Urinary excretion of free noradrenaline and adrenaline related to age,sex and hypertension in 265 individuals

Summary Urinary excretion of free noradrenaline and adrenaline during 24 h in 265 individuals was determined and related to sex, age, and hypertension as one indicator of the average sympathetic drive. Noradrenaline was found to correlate positively with age in healthy individuals. Noradrenaline and adrenaline were lower in healthy women than in men during the first half of life expectancy. Catecholamine excretion was similar in men and women in the second half of life expectancy. In hypertensive individuals, catecholamine excretion was slightly higher in the first half, and significantly higher in the second half of life expectancy. We assume that the differences in catecholamine excretion can contribute to the sex- and age-related differences in incidence of cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension and cornonary heart disease.Supported by Bundesinstitut für Sportwissenschaften, Köln-Lövenich, FRGDedicated to Professor Dr. W. Gerok on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

Dimensions of cervical vertebral bodies according to age and sex

Summary A biometric comparative roentgenological study of the cervical vertebral bodies was performed, according to age and sex, from lateral roentgenograms of 120 adult cervical regions. The sexual dimorphism already described by many authors was confirmed. The vertebral bodies of C2, C3, and C7 have the more variable structure according to age. The results of our measurements are in accordance with clinical findings and provide data on the structural changes of the cervical spine during ageing. In anthropological terms, the vertebral body of C2, in particular its antero-posterior diameter, is the best age indicator, irrespective of individual and exterior variables.

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Mesures des corps vertébraux cervicaux en fonction de l'âge et du sexe

Résumé Les auteurs ont réalisé une étude biométrique comparative des corps vertébraux cervicaux, en fonction du sexe et de l'âge, à partir de radiographies de la colonne cervicale de profil pratiquées chez 120 individus. On retrouve le dimorphisme sexuel net, déjà décrit par plusieurs auteurs. Les corps vertébraux de C2, C3 et C7 sont ceux dont la structure varie le plus avec l'âge. Les résultats de nos mesures sont en accord avec les constatations cliniques et précisent les données sur les changements structuraux de la colonne cervicale au cours du vieillissement. D'un point de vue plus strictement anthropologique, le corps vertébral de l'axis et plus précisément son diamètre sagittal, est le meilleur indicateur d'âge, indépendamment des facteurs extérieurs et individuels.

     

年龄、性别在幼鼠胸腺T细胞增殖中的作用

目的：分析年幼小鼠性别、年龄与CD3、CD4、CD8免疫参数表达的关系。方法：分离3—9周小鼠胸腺、脾脏T淋巴细胞，FACS分析细胞表面CD3、CD4、CD8的表达；CFSE标记后细胞，加入ConA、抗TCR抗体、PMA IONO刺激剂培养72小时，流式细胞仪分析的方法比较不同刺激剂作用下雌、雄小鼠T细胞的增殖。结果：结果胸腺和脾脏表面CD3、CD4、CD8的表达与性别无明显关系，6-9周小鼠脾脏CD3^ 细胞明显多于3—4周小鼠；胸腺细胞的增殖与年龄、性别无关，而3周雌性小鼠脾细胞对PMA IONO刺激后的增殖应答比雄性明显，4-6周雄性小鼠脾细胞的增殖能力强于雌性小鼠，7—8周雌性小鼠脾细胞对抗TCR抗体的应答能力明显减小。结论：免疫系统的雌雄异型可能早于青春期。     

不同年龄及性别健康成人血浆同型半胱氨酸的水平研究

目的: 分析不同性别及年龄健康成人的血浆同型半胱氨酸(Hcy)水平,明确健康人群Hcy的标准,为高Hcy血症的防治提供指导和依据。方法: 剔除高血压、脑卒中、冠心病等常见致血Hcy升高因素的健康体检人群,共738人,按不同年龄分为青(≤35岁)、中(≥36,<60岁)、老(≥60岁)3组,并按性别分为男女亚组,以循环酶法分别测定其血浆Hcy水平,进行比较。结果: 各年龄组男性均高于女性(P<0.01);同时男女各组Hcy均随年龄增加而升高,青、中、老组比均有显著差异(P<0.01);男性均数为13.26 μmol/L,女性为9.68 μmol/L,差异显著(P<0.01); 多数男性(73.21%)血Hcy水平在10.01-15.00 μmol/L间,多数女性(84.06%)小于10.00 μmol/L。 结论: (1) 健康成人血浆Hcy水平存在性别和年龄的差异,男性高于女性,并随年龄增加而逐渐升高。(2) 正常健康成人血浆Hcy水平高限的确定,应考虑性别及年龄因素。     

Psychomotor retardation and agitation in depression. Relationship to age, sex, and response to treatment

Patients with primary affective disorder who had either psychomotor agitation alone or psychomotor retardation alone were studied. Compared to psychomotor retardation, psychomotor agitation appears to be seen more frequently in women, older patients, and individuals who have a late onset to their illness. In addition, those with agitation alone appeared to have a better and faster response to electroconvulsive therapy.     

German experimental hepatitis B vaccine — Influence of variation of dosage schedule,sex and age differences on immunogenicity in health care workers

Summary Of the medical staff of our hospital 217 members at high risk for hepatitis B were immunized with an experimental hepatitis B vaccine and anti-HBs titers used to study the influence of two dosage schedules, age, and sex on immunogenicity. Participants were 34 years of age (mean; range, 20–61); they were divided into two groups and vaccinated three times. Group A received 42 µg HBsAg for each vaccination. Group B received 84 µg for the first and 21 µg for the second and third vaccinations. The seroconversion rate was 32.7% after the first, 78.8% after the second, and 95.7% after the third vaccination. The participants who failed to produce anti-HBs titer (3 IU/l;n=9) or whose anti-HBs titers were below 50 IU/l (n=31) were vaccinated a fourth time. Only mild side effects of injections were observed in a third of all participants, usually in the form of a sore arm.Between groups A and B there were no significant differences as far as the seroconversion rate and anti-HBs titer were concerned. Nonresponders plus low-responders accounted for 19%. Female participants produced a markedly higher anti-HBs titer than males, and the female/male ratio among non- and low-responders was 1:2; among nonresponders, 1:2.5. There was a negative correlation of the anti-HBs titer with the age of the participants. These results not only have practical consequences for revaccination policy, but also offer the opportunity to further study the genetic regulation of the immune response to a complex peptide antigen in man.Abbreviations anti-HBc antibody to hepatitis B core antigen - anti-HBe antibody to hepatitis B e antigen - anti-HBs antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen - HBsAg hepatitis B surface antigen - IU/l international units per liter - MSD Merck, Sharp, and Dohme     

Thermoregulation during exercise in relation to sex and age

Summary The thermoregulatory responses to 1 h exercise of 14 male (age range 18–65 year) and 7 female (age range 18–46 year) athletes and 4 (3 and 1 ) non-athletic subjects have been investigated in a moderate environment (T _db=21 C, T _wb=15 C and rh<50%) and analysed in relation to age, sex, and maximum aerobic power output (VO₂ max).The maximal sweat loss (M _{sw max}) under the given conditions was closely related (r=+0.90) to VO_{2 max} and for a given relative work load (%VO_{2 max}), rectal (T _re) and mean skin (¯T _sk) temperatures was the same in all subjects.Sweat loss (004d _sw) was linearly related to total heat production (H) and to peripheral tissue heat conductance (K) and if expressed in relative terms (%M _{sw max}) was linearly related to T _re. For a given T _re relative sweat rate was identical in the groups studied. From these results it would seem that during exercise T _re rises to meet the requirements of heat dissipation by establishing a thermal gradient from core to skin and stimulating sweating in proportion to maximal capacity of the system. Thus provided the thermal responses to work were standardised using the appropriate physiological variables, there was no evidence to be found for differences in thermoregulatory function which could be ascribed to sex or age.     

Administration of dehydroepiandrosterone enanthate to oophorectomized women - effects on sex hormones and lipid metabolism

Eight bilaterally oophorectomized women were given a depot injection of 200 mg DHEA-enanthate to study the effect on endocrine and lipid metabolism.

A decrease in sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and an increase in androstenedione was found 14 and 30 days after the injection. No changes could be detected in LH, FSH, oestrone, oestradiol or oestriol. Testosterone showed a tendency towards an increase. As compared to pre-treatment values, plasma lipids were unaltered after 30 days. A decrease in high density lipoproteins (HDL), cholesterol and in very low density lipoproteins (VLDL), free cholesterol, total cholesterol and phospholipids were seen in the lipid composition of the lipoproteins on day 30. These findings are in agreement with previous data reported after the administration of drugs with androgen-like effects. The relative fatty acid composition of plasma lecithin revealed only minor changes while the fatty acid composition of cholesterol esters indicated a decreased portion of essential fatty acids. These results suggest, in agreement with previous studies, an impaired endogenous cholesterol formation in the liver. The results from the analysis of the fatty acid composition of lecithin and cholesterol esters might indicate a decreased percentage of exogenous (dietary) cholesterol ester in plasma.     

Age, sex and strain differences in activity and habituation in SHR and WKY rats

The highly inbred strain of Wistar-Kyoto spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) and its normotensive, genetic control (WKY) were examined with respect to strain differences in spontaneous activity scores in a novel environment (small activity cage) and in ability to habituate to that environment. These behaviors were examined in experimentally naive rats, 197 SHR and WKY, males and females, at varying ages from 4 to 56 weeks, in order to determine whether there are sex and age differences in addition to the well-known strain differences in these behaviors. Total activity scores, determined in a 15 min test in the activity cage, were higher in SHR than WKY rats; females were significantly more active than males in either strain, and activity scores varied significantly with age both within strains and between strains. Ability to habituate to the test cage was determined by repeating the 15 min activity test at hourly intervals for three additional trials on the same day. The results indicate that the SHR, males and females and at all ages tested, habituate poorly if at all to the test cage as compared with WKY rats. Moreover, despite the variability of baseline activity scores (first trial) observed across ages, sexes and strains, the habituation patterns of either strain remained relatively fixed throughout the first year of life.     

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia responses to induced emotional states: effects of RSA indices, emotion induction method, age, and sex

The literature shows large inconsistencies in respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) responses to induced emotional states. This may be caused by differences in emotion induction methods, RSA quantification, and non-emotional demands of the situation. In 83 healthy subjects, we studied RSA responses to pictures and film fragments eliciting six different discrete emotions relative to neutral baseline stimuli. RSA responses were quantified in the time and frequency domain and were additionally corrected for differences in mean heart rate and respiration rate, resulting in eight different RSA response measures. Subjective ratings of emotional stimuli and facial electromyographic responses indicated that pictures and film fragments elicited the intended emotions. Although RSA measures showed various emotional effects, responses were quite heterogeneous and frequently nonsignificant. They were substantially influenced by methodological factors, in particular time vs. frequency domain response measures, correction for changes in respiration rate, use of pictures vs. film fragments, and sex of participants.     

Contributions of age,sex and degree of fatness on preferences and magnitude estimations for sucrose in humans

Comparisons of magnitude estimate scaling for six suprathreshold concentrations (0.056–1.0 M) of sucrose by fifth graders, college students, and elderly persons revealed a steeper function for the children but no differences between the other two groups. Higher preferences were reported by males than by females for the sweeter concentrations and degree of fatness was inversely correlated with preference. These data suggest that deficits in sensory coding are not produced by old age and that important differences in sweet preference exist between human males and females.     

Life events and depression. Part 1. Effect of sex, age and civil status

This is the first of three articles dealing with some basic aspects of the relationship between life events and depression, and is also one part of a larger study in which the possible impact of stressful events has been studied from a multifactorial point of view. Two-hundred and four patients suffering from a depressive disorder, consecutively admitted to the Department of Psychiatry of the Umeå University have participated in a study of life events carried out by means of a specially constructed life events inventory that was used as a guideline for a semistructured interview.The results of this part of the study show that there are no pronounced differences in the occurrence, or appraisal of life events between male and female patients. The more vulnerable, older patients have experienced significantly fewer life events, even of the fateful type, prior to the onset of depression. No difference was found between patients who were married or lived together with a partner and patients who were unmarried, separated, divorced or widowed except in the categories of events (e.g. ‘conflict’ events) which might have been the very reason for a separation or a divorce. The results are discussed in relation to other findings in the literature.     

Dehydroepiandrosterone and Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulphate in Atopic Allergy and Chronic Urticaria

The increasing amounts of evidence prove that sex hormones modulate different cells function, including mast cells and lymphocytes. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulphate ester (DHEA-S) are both the secretory products of adrenal glands and the most abundant hormones in the systemic circulation of humans, converted then into androgens and estrogens in the periphery. DHEA may affect production of Th1 and Th2- associated cytokines, suggesting their significance in diseases where imbalanced lymphocyte activity plays the essential role, also in atopic diseases. Reduced circulating concentration of these androgens has been demonstrated in patients with immune-inflammatory diseases, including atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome and asthma. It is unknown however, whether such changes contribute in any way to etiopathogenesis of the disorders, or are merely their consequences. Chronic urticaria, not included in the atopic triad, is a mast cell-dependent disease characterised by activation of autoimmune and inflammatory processes responding to different factors. Alterations in the immune-neuro-endocrine milieu may contribute to the development of the disease. It has been demonstrated that DHEA-S concentration is significantly lower in the peripheral circulation of patients suffering from chronic urticaria, as compared with healthy subjects. On one hand, this reflects some changes in hormonal homeostasis in the course of urticarial processes, yet on the other, suggests some possible role for this hormone in pathophysiology of the disease. In this brief review we present the available data on DHEA-S involvement in events associated with atopic allergy as well as chronic urticaria.     

Influence of training,sex, age and body mass on the energy cost of running

Summary To highlight the influences of age, sex, body mass (m _b) and running training on the energy cost of running (C _r) young basketball players [38 boys (BB) and 14 girls (BG), aged 14.2 (SD 0.3) and 12.2 (SD 1.9) years, respectively] were selected to be compared to middle-distance runners [27 men (MR) and 14 women (FR) aged 23.7 (SD 3.4) and 23.9 (SD 4.1) years, respectively]. TheC _r was measured during a maximal treadmill test. In each groupC _r and body mass (m _b) and body height were negatively and significantly correlated. A stepwise regression showed that among both the body dimensions measured,m _b was the most important factor in determining the variations ofC _r For the whole group (n=93) the correlation coefficient was 0.72 (P<0.0001). For a givenm _b, there was no significant difference between theC _r of BG, BB and MR: this result would support the hypothesis that the differences inC _r currently attributed to age, running training or sex differences are mainly related tom _b. On the other hand, for a givenm _b, FR showed a significantly lower Cr than the basketball players (P<0.01 for BG and BB) and than MR (P<0.05), thus suggesting that women decrease theirC _r as a response to running training more efficiently than do men.     

Sex,age and shock-intensity as factors in passive avoidance

Sex, age and shock-intensity were studied in a step-through passive avoidance test. In adult rats (140 days) males showed more inhibition of a previously punished approach response. No sex differences were observed in young adult animals (60 days). In prepuberal animals (30 days), on the other hand, it was the females which showed more response inhibition. In prepuberty females showed far more response inhibition than in adulthood. Even when using 1.6 mA as a reinforcer, only 17% of the adult females showed inhibition after punishment of the entering response.     

Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and cognition in midlife,post-menopausal women

The association between serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and cognition was assessed in 218 healthy, midlife, post-menopausal women, aged 55–65 years. In cross-sectional analyses, DHEAS level was not significantly associated with a standardized score of global cognition or with individual test scores from a comprehensive neuropsychological battery (all p-values >0.05). In longitudinal analyses of 176 women, DHEAS level was unassociated with cognition 2 years later or with 2-year change in cognition. These findings fail to support the view that DHEAS is substantially related to cognitive function in midlife, post-menopausal women.     

性别及年龄对外周血淋巴细胞中21号染色体分离的影响

目的阐明性别与年龄对体细胞中２１号染色体分离的影响。方法用细胞松弛素Ｂ处理不同年龄及性别正常人外周血淋巴细胞获得的双核细胞,以２１号染色体近着丝粒特异性探针进行荧光原位杂交,同时检测２１号染色体丢失及不分离。结果具有４个信号点的双核细胞数与年龄的相关系数为－０．３５（Ｐ＜０．０１）,２及６个信号点的双核细胞数与年龄的相关系数分别为０．１８和０．３８（Ｐ＜０．０１）,２１号染色体不分离数和微核细胞数与年龄的相关系数分别为０．５６（Ｐ＜０．０１）和０．７０（Ｐ＜０．０１）。结论在不同年龄正常人外周血淋巴细胞中,微核数随年龄的增加而增加。２１号染色体不分离与年龄的关系极显著,无论在体内还是体外,２１号染色体不分离远远高于丢失。不同性别体细胞２１号染色体不分离差异不大     

Sex differences in the acquisition of appetitively motivated learning in rats

Learning ability of male and female rats (70 and 100 days old) was compared on different learning tasks. No evidence was found for sex-related differences at the age of 70 days, but the 100-day-old males learned a discrimination task with chain schedules better than females. In a stimulus discrimination task females suppressed bar-pressing while males only reduced their response rates when wrong responses were punished with shock. Males and females failed to learn an active avoidance response. They only learned to terminate the shocks. Differences between 100-day-old males and females in the performance of the appetitively motivated tasks are explained by differences in food motivation.     

Disposition of oxazepam in relation to age,sex, and cigarette smoking

Summary The kinetics of single 30-mg oral doses of oxazepam were determined in 22 male and nine female volunteers aged 20–86 years. Oxazepam plasma concentrations were measured in multiple plasma samples drawn during 36 h after each dose. Mean kinetic variables in males and females, respectively, were: elimination half-life, 7.5 and 8.5 h; volume of distribution, 0.96 and 1.17 l/kg; clearance, 1.48 and 1.70 ml/min/kg. Sex differences were not significant, nor were any of the kinetic variables significantly related to age. However, oxazepam clerance increased significantly with heavier cigarette smoking (r=0.48,p<0.01). Mean clearance in smokers (1.98 ml/min/kg) was significantly higher than in non-smokers (1.23 ml/min/kg,p<0.01). Thus, smoking is a more important determinant of oxazepam clearance than age or sex.Supported in part by Grant Oc 10/4 from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Federal Republic of Germany; and Grant MH-34223 from the United States Public Health Service