Longitudinal measurement invariance of neuropsychological tests in a diverse sample from the ELSA-Brasil study

Objective: Longitudinal measurement invariance analyses are an important way to assess a test's ability to estimate the underlying construct over time, ensuring that cognitive scores across visits represent a similar underlying construct, and that changes in test performance are attributable to individual change in cognitive abilities. We aimed to evaluate longitudinal measurement invariance in a large, social and culturally diverse sample over time. Methods: A total of 5,949 participants from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) were included, whose cognition was reassessed after four years. Longitudinal measurement invariance analysis was performed by comparing a nested series of multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis models (for memory and executive function factors). Results: Configural, metric, scalar and strict invariance were tested and supported over time. Conclusion: Cognitive temporal changes in this sample are more likely to be due to normal and/or pathological aging. Testing longitudinal measurement invariance is essential for diverse samples at high risk of dementia, such as in low- and middle-income countries.

A Longitudinal Change of Spherical Equivalent in Anisometropic Children

PURPOSE: To demonstrate longitudinal refractive changes of anisometropia children. METHODS: This retrospective study included patients (or children) with anisometropia ≥ 1 diopters (D) for 5 years who visited our hospital between January 2013 and December 2014 with patients having annual refraction test data from 5-years-old to 10-years-old. RESULTS: A total of 37 children satisfied the inclusion criteria. Twenty-one children had hyperopic anisometropia and 16 children had myopic anisometropia. All hyperopic anisometropia and 12 myopic anisometropia children who had unilateral amblyopia were treated with occlusion therapy. The mean anisometropia at 5 years of age was 3.02 D and in the 37 children, the final degree of anisometropia was not significantly different between the 5-year-old and 10-year-old patients. In the high anisometropia and low anisometropia groups and in the myopia and hyperopia groups, the final degree of anisometropia was not significantly different at 5 years of age versus 10 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with anisometropia, spherical equivalent values did not show a significant difference when comparing 5-year-old versus 10-year-old patients and changes in the spherical equivalent values of eyes from both groups progressed to the same degree even if there was anisometropia in myopic and hyperopic patients.

EFFECT OF EXERCISE ADHERENCE ON LONGITUDINAL CHANGES IN HEART RATE AMONG COMMUNITY-DWELLING ELDERLY / 体力科学

Background: High heart rate (HR) has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality due to all causes. The present study was conducted to examine the effect of exercise adherence on longitudinal changes in resting heart rate among a population of community-dwelling elderly.Methods: The subjects were 133 men and 209 women aged 65 and older who participated in a baseline survey in August 1992 and were subsequently followed annually for 8 years. Resting HR was measured in the sitting position. The independent variable was the longitudinal change in differences of HR (Δ) from 1996 to 2000. Dependent variables were age, heart rate, smoking habit, TMIG index of competence score, and states of exercise adherence during the period 1992-1996.Results: Multiple regression analysis showed that heart rate in 1996 and smoking in men, and heart rate, TMIG index of competence score, and exercise adherence during the period 1992-1996 in women were significantly associated with longitudinal change in HR.Conclusion: Exercise adherence reduced the increase in HR of elderly women. These results suggest the importance of exercise adherence in elderly women.

The Factors Associated with Becoming Obese Children: in 6th Grade Children of Elementary Schools in Busan

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to find the factors associated with becoming obese children during the past 2 years in 6th grade children of elementary school and then to evaluate the high risk groups for childhood obesity. METHODS: The 738 children from May to June, 2001 in 6th grade of 5 elementary schools in Busan were the subjects of this study. The children's height and weight in 4th grade and 6th grade were obtained from school health records. We calculated the body mass index in 4th and 6th grades and classified into 3 weight groups (normal, at risk for obesity, and obese) according to the age and sex-specific BMI established by the Korean Academy of Pediatrics. If children's weight group in 4th grade was changed to heavier weight group in 6th grade, we defined it as increased group. Otherwise, we defined it as non-increased group. The association between the increase in weight group and parental and children's characteristics were analyzed by x2-test, x2-test for the trend, t-test, ANOVA and multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: Among the total, 3.3% of children with normal weight and 16.9% of children at the risk for obesity in 4th grade were transformed to increased group in 6th grade, respectively (P or =2 hours/day for the past two years. These findings suggest promotion of educational plan to prevent childhood obesity.

Changes in Abdominal Diagnosis of Normal Newborn Infants and Babies / 日本東洋医学雑誌

Changes of abdominal diagnosis were examined in 28 cases of normal healthy children who received abdominal examinations three or more times within one year after birth. Abdominal diagnosis was done within a week after birth, and thereafter during infants' regular physical examinations. There were 19 cases of Kyoukyoukuman (fullness, tenderness or discomfort of the hypochondrium): neither resistance of the upper abdomen nor Seijouki were evident. There were 17 cases of strain in the rectus abdominas muscle recognized in all age groups (0-12 months of age). Softness of the lower abdomen was identified in 15 cases in all age groups, but the positive coefficient dropped along with age. Only one of the 15 cases occurred in infants in the 7-10 month age range. As a result of softness of the lower abdomen and Seichushin, it appears that Jin (kidney) develops rapidly by one year after birth. In all 21 cases, the abdominal strength was 2.5-3/5 for all ages.