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BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To better understand the role of sensory loss as a potentially modifiable risk factor for cognitive decline, this study examined cognitive decline in relation to single modality hearing or vision loss and dual sensory loss. DESIGN: Longitudinal secondary data analysis. SETTING: The Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and its supplement: The Aging, Demographics, and Memory Study (ADAMS). PARTICIPANTS: Individuals aged 73 and older (N = 295). MEASUREMENTS: Hearing loss was defined by an inability to hear sounds of 25 dB at frequencies between 0.5 and 4.0 kHz in either ear. Vision loss was defined as having corrected binocular vision worse than 20/40. Dual sensory loss was defined as having both hearing and vision loss. We used one time point of hearing and vision data objectively measured in ADAMS Wave C (June 2006–May 2008) and five waves of cognitive function data measured by the HRS version of the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status in HRS (2006–2014). Multilevel mixed models were used. RESULTS: Among the participants, 271 completed a hearing assessment and 120 had hearing loss; 292 completed a vision assessment and 115 had vision loss; 52 had dual sensory loss. Older adults with hearing loss had a significantly faster rate of cognitive decline as they aged compared to those with normal hearing (β= −0.16, P <.05). No significant association was found between vision loss and the rate of cognitive decline (β= −0.06, P =.41). Older adults who had dual sensory loss likewise had a significantly faster rate of cognitive decline as they age (β = −0.23, P <.05) compared to those with no sensory loss. CONCLUSION: Older adults with hearing loss and dual sensory loss have faster rates of cognitive decline than those with normal sensory function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES Dry mouth is a common condition among older adults that negatively influences oral health, general health, and quality of life. The role of psychosocial factors in oral health conditions and diseases remains largely unknown. We conducted a study to examine the relationship between perceived stress and dry mouth among US older Chinese adults and further investigated the potential moderating role of social support and social strain from different sources in the relationship. DESIGN Cross‐sectional analysis. SETTING Baseline of the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago, a community‐engaged, population‐based longitudinal study of health and well‐being among community‐dwelling US older Chinese adults. PARTICIPANTS Individuals 60 years or older (N = 3157). MEASUREMENTS Perceived stress was measured by the 10‐item Chinese Perceived Stress Scale to evaluate the degree to which life situations were perceived as stressful during the preceding month on a 5‐point scale, ranging from 0 ("never") to 4 ("very often"). Dry mouth was a binary self‐reported outcome variable (1 = "dry mouth"). Social support was measured by the Health and Retirement Study's social support and strain scale from sources including spouse, other family members, and friends with a 3‐point response set, ranging from 0 ("hardly ever") to 2 ("often"). Sociodemographics and disease processes were assessed as covariates. We conducted stepwise logistic regressions with interaction terms. RESULTS: Having higher levels of perceived stress was significantly associated with a higher likelihood of reporting dry mouth (odds ratio = 1.03; 95% confidence interval = 1.02‐1.04). The effect of perceived stress on dry mouth may vary by levels of family and friend support. CONCLUSION: Perceived stress may influence dry mouth either directly or indirectly. To prevent or reduce dry mouth, in addition to disease processes, interventions need to consider psychosocial factors in dry mouth, especially perceived stress and social support, in this growing population. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:S551–S556, 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, long-term discharge data and climate records, such as temperature and precipitation during 1977-2006, have been used to define basin climatic and hydrologic regimes and changes. Discharge analyses at four key gauging stations (Eagle, Stevens Village, Nenana, and Pilot Station) in the Yukon River Basin show that the runoff in the cold season (November to April) is low with small variations, whereas it is high (28 500-177 000 ft3/s; 810-5000 m3/s) with high fluctuations in the warm season (May to October). The Stevens Village Station is in the upper basin and has similar changes with the flow near basin outlet. Flow increases in May (61 074 ft3/s; 1729 m3/s) and September (23 325 ft3/s; 660 m3/s); and decreases in July (35 174 ft3/s; 996 m3/s) and August (6809 ft3/s; 193 m3/s). Discharge in May at the Pilot Station (near the basin outlet) shows a positive trend (177 000 ft3/s; 5010 m3/s). Daily flow analyses show high fluctuation during the warm season and very low flow during the cold season; the 10-year average analyses of daily flow at Pilot Station show a small increase in the peak and its timing shifted to a little earlier date. The annual flow, average of 227 900 ft3/s (6450 m3/s) with high inter-annual fluctuations, has increased by 18 200 ft3/s (or 8%; 520 m3/s) during 1977-2006. From 1977 to 2006, basin air temperature in June has increased by 3.9 °F (2.2 °C) and decreased by 10.5 °F (5.8 °C) in January. A strong and positive correlation exists between air temperature in April and discharge in May, whereas a strong and negative correlation relates August temperature and September discharge. Negative trend during 1977-2006 is observed for precipitation in June (0.6 in.; 15 mm) with a confidence over 93%. Precipitation in August and September has strong and positive correlations with discharge in September and October at basin outlet; the precipitation in other months has weak correlation with the discharge. The mean annual precipitation during 1977-2006 increased by 1.1 in. (or 8%; 28 mm), which contributes to the annual flow increase during the study period. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]