Locomotive function and quality of life among older people in Liaoning, China: Falls efficacy as mediator or moderator?

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the role of falls efficacy in the relationship between the locomotive function and quality of life. METHODS: From March to May in 2016, we conducted a cross-sectional survey among 830 community residents aged ≥60 years from Jinzhou,China.GLFS-25 (25-question Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale), FES-I(International edition of Falls Efficacy Scale),and SF-12 (12-item Short Form Health Survey) were used to estimate locomotive function, falls efficacy and quality of life, respectively. The higher score of GLFS-25, the worse the locomotive function. RESULTS: Median age was 68.69 years (ranges 60-88). Locomotive function, falls efficacy and quality of life all presented a linear relationship within each other, locomotive function score was negatively correlated with falls efficacy score (-0.461, P < 0.01). locomotive function score was negatively correlated with quality of life score (-0.523, P < 0.01).Falls efficacy score was positively correlated with quality of life score (0.415, P < 0.01).Falls efficacy exerted both a mediating and moderating role between locomotive function and quality of life, and the mediation effect accounted for 45.5% of the total effect. CONCLUSIONS: Poorer locomotive function was associated with poorer quality of life, and greater falls efficacy was associated with better quality of life. In addition, falls efficacy was demonstrated to be both a mediator and moderator variable in the linkage between locomotive function and quality of life. Aged care professional practitioners and our policy makers should strengthen the awareness of the psychological role of the elderly falls efficacy.

Study on the adult physique with the Heath-Carter anthropometric somatotype in the Han of Xi'an, China.

The study of somatotypes has important significance for medical and physical anthropology as well as sports science. The aim of this study was to understand the somatotype components of the Han population in Xi'an and compare the somatotypes of the Han and five other nationalities in China. The study sample consisted of 429 people of Han nationality (207 males, 222 females) from Xi'an, China, aged ≥20 years old. The Heath-Carter anthropometric method was employed. We evaluated the differences in age and sex by one-way ANOVA and t test. A comparison of somatotypes between the Han and other nationalities was made using the U test. The results showed that the male and female samples all could be classified as having a mesomorphic endomorph profile. The difference in endomorphy was strongest between sexes in all age groups (P < 0.01). There were prominent differences in mesomorphy and ectomorphy between males and females in the 50-59- and ≥60-year-old age groups. In females, the differences in somatotype components appeared to be distinguished between ages (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). However, in males, there were prominent differences in somatotype components between the 20-29 year olds and all other age groups (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) except for between those 20-29 and ≥60 years old in endomorphy. Compared with the other five nationalities, there were prominent differences in somatotype components between males and females. These results suggest that the somatotype of the Han population in Xi'an, China, has a predominantly mesomorphic endomorph profile. The endomorphic component shows distinct differences between ages and genders, respectively. Additionally, there are distinct differences in the somatotype components between Xi'an Han and five other nationalities in China in males and females.

The traits of five types of tongue movement in Han of Shaanxi, China.

The study sample consisting of 429 people (207 males, 222 females) of Han nationality in Shaanxi, China. Five types of tongue movements were investigated, including tongue rolling, tongue folding, tongue twisting, pointed tongue and clover-leaf tongue. The results revealed that the frequencies of tongue rolling, tongue folding, tongue twisting, pointed tongue and clover-leaf tongue were 63.6, 14.0, 12.6, 54.8 and 0 %, respectively. There were no significant gender differences except with pointed tongue. Compared with other nationalities, tongue rolling, tongue folding, and pointed tongue of Han in Shaanxi had an average frequency. Tongue twisting and clover-leaf tongue had low frequencies. There were significant differences in frequency of clover-leaf tongue between Han and another seven nationalities of China (P < 0.01). Furthermore, only three pairs of trait correlations were exhibited among ten pairs of types of tongue movement combination traits when analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. The data indicated that the correlations of tongue movement were between tongue rolling and tongue folding, between pointed tongue and tongue rolling, and also between tongue folding and pointed tongue, respectively. Additionally, there were significant differences in frequency of tongue movements with age. The possible mechanism of variations of tongue movements with aging may involve the degradation of tongue function, and differential gene activation and modulation, or protein translation.

[Genetic polymorphism of 15 STR loci in Tibetan population].

The polymorphism distributions of 15 STR loci (D8S1179, D21S11, D7S820, CSF1PO, D3S1358, TH01, D13S317, D16S539, D2S1338, D19S433, VWA, TPOX, D18S51, D5S818, and FGA) were investigated in a Tibetan population by multiplex PCR amplification using five fluorochromes (6FAM, VIC, NED, PET, LIZ). Gene frequency, discrimination power (DP), heterozygosity (H), polymorphism information content (PIC) and probability of paternity exclusion (EPP) were calculated, and all loci were tested for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Results indicate that the gene frequency of these 15 STR loci is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The DP is at 0.7555-0.9602, H is at 0.5651-0.8530, PIC is at 0.5528-0.8456, and EPP is at 0.3811-0.8549. Cumulative DP of the 15 STR is 0.99999999, and cumulative EPP is 0.999999997. Therefore, these 15 STR loci can be used as genetic markers of Tibetan populations in anthropological studies, linkage analysis of genetic diseases, individual identification and paternity testing in forensic medicine.

[Genetic polymorphism of 15 STR loci in a Lhasa Tibetan population].

The polymorphism distributions of 15 STR loci (D8S1179, D21S11, D7S820, CSF1PO, D3S1358, TH01, D13S317, D16S539, D2S1338, D19S433, VWA, TPOX, D18S51, D5S818 and FGA) were investigated in a Lhasa Tibetan population by multiplex PCR amplification using five fluorochromes (6FAM, VIC, NED, PET, LIZ). Gene frequency, discrimination power (DP), heterozygosity (H), polymorphism information content (PIC) and probability of paternity exclusion (EPP) were calculated, and all loci were tested for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Results indicate that the gene frequency of these 15 STR loci is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The DP is at 0.7515 - 0.9599, H is at 0.5576 - 0.8538, PIC is at 0.5455 - 0.8458, and EPP is at 0.37550.8520. Cumulative DP of the 15 STR is 0.99999999, and cumulative EPP is 0.999999997. Therefore, these 15 STR loci can be used as genetic markers of in Lhasa Tibetan populations in anthropological studies, linkage analysis of genetic diseases, individual identification and paternity testing in forensic medicine.