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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]

ABSTRACT Objective: This study aimed to evaluate whether severity changes with colposcopic lesion size, regardless of age. Methods: This retrospective comparative study reviewed the records of 428 women with altered cytopathology reports who were directed by primary health care. Only those women with colposcopic alterations were evaluated (n=411). Histopathological analyses were restricted to patients who underwent excisional treatment (n=345). According to their age, they were grouped into the following: 35 years, and also, ≤24 and ≥25 years. The cytopathological, colposcopic, and histopathological findings were grouped according to severity. Lesion size was subjectively assessed from the colposcopic drawing recorded in the chart and according to the number of quadrants of the total cervical surface affected by colposcopic alterations in the transformation zone. Statistical significance was set at p

Background This cohort study aims to examine the relationship between the occurrence of cranial nerve palsy (CNP) affecting the third, fourth, or sixth cranial nerve and the subsequent risk of stroke, with a particular focus on the modulating effect of age on this association. Methods and Results We established a cohort of individuals diagnosed with third, fourth, or sixth CNP who underwent national health screening within 2 years of diagnosis from 2010 to 2017. A control group was matched by sex and age at a ratio of 1:5. Participants were followed until December 31, 2019. We use multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analyses to assess the association between ocular motor CNP and subsequent stroke stratified by age. Covariates including lifestyle, health behavior, underlying comorbidities, and Charlson comorbidity index score were also adjusted. Compared with the control group, the ocular motor CNP group had a higher risk of stroke after adjusting for potential confounders (hazard ratio [HR], 1.23 [95% CI,, 1.08–1.39]). The risk of stroke increased by 8.91 times in individuals with ocular motor CNP who were in their 30s (HR, 8.91 [95% CI, 1.63–48.66]). The risk increased by 2.49 times in those who were in their 40s, 1.78 times in those who were in their 50s, and 1.32 times in those who were in their 60s (HRs, 2.49, 1.78, and 1.32 [95% CI, 1.39–4.45, 1.31–2.42, and 1.08–1.62], respectively). However, for those who were in their 20s, 70s, or 80s, the incidence of stroke did not significantly increase. Conclusions Our study establishes an association between ocular motor CNP and an increased risk of stroke, particularly in young adults.

Si vous demandez à des passants quel est le meilleur âge pour apprendre une langue étrangère, la majorité d’entre eux répondront certainement «le plus tôt est le mieux». Cet article montre pourtant que la réponse à cette question est plus complexe. S’il est vrai que, en contexte de migration, les apprenants précoces tendent à atteindre un meilleur niveau sur le long terme que leurs pairs plus âgés, de nombreux exemples montrent que des apprenants tardifs peuvent aussi passer pour natifs de la L2. En ce qui concerne le contexte scolaire, les résultats clairs et consistants de plus de 50 ans de recherche montrent qu’un apprentissage précoce ne confère aucun avantage en comparaison d’un apprentissage plus tardif.

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]

Pronunciation plays a crucial role in oral communication within a second language. Recently, the interest in English language learning among elderly adults has led to increased participation of older learners in lifelong education programs in Korea. However, there is a paucity of empirical studies on this specific learner group. This article investigates the pronunciation problems frequently encountered by elderly Korean learners of English in their language classrooms. Thirteen participants, aged 60 years or older, took part in this study. To identify their pronunciation difficulties with specific segmental features, each participant was administered a modified diagnostic test adapted from a test developed by Baker (1982). Overall, the results show that elderly learners face greater challenges with consonants than with vowels. Among the consonants, they struggle more with pronouncing /z/, /θ/, /θ/, and /dθ/ compared to other segments. Additionally, Pronunciation difficulty varies significantly depending on age and the duration of time spent abroad, while no significant difference is found based on gender. This article discusses possible pedagogical implications for pronunciation instruction targeting elderly learners and presents the limitations of the study. [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.

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]

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.

Background/Aim. Apoptotic protease-activating factor-1 (Apaf-1) is a key molecule in the intrinsic or mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. Some pathological conditions, such as cancer, stroke, and neurodegenerative diseases, are the result of dysregulation in the intrinsic apoptosis pathway. The aim of this study was to analyze the immuno-histochemical expression of Apaf-1 in adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) cells of the salivary glands and its correlation with clinicopathological parameters of patients (gender, age, localization, histological type, and overall survival). Methods. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues of ACC of the salivary glands from 50 male and female patients with an average age of 58 years, were used for the study. We used the technique of tissue microarray (TMA blocks). Sections from the TMA mold, 5 μm thick, were stained with the streptavidin-biotin immunohistochemical technique using primary antibodies specific for Apaf-1 (Leica Biosystems, Newcastle, UK). Stained tissue sections were analyzed by the light microscope (Olympus type BH-2). Based on the data collected, the database was created in SPSS software v. 22.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, ILL, USA), which was used for further statistical analysis. The statistical data analysis included methods of descriptive and analytical (inferential) statistics. Results. The results of the immunohistochemical analysis of Apaf-1 expression in the samples of patients with ACC of the salivary glands were compared with the clinicopathological parameters of these patients. The immunohistochemical expression of Apaf-1 showed no statistical significance with regard to the patients’ gender (p = 0.552), age (p = 0.106), histological tumor type (p = 0.654), and localization of ACC in the salivary glands (p = 0.486). There was no statistically significant correlation observed between the overall survival of ACC patients and Apaf-1 expression in tumor cells (p = 0.340, Log-Rank test). Conclusion. With regard to ACC, Apaf-1 expression is not in correlation with clinicopathological parameters (gender, age, localization, histological tumor type, outcome of the disease, and overall survival). Therefore, we believe Apaf-1 cannot be regarded as an independent prognostic factor for course and outcome of ACC of the salivary glands.

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.)

Objective To investigate the influencing factors of pregnancy outcome in frozen-thawed embryo transfer. Methods The clinical data of 5 822 cycles of frozen-thawed embryo transfer in department of reproductive medicine, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital from August 2015 to December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the pregnancy outcome, they were divided into the pregnant group（2 820 cases） and the non-pregnant group（3 002 cases） . And the effects of embryo quality, age and endometrial preparation on pregnancy outcome were compared between the two groups. In addition, the logistic regression model was further used to analyze the influencing factors of pregnancy outcome. Results There were significant differences in embryo quality and age between the pregnant group and the non-pregnant group （P<0.05）.Embryo quality and age at the time of transfer were independent influencing factors of pregnancy outcome in frozen-thawed embryo transfer, and the differences were statistically significant （P<0.05）.Conclusion Embryo quality and age can influence the pregnancy outcome of frozen-thawed embryo transfer, while endometrial preparation has no significant effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The triptans class of pharmaceuticals, which was created to treat acute migraine, is made up of indole-containing drugs that bind to a subset (1B/1D) of 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors and are agonists of serotonin receptors. At the moment, naratriptan, eletriptan, zolmitriptan, rizatriptan, almotriptan, and frovatriptan are the seven types of triptans available on the market. Among these are the FDA-approved triptans, Zolmitriptan and Sumatriptan, which are selective serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) agonists. Zolmitriptan, a synthetic tryptamine derivative and a well-known member of the triptan family, is available as an orally disintegrating tablet, nasal spray, and tablet. There are melt formulations of rizatriptan and zolmitriptan available on the market that are easier to use and absorb, comparable to regular pills. Recently, the FDA approved zolmitriptan, a medication with tolerability comparable to sumatriptan. Whereas zolmitriptan is only available as an oral melt or tablet, sumatriptan is available as a nasal spray, oral preparation, or self-injectable kit. The only known antimigraine drugs that were widely utilized before the triptan period were ergotamine and dihydroergotamine. However, zolmitriptan binds to plasma proteins only 25% of the time because of significant first-pass degradation. Researchers have looked into fresh ideas for solving this issue and innovations to overcome its pharmacokinetic difficulties. This article emphasizes the role of zolmitriptan in the treatment of migraines, highlighting its pharmacological properties, production, metabolism, and structural features., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

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.

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]

Diabetes mellitus (DM) has emerged as a public healthcare problem. Sustained hyperglycemia has been linked with many complications including impaired male fertility. The aim of the study: to evaluate the effect of STZ-induced diabetes mellitus on testicular immunomorphology both in the peripubertal period and adulthood of rats. Material and methods. Peripubertal male rats were injected with STZ (70 mg/kg), adult rats received 60 mg/kg. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to assess cell proliferation (Ki-67), apoptosis (caspase-3), expression of androgen receptors (AR), Wilms Tumor (WT1) protein. Also, the morphology of blood vessels was analyzed on the basis of CD34-immunoreactivity. Taking into consideration the small groups of animals, statistical analysis was made with the Mann–Whitney U test. Results. Fewer rows of proliferating spermatogonia were observed in the experimental animals (P < 0.05) of both age groups. Surprisingly, diabetes resulted in decreased caspase-3 expression (P < 0.05) except for the early period (2 weeks) in the peripubertal group, in which this trend was not observed. The same principles are true in terms of AR expression in seminiferous tubules. Hyperglycemia prevented immature testes from the complete development but thickens the walls of microvessels (P < 0.05). Also, the atrophy of spermatogenic epithelium and Sertoli cells was registered in most tubules of all the experimental groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion. the diabetic injury of testicular tissue is a long time process possessing characteristic feature in the peripubertal period, for example, the later development of AR deficiency. In addition, the high level of apoptosis is characteristic of an immature testis and so is the tendency of caspase-immunoreactivity to persist.

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: This cohort study aims to examine the relationship between the occurrence of cranial nerve palsy (CNP) affecting the third, fourth, or sixth cranial nerve and the subsequent risk of stroke, with a particular focus on the modulating effect of age on this association., Methods and Results: We established a cohort of individuals diagnosed with third, fourth, or sixth CNP who underwent national health screening within 2 years of diagnosis from 2010 to 2017. A control group was matched by sex and age at a ratio of 1:5. Participants were followed until December 31, 2019. We use multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analyses to assess the association between ocular motor CNP and subsequent stroke stratified by age. Covariates including lifestyle, health behavior, underlying comorbidities, and Charlson comorbidity index score were also adjusted. Compared with the control group, the ocular motor CNP group had a higher risk of stroke after adjusting for potential confounders (hazard ratio [HR], 1.23 [95% CI,, 1.08-1.39]). The risk of stroke increased by 8.91 times in individuals with ocular motor CNP who were in their 30s (HR, 8.91 [95% CI, 1.63-48.66]). The risk increased by 2.49 times in those who were in their 40s, 1.78 times in those who were in their 50s, and 1.32 times in those who were in their 60s (HRs, 2.49, 1.78, and 1.32 [95% CI, 1.39-4.45, 1.31-2.42, and 1.08-1.62], respectively). However, for those who were in their 20s, 70s, or 80s, the incidence of stroke did not significantly increase., Conclusions: Our study establishes an association between ocular motor CNP and an increased risk of stroke, particularly in young adults.

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]

BackgroundDiabetes 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.MethodsA 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 (

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]

While there is a growing body of research on second language acquisition in children and prime-of-life learners, much remains to be explored about how older adults learn a new language and how good additional language learning is for them (see e.g. Mackey & Sachs, 2012). In this study we present the findings of a longitudinal pilot study in which 12 German-speaking subjects, half of them German-Slovenian bilinguals, between 63 and 90 years of age attended a four-week intensive English course for beginners, and were tested in a pre-/post-test design on a range of linguistic, cognitive, and socio-affective parameters. The results of non-parametric statistical tests and qualitative analyses suggest that: (1) the learning of an additional language in the third age can contribute to healthy and active aging, as it has a positive effect on executive function, (linguistic) self-confidence, autonomy, communicative skills and overall well-being, irrespective of age and prior language knowledge (bilingualism); and (2) age-related social, psychological and contextual factors seem to play as significant a role as strictly maturational factors. Such research promises in due course to inform adult educators about the establishment of relevant third-age learner profiles as well as the design of individualized third-age language training.

Objective: The aim of this article is to clarify different aspects including ethics about the elderly patients during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) scenario in Spain. Design: Retrospective, observational. Methods: Description and comparison of all age groups by confirmed cases and hospitalizations, with special emphasis on those elderly admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and mortality. Study of the ethical recommendations of different Spanish scientific societies with treatment proposals for the elderly group. Patients were divided into 6 different age groups. Group I (0-14 years), Group 2 (15-29 years), Group 3 (30-49 years), Group 4 (50-69 __ years), Group 5 (70-79 years), and Group 6 (>80 years). Results: The number of confirmed cases during the study was 250,273 and 20,534 deaths. The global mortality was 8.2%. Number of hospitalized patients was 37.1% and 18.25% died. Three point one percent were admitted to the ICU with a mortality of 30.4%. ICU admission ratio: Group 4 51.7%, Group 5 28.4%, and Group 6 4.95%. Average age survivors were 58 (44-76 years), 83 (75-89 years) corresponding to Group 5-6. Non-ICU mortality increased to 14.6% in Group 5, while Group 6 achieved the highest mortality (21.7%). Conclusion: The number of elderly patients admitted to the ICU was exceptionally low. [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]

This article focuses on the uncertainty surrounding the issue of the Critical Period Hypothesis. It puts forward the case that, with regard to naturalistic situations, the hypothesis has the status of both “not proven” and unfalsified. The article analyzes a number of reasons for this situation, including the effects of multi-competence, which remove any possibility that competence in more than one language can ever be identical to monolingual competence. With regard to the formal instructional setting, it points to many decades of research showing that, as critical period advocates acknowledge, in a normal schooling situation, adolescent beginners in the long run do as well as younger beginners. The article laments the profusion of definitions of what the critical period for language actually is and the generally piecemeal nature of research into this important area. In particular, it calls for a fuller integration of recent neurolinguistic perspectives into discussion of the age factor in second language acquisition research.

The study investigates predictors of the acquisition of selected English phonemes in a foreign language context. Czech students’ pronunciation was diagnosed by two tests; their ability to produce seven selected phonemes was assessed. Furthermore, data regarding the students’ learning histories was obtained through a questionnaire. Then a multiple regression analysis was conducted in order to identify predictors of the acquisition of the selected phonemes. The analysis uncovered several factors, the most significant being pre - school exposure to English and positive attitudes to English in adolescence, which appeared to influence the subjects’ pronunciation positively. Interestingly, several factors which relate to learning English at school appeared to exert a negative influence on the acquisition of the selected phonemes. Furthermore, besides the importance of long-term exposure to English starting before the age of six, the study also underscored the importance of metacognition in relation to autonomous learning.

Background: The number of elderly patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is increasing worldwide. Therefore, the assessment of comorbidities based on the age factor in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) is highly relevant.Aim: To assess the associations between the age factor and comorbidities in patients undergoing CABG. Material and Methods: Data of 680 patients [538 (79.10%) men and 142 (20.90%) women], undergoing elective CABG in the period 2011-2012, included in the CABG Registry were used to detect comorbidities.All patients were enrolled into 4 age groups: below 50 years, 51-60 years, 61-70 years, over 70 years.Results: Aging was associated with an increase in the proportion of women suffering from arterial hypertension (AH), and multivessel disease. Similarly, the proportion of patients with higher func-tional class (FC) of angina, heart failure (CH), and heart rhythm disturbances increased. The number of patients referred to elective CABG with previous myocardial infarction (MI) was the highest among young adults (77%). Aging was associated with an increase in the number of patients with chronic pyelonephritis (44.30%) and thyroid pathology (3.40%).Conclusion: Patients’ aging is associated with an increase in cardiovascular comorbidities, but not MI. Importantly, there was no any increase in the rate of non-cardiovascular comorbidities.

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.

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]

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