Health Events and the Smoking Cessation of Middle Aged Americans

This study investigates the effect of serious health events including new diagnoses of heart attacks, strokes, cancers, chronic lung disease, chronic heart failure, diabetes, and heart disease on future smoking status up to 6 years postevent. Data come from the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative longitudinal survey of Americans aged 51–61 in 1991, followed every 2 years from 1992 to 1998. Smoking status is evaluated at each of three follow-ups, (1994, 1996, and 1998) as a function of health events between each of the four waves. Acute and chronic health events are associated with much lower likelihood of smoking both in the wave immediately following the event and up to 6 years later. However, future events do not retrospectively predict past cessation. In sum, serious health events have substantial impacts on cessation rates of older smokers. Notably, these effects persist for as much as 6 years after a health event.     

Health benefits of encore careers for baby boomers

Baby boomers now represent an aging population group at risk of the diseases of older age. Their relatively high education, amongst other attributes, means that they can make a significant contribution to the work force beyond the statutory retirement age. On an individual level, potential health benefits may motivate them to pursue encore careers. We review some of the evidence supporting such a trend.     

Ageing and urban-rural drift in Nigeria: coping or dispensing with city accommodation in retirement

The massive press attentions attracted by the plight of pensioners in Nigeria appear to provide the extrinsic nudge and popular support for the 2004 pension reform. In some sense, these sets of exposés offered a new peephole into the yawning care and support gap for the elderly in the country. Against the background of counteracting processes of population ageing and receding formal and informal social protection and support mechanisms, the country appears ill-prepared to tackle the unfolding old age bulge and its myriad challenges. The paper addresses one of the most basic needs and choices confronting older people after retirement: the resolve to cope or dispense with city (or urban) accommodation. Such decisions have become increasingly critical not only because they are principal determinants of urban-rural drift but also because of the changing circumstances (of weakening support systems and increased vulnerability) under which they are made. The paper explores these important ageing issue and their implications for policy in Nigeria.     

The serotonin transporter gene polymorphism (5HTTLPR) moderates the effect of adolescent environmental conditions on self-esteem in young adulthood: a structural equation modeling approach

Here we examine the effects of both self-reported and independent observer-reported environmental risk indices, the serotonin transporter gene promoter (5HTTLPR) polymorphism, and their interaction on self-esteem. This trait was assessed during early and mid adolescence (mean age=14 and 16.5, respectively) and young adulthood (mean age=21.8) in a prospective cohort of 1214 unrelated participants in the Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Using structural equation modeling we identified a gene-environment (G×E) interaction using observer-report but not self-report measures of environmental stress exposure during adolescence: 5HTTLPR genotype and observer-reports of home and neighborhood quality (HNQ) during adolescence interacted to predict self-esteem levels in young adulthood (p<.004). Carriers of the s allele who lived in poor HNQ conditions during adolescence reported lower self-esteem in young adulthood than those with a good HNQ during adolescence. In contrast, among individuals with the l/l genotype, adolescent HNQ did not predict adulthood self-esteem. Genes may moderate the effect of adolescent environmental conditions on adulthood self-esteem.     

Hormonal changes and their impact on cognition and mental health of ageing men

Demographic changes resulting in ageing of the world's population have major implications for health. As men grow older, circulating levels of the principal androgen or male sex hormone testosterone (T) decline, while the prevalence of ill-health increases. Observational studies in middle-aged and older men have shown associations between lower levels of T and poorer mental health in older men, including worse cognitive performance, dementia and presence of depressive symptoms. The role of T metabolites, the more potent androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and the oestrogen receptor ligand estradiol (E2) in the pathophysiology of cognitive decline are unclear. Studies of men undergoing androgen deprivation therapy in the setting of prostate cancer have shown subtle detrimental effects of reduced T levels on cognitive performance. Randomised trials of T supplementation in older men have been limited in size and produced variable results, with some studies showing improvement in specific tests of cognitive function. Interventional data from trials of T therapy in men with dementia are limited. Lower levels of T have also been associated with depressive symptoms in older men. Some studies have reported an effect of T therapy to improve mood and depressive symptoms in men with low or low-normal T levels. T supplementation should be considered in men with a diagnosis of androgen deficiency. Beyond this clinical indication, further research is needed to establish the benefits of T supplementation in older men at risk of deteriorating cognition and mental health.     

Workplace bullying in nurses

The article reports a study of workplace bullying in community nurses in an NHS trust. The aims were to determine the prevalence of bullying, to examine the association between bullying and occupational health outcomes, and to investigate whether support at work could moderate the effects of bullying. Forty-four percent of nurses reported experiencing one or more types of bullying in the previous 12 months, compared to 35 percent of other staff. Fifty percent of nurses had witnessed the bullying of others. Nurses who had been bullied reported significantly lower levels of job satisfaction and significantly higher levels of anxiety, depression and propensity to leave. They were also more critical of aspects of the organizational climate of the trust. Support at work was able to protect nurses from some of the damaging effects of bullying.     

Circulating uncarboxylated matrix Gla protein,a marker of vitamin K status,as a risk factor of cardiovascular disease

Objectives

Vitamin K plays a pivotal role in the synthesis of Matrix Gla protein (MGP), a calcification inhibitor in vascular tissue. Vascular calcification has become an important predictor of cardiovascular disease. The aim of the current study was to examine the potential association of circulating desphospho-carboxylated and -uncarboxylated MGP (dp-cMGP and dp-ucMGP), reflecting vitamin K status, with the incidence of cardiovascular events and disease (CVD) in older individuals.

Study design

The study was conducted in 577 community-dwelling older men and women of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA), aged >55 year, who were free of cardiovascular disease at baseline. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyze the data.

Main outcome measures

Incidence of CVD.

Results

After a mean follow-up of 5.6 ± 1.2 year, we identified 40 incident cases of CVD. After adjustment for classical confounders and vitamin D status, we observed a more than 2-fold significantly higher risk of CVD for the highest tertile of dp-ucMGP with a HR of 2.69 (95% CI, 1.09–6.62) as compared with the lowest tertile. Plasma dp-cMGP was not associated with the risk of CVD.

Conclusions

Vitamin K insufficiency, as assessed by high plasma dp-ucMGP concentrations is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease independent of classical risk factors and vitamin D status. Larger epidemiological studies on dp-ucMGP and CVD incidence are needed followed by clinical trials to test whether vitamin K-rich diets will lead to a decreased risk for cardiovascular events.     

Sex steroids to maintain cognitive function in women after the menopause: A meta-analyses of treatment trials

It is still debated whether estrogen treatment after the menopause could result in improved cognitive function in women. This debate is based on many animal and cell culture data showing that estrogens can positively affect the aging brain. Observational data also show a halved risk of dementia in women who took estrogens around the age of menopause. However, large treatment trials have shown negative effects of long-term treatment with estrogens in older women. The present meta-analyses included 36 randomised treatment trials and tested various hypotheses which have been developed to attempt to explain discrepant data. Results indicated that, contrary to expectations, age of women and duration of time elapsed when treatment was initiated since menopause (‘window of opportunity’ hypothesis) did not significantly affect treatment outcome, nor did it matter whether women were symptomatic or not. It was not clear whether bilateral oophorectomy affected the outcome, as this effect was based on only a few studies from the same group and some observational studies show negative effects on cognition in surgical menopausal women treated with hormones for more than 10 years. Duration of treatment overall significantly affected outcome. More negative effects were seen in longer studies, where positive effects were mainly seen in short term studies (<4 months). Treatment with combined estrogens and progestagens also negatively affected the outcome. Whether women with symptoms should be treated for a couple of months or using other (intermittent) modes of treatment and whether this could have long-term positive consequences remains to be investigated.     

Bystanders matter: associations between reinforcing, defending, and the frequency of bullying behavior in classrooms

This study investigated whether the bystanders' behaviors (reinforcing the bully vs. defending the victim) in bullying situations are related to the frequency of bullying in a classroom. The sample consisted of 6,764 primary school children from Grades 3 to 5 (9-11 years of age), who were nested within 385 classrooms in 77 schools. The students filled out Internet-based questionnaires in their schools' computer labs. The results from multilevel models showed that defending the victim was negatively associated with the frequency of bullying in a classroom, whereas the effect of reinforcing the bully was positive and strong. The results suggest that bystander responses influence the frequency of bullying, which makes them suitable targets for antibullying interventions.     

Marital status,health and mortality

Marital status and living arrangements, along with changes in these in mid-life and older ages, have implications for an individual's health and mortality. Literature on health and mortality by marital status has consistently identified that unmarried individuals generally report poorer health and have a higher mortality risk than their married counterparts, with men being particularly affected in this respect. With evidence of increasing changes in partnership and living arrangements in older ages, with rising divorce amongst younger cohorts offsetting the lower risk of widowhood, it is important to consider the implications of such changes for health in later life. Within research which has examined changes in marital status and living arrangements in later life a key distinction has been between work using cross-sectional data and that which has used longitudinal data. In this context, two key debates have been the focus of research; firstly, research pointing to a possible selection of less healthy individuals into singlehood, separation or divorce, while the second debate relates to the extent to which an individual's transitions earlier in the life course in terms of marital status and living arrangements have a differential impact on their health and mortality compared with transitions over shorter time periods. After reviewing the relevant literature, this paper argues that in order to fully account for changes in living arrangements as a determinant of health and mortality transitions, future research will increasingly need to consider a longer perspective and take into account transitions in living arrangements throughout an individual's life course rather than simply focussing at one stage of the life course.     

Acquisition and retention of multidirectional escape behavior in preweanling rats

The shock-escape behavior of preweanling rats in a multidirectional escape situation was examined in 3 experiments. In Experiment I, 5-, 7-, 9-, and 11-day-old rats were given shock-escape training on each of 3 days. Rats younger than 7 days of age did not improve escape responding within or over sessions. Animals 7 days of age and older, however, showed both an intrasession improvement and an intersession improvement that could not be attributed solely to maturation. In Experiment II, the escape behavior of 3-, 5-, and 7-day-olds was examined in an apparatus modified to take into account the poor locomotor abilities of these animals. They were given escape training on 3 successive days. Again, no within-session improvement was found in rats under 7 days of age. However, an intersession improvement was found in rats whose training began at 5 days of age. This improvement was due to maturation and did not reflect a cumulative effect of training. Experiment III, like Experiment I, demonstrated that the intersession improvement in the older rats was not simply a maturation effect. It also demonstrated that the improvement could not be attributed to the stress of prior handling, shock, or body temperature loss, but was, rather, a retention effect. These results support the contention that the emergence of memory is task specific.     

Ageing/Menopausal Status in Healthy Women and Ageing in Healthy Men Differently Affect Cardiometabolic Parameters

Background: Gender medicine requires a global analysis of an individual''s life. Menopause and ageing induce variations of some cardiometabolic parameters, but, it is unknown if this occurs in a sex-specific manner. Here, some markers of oxidative stress, systemic inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction are analysed in men younger and older than 45 years and in pre- and postmenopausal women.Methods: Serum and plasma sample were assayed for TNF-α and IL-6, malondialdehyde and protein carbonyls and for methylated arginines using ELISA kits, colorimetric methods and capillary electrophoresis.Results: Before body weight correction, men overall had higher creatinine, red blood cells and haemoglobin and lower triglycerides than women. Men younger than 45 years had lower levels of TNF-α and malondialdehyde and higher levels of arginine than age-matched women, while postmenopausal women had higher IL-6 concentrations than men, and higher total cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine and IL-6 levels than younger women. Men younger than 45 years had lower total cholesterol and malondialdehyde than older men. After correction, some differences remained, others were amplified, others disappeared and some new differences emerged. Moreover, some parameters showed a correlation with age, and some of them correlated with each other as functions of ageing and ageing/menopausal status.Conclusions: Ageing/menopausal status increased many more cardiovascular risk factors in women than ageing in men, confirming that postmenopausal women had increased vascular vulnerability and indicating the need of early cardiovascular prevention in women. Sex-gender differences are also influenced by body weight, indicating as a matter of debate whether body weight should be seen as a true confounder or as part of the causal pathway.     

消防武警新兵应激性焦虑诱发因素的研究

目的研究探索造成消防武警新兵应激性焦虑的可能社会、文化因素。方法以SAS量表检测筛查某部新兵集训队的所有成员．按相应标准将人群划分为有焦虑症状人群（观察组）和健康人群（对照组）,同时调查对比两组人群中造成焦虑的可疑因素暴露情况。结果所观察因素中,是否首次离家独立生活、以前是否经历过火灾现场、是否愿意干消防工作、部队情况与自己期望是否相符和、参军前是否参加过工作．这5项在两组间的暴露情况经统计学处理显示差异有显著性（P〈0．01）。结论可以认为如上结果所示的5项因素的阳性暴露,是造成消防武警新兵进入应激状态出现焦虑症状的主要诱因。     

Aging diurnal rhythms and chronic stress: Distinct alteration of diurnal rhythmicity of salivary α-amylase and cortisol

The present study assessed diurnal profiles of salivary α-amylase (sAA), proposed as a marker of autonomic activity, and salivary cortisol in competitive ballroom dancers as well as age- and sex-matched controls to investigate age-related changes of basal activity and potential chronic psychosocial stress-related alterations. According to the Allostatic Load (AL) hypothesis of a cumulative wear and tear of the body we expected to see physiological accumulation of the effects of stress and age especially pronounced in older dancers. Dancers and controls collected five saliva samples throughout the day. Daily overall output of sAA was elevated in older adults while there was no effect of age on mean cortisol levels. Alterations of diurnal rhythms were only seen in younger male dancers showing a flattened diurnal profile of sAA and younger dancers and female older dancers showing a blunted diurnal rhythmicity of cortisol. Furthermore, we found a negative correlation between summary indices of basal sAA and the amount of physical activity. In conclusion, higher overall output of sAA in older adults is in line with the phenomenon of a sympathetic “drive” with increasing age. Furthermore, a lower output of sAA in people who are more physical active is in line with the hypothesis of an exercise-induced decrease of sympathetic activity. Overall, our study does not support the AL hypothesis, but rather highlights the importance of regular physical activity and social environment in promoting health.     

中小学生对欺负行为的理解

目的:探讨中小学生对欺负行为的理解及对三类欺负行为的严重性认知。方法:借鉴Smith等人情境评定法,设计了22个木棍图冲突情境,让260名4、6、8年级学生判断这些情境中的行为是否属于欺负行为,并对其严重性进行评价。结果:对于学术界定义的欺负行为的四个特征,中小学生普遍较认可的是伤害性特征,其次是力量的非均衡性及未受激惹性特征,对重复发生性特征的认同率最低;身体侵犯比言语及关系侵犯更容易被鉴别为欺负行为;认为身体欺负最严重,其次为言语欺负及间接欺负;对欺负的严重性认知受欺负类型与年级的交互影响。结论:中小学生对欺负概念的理解与学术界对欺负的界定存在较大差异。     

Microstructural white matter changes mediate age‐related cognitive decline on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)

Although the relationship between aging and cognitive decline is well established, there is substantial individual variability in the degree of cognitive decline in older adults. The present study investigates whether variability in cognitive performance in community‐dwelling older adults is related to the presence of whole brain or tract‐specific changes in white matter microstructure. Specifically, we examine whether age‐related decline in performance on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), a cognitive screening tool, is mediated by the white matter microstructural decline. We also examine if this relationship is driven by the presence of cardiovascular risk factors or variability in cerebral arterial pulsatility, an index of cardiovascular risk. Sixty‐nine participants (aged 43–87) completed behavioral and MRI testing including T1 structural, T2‐weighted FLAIR, and diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) sequences. Measures of white matter microstructure were calculated using diffusion tensor imaging analyses on the DWI sequence. Multiple linear regression revealed that MoCA scores were predicted by radial diffusivity (RaD) of white matter beyond age or other cerebral measures. While increasing age and arterial pulsatility were associated with increasing RaD, these factors did not mediate the relationship between total white matter RaD and MoCA. Further, the relationship between MoCA and RaD was specific to participants who reported at least one cardiovascular risk factor. These findings highlight the importance of cardiovascular risk factors in the presentation of cognitive decline in old age. Further work is needed to establish whether medical or lifestyle management of these risk factors can prevent or reverse cognitive decline in old age.     

中小学生欺侮行为方式与特点研究

目的　了解中小学生欺侮行为的方式与特点。方法　采用自编的欺侮问卷对 1 1～ 1 6岁 6 88名学生进行调查。结果　 1 1～ 1 6岁学生主要以直接欺侮尤其是直接言语欺侮为主 ,间接欺侮的方式应用较少 ;教室、上学与回家途中等地点极易发生欺侮行为 ;男生欺侮女生较多地采用直接身体欺侮的方式 ;而女生欺侮男生较多地采用直接言语欺侮的方式 ;随着年龄增长 ,受欺侮和欺侮他人的比例呈现下降的趋势 ,小学比初中要高 ,卷入欺侮行为的程度也更严重。男生卷入欺侮他人的程度比女生严重 ,而在受欺侮程度上 ,男生和女生间未见显著性差异。结论　欺侮行为在中小学生中具有普遍性 ,应引起教育工作者足够的重视。     

Age-specific correlation analysis of longitudinal physical fitness levels in men

Summary This study investigated the age-specific tracking of adult health- and performance-related fitness scores. In addition, the independent contribution of adolescent physical characteristics to the explanation of adult fitness scores was also studied. The sample consisted of 173 adults observed at age 30 years. These subjects had been followed at annual intervals from age 13 to age 18 years and were remeasured at age 30 years. At each age nine fitness tests were administered together with the recording of anthropometric dimensions, biological maturation, sports participation and family characteristics. Tracking was measured by the inter-age correlations at each age between 13 and 18 years and the performance scores at 30 years. The independent contribution of characteristics observed during adolescence to the explanation of adult fitness was investigated through stepwise multiple regression analysis and discriminant analysis with the adult fitness scores as the dependent variables and the fitness, maturation, anthropometric characteristics, sports participation and family background as the independent variables. Tracking between age 13 and age 30 years was moderately high (46% of variance explained) for flexibility, low to moderate (between 19% and 27% of variance explained) for the other fitness parameters and low for pulse recovery and static strength (70% to 11% of variance explained). Between age 18 and age 30 years the tracking was high for flexibility, moderately high for explosive and static strength, and moderate for the other fitness parameters except for pulse recovery. The amount of variance of adult fitness levels explained increased significantly when other characteristics observed during adolescence entered the regressions or discriminant functions. This indicated that in addition to fitness scores, anthropometric dimensions, and skeletal maturation, behavioural characteristics also added significantly to the prediction of adult fitness levels.     

Acknowledgements

A surveyor's flexicurve has been used to measure kyphosis and lordosis in a cross-sectional study of men and women aged 20–90 years. No age effect was found in men aged 20–59 years or in women aged 20–49 years. Linear regressions showed an increase in kyphosis with age in older men and women. Various indices were examined to test their suitability as estimates of kyphosis. Lordosis was absent in an increasingly large proportion of men and women as age rose above 60 years.