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Background: Hand grip strength is a well validated measure of physical strength, while anthropometric measures such as weight, waist, hip and mid upper arm circumference, are well validated to determine physical health. The present analysis investigated the relationship between hand grip strength, anthropometric measures and dementia incidence in 70–90‐year‐old men residing in Northern Ireland (NI). Method: The PRIME‐COG study is nested in PRIME (Prospective Epidemiological Study of Myocardial Infarction), a cohort study of men in NI. In the most recent follow up for PRIME‐COG, men underwent a comprehensive cognitive assessment from which a consensus diagnosis of normal cognitive function, MCI or dementia was made by experienced clinical researchers. Hand grip strength and anthropometrics measures were also recorded. Logistic regression models were performed to assess the association between hand grip strength and anthropometric measures and cognitive endpoints. Result: The analysis identified that low hand grip strength was associated with dementia and/or MCI, although this did not reach statistical significance (OR 1.39, p = 0.18). In the anthropometric measures, a significant relationship was observed between hip circumference and dementia and/or MCI at PRIME‐COG follow up (OR 0.93, p = 0.01), whereas BMI was non‐significantly associated (OR 1.22, p = 0.58). The remaining anthropometric measures investigated were not found to hold any significant relationships with the cognitive outcomes. Conclusion: Within a cohort of older men residing in NI, low hand grip strength was associated with a 39% increased risk of dementia or MCI, although this was not statistically significant. In anthropometric measures, hip circumference was found to be significantly negatively associated with a 7% reduced risk of dementia or MCI, while BMI was associated with a 22% increased risk, which again was not of statistical significance. The present study helps further contribute to the evidence base that physical well‐being is associated with cognitive function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Periodontitis (gum disease) is a is a chronic inflammatory disorder. Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), Tannerella forsythia (Tf), Aggregatibacter actinomyecetemcomitans (Aa), and Treponema denticola (Td) are the most common periodontal pathogens. Evidence of a longitudinal association between periodontitis and dementia is currently lacking. We therefore proposed that prior periodontitis in 60‐70 year old men increases the longitudinal risk of cognitive decline. Method: PRIME‐COG is a nested in PRIME (Prospective Epidemiological Study of Myocardial Infarction), a cohort study of men in Northern Ireland (NI). Between 2001 and 2003, 1400 men underwent a periodontal examination, had inflammatory markers measured in blood, exposure to periodontopathogens identified within dental plaques, and a cognitive assessment. 874 men had a comprehensive cognitive assessment fifteen to twenty years later from which a consensus diagnosis of normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia was made by experienced clinical researchers. Logistic regression models were performed to assess the association between periodontitis and future cognitive endpoints. In addition, serum IgG levels to Pg, Tf, Aa and Td and a panel of pro‐inflammatory cytokines were determined at baseline and follow‐up visits. Result: We did not identify any significant associations between periodontitis and dementia and/or MCI or cognitive decline in the extended follow up period. No differences in IgG serum titres to pathogens in baseline and follow‐up visits were seen for patients diagnosed with dementia or MCI, whereas levels were significantly decreased in the normal cognition group. Serum levels of IL‐6 at baseline were significantly higher in patients with MCI and dementia compared to those with normal cognition among men aged 76 years plus (p = 0.002); and 81 years plus (p = 0.02) respectively. IL‐8 levels were significantly different in patients with MCI aged 81+ years compared to those with normal cognition at baseline (p = 0.014) and follow‐up (p = 0.012). Conclusion: Within a cohort of older men residing in the NI, periodontitis was not associated with later onset of dementia or MCI following an extended follow up. Maintenance of high IgG levels over the years might indicate ongoing persistent infection associated with dampened immune response. This could contribute to increased risk of dementia/MCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nutritional influences, and antioxidant status in particular, have been implicated in the aetiology of cognitive decline. This study investigated the neuroprotective effects of serum antioxidants in a prospective cohort of older men to identify associations with cognitive outcomes, independent of traditional risk factors. Method: This cohort study included 873 Northern Irish men nested within PRIME (Prospective Epidemiological Study of Myocardial Infarction) who were followed‐up for at least 15 years. Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) was carried out at baseline. The Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination‐R and MMSE were carried out at follow‐up. A consensus diagnosis of normal cognition for age, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia was made using accepted clinical criteria. Serum concentrations of retinol, two forms of vitamin E (α‐ and ϒ‐tocopherol) and six carotenoids measured from baseline samples were quantified by high‐performance liquid chromatography and assessed by multiple logistic regression analyses. Result: The case definition included the 163 men characterised with MCI and 46 men with dementia; 664 participants were considered cognitively normal controls (Table 1). In unadjusted analyses, serum levels of the carotenoids α‐carotene, β‐carotene, lycopene and β‐cryptoxanthin were significantly lower in MCI/dementia cases than controls, in contrast to ϒ‐tocopherol, which was significantly higher (Table 2). Following adjustment for traditional risk factors including height, APOε4 genotype, diastolic blood pressure, smoking status and the presence of (pre)diabetes or depression, the effect size of those carotenoids significant in the unadjusted analysis was attenuated somewhat; only α‐carotene remained significantly associated with MCI/dementia (odds ratio = 0.55; confidence interval: 0.31‐0.99; Table 2). Conclusion: Our data implicates lower levels of serum carotenoids as potential early biomarkers of MCI/ dementia before overt manifestation of symptoms, independent of traditional risk factors. These findings are consistent with hypotheses supportive of a neuroprotective role of dietary antioxidants and corroborate previous associations of higher serum carotenoid levels with better cognition in aging subjects. There is emerging evidence that carotenoids, through their potent antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties, may positively impact cognitive function. Limiting cognitive decline through lifestyle, exercise, and a higher carotenoid intake, may prove beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In 2012‐2014, an observational cohort study of postoperative delirium (POD) in an elective arthroplasty population recruited 315 individuals aged over 65 without a diagnosis of dementia. This follow‐up study aims to determine what effect POD has on cognitive function eight years later. Method: Preoperatively, participants underwent cognitive assessments and sampling of blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) which were analysed for amyloid‐beta (Aβ)40, Aβ42, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neurofilament light (NFL) and interleukin (IL)‐6. In 2021, n = 172 of n = 264 surviving participants completed virtual cognitive assessments and agreed to have their medical records reviewed. For those who had died (n = 50), death certificates were obtained to determine if the participant died with a diagnosis of dementia. Univariate analyses and binary logistic regression were undertaken to investigate factors associated with mild cognitive impairment (MCI)/dementia in this cohort at eight years (Table 1). In cases when MCI or dementia was suspected, an expert consensus panel reviewed medical notes, cognitive test scores and informant reports to determine if a participant had MCI or dementia. Result: Of the n = 222 participants, n = 30 had POD in 2012‐2014 and n = 22 had developed dementia or MCI. On univariate analyses, those who developed MCI/dementia at eight years were significantly older at the time of surgery (p =.02), had greater preoperative functional impairment (p =.02), and depression (p =.03) and performed worse on a number of cognitive tasks pre‐operatively (p<.05). Rates of POD were significantly greater in those who subsequently developed MCI/dementia (p =.03). In those who developed MCI/dementia, preoperative plasma and CSF measures of Aβ42 were significantly lower (p<.01), while CSF neurofilament light (NFL) and plasma IL‐6, GFAP and NFL were significantly higher (p<.05). On multivariate analyses, CSF Aβ42 (p =.02) and preoperative phonemic fluency (p =.01) remained significant predictors of MCI/dementia, while POD did not (Table 1). Conclusion: This study did not find an independent association between delirium following elective arthroplasty and the development of MCI/dementia eight years later. The results of our study indicate preoperative CSF Aβ42 and cognitive function predict longer‐term outcomes and that the association between delirium and subsequent MCI and dementia is not independent of these factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construct and criterion‐related validity of 11 High‐Performance Competencies (H‐PC) are explored through data collected by three highly reliable methods: work shadowing, assessment centres, and Strategic Management Simulation Technology. A large international managerial sample indicates that some H‐PC are more highly developed than others. This suggests that managers may have a restricted capacity to co‐operatively address the multidimensional issues that loom large today. Strategic Management Simulation Technology is discussed as a way of developing a more balanced leadership capability profile and enhancing desirable real‐world outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a synopsis of the origins and subsequent development of behavioral complexity theory (BCT). First, the foundational contributions of personal construct theory, conceptual systems theory, and the conceptual complexity theory are described. Second, the diversification of BCT via integrative complexity theory, Strategic Management Simulations, and Metacomplexity Simulations is outlined. Next, the discussion emphasizes the contemporary relevance and importance of BCT, suggests that more scalable assessment and development technologies should be created (especially of integration), and ends by calling for enhanced interaction within the BCT community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Elective care is defined as care that is planned in advance for those that require a procedure or treatment for an existing condition. Elective surgery aims to improve the physical or psychological quality of life for a patient and may extend the life of an individual. Evidence has shown that surgery in people with dementia (PwD) carry even more risk than those in the general ageing population particularly in terms of post‐operative complications and mortality rates. Whilst thousands of elective surgeries take place every year, it is unclear how many of these are conducted on PwD. This study explores the types and rates of elective surgery in PwD in Northern Ireland and the contributing factors to patient referral for elective surgery. Method: Data was accessed through the Honest Broker Service (NI) and was retrospectively analysed. Dementia was defined in people who received one or more dementia medications (as outlined in the British National Formulary (BNF)) or when dementia was identified as a primary or secondary cause of death. Elective surgeries were identified by elective surgery referrals (Patient Administration System) (dementia cohort: n = 26,780; control: n = 24,056). Result: Overall, significantly less PwD were referred for an elective surgery compared to controls. Within the PwD group those who had higher odds to undergo an elective surgery were male, of younger age, lived in rural areas, did not transition to a care home, and were married instead of single or widowed. PwD were less likely to have an elective surgery if they received antipsychotics, but they were more likely to have a surgery if they received lipid lowering drugs, antihypertensives, hypnotics and anxiolytics, antidepressants, or antiarrhythmics. The most common surgeries from both PwD and controls were surgeries for lens, bladder and skin. Having an elective surgery was associated with lower odds of death for PwD and controls compared to people who did not undergo a surgery. Conclusion: This paper can inform health policy through insight into factors contributing to the rate and types of elective surgery referrals for PwD to ensure PwD are afforded the same care when it comes to elective surgery compared with the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postoperative delirium (POD) is associated with subsequent cognitive decline. It is not yet clear to what extent that is because delirium indicates underlying neurodegeneration. Method: An observational cohort study of postoperative delirium (POD) in an elective arthroplasty population recruited 315 individuals aged over 65, without a diagnosis of dementia. Blood was sampled pre‐operatively at the time of anaesthesia and on day 1 postoperatively. Following surgery, delirium was assessed daily on days 1‐3 postoperatively. Stored plasma was analysed for markers of inflammation and neurodegeneration. Statistical analysis was carried out to determine associations of these markers with POD. Result: Those who developed POD (n = 44) had statistically significantly lower preoperative plasma amyloid‐beta 1‐40 (Aβ40; p=0.01) and postoperative day one plasma Aβ42/40 ratio (p=0.02) compared to participants who did not develop POD. A change in postoperative plasma neurofilament light (NFL), a marker of axonal degeneration, relative to preoperative NFL was associated with POD (p=0.028). POD was also associated with a statistically significantly change in postoperative plasma phosphorylated tau181 (pTau181) relative to preoperative levels (p<0.001). Conclusion: Development of POD in an older population without a diagnosis of dementia is associated with both i) preoperative plasma markers in keeping with neurodegeneration and ii) a different pattern of postoperative change in plasma markers of neuronal damage compared to people who did not develop POD. This suggests that i) people, without a pre‐existing diagnosis of dementia, who develop POD after elective arthroplasty surgery are more likely to have underlying neurodegeneration and ii) participants developing POD have a different neuronal response to peri‐operative insults than participants who do not develop POD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Between 2012‐2014, an observational cohort study of postoperative delirium (POD) in an elective arthroplasty population recruited 315 individuals aged over 65, without a diagnosis of dementia. We are now conducting a follow‐up study to determine what effect POD has on cognition years later. Method: In the baseline study, neuropsychological testing was undertaken preoperatively, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was sampled at the time of spinal anaesthesia and delirium was assessed daily on days 1‐3 postoperatively. Stored CSF (n = 270) was analysed for markers of inflammation and neurodegeneration. In 2020, all surviving participants were invited to take part in the follow‐up study. Result: The average age of the cohort at baseline was 74.4 (5.8) years. Eight years later, 84% (n=264) of the observational study participants are still alive. Mortality rates in the intervening years are higher in those who developed POD (14/44, 32%) than those who did not (37/271, 14%), but is not statistically significant (p=0.13). Significant predictors of mortality in all participants included multi‐morbidity (p=0.007), age at surgery (p<0.001), performance on Colour Trails 2, a test of executive function(p<0.001); CSF glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), a marker of inflammation (p=0.01); CSF neurofilament light (NFL), a marker of axonal degeneration (p=0.019); CSF interleukin‐8 (IL‐8), a marker of inflammation (p=0.007) and CSF triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (sTREM2), a marker of age‐related neuroinflammation and tau‐related neurodegeneration (p=0.002). Conclusion: The majority of participants in this elective arthroplasty observational cohort are still alive eight years later. Older age at time of surgery, multimorbidity, lower neuropsychological performance and increased preoperative CSF measures of inflammation and neurodegeneration were associated with mortality in adults eight years following elective orthopaedic surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postoperative delirium (POD) is associated with subsequent cognitive decline. It is not yet clear to what extent that is because delirium indicates underlying neurodegeneration. Method: An observational cohort study of POD in an elective arthroplasty population recruited 315 individuals. All participants were community‐dwelling adults aged over 65, without a diagnosis of dementia, undergoing hip or knee replacements. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was sampled pre‐operatively at the time of spinal anaesthesia and delirium was assessed daily on days 1‐3 postoperatively. Stored CSF samples (n = 270) were analysed for markers of inflammation and neurodegeneration. Statistical analysis was carried out to determine associations of these CSF markers with POD. Result: Those who developed POD (n = 44) had significantly higher levels of CSF glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP; p=0.04), a marker of inflammation; CSF neurofilament light (NFL; p=0.04), a marker of axonal degeneration; and CSF triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (sTREM2; p=0.02), a marker of age‐related neuroinflammation and tau‐related neurodegeneration and significantly lower levels of CSF amyloid‐beta 1‐42 (Aβ42; p=0.01) and CSF Aβ42/40 ratio (p=0.01) compared to participants who did not develop POD. Conclusion: Significantly higher levels of preoperative neurodegenerative CSF markers associated with dementia were found in those who developed POD following elective arthroplasty surgery. This suggests that people, without a pre‐existing diagnosis of dementia, who develop POD after elective arthroplasty surgery are more likely to have underlying neurodegeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are highly prevalent in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and associated with adverse outcomes. There is increasing interest in identifying the risk factors for developing BPSD among AD patients. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying BPSD remain poorly understood. Here we evaluated whether BPSD are associated with WMLs volume, brain atrophy and brain metabolism in AD subjects. Method: 130 AD subjects form the Evaluating Liraglutide in Alzheimer's Disease (ELAD) trial (NCT01843075) were enrolled. The presence of BPSD was evaluated with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI). FLAIR and T1‐weighted imaging were performed on 3T scans. WMLs was determined on FLAIR images using the Lesion Segmentation Tool (LST) in SPM12. Hippocampal and grey matter volumes were estimated using the FreeSurfer analysis on T1 MRI. Glucose metabolism (rCMRGlc) was calculated by parametric images generated using spectral analysis with an arterial plasma input function. Result: In this AD population, NPI scores were correlated with WMLs volume (Spearman's rho=.197, p=.02), also after correcting for age. NPI scores were not correlated to hippocampal or grey matter volume and to rCMRGlc in frontal, temporal, parietal or occipital lobes. When looking at the NPI sub‐scores, WMLs volume was significantly associated with agitation/aggression (Spearman's rho=.177, p=.05) and with appetite and eating disorders (Spearman's rho=.233, p=.00). Conclusion: In this study of a clinical AD population, BPSD were associated with WMLs but not with brain atrophy and hypometabolism. This suggests that vascular changes and the prevention of vascular risk factors might play an important role in reducing the impact of BPSD in AD dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative condition characterised by cognitive decline. Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) represents a transitional state between ageing normally and all forms of dementia, although those with MCI will not automatically convert to dementia. The retinal and cerebral microvasculature share similar embryological origins and physiological characteristics. Improved imaging technologies enable non‐invasive measurement of retinal microvascular parameters (RMPs). We investigated associations between RMPs and cognitive function in participants with AD and MCI. Method: RMPs (arteriolar/venular diameter, fractal dimension, vessel tortuosity) were measured from optic disc centred fundus images and analysed using semi‐automated software. Thirty‐four MCI and thirty‐two AD participants were recruited for the study from the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust memory clinics. Nine MCI and thirteen AD participants were excluded as their retinal images were of insufficient quality for image analysis. Associations were assessed by logistic regression with comparison to an age and sex‐matched control group from the NICOLA study as the reference category. Models were adjusted for potential confounders including smoking, diabetes, hypertension, total cholesterol and Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) score. P<0.05 was considered significant. Result: Data were included for 126 participants with cognitive function measures and sufficient retinal images. Twenty‐five participants had a clinical diagnosis of MCI and nineteen AD. Eighty‐two age and gender‐matched controls with no previous history of cognitive impairment, and MMSE and Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores >26/30 were included. Decreased arteriolar fractal dimension (OR: 0.30; 95%CI: 0.10, 0.91; P=0.03) was significantly associated with AD in all models. Decreased venular fractal dimension and both arteriole and venular diameter were significantly associated with MCI in all models (P <0.05). No further associations were detected (P >0.05). Conclusion: Our findings identified variation in RMPs in association with MCI and AD in an older population. Additionally, previous studies have reported associations between reduced fractal dimension with MCI and AD. We were able to replicate these associations in unadjusted analyses, and following adjustment for confounders. These non‐invasive retinal measures may help identify mechanistic pathways of microvascular complications early in the disease process in individuals at increased risk of MCI and AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate fertilizer recommendations rely on quantitative estimation of nutrients supplied by soil and fertilizer nutrients immobilized by soil. Understanding variation in these processes over space and time is critical for site-specific nutrient management. Our objective was to characterize spatial variability in N and P cycling for a corn [Zea mays L.]-soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation in southern Minnesota glacial-till soils. Soil samples and grain yield measurements were taken annually from 0.014-ha cells within two 16-ha fields. We determined effects of fertilizer P additions and crop P removal on soil test phosphorus (STP) and determined relationships between STP changes and soil variables. We also determined temporal stability of soil mineralizable N and inorganic N. The spatial patterns of mineralizable N were consistent over time. The spatial pattern of soil NO,-N was consistent with mineralizable N at a well-drained site, but not at a poorly-drained site. Change in STP per kg P net addition or removal exhibited spatial autocorrelation. Declines in STP under net P removal were directly related to initial STP values. Increases in STP under net P addition were significantly related to pH at both sites and mineralizable N at one site. Temporal stability in mineralizable N suggests that predictive approaches to site-specific N management may succeed when the environment for mineralization is uniform. Within-field variability in the relationship between STP and net P addition may substantially affect fertilizer P rates required to attain critical STP values and should be accounted for in variable-rate P applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ventricle of the salmonid heart consists of an outer compact layer of circumferentially arranged cardiomyocytes encasing a spongy myocardium that spans the lumen of the ventricle with a fine arrangement of muscular trabeculae. While many studies have detailed the anatomical structure of fish hearts, few have considered how these two cardiac muscle architectures are attached to form a functional working unit. The present study considers how the spindle-like cardiomyocytes, unlike the more rectangular structure of adult mammalian cardiomyocytes, form perpendicular connections between the two muscle layers that withstand the mechanical forces generated during cardiac systole and permit a simultaneous, coordinated contraction of both ventricular components. Therefore, hearts of rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss) and sockeye salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka) were investigated in detail using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and various light microscopic techniques. In contrast to earlier suggestions, we found no evidence for a distinct connective tissue layer between the two muscle architectures that might ‘glue’ together the compact and the spongy myocardium. Instead, the contact layer between the compact and the spongy myocardium was characterized by a significantly higher amount of desmosome-like (D) and fascia adhaerens-like (FA) adhering junctions compared with either region alone. In addition, we observed that the trabeculae form muscular sheets of fairly uniform thickness and variable width rather than thick cylinders of variable diameter. This sheet-like trabecular anatomy would minimize diffusion distance while maximizing the area of contact between the trabecular muscle and the venous blood as well as the muscle tension generated by a single trabecular sheet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, which can be attributed to increased risk of a number of medical conditions including, type 11 diabetes mellitus, hypertension and coronary heart disease. The most common cause of premature mortality in the obese population, less well known, are associations between obesity and several cancers including breast, endometrial, prostate and bowel cancer. Obesity predisposes to osteoarthritis, particularly, in the large weight-bearing joints and to respiratory problems including obstructive sleep apnoea. Thus, obesity poses an immense and increasing public health burden.

Dialogue is often seen as the process through which the gap between individual and organizational learning is bridged. Here we demonstrate how the enactment of a discursive epistemology - a process which involves the social construction of a dramatized narrative - can be used to generate insights into organizational learning. Using extracts taken from the transcripts of 90 hours of tape-recorded dialogue, we illustrate how a small group of organizational stakeholders construct, reconstruct and re-construct meaning in relation to a critical organizational event (i.e. a learning opportunity) through a generative dialogical process. As a result of this analysis the dominant conceptualization of the role of dialogue in organizational learning - exemplified in Peter Senge's work - is challenged. Here Senge's output-driven, univocal account is rejected in favour of a polyphonic perspective which enables a deeper, richer and less constrained understanding of organizational learning to be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three types of extramarital relations were investigated: (a) emotional (in love) but not sexual (intercourse), (b) sexual (intercourse) but not emotional (in love), and (c) emotional (in love) and sexual (intercourse). Forty-three percent of a sample of 378 married and cohabiting subjects indicated having at least one of the defined extradyadic relations. Subject attitudes and expectations differed depending upon the emotional and/or sexual nature of an extra relationship. Results revealed some sex differences, although male and female responses were generally more similar than dissimilar. Comparisons between the responses of subjects who were not extradyadically involved and those who were revealed information about the process of involvement in extra relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All work is purposeful in that it is related to an end, and yet some of it is meaningful and some of it is not. The explanations of the difference between purpose and meaning are worth examination. The distinction between occupants and others suggests that the underlying difficulty is the problem of subjectivity. If purpose, utility and status are not reliable then one might assume that if work is to mean anything it must mean something for the person doing it. But it is not so because one does not necessarily trust that person's judgment. The author examines the reliability of the worker's judgment about the meaning of his work. This introduces a regression of difficulties because the observer must evaluate that judgment so as to distinguish between the coin tosser, the lathe operator and the academic. The evaluation is almost always conducted by middle-class intellectual observers of manual occupations. This is nowhere better exemplified than in the debate about the alienation of man by his work that concerns the destruction of the meaning of work.

The purpose of this article is to analyse the strategy of managerial professionalization through educational reform as it has been attempted in Britain during the course of the 1980s. This strategy - whatever its internal contradictions and inherent weaknesses - is located within the longer-term historical context in which British management has developed. In turn, this brief historical analysis is complemented by an assessment of the feasibility of the strategy of professionalization in relation to some of the most recent work carried out on the sociology of the professions/expert knowledge. Finally, we discuss the broader implications of this analysis for current debates concerning the reality of managerial work and management culture, as well as the pedagogical principles and practices thought most appropriate to the latter - that is, how managers ought to be educated and developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Greater adherence to a Mediterranean Diet (MD) has been associated with reduced cognitive decline and dementia risk. The Prospective Epidemiological Study of Myocardial Infarction (PRIME) recruited 10,600 European male participants between 1991 and 1993 aged 50‐59 years. The aim of this study was to examine the association between adherence to a MD (at baseline) and subsequent cognitive performance. Method: Dietary data was collected via a short, self‐administered 16‐item Food Frequency Questionnaire; an adapted version of the traditional MD Score was also developed (aMDSR) and median values of intake for each MD component were used as the cut‐off point to calculate the aMDSM. In 2017, follow‐up cognitive assessments using the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination – Revised (ACER) commenced within the Belfast cohort (n=405). Result: For aMDSM, those in the Low MD category scored lower on all cognitive tests compared to the High MD category, with significant differences reported for ACE‐R (p = 0.001), ACE‐R sub domain of memory (p = 0.038), fluency (p = 0.001) and visuospatial skills (p = 0.030). For participants with a ACE‐R score below 88, suggestive of cognitive impairment, there were 19.3% in the Low MD category and 7.2% in the High MD category (p = 0.004). There were 7.4% in the Low MD category and 2.7% in the High MD category who obtained an ACE‐R score below 82, indicative of probable dementia, with no statistically significant difference between categories (p=0.09). In an adjusted model for age, education and cardiovascular risk factors, this significant difference was maintained, with those in the High MD category being 56% less likely to have an ACE‐R score of <88/100 (OR 0.442, 95% CI 0.241‐0.810, p=0.008) compared to those in the Low MD category. For participants with a ACE‐R score below 82, indicative of probable dementia, there were 7.4% in the Low MD category and 2.7% in the High MD category with no statistically significant difference between categories (OR 0.661, 95%CI 0.269‐1.621, p=0.37). Conclusion: In the PRIME Belfast cohort, higher adherence to a MD was associated with better cognitive performances 26 years later in some but not all analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dementia is a term used to describe a broad group of conditions that affect the brain and causes a progressive cognitive decline in the ability to think, learn and remember. People with dementia may be prescribed medications such as antipsychotics and antidepressants to help deal with their symptoms. Little is known about the rate of which these drugs are prescribed in Northern Ireland and whether such drugs influence mortality rates among people with dementia. Method: Using data from the Honest Broker Service, which holds information on approximately 13,000 people with dementia in Northern Ireland we aim to assess the number of people with dementia who are currently being prescribed antidepressants and antipsychotics and determine whether or not such medications influence mortality rates. In addition we also aim to explore what demographic characteristics influence the liklihood of whether a person with dementia will be prescribed antipsychotics and / or antidepressants. Data will be ready for analysis in February 2020. Result: By conducting a retrospective analysis on national datasets, we aim to determine whether antipsychotics and antidepressants influence mortality rates in people with dementia and investigate what demographic parameters in Conclusion: Given the questionable benefits of antipsychotics in particular for treating people with dementia, these results have the potential to provide valuable information to clinicians and the carers of people with dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adaptation to new demands is a fundamental skill that relies on the neuroplasticity of the brain. The breadth of this adaptation (an aspect of cognitive function) is reduced with ageing and is further perturbed with amnesic mild cognitive impairment. Perturbed adaptation skills could be a potential marker of early cognitive deficits, which is key for early diagnosis. Here we aim to investigate behavioural and neurophysiological adaptation to a gamified tablet‐based version of the visual oddball paradigm in older adults across 12 weeks. Method: 89 neurotypical older adults (mean age: 58.7 years, SD: 8.89; mean MoCA score: 27.1, SD: 1.8; 77.5% female) were asked to perform a gamified 2‐stimulus visual oddball paradigm 5 times a week during a 3‐month period, while neurophysiology was recorded with a 16‐channel EEG headset designed for unsupervised use in the home. A session event‐related potential (ERP) was calculated per channel, which was then downsampled into 8‐ms bins. To assess the effect of session on the ERP signal and on the average reaction time (RT), we statistically tested two mixed effects models (per channel‐temporal bin): i) a reference model, with covariates and subject as a random effect; and ii) an across‐sessions model, with Session added as a fixed effect to the reference model. Result: Behaviourally, RTs to Target stimulus were significantly faster across sessions. RTs in the first session and the rate of improvement between the 1st and 2nd sessions were modulated by the MoCA score. In response to the Target stimulus, there were amplitude increases with session overlapping the P300 component on frontal channels (FCz, Fpz), and on parietal channels (CPz, Cz, P3, P4). In response to the Non Target stimulus, there was a higher amplitude with Session in FC3 between 209.9‐242 ms, and in Fpz between 482.6‐514.7 ms. Conclusion: A gamified visual oddball task is sensitive to MoCA score categorization at baseline and early stages of adaptation in neurotypical subjects. Potential neurophysiological adaptation, accompanying the behavioural adaptation, is suggested by EEG P300 amplitudes that increase across sessions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Electroencephalography (EEG) is an inexpensive, non‐invasive and faster method to assess cognition in aging clinical groups. In this study, we are investigating the feasibility of using a 'dry‐EEG' mobile headset to assess cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease (PD) over a 12‐month period. Cognitive impairment is prevalent in PD with approximately 75% of patients developing dementia within 10 years (Aarsland and Kurz, 2010). The presence of mild cognitive impairment (PD‐MCI) has been associated with increased dementia risk (Pederson et al. 2013). Very little is known about the EEG correlates of PD‐MCI, however EEG has previously been used to predict outcomes in MCI associated with Alzheimer's disease. Method: 50 Parkinson's disease patients and 50 age and sex‐matched controls have completed a battery of baseline neuropsychological and EEG tasks. These tasks measured attention, language, memory, visuospatial and executive function domains. Resting state EEG was also recorded. Event‐related potential components and spectral analyses on the delta, theta and alpha oscillatory bands were computed. Differences between groups were assessed using randomisation tests with FDR‐corrected pairwise comparisons. Random forest, k‐nearest neighbours, support‐vector machine and logistic regression machine learning algorithms were also applied to these data. An identical 12‐month follow‐up assessment will be conducted. Result: Findings from the baseline assessments are presented. 52% of the Parkinson's disease cohort fulfilled the criteria for MCI. There was no difference in age, education or pre‐morbid IQ between groups. Machine learning classifiers derived from EEG and neuropsychological test metrics discriminated between PD‐MCI, PD normal cognition (PD‐NC) and healthy controls with over 80% accuracy. Conclusion: Cognitive impairment is prevalent in PD. Our findings show that it is feasible to use dry‐EEG to profile cognition in PD and can differentially discriminate between cognitively normal and cognitively impaired PD patients at an early stage. The features selected are in agreement with the dual syndrome hypothesis of cognition (Kehagia et al., 2013) and those identified in a 10 year follow‐up study (Williams‐Grey et al., 2013). The stability of these features and their ability to predict cognitive status at 12 months will be investigated at a follow‐up assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article the authors reflect on the development of a national strategy for dementia care in Northern Ireland (NI). In September 2008, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) appointed a group to develop a Dementia Strategy for NI. The article also examines relevant reports and policies that will influence the Strategy.