Bodyweight change and cognitive performance in the older population.

Preservation of cognitive function is one of the major concerns in contemporary ageing societies. At the same time, overweight and obesity, which have been identified as risk factors for poor health development, have been increasing in many countries all over the world. This study examines the relationship between bodyweight change and cognitive decline in old age and it aims to determine whether and how changes in body mass index (BMI) affect the development of cognitive functioning in old age.

Foveal amplitudes of multifocal electroretinograms are larger following full-field electroretinograms.

Purpose: The clinical standards for multifocal electroretinograms (mfERG) call for adaption to normal room lighting before the mfERG begins. They specify that any assessments where bright lights are used, should be done after the mfERG to prevent excess stimulation of retinal cells. However, full-field electroretinograms (FFERG) are performed prior to mfERGs in some clinical settings.

Dyadic fertility decisions in a life course perspective.

This paper focuses on how couples arrive at joint decisions with regard to fertility behaviour. We build upon previous work on decision rules that couples might apply as heuristics in order to arrive at joint action in cases in which partners' fertility preferences differ. Previous research found either stronger effects of women's desires or symmetrical effects of both spouses' desires and net benefits associated with (further) children on proceptive behaviour.

Direct and indirect effects of unilateral divorce law on marital stability.

Previous research examining the impact of unilateral divorce law (UDL) on the prevalence of divorce has provided mixed results. Studies based on cross-sectional cross-country/cross-state survey data have received criticism for disregarding unobserved heterogeneity across countries, as have studies using country-level panel data for failing to account for possible mediating mechanisms at the micro level. We seek to overcome both shortcomings by using individual-level event-history data from 11 European countries (SHARELIFE) and controlling for unobserved heterogeneity over countries and cohorts.

Data Resource Profile: the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE).

SHARE is a unique panel database of micro data on health, socio-economic status and social and family networks covering most of the European Union and Israel. To date, SHARE has collected three panel waves (2004, 2006, 2010) of current living circumstances and retrospective life histories (2008, SHARELIFE); 6 additional waves are planned until 2024. The more than 150 000 interviews give a broad picture of life after the age of 50 years, measuring physical and mental health, economic and non-economic activities, income and wealth, transfers of time and money within and outside the family as well as life satisfaction and well-being.

Balbc/3T3 cell transformation response to extracts of organic air samples as seen by their survival in aggregate form.

Extracts of organic matter from samples of airborne particulate matter have been shown to possess components capable of transforming mammalian cells. This study was done to determine if Balbc/3T3 cells exposed to extracts of air samples could, unlike their normal counterparts, in the absence of a surface for attachment, divide on agar to form aggregates, and if these cells would demonstrate a dose-response phenomenon. Untreated and solvent treated control cells failed to form large aggregates and showed a decline in viable cell number over a 6-day period.

N-nitroso compounds: evidence for their presence in airborne particles.

Chemical, infrared, and thermal energy analyses have provided evidence for the presence of the N-nitroso functional group in extracts of airborne particles. The total molar N-nitroso concentrations in New York City air are equivalent to the total concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Since 90 percent of the N-nitroso compounds that have been tested are carcinogens, the newly discovered but untested materials may represent a significant environmental hazard.

Deposit and mobility of cadmium in a marsh-cove ecosystem and the relation to cadmium concentration in biota.

The study reported here presents the results of an investigation of a marsh-cove ecosystem heavily contaminated by cadmium. The most contaminated aquatic sediments were dredged in 1972-73, but the resuspension of the sediments and recycle of water from the dredge spoil resulted in reestablishment of a large contaminated sediment bed with concentrations very similar to those observed before dredging. The stability of the sediment concentrations and shallow depth of the cadmium in the sediments indicate that the deposit is relatively stable in agreement with the expectations based on the water chemistry of the system.

The effects of anemia on heme synthesis parameters during lead exposure.

The effects of anemia during lead exposures were studied using an infant baboon animal model. When the hemoglobin concentration was reduced to less than 70% of normal, a marked blood lead increase was observed and the free erythrocyte porphyrin value, aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity and reticulocyte counts increased. Special emphasis should be placed on nutritional effects in lead exposures.

Erythrocytic aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) activity as a biologic parameter for determining exposures to lead.

The results of this work demonstrate that a significant exposure to one of several lead compounds can be detected by the ALAD test without a concomitant rapid increase in blood lead concentration. Use of the ALAD test may effectively demonstrate the occurrence of excessive exposure at an earlier time than possible by the accepted blood or urine lead concentration measures. By comparing "early" and "steady state" values of PbB and ALAD, it was possible to derive an equation which can be used to determine an ultimate (steady state) value of PbB from an early (short-term) ALAD measurement.