Longitudinal Studies on Illness Perceptions in Cancer Patients: A Scoping Review

Objective:To conduct a scoping review of longitudinal studies related to disease perception in cancer patients and to provide a reference for the improvement of disease perception in cancer patients.Methods:Using the scoping method,PubMed,Web of Science,The Cochrane Library,Medline,CNKI,Wanfang Database,VIP Chinese Scientific and Technical Journals Database,and China Biomedical Literature Database were searched up to July 2023 for analysis and discussion of the included literature.Results:A total of 19 articles were included,distributed across 9 countries including China,the Netherlands,and the United Kingdom,with 8 articles published in China.The study subjects included patients with breast cancer,colorectal cancer,laryngeal cancer,lung cancer,esophageal cancer,and bladder cancer.The content covered dynamic changes in disease perception,the impact of disease perception,and the influencing factors of disease perception.Conclusion:The number of longitudinal studies on disease perception in cancer patients is gradually increasing and becoming more diverse.However,issues such as a small total number of studies,single research methods,and short observation periods persist.In the future,it is necessary to conduct in-depth longitudinal research on disease perception in cancer patients,expand the scope of research fields,and provide more comprehensive theories to guide clinical treatment and nursing practices,ultimately improving the treatment outcomes and quality of life for cancer patients.

Improving the utility of locally differentially private protocols for longitudinal and multidimensional frequency estimates

This paper investigates the problem of collecting multidimensional data throughout time(i.e.,longitudinal studies)for the fundamental task of frequency estimation under Local Differential Privacy(LDP)guarantees.Contrary to frequency estimation of a single attribute,the multidimensional aspect demands particular attention to the privacy budget.Besides,when collecting user statistics longitudinally,privacy progressively degrades.Indeed,the“multiple”settings in combination(i.e.,many attributes and several collections throughout time)impose several challenges,for which this paper proposes the first solution for frequency estimates under LDP.To tackle these issues,we extend the analysis of three state-of-the-art LDP protocols(Generalized Randomized Response–GRR,Optimized Unary Encoding–OUE,and Symmetric Unary Encoding–SUE)for both longitudinal and multidimensional data collections.While the known literature uses OUE and SUE for two rounds of sanitization(a.k.a.memoization),i.e.,L-OUE and L-SUE,respectively,we analytically and experimentally show that starting with OUE and then with SUE provides higher data utility(i.e.,L-OSUE).Also,for attributes with small domain sizes,we propose Longitudinal GRR(L-GRR),which provides higher utility than the other protocols based on unary encoding.Last,we also propose a new solution named Adaptive LDP for LOngitudinal and Multidimensional FREquency Estimates(ALLOMFREE),which randomly samples a single attribute to be sent with the whole privacy budget and adaptively selects the optimal protocol,i.e.,either L-GRR or L-OSUE.As shown in the results,ALLOMFREE consistently and considerably outperforms the state-of-the-art L-SUE and L-OUE protocols in the quality of the frequency estimates.

Advances in longitudinal studies of amnestic mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease based on multi-modal MRI techniques

Amnestic mild cognitive impairment （aMCI） is a prodromal stage of Alzheimer＇s disease （AD）, and 75%-80% of aMCI patients finally develop AD. So, early identification of patients with aMCI or AD is of great significance for prevention and intervention. According to cross-sectional studies, it is known that the hippocampus, posterior cingulate cortex, and corpus callosum are key areas in studies based on structural MRI （sMRI）, functional MRI （fMRI）, and diffusion tensor imaging （DTI） respectively. Recently, longitudinal studies using each MRI modality have demonstrated that the neuroimaging abnormalities generally involve the posterior brain regions at the very beginning and then gradually affect the anterior areas during the progression of aMCI to AD. However, it is not known whether follow-up studies based on multi-modal neuroimaging techniques （e.g., sMRI, fMRI, and DTI） can help build effective MRI models that can be directly applied to the screening and diagnosis of aMCI and AD. Thus, in the future, large-scale multi-center follow-up studies are urgently needed, not only to build an MRI diagnostic model that can be used on a single person, but also to evaluate the variability and stability of the model in the general population. In this review, we present longitudinal studies using each MRI modality separately, and then discuss the future directions in this field.

Changes in postoperative depression and anxiety and their relationship with recovery from femoral head necrosis:A longitudinal study

BACKGROUND Femoral head necrosis(FHN)can significantly affect patients'psychological well-being and functional outcomes.However,the long-term relationship between postoperative depression,anxiety,and functional recovery in patients with FHN remains unclear.AIM To investigate the dynamic changes in postoperative depression and anxiety and their relationship with functional recovery in patients with FHN for 3 years.METHODS Ninety-three patients with FHN who underwent surgical treatment in March 2020 to 2023 were enrolled in this longitudinal study.Depression and anxiety status were assessed using the hospital anxiety and depression scale(HADS)at baseline,6 months,1,2,and 3 years postoperatively.Functional recovery was evaluated using the Harris hip score(HHS).The dynamic changes in HADS and HHS were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA;the relationship between depre-ssion/anxiety status and functional recovery was examined using Pearson’s correlation analysis.RESULTS The mean HADS-depression(HADS-D)and HADS-anxiety(HADS-A)scores significantly improved over time(P<0.001).The prevalence of depression and anxiety decreased from 36.6%and 41.9%at baseline to 10.8%and 12.9%,respectively,at 3 years postoperatively.The mean HHS increased sig-nificantly from 52.3±10.5 at baseline to 88.1±7.2 at 3 years postoperatively(P<0.001).Significant negative correl-ations were found between HADS-D/HADS-A scores and HHS at all time points(P<0.05).CONCLUSION The severity of depression and anxiety negatively correlated with functional recovery,highlighting the importance of psychological interventions in the management of patients with FHN.

The default mode network is affected in the early stage of simian immunodeficiency virus infection:a longitudinal study

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome infection can lead to cognitive dysfunction represented by changes in the default mode network.Most recent studies have been cross-sectional and thus have not revealed dynamic changes in the default mode network following acquired immune deficiency syndrome infection and antiretroviral therapy.Specifically,when brain imaging data at only one time point are analyzed,determining the duration at which the default mode network is the most effective following antiretroviral therapy after the occurrence of acquired immune deficiency syndrome.However,because infection times and other factors are often uncertain,longitudinal studies cannot be conducted directly in the clinic.Therefore,in this study,we performed a longitudinal study on the dynamic changes in the default mode network over time in a rhesus monkey model of simian immunodeficiency virus infection.We found marked changes in default mode network connectivity in 11 pairs of regions of interest at baseline and 10 days and 4 weeks after virus inoculation.Significant interactions between treatment and time were observed in the default mode network connectivity of regions of interest pairs area 31/V6.R and area 8/frontal eye field(FEF).L,area 8/FEF.L and caudal temporal parietal occipital area(TPOC).R,and area 31/V6.R and TPOC.L.ART administered 4 weeks after infection not only interrupted the progress of simian immunodeficiency virus infection but also preserved brain function to a large extent.These findings suggest that the default mode network is affected in the early stage of simian immunodeficiency virus infection and that it may serve as a potential biomarker for early changes in brain function and an objective indicator for making early clinical intervention decisions.

A Longitudinal Study of Hedges in Different Moves of EMRAs

This paper investigates the evolutionary change in the OF(OF) of hedges in different moves of EMRAs(EMRAs).Two corpora are established for longitudinal study,with Corpus A consisting of EMRAs from 1990-1994 and Corpus B from 2005-2009.Generally,no significant change has been found in overall use of hedges.However,apart from move 6,7 and 10,we have found some interesting changes in the other moves.On the one hand,the OF of hedges in move 1,move 3,move 4 and move 5 shows a significant increase.On the other hand,the OF of hedges in move 2,8,9 and move 11 show a significant decrease.

A central analgesic mechanism of acupuncture for migraine An ongoing functional MRI study

Shaoyang acupoints are the most frequently used in migraine treatment. However, the central anal- gesic mechanism remains poorly understood. Studies have demonstrated that single stimulus of the verum acupuncture in healthy subjects can induce significant connectivity or activity changes in pain- related central networks compared with sham acupuncture. However, these findings are not indicative of the central analgesic mechanism of acupuncture at Shaoyang acupoints. Thus, we recruited 100 migraine sufferers and randomly assigned them into five groups： Shaoyang uncommon acupoint, Shaoyang common acupoint, Yangming uncommon acupoint, non-acupoint control, and blank control groups. Subjects were subjected to evaluation of curative effects and functional MRI prior to and after 10 and 20 acupuncture treatments. All subjects were diagnosed by physicians and enrolled following clinical physical examination. Subjects were observed during 1-4 weeks after inclusion. At the fifth week, the first clinical evaluation and resting functional MRI were conducted. The Shaoyang uncom- mon acupoint, Shaoyang common acupoint, Yangming uncommon acupoint, and non-acupoint control grousp then were treated with acupuncture, five times per week, 20 times in total over 4 weeks. The second and third clinical evaluations and resting functional MRI screenings were conducted following 10 and 20 acupuncture treatments. The blank control group was observed during the 5 to 8 week pe- riod, followed by clinical evaluation and resting functional MRI. The aim of this study was to examine changes in brain functional activity and central networks in subjects with migraine undergoing acu- puncture at Shaoyang uncommon acupoints. This study provides a further explanation of the central analgesic mechanism by which acupuncture at Shaoyang acupoints treats migraine,

Changes in choroidal thickness in healthy pediatric individuals: a longitudinal study

AIM： To investigate the changes in the choroidal thickness in healthy pediatric children in a longitudinal study, and to determine the ocular and systemic parameters that were significantly correlated with the changes in the choroidal thickness. METHODS： This study included 64 eyes of 34 healthy Japanese children with a mean age（±SD） of 4.4（±0.4）y（range, 3.6-5.8 y） at baseline. Swept-source optical coherence tomography（SS-OCT） was used to record images of the retina and choroid at the baseline and after a mean followup period of about 1.5 y. The 3 D raster scan protocol was used to construct the choroidal thickness map. Mean choroidal thickness was calculated for each of the nine sectors of the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study grid. Best-corrected visual acuity, axial length, body height, and weight were also measured. Changes in measurements were defined as the baseline values subtracted from the values at the final visit. A generalized estimating equation was used to eliminate the effect of within-subject intereye correlations. RESULTS： The mean central choroidal thickness was significantly reduced during the follow-up period（baseline, 301.8±8.6 μm; final visit, 286.6±8.0 μm, P〈0.001）. The decrease in the choroidal thickness was greatest in the central sector, followed by the sectors of the inner and outer rings. The inner and outer rings had diameters of 1 to 3 mm and 3 to 6 mm, respectively. The changes in the choroidal thickness in the central, inner ring, and outer ring sectors were significantly and negatively correlated with the age, baseline body height, baseline body weight, and elongation of the axial length. CONCLUSION： These results indicate that the choroidal thickness among preschool-aged Japanese children decreased significantly during the follow-up period. The choroidal thinning is significantly associated with the elongation of axial length. These characteristics should be considered in the evaluation of choroidal thickness in younger children with retinochoroidal disorders.

Longitudinal Performance Assessment of Traffic Signal System Impacted by Long-Term Interstate Construction Diversion Using Connected Vehicle Data

Local arterials can be significantly impacted by diversions from adjacent work zones. These diversions often occur on unofficial detour routes due to guidance received on personal navigation devices. Often, these routes do not have sufficient sensing or communication equipment to obtain infrastructure-based traffic signal performance measures, so other data sources are required to identify locations being significantly affected by diversions. This paper examines the network impact caused by the start of an 18-month closure of the I-65/70 interchange (North Split), which usually serves approximately 214,000 vehicles per day in Indianapolis, IN. In anticipation of some proportion of the public diverting from official detour routes to local streets, a connected vehicle monitoring program was established to provide daily performances measures for over 100 intersections in the area without the need for vehicle sensing equipment. This study reports on 13 of the most impacted signals on an alternative arterial to identify locations and time of day where operations are most degraded, so that decision makers have quantitative information to make informed adjustments to the system. Individual vehicle movements at the studied locations are analyzed to estimate changes in volume, split failures, downstream blockage, arrivals on green, and travel times. Over 130,000 trajectories were analyzed in an 11-week period. Weekly afternoon peak period volumes increased by approximately 455%, split failures increased 3%, downstream blockage increased 10%, arrivals on green decreased 16%, and travel time increase 74%. The analysis performed in this paper will serve as a framework for any agency that wants to assess traffic signal performance at hundreds of locations with little or no existing sensing or communication infrastructure to prioritize tactical retiming and/or longer-term infrastructure investments.

Attitudes toward E-Cigarettes, Reasons for Initiating E-Cigarette Use, and Changes in Smoking Behavior after Initiation: A Pilot Longitudinal Study of Regular Cigarette Smokers

Objectives: We examined 1) changes in smoking and vaping behavior and associated cotinine levels and health status among regular smokers who were first-time e-cigarette purchasers and 2) attitudes, intentions, and restrictions regarding e-cigarettes. Methods: We conducted a pilot longitudinal study with assessments of the aforementioned factors and salivary cotinine at weeks 0, 4, and 8. Eligibility criteria included being ≥18 years old, smoking ≥25 of the last 30 days, smoking ≥5 cigarettes per day (cpd), smoking regularly ≥1 year, and not having started using e-cigarettes. Of 72 individuals screened, 40 consented, 36 completed the baseline survey, and 83.3% and 72.2% were retained at weeks 4 and 8, respectively. Results: Participants reduced cigarette consumption from baseline to week 4 and 8 (p’s < 0.001);23.1% reported no cigarette use in the past month at week 8. There was no significant decrease in cotinine from baseline to week 4 or 8 (p’s = ns). At week 8, the majority reported improved health (65.4%), reduced smoker’s cough (57.7%), and improved sense of smell (53.8%) and taste (50.0%). The majority believed that e-cigarettes versus regular cigarettes have fewer health risks (97.2%) and that e-cigarettes have been shown to help smokers quit (80.6%) and reduce cigarette consumption (97.2%). In addition, the majority intended to use e-cigarettes as a complete replacement for regular cigarettes (69.4%) and reported no restriction on e-cigarette use in the home (63.9%) or car (80.6%). Conclusions: Future research is needed to document the long-term impact on smoking behavior and health among cigarette smokers who initiate use of e-cigarettes.

Transition Logic Regression Method to Identify Interactions in Binary Longitudinal Data

Logic regression is an adaptive regression method which searches for Boolean (logic) combinations of binary variables that best explain the variability in the outcome, and thus, it reveals interaction effects which are associated with the response. In this study, we extended logic regression to longitudinal data with binary response and proposed “Transition Logic Regression Method” to find interactions related to response. In this method, interaction effects over time were found by Annealing Algorithm with AIC (Akaike Information Criterion) as the score function of the model. Also, first and second orders Markov dependence were allowed to capture the correlation among successive observations of the same individual in longitudinal binary response. Performance of the method was evaluated with simulation study in various conditions. Proposed method was used to find interactions of SNPs and other risk factors related to low HDL over time in data of 329 participants of longitudinal TLGS study.

Migraine in physicians and final year medical students:A crosssectional insight into prevalence,self-awareness,and knowledge from Pakistan

BACKGROUND Despite its high prevalence,migraine remains underdiagnosed worldwide.A significant reason is the knowledge gap in physicians regarding diagnostic criteria,clinical features,and other clinical aspects of migraine.AIM To measure the knowledge deficit in physicians and medical students and to assess the prevalence of migraine in the same population.METHODS An online questionnaire was developed and distributed among physicians and final year medical students on duty in various medical and surgical specialties of Allied and DHQ Hospitals,Faisalabad,between October 2018 and October 2019.Inclusion criteria were public practicing physicians who experience headaches,while those who never experienced headaches were excluded.Different questions assessed respondents on their knowledge of triggers,diagnosis,management,and prophylaxis of the migraine headache.They were asked to diagnose themselves using embedded ICHD-3 diagnostic criteria for different types of migraine.Graphs,tables,and figures were made using Microsoft Office 2016 and Microsoft Visio,and data analysis was done in R Studio 1.4.RESULTS We had 213 respondents and 175 fulfilled inclusion criteria,with 99(52%),58(30%)and 12(6.3%)belonging to specialties of medicine,surgery,and others,respectively.Both genders were symmetrically represented(88 male and 87 female).Fifty-two(24.4%)of our 213 respondents were diagnosed with migraine,with 26(50%)being aware of it.Females had higher prevalence among study participants(n=28,32.2%)compared to males(n=20,22.7%,P=0.19).A majority(62%)of subjects never consulted any doctor for their headache.Similarly,a majority(62%)either never heard or did not remember the diagnostic criteria of migraine.Around 38%falsely believed that having any type of aura is essential for diagnosing migraine.The consultation rate was 37%(n=65),and migraineurs were significantly more likely to have consulted a doctor,and a neurologist in particular(P<0.001).Consulters and migraineurs fared better in the knowledge of diagnostic aspects of the disease than their counterparts.There was no significant difference in other knowledge aspects between consulters versus non-consulters and migraineurs versus nonmigraineurs.CONCLUSION Critical knowledge gaps exist between physicians and medical students,potentially contributing to misdiagnosis and mismanagement of migraine.

Screening for depressive symptoms among older adults in Taiwan: Cutoff of a short form of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale

Screening for elders at risk for depression is crucial for promoting mental health in later life. The present study investigates the cutoff score of a short form of the CES-D for screening of depressive symptoms in the elderly population of Taiwan. This particular short form of CES-D is repeatedly used in the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging (TLSA), a national survey of representative older adults in Taiwan, and is therefore referred to as the TLSA form. Data collected from five waves of TLSA were analyzed in this study. Participant responses repeatedly measured in 1989 and 1993 were used to identify a cutoff for the TLSA form of the CES-D with sensitivity and specificity using the cutoff of 4 on the Boston form of the CES-D as the criterion. Longitudinal data from the years 1996, 1999, and 2003 were used to validate the proposed cutoff by comparing the prevalence rates for depressive symptoms among older Taiwan Residents estimated from the identified cutoff and reported in previous studies. The score of 10 on the TLSA form of the CES-D was suggested, yielding a specificity of 0.93 and a sensitivity of approximately 0.96. The estimated prevalence rates for depressive symptoms among Taiwan Residents elders based on the suggested cutoff were between 18.9% and 23.7%, which are similar to previously reported rates. The cutoff score of 10 on the TLSA form of the CES-D is therefore recommended for screening depressive symptoms among older adults in Taiwan.

Clinical Study on Effect of Xiaoyao Nose Drops (逍遥滴鼻液) in Stopping Episode of Migraine

Objective： To observe the effect of Xiaoyao Nose Drops （逍遥滴鼻液 , XYND） in stopping episode of migraine. Methods： Adopted was the randomized double-blinded placebo-controled method, with the 126 patients equally assigned to two groups, the treated group treated with XYND and the control group with placebo, and the therapeutic course was 30 days for all. The clinical total effective rate and effect in al- leviating headache were observed. And hemorrheological parameters as well as the blood flow of the anterior cerebral artery （ACA）, median cerebral artery （MCA） and posterior cerebral artery （PCA） were measured before and after treatment. Results： The clinical total effective rate and headache alleviating rate in the treated group were 93.33% and 96.67% respectively, while those in the control group were 18.33% and 20.00 % respectively, and comparison between the two groups showed significant difference （all P〈0.01）. The blood viscosity （high, middle and low shear）, plasma viscosity and fibrinogen got lowered significantly in the treated group after treatment, showing significant difference in comparison either with those before treatment or with those in the control group after treatment （P〈0.05 or P〈0.01）. The velocity of blood flow in all cerebral arteries lowered significantly, also showing significant difference in comparison either with those before treatment or with those in the control group after treatment （ P 〈 0.05 or P 〈 0.01 ）. Conclusion： XYND is effective in stopping the headache of patients with migraine, and worth applying in clinical practice.

Forest observational studies-an essential infrastructure for sustainable use of natural resources

This contribution complements Forest Ecosystems＇ Thematic Series on ＂Forest Observational Studies＂. We provide essential clarification regarding the definition and purpose of long-term field studies, review some of the extensive literature and discuss different approaches to collecting field data. We also describe two newly established forest observational networks that serve to illustrate the scope and diversity of forest field studies. The first is a large-scale network of forest observational studies in prominent natural forest ecosystems in China. The second example demonstrates observational studies in mixed and uneven-aged pine-oak forests which are selectively managed by local communities in Mexico. We summarize the potential for analysing and modeling forest ecosystems within interdisciplinary projects and provide argumentation in favour of long-term institutional commitment to maintaining forest observational field studies.

A Longitudinal Analysis of Environment and Risk of Obesity in the US

Obesity is a fast-growing global health crisis and the epidemic is about to get worse. Environment has been shown to influence physical activity and people’s body weight. Utilizing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2004-2010 waves of the continuous obesity data, this study conducted longitudinal analyses to examine neighborhood built environment and obesity risk controlling for the effects of socio-demographic characteristics. This study presents a comprehensive effort to understand the relationship between the environment and physical inactivity and obesity across the entire contiguous US. When constructing measures of the built environment, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were used to calculate street connectivity, walk score and food environment. In addition to the built environment, the natural environment, which was represented by the annual number of extreme weather events from 2004-2010, was taken into account in explaining variation of physical inactivity and obesity across the contiguous US. Results show that higher street connectivity and walk score are related to lower physical inactivity and obesity rates, while the ratio of fast-food restaurants and number of extreme weather events are positively related to physical inactivity and obesity. The results are believed to provide policy-makers and planners with useful insights into the dynamics between the environment and obesity epidemic. Further, the significant effects of extreme weather invite more studies to investigate the relationship between the natural environment and obesity.

Migraine and Obesity in Parakou in 2017: Case-Control Study

Objective: We aim to study the relationship between migraine and obesity at Titirou in Parakou in 2017. Method: It was a case-control study which included 66 migrainers according to International Headache Society (IHS) criteria 2013 (case) matched to 132 controls by age, sex and residence. Size and weight have been measured in each subject. Body mass index has been calculated. Migraine history and sociodemographic information have been collected from 1st May to 31st August 2017 and analyzed by using Epi Info 7 software. The association between migraine and obesity was estimated by odds ratio and their confidence interval. Results: There has been no difference among those suffering from migraine and controls according to sociodemographic characteritics. Obesity has significantly been associated with migraine with OR 4.24 (1.93 - 9.25). The weight more than 70 Kg has been associated with the migraine with OR: 2.02 (1.06 - 3.90). The overweight and obesity have been associated with migraine OR with respectively 1.9 (1.1 - 3.9) and 4.4 (2.0 - 9.5). No difference has been found between migraine and the clinical characteristics of migraine (type, severity, intensity). Conclusion: Obesity has been associated with migraine and has to be taken into account in migraine management.

Motives for romantic relationships and the risk of heavy alcohol use, regular smoking and cannabis use during adolescence and early adulthood: A longitudinal study

Background: Engaging in sexual activities at a younger age is associated with higher risk of substance misuse among adolescents. It could be hypothesized that substance misuse and certain romantic relationship related behaviors may be influenced by similar hormone and other inner physiological factors that are affected by related motives. This study investigated the association between motives for romantic relationships and the risk of heavy alcohol use, regular smoking and cannabis use from adolescence through to early adulthood. Method: A population-based longitudinal study using data collected from Wave I and Wave III of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Characteristics of romantic relationship ideals (as the proxy of motives) measured in Wave I (mean age: 16 yrs) were applied to predict substance use indicated at Wave III (mean age: 22 yrs) using multivariate analyses. Results: Adolescents who included sexual activities as part of their romantic relationship ideals were at significantly higher risk of cannabis use among males and heavy alcohol use among females. Romantic ideals that included, gift giving (female) or receiving (male), declaration of love (male), marriage (male) and becoming pregnant (female) were associated with reduced risk of one or more types of substance use. Conclusion: In adolescence, sexual motives for romantic relationships were associated with higher risk of substance use and misuse, while motives related to intimacy and commitment in romantic relationships were associated with lower risk.

A longitudinal study in atypical Cri-du chat profile: A single case report

Background: Cri-du-Chat Syndrome (CdCS) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by a severe mental delay, minimal verbal abilities and severe learning difficulties. Methods: Here, we report two neuropsychological assessments of an Italian girl (FS) with CdCS who was affected by a moderate mental delay. The first assessment was made at 2.3 years and second at 6.5 years. Results: Her cognitive profile was characterized by a discrepancy between social-communicative and visual-motor skills. Specifically, her linguistic skills were better than her ability to copy a drawing or play with a set of building blocks. FS showed good lexical competence in both comprehension and production. Differently, her grammatical skills (i.e. comprehension and production) were somewhat defective. Conclusion: The FS’s case, due to her moderate mental delay and her preserved linguistic skills, allowed investigating some aspects of this syndrome never explored before.

Investigating the Life-Span of Cork Products through a Longitudinal ApproachmOverview of Two Years Results

Products with long life-spans are generally acknowledged to have a significant contribution towards sustainability. This paper provides an overview and discussion of the two years results of a longitudinal study performed with users and several cork products. The research aimed to tackle the process of life-span, and the results include： （1） the identification and interrelation of the aspects influencing the life-span of the products; （2） the evolution of life-span over time; and （3） new knowledge and guidelines arising about the material. Overall, most cork products are still being used, have a very good life-span, and most issues arising are material related.