Functional limitations and poor physical performance as independent risk factors for self-reported fractures in older persons

Objective: This study examined whether three aspects of functioning (i.e., functional limitations, physical performance, and physical activity) were associated with fractures in older men and women. Design: A 3-year prospective cohort study. Participants and setting: A total of 715 men and 762 women, aged 65 years and older, of the population-based Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam. Measurements: During an interview at home, three aspects of functioning were assessed: functional limitations (what people say they can do), physical performance, i.e., three performance tests and handgrip strength (what people are able to do), and physical activity (what people actually do). Afterward, a follow-up on fractures was conducted for 3 years. Results: 77 patients (5.2%) suffered a fracture during 3-year follow-up. Most patients suffered a hip fracture (1.6%) or a wrist fracture (1.4%). The fracture rate per 1,000 person-years was 20.1. During 3-year follow-up, a fracture was reported by 12%, 10%, 12%, and 6% of the respondents with functional limitations, low performance test score, poor handgrip strength, and low physical activity, respectively. Using Cox proportional hazard analysis, functional limitations (RR = 3.5; 95%CI, 2.1 to 6.0), low performance test score (RR = 1.9; 95% CI, 1.1 to 3.3), low handgrip strength (RR = 2.5; 95% CI, 1.5 to 4.1), and low physical activity (RR = 1.9; 95% CI, 1.1 to 3.5) were significantly associated with fractures after adjustment for age and sex. Functional limitations (RR = 3.2; 95% CI, 1.8 to 5.5), low performance test score (RR = 1.8; 95% CI, 1.0 to 3.3) and low handgrip strength (RR = 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1 to 3.6) remained significantly associated with fractures after additional adjustment for body composition, chronic diseases, psychosocial factors, life style factors, and the other levels of functioning. No significant interaction terms were found. Conclusions: Functional limitations and poor physical performance were independent risk factors for fractures

Large Scale Marine Protected Areas for Biodiversity Conservation Along a Linear Gradient: Cooperation, Strategic Behavior or Conservation Autarky?

In this paper we investigate effects of overlap in species between ecosystems along a linear gradient on the location of marine protected areas (MPAs) under full cooperation, strategic behavior and conservation autarky. Compared to the full cooperation outcome, both strategic behavior and conservation autarky lead to under-investment in biodiversity protection. Under strategic behavior, however, we observe the additional problem of “location leakage” i.e. countries invest less in species protected by others. Conservation autarky eliminates location leakage; in ecosystems with partly overlapping species compositions at country borders it even induces MPAs that are too large from a global perspective. We also find that, in our setting of a linear gradient without migrating species, countries focus their conservation efforts on species unique to their own country and that these species are relatively well protected compared to common species

Associations between perceived neighbourhood problems and quality of life in older adults with and without osteoarthritis:Results from the Hertfordshire cohort study

This study examined whether the association of quality of life (QoL) with perceived neighbourhood problems is stronger in older adults with osteoarthritis (OA) than in those without OA. Of all 294 participants, 23.8% had OA. More perceived neighbourhood problems were associated with a stronger decrease in QoL over time in participants with OA (B=-0.018; p=0.02) than in those without OA (B=-0.004; p=0.39). Physical activity did not mediate this relationship. Older adults with OA may be less able to deal with more challenging environments

Desmidopora and Nodulipora: misfits in the coral world

Skeletal morphology and its variation are described in Desmidopora alveolaris and in Nodulipora acuminata. The features of these Silurian fossils suggest sclerosponge affinities. Pores are present in both species and the surface of Nodulipora carries astrorhizae. A comparison is made between skeletons of sclerosponges and tabulates: favositids are interpreted as the skeletons of sponges