1,727 research outputs found
Smoking and alcohol consumption in relation to cognitive performance at middle age.
In the elderly, cigarette smoking has been related to reduced cognitive performance and moderate alcohol consumption to increased cognitive performance. It is not clear whether these associations also exist in middle age. The authors examined these relations in a population-based cohort study of 1,927 randomly selected, predominantly middle-aged subjects aged 45-70 years at the time of cognitive testing and living in the Netherlands. From 1995 until 2000, an extensive cognitive battery was administered, and compound scores were calculated. Risk factors had been assessed approximately 5 years previously. Multiple linear regression analyses (in which one unit of the cognitive score = one standard deviation) showed that, after the authors adjusted for age, sex, education, alcohol consumption, and cardiovascular risk factors, current smokers had reduced psychomotor speed (beta = -0.159, 95% confidence interval: -0.071, -0.244; p = 0.0003) and reduced cognitive flexibility (beta = -0.133, 95% confidence interval: -0.035,-0.230; p = 0.008) compared with never smokers. This effect was similar to that of being approximately 4 years older. Alcohol consumption was related to increased speed and better flexibility, especially among women who drank 1-4 alcoholic beverages a day. In conclusion, among middle-aged subjects, current smoking was inversely and alcohol consumption positively related to psychomotor speed and cognitive flexibility. This finding suggests that actions to prevent cognitive decline can be taken in middle age
Glucose intolerance, hyperinsulinaemia and cognitive function in a general population of elderly men
Chiral condensates from tau decay: a critical reappraisal
The saturation of QCD chiral sum rules is reanalyzed in view of the new and
complete analysis of the ALEPH experimental data on the difference between
vector and axial-vector correlators (V-A). Ordinary finite energy sum rules
(FESR) exhibit poor saturation up to energies below the tau-lepton mass. A
remarkable improvement is achieved by introducing pinched, as well as
minimizing polynomial integral kernels. Both methods are used to determine the
dimension d=6 and d=8 vacuum condensates in the Operator Product Expansion,
with the results: {O}_{6}=-(0.00226 \pm 0.00055) GeV^6, and O_8=-(0.0053 \pm
0.0033) GeV^8 from pinched FESR, and compatible values from the minimizing
polynomial FESR. Some higher dimensional condensates are also determined,
although we argue against extending the analysis beyond dimension d = 8. The
value of the finite remainder of the (V-A) correlator at zero momentum is also
redetermined: \Pi (0)= -4 \bar{L}_{10}=0.02579 \pm 0.00023. The stability and
precision of the predictions are significantly improved compared to earlier
calculations using the old ALEPH data. Finally, the role and limits of
applicability of the Operator Product Expansion in this channel are clarified.Comment: Replaced versio
The interaction of adiposity with the CRP gene affects CRP levels: age, gene/environment susceptibilty-Reykjavik study
To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links fieldOBJECTIVE: Common diseases often have an inflammatory component reflected by associated markers such as serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Circulating CRP levels have also been associated with adipose tissue as well as with specific CRP genotypes. We examined the interaction between measures of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and fat percent (total fat measured by bioimpedance) with genotypes of the CRP gene in the determination of CRP levels. METHODS: The first 2296 participants (mean age 76+/-6 years, 42% men) in the Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility-Reykjavik Study, a multidisciplinary epidemiological study to determine risk factors in aging, were genotyped for 10 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CRP gene. General linear models with age and terms for interaction of CRP genotypes with BMI, waist circumference and percent fat were used to evaluate the association of genotypes to CRP levels (high-sensitivity method, range 0-10 mg l(-1)) in men and women separately. RESULTS: We focused on the SNP rs1205 that represents the allele that captures the strongest effects of the gene on CRP levels. Carriers of the rs1205 G allele had significantly higher CRP levels than noncarriers in a dose-dependent manner. Compared to the AA genotype, the slope of the increase in CRP with increasing BMI (P=0.045) and waist circumference (P=0.014) was different for the G allele carriers and of similar magnitude in both men and women. The rs1205 interactions were not significant for fat mass percent, suggesting a possible association with fat localization. CONCLUSIONS: This study further illuminates the known association between measures of adiposity and CRP levels and is shown to be dependent on variation in the rs1205 SNP of the CRP gene. The correlated increase in CRP levels with adiposity is accentuated by presence of the G allele
Migraine with aura and risk of cardiovascular and all cause mortality in men and women: prospective cohort study
Objective To estimate whether migraine in mid-life is associated with mortality from cardiovascular disease, other causes, and all causes
Hints on the power corrections from current correlators in x-space
We consider an interpretation of the recent lattice data on the
current-current correlators in the x-space. The data indicate rather striking
difference between (axial)vector and (pseudo)scalar channels which goes beyond
the predictions of the standard non-perturbative models. We argue that if the
difference is to be explained by power corrections, there is a unique choice of
the form of the correction. We discuss the emerging picture of the power
corrections.Comment: Some misprints corrected. 8 pages including 2 tables and 2 figure
The Off Shell - Mixing in the QCD Sum Rules
The dependence of the mixing amplitude is analyzed with
the use of the QCD sum rules and the dispersion relation. Going off shell the
mixing decreases, changes sign at and is
negative in the space like region. Implications of this result to the isospin
breaking part of the nuclear force are discussed.Comment: 26 pages + 11 figures (PostScript
Calculation of gluon and four-quark condensates from the operator expansion
The magnitudes of gluon and four-quark condensates are found from the
analysis of vector mesons consisting of light quarks (the families of
and mesons) in the 3 loops approximation. The QCD model with infinite
number of vector mesons is used to describe the function . This model
describes well the experimental function . Polarization operators
calculated with this model coincide with the Wilson operator expansion at large
. The improved perturbative theory, such that the polarization operators
have correct analytical properties, is used. The result is . The electronic widths of and
are calculated.Comment: 18 pages, latex, changed content slightl
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