Trajectories of health-related quality of life differ by age among adults: results from an eight-year longitudinal study

To date, only a few studies have assessed determinants of health trajectories using longitudinal health survey data. Multilevel models were used to estimate health-related quality of life trajectories and assess factors associated with variations among trajectories, controlling for mortality effects and cohort membership. Four biennial cycles (1996/97-2004/05) of the Canadian National Population Health Survey were used. Information for 13,665 respondents, including those who were subsequently institutionalized and/or died, was used. A typical life-course trajectory was concave with a slow decline until the age of 60, followed by a more rapid decline. Receiving social assistance, lower education and not being married had significant negative impacts on trajectories for young (age 18-39) and middle-aged (40-64). Chronic conditions and health behaviours such as smoking were important for seniors (65+). It is important to focus on the most relevant and important determinants of health in each phase of life.     

Self-reported rate of eating is significantly associated with body mass index in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes. Japan Diabetes Clinical Data Management Study Group (JDDM26)

We examined whether the rate of eating was associated with the body mass index and glycemic control status in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes (50% women, mean±SD age 59.4±7.5years). Rapid eating was significantly associated with body mass index (p=0.047). The body mass index of those who reported eating quickly was 0.8kg/m(2) higher than in individuals who reported eating at medium speed even after adjustment for known confounders. No significant association was observed between the rate of eating and HbA(1c). Our findings suggest an association between self-reported rapid eating and an elevated body mass index in patients with type 2 diabetes.     

A novel combined adjuvant for nasal delivery elicits mucosal immunity to influenza in aging

Since a combination of flt3 ligand plasmid (pFL) and CpG-oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN)³ as a dendritic cell (DC)-targeting double mucosal adjuvant elicited ovalbumin-specific secretory IgA (S-IgA) antibody (Ab) responses, we examined whether this double adjuvant could induce influenza-specific protective immunity in aged mice. A double adjuvant plus A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (PR8) hemagglutinin (HA) induced increased numbers of CD11b⁺ CD11c⁺ DCs and both CD4⁺ Th1- and Th2-type responses in the nasopharyngeal-associated lymphoreticular tissue, nasal passages and cervical lymph nodes. Further, increased levels of PR8 HA-specific S-IgA Ab responses were detected in the upper respiratory tact (URT) of aged and young adult mice given nasal PR8 HA with this double adjuvant. Thus, when mice were challenged with PR8 virus via the nasal route, both aged and young adult mice given nasal vaccine exhibited complete protection. Further, IgA-deficient mice nasally immunized with a double adjuvant influenza vaccine failed to provide protection against PR8 challenge. These results indicate that a nasal double adjuvant successfully induces PR8 HA-specific IgA Ab responses in both young adult and aged mice, which are essential for the prevention of influenza infection in the murine URT.     

Quality of life and leisure participation in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities: a thematic analysis of the literature

Purpose  

The aim of this systematic review was to document evidence of the association between leisure participation and quality of life (QoL) in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, and to identify the main factors that further clarify this relationship.     

Intrahepatic biliary epithelial cell damage and inflammation in portal tract in association with chronic colitis-harboring TCRalpha(-/-) mice.

BACKGROUND: Intrahepatic bile ducts are the target for inflammation in both primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). The mechanisms of biliary epithelial cell damage in both diseases are not clearly understood. Ulcerative colitis (UC) is one of the known complications in PSC. In this study, we assessed the possible influence of apoptosis inhibitor expressed by macrophages (AIM) on intrahepatic bile ducts in the chronic colitis-harboring condition by generating T cell receptor alpha-deficient (TCRalpha(-/-))xAIM-deficient (AIM(-/-)) double-knockout mice. METHODS: TCRalpha(-/-)xAIM(-/-) mice were generated by crossbreeding TCRalpha(-/-) mice with AIM(-/-) mice. At 24 weeks of age, mice were sacrificed to obtain liver tissues for pathological examinations, and blood was collected to study the serum levels of IgG, IgM and IgA. RESULTS: In female TCRalpha(-/-)xAIM(-/-) mouse livers, mixed cellular infiltration in the portal area and epithelial cell damage in bile ducts were observed, when compared with female TCRalpha(-/-)xAIM(+/-) and male TCRalpha(-/-)xAIM(-/-) mice. Inflammation in hepatic parenchyma was mild to none in all mice. In the female mouse group, the serum IgA level was relatively increased in TCRalpha(-/-)xAIM(-/-) mice compared to TCRalpha(-/-)xAIM(+/-) mice. CONCLUSION: The defect of AIM might be involved not only in colonic mucosal inflammation but also in portal inflammation, as well as in biliary epithelial cell damage in the livers of female TCRalpha(-/-)xAIM(-/-) mice.