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Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Optimal lumbar puncture segment selection remains controversial. This study aims to analyze anatomical differences among L3-4, L4-5, and L5-S1 segments across age groups and provide quantitative evidence for optimized selection. Methods: 80 cases of CT images were collected with patients aged 10–80 years old. Threedimensional models containing L3-S1 vertebrae, dural sac, and nerve roots were reconstructed. Computer simulation determined the optimal puncture angles for the L3-4, L4-5, and L5-S1 segments. The effective dural sac area (ALDS), traversing nerve root area (ATNR), and area of the lumbar inter-laminar space (ALILS) were measured. Puncture efficacy ratio (ALDS/ALILS) and nerve injury risk ratio (ATNR/ALILS) were calculated. Cases were divided into four groups: A (10–20 years), B (21–40 years), C (41–60 years), and D (61–80 years). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS. Results: 1) ALDS was similar among segments; 2) ATNR was greatest at L5-S1; 3) ALILS was greatest at L5-S1; 4) Puncture efficacy ratio was highest at L3-4 and lowest at L5-S1; 5) Nerve injury risk was highest at L5-S1. In group D, L5-S1 ALDS was larger than L3-4 and L4-5. ALDS decreased after age 40. Age variations were minimal across parameters. Conclusion: The comprehensive analysis demonstrated L3-4 as the optimal first-choice segment for ages 10–60 years, conferring maximal efficacy and safety. L5-S1 can serve as an alternative option for ages 61–80 years when upper interspaces narrow. This study provides quantitative imaging evidence supporting age-specific, optimized lumbar puncture segment selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, a decline in male fertility due to deterioration in sperm quality has been noted around the world. This is probably explained by the tendency to increase the diseases of the male genital organs and, as a result, the increase in the percentage of male infertility. In addition, there is a deterioration of the quantitative and qualitative indicators of spermograms in practically healthy men. The average number of sperm in the ejaculate of a healthy man has halved over the past 50 years, and the average volume of ejaculate has decreased by one third. It is known that the multicomponent composition of the internal male genital organs is in constant restructuring due to age changes, functional activity and the influence of various factors. That is why it is important to take into account both physiological and age-related changes in a man's ability to conceive. Diagnosis of male infertility includes clinical research methods and methods of laboratory-instrumental examination. Among the latter, the most important for finding out the functional state of the gonads and the fertilizing ability of sperm is the study of ejaculate. The object of our research was spermograms obtained during the examination of patients at the "Alternative Clinic" reproductive medicine clinic. The purpose of the work was using biometric analysis to the different indicators of men spermograms of younger, middle and older age groups with normozoospermia (N), asthenozoospermia (AZS), teratozoospermia (T) and azoospermia (A). The task of the research was to analyze the main indicators of spermograms of men of different age groups in normal and pathological conditions, to conduct a one-factor and two-factor variance analysis of the influence of the studied diseases and age factor. After analyzing the main indicators of spermograms of men of younger, middle and older age groups with asthenozoospermia, azoospermia, and teratozoospermia, it was established that the indicators that undergo the greatest deviations in the studied diseases are the mobility of spermatozoa according to categories A and B, the morphology of spermatozoa, the Farris fertility index, and the activity of spermatozoa. After conducting a one-factor variance analysis, we established that the share of the influence of the studied diseases on the overall variability of such indicators of spermograms as the mobility of spermatozoa according to category A and B and the morphology of spermatozoa in the spermograms of men of the studied age groups is within 63–98% of the total contribution (younger age group), 60–96% (middle age group) and 75–96% (older age group). The share of influence of unaccounted factors is within 2–40% of the total contribution. The share of the influence of the studied diseases in the overall variability of such indicators as the Farris index and sperm activity in the spermograms of men of all studied groups is significantly reduced and is within 22–44% of the total contribution. Instead, the influence of unaccounted factors (56–78% of the total contribution) is growing significantly. This may indicate the presence of concomitant diseases and other pathologies in the men who took part in the research. After conducting a two-factor variance analysis, we established that the shares of the influence of the studied diseases on the overall variability of such indicators of spermograms as motility of spermatozoa according to category A and B, morphology of spermatozoa, Farris fertility index and activity of spermatozoa are decisive and are within the range of 90.7–99.9% of the total contribution, the share of the influence of the age factor on the variability of spermogram indicators of men of different age groups is insignificant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Campaigns for public health have a critical role in influencing health-related behaviors and fostering community wellness. The purpose of this study is to evaluate how well different public health initiatives can impact and maintain good behavioral changes in a range of demographic groups. The study tries to find effective techniques that have shown long-lasting benefits on behavior modification by synthesizing empirical evidence from multiple campaigns. Moreover, it explores the significance of cultural competence and customizing messaging for demographic segments to augment campaign effectiveness and resonance. Methodology: The study measures the immediate and longterm effects of public health campaigns using both quantitative and qualitative assessments. Utilizing focus groups, surveys, and longitudinal research, the behavioral impact is evaluated over time while taking possible external impacts and confounding variables into account. The study also looks at how social media and technology might be combined to maximize campaign participation and reach. Conclusion: The purpose of this research's findings is to give public health professionals, legislators, and campaign designers useful information. The study helps to improve future public health campaigns by identifying evidence-based techniques and filling in the gaps in existing approaches. This leads to a more thorough comprehension of properly promoting and sustaining healthy behaviors within various demographics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The study aimed at assessing the KAP on Adverse Drug reaction reporting and risk management among Healthcare Professionals in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted where Participants were recruited from an online survey via a self-reported questionnaire. The data were captured in Microsoft Excel 2021 and were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. To examine the potential differences in the mean KAP score among Dependent Variables (Knowledge, Attitude, Practice on ADR reporting and risk management) and independent variables (Occupation) repeated measures ANOVA was conducted. A p-value below 0.05 was deemed statistically significant. Results: KAP scores of Pharmacists were (1.9032, 3.1935, 3.3226) is higher when compared with Dentists (1.6667, 2.7778, 3.6667) and General Practitioners (1.1111,1.5, 3). The factor interaction of Participants of the different healthcare fields and KAP scores were not significant (F 2.477, p value 0.097, 2 = 6.871). Conclusion: Pharmacists exhibited superior understanding and disposition towards ADR reporting. Hence, it is imperative to enhance awareness and advocate for ADR reporting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Van Tip Dergisi is the property of Yuzuncu Yil University, Faculty of Medicine and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The study aimed to analyze whether age determines the lightness and darkness of tooth shades. The demand for esthetics has soared to a next level progressively in many developing countries including India; the importance provided to match the tooth shade creates a great difference in the satisfactory outcome of the patient in the field of dentistry. Therefore, this particular study analyzed the differences in tooth shade values based on age factor among the Indian population. 238 individual's case sheets with the age between 18 and 65 years. 18–30 years of age were considered as group 1 (young adults), 31–45 years in group 2 (middle age), and above 45 years in group 3 (older age). The clinical intraoral pictures of the patients which were taken prior to the treatment were obtained and the shade of any one of the upper permanent central incisors was assessed using the Vitapan 3D-Master shade guide, especially the middle portion of the facial surface of the incisors. The collected data were imported to Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 17 (IBM Corporation). Chi-square test was used to assess the significance. From the data, 17.2% showed A1 shade, 35.2% A2 shade, 7.5% A3 shade, 5% A4 shade, 7.1% B1 shade, 15.9% B2 shade, 7.1% B3 shade, 3.3% B4 shade, and 1.1% C1 shade. The individuals under the category of above 45 years showed darker tooth shade compared to young adults and middle age population (Chi-square test, P < 0.001). Significant association was established with darker tooth shades by increasing age and vice versa. The older age population showed a higher correlation for dark shade between teeth. The aging process significantly affects the teeth color. Hence, as a dentist, it is important to know about the distribution of tooth shade and its association with age to get an outcome with adequate patient satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Social Research is the property of International Journal Labs and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Modern Medicine & Health is the property of Journal of Modern Medicine & Health and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Although adult and child differences have been a central issue in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) little is still known about the relationship between age and interaction. Within the interactionist framework, whose main claim is that conversation, especially when it generates negotiation of meaning, facilitates learning, researchers have suggested that children negotiate less than adults, at different rates and producing fewer moves to check comprehension. However, these claims have been made by comparing children and adults from different studies. In order to offer a more reliable comparison, we examine the interactions of 14 adults and 20 children, at similar levels of proficiency, performing a communicative oral task with (level and age) matched peers. Unlike suggested, children produce as much negotiation of meaning as adults and both age groups primarily use their moves to prevent misunderstandings. In light of these results, some previous claims are questioned and refined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To reveal the correlation between implantation age, the internal acoustic canal (IAC) width, bony cochlear nerve canal (BCNC) width, and auditory performance in primary school children with bilateral cochlear implantation (CI). Methods: Preoperative IAC and BCNC widths of 57 pre-lingually deaf children aged 7-11 years who had previously undergone bilateral CI in our institution were reviewed and cut-off values were calculated. Twenty-four patients who had additional problems and could not attend school and those who refused to participate in the study were excluded. The remaining 33 were invited to the hospital, and their speech perception tests, and language development scores were analyzed (16 of 33 patients had been operated on before the age of 24 months). Results: The cut-off values calculated from the 114 ears of 57 patients were 3.86 mm for IAC width and 1.56 mm for BCNC width. The auditory performances of the 33 patients after CI were not significantly different in the narrow and normal width groups. However, speech perception test results, and language development scores of patients implanted before the age of 24 months were significantly higher. Conclusion: There are some studies showing that children with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss have narrower IAC and BCNC widths. However, we concluded that the widths of the IAC and the bone cochlear nerve canal did not affect auditory performance. We found that implantation age is the single most important determinant of speech-language development after CI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To reveal the correlation between implantation age, the internal acoustic canal (IAC) width, bony cochlear nerve canal (BCNC) width, and auditory performance in primary school children with bilateral cochlear implantation (CI). Methods: Preoperative IAC and BCNC widths of 57 pre-lingually deaf children aged 7-11 years who had previously undergone bilateral CI in our institution were reviewed and cut-off values were calculated. Twenty-four patients who had additional problems and could not attend school and those who refused to participate in the study were excluded. The remaining 33 were invited to the hospital, and their speech perception tests, and language development scores were analyzed (16 of 33 patients had been operated on before the age of 24 months). Results: The cut-off values calculated from the 114 ears of 57 patients were 3.86 mm for IAC width and 1.56 mm for BCNC width. The auditory performances of the 33 patients after CI were not significantly different in the narrow and normal width groups. However, speech perception test results, and language development scores of patients implanted before the age of 24 months were significantly higher. Conclusion: There are some studies showing that children with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss have narrower IAC and BCNC widths. However, we concluded that the widths of the IAC and the bone cochlear nerve canal did not affect auditory performance. We found that implantation age is the single most important determinant of speech-language development after CI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the association between age, menopausal stage and serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels in middle-aged women. In this cross-sectional study, the serum AMH levels of 288 healthy women aged 40–55 years (divided into age groups: 40–44, 45–49 and 50–55 years) were evaluated. Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop + 10 criteria were used to categorize these women into menopausal stages: late reproductive, menopausal transition and early postmenopausal stages. The impact of age, menopausal stage and hormone replacement therapy on serum AMH levels was analyzed using multi-factor analysis of variance. Effects of body mass index, smoking status and oral contraceptive use were simultaneously considered. The median AMH level was 0.140 ng/ml. Log-AMH levels varied according to age group (variance = 20.113, F = 88.538, p < 0.001) and menopausal stage (variance = 5.543, F = 24.501, p < 0.001). An exponential model defined as AMH = 227,421.757 × e(−0.301 × age) was fit to describe the decline in AMH level with age. The 5th–95th percentiles of the AMH levels ranged from less than 0.020 to 3.150, less than 0.020 to 1.944 and less than 0.020 to 0.030 ng/ml in the aforementioned menopausal stages, respectively. Age and menopausal stage were associated with AMH levels; age had a greater impact on AMH than menopausal stage in middle-aged women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetes is a risk factor for colorectal neoplasms. The association between the level of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and the risk of colorectal adenomas (CRAs) in non-diabetic adults needs to be investigated. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on non-diabetic adults with normal HbA1c level who underwent colonoscopy between January 2010 and December 2016 during health check-ups in our hospital in China. The association between HbA1c level and CRAs was assessed by multiple logistic regression models stratified by age group (<40, ≥40 and <50, and ≥50 years old). The age group-specified thresholds for HbA1c on elevated risk of CRAs were estimated using the piecewise logistic regression. Results: Among the 2,764 subjects, 445 (16.1%) had CRA. The prevalence of CRA varied across the three age groups. A higher HbA1c level was found to be significantly associated with increased CRA risk in the 40–50 years group (odds ratio [OR]=1.70, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04–2.78, p=0.035) after adjusting for other related factors, while this association was borderline significant among the 50 years and older group (OR=1.57, 95% CI 0.97–2.54, p=0.067). Based on the piecewise logistic regression analysis results, the thresholds for HbA1c on elevated risk of CRA were 5.44% for the 40–50 years group and 4.81% for the 50 years and older group, respectively. Conclusions: Higher levels of HbA1c, even within the normal range, were associated with elevated CRA risk among non-diabetic adults. The threshold effects of HbA1c on the risk of CRA varied across different age groups, and early screening colonoscopy might be needed for individuals in their 40s and with HbA1c levels ≥5.44%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This longitudinal case study aimed at investigating the development of metalinguistic awareness in EFL spelling and vocabulary in two Croatian learners with dyslexia who differed in age and language proficiency - a child and an adult. They attended weekly sessions that aimed at improving their English spelling and vocabulary. The data were collected for 45 weeks using the teacher's notes and audio-recorded lesson observations. The results showed that the participants developed their metalinguistic skills; however, the age and language proficiency factor was salient. Also, the metacognitive component of the instruction had a different effect on the development of metalinguistic skills in spelling and vocabulary acquisition. Pedagogical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Language Aptitude Outside the Classroom (LAOC) study investigates the factors that contribute to successful English-learning among newly arrived parent-child immigrants. Two types of factors are considered: cognitive abilities (aptitude measured with the LLAMA tests and working memory) and contextual-affective factors (exposure and anxiety). Participants are pairs of Spanish-speaking immigrants in the US. Each pair consists of a parent and their child aged 7–16. Their English proficiency is measured longitudinally during a one-year period using a listening comprehension test, a verbal fluency test, and an oral narrative (frog story). This contribution focuses on the lexical diversity of the oral narratives (Guiraud Index). Linear mixed models were run on the entire sample and on adults and children separately using time, aptitude, working memory, exposure to English, and anxiety as predictors of lexical diversity of the oral narratives (random effect = dyad, random slope = time). The results show that the development of lexical diversity over a one-year period is predicted by exposure to the language (and, for the children, anxiety). Two subtests of the LLAMA aptitude battery are also significant predictors when the entire sample is considered, but this effect nevertheless disappears for the adults when modeled separately from the children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the first longitudinal study to explore the best time and timing for regular versus bilingual language exposure in (pre)primary programs, using multiple measures over time so as to focus on fluctuations, trends and interactions in individual data as well as intra-individual variation over time. We studied children who had received 50/50 bilingual instruction in German and English (so-called 'partial CLIL' programs) as well as children in 'minimal CLIL' programs with almost uniquely monolingual German instruction (90% German, 10% English). Results show that, like other individual differences (ID) variables, the age factor behaves like a dynamic entity that changes over time and affects L2 literacy development differentially at different times. Furthermore, while an early age of first bilingual language exposure has no effect on the L2 development for the children in the minimal CLIL program, early-AO bilinguals in the partial CLIL program (age of first exposure 5) outperform the older-AO bilingual group (age of first exposure 7 and 9) in terms of accuracy and (syntactic and morphological) complexity but not in terms of lexical richness and fluency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent decades have seen an increase in research informing our understanding of the complex ways in which bilingual development is shaped by biological, cognitive, and behavioral factors. We investigate the predictors that shape, drive, and constrain the development of the first language (L1) of bilinguals, focusing on 92 Turkish–English bilingual adults with a wide range (0–42) of age at onset (AaO). We tested their productive command of L1 lexical, morphological, and syntactic features, investigating to what extent background variables relating to AaO, experience, and attitudes toward the Turkish language and culture predict the relative level of proficiency across these features. To obtain a comprehensive picture of the interaction of these linguistic and extralinguistic factors, we employed structural equation modeling. We show that for speakers with younger AaOs, exposure‐related factors are associated with the level of L1 proficiency they retain as adults; for later bilinguals, exposure‐related factors matter less. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), arterial stiffness measured by cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), and right brachial artery augmentation index (R-AI) have not been clearly correlated with age because of the presence of other cardiovascular risk factors. The association between age and brachial artery systolic time intervals (STIs) is not known. Objective: To evaluate associations of CAVI, R-AI, right brachial artery STIs, and CIMT with age. Materials and Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional, observational study. Thai people at least 18 years of age presented for an annual physical exam were enrolled. Medical histories were collected, physical examination performed, and CAVI, R-AI, right brachial artery STIs, and CIMT were assessed in all participants for statistical analyses. Results: CAVI, R-AI, and CIMT demonstrated moderate, positive correlations with age, and their pattern of relationship were linear (p-value for F test <0.001). Right brachial artery STIs were weakly correlated with age. In multivariate analysis, age was an independent risk factor for arterial stiffness and CIMT (p<0.001). Conclusion: Age is an independent factor for arterial stiffness, CAVI, R-AI, and CIMT, and these measurements represent aging of the arteries from the neck to the ankles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We aimed to describe the cervical cancer mortality rates after correcting for hysterectomy and to evaluate trends over calendar time and by age.Material and Methods: Using data from nationwide registries, we calculated uncorrected and hysterectomy-corrected cervical cancer mortality rates among women age ≥20 years in Denmark during 2002-2015. We calculated hysterectomy-corrected rates by subtracting post-hysterectomy person-years from the denominator, unless hysterectomy was performed due to cervical cancer.Results: The age-standardized hysterectomy-corrected cervical cancer mortality rate of 5.8/100 000 was 18.4% higher than the corresponding uncorrected rate. The hysterectomy-corrected cervical cancer mortality rate increased significantly with age, particularly in women aged 65+ (annual percent change +4.57), peaking at 26.1/100 000 person-years in women aged ≥85. The hysterectomy-corrected cervical cancer mortality declined significantly over calendar time, from 6.3/100 000 person-years in 2002 to 4.5/100 000 person-years in 2015 (annual percent change -0.22). This was mainly due to a significant decline in women aged 60 years and older, from 20.4/100 000 person-years in 2003 to 9.3/100 000 person-years in 2015 (annual percent change -0.75).Conclusions: The mortality of cervical cancer increased significantly by age, particularly among women aged 65 years and older for whom routine cervical cancer screening is not recommended. Understanding reasons for the high mortality rate in older women is critical, as this may help identify interventions needed to ensure a continued decline in cervical cancer mortality in older Danish women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Reconstructive Urology is the property of Turkiye Klinikleri and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Age is considered as an important factor for the development of sublingual varices (SV). It has been suggested that some other conditions such as gender, systemic diseases, smoking, denture wearing may play a role in aetiology. However, there are a limited number of studies investigating these associations. This study was perform to evaluate association between SV and the conditions which are described as possible risk factors previously.Materials and Methods: A total of 691 patients (470 females, 221 males) who attended for comprehensive clinical examination were included in the study. Age, gender, systemic health, venous varix of the lower extremities, smoking status, denture wearing were recorded during the history taking. SV were classified into two categories: stage 0 (few or none visible) and stage 1 (moderate or severe). Tongue photographs were taken from a group of these patients. For the evalu- ation of intra-observer reliability, 60 photographs of tongue were re-evaluated by the same observer. Intra-observer reliability was evaluated using Kappa statistics. Pearson c2 test and Fisher's exact test were used to assess SV in relation to each variable, and variables showing associations with p < 0.05 were selected for the multivariable analysis, then logistic regression analysis was applied.Results: Kappa value of intra-observer reliability was 0.91. SV were significantly associated with age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.08, p = 0.000), hypertension (OR = 2.3, p = 0.007) and denture wearing (OR = 2.17, p = 0.02).Conclusions: The presence of SV is associated with hypertension and denture wearing as well as aging. More detailed studies are needed to prove causative relations between SV and systemic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite contrary research findings, many laypeople still claim that starting second language (L2) instruction early yields linguistic advantages. This assertion is again undermined by a 5‐year longitudinal study conducted in Switzerland testing the English language skills of 636 secondary‐school students who had all learned Standard German and French at primary school, but only half of whom had learned English from age 8, the remainder having started English 5 years later. The results suggest that age‐related attainment effects are overshadowed by other effects, yielding diverse outcomes according to individual differences and contextual effects mediating L2 outcomes. An earlier age of learning proved beneficial only for children raised as biliterate simultaneous bilinguals receiving substantial parental support, as opposed to monolinguals and nonbiliterate bilinguals (simultaneous or sequential). These issues require studies that explore what underlies age effects in L2 learning and investigate how learning contexts shape processes of L2 development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In general, the existing evolutionary algorithms are prone to premature convergence and slow convergence in coping with combinatorial optimization problems. So an intelligent optimization algorithm called physarum-energy optimization algorithm (PEO) is proposed and put TSP as the carrier in this paper. This algorithm consists of four parts: the physarum biological model, the energy model, the age factor model and the stochastic disturbance model. First, the high parallelism of PEO is enlightened from the physarum's low complexity and high parallelism. Second, we present an energy mechanism model in PEO, which is mainly to develop the shortcomings of existing algorithm, such as slow convergence and lack of interaction capability. Third, inspired by the characteristic of ants' spatiotemporal variations, the age factor mechanism is introduced to raise search capacity, which can control the convergence speed and precision ability of PEO. In addition, in order to avoid premature convergence, the stochastic disturbance mechanism is adopted into PEO. And also the feasibility and convergence of PEO has been analyzed and verified theoretically. Moreover, we compare the algorithm and other algorithms to TSPs of diverse scope. The experiment results show that PEO has the advantages of excellent global optimization, high optimization accuracy and high parallelism and is significantly better than other algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a general rule, Annex III of Directive 2006/126/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on driving licences, does not impose an obligation on drivers to pass an examination of medical fitness to drive in order to obtain a driving licence. According to the EU Directive, EU member States are free to determine the rules of examination of medical fitness to drive. This freedom results in different regulations in different EU countries. In Hungary, the driver’s family physician is allowed to assess medical fitness to drive. This also holds true in the Netherlands but in the Dutch legal system it is only the assessment that is incumbent on the family physician, whilst the permission is accorded by the Central Agency of Fitness to Drive Permission. In Hungary, the certification of medical fitness to drive is issued by the driver’s family physician although the driving licence is issued by the Government Office. In Austria, medical fitness to drive is assessed by a contracted specialised doctor, who must be contracted by the Government Office for a term of 5 years and who has passed a medical officer’s qualification examination but must not be the driver’s family physician. This restriction applies in France as well. In complicated cases, the public health officer has the final word. An interesting parallel is to be found in the regulations of Hungary, Austria, France and the Netherlands: the doctor’s remuneration is not covered by social security. With slight differences, the amount of the fee is similar in all the countries under examination. This fee is to be paid by the driver, meaning that the state does not consider the right to drive as a human right. This is the case despite the fact that many people drive their cars to earn their living. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article deals with some misunderstandings about the age factor in second language acquisition which result from a reliance on an incomplete interpretation of relevant research findings. It begins with an exploration of the work of Penfield and Lenneberg and goes on to weigh recent evidence for and against the hypothesis of a “critical period” in the context of naturalistic second language acquisition. It then turns to the question of the effects of early instructed second language learning. Finally, it addresses the issue of second language learning in late adulthood, summarizing the results of such empirical investigation as has been undertaken to date on this topic and arguing for more attention to be devoted to this area in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, verb placement with respect to negation is investigated in elicited production and elicited sentence imitation data collected with child second language (L2) learners of German. These data are compared to published data from adult L2 learners, which were collected with the same elicitation materials and were re-analysed for the current study. Results show that similar developmental stages can be observed in child and adult learners. In particular, contrary to previous findings, child L2 learners who had not yet fully acquired finiteness (subject–verb agreement) showed a preference for placing lexical verbs to the right of negation, rather than in a raised position to the left of negation. This pattern was observed for nonfinite and finite lexical verbs, but not for finite auxiliaries, suggesting that children, like adults, may pass through a phase where lightness influences verb placement preferences more strongly than does finiteness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we discuss the problem of articulation between levels in the educational system, as the transition from a rather more communicative, contentbased and holistic approach to English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching at primary level to more formal and explicit ways of foreign language (FL) teaching at secondary is often experienced as problematic by students and teachers alike (see, e.g., Muñoz, Tragant, & Camuñas, 2015). The results of a mixed methods analysis are presented, in which we analyzed, through a questionnaire and language experience essays, perceived continuity between input received in primary school and secondary school, as well as learners' beliefs, attitudes and self-efficacy before and after they transitioned to secondary school. Twelve primary schools and six secondary schools in Switzerland participated in the study, with a total of 280 early learners of EFL (biological age 12-13 years, age of onset 8 years). We will argue that one of the main reasons why early FL instruction seems not to bear fruit later in secondary school is that, on the one hand, coherence in curriculum design and practice vary in a few--but crucial--aspects within and between primary schools. On the other hand, the fact that secondary education becomes a meeting point for mixed ability classes also seems to mitigate the potential advantages of an earlier start. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of this paper is to analyze how the age factor behaves as an alleged individual difference (ID) variable in SLA by focusing on the influence that the learning context exerts on the dynamics of age of onset (AO). The results of several long-term classroom studies on age effects will be presented, in which I have empirically analyzed whether AO works similarly across settings and learners or whether it is influenced by characteristics of the setting and the learner--and if so, whether there are contextual variables that can help us understand why those outcomes are different. Results of multilevel analyses indicate that macro-contextual factors (i.e., the wider school context) turn out to have a mediating effect on the relation between AO and L2 proficiency increase, exerting both positive and negative influences and thus suggesting that AO effects are malleable, which is what one would expect if we are dealing with an ID variable. In contrast, no such phenomenon can be observed in relation to lower contextual levels; learners within classes do not vary with regard to how sensitive they are to AO. Since the broader social environment in which learning takes place seems to be more influential than the cognitive state assumed to be a characteristic of the individual, I suggest that an ID model that assumes that age is a "fixed factor" (Ellis, 1994, p. 35) is not entirely satisfactory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The model of end-stage liver disease (MELD) score is the standard tool for prioritizing patients awaiting liver transplantation. There is currently no definite high cutoff score reflecting disease severity that might exclude patients from transplantation. Furthermore, the age limit that used to disqualify patients from eligibility to transplantation was recently withdrawn in several countries.Aims: The aims of this study were to assess the effects of MELD score and age at time of transplantation on patients' short- and long-term survival.Methods: We conducted a retrospective single-center study on a cohort of patients transplanted for the first time due to non-fulminant liver failure.Results: Four hundred and seventeen patients (mean age 50.2 years, 63% males) who underwent liver transplantation for the first time were included. Both higher patients' and donors' age were significantly associated with increased long-term mortality (p = 0.007, 95% CI 1.006-1.038 for patient age, p = 0.02, 95% CI 1.002-1.023 for donor age). Patients' age remained significantly associated with survival at 1 year post-transplantation, as well. We found no association between higher MELD score at transplantation and long-term mortality (p = 0.189, 95% CI 0.99-1.051) irrespective of patients' age. Specifically, when patients were divided according to their MELD score at transplantation (MELD < 15, MELD 15-25 and MELD > 25), no significant differences in long-term survival were detected between these three subgroups. Results did not differ significantly in a subgroup analysis of patients without hepatocellular carcinoma at the time of transplantation.Conclusions: Patients' and donors' age rather than patients' MELD score at transplantation determine survival following liver transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry / Anadolu Psikiyatri Dergisi is the property of Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Alternate members of the Chinese Communist Central Committee are often overlooked regarding elite formation or even when assessing Chinese elites in general. This article focuses on the case of alternate members of the Central Committee from 1992 to 2007 in order to understand why some individuals will eventually be promoted and why some will never be. Through extensive quantitative testing, I argue that these non-promoted individuals differ from their counterparts in many ways, most of which can possibly be traced back to the type of formation they received early on. As such, the article concludes that Party School attendance and the age factor, through threshold analysis, are a significant factor helping us understand the difference between promoted and non-promoted houbu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, age has being considered as the major factor in determining language learners' successful foreign language acquisition, which is correlated to the assumption stated by Critical Period Hypothesis and Neurological Hypothesis. Most importantly, these assumptions might be concluded that that language learner can acquire foreign language better than adults do at their early age. Additionally, there is still a widespread belief held by many scholars, stating that young children are better at second language acquisition (SLA) than the later starters, such as the adolescents or adults. Therefore, whether young learners learn second language better than the older will be discussed in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent findings (see, for example, Muñoz and Singleton, 2011) indicate that age of onset is not a strong determinant of instructed foreign language (FL) learners’ achievement and that age is intricately connected with social and psychological factors shaping the learner’s overall FL experience. The present study, accordingly, takes a participant-active approach by examining and comparing second language (L2) data, motivation questionnaire data, and language experience essays collected from a cohort of 200 Swiss learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) at the beginning and end of secondary school. These were used to analyse (1) whether in the long run early instructed FL learners in Switzerland outperform late instructed FL learners, and if so the extent to which motivation can explain this phenomenon, (2) the development of FL motivation and attitudes as students ascend the educational ladder, (3) the degree to which school-level variables affect age-related differences, and (4) learners’ beliefs about the age factor. We set out to combine large-scale quantitative methods (multilevel analyses) with individual-level qualitative data. While the results reveal clear differences with respect to rate of acquisition in favor of the late starters, whose motivation is more strongly goal- and future-focused at the first measurement, there is no main effect for starting age at the end of mandatory school time. Qualitative analyses of language experience essays offer insights into early and late starters’ L2 learning experience over the course of secondary school, capturing the multi-faceted complexity of the role played by starting age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Factors associated with survival in pemphigus have not yet been thoroughly addressed. Therefore, in the present study, risk factors for overall mortality in a large group of patients with pemphigus vulgaris and foliaceus were investigated. Methods: A retrospective hospital-based cohort study was carried out, between October 1998 and November 2012, in the Department of Dermatology of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Hatieganu", Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The investigated prognostic endpoint was the overall survival of the patients. Results: A total of 130 patients were studied (108 with pemphigus vulgaris and 22 with pemphigus foliaceus). In pemphigus vulgaris group, univariate analysis found a statistically significant association between the age of onset ⩾ 65 years (p < 0.001), presence of coronary heart disease (p = 0.006), presence of cardiac arrhythmia (p = 0.004), level of anti-desmoglein1 autoantibodies ⩾ 100 U/mL (p = 0.047) at diagnosis and the survival of the patients. An age-adjusted analysis showed significant results for coronary heart disease. Multivariate analysis identified the age of onset ⩾ 65 years and the presence of coronary heart disease at diagnosis as independent risk factors associated with overall mortality. In patients with pemphigus foliaceus, age of onset ⩾ 65 years (p = 0.021) was associated with poor survival. Conclusions: In addition to common prognostic factors, including older age and cardiovascular comorbidities, level of autoantibodies was found to be a disease-specific factor associated with overall mortality in pemphigus vulgaris. The newly identified factors have major implications for the stratification of patients and should greatly facilitate further epidemiological studies in pemphigus. In addition, they provide useful information for the design of personalized therapeutic plans in the clinical setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aging population is growing rapidly in Asia resulting in an increased number of hip fractures being managed surgically. Though there is evidence of improved quality of patient care and outcomes with well-established models of care, we do not know if the functional recovery in activities of daily living among this group of patients is also dependant on age. We hypothesize that there will be a difference in Modified Barthel Index (MBI) scores between the 'older old' (>85 years) and the 'younger old' (<85 years). Patient and methods: Hip fracture patients (>60 years) treated surgically were divided into Group A (below 85 years) and Group B (above 85 years). Demographic data, Charlson's Comorbidity Index (CCI) score, time to surgery and length of stay (LOS) were recorded. To assess the recovery in activities of daily living, the MBI scores were measured for the following intervals; pre-fall, at discharge, at 6-month and at 1-year follow-up. Results: The mean age for Group A ( n = 120) was 77 years (60-85) and the mean age for Group B ( n = 59) was 91.8 years (86-108). There was no significant difference in the mean CCI (A: 1.14, B: 1.24), mean time to surgery (A: 72.3 h, B: 79.9 h) and mean LOS (A: 10.8 days, B: 10.3 days). The MBI scores were significantly different ( P < 0.05) for the pre-injury scores (A = 91.5, B = 84.4); however, there was no significant difference for scores measured at discharge (A = 57.5, B = 52.7), at 6 months (A = 74.6, B = 69.3) and at 1 year (A = 82.2, B = 73.2). Though there was a significant improvement, the scores at 1 year were significantly lower than the pre-injury score for both groups. Conclusion: We conclude that age is not a factor in determining functional recovery with regard to activities of daily living in an integrated model of care for geriatric hip fracture patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Social Security / SGD-Sosyal Güvenlik Dergisi is the property of Journal of Social Security / SGD-Sosyal Güvenlik Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study aimed to investigate the correlations of onset age of learning English to Taiwanese junior high EFL learners' listening and reading proficiencies. A total of 458 students recruited from a public junior high school in New Taipei City participated in this study. The participants were all asked to fill in a questionnaire and take GEPT tests in listening and reading. The collected data were then analyzed by using Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficients. The results of this study showed that there was a significant correlation of the participants' ages of first exposure to formal English instruction to their listening test scores (r=-.133, p<.01). However, no significant correlation was found between the age factor and the learners' reading test scores (r=-.043, p>.05). The findings suggested that onset age played a role in the listening area of foreign language acquisition but not in the reading area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Various dental age estimation methods have been used, based on tooth development. In Cameriere method the distance of the apices of seven left permanent mandibular teeth is measured. The aim of this study was to compare dental age means estimated by Cameriere method and the means of chronological age. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 109 panoramic radiographs of 67 females and 42 males aged 5-15 years were assessed. The variables included the number of teeth with full development and closed apices, the distance between the inner sides of open apices in immature teeth, and the tooth lengths. To accommodate the effect of magnification and x-ray angulation, the measurements were normalized by dividing them by tooth lengths. Finally, the normalized measurements of open apices, the sum of the normalized open apices, the number of teeth with closed apices, gender and chronological age were recorded using SPSS 18 for age estimation formula. Data were analyzed by Pearson's correlation coefficient and independent t-test (α = 0.05). Results: Pearson's correlation coefficient showed significant and inverse correlations between age and all the other variables. Differences between dental and chronological ages varied from -2.66 to 2.79 years. The median of chronological age was 10.67 and that of Cameriere age was 11.12 years. The difference between chronological age and estimated age was not significant (p value = 0.95). The differences between chronological and Cameriere ages were 0.73 in girls and 0.99 in boys. Estimated age was more accurate in girls (p value = 0.04). Conclusion: The present study indicated that Cameriere method was reliable for age estimation in our sample; also this method of age estimation was more accurate for girls than for boys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Gerontologie und Geriatrie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in gross motor coordination in healthy-weight, overweight, and obese children of different ages. Methods. Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected in 954 Flemish primary school children (500 girls, 454 boys) stratified in consecutive age groups (5-7 years, 8-9 years, 10-12 years). Weight status (healthy-weight, overweight, obese) was defined according to the International Obesity Task Force body mass index (BMI) cut-off points for children. Gross motor coordination was assessed by means of the KÖrperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK). Results. Childhood overweight and particularly obesity were found to result in poorer KTK performances (p < 0.001), with the most apparent effect of BMI on items requiring physical properties next to dynamic body coordination. Expressed as an age-related Motor Quotient (MQ), overall KTK performance was featured by a BMI × AGE interaction (p < 0.01). Healthy-weight children displayed similar MQs across age groups (p = 0.999). Overweight and obese children in the 10-12-year-old group showed significantly poorer motor coordination performance compared with the corresponding 5-7-year-old group (p < 0.01). Less than 20% of the healthy-weight participants was identified as being motor impaired, while that proportion increased to 43.3% and up to 70.8% in children with overweight and obesity, respectively. Conclusion. Results indicate that BMI-related differences in gross motor coordination were more pronounced as children belonged to an older age group. Although this outcome needs to be confirmed in future longitudinal research, it emphasizes the need of an early focus on motor skill improvement to encourage overweight and obese children to be physically active. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulmonary embolism remains an important diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. In fact pulmonary thromboemboli are reported in more than half of all autopsies. Furthermore this complication occurs in 1% to2% of postoperative patients over the age of 40 years. In the present case a man aged about 40 years was met with road traffic accident near Bakarapeta KADAPA (Dist) on 09.12.2009 at 3:00P.M. and sustained multiple injuries, Immediately patient was shifted in 108 ambulance to R.I.M.S hospital. Patient was taken treatment at R.I.M.S hospital. He died consequently after 12 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regarding the high prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms in our country, the probable overuse or even late usage of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for unnecessary reasons and gender influences on both internal and external fate and effects, we decided to evaluate the gender-related differences in upper gastrointestinal endoscopic findings to provide gastroenterologists with information which they can perform better interpretation of their patient's symptoms before performing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. A descriptive cross-sectional study performed to evaluate gender-related differences in the upper endoscopy findings. The study was performed in the upper endoscopy ward of a general hospital in Tehran, Iran. Four thousand and seven hundred Iranian patients undergo upper endoscopy between 1992 and 2002. Upper endoscopy findings After age adjustment, oesophageal tumour, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastric tumour, oesophageal varices, gastritis, hiatal hernia, gastric ulcer and erosive gastropathy, all p < 0.001 were significantly more common among men rather than women. Male gender predicts the presence of hiatal hernia (odds ratio (OR) = 1.9, p < 0.001), GERD (OR = 1.6, p < .001), gastric ulcer (OR = 2.3, p < 0.001), duodenal ulcer (OR = 2.3, p < 0.001) and duodenal varices (OR = .6, p = .044). Backward study Our regression models revealed that male gender is a risk factor for hiatal hernia, GERD, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer but not for other upper endoscopic findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The factors that identify patients at risk of malaria treatment failure were evaluated in an area of unstable malaria transmission in eastern Sudan. We analyzed data from 471 patients who had been enrolled in six previous clinical antimalarial trials for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Thirty-four (7.3%) had treatment failure (crude). In logistic regression models, an age of ≤5 years (odds ratio [OR]=3.7; 95% CI 1.5–8.6; P =0.002) and parasitaemia that took 3 days to clear (OR=2.4; 95% CI 1.0–5.9; P =0.04) were found to be predictors for treatment failure. Presenting temperature (OR=1.4; 95% CI 0.9–2.2; P =0.1), level of parasitaemia (OR=1.0; 95% CI 1.0–1.0; P =0.8) and presence of gametocytes (OR=0.3; 95% CI 0.9–1.2; P =0.1) were not associated with treatment failure. Thus, these factors might be used to identify those in whom treatment might fail in the future. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

It is widely assumed that ultimate attainment in adult second language (L2) learners often differs quite radically from ultimate attainment in child L2 learners. This article addresses the question of whether learners at different ages also show qualitative differences in the process of L2 acquisition. Longitudinal production data from two untutored Russian beginners (ages 8 and 14) acquiring German under roughly similar conditions are compared to published results on the acquisition of German by adult immigrants. The study focuses on the acquisition of negation and finiteness as core domains of German sentence grammar. Adult learners have been shown to produce an early nonfinite learner variety in which utterance organization relies on principles of information structure rather than on target language grammar. They then go through a couple of intermediate steps in which, first, semantically empty verbs (auxiliaries) serve as isolated carriers of finiteness before lexical verbs become finite. Whereas the 14-year-old learner of this case study basically shows a developmental pattern similar to that of adults, the 8-year-old child produces a different order of acquisition: Not only is the development of finite morphology faster, but finite lexical verbs are acquired before auxiliary constructions (Perfekt). Results suggest a stronger tendency for young learners to incrementally assimilate input patterns without relying on analytic steps guided by principles of information organization to the same extent as older learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is primary hypogammaglobulinaemia with an unknown aetiopathogenesis. Although various abnormalities of T and B cells have been described, their pathogenetic roles are unclear. We determined T and B lymphocyte subsets known to be abnormal in CVID in order to disclose possible relations between numerical abnormalities in those cells. Markers associated with B cell development (CD21, CD27, IgM, IgD) were determined on B lymphocytes (CD19+); T lymphocyte development (CD45RA, CD45RO, CD62L) and activation markers (CD25, CD27, CD28, CD29, CD38, CD57, HLA-DR) were determined on CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes in 42 CVID patients and in 33 healthy controls. Abnormalities in CD4+ T lymphocyte activation markers (increase in CD29, HLA-DR, CD45RO, decrease in CD27, CD62L, CD45RA) were observed particularly in patients with a decreased number of memory (CD27+) and mature (CD21+) B cells (group Ia according to the Freiburg group's classification), while abnormalities observed in CD8+ cells (increase in CD27 and CD28 and decrease in HLA-DR, CD57 and CD38) did not depend upon grouping patients together according to B lymphocyte developmental subpopulations. We observed correlations between immature B cells (IgM+ CD21–) and expression of CD27, CD62L, CD45RA, CD45RO and HLA-DR on CD4+ T cells in CVID patients but not in the control group. The expression of CD27 and CD45RA on CD4+ T lymphocytes, such as the percentage of IgD+ CD27– and IgD+ CD27+ cells in B lymphocytes, showed age dependency to be more significant than in the control group. Our study demonstrates that T and B lymphocyte abnormalities in CVID are partially related to each other. Some of those abnormalities are not definite, but may evolve with age of the patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Gastric adenocarcinoma in young patients has been considered to differ in many ways from gastric carcinoma in older patients. This study was designed to determine the clinicopathological features and molecular mechanisms. Methods and results: Based on 4123 patients of gastric cancer in Seoul National University Hospital, 135 patients (3.3%) were chosen by the age of 30 years or younger. Expression of E-cadherin, β-catenin, p53 and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) was analysed using the tissue array method in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens and microsatellite instability (MSI) was determined. As a control, 320 cases of older patients were compared. Gastric adenocarcinoma of young patients revealed significant female predominance, type IV gross type, proximal location, diffuse type and frequent lymph node metastasis. In-situ hybridization for EBV showed higher positivity in young patients (9/78, 11.5%) than in older ones, but not statistically significant. In EBV+ cases, p53 over-expression was significantly higher in young patients than older patients (P < 0.05). Alteration of E-cadherin or β-catenin was significantly higher in younger patients than in older patients (P < 0.05). Overall survival was significantly poorer in younger patients than older ones. The frequency of MSI was rare (1.3%, P < 0.05) in young patients compared with older patients (9.3%). Conclusions: These data indicate that gastric adenocarcinoma of young patients has a poor prognosis, possesses aggressive histopathological features, exhibits reduced expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin, and demonstrates lower MSI than tumours in older patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a retrospective investigation we found that the endogenous creatinine clearance (Ccr) of 35 nephrectomized patients was lower than that of normal people of comparable age with two intact kidneys. The Ccr level in the post-nephrectomy patients appeared to correlate with the age of the patients at the time of nephrectomy. The average Ccr value was 99.2 ml/min in the younger group, and 54.9 ml/min in the older group. Furthermore, we also found that the measurement of the remaining kidney in the younger group was larger than that of the matched control group, but no difference was found between the measurement of the remaining kidney in the older group and that of the matched control group. Therefore, we suggest that the remaining kidney in patients over 50 years of age may be described as 'a low compensatory kidney'. The results from an experimental study of Wistar rats indicated that the dry and wet weights of the remaining kidneys of the younger rats which had undergone neptrectomy were 1.53×10 g/gwt, and 5.89×10g/gwt respectively, vs 1.05×10 g/gwt and 3.82×10 g/gwt in older ones. In tissue culture using serum of younger nephrectomized rats, the amount of H-TdR incorporation into the monolayer cells of renal cortex was 1,405.4 CPM, whereas it was 1,025.4 CPM by using serum of older nephrectomized rats. In addition, the cells of renal cortices from both younger and older rats had a similar response to the same serum from nephrectomized rats. We conclude that the compensatory growth of the remaining kidney in older rats is poorer than that of younger rats, and this difference might be related to the amount of renotropin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]