

Epidemiology of Suicide in Cuba, 1987–2014

INTRODUCTION Suicide is a health problem influenced by biological, genetic, psychological, social and economic factors. It is responsible for 50% of violent deaths in the male population, worldwide, and 71% in the female. In the Americas, 65,000 deaths by suicide occur every year. It is the ninth most frequent cause of death in Cuba, and third among people aged 10-19. OBJECTIVE Characterize the epidemiology of suicide in Cuba from 1987 to 2014. METHODS A retrospective descriptive study was conducted. The information comprised all records of death by suicide from January 1, 1987 to December 31, 2014, in the Cuban Ministry of Public Health's National Statistics Division database. The variables were sex, age, skin color, employment status/occupation, marital status, and method of suicide. Crude and age-standardized mortality rates and age-sex specific mortality rates were calculated, all per 100,000 population, as well as the sex ratio. Relative change over the series was calculated as a percentage. Distribution of suicides by variable was calculated and proportions expressed as percentages. RESULTS A total of 51,113 deaths by suicide were reported (annual average 1825), of which 34,671 (67.8%) were among men. The sex ratio was 2.1:1 for the entire study period, and 3.9:1 for 2011-2014. Over the course of the period studied, age-standardized suicide rates decreased from 23.9 to 10.8 per 100,000 population (54.8% reduction). The group aged ≥60 years had the highest average age-standardized rate, 44.6 per 100,000 population. The highest suicide burden by age was in the group aged 20-59 years (60.5%). By skin color, the highest burden was in those recorded as white, 68.9%. By marital status, the highest burden was in persons with a stable partner (46.7%), and by employment status/occupation, in retired (25.9%). The most commonly used method was hanging (59.4%). CONCLUSIONS Over the course of about three decades, suicide mortality rates have declined by almost half and they are still slightly higher than overall rates in the Americas. The most commonly used method is hanging. The sex ratio is greater than two and has increased over time. The highest rates occur in the group aged ≥60 years, but finer stratification is needed to identify an age-related risk trend. In view of Cuba's aging population, these results are of interest for epidemiology and public health. KEYWORDS Suicide, suicide attempt, death, mental health, Cuba.

A Large-Scale Palaeopathological Study of Hip Fractures from Post-Medieval Urban England

Hip fractures have high incidence rates in many current groups and are associated with high morbidity, mortality, and considerable expenditure. Although hip fractures associated with significant traumatic events can occur at any age, many hip fractures occur in older adults. To date, few hip fractures have been reported from archaeological skeletal material, and a number of hypotheses have been suggested for this. This research presents a comprehensive assessment of hip fractures in archaeological bone; 1597 adult (18+ years) skeletons from eight urban post-medieval sites from England dating from the 18th and 19th centuries were recorded, and contemporary medical texts reviewed. This adult sample included 834 males and 652 females as well as 11 persons of undetermined sex. Ways of classifying and describing fractures in the clinical literature were reviewed and a methodology applicable to paleopathology determined. Of this sample, 15 (0.94%) had fractures in the femoral neck or intertrochanteric area: nine males, four females, and two individuals of undetermined sex. The numbers of fractures in males were interesting and most likely represent examples of accidental trauma as well as osteoporosis-related fractures, the latter receiving growing awareness in recent clinical literature. Overall there was an age-related trend with more individuals aged 50+ years with fractures than in other age categories. Underlying osteoporosis was potentially a complicating factor in five individuals and was likely associated with a vitamin D deficiency osteomalacia and a metastatic neoplastic condition in a further two cases. Fractures occurring close to the time of death and healed fractures were observed, indicating that the risk of mortality following this trauma was not consistent across this 18th and 19th century sample. Skeletal and historical evidence presented in this study indicate that the impact of hip fracture injuries varied, with survival likely linked to the fracture type. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Facial Width-To-Height Ratio (fWHR) Is Not Associated with Adolescent Testosterone Levels

Facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) has been proposed as a sexually dimorphic signal in humans that develops under the influence of pubertal testosterone (T); however, no studies have examined the association between fWHR and T during the phase in which facial growth is canalized—adolescence. In a sample of adolescent Tsimane males, we evaluate the relationship between T, known T-derived traits (i.e. strength and voice pitch), and craniofacial measurements. If fWHR variation derives from T’s effect on craniofacial growth during adolescence, several predictions should be supported: 1) fWHR should increase with age as T increases, 2) fWHR should reflect adolescent T (rather than adult T per se), 3) fWHR should exhibit velocity changes during adolescence in parallel with the pubertal spurt in T, 4) fWHR should correlate with T after controlling for age and other potential confounds, and 5) fWHR should show strong associations with other T-derived traits. Only prediction 4 was observed. Additionally, we examined three alternative facial masculinity ratios: facial width/lower face height, cheekbone prominence, and facial width/full face height. In contrast to fWHR, all three alternative measures show a strong age-related trend and are associated with both T and T-dependent traits. Overall, our results question the status of fWHR as a sexually-selected signal of pubertal T and T-linked traits.

Gradual changes in upwelled seawater conditions (redox, pH) from the late Cretaceous through early Paleogene at the northwest coast of Africa: Negative Ce anomaly trend recorded in fossil bio-apatite

Marine vertebrate fossils from late Cretaceous–early Paleogene shallow marine phosphorites of Morocco were investigated for their trace element compositions and neodymium isotopic ratios in order to constrain marine and depositional conditions. The various analyzed fossils are separated into two groups with different geochemical compositions: (1) shark tooth enameloid with generally lower Cu, Ba, rare earth elements (REEs) and U, and higher Na, Zn and Sr concentrations than (2) dentine, bone, and coprolites. These differences are related to the originally different structures of these fossils.All the fossils revealed very similar shale-normalized REE patterns, with negative Ce anomaly and heavy REE enrichment mimicking the REE pattern of modern oxic-seawater. The results therefore suggest REE uptake by the fossils from an early diagenetic pore fluid that was dominated by seawater. Importantly, the Ce anomaly does not vary among the different types of fossil remains and the values are very similar in a given layer. Moreover, a step-wise shift towards lower Ce/Ce* values from older to younger beds is apparent. Nd isotope analyses across the phosphorite succession yielded minor variation with an average εNd(t) value of −6.2±0.4 (n=12) indicating no major changes in the REE source during the studied interval. The relatively radiogenic values reflect Tethyan connection and/or important contribution of a mafic Nd source from weathering in the region.The age-related trend in the Ce anomaly is interpreted to be due to changes in redox and/or pH conditions of the upwelling seawater on the shallow shelf areas. The driving force of these changes was probably an extended global oceanic circulation, especially enhanced connection and water exchange between the North and South Atlantic.

Response of Pinus taiwanensis growth to climate changes at its southern limit of Daiyun Mountain, mainland China Fujian Province

The Pinus taiwanensis trees of a Chinese endemic species form pure forests at infertile sites in humid subtropical China, which can aid soil reservation and ecological resiliency at such sites. Herein, we used dendrochronological methods to investigate the growth patterns and their relationship with climate by analyzing 158 cores of 79 P. taiwanensis trees at 4 sites in their southernmost distribution in mainland China at Daiyun Mountain in Fujian Province. Tree growths at sites with favorable conditions generally showed an age-related growth trend, which decreased from approximately 5 mm to 0.5 mm in about a century. Trees in moderately stressed environments established high growth in their juvenile periods but were highly susceptible to environmental stresses such as a sharp growth decline in the 1990s. The temperature in February and the moisture in July are the major limiting factors for most of the tree growths, except for a few extremely stressed P. taiwanensis trees. The growth of the dwarf P. taiwanensis trees, with all ring diameters of the first 20 years less than 4 mm, is mainly limited by the dry climate in May. Under the potential future warming trend, drought stress can be particularly threatening to these dwarf P. taiwanensis trees, which are likely to be the germplasm resources for this species in this region.

The eye lens: age-related trends and individual variations in refractive index and shape parameters.

The eye lens grows throughout life by cell accrual on its surface and can change shape to adjust the focussing power of the eye. Varying concentrations of proteins in successive cell layers create a refractive index gradient. The continued growth of the lens and age-related changes in proteins render it less able to alter shape with loss of capacity by the end of the sixth decade of life. Growth and protein ageing alter the refractive index but as accurate measurement of this parameter is difficult, the nature of such alterations remains uncertain. The most accurate method to date for measuring refractive index in intact lenses has been developed at the SPring-8 synchrotron. The technique, based on Talbot interferometry, has an X-ray source and was used to measure refractive index in sixty-six human lenses, aged from 16 to 91 years. Height and width were measured for forty-five lenses. Refractive index contours show decentration in some older lenses but individual variations mask age-related trends. Refractive index profiles along the optic axis have relatively flat central sections with distinct micro-fluctuations and a steep gradient in the cortex but do not exhibit an age-related trend. The refractive index profiles in the equatorial aspect show statistical significance with age, particularly for lenses below the age of sixty that had capacity to alter shape in vivo. The maximum refractive index in the lens centre decreases slightly with age with considerable scatter in the data and there are age-related variations in sagittal thickness and equatorial height.

Biases in RCS tree ring chronologies due to sampling heights of trees

The Regional Curve Standardization (RCS) is one of the most employed standardization methods to remove biological signals in long tree ring chronologies. The approach assumes that an overall age-related growth trend typify all tree ring series to be included in a standardized tree ring chronology. Although several potential problems of the method have been examined, the influence of varying the sampling height along tree stems has not been evaluated. Considering that age-related growth trends may vary with stem height, biases may arise when combining samples from unknown or variable sampling heights, a frequent situation with subfossil logs. In this study we perform a detailed stem analysis of 15 lakeshore black spruce (Picea mariana Mill. B.S.P.) trees in the taiga of eastern Canada to describe how the age-related growth trend varies with stem height and evaluate associated biases in RCS chronologies built from living and subfossil trees. Results show that the age-related growth trends vary markedly and systematically along stems, potentially generating large methodological biases in RCS chronologies, especially near the recent chronology end. These biases may lead to erroneous reconstructions of recent climatic trends and cause false divergence between tree ring and climate series. We have developed a correction procedure that appears efficient in removing these biases from chronologies built with the lakeshore trees and associated subfossil logs.

Sociodemographic conditions, knowledge of dental diseases, dental care, and dietary habits.

This study's aim was to present data on the sociodemographic conditions, knowledge of dental diseases, dental care, and dietary habits among children aged 3, 5, 10, and 15 years in Da Nang, Vietnam. A cross-sectional epidemiological questionnaire study was conducted in a population of 840 children randomly selected by their year and month of birth (January to July), including 210 individuals in each age group. A self-reported questionnaire was completed by the parents of 3- and 5-year-olds, and a modified questionnaire was given to 10- and 15-year-olds to complete by themselves. Mass media constituted the main source of oral healthcare information. Parents assisted with tooth brushing in 86 percent of 3-year-olds and 71 percent of 5-year-olds. Fluoride toothpaste was used by 44-78 percent of children, with no clear age-related trend. Within the past year, 60 percent of 3- and 5-year-olds, 20 percent of 10-year-olds, and 49 percent of 15-year-olds reported they had not visited a dental professional. Sweets were consumed between principal meals by 70-80 percent of children. Milk with sugar was regularly consumed by 71 percent of 3-year-olds and 91 percent of 5-year-olds. Children showed frequent sugar consumption and insufficient frequency of brushing their teeth with fluoride toothpaste. Food-based dietary guidelines should play a significant role in nutrition and oral health. It is especially important that oral health prevention programs reach preschool children before they establish unhealthy dietary habits. Parental education about oral health and access to oral healthcare services are also needed to improve children's oral health.

Age-Associated Power Decline from Running, Jumping, and Throwing Male Masters World Records

Background/Study Context: The capacity to perform everyday tasks is directly related to the muscular power the body can develop (see Appendix). The age-related loss of power is a fact, but the characterization or the rate of muscle power loss remains an open issue. Data useful to study the decline of the skeletal muscles power are largely available from sources other than medical tests, e.g., from track and field competitions of Masters athletes. The aim of our study is to identify the age-related decline trend of the power developed by the athletes in carrying out the track and field events.Methods: Absolute male world records of 16 events were collected along with world records of male Masters categories. Performance was normalized with respect to the absolute record; the performance of various age groups is consequently represented by a number ranging from 1 (world absolute records) to 0 (null performance). The performance of a jumping event is transformed into a parameter proportional to the power developed by the athletes: the displacement of the center of gravity of the athlete. Throwing events are further normalized for the decreasing weight of the implements with the increasing age of the Masters athletes.Results: Most track and field events show a linear decline to 70 years. The annual rate of power decline for all the events (running, throwing, and jumping), using a simplified synthesis, is 1.25% per year. The events that involve mostly upper limbs (shot put, javelin throw) show a higher rate of decline (1.4% per year) compared to those where the lower limbs are mostly involved (long jump 1.1%, track events 0.6–0.7% per year). This analysis of muscle power decline is only partially in line with the results of works based on clinical tests. A clarification of the reasons for such discrepancy may provide clinically significant information.Conclusion: Human power decline in Masters athletes was analyzed, adopting a coherent approach based on an extended database. Skeletal muscle power starts declining after the age of 30, with slight variations depending on the events. This conclusion is in line with only some of the previous studies. The various trend lines point to 0 at the age of 110 years, which is in line with the present human survival age. The study can be further developed with a suitable database for male and female Masters performances to facilitate longitudinal studies, which are currently lacking.

Effect of partner's gender on early pretend play: a preliminary study of Singapore Chinese preschoolers

This study examined the developmental trend of pretend play behaviour and the effect of partner's gender in Singaporean preschoolers. Peer dyadic play among 70 children, ranging in age from three to five years, was observed in a standardised toy play context. Videotaped recordings of the play were analysed using two scales – the Smilansky Scale for Evaluation of Dramatic and Socio-dramatic Play and the Symbolic Play Scale. The results indicated an age-related developmental trend for pretend play in general; no main effect for gender and gender composition of dyads was found. However, remarkably significant gender composition effects were identified in certain age groups, with children from same-gender dyads outperforming those from mixed-gender dyads. The period between ages three and four was identified as critical for pretend play development, and the fifth year of life was identified as critical for the development of gender segregation in play behaviours.

Anal human papillomavirus infection prevalence in men who have sex with men is age-independent: a role for recent sexual behavior?

Considering that data available on age-specific prevalence of anal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection among men who have sex with men (MSM) are limited and conflicting, we aimed to assess the age-related trend of this infection in HIV-uninfected MSM. Anal samples, collected using a Dacron swab, were analyzed by the Linear Array HPV Genotyping Test (Roche Diagnostics, Milan, Italy). Among the 408 males enrolled, HPV prevalence was 72.8% and did not significantly change across ages both for any (p = 0.506) and high-risk genotypes (p = 0.588). HPV prevalence by age group did not vary also after adjusting for median number and median age of recent partners. Among urban MSM at risk for sexually transmitted infections, this stability in anal HPV prevalence across all ages may be driven by multiple partnerships in association with sexual mixing across all age groups. Interventions to increase awareness of lifetime HPV risk and willingness to adopt preventive measures may reduce HPV-associated health burden in MSM.

Internal iliac and uterine arteries Doppler ultrasound in the assessment of normotensive and chronic hypertensive pregnant women

The objective of this work was to compare Doppler flows pulsatility index (PI) and resistance indexes (RI) of uterine and internal iliac arteries during pregnancy in low risk women and in those with stage-1 essential hypertension. From January 2010 and December 2012, a longitudinal and prospective study was carried out in 103 singleton uneventful pregnancies (72 low-risk pregnancies and 31 with stage 1 essential hypertension)at the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters. Multiple linear regression models, fitted using generalized least squares and whose errors were allowed to be correlated and/or have unequal variances, were employed; a model for the relative differences of both arteries impedance was utilized. In both groups, uterine artery PI and RI exhibited a gestational age related decreasing trend whereas internal iliac artery PI and RI increased. The model testing the hemodynamic adaptation in women with and without hypertension showed similar trend. Irrespective of blood pressure conditions, the internal iliac artery resistance pattern contrasts with the capacitance pattern of its immediate pelvic division, suggesting a pregnancy-related regulatory mechanism in the pelvic circulation.

Development of vowel spaces from age 21 to age 49 in a group of 8 talkers

We describe age-related change in speech during young to middle age adulthood using a new resource for phonetic and sociolinguistic analysis. This resource is based on the “Up” series of documentary films, showing a set of 11 individuals filmed at seven year intervals over a period of 42 years. We analyzed 67 sample utterances (minimum duration = 10 s), containing 4493 vowels produced by eight talkers, with the aim of understanding how vowel spaces change in young and middle-age adulthood, prior to physiological changes often observed in elderly talkers. We measured the first and second formants of each vowel token and analyzed several measures of vowel distribution in F1/F2 space: Euclidean distance from the talker's average F1/F2 (“dispersion”), within-category variability (intra-vowel dispersion), and vowel space area. Area of the vowel space was measured using averages of point vowels (/a/, /ae/, /i/, /u/), as well using the convex hull of all vowels. For some individuals, vowel spaces from age 21 to age 49 come to be more compact, in a manner that has previously been observed in elderly speakers. However, we also find considerable individual variability, with no clear age-related trend across speakers.