Background/Objective: Cognitive frailty, the coexistence of physical frailty and cognitive impairment, is a potentially reversible and high-risk state for dementia. This study examined the association between Color Kanji Pick-out Test (CKPT) app performance and cognitive frailty independent of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores in community-dwelling older women. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the participants were 102 community-dwelling older women without dementia and with MMSE scores ≥ 27 (73.6 ± 6.0 years). Reversible cognitive frailty was defined as subjective cognitive decline (≥1 point in the cognitive domain of the Kihon Checklist) plus physical frailty or prefrailty, according to the Japanese Cardiovascular Health Study (J-CHS) criteria. Firth’s penalized logistic regression using three prespecified models, adjusted for age and education, was used to examine the independent associations between CKPT app performance and MMSE scores with reversible cognitive frailty. Results: Fourteen participants (13.7%) met the criteria for cognitive frailty. In separate models, higher CKPT app and MMSE scores were significantly associated with lower odds of cognitive frailty (CKPT: odds ratio [OR] 0.470, p = 0.019; MMSE: OR 0.548, p = 0.020). In a multivariable model including both measures, the CKPT app (OR 0.499, p = 0.031) and MMSE scores (OR 0.553, p = 0.031) remained independently associated with cognitive frailty, and this model had the lowest Akaike information criterion. Conclusions: The CKPT app performance was independently associated with cognitive frailty beyond global cognition. The CKPT app may detect subtle executive and attentional vulnerabilities not captured by the MMSE, supporting practical, objective, early screening and risk stratification of cognitive frailty.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES:Decreased appetite in older adults is associated with physical activity. Prior research findings have been inconsistent or limited due to methodological differences. Many studies did not adequately control for psychological or social confounders on appetite. Therefore, we aimed to assess the relationships among appetite, physical activity, psychological factors, and social factors in community-dwelling older adults. We investigated how physical activity intensity and time of day could be associated with appetite. METHODS:This cross-sectional study included 100 community-dwelling older adults. Appetite was assessed using the Japanese version of the Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire. Physical activity was evaluated using an accelerometer. Physical activity intensity was classified into sedentary behavior, light-intensity activity, and moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity. Multiple regression analysis was performed with Japanese version of the Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire as the dependent variable, whereas physical activity, depression (Geriatric Depression Scale-15), and social isolation (Lubben Social Network Scale-6) were the independent variables. RESULTS:The mean Japanese version of the Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire score in all participants was 15.2. Physical activity and social isolation were not associated with appetite, whereas higher levels of depression were significantly associated with lower appetite. CONCLUSIONS:No association was observed between objectively measured physical activity and appetite among community-dwelling older adults. Appetite was significantly associated with depressive symptoms. These findings highlight the importance of addressing psychological factors, such as depression, for maintaining or improving appetite in older adults. Significance/Implications: Interventions targeting psychological factors might be important for maintaining and improving appetite in older adults.
OBJECTIVES:It remains unclear which indicators most accurately reflect functional status. Phase angle (PhA), extracellular water/total body water ratio (ECW/TBW), and echo intensity (EI) capture distinct physiological characteristics and may differ in their association with physical performance in older adults. We compared the associations of these indices with physical performance in community-dwelling older women. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES:In this cross-sectional study, 109 community-dwelling women aged ≥65 y (mean age: 77.9 y, standard deviation: 5.6 y) were assessed. PhA and ECW/TBW were measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis, and the EI of the rectus femoris was obtained using B-mode ultrasonography. Physical performance outcomes included handgrip strength, usual gait speed, and chair stand time. We performed hierarchical multiple regression models, including three indices, additional adjustments for age and body mass index, and further adjustments for skeletal muscle mass index as a sensitivity model. RESULTS:ECW/TBW showed an inverse association with handgrip strength in the sensitivity model, additionally adjusted for skeletal muscle mass index (β = -0.324, P = 0.016). It was significantly associated with five-times chair stand time in all models (β = 0.541, P < 0.001). Usual gait speed was not associated with any muscle quality index. CONCLUSIONS:Among the evaluated indices, ECW/TBW showed the most consistent association with physical function in older women. PhA and EI showed limited independent associations. ECW/TBW may be a practical marker for characterizing muscle quality in relation to physical performance in community settings.
ABSTRACT This study examines the relationship between employees' gender biases, defined as the belief that men are better suited for managerial positions than women are, and promotion aspirations using online survey data ( N = 939). Probit and instrumental variables approaches are used to address the potential endogeneity of gender bias. The results suggest that this relationship may differ between men and women: gender bias is negatively associated with women's promotion aspirations and could be positively associated with men's. These findings are consistent with the self‐stereotyping hypothesis and suggest that employees' gender bias may be associated with gender differences in promotion aspirations.
Background It is important to devise a method to promote prolonged effect of static stretching (SS) exercise in sports settings. There is also a need to clarify the usefulness of additional short-term SS exercise and examine the results under conditions close to sports settings.Objective This study aimed to clarify whether or not the prolonged effect of a 30-s static stretching exercise could be maintained for a longer period by performing an additional short-term (15-s) SS exercise following a 15-min rest.Methods The participants were 15 healthy recreationally active adult males (22.5 +/- 1.1 years) who underwent three conditions: 1) SS condition (30-s SS exercise only); 2) SS + 15-s condition (30-s SS and 15-s SS exercise during the rest period); and 3) noSS + 15-s condition (15-s SS exercise only). The knee flexion range of motion (ROM), pain pressure threshold (PPT), and tissue hardness were measured before (PRE), immediately after (POST), and 15 min after the first SS exercise.Results There were significant interaction effects in all variables, and post-hoc tests showed that knee flexion ROM and PPT increased significantly, and tissue hardness decreased significantly immediately afterwards in the SS and SS + 15-s conditions. In addition, in the SS + 15-s and noSS + 15-s conditions, the 15-min values were significantly higher than the PRE values (Cohen's d = 0.64 and 0.18, respectively). Moreover, in the SS + 15-s condition, the 15-min value was significantly higher than the PRE value (d = 0.40). Tissue hardness showed a significant decrease immediately afterwards in both the SS and SS + 15-s conditions (d = -0.47 and -0.37). In addition, in the SS + 15-s and noSS + 15-s conditions, the 15-min value was significantly lower than the PRE value.Conclusion These results suggest that a 30-s SS exercise followed by an additional short-term SS exercise after a 15-min rest can prolong the changes in muscle passive properties.
