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Earthquakes frequently occur in Japan. Even though countermeasures are thoroughly considered and well executed, earthquakes still impact facilities and experimental devices. The large relative displacements induced by an earthquake can damage beam pipe bellows and interfere with sub-detectors by causing the tolerance between them to disappear. Even magnet quenches have been triggered by induced voltages caused by the relative displacements between the superconducting solenoids (i.e., the detector solenoid and the compensating solenoids surrounding the final focus quadrupole magnets, or QCSs). In response, we installed acceleration sensors on the Belle II detector and mounted gap sensors on the QCSs to measure the relative displacements. These measurements enabled the characteristics of the earthquakes that have affected the Belle II detector to be analysed. Response spectrum analyses (RSAs) of the Belle II detector were conducted to evaluate the impact of earthquakes according to the ground motion measurements. We then compared the measurements to the RSA results, which led to an idea for a countermeasure.

Background As the number of older people with HIV is expected to grow and experience age-related cognitive declines, concerns mount that such existing cognitive impairments may become exacerbated in already cognitively vulnerable subgroups such as women with HIV. These cognitive impairments can develop into everyday functional impairment in either basic or instrumental activities of daily living. Methods In the Women’s Interagency HIV Study, we examined the association between objective cognitive test performance and the self-rated Lawton and Brody scale of Independent Activities of Daily Living (IADL) in 754 older (50+) women with HIV (WWH; 84% virally suppressed). To handle this longitudinal data, weighted logistic mixed effect models examined associations between cognitive domain performance (predictor) and functional outcomes (IADL item level scores). Results In the total sample, poorer motor performance was associated with impairments in home repairs, housekeeping, and laundry and poorer executive functioning was associated with impairment in planning social activities. Among older virally suppressed-WWH, poorer motor performance was associated with deficits in home repair and poorer executive performance was associated with deficits in planning social activities. Conclusion Since motor and executive performance were related to impairments in certain IADLs, strategies such as cognitive training targeting these domains could improve everyday functioning. Such approaches could improve autonomy as WWH age.

To investigate if accounting for a cup-to-disc ratio (CDR) genetic risk score (GRS) modified the association between large CDR and cognitive function among women. This was a retrospective study using data from the Women's Health Initiative. Patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension were excluded. Large CDR was defined as ≥ 0.6 in either eye. Cognitive function was measured by the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MSE). We used the combined effects from 13 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to formulate the GRS for CDR. We used logistic regression to investigate associations between weighted GRS and large CDR, then a linear regression to assess the association between weighted GRS and 3MSE scores, and between weighted GRS, CDR, and 3MSE scores, adjusted for demographic and clinical characteristics. Final analyses included 1,196 White women with mean age of 69.60 ± 3.62 years and 7.27% with large CDR. Mean GRS in women with and without large CDR was 1.51 ± 0.31 vs. 1.41 ± 0.36, respectively (p = 0.004). The odds of large CDR for a one unit increase in GRS was 2.30 (95% CI: (1.22, 4.36), p = 0.011). Adding the CDR GRS in the model with CDR and 3MSE, women with large CDR still had statistically significantly lower 3MSE scores than those without large CDR, yielding a predicted mean difference in 3MSE scores of 0.84 (p = 0.007). Independent of the CDR GRS, women with large CDR had a lower cognitive function.

The aim of this study was to evaluate an inert gas rebreathing method (Innocor) for measurement of cardiac output and related haemodynamic variables and to provide robust normative data describing the influence of age, gender and body size on these variables. Four separate studies were conducted: measurement repeatability (study 1, n = 45); postural change (study 2, n = 40); response to submaximal cycling exercise (study 3, n = 20); and the influence of age, gender and body size (study 4, n = 1400). Repeated measurements of cardiac output, stroke volume and heart rate were similar, with low mean (±SD) differences (0.26 ± 0.53 L/min, 0 ± 11 mL and 2 ± 6beats/min, respectively). In addition, cardiac output and stroke volume both declined progressively from supine to seated and standing positions ( P < 0.001 for both) and there was a stepwise increase in both parameters moving from rest to submaximal exercise ( P < 0.001 for both). In study 4, there was a significant age-related decline in cardiac output and stroke volume in males and females, which remained significant after adjusting for body surface area (BSA, P < 0.001 for all comparisons). Both parameters were also significantly higher in those with high body mass index (BMI; P < 0.01 versus those with normal BMI for all comparisons), although indexing cardiac output and stroke volume to BSA reversed these trends. Inert gas rebreathing using the Innocor device provides repeatable measurements of cardiac output and related indices, which are sensitive to the effects of acute physiological manoeuvres. Moreover, inert gas rebreathing is a suitable technique for examining chronic influences such as age, gender and body size on key haemodynamic components of the arterial blood pressure.

INTRODUCTION Disrupted rest‐activity rhythms (RARs) have been linked to poorer cognitive function and Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers. Here we extend this work to midlife women, who commonly experience menopause‐related sleep and cognitive problems. METHODS One hundred ninety‐four postmenopausal participants underwent a neuropsychological evaluation, 72 h of wrist actigraphy generating RAR variables, and a blood draw to measure AD biomarkers: phosphorylated tau (p‐tau181, p‐tau231) and amyloid beta (Aβ40, Aβ42). RESULTS Lower interdaily stability (IS) and relative amplitude (RA) and higher interdaily variability (IV) and least active 5 h (L5) were associated with worse processing speed, independent of sleep. Adjustment for sleep significantly attenuated the associations of RA with memory. Lower RA was associated with higher p‐tau231 level, independent of sleep. Further adjustment for menopause‐related factors modestly accounted for the associations between RAR, cognitive measures, and AD biomarkers. DISCUSSION Weaker RAR, particularly RA, was associated with worse cognitive functions, and higher AD biomarkers levels, possibly linking RAR with AD pathology in women. Highlights Lower rhythm stability and robustness and higher fragmentation were associated with worse processing speed. Lower robustness was associated with higher levels of phosphorylated tau‐231. Menopause factors did not attenuate the association between rest‐activity rhythms and cognitive function.

Higher stress during pregnancy associates with negative outcomes and elevated inflammation. The gut microbiota, reflecting environment and social interactions, alongside host immune responses have the potential to better understand perceived stress and identify when stress is excessive in pregnancy. Two U.S. cohorts of 84 pregnant individuals, composed of urban women of color and suburban white women, completed the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) and provided fecal and blood samples at two time points. Confirmatory Factor Analysis assessed the robustness of a two-factor PSS-10 model (Emotional Distress/ED and Self-Efficacy/SE). Gut microbiota composition was measured by 16 S rRNA amplicon sequencing and the immune system activity was assessed with a panel of 21 T-cell related cytokines and chemokines. ED levels were higher in the suburban compared to the urban cohort, but levels of SE were similar. ED and SE levels were associated with distinct taxonomical signatures and the gut microbiota data improved the prediction of SE levels compared with models based on socio-demographic characteristics alone. Integration of self-reported symptoms, microbial and immune information revealed a possible mediation effect of Bacteroides uniformis between the immune system (through CXCL11) and SE. The study identified links between distinct taxonomical and immunological signatures with perceived stress. The data are congruent with a model where gut microbiome and immune factors, both impacting and reflecting factors such as close social relationships and dietary fiber, may modulate neural plasticity resulting in increased SE during pregnancy. The predictive value of these peripheral markers merit further study.

We determined whether the effect of apolipoprotein E (APOE)-ε4 genotype on Alzheimer's disease (AD) markers differs in men and women across AD stages. Among normal control (NC) participants (N = 702) and participants with mild cognitive impairment (N = 576) and AD (N = 305), we examined the associations of sex and APOE-ε4 carrier status with cortical amyloid-β (Aβ) burden, hippocampal volume ratio (HpVR; hippocampal volume/intracranial volume × 103), brain glucose metabolism, and verbal memory. In NC, APOE-ε4 related to greater Aβ burden and poorer verbal memory across sex but to smaller HpVR and hypometabolism in men only. In mild cognitive impairment, APOE-ε4 related to smaller HpVR, hypometabolism, greater Aβ burden, and poorer verbal memory across sex. In AD, APOE-ε4 related to greater Aβ burden in men only and smaller HpVR across sex and showed no association with hypometabolism or verbal memory. Sex differences in the association between APOE-ε4 and AD markers vary by disease stage.

This study of Finnish schoolchildren found that the presence of serum autoantibodies can be used to identify celiac disease and reported a prevalence of 1 case in 99 children. The prevalence may be higher than previously believed. Celiac disease is a disorder induced by wheat, rye, and barley proteins, and its classic form is characterized in children by malabsorption and failure to thrive. During the past two decades, however, the clinical picture of the disease has changed to include milder forms, thus resulting in an upward shift of the age at diagnosis. Screening for active celiac disease with the use of serum autoantibodies usually focuses on patients with mild gastrointestinal symptoms, isolated iron deficiency, atypical or extraintestinal manifestations, or autoimmune diseases or on the first-degree relatives of affected patients. 1 – 3 Screening programs within populations indicate that the . . .

Introduction: The female advantage in brain metabolic function may confer cognitive resilience against Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: A total of 1259 participants (44% women; 52% mild cognitive impairment; 18% AD) aged 55 to 90 from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ANDI) completed tests of global cognition, verbal memory, and executive function, and neuroimaging assessments of regional glucose metabolism, hippocampal volume (HV), and amyloid beta (Aβ). We examined sex differences in brain metabolism and cognition by AD biomarker quartiles (Aβ, HV). We then examined if metabolism mediates sex differences in cognition. Results: Metabolism was higher in women versus men when pathology was mild‐to‐moderate (quartiles 2 to 3). Women outperformed men on all cognitive outcomes at ≥1 biomarker quartile, reflecting minimal‐to‐moderate pathology; however, these differences were eliminated/attenuated after adjusting for metabolism. The female advantage in verbal memory was also observed at minimal pathology quartiles but was unchanged after metabolism adjustment. Discussion: Women's greater brain metabolism may confer cognitive resilience against early AD.

BACKGROUNDIdentifying a quantitative biomarker of neuropsychiatric dysfunction in people with HIV (PWH) remains a significant challenge in the neuroHIV field. The strongest evidence to date implicates the role of monocytes in central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction in HIV, yet no study has examined monocyte subsets in blood as a correlate and/or predictor of neuropsychiatric function in virally suppressed PWH.METHODSIn 2 independent cohorts of virologically suppressed women with HIV (vsWWH; n = 25 and n = 18), whole blood samples were obtained either in conjunction with neuropsychiatric assessments (neuropsychological [NP] test battery, self-report depression and stress-related symptom questionnaires) or 1 year prior to assessments. Immune cell subsets were assessed by flow cytometry.RESULTSA higher proportion of intermediate monocytes (CD14+CD16+) was associated with lower global NP function when assessing monocytes concurrently and approximately 1 year before (predictive) NP testing. The same pattern was seen for executive function (mental flexibility) and processing speed. Conversely, there were no associations with monocyte subsets and depression or stress-related symptoms. Additionally, we found that a higher proportion of classical monocytes was associated with better cognition.CONCLUSIONAlthough it is widely accepted that lentiviral infection of the CNS targets cells of monocyte-macrophage-microglial lineage and is associated with an increase in intermediate monocytes in the blood and monocyte migration into the brain, the percentage of intermediate monocytes in blood of vsWWH has not been associated with neuropsychiatric outcomes. Our findings provide evidence for a new, easily measured, blood-based cognitive biomarker in vsWWH.FUNDINGR01-MH113512, R01-MH113512-S, P30-AI094189, R01-MH112391, R01-AI127142, R00-DA044838, U01-AI35004, and P30-MH075673.