OBJECTIVE In this study, we investigated the predictive capacity of the brachial-ankle aortic pulse wave velocity (baPWV), a marker of arterial stiffness, for the decline in renal function and for cardiovascular events in the early stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD). METHOD Two hundred forty-one patients who underwent a comprehensive check-up were included and were divided into two groups...

Several countries of Asia, including Malaysia, have in recent years experienced spectacular economic growth and social change. This, together with declining fertility rates and mortality rates, and accompanying increased expectation of life at birth have resulted in rapid population ageing of these countries. However, relative to the developed countries, where fertility and mortality declines, ...

1% in 2000. Although the objective was far from being reached (the current rate being close to 2%), in 2000 Mexico had 53 million inhabitants fewer than it would have had if fertility had remained at its 1970 level. The population pyramids of 1930, 1970 and 2000 clearly illustrate this dynamics (Figure 2). In 1930 the population was beginning to recover from the aftereffects of the Revolution a...

We examined the wear-and-tear hypothesis using data from 4 annual interviews with 130 (128 White) middle-aged daughters caring for their physically impaired, elderly mothers. We formulated a latent growth curve model hypothesizing that increases in the amount of care given by daughters caused a decrease in caregiving satisfaction, independent of caregiving duration. We found considerable indivi...

OBJECTIVE Neuroendocrine abnormalities, such as activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, are associated with obesity; however, few large-scale population-based studies have examined HPA axis and markers of obesity. We examined the cross-sectional association of the cortisol awakening response (CAR) and diurnal salivary cortisol curve with obesity. DESIGN AND METHODS The Mu...

curve flexibility in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (ais) was one of the major concerns of spinal surgeons since the evolution of surgical correction techniques. in this respect, many tried to identify which criteria denote more rigid curve. in the present study, we aimed toward determining important factors influencing ais curve flexibility on supine bending films. we assessed radiographs of ...

As a method for representing development, latent trait theory is presented in terms of a statistical model containing individual parameters and a structure on both the first and second moments of the random variables reflecting growth. Maximum likelihood parameter estimates and associated asymptotic tests follow directly. These procedures may be viewed as an alternative to standard repeated mea...