Gender-related Patterns Research Articles

Parental Patterns of Alcohol Consumption During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Scoping Review.

The declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic led to public health restrictions that impacted the lives of people across the globe. Parents were particularly burdened with balancing multiple responsibilities, such as working from home while caring for and educating their children. Alcohol use among parents is an area that warrants further exploration. This study aimed to investigate patterns of parental alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on relative changes in the frequency and quantity of alcohol use compared to prepandemic use, nonparent adult samples, or both. A scoping review informed by the methodology of Arksey and O'Malley explored patterns of parental alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic. Searches were conducted in CINAHL, Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. Search terms were created using the Joanna Briggs Institute framework of Population, Concept, and Context, with the population being parents and the concept being alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic. The database search yielded 3568 articles, which were screened for eligibility. Of the 3568 articles, 40 (1.12%) met the inclusion criteria and were included in the scoping review. Findings indicated the following: (1) having children at home was a factor associated with parental patterns of alcohol use; (2) mixed findings regarding gender-related patterns of alcohol consumption; and (3) linkages between parental patterns of alcohol use and mental health symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety. This scoping review revealed heterogeneous patterns in parental alcohol use across sociocultural contexts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the known harms of alcohol use, it is worthwhile for clinicians to assess parental drinking patterns and initiate conversations regarding moderation in alcohol use.

Evaluation of Age and Gender-Related Patterns in Clinical Features and Hematological Findings Among Hypothyroidism Patients in the Al-Jouf Region of Saudi Arabia: A Hospital-Based Study.

The prevalence of hypothyroidism is high in Saudi Arabia and the contributing factors are iodine deficiency and lack of balanced nutrition. This study aims to correlate the gender, age, and presence of co-morbidities with the laboratory findings and clinical presentation. A cross-sectional study was done in the hospitals of the Al-Jouf region. The files of the patients diagnosed with hypothyroidism from the last two years were retrieved by non-probability consecutive sampling technique.IBMSPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 23, (Released 2015;IBMCorp., Armonk, New York, United States) was used for data entry and analysis. Descriptive statistics were presented as frequencies and proportions (for qualitative variables) and mean and standard deviation (SD) (for continuous data). Associated factors were identified through a chi-square test. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Most of the patients were females within the age group of 36 to 50 years. Significant differences were observed between male and female patients with respect to the FT4 levels, hemoglobin (Hb) levels, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) values, and RBC counts (p-values of <0.001, <0.001, <0.001, <0.001, <0.001 and <0.001, respectively). However, no significant differences were observed between male and female patients in the TSH levels and hematocrit values. Most of the patients were euthyroid (77.24%). The pattern of thyroid function status did not show significant differences with respect to the gender of participants and the different age groups (p-values of 0.447 and 0.775, respectively). The most common co-morbidities observed were diabetes and hypertension. No significant association between the co-morbidities and the pattern of thyroid function status was observed. The most common symptoms were epigastric pain, fatigue, constipation, drowsiness, altered bowel habits, and weight gain. This hospital-based study provides valuable insights into some epidemiological characteristics, clinical features, and hematological findings in hypothyroidism patients of the Al-Jouf region. Significant differences were observed between male and female patients with respect to the FT4 levels, Hb levels, MCV, MCH, MCHC values, and RBC counts. The findings strengthen the existing knowledge base and emphasize the importance of timely detection and management of hypothyroidism in this population. Implementation of salt iodination programs and a timely evaluation of the hematological parameters is recommended. Further research is warranted to delve into the hidden mechanisms and long-term ramifications of hematological changes associated with hypothyroidism.

Do you say uh or uhm? A cross-linguistic approach to filler particle use in heritage and majority speakers across three languages.

Filler particles like uhm in English or ähm in German show subtle language-specific differences and their variation in form is related to socio-linguistic variables like gender. The use of fillers in a second language has been shown to differ from monolinguals' filler particle use in both frequency and form in different language contexts. This study investigates the language-specific use of filler particles by bilingual heritage speakers in both their languages, looking at the dominant majority language in the society and their minority heritage language spoken at home. This is done based on heritage Russian and German data and majority German and English data from the RUEG corpus. Language-specific fillers were extracted from the corpus and analyzed for their occurrence and segmental form. The frequency analysis suggests an influence of bilingualism, age group, and formality of the situation on the filler frequency across all languages. The number of filler particles is higher in formal, older, and bilingual speech. The form analysis reveals an effect of language and gender on the type of filler particle. The vocalic-nasal filler particles (e.g., uhm) are more frequently found in German and English and in female speech of these languages. Heritage speakers of Russian in contact with German and English show higher use of vocalic-nasal forms also in their Russian while producing similar gender related patterns to monolingual speakers in both their languages. The higher frequency of filler particles in formal situations, older speakers and in bilingual speech, is discussed related to cognitive load which is assumed to be higher in these contexts while speech style which differs between situations and social groups is also considered as explanation. The higher use of vocalic-nasal filler particles in German and English suggests language specific filler particle preferences also related to the socio-linguistic variable gender in these languages. The results from heritage speakers suggest and influence on filler particle form in their heritage language, while also revealing socio-linguistic usage patterns related to gender which are produced by heritage speakers similarly to monolinguals in their respective language.

Self-Reported Baseline Quality of Life Mirrors Treatment-Specific Characteristics of Cancer Patients.

Baseline quality of life (bQL) has been shown to be a predictor of the clinical outcome of oncological patients. The primary objective of the present study was to examine the role of bQL as a treatment predictor in oncological patients. In this prospective study, all-stage cancer patients registered in the Network Oncology registry were enrolled, and their bQL at diagnosis was evaluated. Five hundred and thirty-eight oncological patients were eligible (median age 64 years). We show that survival-predicting bQL variables such as pain, low physical functioning or financial burden at tumor diagnosis were linked to lower systemic treatment (p = 0.03), reduced surgery (p = 0.007) or reduced oncological treatment compliance (0.01), respectively. Lastly, female gender and older cancer patients exhibited a tempered bQL. Our study is one of the first to reveal that bQL at tumor diagnosis is significantly associated with the prediction of oncological treatment with distinctive age- and gender-related patterns. Our results emphasize the need to address the physical, psychosocial, and financial burden of cancer patients prior to their oncological treatment with respect to age and gender. The associations found here pave the way for early integration of patient-reported outcomes into oncological supportive concepts.

Population ageing in rural Romania - regional disparities and social implications

Population ageing is occurring on more extensive areas worldwide, is affecting rural areas with greater intensity and at a faster pace than ever. This study aims to evaluate the main demographic changes and their social consequences in post-communist Romania, highlighting the particularities of rural decline phenomenon and taking into account regional and gender-related patterns and causalities. Unfavourable demographic trends recorded in rural Romania emphasize the urgent necessity to address the complex processes associated with rural depopulation through national, regional or even local solutions and approaches.

Impact of psychological distress and psychophysical wellbeing on posttraumatic symptoms in parents of preterm infants after NICU discharge

BackgorundParents after Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) hospitalization of preterm infant may develop psychopathological symptoms.The aim of the study was to determine how parental stress and psychophysical wellbeing affect posttraumatic symptoms (PTTS) in parents during the first year after NICU discharge. Moreover, this study aimed to explore any gender-specific difference in psychological distress among mothers and fathers.MethodsProspective study design from September 2018 to September 2019. 20 pairs of parents of preterm infants admitted to a tertiary-level NICU were enrolled. Primary outcome was evaluation of PTTS in parents of preterm infants at one year after NICU discharge through Impact of Event Scale- Revised. Secondary outcomes were: impact of parental stress, psychophysical wellbeing, anxiety and depression respectively through Parental Stressor Scale: NICU, Short Form Health Survey-36(SF-36), Self-rating Anxiety Scale and Self-rating Depression Scale.ResultsMothers experienced higher rates of PTTS than fathers across the first year after NICU discharge (55% vs 20%). Maternal avoidance symptoms were associated with perception of their own infant look. Emotional aspects linked to maternal role predicted 36,8% of their hyperarousal symptoms. Maternal PTTS severity was predicted by their social functioning. Paternal mental health was associated both with maternal and paternal intrusive symptoms.. Maternal stress was associated with paternal avoidance symptoms. Paternal mental health predicted their hyperarousal symptoms (40%) and PTSD severity (52%).ConclusionsParents who experienced NICU hospitalization of their own infant are at heightened risk to develop psychopathological symptoms. According to our initial hypothesis, investigating parental psychophysical wellbeing, through SF-36, originally provides a valuable support to detect parents at higher risk to develop posttraumatic outcomes across the first year after NICU discharge. In addition, paternal depression deserves to be taken into account since hospitalization as it could impact paternal PTSD development. Finally, these findings provide an initial evidence of gender-related patterns in PTSD development and psychological distress among mothers and fathers across the first year of their infant.

Deep learning analysis and age prediction from shoeprints

Human gaits are the patterns of limb movements which involve both the upper and lower body parts. These patterns in terms of step rate, gait speed, stance widening, stride, and bipedal forces are influenced by different factors including environmental (such as social, cultural, and behavioral traits) and physical changes (such as age and health status). These factors are reflected on the imprinted shoeprints generated with body forces, which in turn can be used to predict age, a problem not systematically addressed using any computational approach. We collected 100,000 shoeprints of subjects ranging from 7 to 80 years old and used the data to develop a deep learning end-to-end model ShoeNet to analyze age-related patterns and predict age. The model integrates various convolutional neural network models together using a skip mechanism to extract age-related features, especially in pressure and abrasion regions from pair-wise shoeprints. The results show that 40.23% of the subjects had prediction errors within 5-years of age and the prediction accuracy for gender/sex classification reached 86.07%. Interestingly, the age-related features mostly reside in the asymmetric differences between left and right shoeprints. The analysis also reveals interesting age-related and gender-related patterns in the pressure distributions on shoeprints; in particular, the pressure forces spread from the middle of the toe toward outside regions over age with gender-specific variations of forces on heel regions. Such statistics provide insight into new methods for forensic investigations, medical studies of gait pattern disorders, biometrics, and sport studies.

Abstract 705: SARS-CoV-2 infection of the human heart governs intracardiac innate immune response

Abstract Human coronavirus, hCoV-19 (SARS-CoV-2) is associated with pneumonia, severe systemic disease and, in fatal cases, a high prevalence of cardiac dysfunction. Cellular entry requires a cell-surface receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), and activation of the spike protein by host proteases, including TMPRSS2 and cathepsins. Cardiac toxicity is a serious cause of morbidity and mortality from SARS-CoV-2 with chronic sequelae reducing cardiac function in many survivors. We determined mRNA expression for genes related to SARS-Cov-2 infection in iPSC-derived cardiac myocytes treated with the widely used chemotherapeutic, Doxorubicin (DOX). DOX induced expression of TMPSS2, but not Ace2 or Furin, 4- to 5-fold. Further, DOX treatment enhanced expression of cathepsins A, B and F between 1.2-1.5 fold. Overall these changes promote an environment of enhanced SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility in the myocardium placing cancer patients on DOX therapy at increased risk of cardiac damage. To further characterize the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the myocardium we examined the local spatial gene expression response in human post-mortem cardiac samples. A genome wide (1,864 genes) and matching proteome analysis on SARS-CoV-2 infected myocardium was conducted using Digital spatial profiling (DSP) (NanoString GeoMxTM). RNAscopeTM, a sensitive form of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), identified SARS-CoV-2 spike RNA in cells enriched for ACE2 and TMPRSS2. Immunohistochemistry on serial sections identified the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in both myocyte (desmin+) and monocyte (CD45+) populations suggesting multiple targets for viral infection in the myocardium. SCANscopeTM was used to determine the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on cardiac gene. Probes directed to the spike protein were used to identify regions of interest (ROI) for SARS-CoV-2-infection. Unsupervised principal component analysis (PCA) of the differentially expressed gene transcripts separated gene expression of SARS-CoV-2 ROI from control ROI areas in the same patient and was distinct from the PCA of normal myocardium control ROI. PCA of the SARS-CoV-2-associated gene expression of the ROI from male vs. female myocardium identified distinct gender-related gene expression patterns. Further, PCA based on SARS-Cov-2 spike RNA abundance correlated with induction of innate and acquired immunity signaling in the myocardial cells. Moreover, gene ontology (Reactome) analysis of SARS-CoV-2 infected regions of the myocardium displayed characteristic signatures indicating enhanced apoptosis and autophagy, chromatin remodeling and reduced DNA repair, and reduced oxidoreductase activity in regions of SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to uninfected myocardium. These data probe the underlying molecular mechanisms that enhance the risk of death from SARS-CoV-2 for cancer patients and the cardiac remodeling that results in death for many patients with COVID-19. Citation Format: Anthony W. Ashton, Liang Zhang, Yan Liang, Prajan Divakar, Carolos Cordon-Cardo, Richard G. Pestell. SARS-CoV-2 infection of the human heart governs intracardiac innate immune response [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 705.

Age- and gender-related differences in brain tissue microstructure revealed by multi-component T2 relaxometry

In spite of extensive work, inconsistent findings and lack of specificity in most neuroimaging techniques used to examine age- and gender-related patterns in brain tissue microstructure indicate the need for additional research. Here, we performed the largest Multi-component T2 relaxometry cross-sectional study to date in healthy adults (N = 145, 18−60 years). Five quantitative microstructure parameters derived from various segments of the estimated T2 spectra were evaluated, allowing a more specific interpretation of results in terms of tissue microstructure. We found similar age-related myelin water fraction (MWF) patterns in men and women but we also observed differential male related results including increased MWF content in a few white matter tracts, a faster decline with age of the intra- and extra-cellular water fraction and its T2 relaxation time (i.e. steeper age related negative slopes) and a faster increase in the free and quasi-free water fraction, spanning the whole grey matter. Such results point to a sexual dimorphism in brain tissue microstructure and suggest a lesser vulnerability to age-related changes in women.

Local knowledge as a tool for prospecting wild food plants: experiences in northeastern Brazil

This study aims to provide a simple framework to identify wild food plants with potential for popularization based on local knowledge and perception. To this end, we also characterized the distribution of this knowledge in the socio-ecological system. We developed the study in the rural settlement Dom Hélder Câmara in northeastern Brazil. The species with the greatest potential for popularization considering the attributes accessed from local knowledge and perception were Psidium guineense Sw., Genipa americana L., Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) Schott and Dioscorea trifida L.f. However, the high variation in local knowledge on wild food plants suggests that species that are not frequently cited can also be promising. The absence of age or gender-related knowledge patterns indicates that studies for prospecting wild food plants in similar socioecological contexts need to reach the population as a whole, rather than focusing on a specific group.

Gender-Related Patterns of Emotion Regulation among Patients with Eating Disorders.

Difficulties in emotion regulation (ER) are common in females with eating disorders (ED). However, no study to date has analyzed ER in males with ED. In the study at hand, we assessed ER in males with ED and compared results to both females with ED and healthy controls (HC). We also examined associations between ER difficulties, personality, and psychopathology. A total of 62 males with ED were compared with 656 females with ED, as well as 78 male and 286 female HC. ER was assessed by means of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). We found that males and females with ED showed greater ER difficulties compared to HC. Pronounced general psychopathology was a shared factor associated with higher ER difficulties in both males and females with ED. However, whereas higher novelty seeking, higher cooperativeness, lower reward dependence, and lower self-directedness were related to higher ER difficulties in females with ED, lower persistence was associated with ER difficulties in males with ED. In sum, males and females with ED show similar ER difficulties, yet they are distinct in how ER deficits relate to specific personality traits. Research on strategies promoting ER in the treatment of males with ED is warranted.

Gender Differences in Aggression-related Responses on EEG and ECG.

Gender differences in aggression viewed from an evolutionary and sociocultural perspective have traditionally explained why men engage in more direct and physical aggression, and women engage in more indirect and relational aggression. However, psychological and behavioral studies offer inconsistent support for this theory due to personal or social factors, and little is known about the gender-based neurobiological mechanisms of aggression. This study investigates gender differences in aggression through an analysis of electroencephalography (EEG) and electrocardiography (ECG) based neurobiological responses to commonly encountered stimuli, as well as psychological approaches in healthy Korean youth. Our results from self-reports indicate that overall aggression indices, including physical and reactive/overt aggression, were stronger in men. This agrees with the results of previous studies. Furthermore, our study reveals prominent gender-related patterns in γ signals from the right ventrolateral frontal cortex and changes in heart rate through stimulation by aggressive videos. In particular, gender differences in EEG and ECG responses were observed in response to different scenes, as simple aversion and situation-dependent aggression, respectively. In addition, we discovered decisive gender-distinct EEG signals during stimulation of the situation-dependent aggression regions within the right ventromedial prefrontal and ventrolateral frontal regions. Our findings provide evidence of a psychological propensity for aggression and neurobiological mechanisms of oscillation underlying gender differences in aggression. Further studies of oscillatory responses to aggression and provocation will expand the objective understanding of the different emotional worlds between men and women.

Life-course and entry to entrepreneurship:embedded in gender and gender-egalitarianism

ABSTRACTPrior research has suggested that low gender egalitarianism results in a gender gap in entrepreneurship participation, as it provides men and women with different opportunities and constraints. However, this research has primarily relied on an unrealistic assumption, namely that gender-related opportunities and constraints occur evenly throughout different life stages. This paper details an institutional life-course model that explains gender-related patterns in individuals’ propensity to enter entrepreneurship and contingencies related to the level of gender-egalitarianism in society and individuals’ life stages. We test our conceptual model on a unique integrated dataset from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor and the World Value Survey, encompassing a total of 672,781 adults in 71 countries.

Initial evidence for the validity of the California Bullying Victimization Scale (CBVS-R) as a retrospective measure for adults.

Childhood bullying is an important predictor of psychological and health outcomes in adulthood; however, validated retrospective measures of childhood bullying are lacking. This study investigates the psychometric properties of an adult retrospective version of the California Bullying Victimization Scale (CBVS). The CBVS self-report measure was developed for use with children and adolescents to assess the three definitional characteristics of bullying (aggression that is chronic, intentional, and involves an imbalance of power), without using the term "bullying." In the current study, we evaluate patterns of retrospective reports of bullying victimization, and compare results to a common definition-first measure of bullying. Concurrent validity and 4-year stability are addressed. In the fall of 2012, entering first-year students at 4 universities in the United States (N = 1,209; 65.2% female) completed the California Bullying Victimization Scale-Retrospective (CBVS-R) as part of an online survey. In spring of 2016, participants at 2 universities who provided contact information (N = 175) completed a 4-year follow-up survey. Results support the validity of the CBVS-R as a retrospective self-report measure of bullying victimization experienced in childhood. In particular, the percent of respondents classified as being bullied (27.9%) and age- and gender-related patterns of victimization were consistent with known patterns of childhood bullying. In addition, respondents reporting childhood victimization indicated increased psychological distress in adulthood. However, stability of reports across a 4-year follow-up period were lower than expected (κ = .38). Implications for the use of retrospective reports of childhood bullying victimization are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

The role of gender in the structure of networks of childhood adversity

The objective of present study is to investigate the relationship between different childhood adversities. The potential impact of early adversity on prevention programs is discussed. Data on twelve childhood adversities was collected from a representative sample of 5037 members of the general population living in a large metropolitan area. Data were analyzed through network analysis, to estimate and compare network connectivity and centrality measures by gender. Over half the respondents had been exposed to at least one adversity during their earlier developmental stage. Among adversity-exposed persons, 48.4% presented simultaneous adversities, most of which were related to ‘family dysfunction’ and ‘maltreatment’ (mean = 2.9 adversities). Women reported more adversities than men (59.0% vs. 47.6%). Although the ‘global’ network connectivity across adversities was similar in both genders, ‘regional’ distinctions in the network structure were found. While ‘neglect’ and ‘parental death’ were more important for women than men, ‘parental mental disorders’ was more important for men. Gender-related childhood adversities were clustered experiences. Adversities related to ‘early family dysfunction’ and ‘maltreatment’ were prominent features in the networks of both boys and girls. Differential preventive and intervention programs should take into account gender-related patterns of exposure and reporting patterns of early adversity.

Gender-related patterns of psychiatric disorder clustering among bariatric surgery candidates: A latent class analysis

BackgroundPsychiatric disorders tend to distribute unevenly in women and men with severe obesity. The current research aimed to identify homogeneous clusters of concurrent psychiatric disorders among patients seeking bariatric surgery, by gender. MethodsWe recruited a consecutive sample of 393 candidates with obesity (311 women and 82 men) in a university-based bariatric center. Trained clinicians assessed psychiatric disorders through the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID). Latent class analysis categorized pre-surgical patients into uniform clusters of co-occurring psychiatric disorders. ResultsFor both genders, the 3-class psychopathological clustering was the best-fitting solution. Among women, the latent classes were: (1) “oligosymptomatic”, wherein 42% of patients showed low probability of psychiatric disorders; (2) “bipolar with comorbidities”, in 33%; and (3) “anxiety/depression”, in 25%. Among men, (1) “bipolar with comorbidities” was found in 47% of patients; (2) “oligosymptomatic”, in 40%; and (3) “anxiety/depression”, in 13%. For both genders, the probability of presenting eating disorders was higher in both “bipolar” and “anxiety/depression” classes. Substance use disorders was prominent among “bipolar” men. In comparison with “oligosymptomatic” class, the likelihood of higher BMI was observed among “bipolar” men and poorer work attainment among men with “anxiety/depression”. LimitationParticipants was cross-sectionally drawn from a single bariatric center. ConclusionsPre-surgical men and women with severe obesity were distributed in three comorbidity profiles and revealed analogous psychopathological patterns. The class of “bipolar disorders” most likely presented comorbidity with eating and substance use disorder. This natural clustering of psychiatric disorders among bariatric patients suggests gender-related therapeutic approaches and surgical outcomes.

Troubling Freedom: Antigua and the Aftermath of British Emancipation

Troubling Freedom: Antigua and the Aftermath of British Emancipation

Protective versus risk factors for self-objectification in different age and gender cohorts

The harmful effects of objectification and self-objectification have been widely investigated, but few studies have examined factors that may predict self-objectification. This research intends to assess the protective versus risk role of sociodemographic and physical characteristics (age, BMI), psychosocial variables (self-esteem; self-oriented perfectionism and socially prescribed perfectionism), and social factors (influence of family and friends; internalization of media standards) on self-objectification in men and women. The selfobjectification was assessed with two subscales of the Objectified Body Consciousness Scale: Body Shame and Body Surveillance. Participants were 812 Italian adults of different age cohorts (age range 21?60 years; 50.7% females) recruited via a quota sampling method. Two regression models separately for males and females were performed. Results showed that mass media influence was the strongest predictor for body surveillance and body shame in both men and women, whereas gender-related patterns emerged for physical, psychological, and relational variables with age as moderator.

The role of gender in online campaigning: Swedish candidates’ motives and use of social media during the European election 2014

ABSTRACTThis study addresses politician’s motives and use of social media platforms for campaigning purposes from a gender perspective. The role of gender is tested using survey data on Swedish candidates and behavioral data from Twitter before, during, and after the 2014 European election. Our findings show gender-related patterns in how candidates assess the usefulness of social media as a campaign tool. Female candidates tend to value social media to a greater extent and evaluate social media use more positively than male candidates. We also find that the election campaign affects how male and female candidates interact with their followers.

Evidentiality across age and gender: a corpus-based study of variation in spoken British English

This paper investigates the effects of age and gender on the frequency of the evidentiality categories ‘sensory’, ‘hearsay’ and ‘inferential’ in spontaneous spoken British English. The findings from the main data sample from the British National Corpus (BNC) are also compared to patterns in a smaller data set from the Diachronic Corpus of Present-day Spoken English (DCPSE) in order to estimate the relative effects of age-grading versus historical change. The results confirm statistically significant differences between men and women in their use of evidentiality, but show no significant effect of age or the interaction of age and gender. The comparison of the findings from the BNC data and the DCPSE data suggests that age-related patterns in evidentiality use are more diachronically stable than gender-related patterns.