Fitness age outperforms body mass index in differentiating aging patterns and health risk profiles of healthy adults aged 51-80 years.

Physical fitness has been extensively shown to strongly associate with general health status and major health risks. Here we tested the ability of a novel estimate of fitness age (FitAge) to differentiate aging trajectories.This study aimed at (1) testing the ability of FitAge to differentiate aging patterns among decelerated, normal, and accelerated agers in selected health domains, (2) estimating the risk for developing major health issues depending on the aging trajectory, and (3) comparing FitAge to body mass index (BMI) categorization in differentiating healthy from unhealthy aging patterns.A total of 176 volunteers participated in this cross-sectional study. Participants underwent clinical screening and a comprehensive assessment of body composition, nutritional and health-related status, cognitive functioning, and haematochemical analyses with routine tests, oxidative stress, and inflammation markers. Scores for major health risks were also computed.FitAge outperformed BMI in estimating major health risk scores and was able to differentiate decelerated from normal and accelerated agers for health risk profile and several physiological domains. Body composition, immune system activation, and inflammation markers emerged as those variables flagging the largest differences between decelerated and accelerated aging patterns.The novel estimate of biological aging can accurately differentiate both in women and men decelerated from accelerated agers in almost all the domains scrutinized. Overall, decelerated aging is linked to positively oriented features which associate with reduced risk of developing major health issues.The present findings have potential relevance and practical implications to identify individuals at higher risk of accelerated aging according to their FitAge estimated via simple and cost-effective motor tests.

A novel estimate of biological aging by multiple fitness tests is associated with risk scores for age-related diseases.

Introduction: Recent research highlights the need for a correct instrument for monitoring the individual health status, especially in the elderly. Different definitions of biological aging have been proposed, with a consistent positive association of physical activity and physical fitness with decelerated aging trajectories. The six-minute walking test is considered the current gold standard for estimating the individual fitness status in the elderly. Methods: In this study, we investigated the possibility of overcoming the main limitations of assessing fitness status based on a single measure. As a result, we developed a novel measure of fitness status based on multiple fitness tests. In 176 Sardinian individuals aged 51-80 years we collected the results of eight fitness tests to measure participants' functional mobility, gait, aerobic condition, endurance, upper and lower limb strength, and static and dynamic balance. In addition, the participants' state of health was estimated through validated risk scores for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, mortality, and a comorbidity index. Results: Six measures contributing to fitness age were extracted, with TUG showing the largest contribution (beta = 2.23 SDs), followed by handgrip strength (beta = -1.98 SDs) and 6MWT distance (beta = -1.11 SDs). Based on fitness age estimates, we developed a biological aging measure using an elastic net model regression as a linear combination of the results of the fitness tests described above. Our newly developed biomarker was significantly associated with risk scores for cardiovascular events (ACC-AHA: r = 0.61; p = 0.0006; MESA: r = 0.21; p = 0.002) and mortality (Levine mortality score: r = 0.90; p = 0.0002) and outperformed the previous definition of fitness status based on the six-minute walking test in predicting an individual health status. Discussion: Our results indicate that a composite measure of biological age based on multiple fitness tests may be helpful for screening and monitoring strategies in clinical practice. However, additional studies are needed to test standardisation and to calibrate and validate the present results.

Severely disturbed children's human figure drawings: are they unusual or just poor drawings?

Previous research has shown that the human figure drawings of severely disturbed children contain more emotional indicators than those of well-adjusted children, whether the well-adjusted children are of the same chronological age or are younger but of the same mental age as the severely disturbed children. This finding suggests that the disturbed children's drawings may be different rather than merely immature. A problem with previous research, however, is that groups have not been matched for drawing ability. In study 1 of this paper each drawing of 44 severely disturbed boys was matched with that of a normal boy according to its score on the Goodenough-Harris scoring system. There was no significant difference between the groups in the number of emotional indicators included in the drawings. Furthermore, in study 2, judges could not discriminate the drawings of the two groups. It was concluded that the differences noted in previous research were most likely due to the poorer drawing ability of the severely disturbed children rather than unusual features in their drawings.

Effects of water activity, NaCl and smoke concentrations on the growth of Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 12315.

The effect of water activity (a(w)), NaCl and liquid smoke concentrations on the growth of Lactobacillus plantarum, was studied in MRS broth under anaerobic conditions. A complete 2(3) factorial design was used to determine influential factors and interactions among these factors. NaCl concentration and a(w) had a major effect on the maximum biomass obtained but no interaction influenced this response. Smoke did not affect either biomass nor acidifying capacities.

Estimation of O(2) and CO(2) Solubility in Microbial Culture Media.

A simple model for predicting gas solubilities of O(2) and CO(2) at low pressure and near ambient temperature in solutions of salts, sugars, and organic solvents (alcohols, ketones, ethers, aldehydes, etc.) is proposed. It is derived from the Van Laar assumptions and takes account of size differences between molecules in solution by their volumetric fraction. It is a group contribution model where anions and cations are considered as groups and other molecules are treated as in the UNIFAC (UNIQUAC Functional group Activity Coefficients) procedure. Pseudo-Henry's constants for groups were determined using solubility data in aqueous solutions containing only one salt, one sugar, or one organic compound at 25 degrees C. The predictive performance of the model was evaluated by comparison with experimental data using multicomponent aqueous salt-sugar mixtures. The model was used to estimate solubilities of oxygen and carbon dioxide in fermentation media.

Emotional indicators in children's human figure drawings.

The human figure drawings of a group of emotionally-disturbed boys were compared with those of a group of well-adjusted boys closely matched for chronological age and another for mental age. A comparison based on Koppitz's (1968) original emotional indicators and another, based on new UK norms, showed that the emotionally-disturbed children included significantly more indicators in their drawings than their well-adjusted peers. Although this difference was statistically significant it is actually quite small. In addition, there were no differences among the groups in the kinds of indicators they exhibited. The usefulness of the Koppitz test as a tool for clinical use is questioned.