Effect Of Age Research Articles

Plasma levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein and neurofilament light chain in patients with chronic migraine: a multicenter case-control study.

Plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein (pGFAP) and plasma neurofilament light chain (pNfL) levels reflect astrocyte activation and neuronal damage, respectively. Whether these phenomena play a role in migraine is unknown. This study aimed to compare pGFAP and pNfL levels in patients with chronic migraine (CM) and age-matched controls and to analyze their relation with clinical features. The study evaluated two independent cohorts of patients, including in total 58 CM and 69 controls. pGFAP and pNfL were quantified with single molecule array (Simoa) technology. Demographic and clinical data were collected for each subject; differences in NfL/GFAP levels between CM and controls were evaluated in analyses adjusted for the effect of age and sex; clinical characteristics associated with NfL/GFAP levels were separately evaluated in the two cohorts. In both cohorts, we did not find a significant difference in pGFAP or pNFL levels between CM and matched controls. The study did not find any correlation between pGFAP or pNfL levels and any migraine characteristics (namely presence of migraine aura, attack frequency, migraine intensity, years of disease). Our negative results support the assumption that migraine represents a benign condition, characterized by transient functional brain alterations and not by the accumulation over time of neuroaxonal damage and/or associated astrocyte activation detectable by neurodegeneration marker proteins.

Emotion processing difficulties in ADHD: a Bayesian meta-analysis study.

We investigated whether there is an emotional processing deficit in ADHD and whether this only applies to specific emotional categories. In this PRISMA-compliant systematic review based on a pre-registered protocol ( https://osf.io/egp7d ), we searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, ERIC, Scopus and Web of Science databases until 3rd December 2023, to identify empirical studies comparing emotional processing in individuals meeting DSM (version III to 5-TR) or ICD (version 9 or 10) criteria for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and in a non-psychiatric control group. Study quality was assessed with the Appraisal tool for Cross-Sectional Studies (AXIS). Eighty studies were included and meta-analysed (encompassing 6191 participants and 465 observations). Bayesian meta-analyses were conducted to compare individuals with ADHD and non-psychiatric controls on overall emotional processing measures (meta-analysis 1) and across emotional categories (meta-analysis 2). The type of stimulus employed, outcome measurement reported, age, sex, and medication status were analysed as moderators. We found poorer performance in both overall emotion processing (g = - 0.65) and across emotional categories (anger g = - 0.37; disgust g = - 0.24; fear g = - 0.37; sadness g = - 0.34; surprise g = - 0.26; happiness/positive g = - 0.31; negative g = - 0.20; neutral g = - 0.25) for individuals with ADHD compared to non-psychiatric controls. Scales items and accuracy outcome being the most effective moderators in detecting such differences. No effects of age, sex, or medication status were found. Overall, these results show that impaired emotional processing is a relevant feature of ADHD and suggest that it should be systematically assessed in clinical practice.

The Trend in Age-Adjusted Incidence of Head and Neck Cancer in South Korea over the Past 20 Years.

We aimed to calculate the age-adjusted incidence rate of head and neck cancer (HNC) in South Korea from 1999 to 2020 and investigate the incidence trend of HNC excluding the effect of population aging. Data were obtained from the Cancer Registration Statistics Program. All 12 types of HNCs were analyzed. For each HNC type, the crude incidence rate and number of new cases during 1999-2020 are presented according to sex and age group. Age-adjusted incidence rates were calculated based on the World Standard Population (WHO 2000-2025), and its trends were also measured. Although the crude incidence rates of all HNCs have been steadily increasing from 1999 to 2020, the absolute values were very low in most cases, less than 2/100,000. The male-to-female ratio was 1 or higher for all HNCs except thyroid cancer, and 10 or higher for laryngeal cancer and hypopharyngeal cancer. The trend of age-adjusted incidence was a gradual increase for tongue cancer, tonsil cancer, major salivary gland cancer, and thyroid cancer, a decrease for laryngeal cancer, and no significant change for the remaining HNCs. Excluding the population aging effect, tongue cancer, tonsil cancer, major salivary gland cancer, and thyroid cancer among HNCs have been increasing in South Korea over the past 20 years, while laryngeal cancer has been decreasing.

Effects of Age and Sex on Systemic Inflammation and Cardiometabolic Function in Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes.

Systemic inflammation, aging, and type 2 diabetes (T2D) lead to varying degrees of cardiovascular dysfunction and impaired aerobic exercise capacity. This study evaluates the impact of inflammation and sex differences on coronary and peripheral vascular function and exercise capacity in older individuals with and without T2D. Older individuals (aged≥65 years) underwent biochemical and tissue inflammatory phenotyping, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging, and vascular reactivity testing. Correlation and regression analyses determined the effects of systemic inflammation, older age, and sex on cardiovascular health, stratified by T2D status. For the 133 recruited individuals (44% women; median age, 71±7 years, 41% with T2D), the presence of T2D most significantly increased the white blood cell count (P=0.004; P.adj.=0.140) among markers of systemic inflammation. White blood cell count was comparable in men and women. Hyperemic myocardial blood flow and flow-mediated and flow-independent nitroglycerin-induced brachial artery dilation were significantly impaired in men but not women with T2D. Peak oxygen consumption during exercise was lower with T2D (P=0.021), and overall reduced in women compared with men (P=0.002). Across all participants, both peak oxygen consumption during exercise and hyperemic myocardial blood flow were significantly impaired with increased white blood cell count. Women showed more adverse myocardial remodeling assessed by extracellular volume than men (P=0.008), independently of T2D status. The pathophysiological manifestations of T2D on vascular function and aerobic exercise capacity are distinct in older men and women, and this may reflect underlying differences in vascular and myocardial aging in the presence of T2D.

Evolution of sleep disordered breathing in infants with achondroplasia.

Children with achondroplasia (ACH) are at risk for sudden death in infancy due to sleep disordered breathing (SDB) and foramen magnum stenosis (FMS). Sleep studies and neuroimaging are performed in infants with ACH, but interpretation of infant studies is challenging. We sought to describe baseline data on polysomnography (PSG) indices in infants with achondroplasia as well as effects of age and surgery on these parameters. Retrospective data were abstracted from the multisite CLARITY ACH database from years 2008-2017. Both obstructive apnea hypopnea index (OAHI) and central apnea index (CAI) were extracted, and effects of age and surgical intervention (adenoidectomy [AD] or cervicomedullary decompression [CMD]) were analyzed. 172 PSGs from 86 infants were analyzed. In surgically naive children, OAHI decreased over the first year but then increased in the second year, while CAI was mostly stagnant over the first two years. There were no significant differences between age at first PSG or PSG indices for surgically naive infants versus those who underwent AD or CMD. OAHI decreased after AD and CAI decreased after CMD. Similar to average stature infants, our results demonstrate the need to interpret sleep study findings of children with ACH in the context of age, particularly for obstructive indices. Neither OAHI nor CAI differentiated those infants who subsequently underwent surgery, suggesting that there were other important clinical factors in the surgical decision-making process. Independent of age, AD resulted in improvement in OSA and CMD with improvement in central sleep apnea.

Effect of Ultraviolet Aging on Properties of Epoxy Resin and Its Pultruded Fiber-Reinforced Composite

Effect of Ultraviolet Aging on Properties of Epoxy Resin and Its Pultruded Fiber-Reinforced Composite

Effect of obstacle depth and height on step-over behavior: Focus on age-related changes.

Obstacle avoidance during locomotion is a crucial motor skill, especially in environments with uneven terrain. However, the combined effects of obstacle dimensions and aging on this ability remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether the action of stepping over an obstacle changes proportionally with obstacle size and how these movements evolve with age. We recruited fourteen young participants and fourteen older participants. Participants were instructed to step over an obstacle placed five meters away under nine different conditions with varying obstacle dimensions. The smallest obstacle had dimensions of 5cm×5cm (height × depth), and both height and depth were increased by 5cm increments to reach the largest obstacle size of 15cm×15cm, resulting in three levels each of depth and height conditions. An analysis of variance on the leading-foot clearance revealed significant interactions between height and depth, demonstrating a height-dependent depth effect on clearance, independent of age. Furthermore, significant interactions between height and age were observed for the heel-obstacle distance, which refers to the landing position after stepping over the obstacle. This indicates that older adults consistently landed closer to the same position at each obstacle height, whereas the landing positions of young adults moved farther away as the obstacle height increased. Our findings suggest that although both young and older adults can immediately scale the dimensions of the obstacle and consistently adjust their leading-foot movement accordingly, the landing movements of older adults follow an inflexible strategy that could potentially be riskier.

Unveiling the Aging Effect at the Interface of N719 Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

Unveiling the Aging Effect at the Interface of N719 Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

Effect of age, harvest site and body mass index on the cell composition of the stromal vascular fraction.

The stromal vascular fraction (SVF) of adipose tissue has now been widely used in plastic surgeries, clinical trials and therapies. However, the cell composition of SVF undergoes dynamic changes during aging and obesity, which may influence the efficacy of the SVF. This study analyzed the effects of age, harvest site and body mass index on the cell composition of the SVF. A study was performed on 162 patients. The age ranged from 13 to 88 years old, with body mass index (BMI) <25kg/m2 or ≥ 25kg/m2. Fat tissue was harvested from the abdominal region, hips, thighs or arms, and the SVF was isolated for flow cytometry. Our results demonstrated that the declines of adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs) and endothelial cells (ECs) first occurred in donors aged 40-49 years old. Subsequently, the percentages of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), preadipocytes, and M2 macrophages started to decrease in donors aged 50-69 years old. Lower percentages of ECs and M2 macrophages were found in donors with higher BMI. This study demonstrated that the percentages of ADSCs and ECs of SVF, decreased significantly starting from donors over age 40, followed by changes in other cell subpopulations. Furthermore, donors with BMI ≥ 25kg/m2 had lower percentages of ECs and M2 macrophages.

KIBS’ and non-KIBS’ business creation and closure: evidence from the urban micro-space

ABSTRACT Our study explores the factors influencing the creation and closure of firms in urban micro-spaces, highlighting the relationship between knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) and non-KIBS sectors. Employing 2007–19 firm-level data from Warsaw, the capital of Poland, we uncover overlooked micro-geographical and sectoral patterns. We reveal spatial and sectoral interdependencies, highlighting the cross-sectoral effects of density and age of incumbent firms on new firm creation and closure. Our findings highlight the potential of policies supporting KIBS to generate positive multiplier effects, cultivating entrepreneurial ecosystems while accounting for micro-geographical contexts.

Estimation of the effects of hand growth on muscle activation patterns: A musculoskeletal modeling study.

Throughout childhood growth and development, both the nervous and the musculoskeletal systems undergo rapid change. The goal of this study was to examine the impact of growth-related changes in skeletal size and muscle strength on the neural control of finger force generation. By modifying an existing OpenSim hand model in accordance with pediatric anthropometric data, we created 10 distinct models representing males and females at each year of development from 6 to 10years old. We then used the static optimization tool to estimate the requisite muscle activations to create a maximal palmar force with the index finger in two different postures (metacarpophalangeal, proximal interphalangeal, distal interphalangeal) - Posture 1: (0°, 30°, 0°) and Posture 2: (0°, 60°, 30°). For Posture 1, multiple regression analysis revealed a significant effect of both age and sex on activation for all muscles (p<0.035) with exception of the flexor digitorum profundus. For Posture 2, only the extensor digitorum communis activation had a significant relationship with age (p=0.010), while no other muscles showed a significant relationship with age, sex, or the age-sex interaction activation (p>0.054). Exchanging the activation patterns between the youngest and oldest models altered both the predicted index finger force and direction. Therefore, our simulations suggest that the changes in hand size and morphology associated with growth may necessitate changes in muscle activation patterns to be able to continue to perform a given hand function. Children may need to substantially adjust or even relearn motor control strategies throughout childhood.

State or family? Navigating the changing public attitudes towards eldercare responsibilities in China

Public attitudes towards welfare have long been central to welfare state theory. This study examines the evolving public perceptions regarding the allocation of eldercare responsibilities between the state and family in China. Using data from the Chinese General Social Survey spanning 2010–2021, we analyze age, period, and birth cohort effects on public attitudes towards eldercare. Our findings indicate that as individuals age, there is a growing preference for government responsibility in eldercare, highlighting the role of self-interest in shaping welfare attitudes. Notably, attitudinal shifts across birth cohorts deviate from the modernization hypothesis, revealing a tendency among those born in the 1970s and 1980s to view eldercare as a family obligation. Over the last decade, public attitudes towards eldercare have oscillated from an initial embrace of modern perspectives to a return to traditional views, potentially due to demographic pressures on the pension system. This study not only fills empirical gaps in the field but also carries significant policy implications for China’s evolving eldercare landscape.

Production of real signs but not pseudosigns affected by age of acquisition in American Sign Language.

Research shows that insufficient language access in early childhood significantly affects language processing. While the majority of this work focuses on syntax, phonology also appears to be affected, though it is unclear exactly how. Here we investigated phonological production across age of acquisition of American Sign Language (ASL). Participants were deaf adult signers who first learned ASL at ages ranging from birth to 14years and they performed both lexical decisions and repetitions of ASL signs and pseudosigns. Because phonological production has been understudied across age of acquisition, we were particularly interested in production accuracy for the sublexical phonological parameters of handshape, movement, and location. Lexical decision responses were slower and more accurate for impossible pseudosigns compared with possible pseudosigns, indicating participants were sensitive to ASL phonological structure regardless of age of acquisition. Despite this, age of acquisition affected repetition accuracy. Handshape errors were highest for those with earlier ages of acquisition, but movement errors were highest for those with later ages of acquisition, though this effect of age of acquisition was only seen for real ASL signs and not pseudosigns. The parameter error pattern for pseudosigns was not affected by age of acquisition. These results indicate that later age of acquisition does not inhibit the ability to produce ASL phonology but ultimately alters the processing of the phonological parameters when meaning and phonology are integrated.

Effect of gestational age and fetal sex on metabolism of creatine by uteri, placentae, and fetuses of pigs†.

The creatine (Cr) biosynthesis pathway buffers ATP in metabolically active tissues. We investigated whether sex of fetus and day of gestation influence Cr in endometrial and conceptus tissues from gilts on Days 60 and Day 90 (n = 6 gilts/day) of gestation. Uterine and conceptus tissues associated with one male and one female fetus from each gilt were analyzed for creatine, mRNAs, and proteins for Cr biosynthesis. Total Cr decreased in amniotic fluid but increased in allantoic fluid between Days 60 and 90 of gestation for male (P < 0.05), but not for female fetuses (P > 0.05). Endometrial expression of CKM, CKMT1, and SLC6A8 mRNAs increased (P < 0.05) between Days 60 and 90 only for female fetuses. On Day 60, expression of CKB and CKMT1 mRNAs was greater (P < 0.05) for placentae of female than male fetuses. Livers of male fetuses had greater expression of AGAT and CKB than for females on Day 60, while kidneys of female fetuses had greater expression of GAMT than male fetuses on Day 90 (P < 0.05). Localization of GAMT, CKB, CKMT1 and SLC6A8 proteins to uterine and chorionic epithelium was not influenced by gestational age or fetal sex. AGAT localized to fetal kidneys and appeared greater on Day 90 than Day 60 in both sexes. Thus, expression of the creatine-creatine kinase-phosphocreatine (Cr-CK-PCr) system at the uterine-conceptus interface is affected by gestational age and fetal sex to influence energy homeostasis in pigs.

Fluctuations in circulating cell-free mitochondrial and nuclear DNA copy numbers in blood plasma after anti-tuberculosis drug intake in patients with drug-susceptible tuberculosis.

Biomarker research characterising the effect of anti-tuberculosis (TB) chemotherapy on systemic body response is still limited. In this study, we aimed to investigate fluctuations in circulating cell-free mitochondrial DNA (ccf-mtDNA) and circulating cell-free nuclear DNA (ccf-nDNA) copy number (CN) in blood plasma of patients with drug-susceptible TB (DS-TB) and to decipher factors related to these fluctuations. The results showed considerable changes in ccf-mtDNA CN in plasma samples before drug intake and 2 and 6h afterwards, with high inter patient variability at each time point. Multivariate linear regression revealed that the dynamics of ccf-mtDNA CN was influenced by patients' age, ethambutol pharmacokinetics, and body-mass index (BMI); ethambutol exposure emerged as the most significant factor. Very low ccf-nDNA CN in all three time points with little variation was observed; none factors were strongly associated with ccf-nDNA. In conclusion, our study revealed the effect of anti-TB chemotherapy, age and BMI on acute changes in circulating ccf-mtDNA CN in blood plasma and highlighted the systemic, mitochondria-related effects of ethambutol in patients with TB. Further studies with larger cohorts are needed to understand the biological relevance of ccf-DNA in patients with TB and to validate its application in TB treatment monitoring.

Differences between the normal and perceived appropriate portion sizes of discretionary foods.

There are limited data on the amount of discretionary foods that people normally consume and consider as appropriate at one eating occasion. This study aimed to provide an overview of the range and assess differences of the 'normal portion size' and 'perceived appropriate portion size' of energy-dense nutrient-poor discretionary foods among consumers aged 18-65 years. To measure normal and perceived appropriate portion sizes, a validated online image-series questionnaire consisting of eight successive portion size options for 15 discretionary foods was completed at two timepoints. Quantile regression models were used to estimate the ranges (lower boundary at 17th percentile, upper boundary at 83rd percentile) of normal and perceived appropriate portion sizes selected by two thirds of the study population. Models were adjusted for the effects of potential influencing factors including biological sex, age, usual physical activity level, cooking confidence, socio-economic status, body mass index, and baseline hunger levels. A final sample of 295 participants were included in the analysis (51% females, mean age 39.5 ± 14.1 years). The normal portion sizes were significantly higher than the perceived appropriate portion sizes across all test foods, with the effects of sex, age, and BMI being significant for some foods. The finding suggests that consumers would normally consume a portion size that was larger than what they perceive to be appropriate for discretionary foods. The estimated lower and upper boundaries would be valuable for the development of pragmatic public health messages to empower consumers towards better portion control.

Degradation rates and ageing effects of UV on tyre and road wear particles.

Tyre and road wear particles (TRWPs) are estimated to be the largest source of microplastics in the environment and due to the intrinsic use of tyres in our society this will continue to grow. Understanding their degradation mechanisms and subsequent accumulation over time is important to gain insights into the fate and impact of these particles in the environment. Accelerated UV-ageing was performed on cryomilled tyre tread particles and TRWPs from a road simulator to investigate the abiotic degradation of rubber. Degradation was followed with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) that led to an average abiotic degradation rate of 0.025 day-1 when corrected for the acceleration factor. Static light scattering (SLS) showed that during degradation, the average particle size reduced by 0.03μm day-1 and smaller particles <10μm were formed. Further characterisation with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) confirmed these findings and showed that the sulphur content is reduced through UV-ageing suggesting that crosslinking breakage may be a mechanism of degradation. Analysis with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) showed a substantial decrease in chemical additives by UV-induced oxidation and breakdown. Finally, with measurements in the field TRWP particle sizes and accumulation times were studied, confirming the experimentally determined degradation mechanisms.

Anti-skin aging effects of Gosori liquor lees extract by regulating interactions between senescent fibroblasts and adipose-derived stem cells.

When cellular ageing is accelerated by various extrinsic/endogenous stimuli, regenerative function deteriorates, and enriched secretomes, such as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), contribute to chronic inflammation and cause matrix degeneration. SASPs from senescent fibroblasts exacerbate cellular senescence via autocrine signalling and also accelerate skin ageing through the induction of neighbouring cell senescence via paracrine signalling. The interaction between dermis fibroblasts and their neighbours, adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) in the hypodermis, which lies deep in the dermis, is a potential target for skin ageing. In this study, we observed that an extract of the lees of Gosori liquor (GLE), a traditional Korean liquor made by fermenting millet and rice, suppressed the senescence of fibroblasts, including SASP production, in a replicative senescent model. We further examined whether the anti-ageing effects of GLE on fibroblasts affected the cellular senescence of their surrounding cells, ADSCs. The results showed that senescence factors in ADSCs were suppressed by culture medium from senescent fibroblasts (SF-CM) treated with GLE compared to the SF-CM-only treated group. Furthermore, the regenerative ability of ADSCs was promoted in the GLE-treated SF-CM group. ADSC migration was stimulated by upregulating the levels of α-smooth muscle actin, collagen type I alpha 2, and vascular endothelial growth factor expression through the PI3K/AKT pathway. Those results indicate that GLE can exert regenerative ability by regulating fibroblasts, and adipocyte interactions, improving cellular senescence. We conducted a clinical trial of subjects over 45 years of age to confirm the anti-ageing effects of GLE invivo and observed changes in ageing parameters, such as skin wrinkles and volume on the face (IRB No. DM-IRB-2023-809-01-T1). The results showed that GLE-containing cream was more effective in improving skin wrinkles, elasticity, density, thickness, and volume around sunken eyes after 4 weeks of use than placebo. In conclusion, GLE plays an important role in inhibiting the ageing transition to ADSCs by inhibiting the senescence of fibroblasts and can be a promising anti-ageing strategy.

Sex and age effects on chronic inflammatory pain development, maintenance, and resolution in Wistar rats.

Millions of Americans live with chronic inflammatory pain conditions, and the prevalence of these conditions increases with age and is higher in females. Still, it is poorly understood how sex, age and peripheral gene expression affect the trajectory of chronic inflammatory pain conditions. We used the inflammatory agent, Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA), to systematically test sex and age effects on mechanical and thermal sensitivity in adolescent and adult male and female Wistar rats over 3 weeks (Experiment 1 [onset]) or 11 weeks (Experiment 2 [recovery]). We report that relative to male CFA rats, CFA females are mechanically hypersensitive at all time points and thermally hypersensitive at later time points (long-term during maintenance and recovery). Also, within CFA rats, more adult males (90%) achieved behavioral recovery at 11 weeks, relative to adolescent males (70%), adult females (70%) and adolescent females (50%). Behavioral recovery was most highly correlated with thermal nociception scores in most groups. Among adult males, significant positive correlations were seen between mechanical and thermal nociception scores and between scores in the CFA-injected and non-injected paws. In paw tissue from a subset of rats from experiment 2, we also report increased transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 (TRPV1) gene expression in adult CFA but not adolescent CFA rats, and increased pro- and anti-inflammatory, and triglyceride synthesis-related gene expression in all CFA rats. Our results demonstrate apparent sex and age differences in the trajectory of chronic inflammatory pain-related behavior and gene expression in the affected paw of rats. PERSPECTIVE: This article highlights sex and age differences in the trajectory of chronic inflammatory pain and possible peripheral mechanisms driving recovery in Wistar rats. This data could be used to better understand recovery patterns in patients with this type of pain and provides a starting point for assessment of novel treatments.

Risk of Dementia After Uterus or Prostate Resection: 17-Year Follow-Up of a Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study.

The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine the effect of surgical operation, age at surgery, sex hormones, and anesthesia modality on the risk of dementia in both sexes. Data of females aged between 30 and 70 years old who were diagnosed with dysmenorrhea and underwent hysterectomy/myomectomy or without surgery, and males with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) with or without transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) were identified from the National Health Insurance Research Database 2000-2016. The effect of age at surgery, surgery type, and anesthesia modality on dementia risk was assessed using Cox regression analyses. Among the 855,893 subjects, 10,242 developed dementia. Surgery at older age increased dementia risk in both sexes. Among females, hysterectomy/myomectomy was not significantly associated with dementia risk, although myomectomy was associated with a lower risk for dementia than hysterectomy. In males, TURP significantly increased the risk of dementia. Men with BPH and women with dysmenorrhea who were older at surgery have a higher risk of dementia. Regardless of the anesthetic method, surgery increased the risk of dementia in men. Among the data of women, although the surgery factor was not significantly associated with dementia risk, women with myomectomy had a lower risk of dementia than the ones with hysterectomy. These findings together contributed to risk stratification for each sex in such surgical settings.