Social Contexts of Mental Weil-Being in Later Life

Extending the preceding review, this commentary argues for serious attention to the social contexts of mental health of older adults in research and practice. Social gerontology research focuses primarily on summative or aggregate variables with little focus on mechanism, despite growing evidence that mechanisms as diverse as immunosuppression and expressed emotion influence mental health. Increased linkages between the macro-level and microlevel data are required to provide the theoretical models needed to shape practice. Current evidence is deemed sufficient, however, to alter the frameworks we use for both diagnosis and treatment.     

对诊断PADAM的游离睾酮指数的评估

目的 评价诊断中老年男子部分雄激素缺乏综合征（PADAM）的游离睾酮指数（FTI）.方法 对129例45岁以上健康男性的FTI进行年龄相关分析.以推算的游离睾酮（CFT）值为依据,对FTI进行有效性检验.结果 男子在中老年期FTI与增龄呈明显的负相关.FTI敏感性97.78%,特异性58.33%.结论 计算简单的FTI可用于PADAM病人的筛选和随访,尤其对70岁以上男子是血清FT较为有效的参数.     

角膜基质细胞体外长期培养过程中生物学特性的改变

目的 研究兔角膜基质细胞在体外长期培养传代过程中,细胞增殖能力和胞外基质表达水平的改变。方法 取体外培养兔角膜基质细胞,由光镜对各代细胞的形态学变化进行观测。通过对各代细胞生长曲线的绘制,得出其各自的群体倍增时间;MTT法比较各代细胞增殖能力的改变。RT-PCR和Western杂交检测各代细胞中Ⅰ、Ⅲ型胶原表达水平的改变;爱茜蓝法检测糖胺聚糖(GAG)的含量。结果 体外培养兔角膜基质细胞随着传代的进程,逐渐显现衰老的形态特征。细胞群体倍增时间由第7代起显著延长(P<0.01);MTT比色法的结果亦显示,第7代细胞的增殖能力开始大幅下降(P<0.01)。第9-11代时,Ⅰ、Ⅲ型胶原在mRNA和蛋白水平的表达都有明显减少(P<0.01),降至第1代细胞的30％左右;GAG的含量也降至40％左右。结论 兔角膜基质细胞经历长期体外培养后,细胞增殖能力和胞外基质表达水平显著下降,逐渐丧失原有的功能。但作为构建组织工程化角膜的种子细胞,在它的生物学特性未发生改变之前,经3次传代培养,获取的细胞量达到组织块消化所得细胞的240倍左右,已足以用于构建之用。     

咬肌与颅面形态的关系

目的探讨咬肌与颅面形态之间的关系，了解咬肌体积与邻近骨骼结构的大小及形态的相关性。方法对40例要求改变脸型者进行磁共振成像（MRI）测量，人体测量，头部正位、侧位和下颌骨曲面断层X线检查，测量并计算咬肌体积（MsV），测量头长（HL）、头宽（HB）、面长（FL）、面宽（FB）、下颌角间宽（IB）、下颌骨体长（CL）、下颌角切线长（MAL）、下颌角角度（JA），计算颜面形态指数FI（FL／FB）、头颅指数C（IHB／HL）。用SPSS11．5软件统计分析MsV与HI。HB、FL、FB、IB、CL、MAL、JA、FI、CI之间的相关性。结果MsV与JA呈明显负相关，与CL、MAL、IB、FB、HL呈明显正相关，与CL、FI、HB无明显相关性。结论咬肌肥大可能是方脸面型的成因之一，是影响面型的重要因素。     

当归对衰老小鼠脑组织细胞凋亡及胸腺指数的影响

目的：研究当归的抗衰老作用及作用机制。方法：用D—半乳糖诱导小鼠制成衰老模型，同时给予不同剂量的当归水煎剂，观察当归对脑组织细胞凋亡及胸腺指数的影响。结果：当归能明显抑制小鼠脑组织细胞凋亡，提高胸腺指数。结论：当归具有抗衰老作用。     

CHANGES IN PREJUNCTIONAL POTENCY OF B-HT 933 DURING AGING IN THE RAT VAS DEFERENS

1. Age-related changes in prejunctional alpha 2-adrenoceptors were examined in the rat vas deferens using pharmacological techniques. 2. B-HT 933 (1 x 10(-8) - 1 x 10(-6) mol/L) caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of isometric contractions (tetrodotoxin-sensitive) induced by stimulation with single field-stimulus pulses, in both the epididymal and prostatic regions of rat vas deferens. The concentration-response curve to B-HT 933 was shifted to the right with age in the prostatic regions of the vas deferens. 3. In high concentrations (10(-6) - 3 x 10(-4) mol/L), B-HT 933 caused concentration-dependent enhancement of the contractile response to stimulation and evoked spontaneous contractile activity. No significant difference in this postjunctional activity occurred with age in either the prostatic or epididymal regions of the vas deferens. 4. Schild analysis revealed no significant differences in pA2 values for the antagonisms of the prejunctional inhibitory effect of B-HT 933 by rauwolscine in either the prostatic or epididymal regions of vas deferens between young and old rats. 5. These results could be interpreted as a decrease in alpha 2-adrenoceptor number with age. The more marked decrease in the prejunctional inhibitor potency of B-HT 933 in prostatic regions of vas deferens with aging may be due to a smaller receptor reserve in this region of the vas deferens.     

The Effects of Depressed Affect on Functional Disability Among Rural Older Adults

This study investigates functional disability among some of the nation's most vulnerable older adults: rural Medicaid recipients. Data were provided by 221 older adults (mean age = 75.9 years; 82% women) who were receiving community-based long-term care services through Medicaid. Participants self-reported functional ability involving the completion of six basic activities of daily living (BADLs), three cognitive instrumental activities of daily living (IADLS), and four physical IADLs. Self-reports of depressed affect and the number of physical health conditions were also obtained. Path analysis was used to examine all of the associations among age, gender, number of chronic health conditions, depressed affect and functional disability. The tested model was significant [chi2 (DF = 3, n = 221) = 5.052, p = 0.168; TLI = 0.945; CFI = 0.992; RMSEA = 0.056] and explained 45.1% of the variance in BADL disability. Depressed affect significantly predicted disability in cognitive IADLs and physical IADLs, which predicted disability in BADLs. Age and gender had indirect effects on BADL, through their association with cognitive IADLs and physical IADLs. The number of chronic health conditions exerted both indirect and direct effects on BADL disability. Results are discussed within the context of the growing literature that suggests the importance of psychological variables as predictors of functional disability. Moreover, we discuss whether community-based long-term care is appropriate for older adults with high levels of functional disability.     

Pathologic laughter and crying in ALS: a search for their origin

Spells of laughter and crying are well known in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Since ALS occurs mostly in older age groups, this brings up the possibility that aging changes in the brain could play a causative role in the origin of such spells. To rule out or at least reduce the complicating factor of aging, a study was made of the incidence of pathologic laughter and crying in patients whose motor neuron disease had started before the age of 45 years. The data were collected from 73 such individuals, all with confirmed ALS. All told, 36 had experienced episodes of pathologic laughter and/or crying. Of these, 20 had bouts of both laughter and crying. 9 bouts of crying alone and 7 spells of laughter alone. Nearly all with such emotional spells had developed bulbar involvement with the illness. The youngest patient with spells was 31 when his illness began and 35 when he started to have bouts of crying.     

腹茧症的外科诊治现状

笔者复习相关文献，对腹茧症的病因、病理、临床特点、诊断及治疗等方面的研究现状作一综述，旨在加深临床医生对该病的认识。