Adult Life Research Articles

Sex disparity in liver allocation within Eurotransplant

In Eurotransplant, relatively more females than males die while waiting for a liver transplantation, and relatively fewer females are transplanted. With adult liver transplantation candidates listed between 2007 and 2019 (n=21,170), we study whether sex disparity is inherent to the Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) scoring system, or the indirect result of a small candidate body size limiting access to transplantation. Cox proportional hazards models are used to quantify the direct effect of sex on waitlist mortality, independent of sex’s effect through MELD scores, and the direct effect of sex on the transplantation rate, independent of sex’s effect through MELD and candidate body size. Adjusted waitlist mortality hazard ratios for female sex are insignificant (HR: 1.03, 95%-CI: 0.88-1.20). We thus lack evidence that MELD systematically underestimates waitlist mortality rates for females. Transplantation rates are 25% lower for females than males in unadjusted analyses (HR: 0.74, 95%-CI: 0.71-0.77), but hazard ratios become insignificant with adjustment for mediators (HR: 0.98, 95%-CI: 0.93-1.04), most importantly candidate body size. Sex disparity in Eurotransplant thus appears to be largely a consequence of lower transplantation rates for females, which are explained by sex differences in body size.

Qualitative Content Analysis of Code-Switching Behaviors in Kannada-English Bilingual Adults Who Stutter

Objectives: The present study investigated whether code-switching (CS) behaviors help manage stuttering. If yes, how does CS help manage stuttering in the daily life of Kannada-English bilingual adults who stutter (BAWS)? Methods: A convenient purposive sample of 35 Kannada-English bilingual adults who stutter, aged 18-40 years, were recruited for the study. The participants completed a Google form which contained a descriptive question. The question was, (a) Is language mixing or switching helpful in managing stuttering?, (b) If yes, describe how managing your stuttering in day-to-day life is beneficial. Results: 30 of 35 BAWS (85.71%) responded “Yes” to question (a). Furthermore, a significant theme and five sub-themes were created based on their descriptive responses. It includes a significant theme of personal growth and sub-themes such as communication, coping, conceptualization, social image and reputation, and psychological strength. Conclusion: The present study results suggest that Kannada-English BAWS perceive that their CS behaviors help to avoid stuttering. Furthermore, it builds their speaking skills, management strategies, understanding of others, social image, and confidence—overall personal growth. Nevertheless, avoidance behaviors, such as code-switching, are ineffective long-term stuttering management strategies and lower BAWS self-esteem by preventing individuals from facing challenges or speaking complex words or phrases.

Fear of Falling and Quality of Life in Older Hemodialysis Patients in Tehran Hospitals

Introduction: Several factors influence the quality of life (QoL) of older adults, particularly those on hemodialysis. Fear of falling and its resulting limitations are significant contributors. This study investigated the association between fear of falling and QoL in older hemodialysis patients in Tehran hospitals . Methods: A descriptive-correlational design was used with 197 older hemodialysis patients in Tehran hospitals (2021) recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the Falls Efficacy Scale-International , and the Leiden International Psychogeriatric Assessment of Life Functions scale to assess QoL. Spearman's rank correlation was performed using SPSS-21 software. Results: The mean QoL score (54.68 ± 16.09) indicated a moderate level. The mean fear of falling score (35.29 ± 13.54) reflected a high level. A significant negative correlation (R = -0.63, p = 0.001) was found between fear of falling and QoL. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that increased fear of falling is associated with a decrease in QoL among older hemodialysis patients. Further research is warranted to explore interventions aimed at managing fear of falling, preventing falls, and ultimately improving QoL in this population.

Living an Adult Life with a Sibling with Down Syndrome: Examining siblings’ Personal and Professional Choices

ABSTRACT The increased lifespan of people with Down syndrome (DS) is a very positive development. However, parents, who are often the primary caregivers, can struggle to provide the support their child with DS needs as they get older. The extent to which siblings are willing/able to support a brother or sister with DS depends on the quality of their relationship with that person and on their perceptions of how having a sibling with DS has impacted their lives. We assessed these impacts by analysing responses from 120 siblings of a person with DS to a questionnaire comprising both closed and open-ended questions. Having a sibling with DS had a generally positive impact on people’s values and personal and professional choices. Some choices (e.g. occupation, activities, residential proximity) were impacted by multiple factors (e.g. gender, sibling position, number of siblings). These considerations may influence people’s willingness to help support a sibling with DS.

True choice and taking ownership of life: a qualitative study into self-determination in Sudbury model schools

Purpose This study aims to present the experiences with self-determination and taking ownership of life in Sudbury model schools that allow students true choice. Design/methodology/approach For this qualitative study we used a thematic analysis (TA) methodology. The study is based on semi-structured interviews with 14 adult participants from eight different Sudbury model and comparable schools in the Netherlands, Israel and the US. These schools offered students real choice in the curriculum program. Transcripts were analyzed and corresponding meanings thematized. Self-determination theory (SDT) is used as a lens to interpret the findings. Findings The findings suggest that an organizational structure that supports own responsibility in an absence of an imposed program and a culture of no-interference creates conditions for taking ownership of life and choices (self-determination) and encompasses taking ownership of learning, education and one’s future. Taking ownership of one’s life seems to be related to strongly internally oriented processes with an internal locus of causality, to find their own motivation and taking responsibility for choices, behavior and consequences in a SDT need supportive social context. Research limitations/implications This study is part of a larger research that addressed multiple facets of their experiences with their schools to understand the longer-term effects these schools had on the adult lives of participants. This limits the scope of this paper to only explore the conditions that led to the mental state of “taking ownership of one’s life.” Originality/value Conditions that can lead to long-term self-determination of one's life and future in a school setting is an unexplored area of research.

Targeted Therapy for Atopic Dermatitis: A Novel Approach

Atopic Dermatitis is a chronic, inflammatory, and widespread skin disease with heterogeneous manifestations having a significant influence on the lives of youngsters and adults. Atopic Dermatitis prevalence is higher in african-american children compared with european american children and it is mainly caused by the interaction between various factors such as genetics, skin barrier dysfunction, and immune abnormalities. Despite various available treatment options for atopic dermatitis, they often fall short in addressing the root cause, prompting patients to seek more effective and enduring solutions. To combat these shortcomings, researchers are focusing on the development of targeted therapy. The development of targeted treatment options involves the utilization of a range of biologic agents designed to pinpoint specific components and regulators of inflammatory pathways associated with allergic and inflammatory conditions. Phytochemicals viz. alkaloids, phenols, carotenoids, and organo-sulfurs have been utilized in traditional medicine for centuries which contribute to increased efficacy while minimizing adverse effects. The objective of this review is to provide information regarding the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and evolving landscape of targeted therapy for atopic dermatitis, encompassing both biologics and phytochemicals.

E3 ubiquitin ligase Deltex facilitates the expansion of Wingless gradient and antagonizes Wingless signaling through a conserved mechanism of transcriptional effector Armadillo/β-catenin degradation.

The Wnt/Wg pathway controls myriads of biological phenomena throughout the development and adult life of all organisms across the phyla. Thus, an aberrant Wnt signaling is associated with a wide range of pathologies in humans. Tight regulation of Wnt/Wg signaling is required to maintain proper cellular homeostasis. Here, we report a novel role of E3 ubiquitin ligase Deltex in Wg signaling regulation. Drosophila dx genetically interacts with wg and its pathway components. Furthermore, Dx LOF results in a reduced spreading of Wg while its over-expression expands the diffusion gradient of the morphogen. We attribute this change in Wg gradient to the endocytosis of Wg through Dx which directly affects the short- and long-range Wg targets. We also demonstrate the role of Dx in regulating Wg effector Armadillo where Dx down-regulates Arm through proteasomal degradation. We also showed the conservation of Dx function in the mammalian system where DTX1 is shown to bind with β-catenin and facilitates its proteolytic degradation, spotlighting a novel step that potentially modulates Wnt/Wg signaling cascade.

Exploring the Importance and Performance Priorities of Older Adults With a User-Centred Approach to Create a Fall-Free Bathroom.

Fall hazards in bathroom spaces constitute one of the most critical issues in the daily lives of older adults. Bathroom falls are somewhat different and constrained in nature than those in other parts of a home environment. This study aimed to adopt a user-centred approach to explore older adults' general bathroom needs, with a specific focus on showers and bathtubs as the designated activity area. The authors employed an extended importance-performance analysis (IPA) with a mixed-method research design. Three hundred and eleven older adults participated in a face-to-face IPA questionnaire for the quantitative phase of the study. The authors gathered the qualitative data through open-ended questions from 59 older adults. The authors found positive correlation between older adults' attitudes towards an older-friendly bathroom and the potential for their bathrooms to be fall-free. The IPA calculations identify three key items with higher ratings in both importance and performance: The presence of appropriate artificial lighting, efficient mechanical ventilation and an accessible inside towel rail. Thematic analysis yields four themes: comfort, ease of access, error-proof design and emergency management. The IPA calculations and thematic analysis confirm that older adults' rankings of importance and performance and their corresponding priority levels within the overarching themes indicate the need for these aspects to perform well and justify ongoing investments. The study concludes that addressing fall prevention requires not only designing specific solutions but also utilising appropriate technology in bathing and toileting activities. Practitioners in geriatric and gerontological nursing, design, architecture and health care can use the importance and performance priority levels of older adults to guide the development and implementation of fall-free bathroom design. Policymakers can leverage the insights from this research to inform guidelines and regulations related to building codes, accessibility standards and healthcare policies.

Physical exercise and mental health among older adults: the mediating role of social competence.

Healthy aging is crucial to the quality of life of older adults, of which mental health is an essential part. Physical exercise strongly affects their mental health and can alleviate psychological problems to a certain extent. Nevertheless, the correlation between physical exercise and the mental health of older adults individuals, as well as the underlying mechanism by which physical exercise impacts mental health, remains rather ambiguous. We utilized multiple linear regression models to investigate the relationship between physical activity and mental health in 3,240 persons aged 60 and up. The propensity score matching (PSM) method was used to assess the robustness of the regression results. In addition, sequential recursive models were employed to investigate the mediating role of social competence in the link between physical activity and mental health. We discovered a strong favorable association between physical exercise and mental health, which was mediated by social competence. Furthermore, the effect of physical exercise on mental health differed across older persons from various socioeconomic backgrounds. Older adults should strengthen their understanding of the role of physical exercise. Sports organizations that serve older adults by providing resources and services to help them maintain physical fitness and by hosting sports activities and competitions according to their needs should be established.

The impact of environmental factors and contaminants on thyroid function and disease from fetal to adult life: current evidence and future directions.

The thyroid gland regulates most of the physiological processes. Environmental factors, including climate change, pollution, nutritional changes, and exposure to chemicals, have been recognized to impact thyroid function and health. Thyroid disorders and cancer have increased in the last decade, the latter increasing by 1.1% annually, suggesting that environmental contaminants must play a role. This narrative review explores current knowledge on the relationships among environmental factors and thyroid gland anatomy and function, reporting recent data, mechanisms, and gaps through which environmental factors act. Global warming changes thyroid function, and living in both iodine-poor areas and volcanic regions can represent a threat to thyroid function and can favor cancers because of low iodine intake and exposure to heavy metals and radon. Areas with high nitrate and nitrite concentrations in water and soil also negatively affect thyroid function. Air pollution, particularly particulate matter in outdoor air, can worsen thyroid function and can be carcinogenic. Environmental exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals can alter thyroid function in many ways, as some chemicals can mimic and/or disrupt thyroid hormone synthesis, release, and action on target tissues, such as bisphenols, phthalates, perchlorate, and per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances. When discussing diet and nutrition, there is recent evidence of microbiome-associated changes, and an elevated consumption of animal fat would be associated with an increased production of thyroid autoantibodies. There is some evidence of negative effects of microplastics. Finally, infectious diseases can significantly affect thyroid function; recently, lessons have been learned from the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Understanding how environmental factors and contaminants influence thyroid function is crucial for developing preventive strategies and policies to guarantee appropriate development and healthy metabolism in the new generations and for preventing thyroid disease and cancer in adults and the elderly. However, there are many gaps in understanding that warrant further research.

4-tert-Butylphenol impairs the liver by inducing excess liver lipid accumulation via disrupting the lipid metabolism pathway in zebrafish

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can disrupt normal endocrine function by interfering with the synthesis and release of hormones, causing adverse reactions to development, immunity, nerves, and reproduction. 4-tert-Butylphenol (4-t-BP) is disruptive to early zebrafish development, but its effects on zebrafish liver are unknown. In this study, the adverse effects of 4-t-BP on the liver were investigated using zebrafish as a model organism. 4-t-BP inhibited liver development in zebrafish embryos and induced liver damage in adult zebrafish. Even if F1 was not directly exposed to 4-t-BP, its growth and development were inhibited. 4-t-BP can lead to an increase in lipid accumulation, total cholesterol and triglycerides contents, and the activities of alanine transaminase and aspartate aminotransferase in zebrafish embryos and adult zebrafish livers, and also cause an acceleration of glucose metabolism in zebrafish embryos. In addition, qRT-PCR showed that 4-t-BP induced the changes in the expressions of liver development-, steroid and unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis-, and glycerolipid and arachidonic acid metabolism-related genes in zebrafish embryos and inflammatory factors-, antioxidant enzymes- and lipid metabolism-related genes in adult zebrafish livers. Transcriptome sequencing of embryos showed that 4-t-BP altered the expressions of lipid metabolism pathways such as steroid and unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis, glycerolipid, and arachidonic acid metabolism pathways. Therefore, 4-t-BP may be external stimuli that cause oxidative stress, inflammation, and lipid accumulation in zebrafish liver, resulting in tissue damage and dysfunction in zebrafish liver.

Association between frailty and meaning in life of older adults in nursing home: the mediating effect of psychological resilience

BackgroundMeaning in life is a crucial aspect of psychological well-being, often overlooked despite its clinical significance. This warrants further investigation, especially regarding its relationship with frailty and psychological resilience.ObjectiveThis study aims to assess the status and relevance of frailty, psychological resilience, and meaning in life among older adults in Chinese nursing homes. Additionally, it explores the mediating role of psychological resilience between frailty and meaning in life, providing insights to improve the meaning in life for older adults in nursing homes.MethodsBetween August 2022 and November 2022, 302 older adults in Chinese nursing homes were selected using convenience sampling. The study utilized the Socio-demographic Characteristics Questionnaire, Tilburg Frailty Indicator, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Source of Meaning Scale for Older Adults. A face-to-face questionnaire survey was conducted, and SPSS 27.0 was employed for analyzing correlations between frailty, psychological resilience, and meaning in life. The mediating effect of psychological resilience was assessed using Model 4 in the Process plug-in.ResultsOlder adults in nursing homes exhibited a frailty total score of 4.00 (2.00, 5.00), with a prevalence of 28.5%. Psychological resilience scored 66.00 (51.75, 76.00), and meaning in life scored 149.00 (132.00, 158.25). Frailty showed a negative correlation with both meaning in life and psychological resilience, while meaning in life demonstrated a positive correlation with psychological resilience. Psychological resilience exhibited a partial mediating effect, accounting for 51.04% of the total effect between frailty and meaning in life.ConclusionFrailty incidence is high among older adults in nursing homes, with psychological resilience at a general level and meaning in life in the upper middle level. Psychological resilience plays a crucial role as a partial mediator between frailty and meaning in life. Timely assessment of frailty, targeted interventions, and improvements in psychological resilience are essential for enhancing the meaning in life and promoting successful aging.

(091) EXPOSURE OF THE VESTIBULE TO A POSSIBLE ALLERGIC TRIGGER AT A VERY YOUNG AGE: LIFELONG NEUROPROLIFERATIVE VESTIBULODYNIA

Abstract Introduction Vestibular fibroblasts from patients with neuroproliferative vestibulodynia (NPV) versus age-matched controls produced higher proinflammatory cytokine levels of various interleukins when provoked with candida albicans in vitro. In genetically susceptible patients, this enhanced cytokine synthesis is hypothesized, in part, to lead to neuroproliferation in vestibular tissue resulting in allodynia/hyperalgesia. Patients with acquired NPV, who initially experienced pain-free penetration in their early adult reproductive life, may experience persistent severe vestibular burning following an allergic reaction to a topical agent applied to the non-keratinized vestibular epithelium. In contrast, patients with lifelong NPV present with the classic history of inability to insert a tampon at menarche (mean age 12.4 years). Patients with lifelong NPV may have unknowingly been exposed to an allergen early in their childhood, potentially even triggered from ointments used in infancy to protect from diaper rash, resulting in local vestibular mast cell accumulation in genetically susceptible patients. Agents commonly used to prevent are zinc oxide 40%, (Desitin) with inactive ingredients petrolatum, cod liver oil, lanolin, talc, glycerin, sorbitan sesquioleate, beeswax, tocopheryl acetate and fragrance and A+D ointment that includes petroleum jelly, lanolin, lavender oil, light liquid paraffin, vitamin A and vitamin D. It is possible an allergic reaction could result from any of these ingredients when applied to the non-keratinized vestibular epithelium. Objective We wished to better understand the possible triggering event in patients with lifelong NPV. Methods A chart review was performed of patients who presented between January 2019 and June 2023 who were clinically suspected to have lifelong NPV based on a history of inability to use tampons and inability to have pain-free penetration and histopathlogically confirmed to have NPV. Information was obtained from a parent or caregiver who regularly changed patient’s diapers as to what agents were utilized to manage diaper rash. Results Our patient cohort included 14 individuals with vulvas, mean age 25 (range 18-37) years. One patient prone to diaper rash was treated with A+D baby diaper rash ointment and Flanders buttocks ointment (zinc oxide, white petrolatum, white beeswax, Peruvian balsam). One patient had a “bad” yeast infection as a baby and received “topical antibiotics”. Five patients claimed Desitin and Vaseline were used while six patients claimed Desitin alone, two of whom cryied every time they Desitin was applied. One patient from Puerto Rico, received “a sock filled with cornstarch that dabbed the vaginal area and crevices after wiping the area clean”. Conclusions The endodermal vestibular epithelium is not protected by a keratin layer, including in babies at a very young age. In genetically susceptible babies, an allergic reaction to an active/inactive agent used to prevent or treat diaper rash could have potentially triggered mast cell accumulation in the baby’s vestibule leading to increased synthesis of cytokines and growth factors resulting in neuroproliferation consistent with lifelong NPV, evidenced by the inability to place a tampon at menarche. More research into this concern is needed. Disclosure No.

Impact of Tai Chi and Aerobic Exercise on Cognitive Function, Balance, Cardiovascular Fitness, and Quality of Life in Older Adults: Randomized Control Trial.

Introduction Tai chi, an ancient Chinese martial art, was originally developed for combat and self-defense. Over time, it has evolved into both a sport and a form of exercise. This gentle, low-impact exercise involves performing a series of deliberate, flowing motions while focusing on deep, slow breaths. This study investigates the effects of chen tai chi and aerobic exercises on cognition, balance, cardiopulmonary fitness, and quality of life in older adults. Methodology This study employed a single-blinded randomized control trial design, enrolling 60 participants aged between 60 and 75 years. Participants were divided into three groups: Group A (aerobics), Group B (chen tai chi), and Group C (control). Exercise sessions were held four days per week over a period of four weeks. Evaluations included the Montreal Cognitive Assessment for cognition, a one-leg stand test for static balance, a Timed Up and Go Test for dynamic balance, a six-minute walk test for cardiopulmonary fitness, and a health-related quality-of-life scale. Assessments were conducted at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at follow-up was taken after eight weeks. Results Post-intervention, improvements were observed in cognition and static balance across all groups. Within-group analysis revealed that the aerobics group experienced statistically significant enhancements in cognition (p = 0.0001) and static balance (p = 0.01). Although no statistically significant differences were found between groups in terms of dynamic balance, cardiopulmonary fitness, and quality of life, the within-group analysis showed significant improvements in the aerobics group in dynamic balance (p = 0.0009), cardiopulmonary fitness (p = 0.03), and quality of life (p = 0.0001). Conclusion Compared to chen tai chi and no intervention, the study concludes that aerobic exercise has a more pronounced effect on improving cognition, balance, cardiopulmonary fitness, and quality of life in older adults. Aerobic exercise is recommended as an effective method to prevent frailty and promote independence among the elderly.

Multimodal deep learning for dementia classification using text and audio

Dementia is a progressive neurological disorder that affects the daily lives of older adults, impacting their verbal communication and cognitive function. Early diagnosis is important to enhance the lifespan and quality of life for affected individuals. Despite its importance, diagnosing dementia is a complex process. Automated machine learning solutions involving multiple types of data have the potential to improve the process of automated dementia screening. In this study, we build deep learning models to classify dementia cases from controls using the Pitt Cookie Theft dataset from DementiaBank, a database of short participant responses to the structured task of describing a picture of a cookie theft. We fine-tune Wav2vec and Word2vec baseline models to make binary predictions of dementia from audio recordings and text transcripts, respectively. We conduct experiments with four versions of the dataset: (1) the original data, (2) the data with short sentences removed, (3) text-based augmentation of the original data, and (4) text-based augmentation of the data with short sentences removed. Our results indicate that synonym-based text data augmentation generally enhances the performance of models that incorporate the text modality. Without data augmentation, models using the text modality achieve around 60% accuracy and 70% AUROC scores, and with data augmentation, the models achieve around 80% accuracy and 90% AUROC scores. We do not observe significant improvements in performance with the addition of audio or timestamp information into the model. We include a qualitative error analysis of the sentences that are misclassified under each study condition. This study provides preliminary insights into the effects of both text-based data augmentation and multimodal deep learning for automated dementia classification.

The effect of reminiscence therapy on cognitive level, quality of life and depressive symptoms in older adults with type 2 diabetes: a randomised controlled trial.

Evidence suggests that reminiscence therapy can effectively reduce cognitive and psychological symptoms. This study was conducted to examine the effect of individual reminiscence therapy on cognitive level, quality of life and depressive symptoms in older adults with type 2 diabetes. This study is an experimental type, randomised controlled study designed in pre-test - post-test design. The sample size of the study consisted of 58 older adults with type 2 diabetes, consisting of 29 intervention and 29 control subjects. The older adults in the intervention group were individually subjected to 5 weeks of reminiscence therapy in two sessions (each session 40-45 min) per week. No intervention was applied to the control group. Personal Information Form, Standardised Mini Mental Test, SF-36 Quality of Life and Beck Depression Inventory were used to collect the data. While there was no significant difference between the pre-test Mini Mental Test, Beck Depression Inventory total score and SF-36 Quality of Life Scale mental and physical health sub-dimension mean scores of the older adults in the intervention group and the mean scores of those in the control group (P > 0.05), the difference between the Mini Mental Test, Beck Depression Inventory total score and SF-36 Quality of Life Scale mental and physical health sub-dimension mean scores of the older adults in the intervention and control groups in the post-test was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05). The post-test Mini Mental Test total score, SF-36 Quality of Life Scale mental and physical health sub-dimension mean scores of the older adults in the intervention group were higher than the older adults in the control group. It was determined that the post-test Beck Depression Inventory total mean scores of the older adults in the intervention group were lower than the older adults in the control group. Reminiscence therapy can positively affect cognitive levels, quality of life and depression symptoms of older adults living in the community. Individual reminiscence therapy can be used as a nursing intervention in primary healthcare.

The Importance of Social Projects Associated with Healthy Eating for Children and Seniors

This scientific article investigates the relationship of direct health benefits, these projects foster social inclusion by providing nutritional education and living spaces that strengthen the community and promote a sense of belonging. Effective implementation of these projects requires strategic partnerships, ongoing education, accessibility, and active community involvement, ensuring a positive and lasting impact on the quality of life of children and older adults.

Association between Weight Changes over a 4-Year Period and Health-Related Quality of Life in Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Korea: The Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study Cohort.

The relationship between weight change and quality of life remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate whether changes in body weight among participants in different baseline body mass index categories are associated with physical and mental health functioning. We conducted an analysis involving 5,106 adults who participated in the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study, a cohort comprising Korean adults aged 40 to 69 years. We categorized participants into three groups based on body weight change, and physical and mental health were assessed using the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey in year 4. We employed logistic regression analysis to assess the association between body weight change and poor functioning at year 4. We also utilized a generalized estimating equation to determine the relationship between weight changes and mental component summary (MCS) scores over the study period for each weight group. Weight gain in both the normal weight (odds ratio [OR], 1.88; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-3.11; P=0.01) and overweight groups (OR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.05-2.91; P=0.03) was associated with poor MCS. Normal weight weight-losers were associated with a greater increase (2.69 points; 95% CI, 0.50-4.88) in MCS compared to weightmaintainers. Significant differences in mean MCS were observed for overweight weight-losers, obese weight-gainers, and underweight weight-gainers when compared to weight maintainers in each respective weight group. Different patterns of relationships between weight change and mental health-related quality of life were observed. Hence, it is crucial to focus on the mental health of middle-aged and older adults when assessing body weight changes.

Revisión bibliográfica sobre la Asfixia Perinatal como factor de riesgo de esquizofrenia

Introduction: Perinatal asphyxia (PA) is one of the most prevalent injuries that occur around birth, especially in less socioeconomically developed countries. The developing brain is known to be particularly vulnerable to maternal stress and environmental insults before, during and after birth. In this sense, PA is considered a risk factor for numerous neurodevelopmental disorders. Objective: The objective of the present investigation was to analyze PA as a risk factor for schizophrenia. Materials and Methods: A search for scientific articles was carried out in the PubMed and Scielo databases, following the use of prespecified criteria, such as studies carried out on human subjects and animals, in English or Spanish, with availability of access to the text. complete and that they had been published no older than 10 years. Results: AP is associated with increased mortality rates due to the redistribution of cardiac output to the brain, heart and adrenal glands. Genes linked to a greater risk of schizophrenia have been identified, which modify their expression in a scenario of hypoxia induced by cesarean section in the brains of rodents. Likewise, hypoxia reduces brain weight and various processes such as myelination and neurogenesis Conclusions: Obstetric complications related to hypoxia increase the risk of developing schizophrenia five times in adult life

Among-population variation in drought responses is consistent across life stages but not between native and non-native ranges.

Understanding how widespread species adapt to variation in abiotic conditions across their ranges is fundamental to ecology. Insight may come from studying how among-population variation (APV) in the common garden corresponds with the environmental conditions of source populations. However, there are no such studies comparing native vs non-native populations across multiple life stages. We examined APV in the performance and functional traits of 59 Conyza canadensis populations, in response to drought, across large aridity gradients in the native (North America) and non-native (Eurasia) ranges in three experiments. Our treatment (dry vs wet) was applied at the recruitment, juvenile, and adult life stages. We found contrasting patterns of APV in drought responses between the two ranges. In the native range, plant performance was less reduced by drought in populations from xeric than mesic habitats, but such relationship was not apparent for non-native populations. These range-specific patterns were consistent across the life stages. The weak adaptive responses of non-native populations indicate that they can become highly abundant even without complete local adaptation to abiotic environments and suggest that long-established invaders may still be evolving to the abiotic environment. These findings may explain lag times in invasions and raise concern about future expansions.