Average Age Of Individuals Research Articles

Euthanasia in an Aging America: An Ethical Challenge for Mental Health Counselors

The average age of individuals in the United States and worldwide is steadily increasing, resulting in an increase in the number of older, terminally ill adults who may seek counseling for end-of-life decisions. Euthanasia is one such end-of-life option that is emerging in the United States. Physician-assisted dying, currently the only legal form of active euthanasia in eight states and the District of Columbia, is a relatively new and often misunderstood end-of-life option. Although arguments continue about this issue, the American Mental Health Counselors Association has developed ethical codes to guide mental health counselors working with terminally ill clients making end-of-life decisions. The core moral and ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, fidelity, and veracity provide guidance for helping terminally ill clients explore end-of-life options that could include physician-assisted dying when it is a legally viable option. Additional recommendations are made for increasing intellectual and emotional competence regarding euthanasia.

Nutrition Status, Muscle Mass, and Frailty in Older People: A Cross-Sectional Study Conducted in Cyprus

Objective Aging is a worldwide serious public health problem. Frailty is also becoming an alarming geriatric syndrome. This study was conducted to analyze the relationship of frailty with nutritional and muscle status in individuals aged 65 and older. Method The study was carried out between July 2018 and September 2019 among 347 people aged 65 and older residing in Cyprus. All the data were collected and measured with face-to-face interview method by the researcher which includes demographic information, a retrospective 1-day food consumption record, Edmonton Frailty Scale (EFS), anthropometric measurements, hand grip strength, muscle mass, and walking speed. Results The average age of individuals was 73.12 ± 6.78 years. When sex, education levels, and drug usage were compared with EFS levels, severity of frailty was found to be significantly higher in females, non-educated individuals, and in individuals using 3 or more drugs everyday (p < 0.05). Body mass index (BMI) values of non-frail participants were found significantly higher than mildly, moderately, and severely frail participants (p < 0.05). It was observed that there was a statistically significant and negative correlation between the participants’ EFS scores and muscle mass (p < 0.05). A negative correlation between hand grip strength and EFS scores was also observed. Energy and protein intake was not found to be significantly different in EFS level groups, while calcium intake of participants with mild, moderate, and severe frailty was found to be significantly lower than in those who were not frail or apparently vulnerable (p < 0.05). Conclusions Being female, having low education levels, using more than 3 drugs per day, and having lower muscle mass increases frailty levels. As a consequence, higher education, decreasing the number of drugs used per day, and preserving muscle mass with adequate activity are important cornerstones of decreasing frailty risk.

Failure on all fronts: Qualitative analysis of the oral health care experience in individuals with intellectual disability.

To explore the oral health care experience of individuals with intellectual disability and their families. A qualitative approach utilising face-to-face semi-structured interviews with parents of individuals with intellectual disability. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim, and Qualitative Framework Analysis was used to present the results. Twenty-six parents of 26 individuals with intellectual disability were interviewed. The interviewees were 10 males and 16 females, and their average age was 46.4 ± 11.2years (range 28-66). The average age of individuals with intellectual disability was 17.9 ± 9.2years (range 6-48), and there were 11 (42.3%) males and 15 (57.7%) females. The interviewees reported that challenges to oral health care do occur on multiple levels: (a) home environment; (b) primary dental care; (c) secondary dental care facilities; (d) health and education policies and systems; and (e) societal views on individuals with intellectual disability. Individuals with intellectual disability and their families are being failed at multiple levels of oral health care, leaving parents feeling frustrated, isolated, and sometimes helpless. Collaborative efforts are needed to train families to prevent oral health disease at home, establish better primary and secondary oral health care systems, and overcome wider cultural, social, and economic barriers.

Falling and Chronic Diseases among the Elderly: Result from AHAP study

Background: Falling and chronic diseases are important health issues in elderly people and reduce the quality of life. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between chronic diseases and falling in the elderly people. Methods: This cross-sectional study came from the first phase of Amirkola Health and Ageing Project (AHAP) that has been done on all elderly people aged 60 and over in Amirkola city in northern part of Iran. Demographic information including chronic diseases were gathered through self-report, observation of prescriptions and consumed drugs by patients and prevalence of falling during 12 months ago was obtained through information form and interview with elderly people. Results: In this study, 883 men(54.6%) and 733 women(45.3%) were investigated. The average age of individuals was 69.37±7.42 (in men 70±7.7 and in women 69.7±7.00). In this study, 288(17.8%) of eldely people had the experience of falling in the last 12 months. The prevalence of falling was higher in elderly women(P&lt;0.001) and the elderly who lived alone(P=0.01). The prevalence of falling in the elderly had a significant relationship with diseases of osteoporosis(P&lt;0.001), myocardial infarction(P=0.03), fractures(P&lt;0.001), cognitive impairment(P=0.001), headache(P=0.002). In addition, the results of logistic regression showed that the prevalence of falling was related to urinary incontinence(P=0.02), fracture history(P=0.001), hearing loss(P=0.006), and depressive symptoms(P=0.001). Conclusions: The results of this study indicate a significant prevalence of falling and its direct relation with some chronic diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to ask some questions and care about each referring of the elderly to the health centers.

L’usage problématique des réseaux sociaux chez les jeunes adultes : quels liens avec l’exposition de soi, l’estime de soi sociale et la personnalité ?

BackgroundSocial networks have been developed extremely fast over the past ten years, allowing people to post all kinds of content, including about themselves (pictures, personal information…). ObjectivesThe phenomenon of problematic use of social networks is poorly documented, which is why the purpose of this research is to better understand the link between social network's problematic use and behavioural (self-exposure on social networks) and psychological characteristics (personality and social self-esteem) in young adults between 18 and 30 years old. MethodsA set of questionnaires assessing addiction to social networks (EARS), self-exposure on social networks (EES), personality (Big five: BFI-Fr and narcissism: NPI-16) and social self-esteem (IESS) were completed online by 355 people from all ranges of the French population; 7.04% has a network's problematic use, 77.46% were women and the average age of individuals was 22.72 years. ResultsGroup comparison analysis (problematic users versus common users) revealed that self-exposure behaviours on social networks (EES; number of social media; number of hours), neuroticism and narcissism are associated with social network's problematic use, while conscientiousness agreeability and social self-esteem were negatively associated to problematic use. Correlational analysis revealed a positive association between self-exposure behaviours on social networks and social network's problematic use. Moreover, self-exposure and social self-esteem, as well as some dimensions of personality (agreeableness, extraversion and narcissism) were positively correlated. Regression analysis indicated that self-exposure behaviours on social network (EES; number of social media; number of hours) and neuroticism were the most powerful predictors of the social network's problematic use. Self-exposure on social networks, social self-esteem and some facets of personality then become factors either of protection, or of risk, especially when it becomes pathological, going as far as problematic use. ConclusionThis study provides a better understanding of this phenomenon and enables better-suited prevention and care. The prospect of a new form of problematic use of self-exposure on social networks and psychological or the environmental factors associated to this behaviour needs to be explored in future research.

Joint Multi-Modal Longitudinal Regression and Classification for Alzheimer's Disease Prediction.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a serious neurodegenerative condition that affects millions of individuals across the world. As the average age of individuals in the United States and the world increases, the prevalence of AD will continue to grow. To address this public health problem, the research community has developed computational approaches to sift through various aspects of clinical data and uncover their insights, among which one of the most challenging problem is to determine the biological mechanisms that cause AD to develop. To study this problem, in this paper we present a novel Joint Multi-Modal Longitudinal Regression and Classification method and show how it can be used to identify the cognitive status of the participants in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) cohort and the underlying biological mechanisms. By intelligently combining clinical data of various modalities (i.e., genetic information and brain scans) using a variety of regularizations that can identify AD-relevant biomarkers, we perform the regression and classification tasks simultaneously. Because the proposed objective is a non-smooth optimization problem that is difficult to solve in general, we derive an efficient iterative algorithm and rigorously prove its convergence. To validate our new method in predicting the cognitive scores of patients and their clinical diagnosis, we conduct comprehensive experiments on the ADNI cohort. Our promising results demonstrate the benefits and flexibility of the proposed method. We anticipate that our new method is of interest to clinical communities beyond AD research and have open-sourced the code of our method online.11 The code package for the proposed Joint Multi-Modal Longitudinal Regression and Classification model have been made publicly available online at https://github.com/minds-mines/jmmlrc.

ViFa: an analytical framework for vision-based fall detection in a surveillance environment

The decrease in fertility rates and the increase in the average age of individuals are the main reasons behind the aging of the population. Challenges that come with an aging population include proper nursing care. Because the cost of healthcare is high and falls that cause injury or death in the elderly are escalating, they are a challenge for public welfare and research into reliable surveillance is essential. Non-intrusive fall detection systems are vital for reducing fall trauma and machine vision is an appropriate solution for detecting unusual events such as falls. Because there are varieties of vision-based fall detection (VBFD) methods and a comprehensive framework is lacking, comparison and evaluation of existing methods are difficult. In the current study, an analytical framework having three main components is proposed. First, existing VBFD methods are classified into three categories. Next, general evaluation criteria are defined for analysis of the proposed categorizations. Finally, each method is qualitatively analyzed using the proposed categorizations. The proposed framework can accurately provide identification and analytical comparison of existing methods. In addition, it can allow selection of the most appropriate methods and suggest improvements for existing methods.

Environmental stress shapes life-history variation in the swelled-vented frog (Feirana quadranus)

Understanding how environmental stress modifies life-history traits of vertebrates is highly important for their conservation and management. Amphibians, in particular, have experienced rapid declines in abundance due to their relatively low mobility and strict physiological constraints. Therefore, it is important to understand how amphibians have evolved to cope with environmental stress, and to identify the relevant life-history traits that mediate these dynamics. In this study, we quantified the variation of life-history traits (i.e., body size and age) across the distributional range for a mountain frog species, Feirana quadranus, and identified potential impacts of environmental stress on these traits. Based on the similarity of environmental variables describing bioclimatic and ultraviolet-B radiation conditions from a hierarchical cluster analysis, all populations were assigned to three distinct groups: low, intermediate and high environmental harshness regimes. We found no significant difference in age structure among environmental regimes, with 68% of individuals being between four and six years old. The average age of individuals did not differ among regimes or between sexes, but snout-vent length (SVL) and hind limb length differed significantly among both. When environmental stress was represented along the principle component axes, we found a significant correlation between environmental stress and hind limb length, but not for age or SVL. Our results help us understand potential impacts of environmental stress on life-history variation in F. quadranus covering its whole distribution range. Specifically, our findings highlight the adaptive potential of amphibians to changing environmental conditions via life-history variation as a function of environmental stress.

THE EVALUATION OF SUPRATROCHLEAR OSSEOUS MORPHOLOGY: AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDY

Introduction: Patellar instability can impede activities of daily life. The morphology of the femoral trochlea has significant involvement in maintaining patellofemoral joint stability. Trochlear dysplasia, or a shallow trochlear groove, has been implicated as a risk factor for recurrent patellar dislocation. A supratrochlear spur in the setting of existing trochlear dysplasia can generate further patellar instability. Trochleoplasty has been popularized by some surgeons for the treatment of recurrent patellar instability in the setting of significant trochlear dysplasia. Despite recommendation of trochleoplasty in treatment of patellar instability in the setting of trochlear dysplasia, much is unknown about the prevalence of trochlear dysplasia and supratrochlear spurs in the general population. The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of supratrochlear spurs and trochlear dysplasia in the population and investigate the relationship between supratrochlear spurs and dysplastic femoral trochleae. Methods: This study was performed at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, the Hamann Todd Human Osteological Collection. With over 4,000 complete human skeletons, the Hamann Todd osteological collection at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History is the largest collection of osteological specimens with documented demographic data in the Western Hemisphere. We evaluated femora from over 1,000 individuals aged 16-40 years. Each specimen was evaluated for the presence of trochlear dysplasia and supratrochlear spurs. We excluded skeletally immature specimens as well as specimens with visible signs of osteoarthritis or abnormal, bony deformity. The presence or absence of supratrochlear spurs was documented. Abnormal femoral trochleae were photographed in A/P, axial, and lateral views. The width and length of supratrochlear spurs were measured using digital calipers. Results: Of the 1,148 specimens studied, 135 femora from 93 individuals were found to be dysplastic. Amongst these, 9 femora with trochlear dysplasia had supratrochlear spurs. The average age of individuals with dysplastic trochleae in this study was 32.86. Of the 93 specimens identified, 24 were female (25.8%). Additionally, 52% of individuals with dysplastic trochleae were white while 48% were black. Conclusions: There may be an association of supratrochlear spurs with trochlear dysplasia. Though 25.8% of individuals with dysplastic trochleae were female, it is important to note that the Hamann Todd Collection as a whole is 19% female.

The use of anti-ulcer agents and the risk of chronic kidney disease: a meta-analysis

We conducted a meta-analysis to explore the association between the use of different anti-ulcer agents and the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD), end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and decline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in various study populations. PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched for relevant entries up to July 1, 2017. The primary outcomes of the meta-analysis were risk ratios (RRs) of CKD, ESRD, and decline in GFR. We also investigated the heterogeneity of the meta-analysis by subgroup analysis and meta-regression analysis. A total of 662,624 individuals were enrolled in five trials. Compared with non-PPI users, PPI users had a higher trend of CKD (RR = 1.16, 95% CI 1.07-1.25, P < 0.001), especially ESRD (RR = 1.81, 95% CI 1.59-2.06, P < 0.001). There was an elevated risk of adverse renal outcome among participants receiving PPI and not H2RA (CKD: RR = 1.28, 95% CI 1.24-1.33, P < 0.001; ESRD: RR = 1.39, 95% CI 1.17-1.64, P < 0.001; GFR: RR = 1.31, 95% CI 1.26-1.36, P < 0.001). However, H2RA users were not associated with CKD when compared with non-H2RA users (RR = 1.02, 95% CI 0.83-1.25, P = 0.855). In subgroup analysis, the average age of individuals and drug dosage had no influence on the risk of CKD, while duration of PPI exposure from 31 to 720days is a potential factor in progression to ESRD (P < 0.001). Chronic PPI use, but not H2RAs, is associated with deterioration in kidney function.

Polypharmacy among the Elderly.

Introduction:Older people are at risk for polypharmacy due to multiple chronic diseases. Considering the lack of information in this regard, the aim of this study was to investigate the state of polypharmacy among the elderly in the city of Amirkola in northern part of Iran.Materials and Methods:This descriptive/analytical cross-sectional study is a part of Amirkola Health and Aging Project that was conducted on 1616 individuals aged 60 years and over. The data about medications were gathered through interviews and observation of prescriptions and medications consumed by patients. The data were analyzed by SPSS software version 18, and P ≤ 0.05 was regarded significant.Results:In this study, 1616 individuals including 883 men (54.6%) and 733 women (45.3%) were investigated. The average age of individuals was 69.37 ± 7.42. Among the investigated individuals, 526 including 368 men (41.7%) and 158 women (21.6%) consumed no medications. The prevalence of polypharmacy in this study was 23.1%, which was 32.7% in women and 15.2% in men (odds ratio = 1.51, 95% confidence interval: 1.10–1.93). The most prevalent group of medications used in both genders was cardiovascular drugs.Conclusions:Regarding the considerable prevalence of polypharmacy among the elderly, especially in aged women, serious efforts are required to manage polypharmacy. Provision of educational programs for physicians, personnel of pharmacies, and the staff of health-care centers in order for appropriate and safe consumption of medications in aged people is absolutely necessary.

Abstract IA05: The serrated pathway of colorectal tumorigenesis

Abstract IA05: The serrated pathway of colorectal tumorigenesis

Retrospective analysis of jaw biopsies in young adults. A study of 1599 cases in Southern Brazil.

BackgroundTo evaluate the prevalence and the characteristics of jaw lesions diagnosed in young adults aged 20 to 30 years in a southern Brazil reference center, over a period of 25 years. And to analyze the concordance between clinical and histological diagnosis.Material and MethodsIn this cross-sectional retrospective study, the biopsies files from this center were retrieved and data regarding sex, age, bone localization, clinical and histological diagnosis were collected. The histological diagnosis were grouped into the categories Cystic lesions of odontogenic origin, Periapical inflammation, Odontogenic tumors, Bone diseases, Health tissue and Nonspecific diagnostic. Absolute and relative frequencies were estimated with descriptive analysis. The agreement between clinical and histological diagnosis was measured through Kappa statistic.ResultsA total of 18,181 histopathological analysis were performed during the period of the study, registering 1,599 jaw lesions in young adults. The average age of individuals was 24,59 years (SD 3,1). Nine hundred ninety-one (62%) lesions were found in females and 608 (38%) in males. More than half of pathologies were cystic lesions of odontogenic origin (822/51.4%), followed by periapical inflammation (282/17.6%). Regarding the site of lesions, more than half occurred in posterior mandible (877/54.8%), followed by posterior maxilla (339/21.2%). The most frequent entities were periapical cyst, chronic periapical granuloma, dental follicle and paradental cyst, corresponding to a total of 1,202 (75.2%) evaluated cases. In relation to the analysis of concordance between clinical and histological diagnosis the general Kappa index was 0.5, which is considered moderate. Finally, the findings confirm data from literature about the most frequent jaw pathologies in young adults and serve as aid for preventive measures of some entities. Additionally, they can improve the formulation of differential diagnosis and the patient management. Key words: Jaw, biopsy, retrospective studies, young adult, Brazil.

P2.08-002 Online Patient Education in Advanced Lung Cancer: Effect on Patient/Caregiver Knowledge: Topic: Patient’s Voice, Patient’s Information

Recent studies have found that patients with lung cancer consistently report suboptimal communication with their physicians which, in turn, can limit shared decision making and impair clinical outcomes. To address this gap, a patient/caregiver-focused educational initiative was developed to determine if online education modules could improve knowledge about treatment decisions and side effect management in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The initiative consisted of 4 educational activities available on WebMD Education, a website dedicated to patient/caregiver learning. Each activity included demographic questions and a pre-/post-activity question to measure impact on knowledge. The activities launched online in between August and October, 2015, and data were collected through April, 2016. After 9 months, a total of 8933 persons had participated in the education. Of those, 43% had lung cancer or were caregivers of a person with the disease, and 65% were female. The average age of individuals who participated in any 1 of the 4 activities varied based on topic. Significant post-participation improvements in knowledge were observed including: ·8% increase in comprehending that treatment-related side effects should be reported to their cancer care team both while on therapy and after completion of treatment with a cancer immunotherapy ·16% increase in understanding the mechanism of action associated with use of cancer immunotherapies in the treatment of lung cancer (p < 0.001) ·26% increase in recognizing first response with cancer immunotherapies will take longer than chemotherapy (p < 0.001) ·28% increase in understanding that molecular testing is necessary in individuals with advanced NSCLC, adenocarcinoma, in order to select the most appropriate treatment This study demonstrates that well-designed online patient/caregiver-focused education can be successful in improving familiarity with essential elements involved in the management of advanced lung cancer. Targeted and focused digital education empowers, engages and equips patient/caregiver with information needed for self-care condition management.

Career Advancement: Meeting the Challenges Confronting the Next Generation of Endocrinologists and Endocrine Researchers.

Challenges and opportunities face the next generation (Next-Gen) of endocrine researchers and clinicians, the lifeblood of the field of endocrinology for the future. A symposium jointly sponsored by The Endocrine Society and the Endocrine Society of Australia was convened to discuss approaches to addressing the present and future Next-Gen needs. Data collection by literature review, assessment of previously completed questionnaires, commissioning of a new questionnaire, and summarization of symposium discussions were studied. Next-Gen endocrine researchers face diminishing grant funding in inflation-adjusted terms. The average age of individuals being awarded their first independent investigator funding has increased to age 45 years. For clinicians, a workforce gap exists between endocrinologists needed and those currently trained. Clinicians in practice are increasingly becoming employees of integrated hospital systems, resulting in greater time spent on nonclinical issues. Workforce data and published reviews identify challenges specifically related to early career women in endocrinology. Strategies to Address Issues: Recommendations encompassed the areas of grant support for research, mentoring, education, templates for career development, specific programs for Next-Gen members by senior colleagues as outlined in the text, networking, team science, and life/work integration. Endocrine societies focusing on Next-Gen members provide a powerful mechanism to support these critical areas. A concerted effort to empower, train, and support the next generation of clinical endocrinologists and endocrine researchers is necessary to ensure the viability and vibrancy of our discipline and to optimize our contributions to improving health outcomes. Collaborative engagement of endocrine societies globally will be necessary to support our next generation moving forward.

Relationships between growth, population dynamics, and environmental parameters in the solitary non-zooxanthellate scleractinian coral Caryophyllia inornata along a latitudinal gradient in the Mediterranean Sea

The ecology of scleractinian corals may be understood through comparisons between population demographic data and environmental parameters. Growth (growth constant and maximum size) and demographic parameters (population structure stability, instantaneous mortality rate, average age of individuals, percentage of immature individuals, age at maximum biomass, and average age of biomass) of the solitary, non-zooxanthellate, and temperate coral Caryophyllia inornata were investigated at six sites along an 8° latitudinal gradient of temperature and solar radiation (SR) on the western Italian coasts. Growth parameters were homogeneous among populations across the investigated latitudinal range. While demographic parameters were not correlated with depth temperature, populations were progressively less stable and showed a deficiency of young individuals with increasing SR, likely as a result of the lowered energetic resources due to reduced zooplankton availability. These results contrast with data from another Mediterranean non-zooxanthellate solitary coral, Leptopsammia pruvoti, investigated along the same gradient, which shows no correlation between population demography and temperature or SR.

U.S. General Population Estimate for "Excellent" to "Poor" Self-Rated Health Item.

The most commonly used self-reported health question asks people to rate their general health from excellent to poor. This is one of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) global health items. Four other items are used for scoring on the PROMIS global physical health scale. Because the single item is used on the majority of large national health surveys in the U.S., it is useful to construct scores that can be compared to U.S. general population norms. To estimate the PROMIS global physical health scale score from the responses to the single excellent to poor self-rated health question for use in public health surveillance, research, and clinical assessment. A cross-sectional survey of 21,133 individuals, weighted to be representative of the U.S. general population. The PROMIS items were administered via a Web-based survey to 19,601 persons in a national panel and 1,532 subjects from PROMIS research sites. The average age of individuals in the sample was 53 years, 52 % were female, 80 % were non-Hispanic white, and 19 % had a high school degree or lower level of education. PROMIS global physical health scale. The product-moment correlation of the single item with the PROMIS global physical health scale score was 0.81. The estimated scale score based on responses to the single item ranged from 29 (poor self-rated health, 2.1 SDs worse than the general population mean) to 62 (excellent self-rated health, 1.2 SDs better than the general population mean) on a T-score metric (mean of 50). This item can be used to estimate scores for the PROMIS global physical health scale for use in monitoring population health and achieving public health objectives. The item may also be used for individual assessment, but its reliability (0.52) is lower than that of the PROMIS global health scale (0.81).

Breeding ecology and success of a reintroduced population of the endangered Crested Ibis Nipponia nippon

SummaryReintroduction projects usually attempt to re-establish a self-sustaining population of endangered species within their historical ranges through the release of captive-bred individuals into the wild. We studied the breeding biology and nesting success of a reintroduced population of Crested Ibis Nipponia nippon in Ningshan County on the south slope of the Qinling Mountains of Shaannxi Province, China. From May 2007 to October 2011, 56 captive-bred individuals, composed of 26 females and 30 males, were released into the area and monitored using radio-telemetry. The average age of individuals at release was 5.2 ± 2.5 years for females and 6.4 ± 2.9 years for males. Mean clutch size was 3.14±1.06 (range 1-5). Mean number of fledglings per active nest was 1.57 ± 1.03 and mean number of fledglings per successful nest was 2.00 ± 0.87. Most of the fledglings survived to complete their post-fledging dispersal. Mean annual survival rate was 0.552 ± 0.064 for all released birds, 0.815 ± 0.054 for breeders, and 0.515 ± 0.058 for first year fledglings. The average number of young produced/year/pair was 1.57 ± 1.03 and the growth rate (λ) of the reintroduced population was 1.2193. We confirmed that starvation and predation by King Rat Snake Elaphe carinata were the main causes of death of released individuals, nestlings and fledglings. This is the first attempt to reintroduce captive-bred Crested Ibis to former natural habitat. The ability of captive-bred ibis to survive and breed successfully bodes well for future releases of this and other endangered species.

Geographic variation in age structure and longevity in the nine-spined stickleback (Pungitius pungitius).

Variation in age and size of mature nine-spined sticklebacks (Pungitius pungitius) within and among 16 Fennoscandian populations were assessed using skeletochronology. The average age of individuals in a given population varied from 1.7 to 4.7 years. Fish from pond populations were on average older than those from lake and marine populations, and females tended to be older than males. Reproduction in marine and lake populations commenced typically at an age of two years, whereas that in ponds at an age of three years. The maximum life span of the fish varied from 3 to 7 years. Mean body size within and among populations increased with increasing age, but the habitat and population differences in body size persisted even after accounting for variation in population age (and sex) structure. Hence, the population differences in mean body size are not explainable by age differences alone. As such, much of the pronounced intraspecific variation in population age structure can be attributed to delayed maturation and extended longevity of the pond fish. The results are contrasted and discussed in the context of similar data from the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) occupying the same geographic area.

Ateroskleroz ile il-1α (interleukin-1α -889 c/t) gen polimorfizmi arasındaki ilişkinin araştırılması

Aim. Atherosclerosis is regarded as a chronic inflammatory disease developing in response to injury in the vessel wall. Inflammation plays a key role in the development of atherosclerosis. Interleukin- 1α (IL-1α) has a critical role on regulation of proinflammation. The aim the study was to assess the relationship between the IL-1α -889 C/T polymorphism and the atherosclerosis. Method. The study population was composed of 117 patients (Group I) and 117 healthy adults (Group II). Genomic DNA of case and control was extracted from blood leukocytes. IL-1α genotype were further confirmed by direct sequencing of randomly selected samples. Results. 78 male and 39 female individuals in the group I, 49 men and 68 women in Group II. The average age of individuals in the Group I 61.06, the average age of individuals in the Group II 59.47 years old. The Group I 43 and the Group II were detected in 28 individuals with high cholesterol(total cholesterol>200 mg/dL). 62 individuals in the Group I and 51 individuals in the Group II was smoking. The Group I 81 individuals with high blood pressure(systolic blood pressure>140 mmHg and / or diastolic blood pressure>90 mmHg), 42 individuals with diabetes, the Group II 32 individuals with high blood pressure, diabetes was found 41 individuals. In the atherosclerotic coronary artery patients of %54.70 individuals carrying the CC genotype, %35.04 individuals carrying the CT genotype and %10.25 individuals carrying the TT genotype constitutes. In the healty control group, %59.82 individuals carrying the CC genotype, %30.76 individuals carrying CT genotype and %9.40 individuals carrying TT genotype. IL-1α polymorphism of C allele frequency is %75.21 in the Group II and %72.22 in the Group I. T allele freguency distribution of %24.78 in the Group II and %27.77 in the Group I. Conclusion. Those with coronary artery disease group between the Group II age, sex distribution, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia were found statistically significant relationship. There was no statistically significant difference between groups according to the IL-1α-889 C/T gene polymorphism.