Time In Samples Research Articles

Corrosion properties of aluminum-based alloys used in building constructions for different purposes

The corrosion resistance of an aluminium alloy АD 31, that is used in building constructions, is investigated. The connection between change of samples weight and time of corrosion tests is established. It is shown, that the corrosion is accompanied by simultaneous course of two processes: by oxide film formation and dissolution of more active metal. The temperature dependences have shown, that with the temperature increase higher 80°С the corrosion resistance is reduced. The accounts of weight and deep parameters of corrosion are made.

Identification of Optimum Time for Brown Planthopper (Nilaparvata Lugens) Sampling using the Light Traps

Monitoring brown planthopper (BPH) populations is essential to prevent damage and loss of paddy yields. Malaysia Agriculture Research and Development Institute (MARDI) has developed a light trap system to monitor the BPH pest population. Compared to the manual process, this system increased the efficiency of monitoring BPH pests by 50%. As the power source of the light trap system is limited, the time to capture the pest is limited to avoid the complication of counting the BPH population. Therefore, the objective of this study is to find the best time to capture the BPH samples that represent the actual BPH population of the night. Three light traps were installed at a paddy plot, MARDI Parit, Perak, Malaysia, to determine the best possible time for sampling. The experiment was carried out from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. At every one-hour interval, samples were taken, and the number of BPH trapped by each light trap system was manually counted. The result shows that the optimal time to capture BPH is between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. By using a one-hour sampling time interval, the efficiency of monitoring the population can be increased and, at the same time, minimize power consumption of the light trap.

Microbial composition of Saharan dust plumes deposited as red rain in Granada (Southern Spain)

During durst storms, also biological material is transported from arid areas such as the Sahara Desert. In the present work, rain samples containing significant amounts of mineral dust have been collected in Granada during different red rain episodes. Biological features (bacteria, biofilm, pollen grain and fungal spore) as well as size-particle distribution and mineralogical composition were studied by SEM. Nanobacteria were observed for the first time in red rain samples. A preliminary metabarcoding analysis was performed on three red rain samples. Here, Bacillota made up 18 % and Pseudomonadota 23 % of the whole prokaryotic community. The fungal community was characterized by a high abundance of Ascomycota and, dependent on the origin, the presence of Chytridiomycota. By means of 16S rRNA sequencing, 18 cultivable microorganisms were identified. In general, members of the phyla Pseudomonadota and Bacillota made up the majority of taxa. Some species, such as Peribacillus frigoritolerans and Bacillus halotolerans were isolated during three different red rain episodes. Generally, red rain carries a wide variety of microorganisms, being their ecosystem and health effects largely unknown.

Assessment of Acrylamide Levels and Evaluation of Physical Attributes in Bread Made with Sourdough and Prolonged Fermentation

Over the past decades, there has been an increasing awareness regarding acrylamide content in cooked foods. The use of natural, homemade, organic and ecological ingredients has been promoted in our society as a strategy to combat the increase in cancer ratios. In this work, the use of sourdough and prolonged fermentation as a mitigation of acrylamide formation in bread were studied. In addition, to accomplish the required standards of industrial production, the dimension and acidity were also assessed. For this purpose, samples were elaborated using diverse fermentation times (0, 60, 120, 180, 240, 300 and 360 minutes) of the dough before baking and different sourdough percentages (0, 20 and 50%). High-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) method for acrylamide determination in bread crust was applied. We could corroborate that a decrease in acrylamide levels was observed with fermentation time for samples containing 0 and 20% sourdough, being sharper the decrease for the latter. However, the samples containing 50% sourdough showed a quite different behaviour depending on the fermentation time interval. The physical study revealed that dimension of the pieces increased with fermentation time and sourdough content, until the excessive gluten degradation and acidification of the medium led to a flattening and decrease in elevation of the samples. This study revealed that the samples containing a percentage of 20% sourdough maintained the proper quality of gluten for longer fermentation times than the 50% sourdough samples, delaying the flattening of the samples with fermentation time. Statistical calculations were accomplished in order to elucidate the correlations between the different variables, observing that the titratable index was associated with the fermentation time, the sourdough content, the bulk density and the acrylamide content.

Ultra-Lightweight Fast Anomaly Detectors for Industrial Applications.

Quality inspection in the pharmaceutical and food industry is crucial to ensure that products are safe for the customers. Among the properties that are controlled in the production process are chemical composition, the content of the active substances, and visual appearance. Although the latter may not influence the product's properties, it lowers customers' confidence in drugs or food and affects brand perception. The visual appearance of the consumer goods is typically inspected during the packaging process using machine vision quality inspection systems. In line with the current trends, the processing of the images is often supported with deep neural networks, which increases the accuracy of detection and classification of faults. Solutions based on AI are best suited to production lines with a limited number of formats or highly repeatable production. In the case where formats differ significantly from each other and are often being changed, a quality inspection system has to enable fast training. In this paper, we present a fast method for image anomaly detection that is used in high-speed production lines. The proposed method meets these requirements: It is easy and fast to train, even on devices with limited computing power. The inference time for each production sample is sufficient for real-time scenarios. Additionally, the ultra-lightweight algorithm can be easily adapted to different products and different market segments. In this work, we present the results of our algorithm on three different real production data gathered from food and pharmaceutical industries.

Delayed Mucosal Antiviral Responses Despite Robust Peripheral Inflammation in Fatal COVID-19.

While inflammatory and immune responses to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in peripheral blood are extensively described, responses at the upper respiratory mucosal site of initial infection are relatively poorly defined. We sought to identify mucosal cytokine/chemokine signatures that distinguished coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity categories, and relate these to disease progression and peripheral inflammation. We measured 35 cytokines and chemokines in nasal samples from 274 patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Analysis considered the timing of sampling during disease, as either the early (0-5 days after symptom onset) or late (6-20 days after symptom onset) phase. Patients that survived severe COVID-19 showed interferon (IFN)-dominated mucosal immune responses (IFN-γ, CXCL10, and CXCL13) early in infection. These early mucosal responses were absent in patients who would progress to fatal disease despite equivalent SARS-CoV-2 viral load. Mucosal inflammation in later disease was dominated by interleukin 2 (IL-2), IL-10, IFN-γ, and IL-12p70, which scaled with severity but did not differentiate patients who would survive or succumb to disease. Cytokines and chemokines in the mucosa showed distinctions from responses evident in the peripheral blood, particularly during fatal disease. Defective early mucosal antiviral responses anticipate fatal COVID-19 but are not associated with viral load. Early mucosal immune responses may define the trajectory of severe COVID-19.

A precision neuroscience approach to estimating reliability of neural responses during emotion processing: Implications for task-fMRI

Recent work demonstrating low test-retest reliability of neural activation during fMRI tasks raises questions about the utility of task-based fMRI for the study of individual variation in brain function. Two possible sources of the instability in task-based BOLD signal over time are noise or measurement error in the instrument, and meaningful variation across time within-individuals in the construct itself—brain activation elicited during fMRI tasks. Examining the contribution of these two sources of test-retest unreliability in task-evoked brain activity has far-reaching implications for cognitive neuroscience. If test-retest reliability largely reflects measurement error, it suggests that task-based fMRI has little utility in the study of either inter- or intra-individual differences. On the other hand, if task-evoked BOLD signal varies meaningfully over time, it would suggest that this tool may yet be well suited to studying intraindividual variation. We parse these sources of variance in BOLD signal in response to emotional cues over time and within-individuals in a longitudinal sample with 10 monthly fMRI scans. Test-retest reliability was low, reflecting a lack of stability in between-person differences across scans. In contrast, within-person, within-session internal consistency of the BOLD signal was higher, and within-person fluctuations across sessions explained almost half the variance in voxel-level neural responses. Additionally, monthly fluctuations in neural response to emotional cues were associated with intraindividual variation in mood, sleep, and exposure to stressors. Rather than reflecting trait-like differences across people, neural responses to emotional cues may be more reflective of intraindividual variation over time. These patterns suggest that task-based fMRI may be able to contribute to the study of individual variation in brain function if more attention is given to within-individual variation approaches, psychometrics—beginning with improving reliability beyond the modest estimates observed here, and the validity of task fMRI beyond the suggestive associations reported here.

"Development And Assessment of Immediate Release Nitrofurantoin Tablet and Sustained Release Trimethoprim Tablet: Formulation, Characterization and Comparative Evaluation"

The research includes an examination of material properties, an investigation into the compatibility of the drug and excipients, the development of analytical techniques, and the determination of tablet production methods for immediate and sustained release layers. The methodology for material characterization encompassed the analysis of the pharmaceuticals' solubility in various aqueous solutions and buffers. The evaluation of the compatibility between excipients and medications was conducted utilizing FT-IR spectroscopy. Furthermore, calibration curves were devised by the research team for Nitrofurantoin and Trimethoprim, enabling the quantification of these pharmaceutical substances via UV spectrophotometry. The preparation of the tablets involved the utilization of direct compression and moist granulation methods, respectively, for the immediate and sustained release layers. This required the application of a variety of excipients and polymers. The tablets underwent a thorough evaluation in a controlled laboratory environment, which encompassed assessments of their dimensions, resistance to deformation, mass variability, and susceptibility to fracturing, concentration of active component, breakdown time, and solubility. The findings demonstrated that the regression coefficients in the calibration curves were substantial, thereby validating the accuracy of the drug concentration estimations. The results of the solubility studies indicate that Nitrofurantoin becomes more soluble in acidic environments. However, it should be noted that the solubility of both Trimethoprim and Nitrofurantoin is influenced by various solvents and buffers. An investigation into the compatibility of pharmaceuticals and the excipients was conducted through the utilization of FT-IR spectroscopy to ascertain such compatibility or interaction. A micromeritics analysis of granule flow parameters unveiled batch-specific variations in flow characteristics which will impact the manufacturing procedure. Upon scrutinizing the tablets, discrepancies in multiple measurements were discovered among various samples, suggesting the possibility of atypical tablet characteristics. Nitrofurantoin and Trimethoprim exhibited a progressive release from their tablets over time in various samples, as indicated by the drug release profiles observed in vitro; this suggests that the tablets have distinct release kinetics. Nevertheless, the medication release data exhibited irregularities in its presentation, such as sporadic inputs, absent values, and potentially erroneous statistics. The presence of these inconsistencies has the potential to compromise the dependability and comprehension of the results. In brief, the research provides extensive knowledge regarding the development, examination, and assessment of Nitrofurantoin rapid release tablets and Trimethoprim sustained release tablets.

AGE-VARYING COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AND SOCIAL SUPPORT AMONG PEOPLE AGING WITH AND WITHOUT HIV

Abstract There is compelling but limited evidence that the combination of HIV, methamphetamine (meth) use, and aging form a deleterious trio that undermines cognitive functioning. Currently, a gap exists in our understanding of the intertwining relationships among drug use, HIV, and cognitive function across biological ages and over time. Interventions to reduce meth use and support brain health among aging PWH are vital and improving social relationships is a promising area of intervention. Cross-sectional and limited longitudinal studies indicate that positive social relationships and social support are associated with better cognitive function among healthy older populations. This association has received limited attention among PWH who use drugs beyond adolescence and young adulthood. This study leverages NIH’s prior and ongoing investments in research to develop a new analytic cohort by combining participants from 23 studies at the HIV Neurobehavioral Research program. Enrollment in this cohort spans from 2009-2021. At baseline, our sample consists of 862 people with a mean age of 52 (range 18-81). Most participants are male (73%), White (74%), and over half (61%) are living with HIV. Using a life course perspective and time-varying estimation modeling, we examine age-varying cognitive impairment and variation in cognitive function across age by HIV status, meth use, and social relationships. First, we examine how cognitive impairment changes over time for the full sample then examine the differing transitions/turning points among those aging with and without HIV and meth use. Lastly, we show how positive and negative social relationships alter these trajectories among each group.

Molecular Characterisation of Faecal Bacterial Assemblages Among Four Species of Syntopic Odonates

Factors such as host species, phylogeny, diet, and both timing and location of sampling are thought to influence the composition of gut-associated bacteria in insects. In this study, we compared the faecal-associated bacterial taxa for three Coenagrion and one Enallagma damselfly species. We expected high overlap in representation of bacterial taxa due to the shared ecology and diet of these species. Using metabarcoding based on the 16S rRNA gene, we identified 1513 sequence variants, representing distinct bacterial ‘taxa’. Intriguingly, the damselfly species showed somewhat different magnitudes of richness of ZOTUs, ranging from 480 to 914 ZOTUs. In total, 921 (or 60.8% of the 1513) distinct ZOTUs were non-shared, each found only in one species, and then most often in only a single individual. There was a surfeit of these non-shared incidental ZOTUs in the Enallagma species accounting for it showing the highest bacterial richness and accounting for a sample-wide pattern of more single-species ZOTUs than expected, based on comparisons to the null model. Future studies should address the extent to which faecal bacteria represent non-incidental gut bacteria and whether abundant and shared taxa are true gut symbionts.Graphical Pictures of odonates adopted from Norske Art databank under Creative Commons License (CC BY 4.0).

Development of a Rapid Qualitative Screen for Anticoagulant Presence.

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and fondaparinux with stable pharmacokinetics are commonly used anticoagulants for outpatient care. Due to the lack of monitoring requirements, drug-specific assays are not available in most hospital laboratories, but drug levels are needed in some urgent/emergency situations. This study describes the development of a qualitative screen for the presence of DOAC or fondaparinux using coagulation tests found in most laboratories. The DOAC screen is composed of a heparin anti-Xa activity assay and thrombin time (TT) assay. The STA®-Liquid-Anti-Xa assay calibrated with Stago Multi Hep® and STA®-TT were run on STA-R Max® analyzers. The anti-Xa activity and TT assays were repeated 5 times in samples of commercially available calibrators and controls for each drug: fondaparinux, dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban. Statistical analysis and correlations were performed for anti-Xa activity and TT results for each drug and pooled normal plasma. A significant correlation was found between heparin-calibrated anti-Xa levels and fondaparinux, rivaroxaban, apixiban, and edoxaban (r2 = 0.99-1.0). Dabigatran showed a strong linear correlation (r2 = 0.99) with TT. Anti-Xa levels >0.3 IU/mL and TT >25 seconds were determined as cutoffs at our lab for the detection of clinically relevant drug levels of factor Xa inhibitor and direct thrombin inhibitor, respectively. Our study demonstrates that commonly available heparin anti-Xa activity and TT assays can be used to qualitatively detect DOACs and fondaparinux and provides a method to establish a qualitative interpretation.

Monitoring by Raman spectroscopy of rabies virus‐like particles production since the initial development stages

AbstractBACKGROUNDThis study aimed to establish chemometric models using Raman spectroscopy data for biochemical monitoring of rabies Virus‐Like Particles (VLP) production based on baculovirus/insect cell system. The models were developed using fresh and stored samples from the initial development stages (Schott culture flasks). The following modeling techniques were assessed: partial least squares (PLS) and artificial neural networks (ANN). The effects of spectral filtering approaches, spectral ranges (400–1850 cm−1; 100–3425 cm−1), and sample cryopreservation were also considered. The applicability of the models was evaluated using experimental data from assays carried out in a benchtop bioreactor.RESULTSThe results showed that the prediction capacity of the chemometric models was negatively impacted when samples from rabies VLP production were cryopreserved. Further studies are needed to confirm the maximum storage time for samples (< 4 months) without a significant difference in model predictions compared to those from an in line database. The dilution of the sample should be kept constant throughout the rabies VLP development stages. A nonlinear correlation was observed between dilution and the predicted values of biochemical parameters from Raman spectral data. The choice of spectral filtering has a major impact on the prediction accuracy of chemometric models.CONCLUSIONThe optimal filtering approach should be individually optimized for each biochemical parameter. The ANN models were significantly more suitable for biochemical monitoring than the PLS approach. The 400–1850 cm−1 Raman shift range is recommended for biochemical monitoring of rabies VLP using a baculovirus/insect cell platform when samples are cell‐free. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).

Optimal chlorophyll extraction conditions and postharvest stability in Moringa (M. Oleifera) leaves

This study aimed to assess the optimal conditions for the extraction of chlorophyll and the stability of chlorophyll with postharvest storage period in Moringa Oleifera leaves harvested in 3 different years for its preservation and lifespan. For this purpose, chlorophylls a (Chla) and b (Chlb) were extracted from the leaves using acetone, methanol, N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF), and the ‘green’ solvent (ethanol). In addition, the chlorophylls were extracted under various conditions, including temperatures (4, 25, and 45 °C), and times (10, 30, and 60 min) from dry leaves that were harvested in different years (2020, 2021, and 2022). The results showed that the Chla content extracted exceeded that of Chlb in the four solvents in all temperatures and extraction times, except for acetone and ethanol extracts under 45 °C at 30 and 60-min extraction times in samples harvested in 2022. An increase in extraction time and temperature resulted in higher chlorophyll content. Overall chlorophyll content decreased with the increasing postharvest storage period, particularly in methanol and ethanol extracts. The Chlorophyll Stability Index showed that chlorophyll is stable in moringa, such that the chlorophyll content obtained in a 2-year postharvest storage period samples was also found to be high. In general, the chlorophyll obtained from this study was found to be compatible with what is used in the industrial market. This suggests that the chlorophyll from moringa is stable and can be considered a major source of chlorophyll.

Injection Behaviors and Use of Syringe Service Programs over Time among People Who Inject Drugs in Baltimore, Maryland

Introduction: People who inject drugs (PWID) are at increased risk for infectious disease transmission, including hepatitis C and HIV. Understanding trends in injection risk behaviors and syringe service program (SSP) use over time can help improve infectious disease prevention and other harm reduction services. Methods: Using National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System data from Baltimore, Maryland, we examined changes in receptive sharing of (1) syringes, (2) injection equipment, (3) syringes to divide drugs; and (4) receipt of syringes from SSPs among PWID from 2009 to 2018 (n = 518 in 2009, n = 638 in 2012, n = 586 in 2015, and n = 575 in 2018) using unadjusted and adjusted logistic models calculated across time for the total sample. Results: The conditional probability of receptive sharing of syringes and receipt of syringes from SSPs remained relatively stable, while receptive sharing of injection equipment and receptive sharing of syringes to divide drugs dropped substantially after 2009. White race and daily injection frequency were positively associated with sharing syringes and injection equipment and negatively associated with SSP use over time. In 2015, there was a notable shift such that women were twice as likely as men to receive syringes from SSPs and less likely than men to report the use of shared syringes or equipment. Conclusion: Findings indicate overall steady or decreasing trends in injection risk and steady trends in SSP usage over time, with some notable improvements among women and indications of shifting drug market patterns. Injection-related risk behaviors remain high among White PWID and may require targeted outreach and interventions.

Application of bivariate regression method for estimating the secondary natality in brown hare

Knowledge of reproductive performance of the European brown hare (Lepus europaeus, Pallas, 1778) is an essential condition for planning rational utilization. The direct possibility of estimating the number of leverets is the placental scar counting of the eviscerated females in the hunting bag. A condition for a reliable estimate is a sufficient sample quantity and the timing of sampling. Late sampling leads to a risky and unreliable estimate due to the disappearance of placental scars (amount of reproduction), which will result in under- or over-utilization. The goal of study is to test a method that enables reliable estimation for the amount of reproduction by using individual biological parameters and eliminates the risk resulting from timing. This case report is an attempt to estimate the number of placental scars (born leverets) by using the dried eye lens weight and body weight of fertile females by bivariate linear regression method. Based on the real placental scar number (y), three classes were created: class I: y=1-4; class II: y=5-9; class III: y=9-13 placental scares. The estimated values of the placental scar numbers (y’) using the regression model was only accurate for values belonging to class II. For those belonging to class I the model resulted over-, and to class III an underestimation. The linear regression model using eye lens weight and body weight as independent variables did not result in a reliable estimate of secondary natality for the entire stock in the given situation.

A Novel and Fast Online-SPE-LC-MS/MS Method to Quantify Thyroid Hormone Metabolites in Rat Plasma.

Since the focus in regulatory toxicology has drifted toward the identification of endocrine disruptors, the improvement in determination of alterations in the thyroid hormone system has become more important. THs are involved in several molecular processes important for a proper pre- and postnatal development so that disturbances can inter alia lead to incorrect brain maturation and/or disturbed metabolic processes (thermogenesis or lipolysis). In this publication, a new automated online solid-phase extraction (SPE)-liquid chromatography (LC)-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS, xLC-MS/MS) is introduced which simultaneously analyzes total T4, T3, rT3, T2, and T1. Method validation parameters are presented, and the method was positively verified by analyzing control and PTU-treated rat plasma samples (time points day 7, 14, and 28) for their total TH content. The obtained results were compared to published results by using a radioimmunoassay method. The automated SPE system ensures a consistent unified sample preparation, and this method overall showed sufficient specificity and accuracy to detect the given analytes in rat plasma. For the preparation of 50 μL of rat plasma, the following LOQs were established: 0.020 nM for T1, 0.029 nM for T2, 0.023 nM for rT3 and T3, and 3.22 nM for T4. This method is suitable to assess the identification of mechanisms leading to adverse effects, such as disturbed TH metabolism and regulation.

Sensory and Oxidative Stability of Roasted Peanuts Coated with Arabic Gum and A Synthetic Antioxidant During Storage

The impact of coating formulations containing Arabic gum (AG) and Arabic gum with 100 ppm BHT on the oxidative stability and sensory attributes of roasted peanuts during a 120-day storage period at room temperature (RT) was investigated and compared to roasted, uncoated peanuts (control). The oxidative stability of raw peanuts (P), roasted peanuts (RP), roasted and coated peanuts with Arabic gum (RCP-AG), and roasted and coated peanuts with Arabic gum and 100 ppm BHT (RCP-AG-BHT) was determined based on parameters such as free fatty acids percentage (FFA%), peroxide value (PV), p-Anisidine value (pAV), Totox value (TV), and sensory properties at intervals of 0, 30, 60, and 120 days.The estimated coating percentage (CP %) for all treatments is about 2.5% and the yield of oil from hydraulic pressed peanuts kernels and treatments were ranged from 35.6 to 47.1%. Nine fatty acids were identified from raw and roasted peanuts oil and characterized by large percentage of unsaturated fatty acids (USFAs) (82.1 %) with large proportion of oleic acid (49.45%) and linoleic acid (31.92%), while saturated fatty acids were 17.9%, with large proportion of palmitic acid (11.36%) followed by stearic acid (3.48%) in RP. The FFA (%) of extracted raw peanuts oil was 0.68%, this percentage was increased after roasting significantly (p< 0.05) in all treatments and control, but it didn't increase during storage period. An increase in PV values of roasted and treated samples were noticed throughout the storage time. After 4 months of storage, the maximum value of PV was (75.1 meq/kg) recorded by the roasted sample (RP), whereas the minimum value was (43.9 meq/kg) recorded by (RCP-AG- BHT). pAV increased significantly after roasting and during storage time in all peanuts samples. However, RP-AG-BHT showed no significant differences in pAV after one month of storage. An increase in TV values of roasted and treated samples were noticed throughout the storage time, while the TV for RP-AG and RP-AG-BHT where less when compared with the control (RP). There were no significant differences (P < 0.05) in the color, hardness and crunchiness between control and treatments after 2 months of storage. However, Glossiness, rancidity and off-flavor were significantly affected.

Association between SPRY1 and TET3 in skin photoaging and natural aging mechanisms.

SPRY1 is associated with the invasiveness and prognosis of various tumors, and TET3 affects aging by regulating gene expression. We investigated the roles of SPRY1 and TET3 in natural skin aging, replicative aging, and photoaging, along with the effect of UVA on genome-wide DNA methylation in HaCaT cells. TET3 and SPRY1 expression were measured in the skin of patients of different age groups, as well as invitro human skin, HaCaT cell replicative senescence, and HaCaT and HaCaT-siTET3 cell photoaging models. Senescence was verified using β-galactosidase staining, and DNA damage was detected using immunofluorescence staining for γ-H2A.X. 5-Methyl cytosine (5-mC) content in the genome was determined using ELISA. SPRY1 expression increased with age, whereas TET3 expression decreased. Similarly, SPRY1 was upregulated and TET3 was downregulated with increasing cell passages. TET3-siRNA upregulated SPRY1 expression in HaCaT cells. UVA irradiation promoted HaCaT cell senescence and induced cellular DNA damage. SPRY1 was upregulated and TET3 was downregulated upon UVA irradiation. Genome-wide 5-mC content increased upon TET3 silencing and UVA irradiation, indicating a surge in overall methylation. SPRY1 and TET3 are natural skin aging-related genes that counteract to regulate replicative aging and UVA-induced photoaging in HaCaT cells. The cell photoaging model may limit experimental bias caused by different exposure times of skin model samples.

Relationship between Walking and Driving, and Cognitive Functioning Common to Both Modes of Mobility, in Healthy Older Adults

Introduction: Driving and walking, the two main modes of mobility, require numerous common skills in the motor, sensory, and cognitive domains that deteriorate with age. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between walking and driving in healthy older drivers and to determine whether certain cognitive processes are involved in both modes of mobility. Method: Seventy-six older drivers from the Safe Move cohort were assessed in the following three domains: (1) cognition, using parts A and B of the Trail Making Test (TMT), the digit symbol substitution test (DSST), the Stroop test, and the Digit span; (2) gait, using a dual-task (DT) paradigm with a counting task; and (3) driving, assessed via a 40–50 min on-road test. Analyses were also performed on 2 subgroups: young-old (70–74 years old; n = 43) and old-old (≥75 years; n = 33). Results: Four significant correlations were found across the whole sample between gait performance under DT conditions and driving scores. One correlation was also found in old-old adults. None were found in young-old adults. Furthermore, several cognitive measures were significantly correlated to both modes of mobility: TMT-A and B completion time in the whole sample, and DSST performance in the whole sample and old-old adults. Discussion/Conclusion: Walking in complex conditions and on-road driving performance are closely related in healthy older drivers. Visuospatial attention, processing speed, and executive function are crucial and common cognitive processes to both modes of mobility in this population. Impairment in these cognitive functions should thus alert health professionals as it can quickly lead to mobility disorders, loss of autonomy and social isolation. Developing specific preventive programs and mobility support systems for healthy older adults is also crucial.

Longitudinal changes of self‐ and informant‐reported cognitive decline in elderly with regard to clinical progression and amyloid‐status

AbstractBackgroundSelf‐ and informant‐reports of cognitive decline have been previously associated with a higher risk of cognitive decline in elderly. Yet, few studies assessed their longitudinal changes over time with regard to both incident mild cognitive impairment (iMCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology. This study aims at describing these links to better understand which trajectories are indicative of higher AD‐risk.MethodWe used data from 501 participants followed‐up annually (2.51±1.35 years) in the DELCODE project. All were cognitively unimpaired, and had an amyloid measurement available, at inclusion. Among them, 145 were amyloid‐positive, and 65 progressed to iMCI during the follow‐up period (31 iMCI‐Aß+). The SCD‐Interview was used to measure (i) the number of cognitive domains in which the participants or its relative perceived a decline (i.e., self‐ and informant‐SCD‐I), and (ii) the number of fulfilled SCD‐plus criteria. Linear mixed‐effect models were used to assess SCD trajectories over time, according to four groups defined by amyloid status and clinical progression (Stable‐Aß‐, Stable‐Aß+, iMCI‐Aß‐ and iMCI‐Aß+). Analyses were adjusted for age, sex and education; and their interaction with time.ResultBoth self‐SCD‐I levels and SCD‐plus scores decreased significantly over time, without significant differences between groups (Figure 1A, 1B). Conversely, informant‐SCD‐I levels did not significantly change over time in the whole sample, although slopes significantly differed between groups. Compared to the Stable‐Aß‐ group, there was a greater increase over time of informant‐SCD‐I report only in iMCI‐Aß+ [est 0.16, SE 0.05, p<.001] (Figure 1C). The resulting discrepancy score (Self‐SCD‐I minus Informant‐SCD‐I) tended to decrease over time with significant differences between groups. Compared to the Stable‐Aß‐ group, the discrepancy score showed a faster decrease over time in iMCI‐Aß+ [est ‐0.21, SE 0.056 p<.001] (Figure 1D).ConclusionLongitudinal patterns in subjective reports of cognitive decline might help identify preclinical AD subjects at higher risk of clinical progression. Specifically, an increase of informant‐reported cognitive decline over time may indicate objective cognitive decline in amyloid‐positive subjects. Conversely, the decrease of self‐reported cognitive decline over time, regardless of the group, may reflect generally reduced concerns after inclusion, or result from current limitations in longitudinal SCD assessment.