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Ghrelin is an orexigenic peptide hormone synthesized in times of stress and hunger and alterations of the ghrelin system following acute stressors could be repeatedly shown in humans. However, little data exists on long-term effects of trauma on the ghrelin system. We aimed to investigate the influence of childhood trauma on total ghrelin serum levels in a large, population-based study. Total serum ghrelin was measured in 1666 participants of a population-based cross-sectional study ('LIFE study'). The Childhood Trauma Screener (CTS) was used for the assessment of childhood trauma in the final sample (n = 1086; mean age: 57.10 ± 16.23 years; 632 males, 454 females). Multiple linear regression analyses and generalized linear models were chosen to examine the association between childhood trauma and total serum ghrelin concentrations. Childhood sexual abuse went along with significantly higher ghrelin serum levels in the total sample (β = 0.114, t = 3.958; p = 0.00008) and in women (β = 0.142, t = 3.115; p = 0.002), but not in men (β = 0.055; t = 1.388; p = 0.166). Women with severe emotional neglect in the childhood had higher ghrelin levels than those without (odds ratio = 1.204; p = 0.018). For the CTS Sum Score and other CTS sub-scale scores, no significant association with ghrelin serum levels was found. Our study is the first to show associations between childhood sexual trauma and total ghrelin levels in adults in a large, community-based sample. Our results should initiate further research of the role of ghrelin in human stress response in prospective study designs.

Background: Social isolation has been suggested to increase the risk to develop cognitive decline. However, our knowledge on causality and neurobiological underpinnings is still limited.Methods: In this preregistered analysis, we tested the impact of social isolation on central features of brain and cognitive ageing using a longitudinal population-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study. We assayed 1992 cognitively healthy participants (50-82years old, 921women) at baseline and 1409 participants after~6y follow-up.Results: We found baseline social isolation and change in social isolation to be associated with smaller volumes of the hippocampus and clusters of reduced cortical thickness. Furthermore, poorer cognitive functions (memory, processing speed, executive functions) were linked to greater social isolation, too.Conclusions: Combining advanced neuroimaging outcomes with prevalent lifestyle characteristics from a well-characterized population of middle- to older aged adults, we provide evidence that social isolation contributes to human brain atrophy and cognitive decline. Within-subject effects of social isolation were similar to between-subject effects, indicating an opportunity to reduce dementia risk by promoting social networks.

A number of definitions of engagement in the academic literature has been given. Many scholars have explored various aspects related to engagement providing a number of insights among many disciplines.

This Statement is being simultaneously published in the journals Climacteric, Maturitas, Journal of Sexual Medicine, and Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism on behalf of the International Menopause Society, The European Menopause and Andropause Society, The International Society for Sexual Medicine, and The Endocrine Society, respectively. This Position Statement has been endorsed by the International Menopause Society, The Endocrine Society, The European Menopause and Andropause Society, The International Society for Sexual Medicine, The International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health, The North American Menopause Society, The Federacion Latinoamericana de Sociedades de Climaterio y Menopausia, The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, The International Society of Endocrinology, The Endocrine Society of Australia, and The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. © 2019 Author

Endocrine disruptive chemicals (EDCs) cause adverse health effects through interaction with endocrine systems. They are classified by chemical structure, effects on specific endocrine systems, bioaccumulation, persistence in the environment, or clinically observable effects. For research of the complex mechanisms of action in the human body, only in vitro model systems have so far been available, that have insufficient high-throughput capacity, which makes risk evaluation more difficult. In addition, in industrial nations, living people are often exposed to mixtures of substances, with various effects. The clinical importance of epigenetic changes caused by the action of EDCs during vulnerable phases of development is currently unclear. Epidemiological studies are criticized because reproducibility is not always guaranteed. Nevertheless, they remain the method of choice for the development and analysis of suitable model systems. Positive associations, in spite of sometimes conflicting results, are key in the selection of factors that can then be analysed in model systems in an unbiased way. This article depicts the mainly positive epidemiological findings for EDC-caused effects in the fields of growth and metabolism, neurocognitive development and sexual development and reproduction. As a result, there is a need for closer linkage between epidemiological studies and mechanistic research into model systems, especially focusing on the interaction of different EDCs and the consequences of prenatal and early life exposure.

The International Menopause Society (IMS) has produced these new 2016 recommendations on women’s midlife health and menopause hormone therapy to help guide health-care professionals in optimizing their management of women in the menopause transition and beyond. The term menopause hormone therapy has been used to cover therapies including estrogens, progestogens and combined regimens. Menopausal hormone therapy today is the most effective treatment for vasomotor symptoms and urogenital atrophy.For the first time, the 2016 International Menopause Society recommendations now include grades of recommendations, levels of evidence and ‘good practice points’, in addition to section-specific references. Where possible, the recommendations are based on and linked to the evidence that supports them, unless good-quality evidence is absent. Particular attention has been paid to published evidence from 2013 onwards, the last time the International Menopause Society recommendations were updated. Databases have been extensively searched for relevant publications using key terms specific to each specialist area within menopause physiology and medicine. Information has also been drawn from international consensus statements published by bodies such as the International Menopause Society, the European Menopause and Andropause Society and the North American Menopause Society.The recommendations have been produced by experts derived mainly from the International Menopause Society, with the assistance of key collaborators where deemed advantageous. In preparing these international recommendations, experts have taken into account geographical variations in medical care, prevalence of diseases, and country-specific attitudes of the public, medical community and health authorities towards menopause management. The variation in availability and licensing of menopause hormone therapy and other products has also been considered., Международное общество по менопаузе (International Menopause Society) в 2016 году подготовило данные рекомендации по здоровью женщин зрелого возраста и менопаузальной гормональной терапии, чтобы помочь медицинским работникам оптимизировать тактику ведения женщин в период менопаузального перехода и в последующем.Термин «менопаузальная гормональная терапия» используется для обозначения различных видов лечения, включая применение эстрогенов, прогестагенов и комбинированных препаратов. На сегодня менопаузальная гормональная терапия является наиболее эффективным методом лечения вазомоторных симптомов и урогенитальной атрофии.В рекомендации Международного общества по менопаузе от 2016 года впервые включены степени рекомендаций, уровни доказательности и принципы надлежащей практики, в дополнение к отдельным спискам литературы для различных разделов. Там, где это возможно, рекомендации основаны на подтверждающих их доказательствах и связаны с ними, кроме тех случаев, когда доказательства хорошего качества отсутствуют. Особое внимание было уделено данным, опубликованным начиная с 2013 года, когда рекомендации Международного общества по менопаузе обновлялись в последний раз. Был проведен тщательный поиск соответствующих публикаций с использованием ключевых слов, специфичных для каждой области специализации, касающейся физиологии и медицины менопаузального периода. Также была взята информация из международных консенсусных заявлений, опубликованных такими органами, как Международное общество по менопаузе, Европейское общество по менопаузе и андропаузе (European Menopause and Andropause Society) и Североамериканское общество по менопаузе (North American Menopause Society).Данные рекомендации были подготовлены экспертами, являющимися преимущественно членами Международного общества по менопаузе, при поддержке ключевых соавторов там, где это было признано целесообразным. При подготовке этих международных рекомендаций эксперты принимали во внимание географические отличия в медицинской помощи, распространенности заболеваний и характерных для разных стран подходах к ведению менопаузального периода со стороны медицинского сообщества, органов здравоохранения и общественности. Также учитывались различия в доступности и статусе регистрации лекарственных средств для менопаузальной гормональной терапии и других лекарственных препаратов., Міжнародне товариство з менопаузи (International Menopause Society) в 2016 році підготувало дані рекомендації щодо стану здоров’я жінок зрілого віку і менопаузальної гормональної терапії, щоб допомогти медичним працівникам оптимізувати тактику ведення жінок в період менопаузального переходу і в подальшому.Термін «менопаузальна гормональна терапія» використовується на позначення різних видів лікування, включаючи застосування естрогенів, прогестагенів і комбінованих препаратів. Менопаузальна гормональна терапія на сьогодні є найбільш ефективним методом лікування вазомоторних симптомів і урогенітальної атрофії.До рекомендацій Міжнародного товариства з менопаузи від 2016 року вперше увійшли ступені рекомендацій, рівні доказовості та принципи належної практики, на додаток до окремих списків літератури для різних розділів. Там, де це можливо, рекомендації засновані на доказах, що їх підтверджують і пов’язані з ними, крім тих випадків, коли докази хорошої якості відсутні. Особливу увагу було приділено даним, опублікованим починаючи з 2013 року, коли рекомендації Міжнародного товариства з менопаузи оновлювалися востаннє. Був проведений ретельний пошук відповідних публікацій із використанням ключових слів, специфічних для кожної області спеціалізації, яка стосується фізіології та медицини менопаузи. Також була взята інформація з міжнародних консенсусних заяв, опублікованих такими органами, як Міжнародне товариство з менопаузи, Європейське товариство з менопаузи і андропаузи (European Menopause and Andropause Society) та Північноамериканське товариство з менопаузи (North American Menopause Society).Дані рекомендації були підготовлені експертами, які переважно є членами Міжнародного товариства з менопаузи, за підтримки ключових співавторів там, де це було визнано доцільним. Під час підготовки цих міжнародних рекомендацій експерти брали до уваги географічні відмінності в медичній допомозі, поширеності захворювань і характерних для різних країн підходах до ведення менопаузи з боку медичної спільноти, органів охорони здоров’я та громадськості. Також враховувалися відмінності в доступності та статусі реєстрації лікарських засобів для менопаузальної гормональної терапії й інших лікарських препаратів.

This paper was presented at the 4th Micro and Nano Flows Conference (MNF2014), which was held at University College, London, UK. The conference was organised by Brunel University and supported by the Italian Union of Thermofluiddynamics, IPEM, the Process Intensification Network, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the Heat Transfer Society, HEXAG - the Heat Exchange Action Group, and the Energy Institute, ASME Press, LCN London Centre for Nanotechnology, UCL University College London, UCL Engineering, the International NanoScience Community, www.nanopaprika.eu. Silver nanoparticles were synthesized in an impinging jet reactor using silver nitrate as a precursor, trisodium citrate as a stabilizer and sodium borohydride as a reducing agent. The effect of mixing time on the nanoparticle morphology was investigated by means of UV-Vis spectroscopy, used as a characterization tool. It was observed that as the mixing time became shorter the nanoparticles retained a similar average diameter but produced more aggregates. The mixing time was characterized using the ‘Villermaux-Dushmann’ reaction system together with the Interaction by Exchange with the Mean mixing model. The mixing time achieved was of the order of a few ms for flowrates in the range 18-28 ml/min. The synthesis of silver nanoparticles was carried out at the same flowrates to link mixing time to silver nanoparticle morphology.

Women may expect to spend more than a third of their lives after menopause. Beginning in the sixth decade, many chronic diseases will begin to emerge, which will affect both the quality and quantity of a woman's life. Thus, the onset of menopause heralds an opportunity for prevention strategies to improve the quality of life and enhance longevity. Obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, cognitive decline, dementia and depression, and cancer are the major diseases of concern. Prevention strategies at menopause have to begin with screening and careful assessment for risk factors, which should also include molecular and genetic diagnostics, as these become available. Identification of certain risks will then allow directed therapy. Evidence-based prevention for the diseases noted above include lifestyle management, cessation of smoking, curtailing excessive alcohol consumption, a healthy diet and moderate exercise, as well as mentally stimula...