Association between Accelerometer-Measured Light-Intensity Physical Activity and Cognitive Function in Older Adults

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate whether accelerometer-measured light physical activity (LPA) is associated with cognitive function and whether engaging in ≥3 h/day of LPA can reduce the chance of cognitive impairment among a sample of older adults in Taiwan.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

An outpatient department in a medical center.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants were community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years and older who were able to walk independently from September 2020 to March 2021.

MEASUREMENTS

A tri-axial accelerometer was used to measure LPA for 7 consecutive days, and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scale was used to assess the chance of cognitive impairment. Multiple linear regression model and binary logistic regression model were performed to examine the association between LPA and MMSE scores.

RESULTS

145 older Taiwanese adults (51.7% men; 81.2±6.8 years; 6.9% at chance of cognitive impairment) were included. After adjusting for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and wear time, we found that there was a significant association between LPA and cognitive function (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.64-1.65; P<0.001), and further found that those who engaged in LPA ≥3 h/day were at reduced chance of cognitive impairment compared with people who engaged in LPA <3 h/day (odds ratio [OR]: 0.16; 95% CI: 0.03-0.80; P=0.025).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that engaging in LPA ≥3 h/day could be viewed as a protective factor for maintaining cognitive function in older adults. We recommend further longitudinal research to elucidate the association between intensity-specific LPA and cognitive function.

Quantifying Collaboration with a Co-Creative Drawing Agent

This article describes a new technique for quantifying creative collaboration and applies it to the user study evaluation of a co-creative drawing agent. We present a cognitive framework called creative sense-making that provides a new method to visualize and quantify the interaction dynamics of creative collaboration, for example, the rhythm of interaction, style of turn taking, and the manner in which participants are mutually making sense of a situation. The creative sense-making framework includes a qualitative coding technique, interaction coding software, an analysis method, and the cognitive theory behind these applications. This framework and analysis method are applied to empirical studies of the Drawing Apprentice collaborative sketching system to compare human collaboration with a co-creative AI agent vs. a Wizard of Oz setup. The analysis demonstrates how the proposed technique can be used to analyze interaction data using continuous functions (e.g., integrations and moving averages) to measure and evaluate how collaborations unfold through time.

Use of the ages and stages questionnaire adapted for South Africa and Zambia

BACKGROUND

There are few readily available, relatively easy to use and culturally adaptable developmental assessment tools for young children in southern Africa. The overarching aim of this study is to test the psychometric properties, contextual appropriateness and cut-off scores across 21 age groups of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire Third Edition (Squires & Bricker, ) among a group of typically developing children in South Africa and Zambia through a combination of both caregiver-report and direct observations, and to compare children's performance across sociodemographic variables.

METHODS

The sample consisted of 853 children (50.5% Zambia, with 50.1% girls for Zambia and 50% girls for South Africa) aged 2 months to 60 months. Information on caregiver employment, education and household assets were also obtained.

RESULTS

The psychometric properties of the ASQ-3 in southern Africa are consistent with those found in the extant literature. Analysis of item difficulty at each age reveals adequate levels of difficulty for majority of the items, with exception of the problem solving domain where half of the items at 54 and 60 months have poor pass rates. Sociodemographic variables were significantly associated with children's performance: higher caregiver levels of education are associated with higher toddler scores on the personal-social domain and higher preschooler scores on the problem solving domain; children whose caregivers earn a salary have higher fine motor scores during toddlerhood and higher problem solving scores during preschool and children who attend preschools have higher gross motor scores during toddlerhood and higher fine motor scores during the preschool years.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings provide evidence to support the psychometric properties and feasibility of using the ASQ-3 in both South Africa and Zambia through a combination of caregiver-report and direct observations.

Effects of etravirine on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of warfarin in rats

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Warfarin is often used with etravirine (ETV) to prevent HIV-related thromboembolic events. As both warfarin and ETV bind to plasma proteins and are metabolized by hepatic cytochrome P450s, they are likely to interact. Hence, we evaluated the effect of ETV on the pharmacokinetics and blood clotting time of racemic warfarin in rats.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Two groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats, in which the jugular vein had been cannulated, were studied. The control group (n = 10) received 1 mg·kg(-1) racemic warfarin i.v., and the test group (n = 13) 1 mg·kg(-1) of racemic warfarin followed by 25 mg·kg(-1) ETV i.v. Serial blood samples were collected for up to 144 h and the blood clotting time (calculated as international normalized ratio [INR]) measured in blood plasma at each sample point. Plasma concentrations of R-warfarin, S-warfarin, R-7-hydroxywarfarin and S-7-hydroxywarfarin were measured by a LC/MS/MS method using a chiral lux cellulose-1 column. Pharmacokinetic parameters were analysed using non-compartmental methods.

KEY RESULTS

ETV significantly increased, by threefold, the systemic clearance and volume of distribution of S-warfarin, but not those of R-warfarin. ETV decreased the total AUC of warfarin, but had no effect on its elimination half-life. ETV also increased the systemic clearance of both R-7-hydroxywarfarin and S-7-hydroxywarfarin but only increased the volume of distribution of R-7-hydroxywarfarin. Interestingly, the effect of warfarin on blood clotting time (INR) was significantly increased in the presence of etravirine.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Our data suggest that etravirine may potentiate the anticoagulant effect of warfarin and this could have clinical significance.

A phase II trial of thalidomide plus tegafur/uracil for patients with advanced/metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC): Final report

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Background: Thalidomide (T) is an anti-angiogenic agent with modest activity in advanced/metastatic HCC. Tegafur/uracil (UFT) is an oral prodrug of 5-fluorouracil with activity against various gastrointestinal cancers. Metronomic chemotherapy has been shown to have anti-angiogenic and anti-cancer effect in preclinical and clinical models. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of the combination of T and metronomic UFT as first-line therapy for advanced HCC. Methods: Patients (Pts) with advanced HCC not treatable by surgery or other loco-regional therapies received T 100mg bid and UFT 125mg/m2 (based on tegafur) bid continuously. Treatment was continued in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Primary endpoint was response rate (RR) by RECIST; secondary endpoints were disease control rate (CR+PR+SD), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. Results: Between Jul 2006 and Jul 2008, 43 intent-to-treat pts (M/F 41/2, median age 55) were enrolled. Baseline characteristics were HBsAg(+)/anti-HCV(+)/both(+) /both(-) 31/6/1/7; AJCC stage II/III/IV 2/18/23; BCLC stage B/C 1/42; CLIP score ≤3/4 27/16; portal vein thrombosis 65%; extrahepatic metastasis 58%; prior local treatment 72%. There were 4 PR (9.3%) and 10 SD (23.3%), with a disease control rate of 32.6%. Median OS was 4.6 (95% CI, 3.5–7.3) months and median PFS was 1.9 (95% CI, 1.8–2.6) months. The OS and PFS for pts with CLIP score ≤3 were 7.6 and 2.6 months, respectively. Grade 3 leucopenia developed in 1 (2.3%) pt. The most common treatment-related grade 3 non-hematologic toxicities were somnolence (n=4, 9.3%), GI bleeding (n=3, 7.0%), and elevated transaminase (n=2, 4.7%). No grade 4 toxicities occurred. Conclusions: The combination of T with metronomic UFT is a well-tolerated regimen with moderate activity for advanced HCC, and worth further exploration in pts with CLIP score ≤3.

[Table: see text]

Phase II study of sequential non-cross-resistant chemotherapy using weekly 24-hour infusion of cisplatin, high-dose 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin (P-HDFL) followed by weekly docetaxel and irinotecan (DI) for recurrent or metastatic gastric cancer: an interim analysis

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Weekly 24-hour infusion of high-dose 5-FU and leucovorin (HDFL)-based regimens are highly effective for advanced gastric cancer (AGC). Although the response rate has been improved, the overall survival (OS) was not significantly prolonged. To prolong the OS, we designed a sequential chemotherapy strategy incorporating non-cross-resistant docetaxel and irinotecan (DI). All patients had patho/cytologically confirmed recurrent/metastatic chemonaive AGC, at least 1 measurable lesion, a fasting serum triglyceride level > 70 mg/dl, adequate hepatic, renal, and marrow functions. Induction regimen was P-HDFL (cisplatin 35 mg/m2, i.v. 24-hr, D1, 8; 5-FU 2600 mg/m2 and leucovorin 300 mg/m2, i.v. 24-hr, D1, 8, 15; every 4 wks), and consolidation regimen was weekly DI (docetaxel 30–35 mg/m2/wk, i.v. 30-min, then irinotecan 60–70 mg/m2/wk, i.v. 30-min, D1, 8, 15; every 4 wks). Patients with inferior conditions (prior Gr4 neutropenia or Gr3/4 infection, poor marrow reserve with delayed hemogram recovery, poor nutritional status or ileus) started with dose-modified DI (D: 30, I: 60 mg/m2/wk). For CR patients by P-HDFL, 3 cycles of DI were given; and for PR or SD patients, DI was continued till 2 cycles after CR, disease progression, or unacceptable toxicities. Between Jun. 2000 and Dec. 2005, 23 patients were enrolled (M:11, F:12) with a median age of 52 (37–68). Total 114 cycles (median: 6, range: 2–8) of P-HDFL were given. Overall RR was 60.9% (38–80%, 95% C.I.) with 3 CRs and 11 PRs. Gr3/4 toxicities: neutropenia (14%), infection (4.4%), thrombocytopenia (1.6%), diarrhea (5%), and vomiting (7%). Gr1/2 hand-foot syndrome was noted in 11% of cycles. Patients with CR, PR, and SD were treated with weekly DI regimen. Total 59 cycles (median: 4, range: 1–10) of weekly DI were given. Gr3/4 toxicities: neutropenia (30.5%), infection (13%), thrombocytopenia (2%), and diarrhea (17%). Median OS of the whole intent-to-treat group is 18 months (3 to 62+), and median OS of 14 responders of P-HDFL is 20 months (7 to 62+). This sequential non-cross-resistant strategy is very effective for prolongation of OS in advanced AGC.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Structure-based design of estrogen receptor-beta selective ligands

We present the structure-based optimization of a series of estrogen receptor-beta (ERbeta) selective ligands. X-ray cocrystal structures of these ligands complexed to both ERalpha and ERbeta are described. We also discuss how molecular modeling was used to take advantage of subtle differences between the two binding cavities in order to optimize selectivity for ERbeta over ERalpha. Quantum chemical calculations are utilized to gain insight into the mechanism of selectivity enhancement. Despite only two relatively conservative residue substitutions in the ligand binding pocket, the most selective compounds have greater than 100-fold selectivity for ERbeta relative to ERalpha when measured using a competitive radioligand binding assay.

Phylogenetic relationships of the monogenomic species of the wheat tribe, Triticeae (Poaceae), inferred from nuclear rDNA (internal transcribed spacer) sequences

Phylogenetic relationships of 30 diploid species of Triticeae (Poaceae) representing 19 genomes were estimated from the sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA. The ITS sequence phylogeny indicated that: (i) each genome group of species is monophyletic, concordant with cytogenetic evidence; (ii) Hordeum (I) and Critesion (H) are basal; (iii) Australopyrum (W) is closely related to Agropyron (P); (iv) Peridictyon (G), Heteranthelium (Q), and Dasypyrum (V) are closely related to Pseudoroegneria (S); (v) most of the annuals, Triticum s.l. (A, B, D), Crithopsis (K), Taeniatherum (T), Eremopyrum (F), Henrardia (O), Secale (R), and two perennials, Thinopyrum (J) and Lophopyrum (E), all of Mediterranean origin, are a monophyletic group. However, phylogenetic trees based on morphology group these Mediteranean species with various perennial lineages of the Arctic-temperate region. The molecular data and biogeography of the tribe suggest that the Mediterranean lineage is derived from the Arctic-temperate lineage and that the two lineages have evolved in parallel. Extensive morphological parallelism apparently obscures the true genealogical history of the tribe when only morphology is considered.

Molecular phylogeny of the Pooideae (Poaceae) based on nuclear rDNA (ITS) sequences

Phylogenetic relationships of the Poaceae subfamily, Pooideae, were estimated from the sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA. The entire ITS region of 25 species belonging to 19 genera representing seven tribes was directly sequenced from polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified DNA fragments. The published sequence of rice, Oryza saliva, was used as the outgroup. Sequences of these taxa were analyzed with maximum parsimony (PAUP) and the neighbor-joining distance method (NJ). Among the tribes, the Stipeae, Meliceae and Brachypodieae, all with small chromosomes and a basic number more than x=7, diverged in succession. The Poeae, Aveneae, Bromeae and Triticeae, with large chromosomes and a basic number of x=7, form a monophyletic clade. The Poeae and Aveneae are the sister group of the Bromeae and Triticeae. On the ITS tree, the Brachypodieae is distantly related to the Triticeae and Bromeae, which differs from the phylogenies based on restriction-site variation of cpDNA and morphological characters. The phylogenetic relationships of the seven pooid tribes inferred from the ITS sequences are highly concordant with the cytogenetic evidence that the reduction in chromosome number and the increase in chromosome size evolved only once in the pooids and pre-dated the divergence of the Poeae, Aveneae, Bromeae and Triticeae.This paper reports factually on available data; however, the USDA neither guarantees nor warrants the standard of the product, and the use of the name by USDA implies no approval of the product to the exclusion of others that may also be suitable.

Phylogenetic relationships of 10 grass species: an assessment of phylogenetic utility of the internal transcribed spacer region in nuclear ribosomal DNA in monocots

Entire sequences of the internal transcribed spacers (ITSs) and 5.8S subunit of nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) were obtained from nine grass species by direct double-stranded sequencing of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified DNA fragments. These sequences from subfamily Pooideae (Triticum aestivum, Crithodium monococcum, Sitopsis speltoides, Hordeum vulgare, Secale montanum, Avena longiglumis, Bromus inermis, Brachypodium distachyon) and subfamily Panicoideae (Sorghum bicolor) together with published ITS sequence of rice (Oryza sativa, Bambusoideae) were analyzed using Wagner parsimony (PAUP) and the neighbor-joining distance method to assess the phylogenetic utility of ITS sequences at various taxonomic levels. Among the aligned sequences that ranged from 588 to 603 nucleotides in length, 118 of 269 variable sites contained potential phylogenetic information. A member of Bromus, B. inermis, was the sister taxon to the Triticeae species. Brachypodium was more distantly related to Triticeae than was Bromus or Avena. These data, with Oryza sativa as the outgroup, indicate monophyly of the Pooideae species and of the members of the tribe Triticeae within Pooideae. Phylogenetic trees of the 10 grass species generated from the ITS sequence data were in general agreement with phylogenies based on molecular data from ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) of similar grass taxa. This study reaffirms that sequences of the ITS region are useful for phylogenetic inference among closely related monocot species.

Genomic and taxonomic relationships of Agropyron vaillantianum and E. arizonicus (Poaceae: Triticeae)

Agropyron vaillantianum (Wulf. &Schreber) Trautv. and E. arizonicus (Scribn. &Smith) Gould were studied to describe their (i) reproductive characteristics, (ii) meiotic behavior, (iii) genomic constitution, and (iv) correct taxonomic alignment based on genomic relationships. Both species were found to be self-fertile tetraploids (2n = 28) and behaved as strict allotetraploids averaging 14.00 and 13.77 bivalents per cell, respectively. The hybrids A. vaillantianum × Pseudoroegneria spicata (Pursh) A. Love, 2n = 14, SS, A. vaillantianum × E. trachycaulus (Link) Gould ex Shinners, 2n = 28, SSHH, and E. arizonicus × E. canadensis L., 2n = 28, SSHH, averaged 6.21, 12.56, and 12.60 bivalents per cell, respectively. Chromosome pairing in this series of hybrids demonstrated that A. vaillantianum and E. arizonicus contain the S and H genomes, with each taxon having a slight modification resulting from evolutionary pressures under different ecological parameters. On the basis of chromosome pairing and mode of pollination it is proposed that A. vaillantianum be treated in the genus Elymus rather than in the genus Agropyron, with the following new name combination: Elymus vaillantianus (Wulf. &Schreb.) K. B. Jensen comb.nov., based on Triticum vaillantianum Wulfen &Schreber. Elymus typically encompasses those species that are self-fertile, and contain the SH genomes. Elymus arizonicus has been correctly classified.Key words: genome, meiosis, chromosome pairing, cytology, interspecific hybridization, Elymus, Agropyron, and Triticeae.

Peripheral and central dopamine receptors in respiratory control

The role of peripheral and central dopaminergic mechanisms in respiratory control was studied in anesthetized cats. In one series, we simultaneously measured carotid chemoreceptor and ventilatory responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia before and after a saturation dose of intravenous domperidone, a peripheral dopamine (D2) receptor antagonist. Both carotid chemoreceptor and ventilatory responses were augmented by domperidone essentially in proportion, suggesting that they reflected the increase of peripheral chemoreceptor activity. Haloperidol which crosses into the brain from blood, given subsequent to domperidone, did not further affect carotid chemoreceptor responses but attenuated ventilatory responses to hypoxia without significantly altering those to hypercapnia. Thus, the additional ventilatory effect of haloperidol is mediated through central dopaminergic mechanisms involving peripheral chemoreflex pathway alone. In another series, the anesthetized cats were paralyzed and artificially ventilated to study carotid chemoreceptor responses to step increases in the end-tidal PCO2 before and after domperidone. Domperidone significantly augmented the responses to CO2. The results support the hypothesis that both peripheral and central dopaminergic mechanisms play a significant modulatory role in chemoreflex respiratory control.

A multiple-dose pharmacokinetic comparison of naproxen as a once-daily controlled-release tablet and a twice-daily conventional tablet

The bioequivalence and absorption kinetics of naproxen in a new controlled-release tablet (750 mg or 1,000 mg naproxen) administered once daily were determined relative to an equivalent dose of the conventional naproxen tablet (375 mg or 500 mg naproxen) administered q12h. Naproxen was well absorbed from the controlled-release tablet (about 90%) compared with the conventional tablet. Absorption was dependent on drug release from the tablet matrix. The mean absorption time of naproxen averaged 8.4 hours for the 750-mg controlled-release tablet and 9.2 hours for the 1,000-mg controlled-release tablet. Once-daily administration of the controlled-release tablet resulted in equivalent trough concentrations of naproxen, and steady-state plasma concentrations were maintained within narrower limits than with twice-daily naproxen.

Differentiation of H genomes in the genus Critesion: evidence from synthetic hybrids involving Elymus and Critesion and one natural hybrid of C. violaceum and C. bogdanii

Hybrids of Elymus canadensis (2n = 28; SSHH) × Critesion californicum (2n = 14) and E. canadensis × C. bulbosum (2n = 14) were synthesized at relative frequencies of 11.8 and 0.3%, respectively, by the aid of embryo rescue techniques. A natural hybrid was identified as C. violaceum × C. bogdanii (2n = 14) by a combination of karytotype analysis and plant morphology. Gross spike morphology of the hybrids was intermediate to that of the parents. Meiotic chromosome pairings in these hybrids suggested that the genome of C. californicum and C. bogdanii is more or less homologous with one of the two genomes of E. canadensis. Genomes of C. violaceum and C. bulbosum appeared to be different from each other and from those in C. bogdanii and C. californicum. Based on the data in this study and others, the degree of genome differentiation among some Critesion and some Elymus species containing the H genome was examined and discussed. The symbol H is proposed for the genome in C. bogdanii and C. californicum, Hv for C. violaceum, Hb for C. bulbosum, and Hc for C. chilense.Key words: interspecific hybrids, synapsis, phylogeny, Hordeum, Elymus, Critesion.

Peripheral chemoreceptors in respiratory oscillations

The hypothesis that instability of cardiorespiratory control may depend on the response and sensitivity of carotid body chemoreceptors to arterial blood gases was studied in anesthetized cats under three different experimental conditions. 1) Following administration of the peripheral dopamine receptor blocker [domperidone (0.6-0.8 mg X kg-1, iv)], carotid chemoreceptor activity and its sensitivity to CO2 during hypoxia increased, leading to cardiorespiratory oscillations at low arterial PO2 in four of eight cats. Inhalation of 100% O2 promptly decreased chemoreceptor activity and eliminated the oscillations. Inhalation of CO2 stimulated the chemoreceptor activity and ventilation but did not eliminate the oscillations. Bilateral section of carotid sinus nerves abolished the cardiorespiratory oscillations. The implication is that the dopaminergic system in the carotid body keeps chemoreceptor responses to blood gas stimuli suppressed and hence cardiorespiratory oscillations damped. 2) Hypotension and circulatory delay induced by the partial occlusion of venous return led to cardiorespiratory oscillations at low but not at high arterial PO2. 3) A few cats developed cardiorespiratory oscillations without any particular experimental intervention. These oscillations were independent of arterial PO2 and chemoreceptor activity. Thus it is reasonable to conclude that the peripheral chemoreflex can play a critical role in developing cardiorespiratory oscillations in certain instances.

Properties of bursicon: an insect protein hormone that controls cuticular tanning

On gel filtration the retention volume of bursicon indicates a molecular weight of about 40,000. On disc electrophoresis bursicon migrates toward the anode and appears at an R(F) (relative to the marker dye) of 0.3 to 0.4. The properties of fractions with bursicon activity in blood, brain, and ganglion of a fly (Sarcophaga bullata), and in blood, ganglion, and corpora cardiaca of a roach (Periplaneta americana) are similar, but not identical. Bursicon in the blood is more heat labile, and the activity in brain and corpora cardiaca shows two peaks in electrophoresis, instead of one as in the other fractions.