This research explored the differential association of everyday stress with the episodic memory test performances of young, mid-life, and older adults. Participants included 98 community-dwelling adults ranging in age from 19-89 years. Everyday stress was assessed via the Perceived Stress Scale and the Elder Life Stress Inventory. A brief battery of episodic memory tasks was administered which included tests of Logical Memory, Verbal Paired Associates, Digit Symbol Substitution, and Digit Symbol Incidental Learning. Results suggest that everyday hassles and irritations as well as the accumulation of challenging life events may exacerbate age-related decline on episodic memory tests that require greater executive resources and more integrated and elaborative processing. The functional relationship between affective status and risk for dementia is discussed, and consideration of individual differences in everyday stress is suggested so as to allow more sensitive interpretation of episodic memory tests commonly used to discern mild cognitive impairment.

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This article discusses a new program to establish standards for all drinking water additives from a health effects point of view. The National Sanitation Foundation, the American Water Works Association Research Foundation, the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators, and the Conference of State Health and Environmental Managers have been involved in efforts to establish these standards. The goal is to develop standards for anything that comes in contact with drinking water, so that the drinking water industry and its suppliers can be assured that nothing harmful is delivered to consumers inadvertently.