Effect of auditory training on the middle latency response in children with (central) auditory processing disorder

The purpose of this study was to determine the middle latency response (MLR) characteristics (latency and amplitude) in children with (central) auditory processing disorder [(C)APD], categorized as such by their performance on the central auditory test battery, and the effects of these characteristics after auditory training. Thirty children with (C)APD, 8 to 14 years of age, were tested using the MLR-evoked potential. This group was then enrolled in an 8-week auditory training program and then retested at the completion of the program. A control group of 22 children without (C)APD, composed of relatives and acquaintances of those involved in the research, underwent the same testing at equal time intervals, but were not enrolled in the auditory training program. Before auditory training, MLR results for the (C)APD group exhibited lower C3-A1 and C3-A2 wave amplitudes in comparison to the control group [C3-A1, 0.84 µV (mean), 0.39 (SD - standard deviation) for the (C)APD group and 1.18 µV (mean), 0.65 (SD) for the control group; C3-A2, 0.69 µV (mean), 0.31 (SD) for the (C)APD group and 1.00 µV (mean), 0.46 (SD) for the control group]. After training, the MLR C3-A1 [1.59 µV (mean), 0.82 (SD)] and C3-A2 [1.24 µV (mean), 0.73 (SD)] wave amplitudes of the (C)APD group significantly increased, so that there was no longer a significant difference in MLR amplitude between (C)APD and control groups. These findings suggest progress in the use of electrophysiological measurements for the diagnosis and treatment of (C)APD.

Acute effects of resistance exercise and intermittent intense aerobic exercise on blood cell count and oxidative stress in trained middle-aged women

The aim of this study was to compare the effect of an intermittent intense aerobic exercise session and a resistance exercise session on blood cell counts and oxidative stress parameters in middle-aged women. Thirty-four women were selected and divided into three groups: RE group (performing 60 min of resistance exercises, N = 12), spinning group (performing 60 min of spinning, N = 12), and control group (not exercising regularly, N = 10). In both exercise groups, lymphocytes and monocytes decreased after 1-h recuperation (post-exercise) compared to immediately after exercise (P < 0.05). Immediately after exercise, in both exercised groups, a significant increase in TBARS (from 16.5 ± 2 to 25 ± 2 for the spinning group and from 18.6 ± 1 to 28.2 ± 3 nmol MDA/mL serum for the RE group) and protein carbonyl (from 1.0 ± 0.3 to 1.6 ± 0.2 for the spinning group and from 0.9 ± 0.2 to 1.5 ± 0.2 nmol/mg protein for the RE group) was observed (P < 0.05). A decrease in antioxidant activities (non-protein sulfhydryl, superoxide dismutase, catalase) was also demonstrated with a negative correlation between damage markers and antioxidant body defenses (P < 0.05). These results indicate that an acute bout of intermittent or anaerobic exercise induces immune suppression and increases the production of reactive oxygen species, causing oxidative stress in middle-aged and trained women. Furthermore, we demonstrated that trained women show improved antioxidant capacity and lower oxidative damage than sedentary ones, demonstrating the benefits of chronic regular physical activity.

Reliability and validity of heart rate variability threshold assessment during an incremental shuttle-walk test in middle-aged and older adults

Studies on the assessment of heart rate variability threshold (HRVT) during walking are scarce. We determined the reliability and validity of HRVT assessment during the incremental shuttle walk test (ISWT) in healthy subjects. Thirty-one participants aged 57 ± 9 years (17 females) performed 3 ISWTs. During the 1st and 2nd ISWTs, instantaneous heart rate variability was calculated every 30 s and HRVT was measured. Walking velocity at HRVT in these tests (WV-HRVT1 and WV-HRVT2) was registered. During the 3rd ISWT, physiological responses were assessed. The ventilatory equivalents were used to determine ventilatory threshold (VT) and the WV at VT (WV-VT) was recorded. The difference between WV-HRVT1 and WV-HRVT2 was not statistically significant (median and interquartile range = 4.8; 4.8 to 5.4 vs4.8; 4.2 to 5.4 km/h); the correlation between WV-HRVT1 and WV-HRVT2 was significant (r = 0.84); the intraclass correlation coefficient was high (0.92; 0.82 to 0.96), and the agreement was acceptable (-0.08 km/h; -0.92 to 0.87). The difference between WV-VT and WV-HRVT2 was not statistically significant (4.8; 4.8 to 5.4 vs 4.8; 4.2 to 5.4 km/h) and the agreement was acceptable (0.04 km/h; -1.28 to 1.36). HRVT assessment during walking is a reliable measure and permits the estimation of VT in adults. We suggest the use of the ISWT for the assessment of exercise capacity in middle-aged and older adults.

A three-phase epidemiological study of short and long sleepers in a middle-aged Chinese population: prevalence and characteristics

Epidemiological studies of short and long sleepers have not been conducted previously. We collected socioeconomic, psychological, and polysomnographic characteristics of 6501 parents (3252 men and 3249 women) of 4036 primary school children in Guangzhou city. The study data were collected in three phases. The overall prevalence of short (5 h or less) and long (10 h or more) sleep duration was 0.52 and 0.64%, respectively. Long sleepers had higher Eysenck Personality Questionnaire neuroticism scores [odds ratio (OR)=1.224, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.047-1.409] and lower education levels (OR=0.740, 95%CI=0.631-0.849) than short sleepers. In the polysomnographic assessment, short, long, and normal sleepers (7-8 h) shared similar durations of Stage 3 sleep (short=25.7±10.7, long=20.3±7.9, and normal=28.0±12.8 min, F=1.402, P=0.181). In daytime multiple sleep latency tests, short sleepers (10/19, 52.6%) were more prone to have a short sleep latency (≤8 min) than long sleepers (2/23, 8.7%). In addition to different sleep durations, neuroticism might also contribute to differences between short and long sleepers in social achievements. Stage 3 sleep might be essential for humans. The short sleep latency (≤8 min) of short sleepers in multiple sleep latency tests should be interpreted cautiously, since it was of the same severity as required for a diagnosis of narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnia.

Intensity and physiological responses to the 6-minute walk test in middle-aged and older adults: a comparison with cardiopulmonary exercise testing

The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is a simple field test that is widely used in clinical settings to assess functional exercise capacity. However, studies with healthy subjects are scarce. We hypothesized that the 6MWT might be useful to assess exercise capacity in healthy subjects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate 6MWT intensity in middle-aged and older adults, as well as to develop a simple equation to predict oxygen uptake ( V ˙ O 2 ) from the 6-min walk distance (6MWD). Eighty-six participants, 40 men and 46 women, 40-74 years of age and with a mean body mass index of 28±6 kg/m2, performed the 6MWT according to American Thoracic Society guidelines. Physiological responses were evaluated during the 6MWT using a K4b2 Cosmed telemetry gas analyzer. On a different occasion, the subjects performed ramp protocol cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) on a treadmill. Peak V ˙ O 2 in the 6MWT corresponded to 78±13% of the peak V ˙ O 2 during CPET, and the maximum heart rate corresponded to 80±23% of that obtained in CPET. Peak V ˙ O 2 in CPET was adequately predicted by the 6MWD by a linear regression equation: V ˙ O 2 mL·min-1·kg-1 = -2.863 + (0.0563×6MWDm) (R2=0.76). The 6MWT represents a moderate-to-high intensity activity in middle-aged and older adults and proved to be useful for predicting cardiorespiratory fitness in the present study. Our results suggest that the 6MWT may also be useful in asymptomatic individuals, and its use in walk-based conditioning programs should be encouraged.

Poor sleep in middle-aged women is not associated with menopause per se

Whether sleep problems of menopausal women are associated with vasomotor symptoms and/or changes in estrogen levels associated with menopause or age-related changes in sleep architecture is unclear. This study aimed to determine if poor sleep in middle-aged women is correlated with menopause. This study recruited women seeking care for the first time at the menopause outpatient department of our hospital. Inclusion criteria were an age ≥40 years, not taking any medications for menopausal symptoms, and no sleeping problems or depression. Patients were assessed with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), modified Kupperman Index (KI), and Menopause Rating Scale (MRS). A PSQI score of <7 indicated no sleep disorder and ≥7 indicated a sleep disorder. Blood specimens were analyzed for follicle-stimulating hormone and estradiol levels. A total of 244 women were included in the study; 103 (42.2%) were identified as having a sleep disorder and 141 as not having one. In addition, 156 (64%) women were postmenopausal and 88 (36%) were not menopausal. Follicle-stimulating hormone and estradiol levels were similar between the groups. Patients with a sleep disorder had a significantly higher total modified KI score and total MRS score (both, P<0.001) compared with those without a sleep disorder. Correlations of the PSQI total score with the KI and MRS were similar in menopausal and non-menopausal women. These results do not support that menopause per se specifically contributes to sleep problems.

Interaction on the Page: Paratexts in two manuscripts of the Middle English Polychronicon

Tutkimuksessani tarkastelen myöhäiskeskiaikaisen maailmanhistoriateoksen, Ranulph Higdenin Polychroniconin, materiaalisia ilmentymiä. Vertailuun valittiin kaksi käsikirjoitusta, jotka sisältävät John Trevisan keskienglanninkielisen käännöksen kyseisestä teoksesta. Tutkielman lähtökohtana on ajatus, jonka mukaan käsikirjoitusten ja painettujen kirjojen välisistä eroista huolimatta myös ensin mainittuja voidaan tutkia kirjoina eli lukijan kohtaamina fyysisinä esineinä, jotka sisältävät varsinaisen tekstin lisäksi tekstuaalisia ja visuaalisia elementtejä, joilla tekstiä jäsennellään ja esitellään lukijalle ja jotka vaikuttavat lukijan lukukokemukseen ja ohjaavat lukuprosessia. Näiden elementtien kuvaamiseen ja analysointiin olen soveltanut Gérard Genetten parateksti-käsitettä, jonka käyttö käsikirjoitusten tutkimuksessa on toistaiseksi ollut vähäistä. Tutkielman tavoitteena on historiallisen pragmatiikan mukaisesti ottaa huomioon tekstien fyysinen ja sosiaalinen konteksti. Näkökulma painottuu vuorovaikutukseen kirjan tuottajien ja sen lukijoiden välillä, ja tutkielman tarkoitus on paitsi selvittää, millaisia elementtejä käsikirjoituksista löytyy lukijan lukuprosessia ohjaamaan ja tukemaan, myös tarkastella lukijoiden itsensä tekemiä merkintöjä. Tutkimustulokset osoittavat, että lukijoiden merkinnät noudattelivat osin samoja muotoja ja käyttötarkoituksia kuin kirjurien valmiiksi täydentämät elementit (esim. glossat) käsikirjoituksissa, mutta joitakin elementtejä täydennettiin mahdollisesti myös painettujen kirjojen myötä yleistyneiden käytäntöjen pohjalta. Analyysissani tarkastelen lähemmin myös teokseen liitettyjä esipuheita ja muita tekstejä tarkoituksenani selvittää, mitkä niistä voidaan luokitella parateksteiksi ja mikä merkitys niillä on kokonaisuuden kannalta. Tutkimuksessa kävi ilmi, että tekijän ja kääntäjän esipuheista löytyivät kaikki Genetten määrittämät kriteerit, kun taas aineiston toiseen käsikirjoitukseen sisältyvät muiden kirjoittajien tekstit eivät ole luokiteltavissa parateksteiksi, vaikka ne ulkoisesti sellaisilta vaikuttavat ja vaikka niistä on tullut paratekstien kaltainen kiinteä osa Polychroniconia.

Global booms and busts: how is Brazil's middle class faring?

Brazil's Post War economic history has been marked by inflationary booms and busts, which kept large parts of the population poor, as income distribution remained highly skewed, and most governments failed to put enough efforts and resources into education and health. That seems to have changed recently, as an increasing number of studies have shown considerable advances in the incomes of the lower and the middle classes. This essay examines those findings and puts them into a historical perspective, discussing earlier attempts and hopes of Brazilian policy makers to advance the welfare of the population. It concludes that while the last fifteen years have been remarkable for the country to achieve macroeconomic stability and while the increasing efforts of supporting the poor seemed to have been moving income distribution slowly towards a more equal level, there is still a long way to go. The 2008 world financial crisis also hit Brazil hard, but the recovery has been smoother and faster than in any OECD country. The impact of the current crisis may provide a good test as to the robustness of the previous trends to further the wellbeing of the poor and the middle class

A Diachronic Study of the Practises of Translation of Gerunds and Gerundives from Latin into Old English and Middle English in History Narratives

This is a philologically oriented thesis which studies the possible adoption of a grammatical feature from one language into another from historical linguistic perspective. The foci of the study are, on the one hand, the Latin gerund and gerundive and, on the other hand, the English gerund. The material of this study consists of excerpts from two British history narratives in Latin and from the Old English and Middle English translations of these history narratives. The British history narratives selected for the material of this thesis are the 8th century Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum by Bede and the 14th century Polychronicon by Ranulf Higden. Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum has been compared with its Old English translation from the 11th century, the author of which is unknown. The Polychronicon, on the other hand, has been compared with two different Middle English translations: one from the 14th century, by John Trevisa; the other from the 15th century, the author of which is also unknown. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate whether the gerund, which was adopted into English by the Middle English period, has been used to translate the Latin gerunds and gerundives. At the basis of the study is the hypothesis that the English gerund has been used to translate the Latin gerunds and gerundives at least occasionally. The methodology of this thesis consists of detailed and qualitative study of the primary material. The primary material has been studied from synchronic, diachronic and paratextual perspective. The results of this thesis confirm that the English gerund has occasionally been used to translate the Latin gerunds and gerundives. The instances that confirm with the hypothesis are so rare, however, that the relationship between the English gerund and the Latin gerund and gerundive seems to be indirect or at least enshadowed by wide-ranging grammatical differences.

Electrophysiological correlates of performance monitoring in middle and late adolescence

The ability to monitor and evaluate the consequences of ongoing behaviors and coordinate behavioral adjustments seems to rely on networks including the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and phasic changes in dopamine activity. Activity (and presumably functional maturation) of the ACC may be indirectly measured using the error-related negativity (ERN), an event-related potential (ERP) component that is hypothesized to reflect activity of the automatic response monitoring system. To date, no studies have examined the measurement reliability of the ERN as a trait-like measure of response monitoring, its development in mid- and late- adolescence as well as its relation to risk-taking and empathic ability, two traits linked to dopaminergic and ACC activity. Utilizing a large sample of 15- and 18-year-old males, the present study examined the test-retest reliability of the ERN, age-related changes in the ERN and other components of the ERP associated with error monitoring (the Pe and CRN), and the relations of the error-related ERP components to personality traits of risk propensity and empathy. Results indicated good test-retest reliability of the ERN providing important validation of the ERN as a stable and possibly trait-like electrophysiological correlate of performance monitoring. Ofthe three components, only the ERN was of greater amplitude for the older adolescents suggesting that its ACC network is functionally late to mature, due to either structural or neurochemical changes with age. Finally, the ERN was smaller for those with high risk propensity and low empathy, while other components associated with error monitoring were not, which suggests that poor ACe function may be associated with the desire to engage in risky behaviors and the ERN may be influenced by the extent of individuals' concern with the outcome of events.

Genesis and distribution of Mississippi Valley-type ore assemblages in Middle Silurian strata, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario /

Presently non-commercial occurrences of Mississippi Valley-type ore assemblages in the Middle Silurian strata of the Niagara Peninsula have been studied. Based on this detailed study, a new poly-stage genetic model is proposed which relates ore mineralization in carbonate environments to the evolution of the sedimentary basin. Sulphide ore mineralization occurred during two episodes: 1. During the late diagenesis stage, which is characterized by compaction-maturation of the sediments, the initial mineralization took place by upward and outward movement of connate waters. Metals were probably supplied from all the sediments regardless of their specific lithologies. However, clay minerals were possibly the main contributors. The possible source of sulphur was from petroleum-type hydrocarbons presently mixed with the sediments at the site of ore deposition. Evidence for this is the fact that the greatest abundance of ore minerals is in petroliferous carbonates. The hydrocarbons probably represent liquids remaining after upward migration to the overlying Guelph-Salina reservoirs. The majority of sphalerite and galena formed during this period, as well as accessory pyrite, marcasite, chalcopyrite, chalcocite, arsenopyrite, and pyrrhotite; and secondary dolomite, calcite, celestite, and gypsum. 2. During the presently ongoing surface erosion and weathering phase, which is marked by the downward movement of groundwater, preexisting sulphides were probably remobilized, and trace amounts of lead and zinc were leached from the host material, by groundwaters. Metal sulphides precipitated at, or below, the water table, or where atmospheric oxygen could raise the Eh of groundwaters to the point where soluble metal complexes are unstable and native sulphur co-precipitates with sphalerite and galena. This process, which can be observed today, also results in the transport and deposition of the host rock material. Breakdown of pre-existing sulphide and sulphate, as well as hydrocarbon present in the host rock, provided sulphur necessary for sulphide precipitation. The galena and sphalerite are accompanied by dolomite, calcite, gypsum, anglesite, native sulphur and possibly zincite.