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B-mode ultrasound is a safe noninvasive procedure that has been used to characterize aspects of the oropharyngeal swallow. The submental suprahyoid muscles are often investigated with ultrasound because of their contributions to hyolaryngeal elevation. There are several techniques for positioning the ultrasound transducer in the coronal plane, however, there is limited research on how reliability of measurement of the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the geniohyoid differs across transducer placement technique. This study examined three methods of transducer placement in the coronal plane by two examiners to determine the reliability of measurement of CSA of the geniohyoid muscle. Forty healthy adults participated in the study. Each participant's geniohyoid muscles were imaged using B-mode ultrasound under three transducer placement conditions in the coronal plane by two examiners. Geniohyoid CSA was measured from each ultrasound image. A three-way mixed-methods ANOVA was used to determine whether there were significant differences in geniohyoid CSA among transducer position conditions, trials, and examiners. There were significant differences among the transducer placement conditions, indicating that each condition was measuring a different portion of the muscle. There were no significant differences among repeated trials nor between examiners within each method of transducer placement. All three conditions of transducer placement were reliable at measuring geniohyoid CSA across trials and examiners. This study emphasizes the need for consistency of placement, whichever method is selected. It also highlights the need for researchers to provide a precise description of methods for positioning the transducer so that placement is reproducible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aging is typically associated with declines in episodic memory, executive functions, and sleep quality. Therefore, the sleep-dependent stabilization of episodic memory is suspected to decline during aging. This might reflect in accelerated long-term forgetting, which refers to normal learning and retention over hours, yet an abnormal retention over nights and days. Accelerated long-term forgetting has been observed in dementia, mild cognitive impairment, and in people with memory complaints. Here, we explored whether accelerated long-term forgetting also manifests in healthy aging. We investigated verbal episodic memory in 236 healthy men and women between 18 and 77 years of age. All participants were mentally intact in terms of executive functions, working memory, episodic memory, verbal intelligence, and mood. We related their forgetting rates over one week following learning to their subjective sleep quality and executive functions. Fifteen words were freely recalled and then recognized among 30 distractor words at 30 min and again at one week following learning. Although the healthy older adults compared to the healthy younger adults reported a diminished sleep efficiency and learned fewer words, they exhibited no disproportionate forgetting over days. Hence, accelerated long-term forgetting is not present in healthy aging but might be a first sign of memory dysfunction due to neuropathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peak velocity, distance, and time of laryngeal elevation during swallowing were measured with a laryngeal motion measurement system in eight healthy young adult men in their 20 and 30 s (33.0 ± 4.3 years) and ten healthy older men in their 60 and 70 s (74.0 ± 3.9 years). The participants performed swallowing five times each for a total of eight conditions: two bolus types (saliva and water) and four swallowing methods (normal swallow, effortful swallow, super-supraglottic swallow, and Mendelsohn maneuver). When the bolus type was saliva, peak velocity and distance increased more for swallowing maneuvers (effortful swallow, super-supraglottic swallow, and Mendelsohn maneuver) than for normal swallow. On the other hand, when the bolus type was water, there was no difference in peak velocity or distance between normal swallow and swallowing maneuvers. In healthy older men, distance was greater with Mendelsohn maneuver than with normal swallow, and peak velocity was increased with swallowing maneuvers than with normal swallow. Healthy young adult men had increased peak velocity and distance with water rather than saliva. The increase in peak velocity and distance obtained by swallowing maneuvers was influenced by age and bolus, suggesting that the subjects and conditions used are important in terms of promoting safer oral intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Objective evaluation of swallowing using single bolus consistency are popular among Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) but has limited generalization to other bolus consistencies. The Swallowing Proficiency for Eating and Drinking (SPEAD) test assesses the oral and pharyngeal phases of swallowing using three different consistencies. Objectives. The aim of this study was to establish normative data for the SPEAD test among healthy individuals aged 20–79 years. Method and Materials. One hundred and twelve healthy adults recruited from the community were divided into three age groups (20–39.11, 40–59.11, & 60–79.11 years). Participants swallowing 100 g of water and thickened Electral, and 6.67 g of Parle Monaco was video recorded for data analysis. Results. Cronbachs Alpha test indicated good to excellent internal consistency and inter-class correlation test revealed a high level of inter-rater reliability for all SPEAD parameters. Older adults exhibited a higher number of bites, chews, and swallows, and required more time to swallow compared to younger and middle adults. Similarly, speed of ingestion and SPEAD rate were lowest in older adults. SPEAD indices also showed significant differences across the three consistencies at p < 0.01. Conclusion. In summary, the SPEAD test was found to be feasible, reliable, and valid in healthy adults of India between 20 and 79 years of age. The age and sex based normative data established in this study will enable SLPs in assessing the presence and / or absence of swallowing difficulties in the oral and pharyngeal phases across different consistencies using one test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intermittent exercise programs characterized through intensive exercise bouts alternated with passive or active recovery (i.e., interval training), have been proven to enhance measures of cardiorespiratory fitness. However, it is unresolved which recovery type (active or passive) applied during interval training results in larger performance improvements. Objectives: This systematic review aimed to summarize recent evidence on the effects of passive or active recovery following long-term interval exercise training on measures of physical fitness and physiological adaptations in healthy trained and untrained individuals. The study protocol was registered in the Open Science Framework (OSF) platform (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/9BUEY). Methods: We searched nine databases including the grey literature (Academic Search Elite, CINAHL, ERIC, Open Access Theses and Dissertations, Open Dissertations, PsycINFO, PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus) from inception until February 2023. Key terms as high-intensity interval training, recovery mode, passive or active recover were used. A systematic review rather than a meta-analysis was performed, as a large number of outcome parameters would have produced substantial heterogeneity. Results: After screening titles, abstracts, and full texts, 24 studies were eligible for inclusion in our final analysis. Thirteen studies examined the effects of interval training interspersed with passive recovery regimes on physical fitness and physiological responses in trained (6 studies) and untrained (7 studies) individuals. Eleven out of 13 studies reported significant improvements in physical fitness (e.g., maximal aerobic velocity (MAV), Yo-Yo running test, jump performance) and physiological parameters (e.g., maximal oxygen uptake [VO2max], lactate threshold, blood pressure) in trained (effect sizes from single studies: 0.13 < Cohen's d < 3.27, small to very large) and untrained individuals (effect sizes: 0.17 < d < 4.19, small to very large) despite the type of interval training or exercise dosage (frequency, intensity, time, type). Two studies were identified that examined the effects of passive recovery applied during interval training in young female basketball (15.1 ± 1.1 years) and male soccer players (14.2 ± 0.5 years). Both studies showed positive effects of passive recovery on VO2max, countermovement jump performance, and the Yo-Yo running test. Eleven studies examined the effects of interval training interspersed with active recovery methods on physical fitness and physiological parameters in trained (6 studies) and untrained individuals (5 studies). Despite the type of interval training or exercise dosage, nine out of eleven studies reported significant increases in measures of physical fitness (e.g., MAV) and physiological parameters (e.g., VO2max, blood pressures) in trained (effect sizes from single studies: 0.13 < d < 1.29, small to very large) and untrained individuals (effect sizes: 0.19 < d < 3.29, small to very large). There was no study available that examined the effects of active recovery on physical fitness and physiological responses in youth. Conclusions: The results of this systematic review show that interval training interspersed with active or passive recovery regimes have the potential to improve measures of physical fitness and physiology outcomes in trained and untrained adults and trained youth. That is, the applied recovery type seems not to affect the outcomes. Nonetheless, more research is needed on the effects of recovery type on measures of physical fitness and physiological adaptations in youth. Key Points: Endurance training in the form of interval training is known to increase physical fitness (e.g., MAV) and physiological parameters (e.g., VO2max, blood pressure) in both trained and untrained individuals, irrespective of age and sex. This review revealed that interval training improves measures of physical fitness (e.g., MAV) and physiological parameters (e.g., VO2max, blood pressure) similarly in trained and untrained adults and trained youth, regardless of the type of exercise and the exercise dosage. The applied recovery type (active or passive) during interval training seems not to affect the training-induced outcomes, irrespective of the training status (trained versus untrained) and sex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Strong evidence suggests that olfactory dysfunction (OD) can predict additional neurocognitive decline in neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. However, research exploring olfaction and cognition in younger populations is limited. The aim of this review is to evaluate cognitive changes among non-elderly adults with non-COVID-19-related OD. Methods: We performed a structured comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Ovid Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library in developing this scoping review. The primary outcome of interest was the association between OD and cognitive functioning in adults less than 60 years of age. Results: We identified 2878 studies for title and abstract review, with 167 undergoing full text review, and 54 selected for data extraction. Of these, 34 studies reported on populations of individuals restricted to the ages of 18–60, whereas the remaining 20 studies included a more heterogeneous population with the majority of individuals in this target age range in addition to some above the age of 60. The etiologies for smell loss among the included studies were neuropsychiatric disorders (37%), idiopathic cause (25%), type 2 diabetes (7%), trauma (5%), infection (4%), intellectual disability (4%), and other (18%). Some studies reported numerous associations and at times mixed, resulting in a total number of associations greater than the included number of 54 studies. Overall, 21/54 studies demonstrated a positive association between olfaction and cognition, 7/54 demonstrated no association, 25/54 reported mixed results, and only 1/54 demonstrated a negative association. Conclusion: Most studies demonstrate a positive correlation between OD and cognition, but the data are mixed with associations less robust in this young adult population compared to elderly adults. Despite the heterogeneity in study populations and outcomes, this scoping review serves as a starting point for further investigation on this topic. Notably, as many studies in this review involved disorders that may have confounding effects on both olfaction and cognition, future research should control for these confounders and incorporate non-elderly individuals with non-psychiatric causes of smell loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the physiology of a common fluid ingestion pattern—sequential swallowing. This study investigated sequential swallowing biomechanics in healthy adults. Archival normative videofluoroscopic swallow studies were analyzed for hyolaryngeal complex (HLC) patterning and biomechanical measures from the first 2 swallows of a 90-mL thin liquid sequential swallow task. The effects of age, sex, HLC type, and swallow order were explored. Eighty-eight participants were included in the primary analyses as they performed sequential swallows. HLC Type I (airway opens, epiglottis approaches baseline) and Type II (airway remains closed, epiglottis remains inverted) most commonly occurred (47% each), followed by Type III (mixed, 6%). Age was significantly associated with Type II and longer hypopharyngeal transit, total pharyngeal transit (TPT), swallow reaction time (SRT), and duration to maximum hyoid elevation. Males demonstrated significantly greater maximum hyoid displacement (Hmax) and longer duration of maximum hyoid displacement. Significantly larger maximum hyoid-to-larynx approximation was linked to the first swallow, while the subsequent swallow had significantly longer oropharyngeal transit, TPT, and SRT. Secondary analyses included an additional 91 participants who performed a series of discrete swallows for the same swallow task. Type II had significantly greater Hmax than Type I and series of discrete swallows. Sequential swallowing biomechanics differ from discrete swallows, and normal variance exists among healthy adults. In vulnerable populations, sequential swallowing may challenge swallow coordination and airway protection. Normative data allow comparison to dysphagic populations. Systematic efforts are needed to further standardize a definition for sequential swallowing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are one of the most important environmental pollutants. Urinary concentrations of 1-hydropyren metabolites of PAHs have been used as biomarkers of these chemicals' exposure in humans. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 468 healthy Iranian adults over 25 years old and non-smokers in six provinces who were selected based on the clustering method. Fasting urine sampling and body composition and demographic measurements were performed. Urine samples were analyzed by GC-MS. The analysis included descriptive statistics and analytical statistics using multiple linear regression by Python software. 1-Hydroxypyrene was found in 100% of samples, and the mean (Reference Value 95%) concentration of 1-hydroxypyrene was 6.12 (RV 95%: 20) μg/L and 5.95 (21) μg/gcrt. There was a direct relationship between the amount of body composition (body fat, visceral fat), BMI, and age with the urinary concentrations of 1-hydropyren metabolites, and this relationship was significant for BMI with urinary concentrations of 1-hydropyren metabolites (P = 0.045). The amount of 1-hydroxypyrene in healthy Iranian adults has been higher than in similar studies in other countries. These results provide helpful information regarding the exposure of Iranian adults to 1-hydroxypyrene, and these data can be used to supplement the national reference values of human biomonitoring for the interpretation of biomonitoring results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mendelsohn Maneuver (MM) is a therapeutic strategy that targets reduced laryngeal elevation. Both clinicians and clients identify the MM as one of the more difficult interventions to teach and learn. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of applying real-time ultrasound as visual feedback in teaching the MM to healthy adults. Twenty-four healthy adults were randomized to two-parallel groups. The standard care group (control group) received verbal instruction, verbal reinforcement, and tactile cueing while practicing the maneuver. The experimental group received the same instruction with additional real-time ultrasound as visual biofeedback. Participants completed a single session which consisted of baseline assessment, training, and post-training assessment. Outcomes were submental surface electromyography (sEMG) signal duration, maximum amplitude, and area under the curve. Statistical analysis revealed that training with feedback significantly increased submental sEMG activity during the MM; however, the addition of ultrasound as biofeedback did not significantly increase muscle activation when performing the MM over verbal instruction with verbal/tactile feedback alone. Both groups demonstrated significantly greater muscle activity measured by sEMG when applying the MM. Although the current study did not indicate that adding ultrasound biofeedback was superior to traditional training alone in teaching healthy adults to perform the MM, it does support the clinical use of biofeedback tools for learning swallowing maneuvers. Ultrasound may be a biofeedback option for people with language deficits or differences to learn a swallowing maneuver. Further studies are required to determine the clinical application of ultrasound as biofeedback on people with dysphagia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prolactin is affected by several factors: sex, age, BMI, sleep duration, menopausal status, and menstrual cycle phases. However, previous studies on this topic have caused some confusion, and the duration from the wake-up hour to sample collection has not been correlated with prolactin levels. This study aims to assess the correlation of prolactin levels with sleep duration, the durations from waking to sample collection and some demographic factors. To compare serum prolactin levels between males, reproductive females, and menopausal females and between menstrual cycle phases. In a study of 192 healthy adult subjects. Prolactin was compared between males, reproductive females, and menopausal females and different ages, BMI groups, and different menstrual cycle phases. The correlation between prolactin levels with the duration from waking to sample collection, sleep duration, age, BMI, and waist circumference were assessed. The highest median prolactin was among reproductive females, and menopausal females showed the lowest prolactin level compared to reproductive females and males. Prolactin levels were not significantly different between phases of the menstrual cycle. The only significant predictor of prolactin levels in males and females was the duration between the wake-up hour and sample collection. The duration from the wake-up hour to sample collection significantly predicts prolactin levels in healthy subjects. Prolactin levels are highest in reproductive females and lowest during menopause, while no significant differences were found between menstrual cycle phases. Sleep duration and other demographic factors are not significantly correlated with prolactin levels in healthy subjects with normal prolactin levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To disclose possible associations between poorer sleep quality and structural brain alterations in a non-psychiatric healthy population, this study investigated the association between the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and brain correlates, using a whole-brain approach. This study included 371 right-handed healthy adults (138 males, mean age: 46.4 ± 14.0 years [range: 18–75]) who were right-handed. Subjective sleep quality was assessed using the Japanese version of the PSQI (PSQI-J), and the cutoff score for poor subjective sleep quality was set at ≥ 6. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) were performed to examine whether a higher score of the PSQI-J indicates, poorer sleep quality is associated with gray matter volume and white matter microstructure alternations, respectively. Among the participants, 38.8% had a PSQI-J cutoff score of ≥ 6. VBM did not reveal any correlation between PSQI-J scores and gray matter volume. However, DTI revealed that PSQI-J global scores were significantly and negatively correlated with diffuse white matter fractional anisotropy (FA) values (p < 0.05, corrected). Moreover, the PSQI-J sleep disturbance and use of sleep medication component scores were significantly and negatively correlated with right anterior thalamic radiation and diffuse white matter FA values, respectively (p < 0.05, corrected). There were no significant differences in gray matter volume and white matter metrics (FA, axial, radial, and mean diffusivities) between the groups with PSQI-J scores above or below the cutoff. Our findings suggest that lower sleep quality, especially the use of sleep medication, is associated with impaired white matter integrity in healthy adults. Limitations of this study are relatively small number of participants and cross-sectional design. Fine sleep quality, possibly preventing the use of sleep medication, may contribute to preserve white matter integrity in the brain of healthy adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemispheric dominance has been used to understand the influence of central and peripheral neural damage on the motor function of individuals with stroke, cerebral palsy, and limb loss. It has been well established that greater activation occurs in the contralateral hemisphere to the side of the body used to perform the task. However, there is currently a large variability in calculation procedures for brain laterality when using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) as a non-invasive neuroimaging tool. In this study, we used fNIRS to measure brain activity over the left and right sensorimotor cortices while participants (n = 20, healthy and uninjured) performed left and right-hand movement tasks. Then, we analyzed the fNIRS data using two different processing pipelines (block averaging or general linear model [GLM]), two different criteria of processing for negative values (include all beta values or include only positive beta values), and three different laterality index (LI) formulas. The LI values produced using the block averaging analysis indicated an expected contralateral dominance with some instances of bilateral dominance, which agreed with the expected contralateral activation. However, the inclusion criteria nor the LI formulas altered the outcome. The LI values produced using the GLM analysis displayed a robust left hemisphere dominance regardless of the hand performing the task, which disagreed with the expected contralateral activation but did provide instances of correctly identifying brain laterality. In conclusion, both analysis pipelines were able to correctly determine brain laterality, but processes to account for negative beta values were recommended especially when utilizing the GLM analysis to determine brain laterality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expiratory muscle strength training (EMST) is an exercise program designed to strengthen the muscles of expiration by increasing expiratory load during breathing exercises using either resistive or pressure threshold devices. Previous research has shown that EMST may increase submental suprahyoid muscle activity as measured with surface electromyography. The impact of EMST on submental muscles is of interest to those who treat dysphagia. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the cross-sectional area of the geniohyoid muscle changes as observed with ultrasound during a 5-week EMST program performed at 75% of maximum expiratory strength using the EMST150 device in healthy adults. Ten healthy adults participated in the 5-week program. Maximum expiratory pressure (MEP) and cross-sectional area of the geniohyoid muscle were measured weekly. Geniohyoid cross-sectional area was measured from ultrasound images recorded in the coronal plane. Repeated Measures ANOVA was used to determine whether there were significant changes among the dependent variables over the study period. Both MEP and geniohyoid area increased significantly in response to a 5-week program of EMST. EMST in healthy adults is effective at strengthening the geniohyoid muscle as reflected by significantly increased cross-sectional area measured with B-mode ultrasound. This is the first study to document weekly change in muscle morphology as a result of EMST. Increasing geniohyoid muscle mass and consequent strength through a program of EMST may be beneficial for persons with pharyngeal stage dysphagia resulting from reduced hyolaryngeal elevation, reduced laryngeal closure, or reduced UES opening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Stretching and foam rolling are common warm-up exercises and can acutely increase the range of motion (ROM) of a joint. However, possible differences in the magnitude of change on ROM between these two interventions on the immediate and prolonged effects (e.g., 10 min after the intervention) are not yet well understood. Thus, the purpose of this review was to compare the immediate and prolonged effects of a single bout of foam rolling with a single bout of stretching on ROM in healthy participants. Methods: In total, 20 studies with overall 38 effect sizes were found to be eligible for a meta-analysis. For the main analysis, subgroup analysis, we applied a random-effect meta-analysis, mixed-effect model, respectively. The subgroup analyses included age groups, sex, and activity levels of the participants, as well as the tested muscles, the duration of the application, and the study design. Results: Meta-analyses revealed no significant differences between a single stretching and foam rolling exercise immediately after the interventions (ES = 0.079; P = 0.39) nor a difference 10 min (ES = − 0.051; P = 0.65), 15 min (ES = − 0.011; P = 0.93), and 20 min (ES = − 0.161; P = 0.275) post-intervention. Moreover, subgroup analyses revealed no other significant differences between the acute effects of stretching and foam rolling (P > 0.05). Conclusion: If the goal is to increase the ROM acutely, both interventions can be considered as equally effective. Likely, similar mechanisms are responsible for the acute and prolonged ROM increases such as increased stretch tolerance or increased soft-tissue compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This study examines the distribution of proximal femur bone mineral density in a cohort of healthy Irish adults. These values are similar to those of the NHANES III Caucasian cohorts, supporting international recommendations to use this reference group for calculating DXA T-scores and Z-scores in Irish adults. Introduction: Bone mineral density (BMD) is widely used in the assessment and monitoring of osteoporosis. International guidelines recommend referencing proximal femur BMD measurements to NHANES III values to calculate T-scores and Z-scores, but their validity for the Irish population has not been established. In this study, we compare BMD values of healthy Irish Caucasian adults to those of Caucasian men and women in the NHANES III cohort study. Methods: Men and women without bone disease and/or major risk factors for fracture, and/or not taking osteoporosis medication who had a screening DXA scan (GE Lunar, Madison, USA) at one of 3 centres in the West of Ireland were selected for this study. We calculated the mean and standard deviation (SD) used by GE for calculating white female NHANES III T-scores at the femoral neck and total hip sites, and used these values to calculate white female T-scores for men and women across each decade in our study sample. We calculated mean white female T-scores for each decade for both Caucasian men and women in the NHANES III cohort using the published data. Finally, we plotted these results against those of our study population. Results: In total, 6729 (18.5%) of 36,321 adults were included in our analyses, including 5923 (88%) women. The majority of the study population were aged between 40 and 89 years. Our results show that the proximal femur BMD of healthy Irish men and women is broadly similar to that of the NHANES III reference population, especially middle-aged adults. Results differ for very young and very old adults, likely reflecting the small sample size and a referral bias. Further studies of these populations and other manufacturers could help clarify these uncertainties. Conclusions: Our results support using the NHANES III reference population to calculate proximal femur adult T-scores and Z-scores to establish the presence or prevalence of osteoporosis in Ireland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Human blood plasma is a complex that communicates with most parts of the body and reflects the changes in the state of an organism. Identifying age-related biomarkers can help predict and monitor age-related physiological decline and diseases and identify new treatments for diseases. Methods and Participants: In this study, TMT-LC-MS/MS was utilized to screen differentially expressed plasma proteins in 118 healthy adults of different ages. Participants were divided into three groups: 21–30 years of age (Young), 41–50 years of age (Middle) and ≥60 years of age (Old). Results: The number of differentially expressed proteins in the comparisons of Young vs Middle, Middle vs Old and Young vs Old were 82, 22 and 99, respectively. These proteins were involved in numerous physiological processes, such as "negative regulation of smooth muscle cell proliferation" and "blood coagulation". Moreover, when Young was compared with Middle or Old, "complement and coagulation cascades" was the top enriched pathway by KEGG pathway enrichment analysis. Functional phenotyping of the proteome demonstrated that the plasma proteomic profiles of young adults were strikingly dissimilar to those of the middle-aged or older adults. Conclusions: The results of this study mapped the variation in the expression of plasma proteins and provided information about possible biomarkers/treatments for different age-related functional disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social perspective-taking is a multifaceted skill set, involving the disposition, motivation, and contextual attempts to consider and understand other individuals. It is essential for appropriate behavior in teaching contexts and social life that has been investigated across various research traditions. Because social perspective-taking enables flexible reappraisals of social situations, it can facilitate more harmonious social interactions. We aimed to systematically review the disparate literature focusing on adults' social perspective-taking to answer the overarching question: Are there findings on factors that positively or negatively related to adults' social perspective-taking as possible protective factor for mental health? Specific questions were which internal or external factors are related to either dispositional or situation-specific social perspective-taking and are both forms related to each other, or do they vary independently of each other in response to these factors? We reviewed 92 studies published in 56 articles in last ten years including 213,095 healthy adults to answer these questions. The findings suggested several factors (e.g., gender, perceived social interactions) related to the dispositional form. Negative relationships to self-reported or tested (cortisol levels) distress suggested dispositional social perspective-taking as a protective factor for mental health. Dispositional social perspective-taking related to the situational form and some findings suggested changes in both forms through intervention. Thus, coordinating different perspectives on oneself or others reflects flexibility in behavior related to positive social and mental health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Ewe's milk yogurt is richer in proteins, minerals and short- and medium-chain fatty acids compared to cow's milk yogurt. We aimed to evaluate the effects of cow's milk yogurt (CW, 3.0% fat), semi-skimmed (ES, 2.8% fat) and whole ewe's milk yogurts (EW, 5.8% fat) on inflammatory markers and gut microbiota in subjects with borderline-high plasma cholesterol. Methodology: 30 adults (16 women) were randomized into a crossover study to consume 250 g/yogurt/day during three 5-week periods (4-week washouts). Plasma insulin, leptin, adhesion molecules, cytokines and gut microbiota composition (qPCR) were analysed. Rates of change were used to assess treatment effects both in the whole group and in subgroups of subjects with different cholesterol/HDL-c ratio (Cho-I group A: the top 6 women and 4 men values; Cho-I group B: remaining subjects). Results: The yogurts showed no different effects on the inflammatory biomarkers or the microbiota of the whole group. However, ICAM-1 and P-selectin rates of change were lower after EW compared to CW and ES, respectively, in subjects of the Cho-I group A (P = 0.047 and P = 0.020). Women of this group showed lower MCP-1 rates of change after EW compared to ES and CW (P = 0.028, both). Blautia coccoides–Eubacterium rectale decreased in women of the Cho-I group A during EW vs. ES (P = 0.028). Conclusion: Ewe's yogurt effects on inflammatory markers and microbiota were not different from those after cow's yogurt, but the attenuation of some inflammatory biomarkers with ewe's whole-milk yogurt in subjects with the highest TC/HDL-c deserves further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The monetary incentive delay task breaks down reward processing into discrete stages for fMRI analysis. Here we look at anticipation of monetary gain and loss contrasted with neutral anticipation. We meta-analysed data from 15 original whole-brain group maps (n = 346) and report extensive areas of relative activation and deactivation throughout the whole brain. For both anticipation of gain and loss we report robust activation of the striatum, activation of key nodes of the putative salience network, including anterior cingulate and anterior insula, and more complex patterns of activation and deactivation in the central executive and default networks. On between-group comparison, we found significantly greater relative deactivation in the left inferior frontal gyrus associated with incentive valence. This meta-analysis provides a robust whole-brain map of a reward anticipation network in the healthy human brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We aimed to provide mean values for fat-fraction and volume for full-length bilateral rotator cuff and deltoid muscles in asymptomatic adults selected on the basis of their good musculoskeletal and systemic health, and to understand the influence of gender, age, and arm dominance.Materials and Methods: Seventy-six volunteers aged 20 to 60 years who were screened for normal BMI and high general health were included in the study. MRI was performed at 3 Tesla using three-point DIXON sequences. Volume and fat-signal fraction of the rotator cuff muscles and the deltoid muscle were determined with semi-automated segmentation of entire muscle lengths. Differences according to age, gender, and handedness per muscle were evaluated.Results: Fat-signal fractions were comparable between genders (mean ± 2 SD, 95% CI, women 7.0 ± 3.0; 6.8-7.2%, men 6.8 ± 2.7; 6.7-7.0%) but did not show convincing changes with age. Higher shoulder muscle volume and lower fat-signal fraction in the dominant arm were shown for teres minor and deltoid (p < 0.01) with similar trends shown for the other rotator cuff muscles.Conclusions: Bilateral fat-signal fractions and volumes based on entire length shoulder muscles in asymptomatic 20-60 year old adults may provide reference for clinicians. Differences shown according to arm dominance should be considered and may rationalize the need for bilateral imaging in determining appropriate management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diastolic dysfunction (DD) is increasingly common. However, its metabolic determinants are poorly known. This study aims to determine which metabolic and inflammatory features predict DD in initially healthy adults.Methods: We prospectively analyzed the association between metabolic features and DD in 728 initially healthy adults aged 30-60 from Eastern France enrolled in the STANISLAS population-based cohort. Clinical and biological cardiovascular features were collected at baseline (1994-1995). DD was assessed twenty years later (2011-2016) by echocardiography using current international guidelines. For replication purposes, 1463 subjects from the Malmö Preventive Project cohort were analyzed.Results: In the STANISLAS cohort, 191 subjects (26.2%) developed DD. In age-sex-adjusted logistic models, significant predictors of DD were body mass index (BMI, odds ratio for 1-standard-deviation increase (OR) 1.28, 95% CI 1.08-1.52), waist circumference (WC, OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.18-1.84), waist-hip ratio (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.16-2.02), systolic blood pressure (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.00-1.43) and triglycerides (TG, OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.00-1.40). Subjects with elevated WC (> 80th percentile) and TG (> 50th percentile) had a twofold higher DD risk (age-sex-adjusted odds ratio 2.00, 95% CI 1.20-3.31, P = 0.008), whereas no such interplay was observed for BMI. In the Malmö cohort, BMI was similarly associated with DD; participants with both elevated BMI and TG were at higher DD risk (age-sex-adjusted odds ratio 1.61, 95% CI 1.18-2.20, P = 0.002).Conclusions: Subjects with elevated WC and TG may have a higher long-term DD risk. Prevention targeting visceral obesity may help reduce the incidence of DD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) are produced endogenously and also enter the body during the consumption of AGEs present in heat-processed food. It is unknown whether AGEs of dietary origin accumulate within the body of healthy individuals. AGEs can deposit within skin tissue long-term by crosslinking extracellular matrix proteins. The fluorescent nature of many AGEs enables their detection within the skin by non-invasively measuring skin autofluorescence (SAF). This study aimed to identify habitual dietary and lifestyle behaviours cross-sectionally associated with SAF in an adult population sample.Methods: 251 Healthy adult volunteers completed validated food frequency and physical activity questionnaires. Waist circumference, BMI, blood pressure and blood glucose was also measured. SAF was measured using an AGE Reader.Results: Significant positive correlations were found between SAF and chronological age (r = 0.63, P < 0.001), waist circumference (r = 0.28, P < 0.01), body weight (r = 0.24, P < 0.05), BMI (r = 0.23, P < 0.05) and consumption of meat and meat products (r = 0.22, P < 0.05). A negative correlation was found between SAF and cereal consumption (r = −0.21, P < 0.05). Cigarette smokers also had a significantly higher SAF than non-smokers (2.4 vs 2.0 U, P < 0.05). Regression analysis identified age, cigarette smoking, waist circumference and intake of meat products as significant predictors of SAF. The regression model explained 48% of the variation in SAF.Conclusions: Age, cigarette smoking, waist circumference and dietary consumption of meat/meat products were positively associated with SAF in this sample. Further research is required to determine whether frequent consumption of foods containing large quantities of dietary AGEs contribute to pathological disease processes in healthy individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Headache in employees may be linked with both overwork and sleep restriction induced by long working hours. Inter-relationships among working hours, sleep duration and headache were investigated. Methods: Cross-sectional analyses for prevalent headache ( n = 35,908) and 1-year follow-up analyses for incident headache ( n = 19,788) were conducted in apparently healthy white-collar men aged 25-59 years. Headache (yes/no), working hours and sleep duration were based on self-administered questionnaire. After determination of relationships between working hours and sleep duration, logistic regression analysis estimated odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval for prevalent and incident headache according to working hours (35-44, 45-49, 50-59 and ≥60 h/week) and sleep duration (≥7, 6-6.9, 5-5.9 and <5 h/day), and tested linear trends in OR. Additionally, interactive effects of working hours and sleep duration on OR were checked. Covariates in the analyses were age, body mass index, drinking, smoking and exercise. Results: Prevalent and incident headache was found in 1979 (5.5%) men and 707 (3.6%) men, respectively. Working hours were inversely associated with sleep duration. OR for prevalent and incident headache rose with increasing working hours and with reducing sleep duration, regardless of influences of the covariates. Working hours and sleep duration had no interactive effects on OR for prevalent or incident headache. Conclusions: The results indicate that long working hours directly and indirectly (via short sleep duration) induce headache even in apparently healthy white-collar men. Headache in employees may be useful for early detection of adverse health effects by long working hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impulsivity is associated with distinct mental disorders but is also considered as a personality trait exhibited by healthy individuals. Current studies suggest that early stressful life events might cause higher impulsivity in the adulthood. Morphological features, which reflect early brain development, could provide valuable information regarding the origin of impulsive behavior. However, none of the previous MRI studies employed a methodology specifically designed to investigate the relationship between impulsivity and markers of brain development. In this regard, we aimed to investigate the relationship between cortical folding and the three distinct factors of impulsivity (attention, motor, and non-planning) in young healthy adults. Fifty-four right-handed healthy individuals were recruited for the study and underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3 Tesla. A surface-based analysis was used to calculate a local gyrification index (LGI). Impulsivity was examined by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) and related to LGI. Associations between LGI and BIS-11 scores were assessed using within-group correlations (p < 0.05, "cluster-wise probability" [CWP] corr.). BIS subscores were positively correlated with cortical folding in several distinct areas: Total and attention scores were positively correlated with LGI in the left postcentral gyrus, cingulate gyrus, precentral gyrus, pars opercularis of the inferior frontal gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus, superior parietal gyrus, pericalcarine gyrus, and lateral occipital gyrus (each p < 0.05 CWP corr.). BIS motor score was positively correlated with LGI in the left superior temporal, lingual and supramarginal gyrus (each p < 0.05 CWP corr.). BIS non-planning score showed a positive correlation with LGI in the pars opercularis of the right inferior frontal gyrus and the left middle temporal, precentral and superior parietal gyrus (each p < 0.05 CWP corr.). Furthermore, we found gender-specific differences in BIS-11-LGI-correlation in the middle and inferior frontal gyrus. Our findings illustrate the advantages of cortical folding as a marker of early brain development when investigating structural brain correlates of impulsivity in young adulthood. Further, they lend additional support to the notion that alterations in early neurodevelopment comprising fronto-temporo-parietal regions might give rise to higher impulsivity in healthy individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine whether rheumatoid factor (RF) is associated with mortality from all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer in the healthy adults. We recruited South Korean health check-up examinees without rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A cohort study was performed in 295,837 participants presumably free of osteoarthritis or RA, and who had undergone health screening between 2002 and 2012 and been followed up to determine the risk of all-cause, CVD, and cancer-specific mortality with respect to the presence or titer of RF. To determine whether the participants were deceased, we used National Death Index death certificates. The prevalence of RF positivity (≥20 IU/mL) was 4.4%. During 1,447,403 person-years of follow-up, 1402 participants died. Comparing subjects negative for RF with those positive for RF, the multivariable adjusted hazard ratio (HR; 95% CI) for all-cause and cancer mortality in subjects with RF-positivity was 1.50 (1.19-1.90) and 1.56 (1.12-2.16), respectively. Also, all-cause and cancer mortality risk was significantly greater in subjects with an RF titer greater than 100 IU/mL than in those with RF-negativity (HR = 2.68, 95% CI = 1.72-4.19; HR = 2.89, 95% CI = 1.58-5.28, respectively) after adjusting for multiple confounders. However, the HR for cardiovascular mortality was not higher in subjects with RF positivity than in those with RF negativity (HR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.45-2.11). In Korean healthy adults, presumably without RA, RF was associated with a greater risk of all-cause and cancer mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurological soft signs (NSS) are frequently found in psychiatric disorders of significant neurodevelopmental origin. Previous MRI studies in schizophrenia have shown that NSS are associated with abnormal cortical, thalamic and cerebellar structure and function. So far, however, no neuroimaging studies investigated brain correlates of NSS in individuals with Asperger-Syndrome (AS) and the question whether the two disorders exhibit common or disease-specific cortical correlates of NSS remains unresolved. High-resolution MRI data at 3 T were obtained from 48 demographically matched individuals (16 schizophrenia patients, 16 subjects with AS and 16 healthy individuals). The surface-based analysis via Freesurfer enabled calculation of cortical thickness, area and folding (local gyrification index, LGI). NSS were examined on the Heidelberg Scale and related to cortical measures. In schizophrenia, higher NSS were associated with reduced cortical thickness and LGI in fronto-temporo-parietal brain areas. In AS, higher NSS were associated with increased frontotemporal cortical thickness. This study lends further support to the hypothesis that disorder-specific mechanisms contribute to NSS expression in schizophrenia and AS. Pointing towards dissociable neural patterns may help deconstruct the complex processes underlying NSS in these neurodevelopmental disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Minor motor and sensory deficits or neurological soft signs (NSS) are frequently found in patients with schizophrenia at any stage of their illness. Although previous studies have reported that NSS are associated with altered structure and function within fronto-parietal areas, it remains unclear whether the neuroanatomical basis of NSS may be confounded by underlying pathological processes, and by antipsychotic treatment. Morphological brain correlates of NSS in healthy subjects have seldom been investigated. This study evaluated the relationship between NSS levels and abnormalities of subcortical and cortical structures in healthy individuals. High-resolution MRI data at 3 Tesla were obtained from 68 healthy individuals. Automated segmentation of caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus, thalamus, and brainstem was performed using both FSL-FIRST and Freesurfer. The surface-based analysis via Freesurfer enabled calculation of cortical thickness, area and folding (local gyrification index). NSS were examined on the Heidelberg Scale and related to both subcortical and cortical measurements. Using two fully automated brain segmentations methods, we found no significant association between NSS levels and morphological changes in subcortical structures. Higher NSS scores were associated with morphological changes of cortical thickness, area and folding in multiple areas comprising superior frontal, middle temporal, insular and postcentral regions. Our findings demonstrate the benefit of surface-based approaches when investigating brain correlates of NSS. The data lend further support to the hypothesis that NSS in healthy individuals involve multiple cortical rather than subcortical brain regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aim: To compare blood and salivary levels of lipofuscin in healthy adults and to analyze the relationship between the lipofuscin level and the healthy adults' age. Methods: One hundred and twenty-two healthy volunteers were recruited and divided into three groups according to their age: young ( n = 42, 20-44 years old), middle-aged ( n = 51, 45-59 years old), and elderly ( n = 29, 60-74 years old). One ml saliva and 5 ml whole blood were collected from each person. An ELISA kit was used to measure both the plasma and salivary lipofuscin levels. The differences between the groups were compared with independent-sample t test, and the relationship between the salivary lipofuscin level and the age was assessed with linear regression analysis. Results: The mean ± SD of the lipofuscin level in the saliva and plasma of 122 subjects was 68.93 ± 1.32 and 78.05 ± 1.75 μmol/l, respectively. No gender-dependent differences were observed in either the salivary or the plasma lipofuscin level (saliva: p = 0.443, plasma: p = 0.459). The salivary and plasma lipofuscin levels of the elderly subjects were significantly higher than those of the young (saliva: 80.72 ± 13.53 mmol/l versus 59.12 ± 1.92 mmol/l, p = 0.0003; plasma: 93.31 ± 3.14 mmol/l versus 67.43 ± 2.54 mmol/l, p = 0.0002) and middle-aged (saliva: 80.72 ± 13.53 mmol/l versus 70.31 ± 11.17 mmol/l, p = 0.0004; plasma: 93.31 ± 3.14 mmol/l versus 78.12 ± 2.40 mmol/l, p = 0.0002) subjects. Similarly, the salivary and plasma lipofuscin levels of the middle-aged subjects were significantly higher than those of the young subjects (saliva: 70.31 ± 11.17 mmol/l versus 59.12 ± 1.92 mmol/l, p < 0.0001; plasma: 78.12 ± 2.40 mmol/l versus 67.43 ± 2.54 mmol/l, p = 0.0019). The lipofuscin levels in the saliva and plasma were significantly positively correlated with the subject age ( r = 0.551, p = 0.0001; r = 0.528 , p < 0.0001). Furthermore, the salivary lipofuscin level and plasma lipofuscin level also were found to have a positive correlation ( r = 0.621, p < 0.0001). Conclusion: No gender-dependent differences were observed in either the salivary or plasma lipofuscin levels. The salivary and plasma lipofuscin levels were positively correlated, and the age is positively correlated with lipofuscin content in saliva. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prism adaptation (PA) is a promising rehabilitation technique for visuo-spatial neglect, an attention disorder that is characterized by spatial attention deficits (i.e., deficits in orienting). PA involves visuo-motor adaptation to rightward shifting prism goggles. Following goggle removal, this adaptation results in leftward shifts in visuo-motor aiming and amelioration of spatial neglect. Even though some studies clearly support the beneficial effects of PA for spatial neglect, not all studies find benefits, thus it remains unclear how PA effects could be improved. Taking advantage of the known interactions between orienting and alerting reported in the attention literature (i.e., alerting enhances orienting function; e.g., Ishigami and Klein in J Individ Differ 30:220-237. doi:, , in J Neurosci Methods 190:117-28. doi:, ; Robertson et al. in Nature 395:169-72. doi:, ), we examined the effects of alerting tones on PA with healthy young and older adults. We found that the effects of alerting on PA with young adults were negative, while there was a positive effect with older adults, specifically on a visuo-motor outcome task. Thus, enhancement of PA effects by alerting may be age specific and task specific. Therefore, we can conclude that while the impact of alerting tones is not always positive, further research in patients with neglect may be warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During normal gait a suddenly appearing obstacle is avoided either by making a large crossing step (long-step strategy, LSS) or by interrupting the swing phase (short-step strategy, SSS) depending on the time of appearance of the obstacle in the step cycle. Limping changes the proportion of time spent in the swing phase and the question arises whether this could affect the ability to avoid obstacles. This was investigated using a split-belt treadmill that induces behavior that is similar to limping even in normal adults. Subjects walked on a split-belt treadmill with speed ratios between left and right of 2:2 up to 2:8 km/h in combination with obstacle avoidance (OA) on the slow belt. The failure rate of obstacle avoidance increased markedly as speed differences between legs increased. This increment was paralleled by augmented use of the SSS, related to an increase in time pressure. In all split-belt walking conditions, the alternative strategy (LSS) yielded less OA failures but it required much longer preparation time than the SSS. In addition, the prolonged stance phases prior to crossing in the LSS required a concomitant prolongation of the contralateral swing phase. This was difficult to achieve at times and as a result the swing phase was sometimes interrupted, giving rise to a contralateral SSS (and a 2:1 coordination pattern). It is concluded that simulated limping greatly increases the risk of failing to avoid suddenly appearing obstacles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Body mass (BM) is a confounding variable in human performance. We hypothesized that adjusting 6-min walk distance (6MWD) for BM differences using allometric scaling would allow meaningful individual and group comparisons. We aimed to use allometric scaling of 6MWD to BM to provide an index for comparing walking performance in middle-aged and older adults. One hundred and twenty subjects (40-87 years) participated. Anthropometry, spirometry, and two walk tests were evaluated. We adjusted 6MWD to BM, gender, and age using an allometric procedure. The allometric exponents were prospectively applied in a validation sample of 44 healthy subjects. Body mass presented significant negative correlation ( p < 0.01) with 6MWD · BM in middle-aged and older adults ( r = −0.70 and −0.46, respectively). The allometric exponent ( b) for 6MWD was significantly higher for older than middle-aged adults (0.35 ± 0.20 vs. 0.11 ± 0.08, respectively). The resulting BM exponents were similar in male and female subjects (0.22 ± 0.13 and 0.17 ± 0.09, respectively). The correlation between 6MWD · BM and BM using the exponents (0.11 or 0.35) was not statistically different from zero ( r = 0.00) in the validation sample, suggesting that allometric analysis did not penalize the subjects based on BM. Allometric scaling of 6MWD in middle-aged and older adults may be useful for evaluating walking performance free of the confounding effect of BM, even in the absence of a table of norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Our previous study using (123)I-iodo-benzamide single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) showed a positive relationship in healthy adults between striatal postsynaptic D(2)/D(3) receptor availability and sleep duration in good sleepers. To further investigate the role of dopamine (DA) in the sleep-wake cycle, we explored the correlation between presynaptic dopamine transporter (DAT) availability and sleep quality in healthy volunteers.Methods: A total of 83 healthy volunteers (33 males, 50 females; mean age, 34.62 years), including 39 good sleepers and 44 poor sleepers, were recruited. The sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Striatal DAT availability was determined by (99m)Tc-TRODAT-1 SPECT, and the DAT availability in the good and poor sleepers was compared. Furthermore, the correlation between PSQI and DAT availability was analyzed.Results: There was no significant difference in DAT availability between the good and poor sleepers. No significant relationship was found between the global score or individual-component PSQI scores and DAT availability in the good sleepers. However, the sleep duration component score in the poor sleepers negatively correlated with DAT availability in the caudate (ρ = -0.31, P = 0.049).Conclusions: The study demonstrates that healthy poor sleepers, with a lower DAT availability in the caudate, sleep for a shorter length of time. This suggests that a decrease in DA reuptake due to reduced DAT availability causes a shorter sleep duration in poor sleepers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluation of the HPA axis is still a challenge; due to different sensitivities and stimulation efficiencies of dynamic tests, lack of standard assays for cortisol measurement and lack of data regarding the effects of age and gender on the results of the HPA axis evaluation with different dynamic tests. This study was performed to compare 1 μg ACTH, 250 μg ACTH and glucagon tests in the evaluation of HPA axis. The study was carried out on 55 healthy individuals (28 men, 27 women). 10-12 volunteers were included from every decades between 20 and 70 years. Low dose short synacthen test (1 μg ACTH), standard dose short synacthen test (250 μg ACTH) and glucagon tests were performed consecutively. The mean peak cortisol response to standard dose ACTH stimulation test was found to be significantly higher than the low dose ACTH and glucagon stimulation tests. The mean peak cortisol responses to low dose ACTH and the glucagon stimulation tests were not significantly different. The mean peak cortisol responses did not differ significantly between different age or sex groups. The lowest peak cortisol responses obtained after low dose ACTH and glucagon stimulation tests were 12.5 and 9.1 μg/dl respectively in the volunteers who all had cortisol responses higher than 20 μg/dl after standard dose ACTH stimulation test. The lowest cortisol responses obtained during 250 μg ACTH, 1 μg ACTH and glucagon stimulation tests were found to be 20.1, 12.5 and 9.1 μg/dl in a known group of healthy people. So the consideration of appropriate hormonal cut-off levels for each test seems reasonable. The age, sex and body mass indeces were not shown to affect the cortisol response to dynamic stimulation tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Lipoprotein associated phospholipase A (Lp-PLA) is a novel inflammatory factor that has been independently associated with stroke and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Omega-3 fats have been implicated in reducing inflammation associated with CVD. The aim of this study was to determine if an 8-week isocaloric diet supplemented with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) in the form of fish oil or α-linolenic acid (ALA) in the form of flaxseed oil would alter Lp-PLA among healthy adults ages 50 years and older. Methods: Fifty-nine healthy adults (~75% female, average age 61 years) were randomized to one of three groups with equal amounts of total fat intake. All capsules contained ~1 g of fat. The control group ( n = 19) consumed olive oil capsules (~11 g/day); the ALA group ( n = 20) consumed flaxseed oil capsules (~11 g/day) and the EPA/DHA group ( n = 20) consumed fish oil capsules (~2 g/day + 9 g/day of olive oil). Fasting blood samples were obtained before and after the 8-week intervention for determination of Lp-PLA mass and activity as well as lipid values. Results: We did not find any significant changes in Lp-PLA mass or activity after the intervention in any of the groups; however, change in oxidized LDL was associated with change in Lp-PLA mass ( r = 0.37, p < 0.01). Conclusion: Supplementing the diet with omega-3 fatty acids for 8-weeks did not influence Lp-PLA activity or mass among older adults; altering oxidized LDL may be necessary to see changes in Lp-PLA levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute homocysteine elevation has been shown to have a significant impact on cognitive function in animal models. Investigation of the short-term impact of elevation of plasma homocysteine levels through a dietary intervention on cognitive abilities of young healthy adults. 100 healthy medical students of both genders were enrolled in the study. Homocysteine levels and cognitive abilities were measured at 08:30 (before breakfast) and at 15:00 (two hours after lunch and six hours after breakfast). Food intake was restricted to specified comestibles. The cognitive assessment comprised a version of the Short Test for General Intelligence, three subtests of the Syndrome Short Test and the Stroop test. At 15:00 plasma homocysteine was significantly elevated in 56 participants (P<0.00001), whilst in 44 it was decreased (P<0.00001) in comparison to baseline (08:30). The decrease was however of limited clinical significance. The differences in the changes in cognitive performance between the two groups did not attain statistical significance (P>0.05) and the direction of the changes did not differ between them. Accordingly, the multiple linear regression analysis did not reveal an important influence of homocysteine elevation on cognitive performance variations. Significant increase of plasma homocysteine is not associated with a straightforward inhibitory or facilitatory short-term effect on physiological cognitive parameters in young healthy adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:Obesity results from protracted energy imbalance. Whether this comprises excessive energy intake, lowered physical activity or both, remains disputed.Design:Physical activity energy expenditure, evaluated in three different ways from daily energy expenditure (DEE) measured using doubly labelled water, was examined for trends over time. Data included subjects in Europe (Maastricht, the Netherlands) and North America extending back to the 1980s. These data were compared with measures from the third world, and measures made on wild terrestrial mammals.Results:Physical activity expenditure in Europe (residual of the regression of DEE on basal energy expenditure (BEE)) has slightly but significantly increased since the 1980s. There was no trend over time in physical activity level (PAL=DEE/BEE), or in the residual variance in DEE once mass, sex and age were accounted for. This latter index of physical activity expenditure also significantly increased over time in North America. DEE of individuals in Europe and North America was not significantly different from individuals measured in the third world. In wild terrestrial mammals, DEE mostly depended on body mass and ambient temperature. Predicted DEE for a 78 kg mammal living at 20 °C was 9.2 MJ per day (95% CI: 7.9–12.9 MJ per day), not significantly different from the measured DEE of modern humans (around 10.2–12.6 MJ per day).Conclusion:As physical activity expenditure has not declined over the same period that obesity rates have increased dramatically, and daily energy expenditure of modern man is in line with energy expenditure in wild mammals, it is unlikely that decreased expenditure has fuelled the obesity epidemic.International Journal of Obesity (2008) 32, 1256–1263; doi:10.1038/ijo.2008.74; published online 27 May 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Specific sub-groups of the population, such as older people, are at increased risk of poor vitamin D status. There is growing evidence, however, that vitamin D insufficiency may be a more widespread problem. To determine the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in a group of healthy Irish adults. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D was measured by radioimmunoassay in 70 healthy Irish adults working in South Dublin. Overall, half of the group (51%) had vitamin D insufficiency; this was more pronounced in wintertime, with prevalence rising to 58%. Winter was a significant negative predictor of serum 25-OH D levels. Sixteen percent of the participants reported taking a vitamin D-containing supplement (multivitamin), but this did not significantly influence the serum 25-OH D levels. Vitamin D insufficiency is not confined to “at-risk groups” and is likely to be prevalent in the general public in Ireland, especially in wintertime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several rebreathing methods are available for cardiac output ( Q T) measurement. The aims of this study were threefold: first, to compare values for resting Q T produced by the equilibrium-CO2, exponential-CO2 and inert gas-N2O rebreathing methods and, second, to evaluate the reproducibility of these three methods at rest. The third aim was to assess the agreement between estimates of peak exercise Q T derived from the exponential and inert gas rebreathing methods. A total of 18 healthy subjects visited the exercise laboratory on different days. Repeated measures of Q T, measured in a seated position, were separated by a 5 min rest period. Twelve participants performed an incremental exercise test to determine peak oxygen consumption. Two more exercise tests were used to measure Q T at peak exercise using the exponential and inert gas rebreathing methods. The exponential method produced significantly higher estimates at rest (averaging 10.9 l min−1) compared with the equilibrium method (averaging 6.6 l min−1) and the inert gas rebreathing method (averaging 5.1 l min−1; P < 0.01). All methods were highly reproducible with the exponential method having the largest coefficient of variation (5.3%). At peak exercise, there were non-significant differences between the exponential and inert gas rebreathing methods ( P = 0.14). The limits of agreement were −0.49 to 0.79 l min−1. Due to the ability to evaluate the degree of gas mixing and to estimate intra-pulmonary shunt, we believe that the inert gas rebreathing method has the potential to measure Q T more precisely than either of the CO2 rebreathing methods used in this study. At peak exercise, the exponential and inert gas rebreathing methods both showed acceptable limits of agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study compared two recombinant human (rh) hematopoietic growth factors in healthy volunteers for stem cell stimulation. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF, n=9) or granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF, n=8) was given subcutaneously for 5 days (5 microg/kg/day). Controls (n=5) received no growth factor. Laboratory parameters and side effects were monitored for 8 days. Within 24 h, both cytokines led to a rapid increase of leukocytes, the majority of which were granulocytes. Compared with the controls (n=5), the increase on day 5 in the G-CSF/GM-CSF groups was 37-/10-fold (CD34+ cells), 5.2-/2.4-fold (leukocytes), 7.2-/3.0-fold (granulocytes), 7.4-/4.4-fold (monocytes), 1.7-/1.1-fold (lymphocytes), 9.8-/2.7-fold (basophils), 2.3-/9.6-fold (eosinophils), and 1.9-/1.6-fold (reticulocytes). The mobilization of myeloblasts, promyelocytes, myelocytes, and metamyelocytes coincided with the pronounced increase of CD34 + PBPC observed on day 4. Serum levels of uric acid (UA) and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) increased under G-CSF, and platelets decreased after G-CSF discontinuation. Rash at the injection site occurred in 50% of the GM-CSF-treated volunteers. Seven volunteers in the GM-CSF group and six in the G-CSF cohort complained of flu-like symptoms, including musculoskeletal pain. We conclude that, in terms of tolerance and mobilization of CD34+ cells and leukocytes, G-CSF is superior to GM-CSF, but higher levels of UA and LDH and late decrease in platelets make monitoring of these parameters necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pharmacokinetics of cefonicid were investigated in eight healthy adults. A one-gram dose was administered either intramuscularly or intravenously in a cross-over design study. Mean peak cefonicid plasma concentrations of 186 to 204 mcg/ml and 88 to 123 mcg/ml were achieved after intravenous and intramuscular injection, respectively, with elimination half-lives of 4.9 h and 5.3 h. Cefonicid concentrations were measured by both microbiological (M.A.) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assays. Results were quite similar with the two techniques, except for the urinary recovery of cefonicid in the first 24 hours (83% of the dose with MA - vs 53% with HPLC method). The apparent volume of distribution (V area) was 0.18 1/kg; the total body clearance (C) and the renal clearance (C) were 24-26 ml/min and 15-19 ml/min, respectively. The kinetic data of cefonicid were not significantly different for the two routes of administration. A one-gram i.v. or i.m. cefonicid dose produced high and prolonged plasma concentrations with a longer half-life than obtained with commonly used cephalosporins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serum concentrations and urinary excretion of proxyphylline have been measured in five healthy adults after intravenous (29 µmol/kg), single oral (21 µmol/kg) and multiple oral (21 µmol/kg three times a day) doses to produce steady state. The mean peak time after oral administration was 29 min. The mean fraction absorbed was 1.09 calculated from serum concentrations, and 1.05 calculated from urinary excretion of the drug. The apparent volume of distribution was 0.61 l/kg (0.53-0.72 l/kg), 26% higher in males than in females. A two-compartment open model was found to describe the decline in the serum concentrations, giving a mean distribution half-life of 6 min. The intersubject ranges of biological half-life were 8.1-12.1 h and 8.3-12.6 h calculated from serum and urine data, respectively. 24% (18-29%) of the dose was excreted unchanged in urine, which agreed with the relationship between the calculated total body clearance and the renal clearance of the drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pharmacokinetics and metabolism of mepivacaine has been studied in premature neonates dosed subcutaneously and in healthy adults dosed intravenously. The pharmacokinetics of mepivacaine in four neonates (N) was compared with that in six adults (A). Newborns had a significantly longer terminal phase half-life than adults (N mean 8.69 h; A mean 3.17 h). Total plasma clearance normalized on body weight was significantly smaller in neonates (mean 2.34 ml/min/kg) than in adults (mean 5.47 ml/min/kg), as was the hepatic blood clearance (N mean 1.37 ml/min/kg; A mean 5.10 ml/min/kg). The renal plasma clearance, however, was significantly greater in neonates (mean 0.76 ml/min/kg) than adults (mean 0.20 ml/min/kg). There was an average six-fold increase in the fraction of the dose excreted unchanged in newborns (mean 43.3%) compared to adults (mean 7.1%) with acidified urine (pH 5.5-6.0). There was significantly more of the mono-N-demethylated metabolite of mepivacaine excreted by newborns (mean 11.4%) than by adults (mean 2.2%), but their capacity to carry out aromatic hydroxylation of mepivacaine was negligible. These results for mepivacaine were compared with those previously reported for lignocaine in premature infants. The immaturity of hepatic function appears to have diminished more profoundly the ability of premature infants to metabolize mepivacaine than lignocaine. These findings are discussed in terms of perfusion theory of hepatic drug elimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of daily supplemental chromium (200 μg) complexed with 1.8 mg nicotinic acid on plasma glucose and lipids, including total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides, were assessed in 14 healthy adults and 5 adults with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) using a double-blind crossover study with 8-wk experimental periods. Eight of the 14 healthy subjects and all 5 subjects with NIDDM also underwent an oral glucose tolerance test with assessment of 90 min postprandial plasma glucose and insulin concentrations. No statistically significant effects of chromium nicotinic acid supplementation were found on plasma insulin, glucose, or lipid concentrations, although chromium nicotinic acid supplementation slightly lowered fasting plasma total and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose concentrations, and 90-min postprandial glucose concentrations in individuals with NIDDM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of AS-4370 on gastric emptying was investigated in healthy adults using Tc-DTPA. Single doses of AS-4370 2.5, 5 or 10 mg or placebo were administered to 12 subjects in a controlled, double-blind, cross-over study. Tests were performed twice weekly in each subject. Thirty min after administration of test drug or placebo, each subject swallowed a bun and orange juice containing 200 μCi nuclide. The radioactivity of the gastric content was measured for 40 min and the activity of the residue was expressed as a percentage of count at the initiation of measurements. The percentage radioactivity, AUC and gastric emptying time fitted by a power exponential curve, were analyzed. No significant difference was observed between the three dose levels of AS-4370 and placebo in half emptying time. However, decreases in the percentage of radioactivity with time were noted: 5 mg at 10 to 16 min and 10 mg at 8 to 24 min after the start of recording. Lower AUCs after 5 mg and 10 mg compared to placebo were also found. The half emptying time was also shorter after 5 mg and 10 mg than placebo. There was no difference in these parameters between 2.5 mg and placebo. The results indicate that AS-4370 5 and 10 mg but not 2.5 mg accelerates gastric emptying in healthy adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]