Life Expectancy Of Individuals Research Articles

Progress in Brain Delivery of Anti-HIV Drugs

Article history: Received on: 17/01/2015 Revised on: 22/04/2015 Accepted on: 17/06/2015 Available online: 27/07/2015 The HIV/AIDS pandemic is an increasing global burden with devastating health-related and socioeconomic effects. The widespread use of antiretroviral therapy has dramatically improved life quality and expectancy of infected individuals. But currently available drug regimens and dosage forms are not good enough to eradicate HIV. Suboptimal adherence, toxicity, drug resistance and viral reservoirs make the lifelong treatment of HIV infection challenging. Along with some other organs, highly vascularized and secured with blood-brain barrier (BBB), brain acts as a great reservoir for the HIV virus. But all the available drug delivery techniques are not capable of bypassing the BBB and deliver anti-HIV drugs to the brain. In this review, all the brain delivery techniques available till date has been reviewed and recent noble ideas for delivering anti-HIV drugs to brain has been discussed.

Pricing Longevity Risks with Survivor Swaps: An Application to Turkey

The increase in life expectancy of individuals poses a risk for insurance companies. If people live longer than anticipated, insurance companies make losses on their annuity books. The aim of this paper is hedging longevity risk, securitization of longevity risks with survivor swaps and price survivor swaps using Turkey Life Tables. In this paper, we examine the longevity risk and model Turkish mortality using the Lee-Carter and the Olivier-Smith model with beta and gamma distributions. In order to price the random payments under Q risk neutral pricing measure we use Wang transform. We calculate random payments of swap for different market prices of risk, different interest rates and different mortality models. The fixed payments of the swap is calculated by using the underlying mortality table. Then we compare the swap premiums which are the rates that equate the present values of fixed payments and random payments. As a result we find that swap premiums are not significantly affected by the market price of risk and interest rates. We conclude that the most important factor is the mortality model to get fair value of the swap.

The aging eye.

With the advancement of medical science, average life expectancy of individuals is ever increasing. Percentage of elderly population has increased from 6.2% in 1990 to 8.2% in 2015 worldwide (http://www.unescap.org/resources/1-population). However, with increasing life expectancy, the prevalence of age related diseases will also increase, which will affect the quality of life in elderly population worldwide. Eye is our window to the outer world and deterioration of this vital organ with age will definitely affect the lifestyle of the elderly people. According to WHO, approximately 65% of the population aged over 50 years has some forms of visual impairment (http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs282/en/). Therefore, understating and managing the age related changes in eye calls for significant effort and attention from the scientific world. This special issue focuses on the age related changes and diseases of eye as well as their management in elderly population. Eight meticulously chosen papers in this special issue focus on different aspects of vision problem and their management in elderly population. Cataract is one of the major eye pathologies of elderly people. X. Yuan et al. reported the prevalence of astigmatism in eyes requiring cataract surgery. They found that prevalence of astigmatism also increases with age and discussed its implication in visual rehabilitation. L. Zuo et al. discussed the effect of unilateral or bilateral cataract surgery on visual acuity and quality of life in elderly patient. Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is involved in various age related pathological changes in the eye including AMD. A. V. Kuznetsova et al. discussed the prospects of using RPE cell line in modelling various pathological changes in human disease and their potential use in retinal repair after ocular pathologies. They also discussed various signaling pathways in RPE which can be used as potential targets for different eye diseases. L. Ottobelli et al. discussed the changes in ocular surface with increasing age and determined the frequency of ocular surface disease (OSD) with age. They concluded that dry eye disease (DED) is the most frequently occurring OSD and its frequency increases with age. A. Sharma and H. B. Hindman reviewed various aspect of DED with the increasing age. Glaucoma is another major cause of vision loss especially in elderly population. Early detection and medical intervention are necessary to control vision loss due to glaucoma. Measurement of anterior chamber angle is an important parameter for diagnosis and management of glaucoma. M. Rigi et al., in this issue, have described a new parameter called TICV (trabecular-iris circumference volume) to detect the health of anterior chamber by optical coherence tomography. N. L. Pratt et al. discussed the relationship between bradycardia and Timolol, a widely used glaucoma medication, and concluded that patients' medical history should be reviewed before prescribing the medication. The study emphasizes the importance of considering full clinical information of patients for deciding treatment regimen taking into account other systemic ailments that the patient is already exposed to or might be predisposed to. Finally, M. Oles and P. Oles discussed the issue of quality of lifestyle in people with low vision especially due to cataract and glaucoma. Their study highlights the importance of social support and task oriented coping to improve quality of life for individuals with low vision. Age related eye diseases, being one of the most prevalent causes of blindness worldwide, demand attention as a global health problem. Research efforts must be concentrated on early detection and cost-effective methods of intervention accessible by people belonging to all economic strata globally. This issue is a small step towards such efforts for prevention of blindness and improving quality of human lives with progression of age. Suddhasil Mookherjee Ashima Bhattacharjee Mainak Sengupta

Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Older Diabetic Patients: Is it Necessary to Create Guidelines for Early Diagnosis, Monitoring and Treatment of this Nutritional Problem?

Copyright: © 2014 Masferrer D, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. According to reports from the World Health Organization, the aging population in both developed and in developing countries it has been possible due an improvement in access and coverage of health systems which has enabled a reduction in overall mortality rates and increased life expectancy of individuals [1]. However, this situation represents a challenge because it is necessary to maintain the achievements made in health and also generate environmental and sanitary conditions to ensure healthy aging and prevent pharmacological latrogenesis during the treatment of chronic diseases.

Life expectancy and longevity of varanid lizards (Reptilia:Squamata:Varanidae) in North American zoos.

In zoos, life expectancy-the average lifespan of individuals within a population, and longevity-the maximum lifespan within a population, can be useful parameters for evaluating captive husbandry and animal welfare. Using life history and demographic data derived from regional studbooks, this study examined life expectancy and longevity in a total of 782 wild-caught (WC) and captive-bred (CB) varanid lizards of seven species maintained in North American zoos since 1926. The average lifespans for WC and CB animals were 6.3 ± 0.3 and 9.3 ± 0.4 years, respectively, with CB males living significantly longer than females (P = 0.009). A total of 26.4% of WC and 22.5% of CB animals experienced mortality during their first 2 years in captivity, with mortality during this period greatest among Varanus rudicollis and V. prasinus. A positive correlation was observed between life expectancy and adult body mass in captive-bred individuals (r = 0.981; P = 0.002). Wild-caught females with a history of successful reproduction had a significantly greater average lifespan than non-reproducing females (P < 0.0001). Results from this study suggest that varanids have not been reaching their lifespan capacities in North American zoos. In light of these findings, several husbandry-related factors which may be affecting the welfare and lifespans of varanids in zoos are identified and discussed. This study also highlights the utility of demographic and life history data in captive animal management, and offers a general framework for future herpetological studies of a similar nature.

Microstructural alterations of trabecular and cortical bone in long-term HIV-infected elderly men on successful antiretroviral therapy.

Progress in antiretroviral therapy (ART) has resulted in an almost normal life expectancy for HIV-infected individuals, but an increased risk of fragility fractures has been identified. We investigated the influence of long-term HIV infection on successful ART on bone microstructure in elderly men. A cross-sectional, case–control study. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) were performed in 28 HIV-positive men between 60 and 70 years old on successful ART. Controls were 112 HIV-negative men matched for age 4 years and BMI (4 kg/ m²). HIV-positive men (median CD4þ cell count, 589 cells/ml; BMI, 24.8 kg/m²) had a median duration of HIV infection of 18.2 years. Compared with HIV-negative men, they had a lower DXA-measured areal bone mineral density at total hip (3.2%, P¼0.050) and ultra-distal radius (8.4%, P¼0.001). At distal radius and tibia, we observed microstructural alterations with a lower total density (16%, P¼ 0.005 and 14.3%, P¼ 0.039), trabecular density (11.6%, P¼ 0.012 and 12.2%, P¼ 0.007) and cortical area (17.5%, P¼ 0.002 and 12.2%, P¼ 0.01). In addition, they had a lower trabecular number (P¼ 0.036), higher trabecular spacing (P¼ 0.027) and lower cortical thickness (19.9%; P¼ 0.008) at distal radius. beta-crosslaps (CTX) and vitamin D levels were higher than in controls. By multivariate analyses, HIV status, higher CTX levels, lower physical activity and estradiol levels were determinants of bone density and microstructure alterations. HIV-infected elderly men on successful ART have trabecular and cortical bone microstructure alterations associated with higher bone resorption, despite adequate vitamin D supplementation.

Aging and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

At present, the exact mechanism and biological basis of aging is unknown. The antagonistic pleiotropy theory and competing model of senescence explain the aging occurrence of some physiological functions of human body from different angles. The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of genome suggest the individual’s difference of aging process is associated with SNPs-related individual’s sensitivity to diseases. As the naturally occurring DNA damages and age-associated accumulation of DNA damage as well as decline in gene expression regulation indicate individual life expectancy, whereas the shortening mechanism of telomeric terminals of chromosomes and Hayflick limit of cell division determine human life span.

MUSIC AS ALTERNATIVE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ADULT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Each person's life pattern depending on the personalities are different from other individuals while life model is characterized by the same criteria: human individuality, human vital activity, an individual's ability to carry out those activities, activities influencing factors (biological, psychological, socio – cultural, environmental, political – economical), the individual's life expectancy. Optimizing the life quality of people with disabilities are three very important indicators which develops others to personal self-awareness, self-development and self-expression: integration into society, socialization and self-realization. Social Care House goal – to ensure the rational and efficient network of services that fully meet the needs of residents and allow full integration into community. Using music therapy techniques can be developed auditory and visual perception, language sharpness, motion flexibility and coordination and body control what can be applied meaningfully and efficiently in everyday life, at the same time as helping for a person to adapt in the environment and facilitating persons near communication. Object of research – individuals with moderate to profound intellectual disability optimization the quality of life through music / art therapy techniques. Study aims – to investigate adults with intellectual disabilities life quality optimization in the context of music therapy methods and techniques. In this work was used qualitative and quantitative research methods: theoretical, diagnostic, empirical.

HIV and metabolic, body, and bone disorders: what we know from low- and middle-income countries.

Globally, the HIV epidemic is evolving. Life expectancy for HIV-infected individuals has been extended because of more effective and more widely available antiretroviral therapy. As a result, chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) have become important comorbid conditions. In particular, HIV-infected persons are increasingly at risk of developing metabolic (diabetes, dyslipidemias), body composition (lipodystrophy, overweight/obesity) and bone mineral density abnormalities. We have summarized the published epidemiological and clinical literature regarding these HIV-NCD comorbidities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We found important gaps in knowledge. Specifically, there are few studies that use standardized methods and metrics; consequently, prevalence or incidence data are not comparable. There are very little or no data regarding the effectiveness or cost-effectiveness of clinical monitoring or therapeutic interventions for metabolic disorders in HIV-infected individuals. Also, although NCDs continue to grow in the HIV-negative population of most LMICs, there are few data comparing the incidence of NCD comorbidities between HIV-infected and HIV-negative populations. To address these gaps, we describe potential research and capacity development priorities for the future.

Distribuição Von Mises na avaliação de dados apícolas

Circular statistics is applied to data that show a periodic behavior, which characterizes the obtaining of what is called circular data. The existence of a circadian rhythm in the metabolism of Africanized bees can influence the mortality time of workers and the emergence of queen bees, in which case we obtain circular data characterized by the time of occurrence of these events. Bees visits to flowers of a plant can also provide circular data. The aim of this research was to verify the applicability of circular statistics to apicultural data. Data from three experiments were used: 1- bees foraging for field rosemary; 2- emergence of queen bees; 3- the mortality time of workers (considering the experimental setup time at night (19:30) and during the day (7:30)). All data sets used were tested in relation to two distributions: uniform and Von Mises (or circular normal), and fitted to the latter. It was concluded that, when bees are foraging on rosemary, the circular normal model mean time equals 11 h 29 min with large dispersion. There is also a circadian rhythm that regulates the emergence time of queens and the mortality of worker bees. In the experiment on the emergence of queen bees, a confidence interval of 95 % was obtained for the circular mean equal to (4 h 12 min; 9 h 05 min). The mean mortality time in the setup carried out during the day occurs after 4 h 18 min, with longevity estimated at 8 h 37 min. The life expectancy of individuals maintained under the same conditions, except for an experimental setup time at 19 h 30 min, is estimated at 19 h 37 min. Therefore, in order to carry out laboratory experiments on adult bees, it is advisable to include the experimental setup time in the experimental methodology.

Surviving spinal cord injury in low income countries.

BackgroundMortality rates from injuries are higher for people from poorer economic backgrounds than those with higher incomes (according to the World Health Organization [WHO]), and health care professionals and organisations dealing with people with disabilities experience that individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) in low income countries face serious challenges in their daily lives.ObjectivesThe aims of this study were to explore life expectancy (life expectancy is the average remaining years of life of an individual) and the situation of persons living with SCI in low income settings.MethodLiterature studies and qualitative methods were used. Qualitative data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 23 informants from four study sites in Zimbabwe representing persons with SCI, their relatives and rehabilitation professionals.ResultsThere are few publications available about life expectancy and the daily life of persons with SCI in low income countries. Those few publications identified and the study findings confirm that individuals with SCI are experiencing a high occurrence of pressure sores and urinary tract infections leading to unnecessary suffering, often causing premature death. Pain and depression are frequently reported and stigma and negative attitudes are experienced in society. Lack of appropriate wheelchairs and services, limited knowledge about SCI amongst health care staff, limited access to health care and rehabilitation services, loss of employment and lack of financial resources worsen the daily challenges.ConclusionThe study indicates that life expectancy for individuals with SCI in low income settings is shorter than for the average population and also with respect to individuals with SCI in high income countries. Poverty worsened the situation for individuals with SCI, creating barriers that increase the risk of contracting harmful pressure sores and infections leading to premature death. Further explorations on mortality and how individuals with SCI and their families in low income settings are coping in their daily life are required to provide comprehensive evidences.

Age patterns of Kaposi's sarcoma incidence in a cohort of HIV-infected men.

The life expectancy for HIV-positive individuals has improved over time due to increasing access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Yet, as the HIV-positive population ages, their risk of developing cancers also increases. Studies of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) among elderly HIV-infected persons are quite limited. We examined the age patterns of KS incidence and an association between age and KS risk in a US cohort of 3458 HIV-infected men, the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS). Poisson distribution was used to calculate incidence rates and respective 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Cox proportional hazards regression was performed to examine the association between age and KS risk. There were 534 incident KS cases with a total follow-up time of 25,134 person-years. The overall KS incidence rate was 2.13 per 100 person-years (95% CI: 1.95–2.32) (Non-HAART users-ever: 5.57 per 100 person-years [95% CI: 5.09–6.10]; HAART users-ever: 0.39 per 100 person-years [95% CI: 0.31–0.51]). Overall, KS frequency and incidence declined with age, even in the oldest age group (ptrend < 0.0001). However, among non-HAART users-ever, the oldest age group had the highest incidence rate ratio compared to younger individuals [15.01, 95% CI: 6.12–44.22]). While the incidence of KS decreased with age, older HIV-infected persons who do not receive HAART are still at increased risk of KS. As KS remains an important malignancy among HIV-infected persons, earlier HIV diagnoses and HAART initiation, particularly in older HIV-infected persons is warranted.

Geriatric oncology: an overview.

Geriatric oncology: an overview.

Palliative HIV care: opportunities for biomedical and behavioral change.

Advances in treatment are contributing to substantial increases in life expectancy for individuals living with HIV, prompting a need to develop care models for the effective management of HIV as a chronic illness. With many individuals continuing to experience symptoms and complications that add to the disease burden across the spectrum of HIV disease, the discussion herein explores the complementary role that early palliative care can play in HIV primary care as a strategy for enhancing long-term quality of life. After first defining the concept of early palliative care, its scope in the context of current clinical realities in HIV treatment and implications for HIV care models is described. After reviewing the emerging extant research literature on HIV palliative care outcomes, a program description is offered as an illustration of how palliative care integration with HIV primary care can be achieved.

The impact of aging, cognition, and symptoms on functional competence in individuals with schizophrenia across the lifespan.

Life expectancy in individuals with schizophrenia continues to increase. It is not clear whether cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia remain as strong predictors of function in older and younger individuals. Thus, we assessed the relationship between cognition and functional competence in individuals with schizophrenia across 7 decades of life. We analyzed data obtained in 232 community-dwelling participants with schizophrenia (age range: 19-79 years). Cognition was assessed using the Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia Consensus Cognitive Battery. Functional competence was assessed using the UCSD Performance-based Skills Assessment, which includes measures of Comprehension and Planning of Recreational Activities Skills, Financial Skills, Communication Skills, Transportation Skills, and Household Management Skills. To assess the effects of Global Cognition on functional competence, we performed hierarchical multivariate linear or logistic regression analyses controlling for age, education, gender, and negative symptoms. Participants' mean age was 49.1 (SD = 13.2, range = 19-79 years), 161 (69%) were male, and 55 (24%) were aged ≥60. Global Cognition was a predictor of Comprehension and Planning Skills (Exp(β) = 1.048), Financial Skills (Exp(β) = 1.104), Communication Skills (ΔR (2) = .31) and Transportation Skills (Exp(β) = 1.066), but not Household Management Skills after adjusting for age, education, gender, and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Cognition remains a strong predictor of functional competence across the lifespan. These findings suggest that treating cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia could improve individuals' function independent of their age.

HIV-associated non-AIDS conditions

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has improved quality of life and increased life expectancy of HIV-infected individuals. Opportunistic diseases are less common, and mortality has declined. Consequently, patterns of mortality and morbidity are changing among the HIV-positive population. The focus of care has shifted to ART-related problems and to various non-AIDS diseases. Such comorbidities, often occurring sequentially or concurrently, may be the consequences of long term ART toxicity, a state of chronic inflammation due to HIV infection, lifestyle-related risks for disease, and aging. The emergence of non-AIDS related conditions highlights the important role of primary care physicians, especially of those with extensive experience in HIV management.

Recent trends in cerebral palsy survival. Part II: individual survival prognosis.

The aim of the study was to determine survival probabilities and life expectancies for individuals with cerebral palsy based on data collected over a 28-year period in California. We identified all individuals with cerebral palsy, aged 4 years or older, who were clients of the California Department of Developmental Services between 1983 and 2010. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were constructed for 4-year-old children, and the estimated survival probabilities were adjusted to reflect trends in mortality by calendar year. For persons aged 15, 30, 45, and 60 years, separate Poisson regression models were used to estimate age-, sex-, and disability-specific mortality rates. These mortality rates were adjusted to reflect trends of improved survival, and life expectancies were obtained using life table methods. The sample comprised 16,440, 14,609, 11,735, 7023, and 2375 persons at ages 4, 15, 30, 45, and 60 years, respectively. In 1983, 50% of 4-year-old children who did not lift their heads in the prone position and were tube fed lived to age 10.9 years. By 2010, the median age at death had increased to 17.1 years. In ambulatory children the probability of survival to adulthood did not change by more than 1%. Life expectancies for adolescents and adults were lower for those with more severe limitations in motor function and feeding skills, and decreased with advancing age. Life expectancies for tube-fed adolescents and adults increased by 1 to 3 years, depending on age and pattern of disability, over the course of the study period. Over the past three decades in California there have been significant improvements in the survival of children with very severe disabilities. There have also been improvements to the life expectancy of tube-fed adults, though to a lesser extent than in children.

The burden of sepsis in critically ill human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients—a brief review

Since the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy in 1996, we have seen dramatic changes in morbi-mortality rates from human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients. If on the one hand, the immunologic preservation-associated with the use of current antiretroviral therapy markedly diminishes the incidence of opportunistic infections, on the other hand it extended life expectancy of human immunodeficiency virus-infected individuals similarly to the general population. However, the management of critically ill human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients remains challenging and troublesome for practicing clinician. Sepsis – a complex systemic inflammatory syndrome in response to infection – is the second leading cause of intensive care unit admission in both human immunodeficiency virus-infected and uninfected populations. Recent data have emerged describing a substantial burden of sepsis in the infected population, in addition, to a much poorer prognosis in this group. Many factors contribute to this outcome, including specific etiologies, patterns of inflammation, underlying immune dysregulation related to chronic human immunodeficiency virus infection and delays in prompt diagnosis and treatment. This brief review explores the impact of sepsis in the context of human immunodeficiency virus infection, and proposes future directions for better management and prevention of human immunodeficiency virus-associated sepsis.

Treating the elderly patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia: current and emerging options

Treating the elderly patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia: current and emerging options Zahra Mozaheb Department of Hematology-Oncology, Imam-Reza Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Science, Mashhad, Iran Abstract: Management of cancer in the elderly is an increasingly common problem. The risk of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) increases significantly after the age of 65 years. One of the most important prognostic factors in the elderly is the burden of comorbidity. Severe and multiple comorbidities significantly decrease survival in patients with CLL. Therefore, not only age but also the incidence and severity of comorbidity should influence the treatment strategy for patients at an individual level. This review attempts to identify the best management strategies for elderly patients with CLL based on individual functional reserve and estimation of individual life expectancy. Keywords: chronic lymphocytic leukemia, elderly, management

Impact on life expectancy of HIV-1 positive individuals of CD4+ cell count and viral load response to antiretroviral therapy

Objective:The objective of this study is to estimate life expectancies of HIV-positive patients conditional on response to antiretroviral therapy (ART).Methods:Patients aged more than 20 years who started ART during 2000–2010 (excluding IDU) in HIV clinics contributing to the UK CHIC Study were followed for mortality until 2012. We determined the latest CD4+ cell count and viral load before ART and in each of years 1–5 of ART. For each duration of ART, life tables based on estimated mortality rates by sex, age, latest CD4+ cell count and viral suppression (HIV-1 RNA <400 copies/ml), were used to estimate expected age at death for ages 20–85 years.Results:Of 21 388 patients who started ART, 961 (4.5%) died during 110 697 person-years. At start of ART, expected age at death [95% confidence interval (CI)] of 35-year-old men with CD4+ cell count less than 200, 200–349, at least 350 cells/μl was 71 (68–73), 78 (74–82) and 77 (72–81) years, respectively, compared with 78 years for men in the general UK population. Thirty-five-year-old men who increased their CD4+ cell count in the first year of ART from less than 200 to 200–349 or at least 350 cells/μl and achieved viral suppression gained 7 and 10 years, respectively. After 5 years on ART, expected age at death of 35-year-old men varied from 54 (48–61) (CD4+ cell count <200 cells/μl and no viral suppression) to 80 (76–83) years (CD4+ cell count ≥350 cells/μl and viral suppression).Conclusion:Successfully treated HIV-positive individuals have a normal life expectancy. Patients who started ART with a low CD4+ cell count significantly improve their life expectancy if they have a good CD4+ cell count response and undetectable viral load.