Appendicular Lean Mass, Grip Strength, and the Development of Hospital-Associated Activities of Daily Living Disability among Older Adults in the Health ABC Study

Background Half of all physical disability, including activity of daily living (ADL) disability, among older adults occurs in the setting of hospitalization. This study examines whether appendicular lean mass (ALM) and grip strength, which are commonly included in various definitions of sarcopenia, are associated with development of hospital-associated ADL disability in older adults in the Health ABC Study. Methods Individuals hospitalized during the first 5 years of follow-up (n=1,724) were analyzed. ALM to body mass index (BMI) ratio (ALMBMI), by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and grip strength, by hand-held dynamometery, were assessed annually. Development of new ADL disability was assessed at the time of the next annual assessment after hospitalization. Separate regression analyses modeled the association of pre-hospitalization ALMBMI or grip strength with death before the next scheduled annual assessment. Next, among those who survived to the next annual assessment, separate regression analyses modeled the association of ALMBMI or grip strength with development of ADL disability. Results Each standard deviation decrement in pre-hospitalization grip strength was associated with an adjusted 1.80 odds of new ADL disability at follow-up (95% CI: 1.18, 2.74). Low, compared to not low, grip strength (per FNIH definition) was associated with an adjusted 2.36 odds of ADL disability at follow-up (95% CI: 1.12, 4.97). ALM measures were not associated with development of hospital-associated ADL disability. ALM and grip strength measures were not associated with death. Conclusions Pre-hospitalization lower grip strength may be an important risk factor for ADL disability among older adult survivors of hospitalization.

Increase of wear resistance of crankshafts of timber transport machines

The paper considers the technological process of restoration of crankshaft necks by plasma spraying with wear-resistant thermoreacting powder PG-NA80. Wear of the crankshaft necks during operation requires repair, restoration or replacement of this part. As a result of the literature analysis, plasma spraying was found to be the most optimal and relatively inexpensive method of crankshaft recovery. The purpose of our work is to investigate the wear resistance properties of the sprayed coating and the search for op-optimal parameters of its application process. The sprayed coatings were studied according to two parameters: joint strength and wear resistance. For the study, experimental equipment of the plasma spraying laboratory of the department was used. As a result of the experimental study, separate regression equations of the effect of the main factors of plasma spraying on relative wear resistance were obtained. A comparison of physical, mechanical and tribotechnical characteristics showed an improvement in the properties of coatings by 8-12% obtained from thermoreacting powder in comparison with traditional PGSR-4 and PN55T45. Analysis of the obtained research results showed that this technological process can be effectively used to restore worn out crankshafts of forestry vehicles.

Math predictors of numeric health and non-health decision-making problems

People frequently encounter numeric information in medical and health contexts. In this paper, we investigated the math factors that are associated with decision-making accuracy in health and non-health contexts. This is an important endeavor given that there is relatively little cross-talk between math cognition researchers and those studying health decision making. Ninety adults (M = 37 years; 86% White; 51% male) answered hypothetical health decision-making problems, and 93 adults (M = 36 years; 75% White; 42% males) answered a non-health decision-making problem. All participants were recruited from an online panel. Each participant completed a battery of tasks involving objective math skills (e.g., whole number and fraction estimation, comparison, arithmetic fluency, objective numeracy, etc.) and subjective ratings of their math attitudes, anxiety, and subjective numeracy. In separate regression models, we identified which objective and subjective math measures were associated with health and non-health decision-making accuracy. Magnitude comparison accuracy, multi-step arithmetic accuracy, and math anxiety accounted for significant variance in health decision-making accuracy, whereas attention to math, as illustrated in open-ended strategy reports, was the only significant predictor of non-health decision-making accuracy. Importantly, reliable and valid measures from the math cognition literature were more strongly related to health decision-making accuracy than were commonly used subjective and objective measures of numeracy. These results have a practical implication: Understanding the math factors that are associated with health decision-making performance could inform future interventions to enhance comprehension of numeric health information.

Honeybee workers with higher reproductive potential have a greater learning ability

Learning ability, which allows individuals to adjust their behaviour to changing environmental conditions, has a considerable positive impact on individual fitness. However, in addition to benefits, learning also incurs a cost, which means that investment in learning and maintaining learned skills can lead to trade-offs impacting other biological functions. Here, we tested whether a trade-off exists between learning skills and reproductive potential in honeybee workers. For this purpose, we compared learning ability between two groups of workers that differed in reproductive potential—normal and rebel workers. The results showed that workers with high reproductive potential (rebels), measured according to the number of ovarioles in the ovary, learned faster than normal workers with low reproductive potential. Moreover, by performing separate regression analyses within the rebel and non-rebel worker groups, we found that the reproductive potential of workers was positively correlated with their learning ability. The results show that in honeybees, there is no trade-off in resource allocation between two costly biological functions, learning and reproduction.

Multivariate prediction of mixed, multilevel, sequential outcomes arising from in vitro fertilisation

In vitro fertilisation (IVF) comprises a sequence of interventions concerned with the creation and culture of embryos which are then transferred to the patient’s uterus. While the clinically important endpoint is birth, the responses to each stage of treatment contain additional information about the reasons for success or failure. As such, the ability to predict not only the overall outcome of the cycle, but also the stage-specific responses, can be useful. This could be done by developing separate models for each response variable, but recent work has suggested that it may be advantageous to use a multivariate approach to model all outcomes simultaneously. Here, joint analysis of the sequential responses is complicated by mixed outcome types defined at two levels (patient and embryo). A further consideration is whether and how to incorporate information about the response at each stage in models for subsequent stages. We develop a case study using routinely collected data from a large reproductive medicine unit in order to investigate the feasibility and potential utility of multivariate prediction in IVF. We consider two possible scenarios. In the first, stage-specific responses are to be predicted prior to treatment commencement. In the second, responses are predicted dynamically, using the outcomes of previous stages as predictors. In both scenarios, we fail to observe benefits of joint modelling approaches compared to fitting separate regression models for each response variable.

A-10 Self-Reported Post-Concussive Symptom Levels as Predictors of Performance Validity in a Sample of Active Duty Service Members with a History of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Objective The study investigated the relationship between levels of symptom reporting and performance validity testing (PVT) in Active Duty Service Members (ADSM) with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Method A total of 70 ADSM with a history of mTBI completed the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI); the PTSD Check List for DSM-5 (PCL-5), Headache Impact Test (HIT-6), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ8), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C); and a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation including the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM). A multiple regression was conducted with all self-reported symptom questionnaires as predictors of PVT performance. To further explore this relationship, the four NSI subscales (affective, cognitive, vestibular, somatosensory) plus the mild Brain Injury Atypical Symptoms (mBIAS) subscore were entered into a separate regression analysis. Results The NSI was the only significant predictor of TOMM Trial 1 performance (TOMMT1; R2 = .272, F(6,58) = 3.606, p < .01; β = −.615, p > .01). When the four NSI subscales (affective, cognitive, vestibular, somatosensory) plus the mild Brain Injury Atypical Symptoms (mBIAS) subscore were entered into a separate regression analysis, only the somatosensory subscore emerged as a significant predictor of TOMMT1 (R2 = .208, F(5,63) = 3.317, p < .05; β = −.384, p > .05). Conclusions Results suggest that performance validity measures in ADSM with mTBI may at times be more strongly influenced by patients’ health concerns than by overt dissimulation.

Do Early Antenatal Booking Predicts Maternal Services Utilization? An Analysis of Data from the 2015-16 Tanzania HIV and Malaria Indicators Survey

Background Optimizing maternal and neonatal health requires adequate use of antenatal services which have both curative and preventive services. Little is known on the influence of early antenatal booking on maternal services utilization in Tanzania. Method: The study used data from the 2015-16 Tanzania HIV Demographic and Health Survey and Malaria Indicators Survey (2015-16 TDHS-MIS). A total of 6924 women of active reproductive age from 15 to 49 were included in the analysis. Both univariate and multiple regression analyses were used to determine the association between early antenatal booking and maternal services utilization. Separate regression analysis was done for each antenatal service to establish the influence of early antenatal booking on antenatal services. Results Only 1586(22.9%) of pregnant women had early antenatal booking. After adjusting for confounders, there was a significant association between early antenatal booking and ever took iron supplement AOR = 1.603 at 95% CI = 1.362–1.887; ever took anti malaria, AOR = 1.495 at 95% CL = 1.306–1.712; ever took de-worming drugs; AOR = 1.404 at 95% CI = 1.24–1.59; adequate TT vaccination, AOR = 1.393 at 95% CI = 1.234–1.571, p < 0.001; ever checked blood pressure, AOR = 1.496 at 95% CI = 1.297–1.726; ever donated urine sample, AOR = 1.728 at 95% CI = 1.513–1.975; ever donated blood sample, AOR = 1.596 at 95% CI = 1.312–1.942 and adequate antenatal visits, AOR = 6.260 at 95% CI = 5.433–7.212. Conclusion The majority of pregnant women in Tanzania initiate antenatal clinics late in their pregnancy. Early antenatal booking showed a significant association with the utilization of maternal services during pregnancy. Innovative interventional studies are highly recommended to come up with cost-effective strategies which will improve timing for antenatal booking and hence use of the available maternal services in Tanzania

Correlates of Fear of Victimization Among College Students in Spain: Gender Differences and Similarities

Past studies that have analyzed fear of victimization using samples composed of men and women have most frequently controlled for the effect of gender. This study not only controls for the effect of gender, but also examines how the predictors of fear of victimization may vary across gender. To do so, separate regression models for men and women were estimated and the corresponding z tests were calculated for the purpose of analyzing whether the differences between genders were significant. The results showed that women scored higher on the general fear of crime victimization scale, as well as for fear of becoming victims of each of the specific crimes under study. Religiosity had an equally significant effect on men and women’s fear of victimization. Also, younger participants were more likely to fear being victims in the cases of both men and women, although this effect was even more pronounced among women. In addition, respondents’ fear of victimization differed across gender based on sexual orientation. Finally, the results showed a few variables (political orientation and sexual victimization) that were only significant in the case of women, but not of men. The findings of this study confirm that fear of victimization and its predictors vary between women and men.

The Influence of Biological Maturity on Sprint Speed, Standing Long Jump, and Vaulting Performance in Young Female Gymnasts

Purpose: To quantify speed, peak momentum, standing long jump (SLJ), and the ratio of vertical to horizontal take-off velocity (Ratiovert–hori TOV) in young female gymnasts of different maturity status and their influence on vaulting vertical TOV. Methods: One hundred twenty gymnasts age 5–14 years were subdivided into maturity groupings using percentage of predicted adult height. Participants performed three 20-m sprints, SLJ, and straight jump vaults that were recorded using 2-dimensional video and analyzed using digitizing software. Results: All speed intervals, peak speed, peak momentum, SLJ distance, vault height, and vertical TOV increased between the early prepubertal and late prepubertal (P < .001; d = 0.65–1.10) and early prepubertal and pubertal (P < .001; d = 0.75–1.00) groups. No differences between these metrics were observed between the 2 most mature groups (d = 0.01–0.55). Multiple regression analyses revealed peak speed had the strongest association with vertical TOV (R2 = 59%) and also identified the Ratiovert–hori as a secondary determinant (R2 = 12%). A separate regression model indicated that maturity status (percentage of predicted adult height) moderately influences vertical TOV during vaulting (R2 = 41%). Conclusion: Speed and SLJ performance increase between the early prepubertal and late prepubertal years in young female gymnasts. However, given that peak speed and Ratiovert–hori combined to explain 71% of the total variance in vaulting vertical TOV, in order to increase aerial time for more advanced vaulting, practitioners should attempt to enhance peak speed alongside takeoff technique to develop gymnasts’ ability to transfer linear speed to vertical TOV.

Motivation for Exergame Play Inventory: Construct validity and relationship to game play

The purpose of this study was to develop the Motivation for Exergame Play Inventory (MEPI) as a publicly available and validated measure of psychological and motivational constructs specific to increase the duration of exergame play. This study is an ancillary analysis of data from a randomized trial of sixty-one adolescents assigned to one of four exergames to play in their home for 4 weeks. Parents provided baseline demographic information. Adolescents completed the MEPI at the end of week 1 and completed game logs to record exergame play over the four weeks. Factor analysis with varimax rotation was used to determine the number of distinct composite factors within the MEPI. Cronbach’s alpha assessed internal consistency of each resulting factor. Separate regression models were used to examine the association of each factor with total game play over 4 weeks. Twenty-two of 28 items were retained in the MEPI to measure five distinct constructs of motivation: sensory immersion/flow, user control, goals of the game, performance feedback, and challenge/difficulty. Sensory immersion/flow and user control were each significantly associated with total game play. Evidence of construct validity for the MEPI was demonstrated. The MEPI appears to be a promising tool to assess players’ motivation for exergaming, an important contributor to sustained physically active game play.